Posts Tagged ‘Onion’

• Zucchini Omelet

  Date: 08.05.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen

  1 pound zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  A handful of fresh parsley leaves
  2 cloves garlic
  4 tablespoons olive oil
  1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
  A big pinch of chopped fresh thyme
  4 large Vermont eggs (try farm-fresh eggs from Berway Farm and Creamery)
  1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  Spread out the cubed zucchini, sprinkle with salt and set aside. Chop the parsley and garlic together until it almost forms a paste: set this “persillade” aside as well.

  Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until meltingly soft but not browned, about 20 minutes. Stir in the thyme and remove from the heat.

  Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, season with a generous grinding of pepper and a pinch of salt and whisk to blend.

  The zucchini cubes will have given off some moisture by this time, pat them dry. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add the persillade and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the cooked onions. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the eggs.

  Return the skillet to the heat and warm the butter and the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Quickly pour in the egg mixture and swirl the pan a little to distribute the eggs. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pan and cook for one minute. Nudge the omelet gently with a spatula to make sure it’s not sticking. Fold the omelet over and cook another minute or so to cook the eggs through.

  Slide the omelet onto a serving plate. Serve with sliced tomatoes tossed with basil leaves and a favorite Vermont cheese.

  Serves 2 to 3

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• Swiss Chard Stuffed with Spicy-Sweet Rice

  Date: 06.23.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  

  Larger chard leaves are good for stuffing like the grape leaves in Greek dolmades. Plan ahead for this recipe—the peas need to soak overnight.

  5 tablespoons olive oil
  1 medium onion, minced
  ¾ cup white rice (Texmati or basmati)
  1½ cups water
  1 teaspoon salt
  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  A big pinch ground cardamom (optional)
  ¼ cup yellow split peas or chana dal (split chickpeas), soaked overnight in water
  About 20 stalks of white Swiss chard with large leaves
  1/3 cup dried currants
  ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  Freshly ground black pepper
  Juice of 1 lemon
  Greek yogurt for serving
  

  Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook a minute or two until the rice grains are slightly translucent. Add the water, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Bring to a boil. Drain the split peas or chana dal and add to the pan as well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes.

  Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Cut 15 to 18 leaves from the chard stems. Stack the leaves in a colander. Pour the water from the kettle over the leaves followed by running cold water. Spread the leaves on paper towels.

  Chop the stems and the remaining leaves. Set aside a couple handfuls of chopped chard. Sauté the remainder in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until it wilts. Add the currants and cook for a minute or two. Add the chard mixture to the cooked rice/split pea mixture. Stir in the mint, parsley and a generous grinding of pepper.

  Drop about 2 tablespoons of stuffing onto the center of one leaf. Fold the wider end up over the stuffing. Fold in the sides, and then roll into a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining filling and leaves.

  Spread the reserved chopped chard in the bottom of a deep (not cast iron) skillet. Set the chard packages on the chopped chard, seam-side down. Combine the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water in a small cup. Drizzle over the chard packages. Cover the pan tightly and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes. Transfer the packages to a serving dish and chill.

  Serve chilled or a room temperature with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

  Serves 6 to 8 as a first course or 4 as a main course

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• Lamb & Blue Cheese Sliders with Caramelized Onions

  Date: 05.26.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 1

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  

  Consider making slightly over-sized sliders so they can’t slip through the rungs on your grill rack. These are great with Cowboy Ketchup, which you can now find at City Market in Burlington.

  1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
  2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  Pinch of dried thyme
  1½ pounds lean ground lamb (try Kind Horn Farm or check out the selection at Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op)
  2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
  ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (we love Jasper Hill’s Bayley Hazen Blue)
  8 to 12 fresh-baked slider buns, split
  A handful or two of arugula leaves

  Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, salt, a generous grinding of pepper and a pinch of thyme. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and caramelized. Set aside.

  Light a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill.

  In a bowl, blend the lamb, olives, a dash of salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Divide the lamb mixture into 8 to 12 equal balls. Poke about a teaspoon of blue cheese into the center of each ball. Shape each into a 5/8-inch-thick patty. Brush the patties with a little olive oil.

  Grill the sliders to the desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Place the sliders hot-off-the-grill on the bun halves. Top each with a big spoonful of caramelized onions, a few arugula leaves and the other bun half.

  Makes 8 to 12 sliders, depending on size

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• Slow-Cooked Pork & Root Vegetables with Orange

  Date: 03.03.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  From the FarmPlate Kitchen
  If you’ve never prepared celeriac before, don’t be intimidated by its knobby, gnarly exterior — there’s a mild, even sweet, lovely vegetable on the inside.  Use a sharp knife to peel. If you think this is going to take awhile, drop the chunks of celeriac into a bowl of cold water with a slice of lemon as you work to keep the celeriac from turning brown.

  3 tablespoons olive oil
  2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1 large celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into wedges
  2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
  2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  2 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
  3 cloves garlic, chopped
  1½ cups white wine or amber ale
  1 cup chicken stock
  1 orange, juiced and a 3-inch strip of zest cut from the peel
  1 tablespoon soy sauce
  A big fresh rosemary sprig
  Crusty Red Hen bread for serving

  Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

  Over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy flameproof casserole with a lid. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown it, in batches if necessary. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the celeriac, onions, carrots and turnips and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for a few seconds more.

  Add the pork and any juices to the vegetables, then pour in the wine or beer, stock, orange juice and soy sauce. Add the orange zest, rosemary sprig and a generous grinding of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

  Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring after an hour or so. Add more liquid if necessary. The pork and vegetables should be very tender. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, then ladle into shallow bowls. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the fragrant juices.

  This one-pot meal reheats well.

  Serves 6 to 8

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• Vermont Cheddar-Ale Soup for a Crowd

  Date: 02.03.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  Once you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to add to the pot, this soup is very easy to make.

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  1 large sweet onion, minced
  2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into tiny dice
  ½ cup flour
  1 teaspoon mustard powder
  1 or 2 dashes of cayenne pepper
  1 bottle of your favorite Vermont ale
  5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  2 cups water
  ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  1½ cups grated Vermont Cheddar cheese
  ½ cup grated Monterey jack cheese
  1 tablespoon Vermont maple syrup
  Freshly ground white or black pepper
  Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
  Olivia’s Parmesan Pepper Croutons (optional)

  Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the flour, mustard powder and cayenne and cook for another minute or two. Slowly whisk in the ale, broth and water and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the Parmesan then reduce the heat to very low. Add the Cheddar and jack cheeses slowly, whisking constantly. When all the cheese has been added, whisk the soup until all the cheese is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and a generous grinding of pepper. Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 5 minutes. Ladle into mugs or small soup bowls and top with parsley and the croutons, if desired.

  Serves 8 to 10

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• Quick and Easy Chickpea-Tofu Curry

  Date: 01.27.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  Not all curries take hours to prepare. Keep a jar of prepared curry paste on hand for quick recipes like this one.

  One 14-ounce package Vermont Soy firm tofu
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  1 onion, chopped
  3 to 5 tablespoons prepared curry paste, such as Patak’s biryani, garam masala or Vindaloo curry paste
  One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
  One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted, with juices
  Juice from half a lemon or lime
  Chopped cilantro or scallion greens for garnish

  Pat the block of tofu with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Cut the block into ¾-inch cubes and set aside on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb additional moisture.

  Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and cook the onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Push the onions to one side and add the cubed tofu to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes to firm up the cubes, stirring gently from time to time. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and lemon or lime juice. Let simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

  Stir in the cilantro or scallion greens just before serving. Serve with naan (recipe below) or basmati rice.

  Serves 3 to 4

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• Butternut Squash Minestrone

  Date: 01.13.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  3 links Vermont Smoke and Cure Turkey-Sun Dried Tomato Sausage or other low-fat sausage, sliced
  1 large onion, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  2 carrots, peeled and diced
  1 celery rib, thinly sliced
  4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  2 cups diced butternut squash (about 10 ounces)
  One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes (with juice)
  One 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed
  2 teaspoons dried oregano
  6 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves
  Salt and a generous grinding of black pepper
  Shaved Vermont sharp Cheddar (optional)

  Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and cook until lightly browned. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

  Add the stock or broth, diced squash, tomatoes, beans and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

  Stir in the spinach or arugula and cook until the leaves wilt, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into bowls and garnish with Cheddar if desired.

  Serves 6

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• Blue Cheese & Onion Tart

  Date: 01.06.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2 large sweet onions
  ¼ cup white wine or dry vermouth
  1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  ½ teaspoon salt
  Freshly ground black pepper
  3 large eggs
  ¾ cup cream or half-and-half
  2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  8 ounces Vermont blue cheese, crumbled
  1 unbaked pie shell
  Dijon mustard for brushing shell

  In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Pour in the wine or vermouth and cook until dry, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme, salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Stir well. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

  Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

  Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the cream or half-and-half, parsley and a generous grinding of pepper and whisk to blend well.

  Brush the bottom of the pie shell with mustard. Spread the onions in the shell and distribute the blue cheese on top. Pour in the egg mixture. Bake until set and the top begins to brown, about 40 minutes. Good warm or cold.

  Serves 6 to 8

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• Butternut Squash, Sage and Cheddar Gratin

  Date: 11.25.2009 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from Julie Rubaud, Red Wagon Plants in Hinesburg, Vermont

  This is a hearty dish and only needs a green salad to round out the meal. It’s great for potlucks and any other time you want to feed a crowd.

  1 tablespoon butter
  1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  ¼ cup finely chopped fresh sage
  1 clove garlic, minced
  1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  About 3 cups cooked mashed butternut squash, or other winter squash
  ¼ cup heavy cream
  Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  6 ounces grated Cheddar cheese

  Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

  Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sage, garlic and oil and cook, stirring, until the onions start to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  Spoon the squash into the baking dish. Stir in the onion mixture, cream and salt and pepper to taste until well blended. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 450ºF. Sprinkle the cheese over the squash and return to oven, uncovered. Cook until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes more.

  Serves 4 to 6

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• Potato Pancakes

  Date: 11.25.2009 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury, Vermont

  This makes good use of leftover mashed potatoes. The recipe calls for baking the pancakes, but they can be done the old fashioned way too—try frying them in a little butter or oil on the stove top. Kick up the spice a notch by serving salsa on the side.

  4 tablespoons butter
  3 large onions, finely chopped
  4 large eggs
  3 cups mashed potatoes
  ½ cup flour
  Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  Hot pepper sauce to taste
  2 tablespoons water

  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a large baking sheet.

  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  In a large bowl, whisk together 3 of the eggs. Add the onions, potatoes, flour, salt, pepper and hot sauce and stir until well blended.

  Form the mixture into 16 round pancakes and place on the baking sheet.

  In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and the water and brush on top of each pancake. Bake the pancakes until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

  Serves 8 as a side dish or 4 as a main course

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