Spinach and Garlic Scape Pesto

recipezaar.com

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup roughly chopped garlic scapes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup EVOO

2 tbsp unsalted butter

salt & pepper

• Place spinach, garlic scapes and cheese in a food processor. Pulse until chunky.

• With machine running, pour in EVOO in a steady stream.

• Process until smooth.

• Add butter and salt and pepper (to taste), and continue processing until really smooth.

• Enjoy on your favourite pasta, pizza, grilled meats, or in dips!

Spinach and Blue Cheese Salad with Pears and Candied Pecans

Ingredients For Dressing:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 to 4 tbsp finely chopped red onions

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup oil (EVOO makes the dressing take on a greenier tone, but a vegetable or grain-based oil gives the dressing the bright pink colour you see in the picture above)

• Combine the first 4 ingredients in a blender (I use my mini-chopper), and blend well.

• While running, add oil in a steady stream until the dressing becomes thick and smooth.

Ingredients For Candied Pecans:

1 cup pecan halves (or 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup walnuts)

1/3 cup brown sugar, firmy packed

2 tbsp butter, melted

• Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl and then spread on a lightly greased baking sheet, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (which I prefer because it means less clean-up!)

• Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even coating.

• Let cool and set aside. Once the mixture is cool and looks like brittle, just crumble and put into a container with a lid. The nuts can be kept in a fridge for at least two weeks (although they don't last that long at our house!)

Salad:

• 10 oz of spinach leaves

• 2 ripe pears, peeled and cut into chunks

• Crumbled blue cheese (frankly I don't measure this - as much as you would like!)

• Red Onion Vinaigrette

• Candied Pecans

• Combine the first three ingredients in a large salad bowl.

• Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the candied pecans

• ENJOY!

Quick Spanokopita

Tamara Stimpson

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb baby spinach leaves

1 large farm-fresh egg

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

6 oz feta cheese, crumbled (or as much as you fancy!!)

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

10 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350F

• Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until softened and fragrant - approx. 8 mins.

• Gradually add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted - approx. 5 mins.

• Transfer spinach mixture to a bowl and stir in egg, herbs, feta, salt and pepper.

• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet (cover remaining sheets with a damp towel to prevent them drying out), and brush lightly with butter. Repeat twice.

• Spread spinach mixture in centre, leaving approx. 1" border.

• Top with three more butter sheets of phyllo pastry. Fold in sides to make a rectangular package.

• Lightly crumple remaining 4 sheets of phyllo pastry and place on top of spanokopita. Lightly brush with butter.

• Bake until dark golden, approx. 40 minutes

• ENJOY!

*A great addition is 3 chopped garlic scapes as well!!*

Layered Vegetable Casserole

Tamara Stimpson

Ingredients:

10 to 12 medium sized potatoes, peeled and halved

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

300g of frozen, chopped spinach - defrosted and squeezed dry

2 thinly sliced green onions

1 egg, slightly beaten

300g of frozen, squash puree

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 cup of grated, sharp cheddar cheese

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) or cooking spray for casserole dish

• Place peeled and halved potatoes in a large pot filled with salted water. Boil for 20 to 30 mins. until soft. Drain and mash stirring in 2 tbsp butter, sour cream and 1/2 tsp salt.

• Stir drained spinach together with green onions, egg, 1 tbsp butter and 1/4 tsp salt.

• Stir squash puree together with 1 tbsp butter, ginger and 1/4 tsp salt.

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large casserole dish with EVOO or cooking spray. Using a silicone spatula (I find this is the best tool for the job!) spread 1/3 of the mashed potatoes evenly, on the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread all of the squash on top of the potatoes, followed by 1/2 of the remaining mashed potatoes - remember to smooth out evenly. Then follow with the spinach mixture and the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle cheddar over top of the casserole and bake in the oven, uncovered, for 55-60 mins!

• ENJOY!

Spinach and Garlic Scape Pesto

recipezaar.com

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup roughly chopped garlic scapes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup EVOO

2 tbsp unsalted butter

salt & pepper

• Place spinach, garlic scapes and cheese in a food processor. Pulse until chunky.

• With machine running, pour in EVOO in a steady stream.

• Process until smooth.

• Add butter and salt and pepper (to taste), and continue processing until really smooth.

• Enjoy on your favourite pasta, pizza, grilled meats, or in dips!

Garlic Scape Soup

Vanessa Barrett

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil

2 dozen garlic scapes, flower buds discarded and green shoots chopped

3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½ inch dice

5 cups vegetable stock or water

2 large handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed

Juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup heavy cream (optional)

Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the scapes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and beginning to break down.

• Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and puree using a hand blender.
  (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches at low speed.) 

• Season with the lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk in the cream for a silkier texture. If the soup tastes flat, add salt a few big pinches at a time until the flavors really pop. 

• Serve garnished with the chive blossoms.

Rice Congee with Chicken

www.food.com

Ingredients:

8 cups good chicken stock

1 cup rice, I prefer short-grain but long-grain works too

4 garlic cloves, crushed

6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes also stems removed and sliced) or 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes also stems removed and sliced)

1 tbsp grated ginger

2 cups thin sliced chicken breasts (you can also use cooked chicken, shredded or chopped)

2 cups chopped pak choi

1 tbsp soy sauce, to taste

1 tbsp oyster sauce, to taste

Salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

Garnishes

Fresh coriander leaves

Green onion, chopped

Chopped hard boiled egg

Finely chopped fresh spinach leaves

Finely diced chile

Egg, thin omelet, cut in fine strips

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

• Bring chicken stock to a boil, add the rice and the garlic, reduce the heat and simmer for approx 2 hours until the grains break down but not completely disintegrate, stir occasionally.

• Add the chicken, shiitake and ginger, and cook for 5 minutes.

• Add your chosen vegetables cook for another 3-5 minutes.

• Taste the soup and add soy, oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve in bowls, drizzled with some sesame oil, and any or all of the above garnishes in separate bowls/dishes for people to help themselves.