Fresh Vegetable Recipes
Chef Dispatches: Shorthand RecipesBy Christine McDonald, CYJ Contributor
September 26, 2012
Shopping at New York City’s farmers’ markets is a chef’s dream. This multi-course meal celebrates market ingredients, including a tomato tart with goat cheese and pancetta, roasted fennel soup, and crisp veal with a pine nut sauce. For some extra punch and crunch, toss in garlic scapes and gorgeous purple carrots.
Confident cooks use recipes as a guide and source of inspiration but rely on their own taste to tailor dishes to personal preference. These shorthand recipes are for those who enjoy freestyling in the kitchen.
Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Pancetta
Directions
3–4 servings
Put tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 375˚F until soft, about 30 minutes.
Render pancetta in pan on stove until crisp. Drain pancetta on paper towels.
Cut circles out of dough with a martini glass or cookie cutter. Bake in 425˚F oven until puffy and golden. Remove from oven.
Place tomatoes on top of pastry. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pancetta. Bake until warm.
Fry capers in a little olive oil and sprinkle over tart.
Roasted Fennel Soup
Directions
6–8 servings
Add enough olive oil to lightly coat vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 425˚ oven, stirring occasionally, until everything is very soft.
Puree in a food processor, adding water or vegetable stock to achieve appropriate consistency.
Return to a large pot on low heat. Add lemon juice and cheese into soup. Mix well until cheese has melted. Garnish with fennel fronds.
Crisp Veal Scallopini
Directions
4 servings
Add cutlets to a bowl with flour. Toss to completely coat veal. Beat eggs in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and ground sage. Add cutlets to egg , making sure egg covers veal entirely. Dump remaining flour from first bowl, wipe out, and replace with breadcrumbs. Remove veal from egg, allowing excess to drip off, and add cutlets to breadcrumbs. Cover veal with breadcrumbs, making sure breadcrumbs complete cover veal.
Heat a large pan with olive oil. Sauté veal until golden brown and meat is cooked through, about 2 or 3 minutes depending on thickness of veal. Drain on paper towels.
Pine Nut Sauce
Directions
This sauce is a riff on the traditional Tuscan walnut sauce. It’s very rich, so it pairs well with light pasta or meats.
Toast pine nuts and grind in a food processor until fine. Heat cream in a pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Add ground pine nuts to the cream and the zest of 1 lemon or orange. Add a bit of minced basil, tarragon, or parsley at the end for some brightness and color. Season with salt and pepper.
