Along with spinach and arugula, I spotted bunches of Swiss chard at the market this weekend and scooped one up for variety. Feel free to substitute other greens here. Chorizo is a spicy Spanish sausage, available from several of our local pork farmers.
1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
1/2 lb chorizo
1/2 lb Swiss chard, coarsely chopped (stems optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.
Cook the chorizo in a skillet over high heat: either remove casings first and crumble as you brown it, or cook whole links and slice afterwards. When the chorizo is done, remove it from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the chard to the pan and saute until wilted, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then top with the chard and chorizo. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese begins to brown.
Serves 3-4.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Barley with Ramps, Arugula, and Goat Cheese
Hulled barley is available from Four Star Farms; you can usually get it at Green Fields Market. You can also opt to use pearl barley for this dish; it will cook faster and is not quite as chewy in texture.
Serve this as a side dish or, if you like, add cooked beans and some toasted nuts for a heartier main dish.
1 1/2 cups hulled barley
4 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 lb arugula, washed and chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Toasted pine nuts for topping (optional)
Place the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about an hour (for pearl barley, more like 25-30 minutes).
While the barley cooks, slice the root ends off the ramps and wash them well. Thinly slice the whites and stems, then cut the leaves cross-wise into ribbons.
Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute for about 1 minute. Add the arugula and saute until wilted. Stir in the sage and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
When the barley is done, mix it together with the vegetables and the goat cheese. With the other ingredients hot, the goat cheese should melt and spread so that it coats everything. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve hot, cold, or room temperature, topped with toasted pine nuts if desired.
Serves about 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side dish.
Serve this as a side dish or, if you like, add cooked beans and some toasted nuts for a heartier main dish.
1 1/2 cups hulled barley
4 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 lb arugula, washed and chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Toasted pine nuts for topping (optional)
Place the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about an hour (for pearl barley, more like 25-30 minutes).
While the barley cooks, slice the root ends off the ramps and wash them well. Thinly slice the whites and stems, then cut the leaves cross-wise into ribbons.
Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute for about 1 minute. Add the arugula and saute until wilted. Stir in the sage and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
When the barley is done, mix it together with the vegetables and the goat cheese. With the other ingredients hot, the goat cheese should melt and spread so that it coats everything. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve hot, cold, or room temperature, topped with toasted pine nuts if desired.
Serves about 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side dish.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sesame-Garlic Stir-Fry with Beef and Greens
Apart from asparagus, greens are about the most plentiful kind of local vegetable at this time of year. Fortunately, like asparagus, they are good in many different types of dishes - including stir-fries. I used a combination of spinach and mustard greens for this, but you can use whatever greens you like. Serve this over rice.
1 lb not-too-fancy steak (like London broil or top round)
1/4 cup soy sauce, or more to taste
2 Tbsp dark sesame oil (1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp)
10-12 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, sliced lengthwise
1/2 lb greens, washed and stemmed if needed (chop or not, as desired)
1 Tbsp corn start
Salt to taste
Hot sauce (optional)
Slice the steak against the grain, about 1/4-inch thick, with slices about 2 inches long. Place it in a bowl, add 1/4 cup soy sauce, and toss to coat. Let stand for 5-10 minutes (more if you have time).
Heat 1 Tbsp of sesame oil in a wok or very large skillet. Scoop the steak out of its bowl, leaving excess liquid behind, and cook over high heat until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of sesame oil to the wok or skillet, then add the garlic and onion. Stir fry over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the greens (you may have to do this in batches). Cook the greens until wilted, then add the steak back in and remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the corn start into the soy sauce remaining from marinating the beef, then pour it into the pan. Return the pan to the heat, briefly, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Serve hot, over rice. If desired, add hot sauce at the table.
Serves about 4.
1 lb not-too-fancy steak (like London broil or top round)
1/4 cup soy sauce, or more to taste
2 Tbsp dark sesame oil (1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp)
10-12 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, sliced lengthwise
1/2 lb greens, washed and stemmed if needed (chop or not, as desired)
1 Tbsp corn start
Salt to taste
Hot sauce (optional)
Slice the steak against the grain, about 1/4-inch thick, with slices about 2 inches long. Place it in a bowl, add 1/4 cup soy sauce, and toss to coat. Let stand for 5-10 minutes (more if you have time).
Heat 1 Tbsp of sesame oil in a wok or very large skillet. Scoop the steak out of its bowl, leaving excess liquid behind, and cook over high heat until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of sesame oil to the wok or skillet, then add the garlic and onion. Stir fry over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the greens (you may have to do this in batches). Cook the greens until wilted, then add the steak back in and remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the corn start into the soy sauce remaining from marinating the beef, then pour it into the pan. Return the pan to the heat, briefly, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Serve hot, over rice. If desired, add hot sauce at the table.
Serves about 4.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Asparagus-Ramp Bread Pudding with Goat Cheese and Rosemary
After making last week's Asparagus-Shiitake Bread Pudding, I've been thinking of ways to further adapt the recipe to make it faster to assemble. Here I've cut the assembly time almost in half, to about 30 minuets (it needs another 40 minutes in the oven) and made some changes to the ingredients for a fairly different flavor profile as well. To save yourself some prep time, buy the bread 1-2 days ahead and let it dry out a little.
With ramp season coming to an end, you could take this technique and use it with the ingredients in the other recipe.
1 1-lb loaf white bread (French or Italian work well), preferably a bit stale
3 cups milk
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs asparagus, tough ends snapped off, in 1/2-inch rounds
Salt and pepper
2-3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
4 eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or oil two 8x8-inch pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
Slice the bread about 1-inch thick, then tear into chunks. Place them in a large bowl. Heat the milk to steaming, then pour over the bread and let stand.
Slice the roots off the ramps and remove any loose outer layers. Thinly slice the white part and the stems, then finely chop the leaves, keeping them separate from the whites and stems.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus and the ramp whites and stems. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. Saute over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until the asparagus turns bright green and is slightly tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
Turn the bread a bit in the bowl to make sure all of it soaks up milk. Then add in the asparagus and ramps, the chopped ramp leaves and rosemary, and the crumbled goat cheese.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Pour the eggs into the bowl with the bread and other ingredients and mix well so that everything is coated (trying not to turn the bread to mush while you do so).
Press the mixture into the prepared pan(s). Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden and a bit puffy.
Serve hot or warm. Serves 6-8.
With ramp season coming to an end, you could take this technique and use it with the ingredients in the other recipe.
1 1-lb loaf white bread (French or Italian work well), preferably a bit stale
3 cups milk
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs asparagus, tough ends snapped off, in 1/2-inch rounds
Salt and pepper
2-3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
4 eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or oil two 8x8-inch pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
Slice the bread about 1-inch thick, then tear into chunks. Place them in a large bowl. Heat the milk to steaming, then pour over the bread and let stand.
Slice the roots off the ramps and remove any loose outer layers. Thinly slice the white part and the stems, then finely chop the leaves, keeping them separate from the whites and stems.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus and the ramp whites and stems. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. Saute over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until the asparagus turns bright green and is slightly tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
Turn the bread a bit in the bowl to make sure all of it soaks up milk. Then add in the asparagus and ramps, the chopped ramp leaves and rosemary, and the crumbled goat cheese.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Pour the eggs into the bowl with the bread and other ingredients and mix well so that everything is coated (trying not to turn the bread to mush while you do so).
Press the mixture into the prepared pan(s). Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden and a bit puffy.
Serve hot or warm. Serves 6-8.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
It's Not Too Late for a CSA Share
If you've been thinking about signing up for a CSA share this year, it's not too late. Many farms still have shares available. CISA has a convenient list of Local Hero CSA farms here. They are listed by county and include descriptions of the farm and typical share contents, pickup locations, and how to get in touch with the farm.
In addition to the meat CSA offered by Bostrom Farm of Greenfield, CISA also lists a few others in the Valley.
In addition to the meat CSA offered by Bostrom Farm of Greenfield, CISA also lists a few others in the Valley.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Polenta with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Ramps, and Beef
This is a perfect application for leftover steak or roast beef. If you'd rather start from scratch, you could also use stew beef, but in that case be sure to brown it first and then allow at least an hour for simmering. Use a fairly plain tomato sauce here.
The ramps are really nice here, but in seasons you could substitute green garlic or shallots and some greens.
Polenta
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups polenta cornmeal
Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch), roots sliced off, thinly sliced (green tops too)
3 cups tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 lb cooked steak or roast beef, diced or thinly sliced
1/2 cup cream (optional but really good)
Salt and pepper to taste
If you're using standard polenta, start it cooking before you put the sauce together. If you're using instant you can do it at the end.
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the salt, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to a simmer and switch to a spoon, stirring to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Use the pan lid defensively, as bubbling polenta can spit and give a nasty burn. Simmer, stirring frequently, until nice and thick.
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute until the greens wilt. Add the beef and pour in the tomato sauce. Simmer until the polenta is done or you are otherwise happy with it. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Spoon the polenta into bowls and top generously with sauce.
Serves about 6.
The ramps are really nice here, but in seasons you could substitute green garlic or shallots and some greens.
Polenta
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups polenta cornmeal
Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch), roots sliced off, thinly sliced (green tops too)
3 cups tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 lb cooked steak or roast beef, diced or thinly sliced
1/2 cup cream (optional but really good)
Salt and pepper to taste
If you're using standard polenta, start it cooking before you put the sauce together. If you're using instant you can do it at the end.
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the salt, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to a simmer and switch to a spoon, stirring to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Use the pan lid defensively, as bubbling polenta can spit and give a nasty burn. Simmer, stirring frequently, until nice and thick.
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute until the greens wilt. Add the beef and pour in the tomato sauce. Simmer until the polenta is done or you are otherwise happy with it. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Spoon the polenta into bowls and top generously with sauce.
Serves about 6.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Creamy Arugula Sauce with Ramps and Bacon
Ramps, bacon, and arugula are a winning combination in many different forms. Here the arugula is pureed (along with the leafy tops of the ramps) and stirred into creamy sauce perfect for topping pasta or polenta. The bits of ramps and bacon add nice little nuggets of flavor as you eat. If you prefer not to use cream, you can make a roux with butter and flour and add milk instead.
10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch)
6-8 strips bacon
1/2 lb arugula, washed
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the root ends off the ramps (as you would do for leeks or scallions). Rinse well to remove all dirt, and pull off any loose or ragged outer layers. Cut of the leafy tops, chop coarsely, and set aside. Slice the white parts and remaining stems into round about 1/8-inch thick. Set aside, separate from the tops.
Place the bacon in a single layer in a large skillet and fry over medium heat until they reach your desired level of doneness (for this dish, I like them a little short of crispy). Drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet, then add the slice whites and stems of the ramps. Saute for about 30 seconds, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the arugula and the ramp tops and saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until wilted.
Puree the cooked arugula and ramp tops in a food processor, then place them in a saucepan over low heat. Add the cream and stir to combine well. Warm through, then turn off the heat. Stir in the sauteed ramps and bacon and add salt and pepper to taste. Thin with water if desired (if you're making pasta, a little pasta cooking water is perfect for this).
Makes enough to serve with 1 lb pasta.
Variation: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the sauce at the end.
10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch)
6-8 strips bacon
1/2 lb arugula, washed
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the root ends off the ramps (as you would do for leeks or scallions). Rinse well to remove all dirt, and pull off any loose or ragged outer layers. Cut of the leafy tops, chop coarsely, and set aside. Slice the white parts and remaining stems into round about 1/8-inch thick. Set aside, separate from the tops.
Place the bacon in a single layer in a large skillet and fry over medium heat until they reach your desired level of doneness (for this dish, I like them a little short of crispy). Drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet, then add the slice whites and stems of the ramps. Saute for about 30 seconds, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the arugula and the ramp tops and saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until wilted.
Puree the cooked arugula and ramp tops in a food processor, then place them in a saucepan over low heat. Add the cream and stir to combine well. Warm through, then turn off the heat. Stir in the sauteed ramps and bacon and add salt and pepper to taste. Thin with water if desired (if you're making pasta, a little pasta cooking water is perfect for this).
Makes enough to serve with 1 lb pasta.
Variation: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the sauce at the end.
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