Green Beans

Beef with Green Beans
10 oz green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp oil (I used olive)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp ginger pulp (I used powdered since I was out of fresh)
1 tsp garlic pulp
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp tumeric (I couldn't find mine, so I skipped it)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 pound of beef, cubed
4 cups of water
1 tbsp cilantro (I didn't have this, so I skipped it)
1 sweet red pepper, sliced
2 jalapenos, chopped

Boil the green beans in salted water for about 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a dutch oven or saucepan and fry the onion until it turns golden brown. I a separate bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, chili powder, salt, turmeric, and tomatoes Spoon this mixture into the onions and stir fry for 5-7 minutes. Add the beef and stir fry to another 3 minutes Pour in the water; bring to a boil and lower the heat. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until most of the water has evaporated and the meat is tender. (I had to remove the lid toward the end to evaporate the liquid. Add the green beans and mix everything together well. Add the sweet pepper and jalapenos and cook stirring for another 7-10 minutes. Serve with rice or Chapatis.

Ham and Green Beans - a dish I grew up with...
Cook one ham in a several inches of water on the stovetop for an hour or two depending on the size of the peice of meat. Don't completely submerge the ham or your broth will be too diluted. Once cooked through, remove the ham, let it cool, and cut it into 1 1/2" cubes. Sprinkle about a half teaspoon of dried oregano into the ham juice. Add some new potatoes to the cooking liquid and cook over meduim heat until they are nearly done. Add green beans and cook them almost to your liking. Add the ham cubes and heat through. Serve on plates so you can mash up the potatoes with your fork and get the ham juice on them. Andy and his family like to sprinkle cider vinegar over their platefuls. My family eats it just as we made it. Enjoy!

Tomatillos

Chicken and Tomatillo Tacos with Queso Fresco - recipe from Dennis Mawhinney
Serves 4.
6 tomatillos huked, washed, and grilled until blackened
1 serrano chile, grilled until blackened
olive oil
1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 lime juiced
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
8 blue corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
Preheat the grill to medium. Add the blackened tomatillos and serrano to a small saute pan and briefly saute in a little olive oil on the grates of the grill or stovetop. Place the tomatillos, serrano, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the tomatillo mixture in a large saute pan and place on the grates of the grill. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the chicken and heat through. Place the tortillas on the grill, and grill for 20 seconds on each side. Spoon the chicken mixture into the tortillas and top with a few tablespoons of queso fresco. Fold the tortillas in half. Serve immediately.

Tomatoes

Simple Grilled Tomatoes
This is a easy way to use up lots of tomatoes. Place slices of tomatoes on a well-oiled grate over hot coals. After about one minute flip the slices and sprinkle some feta cheese (I used some of Keswick's) over the top. Close lid so cheese melts. Serve plain or on grilled bread.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers and Onions
3 cups thinly sliced cucmbers
1 1/2 cuos thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup light colored vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 T dried dillweed or fresh dill or some dill seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a medium bowl toss together cucumbers, onions, and carrot; set aside. In a liquid measuring cup combine vinegar, sugar, dill, 2 Tablespoons of water, salt, and black pepper. Pour over cucumber mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 6.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi Cakes

Peel and shred 4 kohlrabi bulbs. Squeeze out any excess moisture. In medium bowl, mix: 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. dried bread crumbs (I use flour if I am out of bread crumbs and bread)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. dried pepper flakes

dash of black pepper

Stir in shredded kohlrabi and blend well.



Heat olive oil in a skillet and drop this mixture in by large spoonfuls. Saute until golden on each side. Serve with a minted yogurt sauce.

Chard

Chard is pretty versatile. It has a flavor reminiscent of spinach, though its texture is more substantial. It goes well with lemon and lentils - there is a recipe that I will post once I find it. For now this a fast, simple way to try your chard.

Braised Chard with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 cups chopped chard-stems and all. Stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, stir in 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or cider vinegar), 1/4 cup raisins, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cover and cook until chard is tender and raisins plump up some. Add 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup bread crumbs just before serving.

Pak Choi

Pak Choi is a member of the cabbage family. The thick stems are crunchy and mild. The green leaves have a more pungent flavor, with the most pungent being at the leaf tips. I usually simply chop these into bite size pieces and cook it quickly over high heat with any other veggies that I have - sugar or snow peas, carrots, green onions. Intead of salt, I season with a drizzle of soy sauce toward the end.
Serve with brown rice.

Kale - the way Ethan makes it.

I use a cast iron frying pan for this, but something else might work. This recipe is simple enough for kids to help you.

Wash a bunch of kale. Remove the large center stem that runs down the center of each leaf. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces and set them aside. All kids can do this part.

Heat over medium high heat, enough olive oil to fully lubricate your pan plus have an extra puddle at the lowest point. Crush and mince one or two cloves of garlic and add them to the pan. Give it a stir to keep the garlic moving, and add some of the kale. (If you add all of it at once, you will lower the heat of the pan too much, and it doesn't turn out as well.) Keep the kale moving. Listen to the sound of the pan . You want it sizzle. If it gets quiet, add a bit more oil until it sizzles and spits again. As the kale cooks down, add the rest in batches. Keep stirring and listening. Ethan usually does this for me. Once it begins to darken add salt to taste and try not to eat most of it out of the pan. I usually cook it until most pieces get crunchy, but use your own judgement.

Serve. Pass a mild vinegar like red wine or balsalmic to drizzle over the greens on your plates. Thie recipe works well for collards and other greens as well.

Sugar Peas

My favorite way to eat Sugar Peas (besides just crunching them out of hand) is this recipe from the old timers in our family. It's kind of like soup with not so much broth

Dice and cook 1-2 cups potatoes (peeled or not, your choice) in salted water until they are al dente. While the potates cook remove the strings from your peas (1-2 cups). Drain and set aside. In your medium saucepan, melt a few tablespoons of butter then stir in an equal amount of flour. Cook it for a minute or two to eliminate that raw flour taste. A little at a time, stir in cold milk and cook over medium heat until the consistency is a pleasant sauce - keep it moving gently to it doesn't make clumps and keep adding milk as you need it. When you get tired of that, salt it to your liking. Add peas and potatoes and heat through. Take care not to cook the peas much. They are not as good if they get floppy. Enjoy!