Winter Greens Salad with Cara Cara Oranges, Almonds & House Citronette
A light, bright, and refreshing addition to any brunch lineup.
Ingredients:
4 large handfuls of salad greens, such as mix of this week’s Lacinato kale and red-veined sorrel greens, washed and torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup coarsely-chopped radicchio
2 Cara Cara oranges, sliced into segments
⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
¼ cup pomegranate arils
F&L citronette
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds for a few minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Once the almonds are fragrant and starting to turn golden, remove from heat.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the greens, radicchio, segmented blood oranges, goat cheese, pomegranate arils and warm almonds.
3. Just before serving, drizzle the salad with about ½ cup of the citronette, tossing lightly to combine. Add more dressing as desired, and season generously with fresh ground pepper.
Shaved Fennel Salad with Beets & Raspberries
Tossed with a raspberry-honey vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.
Ingredients:
1 bunch beets, cleaned and trimmed
4 cups water
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly shaved crosswise, fronds reserved
¼ cup Grana cheese, grated
4 cups loosely-packed salad greens, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
½ cup raspberries
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
For the vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup raspberry wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1-2 teaspoons honey
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a large roasting pan and pour over water, red wine vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with parchment and foil. Roast until just tender, they should be easily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Peel beets under cool water. Cut into quarters.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the roasted beets, fennel, fennel fronds, and greens with about ½ cup of the raspberry-honey dressing. Plate dressed greens. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary, sprinkle with the Grana cheese and raspberries and serve.
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes with Chive Blossoms
This beautiful dish is sure to be a new spring favorite!
Ingredients:
3 pounds fingerling or other small new potato
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces soft mild goat cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Fresh flowering chives, snipped with scissors, for garnish
Method:
1, Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices with a manual slicer or sharp thin knife. Keep slices in a large bowl of cold water while making sauce.
3. Cook shallots in butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Transfer to a blender and purée with milk, cream, cheese, kosher salt to taste, and pepper.
4. Drain potatoes in a large colander and pat dry. Arrange in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish in 3 layers, pouring some of sauce over each layer (use all of sauce) and putting best potato slices on top layer. Bake, covered with foil, in lower third of oven. Remove foil after 45 minutes and continue to bake until potatoes are tender, 30 to 45 minutes more. If desired, briefly broil potatoes under preheated broiler until top is golden.
Spring Leek Quiche with Chevre
This classic quiche features tender leeks, fresh chives and rich chevre cheese.
Ingredients:
1 single butter pie crust, thawed if frozen (see recipe)
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, and sliced
3 eggs
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 ounces soft chevre cheese, crumbled
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Prick pie crust all over with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Bake the pie crust in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove crust and set aside to cool slightly; reduce oven temperature to 375°.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and simmer leeks just until tender, about 7 minutes; drain thoroughly.
3. Whisk eggs, heavy cream, milk, chives, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spread leeks evenly over bottom of pie crust; dot with the chevre cheese. Pour egg mixture over leeks. Bake in the preheated oven until puffed, lightly browned, and a sharp knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove to cool until warm or room temperature before serving.
