Springtime Polenta
Adapted from www.mynewroots.org
Snap up ramps when you see them; they make a very short appearance!
Prep. 45m
4 c. water
1 c. polenta
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
2 onions, chopped
1/2 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 c. peas
1 bunch ramps, chopped
1 lemon
1/2 c. Pecorino Romano, grated
olive oil
salt
Directions: Heat the water and a large pinch of salt in a large pot over high until simmering. While whisking, slowly pour the polenta into the simmering water. Continue to whisk for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, whisking every 4-5 minutes, until no longer gritty and the consistency is smooth and creamy. If the polenta turns too thick, whisk in more water. Stir in the grated Pecorino.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté about 10 minutes, until golden. Stir in the peas and asparagus, and sauté until just barely cooked, 2-3 minutes. If needed, add a tablespoon or 2 of water if the pan starts to dry out. Add the ramps, and toss to combine. Remove from heat as soon as the ramps are wilted, just 30 seconds or 1 minute. Squeeze half of the lemon on top, and season to taste with salt. Scoop a spoonful of polenta onto each plate and top with the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with a wedge of lemon.
Warm Asparagus Salad with Basil and Mint Pesto
Adapted from www.sproutedkitchen.com
This salad is just as good served cold or room temperature.
Prep. 35m
Cook. 10m
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. walnut pieces
1 c. basil leaves
1/3 c. mint leaves
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/3 c. olive oil
black pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
2 c. brown rice, cooked
1 1/4 c. lentils, cooked
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. fresh chives, chopped
Directions: Combine the garlic, salt, and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse a few times. Add the basil, mint, lemon juice, and a pinch of black pepper and red pepper flakes, and pulse once or twice to combine and roughly chop. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream, and process until combined, but still a bit chunky.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch the asparagus pieces for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain again. Place the brown rice and lentils in a serving bowl and toss to combine. Fold in the asparagus and some generous dollops of pesto, until everything is nicely coated. Serve topped with fresh chives.
Asparagus, Mushroom and Cheddar Tart
Adapted from www.themessybaker.com
Store-bought puff pastry forms a buttery and delicious, but super simple, base for this savory tart. Be sure that the pastry is completely thawed before starting the recipe.
Prep. 20m: Cook. 20m
1 puff pastry sheet
flour
1/4 lb. crimini mushrooms, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
15 asparagus spears
3 oz. aged cheddar, grated
2 fresh thyme sprigs
black pepper
Directions: Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Gently unroll or unfold the puff pastry, and lightly dust with flour. Very lightly roll across the seams to create an even surface, and gently roll out to about 10 x 12 inches. Use a sharp knife to score a line an inch in from the edges. Prick the pastry with a fork all over inside this border. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edge starts to puff up and the pastry is beginning to turn golden.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the scallions and mushrooms in the olive oil until tender. Transfer to a dish. Sauté the asparagus in the skillet over medium-high heat, until bright green, but not totally tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove the pastry from the oven and sprinkle with the mushrooms and scallions, staying inside the border. Top with half of the cheese. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves, then arrange the asparagus on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and some black pepper. Lower the oven temperature to 375ºF. Return the pan to the oven, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden-brown, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately, while hot.
Green Garlic Crostini
Adapted from www.nymag.com
These crostini are topped with an easy, creamy spread that's loaded with spicy green garlic and tangy fromage blanc.
Prep. 10m; Cook. 10m
4 green garlic stalks, minced
8 oz. fromage blanc
salt
pepper
1 baguette, sliced
olive oil
Directions: Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a medium bowl, combine the minced green garlic with the fromage blanc. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. Brush both sides of each baguette slice with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown. Remove from oven, then spread a dollop of the green garlic spread onto each crostini. Serve immediately.
Green Garlic Chicken
Adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
This golden, savory chicken cooked in a skillet with fresh herbs is a perfect spring dinner.
Prep 3h 30m; Cook 45m
1 chicken
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 thyme sprigs
1 green garlic, chopped
3/4 c. dry white wine
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
Directions: Place the chicken in a large, shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the thyme and garlic. Toss to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet with the herbs and garlic. Cook the chicken undisturbed for 10 minutes. Flip chicken and cover the pan. Continue cooking, undisturbed for 15-20 minutes. Check the breasts for doneness by sticking with a sharp paring knife; the juices should run clear. If not, keep cooking until done. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and cover.
Remove 2-3 spoonfuls of fat from the skillet. Pour the wine into the skillet, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, scraping the pan occasionally, until the liquid reduces and the rest of the chicken is completely cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to the plate with the chicken breasts.
Add the butter to the skillet, and whisk constantly until melted and incorporated. Serve the chicken ladled with the sauce, and enjoy.
Brown Butter Pork Chops with Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Hash
Adapted from www.abetterhappierstsebastian.com
This is a fairly easy meal for two to whip up, but browning the pork chops in butter is a small extra step that makes this meal gourmet. Use a mandoline to make quick work of shredding the Brussels sprouts.
Prep 15m; Cook 20m
2 bone-in pork chops
salt
pepper
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbs. butter
Directions: Set the pork chops on a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside. Place the sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the sweet potatoes just until slightly soft, just a few minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the drained sweet potatoes and season with cumin and salt and pepper. Sauté, turning occasionally, for 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the same skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 3-4 minutes. Return the sweet potatoes and toss to combine. Cook until the sweet potatoes are heated through, then transfer everything to a plate, cover, and set aside.
In the same skillet you’ve been using, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the skillet and cook, undisturbed, for two minutes. Flip the pork chops and cook for another two minutes. Flip once more, and use a spoon or a pastry brush to coat the pork chops in melted butter from the pan. Continue to cook, turning the pork chops occasionally and coating in butter, until a thermometer reads 140ºF when inserted into the thickest part of the pork chop. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then serve with the Brussels sprout hash. Enjoy.
Portabella Fajitas
Adapted from www.kitchenlibrary.com
A very simple, yet satisfying meal. Most of this recipe's prep time is spent marinating the vegetables, which can be done in advance. This from-scratch meal requires little more effort than convenience food, yet tastes like home cooking. An added bonus is that we source our portabellas locally year-round!
Prep. 45m
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano
3 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. water
10 oz. portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 poblano pepper, sliced
4 green onions, chopped
6 tortillas
1 lime
Directions: In a large glass baking dish, whisk together garlic, cumin, oregano, lime juice, oil and water. Add mushrooms, pepper and green onions. Thoroughly coat and set aside to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes or until soft. Transfer entire marinade mixture to a hot skillet and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about five minutes or until peppers are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. To serve, spoon mushroom filling into warm tortillas, garnish with lime wedges.
Shiitake Pasta Primavera
From Willy Street Co-op
A delicious way to enjoy the healthy goodness of shiitake mushrooms
Prep. 20m
1 tsp. garlic, minced
2 c. broccoli, chopped
4 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
2 c. cauliflower, chopped
1/2 c. heavy cream
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. white wine
8 oz. fettuccine
salt and pepper
1 c. Parmesan cheese
Directions: Boil enough water for the pasta in a large pot; have a large bowl of ice water ready. Add the cauliflower and broccoli to the boiling water, blanch for five minutes, then remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to the bowl of ice water and set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté mushrooms until they begin to brown, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute more. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat evenly; cook about two minutes. Add the wine or sherry and cook, stirring, a minute or two until absorbed. While stirring, add the broth; bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain well and keep warm. Add the cauliflower and broccoli to the sauce. Stir in the cream and heat through, being careful not to boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta, topped with cheese.
Chai-Spiced Crumb Coffee Cake
Recipe courtesy of Helene Dujardin from www.mytartelette.com
Cinnamon is the standard spice for topping a crumb coffee cake. This coffee cake keeps the crumb topping and spices it up a little more by using some of the same flavors that are found in chai, including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and allspice. These spices really help to make the coffee cake memorable—and they also make you want to come back for a second slice.
Prep. 1h 30m
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. butter
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. sour cream
Directions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil. Start by making a crumb topping. In a small saucepan, melt half a cup of the butter. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup of the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix well. Gradually stir in the melted butter, using a large fork or spatula. When all the butter has been incorporated and the mixture looks like wet sand, squeeze small clumps together to make large crumbs ranging in size from that of a pea to that of a grape. Set the topping aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and the rest of the salt. In a large bowl, cream the rest of the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. With a mixer set on a low speed (or by hand), alternately add in flour mixture and sour cream.. When no streaks of flour remain, pour into prepared pan. Top evenly with crumb mixture. Bake at 350˚F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Crunchy Thai Kale Salad
Adapted from www.minimalistbaker.com
This Thai-inspired recipe makes a perfect healthy dinner for one, but can be easily multiplied for more servings.
Prep. 20m
1/4 lb. tofu
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
1/4 c. peanut butter
1 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. lime juice
1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
4 1/2 c. packed kale
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. agave
1/2 c. radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 c. carrots, thinly sliced
Directions: Wrap the tofu in a towel and gently press out moisture. Let sit 5 minutes. Slice into cubes, then toss in the sesame seeds to coat. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice, and chili garlic sauce. Whisk in very hot water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is pourable. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside. Place the kale in a large bowl and add remaining teaspoon of lime juice, sesame oil, and agave. Massage the kale with your hands for 1 minute to incorporate the ingredients and soften the leaves. Transfer to a plate or bowl, and top with sliced radishes, carrot, and sesame-tofu cubes. Serve with peanut sauce. Leftover peanut sauce will keep covered and refrigerated for 2 days.