Claudina's Kitchen Catering & Classes

Winter Citrus!

This time of year citrus fruits are among my favorite local produce offerings available in great variety and abundance -- from tangelos and pomelos to minneolas, clementines and satsumas -- the different flavors and colors are wonderful to explore and a great way to perk up winter meals.  I was particularly excited to see beautiful blood oranges popping up at the farmer's market these past few weeks - their striking color lends a vibrant touch to salads and other dishes.  Please check out our Farmer's Market Recipe of the Month, bringing together one of my favorite winter combinations: citrus and beets. 

 

Miso-Glazed Barley with Citrus & Roasted Beets

Ingredients

• 1 T. grapeseed oil
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 t. grated ginger
• 1/2 c. hulled barley
• 1 1/2 c. vegetable stock or water
• 2 T. white miso paste
• 1 bunch small-medium beets
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts 
• 2 navel or blood oranges, sectioned
• 2 T. rice wine vinegar
• 2 T. pine nuts, toasted
• kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

Preparation

• In medium saute pan, heat oil.  Add shallots and saute 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften. 
• Add ginger,  and barley and saute until barley is beginning to toast, another 4-5 minutes.
• Add miso paste, 1 1/2 cups stock or water  and 1 t. kosher salt. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, cover and cook 50-60 minutes or until barley is fully cooked, adding additional liquid as needed.
• In the meantime, remove greens from beets and wrap beets in foil.  Roast in 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until they pierce easily with a paring knife. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then carefully slip outer skin from beets.  Slice into 1/4" slices lengthwise.
• When barley and beets are cooked, toss barley, scallions, and rice vinegar in medium bowl.  Taste and adjust seasonings, particularly salt and pepper.
• Top barley with beets, citrus, and pine nuts.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Grilled Tomato and Pattypan Squash Panzanella Salad

Ingredients

• 3 medium heirloom tomatoes (ideally of various colors), sliced in half horizontally
• 2 large pattypan squash or 3 medium, sliced vertically (short, wide pieces) into 1/4" slices
• 1/3 of a sourdough boule or 1/2 of a baguette
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
  
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 t. mustard
• 2 T. + 1/3 c. olive oil, divided
• 1 red onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 c. mint
• 1/4 c. basil
• 1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

• Prepare grill to medium heat.  Oil grates.  Grill squash slices until softened with grill marks evident on both sides, about 2-3 minute per side.  Grill tomatoes, cut sides down, until softened with grill marks evident (about 3-4 minutes).   Remove from heat, cool and roughly chop both tomatoes and squash.
• Slice bread, rub with cut side of garlic clove.  Cut into 1/2" pieces (you should have about 3 cups of bread cubes).  Heat saute pan to medium heat with 2 T. olive oil.  Saute bread cubes in oil, adding 1/2 t. salt and dash of pepper.  Stir regularly until croutons become golden colored and crispy.  Remove from heat
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar and mustard and 1/4 t. salt.  Slowly drizzle in 1/3 c. olive oil until combined into a dressing.  Adjust seasonings.

At this point, all ingredients (vegetables, croutons, and dressing) can be set aside for up to 2 hours until you are ready to serve.  When ready to serve:

• Chop mint and basil.  In a large bowl, combine grilled vegetables, croutons, dressing, red onion, herbs and pine nuts and toss to combine.  Adjust seasonings, particularly salt, pepper, vinegar.  Serve immediately.

Asian Summer Salad with Sesame-Shallot Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Salad 12 c. boston leaf lettuce, watercress or other mild greens 2 plums, in segments 2 oranges, in segments 1-2 carrots, cut into 1” julienne 1/2 cucumber, cut lengthwise and then ¼” slices widthwise ½ c. sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed, and cut diagonally into ½” pieces ¼ c. slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar 1 small shallot, finely minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 t. sesame oil 3 T. canola oil Dash salt

 Preparation

• Assemble salad ingredients in large bowl.
• Whisk oils and vinegars, adjust seasonings to taste.
• Toss salad with dressing and serve immediately.

Serves: 8

Barley Salad with Grilled Asparagus, Green Garlic, & Lemon

Ingredients

• 3 T. olive oil
• ½ medium onion, small dice
• 1 ½ c. barley, quinoa or farro (your choice, whichever you prefer)
• 2 ¾ c. vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
• 3 stalks green garlic
• 3 stalks red spring onion
• 6 stalks asparagus
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 T. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ c. toasted pine nuts
• ¼ c. ricotta salata shavings (parmesan us a nice alternative)

 Procedure

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Heat 1 T. olive oil in small to medium saucepan at low heat.  Add onion and sauté until onion softens and becomes translucent. 
• Add grain and continue to cook until it is lightly toasted. 
• Add stock or water, ½ t. salt.  Increase heat until liquid comes to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until grains are softened and almost fully cooked, adding additional liquid if needed.  Remove from heat and allow to sit for additional 10 minutes to complete cooking process. 
• While grains are cooking, trim just the tips of the green garlic and red spring onion, then slice at a sharp diagonal from base to tip.  Trim asparagus ends, slice into 1” pieces at a diagonal, reserving top 1 ½” of tip.  Slice tips in half lengthwise
• Place asparagus, green garlic, and red spring onion in shallow oven-safe pan, toss with 2 T. olive oil and ½ t. kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and allow to cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
• Combine grains with asparagus, garlic.  Add ½ of the lemon zest, ½ of the lemon juice, 1 T. olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add additional zest, juice, s&p to taste.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with pine nuts and ricotta salata sprinkled over the top.

Salad of Shaved Asparagus, Sunchokes, Carrots, and Baby Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
  
• 1 small-medium bulb fennel
• 3 stalks asparagus
• 1 medium sunchoke
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 1 radish (optional)
• 1-2 T. Sherry vinegar2 cups arugula
• 2-3 T. Fruity olive oil
• 2 T. almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• ¼ c. goat cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste

  Preparation

• Finely shave carrots, sunchoke, fennel (and radish if using) with mandolin or vegetable peeler.  Finely slice asparagus at a long diagonal angle, saving the top 2 inches of the tip.  Slice tips in half lengthwise.
  
• Place shaved vegetables in bowl with minced shallot and vinegar. Toss and allow to macerate (soften) for at least ½ hour.
• Just before serving, add arugula, almonds and olive oil and toss to combine. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Arrange onto salad plates.  Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.  Serve immediately.

Baby Arugula Salad with Blood Oranges, Kumquats, Toasted Almonds, Sheep’s Feta, and Blood Orange-Pomegranate Vinagrette

Ingredients

• 3 blood oranges
• 3 T. champagne vinegar
• 1 t. pomegranate molasses
• 1 t. fresh chives, chopped
• 1 T. honey
• ½ t. mustard
• ¼ c. walnut oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 16 oz baby arugula
• 5-6 kumquats, thinly sliced and seeded
• ¼ c. sliced almonds, toasted
• ¼ c. sheep’s feta, crumbled
  

Preparation

• Cut away pith from blood oranges.  Cut between membranes to make slices.  Squeeze juice into medium bowl from scraps (should make about ¼ cup of juice)
• To blood orange juice add champagne vinegar, pomegranate molasses, chives, honey, mustard.  Wisk to combine.  Slowly add walnut oil, wisking constantly to incorporate.  Add salt and pepper to taste
• Rinse and spin lettuce and place in salad bowl
• Add orange and kumquat slices, almonds, and feta.
• Toss with vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Serves: 6

Related Posts: Kumquats: Gems of the Citrus Family?

Grilled Fig, Nectarine & Arugula Salad with Toasted Pistachios, Sheep's Feta and Black Fig-White Balsamic Vinaigrette

With the combination of figs and nectarines, I find this salad to be a delicious transition from summer into fall...

Ingredients

• 8 oz arugula, washed and spun
• 1 medium nectarine, quartered
• 4 figs (black or white), sliced lengthwise
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 t. honey
• 1/2 c. sheep's feta, crumbled
• 1/4 c. pistachios, freshly toasted and cooled
• 1/2 c. black fig-white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c. walnut oil
• one shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 t. mustard
• 1 t. honey
• 1/2 t. fresh chives or thyme

Preparation

Grilled Figs

• Mix lemon juice and honey.  Toss figs and nectarines and marinate for 10 minutes. 
• Grill on each side in panini maker or outdoor grill until carmelized grill marks appear and fruit is slightly softened. 
• Slice figs in thirds lengthwise and nectarines in quarters lengthwise. Cool for 10 minutes.

Vinaigrette

• In food processor combine vinegar, shallots, mustard, honey, and chives or thyme.  Blend until smooth. 
• With processor running, add walnut oil in thin stream until emulsified.

Salad

• In salad bowl combine arugula, nectarines, figs, pistachios, and sheep's feta. 
• Add dressing and toss to coat evenly.  Serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6 people

Related Posts:  Fall is for Figs!

Related Recipes: Black Fig-White Balsamic Vinegar

Black Fig-White Balsamic Vinegar

This simple vinegar recipe is a great way to capture figs at the peak of the season for use all winter long. It has a deep red color that makes it look like pureed strawberries and taste tangy-sweet and fruity. This vinegar pairs particularly well with peppery arugula, but works with lots of other salad greens too. It also goes nicely with grilled chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients

• 10 black figs, stemmed and sliced in half
• 1/2 c. green grapes (I use early-season Thompson grapes, which are small and particularly sweet with a thin skin)
• 1 c. white balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. lemon juice

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
• Store in refrigerator

When making vinaigrette using this vinegar, it goes particularly well with walnut oil. 

Related Posts: Fall is for Figs!

Related Recipes: Grilled Fig, Nectarine & Arugula Salad with Toasted Pistachios, Sheep's Feta, and Black Fig-White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Strawberry, Blood Orange & Arugula Salad with Feta & Pistachios

In mid-spring the intersection of sweet, first-of-the season strawberries from the farmer's market along with last-of-the season blood oranges is something to treasure.  I love the combination of sweet and sour fruits, creamy feta, sweet and nutty pistachios, and peppery arugula in this salad.

Ingredients

• 8 cups baby arugula, washed and spun
• 3 blood oranges, segmented with rind and membranes removed
• 1/2 c. strawberries, sliced in 1/2 or 1/4ths
• 1/4 c. pistachios, toasted and cooled
• 1/4 c. sheep's feta, crumbled
• 1/2 c. Blood Orange & Meyer Lemon Dressing

Preparation

• In large salad bowl combine arugula, oranges, strawberries, pistachios, and feta.
• Add dressing and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Blood Orange & Meyer Lemon Dressing

A delicious citrus dressing on many green salads...pairs well with fruits such as oranges, strawberries, and kumquats, cheeses such as feta and ricotta salata, and nuts such as pistachios and almonds.

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• 1-2 t. honey
• juice of one blood orange
• juice of one meyer lemon
• 1-2 T. champagne vinegar
• 1 T. chopped fresh mint or chives (optional)
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

• In an 8-12 oz. jar with a tight-sealing lid add shallots, mustard, honey, orange juice, lemon juice, and 1 T. vinegar.  Add equal amount of olive oil.  Seal jar and shake until well-combined.
• Adjust for honey and vinegar. 
• Incorporate herbs as desired.

Arugula Salad with Candied Chestnuts, Stilton Blue, Dried Tart Cherries and a Fig Balsamic Dressing

A delicious and unique winter salad combining some of my favorite ingredients...

Ingredients

• 8 ounced arugula (either baby arugula or torn larger leaves)
• 1/2 c. dried tart cherries
• 1/2 c. candied chestnuts  (see recipe)
• 1/2 c. crumbled stilton blue cheese
• 1/4 c. fig balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t. dijon mustard
• pinch salt and pepper

Preparation

• Wisk vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and pinch each of salt and pepper.
• Mix arugula, cherries and chestnutsin large bowl. 
• Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.
• Plate salad and top with stilton blue.  Serve.

Related Posts: Chestnuts Roasting...