Spoons Across America: February 2010

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Happy New Year from Spoons

The Spoons Team has a lot to share since our last post, and will be doing a lot of blogging in the upcoming weeks!

Firstly, we would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, fresh and tasty New Year. Hopefully everyone got a chance to make something delicious from Chef Bobo’s Good Food Cookbook during the holiday season. Personally I have been on a Chef Bobo’s Braised Brussels Sprouts with Shallots kick, and will share the recipe with all of you today! It’s really easy to make, will totally change Brussels sprouts reputation, and will leave you wanting more each time you cook them up!

To cook them, all you need is:
1 pint Brussels sprouts
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Here are the steps:
1. Trim stems and remove any wilted outer leaves from Brussels sprouts.
Wash and cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise.
2. Drizzle the oil in a large nonstick skillet and swirl it around until the oil coats the entire surface.
Heat over high heat until hot.
Reduce heat to medium and add shallot and garlic. Cook and stir until tender.
3. Add Brussels sprouts to skillet and toss in the hot oil.
Add water.
Reduce heat to medium.
Cook, covered, for 7 to 8 minutes or until sprouts are soft.
4. Remove saucepan from heat.
Sprinkle sprouts with lemon juice and toss.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
This recipe is from Chef Bobo’s Good Food Cookbook by Robert W. Surles.
After you try it out…let us know how you like it by posting on our Facebook wall or emailing us at info@spoonsacrossamerica.org!

Now…for some Spoons News!

• Spoons proudly partnered with artist Karen Van Every of Serimony to provide charitable greeting cards that support our mission. Click here to see the three card designs! Each is an intricate and clever hand drawing of fruits and vegetables that compose the three card images.
• On the “We Recommend” section of our website, we have added a link on our News Roundups to the Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation 2010. The Report has some great information and insight, and encourage all to take a look at it. Click here to read the report.

So, that’s it for now – don’t forget to check out the Spoons Greeting Cards!

Check back soon for some more updates and perhaps some new recipes!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Tomato, Garlic, and Oregano Crostini

1 loaf unsliced crusty Italian bread or baguette-style French bread, cut diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices
¼ cup olive oil or olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Beefsteak tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ cup chopped fresh oregano
1 chopped Beefsteak tomato

1. Preheat the over to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper foil.

2. Arrange bread on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush bread with a little olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the bread.

3. Bake, turning once, until crisp and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, Rub each piece of toasted bread with garlic, then rub with a cut side of a tomato. Sprinkle with oregano and chopped tomatoes.

Seasonal Suggestion: During tomato season you can often find different tomatoes of different varieties, colors, and sizes. Experiment with the flavors of yellow cherry tomatoes, heirloom varieties, sweet 100s and others.

Makes: 18 crostini

Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Carrot and Ginger Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cut chopped shallots
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or regular sugar
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Drizzle the oil in a heavy 3-quart soup pot and swirl it around until the oil coast the entire surface. Heat over high heat until hot.

2. Add the onion, shallots, bay leaves, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, but not brown.

3. Add the carrots, fresh ginger, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir in the vegetable stock. Bring to a bowl. Reduce heat to simmering and cook until carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove soup pot from heat. Cool for 15 minutes.

4. Ladle soup into a blender a little at a time and blend in small batches until pureed. (Be very careful because hot liquids in a blender can be explosive when you turn on the blender.) Once all the soup is blended, return soup to pot. Or use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the soup pot.

5. Serve hot or chill and serve cold. Top each serving with a sprinkling of ground ginger.

Makes 4-6 Servings
Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Vegetarian Summer Rolls

1 seedless cucumber
12 10-inch round rice papers*
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch fresh mint
1 ½ cups cooked rice
1 ½ cups shredded carrot
1 2/3 cups shredded daikon **
2 cups hoisin sauce

Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, then cut each quarter into 3 long pieces. Trim to 4-inch lengths.

Fill a bowl with very hot water and lay out a large cotton towel or napkin that has been sprinkled with water. Place 1 rice paper in the hot water and let it soften for 15 seconds or so, until it is flexible and nearly transparent. Lay it on the towel. Working in the center of the rice paper, place 2 basil leaves and 2 mint leaves, then top with 2 tablespoons of rice, pressing down slightly. Add about 1 tablespoon shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon shredded daikon, and 1 piece of cucumber. Top with 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce.

To wrap the summer roll, fold 2 sides of rice paper over filling, then roll into an egg roll shape. Serve the remaining hoisin sauce on the side for dipping.

*Note: Rice papers can be found at Asian groceries or specialty food stores. They are about 10 inches in diameter and are translucent, papery, and made from rice flour. In order to use the rice papers, they need to be soaked in hot water, but don’t leave them soaking in the water for too long or they get gummy. They are very sticky and need to be placed on cotton towels that have been sprinkled lightly with water.

** Note: Daikon is a long white Asian radish. If you can’t find these at your local market or farm, you can substitute with regular red radishes.

Seasonal Suggestion: Add or substitute vegetables depending on what is in season and/or available at your local market, farm or farmers market. Try chives, sautéed mushrooms, sprouts, red peppers, etc. Be careful not to add too much to the rolls, or the rice papers will rip and fall apart.

Makes: 12 Summer Rolls
Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: 4th of July Berries and Cream

Spoons Across America founder, Julia Jordan, shares her recipe for a simple taste of summer. She recommends that you "sit back; enjoy the lush creamy texture and the bursts of berry flavors. It’s as close to perfection as summer gets."

4 Cups Market Fresh Berries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
1/3 Cup Sugar – optional
1 Cup Heavy or Whipping Cream from your local dairy
1 teaspoon Vanilla – optional
1 Tablespoon Confectioners or superfine sugar – optional
1 bunch Mint or Verbena or Lemon Thyme Leave

Lightly rinse berries. Drain.
Reserve 1 cup berries for garnish.
Toss remaining berries with sugar. Set aside.
Whisk heavy cream, until soft peaks form*. (7-10 minutes)
Fold vanilla and/or sugar into the whipped cream, optional.

Place berries in individual parfaits or glass bowls. Top with whipped cream or alternate layers of berries and cream.
Garnish with whole berries and sprigs of mint.

*Note: Place stainless steel mixing bowl and whisk in freezer, or whisk cream over a double boiler filled with ice water.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Radishes

This was one of our first Greenmarket dinners of the season! We enjoyed this fresh side dish with fresh lamb sausage from the Greenmarket and bread from our local bakery. It also goes well with grilled chicken or fish, or add shrimp or scallops for a complete main course!

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. Sugar Snap Peas (trimmed)
1 bunch radishes (thinly sliced)
1 tsp. fresh mint (minced)
1 tsp. fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a medium sauté pan. Add peas and cook for 3-4 minutes, until heated through and tender, but still slightly crispy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the radishes and sauté until warm (1-2 minutes). Add mint and chives and toss to coat.

Serves: 4-6

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Happy New Year from Spoons

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Tomato, Garlic, and Oregano Crostini

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Carrot and Ginger Soup

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Vegetarian Summer Rolls

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: 4th of July Berries and Cream

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Radishes

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