Escarole Caesar Salad

• 1/3 cup Walnuts Halves & Pieces

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2 lemons

• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the Escarole Caesar Salad:

• 1 head of escarole

• 1/4 – 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup Parmesan Walnut Vinaigrette

• Croutons

  To prepare vinaigrette, first toast walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a blender or small food processor add lemon juice, Parmesan, walnuts and oil. Pulse several times until well blended and creamy. Add coarse salt and fresh ground pepper and pulse 2 more times. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  Remove dark outer leaves of escarole and chop off top of ribs and discard. Wash throughly and break ribs into pieces. Place escarole in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Gently toss until salad is coated with dressing. Add croutons to top of salad, season with freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Turkish style Celeriac braised in citrus and olive oil

I am not a huge celeriac fan but this recipe makes a very tasty side dish I would recommend!

• 2 large celeriac (with stalks and leaves)

• 1 large carrot (peeled and sliced)

• 1 small onion

• 1/2 lemon (juiced)

• 1 orange (juiced)

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

1. Peel and cut each celeriac in half, then slice the halves about ½ inch thick. Line the bottom of a large, covered saucepan with the sliced celeriac and drizzle the lemon juice and orange juice over the top. This will keep them from turning dark while you work.

2. Peel the carrot and cut in slices about ¼ inch thick and arrange them on top of the celeriac. Peel the onion and cut it in quarters. Coarsely slice each quarter and separate the rings. Arrange the onion over the top.

3. Coarsely chop the green stalks and leaves (or a few celery ribs if you don’t have the celery stalks) you've set aside and add them to the pan. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and ¼ cup of the olive oil.

4. Add about 1/2 cup water. Turn the heat on high and bring the pan to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and let the vegetables simmer until all are tender and the liquid is reduced.

5. If the liquid seems too much, remove the lid and turn up the heat to evaporate the extra liquid quickly. Let the vegetables cool down to room temperature in the pan.

6. Gently remove the vegetables from the pan and arrange them on your serving plate. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over the top.

   Garnish with a few more chopped celery leaves just before serving.

Shaved Brussels sprout salad with walnuts and Pecorino

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts (preferably on the stalk), any discolored leaves discarded and stems left intact

1 cup walnuts (3 1/2 oz), lightly toasted

2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano, or to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Holding each Brussels sprout by stem end, cut into very thin slices. Toss in a bowl to separate layers.

Lightly crush walnuts with your hands and add to Brussels sprouts along with cheese, oil, and lemon juice, then toss to combine. Season with pepper.

Potato-parsnip rosti with caramelized onion sour cream

With or without the sour cream, this is delicious!

For the caramelized onion sour cream (optional):

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 2 tablespoons

  finely chopped fresh chives

• 2 tablespoons

  unsalted butter

• 3/4 teaspoon

  kosher salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon

  freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 3/4 cup

  sour cream

• 1/2 medium lemon

For the rosti:

• 1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium)

• 1 medium parsnip (8 to 10 ounces)

• 1/2 medium yellow onion

• 5 tablespoons

  unsalted butter, divided

• 2 teaspoons

  kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon

  freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons

  olive oil, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the dip (optional):

1. Peel, halve, and thinly slice 1 medium onion (about 2 cups). Finely chop fresh chives until you have 2 tablespoons.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter In a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden-brown and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. If you start to notice any charring, turn your heat down and add a splash of water.

3. Remove from the heat and season with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Transfer to a cutting board, roughly chop them, then place them in a medium bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, make the rosti. 

Make the rosti:

1. Peel 1 pound russet potatoes, 1 medium parsnip, and 1/2 medium yellow onion and shred on the large holes of a grater.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel. Wrap up the vegetables, then twist and squeeze the bundle over the sink until no more liquid comes out.

3. Melt 3 tablespoons of the unsalted butter.. Add to the vegetable mixture along with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix with a rubber spatula or your hands until combined.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in an 8-inch nonstick frying pan or cast iron skillet until sizzling. Swirl the pan so the fat coats the bottom and goes up the sides. Add the potato mixture and evenly distribute in the pan, making sure to place some of the mixture up the sides of the skillet. Do not press the mixture into the skillet, you want to keep this as light and airy and possible.

5. Cook undisturbed until the bottom is golden-brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. You can check the color by using a rubber spatula and gently nudging up a small piece of the rosti from the edge of the skillet.

6. Invert a plate that is wider than the skillet over the skillet. Grasping both the pan and the plate with hands protected in oven mitts, flip the rosti onto the plate.

7. Place the pan back over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the fat is sizzling, swirl the pan again. Slide the rosti back into the pan browned-side up. Cook undisturbed until the second side is golden-brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, finish the dip.

8. Add the chives, 3/4 cup sour cream, juice of 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the caramelized onions. Stir to combine.

Source: thekitchn.com

German Potato and cabbage soup

• Olive oil

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped

• 1 stick celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and cubed

• 1 large leek, washed, and chopped

• 1.5kg/3lb potatoes, peeled and chopped

• Half a head of cabbage, sliced

• 1 tablespoon marjoram

• Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 litre/4 cups vegetable stock

• A small piece of German sausage, to garnish (optional)

• Fresh parsley

Put the onion, celery, leek and carrots into a large saucepan, add a splash of olive oil and cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until they have softened.

For the slow cooker/crock pot version, transfer the vegetables into your slow cooker, add in the potatoes and cabbage, sprinkle with marjoram and add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Pour over the stock cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hours on a low heat setting or 4-5 hours on a higher heat setting.

If you are cooking the soup on the stovetop, add the potatoes and cabbage to the partly cooked vegetables, sprinkle with marjoram and add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Pour over the stock, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Make sure the vegetables are always covered with stock; adding a cupful of extra water if necessary during cooking.

Check that the potatoes are soft. At this stage, you can either serve the soup as it is, or else gently mash some of the vegetables and add them back on, or puree the soup with a stick blender.

To garnish, finely slice the German sausage and fry it gently in a small frying pan. Serve the soup with the sausage and a sprinkle of fresh flat leaf parsley.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

These are much less sweet then a Cliff bar and a healthy easy to take with you snack when you need something to get you through the day. Very customizable, add nuts and seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate chips to snazz them up.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if sensitive)

• 1 cup almond flour or almond meal

• 1-1.5 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1-2 teaspoon ground

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup sweet potato puree

• ½ cup dark maple syrup

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted (or olive oil)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup raisins

• Optional ½ cup sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds and/or chopped nuts

• Optional 2-3 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the oats 5 or 6 times, until roughly
chopped. Place in a large mixing bowl and combine with the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon,
baking powder, chia seeds, nuts/seeds and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sweet potato puree, maple syrup, coconut oil,
vanilla, and raisins until well combined. Fold into the oat mixture and stir until blended. The
dough should be very thick.
Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to drop the batter onto the baking sheet, or roll between your hands
to create a ball (keeping your hands slightly damp with water helps prevent everything from
sticking). Space the cookies 1 inch apart and lightly press down on each one to flatten to about
¾ inch thick or less.
Bake in the center of the oven until the bottoms are a deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Servings:

18-19

Credit:

Run Fast, Eat Slow via our crew member Bonnie

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage Brown Butter

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30ml)

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (450g; about 1/2 large squash)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)

• 1 small shallot, finely minced (about 1 ounce; 30g)

• 1 handful fresh sage leaves, finely minced (about 1/2 ounce; 15g)

• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon (15ml)

• 1 pound small cupped, tubular, or ridged pasta such as orecchiette, penne, farfalle, or rotini (450g)

• 1 ounce grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (30g)

Heat olive oil in a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very lightly smoking. Immediately add squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until well-browned and squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Add butter and shallots and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until butter is lightly browned and smells nutty, about 1 minute longer. Add sage and stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine pasta with enough room temperature or hot water to cover by about 2 inches. Season with salt. Set over high heat and bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain pasta, reserving a couple cups of the starchy cooking liquid.

Add pasta to skillet with squash along with a splash of pasta water. Bring to a simmer over high heat and cook until the pasta is perfectly al dente, stirring and tossing constantly and adding a splash of water as needed to keep the sauce loose and shiny. Off heat, stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and texture with more pasta water as needed. Serve immediately, topped with more cheese at the table.

Garlic Marinated White Beans with celery and parsley salad

• 2 cans white beans

• 2 cloves garlic chopped

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup sherry or red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon mustard (whole-grain or Dijon are my favorites)

• 1 bunch fresh parsley (about 1 1/2 cups), coarsely chopped

• 1 bunch celery (8 ounces), thinly sliced

Drain and rinse the soaked beans.

Chop the garlic and combine with the oil, vinegar, salt, and mustard. 

Dress the beans with the vinaigrette and let sit. Combine the beans with the parsley and celery just before serving. Taste for salt, vinegar, or olive oil.

Chinese Braised Daikon Radish

A delicious recipe! If you don’t have the ingredients, you can pick them up at Mom’s in Amherst or order online. Definitely worth it!

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 2 green onions , chopped

• 1 teaspoon ginger , minced

• 1 pound (450 grams) ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey)

• 2 teaspoons Doubanjiang (Spicy Fermented Bean Paste)

• 1 Daikon radish (about 700 grams / 2 pounds)

• 2 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock, or water)

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry) (Optional)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste

Heat a medium-size dutch oven (or heavy duty pot) over medium heat until hot. Add a tablespoon of oil. Add green onion and ginger. Cook for a minute to release the flavor.

Add ground meat. Cook and stir until surface turns brown.

Add the doubanjiang. Cook and stir until the meat is evenly coated.

Add the radish. Cook and stir to mix well.

Add Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, and five spice powder. Cook over medium high heat until brought to a boil. Turn to medium low heat. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the radish turns tender. Add salt to taste.

Serve with steamed rice or by itself.

Romesco sauce

A delicious Spanish sauce for spreading on things and dipping.

• 2-3 Italia peppers, cut in half with seeds and stems removed

• 1 garlic clove, smashed

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

• 1/4 cup tomato purée

• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasting peppers

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coat peppers lightly with olive oil and roast in oven at 450 until skins brown and bubble and peppers are soft. Let cool and remove skins.

Pulse peppers and everything else except olive oil and salt and pepper in blender. Once smooth add olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Potato leek soup

This recipe uses cashews to make it creamy so it can be totally dairy free if preferred. It is super delicious!

• 1/2 cup cashews

• 1 cup water

• 2 leeks

• 1 tbl olive oil or butter

• 1 lb potatoes

• 2 cups broth

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Soak 1/2 cup cashews in a bowl of water for 30 min, drain and rinse. Blend with 1 cup water until creamy and completely smooth. Set aside.

Sautee 2 chopped leeks in about a tablespoon of olive oil until soft and wilted. Add about a pound of potatoes chopped into bite-size. Add broth to cover and a few sprigs of thyme. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 20 min or until potatoes are soft. Fish out thyme, blend everything until smooth and stir in the cashew mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste

Greek potatoes

These are one of my favorite comfort foods. When I had morning sickness, it was one of the few things I wanted to eat! So yummy and a great size dish for any meal.

• 2 pounds potatoes peeled and chopped into chunky wedges (I used 5 medium potatoes)

• 6 garlic cloves crushed

• 1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 lemon juice of (medium to large)

• 1 tablespoon oregano dried

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• Chopped parsley

Grease a large baking dish or tray with olive oil and preheat the oven to 400F.

Pour the potato wedges into the dish/tray in an even layer.

Combine the garlic, stock, olive oil, lemon, oregano and salt and pepper. Stir well, then pour over the potatoes.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Then stir well, turning all the potatoes and spooning over the liquid. Bake again for another 45 minutes or until the potatoes are well browned.

Scatter with parsley and serve with some of the delicious juices. Make sure to scrape up the crispy bits too!

The world's easiest salsa

Using a cuisinart makes it so much easier! No chopping! A truly “to taste” recipe.

• 1-2 lbs. tomatoes, stem scar removed, roughly chopped

• 1 lime (2 if not very juicy)

• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1 white onion, roughly chopped

• 1-2 jalapeños (keep seeds if you like it spicy or leave just a little if you don’t want much spice)

• 1 clove garlic, skin removed

• salt

Add everything to cuininart and pulse a few times. Stir between pulses. The goal is to chop everything to small bits without turning it into soup. Squeeze lime over it to taste and mix with a spoon. Salt to taste. Get over beans and rice and for dipping!

Kale salad with golden raisins and walnuts

1/2 cup (55 grams or 2 ounces ounces) walnut halves or pieces
1/4 cup (45 grams or 1 1/2 ounces) golden raisins
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup panko (15 grams or 1/2 ounce) or slightly coarse homemade breadcrumbs (from a thin slice of hearty bread)
1 tiny clove garlic, minced or pressed
Coarse or kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch (about 14 ounces or 400 grams) tuscan kale (also known as black or lacinato kale; this is the thinner, flatter leaf variety), washed and patted dry
2 ounces (55 grams) pecorino cheese, grated or ground in a food processor, which makes it delightfully rubbly (1/2 cup total)
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste

Prepare walnuts: Heat oven to 350. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, tossing once. Let cool and coarsely chop. 

Prepare raisins: In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer white wine vinegar, water and raisins for 5 minutes, until plump and soft. Set aside in liquid. 

Prepare crumbs: Toast bread crumbs, garlic and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet together with a pinch of salt until golden. Set aside.

Prepare kale: Trim heavy stems off kale and remove ribs. I always find removing the ribs annoying with a knife, because the leaves want to roll in on the knife and make it hard to get a clean cut. Instead, I’ve taken to tearing the ribs off with my fingers, which is much easier for me. Stack sections of leaves and roll them into a tube, then cut them into very thin ribbons crosswise. 

Assemble salad: Put kale in a large bowl. Add pecorino, walnuts and raisins (leaving any leftover vinegar mixture in dish), remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice and toss until all the kale ribbons are coated. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and some of the reserved vinegar mixture from the raisins, if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving, if you can, as it helps the ingredients come together. Just before serving, toss with breadcrumbs and, if needed, a final 1 teaspoon drizzle of olive oil.

From smittenkitchen.com one of the best online cooking references

Watermelon paletas

• 3 cups seeded watermelon

• 1/2 cup refined sugar

• 1/3 cup water

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Pour half the fruit and the remaining ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Dice the rest of the melon and evenly distribute it into popsicle modes. Pour blended mixture over leaving headspace for expansion due to freezing.

Place in freezer until frozen and then enjoy!

Kung pao chicken (or tofu)

Chicken or Tofu

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast or tofu cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 tbs. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tbs. soy sauce

• 1 tsp. chili paste with garlic

• 1 tsp. sugar

Sauce

• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

• 2 tbs. rice wine or dry sherry

• 2 tbs. hoisin sauce

• 2 tbs. soy sauce

• 2 tsp. dark sesame oil

• 4 garlic cloves minced

• 1 tbs. water

• 2 tsp. cornstarch

Vegetables

• 3 tbs.peanut oil

• 3 bell peppers, chopped

• 2 fresh hot chilis, diced

• 1 cup sliced water chestnuts

• 4 scallions sliced

• 1/2 c. roasted peanuts

hot rice for serving

Combine the chicken or tofu and marinade ingredients and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients except cornstarch. Dissolve cornstarch in a bit of water and set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 tbs. of oil in work and set over high heat. Add chicken or tofu and marinade and cook until chicken is no longer pink or about 3 to 5 minutes for tofu. Scrape out into bowl.

Heat remaining oil and add peppers and chilies and stir fry until softened. Add chestnuts and scallions and cook for 1 more minute. Add chicken or tofu back into pan and cook until heated through. Add sauce mixture and bring to boil, then add cornstarch and cook, stirring until sauce boils and thickens. Add peanuts and toss to coat.

Serve over rice.

Maple mustard beets and greens

If you don’t know how to cook beet greens, this is the recipe for you! Truly a people pleaser, the farm crew loves these. This is a recipe I made up, so everything is to taste, you really can’t mess it up! - Kerry

• 1 bunch of beets

• 1 tbs. dijon mustard (the Appalachian maple mustard is perfect for this)

• 2 tsp. vinegar (I like Ume plum vinegar or sherry vinegar, but if you don’t have any of those fancy sorts, any type will do)

• 1 tbs. maple syrup

• slt to taste

• 1 tbs. olive oil

• 1 tbs. butter

Cut leaves from beets where they meet the beets. Toss the top of the beet into the compost. I like to peel around the top of the beet to remove any soil on the skin but don’t really worry about peeling the rest of it unless there is a an area where soil is lodging.

Wash the greens and the green stems well (they really tend to be dirty so give them a couple rinses so they won’t be gritty). Chop the stems and greens and cut the beets into matchsticks so they cook quickly.

Heat butter and oil in a frying pan on medium and add beets. Cover and cook stirring occasionally for about 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them and turn heat down if they start to brown at all.

Add greens and stir. Give a couple shakes of salt to sweat the greens and cover the pan Turn heat to medium low and cook until greens and beets start to soften. Keep heat low enough that moisture from the veggies are enough to cook the beets and greens. You should not need to add liquid.

Add vinegar, maple syrup and mustard and cook until veggies are soft. Add salt to taste and adjust sauce if you would like it sweeter or more acidic.

Eggplant and tomato stir fry

My first year farming at Brookfield, one of the other apprentices Adan would make this for breakfast. Its unbelievably delicious and easy. It makes a great side or serve over rice for a meal.

1-2 eggplants cut into small cubes

2 tomatoes cut into small cubes

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 small onion, diced

soy sauce

rice wine vinegar

toasted sesame oil

olive oil

Pour a glug or two of olive oil into a frying pan and add the garlic and onions. Cook on medium low heat until they soften. Add the eggplant and tomatoes and stir, continue to cook and cover. Stir occasionally. When eggplants are soft, season to taste with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Finish with sesame oil.

Chinese sautéed cabbage with vinegar sauce

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)

• 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce) (Optional) (*Footnote 2)

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Stir fry

• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)

• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

• 2 to 3 dried chili peppers

• 2 cloves garlic , minced

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 lb of cabbage

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix well.

Cut cabbage into bite size pieces by cutting the whole head of cabbage into half, then quarters. Place one of the quarters cut side down, tilt the knife to slice off the stem and discard it. Separate the outer few layers of leaves, then cut them into bite-size pieces. Then chop the center thicker into smaller pieces.

Add peanut oil and Sichuan peppercorns into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook until the Sichuan peppercorns turn dark but not burned. Scoop out the peppers and discard them.

Add the chili peppers and garlic. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.

Add cabbage. Stir and cook until the leaves just start to turn tender.

Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch thoroughly, pour into the pan. Continue to stir and cook until the cabbage turns tender but still crispy, and the sauce has thickened.

Turn off heat. Carefully taste the cabbage and adjust seasoning by adding more salt, if necessary. Drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and stir to mix again. Transfer everything to a serving plate.

Credit: omnivores cookbook.com A great cooking website. Check it out.

Southern collard greens

Collard greens are so tasty and healthy and yet I find many northerners tend to not know how to use them. I love them southern style cooked until they melt in your mouth, traditionally with smoked pork, but you can leave that out!

• 1/2 small yellow onion diced

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 2-3 cups vegetable broth I only used 2 cups

• 1 teaspoon applewood smoked salt or any kind of smoked salt

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 2 lbs collard greens

• black pepper

Coat a large deep skillet or pot with vegetable oil. Saute onions until almost tender over medium heat and then add in garlic. Cook until onion and garlic are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add in vegetable broth.

Season broth with smoked salt and red pepper flakes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Make sure it's to your liking because this is how your greens will taste. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat. Add in the greens. Green will wilt down as they cook.

Simmer for 1 hr to 1 hr 30 mins. Do not boil. Add more vegetable broth if needed. May need more or less time so be sure to check them after 30-45 minutes. When done, greens will be dark green, tender and will not have a raw taste.

Finish with a drizzle of vinegar to taste (Ume Plum vinegar is my go to for a umami kick). Add in more smoked salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and hot sauce, if desired.

Credit: divascancook.com with edits by Kerry