Well Seasoned

Recipes for seasonal cooking

It's Spring! Here's what's in season:

Broccoli, Garlic, and Onion Frittata

A delicious but easy start to any lazy Sunday.

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 8 Large eggs
  • 3 cups of broccoli florets
  • ½ cup Parmigiano reggiano

Preparation

  1. Pre heat oven to 350°F
  2. In a 10-inch oven proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until just softened. Add garlic for thirty seconds, then add broccoli. Sautee for a minute, then add 1 tablespoon of water and cover for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in broccoli, onion, and garlic mixture.
  4. In skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over low heat. Then, add eggs and cook until the eggs on the side are set, 3-4 minutes.
  5. Insert skillet in oven until the center is just done, roughly 12 minutes.
  6. Serve warm or at room temperature

Adapted from this recipe from foodandwine.com.

Simple Roasted Garlic Asparagus

A simple yet delicious dish showcasing one of springs finest products.

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 1 pound asparagus, peeled if thick
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Pre heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Line roasting pan with parchment paper
  3. In a small sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and cook until garlic is lightly brown, then remove from heat.
  4. Spread asparagus in a single layer in a roasting pan. Drizzle garlic and olive oil over the asparagus. Season to taste with salt and pepper
  5. Roast for 8-10 minutes until asparagus is bright green.
  6. Transfer to plate and serve hot.

Adapted from this recipe from epicurious.com.

Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

A great salad for those cool early days of spring.

Ingredients

  • 2 large beets, trimmed
  • 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • 3 cups baby spinach, washed
  • ½ Cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Toast walnuts over medium high heat in a dry skillet until just brown and fragrant. Take care not to burn.
  3. Wrap beets in a foil packet, place on a roasting pan, and insert into oven. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove beets from oven and let cool.
  4. While beets are roasting, make the vinaigrette. Mix mustard, vinegar, and shallot together, then slowly whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
  5. Dice roast beets into 1 inch cubes. Toss in a large salad bowl with toasted walnuts, baby spinach, and goat cheese.
  6. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Inspired by this recipe from foodnetwork.com.

Raisin Rhubarb Compote

A classic way to savor a late spring delight

Yields 3 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 cups rhubarb, washed and chopped
  • ½ cup pomegranate juice
  • ½ maple or brown sugar
  • ¼ cup raisins

Preparation

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves
  2. Reduce heat to medium low and cover until rhubarb is tender, about 7 minutes.
  3. Place mixture in bowl and chill until cool.
  4. Serve over ice cream, shortbread, toast, yoghurt, or, a personal favorite, as a small dollop in a glass of champagne.

Inspired by this recipe from epicurious.com.

Stir-Fried Spinach and Shrimp

A healthier version of a vintage take out item

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 2 table spoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 pound 20-30 count shrimp, peeled and rinsed
  • 1 pound spinach, stems trimmed at end and leaves rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Preparation

  1. Over medium high heat in a dry skillet, toast sesame seeds until fragrant and lightly brown, taking care not to burn. Set aside.
  2. Mix soy sauces and sugar in small bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat wok or large skillet over high heat and add oil. Once oil begins to shimmer, add garlic and ginger until fragrant, no more than 15 seconds
  4. Push garlic and ginger aside and add shrimp flat on the wok. Let cook for one minute and then stir fry for one minute.
  5. Add spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted but still bright green and the shrimp has just turned pink, about 2 more minutes.
  6. Remove from heat, toss with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, and serve.

Adapted from this recipe from cooking.nytimes.com.

Middle Eastern Carrot and Chickpea Salad

A refreshing sweet and sour summer salad.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas, drained and dried
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 lbs carrots, peeled and greated
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Toss chickpea with cumin, salt to taste, and two table spoons of olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until chickpeas are browned and crisp, 15-20 minutes.
  3. Whisk garlic, lemon juice, tahini, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 tablespoons of water.
  4. Toss grated carrots in large bowl and toss with parsley. Mix in ⅔ of the dressing, adding more if desired. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Add chickpeas and serve.

This recipe is from smittenkitchen.com. The source is here.

Summer Cucumber and Dill Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 medium cucumbers, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • 1 small white onion, very thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt, more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Preparation

  1. Toss cucumber and onion slices in a large colander with 2 teaspoons sea salt. Place colander over a bowl to catch draining liquid and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. The cucumbers will shrink considerably as the salt releases their moisture.
  2. Rinse cucumbers and onions under cold running water to rinse off salt. Set aside to drain thoroughly, about 20 minutes.
  3. Toss drained cucumber and onion with wine vinegar, dill and a pinch of salt, if desired. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours more until ready to serve.

This recipe is from wholefoodsmarket.com. The source is here

Caprese

The simple way to enjoy one of summer's greatest treats

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds in season tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch think
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, rolled and sliced into strips
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

  1. Whisk together vinegar and olive oil.
  2. Salt and pepper to taste
  3. Arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on top of each other. Top with vinaigrette and garnish with basil. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Thomas Alfred Mitchell.

Garlic, Lemon Green Beans with Toasted Pine Nuts

Light yet flavorful, these green beans pair well with any main coming of the grill

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pound of green beans, trimmed and sliced into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup of pine nuts
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation

  1. Boil 4 quart sauce pan of salted water
  2. In a dry skillet over high heat, toast pine nuts, taking care not to burn.
  3. Add green beans to water and blanch, roughly 1 minutes. Drain green beans.
  4. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add garlic until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  5. Add green beans to pan and saute until beans are tender, roughly 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon zest and nuts, and season to taste. Serve hot.

Adapted from this recipe from epicurious.com.

Grilled Sweet Corn Salsa

A delicious summer time snack.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 large ears of corn
  • ½ poblano pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ medium red onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
  • Juice from one lime
  • ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Pre heat grill to medium high.
  2. Brush poblano with olive oil and grill, skin side down, until charred but still firm. Once done, remove and let cool, then seed and dice
  3. Meanwhile, place ears of corn, still in their husks, directly onto the grill until charred. Once cool enough to handle, remove husks and string and put it back on grill, 2-3 minutes, rolling to heat all side.
  4. Slice corn off of the cob and add to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with chips

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Thomas Alfred Mitchell.

Roasted Daikon and Carrots

An easy roasted dish that goes great with roast chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 Daikon radishes peeled and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
  • ½ onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread on a roasting pan.
  3. Insert pan into oven and roast the vegetable for 35-40 minutes. Every 10 minutes or so, shake the pan to prevent scorching.
  4. Place into bowl and serve.

Adapted from this recipe from sarahscucinabella.com.

Curried Sweet Potato Wraps

A fantastic combination that can be made ahead for a workday lunch.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1 tbsp slivered almonds
  • 1 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
  • 4 large flour tortillas or favorite wrap flavor

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Piece sweet potatoes with fork and roast until tender, about 45 minutes.
  2. Once cool, half sweet potatoes and scoop out the sweet potato flesh from the skin.
  3. Divide sweet potato, curry powder, arugula, cheese, and almonds between the 4 wraps. Roll up and enjoy or save for later. Wraps can be served either warm or cool.

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Thomas Alfred Mitchell

Sautéed Apple and Onion

A mid-autumn delight which pairs delightfully with a pan fried pork chop.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 apples suited for cooking (e.g. McIntosh, Granny Smith), sliced into 2 inch long pieces about ½ inch thick
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and Pepper

Preparation

  1. Heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add onion slices and cook.
  2. Once onion begins to soften, add apple pieces and cloves, stirring occasionally so apples do not scorch.
  3. When the apples are tender and brown, remove from heat and serve

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Thomas Alfred Mitchell

Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts

A sinful way to savor once of the most unfairly derided pieces of produce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 strips thick cut bacon, sliced into 1 inch squares
  • Vegetable oil, if needed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 2 table spoons real maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once crispy, remove to paper towel lined plate
  2. Add oil if rendered bacon fat does not appear to be enough to coat pan.
  3. In the bacon fat, add onion and sprouts, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are golden and tender. Remove sprouts and onion from pan.
  4. Remove skillet from heat and add maple syrup, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Once butter is melted, add sprouts and onion to pan and coat.
  5. Transfer to large bowl and serve.

Adapted from this recipe from foodnetwork.com.

Fennel Minestrone

An affordable method to explore the so called “licorice celery”.

Yields 4 large bowls of soup

Ingredients

  • 3 oz pancetta, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups chicken broth, preferably low sodium (if low sodium is unavailable, take care when seasoning)
  • Bay leaf
  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 3 cups kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped.

Preparation

  1. In a skillet preheated over medium heat, cook pancetta until crispy, then remove to a paper towel lined plate.
  2. Add onion and fennel to skillet, and saute in the rendered pancetta fat until tender. Remove and drain. Discard remaining fat.
  3. Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
  4. Discard bay leaf and serve hot, preferably with a slice of crusty bread.

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Thomas Alfred Mitchell

Cabbage With Tomatoes, Bulgur and Chickpeas

A hearty stew that is great for budget minded cooks.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 medium head green or red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup coarse bulgur
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Preparation

  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy lidded skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt and the paprika. Cook, stirring, until the onion is thoroughly tender and infused with paprika, three to four minutes.
  2. Add the cabbage, and cook, stirring, for three minutes or until it begins to wilt. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar, and add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the cabbage is thoroughly tender.
  3. Stir in the dill and the water, and bring a to a boil. Add the bulgur and chickpeas. Stir to combine. When the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer 10 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve hot or at room temperature.

This recipe is from the New York Times. The source is here.

Spicy Kale Stir-Fry

A quick, delicious, and very healthy dish with just a little bit of a peppery kick.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 medium bunch of kale, steams removed and torn into bite sized piece (roughly 10 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation

  1. Heat vegetable oil in large wok
  2. Once oil is hot, add pepper, ginger, and garlicand cook until just tender, 2 mintues
  3. Mix soy sauce and sugar
  4. Add kale and soy sauce mixture to wok and stir fry until kale is tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Add sesame oil and serve over rice.

Adapted from this recipe from realsimple.com.

Leek and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

A hearty appetizer for the cold winter months. Be sure to thoroughly rinse leeks as they can be gritty

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 8 Slices French Bread
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to drizzle over bread
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 whole leeks, thoroughly rinsed and sliced
  • 4 ounces soft goat cheese

Preparation

  1. Pre heat broiler
  2. On stove top, preheat a skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Once oil is hot, sauté leeks until golden, 5-6 minutes.
  3. Line a broiling pan with bread slices and brush slices with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over the bread. Insert 5-6 inches away from broiler and toast until just golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
  4. Smear each piece of bread with goat cheese, then top with leeks and serve.

Adapted from this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com.

Parsnip and Potato Latkes

A fantastic winter time snack. Top with a poached egg for a unique but sensational brunch dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ½ pound russet potatoes, shredded and squeezed very dry
  • 1 table spoon lemon juice
  • 1 pound parsnips, shredded and squeezed very dry
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon celery leaves, or other herbs such as dill or parsley
  • 1 tablespoon drained horse radish
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed, for frying
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Place vegetables together, add lemon juice, and mix.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and herbs. Toss with vegetables. Stir in eggs and horseradish until vegetable strands are evenly coated.
  3. Heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat, then add oil.
  4. Once oil is hot and shimmering, take spoon sized mounds of battered vegetables and drop onto skillet. Once one side is golden and crispy, roughly 3 minutes, flip the pancake until that side is golden as well, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Cook pancakes in batches, adding oil as needed.
  6. When pancakes are done, place on paper towel lined plates to drain, and then serve.

Adapted from this recipe from smittenkitchen.com.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

A hearty main dish that can be served with a side salad for a complete meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn squash, halved
  • 1 lb. bulk sausage, ½ spicy ½ regular
  • ¾ cup chopped celery
  • 3 tblsp chopped onion
  • 1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 slightly beaten egg
  • ½ cup – ¾ cup sour cream

Preparation

  1. Place squash halves, cut side down, in a baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 45 minutes or till tender. Sprinkle cut side with salt.
  2. In a skillet cook sausage, celery and onion till meat is browned. Stir in apple and cook 3 minutes more. Drain fat if necessary.
  3. Combine egg and sour cream – stir into sausage mixture. Fill Squash halves with sausage mixture. Bake 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Mama Dranginis.