turkey zucchini burgers with roasted red pepper ketchup

Turkey burgers can be very dry, and many of the recipes I’ve seen for them use shredded apple to add moisture.  This recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook (my current favorite and most dog-eared cookbook) uses that abundant summer vegetable, zucchini.  It’s ridiculously flavorful thanks to the mint/cilantro/cumin seasoning combination and has a little bit of a bite to it.

pearl barley salad with harissa spiced chicken

I hesitated sharing this recipe because the preparation is a bit fussy.  Many prep and cooking techniques are utilized here:  chopping, peeling, blanching, sautéing, marinating…you get the idea.  

creamy zucchini soup with truffle oil

You may be wondering why I’m making soup when it’s almost June.  I’ll spare you the iPhone weather screen shot and just tell you that it was 45 degrees here last weekend!

Friends posted photos on Facebook of fires in their fireplaces.

I had to turn the furnace back on.

I made soup.

45 degrees in May is definitely not cool.  Good thing I had some zucchini from the farm and this recipe to keep us warm.

I know it’s a splurge, but try the truffle oil.  It’s got such a wonderfully intense, earthy flavor and a little goes a long way.  If you don’t want the expense, finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

To make this vegetarian, go with vegetable stock.  To make it vegan, skip the cream.

zucchini soup with truffle oil (originally from Relish by Daphne Oz)

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 medium zucchini, chopped

one medium yellow sweet onion (such as visalia), chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

white truffle oil for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté another minute.  Add zucchini and tarragon leaves and cooked another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.  Add the white wine to deglaze the pan.  Add stock and bring to a simmer.  Continue to simmer on low heat until zucchini is cooked through and soft, about 15-20 minutes.

Carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth.  You could use an immersion blender instead, if you have a heavy duty one (unfortunately, mine died while making this recipe).  Transfer back to pot and stir in cream, if using.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowls.  Drizzle with truffle (or olive) oil.  Top with nuts.

kee-no-wah

Have you been guilty, as I have, of mispronouncing this fluffy whole grain (fyi-it’s actually a seed)?  I don’t know…it feels weird to pronounce it the way it was meant to be after years of mispronouncing it, but I’ll get used to it.

I whipped this up a few days ago with vegetables on hand, both fresh and fresh-frozen.  You could add anything you have, perhaps odds and ends left over form another meal.  It’s a delicious side, or the addition of cooked shrimp or chicken would turn it into a main course.

quinoa with vegetables and herbs

1 cup organic quinoa

2 Cups stock (I used homemade chicken, but vegetable works also)

1/2 tsp sea salt, divided

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium zucchini, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 tsp fresh thyme, oregano, or tarragon

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp chopped fresh chives

Rinse quinoa (if it isn’t pre-rinsed) in a strainer.  In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa, stock and 1/4 tsp salt to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and continue to cook until liquid is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Raise heat to medium and add garlic, zucchini, carrots, peas, herbs, red pepper flakes.  Saute, stirring frequently until vegetables are crisp/tender (I don’t like mushy vegetables), about 8-10 minutes.  Season with remaining salt and black pepper.  In a large bowl, combine quinoa, vegetables, and fresh chives.