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Menu:White bean soup, raw artichoke salad, fresh corn and bacon pizza tartlets, farro with beans, shrimp, and dill, white bean salad with spinach red onions and olives,black eyed pea salad with arugula, corn, carrots and bacon, and strawberry rhubarb crisps

Beans beans beans: Week one was all about beans.

Soak beans in cold water to cover over night. Cook in fresh water according to package instructions until just cooked through. Remove from heat, add one teaspoon of kosher salt, one tablespoon of olive oil, one sprig of rosemary and one fresh bay leaf. Cover and let steep and absorb flavors for atleast 30 min.

White bean soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups cooked white beans

4 cups chicken stock

juice from one lemon

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons pesto

salt and pepper to taste.

In a heavy bottom pot, saute onion in olive oil, for 3 – 5 minutes or until translucent.  Reserve a small amount of the cooked beans and add remaining beans and chicken broth to the onions, simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer bean mixture to blender, and process until smooth. Press blended beans through strainer for extra smooth texture. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

While the soup is cooking, mix reserved beans with quartered cherry tomatoes and pesto.

To serve: spoon blended soup into bowls, and garnish with bean, tomato and pesto mixture.

Options: additional garnish: shaved parmesan cheese and/or crispy bacon bits

While the soup is cooking, quarter cherry tomatoes, and stir in pesto

Raw artichoke Salad:

1 large artichoke

3 radishes, thinly sliced, optional

1 small bunch arugula

1/4 cup shaved parmesan

juice from one lemon

one clove garlic, grated

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Clean the artichoke, by removing all outer leaves, and fuzzy center until you have only the heart of the artichoke. Cut the heart into thin slices directly into the lemon mixture to prevent oxidation. Toss sliced artichokes and radishes, if using, with arugula and the dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed and top with shaved parmesan.

Farro with runner canellini beans, shrimp and dill

1 cup farro

1/2 cup cooked and steeped canellini beans, or other large white bean, see above for instructions

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup thinly sliced celery

10 medium shrimp

1 tablespoon butter

Dressing:

sliced red onion or shallot to taste

small handful of fresh dill

juice and zest from one lemon

I clove garlic, grated

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

dash of balsamic vinegar

Cook farro according to package directions, although I usually skip the soaking.  While the farro is cooking whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Dice the shrimp and saute in the butter on high for a few minutes, or until no longer opaque. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

When farro is done, drain and immediately toss into the prepared dressing. Add drained canellini beans, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes and dill. Serve at room temp.

Black eyed peas with bacon, corn and arugula

1 cup cooked black eyed peas, drained

8 slices bacon, sliced thin, cooked until crispy (optional)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup fresh corn, quick blanched

1 cup fresh arugula, washed

dressing:

juice and zest from 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 glove garlic, grated

1 small shallot, diced

1/4 cup olive oil

Wisk together dressing ingredients, and toss with all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fresh Berry Rhubarb Crisps

Topping:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds – whatever you have)

6 tablespoons salted butter

In a food processer add all ingredients and pluse briefly until large crumbs form. I like to make a double, or even triple batch to keep in the freezer for a ready to make dessert.

Filling:

Any fruit filling works. I love rhubarb in combinations such as:

Strawberry rhubarb, Raspberry rhubarb, Apple rhubarb, other combinatons include: pears with dried cranberry, peach and raspberry etc. Either way you need about 6 cups of diced fruit.

Filling:

6 cups of diced fruit

3 tablespoons agave

zest and juice from 1 lemon

1-2 tablespoons all purpose flour*

Toss all ingredients together. Pour filling into individual  ramekins or large baking dish. Add topping. Bake 375 degree oven, until topping is well browned and juices bubbles at the edges, about 40 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream. Yeah.

*depending on your selection of filling the amount of flour needed varies. If you are using berries and rhubarb you will need more flour (2 tablespoons) because they produce lots of liquid when cooked and you don’t want the filling to be to soupy. If using pears and dried cranberries, 1 tablespoon flour will be plenty.