Recipes

Winter Vegetable Lasagne

This vegetarian recipe incorporates vegetables in a way that provides enough liquid to cook the noodles during baking. For the sauce:  Rinse and dice 2 leeks and saute in 2 T. olive oil until tender.  Add 2 C. sliced portabello, … Continue reading →

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Broth makes almost any soup better, but you can’t make it fast.  By making a big batch and freezing it, you will have it available whenever you need it.  Celery leaves are a critical component of vegetable broth. Trim the … Continue reading →

Tofu-Lettuce Rolls with Carrot-Cilantro Slaw

This is a warm dish that uses a lot of lettuce.  The tofu is cooked and then wrapped in whole lettuce leaves along with the slaw.  Butter lettuce is the perfect texture for it. Cut one pound of firm tofu … Continue reading →

Fennel-Spinach Salad with Mandarins &Cranberries

If you’re making a salad for Thanksgiving, it is one area where you can get creative without too many protests from the culinary traditionalists. Wash 1/2 lb. spinach leaves by soaking and lifting the leaves out of the water.  Spin … Continue reading →

Butternut Squash Pie with Candied Squash Topping

No messing around here: this is the New York Times interpretation of the classic Thanksgiving dessert.  As they say, ” no vegetal tones or stodgy finish mar the radiance of this pie, which stops just short of a custard and glows … Continue reading →

Creamy Vegan Broccoli-Leek Soup

It was 35 degrees at the farm this morning, so I’m pulling out the first of the winter soup recipes.  This is a simple soup to prepare, but getting the most flavor out of it means taking the time to … Continue reading →

Potato Salad with Arugula and Leeks

The sharp flavor of the Arugula is the perfect contrast to the blandness of potatoes.  You may be surprised about using a mustard dressing with a mustardy green, but it works perfectly.   Trim 1 leek and slice in half … Continue reading →

Delicata Gratin with Leeks and Fennel

Putting sauteed leeks and fennel on the bottom of a baked gratin renders them down into a fragrantly savory caramel.  The moisture in the fennel helps the leeks cook without burning. The herbs in this dish are critical to balance … Continue reading →

Fuyu-Carrot Arugula Salad

The delicate flavor of Fuyu Persimmons makes them an ideal fruit for a savoy salad, while its texture also makes it a good addition to a vinagrette.  The slight pepperiness of the Arugula balances out the sweetness here.  Toasted pepitas … Continue reading →

Spicy Roasted Beet-Green Bean Tacos with Tangy Slaw

Roasting Beets and Green Beans makes them the perfect filling for vegetarian tacos: cripy, meaty and tender. Cut the tops off 1 bunch of beets.  Scrub the roots and rinse the tops well. Cut the beet roots into thick slices, … Continue reading →

Miso Delicata and Leek Rice Bowl

The squash and leeks are roasted while the spinach is cooked separately and then both are combined over sushi rice. Prepare 1 C. sushi rice or other short-grain rice according to the directions. (Try Robbins Rice Company Black Fox brand, … Continue reading →

Tomato-Kale Minestre

Celebrate the arrival of the Fall Equinox by making the traditional peasant soup combining the last vegetables of summer and the first of the fall.  If you have more time, you can roast the vegetables in the oven and then … Continue reading →

Roasted Acorn Squash and Quinoa Salad

This salad can be a meal in itself and includes crunchy raw peppers and wilted spinach. Peel and thinly slice 1/2 of a large onion or a whole medium onion. Cut an Acorn squash in half and scoop out the … Continue reading →

Sweet Potato-Green Bean Dry Curry

Heat the oven or grill to 425. Thinly slice 1 small Onion. Trim the ends off 1/2 lb. green beans. Cut in 2 inch pieces. Wash sweet potatoes and peel, then dice to make 3 C. Drain and rinse 1 … Continue reading →

Grilled Zucchini with Green Bean-Tomato Salad

Different flavors, textures and cooking techniques combine in this perfect end-of-summer dish Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  While the water is heating, trim 1/2 lb. whole green beans.   Toast 1/2 C. pumpkin seeds in the … Continue reading →

Calabrese-Style Potatoes and Peppers

This unusual take on an old standard has you thinly slice both the peppers and potatoes, changing both the texture and favor of the dish.  It also means the potatoes cook much more quickly than they would if diced or … Continue reading →

Refrigerator Dilly Beans

You can also make these with Painted Serpent Cukes, but let the pickling liquid cool first.  This recipe has no sugar in it — these pickles are tart and tangy.  It does not require any heat-treatment or other preservation method … Continue reading →

Trinidadian Corn & Green Bean Pie

There’s no crust on this savory pie, which is really more of a casserole. Shuck 4 ears of corn then cut the kernels off.  Trim green beans and cut into small pieces to make 2 C.  Peel 1 onion and … Continue reading →

Chickpea-Corn Curry with Basil and Tomatoes

This is a riff on a traditional South Asian curry.  You can use canned chickpeas or make your own from scratch.  Serve this curry with rice and drizzle with yogurt. Heat 1 T. high-heat oil in a small skillet and … Continue reading →

Blistered Green Beans with Almond-Tomato Pesto

Heat the grill or oven to 450. Quarter 3-4 tomatoes and toss with 1 whole Gypsy pepper and 1 t. olive oil, then arrange on a baking sheet.  Roast tomatoes and peppers until they are blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 … Continue reading →

Grilling Sweet Corn 101

We are more than halfway through Sweet Corn season at Terra Firma.  That means that the moths have finally found the ears and the caterpillars have been chewing on the tips of the corn.  If you are squeamish about them, … Continue reading →

Rustic Roasted Roma Sauce with Shishitos and Garlic

This simple and delicious sauce has concentrated flavors that makes it great for pizza.  You can prepare this recipe entirely on the grill, or in the oven, with a minimum of cookware and mess. Heat the grill or oven to … Continue reading →

Garlicky Green Beans in Tomato Vinagrette

Parboiled green beans are then sauteed with of garlic and finally tossed with raw tomatoes and carrots or cucumbers.  If you don’t love garlic, you can skip adding it to the vinagrette. Bring a large pot of salted water to … Continue reading →

Drunken “Noodles”

This Thai dish is traditonally made with wide rice noodles.  This version substitutes very thinly sliced or spiralized summer squash, which has a similar texture and absorbs the flavors just as well. This recipe is often made with chicken or … Continue reading →

Two-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Carrots

This salad combines green and cooked white beans with crunchy carrots and juicy tomatoes for a light but nutritious summer dish. Soak 1 C. white beans (any type) overnight.  Drain and rinse, then cook in salted water until tender but … Continue reading →

Glass Noodle Veggie Stir Fry (Japchae)

Vegetables are not just a great substitute for noodles, but also a great pair with them.  In this recipe the beets and/or carrots are spiralized and then sauteed with glass noodles, which are made from mung beans or sweet potatoes … Continue reading →

Spring into Summer Salad

New potatoes cook quickly while retaining their waxy texture. Chop green garlic to make 3 T. Trim 1/2 lb. green beans then chop them roughly.  Toss with 1 T. olive oil plus salt and pepper, then arrange in a single … Continue reading →

Spinach and Pea Curry

Most Indian “Saag” or spinach dishes boil the spinach until very soft before sauteing, and some even puree it.  In this recipe, the spinach is just wilted using boiling water, which leaves it with a little more texture.  If you … Continue reading →

Japanese-Style Zucchini and Onions

Zucchini often gets cooked with other vegetables, which can result in it getting mushy.  This simple recipe allows you to focus on the zuke.  You could serve it with sauteed spinach and grilled tofu for a complete meal, but resist … Continue reading →

Zucchini “Pasta” with Green Garlic and Peas

Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to turn zucchini in very thin, wide noodles to make an all-vegetable “pasta” dish.  The thin slices actually retain more of their texture when cooked than thicker slices would, while still becoming tender. Trim … Continue reading →

Tangelo-Polenta Cakes with Strawberries

I am a sucker for brunch-type items covered in strawberries and drizzled with yogurt.  This is a gluten-free recipe that is not as quick as pancakes or waffles but can be prepared in advance or overnight and then cooked quickly … Continue reading →

Springtime Lettuce Wraps

A mixture of cooked and raw ingredients for the filling make for a satisfying light meal or appetizer. Rinse 1 C. of Quinoa in water and drain.  Bring a Cup of water to a boil and add the quinoa, then … Continue reading →

Asparagus No-coise Salad

Well the experts say it can’t be a Nicoise salad without tomatoes, but we’re many weeks away from having any of those.  This salad matches asparagus and snap peas with the potatoes, capers, olives and eggs for a hardy, intense … Continue reading →

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Rosemary and Garlic

I recently made dinner for a good friend who is both a TFF subscriber and an excellent cook, who had somehow never made this recipe.  I guess I have never put it in the newletter before because it’s so simple.  … Continue reading →

Asparagus Spring Onion Soup

This is a light soup full of spring flavors and perfect for serving on a drizzling April evening.  You can skip the step of roasting the asparagus tips if you’re in a hurry, but it adds both flavor and a … Continue reading →

Asparagus-Cabbage Salad with Tahini Dressing

This salad combines blanched asparagus and raw cabbage with a variety of flavors and textures. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil.  Meanwhile, trim the tough bases off 1 bunch of asparagus.  Drop the asparagus into the … Continue reading →

Baked Polenta with Leeks and Asparagus

There are several different ways to prepare polenta with these two vegetables.  This variation yields a gratin-like dish with rich, caramelized leeks on the bottom, a crispy crust on top, and moist interior.  You can easily double this recipe if … Continue reading →

Asparagus with Spring Onion Vinagrette

Very lightly cooked asparagus is tossed with a flavorful dressing and then served on letttuce leaves. Finely mince 1 medium spring onion, white and green parts both.  Toss with 6 T. lemon juice or white wine/champagne vinegar.  Allow to sit … Continue reading →

Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrots and Potatoes

My grandmother was born in Ireland, and I grew up dreading the corned beef and cabbage that she made each year on St. Patrick’s Day.  This vegetarian recipe keeps the cooked vegetables from the Irish combo but adds more interesting … Continue reading →

Veggie “Nest” Salad with Warm Eggs

This is a relatively simple recipe but the timing is tricky.  If the roasted vegetables get cool before you finish cooking the eggs, you can put them back in the warm oven for a couple of minutes before tossing the … Continue reading →

Namusa Rice Salad

Namusa is a Japanese dish of lightly pickled carrots and radish.  This recipe adds cooked sushi rice and a few other components to turn it into a more filling dish.  If you eat fish, you can add raw sushi-grade tuna … Continue reading →

Colcannon Gratin

If you love Colcannon, the traditional Irish side dish of boiled potatoes and cabbage or kale, you may hate this recipe.  It maintains many of the same flavors, but adds a crispy top and a deliciously caramelized bottom. Bring a large pot … Continue reading →

Butternut Squash Gratin with Fennel and Spring Onions

This is a simple and light savory gratin. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Clean 3-4 spring onions and cut the white parts in half lengthwise, then chop roughly.  Reserve the greens. Trim the greens off 1 fennel bulb, then … Continue reading →

Cauliflower-Tofu Laap

This is a Thai dish — also called “larb” that is traditionally made with ground meat.  Here, minced cauliflower and crumbled tofu provide the same texture. Use a fork to crumble 12 oz. of firm or extra firm tofu.  Marinate … Continue reading →

Korean-Style Cooked Spinach Salad

In this recipe, cooked bunching spinach takes on a chewy, almost meaty texture and absorbs lots of complex flavors.  This dish is often served alongside kimchi. Remove the bases but not the stems from 1 bunch of Spinach.  Soak the … Continue reading →

Kimchee with Watermelon Radish

Kimchee is a lightly fermented cabbage salad that takes about a week to be ready.  You don’t need any special equipment to make it other than a glass jar with a rubber seal. Fill a large glass or metal bowl … Continue reading →

Spaghetti Squash Pho  

This is a vegan recipe that uses spaghetti squash instead of the usual rice noodles to soak up the complex flavors of the traditional Vietnamese spiced broth. For the broth:  There are several ways to go here.  The easiest route is … Continue reading →

Cauliflower-Potato-Celery Soup 

Celery plays a big role in the flavor of this creamy soup.  For a vegan soup, you can substitute coconut oil for the butter. Non-vegans can add some cream or yogurt before serving to make it extra creamy. Optional:  Trim … Continue reading →

Warm Romanesco Salad with Tahini Dressing 

If you’re going to cook and eat a vegetable with fractalized florets, you may as well make it the centerpiece of the dish. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Thinly slice the bottom of 1 spring onion, then … Continue reading →

Food Safety and Fake Science

Happy New Year and welcome to the 2018 Terra Firma fruit and vegetable season! Some of you were probably among the 5 million Americans who travelled by air this holiday season, including me.  If you were on a crowded plane … Continue reading →