Vegetarian Squash Blossom Soup

I came across a farm market in Alexandria this morning and had to stop. So glad I did. I picked up some mustard greens, squash blossoms, cauliflower, zucchini, cilantro and some small, sweet strawberries. I wish I had had more time to visit other stalls with breads, cheeses and honey, but I'll be sure to stop by another time since it's on a regular route I travel.

When I returned home after a long day, I decided to make a squash blossom soup since it's not too hot and there's a nice breeze. I just felt like some soup!

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Squash blossoms, mustard greens, purple cauliflower, zucchini,
tofu, 1/2 chopped onion, 1clove minced garlic, tumeric, vegetable broth,
cilantro, fresh thyme.

STEP ONE:



Heat one T. of olive oil in a pot or large saucepan. Cook half a
chopped onion for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the
garlic and cook for another minute. Chop half a small zucchini and
add to the pot along with some cauliflower florets. Throw in a scant
1/2 tsp. of turmeric and stir constantly for 4 minutes on medium heat.

STEP TWO:







Roughly chop the squash blossoms after pulling out the stamens
(use male blossoms) and add to the pot. Cook for one minute,
stirring constantly. Roughly chop the mustard greens (I used about
2 cups) and add to pot. Cook for another minute.

STEP THREE:





Pour 3 cups of vegetable broth in pot and stir.  Toss in some
cubes of firm tofu and let simmer for five minutes. Stir in 1 T. of
heavy cream (optional).  Add salt and pepper to taste (I used
white pepper) along with a 1/4 tsp. of fresh thyme. As an
afterthought, I added the zest of 1/2 a small lemon.

STEP FOUR:


I thought the soup tasted a little bland so I added
a few drops of sesame oil and about a tsp. of soy
sauce to my bowl.  This made a big difference.



A little chopped cilantro on top with a thin slice of
lemon and you've got yourself a good healthy bowl
of soup!

Nutrition Information:  One cup of squash blossoms has:
5 calories, less than a gram of protein, 1 gram carbs,
23% Vitamin C, 13% Vitamin A and traces of calcium
and iron.
One cup mustard greens has: 36 calories, 50% vitamin K,
57% Vitamin A, 39.33% Vitamin C, 34.78% Selenium
and 23% copper. They are also full of fiber and antioxidants.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Almost Classic Pesto

My last post was in April when I collected wild leeks to make...pesto! Obviously I love pesto, and that is what I wanted to make this evening when I came upon a gorgeous pot of basil. This almost classic pesto has pumpkin seeds and sun dried tomatoes added to the basic ingredients. I served it with seafood and was dismayed to discover later that the orange roughy I purchased is on the "avoid" list on the Seafood Watch app I keep on my phone. This fish is on the list because of the damage done to coral reefs due to bottom trawling. I should have checked first. This app is great when shopping for seafood, and I highly recommend it. A better choice would have been pollock, but you have to be careful of its origin. The app gives all the details.

Here's the meal I prepared:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:

Basil leaves, parmesan cheese, garlic, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds
sun dried tomatoes, olive oil.

STEP ONE:

Start water for pasta.

Place a bunch of basil leaves in a food processor. Add 1/4 cup grated
parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup pinenuts, a handful of pumpkin seeds, 2
sun dried tomatoes, 3 cloves of smashed garlic and 1/4 cup plus
2 T. olive oil. Add 1/4 tsp. sea salt (you can add more later if needed).
Process until well-combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 500 and throw in some small peppers.

STEP TWO:







Heat 1 T. olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.  Place the fish
in the skillet and sprinkle with hot paprika. Cook for two minutes,
turn fish over and cover with ground black pepper. Add quartered
tomatoes and three cloves of chopped garlic to pan and cook for
another two minutes. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and
sprinkle with a little sea salt.

STEP THREE:





Pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine and add the shrimp and scallops.
Cook for shellfish for two minutes on each side.



Check the peppers. Make sure they have a nice char. Then turn off
the oven and allow them to keep warm.  Cook pasta.

STEP FOUR:





Add a 1/2 T. of butter to seafood and pesto to taste
to the drained pasta. Mix the pesto into the pasta.

STEP FIVE:





Put pesto on a platter and arrange the seafood on top with the
peppers. Serve with a salad (I used lettuce from my garden).

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Wild Leek Pesto

It's that time of year when the wild things start sprouting up and there's only a two-week window to get outside and collect them. I went to the spot where the wild leeks grow and gathered enough for a few meals, far fewer than I usually harvest because the number this year were low. I take only the tender leaves and leave the roots intact. The leaves make a wonderful pesto.

I thought I'd simply make a classic pesto and substitute the leek leaves for basil, but when I opened the fridge to get out some parmesan cheese, I saw the anchovies and my instinct told me they would work really well with the leeks. I spotted a lemon in my fruit bowl and that looked like a good thing to add as well. I have to say the pesto was outstanding!  If you try this recipe, I suggest experimenting with the lemon and anchovies until you get the flavor you love the most.

Here's my recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



3/4 cup of leek leaves
6 basil leaves (from a plant that was on its last legs)
1/4 cup black walnuts, chopped
Half a lemon
2 small tomatoes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 anchovies
1/2 cup olive oil
seasalt to taste (I used 1/4 tsp.)

STEP ONE:





Squeeze lemon juice into a food processor and add
all the other ingredients. Process until smooth.
Done!

STEP TWO:





Cook some pasta (I used ziti) and mix in the pesto.
I served it with green beans and tomatoes stir fried
with ghee and fresh garlic and served it on top of the
ziti.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

One Pan Meal with Chicken and Vegetables

Shopping for a few days worth of meals is always exciting. I love to see what's out there in season and buy organic, fresh and slightly flawed. It's hard to know what's really organic since there's been some slack oversight on the organic market. One way to tell is the appearance of the product. If it's not perfect, it's probably going to be okay. That's not to say that all organic produce is flawed in appearance, but the stuff that is is usually the real deal.

I bought some fresh squid ink fettuccine at Union Market because tomatoes look so beautiful set against the black color. I believe that food not only has to taste good, but it also has to have aesthetic appeal. Tomatoes and squid ink pasta are an artful combo.

This dish is made in one pan. Everything goes in almost at once and is set on a medium low flame for about an hour.  Here's what I did:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:
















Chicken thighs, tomatoes, cauliflower, red onions, fingerling potatoes,
carrot, half a lemon, chopped jalapeno pepper, fresh squid ink and regular fettuccine,
sea salt, pepper, oregano, Mediterranean herb mix

STEP ONE:




Heat 2 T. oil in a big pan. Add about a 1/4 tsp. salt, a generous grind of pepper, 1/2 tsp. turmeric and 1/2 tsp. oregano. Turn down the heat and allow the herbs and spices to infuse the oil for a few minutes.

STEP TWO:



Turn the heat up to high and add the chicken pieces. The chicken will seal in the flavor of the oil and turn a golden brown in just a few minutes. Turn pieces, allow to sizzle for a couple more minutes and then turn the heat to low. Sprinkle generously with the Mediterranean herb mix.

Start water for pasta.

STEP THREE:






Add the potatoes, onion rings, carrots and chopped jalapeño. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. I had some red wine on hand, so I added about a 1/4 cup to the pan.  Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the cauliflower is almost tender. Squirt some lemon juice on top once you remove the pan from the heat.

Cook the pasta until al dente.





I served this dish with a spinach, avocado and fig salad with a simple lemon juice and olive oil
dressing.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Pork Stir Fry with Dandelion Greens and Walnuts

I found some beautiful dandelion greens and decided to make a stir fry with them and with all the vegetables left in the fridge that needed to be eaten as quickly as possible. I also picked some kale that lasted through the winter, all spring and summer and is still hanging around! Since I'm committed to using what I have on hand to prepare meals, most of the dishes I post can be made with whatever YOU have on hand. The idea is to cut down on food waste by cooking what you already have before going to the market.

The following dish was quick to make and tasted very good, but I have to say that it would have been better without the pork. I don't like boneless pork chops but thought they would do okay if thinly sliced and flash cooked. Not really. They were a little tough. Next time, I'll just make it a vegan dish or add some chicken or shrimp.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Cabbage, dandelion greens, brussel sprouts, scallions,
red and green chili peppers, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, lemons,
walnuts, boneless pork chops, olive oil, green curry
paste, fish sauce, organic tamari, sesame oil

STEP ONE:



Preheat oven to 450. Cut cabbage into large chunks.
Place cabbage, brussel sprouts, red and green chilis,
and walnuts on a broiler pan and sprinkle with olive
oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about
35-40 minutes.

Cut the pork into thin strips and marinate in 2 T.
tamari, 1 tsp. green curry paste, 2 T. fish sauce or mix
to taste. Set aside.

STEP TWO:





Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add thinly sliced
potatoes, red chili peppers (whole), sliced garlic and scallions.
Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Turn to low if the
potatoes cook too fast or the garlic starts to brown.

STEP THREE:






Add the mushrooms and cook until golden. Then add
the dandelion greens. Cook until almost wilted. Add
tamari to taste as you cook the mushrooms and greens.

STEP FOUR:









Add the pork strips to the wok/pan along with the kale.
Cook on high heat for about 4 minutes. Remove the vegetables
from the oven and add to the wok. Mix and adjust seasonings.
Cut a lemon and squeeze the juice into the pan. Add 1 tsp. of
sesame oil.  Spoon into bowls (I served it over rotini) and ENJOY!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Spontaneous Breakfast Pancakes

Well, it's time to leave our pretty home up in Deep Creek, MD to return to the hustle and bustle of the D.C. area in Arlington. I'm not quite ready to leave, but that's life. There's always a next time!

I'm looking at the food we have left in the fridge and on the counter and see some eggs, milk, a zucchini, half of a large potato, a piece of red onion, a few cherry tomatoes, some cilantro and dill, some Jarlsberg cheese, some bacon and half a loaf of a good harvest bread. The inspiration arises to make potato pancakes. They're not the healthiest breakfast food in the world, but when you occasionally feel like splurging on calories, go for it!

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Potato, zucchini, Jarlsberg cheese, cilantro, butter,
flour, red onion, flour, paprika, salt and pepper. I
forgot to add one egg!

STEP ONE:



Grate the potato, zucchini and cheese into a large
bowl.

STEP TWO:



Mince the red onion and add to the mixture with
salt and pepper to taste.

STEP THREE:



Add a generous amount of paprika along with the
chopped cilantro. Add an egg and a T. of flour.



STEP FOUR:



Heat some vegetable oil in a pan along with a T.
of butter. Allow butter to melt and start to sizzle.
Squeeze excess moisture from the potato mixture.
Form into balls and add to the oil and butter in the
pan.  Flatten with a spatula. If the mixture is too
wet, add a little more flour.

STEP FIVE:




Cook until golden brown.  Add more salt to taste
once you transfer to a plate and enjoy alone or with
some eggs, bacon and toast to round out a full
(and filling) breakfast. I made open-faced sandwiches
to go with mine.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!