Scallions

Feta Spinach Pizza

serves 2-3 as a main dish (Moosewood Restaurant Cooks At Home; 1994)
Pizza Crust Options:
– 6 pita bread halves (6-inch size), 1 loaf French bread (16-20 inches long), or 1 pre-baked pizza shell (15 inch size) Topping:
– 10 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and coarsely chopped
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– 1⁄2 cup chopped scallions
– 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (1 tsp dried)
– 1 cup crumbled or grated feta cheese
– 1 cup ricotta cheese
– dash of fresh ground black pepper
– Optional: 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced or 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Directions:
1. Preheat oven according to directions for the pizza crust you are using.
2. Saute the spinach in the oil on high heat for several minutes until just wilted. Drain the cooked spinach in a colander or sieve, and press out any excess moisture with the back of a large serving spoon. In a large bowl, combine spinach, scallions, feta, and ricotta. Add a dash of pepper.
3. Spread the spianch-feta topping on the pizza crust and top with the sliced tomatoes if desired. Bake according to the directions for the crust you are using.

Grilled Scallions with Lemon

12 large scallions (10 ounces total), trimmed, leaving most of greens attached
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon 2 (8-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Toss scallions with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Line up scallions side by side on a work surface and thread skewers, 1 at a time, crosswise through all scallions to form a solid rectangle. (Skewers should be inserted about 2 inches from each end.) Grill on lightly oiled grill rack, uncovered, turning over once or twice, until softened and charred in patches, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer scallions to a platter and squeeze lemon evenly over them, then remove skewers.

If you aren’t able to grill outdoors, cook scallions (without skewers) in a hot lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.

Little Gems with Lemon Cream, Spring Onion, Radish and Mint

serves 4 (Six Seasons; 2017) There is a little prep work involved in this salad but it is delicious with tender, spring vegetables.

1-2 spring lettuce heads; cores cut out and heads washed, cut into bite size pieces and well dried in a salad spinner

1 small bunch scallions, very thinly sliced, (including ½ inch off the green tops), soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, and drained well.

About ½ bunch radishes, scrubbed, tops trimmed off, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, and well drained

1 small handful fresh mint

½ cup Lemon Cream (recipe follows)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon Cream – makes ¾ cup: 

Author’s Notes, “This is a light, almost feminine dressing that is beautiful on a simple spring lettuce salad, but also on other green vegetables. Try tossing it with thinly sliced cucumbers.” 

4 garlic cloves smashed and peeled 

½ cup heavy cream 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

½ tsp. grated lemon zest 

about 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

1. Put the garlic and cream in a medium bowl and let infuse for 2 hours in the refrigerator, so the cream takes on a gentle garlic flavor. 

2. Fish out the garlic cloves from the cream, season generously with salt and lots of twists of pepper, and then add the lemon zest. Begin whisking the cream. Once it starts to thicken (about 7-10 minutes of whisking) add 2 tbsp. lemon juice and the olive oil. Keep whisking until it is light and airy. It won’t be thick like fully whipped cream, but it will have a nice creamy texture. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper or lemon juice. Use this dressing within a day. 

Spicy Vegetarian Peanut Noodle Salad

Jessica Willey’s friend, Sonja brought this dish out earlier this year for our potluck. It was well received.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/3 cup rice or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon red chile flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse ground coriander
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1 pound spaghetti, cooked and refreshed
1 small head of broccoli, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped roasted (salted) peanuts for garnish

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sesame oil, vinegar, chile, sugar, Dijon, coriander and soy until smooth. Whisk in the canola oil and check for seasoning. In a large bowl, toss dressing with the pasta, cucumbers, bell pepper and scallions.
Check for seasoning.

Venison (or Beef) Barley Soup with Radish Greens & Scallions

This is roughly what the recipe was- I was “winging it” and it turned out really well. Jess Fischer

8 cups water
2 tbsp organic beef boullion paste
2 large carrots, chopped small
3/4 c barley
Chopped greens from a radish bunch, stems removed
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 tsp course salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3/4 pound venison, cut into small thin pieces (easy to do when still a little frozen)

Bring the water with boullion to boil, then add the carrots and barley, reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Add scallions, radish greens, and venison- simmering for another 20 minutes. Season with pepper. Serves approx. 6.