Sugar Snap Peas and Potato Salad

Serves 2

¼ lb sugar snap peas, stems and strings removed
½ lb baby Yukon gold potatoes
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh mint, chiffonade
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with cold water, salt with Kosher salt, add washed potatoes and bring to a boil.  Simmer 15-20 minutes until tender.  Drain.  Cut potatoes into quarter slices.

Meanwhile, bring another shallow pot with salted cold water to a boil and blanch the snap peas about 1 minute.  Drain and refresh with cold water, drain and pat dry.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Filling:

6 Cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half
4 ½ Cups rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½ inch slices (1 ½ pounds)
1 Cup granulated sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Topping:
1 ¼ Cup old fashioned rolled oats
¾ Cup all purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Make the filling:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, gently stir to combine.  Put the mixture into a shallow 3 quart baking dish.

Make the topping:
Stir together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Mix in the butter by hand until mixture combines.  Crumble the topping evenly over the filling.

Place in the middle of the oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 50-60 minutes

Roasted Asparagus wrapped with Prosciutto

Generously serves 6 or use as an appetizer

2 ½ lbs fresh asparagus (about 30 large stalks)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 oz. soft chevre cheese
30 slices of Prosciutto di Parma

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the bottom half of each asparagus.  Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast 15-20 minutes or until tender, depending on the thickness.  Cool to room temperature. 
Spread each slice of prosciutto with some chevre and wrap around the roasted asparagus.
Can be garnished with chopped toasted pine nuts and a chiffonade of basil.

Pepperonata

4 sweet peppers of mixed colors (or all red), cored, deseeded and roughly chopped.
3 onions, peeled and sliced
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
salt and black pepper
3 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 lb. tomatoes, chopped or 14 oz can tomatoes, broken up with their juice.

Preheat oven to hot (425 degrees)
Put the peppers and onions in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour on the olive oil.  Add the tomatoes.  Mix, then cover and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. 
Take the lid off, stir the vegetables and continue cooking until the peppers begin to blacken a little around the edges.  Stir the vegetables again.  When thoroughly cooked and tender, even a little browned, eat hot or cold. 
Serve with sausages and baked potatoes.  Best with slices of French bread.

Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese Galette
Makes 1 ten inch tart

12 ounces green Swiss Chard, washed, stems removed and reserved
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large Onion, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped (optional)
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 package of puff pastry sheets
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 Tablespoons golden raisins
1 large egg yolk

1. Slice chard stems into ¼ inch pieces.  In large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat.  Add the stems and onion, and cook, stirring, until slightly brown, 8 – 10 minutes.
2. Cover skillet, and reduce heat to low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until stems are very soft, about 15 minutes.  Add the vinegar, and cook, stirring until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, and transfer onion mixture to a nonreactive bowl: set aside.
3. Heat remaining Tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add anchovies, if using; sauté, stirring frequently, 1 minute.  Add chard leaves, and sauté until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.  Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the goat cheese and 2 tablespoons cream. Beat mixture until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pastry to make a loose rectangle – doesn’t need to be perfect.
6. Arrange onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 3 inch border around the edge. Spread goat-cheese mixture over onion mixture and top with the chard mixture. Sprinkle with pine nuts and golden raisins. Fold edges of dough over and press down gently to seal. Transfer tart to baking sheet and refrigerate 15 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with remaining tablespoon cream. Brush exposed dough with egg wash and bake until crust is golden, 40-50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

¾ cup finely chopped onion or shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cups sliced shitake mushrooms
3 Tablespoons olive oil
10 oz. spinach cooked (squeeze to drain) and chopped
6 eggs, beaten
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed bread
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the oil until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are soft.  Add the drained, chopped spinach.  Let cool slightly.  Beat the eggs with the cream, add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bread, and add salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add the sautéed vegetables, mix well.  Pour into a buttered spring form pan.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until set in the center.  Cool 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.

Spinach Vichyssoise
makes 12 cups

4 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced leeks, wash and clean
¼ cup butter
1 ¼ cup water
10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and drained
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon pepper
Sour cream
Chives, snipped

Heat butter in a large saucepan, add leeks, sauté until soft over medium heat.  Add water and potatoes and bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 – 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add spinach and continue to cook until spinach is wilted.  Add milk.  Put spinach mixture in a blender or food processor until not quite smooth.  Pour into soup pot, and add cream and stock, stirring until blended.  Season with salt, nutmeg and pepper.  Heat to serving temperature or chill and serve cold.  Garnish with snipped chives.