Kohlrabi Puré

This is a kohlrabi. 

http://sweetwater-organic.org/veggies/kohlrabi/

Up until last year I had nary a clue what to do with these oddly shaped bulbs.  I knew them to be members of the cabbage family, and that was about it. But, one day a friend served it at a dinner party, and it was like nothing I had ever tasted. So the next time at the farmer's market I bravely bought one, went home and googled it (I'm still not quite used to that being a verb) and found a recipe that seemed similar to what I had eaten. There has been no going back since. Now I give off a cry of delight when I spot these sweet little knobs. And here is an additional bonus: it turns out that one serving gives you 90% of your daily vitamin C requirement...who knew? All the more reason to love them. Look for 2-3 inch diameter young bulbs when buying.

This makes a lovely, silken side dish. The delicate, slightly crunchy kohlrabi plays so well off the mushrooms, which in turn provide a slight meatiness to the dish. And finally, the splash of cream rounds it all out to an ethereal creamy texture. This is not a fussy recipe so you can play around with the amounts of mushrooms and onions to your heart's delight.

Kohlrabi and Portobello Puré 

(I know, I know, it's not pretty, but it is yummy)

2-3 knobs kohlrabi

Do not peel, cube and boil in lightly salted water until just tender (10-15 minutes). Drain and set aside.

6-8 portobello mushrooms, diced

1/2 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, diced

3 tablespoons heavy cream

salt & pepper

Heat a small pan, add olive oil or butter and cook the mushroom-onion mix until clear and soft. Do not allow to brown.

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor (or blender) and process to a fine puré. Adjust the seasoning, add more cream if needed. Serve warm. It goes very well with all meats, white fishes and chicken. We just had it with salmon which was ok, but perhaps not the ideal pairing. Salmon is tricky that way.

Raw Kale Salad from Food52

My favorite food blog Food52 posted a recipe for a raw kale salad the other day and I have to share it with you. So, please note that this is neither my recipe nor photo. I did tweak the recipe a bit, using lacinato kale, skipped the red cabbage, and added in some thinly sliced shallots and celery as a substitute for crunch. I was really intrigued by the concept of massaging salt and dressing into the kale to wilt it, and indeed it really works. This is a perfect summer salad.

Serves 4-6

2 bunches Curly kale, center ribs and stems removed, washed, dried, and chopped finely
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Apricot preserves
1 1/2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
1 pinch Black pepper
1 cup Puy or beluga lentils, (substitute brown lentils if they’re what you have), rinsed and picked over
1 cup Red cabbage, shredded

1. Whisk together olive oil, apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper.
   
2. Turn kale into a large mixing bowl, and massage 6 T of the dressing into the salad. You’ll need enough dressing for the salad to be well coated and start taking on a “wilted” texture. Set aside.
   
3. Place lentils in a small saucepan with enough water to cover them by 3-4 inches (approximately 2 1/2 cups). Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat, add a pinch of salt, and let the lentils simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy.
   
4. Allow lentils to cool slightly and add them, along with the cabbage, to the kale, and add another 2 T vinaigrette. Use hands to combine. Add extra dressing as needed, and season to taste.

Farmer's Market Bounty

This is my favorite time of year in terms of hunting-and-gathering. My local farmer's market is now in full swing and enough of the growing season has passed that they are, in fact, selling locally grown produce. The market, which transforms the M&T bank's parking lot into a bustling, burst of color and smells, starts off a bit sadly in early May with boxes of trucked in fruits and greens. Surely that defies the entire purpose of a local market? 

Up until last weekend I've been traveling and busy and the Sundays have slipped by.  Now the market has the real stuff, the good stuff, the things that make me feel like a kid in a candy store. So I finally get to dig out my cloth tote bags, stroll down the sun-warmed sidewalk into town to see what they have to offer. 

I duck in under the white-beige tents into piles and piles of leafy greens of delicate chartreuse and darkest blue greens...kales, chards, lettuces, spinach, harbs...where to begin...and where to stop? Before coming here my one stop was at the ATM, and I have a budget to stick to, but how can buying vegetables ever be the wrong thing to do?

Quickly my arms are burdened by gritty carrots, beets and salad greens, forcing me to stop and unload on the little wooden table by the register so I can double back and gather more.

As I shop I play food pairing games in my head...the kale will go with lentils and grilled shrimp, parsley becomes a foil to the soft sweetness of eggplant and delicate ricotta, crunchy carrots are destined to add texture to my lunch salads, their sugary flavor playing off the peppery hit of arugula. And there are real treasures to be found, never before have I seen white beets, and next to them organically grown Chioggias with their gorgeous striped interiors! Both the white and red beets have luscious leafy tops to be gently wilted in olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Not only will this be very tasty week for me and my boys, but our bodies will be chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

I round off my purchase with bunches of both Thumbelina and purple carrots, a box of impossibly red and sweet strawberries, a loaf of crusty peasant bread, and joy-of-all-joys: hand made sheep's milk ricotta...so pale and silky soft.

Many meals will come out of this bounty, but I will share 2 quick recipes using the cheese:

Eggplant Dip with Garlic and Ricotta

This one was inspired by a friend of a friend who served this at her art opening recently.

It's not a very pretty item, hence no sexy food picture

• 1 large eggplant
• 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• salt & pepper
• parsley

Split the eggplant in half, grill or oven roast it until it is soft and mushy, approximately 20 minutes. 

Set aside to cool a little.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry garlic until just a little golden on the edges.

Scrape out the eggplant into the pan and let it cook for a few minutes to meld with the garlic.

Transfer the mix into a food processer and pulse until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, add eggplant mixture, chopped parsley, ricotta, salt and pepper. Mix  until well-blended and adjust seasoning. Serve with bread or as a side dish. I also tried substituting goat cheese once but I got a grainy result. I'll have to test that one again as the flavor was fantastic but the texture not. I'm wondering if the eggplant was too hot and the chevre curdled.....live and cook and learn

Whilst grilling the eggplant my youngest came tearing through the yard all sweaty and hungry after hours on his skateboard.  He needed a quick snack, so I made this for him.

Strawberries with Ricotta and Balsamic Vinegar

 Slice up strawberries, add dollops of ricotta, a tiny dash of salt for brightness and drizzle with balsamic.

 In less than 30 seconds it was gone, as was he. Left behind: an empty bowl and the fading sound of skateboard wheels clattering on asphalt as he disappeared into the balmy evening. Happy kid, happy Mom.