RECIPES

FAVA BEAN RAVIOLI w/LEMON SAFFRON CREAM
[posted 7/20/11]
Fava beans are a spring and fall garden treat. They require a bit more attention once you get them home, but the pay off is worth it. They are also known as Windsor beans, broad beans, English, horse, or pigeon beans. No matter what you call them, they're a staple of spring.
Once you get your fava beans home (buy more than you think you'll need: once you shuck them and peel them, there is much less in the bowl than when you started) you'll have to peel them from their thick, protective casing. Once all beans are peeled, drop them into a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften the shell. Remove them from the boiling water immediately to a bowl filled with ice water. Now comes the labor intensive part: you need to remove the outer shell, which should slip right off after you've blanched them but allow some time for the whole process.

Ravioli Filling
2-3 pounds fava beans, peeled & shucked (see above)
1 large white onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, or a handful of garlic scapes, chopped
2 T good olive oil
zest of one lemon
a few springs of fresh thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Lemon-Saffron Cream
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 T butter; 1 T olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
juice of one lemon
2 T white wine
pinch of saffron

For the ravioli filling:
Chop onion and saute in olive oil. Add garlic after a few minutes and cook until onions are just translucent. Add zest of lemon, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper. Cook for just a few minutes--you don't want the favas to lose their vibrant color nor get too mushy. Taste, adjusting salt & pepper as needed. Transfer mix to food processor and puree, adding more oil if the mixture seems dry. Add approx. 1 cup finely grated fresh hard cheese (asiago or parmesan work well) and whir up to incorporate. Mixture is now ready for your favorite sheet pasta (I use a recipe from "Silver Spoon" to make pasta, but you can find many good recipes online. I cut the sheet pasta into 2" squares, drop a spoonful of fava filling into the center, wet the edges of the pasta, and drop another pasta square on top. Seal all edges and set on a plate, using parchment paper between layers of ravioli. These cook up fast: no more than 3-5 minutes.

For the lemon-saffron cream sauce:
Saute the finely chopped shallot in butter and olive oil for a few minutes (not too high heat as shallots burn quickly.). Splash with white wine, scraping up bits from pan. Add heavy cream and a splash of chicken stock if you have it. Lower heat slightly and simmer for a few minutes. Add pinch of saffron, crushing between your fingers as you add it to the pan. Simmer like this until the sauce thickens, 5-10 minutes. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Serve in a pitcher alongside freshly cooked ravioli. Have fresh hard cheese on hand to grate atop pasta/sauce.

CHICKEN LIVER PATÉ
[posted 10/26/09]
Liver is a nutrient-packed super food, high in iron, vitamin A and other enery related nutrients.We always have lots of fresh liver on hand after the broilers go off to slaughter and then to the freezer, so I like to make a large batch of paté and freeze it in small containers. Best if left to sit overnight before eating. Serve with crackers or home-baked crostini and cornichon or bread and butter pickles. Yum!

3 pounds fresh chicken liver
2 large shallots
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. brandy, cognac or sherry
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Add chicken livers (whole) and saute until livers are still slightly pink inside. Do not overcook. Remove livers from pan and set aside. Add brandy, cognac or sherry and scrape bits from the bottom of the pan. Add heavy cream and thyme and stir for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Once livers and liquid are slightly cooled, add all ingredients (plus fresh parsley, salt and pepper) to food processor. Blend together until smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper. Best if left to sit overnight before eating.

FENNEL, LEEK & ROASTED GARLIC SOUP
with WILD & BROWN RICE
[posted 10/05/09]
A great use for an abundance of fall veggies.

2 bulbs fennel
3 leeks (white and some green parts)
2 c chopped kale (optional)
2 whole cloves garlic (roasted)
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
chicken / vegetable stock
1/4 to 1/2 c white wine
water
1 c. brown rice
1/2 c. wild rice (or a mix of the above, usually available in the bulk food section at the Co Op)
salt & pepper to taste
fresh thyme

Roast garlic in advance. * Cool to the touch. Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot. Add leeks and saute for a few minutes. Add chopped fennel and saute for a few minutes longer until flavors are melded and vegetables slightly tender.Add white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add rice blend and stir to combine. Saute for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add chopped kale, squeeze roasted garlic into the mix. Add enough water for a two-to-one ratio liquid to rice, then add an additional 2 to 3 cups chicken / vegetable stock. Cook mixture until rice is tender. Add salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Using a hand emulsifier or your blender, blend mixture until smooth. The soup should have a creamy, slightly thickened texture.
Simple, yummy, nutritious. Serve with your favorite vegetable and some bread for a great dinner! You can experiment with adding different vegetables, too. Carrots would be a great addition as would sweet potato. The potato would add a bit of richness to the soup's consistency and is a great source of Vitamins A (beta carotene) and C. Sweet potatoes are also a powerful antioxidant.

* To roast garlic:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Leave peel on garlic, chop down through top of clove, exposing tips of garlic. Drizzle olive oil down in through exposed top. Rub a bit of oil on exterior skin with your hands. Place in a small oven-proof dish and roast until clove is quite tender to the touch.

TURNIP GRATIN
[posted 09/15/09]
Preheat oven to 425°
3 pounds turnips, sliced very thin
1 clove garlic
5 Tbsp cold butter (slice 4 T into thin slices)
1 c. boiling milk
1 c. grated cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Fresh chives or parsley

Rub garlic clove in the bottom of a glass baking dish (9x12.) Discard clove. Rub 1 T butter in bottom of pan. Place half of sliced turnip in bottom of pan. Top with half of salt, pepper, butter and cheese. Top with remaining turnip slices, cheese,butter salt and pepper. Pour boiling milk over entire contents and bake at 425 for 40 minutes or until milk is mostly absorbed/thickened and cheese is browned and bubbly. Top with your favorite herb: chives or parsley, and serve.

TUSCAN RUB (for pork)
[posted 09/16/09]

2 cloves garlic
1 T kosher salt
2-3 T fresh chive
2 T fresh rosemary
1 T fennel seed
1 T black peppercorns
Bit of fresh parsley

Grind peppercorns and fennel seed together with mortar and pestel. Add salt, chopped garlic, chopped chive, chopped rosemary, and parsley to pestel and mash to a paste. Rub on / press into pork generously before pan searing and/or baking. Can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.

ARUGULA & SWEET SAUSAGE SAUTE OVER PASTA
[posted 06/24/09]

1 pound arugula, picked over and washed
1/2 pound sweet italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
handful of calamata olives, chopped
fresh herbs (parsley, chives, etc.)
1 pound pasta (I love fusilli & cavatappi)
Freshly grated parmesan, asiago, or other aged hard cheese

Cube or slice sausage, add to saute pan. Brown and remove. Add onions and garlic (and a bit of olive oil if needed) and saute until translucent. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil, add salt and cook pasta. Add arugula to saute mixture and cook until just wilted. Add olives and browned sausuage. Remove from heat.

Once pasta is al dente, save 1/2 to 3/4 c. of cooking liquid and drain pasta. Immediately add pasta to saute, return to med-high heat, add cooking liquid and a handful of fresh herbs and grated cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat through (this shouldn't take but a minute.) Remove from heat and serve. Top with more fresh herbs and cheese.