Day 96.5 - Winter Micro Greens with Maple Balsamic Dressing

Yesterday was such a pearl of a day. My friend Meg hooked me up with a bag of some of the most spectacular winter field greens I've ever seen from the Natick Organic Community Farm. Then I went to visit Hopestill Farm in Sherborn, owned an operated by my friend Richard Robinson, where he picked me a beautiful bag of baby spinach. Truly, with 20" of snow on the ground, these greens were like winter jewels.

With delicate greens like these, a simple dressing is all you need. In fact, a squeeze of lemon or a little extra virgin olive oil would probably be just fine. But the recipe that follows is a family favorite and my daily go-to dressing, inspired by my sister who lives in Vermont, and by my Mom who taught me everything I know about good, honest cooking.  It was perfect for these greens...so much so, that after I shot the pictures this morning, I had the salad for breakfast!

Here's the thing - this dressing is as easy and quick to make as opening a bottle of slimy store bought salad dressing, but without all the preservatives, calories and food coloring. Admittedly, there are some decent brands on the market, but I think that once you try this recipe, you'll only turn to the bottled stuff in moments of deep dressing desperation.

A quick disclaimer about the measurements for this dressing. I never measuring anything - I pour a little, taste a tad, season a smidgen and adjust a bit...I've tried to give you close to exact measurements, but your preference for sweetness, tangyness and seasoning will dictate which proportions you want to use. Go with what I've listed here, but tweak it to your personal taste!

Maple Balsamic Dressing

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
3/4 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. coarse grain mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add all ingredients in a bowl, cup or cruet and whisk to emulsify. Taste for seasoning and correct as desired.

Somebody tell me what function my son's belt actually has!?

Day 96! Libya - Shorbat bil Hoot (Fish Soup) with Kammon Hoot (Spice Paste) - Up Next, Liechtenstein

Friday.....Yay! Tonight's Libyan meal was easy to prepare, healthy and smelled as good as it looked. The use of chili peppers and kammon hoot (spice paste - recipe below), make this a uniquely spicy and exotic tasting soup.  I loved the addition of orzo to the soup, and the homemade fish stock really kicked up the flavor factor which my family enthusiastically endorsed. Okay - my younger boy did cook up 3 Boars Head hot dogs 20 minutes later, but the rest of us were perfectly happy with big steaming bowls of soup and crusty bread.

Libya is a North African country located on the Mediterranean Sea. It boarders Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia (a country that's in the news today due to civil unrest). The 4th largest country in Africa and 17th largest in the world, Libya enjoys relative wealth due to large petroleum reserves and moderately low population. Interestingly, Libya is the only country in the world whose solid green national flag has no symbols or decorations on it.

Cuisine in Libya is heavily influenced by Mediterranean and North African traditions as well as Italian cooking, as it was once an Italian colony. Onions, tomatoes, lamb, chicken, fish, chilies, cayenne peppers, saffron, chick peas, cilantro and parsley are all used in Libyan cooking.

Fish Soup (Shorbat bil Hoot) - (Adapted from Celnet)

2 pieces of firm sea fish (I used Haddock because it was on sale)
1 onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. tomato puree
1 tsp kammon hoot (recipe below)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red chili, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
2 Tbsp. orzo pasta
2 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
Olive oil to fry

Bring 6 cups of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the fish then cover, take off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft and translucent (about 8 minutes), then stir-in the garlic, tomato sauce, tomato puree, chillies, turmeric and kammon hoot. Fry for 2 minutes then add the fish stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 8 minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove the fish from the poaching water. Strip the fish meat from its bones then flake the flesh and add to the tomato-based sauce. Now add the remainder of the fish poaching liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir-in the pasta and stir to combine.

Add the parsley and coriander and stir to combine then take the pan off the heat, cover and set aside for about 6 minutes. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve immediately accompanied with bread.

Kammon Hoot

1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. mint
3 tsp. cumin seeds
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp. coriander seeds
15 dried hot red chillies

Cover chillies with hot water and let stand for 15 minutes until soft. Place chillies and remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth using water that the chillies soaked in to thin it. The sauce should have the consistency of thick paste. If you place the paste in a jar and cover with a thin film of olive oil, it will keep a couple of months in the refrigerator.

Day 95.5- Dig These Bittersweet Chocolate, Pecan and Coconut Cookies

I know you'll all agree...after shoveling 20+ inches of snow for 4 hours, a couple of cookies aren't going to kill a girl. Hence, these beautiful, decadent cookies, whose original recipe comes from my favorite baking book, flour, by Joanne Chang.

I've adapted the recipe slightly, combining pecans and walnuts (because I didn't have enough pecans on hand), but other than a few procedural adaptations, I've stayed true to the recipe. These cookies are wonderfully crisp, full of nutty, chocolaty, coconuty flavor - and, the addition of oatmeal counter-balances any "I should be eating healthy food"  guilt you may have.  Hope  you dig them as much as we did!

Dig These Bittersweet Chocolate, Pecan and Coconut Cookies (Adapted from an original recipe- Chunky Lola Cookies - in flour)


1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats (quick is okay if it's all you have)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups pecan halves, toasted and chopped (I used half pecan, half walnuts because that's what I had)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer a few times to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Beat the eggs and vanilla on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined, being sure eggs and butter are well incorporated.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate, pecans (and/or walnuts) and coconut and toss to combine. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-flour mixture and mix just until the flour mixture is totally incorporated and the dough is evenly mixed.

Drop the dough in 1/4 cup balls onto a baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.*

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and slightly soft in the center. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15- 20 minutes or until they can be easily lifted with a spatula.

For best results, the flour cookbook suggests scooping the dough into an airtight container and letting it rest in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.**

*I dropped them by tablespoon, and they still came out beautifully

** I didn't do this because we all wanted the cookies NOW, and they came out perfectly - next time I'll plan better!

Day 95 - Liberia - Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens & Cabbage - Up Next, Libya

Chicken Peanut Stew with Collard Greens and Cabbage

After a long day of work, meetings, driving, shopping, laundry and walking the dog (that part was fun), it was a pleasure to come home and cook up a pot of Liberian Collard Greens and Chicken Peanut Stew. While it wasn't the most exotic or exciting of the many meals I've cooked thus far, it was simple and healthy, and that works for me.

Located on the west coast of Africa, Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Cote d'Ivoire. Liberia's history is remarkable as it was founded and colonized by freed American slaves with the help of a private company, the American Colonization Society, in 1821. Liberia is Latin for the word "free." Tragically, in 1980, several civil wars erupted, from which the country has yet to recover financially. It is estimated that about 85% of Liberian's live on $1.25 per day.

Cuisine in Liberia is heavily influenced by African American as well an native cooking traditions. The country's hot equatorial climate is home to crops of cassava, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, palm oil and sugar cane.Greens along with rice and fufu are typically served alongside most meals which might consist of fresh, smoked or dried fish, beef or chicken, but in far less quantity than eaten in Western countries.

Chicken Peanut Stew (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 2-3 pound chicken, cut up
2 Tbsp. oil
6-7 cups water (depending on how thick you want the sauce, you can add a little less)
1 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 tsp. tomato paste
6-8 sprigs parsley
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 potato diced

Brown chicken on both sides in oil in a large heavy pot. Add salt and water to pot and bring to a boil slowly, removing any scum from top with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 20 minutes. Mix peanut butter with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and add back into the pot. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer very gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Collard Greens and Cabbage (Adapted from Liberian Forum)

1 bunch collard greens, washed and cut into small pieces
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1-2 in pieces (ham hocks can be substituted)
1 large onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1 quart water

Saute bacon until browned, than add  onions and spices and saute until onions are golden. Add collard greens and water, then correct seasoning. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Strain before serving.

Final Assessment: Both the chicken stew and collard greens were tasty and easy to make. The hot pepper flakes added to the greens and cabbage gave them a nice kick. The chicken stew could have been a little thicker, so I decreased the amount of water in the original recipe. A straight forward and satisfying meal indeed.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds Recipe

The most challenging thing about quinoa is learning how to pronounce it, "keen-wah." After that, it's smooth sailing. A super healthy Peruvian "grain," quinoa is as delicious as it is healthy. While quinoa tastes and cooks as if it were a grain, it's actually a seed and has a light, mild flavor and somewhat chewy and creamy texture. It does a wonderful job of absorbing the flavors in dressings or vinaigrettes. Think of it as a healthier version of couscous that you can serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

I used to visit a shop on Grant Avenue in North Beach that had lots of vintage ephemera. The postcard that said "California, land of fruits and nuts" always cracked me up. Fruits and nuts. You have no idea. California is such a magnet for weirdos, and I mean that in a good way. As an agricultural state, we also happen to have lots of actual fruits and nuts. We are the top agriculture state, and the nation’s sole producer (99 percent or more) of a large number of specialty crops, including almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, grapes, raisins, pistachios, clingstone peaches, dried plums, sweet rice, pomegranates and walnuts, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

I used the sunny California combination of almonds and tangerines in this salad, but you could use segments of navel orange, clementines or any other sweet citrus fruit. This salad is good at room temperature. It would make a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish or roast chicken, but it would also be a good potluck dish. You could go even more "California" and serve it piled high in an avocado half. It will keep for a day or so, but it best eaten soon after you make it.

Note:This recipe calls for the juice and zest of half a lemon. Zest the lemon while it's still whole, then cut it in half and juice it.

Citrus Quinoa Salad with Toasted AlmondsServes 4

Ingredients

1 tangerine, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (remove as much of the membranes as you can)
1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 lemon, preferably organic
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, then toast it in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until it is fragrant.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread out the quinoa on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.



Finely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, scallions, parsley and sriracha. Fold in the quinoa and tangerine pieces, season to taste with salt and top with almonds just before serving.

Enjoy!

More fruity quinoa salads

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach & Chickpeas and Maple Vinaigrette from Gluten Free Goddess

Quinoa Salad with Grapes from the Kitchn

Pineapple Quinoa Salad with With Sweet Curry Vinaigrette from Poor Girl Eats Well

Quinoa Salad with Mango & Herb Marinated Shrimp from Well Fed

Day 94! Lesotho - Curried Potatoes and Onions (Kerrie-aartappels en Uie) and Greens with Pumpkin Seeds - Up Next, Liberia

Greens with Pumpkin Seeds and Curried Potatoes with Onions

Tonight's meal from the South African country of Lesotho features simply prepared vegetables as the stars of the show. True to my goal of cooking less meat in 2011, I chose two dishes typical of Lesotho's cuisine, which, eaten in combination provided a satisfying and healthy meal. Nothing fancy or complicated, just healthy, tasty vegetable dishes. Okay, I will admit that the meatatarian males in my house whined with such pathetic persistence, that I caved and fried some chicken cutlets just to shut them up. I, on the other hand, was perfectly happy with vegetables as the main course.

Located in the southern part of the African continent, Lesotho is officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho. The country is a completely landlocked enclave, surrounded by South Africa. Translated, Lesotho means "Land of the people who speak Sesotho." Like many African countries, 40% of the people of Lesotho live below the poverty line, some subsisting on as little as $1.25 (U.S.).

Cuisine in Lesotho is heavily influenced by the Malay culture. Spicy curries, chutneys, pickled fish, pork and lamb kabobs are typical fare. As in many African countries, carbohydrates such as maize, cassava, rice and plantains are common staples. Peanut based stews, eggplant, tomatoes and spinach are also commonly eaten throughout the country.

Greens with Pumpkin Seeds (Adapted from Celnet)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 small bunch of scallions, thinly sliced into rings
1 lb (package) spinach - or any cooking green - roughly chopped
2 zucchini, roughly chopped
4 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry gently for about 4 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the scallions, spinach, zucchini and pumpkin seeds, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook gently over very low heat until zucchini are done and the spinach has wilted (about 8 minutes)

Curried Potatoes and Onions (Kerrie -aartappels en Uie) - (Adapted from Celnet)

3-4 potatoes, in small dice
1 large onion, sliced
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion in the butter until lightly browned, then add the potatoes and stir occasionally until they are warmed through. Add all the dry ingredients and the lemon juice to the stock then pour this mixture over the vegetables. Cook and stir until the sauce has thickened and then cook for about 5 minutes more until potatoes have softened.

Final Assessment: Two lovely and simple vegetable dishes, I'd eat any time, any day. The pumpkin seeds add a nice crunchy touch to the spinach and zucchini dish. The curry potatoes were very good, with a nice combination of sweet and spicy. Both can be served alongside meat, rice and chutney.

Day 93.5 - Savory Kale, Potato & Parsnip Pie (Vegetarian)

Kale, Potato and Parsnip Pie

Several days ago, an intriguing  post from NPR popped up in my Facebook feed.  Written by Bonnie Wolf the Editor of NPR's Kitchen Window, the piece boldly stated that the trendy and much revered cupcake would be summarily replaced by pie in 2011. Well, it's about time. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good cupcake as much as the next person, but they're just so...so...precious. Pie, on the other hand, is straight-up pioneer food. To make a good crust, one has to have both a strong hand and a light touch. I like that.  Moreover, Wolf writes, the new "glam" vegetable of 2011 is kale. I adore Kale. Its beautiful, frilly, dark green leaves verily beckon me to make something healthy. Plus, who doesn't like to be seen in the check-out isle with big leafy bunches of greens draped over the sides of their basket - even if there is a rogue bag of Cheetos hidden beneath. How many vegetables can you name that make you feel and look good?

I do some of my best thinking late at night and, as I so often do when I have an idea, I woke my husband out of a deep and peaceful sleep to share it. What did he think about kale pie, I wanted to know. The man is a saint, and with one bleary eye open, he sweetly responded, "sounds good, honey, why don't you make it..." Why not indeed.

So I went to one of my 2 go-to vegetable cookbooks, The Victory Garden Cookbook, by Marian Morash (the other is The Moosewood, of course). For years, the Morash's had a gardening/cooking show on PBS and from that show, sprang this cookbook. To my delight, when I flipped through my 23 year old dog-eared book, there on page 145 was a recipe for Kale Pie. The original recipe calls for sausage and ricotta, but since NPR declared that root vegetables are kicking meat to the curb in 2011,  I decided to forgo the sausage and heavy ricotta and substitute potatoes and parsnips to add sweetness and depth to the pie.

 Here's a video I made that shows you all the steps you need to make this lovely pie: http://how2heroes.com/videos/entrees/kale-potato-parsnip-pie

Kale, Potato & Parsnip Pie (Adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook)
(Serves 6-8)

double recipe Tart Pastry
1 lb. kale
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. chopped garlic
4 eggs
1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup diced parsnips
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Regiano Parmesan
1 tsp. sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup light cream
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water

Take one-half of the pastry and partially bake a 10-inch pie shell. Blanche kale, gently squeeze, and roughly chop. Saute in 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat to evaporate moisture; set aside. In the same pan, saute the onions in the remaining butter until wilted; add garlic, potatoes and parsnips and stir until potatoes and parsnips are just tender but still crunchy. Combine with kale and cool.

Combine eggs, cheeses, salt, pepper and cream. Fold in the kale and potato/parsnip mixture. Pour into partially baked pie shell and over with a top crust made from the remaining dough. Crimp edges, cut decorative steam vents, and brush pastry with egg glaze. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 1 hour.

Tart Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. chilled butter (no, this is not a typo)
2 Tbsp. chilled vegetable shortening
1/4-1/3 cup ice water

Processor Method
Put flour and salt into bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into small pieces and add to processor along with shortening. turn processor on and process for 2-3 seconds to break butter into pea-size pieces. Add ice water little by little until dough forms a mass on the blades (about 15 seconds). Put on a floured working surface and knead with heal of hand a few times to work dough and smooth it. Shape into a 5-inch circle, cover with wax paper and chill for 2 hours.

To bake partially
Roll dough 3/16-thick and 2 inches larger than the buttered tart, pie or tartlet pans that you are using. Fit into pan, pressing excess dough slightly down the inside to make the sides thicker. Fashion a decorative edge. Prick pastry with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Butter aluminum foil slightly larger than the pan; place it buttered side down in the shell. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 425F for 8 minutes. Remove shell from oven, take out beans and foil, straighten up pastry edges if the have sagged, prick the bottom of the dough again. Return to oven for 2-4 minutes to just faintly brown and set the dough. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Final Assessment: Even the meataterians in my house scoffed this pie down. The potatoes and parsnips were a perfect substitute for heavy meat and ricotta. I might try adding toasted pine nuts next time. Make the dough the night before to save some time - the rest comes together very quickly. Really, really, really good!