Hearty Vegetable Chowder

This hearty chowder is a meal unto itself.  It warms you from the inside out on a cool day.

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

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups carrots, 1/4 inch slices
2 cups potatoes, 1/2 inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, 1/4 inch dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups coarsely chopped kale

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped escarole

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the stock in a stock pot over medium high heat.  When broth comes to a low boil, add the carrots and potatoes.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.

While carrots are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium low heat, and sauté the onion, garlic, kale, escarole, and radicchio for 10 minutes, stirring.  When greens are tender, remove from heat.

When carrots and potatoes are just tender, add the greens from the skillet to the stock pot.  Heat for a minute, the turn off the heat, and distribute chowder to serving bowls, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Homemade Chicken Stock

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Don't throw out those bones! Savory, flavorful homemade stock is the base for all kinds of recipes. Soups are the most obvious, but it's also useful for adding delicious flavor to vegetable and rice dishes, for braising and poaching. This is my basic method, feel free to substitute other herbs and vegetables.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  3-4 hours
Yield:  8-12 cups stock, depending on the size of your chicken

INGREDIENTS
1 chicken carcass, with bones and skin
1 onion, quartered
1-2 carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
1-2 stalks of celery, scrubbed and chopped (with leaves)
2 TB peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS
Add all the ingredients to a big stock pot and fill with clean cold water to just cover the bones. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer for a few hours. Let cool, drain through a colander. Now you can discard those bones! Chill the stock overnight, and skim off the fat. That ambrosia can be used right away, or frozen in small containers for the benefit of future generations.

Ribollita

 











Ribollita appeals to my food sensibilities.  Loaded with vegetables, its whole premise is waste-nothing (Stale bread? Chuck it in!), it's a rich stew, and of course it's Italian. Look up comfort food and the first entry should be Ribollita.

This dish made of leftovers thickens and tastes better the next day - sort of leftovers squared.

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: A crowd

INGREDIENTS
3 TB olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, scraped, 1/4 inch dice
4 stalks celery, 1/4 inch dice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tomato, 1/4 inch dice (or one can diced tomatoes)
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp hot sauce (your favorite)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cups whole grain or white bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
Shredded Parmesan for topping

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large stock pot and cook the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the tomato sauce, tomato, stock, hot sauce, and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for an hour. Add the parsley and bread and heat for a few minutes, then serve, topping with shredded Parmesan. A swirl of olive oil is traditional.

A dry red wine is perfect alongside your bowl of Ribollita. It is also appropriate to arrange for snow outside.

Variation: Chopped bacon or diced pancetta are nice additions for the carnivorously-inclined.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Kale & Carrot Chowder

Sometimes, this chunky stew is just what the doctor ordered.  This could easily be prepared all vegetarian.

Prep time:  15 minutes

Cook time:  20 minutes

Serves:            4-6

INGREDIENTS

½ pound ground sweet Italian sausage meat

6-7 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups coarsely chopped kale, stems separated and ¼ inch diced

3 cups carrots, ½ inch dice

1 onion, 1/4 inch dice (about 2/3 cup)
2 tomatoes, ½ inch dice, or 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice

1 – 2 cups cooked brown or white rice

½ cup black beans, or your favorite
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat a stock pot over medium heat and cook the sausage, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sausage is cooked.  Add the chicken stock and heat to a low boil.  Add the diced kale stems, carrots, and onion.  Cook for 5 minutes, then add the kale leaves and the tomatoes.  Cook until carrots are just tender, add the cooked rice and black beans, return to a simmer, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Variations:  Omit the sausage.  Substitute other sturdy greens for the kale.


Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick
 

Stuffing Muffins

This tasty variation on classic stuffing makes great use of leftover bread. Adapted from my recipe for the Phantom Gourmet television show.


Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12-15 muffins

INGREDIENTS
Muffin cups
1 loaf (1 ½ lbs) sliced whole wheat bread
1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
6-8 strips bacon
1 small (pool ball size) onion, ¼ inch dice
3 stalks celery, ¼ inch dice
1 apple, cored, ¼ inch dice
2 eggs, whisked
1-2 cups chicken stock
½ cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups, or spray with cooking spray. Cut the loaf of bread into cubes about ½” across. Place bread cubes in a large bowl, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Now cook the bacon until crisp in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove bacon strips to paper towels, pour off excess fat, and cook the onions and celery in the remaining bacon fat for 4 minutes, stirring. Add the apple and cook for another minute. Turn off heat in skillet, scrape mixture into the bowl of bread cubes, and stir. Add the eggs, 1 cup of chicken stock, the parsley, and the bacon, and stir gently to spread the moisture throughout. The mixture should be moist enough to cling together when squeezed with light pressure between your hands. If necessary, add a little more broth. Using your hands collect a baseball-size sphere of stuffing mixture, squeeze slightly so that it clings together, and place in a muffin cup. Make sure that this is the muffin shape you want, because these muffins won’t rise as they cook. Repeat until mixture is used up and other muffin cups are full (if you have extra stuffing mixture, make a few more muffins or a small loaf).

Slide muffin pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until muffins are crisp on the outside.

Serve as a side dish with your favorite oven baked meal. Roast fowl are a natural.

Variations: Add raisins, chopped apricots, toasted nuts, and other fun things to Stuffing Muffins.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Roasted Roots

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










I've been playing with variations on this Wolfgang Puck recipe for years. It's a terrific destination root vegetables, and a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table.

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS
2-3 large beets
4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
3 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
2 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
6 to 8 potatoes, scrubbed and and cut into 1” chunks
1 or 2 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1 or 2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 celery root, trimmed and cut into 1” chunks
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. When the water reaches boiling, boil the beets for 15 minutes.

While the beets are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the beets in ice water for a minute, and slip off their skins. Slice beets into 1/5 inch slices. Put the beets and the rest of the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly. Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










Simple to make, and boy are these tasty.  This shot is from the Christmas Market in Wiesbaden, Germany (2012), where  "Kartoffelpuffer mit Apfelmus" (with applesauce) is very popular.  For atmosphere, the photo at the bottom is of the market itself.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Yield:  10-12 pancakes

INGREDIENTS
3 medium organic potatoes, to yield about 2 cups when shredded
1 onion, about 2" in diameter
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
Canola oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Using a food processor with the coarse shredding wheel, shred the potatoes and the onion. Remove as much moisture as possible from the shredded potatoes.  A colander with narrow openings is perfect for this.  Scrape the shredded potatoes into a colander in the sink, and let them sit for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, preheat a skillet with a few tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat.

Press the potatoes against the sides to expel the water.  Scrape the potatoes into the mixing bowl, add the flour and the salt, and mix.  Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the skillet, and press into pancake shape.  Repeat to fill the skillet with pancakes, ensuring that they do not touch.  Cook without moving for 4 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until potatoes are soft all the way through, and pancakes are nicely crisp on the outside.

Serve hot with applesauce.  Or with sour cream.  Or, yes, with ketchup (not authentic, but tasty). 

Tip:  The coarse shredding wheel creates a rustic pancake.  The fine shredding wheel, or a box grater, enables a more finely grained result. 

Red, White & Greens (AKA Beets and Spring Turnips)

This springtime dish is perfect for tender spring beets and turnips that don't need peeling.  Cook the bulbs first, then the greens.

Prep time:  10 Minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch young small beets, with greens
1 bunch young small spring turnips, with greens
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Separate the beets and turnips from their greens.  Scrub the bulbs, remove the tap root, and cut into 1/8 inch slices.  Coarsely chop and rinse the greens.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the beet slices in a single layer for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.  Add the sliced turnips and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the beets are tender when speared with a fork.  Remove to a side plate.

Add the remaining olive oil, the onion, and the garlic to the saute pan.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the greens and cover.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until greens are wilted.

Arrange greens on a serving platter, and top with cooked beets and turnips.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Tagliatelle with Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Heirloom Tomato

The fresh sweet taste of summer vegetables shine through the creamy tagliatelle.  It's even better with fresh pasta.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh tagliatelle pasta
Olive oil
2 zucchini squash, 1/2 inch dice
1 large sweet red pepper, 1/2 inch dice
1 medium onion, 1/4 inch dice (about 2/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
one large or several small heirloom tomatoes, 1/2 inch dice
1/3 cup diced pancetta
Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Boil water for pasta.

While water is heating, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and saute the zucchini, sweet pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, and rosemary, stirring occationally, for 8 minutes or until squash is tender crisp.  Stir in tomatoes, and remove from heat.

When water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain cooked pasta in a colander, and pour in to a serving dish.  Top with the cooked vegetables, and sprinkle generously with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.  Enjoy with a glass of rosé and a view, either real or in your mind's eye.

Variations:  You could easily omit the pancetta for a vegetarian dish.

Kale & Caramelized Onion Egg Sandwich

Every egg sandwich should be a candidate for The Perfect Egg Sandwich.  It's a quest, sort of like for the holy grail, except better, because this grail is found again and again. 

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Yield:  one sandwich

INGREDIENTS
olive oil
A few thick slices of onion
A handful (say, 1 1/2 cups) coarsely chopped kale
one large fresh egg
one slice sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
two thick slices whole wheat bread
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS
Saute the onion in olive oil over medium low heat for 5 minutes, turning once.  Remove to a plate, then saute the kale for 3-4 minutes or until bright green and just softening.  Remove to that plate.  Put your toast in the toaster while you fry your egg over easy (fry for approximately 4 minutes, turning when white is mostly set).  Top with cheese when you flip that egg, if you like cheese on your sandwich.  Cook for another minute, then assemble your sandwich, drizzling olive oil from the skillet over the toast.

Season with salt and pepper.

Devour, washing it down with strong black coffee.


Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

“A box without hinges, key, or lid,
Yet golden treasure inside is hid.” 

-J.R.R. Tolkein, from The Hobbit

Baked Eggs with Potatoes, Mushrooms & Kale

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves 4

An utterly satisfying, rustic combination of fresh ingredients.  We devoured this for dinner, although it would be great any time of day.

INGREDIENTS
About 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion sliced 1/4" thick

1 teaspoon pimenton, hot smoked paprika (optional)

1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced 1/4" thick

4 cups kale, coarsely chopped

2 large potatoes sliced 1/4" thick (about 2 - 2 1/2 cups)

4 eggs
Salt and pepper

Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 300.  Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large cast iron (or oven proof) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with the paprika if using.  Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the mushrooms and the kale and cover.  Cook for 3 minutes, remove the cover and stir, and recover for another minute or two or until the kale is beginning to wilt.  Remove mixture to a bowl or plate with a slotted spoon, leaving any remaining oil in the skillet.  If necessary add a little more oil for the potatoes.  Cook the potatoes in the skillet in a single layer for 8 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides and tender when pierced with a fork.

Spread the onion, mushroom and kale mixture over the potatoes in the skillet.  Crack the eggs evenly spaced over the vegetable mixture.  Slide the skillet in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the yolks are just set.

Bring the skillet out and serve with a spatula, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. 

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Potato, Corn & Sausage Skillet Meal

Attention parents in a hurry:  this dish results directly from the urgent need to produce a tasty, kid-friendly comfort food meal on short notice and based entirely on ingredients on hand.  Do you ever find yourself in a situation like that?

With organic potatoes, no need to peel 'em, just scrub and dice.  Those peels have loads of flavor and nutrition.



Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups potatoes, 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice
1 pound ground sausage
1/2 cup onion, 1/4 inch dice (one small onion)
1 cup corn
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or one teaspoon dried
5 fresh sage leaves, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or one teaspoon dried
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until browned outside and just soft inside when poked with a fork. Remove potatoes to a bowl and add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until sausage is cooked.  Add the corn, rosemary, sage, and oregano, along with the cooked potatoes and cook, stirring, for more 3 minutes.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Decadent Veggie Sausage Lasagne

It takes some time to assemble these unctuous layers, but when you see the response of your fans, er, family, you'll see that it's worth the effort.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time:  50 minutes
Serves:  8-10

INGREDIENTS
1 box (16 ounces) whole wheat lasagna noodles
Olive oil
1 large zucchini squash, 1/4 inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large onion, 1/4 inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 sweet bell peppers, 1/4 inch dice (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage links
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 tub (32 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
3-4 cups marinara sauce
1 large ripe tomato, 1/4 inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat water in a large stock pot for the lasagne noodles.  Bring the ricotta out of the fridge to warm, to make it easier to spread.

While water is heating, cook the sausage and the vegetables.  In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the sausage for 8 minutes, turning, or until done.  Set aside to cool.  Drain excess fat and replace with a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Saute summer squash with garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until squash is tender crisp, then scoop squash out to a plate or bowl.  Add the onion, peppers, rosemary and sage and, if necessary, a little more olive oil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, or until peppers are tender crisp.  Chop sausage into chunks 1/4-1/2 inch in size.

When water reaches a boil, cook the lasagna noodles for 6 minutes or until al dente.  Drain in a colander, place noodles in a mixing bowl, and toss gently with some olive oil to prevent sticking.

While pasta is cooking,  place the ricotta in a mixing bowl and stir in the basil.  Preheat the oven to 350.

Set out a large (10" x 14" or equivalent) baking dish, and spread about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce across the bottom in a thin layer.  Arrange a layer of noodles, in parallel touching rows, across the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle half of the zucchini evenly across the noodles, followed by half of the peppers and onions and half of the sausage.  Carefully spread half of the ricotta and basil across the vegetables. Top with 1 cup of the marinara sauce, half  of the chopped tomato, and 1/3 of the mozzarella.  Repeat this layer, starting with another layer of noodles.  Top your lasagna with a final layer of noodles.  Spread with the remaining sauce, being sure to fill in along the edges.  Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan.

Tent your lasagna with aluminum foil (do your best to not touch the surface with the foil) and slide in to the oven on the center rack.  Cook for 45 minutes, or until bubbling and the cheese is melted.

Serve with a tossed salad and a good Chianti.

Variation:  Omit the sausage for a vegetarian dish.


Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Bok Choi, Snow Peas & Almonds

Tender crisp peas and choi, embraced by the warm flavors of sesame and almond.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves:  4-6









INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 small onion, 1/4 inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
4-6 stalks bok choi, white and green parts separated and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups total)
1 pint snow peas or sugar snap peas
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Soy sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a wok or large skillet/saute pan heat the oil and onion over medium-high heat.  When onion sizzles, add the white bok choi stems and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the bok choi leaves and the pea pods, stir, cover, and cook for 2 minutes or until peas are tender crisp.  Remove from heat.

Distribute to serving plates, sprinkling each serving with slivered almonds and, optional, drizzling with soy sauce.

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

Arugula Lover's Quiche

Try this with that bunch of fresh arugula!  This is a crustless quiche, although you could easily add a crust.

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

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, 1/4 inch dice
5 eggs
1 bunch arugula, chopped in to 1/4 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium (8") oven-safe skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until, about 8 minutes. While onion is cooking, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then whisk in the arugula, milk, feta, salt and pepper.

When the onion is done, pour the egg mixture into the skillet over the onion.  Quickly stir to mix, stop stirring, and let the mixture cook for 1 minute.  Gently lift the skillet from the stovetop and place in the hot oven, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the quiche has set (the middle will be just firm). Remove from the oven, and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy.  This quiche pairs beautifully with toasted whole wheat bread.

Tip:  If you happen to have extra arugula, you can freeze it in a sealed bag, then use the crumbly leaves for cooking veggie-intensive dishes like this in the winter.


Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Braised Kale with Garlic Scapes & Onion

This gentle treatment yields sweet, tender kale.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  15-20 minutes
Serves:  4, depending on your passion for delicious kale

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic scapes (or 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed)
1 small onion
1 bunch kale, stems minced and separated from the leaves, leaves coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
Shredded Parmesan
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat, and saute the garlic, onion and minced kale stems for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add chopped kale leaves and stock, stir, and reduce heat to medium low.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until greens and stems are tender.

Distribute to serving plates, seasoning to taste with salt, and sprinkling with shredded Parmesan.


Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Chard scramble

The earthy, green flavor of chard marries perfectly with the creamy umame of scrambled eggs.  Addictive.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Serves:  2 generously

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk or water
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (or your favorite)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped chard leaves
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the milk and the cheese.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chard, stirring, for 2 minutes or until leaves are wilted.

Turn heat to medium low and pour the egg mixture over the hot chard.  Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, for 2-4 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to the consistency you like.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Variation:  Add in a little minced jalapeno when you saute the chard.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Pasta with Sausage, Zucchini and Fava Beans

This hearty pasta dish offers up an irresistible melange of flavors and textures.   Cook the pasta at the same time as the rest of the ingredients.

Prep time:  10 Minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
1 lb sausage links, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 cups thin whole wheat spaghetti, or your favorite

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, 1/4 inch dice

3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small zucchini squash, about 3 cups, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

2 cups fava one or cannellini beans

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Olive oil to dress (optional)

Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat water to cook the pasta.  While water is heating, cook the sausage in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat, stirring.  When sausage is done, remove to a separate dish and drain excess fat.

Cook the pasta when water is boiling.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the skillet, then the onion, garlic, and squash.  Sprinkle with the oregano and sage and cook over medium heat, stirring, until onions are translucent and squash is almost tender.  Add the beans, heat for one minute further, then remove from heat.

When pasta is done, drain, and combine in serving dish with the sausage, cooked vegetables, and parsley.  Distribute to serving plates, sprinkling with Parmesan and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.  A drizzle of good olive oil might be nice.

A good Pinot Grigio, or even a dry Italian red wine alongside, would finish the picture.

Variation:  Omit the sausage for a vegetarian dish.

Photos and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Stew of sausage, basil, potatoes, carrots, & caramelized onions

Fresh basil frames this picture with minty, pungent flavor.  This recipe is oriented towards the simplicity of a one pot meal.  For added flavor, grill the sausages separately and add to the soup with the spaghetti.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
1 pound merguez sausage (or your favorite), cut into 1/4 inch slices.

1 cup onion, 1/4 inch dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups carrots in 1/4 inch wide slices

2 cups potatoes, 1/2 inch dice

1 tablespoon fresh Oregano, minced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
3-4 cups broth, room temperature or warm
1/2 cup dry spaghetti 

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh basil 

DIRECTIONS
Heat a medium sturdy stock pot over medium heat.  Add enough olive oil to barely coat the bottom of the pot, and cook the sausage slices and onion for 6 minutes, stirring, or until sausage is cooked and onion is soft.  Add the garlic, carrots, potatoes, oregano and rosemary and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.  Add the stock and bring to a gentle boil, and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the pasta, and cook for 6-7 minutes or until pasta is al dente and potatoes are just soft.  Stir in the basil, heat for another 30 seconds, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick