Peanut Soba Noodles with Extra Vegetables

Peanut Soba Noodles with Extra Vegetables
Serves 6

10-12oz soba, cooked rinsed oiled and let cool
2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 large head broccoli, in florets and blanched (1.5lbs)
1 red pepper, thin strips
1 large zucchini, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1 cucumber, cut into small pieces
Scallions, cilantro, mint, peanuts

Dressing:
1/3c peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs ginger
2 Tbs sesame oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs vinegar
Hot sauce, water

Make the dressing by blending everything and adding water and hot sauce to taste.
cook the noodles and chicken and broccoli - can be done all in one pot.
Cut up the rest of the vegetables and mix everything together.
Mix with the dressing and garnishes and serve room temp/cold.

Thai Basil Chicken, with Kale (Gai Pad Krapow)

Thai Basil Chicken, with Kale (Gai Pad Krapow)
Serves 4

1.5 lbs ground chicken or turkey, etc
4 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs ginger, minced
6 thai chilies, sliced thin
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
large pinch sugar
2-3 tbs fish sauce
1 packet/handful basil, torn
Juice of 1 lime

Brown the meat and reserve.
Saute the aromatics for a few minutes, until the shallots are softened.
Add the kale, sauces/sugar, and meat. Stir and cover for a few minutes to steam the kale.
Finish with basil, lime juice, and herbs.

Thai Coconut Lentils

Thai Coconut Lentils
Serves 4

2 cups green or brown lentils
1 clove garlic, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1 bunch dino kale, or chard/kale/collards/etc
olive oil
1 can light coconut milk
1.5 Tbs thai red curry paste
1 Tbs curry powder
1 Tbs tomato paste
salt, pepper, cilantro

Bring 2.75c water to a boil in a saucepan. Salt and add lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer until cooked, ~20 or 25 minutes.
In a dutch oven, saute the garlic and shallots in oil for a minute. Add the kale and saute for 5 minutes, or until partially cooked.
Once the lentils are done, add to the kale, along with the remaining ingredients. Cook together until heated through, season, and finish with cilantro.
Serve with rice, sriracha, etc.

Thai Red Curry Stew with Chicken, Kale, & Sweet Potatoes

Thai Red Curry Stew with Chicken, Kale, & Sweet Potatoes
4 servings

1 lbs chicken breasts, diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 small onion, diced
4-6 tbs thai red curry paste
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp jarred or fresh ginger
1 can coconut milk
6c chicken stock
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sriracha (optional)
1/2c rice

Directions
Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pot or deep skillet.
Add ginger and red curry paste. Sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add your onion and pepper and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, until onion is becoming translucent.
Add the chicken. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until it's starting to get some color.
Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, kale, salt, lime juice, sugar, and sriracha. Turn the heat to medium high. Stir constantly as the kale begins to wilt into the sauce. For a slightly thicker/creamier texture, add in the cornstarch mixed into water.
Bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and rice and reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
Add lime juice and serve.

Butternut Squash, Kale, Quinoa Stuffing

Butternut Squash, Kale, Quinoa Stuffing
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups raw rainbow quinoa
1 bay leaf
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ribs celery, diced
2 medium leeks, washed and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 - 2 teaspoons each fresh sage and thyme, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Prepare the quinoa according to package instructions, substituting chicken or vegetable broth for the liquid called for in the instructions and adding the bay leaf to the pot with the liquid prior to cooking. Discard the bay leaf after cooking.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and adjust rack to middle position.
Toss squash with coconut oil, whole cane sugar, and salt. Spread the pieces evenly in a baking dish and cover with foil. Roast for 15 minutes, remove foil and then roast for an additional 20 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium to large cast iron skillet or saute pan add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the celery and saute for 2 - 3 minutes, until slightly tender. Add the leeks and saute an additional 2 - 3 minutes, until the leeks and celery are tender and fragrant. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the chopped kale and saute over low heat just until the kale has wilted.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, vegetables from the saute pan, cranberries, fresh parsley and your choice of thyme or sage. Stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, top with 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts.

Smoky Tomato Bacon Soup with Kale and Chickpeas

Smoky Tomato Bacon Soup with Kale and Chickpeas
Yield: 6

6 slices bacon or chorizo
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
28 oz / 800 g can San Marzano tomatoes
16 oz / 475 mL chicken or vegetable stock
2 14 oz / 400g cans cooked chickpeas, drained
1 bunch kale, stems stripped and leaves coarsely chopped into ribbons
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat til crisp, about ten minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.
Drain all but 1 tsp bacon fat from pot.  Add onions and garlic; season with a bit of salt.  Stir in smoked paprika and red pepper.  Cook, covered, stirring occasionally til completely softened, about 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and stock.  With an immersion blender, blender or food processor, blend til fairly smooth.
Return soup to pot.  Add chickpeas.  Cover and simmer over low heat, about 10 minutes.
Check consistency.  If the soup looks too thick, add a touch of water and adjust the seasoning.  Add kale and cook til fully wilted and soft, about 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile, chop bacon.  Serve soup in wide bowls and garnish with chopped bacon. Serve with bread.

Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant and Sausage

Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant and Sausage
6 to 8 servings

Kosher Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 lbs fennel pork sausage
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces, salted/rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, plus 8oz tomato sauce
4oz chopped kale
Leaves from 1 small bunch basil
1 pound rigatoni
8oz fresh mozzarella
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.

Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.

Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Add tomatoes to the pan with the kale and basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take 5-15 minutes.

By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Greens
Makes 4 servings

olive oil
2 large leeks, chopped
1 10-ounce container sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup pearl barley
4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
1 bunch dinosaur kale, coarsely chopped
1 tomato, diced

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until leeks begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice; stir 1 minute. Add barley and 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add kale; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cover and simmer until kale and barley are tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed for desired stew consistency, about 10 minutes. Add tomato and serve with parmesan.

Sweet Potato Kale Pizza

Sweet Potato Kale Pizza
Serves 2-3

14-inch/1 lbs pizza dough
1 large sweet potato, sliced .25inch
.5 red onion, thin sliced
olive oil
roasted garlic
cornmeal
3 cups shopped kale
1 Tbs balsamic
1 tsp rosemary chile flakes
8oz grated mozzarella
Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400.
Toss potatoes and onions with some oil, and season. Roast 20 minutes, turning, until potatoes are done.
Turn the oven up to 475 or 500. Toss the kale with balsamic, and roll out the dough onto a cornmeal-bottomed pan or stone. Brush the dough with olive oil, and season with salt/pepper/rosemary/flakes.
Top the pizza with garlic and vegetables, finishing with cheeses.
Bake 10-15 minutes, until done. Serve with salad.

Pumpkin and Sausage Baked Pasta

Pumpkin and Sausage Baked Pasta
Serves 4-6

1 pound Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 cup chicken stock, or less
1 tablespoon dried sage
pinch of salt
1/3 cup fat free half & half
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
1/2 lbs kale or similar, cut
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet until brown. Remove from skillet and drain over paper towel. Set aside.

Using approximately 2 tablespoons of fat from sausage, saute onion, garlic and crushed red pepper until soft. Stir in pumpkin, stock, kale, and sage. Add salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in half & half and sausage and simmer until sauce comes together and thickens slightly. Turn off heat. Add pasta and parsley and gently toss all ingredients together to coat.

Grease a casserole dish and place mixture inside. Top with grated cheese. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until top is golden brown.

White Bean Soup with Pan-Fried Salami

White Bean Soup with Pan-Fried Salami
Serves 8

1 tablespoons herbes de Provence/mixed herbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8-10oz spicy hard salami, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, peel+juice
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
30oz can Small White Beans, drained
6 cups chicken stock
1 small bunch pound kale, prepped
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Parmesan

In a soup pot, brown the salami, and reserve. Add the onion, carrots,
celery,garlic, lemon rind, and 1 tablespoon of mixed herbs. Season with
salt and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then cover and cook until
softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the beans and chicken stock to the vegetables. Add the kale and
simmer until it is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved salami
and lemon's juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into
bowls, garnish with the parsley and parmesa

Mee Sa-pam

Noodles with Pork and Kale (Mee Sa-pam)
6-8

16 oz Rice Noodles
4 tablespoons Fish Sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
oil
2 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoon minced garlic
2 shallots chopped
2 chilies chopped
2 lb pork loin, thinly sliced
1 small bunch kale, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Scallions

1. Cook rice noodles.
2. In a small bowl mix together Fish Sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, soy
sauce, and lime juice. Set aside.
3. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over a medium high heat. Add
ginger and garlic. Cook one minute or until fragrant. Add pork and
stir-fry until just cooked (meat will turn opaque).
4. Add reserved Fish Sauce mixture to meat and combine. Cook one minute.
Drain noodles and add to meat. Stir-fry noodles until covered with sauce
and just tender.
5. Add kale. Stir-fry until it turns dark green and is combined with
ingredients. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.

Tortellini with Butternut Squash Sauce and Kale

Tortellini with Butternut Squash Sauce and Kale
Serves 6 - 8

1 med butternut squash, 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried thyme
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1.5lbs cheese or cheese & potato filled tortellini
1+ cup reserved pasta water (from cooking)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
Parmigiana Reggiano for garnish (appx 2 oz)
generous salt and pepper to taste

In a nice big pot, sautee the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until they’re translucent (about 5-7 minutes) and then add the squash cubes. Continue to cook the mixture on medium low heat.

After 5-7 minutes the squash will have started to soften slightly. Add the chicken stock and cover the pot. Let this cook together for another 10 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and thyme. Give it a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.

Toss the kale into the pot and cover it again. Let this cook, undisturbed, foranother 5-10 minutes or until the kale is nicely wilted.

The squash should be really soft and pliant at this point, so smoush it down until it morphs into a chunky paste.

Boil the tortellini in salted water until it’s tender, about 10 minutes.

When it’s done, drain the pasta but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Mix this with the sauce to thin it out and dump the tortellini in.

Toss it around rather nicely. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and
garnish with freshly shaved Parmigiana Reggiano. Dinner is served!!

Lentil, Kale, and Chorizo Stew

Lentil, Kale, and Chorizo Stew
serves 8

2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
4 ounces dried chorizo sausage, diced small
2 onions, diced, divided
2 large shallot, minced
1 pound French lentils
2 teaspoon salt
6 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaf
5 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 small head Tuscan kale roughly chopped
Romano cheese, shaved, for serving

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat and add the chorizo, stirring
occasionally until the fat has rendered and the oil looks orange. Add 1
diced onion and the shallot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the
onions and shallots soften, about 10 minutes. Cover with the stock, add
the bay leaf and lentils, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover,
and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes, add a little water to cover if needed, add the salt,
and cover again. Cook for another 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low
head in a wide skillet and add the remaining onion. Cook until the onion
begins to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high,
add the kale, a heavy pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until
the kale wilts down, about 5 minutes. Remove the kale and onions from
heat, and reserve until the potatoes and lentils are finished cooking.

4. Combine kale with lentils and potatoes. Mix well. Serve with Italian
bread and pass shaved Romano at the table.

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Kale

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Kale
Serves 6

1 bunch Kale
1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, chunked
1 fennel, chunked
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
About 5 lbs whole chicken thighs (~10)
paprika
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°. Use either one huge roasting pan or two 9x13 pans. Toss the kale fennel and potatoes together with salt pepper and oil, in batches if necessary. Make them into a bed for the chicken.
Season the chicken well with salt pepper and paprika, and evenly distribute on top of the vegetables.
Cover with foil, and roast 20 minutes. Uncover and roast another 30 minutes, until chicken is done. Finish with lemon juice.

Kale and Butternut Squash Stew

Kale and Butternut Squash Stew
Serves 4

1 lbs tuscan kale or chard, chopped
1.5 pounds butternut squash, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups onions
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups stock, or more
salt and pepper
feta or parmesan for serving

Saute the chopped onions in a pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir in the chopped squash and the vegetable stock. Cover and cook until squash is tender but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.

Stir in chopped kale, and cook until wilted, 7-10 minutes. salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cheese.

Feijoada

The national dish of Brazil.

Feijoada Completa
8-10 servings

Olive oil
1 huge onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 habanero pepper, minced
2 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
1 pound chorizo, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound baby back ribs, cut into individual ribs
1 pound carne seca, blade steak, beef jerky, other random stewable meat
1 pound dried black beans
~10 cups water

1 bunch collard or kale greens, sauteed
White Rice
Hot Sauce


In a stockpot, saute the the onions, garlic, habanero, and bay leaves. Season with salt pepper, and paprika. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add the sausage, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the other meats, beans and water.
Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Adding water as necessary to keep the beans covered.
Using the back of a ladle, mash some of the beans to thicken things up some. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, mix in the greens, and spoon over a relatively small amount of rice.

Simple Pasta, with Mussels

Linguine with Mussels and Kale
Serves 6

1 lbs Linguine
Olive Oil
1 med onion, thin 1/4 moons
2 cloves garlic, superthin sliced
1 tsp Chile flakes
2 lbs cultivated Mussels, prepared
1 small bunch Kale, prepped and rough chopped

Cook pasta, reserve 1 cup liquid
Put kale into the microwave for a little while, until it shrinks a bunch. This way it fits into the pan easier.
Saute onion, garlic and chile. Season.
Add mussels, and cook covered until they just start to open. Add kale, mix, and cook until the mussels are done.
Mix with the linguine, and cooking water if necessary.

Spanish Clam Soup

A nice fall seasonal soup. For some reason I felt the need to cook clams, so:

Littleneck Clam Soup with Beans, Kale, and Saffron

TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4

3 dozen littleneck clams—scrubbed
1 cup white wine
Pinch Thyme
Water
Large pinch of saffron threads
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup ham, small dice
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs
Two 15-ounce cans cannelini beans with their liquid
1 small bunch kale, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper
A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Note: Don't add salt anywhere except maybe a little with the onions - the ham and clams should be plenty salty.

In a large pot, steam clams until they are done with white wine, water, and a pinch of thyme. Shuck clams and reserve. Separately reserve the cooking liquid.
Bloom saffron in a few Tablespoons of the warm clam liqueur.

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the ham and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs, then add the beans and their liquid along with the thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add saffron mix and clam liquid to the beans and season with pepper. Add kale and simmer for 15 minutes.

Increase the heat to high, add the clams and their reserved liquor and cook for a minute. Discard the bay leaf.

Sprinkle the soup with the parsley and serve with bread for dipping.

Traditional Pasta con Salsiccia e Verdure

Traditional Italian comfort food - at least my version of.

Pasta with Sausage and Greens: Pasta con Salsiccia e Verdure
Serves 6

1 lb Pasta - Orecchiette is traditional, or Penne/Farfalle/Shells
1 lb Sausage (Chicken is fine)
1 bunch/bag Greens - I prefer Kale, Rapini is also good
5 cloves garlic, sliced like paper
2 tsp Chili flakes
~2c Chicken stock

Cook Pasta
Cook Sausage in a non-nonstick skillet, slice into 1/4" rounds
Cook Kale in the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Cook for about 10 minutes, to taste.
Add garlic, chili flakes, and some oil to the sausage in the skillet, saute.
Add everything together in the pasta pot. Deglaze sausage pan with the kale cooking liquid (some might call that potlikkers) and add to the pasta.
Eat