Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

There will be zero vampires anywhere near your zip code after you make this delicious dish.

Serves 4
Active Time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 1 hour

In this family-style dish, long, slow cooking transforms its pungency into a sweet, mellow mash, perfect for smearing on a piece of crusty bread. Follow that with greedy forkfuls of the bird, and use a remnant of bread to sop up the luxurious juices.

1 four-pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry (Organic whole birds for sale at Nash’s Farm Store)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 scant cup olive oil
2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh sage sprig
1 Turkish or California bay leaf
1 celery rib
40 cloves garlic, peeled (3-5 heads)
Accompaniment: toasted baguette slices

Special equipment: kitchen string; an instant-read thermometer

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F.

Sprinkle chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string and fold wings under chicken. Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and sear, turning it carefully, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Tie herbs and celery together with string to make a bouquet garni and add to pot. Scatter garlic over bottom of pot and put chicken breast side up on top of garlic. Cover tightly, transfer to oven, and bake, basting twice, until thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (without touching bone) registers 170F, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes; reserve pan juices.

Spread roasted garlic on toasts and cut chicken into serving pieces. Serve chicken drizzled with some of pan juices.

We thank The Gourmet Cookbook for this recipe.

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Posted on March 8, 2016

Mixed Slaw & Warm Ginger Dressing

Salad
1/2 head red cabbage, cored and shredded
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, shredded
2 kale leaves, de-stemmed and finely sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
10 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and shaved thin
1 Bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing
2” piece ginger, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tablespoons raw honey
Pinch cayenne
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Set aside.

In a small saute pan, add all dressing ingredients and cook until warm and fragrant (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently. Remove from heat and pour directly onto salad. Toss salad to distribute dressing evenly.

We thank chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Posted on January 15, 2016

Cream of Celery Soup

Celery fans Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds celery (stalks and leaves), washed and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Garnish
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Italian sausage links, meat removed from casings
1 cup bread cubes
Cracked black pepper

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil and cook the onion and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the broth and potato, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potato is fork tender, about 20 minutes. Add the parsley leaves and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.

Use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth, or work in batches in a food processor and pulse until very smooth. Return to pot, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in the lemon juice and keep warm.

To prepare the garnish, heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the sausage meat over medium heat until lightly browned, breaking the meat up into small pieces as it cooks using two forks. Add the bread cubes to the sausage and cook until the bread is golden and crisp, stirring often to prevent burning.

Serve the soup in four individual bowls, then sprinkle the sausage, black pepper and croutons on top.

We thank italianfoodforever.com for this recipe.

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Posted on January 14, 2016

Hearty Mushroom and Oat Groat Soup

Whole Grain Naked Oats It’s a great time of year to get your natural source of vitamin D in mushrooms. Snuggle up with a warm cup of this soup!

1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, rehydrated
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium leeks, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms
6 cups vegetable stock or canned low-sodium broth
1/2 cup oat groats, soaked overnight and drained
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium parsnip, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

In a heatproof bowl, soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid separately. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Thinly slice the fresh mushrooms and add them and the reconstituted mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the stock, oat groats, carrots, parsnip, balsamic vinegar, thyme and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the oat groats are tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve piping hot.

Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com.

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Posted on January 13, 2016

Green Goddess Dressing

This dressing is super on green salads, but also on wraps and anywhere else that could use some tasty green sauce.

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup green onions (white and green parts)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced (just make sure it gets chopped when you puree it with the blender!)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients together in a blender. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 or 5 days. Shake before each use.

We thank 100daysofrealfood.com for this recipe.

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Posted on December 3, 2015

Potatoes and Grilled Kale

What’s that — you’ve never grilled kale before? Now’s your chance!

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds small potatoes
Salt
1 pound shallots, unpeeled
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cornichons (tiny pickles), chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup parsley leaves with stems

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

Grill shallots, turning occasionally until skins are blackened and flesh is tender. Let cool, halve lengthwise and scoop out insides, discarding skins.

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornichons, capers, and potatoes and toss to coat.

Toss kale and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Season with salt. Grill, turning often, until charred and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Fold into salad, along with scallions, parsley and shallots.

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Posted on November 4, 2015

Rainbow Carrot Raisin Salad

Look for bunches of purple and orange carrots at farmer’s markets just before Halloween — the perfect ingredient for a super-spooky salad!

Salad Base
3-4 medium rainbow carrots (2 cups shredded)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Dressing
2 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Water to thin

Shred the carrots and mix with chopped parsley and raisins. Mix the dressing ingredients in small bowl, adding water to thin, if needed. Taste and adjust lemon and salt ratio, if necessary. Mix with salad until evenly coated but not drenched.

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Posted on October 28, 2015

Tangy Parsley Grain Salad

This is a great way to use up leftover grains and give them new life!

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup grain, cooked and cold, such as basmati rice or Nash’s wheat berries or barley
5 cups Italian parsley with tender stems, roughly chopped
1 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion such as Walla Walla, finely diced
Zest of 1 lemon
Dashes hot paprika for garnish (optional)

Make the dressing right in the serving bowl. Combine the lemon juice, mustard, honey, pepper, salt and garlic in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking until emulsified.

Reheat the rice until steaming. Add the parsley to the dressing and toss to combine. Add the rice, almonds, onions and lemon zest, and toss well. Serve garnished with a couple dashes of hot paprika if desired.

We thank FoodNetwork.com for this recipe.

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Posted on September 11, 2015

Chickpea Pancakes with Leeks, Squash, and Yogurt

Gluten-free savory pancakes! Courtesy of chickpea flour and winter squash, plus a few other tasty ingredients.

6 tablespoons high-heat oil (safflower, sunflower, or canola), divided
1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated peeled squash (such as butternut or kabocha)
1 large egg
3/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Salt

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high. Add leek, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leek is softened and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add squash and season again. Cook, stirring often, until squash is cooked through and softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a plate and let cool. Wipe out skillet and reserve.

Meanwhile, whisk egg, chickpea flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl; season with pepper and let sit 5 minutes for flour to hydrate. Stir vegetables into batter just to coat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon oil in reserved skillet over medium-high. Add batter by the quarter-cupful to make 4 pancakes, gently flattening to about 1/4″ thick. Batter should spread easily—if it doesn’t, thin with a little water. Cook until bottoms are lightly browned and bubbles form on top, about 4 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip pancakes over and cook until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer to a plate and tent with a sheet of foil to keep warm. Repeat with another 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining batter. Serve pancakes topped with yogurt, parsley, sea salt, and pepper.

Recipe adapted from BonAppetit.com.

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Posted on August 27, 2015

Minted Carrots with Pumpkin Seeds

Carrot season is finally back in full swing!

6 medium-sized carrots cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon mint, chopped
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a steamer. Steam carrots in basket until slightly crunchy inside. Chop the rest of the ingredients and toss with carrots. Serves 6.

We thank The World’s Healthiest Foods for this recipe.

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Posted on August 20, 2015