Recipes 8/3 & 8/4
Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 lbs medium pickling cucumbers, scrubbed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 large bunch dill, coarsely chopped (stems included)
1 Tbls yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp whole white peppercorns
1 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
1 C water
1 C sugar
3 Tbls coarse kosher salt
2 tsp dill seeds
Divide sliced onion between two 1-quart wide-mouth glass jars. Pack cucumber slices horizontally in jars. Top each jar with dill.
Using mortar and pestle or resealable plastic bag and mallet, crush mustard seeds and peppercorns together. Place crushed spices in medium saucepan. Add vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, coarse salt, and dill seeds. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Ladle mixture evenly over cucumbers. Leave jars uncovered and chill 24 hours. Cover glass pickle jars tightly with lids. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.
(epicurious.com)
Citrus Collards w/ Raisins Redux
2 large bunches collard greens, ribs removed, cut into a chiffonade, rinsed and drained
1 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 C raisins
1/3 C freshly squeezed orange juice
In a large pot over high heat, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the collards and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water to cool the collards.
Remove the collards from the heat, drain, and plunge them into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking and set the color of the greens. Drain by gently pressing the greens against a colander.
In a medium-size sauté pan, combine the olive oil and the garlic and raise the heat to medium. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the collards, raisins, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add orange juice and cook for an additional 15 seconds. Do not overcook (collards should be bright green). Season with additional salt to taste if needed and serve immediately. (This also makes a tasty filling for quesadillas.)
(epicurious.com)
Calabacitas Casserole w/ Polenta & Cheese
3 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
2 C corn kernels, defrosted
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
2 small to medium zucchini, diced
1 small to medium yellow squash
1 large yellow skinned onion, chopped
1(14-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
2 tsp dark chili powder
Salt and pepper
1 (16-ounce) tubes prepared polenta
2 C, 10 oz, shredded Monterey Jack
3 scallions, chopped
2 Tbls chopped cilantro leaves or flat leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, corn, garlic and chiles. Saute 3 minutes, add zucchini and yellow squash and onions, season with salt and pepper, chili powder; cook 7 to 8 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and heat through. Transfer to baking dish. Cut 1 tube of polenta in 1/2-inch slices lengthwise. Top vegetables with polenta and cheese. Place in hot oven to melt cheese and warm polenta, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.
(The Food Network: Rachael Ray)
Red Potatoes & Wilted Greens
3/4 lb small red potatoes
1 Tbls unsalted butter
1/2 Tbls olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 C packed beet greens, or Swiss chard tough stems discarded and remainder washed well and dried
In a medium saucepan bring potatoes with enough salted water to cover them by 1/2 inch to a boil and simmer 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain potatoes in a colander and when cool enough to handle cut each potato in half.
In a heavy skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat until foam subsides and cook potatoes, cut sides down, until golden, about 5 minutes. Loosen potatoes from bottom of skillet with a metal spatula. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic is pale golden. Add greens and cook, covered, 3 minutes, or until greens are wilted.
Season mixture with salt and pepper and stir until combined well.
(epicurious.com)
Zucchini & Patty Pan Squash Sauteed in Herb Butter
3 Tbls unsalted butter
2 C (about 1 lb) zucchini, cut into quarter sized pieces
2 C (about 3/4 lb) small yellow patty
pan squash, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C fresh basil, torn and loosely packed
1/2 C fresh mint, loosely packed
In 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add zucchini and patty pans and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to large serving dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add basil and mint, and toss to combine.
(From epicurious.com)
Cannellini & Kale Ragoût
6 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 1 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian bread, crusts removed, each slice quartered
1 tsp plus 1 Tbls chopped fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
5 C (packed) thinly sliced kale
1 14 1/2-oz can vegetable broth
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion in juice
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bread and 1 teaspoon thyme; cook until bread is golden on both sides, turning with tongs, about 2 minutes total. Transfer croutons to bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add remaining 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper to same pot; sauté over medium heat 30 seconds. Add kale and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until kale wilts, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, and remaining 1 Tbls thyme. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle ragout into shallow bowls. Top with croutons and serve.
(epicurious.com)