Vegetable and Wild Rice Salad

Vegetable and Wild Rice Salad  

2 cups chicken broth 1 cup wild rice 1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets 6 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 carrots, peeled, sliced 1 tomato, chopped 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Salt and pepper Bring broth to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook broccoli, asparagus, green beans and carrots in large pot of rapidly boiling water until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well. Transfer rice to serving dish. Arrange vegetables atop rice. Sprinkle with tomato and cheese. Combine olive oil and vinegar in small bowl; whisk to blend. Drizzle over salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly and serve.

Pineapple Ham Steak

Pineapple Ham Steak

1# Pineapple, fresh, peeled, chunked
1 ham steak (3# bone in)
4 T. Honey
2 T. Brown Sugar
1 can pineapple slices in juice

In a crockpot place pineapple chunks on bottom. Add Ham Steak. In a small bowl mix honey and suagar together. Brush over ham steak. Cover with 1 can pineapple slices in juice. Turn on high 4 hours. Let simmer on warm 1 hour. Serve with Wild Rice and Roasted Asparagus/Brussel Sprouts.

Lime Butter Sauce

• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

 

 

Green Pea Soup with Tarragon and Pea Sprouts

• 2 16-ounce packages frozen petite peas, divided (do not thaw)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sliced shallots (about 11 ounces)
• 4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, divided
• Plain nonfat yogurt, stirred
• Small fresh pea sprouts*

Place 1 cup peas in microwave-safe bowl; set aside. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden and almost tender, about 7 minutes. Add remaining peas, 4 cups broth, and 2 tablespoons tarragon; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil until flavors blend and peas are tender, about 7 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until completely smooth. Return soup to same saucepan. Bring to simmer and thin with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if desired. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon tarragon. Season with pepper.

Cook reserved 1 cup peas in microwave until warm, about 1 minute.

Ladle soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle lightly with yogurt. Sprinkle whole peas over and garnish with pea sprouts.

Potatoes and Haricots Verts with Vinaigrette

If you're making your vinaigrette with white-wine vinegar, use 1/2 teaspoon sugar (instead of 1/4 teaspoon) to balance the higher acidity.

• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 lb small (1 1/2- to 2-inch) yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold, scrubbed well
• 3/4 cup diced (1/4-inch) red onion
• 3/4 lb haricots verts or other thin green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, pepper, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Quarter potatoes, then cover with cold water by 1 inch in a 4- to 5-quart pot and bring to a boil with remaining teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then transfer hot potatoes to a large bowl and toss with onion and all but 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

While potatoes cool, cook green beans in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Let stand 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Just before serving, toss potato mixture with green beans, celery, parsley, and remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette.

Asparagus Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Porcini Vinaigrette

Asparagus Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Porcini Vinaigrette 

Dried porcini give this vinaigrette a huge boost of flavor and marry beautifully with the asparagus and goat cheese for a spring-like first course. Serve this dish with sharp knives (like steak knives) so the toast and asparagus cut easily. 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1 cup boiling water 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 1/4 cup minced shallots 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing 2 bunches (2 pounds) green asparagus (not pencil), ends trimmed to 6 inches 8 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened 8 (1/2-inch thick) slices good quality bread, such as pain de mie, pullman or sourdough, crusts trimmed Make vinaigrette: Put dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let stand 20 minutes. Pour mushrooms with liquid through a paper towel-lined sieve into a small saucepan. Transfer mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop. Add vinegar, shallots, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and half of mushrooms to saucepan and boil mixture until it is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce can be served warm or at room temperature. Make bruschetta: Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in upper third. Stir together remaining chopped mushrooms with softened goat cheese in a small bowl. Place a steamer basket in a 5-quart pot filled with 2 inches of water. Steam asparagus, covered, just until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Halve asparagus crosswise. Arrange bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush with some olive oil and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Spread goat cheese mixture generously on toasts. To serve, place a toast in the center of a salad plate and arrange 4 or 5 stem ends of asparagus on each. Top stems with asparagus tips, arranging them perpendicular to stems. Drizzle asparagus and surrounding plate with vinaigrette. Cooks' notes: •Porcini vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered. •Asparagus can be cooked 1 day ahead and kept chilled in a sealable plastic bag between towels. Bring to room temperature before serving. •Goat cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead kept covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using. •Bread can be toasted 2 hours ahead and spread with cheese mixture up to 1 hour before serving.