Radish Leaf Pesto

During the spring and summer, I often make my own pestos. Store bought varieties tend to have an oxidized taste, too much oil, or (IMO) the wrong combination of ingredients. Since I am fortunate to live in an area with an abundance of inexpensive fresh produce, I enjoy experimenting with new dishes, focusing on economy (both money, and making the most of each ingredient). A lover of basil (who isn't??), I typically make basil pesto. 

Recently, I bought a few bunches of beautiful spring radishes (some of which I used in a Thai cucumber salad). To make the radishes last, I snipped them off their stems and refrigerated them in a container filled with cold water. 

Just before I tossed the greens into the compost bin, I had an epiphany. Why not use the leaves in something? Knowing that some veggie extras are inedible, I did a quick Google search, and got the "green" light to proceed. I tasted a leaf. It tasted...green. Not bitter, not sweet, just sort of grassy and fresh. Because the leaves have sort of a neutral taste, I decided to toast up some pistachios to give the pesto a nutty flavor, as well as a little crunch. Other than that, I stuck to the usual pesto ingredients: olive oil, salt & pepper, parmigiano reggiano, and a little lemon juice. 

The result (as you can see above) was a vibrant pesto, that not only tasted bright and lovely, but kept its green color and freshness after several days in the fridge. Considering that a bunch of radishes costs about 50 cents, this radish leaf pesto is a great way to stretch your dollars, while adding a tasty and healthy touch to your meals. 

Look for radishes with fresh, green, undamaged leaves. Farmers' markets or stores with high turnover are your best bet. Whenever possible, buy organic, or ask where and how the radishes were grown. Obtaining a Certified Organic label is very time-consuming and expensive. Many farmers grow clean produce, without an organic seal of approval. 

Ingredients
Greens from 2 bunches of fresh radishes
About 1/3C of shelled pistachios (Trader Joe's 50% less salt, or Whole Foods bulk are good choices)
Olive or Grapeseed oil
Parmigiano Reggiano (Trader Joe's and Costco have great prices)
Kosher salt, & pepper
Lemon Juice 

Preparation
In a dry pan, toast the shelled pistachios until they're golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Toasted pistachios

Remove the stems, and float the radish leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Gently push the greens under the surface of the water every so often. The dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl. (We're in a drought! You can use "dirty" water on your plants, or to flush your commode. Pouring sandy water down the sink can lead to clogging.) 

Either spin the leaves in a salad spinner, or place them in a clean kitchen towel, wrap up the corners, and give it a few shakes to dry the leaves a bit. (Slightly wet leaves will help produce a smooth pesto.)  

Add the leaves to a blender, food processor, or my favorite go-to, the Mini Prep. Sprinkle about 1/4t of kosher salt (you can always add more later), some fresh ground pepper, the pistachios, the cheese, and drizzle over a few tablespoons of oil. Pulse the blender or processor at first, then let it go for a few seconds. Scrape down the sides, and repeat. If the pesto looks chunky, but a little dry, add some more oil. Once it starts to resemble a pesto, stop the machine and taste. Add a little lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning. Give it one more blend, then transfer the pesto to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed (up to 3 days), or serve immediately. 

My beloved Mini-Prep holds 3C of goodness, has a reversing smartblade, and only cost about $35. It has a ton of uses. Check out the link for color options, more info, and a brief instructional video from the good people at Cuisinart. 

Other than a sauce for pasta, pesto can be used on potatoes, as a spread on a sandwich, or however you like. 

Make & Freeze
You can also prepare and freeze a pesto for later use. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop them out and store them in freezer bags. The cubes defrost easily, and are great to keep around for dinner "emergencies". 

Jam Jar Vinaigrette

I never could stand store-bought salad dressing. But if I make a big batch of my own, and buy a honkin' tub of organic greens, I'm sure to eat my vegetables every day. The sweetness of the jam balances the acid from the citrus and vinegar. Herbs, shallot, and ginger add layers of flavor and dimension, making this vinaigrette (and hence, your veggies) irresistible. 

This is may favorite combination of ingredients, you can have fun using different vinegars, jams, and herbs. The measurements I give are just guidelines. I encourage you to taste as you go, and adjust whatever you like to suit your palate. 

Shake it Up

Add all ingredients to the jam jar, shake well to dissolve all the jam, and adjust ingredients to taste. If you have time, make it ahead and allow the flavors to develop in the vinegar before adding the oil. Otherwise, add oil to taste. I like about 3 parts vinegar, etc. to 1 part oil. 

Rice Vinegar - about 1/4C

White Balsamic Vinegar - about 2T 

Meyer Lemon Juice - about 2T

Orange Juice - about 3T 

Red Wine - 1-2T

Shallot - 1T finely minced 

Ginger - about 1t, either in a chunk or grated

Kosher Salt - about 1/2t

Grapeseed Oil - about 1/4C (grapeseed oil is just as healthy as olive oil, but has a milder flavor, and doesn't coagulate as much in the fridge)

Herbs: You can add a sprig of thyme to the jar, and the flavor will infuse the dressing, or mince a few leaves of basil or tarragon. 

So next time you polish off a jar of your favorite jam, save the jar and turn it into a cup of goodness. 

Let sleeping ingredients steep before adding oil.

Pitter-Pat Rice Patties (Glorious Leftovers for a Rainy Day)

It is a universal (to me) truth that the more I have to do, the more I will take on. Somehow in the ADD din, this comforts & makes sense to me. Today I am committed to many projects, including making gnocchi, & finishing a costume for SFBP tomorrow night.

So what do I do? Make a delicious brunch, of course! Since it's raining, I wanted something hot, & luckily this meal was simple to prepare. The hardest part was stopping to take photos before I ate.

I've seen several variations on how to turn leftover rice into a tasty hot patty, but I think the one I made up worked very well. I used just enough egg to bind the rice together, and a little cheese to add creaminess and character. Depending on what kind of rice you have, add complimentary ingredients & moisture as needed. Goat cheese would make an amazing binder for these cakes. Instead of mixing it into the batter, I would hide a dollop of it inside each patty, or let it melt on top of the fried patties.

I started with leftover yellow curry rice. I make this rice often & eat it with diced tomato, avocado, salt & pepper. See recipe for rice below. Since this blog is about the leftovers, I will start with the patty recipe.


To Make the Rice Cakes
2 cups leftover curried rice
2 large eggs
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or goat cheese if you have it)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Sriracha or other hot sauce
salt
pepper
butter
olive oil

Saute the diced onion in some butter & oil until brown & caramelized. Take about 1/2 cup of the rice along with the cooked onions, and blend them in a mini prep or blender until somewhat emulsified. This step is not necessary, but will add a creamier texture to your patties.

Combine the rice, eggs, rice/onion mixture, parmesan cheese, most of the parsley (leave some for garnish), in a bowl. Season as desired with hot sauce, salt & pepper. Since the eggs are raw here and I can't taste, I go easy on the salt & sprinkle a bit more on before frying.

Form into patties and refrigerate for about 20 minutes (also can be left overnight, but who can wait that long?) Chilling will help set the patties and ensure they stay together when flipped.

Heat the pan from your onions, and add more butter. Once it starts to sizzle, add the patties and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side. You want a nice crispy crust on these, so be patient and only flip once.

I served these with a fried egg on top, extra hot sauce & parsley. Aside from adding color, the parsley kicked the flavor into high gear.

A hot cup of cardamom coffee is a delicious accompaniment to this dish. Simply add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom to 2 packed tablespoons of grounds. Makes 3-4 cups, depending on how strong you brew it.


To Make Yellow Curry Rice
Boil 1.5 cups of water and set aside.
Measure 1 cup dry white rice (I find that jasmine, or any regular medium-grain rice works well)
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a quart-sized saucepan (one that has a lid)
Stir in the rice, & add 1 tablespoon yellow curry (I like the Sun Brand Madras Curry), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pour the 1.5 cups of boiling water over the rice. It will come to a rapid boil. Stir, cover with the lid, & turn the heat all the way down. A gas burner should be barely going. On an electric burner, use the lowest setting.
Set your timer for 15 minutes. Do not take the lid off the rice during this cooking time.
Once the timer goes off, turn off the burner but LEAVE THE LID ON THE RICE FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES.
After the full 20 minutes, remove the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork.
If you prefer, omit or change the seasoning as desired. Just remember that salt it key. You can also use veggie or chicken broth for more flavor. Add onion, herbs, & almonds or pine nuts for a pilaf.
Store leftover rice in a container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!