Sylvie's Favorite Spring Greens

By Sylvie Ryan, our Culinary Educator

April has finally arrived and I find myself craving fresh greens and salads rather than the soups I’ve been enjoying throughout the winter. This time a year it’s easy to see that nature is very much in transition, but the vegetables that are available in our Produce Department are just the teasing signs of the wonderful abundance yet to come. Greens such as sorrel, kale and dandelion are just so inspiring! They give me a new-found creativity in the kitchen. Here some of my favorite ways to use them.

Creamy Cole Slaw with French Sorrel

I originally made this recipe for an in-store demo. I was very pleased when Roben Latham, our Produce Manager, suggested that I use French Sorrel in cole slow to add a hint of tartness that is absolutely refreshing and delicious. Sorrel is very versatile— try adding it raw to salads, or coarsely chop it and add it at the last minute to any soup. It’s also particularly tasty in cream sauces, and pairs perfectly with grilled salmon.

5 cups thinly sliced Green Cabbage
3 cups thinly sliced Red Cabbage
2 cups shredded Napa Cabbage
2 Carrots, julienned
½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced French Sorrel
1 Tbsp minced Garlic
1 cup Small Planet Organic Garlic Herb Dip and Spread (available in our Produce Department)
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbages, carrots, red onion, and sorrel.

In a separate bowl, mix together the garlic, Garlic Herb Dip and Spread, honey, vinegars, fresh ginger, salt and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together to obtain a mayonnaise style sauce.

Add to the sauce to the cabbage mixture and toss well. You may need to adjust the seasoning. Place in the refrigerator for about one hour. Enjoy! Serves 6.

Quick Roasted Kale Salad

I never tire of such delicious and unique greens. I make this dish at least once a week and find it very satisfying served as a light dinner fare, with a couple slices of good whole grain bread.

2 bunches of Kale (preferably purple), washed and patted dry
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar (you may use fresh squeezed lemon juice instead)
1 Tbsp Walnut oil
2 Tbsp shaved Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F. Spread the kale onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are starting to crisp. Remove from the oven and place on a large serving dish. Sprinkle with the walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and the parmesan. Voila.

Dandelion

I remember picking these greens in fields with my grandmother when I was a child. She truly taught me to appreciate very potent and different flavors, though I instantly loved the bitterness of the leaves. Dandelion greens are perfect in salads, or sauteed in olive oil and served as a side to meat or fish.



Preserved Lemons

From The Le Creuset Tagine Cookbook

A very pungent lemon flavor is produced by the use of preserved lemons, which are widely used in North African Cuisine. They are simple to make at home. These are ready to use in two weeks and will keep in an airtight, screw-top jar in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months. Keep them submerged in the brine solution at all times.

2-4 Firm Lemons, organic and non-treated
5 Tbsp Salt
2 Cups hot Water

Make a brine solution by dissolving 1 Tbsp salt in 2 cups of hot water and allowing it to cool.

Cut the lemons into quarters and rub a tsp salt all over each piece. Pack the lemon quarters very tightly into a clean jar. Pour the brine solution over the lemons, making sure they are fully submerged. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Harsha: Semolina Morrocan Bread

1 lb. Fine Semolina Flour
2 Tbsp Flour, sifted
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Yeast
1 tsp Anise Seeds
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
A pinch of Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil or Canola Oil (you may use butter)
1 ¼ cup Water (you may use milk)

In a large bowl, mix together the semolina flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast, anise seeds, sesame seeds and salt. Add the oil and mix with the tip of your fingers until you obtain a sandy texture. Make a well in the center and add the water. Knead the mixture to form a soft dough (it will be slightly sticky). Section the dough and roll into small balls using the semolina to shape them, you should have about six. Roll some more into semolina and place onto a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with semolina. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Flatten the balls to create small disks and sprinkle with more semolina. Let rest for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the breads for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Serve as a side dish for a Tagine, simply with butter and honey, or with your favorite cheese.


Makes 6 small loaves

Soup Starters!

By Brook Slee, Boise Co-op Deli Chef

Most of the soups I prepare, whether in the Boise Co-op Deli or at home, begin with the same basic ingredients. It gives me a simple and flexible base from which to launch a dazzling array of interesting soups.

The absolute basics are:

• 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 to 3 cups Mirepoix, which is a blend of yellow onion, carrot and celery. By varying the size of the dice or your aromatics, you can coax lots of unique textures from these three staple veggies. Use a large chunky chop for hearty stews, or a medium dice for soups such as chicken noodle or creamy chowders. Finally a fine mince for bean and lentil soups (you may decide to pulse these ingredients in a food processor.)
• A pinch Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (or Tamari sauce for a vegan or vegetarian substitute. We also carry Gluten-Free condiments on Aisle #10)
• 2 to 3 Tbsp Dry Cooking Sherry
• 1 tsp Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)
• 8 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (homemade is best, but we have lots of delicious, organic options on Aisle# 7)

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium high heat, in a large stock pot. Add the mirepoix (vegetables) and stir frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften. Lower the heat and add salt, pepper, worcestershire or tamari sauce, sherry and tabasco. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally or until the mirepoix vegetables are tender.

A Few Notes:

Prior to adding the broth, you may add diced meats such as chicken, turkey or even sausages.

If you decide to prepare a bean soup, I would suggest soaking the beans overnight to soften them and help shorten the cooking time.

If preparing a lentil soup, make sure you sweat the lentils in the oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes before adding the broth. This will give a bit of a tender crunch to the lentils and helps prevent a mushy result.

If you are making a chowder, you will need to prepare a roux (recipe follows), and add the desired amount of heavy cream to give it that so distinctive richness.

The addition of a roux base in chicken noodle soups will give the soup a delicious silky texture.

Making a Roux

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

Broth or Milk from your Soup Recipe

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes or until the flour turns a  golden brown color. Slowly add the broth or milk in your recipe, whisking constantly until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, pepper.

Roasted Beet, Rhubarb, and Orange Salad

A note from Sylvie: I love Rhubarb's tartness! It is very versatile and can be used either with sweet or savory dishes. The trick is to balance the flavors with sugar while cooking it.

Serves 6

4 Red Beets (2-2 ½-inch-diameter)
4 Yellow Beets (2-2 ½-inch-diameter)
4 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
Coarse Kosher salt
3 cups Water
½ cup Sugar
1 lb trimmed Rhubarb Stalks, sliced diagonally into ½ thick pieces
3 Large Oranges
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp minced Shallot
1 tsp Honey
3 cups Watercress Sprigs or Baby Spinach
1 ¼ cups coarsely crumbled Feta Cheese (about one 7-ounce package)
Fresh Chervil Leaves (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the whole beets on large sheet of foil. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil; sprinkle with Kosher salt. Wrap the beets in foil. Roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Unwrap and cool beets. Peel, then cut each into 8 wedges.

Bring the water, sugar, and a pinch of salt to simmer in large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the rhubarb. Simmer over medium heat until just tender but still intact, 1 to 2 minutes (do not overcook or rhubarb will be mushy). Using a slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to a platter and cool completely.

(Beets and rhubarb can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Finely grate enough peel from 1 orange to measure ½ tsp; transfer to small bowl and reserve for dressing. Cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl to catch juice and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release orange segments into bowl; squeeze membranes to release juice into bowl. Transfer 2 Tbsp orange juice to bowl with orange peel. Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, shallots, honey, and remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil into bowl with orange peel and orange juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange watercress or spinach, beets, rhubarb, and orange segments on 6 plates. Sprinkle with feta and drizzle with dressing. Garnish with chervil leaves, if desired, and serve.