kale Archives - Fresh From Oregon

Fresh Salmon = French Cooking in my Oregon Kitchen

February 27, 2015 · by Carrie Trax ·

I am bringing French cooking to my Oregon kitchen this week. Fresh From Oregon Salmon and homemade Kale Pesto tucked inside puff pastry and baked until golden brown. Served with a creamy dill sauce this makes the prefect meal for your family or any special occasion.

Salmon en Croûte

1 salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut in half, skin and bones removed

sea salt and fresh black pepper

2 (9×9) puff pastry sheets, thawed
1/3 cup Kale Pesto

1 egg, beaten

Creamy Dill Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2teaspoon dried dill

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or grease lightly with oil. Lay a sheet of puff pastry down on a lightly floured surface. Place one half of the salmon in the middle. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the salmon. Spread half the kale pesto over the salmon evenly. Wrap the salmon like a package, brushing the overlapping puff pastry with egg so it sticks together. Brush the entire thing with egg wash then poke holes all over it with a fork, about an inch apart, especially where it is overlapped. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of salmon. Bake 30 – 35 minutes until puff pastry is cooked through. If it starts to get too dark cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.

As the salmon is baking make the sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Adapted from ~ Cinnamon-Spice & Everything Nice

Fresh Kale Pesto

February 22, 2015 · by Carrie Trax ·

This week Fresh From Oregon… Kale! Kale comes in many varieties and the best one to make this pesto is the green curly-leaved kale. It only takes a few minutes to blanch the kale and create this creamy pesto to toss with pasta, brush on some toasted french bread or use as a great condiment for seafood and chicken.

Fresh Kale Pesto
1 big bunch of kale, rinsed, ribs removed and torn into small pieces
3/4 cup olive oil, less 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons Spice Traders Mercantile Meyer lemon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch the kale in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes and chill down in a cold water bath, drain and squeeze excess water. Place into small work bowl of food processor or Ninja food processor bowl and pulse to start breaking up the kale, add rough chopped garlic, process, add pine nuts, pulse several times. Slowly add the olive oil, Myers lemon olive oil and lemon juice, process until everything is broken down. It will never be real smooth. Finally add the cheese and pulse a few times. Season with salt and pepper. If serving with pasta grate a little extra cheese over and add extra virgin olive oil to the hot pasta, toss with pesto, serve with additional grated cheese. To store, place in a glass jar or container and add about 1 tablespoon olive oil on top to keep pesto fresh. The olive oil will create a small seal to keep pesto from getting dry.

Recipe adapted from ~ Food 52

Zuppa Toscana Soup

February 11, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

If you ask what’s Fresh From Oregon this week it seems like anytime you can get Kale. The Portland Farmers Winter Market is over flowing with all types of greens this time of year and the Kale is looking great. There are several types of Kale as you look around the market, Italian Kale, Red Russian Kale and Curly Kale just to name a few. I chose to use the Curly Kale in my soup. The recipe for Zuppa Toscana soup can be found all over the internet since this is a favorite soup sold at Olive Garden restaurants everyone wants to make it at home. I found one I liked the best on Mom On Time Out Blog and with a few changes created my version below. This is a very hearty soup and can be a meal in itself. This is no wimpy cracker soup, serve it with a great crusty bread and butter.

Zuppa Toscana Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage
8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
4 large russet potatoes
2 cups water
3 cans of chicken broth
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (If you like it hotter add another teaspoon)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh kale, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In large pot add the olive oil, sausage and bacon, cook over medium-high heat until the sausage and bacon are cooked and browned. Slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch thick, I use my mandolin to get an even cut, set aside. Once the sausage and bacon are cooked add the water and chicken broth to the pot. Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through about 30-40 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. Add the kale and heavy cream and heat through about 5 minutes.

Kale is a form of cabbage, but the central leaves do not form a head. It is more related to the wild cabbage than the ones that are grown in our gardens.

Kale is a cold weather crop and you will mainly find it in the spring, fall and winter. It freezes well and taste sweeter and has more flavor after is has been exposed to a frost.

Kale can be used in soups, stews, salad, stir-fry’s and be dehydrated. It can be steamed and used as a side dish and also is one of the ingredients in the traditional Irish dish colcannon.

Fresh Salmon = French Cooking in my Oregon Kitchen

Fresh Kale Pesto

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Experience fresh food from Oregon!

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