organic kale & quinoa salad

Serves a small village, or two Americans.

Ingredients (all organic)

1 bunch of fresh Kale, coarsely chopped
2 cups of fresh basil, prepared chiffonade (stack basil leaves, then roll like a cigar and slice)
1 cup of fresh mint, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed well
1 cup of white quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil

the juice of one lemon
kosher or sea salt to taste

Directions

Bring two cups of water to a boil in a medium pot, add 1 cup of quinoa, pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and let it cool for 30 minutes.

Chop or chiffonade all fresh ingredients, put into a large serving bowl, add chickpeas, and toss together.   Once quinao is cooled, fluff with a fork and add to mixture, fully incorporating all ingredients.  Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and serve.

Refreshing, delicious, and so healthy it will make your head spin!

orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe

Serves 6 people.

At last . . . fall is here!  Phoenicians relish the cool fall weather and fall is the perfect time for this classic Italian recipe.  I use sausage that is freshly made by a wonderful local sausage shop named  Schreiner's.

Ingredients

1 pound orecchiette pasta
1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed and meat coarsely chopped
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and meat coarsely chopped
1 pound fresh broccoli rabe
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Toscano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Directions

Put broccoli rabe in a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of water and bring to a boil.  Cook the broccoli rabe until it just starts to soften.  Drain the water and set the broccoli rabe aside to cool without a cover.

Using medium heat, heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet.  Add the sausage and cook until heated throughout breaking apart the sausage until all pieces are even in size.  Add garlic, fennel and red pepper flakes and cook until browned.  Add the broccoli rabe and cook until heated throughout (about two minutes)  Season with salt and white pepper.

Heat water in a large pot until it reaches a boil, add a few pinches of salt and a few drops of olive oil, along with the pasta.  Cook until al dente, strain and pour into a pasta bowl, reserving about one cup of the pasta water to use as part of the sauce.

Toss the pasta, pasta water and sausage and broccoli rabe mixture together.  Top with grated cheese and serve immediately.

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