Pea, Spring Onion and Lettuce Soup
serves 4

2 heads baby gem lettuce
1 cup shelled fresh peas
4 spring onions
3 cups water
50 g/ 3 T butter
1 cup cream
salt and  pepper
pea shoots to garnish

Start by cutting the lettuces in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into thirds, also lengthwise. Try to keep a bit of the root intact on each piece, so the leaves hold together. Cut the spring onions into 1/2 inch long pieces.
Put the lettuce, peas, and onions into a saucepan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the water, add the butter and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the peas and lettuce are completely tender. You don’t really want any crunch left in the veggies for this soup.

Strain the vegetables from the broth, reserving both. Divide the vegetables equally among four bowls. Mix the cream into the broth and then ladle into the bowls. Garnish with pea shoots and serve.

 

Boiled Peanuts Recipe

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

You can easily double or triple or quadruple the recipe ingredients. The longer the peanuts cook, or sit in the salty water, the saltier they will become. Also the longer the peanuts cook, the softer the shells will become. Some people prefer their peanut shells soft and almost chewy, some prefer a little firm so you can pry open the shells.
If you are making boiled peanuts for the first time, work with a small batch (like the one pound recipe that follows). If they end up too salty, use less salt the next time. If you like them softer, cook them longer. The inside nuts themselves should be completely soft. If crunchy or crisp, they need to cook longer.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound of raw "green" peanuts (not the color green, but fresh raw peanuts which are called green peanuts)
• 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 2 Tbsp table salt)
• 4 cups water

Optional seasoning

• 2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning, smoked paprika, shrimp boil mix, or even star anise

Method

1 Thoroughly rinse raw unshelled peanuts in water.

2 Put water, salt, seasoning, peanuts in a large stockpot. Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce the heat just enough to maintain a low boil. Boil for 2 to 3 hours or longer (some boil their peanuts all day), until peanuts reach desired level of softness.
3 Drain. Eat up within a couple of days. Boiled peanuts don't save as well as dry.

Strawberries!!!

Mustard Glazed Chicken with Arugula and Bok Choy

Mustardy Kale with Butternut Squash

Click here for a great pasta and kale recipe

Click her for this week's newsletter and a recipe for Sausage, Kale and Sweet Potato Hash

Click here for Newsletter December~Week 3 Recipe~Ribollita (Italian Bread Soup)

ESCAROLE AND ENDIVE SOUP

ESCAROLE AND ENDIVE SOUP

2 Tbs    Olive Oil
4 each  Garlic Cloves, minced
2 each  Spring Onions, the white portion, sliced
1 32 oz  TaylOrganic Heirloom Tomatoes, Jar
4 cups   Water (Or Stock)
1 each  Bay Leaf
1 Tbs    Basil, dried
1 small  Green Pepper
2 small  Sweet Potatoes, diced (about 1/2 lb.)
6 cups   Escarole and Endive, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a stock pot, heat oil and add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add spring onions. Cook another minute. Then add jar of tomatoes and water. Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender), puree soup base until smooth. Add bay leaf and basil and let simmer. Meanwhile, saute pepper and sweet potatoes in another saute pan for about 2 minutes. Add to tomato soup base. Let simmer on a medium to medium-low heat until potatoes are tender. While that is simmering, rinse and chop escarole and endive. Just before serving soup, add chopped greens, and cook on medium heat until just wilted. Remove bay leaf. Chop remaining spring onions and use as a garnish, or grated Parmesan cheese. (Or, both!) ENJOY!

TAYLORGANIC'S VEGETARIAN CHILI

TAYLORGANIC'S VEGETARIAN CHILI

1 lb Fresh Field Peas
2 Tbs Kosher Salt
1 32oz Jar Country Red Tomatoes
4 Baby Carrots
1 Onion
2 Lg. Peppers
3 Tbs Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Chili Powder
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 Tbs Paprika
2 Tsp Black Pepper
2 Tsp Oregano
2 Tsp Cumin
2 Tsp Coriander.

          Preheat your oven to the broil setting. Bring peas to a boil in a large pot with salted water. Skim off any impurities that float to the top. Allow to boil for about 45 minutes. Place carrots, onion, and peppers on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes. Turn the veggies every 15 minutes to allow for even browning on all sides. Once veggies are done and have cooled enough to handle, peel the off the skins, remove the seeds from the peppers, and chop. Strain off the water from the peas and add the roasted, chopped veggies, the jar of tomatoes and the remaining ingredients. Cook for at least 2 hours on a low heat, stirring occasionally. A crock pot could work well too.

ENJOY!