Quick Dishes

...Fried Rice & CSA Fried-Rice w/ Bacon Frittatas: Fresh Herb, Summer Squash & Herb; Mustard Greens; Sweet Pepper & Potato; Green Garlic, Fava Greens & Feta Green Beans w/ Mint & Feta Korean-inspired Ground Beef & Asparagus One-pot Tomato and Sausage Pasta with Greens Parsnip & Parsley Hash w/ Egg and Lemon Pasta Carbonara w/ Snap or Snow Peas Pasta w/ Kale and Hot Pepper Quick Broccoli Orzo Quick-Cooked Collards w/ Citrus & Raisins Quick Green Curry w/ Broccoli Quick...... Read more »

Cook With What You Have. . .

...does not mean lots of trips to the store. I stumbled upon shelling beans at my local market recently and remembered that I had several dishes with shellies that needed re-testing and photographing. I headed home and tested an old pasta dish (inspired by a decade-old Pastaworks newsletter) with a shelling bean, tomato, bacon and basil sauce. The tomatoes and basil were in the garden, the bacon in the freezer and the pasta in the pantry. Yes, the original recipe...... Read more »

Why Not? Add a Spoonful . . .

...cups cooked chickpeas (or other beans of your choice) 2 – 2 ½ cups chickpea cooking liquid ½ – 1 teaspoon Harissa (depending on what spice level you like and your brand of Harissa) About 4 cups washed mustard greens, cut into ribbons 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) Olive oil Crumbled feta for serving Salt and Pepper Heat the chickpeas and their liquid in a saucepan. Sauté the mustard greens with the garlic in a bit of olive oil until...... Read more »

Winter Squash, Chickpeas, Lemongrass & Coconut Milk

...for the past year and this may have been the best one yet! Happy Cooking! P.S. There are sill spots available in the Winter/Spring Cooking Class at Luscher Farm on March 16th. We’d love to have you! Chickpeas, squash, lemon grass and coconut milk–a pretty winning combination when slowly cooked with cardamom and turmeric. Chickpeas with Winter Squash, Lemongrass & Coconut Milk –slightly adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater If you don’t have whole cardamom pods you can use 1/4...... Read more »

Why I Like Vegetables

...some veggie broth. Then I pureed the whole thing, added it to a small batch of cream sauce and baked it with pasta and a bit of cheese for a very-veggie-heavy “mac-n-cheese”. He devoured two bowls full with a grin on his face and asked me to be sure and save some for him for after school today and not send ALL of it to work with Daddy! Why did I feel so compelled to do this? I love vegetables...... Read more »

Fava Beans

...peel each individual bean. The skin should be tender and the beans perfectly seasoned. Toss beans with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Enjoy as a side dish or on crusty bread or tossed with cold pasta for a hearty salad.   Fava beans cooked this way (and without the dressing) are delicious with pasta and a bit of parmesan, with boiled potatoes and parsley. I’ve added them to Israeli couscous with some mint and grated, hard cheese....... Read more »

Sauces, Dressings, Vinaigrettes

...a soup garnish, sandwich spread, w/ eggs, etc.   Fresh Sorrel & Cilantro Sauce: Delicious with fish, eggs, grilled meat, roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes   Romesco Sauce: This Spanish sauce of toasted bred, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and vinegar is delicious with potatoes, fish, meat, egg.   Pumpkin Seed & Parsley/Cilantro Pesto: as sandwich spread, crostini topping, diluted with pasta cooking water to dress pasta, mixed with mayo as a dip, etc.   Creamy Miso Dressing: Salads of all kinds,...... Read more »

Fresh Herbs: A Case for the “Living” Pantry

When you think of pantry basics, rice, pasta, eggs, spices, oil, vinegar and so on come to mind. How about herbs, fresh, leafy herbs? You might be thinking “Really, herbs?! On the contrary. They can be expensive and half of them rot before I use them!”   In order to make them part of your pantry you have to use them and use them without a recipe telling you to, because most recipes don’t or do so in such tiny...... Read more »

Fritters, Patties, Latkes & Savory Pancakes

...and because it makes a mess and because I think they great just pan-fried in a bit of oil.   If your batter isn’t holding together well when you’re frying the patties, a little more flour and/or an (additional) egg, usually does the trick.   Asparagus Feta Fritters w/ Garlic Aioli Beet & Chickpea Fritters w/ Mint Black Radish Pancakes Broccoli Fritters Broccoli and Bulgur Patties Cabbage Pancakes (Okonomiyaki) Chard Patties Corn and Zucchini Fritters Curried Kohlrabi Fritters Fried Rice...... Read more »

Creative Salads

...Roasted Celery Root, Carrots and Herbs Beet, Cilantro and Avocado Salad Celery and Chickpea Salad Celery Root, Carrot & Celery Slaw/Remoulade Chicken, Arugula and Mustard Greens Salad Cook-with-what-you-have Salad w/ Creamy Miso Dressing Cook-with-what-you-have Salad w/ Greens & Beans Cucumber, Melon and Sweet Onion Salad with Dill Cucumber Salad w/ Peanuts & Sesame Fennel, Orange & Scallion Salad Herb & Rice Noodle Salad w/ Vietnamese Style Dressing Kale Salad w/Chickpeas, Tahini Dressing & Toasted Breadcrumbs Lemony Carrot Salad w/ Toasted...... Read more »

Using Prepared Pantry Items in Everyday Meals

...  Broccoli, Potato, Celery & Cilantro Salad w/ Aioli Dressing (aioli) Caldo Verde (Cabbage/Kale & Potato Soup w/ Chorizo) (veggie bouillon, sausage in freezer) Celery & Chickpea Salad (cooked chickpeas) Chard, Leek, White Bean & Cilantro Soup (over garlicky toast w/ an egg on top) (cooked beans, veggie bouillon) Chicken Noodle Soup (chicken stock) Cook-with-what-you-have Fried Rice (cooked rice) Green Curry w/ Broccoli Kale & Potatoes Baked w/ Tomatoes & Bacon (roasted tomatoes, bacon in freezer) Minestrone (cooked beans, roasted...... Read more »

The Beauty of Winter Veggies

...Radicchio, Chickpea, and Chopped Egg Salad   Yesterday for lunch (and for my husband’s lunch he took to work), I tossed some of this beautiful radicchio with chopped hard-boiled egg, capers, chickpeas (that I had previously cooked and frozen for just such meals) and a lively dressing of garlic, Dijon, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. It was robust, fresh and absolutely delicious. Happy Cooking and Eating! Katherine P.S. My February classes are starting to fill so...... Read more »

What to do with that half-bunch of Cilantro?

...I make with lime juice instead of lemon and serve with roasted sweet potato wedges. Herbs add flavor, color and nutrients to any dish and are an inexpensive way to round out a dish. I can imagine this sauce topping a chickpea or lentil dal, or some grilled fish (or in fish tacos), or with other roasted vegetables. It is the kind of thing that makes cooking with what you have on hand feel like a coup. I love it....... Read more »

Tasting (Spoons)

...last. And I’ve been doing exactly the opposite, like with this salad that I made last week in my typical, bean-loving cook-with-what-you-have approach. Chickpea salad with tomatoes, basil, sweet onion, hard-cooked egg and a vinaigrette So I keep pondering the tools and tricks of cooking (at home) and teaching those things. Tasting is key as is having good, fresh produce. . . beyond that, salt generously, try to enjoy the process and the result and keep doing it. And if...... Read more »

Baked Apples

...renditions of this. The below recipe was loosely inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s in Around my French Table, however, I simplified it significantly. Enjoy! I’m also having fun testing soups these days in preparation for Fall Soup Class which still has a few spots. So far I think there will be a pureed chickpea soup with cumin and lemon; a leek soup; a potato chowder and a soup with different kinds of beans and greens! Breakfast of baked apples topped with...... Read more »

Quick Dishes

related image

…Fried Rice & CSA Fried-Rice w/ Bacon Frittatas: Fresh Herb, Summer Squash & Herb; Mustard Greens; Sweet Pepper & Potato; Green Garlic, Fava Greens & Feta Green Beans w/ Mint & Feta Korean-inspired Ground Beef & Asparagus One-pot Tomato and Sausage Pasta with Greens Parsnip & Parsley Hash w/ Egg and Lemon Pasta Carbonara w/ Snap or Snow Peas Pasta w/ Kale and Hot Pepper Quick Broccoli Orzo Quick-Cooked Collards w/ Citrus & Raisins Quick Green Curry w/ Broccoli Quick…

Cook With What You Have. . .

related image

…does not mean lots of trips to the store. I stumbled upon shelling beans at my local market recently and remembered that I had several dishes with shellies that needed re-testing and photographing. I headed home and tested an old pasta dish (inspired by a decade-old Pastaworks newsletter) with a shelling bean, tomato, bacon and basil sauce. The tomatoes and basil were in the garden, the bacon in the freezer and the pasta in the pantry. Yes, the original recipe…

Why Not? Add a Spoonful . . .

related image

…cups cooked chickpeas (or other beans of your choice) 2 – 2 ½ cups chickpea cooking liquid ½ – 1 teaspoon Harissa (depending on what spice level you like and your brand of Harissa) About 4 cups washed mustard greens, cut into ribbons 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) Olive oil Crumbled feta for serving Salt and Pepper Heat the chickpeas and their liquid in a saucepan. Sauté the mustard greens with the garlic in a bit of olive oil until…

Winter Squash, Chickpeas, Lemongrass & Coconut Milk

related image

…for the past year and this may have been the best one yet! Happy Cooking! P.S. There are sill spots available in the Winter/Spring Cooking Class at Luscher Farm on March 16th. We’d love to have you! Chickpeas, squash, lemon grass and coconut milk–a pretty winning combination when slowly cooked with cardamom and turmeric. Chickpeas with Winter Squash, Lemongrass & Coconut Milk –slightly adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater If you don’t have whole cardamom pods you can use 1/4…

Why I Like Vegetables

related image

…some veggie broth. Then I pureed the whole thing, added it to a small batch of cream sauce and baked it with pasta and a bit of cheese for a very-veggie-heavy “mac-n-cheese”. He devoured two bowls full with a grin on his face and asked me to be sure and save some for him for after school today and not send ALL of it to work with Daddy! Why did I feel so compelled to do this? I love vegetables…

Fava Beans

related image

…peel each individual bean. The skin should be tender and the beans perfectly seasoned. Toss beans with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Enjoy as a side dish or on crusty bread or tossed with cold pasta for a hearty salad.   Fava beans cooked this way (and without the dressing) are delicious with pasta and a bit of parmesan, with boiled potatoes and parsley. I’ve added them to Israeli couscous with some mint and grated, hard cheese….

Sauces, Dressings, Vinaigrettes

related image

…a soup garnish, sandwich spread, w/ eggs, etc.   Fresh Sorrel & Cilantro Sauce: Delicious with fish, eggs, grilled meat, roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes   Romesco Sauce: This Spanish sauce of toasted bred, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and vinegar is delicious with potatoes, fish, meat, egg.   Pumpkin Seed & Parsley/Cilantro Pesto: as sandwich spread, crostini topping, diluted with pasta cooking water to dress pasta, mixed with mayo as a dip, etc.   Creamy Miso Dressing: Salads of all kinds,…

Fresh Herbs: A Case for the “Living” Pantry

related image

When you think of pantry basics, rice, pasta, eggs, spices, oil, vinegar and so on come to mind. How about herbs, fresh, leafy herbs? You might be thinking “Really, herbs?! On the contrary. They can be expensive and half of them rot before I use them!”   In order to make them part of your pantry you have to use them and use them without a recipe telling you to, because most recipes don’t or do so in such tiny…

Fritters, Patties, Latkes & Savory Pancakes

related image

…and because it makes a mess and because I think they great just pan-fried in a bit of oil.   If your batter isn’t holding together well when you’re frying the patties, a little more flour and/or an (additional) egg, usually does the trick.   Asparagus Feta Fritters w/ Garlic Aioli Beet & Chickpea Fritters w/ Mint Black Radish Pancakes Broccoli Fritters Broccoli and Bulgur Patties Cabbage Pancakes (Okonomiyaki) Chard Patties Corn and Zucchini Fritters Curried Kohlrabi Fritters Fried Rice…

Creative Salads

related image

…Roasted Celery Root, Carrots and Herbs Beet, Cilantro and Avocado Salad Celery and Chickpea Salad Celery Root, Carrot & Celery Slaw/Remoulade Chicken, Arugula and Mustard Greens Salad Cook-with-what-you-have Salad w/ Creamy Miso Dressing Cook-with-what-you-have Salad w/ Greens & Beans Cucumber, Melon and Sweet Onion Salad with Dill Cucumber Salad w/ Peanuts & Sesame Fennel, Orange & Scallion Salad Herb & Rice Noodle Salad w/ Vietnamese Style Dressing Kale Salad w/Chickpeas, Tahini Dressing & Toasted Breadcrumbs Lemony Carrot Salad w/ Toasted…

Using Prepared Pantry Items in Everyday Meals

related image

…  Broccoli, Potato, Celery & Cilantro Salad w/ Aioli Dressing (aioli) Caldo Verde (Cabbage/Kale & Potato Soup w/ Chorizo) (veggie bouillon, sausage in freezer) Celery & Chickpea Salad (cooked chickpeas) Chard, Leek, White Bean & Cilantro Soup (over garlicky toast w/ an egg on top) (cooked beans, veggie bouillon) Chicken Noodle Soup (chicken stock) Cook-with-what-you-have Fried Rice (cooked rice) Green Curry w/ Broccoli Kale & Potatoes Baked w/ Tomatoes & Bacon (roasted tomatoes, bacon in freezer) Minestrone (cooked beans, roasted…

The Beauty of Winter Veggies

related image

…Radicchio, Chickpea, and Chopped Egg Salad   Yesterday for lunch (and for my husband’s lunch he took to work), I tossed some of this beautiful radicchio with chopped hard-boiled egg, capers, chickpeas (that I had previously cooked and frozen for just such meals) and a lively dressing of garlic, Dijon, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. It was robust, fresh and absolutely delicious. Happy Cooking and Eating! Katherine P.S. My February classes are starting to fill so…

What to do with that half-bunch of Cilantro?

related image

…I make with lime juice instead of lemon and serve with roasted sweet potato wedges. Herbs add flavor, color and nutrients to any dish and are an inexpensive way to round out a dish. I can imagine this sauce topping a chickpea or lentil dal, or some grilled fish (or in fish tacos), or with other roasted vegetables. It is the kind of thing that makes cooking with what you have on hand feel like a coup. I love it….

Tasting (Spoons)

related image

…last. And I’ve been doing exactly the opposite, like with this salad that I made last week in my typical, bean-loving cook-with-what-you-have approach. Chickpea salad with tomatoes, basil, sweet onion, hard-cooked egg and a vinaigrette So I keep pondering the tools and tricks of cooking (at home) and teaching those things. Tasting is key as is having good, fresh produce. . . beyond that, salt generously, try to enjoy the process and the result and keep doing it. And if…

Baked Apples

related image

…renditions of this. The below recipe was loosely inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s in Around my French Table, however, I simplified it significantly. Enjoy! I’m also having fun testing soups these days in preparation for Fall Soup Class which still has a few spots. So far I think there will be a pureed chickpea soup with cumin and lemon; a leek soup; a potato chowder and a soup with different kinds of beans and greens! Breakfast of baked apples topped with…