1. Cut the stalks from the fennel bulbs level with the bulbs. Cut the fennel bulb in half from top to bottom, and then each half in half  from top to bottom. This will reveal the fennel’s core which you should remove. Slice the fennel thinly.

2. Gently sauté the garlic and onions in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the sliced fennel and the potato. Salt lightly. Gently sauté for about 10 more minutes, then add the tomatoes and the broth.

3. Bring to a boil, adjust to a simmer, and continue to simmer for about an hour. Add the Pernod and allow to simmer for a few more minutes.

4. Allow the soup to cool slightly, then puree in the blender in batches. The soup will have a better texture if you then strain it or pass it through a food mill.

5. Reheat soup. Taste for seasoning. Serve.

So this week’s bounty from Tecolote was made into a gorgeous Lemon Confit by Will.  Here is what he had to say about it:

Forgive me for tooting my own horn, here, and it's not like I came up with
the stuff, but I thought that the lemon confit that I made today was
really amazing.
I should add that I haven't actually tasted the stuff, only smelled its
lovely aroma, but it is truly a thing of beauty.  Orchids, cake frosting,
lavender, but none of what went into making it.  Alchemy.

Vivian suggests serving it over asparagus.  Or dipping focaccia into it.
Let me know what you wind up doing with it.  

Vivian made lentil soup, since we cannot go one week without one

Lauren made a lovely fresh green salad using the greens from the Tecolote basket

Will is making a sauce, which. . . I didn’t get yet

And J2 & Vivian chopped up all the edible greens from the Tecolate basket to make a big batch of pressure cooked deliciousness.  This week we used the carrot tops, beet greens, turnip greens, and I think there were some collards in there as well.  We washed and chopped them, tossed in the pressure cooker with some shallots,  garlic, sweet Spanish pepper, and a can of diced tomatoes.  Cooked the entire concoction on high pressure for 3 minutes for a big bowl of yum.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions
• 2 red or orange bell peppers (or combination)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (feel free to puree in a blender or leave as is)
• 2-3 jalapeño peppers, minced (remove seeds for less heat, keep seeds for more heat)
• 7 cups vegetable broth (I use water and gluten free bouillon)
• 1 lb bag of frozen corn
• ¼ to ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
• 12 ounces tortilla chips
• ½ to 1 cup shredded Cheddar, Monterey, or Jack cheese (optional for vegan)
• 1 avocado – peeled, pitted and diced
• Juice of one fresh lime (warm the lime 20 seconds in the microwave before juicing)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook 5-7 minutes until onions start to turn clear.
2. Add bell and jalapeño peppers.  Cook 2-3 minutes
3. Add garlic and cumin.  Cook another 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
4. Mix in the tomatoes and broth (or water and bouillon). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.
5. Mix corn into the soup, and continue cooking 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro & fresh lime juice.

To serve:  Pour soup in an oven-proof chili bowl.  Top with a generous amount tortilla chips and top with shredded cheddar cheese.  Broil 1 minute in a toaster oven or oven for 1 minute or until cheese melts and is slightly browned.  (If you don’t have oven-proof chili bowls, place the soup into regular soup bowls.  Toss the tortilla chips onto a cookie sheet and generously top the chips with cheese – as if you are making nachos – and heat under a broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly brown.  Remove from oven and chip off a large chunk to place on top of the individual bowls of soup).

Top with avocado & serve.

4 cups water + 1-2 bouillon cubes (to taste – depends on the saltiness of the boullion)

2 TBS butter or margarine

1 TBS curry powder

3 spring onions, white part and ½ of green minced

Pour water and bouillon into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, wash, sort, and drain lentils; add to boiling water, cover, and  simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Set aside.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred).  Once butter is melted, add the curry powder and stir fry for one minute.  Pour mixture into lentils.  Using an immersion blender, whir the lentils until smooth.

Serve with Indian spiced vegetables over jasmine rice.

Note:  You can substitute split peas for the brown lentils in this recipe.

2-3 bunches of greens (such as spinach, chard, watercress, collards, kale), soaked for 10 or more minutes in a cold water bath, rinsed, and trimmed with thick stems removed*

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed

3 TBS oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

A few pinches of cayenne

Shake the excess water from the greens.  Chop the greens and cilantro into slender strips.

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or any large, heavy skillet with a cover).  Over moderate heat, add the garlic, onion and cumin seeds; Sauté for a minute or so until fragrant.  Add the greens & cilantro to the pan and stir-fry to coat the surfaces of the greens with the oil, onion, and garlic.  Add the salt and cayenne.  Sauté for 10 or more minutes until nearly all the liquid from the greens has evaporated.  If you want to keep a bit more liquid (I like to keep some for pouring over rice), turn the heat down, add one or two tablespoons water, and cover for the last 10 minutes instead of sauteing.  Mix in the lemon juice and serve.

*Frankly, I’ll use any edible greens; turnip, radish, carrot tops.  It’s all good.

1 cup red lentils

5 cups water

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp each: turmeric, coriander, and cumin

1 TBS finely grated ginger

1 tsp hot green chile (jalapeno or Anaheim), minced

1 TBS oil

½ tsp black mustard seeds

2 dried hot red chilies, broken in half and most seeds removed

Juice of lemon or lime

1 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

Boil water.  Meanwhile, wash the lentils and drain.  Add lentils to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, for five minutes.  Turn heat down to moderate, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.  Then add the salt, spices, ginger and minced chile.  Cook for another 10 minutes until the lentils are quite soft.  Whisk to break down the beans.  Cook dhal over low heat while preparing the next step.

Heat oil in a small saucepan; add the mustard seeds.  When they finish popping, add the broken chile pieces.  Then, quickly add this oil mixture to the pot of dhal.  Cover the lid right away  so the vapor from the oil does not fill up the kitchen.  Turn off the heat from the dhal.  Keep covered for at least five minutes, preferably more.  Uncover and remove the red chile pieces.   Add the lemon or lime and adjust the seasoning to taste.  Serve with the chopped cilantro.

¼ cup minced green onion

½ cup ground cashews (use coffee grinder or food processor)

2 cups coconut milk (canned okay)

½ tsp each: Garam Masala, turmeric, cumin

¼ tsp cayenne

1 ½ tsp salt

Heat ghee or oil, add onion and sauté until it is limp and translucent.  Add the nuts and stir-fry until the nuts change color and are fragrant.  Add the coconut milk.  Add spices and salt.  Cook briefly until all the ingredients are well-blended.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve this sauce over any steamed vegetable.  (See the “Steamed Cauliflower with Cream Sauce” recipe on this blog).

Note:  For a dairy-based version, substitute full fat cream for the coconut milk.  Recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks Flavors of India by Shanta Sacharoff.

** This sauce is delicious poured over boiled & cubed potatoes that have been reheated in a frying pan with a little oil (to make the potatoes crispy).  Add cooked tofu, chicken, shrimp, or beef and serve all over rice.

1 small head of cauliflower (about ½ lb)

2 or more cups Indian Cream Sauce (see recipe on this blog)

Sprigs of cilantro or parsley for garnish

Remove the outer  leaves and 1” from bottom stem of the cauliflower.  Place in a small pot with one cup of water (or use a vegetable steamer as directed).  Cover and cook for 10 minutes to partially cook.  Set the cauliflower in a  pretty oven-proof dish.  Pour cream sauce over the cauliflower so it is almost completely covered.  Cover the dish with foil “tenting” it so it does not touch the cauliflower.  Bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes until the cauliflower is cooked through (5 minutes).  Garnish with cilantro and serve by slicing it at the dinner table.

Note:  Makes a beautiful presentation served with jasmine rice alongside greens, such as Bhaji and Masoor Dal, which is made with red lentils.