Donegal :Lamb Stew

 

Donegal Lamb Stew

This is a traditional Donegal stew that is actually white and creamier, lighter and more flavorful than most brown stews.
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless leg, neck or shoulder of lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks
6 large peeled carrots, chopped
1 leek, sliced 1 inch thick
2 onions, sliced 1 inch thick
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 sprig thyme
6 whole black peppercorns
½ cup parsley, stalks and leaves divided and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups prepared Irish mashed potatoes,

Irish Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
This recipe can be made the day before, slowly and carefully to get them extra smooth and creamy, and be one less thing to worry about on the day.Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
6 large Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 stick unsalted Irish butter
½ cup milk
¼ cup whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for approximately 20 minutes. Dry the potatoes by draining, then reheating in a clean pan on the stove with no liquid to get rid of all the moisture. Pass the potatoes through a fine ricer.

While the potato mixture is hot, mix through the butter to melt, then add the cream. Add to Donegal Braised Lamb Stew

Directions For Lamb Stew:

Place the lamb into a large pot, cover with water by about ½ an inch and bring to a boil. Strain off and discard the water, so as to clear the meat of impurities.

In a new clean pot, place the lamb and add 2 carrots, the sliced leek and onions, garlic, thyme, peppercorns, parsley stalks and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 2 hours. Using a spoon, check the meat’s tenderness. When it’s nearly tender, remove the pieces of lamb from the pot with tongs. Strain and save the liquid, discarding the vegetables; you should have around 8 cups liquid.

Return the lamb and liquid to the pot and season the liquid with 1 tablespoon salt. Add the peeled potatoes and the remaining 4 carrots. Continue cooking on medium heat, and once the potatoes in the pot are cooked and a fork passes through (approximately 20 minutes), stir in the mashed potatoes to thicken the mixture. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.

Add the chopped parsley leaves and serve with an extra dollop of mashed potatoes if you like. Serves 4 to 6

Linsen Mit Spätzle ~ Lentils With Spätzle

Linsem mit Spätzle

Lentils With Spätzle

A real German comfort food, Lentils With Spatzle. The combination 

of vinegar and just a touch of sugar gives it its famous sweet-sour flavor balance. Coupled with smoky bacon and flavorful veggies, it's served over Spätzle and often with a sausage for a favorite comfort dish throughout southern Germany.

Ingredients:

5 slices thick bacon, diced

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

t tablespoon butter,

1 carrot, finely diced

1 leek finely chopped, and thoroughly rinsed and drained

1 pound dried brown lentils

7 cups beef broth 

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt, 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Homemade or purchased spatzle

Directions:

Cook the bacon over medium high heat until done (for best flavor do not drain the grease).  Add the onions and cook until Translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.Add the butter, carrots, and leeks, cook 5 minutes.

Add the lentils, broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and sugar, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  Add the vinegar and parsley and simmer for 3-4 minutes.  If too thick for your taste, add a little extra beef broth.  Add more salt, pepper,  sugar, and vinegar to taste.

Sprinkle over spatzle.  Commonly served with sausage.

Traditional Colcannon

Traditional Colcannon

Traditional Irish colcannon is made by adding sautéed cabbage to mashed potatoes. But no one told us we couldn’t add kale and leeks. And if we decided it was a good idea to stir in a dollop of goat cheese, everyone at the table would get a little happier about having their veg and eating it, too.
Ingredients:
2 pounds red or gold new potatoes, washed, with skin on
¼ cup salted butter
3 cups lacinato kale, rib removed and chopped into ribbons
1 large leek, white only, thinly chopped into half moons
¼ cup goat cheese

1 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Directions:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by at least an inch.  Bring to a boil and add scant 2 tablespoons of salt . Cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside in a bowl.

In the same saucepan, melt butter and add kale and leek to the pan. Cook the greens until they have wilted and released some of their water, about 3–4 minutes.

Return potatoes to the saucepan, mash, and stir until the kale and leek are well incorporated.

Add the goat cheese, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Serve hot—and don’t hesitate to add another dollop of butter or goat cheese for good measure. Serves 4 - 6

Lemony Bean & Brassica Soup With Napa Cabbage & Dill

Lemony Bean & Brassica Soup

With Napa Cabbage & Dill

From creator Chef Diane Kochilas: "Cabbage lovers rejoice! This brassica-heavy bean soup is packed with several members of the Brassica genus, one of the healthiest and most nutritious vegetable groups in the world. I can’t help but think this soup is like an Ikarian garden on steroids, so to speak, chock-full of various species of these cruciferous vegetables and roots, many of which have long provided easy, inexpensive, and health-giving opportunities to make a delicious dinner that doesn’t cost that much or take much to produce in one’s own backyard. You can play around with this, adding, say Brussels sprouts or even kale to the soup."

Ingredients:

½ lemon

1 small celery root (celeriac)

¾ cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1 large leek, trimmed and chopped

1 small bunch Chinese celery, trimmed and chopped (with leaves)

½ small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, trimmed and finely shredded (about 3 cups)

1 large carrot, trimmed, peeled, and chopped 

1 parsnip, pared and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

1 kohlrabi, trimmed and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

4 garlic cloves

4 cups canned navy or other white beans, preferably organic 

(Rancho Gordo Note: We recommend our Marcella or Alubia Blanca beans)

10 cups vegetable broth or stock, or water

2 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs

Fresh strained juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch dill, leaves snipped or chopped

Directions:

Prepare acidulated water by squeezing and dropping half a lemon into 3 cups of water in a medium mixing bowl. Trim, peel, and dice the celeriac (celery root) and place it in the acidulated water. Set aside until ready to use.

Drain the celeriac. In a large soup pot, heat ¼ cup of olive oil and cook the onion, leek, celery, celeriac, carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, and kohlrabi until translucent and al dente, and until the onions are soft. Stir the garlic into the vegetable mixture. 

Add the beans, stock or water, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to low, bring to a simmer, keep the lid on the pot ajar, and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Fish out the thyme and bay leaves with a spoon and discard.

Using an immersion blender, puree a little bit of the soup in the pot, about 1½ cups or so—use your judgment to “eyeball” it. Doing this will create a creamy texture. 

Stir in the cabbage and cook the soup for 15 more minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Whisk the lemon juice and remaining olive oil together in a small bowl and add the mixture to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the dill. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.  Makes 8 servings.

Diane Kochilas is a chef and award-winning author of numerous cookbooks, including a favorite of ours, called Ikaria: Lessons on Food, Life, and Longevity from the Island Where People Forget to Die. This recipe is from her new book, The Ikaria Way: 100 Delicious Plant-Based Recipes Inspired by My Homeland, the Greek Island of Longevity. It publishes on March 26th and we can't wait to get a copy. There are so many good things to eat the this region, and it's part of the famous Blue Zones that enjoy amazing longevity. Spoiler alert: Beans are almost always a part of the long-life equation.

Brothy Beans

Brothy Beans

Predicteed our plant based diet is adopted more and more, this will be our protein source. Orca beans appear with the coloring of the orca whale, black and white with a unique texture and flavor!

Ingredients:

1 lb Orca beans

2-3 Parm rinds (large chunks)

1 leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 bulb fennel, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

1-½ tsp salt + more to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice 

Optional toppings: crème fraîche, herb oil, fresh tarragon, lightly pickled veggies, chile flakes

Fresh sourdough bread, for serving

Directions:
Prepare the beans: Cook beans with spices, salt, and olive oil.

Adjust seasoning and serve: When done, add lemon juice, adjust salt level if needed.

Top with toppings of your choice and enjoy with fresh sourdough bread!

Corn Kernals and Stock

Corn Kernels and Stock

Want to preserve peak-season corn for another day? Remove the kernels, make stock from the cobs, and freeze the corn and stock  together! Now you have a summery shortcut for fall and winter cooking.  A recipe for Golden Corn Creme Brûlée will post tomorrow.  Please come back!

 A half-batch is the right amount for risotto using:

1 cup (250 mL) arborio rice if you start with 

1/2 cup (125 mL) white wine at the beginning—use 

the stock to cook the rice and 

stir in the kernels at the end. 

Or use the whole recipe for chowder, adding sautéed onions, celery and potatoes, and adding the kernels at the end along with cream. This recipe is easy to double, triple or even quadruple, depending on your pot situation and freezer space.

Want to preserve peak-season corn for another day?  Remove the kernels, make stock from the cobs, and freeze them together! Try this summery shortcut for fall and winter cooking.

TIP
There’s lots of flavour left on the cob after cutting off the kernels. Just run the back of a chef’s knife over cobs, pressing down lightly to release those juices into your pot of water or cream.

Cheddar-Stuffed Mushrooms With Wild Rice Crunch

Cheddar-Stuffed Mushrooms With Wild Rice Crunch

Much like popcorn, wild rice can be popped, though perhaps not quite as dramatically. Exposed to dry heat in a skillet, they pop and split, modestly exposing their white interiors, and toast to a deliciously nutty flavour. Give them a whirl in a spice grinder, toss them with melted butter and chopped pecans and you have a seriously tasty topping to an already more-ish stuffed mushroom, a terrific side to simply prepared steak or chops.  Serves 6

Ingredients:
¼ cup (60 mL) wild rice
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped pecans
¼ cup (60 mL) butter, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 large portobello mushrooms
8 oz (250 g) mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) flour
1 cup (250 mL) milk
2 tsp (10 mL) miso
1 cup (250 mL) coarsely grated old cheddar
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) Japanese soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) neutral-flavour oil such as grape-seed or safflower
⅓ cup (80 mL) coarsely grated Parmesan
Directions:
Heat a skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat; add rice, cover and, shaking pan from time to time, pop and toast rice, about 2 minutes. (The amount of moisture in rice will determine how much the rice opens. The grains should be distinctly split and smell nutty.) Cool to room temperature and grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Turn out into a small bowl; add pecans. Melt 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter and pour over rice mixture. Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Remove stems from portobello mushrooms; roughly chop and add stems to chopped mixed mushrooms.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Melt remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter in a large skillet over medium. Add leek and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until wilted. Stir in garlic and mixed mushrooms, season with salt and pepper; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and pan is dry. Sprinkle flour over and stir to combine. Add milk and miso; continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and green onions.

Combine soy and oil; brush it over both sides of portobello caps and arrange, hollow-side up, on a baking sheet. Divide cheese mixture between caps, then add Parmesan, then the wild rice mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until portobellos are tender and cheese is golden at edges. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6

Serve a Pinot Noir

Corn Risotto NYT

 

Corn Risotto              

Ingredients
For the Risotto
6 cups corn stock (see recipe below) or chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 ½ cups raw corn kernels (from about 2 ears corn)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons minced chives

For the corn stock, optional
2 corn cobs (kernels removed and reserved for risotto)
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery rib, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
Dark green leaves from 1 leek (reserve white and light green parts for risotto)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Directions
Bring the corn stock or chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan and keep it simmering as you prepare the risotto.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains look slightly translucent.

Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until it has all been absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add a ladleful of hot corn stock to the rice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until rice has absorbed all of the stock. Continue cooking, adding ladlefuls of stock whenever rice mixture looks dry and stirring continuously. When half the stock has been added, stir in corn. 

Continue cooking until all of the stock is incorporated, corn is tender and rice is creamy and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes total.

Remove risotto from heat and stir in Parmesan and remaining tablespoon of butter. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream at high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Uncover risotto, stir vigorously and season to taste with salt and pepper. Immediately before serving, stir in the chives, if using, then gently fold in cream.

For the corn stock optional:
Combine all ingredients with 6 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat so liquid is simmering; cover pot and let simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Add enough water to bring liquid up to 6 cups.

Roasted Dijon-Brushed Chicken Breasts With Herb Crust, Sweet Potato And Arugula Risotto

Roasted Dijon-Brushed Chicken Breasts With 

Herb Crust, Sweet Potato And Arugula Risotto

Chef Raymond Poitras suggests using guinea hens but small bone-in chicken breasts also work well in this quick-to-prepare entertaining dish. Chef Poitras from The Peninsula Restaurant, Niagara Canada.

Ingredients:
1 small sweet potato, cooked
4 bone-in chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) Dijon mustard
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, thyme and rosemary

Risotto
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 small leek, white and light green part only, cut into matchstick pieces
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp (2 mL) chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) arborio rice
1/3 cup (75 mL) Chardonnay or other white wine
3 1/2 to 4 cups (875 mL to 1 L) hot chicken stock
1 cup (250 mL) tightly packed arugula leaves, torn into pieces, stems removed
1/4 cup (50 mL) whipping cream
1/3 cup (75 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Garnish:
Baby watercress

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Peel and dice sweet potato.

Remove skin from breasts. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Brush breasts with Dijon mustard and cover with fresh herbs, patting gently to adhere.

Roast in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160°F (70°C). Remove from oven. Remove from baking dish and let rest while risotto finishes.

For risotto, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook leeks, mushrooms, thyme and rosemary, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt butter in a saucepan; add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add Chardonnay and cook until absorbed.

Add 1 cup (250 mL) hot stock; adjust heat so stock bubbles gently and is absorbed slowly. Continue adding 1 cup (250 mL) stock at a time, stirring almost constantly, for 15 minutes.

Add diced sweet potato and mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring often, adding more stock when absorbed, until rice is just tender.

Add arugula and cream. Cook, stirring for 1 minute, until arugula is wilted.

Stir in Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon risotto into wide bowls and top with herb-crusted breasts. Garnish with watercress and serve immediately.   Serves 4

Porcini, Chevril and Artichoke Soup

Porcini, Chervil And Artichoke

Serves 6
4 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced

1/2 pound porcini mushrooms.
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 leek, washed well and sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, and the yellow centre leaves
2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 cups water
1 fresh bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
a few sprigs thyme
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
Creme fraiche or parmesan cheese for serving

Boil the kettle. Put the dried porcinis in a small jug or bowl and pour over 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water.  Cover with a dish or lid and let the mushrooms reconstitute – give them about 10 minutes.

Heat some olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan, or stockpot, and add the leaks.  Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until they are soft.  Add the garlic, celery, bay leaf, dried sage, and picked thyme leaves.  Stir, and cook for a few more minutes until the celery is soft.

Strain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid.  Roughly chop the mushrooms.  Add the potatoes, jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, stock, water and the liquid from the mushrooms.  Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf, and using a hand held bamix, puree the soup.  You can do this in a blender or food processor but its much messier.

Serve with a swirl of creme fraiche, or a sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Pair with Pinot Noir

Warm Spring Salad

Warm Spring Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (or try speltberries, but note they are not GF)
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, sliced into rounds or half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced strawberries (optional)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other sweetener)
1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt & lots of pepper, to taste
lemon zest, for garnish

*

Directions: 

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and place into a medium pot. Add 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until fluffy and all the water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, grab a very large skillet or wok. Sauté the leek and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add in the asparagus and sauté for another 5-10 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender, but still a bit crisp. Stir in the strawberries (optional), peas, and parsley. Heat for a few minutes and then remove from heat.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt) to taste. Pour dressing onto skillet mixture and stir in the cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper & enjoy! This would also be lovely with nuts or seeds sprinkled on top.

Oh, I forgot to mention – this is also fantastic served cold too!

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/15/warm-spring-salad/#ixzz43vU81ApH

Shrimp And Asparagus Risotto With Leek Broth And Fresh Tarragon

Shrimp And Asparagus Risotto With 

Leek Broth And Fresh Tarragon

Serves 4 to 5.
6 cups chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lb. large shrimp (16-20 per lb.), cleaned and cut in half through the back 
1/2 lb. asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 1 inch lengths diagonally
 3 T. unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 T. chopped Italian parsley, divided use 
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a 4-quart saucepan.

2. For risotto, heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute.

3. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly until wine is just about gone. Add 2 cups hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, lowering heat as needed just to keep mixture simmering. Add broth 1 cup at a time as needed. Keep stirring and adding rice until rice is just barely tender.

4. Stir in the shrimp and cook 1 minute. Stir in the asparagus and continue cooking and stirring until rice is tender and shrimp is cooked through, about 2 minutes adding more broth if necessary to maintain a creamy texture.

5. Remove rice from heat and stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, 1 T. parsley and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide rice between bowls or plates and sprinkle with remaining parsley; serve immediately.                      Recipe by Phillis Carey.

Greek Greens Pie

Meet Denise Roa the Executive Chef at Rancho La Peurta

Denise Roa gave a cooking class to begin our day, Saturday May 10.  The recipes were given to us which I will share with you.  The vegetables used at the Ranch kitchen are grown in the Organic Garden.

***

Greek Greens Pie

Pastry:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

8 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (earth Balance)

6 tablespoons ice water

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

*

Greens:

1 bunch black kale

1 bunch mustard greens

1 bunch chard

1 bunch spinach

*

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more if needed

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, optional

1 large leek, washed well, sliced thin

1 cup sliced scallions

3/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt

1 large egg + 1 egg white, lightly beaten

1 large egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water

*

For The Pastry:

Measure both flours and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Cut both fats into 1/2 inch cubes and add to work bowl.  Pulse 4 times, one full second each.  Combine the ice water and vinegar.  Start pulsing very rapidly as you gradually add the liquid through the feed tube.

Pulse until dough forms large clumps but does not actually gather into a ball.  Remove dough from processor and place on lightly floured surface.  Divide in two, one piece slightly larger than the other, form each into a disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

*

For the greens:  bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.  Remove stems from the greens and wash well.  Cut greens into largish pieces and keep each type separate.  Add the kale to the pot, cover, and cook 2 minutes.  Add the chard and cook 2 minutes.  Add the mustard greens and spinach, cover and cook 4 minutes.  Drain well and transfer greens to a large bowl of cold water.  When cool, drain, and squeeze as much water as you can from the greens. You should have 12 ounces of blanched greens.  Chop them fine.

*

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and the leek and scallions.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the chopped greens, and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.  If vegetables seem dry and want to stick to the pan, add small amounts of water as needed.  Take the pan off the heat and cool completely.   Add the cheeses, dill, and parsley.  Taste carefully for salt and add if needed.  Stir in the eggs.  

*

Adjust oven rack to the lowest position, set a heavy baking sheet on it, and preheat the oven to 450^ F degrees.

Roll the larger piece of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13 inch circle and fit into a glass 9" pie plate.  Trim excess pastry so it has a 1/2" overhang.  Fill the pastry with the greens.  Brush edge of pastry with ice water and cover with top crust.  Trim to match the bottom crust and press to seal.  Fold edge to make a rounded rim, flatten slightly, and score with back of knife.  Brush with egg yolk, make four slits in top of pie, and place pie in oven.

  *

Bake 20 minutes at 450 degrees.  Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees and bake 40 to 50 minutes more, until crust is nicely browned and pie is cooked through.

*

Cool 10 to 15 minutes and cut into 16 wedges.  Serve with arugula salad dressed with shallot sherry vinaigrette.

Sausage and Leek Quiche

Sausage and Leek Quiche

Serves 4

1/2 recipe tart dough

8 oz sage sausage

1 leek

1 Tablespoon canola oil

3 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated fontina

1/4 cup grated parmesan

***

Directions: Preheat Oven to 375* Prepare the quiche shell, but after removing pie weights, only continue to bake the crust for five more minutes. Remove the green part of the leek. Cut the remaining white part in half lengthwise and then into small slices. Dunk the sliced leeks in a bowl of water to remove any dirt and sand. Saute the leeks in canola oil for ten minutes until soft and translucent, remove to paper towel. Add sausage to the same pan and saute, breaking up into small pieces until cooked through. Whisk the eggs together with the cream and add the sausage, leeks and fontina cheese. Pour mixture into quiche crust, sprinkle the parmesan over the top and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden around the edges and the middle is no longer liquid. Enjoy!