RECIPE: Mushroom Pasta with Greens

While I'm trying to catch up on last year's posting drought, I have been adding those recipes that can be made now, with what's currently in the farm store (or with things you froze last summer).  I'm saving those like ketchup and relish for when there are cucumbers and tomatoes in the farm store.  This recipe, though, can be made year round because it uses mushrooms, which our farm doesn't grow.  The only farm produce used is garlic and onions, and broth if you make your own, but there haven't been many bones lately.  

Two years ago, I had this in a restaurant, and it was so good I decided to recreate it.  It's the most intense mushroom pasta ever!  It's also very rich, and needs the green garnish to balance it.  In winter, when there isn't arugula in the farm store, you could use peas, frozen in spring.  If you grow microgreens (I used to do this), they would be good as well.

I combined several recipes to create the sauce.  

Mushroom Pasta with Greens

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

For mushroom sauce:

• 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 T. ghee
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 t. each ground dried rosemary, thyme and sage
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup beef broth
  

For pasta:

• 1 pound pasta, preferably cascatelli, mafaldine, or another shape with ruffled edges
  
• 2 T. butter
• 1.5 pounds mixed mushrooms - baby bella, shiitake, and maitake, sliced 1/4" thick
  
• 2 T. sprouted oat flour
• 1/4 c. heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional, for garnish:
  
• 1 pound baby arugula or other tender green, mixed with 2 t. olive oil and 1 t. lemon juice
  
• shavings of Pecorino cheese for garnish 
• toasted pine nuts for garnish
  
• Espelette, Aleppo, Silk, or another mild flake chile for garnish
  

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Make the sauce:

Combine dried mushrooms and warm water in a medium bowl and let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms from the liquid squeezing excess liquid from the mushrooms back into the bowl.  Reserve the liquid, place mushrooms in another bowl.

Heat the ghee in large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute until brown, about 15 minutes.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add wine, increase heat, and boil until most liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.  Add herbs, reconstituted mushrooms, and both broths.  Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid (I pour it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth) leaving any sediment behind.  Boil until liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes.  Transfer into a blender jar and puree.  Set aside.  Set aside the saute pan, you will be using it again.

Make the pasta:

If you're using mafaldine, break it into 1.5" pieces. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions, until al dente (the white center has just disappeared).  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in the large saute pan on high heat.  Add the sliced mushrooms and saute until they're crisp on the edges, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, add the flour and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Return the pureed mushroom sauce to the pan and stir to combine.   Add the cream, simmer for 2-3 minutes, then drop the heat to medium-low until the pasta is cooked.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce.  Stir to combine and use the reserved pasta water to thin it, if it's too thick.   

Serve garnished with the arugula, shaved pecorino, pine nuts and a generous sprinkle of pepper flakes.

RECIPE: One Pot Thai Chicken with Carrots and Spinach

In the photo, this looks like it has a creamy orange sauce, which I thought was due to the red curry paste, but the orange color comes from grated carrots!  I used more spinach than the 3 cups the recipe called for, and wished I had added even more, so I doubled it in my recipe.  

Original recipe: One Pot Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

One Pot Thai Chicken with Carrots and Spinach

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 T. coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, minced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T. minced ginger, or 2 t. ground
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 1 13-ounce can coconut milk
• 1.5 cups shredded carrots
• 2 T. Thai red curry paste (use more or less depending on your heat tolerance)
  
• 1 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves ( I used one handful = 1 cup)
  
• 1 T. lime juice
• Optional: 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (I didn't have any so I left these out)
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring and flipping often, until both sides are cooked. 

Add the ginger, garlic and ground coriander and cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly.

Add the coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Reduce heat to medium and allow mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes or until liquid volume has reduced and the sauce thickens slightly.  This will fully cook the chicken and soften the carrots a little.  

Add the spinach and lime juice and stir to combine.  You may need to do this in two batches.  Cook until spinach is wilted and tender, 2-3 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

I served this with a little basmati rice, but it was good the next day all by itself!

(I used 5 generous handfuls of spinach and would have liked one more!  Use less if you aren't a spinach fan.) 

RECIPE: Fish with Brown Butter, Capers and Lemon Cream

When I need an easy dinner, one of my standbys is this recipe, which is a riff on 'meuniere'.  I always have either cod, haddock, or salmon in the freezer so I use what I have.  You could also use shrimp, scallops, or chicken breasts.  I had several friends over once and made both chicken and fish, in two separate pans, so people could choose what they preferred.  I did the chicken in one pan, and cod and salmon in the other.

Fish with Brown Butter, Capers and Lemon Cream

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 6-oz pieces of skinless cod, haddock or salmon filets
  
• 4 T. flour (I use sprouted oat flour)
• 1 t. salt
• 1 T. ghee
• 4 T. butter
• 1 T. capers, chopped
  
• 1/4 c. heavy cream*
• 1-2 fresh organic lemons or limes 
• Pinch of espelette, aleppo, or cayenne pepper
  
• Optional: Chopped fresh dill for garnish
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Scrub the lemon or lime, zest it, then squeeze the juice.  If you don't have 1 T. juice, do the other one.

Pat the fish dry and remove any bones.

Sprinkle the salt on the fish then dredge it lightly in the flour.  

In a small saute pan, melt 1 T. ghee over medium-high heat.  Add the fish in one layer and brown one side.  When it releases easily from the pan, flip and brown the other side. Remove to a plate.

Add the butter to the pan and stir until the milk solids brown, about 3-5 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with the cream, and add the capers, lemon juice and zest, and the hot pepper.  Return the fish to the pan, good side up, and simmer until it's cooked through.

Serve, with some of the sauce, and sprinkled the dill over all. 

 

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese, Olives, and Parsley

Oh, my goodness, these were good!  This is another way I used the abundance of cauliflower we got from our CSA this year.  

Original recipe: Cheese Topped Cauliflower Steaks

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cheese, Olives, and Parsley

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium cauliflower heads, cut into 3/4" thick slices (I got 4 slices per head)
• 1/2 cup ghee, melted
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 slices raclette 
• Cayenne pepper
• For serving:
• 8 slices fresh mozzarella
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup parsley chiffonade (very thinly sliced)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven to 400F.

Place cauliflower slices on rimmed baking sheet(s), brush both sides with melted ghee, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake, rotating halfway, until fork tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.  

Top each cauliflower steak with a slice of raclette and a sprinkle of cayenne, and bake until golden and bubbly, about another 15 minutes.

Serve, topped with some fresh mozzarella, a few sliced olives, and a sprinkle of parsley.

NOTE: These are good at room temperature, too!

RECIPE: Cauliflower Gratin

There was TONS of cauliflower in the farm store this year, and I was able to freeze quite a bit of it.  This is my new favorite way to use it.  I combined several recipes so there is no 'original'.  

I thought I had more photos, but this was the only one I could find!  I had transported the cooked gratin to a good-bye party for our interns so it's a bit messy looking! 

Savory GF Cauliflower Gratin with Leeks 

 Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• One large head of fresh cauliflower or two 1# bags of frozen cauliflower defrosted
  
• 3 T. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 t. dried thyme (or 2 t. fresh) 
• 3 T.  sprouted oat flour
• 1.5 cups cups hot milk
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
  
• 1/4 t. grated nutmeg
• 2.5 c. grated raclette cheese, divided
• 1/2 c. grated pecorino or an additional 1/2 cup of raclette

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375F.

If you're using fresh cauliflower, cut the head into large florets and blanch them in boiling salted water for 5 minutes.  Drain.  If you're using frozen, skip this step.

Melt 3 T. butter in a medium saucepan on med-high.  Add the leeks and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and saute an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the flour and stir to incorporate it.  Stir constantly for about 2 minutes (you're making a roux).  Reduce the heat to low and add the hot milk slowly, stirring vigorously to prevent it from clumping.  If the milk is hot, it should not clump. Raise heat back to medium and simmer, whisking constantly until thickened. 

Remove from heat and add 1 t. salt, the cayenne, the nutmeg, 1.5 cups of raclette, and the pecorino.  Stir until the cheese melts.

Pour one third of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 x 11 x 2 baking dish.  Place the drained cauliflower on top, then spread the rest of the sauce over the cauliflower.  Sprinkle the remaining raclette over all, and sprinkle with salt and cayenne.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is browned and bubbling.

Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE: Bison Fajitas

We get our ground beef and our stew meat from our CSA farm, but I'm not able to get steaks or roasts from our farm so we have started using bison.  When we serve a chateaubriand roast, or raclette, I always buy the whole tenderloin, remove the chateaubriand, and then use the ends for other things, primarily stroganoff and fajitas. It's much cheaper to do that.

In a restaurant, fajitas are usually made on a grill, which gives them a smoky flavor.  I don't want to mess with charcoal so I make them on the cooktop, and add chipotle pepper powder, which is made from smoked jalapeno.  This can be spicy, so adjust the amount to your tolerance. 

Bison Fajitas

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound bison, cut from either end of the tenderloin, or inside skirt steak
  
• 2 large onions, halved and sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1 hungarian banana pepper, stem and seeds removed, sliced 1/4" thick
• 1-2 jalapeno, serrano, cayenne or other hot pepper, depending on your heat tolerance, minced or thinly sliced
  
• 1/4 c. ghee, lard or tallow
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. paprika
• 1 t. chipotle powder (this can be hot, use less if your heat tolerance is low)
  
• 1 t. Mexican oregano (use marjoram if you don't have this)
  
• 1/2 t. himalayan pink salt 
• additional salt and pepper to taste
  
• For Serving:
• guacamole
• grated cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• chopped scallions
• cilantro
  

Note: We make fajitas often; so, when peppers are in season, I slice them and then freeze them to use until the next harvest:

Multicolored peppers ready to be vacuum sealed

INSTRUCTIONS:

You will be slicing the bison against the grain into thin strips.  This is easiest when the meat is partially frozen. 

Cut the bison into 2" wide batons and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes to facilitate slicing thin.

While you're waiting for the bison to firm up, slice the onions and peppers.

Mix the herbs, spices and 1/2 t. salt in a small bowl.

When the bison is firm, slice the batons against the grain into strips about 2" long, 1/2" wide, and 1/8" thick. It's important that the meat is sliced against the grain or it will be chewy.  Combine the bison strips with the spice mixture and massage the spices into the meat.  Set aside.

Melt 2T. fat in a large saute pan on high heat.  Add the onion and sear, stirring frequently,  until it's starting to caramelize.  The reason you want to use high heat is to sear the onion without cooking it through - it should be translucent but not mush.  Push the onions to the side of the pan.

Add the peppers and stir until they are caramelized, too.  Again, you don't want them to loose their crunch or their skin.  If the onions are in danger of burning, mix them into the peppers. 

Reduce the heat to low, season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and remove them to a bowl.  Cover and keep warm while you fry the meat.

Bring the heat up to medium-high and add the remaining 2T. fat to the pan.  Add the bison to the pan in a single layer and allow one side to sear.  Stir and barely cook the other side.  It should be medium or medium-rare.  

Add the vegetables back to the pan.  Stir briefly to reheat them.  By the time the vegetables are hot, the meat should be just cooked through.  Serve!

My husband eats these on tortillas, I prefer them 'neat', with guacamole, grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro and chopped scallions.

 

Bison fajitas with guacamole, grated cheddar, and cilantro lime sour cream.

RECIPE: Chickpea, Spinach, Red Pepper and Harissa Hummus Dip

I think this is the best "hummus" I've ever made!   And, it was easy!

Wikipedia defines hummus as "a Middle Eastern dip made with cooked mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic," which my "hummus" certainly is but I also, almost always, add additional spices and cooked vegetables - arugula, roasted broccoli, eggplant, tomato paste, pesto, Thai chile paste, or curry.  

There are several other recipes for hummus on this blog: parsnip, chard stalk, and super smooth with multiple seasoning options.  Recently, I've been seasoning it with berbere, an Ethopian spice mixture, but my FAVORITE flavor is spinach, roasted red peppers, and harissa. 

Pimiento peppers make the tastiest roasted peppers so, this summer, my husband grew them for me.  I roasted them, peeled them, and then froze them. If you can't get pimientos, use red bell peppers.

In the fall, when the farm store is full of spinach, I blanch, chop, and freeze as much as I can!  So, for me, this comes together with things I have in my freezer.  If you plan ahead, it can for you, too!

To make harissa, I use hot peppers that I've dehydrated and ground.  For this recipe, I used cayenne, which is about 35,000 on the Skoville scale, or middle of the road heat-wise.  If you can't tolerate spicy, make it with sweet paprika so you'll get all the other flavors in the condiment.

One thing I did differently this time was to use the entire lemon pulp, not just the juice.  I don't know if that's why it tasted so good but I'll be doing that from now one since there's less waste.

Chickpea, Spinach, Red Pepper and Harissa Hummus Dip

Makes about 3 cups.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole organic lemons, scrubbed, zested, peeled and seeds removed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. well-stirred tahini
• 1 29-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and 1/2 cup of liquid reserved
• 4 t. harissa made with cayenne
• 1-2 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 4oz blanched spinach (weigh after blanching and squeezing out liquid), chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Squeeze the lemons over the bowl on a food processor or blender, then drop in the pulp.

Add the minced garlic and let it sit in the juice for 5-10 minutes to tame the flavor.

Add the tahini, chickpeas, 1/2 cup of chickpea liquid, 2 teaspoons harissa, and 1 t. salt.  Process for a looooong time, until it's very smooth.

Taste and add more harissa and/or salt.  I used 4 t. harissa because we like spicy.

Add the roasted red peppers and spinach and pulse until distributed.

Taste and adjust harissa and salt.

Stir in the lemon zest and enjoy.   

I love this with sliced carrots.  My husband uses Mary's Gone Crackers or cassava chips.

RECIPE: White Beans in Spicy Tomato Cream

The original recipe calls for these to be served under a pile of dressed salad greens, which is how I originally made it.  I found the beans to be very rich - they needed the greens to lighten them up - but, it's the middle of winter here and my husband isn't interested in salad, so he had the beans as a side dish with leftover Cajun Meatloaf, and he LOVED them!   I now make it without the greens....

Original recipe: Creamy, Spicy Tomato Beans and Greens

White Beans in Spicy Tomato Cream

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 T. ghee
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t. Silk or Aleppo pepper 
• 1/3 c. tomato paste
• 2 14-oz cans great northern beans, or cannellini (I used great northern)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/2 c. chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
• 2/3 c. finely grated Pecorino or Romano cheese (I used Pecorino) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Drain the beans, reserving their liquid.

In a medium skillet, heat the ghee over medium.  Add the onion and Aleppo, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute. 

Add the tomato paste and stir until darkened and the mixture is combined, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the beans, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, add a little more of the bean liquid.

Stir in the cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Quark Cheese with Capers and Red Onion

As an appetizer for our Friendsgiving dinner last year, a friend brought some "lox and cream cheese"  but instead of serving it on a bagel or cucumber slice, she used Belgian endive.  I thought that was BRILLIANT, and tasty, so I decided to make it myself.

To facilitate assembly, I mixed the capers and onions into the quark.  I used a small spoon to spread that onto Belgian endive spears and topped them with a slice of smoked salmon.  My husband doesn't like salmon, so he tried the quark on a chip, and he loved it.  I now make extra so he can use it as a dip.

Our CSA didn't grow red onions last year so, at the end of the season, I bought 5 pounds of small red onions from another local organic farm.  I've had them stored in a large colander on the kitchen counter, covered with some paper towels. One by one, they've been sprouting, and the sprouts are delicious!  They're a little bit of fresh green in the middle of winter.  

 

Quark Cheese with Capers and Red Onion

makes 1.5 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cream cheese
• 1 T. salted capers, chopped
• 1 small red onion, preferably one that's started to sprout

INSTRUCTIONS:

If the onion is sprouting, cut off the sprouts and mince them, then mince the onion.

Add the capers and onion, including the sprouts, to the quark and mix well.   

Serve as a dip, with chips or sliced carrots; or, use it as a base for smoked salmon.

 

Belgian Endive filled with quark with capers and red onions.

 

 

RECIPE: Cabbage in Harissa Cream Sauce

Last year (2024) was an incredibly busy year for me - it was the most productive year our CSA farm has had since we joined, AND my husband started growing a small home farm garden - so I was overwhelmed with produce.  Unfortunately, although I was cooking up a storm, I didn't have time to post many new recipes - if you look at the blog archive on the right hand side, you'll see I posted only ONE recipe in 2024 - so I will be trying to catch up this year.  Here's a recipe I will definitely be making again.

There is still cabbage in the farm store, so I've been looking for different ways to prepare it.  I created this to serve with Spanish Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites.  Although it doesn't look appetizing, it was delicious.  And easy!

Cabbage in Harissa Cream Sauce

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large head of cabbage, quartered, and each quarter cut into 1/4" slices
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 t. harissa
• 4 T. ghee

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large saute pan (mine is 14" across) melt the ghee over high heat. 

Add the cabbage and cook, stirring only occasionally, until the edges are caramelized and the cabbage is cooked but still a bit crunchy.  If you stir too often, it won't caramelize; if you don't stir often enough, it will burn.  You don't want it burned or all wilted, so it's a delicate balance.

Depending on how hot your 'high heat' is, it could take 10 minutes or 20!  My cooktop has a 'boost' option and gets very hot, so it only takes me 10 minutes. The first time you make this, figure out what works for your cooktop.

If you don't have a pan large enough to hold the entire cabbage, cook half of it and remove to a plate, then cook the other half.  Cabbage shrinks a LOT when you cook it, sort of like onions, so it probably will all fit into a 12" pan once it's cooked.

Once all the cabbage is caramelized, reduce the heat to medium-high.  Add the cream and the harissa, and season with salt.

Cook until the cream is heated through, 3-4 minutes.

Spanish Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites and Harissa Cream Cabbage