ARUGULA
Arugula adds a peppery kick to salads of all sorts, pairing particularly well with sweet mild lettuces like Butterhead and Bibb lettuces. Dressings made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar highlight the assertive flavors of arugula, as do lemon juice-based dressings.
Arugula also works lightly cooked. Use it as you would spinach – in sautes, stir-frys, or added to soups – cooking it quickly. Be warned that it has a stronger flavor and tougher, more fibrous texture than spinach.
Arugula Pesto
Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables by Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups mature arugula (remove leaves from thick stems)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Toast the pine nuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots an become fragrant. Transfer the nuts to a dish to cool. Combine the arugula, Asiago cheese, oil, garlic, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor; process until thoroughly combined and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tomato & Arugula Pasta
6 cups tomatoes, diced 1/2-inch
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoo ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
7 ounces Cavatappi or Orchietti pasta (about 2 cups cooked)
1 cup arugula (or spinach), washed and dried
1 ounce (3 tablespoons) Ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (if not available, use freshly grated Parmesan)
- Combine tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Refrigerate until needed.
- Re-heat cooked pasta in vegetable stock or water.
- When hot, drain pasta then immediately toss with 1 cup tomato sauce and arugula. Arugula should be just wilted. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
BEETS
Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake
Epicurious | June 2009
by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
The Vegan Table
*Soy-free
All I can say is TRUST ME. We use vegetables in other desserts (think carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie), so why not beets? No one would ever guess that the incredible moisture and beautiful color of this cake comes from an earthy root vegetable!
Yield: 16 servings
1 1/2 cups (340 g) packed dark brown sugar
2 cups (450 g) puréed cooked (boiled or steamed) red beets (about 3 medium-size beets)
1/2 cup (90 g) nondairy semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (9 g) baking powder (look for aluminum-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5), and lightly oil a Bundt pan.
In a mixing bowl, cream together oil and brown sugar. Add beets, melted chocolate chips, and vanilla, and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet beet mixture, and stir until just combined.
Pour into prepared Bundt pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar and top with blueberries, if desired.
Roasted Beet, Ricotta, & Honey Salad
(serves 4)
• 4 beet roots, well scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups packed arugula
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• drizzle of honey
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Lay a piece of foil over a baking sheet and place the beets in the center. Drizzle the beets with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pull the foil around the beets to create a package. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, then remove the beets. Insert a fork into a beet to see how it has come along, ideally, the fork should go in with a bit of resistance. They will probably need to roast for another 15 to 30 minutes, but it is a good idea to check periodically.
When the beets are done, place them on a plate until they are cool enough to handle. Using a paper towel, rub off the beet skin and discard. Allow the beets to cool and then slice into rounds.
In a small bowl combine the red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and a couple of cranks of fresh ground black pepper. Whisk to incorporate all ingredients and taste to adjust seasonings.
In a medium bowl add the arugula and about half of the dressing and toss to combine. You want the arugula to be well coated but not drenched in dressing, so add more if necessary.
To compose the salad: Place the dressed arugula on a plate and then add the beet slices. Top with the ricotta and drizzle a bit of honey over the top, about a ½ tablespoon. Add a very small pinch of sea salt to the ricotta and serve.
*To save time I roasted the beets the night before serving and then refrigerated them – this way I was able to assemble the salad quickly for an easy weeknight dinner.
BASIL
Basil Lemonade
Gourmet | July 2007
|
Yield: Makes about 6 cups
Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 2 1/4 hour
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs; lemon zest strips
Stir together all ingredients in a large pitcher, then pour into tall glasses half filled with ice. * Bail Lemon Syrup *Basil Lemon Syrup This recipe makes enough for several batches of the vodka gimlets or lemonade; any left over would also give a nice hit of flavor to a glass of iced tea. Yield: Makes about 5 cups 4 cups packed fresh basil sprigs (top 4 inches; from a 1/2-pound bunch) Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let stand at room temperature, covered, 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Strain syrup thourough a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. |
