spinach

Seared Duck Liver with Crispy-Fried Shallots, Porcini and Armagnac-Verjus Demi

/ Ren

Fresh duck liver is seasoned simply with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then seared over high heat with a bit of clarified butter.  The pan is deglazed with Armagnac then reduced with duck stock, verjus and demi-glace. Served over wilted spinach with crispy-fried shallots, porcini mushrooms and a garlic croûton.

Although high in cholesterol, duck liver is low-fat, low-calorie and extraordinarily high in Vitamins A and B12.  It is also a very good source of protein and iron..

Seared Duck Liver with Wilted Spinach, Crispy-Fried Porcini, Shallots and Armagnac-Verjus Demi

Verjuice (from Middle French vertjus “green juice”) is a very acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes. Sometimes lemon or sorrel juice, herbs or spices are added to change the flavour. In the Middle Ages, it was widely used all over Western Europe as an ingredient in sauces, as a condiment, or to deglaze preparations.

Picking green grapes for making verjuice. Tacuinum Sanitatis (1474). Paris Bibliothèque nationale

Risotto alle Castagne

/ Ren

Creamy risotto with chestnuts, wild mushrooms, onions, spinach, Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly-grated nutmeg..

Risotto alle Castagne

For the Vegetable Stock (recipe from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.  Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

For the Risotto (adapted from a recipe by Judith Jones)

2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/4 cup Spanish onion, diced
1/4 cup wild mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chestnuts, peeled, blanched and sliced
1/4 cup fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oz white wine
2/3 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Heat the butter in a stainless steel skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until soft and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and sauté another minute.

Add the white wine, salt and pepper and reduce.  Slowly add half the stock and cook, stirring continuously until absorbed.  Add the spinach, nutmeg and the rest of the stock and cook, stirring continuously until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Serve immediately.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Red Lentil Dahl with Spinach and Curried Yogurt

/ Ren

With approximately 26% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein by weight, of any plant-based after soybeans and hemp.  Lentils are an important part of the diet in the Indian subcontinent, which has large vegetarian population.

Made with spices of Ayurvedic importance, this is a powerfully healthy and healing dish..

Red Lentil Dahl with Spinach and Curried Yogurt

Serves 2 (adapted from a recipe by the Post-Punk Kitchen)

1 tablespoon ghee
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon hulled cardomom
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 dried red chiles, seeded

1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon good curry powder

Toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a spice grinder and pulse with chiles.  Set aside.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat and fry onions until golden.  Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, black pepper and toasted spices and fry 5 minutes.

Add vegetable stock and lentils and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Add spinach and cook 3 minutes, then add lime and cilantro, adjusting consistency with tomato paste if necessary.

Serve over brown basmati and top with a dollop of curried yogurt.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo

/ Ren

Coarsely-ground pastured chicken, spinach, sweet onions, garlic and yellow tomatoes tossed with conchiglie pasta, cream, saffron, Grana Padano and fresh herbs..

Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo

Serves 2

10-12 oz chicken meat (I use thigh meat), coarsely ground with 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
2 sweet bulb onions, sliced
2 fresh yellow cluster tomatoes, cored and choped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz spelt conchiglie
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in water
1/3 cup fresh cream
1/3 cup grated Grana Padano
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
fresh lemon

Grind chicken meat with fresh spinach and stir in 1 tablespoon cold rendered chicken fat.  Heat the other tablespoon of chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Pinch off pieces of chicken sausage and sauté until lightly browned and crispy on the outside.  Add garlic, tomatoes, onions and herbs and sauté, stirring continuously until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta al denté in 1 1/2 quarts salted boiling water, about 8 minutes.  Drain, then return to burner over medium-low heat.  Stir in cream and saffron, then slowly stir in grated cheese until sauce is thick and creamy.

Toss sausage mixture with pasta and sauce, brighten with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.

Savory Bread and Cheese Pudding

/ Ren

Sprouted wheat and wild yeast sourdough bread, pastured eggs, fresh milk, spinach, onions, garlic, sweet peppers and aged cheeses..

Savory Bread and Cheese Pudding

Savory Bread and Cheese Pudding

A riff on a recipe by the Moosewood Collective

1 cup fresh whole milk
3 pastured eggs
2-3 pieces stale sprouted wheat bread
2-3 pieces stale wild yeast sourdough bread
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 sweet peppers, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups grated aged white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Grana Padano cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse-grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
butter

Whip milk into eggs, stir in mustard and season with cayenne, sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Tear bread into 1-inch cubes and place into a bowl. Sauté onions, peppers and garlic in butter over high heat until slightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Scrape into bowl with bread.

Cook spinach until wilted, about 1 minute.  Squeeze out excess moisture, then add spinach to the bowl with the bread and onions. Add grated cheeses and toss all by hand to combine.

Transfer bread mixture to a buttered skillet and pour milk mixture over the top, pressing down with a spoon to coat the bread.  Top with sliced Roma tomatoes, then cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.


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