The Menu:
Ina Garten's Panzanella
Watermelon
Food Should Good Sweet Potato Chips
Grandma's Baked Beans (super secret recipe)
Sausages from Kramarczuk's: Curried Wild Rice Brat, Cherry Bomb Brat, and Mediterranean Lamb
Rainbow Cupcakes
Friday, June 10, 2011
Birthday Party Fun
Our daughter celebrated her first birthday last weekend! We whipped up some of our favorite foods for the occasion.
The Menu:
Ina Garten's Panzanella
Watermelon
Food Should Good Sweet Potato Chips
Grandma's Baked Beans (super secret recipe)
Sausages from Kramarczuk's: Curried Wild Rice Brat, Cherry Bomb Brat, and Mediterranean Lamb
Rainbow Cupcakes
The Menu:
Ina Garten's Panzanella
Watermelon
Food Should Good Sweet Potato Chips
Grandma's Baked Beans (super secret recipe)
Sausages from Kramarczuk's: Curried Wild Rice Brat, Cherry Bomb Brat, and Mediterranean Lamb
Rainbow Cupcakes
Favorites
We enjoyed a few favorites in the past week: steak fajitas with greens, spring turnip salad, and radish sandwich. If we have a bunch of greens or peppers to use, we often turn to fajitas. The turnip salad is one of my favorite things and the radish sandwich is all about good butter (we used Hope butter this time). Yum!
Steak Fajitas with Green Garlic, Radish Greens, Onion, Spinach
Spring Turnip Salad
1 fresh, young bunch of turnips, stems discarded, greens well washed and sliced into thin ribbons (1/3 inch or less), roots trimmed, peeled, and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, and chives
1 cup cooked white beans
3 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled
3 pieces of cornbread (your favorite recipe), cut into small cubes
At least a few hours in advance, toss the raw turnip greens with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a big pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate.
Put the turnip roots in a medium saucepan with an inch of water, a pinch of salt, and a splash of olive oil. Cover, bring to a boil, and boil hard, covered, until turning tender, about 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue to boil until tender enough to eat, a minute or two more. Drain if necessary and allow to cool.
Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon honey in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and the lime juice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in 1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk and the chopped herbs. Taste and add salt, vinegar, or oil if necessary.
Dress the beans with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt dressing. Spread some greens on each plate and top with egg, beans, bacon, steamed turnips, and cornbread. Serve extra yogurt dressing on the side.
Radish Sandwich
Steak Fajitas with Green Garlic, Radish Greens, Onion, Spinach
Spring Turnip Salad
1 fresh, young bunch of turnips, stems discarded, greens well washed and sliced into thin ribbons (1/3 inch or less), roots trimmed, peeled, and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, and chives
1 cup cooked white beans
3 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled
3 pieces of cornbread (your favorite recipe), cut into small cubes
At least a few hours in advance, toss the raw turnip greens with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a big pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate.
Put the turnip roots in a medium saucepan with an inch of water, a pinch of salt, and a splash of olive oil. Cover, bring to a boil, and boil hard, covered, until turning tender, about 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue to boil until tender enough to eat, a minute or two more. Drain if necessary and allow to cool.
Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon honey in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and the lime juice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in 1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk and the chopped herbs. Taste and add salt, vinegar, or oil if necessary.
Dress the beans with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt dressing. Spread some greens on each plate and top with egg, beans, bacon, steamed turnips, and cornbread. Serve extra yogurt dressing on the side.
Radish Sandwich
Ono
Mike visited Hawaii with his family as a child (teenager?) and always talks about the delicious ono fish he had there. Coastal Seafood had ono on special last week so he had to get some. I agreed with him that's it's like fish steak. Delicious!
Grilled Ono with Tamarind Glaze and Grilled Yukina Savoy
Grilled Ono with Tamarind Glaze and Grilled Yukina Savoy
Chives, chives and more chives.
We've been trying to find recipes that use a ton of chives because we have SO many this year! This recipe for Broccoli salad put them to good use.
Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Chives, and Tomato
Adapted from jamieoliver.com
2 heads of broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into matchsticks
2 roma tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch fresh chives (15 to 20), finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. In the meantime, trim the woody end from the broccoli heads and break it up into small florets. Slice them into 1/4-inch thick pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. When the water comes to a boil, blanch the broccoli for 1-2 minutes, until they are starting to get tender but still have bite in the middle. Drain in a colander and spread out on a kitchen towel to steam dry, about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, cook the bacon in a large skillet with a splash of olive oil over medium-low heat until the fat renders into the pan and the bacon is crisp but still slightly chewy.
Drain the fat collected in the bacon pan into a bowl and add the garlic, dijon, and vinegar. Whisk well to combine into an emulsion, then add the olive oil slowly in a stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and taste also for acidity, adding more vinegar or oil if needed.
Toss the broccoli with the tomatos, bacon, and dressing. Top with chives and serve.
Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Chives, and Tomato
Adapted from jamieoliver.com
2 heads of broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into matchsticks
2 roma tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch fresh chives (15 to 20), finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. In the meantime, trim the woody end from the broccoli heads and break it up into small florets. Slice them into 1/4-inch thick pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. When the water comes to a boil, blanch the broccoli for 1-2 minutes, until they are starting to get tender but still have bite in the middle. Drain in a colander and spread out on a kitchen towel to steam dry, about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, cook the bacon in a large skillet with a splash of olive oil over medium-low heat until the fat renders into the pan and the bacon is crisp but still slightly chewy.
Drain the fat collected in the bacon pan into a bowl and add the garlic, dijon, and vinegar. Whisk well to combine into an emulsion, then add the olive oil slowly in a stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and taste also for acidity, adding more vinegar or oil if needed.
Toss the broccoli with the tomatos, bacon, and dressing. Top with chives and serve.
Pasta with Asparagus, Carrots and Broccoli
This pasta was so delicious - I think using high quality parmigiano-reggiano had something to do with it. Oh, and the cream and butter!
Adapted from Bottega Favorita by Frank Stitt.
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping cup sliced spring onions
12 slender asparagus spears, tough bottoms discarded and cut into 2-inch pieces
Sliced carrots or other spring vegetables
Broccoli florets (or other vegetable... peas, etc.)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound pasta
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino romano
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until very soft.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted to a boil for the pasta. Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil, add the asparagus, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cook for 30 seconds, then drain. Add the asparagus and other vegetables to the onions, then stir in the cream. Set the pan aside while you cook the pasta.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to the pan with the onions.
4. Place the pan over high heat and cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are hot. Add the chives abd 1/2 cup of the cheese, the lemon zest, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve in warm bowls, garnished with more mint and the remaining grated cheese
Adapted from Bottega Favorita by Frank Stitt.
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping cup sliced spring onions
12 slender asparagus spears, tough bottoms discarded and cut into 2-inch pieces
Sliced carrots or other spring vegetables
Broccoli florets (or other vegetable... peas, etc.)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound pasta
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino romano
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until very soft.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted to a boil for the pasta. Bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil, add the asparagus, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cook for 30 seconds, then drain. Add the asparagus and other vegetables to the onions, then stir in the cream. Set the pan aside while you cook the pasta.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to the pan with the onions.
4. Place the pan over high heat and cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are hot. Add the chives abd 1/2 cup of the cheese, the lemon zest, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve in warm bowls, garnished with more mint and the remaining grated cheese
Friday Night Pizza
Friday Night Pizza is back! I typically use the pizza dough recipe from Baking Illustrated but one night we were out of bread flour so I ended up using this Emeril Lagasse recipe. I was impressed with how soft and chewy the dough was! I may switch over permanently to this recipe.
Here are some recent pizza creations:
Hon Tsai Tai, Olive, Egyptian Walking Onion, Green Garlic & Mozzarella Pizz
Broccoli, Green Garlic, and Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Pepperoni, Olive and Cheese Pizza
Here are some recent pizza creations:
Hon Tsai Tai, Olive, Egyptian Walking Onion, Green Garlic & Mozzarella Pizz
Broccoli, Green Garlic, and Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Pepperoni, Olive and Cheese Pizza
Monday, May 23, 2011
A whole lot of goodness
We've been busy!
A Simple Greens Soup
From Asparagus to Zucchini, Harmony Valley Farm Recipe
First of all, if you're cooking in the midwest and using CSA veggies and don't own the cookbook, From Asparagus to Zucchini, go buy it! It's fantastic. To be honest, nettles aren't my favorite but this soup was pretty good.
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 small yellow onion, medium diced
1 pound peeled sunchokes
4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
1 bunch of greens, washed and chopped (we used nettles)
Salt and pepper
1/2 heavy cream (optional but delicious)
Shredded smoked cheddar (optional topping)
Heat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they are translucent (don't let them brown). Add the sunchokes and the water/broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook until the sunchokes are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the greens and cook until they wilt, about three minutes. (If you're using kale, let cook five minutes.) Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor) until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optional: you may pass soup through a strainer to take out the little bits and make it smoother. For a creamier version, add the heavy cream at the end and heat through. We topped the soup with some shredded smoked cheddar. Makes 4 servings.
Tagliatelle With Parsnips And Bacon
Adapted from Babbo
I had a fantastic afternoon at the spa last week and came home to this dish made with fresh pasta. Awesome.
1/4 pound bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
8 ounces pasta (fresh pasta if you have it)
1/4 cup chopped green onion (or parsley)
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, add the chopped bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a couple paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Turn the heat to medium and add the butter to skillet with the bacon fat. Add the parsnips and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring often. They should be lightly browned and very tender. Turn off the heat.
Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. When done, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and then add the pasta directly to the skillet with the parsnips. Turn heat to high and add about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, the bacon, and the green onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add more of the cooking water if it looks too dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Birchwood Cafe Recipe from The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook
This was the best strawberry rhubarb cobbler I've ever had. There will be no need to try other recipes from now on. We took this to our friends' house for dinner and didn't have the opportunity to take a very good photo but you get the idea.
Burdock Chips
Definitely my favorite way to enjoy burdock. We had these with some fish (fish and chips) and a nice spinach salad.
Ramp Tart
From Eggs on Sunday
We threw this together at the last minute and I forgot to plan ahead and make my own ricotta, resulting in a quick trip to the store, and we realized we didn't have any bacon. Fail! It was still pretty good but it could have used the bacon. Mmm bacon.
For the tart crust:
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
For the tart filling:
4 slices of good quality bacon
1 large shallot, sliced
3 cups (packed) spinach
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1 large egg
salt and pepper, to taste
about 18 ramps, cleaned and bulb ends trimmed
In a food processor, combine the flours and salt and pulse to combine. Add the pieces of cold unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the 3 tablespoons ice water, then pulse in 1 second bursts until the mixture resembles curds and clumps (you can add a little more water if needed.) Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface, gather it together in a ball, flatten into a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
To pre-bake the tart shell, roll it out and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming off any excess (you can save the excess dough to patch any tears that might appear in the dough.) Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork all over, then lay a piece of foil into the shell and fill the foil with dried beans (they’ll act as weights to keep the shell from puffing up in the oven.) Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and beans and bake for an additional 7 minutes or so, until the dough loses it’s glossiness and turns ever so slightly golden brown around the edges. Remove the shell from the oven, keeping it in the pan, and cool on a rack.
When you’re ready to assemble the tart, cook the bacon in a large, heavy saute pan until browned and crisp. Remove to a cooling rack to drain off any excess fat. Pour off the bacon fat (save it to cook other things with!) until there’s about a tablespoon left in the pan. Return the pan to medium high heat and saute the sliced shallots until softened, then add the spinach and cook the mixture just until wilted.
Transfer the spinach/shallot mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese, egg, and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper (I found it didn’t need much additional salt since the bacon is kind of salty.) Puree the mixture until the spinach is chopped, and set aside.
In the same pan you used to cook the bacon and spinach, add the whole ramps and a little bit of water. Cook just until the ramp greens have wilted, and set aside.
Transfer the ricotta/spinach mixture into the tart shell. Top with the crumbled bacon slices, then arrange the wilted ramps over the top. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake for about 35-45 minutes in a 375 degree F oven, until the top is just starting to turn brown, the filling is slightly puffed and set, and the crust is golden brown. Serves 4 generously.
Nettle Risotto, Ramps Biscuits, and Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad
This was a heavenly meal. Even the nettle risotto! A friend of mine, Clare, thought the nettles would ruin the risotto (she's also not a fan) but I have to say that it worked well! The ramp biscuits were to die for as was the salad.
Risotto with Nettles
From Joanne Weir, via Mariquita Farm
6 ounces nettles, stems removed
2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced (I used some ramps)
1 cup Arborio
3/4 cup dry white wine, preferable Sauvignon Blanc
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Place the chicken stock and water in a sauce pan and heat until it is hot but not boiling. Reduce the heat to low and maintain the heat just below a simmer. Place a ladle in the pan.
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10 minutes. Add the rice and nettles and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to toast the rice and coat with oil.
Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until the wine has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a few ladlefuls of stock to the rice and stir to wipe the rice away from the sides and the bottom of the pot. Continue to stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add another ladleful of stock and continue to stir until the liquid has been almost absorbed. Continue to add stock and stir in the same manner until the rice is no longer chalky, 20 to 25 minutes total, depending upon the variety of rice. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and add another ladleful of stock, the butter and the half of Parmigiano. Cover the pan and let sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. Place the risotto in a bowl and serve immediately. Top with remaining parmesan.
Ramp Biscuits
from Bon Appetit
When we made these before, I don't think we did the egg wash or cracked coriander. That was a mistake. See previous blog post for recipe.
Watermelon, Arugula, and Feta Salad
From Serious Eats
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 small shallots, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large bunches of arugula (6 cups packed), washed and dried
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1 cup (4 ounces) French feta cheese, crumbled
Combine oil, vinegar, and shallots; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper; let stand 5 minutes. Arrange arugula on 4 serving plates or bowls. Arrange watermelon and cheese on top of arugula; drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.
A Simple Greens Soup
From Asparagus to Zucchini, Harmony Valley Farm Recipe
First of all, if you're cooking in the midwest and using CSA veggies and don't own the cookbook, From Asparagus to Zucchini, go buy it! It's fantastic. To be honest, nettles aren't my favorite but this soup was pretty good.
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 small yellow onion, medium diced
1 pound peeled sunchokes
4 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
1 bunch of greens, washed and chopped (we used nettles)
Salt and pepper
1/2 heavy cream (optional but delicious)
Shredded smoked cheddar (optional topping)
Heat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they are translucent (don't let them brown). Add the sunchokes and the water/broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook until the sunchokes are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the greens and cook until they wilt, about three minutes. (If you're using kale, let cook five minutes.) Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor) until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optional: you may pass soup through a strainer to take out the little bits and make it smoother. For a creamier version, add the heavy cream at the end and heat through. We topped the soup with some shredded smoked cheddar. Makes 4 servings.
Tagliatelle With Parsnips And Bacon
Adapted from Babbo
I had a fantastic afternoon at the spa last week and came home to this dish made with fresh pasta. Awesome.
1/4 pound bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds parsnips, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
8 ounces pasta (fresh pasta if you have it)
1/4 cup chopped green onion (or parsley)
Salt and pepper
Grated parmesan
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, add the chopped bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a couple paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Turn the heat to medium and add the butter to skillet with the bacon fat. Add the parsnips and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring often. They should be lightly browned and very tender. Turn off the heat.
Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. When done, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and then add the pasta directly to the skillet with the parsnips. Turn heat to high and add about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, the bacon, and the green onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add more of the cooking water if it looks too dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Birchwood Cafe Recipe from The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook
This was the best strawberry rhubarb cobbler I've ever had. There will be no need to try other recipes from now on. We took this to our friends' house for dinner and didn't have the opportunity to take a very good photo but you get the idea.
Burdock Chips
Definitely my favorite way to enjoy burdock. We had these with some fish (fish and chips) and a nice spinach salad.
Ramp Tart
From Eggs on Sunday
We threw this together at the last minute and I forgot to plan ahead and make my own ricotta, resulting in a quick trip to the store, and we realized we didn't have any bacon. Fail! It was still pretty good but it could have used the bacon. Mmm bacon.
For the tart crust:
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
For the tart filling:
4 slices of good quality bacon
1 large shallot, sliced
3 cups (packed) spinach
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1 large egg
salt and pepper, to taste
about 18 ramps, cleaned and bulb ends trimmed
In a food processor, combine the flours and salt and pulse to combine. Add the pieces of cold unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the 3 tablespoons ice water, then pulse in 1 second bursts until the mixture resembles curds and clumps (you can add a little more water if needed.) Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface, gather it together in a ball, flatten into a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
To pre-bake the tart shell, roll it out and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming off any excess (you can save the excess dough to patch any tears that might appear in the dough.) Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork all over, then lay a piece of foil into the shell and fill the foil with dried beans (they’ll act as weights to keep the shell from puffing up in the oven.) Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and beans and bake for an additional 7 minutes or so, until the dough loses it’s glossiness and turns ever so slightly golden brown around the edges. Remove the shell from the oven, keeping it in the pan, and cool on a rack.
When you’re ready to assemble the tart, cook the bacon in a large, heavy saute pan until browned and crisp. Remove to a cooling rack to drain off any excess fat. Pour off the bacon fat (save it to cook other things with!) until there’s about a tablespoon left in the pan. Return the pan to medium high heat and saute the sliced shallots until softened, then add the spinach and cook the mixture just until wilted.
Transfer the spinach/shallot mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the ricotta cheese, egg, and a generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper (I found it didn’t need much additional salt since the bacon is kind of salty.) Puree the mixture until the spinach is chopped, and set aside.
In the same pan you used to cook the bacon and spinach, add the whole ramps and a little bit of water. Cook just until the ramp greens have wilted, and set aside.
Transfer the ricotta/spinach mixture into the tart shell. Top with the crumbled bacon slices, then arrange the wilted ramps over the top. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake for about 35-45 minutes in a 375 degree F oven, until the top is just starting to turn brown, the filling is slightly puffed and set, and the crust is golden brown. Serves 4 generously.
Nettle Risotto, Ramps Biscuits, and Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad
This was a heavenly meal. Even the nettle risotto! A friend of mine, Clare, thought the nettles would ruin the risotto (she's also not a fan) but I have to say that it worked well! The ramp biscuits were to die for as was the salad.
Risotto with Nettles
From Joanne Weir, via Mariquita Farm
6 ounces nettles, stems removed
2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced (I used some ramps)
1 cup Arborio
3/4 cup dry white wine, preferable Sauvignon Blanc
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Place the chicken stock and water in a sauce pan and heat until it is hot but not boiling. Reduce the heat to low and maintain the heat just below a simmer. Place a ladle in the pan.
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10 minutes. Add the rice and nettles and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to toast the rice and coat with oil.
Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until the wine has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a few ladlefuls of stock to the rice and stir to wipe the rice away from the sides and the bottom of the pot. Continue to stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add another ladleful of stock and continue to stir until the liquid has been almost absorbed. Continue to add stock and stir in the same manner until the rice is no longer chalky, 20 to 25 minutes total, depending upon the variety of rice. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and add another ladleful of stock, the butter and the half of Parmigiano. Cover the pan and let sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. Place the risotto in a bowl and serve immediately. Top with remaining parmesan.
Ramp Biscuits
from Bon Appetit
When we made these before, I don't think we did the egg wash or cracked coriander. That was a mistake. See previous blog post for recipe.
Watermelon, Arugula, and Feta Salad
From Serious Eats
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 small shallots, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large bunches of arugula (6 cups packed), washed and dried
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1 cup (4 ounces) French feta cheese, crumbled
Combine oil, vinegar, and shallots; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper; let stand 5 minutes. Arrange arugula on 4 serving plates or bowls. Arrange watermelon and cheese on top of arugula; drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.
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