- • Celeriac
- • Potatoes
- • Leeks
- • Napa Cabbage or Bok Choi
- • Kale or Chard
- • Sweet peppers
- • Hot peppers
- • Stuffing peppers
- • Tomatoes
- • Endive (new addition and a great “bitter” to add to your diet)
- • Broccoli or cauliflower
- • Eggplant or tomatillos
- • Winter squash
- • Parsley (just learned more about this amazing vegetable)
- • Basil
This has been a great week for learning. I am at an amazing conference on Human nutrition and Functional Medicine. I am getting more convinced of the virtues of the Paleo diet (check it out at thepaleodiet.com) , which in a nut shell is the diet we evolved to eat 10,000 years ago. It includes vegetables, fruits and lean meat, seafood and some nuts and seeds. There are no grains included as they are really modified grasses with a cellulose cell wall. We do not have the enzymes to break down cellulose or the hind gut (rumen) that ruminants have:
We also did not evolve to eat to drink other mammal’s milk. This is quite sad to me as I love milk and cheese and yogurt. The issue is not the glycemic load as this is low, but the insulin spike that follows consumption of milk products. Needless to say these periodic insulin spikes lead to insulin resistance which is the basis of the metabolic syndrome which leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes and type 3 diabetes (Alzheimer’s disease).
So how do we avoid all of this? How do we create good health and a long life with a vital brain? We need to change the way we eat and live.
1) Eat lots of fresh (you get the freshest!) organic vegetables and fruit
2) Eat lean meats that are grassfed without antibiotics (you can do this too!)
3) Exercise regularly
4) Get more EPA/DHA – Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish or fish oil
5) Avoid foods and lifestyle that contribute to inflammation (more to come)
6) Avoid the SAD (Standard American Diet)
I am also reading a great book called, Eating on the Wild Side, by Jo Robinson. In this book she outlines the origins of the vegetables we eat (not back to the paleo period, but the last maybe 1,000 years). She talks about phytonutrient content and some of the specific phytochemicals contained in the vegetables we choose to eat and I choose to grow.
From Wikipedia:
Phytochemicals, chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek). Some are responsible for color and other organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and the smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance, for example antioxidants, but are not established as essential nutrients.[1] Scientists estimate[citation needed] that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome.
I will intertwine some of her information in my weekly updates and try and guide you as you choose your vegetables to the most phytonutrient rich options.
Now, I must get this note completed so I can get to the last day of my conference and dbe of some help to Juve in the today’s harvest. I sure hope some good help shows up as it is a big harvest and he is essentially on his own.
Dates to remember:
October 20: Harvest festival 2-6
Celeriac Slaw
From Carried Away (a great place to eat in Aptos, CA…if you ever need a caterer, we highly recommend them)
1 celery root, peeled and cut into julienne (or grated if you don’t have a mandolin, some of you may be able to julienne with a sharp knife)
1 egg
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon capers, chopped
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 Tablespoons chopped parsley (or cilantro, or other fresh herb)
Boil a pot of water. Add the thin slices of celeriac for one minute, just to blanch them. Drain and set aside. In a blender mix the egg, lemon juice, salt & pepper. While that is mixing, slowly add in the oil. Spoon the sauce over the celery root, add the capers and the parsley, then toss. (Julia’s note: I’ve successfully skipped the blanching part)
Potato-Celery Root Cakes
from Deborah Madison
1 pound potatoes, peeled
1 pound celery root, peeled
3-4 Tablespoons oil
Salt & Pepper
Grate the potatoes and celeriac, mix together. In a heavy skillet heat half the oil over med. heat. Add half the potatoes-celery root mixture, making a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Season, then cover with the other half of the mixture. Press down on the cake and neaten the edges. Reduce heat to low and cook until the bottom is golden, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate, add the remaining oil, slide the cake back into the pan and cook the other side until golden.
Storage: Wrap celery root in plastic and refrigerate for up to one week.
Spices that go nicely with celery root:
Nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, allspice.
measuring:
1 small celery root, sliced = 2 cups
Nutritional Value: Celery Root is Rich in phosphorous and potassium; 40 calories per cup
A very basic cooking method:
Peel and cube celery root and cook in boiling salted water about 10 minutes. Serve with butter or lemon juice.
A Celery Root Idea from Chef Andrew Cohen:
Fine dice celeriac, carrots, onions, shallot, garlic, button mushrooms, yukon gold or yellow finn potatoes, and a little prosciutto.
Cook some French lentils (the small green ones) until done with some thyme and garlic. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Saute the vegetables in the prosciutto renderings and, if you’ve got it- duck fat, otherwise use a neutral oil. Start with the alliums, add the mushrooms, then the carrots and celeriac. If they seem to be taking too long, add a splash of sherry or stock and cover for a couple minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, adding liquid and covering if necessary as well. Fold in the lentils and cook to warm through, using the reserved lentil cooking liquid if needed to lubricate the lentils. Season with S&P and a splash of sherry. I served this with salmon with a chanterelle crust, celeriac mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a red wine mushroom stock reduction. The mushrooms were dried chanterelles as were the mushrooms in the crust on the salmon.
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts
serves 4 to 6
2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 medium red delicious apples, cored and cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress leaves
dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
Combine the celery root and apple in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss with the green onion and watercress. Whisk the vinegar, mustard seed, mustard, honey and oil until well combined. Toss with the celery root mixture. Taste for salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts.
Celeriac and Tomato Soup
4 tomatoes 2 cups water
2 # celeriac ¼ cup lovage chopped (optional)
3 leeks 1 onion
1 clove garlic 1 large carrot
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 T butter
3 sprigs parsley 6 cups chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper
Peel, seed, and roughly chop tomatoes. Peel sufficient celeriac to make 1 ½ pounds trimmed flesh, then cut into ½ inch cubes and drop into acidulated water. Wash and trim leeks and, using only the white and light green parts, thinly slice. You should have 1 ½ cups. Chop onion and combine with leeks. Chop garlic. Thinly slice carrot. Heat together oil and butter and sauté leeks and onion until wilted. Add garlic and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes longer, Add one third of the tomatoes and cook until they are lightly browned on the edges and the juice is evaporated. Add drained celeriac, the rest to the tomatoes and the parsley sprig. Cook together for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, water and lovage (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree, season with salt and pepper, and serve with croutons on the side. (serves 8) For thinner soup only use 1 pound celeriac and 3 tomatoes.
Chile Relleno Casserole
4-6 roasted chilies (pasilla, poblano or Anaheim, peeled and seeded
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or queso fresco)
8 corn tortillas
½ white onion, diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 eggs, separated
4 Tablespoons flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil, about 10-15 minutes, until onions are wilted and golden brown. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend the egg yolks and flour together until just combined. Whip egg whites until stiff then gently fold in egg yolks and flour together until just combined. Whip egg whites until stiff then gently fold in egg yolks and flour. Steam or microwave the tortillas until soft and pliable. Line a greased baking dish with 4 tortillas, cover with cheese, onions and chilies evenly and top off with remaining tortillas. Drizzle egg mixture over casserole. Bake 30 – 40 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Bold Winter Greens Salad
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/bold_winter_greens_salad.html
From EatingWell: November/December 2007
For this cousin of the Caesar salad use a combination of winter greens, such as radicchio and escarole; the anchovies and lemon juice temper their bitterness. Vary the amount of garlic and anchovy according to your preference.
10 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 3-4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 cups chopped mixed bitter salad greens, such as chicory, radicchio and escarole, such as chicory, radicchio and escarole
- 3 large hard-boiled eggs, (see Tip)
Preparation
- Place garlic to taste in a large salad bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and vinegar; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in anchovies to taste. Whisk in oil in a slow steady stream until well combined.
- Add salad greens and toss. Shred 3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk through the large holes of a box grater (reserve the remaining yolks for another use or discard). Sprinkle the salad with the grated egg.
Nutrition
Per serving : 92 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 20 mg Cholesterol; 2 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 102 mg Sodium; 168 mg Potassium
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat
Julia’s Escarole Sausage Dinner Soup
up to a pound of sausage of just about any kind (half a pound, even a quarter pound is fine for the flavor, you could also use 2-4 slices bacon here, and of course this is easily skipped for a vegetarian version.)
1-2 onions or leeks cleaned and diced
2-6 garlic cloves minced or roughly chopped
1-2 cups cooked beans (white, pinto, garbanzo…. yes, it’s fine to use a can of beans!)
1 can diced tomatoes (about 2 cups or 15 oz.)
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
Parmesan rind, if available
2-5 cups cleaned chopped escarole or other cooking green such as chard, dandelions, kale, spinach…
Brown the sausage, drain off excess fat if there’s lots, then remove the sausage for just a bit. Add the onions to brown in the sausage drippings and cook until transluscent then add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more. Then quickly add the beans and tomatoes and broth and parm. rind. Add the sausage back and bring the pot to a low boil. Then add the cooking greens and cook through. (3-4 minutes for escarole, less for young spinach, more for kale or collards….) Serve.
Escarole Frittata from Chef Jonathan Miller
Great anytime, but also a great buffet dish, this frittata looks
wonderful with a colorful topping of tomatoes, or salsa. Meat
eaters can add sausage.
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 head escarole, chopped
8 eggs, beaten
½ c grated fontina or gruyere
3 T parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a 10 inch skillet, preferably cast iron. Sauté the onion and pepper until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the escarole and some salt and sauté until wilted and soft. Combine the eggs, the cheese, and the parsley together and pour into the skillet, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cook over low heat, covered, until the eggs are set,
another 5-8 minutes or so. Alternatively, finish the top of the frittata under the broiler. Allow to cool and then unmold to a serving plate. Top with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, your favorite salsa, and some sliced tomatoes on the side.
Escarole and Anchovies from Chef Jonathan Miller
A super quick and surprisingly flavorful dish. Use it by itself or top it with your favorite meat. The liquid exuded from the escarole becomes the sauce. Delicious.
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 anchovies, chopped
1 head escarole, chopped
Heat the olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet until fragrant but not browned. Add the anchovies and escarole with a little bit of salt and sauté until wilted and softened. Taste for seasoning,
and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm as a side dish, or top with fish or another meat.
Chicken Sausage, Escarole and White Bean Stew
adapted from Take 5 150 five-ingredient recipes
edited by Nancy Gagliardi et al makes 4 servings
1 pound Italian chicken or turkey sausage links (hot or mild)
1 onion, or 1 stalk spring garlic, or 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped (optional)
1 head escarole (1# ish), cut crosswise into inch-thick pieces
1 14 ounce can broth (seasoned chicken, plain chicken, vegetable… your choice)
1 15 ounce can white beans (sometimes called cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
2 C water
1/3 cup chopped genovese or other basil
S and P to taste
1. Spray a large dutch oven (nonstick if you have one) with olive oil (or other) spray and set over medium-low heat. (NOTE: if you’re NOT counting calories/ ‘points’, you can use 1 or more T regular olive oil in this step.) Add the sausage and onion/garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove sausages to a cutting board and slice when cool enough to handle.
2. Return sausage to the same pot; add the escarole, broth, beans, and water. Bring Stew to a simmer and cook until escarole is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and add S and P to taste (it might not need any salt), and serve. (note: since this is from a Weight Watchers book: it tells us that each 1.5 cup serving is worth ‘5′ points. They say to make it ‘4′ points, use reduced fat kielbasa instead. You can substitute most any cooking green for the escarole)
Favorite Escarole Salad as Martin prepares it:
4 heads escarole, dark outer leaves removed, washed and torn into large bowl. Dress with: olive oil, sherry or champagne vinegar, shaved parmesan, S & P, and truffle oil. this is very very delicious.
Wilted Escarole
3 T olive oil
2 medium escarole – rinsed, dried and chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
chopped zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons capers, roughly/barely chopped
10 dark, pitted olives, kalamata are good here
ground black pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add escarole; cook and stir until greens begin to wilt. Stir in lemon juice & zest. Add capers, S & P, and olives; cook and stir for another 15-30 seconds.
Blanched Escarole with Fried Capers
from 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens by Linda Romanelli Leahy
1 bunch escarole (about 1 pound), trimmed and shredded
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons thinly sliced lemon zest for garnish, optional
1. Drop the escarole in a pot of salted boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until it is as tender as you like. Drain well.
2. While the escarole is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the capers and cook 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Stir in the drained escarole, salt and pepper and heat through. Place on a serving plate and top with the capers and lemon zest, if using. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Escarole and White Bean Salad with Fennel and Gruyere Cheese
adapted from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison with Edward Espe Brown
1/2 cup small dry white beans 1/4 teaspoon salt Mustard Vinaigrette (see below)
1 tablespoon green onions chives, thinly sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped
1 small fennel bulb or several celery stalks, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, cut into julienne
Pepper
6 handfuls (about 12 cups) escarole leaves
2 tablespoons butter 2 slices rye bread or Country French Bread, cut into cubes for croutons
Sort through the beans and rinse them well. Cover them with boiling water and let them soak for 1 hour; then pour off the soaking liquid. Cover them generously with fresh water, bring them to a boil, add the salt, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender but still hold their shape, 45 minutes or longer, as needed. Drain, and save the liquid to use in a soup stock. (I would be occasionally tempted to skip this step with a can of rinsed cannelloni beans… JW) While the beans are cooking, prepare the vinaigrette. When the beans have cooled down so that they are warm but no longer hot, toss them with half the vinaigrette and the herbs, fennel and cheese. Season to taste with salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside. Prepare the greens. Use the pale inner leaves of the escarole, torn or cut into pieces; tear or slice the radicchio into smaller pieces. Wash the greens carefully, giving special attention to the bases of the escarole leaves, which often hold a lot of silt. Spin them dry and if they are not to be used right away, wrap them in a kitchen towel and store them in the refrigerator. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the bread cubes, and toss them well. Fry them over low heat until they are brown and crisp all over, shaking the pan every so often so they don’t burn. To assemble the salad, toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette; then add the beans and the croutons and toss again. Arrange the salad in a shallow, flat bowl with the beans distributed evenly among the greens.
Mustard Vinaigrette 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 1/2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil Grind the tarragon and the fennel seeds with a pestle to bruise them and partially break them up. Put them in a bowl with the vinegar, salt, mustard, and creme fraiche or sour cream, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the olive oil vigorously until the ingredients are completely amalgamated into a thick sauce. The dressing will be very strong.
ESCAROLE SOUP
1/4 lb White beans
5 c vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, diced
2 c chopped escarole
Salt and pepper — to taste
croutons, optional
SOAK THE BEANS OVERNIGHT IN WATER. Drain. Place beans in a pot, add broth, cover and cook over medium heat until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. (or use canned white beans if there isn’t time to soak and cook…) Meanwhile, place another pot on the stove, add oil, place over medium heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until onions soften. Add the escarole and continue to cook until wilted, another 10 minutes. Add the beans and broth to the pot with the escarole. Add salt and pepper as desired, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, with the addition of croutons if desired. serves 8
Fall Escarole Salad
1 Escarole heart
couple of Fuyu Persimmons
1/4 c pomegranate seeds
toasted hazel nuts
balsamic or lemon juice vinaigrette
Season the escarole with some of the vinaigrette. spread the escarole in a wide platter. slice the persimmons on top, sprinkle the pom. seeds, sprinkle the halved hazel nuts. Drizzle with more vinaigrette and if you have hazel nut oil, drizzle that on top as well.
Baked Leg of lamb with Wilted Escarole
Serves 6
5 – 6 pound whole leg of lamb Trim the fat as much as possible.
Marinade:
2 onions sliced
6 – 8 garlic cloves lightly crushed
6 – 8 thyme sprigs
6 – 8 oregano or marjoram sprigs
1 bole dry white wine
1 cup olive oil
In a shallow dish large enough to hold the lamb mix the above ingredients and then add the lamb. rub the marinade all over he lamb. let the lamb marinate overnight or 6 -8 hours. turn the lamb frequently if you can.
Preheat the oven o 450 F. remove the lamb from the marinade about 2 hours before serving. dry the lamb from the marinade. Make a stiff paste with some of the marinade by removing the thyme, oregano or marjoram leaves, and the garlic, chop finely. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the paste all over he lamb. place it on a rack over a shallow pan in he oven. Bake for 15 min. reduce heat to 350 F. turn the lamb over 30 min. bake for another 30 min. urn again and bake for 15 min. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 15 min.
Wilted Escarole Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds escarole
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Wash and trim the escarole; cut into about 3/4 inch strips. just before carving the lamb, heat 1/2 cup oil, in a saute pan, over low heat until it is very warm, but not hot. Add the escarole to the pan all at once and cover. Remove the cover and stir in 3 tablespoons or more of red wine vinegar. season with salt and pepper for taste.
Carve the lamb and put on a platter. drizzle with the carving juice, put the wilted escarole on the plate and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the lamb and the escarole.
We also did not evolve to eat to drink other mammal’s milk. This is quite sad to me as I love milk and cheese and yogurt. The issue is not the glycemic load as this is low, but the insulin spike that follows consumption of milk products. Needless to say these periodic insulin spikes lead to insulin resistance which is the basis of the metabolic syndrome which leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes and type 3 diabetes (Alzheimer’s disease).
So how do we avoid all of this? How do we create good health and a long life with a vital brain? We need to change the way we eat and live.
1) Eat lots of fresh (you get the freshest!) organic vegetables and fruit
2) Eat lean meats that are grassfed without antibiotics (you can do this too!)
3) Exercise regularly
4) Get more EPA/DHA – Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish or fish oil
5) Avoid foods and lifestyle that contribute to inflammation (more to come)
6) Avoid the SAD (Standard American Diet)
I am also reading a great book called, Eating on the Wild Side, by Jo Robinson. In this book she outlines the origins of the vegetables we eat (not back to the paleo period, but the last maybe 1,000 years). She talks about phytonutrient content and some of the specific phytochemicals contained in the vegetables we choose to eat and I choose to grow.
From Wikipedia:
Phytochemicals, chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek). Some are responsible for color and other organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and the smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance, for example antioxidants, but are not established as essential nutrients.[1] Scientists estimate[citation needed] that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome.
I will intertwine some of her information in my weekly updates and try and guide you as you choose your vegetables to the most phytonutrient rich options.
Now, I must get this note completed so I can get to the last day of my conference and dbe of some help to Juve in the today’s harvest. I sure hope some good help shows up as it is a big harvest and he is essentially on his own.
Dates to remember:
October 20: Harvest festival 2-6
Celeriac Slaw
From Carried Away (a great place to eat in Aptos, CA…if you ever need a caterer, we highly recommend them)
1 celery root, peeled and cut into julienne (or grated if you don’t have a mandolin, some of you may be able to julienne with a sharp knife)
1 egg
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon capers, chopped
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 Tablespoons chopped parsley (or cilantro, or other fresh herb)
Boil a pot of water. Add the thin slices of celeriac for one minute, just to blanch them. Drain and set aside. In a blender mix the egg, lemon juice, salt & pepper. While that is mixing, slowly add in the oil. Spoon the sauce over the celery root, add the capers and the parsley, then toss. (Julia’s note: I’ve successfully skipped the blanching part)
Potato-Celery Root Cakes
from Deborah Madison
1 pound potatoes, peeled
1 pound celery root, peeled
3-4 Tablespoons oil
Salt & Pepper
Grate the potatoes and celeriac, mix together. In a heavy skillet heat half the oil over med. heat. Add half the potatoes-celery root mixture, making a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Season, then cover with the other half of the mixture. Press down on the cake and neaten the edges. Reduce heat to low and cook until the bottom is golden, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate, add the remaining oil, slide the cake back into the pan and cook the other side until golden.
Storage: Wrap celery root in plastic and refrigerate for up to one week.
Spices that go nicely with celery root:
Nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, allspice.
measuring:
1 small celery root, sliced = 2 cups
Nutritional Value: Celery Root is Rich in phosphorous and potassium; 40 calories per cup
A very basic cooking method:
Peel and cube celery root and cook in boiling salted water about 10 minutes. Serve with butter or lemon juice.
A Celery Root Idea from Chef Andrew Cohen:
Fine dice celeriac, carrots, onions, shallot, garlic, button mushrooms, yukon gold or yellow finn potatoes, and a little prosciutto.
Cook some French lentils (the small green ones) until done with some thyme and garlic. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Saute the vegetables in the prosciutto renderings and, if you’ve got it- duck fat, otherwise use a neutral oil. Start with the alliums, add the mushrooms, then the carrots and celeriac. If they seem to be taking too long, add a splash of sherry or stock and cover for a couple minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, adding liquid and covering if necessary as well. Fold in the lentils and cook to warm through, using the reserved lentil cooking liquid if needed to lubricate the lentils. Season with S&P and a splash of sherry. I served this with salmon with a chanterelle crust, celeriac mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a red wine mushroom stock reduction. The mushrooms were dried chanterelles as were the mushrooms in the crust on the salmon.
Celery Root and Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts
serves 4 to 6
2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 medium red delicious apples, cored and cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress leaves
dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
Combine the celery root and apple in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss with the green onion and watercress. Whisk the vinegar, mustard seed, mustard, honey and oil until well combined. Toss with the celery root mixture. Taste for salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts.
Celeriac and Tomato Soup
4 tomatoes 2 cups water
2 # celeriac ¼ cup lovage chopped (optional)
3 leeks 1 onion
1 clove garlic 1 large carrot
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 T butter
3 sprigs parsley 6 cups chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper
Peel, seed, and roughly chop tomatoes. Peel sufficient celeriac to make 1 ½ pounds trimmed flesh, then cut into ½ inch cubes and drop into acidulated water. Wash and trim leeks and, using only the white and light green parts, thinly slice. You should have 1 ½ cups. Chop onion and combine with leeks. Chop garlic. Thinly slice carrot. Heat together oil and butter and sauté leeks and onion until wilted. Add garlic and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes longer, Add one third of the tomatoes and cook until they are lightly browned on the edges and the juice is evaporated. Add drained celeriac, the rest to the tomatoes and the parsley sprig. Cook together for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, water and lovage (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree, season with salt and pepper, and serve with croutons on the side. (serves 8) For thinner soup only use 1 pound celeriac and 3 tomatoes.
Chile Relleno Casserole
4-6 roasted chilies (pasilla, poblano or Anaheim, peeled and seeded
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or queso fresco)
8 corn tortillas
½ white onion, diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 eggs, separated
4 Tablespoons flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil, about 10-15 minutes, until onions are wilted and golden brown. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend the egg yolks and flour together until just combined. Whip egg whites until stiff then gently fold in egg yolks and flour together until just combined. Whip egg whites until stiff then gently fold in egg yolks and flour. Steam or microwave the tortillas until soft and pliable. Line a greased baking dish with 4 tortillas, cover with cheese, onions and chilies evenly and top off with remaining tortillas. Drizzle egg mixture over casserole. Bake 30 – 40 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Bold Winter Greens Salad
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/bold_winter_greens_salad.html
From EatingWell: November/December 2007
For this cousin of the Caesar salad use a combination of winter greens, such as radicchio and escarole; the anchovies and lemon juice temper their bitterness. Vary the amount of garlic and anchovy according to your preference.
10 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 3-4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 cups chopped mixed bitter salad greens, such as chicory, radicchio and escarole, such as chicory, radicchio and escarole
• 3 large hard-boiled eggs, (see Tip)
Preparation
1. Place garlic to taste in a large salad bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and vinegar; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in anchovies to taste. Whisk in oil in a slow steady stream until well combined.
2. Add salad greens and toss. Shred 3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk through the large holes of a box grater (reserve the remaining yolks for another use or discard). Sprinkle the salad with the grated egg.
Nutrition
Per serving : 92 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 20 mg Cholesterol; 2 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 102 mg Sodium; 168 mg Potassium
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat
Julia’s Escarole Sausage Dinner Soup
up to a pound of sausage of just about any kind (half a pound, even a quarter pound is fine for the flavor, you could also use 2-4 slices bacon here, and of course this is easily skipped for a vegetarian version.)
1-2 onions or leeks cleaned and diced
2-6 garlic cloves minced or roughly chopped
1-2 cups cooked beans (white, pinto, garbanzo…. yes, it’s fine to use a can of beans!)
1 can diced tomatoes (about 2 cups or 15 oz.)
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
Parmesan rind, if available
2-5 cups cleaned chopped escarole or other cooking green such as chard, dandelions, kale, spinach…
Brown the sausage, drain off excess fat if there’s lots, then remove the sausage for just a bit. Add the onions to brown in the sausage drippings and cook until transluscent then add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more. Then quickly add the beans and tomatoes and broth and parm. rind. Add the sausage back and bring the pot to a low boil. Then add the cooking greens and cook through. (3-4 minutes for escarole, less for young spinach, more for kale or collards….) Serve.
Escarole Frittata from Chef Jonathan Miller
Great anytime, but also a great buffet dish, this frittata looks
wonderful with a colorful topping of tomatoes, or salsa. Meat
eaters can add sausage.
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 head escarole, chopped
8 eggs, beaten
½ c grated fontina or gruyere
3 T parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a 10 inch skillet, preferably cast iron. Sauté the onion and pepper until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the escarole and some salt and sauté until wilted and soft. Combine the eggs, the cheese, and the parsley together and pour into the skillet, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cook over low heat, covered, until the eggs are set,
another 5-8 minutes or so. Alternatively, finish the top of the frittata under the broiler. Allow to cool and then unmold to a serving plate. Top with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, your favorite salsa, and some sliced tomatoes on the side.
Escarole and Anchovies from Chef Jonathan Miller
A super quick and surprisingly flavorful dish. Use it by itself or top it with your favorite meat. The liquid exuded from the escarole becomes the sauce. Delicious.
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 anchovies, chopped
1 head escarole, chopped
Heat the olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet until fragrant but not browned. Add the anchovies and escarole with a little bit of salt and sauté until wilted and softened. Taste for seasoning,
and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm as a side dish, or top with fish or another meat.
Chicken Sausage, Escarole and White Bean Stew
adapted from Take 5 150 five-ingredient recipes
edited by Nancy Gagliardi et al makes 4 servings
1 pound Italian chicken or turkey sausage links (hot or mild)
1 onion, or 1 stalk spring garlic, or 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped (optional)
1 head escarole (1# ish), cut crosswise into inch-thick pieces
1 14 ounce can broth (seasoned chicken, plain chicken, vegetable… your choice)
1 15 ounce can white beans (sometimes called cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
2 C water
1/3 cup chopped genovese or other basil
S and P to taste
1. Spray a large dutch oven (nonstick if you have one) with olive oil (or other) spray and set over medium-low heat. (NOTE: if you’re NOT counting calories/ ‘points’, you can use 1 or more T regular olive oil in this step.) Add the sausage and onion/garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove sausages to a cutting board and slice when cool enough to handle.
2. Return sausage to the same pot; add the escarole, broth, beans, and water. Bring Stew to a simmer and cook until escarole is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and add S and P to taste (it might not need any salt), and serve. (note: since this is from a Weight Watchers book: it tells us that each 1.5 cup serving is worth ‘5′ points. They say to make it ‘4′ points, use reduced fat kielbasa instead. You can substitute most any cooking green for the escarole)
Favorite Escarole Salad as Martin prepares it:
4 heads escarole, dark outer leaves removed, washed and torn into large bowl. Dress with: olive oil, sherry or champagne vinegar, shaved parmesan, S & P, and truffle oil. this is very very delicious.
Wilted Escarole
3 T olive oil
2 medium escarole – rinsed, dried and chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
chopped zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons capers, roughly/barely chopped
10 dark, pitted olives, kalamata are good here
ground black pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add escarole; cook and stir until greens begin to wilt. Stir in lemon juice & zest. Add capers, S & P, and olives; cook and stir for another 15-30 seconds.
Blanched Escarole with Fried Capers
from 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Leafy Greens by Linda Romanelli Leahy
1 bunch escarole (about 1 pound), trimmed and shredded
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons thinly sliced lemon zest for garnish, optional
1. Drop the escarole in a pot of salted boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until it is as tender as you like. Drain well.
2. While the escarole is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the capers and cook 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Stir in the drained escarole, salt and pepper and heat through. Place on a serving plate and top with the capers and lemon zest, if using. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Escarole and White Bean Salad with Fennel and Gruyere Cheese
adapted from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison with Edward Espe Brown
1/2 cup small dry white beans 1/4 teaspoon salt Mustard Vinaigrette (see below)
1 tablespoon green onions chives, thinly sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped
1 small fennel bulb or several celery stalks, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, cut into julienne
Pepper
6 handfuls (about 12 cups) escarole leaves
2 tablespoons butter 2 slices rye bread or Country French Bread, cut into cubes for croutons
Sort through the beans and rinse them well. Cover them with boiling water and let them soak for 1 hour; then pour off the soaking liquid. Cover them generously with fresh water, bring them to a boil, add the salt, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender but still hold their shape, 45 minutes or longer, as needed. Drain, and save the liquid to use in a soup stock. (I would be occasionally tempted to skip this step with a can of rinsed cannelloni beans… JW) While the beans are cooking, prepare the vinaigrette. When the beans have cooled down so that they are warm but no longer hot, toss them with half the vinaigrette and the herbs, fennel and cheese. Season to taste with salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside. Prepare the greens. Use the pale inner leaves of the escarole, torn or cut into pieces; tear or slice the radicchio into smaller pieces. Wash the greens carefully, giving special attention to the bases of the escarole leaves, which often hold a lot of silt. Spin them dry and if they are not to be used right away, wrap them in a kitchen towel and store them in the refrigerator. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the bread cubes, and toss them well. Fry them over low heat until they are brown and crisp all over, shaking the pan every so often so they don’t burn. To assemble the salad, toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette; then add the beans and the croutons and toss again. Arrange the salad in a shallow, flat bowl with the beans distributed evenly among the greens.
Mustard Vinaigrette 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 1/2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil Grind the tarragon and the fennel seeds with a pestle to bruise them and partially break them up. Put them in a bowl with the vinegar, salt, mustard, and creme fraiche or sour cream, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the olive oil vigorously until the ingredients are completely amalgamated into a thick sauce. The dressing will be very strong.
ESCAROLE SOUP
1/4 lb White beans
5 c vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, diced
2 c chopped escarole
Salt and pepper — to taste
croutons, optional
SOAK THE BEANS OVERNIGHT IN WATER. Drain. Place beans in a pot, add broth, cover and cook over medium heat until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. (or use canned white beans if there isn’t time to soak and cook…) Meanwhile, place another pot on the stove, add oil, place over medium heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until onions soften. Add the escarole and continue to cook until wilted, another 10 minutes. Add the beans and broth to the pot with the escarole. Add salt and pepper as desired, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, with the addition of croutons if desired. serves 8
Fall Escarole Salad
1 Escarole heart
couple of Fuyu Persimmons
1/4 c pomegranate seeds
toasted hazel nuts
balsamic or lemon juice vinaigrette
Season the escarole with some of the vinaigrette. spread the escarole in a wide platter. slice the persimmons on top, sprinkle the pom. seeds, sprinkle the halved hazel nuts. Drizzle with more vinaigrette and if you have hazel nut oil, drizzle that on top as well.
Baked Leg of lamb with Wilted Escarole
Serves 6
5 – 6 pound whole leg of lamb Trim the fat as much as possible.
Marinade:
2 onions sliced
6 – 8 garlic cloves lightly crushed
6 – 8 thyme sprigs
6 – 8 oregano or marjoram sprigs
1 bole dry white wine
1 cup olive oil
In a shallow dish large enough to hold the lamb mix the above ingredients and then add the lamb. rub the marinade all over he lamb. let the lamb marinate overnight or 6 -8 hours. turn the lamb frequently if you can.
Preheat the oven o 450 F. remove the lamb from the marinade about 2 hours before serving. dry the lamb from the marinade. Make a stiff paste with some of the marinade by removing the thyme, oregano or marjoram leaves, and the garlic, chop finely. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the paste all over he lamb. place it on a rack over a shallow pan in he oven. Bake for 15 min. reduce heat to 350 F. turn the lamb over 30 min. bake for another 30 min. urn again and bake for 15 min. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 15 min.
Wilted Escarole Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds escarole
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Wash and trim the escarole; cut into about 3/4 inch strips. just before carving the lamb, heat 1/2 cup oil, in a saute pan, over low heat until it is very warm, but not hot. Add the escarole to the pan all at once and cover. Remove the cover and stir in 3 tablespoons or more of red wine vinegar. season with salt and pepper for taste.
Carve the lamb and put on a platter. drizzle with the carving juice, put the wilted escarole on the plate and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the lamb and the escarole.