Pan Seared Snap Beans

Here’s the simple and delicious answer to all of those beans…and it’s exciting to cook. (you may want to turn off the fire alarm)

Half pound of beans (2 handfulls)
1 Tablespoon oil –peanut and or sesame are best
1 clove garlic chopped coarsely
salt
2 table spoons soy sauce or white wine

Wash beans and set aside, don’t worry about drying them. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/skillet on high until oil begins to smoke slightly. Add the beans and toss until covered with oil, keep heat on high. Toss every 30 seconds or so or when beans begin to brown in the intense heat. After 2 minutes add garlic and toss in to mix. Heat for 30 seconds and add soy sauce or white wine, tossing again. The soy/wine will steam the beans a bit. Remove and serve when all the liquid has evaporated.

Carrots and Seaweed

2 cups dried Hijiki, Arame, or any other not flat seaweed varieties (ask at your local health food store)
Soy Sauce or tamari
2 Tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons Grated fresh ginger
3-4 medium Carrots, julienned or run through a grater so that they end up coarse
Salt
Toasted sesame seeds

Follow the direction of cooking/preparing seaweed and toss with a tablespoon soy sauce. Heat oil in a skillet and add carrots and ginger, stir-fry until the carrots begin to color around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the seaweed and cook 5 minutes more, tossing frequently. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and continue cooking until the moisture is gone. Taste and season with salt. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Braised Savoy Cabbage and Apples

One savoy head, quartered, cored and sliced thinly and soaked in water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 large green apple, peeled cored and sliced into matchsticks
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds.

Heat oil in a large stainless steel/non-reactive skillet. Add onions and cook until golden. Add cabbage directly from water to pan with the onions along with the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook of very medium-low heat until the cabbage is very soft, about and hour and a half, adding boiling water if needed during the process.

Tomato, Watermelon, and Feta Salad

One small watermelon
2 large tomatoes or a few medium ones. Try an heirloom for this recipe.
1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese. (this is optional…but its so good)
Third of a cup coarsely chopped basil and cilantro tossed together
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic or white wine vinegar
Salt and fresh pepper

Slice and seed the water melon into three-quarter inch pieces. Core the tomatoes and slice into the same size pieces. Stir together lightly the toms, watermelon, herbs, oil and vinegar ( if using balsamic drizzle it over the top after mixing everything else so as not to muddy the colors). Serve with salt, fresh pepper, and cheese on top.

Simple Baked Potatoes

A few medium potatoes
Olive oil
Salt, coarse kosher works best

Preheat the oven to 425. Wash and halve the potatoes. Oil the bottom of a cookie sheet or shallow baking pan. I often use a pie pan. Oil the potatoes as well and roll the skins in salt, set the potato cut side down in the pan. Dust them with fresh pepper and slide them into the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes –the longer the better.
Pull them out when they are golden on the bottom and the skin pulls away from the flesh.

Cool Kohlrabi Salad

One medium size Kohlrabi, peeled and jullienned
Two Tablespoons crème fraiche, sour cream or whole milk yogurt
One teaspoon to one table spoon prepared horseradish
One teaspoon Dill
Salt and fresh Pepper

Steam kohlrabi for 5-7 minutes and set in the fridge to cool for an hour. Toss remaining ingredients together with chilled kohlrabi and enjoy as a cool compliment to picnic or light dinner meals

Delicata Squash Rings

2 delicatas
1 ½ tablespoons peanut or olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped parsley
ground cumin

Peel the squash (optional), cut off the ends and halve. Cut into slices about a third of an inch thick. Heat the oil in a wide skillet and add the squash, frying over medium heat until beginning to brown (7-8 minutes). Turn and cook on the second side until tender. Add salt, pepper, parsley and cumin and toss to coat.