The Celery Stalk: A Magic Wand in the Kitchen

Like Don Rickles, celery doesn't get much respect. It's cut into sticks for kids' lunchboxes or chopped into tuna salad just to add crunch. Dismissing it is a shame. A celery stalk is a magic wand.  It turns you into a kitchen wizard who performs miracles with just about anything stuck in the fridge or on the shelf. It perks up, soothes and sweetens --without adding a calorie. Plus it lasts a long time in the fridge. Best of all, it's cheap and easy to find. Little wonder Tuscan and French cooks start most of their favorite dishes by chopping and sauteing it. It's in the Holy Trinity at the heart of all that tasty Cajun food. It's a must have right now when mushrooms are popping up, a reach for when you want soulful pizazz in barley or farro. Here are eight examples of the fast magic you too can make with a stalk of celery, to convince you to keep some handy.

Pasta e Fagioli

Comfort food doesn't get more comforting than this classic, utterly simple Italian combination of beans, tomatoes and macaroni that can be either a soup or a bowl of pasta. It shows off the secret scent and sweetness of celery.

Serves 6

1 cup dried white beans  (Great Northern, Cranberry, Cannellini)**

2-3 tbsp olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pot)

1 sm yellow onion, diced

1 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

2 sm or 1 lg carrot, peeled and diced

1 lg celery stalk, diced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried sage

1 cup chopped tomatoes in their juice (canned or boxed is okay)

4 cups vegetable or beef broth

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

¾ cup tubellini, ditalini, or other very small pasta

½ cup freshly minced flat leaf parsley

Parmesan cheese for garnish

**THE INSTANT WAY TO MAKE THIS IS TO USE A CAN OF COOKED CANNELLINI BEANS

The long way: soak the beans overnight. Then drain and rinse. 

Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot. Add the black pepper, onion, carrot and celery. Sauté over medium/low heat 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Do not brown. Add rosemary, oregano and sage and stir to blend. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are hot and bubbling. Add black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the uncooked beans and broth and cook 90 minutes until beans are soft. Add the macaroni and cook another 10 minutes.

INSTANT WAY: Add the canned beans to the tomato mixture. Slowly add the broth. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Add the macaroni and cook another 12-15 minutes until it is soft and the soup is fragrant.

Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and ladle into bowls. Top with freshly grated cheese.

Braised Chicken with Celery and Mushrooms

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

2 skinless chicken leg-thigh quarters

1 skin-on chicken breast, split to yield 2 halves 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper  

3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and chopped

4 carrots, chopped

6 celery ribs, chopped, leaves reserved for garnish

1 lb fresh mushrooms, quartered or sliced

3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried

2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried leaves 

2 c chicken stock

Heat oven to 350º. Put the olive oil or butter in a roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the leg quarters with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, flesh side down. Cook, turning and rotating the pieces as necessary, until well browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove, then add the breast halves, skin side down. Brown them well, then flip and cook 1 minute or so; remove to a separate plate.

Put leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms and herbs in the same pan and cook until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

 Nestle the leg quarters among the vegetables, meaty side up (hold the breasts til later). Add enough chicken stock to come about halfway up the thighs. (The amount will depend on the breadth of your pan; add a little water if necessary.)

Put the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, checking occasionally and stirring the vegetables  if they threaten to brown too much. When the thigh meat is tender, raise the heat to 400º and lay the breast halves on the vegetables, skin side up. Continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes longer until they are done.

   
Transfer the vegetables to a platter. Slice the breasts and and separate the legs from the thighs. Garnish with reserved chopped celery leaves.

Macedonian Bean Soup with Colored Peppers

A perfect fall dish when bell peppers are at high tide in farmers' markets. 

Serves 6

1 lb dried white beans (Great Northern, Kidney, navy, cannellini)

2 med/lg carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery with leaves, diced

1 lg onion, peeled and diced

1/4 tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper

1 tsp dried sage

3½ cups vegetable broth

3 red bell peppers, roasted and peeled

2 yellow or orange bell peppers, roasted and peeled

2 tbsp red wine vinegar (Balsamic is too strong)

5-6 tbsp olive oil

18-20 pitted Kalamata olives, slivered

Salt to your taste

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pick over the beans. Soak in enough water to cover and refrigerate overnight.

  

Roast the peppers. Remove stems, skin membrane and seeds. Chop into small ¼” cubes.  Combine peppers, vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil in a glass or ceramic small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the beans. Put in a large pan, cover well with cold water and bring to a boil.

Boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.

In a large, heavy gauge soup pot, heat enough olive oil 4-5 tbsp to cover the bottom.

Add carrots, celery, onion, black pepper and sage. Sauté on low heat for 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the beans. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1½ hours until beans are tender.

Drain peppers. Add peppers and olives to the warm soup. Add salt to your taste and finally the lemon juice.

 Serve immediately.

Celery Date Salad

I've posted this before with other date recipes so now here it is with the spotlight on the crunchy celery.

8 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal. Chop the leaves too.

6 fresh dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2 c roasted almonds, halve. Whole is okay too.

1/2 sm red onion, diced

2 tsp minced fresh mint leaves

pinch red pepper flakes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 oz shaved Parmesan cheese 

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 c extra good olive oil

Combine celery and leaves, dates, almonds, onion and pepper flakes in a serving bowl. Moisten with the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese and olive oil and lastly stir in the mint leaves.

Persian Celery Stew with saffron
One of my all time favorites and my Eureka! about celery, this is in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, and I've posted it before. It's just sublime, divinely simple and absolutely perfect for that Thanksgiving turkey dinner.

Serves 6-8

1½ bunches of celery, stalks apart and cleaned

4 tbsp butter

1 lg red onion, peeled and diced

¼ tsp freshly cracked or ground black pepper

2 bunches flat leaf parsley, cleaned and chopped (at least 3 cups)

¼ tsp saffron

2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp dried crushed mint

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cut celery into 1” pieces, even leaves.

 Melt butter in a large saucepan or medium casserole. Sauté onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add black pepper and celery and continue to sauté 5 minutes.  Add half the parsley (1½ cups or one bunch), saffron and vegetable broth. Stir to blend. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes. Add remainder of parsley except for 1 tbsp. Add mint, salt and lemon juice, stirring to blend. Continue cooking for 10-12 minutes or until celery is soft.  Adjust for salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley to serve.  

 

Osso Bucco

Back to the northern Italians who just love to season with celery. 
serves 6

1 c yellow onion, finely diced
2/3 c carrots, finely diced
2/3 c celery, finely diced
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
2 strips lemon peel
1/2 c vegetable oil
4-6 sm veal shanks
3/4 c all purpose white flour
1 c dry white wine
1 1/2 c beef broth
1 1/2 c chopped Italian tomatoes with juice (boxed is fine)
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper
salt to your taste

Heat the oven to 350º. Use a heavy casserole with a tight lid large enough to hold the veal in a single layer, standing up is fine.

Melt the butter in that casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté until they are soft, 6-8 minutes. Do not brown them. Add the chopped garlic and lemon peel and remove from the heat.

Put the flour in a shallow bowl and coat each veal shank lightly on both sides, shaking as you finish.
Heat the oil in  a large skillet over medium/high heat and brown the veal on all sides. Then put it in the casserole with the vegetables, standing side by side if necessary.

Skim the fat from the oil and add the wine. Boil briskly, scraping the bottom, for 2 minutes. Pour over the veal.  Add the broth, chopped tomatoes with juice, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, pepper and salt. Make sure the veal is just covered by the broth. Bring this to a boil, cover and place in the oven for 75-90 minutes--until the veal is tender. Try to turn and baste the meat at least once, twice is better. The sauce should be thick and creamy now too. Remove the meat to a platter. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. If the sauce is not thick, put the casserole on medium high heat on the stove top and boil to the desired consistency. Pour over the veal and serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Cajun Gumbo

Most Cajun soul food starts with a stalk of celery as it's part of the Holy Trinity at the heart of crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and all the gumbos: celery, bell peppers and onion. This is one of the most authentic recipes I could find to share.

1 c vegetable oil

1 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c chopped onion

1 c chopped green bell pepper

1 c chopped red bell pepper

1 c chopped celery

3 tbsp minced garlic

3 c chopped okra

1 1/2 c dark beer

6 c seafood stock

2 tbsp file powder

2 bay leaves

2 tsps Cajun seasoning

1 (8-ounce) container crab claw meat, picked free of shells

3 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb red snapper fillets, chopped

2 (8-ounce) containers shucked oysters

1 (8-ounce) container jumbo lump crabmeat, picked free of shells

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Hot cooked rice

Garnish: chopped green onion

In an 8-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat 5 minutes; add flour, and stir together to form a roux. Cook, stirring often, until roux is the color of peanut butter, about 20 minutes.

Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and okra. Cook vegetables, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add beer, stock, file powder, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, crab claw meat, Worcestershire, salt, and cayenne. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer 1 hour.

Add shrimp, fish, oysters, and lump crabmeat to mixture. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until seafood is cooked through; add parsley.

Serve with rice, and garnish with green onion, if desired.

Mushroom Barley "risotto" with or without lamb
My version of traditional Scotch Broth.

serves 4-6

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups mushroom or vegetable broth

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lg onion, peeled and diced (red onion adds color)

1 sm green bell pepper coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 sm pasilla pepper, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks, washed and diced

2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp Szechuan peppercorns (don’t fret if you don’t have them)

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp celery seed

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp ground clove

½ tbsp butter

¼ tsp freshly or coarsely ground black pepper

½ lb mixed mushrooms (shitake, crimini, button, Portobello, oyster), cleaned

 ½ roasted red pepper, diced, or a 2 oz jar of sliced pimentos, drained

Optional: 1/2 lb lamb stew meat diced into 1" pieces

juice of a lemon

1 tsp salt

2-3 oz baby spinach leaves

Heat the oil in a medium stockpot or large heavy gauge casserole. Add onion and sauté over medium heat 3-5 minutes until it’s lightly brown and glistening. If using the lamb brown it with the onions 3 minutes.

Add the green pepper, Poblano pepper, barley, thyme, Szechuan peppercorns and oregano.  Continue sautéing for a minute, stirring so nothing sticks and the barley gets hot. Add the celery, rosemary, celery seed, cumin, clove and coriander, stirring to blend. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover the pot. Simmer one hour on low. (You don’t have to worry about overcooking this.)

Slice and chop mushrooms into large bite-sized chunks. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium low heat and when it’s bubbling add the mushrooms. Add black pepper. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat.

When the barley has been cooking for at least an hour and is starting to be soft to the teeth, add the contents of the mushroom sauté, the pimentos or roasted red pepper, and salt. Blend into the barley. Continue cooking  until the barley is tender. Add liquid if necessary to prevent burning.

Stir in the lemon juice. Put the spinach leaves on top, cover, turn off heat and let the spinach steam 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

You will also find Celery, Fennel and White Bean Soup, plus Mirepoix Soup (mirepoix is the French starter seasoning made of celery, carrots and onion) in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking.

The skinny on season's eatings

(Six more fabulous, worldly chickpea recipes coming soon!)

The days are shorter, the air is cooler and the food should be heavier. Mother Nature's hints are everywhere. Gone are water-filled berries, melons, tomatoes and cucumbers--mainstays of a proper summer diet when a sweating body needs all the moisture it can get. They've been replaced from the ground up with roots like potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, celeriac and sun chokes plus all the mushrooms sprouting in tree shaded soil. Slowly but relentlessly, these foods have been absorbing all the minerals earth can offer, all the vitamins solar energy sends to their green shoots. They're here now to fortify us for the winter to come. Ditto slow growing cabbages, leeks and parsnips which slowly release their treasury of nutrients in our bodies. Times have changed but not excitement, flavor and color from farm to table.

Say goodbye to tomatoes by slicing them, brushing the slices lightly with olive oil, sprinkling with salt and a bit of garlic and roasting them at 350º until they start to turn golden and caramelize. Enjoy them straightaway on goat cheese, a pizza, polenta, grilled fish, with farro olives and scallions as a salad or in an omelet. Or store them in the freezer for a hit of Vitamin C in mid winter.
Or turn to green tomatoes:
Green Tomato Curry

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 heaped tsp small black mustard seeds

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic

1 1/4 lbs green tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ground coriander 

1 tsp ground cumin

1-2 tsp red chilli powder – more as you wish

Handful fresh cilantro – chopped

Thinly slice the onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes into 1" chunks.

Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan that you might stir fry in.

When the oil is hot add the mustard and cumin seeds, Stir for a minute with a fork (not wooden spoon as this will absorb the spices you are about to add.) Add the tomatoes and the rest of the spices, Stir until all the spices are well combined.  Keep tossing the onions and tomatoes with the fork a few minutes, If anything sticks, add a little more oil or water. Do not overcook.  The onions should not go totally limp but have a bite and the tomatoes should keep their shape.

Pour into a bowl, top with the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.  This dish does not keep well so try not to have leftovers.

Make salads sturdier:

Fennel Orzo Salad
This is an oldie that's always in style this time of year.

Serves 4-6 depending on how much you like it.

2 fennel bulbs, cleaned and chopped, greens too

1 2/3 cups orzo (about ½ lb)

3 seedless mandarins, or clementines, peeled and pulled apart

1 lemon

½ lime

16-20 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

salt to your taste

Put a few of the fennel fronts aside to chop for garnish.

 Cook the orzo according to package instructions, until just al dente.

 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet and sauté the chopped fennel 4-5 minutes. Midway, add the garlic and blend.  Pour the contents of the skillet into a salad bowl.

Add the mandarins and prunes and blend.

Remove the zest from half the lemon and dice it. Add to the salad.

Juice the lemon and lime, mix and add to the salad.

 Drain the orzo. Salt them to your taste. Add to the salad

Stir to blend everything. Chop the reserved fennel fronds and top the salad.

Refrigerate an hour before serving.

Kale Celeriac Salad with Walnuts
This recipe from Ottolenghi with candied walnuts serves up to 6.

½ or less lb Tuscan kale, thick stalks removed and discarded, leaves cut into thick slices
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly crushed with the flat of a knife
Finely shaved peel of 1 lemon, plus 2½ tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
½ large celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated
1 tbsp parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4c pomegranate seeds (about ½ from a medium pomegranate)
1/4 c maple syrup
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 c walnut halves, lightly toasted

Start with the walnuts. Put the syrup and sugar in a small, heavy saucepan on a medium heat. Stir in a tablespoon of water, then leave to bubble gently 5 minutes, not stirring, until the mixture is golden brown, foamy and bubbly-- the hard ball sugar stage. Quickly stir in the nuts, then pour everything onto a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper and let it harden into brittle. When it has, roughly chop and set aside. 

Mix the kale, garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice and ¼ tsp salt in a medium bowl, massaging it all together until the kale turns a bright, dark green and begins to soften and look cooked rather than raw. Set aside for 10 minutes, for the flavors to meld.

Pick out and discard the garlic and lemon peel from the salad mix, then add the celeriac, parsley, vinegar, oil, 1/8 tsp salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a platter or individual plates. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds and the walnut brittle to serve.

Turn up the heat with slow cooking.

Tashkent Beef and Cabbage Soup 
serves 8-10 (half it if you prefer)

2 lbs beef brisket
9 cups water (2 qts plus 1 cup) or half beef broth/half water
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lg onion, peeled and diced
1/2 med green head cabbage, shredded
1 can/box (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes with juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
10 prunes (dried plums), pitted
1/4 c golden raisins
salt to your taste but you may need a lot
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
To serve: sour cream

Remove excess fat from the brisket and put it in a large cast iron pot of Dutch oven. Add the water/broth, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and cook 30 minutes. Skim off foam and impurities.

In a med/lg sauté pan melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté over medium/low heat until it's soft, 3-5 min. Add the cabbage and continue to sauté another 5 min. Add half the tomatoes with their juice. Continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the cabbage mixture into the beef pot and add the remaining tomatoes. Stir in the tomato paste, prunes, raisins, salt, lemon juice, brown sugar, honey and 1 tbsp of the dill. Bring the soup to a boil, drop heat to low, cover the pot partially and simmer 60-90 minutes until the meat is very tender and ready to fall apart. Remove the brisket from the pot and cut it into small cubes or shred it, whichever is easier. Put it back into the pot and heat the soup through.

To serve: add the remaining tbsp of dill and put a bowl of sour cream on the table for people to dab on top.

Go back to your roots. Every year this time I post great simple recipes that make them tastier than you imagine so scroll down to find root vegetable stew or potpie, potato-rutabage gratin, rutabaga timbales, potato tart, carrot soup and more.  For now here's Ottolenghi on parsnips:
Parsnip Gratin with Apples

1½-3/4 lb parsnips, peeled
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 tbsp butter
125ml double cream
125ml creme fraiche
200ml whole milk
6 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
75g ground almonds
1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive (or rapeseed) oil, to drizzle

For the aioli
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1 c mild olive oil

Heat the oven 400º. Thinly as possible slice 2/3 of the peeled parsnip (use a mandoline, if you have one) and coarsely grate the rest. Rub both cut sides of the garlic around a medium-sized baking dish, then smear it all over with the butter. Arrange the parsnip slices in rows over the base of the dish, overlapping slightly. Once you’ve used up all the slices, scatter the grated parsnip on top.

In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream, creme fraiche, milk and thyme leaves, then season with 1 tsp salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Pour this over the parsnips, making sure they’re just submerged. Sprinkle the ground almonds over the top. Drizzle with oil, cover the dish with foil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, lower the oven to 350º and bake another 30 minutes until the cream has been absorbed, the top is golden and the parsnips are tender.

While the parsnips are roasting, put the apple chunks in a small pan, cover with water and cook on a medium heat 8 minutes, until they are soft. Drain and transfer to a food processor with the garlic and vinegar, and puree. With the motor still running, add the oil a drop at a time, until you’ve added about 1/3, then increase pouring speed to a trickle, then a slow, steady stream, until all the oil is in the mix. Season generously to taste and serve in a bowl alongside the gratin.

Next time: Get out the grains! Way to go barley, farro, freekah, short grain rice and more.

Part 5: Chickpeas, the little black dress of the kitchen

There's no end to the worldly joys a can of chickpeas offers any time of year. Here are six to celebrate autumn. Coming soon in Part 6: Chickpea chaat, Arroz al horno, Moroccan Harira (lentil, beef and chickpea stew), Roman pasta with chickpeas and more! There's always more!

Catalan Braised Chickpeas with Almonds, Garlic and Tomatoes

serves 4
2 cans of chickpeas, washed and drained
6 tbsp olive oil
1 sm garlic clove, mashed and minced
1 sm yellow or white onion, diced
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and chopped (you can used boxed)
1/4 c vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
2 oz blanched almonds (1/8 lb)

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and fry the onion until it's soft. Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley, the minced garlic clove and tomatoes. Simmer, crushing the tomatoes with the back of the spoon, until you have what looks like sauce. Add veg broth and chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes.

While that's happening, grind the almonds, pine nuts and garlic into a "pesto" which in this recipe is called "picada."  Stir it into the chickpeas and simmer another 10 minutes. Add a tbsp of veg broth if it looks too dry. Stir in the final tbsp parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve with bread and cheeses.

Kale Chickpea Soup

A Tuscan (Italian) favorite

Serves 4-6

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp fennel seeds

1-2 tsp chili flakes

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 c chopped tomatoes (fresh or boxed)

Zest of ½ lemon

2 c cooked/canned chickpeas (drained weight)

1 1/4 lbs kale, shredded

1/4 c orzo pasta (or other small pasta shape)

4 c vegetable/chicken broth

Salt and black pepper

 To serve

Lemon zest

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the fennel seeds, chili flakes, garlic and ginger. Cook gently a few minutes until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and the lemon zest and continue to cook until tomatoes have softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, kale and orzo, stirring to blend. Pour in the broth. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook until the kale and orzo are soft. Check for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper to taste.

To serve, sprinkle with fresh lemon zest and drizzle with olive oil.

Asian Stir-fry Chickpeas

4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 c vegetable oil (canola, corn, sunflower, peanut,)
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp soy or Tamari sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 bunches gai lan (this is Chinese broccoli green), cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha
juice of 2 limes
1/4 c peanuts (ground)
1/2 c coconut water
1 red chili, minced

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and stir-fry garlic 2 minutes. Add chickpeas, soy sauce and sugar. Continue to stir-fry until there's no liquid in the pot. Add the gai lan, chili sauce, Sriracha, lime juice, fish sauce, coconut water and minced chili. Stir-fry another 2 minutes just to heat everything evenly.

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin and Chickpea Soup
from Yotam Ottolengthi

Serves 6

1 small pumpkin or butternut squash, cut in half, seeds removed, peeled and flesh cut into bite-size pieces

¼ c olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2-3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cardamom
2½ tbsp harissa paste
½ tsp rose water
4 c vegetable or chicken stock
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
7 dried apricots, thinly sliced
1½ small preserved lemons, cut in half, the flesh discarded and the skin roughly chopped or zest of two lemons
1 tbsp cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 c Greek yogurt

Heat the oven to 425º. Mix the pumpkin with two tbsp of oil, ¼ tsp salt and black pepper. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast 25 minutes, until golden-brown and soft. Set aside.

Put 2 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the shallots for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until they are soft and caramelized. Add half the garlic, half the cumin, all the cardamom, a teaspoon of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Fry 2 minutes, then stir in the harissa, rose water, stock, half the chickpeas, the apricots and the preserved lemon skin. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the roasted pumpkin. Cover to keep warm.

Put two tbsp. oil in a medium frying pan on a high heat and, once hot, add the remaining chickpeas, garlic and cumin, ¼ tsp salt and lots more pepper. Fry 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing some of the chickpeas until they are browned and crisp.

Warm the soup through and divide between six bowls. Sprinkle with the chickpea mix, scatter over some cilantro, spoon over the yogurt and serve.

Moroccan style Rice and Chickpea Salad with all kinds of dried fruits
 serves at least 4
1 c rice
1/4 c raisins
2 tbsp currants
3 tbsp brown lentils
1 tbsp split peas
8 dried apricots, chopped
2/3 c cooked chickpeas, drained
4 scallions. chopped
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 c whole roasted almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
For the dressing:
3 tbsp orange juice
1/4 c olive oil
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp orange flower water
1/4 tsp orange rind

Cook the rice with the raisins, currants, brown lentils and split peas. When it's done, drain excess liquid. Stir in the apricots, chickpeas, scallions, spinach, almonds, salt and pepper to your taste.
Make the dressing by whisking together all ingredients. Pour over the salad. Garnish with cilantro leaves

Uzbek Meat and Chickpea Soup (Mokbora)

1 tbsp veg oil
1/2 lb stewing beef or lamb cut into tiny cubes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 sm onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced into half-moon rings
3 med carrots, diced
1 1/2 c crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 cups beef broth or water
salt and pepper to your taste
2 med potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces
1 c cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

In a heavy gauge casserole pot or Dutch oven, heat oil until it's very hot. Brown the meat on all sides over med/high heat. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle the cumin over the meat and add the onions and carrots, stirring to blend. Cook until these vegetables start to soften, maybe 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, blending. Cook over medium/low heat 5 minutes.  Add the water/broth, raise heat to bring it to a boil, then lower heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and chickpeas. Simmer another 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings. Add the parsley and cilantro to serve. Have good flatbread ready!

Time to fix those leeks

Back in the 1980s, as I reached over and pulled a leek from the supermarket pile, a little old thin haired lady screwed her face up and shrieked: "What the devil is that nasty thing!?!"  Leeks were exotic in still meat and potatoes America back then even though for centuries they'd been the kitchen mainstay on the British Isles. The history of what we call Great Britain is so entwined with leeks that a stalk is the ancient symbol of Wales, cockaleekie soup arguably the most famed traditional Scottish dish because people don't gag hearing about it as they do for haggis. An enterprising New England scholar wrote an entire book on the hidden influence of leeks on our lives. Did you know our word garlic comes from the early British word to describe that unfamiliar bulb familiarly as garleek? The other people who love leeks are French; they call them poireau and made them the centerpiece of their widely known and beloved Vichyoisse: leek and potato soup. I've posted the recipe in earlier years. This year's batch of recipes is all new so if you want more go back to September 2016.

And you do want to eat your leeks. These sophisticated sweet cousins of pungent onion and chive, leeks share many of the Allium family’s magical medicinal qualities. They are excellent caretakers of the cardiovascular system and help reduce the minor chronic inflammation that leads to rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. They contain iron. Best of all they bring a graceful almost ethereal sweetness to eggs, mushrooms, pork and vegetable soup.

SORRY THIS POST IS SHORT ON PHOTOS.

Chicken or Pork Cutlets with creamy leek sauce
serves 4

4 pork fillets or chicken cutlets, flattened with a rolling pin
1 egg, beaten in a bowl
1/2 c panko or matzah meal or breadcrumbs (the first two are lighter)
2 med leeks, washed
4 tbsp butter
5 tbsp olive oil
3 gherkin pickles, sliced into disks
1/2 c heavy cream
1 tbsp green peppercorns
1 tbsp salty brine from peppercorns or capers

Dip the pork or chicken cutlets into the beaten egg, then roll in the crumbs and be sure they are well coated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large shallow frying pan, over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 3 tbsp olive oil. Using tongs, put the cutlets in the pan and let them fry 3-4 minutes or until the crumbs are golden, then flip them and cook the other side. Keep the heat low enough so the crumbs don't burn and the meat has time to cook.  Drain on paper towels.

Halve the leeks lengthwise, then halve the halves and dice the leeks. In a saute´ pan, over low heat, melt 2 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the leeks and sauté stirring regularly about 5 minutes or until they have softened. Don't brown them. Add the gherkins, green peppercorns, cream and brine. Stir to blend and heat on low just until the sauce is warm. Serve over the cutlets.

Leek and Cauliflower Soup
serves 4
3 med leeks, washed
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 2 lb cauliflower, leaves removed
4 c vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1 sprig of fresh
Sea salt to your taste
1/3 c shredded gruyere cheese
2 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
handful fresh arugula

Remove the coarse green leaves from the leeks and chop them. In a soup pot or deep pan, over medium heat melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the leeks, cover the pan and cook over med/low about 5 minutes or until the leeks are soft. Don't brown them. Slice up the cauliflower and add to the pot, stirring to blend. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, add bay leaves, thyme and salt. Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked (soft).

Blitz half the soup in a blender, add parsley to the other half and then slightly blitz it too so you get a chunky soup. Put it back in the pot, stir in the cheese and heat just until the cheese melts. Top with arugula and serve with garlic croutons.

Ham and Leek Fritatta with Dill
Lovely summer into fall flavors here
serves 4

1 lg leek, cleaned and sliced into thin rings
3 tbsp butter
1/2 c (1/4 lb) baked ham diced into bite sized pieces
6 jumbo or extra large fresh eggs
1/4 c milk
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp pimentos (these are roasted red peppers so if you have your own just mince)
Sea salt to your taste and lots of freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 c shredded gruyere or mozzarella cheese

 Preheat the oven to 400º.
In a large ovenproof frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, stirring to break them up and sauté until they're soft, maybe 4-5 minutes. Do not brown them! Add the ham and continue cooking another 5 minutes on med/low heat.

Meanwhile break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the milk, red pepper flakes, salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste. Whisk so the mixture is light and fluffy. Pour it into the pan, turning the pan so it spreads evenly. As the bottom starts to solidfy, add the pimentos. Turn the pan again so the uncooked egg oozes to the sides and underneath. Add the fresh dill. Cook until the only runny egg is in the center of the top, maybe a circle 3-4" in diameter.  Put the cheese into the runny egg and put the pan into the oven for 8-10 minutes until the fritatta has browned on top and set firmly. It should puff a bit too. Cut in wedges to serve.

Cockaleekie Soup
This meal in a bowl is the famous age-old Scottish dish, traditionally made to dress up a tough old bird. It features all the trappings of the land: chicken barley, leeks and dried fruit. The prunes (dried plums) add a rich sweetness.
serves 6

1 tbsp veg oil
1 med chicken, in pieces
3/4 lb smoked slab bacon, cut into small chunks
2 carrots, peeled
2 celery stalks
2 leeks, washed and cut into thick disks
1 tbsp white wine
2 bay leaves
5 thyme sprigs or 1 tbsp dried thyme
16 pitted prunes
1/3 c pearled barley
Salt and pepper to your taste

In a large heavy soup or sauce pan, heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) until golden brown on all sides.(it will cook more later.) Remove from the pan and add the bacon, carrots, celery and the tougher tops of the leeks. Sauté until it all starts to brown, 5 minutes or so. Pour off excess fat. Add the wine to degrease and boil rapidly, scraping the pan bottom. Put the chicken pieces back in with thyme and bay leaves. Cover everything with cold water, slowly bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook 40 minutes until the chicken is very tender. Remove the chicken from the pan and cool. Strain the soup into a clean pot, discarding everything but the carrot and celery. Cool and skim off any appearing fat.

Pull the meat off the chicken bones and add it to the clear broth.  Chop the cooked carrot and celery and add. Add the leeks, prunes and barley with 1/2 c hot water and simmer for 25 minutes, adding water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

 Asian Fried Chicken with Leeks
This is essentially a small plate/appetizer for 4.

2 lg boneless chicken thighs
½ tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp sake
Rice flour

peanut oil for deep frying

for the leek sauce:

½ c soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sake
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1 leek, chopped
½ tbsp vegetable oil
1 red chili, chopped

optional for serving: shredded lettuce

Pierce the chicken all over with a fork so it will absorb the seasoning. Mix the soy sauce with the sake and pour this over the chicken, making sure it seeps into the meat. Set aside while you prepare the leek sauce.

Combine the soy, vinegar, sake and sugar in a bowl. In a small sauté pan, heat the oil and lightly sauté the chopped leek until it’s soft. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and chopped red chili. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Coat the chicken with the rice flour, then deep-fry in peanut oil. For crispier chicken, raise it out of the oil from time to time. When fried to a golden brown, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Serve dressed with the leek sauce and optionally shredded lettuce.

Leek Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

¼ cup olive oil

3 lg. garlic cloves, peeled and minced

8 Brussels sprouts, washed and quartered, put in the lemon juice until ready to use

1 lg. leek, washed and diced

24 baby Shitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1 tbsp. dried sage

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cracked black pepper

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes or ground cayenne if you like it spicy

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp. butter

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

1 qt. mushroom broth (it comes in a box at the supermarket)

2- 2 ½  cups vegetable broth or boiling water

¼ cup dry white wine

A small wedge of Parmesan cheese to grate for garnish

One lemon cut in wedges for garnish

½ cup chopped flat leaf Italian parsley for garnish

Bring the mushroom and vegetable broth or water to a boil in a large saucepan and keep it simmering as you work.  You can combine the broths, no problem.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium or small sauté pan. Toss in the mushroom caps and stems with a pinch of the sage and the sunflower seeds and brown to glistening. Turn off the heat. Stir in a pinch of salt.

In a medium or large heavy gauge casserole or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, black pepper, celery seed, thyme, cumin, coriander, oregano and ½ the sage and stir to blend, flavoring the oil. Add the leeks and stir-fry until they are soft and translucent, five minutes at most. Add the rice, half the Brussels sprouts and all red pepper flakes or cayenne. Stir to coat the rice and sprouts with all the flavors in the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary to keep the rice from sticking and continue stirring until the rice is hot, maybe three minutes.

Pour in the wine, stirring vigorously. Pour in one cup of the hot broth, and continue stirring vigorously to be sure it gets under the rice and sprouts.

As the liquid gets absorbed but you still see a little left, add more broth, one cup at a time, continually stirring. After the third cup, toss in the remaining Brussels sprouts. After the fifth cup add the lemon juice and remaining sage. Add the mushrooms and sunflower seeds by turning the entire contents of the sauté pan into the risotto. Continue stirring.

Add the salt with the sixth cup.  As the liquid evaporates, taste to see if the rice is soft and creamy yet and if the seasonings are to your taste. Adjust seasonings, especially salt, pepper and sage.  If more liquid is needed to finish the rice to a creamy texture, add another ½ cup of broth or water, still stirring.  Cook until the liquid has evaporated and turn off the heat. The rice should have an earthy color and soft consistency.  The cooking time to get here is around 45 minutes.

Let the risotto sit on the stove and steam to a finish for a few minutes.  Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmesan or any dry and salty cheese, lemon wedges and chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley.