Recipe Files

This week's recipe files from the Produce Club include the following tasty treats:

Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

Eggplant Salad with Olives and Sherry Vinaigrette

Honey-Pecan Roast Pears

Ham & Pear Panini with Oven-Baked Fries

Soft-Shell Crabs with Wilted Spinach
and Warm Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette

Soft-Shell Crabs with Wilted Spinach and Warm Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette

8 soft shell crabs, cleaned (See note)

1 cup milk

flour for dusting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup red pear or cherry tomatoes (approximately 10-12 tomatoes), halved

1 cup yellow pear or cherry tomatoes (approximately 10-12 tomatoes), halved

1/2 cup red beefsteak tomato cut in 1-inch dice

1/2 cup yellow beefsteak tomato cut in 1-inch dice

1 shallot minced

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut julienne

1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, to taste

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound fresh spinach, rinsed well and stems trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Dip each crab in milk and them lightly coat both sides with flour. Heat butter and oil together in a large, oven proof (no plastic handles) pan over medium heat. Add crabs and sauté until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. Place pan in preheated oven and cook 3 more minutes. Transfer crabs to paper toweling to absorb oil. Set aside and keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine shallots, basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. After these ingredients are incorporated, add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to prepare dish, warm the vinaigrette in a sauce pan over high heat, removing from stove when it begins to simmer.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and sauté 4 minutes, until wilted. Drain liquid.

Place wilted spinach on one side of four individual dinner plates. Arrange two soft-shell crabs over each mound of spinach, overlapping one over the other. Spoon tomato vinaigrette over crabs and around the sides of the plate.

To properly clean a soft-shelled crab:

Peel back the pointed part of the shell and scrape away the gills from each side. Using sharp scissors, cut off the head and carefully squeeze out the green bubble behind the eyes. Next, bend back the “apron,” the thin piece that folds under the crab. Twist the apron until it breaks off, removing the intestinal vein at the same time.

Ham & Pear Panini with Oven-Baked Fries

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into fries1/4 to 1/3 inch thick

2 1/2 tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for brushing

8 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick

8 thin slices ham

1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 oz. cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat an oven to 500ºF.

On a Silpat-lined baking sheet, stir together the potatoes, salt, pepper and the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, gently flipping the fries with a spatula after 15 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, preheat an electric panini press according to the manufacturers instructions. 

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface. Arrange 2 slices ham on each of 4 bread slices and top with the pear and cheese slices, dividing evenly. Top each with one of the remaining bread slices, oiled side up. 

Place the sandwiches on the preheated panini press and cook according to the manufacturers instructions until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately with the fries. Serves 4.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Honey-Pecan Roast Pears

For an easy, old-fashioned dessert, serve these crunchy-topped, honey-coated pears with whipped cream. 

6 large firm yet ripe pears such as Anjou, Bartlett or Bosc

1 lemon, zest grated and fruit cut in half

About 4 Tbs. fragrant blossom honey, such as clover or wildflower

About 2 Tbs. orange juice

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup mixed dry cereals such as a mixture of oat, wheat flake and toasted granola

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, or to taste

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise and core. Immediately squeeze the lemon juice from both halves over the pears. Cut the pears lengthwise into thick slices and arrange in a baking dish or pie dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 Tbs. of the honey over the top and add enough orange juice to form a light film on the bottom of the dish. Roast the pears for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a dry small fry pan over high heat, toast the pecans, shaking the pan constantly, until they are aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and reserve several pecan halves for garnish. Transfer the remaining nuts to a food processor and chop coarsely. Add the cereals, lemon zest and brown sugar and process until evenly chopped and well mixed. Spoon the cereal mixture over the partially roasted pears, forming a “crust.” Drizzle with 2 to 3 more tsp. of the honey. Continue to roast until the crust is browned on top and the pears are tender when pierced, 15 to 18 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the remaining 1 Tbs. honey into the cream. Beat until soft peaks form, then fold in the vanilla.

Remove the pears from the oven. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on each serving, garnish with the reserved pecan halves and serve immediately.

Serves 6. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Everyday Roasting, by Janeen Sarlin (Time-Life Books, 1998).

Eggplant Salad with Olives and Sherry Vinaigrette

Serve plenty of fresh bread with this eggplant salad for soaking up the delicious juices.

2 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt, to taste

Olive oil for frying

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup pitted and slivered Kalamata olives

1 small red onion, shaved or thinly sliced

1/2 cup torn fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, toss the eggplant with enough salt to lightly coat each piece. Transfer to a colander set in a sink or in a large pan. Let stand for about 1 hour.  Rinse the eggplant thoroughly under cold running water, drain well and pat dry. 

In a deep sauté pan or fry pan over medium heat, pour in olive oil to a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer, or until a chunk of bread turns golden in 20 to 30 seconds. Fry the eggplant in batches (do not overcrowd the pan) until the edges are just golden and the eggplant is tender, about 2 minutes. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining eggplant. Transfer all the eggplant to a large mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, toast the coriander, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring, until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vinegar and orange juice. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the eggplant, stir to mix well and cool to room temperature. 

In another large mixing bowl, toss together the pine nuts, olives, red onion and parsley. Add half of the remaining vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper and stir to blend. Add the eggplant mixture and gently fold together. Add the remaining vinaigrette, to taste. Transfer the salad to a large platter or divide among individual plates. Garnish with a pinch of parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 6.  Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

When refrigerated, leftovers of this curry will thicken considerably. To reheat, you may need to add a little water or vegetable broth and warm it, covered, over medium heat just until hot.

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger

1 Thai or jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 Tbs. curry powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can (14 fl. oz.) coconut milk, well shaken

1 cup water

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained

Steamed basmati rice for serving (optional)

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. 

Cook the vegetables

Add the sweet potato, chickpeas, coconut milk and water to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring just to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and tomatoes and cook until heated through. Serve in bowls over steamed rice, if desired. Serves 4. 

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Vegetarian, by Dana Jacobi (Oxmoor House, 2007).