Japanese Vegetable Pancakes

(from smittenkitchen.com)
Our Interpretation:
10-12 cups of shredded vegetables ( turnips, radishes, kale, carrots, cabbage, scallions, broccoli, scapes... really anything!)
1-2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup flour
6 eggs
Oil for frying (we used olive oil)

Dipping Sauce: follow recipe on smitten kitchen

Process: Shred veggies, toss with salt and flour so that all of the veggies are evenly coated. Whisk eggs, and add to veggie/flour mixture. Make pancakes of whatever size you like, heat oil in pan, fry pancakes for a couple minutes on each side, making sure to press them down gently in the pan.
 

Peas and New potatoes in Cream

1 1/2 pint of shelling peas, shelled
1 quart new potatoes
1 T Butter
1 T Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 splash of dry white wine
1 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the new potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water. Cook until just soft, but still slightly al dente. Drain and set aside.

Bring another inch of water to boil in the saucepan. Cook the peas in the boiling water for approximately 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. 

In a heavy pan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes and brown on one side. Flip and brown on the other side. Add the peas, garlic (if using) and splash of wine. Cook until the alcohol smell subsides. Add the cream and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer until the cream is slightly thickened. Serve immediately.

Tomato Leek Tart

Puff Pastry - Either store bought or homemade. Here's a good recipe.
2 T Olive Oil
3 Leeks, sliced thin
4 t mixed, fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, your choice)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 Tomatoes, sliced
4 Cloves garlic
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese

Rinse a baking sheet and let the excess water drain off. Do not dry.

Roll the pastry into a 16x12 inch rectangle, 1/4" thick. Place the dough onto the wetted baking sheet. 

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. 

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. add the leeks, herbs, salt and pepper and cook until softened and starting to turn golden. 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook for one more minute then remove from the heat. 

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pastry. Place the leeks over the cheese and then top with the sliced tomatoes, overlapping slightly. Turn the corners and edges of the pastry over the filling. Brush the entire dish with olive oil. Bake until the pastry is golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with extra cheese and herbs if desired. 

Stuffed Peppers

1 lb ground beef
2 c cooked rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
Herbs and spices of your choosing - basil, oregano, thyme are great candidates
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-6 Bell peppers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Brown the beef over medium heat. Scoop out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan, without wiping out the beef fat, sautee the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until just softened. Add the cooked beef and rice to the pan and cook until everything is well heated. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. 

Meanwhile, cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with some of the cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking pan that will just hold them all.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve immediately and/or freeze for winter.

Variation: Substitute the beef for lamb, the cheddar or Monty for feta and use basil and mint for the herbs for a middle eastern twist on the dish.
 

Baked Peppers for Summer Lunch

From Nigel Slater's Tender

2-4 Large Peppers
Small or Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
Olive OIl
Basil
Salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. And place into a roasting pan large enough to hold all the pepper halves. 

Place 1-2 basil leaves in each pepper. Then fill each pepper with chopped tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the peppers and tomatoes are soft and blistered, about 45 minutes. Serve with a fresh baguette.