A week ago my friend Angie Mason, gardener and so many other things extraordinaire, brought me 2 pounds of chard from her garden. Already cleaned! Above and beyond, but that’s Angie. We sat in the sun at either end of our long outdoor table and visited. It was a delectable moment. We are all so starved for actual as opposed to virtual visits.
The chard was delectable too, and for more than a moment. Bob and I had a week of varied meals, beginning with a big pot of black beans with half the chard greens chopped up and added shortly before serving. The chard cooks down into the beans and the combination is comforting and nourishing – and it tastes good too! The dish is inspired by a black bean and greens soup called sopa de xonequi, from the highlands of Veracruz (xonequi is the name of the greens they use). We ate big bowls of the beans and greens, with warm corn tortillas.
The next night I cooked up some brown rice and we had grain bowls, the rice topped with black beans and greens and garnished with avocado and radishes. Bob added some hot sauce to his. So satisfying. “I didn’t know whether or not I was going to like it; I loved it!” he told me.
He wanted the rice bowl again the next night, but I had other ideas: black bean and greens enchiladas. I had blanched the remaining pound of Angie’s chard (bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, add washed greens and let them wilt for about 1 minute, then scoop them out, transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. I take it up by the handful and squeeze with all my might). I added some of the brighter blanched greens to the beans and greens in the enchiladas, as well as some Monterey Jack, which melted when I baked the dish in the oven. They were topped with more beans and their sauce, and with crumbled Cotija cheese.
Meanwhile, I had saved the wide, meaty chard ribs. I have written a lot about the cuisine of Provence, where nothing goes to waste. There I learned to make a simple gratin with chard ribs and a béchamel. I added the rest of the blanched greens to this, and we feasted on it two nights in a row.
The French aren’t the only ones who are clever with chard ribs. One of my favorite Middle Eastern meze is a tahini and chard rib puree, sort of a hummus with cooked chard ribs standing in for chickpeas. Mine is pink, because I used the ribs from red chard.
It’s now been two weeks since I’ve been to a farmers market and almost that long since I’ve been to a supermarket. But I still have lots of ingredients to work with. It did help, though, having a generous friend like Angie.
 
Black Beans with Chard
1 pound (2 1/4 cups) black beans
1 medium or large white or yellow onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 2 minced
¼ cup chopped cilantro (more to taste)
Salt to taste
3/4 to 1 pound (1 generous bunch) Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves washed in 2 changes of water, and roughly chopped (4 to 5 cups)
Crumbled queso blanco or feta for garnish
 
1. Rinse the black beans, pick them over for stones, and place in a large, heavy soup pot or casserole. Cover with 2 quarts water and soak for 4 hours or longer. Do not drain.
Note: Many cooks insist that soaking is not necessary, and if your are one of them, feel free to skip Step 1. I always find that beans cook more evenly if they are soaked.
2. Make sure the beans are covered by about 2 inches of water and add more if necessary. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Add the onion and the smashed garlic cloves. Reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the remaining garlic, half the cilantro, and a generous amount of salt (at least 2 teaspoons; I usually use more like 3). Continue to simmer another hour, until the beans are quite soft and the broth is thick and fragrant. Taste for salt and garlic and add more as desired. Stir in the remaining cilantro.
3. Shortly before serving bring the beans back to a simmer and stir in the greens. Add them a cup at a time and stir; you’ll see how much they reduce in volume. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the leaves are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with a little white cheese crumbled over the top, and more cilantro, if desired.
Yield: Serves 6
Advance preparation: The beans will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. They will taste best if you refrigerate them overnight at the end of Step 2, then reheat and proceed with step 3 when you want to serve them. The dish freezes well.
 
Grain Bowl with Black Beans and Chard
I love these beans ladled over brown rice. I garnish with a few slices of avocado and a couple of radishes, and serve salsa on the side.
 
Black Bean and Chard Enchiladas
Another great destination for black beans with chard, which serves as both filling and sauce. If you haven’t used all of your chard, blanch some more and add a little to each enchilada.
Heat about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, grape seed) over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. One by one, “pass” corn tortillas through the oil: add one to the oil and when you see it beginning to pucker and soften, turn over and repeat on the other side. Drain briefly on paper towels and transfer to a lightly oiled casserole. Spoon some of the beans onto the softened tortilla. Sprinkle with Monterey jack cheese and some additional blanched chard if you have it. Roll up the tortilla. Repeat with the remaining tortillas (I made 8 enchiladas using about a third of the total beans and greens recipe). Arrange in the baking dish and spoon more beans over the top. Sprinkle with queso fresco, queso cotija, or more Monterey jack.  Cover tightly with foil and heat through for 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven, or until bubbling. Serve with salsa of your choice.
 
Chard and Chard Stalk Gratin
Yield: Serves 4
 
For the béchamel:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or onion
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white or black pepper
 
For the gratin:
1-2 bunches chard with thick stalks
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
 
1. Make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into a heat-proof bowl or a pyrex measuring cup.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the chard. Fill a bowl with cold water. Wash the greens in 2 changes of water and set aside. Wash the stems thoroughly, trim away the ends. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard stalks. Turn the heat down to medium and boil gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the stalks are just cooked through. Remove from the pot with a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and dry on paper towels. Slice about 3/4 inch thick. If not using right away, line a bowl with paper towels and place the stalks in the bowl. Refrigerate uncovered.
3. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the greens. Blanch for 1 to 2 minutes, until tender, and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely. NOTE: You don’t have to use all of the greens in the gratin; you can save some for another dish.
4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Oil a 1 1/2- to 2-quart gratin dish. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add the garlic. When the garlic begins to smell fragrant, after about 30 seconds, stir in the chopped blanched chard leaves and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, just to infuse the greens with garlic. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Add the chard stems, the béchamel and freshly ground pepper to taste. Gently stir together, and scrape into the gratin dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Place in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until the bubbling has subsided, then serve.
Note: You can make this dish with the chard stalks only if you want to use the greens for something else. In Provence they also add an anchovy or two, mashed, to the béchamel.
Advance preparation: The dish can be assembled up to a day before baking and held in the refrigerator, tightly covered.
 
 
Chard Stalk and Tahini Dip
You can make smaller amounts of this, depending on your chard stalk supply. If you like hummus you’ll love this lighter version.
 
1/2 pound Swiss chard stalks, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
Salt to taste
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), peeled, green shoots removed
1/4 cup sesame tahini, stirred if the oil has separated
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, ,ore to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
 
1. Steam or blanch the chard stalks in salted boiling water until tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Drain well and allow to cool. Place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree, stopping the machine from time to time to scrape down the sides. Add the garlic and process until smooth. Add the tahini and process until smooth. With the machine running, add the lemon juice and olive oil, and salt to taste. Stop the machine, taste and adjust seasonings.
3. Transfer the dip to a wide bowl. It will be a little runny (unless the tahini you used was thick) but will stiffen  up. Drizzle on the olive oil and serve.
Advance preparation: This will be good for about 3 days, but the fresher it is, the better.
 
 

​Here’s something you can do with the kids.
This granola is my go-to house gift, party favor, and edible holiday gift. I make it every month and it goes quickly. Not just because we eat it for breakfast. It’s a popular snack in our house, and Bob likes to put it on his ice cream.
It is unlike any other.
“What makes this taste so rich?” my friends ask. They are sure I’ve snuck some butter in somewhere. But no, it’s the coconut oil, which infuses the mix with a deep, rich flavor and also contributes to the crispy texture.
People love the way this granola makes clumps – which can be dangerous as the clumps are so easy to snack on. The almond powder is what holds it together. Make sure you let the mix cool completely before you handle it, or the clumps won’t stay together.
 
Martha’s Granola
4 rounded cups / 450 g flaked or rolled oats
1 rounded cup / 110 grams oat bran
2/3 cup / 65 g almond flour
1/2 cup / 70 g untoasted or toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 heaped cup / 75 grams chopped raw cashews
1/2 heaped cup / 60 g pecan halves or pieces, coarsely chopped
1 heaped cup / 75 g coconut chips
1/2 teaspoon / 3 g sea salt
1 tablespoon / 6.5 g cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon / .7 g nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/3 cup / 75 g coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons / 30 g grapeseed or canola oil
1/2 cup / 175 g mild honey, such as clover
1 tablespoon / 12 g vanilla extract
 
1. Heat oven to 300ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Toss together all of the dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
2. Combine oils, honey and vanilla in a saucepan or glass measuring cup and warm over low heat or in microwave at 50 percent power, stirring if warming over the stove, just until the mixture is fluid. Do not let it come to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir into dry ingredients. Mix until evenly coated.
3. Divide mixture evenly between the two sheet pans and spread in an even layer. Bake, without stirring, for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden, rotating baking pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Ease off the parchment, breaking some of the granola into clumps and letting the rest crumble apart. Store air tight in jars, bags or containers.
Advance preparation: This will keep well for several weeks in a tightly covered jar and for a month or two in the freezer.
 

​Quite some time I posted a piece called Soups for Bob, and it has just come to my attention that the links to some of the recipes didn’t work. A friend has requested these recipes, which I am sharing now. They’re also good recipes for Cooking In Place.
It’s not corn season, but you can make the puree of corn soup with frozen corn. I’ve found some sweet frozen corn at Trader Joe’s, and there might be some left!
 
Pureed White Bean Soup with Pistou
Serves 6
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight or for 6 hours and drained
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh sage
2 1/2 to 3 quarts water, as needed (or 2 1/2 quarts water and up to 2 cups milk as needed)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
About 1/3 cup pesto (if making pesto, omit pine nuts)
 
1. Combine the onion, garlic, drained beans, bay leaf, sage, and 2 1/2 quarts water in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours, until the beans are very tender and the broth fragrant. Remove the bay leaf and sage sprig.
2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or you can use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through, add freshly ground pepper and adjust salt. Thin out as desired with water or milk.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls. Stir the pesto, and if it is very stiff, thin out with a little olive oil so that you can drizzle it into each bowl and it won’t just fall in as a clump. Put about 2 teaspoons on each bowl, add a few garlic croutons if desired, and serve. Diners should stir the pistou into the soup for the best flavor.
Advance preparation: You can make the soup through Step 1 a few days in advance and refrigerate. It will thicken as it sits, so you’ll want to thin it out when you reheat.
 
Puree of Corn Soup
Serves 4
This soup is all about corn, intensely so. If your corn isn’t sweet, then the soup will be dull, so make sure it’s good before you begin. Use the cobs for the stock and the kernels for the soup. The soup should be very smooth and very fragrant.
Note: I have found some sweet frozen white corn, and you can use this and still come up with a delicious soup. It won’t be as fragrant because you’re not making a stock with the corn cobs, but it’ll still be good.
 
For the Stock:
The cobs from 3 large ears corn
1 small onion, quartered
1/2 pound carrots, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 quarts water
Salt to taste
 
For the soup:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small  or 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
Kernels from 3 large ears corn, or 3 cups corn kernels
 
For garnish:
Cooked kernels from 1 ear of corn
 
1. Make the stock: Combine the corn cobs, quartered onion, carrots, garlic, and water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Season with a small amount of salt (you will be reducing this broth, so don’t salt fully at this point). Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Strain and return to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to 5 cups. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot and add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the corn kernels. Cook gently for about 3 minutes, stirring, and add the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Transfer to a blender in 1 to 1 1/2-cup batches, taking care to cover the top with a towel to avoid hot splashes, and blend the soup until smooth. Put through a medium strainer, pressing the soup through with the bottom of a ladle or with a spatula, and return to the pot. Heat through, taste and adjust seasonings. Place a generous spoonful of corn in each bowl, ladle in the soup, and serve.
Advance preparation: You can prepare the soup several hours before you serve. Heat through gently on top of the stove.

 
Puree of Lettuce, Peas and Herbs
Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced
Salt to taste
5 cups frozen or fresh peas (1 1/2 pounds – 2 12-ounce bags frozen)
3 cups, tightly packed, coarsely chopped Boston or bibb lettuce
5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped chives, plus additional for garnish
Chopped fresh tarragon, chives, and/or mint for garnish
 
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, lettuce, and stock or water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl and allow the vegetables and the broth to cool for 15 minutes. Taste the broth and season as desired.
2. Working in batches, puree the vegetables and herbs in a blender with the broth and additional olive oil for 2 minutes, until frothy and smooth. Return to the pot, stir and reheat gently; or pour into a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. If serving cold, chill for several hours.
3. Serve, garnishing with additional chives, tarragon and/or mint.
 
 

So here’s what I did with the other half of the cabbage that I used for the cabbage minestrone in my last post. The beautiful galette looks fancy and difficult but it’s incredibly easy. Even if you’ve never worked with dough in your life, give this yeasted olive oil pastry a try. It’s very easy to manipulate.
There are so many things you can do with a big head of cabbage. The humble vegetable is one of the best kept secrets in the produce department. I sautéed what I had with lots of onion and garlic, then tossed the mixture with a couple of eggs and some grated Gruyère cheese, tucked it into the pastry and baked it for about 50 minutes. If you have fresh herbs you can season the cabbage with dill or chopped parsley. Dried dill is good too. Other seasoning options are caraway seeds or lightly toasted cuminseeds, which is what I went with. And because I’d blanched my beet greens from the farmers market, I chopped some up and added them to the mix. But that’s just because I had them.
 
Cabbage Galette
 
For the galette crust:
7 grams / scant 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
110 grams / 1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 grams / scant 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
50 grams / 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
250 grams / 2 cups flour, preferably a mix of whole wheat and unbleached all-purpose
5 grams / scant teaspoon fine sea salt
 
 
For the filling:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
Salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds cabbage (1 small), cored and finely chopped (about 7 to 8 cups)
Optional: 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, parsley, chives, or a combination, or 1 to 2 tablespoons dried dill; or 1 teaspoon caraway seeds or lightly toasted cumin seeds
Freshly ground pepper
2 eggs, beaten
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup, tightly packed)
for egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
 
For the dough:
1. Dissolve the yeast in the water, add the sugar, and allow to sit until the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and the olive oil. Combine the flours and the salt, and stir into the yeast mixture. You can use a bowl and wooden spoon for this, or a mixer; combine the ingredients using the paddle. Work the dough just until it comes together in a coherent mass; the flour will continue to absorb water. 
2. Flour your work surface and scrape out the dough. Knead gently, adding a little flour as necessary, just until the dough is smooth; do not overwork the dough. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, rounded side down first, then rounded side up, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise in a draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour, while you prepare the filling.
For the cabbage filling:
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt, and cook another minute, then stir in the cabbage. Cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, adding more salt to taste about halfway through. The cabbage should be cooked down and fragrant but still have some color. Stir in the fresh or dried herbs or spices if using, and freshly ground pepper. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the cabbage mixture and the cheese and mix together well.
​Assembling and baking:
5. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Dust a large work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Shape into a ball and let rest for 5 minutes. Then roll out into a thin round, about 16 inches in diameter. Line a sheet pan with parchment and place the round in the middle, with the edges overlapping the pan (this will eliminate the need to lift the galette once it is filled). Place the filling in the middle of the rolled out pastry and spread it to a circle, leaving a 3-inch margin all the way around the pastry. Fold the edges in over the filling, pleating them to cover the filling and drawing them up to the middle of the galette, so that the filling is enclosed, or just about enclosed. The finished galette should be about 9 or 10 inches in diameter. There can be a small circle of exposed filling in the middle. Brush with egg wash.
6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield; Makes 1 10-inch galette, serving 8
Advance preparation: The filling, without the eggs, can be made 1 or 2 days ahead and kept in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. The galette will continue to taste terrific for 3 or 4 days after it’s made.
Variation: Add 1 cup chopped blanched beet greens or chard to the mixture.
 

​Hello Everybody,
During this prolonged period of social distancing, I’m going to try to post a few recipes a week, since cooking at home is one thing that more of you will be doing.
It’s been interesting to me to see what is emptying fastest from the supermarket shelves. Canned goods, tuna, eggs, beans and rice, pasta, meat – especially chicken. Funnily, this morning the only grain to be had at my local supermarket was red quinoa, which is one of my favorites. Don’t know why that one didn’t go.
As for produce, the shelves at my market are well stocked and the farmers market was terrific on Sunday. I bought a huge cabbage and I have half of it left over after making this soup. It’s a comforting, easy soup that will feed a family of 4 to 6, or 2 people for 3 days.
 
Cabbage Minestrone
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 4 garlic cloves, to taste, minced
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 to 1 1/4 pounds cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored and coarsely chopped (about 1/2 medium-large cabbage)
6 cups water
A bouquet garni made with 1 Parmesan rind. 1 bay leaf, and a sprig or two of thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas or thawed frozen
1/2 cup elbow macaroni, or small rings or shells
Freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling
 
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in the soup pot and add the onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Add a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is fragrant and the vegetables tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in half the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute or so, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit. Add the cabbage, stir together for a couple of minutes, and add the water and bouquet garni. Season with about 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
2. Add the remaining chopped garlic, the chickpeas, peas, and pasta. Cover and continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked al dente, usually about 10 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust salt. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Advance preparation:
The soup keeps for a few days in the refrigerator and freezes well. Pasta will get soft.