Harvest Recipes 2008

Since September 2007, all Harvest's Recipes have been developed and tested by us - try them and let us know what you think!

July/August 008

It's outdoor-dining time! Cookouts, picnics, dinner on the patio - a great pasta salad is always welcome. Try this easy version - a good companion to a skewer of grilled veggies, a burger or some wild king salmon!

TORTELLINI AND PEPPER SALAD

Vegetables:
1 red onion,. finely chopped
6 bell peppers of mixed colors (at least 2 of them should be red, but mix them together as you like: green, yellow, orange)
1/2 c pine nuts
1 T olive oil

Pasta:
1 pound cheese tortellini, undercooked by just a hair

Vinaigrette:
3T balsamic vinegar
2T capers
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion until soft. Dice the mixed peppers, and add to the skillet. Saute until just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts and saute one minute longer. Transfer to a large bowl.

Cook tortellini in boiling salted water until tender but still firm (the vegetables and dressing will continue to soften them, and you don't want them soggy!)

Toss tortellini with vegetables and dressing ingredients, cool to room temperature, and enjoy.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

---

June 2008

Time for local Strawberries!!!

Strawberries with fresh Orange Sauce

We believe that strawberries are simply the best dessert you can serve!
- and here is an extra-special way to serve them.

1 quart fresh strawberries
2 T framboise liqueur
1/4c superfine sugar
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice
grated rind of 1 orange
3 egg yolks (or use 1 whole egg, well beaten, and 1 egg yolk)
1/4 c whipping cream

Hull and quarter strawberries, put them in a pretty serving dish, and toss with 1 T framboise.
Put egg yolks or egg and yolk and sugar in a heavy, small saucepan and beat with a wire whisk until light in color. Add orange juice and beat briefly again. Heat gently over low heat while stirring constantly, until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add cream, orange rind and 1 T framboise; chill for a couple of hours and serve with the berries. Yum!

makes about 6 servings

---

May 2008

It's National Barbecue Month! This recipe feeds a crowd; halve the amount of chicken if you like. But please don't change the proportions of the marinade; any extra will keep for about a month in the fridge.

ORANGE-SESAME GLAZED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Try this alongside a couscous salad studded with dried cranberries and pinenuts!

Marinade:
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons grated ginger root
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Thai or other hot chili sauce (we like a brand called Sri Racha)
Salt, pepper to taste

16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine orange juice concentrate, vegetable and sesame oils, vinegar, garlic, sesame seeds, ginger, soy sauce, chili sauce and salt and pepper to taste in bowl. Add chicken, cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
Light a charcoal grill or gas grill, heat to medium-high heat. Grill chicken, basting pieces with sauce and turning frequently, until chicken is fully cooked and richly glazed on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.

Makes 8 servings

 

---

April 2008:

SALAD OF ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH LEEKS AND MAPLE VINAIGRETTE

Note: for another spring-inspired versionof this, try using Fiddlehead Ferns instead of asparagus; the procedure is the same.

Salad:

3/4 lb thin asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
3 small leeks, washed well, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch lengths

Vinaigrette:

1T sherry vinegar or aged red wine vinegar
1 t dijon mustard 1/4 c walnut oil
1 T maple syrup (no substitute please!)
minced fresh chives or tarragon (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

to finish:

1 hard cooked egg, whites and yolk chopped separately
1/4 c coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 c parsley, minced

Split leeks lengthwise, and rinse very well under cold water. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and plunge asparagus and leeks into it. Cook till crisp-tender: about 3 minutes.
Pour water and vegetables into a large sieve to drain, and run cold water over until they have cooled down.
Arrange leeks and asparagus on a platter.

Make vinaigrette: Mix vinegar and mustard with salt to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in oil one drop at a time. Stir in maple syrup, chopped chives or tarragon, and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
Spoon half of dressing over vegetables, cover and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour.
To serve: sprinkle chopped egg, parsley and pecans over the vegetables. Whisk remaining dressing to recombine, drizzle over top, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

---

March 2008

Dandelion Greens with Crispy Bacon and Polenta

What better harbinger of spring than dandelions? If you've always considered them a pesky week in your garden, you might change your mind after trying this lovely dish! It makes a great light meal with a glass of wine and some cheese and fruit for dessert, or serve as an appetizer or accompaniment to a simple dinner of grilled fish.

3 strips thick-cut bacon, preferably wood-smoked, diced (you could also use pancetta, but the flavor would not be as dense) 2-3 green onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced thin: white and green parts
3 garlic cloves, slivered
pinch of cayenne
1 lb dandelion greens, well washed in several changes of water
1 c chicken broth
1 T orange juice concentrate (in a pinch, you could use 1 T grated orange peel and 1/4 t superfine sugar)
salt and black pepper to taste
good olive oil for drizzling
A mixture of chopped herbs: chives, parsley, thyme, mint to taste
1 lemon, cut in wedges, for serving
packaged polenta

Cook the bacon until crispy in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside bacon, and pour off all but 2 T of the rendered fat. Saute the garlic, green onion and cayenne until garlic begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the trimmed dandelion greens (we like them left whole, but you can chop them if you prefer) and the chicken broth. Cook, covered, for a couple of minutes or until wilted.
Add orange juice (or grated peel and sugar) and salt to taste; cover lightly and cook for another 7 - 10 minutes, or until greens are tender - (you can serve them warm or at room temperature).

In the meantime, prepare polenta according to package directions. When ready to serve, spoon polenta onto plates or into a shallow serving bowl, and top with greens. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs, then top with the reserved bacon. Serve with lemon wedges. serves 4 - 6

---

FEBRUARY 2008

LONG LIFE NOODLES IN VEGETABLE SAUCE

It's the Year of the Rat!

Long noodles mean a long life!

8 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles - or use thin spaghetti
2 T peanut or canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
3 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 t chili pepper flakes or to taste
2 Ts cornstarch
2 c beef broth
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t five-spice powder or to taste
1 T Sesame oil
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook the noodles according to package directions or until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, cucumber, green onions and pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic begins to color slightly, 2-3 minutes.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the broth and add it to the pan with the black pepper and five-spice powder. Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens.
Add the cooked noodles to the vegetable mixture; toss. Sprinkle with sesame oil, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

---

January 2008

A Japanese Way with Winter Vegetables

Light but filling, serve this as a complete vegetarian meal with rice and Japanese pickles, or serve along with some simple broiled fish for an easy and healthful dinner.

2 T canola or peanut oil
1 block extra firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes
2 Yukon gold or other yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 large carrots, scraped and cut into smallish cubes
1 c daikon radish, scraped and cut into thin slices (if the radish is very large, cut the slices in half)
1 onion, diced
1/2 c mirin (a sweet Japanese rice wine, in our Asian Condiments section)
1/4 c yellow or red miso
1 T honey
2 c water (or kombu stock, made by boiling a piece of kombu seaweed in 2 c of water for 2 minutes, letting cool slightly. Remove kombu and use in a future meal)
salt and pepper to taste

Steamed rice (try the short-grain Japanese variety for an authentic taste)

Blot all water from tofu. Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the tofu and stir-fry till golden, 5-6 minutes. Add the water or kombu stock and bring to a boil. Add all the vegetables and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the mirin, miso, honey and 1/4 cup of the vegetable cooking liquid. Stir into the vegetable mixture. Heat again if necessary - but don't let it boil once you've added the miso!
Taste for seasoning, serve in deep bowls with rice.

Serves 4

---

Holidays 2007

Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce   
Maple-Cranberry Rutabaga   
Braised Spinach with Thai Flavors   
Sauteed Pears and Parsnips
Pear Tarte Tatin

Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce
Super-easy and fast!

1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 t butter
2 t Dijon mustard
1 T fresh lemon juice

Rinse brussels sprouts and trim stems and outer leaves. Cut an 'X' about 1/4-inch deep in the base of each sprout. Steam the sprouts in a steamer set over boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, or until just tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in lemon juice and mustard when butter has just melted. Place sprouts on a serving platter and toss with butter and lemon mixture.

Serves four.

Maple - Cranberry Rutabaga

Rutabaga, that stepchild of vegetables, makes a great winter dish - (freely adapted from Canadian Living Magazine)

4 pounds rutabagas
2/3 c maple syrup
1/4 c butter
1/2 c dried cranberries; coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Topping

1 c fresh bread crumbs
3 T butter; melted
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Peel rutabagas and cut into cubes. In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook rutabagas, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.
Drain and return to pot.
With potato masher, mash with maple syrup, butter, salt and pepper. Stir in cranberries.
Spread in buttered 11x7 inch baking dish. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; add 15 minutes to baking time.)
Bake, covered, in 400:F oven for 30 minutes or until hot and the breadcrumb topping is brown and bubbly.

Serves 6.

Sauteed Pears and Parsnips

What a treat!

2 firm pears, peeled, cored and each half sliced into eights lengthwise
4 - 6 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin wedges (similar in shape and width to the pear wedges)
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, cored, and julienned finely
2 T good butter
1 T honey
1 T fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 bunch chopped chives
2 - 3 T chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pears and parsnips as above and set aside (place pears in a bowl of cold water if you're concerned about the cut edges darkening - but ultimately it won't matter, since you will be sauteeing them later).
Melt butter in a heavy skillet, add jalapeno pepper and sizzle briefly.
Add parsnips and cook, tossing now and then, until beginning to brown a bit. Add pears and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, for another 5 minutes, or until pears start giving off juice and browning slightly.
Add 3 - 4 T water to the pan, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn't burn.
Add honey to mixture, tossing carefully until melted, then add salt, pepper, lime juice and chopped herbs.
Toss again, taste parsnips for desired doneness, and serve.

Serves 4.

Pear Tarte Tatin

OUR HANDS-DOWN FAVORITE WINTER DESSERT!

3/4 c sugar
5-6 ripe pears, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, preferably made with butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove puff pastry from freezer, let thaw for half an hour or so, or until pliable.

In a heavy, oven-proof skillet (preferably cast iron), melt 4 T sugar over medium heat till golden-brown in color. Stir the entire time with a wooden spoon, to make sure the sugar melts evenly and doesn't burn. Tilt skillet to let caramel cover the entire bottom; set aside. Peel and slice pears, tossing with the rest of the sugar and the lemon juice. When the skillet has cooled, cover the sugar with slices of pear, laying them on the caramel in a spiral pattern to cover it completely.

Place sheet of puff pastry over pears and caramel, cutting off any overhang and tucking the pastry around the pears at the edges of the pan.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and juices from the pears bubble up around the edges.

Remove pan from oven, and place a large plate over it. Carefully invert hot tart onto the plate (very carefully; the caramel will have liquified again, and the pear juices are very hot!!).

Serve warm, topped with creme fraiche or whipped cream. Delicious!