Creamy Celeriac Soup

I was recently able to visit my friends who run Six River Farm in Maine, where spring is just beginning and a few roadside banks of melting snow remained. Though they are able to sell produce year round, the selection is more limited than their summer and fall abundance as the outdoor growing season is just getting started. However, I was able to bring home greens including spring mix, spinach, cabbage and kale and root vegetables including carrots, potatoes and one of my favorites, celeriac. I have featured celeriac before, purée with carrots and I continue to cook with this often-overlooked root vegetable. Roasting the celeriac for the soup creates a rich and well-balanced flavor, allowing few ingredients to be used for a simple creamy soup, especially delicious with an arugula and orange or beet and goat cheese salad.

For a vegan alternative, olive oil and water may be used in place of butter and cream.

2 medium celeriac roots, peeled and roughly chopped into 2" pieces

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 c water

¼ c cream

salt and pepper

olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the celeriac with enough olive oil to coat, toss and spread on a roasting sheet. Place the celeriac in the oven and roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Once the celeriac is golden brown and tender, remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Continue sautéing, adding the roasted celeriac and water, cover the soup and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove the soup from heat and cool slightly before blending.

3. Place the soup in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add cream and continue blending, adding small amounts of water as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Caramelized Fennel

I have always loved the flavors of licorice and anise and so it should be no surprise, though the flavors are different, fennel is a particularly appealing vegetable to me and tends to be slightly under utilized in the American kitchen. Fennel, along with coriander, parsley, dill and carrot, is a member of the Umbellifereae family and native to southern Europe where it has been cultivated for medicinal and culinary purposes for thousands of years and continues to be a mainstay of Italian, French and Mediterranean cooking. Along with most vegetables, fennel provides a great amount of nutrition including Vitamin C, phytonutrients and fiber. The bulb, stalk and fronds of fennel, generally sold together, are all delightfully edible and can be eaten together or separately, raw or cooked, depending upon your culinary preference. Caramelized fennel is delicious along side orange pecan kale and feta roast potatoes.

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced into thin wedges

½ c fennel fronds, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss fennel bulbs with olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread evenly in a baking dish and place in the oven. Roast fennel until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and sticking.

2. Remove fennel from oven and toss with chopped fennel fronds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. Serves 3-4

Garlic and Oregano Green Beans

A member of the mint family widely used in both the medicinal and culinary world, oregano, from the Italian origano, is native to Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Like many other herbs, the flavor of oregano, found in the aromatic oils, depends upon the conditions under which it is grown. Most commonly, oregano is associated with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Latin American cuisines and was likely brought to popularity in the states by soldiers returning from Italy during World War II. Although dried oregano can be very flavorful, I prefer fresh herbs and so prefer to cook with fresh oregano. Due to the strong aromatic oils it possesses, small quantities of oregano can be sufficient to impart abundant flavor in a given dish. Because the fresh leaves are delicate, allowing them to roast for a short period of time retains their flavor and prevents them from burning. Garlic and oregano green beans are delicious with wheat berry salad and celeriac purée.

1 lb green beans, trimmed

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves

1 lemon, halved

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss the green beans with olive oil and salt and pepper, spread them on a baking sheet and arrange the garlic on top. Place the green beans in the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes, until beans are just tender.

2. Sprinkle the oregano on the green beans and return to oven for 1-2 more minutes or until oregano is wilted. Remove the beans from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Chop the roasted garlic and fold into the green beans. Squeeze lemon juice on beans just before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve green beans warm.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Cauliflower

Sometimes it seems cauliflower is relegated to being overcooked and covered with thick sauces, neither of which seem to truly compliment the vegetable itself. Cauliflower, another member of the cruciferous family and so an ancestor of wild cabbage from Asia, widely cultivated in the Mediterranean thousands of years ago, popular in 16th century Europe and now commonly eaten around the world. Cauliflower, like other cruciferous vegetables, is high in nutritional value related to the antioxidant, detoxification and anti-inflammatory systems of the human body and comes in a variety of colors other than the typical white including orange, green and purple. Lightly roasting cauliflower brings out its delicious flavor while slightly maintaining its nice crunch. Roasted cauliflower goes very well with pumpkin purée or warm lentil salad.

1 head cauliflower, florets trimmed from stem

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread cauliflower evenly on a baking sheet.

2. Place cauliflower in oven and bake until tender, 8-12 minutes, stir occasionally to cook evenly and prevent overcooking. Remove cauliflower from oven and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve cauliflower warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Eggplants with Tomatoes and Feta

Eggplant, native to India, is an edible fruit, truly a berry, in the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and potatoes. Eggplants are presently cultivated and consumed throughout the world and grow in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors. The seeds of eggplant tend to be bitter due to the nicotine, an alkaloid found in the nightshade family, contained within them, making eggplants the most nicotine rich edible fruit humans consume. Roasting eggplants creates an especially rich and earthy flavor and they taste great served at any temperature. Roasted eggplants with tomatoes and feta are delicious pared with socca, braised lentils and tangerine beet salad.

Any variety of eggplant may be used with minor adjustments for size and shape.

6 small Japanese eggplant, trimmed and quartered lengthwise

½ tomato, finely diced

¼ red bell pepper, trimmed and finely diced

¼ onion, trimmed and finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

½ c feta

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp rosemary, stem removed and finely chopped

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread eggplant on a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place eggplant in the oven and roast until tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine feta, tomato, bell pepper, onion, garlic, herbs and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve roasted eggplant on a bed of greens and top with tomatoes and feta. Serve eggplant warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Okra

Okra, also referred to as lady's fingers or gumbo, is the seedpod of a flowering plant in the mallow family from the old world. Popular in Asian and African cuisines, okra made its way to the Americas on slave ships from Africa during the 17th century and has since been a staple of Southern cuisine. Mucilage, produced by most plants and microorganisms, is the mucus surrounding the seeds within the okra pod, which becomes especially thick with cooking. Different methods of cooking can be used to reduce the thickness of the mucus including leaving pods whole, using acidic ingredients, cooking quickly and roasting, which is a deliciously simple way to prepare okra. Roast okra can be eaten with hummus and baba ghanoush or served along side braised pork or chicken and of course collard greens.

½ lb okra

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss okra with olive oil until well coated.

2. Spread okra out on a large baking sheet and place in oven. Roast until tender and golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

3. Once tender, remove okra from oven and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve roast okra warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Baba Ghanoush

Though a nightshade and closely related to tomatoes and potatoes, eggplants originated in the Old World instead of the New and were likely first cultivated in southern and eastern Asia. Eggplants are the main ingredient in baba ghanoush, one of many different names for an eggplant salad or spread popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean and similar to hummus. Generally the eggplant used in baba ghanoush is roasted or broiled, giving the soft flesh a rich smoky flavor that combines well when further mixed with lemon, tahini and garlic. Although most commonly served with pita bread, I like to baba ghanoush with tortillas and socca too.

Roasted garlic adds rich depth to the baba ghanoush; raw garlic may be used instead for a fresher flavor.

1 medium eggplant, halved

½ lemon, juiced

1 clove garlic, roasted

¼ c tahini

¼ c parsley

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling eggplant.

water

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place eggplant halves on a baking sheet, skin side down, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast eggplant until soft and golden brown, 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Once eggplant has cooled, scoop seeds and pulp from skin and place in a food processor.

2. Add garlic, parsley, tahini, lemon and olive oil to food processor. Thoroughly combine ingredients into a thick paste. Slowly add water while continuing to process ingredients until desired consistency has been reached.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes about 2 cups

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Asparagus is a beautiful spring vegetable, a wonderful ingredient for late May. Native to the old world, asparagus has been cultivated with the young shoot being consumed by humans for thousands of years appearing in the likes of Roman cookbooks and Egyptian friezes. Because of its wide appeal, asparagus lends itself well to any number of dishes and cooking techniques, but tends to shine with minor cooking. Balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, garlic and honey provide and deliciously neutral flavor palate for roasted vegetables, so that they may be paired with many different entrées or eaten on their own as an appetizer, salad or snack. Balsamic roasted vegetables could easily be paired with an stuffed peppers, homemade pizza or a chicken tagine.

This recipe also works well on the grill. Different combination of vegetables and herbs may be used depending upon availability.

½ lb asparagus, trimmed

2 medium summer squash, trimmed and sliced lengthwise and ¼" thick

1 medium red bell pepper, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1" segments

1 medium red onion, trimmed and sliced lengthwise and ½" thick

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 medium clove garlic, smashed

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

1. Arrange vegetables evenly in a large glass-baking dish. Combine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables and gently toss to evenly coat. Cover vegetables, place in refrigerator and marinate overnight, gently tossing occasionally.

2. In a single layer, arrange marinated squash, asparagus and bell pepper on a large baking sheet with edges. Spread onions and garlic on top of vegetables.

3. Preheat broiler. Broil vegetables for 5-7 minutes, until asparagus and onions are done. Remove asparagus, onions and garlic, flip squash and bell pepper, return to broiler for 2-3 minutes, until done. Once done, remove vegetables from heat and set aside

4. Meanwhile, place marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring marinade to a simmer and continue simmering until marinade has been reduced and thickened, about half as thick. Remove reduction from heat, cool slightly and add freshly chopped herbs.

5. Spoon reduction over vegetables before serving. Serve vegetables warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice Pilaf

I made a meal for a few friends over the holidays and wanted to make the same entrée with both an omnivore and vegetarian option. I happened to have many bell peppers around and decided to stuff bell peppers with a rice pilaf either with or without lamb. The bell pepper originated in Central American and is the only member of the Capsicum genus lacking capsaicin, the chemical causing heat. Bell peppers work perfectly for stuffing because they can maintain their shape after cooking and go well with mashed carrots and marinated green beans.

I used wild rice but any rice will work. Lamb is optional depending upon preference. Any variety of bell pepper will work.

For Kim, who requested a stuffed bell pepper recipe.

2 medium bell peppers, halved lengthwise

1 c cooked rice

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

1 medium red onion, trimmed and finely diced

1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely diced

8 button mushrooms, halved and finely sliced into quarters

¼ lb ground lamb*

1 tbsp kalamata olives, finely chopped

¼ c feta

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for rubbing peppers

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

*optional

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove seeds and pith from peppers. Rub peppers with olive oil and set them aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add onions and sauté until soft. Once onions are soft, add celery, garlic and mushrooms and continue sautéing until mushrooms are soft. Remove from heat and place sautéed ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Add rice, olives, feta, parsley and lamb (if using) to the sautéed ingredients and thoroughly combine. Stuff peppers with rice pilaf and place in a baking dish.

4. Bake peppers until soft and browned, 20-30 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.

5. Serve stuffed peppers warm or room temperature.

Makes 4 stuffed peppers

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Slivered Garlic

A few nights ago I made fettuccine with Alfredo sauce and wanted a colorful and flavorful relish to accompany such a pale and creamy entrée. Cherry tomatoes were developed by Israeli scientists in 1973, and now their are a number of different varieties ranging in color, size and flavor. Roasting cherry tomatoes mellows and sweetens their flavor and seems to make their color more vivid as well. I like to use them in side dishes or relishes because they are generally slightly more acidic than larger tomatoes and so add a lot of flavor in small portions. Roasted cherry tomatoes are really good along side polenta, rice fritters or socca and also make a great pizza topping.

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp parsley, stems removed

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss tomatoes in ½ tbsp olive oil and spread out in 9" x 9" baking dish. Roast tomatoes until skin starts to wrinkle and juices are released, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley, stir to combine and remove from heat.

3. Combine parsley, garlic and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Serve tomatoes warm or room temperature.

Makes about 1 cup of relish

Beet Salad with Roasted Fennel and Goat Cheese

I am not quite sure why the combination of beets, fennel and goat cheese works so well, but it most certainly is delicious maybe due to the strong but subtle flavors of each ingredient. Beets are a lovely root to cook with because they have a sweet mellow flavor and retain their vivid color after cooking. This salad reminds me of spring, and so somehow seems especially fitting to be eaten in the middle of winter. Beet salad accompanies stewed pork or stuffed vegetables very well.

Using only one color of beet will work just as well. Any other green may be used instead of or in addition to arugula.

For Gabrielle and Nate because I made this salad for their wedding using vegetables they grew on their farm in Maine.

2 medium purple beets

2 medium golden beets

¼ c goat cheese, crumbled

1 bulb of fennel, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise

4 c arugula

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss fennel with olive oil and spread evenly in a large baking pan. Place fennel in the oven and roast until slightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Once browned, remove from oven, turn oven off and set fennel aside.

2. Meanwhile, steam whole beets until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Once tender, remove beets from heat and peel skin using hands or a peeler while beets are still hot. Cut each beet into 8-10 segments, keeping the colors in separate bowls.

3. Divide fennel and parsley evenly between the two bowls of beets, add ½ tbsp olive oil to each bowl. Stir each bowl to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve beets over arugula and top with crumbled goat cheese. May be plated on a large platter or in individual portions.

Serves 3-4

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Red Quinoa

I grew up eating quinoa, thanks to my whole food roots, and although I was not always fond of it as a child, I have been able to appreciate quinoa again as an adult. Quinoa, from the Andes, is not actually a grain but instead a chenopod, closely related to beets and spinach. Red quinoa is especially nice because it maintains its color after cooking and provides a good contrast to the yellow of the squash. Greens such as mustard green soup, orange pecan kale or walnut lemon chard compliment the sweet flavor of squash.

Other varieties of similarly sized squash could be used. Most fresh herbs may be used in addition to or as a substitute. Any type of quinoa may be used in place of red quinoa.

Dedicated to the lovely Samantha Wren, who joined my sister and I in eating these squash.

1 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1 c cooked red quinoa

1 medium carrot, trimmed and finely diced

½ white onion, trimmed and finely diced

1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely diced

5 button mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced

1 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp sage, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for rubbing squash

salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Rub squash halves with olive oil and place in oven. Bake until tender and slightly browned, 30-45 minutes. Remove squash from oven when ready, set aside and leave oven on.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, sautéing until the onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and continue sautéing vegetables until mushrooms are tender. Turn heat off; add herbs and sauté off heat for another minute or until the herbs are fragrant.

3. Combine cooked red quinoa with the sautéed vegetables in a medium mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Finally, stuff each squash half with red quinoa stuffing and place both stuffed halves in a baking dish. Return the squash to the oven and bake until the red quinoa begins to brown, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 2-4