Terry's Favorite Winter Vegetable Soup

This is an absolute favorite lunch for us on these very cold days here at the farm! The key to this soup is cutting everything into very small pieces so that the veggies and their flavors all melt together while cooking. If you prefer, you can add bits of ham or bacon, chicken, herbs, cooked dried beans to add more substance to the soup, or bits of kale for color! Top with shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley or cilantro!

I won't keep you waiting any longer, here's Terry's Favorite Winter Vegetable Soup!
From the recipes in Terry's kitchen.

6 cups of water or stock
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium yukon gold potatoes or fingerlings, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 leeks, white and pale green parts, finely chopped
3 to 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3 medium parsnips (or about 1 large) cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium turnips or a rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, and cut into (oh you guessed it!), 1/4 inch dice
2 garlic cloves or more
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy saucepan, bring the water 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt to a boil. Add the vegetables and garlic and simmer, half covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. They will almost melt in your mouth! Pepper liberally. Ladle into bowls and drizzle a small amount of the remaining olive oil over each serving. Top with shredded cheese. This soup will keep for up to four days covered in the refrigerator.

The Best Winter Veggie Coleslaw

Are you sick of roasted root vegetables, stews, mashes, and bakes by now? Well here's a great recipe for raw winter roots!

We're not kidding, this is The Best Winter Veggie Coleslaw
From Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliver

2 carrots, peeled (different colors if you can find them
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed
Use at least 2 of the following (in italics)
3-4 radishes
1 light colored beet
1 turnip, peeled
1/2 a small celeriac, peeled (or 1/4 of the large)
14 ounces red and green cabbage, outer leaves removed
1/2 a red onion, peeled
1 shallot, peeled
1 lemon
olive oil
a handful of fresh soft herbs, mint, fennel, dill, parsley, or chervil
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp mustard
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Shred the carrots, fennel, and your choice of the other four veggies on a mandolin, or use the julienne slicer in your food processor. Put the veggies into a mixing bowl. Slice the cabbage, onion, and shallot as finely as you can and add to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a glug of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped herbs, yogurt, and mustard. Pour this dressing over the veggies and mix well to coat everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper and the rest of the lemon juice if you like.

Eat well and stay warm everyone!

Stewed Rhurbarb

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar or honey to taste
3 whole cloves
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon or orange or 2 tangerines

Chop rhubarb into short pieces and put in heavy pan with sugar, cloves zest and juice. Cook over low heat until rhubarb has broken down, about 10 minutes. Taste and sweeten if needed. Serve with a smidgen of cream or honey yogurt, or on French toast or pancakes

Pasta with lentils and kale

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt or kosher salt to taste

optional seasonings:
lemon pepper
seasoned salts
finely ground Italian herb blends
nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 300F

Wash the kale and dry it well. Remove the center stem from the kale leaves and cut each half leaf into about 3 pieces. Place the pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. With your fingers, massage the oil into all the little nooks and crannies of the kale.

Spread out the cut pieces onto baking pans in a single layer (this helps make them crispy). Roast the kale for 12 to 20 minutes, depending on how hearty the kale is, or until it starts to gently brown at the edges and becomes crisp. Don't overcook. Sprinkle with sea salt and eat sooner rather than later.

Chocolate Beet Brownies

from www.plantea.com

1/2 cup butter

4oz unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup applesauce

1 TSP vanilla

1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 TSP salt

1/2 TSP nutmeg

1 TSP cinnamon

1 TSP baking powder

1 cup cooked beets

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beeting until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greases 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Warm salad of mustard greens and black-eyes peas

2 bacon slices, chopped

12 oz torn mustard greens

1/4 TSP salt

1/4 TSP black pepper

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 TSP caraway seeds

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 16oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 TBSP dripping in pan: set bacon aside. Add grenns; cook 4 minutes or until wilted. Combine greens, salt and black pepper in a large bowl, set aside. Add oil to the pan. Stir in onions, caraway seeds, garlic and jalapeno; cook 1 minute. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add pea mixture to green mixture, sprinkle with bacon.

Cooking LIght October 2011

Sauted Spinach with Garlic and Red Pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 pinches red pepper flakes

2 bunches tender spinach, stems removed, leaves blanched

salt

juice of 1/2 a lemon or a few TSP red wine vinegar

1. Heat the oil with the garlic and pepper flakes ina wide skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to color. Add the cooked spinach and toss to coat it with the oil.

2. Ad 1/2 cup water and cook until its absorbed and greens are heated through. Season with salt and a litte lemon juice or vinegar.

Steamed Chard with Candied Gingers

3/4 lb chard

salt and pepper

1 tsp olive oil

some grated lemon and/or orange zest

lemon juice to taste

chopped candied ginger

1. Remove stems from chard, roll chard leaves up, slice lengthwise and then corsswise into 1/2 inch strips, wash well in salad spinner. Chop stemps, put in steamer first, top with leaves and steam for 5-10 minutes. Toss chard with seasonings. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with fresh spinach, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese

1 TBSP olive oil

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 to lb fresh spinach leaves, cleaned and shredded

6 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

freshly ground black pepper

hot cooked pasta of your choice

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat: add galic and saute until golden. Add spinach, toss and cook until wilted. Stir in walnuts and cheese, toss well until combined. Season with pepper to taste and serve over pasta.

Braised Kale with Pink Beans and Ham

from Robin Miller, FoodNetwork.com

2 TSP olive oil

1 cup diced lean baked ham

1 lb kale, chopped

1 15oz can pink beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chicken broth

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add ham and cook 2 minutes, until golden brown. Add kale, beans and broth, cover and steam 5 minutes, until kale is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Greens with Potatoes

4 yellow potatoes (about 1 lb) scrubbed

1-2 lbs greens, trimmed and coarsley chopped

2 TBSP olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/2 TSP red pepper flakes (a couple shakes)

2 tomatoes (if in season), peeled and diced

1. Cover potatoes with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and coarsley chop.

2. Simmer the greens in a large skillet until tender, then drain.

3. Return the skilleet to the stove, add oil and heat with garlic and red pepper flakes. When you can smell the garlic, add the greens, potatoes, and tomatoes (if using). Cook over medium heat, breaking up the potatoes with a fork and mashing them into greens to make a kind of hash. Taste for salt and serve with olive oil drizzeled over the top.

Ginger kale

1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves cut into strips

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP butter

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 TBSP minced fresh ginger

juice of 1 lime

freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Add sliced, washed kale and boil 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly wilted. Drain in a colander. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil and butter, add garlic, onion and ginger and saute until onion is softened, Add kale, tossing till conbined. Cover and cook over low heat until kale is just tender. Sprinkle with lime juice and toss. Grind fresh pepper over kale and serve.

Cheese Totellini Soup with Cannellini, Kielbasa and Kale

2 TBSP olive oil

12 oz fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 cup fresh fennel bulb (optional)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 TSP chopped fresh thyme

1/2 TSO dried crushed red pepper

10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

4 cups kale

1 15oz canned cannelloni, rinsed and drained

1 9oz package cheese totellini

1 cup grated Asiago cheese or Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and saute until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannelloni. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. (Can be made the day ahead. Cool slightly; cover a refrigerate. Bring to a simmer before continuing) Add totellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes.

Asian Style Saute

2 TBSP sesame oil

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 lb mixed greens, coarsley chopped (mizuna, komatsuna, tat soi)

1 TBSP vinegar

2 TBSP tamari

Fresh ground black pepper

Heat oil in wok or large skillet to moderate heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside. Now saute the greens until just wilted. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, tamari, pepper and garlic. Serve immediately. Great as a side dish or with rice. Makes 2 to 4 servings

A Versatile Recipe for the Hearty Greens You Dont Know What to Do With

from The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning

1 bunch hearty greens
Toasted sesame oil
Good quality soy sauce
toasted seseame seeds

1. Tear the leaves from their tough ribs and stems. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the leaves, and boil until tender, 1-3 minutes depending on the type of greens.
2. Drain the greens in a colander and push them to remove as much liquid as possible.
3. Roughly chop the cooked greens and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle lightly with sesame oil and soy sauce; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Braised Lacinato Kale

From The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning

2 bunches lacinato kale
1 slice thick-cut bacon, roughly chopped
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
3 TBSP chicken stock
1 generous pinch sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Rinse the kale and tear the leaves from the touch rib that runs up the center of each leaf. Tear the leaves into 2 inch pieces and place in colander.
2. Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp; with a slotted spoon, transfer in to a small bowl, leaving the bacon fat in the pan.
3. Put the leaves with water still clinging to them in the pan, stir with tongs to wilt them. Add the vinegar, stock, and sugar. cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the bacon over the top, and serve.

Jerusalem Artichoke Slaw

2tbsp each sour cream and mayonnaise
1 tsp each coarse mustard and finely chopped capers
2 tsp white wine vinegar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed well
1 large carrot, peeled
6 tsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, capers, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl
2. Cut jerusalem artichokes into fine matchsticks (you should have about 3 cups); to prevent browning, add them to the dressing as you cut them, and stir to coat. Cut carrot into fine matchsticks the same size as artichokes. Gently stir carrot and parsley into salad.
Serves 6

From Sunset, January 2011

The best winter veg coleslaw

2 carrots, peeled
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed
at least two of the following: 3-4 radishes; 1 light-colored beet, peeled; 1 turnip; 1/2 small celeriac,
peeled
14 oz red/purple cabbage
1/2 a red onion, peeled
1 shallot, peeled
1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
a handful o fresh herbs (use mint, fennel, dill, parsley, and chervil)-leaves picked and chopped
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp mustard
seat salt and freshly ground pepper

Shred the carrots, fennel and your choice of the radishes, beets, turnip or celeriac on a mandolin, or use the julienne slicer on your food processor. Put the veg into a mixing bowl. Slice the cabbage, onion and shallot as finely as you can and add to the bowl. In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a glug of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped herbs, yogurt and mustard. Pour this dressing over the veg and mix well to coat everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper and the rest of the lemon juice if you like.

From: Jamie at home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliver

Our notes: This really is the best, we have tried this recipe with pretty much any combination of substitutes and it is still our favorite. Great with honey and yogurt- adding apples is great too!