serves 4

4-6 handfuls of clean arugula
Half pint of strawberries, hulled and sliced in bite sized pieces
4 oz Pecorino or good aged sheeps milk cheese, cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
Balsamic Vinegar (Fattoria Estense is great)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper

how to make it

- In a large bowl with plenty of room to toss the leaves, season the arugula with salt & pepper to taste
- Drizzle balsamic to just kiss each leaf with vinegar, do the same with the oil
- Toss in the strawberries, reserve a few for garnish, adjust seasoning
- Toss half of pecorino into salad
- Present salad with remaining cheese scattered over the top & a few pieces of strawberry to make it pretty

serving suggestions

This would be a great accompaniment to a simply grilled skirt steak or as part of a multi-course Italian meal. I also like to have it as a complete meal tossed with leftover lentils or white beans.

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Serves 8

1                      Lemon
2 lbs.              Baby artichokes (about 18)
6T                   Olive Oil
4                      Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1t                     Herbes de Provence, Dried
1/2 Cup         Vegetable Broth
1/3 Cup         Dry White Wine
1 T                   Mild Lemon Oil
Preparation:

Fill large bowl with cold water. Cut lemon in half; squeeze juice into water in bowl, then add lemon halves. Cut off stem and top quarter from 1 artichoke. Bend back dark green outer leaves and snap off at artichoke base until only pale green and yellow leaves remain. Cut artichoke lengthwise in half. Using point of knife, remove any purple-tipped leaves from center of artichoke. Place artichoke halves in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Drain artichokes well. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add artichokes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and herbes de Provence and sauté until artichokes begin to brown slightly, about 6 minutes. Add broth and wine and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until artichokes are tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Finish by tossing with a tablespoon of mild lemon oil and season to taste. Transfer artichokes to platter; cover and keep warm.

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 basket fresh strawberries, sliced
½ cup Almonds, toasted (see below)
1 cup   Fresh diced leeks, roasted (see below)
½ cup Shredded or shaved  ricotta salata cheese
½ lb     Baby Arugula or Rocket
Chocolate balsamic dressing (see recipe HERE)

Preparation:

1. Wash and slice strawberries.
2. Toss diced leeks in olive oil salt and pepper and spread on a sheet pan. Roast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and tender.  Let cool.
3. Shave or shred the ricotta salata cheese.
4. Toast almonds in a sauté pan or on a sheet pan in the oven until toasty.  When they begin to release their aroma they are done.
5. In a large bowl add all ingredients except the cheese.
6. Toss until completely mixed.
7. Portion onto plates and finish with the cheese.

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Recipe makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup butter
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup freshly shaved Pecorino cheese

 Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine pumpkin and butter; add flour, yolk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Knead into soft dough (if necessary, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time); divide into 4 sections. On floured surface, roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut into 3/4-inch pieces, rolling each piece against the tines of a fork to create ridges. Repeat with remaining dough.
2. In large pot, bring 6 cups salted water to boil. Cook gnocchi in 2 batches; dropping into water and cooking 2 minutes or until pieces float. Remove with slotted spoon to warmed bowl.
3. Meanwhile, in skillet, melt butter over medium heat, cooking until it just starts to deepen in color. Add hazelnuts, sage, salt and pepper, cook 1 minute more. Drizzle Sage and Hazelnut butter over gnocchi and top with shaved Pecorino.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 large, firm vine-ripened tomato, finely chopped
1 small seedless cucumber, such as Armenian or Japanese, finely chopped
4 to 5 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
2 tsp. chaat masala
3 T. peanut oil
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 fresh green serrano pepper, minced with seeds
2 Tablespoons ground coriander
1 Tablespoon store bought Chickpea Masala
3 15 1/2-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1/4 cup store bought tamarind chutney or to taste 

In a medium bowl, mix the tomato, cucumber, scallions, 1/4 cup of the cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the chaat masala. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the garlic, ginger, and the serrano pepper, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the ground coriander, chickpea masala and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala and stir momentarily.

Mix in the chickpeas and the water and cook stirring as necessary, until the chickpeas are tender and all the juices evaporate, about 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in the remaining cilantro.

Transfer to a serving platter. Lightly mix in the tomato mixture and drizzle the tamarind chutney on top.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

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Shredded red cabbage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 small red onion, diced
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sugar
2 teaspoon fish sauce
3-4 tbsp rice vinegar
salt& pepper to taste
A few squirts of sriracha chili sauce

Heat canola and sesame oil in medium high sauté pan.  Sautee red onion until soft.  Add ginger sauté until the whole kitchen smells like ginger before adding cabbage.  Stir and cook until cabbage is soft.  About 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about a minute, then add sugar and salt, fish sauce, let it cook off for a few minutes. Turn on your fan, because it will start getting stinky, but don’t worry it will taste great!  Add rice vinegar, cook a few more minutes before adding sriracha for a little heat.  Cool off before adding to spring rolls.

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Rice paper (round, 12 inches) �
Hot water
Vegetable oil (for greasing fingers)                           

Filling:                                                     �
Julienned cucumbers
Shredded carrots
Fresh bean sprouts
Rice vermicelli noodles (1/4 lb)
Fresh mint, cilantro, Thai basil leaves
Pickled red cabbage (see recipe)

Hoisin Dipping Sauce:
1 cup Hoisin sauce
½ cup water
¼ cup rice vinegar
1/3  cup diced onions
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
sriracha chili sauce (for garnish)

In a saucepan bring hoisin, water, rice vinegar, and onions to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes.  Add water if the sauce is too thick.  Take off heat and pour into dipping bowl.  Garnish artfully with peanuts and sriracha sauce right before serving.

Pour hot water in a large bowl.  Dip your fingers in a small bowl with veg. oil and take a rice paper and dip into the hot water bowl.  Hold the round rice paper like a steering wheel and rotate the edges into the water as you dip.

Gently set wet rice paper on a cutting board.  If it’s still somewhat hard let it rest so it can absorb the water.  With practice you will eventually get a feel for how the rice paper works with the declining water temperature.  If your water gets too cold add more hot water.  Likewise if it’s too hot, let it cool off before dipping the rice paper.

Place a few mint, cilantro, or basil leaves flat in the center of the rice paper.  Top with rice noodles, cucumbers, sprouts, carrots and cabbage.  DO Not over stuff.  Tightly roll once, then bring in the sides (like a burrito), and finish rolling until you have a nice, compact, spring roll.  This takes practice, so go for it!  Serve with lettuce leaves and dipping sauce.  Invite guests to wrap the lettuce around the spring roll before dipping! 

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amounts given PER PINT

about 1 lb Roma or other variety plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice. (I don’t like using bottled lemon juice because it tastes like wet dog dunked in Drano, BUT the argument for it is that commercial lemon juice has a set acidity level so it’s more reliable for food safety.)

1. Peel the tomatoes: working in small batches, blanch tomatoes in a large quantify of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to arrest cooking. Cut out the stem with the point of your paring knife and then peel away the skin.

2. Now you need to work quickly: quarter enough tomatoes into a pot to cover the bottom, mash them good with a potato masher to release their juices and quickly bring them to a lively simmer.

3. While they heat, blanch and peel your next small batch of tomatoes. Add them one by one to the now-simmering liquid in the pot. If you want you can quarter each new tomato as it goes in. I like to crush each one lightly in my palm and immediately push it down into the hot juice.

4. Once all your tomatoes are in the pot, return to a boil and cook steadily for 5 minutes, stirring and turning over the tomatoes periodically.

5. Ladle into jars and seal. Process in a boiling-water bath for 35 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts.

If any of this is unclear, please consult Ball or USDA-approved canning guidelines before attempting the process.

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BASIC RATION by weight 4:3

FOR A BIG BATCH
8 pounds Alberta peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (Note that 10 pounds whole fruit yielded 8 pounds prepared.)
6 pounds sugar
juice of 3 lemons
1. To peel peaches: cut a shallow X in the stem end of each fruit and, working in small batches, blanch briefly for perhaps 30 seconds until skin begins to visibly loosen. Remove from boiling water. When cool enough to handle, remove skins (most will readily slip off), pit and slice into eighths.

2. Stir together prepared fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a large shallow pot. Bring to a full rolling boil. Moderate heat, skim and continue stirring until mixture is thickened to the jell point. (I didn’t time this batch, but I’d guess it cooked about 25 minutes. Peaches are juicy and time some time to reduce.) Ladle into pint jars, seal and process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

YIELD
10 pounds whole fruit yielded 6.5 pints
6 x pints

1 x 8 oz

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For 4 servings

4 sheets of « Brick » or 12 sheets of Filo
3 oz fresh goat cheese or Feta
1 onion
1 small zucchini
1 small eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
melted butter as necessary to coat the sheets
1/2 cup heavy cream
10 fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper, or Cayenne or Piment d’Espelette
breadcrumbs
salad greens
a light vinaigrette

1.  Peel and mince the onion. Wash the zucchini and eggplant and dice into small cubes.
2.  In a saucepan, heat the oil, and cook the onion, eggplant and zucchini until soft but still “al dente”, drain on a paper towel.
3.  Place the cream with the basil leaves in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until it reduces and thickens, do not let boil. Discard the basil.
4.  In a bowl, mash the cheese with a fork, add the basil flavored cream and the vegetables.
5.  Mix well, season to taste, add the Cayenne or Piment.
6.  Brush each sheet of Brick with melted butter, place a teaspoon of breadcrumbs* in the center, then a spoonful of the vegetable/cheese mixture over it.
7.  Form a pouch with each sheet (or 3 if using Filo), use a toothpick to close the pastry at the top and tie with a chive. Place on a buttered cookie sheet or on a silpat, and bake in a preheated 360° F oven until golden and crisp, approximately 15 minutes.
8.  Serve over greens and a light vinaigrette.

***The breadcrumbs at the bottom of the filling will absorb the extra oil coming from the vegetables and cheese. You may substitute Chinese egg rolls for the « brick » or filo sheets.

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