Appetizers

Baba Ganoush with Fresh Herbs and Scallions

Endlessly scoop-able, silky and smokey, baba ganoush is one of my favorite ways to eat eggplant (although there are so many ways to love eggplant!) What makes this one a family go to? First, it’s so easy; just score, season and roast the eggplant (no peeling required!) Second, your food processor makes it a cinch to create a creamy, lemony, nutty puree, perfect for dipping or spreading. I like to give it a hit of fresh flavor by adding whatever herbs I have in the garden or left over from other dishes, and there is no chopping required! Third, you can endlessly customize this as a snack, lunch or light dinner by adding pita bread or chips, fresh veggies, Mediterranean-style meatballs or grilled chicken skewers.

Baba Ganoush with Fresh Herbs and Scallions

Makes about 6 servings (about 2 cups)

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized eggplant

Olive oil to drizzle over eggplant, plus 3 tablespoons to add to the eggplant puree

Kosher or sea salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in aluminum foil

1/2 cup tahini

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving

1/4 cup of fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, dill or basil

2 scallions, greens sliced, whites reserved for another use

1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds

Pita and veggies, for serving or serve spread on a platter with Mediterranean meatballs or grilled chicken skewers on top.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise, and then score hash marks with the tip of a knife into the flesh. Drizzle olive oil over the cut side, and generously season with salt and pepper. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down. Place the garlic foil packet on the baking sheet with the eggplant.

Roast the garlic until lightly brown and soft. Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 40 to 50 minutes (this might take longer if you are using larger eggplants). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh, discarding any seed pods, with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind. The eggplant should have very little liquid because of the oven’s heat, but should it be watery, place the flesh in a strainer and shake away the liquid.

Place the eggplant flesh (discard the skin), roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and fresh herbs in a food processor. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and a few cranks of pepper, and then pulse until smooth. Taste for additional seasoning and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with pita and veggies or grilled or roasted meats.

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Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Pistachio Herb Pesto

When it’s summertime and you find gorgeous heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market, what do you dream of making? Here’s an effortless, no-cook recipe that uses all of your fresh-from-the-garden produce, perfect for those heat-wave evenings.

In between not-too-smooth and not-too-chunky, the trick to this gazpacho’s perfect body is the emulsifying combo of oil and vinegar. Serve chilled in icy glasses or bowls and top it off with an herbal, nutty Pistachio Herb Pesto for a vegan meal. Protein lovers could add in poached shrimp to make this summer soup a full meal or serve as an appetizer with grilled bread.

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Pistachio Herb Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds of heirloom tomatoes (I used green zebra and brandywine. The color of your gazpacho may change based on what you use), chopped into 2- inch chunks, seeds removed (just brush them out with your fingertip, don’t squeeze out the juice J )
1 sweet bell pepper, or 4 mini sweet bell peppers, stem, seeds and membrane removed, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 English cucumber, cut into 2-inch chunks, 1/4 cup reserved for garnish
1/4 of a red onion, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup of parsley leaves
1/2 cup of good quality olive oil…I used organic Spanish olive oil
2 tablespoons of Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
About 10 baby heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters

Instructions

Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion and parsley into the bowl of a high-speed blender or a food processor. Securely fasten the lid and blend, starting on low and increasing to high speed, until the mixture is completely smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add the olive oil, vinegar and about 10 cranks of pepper from a grinder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue to blend the mixture for about 1 minute, until creamy and emulsified. Taste the gazpacho for seasoning and add more pepper and salt if needed. Put the gazpacho in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.

When you are ready to serve the gazpacho, divide into chilled glasses or bowls, then top with the reserved cucumber, baby heirloom tomatoes and Pistachio Herb Pesto.

Stir Fried Turkey and Veggies with Lettuce Wraps and Soy Ginger Sauce

Perfect for a summer dinner, this recipe is on replay at our family table. The vegetables can be customized to what you have in the fridge, fresh from the farmers market or in your CSA box. We make a nutty soy ginger sauce to go along with it, but a drizzle of peanut sauce, a squeeze of lime or a dash of siracha will ramp up the flavors.

Stir Fried Turkey and Veggies with Lettuce Wraps and Soy Ginger Sauce

Ingredients:

For the dipping sauce:

1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy or tamari sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (about a half of a lime, save the other half to serve on the side)
1 pinch red chile flakes, if desired

For the stir fried turkey and veggies:

1 tablespoon of avocado oil
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
6 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound of ground turkey
3 green onions, chopped, greens separated from the whites
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated or minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed, leaves pulled apart to form cups

Method for the Soy Ginger Sauce:

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl or Mason jar with a tight fitting lid, and whisk or shake to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready to serve, mixing again before serving.

Method for the Stir Fried Turkey and Veggies:

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the avocado and sesame oil. Add the mushrooms and brown, stirring only occasionally, until all of the liquids have released, about 5 minutes. Add the red peppers, celery, and cook for another 2 minutes, until vegetables have softened. Add the turkey, breaking up into smaller pieces with a spatula, and seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir the turkey as it cooks and browns, continuing to break up into smaller pieces, for about 5-7 minutes. Add the green onion whites (bottoms), garlic and ginger, continuing to stir and cook for another 2 minutes, until the onions, garlic and ginger are very fragrant and the turkey is cooked all of the way through. Taste the turkey mixture for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper if needed. Top the Stir Fried Turkey and Veggies with cilantro and the chopped green tops of the onions.

To serve, top a lettuce cup “wrap” with about 1/2 cup of the stir fried turkey and veggies, drizzle with a little soy ginger sauce, squeeze additional lime on top if desired, and fold to eat like a taco.

Green Lentil Soup with Spinach, Cilantro and Lemon

I received the highest compliment today: “The lentil soup is so so good. I was shocked that even Hudson ate it! He is the pickiest eater ever. I would love the recipe for the soup.” You see, Hudson is 4 years old, and if I can help get a few bites of whole, nutritious goodness into a young man that age, and maybe even change how he feels about vegetables, then I have done my job. Here’s that recipe, Mom!

Green Lentil Soup with Spinach, Cilantro and Lemon

Serves 6-8

1 onion (yellow, white or brown), diced

4 stalks of celery, sliced

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bunch of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes with their juices

2 cups of green lentils

8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock or broth

4 cups of baby spinach

1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed, chopped

Juice of 1 or two fresh lemons

Olive oil, kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large stock pot, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to cooking temperature. Add the onions and cook for a bit, stirring, then the celery and carrots, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper. Stir and cook the vegetables until they start to sweat, and then add the garlic. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from burning, and continue to cook until the vegetables soften a bit. Add the thyme, bay leaves and tomatoes, season with a bit more salt and pepper, and stir, cooking the tomatoes for about 3 minutes.

Add the lentils, a bit more salt and pepper, and the stock and stir it all together. Bring heat up to high, and bring the soup to a boil. When it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the soup until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. When the lentils are done (you can tell by tasting them, they should be tender with a slight firm bite), season with additional salt and pepper to taste, stir in the spinach, cilantro and lemon. Taste again, adjusting any seasoning or lemon juice. Add additional olive oil if desired and serve or store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Tomato & Basil Mini Tarts with Mozzarella and Pinenuts

Ahh, summer parties. White tents, breezy dresses, a lemon drop or rose in a frosted glass. Tapas, simple to nibble on, just one or two perfect bites. What sings summer? Garden fresh tomatoes and basil.

Tomato & Basil Mini Tarts with Mozzarella and Pinenuts

Makes about 24 miniature tarts

Ingredients:

1 portion of prepared pie dough

4 ounces of mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

6 basil leaves, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons toasted pinenuts

Olive oil, salt & pepper

Instructions: Heat an oven to 350 degrees. Coat two mini muffin pans with olive oil or vegetable spray. Roll the prepared pie dough into a flat round, about 9-inches in diameter. Using a 2-3 inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 24 small disks, re-rolling the pie dough if necessary to cut more rounds. Place the dough rounds in each cup of the mini muffin pan. They don’t need to be perfect:

In each pastry cup place a few cubes of mozzarella and two or three cherry tomato halves. Mix together the basil, garlic and pinenuts with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, then put a portion of the mixture on each tomato tart.

Drizzle each tart with a bit more olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the pastry dough is browned and the tomatoes are soft and bubbly. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Green Cabbage & Cilantro

For 15 years, I worked almost every Sunday in a restaurant, rising early after a crushing Saturday night in the same said restaurant, weary to the bone. Sunday morning diners don’t particularly understand the concept of bone-weary restauranteurs, they are aggressive and cranky, demanding to rise above the mob for immediate coffee service.

This is my Sunday now. Except it doesn’t always look like this. Sometimes I walk down to the fish market, and never without a tad of flirtation with the plastic-aproned fishmonger, my Sunday looks like this:

Or perhaps this. Just add cabbage and cilantro from the farm box, possibly a chilled glass of wine, and you’re on your way to a perfect Sunday.

Mussels, Clams and Cockles with Green Cabbage, Cilantro and Coconut Curry

Serves 4

1 can coconut milk

2 garlic cloves, grated

1-inch section of peeled, fresh ginger, cut into slices

1-2 tablespoons green curry paste

4 cups of shredded cabbage

Small bunch of cilantro stems and leaves

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

3 pounds live shellfish, such as mussels, clams or cockels

Juice and zest of one lime

In a Dutch oven or skillet with a fitted lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the fat cap of the coconut milk (when you open the can, there is a thick layer of coconut oil that has risen to the top.) Reserve the remaining coconut milk. Add the garlic and ginger, heating until fragrant, about a minute, then add the curry paste, cabbage and half of the cilantro stems and leaves. Cook until the cabbage starts to wilt, then add the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce and shellfish. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (liquid should still be moving) and cook the shellfish for about 3 minutes. Use a large spoon or ladle to stir the bottom layer of shellfish to the top, and cover again, continuing to cook until the shellfish starts to open. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and zest. Eat immediately, discarding any shellfish that didn’t open.

Basil, Carrots and Broccoli

This is a versatile recipe that you can sneak just about any vegetable in, useful for my picky 7-year old, and also as we approach cruciferous vegetable season (I’m thinking of sneaking lots of cabbage in.)

Basil Turkey Meatballs with Hidden Veggie Sauce

Serves 4-6

1 pound lean ground turkey

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped basil

1 bell pepper, stem, membranes and seeds removed, roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled, roughly chopped

1 cup broccoli, tough stems removed, cut into florets

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

One 15-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes with their juices

1 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, and basil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Using lightly moistened hands, roll the mixture into 8-10 meatballs, about 3 tablespoons each.

Add the bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, onion and parsley to the bowl of a food processor and run until the vegetables are chopped very fine. Add the tomatoes and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook over moderate heat, turning, until golden but not quite cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the tomato sauce and sugar to the skillet and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired. Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer, turning, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Kale

I love kale! I love that Farmer Kenny has crops and crops of it! There are times, however, when I daydream that I have a secret life as the New York Times bestselling cookbook author of Fifty Shades of Kale. In this popular tome, kale is transformed from a staple in soups, smoothies and “hand-massaged raw salads” and turned into something surprising. Fifty totally unique recipes, not a kale chip in the bunch. When I saw that Trader Joe’s had a “reduced guilt” Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip, I thought, “Wow, that’s different!” I had a of parcel of kale in my cold drawer at home, so I did what any ~~sneaky~~ creative home cook would do…I took a photo of the ingredient label and bought what I needed to copycat the recipe at home.

Of course, I added my own spin on the TJ’s dip. I didn’t do anything dehydrated, left out the canned water chestnuts and frozen chopped spinach, omitted the xanthan gum (where the heck would I get that?) and added white wine. This makes me more of a copykitten than cat and, as a result, “reduced guilt.” I hope you love it and your kale!

Farm Box Kale Greek Yogurt Dip

Serves 6

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup chopped green onions, green and white portions

1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped, about 3 cups

1 stalk celery, chopped

Olive oil

Sea Salt

Pinch red chile flakes

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup strained Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons natural mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. When oil heats, add garlic, red pepper, carrots, onion and kale, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and chile flakes, and add wine. Cook wine until reduce slightly, about 1 minute, then remove the kale mixture from the pan and cool.

Put kale mixture into the bowl of a food processor, then add yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Process the mixture until combined but chunks of vegetables are visible. Taste the mixture for additional seasoning, if needed, and serve with bread, crackers or vegetables.

Cilantro

I mashed up a batch of guacamole with our tender, fragrant bunch of cilantro. It was a flawless clear and warm day with a tickle of a breeze that whispered for margaritas on the deck. California avocados, Roma tomatoes from the farmer’s market, lots of citrus and a crispy bag of tortilla flax chips made the day taste like the best things to come this summer.

Cilantro-ey Guacamole

Serves 4 as an appetizer

4 ripe avocados (slightly yielding to gentle touch at the neck of the avocado)

4 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into a small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked from the stems (discard or repurpose stems), chopped

1-2 lemons, juiced

Kosher salt and pepper

Cut the avocados in half and remove pits. Using a paring knife, cut the avocado flesh while in the skin, scoring into cube shapes. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin into a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and the juice of one lemon. Stir to combine and soften the avocado chunks, and then taste for acidity. Add additional lemon juice if needed, then season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate with plastic wrap sealing the top of the guacamole to prevent oxidation. I like to keep an avocado pit in until I serve the guacamole, I swear it keeps the guacamole from browning.

Romanesco Cauliflower

I’m giddy when Romanesco cauliflower, or broccoli, comes in the farm box. It’s just so stunning with its bewitching pattern of lime-green florets, and a change of pace from ordinary cauliflower, with its sweet, nutty flavor. It is delicious raw, but I love it roasted. This is a dip that I like to eat with Akmak crackers or warm pita bread.

Romanesco Cauliflower, Carrot and Feta Dip

1 head Romanesco cauliflower, or a half head of regular cauliflower, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

4 whole cloves peeled garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 pinch chile flakes

salt and pepper

4 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, plus more for garnish

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the Romanesco cauliflower, carrots and garlic on a baking sheet, and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with oregano, chile flakes, salt and pepper, and roast in oven until vegetables become very soft and browned around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Place vegetables and remaining olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add feta cheese and pine nuts and process until combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from food processor and top with pine nuts. Serve with crackers, bread or vegetables to dip. Can be stored in refrigerator for a week.