Are we tired of winter yet? Definitely soup weather, with lots of cruciferous vegetables to add in. I hope you have come to love (or at least tolerate) cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale.
In Southern California we are also showered with so many citrus varieties. Citrus always feels like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Enjoy!
Huerta del Valle
Watermelon Radishes
Gaytan Family Farm
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Onion Bag
Tomatoes - Cluster
Celery
The Grove
Oro Blanco Grapefruit
Uncommon Good
Fennel
RFC Add-In
Lemons
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino
From Food52. Serves 6.
Ingredients
½ small red onion
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups Brussels sprouts (use larger sprouts if possible)
½ cup finely grated pecorino romano
Soak the onion slices in a small bowl of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
Trim all of the Brussels sprouts, cutting off any bruised outer leaves and slicing off a good portion of the hard root end. Using a mandoline, shave the sprouts one at a time. When you're done, use your fingers to gently separate the leaves so that the shredded sprouts resemble a very fine slaw.
Put the sprouts in a serving bowl and toss gently with the onions (which you've now drained) and the dressing. Fold in the pecorino, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately, before it starts to wilt!
This is a main course, healthy and easy to prep ahead for dinner. A nice bowl of sautéed greens is all it needs.
Slow Cooker Whole Cauliflower Curry and Cashew
From Eatwell101.com. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower, leaves an stems trimmed
1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 small potatoes (we used red), quartered
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Toasted cashews, chopped cilantro, for garnish
The curry sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Directions
1. Add the whole cauliflower, red peppers, potatoes, garlic and onions to the slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together vegetable broth, curry powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir well to coat cauliflower and veggies. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours. The cauliflower will likely be done before this, but will continue to get more tender as it sits.
3. About 10-15 minutes before serving, stir in coconut milk. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm, cut into wedges into individual bowls and top with the curry sauce, toasted cashews and freshly chopped cilantro.
Crisp Brussels Sprouts Leaves
From MarthaStewart.com Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed, leaves separated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus lemon wedges for serving
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (1 ounce)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss Brussels sprout leaves with oil, zest, and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until leaves are crisp and golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with Pecorino and serve with lemon wedges.
I have tried two new broccoli soup recipes this month, but only sharing this one. So disappointing to have a big pot of mediocre soup! The recipe below is very good.
Broccoli, Lemon and Parmesan Soup
From Food52. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
2 pounds broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
¼ cup olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups homemade or low sodium chicken stock
¾ cup grated Parmesan
1 Lemon
Crusty bread for serving
Directions
Bring a large, heavy pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and boil for five minutes. Drain the broccoli well and set aside.
Add the olive oil and garlic to the pot over medium heat. After a minute or two, when the garlic starts to soften and turn golden, add the broccoli, season with salt and pepper, and stir well.
Cover the pot, turn the heat down as low as it will go, and cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is soft enough that it yields when you press it with the back of a wooden spoon (it may brown a little during this process -- this is a good thing).
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Carefully puree half the soup in a blender or food processor, using a kitchen towel to hold the lid on tight. Stir the puree back into the pot. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with plenty of crusty bread.
This next soup is truly a little bit of heaven. Every time I make it, it surprises me how wonderful it is.
Greek Lemon Soup—Avgolemono
From Food 52. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
Soup
8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 Teaspoon white pepper
1 ½ cups orzo
1 dash sugar
Lemon Egg Mixture & Garnish
4 eggs (whites and yolks separated), room temperature
3 large lemons, juiced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 dill sprig per serving (fresh thyme, mint, or chives may be used)
4 to 6 paper-thin lemon slices (1 per serving)
Directions
To prepare the soup, bring stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Lower heat to a simmer and add salt, pepper, and orzo; cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside 2 cups of stock.
To prepare the lemon-egg mixture, beat egg whites in a medium-size bowl until soft peaks form. (You can do this with a handheld mixer [on medium] or with a stand mixer.) Beat in the egg yolks and lemon juice. Pour 2 cups of reserved hot stock slowly into the lemon and egg mixture, whisking continuously until all is incorporated. Return soup to medium-low heat and whisk in lemon-egg mixture. Add chicken stock back into the soup and simmer until thickened slightly, about 2–0 minutes.
To serve the soup, ladle into warm bowls and garnish with white pepper, chopped dill, a dill sprig, and sliced lemon.
Everyone needs a piece of cake now and then. This one is bright with lemon, and elegant with lavender. Lavender always reminds me of Marion Mitchell Wilson, who grew lots and shared so many ways to use it.
Diana Henry's Lemon and Lavender Cake
From Simple, by Diana Henry. Serves 8.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for the cake pan
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3/4 Tablespoon edible dried lavender
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup mild-flavored olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar, to dust
Sprigs of fresh lavender, to serve (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch diameter, 2 1/2-inch deep cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Put the granulated sugar and lavender into a food processor and whizz until the lavender has broken down. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl. Stir in the lavender sugar. In a pitcher, mix the eggs with the yogurt and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gradually stir in the wet ingredients. Add the lemon zest and juice, but don’t over-mix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is coming away from the inside of the pan and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Turn it out, peel off the paper, and set on a wire rack until cold. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving and decorate with sprigs of fresh lavender.
And, if you find a warm day for salad, try this one. Allowing the kale to soak up some dressing , even for an hour, softens it and gives it more flavor.
Vegetarian Kale Taco Salad
From The Kitchn. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 medium lime
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
For the salad:
1 large bunch Lacinato kale (1o to 12 ounces)
1/4 medium red onion
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes
4 medium scallions, green parts only
2 medium avocados
1/2 cup pickled jalapeños (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup crumbled tortilla chips
Directions
Make the dressing: Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until well-combined and smooth; set aside.
Make the salad: Remove the center ribs from the kale. Cut the leaves crosswise into thin shreds and place in a large bowl. Dice the onion and add to the bowl. Pour half of the dressing into the bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour to soften the kale leaves.
Add the beans to the salad. Core and seed the bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice, and add to the bowl. Halve the tomatoes and add to the bowl. Thinly slice the scallions and add to the bowl. Halve and pit the avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice, and add to the bowl. Add the pickled jalapeños (if using) and cheese to the bowl. Toss to combine.
Divide the salad between bowls. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and top with the tortilla chips.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The dressing can be made to up 3 days ahead and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.