Delicious, luscious and easy – what more can you ask for? Serve with fancy crackers or grilled baguette if you’re really feeling like going all out, otherwise enjoy on toast or bagels with figs and balsamic vinegar, or top with garden-fresh tomato slices…whatever gives you joy. Serves 4 – 6.
Ingredients
1 15 oz tub Organic Valley Whole Milk Ricotta
1 cup of your favorite fresh herbs, finely chopped, reserving a bit for garnish
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 Tbsp high quality olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Mix together all ingredients well in a bowl. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
Shmear on crackers or baguette, drizzling a bit more olive oil and sprinkling reserved herbs.
A staple of Scandinavian breakfasts of the 1970s, strawberry soup is a refreshing – and surprising – way to elevate your strawberry game in a relaxed, easy-going style, perfect for a summer first course or dessert.
Ingredients
2 pints strawberries, hulled, reserving 6
1 cup fresh orange juice
1¼ tsp instant tapioca
1/6 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
½ cup sugar
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
Purée strawberries in food processor or blender. Strain into a saucepan. Add orange juice.
In a small bowl, mix tapioca, spices and 3 Tbsp of strawberry mixture together and add back to saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, lemon peel and juice and buttermilk until combined.
Slice the 6 remaining strawberries, add to the soup. Cover and chill soup for at least 8 hours. Keeps for up to three days.
Fluffy beyond belief, these pancakes are somewhat particular about how they like to be cooked. All suggestions are intended to maximize the light, airy texture and ensure even and complete cooking. Perfect for Mother’s Day or any special occasion!
Ingredients
4 large eggs
3 Tbsp whole milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup cake flour (4.2 oz)
1 tsp baking powder
4-6 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp avocado or rice-bran oil (neutral flavor)
6+ Tbsp water (for steaming)
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 pint fresh berries
Mint sprigs
Directions
To measure flour, fluff it up in bag/container. With a spoon, sprinkle flour into measuring cup, gently piling until it forms a heap above measuring cup rim. Scrape knife across top of measuring cup to level the flour. Do not pack flour down at any point.
Gather other ingredients and a 12-inch nonstick frying pan with a lid (should be large enough to cook 3 pancakes at once).
Separate egg whites and yolks into two different bowls. Put bowl with egg whites in freezer for 15 minutes to partially freeze. Meanwhile, add milk and vanilla to egg yolks and whisk with a hand whisk until thick and frothy. Sift baking powder and cake flour into the bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly, not over-mixing. Set aside while making meringue.
After 15 minutes, take egg whites from freezer; should be half-frozen. Using balloon whisk, stand mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites. Once frothy/opaque, gradually add sugar about 1/3 at a time. Then, increase mixing speed until stiff peaks form, about two minutes if using stand mixer. Stop mixer and gently mix looser egg whites at bowl’s edge with stiffer whites near the center, so all has the same texture. Meringue should hold a tip straight up, or slightly folding over a bit, and have a glossy texture. Do not overbeat.
Heat the large nonstick frying pan to 300° over lowest heat. Brush with cooking oil and remove any excess (so pancakes won’t be spotty). Keep pan on low heat, as this will ensure the insides cook properly and the pancakes won’t collapse.
Take one-third of egg whites and add to egg yolk mixture. Whisk together by hand. Take half of remaining meringue and add to egg yolk mixture, gently folding in with a whisk without breaking bubbles in egg whites.
Transfer egg yolk mixture back into bowl with remaining meringue. Very gently fold two mixtures together, without deflating air bubbles. Mix batter very gently until evenly mixed.
For the first pancake, place one small scoop of batter and make a tall mound in the frying pan using a small ladle or serving spoon. Stack one more scoop of batter onto the first scoop already in the pan. Repeat for next two pancakes, giving each pancake two scoops of batter. Once all three pancakes have two scoops, you can mound one more small scoop on top of each pancake, keeping batter piled high.
Set a timer for 6-7 minutes, add 1 Tbsp water in each of the three empty spaces inside the pan. Cover with lid. The steam from the water will keep pancakes moist while cooking. The time is just a guideline; cooking time is based on temperature of frying pan.
After pancakes have cooked for two minutes, open lid and add one final scoop to each pancake. Stack batter high and not wide. Add a little more water if all has evaporated. Cover with lid and continue to cook.
After 6-7 minutes have passed, lift each pancake very gently using an offset spatula. If the pancake is stuck, wait until it’s firmed up a little to touch it. When the pancake is ready, it should move easily and not crack in the middle. Add more water to empty spaces in pan and cover. Set timer for 4-5 minutes to cook on the other side.
Once nicely browned, transfer pancakes to serving plates. Dust pancakes with powdered sugar and serve with berries and mint sprigs.
Best when made just before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in fridge for up to two days.
This recipe comes from our very own BriarPatch Co-op in Nevada County, California!
In the month of October, we celebrate co-ops. Why? Because they are awesome! We feature recipes from co-ops around the country in our special Co-op Recipe Guide.
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry (8-9 oz.)
28 oz spinach, stemmed/chopped
1 large bunch chard, tough stalks removed, leaves chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt/pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 oz goat cheese, room temp.
½ cup fresh herbs – basil/parsley/arugula leaves
¾ cup walnuts, toasted (optional)
1 egg yolk, beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 13” x 18” sheet pan with parchment.
Thaw puff pastry at room temperature 20-30 minutes. Roll into rectangle, place on pan. Gently trace 1-inch edge with knife, cutting only half-way through thickness. With fork, poke holes in pastry’s center. Blind bake 10 minutes, until pastry starts to puff/get gold.
Remove from oven, gently flatten central part of pastry (leave edges puffed).
Add butter to sauté pan; once melted, add shallot, dried thyme, nutmeg, several pinches salt/pepper. When shallot is translucent, add/cook garlic 1 minute. Add greens, sauté until wilted. Adjust seasonings, remove from pan and place in strainer to cool/drain.
Spread ¾ of goat cheese evenly over pastry’s center. Cover evenly with greens, once drained/cooled. Sprinkle with rest of goat cheese. Brush pastry edges with egg yolk.
Thank you to our friends at the Ashland Food Co-op in Ashland, Oregon for this tasty treat!
In the month of October, we celebrate co-ops. Why? Because they are awesome! We feature recipes from co-ops around the country in our special Co-op Recipe Guide.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ red onion diced
2 apples, diced (any variety will do-peeled or not peeled, your choice)
10 fresh large sage leaves, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 tsp fresh thyme or ½-tsp dried
¾ cup chicken stock OR water (more may be needed, it depends on the apples)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Directions
Heat butter, oil and onions in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes.
Add in the remaining ingredients, cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes or so, on low-medium heat, stirring often.
You may need to add an additional ¼ cup of stock or water, depending on the variety of the apple. Serve leftovers cold or warmed with French toast and maple syrup in the morning.
Thanks to our friends from The Merc Co-op in Lawrence, Kansas for this tasty recipe!
In the month of October, we celebrate co-ops. Why? Because they are awesome! We feature recipes from co-ops around the country in our special Co-op Recipe Guide.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree
1/3 cup water
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 °.
Oil one standard sized loaf pan and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy (about 8 minutes).
Add the oil gradually and mix thoroughly.
Add the pumpkin puree and mix again.
Add the dry ingredients and mix, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the water slowly and mix until combined.
Pour batter into the pan, and sprinkle with raw sugar (optional). Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
