by Stephanie Clarke, R.D. and Willow Jarosh, R.D.
 
2 cups cubed butternut squash (1/2-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 ball (16 ounces) store-bought whole-wheat pizza dough, at room temperature
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons cornmeal
 
Heat oven to 400°. Heat pizza stone on bottom rack (or use an inverted 11" x 16" cookie sheet, not heated). Toss squash with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. On a baking sheet, cook squash until soft and lightly browned, 25 minutes, stirring halfway through; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cook onion (season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper), stirring, until light brown, 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water; cook, stirring, until brown, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Turn oven up to 450°. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface. Press dough into a 15-inch circle or 10" x 16" rectangle. Top with squash, onion, spinach, cheese and thyme. Dust stone or inverted sheet with cornmeal; place pizza on it. Bake until crust is crispy and cheese melts, 10 to 12 minutes.

1/4 cup minced shallot (onions will work as well)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups finely shredded carrots
4 cups finely shredded peeled raw beets (about 3/4 pound)
spinach or lettuce leaves, washed thoroughly, for garnish if desired

In a blender purée shallot, ginger, and garlic with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. With motor running add olive oil in a stream and blend until smooth.

In separate bowls toss carrots with half of the dressing and beets with remaining half. Divide carrot salad and beet salad among 4 plates and garnish with spinach or lettuce leaves.
 

ingredients:

butter and olive oil
coarse salt
1 medium-large bunch of broccoli, chopped, using more florets than stem
½ lb Spinach
1 bunch Scallions
6 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
Ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie dish; set aside. Bring a medium pot
of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and spinach; cook 1 minute. Drain well; transfer to
a cutting board, and blot dry with paper towels. Chop coarsely.

Sauté scallions in 1 Tbl butter and 2 Tbl Olive Oil until tender. Add to chopped
spinach and broccoli.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon
pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in broccoli, spinach, scallions and cheese.

Place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle broccoli mixture into buttered pie
dish. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and a mixed-
green salad, if desired.

1/2 cup diced peeled cored pear

6 tablespoons medium-dry Riesling

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 -3/4 lb spinach leaves

3 ripe pears, quartered, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted

Purée diced pear, Riesling, lemon juice, shallot and Dijon mustard in food processor until smooth. With machine still running, gradually add vegetable oil through feed tube and blend mixture until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cook green beans in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Transfer beans to medium bowl filled with ice water and cool thoroughly. Drain well. (Dressing and beans can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Toss green beans, spinach and sliced pears in large bowl with enough Riesling dressing to coat. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts.

1 medium Onion, chopped
1 t. olive oil
¾ - 1 lb. Spinach
1 c. finely chopped Broccoli
1 cup picante sauce, divided  (Use thick, spicy, chunky salsa or picante sauce)
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 c. (8 oz.) cottage cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onion in oil until tender. Add the spinach, broccoli, 1/3 c. picante sauce, garlic powder and cumin; heat through.
Remove from the heat; stir in cottage cheese and half of cheddar cheese. Right in the skillet, divide the mixture into 8 parts. Spoon each part onto a tortilla, fold, and lay seam down in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon remaining picante sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees or until heated through. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

1/4 cup minced shallot (onions will work as well)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups finely shredded carrots
4 cups finely shredded peeled raw beets (about 3/4 pound)
spinach or lettuce leaves, washed thoroughly, for garnish if desired

In a blender purée shallot, ginger, and garlic with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. With motor running add olive oil in a stream and blend until smooth.

In separate bowls toss carrots with half of the dressing and beets with remaining half. Divide carrot salad and beet salad among 4 plates and garnish with spinach or lettuce leaves.

Makes 8 servings
 
    1½ cup tomatillos
    1½ cup onion, chopped
    2 garlic gloves, diced
    1 tsp butter
    3¾ cup whole kernel corn
    4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
    1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
    4 oz diced green chilies
    ¼ cup spinach, chopped
    1 tsp sugar
 
Sautè tomatillos, onion and garlic in butter for five minutes. Remove to food processor and add cilantro. Puree to chunky. Pour in pan and add chicken or vegetable stock, diced green chilies, chopped spinach, corn, and sugar. Heat and serve.

Dressing:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb (Basil, Parsley, or Mint)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Salad:
1 head of Lettuce or ½ -3/4 lb Spinach
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 orange, peeled and segmented
1/2 red or white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Whisk together the sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, herb, and olive oil in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set aside. Toss the salad greens, sliced fennel, orange, onion, almonds, and cranberries in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to serve.

Apple and Fennel Salad

5 oz.    Pasta (fettuccine style) – cooked
½ lb.     Spinach
1     Small – Medium fennel bulb, sliced
2     Medium tart apples, peeled and cubed
1     Small, red onion, sliced – Scallions would make a good substitute as well

Thoroughly wash spinach, removing fibrous stems.
Dry and place in salad bowl.
Add fennel, apples and onions.
Toss with Vinaigrette. Trim with fennel tops.

Justine’s Favorite Vinaigrette

1 1/2 Tablespoons Mustard
2 Tablespoons Tamari
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
½ -2/3 cup Olive Oil

(Maggie, my daughter, prefers using Apple Cider Vinegar and she also adds shallots)

Spicy Crusted Tuna Steaks with Braised Fennel
Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon crushed black pepper
2 tuna steaks (5 to 6 ounces, 2 to 3 inches thick)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place medium-sized pan on medium-high heat and add oil to pan.

Using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, crush fennel seeds into a powder. Place in a shallow bowl, add crushed pepper and mix until well incorporated.

Pat tuna steaks dry with paper towel. Season steaks liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.
Press fennel-pepper mix onto tuna steaks on one or both sides, depending on your preference.
Carefully place tuna steak, mix-side down, into the heated pan.
Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes until pink in the middle.
Serve on bed of braised fennel (below).

Braised Fennel

1 medium fennel bulb
1 yellow or red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, crushed

Remove stems and base from fennel bulb. Cut fennel into 1/4-inch slices.
Chop bell pepper into 1/4-inch slices.
Heat oil in saucepan and saute fennel, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
Add bell pepper and garlic and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add wine and water, and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until fennel is fork-tender. Remove cover to reduce liquid for last few minutes.

Fennel and Pomegranate Salad
   Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 medium fennel bulbs
1 medium red onion
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges
Shavings of Pecorino or Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice fennel and red onion as thinly as possible, being careful to remove the tough root of the fennel bulb.

Toss gently in large bowl with lemon juice and olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Before serving, toss again, add pomegranate seeds and mandarin oranges.
Add cheese, and salt and pepper, if desired.

Fennel and Sausage Pasta
    Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 links of hot Italian sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bulb fennel, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 tablespoon lightly crushed fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 16-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and smashed with hands
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage until cooked through. Drain excess fat from pan.

Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and add fennel slices and fennel seeds. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, tomatoes and crushed red pepper.
Cover skillet, reduce heat and simmer an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with fresh-cooked Rotini pasta or spaghetti.

FENNEL  (from NPR)

If you've never cooked with fennel, you're not alone. For years, I avoided the bulbous green and white vegetable labeled "sweet anise" because I associated it with black licorice. Who in their right mind would want to taste black licorice at the dinner table?

But then I learned anise and "sweet anise" are two very different things. Anise is a pungent pint-sized herb, while "sweet anise" — or fennel — is a hearty vegetable with a thick, bulbous base and celery-like stems that grow upward to 5 feet tall. It has a sweeter, more delicate flavor than anise.

Fennel's subtle flavor works just fine on its own, but does wonders when combined with other foods. Indeed, fennel's strength may be its power to blend and enhance other flavors. Tuna tastes more tuna-like when cooked with fennel. A simple salad of oranges, red onion and lemon vinaigrette has more zing with the addition of crunchy, raw fennel. Grilled sea bass becomes emblematic of Mediterranean cuisine when stuffed with lemon slices and fennel fronds.

The fennel in the produce section of a grocery store is Florence fennel, or finocchio. On top are fragrant emerald fronds that look much like dill. Below are stout stalks that resemble celery and shoot upward like fingers being counted. The edible white "bulb" is actually not a bulb at all, but tightly stacked leaves that unpack like the base of a celery stalk.

Though all parts of the Florence fennel are edible, the stalks tend to be fibrous, like celery, while the fronds can have an anise intensity that might turn off some people. The thick white leaves of the base offer the most versatile use. When cooked, the leaves become supple, the same way onions lose their firmness, and retain only a faint hint of anise.

If you have never tried fennel as a vegetable, you've almost certainly tasted it in its other form: a spice. The greenish-brown seeds from the variety called common fennel are used to season Italian sausages, meaty stews and rustic breads. When ground up, the spice is used in rubs for fish, pork and lamb dishes and in other spice mixes. Fennel spice also is a key ingredient in Indian curries and is one of the five essential spices in Chinese five-spice powder.

And if all this isn't enough, this versatile vegetable has been used throughout history to cure stomach ailments, freshen breath and help fight weight gain. It also is high in vitamin C.

So if, like me, you've passed fennel by in the produce section, take a second look.