Ingredients:
4 potatoes
4 strips of bacon
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 C Water
1/4 C white vinegar (rice vinegar may be substituted)
1/2 C green onion, chopped (optional)
dash of celery seed
S & P

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender (usually about 12-15 minutes). Drain, cool & coarsely chop. In a deep skillet, brown your bacon. Reserve approximately 1 tbsp of bacon grease (leave in pan), take cooked bacon and crumble and reserve. Add the flour to the grease in pan – mix well and allow to cook over med for 2 minutes, stir in sugar, water and vinegar. Cook until this thickens – just a few minutes. Add the potatoes, bacon and onions until well coated. Sprinkle with a tsp of celery seed and serve. This salad is best warm to room temp.

Picture by Taste of Home

red cabbage, 1 C shredded per person
1/2 a cinnamon stick
apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tbsp sugar
apple, 1/4 C sliced per person
red onion, 1/4 C sliced per person
butter/oleo

Stage one – put the red cabbage in a saucepan, add the cinnamon stick and sugar (and bouquet garni – see variations). Pour enough vinegar to cover 2/3 of the cabbage – fill to the top of the cabbage with water. Simmer uncovered, until most the liquid is absorbed. Remove the cinnamon stick. Stage 2 – Add the apples and onion and at least 1 Tbsp of margarine, allow this to cook through. Keep enough liquid and butter so that the cabbage mix doesn’t stick and serve when the apples have disappeared (pink). This is a wonderful side for schnitzel, brats or german pot roast.

Variations -
Use a bouquet garni (spices tied in bag for retrieval later) of allspice, cloves and bay leaf. Add this is stage 1 – take it out at stage 2.
Another variation – use some cornstarch and water to “thicken” this mix – add at stage 2.

Pea Pesto Perfection

16 oz pasta (bowties or farfalle work well)
1 C fresh shelled peas
1/2 C flat leaf parsley
2/3 C basil
1/2 C pecans – partially crushed
1/2 C parmesan cheese – grated
1.5 tsp sea salt
2/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) approximately
1/2 C asparagus, trimmed/steamed
3 oz pancetta, cut into strips and just crisped up (substitute bacon or prosciutto)

Boil your pasta – while its boiling trim and steam or microwave the asparagus tender crisp – set asparagus aside. Slice the pancetta or bacon into strips and crisp up in a fry pan – drain meat on paper towels and set aside. Drain your pasta and keep warm until pesto is ready. For the pesto, place in a food processor the peas, parsley, basil, pecans and salt – pulse to mix roughly, then start drizzling in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil until it develops into a nice paste (some folks prefer their pesto chunky, some prefer a very smooth, creamy texture – its easy to figure out, just keep blending until it gets to where you like it!) Get your serving bowl ready – meanwhile mix the pesto and pasta, fold in the pancetta and asparagus last. Pass more shaved Parmesan cheese for topping. Offer fresh ground pepper. This dish is excellent for supper buffet setting – best at room temperature

This recipe was totally inspired by a recipe in August 2010 Rachel Ray Magazine
Arugula Pesto Pasta with Ricotta and Bacon
Picture on link by Romulo Yanes
Recipe by Melissa Clark

Permission received from RR Mag – All credits given and link to recipe author, photographer and to RR August Issue recipe as requested. Thank you for the permission to reference and to print my version of the recipe!

Curly & Flatleaf Parsley

Parsley has been called the worlds most popular spice. It is common throughout European, American and Middle Eastern cooking. Parsley has been around since wild carrots and celery were discovered and cultivated, indeed parsley is a family member of the Umbelliferae. The theory behind the development of the curly leaf was to not confuse it with poison hemlock or chervil. Either way they taste almost identically.

Culinary wise (other than garnish), parsley is widely used in tomato dishes, potato dishes, rice dishes like risotto or pilaf. Parsley also goes well with meats – fish, goose, any meat or vegetable stew. Parsley is the basis of a bouquet garni-a small bundle of herbs used to flavor soups or sauces usually tied up in cheesecloth for easy retrieval. Fresh chopped parsley is often used as a topping on dishes for a great dash of color and fresh green taste. In Italy, cooks often present gremolata (a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest) as a accompaniment to osso-bucco (an veal stew). The French use a mix of chopped garlic and parsley called persillade. In the middle east, parsley is essential in the national dish called tabbouleh – a salad of bulgar wheat, tomatoes, onion spiced with parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. Many cultures use parsley in dressings, sauces, pastes and pates.

Parsley Leaves Extract 1 FL Oz

Nutritionally, parsley is packed with vitamins K, C, A, folate and iron – all for almost no calories. Parsley’s volatile oils-particularly myristicin-have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs and get this,
the activity of parsley’s volatile oils qualifies it as a “chemoprotective” food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke). How is that for healthy?!?

Growing parsley has its plus side as it is a wonderful companion plant(link) in the garden. It attracts helpful predatory insects and good polinaters to the area. Especially useful planted near tomatoes, as the wasps parsley attracts kill tomato hornworms who are attracted to the parsley nectar. To keep growth in check, we suggest trimming and deadheading to keep leaf production at maximum. You can preserve parsley by drying or freezing in olive oil.

Interesting facts:
Parsley tea has been used as an enema
Some herbologists recommend parsley tea to help high blood pressure
Parsley seeds contain a high level of apiole oil and are a diuretic
Parsley appears to enhance the body’s absorption of manganese, which is important to help build bone. The absorption appears to be especially enhanced when parsley is eaten in conjunction with copper and zinc rich foods such as shellfish and organically grown whole grains
The produce code for parsley is 4899

Cautions:
Parsley should be be consumed by pregnant women. Parsley in oil, root, leaf or seed can cause uterine stimulation, possible preterm labor.
People who suffer from kidney stones should not eat parsley as it is high in oxalic acid.

Fava Beans

Depending on where you hail from, bell beans, field beans, broad beans, horse beans, windsor beans – they are all names used interchangeably with Fava beans. From the family Fabaceae, third largest family which includes the peas, beans, pulses and legumes. Technically call Vicia fava – locally we call them Fava’s. If you appreciate the taste of rich buttery beans, fava beans can and should be a great addition to your menu and garden.
Fava’s are easy to prepare – treat them just like lima beans. For fresh ones – shell, rinse and then steam and butter, or braise with herbs,wine,butter combo. Fava’s are so versatile – they can be added to soups, cooked and pureed for dips and fillings, dried and spiced for tableside snacking. Flavorful, buttery in texture (think lima’s but better) – they add a wonderful nutritional texture to marinated salads, rice salads, ratatouille (or summer stew as we think of it here) – my favorite is steam, drain – then toss with butter and salt or dress with a combination of *EVOO and or butter and pinch of fresh chopped herbs – beans benefit from a pinch of savory, parsley or lemon thyme. They are an excellent addition to a multiple bean marinated salad for a cool summer salad treat.

Roasted Fava Beans (Salted) Roasted and salted fava beans are an exciting snack that you have got to try! A truly unique taste that will make your taste buds tingle with delight.

Fava beans are one of the oldest plants under cultivation, and they were eaten in ancient Greece and Rome. Broad beans have a long tradition of cultivation in Old World agriculture (Europe, Africa, Asia) being among the most ancient plants in cultivation and also among the easiest to grow. It is believed that along with peas, chickpeas, and lentils they became a staple of the early European diets as early as 6000 BC.

Easy to prepare – steam and butter, braise with herbs,wine,butter, add to soups, cook and puree, fry or dry and spice for tableside snacking. Flavorful, buttery in texture (think lima’s but better) – they add a wonderful nutritional texture to marinated salads, rice salads, ratatouille (or summer stew as we think of it here) – my favorite is steam, drain – then toss with 1 tbsp EVOO/butter and pinch of fresh chopped herbs – any single of the following herbs or your favorite mix of chives, savory, parsley or lemon thyme.

Easily grown because they have a rep as being hardy (cold tolerant) Fava’s can be planted early in the spring – the beans will be ready when temp’s get hot. Enjoy while they are young and tender. The young leaves of the plant are edible – either raw in salads or cooked like spinach. Fava’s can dried for winter use. In some climates beans are still often grown as a cover crop to prevent erosion and because they can over-winter. The additional bonus to the soil is they leave nitrogen as most legumes do. Fava beans can be affected by fungal diseases, such as rust or chocolate spot.

Interesting Facts:
Broad beans are rich in L-dopa, a substance used medically to treat Parkinsons disease.
Some also use fava beans as a natural alternative to drugs like Viagra – linking L-dopa & libido
In Peru and Columbia the dried fava’s are a snack is called habas saladas.
In Mexico dried fava’s are called habas con chile
In Thailand fava’s are called sator – which means open mouth nut.
Doubanjiang is a fermented bean paste used in chinese cuisine.

Cautions:
Broad beans are rich in tyramine and thus should be avoided by those taking MAO inhibitors.
Folks with G6PD should avoid raw broad beans which can induce hemolytic anemia. This potentially fatal condition is called “Favism” after the fava bean.

Cool and Tasty for Summer

Pasta of choice (bowties look pretty, elbows travel better)
Salmon – 3 oz per person, cooked and flaked
celery 1/4 C chopped
red onion, 1/4 C chopped
cucumber, approx 1/2 C, sliced thin
peas, 1/8 C (*optional)
lettuce, or napa cabbage
black olives (about 4 per person – quartered)
Baste of soy, sugar & pepper
Dressing of choice – but we suggest the Creamy Cucumber Dressing – Ranch works well also.

To make the salad -
Set your pasta water boiling. Slice the cucumber thinly (about 1/3 C sliced per salad serving) and place in ice water to “crisp up” and mix up your baste for the salmon fillets. Boil your favorite bite size pasta – you want about a generous cup of cooked pasta per portion or about 2.5-3 C for a bowl. Drain and set aside. While it boiling – take your salmon fillets, brush with mix of: 1/3 C soy, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 grinds of pepper – cook (broil, pan, bake or bbq) until just done – flake and set aside You can substitute Canned salmon or smoked salmon if you prefer.
Chop celery, red onion to make 1/2 C, add 1/3 C of peas (I usually use frozen unless I have fresh peas from the garden) Snap or Snow peas are a great fresh addition if available and toss with the pasta when cool.
Tear your choice of greens, lettuce, nappa cabbage, or a mix of green
Quarter the black olives.

To assemble the salad – layer each container or one large bowl with the lettuce or greens of choice
Next layer is the pasta – mixed with the peas, celery, red onion – spread over the lettuce
Next layer is the sliced cucumbers, drain well and layer over the pasta
Then take the flaked salmon and layer over the cucumber layer and top with a few black olives.
Package for travel and take the dressing on the side. Or serve in a pretty glass bowl and dressing in cruet – both need to be refrigerated until ready to serve.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a solo act – the sole species of the genus Anethum. Dill is a short-lived perennial herb growing up to 3ft high with delicate fern like leaves. The aromatic leaves, used fresh bring a unique taste to many foods – such as pickles, borscht, cured salmon. The “heads” are full of seeds (about 4-5mm and 1mm long) and the seeds can be slightly curved. Both the leave and seeds can be used in spicing foods.

Dill is native to southern Europe and western Asia – the oldest archeological evidence comes from lake shore settlements in Switzerland. Dill was used in Roman cooking and they distributed it widely with their conquests. Noted in the Bible as being tender for tithes during the time of the Pharisees. The name dill is thought to derive from the Norse/Anglo Saxon word dylle meaning to soothe or lull.

Dill is known for its wild and weedy growth – thus dill weed as its referred to sometimes. Quick to grow and even quicker to decline. A fresh cut stalk will start to wilt almost immediately. To successfully grow dill requires good heat and good amounts of sunshine. Even partial shade will reduce your yields. It prefers rich and well drained soil. Use the fresh leaves while they are growing and harvest the seeds for later use as spice or seed. Dill oil can be extracted from the plant. Seeds can be kept for cultivation next year as an annual.

Gravlax

Interesting Facts:
Dill is considered to have very good anti-gas properties and hence it is used as mukhwas, an after-meal digestive from India.
By tradition, dill is also traditionally given to mothers immediately after childbirth.
Dill seed is a very good source of calcium, and a good source of the minerals manganese and iron
Dill was used by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, in a recipe for cleaning the mouth.
Ancient roman and greek soldiers would apply burnt dill seeds to their wounds to promote healing.
The total volatile oil portion of dill has also been studied for its ability to prevent bacterial overgrowth. In this respect, dill shares the stage with garlic, which has also been shown to have “bacteriostatic” or bacteria-regulating effects

Cucumbers - english, armenian, lemon, burpless, pickling

Its summer and nothing is appreciated more than Cool! – So this months Vegetable of the Month (VOM) is the cucumber. Did you know that the expression “cool as a cucumber” has fact behind it – the inside of a cucumber can be as much as 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature! The cucumber is member of the family “Cucurbitaceae” that produces squash, pumpkins and watermelon – all nice relatives, eh? Cucumber plants have large leaves that “canopy” over the fruit and can be grown on a trellis or frame. Cucumber fruit is cylindrical, enlongated with tapered ends. Cucumbers are usually divided into two groups – Slicers and Picklers. Lo-calorie, cucumbers are a good source of Vitamins A & C – calcium and iron.

Culinary wise, we can do so many things with cucumbers. Of course salads, relishes, sauces, pickles, as an appetizer base instead of a cracker, served as a side dish or in a dressing. At their best in summer – choose a cucumber that is enlongated but not too fat around the middle – the larger the circumference the more seeds you will have to deal with. It should be firm to the touch – avoid those with soft spots as it will not keep long. A yellow or white patch of lengthwise color is ok, this indicates that it has been grown on the ground.
Cucumbers match well with many ingredients, but here are some favorites, sour cream and dill, cucumbers and cilantro or dill is a taste treat. Cucumbers in yogurt is a greek tezaki sauce for lamb or pork.
Cucumbers minced with rice vinegar and red pepper flakes are a great asian dipping sauce for potstickers (link) gyoza. Cucumbers match well with cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic, lemon, mint, olive oil, parsley and tomatoes. Shrimp and cucumber in a pasta salad is a cool summer treat.

Historically, cucumbers have been cultivated for at least 3000 years in Asia. The Romans are credited with its distribution to Europe. Early records of cultivation were found in France from the 9th century. North America records show about mid 16th century. The list of varieties world wide is amazing – a small yellowish cucumber melon from India called dosakai to the two foot long “english varieties” – some variety is available year round at your local market.

Interesting Things about Cukes
Cucumbers are highly nutritious and are a good source of sulfur, silicon, chlorine potassium, sodium, magnesium, and fluorine.
Cucumbers are also said to help aid digestion and constipation.
Cucumbers are used by many people on the skin as a beauty aid.
Commercially grown cucumbers are often treated with approved waxes or oils to reduce water loss, reduce abrasion injury and enhance appearance.
Remember “cool as a cucumber” is not just an expression-the fact is the inside of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees F cooler than the outside temperature.
Urban legend practices have arisen with regard to how bitterness may be removed from cucumbers. Among these a very common practice popular in India includes slicing off the ends of a cucumber, sprinkling some salt, and rubbing the now-exposed ends of said cucumber with the sliced-off ends until it appears to froth. Another such says to peel a cucumber away from the attached end.
Romans are reported to have used cucumbers to treat scorpion bites, bad eyesight, and to scare away mice.

Growing cucumbers is fairly easy if you follow a couple of basics. They are not frost tolerant – must be planted when soil temps are 60+ for best germination. The soil must also be well fertilized and deeply as cucumbers are voracious feeders. They also require regular watering – infrequent watering will cause fruit to stunt, yellow or deform all together – remember cucumbers are 90% water. Many varieties can be grown on a trellis or frame type structure – you train the tendril vines up the trellis as they grow. The trellis takes less space in the garden and usually distributes the sunlight more evenly. Cukes do not trail well over weed block fabric (it gets too hot) so cover the weed block with a layer of grass clippings from the mower. This helps preserve the watering, holds the soil temp more evenly and allows the vines to travel more. Usually the larger cucumbers grow, the more likely they are to loose their flavor or even become bitter. Pick them young and slender (they will have less developed seeds and be sweeter) and prompt picking ensures more fruit setting. Another hint is when harvesting – cut the vine just above the cuke itself rather than detaching it at the flower. It will store better this way and helps the plant not lose additional energy. Some varieties, like Armenian cucumbers are a light green, creased lengthwise (and they can be exceptionally long) and have an edible skin – they are actually an undeveloped melon! The varieties you normally see in the produce section are the dark green “burpless”or “straight eight” – and some stores will carry the “english” or seedless cucumbers. The variety “marketmore” variety grow well here, as do the “lemon” cukes.

2/3 C cuke, rough chop – put in immersion blender bowl as base – peeled and de-seed if needed
1/3 C cuke – fine dice, ice & set aside
1 Tbsp sweet or green onion, chop – put in mix bowl
1/2 C cottage cheese in mix
1/2 C sour cream in mix
1/4 tsp salt
2 turns fresh ground pepper or 1/8 tsp white pepper
pinch of celery seed
1 full tsp of fresh dill, chopped
pinch of fresh chives chopped

Dressing in progress

Minus the fine dice, iced cukes – whiz this all together until quite blended. Fold in the drained, iced cucumbers – cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Keep chilled until use. Will keep for 2 days if refrigerated.
If you use this dressing next day – stir and adjust seasonings before serving. If you need to thin it any – use half & half or milk.

Chicken Kabobs
#1 Herbed Flavor – 1/2 C of chicken broth or white wine with a good dash each of savory, thyme, marjoram, oregano and rosemary

#2 Satay Flavor – marinade in 1/2 C of chicken broth (or beer) with a tsp of curry powder, dash turmeric and coriander

#3 Asian Flavor – marinade in 1/2 C soy, 1/4 C sake or mirin, Tbsp crushed ginger and Tbsp sugar
Chicken can be marinaded from 1 to 4 hours.

Beef Kabobs
#1 Korean Flavor: 5-6 green onions-minced, 1/4 C soy sauce, 3 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp pepper, 3 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp sugar. This will marinade up to 4lbs

#2 Teriyaki Flavor – 1/2 C soy, 1/2 sugar, 2 Tbsp ginger, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/8 C mirin, 1 Tbsp sesame oil and a dash of chinese 5 spice. (or use your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce)
Note* – marinade beef no longer than 2 hours

Pork Kabobs
#1 Greek Flavor – 1/2 C beer, lemon zest from half a lemon, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, a good dash of each rosemary, oregano, thyme

#2 Chinese Flavor – 3 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp five-spice powder, 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce, red food colouring (*optional) and 1/3 C sherry or rice wine
Pork can be marinated up to 8 hours

Pork kabob cooking tip – wrap in foil for first 20 minutes on the grill, then uncover and complete grilling

Tips for Best Kabobs

Tip#1 -Easiest method is to mix the marinade in a large re-sealable baggie, then add your meat, mix and refrigerate until ready to put on the skewers.
Tip #2 -If you are using wooden skewers, make sure to submerge the skewers in water for an hour before use, that way they won’t burn up on the bbq! Metal skewers are well worth the investment – they provide more even cooking, too!
Tip#3 -Cut your meat pieces as close to the same size as possible -this ensures better cooking
Tip#4 -Do not crowd your meat together on the skewers, this allows more even cooking
Tip#5 -Add all vegetable kabobs – onion, tomato, zuchinni, yellow squash, pepper slices all grill well

Let your imagination run wild with kabobs – think shrimp, lamb, scallop, potato – all can be done as kabobs!