Vegetables
Vegetables
Kale with dill and lemon
Ingredients
¾ pounds kale (about 6 cups chopped)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
1. Wash kale by soaking in a bowl of cold water and swishing around until dirt drops to the bottom of the bowl. Strip leaves from stalks and discard stalks. Chop kale leaves into bite sized pieces.
2. Bring water to boil in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add kale, cover and cook over high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain in colander.
3. Rinse out and dry the skillet. Add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and let sizzle for 15 – 30 seconds – until fragrant.
4. Add dill and sauté for 15 seconds more. Add kale back to skillet and stir to heat through.
5. Divide the kale among 4 plates. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice.
Note: adding salt or lemon juice to kale while over heat will turn it an unappetizing grayish color. If you have leftover kale to store – add the salt and lemon after it is re-heated.
You can also make this with sautéed spinach in place of the kale. Both are great with the baked salmon with lemon and dill (see fish recipe page).
Easy Lentils
Ingredients
1 cup French green lentils
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
Dressing
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon (or to taste) coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 oz goat cheese, optional
1 cup cooked brown rice, optional
Directions
1. Rinse lentils and remove any stones etc.
2. Dice the carrot, celery and into ½ inch cubes; coarsely chop garlic
3. Add lentils, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaf to a medium sauce pan.
4. Cover lentils etc by at least 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain into a colander then put into a serving bowl.
5. Mix olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and pour over lentils. Serve hot, warm or even cold. Crumble cheese on top if using as an entrée, and/or serve with brown rice
Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme or oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Vegetables: (really, any summer vegetable will work - use your favorites)
2 zucchini
2 summer squash
1 small eggplant
2 peppers (any colors)
2 small radicchio heads (cut in half)
1 large sweet onion (cunt into quarters)
1/2 lb button or baby bella mushrooms
Directions
1. Stir marinade ingredients together and let sit at leas an hour
2. Chop vegetables into equal sized chunks, or as indicated
3. Lace vegetables onto skewers. It's easiest if each skewer has the same vegetable on it, as then all the pieces will cook at the same rate. Use two skewers for each chunck so they can't spin around while cooking and flipping.
4. Place skewered vegetables in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet long enough to hold the skweres flat. Pour marinade over them. Use a brush to coat all pieces. Let marinate at least 30 minutes.
5. Cook over a hot grill until dark lines appear but food is not charred. Turn once. Total cooking time will depend on how big the chunks are but usua;;y 3 - 5 minutes a side.
6. Carefully slide off skewers into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with kosher (or other coarse) salt and serve.