Summer flavors blend to make perfect sauces. You can play with any combination. We combined tomato, nuts, extra virgin oil with basil, garlic and cheese! Perfect on pasta or spiraled veggies. Cold or heat. Tastes great as leftovers too or as a dip with crudités.
Switch up the herbs and nuts, have fun with the fresh flavors!
Perfect garlic scape pesto uses the bud of the garlic plant before it flowers. Easy to make and fresh tasting with no added herbs because the garlic scape is the greens!
1 cup garlic scapes, sliced crosswise (about 10 to 12 scapes)
¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or any nut)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper
lemon juice to taste
Purée in food processor and enjoy on pasta or chips, spiralized veggies
This recipe is less sweet than the pickled onions at Panera but close thanks to Bobby Flay and making them on Rachel Ray show. Add more sugar and this will be mock Panera Bread pickled onions. YUM.
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar (use more if you want a sweeter pickled onion)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
Directions: Slice onions thinly and place in a container or mason jar. Add vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a saucepan. Bring to boil. Let cool for 10 minutes off heat. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions and refrigerate for anywhere from 4 hours to 2 days before serving.
TIP: If the pickled onions are not sweet enough, sprinkle a little sugar on them on your plate and next go-around add more sugar (or try honey) in the pickling solution.
SERVING IDEA: Use as a topping for cooked chicken, or a turkey sandwich as we did recently. Also a great addition to homemade onion dip.
Once you peel and slice the onions they slowly sweat in the slow cooker releasing fluid (since they are about 75% water), then they caramelize and brown. The final step is important when the cooking continues with the slow cooker uncovered. Outcome is simply heavenly.
Ingredients:
1 lb Yellow Onions (sliced 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch)
1 lb Spanish Onions (sliced 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch)
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Salt (or to taste)
You have a lot of onions at home – what do you do?
Step 1: Peel and slice onions, toss with oil and salt.
Step 2: Cook on low in covered slow cooker for 8-10 hours (or at 190F in the oven), then cook for an additional 1-3 hours uncovered to reduce the liquid released by the onions. If you want it more like Onion Jam cook longer.
TIP: You can create a quick caramelized onions by sauteing sliced onions with a little baking soda. This does work but creates a softer, mushier texture which is good to mix into dips.
Ingredients:
3 Tomatillos
1 Jalapeno
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 serranno chili pepper
1 red chili pepper
olive oil
bunch of cilantro
lime
Step 1 – toss vegetables with olive oil and roast in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes 
Step 2 – Blend roasted vegetables with cilantro and juice from the lime in blender.
Store salsa and use as dip for chips, add to tacos, taco salads, or enchiladas
So Many Ways to Freeze Herbs
…okay, 5
Did you know you can freeze herbs in oil, butter, water, chopped with no liquid? Yes you can! Everyone’s heard of the tried and true method of
freezing herbs in water in an ice cube tray, but in oil? Fantastic. Here are several methods for you to try and enjoy – some are best used within 2 months for best flavor, and other 3 to 12 months and just so you are prepared, the colors will darken when you freeze herbs.
And now for some recipes –
Chimichurri Sauce with Cool Mint Cucumber Water or Icy Mint Green Tea
The Argentinians do it with parsley, other Latin American countries do it with cilantro – your biggest question about this crowd-pleasing Chimichurri Sauce might be which herb to try first… fresh parsley, a combo of parsley with mint, add oregano or cilantro? Or kick it up a notch with extra lemon juice, more garlic, or a smidgeon of red pepper flakes? Serve on grilled steak, chicken, fish, lobster, shrimp, scrambled or on top of eggs, as a marinade, even as part of an open-faced grilled provolone cheese baguette! The combinations are endless – let us know your favorites.
With summer’s abundant fresh tomato and cucumber crops only months away, I plan on mixing it in lightly to make a veggie salad. Don’t even start me dreaming about a just-picked zucchini supply … hello sunshine and zippy spiralized zucchini noodles ala chimichurri!
Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped parsley (or parsley/mint, cilantro)
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or cilantro or mint leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
3/4 cup favorite oil (or olive oil)
3-4 tablespoons red or sherry wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice (or add more to taste)
Directions:
Two methods – hand whisk to combine OR put all ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse until well chopped, semi-smooth but not pureed. Mix in foods, toss on veggies, spoon on meats, top cheese sandwiches, no limit to the great combinations of flavors. Please cover and chill for 3-6 hours or overnight.
Be Cool with Mint Cucumber Water
Sip some Mint Cucumber Water all day long, you will love this light flavor. Mix it up and try some other herbs, or throw in lemon slices, or a slice of fresh ginger for variety, sweeten if desired. Put it in your filtered water pitcher and flavor a big batch or add just to your glass. Eat the herbs or strain them out, any which way you make this combination, you will love it! Combine ingredients, let rest 15 minutes, serve and enjoy.
Fun of this recipe is that you can vary amount of mint from lighter taste to stronger one. Add juice of half a lemon or lime for some added zip.
Ingredients:
1/3 cups fresh mint leaves (rough chopped, or mashed, for a lighter mint flavor use 5 mint leaves)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
1 to 2 quarts to 1 gallon of water (depending on strength desired)
Icy Mint Green Tea
Serve this hot or iced, or kick it up a notch with some added Sake if you want to sit on your home porch and enjoy the evening, no driving allowed!
Ingredients:
3 green tea bags, or 3 bags green jasmine tea (or 2 tsp loose tea for each 8 ounces)
1 quart boiling water
1/4 cup sugar, or 2 tablespoons honey, or stevia to taste
1 bunch fresh mint leaves, washed (about 1/2)
2 cups cold water
1/2 lemon (sliced)
Make the tea first by mixing boiling water and tea, let steep 10 minutes. Combine tea with rest of ingredients except cold water in a pitcher mixing well until sweetener is dissolved, then add in cold water and mix again. Refrigerate and enjoy. If you want to try cold water method, try combining and letting steep in refrigerator for 3 to 8 hours.
Responsible Adult-Alcoholic version: Substitute some Sake for some of the cold water. Best enjoyed on a porch watching sunset, but not if you plan on driving!
Type of dish: Breakfast, Condiment, Dessert, Side Dish
4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Condiment, Salad, Side Dish
For salad
8 firm-ripe Bosc pears (4 lb), peeled, cored, and each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head chicory
1 small head escarole
1 small head radicchio
1 bunch watercress, coarse stems discarded
1 bunch mizuna, coarse stems discarded
1 small head romaine
For dressing
1 Tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Roast pears and make salad:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss pears with oil and spread in 1 layer in a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan, then season with salt and pepper. Roast pears, stirring and turning over twice, until pears are tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 30 minutes, then cool about 15 minutes.
While pears are roasting and cooling, tear enough tender chicory and escarole leaves (discard ribs) into bite-size pieces to measure 6 cups total. Tear enough radicchio, watercress, mizuna, and romaine into bite-size pieces to measure 10 cups total. Toss torn greens in a large bowl and reserve remaining greens for another use.
Make dressing and toss salad:
Whisk together shallot, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
Just before serving, add roasted pears and dressing to greens and toss to combine well.
Salad greens can be washed and dried 1 day ahead, then chilled, wrapped in paper towels, in a sealed plastic bag.
Pears can be roasted 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Condiment, Salad, Side Dish
My kids will ask if I’m pickling beets every time they see beets in the house, and will fight to be the first to get a taste. They absolutely love pickled beets!
1 pound fresh small beets, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon pickling salt
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
Place beets in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes depending on the size of the beets. If beets are large, cut them into quarters. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the beet water, cool and peel. If you’d like, you can slice the beets at this point (which I often do).
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Pour the hot brine over the beets.
For canning: Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Fill each jar with beets, pouring brine over beets in jars.
Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm
Type of dish: Condiment, Main Dish, Side Dish
2 cups packed arugula leaves, stems removed
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced
Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.
Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.
Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, walnuts or pine nuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.
Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.
Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice. You may need to add a little bit of water or more olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta.
Makes enough pesto sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four people.
Recipe courtesy of Gazy Brothers Farm