This last recipe is an adaptation of one from Marc Sommers, executive chef of Parsley’s Custom Catering in Kennesaw, who demonstrated it at the Morningside Farmers Market a year or so ago. He says he “borrowed” this recipe from his Belarusian mother-in-law. I just had a beet-and-potato salad at an Ethiopian restaurant last night and I can’t wait to try this one.
This recipe is great for using up some more of those greens. It will work with your beet greens, radish greens, turnip greens or chard. I wouldn’t use the collards, they just need a little more cooking to be tender. An adaptation of a recipe from Rebecca Lang’s “Quick-Fix Southern: Homemade Hospitality in 30 Minutes or Less.” Greens and onions are such natural companions.
The first recipe I’m sharing is one I learned at the cooking class. The class was led by Gulshan Singh who teaches the most accessible Indian food I know. As much as I cook, and I cook a lot, I always learn something new from her. Tonight’s class was full of recipes featuring onions. Here are some lovely onion fritters – delicious served with yogurt mixed with a little chopped cucumber and some cumin and salt. Saute some of your greens in a little olive oil to serve alongside the fritters and you’ve got a wonderful dinner in very little time.
Did you see this recipe Deborah Geering published in her blog for Atlanta magazine? It was listed as “Vidalia Onion and Tasso Tart”. I’ve adapted just a smidge. Her notes:
“Taqueria del Sol chef David Waller shares this seasonal recipe featuring Georgia Vidalia onions and tasso, a smoked, cured pork product popular in Cajun cooking. Serve the tart for brunch or a light supper with a green salad. Note that the tart’s crust must be prepared in advance. Lard gives the crust’s dough a flaky texture. If you prefer, you may substitute solid vegetable shortening, butter, or a combination of both.”
Now the onions in our box aren’t Vidalias, but they are sweet onions so they’ll work perfectly here. Easy enough to substitute whatever ham you can get for the tasso. Or eliminate it. Or use bacon …. or Riverview sausage ….. or …….
Any pasta will do. This recipe came from Fine Cooking magazine.
This idea from Seth Freedman of Forage & Flame, market chef for the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market, is so simple it almost doesn’t need a recipe. But it’s a nice reminder of a classic combination.
The big bulb of garlic in my box this week led me to marvel about the quantity of garlic we’ve received this year. In my house, this is a very good thing. Easy for me to go through all that garlic. No problem.
But I was thinking as I unpacked my box that others might not have the same experience. I remember last year when folks were saying, “What do I do with all these onions?” It was not a problem I had ever thought existed!
So, when I ran across this recipe for do-it-yourself garlic powder, I thought maybe I should share. It comes from seriouseats.com. Also works for onions. Their note:
This process also works for onions, and I took the opportunity to do a tray of each simultaneously without damaging the flavor of either. Out of one 13-ounce white onion (chopped fine), I was able to produce 1/2 cup of dried flakes, which reduced to 3 tablespoons of onion powder. It’s ultimately a small amount, but it has a delicate, sweet taste—like a fried onion ring—which is quite attractive.
Seeing all the radishes in the box reminded me of a wonderful recipe I’ve made for years. It’s a radish salad adapted from Jane Brody’s Good Food Cookbook. Here’s my version which is about as loose a recipe as it’s possible to have. Use the green onion tops from your pretty onions in this week’s box, and add a few garlic scapes if you’re so inclined.
If you’re thinking you’d like to do something with that head of romaine beyond fixing yet another salad, remember that the leaves make fabulous wraps for grilled anything. Or for spring rolls. I came home from the beach a few weeks ago with a bag of wild Atlantic shrimp. I poached the shrimp and then made spring rolls, using shredded romaine in place of the traditional rice noodles. When it came to eating the rolls, I laid each one in another romaine lettuce leaf, and added a few leaves of mint and basil, dipped the whole thing into a spicy Vietnamese dipping sauce and enjoyed.
I also love the idea of slightly wilted romaine lettuce. See what you think about this recipe.
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat; add onion. Saute over heat until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add apples; sauté 4 minutes more. Add vinegar, raisins, ginger, mustard, and cayenne. Stir well to combine; cover. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender but hold their shape, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and store in the refrigerator. It should keep for about a month.
