PNW VEG: 100 Vegetable Recipes Inspired by the Local Bounty of the Pacific Northwest
Kim O'Donnel
Sasquatch Books
May 9, 2017
$29.95/Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1632170538
Kim O’Donnel is a twenty-year veteran of the food world as a chef, journalist, and teacher. She has dispensed culinary advice and covered food policy for numerous publications, including Civil Eats, Washington Post, and USA Today. The first Meatless Monday blogger on record, Kim is a known authority on the continuing trend of eating less meat for health and environmental reasons. Kim lives in Seattle, where she spreads the gospel of home cooking. This is her third book.
Simply delicious, healthy “vegetable-forward” recipes are at the heart of this cookbook that celebrates the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. From simple weeknight meals to on-the-go snacks and sweet- tooth satisfying desserts, this book gives you over 100 ways to celebrate seasonal produce, with recipes like Sweet Corn and Red Lentil Soup, Baked Pasta and Greens Casserole, Cherry Fro-Yo, and more. Vegetarians and omnivores alike will be eager to eat their vegetables, and the convenient gluten-free and dairy-free symbols make navigating the book a breeze for readers with dietary restrictions.
Israeli Couscous, Olives, and Preserved Lemons
with Garlicky Romanesco
Makes about 4 servings
- 1 head Romanesco (about 2 pounds), thoroughly washed and cut into small florets
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- Rind of 2 preserved lemon wedges, or zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups pearl (Israeli) couscous or Italian pastina
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup brine-cured black or green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- Grated pecorino or Parmigiano- Reggiano, for garnish
Place the Romanesco in a microwave-safe bowl with the garlic and 3 tablespoons water. Cover and steam, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes total. Alternatively, cook on the stove in a steamer basket (you may need to steam in batches).
Transfer the Romanesco to the bowl of a food processor with the preserved lemon, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Pulse briefly about six times, or until the mixture resembles rice—slightly textured, not completely pureed. Add the oil and pulse one more time.
In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat and add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the couscous, return to a boil, give it a good stir, and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Heat a 12-or 15-inch skillet over medium-low heat and melt the butter, tilting the skillet to coat. Add the olives and couscous, stirring to coat, and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the Romanesco. Cook until everything is hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with cheese and serve hot. The couscous reheats well and keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Creamy Sunchoke-Potato Soup
Makes 4 to 6 servings
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium leek (about ½ pound), white and green parts only, washed thoroughly and cut into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white wine (optional)
- 2 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered
- 1 pound sunchokes, cleaned thoroughly, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- A few sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Ground black pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seeds, lightly toasted in a dry skillet, for garnish (optional)
- 3 to 4 chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
- Toasted baguette slices (optional)
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the leek and onion, and cook until the mixture is slightly softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the wine, and let it infuse the aromatics for about 1 minute.
Add the potatoes, sunchokes, salt, and just enough water to barely cover the vegetables (about 4 cups). Add the thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and take the pot off the heat.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot. Alternatively, transfer the soup to a stand blender in batches to puree—very carefully! Hot liquids expand.
Return the pot to the low heat and stir in the Dijon, cayenne, and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding a little more salt and lemon juice as needed, as well as pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or chives, and pass the toast at the table.
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from PNW VEG: 100 Vegetable Recipes Inspired by the Local Bounty of the Pacific Northwest by Kim O’Donnel. (Sasquatch Books; May 9, 2017; $29.95/Paperback, ISBN: 978-1632170538).
Contact: Corinna Scott
cscott@sasquatchbooks.com