
Aunt Joan's Zucchini, as remembered by Julia
1.5 pounds summer squash, mixed or all one variety
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
some chopped fresh basil
grated fresh parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Thinly slice the summer squash. Heat oil over
moderate heat in medium-large frying pan. Add the
minced garlic, and let cook for just a few seconds,
don't let it brown. Then add the squash, spreading out
in the pan so it can all cook evenly. Once the first
layer is browned up a bit, stir it around the pan, letting
the still-uncooked squash hit the oil below for a little
browning. You can add a bit more oil at this point if
you like. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Once it's
all cooked (7-12 minutes), remove to a serving dish
and top with the fresh chopped basil and the
parmesan. Serves 3-4
~~~~~

Roasted Potatoes with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto
(Mark Bittman, for Cooking Light, May 2012)
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 cups packed arugula leaves (about 1 1/2 oz)
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons pistachios
2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
Place a jelly-roll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 400.
Combine potatoes and 1 tablespoon oil in a medium
bowl; toss well. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on
preheated pan. Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon
salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400 degrees
for 20 minutes; toss potatoes. Bake an additional 25
minutes or until tender, stirring every 10 minutes.
Combine remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4
teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, arugula leaves,
Parmesan cheese, pistachios, 2 teaspoons water,
lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor; process
until smooth. Combine arugula mixture and hot
potatoes in a medium bowl; toss well.
~~~~~

Carrot Yogurt Soup
adapted from Sunset’s Make-Ahead Cookbook
2 T cooking oil
1 large leek or onion, chopped (leek should be cut in
half, cleaned and then white and light green parts
chopped. The dark green parts can be tossed or used
to make stock.)
1 garlic clove or 1 stalk green garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon each curry powder and flour
3 cups stock: chicken or vegetable
3 large or 6 medium carrots, scrubbed and sliced,
(peeled if you like)
1 cup plain yogurt
cayenne pepper, ground
1/3 cup chopped, toasted salted peanuts
Heat oil in 3-4 quart pan over med. heat. When oil is
hot, add onion, then garlic, stirring, until onion is soft.
(About 10 minutes). Add curry powder and flour;
continue to cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add
broth and carrots. Cover and simmer until carrots are
tender when pierced (15 to 20 minutes)
Blend with immersion blender, food processor or
regular blender with 3/4 cup of the yogurt until
pureed. Season to taste with S and P and cayenne
(use sparingly!). Let cool; cover and refrigerate for up
to 1 day or freeze for up for 4 months.) Thaw
overnight or defrost in microwave.
To serve: Serve at room temperature or hot. Garnish
with peanuts, yogurt, and if you like carrot curls you
can make by using a vegetable peeler and ‘peeling’
long carrot curls from a carrot. Put these curls in a
small bowl of ice water to help them stay curly and
crunchy before you serve them in the soup.
~~~~~

Cherry Tomato & Avocado Salad
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons chopped scallion or other mild onion
1 cup (approx.) chopped avocado
2 tablespoons chopped herb (such as parsley, cilantro, dill....)
Optional vinaigrette to coat (whirl 2 T lemon juice or
vinegar, 1 small clove garlic, 1 t mustard, pinch salt
and pepper, with 1/2 cup olive oil in blender.) Gently
mix all ingredients. Serve. (The avocado is optional
but delicious)
~~~~~

Japanese Pickling Melons
Andy: "They're like really big cucumbers."
Kitazawa Seed Company: "As its name suggests,
this
family of melons is ideal for pickling, and that is
the
most common method of preparation in Asia.
Considerably larger than Western cucumbers, young
melons can be eaten raw or added to a salad as you
would a cucumber. More typically, they can be
baked stuffed with beef, pork, chicken or vegetables.
Pickling melons also make a tasty vegetable in their
own right alongside seafood or in a stir-fry.
Salt-Pickled Vegetables
(From Japanese Vegetable Cooking by Lesley
Downer)
Simple salt pickling consists of layering raw
begetables with salt to make a crisp and pungent
pickle. Any firm vegetable may be pickled in this way.
Use pure sea salt or rock salt for the best flavor.
4 pickling cucumbers
1 to 2 tablespoons salt
Wash and trim the vegetables. Halve the cucumbers
lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; cut into 1/2-inch
lengths. Pat the vegetables with paper towels to dry.
Rub the salt into the vegetables. Put them into a
ceramic bowl and cover with a plate to fit neatly
inside the bowl on top of the pickles. Set a weight
such as a jar of water on the plate.
Leave the bowl in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 days;
the brine will quickly rise above the level of the
vegetables.
To serve, remove a small amount of pickled
vegetable; rinse and gently squeeze, then cut into bite-
size pieces. Serve in very small quantities with rice.
The remaining pickles will keep in a cool place for 2
to 3 months in the brine.
~~~~~

Stir-Fried Kohlrabi from The Goodness of
Potatoes and Root Vegetables by John Midgley
3 kohlrabi, peeled
3 medium carrots
4 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 inch piece gingerroot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 green onions, sliced
1-2 fresh chili peppers, sliced, optional
salt
4 tablespoons oyster sauce (optional)
3 teaspoons sesame oil & soy sauce, each
Slice kohlrabi and carrots into thin ovals. Heat oil in
large heavy skillet; when it begins to smoke, toss in
garlic and ginger. Stir once then add kohlrabi and
carrots; toss and cook 2 minutes. Add green onions
and chilies; stir-fry 1 minute, then pour in ½ cup
water. Cover, reduce heat and cook 5 minutes.
Remove cover and toss in a little salt and the sesame
and soy, and oyster if using. Serve with rice.
~~~~~

Sauteed Collard Greens
Gourmet, December 1998
Some people favor collard greens boiled until they
are meltingly tender, while others prefer them to
retain some bite. This recipe satisfies the taste of the
latter group.
2 1/2 lbs.
2 cloves
1 tbsp.
1 tbsp.
1 tsp. |
collard greens
garlic
unsalted butter
olive oil
fresh lemon juice, or to taste |
Remove and discard stems and center ribs of collard
greens. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a kettle of
boiling water cook collards 15 minutes and drain in a
colander, pressing out excess liquid with back of a
wooden spoon.
Mince garlic. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat butter
and oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides
and stir in garlic, collards, and salt and pepper to
taste. SautŽ collard mixture, stirring, until heated
through, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle collards with lemon juice and toss well.
Serves 4
~~~~~

Sesame Spinach with Ginger and Garlic
Gourmet September 1997
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh gingerroot
1 bunch trimmed fresh spinach
Mince garlic and in a small dry skillet toast sesame
seeds
over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. In a
heavy
6-quart kettle heat oil over moderate heat until
hot but
not smoking and cook garlic and gingerroot,
stirring, 30
seconds, or until fragrant and golden.
Add spinach by
handfuls, stirring, and cook until just
wilted. Serve spinach sprinkled with sesame seeds.
~~~~~

Our Favorite Fava Beans from Julia and Andy
2 pound favas, taken out of the pods
1-4 cloves of garlic, chopped AND/OR:
1/2 cup onions, chopped
olive oil
S & P The simplest version: sauté the favas with the garlic in
the heated oil. the shells will come off in the
pan, they are a
lighter green, and the whole thing can
be eaten like that.
(Season with S & P)
Version #2: Put the light green favas
(that have been
removed
from the pod) into boiling water
for 1-2
minutes. Remove
immediately, rinse in cold water.
Take the outer shell off each
fava bean, so that you
have
just the bright emerald green bean.
Then cook
just the inner
brighter green beans in the heated oil
with the garlic for 2-3
minutes, then eat. We like both
versions,
and which one we
do depends on if we
have guests or willing
children to help
in the extra
step of Version #2.
~~~~~

Snap Pea Salad with Miso Dressing
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Serves 4-6
Table salt for the pot
½ pound sugar snap peas, untrimmed
½ pound Napa cabbage, in thin ribbons (about 3
cups)
4 ounces radishes (4 medium-large) julienned, or
quartered and thinly sliced
3 large scallions (about ½ bundle), white and
green parts only, thinly sliced on bias
3 tbsp. sesame seeds, well toasted (300-degree
oven for 5 to 8 minutes)
Sesame-Miso Dressing
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. mild yellow or white miso, plus up to 1
tbsp. more
2 tbsp. sesame seed paste or tahini
1 tbsp. honey
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
Blanch sugar snap peas:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and
prepare a small ice-water bath. Boil the sugar
snaps for about 2 minutes, or until just barely
cooked but still crisp. Scoop them out with a
large slotted spoon, and drop them in the ice-
water bath. Once they’re cool, drain and pat dry.
Tim ends and cut sugar snaps on bias into thin
slices. Toss in large bowl with cabbage radishes,
scallions, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.
Make the dressing:
Whirl all ingredients, using the smaller amount of
miso, in a blender until smooth. Taste and adjust
the ingredients – use the extra tablespoon of miso
if desired. Don’t fret if it is a tad salty, and try to
resist the urge to compensate with extra honey.
The sugar snaps have a mellow sweetness to
them that balances well with a saltier-than-normal
dressign.
Assemble the salad:
Toss salad with half of dressing, and taste. Use
more if you desire. Sprinkle with remaining
sesame seeds.
~~~~~

Shungiku Salad with Sesame Soy Dressing
(From CountryLiving.com)
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) sesame seeds
2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
2 (1/2 pound) firm cakes tofu, halved diagonally
2 slice(s) (thin, round) smoked ham
1 large egg, beaten
2 large mushrooms, sliced
4 cup(s) (loosely packed) young Shungiku leaves,
torn
8 slice(s) cucumber
2 tablespoon(s) rice-wine vinegar
2 tablespoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon(s) brown sugar
1 teaspoon(s) Oriental sesame oil
1 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
Prepare Sesame Soy Dressing: In screw-top jar
with tight-fitting lid, combine 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil, rice-wine vinegar, reduced-sodium
soy sauce, brown sugar, Oriental sesame oil, and
garlic, until well mixed.
Prepare Shungiku Salad: Heat large skillet until
hot over high heat. Add sesame seeds and stir-fry
until lightly browned. Remove to bowl. Add 2
tablespoons of oil and tofu triangles. Brown tofu
well on all sides -- about 10 minutes. Drain tofu
on paper towels and set aside. Reduce heat to
low. Add ham and brown lightly; remove to plate.
Fold ham in half; roll into cone shape and set
aside.
Add egg to skillet and cook until set like a thin
pancake, turning once. Remove to cutting board
and set aside. Add mushrooms to skillet and
sautee until wilted -- about 1 minute. Transfer to
plate. Cut egg pancake into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
To serve, divide Shungiku leaves between 2
serving plates. Top with mushrooms, cucumber
slices, egg strips, tofu triangles, and ham cones.
Sprinkle salad with sesame seeds and serve with
Sesame Soy Dressing.
~~~~~

Salad of Bitter Italian Greens, Strawberries and Parmesan
(Serves 2, From Vegetable Matter)
3 Tbs minced shallot (about 1 shallot)
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 escarole head, torn into pieces
1 barba di cappuccino head, torn into pieces
1 small fennel bulb, thinkly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan, thinly sliced or shaved
1 cup strawberries, washed and thinly sliced
Combine shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
Combine greens and fennel in a big mixing bowl.
Toss greens with dressing to coat.
Divide between two plates, top with sliced strawberries and parmesan.
~~~~~

Rapini with Spaghettini
The Victory Garden Cookbook, Marian Morash
1 bunch broccoli raab
1 sweet bell pepper (optional), thinly sliced
1/2 lb. spaghettini
1tbsp. chopped garlic
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups water or chicken stock
2 tbsp. butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parmesan cheese
Wash and peel broccoli raab, and cut into 2‑3 inch
pieces; set
aside. Break spaghettini into 2‑3‑inch
pieces. In a large saute
pan, cook garlic in oil for 1
minute. Add pepper slices, cook
slightly, and stir in
raab, spaghettini, and water or stock. Cover
and
cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for
approximately
10 minutes, adding additional water if
necessary. When broccoli
raab is tender, and
spaghettini cooked, remove the cover, reduce
any
pan liquids, and stir in butter. Season to taste and serve with
Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.
~~~~~

Pan di Zucchero Soup
1 head pan di zucchero, chopped
2 qt water
1/2 lb ground sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 eggs
1 c mozzarella, grated
cider vinegar
2 hard cooked eggs
chives
Put the pan di zucchero in a pot with the water and
bring to a
boil. Simmer for 1 minute and turn off the
heat.
Brown the sausage in a large skillet, mixing well. Add
the beef
and brown it as well. Add the onion and
garlic, cover, and
cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Pour off any fat, then add
the meat and onions to the
pan di zucchero. Return soup to a
simmer and cook
another 10 minutes with the meats. Beat the
eggs
together, then add them to the soup, stirring while you
add them so they don't cook into clumps. Add the
mozzarella
and stir well until melted. Finish with a
couple tablespoons of
vinegar (or not, if you don't
like it).
Serve hot, garnished with chopped hard cooked egg and
chives.
~~~~~

Spring Radish Salad
(Adapted from Verdura Vegetables Italian Style
by Viana La Place)
1 bunch fresh radishes
2-3 very sweet carrots
2 bunches arugula
salt and pepper to taste
E.V. olive oil
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Lemon wedges
Trim the radishes and slice them thinly. Peel the
carrots and cut them on the diagonal into very thin
slices. Snap off the tough stems from the arugula.
Gather the arugula into a bunch and cut it crosswise
into strips.
Arrange the arugula on a platter. Scatter the sliced
radishes and carrots over the arugula. Season with
salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with enough olive
oil to lightly moisten the vegetables. Sprinkle the
Parmesan over the top. Serve with lemon wedges
to squeeze over the salad.
~~~~~

Mizuna Salad with Aged Gouda
& Roasted Portabellas
(Adapted from epicurious.com)
3/4 pounds sliced portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 cups mizuna, (or other spicy green such as
arugula or watercress) washed, dried and torn or
chopped for a salad
1 cup coarsely grated aged Gouda cheese
Preheat oven to 425° F with rack in middle.
Toss mushrooms with 3 tablespoon oil and 1/4
teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Roast in 1 layer in a 4-sided sheet pan, turning
once, until golden-brown and tender, about 15
minutes. Cool mushrooms.
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon
salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 5
tablespoons oil in a bowl until combined. Toss
mushrooms, greens, and cheese with enough
dressing to coat.
~~~~~

Julia’s Escarole Sausage Dinner Soup
up to a pound of sausage of just about any kind
(half a pound, even a quarter pound is fine for the
flavor, you could also use 2-4 slices bacon here,
and of course this is easily skipped for a vegetarian
version.)
1-2 onions or leeks cleaned and diced
2-6 garlic cloves minced or roughly chopped
1-2 cups cooked beans (white, pinto, garbanzo....
yes, it’s fine to use a can of beans!)
1 can diced tomatoes (about 2 cups or 15 oz.)
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
Parmesan rind, if available
2-5 cups cleaned chopped escarole or other
cooking green such as chard, dandelions, kale,
spinach...
Brown the sausage, drain off excess fat if there’s
lots, then remove the sausage for just a bit. Add
the onions to brown in the sausage drippings and
cook until transluscent then add the garlic and cook
for a few seconds more. Then quickly add the beans
and tomatoes and broth and parm. rind. Add the
sausage back and bring the pot to a low boil. Then
add the cooking greens and cook through. (3-4
minutes for escarole, less for young spinach, more
for kale or collards....) Serve.
~~~~~

Puntarelle and Orange Salad
(La Cucina Italiana)
1/2 pound puntarelle or frisée, trimmed
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed (reserving fronds) and
thinly sliced
2 navel oranges
1/4 pound button mushrooms, very thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Cut puntarelle lengthwise into thin strips. Submerge
puntarelle and fennel in ice water and let soak until
puntarelle is curled and fennel is crisp, about 10 minutes.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut peel and white pith from
oranges, then cut each section of fruit away
from
membranes, cutting as close to membranes as
you can,
and place sections in a large bowl. Squeeze
2 tablespoons
juice from membranes into a second
bowl.
Drain puntarelle and fennel. Pat dry, then place in a
large
bowl. Add orange segments and mushrooms.
Finely chop enough fennel fronds to make 1/4 cup. In
a
bowl, whisk together fronds, orange juice, parsley,
oil,
shallot, mustard and salt. Add to bowl with salad
and toss
to combine.
~~~~~

Arugula, Watermelon Radish, and
Sauteed Mushroom Salad
2 large bunches of arugula, coarse stems discarded
and the
leaves washed well and spun dry (about 8
packed cups)
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms, lightly sauteed in a bit
of oil
or butter and cooled
1 cup grated watermelon radish (or daikon if
watermelon
radishes are unavailable)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice from one large or two small lemons
Parmesan curls made with a vegetable peeler
S & P
Combine the arugula, mushrooms, and the radish,
drizzle the
oil over the salad, and toss the salad
gently. Toss with the
lemon juice and salt and pepper
to taste, and serve it
topped with the Parmesan.
Serves 4 to 6.
~~~~~

Brussels Sprouts Salad
(Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks)
Shredding the sprouts on a mandoline gives them a
wispiness that is harder to achieve with a knife.
1 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, freshest you can find
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/3 cup fresh chives, minced
2-3 big pinches of salt
1 1/3 cups hazelnuts, smashed just a bit and toasted
2 ounces hard, salty, aged cheese, shaved (pecorino,
dry aged jack, Parmesan, etc)
Shred the brussels sprouts whisper thin using a
mandoline, or alternately, a knife. Five minutes before
serving, place the shredded sprouts in a large mixing
bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, lemon juice,
thyme, chives, salt, and hazelnuts. Taste and adjust the
seasoning, adding more lemon juice if needed, keeping
in mind the cheese will bring a salty element to the
salad. Add the cheese and toss once or twice to
distribute it evenly throughout the salad. Serves 4 - 6.
~~~~~

Aromatic Leek and Potato Soup
from Almost Vegetarian by Diana Shaw
4 large boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large leeks, cut in half, cleaned, and sliced into long,
thin strips
4 cups (1 quart) water
1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup low fat or nonfat plain
yogurt, whisked until light and thin
Garnish:
S & P to taste
1 cup minced fresh herbs: parsley, chives, cilantro,
chervil, dill, or a mixture
In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, leeks, and
water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, cover, and
turn the heat down to med-low. Simmer until the
potatoes are tender enough to cut with a spoon, and
the leeks are equally soft. This should take about 40
minutes. In a blender or food processor (or julia’s
favorite: with an immersion blender!), puree the
vegetables in the cooking water, doing this in batches
if necessary, then return to the saucepan if you’re not
using an immersion blender. Add the buttermilk or
yogurt, and heat hte soup slowly over low heat,
uncovered, until just warmed through. Season with S
& P, and serve warm, sprinkled with the fresh herbs.
Or, chill the soup, covered, and serve it cold. Serves
4. Per serving: 260 calories using non fat yogurt, fat .7
grams, protein 6.2 grams. |