Cooking Radishes

Sautéed Radishes

I love getting to the Hollywood Farmers Market early - before it opens at 8 a.m. - and getting all my shopping done before the crowds show up.

A downside is that the farmers haven't completely finished setting up, and their nifty signs aren't always in place next to their vegetables.

Last week I bought a beautiful bunch of tiny turnips. When it came time to cook them, however, I realized they were watermelon radishes.

Have you tried one of these? They're white on the outside, then have a ring of pale green and then are pink on the inside. They really do look like small watermelons.

I decided to cook them the way I had intended to cook the turnips. After all, I was cooking dinner and needed a side dish.

I warmed a little butter in a small skillet, then tossed in the quartered radishes. I added a splash of water and a little salt, covered the skillet, and let the radishes cook until they were almost tender, about 5 minutes. I checked occasionally to make sure they weren't browning too much, adding a spoonful of water as needed.

While they cooked I washed and coarsely chopped the radish greens.

I removed the roots from the pan, added the greens with the water that was clinging to them, and sprinkled on a little salt and pepper. I covered the pan and let them cook over medium-low heat until they were tender. I added the radishes back in to let it all warm through, and served it.

With turnips I usually add garlic to the butter, but the radishes were great with just a little salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Posole

I got an awesome gift for Christmas: dried blue posole from Rancho Gordo.

I had never cooked posole before. In fact, I hadn't even eaten it, because local versions always include some meat.

But I found a recipe for vegetarian posole on the Rancho Gordo website, and dove right in.

(If you have not visited their site, it's worth it just for the photos of their beautiful dried heirloom beans - real bean porn. Then you'll probably feel the need to buy some of their beans, and then you will have the foundation of many wonderful meals.)

Posole, like hominy, is corn that is dried, then cooked, then treated with calcium hydroxide (lime) so the skins come off when they're rubbed. The corn is then dried again. This is a traditional process that makes dried corn - hominy, posole - that cooks up into a fabulous thick soup.

This is a soup with endless varieties. Start with the dried posole and some dried beans. Add a few vegetables. Simmer it all together and you'll have a fabulous stick-to-the-ribs meal. Serve it with warm corn tortillas for pure heaven.

I used zucchini in my posole even though it's winter. My freezer is full of blanched diced zucchini from plants that grew vigorously in my garden last summer. I grew four seeds of the Italian heirloom Trombetta di Albenga, and the vines romped up and over my rain barrels, through the fig tree and the neighbor's yucca, producing yard-long zucchinis that were tender and delicious, but a little overwhelming to this family of two. Fortunately, zucchini freezes well, so we've been enjoying it this winter in soups and stews like this one.

If you do not have a freezer full of zucchini, you could use green beans in this recipe instead.

Vegetarian Posole
1 cup Rancho Gordo dried blue posole
1 cup dried yellow beans (or pinto or other heirloom beans)
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp red chile powder (the kind that is pure chile)
1 1/2 tsp cumin seed
3/4 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 to 3 cups diced zucchini
14 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
cilantro and warm corn tortillas to serve

Soak the posole in water to cover for 6 hours. Drain. Cook in plenty of fresh water, simmering but not boiling, for about 2 hours until tender.

Meanwhile, rinse the beans and put them in water to cover by a couple of inches. Let soak for 6 hours, then pour them with their water into a large pot. Do not drain them.

To the beans in their soaking water, add the vegetable stock and enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to the boil and simmer until the beans are tender, an hour or two depending on the age of the beans. Do not drain. Turn off the heat and set aside until the posole is ready.

Sauté the onion, garlic, chile powder, cumin seed and dried oregano in the oil until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. Cook another 5 minutes.

Add the cooked vegetables to the pot of beans. Then stir in the drained posole. Simmer about 30 minutes, adding water if it's too thick.

Serve in bowls, sprinkled with cilantro, with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Serves many. Fortunately it freezes well.

This zucchini grew on top of my rain barrel, which is why it has this great shape.

Greens and Rice

There is nothing better than looking in the fridge and seeing a container of cooked brown rice. Stirred up with some greens, it makes an easy dish for dinner.

The other day I cooked up a bunch of purple mustard greens along with the greens from a bunch of red radishes, then stirred in some cooked brown rice to dampen the heat a little.

It's a simple technique that can work for any cooked grain and any greens you have in your fridge.

Greens and Rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1 bunch purple mustard greens
greens from 1 bunch red radishes
2 cups cooked brown rice

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until tender, about 3 minutes.

Wash the greens and cut into one-inch strips. Add to the pan, sprinkle on some salt, stir well and cover the pan. Let cook 5-10 minutes until the greens are soft and tender. (The time will depend on the type of green you are using.) Stir in the brown rice, cover and cook until the rice is hot and the flavors are blended.

Season with salt and pepper, lemon juice or hot sauce to taste.

Serves 2-3

Poached Eggs

One of my goals for 2014 was to learn to poach eggs.

I've tried a few times over the years - swirling the simmering water in a pan, adding a splash of vinegar to keep the egg intact, gently sliding in the egg - but I always ended up losing half the eggwhite in the water.

However, I was determined to master this technique because I really enjoy poached eggs. I often order them when we eat breakfast out, and I was aggravated that I couldn't eat them at home.

Then I found these nifty little egg poachers. They're ceramic non-stick dishes that keep the eggs intact while they cook in the water. I suppose technically the eggs are steamed, not poached, but the result is close enough for me.

First I butter the little pods, then crack in the eggs, I place them in a skillet of simmering water and cover with a lid. I check the eggs after 5 minutes - trying to remember that the whites will continue cooking after the eggs are removed from the pan.

We've enjoyed these poached eggs on toast, on cooked greens, on a bowl of rice, and on roasted root vegetables.

Very satisfying. I'll check that goal off my list.

Roasting Peppers

One of the fall aromas in our house is that of peppers roasting on the gas stove.

A little burn, a little sweet, a little spicy. Fortunately I rarely set off the smoke detector.

Fall is the time organic peppers are inexpensive at the Hollywood Farmers Market, and I buy extra to roast and freeze. All winter I will enjoy the ease of pulling a roasted pepper from the freezer and adding its smoky sweetness to a stew or casserole.

I mainly roast red peppers and poblanos. You can read how I do it here.

Our friendly squirrel prepares for winter by burying nuts. I prepare by burying peppers in the freezer. We are both most satisfied.

Grilled Onions

When I'm planning a meal that I fear will be a little boring, I grill a few onions on the side. Leftovers are great added to the next day's bean salad or the next evening's grain or bean dish.

It's a simple thing to do in my grill pan on the stove. I heat the pan, brush the sliced onions with oil, and put them in to sear gently while I'm making the rest of dinner. The key is to let them cook until they smell really good, then flip them. Too much flipping makes them fall apart, and messes up the pretty grill lines.

Warning: the smell of them cooking will attract people to the kitchen.

Roasted Root Vegetables

We had some totally cute root vegetables in the fridge this week: baby rutabagas, tiny turnips - I decided to roast them for dinner last night.

Usually I roast vegetables by tossing them in olive oil and salt and pepper and then cooking them in a covered casserole for 40 minutes or so until they're tender.

But last night I decided to roast them on a cookie sheet. This way they would get a little more browned in places, adding more texture.

And I think it was a success, even though I forgot to add the sprigs of fresh rosemary from the garden.

Here's what I did.

Roasted Root Vegetables
1 bunch baby rutabagas
1 bunch small turnips
1/2 a small butternut squash
4 shallots
4 medium red potatoes
2 large radishes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 sprigs rosemary (optional)

Remove any greens and save them for another use.

Peel the rutabagas if they're hairy. Peel and chop the larger turnips, but leave the small (1 1/2 inch) ones whole. Peel and dice the butternut squash. Peel the shallots. Scrub and dice the potatoes. Peel the radishes if the skin is thick, and dice the flesh.

Toss all the roots in a bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spread on a cookie sheet, add the rosemary if using, and cook at 450°F 35-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender when poked with a small knife. (The time will depend on the size and age of your roots.)

Serves 3-4

Gentle Collards

The other night I tried a new recipe for spicy tofu. It was marinaded in sambal oelek, a very spicy chili sauce. I was concerned it might be too hot to be pleasant, so I put some brown rice on to cook, and turned to collard greens to add the sweetness to balance the spicy tofu.

The tofu recipe needs a little tweaking - very spicy! - but the collard greens were the perfect gentle dish to calm the mouth between bites of tofu.

Collard Greens
1 bunch collard greens
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion

Cut the large stems from the collards (they are edible but take a little longer to cook and take away from the gentleness of this dish).

Wash the leaves, then stack them and cut lengthwise 3 times and then across every couple of inches. Don't dry the leaves.

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Dice the red onion, and sauté until tender. Stir in the chopped collards, making sure they get coated in oil. Cover the pot and let the collards cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes until they are soft. They won't sog down into a mass like spinach, but will retain their shape during cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 as a side dish.

Steamed Beet Greens

I've been enjoying Mark Bittman's book Leafy Greens: An A-to-Z guide to 30 types of greens plus more than 120 delicious recipes.

Unfortunately he prefers to blanch greens rather than sauté them because he finds they burn too easily in the pan. I find the occasional slight charring gives them a caramelized flavor that I enjoy, so I will stick to sautéing. Plus, I feel that blanching (boiling the greens in salted water until tender) releases too many nutrients. Unless I'm going to use the blanching water in soups, it feels like a waste.

He also mentioned steaming, however, and I had not tried that. I had a bunch of tender beet greens from Shear Rock Farms so I gave it a try.

I have a collapsible steamer that fits in a pot. I washed the greens, put an inch of water in the pot, added the steamer, and piled the greens on top. As you can see in the picture above, they did not fit very well. I managed to get the lid on, steamed for 5 minutes, and then looked in the pot. The greens had shrunk considerably, as you can see in the photo on the left. I tipped them onto a chopping board, chopped them coarsely, and tossed them with a dressing of a tablespoon olive oil and a tablespoon lemon juice.

They tasted good, cooked quickly, and left very few nutrients behind in the steaming water (I hope). The olive oil in the dressing allowed my body to absorb the nutrients in the greens. Altogether very satisfactory.

Memorial Day Cookout

We invited Tracie to join us for a cookout on Memorial Day. I wrestled the barbecue away from Larry and instead of the traditional burgers, beans and potato salad, I served up a Mediterranean-inspired lunch.

I grilled tomatoes, garlic, zucchini, onions, peppers, fennel, asparagus, mushrooms - everything I could get my hands on.

And I am proud to say that unlike most barbecued vegetables, these were not burned on the outside and raw on the inside.

Instead, they were delectably juicy and smoky.

The key to barbecuing vegetables is to boost their fat content with marinades and basting sauces. It's the fat in meat that makes it cook so well. (Compare the shoe-leather quality of  extra-lean hamburger to the juiciness of fattier meat.)

Because vegetables are naturally fat-free, they need a little help.

Also, because some vegetables are crunchy, I parboiled them ahead of time and then marinated them so they would cook quickly over high heat. (I measure heat by holding my hand 5 inches over the coals. If I can keep it there 4-6 seconds, it's medium heat. 2-3 seconds is hot - the best for getting grill marks and smokiness.)

In my experience, barbecuing does not stick to a rigid timetable. So I planned a leisurely meal with non-barbecue appetizers to sustain us while the vegetables cooked to perfection. A raw vegetable platter, some good organic mixed olives, and a piece of rosemary-olive oil infused asiago cheese eased the hunger pangs, which grew more intense as the aroma of roasting garlic wafted through the air.

The main course was grilled vegetables served as they came off the grill, a roasted tomato and white bean salad, a green salad with citrus dressing, and a fresh foccaccia (way too easy to make, could become addictive).

Everyone groaned when I brought out dessert - strawberry shortcake complete with fresh blueberries from our garden. It was great for breakfast the next day.

Here's what I barbecued and how. The basic marinade is olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. It should be oily but also tangy. Toss the vegetables in and leave for a couple of hours before cooking so they soak up some oil and flavor.

Garlic: I sprinkled a head of garlic with olive oil, then wrapped it in foil and tucked it among the flames for 15-20 minutes. When it was squishy when I squeezed it with the tongs, I passed it to Trace to peel. Hot and messy. But wow, it was great in a salad of white beans and barbecued tomatoes.

Asparagus: blanched for 3 minutes in boiling water, then plunged into ice water. Tossed in the marinade and refrigerated for a couple of hours. Barbecued for 2 minutes over high heat.

Fennel: blanched until tender, about 10 minutes, then plunged into ice water and drained. Marinated a couple of hours. Barbecued 8-10 minutes on high until soft.

Zucchini: Cut lengthwise into 2-3 pieces each. Marinated a couple of hours. Cooked 10-12 minutes on medium or high.

Portobello mushrooms: cleaned and stemmed (so they balance better on the barbecue). Marinated in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and a little dry sherry stirred into a base of olive oil. Let stand one hour before cooking. Basted while cooking 10-12 minutes on medium-high. I sliced these into wedges before serving.

Onion: Sliced crosswise in thick rings. Brushed with leftover marinade while cooking 8-10 minutes over high heat.

Tomatoes: Placed whole on the coals. Cooked about 10 minutes with the cover on. Let cool a little before peeling. They were very mushy, which was fine because I put them in a white bean salad along with the mushy roasted garlic and some fresh basil.

Peppers: Cut in half and removed cores and seeds. Brushed with marinade and cooked 6-8 minutes on high. Cut in wedges to serve.

Fingerling Potatoes

My local independent grocery store has started stocking organic fingerling potatoes.

They are our latest favorite food.

I scrub them, toss them with olive oil and salt and pepper, and roast them at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, until they are fork tender.

Fabulous.

If I want to go really wild, I sprinkle some nutty gruyere over them and put them back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

I serve them with wilted greens for a simple supper, or with fried eggs for Sunday brunch.

Purity Organics is selling these potatoes in plastic bags. Ask your produce manager to stock them. Then you can be addicted too.

Peeling Pomegranates

I really like the sweet-tart crunch of pomegranate seeds. I sprinkle them on our breakfast fruit, add them to salads, and use them as a garnish on anything that needs a little color.

The whole pomegranates last a couple of weeks in the fridge. The seeds will last a few days in a covered container.

Organic pomegranates are easy to find at this time of year. I was even given some from a friend's tree. Here is how I prepared them:


The challenge of a pomegranate is the red juice that sprays from the seeds with the slightest provocation. I've found the key to containing it is to do all the prep work under water. It doesn't alter the taste of the seeds, and it keeps my hands and clothes clean.

I first score the skin of the pomegranate with a paring knife, dividing it into quadrants.




Then I pull at the white pith, dividing the pomegranate into large pieces. The jewel-like seeds nestle in clusters and are easily pried free.




It takes a little patience, but with practice you'll be able to do this in under 5 minutes.



The small pieces of pith float on the surface. I skim them off with a small strainer, then drain the water off the seeds.



The result: a bowl of crunchy juicy seeds that will add flavor and color to any dish. Even better, they're full of heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering, cancer-fighting nutrients. Enjoy them often during their short season.

Bad risotto

I have had two bad risottos recently, both in restaurants. One had too much lemon oil added at the end, and the other was missing the finishing touch of truffle oil that would have given it flavor.

Even if the chefs had been skilled in adding their flavored oils, the risottos still would have been one-dimensional. Risotto, like most complex dishes, requires layers of flavor cooked into the food. The rice is first turned in olive oil, butter and wine, then cooked gently in a well-flavored stock. A few vegetables can be added for color and texture. I sometimes grate some parmesan or lemon rind over at the end, but that's an extra layer, not a required flavoring.

Vary the flavors in this simple technique to make Asparagus Risotto or Corn Risotto - two of my favorites.

I think the trouble with both restaurant risottos was the lack of flavor in the vegetable broth. Few restaurant chefs know how to make a good vegetable stock - the essential basis for an excellent vegetarian risotto. Instead they rely on flavoring oils and end up with at best a one-dimensional flavor, at worse something inedible.

The best vegetable stocks are made by roasting the vegetables before boiling them - just as you would roast bones when making a meat stock. Add to this some dried mushrooms, and a little soy sauce to get that umami, and you have a great stock, suitable for the best risottos, soups and stews.

I love this stock from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson, an excellent source for stews and soups that are ready and waiting when you get home from work.

Once the vegetables are roasted, the stock bubbles away without me. When it's done, I store it in 2-cup containers in the freezer, ready to make delicious meals.

The parsnips add another dimension to the stock, and I make many batches during parsnip season. However, it's a good stock even without them.

With a few containers of this great stock in the freezer, you will be ready to make delicious soups and stews to warm your evenings in the winter months ahead.

Roasted Vegetable Stock
1 large onion
2 large carrots
1 large potato
1 large parsnip (optional)
1 stalk celery
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 dried shiitake or porcini
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp tamari
7 cups water

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Remove the papery peel from the onion and slice it thickly. Scrub the carrots and potatoes and cut in 1" chunks. Peel the parsnip and cut in 1" chunks. Chop the celery in 1" lengths. Place the garlic cloves, unpeeled, on your cutting board and crush with the side of your big knife.

Place the above vegetables in a lightly oiled baking pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned, turning once, about 30 minutes total.

Meanwhile, soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup water until softened. Remove them from the water and check for dirt or grit. Pour the soaking water through a coffee filter, straining out any grit. Reserve mushrooms and soaking water.

Put the roasted vegetables in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add mushrooms and soaking water, bay leaves, peppercorns, tamari, 1 tsp salt, and water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Let cool slightly, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press the vegetables against the side of the sieve with a wooden spoon to get the most liquid possible. Discard the vegetables. The stock will be a rich golden color. Either use it right away, refrigerate it for a few days, or freeze for longer storage.

Makes about 8 cups.

Quick Dinner

The other night I prepared a quick dinner of rice and greens. The secret to the speed was the wise use of leftovers.

I keep cooked rice in the freezer for meals like this. The greens were leftovers I found in the fridge. Stirred together, they made a filling main dish.

Before I went to work, I moved the cooked rice from the freezer to the fridge to defrost. I had leftover white rice from Thai takeout, but I could have used brown rice, or any other cooked grain. The greens were leftover lacinato kale that I had cooked a couple of days earlier as an omelet filling. Any cooked green would have been fine.

At dinner time, I sautéed a chopped onion in a little olive oil in a large skillet. When it was soft, I stirred in the rice, added a little water, and let it cook, covered, until the rice was warmed through. Then I stirred in a lightly-beaten egg, some leftover greens and a little grated cheese. I covered it again and let it warm through and then seasoned with salt and pepper. I served it with steamed green beans and leftover curried kidney beans for a great meal.

Green Omelet

Spinach is a common omelet filling. Last night I used lacinato kale instead for an exceptionally healthy dinner. I served the omelet with stovetop beets and carrots, and stewed green beans and tomatoes from our garden.

I'm a fan of the complete food that is an egg. All that guff about them raising cholesterol was debunked years ago. Very little dietary cholesterol gets passed into the blood. Stress, sugar and trans fats are worse for your blood fat numbers than eggs.

Eggs are a good source of nutrients. One egg contains 6 grams of protein and some healthful unsaturated fats. Eggs are also a good source of choline (which has been linked with preserving memory) and lutein and zeaxanthin (good for the eyes).Eggs are also a good source of Vitamin D.

Surprisingly, there's only been one large study that looked at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease, and it found no connection between the two.

I'm lucky enough to be able to buy eggs laid by true free-range chickens - they live in an orchard eating bugs. I'm sure their eggs are healthier than those of factory-farmed, corn-fed chickens. Or worse, chickens being fed ground-up chicken feathers in their diet.

But if you can get good eggs, enjoy them.

I cooked the kale especially for the omelets, but I could have used leftover cooked greens instead. One bunch made enough for four omelets, so I stored the extra in the fridge to stir into cooked rice later this week.

I'm not an omelet expert, so if you have a way that works for you, use it. Or follow my instructions and remember that the worst thing that can happen is you'll wind up with scrambled eggs with the filling stirred in. How bad is that?

Omelet with a Filling of Lacinato Kale
1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 inch sprig fresh rosemary
dried chile flakes
1 small clove garlic, thinly sliced
salt to taste

Remove the stems from the kale and discard. Blanch the leaves in boiling salted water for 3 minutes until bright green. Drain and chop coarsely.

Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion, rosemary and a sprinkling of chile flakes. Cook 2 minutes then add garlic and a sprinkling of salt. When the onion is translucent and starting to color, add the kale. Cook over medium-low heat, covered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring often. The kale will turn a deep almost black color, become soft, and then almost a little crisp. If it starts to brown, add a little hot water from the kettle and scrape the browned bits off the bottom. They'll add to the flavor. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

Omelet
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter
cooked greens
1 tbsp diced mild cheese
1 tbsp diced tomato
salt and pepper to taste

Warm butter in an 8- or 9-inch omelet pan over medium heat. Lightly beat eggs with 1 tbsp water and a little salt and pepper. When the butter stops sizzling in the pan, pour in the eggs. Let the eggs sit until the bottom dries a little, then lift up an edge with a thin metal spatula and let the runny egg flow underneath. Keep going for a couple of minutes until the top is almost dry. Place the filling ingredients on one half: 1/4 of the greens, 1 tbsp diced cheese, 1 tbsp diced tomato. Fold the other half over the filling, and carefully slide the omelet onto a plate. Serves 1

Beans with Fresh Sage

When we moved into our house a few years ago, I planted a small English sage plant next to the orange tree. It has thrived, turning into a thicket that is covered in purple flower spikes every spring. The hummingbirds love it, as do the honeybees. It cascades out over our steps, creating a mass of buzzing purple for a couple of months each year.

Sage has a wonderful warm smell, and is a good base note in cooking.

Medicinally, it is antiseptic and boosts the immune system. So if you have a sore throat, pick a few leaves (or use some dried ones), pour boiling water over them, and let steep 10-15 minutes. Strain and then gargle with the warm liquid. Or drink it as a tea during cold season to boost your immune system. It's a natural estrogen promoter, so it is useful during and after menopause. And it's traditionally used by nursing mothers who want to stop their milk production after their baby is weaned.

This is an example of the many health-promoting properties that can exist in one plant -- yet another reason to eat lots of plants.

My favorite recipe using sage is this Italian one for beans. If you've been waiting for an opportunity to try cooking dried beans, this is the recipe to make the leap with. Because the beans are cooked in the sauce, they absorb the flavors and become delicious. They don't taste of sage, but it adds a depth to the flavor. If your family likes baked beans, they'll like these tomato-y ones.

This is a great Sunday-night bean dish. I cook it in the morning, and then reheat it in the evening. It's also good at room temperature on these warm summer evenings. Serve it with bread to soak up the sauce, and some wilted greens to add color and nutrients.

I use large white lima beans in this recipe, but you can use cannellini or whatever white bean you can find. Soaking the beans eliminates the need to cook them in a large pot of boiling water. Instead, the beans are cooked in a small amount of water, and you get all the nutrients as well as the flavor.

I adapted the recipe from Contorni by Susan Simon, a lovely book of Italian side dishes.

Beans with Fresh Sage
1/2 lb dried white beans
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed then peeled
6 fresh sage leaves
2 cups water
14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put the beans in a large bowl with 4 inches of water to cover. Let soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.

Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and whole sage leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes to flavor the oil. Add the drained beans and stir to coat them with the oil. Add the water, lower the heat, and simmer partially-covered for 45 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes and simmer until the beans are cooked but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes more. They will be tender and slightly saucy. Stir in the salt and serve hot, or let cool and serve at room temperature.

The finished dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated as needed.

Roasting on the Stove

I ate the most delicious roast parsnips and carrots the other day, and I didn't have to turn on the oven.

My mother made them in my cast iron fry pan on the stove.

I'll be using this technique often.

The parsnips came from Tutti Frutti at the Hollywood Farmers Market. They were the most slender parsnips I've ever seen. Mum cut them into sticks about 3 inches long and between 1/4 and 1/2 an inch wide. She cut carrots (from the Givens Farm stand) to match.

Meanwhile my cast iron fry pan was warming over low heat on the stove. She added enough olive oil to glisten the bottom and then the vegetables in one layer. She let them cook until lightly browned and then turned them and cooked them some more, for a total of 10-15 minutes, until they were fragrant. Next she added 1/2 cup water, covered the frypan with a saucepan lid, and let them steam until tender.

They were a great vegetable side dish, although I confess to having eaten many of them out of the pan before dinner was served.


There's nothing like a cast iron fry pan. This recipe won't work in non-stick -- and let's not start on the chemicals involved in the non-stick process (at least in this post). Berg Hardware in Pasadena -- corner of Altadena and Villa -- currently has a great selection of Lodge cast iron pans.

Bean Basics

Do you have bags of beans lurking in your cupboards? It’s time to take the plunge and cook them. It’s okay if they’re old. Archaeologists have successfully sprouted beans found in the pyramids. Older beans are still live, they just take longer to cook.

Start by sorting the beans, discarding any small stones. Rinse them and put them in a pot with water to cover by two inches. The beans could expand to three times their volume as they cook, so use a large pot.

While the water is coming to a boil, throw in a chopped onion and carrot, a couple of cloves of garlic, a few sprigs of fresh parsley (or thyme or rosemary), and a bay leaf. These additions are optional but flavorful. You’ll be discarding them when the beans are cooked.

Leave the pot simmering on the stove while you go about your day. Check it every hour or so, adding boiling water from the kettle as needed to keep the beans covered. I have beans from last year’s harvest that cook in under two hours. Older beans can take six hours or more.

To tell if they’re cooked, fish one out and bite it. If you are going to use the beans in a salad, they should be slightly firm (although never crunchy). For a stew they can be softer. If you’re going to purée them for a bean loaf or hummus, they should mash between your tongue and the roof of your mouth.

Once the beans are cooked, drain them and discard the vegetables and herbs. You now have the basis for many wonderful meals.

Larry and I take bean salads to work most days (along with a green salad, it’s a nutritious lunch). After draining the beans, I toss them in vinegar, season them with salt and pepper, and leave them on the counter to cool. I then toss them with a vinaigrette and add chopped vegetables for crunch. Bean salad will last at least five days in the fridge, depending on the vegetables you add.

Or leave them plain, tossed with a little dressing so they don’t dry out. They’ll last a week in the fridge, easy to add to green salads or stir into cooked greens.

You can also store cooked beans in the freezer for up to six months, ready to use in soups and stews.

I Love Greens

There was a great selection of greens at the Hollywood Farmers Market this week.

Yes there was lettuce and mesclun, but when I say greens, I mean the kind you cook.

There was black kale, purple kale and green kale, mustard greens, collard greens, arugula, green chard and rainbow chard, three kinds of spinach. There were the greens that come attached to roots: turnip greens, beet greens, kohlrabi greens.

Greens are nutritional powerhouses, and they are easy to cook and serve to even the finickiest eaters - they’re the most raved-about dish when I have friends over.

How healthy are they? There is less cancer in countries where more greens are eaten. People who eat them regularly have almost half the risk of macular degeneration. They help regulate blood pressure, and are a good source of calcium (one cup cooked collard greens contains half the RDA of calcium, one cup turnip or dandelion greens contains more calcium than a half cup skim milk) as well as other essential nutrients.

To release these beneficial compounds, greens must be cooked with some healthy fat. Historically this has been bacon. I choose olive oil.

When you’re starting to experiment with greens, use chard as a base because it’s sweet and breaks down easily. Then add a bunch of something new. If you buy greens with roots attached, cut them off and store them separately.

Wash two bunches of greens well and chop them coarsely. Sauté an onion in olive oil. When it’s soft and fragrant, add a little chopped garlic and maybe a sprinkle of dried chile flakes. Stir well and then add the greens, with water drops still clinging to them. The greens will reduce as they cook. (Larry and I can eat two bunches at a sitting.) Cover with a lid and let cook over medium-low heat. Check in a few minutes, stir well. They’re done when they’re the consistency you like. I like them soft and dark green. Taste them and add salt and pepper and maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Serve them hot or at room temperature. They’re a good side dish with any meal. They’re great with potatoes, or with a fried egg on top. Or stir them into cooked rice or pasta. (They make a great risotto.) Serve them on bruschetta topped with some shaved parmesan. The possibilities are endless.