Recipe Files

This week's recipe files from the Windmill Market's Produce Club for May 7 include the following:

Emeril’s Kicked Up Kale Soup

No-Bake Fresh Fruit Pie

Carrots and Leeks

Shaved Summer Squash Salad

Eggplants Stuffed with Lamb, Rice, and Currants

GREEK MEAT PIE  

Smoked-Sardine Brandade

Emeril’s Kicked Up Kale Soup

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup sliced red onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 1/2 pounds chorizo sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch slices

3 quarts chicken/beef stock

4 cups kale, rinsed, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch strips

1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound diced new potatoes

6 tablespoons chiffonade fresh mint leaves

Small loaf crusty bread

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, and onions. Saute the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chorizo, stock and kale and bring the liquid up to a boil. Stir in the Essence and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any fat. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the fresh mint. Serve the soup with crusty bread.

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast)

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

No-Bake Fresh Fruit Pie

Epicurious  | June 2000   by Susan Purdy  The Perfect Pie

Pre-made (or homemade) pastry crust to fit a 9” pie pan

4 cups any combination of fresh berries, picked over, washed, hulled, if necessary, and drained until dry

2/3 to 1 cup granulated sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more as needed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Prepare the pastry, roll it out, and line the pie plate. Prick the pastry bottom with a fork and chill until firm. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Completely blind-bake the shell.

In a food processor or using a fork, mash 1 1/2 cups of the cut-up mixed fruit or berries. Measure the sugar, cornstarch, and water into a saucepan and whisk until smooth. Stir in the mashed fruit and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and clear. Stir in the lemon juice.

Taste the cooked sauce and correct the balance of sugar and lemon if necessary. Stir in the butter and all the remaining cut-up fresh fruit and berries. Firm fruits like apples or plums are best slightly mashed into the cooked sauce, while softer fresh fruits and berries should simply be stirred in. Chill until partially thickened, then spoon into the cooked pastry shell and chill for at least 3 hours to set. Serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Carrots and Leeks

Gourmet  | May 2008  by Ian Knauer

3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 lb carrots, cut diagonally into 1 1/4-inch pieces

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar

Halve leeks lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces and wash

Sauté leeks in butter with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in carrots, water, and vinegar. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Boil, uncovered, until liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

* Windmill Note:  We made this squash salad last summer and loved it so much we decided to share it again!

Shaved Summer Squash Salad

Bon Appétit  | June 2011   by Jenna Clemens, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, GA

3 tablespoons whole almonds

1 pound summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 minced garlic clove

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Baby arugula

Roast almonds and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic clove, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand for a few minutes, then add a few handfuls of baby arugula. Shave a little Pecorino over the squash and toss. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crushed almonds.

Eggplants Stuffed with Lamb, Rice, and Currants

Martha Stewart Living, September 2011

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 ounces ground lamb (90 percent lean)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 2/3 cups chicken stock

1 cup short-grain brown rice

3 tablespoons dried currants

4 small eggplants (about 8 ounces each)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley and mint,and finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof pot over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring often, until soft and lightly caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Add lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until lamb is cooked through and no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add stock, rice, and currants. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer to oven on lowest rack. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice eggplants in half lengthwise; brush each cut side with 1/4 teaspoon oil. Roast, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet on top oven rack until centers are soft and tops are browned, about 40 minutes. Let cool.

Gently scrape eggplant flesh into a large bowl, reserving skins. Stir in lamb-rice mixture, chopped herbs, and lemon zest. Divide stuffing among eggplant skins. Garnish with more herbs and lemon zest.

GREEK MEAT PIE  

cooks.com

1 lb. ground beef chuck, lean

1 lb. ground lamb, lean

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano, crushed

1 cup tomato sauce

pinch of cinnamon

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup butter, melted

12 sheets Phyllo pastry

In a skillet, saute ground meat in olive oil with onions until browned. Season with salt, oregano and pepper. Add tomato sauce, cinnamon.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and stir in cheese. When ground meat has cooled, fold in the eggs and cheese mixture.

Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Arrange six sheets of Phyllo pastry on bottom of pan, buttering each sheet. Spread a layer of cooled meat mixture evenly on Phyllo. Cover with remaining six sheets, brushing each with melted butter.

Trim edges of Phyllo to fit pan with a sharp knife. Slice through top of pastry to form diamond shapes.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until pastry is golden crisp.May be served hot or cold.

Windmill Note: 

A healthy idea to use the fresh baked bread- this Sardine Spread is high in Vitamin B12 and healthy omegas!

Smoked-Sardine Brandade

Whole Living, April 2012

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Coarse salt

1 (4.25-ounce) can smoked Pacific sardines, packed in olive oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 small loaf crusty multigrain bread, sliced

In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes and garlic with water and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return to pan.

Add sardines and their oil. Whisk mixture until combined, then gradually whisk in oil. Add reserved cooking liquid to adjust consistency. Stir in lemon zest and juice and season to taste with cayenne.

Preheat broiler. Brush bread with oil and toast until golden brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve warm with brandade.