Kaleslaw with Kale-onaise

kaleslaw Our garden is still overflowing with kale so I’m always looking for different ways to use it up. Kale thrives in cool weather so I know I’ll have plenty for upcoming soups and stews this fall, at least until the first frost hits us, but for now I’m still on a salad kick.

Recently I bought a cook book called, Fifty Shades of Kale, catchy title don’t you think? Anyway, it got my attention plus the fact that it had 50 unique and different recipes for kale. One that I wanted to try right away was this colorful dish of Kaleslaw. It’s a little twist on traditional coleslaw where the cabbage is replaced with sturdy leaves of shredded kale.

It’s the perfect side dish sitting next to any kind of meat you might be serving, we had it with pork chops and chicken but it’s even great all by itself for a nice hardy lunch.

kale-onaise The book also had a recipe for kale-onaise which they suggested you use with the kaleslaw, it’s mayo based with lots of chopped kale added in along with lemon, lemon zest and garlic, not only did I use it for the kaleslaw, I started scooping it into my deviled eggs and chicken salads, it’s so good and it’s  even better as it sits in the fridge for a day or two.

kaleslaw I adapted the original recipe and added more veggies that was called for, along with toasted sliced almonds for added crunch, it was a hit!

kaleslaw All you kale lovers out there, make this for yourself, make this for your family or serve it up at your next party, you’re going to love it!

Kaleslaw with Kale-onaise
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large bunch of kale, stemmed and chopped in shreds
  • 1 large handful of coarsely shredded carrots
  • 1 whole red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • ½ yellow pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • ½ orange pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • ½ red onion sliced into thin strips
  • 1 handful of shredded purple cabbage
  • ¼ cup of toasted sliced almonds
  • Kale-onaise to coat your kale and veggie mix , the amount is up to you.
  • KALE-ONAISE INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups of packed and chopped kale
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup of organic mayonnaise
  • pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. For the KALESLAW, place kale and all veggies into a large bowl, add kale-onaise and toss well.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before serving.
  3. For the KALE-ONAISE, in a food processor, combine the kale, salt, pepper and garlic. Process until finely chopped.
  4. Add the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, process until nice and smooth.
  5. Store in the fridge like regular mayonnaise.
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Purple Plum Torte

plum torteI finally got my hands on some beautiful Italian plums, sometimes called Italian prune plums. I look forward to them each year, but when they become available I know that summer is over, so it’s kind of  bitter sweet. Speaking of sweet, I think it’s about time for a dessert showcasing these beauties!

Italian plums Italian plums are half the size of regular plums and oval shaped. If you were to bite into them you would say they weren’t very juicy but something magical happens when you bake with them, they transform into a sweet/tart jam like consistency, perfect for all your baked goods.

ingredients for plum torte This is an easy to do recipe it has just a few ingredients but the results are fantastic, there’s a reason The New York Times posted it twelve years in a row!  You’ll even be amazed how easy it is to prep those little plums, once you slice into them the pit practically falls out by itself, so everything comes together quickly. Don’t worry if you can’t find the smaller Italian plums that I used, the larger ones would work as well.

purple plum torte In no time you’ll have this not too sweet, moist and buttery cake that has the perfect crumb packed with jammy plum flavored goodness to enjoy.

plum torte Get that coffee going ASAP!

Recipe adapted from Marian Burros, Elegant but Easy, The Essential NY Times cookbook and Smitten Kitchen

Purple Plum Torte
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • ¾ to 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 12 Italian plums, pitted and cut in half ( adjust the amount if using larger plums)
  • sugar and cinnamon for topping
Instructions
  1. In small bowl, sift first three ingredients.
  2. In larger bowl, cream sugar and butter, until fluffy then add eggs one at a time.
  3. Add flour mixture and beat well.
  4. Spoon the batter into a buttered 9 inch spring form pan.Smooth out the top.
  5. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter.
  6. Sprinkle top lightly with sugar and cinnamon, about 1 teaspoon of each.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
  8. Cool before cutting.
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End of Summer Veggie Stacks

veggie stacks As the end of summer is nearing and our gardens are dying down here’s a fun way to enjoy the last of our summer veggies. You can grill them like I did or roast them in the oven, it doesn’t matter, but for a nice little twist stack them between layers of creamy ricotta flavored with romano cheese, basil and fresh corn kernels.

This could be a colorful appetizer, a light lunch or the perfect side dish next to grilled meats. It doesn’t need to be heated, the veggies are cooked already and besides it’s best served at room temperature anyway.

end of summer veggies I was gifted these beauties from my niece’s garden over the weekend and I had some fresh corn on the cob that I wanted to use up, so I grilled everything and started stacking!

veggie stacks I used the sturdy zucchini planks as the base then just layered everything else from that point on, saving the corn planks and kernels for the top. The ricotta mixture will act as the “glue” that will keep everything together and in place.

veggie stacks A good dowse of olive oil and a swipe of rich balsamic glaze adds wonderful flavor and completes the presentation. A fun and a little different way to showcase what’s left of our summer’s bounties!

End of Summer Veggie Stacks
 
Ingredients
  • Stick with vegetables that will lay flat, like peppers, eggplant and zucchini. I would not use small mushrooms or something like asparagus.
  • 2 ears of fresh corn, grilled and kernals and planks set aside.
  • 2 cups of ricotta, drained well
  • ¾ cup of grated romano or to taste
  • a handful of fresh chopped basil
  • a handful of the fresh kernels, ( reserve most of the planks for the top)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • balsamic glaze
  • basil for garnish
Instructions
  1. Grill all your vegetables or roast them if you choose.
  2. Remove kernels and planks from corn.
  3. Stir together in a bowl the ricotta, romano, and basil, then fold in some of those corn kernels. Taste for desired amount of cheese and herbs.
  4. Start with your grilled zucchini planks, then spread the cheese mixture on top, then next layer and repeat.
  5. Use the corn planks for the top along with remaining kernels, everything will stick easily to the ricotta.
  6. Depending on how many veggies you cook or how high you stack them you might need to make more ricotta mixture, this is just an estimate.

 

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