Broccoli Rabe with Oil & Garlic
Tender-crisp with loads of texture, this dish gets extra spice courtesy of crushed red pepper and garlic.
Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli rabe
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
¼ cup water, or as needed
Sea salt
Method:
1. Trim broccoli rabe. Wash the trimmed broccoli rabe in a sinkful of cold water, swishing the stems gently to remove all dirt from between the leaves. Let the leaves sit a minute or two undisturbed to allow the dirt to settle to the bottom of the sink, then lift the broccoli rabe from the water with your hands or a large skimmer. Drain in a colander.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Carefully lay the broccoli rabe into the oil, season lightly with salt and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Stir and toss to distribute the seasonings.
3. Pour ¼ cup water into the skillet and bring to a boil. Cover the skillet tightly and cook, lifting the lid to turn the stalks occasionally, until the broccoli rabe is tender. Taste and season with additional salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve hot.
Roasted Garlic, Three Ways
The Hungry Mouse blog shares favorite ways to enjoy this essential aromatic ingredient: roasted, in compound butter and as an infused oil.
Ingredients:
Whole heads of garlic
8 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Method:Â
1. Roasted: Preheat oven to 350°. Cut head(s) off of garlic about half-inch from the top, set trimmed head(s) in baking dish. (You may discard tips, or toss them into the baking dish—just keep an eye on them during roasting as these small pieces burn more easily.) Drizzle garlic with a generous swig of olive oil, seeping oil down into the head(s). Cover dish with aluminum foil, roast for 30-45 minutes until garlic is a deep caramel color and soft. Remove cloves from skin with sharp paring knife.
2. Compound Butter: Cut a stick of butter into small pieces and set in a bowl to soften. Once soft, add in mashed roasted garlic and mix together with a fork. (For 1 stick of butter, add the equivalent of half head of roasted garlic. Feel free to play with this ratio for stronger—or more subtle—versions!) Refrigerate until ready for use. Use to make garlic bread, stir it into mashed potatoes or to garnish a grilled steak.
3. Infused Oil: Set strainer over a small bowl. Take baking pan with extra olive oil and garlic skins and strain into bowl, pressing garlic skins with a spoon to squeeze out any and all extra oil. Keep garlic-infused oil in the fridge, use within one week.
Sautéed Broccoli Raab
A variety of broccoli with long, thin leafy stalks, this hearty Italian green (also known as rapini) shines in an easy preparation from Gourmet magazine.
Ingredients:
2 pounds broccoli raab
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
â…“ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Lemon wedges
Method:
1. Cut off and discard stem ends from the broccoli raab.
2. Cook the broccoli raab, uncovered, in 2 batches in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes, transferring with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain well in a colander. (The broccoli raab can be boiled and drained up 6 hours ahead, then covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
3. Cook garlic in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add broccoli raab and cook, tossing to coat with oil, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss broccoli raab with salt.
Tagliatelle Pasta with Grana Fonduta & Broccoli Rabe
The sauce for this delectable creamy pasta is crafted from duck egg yolks, Grana-style cheese and crème fraîche.
Ingredients:
2 large duck egg yolks
1½ cups crème fraîche
5 ounces Grana-style cheese, finely grated, plus a bit more for finishing
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on a rasp-style grater
1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed of tough ends and separated into florets
1 pound tagliatelle pasta, or other favorite pasta noodle
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, bring an inch or two of water to a boil in a small pot. Whisk together the egg yolks, crème fraîche, Grana and garlic in a heatproof bowl that will fit snugly inside the pot without making contact with the boiling water.
2. Set the bowl in the small pot and whisk the egg mixture constantly, occasionally scraping the sides and removing the bowl from the pot every couple of minutes as you whisk to keep the cooking nice and slow (don’t let it boil). Cook just until the sauce has thickened slightly (it should thinly coat the back of a spoon), 6 to 8 minutes. Set the bowl aside in a warm place.
3. Add the noodles to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente, dropping in the broccoli rabe during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli, then return to the pot, tossing to coat with most of the fonduta sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more fonduta as desired. Serve with additional freshly-grated Grana-style cheese.
Grilled-Roasted Garlic
Forget turning on the oven, you can roast garlic on the grill! These tender, smoky cloves are delicious incorporated into salad dressings, or simply spread atop slices of grilled bread for a summery starter.
Ingredients:
Whole garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Method:
1. Prepare the garlic by slicing the tops off the garlic bulbs (depending on the size of each bulb it should be around ¼ to a ½ of an inch from the top) to expose the individual cloves. Then drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with a good amount of olive oil.
2. Wrap the bulbs in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place covered bulbs on a hot grill, over indirect heat, for approximately 40 minutes (this will vary based on the exact size of your bulbs). Then open the foil and use your finger to test if they’re done. They should be nice and soft to the touch when roasted through.
3. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Use a small knife or cocktail fork to gently remove the individual roasted garlic cloves from the skins and then prepare according to your chosen recipe.
Garlic-Ginger Beef & Vegetable Stir-Fry
Serve this fragrant stir-fry with rice or noodles; we also love topping each serving with a fried egg and extra hot sauce.
Ingredients:
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1- 2 tablespoons Sun Sauce or Sriracha (optional)
1 pound stir-fry beef, thinly-sliced
2 tablespoons sesame oil or vegetable oil
8 ounces mushrooms, such as a mix of Cremini and Shiitake, washed and sliced if very large
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed of any tough ends
1 bunch Senposai greens
1 Lotus root, peeled, trimmed of root ends and thinly-sliced into rounds
1 yellow onion, cut into slices
1 bunch scallions, trimmed of root ends and minced
Method:
1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and Sun Sauce until combined.
2. Put the beef slices in a plastic baggie or bowl. Pour ¼ cup of the garlic-ginger sauce over the pork and mix to coat evenly. Marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge. Place remaining garlic-ginger sauce in the fridge as well.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame or vegetable oil and the pork. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet add the other tablespoon of oil and add all the prepped vegetables and greens. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and remaining garlic-ginger sauce. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with scallions and sesame seeds on top, if desired.
Shaved Kohlrabi & Arugula Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing
This crisp, crunchy salad from Martha Stewart is beautifully balanced in flavor.
Ingredients:
2 mediums heads garlic
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium purple kohlrabi, trimmed
1 ½ cups arugula greens
¼ cup toasted almonds
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Remove 1 garlic clove from 1 head, and very finely grate, setting aside ⅛ teaspoon. Wrap remaining heads of garlic in foil, and roast until very soft and golden inside, about 1 hour. Unwrap; let cool.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together grated garlic, lemon zest and juice, paprika, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Squeeze roasted garlic from skins, and add 2 tablespoons to bowl, reserving remainder for another use. Stir to combine but leave very chunky. Stir in oil (do not completely incorporate).
3. Shave kohlrabi very thinly on a mandoline. Divide among 4 plates; season with ½ teaspoon salt. Spoon dressing over kohlrabi, then top with arugula leaves and almonds.
Spaghetti with Green Garlic
Simple, yet perfect, this simple spaghetti dish from chef Alice Waters allows fresh green garlic flavors to shine.
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
â…“ cup olive oil
3 heads green garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add the garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and sweat, stirring occasionally, until soft, adding more water if necessary to keep the garlic from caramelizing too much.
3. Add the cooked pasta to the garlic mixture and toss well to combine. Add some pasta cooking water if necessary to bring the dish to a creamy consistency. Serve with more olive oil and the minced tops of the green garlic, if desired.
Pac Choi with Garlic
Fragrant garlic lends big flavor to sautéed pac choi greens.
Ingredients:
1 bunch pac choi
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
â…› cup chicken stock or white wine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Start by trimming the stem off, just the end, to ensure the pac choi cooks evenly. Separate out the leaves, keep the tender center intact and clean under running water. Drain.
2. Finely mince garlic. Heat olive oil in wok or frying pan. Add the garlic to the heated pan.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When it becomes fragrant and light golden brown, add the pac choi leaves.
4. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the flavored oil for approximately 15 seconds. Pour in broth or wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*Variation: This dish is also lovely topped with sautéed mushrooms.
Calendula-Infused Herbal Oil
You can use this oil in salad dressings, or even as an ingredient in salves, massage oils, lip balms, creams, and lotions.
Ingredients:
Calendula flowers
Olive oil
Method:
1. Fill a glass canning jar â…” of the way full with dried calendula flowers. If using fresh calendula, wilt for 12 hours to remove most of the moisture (too much moisture will cause the oil to go rancid) before adding to the jar.
2. Pour olive oil into the jar, making sure to cover the flowers by at least one inch with oil so they will have space to expand. Stir well and cap the jar tightly.
3. Place the jar in a warm, sunny windowsill and shake once or more daily. After about a week, strain the herbs out using cheesecloth. Pour the infused oil into glass bottles and store in a cool, dark place.