Pasta with Clam Sauce

A good quick dinner. Connor likes this, William not so much. The original name of this recipe was “pasta with green clam sauce” but we usually omit the spinach so I’ll add that at the end as an option.

1/3 c olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 bottles clam juice* or stock (8 ounce) – can replace one with chicken broth
2 cans chopped clams in clam juice (6 ounce each)*
1/2 c dried bread crumbs
1 lb vermicelli, spaghetti, fettuccine or linguini
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

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1. Put the water on for the pasta. When it boils, add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Before draining reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute until just fragrant, don’t let it brown. Add the clam juice (and broth if using that). Drain the clam juice from the two cans of chopped clams and add that too. Now add the bread crumbs and reduce to a simmer.

3. Return pasta to its cooking pot over low heat. Add the canned clams and simmering sauce and toss to mix. Add enough of the reserved pasta coking water to make the pasta very moist. Season lightly with salt and generously with fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately.

IF YOU LIKE IT GREEN
Cook 1 ½ to 2 lbs spinach in a large pot of salted water for about 30 seconds, until just wilted. Remove from water with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in a colander in the sink to drain. You can now use this vitamin enriched water to cook your pasta.  Add the spinach to the pasta with everything else at step 3.

* We recommend Maine made!

Adapted from “The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook” page 72

 

Curried Kale with Tofu

You can make this with paneer instead of tofu for a Kale version of Palak Paneer! Adapted from Curried Kale with Chickpeas

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1 t cumin seeds
2 t garam masala
1 t coriander
1 t turmeric
1/4 t red pepper flakes

1 package extra firm tofu, drained (or paneer)
salt & pepper to taste

8 cups chopped kale (or spinach), packed
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water

1 cup coconut milk (substitute milk or plain soymilk)
1/3 cup raw cashews
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T tomato paste

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• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, ginger and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining spices and cook until mixed in. Then add tofu and cook for a minute or two more, stirring and constantly to prevent burning. Remove tofu and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the kale and vegetable broth. Cover and cook until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
• While the kale is cooking, put the coconut milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, and tomato paste in the blender and puree until smooth. Then add the kale and blend until smooth.
• Transfer blended mixture back to the skillet, add the tofu back in and bring to a simmer. Check seasonings and add more to taste, continue simmering about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over Indian Spiced Rice.

Fresh Spinach Custard

Made this with the 4th big bag of spring spinach from our CSA farm this year. Great for a side dish or brunch dish, even main dish.

2 lbs fresh spinach, washed, with tough stems removed
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 eggs
1 ½ c milk
1 c grated Gruyère or cheddar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ c Parmesan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly butter a 9″ square baking dish and set aside.

Prepare spinach and then cook until wilted in a large pot of boiling salted water (takes between 30 seconds and 1 minute). Drain well, press out excess water and chop fine on a cutting board. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk together with wisk until smooth, add the spinach, onions and Gruyère or cheddar and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper and pour into baking dish.  Top with Parmesan.

Bake until custard is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean – about 30 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Adapted from The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook by Andrea Chesman

Festive Holiday Salad

Festive photo by Chelsea Lane, Christmas 2010.

SALAD ~
1 bag fresh baby spinach
seeds from one whole pomegranate
1/2 medium sized red onion, finely sliced
—
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 c candied pecans (recipe follows)
croutons, optional
+++++++++
Lightly toss spinach, pomegranate seeds and onion together and drizzle on the dressing or serve on the side. Top with raspberries, candied pecans and croutons.

DRESSING ~
the other half of the red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 c sugar
2 T vinegar
1/2 t ground mustard
1/2 t salt
1T poppy seeds
1/2 c olive oil
+++++++++
Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

CANDIED PECANS ~
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c (heaping) whole pecans
+++++++++++
Mix oil, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and heat. Add pecans and stir frequently until liquid is crystallized and absorbed by the pecans. Spread out on a plate and allow to cool.

Green Curry

Good, hot authentic curry. I’ve been making this since 2004 and over time it has become my standard.

1 lb potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and cut into bite sized chunks and parboiled for 5 minutes
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb zucchini, sliced thickly
1 lb spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1 lb onions, halved and sliced thin
10 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

2 t turmeric
1 T coriander
1 T cumin
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t salt

1 T peeled and grated fresh ginger, or 1 t dry ginger added to spice mix above
1 green chili pepper chopped fine
1 T lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4  c water

♦ ⇔ ♦ ⇔ ♦ ⇔ ♦ ⇔ ♦ ⇔ ♦ ⇔ ♦

Prepare all the vegetables as specified and set aside. Mix spices together in a small bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions begin to color. Add the spice mix, ginger and chili pepper and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the prepared vegetables, lemon juice and water, mix thoroughly and simmer, stirring frequently until the water is gone and the vegetables are just tender. Do not overcook!

Adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two, page 308

Tofu Spinach Quiche

Prepare a whole wheat single pie crust in advance, or buy one at the store.

2 cups soft or silken tofu
1 T lemon juice
2 T soy sauce
3 T canola oil
up to 2/3 c plain soy milk or milk
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
++++++++++
Thaw and drain spinach, set aside.  Saute onions in 1 T canola oil until browned, add drained spinach and cook until heated through.

Combine tofu, lemon juice, soy sauce, 2 T canola oil, 1/3 c soy milk and seasonings in a blender.  Blend to a thick creamy consistency, adding the rest of the soy milk if needed.  Fold spinach and onions into the tofu mixture in a separate bowl (don’t use the blender!)  Pour into the prepared pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.

Wait 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from “The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook” by Chris Hardisty 1992 page 276

Breakfast Tofu

Horn of the Moon page 32

Pita Pocket Sandwiches

An old favorite we’ve been making since 1993 from Horn of the Moon Cookbook page 150, as transcribed at The Recipe Link

STUFFED PITA POCKETS

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 1/2 cups broccoli, stems and florets
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup sliced zucchini
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
2 whole pita bread
mozzarella cheese
sharp cheddar cheese
2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Set 10-inch fry pan on medium heat. Add oil, then the broccoli, onions, garlic, basil and thyme. Saute two minutes.

Add zucchini and saute one minute. Cook two minutes more until tender. Remove from heat, set aside and drain if juicy.

Cut pita breads in half to form four pockets. Put 1/2 cup vegetables into each pocket. Add three thin slices of each cheese to each pocket. Follow with two slices of tomato.

Bake on cookie sheet 7 minutes and serve. Make 4 pockets.