Scaffata is an Italian dish best made when peas and fava beans in their shells are young and sweet. The name comes from the Roman dialect, “scaffare,” – to shell – and it also uses the outermost leaves of a head of romaine lettuce, fresh mint, spring onions and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes.
Vary the greens and fresh herbs depending on what you have. Don’t salt until cooking is done, or the peas and fava beans will toughen up.
Learn more about braising in our The Union article.
Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup white onion, chopped
2 ½ lb fresh fava beans in the pod, shelled (about ½ lb), blanched and peeled
1 cup zucchini, finely diced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups romaine leaves, shredded
1 Tbsp mint leaves, finely sliced
1 Tbsp basil, finely sliced
Splash of white wine
Salt and pepper
Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. When water is boiling, cook fava beans 2-3 minutes. Drain, reserving one cup of cooking water.
Add olive oil to a skillet and cook onions and garlic a few minutes over medium heat. Add fava beans, zucchini, red pepper flakes along with white wine and about ¼ cup reserved cooking water. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to prevent sticking to the pan.
Add in peas and romaine, cooking 5-10 minutes more, adding more reserved cooking water if needed.
Stir in basil and mint, a little parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 1-2 minutes more for flavors to blend.
One way to eat lighter and healthier is to eat more veggies, and why not have fun while you do it, by transforming all sorts of vegetables into noodles using a spiralizer, mandoline or a Y-shaped veggie peeler and a sharp knife.
The best choices are firm, not floppy, and the longer the better. Enjoy them lightly cooked and then treated just like you would regular pasta or served raw as part of a salad or a slaw.
Learn more about zoodles in our The Union article.
Ingredients
2 medium size green zucchini
3 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
1 cup flat leaf parsley, loosely packed
1 avocado, pitted
½ cup cashews, walnuts or pine nuts
4-6 cloves garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated – plus more to taste
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
Basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
Coarsely grind fresh and dried herbs, nuts, parmesan and garlic in a food processor. Add lemon juice, avocado and salt and pulse briefly to combine.
Prepare zoodles with your choice of spiralizing tool. Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add just enough zoodles so they have room to cook and aren’t overcrowded. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute and transfer to another dish. Repeat as needed to cook all zoodles.
Toss zoodles in pesto sauce and top with fresh and sundried tomatoes and basil leaves. Add a little more Parmesan, salt and pepper if you’d like.
Just like some folks enjoy raw cranberries in Thanksgiving relish, here’s a recipe for a great salsa featuring (slightly cooked) rhubarb, strawberries and some other goodies that help balance everything out. Let’s hear it for “sour power!”
Ingredients
2 cups fresh rhubarb, strings removed and finely diced
½ apple, finely diced – we like Cosmic Crisp
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup strawberries, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp vinegar – red wine or apple cider
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp garlic granules or 1 clove garlic finely minced
Pinches of cumin and coriander powder
Salt/pepper to taste
Directions
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Put rhubarb in a small heat-resistant bowl or Mason jar and pour water over it. Let sit for 1 minute, remove rhubarb from hot water and shock in ice water.
Drain rhubarb and lay it on a paper towel so liquid can release. Also pat dry as needed before adding to other ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, apple, jalapeño pepper, onion, strawberries and cilantro. Add garlic (granules or fresh minced), pinches of cumin and coriander, and a little salt and pepper.
Whisk together lime juice, vinegar and honey. Pour over salsa and stir to combine.
Refrigerate 2-3 hours for flavors to meld. Can also be served immediately. Add salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Leftover salsa keeps in fridge for a day.
Note: You can substitute yellow or green bell pepper for the apple for a more savory flavor.
Spiral hams are a real treat since a lot of the work is already done and there are usually lots of leftovers to enjoy in the days after cooking one. This recipe takes the spiral ham to a new level!
Ingredients
10 lb spiral sliced bone-in ham
½ each orange, lemon and small white onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 fresh thyme sprigs, cut into 1/3’s
6 1-inch lengths rosemary sprigs
2 Tbsp each orange marmalade, orange juice and brown sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
Freshly-ground black pepper
Optional: Thinly sliced pineapple, about ½ cup, to insert into ham slices
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°. Line a roasting pan with foil.
Insert thinly sliced fruit along with thyme and rosemary sprigs in the spiral layers of ham.
Place ham flat side down in roasting pan and cover with foil.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix marmalade, orange juice, brown sugar, lemon zest, garlic powder, mustard and a few grinds black pepper.
Bake 2 hours. Uncover, brush with glaze and bake another 45 minutes until browned and internal temp is 140°.
Remove rosemary sprigs and transfer ham to a platter for serving. Optional: remove onion slices, roughly chop and add to Spring Veggie Mashers.
The Instant Pot makes for quick cooking, choose cooking time depending on how smooth or textured you want your mash.
Using a large stock pot on the stove takes a little more time and also works well.
Ingredients
1 lb gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb combo of celery root and parsnips, peeled and cut in to 1-inch chunks
Big handful baby spinach leaves
1 leek, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs – parsley/dill/mint
4 Tbsp unsalted butter – cut into Tbsp’s
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
½ cup sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp garlic granules
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: ¼ cup heavy cream
Directions
To a 6-quart Instant Pot with steamer rack or basket, add chunks of gold potatoes and root veggies. Add water to the level of steam rack and close pot. Cook at high pressure for 10-13 minutes. If using a pot on the stove, add veggies and water in same manner, over medium heat.
For Instant Pot – quick release once cooking time is done. If using a pot on the stove, test veggies with a paring knife so it pierces them easily. Remove veggies from pot and place in a large mixing bowl, reserving cooking liquid.
To a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and leek. Cook until wilted and tender. Add salt/pepper to taste. Set aside.
Add butter and garlic granules to potatoes and root veggies. Mash everything with a spatula or potato masher until desired consistency, adding heavy cream of a little of the reserved cooking liquid to make it creamy. Alternately, use an immersion blender to get it silky smooth. Fold in sautéed leeks.
Sprinkle with Cheddar and ¼ cup grated Parmesan, folding in to combine and melt. Add salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve veggie mash, top with fresh herbs, additional grated Parmesan to taste and butter as desired.
Here’s a potato salad featuring the winning combination of roasted potatoes, a bright Dijon dressing, fresh herbs and plenty of crumbled bacon.
Ingredients
2 ½ lb gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch slices
1 medium red onion, cut into rings
¼ cup olive oil, divided
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp garlic granules
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp vinegar – red wine, champagne or sherry
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs – parsley, dill, arugula, basil
3 Tbsp finely chopped chives
6 pieces bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss potatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil and place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake 20 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden-brown.
Cook bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set on paper towels to cool. Reserve bacon fat, wipe out the pan and add 1-2 Tbsp bacon fat back in. Add onions and cook until soft and brown on the edges. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, add lemon juice and zest, vinegar, dried thyme, garlic granules, Dijon and a few pinches salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, then add 2 Tbsp olive oil and whisk again.
When potatoes are done cooking, add to a shallow bowl along with onions. Add dressing and toss gently to combine. Add chopped herbs and toss gently again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top before serving.
