Kale and White Bean Soup

This makes a wonderful early Fall meal with some sliced apple and cheddar!

  • 2 cans white beans such as Great Northern
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa,
  • sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 carrots, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 2 onions, coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsps salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Cook onions in oil in an 8 quart pot over moderatley low heat, stirring occasionaly, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beans, broth, salt, pepper, bay, rosemary, and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, brown sausage (if using) in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Then stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale and sausage and simmer uncovere, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Salad

It's easy to add your own spin to this simple and delicious recipe. Toss in grated carrot, apple, raisins, or sunflower seeds, for a start! Or lighten it up a little by replacing half the mayo with yogurt.

  • 1 Large Red Onion
  • 1 Head Broccoli
  • ½ lb Bacon
  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 2 Tblsp Cider Vinegar
  1. Chop the head of broccoli into bite-sized florettes (coarsely grate the stem as well if you would like). Chop onion, then cook and crumble the bacon.
  2. Mix mayo, sugar, and vinegar in a bowl to make the dressing.
  3. Toss the broccoli, onion, and bacon in the dressing and refrigerate for two hours.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

a slightly modified recipe from epicurious.com

  • 1 quart tomatoes
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 1 sweet pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 to 6 quarts water
  • 14 to 16 ounces spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping pasta (optional)

 

Peel the tomatoes, if desired, by blanching the tomatoes in boiling water, then chop tomatoes coarsely.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sweet pepper, and cook until the garlic barely begins to color.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes look cooked and moist but not all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a smooth sauce, blend the cooked tomatoes in a food processor with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and return the sauce to the skillet. For a chunky sauce, add the remaining oil before serving.

Bring 5 to 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons salt and the spaghetti; cook until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three quarters of the cooking time.

Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Add the drained al dente pasta, 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, and the basil to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Cook over high heat, stirring to mix sauce and pasta, until the pasta is cooked. Add more pasta water if the sauce becomes too dry. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano if desired

Marinated Eggplant, with Variations

Not only does eggplant look and feel spongy, it also acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding onto whatever flavors you marinate or cook it in. Try using Indian, Thai or Mexican spice combinations for something that tastes completely different! Email us for suggestions.

  • 1 large or two small eggplant 
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme)
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil 
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 clove minced garlic

 

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Whisk all ingredients except the eggplant in a large bowl.
  3. Wash the eggplant, then trim off a 1/2” s1ice on both ends. Slice thinly (about 1/4”) crosswise. Toss eggplant slices with the balsamic mixture and allow to marinate for at least twenty minutes.
  4. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
  5. Place under broiler and cook for about five minutes, until the eggplant is slightly browned.
  6. Flip and brown on the other side, about five minutes longer, until tender

 

You now have delicious, tender eggplant ready to add flavor to a variety of dishes!

 

Variations:

Try it on a sandwich with fresh (or roasted) tomato, basil and mozzarella! Be sure to use a really excellent loaf of crusty bread. Rub each slice of bread with garlic and drizzle with balsamic for some extra flavor. I bet this eggplant sandwich would be really good grilled or smooshed in a panini press.

Greek Salad (inspired by Aladdin’s in Rochester): One of my favorite meals of all time is a Greek salad with marinated eggplant. Top fresh greens with red pepper, cucumbers, olives, feta and some freshly broiled eggplant. Drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve with toasted pita. Yummmm!

Healthy Eggplant Parm: On a lightly oiled baking sheet, top each eggplant slice with 1 Tablespoon marinara and 1 Tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 for ten minutes, until heated through. Alternatively, layer the eggplant, sauce, and cheese in a baking dish and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, until it gets bubbly and heated through.

Tip #1: Here is a great way to make jarred sauce taste a little closer to homemade. Take your favorite jar of marinara, add 1 cup diced Plum Tomatoes and 1 clove minced or 2 cloves of roasted garlic. Simmer for about twenty minutes. Toss in a tablespoon of fresh basil near the end.

Tip # 2: You should probably make a trip to Rochester Public Market, the very best place to get cheese. You can get your kalamata olives, feta, mozzarella and Parmesan from the lovely people in blue aprons (A Shed) for much less then you would pay in the store. There is also an AMAZING bakery next to Java's (at the North End) called Flour City Bakery. The best bread I ever bought. Be sure to stop at our stalls 49A & 51A – to say hi to Ted! Now you're all set to put together some incomparable meals with the very best ingredients around.

PS: Can you tell I love eggplant? Please feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions! I'm always looking for new ways to cook up this beautifully alien looking vegetable, so I would love to hear about your favorite recipes.