Nasturtium Pesto

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









Yes, you read right.  Those flowers in the pot on your back patio can serve double duty as food.  Both the leaves and the flowers are edible.  This version was made using the leaves, as you can see from the vibrant green color.  

Important caveat: use only plants that have been raised without pesticides.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Yield:  about 3/4 cup pesto

INGREDIENTS
3-4 cups nasturtium leaves (and/or flowers), rinsed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Add the leaves to a food processor equipped with a cutting blade.  Top with the walnuts, garlic, and salt.  These heavier ingredients will help compress those leaves to facilitate processing.  Top with half of the olive oil, and pulse into a chunky paste. Continue processing, pouring in the remainder of the olive oil in a steady stream.  The consistency should be thick and smooth, add more olive oil if necessary.

Substitution:  Pine nuts can be swapped for the walnuts.

Egg Sandwich with Sweet Pepper & Pesto

You may notice that every now and then, a photo appears of an egg sandwich, part of a never ending parade in which the star of the show is dressed in the fruits of the season.  They're always a variation on the central theme (naturally), but I find them endlessly appealing.  I resist writing them up as full recipes, because you know how to fry an egg.  I hope you share in the delight of tinkering with ingredients on hand that allow you to reach the perfect sandwich.  Perfect, that is, until next week when you have different ingredients beckoning...

Omelet with Pesto & Sweet Onion

A palate dance of creamy egg, sweet tender-crisp onion, and savory, pungent pesto.

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









INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sweet onion, 1/4 inch dice
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons pesto (your favorite).  Basil pesto is a natural, you could also try arugula, dandelion, etc.
3 tablespoons (or more!) shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet or omelet pan and cook the onion stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until onion is tender crisp.

While onion is cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the water and the pesto.

When onions are at the stage you like, pour the egg mixture over the onions in the pan.  The onion pieces may migrate to the periphery, that's fine.  Allow to cook without stirring for two minutes, or until the eggs are just solid, loosening around the edges with your spatula. Sprinkle the Parmesan across one half of the omelet, and using a spatula, gently fold the opposing side over the cheese.  Slide or lift your omelet onto a serving plate, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whole wheat toast alongside is a beautiful thing.  And strong black coffee.  And yogurt.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Summer Vegetable Stew

 













On a cool summer night, bring out a flavorful stew like this.

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, 1/4 inch dice
5 large carrots
6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups chopped escarole
1 large tomato, diced
3 tablespoons pesto (I used Arugula pesto for this)
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the garlic, onion, and carrots for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the stock, and the escarole, and bring to a simmer.  Cook for another 5 minutes after that point.  Stir in the tomato, and the pesto, heat for another minute, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Who could say no to crusty bread along with this.  And a glass of rosé, of course.

(Parmesan cheese would also go nicely on this stew).

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Dandelion Pesto

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









For visitors to the department of Keep An Open Mind, dandelions offer tremendous flavor.  Harvest them from places where no pesticides have been used (so beware of the lawn, as healthy as those specimens might look).  Dandelions in the vegetable garden?  Perfect.  The best flavor comes from fresh, young leaves in the spring.

Fun fact:  Those cheerful yellow "weeds" have been consumed as food, and for medicinal use, for thousands of years.  The ancestors of the nemesis on your lawn were actually brought to the US on purpose.  Crazy, you say?  Check out the history of taraxacum officianale.

INGREDIENTS
2-3 cups fresh young dandelion leaves, washed and dried
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Use a food processor with the cutting blade.  Place leaves in the processing chamber, and top with the nuts, Parmesan, and salt.  Put on the lid.  Turn on the processor, and add the olive oil in a thin stream until the mixture achieves a thick, smooth consistency.  Scrape down the sides and pulse again.  Scrape into a dish and enjoy pungent spring flavor.

Tip:  try with pasta.

Variations:  Try pine nuts instead of walnuts.

Watercress Pesto

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










This pungent, spicy, chunky green elixir is tasty whether spread on crackers or endives, or tossed with pasta.

Prep time: 5 minutes

2 cloves garlic
2 cups coarsely chopped watercress
3 TB pine nuts
3 TB shredded Parmesan
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
Olive oil to facilitate processing (2-4 TB)

Crush or coarsely chop the garlic. Add the garlic, watercress, pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, ad pepper to the bowl of a food processor equipped with the cutting blade. Add 2 TB oil, and pulse to process to a chunky consistency, adding more oil, a little at a time, if necessary to facilitate processing.

Serve as a spread with almost anything, from endive and carrot sticks to toast points.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Crustless Scallion & Fresh Mozzarella Quiche

Photo:
Tod Dimmick

Few dishes are tempting any time of day. For me, a good quiche is one of them - eggs, cheese and milk act as a frame for fresh flavors like scallions and herbs. The water bath method takes a little longer, but ensures that buttery creamy texture.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4-6

6 eggs

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup skim milk

1 bunch fresh scallions cleaned and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces - white, light green, and some of the dark green

1 TB prepared pesto (optional)

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1 cup fresh mozzarella balls (ovoline - egg size work best), sliced into pieces about 1/4 inch thick

Preheat your oven to 350F. Place a large baking pan with 1“ of water in the oven. This pan should be large enough to hold your pie plate in the water bath. Lightly spray a pie plate with canola oil.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then whisk in the ricotta and milk. Stir in the scallions, pesto, pepper and salt. Pour this egg mixture in to the pie plate, and layer mozzarella slices across the top. Lower the pie plate into a large baking dish, and add sufficient water to the pan to reach a depth of an inch to an inch and a half. Gently place the baking dish in the oven, and cook for 20 minutes. At this point, test to make sure the quiche has set (the middle will be just firm). If it is still liquid, give it another 5-10 minutes, or until done.

Alternate cooking method: This can be cooked in the oven without the water bath – it will brown more, and cook more quickly. To do this, omit the water bath and test for doneness after 15 minutes instead of 20.

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

Arugula Pesto

There's no one in the middle when it comes to pungent, spicy arugula. Its strong flavor inspires either passionate fans, or vehement detractors (who have yet to see the green light).




For arugula fans, imagine taking that bright green "spring" flavor and distilling it into its concentrated essence. That's what I see in arugula pesto.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

1 bunch (about 2 cups) fresh arugula, rinsed, dried, and coarsely chopped
3TB toasted walnuts (or pine nuts)
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Add the ingredients in order to a food processor equipped with a cutting blade and pulse into a chunky paste. Add more olive oil if necessary.

The photograph shows pesto tossed with whole wheat shells, diced fresh mozzarella, and leftover grilled chicken chopped into bite-size chunks. A dry rose alongside makes this a terrific summer meal.

Submitted by Tod Dimmick