Simply Organic (28 page)

This combination of white beans, garlic, and spicy mustard greens is not only full of calcium, but also jam-packed with flavor. There is nothing that compares with the creaminess of cooked dried white beans, but rinsed and drained canned beans work well in a pinch.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups thickly sliced mustard greens

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ red onion, minced

1 cup cooked white beans

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

½ cup vegetable or chicken broth

6 slices (½ inch thick) Italian bread, toasted

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and greens and cook for 5 minutes, or until the greens are very tender. Stir in the vinegar. Remove to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the beans, oregano, and broth. Cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through and well blended. Using a fork, mash the beans coarsely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the greens evenly among the bread slices. Top each with an equal portion of the bean mixture. Serve immediately.

WINTER VEGETABLES
WITH
BAGNA CAUDA

MAKES
12
SERVINGS

This classic warm anchovy dip appeared often as an appetizer at my Italian grandfather’s house. Just about any winter vegetable is wonderful with this warm, salty sauce, especially ones sweetened by the chill of frost, such as broccoli, turnips, beets, cauliflower, or carrots.

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cans (2 ounces each) anchovies packed in oil, drained

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest

Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)

5 cups cut-up vegetables, such as broccoli, turnips, beets, cauliflower, and carrots, in bite-size pieces

1 fennel bulb, or 4 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch strips

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the oil, butter, anchovies, garlic, and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the anchovies dissolve. Add the red-pepper flakes, if using. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, pour 1 inch of water into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and insert a steamer basket or wire rack. Add the vegetables, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove and cool slightly. Place on a large serving platter with the fennel or celery. Serve with the sauce.

KITCHEN TIP

Bagna cauda is best served warm. I like to serve it in a butter warmer or a cast-iron skillet on a warming tray. Don’t worry if there is some left over; simply store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, using small amounts to season vegetables or spoon over grilled fish.

BEET
AND
PARSNIP SOUP
WITH
DILL CREAM

MAKES
6
SERVINGS

The flavors and appearance of this passionately purple soup are balanced beautifully by the tart creaminess of the sour cream. At Flea St. Café we serve this soup on Valentine’s Day, accompanied by heart-shaped biscuits.

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 pound parsnips, cut into small cubes

6 beets, trimmed and scrubbed

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 whole cloves

3 whole peppercorns

3 tablespoons sugar

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the parsnips. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the parsnips to a bowl.

Add the beets, shallot, cloves, and peppercorns to the simmering broth. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the beets are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beets to the cutting board, reserving the liquid. When the beets are cool, slip off the skins. Cut into small cubes.

Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large bowl. Return the broth to the pot. Add the parsnips, beets, and sugar. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, green onion, and dill.

Ladle the soup into 6 bowls and top with the sour cream mixture.

WINTER SQUASH SOUP
WITH
DRIED FIGS
AND
TOASTED PINE NUTS

MAKES
6
SERVINGS

There is a wonderful selection of organic squash available throughout the winter. If you have the opportunity, try different varieties. With this soup, you will really be able to taste the subtle flavor quality in each. Winter squash soup is deeply satisfying and stick-to-the-ribs warming, and it is delicious with a hearty chicory salad.

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped coarsely

1 to 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped fennel or celery

1/3 cup dry white wine

4 cups coarsely chopped peeled winter squash, such as butternut, acorn, hubbard, turban, or pumpkin

4 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup coconut or cashew milk (optional; see Kitchen Tip)

Maple syrup

4 to 5 dried figs, cut into thin rounds

Put the pine nuts in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet often, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and toasted.

In an 8-quart soup pot, over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the onion, carrots, and fennel. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and caramel in color. Add the wine and squash and cover with the broth. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is very soft.

Purée the soup in the pot with a handheld immersion blender, or purée in a food processor (working in batches) and return it to the pot. Add the thyme, coriander, and cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the coconut or cashew milk, taste for sweetness, and add maple syrup to taste. Heat the soup and thin with extra broth if necessary.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the dried figs and pine nuts.

KITCHEN TIP

To make cashew milk, purée 2½ to 3 cups water with 1 cup cashews in a blender and strain in a fine-mesh strainer.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER
AND
PASTA

MAKES
6
SERVINGS

Cauliflower is a favorite of mine, and in this recipe, it takes the place of meat. I like cauliflower cooked all possible ways, but I am especially fond of it cooked as my mother did—until it is soft, creamy, and sweet.

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 pound whole wheat pasta, such as shells or rotelle

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ cup dry white wine

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stemmed and chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, reserving the water. Cook the pasta according to package directions in the reserved water. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking the cauliflower into bitesize pieces. Add the wine, oregano, olives, and red-pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat well. Top with the cheese.

VARIATIONS

For additional color, add a small can of drained and chopped tomatoes to the skillet when you add the wine.

PENNE
WITH
BEETS, BEET GREENS,
AND
GOAT CHEESE

MAKES
6
SERVINGS

I have worked with Stanford University’s education department to create a no-recipe, low-budget cooking class with minimal instructions for teachers to take back to their classrooms. They harvest whatever is growing in my garden, toss it with whole grain pasta, and add a little cheese. The result is a lesson plan that begins in the garden and ends in the kitchen. This dish was one they initially turned their noses up at, but they walked away saying it was one of the yummiest they had ever eaten.

2 bunches medium beets with greens (about 8 beets)

½ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 pound whole wheat penne

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces soft goat cheese, such as chèvre

3 ounces Asiago or Parmesan cheese, grated

Cut the greens off the beets and set aside. Trim the tops and bottoms of the beets and put the beets in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the size of the beets. When the beets are cooked, remove and run under cold water, using your hands to slip off the skins. Cut the beets into bite-size wedges.

While the beets are cooking, wash the beet greens thoroughly and chop coarsely. Bring another large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the vinegar, oregano, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute, stirring to break up the brown bits.

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