Potato Leek Soup with Roasted Broccoli
3 lbs. potatoes (a type that is good for mashing)
3/4 lbs. leeks
one bulb fennel
butter
light cooking oil
salt and pepper
tarragon
thyme
1 1/2 lbs. broccoli
6 cups stock and/or water
Cut potatoes into 3/4 inch chunks, boil until soft, and mash with a generous amount of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cut broccoli into 1/2 inch chunks and toss with oil and salt and roast at 425 until tender.
Slice leeks and sautee in oil over medium heat until softened. Quarter, core, and slice fennel and add to the leeks with 1/4 tsp. tarragon and 1/4 tsp. thyme. Sautee a few minutes more until fennel has softened. Add stock or water and heat until nearly simmering. Mix in potatoes and broccoli, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired!
Broccoli Basil Quiche with Summer Squash and Carrot Crust
for a 9" crust:
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 grated summer squash
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
grated black pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons melted butter, salted
Combine all ingredients except the butter and mix well. Add melted butter and mix again, then press this mixture into a greased pie plate (ideally not a thin disposable pie plate). Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes (until very light tan but not brown), and remove from the oven. If you are a cheese fan, grate 1/3 lb. swiss or cheddar and sprinkle evenly on the crust (just the bottom of the pan; not the sides).
for the filling:
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 lb. chopped broccoli
1/2 lb. shallots, medium dice
salt
4 eggs, beaten well
Toss shallots and broccoli with oil and salt and roast at 425 until tender. Meanwhile, line the quiche crust with a layer of basil leaves.
If you love milk, add 1 cup milk to the 4 beaten eggs. If not, add 1/2 cup water to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the cooked shallot and broccoli mixture and place in the crust.
Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until the egg is set and cooked. Cool briefly before serving.
Yum.
Cabbage, Beet and Cilantro Slaw
This recipe is an invention of our good friend Seth, who manages Refuge Gardens in Portland (a MercyCorps project), and who is a wizard in the kitchen. Great served with the above quiche and soup.
4 cups shredded red or green cabbage
2 cups grated beets (choose your favorite color!)
2 cups finely-chopped cilantro
dash light oil
salt
2 Tablespoons white wine and/or rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Toss vegetables together with a spoonful of oil to coat, then salt to taste. Add vinegar and lemon juice and toss everything together. Toast sunflower seeds lightly in a cast-iron skillet, with a pinch of cayenne (not too much!) if desired.
Green Gazpacho
This recipe comes from our friends Matt and Wendy, who love food!
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1½ cups whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 oz. ciabatta or country-style bread, crust removed, bread torn into 1” pieces (about 2½ cups)
- 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and cut into large pieces
- 1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 4 large tomatillos (about 12 oz.), husked, quartered
- 4 scallions, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 jalapeños, seeds removed, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
- Piment d’Espelette or Hungarian hot paprika (for serving)
Whisk vinegar, lime juice, 1 cup yogurt, and ½ cup oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add bread, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatillos, scallions, jalapeños, garlic, and ¾ tsp. salt and toss to coat (make sure bread is well coated so it can soak up as much flavor as possible). Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
Working in batches, purée bread and vegetable mixture in a blender until very smooth; transfer to a large bowl and season gazpacho with salt.
Whisk remaining ½ cup yogurt in a small bowl, thinning with water a tablespoonful at a time, until the consistency of heavy cream; season with salt.
Serve soup in chilled bowls. Drizzle with thinned yogurt and more oil and sprinkle with piment d’Espelette.
DO AHEAD: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Mix well before serving.