New Potato Salad with White Beans and Herbs

This is another simple salad where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It disappeared very quickly at the table. I used a mix of parsley and basil for the herbs, which worked well, but you could also try dill, mint, or oregano.

1 pint new potatoes (ideally small ones)
2-3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini (or one can)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces if needed (leave the skin on). Boil then in a pot of salted water until tender but not too soft. Drain.

Combine the vinegar and olive oil and carefully dress the potatoes, ensuring they are all well coated but not mashing them. Refrigerate until cool.

Combine the cooled potatoes with the beans and herbs and toss gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves about 4.

Chickpea Feta Salad with Dill

I got some great aged feta from Upinngil Farm that I used in this salad. Regular feta would work well, too, but I liked that the aged feta was firm enough to dice and had a slightly milder flavor. This salad is simple but hearty, satisfying, and delicious. It can form the basis for a good hot weather dinner when paired with one or more additional salads or alongside some bread, salami, and olives.

3 cups cooked chickpeas
4-6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small dice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, or more to taste
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted September Vegetables with Dill Yogurt Sauce

This recipe is perfect for this time of year, when the late summer vegetables are still going pretty strong but the weather has cooled down enough to make roasting appealing. This combination is deeply flavorful, and the dill yogurt sauce with a pinch of garlic gives it a Greek or Turkish flair.

Vegetables
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 sweet red peppers, in bit sized pieces
2-3 paste tomatoes, seeded and cubed
Olive oil
Salt

Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh (or frozen) dill

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle generously with olive oil and quickly toss (the eggplant will absorb oil, so toss quickly after drizzling to spread it around before it soaks in too much). Sprinkle with salt and toss again.

Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet, preferably in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent burning and sticking.

While the vegetables roast, combine the yogurt, garlic, and dill and stir well. The yogurt will thin into a sauce.

Serve the vegetables topped with the yogurt sauce at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Freezing Dill

Fresh dill freezes beautifully and easily and the end product is of great quality. I like to keep some in my freezer all winter if I can. Some people like to freeze it in ice cube trays covered with water or olive oil; this works fine but I find that for dill it's not necessary and I can just pack it loosely in freezer bags. This technique also works great for parsley. (For basil and cilantro, I suggest the ice tray method.)

1. Start with good fresh dill. Weed out any shriveled or yellow bits.

2. Chop the dill leaves and tender stems pretty finely.

3. Pack into freezer bags. Don't stuff them. You want to fill smallish bags loosely, with the dill fairly flat and spread out. This is key to being able to shake some out or break off a bit when you want to cook with it.

Crustless Quiche Muffins with Tomatoes, Feta, and Fresh Herbs

I made these for a recent brunch. By using muffin papers you can skip the crust without ruining your pans. Another benefit is that it's easy to make a variety of different kinds because you can put the fillings in the muffin cups and then add the eggs. This high summer version with fresh tomatoes and herbs was a hit. Feel free to halve the recipe if you're not feeding company. For the herbs, you can go heavy on the basil and/or parsley. If relying more on oregano or dill, use less.

Cooked quiche muffins

16 eggs
2 cups milk (whole is nice, but use whatever you like)
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 large paste tomato or 2 smaller ones, finely diced
1 cup chopped fresh herbs
4 ounces crumbled feta

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place paper muffin cups into muffin tins or ramekins and oil them lightly if you have an oil sprayer. The recipe makes around 2 dozen quiche muffins.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then stir in the milk, salt, and pepper.

Place a tablespoon or so each of tomatoes, herbs, and feta in the bottom of each muffin cup. Using a ladle, pour egg mixture over, filling to about 1/4 inch from the top.

Fillings in the muffin cups, ready for egg mixture to be added

Bake the quiche muffins for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.

Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

Serves about 6.

Red and White Potato Salad with Dill

New potatoes are coming out of the ground right now, and they make for a truly excellent potato salad. This one combines red and white potatoes for the visual effect, but feel free to use all of one kind (I suggest red in that case).

3 lbs new potatoes, washed but not peeled
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/3 - 1/2 large red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

Cut the potatoes into bite sized chunks. Boil in a large pot of salted water until nice and tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain cool to room temperature. .

Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper and drizzle over the potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes so the potatoes can absorb some of the vinegar.

Add the onion, parsley, and dill to the potatoes and mix gently. Drizzle with olive oil and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves 6-8.

Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Dill

Another good main dish salad for hot weather. This one is especially good, as there is nothing in it that requires cooking. Just soak the bulgur until tender, then combine with other ingredients and serve. If it's not scape season, throw in some chives or a couple finely sliced scallions.

1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat
Water
1 garlic scape, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup dried tomatoes, soaked and finely chopped
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted and cooled
3-4 ounces crumbled feta
1-2 cups chopped snap or snow peas (optional)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the bulgur in cold water for an hour or so, or until tender, then drain. You can do this in advance and refrigerate the bulgur in a sealed container for a day or two if you like.

Combine the soaked bulgur with the scape, dill, chickpeas, dried tomatoes, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with the lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Stir well, adding more oil if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.

Asparagus Feta Pizza

Slice the asparagus fairly thin and it will come out of the oven just right - tender but still with a little crunch.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4-6 ounces asparagus, thinly sliced into rounds or on the diagonal
4 ounces crumbled feta
1/2 tsp dried dill or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces shredded mozzarella (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then add the asparagus and feta distributed over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with dill, then salt and pepper. If desired, top with a scattering of mozzarella.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Greek Pasta with Chard, Tomatoes, and Dill

Dill and feta give this pasta dish a Greek flair.  It's loaded with greens, which are coming in fast and furious at this point in the season.

1 lb cut pasta (e.g. shells, rotini, etc)
Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scapes
1 lb chard, well chopped
3 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cups chopped tomatoes (canned, or use fresh peeled paste tomatoes)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled feta for topping

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, then drain and toss with a little olive oil.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a braising pan or Dutch oven.  Add the scapes and saute for 1-2 minutes, then add the chard (in batches if needed) and saute until wilted. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and oregano and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in the dill and add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the pasta and sauce together and serve. Top generously with crumbled feta at the table.

Serves about 6.

Asparagus and White Bean Salad

Quickly blanched asparagus and white beans complement each other in texture and flavor.  Feel free to jazz this up with some chopped fresh herbs, too, if you like (try basil or dill). I got the idea of combining blanched asparagus and white beans in a salad from the New York Times, but the seasonings are my own.

1/4 lb asparagus, tough ends snapped off
Ice water
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked white beans
2-3 Tbsp minced red onion
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar, or more to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the asparagus thinly on the diagonal.  Have a medium bowl of ice water ready.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  Salt, then add the asparagus and blanch for 1 minute.  Drain the asparagus immediately and put it in the bowl of ice water to cool it and stop the cooking.  Drain again once cool.

Combine the blanched asparagus with all other ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Serve cold or room temperature.

Serves about 4.

Turkish Style Lamb and Vegetables with Pasta and Yogurt Sauce

This is totally different from any other pasta dish I've ever made, and it's fantastic. It hits a flavor profile that I normally associate only with food I eat in restaurants - but it's pretty easy to make at home. This is adapted from this recipe that was published the New York Times a couple years ago.

1 large eggplant, in 1/2 inch cubes
2 sweet red peppers, diced
Salt
Olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb stew lamb, well trimmed (or shoulder meat, cubed)
Black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tsp dried dill, or 1-2 Tbsp fresh, finely chopped
1 lb cut pasta (shells work well)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (or dill or cilantro)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Toss the eggplant and peppers in a bowl with about 1/2 tsp salt and a drizzle of olive oil until well coated. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may want to line it with foil or parchment) and roast for about 20 minutes, or until nicely brown. Remove from oven.

While the vegetables roast, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a Dutch oven. Add the shallots and all but 1 tsp of the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Then add the lamb and saute until well browned and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes, and dill. Let this mixture continue to cook over very low heat until the vegetables are ready.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. When it is cooked, drain and toss with a little olive oil.

When the eggplant and pepper are done roasting, add them to the Dutch oven with the lamb mixture. When the pasta is done, toss it with the lamb and vegetables until well combined.

Before serving combine the yogurt and mint in a bowl with the reserved 1 tsp of minced garlic. Add a dash of salt and stir well (it will thin somewhat).

Serve the pasta, with each diner topping his or her portion with some of the yogurt sauce at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Drying Herbs

The herbs in my garden are getting big and bushy, and lovely big bunches are showing up at the farmers market. It's a good time to think about drying some for use over the winter. You can dry herbs in a dehydrator or your oven, but the easiest method is just to hang them up to air dry. This method works well for basil, oregano, parsley, dill, rosemary, and sage, among others. Just bind several stalks together with string or a rubber band, then hang upside down in an airy location out of direct sunlight. You can do this inside a paper bag if you like, to catch any bits that fall off. If you are drying for seeds (with dill, for example, or coriander), you definitely want to use the paper bag--in that case, once everything is dry, you give it a good shake and the seeds will collect in the bottom of the bag.

The length of time that herbs need to hang to dry will vary with weather conditions and the herb you are using. Usually you'll need a week or two. Once the herb is dry and crumbly, you can transfer the leaves to an airtight container and store out of direct sunlight.

Potato Leek Soup with Kale

This a great warm-you-up soup for Fall or Spring when leeks are in season locally. It's great with new potatoes. I used leeks and potatoes from Shoestring Farm and garlic, kale, and dill from my garden. Milk from Mapleline Farm.

Dill, by the way, freezes beautifully for use during the winter. Just chop it up and freeze in a freezer bag. Or put it in ice cube trays with a little water, then transfer to a freezer bag when frozen.

Olive oil for sauteing
2 large leeks, sliced in thin rounds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4-5 cups water or stock, plus more as needed
1 vegetable bouillon cube (if using water)
6-8 cups coarsely torn kale
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Up to 3 cups milk

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue to saute, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the flour until everything is well coated, and saute another 1-2 minutes. Add the water or stock and bouillon cube if using. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender. Add the kale and cook until tender. Add the dill and salt and pepper, then stir in the milk until the soup reaches the desired consistency.

Serves about 6.

Variations:

1. Omit the dill and add cooked minced bacon (1/2 - 1 cup, or to taste).
2. Before adding the kale, puree the soup using an immersion blender.
3. Puree the soup, then make add bacon and omit the dill.