From the garden

Food

Related Photos

sauteed spinach
glazed radishes

May 9, 2012

From the garden

FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER Karen Freeman The Daily Southerner Wed May 09, 2012, 05:08 PM EDT

TARBORO — Sometimes my recipes come from necessity instead of creativity. The radishes are ready in our garden and the baby spinach is growing like crazy. I love baby spinach but I don't love radishes. I like to grow them because they grow fast and easy and look good in the garden. We usually end up giving them away. This year I decided that instead of just giving them away, I would find a recipe for them. But, it needed to be a cooked recipe because I knew that I wasn't crazy about them raw. I found a couple that I really like. I hope that you will like them too.

The first recipe was pretty and easy and delicious. It's braised radishes. Depending on the size, you will need to cut them in halves or in quarters. Once they are finished, sprinkle the sugar over them and enjoy.

The second recipe is one that Hobert and I absolutely fell in love with. I looked at several recipes and then just put bits and pieces together to create this one. But, it was so good that we can't wait to have it again.

The third recipe is glazed radishes. I had never tried this before but it's delicious and my hubby loves it. It's an easy recipe to make.

The last recipe is a pear salad. This was stupendous. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste buds. I didn't really measure anything. But, then, I never do!

Braised Radishes with Radish Greens

3 bunches small radishes with greens attached

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sugar

Trim the radishes and wash the greens; pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the radishes, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the butter to coat the radishes. Add the radish greens and cook over moderate heat until they are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt. Serve the radishes right away.

Garlic Sautéed Spinach

1 1/2 pounds baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (6 cloves)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

Lemon

Sea or kosher salt, optional

Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it's very clean. Spin it dry in a salad spinner, leaving just a little water clinging to the leaves.

In a very large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and sautéaz the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it's browned. Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil, cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with sugar and stir it in.

Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with the butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt. Serve hot.

Glazed Radishes

3 bags (6 ounces each) red radishes (about 45), ends trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Cut large radishes in half; leave small ones whole. In a 12-inch skillet, combine radishes, butter, sugar, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 1/2 cups water.

Bring to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced and radishes are tender and glazed, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

Baby Spinach, Pear and Walnut Salad

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2-3 pears (I used 1 large can of sliced peaches

1/4 cup walnuts

baby spinach leaves

6 chives, coarsely chopped

Dressing

1/4 cup honey

1 cup Vinaigrette dressing (from a bottle)

2-3 Tbsp. apple jelly (or any jelly that you want to use)

salt, to taste

fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place the honey and vinegar in a medium bowl and stir until well combined; cut the pears lengthways into 1/2 inch-thick pieces and toss in the honey mixture.

Cook the pears on a heated, oiled grill pan or BBQ hotplate on one side for 1 minute or until golden; remove and set aside to cool.

Toss the walnuts in the remaining honey and balsamic vinegar mixture, and cook on a heated oiled grill pan, turning frequently, for 2 minutes or until golden brown; set aside to cool.

DRESSING: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix with wire whisk until smooth and well mixed.

SERVING: Place the pears and walnuts in a large bowl, add the baby spinach leaves and chives, pour over the dressing, toss well and serve.

Text Only

Food

Great fondue
My husband and I love to entertain. We also love fondue. I have 4 or 5 fondue pots. I use them regularly. Some of them I have had for a long time.
Fondue began as a way to use up old, hardened cheese. The original fondue was cheese with wine. You then dipped hardened pieces of bread into the mixture. In America, the 1950's was the height of the fondue craze. However, it appears to be making a comeback.

May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Budget Friendly Deliciousness
It's nice to be able to put a good meal on the table without having to spend a fortune. Today's recipes are easy, delicious and inexpensive. But, they won't taste inexpensive. I hope that you will give them a try.

May 15, 2013 2 Photos
Barbeque Bests
When you're loading up the family for a big barbeque celebration, be sure to load up a variety of freshly-made salads and deliciously decadent brownies.
Whether pasta salads, potato salads or even those leafy greens, this side favorite is a perfect accompaniment to juicy grilled burgers, brats and steaks. Because this savory barbeque fare can bring out anyone's sweet tooth, don't forget to dish out the desserts. Adding your favorite nuts, fruit and candy toppings to a rich, gooey brownie can melt the hearts of guests as easily as the hot summer sun.
The best part about bringing a salad or brownie dessert - besides both being flavorful barbeque staples - most can be prepared the night before. This gives you more time to focus on the important things, like grilling your next culinary masterpiece and hanging out with your family.

May 8, 2013 1 Photo
Coffee isn't just a drink
I love coffee. Anyone who knows me knows that I can drink coffee all day, every day. I drink it black and I like it strong. But, there are a lot of other things that you can do with coffee. It isn't just a beverage.
I hope that you will give some of these recipes a try. I think that you will like them if you do! Let me know.

May 1, 2013 2 Photos
Reboot your pantry
The best meals offer loads of fresh flavor and are best served with a side of originality. Let your pantry serve as your starting point for creating memorable meals the family will love.

April 24, 2013 1 Photo
Adventures in Grilling
The next time you fire up the grill, give your taste buds a thrill with recipes that are inspired by some of the best cuisines from around the world. These recipes from Omaha Steaks will take you on a culinary adventure right in your own backyard. Sweet and spicy Korean, zesty South American and bold Mediterranean flavors make perfectly grilled steak even better.

April 3, 2013 1 Photo
Enjoy the Easter Season
Sunday is Easter. I hope it will be a time of celebration and renewal for you and your family. I also hope that it won't be a stressful cooking day. The recipes here today are not labor intensive recipes so they will give you time to spend with your family. Maybe even hiding some eggs!

March 27, 2013 1 Photo
LUSCIOUS GRILLED CHEESE
I love grilled cheese sandwiches. That's probably true of most of us. But, when you think of a grilled cheese sandwich, what do you think of? Two slices of bread, a bit of butter and the kind of cheese that is individually wrapped that you put on most of your other sandwiches. Right? That was always my vision of a grilled cheese sandwich. Mostly because that is what my mother made when I was growing up.

March 20, 2013 1 Photo
North Carolina Sweet Potatoes
I’m sure that I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. I love sweet potatoes. I have very fond memories of eating them as a child. My mother always baked them. We rarely had them any other way. But, they were wonderful. On Thanksgiving, we always had sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top. I may have to make some when I finish this article!

March 13, 2013 1 Photo
Reductions add zip to flavor
When I cook, I often don't have a lot of time to spend making exotic meals, so I decided that I want to get more for less. In cooking that often means reductions. It’s amazing how the taste of something can change just by cooking it down until most of the liquid is gone. Reductions are so ridiculously easy that I often ask myself why I don’t use them more often. They also keep well in the refrigerator for several days.
When creating reductions, it’s important that the ingredients be good quality. Concentrating a flavor that was mediocre to begin with changes it from mediocre to terrible. That particularly applies to wines, oils and vinegars. Buy the best that you can afford and don’t use anything that you wouldn’t want to taste alone.
It’s also important to cook the reduction sauce moderately and until it reduces to a thick, syrupy consistency. It doesn’t take very long, but don’t be in a hurry or it will burn.

March 6, 2013 1 Photo
More Food Headlines

Food

Search Results

Related Photos

From the garden

Site Map