Categories
Recipes

Braised Zucchini with Mint &Lemon


recipe and image via The Wednesday Chef ; (Thanks, KC, for sending it our way!)

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

Categories
Recipes

Escarole & Pine Nuts


recipe via Golden Earthworm

Ingredients
1 head escarole, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Directions
1. Bring 3 quarts water to a rolling boil.

2. Separate the escarole leaves and rinse thoroughly. Drop leaves into the boiling water and boil, covered, until tender, about 35 minutes

3. When the escarole is tender, drain thoroughly and let dry.

4. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking.

5. Roughly chop the escarole.

6. Add the garlic to the hot pan and saute until the garlic begins to soften and turn a light golden brown, about 5 minutes.

7. Add the pine nuts and cook until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

8. Add the escarole and stir until well-cooked and very soft, about 5 minutes.

9. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Categories
Recipes

French Swiss Chard

[This recipe was pulled from the CSA 2007 archives; Unsure of source.]

Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss chard
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 cup raisins or golden raisins
2 tablespoons pine nuts
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method
1. Remove the chard stems and the thick central vein from each leaf. Chop the leaves very
coarsely.

2. Using a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium high heat, melt the butter with the oil until sizzling. Add the chard and the rosemary, stirring well to coat the chard with the butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute until the chard has wilted to about half its original volume.

3. Add raisins and pine nuts, stirring to combine evenly, and continue cooking until any moisture has evaporated. The entire cooking process should take no more than about 3 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.