garlic, chive and red pepper frittata

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/health/nutrition/the-seasonal-charms-of-green-garlic-green-garlic-chive-and-red-pepper-frittata.html?ref=nutrition

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in small dice

2 bulbs green garlic, trimmed of stalks and papery layers, sliced

Salt

6 eggs

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

1/4 cup minced or snipped chives

Freshly ground pepper 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet and add the bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the ricotta, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in the chives and red pepper and garlic mixture. Clean and dry the pan and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan, and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

3. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden or heatproof spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. The eggs should be just about set on the bottom; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

4. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes and for up to 15. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: 6 servings.

Advance preparation: In Mediterranean countries, flat omelets are served at room temperature, which makes them perfect do-ahead dishes. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and they make terrific lunchbox fare. They do not reheat well.

Nutritional information per serving: 204 calories; 15 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 207 milligrams cholesterol; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 108 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 12 grams protein

quinoa with peas and garlic

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/health/nutrition/quinoa-pilaf-with-sweet-peas-and-green-garlic.html?ref=nutrition

2/3 cup quinoa

3/4 cup shelled fresh peas (1 pound unshelled)

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white and light green part only, halved, cleaned of sand and sliced thin

1 bulb green garlic, tough stalk cut away and papery shells removed, sliced thin

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or a combination of parsley and tarragon

Freshly ground pepper 

1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the peas. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer until tender, 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and freshness. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the peas. Measure out 2 cups of the cooking water (add fresh water if necessary), return to the pot, add salt to taste, bring to a boil and add the quinoa. When the water comes back to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and, in the case of white quinoa, displays a thread. Remove from the heat, drain through a strainer and return to the pot. Cover the pot with a clean dish towel and return the lid. Let sit 15 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the leek and sliced green garlic. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, fragrant and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and peas to the pan and toss together with the remaining olive oil for about 2 minutes, taking care not to mash the peas. Add the fresh herbs, grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Advance preparation: You can cook the peas and the quinoa up to a few days ahead (though the peas will lose much of their sweetness) and keep in the refrigerator.

Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 211 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 28 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 6 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 140 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 4 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

pan cooked brussel sprouts

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/health/nutrition/pan-cooked-brussels-sprouts-with-green-garlic.html?ref=nutrition

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1/2 pound green garlic, trimmed, papery layers removed, and chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to color, about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium and add the garlic. Continue to cook, stirring, until the brussels sprouts are tender and the garlic is fragrant, another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the dill or parsley, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Advance preparation: You can make this several hours ahead and reheat in the pan, but it is best eaten soon after cooking.

Nutritional information per serving: 193 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 29 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 39 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 7 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

soba with garlic, spinach, edamame and tofu

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/health/nutrition/soba-with-green-garlic-spinach-edamame-and-crispy-tofu.html?src=recg

 1/2 pound firm tofu, cut in dominoes

2 bulbs green garlic, trimmed of stalk

3/4 cup fresh or frozen edamame

1 tablespoon rice bran oil, grapeseed oil or canola oil

Soy sauce to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems cut away, sliced

2 generous bunches (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) spinach, stems trimmed, washed in 2 changes of water

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/2 pound soba 

1. Blot the tofu dry on paper towels. If the garlic has formed cloves, separate them and remove the thick shells from the tender cloves. If it has not formed cloves, just remove the outside layers and mince.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste and add the edamame. Cook 4 minutes, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat a wok or a wide skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates upon contact. Swirl in the rice bran, grapeseed or canola oil and add the tofu. Stir-fry until golden brown, and remove from the pan. Season to taste with soy sauce and set aside.

4. Turn the heat down to medium and add the olive oil and the shiitakes. Cook until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, and add the green garlic along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until it wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the tofu and edamame. Turn the heat to low and keep warm while you cook the noodles.

5. Bring the water to a boil in the large pot, and add the noodles gradually, so that the water remains at a boil. Stir once with a long-handled spoon or pasta fork so that the noodles don’t stick together. Wait for the water to come back up to a rolling boil – it will bubble up, so don’t fill the pot all the way – and add 1 cup of cold water. Allow the water to come back to a rolling boil and add another cup of cold water. Allow the water to come to a boil one more time and add a third cup of water. When the water comes to a boil again, the noodles should be cooked through. Allow them to boil for a few minutes if they are not. Drain in a colander. Place in a large bowl, top with the vegetables and tofu, and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Advance preparation: The tofu can be cooked several hours or even a day ahead and reheated before you proceed with the recipe.

Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 435 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 66 grams carbohydrates; 8 gram dietary fiber; 176 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 24 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 290 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 44 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 118 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 16 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

pea and parmesan risotto

http://www.purewow.com/entry_detail/recipe/2250?media=print

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sweet English peas 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start to Finish: 1 hour

DIRECTIONS

1. Shell the peas, reserving both the peas and pods. Combine the pods with 8 cups of water in a large saucepan. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Strain the broth and discard the shells. Return the broth to the saucepan set over low heat to keep warm. 2. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add the peas to the broth and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peas to the ice-water bath and set aside to cool. Remove the broth from the heat and cover to keep warm.
3. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until absorbed, about 5 minutes.
4. Ladle 1 cup of the broth over the rice and simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding ½ cup of the broth at a time, reducing it and stirring frequently, until the rice is creamy and tender but still slightly chewy in the center, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the peas, Parmesan cheese and butter. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve immediately with additional Parmesan for garnish.

spice roasted cauliflower

http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/8411

Yield: Serves 8

Cook Time: 1 hour

• INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 medium heads cauliflower divided into florets
¼ cup grapeseed or canola oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and another rack to the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper and cardamom.
3. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the grapeseed oil and spices until well combined. Turn the mixture out onto two rimmed baking sheets and roast one pan on each rack for 30 minutes. Using a spatula, stir the cauliflower, then rotate the bottom pan to the top rack and the top pan to the bottom rack; return to the oven and continue to roast until tender and browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.