Couscous and French Lentil Salad

This easy bean and pasta salad provides a wonderful showcase for a variety of fresh herbs. Feel free to experiment with whatever is available in the garden or the grocery store. Serve as a vegetarian main course or as a delicious side dish.

COUSCOUS and FRENCH LENTIL SALAD

For the Lentils
1 cup French green lentils (du Puy)
6 cups water
1 Tbs. Champagne vinegar

For the Couscous
1 tsp. olive oil
1¼ cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

For the Dressing
6 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. Champagne vinegar
1 Tbs. dry white wine
2-4 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

To Finish the Salad
3 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of scallions, white part chopped, green tops sliced
½ to 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, basil, dill, or a combination

---

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add lentils, return to boil, cover and simmer until tender but not falling apart, 13-15 minutes. Rinse to cool. Transfer lentils to bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar.

2. Bring broth to simmer in a small saucepan. Heat ½ Tbs. olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Toast the couscous in the oil, stirring constantly over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add boiling broth. Cover and simmer for five minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to large bowl. Fluff to remove clumps and let cool. (Couscous may be rinsed in cold water to cool more quickly.)

3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, wine, garlic, and salt and pepper. Stir dressing into couscous. Fold in lentils and remaining ingredients. Chill well. Serves 6.

Turkish Bulghur Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Bulghur, bulgur, or burghul, a common ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes (such as Tabbouleh and Kibbeh), is made by parboiling, drying, and grinding wheat to a fine, medium, or coarse texture. Bulghur stars in this colorful and delicious salad, my own adaptation of a recipe I found on Epicurious.com. It's a wonderful summer side dish for grilled meats, or served as a main course with a tossed green salad and crusty French bread. Enjoy!

TURKISH BULGHUR SALAD

WITH

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES DRESSING

For the Salad:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large vidalia onion, minced
2 cups fine bulghur wheat
2 cups boiling water
2 15-oz. cans beans, pink, borlotti, chickpeas, or a combination,
            rinsed and drained
1 large bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
1 bunch scallions, green tops slices, white parts chopped
1 cup raw pistachio kernels, lightly toasted if desired

For the Dressing:
1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
          (available in your grocer's Middle Eastern section)
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

---

1. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in bulghur until grains are coated with oil. Slowly add boiling water, stir, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, until water is absorbed. Fluff wheat and turn into large bowl. Let cool.

2. Rinse and drain the beans you wish to use. Prepare basil and scallions and fold with beans into cooled wheat.

3. Combine dressing ingredients. Stir into wheat.

4. Top with pistachios (or allow individual diners to add their own nuts). Generously serves 6-8 as a main course salad.

Roasted Beet Salad with Crème de Cassis Dressing

Salad for supper? Mais, oui! This hearty, herby, French-inspired dish gets a big "Wow" whenever I serve it. It's quite hearty for a vegetarian dish, but at times I'll serve it with slices of grilled pork tenderloin. Your preference, of course.

Roasting the beets is not only easy, it concentrates their sweet flavor. I like to use three different colors - red, gold, and pink - along with mixed baby potatoes to create a colorful and delicious entrée. A crunchy baguette and a bottle of dry rosé wine rounds out this salad perfectly.

ROASTED BEET SALAD with CRÉME de CASSIS DRESSING

For the Dressing:

2 Tbs. champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. good quality Crème de Cassis

6 Tbs. dry white or rosé wine

1 large garlic clove, peeled and put through a press

½ cup olive oil (I use an Herbes de Provence flavored oil)

Salt and black pepper to taste

Combine first five ingredients. Whisk oil in until blended well. Add salt and pepper.

For the Salad:

1 to 1½ lbs. raw beets (a mix of red, gold, and pink)

1 lb. baby potatoes, (a mix of red, purple, Yukon, and/or white)

¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh chopped rosemary
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled

Kosher salt

2 8-oz. bags of salad greens of your choice (do include baby spinach)

Fresh basil

Fresh tarragon

1 small (7-oz.) can chickpeas, thoroughly rinsed and drained

Optional Toppings:

Raw pistachio nuts

Crumbled goat cheese

Crumbled Gorgonzola

Homemade croutons
Dried cranberries and/or blueberries

---

1. Set two racks in the oven and preheat to 425°. Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil. Set on a baking tray. Roast in top third of the oven for 1 to 1¼ hours, turning once, until cooked through. (Add potatoes when beets have cooked for ½ hour.) Let cool. When ready to assemble salad, unwrap beets, remove skins (suggest wearing gloves for this), and dice. Keep colors separate, as the red beets will "dye" the gold and pink beets.

2. Scrub potatoes well. Coat with olive oil, stir in rosemary, garlic, and salt to taste, and set in a baking pan just big enough to hold them. After the beets have been roasting for 30 minutes, add the potatoes to the lower part of the oven and roast until done. Shake the pan a few times during cooking to prevent sticking. Remove potatoes to plate lined with paper towels and let cool. When ready to assemble salad, halve or slice potatoes. 

3. Combine salad greens and fresh herbs on a platter. Top with beets, potatoes, and chickpeas. Place salad on table, passing dressing and toppings separately. Invite each diner to dig in and custom dress his/her own plate. Generously serves 4-5.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Sliced Mushrooms

I have several delicious mushroom soup recipes. This one is the easiest, a great soup for a chilly autumn night. A food processor helps with the preparation, and keep in mind that many grocery stores sell vegetables already sliced or chopped, a big timesaver. (I sometimes use a 12-oz. bag of baby carrots, but don’t be tellin’ the neighbors.)

This soup has the closest taste to a gorgeous bowl of mushroom soup I enjoyed in front of a peat fire one winter in a pub in Killarney. Ingredient amounts aren’t critical, so feel free to experiment. Makes a great first course or light supper. For a vegan version, substitute oil or veggie butter for unsalted butter, use vegetable broth, and omit the cream.

　

CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

4 Tbs. unsalted butter                                1 bay leaf
5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped              1 tsp. salt
1 medium onion, chopped                         A good grinding of white pepper
1 leek, white and light green parts,         ¼ cup heavy cream
   washed, trimmed, and chopped           ¼ cup dry sherry
2 stalks celery, chopped                             Chopped parsley or chives
2 lbs. sliced white mushrooms                 Garlicky croutons, if desired
2 tsps. dried thyme                                     Truffle oil for the table, if desired
6 cups chicken stock

---

1. Melt the butter in an 8-quart soup pot. Roughly chop the carrots, leek, onion, and celery and sauté in the butter until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the mushrooms and thyme. Cook 3-5 minutes, until mushrooms start to soften and give off their liquid. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes.

3. Discard the bay leaf and purée the soup in several batches, transferring soup to clean pot. Stir in cream and sherry and adjust seasoning. Serve with desired garnish(es) and pass truffle oil at the table. Serves 6.

Split Pea Soup

Monday Night Writers’ Group tonight, and so I need a vegetarian/vegan dish ideal for a chilly New Hampshire evening. Change the original recipe's chicken broth to vegetable broth, omit the ham bone and optional diced ham or bacon garnish, and this French-inspired soup, my version of a classic potage, is perfect.

Split Pea Soup is one of my favorite potages santés (healthful soups), but don’t let the "healthful" fool you into thinking it isn’t delicious. My homemade vegetable broth is simmering now with the rest of the ingredients. The house smells divine, and we’ll enjoy the finished soup with crusty French bread and white wine. Here’s to another evening of inspired writing!

SPLIT PEA SOUP

2 Tbs. light olive oil                                   2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large onion, chopped                              ½ tsp. dry chervil
2 stalks celery, chopped                            2 bay leaves
2-3 carrots, diced                                       1 tsp. salt
1 large russet-type potato, diced               Additional fresh marjoram
8 cups vegetable broth                                 or parsley, chopped for garnish
1 lb. dried split green peas                         Croutons, if desired
2-3 sprigs fresh marjoram

---

1. Pick over the dried peas for foreign objects and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add celery and carrot and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes and stir another minute. Add hot broth and salt. Rinse the peas and add them to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil.

3. Place herbs and bay leaves in bouquet garni bag and add to soup. (If you can't find fresh herbs, use 1 tsp. dried)

4. Cover and simmer until peas are falling apart, about 1-1¼ hours.

5. Remove bouquet garni. Pureé a few ladlesful of soup in a blender and return to pot, or run an immersion blender briefly through the pot. Correct seasoning and serve soup with desired garnish. Makes 6-8 generous main dish servings.

Trofie with Spinach, Garlic, and Shrimp

Trofie

Our writers' group revisited an old favorite tonight, a wonderful Italian casserole dish for seafood and pasta lovers. Vegetarians can omit the shrimp. Vegans can omit both shrimp and cheese, or serve Veggie cheese on the side. All variations are scrumptious.

Trofie, a thin, squiggly Ligurian pasta with tapered ends, is traditionally served with pesto sauce. It's perfect in this dish, as the spinach would become entangled in longer pastas like linguine. Don't let all the steps discourage you. This one is delicious!

TROFIE WITH SPINACH, GARLIC, and SHRIMP

Bread Crumb Topping
8 Tbs. fresh bread crumbs                     3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
3-4 garlic cloves                                      2 tsps. olive oil
3 tsps. grated Parmesan Reggiano        Salt and pepper

Pasta
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil                 ¾ lb. trofie or other small pasta
6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced           1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
A pinch of dried red pepper flakes        ¼ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
10 oz. fresh spinach,                               1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp
        stemmed and chopped *                2-3 Tbs. dry white wine

---

1. Make fresh breadcrumbs by dropping fresh or day old bread in the food processor with garlic cloves. Combine topping ingredients in small bowl and reserve.

2. In a large pasta pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add salt. Preheat the broiler.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic over a low flame. Slowly cook the garlic slivers until they turn a light golden brown. Remove garlic slivers with a slotted spoon and discard.

4. Add red pepper flakes to the oil. Cook 30 seconds. Toss spinach in the oil. Add wine and cook until limp, turning often with tongs or a kitchen fork. Remove pan from  heat and reserve until pasta is done.

5. Plunge the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, ladle 1 cup of cooking water into the spinach and oil and place the pan over moderate heat. Drain pasta and add to the pan with the spinach and oil. Sprinkle the cheese directly onto the pasta and toss well. Transfer pasta to an ovenproof serving platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix. Broil until the crumbs are golden brown and serve immediately.
 
* Frozen chopped spinach, thawed before adding, works well. Decrease cooking time.
 
** To add shrimp, shell, clean, and sauté it with the spinach, but not too long, as it will continue to cook when the pasta is added, and again in the broiler.

Serve with crusty bread, salad, and white wine. Serves 4-6.

---

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts

Whether you call it seksu, kuskus, or keskesu, couscous is a versatile and delicious dish. This North African staple has been around for centuries, traveling all over and leaving recipes in medieval cookbooks from Morocco to Brittany.

These tiny round grains of semolina pasta may be steamed or simmered in a variety of broths and served as a main course or side dish. I prefer the larger version, called pearl or Israeli couscous, and I’ve been making gorgeous salads with it all summer.

Israeli/pearl couscous comes in many flavors and may be made of different grains, such as barley or whole wheat. For this recipe, I used a tri-color semolina couscous for a festive touch and simmered it in homemade vegetable broth. We enjoyed it with grilled fish and steamed veggies, but this would be an outstanding side dish for a multitude of main courses.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS with PINE NUTS

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil                       1¾ cups pearl couscous
1 large shallot, chopped                            2 cups simmering broth
4 scallions, white parts chopped,             1 tsp. salt
       green stems sliced into rounds          ½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped                        Fresh parsley, chopped

---

1.  Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a deep sauté pan (I use a non-stick pan for this recipe). Add the shallot and scallion whites and stir until tender and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes.

2.  Stir in remaining Tbs. olive oil and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the couscous and stir until the granules are coated with oil and no longer clump together, 2-3 minutes.

3.  Stir in heated broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 10-12 minutes, until broth is absorbed. Stir occasionally.

4.  Remove from heat. Stir in half the pine nuts and the parsley. Garnish with scallion greens and serve, passing the rest of the pine nuts at the table. Leftovers reheat well. Serves 4-6.

Jiddo's Hummus Bi Tahini

My late father-in-law excelled at making soups and baked beans, but his Hummus Bi Tahini is my favorite. I've never tasted better hummus than his version of this classic Arabic dip, a blend of chickpeas and sesame paste. Delicious, nutritious, and easy, this appetizer/side dish is great for the holidays, a nice break from all those cream-laden dips packed with calories. Be sure to use good quality tahini, and try not to eat it all before you serve it!

JIDDO’S HOOMIS BI TAHINI

Mix in Blender:
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2-3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, put through press

---

Transfer mixture from blender to bowl. Add about ¾ cup Sesame Tahini, a little at a time, stirring well to desired thickness. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with parsley, toasted pine nuts, and/or a scattering of chickpeas. Serve with crackers, pita bread, and/or crudités.

Ratatouille Made Easy

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Traditional Ratatouille recipes call for the vegetables to be sautéed then baked as a casserole. This easy recipe skips the sauté step, adds the flavor of baby bella mushrooms and uses tomato sauce instead of whole tomatoes.

As with many of my favorite dishes, this colorful recipe doesn't require exact measurements.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant (1.5 pounds), ends trimmed, unpeeled, diced
2 zucchini (1 pound total), unpeeled, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6-8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup roasted garlic pasta sauce
6 large cloves garlic, halved (optional—add garlic if using plain marinara sauce)
pepper

1. Toss vegetables in large bowl with olive oil and season with pepper to taste.

2. Arrange on two parchment-lined baking sheets in single layer.

3. Place on center racks in 350 degree preheated oven and roast for thirty minutes. Switch pan positions and roast for additional thirty minutes. (total baking time: 1 hour)

4. Heat pasta sauce and mix with roasted vegetables in a large bowl.

Serve over rice or pasta as a meatless main dish or as a side dish with your favorite meat. We like it as a side for chicken. Serves 4 as main dish with rice.

* Can be made a day in advance and reheated with meal.

Vegetable Stock à la Pat

It’s Autumn in New Hampshire, and the cool, crisp weather has me reviewing my heartier recipes. A few of the best use vegetable broth as a base. I’ve tried the canned versions and the health food store boxes. Many were acceptable, yet I'd rather use plain water than add the less tempting versions to my soups and risottos. After some experimenting, I developed my own vegetable stock. The simmering broth fills the kitchen with heavenly aromas, and it’s a wonderful substitute for chicken broth in many recipes. Give it a try, and keep a few containers on hand in the freezer.　

VEGETABLE STOCK à la PAT

1 large onion, chopped, with skin (Pat’s note: the skin will color the broth)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
Handful of chopped lettuce
½ lb. sliced shiitake mushrooms
½ lb. sliced white mushrooms
2 leeks, well washed and chopped
1 small celeriac, peeled and chopped
1 purple topped turnip, peeled and chopped
Strip of Kelp (Kombu)
Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Generous grinding of porcini powder
3 Bay leaves
Fresh sage and thyme
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. peppercorns
¼ tsp. fennel seeds
¼ tsp. cloves

---

Combine all ingredients in a 12-quart stock pt. Add water to cover vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, about two hours, until vegetables are soft. Strain broth.

Chili Two Ways

"This is to thank you for all the special meals you make for me," said one of the talented writers in our Monday night writing group, and she handed me a brand new cookbook. She caught me off-guard—I truly enjoy hunting down vegetarian recipes that everyone in the group enjoys, and my husband enjoys them too.

The cookbook is The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley, a neat collection of recipes that can be adjusted to please all the vegetarians and meat lovers in your life. A great idea, and inspiring to read, even though I've been cooking like this for a while now. Below is my own Chili Con Carne recipe in both its original form and with suggested changes to adapt it into a vegan delight.

CHILI TWO WAYS

3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large vidalia onion, peeled
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2 Tbs. chili powder
4 Tbs. ground cumin
2 lbs. lean ground beef OR 4-6 portobello mushrooms, chopped in processor
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 15-oz. cans mixed kidney beans, rinsed well and drained
               (increase to 5 cans if using mushrooms instead of beef)
2 tsps. dried oregano
1 13-oz. can beef OR vegetable broth
1½ cups dry red wine

---

1. Heat oil in non-stick skillet. Prepare and process vegetables and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder and ground cumin. Cook for one minute and transfer to 8-qt. stock pot.

2. Brown ground beef or mushrooms in the same skillet, breaking up meat and adding 1 tsp. salt, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef/mushrooms with slotted spoon to stock pot, leaving fat behind. Stir tomato sauce, tomatoes, oregano, and beans into stock pot. Add beef/vegetable broth and wine. Simmer about 2 hours.

3. Serve with chopped scallions, tortilla strips, sour cream/tofu sour cream, and grated Monterey Jack or similar cheese/veggie cheese. Plenty for 6-8.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad

Serve this colorful and nutritious vegetarian salad as a delicious main course or a fabulous side dish.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO and LENTIL SALAD

For the Lentils:
1 cup French green lentils (du Puy)
1 large bay leaf
3 large garlic cloves cut in half

For the Sweet Potatoes:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 Tbs. vegetable or light olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

For the Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced　
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

To Finish the Salad:　
2 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and diced
4 scallions, white parts chopped, green tops sliced
1 15-oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained well
¾ oz. pkg. fresh dill, chopped
½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

---

1. Place lentils, garlic cloves, and bay leaf in a pot with cold water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil. Simmer lentils until tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse in cool water and drain well, discarding bay leaves and garlic. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. To roast sweet potatotes, heat oven to 400 F. In a 9x13-inch pan, toss potato cubes with oil and rosemary. Cover with foil and roast for 12 minutes. Remove foil, shake pan, and continue roasting until potatoes are tender, about 12 -15 minutes more. Drain/cool on paper towels. (Sweet potatoes may be boiled - about 8-10 minutes, or steamed - about 6-7 minutes, until tender. Drain well.)

3. Blend ingredients for dressing together. Fold into lentils. Add potatoes and all remaining ingredients, folding gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4-6.

Fettuccine with Asparagus and Summer Squash

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I like to serve at least one veggie main course each week. This week, I created a recipe from a picture I found a while back in a chef's equipment catalog. Although I lusted after the advertised sauté pan, the pasta and vegetables in the pan was what had my mouth watering.

In the picture the chef appears to have used regular fettuccine. I mixed regular fettuccine with whole-wheat fettuccine. This is a very easy recipe not requiring precise measurements.

Ingredients:

8 ounces fettuccine (semolina/durum)
8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine (durum whole grain)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch asparagus, each spear cut into thirds
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 medium yellow squash, sliced thin
zest of one small lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook fettuccine according to package(s) for desired doneness, keeping in mind that each type might have a different cooking duration. Time accordingly.

2. Meanwhile, pour olive oil into a large sauté pan. When hot, add garlic, asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash. Cover and cook on medium-low until desired tenderness. Add lemon zest near end of cooking time.

3. Toss cooked vegetables with cooked fettuccine, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Place in bowls and serve with a favorite wine.

Makes 4 generous servings. Enjoy!

Mushrooms à la Greque

Cool and colorful, an antipasto is always perfect for supper on a hot summer evening. Our writers’ group enjoyed a sizable one last night before rolling up our proverbial sleeves and getting down to work. Our meal was nearly vegetarian (we had tuna in the cannellini beans and some hard-boiled eggs). Make your very own version by combining your favorite vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, cold cuts, and cheeses. If you do throw one one of these classic composed salads together, I strongly suggest you try adding these fabulous Greek-inspired mushrooms.

MUSHROOMS à la GREQUE

2 cups water
6 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
1 large shallot, minced
6 sprigs parsley
1 small celery stalk
½ tsp. fennel seed
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. black peppercorns
½ tsp. coriander seeds
1 lb. fresh mushrooms caps, washed and trimmed
Minced parsley for garnish

---

1. Combine water, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and shallots in a 2½ quart saucepan. Place parsley, fennel, thyme, peppercorns, and coriander in a small bouquet garni bag or cheesecloth. Cut celery into large pieces and add to saucepan with spice bag. Cover tightly and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms to hot liquid and stir to coat them well. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms and arrange on serving dish. Boil cooking liquid rapidly until reduced to about ½ cup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Strain over mushrooms. Cover and chill thoroughly. Sprinkle with minced parsley just before serving. Serve alone as an appetizer or as part of an antipasto.



Clockwise: Cherry Tomatoes, Marinated Chickpeas, Sugar Snap Peas,
Orange Cauliflower, Purple Potatoes in Olive Oil and Garlic,
Baby Carrots, Asparagus, Yellow Zucchini, Red Quinoa,
Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad
Center: Hard-Boiled Eggs and Mushrooms à la Grecque

Middle Eastern Zucchini Salad

Light, refreshing, easy. What more could you want for a wonderful summer side dish, brought to us by the Arabs via Sicily and Spain? This one is sure to help use up all that extra zucchini in the garden!

MIDDLE EASTERN ZUCCHINI SALAD

1 zucchini squash (about 1 lb.)
1 summer squash (about 1 lb.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts, plus extra for garnish
2 Tbs. golden raisins
1 tsp. dried mint (look for Syrian/Tabbouleh mint)
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

---

1. Slice squash into ¼-inch slices (I use my food processor's thickest slicing blade)

2. Heat garlic and oil in frying pan until garlic is fragrant. Add squash. Sauté over moderate heat until heated through. Add pine nuts and raisins. Sauté until heated through.

3. Add mint and salt and pepper. Stir until squash is tender crisp. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with additional toasted pine nuts. May be served warm or cold.

Southwestern Composed Salad

Last night, I served this "composed" main course salad to our writers' group in a glass bowl to highlight the colorful layers. Once we dug in, the composed effect vanished, but the salad created gorgeous scoops of rainbows over the baby greens on our plates (see below). Delicious, lo-cal, and summery, casual enough for a barbecue but fancy enough for your mother-in-law, what more could you want? And leftovers are great. Tonight my husband and I enjoyed them with Chicken with Honey and Cumin Marinade.

The first photo I posted on Kitchen Excursions, the gorgeous Antipasto to the right, is a lovely example of a composed salad. No, it doesn't mean the salad is calm and collected. A composed salad is simply the opposite of a tossed salad, arranged just so, a more elegant presentation. Despite the prep work, composed salads are fun to make, and ingredient amounts aren't critical. All you really need to do the job is your imagination and a pretty platter or a glass salad bowl. Experiment, and enjoy!

SOUTHWESTERN COMPOSED SALAD

For the salad:

¾ cup pearl barley

2¼ cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water or broth

1-2 cups black-eyed peas, fresh, frozen, or dried

10 oz. frozen corn, thawed, or fresh corn from 2-3 ears, cooked al dente

2 cups broccoli florets

1 15-oz. can pink beans, rinsed and drained well
Baby spinach and/or salad green of choice

For the Dressing:
6 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. dry white wine

½ cup fresh lime juice

2 Tbs. honey

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsps. ground cumin

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

½ tsp. Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

---

1. Stir barley in a small saucepan over moderate heat until it starts to color, about 5 minutes. Add hot broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer about 40 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender. Leave partially covered until cool.

2. Bring the quinoa and broth to a boil. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and germ of the grain is visible. Leave partially covered until cool.

3. Cook black-eyed peas according to package directions. Drain and let cool.

4. Lightly steam broccoli. Drain and cool.

5. Assemble salad in layers, ending with red quinoa. When ready to serve, spoon over salad greens and pass dressing separately rather than dressing the whole salad. Leftovers will keep better this way. Enough for 6-8 as a main course salad.

Soba Noodles with Stir-Fried Vegetables

In a quest for something new for our Monday night writers’ dinner, I experimented with an Asian-inspired side dish that perfectly complemented my tried and true Teriyaki Fish Marinade. For a tasty vegan supper, simply omit the fish. This colorful veggie dish is an adaptation of a recipe I found in Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook. Definitely a keeper, and I look forward to tweaking the flavors.

The original recipe calls for scallions, but as our romance writer doesn’t care for scallions, I omitted them. Next time, however, I will definitely sneak them back in along with some fresh ginger to punch up the delicate sauce, increased at the request of my sauce-loving husband and served over soba noodles, a delicious buckwheat pasta. I will also try to keep the noodles warm or add them to the vegetables and sauce to heat them up.

SOBA NOODLES with STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES

8 oz. soba noodles
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow squash, quartered and thinly sliced
5 oz. sliced shiitake mushrooms
10 oz. fresh or frozen shelled edamame (soy beans)
9 Tbs. mirin (rice wine)
9 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
3 tsps. corn starch

---

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook soba noodles according to package directions and reserve.

2. Combine mirin, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl and reserve.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic for a minute, then add mushrooms and stir until they release their juices. Stir in squash, edamame, and soy sauce mixture. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-done, 2-3 minutes. Plenty for 4-5.

Quinoa and Two-Bean Salad

Our Monday night writers’ group enjoyed this southwestern-style salad as a main course last night. We gobbled it up along with a fresh spinach and herb salad and a loaf of crusty French bread. Quinoa and Two-Bean Salad is also a perfect side dish for those big barbecue parties coming up.

Quinoa (KEEN-wa) first appeared on Kitchen Excursions in the Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Quinoa and Spinach recipe. Cultivated by the Incas of South America thousands of years ago, quinoa’s tiny, grain-like seeds are a complete and easily digestible protein and a smart and delicious addition to any diet.

Look for pre-washed quinoa, and don't be afraid to experiment with different colored "grains." I chose the beans in this recipe for color. Use whatever type you prefer.

QUINOA and TWO-BEAN SALAD

For the Salad:
1¼ cups quinoa
2½ cups water
1 15-oz. can black beans
1 15-oz. can pink beans
1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups frozen corn, thawed
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bunch scallions, green tops sliced, white bottoms chopped

For the Dressing:
3 Tbs. olive oil
6 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tsps. honey
3 tsps. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 large garlic clove, minced

---

1. Bring water to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Simmer about 12 minutes, until water is absorbed. Fluff and let sit off the heat for five minutes, then transfer to a large bowl to cool.

2. Rinse and drain beans. Toss beans in a medium bowl with vinegar and salt and pepper and let sit.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients together.

3. Add corn (no need to cook it), beans, cilantro, and scallions to quinoa. Fold in dressing and turn salad into serving bowl. Garnish with scallion tops. Serves 6-8 or more as a main course.

Creamy Carrot Purée with Pesto

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

This creamy puréed soup with a dollop of pesto is delicious. Either prepared pesto can be used or follow Pat's directions for making fresh pesto in her post for Shrimp Risotto with Green Beans and Pesto Sauce. The use of a food processor makes slicing carrots a snap.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced thin
3 golden potatoes (size B), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fat free, sodium reduced, chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon pepper
prepared pesto

1. Pour olive oil into a large pan. When hot, add onion and stir until limp. Add carrots and potatoes, coating with onion flavored oil. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover pan, lower heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender when pierced.

2. Using the purée setting on a blender, purée in small batches until smooth. Pour into a large prep bowl. When finished, return pureed soup to pan. Heat, stirring often, until hot.

3. Pour into bowls, top with dollop of pesto, and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Makes 4 generous servings. Enjoy!

Orecchiette with Tuna, Peas, Cannellini Beans, and Mushrooms

Orecchiette, which means "little ears" in Italian, is a wonderful pasta for trapping tiny, tasty morsels. In this dish, those morsels include tuna, peas, mushrooms, and cannellini beans simmered in a white wine sauce. We gobbled up this dish at our last writers’ meeting, and everyone had seconds. (We served a veggie cheese along with the Parmesan for our veggie friends.) A Five Star Yum!

ORECCHIETTE with TUNA, PEAS, CANNELLINI BEANS, and MUSHROOMS

8 oz. sliced white mushrooms             1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
6 Tbs. olive oil                                                   and drained
1-2 large shallots, chopped                   A splash of lemon juice
6-8 cloves garlic, minced                      ½ lb. orecchiette
4 cans solid white tuna in water          Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth       Fresh chopped parsley
½ cup dry white wine                            Freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano
1 tsp. dry oregano                                                  cheese
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen peas                                    

---

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp. salt.

2. Rinse peas briefly and drain. Don’t worry if they aren’t completely thawed.

3. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in deep frying pan. Over medium high heat, sauté mushrooms in oil until they give off their liquid and start to brown. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside.

4. In same pan, heat remaining 5 Tbs. olive oil. Sauté shallots until they are soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.

5. Stir in wine and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer about 13 minutes. Stir in beans, peas, and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let sit while pasta is cooking.

6. Cook pasta according to package directions, which should take about 11 minutes.

7. Drain pasta and add to bean mixture. Reheat briefly, add drained and chopped tuna, a splash of lemon juice, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, salad, and your favorite white wine. Pass cheese separately. Generously serves 4-6.