1 small head purple cauliflower
1/2 purple cabbage
6-7 teas. salt
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
dried red hot chilies

Wash the cauliflower and break into bite sized florets. Cut the cabbage into thick slices. Do not separate. Mix the salt, water and vinegar together to create the brine.

Place a layer of cauliflower in a sterilized, large-mouth pickling jar. Top with a layer of cabbage. Repeat until you reach the top, but bury a chile or two deep in one or two of the layers.

Fill the jar with the brine. Use a long wooden skewer to release any visible trapped air bubbles. Close the lid.

Place the pickles in a warm spot for 10 days before eating.
Eat within a month.



adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

1/3 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 teas. olive oil
4 teas. fresh lime juice, or more to taste
¼ teas. ground cumin
¼ teas. ground coriander
1 TB. finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 TB. minced scallions
1½ cups cooked black beans (15-ounce can, drained)
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced bell peppers
2 teas. minced fresh green chiles
salt and ground pepper, to taste
lemon or lime wedges

Rinse the quinoa well in a sieve under cool running water. In a saucepan bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, cover, and simmer on low heat, until all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cilantro, and scallions. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chiles. Add the cooled quinoa, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges.



3 cups couscous
2 heads Graffiti Cauliflower
3 onions
5-6 carrots, diced
2 bunches green onion
2 bunches chopped chives
pinenuts for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

Opal Basil Sauce:
2 bunches Opal Basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 TB. salt

To create the Opal Basil Sauce, blend all the ingredients in a food processor.

Place couscous in a bowl and bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Pour over couscous. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap.  Let stand five minutes and fluff with a fork.

To steam the cauliflower, place in a microwave safe bowl wtih 3 TB. of water in the bottom. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Puncture the wrap 5 times with the tip of a sharp knife. Cook on high for 3 minutes.

Caramelize onions in a skillet with 1 TB. olive oil over low heat until golden brown, approximately 12 minutes. Remove onions. Sauté diced carrots in the skillet with 1 TB. olive oil for 4-5 minutes until tender. Chop the green onions and chives. Toss cauliflower, carrots, onions, chive and sauce with the couscous. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with pinenuts.

from L.A. Times, June 4, 2008

Note: Adapted from chef Corina Weibel of Canelé (a restaurant in L.A.) The recipe for the vinaigrette will make more than is needed for the salad. The vinaigrette will keep for 3 days, refrigerated.

6 small  beets, trimmed
Salt
olive oil
2 TB. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Very small pinch cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze, divided
8 very thin lemon slices
6 baby carrots
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup baby greens
1 small shallot, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beets in a shallow baking pan, with 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 TB. olive oil over the beets. Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Cool to room temperature, peel and quarter.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: Pound cumin and garlic to a paste. Add a pinch of salt, cayenne and juice of one lemon. When all the ingredients are incorporated and the salt is dissolved, drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil while stirring. Adjust to taste. Makes about 1/4 cup vinaigrette.

In a small pot of boiling salted water, blanch the lemon slices for 20 seconds, just to remove the tartness. Lift out with a slotted spoon and cool in ice water. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

In the same pot of boiling water, add carrots and blanch 2 to 3 minutes, to bring out the vibrant color and soften just slightly. Remove and set aside to cool (do not shock in an ice bath). Add them to the bowl with the lemons.

To the bowl, add the lemon, parsley, greens, shallot and the remaining squeeze of lemon juice, tossing to combine. Add 2 teas. vinaigrette, or enough to lightly coat, and toss gently. Season to taste and divide among two plates. Separately, toss the beets with enough vinaigrette to coat, then divide the beets among the two plated salads. Serve immediately.



from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

2 cups chopped onions
2 teas. canola or other vegetable oil
2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1 TB. grated fresh ginger root
1/4 teas. salt
1/4 teas. ground black pepper
3 cups water
3 cups orange juice or unsweeted apple juice (room temp.)
nutmeg

Sauté the onions in the oil on medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, ginger root, salt and pepper and continue to sauté, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the carrots are very soft. Stir in the juice.

In batches in a blender, purée the soup until smooth and velvety. Serve warm or chilled with a dash of fresh nutmeg.



1 lb. red potato
2 white carrots
2 purple carrots
2 orange carrots
5 leeks
3 TB. olive oil

Pesto:
2 bunches basil

1 TB. grated parmesan
2 TB. toasted pistachios
1 1/2 teas. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic

Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor. Set aside. Toss vegetables with 3 TB. olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Toss with pesto and serve.



Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 TB. curry powder
1 TB. apple cider vinegar
2 TB. honey
2 teas. salt
1 teas. pepper

Slaw:
6 kohlrabi, sliced thinly
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
3 apples
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 red onion, julienned
2 cups toasted coconut
2 cups toasted walnuts
2 cups carrots, shredded
2 bunches of green onions

Toss vegetables in dressing and serve.