Minestra

I learned about this dish years ago from my friend and longtime barber Italo DeMasi of the landmark Bruno's Barber Shop in Natick.  His stories about Calabrian food invariably send me home with ideas, but it all started here.  More than just a recipe, Minestra is a manifestation of an approach to living.  That philosophy is waste nothing, and it speaks to my soul.  This version uses kale, but it could easily leverage collards, bok choi, or cabbage.  One of my favorite variations uses broccoli leaves - you know, the leaves that many people discard. 

This go-to dish shows up at least once a week at our dinner table.  It's hearty enough to serve as a main dish, although it pairs beautifully with something off the grill.  

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Serves:  4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch kale, stems separated and cut into 1/4" sections, leaves coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, with liquid (or equivalent prepared dry beans)
Parmesan cheese

Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the kale stems and garlic, stirring, for 4 minutes.  Add the kale leaves, cover, turn heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cannellini beans with their liquid, and continue to cook until kale leaves and stems reach the degree of tenderness you like.

Serve sprinkled with shredded Parmesan, salt and pepper.

A version made with broccoli florets:

Vegetable Stew with Greens and Carrots

On the day I made this hearty soup, the high temperature was 4 degrees.  This hearty bowl of goodness proved equal to the task.

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups brassica greens, coarsely chopped (kale, young broccoli leaves, cabbage, etc)
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups tomato sauce
4 carrots shredded with a mandolin, yielding about 2 cups.
1 cup uncooked pasta, your favorite
1/2 cup whole wheat cous cous, dry
2 packed cups fresh baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Saute greens and set aside.

Heat stock and tomato sauce to a simmer.  Add the carrots and simmer 5 minutes.  Add the pasta, and simmer 7 minutes or until beginning to soften.  Add cous cous and cook another 3 inutes, stirring.  Add the spinach, stir and cook for a minute, or until pasta and cous cous are done.

Serve with garlic toasts.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Pinzimonio: Play with your food!

Play with your food!

Leave it to the Italians to turn produce into whimsical fun.  Pinzimonio is a raw vegetable antipasto that can be as simple or as complicated as you'd like to make it.  In this version, long skinny vegetables are bundled, ready for dipping in olive oil seasoned with lemon juice and salt.  Serve with plenty of napkins.
  
Prep time:  20 minutes
Serves  4 as an appetizer or side dish.

INGREDIENTS
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Green Bell Pepper
2-3 Carrots, scraped, ends removed
1/2 pound long, slender green beans
1 bunch scallions, leaves separated and reserved.
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt

DIRECTIONS
Slice peppers and carrots into long thin spears (about 1/8 to 1/4" wide).  Bundle a variety of spears and gently tie with scallion leaves.  Assemble these packets on a tray.

Distribute the oil and lemon juice between 4 ramekins or small bowls.  Dip a bundle into the oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and crunch.

Tip:  Scallion leaves are easier to tie if you leave them out on the counter for an hour so that the leaves lose some of their water and soften.  (This is the only recipe I can think of where I recommend a vegetable less than fresh!)

Photo and recipe by  Tod Dimmick

Broccoli Slaw Saute

In this simple, waste-nothing dish, the fragrant fennel and caraway seeds frame the fresh broccoli and onion flavors.










Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Serves:  4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 - 2 cups tender broccoli stems, processed using the coarse shredding wheel in your food processor, or the large holes in a box grater.
1/2 - 3/4 cup onion, shredded the same way
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Process the broccoli stems and the onions, and set aside.

Heat a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat for a minute, or until a drop of water dances on the surface of the skillet.  Add the fennel and caraway and stir for 15 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the olive oil, and  the shredded broccoli and onions.  Stir to mix, cover, and turn the heat to medium low.  Cook, stirring every few minutes, for 7-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Distribute to serving plates, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Curried Butternut Broccoli Soup

This hearty cream soup, enjoyed after a cold day outside, was perfect for the occasion.  Prepare extra squash, broccoli, and potatoes a day or two beforehand, and it's very fast prep (not to mention efficient use of leftovers, if you're that type of cook).

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:     4-6

INGREDIENTS
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups cooked butternut or other winter squash
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced (about 2/3 cup)

DIRECTIONS
In a deep stock pot, combine the stock, squash, broccoli, potatoes, curry powder, and salt.  Puree with an immersion blender to a smooth consistency.  (Alternatively, prepare in batches in a food processor or blender).  Place the stock pot on your stove over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until beginning to bubble.

While soup is heating, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and saute the onions, stirring, for 5-8 minutes or until they become soft and translucent.  Remove from heat.

Distribute soup to serving bowls, garnishing with caramelized onions, and perhaps with a touch of sour cream.



Variation:  Swap in other winter squash.

Vegetable Stew

 

Fast, satisfying treatment of fresh chunky veggies. 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

4-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, 1/4" dice
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 cups carrots, 1/4" dice

4 cups cabbage, 1/4" dice

2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 can cannellini beans with liquid

Shredded Parmesan to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat the stock in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat.  

While stock is heating, heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat and cook the garlic and onion for 2 minutes, stirring.  Add the Italian seasoning and the carrots and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.  Scrape the carrot mixture from the skillet into the stock pot, along with the cabbage, heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the broccoli, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots, cabbage, and broccoli are tender crisp.  Add the cannellini beans, heat for 30 seconds further, the serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and topping with Parmesan cheese.

Variations:  This simple method could easily be adapted to welcome other chunky vegetables such as bok choi, celery, celeriac, and others.  Add chopped sausage.


Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Skillet Baked Broccoli Tomato Quiche

  
Here's the latest installment in our informal series of quiches.  They all aspire to achieve the magic combination of attributes:  Ease of preparation (this one especially - it's a one skillet meal), delicious flavor, and of course lots of veggies.  Note - this crustless quiche is truly fast prep.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 broccoli stems*, shredded
1 onion, shredded
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
salt to tastepepper to taste
1 tomato, 1/2" dice (about 1 1/2 cups) with juice (or one 15 oz. can diced tomato)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium (8") oven-safe skillet over medium heat and sauté the broccoli and onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. While broccoli is cooking, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then whisk in the milk, mozzarella, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, sage, salt and pepper.  Stir in the tomato.

When the broccoli is done, pour the egg mixture into the skillet over the broccoli, and quickly stir to mix, and then stop stirring, and let it cook for 1 minute.  Gently lift the skillet from the stovetop and place in the hot oven, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the quiche has set (the middle will be just firm). Remove quiche from the oven, and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

*Broccoli Stem Primer: Young, tender broccoli stems lend themselves best to shredding.  These are the ones that break with a crisp snap, and offer a pleasant crunch when you bite them.  All you need to do is cut off the dried end of the stem and shred away. Older broccoli can get woody - you'll be able to tell as you cut it: if the stem resists your knife, it will cause just as many problems for your teeth. If you are determined to use them, one solution is to cut off the bottom section of each stem, and scrape the remaining length with a carrot peeler to remove the tough exterior skin.   And then there are the real old timer stems that are woody all the way through.  Send those out to challenge your compost pile. 

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Asparagus & Broccoli Soup

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










I have heard hearty soups like this called "peasant food".  I can't think of higher praise, because to me the term embraces simplicity, flavor, and creativity with ingredients.  A meal in a bowl like this is perfect for a cool spring night, and makes terrific use of tender broccoli stems.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  4+

INGREDIENTS
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups tender broccoli stems, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups asparagus, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked potatoes, coarsely chopped
2-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Toasted almonds to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat, and cook the broccoli stems, the onions, and the red pepper for 2 minutes, stirring.  Add  the asparagus and cook for another three minutes, stirring, or until the broccoli and asparagus are tender-crisp.

Add the potatoes, the chicken stock, the pepper, and the salt.  Process with an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender) until smooth and thick.  Heat in the stock pot to a simmer, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Distribute to serving bowls, garnishing with toasted almonds and a grind of black pepper.

Tip:  Use only tender broccoli stems.  A simple way to test them is to try a stem raw, or cut it with a paring knife.  If it's crunchy, use it.  If it's woody, or hard to cut with a knife, banish it to the compost.

Tip:  This soup is a terrific destination for leftover cooked broccoli or asparagus.  Feel free to vary the proportions of these key green ingredients.  All asparagus?  Great.  All Broccoli? Yum.

Sauteed Broccoli with White Beans

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










Versatile broccoli starts in the spring, and then keeps on going throughout the growing season. The plant is a culinary marvel - the leaves, the stems, and of course the crowns, can all be enjoyed in many ways. This version features fresh broccoli, cooked tender crisp in garlic and olive oil, and tossed with white beans.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or more if you like garlic)
1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound), broken into florets, coarsely chopped
1 can (15 oz) Cannellini beans
Shredded Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the garlic, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the garlic begins to turn tan. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until the florets are tender crisp. Add the Cannellini beans and their liquid and heat for a minute, stirring.

Distribute to serving plates, top with Parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Slaw Quiche

Quiche is a quintessential brunch or lunch dish, but don't keep it limited to midday. It's also a great breakfast or dinner.

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time:45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS
3-4 TB olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded broccoli stems*
1/2 onion, also shredded
5 eggs
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup milk
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

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

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the broccoli and onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. While broccoli is cooking, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then whisk in the mozzarella, Parmesan, milk, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper .

When the broccoli is done, stir it in to the egg mixture, and scrape the mixture into the pie plate. Gently settle pie plate into the water bath, slide into the oven, and cook for 25 minutes. At this point, test to make sure the quiche has set (the middle will be just firm). If it is still liquid,check it again every few minutes, until done. Remove quiche from the oven, and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

*Tip: Get to know your broccoli stems. Younger broccoli lends itself well to shredding with no additional prep, so they are the best to use. All you need to do is cut off the dried end of the stem. Older broccoli can get woody - you'll be able to tell as you cut it. One solution is to cut off the bottom section of the stems, and scrape the remaining stems with a carrot peeler to remove the tough exterior skin. Alas some stems are just too woody to use.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Cream of Broccoli & Carrot Soup

One of the world's most wondrous inventions is the immersion blender, which enables leftovers to magically transform into soup. In this case, roasted broccoli & carrots, with a few potatoes, and several cups of chicken stock, becomes the perfect satisfying dish. And this is only one of many.

Soup veterans like CSA member Sophie Cannon start by sauteing onions with spices like cumin, turmeric and coriander, then adding the other goodies for blending.

Cooked greens (think kale) are perfect in soups like this.

Fresh Veg Chef Salad

Crunchy-creamy and satisfying, this hearty salad will keep you going.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2, easily scaled

2 cups chopped broccoli
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 sweet pepper, 1/4 inch dice
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup toasted almonds (or other nuts)
Your favorite vinaigrette
Parmesan for topping

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Broccoli & Garlic Scape Slaw

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Throw out tender broccoli stems? Nonsense! Quick work with a food processor yields a tasty slaw that can be used a number of ways.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
3-4 broccoli stems*, bottom inch of the stem removed, scrubbed, and sliced into pieces narrow enough to fit in a food processor feed tube
4 garlic scapes (or a couple of crushed garlic cloves)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup water and 1 bouillon cube)
Salt to taste (if using chicken stock - bouillon has lots of salt)
1 can (15 ounces) Cannellini beans (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Run the broccoli stems and the garlic scapes through a food processor equipped with the coarse shredding blade. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook the shredded broccoli, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt (or the bouillon), cover and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender. Add the Cannellini beans if using, heat for another minute, and serve.

*Test the tenderness of your broccoli stems by taking a small bite - if they are crunchy, they are good to use.  Tough and woody, not so much.  Use those for compost.

Arugula, Broccoli, Scallion & Radish Salad

Photo:
Tod Dimmick











Add a handful of toasted nuts and your favorite vinaigrette, and you're in business.

Grilled Broccoli

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










This approach will work with many vegetables. The smoky-crisp flavor and texture are huge dividends given the simplicity of the method.

Note: Don't skimp on the olive oil, which prevents the broccoli from burning

1- 2 heads broccoli, rinsed and broken into florets about 2 inches across (large enough to not fall through the grill).
3-4 TB Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Preheat your grill. Place the broccoli florets in a container that has a lid, add the olive oil, and shake to coat. Arrange broccoli in a single layer across the grill . Cook for about 3 minutes, turn with tongs, and cook for another 3 minutes, and check to see that they are done to your liking.

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

Creamy Broccoli Soup

via Mark Bittman.

Always cook the vegetables until very tender, but no more than that; cover the pot while the vegetables cook to prevent too much of the stock from evaporating. Seasonings that require cooking, like onion, should be added with the vegetables. But those that do not, like herbs and spices, are best added before reheating the mixture so they retain their freshness.

2 cups broccoli florets and peeled stems cut into chunks
3 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 cup milk, cream or yogurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine the broccoli and the stock in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. During the last minute or so of cooking, add the garlic (this cooks the garlic just enough to remove its raw taste).
2. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. Stir in the milk, cream or yogurt, and reheat gently; do not boil. Season to taste, and serve.

Variations
The possible combinations for this kind of soup border on the infinite. Here are some suggestions for different vegetables to simmer in the stock:
* Potato and onion. Use 1 cup each potato and onion (or leek). Omit the garlic, and garnish with parsley, dill or chives.
* Spinach. Start with 10 to 16 ounces of leaves (remove thick stems). Cook quickly, adding a clove of garlic if you like.
* Turnip and parsnip or turnip and potato. Cook with a small onion and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme).
* Carrot. Nice with a pinch of cayenne pepper and a teaspoon or more of minced ginger, added, like the garlic, during the last minute of cooking.
* Celery or fennel. Cook 3 or 4 cloves of garlic along with the vegetables.

Broccoli

The familiar broccoli is actually the edible flower buds and stem of the broccoli plant, another member of the Brassicaceae family. Each large plant produces only one full head of broccoli. These plants love cool weather and will appear in shares in the spring and fall.

Store your broccoli unwashed in a loose plastic bag in the fridge, where it can last for a week. For longer term storage, blanch florets, pat dry and freeze in a freezer bag for up to a year.

Broccoli is very high in vitamins C, K, A, folate, and fiber. Eat it raw or cook broccoli lightly (steam, saute, stir fry, etc) to retain the maximum nutritients available. Don't just use the florets - the stem is edible, crunchy and yummy too! A few quick serving ideas include: lightly steaming broccoli with lemon juice and sesame seeds, adding it to mac n' cheese or other pasta dishes, including it in egg dishes such as quiche or omelets, chopping it raw into salads, using it with dips, stir frying it with tofu or meat, or pureeing it into cream of broccoli soup. Share your favorite broccoli recipes by clicking on the "comment" link below.