Ingredients

• 5-6 tbsp. golden or dark raisins
• 2 bunches red or rainbow Swiss chard (or 2 bags of spinach)
• 5 tbsp. pine nuts
• 3-4 tbsp. olive oil
• 6-8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. water, if needed
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. pepper

Preparation

Unbundle the chard, rinse, drain and dry well. Place the raisins in a small bowl; add very hot water to cover, and soak until plump, 10-15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels, then set aside. While the raisins are plumping, tear the chard leaves from the stems, discard stems. Chop the leaves coarsely. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts, and soaked raisins, and cook until the nuts and the garlic are lightly golden, 3-6 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the chard, toss to coat with the oil mixture and cook, stirring, until it wilts and gets tender and begins to release a bit of liquid, approximately 2-3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients for Breadcrumbs

• 4 cups cubed, day old/stale Italian or French bread
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic - minced, or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation for Breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into 1 to 2 inch cubes. Place the cubed bread into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, oregano and salt. Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil mixture, until all the bread is well coated. Place the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, and crisp.

Ingredients

• 3-4 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

Preparation

Place the garlic and anchovies into a mortar, and grind into a fine paste with a pestle. Add the capers, and mustard and continue grinding until a smooth paste is formed. Use a spatula to scrape the paste out of the mortar, and place it in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

Place the egg in a large coffee mug, or other heat proof container. Pour boiling water over the egg, and let sit for 3 minutes. Drain the hot water off the egg, and cover with cold water. Whisk the coddled egg yolk into the mixing bowl with the other Caesar dressing ingredients (discard the egg white).

Slowly whisk in the olive oil, until well blended. The dressing should have a consistency which is just a bit thicker than heavy cream.

Add the Romaine lettuce to a large salad bowl. Toss with a bit of the Caesar salad dressing, then garnish with Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper and a few of the homemade breadcrumbs. The salad should be well coated, but not drowning, with dressing.

Cuisine Diva

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 c. thinly sliced shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 lb. assorted greens (kale, Swiss chard), stems removed and thinly sliced, leaves chopped
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, stir 1 minute. Add greens stems, sautee for 4 minutes. Add leaves and cook, tossing often, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Add butter; toss until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

Bon Appetit, 9/2011

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed, stringed, cut in half on diagonal
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sumac plus more for garnish
• 1 bunch radishes (about 6 oz.), trimmed, thinly sliced
• 4 oz. ricotta salata or feta, crumbled
• black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh mint

Preparation

Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to bowl with ice water to cool. Drain peas; transfer to a kitchen-towel-lined baking sheet to dry.

Whisk oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. sumac in a small bowl. Toss peas, radishes, and cheese in a large bowl. (Can make ahead, store dressing and salad separately.)

Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Season salad with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with mint and sprinkle with sumac.

Bon Appetit, 7/2011

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes
• 1/2 large red onion
• 1 ear of corn
• 3 firm peaches
• 1 minced jalapeño
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Lightly oil, salt and pepper corn and peaches. Grill on all sides. Cut corn kernels off of the corn cob. De-seed and dice tomatoes. Dice peaches and red onion. Mix all ingredients together with lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeño. Let sit at least 15 minutes to marry flavors.

Rachel Mabb

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 lb. assorted firm stone fruid (about 5; such as plums, nectarines, peaches, or apricots), julienned
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Whisk first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add fruit and scallions; toss gently to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bon Appetit, July 2011

Ingredients

• 1 pound seedless watermelon chunks, cut into small slabs
• 6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into 12 rounds
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Arrange the watermelon slabs on 6 plates and top with the fresh goat cheese rounds. Sprinkle all over with the orange zest and nigella seeds.

In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice and lemon juice with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the watermelon and goat cheese and serve right away.

This doesn’t keep well, so you want to eat it all on the first day!

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 12 cups chicken broth
• 5 TBSP lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 12 egg yolks
• salt and white pepper to taste
• thinly sliced lemon

Preparation

Heat the chicken broth until it is scalding hot. Add the lemon juice and zest. Whisk egg yolks, then gradually whisk in some of the hot broth. Slowly return to broth, lower heat, and stir constantly while warming and thickening. Serve immediately, garnished with the lemon slices.

Ingredients for Dolmades

• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 2 large onions, grated
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
• 2 TBSP minced fresh mint
• s & p
• 1 jar grape leaves
• chicken broth

Preparation for Dolmades

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Rinse, drain, and separate grape leaves. Cover the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 leaves. Roll 1 TBSP filling in each grape leaf. Place close together in even layers in saucepan. Add enough chicken broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly on top of rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 to 3 cups broth from pot
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBSP cornstarch

Preparation for Sauce

In small saucepan, boil broth. Combine eggs, yolks, juice, and cornstarch in blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls. Eat.

Grandmommy

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• 1 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled (~3/4 c. raw)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 finely diced jalapeño peppers (optional)

Preparation

Mix everything together and serve over greens.

Penzey’s Spices