Creamy Farro With Crispy Mushrooms and Sour Cream alison roman

  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 4 medium leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound mix of mushrooms, such as maitake, oyster, cremini or chanterelle, torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups)
  •  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ¾ cups pearled or semi-pearled farro or barley
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • ½ cup finely chopped chives (from about 1 bunch)
  • 1 cup fresh dill leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for squeezing
  •  Sour cream, for serving
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the leeks and half the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and crisped, 12 to 15 minutes. (They will start giving off moisture and steaming a little before this happens, so be patient.)
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a medium bowl leaving any olive oil behind. (They will have absorbed the oil as they cook, and released it back as they crisp.) Add a bit more olive oil so there’s another 1/4 cup or so in the pot. Cook the remaining leeks and mushrooms, adding them to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
  3. Without wiping the pot, add farro and season with salt and pepper. Cook over that same medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until farro is toasted on the outside (it will go from pale golden brown to a toastier golden brown), about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bring to a strong simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until farro is fully cooked and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. It should still look a bit loose, like risotto or a porridge. Remove from heat and add half the chives.
  5. Toss dill, remaining chives and lemon zest together in a small bowl. To serve, season farro with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with sour cream, mushrooms and leeks, and dill mixture. Serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

fresh tomato & corn pie, my version

tomato and corn pie from smitten kitchen.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

slice tomatoes crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired, place on towel and sprinkle with salt.  let sit for 30 min or more. Spread 1 tbsp dijon on crust.  Spread a small amount of cheese on crust then Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, basil, chives, salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

An idea: Want to slab pie this and serve it to a crowd? I agree, it would be brilliant. This is how I’d approach it: Make 1 1/2 batches of the crust (slab pies require more crust for the same amount of filling) and arrange the filling in one layer instead of two in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch pan. Increase the amount of butter you brush the top with to a tablespoon or two and the baking time to about 45 minutes (this is an estimate, you should take it out when it is golden and the filling is bubbling). Be sure to remove the tomato seeds; that extra wetness could make for a slab pie mess.

Cauliflower Salad from ketoconnect.net

1 medium cauliflower head, chopped
3 large hard boiled eggs
4 strips cooked bacon (opt.)
2 stalks celery
1/4 medium Red Onion
3 tbsp chives
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Break the head of cauliflower up into chunks and cut into desired sized pieces.
  1. Add all the cauliflower to a microwave safe bowl and cover bowl with damp paper towels. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Re-dampen the paper towels and microwave for another 3 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.
  2. Dice the bacon, hard boiled eggs, celery, red onion and chives and add it to the bowl of cauliflower.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the mayo, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and black pepper and then pour it over the cauliflower mixture.
  4. Combine the entire mixture thoroughly with a spoon and add any additional salt and pepper as you see necessary.
  5. Store in a sealed container in the fridge up to one week. Serve cold and enjoy!

Shaved Cauliflower Salad from foodrepublic.com

  • Americano at The Joule in Dallas. Photography by Mei-Chun Jau.

    3 ounces shaved white cauliflower

  • 1 1/2 ounces shaved purple cauliflower
  • 1 1/2 ounces shaved orange cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons plumped golden raisins
  • 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Dash red chili flakes
  • Dash chives
  • salt to taste
  1. Thinly shave the cauliflower on a mandolin, toss with lemon juice and lightly season with salt,
  2. let the cauliflower macerated for a few minutes. Toss in the toasted pistachios, plumped golden raisins, and chili flakes.
  3. Drizzle in the EVOO, taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Salmon Pasta with Green Goddess Pesto from thewoksoflife.com/

  • 1 large handful of basil (about 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 large handful of parsley (about 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 small handful of dill (about ½ cup chopped)
  • 1 small bunch of chives (about ½ cup chopped)
  • 2 scallions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • The leaves from 3 stalks of tarragon (stems discarded)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1½ pound salmon fillet
  • 1 pound dried fettuccine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup capers, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • Zest of a whole lemon
  • First make the green goddess pesto. In the bowl of a food processor, add the basil, parsley, dill, chives, scallions, tarragon, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Next, rinse your salmon fillet, pat it dry with a paper towel, and season with salt. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon until cooked through on both sides, approximately 5-6 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the fish and your preference for doneness). When it’s cooked to your liking, transfer to a plate, and with two forks, flake the salmon.
  • Next, bring a pot of salted water up to a boil. Boil the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and the garlic. Stir the garlic until lightly browned, and then add the capers. Turn the heat all the way down to low, and stir to combine. Add the heavy cream, followed by the peas. Stir to warm the peas through.
  • Add the cooked pasta and stir thoroughly until the pasta is coated in the cream. Next, add the pesto and stir to combine. Top with the flaked salmon, additional black pepper to taste, and lemon zest.

Green Goddess salad dressing from thewoksoflife.com

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1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped basil
2 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, herbs, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Braised Red Potatoes with Lemon and Chives from America’s Test Kitchen Season

For a simple, one-pot potato side dish that featured the benefits of both boiling and roasting, we had to get creative. We combined halved small red potatoes, butter, and salted water in a 12-inch skillet and simmered this mixture until the potatoes turned creamy and the water fully evaporated. In the then-dry skillet, the potatoes and butter were left alone to fry and develop great flavor and color. Subtle aromatics like thyme and garlic balance well with last-minute additions like lemon juice.

Use small red potatoes measuring about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
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1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes, unpeeled, halved
2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter|
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Arrange potatoes in single layer, cut side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add water, butter, garlic, thyme, and salt and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove lid and use slotted spoon to transfer garlic to cutting board; discard thyme. Increase heat to medium-high and vigorously simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until water evaporates and butter starts to sizzle, 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, mince garlic to paste. Transfer paste to bowl and stir in lemon juice and pepper.

Continue to cook potatoes, swirling pan frequently, until butter browns and cut sides of potatoes turn spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Off heat, add garlic mixture and chives and toss to thoroughly coat. Serve immediately.  Serving Size: 4

Terry’s notes:

i believe I posted this the other day but I made them last night and they were fabulous! Okay, Aside from the fact that they have nicely brown crispy bits that make them good the BEST is the garlic.

The garlic is cooked until soft in the water, then after 15 minutes it is wonderfully sweet and so soft. I put the cooked garlic into a little cup, mashed it up and added a teaspoon of lemon juice. A bit of salt and pepper. It’s wonderful on the potatoes but it’s going to be great on steamed green beans or broccoli. I liked the SteamFresh brand green beans and brussels sprouts since you just put the bag in the microwave five minutes and they are cooked. I usually then pop them into some butter and season. Tonight I’m doing them but I’m going to use the soft garlic and lemon.

Smoked Bluefish Pâté, foodandwine.com

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  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1/2 medium red onion, minced
  • 4 to 6 dashes of hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup minced chives
  • 1/2 pound skinless, boneless smoked bluefish, flaked
  • Toasts or crackers, for serving
  1. In a bowl, blend the cream cheese with the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, onion, hot sauce and half of the chives. Fold the smoked bluefish into the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining chives on top and serve with toasts.

MAKE AHEAD

The pâté can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Panko-crusted Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

from myrecipes.com/
crab-cakes-su-656208-x

12 ounces shelled cooked crab
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/4 cups panko (see notes) or fine dried bread crumbs
Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli (recipe follows)
Fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths

1. Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell.

2. In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, and hot sauce; mix well with a fork. Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix.

3. Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

4. Bake in a 475° regular or convection oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli. In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Notes: The Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs called panko are available in many well-stocked supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores. You can make the aioli up to 2 days ahead and the crab cakes through step 3 up to 4 hours ahead; in both cases, cover and chill.