Mango Dal (with Chard)

Serves 6

  

I’m a dal fiend, so when I saw this recipe in Eating Well magazine, and imagined the blissful combination of my favorite fruit and my favorite legume preparation, I knew it would be on the menu soon enough. I finally got around to trying it when we had guests the other night. We served it with an Indian-spiced roast chicken (I made a spice rub with salt, cumin, curry, biryani seasoning, cinnamon, chili powder and ginger), and homemade parathas, which are kind of like an Indian version of a tortilla. I call them the lazy man’s naan, since there’s no yeast involved. Below is the recipe as written, but I found that it need a little extra….something. Salt being part of the something. I also dipped into my Indian spice mixes and added a tablespoon of a basic vegetable curry spice blend. Oh, and I added chard because I’m a chard disciple lately.

1 C yellow lentils

4 C water

1 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 Tbs canola oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion, chopped

(1 bunch chard leaves, washed and chopped)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs minced fresh ginger

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 mangoes, peeled and diced

1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro

Rinse lentils, then combine with water, 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, heat oil in a large skillet. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion (and chard) and cook until soft. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and cook for one minute longer.

Stir the spice mixture and the mangoes into the lentils. Return to a simmer and cook 15 minutes longer. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro.

Eggplant and Tomato Gratin

Serves 4

If ever you wanted to perfectly capture all of the best flavors of summer in one simple dish, this is it. I saw it on A Cooking Life recently and couldn’t stop thinking about it. You really ought to visit the link because her pictures are much prettier (whose aren’t??) and because she gives a lot of useful information about the execution. Her argument is that the success of such a simple dish is entirely contingent upon the quality of the ingredients, and therefore recommends that you make your own tomato sauce and bread crumbs--I did, and I do agree with her. Truly, the flavors are exquisite: like sun in a casserole dish. The problem I’m having now is that I can’t wait to eat the leftovers, but the next meal is breakfast…

1 1/2-2 lbs eggplant

olive oil

1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh basil

2 C tomato sauce (I used the sauce recipe here)

1/2 C grated parmesan

3/4 C bread crumbs made from artisan bread

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch wide slices. Drizzle with olive oil, arrange on a baking sheet, and broil until browned on both sides. Cover with another baking sheet for 20 minutes to allow slices to steam. Place a layer of slices in a baking dish. This is my Alsatian tart pan—I don’t have many opportunities to use it, so I was thrilled this evening when, as I rummaged through the cupboard looking for the right pan, I remembered the woman who sold it to me in Keysersberg, France saying that it would be perfect for ‘des gratins….”

 

Spoon homemade tomato sauce over the eggplant, followed by some chopped fresh basil and a dusting of grated parmesan cheese. Repeat as many times as necessary to use up the eggplant slices.

Top with fresh bread crumbs and drizzle with a little olive oil

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until the crumbs are browned, the sauce is bubbly and the eggplant is soft.

I was raving about the dish to my neighbor who is, unfortunately, allergic to eggplants—she wants to try it with zucchini. Oh my heavens, a whole new world is opening to me here…

Orange-Roasted Tofu and Asparagus

serves 4

So I have a new goal for this blog: to cook through most or at least many of the recipes that I have gathered from cooking magazines in the past few years. They’re all collected in a big notebook where I’ve been trimming and pasting them in, a monument to the old analog age. There are hundreds of them, but I’ve probably tried under ten; I’d like to make an effort to remedy that. The recipes are taken from Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Eating Well, Healthy Cooking, Vegetarian Times, and Saveur Magazines—with the occasional Martha Stewart contribution. The most daunting part of the project will definitely be the dessert section; I tend to save waaayyy more dessert recipes than I have occasions to make dessert, but luckily we’re coming into birthday season…

To kick off this new endeavor is a totally delightful recipe adapted ever so slightly from Eating Well. I loved this, and Chris liked it…for a racquetball night (ie: something light that will allow him to go exercise right after eating). We served it with quinoa (cooked with chicken broth), but you could also use brown rice or soba, rice or udon noodles.

1 14-oz package extra firm tofu, rinsed and pat dry

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-in pieces

Marinade

2 Tbs oil (peanut, coconut, canola, etc.)

1 Tbs red miso

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

Sauce

2 Tbs oil (same as above)

1 Tbs red miso

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

2 Tbs minced freshly grated orange zest

juice of one orange

3 Tbs minced fresh basil

2 Tbs honey

1 tsp soy sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Toss tofu with marinade, then roast for 15 minutes. Gently stir in asparagus and roast 8-10 minutes more, until asparagus is tender and tofu is browned. Toss the roasted tofu and vegetables with the sauce, and serve with rice, noodles or quinoa.

Baba Ganouj

Makes about 2 cups

Sing with me now: “I’m in heaven, nightshade heaven…” I’m glad lots of people don’t like eggplant—more for me! Here is a recipe for the unforgettable Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip, made from garden eggplants

1-1 1/2 pounds eggplant

olive oil for roasting

1/4 C tahini

1 clove garlic

2-3 Tbs lemon juice

3 Tbs olive oil

salt to taste

First you need to roast your eggplants. Coat them with olive oil and place them on a foil- or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour until eggplants are shriveled and easily pierced with a fork.

 

When cool enough to handle, peel the eggplants and place the flesh in the blender or food processor with remaining ingredients. Process until smooth. Serve with pita, crackers, raw vegetables, etc.

Zucchini Madness II: Garden Strata and Basil Squash Cakes

The quest for original ideas for use of excess squash continues. We had the strata with dinner last night and the cakes were my lunch today. Honestly, I never get tired of these vegetables. They’re so light and adaptable!

Garden Strata

serves 4

4 C stale bread, cubed (we used a mix of sourdough and roasted garlic)

2 C grated zucchini and/or yellow squash

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/4 C minced red onion

1/2 C diced cooked sausage (we used andouille)

1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 C milk

2 eggs

1/2 C shredded cheese (we used cheddar jack)

salt and pepper

Salt the squash and place it in a colander to drain 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Squeeze out liquid from squash and combine with remaining ingredients. Stir until combined. Pour mixture into a greased 8-in square pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until crispy, golden and cooked through.

Basil Squash Cakes

makes 6 cakes

2 C shredded zucchini and/or yellow squash

1 green onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 C panko bread crumbs

1/4 C coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 C fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/4  diced fresh mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients.

 

Heat a skillet over medium heat, drizzle with olive oil. Cook the cakes for 7-8 minutes per side until crispy.    

Harmony’s Creamy Pesto Dip

Makes about 2 cups

 

My delightful neighbor Harmony, author of the inspiring A Healthier You, recently gave us a container of her luscious and uber-healthy pesto dip. Chris and I both went crazy for it. So, having cornered her this morning where our fences meet, I asked her for the recipe. She said that she makes pesto with basil, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice (she didn’t say whether or not she adds pine nuts), then blends it into silken tofu. I came straight home and made my own batch with the quantities below.

1 16-oz container silken tofu, drained

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 C loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 Tbs lemon juice

3 Tbs olive oil

salt to taste

Puree all ingredients in your blender or food processor.

Chris and I mostly dipped crackers and vegetables into the batch that Harmony gave us, but for lunch today I tried a few other things with my dip. I was in the mood for pasta, but I didn’t want to forgo my greens, nor did I want to turn on the stove top and start chopping stuff. So my solution was to eat my pasta over a spinach salad, and hence the Tortellini Spinach Salad was born:

 

I added strips of red pepper, some diced avocado and about 10 halved grape tomatoes to a pile of spinach, topped with cooked spinach-ricotta tortellini and a beautiful glob of the pesto dip. I had planned on drizzling a little balsamic vinegar, but went to my pantry and found NONE! One more thing to add to the shopping list…

I also tossed a few tablespoons of the dip with the rest of the cooked tortellini and put it in the fridge—I’m pretty sure Chris will WEEP when he finds that snack in there later today.

Grilled Pizza with Beet Greens and Heirloom Tomatoes

Serves 4

I can’t believe how well this turned out. I’m still sort of gloating in my mind over how delicious it was, even if Chris did say, “too bad there was no Italian sausage to put on here…” What’s even better, it helped me use up all the beet greens from the garden that I’ve been saving while on some kind of insane beet-eating quest this week. Seriously, I’ve had beets in some form or other for lunch everyday since Monday I think. Anyway, you could do this pizza with a huge variety of different toppings, obviously. What makes it special, I think, is the pesto, the combination of feta and mozzarella, and the fact that it’s grilled rather than oven-baked (always a plus when the temps are in the 90’s).

Dough:

1 1/2 C white flour

1 1/2 C wheat flour

1 tsp dry active yeast

2 tsp kosher salt

2 Tbs olive oil

1 1/4 C water

Combine all ingredients in your food processor. Process for 30 seconds until mixture forms a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until smooth. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.

Toppings

Several cups of beet (or other) greens (mine actually included the last of some garden spinach too)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

pesto

feta cheese

sliced tomatoes

fresh basil

Mozzarella cheese (I used an Italian blend this time, with Asiago, etc.)

Start by washing and chopping your greens, then sautéing them in a little olive oil with the garlic. After they’re good and wilted and are starting to get dry, give them a splash of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle on a little sea salt and turn off the heat.

When the crust is ready you just need to decide what your grilling system is going to be. Some advocate preheating the grill, rolling out the dough, oiling it on both sides, then placing it directly on the grate. You cook it on one side for a few minutes, flip it for another few, and THEN put your toppings on. I actually didn’t know about this technique when I started tonight, so I used the vegetable basket for our grill, and spread the dough on it (after oiling it up good) like so:

 

I spread pesto sauce on it after pressing it into the basket. Look at this glorious container of farmer’s market termaters:

 

On top of the pesto I spread the greens, topped with a little feta (I always leave cheese quantities to your discretion—we tend to go easy), and then the tomatoes.

Tear up some fresh basil and sprinkle it over the tomatoes, then top with shredded mozz or Italian cheese blend of your choice. Fresh mozz would, of course, have been out of this world, but we were plum out.

I let the grill heat to about 450 or 475 before putting the pizza in, and cooked it for about 12 minutes, which was perfect. Here she is just as I’m about to remove and slice ‘er.

So stinkin’ pretty! And what’s better than cutting up homemade pizza on your patio and taking in the evening air?

 

This is the happiest plate ever. And the happiest belly. Mama will be happier when Sawyer doesn’t insist that she cut the skin off the peaches.

Spinach and Beet Greens Quiche

Serves 8

Quiche is one of my favorite speedy meals, also great for freezer dinners and for using up wilty veg. The latter was my motivation this time—loads of spinach and beet greens were about to go to waste until I girded my loins and put two quiches together. Needless to say, one is in the freezer for after the tiny bundle arrives. My favorite all-time quiche recipe is from Mark Bittman—it’s supremely indulgent, no-fail, and very rich. I don’t use it every time—in fact that’s what I like about quiche. You can mix a few eggs, some form of milk (skim, whole, half and half, whatever), and some cheese, and it will always turn out delicious. But if you’re aiming to impress, I recommend following this one.

Crust:

1 1/2 C flour (whole grain flours work well)

1 C cold butter cut into chunks

1/2 tsp salt

4-6 Tbs ice water

Filling:

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch spinach, washed, rinsed and chopped

1 bunch beet greens, washed, rinsed and chopped

6 eggs

2 C grated Swiss cheese (Jarlsburg, Emmenthal, Gruyere are all good choices)

2 C milk or half and half

1/2 tsp salt

Combine flour, butter and salt in your food processor and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add ice water while processing until dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill one hour (I admit, I NEVER do this, but I’m sure it makes for an extra flaky and delicious crust). Preheat oven to 425. Roll the dough out to fit a 9-in pie pan or a 10-in tart pan (again, I’m such a lazy bastard, I always just press the dough in with my fingers, which makes for an ugly, ugly crust, but whose homemade aesthetic touches my heartstrings). Prick crust with a fork and bake for 15 minutes (lots of people cover it with foil and weigh it with beans…I find that this particular crust doesn’t really need that step).

In the meantime sauté the onion until translucent, then add greens. Sauté until they begin to wilt and onion begins to caramelize. Spread greens in your hot crust, like so:

Reduce the oven temperature to 325. Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese and salt (optional: a dash of nutmeg), and pour over vegetables. Note: this is not in Bittman’s recipe, but this time I added loads of fresh parsley, and it was delightful. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the quiche is set, but still moist. It’s ok if it still jiggles a little in the middle.

 

Serve warm or cold, with a smile.

Russian Beet Salad…or something like it

Serves 4-6

I’m starting to be up to my ears in beets. This is a good thing. I would probably eat beet roesti everyday, but lately it’s just been too freaking hot to want to turn on the stovetop or the oven. Slow cookers, of course, are a good solution, as are toaster ovens—they don’t let off too much heat, and they’re more energy efficient that using a full-size oven. Long story short, a Russian Beet Salad appeared in my mind a few days ago and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. But the question was: which Russian Beet Salad? I looked online and found about a thousand different versions, so I went to the source, my Ukranian friend Olga. Well, I guess I shouldn’t have bothered because I completely ignored her instructions, mostly out of lack of ingredients, but also the constant need to adapt foods to my husband’s “needs”—ie., his desire for substantive heartiness in all foodstuffs. Here are her instructions, if you want to be more authentic than I: “I put cooked beets, potatoes (cooked), carrots (cooked), pickles (lots), salt (to taste), sunflower oil (or similar oil but not olive).” Try as I might I just couldn’t get over the idea of using yogurt instead of oil (blame the internet for planting the seed in my mind). So without further ado, my bastardized version, which has maybe existed somewhere on the Asian continent in the past 400 years:

4 beets

1 medium russet potato

1/2 red onion, minced and soaked in water 5 minutes

1 hardboiled egg, chopped

2 Tbs minced fresh dill

1 dill pickle, minced

1/2-3/4 C plain yogurt

1 Tbs white vinegar

Salt, pepper to taste

Preheat toaster oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beets and potato in foil and pierce all over with a fork. Bake under tender—about 45 minutes for the beets and 60 for the potato. Let cool completely, then peel and dice. I’m totally enamored of how cooked beets literally do SLIP out of their skins. It’s a culinary cliché, but in this case it’s really true. Mix all ingredients and chill until serving time. I actually ate some of the leftovers today over a spinach and butter lettuce salad, with an improvised lemon vinaigrette, and it was really excellent.

Basil Tofu Scramble

Serves 3-4

In my world, there’s just nothing like tofu scramble. I have lots of variations that I do, which is part of what I love about it; you just can’t go wrong, flavor-wise. When you can get your hands on fresh herbs, however, you should keep the additions to a minimum and just let the harmonious green herbiness shine through. Any vegetables at all will do for tofu scramble, so below I’ve just written what I happened to use last night in this one.

1 pkg extra firm tofu

1 C panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1 pkg baby bella mushrooms, sliced

3 green onions, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

large handful of fresh basil

olive oil

Saute the onions, mushrooms, zucchini and basil in olive oil until soft; set aside.

Drain the tofu, pat dry, and half the brick horizontally, then cube. Mix the bread crumbs and salt in a shallow bowl. Toss the tofu cubes until coated, then combine in a frying pan with olive oil.

Let them brown for 3-5 minutes on each side before stirring. They should be nice and golden. When they’re done, add the vegetables back in and season to taste with additional salt, pepper or all-purpose seasoning salt.

Chardikopita

Makes 8-10 large pastries

Don’t be fooled by the name—chardikopita is just me being a smartass, and making spanikopita with green chard, which I had in abundance this week from my organic box. I like to make a batch of these and only cook three or four, saving the rest for quick lunches or dinner later in the week, as they get soggy in the fridge if they’re already cooked.We’ll definitely be tossing two of these in the toaster oven around noon tomorrow.

2 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 bunch chard, stems removed (and saved for chard stalk hummus), leaves chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/2 tsp Greek seasoning

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

4 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

1(16 ounce) package filo dough

1 cube butter, melted

Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium heat, cook onions until softened. Add chard, cook covered about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed and greens are soft.

Remove from heat. Mix in feta cheese, eggs, dill, seasoning, flour, salt and pepper:

Unfold your filo dough on the counter, keeping it covered with a damp towel while working. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Separate one sheet of filo from the stack and evenly brush with a light coating of butter. Cover with another sheet of filo dough, butter, then a third sheet, with butter. Cut the layered filo dough in half. Place about 1/4 C filling 1 inch from the end closest to you and fold the pastry up like a flag around the filling.

Repeat with the remaining filling and dough. Place pastry triangles on a large baking sheet and brush tops with the remaining butter (this is the stop you’ll want to skip if you’re planning on storing a few in the fridge for the following days). Bake in the preheated oven, 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

 

Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad

 

This is about to be straight plagiarism, because I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit this month, decided to try it, couldn’t find my camera, and therefore have copied the entire thing, picture included, from their website. It’s a weird half-picture, so you’ll just have to believe me when I tell you that the salad is both beautiful and delicious. Chris gave it the ultimate compliment: “These are Spanish potatoes!” I did, of course, make a few changes, mostly out of lack of ingredients; now that our organic produce box arrives once a week, I can’t be troubled to go to the store for much of anything, which I guess means that we really are saving money with this new set up. So continue to rock potato salad paradigms and bring this to your next summer bbq.

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing—CONFESSION: I used bacon fat instead of olive oil. Mmmmm.

1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-diameter fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise

2 green onions, thinly sliced (I used diced white onion, soaked in water 15 minutes)

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves (I used fresh thyme from the garden)

1 1/2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar or red wine vinegar (I used part white, part balsamic)

1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast until potatoes are brown on cut side, about 23 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes over. Roast until crisp, deep golden, and tender, about 12 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir green onions, parsley, tarragon, vinegar, mustard, and 2 teaspoons oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to dish. Spoon chopped eggs and herb salad over.

Quinoa Tabouleh

 

Quinoa tabouleh is one of my favorite culinary augurs of summer; it was practically demanded by our organic box this week, which was full of tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley. You can, of course, use bulgur, which is equally as delicious and requires no cooking (just pour boiling water over it, cover and let it sit for an hour). But why deny yourself the insane amount of nutrients that quinoa has to offer? I like to garnish my tabouleh with toasted nuts, and sometimes include garbanzo or white beans for a little extra protein.

1 C quinoa, rinsed (it has a bitter coating, so rinse it well)
2 C water with 1 tsp salt
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped (and peeled if they’re not organic)
1 bunch parsley or cilantro, minced
a few tablespoons olive oil
a large lemon
salt

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, then cover and simmer 30-40 minutes until water is absorbed. Stick it in the fridge to cool. In the meantime you can chop all your veg. Mix quinoa and vegetables together and toss with olive oil and the juice from your large lemon. Salt to taste.

Stir it all together and, if you have the patience, chill for a bit before serving. I especially like to eat this with grilled meat like kebabs or pork loin.

Kale Chips, ie: VICTORY

serves 2-4

 

In the past few months Sawyer’s intellect has matured to the point that he really “gets” negotiation, and this has been a boon to his diet. Formerly the all-star nose-turner-upper at anything that wasn’t cereal, toast or Annie’s bunnies in cheese sauce, he has now pretty much made peace with the whole “this is what mom made for dinner; eat it or go hungry” idea. While he might put up the tiniest stink, we’ve managed to get him eating more or less what we eat, with the occasional toddler modification, all on the promise of “un bonbon” if he makes a valiant effort. Well, this whole system was completely overturned tonight when he ate tiny fistful after tiny fistful of kale chips, saying, “Mama, I eat more chips!”  I wish I could explain the miracle, but I think it’s simply that baked kale is truly tasty. Thank goodness this miracle came along when it did, because as much as I want to be that person that eats kale all the time (“sautéed with just a little balsamic vinegar,” say some of my friends, which tastes to me like shredded plastic bags with vinegar), who does yoga, and doesn’t kill house plants, the truth is that I only formerly liked kale when stewed to oblivion in winter soups packed with sausage and sweet potatoes and the like. But the times, they’re a changin’ with this kale recipe.

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into pieces

1-2 Tbs olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss kale leaves with oil and salt.

Spread on cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until crispy.

Homemade Ricotta: caprese salad with a twist

 

So I have this luscious bowl of homemade ricotta cheese sitting in my fridge, waiting to be lassoed by inspiration into something unforgettable. This was the first take—with perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, a little olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Besides being utterly delicious, it was nice to not have to slice the mozzarella and layer all the bits into an aesthetic masterpiece. Go ahead, call me lazy. Or call me an iconoclast for this deconstructed version of a classic. Since eating this, I've also enjoyed the cheese spread on a warm corn muffin, with fruit, and, once again, ON A SPOON AND STRAIGHT INTO MY MOUTH.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Makes 2 cups ricotta

I’ve been hearing for years how amazing (and easy) homemade ricotta is, and while I believed it, I didn’t buy into the superlatives until I tried it myself (in the wake of a failed goat cheese attempt) for our homemade themed cooking club meeting this month. This was faster and easier, in fact, than making yogurt (whose ease I’m endlessly advertising), and the result was so…sublime. And I mean sublime in the historical sense, the one where the object in question is so lofty and majestic as to inspire in the viewer (or taster) the idea of his own death. Yup, this stuff is powerful.

2 quarts whole milk

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, heavy cream (if using), vinegar, and salt to a boil. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled:

Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth (I just use a clean kitchen towel) and set it over a deep bowl:

Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain until desired thickness is reached. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid. Makes 2 cups.

To serve with crackers: drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.

To serve with cookies or use in cannoli or another dessert, sweeten with sugar, add mini chocolate chips if desired.

You could also, of course, use it in the traditional ricotta-ways, like in lasagna or ravioli, but it’s so unbelievably delicious homemade that it almost seems a shame not to just eat it with a spoon.

Silq bi'l-Tahina (Chard Stalk Hummus),

Serves 4

 

I am so excited about this chard stalk hummus, and not only because of its sentimental shade of pink. I found the recipe online totally randomly, but was delighted because, it’s true, the stalks often go in the compost bin. There are no beans in the recipe, but I admit that I added about 3 tablespoons great northern beans, just thinking that Chris might like the ‘substance’ that a little legume addition imparts. I thought it was great without beans though—really just like hummus, but with this wonderful, tangy, vegetal flavor. We polished most of it off today with sesame rice crackers.

1 stalks and stems from one bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/5 C tahini

1/5 C olive oil

1/5 C fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons pine nuts fried for 1 minute in 1 teaspoon hot olive oil

1 teaspoon dried or 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped mint

Pita bread, crackers, raw vegetables for dipping

Place chard stalks in a pot of boiling water to cover and steam/boil until soft, about 10-20 minutes.

Drain well and place in food processor. Add tahini, oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt.

Process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter; Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with the fried pine nuts and mint. Serve with pita bread, crackers and raw vegetables.