Carbonara with tomatoes, chives, & bacon

A simple, hearty dish that makes good use of fresh veggies.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20-25 minutes
Serves:   6 at least

INGREDIENTS
1 lb whole grain pasta (your favorite shape)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chives, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Start water heating for the pasta.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon, and slice the tomatoes and chives.

Cook the pasta.  When it is al dente, reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain the rest in a colander.  Return the pasta to the cooking pot .  Add the eggs and Parmesan and stir (the hot pasta will cook the eggs).  Stir in some of the reserved pasta water and stir.  You will notice that the water will disappear.  Stir in a little at a time until a creamy sauce appears in the bottom of the pot.  Now stir in the tomatoes, chives and bacon. 

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve this with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and all is right with the world.  Don't skimp on the freshly ground black pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Onion Spread

Remember Onion Dip from an envelope?  Time to replace that memory with something that really tastes like onion!

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  5 minutes
Yield:  about 1 cup spread









 INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons minced onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2-3 tablespoons minced chives
1 cup whipped cream cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a small skillet or saucepan, and saute the onion for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent.  Stir in the chives, cream cheese, Parmesan, and salt to taste.

This spread can be served immediately (it will be warm), or chilled and served later, when your spread is thicker.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Oeuf Cocotte and the terroir of a dish

It's not all that often that I come across a cookbook that speaks directly to me, so when my friend Marcia gave us this slim volume, I was a bit skeptical. 

But Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate and Zucchini is just such a book.  It's not just the recipes, based on straightforward combinations of a limited number of fresh local vegetables, nor the methods, which are generally simple (4 or 5 steps).  It's that Dusoulier also brings her passion for the story: What's behind each ingredient, and each recipe, informs her, and our, appreciation of flavors and textures.  If hers was a book about wine, I'd suggest she was describing terroir,  the cherished French concept of the cumulative role that soil, air, and climate plays in the character of each wine (or in this case, each recipe) to give it a unique personality, and makes a Tarte Tatin a la Tomate much more than the sum of its parts (You might think that it's simply pastry, tomatoes, and goat cheese).  This is the soul of a good cookbook.  Many are about the mechanics.  Not so Chocolate and Zucchini.  Here, the back story is just as important as following the directions (and, by the way, just as important to the fun).

It doesn't hurt that the title of the book, which sets forth two ingredients as proxy for Dusoulier's favorite culinary themes (zucchini for fresh, seasonal, local produce, and chocolate for indulgence) just happen to be favorites of mine also.  And yes, she even brings them both together in her own version of Chocolate Zucchini Cake, a delightfully surprising combination (Here's my version).

Here's one dish out of Chocolate and Zucchini (Yes, the book serves up an engaging story that adds to its appreciation, but you'll have to pick up your own copy for that terroir).

Oeuf Cocotte
From Chocolate and Zucchini, by Clotilde Dusoulier

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
1 pat unsalted butter for greasing ramekins
2 tablespoons creme fraiche, or sour cream
1 ounce thinly sliced dry-cured ham, shredded in 1/2 inch strips
2 extra-fresh high-quality large eggs
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat the oven to 400F and grease two 6 ounce ramekins with butter.  Drop a spoonful of cream in each ramekin and top with the ham.  Break one egg into each ramekin without rupturing the yolks, top with the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.

2.  Place the ramekins in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them and pour hot water in the dish halfway up the ramekins.  Place the dish in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs.

3.  Remove the dish from the oven and the ramekins from the dish (the ramekins will be hot). Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, with crusty bread for dipping.

Variations:  Apart from the egg and cream, all the ingredients can be changed based on what you have on hand:  cooked bacon, chicken, or smoked tofu; mushrooms (fresh, or dried and rehydrated, leeks, or zucchini; and any herb or spice you like.  You can add a spoonful of onion confit, a sliver of foie gras, or a bit of cheese (grated Comté, shavings of Parmesan, diced goat cheese).

Photo by Tod Dimmick

#realfoodbookbooks 

Green Crunch Salad

A crunchy, colorful salad.  

Prep time:  15 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
3 large carrots (or enough to yield about 2 cups processed)
1 large stick celery (or enough to yield 1 to 1 1/2 cups processed)
1 apple cored and cut into wedges
1 cup chopped arugula
1 cup chopped young broccoli leaves
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

DIRECTIONS
For the salad:  Fire up your food processor and, using the thin slicing disk, slice up the carrots, apple, and celery.  Of course, slicing with a knife is always an option.  Scrape sliced vegetables into a bowl, and add the arugula, broccoli leaves, chives, and parsley.

Drizzle the lemon juice, then the olive oil, over the salad and toss to coat.  Distribute to serving plates, sprinkling with pecans and crumbled blue cheese.

Variations:  Endless.  All kinds of greens (radish greens, lettuce, turnip greens, young kale, escarole) could be used.


Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Alli-Yum Omelet

Creamy eggs, tangy feta, and a frame of assertive allium.  Alli-Yum.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  5 minutes
Yield: 1 omelet

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic scape, finely chopped
2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced chives2-3 tablespoons feta cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the water.  Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in your omelet pan or skillet over medium low heat and saute the garlic scape for 1 minutes.  Add the scallions and cook for another minute, stirring.  Scrape the mixture into a bowl or plate alongside the omelet pan.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil the the pan.  Pour in the egg mixture, and allow to cook for a minute or two, or until the eggs are mostly solid, loosening the eggs around the edges with your spatula. Sprinkle the feta on one side of the omelet, and top the cheese with the scallion mixture, then sprinkle with the chives.  Using a spatula, gently fold the opposing side over this filling.  Slide or lift your omelet onto a serving plate, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Herbed Asparagus Parmesan Omelet

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick












A fluffy omelet filled with tender crisp asparagus and savory Parmesan.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  5-8 minutes
Yield: 2-3 omelets (depending on the size you like)

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12-15 asparagus tips, each about 4-5"
8-10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in your omelet pan or skillet over medium-low heat and cook the asparagus for 3 minutes, turning once or twice.  Add the sage, stir, and cook for another minute, or until the asparagus is tender crisp.  Remove asparagus from pan.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in 2-3 tablespoons cold water.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil the the pan.  Pour in about 1/2 (or 1/3, if you want to make 3 omelets) of  the egg mixture, and allow to cook for a minute or two, or until the eggs are mostly solid, loosening the eggs around the edges with your spatula.  Arrange half (or 1/3) of the asparagus on one side of the omelet, and sprinkle with Parmesan and chives.  Using a spatula, gently fold the opposing side over this filling.  Slide or lift your omelet onto a serving plate, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tips:  Omelets take a little practice, but remember that the world will not beak if your omelet does.  It will be delicious, and then you'll be compelled to keep practicing, which just makes victory all the sweeter when one day you reach the Holy Grail - a perfect omelet.  An omelet pan has low, curved sides, and are often nonstick, two features that enable sliding an omelet onto your plate.  If you're using a regular skillet, it's probably better to simply lift the omelet out with your spatula.

Prosciutto & Herb Carbonara

Photo & Recipe:  

Tod Dimmick

Use fresh spring herbs to dress up comfort food!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves 4 with leftovers

INGREDIENTS

3 TB olive oil

1 medium onion, 1/4 “ dice

1 lb. whole wheat rotelle pasta (or your favorite)

1 egg, well beaten

½ cup slivered prosciutto

1/4 cup sour cream

2 TB Heavy Cream

¼ cup minced chives

¼ cup minced fresh basil

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

2 TB minced fresh cilantro

1 ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

3 TB toasted pecans (optional)

Salt

Black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat, and cook the onion for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until onion turns soft and a caramel color.

   

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.

When pasta is done, drain, return to the pan, and quickly toss with the beaten egg. Then stir in the prosciutto, sour cream, cream, chives, and basil. Scrape pasta into a serving dish, top with mozzarella and toasted nuts, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Sage, Chive, & Barley Tart

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Creamy, rich, al dente barley adds substance to this fragrant anytime dish. Serve warm.

2 eggs
3TB milk
2 cups cooked barley
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a mozzarella-cheddar mix)
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 cup minced chives
5-10 fried sage leaves
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 375F. Whisk the eggs and the milk in a large bowl, and then whisk in the barley, cheese, rosemary, chives, salt and pepper. Scrape mixture into an oiled pie plate or similar size baking dish, and bake for 25 minutes or until the eggs are set. Top with fried sage leaves, slice, and serve.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Egg and Fresh Herb Breakfast Sandwich

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Perennial herbs bring early season flavor to the garden.

Here, fresh sage and an over easy egg are quickly fried in olive oil, combined with chives, and served in toasted whole grain bread.

Hm, maybe this isn't just for breakfast...

Salad with Spring Greens

At the beginning of the growing season, my vegetable dishes increasingly include local, seasonal goodies. The objective is everything both seasonal AND local, and we'll get there soon. This simple salad uses the last of the local apples from winter storage, lettuce, dried cranberries, asparagus (blanched), and chives from the garden.

Submitted by Tod Dimmick,
"The Foodie" at 1000radishes