Garlic Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 garlic clove, cut in half
•  Salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, or a few sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ cup pasta, such as elbow macaroni, orecchiette or fusilli
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 slices country-style bread, cut in half, or 8 slices baguette, lightly toasted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•  Ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese

PREPARATION

1. Bring 6 1/2 cups water to a boil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Add minced garlic, salt, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove bay leaf, and fresh thyme sprigs, if using. (Dried thyme will be difficult to remove.)
2. Add pasta to pot. Stir, cover and simmer until al dente, about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on pasta type. Stir from time to time so that pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add peas and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, rub toasted bread slices with cut garlic clove and place 2 pieces in each bowl.
4. Beat together eggs and olive oil. Temper the egg: Spoon 2 ladlefuls of the hot soup into eggs and stir together.
5. Turn off heat under soup and slowly stir in tempered egg mixture. Add pepper and parsley. Ladle soup into bowls over bread, sprinkle cheese over the top and serve.

Greek Tortellini Salad

Ingredients:
2 (9-oz.) packages cheese tortellini
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 red wine vinegar
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
1 lb baby spinach leaves
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c slivered red onion

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add tortellini, and cook for 7 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, oregano, and salt. Place the cooked tortellini in the bowl, and toss to coat. Cover, and chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Place eggs in a saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and allow eggs to sit in the hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, cool, peel, and quarter.
4. Gently mix the spinach, feta cheese, and onion into the bowl with the pasta. Arrange the quartered eggs around the salad to serve.

Beef Samosas

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled
1 C frozen peas, thawed
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf, crushed
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 TBS minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBS chopped green chile peppers
1 quart oil for deep frying
1 (16 oz.) package phyllo dough

Directions:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in potatoes and peas. Cook until potatoes are tender but still form, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash together and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Brown cumin seeds and bay leaf. Mix in onions and ground beef. Cook until beef is evenly brown and onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic, fresh ginger root. Season with black pepper, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir in the mashed potato mixture. Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cool.
3. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat.
4. Mix cilantro and green chile peppers into the potato and beef mixture. Place approximately 1 TBS of the mixture onto each phyllo sheet. Fold sheets into triangles, pressing edges together with moistened fingers.
5. In small batches, fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Zucchini ‘Crab’ Cakes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C grated zucchini
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS butter, melted
1 C bread crumbs
1/4 C minced onion
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion, and seasoning. Mix well.
2. Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour.
3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

ingredients:
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems

directions:
1. Combine the rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, garlic, chipotle and salt in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. With the machine running, gradually add the canola oil. Add the cilantro and process until the vinaigrette is smooth.

The recipe for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette makes about 1 1/2 cups. Place extra dressing in an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to three days to use on other salads. Shake well before using.

Beef Stew

Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
salt and pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 c dry red wine
2 c beef broth
1 1/2 lb red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
1/4 c soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 c frozen peas
1/4 c minced fresh parsley

Directions:
1/ Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat  TBS oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of beef on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl.
2. Heat remaining 1 TBS oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, Stir in tomato paste and thyme and took until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps, and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, potatoes, carrots, soy sauce, bay leaves, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and remaining beef.
3. Cook for 25 minutes: Lock lid in place and bring pot to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as indicator signals that pot has reached high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
4. Naturally release pressure: Remove pot from heat and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
5. Discard bay leaves. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of stew. Stir in peas and let stand for 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

15-Bean Soup with Sausage

Ingredients:
salt and pepper
10 oz. (1 1/2 c) 15-bean soup mix, flavor packet discarded, beans picked over and rinsed
2 TBS vegetable oil
12 oz. hot or sweet Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
4 c chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 oz. Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
1 large tomato, cored and chopped

Directions:
1. Dissolve 2 TBS salt in 4 quarts water. Add beans and soak at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
2. Heat 1 TBS oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown sausage on all sides, about 2 minutes; transfer to plate.
3. Heat remaining 1 TBS oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, bay leaves, and soaked beans, scraping up any browned bits. Add sausage and any accumulated juices to pot.
4. Cook for 25 minutes: Lock lid in place and bring pot to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as indicator signals that pot has reached high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
5. Quick-release pressure: Remove pot from heat. Quick-release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
6. Discard bay leaves. Transfer sausage to cutting board and slice 1/2 inch thick. Meanwhile, bring soup to simmer, stir in chard and tomato, and cook until chard is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sliced sausage, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Tip:
When cooking with greens like Swiss chard, collard greens, and kale, we often use only the leaves, and we add them to the pot to cook through briefly just before serving.
1. Cut away leafy green portion from either side of steam using chef’s knife.
2. Stack several leaves on top of one another and either slice leaves crosswise or chop into pieces (as specified in recipe). Using salad spinner, wash and dry leaves after they are cut.

Beef and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt and pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, chopped fine
2 TBS tomato paste
2 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
1 garlic clove, minced
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1/4 c dry red wine
6 c beef broth
1 lb red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 TBS minced fresh parsley

Directions:
1/ Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 TBS oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of meat on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 2 tsp oil and remaining beef.
2. Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps, and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and beef with any accumulated juices.
3. Cook for 15 minutes: Lock lid in place and bring pot to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as indicator signals that pot has reached high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
4. Naturally release pressure: Remove pot from heat and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
5. Discard bay leaves. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Variation:
Omit potatoes. After discarding bay leaves in step 5, stir in 1/2 cup pearl barley and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, then continue as directed.

Farmhouse Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
8 c water
4 carrots, peeled and sliced, 1/2 inch thick
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 TBS soy sauce
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
salt and pepper
4 oz (2 2/3 c) wide egg noodles
1/4 c minced fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, carrots, celery, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place breast side up in pot.
2. Cook for 20 minutes: Lock lid in place and bring pot to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as indicator signals that pot has reached high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
3. Quick-release pressure: Remove pot from heat. Quick-release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
4. Transfer chicken to carving board and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Meanwhile, using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup. Bring soup to boil, stir in noodles and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Variation:
Substitute 1 cup long-gran white rice for egg noodles and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes, then continue as directed.

Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
12 c cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
1 1/2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS chopped parsley
2 tsp chopped thyme
2 tsp chopped tarragon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Place cauliflower in a large roasting pan or jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with oil; toss well to coat. Bake at 450 F for 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, thyme, tarragon, and garlic. Bake 5 minutes. Combine cauliflower mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to combine.