Oh Kale!

With the season slowly changing from summer into fall (and back into summer for us Californians), I've been craving leafy greens and hearty root vegetables. When I saw this recipe for Pasta with Black Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnips in this month's Cooking Light, I knew I had to make. And, I'm sure glad I did. We added some baked savory tofu to the pasta for some extra protein and used regular kale instead of the black kale, but I can't imagine that this pasta could get any better.


Pasta with Black Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnip (Cooking Light, October 2010)

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cups (1/3-inch) diagonally cut parsnip (about 1 lbs.)
2 1/2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups trimmed chopped black kale (about 3 bunches)
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
8 oz. uncooked penne pasta
1/2 cup (2-oz.) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add parsnip to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl; keep warm.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in kale and broth; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Uncover; cook 4 minutes or until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Add drained pasta to kale mixture. Stir in parsnips, 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. black pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid if needed to moisten. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Try Again

This Tuesday night meal was not our hugest success, but I believe if we hadn't overcooked the meat and uncooked the veggies, it could have been delicious. I know I'm not giving this menu of polenta, stuffed chicken, and roasted vegetables a good rep, but I would definitely try it out for yourself. Thank goodness the polenta saved the night!


Buttery Polenta (Cooking Light, October 2007)

5 cups water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup dry polenta
2 1/2 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine 5 cups water and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and pepper.


Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese (Cooking Light, October 2007)

To make this veggie-friendly, I stuffed a portabella mushroom with the goat cheese mixture. And, honestly, I think this could have been delicious had it not been a little dry.

1 whole garlic head
1/3 cup (3 oz.) goat cheese with herbs, softened
6 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). [I didn't follow this direction. I find it a lot easier to peel and separate the cloves before roasting, then cover in olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil.] Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside.
3. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 tsp. cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165; let stand 5 minutes.


Autumn Vegetable Medley with Rosemary and Nutmeg (Cooking Light, October 2007)

I suggest watching the vegetables closely and allowing them to cook a little longer. They just weren't as soft and roasted as I had hoped they would be.

1 (9-oz.) fennel bulb with stalks
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 1/2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices parsnip
1 1/2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices carrot
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
cooking spray
1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Trim tough outer leaves from fennel. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise; discard core. Cut each half into three wedges. Combine fennel and next 8 ingredients in a large shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with cheese, if desired.

Indian Feast

I know, I know. It's been a while. But, I've been having fun laying in the sun on the east coast, spending time with wonderful people. Before we left we did have a fantastic Indian meal made totally from scratch that I have to share. We started with samosas, which, although we froze for a week and baked without looking at the directions, came out pretty well. I had them again baked correctly and they were even better. We then completed the meal with curried parsnips and a lamb curry over rice. Adam said the lamb tasted just like it does in Indian restaurants. Not too bad for a first try!

Samosas (The New Moosewood Cookbook, Mollie Katzen)

Dough
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
extra flour, as needed

1. Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the salt.
2. Make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk or yogurt. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hand, to make a smooth dough.
3. Add extra flour, as needed, to keep the dough from being sticky. The dough will be quite soft. Knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the pastries.

Filling
2 large potatoes (the size of a large person's fist)
1 Tbs. butter
1 cup finely minced onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. dried coriander (if available)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked green peas (frozen, thawed = fine)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
cayenne, to taste

1. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander, and salt. Saute over medium heat about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are quite soft. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, but try not to smash the peas. Cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastries.

Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Heat to boiling, then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. It will reduce slightly.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature with hot samosas.

To assemble and bake
1. Preheat the oven to 425. Generously oil a baking sheet.
2. Keep a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, one by one, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles, using a rolling pin.
3. Place approximately 1 1/2 Tbs. filling in the center of each circle, and fold over, just like a turnover. Brush the inside edges of each circle with a little water, and fold the edges together to make a small hem. Crimp the edges firmly with the fork.
Note: If you are storing the samosas to bake later on, place them on a heavily floured plate or tray, dust the tops with more flour, and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until baking time.
4. To bake: Place the samosas on the oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops with oil. Bake 15 minutes at 425, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for 10 minutes more. For maximum crispiness, turn the samosas over when you turn the oven down.
5. Serve within 15 minutes of baking, with dipping sauce. A nice way to serve the sauce is in individual saucers or tiny bowls, so each person can hold both samosa and sauce directly under his or her face while eating, and the sauce bowl can catch the drips. (It does drip, but that's one of the charms of this ritual.)


Curried Parsnips with Yogurt and Chutney (Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison)

We made the chutney that this recipe calls for from scratch, the recipe of which will be posted below. However, the rest of this dish is simple and if you want to make it in a hurry, pre-made chutney will work perfectly fine. Serving this dish over sauteed spinach and rice makes for a hardy and complete meal that satisfies all of the different taste buds.

1 1/2 lbs. parsnips, peeled and chopped into even-sized pieces
2 to 3 Tbs. butter or canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp. curry powder
salt and freshly milled pepper
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 cup Apricot and Dried Fruit Chutney or a commercail mango chutney
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

1. Steam the parsnips until barely tender, about 7 minutes. Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in a medium skillet. Add the onions, apples, and curry powder and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add the parsnips, season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes more with the additional 1 Tbs. butter to help them brown. Turn off the heat, then stir in the yogurt, chutney, and cilantro and serve.


Apricot and Dried Fruit Chutney (Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison)

This chutney was also delicious with the samosas.

1 1/2 cups whole dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
3 1/2 cups apple juice or water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, preferably unfiltered
2 Tbs. julienne strips of ginger
1/2 tsp. fennel or anise seeds
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
pinch salt
balsamic vinegar to taste

1. Put everything except the balsamic vinegar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the fruit is soft but not mushy and the liquid is reduced to a syrup, about 45 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp or so balsamic vinegar to taste. Serve right away if desired, but the flavors will merge as it sits. Stored in the refrigerator, the finished chutney should keep for many weeks.


Classic Lamb Curry (www.myrecipes.com, Cooking Light)

cooking spray
2 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 whole cloves
3 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 Tbs. ground coriander seeds
1 Tbs. paprika
2 Tbs. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. Garam Masala
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups finely chopped plum tomato (about 1/2 lbs.)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add lamb, and cook for 5 minutes on all sides or until browned. Remove lamb from pan.
2. Heat the oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through cinnamon); cook for 4 minutes or until onion is browned. Stir in coriander and next 6 ingredients (coriander through garlic); cook 1 minute. Add lamb, tomato, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until the lamb is tender. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro. Serve over rice; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

A Winter Salad

Adam went to Rochester this past weekend and came home wanting only vegetables and other healthy foods. Luckily, as I was looking over cookbooks and magazines throughout the weekend, I picked out a winter salad with roasted beets and parsnips in anticipation of Adam's health-food craving. We served it with warm, hearty, crusty bread. It made for a wonderful weeknight meal that felt good for the body and soul.


Roasted Beets and Parsnips with Black Olives and Oranges (Vegetarian Times, January 2009)

The only change I made to the recipe was I substituted shallots for the fennel bulb. The shallots turned out perfectly caramelized and delicious; they definitely did not detract from the wonderfulness of the salad.

4 beets, peeled and diced (3 1/2 cups)
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks (2 cups)
1 fennel bulb, cut into bite-size wedges (1/4 cup)
3 Tbs. garlic-infused olive oil, divided
8 cups baby arugula (8 oz.)
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned, each section thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place beets, parsnips, and fennel in large bowl. Add 2 Tbs. oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and evenly scatter vegetables on baking sheet. Roast vegetables 20 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times with spatula. Increase oven temperature to 500. Roast vegetables 10 minutes more, or until tender.
2. Place arugula, orange slices, and olives in a large salad bowl. Add roasetd vegetables, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Toss well to mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi

One time last year, we had some leftover parsnips in the fridge and Adam made these fantastic gnocchi out of them. Ever since then, we've been yearning to make them again. Last night was finally the night. I have to warn you, gnocchi-making is quite a process. Not only does it make your kitchen one big, floury mess, it also takes a fair amount of time. But, there is nothing better than some homemade gnocchi over a bed of garlicy, sauteed greens to start the week off on the right foot.


Parsnip and Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlicy Kale

We took the basic recipe for the gnocchi off of a recipe by Mario Batali we found on www.foodnetwork.com. We ended up using more flour than the recipe originally called for, but as long as the starch and flour turn into a knead-able dough the amount of flour can vary. We tried to use the least amount of flour possible to keep the integrity of the sweet potato and parsnip flavors. Oh, and this recipe makes a ton of gnocchi. We have plenty of leftovers for several more meals. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with that!

1 bag parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped
1 egg, beaten and divided
3 cups flour, approximately
1/2 tsp. salt

1 bunch kale, taken off the stem and chopped
2 portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder

chili oil
paprika

1. To prepare the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water with the sweet potatoes and parsnips to a boil. Boil until the potatoes and parsnips are tender and slightly soft. Transfer the potatoes and parsnips to separate bowls. Mash the potatoes with a fork until smooth and then mix in half the egg and salt by making a well in the center. The parsnips mash better in a food processor with half of the beaten egg and the salt. If you can mash the parsnips with a fork, that works too, although the dough will not be as smooth. Next, add and stir in the flour to each starch, about a half cup at a time. Continue adding and mixing in the flour until you are able to roll the dough. Roll the dough into snake-like rolls that are approximately 1-inch in diameter. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place in another pot of boiling water. Allow to cook until the gnocchi rise to the top, indicating they are done. Then remove to a colander.
2. To prepare the greens, saute the portabella mushrooms in a large skillet with olive oil over medium-heat. Once the mushrooms are tender, add the garlic and kale and allow the greens to wilt. Sprinkle the paprika and chili powder over the greens and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place kale on a plate and surround with gnocchi, alternating parsnip and sweet potato. Drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with paprika. Impress all those who eat!