Pizza Dough
This pizza dough from The New York Times is our go-to; it’s easy to prepare and incredibly reliable!
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
4½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons
Method:
1. Put 1¾ cups lukewarm water in a mixing bowl (use a stand mixer or food processor if you prefer). Sprinkle yeast over water and let it dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add flour, salt and olive oil and mix well until flour is incorporated and dough forms, about 5 minutes. It may look a little rough or pockmarked.
2. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn dough out onto surface and knead lightly until it looks smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces, about 8 ounces/225 grams each.
3. To use dough immediately*, form each piece into a smooth, firm ball, and place on a flour-dusted or parchment-lined baking sheet. Flour lightly, cover loosely with plastic wrap and top with a kitchen towel. Leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Each dough ball will make a 10-inch diameter pizza.
*Note: If you’d like to refrigerate the dough, wrap dough pieces individually in resealable zipper bags and refrigerate for several hours or, for best results, overnight; you can also freeze it for future use. You can skip this rise in the refrigerator and use the dough right away, but this cool, slow rise makes it easier to stretch and gives the pizza a crisper texture and more nuanced flavor.
Bok Choy with Garlic & Ginger
Fresh ginger and fragrant garlic lend big flavor to sautéed bok choy greens.
Ingredients:
1 bunch bok choy
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
â…› cup dry white wine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Start by trimming the stem off, just the end, to ensure that the bok choy 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 garlic and ginger to heated pan.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the ginger and garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When the aromatics become fragrant and light golden brown, add the bok choy leaves.
4. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the flavored oil for approximately 15 seconds. Pour in broth, water or wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Winter Citrus & Fava Shoot Salad
This crisp, citrus-kissed salad is both bold in flavor and beautiful in presentation.
Ingredients:
1 blood orange
1 Navel orange
½ pound fava shoots
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, quartered, cored and thinly sliced, plus a handful of the fronds
Vinaigrette:
1 shallot, peeled and minced
â…“ cup freshly squeezed juice from an orange
â…“ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
¾ cup olive oil
Sea salt salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
- Spread the salad greens out on a large, round serving platter to make a bed.
- Using a sharp paring knife, cut the tops and bottoms off the orange. Stand oranges up and slice to remove the peel and membrane. Then, slice oranges crosswise into thin wheels.
- Arrange the orange on top of the salad greens, overlapping the slices slightly. Then layer on the fennel slices. Scatter the onion slices on top of the salad.
- Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and then season with ground pepper if desired.
Roasted Radishes
Seasoned with fresh thyme and red onions, these buttery radishes are an excellent accompaniment to just about any protein.
Ingredients:
1 bunch radishes, trimmed
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat oven to 400°. Place radishes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter butter pieces over. Sprinkle thyme leaves over radishes, season with salt and toss to coat.
2. Roast 15-20 minutes, giving pan a shake midway through cooking.
3. Remove from oven, let cool slightly. Slice radishes into thick rounds. Place on serving dish, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, scatter with red onion slices.
Buttermilk Ranch Potato Salad
Tossed with a plethora of fresh herbs including cilantro, dill and chives, this potato salad is incredibly fresh-tasting.
Ingredients:
3 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
â…“ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
â…“ cup coarsely chopped fresh chives
â…“ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
¾ cup well-shaken buttermilk
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
â…“ cup mayonnaise
â…“ cup finely-chopped scallions (green parts only)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Black pepper
Method:
1. Place 1½ to 2 inches of water in the bottom of a large pot. Place a steamer basket in the pot and add the cut potatoes to the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cover and steam the potatoes until knife-tender, stirring once or twice to ensure the potatoes in the center are evenly cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Let cool at least 30 minutes before dressing; the potatoes should be room temperature. Meanwhile, make the dressing.
3. Place the cilantro, dill, and chives in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Remove 3 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside for garnish.
4. Add the buttermilk, yogurt, mayonnaise, scallions, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt to the medium bowl of herbs. Season with pepper and whisk to combine. Refrigerate the dressing until the potatoes are ready.
5. Pour the buttermilk dressing onto the potatoes and fold it in gently until the potatoes are fully dressed. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Scatter the reserved herb mixture on top.
Chive Blossom Vinegar
This punchy vinegar is fantastic incorporated into salad dressings; just swap it one-to-one with your favorite vinegar in recipes!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chive blossoms
1 cup white wine vinegar
Method:
1. Soak chive blossoms in water to clean, then dry them using a salad spinner.
2. Place chive blossoms into a large canning jar so that the jar is filled about halfway with blossoms. Fill jar with the vinegar, covering the blossoms completely.
3. Let blossoms steep in the vinegar at least overnight or up to several days in a cool, dark place. Strain blossoms from vinegar and pour liquid into a clean jar. Refrigerate for the longest shelf life (the vinegar should last several weeks in the fridge).
Spicy Honey-Glazed Parsnips
Drizzled with chili-honey butter, this roasted parsnip recipe from Bon Appetit is a real winner.
Ingredients:
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
- Preheat oven to 450°. Toss parsnips and oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast parsnips, tossing occasionally, until tender and deep golden brown in spots, 35-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat red pepper flakes, butter, vinegar, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
- Drizzle chili-honey butter over parsnips and toss to coat.
How-To: Reconstitute Dried Mushrooms
Follow these simple steps to reconstitute the beautiful mushrooms found in this week’s box.
Ingredients:
Dried wild mushrooms
Tools:
Medium saucepan
Handheld strainer
2-3 cups warm water, stock or wine
Method:
1. Place mushrooms in a medium saucepan. (Dried mushrooms will reconstitute to 6-8 times their dry weight.)
2. Cover mushrooms with warm water, stock or wine. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Allow to soak in liquid for at least 15-20 minutes; gradually the mushrooms will begin to soak in moisture and plump.
3. Drain mushrooms of liquid with the strainer. Reserve the flavorful soaking liquid for use in soup, stocks and more! Briefly sauté the reconstituted mushrooms in a little butter or olive oil, add a splash of white wine if desired, add salt and pepper to taste, and then use according to your recipe.
Italian Sausage-Lentil Soup with Leeks
This longtime family recipe is a winning New Year’s dish. Fun fact: Lentils are believed to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the new year because they resemble coins!
Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage
1 pound lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, cleaned with white and light green parts chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 cans (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, for topping
Method:
- In a large pot, brown the sausage until it is no longer pink. Remove from the pan, drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the olive oil and then sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until tender. Add stock, lentils, tomatoes, sausage, wine, sugar, vinegar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 and ½ hours. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.
Morel & Farm Egg Tartine with Chive Blossoms
Elevate your morning toast with buttery foraged morels, farm-fresh eggs, and a scattering of chive blossoms—simple, seasonal perfection.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh Morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved
2 thick slices pumpernickel bread
2 farm-fresh eggs
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Chive blossoms, for garnish
Optional: lemon zest, for brightness
Method:
1. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the morels and garlic, and sauté for 5–7 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and golden. Season with salt and pepper.
2. While the mushrooms cook, toast the pumpernickel slices until warm and crisp. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
3. In a separate nonstick pan, cook the eggs sunny-side up (or to your preferred doneness). Season with a pinch of salt.
4. Top each slice of toast with a generous layer of sautéed morels. Gently place a fried egg on top. Garnish with a scattering of chive blossoms and a touch of lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately, with a side of lightly dressed escarole or microgreens.