I love the farmers market for many reasons, but the best thing about it is that I get introduced to foods I would never see in the grocery store. For example, the garlic scape. The first time I saw these I thought they looked like a pile of green coat hangers and I had no idea what one would do with them. Scapes are basically the stem from the plant flower. I did some reading up and found that garlic scapes are often used to make pesto, but I wanted to find a different way to play with them. They are firm to the bite and have a mellow green garlic flavor, so I thought they would be the perfect addition to something with a fluffy texture: zucchini frittata.

I don’t know about you guys, but I get slightly overwhelmed when I first get to the farmers market. I run around trying to decide who has the best of what and then I get antsy and start making impulse buys. I usually end up buying too much of something and the frittata is a cooking trick I use to get it all eaten up before it goes bad. It’s stupid easy to prepare, and you can make it fancy or keep it simple. I had some leftover prosciutto and some feta in the fridge so I threw that into the mix. You could also add olives or bacon, or any other cheese you have that needs to be used up. The only rule is to make sure you have enough egg to bind everything together. I find that 5-6 eggs will work for a 9-inch round dish full of goodies.

I like the texture the garlic scapes add to the frittata, but if you can’t find them you could always use green onion. The problem with garlic scapes is that they are only around for a few weeks at the beginning of the season, which in Chicago is June. <procrastination>In fact, by the time I get this post written I’m sure they will have disappeared. Sorry about that.</procrastination> Bookmark this one for next year, or just use green onions.

Ugh! I can never make the first slice look good!

Zucchini and Prosciutto Frittata

Loosely adapted from this recipe
Serves 6
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Unattended time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

olive oil
1/2 pound green zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pound yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 garlic scapes or green onions, ends removed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
2 ounces prosciutto, torn into bite-sized pieces
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
no-stick spray
2 ounces feta cheese

Prep work: Chop zucchini, squash, garlic scapes or green onions, dill and parsley. Tear up the prosciutto.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the zucchini, squash, garlic scapes (or green onions), and salt in a large bowl.
2. Heat some olive oil in a very large skillet set over medium heat. Add enough of the zucchini/squash mixture to the skillet to cover the bottom in one layer. You want each piece to have contact with the skillet so it can brown; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining vegetables if necessary.
3. Let the cooked vegetables cool in the bowl about 10 minutes. Pour off any liquid and add the dill, parsley, prosciutto and eggs.
4. Spray a 9 1/2-inch round baking dish with no-stick spray. Pour the vegetable mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the feta. Bake until set, about 45 minutes.

1. The time when my little brother got scared by a possum on the porch and had my dad shoot it in the balls with a BB gun.
2. The time my sister threw all of her ex-husband’s belongings off the balcony and locked him out of the house.
3. The time when my Nana and great-uncle Lowell were forced to eat rhubarb pie at the Cabot family home when she was a little girl.

So you are probably humming to yourself ♫One of these things is not like the other♫. While the first two stories evoke a certain, ahem, Texas-ness, the story of my grandmother dining with the Boston Brahmins though different in local color still enjoys at least one revival a year. In a nutshell, my great-grandmother, who worked for the Cabots, was invited to an employee lunch at their home. My Nana and great-uncle were under strict orders to eat every bite of every dish they put on their plates, or else. So of course when they saw the lovely pink rhubarb pie they each got a huge slice and dug in, only to be assaulted by a bitter, sour goop that they had to choke down until it was gone, lest the incite my great-grandma’s ire. You should see my Nana’s face when she tells this story, it’s like she’s still trying to swallow it. This story has been told so many times and with such theatrics that it has left an indelible mark on my culinary sensibilities: rhubarb is the most vile thing you could put in a pie crust.

Pretty in Pink

Rhubarb has made several recent appearances at the farmers market and realizing that there must be some redeeming quality to it, I decided to give it a try. Further encouragement arrived in the June Food411 newsletter “Romancing Rhubarb“. While I’m only interested in friendship [giggles nervously], this article is a great intro for those of us who have never cooked with the vegetable before.

The easiest thing you can do with rhubarb is make a compote, which is basically simmering it in sweet liquid until it breaks down to the consistency you desire. Rhubarb is fantastic for compote because it takes about 10-15 minutes to render a chunky compote, and roughly 30 minutes to get a smooth applesauce texture. BTW, check out cookthink.com if you fancy yourself a food nerd. I ♥ it.

The basic recipe for compote is simple enough: chopped rhubarb, water, sugar. I wanted to make it a little more special so added an herb that has been finding its way into many of my dishes lately: tarragon. You have to go easy with the T, man, or it will kick your dishes’ ass. But when done with subtlety it lends a sweet anise flavor that is hard to match with any other herb. Of course you could leave it out of this recipe altogether and it would still be delicious.

You read that correctly, it said “DELICIOUS”. Mixed with some greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey, this rhubarb compote makes an elegant and refreshing dessert perfect for completing a summertime meal. I feel that I have vindicated this vegetable to my family…if only I can undo the years of conditioning and get them to try this recipe.

I’m not sure I understand the difference between pizza and flatbread, except the pizza generally has a sauce (except for mine) and is round. Flatbread, to me, should be rectangular. The debate is pointless to me, as long as it tastes good. I started out this recipe by making the dough a day ahead and storing it in the fridge. I timed myself, it took 7 minutes and 15 seconds to prepare the dough. I then ran an errand while it rose, et voila, convenience for the next evening’s meal.

The choice for toppings was random, centering on the vague idea of a potato flatbread. I picked up a few red potatoes and was on the lookout for leeks, which were nowhere to be found. I guess they are out of season now. I DID run across some lovely radicchio, and thanks to the handy seasonal veggie tool, I knew it was in season. The choice of cheese was also purely coincidental. They had some Gruyère out for sampling at the Whole Foods and I thought the nuttiness would go well with the bitterness of the radicchio. Gruyère is a mild stinky cheese, but don’t be put off by the stank. Once it melts it’s mellow and adds a nice bit of saltiness.

The results were satisfying and fantastically simple, the perfect comfort food for me. If you aren’t up to preparing your own dough you can buy refrigerated pizza dough. I recommend slicing the potato paper thin so they will cook all the way through. I use a mandolin slicer to do that, but you could use a sharp knife and your mad knife skills and get the same result. Now I seriously need to get to my packing

Non-natural lighting. Meh.

Potato and Radicchio Flatbread

Dough recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4
Total time 2.5 hours, but only 30 minutes is hands on (look at how I justify this behavior here)
Cost per serving $4

For the dough:
3/4 cups white flour
3/4 cups wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the topping:
2 oz. Gruyère
1/2 head of radicchio (save the other half for a salad)
1 medium red potato
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 glug of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Mix the flours, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil, stirring mixture into a ball. You will probably not be able to make it into a homogenous ball, but there’s an easy fix for that. Smitten Kitchen says to dump everything onto a floured surface and let it sit, covered by the empty bowl, for a few minutes. When you come back to it you should be able to incorporate every bit into a ball.
2. Knead the dough a few times: fold it in half, press it with the palms of your hands, turn it a quarter turn, repeat. Lightly oil the bowl and roll the dough ball around the bowl to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1-2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
3. Dump the dough back onto the floured surface and press the air out of it. Make it into a ball again and let it rest covered for another 20 minutes. At this point you can wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a cookie sheet. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle. Place it on the cookie sheet.
5. Grate the Gruyère on the large holes of a box grater and set aside.
6. Coarsely chop the radicchio and slice the potatoes thin. Place the veggies and the onions in a large bowl and add a nice big glug of olive oil, the salt and some black pepper to taste. Toss the veggies to coat.
7. Pick out the potato slices and layer on the rolled out dough. Dump the radicchio and onion on top, then sprinkle with the cheese.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and let the flatbread rest a minute or two. Cut into squares and enjoy.

I didn’t create a nutrition label for this recipe because, frankly, I couldn’t be bothered to. I’m not as concerned about the minutia of nutrition for the next few days. As long as I don’t resort to fast food, I figure I’m doing all right.

Lately I have been trying to eat mostly seasonal produce. This little seasonal produce tool I found on Real Simple is helping me out. You may have noticed I have been spending a lot of time on Real Simple…what busy gal doesn’t love that site?

In my attempt to eat more seasonally, I am encountering produce that I don’t normally prepare. Leeks fall into that category. I used to think of them as a big ole green onion, but that comparison doesn’t accurately describe their flavor. They are milder than green onions, with an earthy, garlicky flavor.

This recipe combines leeks with another veggie that often confounds me, the radish. I know what you’re thinking: since when is butter healthy? Fear not the sat fat, the recipe only calls for a tablespoon for 4 servings. Check out the nutrition info below if you need further convincing. Definitely use the butter. It may not be a lot but it provides a luxurious flavor. The resulting dish is strikingly pretty, just the thing I need on these dreary and soggy winter days. One last tip, the earthy flavors of the leeks and radishes are brightened by the lemon juice, so don’t forget to add it.

Buttered Leeks and Radishes

Adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4 as a side dish
Total time: about 20 minutes
Cost per serving: $3

1 bunch of radishes, about 12-16 small ones
3 leeks
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of half a lemon

1. Clean and quarter the radishes. Slice the white and light green part of the leeks about 1/4 inch thick. Discard the dark green parts. Chop the parsley.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove the radishes from the pan and put in a large bowl.
3. Add the leeks, broth, salt and lemon juice to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. The leeks should be softened.
4. Transfer the leeks to the bowl with the radishes. Add the parsley and toss to combine.

Radishes give this dish a nice bit of vitamin C, which will help you ward off those winter colds. Was I right about the fat content? One tablespoon of butter doesn’t contribute that much sat fat to the dish, and it just tastes so darn good.

I saw this recipe for a butternut squash pizza on Real Simple and knew I could make it real simpler. Instead of using the refrigerated dough the recipe calls for, I turn to my quickie standby for mini pizzas: the pita. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with the pita as the crust. If you wanted to use the refrigerated dough or get even fancier and make your own dough, I’m sure the results would be irresistible.

I jazzed up the recipe a bit by using a goat’s milk ricotta with smoked paprika. Oh hell yes. This lovely fresh cheese is made by a local Texas company called Poia. If you can’t find it you can mix a little paprika with some regular ricotta. The smokiness of the paprika works well with the sweet roasted squash, so give it a shot.

Butternut Squash Pita Pizza

Serves 6
Total time: 30 minutes
Cost per serving: $3

1 butternut squash, or 1 package of pre-cut if you are feeling REALLY lazy
1 small yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 package of 6 whole wheat pita bread
1/2 cup fresh part-skim ricotta
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and cut the squash into bite-sized chunks, about 1/2 inch. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch rings.Put the squash and onion in a bowl, drizzle with the oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss. Place in a baking dish and roast about 20 minutes. Transfer back to the bowl.
3. Spoon the squash and onion mixture onto the pitas. Mix the ricotta with the paprika (if using) and place little dollops of the ricotta around the pita. Sprinkle with the thyme.
4. Place the pitas back in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the pita starts to brown and the cheese melts.

Was I kidding about the vitamin A? This little pizza is a nutrition boon. I pictured it above with the Tangy Roasted Brussels Sprouts I made the other day. After eating that meal I felt like SuperWoman.

I’m sure every kid ever faced with a helping of Brussels sprouts never imagined that they could, in fact, be made to taste GOOD. I love Brussels sprouts steamed with a little salt and butter, but I can see how they are an acquired taste for many. This recipe is like a subdued yet tangy sauerkraut flecked with pungent little caraway seeds. The scent that wafts from the oven reminds me of a Jewish deli. I’m proud to say that these Brussels sprouts are boyfriend-approved, though I have yet to try them out on any kids. If you get a thumbs up please let me know in the comments. Kids are tough critics when it comes to veggies!

Tips for prepping the Brussels sprouts: Pick small, tightly closed sprouts for the best flavor. I remove the tougher outer leaves and then trim down the stem end. You’ll end up with a more tender end-product that way.

Tangy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from New Vegetarian Cuisine
Serves 4 as a side dish
Total time: 45 minutes, though 35 minutes are hands-off

24 small Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins
Juice of half a lemon
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (don’t skip, they make the dish)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the sprouts and remove any tough or raggedy outer leaves. Trim the stem ends. Cut each sprout in half and place in a baking dish.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the sprouts in the baking dish and stir around to coat.
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and return the dish to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce reduces and becomes slightly thick.

If you can get your family to eat Brussels sprouts, you should congratulate yourself. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and provide a good dose of vitamin A, calcium, iron and fiber.

Snow peas throw me for a loop. I am never sure what to do with them other than throw them into a stir fry, where their subtleties can get overtaken by a spiced-up Asian sauce. Not so with Creamy Lemon Pasta. Their crispy sweetness is a great match for the lemony tang of the yogurt sauce in this recipe. The color combo of the squash, peas and red pepper just screams “VITAMINS!!!”.

Look at their cute faces!

When I make a pasta, I will round out a meal with a simple salad consisting of bagged greens, a few olives, maybe some crumbled feta. I’ve started eating salads without dressing, opting instead for olives and a sprinkle of chesse. I honestly don’t miss it.

Creamy Lemon Pasta

Serves 4
Total time: 20 minutes
Cost per serving: about $3

6 ounce container of plain yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable or stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 ounces short pasta like shells, rotini, or fusilli
1 medium yellow squash
1 red pepper
4 green onions
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup snow peas
1 teaspoon dried fines herbs (optional)

1. Set a large pot of water to boil
2. In a small bowl mix the yogurt, stock, lemon juice and cornstarch; set aside.
3. While the water is heating up, thinly slice the squash and chop the red pepper and green onion. I used my food processor to make short work of this step.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package, usually 8 to 10 minutes. Heat the oil in no-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped and sliced veggies and the snow peas. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked veggies, yogurt sauce, and dried herbs. Stir to combine and serve.

Check out all the fiber, vitamin C and iron in this recipe. Thank you, snow peas!

Stew can be quick if you use the right ingredients. This recipe from New Vegetarian Cuisine is a perfect example. The trick is to use red lentils if you can find them, which are actually yellow lentils with the outer husk removed. Whole Foods has them in the bulk section, but you may also be able to find them at larger grocery stores amongst the dried beans. They are a bright orange color and turn yellow once they are cooked. Bonus points: Lentils have plenty of iron, protein and fiber. If you can’t find red lentils you can substitute green or brown, but the cooking time will need to be extended by 10-15 minutes.

I modified the recipe in New Vegetarian Cuisine by using yellow potatoes, which hold up better to cooking than regular baking potatoes. If, like me, you like chunks of potato in your stew try using Yukon Golds. I also switched out the tarragon for basil because I had some left over from the Mediterranean Olive Bread I made, and it’s easier to find in most grocery stores. If you use a food processor to shred the veggies, this dish comes together in minutes. Did I mention how much I love my new food processor? I don’t even mind that I have to wash it by hand (since I don’t have a dish washer).

Balsamic Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew Action Shot!

4 cups water
1 1/4 cups red lentils
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
ground black pepper
5-6 green onions
2 carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Cut the potatoes into cubes. In a large pot, combine the water, lentils, potatoes and pepper (to your liking) and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes.
2. While the lentils are cooking, chop the green onions and grate the carrots, zucchini and squash. You can also use the grater on a food processor for the veggies. Finely chop the garlic.
3. In a large no-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, veggies and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Once the carrots are softened, add the veggie mixture to the lentils. Mix in the basil and vinegar and heat through another 2-3 minutes. Serve in big bowls. You won’t need another meal for about 8 hours.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/04/quick-and-cheap-dinner-balsamic-lentil-stew/feed/ 4 http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/ http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:35:33 +0000 drmiggy http://www.drmiggy.com/?p=1004 In spite of my initial failures, I’ve had one vegan baking success this weekend. This aromatic quick bread caught my eye while flipping through The Joy of Vegan Baking because it looked foolproof. What can I say, my ego took a beating and I needed a sure thing.

   I prepared the recipe almost as directed and scraped it into a springform pan, just for shits and giggles. You could also make a loaf if you don’t have a round pan. I omitted the sun-dried tomatoes, simply because I really don’t care for them and they are expensive. The rosemary and freshly baked bread aroma that filled my little apartment had me drooling in anticipation. It was torture to let the loaf cool. I popped open the springform pan and immediately cut the loaf into wedges. The texture is similar to focaccia, and the pungent olives, piney rosemary and sweet crunch of the walnuts complement each other perfectly. This bread would be great along side an autumn lentil stew or a minestrone soup. Alternatively, you could just eat half the loaf by yourself for dinner, which I totally didn’t do.

   

   Mediterranean Olive Bread

   Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking
   Yield one standard sized loaf

   no-stick spray
   1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
   3/4 cups whole wheat flour
   2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
   1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
   2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   4 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
   6 tablespoons water
   1 cup soy milk
   1/4 cup olive oil
   1/3 cup chopped walnuts
   1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives

   1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (square, rectangle or round, whatever curls your toes) with no-stick spray.
   2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, chopped herbs and salt. Set aside.
   3. In a blender combine the egg replacer and water until thickened a little. The recipe calls for enough egg replacer for 3 eggs, so I suppose you could just use eggs. I didn’t test it, though. Add the soy milk and olive oil to the blender and mix until combined.
   4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold until almost all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the walnuts and olives and fold in just until combined. Don’t over mix or the bread will get tough.
   5. Scoop the batter into your prepared pan, evening it out with a spoon or rubber spatula. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes depending on the pan you use. Just check it after 30 minutes and if the knife is goopy then let it bake for 5-10 minutes longer. The top crust should be a light brown and feel hard to the touch. My round pan only required 30 minutes, but an 8-inch loaf pan will probably need the entire 40 minutes.
   6. Let the bread cool in the pan on a rack or trivet for at least 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely, if you can stand the wait.
   ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/11/01/food-pr0n-mediterranean-olive-bread/feed/ 2