Saturday, March 14, 2009

PUMPKIN FRITTERS



Pumpkin Fritters
- Makes 15 to 20 fritters


Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Finely ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil, for frying


Procedure:
1. Place the pumpkin puree in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork and stir them into the pumpkin with a wooden spoon or spatula. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the puree mixture, along with the grated cheese, the parsley, and a pinch of black pepper. Use the wooden spoon or a fork to combine all the ingredients into a light batter; be careful not to overmix it.
2. Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a heavy saute pan. Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter into the oil, flattening them slightly and turning them when they are golden brown. Fry in batches, cooking for about 2 minutes per side.
3. Drain the fritters on paper towels and serve hot.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

EASY GREENS BAKE



A GREAT WAY TO USE THOSE GREENS!
*TRY DIFFERENT GREENS COMBINATIONS!

6 eggs, beaten
1 bunch (about 1 gallon) fresh greens (kale, collards, Swiss chard, spinach, etc.)
1 medium onion or shallots , minced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces (optional)
3 cloves garlic (or 1 stalk green garlic), minced
3/4 cup milk
2 cups finely shredded cheese of your choice
1/2 tsp pepper1 tsp salt, optional
1 Tbs olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash greens. Strip leaves from stalks. Chop stalks into 1/4 inch pieces and set aside. Chop greens into bite-sized pieces.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add chopped stalks. Cook until almost tender (collard stalks take longer than spinach or Swiss chard - should take about 5-10 minutes).
Add chopped leaves and cook until tender (again, it varies with the greens, about 3-8 minutes.) Drain, then press with a fork to remove as much water as you can. (You can reserve the nutritious water and freeze for later use in soups).(you can double to amount of greens then put half in a freezer bag for use latter)
In the meantime, in a heavy skillet over medium heat, saute onions and peppers in olive oil until onions are translucent.
Add garlic, saute about 2 minutes more.
Mix all the ingredients together
(You can also throw everything (except eggs) in the food processor for a more uniform texture.then stir in eggs.)

Pour into a 9 x 13 greased pan. The mixture will be thick, and you may need to press it into the corners and smooth the top with a spoon.
( OR mix this up in a bowl and spoon it into regular or mini-muffin cups to make beautiful individual appetizers. kids love finger foods!)
I like to sprinkle a little parmesean cheese on top.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, until set in center.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.