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I thought flu season was over

6/7/2024

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Following the Memorial holiday weekend, I came down with a nasty stomach bug. It was so bad that I lost my desire for coffee, which I need to start my day, and my chocolate sugar cookie craving. As we had booked an upcoming weekend trip to Boston, I needed to get well before our departure. Fortunately, by Thursday I was starting to feel better and on Friday, when we left, I was just about back to normal. Now this week, my right hip is acting up and I’m hobbling as I walk.
 
Prior to these issues minor, I found some really interesting and tasty recipes. For vegetarians, and those trying to eat less meat, Creamy, Spicy Tomato Beans with Greens by Alexa Weibel from The New York Times/NYT Cooking may be your answer. This 40-minute meal uses olive oil, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, yellow onion, fresh garlic, crushed red pepper, tomato paste, canned cannellini beans, heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes in oil, pecorino or Parmesan cheese, baby arugula, lemon zest and juice.
For this recipe I used the arugula that came in my CSA box. The recipe starts by toasting panko bread crumbs in olive oil and seasoning them with salt and pepper. Once they’re removed from the pan, more olive oil is added and onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper are sautéed. When softened, tomato paste is added until caramelized and then mixed with the rest of the pan’s ingredients. The beans then go in, along with cream, sun dried tomatoes and water and cooked for five minutes until the flavors meld together. The seasoning is adjusted if necessary and some of the cheese added to the pan.
 
In a separate bowl, the arugula is tossed with seasoned panko, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper. The dressed greens are placed atop of the beans and served.
 
I must say this was a tasty meal. As it wasn’t baby arugula, what I should have done was chopped off the long stems and chopped the leaves into smaller pieces. I also couldn’t locate a half pint container of heavy cream at my local food store, so I opted to use half and half instead, which worked just as well. The flavor was similar to that of Penne Vodka Sauce, minus the vodka. It was a delicious and filling meal.
 
Another quick and easy meal came from Ali Slagle also of The New York Times/NYT Cooking. Her recipe for Lemony Orzo with Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs utilized another CSA box ingredient. Besides the asparagus and orzo, you’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice, panko bread crumbs, fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese and either fresh dill, mint or parsley.
 
Starting with a large bowl, prepare the pasta dressing which is made with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper. 
 
The orzo is cooked per the package directions, but two minutes before it’s done, trimmed and thinly sliced asparagus is cooked in the same pot. When done, the pasta and asparagus are drained and added to the bowl with the dressing then tossed to coat. In the same pot, olive oil is added along with the panko bread crumbs and cooked until golden brown. Finely chopped garlic is added to the crumbs and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Grated cheese and herbs are added and seasonings adjusted. You can also add more lemon juice. Top the pasta with the bread crumbs and more cheese.
 
What a wonderful pasta dish. This can be served either warm or at room temperature, perfect for parties! The flavors were well balanced, there was a nice acidity from the lemon that also added brightness and a crunch from the crisp tender asparagus and toasted bread crumbs. A truly healthy and light pasta dish.
 
Zucchini can be plentiful in one’s garden, or CSA box for that matter. One of the recipe suggestions in week 2 of our CSA box was for Grilled Zucchini with Goat Cheese, Basil & Honey. The recipe is from the website “Walder Wellness, by Carrie Walder. Besides the listed ingredients from the recipe’s title, you’ll also need olive oil or avocado oil, salt and pepper.
 
At the last minute, I decided to try this recipe, but changed it a bit by substituting shaved pecorino Romano cheese for the goat cheese. Using my mandolin, I shaved 1/4-inch planks. I layered the zucchini in a colander and salted each layer. This helped to draw out the excess water. After 20 minutes, I patted the planks dry and brushed them with olive oil then seasoned with salt and pepper. The planks were placed on a perforated grill pan to roast and turn golden. When done, I placed them on a platter and topped with shaved pecorino Romano cheese, a drizzle of honey and basil chiffonade. Delicious, this was a tasty way to prepared grill zucchini. I like the sharpness of the cheese against the sweetness of the honey and the smokiness of the zucchini. A truly delightful preparation.
 
This is the first year I had the opportunity to try fresh rhubarb in my CSA box. Although Dreyer Farms provides links to recipes, I was interested in trying a rhubarb tart. An internet search led me to baker David Lebovitz, who worked at the famed restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California with Alice Waters and co-owner and pastry chef Lindsey Shere.  I found his recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Tart and liked the ease to which the recipe appeared to be.
 
This is an open face tart that serves 8. For the dough you’ll need flour, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, and ice water. For the filling, 3 cups diced rhubarb, 2 cups strawberries, lemon zest, granulated sugar, corn starch, almond flour (optional), melted butter and turbinado sugar.
 
Mr. Lebovitz uses the almond flour to help soak up some of the fruit juices when the tart bakes. Other options include cracker or bread crumbs, crumbled amaretti cookies or a bit a flour.
 
I used my food processor to make the tart dough. Once the dough comes together, it’s removed from the bowl, shaped into a disk, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
 
Meanwhile the filling is prepared by dicing the rhubarb, hulling and quartering the strawberries and placing it all in a large bowl. Lemon zest, sugar and corn starch are added, but not mixed in. Mixing it in too soon will make the fruit too juicy.
 
The dough is rolled into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Once the size is reached, sprinkle the surface with the almond flour. Now you can mix the fruits together, place in the center of the dough leaving a 3-inch border from the fruit to the dough’s edge. Fold the dough up and over the filling. The crust is brushed with melted butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. I suggest baking on a parchment or silicon mat lined baking sheet in case any juices spill. I used a  three-sided rimmed baking sheet that allowed me to slide the tart from the pan to a cooling rack.
 
The tart cools for approximately fifteen minutes before serving. As the tart was rather large for just two people, I invited my neighbors over for a slice. I served a small scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside. Amazing, this tart was absolutely wonderful. The use of strawberries helped to offset the tartness of the rhubarb. The tart had a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The crust was light and flaky. My neighbors really enjoyed it as did my husband and I. It’s unfortunate that I became sick the day after making this tart as I never had a chance to have second piece.  Even as he ate the last piece, my husband commented on how delicious the tart was. ​

Creamy, Spicy Tomato Beans and Greens
By Alexa Weibel
The New  York Times/NYT Cooking, April 24, 2024
 
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
 
Yield: 4 servings
 
Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
⅓ cup tomato paste
2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other creamy white beans, rinsed
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chopped jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil
⅔ cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
4(  packed) cups/3 ounces baby arugula
2teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice (from 1 lemon)
Toasted bread (optional), for serving
 
Preparation
  1. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Stir in the panko, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently and shaking the pan, until toasted and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer seasoned panko to a paper-towel lined plate, then wipe out the skillet.
  2. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato paste and stir until darkened and mixture is combined, about 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in beans, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes and ⅓ cup water, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the cheese, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the seasoned panko, lemon zest and juice, plus the remaining ⅓ cup cheese and 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Pile the greens at the center of the bean mixture. Serve with toasted bread, if desired.
creamy_spicy_tomato_beans_with_greens.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
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Lemony Orzo with Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs
By Ali Slagle
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
 
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
 
Ingredients
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup orzo
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal (about ¼-inch thick)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed (from about 1 large lemon)
½ cup panko or homemade bread crumbs
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
¼  cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
½cup fresh dill, mint or parsley leaves (or any combination), torn if large
 
Preparation
  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions. Two minutes before the orzo is done, add the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus. Wipe out and reserve the pot.
  2. While the orzo and asparagus cook, make the dressing: In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons oil and the lemon zest and juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the drained orzo and asparagus and toss to coat. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.
  3. In the reserved pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Stir the Parmesan and herbs into the orzo, taste, then season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and more Parmesan if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.
lemony_orzo_with_asparagus_and_garlic_bread_crumbs.pdf
File Size: 60 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Strawberry Rhubart Tart
By David Lebovitz
 
Servings: 8
“I often sprinkle a little almond flour on the tart dough, to soak up any extra juices that may come out of the fruit when it's baking. You can use cracker or bread crumbs, crumbled amaretti cookies, a bit of flour, or leave it out. For those who want to reduce the sugar, feel free to cut the sugar in the filling down to 1/2 cup (100g). For another variation, you could swap out fresh pitted cherries for the strawberries, or mix a basket or two of raspberries or blackberries with the rhubarb, in place of the strawberries. This tart is sometimes called a galette or crostata and is baked free-form. It could also be baked in a tart pan as well. Be sure to cover the baking sheet well if using parchment paper, to catch any juices that may run out during baking. I used an unrimmed baking sheet for this one but use a rimmed one if you want to make sure you're containing any errant juices.”
 
For the tart dough
1 1/2 cups (210g) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4oz, 115g) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
6 tablespoons (90ml) ice water
 
 
For the filling
3 cups (13oz, 380g) diced rhubarb, (trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch, 2cm pieces)
2 cups (10oz, 300g) strawberries, hulled and quartered
zest of 1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons almond flour , (optional)
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
turbinado or granulated sugar, for finishing the tart
 
  1. To make the tart dough, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also make it in a food processor, or by hand, using a pastry blender.) Add the cold butter and mix until the butter pieces are the size of peas.
  2. Add the ice water and continue to mix just until the dough comes together. Gather the dough with your hands, shape it into a disk, wrap it plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Put the rhubarb and strawberries in a medium bowl with the lemon zest. Sprinkle the sugar and corn starch on top, but do not mix the ingredients together yet. (If you do, they'll start to juice and may be overly juicy by the time you're ready to use them.)
  4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºF). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 14-inch (36cm) circle and place it on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the almond flour over the tart dough, if using. Mix the fruit together with the sugar and corn starch and place the fruit into the center of the tart dough, then spread it with your hands, leaving 3-inch (8cm) of space between the fruit and the edge of the dough.
  6. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the fruit filling. Brush the crush liberally with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the tart until the filling is cooked and bubbling, and the crust is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the tart off the baking sheet, onto a cooling rack.
 
”Serving: Serve the tart on its own, or with Vanilla Ice Cream, White Chocolate and Fresh Ginger Ice Cream, or Cinnamon Ice Cream, or a dollop of crème fraîche.
Storage: The unrolled dough can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen for up to two months. The baked tart is best the same day but can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. (The dough will get softer the longer it sits.)"
strawberry_rhubart_tart.pdf
File Size: 69 kb
File Type: pdf
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    ​meet donna

    A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

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