carrot top gremolata

a while back, when i started taking home carrots with really beautiful greens, i had to think up ways to use them.  so i started with pesto, which was obviously delicious what with the toasted almonds and parmesan cheese i added, but then i went in search for something a little more healthy.

i had seen the word gremolata used a lot on the tender greens menu, and looked it up because i was curious.  it turned out to be just the mixture i was dreaming of.  traditionally it is made with lemon zest, garlic and parsley, so i modified my pesto recipe to include plenty of lemon zest and shallots instead of nuts and cheese.  the result is still very delicious but a little lighter.

it is a great spread for sandwiches or mixed into hot pasta.  use it to top any cooked veggie or simply eat it on a whole wheat cracker.  try mixing with cooked brown rice and diced onion for a simple cold rice salad.  enjoy it anyway you would pesto!

carrot top gremolata
2-3 bunches of carrot tops
2 large shallots
1 head of garlic
1 c extra virgin olive oil
zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
1 tsp sea salt

top the carrots and rinse the greens well.  remove the thickest part of the stems and chop the rest about every inch or so.  then set them aside in a strainer or pat with a few sheets of paper towels to let them dry a bit.

peel the garlic and shallots and coarsely chop them, they will be blended later so there’s no need to mince them well.

heat up a large skillet and once hot toss in the carrot tops, followed by the chopped shallots and garlic, then a few tablespoons of the olive oil.  fry these all together just until the carrot tops are wilted.  then cut the heat and let the mixture cool a few minutes before blending.

meanwhile, zest and juice the lemon, removing any seeds.  add this to the food processor along with the rest of the oil, the sea salt, and the cooked greens.  blend everything until no large chunks remain.  store in a clean, air-tight container for up to one week.

yields about 16 oz (2 cups)

chocolate ganache tart with bacon fat shortbread crust

we had some people over for a big breakfast for dinner, and ended up frying two big packs of bacon.  i saved the fat because i had seen so many bacon fat recipes online, i was anxious to try one out.  people use it in caramels, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies – basically anything sweet that also tastes delicious contrasted with a little salt.

i had also been wanting to replicate a very tasty dessert from four cafe in eagle rock, which is a basically this same thing but with a lavender shortbread crust.  so i followed a recipe from not without salt for the crust, but a third the original amount since it is such a large recipe.  and i filled it with the simplest ganache there is, just chocolate and milk.

see below how to save and store your bacon fat, for the next time you fry up some bacon.  or you might be able to find some at a specialty grocery store or butcher shop.  it adds the most wonderfully smokey and salty flavor to the chocolate and buttery crust, it makes it irresistible.  just editing these photos has been making my mouth water – enjoy!

bacon fat shortbread crust
1/4 c butter
1/4 c bacon fat
1/3 c sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

simple chocolate ganache
10 oz dark chocolate
2/3 c any type of milk

 

make the crust first.  you’ll need the bacon fat soft to measure it so leave it out for a few hours, take the butter out about 30 minutes before using.

beat the butter, bacon fat and sugars together for a few minutes until fluffy – i did this in my kitchenaid mixer with the whisk attachment.

then add in the salt, egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix in – i did this with the paddle attachment.  while the mixer is on low, slowly add in the flour until the dough comes together.

spray your tart pan with cooking spray before evenly pressing in the shortbread dough.  stick in the freezer for a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 325F.

once the oven is heated up, bake the crust for about 20 minutes or until starting to lightly brown around the edges.  then let it cool while you make the ganache.

you can heat the milk up over the stove like i do, until it just starts to bubble, or you can microwave it.  just put the chocolate pieces in a medium-sized bowl and pour the hot milk over it, stir until no lumps remain.  pour this mixture into the baked crust and spread out evenly to the edges.  let the whole tart cool down until the ganache is solid, you can speed this up in the fridge.

once it’s cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and slice.  enjoy immediately or store in a tupperware for a day or two.

since this is so rich it would go great with some vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream!

blended winter veggie soup

i know its a mouthful, but these winter veggies blend together to make a beautifully creamy mixture that is slightly sweet and spicy.  i have made many soups like this one before, like the carrot garlic soup i made a few years back or the spicy carrot apple ginger soup that i made when i first started the blog, but i had never stumbled upon this mixture before a few weeks back.  the ingredients found each one weekend when i wanted to make a strong gingery soup with all the vegetables i had in my fridge, and the result was so tasty i have made it two or three times since.  the base is strongly flavored with garlic, onion, shallot and ginger, while it is filled out with the creamy texture of blended carrot, butternut squash, and parsnip. if you use vegetable broth it can be made vegan!

it keeps really well in the fridge up to one week, so make it on the weekend and it will serve as lunch several days in a row.  just bring a jar of it to work or school and heat it up in the microwave or hot plate, it can make a quick meal in just a few minutes flat.  it also freezes well or can be made ahead to bring to a dinner party.  just dress with a little feta or crumbled goat cheese, and a leaf of something green – like the baby russian kale leaf i used above.  you can even garnish with a crispy kale chip or a toasty piece of bread.  enjoy while its winter!

carrot ginger butternut & parsnip soup
1 large chunk of ginger
1 large onion
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 large shallots
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
juice of 1/2 small lemon
32 oz stock
1 lb carrots
3/4 lb parsnip
1 lb butternut squash
1 c water
1 tbsp liquid aminos, tamari or soy sauce (optional)

peel and remove the ends of the garlic cloves, shallots and onion.  what i do to save a lot of time is toss the skinned garlic, onion and shallots in a large food processor with the washed piece of ginger (chopped a few times) and pulse everything together until they are chopped into evenly small pieces.  this saves a lot of time since you aren’t mincing everything individually and it allows all these ingredients to cook much more quickly.

its a good idea to also chop up the vegetables to have ready.  wash and top the carrots and chop into about 1/2 inch pieces.  do the same with the parsnip, but it will need to be chopped in a few more pieces towards the top where it gets thicker.  for the butternut, most of the squashes i buy are larger than one pound, so i use a medium-sized one with a long thin neck and chop about 6 inches off the top.  this way it is an easy piece to peel and cube.  set the chopped vegetables aside in a large bowl.

heat up a large pot over high heat and add in the minced garlic, ginger, onion, shallot mixture along with the olive oil and salt.  reduce to med-high heat and fry for about 10-15 minutes or until the onion is translucent.  when most of the liquid has cooked off add in the lemon juice and let it cook a minute or two.  then add in the stock and chopped vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat.

once bubbling, cover and reduce heat to med-low.  let simmer for 45 minutes.  then cut the heat, add in the extra cup of water and let cool at least 10 minutes before blending.

you can blend with an immersion blender right in the pot, or in batches in a regular blender.  just remember when blending hot liquids in blender you should pulse at first and hold the lid on tight to prevent it from splattering everywhere.  mix all the batches back together and add additional water if you’d like it to be thinner.  you can add the liquid aminos, tamari or soy sauce at the end if you’d like a little more flavor, but you can taste it first to determine if you want it.  depending on how flavorful your stock is, you might not need it.

yields 4-6 servings

blood orange sorbet

blood oranges have been so tasty this year and i’ve had plenty around thanks to sweet tree farms.  i have been trying them out in lots of different recipes, like my blood orange mimosas, natural blood orange soda, and blood orange and poppy seed spelt muffins, but i knew i had to try this recipe when i spotted it here.  i made it to accompany the flourless chocolate cake i posted earlier in the week, and they paired fabulously.

this recipe is simple to make if you have your own ice cream maker.  it really only calls for 2 ingredients – blood orange and sugar – since the juice and zest both come from the oranges and the wine is optional.  if you are not familiar with the taste of blood oranges i find them to taste like oranges with a berry twist, in fact this sorbet tasted a lot like a raspberry orange flavor, delicious!

because it is vegan and a beautiful pink hue, this sorbet would make a perfect valentine’s dessert for your sweetie with dietary restrictions.

blood orange sorbet
3 c blood orange juice
3/4 c organic sugar (evaporated cane juice)
2 tsp white wine
zest of 1 blood orange

juice the blood oranges and strain to remove any seeds or pulp.  for a 5 lb bag of blood oranges i got a little over 2 cups so i filled out the rest with the juice of regular navel oranges.

in a small sauce pan over high heat quickly melt the sugar into 1 cup of the juice, while stirring.  when the sugar is dissolved remove it from the stove, mix with the rest of the ingredients and chill thoroughly (in the fridge for a few hours or freezer for at least 30 minutes.)

once the mixture is chilled follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to prepare the sorbet, then further freeze in an air-tight container for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

mini flourless chocolate cakes

i was prompted to try this recipe after enjoying a very delicious flourless chocolate cake from the village bakery in atwater village.  when i looked up recipes online i found that they are quite easy to make, with only 5 ingredients!  the chocolate flavor is very intense and the texture quite fudgy, so you won’t miss that flour at all.  you can whip these up before dinner and they will make for a really special dessert, especially for valentine’s day.  just top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and any beautiful fruit you can find.  because these little treats are so rich, it’s a good idea to serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  enjoy!

flourless chocolate cake
4 oz (a little over 1/2 c) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick of butter
3/4 c organic sugar (evaporated cane juice)
3 eggs
1/2 c cocoa
powdered sugar and fruit to top (optional)

preheat the oven to 375F

melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (a medium-sized bowl over a small sauce pan with a small amount of water simmering in it.)  when everything is evenly melted remove it from heat and stir in the sugar.  then one by one, crack in the eggs and whip them in as well.  then sift in the cocoa powder and whip it in as well.

grease a spring form pan.  if you use small ones like i did you can divide the batter into 3-4 parts and bake them separately for 15-20 minutes – or until set in the middle.  if you are using a larger pan (8 or 9 inches across) then bake closer to 25 minutes.

let cool before removing from the pan, sprinkling with powdered sugar and topping with fruit.  serve warm or at room temperature.

yields 3-4 servings