Garden to Table: Roasted Fennel and Beet Salad with Tahini Herb Sauce

We are huge fennel fans here at the nursery. It’s a lovely vegetable and very versatile. Fennel is often sliced thin and eaten raw in salads or tossed in a creamy dressing and served as more of a slaw. When eaten raw, it’s crunchy, with a faint anise flavor, which is why I think some people shy away from it. Once it’s roasted or grilled, that anise flavor tames down and the fennel takes on a subtle, sweet flavor. The whole bulb, including the stalks and fronds are edible. I like to save the fronds for garnish and even sprinkle them on other dishes throughout the week. 

Parsley and Dill are also very good, versatile herbs that go well in sauces, soups, stews, salads and many other dishes that accompany this dish. Oh and we certainly cannot forego mentioning how all three of these herbs are great host plants for the black swallowtail buttery. Stop by the nursery to see our herb selection and more butterfly/herb gardening info. 

This recipe is what Elizabeth calls the "perfect winter salad" equipped with her favorite winter herbs and vegetables.

Ingredients:

For the salad:
2 medium-sized fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch wedges (save the fronds for garnish)
4 beets, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 cup French green lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 tablespoons fennel fronds
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill

For the sauce:

1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon local honey
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

2. Toss the fennel and beets with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

3. While the vegetables are roasting, place the lentils in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside.

4. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Taste test and adjust seasonings if need be.

4. To serve, divide the lentils between 4 plates and top with the roasted vegetables. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish each plate with fennel fronds, parsley and dill. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Garden to Table: Broccoli, Kale & Red Cabbage Harvest Salad with Satsuma-Ginger Dressing

This salad is so easy and fast to prepare! And there is nothing better than harvesting your own salad ingredients from your own vegetable garden. The bite sized broccoli pieces along with dried raisins add that crunch/sweet factor that so great in salads. You can also experiment leaving the recipe as is, or making it a complete meal by adding a healthy grain like quinoa or wild rice.

Another bonus about this salad? It stores really well so you can make a big batch and then take leftovers with you to work for a couple days. 

Broccoli and Kale are both super healthy, low calorie, high-nutrient vegetables that have a long list of health benefits which include reducing the risk of reproductive and bowel cancers, improving the detoxification pathways, and providing a myriad of nutrients.  Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, chard, and mustard greens) are said to be detoxifying because they provide support for the immune system, inflammatory system, and antioxidant system. These vegetables contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as well as phytonutrients. Famed nutritionist Dr. Christine Maren suggests consuming several servings of cruciferous vegetables each week for maximum benefit.

As we get into fall now is the perfect time to start planting these vegetables in your winter garden!

Ingredients: 

Salad:
1 bunch of broccoli
5 packed cups of chopped kale
1/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small fennel bulb (thinly sliced)
½ cup raisins
1 small apple
½ small red onion (thinly sliced)
¼ cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped

Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh satsuma or orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled + roughly chopped
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Remove stems from kale and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the kale into a large bowl and massage with coconut oil. Chop broccoli into bite-pieces, shed the red cabbage and toss with the kale along with fennel, red onion and chopped walnuts. Then remove the apple core and shave thin slices over the dish. 

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients until you have a smooth consistency. Drizzle over salad and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped walnuts and fennel fronds. Add cooked wild rice or wheat berries for a meal salad.

Garden to Table: Mollet Eggs Florentine

This simple and easy recipe is a great way to use your bunches of fall greens, not to mention a definite winner at the table! Don’t be afraid to mix and match your greens either. I like to use a combination of spinach, chard and kale. For a lighter meal use milk instead of half-and- half and omit the Gruyère or Emmenthaler. This recipe is originally from Jacques Pépin’s Essential Pépin. Also seen in the KQED TV series, Essential Pépin, available here, Essential Pépin: Egg-ceptional.

Ingredients

8 large eggs
2 pounds spinach, kale, chard or other winter green
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons grated Gruyère or Emmenthaler cheese (can be pushed up to ¼ - ½c)

MORNAY SAUCE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and- half (whipping cream for a richer sauce or milk for a lighter sauce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe by Jacques Pépin, slightly adapted by Joe Walthall

Serves 8

Method

Bring 4 to 6 cups water to a boil in a shallow saucepan (about 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep). With a pushpin or thumbtack, prick a small hole in the rounder end of each egg (this will help prevent the shells from cracking during cooking). Using a small sieve, lower the eggs into the boiling water, and let it come back to a simmer. Cook for about 6 minutes. Pour the water out and shake the pan to crack the eggshells. Cool thoroughly using ice water to stop cooking. Gently shell the eggs (to prevent breaking them) under cold running water. 

FOR THE GREENS: 
Bring about 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil in a stainless steel pot. Meanwhile, remove and discard the greens stems (some stems of chard and small stems are ok). Drop the leaves into the boiling water and boil, covered, for about 1 minute, until wilted. Drain the greens in a colander and immediately refresh under cold running water to stop the cooking and keep the color. Drain again, pressing on the greens to extract as much water as possible. Put the greens on a chopping block and coarsely chop. Melt the butter in a skillet over high heat and cook until it turns brown. Add the greens, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, mix well with a fork, and cook for 2 minutes or until water is reduced. Arrange the greens in the bottom of an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate the eggs.Then arrange the cold eggs on the greens, with a little space between them, and sprinkle the cheese on top.

FOR THE SAUCE: 
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until the mixture froths, without browning. Add the half-and-half, whipping constantly with a whisk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Stir in the seasonings and continue cooking over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly with the whisk. Cool for 6 to 8 minutes.Preheat the broiler. Add the egg yolk to the sauce, whisking very fast and hard. Coat the eggs with the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place under the hot broiler (not too close, so the eggs have a chance to get hot inside) for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is nicely browned. Serve immediately with fresh toasted bread!