Swiss Chard Pancakes by Ann Rodarte and Charleen Badman

Swiss Chard Pancakes

aka Zombie Pancakes

Ingredients

⅛ cup chives
1 bunch swiss chard
10-12 sprigs flat leaf parsley
One small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
3 large eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying
Labneh (drained yoghurt) for garnish

Directions

Chop chives and loosely chop swiss chard.

Blend parsley, onion, garlic, eggs, and milk in a blender until smooth.

Blend or whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper.

Whisk in chopped swiss chard and chives.

Heat up a frying pan and add ¼ cup of oil over medium high heat. When the oil is sizzling, ladle in ½ cup of batter and cook on each side until golden brown.

Transfer to a plate with a paper towel to cool and garnish with labneh.

Cholla Buds with Asparagus by Chef Tamara Stanger, The Lakehouse at Deer Creek

Cholla Buds with Asparagus

By Chef Tamara Stanger, The Lakehouse at Deer Creek

Rehydrated Cholla Buds & Asparagus with brown butter, chicory root spice, and sage.

Ingredients

¼ cup dried cholla buds or ½ cup fresh, blanched buds
2 quarts water
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup butter
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
Salt/pepper to taste
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 ounce fresh sage
Chicory spice to taste* 

*Chicory Spice:
1 teaspoon chicory root, ground
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon mustard powder

Directions

In a sauce pot, rehydrate ¼ cup dried cholla buds in 2 quarts water with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar on medium low for one hour. Add more water as necessary. Drain.

In a sauté pan, brown ¼ cup butter. Add I bunch of trimmed asparagus and cholla buds. Toss for 5 seconds and immediately remove from heat. 

Arrange in center of plate. Top with toasted pine nuts, chicory spice, and a few fresh sage leaves.

Bee's Knees by Kim Haasarud, Garden Bar PHX

Cat’s Claw Bee’s Knees

by Kim Haasarud, Garden Bar PHX

Ingredients

2 ounces Commerce Gin (local)
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce cat’s claw honey syrup *
Skewered honeycomb, for garnish

Directions

Combine the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with honeycomb.

* Cat’s Claw Honey Syrup
2 parts cat’s claw honey (e.g. Sun Valley Bees)
1 part HOT water
Stir until dissolved.

C-CAP Molded Salad by Jill Smith, C-CAP Arizona

C-CAP Molded Salad

by Jill Smith, C-CAP Arizona

 Ingredients

Salad:
1 whole tomato; peeled, seeded, small dice
½ English cucumber (preferred); peeled, seeded and small dice
½ English cucumber (preferred); thinly sliced
¼ red bell pepper, small dice
¼ yellow bell pepper; small dice
¼ red onion; small dice
¼ jicama, small dice (if available)

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar (rice, white wine or tarragon)
6 tablespoons olive oil (light or virgin)
2 teaspoons minced cilantro
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Tasting Note: Add additional vinegar, salt and/or black pepper to balance out the dressing if necessary.

Directions

1.    In a bowl, add lime juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Incorporate the olive oil slowly, whisking vigorously until emulsified. Add minced cilantro and blend well. Remember to taste and readjust seasoning if necessary.

2.    In a separate bowl, combine all the diced vegetables* and toss with a small amount of the vinaigrette, use enough to coat the vegetables. Do not overdress the salad.

3.    Taste and readjust seasoning with salt and/or pepper, if necessary.

4.    Arrange the thinly sliced cucumbers in a lightly oiled ring mold (2” deep, 3” round), on a large plate. (You will need approximately 12-14 slices of cucumber.)

5.    Drain the diced vegetables of any extra vinaigrette, preferably with a small sieve.

6.    Fill the ring mold lined with cucumbers with the drained vegetables just to the rim of the cucumber slices and press lightly with the back of a spoon to compress the vegetables.

7.    Unmold the salad, making sure you have filled the mold.

Makes 2 portions

Black Tepary Bean (S-Chuuk Bavĭ) Burgers by Candy Lesher, Your Kitchen Rx

Black Tepary Bean (S-Chuuk Bavĭ) Burgers

by Candy Lesher, Your Kitchen Rx

Ingredients

Tepary Beans:
1 ¾ cups dried black tepary beans (makes about 5 cups cooked)
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon each salt and toasted coriander seed, ground

Burgers:
2 ½ - 3 cups cooked tepary beans
2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
½ medium onion, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoons cumin seed, toasted and ground
¾ cup fresh corn cut off the cob OR 1 cup cooked, dried Pima corn (Huun Ga'i) coarsely chopped
½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted (or cooked black rice if you can't use sunflower seeds)
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (or vegan jack or mozzarella replacement)
1 tablespoon chipotle chile, pureed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or veganaise
1 tablespoon Braggs Aminos (or coconut aminos), or salt to taste
2-3 large eggs (or equivalent vegan egg replacement)
⅓ cup rolled oats, dry toasted in a skillet then coarsely ground in a food processor
⅓ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper, ground

Directions

1. Wash and pick over tepary beans. Place in a pan with cold water to cover; if time allows, let sit over night, rinse and cover with fresh water. Bring to a low boil, remove from heat, cover and let beans sit two hours.

2. Drain and add onion, bay leaf, coriander, salt and 7 cups of water. Bring to a low simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 2 hours if you soaked overnight, 3 if you did not.

3. Remove from heat and cool briefly. Remove bay leaf and drain beans. Keep the broth for soup!

4. To get the best texture for your burger, place the cooked beans on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Remove and cool.

5. Heat the oil in a skillet. Sauté the chopped onion until soft. Add the shallot and garlic and continue cooking until fragrant and softened. Add the ground cumin and cook just until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool briefly.

6. In a food processor, process the cooked onion and the roasted beans until coarsely chopped. Add in and pulse together the remaining ingredients, Let the mixture sit briefly before loosely forming into ½ cup patties.

7. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until browned on each side OR in a 325-degree oven for 18 minutes. If cooking on a grill, let the burgers sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up first, then cook over medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Makes 8-10 burgers

White Sonoran Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Beets and Radishes by Patty Emmert, Duncan Family Farms

White Sonoran Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Beets and Radishes

by Patty Emmert, Duncan Family Farms

Ingredients

Dressing: 
¾ cup olive oil
⅓ cup maple white balsamic vinegar (I use Queen Creek Olive Mill)
Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad:
2 cups cooked wheat berries
8 cups mixed salad greens
3 gold beets, roasted and cut into wedges
1 medium watermelon radish, sliced thin
2 ribs celery, sliced
½ cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
⅔ cup crumbled goat cheese
Optional: chopped dates

Directions

For the dressing pour olive oil into small bowl and slowly add vinegar while whisking to emulsify.  Season with salt and pepper. 

For the salad, in a large shallow bowl add all salad ingredients except the crumbled goat cheese. Pour ⅔ cup of dressing on the salad and toss well to combine and coat leaves and wheat berries with salad dressing. Taste adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and additional salad dressing if needed.  Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.

Makes 8 servings