ARUGULA AND HERB PESTO PASTA

This is nearing the end of the growing season for our CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) as it really gets hot and diminishes what can grow in this part of South Florida.  Since we are leaving for Connecticut soon the timing could not be better. 

Two hot weather vegetables we can count on are tomatoes and arugula.    I wanted to cook up something that would travel well on our drive up north and came up with a pesto dish.   I threw in all the fresh herbs I had to make it much more interesting and decided to deconstruct the pesto so I toasted the pine nuts and grated the parmesan and proclaimed them garnish!   

1 lb.  whole wheat pasta cooked according to package directions

4 cups greens – a mixture arugula, parsley and basil

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

Zest of one lemon (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Grated parmesan

Toasted pine nut

Chopped tomatoes

As the pasta is cooking, add garlic cloves to a Cuisinart.  Mince.  Add the fresh greens to the Cuisinart and as the machine is running drizzle the olive oil until the mixture forms a lovely green pesto consistency.  Add your lemon zest and salt and pepper. 

Toss the pesto with the cooked pasta and add your parmesan, pine nuts and tomatoes. 

Eat well and travel well.

Purple Pizza!

One of our favorite pizzas that we make is a cauliflower pizza with olives and garlic.  It is a simple combination that makes magic when combined.  I invited some friends over a few weeks ago and they were game to try our pizza and it is now one of the favorites in their house too.

The recipe comes from My Bread by Jim Lahey.  We just jazzed it up the other day with purple cauliflower and pine nuts.   Sometimes we add parmesan but this time we kept it vegan.  Either way it is a winner.  Give it a try.

Make the pizza dough following directions according to my previous post on Zucchini Pizza. 

Topping Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower shaved on a mandoline so it is in very thin slices
1/2 cup pitted olives
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Parmesan (optional)
Bread crumbs (optional)
Pine nuts (optional)

Spread the dough in a greased 13 x 18 rimmed baking sheet, using olive oil to coat. 

Mince garlic in a Cuisinart and then add the olives and pulse to chop fine.  Add the garlic/olive mixture to the shaved cauliflower.  Mix in the red pepper flakes, olive oil and salt to taste.

Spread the mixture evenly over the dough to the edges and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven.   If you wish, add the pine nuts or bread crumbs at this time.  They will brown nicely as the pizza cooks.  Cook 10 minutes and rotate.  Cook another 10 until the edges are brown for a total cooking time of about 20 minutes.  (Use a fork to pop any bubbles in the dough that may occur while the pizza is cooking.)

As the pizza is still hot and out of the oven you may add the parmesan.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Jim Lahey put out a book on making no knead bread in 2009 and he has taken the world by storm.  I received this book called My Bread as a Christmas present last year and it has been the book I go to at least once a week.  I love his Walnut Bread and make it for breakfast all the time.  Pizza night has become a weekly occurrence too.  My  family devours the Cauliflower Pizza and The Tomato Pizza .  But this week we tried something new -  The Zucchini Pizza.    I had a couple big zucchinis from the farm and wanted to give it a try.  It was delicious with and without cheese and I thought I would share it with you.  I changed the recipe somewhat by using a little less zucchini than Jim called for and adding caramelized onions. 

Basic Pizza Dough
Jim Lahey/My Bread

3 3/4 cups( 500 grams) bread flour
2 1/2  teaspoons (10 grams) instant or other active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt or fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon plus a pinch (5 grams) sugar
1 1/3 cups(300 grams) room temperature ( about 72*F) water
extra virgin olive oil for the pans

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar
Add the water and using a wooden spoon or your hand,  mix until blended.   The dough is a bit stiffer than most of the other dough in Jim Lahey’s book,  not as wet and sticky.   I usually need to work the dough in the bowl to get the dough incorporated into a ball.
Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature until the dough has doubled in volume, about two hours.
2. Oil two 13 by 18 inch rimmed baking sheets. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape  dough onto an oiled pan in one piece. Cut the dough into two equal parts.   Make sure your hands and the dough are coated with oil.  Gently press  and stretch the dough across the surface of the pan so the dough  is even to the edges.  Pinch any holes together. Repeat with the second piece.

The dough is ready to top as you like.

Get the oven ready and preheat at 450 degrees.  My Bread suggests  a 500 degree temperature, but I have found it is too hot for my oven.  So see what works for you.

Zucchini Topping

2 lbs zucchini, trimmed and grated

1 ½ teaspoon salt

2 cups Gruhyere cheese, grated

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 onions sliced and caramelized

As the oven in preheating, grate the zucchini.  I used my food processor.

Mix the salt in with the grated zucchini and let stand for 15 minutes.  Drain the zucchini in a colander.  I also squeezed the extra moisture out with several towels.  In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini and cheese together.  (I used half the cheese to make half the pizza vegan)

Spread the zucchini mixture over the prepared dough all the way to the edges.  Spread the caramelized onions evenly over the pizza and finish off with the bread crumbs.

Bake for 10 minutes and rotate for the next 10 minutes.  My Bread has a lot longer time, but my oven must be way warmer than his.  I have to say I cannot imagine the pizza without the caramelized onions.  It gives the pizza a GREAT flavor.   And the pizza was amazing with or with out the cheese.

This is what it looked like before we put it in the oven.  And then what it looked like after.

   

Sweet Potato and Green Bean "Risotto"

Sweet Potato and Green Bean with Barley

Okay, I just picked up my weekly supply of vegetables from our local CSA and I got green beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, small leeks or large green onions, tomatoes galore and a large bag of loose lettuce leaves.  The green beans caught my eye and since I had a large sweet potato also, a recipe started forming.

I made this dish vegan for Madison since she is giving up dairy for Lent, however, the picture of the final dish has parmesan added for me.  It definitely made it more “risotto like” with that addition.  For Madison’s dish I added a little olive oil at the end to make it a little richer.

My recipe uses barley as my grain substitute for Arborio rice.  I actually like the toothiness of the barley better than the risotto, especially after the dish has been reheated, etc.  Barley wins out when you compare the health benefits of both too.  One cup of dried barley has 31.8 grams of fiber and 23 grams of protein, while a cup of dried Arborio rice has 4 grams fiber and 12 grams protein. 

2 medium size white onions, halved and sliced

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 lb fresh green beans stems removed and  cut into 2 inch pieces

2 medium size tomatoes cut into bite size pieces

3 cups water

1 cup barley
3 cloves garlic minced

Olive oil

¼ to ½ tsp chipotle pepper powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and one tablespoon olive oil in a medium size skillet for 10-15 minutes.  Once brown, set aside.

In a medium to large stockpot add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic and tomatoes.  Saute until fragrant.  About 2-3 minutes.  Add the cooked onions, sweet potato, green beans, water, barley and chipotle pepper.  Simmer covered for about 40-50 minutes stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes break down and the bulgur is al dente.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shave parmesan cheese over the top before serving.

Cauliflower Mash with Spinach and Tempeh Croutons

Since I had a lot of spinach to use as well as cauliflower and butternut squash, I wanted to make a meal that was more a collection of tastes rather than a stew.

You will need the following ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
1/2 medium size butternut squash
2 bags spinach
2 medium size yellow onions
1 tempeh package (I like three grain by Lightlife)
Olive oil
2 teaspoons FRESH ground cumin seed (see note)
Salt and pepper to taste

Basically you are making three dishes and plating them one on top of the other for presentation.

Take a medium size pot and add the cauliflower and butternut squash cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks and add about two inches of water.  Boil at medium heat with the lid on until the vegetables are tender.  They should be done in 10-15 minutes.  Drain the water out and set aside.  Add salt and pepper to taste with 1 tsp of fresh ground cumin seed.  Leave the lid on to stay warm while finishing the two other components of the dish.

While the vegetables are boiling, start the second part of the recipe.  Cut the two onions up into bite size chunks and add to a large sauté  pan.  Add two tablespoons olive oil to the pan and sauté  the onions on medium high until the onions become golden in color (about 10 minutes).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add ¼ cup water to the bottom of the pan to collect the brown bits.  Let the water steam off and then turn the pan down to low and add the spinach and lightly stir until the leaves have wilted.  Do not overcook.

Have another sauté  pan ready (I like to use a cast iron skillet) and cut the tempeh up into crouton size squares.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce and 1 teaspoon fresh ground cumin seed to the pan.  Optional would be to add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon heat such as ground red pepper or ground chipotle pepper.   Add the spices to the pan and sauté  the croutons until golden. 

Meanwhile, mash the cauliflower and butternut squash.  If too watery, turn the heat back on and cook out some of the moisture with the lid off. 

Plate a spoonful of the cauliflower and butternut squash mash, then add the spinach and onions on top with the croutons at the end.  Beautiful and delicious. 

Note: Fresh ground cumin seed has a much better flavor than purchased ground cumin seed.  If you take the time to make it fresh, you will be rewarded.  There is no comparison and I make a batch and have it ready and use it up in a week.  I add it to lots of my dishes.

Take about two tablespoons of cumin seed and add to a sauté pan.  I like to use my cast iron skillet.  Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally until you start to smell the cumin seed.   Set aside to cool and grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.