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.

Red Currant Syrup

We had a nice crop of red currants on our two bushes this year.  I turned about a quart of them into this tasty syrup, which is good mixed with seltzer or in cocktails.  Cook it a bit longer and you'll get sauce instead of syrup; a bit past that and it'll be more like jelly.

1 quart stemmed red currants

2 cups sugar

Splash of water

Place the currants, sugar, and water in a Dutch oven or similar large pan.  Cook over medium heat until the currant skins start to separate from the fruit and it gets pretty soupy.  (As mentioned above, keep cooking it longer if you desire a thicken end product.)  Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl, then use the back of a spoon to mash and press as much of the remaining flesh and liquid through the sieve as you can.  When you're done, pour the syrup into a jar(s).  This is suitable for canning (5 minutes for half pint jars, 10 minutes for pint jars), or just keep it in the fridge.

Makes about 1 quart.

Cilantro Mint Sauce

A tangy, pungent sauce excellent on grilled meats or veggies.

3/4 cup mint leaves
1 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Water
Salt to taste

Combine the mint, cilantro, garlic, and vinegar in a blender or mini food processor.  Add a splash of water if needed to process until pretty smooth.  Add salt to taste.

Makes around 3/4 cup, plenty to serve with a grilled meal for 4-6.

Freezing Sour Cherries

Got the first local cherries of the season at this morning's farmers market.  Ben Clark of Clarkdale Fruit Farms told me that they would have sour cherries for probably two more weeks, and also about two weeks of sweet cherries, starting next week.  You have to get there early - they sell out!  Sour cherries (aka tart cherries or pie cherries) can be eaten fresh but really where they shine is in pie and preserves.  So each year I try to get some into the freezer so we can have our cherry pie at Thanksgiving, plus a few other times if at all possible.

To freeze cherries, just wash, stem, and pit.  Drain off an excess juice, then pack them into freezer bags (1 quart size is good).

An inexpensive cherry pitter is very helpful for the job.  I picked one up a few years ago and have been grateful for it each year since. Pit cherries in a nice deep bowl, as they tend to spatter and the dark ones stain.

Plan on two quarts of fresh cherries yielding around 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 quarts of pitted cherries, well packed - just about the right amount for a pie.

Strawberry Balsamic Pizza with Arugula, Feta, and Basil

Paired with salty and tangy ingredients, strawberries do savory as well as sweet.  Substitute goat cheese for the feta if you like.

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 14-inch pizza crust (whole wheat is good here)
Olive oil
2-3 oz shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 cups chopped arugula
3 oz crumbled feta
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Combine the strawberries and vinegar in a bowl and toss to coat thoroughly. Toss a few more times while you prepare the rest of the pizza.

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

Spread the mozzarella over the oiled crust, then top with arugula.  Using your fingers or a slotted spoon, remove strawberries from the vinegar and scatter them over the pizza (discard any remaining vinegar or use it to make salad dressing). Top with feta and a grind or two of black pepper.

Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.  When you remove it from the oven, top with the basil and serve.

Serves 3-4.

Pizza with Zucchini, Scapes, and Feta

Picked up some of the first zucchini of the season at the farmers market this weekend!  As an added bonus, with the squash finely diced, my five-year-old surprised me by munching it all right down instead of picking it off.  Any type of summer squash, green or yellow or both, will do nicely here.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
1/2 - 2/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped scapes
1 1/2 - 2 cups finely diced zucchini or summer squash
3-4 oz crumbled feta
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup basil leaves cut into slender ribbons (chiffonade)

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

Spread the tomato sauce over the pizza crust, then scatter the scapes and squash over it.  Top with the feta and a fresh grind of pepper.  Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.  When you take the pizza out of the oven, scatter the basil over the top.

Serves 3-4.

Barley with Scapes and Fresh Herbs

Barley has a slightly nutty flavor and pleasantly toothsome texture, and it makes a nice side dish with the addition of summer herbs.

Barley in the front, Grilled Summer Squash and Onions and Orzo with Scapes and Sage in the back

1 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Olive oil
1 cup chopped scapes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the barley and stock in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the barley is tender and all the stock is absorbed (about 25-30 minutes).

While the barley cooks, heat a little olive oil in a small skillet and add the scapes.  Saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

When the barley is done, add the scapes and herbs and mix well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.