I often judge a recipe on the effort to results ratio. This is a winner. I have made it twice; once for myself, and another time to give to Arthur and Michelle Keyes, of Glacier Valley Farm, when I went to their farm for a tour last Sunday!  This recipe would also be a great introduction to baking for the young chef in your family. I was inspired by a recipe from the Food Network Magazine.

1 cup flour (I used ½ cup regular and ½ cup whole wheat flour)
1/3 cup oats (I used rolled regular, but instant would work too)
½ cup sugar –or to taste
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup chopped walnuts
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2 lbs chopped rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup regular flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
orange zest from 1 orange
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine in a freezer proof bowl the first 6 ingredients. Stir to fully incorporate the butter and place in the freezer to harden. About 30 minutes.
3. Toss the chopped rhubarb with remaining ingredients.
4. Place in a baking dish. I used an 8-inch square non-stick pan.
5. Scatter the crumble mixture on top.
6. Bake until gold and bubbly about 30 minutes.  Served as is or with ice cream or whipped cream.

half or all of the recipe of the crisp topping, below (to your taste)
1 ½ pounds apples, peeled and cored
2 pounds rhubarb, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sugar
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a small pinch of ground cloves (don’t go overboard)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the topping and set it aside. Dice the apples, then put them in a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Pour the fruit into a 2-quart gratin dish.
2. Bake, uncovered (without the topping), for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
3. An hour before you’re ready to eat the crisp, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit. Return to the oven and bake for 25-30 more minutes, or until the juices from the fruit are bubbling and the topping is brown. Serve hot or warm.

crisp topping

This recipe makes enough for 1 heavily-topped crisp, or 2 lightly-topped crisps. Make this recipe, and if you like a light topping, use half and freeze the rest until you want to make another crisp. Or use the whole amount of topping on one crisp.

Another note: the Loriva walnut oil is really fantastic; it’s roasty and toasty-tasting and very rich. Don’t bother using refined walnut oil, because it doesn’t have much flavor and the recipe won’t be nearly as tasty. Use butter, instead. If you don’t want to use walnuts, replace the nuts with an additional ½ cup of rolled oats.

6 tablespoons Loriva walnut oil or melted butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour if you have it)
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients so you have a crumbly, moist mixture.

Don’t bother grating the potatoes ahead of time, because they will discolor—it doesn’t take long to grate them, so just do them right before you’re ready to start frying them up.
I love to make hash browns for dinner, not just breakfast! Even if you don’t serve them with my little garnish of yogurt and tapenade, they make a great dinner dish. Just serve wedges of hash browns with a big salad! 

1 pound high-starch potatoes (such as russets or Idahos), scrubbed and grated coarsely
¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or butter (I use olive oil)

optional fancy garnish

a few scoops of plain yogurt (low-fat rather than non-fat)
tapenade (my recipe below, or buy it prepared)

1. To get rid of some of the extra water in the potatoes, place the grated potatoes in a dish towel, roll the towel up around the potatoes and, using two hands, twist the towel as tightly as you can, and watch the water pour out!
2. Toss the dried grated potatoes with salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Heat half the oil or butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then scatter potatoes evenly over the entire pan bottom. Using a wide spatula, firmly press potatoes to flatten; reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until dark golden brown and crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Check the underside after 3 or 4 minutes and turn down the heat if it looks like it’s browning too fast.
4. Slide hash browns, browned side down, onto a large plate. Cover with another plate and flip them over so the browned side is up. Add the remaining oil or butter to pan. Once the oil is hot, slide the hash browns back into pan. Continue to cook over medium heat until remaining side is dark golden brown and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes longer.
5. Slide the hash browns onto a plate or cutting board, cut into wedges and serve immediately, with or without garnish.
6. If you’re garnishing, stir the yogurt until smooth. Put a little dollop of yogurt on each wedge, then top with a spoonful of tapenade.

kalamata olive, sundried tomato & roasted garlic tapenade

This tapenade is really easy if you already have roasted garlic hanging around, and it keeps for a long time in your ‘fridge. You can also put it in a jar and freeze half of it for another time—it keeps just fine that way. Because of the addition of the tomatoes, it’s not quite as rich as regular tapenade, but it’s still got fantastic flavor.

2 cups sundried julienned tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil)
6 garlic cloves
¼ cup roasted garlic cloves (use either one of the following recipes)
2 cups kalamata olives
¼ cup capers
¼ cup pine nuts

1. Put the sundried tomatoes into a heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over them to cover, and cover with a small plate. Let them soak for 15 or 20 minutes until soft.
2. Put the raw garlic into a food processor and mince finely. Add the roasted garlic and softened tomatoes and puree until smooth. Add the olives and pulse several times until the olives are in smallish pieces and the mixture is coming together, but don’t turn it into a paste.
3. Add the capers and pine nuts, and pulse several more times until everything is nicely combined.

olive oil infused with “roasted garlic”

This is how we “roast” the garlic for our Alaskan cheese & roasted garlic bread… and both the olive oil and garlic are wonderful in many other dishes.

several heads of garlic, cloves peeled
olive oil (you don’t need extra-virgin olive oil for this—the garlic imparts so much flavor that you can use regular olive oil)

1. Put all the whole peeled garlic cloves in a heavy pot. Cover the garlic cloves completely with olive oil.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Give the garlic a stir, and then turn the heat down to the absolute lowest possible heat, cover the pot, and simmer just at a bare bubble. Stir the garlic occasionally and continue to cook until the garlic cloves are completely soft and tender, and you can easily squish them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. This will probably take an hour or more, but check after 45 minutes.
3. Uncover the pot and let cool. Strain the garlic from the oil. This garlic can be used in any recipe that calls for roasted garlic (for example, in the Southwest Caesar Salad, or in the Hummus in the cookbook or on the website). If you make a soup or a stew that needs a little extra pizzaz, just scoop out a few cloves, mash them with a fork, and add them to your dish to really pump up the flavor. You can freeze the garlic indefinitely (I keep it in pint-sized canning jars in the freezer), and just take it out when you need it.

roasted garlic

You can make several heads of this garlic when you bake it, and spread the soft, sweet cloves on toast, or add to other dishes, like soups, or hummus, or beans.

heads of garlic, unpeeled
olive oil
salt & freshly-ground pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees (or whatever temperature at which you’re baking something else). Slice the top off the garlic bulb, just enough to expose the tops of the garlic flesh. Center the bulb on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the bulb securely and pop it into the oven.
2. After 45 minutes or so (longer if it’s at a lower temperature), you should start to smell the roasting garlic, but depending on the size of your bulb, it may need a bit more time. Test by unwrapping it and slipping the sharp point of a paring knife into one of the cloves. If it slides in effortlessly, or the cloves are starting to poke out of their skins, then the garlic is ready.

1 pound banana squash, or 1 large butternut squash (at least a pound), or pie pumpkins
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel and seed your squash and dice it into ½” pieces (the pieces don’t have to be square, though).
3. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick spray or oil. (This makes clean-up a lot easier.)
4. Toss the squash cubes with the olive oil and salt. Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
5. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until starting to get brown and slightly shriveled. Remove the squash from the oven, keeping the oven on, and drizzle a little honey over the squash. Toss the cubes with the honey and return to the oven. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until the squash is browned. 

The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without

You marinate the broccoli for an hour or two in the sesame and walnut oils, garlic and ginger, then add the rice wine vinegar at the end, so the green of the broccoli doesn’t fade. You can even let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator, and then add the vinegar the next day, after warming the broccoli up to room temperature.

Somehow, this dish is so hearty and full-flavored—you just have to try it to believe how good it is! You can just eat a big pile of it for a meal. It’s got plenty of protein with the nuts!

¼ cup roasted walnut oil (such as Loriva—don’t use refined walnut oil, it won’t have much taste)
1 tablespoon dark roasted sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce (I like Nama Shoyu)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
Pinch of cayenne
2-4 pounds broccoli heads, cut into bite-sized florets
2-4 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (I like brown rice vinegar best)
½ to 1 cup walnuts, toasted for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, and chopped coarsely

1. Reserve the broccoli stems for another use (like roasting them at 450 degrees with olive oil, salt, and garlic).
2. Steam the broccoli florets for about 4 minutes, in batches, as necessary, just until tender. Dump them out on a dishtowel on the counter and spread them into a single layer. Let them cool and steam off their excess moisture.
3. Combine the oils, soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the broccoli to this marinade and toss well until completely coated. Let stand at room temperature for an hour or two (or covered, in the refrigerator, if you’re going to let it marinate longer).
4. Sprinkle in the vinegar just before serving. Taste and see if you need more vinegar, soy sauce, or salt.
5. Sprinkle the walnuts on each serving at the table, and have a dish of nuts on the table for everyone to add more, as desired.

Modern Vegetarian Kitchen

I haven’t tried this without the saffron, and I’m sure it would still be good without it, but the saffron does add a nice flavor. You can find it at Summit Spice & Tea Co., along with really full-flavored bay leaves, hot pepper flakes, sea salt, and any other spice you might need for other dishes!

This makes a big batch, because our Alaskan cauliflowers are usually quite large, and it seems silly to give you a recipe for a half a cauliflower. It makes good leftovers, too! But if you want a small batch, just halve this recipe.

1 large cauliflower, cored and separated into smallish florets
sea salt or kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 large bay leaves
½ teaspoon saffron
½ to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (to your taste)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¾ cup raisins
1 cup water
½ cup dry white wine
½ pound pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni, for example—I like to use whole-wheat pasta)
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
freshly-ground black pepper
½ cup pine nuts, toasted in a small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the cauliflower and cook until just barely tender, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the cauliflower, but reserve the water for cooking the pasta.
2. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, sauté the onions in a large, non-stick skillet in the olive oil until golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, saffron, and red pepper flakes and sauté for another 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, optional tomatoes, raisins, water and wine. Raise the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the cauliflower, and stir well to combine. Let it sit, off heat or on very low heat, while you cook the pasta.
4. Return the cauliflower water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender.  Drain.
5. Add the parsley to the cauliflower sauce, and season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper. (It is likely to need quite a bit of salt. Don’t be shy!)
6. Put a small pile of pasta on each plate or pasta bowl, and pile high with cauliflower. Garnish with lots of toasted pine nuts. Try it first, and if you like, add Parmesan cheese!

The recipe is based on one in Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors. It looks like a lot of lettuce, but the hot potatoes wilt it down to almost nothing—it’s just a wonderful green color without much bulk, once you mix everything together.

1 ½ pounds peanut potatoes (or other waxy variety)
sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, or 2 small onions, sliced thinly into rounds (red onions are lovely!)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
16 green olives, pitted and halved (you can use black kalamata olives if that’s all you have, but the green are very pretty)
6 ounces smoked salmon, flaked
8 cups lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces

1. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water and bring to a boil. While they are cooking, toss the onion with the vinegar, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt and let sit for a few minutes. Then add the oil, olives, and fish (or capers).
2. When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them, then cut in half lengthwise if they are small. Cut into bite-sized pieces if they are bigger. While still hot, add them to the bowl along with the lettuce. Turn gently with a rubber scraper. Taste for salt and season with pepper.

a case of cauliflower

1. Using a stout paring knife, trim out the thick stem of the cauliflowers and discard.
2. Cut the heads into bite-sized florets.
3. Fill the biggest pot you have with water, bring it to a boil, and salt it well. Spread some large towels out on your counter top.
4. Dump a batch of cauliflower into the boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or maybe longer (it depends upon how much cauliflower you put in at once, and how hot your burner is) until just tender-crisp. Test with a sharp paring knife, and with your teeth.
5. Scoop the florets out, shake the extra water off, and spread them out on the towels in a single layer. If you can, have a couple of windows open to help the cauliflower cool and dry. Spreading the cauliflower on towels like this stops it cooking immediately, and dries it nicely by evaporation.
6. When completely cool, put the cauliflower in freezer ziploc bags, in whatever portions you like to cook at once.
7. Repeat with the rest of the florets until you’ve worked your way through the whole case. Then freeze the bags!
8. When you want to eat cauliflower, just thaw out a bag, drain off the water, and proceed with whatever recipe you want. I have several great cauliflower recipes in the South Anchorage Farmers’ Market Cookbook—any of them will work wonderfully with broccoli from the freezer. Or you can search for other broccoli recipes on this website--they will all work, too!

It’s important to use an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut oil or grapeseed oil, so it doesn’t burn and smoke while you stir-fry the eggplant. Don’t use olive oil, for sure!

When I made this, I couldn’t find any basil at the Wednesday farmers’ market at the Dimond Center, so I just left it out, and it was great. But I’m sure it would really fantastic with the addition of the basil! 

Thai Sauce Base
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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Eggplant
1 tablespoon peanut oil or grapeseed oil, plus 1 more teaspoon
2 pounds eggplant (2 large globes, or 4 long skinny Japanese), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces (optional)

1. For Thai Sauce Base: Mix fish sauce, lime juice and zest, sugar, and red pepper in small bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant and cook, stirring or tossing the skillet every 10 to 15 seconds, until browned and tender, 5-10 minutes, depending on the type of eggplant.
3. Push eggplant to sides of skillet, clearing center of pan. Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger to center of pan and mash with back of spoon; cook until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds, then stir mixture into eggplant. Add half of the Thai Sauce Base and stir until combined. Taste and see if you want to add more—it’s pretty potent and salty stuff, so I didn’t use quite all of mine. Add the sauce to your taste.
4. Off heat, stir in scallions and optional basil; serve immediately with rice.

It’s important to use an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut oil or grapeseed oil, so it doesn’t burn and smoke while you stir-fry the eggplant. Don’t use olive oil, for sure!

Thai Sauce Base
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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Vegetables
¼ cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 tablespoon peanut oil or grapeseed oil plus 1 more teaspoon
2 large red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips
1 ½ pounds broccoli, separated: stems peeled and sliced into ¼”-thick coins, crowns cut into 1-inch florets
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and minced

1. For Thai Sauce Base: Mix fish sauce, lime juice and zest, sugar, and red pepper in small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add coconut milk and peanut butter to Thai Sauce Base, whisk until smooth; set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in your largest nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add broccoli stems and cook until starting to soften (3 or 4 minutes), then add red pepper and broccoli florets; cook, stirring often, until just barely tender, about 5 more minutes—keep tasting to make sure!
4. Push vegetables to sides of skillet, clearing center of pan. Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger to center of pan and mash with back of spoon; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir mixture into vegetables.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in about half of the sauce mixture. Taste it and see how you like it, and whether you’d like to add more sauce. I didn’t use quite all of my sauce (it’s pretty potent, salty stuff!), so just keep adding until you’re happy with the flavors.
6. Simmer to heat through and blend flavors, about 1 minute; serve immediately with rice.