Scallion Pancakes with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Reprinted with permission from www.StrongerTogether.coop (link is external).
Tbs. Sriracha sauce
1/4 c. tamari
1 c. rice vinegar
1 tsp. peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. agave (or honey)
1 c. boiling water
1 c. diced scallions
2 Tbs. sesame oil
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
salt
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the Sriracha, tamari, rice vinegar, ginger, and honey. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour and boiling water until a ball of dough can be formed. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough ball into about 8 equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll out one of the pieces of dough into a circle. Brush with 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil and sprinkle with 1/8 of the scallions and a pinch of salt. Roll the circle, jelly-roll style, into a rope, pinch the ends to seal in the scallions and coil the rope into a spiral shape. Flatten the coiled pancake slightly with the palm of your hand. Repeat with the remaining dough and scallions.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add one of the pancakes to the hot oil in the pan and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, swirling it in the oil from time to time to promote even browning. When the pancake is lightly browned, remove from the pan and hold on a plate in a warm oven until all pancakes are cooked. Cut pancakes into triangles and serve with dipping sauce. Makes 4 servings.
Beef and Scallion Rolls
Reprinted with permission from www.strongertogether.coop (link is external).
1 lb. center-cut beef tenderloin
salt
black pepper
3 Tbs. olive oil (divided)
2 portobello mushrooms (cleaned and sliced about 1/2-inch thick)
6 scallions (trimmed and sliced thinly lengthwise)
2 oz. blue cheese (crumbled)
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Cut the tenderloin horizontally into 6 slices and pound between pieces of plastic wrap until thin. Season both sides of meat with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes until soft. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, drain and set aside.
Lay out a slice of steak. Place a few slices each of mushrooms and scallions and a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles near the edge closest to you. Roll the steak around the filling and secure with a toothpick if needed. Repeat for each slice of steak.
In the pan used to sauté the mushrooms, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the steak rolls and sear on all sides until meat reaches desired doneness. Remove the rolls from the skillet, lower the heat and add the water, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer for several minutes until it begins to thicken. Serve the steak rolls drizzled with sauce. Makes 6 servings.
Grilled Scallions with Romesco Sauce
Reprinted with permission from www.strongertogether.coop (link is external).
15 scallions
1/2 c. almonds (roasted)
12 oz. roasted red peppers (drained)
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil (divided)
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
Directions:
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Trim the roots and 1 to 2 inches from the green ends of the scallions. Rinse and remove any loose outside layers. Set aside.
In a food processor or blender, blend together the almonds, roasted red peppers, garlic, vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and parsley. Stir and scrape the sides as needed and blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and blend well. Set aside while grilling the scallions.
Brush the scallions with remaining olive oil and gently place perpendicular to the grill to prevent them from falling through the grates. Grill for 2 minutes, just until grill marks appear, and then carefully flip and grill another minute or so. The scallions should be al dente. Serve warm with Romesco Sauce for dipping and slices of crusty bread. Makes 6 servings.
Strawberry Icebox Cake
Adapted from www.thekitchn.com (link is external).
3 1/4 c. whipping cream (divided)
1/3 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. rosewater (optional)
19 oz. graham crackers (about 28)
2 lb. strawberries (washed, hulled, hulled, and sliced)
2 oz. dark chocolate (finely chopped)
Directions:
Using a hand mixer, whip 3 cups of the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and rosewater (if using).
Spread a small dollop of whipped cream on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, and top with 6 graham crackers. Lightly cover the graham crackers with a layer of whipped cream, then a single layer of strawberries. Repeat with three more layers. Finish with a layer of whipped cream and the rest of the strawberries.
Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of whipping cream into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until bubbles form at the edges. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate. Whisk until it’s thick and glossy. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours, until the graham crackers have softened. Makes 12 servings.
Thai Lettuce Wraps with Seitan
Reprinted with permission from National Cooperative Grocers.
1/4 c. lime juice (divided)
3 tsp. red curry paste (divided)
1 Tbs. water
Pinch salt
1 lb. seitan (drained and diced)
1 Tbs. tamari
1 Tbs. peanut butter
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 c. red pepper (diced)
1 c. carrot (shredded)
5 scallions (sliced)
2 Tbs. cilantro (chopped)
1/4 c. peanuts (chopped)
8 butter lettuce (leaves, large, washed and dried)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, 2 teaspoons of the red curry paste, 1 tablespoon of water, and a pinch of salt. Add the diced seitan and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
While the seitan marinates, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining lime juice, tamari, peanut butter, remaining red curry paste, and brown sugar. Set aside. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the seitan and marinade and sauté until marinade is absorbed and seitan begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the bell pepper, carrot, scallions, cilantro and peanuts.
Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter. Divide the seitan filling between them, drizzle each one with sauce, and serve. To eat, fold or roll the lettuce leaf over the filling like a soft taco. Makes 4 servings.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com
1/3 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
3/4 c. sugar (turbinado, plus 2 tablespoons, divided)
1 lemon (zest and juice of, separated)
4 oz. butter (unsalted, melted)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. rhubarb (chopped)
1 qt. strawberries (hulled and quartered)
3 Tbs. cornstarch
Pinch salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and lemon zest. Stir in the melted butter, mixing until clumps form. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
In a 9-inch pie dish, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to incorporate.
Remove topping from refrigerator. If needed, break up the topping so that it forms crumbles again. Cover the fruit evenly with the crumble topping, creating a thick layer. Place pie dish on a parchment-, foil-, or Silpat-lined baking sheet, and place on middle rack of oven. Bake 40-50 minutes, until the crumble is beginning to turn golden and the fruit is bubbling. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Makes 8 servings.
Cucumber and Avocado Summer Rolls
Adapted from williamssonoma.com
20 spring roll wrappers (6-8 inches in diameter)
10 lettuce leaves (Bibb is nice here, or other green, tender lettuce)
1 1/2 c. basil (fresh, leaves only, loosely packed)
1 1/2 c. mint (fresh, leaves only, loosely packed)
2 carrots (shredded)
1 cucumber (peeled, sliced into strips)
2 avocado (firm, ripe, halved, peeled and pitted, diced)
Directions:
Fill a wide, shallow bowl or casserole dish with warm water. Place a clean kitchen towel next to it on a work surface. Submerge 1 spring roll wrapper into the bowl for a few seconds until it softens. Gently transfer it to the towel, laying it flat. Dip a 2nd wrapper into the water, then lay it on top of the first one. Use a clean towel to gently pat it dry. Place a lettuce leaf on top of the wrapper, then top it with some basil and mint leaves. Arrange a small line of shredded carrots, a few slices of cucumber, and some avocado. Be careful not to over-fill. Lift the bottom edge of the spring roll wrapper and fold over the filling. Fold in the sides of the wrapper and roll to form a tight roll. Place on a platter with the seam facing down. Repeat with the remaining spring roll wrappers and vegetables to make 10 rolls. Slice each summer roll crosswise in half, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Makes 5 servings.
Tuna Asparagus Salade Nicoise
Adapted from strawberryplum.com
3 Yukon Gold potatoes (medium, peeled)
4 eggs
1 lb. asparagus (trimmed)
1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice (fresh)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 bibb lettuce (head)
1 shallot (small, thinly sliced)
fresh dill (torn)
fresh chives (sliced)
1 lb. tuna steaks
1 c. Nicoise olives (pitted)
Directions:
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and boil the potatoes until just tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, slice each potato into 6 or 8 wedges.
Place the eggs in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Prepare an ice water bath. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath, and leave to chill for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and slice into halves.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare another ice water bath. Cook the asparagus in boiling water for about 3 minutes, until it’s bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer to the ice bath and allow to cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and mustard. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil. Whisk until combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Top with the potatoes, and asparagus spears. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette, then place the dill, chives, and shallots on top.
Season each tuna steak with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Sear the tuna, about 1 minute per side for rare. Transfer to a cutting board, and slice thinly against the grain.
Arrange the tuna and hard-boiled eggs on top of the salad. Add the olives. Serve, passing the rest of the vinaigrette at the table. Makes 4 servings.
