Roasted Vegetable Lasagna and Brussel Sprout Leaves

It snowed in Connecticut- in October! I, blessedly, did not lose power, so I have time to record recent culinary adventures.
Did you know the leaves of the brussel sprout plant are edible? Not just edible- really delicious. They have the texture of collard greens, but are sweet without needing long simmering or a lot of fiddling with. The addition of some mustard into the cooking liquid (called 'likker' in the South) toward the end of cooking gives the dish a great added dimension. I had it with some roast chicken and a baked sweet potato with maple syrup and cajun seasoning.

Short Simmered Brussel Sprout Leaves

These are the leaves that grow on the top of the plant- not to be confused with the leaves that comprise each little sprout. 

Leaves from one Brussel Sprout plant
1 Tablespoon oil or butter
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
1 cup chicken broth
1 heaping teaspoon brown mustard mixed into 1/2 cup warm water

1. Remove the leaves from the plant and cut into one-inch pieces. Peel the onion and slice thinly. Peel and slice the garlic.
2. Fill a bowl with cold water and put the leaves in, swishing around to remove any dirt or silt. Lift out of the water, and repeat with clean water. Repeat until there is no longer any visible dirt in the water. Do not dry the leaves.
3. Heat the oil or butter and add the onion. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and brussel sprout leaves and stir to coat the leaves with the onions, garlic and oil. Add the chicken broth and lower the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, tasting occasionally to see if it is the ‘toothsome-ness’ you prefer.
4. When it is the right texture, add the mustard-water and turn the heat on high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced, about another 5 minutes.

We are officially into the autumn-comfort-food season now! My CSA share brought purple-topped turnips, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, escarole. peppers and eggplant. The escarole went into a soup with pigeon peas and pastina. I added carrots, onion and garlic to the eggplant, pepper and turnips, roasted them with lots of rosemary, and layered them into a lasagna. Much easier than it sounds, and redolent with the essence of autumn.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

You can substitute any hardy vegetable for these: sweet potatoes, parsnips, white potatoes, onions, fennel- all would work. Sage instead of rosemary would also be delicious. This recipe looks long, but it is mostly hands-off, so you can start roasting the veggies and simmering the sauce and read the paper until they are ready. Assemble, throw in the oven, and relax some more for another hour.

The Vegetables:
 1 medium eggplant
2 large carrots
2 purple-topped turnips
1/2 onion
1 banana pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
 The Sauce:
 One 32-ounce can tomato puree
1/2 onion
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic
1 stalk of celery
4 ounces mushrooms
1/2 cup red wine
salt and pepper
The Assembly:
 one package of no-bake lasagna noodles
1-pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces mozzarella

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Roast the vegetables: Wash the eggplant, carrots, and turnips and cut them all into strips 1/4” x 2”.  Cut the onion half into 4 wedges. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut into strips.  Peel the garlic and slice thickly (each clove will make about 4 slices). Place in a roasting pan and toss with the olive oil and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 15 minutes. The vegetables should be tender, but not mushy.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Mince the onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and celery. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and stir to combine. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes and add the wine and tomato puree. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Combine the ricotta, egg and oregano and season with black pepper. Grate the mozzarella.
5. Spread a small amount of sauce (about 1/4 cup) over the bottom of a lasagna pan. Make three layers, starting with the lasagna noodles, then ricotta, vegetables, mozzarella, and then sauce. Finish with sauce and mozzarella.
6. Bake at 375 for about an hour. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Escarole and Pigeon Pea Soup

White cannelloni beans could be used instead of pigeon peas. This is a very hearty soup, great served with whole grain bread and sweet butter.

1 onion
1 large or 2 medium carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
One bunch escarole
1 can pigeon peas, or 2 cups cooked pigeon peas
4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
2 Tablespoon pastina or orzo
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs (sage, thyme or oregano)
kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the escarole into 1/2-inch pieces and wash in several changes of water. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Rinse and drain the peas. Dice the carrot and chop the herbs.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and carrots. Cook over medium-low heat until barely tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and escarole and stir. Add the peas and broth and cook, stirring, about 15 minutes. Taste to see if the escarole is done. When it is done, add the pastina or orzo and herbs. Cook an additional 10 minutes.

Even though the summer CSA season is over, I'll be shopping at the farmstand through November. More to come!

Confessions of a Veggie Lover

Add caption

You would think that someone who writes about vegetables and explores what vegetables can do would love all veggies and all aspects of them. Not so much for me. I've tried, but there are some things that I've just had to accept that I- well- don't like.
Seeds in:
*eggplant. I don't like their texture, or how they taste (bitter) or how they look (scary).
*yellow squash. viscous and goopy.
*cucumbers. they make me burp. I dislike burping.
But I do love eggplant and cucumbers and I like yellow squash (not going to lie- it's not my favorite, but I like it). I just have to remove the seeds as much as I can before eating them.
And then there's corn. I LOVE corn dishes: chowder, creamed corn, succotash, corn in salads, in breads, in stews. I just really don't enjoy chomping on an ear of corn. While corn on the cob is, yes, yummy- I find it somewhat tedious to eat. And kinda messy.  So there you go.

Given my share this week (summer squash, eggplant and corn included) I had to find a way to enjoy these beautiful vegetables while acknowledging my newly admitted preferences. And now that I've 'come out' about my anti-seed perspectives, I dove in and worked with it.

Summer Squash and Eggplant Dip

This can be eaten as a dip with pita chips or crudités, or as a spread with avocado, sliced cucumber and turkey on whole wheat bread or in a pita. 

2 medium-large yellow squash
1 medium eggplant
1 clove garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
3 scallions
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon honey
1 and 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Prick the squashes and eggplant with a knife, place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until soft.
3. Peel the garlic and the ginger and cut the ginger into 4 or 5 pieces.
4. Slice each one in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. For the eggplant, you will find ‘pockets’ of seeds that can be simply pulled out. For the squash, there will be a sort of ‘well’ of seeds that can be spooned out.
5. Scrape the pulp out of the eggplant and squash into the bowl of a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

When in the store today, I found some fresh mozzarella and prosciutto roll on sale for $2.99 a pound. It was great in this layered casserole:

Layered Eggplant and Tomato Casserole

Serve with pasta and Chianti or syrah

1 medium eggplant
2 medium-large tomatoes
8 ounces fresh mozzarella (with or without prosciutto)
8 basil leaves
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
olive oil, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice the eggplant and tomatoes, and mozzarella crosswise, into 1/4-inch slices. Lightly oil a two-quart casserole. Tear the basil into tiny pieces. Combine the breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese.
3. Layer the eggplant, then tomatoes, then and mozzarella in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and some basil. Repeat. Drizzle all with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, until cheese is melted and eggplant is soft. If desired, uncover and bake another 5 minutes for a crispier crust.

Layered Eggplant and Tomato Casserole, before baking

Black Bean and Corn Salad

You can add diced avocado, if you want.

15.5 ounce can black beans

1 large or 2 medium ears of corn, cooked

2 medium tomatoes

2 scallions

1 clove garlic

1 – 2 jalapenos or other hot pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons Pistou

1. Rinse and drain the black beans. Cut the kernels off the corn.
2. Cut the tomatoes crosswise and squeeze out the seeds. Cut into medium dice. Mince the scallions and garlic. Cut the jalapeno in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and veins. Cut into strips and then into small dice. and chop the pepper. 
3. Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss together.
4. Make the Pistou:1 large bunch basil, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 clup olive or canola oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Place all in a blender of food processor and blend to a paste.
5. Dress the vegetables with the Pistou and toss.

Eggplant and Shrimp Stir-fry, Potato-Cucumber Salad, Yummy Grilled Steak and Zucchini

Lots of cucumbers, some potatoes, some Japanese eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper and more zucchini made up my share this week. Lots of possibilities!! I love the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce at the local Chinese restaurant, and wanted to make something like it. Okay, I'm not going to lie: it's really hot and as much as I like to cook, I had a craving for it and wanted to just eat it, not make it. But, I had the ingredients, so I fooled around with all the Asian spices and sauces in my kitchen, and after several tries, came up with this one, added some shrimp and had it over rice sprinkled with chopped scallions and peanuts. 

I also had a hankering for some traditional potato salad with a mayonnaise-based dressing, but felt a responsibility to all the cucumbers. Adding them to the potato salad gave the salad some crunch, and the cucumbers went well with the mustard and chives. to go with it, I grilled some zucchini and steak. I also made Chocolate Zucchini Cake- the zucchini does add nutrition, but mostly it keeps the cake really moist. 

Eggplant and Shrimp Stir Fry

Asian (Japanese) eggplant are best for this, but you can use Italian eggplants if you cut them into 1-inch cubes. I added some yellow beans from my share- green beans or broccoli would do just as well.

4 Japanese eggplants or 1 medium-large eggplant
1/4 pound beans or broccoli florets
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or smoked sharp paprika
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
4 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon Chinese black bean sauce*
1/2 teaspoon chili paste, or chili-garlic sauce*
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

chopped peanuts, scallions, and/or cilantro as garnish
hot cooked brown or white rice

1. Wash the eggplant and cut into 1-inch pieces. Trim the beans and cut into 1-inch lengths. Mash the garlic.
2. Blend together the water, Aleppo pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl combine the garlic, black bean sauce, chili paste, sesame oil and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
4. Heat the oil in a wok to 350 degrees. Add the eggplant in batches and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown and soften. Remove to a plate while you finish with the rest of the eggplant, and then stir-fry the beans.
5. Remove the beans to the plate with the eggplant and add the shrimp. Stir fry until pink. Put on the plate with the vegetables.
6. Drain off any extra oil in the wok and add back the eggplant, beans and shrimp.
7. Stir to combine, and then add in the soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickening.
8. Add the remaining sauce mixture and cook until sauce is of the desired consistency.
9. Serve over rice and garnish with peanuts, scallions or cilantro.
*available in the Asian section of the supermarket

Grilled Steak and Zucchini

You can do this on a barbecue or in a grill pan inside. Serve with Potato and Cucumber Salad.

sirloin steak
zucchini
1/2 cup vegetable oil (not olive oil)
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper

1. Heat your grill or grill pan. Combine the oil and pepper. Slice the zucchini crosswise on the diagonal.
2. Brush the steak with the oil mixture and place on the hot grill or grill pan, oiled side down. Brush the top with the oil.
3. Cook for 5 minutes and turn over. Brush the zucchini with the oil and place on the grill. Brush the top with the oil. Cook for 4 minutes and turn over. Turn the steak over again, if you like it medium-well, or remove to a plate to rest for medium-rare.
4. Cook the zucchini for another few minutes, until tender. Serve.

Potato and Cucumber Salad

Very traditional in flavor, but the cucumber adds some crunch and the mustard gives it a zing.

4 potatoes

3 pickling cucumbers

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard

2 Tablespoons chives

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into one-inch pieces. Fill a pot with cold water and place over high heat. Add the potato pieces and bring to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, set a timer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, scrub the cucumbers and cut off the ends. Cut in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4-inch slices.

3. Mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cucumbers.

4. When the potatoes are done, drain and run under cold water. Shake well to dry. Add to the bowl with the cucumbers and dressing and stir to coat. Chill.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The end of the summer brings bumper crops of zucchini, often ungainly in size, resulting in recipes for zucchini pancakes, muffins, cookies, and cakes. The zucchini keeps this cake incredibly moist.

2-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon espresso powder or 2 teaspoons instant coffee

1 cup sugar 

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup apple sauce

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups grated zucchini

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.

2. Combine the dry ingredients, through the espresso powder. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in 2 stages. 

4. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 40 minutes.

I still have cabbage from last week, more eggplant, pepper, zucchini and tomatoes. The eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and pepper are screaming 'ratatouille'. But I'm not there yet. I'm thinking more of a Moroccan stew with grilled flatbread or Vegetarian chili with cheddar corn muffins. Stay tuned!

Springdell Farms- putting a smile on the customer's face

Jamie and Jodi of Springdell Farms, Littleton, MA

Jamie Cruz was bitten by the farming bug early in life. The grand-daughter of James and Marea Theodoros, she represents the third generation of farming Springdell Farms. At age 8 she decided she wanted to plant her own flowers and sell them. Her mom, and current partner in the farm, let her pick out seeds from the catalogue. She chose purple and lime green zinneas. When they were ready, she picked them -- too short! But made little nosegays with them and sold her first bunch to a gentleman who still comes every week and buys a bunch of flowers at the farm stand. Now, at a very young age, she runs the farm with professionalism, enthusiasm and a great big smile. Springdell Farms in Littleton, Massachusetts offers a charming farm stand, a 175 member CSA program, meat subscriptions, and a home to a menagerie of what they call 'pets and misfits'- including hissing geese, llamas, rescued burros, pigs, turkeys and goats-attends local farmer's markets,  and provides produce to local restaurants as well. Whew! Their CSA boxes are chock full of fruits and vegetables- the week I visited, the share included berries, peaches, lettuce, kohlrabi, peppers, onions and cucumbers. Jamie has great plans for Springdell farms, hoping to triple the number of CSA shares next year. 

Meanwhile, back in Connecticut, I'm loving corn and eggplant in my share.

Curry Roast Corn and Eggplant

This is a great basic dish that can be served as a side dish with pork or chicken, or it can be tossed with pasta and walnuts and raisins and served as a pasta salad (add some tuna and it’s a main dish salad)

5 ears corn
1 medium eggplant or 5-6 Japanese eggplants
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

1. Husk the corn and remove the silk. Cut the kernels off the cob. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes by cutting it into 1-inch planks lengthwise, then cutting the planks into strips and then into cubes. Peel and mince the garlic. Cut the onion in half and peel. Chop it roughly.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet and add the eggplant. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the eggplant begins to wilt. Add the corn, garlic, onion and curry powder and cook until the curry becomes fragrant, about another 3 or 4 minutes. Add the water, stir, cover and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the dish has taken on a deep golden color. 

Curry Roast Corn and Eggplant Salad
1/2 recipe of Curry Roast Corn
12 ounces whole wheat shaped pasta, such as penne
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tablespoons walnuts
1 six-ounce can solid white tuna
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Drain again. Toss with remaining ingredients. Serve cold or at room temperature.

how gorgeous are these!?

Fat Rooster Farm- AKA "Birdland"

Fat Rooster Farm's 'Birdland'

I met a calm peacock at Fat Rooster Farm in South Royalton, VT. I've never met a peacock that was so, well- downright friendly! He strolled up to me, looked at me, and then went on his way. My previous experience with peacocks has been watching them standing behind some kind of fence, running away when a crowd comes close. Not so at Fat Rooster. The wandering peacock was joined by a wandering rooster- a small black rooster that looks like it should be painted on some sort of crockery, or sitting atop a weather vane. I learned that this particular rooster was the owner's pet, and lived indoors in the winter. These two birds are a tribute to the stress-free environment provided to them at this farm.

View from the house

Fat Rooster Farm offers 'pasteurized poultry' along with lamb and vegetables. The birds hang out in a hollow on the property, called, aptly enough, Birdland. I visited Fat Rooster on slaughter day-- missing the slaughtering by minutes (ah, nuts!). Jennifer Megyesi, who runs the farm and owns it with her husband, Kyle Jones, was then able to spend some time with me. Jennifer and Kyle have turkeys, chickens and lambs, and provide produce primarily to retail markets and farm stands as well as a small group of CSA members. Their farm is beautiful in a bucolic way-- from the house on a hill you can see the vegetable fields to the left and 'Birdland' to the right. Lovely.
Back in Connecticut, my 8th share of the summer included eggs, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, small eggplants, carrots, green beans, grape tomatoes, green peppers and onions.
The cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes need to be eaten first before they'll spoil, but otherwise this group of vegetables required little preparation for storage.

Curry Roast Corn and Eggplant

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Zucchini and Corn Salad

Simple Salad