Recipes

Mint and Lemon Balm Sweet Tea

Some years ago, we purchased a pair of Barbados sheep through the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ and Consumers’ Market Bulletin. The seller lived in the open, arid lands of of the state’s southwest. When we visited him, he poured us tall glasses of his own special herbal sweet tea, the makings of which he grew in his back yard. It was the most wonderful iced tea I’d ever had, and even as I drank it, I made a mental note to try it at home.

5 large sprigs of fresh peppermint or spearmint
1 large sprig of fresh lemon balm
3/4 c. sugar

Put the mint, lemon balm, and sugar in the bottom of a two-quart pitcher. Bruise them with a wooden spoon. Add boiling water, stir, and steep until cooled. Serve over plenty of ice.

 

Chicken, Escarole, and White Bean Soup

Here’s a great use for leftover roast chicken. Its star is escarole, a slightly bitter green in the lettuce family. I love to grow escarole in the late fall and early spring, because it’s easy and dependable. But I find its flavor so addictive that I would probably grow it even if it was difficult.

1 chicken carcass with a little bit of meat still on it
celery and carrots for the stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans
1 large head escarole (about 3 c.), washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Place the chicken carcass in a stockpot along with a couple of sticks of celery and carrot. Add water to cover and simmer an hour or two. Remove the chicken and vegetables and season the stock with salt and pepper. Pick the meat from the carcass and set it aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, then cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.
Measure out 5 cups of stock and add it to the pot. Add the beans and their liquid. Bring to a boil, then add the escarole and cook until it is as tender as you like it -- about 10 minutes if your preferences are like mine.
Correct seasonings if needed, then serve.

Mom’s Easy Escarole Thing

I don’t even know what to call this -- a “skillet,” maybe, since that’s what you make it in. It’s very easy and very flexible. I’ve left the amounts blank because the proportions really don’t matter at all.

olive oil
Italian sausage (any kind, even chicken or turkey), sliced into rounds
onions, chopped
garlic, peeled and minced
1 can cannellini (white kidney) or other white beans, drained
spices (just salt and pepper, or anything you like -- my mom uses a Cajun seasoning; we're fond of Penzey's spicy seasoned salt)
broth (beef, chicken, what have you)
escarole, washed and torn into large pieces

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet, then fry the Italian sausage rounds until they are browned and no longer pink in the middle. Add the onion and continue cooking until it softens. Add the garlic and saute just for a moment -- be careful not to burn it.
Add the beans and enough broth to make the mixture saucy, but not soupy. Season to taste. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble.
Throw the escarole on top of the other ingredients, then put a lid on the skillet. Keep the heat at medium. Cook, covered, without stirring until the escarole has wilted.
Serve with rice or potatoes, or just on its own.

 

Quiche with Bacon, Chard, and Basil

1 9-inch pie shell, partially baked
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bunch chard, chopped and divided (stems in one pile, leaves in another)
a handful of fresh basil leaves, minced
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese or crumbled soft goat cheese
6 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 c. half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
a few grinds of black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic in the olive oil very briefly, until you can smell the garlic. Don’t let it brown. Add the chard stems and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Then add the leaves and cook until wilted. At the last minute, add the basil and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle the bacon and cheese in the pie shell. Arrange the chard mixture on top.
In a large bowl, beat the remaining ingredients until well blended, then pour into the pie shell. Bake until the middle is just set, 35 to 40 minutes.

Greek Pasta Salad

1/2 lb. pasta shells or spirals
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 Asian eggplants (or one large eggplant), partially peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of one lemon
2 Tbs. water
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
2 Tbs. fresh dill
6-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 c. crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the eggplant. Cover and cook 3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and water. Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is almost tender. Add the bell pepper and dill, then simmer a few minutes more until the peppers are crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, place the artichoke hearts, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery, green onions, and oregano in a large bowl. Add the cooked eggplant mixture. Stir in the pasta, toss well, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with feta cheese.