A Good Dish

making food simpler

The Greenest Pesto From A Source You Might Have Otherwise Thrown Away – Fennel Fronds

Fennel frond pesto on pasta
Wood fired slip and iron painted plate by Bandana Pottery

You can make pesto with almost any kind of leafy green or herb from arugula to cilantro to Swiss chard. Although the most common variety is basil, I have tried and liked pesto made with, in descending order, kale, broccoli, garlic scape, parsley and carrot tops. My new favorite – fennel frond –  surprised me. Don’t flinch like I did at first, thinking it would be too licorice-like. It isn’t. I actually thought I wouldn’t like it but I really do! This is a surprisingly tasty pesto and not at all fennel-ly, for those who don’t like that anise flavor.

Fresh fennel from Brix Bounty Farm

Any pesto is an easy recipe. You blend garlic, some kind of nut, salt, greens or herbs and possibly lemon and then add in cheese (or for vegan pesto, miso or nutritional yeast). Then you stream in oil, usually olive, and there you have it. The whole process takes less than 30 minutes. A traditionalist will use a mortar and pestle but a food processor or blender works efficiently. Conventional basil pesto uses pine nuts, walnuts or almonds. Joshua McFadden’s (popular for good reason) kale pesto recipe calls for pistachio nuts. This fennel frond pesto specifies pumpkin seeds. You could certainly make this recipe with walnuts or pistachios if you prefer them. Adding Parmesan or Pecorino creates another layer of flavor but you don’t need cheese; it can be both vegan and delicious with just a few spoonfuls of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for that umami flavor.

Trimmed and washed fennel fronds

I usually buy fennel to add to a salad or to sauté. The fennel I got last week from a nearby farm was quite frilly and not trimmed the way you find supermarket specimens. There was so much greenery on these two bulbs that I couldn’t bear to throw it away so I did an internet search for what to do with fennel fronds. Surprisingly, among suggestions for adding fronds to soups and salads and flavoring aquavit, there were many recipes for fennel frond pesto. My version below is a combination of several I found. You can substitute some other greens or parsley for some of the fronds if your fennel isn’t as leafy as mine was. Don’t be hesitant – all those fronds along with the lemon make a zesty and very green pesto which would be as good on fish or lamb or tofu as it is on pasta. And did I mention easy?

Fennel frond pesto on grilled salmon
Wood fired plate by Bandana Pottery
Fennel Frond Pesto

FENNEL FROND PESTO

  • 2-3 cups chopped fennel fronds (from 2 bushy fresh bulbs)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or walnuts)
  • 2-3 TBs fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon) plus the flesh (discard seeds and peel but if you have an organic lemon, you can include the zest/rind for even more lemon flavor)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or 2 TBs nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor, pulse together garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Add lemon flesh (and zest, if using), pumpkin seeds, cheese or nutritional yeast and fennel fronds and pulse and process until well blended.

Stream in oil until the pesto is the consistency you like.

Check for salt and pepper.

Use immediately or store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezes well (with a sealing layer of oil) for a blast of green mid-winter.

*Bandana Pottery (Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt) will be participating in Pottery On The Hill, an annual sale which will be online this year Nov. 13-15.

Bottoms of Bandana Pottery plates

Late Summer Corn Soup Is Even More Flavorful With An Easy To Make Corn Stock

Corn soup made with corn stock
Woodfired porcelain cup by Perry Haas

There are many great things about September, even this year, including ripe tomatoes, cooler temperatures and corn on the cob. It is still warm enough to buy and eat fresh corn but it can also be cool enough to eat corn soup. Fresh (and frozen) corn makes a wide range of delicious chowders and soups—there are seemingly endless versions out there. My current favorite is a southwestern style, dairy free purée made with tomatillos (yes, another use for them), onions, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro and corn based on the recipe in Fields of Greens cookbook by Annie Somerville. It is sweet and spicy, light but filling, so flavorful and easy to make. The secret to the deep corn flavor here, I think, is using corn stock rather than the more traditional chicken or vegetable stock.

Easy to make corn stock from corn cobs

How great is it to have a productive, tasty use for corncobs? After you cut off the kernels (or have eaten the corn on the cob), what do you usually do with the cobs? Throw them in the garbage or compost, right? Not anymore! Put those cobs in a stockpot with a few other vegetables and some water and you’ll have the base for any number of late summer or fall soups.

Corn is so sweet right now!

The ingredient amounts are variable and easy to substitute (poblano could work for jalapeño, green or orange tomatoes or scallions for onion, for example, and if you didn’t have any hot peppers, you could use tinned green chilies) and it is not critical to be precise. You can use uncooked or cooked cobs by themselves or add some aromatics to make your stock a little more complex. Put some of this stock in the freezer and you’ll have the taste of summer when you make corn soup in the middle of winter.

Flowered and waiting for harvest

CORN STOCK

Put in a large stockpot:

  • 6-8 corncobs, kernels removed
  • 9-10 cups of water

Add any or all or none and simmer 30-40 minutes:

  • 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • A handful of fresh parsley
  • 1-2 stalks of celery (or the leafy tops and base)
  • A few sprigs fresh thyme
  • 5-10 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
This corn soup is creamy without dairy

SOUTHWESTERN CORN SOUP (based on Field of Greens)

  • 2 TBS Olive, Avocado or Grapeseed Oil
  • 1 Medium to Large Onion, Peeled and Chopped
  • Kernels from 6 raw or cooked ears of corn (about 5 cups)
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 4-5 cups corn stock (or more if you like your soup thinner)
  • 6-7 Tomatillos, husked, washed and chopped
  • 1-2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
  • Handful of cilantro, stems and fronds chopped separately
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • 1 tsp salt

Sauté onions in oil until translucent. Don’t brown.

Add corn kernels, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt and sauté 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

Add stock and simmer until corn is soft, about 10-12 minutes.

Add tomatillos and jalapeño(s) and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add cilantro stems, cayenne and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and simmer another 2-3 minutes.

Pour soup into blender (be careful of steam) and blend until smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in two batches. If you want some chunkiness to your soup, retain a cup or two of the cooked vegetables before you blend it and add them in afterwards.

Serve, garnished with cilantro fronds (or basil). If you want richer, add a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.  Keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days. Reheat gently to avoid scorching. Serves 6.

Late summer flowers
Porcelain Tumbler by Perry Haas

A Savory Barley Salad For Personal Mid-Pandemic Celebrations Of Labor Day

Vegetable Barley Salad
Squared Stoneware Bowl by Royce Yoder

Labor Day is not only the American celebration of workers but also the traditional day off to mark the end of summer even though technically the fall equinox is still weeks away. Although this has been a strange summer for so many reasons, September’s cooler nights and memories of back to school spark hopefulness for me. Labor Day usually brings to mind union parades, barbecues and last gasp summer picnics. With all that not happening, I propose we try to use the day this year to recharge for all the political work ahead. We can still grill or picnic, even if by ourselves, with the people we live with or distanced with our neighbors rather than in unsafe large gatherings. A great dish for a still-warm-but-getting-cooler outdoor meal is a zesty barley salad with lots of vegetables and herbs.

Barley is a nutritional powerhouse. It happens to be one of my favorite grains and I am always looking for new ways to use it. I found a recipe for a cold barley salad by Melissa Clark using barley and it was pleasant, a little bit tangy and chewy in a good way, but needed some oomph. Maybe in ordinary times it would have been enough but in these fraught days, I seem to want stronger flavors. There is something soothing about barley, perhaps the sweetness or the density of the “chew,” but it can take quite a lot of seasoning. So I used Clark’s recipe as a springboard and tried to add crunch and zing.

A few types of barley
Any will work in this recipe

Barley needs to be cooked thoroughly, but overcook it and it turns to mush. This is great if you want a porridge, but for a salad you want some density so watch the cooking time and keep  testing while it simmers. I tried both pearled Italian and black barley because they cook faster (important when there is no air conditioning in your kitchen) but hulled works, too, for more nutrition and fiber. If you don’t eat gluten, try making this with Job’s Tears (little orbs of chewiness that for years I thought was a type of barley but is a completely different grass seed called coix seed) but it is harder to find.

Raw vegetables add textural contrast, color and nutrition to the barley and hold up to whatever vinaigrette you use. I find them most appealing finely diced rather than in big chunks or slices, but that is a personal preference. I use dill and parsley but fresh cilantro, basil, oregano or mint could all work. My vinaigrette is pretty simple with garlic, cumin, lemon or lime juice and mustard but curry, balsamic, tamarind or sesame could be delicious additions. Carrots, celery and jalapeños are my go-to veggies here but chopped cukes, roasted peppers, cooked corn, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado or radish would be good, too. A rinsed can of beans makes this salad a complete vegan protein or you can serve it as a starch alongside some cold or grilled chicken or fish. Make it a few hours ahead and the flavors will really pop. Composed of mostly pantry ingredients, this salad is an easy one dish meal for a warm end of summer day. Happy Labor Day!

Barley Salad with Vegetables
Stoneware Bowl by Royce Yoder

EASY BARLEY SALAD

  • 1 generous cup uncooked pearled or hulled barley
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño, fresh or pickled, finely diced
  • 2 TBs (or more to taste) fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2-3 scallions, finely sliced
  • 8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely diced (optional)
  • 1-2 cups cooked beans (optional)
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (optional)

Dressing:

  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 3 TBs fresh lime (or lemon) juice plus zest of 1 lime (or lemon)
  • 1 1/2 tsps ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 TBs umeboshi plum or other vinegar (optional but tasty)
  • 3 TBs olive oil

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and barley, stir and simmer until just cooked (15-45 minutes depending on the barley you use). Drain well and put in a non-reactive mixing bowl. One cup dry should yield 3-4 cups cooked.

Add carrots, celery, jalapeño, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, peppers, beans and Parmesan if using.

In a small bowl or glass jar, combine grated garlic, lime juice, cumin, dill, mustard, salt & pepper, ume vinegar and oil. Whisk or shake to emulsify. Pour over barley mixture, toss well and adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature, especially pretty on a bed of arugula or lettuce. Set out a bottle of hot sauce for those who desire it.

Lasts 2-3 days covered in the fridge

Echinacea

A Light, Breezy Lillet/Campari Cocktail For The End Of An Intense, Stressful Summer

Lillet/Campari cocktail
Soda fired earthenware by Tom Jaszczak

Light, tasty, easy to make, quaffable and refreshing – the description of the perfect summer cocktail. Just as a warming, muscle relaxing concoction does the trick mid-winter, a lighter, not too boozy sipper is what I want on a warm summer evening. Gin lightened and enlivened with tonic, Aperol blended with soda water and Prosecco and cranberry juice spiked with vodka all fit this breezy drinks category. With summertime parameters in mind, I am happy to suggest a different but delightful drink made with Lillet and Campari, soda and tonic water and lime on ice.     

I used lime but lemon or orange would work, too
3 parts Lillet to 1 part Campari

Lillet Blanc is an aromatized or fortified wine, mostly white Bordeaux varietals mixed with fruit liquors in oak casks. It makes a great summer sipper all on its own over ice with a slice of citrus. For some people, it can be too sweet by itself. With that in mind, I tried adding Campari and fresh lime juice for balance and zipped it up with the brightness of soda water and tonic. The resulting drink checks all the required boxes: light, tasty but not overly sweet, easy to make and drink, low ABV and, last but certainly not least, refreshing. It can be varied using different citrus juices (grapefruit might work well) and using all tonic or all soda water by preference. We mixed up a half gallon jar full for an outdoor distanced cocktail hour and we came home with it empty. Now if only we could think of a catchy name….

Lillet/Campari cocktail
Soda fired earthenware by Tom Jaszczak

LILLET/CAMPARI COCKTAIL

  • 3 oz Lillet
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Soda Water (or more to taste)
  • 1 oz Tonic Water
  • 1 oz Lime Juice (or Lemon or Orange depending on sweetness desired)

Mix together and pour over ice. Add a slice of lime. 

Get A Big Flavor Boost To Your Summer Meals With An Easy Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillo salsa verde
Porcelain Scallop bowl
by Heather Knight-Element Clay Studio

We’ve belonged to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)for over 20 years and every time our farm share included a basket of tomatillos, I had to search for a use for them. One of the best discoveries I made was a delicious mango/tomatillo salsa so good you could forgo the chips and just dive in with a spoon. This summer I found a very different tomatillo recipe, a salsa verde, from Roberto Santibañez, published in The Washington Post cookbook club (free to subscribers), which sounded so good I had to try it. As he promised, it is tangy and zippy and easy to make and can be used to make chilaquiles and enchiladas, for spicing up plain fish, chicken, tofu or shrimp, or just for dipping with chips or crudités. I altered the recipe to include lime and onion for more complexity but otherwise the recipe is his.

Fresh Tomatillos

A salsa verde is any green sauce including those made with herbs (think pesto or chimichurri), avocado or tomatillos. In Italy, it might be predominantly capers and parsley while the Mexican version is mostly made with tomatillos, cilantro and chilis of different heats.

I didn’t grow up eating tomatillos but I’ve really come to love cooking with them. I’m not sure they were even grown in New England in the 70’s and 80’s although you can probably find them at any farmers market these days. Since trying them starting in the 90’s, I think I’ve liked every tomatillo recipe I have tried. You can use tomatillos raw in salads for a sharp acidic tang, but cooking mellows them a bit. Just make sure, after removing the husk, to wash off any tacky coating on the skin to avoid bitterness.

Most tomatillo salsa recipes call for roasting the vegetables but that feels like too much heat in the kitchen during the summer. This recipe specifies a brief simmer and sauté, which seems more doable on a warm summer day. You could even skip the sauté and mix in the oil directly. If you want it less spicy, remove the seeds from the jalapeño. And if you want it sweeter, add some mango or peach when blending. The amount of cilantro is flexible and you could also add parsley for more green. If you don’t have a lime, just leave it out. No scallions in your fridge? Use a quarter of a red or white onion or don’t use any. The great thing about salsa recipes is that they are endlessly adaptable. So try it this way first, decide how you like it and make it your own.

Tomatillo salsa verde
Porcelain bowl by Heather Knight-Element Clay Studio

TOMATILLO SALSA (from Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibañez)

  • 1 lb tomatillos (about 10-12, depending on size), husked and washed
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed but not seeded (if you want a mild salsa, remove the seeds)
  • 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4-1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • 1 TB fresh lime juice, plus zest if you like a stronger lime flavor
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Put cleaned whole tomatillos and jalapeño in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, simmering about 15 minutes or until tomatillos lose their bright green color. Turn off heat and drain.

Put cooked tomatillos and jalapeño in a blender or food processor with the garlic, salt and cumin. Blend or pulse until coarsely chopped. Add cilantro and scallions and blend until smooth but you can still see the seeds.

Heat the oil in the now dry sauce pan until shimmering. Pour in the salsa and a quarter cup of water, bring to a simmer and turn off. Stir in lime juice. Let cool and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or process in a water bath to make shelf stable.

 

Outside of porcelain scallop bowl
by Heather Knight-Elements Clay Studio
Some kind of maple?