Pan Seared Salmon on Baby Arugula

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 center-cut salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• 3 cups baby arugula leaves
• 2/3 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp red-wine vinegar

 

Directions:

1. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow bowl. Toss well with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes.

2. Cook the salmon, skinside down in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan and carefully lifting the salmon with a spatula to loosen it from the pan.

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook until the salmon is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. The skin should be crisp and the flesh medium rare.

4. Meanwhile, combine the arugula, tomatoes and onion in a bowl. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil and vinegar. Toss well.

Mustard Spinach Frittata

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ red pepper, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil
• a large bunch mustard spinach (consisted of about 8 individual plants), washed well, left wet, chopped roughly
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of mace
• pinch of allspice
• salt, pepper
• 8 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Directions:

1. Sautee the onion and red pepper in olive oil in a large oven-proof sauté pan. When softened, add garlic, and sauté for a few minutes. Add the spinach to the pan, toss, and cover with a large lid. Sautee the spinach, stirring frequently, until it is softened. Remove the lid, increase the heat, and let any liquid evaporate. Add the spices and salt and pepper, and toss well.
2. Reduce the heat to low.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and 2/3 of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables. Cover the pan with a large lid, and cook over medium low heat without stirring until bubbles form across the entire surface of the frittata. Remove the lid, sprinkle the top of the frittata with the remaining grated cheese, and place the entire pan under the broiler. Broil until the top is well browned and puffy, but not burned. Remove from broiler. Let stand a few minutes (helps the eggs set, makes it easier to cut). Cut into pie wedges with a sharp knife. Serve. Enjoy!

Pesto with Arugula

This recipe was submitted by Mark Caron on Allrecipes.com who wrote, “This pesto is unique due to the arugula, which gives it a peppery bite. I also like the lack of cheese, but add it if you must. Use as a spread or on pasta. My favorite is on baguette slices or on whole wheat crackers. It’s addictive!”

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2/3 cup pine nuts
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the arugula, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olives in a food processor, and chop to a coarse paste. Mix in olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Process until well blended and smooth.

Butternut Squash Soup with Chevre Cream

From “Charlottesville Wine and Culinary”

Ingredients:

• 1 large  butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded, cut into chunks
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t coriander
• 1 t ginger
• 1 t dry mustard
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 C freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 t lemon juice
• dash of ground red pepper
• 1 12 oz can evaporated 2% milk or 1 cup half & half

Directions:

1. Combine squash and 3 cups water in large saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, simmer about 10 minutes until squash in tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.
2. In a dutch oven sweat onion, red pepper, and garlic in olive oil stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, ginger, mustard, curry powder, and salt. stir well.
3. Place half of vegetable mixture, half cooked squash, and enough reserved cooking liquid to aid in processing in blender container. Puree until smooth. Return to pan, repeat with other half. Or use an immersion blender in the Dutch oven.
4. Add orange juice, lemon juice, ground pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to desired consistency. Stir in milk or half &half, place over medium low to heat through, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning.
5. Serve topped with chevre cream.

 

Chevre Cream:

Ingredients:

• 4 oz soft goat cheese
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Crumble goat cheese into a bowl, add water, whisk until well blended and consistency of thin sour cream, adding more water if necessary. Dollop onto surface of soup or place in squeeze bottle to decorate soup surface.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Recipe from “Edible Blue Ridge”

You could also use a whole winter squash or sweet potato puree

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole small pumpkin (or 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for cooking
• 1 cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves, cut side down, in a baking dish. Bake 30 to 45 minutes until fork tender. Let cool. Scoop out flesh; puree in a blender of mash with a fork.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
3. In a large bowl whisk together egg, pumpkin puree, butter, and milk. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed (if the batter is too stiff, add more milk).
4. In a large skillet over menium heat, melt enough butter to coat the bottom. Add pancake batter, 1/4 cup at a time, and cook until bubbles form on top. Flip, and cook until golden. Serve hot.

Winter Squash Braised in Pear or Apple Cider

This recipe was sent to us by one of our subscribers, Stephanie Goodrich, who said, “I stumbled across this recipe while looking for something else, but immediately wanted to make it with my H&BP goodies!  It’s from “Local Flavors” by Deborah Madison (Broadway Books 2002).”

Serves 6

 

You can also substitute sweet potatoes, the starchy Japanese varieties, or the sweeter, moister Jewel and Garnet types.

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Delicata or butternut squash
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs finely chopped rosemary
• 2 cups fresh unfiltered cider
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• apple-balsamic or organic apple cider vinegar, to taste

 

Directions

1. Peel the squash, then dice it into 1/2 inch cubes or even smaller pieces.  If using Delicata, remove the seeds from one end with a long spoon, then slice it into rounds.
2. Melt the butter in a wide skillet and add the rosemary.  Cook over medium heat to flavor the butter.  After 3 minutes, add the squash and cider plus water to cover.  Bring to a boil, add 1/2 tsp salt, and simmer until the squash is tender, 20-25 minutes, by which time the juice will have reduced enough to provide a glaze for the squash.  If not, raise the heat to reduce it quickly.  Sprinkle on a teaspoon of vinegar and taste for salt.  Add additional vinegar if you need to balance the sweetness, then season with pepper.

Chicken Napa Cabbage And Sausage Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

6 large dried black mushrooms
3-1/2 puns chicken cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 pounds Napa cabbage
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 links Chinese sweet sausage
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

 

Directions:

Put mushrooms in bowl and cover with boiling water then let soak 30 minutes.
Meanwhile mix chicken pieces with wine, salt, cornstarch and sesame oil then set aside.
Remove core of cabbage and cut leaves across into 1” wide strips.
Heat a wok and add peanut oil then when hot add cabbage and cook stirring for 5 minutes.
Put cooked cabbage in a flameproof casserole then arrange chicken with marinade over cabbage.
Wring moisture from mushrooms reserving liquid then cut off and discard stems.
Cut caps in half and wedge pieces between chicken.
Cut sausages diagonally into thin oblong shaped slices and spread over chicken.
Combine 1/3 cup reserved mushroom liquid with sugar and soy sauce then pour over sausages.
Cover pot and bring casserole to a boil over medium heat.
When it is bubbling and steaming turn heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.
When it is done uncover and allow dish to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Napa Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

• 4 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
• 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and halved
• 1 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed and diagonally cut into thirds
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper.
• 1/4 cup red onion quartered and finely sliced, rings separated
• 1/4 cup sesame ginger salad dressing
• 1/2 cup chow mein noodles

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Just before serving, sprinkle with chow mein noodles.

Napa Cabbage With Oyster Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut oil

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1-1/2 pounds napa cabbage cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat and sauté garlic for 10 seconds.
2. Add water and cabbage then cook stirring and tossing constantly for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in oyster sauce immediately before serving and garnish with sesame seeds.

Grape Ice Cream Soda

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Concord grape juice
• 2 cups club soda, chilled
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Sweetened whipped cream
• Assorted candied sprinkles

 

Preparation:

Combine Concord grape juice and club soda. Pour into four tall glasses. Top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish each with whipped cream and candied sprinkles, if desired.