Quick Recipe: Basil Tarragon Dressing

As summer comes to an end, I find myself snatching up all the late summer produce I can find. It's like there is a little voice inside me that screams "Quick! Grab that because it might not be here next week! Ooooooo, tomatoes! You must buy them all and eat them every day because you won't get them in January."

So here is a late summer recipe for you. This bright, creamy dressing can be used on summer salads, but my favorite way to eat it is in a tomato sandwich on multigrain bread.

This can be made vegan by simply using vegan mayo. Enjoy!

BASIL TARRAGON DRESSING
Ingredients
3/4 cups mayo
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh basil (packed)
1/4 cup fresh tarragon
1/4 cup fresh flat-leafed parsley
5 green onions
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Little. Baby. Tomatoes.

As stated in my previous blog post, my new proximity to the local farmer's market has been both awesome and problematic. I simply cannot pass up beautiful summer produce, and this is especially true when it comes to tomatoes. I have written before about my undying devotion to the summer tomato, and now that the only thing between me and a ripe 'mater is a short walk, I find myself with an excessive abundance of colorful tomatoes.

Now, not just any tomato will stop me in my tracks. Plain ole' beefsteaks or romas don't do a whole lot for me. I am sure it is possible to grow a delicious roma tomato, but I can't shake the many experiences I have had trying to make my grocery store-bought tomato taste like something. Anything. So when it comes to picking them out locally, I stick to one rule: the more colorful (and in some cases, ugly) the better.



But today's recipe makes use of the most beautiful varieties I have found lately - tiny, adorable, perfect little globes in all shades. Growers have been bringing red/green, purple, bright orange, yellow and green striped. They have delightful names like chocolate cherry, orange blossom, and banana gold, and they also happen to be intensely sweet. They pop in your mouth and taste like a burst of summer. How can I pass them by?



I have been bringing these beautiful little treats home by the bagful, and figuring out the best way to enjoy them (other than eating them right from said bag). Because they are so incredibly delicious on their own, I like to do put them in dishes that allow their flavor to shine.



I have also been coming home with a lot of bread from Lorraine's, so my go-to dish these days is Panzanella - Tuscan bread salad. I cannot get enough of this dish. I have made it 4 times in the last week, and yet my mouth waters just thinking about making it again. The juxtaposition of the super sweet tomatoes with the salty olives, rich olive oil, and acid from the vinegar is a pretty amazing combo. Throw some fresh basil on that and you got a slice of summer heaven.



My recipe is not traditional, but I make it how I like it. It is usually made with larger tomatoes, but the baby heirlooms work perfectly here, preventing the soupyness you might get from lots of seeds.  I also like to toast my bread so it doesn't get soggy. The measurements are rough because this is one of those "throw some stuff in a bowl and eat it" dishes. Play with it and see what you like. Feel free to also add garlic, cucumbers, or even feta to yours. Enjoy, then make it again, and enjoy again.

BABY HEIRLOOM PANZANELLA

Ingredients
1/2 loaf rustic white or whole wheat bread, cut into bite-sizes pieces
2 pints local baby tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt
black pepper
large handful fresh basil (about 15-20 leaves), roughly chopped
small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss bread pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

2. In large bowl, carefully combine tomatoes, olives, onion, olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cool toasted bread and add to tomato mixture. Add basil and parsley, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Throw in a splash of olive oil or vinegar if needed as bread soaks up dressing. Devour.

It's Asparagus Season - AHHHHH.

Spring is here, people! And when I say "here," I mean everywhere. In the past few weeks, I have checked out produce in Florida, North Carolina, New York, and Virginia - and I can say with certainty, Spring has sprung!

Why is this a big deal? Tank tops? NO! Spring vegetables! Asparagus! Peas! Leeks! Peppers! Avocados! Fennel! Bah!!!!! My enthusiasm is insane, but I can't help it. For the next few weeks, farmer's markets across the country are going to be filled with one delicious surprise after another. After the consistent kale and acorn squash of winter, everything will be new and exciting. So I urge you to get out there and see what your farmers have to offer.

 If you have not stopped reading this blog post due to the excessive use of exclamation points, you would enjoy my latest article about asparagus in The Burg. What a delicious writing process this was.

The article includes a few recipes from early blogging days, but what is new is my Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan. I am not even sure you can call this a recipe. I did a quick Google search, and confirmed the fact that thousands of people have made this before. But I chose to share it with you on the off chance you have not encountered this miracle combination because it is SO FREAKING DELICIOUS. I can brag on it because I did not invent it, but I certainly did eat it 4-5 times this week and take a pretty picture of it. The salty, lemony flavor of the asparagus dressed in the rich creamy egg and nutty parmesan is a winner. I give it a 10.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/POACHED EGG & PARMESAN
Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt & pepper
1/2 lemon
2 eggs (preferably local)
parmigiano reggiano

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450. On large baking sheet, toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast asparagus is tender but not mushy, and edges are brown. Remove and dress with lemon juice.
2. Poach eggs, keeping the yolk runny.
3. Plate asparagus, and carefully top with poached eggs. Season with a little salt and pepper. Grate some fresh parmesan on the top. Break yolk directly before eating every single bite.

Enjoy and Happy Spring!
Ashley

Quick Winter Salad

Looking for something light and fresh, and determined not to hit the grocery store, I threw together this mostly raw salad for lunch today. A delicious combination of local butter lettuce and broccoli stems along with shaved fennel, blanched asparagus tips dressed in a whole lot of fruity olive oil and shaved parmesan - it was just what I needed. A splash of lemon juice, salt and pepper,  and some chopped parsley made it complete. Try it when you want something super healthy yet still satisfying.

KALE salad

Hello friends.

Last summer, I had this amazing grilled kale salad at Candle 79 in New York. It had beluga lentils, green beans, sunflower seeds, avocado, and a bunch of other things I don't remember. It was so very awesome, in the way that salads rarely are.

I stopped by Whole Foods in Jacksonville the other day and saw some beautiful black kale, and decided that I should try to recreate that delicious meal. Black kale, much like dinosaur or lacinato kale, is much more tender than the curly kale sold at most supermarkets. It can be eaten raw, and if cooked, needs only to be heated for 1-2 minutes for optimal texture.

When I got home, I discovered some green beans from my CSA so I figured I would use what I already had at home to do the best I could. The result is pretty damn tasty, although I will not even try to say it lives up to the Candle version. Maybe if I grilled the kale, used some lentils, and then remembered the rest of the ingredients, I would have been closer.

Regardless, this is mighty good. And vegan. Enjoy.

(oh yeah I and I forgot to measure so just go with it and see what you get)

RECIPE
Blanch a handful diced green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Add a handful of shredded black kale and cook for one more minutes. Drain thoroughly. Toss in large bowl with diced avocado, sunflower seeds, minced garlic, dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave or honey, salt and pepper. Serve (or eat, in my case) immediately. 

Greek Coleslaw is so 2012

Happy New Year! I hope you have all had a lovely, productive, positive start to 2012. I just recently got back to Florida and have been settling back into our home as well as my kitchen. It is always great to cook in my own kitchen after some time away. Even though it is tiny and I sometimes wonder if it was made for a child, it is still nice to get back. Actually, not having to move to reach any single tool in my kitchen does have its perks.

This week, I have been working on a new Burg article about Savoy cabbage, and ended up loving it so much that I had too many recipes to fit into the article. Although I have always been a cabbage fan (coleslaw, sauteed red cabbage, cabbage soup), I had never really worked with Savoy, which had now mad my list of top 10 winter vegetables. That might not sound like a prominent place to be, but that list includes parsnips, brussels sprouts, celery root, butternut squash - vegetables that I love with an unnatural passion. For those of you who equate cabbage to "bunny food" and "blah," I challenge you to try some Savoy.  Just saute with a little onion, salt and pepper with olive oil until brown on the edges. That is all that needs to be done to make it taste completely delicious.

The article comes our next week, but until then, I give you Greek Coleslaw. A couple years ago, my mother-in-law made something like this and I thought it was awesome. It's bright, crunchy, and keeps for up to a week which I love. It is the kind of think I made on a Sunday and keep in my fridge all year long.

The recipe below uses feta, but feel free to omit the feta to keep it vegan. You can also add a tablespoon of vegan mayo to keep the richness.

Enjoy!



Greek Coleslaw
Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

1/2 Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 small handful chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 oz good feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch sugar

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl thoroughly. Let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve cold.

Quick Recipe: Homestyle Tempeh "Chicken" Salad

A friend of mine recently called upon me to recreate a couple of his favorite foods, a "chicken" salad and a Carolina bbq from a green market in Richmond, VA. He brought them over, we tasted, we examined the ingredients, we tasted, then we tasted some more. It was a really, really hard day.

But in the end, we cracked the code, and came up with some super delicious vegan delights. So now I will share with you this recipe for Homestyle "Chicken" Salad that is super easy, delicious, and really satisfying. 

Enjoy!

Homestyle "Chicken" Salad
Ingredients
1 block tempeh
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup carrot, diced
1/4 cup red onion, grated
1/3 cup vegan mayo
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions
1. Cut tempeh in half. Steam for 10 minutes to reduce bitterness. Let cool.
2. Cut tempeh into bite-size cubes and combine with remaining ingredients in medium bowl.
3. Refrigerate for at least one hour and serve.

Parmesan Garlic Dressing

A friend asked me to make some parmesan garlic dressing. An assignment you say? Yes please!
I am going to take a break from my usually verbose writing method and just give you the recipe for this super delicious dressing without fanfare. Here it is. Super yummy. Use it on salad, meat, vegetables, ok anything.

Enjoy Krista!



Parmesan Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
1 head roasted garlic*
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 shallots
1/4 cup chives, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 chunk parmgiano-reggiano (roughly the size of a golf ball)

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Drink directly from blender. Just kidding. But you might want to.

For a creamier variation, replace 1/4 cup olive oil with vegan or regular mayo.

Enjoy!
*For notes on roasting garlic, see my grilled corn bruschetta post. Scroll to the bottom for a how-to.

Veggies and Tailgating. Yes they can happen at the same time.

It is mid-september and that means one thing to my husband and my family: football. Yes that's right, college football season is well underway, so 3 weekends in a row, husband and I have been packing it up and heading to Tallahassee for the Florida State Seminole games. I have to be honest up front, football itself isn't really my thing, but the 4-8 hours of socializing beforehand is ok by me.

Last Call for Tomatoes in THE BURG

Hang on to those last summer tomatoes as long as you can! Read my tomato article in the Burg with cooking tips, pretty pics, and some delicious recipes.

Simple Grain Salad with Cashews & Mint

Hello friends. It's been a while. I've been away for the summer, in a place where the chance to cook a meal is a rare occurrence, and the chance to cook one well is non-existent. So, I am happy to be home and to refocus on cooking healthy, veg-focused food. I can't wait to try new things, perfect old recipes, and to take advantage of the local summer produce while it lasts.

This morning I was looking through my fridge, and seeing a bunch of leftovers that didn't call to me. How can I accumulate this many leftovers in only 4 days? Not entirely sure. Is there a leftover fairy that visits my home in the night and leaves half-eaten dishes in my fridge? Possibly. Anyway, I won't get a chance to hit the farmer's market until Saturday anyway, so today's recipe is one of those "clean out the fridge" ones. However, I can tell you, sometimes those can be the best, and it is a great feeling to re-purpose something into a new, tasty dish. Also, I hate throwing away food. I am morally opposed to it. Not really, but it does hurt my heart a little.

Southern Comfort - Vegan Style

It's been a while, my friends. I hope you have been eating some great food!

I took a little time off. When the metaphorical plate gets too full, its best to rank the items in order of importance and say goodbye to the potatoes. Just came up with that, but I think it makes sense. The past couple months, my plate was overflowing with activity, so I decided, with some sadness, that cooking would have to be put on hold. So, while I taught my classes, planned my wedding, trained for a half marathon, and organized a fundraiser, I subsisted mainly on microwaved sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Not at the same time.

Zucchini Salad - Simplicity at it's Best

Sometimes I want to cook a big, crazy, messy, complicated, multi-step concoction - and sometimes I want to feel like I am eating as mother nature intended.

This dish was born on a day I was craving a salad, but had only a zucchini and some other miscellaneous veggies on hand. Who said a salad needs to have lettuce, anyway?

For those of you that have run out of things to do with your abundance of summer zucchini, this one's for you!


Simple Zucchini Salad for 1
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp greek yogurt
pinch of salt (more if you are not using feta)
pinch of fresh ground pepper
1 large zucchini, shredded*
2-3 green onions, sliced thinly on a bias
1 small handful chopped fresh basil, italian parsley, or mint(I used all three)
feta and roasted almonds to garnish** (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients.

Add the zucchini, onions, herbs, and toss with your hands gently until veggies are coated. "But Ashley," you say, "Why do you measure stuff in handfulls?" Well, because I am allergic to measuring, and because I have never in my life said "This food has too many fresh herbs in it." CRAZY TALK.

Serve in a bowl, and top with feta and chopped roasted almonds.

That's all! Simple, delicious, healthy, and a perfect afternoon snack or side dish to a lovely dinner.

*For the zucchini, I like to use the biggest setting on my box grater. Cut off the ends, and grate the zucchini on each side until you hit seeds, and then move on to another side. Seeds tend to get mushy, so keep them out.

**I like to roast my own nuts (giggle). Buy some raw almonds, place them on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the oven on 400 for 10-12 minutes. You will know they are done when they start to fill your kitchen with a lovely smell.