Recipes Using Your Garden Produce!
The next time you pick your new radishes or beets, save those leafy tops! You can eat them, and they're good for you. Radish greens have six times more Vitamin C then the radishes. The greens and the roots also contain potassium, folate, and calcium. If you are a regular greens eater, you'll enjoy the radish greens. If you are not used to eating greens, you may be a little surprised by their taste. They are a little spicy and very grassy. Their flavor is strong, so they go well with heavier food. Think beef and ham.
Sauteed Radish Greens
This recipe is just an add the amount you want recipe. It takes radish greens, olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper. Use as much or as little as you want of any of the ingredients. Be sure to rinse your greens two or three times. They get gritty like spinach. Dump your rinse water on your garden. Saute the greens and garlic on medium high heat for about a minute or so until the greens are bright green and limp. Add salt and pepper to taste. You might try a little sugar with them. A splash of red wine vinegar would also be good. Serve the greens with some baked salmon, fried chicken, pork chops, or a bowl of navy beans.
Mint Lemon Sorbet (Makes 2 1/2 cups)
You will find this sorbet incredibly refreshing on a hot, summer day. The lemon is tart, and the mint is cool and refreshing.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- .8 oz ounces of fresh peppermint leaves
- In a small saucepan on medium high heat, make a simple syrup by heating sugar and water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Cook for one minute after bringing the sugar mixture to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add mint leaves to sugar syrup. Steep mint leaves for 5 minutes. Remove mint leaves and discard in compost bin.
- Let the sugar mixture cool in the refrigerator.
- Juice your lemons. Place the lemon rind in your compost bin, so it doesn't go to waste. Keep your lemon juice chilled.
- After the sugar syrup is cool, mix in the lemon juice. Make sure the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
- Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker.
- If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture into a shallow pan and freeze it in your freezer until it is frozen semi-solid. Use a fork to mix it up, then put it back in the freezer and freeze the sorbet until it is firm. Put the sorbet in a food processor or blender and process it until smooth.
- Place the sorbet in an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
Honey Glazed Carrots
This recipe comes to us from Jimmy Spalten of Spalten Honey Company in Pearsall, Texas.
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 medium carrots
- 2 Tbsp honey
Wash, peel, and thinly slice carrots diagonally. Heat olive oil in large cast iron skillet, until very hot, nearly smoking. Sear carrots until charmelized on both sides. Remove from heat. Add honey once carrots have cooled for 2 minutes. Stir to coat. Serve hot.
Katz and Company Recipes for The Dinner Garden
This next section of recipes comes from Katz and Company. They sell artisanal food products like honey, vinegar, preserves, and olive oil. Albert Katz allowed us to use his recipes, so we hope you enjoy them!
Roasted Acorn Squash with Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Glaze
Serves 6 to 8 The Thanksgiving meal is a perfect use for this seasonal recipe. The crescent shapes and orange hues of the squash offer a taste of autumn to any table or holiday buffet. The glaze made with our Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar is a perfect complement to the sweet nutty flavor of just about any squash or pumpkin, and we usually like to use different combinations of winter squashes for this recipe - Butternut and Delicata squash are two of our favorites to add. Onions can be sliced and added prior to roasting, a little fresh grated nutmeg is a nice complement as well.
- 4 Acorn squash, washed
- 2 Tablespoon Katz Chef's Pick Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 1 cup KATZ Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar
- 2 small bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon Branches Raspberry Flower Honey (optional)
- Sea salt and pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 375 F degrees.
Cut the squash in half, remove and discard seeds and then slice the squash into melon shaped wedges about 1/2-inch thick. Toss the squash pieces with the olive oil and place sheet pan, in a single layer. Season the squash with salt and a few grindings of black pepper, intersperse the lemon slices and bay leaves throughout the squash. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan, cover tightly with foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
To make the glaze reduce the Katz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc AgroDolce Vinegar by half or until the vinegar coats the back of a spoon, and then stir in the honey while the glaze is still warm.
After the squash has cooked covered for 20 minutes remove the foil and brush the squash liberally with half of the glaze. Place the uncovered pan back into the oven for 10 more minutes or until the squash wedges are tender. Brush the squash one more time with the remaining glaze and serve.
The squash can be reheated if covered and put into a 250 F degree oven.
Golden Beet, Goat Cheese and Walnuts with Agrodolce
This recipe is great for those golden beets you'll harvest in the fall and winter!
- 1/2 pound golden beets, trimmed (about 4 medium size)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
- 4 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 pound young arugula greens (spinach or endive would work as well)
- 1/4 cup Kitchen Line Late Harvest AgroDolce Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Kitchen Line Chef's Pick EVO (olive oil)
- 1/2 shallot, finely minced
- 3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped chives (optional)
- salt and pepper
Place beets in a pan, add about 2" of water, cover and roast in oven for 45-60 minutes, depending on size. Cool slightly and then peel. Cut in wedges or 1/4" dice and place in bowl. Pour over 1 tablespoon of orange juice and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with a teaspoon of oil.
Set aside for at least 15 minutes to marinate, but best after several hours!
Whisk rest of vinegar, juice and shallot in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in remaining oil and adjust for seasoning.
In mixing bowl place arugula, walnuts and beets and toss with dressing above. Set on plate and sprinkle on goat cheese. Top with chopped fresh chives and serve. (a nice addition, some thinly sliced fresh fennel!)
KATZ Summer Corn Salad with Sauvignon Blanc Vinegar
Serves 6
- 3 ears of very fresh corn, shucked
- 1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled, halved and seeded, sliced thinly
- 1 medium-sized red onion, small dice
- 2 to 3 stalks of celery from the heart, chopped in small dice
- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup KATZ Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Vinegar
- 1/4 cup KATZ Rock Hill Ranch EVO (olive oil)
- 2 Tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced
- salt and pepper (be generous with the freshly ground pepper!)
In a large pot of boiling and lightly salted water, cook the corn for about 3 minutes and refresh in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Cut the kernels from the cob and set in mixing bowl with onions, celery, cucumbers and garlic. Add the vinegar with some salt and pepper to taste and toss.
Let the salad sit for a few minutes for the veggies to soak up the vinegar.
Add oils, parsley and herbs; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature as a salad with some greens or as a side dish with grilled chicken or pork chops.
Add some fresh lima or cranberry beans for a more substantial offering. Crumbled feta or goat cheese, and bacon or pancetta are other tasty additions.
Recipes from the Great HEB
These recipes are from HEB. When you think grocery shopping in the great State of Texas, you think HEB. Our thanks to them for these great recipes!
Balsamic Strawberries with Whipped Mascarpone Cheese
If you haven't had strawberries with balsamic vinegar, you're in for a delicious surprise!
- 3 1-Pint Baskets (24 oz) strawberries, hulled, halved
- 1/2 cups balsamic glazing sauce
- 1/2 cup chilled mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
Combine mascarpone, whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk until thick, soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, add berries and drizzle with balsamic glazing sauce and toss to blend. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Divide berries and glazing sauce among 6 goblets. Top with mascarpone mixture.
Armadillo Watermelon Salad
SERVES 6
You might have to search around to find armadillo for this recipe. Well, not really. This recipe is 100% armadillo free, so give it a try!
- 1/4 of a 30 pound watermelon
- 1 small jicama
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh, ripe pineapple, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp minced chives
- 1 Tbsp minced cilantro
- 1 fresh minced jalapeno pepper
- 1 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
- salt to taste
- 2 to 3 ounce olive oil
- Small, whole peppers, sweet red pepper strips, and chives for garnish
Cut watermelon lengthwise into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide. Seed each strip. Cut strips into triangular chunks and place chunks in bowl. Peel jicama and slice into julienne strips. Place in a separate bowl. Cover both bowls and refrigerate until serving time. Combine vinegar, honey, and pineapple in a bowl. Whisk until mixed. Add next five ingredients and mix well. Gradually add olive oil in a steady stream. Adjust to taste and consistency as desired with salt and olive oil. Gently toss watermelon and jicama with dressing in their separate bowls. Arrange on a plate and garnish with chives and peppers.
Melon Salad
Yield: 6 Servings
- 3 pureed garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- Pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 6 cups assorted melon cubes, 1/2 inch
- 3 serrano chiles
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves for garnish
- 1 tsp lime zest, grated
Mix garlic, sugar, lime juice, chiles that have been stemmed and thinly sliced, and lime zest in a medium bowl. Roughly chop almonds and add to garlic mixture. To serve, arrange each variety of melon cubes in alternating rows on a platter or in individual bowls. Spoon dressing over melon and garnish with cilantro and pine nuts. Serve chilled.
Sauteed Green Beans with Tomatoes
This is a simple recipe for all those green beans you are harvesting!
- 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp basil chiffonade
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large shallots, sliced thin
- salt and pepper to taste
Cook beans in a large pot of boiling water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well. Melt butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and cook until the juice evaporates and the beans are almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine and basil. Simmer 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and servce. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired.
Blackeyed Peas with Tomatoes
This is another simple recipe. Use your blackeyed peas, also known as cowpeas, with your garden tomatoes.
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onions, diced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (11 oz) packages of blackeyed peas
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions in oil with garlic. Cook over low to moderate heat for 20 to 30 minutes until onions are translucent, lightly golden, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add peas, broth, and canned tomatoes, including liquid. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Peas should be tender and sauce should have thickened. If a thicker consistency is desired, continute at a low simmer for about 10 minutes, uncovered. Season with salt and pepper.
Okra and Corn with Tomatoes
This recipe is the ultimate summer harvest recipe. Use your okra, corn, and tomatoes straight from the garden.
- 3 cups very cold water
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh sliced okra
- 2 to 3 Tbsp bacon drippings
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cup sliced okra
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen thawed corn kernels
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sliced okra and let soak for about 30 minutes. In a large, heavy skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add okra and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer. If necessary, add water to keep vegetables from sticking. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer.
Tomatoes and Zucchini with Pasta
Enjoy this Italian inspired vegetarian dish!
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 large onion, julienned
- 4 zucchini, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- fresh basil sprigs
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- parmesan cheese (for garnish)
In a medium hot saute pan, add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Add minced garlic and onions and saute for 4 to 6 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 7 minutes. Cook longer if you would like the zucchini to be softer. Add salt and pepper and serve over warm pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese and chiffonade basil.
Recipes from Jan Unlimited
Jan Green from Jan Unlimited donated these recipes to The Dinner Garden. If you like them, contact Jan at 210-541-8180 or janunlimited@earthlink.net to see what she can do for your next event!
Sweet Potatoes and Carrots a l'Orange
- 2 cups sweet potatoes (approx. 1 large) peeled & thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons pecan pieces
Boil or steam sweet potatoes and carrots until tender. When they are almost finished cooking, heat orange juice to boiling in a sauce pan. Add the orange peel and the lemon juice. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water and add to orange mixture. Continue to heat, stirring until thickened. Remove vegetables from pan and place them in serving dish. Drizzle orange sauce over them and sprinkle pecans on top. Serves 4.
Okra and Corn and Tomatoes
- 2 cups very cold water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 1/2 cups fresh sliced okra
- 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen thawed corn kernels
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sliced okra and let soak for about 30 minutes. In a large heavy skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add okra and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer. If necessary, add water to keep vegetables from sticking. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. 4 to 6 servings.
Watermelon Salad with Cucumber and Mint
- 2 cups chopped watermelon
- 2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup minced fresh mint
- 1/3 crumbled feta cheese
Mix watermelon, cucumber, and most of the mint and cheese together. Sprinkle remaining mint and cheese on top. Garnish with whole mint leaves if desired. Serves 4 to 6.
Mexico Potato Salad
- 6 potatoes, peeled or scrubbed, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 8 large green olives, sliced
- 2 pickled jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 12 radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
- 4 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the potatoes in a pot; add water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer until the potatoes are soft all the way through, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool and dry out a bit, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, add the mustard, and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and gently mix. Serve right away at room temperature or serve chilled. 6 to 8 servings.
Braise Culinary School Recipes
Thank you to Dave Swanson from Braise Culinary School for his recipe donation.
Roasted Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Soup
- 4 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut in half
- 2 onions (sweet), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 1/2 pound heirloom Italian red peppers
- 1 Ancho chile, cleaned
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 Serrano chile pepper, seeded
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 cups olive oil
Grill the tomatoes, onions, and peppers until tender and slightly charred, remove from heat. Grill the ancho chile until soft and pliable, put with tomato mixture. Cook first six ingredients in 1 cup of olive oil, until completely soft. Add basil and cook for 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to boil, pull off heat. Put all ingredients in blender except olive oil. (May need to work in batches) Blend until smooth. While blender is running, slowly add the remaining 1c. of olive oil. Pass through a medium strainer. For a vegan soup, serve as is. For a vegetarian soup, use garnish below.
Garnish
- 1/4 pound Hidden Springs cheese
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, rough chop
- 2 limes, juiced
- Salt
Combine ingredients together, check seasoning and set aside.
Garden Greens Pasta
This recipe is from our volunteer, Julie McClaren.
Prepare appropriate size whole wheat pasta. Set aside. In a sauce pan add one large can diced tomatoes. Allow to simmer. This dish is seasonal, so it will depend on whats in the garden. Peel and cut several chives. Finely shred (I cut with shears) nasturtiums leaf OR beet leaf OR fresh spinach, and add to diced tomatoes. Pinch of cayenne (sneeze to the side). Amount depends on you. I start with a cup of shredded greens. Add ingredients and produce to your heart's content!
Mix all together, wheat pasta and tomato mixture with greens. Add one fouth cup of greek marinade (salad dressing aisle) and half cup shredded Italian cheese blend. Bake at 325 F degrees only until cheese melts.
Caribbean Limeade
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 Tbsp sliced ginger root
- Juice from 4 limes, chilled
- 32 ounces ice cold water
Mix sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to boiling, add ginger root, and boil for 1 minute. Cool, then refrigerate until cold. Remove ginger root from sugar syrup. Mix sugar syrup, fresh lime juice, and cold water. Serve over ice.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
The secret of this soup is the stock. Don't get me wrong, it will be really good with purchased stock, but with homemade stock, it is amazing. Using homemade stock is also cheaper than buying it. Here's the short version of the stock. Roast a chicken or turkey with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and a bunch of herbs, like rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano. Toss your vegetables and herbs with salt, pepper, and some oil. Use enough vegetables to line the bottom of a pan and stuff the chicken or turkey. Rub oil all over the chicken or turkey and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the bird on top of the vegetables in the pan, breast side up. Roast the chicken at 400 F degrees for about 50 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 F degrees. Start the turkey at 400 F degrees for the first 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 F degrees. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 155 F degrees. Eat the chicken or turkey with your roasted vegetables for dinner. Make gravy with the pan drippings. Save the bones, herb remains, and the vegetables you don't eat for your stock. Place those in a big pot. Cover them with cold water, so the water is two inches above all the stuff in your pot. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer over low heat for at least three hours. After three hours, taste the stock. It shouldn't taste watery, so if it does, cook it longer. When the stock is done, add salt to taste. Cool and use in your recipes, like the Broccoli Cheddar Soup that now follows.
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 16 ounces broccoli, chopped (fresh is best, but frozen is good)
- 6 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 1 cup milk
- 4 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 3 cups shredded medium to sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions and garlic in butter in a deep pot until translucent. Add chopped broccoli. Add chicken or turkey stock. Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. Mix milk and flour in a blender until smooth. Add milk and flour mixture to the pot. Puree the soup until it is smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring regularly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese to the soup and stir until the cheese is blended. Let the soup cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve the soup with crusty bread. Serves 6.
Hiyashi Chuka - Cold Japanese Noodles
This recipe comes to us from our very own Sean Hirshberg. Hiyashi Chuka are Japanese cold noodles. In Japan, they are popular in the hot summer months. You can use a variety of toppings for the noodles. Try adding tomatoes or carrots.
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken broth or dashi
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
Mix all the ingredients above together. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Chill the sauce until very cold.
- 1 bundle somen noodles
- 4 thin ham slices
- 1 egg
- 1 small cucumber (4 inches long)
- 1 green onion
- big pinch of pickled ginger
- wasabi to taste
Cook somen noodles according to directions. They cook very quickly, like 1 minute, so don't walk away from them. You can use other noodles. Somen are just the best with this dish. Rinse the noodles under cold water. The goal here is to remove any residual starch. This is best accomplished by putting the noodles in a big pot of cold water and gently scrubbing them together with your hands. Change your water a couple times while doing this. Then drain the noodles.
The remaining ingredients are up to you, but ham, cucumber, and egg are traditional. Slice the ham thinly. Peel and deseed the cucumber. Slice it into thin strips. For the egg, I make a very thin omelette, chill it, thin slice it into long, thin strips.
To serve, place your noodles in a large bowl. Arrange the sliced ham, cucumber, and egg artfully over the noodles. Place pickled ginger on top. Mix the chilled sauce with hot mustard or wasabi to taste. Pour the sauce over the dish liberally. I use about 1/2 cup per serving. Enjoy!