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.

Summer Peach & Cherry Tomato Salsa

This salsa goes wonderfully with everything from steak fajitas to pulled pork to grilled salmon.  Nectarines also work wonderfully for this recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 ripe (but not overly soft) peach, halved and pitted, and cut into medium dice
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
• 1 shallot, diced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 t. honey
• 1/2 t. sauce of chipotle chilis in adobo*
• 1/4 t. salt

Preparation

• In medium bowl, combine peach, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, honey, chipotle chili sauce, shallot and salt.
• Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes for flavors to come together.  Adjust seasonings and serve, or refrigerate for later use (should keep well for 2-3 days).

* Chipotle chilis in adobo: are smoked jalepenos in a tomato sauce, found in a can in the Latin foods section of the grocery store.  The japepenos are smoky and spicy and should be used sparingly, the sauce surrounding the chilis has a hint of that spice and all of the lovely smokiness so is a wonderful ingredient on its own (as in this recipe).  Once you open the can, store the chilis in a glass jar in the fridge, they will keep for several months.

Grilled Asparagus with Fava Beans and Citrus-Shallot Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 T. + ½ c. olive oil, divided
• ½ t. kosher salt
• ½ c. fava beans, blanched and peeled
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 orange or blood orange
• Zest and juice 1 meyer lemon
• 2 T. fresh mint, cut into slivers
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• ¼ - ½ c. parmesan shavings

Preparation

• Break  bottoms of asparagus.  Trim ends at a diagonal.  Toss in olive oil and kosher salt. 
• Cut away peel from orange.  Cut between sections to remove just the fruit.  Chop coarsely.  Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, and shallot in bowl.  Whisk in olive oil to emulsify.  Add in orange and mint.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Grill at medium heat, on open grill (or a Panini maker works well too), until softened with grill marks evident.  Remove from heat and place on to serving platter.  Asparagus can be served immediately or at room temperature.
• When ready to serve, arrange favas around asparagus,  Spoon dressing over top, and sprinkle with parmesan shavings.  Serve immediately.

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.

Tomato, Fennel & Zucchini Blossom Sauté with Ricotta Salata

This is a wonderful fall recipe that takes advantage of the last of summer's tomatoes and zucchini's (and blossoms if you can find them), while welcoming in the fall flavor of fennel.  The tangy "bite" of the ricotta salata complements these flavors wonderfully, but if it's not accessible you can also try crumbled goat cheese for a nice variation.

Tomato, Fennel & Zucchini Blossom Sauté with Ricotta Salata from Claudina's Kitchen

Ingredients

olive oil
3 cloves garlic
3 T. tomato paste
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini or 3-4 small, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in 1/4" half circles
1 1/2 cups seeded, peeled tomatoes (ideally unsalted)
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground dry yellow mustard seed
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 cups cannelini beans
8-10 zucchini blossoms, coarsely chopped (if serving for company, save a few for a beautiful garnish!)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. Ricotta salata, shaved or grated
1-2 T. chopped fennel fronds for garnish

Preparation

• Heat oil in sauté pan on medium heat
• Add garlic, tomato paste and fennel, sauté until fennel softens, about 4-5 minutes
• Add zucchini, coriander, mustard, 1/4 t. salt and pepper sauté until zucchini begins to soften, 4-5 minutes
• Add tomatoes, cannelini beans, and blossoms, cook until softened and incorporated, 4-5 minutes
• Add lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste
• Plate and sprinkle shaved or grated ricotta salata and fennel fronds and serve immediately

Can also be made without the zucchini blossoms -- just substitute in one extra zucchini.

Serves: 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish