Go Green!

Nothing fancy tonight, just a simple soup and salad for me while Nate is off playing Ultimate. The soup recipe comes from San Francisco's Greens Restaurant cookbook, Fields of Greens, which I use entirely too little, I must admit. It's got tons of great vegetarian recipes for all seasons.

And you'll all be very excited to know that our orange tree is finally ripe (it was a very slow citrus season, for some reason), so now that I've used up my Miracle of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, we'll move on to the bottomless pit of recipes that involve oranges, orange juice, and orange zest. Enjoy.

Menu:
Leek and Basmati Soup
Winter Greens with Orange Vinaigrette

Leek and Basmati Soup



This was very good and could be quite simple if you skipped the repetitively redundant step of making leek stock, which involves making leek soup, straining out the liquid, and then using that liquid to make...leek soup. Seriously, just use some veggie broth and save yourself an hour.

Also, this could be made heartier (and non-veggie) by adding some shredded chicken or swirling a beaten egg into each serving. Next time I might also puree some of it to give it a little more body. It was quite tasty as written, though.

I cut it in half and it made about 6 cups; I've written the full recipe below.

Leek Stock
1 yellow onion, sliced
10 garlic cloves, in their skin, crushed with the side of a knife blade
salt
3 leek tops, coarsely chopped and washed
2 medium-sized carrots, cut into large pieces
1 celery rib, cut into large pieces
1 large potato, sliced
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sage leaves
5 parsley sprigs
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs
9 cups cold water

Heat the onions and garlic in a soup pot with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 inch of water. Cover the pot and steam for 15 minutes over medium heat.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the stock to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes. Pour through a strainer and discard the vegetables.

The Soup
1 T light olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
4-5 large leeks, white parts only, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed, about 9 cups
salt and white pepper (um, who actually has white pepper hanging out in their spice rack? Come on over here with the common folk and use regular old black pepper)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 c dry white wine
1 medium-sized carrot, diced, about 3/4 cup
2 celery ribs, diced, about 3/4 cup
1/4 c basmati rice
a fresh herb sachet: 1 bay leaf, 4 thyme sprigs, 5 parsley sprigs, 2 marjoram sprigs, and 1 sage leaf tied in cheesecloth or bundled and tied together (I tied the bundle together with parsley sprigs)
1 T chopped fresh herbs: parsley, chives, and marjoram
grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat; add the leeks, 1 tsp salt, and a few pinches of white pepper. Stir the leeks, coating them with butter and oil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the leeks are wilted.

Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two, then add the wine and cook for a minute or two, until the pan is dry.

Add the carrots, celery, rice, 1/2 tsp salt, the sachet of herbs, and 1 quart stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 3 cups stock and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the herb sachet and add the chopped herbs just before serving.

Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.





Winter Greens with Orange Vinaigrette



I used some fancy holiday goat cheese flavored with blueberry and vanilla, and it really made the salad pretty exceptional; but any plain creamy goat cheese would do.

Dressing (makes about 1/2 cup)
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 c champagne vinegar
2 T orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp honey or sugar
1 T canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Salad (amounts are per serving)
2 c washed/dried mixed greens (watercress, endive, spinach, romaine)
1 T walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 oz soft goat cheese
2 T dried cranberries


Whisk all the ingredients together except the oil, then whisk in the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the greens on a plate. Sprinkle the nuts, cranberries, and goat cheese on top.

Drizzle the dressing over each serving of salad.

Adventures In Spinach, Part 2

This is a bit more involved than a typical weeknight meal, but hey, it's Saturday. Live a little.

Polenta with Winter Squash Puree and Sauteed Cherries



I had an acorn squash sitting on the fruit tray for a couple of weeks, so I made this recipe up just to use that. It's 112 outside, so I didn't want the oven on the for the hour it would take to bake the squash, so I microwaved it. Or rather, Nate microwaved it; very helpful to have him at home while I was at work (yes, work on a Saturday...thank your vet next time you see him or her...) so I could just get started when I got home. This was a very autumnal meal and would be great at Thanksgiving. There's been entirely too much summer around here lately.

The end result was very tasty and could easily be made vegetarian by omitting the prosciutto. I really liked the cherries, as their tartness cut through the creamy layers of polenta, squash, and goat cheese. When cranberry season rolls around, those would be even better, as I wanted a little more tart than the cherries could provide.

I had visions of crispy, browned polenta cakes when I stuck them under the broiler. I could NOT get them to brown. They were under there for long enough to completely incinerate the parchment paper, but the polenta stayed a nice sunny yellow. I have no idea how to fix this other than to dredge them in flour and fry them, which would decrease the healthy factor in this recipe. Oh well, they were good, even if they were not pretty.




Lastly, this dish was screaming for some toasted walnuts to be sprinkled on top. I just forgot.

serves 3

1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t dried sage
cooking spray
1/2 oz prosciutto, diced (optional)
1/2 c vegetable broth
1/2 c skim milk (or cream for a richer sauce)
1 1/2 oz soft goat cheese, divided
6 (1/2" thick) slices cooked polenta tube
1 c fresh cherries, halved and pitted

1. Place the squash halves, cut side down, in a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 8-10 minutes until soft. Carefully remove the plastic and let cool.
2. Puree the squash until smooth.
3. Spray a large pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute the garlic and sage until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the prosciutto for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the squash, broth and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add more broth or milk if needed to thin the sauce.
5. In a small skillet, saute the cherries over medium heat until soft.
6. Heat the broiler. Arrange the polenta slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until heated through and crispy on top.
7. To serve, place two polenta cakes on a plate, top with 1/2 oz goat cheese, and ladle 1/2 c heated sauce over the top. Top with cherries.


Creamed Spinach
by Martha Rose Shulman, NY Times 6/25/10



The is Part 2 of our Adventures in Spinach, my attempt to find a recipe that Nate not only tolerates but actually LIKES. The last attempt was a couple of nights ago, and the response was "meh." So I thought I'd go all out and douse the spinach in a creamy bechamel sauce; who wouldn't like that? Well, the response to this one was "double meh." He actually liked the steamed spinach with garlic better (I secretly loved that he didn't automatically like the heavy creamy dish better than the more refined steamed one).

I thought this recipe was very good (but I love spinach and I love bechamel), and an acceptable lightened version of your typical buttery-creamy classic, but maybe next time I should just go for the full-fat version to see if he'll like it, and then move down from there. This is how I learned to like coffee (this will make sense): I never drank coffee until my 3rd year of vet school, when we were sitting in a lecture hall for 8 hours a day, watching PowerPoint presentations in the dark about various fascinating topics like calcium metabolism in tortoises. I was desperate for caffeine, but all of my previous experiences with black coffee or coffee with skim milk had been revolting. So I tried a coffee with cream and sugar that was barely even a light beige color, and a caffeinated lightbulb went on above my head. THIS is why people drink coffee! It tastes like ice cream! So, natch, once I got a taste for the caffeine, I started weaning myself down to a more coffee-colored drink. Somehow this relates to spinach, I swear.

serves 2

1 T olive oil
1 T chopped shallot or onion (optional, I left this out for Nate's sake)
1 T flour
1 c 1% milk
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg (pinch? Please! Nutmeg is the best part of a bechamel! I used probably 1/2 tsp)
8 oz baby spinach

1. To make the bechamel sauce, heat the olive oil and optional onion in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
2. Gradually whisk in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lump formation. Continue stirring over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil and blanch the spinach for 3o seconds. Drain quickly and rinse with cold water immediately.
4. Squeeze the spinach dry and chop. Stir into the bechamel sauce and serve immediately.


And now (drum roll.....) for the highlight of my day:

Nate made homemade granola bars while I was at work. He toasted the oats and melted the chocolate and EVERYTHING, and he even photo-documented it for his blog like a True Foodie. These bars were a thing of beauty, and my heart melted a little bit when he showed them to me.

I think I am being out-kitchened in my own home. I have created a monster. I love it.

Spinach (I could be convinced to try)...

...wrote Nate in an email the other day outlining which fruits and vegetables he
a)likes
b)dislikes
c)hates
d)hasn't tried but would be willing to taste in the interest of expanding his food repertoire

And lo, this wife's heart went pitter pat at this concession from her veggie-wary husband.

Aaaand about 2 seconds later, I threatened to print out the email, get it notarized and framed, and use it against him for all future time.

SO: we are all spinach all the time here on Flower St. I am going to cook every yummy spinach dish known to man in the hope that I find one he likes.

Pray for me.


Menu:
Grilled Shrimp over Garlicky Lemon Spinach
Mixed Greens and Mango with Lemon Vinaigrette
Grilled Medjool Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Grilled Corn


Grilled Shrimp Over Garlicky Lemon Spinach

I love grilled shrimp. It takes no time at all and you can serve it with greens, salad, rice, pasta, you name it. Perfect for summer evenings.




serves 2

Shrimp:
1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp, tails removed
2 c warm water
1 T kosher salt
1 T sugar

Spinach:
4 c baby spinach
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 T water or chicken broth
juice of half a lemon (about 2 T)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Light the grill. While the grill is heating, mix the salt and sugar in the water and add the shrimp to brine (about 15-30 minutes, or however long it takes to get it to the grill).
2. Grill the shrimp in a grill pan over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side. They will be done quickly; don't walk away!
3. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and broth and bring to a boil. Cook the spinach until just wilted. Remove from heat and toss with the lemon juice.
4. Arrange the shrimp on top of the spinach and serve.



Mixed Greens and Mango with Lemon Vinaigrette

This was a terrific, light, easy summer salad. I had planned to make it with beets and balsamic dressing, but my beets were bad and the mango was ripe, so I changed the dressing to lemon and came up with this. It would probably also be very good with peaches or nectarines or maybe even strawberries. Slices of grilled or poached chicken would make it into a very easy, more substantial lunch.



serves 2

1/2 tsp lemon zest
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
2 c baby spinach
2 c baby arugula

1. Whisk together the lemon zest, juice, honey, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
2. Toss the dressing with the mango, goat cheese, and greens.

Grilled Medjool Dates Stuffed With Goat Cheese

These were inspired by a dish at one of my favorite Phoenix restaurants, Tuck Shop. They serve dates stuffed with chorizo and cheese and drizzled with some sort of dressing, and I have to really hold back from licking the plate right there in the middle of the resturant. I saw dates at the store today and thought I could make a stab at my own lightened version.

UM. OH MY GOODNESS. CAN ANYONE SAY "CANDY FOR DINNER?"
Holy Bites Of Sin, Batman.



serves 2, if you can bear to share.

4 large Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 oz soft goat cheese, divided
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste

1. Stuff each pit cavity with goat cheese.
2. Thread the dates onto two parallel metal skewers. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Grill over hot coals, slit-side up, for about 2 minutes, or until lightly charred.
4. Devour.


Ha! In my excitement over the spinach, I almost forgot about the Fruit-stravaganza that is taking place in our house. Nate has put me in charge of finding fruits that he will like. So I buy lots of different fruits and we eat them together, with me being the judge of whether a particular piece is a good representative (i.e., mealy pears are bad reps of their kind and we wouldn't want to write them off completely based on one bad seed).

So far, the list of approved fruits includes:
cherries
nectarines (but not peaches)
pineapple
grapes
apricots
apples
strawberries
plums
lemons/limes (although I think these were approved as drink garnishes...)

Let the record show that Nate can no longer be called a veggie-hating, fruit-avoiding, pizza-and-hamburger-subsisting beige-food-only eater. I support this endeavor and am proud of his eagerness to try new stuff!