PCC Emerald City Salad

We all know this salad from PCC Natural Markets, really the only reason I’m putting it on this blog is for convenience purposes…

http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/pcc/recipes/emerald-city-salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked organic wild rice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 bunch organic kale
• 1/2 bunch organic chard
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Salt the water, if desired, and add rice. Bring back to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 60 to 65 minutes. When the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. When the rice is cool, toss with dressing.

Remove tough stems and ribs from greens and chiffonade. Combine with peppers, fennel, green onion and parsley. Just before serving, toss veggies with dressed rice.

Creamy Carrot Soup with Fresh Dill

I’m posting this recipe as per Maren’s request. This recipe is from the Once Upon a Tart cookbook. I was thinking you could easily make this vegan by cutting out the butter and using just olive oil instead, and then using rice, almond, soy (whatever) milk instead of the light cream. If those substitutes seem to make the soup too thin then add another half a potato cooked and pureed to make the soup thicker. This recipe is so basic it seems like it would be fun to add things… like roasted peppers….. or leave it simple :)

1 Big yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Pounds medium carrots (81-10), peeled and coarsely chopped

1 Big russet potato, peeled and diced

4 Cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

1/4 Cup chopped fresh dill, plus more to top the soup

1 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp black pepper

1/2 Cup light cream

 

1. Sauté the onion in the butter and oil in a large soup pot over high heat, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat if you see the onion browning. When the onion has begun to reduce in volume, in about 5-10 minutes, lower the heat and continue cooking for 10-15 more minutes, until it is tender and translucent.

2. Add the carrots and potato and cook for 15-20 minutes, until some of the potato pieces begin to brown slightly.

3. Add the stock to the soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to mash against the side of the soup pot with a fork or wooden spoon.

4. Remove the soup from the heat to puree. If you’re using an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in the pot. Otherwise, wait a few minutes, until soup cools.

5. If you don’t have an immersion blender, scoop up some soup with a ladle or a measuring cup with handle, pour it into the bowl of a food processor (or a blender) fitted with a metal blade, and blend until the soup is smooth. our the pureed soup into a bowl while you puree the remaining soup in batches.

6. Return the pureed soup to the soup pot. Stir in the dill, salt and pepper, and cream, and warm the soup over medium heat before serving. This soup should be thick, but not so thick that your spoon stands up in it. Add more cream or stock to thin it. Serve warm and top with chopped fresh dill.

Crashing Dinner at Brita’s - Golden Beet & Blue Cheese Risotto

I stopped by Brita’s place the other day and she had made this for their dinner. I picked the perfect time to arrive at her house and she dished me up the first bowl :). SO GOOD! This is from her new cookbook which I don’t recall the name of, but its something like a pot for everyday or something like that… I do know its Williams-Sonoma, so yes, its delicious! I stole the recipe and I plan on making it maybe even tonight still… we’ll see

Golden Beet & Blue Cheese Risotto:

3/4 lb golden or pink beets

salt and freshly ground pepper

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 crumbled blue cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Put the beets in a baking dish with water to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, 40-60 minutes. Uncover and let cool. Cut off the beet tops and root ends. Peel the beets and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt.

In a saucepan, bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat and maintain over low heat.

In a large, heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add the rice a stir until translucent and coated with butter, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed. Add a ladleful of the broth and simmer vigorously, stirring often, until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add another ladleful of broth. Continue simmering, stirring, and adding more broth until thee rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the beets and heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp butter and the cheeses. Let stand for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

That time of year…

A few fall recipe favorites Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger Crème Fraîche, Pumpkin Pancakes, and (I don’t know why it hasn’t been posted yet) Orange Pecan Scones.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger Crème Fraîche - (Williams-Sonoma)

• 2 butternut, acorn, or delicata squashes, 5-6 lb total weight
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated
• 4 each fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs
• 1 cup crème fraîche (you can make this yourself if you can’t find it – just need 24 hours)
• 1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 4 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or not freshly grated…)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. melt 2 tbsp of the butter, and brush on the cut surfaces. Sprinkle the cut surfaces with 1/2 tsp each of the salt and black pepper. Stuff the cavities with the unpeeled garlic cloves and 1 sprig each of the thyme and rosemary, then carefully turn the squash halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender when pierced with a knife, 45-50 minutes. Set aside to cool.

While the squashes are cooking, make the ginger crème fraîche. In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche, ginger, sugar, and salt until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

When the squash halves are cool enough to handle, remove the garlic and herbs, and discard the herbs but se the garlic aside. Scoop the flesh out into a bowl. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin into the same bowl. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter. add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3-4 minutes. add the squash and garlic to the pot and, using the back of a spoon, mash all the ingredients together. Stir in the chicken stock and wine and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.

Using an immersion blender purée the soup in the pot. Alternatively, purée in batches in a blender or food processor and return the soup to the pot. Add the nutmeg, the cayenne, and the remaining 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Reheat gently to serving temperature if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls, add a dollop of ginger crème fraîche and serve hot.

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup homemade or canned pumpkin purée
• canola oil for pan

In dry skillet toast pecans

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, cloves into small bowl. In another bowl beat egg, milk and pumpkin together until blended. Add flour mixture. Stir until just blended. Lightly oil pan on medium heat and cook pancakes.

 

Orange-Pecan Scones

• 1 orange, zest of
• 3-4 tbsp orange juice
• 1/2 cup dried currants (optional)
• 3 cups flour
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 egg yoke
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 400° F. Plump currants in orange juice. Sift dry ingredients together. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into dry ingredients using pastry blender or 2 knives until it resembles coarse meal. Add currants and juice.

Stir zest into buttermilk, add to dry ingredients – stir until moistened (you may need to add more buttermilk, BUT DON”T OVER MIX!).

Flatten dough onto floured surface creating 1” thick wheel – cut into 8 wedges. Whisk egg yoke and milk together, lightly brush scones and sprinkle with pecans. Bake until lightly browned – about 20 minutes

 

*Sorry no pictures – but these recipes are so good and so basic who needs pictures?

Basic tomato sauce (Mario Batali)

This is the first time I’ve made homemade red sauce (homemade with canned tomatoes). So worth the trouble although it is slightly more time consuming than unscrewing a jar…

- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
- 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
- Salt
Tomato Sauce:
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Yield: 4 cups

Sweet Potato Ricotta Shells

 

 

Ok so I use what we call Yams which are sweet potatoes as well (Do you know the difference??? http://www.kitchendaily.com/2011/11/16/sweet-potatoes-vs-yams-is-there-a-difference/ ) I have made these 3-4 times now, and I never have taken a picture…. but I’ll borrow a picture from the blog where I originally found the recipe ( http://squashblossombabies.com/2011/04/01/sweet-potato-ricotta-shells/). This is Morgan’s favorite right now.

- 1 large sweet potato (yam…)

- salt, pepper

- large shell pasta

- 1 cup ricotta

- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- zest from 1 lemon

- 1 tsp chopped fresh sage

Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F. Stab the sweet potato a few times per side and bake whole on a baking sheet for 45-60 min until a fork can be easily inserted on all sides of the sweet potato (or you could peel, chop, oil, salt and pepper the sweet potato and bake for 20 min). While the sweet potato is cooking go ahead and cook your pasta shells.

Remove sweet potato from oven and allow to cool or if you’re like me and have no patience use tongs to peel the skin from the potato and then squash it with a fork. If you have a food processer then you can throw the sweet potatoes in there to be pulverized with the following ingredients, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Or if you’re like me you hand mash the sweet potato and throw them in a bowl to be hand mixed.

Fill your shells with the sweet potato mixture and place into a baking dish. Top with with grated parmesan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes. I cover the dish because otherwise I feel like my shells dry out and become tough. You can uncover it for the last few minutes if you’d like to the cheese to melt nicely.

Finally the best part.

Brown Butter Sage Sauce

- 2 tbsp butter

- about 5 fresh sage leaves, minced (or chopped if you prefer)

- juice from half a lemon

To make the sauce that goes one top of it all melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat until the butter just begins to brown. Add the minced sage leaves and cook for another 30 seconds. Finally add the lemon juice and remove the saucepan from heat. Drizzle the stuff all over your shells. To be honest… I double this because it really is the best part!

Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes

Megan and I were chatting this morning and I told her about these and thought I should just post them. I made them this morning for Alex and his sister and she was in serious doubt that they were vegan. They taste just like the real thing!

1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour*
2 cups almond milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp sugar or agave nectar
1/4 cup melted Smart Balance butter plus extra for cooking the pancakes

*You can easily substitute any of these flours for a gluten-free mixture

Preheat the griddle to medium-high. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. Combine the wet to the dry and mix. Lumps are good! Add water as necessary (more for thinner pancakes, less for thicker...). Add blueberries, bananas or whatever you want into the mixture. Melt a small amount of Smart Balance in the pan each time you pour in a new pancake. Scoop batter up with a measuring cup and pour into the pan (whatever size you want your pancake to be!). Cook each pancake until it's bubbly on top and dry/cooked around the edges, then flip. Total cooking time should be about 4-5 minutes. If they are browning too quickly turn the heat down a little. Top with butter, pure maple syrup, jam, fresh fruit or whatever you want! I'm so mad at myself because I just made them this morning and I didn't take a picture. This one doesn't do them justice. Sorry.