7/22 Recipes
Romaine Salad w/ Cucumber Red Onion & Feta
1/2 small cucumber, peeled, halved and seeded
1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/4 pound feta, preferably French goat’s milk feta
2 tablespoons best quality olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red-wine vinegar
Coarsely ground black pepper
Thinly slice the cucumber halves. You need just 1 cup. In a bowl, combine the cucumber with the onion and sprinkle with the salt. Mix, then let sit for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the romaine in a large salad bowl. Break the feta into small ( 1/2-inch) pieces and drop them into the bowl. Gather the cucumber and onion in your fist and squeeze out any excess moisture. Scatter them over the romaine. Sprinkle the oil and vinegar over the salad. Grind pepper over top and then mix the salad gently so that you dress it without mashing the cheese to bits.
(From The New York Times)
California Grilled Veggie Sandwich
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced red bell peppers
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill for high heat. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don’t burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables. Enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches. (From allrecipes.com)
Pittsburgh Wedding Soup
Meatballs
2 Slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/2 C milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 C Grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbls Chopped Fresh Parsley
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
3/4 Tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
Soup
1 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 large bunch kale or Swiss Chard, leaves chopped
1 C orzo
3 Tbls Chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper
For the Meatballs: Using a potato masher, mash bread and milk in large bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except meat, and mash to combine. Add meat and knead by hand until well combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs and arrange on rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
For the Soup: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook garlic and red pepper flacks until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and simmer until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (From Cook’s Country Magazine April/May 2007)
Refrigerator Pickles
6 cups of cucumbers, sliced paper thin
1 cup onions, sliced paper thin
2 cups of sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Cook the sugar, vinegar and salt in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cool the mixture, pour it over the cucumbers and onions and mix. Store in whatever size containers you want to use in the refrigerator for up to several weeks. (Thanks to BOG member Eileen Olson)
Pickled Green Beans
2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 sprigs fresh dill weed
4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
Cut green beans to fit inside pint canning jars. Place green beans in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, for 3 minutes. Plunge beans into ice water. Drain well. Pack the beans into four hot, sterilized pint jars. Place 1 clove garlic and 2 sprigs dill weed in each jar, against the glass. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to each jar. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring vinegar and water to a boil. Pour over beans. (From allrecipes.com)
Sesame Green Beans
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tbls soy sauce
2 tsp honey
4 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tsp rice vinegar
3 scallions, sliced thin
Toast sesame seeds in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 min. Whisk soy sauce and honey in a bowl. Heat oil in empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook beans until bright green, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are spotty brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover, stir in soy sauce mixture, and cook until beans are glazed, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in vinegar, sesame oil, and scallions. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, Serve.
(From Cook’s Country Feb/March 2008)