1 lb. fresh peaches
2 tablespoons Kirschwasser
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Slice peaches. Put in bowl with Kirschwasser and mint. Toss and serve.

1 lb. beets
1 lb. summer squash (or zucchini)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, divided
salt, to taste

for ali-oli (Catalan spelling for aioli):
1 piece sandwich bread, crusts removed (to make 3 inch round)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and sliced
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
half teaspoon salt
approximately 1 1/2 cups olive oil

for napoleon:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, cut into 2 inch by 4 inch rectangles
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and wash beets. Slice beets in half and then slice each half crosswise into thin slices. Slice each squash in half, lengthwise. Then slice each half crosswise into thin slices, same thickness as beets. (All your veggies will be shaped like thin half moons.) Line bottom of two roasting pans with parchment paper. Place beet slices in one pan, zucchini slices in the other.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and salt to taste in each pan, and stir to coat. Roast in a 350 degree oven until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Remove and cool.

Ali-oli:
Place bread in shallow bowl. Pour vinegar over bread and let the bread absorb vinegar. There should be some standing vinegar. If not, add more. Let stand two minutes. Remove bread from bowl, squeeze out excess vinegar and place in food processor along with garlic and egg. Process until garlic is finely chopped. With processor running, add olive oil in a thin stream and continue adding until mixture resembles the thickness of mayonnaise. (Mixture may be made thinner or thicker depending on preference.) Add lemon juice and salt and process to combine. Note: Best if used after resting one day. Can be refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Napoleons:
Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Paste puff pastry rectangles at least one inch apart. Brush tops with beaten egg wash. Let stand five minutes. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan. Bake in 375 oven until puffed and golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

To assemble:
Carefully slice puff pastry in half lengthwise, horizontally. Place squash and beets on bottom half, overlapping and alternating. Drizzle with ali-oli. Replace top, and serve.

1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
1/2 lbs. root vegetables (beets, carrots, etc.) in small dice
olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

In saucepan, sauté diced onion and garlic in one teaspoon olive oil, until soft. Add stock and bring to boil over high heat. Add quinoa and return to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and fluff.

Place vegetables in roasting pan with one tablespoon olive oil an a pinch of salt. Roast until just crisp and tender. Cool.

In a small bowl, mix lemon juice with salt, cumin and ground pepper. Whisk in just enough olive oil until a vinaigrette is formed. In a bowl, mix together quinoa, roasted vegetables and green onion. Add vinaigrette and stir to coat.

from In Season, Sarah Raven

Serves 4

1/2 lb. chard
1/4 lb. mustard, kale or more chard
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 TB. olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock
1 (12-ounce) can coconut milk
salt and pepper

Prepare the chard and other greens, stripping the green from the stem and shredding it into ribbons.

Sweat the onions and garlic gently in olive oil for about 10 minutes, until they’re soft. Add the greens, stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then whiz everything up together with an immersion blender or food processor. Season to taste and serve.

from Chez Panise Vegetables, Alice Waters

1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly cut
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh lemon juice, to taste

Sauté the chard in olive oil, covered for 5 minutes, until the leaves are wilted and tender. Remove the cover and cook away the excess moisture. Season at the last minute with a pinch of red pepper flakes according to taste, and with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over just before serving.


1 lbs. chard leaves
3 teas. olive oil
8 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup white bread crumbs, moistened with 1/2 teas. olive oil

Wash the chard and remove the thick stalks, all the way up. Sweat the chard with clinging water over medium heat until the chard is wilted and gives up its water. (Like you would with fresh spinach.) Cool the leaves and squeeze out all the liquid from the chard. Chop coarsely.

Sauté onion in one teas. olive oil over low heat until just tender. Remove from heat and cool. Add to chopped chard.

Using a nonstick skillet, heat two teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat, until almost smoking. Add eggs, swirl pan slightly, and when eggs begin to set, pull back sides to let uncooked eggs reach the heat.

Place chard and onion mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. When almos set, sprinkly evenly with bread crumbs. Flip omelette (either like a flapjack or by inverting on a plate and sliding back into the pan.) Cook until omelette is set. Serve by inverting once again so the bread crumbs are on the top. Serve hot, warm or cold.