Asparagus Salad With Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette

Recipe and photo courtesy of Viviane Bauquet Farre of Food & Style

Ingredients
For the asparagus

• 1 lb (454gr) asparagus spears (1 bunch) – bottom of stems snapped off
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste

For the vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (use microplane grater)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use microplane grater)
• 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

For the salad

• 1 teaspoon sea salt for blanching
• 1 cup snow peas (3 oz) (85gr) – stem end trimmed and left whole
• 1 large Valencia or navel orange
• 1 large handful (3 oz) (85gr) baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds – toasted (see cook’s note)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500ºF (260ºC). Move rack to the top of the oven. Spread the asparagus on a jellyroll pan. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on their size) until the tips begin to brown. The stalks should still be bright green. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature.
2. In a small bowl, whisk ginger, zest, vinegar, lime juice, cayenne, salt, olive oil, and sesame oil until well blended. Set aside.
3. Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and snow peas. Boil for 2 minutes. The snow peas will turn bright green. Drain and transfer to the cold water bath. When the snow peas are chilled through, drain and spread on paper towels. Set aside.
4. Peel the orange to its flesh and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, pith and threads in the center, and slice each half crosswise in 1/8″ thick slices. Set aside.
5. Place the arugula leaves in the center of each plate. Tuck a few snow peas and orange slices between the leaves. Top with the roasted asparagus. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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Winter Vegetable Minestrone with Cannellini Beans and Farro

Winter Vegetable Minestrone with Cannellini Beans and Farro

Recipe and photo courtesy of Viviane Bauquet Farre of food & style

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion – skinned and cut in 1/4” cubes
• ¼-½ tsp. red chili pepper flakes to taste

• 1 small bunch Tuscan kale or regular kale (8 oz.) – leaves removed from stems and sliced in 1/2” pieces
• 4 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
• 1–28 oz. can plum tomatoes – coarsely puréed (use a food processor)
• 2 medium carrots – peeled and cut in ¼-inch cubes
• 1 large Yukon Gold or white potato (8oz.) – peeled and cut in ¼-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup farro (or pearled barley)
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 6 cups spring water
• 1 fresh herb bundle (12 thyme sprigs, 6 Italian parsley sprigs, 1 sprig rosemary and 1 bay leaf) – tied firmly with kitchen string
• 1-1/4 tsp. sea salt or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (or canned beans)
• 2 tsp. aged balsamic vinegar

For pan-fried rosemary infused oil

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• For garnishes
• Pan-fried rosemary infused oil
• Freshly grated aged Asiago (or Reggiano Parmesan)

 Directions

1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed soup pot at medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onions and pepper flakes and sauté for 6-7 minutes until golden, stirring from time to time. Add kale and garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes until kale has wilted. Add tomatoes, carrots, potato, farro, stock, water, herb bundle, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans, stir again, cover pot and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed and add the vinegar. Stir again and remove from heat.
2.  To make rosemary-infused oil: Heat a small heavy-bottomed frying pan to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the rosemary. Stir well and sauté for 1-2 minutes until rosemary becomes dark green and crisp, stirring from time to time. Transfer to a small bowl and quickly add the balance of the olive oil. Set aside and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Use the infused oil right away or refrigerate it for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.  
3. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with the rosemary infused oil, sprinkle with the grated cheese and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

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Winter Squash Soup with Citrus-Mint Pesto

Recipe and photo courtesy of Viviane Bauquet Farre of food & style

Ingredients

For soup

• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium Vidalia or Spanish onion – peeled, quartered and cut crosswise in 1/8-inch slices
• 2 garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 lbs winter squash (1 medium butternut squash, kabocha, sugar pumpkin…) – peeled (use vegetable hand-peeler), seeded and cut in 1″ chunks
• 2 -1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 3-3 1/2 cups spring water
• 1-1/4 tsp. sea salt or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice

For citrus-mint pesto

• 1 small bunch Italian parsley (1-1/2 oz.)  – tough stems removed
• 8 sprigs fresh mint – leaves removed from stems
• 1/4 tsp. fennel seeds – coarsely ground with mortar and pestle
• 1/4 tsp. orange zest (use microplane grater)
• 2 Tbs. pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Heat large heavy-bottomed pot to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes until golden, stirring from time to time. Add garlic and wine. Stir well and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes, until wine has evaporated and glazed the onions. Add squash chunks, stock, 3 cups of water, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and then simmer covered for 30-35 minutes, until squash is very tender.
2. Add orange juice and purée soup with a stick blender or food processor, until silky-smooth. Thin soup with water to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. While soup is simmering, make pesto. Place all the ingredients in bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth, for 1-2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl once or twice. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
4. Ladle soup into soup bowls. Place a spoonful of pesto in the center of each bowl and serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings

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Asparagus Salad With Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette

Asparagus Salad With Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette

For the asparagus

• 1 lb (454gr) asparagus spears (1 bunch) – bottom of stems snapped off
• 1 tablespoon California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste

For the vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (use microplane grater)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use microplane grater)
• 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

For the salad

• 1 teaspoon sea salt for blanching
• 1 cup snow peas (3 oz) (85gr) – stem end trimmed and left whole
• 1 large Valencia or navel orange
• 1 large handful (3 oz) (85gr) baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds – toasted (see cook’s note)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 500ºF (260ºC). Move rack to the top of the oven. Spread the asparagus on a jellyroll pan. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on their size) until the tips begin to brown. The stalks should still be bright green. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk ginger, zest, vinegar, lime juice, cayenne, salt, olive oil, and sesame oil until well blended. Set aside.

Step 3: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and snow peas. Boil for 2 minutes. The snow peas will turn bright green. Drain and transfer to the cold water bath. When the snow peas are chilled through, drain and spread on paper towels. Set aside.

Step 4: Peel the orange to its flesh and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, pith and threads in the center, and slice each half crosswise in 1/8″ thick slices. Set aside.

Step 5: Place the arugula leaves in the center of each plate. Tuck a few snow peas and orange slices between the leaves. Top with the roasted asparagus. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Cook’s note: To toast the sesame seeds – Heat a small frying pan to medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until light-golden, stirring or shaking the pan constantly. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Viviane Bauquet Farre of Food & Style

Follow us on Twitter: MemphisFoodGuy

Asparagus Salad With Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette

Asparagus Salad With Ginger-Citrus Vinaigrette

For the asparagus

• 1 lb (454gr) asparagus spears (1 bunch) – bottom of stems snapped off
• 1 tablespoon California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste

For the vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (use microplane grater)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use microplane grater)
• 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

For the salad

• 1 teaspoon sea salt for blanching
• 1 cup snow peas (3 oz) (85gr) – stem end trimmed and left whole
• 1 large Valencia or navel orange
• 1 large handful (3 oz) (85gr) baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds – toasted (see cook’s note)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 500ºF (260ºC). Move rack to the top of the oven. Spread the asparagus on a jellyroll pan. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on their size) until the tips begin to brown. The stalks should still be bright green. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk ginger, zest, vinegar, lime juice, cayenne, salt, olive oil, and sesame oil until well blended. Set aside.

Step 3: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the salt and snow peas. Boil for 2 minutes. The snow peas will turn bright green. Drain and transfer to the cold water bath. When the snow peas are chilled through, drain and spread on paper towels. Set aside.

Step 4: Peel the orange to its flesh and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, pith and threads in the center, and slice each half crosswise in 1/8″ thick slices. Set aside.

Step 5: Place the arugula leaves in the center of each plate. Tuck a few snow peas and orange slices between the leaves. Top with the roasted asparagus. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Cook’s note: To toast the sesame seeds – Heat a small frying pan to medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until light-golden, stirring or shaking the pan constantly. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Viviane Bauquet Farre of Food & Style

Follow us on Twitter: MemphisFoodGuy