Salsa Verde

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Ingredients: 

8 ounces tomatillos, husked 

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped 

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced 

4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 

1/2 tablespoon cumin 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped 

2 cups water 

Directions:

• In a medium sauce pan, add all of the above ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until soft about 15-18 minutes. Blend in a blender until smooth. Perfect for chicken! 

Tip: When blending hot ingredients in a blender make sure you don’t overfill the blender and that you start out on a slow speed.

Mashed Potatoes and Tomatillos

Sandy Kitely

Ingredients:

6 small red potatoes, scrubbed

1 clove garlic, peeled

4 tomatillos

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and garlic. Boil the potatoes with the skin on until tender, about 15 minutes.

• Peel the paper skin off the tomatillos, and rinse them. Place them in with the potatoes during the last 5 minutes of boiling. Drain.

• Transfer potatoes and tomatillos to a large bowl. Add butter and milk, and mash with a potato masher. Adjust amount of milk and butter to achieve desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Tomatillo and Lime Salsa Verde

Tamara Stimpson

Ingredients:

12 cups chopped tomatillos

3 cups chopped onions

1/2 cup finely chopped seeded Serrano or long hot green chile peppers

1/4 cup finely chopped seeded jalapeno peppers

1/4 cup finely chopped garlic

4 tsp Kosher salt

1 cup white vinegar

1 tsp grated lime zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• In a large pot combine tomatillos, onions, Serrano, jalapeno's, garlic, salt, vinegar and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent sticking.

• Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until tomatillos and onions are tender and salsa is slightly thickened.

• Stir in lime zest and cilantro.

• Cool and serve!

Pork and Tomatillo Stew

Sandy Kitely 

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork ribs or loin, trimmed and cut in bite-size cubes

salt and pepper

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced celery

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

3 to 6 tablespoons drained jalapeno rings or chopped mild chile peppers

1 cup julienne cut carrots

2 medium potatoes, cut in small cubes

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, washed and diced

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

pinch dried oregano

hot sauce, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh chopped cilantro, optional

• Sprinkle pork cubes lightly with salt and pepper; toss with the flour.

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet; add pork and saute, stirring, until nicely browned; transfer to a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. In the same skillet, adding a little more oil if needed, saute the celery and onion until tender. Add garlic, chicken broth, and jalapeno peppers or mild peppers, stirring and scraping browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.

• Meanwhile, add to the slow cooker the carrots, potatoes, and tomatillos. Pour tomatoes over the top, then add the onion and celery mixture from the skillet. Stir to blend ingredients.

• Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 6 hours. Add seasonings.

• Cook for 1 to 2 hours longer on HIGH or about 2 to 3 hours longer on LOW. Taste and adjust seasonings.

• Serve with a sprinkling of cilantro, if desired, and hot baked cornbread.

Roasted Squash Gratin

Tamara Stimpson

This doubles as an entree or a seasonal side dish!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 tsp dried

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup sliced sweet onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Pinch grated nutmeg

• Peel squash, halve lengthwise, then crosswise. Remove seeds. Cut lengthwise into 1/2" thick wedges. Place in a 10-cup greased oval baking dish; sprinkle with half each of the salt and pepper. Roast in a 450F oven until tnder and browned on edges, approx. 25 minutes.

• In a small bowl, toss together bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage and 1 tbsp butter - set aside.

• Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat remaining butter over medium heat; fry onions and garlic, stirring often, until softened - approximately 5 minutes.

• Sprinkle with flour; cook oven medium-low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, nutmeg and remaining salt and pepper; sook, stirring, utnil thick enough to coat back of spoon, 5 minutes.

• Pour over squash; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. 

• Bake in 350F oven until bubbly and crumbs are golden - approximately 25 minutes.

Pasta with Kale Pesto #2

www.torontosun.com

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. (500 g) of pasta of your choice

1 cup (250 ml) of kale pesto

2 tbsp. (25 ml) lemon juice

1 cup (250 ml) of grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. (25ml ) chopped, toasted walnuts

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta until al dente. (Reserve 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the hot pasta water and set aside).

Toss the pasta with the kale pesto and lemon juice adding the reserved pasta water as needed. Add the cheese and toss again. Season with salt if needed and toss again.

Transfer to a large pasta bowl. Scatter the walnuts over the top. Season with some freshly cracked pepper and serve.

Kale Pesto

(Makes 1 cup)

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup (125 ml) toasted walnuts

3 cups (750 ml) of washed kale

1/3 cup (75 ml) parsley

1/2 cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan

1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the garlic and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined.

Add the kale, parsley and Parmesan. Pulse until combined.

With the machine running, add the oil and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Options:

Add grilled chicken or shrimp to this pasta dish to make it a substantial main course.

Kale Pesto

Tamara Stimpson

If you add this to 1 lb of cooked pasta, it will serve 6. It also will include 24% of the recommended daily intake of iron, 68% of vitamin A, 88% of vitamin C, 16% of calcium and 15% folate! Yummy AND great for you!

Ingredients:

1 bunch (approx. 1 lb) of kale

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup EVOO

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

• Grasping the stem of the kale between your thumb and forefinger, strip the kale leaves off the stems. Place the kale, garlic, onion and 1/2 tsp salt in a large lidded saucepan, and fill with 3 cups water. Bring water to a boil; cover and cook over medium heat until the kale is tender (approx. 15 minutes).

• Reserving the cooking water, place the vegetables and 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid in a food processor. Pulse until minced but not smooth.

• Remove the pesto and mix with the EVOO, black pepper, remaining salt and Parmesan Reggiano cheese.

• Stir in to your favourite cooked pasta and serve with some freshly ground cheese and pepper on top!

Vinaigrette Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp Parmesan Reggiano

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and toss with salad greens.

• Grate some fresh Parmesan over top the salad and serv

Roasted Garlic

Tamara Stimpson 

One of our favourite ways to enjoy fresh Cooper's garlic is roasting it! This makes a lovely appetizer, or a light meal with the inclusion of a soup or salad.

Ingredients:

1 baguette, cut into 1/2 slices and toasted

I head of garlic, top cut approximately 1/3 of the way down the bulb

1/2 cup of vegetable bouillon

4 sprigs of thyme

salt and pepper

Spreadable goat's cheese (chevre)

• Place the head of garlic in either a small roasting dish, or foil with the sides folded closely around it to make a packet.

• Pour the bouillon over and around the garlic ensuring that the liquid is 2/3 of the way up the head of garlic). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place thyme sprigs on top.

• Wrap the top of the roasting dish with foil, or fold the edges of the foil up over the garlic and seal.

• Place in the oven for approximately 4 minutes (or until the liquid has been absorbed into the garlic and the cloves are soft when poked with the tip of a knife).

• When serving, remove the garlic from the baking dish, and place on a plate with several slices of the baguette, and a generous amount of goat's cheese.

• Using a knife, gently ease the softened cloves of garlic out of the papery skin, and spread generously on a slice of the baguette. Top with some goat's cheese and enjoy!