Ingredients
1-2 lbs. cucumbers, sliced to your liking
4 scallions
1 clove of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
1 cup of olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Method
1. In a food processor combine scallions, ginger, garlic and oil and salt. Process until completely blended, then bring to simmer in a small pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Pour 4-5 tablespoons of scallion oil over cucumbers.
3. You will have leftover scallion oil. Use it with abandon!
Ingredients
2 large zucchini
2 garlic cloves
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tahini
juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
Method
1. Broil zucchini in oven or toaster oven until skin is charred on all sides. Let zucchini cool.
2. Crush garlic and mix with salt, mashing until they form a paste.
3. In a bowl, mix in lemon juice and tahini alternately with the garlic paste.
4. Cut cooled zucchini in half lengthwise and scrape insides into a bowl. Mash with or fork or pulse in food processor until you have smooth chunks – do not puree.
5. Add garlic mixture to eggplant and stir until smooth.
6. Serve with olive oil and pita.
I have not made this exact recipe, but Mamma’s in the East Village used to make something similar that I LOVED. The goat cheese and corn wins every time! – Jessica
You can make this salad (through step 2) up to 4 hours ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature to serve. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 oz.), halved if larger than 3/4 inch
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 ounces fresh chèvre (goat) cheese, crumbled
Method
1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir onion in olive oil until limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add corn and stir often just until tender to bite, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a wide serving bowl and stir in tomatoes, basil, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Sprinkle goat cheese over salad; serve warm or at room temperature.
Cutting kernels: An average ear of corn weighs from 10 to 14 ounces and yields about 1 cup of kernels. To remove them, with a large, sharp knife, cut off and discard the stem end of each ear down to the beginning of the kernels. Pull off and discard the husks and silks; rinse ears. Holding each ear upright, shear off the kernels close to the cob.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
I have made this a couple times and it is light and healthy. Yes, you are using frozen edamame, but the fresh corn makes all the difference. – Jessica
Ingredients
1 bag (16 0unces) frozen shelled edamame (soy beans)
3 ears of corn, roasted
1/4 cup diced red onions
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 1/4 tbsp finely grated ginger root
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tbsp light mayonaise
1 tbsp lemon
Method
1. Drizzle olive oil onto ears of corn, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast corn at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Turn frequently.
2. Toss edamame, peppers, onions, cilantro in bowl. Whisk lemon and light mayo in a cup, toss into the salad. Set aside.
3. Remove corn from oven, let cool for a few minutes. Carefully cut corn kernels off the cob. Toss corn into the bown with the other ingredients. Chill in the refrigerator.
4. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Yield: 4
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds green or golden zucchini, shredded
salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 bunch scallions with 2-inch of green, slivered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (or 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
1. Shred zucchini on the large holes of a grater or in a food processor. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl mix together eggs, feta cheese, breadcrumbs, flour, scallions, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.
3. Quickly rinse the zucchini, then using your hands or a towel, squeeze out the excess liquid. Add to the batter.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Drop in the batter, using 1/4 cup for a 4-inch griddle cake. Fry over medium heat until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the second side. Keep the fried pancakes warm in the oven while you fry the remaining batter, adding more oil if needed.
Yield: approx. 19 pancakes (6 to 8 servings)
I’m really into no-cook recipes these days. I love that this one looks like you’ve been chopping and prepping for hours. But there’s no need for a fancy Cuisinart. The broccoli chops up with ease and the recipe comes together quickly. I often “kitchen sink” this slaw by adding leftover cabbage, carrots, radicchio, or whatever else is left hanging around the crisper.
Ingredients
3 sliced / chopped heads of broccoli, including the stalks
3/4 cup sliced / chopped almonds
3/4 cup chopped up dried fruit. Something tangy is best, like cranberries
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 TB lemon juice (juice from 1 small lemon)
lots of black pepper
1/2 ts coarse salt
2 T rice vinegar – unseasoned
Method
1. Mix broccoli, almonds, dried fruit and red onion in a large bowl.
2. Mix mayo, lemon juice, black pepper, salt and rice vinegar in a small bowl.
3. Pour mayo mixture into the broccoli mixture and coat thoroughly.
4. Refrigerate for 30 mins before serving to allow flavors to blend.
This is a pretty effortless recipe. Perfect for summer days when you don’t feel like firing up the oven. I used red quinoa, because I love how it looks, but any quinoa would do. I’ve served this both cold and warm and always over a bed of arugula.
Ingredients
1 cup dried quinoa
lots of basil (feel free to use additional herbs, such as mint or parsley or cilantro)
3 scallions
4 eggs
1 T olive or sesame oil + 2 ts oil
1 ts vinegar (I use rice)
black pepper
coarse salt
Method
1. Cook the quinoa (Put 1.5 cups of water + 1 cup dry quinoa, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes).
2. Chop and slice the scallions and herbs.
3. Once quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and add basil, scallions, 1 T sesame or oil, some black pepper and mix well.
In the meantime, poach your eggs. Don’t be scared! It’s simple.
1. Bring water to boil.
2. Add 1 ts vinegar
3. Reduce heat to simmer.
4. Crack eggs into measuring cups, then slide them out of cups into simmering water. (They will look ghostly and disgusting.)
5. Kill the heat and cover the pot.
6. After 4 minutes, remove eggs with a slotted spoon.
Top the quinoa with dash of salt, a drizzle of oil and a poached egg.
Ingredients
2 pounds zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt
1 tablespoon chopped mint, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Method
1. Cut the ends from each zucchini, slice the zucchini in quarters lengthwise and then cut the quarters in half crosswise. You’ll have large pieces of zucchini about 2 to 3 inches long.
2. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, warm the olive oil and the onion over medium-low heat until the onion softens and becomes fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, the garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon mint and 2 tablespoons of water and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is extremely tender and almost translucent, about 25 minutes. There should be some liquid still in the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove the lid, add the lemon juice and increase heat to high. When the liquid begins to bubble, remove from heat and set aside uncovered. When the zucchini is at warm room temperature, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons mint and the pine nuts, then taste and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
This recipe is pretty easy, and pretty good, too. The muffins take a little longer than two minutes, but it’s simple enough that it can easily be made in between nappy changes. You may want to reduce the sugar a bit. Just keep in mind that red currants are sufficiently tart, so you may find you prefer the amount of sugar suggested in the recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup red currants
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 teasp baking powder
1/2 teasp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teasp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Method
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in centre of mixture.
2. Combine egg, milk and oil; add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
3. Gently stir in red currants. Spoon into greased muffin pans filling 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 400F for 20 to 25 min.
5. Remove muffins frm pans immediately.
Yield: approx 10 muffins.
Ingredients
2 medium red or green kohlrabi bulbs
1 large carrot, peeled
1 teaspoon fennel seed or 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove, pressed (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 Thai bird chilis (optional), minced
Method
1. With a sharp chef’s knife, peel the tough outer skin and cut the stems from the kohlrabi. Julienne the kohlrabi with a mandoline or sharp knife (you will have about 4 cups), and then julienne the carrot.
2. If using whole fennel seed, toast the fennel seeds in a small dry sauté pan over medium heat until they begin to brown slightly and smell toasty. Transfer them to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, and grind them into a coarse powder.
3. Combine the ground fennel seed, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic and chilis, if using. Slowly whisk in the two oils. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat. Taste for salt. Serve.
Yield: 4