Pizza with Fennel and Scapes

I spotted the first fennel of the season at The Cook's Garden at the farmers market on Saturday. I have some in my garden as well, but it has a long way to go (next year we will plant it earlier!). I made two pizzas, which used most of the bulb, but I've still got a bit leftover to use in salads for the rest of the week (raw fennel is great in salads; many times you can even use the stalks--just try them first to make sure they're not too tough).

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chopped fennel bulb
1/2 - 2/3 cup chopped scapes
1-2 oz chopped pecorino or 2-3 oz crumbled feta
2-3 oz shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Paint the pizza crust lightly with olive oil.

Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then sprinkle with the fennel, scapes, and pecorino or feta. Sprinkle the mozzarella over everything. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Hail

A line of severe thunderstorms just passed through here, bringing heavy rain and hail. Looking out the window, I can see holes in the squash leaves. Other plants have probably suffered similar damage, but hopefully nothing too serious. It has been a tough summer for weather so far: first rain, rain, and more rain (and more coming, it seems), now hail. It's probably not good news for local farmers. Local fruit growers suffered hail damage last summer, and probably did again just now.

Stir-Fried Lamb and Snow Peas

This is an adaptation of a Mark Bittman recipe that was published in the New York Times. His version is basically just lamb; I added the scapes and peas (from my garden!). Although the form is that of a stir-fry, the flavors are more Persian than Chinese. I used some delicious lamb from Leyden Glen Farm, purchased at Green Fields Market, and scapes and scallions from the farmers market. You could use snap peas in place of the snow peas if you like. Serves this over rice.

1 lb stew lamb, trimmed of as much fat and connective tissue as possible, and cut into small cubes
1 Tbsp whole cumin seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped scapes (about 4 oz.)
4-5 scallions (green and white parts), chopped
6 oz. snow peas

Lightly toast the cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat, until fragrant.

In a medium bowl, toss the lamb with the cumin seed, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and soy sauce until well coated.

Heat a tablespoon or so of canola oil in a large skillet (not a wok). Add the lamb, in a single layer if possible. Cook over high heat without stirring for 1 minute. Add the scapes and stir, returning the lamb to a single layer. Cook 1 more minute. Add the scallions and snow peas and stir, cooking for about 1 more minute. Add a few tablespoons of water if you like, to make a little sauce.

Serve over rice.

Serves about 4.

Ooooby - Social Network for Locavores and Gardeners

I was recently tipped off to a new online social network for locavores and folks who grow their own vegetables. It's called Ooooby (for Out Of Our Own Back Yards) and it looks like an interesting resource. You can check it out, and join if you like, here: http://ooooby.ning.com/.

Stir-Fried Greens and Tofu

I tend to scale back my use of greens in cooking as the summer goes on, because there are so many other delicious vegetables available and I've been using greens for most of the year. But they are still plentiful in the farmers market--and still delicious. This recipe uses a bunch at once. I like this with tofu, but you can use chicken, tempeh, or another protein of your choice. Or just do the greens and serve as a side dish. If you like, substitute several chopped scapes for the garlic.

1 14-ounce package firm tofu
½ cup canola oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp water
¼ cup soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1-2 tsp chili paste
2-3 Tbsp sesame oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 lb fresh greens, sliced or torn up
2 tsp lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Press the tofu to remove excess water, then cut it into strips or cubes.

Heat the canola oil in a wok or other deep pan. When it is hot, add the tofu in batches and fry it over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. When the tofu is crispy and golden brown on all sides, remove it with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. When finished, pour out all but about 1 Tbsp of oil from the wok.

Mix the cornstarch and water together to form a thin paste. In a separate container, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil together.

Reheat the 1 Tbsp of canola oil that is left in the wok. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about two minutes. Add the greens, in batches if necessary. Stir constantly until all of the greens are just wilted. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue to stir for just a moment. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice, topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds if desired.

Serves 3-4.

Balsamic Turnips and Greens with Barley

At the farmers market on Saturday, I noticed several vendors with small Japanese turnips. We used to get these in our CSA box in California, where they were labeled Tokyo turnips. These tender little vegetables are quite different from the purple top turnips you see in fall and winter. They are mild enough to eat raw, a little like the enormous Gilfeather turnips, but with a smoother texture. Try them with their very nutritious greens in this dish.

1 cup pearl barley
3 cups water
3 medium turnips and greens
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
¾ cup raisins
¾ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the water is absorbed and the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.

While the barley is cooking, peel the turnips and cut into matchsticks. Wash, stem, and coarsely chop the turnip greens.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the turnips (not the greens) and sauté until just tender, about 2-4 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar and the raisins and stir for a minute or so. Add the greens (you may have to do this in batches) and cook until they are wilted and most of the vinegar has evaporated. Stir in the salt, pepper, and toasted walnuts.

Combine the turnips mixture with the barley and feta. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Early Summer Pizza

I splurged on a few baby zucchini at the farmers market this weekend. We'll have them in the garden eventually, but this was a taste of things to come. Combined with scapes and fresh basil, they sing of early summer.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 baby zucchini, sliced in rounds as thinly as possible (about 2 cups)
3-4 scapes, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 oz. fresh mozzarella, in 1/2 cubes

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Paint the pizza crust lightly with olive oil.

Spread the tomato sauce over the crust. Lay the zucchini slices over the sauce, overlapping somewhat. Sprinkle with the scapes and basil, then add a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove pizza from oven, scatter the fresh mozzarella over it, and return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes.

Serves 3-4.