Monday, June 1, 2015

The Cottage Cooking Club - June Recipes

My dear fellow members of The Cottage Cooking Club:

I hope you enjoyed our wonderful May recipes! Now that we are at the beginning of June and therefore into our fourteenth month of preparing recipes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall´s “River Cottage Everyday Veg” we will be preparing recipes with early summer produce.

PLEASE feel feel to substitute or add fresh, local vegetables to the recipes - for example the Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart can also be prepared with other greens. How about you go wild with dandelion greens or use fresh baby spinach, broccoli rabe or even arugula?! Just a few ideas as I would love for you to get cooking with what you can best get find at your local markets this month.

Now onto the ten recipes for this month, our motto being "BE SEASONAL". Let´s see those colorful early summer dishes for the month of June:

1. From the chapter "Comfort Food & Feast":
Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart (page 47) – NOTE: if you cannot find beet tops, use chard or spinach or any other early summer greens

2. From the chapter "Hearty Salads":
New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)

3. From the chapter „ Raw Assemblies“:
Tomatoes with herbs (page 121) - NOTE: feel free to use a variety of fresh herbs here

4. From the chapter „Hefty Soups“:
Ribollita (page 151)

5. From the chapter  „Bready Things“:
Bruschetta with garlicky broad bean purée, ricotta and mint (page 196)

6. From the chapter „Store-cupboard suppers“:
Tomato and olive couscous (page 231) - NOTE: you can use a variety of olives here as well

7. From the chapter „Pasta & Rice“:
Macaroni peas (page 264) - NOTE: use fresh OR frozen peas here

8. From the chapter „Mezze & Tapas“:
Pistachio dukka (page 294)  - NOTE: you can also use almonds here or other nuts of your liking

9. From the chapter „Roast, Grill & Barbecue“:
Halloumi, new potato and tomato kebabs (page 334) - NOTE: use any veg you would like here, no reason to restrict the recipe to potatoes and tomatoes

10. From the chapter „Side Dishes“:
Leeks (and greens) with coconut milk (page 378) – NOTE: if you cannot find leeks, use spring onions here. And for the „greens“ use any „greens“ that are in season where you live such as spinach


Please remember to leave a comment with your personal choice(s) by June 7th at the end of this post.

Please remember to leave a comment with the link to your blog post on the LYL post by June 28th.


BE SEASONAL!



34 comments:

  1. Andrea! You are making things so difficult!! All of the recipes sound/look fantastic. I could easily choose 7-8! Now I have some thinking to do!!!

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    1. Candy, it is certainly not my intention to put pressure on anyone here BUT there is so much wonderful fresh early summer produce out there, just waiting to be turned into healthy, delicious fare by all of you lovely and talented members of The Cottage Cooking Club...
      Thank you for the kind words - now I am looking forward to your selections,
      Andrea

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    2. Andrea, you know very well that I'm the one pressuring myself!! All of the selections look so wonderful and tempting.
      Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart (page 47)
      New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)
      Macaroni peas (page 264)
      Pistachio dukka (page 294)
      Leeks (and greens) with coconut milk (page 378), and if I get some good grilling weather
      Halloumi, new potato and tomato kebabs (page 334)

      All of the dishes look terrific. Can't wait to try them out (at least one today!!). Thanks so much for all of your work on this - I just love being challenged to try new things and look at vegetables in a new way! A delicious month ahead!

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    3. Candy, great choices indeed - I already made a few dishes this month and yes, the kids were delighted. Today it was the New Potato Salad „tartare“ - Gretchen´s favorite potato salad and the Tomatoes with Herbs - a no-brainer in June - served these two with grilled pork chops. Then yesterday I made the Tomato and Olive Couscous - my hubby´s new favorite as well as the Macaroni Peas. Now, the Macaroni Peas along with the Merguez Oven Fries look like they will be requested a lot at our house. So far, so good!
      The tart is planned for later this week and the Halloumi will hit the grill weather permitting (as you aptly pointed out) - you will love the dishes this month, trust me.
      Thank you for all your wonderful comment and your dedication (I am thrilled),
      Andrea

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    4. Cannot wait to try some of these.

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  2. Thank you, Andrea, for delicious choices this month. Like Candy, I had trouble deciding. But I will be making:

    Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart (page 47)
    New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)
    Ribollita (page 151)
    Macaroni peas (page 264)
    Pistachio dukka (page 294)
    Halloumi, new potato and tomato kebabs (page 334)

    If I have time, I'll squeeze a few more in.

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    1. Zosia - thank you very much for letting us know about your choices. Sounds like an ambitious but delicious month to me!
      Looking forward to your post and maybe some P´s and Q´s as I am putting them up tomorrow.
      Andrea

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  3. I've been looking for a way to use beet tops, so I'm definitely going to make the tart. I'll also commit to macaroni and peas because it sounds like something Charlotte will love. I'm hoping to make some of the tomato ones too, if my CSA starts carrying tomatoes soon.

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    1. Jora, same here - I will definitely make the Tart and I am sure that darling Charlotte will adore the Macaroni and Peas - so will our kids, so I am making them as well.
      Thank you for letting me know - hope you are feeling well and taking the best care of yourself possible!
      Andrea

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  4. I will try to go for...you know the whole loot...Just cannot resist those June vegetables but if I run out of time or am not able to find a certain vegetable, I might not make them all. will try to do my best though.
    Greetings and Happy June Cooking to all!
    Andrea

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    1. One thing that is terrific about this line-up is that it has a great combination of things that are event-worthy, as well as recipes for a weekday lunch or dinner. I bet your kids are looking forward to what you're making this month!!

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  5. Hi Andrea. Delicious looking selections and most of the recipes look fairly simple. I will definitely make the Greens and Ricotta Tart and the New Potato Salad and the Macaroni Peas. I saw fresh fava beans in the mercado last week. If they are still there I will try to make Bruschetta with Garlicky Fava Bean Purée. Looks like a fun month! Thank you Andrea.

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    1. Guyla, thank you for your selections - I really like that you picked up on the idea of what´s available in your neck of the woods!
      Hope you enjoy all your dishes,
      Andrea

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  6. The number of recipes I will complete, depends on the outcome of my potential jury duty service. My choices that I hope to accomplish are:

    New Potato Salad "Tartare" p.79
    Tomatoes with Herbs p.121
    Quick Couscous Salad with Peppers and Feta p.231
    Macaroni Peas p.264
    Pistachio Dukka p.294
    Halloumi, New Potato, and Tomato Kababs 334

    Thanks Andrea! Looks like it is going to be another enjoyable month of cooking. :)

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    1. Sounds good to me, Cathleen - Happy June Cooking!
      Andrea

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  7. Lots of great choices, as usual, Andrea! I will definitely make Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart and New potato salad „tartare“. I will try to make macaroni peas and pistachio dukka if I have time, but don't hold me to these.

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    1. Betsy, thank you for your selections - you will enjoy all of them, I am sure.
      Andrea

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  8. Hello everyone, Here are my choices for June.......Thanks Cheri

    New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79
    Ribollita (page 151)
    Macaroni peas (page 264)

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  9. Hi Andrea! I'd like to try it out this month! I'll make the New Potato salad "tartare" (79) and the Pistachio Dukka (294). I might make the Leeks and Greens (378). All the recipes sound very good!

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    1. Welcome aboard, Katie - enjoy our first month of cooking along with the wonderful members of The Cottage Cooking Club - hopefully your daughter will enjoy some the recipes as much as the kids and grand-kids of the other members do!
      Andrea

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    2. Glad you are trying this, Katie. It does inspire you to try new vegetables and creative veggie recipes. It's sorta no pressure. And, your muppet will love the dishes. Plus I like to read your Posts. They are always good. Plus we are a very nice group of gals. What else can I say. Welcome.

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  10. Dear Ms.Lioness, Here are my choices. This is an easier month for me and I hope to get all my choices done: New Potato Salad "Tartare"; Tomatoes with herbs; Ribollita (something I have been wanting to make for years); Quick Couscous Salad with Peppers and Feta; and Pistachio Dukka. Love from one of your Cubs!

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  11. I made the halloumi kebabs and the pistachio dukka - both delicious but I had a few issues. I grilled the kebabs outdoors and the tomatoes were cooked in about 4 minutes, before I had a chance to get a nice char on the cheese and potatoes. Next time, I'll use a slower cooking vegetable in their place.

    The dukka was a little too salty for me to use it as a dip with bread and oil - my own fault really since I added the salt all at once rather than in small amounts, tasting as I went - but it was fantastic as the only seasoning for some roasted veg.

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    1. Zosia: I took the liberty and added your comment to the Peas and Cukes post here:
      http://cottage-cooking-club.blogspot.de/2015/06/peas-ps-cukes-qs-for-june-recipes.html

      Thank you, Andrea

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  12. I'm getting back into the saddle this month!

    Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart (page 47)
    New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)
    Ribollita (page 151)
    Leeks (and greens) with coconut milk (page 378)

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    1. Teresa, how nice that you are joining us again this month!
      You chose some delicious recipes!
      Happy June cooking and "see" you soon,
      Andrea

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  13. Macaroni peas (page 264)
    New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)
    Ribollita (page 151)
    Halloumi, New Potato, and Tomato Kababs 334

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    1. Welcome aboard, dear Emily - thrilled to have you join us for this wonderful cooking adventure!
      Thank you very much for your selection and enjoy your recipes!
      If you have any questions or problems, do not hesitate to post them here:
      http://cottage-cooking-club.blogspot.de/2015/06/peas-ps-cukes-qs-for-june-recipes.html
      Andrea

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  14. I am going to try one more time! Here’s hoping!
    Beet top (or chard) and ricotta tart (page 47)
    New potato salad „tartare“ (page 79)
    Tomatoes with herbs (page 121)

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    1. Dear Kathy, you can try as many times as you wish! So nice to have you on board for June and welcome back!

      Now Happy June Cooking to all and if there are any P´s (Peas) and Q´s (Cukes), you all know where to turn:

      http://cottage-cooking-club.blogspot.de/2015/06/peas-ps-cukes-qs-for-june-recipes.html

      Thanks,
      Andrea

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