Currently viewing the tag: "celery"
I was reminded of a dish from a restaurant I worked in long ago when flipping through a recent cookbook about modern French bistros. We used to cut potatoes to the size of rice grains and cook it like risotto. The starch of the potatoes gave a very similar texture to traditional risotto. Here, carrots are cooked similarly, but you won’t get the same mouth feel until you choose to take some of the veg and broth and pureé it in a Vitamix or food processor and add it back in at the end. As I love to play with variations of peas and carrots, I include an option for adding shelled edamame. Look for frozen non-GMO organic beans, and cook them a little longer than called for. They should be tender all the way through, with a creamy texture. The recipe is great without them if you wish to keep things quick and easy.
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The beans get cooked and dropped into a dressing while still hot so they absorb lots of flavor. The tomatoes add bright notes to the salad while the lettuce texture plays well with the other elements. The beans could be made a day or two ahead, and would easily mix into other preparations.
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For lack of a better word, this is called a “condiment”. It can be used as is to base or top grilled fish or chicken, or used with lettuce to make a salad with a bit more dressing. Add bits of buffalo mozzarella for a salad, or add capers for even more interest. Use Tetilla cheese or buffalo mozzarella and Marcona almonds as a topping for chicken, or mix with shreds of cabbage for a salad, or skip the cheese and use just the nuts.
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Finding different ways to use celery leaves besides sticking them in stock is a “chef thing”. Here is a dual recipe. Chopped, it makes a condiment to be used as you might Salsa Verde. Chopped finer in food processor you get a pesto like paste that can be used on pasta, or on slabs of cheese or smeared onto things. For pasta, try it with something like bucatini or try a whole grain noodle with a little more chew and deeper flavor. Barilla makes a “Plus” line that is made with spelt and barley, chickpeas and lentils, as well as semolina, that has a nice flavor that would go well with this recipe. Try it on fish or poultry-it would go well with turkey for instance. Use as a smear for the white meat or use on sandwiches of leftovers later.
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I tend to think of this as Christmas Salad. Not because of when it is served, but because of the reds and greens of its colors and the jewel-like look of the pieces. This would be a good “company” salad as you can cut all the components except the avocado in advance. Then it is just a matter of assembling it at the last moment. This salad is a study in contrasts of colors and textures, and is fun to eat. If cutting lots of cubes seems like too much work, see Chef’s Notes for an easy variation.
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A variation on a theme, this soup is made easier by simply roasting the squash and scooping out the flesh rather than peeling and cutting and cooking it. It is a fairly simple dish, and is smooth enough to serve in cups to be sipped if you wish, or you could add substance to it by adding shrimp and/or some rice-even easier if you have some left over in the refrigerator. This soup can be made thicker and then double as a sauce for fish or on noodles with peppers and shrimp added to them.
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Based on a dish I had out recently. You can adjust the ginger to your liking, and if you run hot water over the ginger if will mitigate some of the heat while leaving the gingery flavor behind. Although the recipe looks long, it is a quick and flexible dish to make. Add beef or tofu to the sauté if you wish, and serve with rice.
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This dish can be made with any beets you wish. If you have red beets, and fuyu persimmons, this is a great combination, both for flavor and visuals. The contrast of cold persimmon and hot beets is another layer of interest. This dish can be served as a side or starter, but is hearty enough to be a main course, although the flavors are bright. This recipe was inspired by a dish from Gramercy Tavern.
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This recipe uses a store bought roast chicken, but feel free to use leftover chicken if you have it. If you wish, substitute soba or udon for the ramen, as each noodle type has something to offer to this dish. A Ben-Riner or other fixed blade slicer makes this dish a lot easier to prep. Thin slices help keep cooking time down.
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This is a satisfying main course salad with plenty of crunch and lots of umami flavor, thanks to the roasted mushrooms and the roasted chicken. This recipe is based around the roasted chickens you find at the store or any leftover chicken you have on hand. Using a Ben-Riner or other fixed blade slicer makes the prep for this salad fly. You could even slice the vegetables the day before and bag or box them until needed. Tearing the mushrooms with your hands is quick and leaves lots of edges to crisp up and add texture to the dish.
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This is a variation on a theme for soup we call “Monday Soup”, which is a hearty vegetable soup, usually with sausage added, that can be eaten for 2-3 days after for lunches or whenever. This one uses a fair amount of fennel, and so will be a little sweet, which is countered by the greens and with vinegar added at the end.
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The dice of colorful vegetables and the mix of flavors and textures is like confetti, making this easy soup a celebration of the season. If you have pesto in the refrigerator already, go with the pesto in lieu of the basil leaf shreds as it will reduce the workload. If you wish to make this a more substantial soup, think about adding beans or some pasta.
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Inspired by Waldorf Salad, this has a lighter dressing and has cheese added, based on the classic pairing of apples and cheese.
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This dressing goes with the Potato, Radish, Celery, Carrot, and Kale Salad, but will of course work elsewhere. Creamy is in quotes because there is just enough cream used to give the dressing silkiness and loft. You could also use mayonnaise instead of cream for a similar effect. The honey used initially for this dressing was from Keith Kimes’ hives on the Lewis Road High Ground Organics farm. It is a light bodied grade “C” with a high moisture content, so it mixes into the dressing readily, and is not super sweet, but very aromatic. Perfect for dressings.
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This recipe calls for cooking the kales separately first so the greens keep more individuality. If you like the idea of the greens integrating into the lentils and melting down more, skip the part about removing them from the pot. Most recipes do not call for soaking lentils, but you can. This helps them cook faster, which means they don’t explode before they are tender, as well as making minerals more bio-available to the body. If you do not wish to soak your lentils, just rinse them and start the dish. This dish makes enough for generous servings plus some leftovers for lunch.
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Great for cold weather. This makes a fair amount, but is great as leftovers for lunch the next day, or even breakfast with a fried egg on top. If you like the idea of smoky, but not the ham hock, you can skip it and use some Pimenton de la Vera (Smoked Spanish paprika) to add the smokiness.
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