Radish & Turnip Slaw with Blue Cheese
This crunchy-cool slaw is a summer staple, wonderful served with hot dogs, tacos, or as a side salad.
Ingredients:
1 bunch radishes, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
1 bunch turnips, ends trimmed, halved and thinly sliced
6-7 celery stalks, thinly sliced with leaves picked and reserved
5 spring onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
For dressing:
3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons sugar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and zest, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
2. In a large bowl toss all the vegetables, chopped parsley and celery leaves; add the dressing and mix well to combine. Taste for seasonings and serve.
Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad with Smoked Chicken & Blue Cheese
This room temperature salad is both crisp and refreshing, topped with all-natural smoked chicken.
Ingredients:
1 pound mixed summer greens, such as escarole, frisée and Cegolaine baby red butter lettuce, washed
½ pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed clean and sliced in half
½ Vidalia sweet onion, peeled and sliced into rounds
½ pound Tokyo Market turnips, washed, peeled and quartered
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 red radishes, washed and sliced into thin rounds
½ pound smoked chicken, shredded
½ cup Westward blue cheese, crumbled
For dressing:
¾ cup cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. On a sheet pan, tossed potatoes, turnips and sweet onions with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
3. To serve, line salad plates with a bed of summer greens, topping each with a helping of cooled vegetables. Then, top with a helping of smoked chicken and a smattering of sliced radish. Drizzle each salad with desired amount of dressing and crumble blue cheese over top. Grind additional pepper over each as desired.
Smokey Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pears & Arugula Greens
Topped with spectacular slices of blue cheese stuffed-pear, this salad always wows guests.
Ingredients:
2 ripe, but firm, red pears, peeled
Juice from ½ lemon
½ cup crumbled Rogue Creamery smokey blue cheese
Arugula greens
½ cup dried cranberries
Fresh ground pepper
F&L pear vinaigrette
Method:
1. Wash each pear, peel and remove stems. Then, using either an apple corer or sharp paring knife, hollow out the center of each pear by inserting your chosen tool into the top of the fruit and pushing down in a circular motion, hollowing out the flesh and seeds, until you’ve reached the bottom. Pack blue cheese crumbles into the cavity, keeping one hand on the bottom of the pear to prevent the cheese from slipping out.
2. Place a generous portion of arugula greens in a serving bowl. Take each pear and slice into ¼-inch slices, revealing the blue cheese center. Place pear rounds on top of greens, drizzle with the vinaigrette and top with dried cranberries.
Pan-Braised Radishes & Greens
Pan-braising radishes mellows their spice, lending tender texture to this side dish.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch radishes with greens*
1 shallot, minced
4 teaspoons butter
Water
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley or tarragon, chopped
Method:
1. Trim greens from radishes, leaving a bit of the green stem intact. Place greens and radishes in a large bowl of cold water and let soak for at least five minutes. Remove greens and set in a colander to drain. Dry off radishes and slice in half.
2. In a large sauté pan, melt three teaspoons of the butter and sweat the minced shallots over medium heat for a minute or so. Add radishes to the pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in water to almost cover the radishes. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and cook until the radishes are knife tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove lid and add the greens to the pan. Cover and cook for a minute or two more, until the greens have somewhat wilted. Transfer greens and radishes to a large serving bowl, leaving juices remaining in pan.
3. Bring juices to a simmer, and reduce until no more than a quarter cup remains. Add a teaspoon more of butter and stir to incorporate it with the juices.
4. Finely chop the herbs and add it to the bowl. Pour reduced juices over top and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper as necessary.
*Feel free to use a mixture of this week’s trio of radishes for a beautiful array of color!
Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter & Lemon
The sweet, nutty brown butter here lends a beautiful finishing touch.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch medium radishes
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Brush a large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but ½ inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in a medium bowl. Add 1½ tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.
2. Melt butter in a heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.
3. Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.
Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese & Hazelnuts
Drizzled with our creamy housemade dressing, this crisp salad is topped with fresh blue cheese and earthy, toasted Northwest hazelnuts for a flavorful finish.
Ingredients:
1 head baby romaine lettuce
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
½ cup crumbled Westward Blue cheese (included in box)
Westward Blue cheese dressing (included in box)
Method:
1. Wash lettuce and pat dry with paper towels. Trim root section and cut head in half lengthwise.
2. Pile greens on a serving platter and top with chopped hazelnuts and crumbled blue cheese, then drizzle with dressing. Season with fresh ground pepper to taste.
Blue Cheese & Pear Salad with Arugula Greens
Tossed with a light balsamic vinaigrette, this crisp salad is both bold and beautiful.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups arugula greens
1 D’Anjou pear, cored and thinly sliced
½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic until well combined. Season to taste with salt and ground pepper.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine arugula greens and pearl slices. Toss with about half of the vinaigrette, adding more to taste as desired. Crumble blue cheese over top and serve.
Sautéed Turnips with Garlic Scapes
Tossed with flavorful garlic scapes, these turnip and greens are incredibly tender thanks to a quick simmer in chicken stock.
Ingredients:
1 bunch Tokyo Market turnips with greens
2-3 garlic scapes, finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup golden raisins, plumped in water and drained
Method:
1. Thoroughly wash turnips, then trim greens from turnip bulbs. Set greens out on a paper towel to drain. Meanwhile, trim turnip bulb ends and thinly slice. Then, coarsely chop greens.
2. Heat garlic scapes in oil over medium heat in a large skillet until garlic begins to sizzle. Add the turnips and greens. Turn and coat with oil as you wilt the greens.
2. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes to soften.
3. Transfer turnips, greens and garlic to a serving platter and top with plumped golden raisins.
Savory Roasted Squash, Two Ways
After roasting, this side is topped with either fresh thyme, honey and walnuts, or hazelnuts and blue cheese, for a spectacular finish.
Ingredients:
1 fall squash of your choice, such as Delicata, seeded and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
For Honey-Herb Topping:
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
For Blue Cheese Topping:
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place squash quarters skin side down on a heavy baking sheet and brush flesh generously with olive oil using a brush. Sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper, and bake for 30-40 minutes until squash is tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool just slightly.
2. For honey-herb topping: Transfer squash to a serving dish and brush lightly with additional olive oil before sprinkling the pieces with fresh thyme and walnuts, finishing with a healthy drizzling of honey. For blue cheese topping: Transfer squash to a serving dish and brush lightly with olive oil before sprinkling blue cheese and hazelnuts over each piece of squash.
Double the Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Melty Fontina layered in between slices of Gruyère cheese bread? We say, yes please!
Ingredients:
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
Sliced Gruyère cheese bread
Butter
Method:
1. Generously butter a slice of bread and lay butter-side down in a skillet. Add a generous amount of grated Fontina and top with another slice of buttered bread. Repeat with as many sammies as you please.
2. Cook over medium-high heat, flipping once the bottom side is golden brown and Gruyère cheese starts to soften. Toast for another 2-3 minutes until the other side is golden brown. Remove from the skillet and enjoy!
Variations: Triple the cheese, if you like (mozzarella or cheddar would both work well!); or, try layering caramelized onions and/or thinly-sliced apple inside the sandwich, too.