1 med onion, chopped
4-6 mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup cooked or canned lentils
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350*F. Cut the squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds, but leave the meat. Lay squash face up on cookie sheet. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions and mushrooms in oil on med-high heat until onions are translucent. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, lentils and bread crumbs and cook for 3 minutes more. Spoon the stuffing into each half of squash and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until squash can be pierced easily with a fork. Note: if your squash won’t lay flat on your cookie sheet, you can cut a bit off the bottom. Makes 2-4 servings.

1/4 lb white beans                                         5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 Tbsp olive oil                                                2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 onion, diced                                                  2 cups chopped escarole

S&P to taste                                                       croutons, optional

Soak beans overnight in water. Drain. Place beans in a pot, add broth, cover and cook over medium heat until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. (or use canned white beans if there isn’t time to soak and cook…) Meanwhile, place another pot on the stove, add oil, place over medium heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until onions soften. Add escarole and continue to cook until wilted, another 10 minutes. Add beans and broth to the pot with escarole. Add S&P as desired, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Serve hot, with the addition of croutons if desired. Serves 8.

all your collard greens 3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced                                                   2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 bay leaves                                                        1 smoked ham hock

2 quarts chicken broth, warm                        2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar                                                           Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

To prepare greens: cut away stems from collards. Wash thoroughly, dry. Tear leaves into large pieces.

Place a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and ham hock. Cook until onions are soft and starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Pack in the greens, pushing them down into the pot. Add broth, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil turning greens as they wilt. Lower to simmer, cover pot, and let cook 45 minutes. Taste the “pot liquor” (broth) and check seasoning, add S&P. Cover and cook 15 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.  Options: Add some chopped bacon, maybe more vinegar, a little cayenne pepper; use half kale and half collards; use crock pot and cook all day.

1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot                                    2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

4 Tbsp broth (veg or chicken)                                    S&P to taste

4 tsp olive oil                                                                   1 tsp Dijon mustard

8 oz fresh mix of wild mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelles, cleaned, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 head frisée, washed and dried

Heat large skillet over medium heat. When droplets of water can sizzle on the bottom, add shallot, 1 Tbsp of vinegar and 2 Tbsp broth. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and increase heat to high; cook, stirring constantly, just until mushrooms have softened, about 1 minute more (do not allow mushrooms to release their liquid). Remove skillet from heat and season with S&P. Cover and keep warm.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together remaining vinegar and broth with oil and mustard; season with S&P. Add frisée and toss thoroughly to coat. To serve, divide frisée equally among 4 plates; top evenly with warm mushroom mixture and juices. Serve at once.

1-2 cups kohlrabi, peeled & sliced very thin            1 potato, sliced very thin

1 bunch chard leaves, sliced thin                                    1½ cups Gruyere cheese, grated

3 sprigs fresh thyme                                                            S&P

1 quart Half & Half

Preheat oven to 350°, butter a 13x9x2” casserole dish. Toss vegetables, cheese and seasonings together in casserole dish. Pour half & half over mix to cover ingredients. Bake in middle of oven, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling, about 15 minutes more.

1 fennel bulb, core removed, cut into quarters, sliced very thinly, fronds reserved

1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage

2 scallions, chopped

2 strips bacon, cooked crisp & chopped

For the dressing:                                                                      1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar                                                            3 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds

1 tsp sugar                                                                                    Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Toss fennel, cabbage, scallions, and bacon together in a medium bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, fennel fronds, sugar, and S&P, to taste, in a small bowl. Add the dressing to the slaw and toss to coat.

1 red cabbage, ~1.5 lbs                                                1 Tbsp olive oil

3 oz pancetta, diced small                                          1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced                                                ½ cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf                                                                        Salt & freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Quarter and core cabbage, then slice each quarter thinly crosswise. Heat olive oil in large pot over moderate heat. Add pancetta and sauté for ~3 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add cabbage, wine and bay leaf. Season with salt and stir to coat with oil and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, cover and adjust heat so cabbage cooks steadily but gently. Stir occasionally and lower heat if pot threatens to cook dry. After 30 minutes, stir in vinegar. Re-cover and continue cooking until cabbage is very tender, about 30 minutes more.

Uncover and remove bay leaf. If there is any liquid in bottom of pot, raise heat to moderately high and cook, stirring to evaporate liquid. Taste for salt and add pepper. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature and reheat to serve.

3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard                                           1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 cup cider vinegar                                             3 Tbsp. Sugar

~10 fresh dill sprigs                                               1 cup canola oil

Blend the above together, then gradually add oil (depending on how thick you would like it). Great on potatoes and fish, and many other vegetables and salads. Keeps for a long time in fridge.

all your green tomatoes                                     S&P, to taste

cayenne, Tabasco, or other hot sauce             1/3 cup unbleached white flour

2 Tbsp cornmeal (white or yellow)                  1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slice tomatoes into 1/4″ slices. Discard ends. Spread slices on platter or cutting board and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and cayenne or Tabasco. Turn slices over and season the other sides. In shallow bowl, combine flour and cornmeal. Dredge tomato slices in flour mixture, one at a time, covering each side thoroughly. Shake any excess flour off slices. Heat oil in heavy frying pan, preferably well-seasoned cast iron. When oil is hot but not smoking, fry slices in batches; don’t overcrowd pan. Fry about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately. For Green Tomato Pie: Place fried tomatoes in prepared pie crust, cover with grated cheddar or gruyere cheese. Put on top crust, prick holes for steam to escape. Bake at 350º for 1 hour.

Cut delicata in half lengthwise (there’s no need to peel the delicata’s thin skin), scoop out seeds, and grate on the largest holes of a standard box grater. Add diced peppers, batter, and fry.