I recently went to a potluck and wanted to bring a side that would be good for vegetarians so I went out to the garden to see what i could find. Its the winter garden so we have carrots, broccoli and daikon radishes. I also happened to have some white miso paste so I came up with this recipe.

Miso Vegetable and Farro Salad

1/2 cup farro rinsed

3/4 cup of vegetable or chicken stock (water will also work)

1 cup grated carrot

1 cup grated daikon

1 small broccoli head

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup White miso paste

2 tbs mirin

2 tbs  rice wine vinegar

2 tsp grated orange peel

Juice of 1 orange

1 tbsp sesame oil

salt to taste

Combine Farro and stock and bring to a boil.  Once boiling cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.  Let cool.

Blanche the broccoli in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. Chop into small pieces.

Combine farro and the vegetable in large dish.

Combine the Miso paste thru salt in a jar and shake until combined. Add to farro and Vegetables and mix to coat.  Season as necessary.

Ginger Lavender Cucumber Martini

Recreated this one from a cocktail at the League in Lakeway -  this is a great drink if you have extra cucumbers.

Cucumber
2 oz Gin -Hendricks is best
1/2 oz Lavendar syrup -  you can buy this at liquor stored like specs or make your onw
1/2 ozGinger Liquor
Juice of 1 lime - or more is you like it tarter
Lavendar Bitters -  also available at specs -  several good shakes but do not overdo


Peel and chop one medium cucumber - remove seeds.  Add to a blender with 1/2 cup water.  Puree ( you can strain or use as it)  -  combine with rest of the ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice.  Garnish with lime and Cucumber peels or slices.

Summer Eggs

 

Summer Eggs

Ok the tomatoes and pepper and onions are in so one of my favorite weekend breakfasts are what I call Summer Eggs.  Basically go out to the garden and pick what I have.  Chop it up saute in some olive oil.  Scramble some eggs with a little milk or half and half.  Add some cheese ( I like feta or cheddar).  Cook until set.  I added some squash blossoms to this because I had some and I also added a Mexican herb called popalova to the top which gives the dish a very unique flavor.

Swiss Chard Soup

Swiss Chard and Squash Blossom Soup

This is a recipe I just made up because I happen to have these two ingredients.  You can substitute spinach or Swiss Chard and leave out the Squash Blossoms if you don't have any.

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard or other greens ( or combination of greens) remove the thick spines on the chard and chop into thin slivers

2-3 squash blossoms sliced into thin strips

5-6 large garlic cloves sliced

1 onion chopped

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

juice of half a  lemon

Gremolata -  see recipe  below

Lemon Creme sauce - see recipe below

Heat oil in large soup pot and add onion and cooks several minutes until soft.  Add Garlic cook 1 minute.  Add greens and broth and cook until chard is tender about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the lemon juice and squash blossoms -  serve with Gremolata and Lemon Creme Sauce

Gremolata

1/4 cup spinach or chard sliced very thin

2 squash blossoms (if you have them sliced very thin)

1/4 cup roasted pine nuts

1-2 garlic cloves pressed or minced

zest of one lemon

juice of half of the lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Lemon Creme sauce

1/4 cup of goat cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp of lemon zest

Carrots

Well it is March already and John just harvested about 17 pound of carrots. That is alot of carrots. So what to do???

Here is a recipe for Carrot Soup that I put together as one solution.

Carrot Leek Soup

1 large Leek - sliced
5-6 large carrots - peeled and sliced
2-3 tablespoons olive or cocunut oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp powered ginger
1 tsp garan masala
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pot using med high heat. Add the leeks and carrots and cooks for about 5 minutes, add the ginger and garlic and other spices and cook a few minutes more. Add the broth and simmer until vegetable are VERY tender about 30 -45 minutes. Using an imersion blender if you have one puree the soup. If you do not have one just use a blender and puree in batches. You can add 1/2 of cream if you want a creamier version or eat as is.


Carrot Daikon vegetables with Miso

4 cups grated carrots
2 cups grated daikon radish
2-3 tables red miso paste (look in you refrigerator section)
2-3 tablespoons black sesame sees
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil.

Heat the oil in large saute pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and saute until tender about 10 minutes.