Jason's Glazed Mushrooms

These are delicious. Once you try them you will want to make your mushrooms this way every time. The amounts are approximations as Jason doesn't like to measure.

12 oz. mixed mushrooms, sliced (we often use shiitake, maitake (hen of the woods), and bunashimeji (beech mushrooms)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Splash sherry vinegar or white wine (approx. 1 Tbsp)
1 tsp soy sauce
Sambal oelek chili paste to taste
1 tsp honey

- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat

- Add the mushrooms and saute until they release their liquid and start to brown. Be patient! -js

- Once mushrooms have started to brown, add a splash of sherry vinegar or white wine and let that evaporate

- Add soy sauce, sriracha, and honey. Stir over high heat until a glaze forms.

Boon-Style Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Last week I spent an amazing extended weekend in Sonoma County. We stayed outside the town of Guerneville on a property right on the Russian River. The four days were spent tasting great wines and great foods throughout the area.

The best lunch we had was at boon eat + drink in downtown Guerneville. Tiny, right on the main strip, the restaurant was hopping. We had heard about Christa Luedtke's amazing flash fried brussel sprouts and had to have an order for the table. They lived up to all the hype, perfectly cooked with an amazing garlicky, lemon dressing that you wanted to sop the remnants of off the plate when the sprouts were gone.

We snooped around online and came up with a pretty good take on this amazing dish. Roasted instead of flash fried, we tossed the dressing on the cooking brussel sprouts right at the end to take a little of the bite out of the garlic. Not as good as the original, but delicious nonetheless, and probably the best we'll get until we return to Guerneville.

Boon-Style Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts (approximately)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 Tbsp
Juice of a lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic, minced

- Preheat the oven to 425

- Trim the ends off of the brussel sprouts and slice in half

- On a baking sheet, toss the brussel sprouts with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Lay the brussel sprouts cut side down on the sheet and put in the oven.

- Cook for about 7 minutes, then start checking to see if the face down side is carmelizing. Continue cooking until the bottoms are nice and brown

- In the meantime, combine the rest of the ingredients. Just before the brussel sprouts are finished, toss them with the dressing and return to the oven for another 2 minutes (the brussel sprouts don't need to be face down at this point).

- Serve and enjoy!

Easy Tomato Vegetable Soup

4 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock (if store-bought, use low-sodium)
12 oz. fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables (I used a squash, zucchini, carrot, onion, red bell pepper mixture)
1/2 cup (approx.) frozen edamame
salt & pepper
1 tsp sambal
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Freshly grated horseradish
2 large handfuls fresh spinach
squeeze fresh lemon juice
fresh parsley

- In a large pot add the stock and the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Continuously taste and season with salt and/or pepper

- Add the sambal, red wine vinegar, and some freshly grated horseradish (amounts are up to you, I add a little at a time and keep tasting)

- Add the mixed frozen vegetables and simmer for about 8 minutes

- Add the edamame and continue to simmer

- Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings. Near the end add the spinach and simmer until it wilts. Add a splash of lemon juice and some freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Squash with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Served over Lentils

FOR THE SQUASH
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked hot paprika
sprinkle of cinnamon
salt & pepper

- Preheat oven to 375

- Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Toss squash with a dash of olive oil and the rest of the ingredients.

- Roast for 20 minutes, turn, and roast for another 20 minutes

FOR THE POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced shallot
1 1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp chopped tarragon
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil

-Add all of the ingredients to a jar except the olive oil and stir. Add the olive oil and mix. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

FOR THE LENTILS
1 cup lentils
water to cover

-Put lentils in a sauce pan with enough water to cover.

- Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are cooked through. Drain.

-Gently toss the lentils with the vinaigrette and top with the squash. Serve as a side or vegetarian main dish.

*optional - top with goat cheese

Braised Kale

(Serves 2)

1/2 head of kale, thick stems removed, leaves torn
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
olive oil
salt & pepper
dash red pepper flakes
dry white wine

- In a pan saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until just softened, seasoning with salt, pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes.

- Add the kale and cook until it begins to wilt.

- Add enough white wine just to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to medium low, cover pan and let steam until the liquid has been absorbed. Try a piece, if the kale is still tough add a little more wine and repeat.

Lemony Snow Peas and Mixed Mushrooms

Trying to catch up on some recipes that have come into regular rotation recently. This recipe was adapted from the Chatelaine cook book. It works with both snap peas and snow peas and is a great summer side. The menu included:

Moroccan Chicken Thighs
Lentils
Lemony Snow Peas and Mixed Mushrooms

LEMONY SNOW PEAS & MIXED MUSHROOMS

1 lb snow peas or snap peas
1/2 lb mixed mushrooms (we've been using shiitake, crimini, and hen of the woods)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 lemon
pinch garlic powder
salt
pepper

- Slice mushrooms (discard stems from shiitake)
- Melt butter in oil in a pan over medium-high heat (this can also be done in a cast iron skillet on the grill for the summer)
- Add mushrooms and a dash of salt. Let cook, mainly undisturbed, so the mushrooms will start to brown
- When mushrooms stop releasing liquid and are browned, add the peas and the juice of half a lemon
- Cook, stirring, until peas are tender crisp and lemon juice is reduced

Green Beans in Black Bean Sauce

Inspired by the wrinkle beans at Urban Belly.

1 pound green beans
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
Olive oil
Black bean sauce (approx 2 ounces, enough to coat the beans)

• Clean the beans
• Saute the garlic and ginger in olive oil over medium heat
• Add the beans and cook until tender crisp
• Add black bean sauce, cooking for 3-4 minutes and tossing to coat the beans

Tofu Green Curry, Spring Rolls and Zucchini Cakes with Curried Dipping Sauce

Sunday night cooking at our house last night. I had spring roll wrappers and chopped veggies at the ready, a half block of tofu and 3/4 can of coconut milk leftover in the fridge and a gorgeous zucchini from the farmer's market. This meal was born, a blend of thai and middle eastern flavors. The zucchini pancakes were an old favorite, spiced up with a new dipping sauce, the spring rolls a new favorite I foresee making frequently in the future.

Tofu Green Curry

Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Zucchini Cakes with Curried Dipping Sauce

Garlic Scape and Tomato Pasta

I've been trying to come up with some new ways to use garlic scapes. I managed to go for a run in this ungodly heat and after a long, cold shower I was starving! Luckily I had some leftover, plain cooked pasta from a few days before, several garlic scapes, a couple of fresh onions from the Corner Farm and one last jar of canned tomatoes left over from last summer. This is a quick and light pasta that didn't even make me regret turning on the stove top!

GARLIC SCAPE AND TOMATO PASTA

Olive oil
2 garlic scapes, sliced
pinch red pepper flakes
2-3 small spring onions sliced
1 cup or so of crushed tomatoes
splash balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
parmesan
basil
pasta, either left over or cooked according to package

- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic scapes, pinch of salt, several turns of freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes and sautee until the scapes get nice and green

- Add the onions and continue cooking, turning down the heat if needed.

- Add the tomatoes and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and then turn down to heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

- Add the pasta and toss with the sauce.

- Remove from the heat, chiffonade 8 or so leaves of basil and stir in

- Transfer pasta to bowls and serve with some freshly grated parmesan

Radish Salad

Jason put together a new batch of lemon confit which is ready to try out. I went for a nice long, cool run this morning on the lake front and stopped by the Green City Farmer's Market afterward. To my delight they had icicle radishes (I haven't had any yet this season).

I was feeling a little peckish and wanted a late afternoon snack. I took a look around and decided to thrown together:

several radishes
1/2 minced confited lemon
1/2 oz feta

The radish and lemon confit on their own didn't exactly work, but with the feta it was delicious. I'm going to have to think of some mediterranean style feta and lemon confit combinations to try out!

Aitor's Gazpacho and Vichyssoise Soups

The men recently did some supper club cooking and Aitor supplied a trio of soups (red, white and blue for 4th of July!). The Gazpacho and Vichyssoise were absolutely amazing. The blueberry soup was delicious, but sweet, more of a dessert. Either way, they will all make appearances frequently through the summer. The recipes for the gazpacho and vichyssoise are below

AITOR'S GAZPACHO

6 ripe tomatoes
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
2 slices white bread
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
**dash hot sauce (optional)

-Put all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Pass soup through a colander and chill before serving

AITOR'S VICHYSSOISE

2 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup thinly sliced potatoes
2 1/3 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 1/8 cups heavy whipping cream

- Sweat the leeks and onion in a sauce pan with the butter

- Once softened, add the potatoes, stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.

- Add to blender and puree until smooth. Chill. Stir in cream before serving.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Adapted from this month's Food & Wine. Perfect porch eating dish.

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP
3 cucumbers (abt. 4 oz. each) peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cucumber (abt. 4 oz) peeled and diced
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/4 cup cold water
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
2 Tbsp shredded mint leaves
1/4 cup plain yogurt
salt

- In a blender combine the 3 cucumbers, ice, water, olive oil, lemon juice, half of the jalapeno and half of the mint leaves and puree. Add salt and refrigerate

- When ready to serve, pour soup into bowls and garnish with the diced cucmber, yogurt and remaining jalapeno and mint

Sauteed Beet Greens

We have beautiful little beets coming up in the corner farm and I brought home a handful the other day after watering. The greens were so beautiful and are usually overlooked as an edible part of the plant. Immediately after getting home I cut the greens of the beets and store them in a separate plastic bag in the crisper. They can be sauteed just like any other green and make for a delicious side. I usually discard part of the stems if they are especially long, but like to leave some stem for a little crunch.

SAUTEED BEET GREENS

- beet greens
- oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- pinch red pepper flakes
- salt

-Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until they just start to sizzle

-Add the beet greens and cook until wilted

-Finish with a dash of salt and serve!

Zucchini Blossoms

I have been loving my time with the Altgeld Sawyer Corner Farm. Jason took some great photos on July 3rd and July 10th. The farm is going crazy right now. We had a brief but harsh storm Monday morning and that afternoon I joined a couple of other members to stake up some of the tomato, pepper and corn plants that had gotten knocked around. Several zucchini blossoms had been knocked off the plant and I decided to bring them home and fry them up. I opted for a flour and water batter instead of flour and egg to keep them a little lighter. The blossoms fried up beautifully, I only wish I had grabbed a few more!

The Italians only use the male blossoms, identifiable by their single pistil (which you can remove before cooking). The female blossoms will be attached to the zucchini. I fell in love with this delicacy in Italy before our wedding at Dal Lino Ristorante in Florence. We had them served during the cocktail hour of our reception and I daresay those were one of the greatest bites of food I have ever eaten. Fried zucchini blossoms and sauteed beets greens with dinner last night were such a treat and the best way to kick off the official start of my summer vacation.

FRIED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

zucchini blossoms
flour
water or soda water
salt
pepper
mozzarella (or whatever cheese you like)
oil

-In a small bowl mix the flour with enough water so it is the consistency of cream. Add some salt and pepper.

-Stuff the blossoms with a small piece of mozzarella (which I had handy) or any other cheese and even a little salami if you like.

-Heat the oil in a pan, dredge the blossoms in the flour and water mixture, and fry on both sides until golden brown.

-Drain on paper towels and enjoy!

Mixed Mushroom Ragout

Stephanie Izard's recipe for mixed mushroom ragout was featured in the most recent issue of Food & Wine. It was addictive. Cheers.

MIXED MUSHROOM RAGOUT

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound shiitake mushrooms—stems discarded, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound mixed mushrooms such as cremini, sliced 1/8 inch thick, and oyster mushrooms, caps quartered
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon harissa
2 teaspoons miso
1 tablespoon golden raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup chicken stock

- In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp oil. Add the shiitake mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the mixed mushrooms and cook until all the liquid has evaporated.

- Add the onion and another 1 Tbsp of oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

- Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes

- Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes

- Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 4 minutes

- In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, mustard, harissa, and miso. Add to the skillet along with the shiitake, capers and stock (raisins if using).

- Simmer over low heat until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.  

2011 and Emeril's Apple Slaw

What a wonderful  year 2010 turned out to be!  Capped off by great parties on New Years Eve and New Years day.  For the New Year Eve party the main course included pulled pork sandwiched with a whole variety of sides and snacks.  We brought the savory rosemary and parmesan madelines, cooked properly in the madeline pan I got Jason for Christmas! 

Our New Years Day hosts cooked up a giant ham, homemade macaroni and cheese and other savory treats.  At our hostess' request, I made the Apple Slaw that we had served at a holiday party we hosted a few years ago to compliment our ham.  I had forgotten how delicious and tangy and kind of unexpected the flavors of this slaw were.  I felt it was a little too heavy on the onion, so in this version I've reduced the onion a bit. 

Spicy Squash and Lentil Salad

This dish is the black bean and pumpkin burrito of 2009, an instant hit.  I found this recipe on http://www.smittenkitchen.com/

SPICY BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH LENTILS AND GOAT CHEESE

1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed into about 1in. cubes
    **save the seeds for roasting
3/4 cup lentils
2 Tbsp plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (plus more for sprinkling if desired)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400

Toss squash cubes with 2Tbsp oil, the cumin, paprika and salt. 

Line a baking sheet wth tin foil, arrange squash and roast for about 20 minutes.  Flip cubes and roast for another 15 minutes or so, until tender.

At the same time, soak lentils for about 10 minutes in a bowl of water and drain.

Cook lentils in boiling water until tender, but not too tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine the squash, lentils, goat cheese, vinegar and 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Beet and Potato Soup

OK, so it's been months and months since I posted.  I regret that I didn't get to document and share all the wonderful cooking we did this summer, but sometimes that's how it goes.  I aspired to live every second to the fullest this summer and enjoy the outdoors to the best of my ability, and given the gorgeous summer, sitting at my laptop just never happened.

But fall has arrived full force, and grad school, so my inside time has increased dramatically.  And with grad school comes fiscal awareness and a renewed pledge to cook all our food, as easily and simply as possible (most days), to waste as little as possible, and still enjoy delicious meals.

This soup got us through more than a week, filling in meal gaps here and there.  The gift of a peck of beets I received made this a no-brainer.

ROASTED BEET AND POTATO SOUP

2 lbs beets - scrubbed, peeled and diced
1 lb potatoes - peeled and diced
2 shallots - chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
A few sprigs of thyme
Salt
Pepper
6 cups broth (vegetable or chicken, low-sodium)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Sour Cream (optional)

Preheat over to 400

Toss the beets, potatoes, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper together

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and bake the mixture about 45 minutes, until the beets and potatoes are cooked through. 

Remove thyme and add vegetables to soup pot along with the broth and bring to a simmer.  Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until desired consistency.

Stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Fiddlehead Ferns (or why I should be accompanied when grocery shopping)

I love to grocery shop, I always have.  I hate shopping for clothes, accessories, makeup and all the other things women typically adore.  But roaming the aisles for food, I could do it for hours.  As you may have noted from my previous posts, I am in heaven since the opening of the Dill Pickle Food Co-op.  Everything my culinary heart desired under one roof just minutes from my house.

The co-op provides me a source for new and varied products, spices, fruits and vegetables.  This was the first year I've cooked with ramps and today I purchased something I don't think I've even seen in person, fiddlehead ferns.

A quick glance through my cookbooks proved that I do not have a single recipe for the strange looking spring vegetable.  I did find an entry for them in The Flavor Bible, as follows:

Season:  Spring

Taste:  Bitter

Weight:  Medium

Volume:  Moderate-Loud

Techniques/Tips:  Always serve cooked:  blanch, boil, sautee, steam

Sounds about right for a very strange looking spring vegetable that is not routinely seen in your run-of-the-mill grocery store.

The Flavor Bible actually provides quite a list of recommended flavor pairings.  The bolded or highly recommended flavor pairings include sweet butter, cheese: comte, goat, parmesan, onions, pasta, vinaigrettes and vinegar: balsamic and sherry.  The BOLDED CAPITALIZED (very highly recommended) pairing is wild mushrooms.

Luckily I also grabbed a handful of shiitake mushrooms and a leek.  I'm going to see what a bit of internet research combined with a bit of ingenuity help me come up with in the next couple of days...

***Editor's Note:  A day or two later I did find a recipe for fiddlehead ferns in From Asparagus to Zucchini put out by the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (MACSAC). 

Mexican Black Bean Salad

I served this salad alongside my Turkey Tacos.  Delicious and healthy.  You can also serve it over romaine lettuce

MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SALAD

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 can petite diced tomatoes with zesty jalapeno (in tomato season, use fresh tomato, but I wouldn't risk it now)
4-5 radishes
1 large orange bell pepper diced
1 cucumber diced
1 jalapeno diced
juice of 1/2 lime
cumin
coriander
cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Let sit for awhile to let the flavors meld.  Serve alongside Turkey Tacos!