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Tag: Herbs

Summer Squash Soup

6 medium Zucchini or Yellow Summer Squash [chopped]
1-1/2 cups Sweet Onion [chopped]
4 Garlic Cloves [fresh if available, minced]
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp + Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 tsp Fresh Oregano [chopped]
1 tsp Fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp Fresh Tarragon [chopped]
1/4 cup Fresh Basil [chopped]

Heat oil in a soup pot with a lid to medium heat. Saute onions and garlic, seasoned with a little salt + pepper for about 5 minutes. Add squash + 1 tsp salt. Increase heat slightly + saute for 5 minutes more. Add vegetable broth, cover + simmer for 10 minutes. Add herbs + simmer a few minutes more, until squash are tender. Allow to cool slightly then puree. Gently reheat if necessary or serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

Linguine with Clams

1 lbs Little Neck Clams [live, in shells, scrubbed clean]
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1/2 cup Clam Juice [or 1 small can chopped clams in juice]
1/2 cup White Wine
3 tsp Dried Italian Herbs [1 tsp Basil, 1 tsp Oregano, 1/2 tsp Parsley, 1/4 tsp Chives, 1/4 tsp Thyme]
1/4 cup Basil [fresh, chopped]
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsley [fresh, chopped]
1/2 lb Linguine [dried]

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan with a lid. Saute garlic over medium low heat for 2 minutes, making sure not to brown. Add dried herbs, stir, then add white wine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add clam juice. Bring to a steady simmer and allow to reduce for 15-20 minutes until thickened and less than half original volume.

Cook pasta in salted water till al dente.

When sauce has reduced, add clams to pan and cover. Steam clams over medium high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, discarding any clams that do not open. Stir pasta + fresh herbs into pan and serve very hot in shallow bowls.

Serves 2 generously.

Penne Puttanesca

10 Anchovy Fillets
2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3 Garlic Cloves [large, minced]
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 28 oz can Diced Tomatoes [in their juices]
3 Tbs Capers [in brine, drained]
1/2 cup Kalamata Olives [pitted, rinsed + halved]
2 tsp Oregano [dried]
1/4 cup Italian Parsley [fresh, flat leaf, chopped]
1/2 cup Basil [fresh, chopped, several small leaves reserved for garnish]

1 lb Penne Pasta [dried]

Cook pasta until al dente in salted boiling water.  Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, anchovies + crushed red pepper.  Saute for several minutes until anchovies begin to break up.  Add tomatoes + capers and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add oregano + olives and simmer for 5+ minutes more.   Stir in herbs just before serving.   Serve over hot pasta + garnish with whole basil leaves.

Butternut Squash Sauce

12 oz Butter Nut Squash [peeled + chopped into 1″ cubes]
5 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1 Butternut Squash [chopped into 1/2″ cubes]
Salt + Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Vegetable Broth
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1-2 Tbs Basil + Thyme [fresh, chopped]

Saute garlic in olive oil for 1 minute in a large saute pan with a lid. Add butternut squash + saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until squash starts to brown. Add vegetable broth + scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan into broth. Cover and simmer squash until very tender, about 10 minutes. Mash with a fork, stirring to incorporate broth.

For use as a pizza sauce, simmer sauce over low heat, stirring frequently till desired consistency, about 5-10 minutes, then stir in herbs.

For use as a pasta sauce, thin with a small amount of unsweetened almond milk, simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in herbs. Serve over penne or other tube shaped pasta.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

2 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cups Vegetable Broth
1/4 cup Dried Wild Mushrooms [broken into 1/2″ pieces, mixture of chanterelle, morel, lobster, hedgehog, porcini]
1 Onion [medium, yellow, chopped]
3 Garlic Cloves [minced]
1/2 tsp Sea Salt [medium grain]
3/4 cup Arborio Rice
1/3 cup White Wine [dry reisling]
10 oz Mushrooms [fresh chopped, mixture of shitake, crimini, + yellowfoot]
1 Tbs Herbs [fresh chopped, 1 sprig each of thyme, oregano, marjoram]

Bring vegetable broth to a boil + add dried mushroom pieces. Reduce heat and allow mushrooms to reconstitute for about 20 minutes. [This is a great time to prep the rest of your ingredients.]

Heat butter and olive oil in a large sauce pan. Saute onion with salt for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and continue to saute until translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and cook for about 10 more minutes until the mushrooms have released their juices and it has evaporated. Add rice and toast, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Add wine + stir until wine evaporates and absorbs into rice. Add broth 1/4 cup at a time to rice + mushroom mixture, stirring frequently till absorbed before adding another 1/4 cup. When adding the last 1/4 of broth also add the rehydrated dried mushrooms. Once all broth is absorbed and rice is tender, remove from heat and stir in herbs.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side. Excellent with roasted asparagus or other crisp spring vegetable.

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