Tangy Apple Fennel Slaw

From Inspired Taste

Ingredients

• 3 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cream-style prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Lemon peel strips, if desired

Directions

In large bowl, place apples and fennel.

 In small bowl, mix lemon juice, horseradish, oil, honey, salt and pepper until blended. Pour over apples and fennel; toss to coat. Garnish with lemon peel.

Fennel Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 3 cups thin green beans
• 1/2 cup sliced fennel bulb
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1 fresh tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, chopped
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion and let sit during step 2.
2. Bring water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid.
3. Cut ends off beans and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Slice fennel.
4. Steam beans and onion together for about 3 minutes, then add fennel. Steam for another 2 minutes. Drain well and pat with paper towel so any excess water does not dilute taste.
5. Toss with rest of ingredients.

Antipasto Salad with Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 cups carrots, turned
• 1-1/2 cups thickly sliced celery
• 1 cup fresh sliced fennel bulb
• 2 TBS rinsed and quartered Kalamata olives
• 2 TBS capers, rinsed

Dressing

• 1-1/2 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1-1/2TBS fresh lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Directions

1. Press garlic and let sit during step 2.
2. Bring water to boil in steamer and add carrots and steam for 4 minutes. Add celery and fennel and steam for just 1 more minute.
3. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with capers and olives.
4. Whisk all dressing ingredients together, drizzling olive oil at end a little at a time.
5. Toss with vegetables and marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Fennel - Produce Notes, Storage, and Nutrition

Fennel- Fennel, or Foeniculum vulgare, is part of the Apiaceae family of vegetables. Other members in the family include carrots, parsley, celery, dill, and cilantro. Fennel is a fragrant and flavorful herb that has many uses in the culinary world, but is most often associated with Mediterranean dishes. This particular variety of fennel is Florence fennel, or F. vulgare var.azoricum, the development of which dates back to Italy in the 17th century. 

There are three parts to fennel, all of which are edible and easily used in recipes. The bulbs of fennel are versatile and can be shredded to put into salads or side dishes, braised, pureed into a soup or sauce, or even grilled. The stalks are similar to celery stalks in texture and crunchiness, and can be sliced and added to a green salad, or added to a stir-fry along with your onions. The fennel leaves, or fronds, look similar to a dill leaf, but thinner. The leaves have a sweet licorice-like anise flavor and are used to garnish a variety of meals and even desserts.

Special notes on storage and handling- Store fresh fennel in the refrigerator crisper, where it should keep fresh for 1-2 weeks. However, it is best to eat your fennel soon because as it ages, it tends to gradually lose its flavor.

How to cut fennel:
1. Lay fennel flat and cut the stalks and fronds off the bulb.
2. Set the bulb on its flat bottom, then cut it in half.
3. Set the fennel halves cut side down. Cut each half perpendicular to the fibers into your preferred thickness.  

Nutrition                                                                                                                                                                           

Fennel is a good source of fiber, folate, potassium, antioxidants, and an excellent surce of vitamin C.

Baked Orzo with Eggplant and Mozzarella

from the Smitten Kitchen

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

I made a couple changes to this recipe due to personal preferences. The original called for a lot of carrots and celery (4 carrots, 3 celery stalks) but I wanted them to just be a background flavor, not main ingredient. I also chopped them more finely. I used a lot less lemon zest and oregano than was suggested because I was nervous but ended up wishing for more of each so I’ve listed the range from my amount to the suggested one below. Finally, the tomatoes were intended to be sliced and then arranged across the top of the dish as it baked. If you’d like to do it this way, sprinkle them with a teaspoon of dried oregano, salt and pepper before you bake it. I chopped them for two reasons: I wanted the tomatoes inside the dish and I also like the crunchy lid of a baked pasta dish. A layer of tomatoes would protect you from that if you’re not into it. (You probably don’t like pudding skin either, do you? It’s okay. We can still be friends.)

You could easily use whole wheat orzo here, or I suspect, another grain. However, you’ll have to do a bit of fiddling with the broth level to adjust for each one. Grains that take longer than pasta to cook (just about all of them) would probably benefit from par-cooking before they go in.

A few other substitions: I didn’t have any vegetable broth and used water. I felt it wasn’t lacking at all for flavor. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned ones (though fresh will hold up better on top). If you don’t have fresh oregano, use half the amount of dried oregano. If you don’t like or don’t have either, thyme, fresh or dried, would work well here but it’s much stronger in flavor and only half as much should be needed.

Serves 4

1 large (mine was just over 1 1/4 pounds/570 grams) eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 celery stalk, in a 1/4-inch dice
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces (225 grams) orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, rinsed
1 teaspoon (6 grams) tomato paste
1 1/2 cups (355 ml) vegetable stock
1 to 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or more to taste, up to the zest of a whole lemon
4 ounces (115 grams) mozzarella, firmer is better here, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 1/2 ounces (a generous 1/2 cup or 45 grams) parmesan, grated
3 medium tomatoes, diced

Sprinkle your eggplant generously with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes. I used this time to get the rest of my ingredients ready. After 30 minutes, rinse it well and pat it dry on towels.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and once the oil is shimmering, add the eggplant. Fry for 8 minutes, stirring pieces occasionally. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Add celery and carrots to remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes before adding onion and garlic. Cook together for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Stir in the orzo and tomato paste and cook for two minutes more. Off the heat, add the oregano, mozzarella, parmesan, tomatoes, fried eggplant, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon table salt, many grinds of black pepper and the stock and mix well.

Transfer mixture to an 8×11-inch (about 2 quarts) ovenproof baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then bake 20 minutes without the foil. (You can increase the ration of foil-on to foil-off time if you don’t like a crunchy pasta lid.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Stir-Fried Eggplant and Ginger With Miso (Nasu no Abura Miso)

From The Oregonian

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons mild miso, such as white miso
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 1 pound Japanese eggplants (4 or 5 small)
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or light-colored sesame oil (not the toasted variety)
• 2 small dried red chile peppers, torn in half
• 1 tablespoon slivered fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely sliced shiso leaves (see note)

Directions

In a small bowl, muddle the miso with the sake. Slice the eggplant down the middle lengthwise, then diagonally crosswise into slightly less than 1/2-inch slices.

Heat the oil with the dried peppers in a large wok or skillet over medium heat until the peppers turn bright red. Throw in the ginger and eggplant pieces and toss gently for several minutes, until the eggplant slices are shiny and soft. Add the miso-sake mixture, and stir gingerly to evenly coat the slices without smashing or breaking them. Sprinkle in the shiso leaves, toss once, and serve while still blisteringly hot. Makes 6 servings.

Spinach Salad with Grilled Eggplant and Feta

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram or oregano
• 1 (1 1/4-pounds) eggplant, trimmed and cut into 8 (1-inch-thick) rounds
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 1 cup crumbled feta (1/4 pound)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (1 ounce), lightly toasted

Directions

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure . Whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, marjoram, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.  Brush both sides of eggplant slices with some of dressing. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill eggplant, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cut into pieces. Toss spinach with enough dressing to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add eggplant, feta, and pine nuts and toss again.

·Eggplant can be grilled, in batches if necessary, in a lightly oiled hot grill pan over medium-high heat.

Eggplant and Smoked-Gouda Open-Faced Grilled Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped (2 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley [basil would be nice too]
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 (8-oz) piece smoked cheese such as Gouda, mozzarella, or scamorza
• 4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices country-style bread (from an 8-inch round loaf)
• 2 (1-lb) eggplants

Directions

Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure.  While grill is heating, stir together tomatoes, parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave half of cheese into thin slices (if using mozzarella, thinly slice half of it with a knife) and cover slices with plastic wrap, reserving remaining piece for another use. Brush bread on both sides with 1 tablespoon oil per slice. Trim off top and bottom of each eggplant, then cut 2 (1-inch-thick) slices lengthwise from center of each eggplant, discarding remainder. Brush cut sides with 3 tablespoons oil (total) and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Lightly oil grill rack, then grill eggplant slices (covered only if using a gas grill), loosening with a metal spatula and turning occasionally to avoid over browning, until very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. While eggplant is grilling, grill bread, turning over once, until grill marks form, 1 to 2 minutes total, and transfer to a large platter.  Transfer eggplant to platter, then top evenly with sliced cheese and return to grill and cook, covered for charcoal or gas, without turning, until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Transfer eggplant with spatula to platter. Transfer grilled bread to 4 plates and spoon tomato mixture on top. Drizzle evenly with remaining tablespoon oil and top with eggplant. Season with pepper to taste.

Pesto - Eggplant Dip

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 1 ripe tomato  ( 8oz.)
• 3 - 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, washed and dried
• 1 clove garlic 
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• salt and pepper
• 6 toasted pita breads

Directions

Rinse eggplant.  Peel, trim and discard stem end. Rinse and core tomato.  Cut both into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides of each slice with the olive oil. Place eggplant and tomato slices in a single layer on two baking sheets.Broil 6 inches from heat, one sheet at a time, turning once until the eggplant is browned on both sides about ten minutes per sheet. In a food processor, whirl basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add eggplant and tomato. Pulse until vegetables are coarsely chopped. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Place in a bowl and garnish with feta.  Serve with pita breads.

Dip can be covered, chilled  and held for one day.

Cucumber Dill Salad

From Jennifer McGavin

Cucumbers and dill make a great combination, but this salad is tasty with just cucumbers, too. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 seedless cucumber (long and skinny, slightly bumpy), or 2 American cucumbers
• 3 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small red onion, sliced and broken into rings (optional)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, (leaves from 1 lg. stalk) (optional)

 

Directions

Wash the cucumber(s). If you have unwaxed, seedless cucumbers you can leave part or all of the skin on in strips (attractive when sliced), all others should be peeled. Using a mandoline, a food processor with the thin slicer attachment, or the slicer opening on a cheese grater, slice the cucumber very thin.

Place the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the cucumber, onion, and dill, if using, and toss well. Marinate for 5 or more minutes and serve.

Dill Sauce

From Jennifer McGavin

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 2 tsp. chopped dill
• 2-3 tsp. lemon (or lime) juice
• 1-2 tsp. sweetener (agave nectar, sugar, honey)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients and season to taste. Keep refrigerated.

You may use fresh or frozen, thawed dill for this sauce.

Use for meat fondue, over eggs, on potatoes or over salad.

New Potatoes in Lemon Dill Sauce

From Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 12 small red potatoes (1 pound)

• 2 fresh dill sprigs

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Place potatoes and dill sprigs in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl; keep warm.

• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add cream and reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the snipped dill, lemon juice and salt; pour over potatoes and toss to coat. Yield: 4 servings.

Cucumber and Red Onion Salad II (with Garlic and Ginger)

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

Ingredients
dressing ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or other neutral oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or mashed with some salt with the side of chef’s knife
• 1 ½-inch chunk of fresh ginger, finely minced or grated on a microplane
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Salad ingredients:

• ¼ of an onion, very thinly sliced (soaked in a bowl of ice water for 10-20 minutes)
• 1 large cucumber, (about 1 pound), sliced lengthwise in half and then cut each half an on angle into ¼ inch slices
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional but very good)
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

Mix dressing ingredients well

Add the remainder of the ingredients to the dressing and mix well. Let the salad sit for 20 minutes if you have the time to let the flavors marry. Adjust the seasoning.

Cucumber and Red Onion Salad I

From Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

Serves 4-6 as a side

You want to soak the onions in ice water for 20 minutes to reduce their pungency (unless you like a lot of bite).

Cucumbers go well with a variety of herbs and flavors. Dill is a common one but, parsley, basil, and cilantro are excellent too so play around with these ideas. 

¼ of an onion (or however much you want/need to use), diced (soak with onions in ice water for 10-20 minutes –see headnote)

1 large cucumber, (about 1 pound), sliced lengthwise in quarters and then sliced into ¼ inch chunks.

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons (or to taste) rice wine vinegar or 3-4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground pepper 

Mix all ingredients together well, adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy.

Cucumber Salad

From Gourmet

Ingredients

• 2 seedless cucumbers (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
• 2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil

• Equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer

Directions

Cut cucumbers into thin (1/16-inch) rounds with slicer. Toss with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander, then drain 30 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from cucumbers.

Whisk together sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl, then stir in cucumbers. Marinate, chilled, at least 2 hours.

Drain cucumbers, reserving marinade, and mound on lettuce. Whisk oil into reserved marinade and drizzle over salad.

Cooks’ note: Cucumbers can be marinated, chilled, up to 1 day.

Cucumber Water

Ingredients

2 Liters of spring water or filtered water

1 to 2 cucumbers

Directions

Slice cucumbers into the water and let seep for 1 to 2 hours. Garnish with ribbons of cucumber skin, a wedge on the edge of the glass, or use a melon scooper to make balls for each cup.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta

Not really a recipe but a wonderful combo

Cut tomatoes and lemon cukes into medium to large dice or wedges. Add a generous amount of the best feta you can find. Dress with the best olive oil you have, some red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. A generous sprinkling of chopped chives will round it out. You can also add chopped lettuce and chopped black olives for a complete Greek salad (and basil in that case too!).

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.

Ingredients

• 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

Directions

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

Corn on the Cob with Cheese and Lime

From Gourmet

These messy but irresistible ears of corn coated with cheese are a popular street snack in Mexico. For our recipe we used cotija, a crumbly, pungent, aged-curd cheese that can range in consistency from soft to very hard, depending on the brand. (We made ours with Los Fortales, a hard variety available at cheese shops and some specialty foods shops.) You can, however, substitute feta, which is more widely available.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn in the husk

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

• 3/4 cup shredded cotija or feta

• Accompaniment: lime wedges

Preparation

Prepare grill.

Soak corn in husks in cold water 10 minutes. Drain corn and grill on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until husks are charred, about 10 minutes. Shuck corn and grill until kernels are browned in spots, about 10 minutes.

While corn is grilling, in a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise and cayenne. Using the small teardrop-shaped holes on a four-sided grater grate cotija.

Brush mayonnaise mixture onto hot corn and sprinkle with cojita.

Serve corn on the cob with lime wedges.

Roasted Potato Salad with Bell Peppers, Roasted Corn, and Tomatoes

From Fine Cooking

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups red, yellow, or orange cherry tomatoes (or a combination), halved

• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

• 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 recipe Simple Roasted Potatoes

• 3 Tbs. red-wine vinegar

Tip: Roast the corn while you roast the potatoes.

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Remove the husk and put the corn on a small baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tsp. of the oil onto the corn and rub it over all the kernels. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast, turning the cob occasionally, until the corn kernels are light brown in a few spots, about 20 minutes. Let the corn cool. Cut the kernels from the cob.

Add the corn, tomatoes, red, green, and yellow peppers, onion, basil, and garlic to the potatoes. Toss gently. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the vinegar together and add to the salad. Toss again. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.