Blackened Hatch and Tomato Salsa

from A Cedar Spoon

makes about 2 cups

super delicious and inspired by Kitchen Konfidence

Print this Recipe!

3 hatch chile peppers

1 small red onion, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 pound cherry tomatoes

salt, fresh cracked black pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil

juice of 1 or 2 limes

small handful fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

splash of water, to thin it out a bit

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place whole hatch chiles, quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, and whole cherry tomatoes on an unlined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Place in the oven and allow to roast for 20 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from the oven and toss the vegetables together.  Place the oven on t he broiler setting to char the vegetables (this works best in a gas oven).  Place the vegetables as close to the broiler as possible and keep an eye on the vegetables as they begin to char.  Remove from the broiler and toss as necessary until the desired char is reached.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.  Place the onion, garlic,and tomato in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.

Place chiles on a cutting board.  Use a knife to remove their tops and cut lengthwise down the center.  Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and discard. Coarsely chop the chiles and add to the bowl of the food processor.  Add lime juice and a few tablespoons of water.  Blend until combined.  Stir in cilantro if using.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve. 

Tomato Bread Gratin

--Adapted from Ina Garten

You can poach or fry an egg to serve on top of this or just have it with a salad for dinner. We had it for dinner this week with beautiful, steamed artichokes and that was dinner. Leftovers are as good or better than the first round—if you can keep from eating it all.

Serves 4

3-4 cups bread from a good crusty loaf with a fairly open crumb (if you’re in Portland Grand Central Como or Levain is perfect or other French/Italian style bread—not sandwich bread), cut into 1/2-inch dice

2  - 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch diceor if supplementing with cherry tomatoes just cut those in half

3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add the bread cubes and stir so that they are evenly coated with oil. Cook cubes, tossing frequently, until toasty on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are toasted, add the tomato mixture and cook them together, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Pour into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm with a big green salad, a bean salad and/or a poached egg.

Tomato Bread

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

The Spanish (and Basque) and Italian and probably many other cultures have versions of this. I have been eating it for breakfast though I realize that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But it’s a wonderful snack or appetizer or a part of an informal dinner as well. 

However many slices of bread to want to use

However many tomatoes you want to use – you need about half a medium tomato for one large slice of good, crusty bread.

Whole cloves of peeled garlic

Good sea salt

The best olive oil you have

Toast or grill the bread. Rub with garlic (little or lot or not at all, in fact). Cut the tomatoes in half on the equator and then rub the cut side of the tomato onto the toasted bread pressing as much juice and flesh into the bread as you can. You’ll be left holding the skin and a little pulp. Salt generously and drizzle with oil. The bread may fall part a bit and will get quite soggy—just as it should! Eat immediately, then make another!:)

Roasted Tomatoes

from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• Cherry, grape or small Roma tomatoes
• Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
• Olive oil
• Herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each cherry or grape tomato crosswise, or Roma tomato lengthwise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.

Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.

Either use them right away or let them cool, cover them with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge for the best summer condiment, ever. And for snacking.

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil

From GreenLiteBites

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• About 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 25 large basil leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• pinch of salt

Directions

Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge.

Seven Layer Salad with Sungold Tomatoes

From The Oregonian

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large head lettuce (this would have meant iceberg)
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, quartered lengthwise
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pound bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
• 1 pint sungold tomatoes, halved
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas (do not thaw)

Directions

In a medium bowl, make a dressing by stirring together the mayonnaise, sugar and Parmesan cheese.

Tear the lettuce and put half in the bottom of a 4-quart glass salad bowl. Save the rest for filler of other layers. Press eggs around circumference of bowl, then add rest to center, filling in with lettuce. Layer in onion and mushrooms, then cover with half the dressing. Layer in cheddar cheese, bacon and tomatoes, and finally the peas (still frozen). Cover with the remainder of the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.

Variations:

Switch the lettuce: Use a combination of arugula and romaine lettuce or other lettuces, but keep some of it a crispy variety.

Switch the cheese: Use feta or blue cheese in place of the cheddar.

Eliminate or reduce the eggs to three.

Switch the meat: Substitute shrimp or tuna for the bacon.

Cut the fat and/or sugar: Make a dressing of half mayonnaise and half low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt. Forget the sugar and Parmesan.

Switch the vegetables: Many other vegetables can be added, such as artichoke hearts, beets, carrots and avocados, but then you'll really have to call it something else.

Gazillion Bean Salad with Sungold Tomatoes

From The Oregonian

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans
• 2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans
• 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans
• 1 14.5-ounce can green beans (not French cut)
• 1 14.5-ounce can yellow (wax) string beans
• 1 pint Sungold tomatoes, halved
• 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 12-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and halved (used canned if frozen are unavailable)

Directions

Add the olive oil to a medium bowl. Place the garlic cloves on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a knife blade, crush the cloves but do not break them apart; add to the oil. For a milder dressing, let oil sit for about 30 minutes, then discard the garlic. For a stronger flavor, keep the garlic in the oil. Whisk in the lemon juice, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

Keeping each type of bean separate, drain and rinse, and drain again well. Place each type in a separate bowl and add about a teaspoon of dressing to each bowl, tossing beans well.

Layer each kind of beans into a salad bowl, contrasting colors as you go. With the tomato layer, press the cut side of the tomatoes against the glass around the circumference, then scatter remaining tomatoes in the middle. Similarly, press the water chestnuts one by one around the circumference and scatter extras in the center. Scatter onions over water chestnuts. Arrange the artichoke hearts on the top and drizzle with some of the remaining dressing; be careful not to use too much or it will pool in the bottom of the bowl.

Pasta with Sungold Tomatoes

From Bon appetit

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 oz. Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• 6 oz. capellini, spaghetti, or bucatini
• 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
• 8 medium fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

Directions

 Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season with salt, and cook, covered slightly and swirling pan often, until tomatoes blister and burst, 10-12 minutes. Press down on tomatoes to release their juices. Remove pan from heat and set aside. 

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Transfer pasta to skillet with tomatoes; set over high heat. Add 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until sauce thickens and begins to coat the pasta, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining oil, cheese, and half the basil and toss until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Add remaining basil, season with salt, and serve with breadcrumbs, if desired.

Panzanella

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

This is the classic Tuscan bread salad made at the height of tomato season. Tuscan bread goes stale very quickly so there are lots of recipes to use it up in flavorful ways. The success of the dish depends on using really flavorful, ripe tomatoes and a good olive oil. And you can use fresher bread if you don’t have stale—see directions below. You do need basil for this, though you can certainly add some chives as well, so I hope you have some in your garden or pick some up.

I know that when you order Panzanella in restaurants in the US you get toasted chunks of bread more like croutons, tossed with tomatoes, etc. This version is what I learned and ate in Tuscany. Please give it a try. The texture is completely different than what is served here but much more integrated and I think much better. Would love to hear reports if you make it.

4 cups diced stale bread (white or partial whole wheat is fine – Grand Central Como or Peasant is perfect for this or something similar—it just can’t be soft, enriched sandwich bread)

4 ripe and juicy medium tomatoes, cut into large dice

1 cup chopped cucumbers (if the lemon cukes are super juicy you could scoop out some of the seeds and discard)

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

1/2 small red or yellow onion, very thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained and patted dry, or ½ a small Walla Walla Sweet, thinly sliced (no need to soak since it’s so mild)

1-2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

2-3 tablespoons, chopped fresh basil

¼ - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 

If the bread is quite stale, soak it in water for 15 minutes (Tuscan bread gets much harder than the bread we typically have here) If it’s not terribly stale you can just sprinkle it with a bit of water to moisten it slightly. 

Combine the vegetables, basil and garlic in a large salad bowl. When ready, drain the bread cubes (if you soaked them) and squeeze all the water out of them using your hands. Crumble the bread over the vegetables. In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir well. Pour over salad and toss to combine really well. Adjust seasoning to taste. This salad should have a good vinegary kick and be strongly flavored with the basil, capers and garlic.

Swiss Chard and Polenta Squares

 

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 cups green onions, chopped
• 1 cup polenta or yellow corn meal
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch chard, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Oil 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk ricotta and milk in large bowl to blend. Mix in Parmesan, polenta, salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds. Cover and cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add chard, cover and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir chard mixture into polenta. Transfer to prepared dish. Brush 1 tablespoon oil over top. Bake until brown around edges and firm in center, about 35 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

 

French Lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto

Martha Stewart

• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
• 1/3 cup French green lentils, picked over
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 large leeks (about 3/4 pound), white and light-green parts only
• 4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup finely shredded radicchio, for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentils, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain lentils, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, wash Swiss chard, and remove the leaves from the stalks. Slice the leaves into very thin 2-inch strips, and cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice. Discard the larger stems. Cook Swiss chard in a wok or a large skillet over high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a colander.
3. Cut leeks in half lengthwise, and slice into very thin semicircles. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift out of the water, and drain in a colander. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a bare simmer.
5. Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat; add leeks, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add rice and thyme leaves, and continue stirring until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
6. Raise the heat to medium high, add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy but still a little firm in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in lentils, Swiss chard, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the risotto among six plates, and garnish with the shredded radicchio. Serve immediately.

Lima Beans with Wild Mushroom and Chard

Bon Appetit

• 1  pound  dried lima beans
• 3  1-1/2-ounce packages assorted dried wild mushrooms [don’t have to be wild mushrooms, though there are great mushrooms at both the Salem Public Market and Salem Saturday Market.]
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4  teaspoon  dried crushed red pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 6  cups  (lightly packed) sliced stemmed Swiss chard

Place lima beans in large bowl with enough water to cover by 5 inches. Soak overnight.

Bring 2 cups water and dried mushrooms to boil in small saucepan. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to medium bowl; reserve liquid in saucepan. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, 10 minutes. Drain beans; add to pot. Pour in mushroom liquid, leaving sediment behind. Add 6 cups water. Bring to simmer; skim foam from top. Stir in red pepper and thyme. Simmer partially covered until beans are tender, 45 minutes. Season with salt. Chop mushrooms; add to pot. Simmer uncovered over medium heat until beans and mushrooms are very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water to thin as needed, about 15 minutes longer. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, then cover and chill. Rewarm beans before continuing. Add chard to beans. Cover pot; cook until chard is tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Winter Vegetable and Chicken Stew

Martha Stewart

• ·  2 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4 pieces)
• ·  1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 3 pieces)
• ·  1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for cooking water
• ·  1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ·  4 slender carrots, peeled
• ·  3 large celery ribs
• ·  2 medium parsnips (6 ounces), peeled
• ·  4 small onions, peeled and quartered lengthwise with roots attached
• ·  3 cups water
• ·  One 14 1/2-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
• ·  1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
• ·  1/2 pound wide egg noodles
• ·  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ·  1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ·  4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ·  1 bunch Swiss chard (1 1/2 pounds), coarsely chopped with stems
• ·  2 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; season with salt and pepper. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add half of chicken to pot; cook, turning occasionally, until nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cut carrots, celery, and parsnips into 3/4-inch pieces. Place vegetables, onions, water, broth, and rosemary in Dutch oven; scrape browned bits from the bottom. Cover; bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are barely tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Cook noodles in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Stir noodles, parsley, chicken, and any collected juices in the bowl into pot. Cook on low until chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add chard; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Divide chard among six bowls. Ladle soup on top; serve with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Chard and White Bean Stew

Smitten Kitchen

Adapted a bit generously from Dan Barber

I started with a recipe from Dan Barber for a kale and white bean stew, even though I knew it wasn’t what I wanted. I have yet to get over my dislike of kale, despite a brief period of acceptance when I learned how to make it into chips. I used chard instead, but you could use any green you’ve got, even spinach. (Though if you are unfamiliar with chard but like spinach, trust me, you’ll love chard.) I also only used 2/3 of the greens suggested, because I really want this to be a white bean, not greens, stew. Then, I swapped some of the vegetable broth for pureed tomatoes, because that’s what I think a bean stew needs. I dialed back the broth a bit, because I don’t like soupy stews… Oh, and I added some weights and then (typical!) forgot I was weighing ingredients so only some are listed. Sorry about that.

Finally, I cooked the wine down more than suggested because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t accidentally going to booze up the kid so that he might accidentally get a good night’s sleep. Because that would be terrible, you know?

• 1 pound Swiss chard (can also swap kale, spinach or another green), ribs and stems removed and cleaned
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup (5 1/4 ounces) chopped carrots
• 1 cup (5 ounces) chopped celery
• 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) chopped shallots, about 4 medium
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 15-ounce cans (or about 3 3/4 cups) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups (or more to taste) vegetable broth
• 1 cup pureed tomatoes (from a can/carton/your jarred summer supply)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Toasted bread slices, poached eggs (tutorial), chopped herbs such as tarragon, parsley or chives or grated Parmesan or Romano to serve (optional)

Bring medium pot of salted water to boil. Cook chard (or any heavier green; no need to precook baby spinach) for one minute, then drain and squeeze out as much extra water as possible. Coarsely chop chard.

Wipe out medium pot to dry it, and heat olive oil over medium. Add carrots, celery, shallots and garlic and saute for 15 minutes. Barber warns not to brown them but I didn’t mind a light golden color on them. Add wine (scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pot) and cook it until it reduced by three-fourths. Add beans, broth, tomatoes, a few pinches of salt, freshly ground black pepper, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chard and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Add more broth if you’d like a thinner stew and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as is drizzled with sherry vinegar. Or you can ladle the stew over thick piece of toasted country bread or baguette that has been rubbed lightly with half a clove of garlic, top that with a poached egg and a few drops of sherry vinegar and/or some grated cheese.   

Winter Minestrone

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 large potato (skin on), cubed
• 8 ounces (or one big bunch) Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, fire roasted preferred
• 1 ¼ cup dry cannellini beans, cooked (or 3 cups canned cannellinis)
• 1/2 cup dry barley, cooked (it will yield about 1 ½ cups cooked)
• 6-7 cups vegetable broth (water may also be used)
• 2 tablespoons dried Italian basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• If meat eater- add bacon or pancetta (traditional recipe) for more flavor 
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper

[Cook's Illustrated adds Parmesan rind for more flavor- cook with stock/water then remove at end.]

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the potato and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook for two more minutes. Add canned tomatoes, heat until tomatoes begin to break apart and then add 6 cups of the broth. Stir in beans, barley, and all of the seasonings except parsley. At this point you may want to add the other cup of broth, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup - entirely up to you. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until potato cubes are soft. Give the pot a good stir so that the beans and tomatoes begin to break apart, adding a nice texture to the broth. Stir in fresh parsley, salt and pepper, then serve. Grate some fresh Parmesan/Reggiano to garnish.

Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard and Garlic

Smitten Kitchen
Adapted from Secrets of the Best Chefs, where it was provided by Gina DePalma

This soup is hearty and intense and the absolutely best remedy for a brittle, cold winter day — a meal in a bowl that also leaves your home smelling amazing. (I kinda wanted to eat the air.) A few other things I liked about it: it didn’t require you to have broth or stock on hand; you only need to use water because the other ingredients are so aromatic and deeply flavored, it’s not necessary. You could easily make it vegetarian by skipping the sausage. And you could veganize it by skipping the sausage and romano cheese. What you are absolutely not allowed to skip is the sizzling garlic oil as a finish. Drizzled onto the bowls at the last minute (especially with the salty romano cheese on top), it raises the bar, unforgettably.

One P.S. I have a weird aversion to overcooked greens in soups, so only added what I needed right before serving, into the portion we were going to eat. It kept them vibrant, and I kept the leftover greens for today’s eagerly anticipated leftovers.

Serves 6

• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 4 large links of sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used half of this, preferring the sausage to not dominate the soup’s flavor)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced or diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons or diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced (reserve half for later in recipe)
• Kosher salt
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups water
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 cups shredded or thinly ribboned Swiss chard leaves or kale
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese to finish

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pot) in a large pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, first two garlic cloves, a pinch fo salt, and if you like your soup spicy, a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook with the sausage until the vegetables soften a bit, another 5 minutes. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water, more salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. (It might be necessary to add more water if the soup gets too thick, though we preferred ours on the thick side.)

When the lentils are cooked, add the chard and cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Discard the bay leaves.

To finish, divide soup among bowls, then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 garlic cloves to a small skillet and heat over medium until the garlic softens and hisses. Drizzle this over soup bowls, and top with fresh Romano, passing more at the table. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge.

Grilled/Broiled Summer Squash with Parsley Garlic Sauce (Salsa Verde)

from Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

This takes a little time but is delicious and beautiful. 

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini or other summer squash, thinly sliced long-ways (if zucchini) about ¼-inch thick
• Olive oil for brushing squash
• ½ bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ - 1/3 cup good olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions

You can cook the squash one of three ways. You can brush with olive oil and broil on sheet pan, flipping once browned on one side until slightly browned and tender on both sides. You can grill on the barbeque or you can cook in a large heavy skillet on the stovetop in a little olive oil. All work great. The stovetop is probably the fastest. However you cook them, once cooked spread them out on a platter in a single layer.

Mix all the salsa verde ingredients together and adjust seasoning. Then drizzle/spread sauce over squash. Let rest for 15 minutes if you can before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

from the Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from several places, but my favorite version is Alton Brown’s

To hard-boil eggs, well, there are a million approaches out there (see this comment section if you don’t believe me). Mine is to cover a large egg with cold water and put it on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, set a timer to exactly 9 or 10 minutes, and reduce the heat to medium. Once it’s done, I often plunge it in icy water so that it will stop cooking immediately and also chill quickly. At 9 minutes, large eggs will be a little tender in the center, as you can see in the top photo. At 10, it will be a fully-cooked (but not overcooked) egg.

If you’re freaked out by raw red onion, you can actually add it to the dressing in the skillet for the last 10 seconds to soften it and remove more of the bite, and pour the onions and dressing over the salad together.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces baby spinach
• 2 large white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 small or medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 large egg, hard-boiled (see above), chilled, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 pieces thick-sliced bacon (about 4 ounces), finely diced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place spinach in a large, wide salad serving bowl. Scatter with mushrooms, red onion (see above for a different, mellower way to add the onions) and coins of hard-boiled egg. In a large skillet, fry bacon bits over medium-high heat until they’re brown and crisp and have rendered their fat. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the skillet and spread them on a piece of paper towel briefly before sprinkling them over the salad. Pour out all but two tablespoons of hot bacon fat from the skillet. Reheat over medium and quickly whisk in the red wine vinegar, honey and Dijon. Pour over entire salad and season salt and pepper. Toss gently and serve hot. Repeat tomorrow night. Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 spinach salad enthusiasts.

Spinach and Smashed Egg Toast

I use this spinach method, scaled up, all the time to make a quick, lazy creamed spinach with dinner. (A more classic one is here. An even more gussied one is here.) Creme fraiche could replace the cream (unlike yogurt or sour cream, it doesn’t curdle when heated).

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 slice of your favorite hearty bread
• 2 ounces baby spinach
• 1 pat butter
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot or white onion
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon crumbled cheese, such as goat cheese or feta

Directions

Bring small pot of water to boil. Lower egg into it and boil for five (for a runnier egg, as seen in top photo) to six (for a less-runny but still loose egg, as seen in bottom two photos) minutes.* Rinse egg briefly under cool water and set aside.

Wash your spinach but no need to dry it. Put a small puddle of water in the bottom of a skillet and heat it over medium-high. Once the water is simmering, add the spinach and cook it until it is just wilted, and not a moment longer. Transfer it to a colander and press as much of the excess water out with the back of a fork as possible. No need to wring it out here; we’re hoping to those lovely wilted leaves intact. Keep that fork; you’ll use it again in a moment.

Put your bread in to toast.

Dry your skillet if it is still wet. Heat a pat of butter in it over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook them for a few minutes, until translucent and a little sweet. Return spinach to skillet and add cream. Simmer them together for one minute, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Put your toast on your plate and spread it thinly with Dijon mustard. Heap the spinach-and-shallot mixture on top, then add the crumbled cheese. Peel your egg; doing so under running water can make this easier. Once peeled, place it on your spinach toast, smash it open with the back of that fork you used a minute ago, and sprinkle it with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Eat immediately.

* When you’re eating a soft-boiled egg right away, six minutes is the way to go. But here, since we boil the egg and then prepare the rest of the toast, it continues to cook and firm up a bit in its shell, so I’ve found that a 5 to 5 1/2 minute egg will give you the equivalent in the end.

Espinacas con Garbanzos [Spinach and Chickpeas]

From the Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from Moro: The Cookbook and Lobstersquad

One of the reason I blended recipes was because I wanted the approachability of Ximena’s version but also some of the extras in Moro’s — the vinegar, paprika and the fried bread, mashed to a paste. Except, in hindsight, I think I’d also enjoy this recipe without the bread. It would be a bit thinner and saucier and possibly harder to slop onto a piece of toast, but also a bit lighter — in weight, not just calories. If you’re bread-averse or think you’d enjoy it without the crumbs in the sauce, give it a spin and let us know how it goes.

Tomato sauce, by the way, is emphatically not traditional in this dish but after making Ximena’s version with it — she says “you don’t have to use tomato in this recipe, but it’s so much better with it” — I can’t have it any other way.

Last note: This recipe is flexible. If you end up with a little less spinach or a little more sauce, or if you want it with a little less this or a little more that, so be it. Enjoy it. Have fun with it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (230 grams) dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender* or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 6 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound (450 grams) spinach, washed
• A hefty 1-inch slice from a country loaf or about 2 slices from sandwich loaf bread (2.5 ounces or 75 grams), crusts removed and cut inset small cubes
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato sauce (I used canned stuff I keep around)
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika**
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon juice, to taste

Directions

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top, or on fried bread toasts (as the Spanish do).

* I make all of my dried beans in the slow-cooker these days. They are perfect every time, and the flavor of fresh beans — even the sad-looking ones from grocery store bins I used — is incomparable. No presoaking, just cover them 2 to 3 inches of water and cook them 3 hours on high. (I have learned that cooking time can vary widely in slow-cookers so allot more time than you might need. I often make mine in the day or days before and let them cool in their cooking water, which is then by then very flavorful.)

** This might be my favorite ingredient on earth — it’s amazing on eggs and potatoes, too. If you can’t find it locally, Amazon and Penzeys are among a bunch of places that sell it online.