June menu

Course #1

1. Alcoholic Herb and Pink Lemonade Jellybutter

Course #2

1. Blueberry Tzatziki
2. Garlicky Sparkling Lima Bean Sangria Spead

Course #3.5

1. Vegan Asian Blueberry-Vegetable Muffins

Course #4

1. Killer Honey Mustard-Watermelon Chicken
2. Cucumber-Apricot-Yogurt Preserves

Course #4.5

1. Drunken Strawberry-Collard Greens-Kiwi Slaw with Rose Geranium

Course #5.5

1. Sweet Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Halo-Halo Sauce

Course #7

1. Avocado-Ham Salsa d'Arroz with Sugar Snap Peas

Course #8

1. Alcoholic Herb and Pink Lemonade Jellybutter

Garlicky Sparkling Lima Bean Sangria Spread

Serves 8 (serving size: 9½ tablespoons)

1 cup fresh lima beans

8 teaspoons fresh parsley leaves

½ cup cherries, pitted and halved

8 tablespoons water

½ cup blueberries

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup raspberries

½ tablespoon olive oil

½ cup quartered small strawberries

2 teaspoons roasted garlic paste

¼ cup chopped nectarine (about ½)

¼ teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons brandy

¹/₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup apricot nectar, chilled

¹/₈ teaspoon hot sauce

½ (750-milliliter) bottle cava, chilled

1. Sort and wash beans; drain and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Place beans and next 16 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving with summer vegetable crudites, such as whole radishes, baby carrots, endive leaves, zucchini, and/or yellow squash strips.

Citrus, Quinoa, Ice Cream, and Spinach Salad with Brown Sugar-Brandy-Date Dressing

Serves 4

¼ cup quinoa

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar

¼ tsp. red chile flakes

¹/₈ tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of pepper

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Zest and juice of ¼ lemon

¾ cup halved and pitted Medjool dates

¾ tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup water

2 tbsp. brandy

3 oz. baby spinach

2 tbsp. sliced green onions

Vanilla ice cream

Toasted pecan halves

2 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter with sugar, chile flakes, cinnamon, pepper, and salt in a medium frying pan over high heat. Add zest, juice, dates, oil, and water and cook until mixture is simmering and comes together as a sauce, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and carefully add brandy. Stir to combine.
4. Toss together warm quinoa, spinach, and onions. Divide salad mixture among bowls. Place 1 scoop ice cream atop each salad. Drizzle dressing over each bowl and sprinkle with pecans and feta.

January Menu

Course #2.5:

1. Luau Beet, Coconut, and Fennel Soup with Kefir

Course #4.5:

1. Turkey-Jerusalem Artichoke-Black Bean Chili

Course #6:

1. Winter Greens, Farro, Mushroom, and Grape Leaves Pasta Salad

Course #6.5:

1. Citrus, Quinoa, Ice Cream, and Spinach Salad with Brown Sugar-Brandy-Date Dressing
   
   

Winter Greens, Farro, Mushroom, and Grape Leaves Pasta Salad

Serves 6½ cup farro1½ cups water3 oz. angel hair pasta3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced½ leek, white and light green parts only, chopped1 garlic clove, minced½ bunch dandelion greens, stems removed and chopped in thirds2½ preserved grape leaves, patted dry and chopped2 oz. radicchio, roughly chopped⁵/₈ tsp. kosher salt, divided8 tsp. dried currants, soaked in hot water to soften, then drained¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped8 tsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves½ tbsp. lemon juice¹/₈ tsp. pepperRed chile flakes (optional)¼ cup low-fat or whole-milk ricotta cheeseAbout 2 tbsp. toasted plain croutons, crushed

1. Pick over farro for any debris, then rinse. Simmer farro in a medium saucepan with water until tender, 25 minutes; drain.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in leek and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens, leaves, radicchio, and ½ tsp. salt and cook until just warm, about 1 minute (add a bit of water if pan starts to scorch).
4. Toss pasta, cooked vegetables, reserved pasta water, currants, walnuts, parsley, 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, remaining salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Top with dollops of ricotta, croutons, and a drizzle of remaining oil.

Tonkatsu-Fried Pork and Zucchini Blossoms with Watermelon-Tomato Salad

4 servings

1 cup ¹/₂" cubes watermelon

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup (lightly packed) baby arugula

2 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, divided

¹/₂ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice plus 4 lemon wedges

³/₄ tsp. kosher salt, divided, and ¹/₈ tsp. freshly ground black pepper plus more

Vegetable oil (for frying)

10 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

6 oz. chilled Pilsner, lager-style beer, or club soda

1 large egg

2 stiffly beaten egg whites

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

4 2-oz. boneless center-cut pork chops, pounded to ¹/₈" thickness

Zucchini blossoms (stamens removed; about 1 dozen)

Sea salt

INGREDIENT INFO: Zucchini blossoms are sold at farmers' markets, better supermarkets, and melissas.com. Panko can be found in better supermarkets and at Asian markets.

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, ¹/₂ Tbsp. mustard, and juice in a small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Set salad and dressing aside.
2. In a large pot, heat about 2" oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees. Combine flour and ¹/₂ tsp. salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer, eggs, egg whites, and remaining ¹/₂ Tbsp. mustard until almost smooth (some small lumps are welcome -- don't overwhisk or you'll deflate the batter). Combine panko, remaining ¹/₄ tsp. salt, and ¹/₈ tsp. pepper on a large plate. Season pork and zucchini blossoms lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge pork and blossoms in egg mixture, shaking off the excess, then dip in panko, pressing to adhere; gently lay them in the oil, without crowding the pan. Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon and adding ¹/₂ Tbsp. vegetable oil after turning, until pork is golden brown and cooked through, about 1¹/₂-1³/₄ minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Toss salad with dressing; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve porks and blossoms with salad and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Fig-Papaya-Almond Margarita Tart

6 servings

CRUST

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

1¹/₃ cups all-purpose flour plus more

6 Tbsp. sugar

¹/₄ tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced, plus more

FILLING

6 Tbsp. half-and-half

2 Tbsp. plus ¹/₂ cup plus ¹/₃ cup sugar, divided

2 medium eggs

¹/₂ Tbsp. all-purpose flour

¹/₂ tsp. vanilla extract

³/₄ tsp. minced fresh rosemary

¹/₄ large Mexican papaya or ¹/₂ large Hawai'ian papaya, halved, seeded

14 Tbsp. (scant) slivered almonds

¹/₄ cup (¹/₂ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 Tbsp. tequila blanco

6 oz. fresh Mission figs (about 6 medium), stemmed, quartered

4 fresh orchid blossoms (optional)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Use a 10"-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom.

CRUST: Whisk egg yolk and cream in a small bowl. Mix 1¹/₃ cups flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup butter; mix on low speed until coarse meal forms. Add egg mixture. Blend just until moist clumps form. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.

Butter tart pan. Roll out dough to 13" round on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to pan. Press onto bottom and up sides. Trim excess dough. Chill 30 minutes.

FILLING: Bring half-and-half to a simmer in a small saucepan. Whisk 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 egg, and flour in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. Return to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat 1 minute. Add ¹/₂ cup sugar and ¹/₂ cup water. Continue whisking constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in vanilla and rosemary; let steep 15 minutes. Add ¹/₄ cup cold water. Set over a bowl of ice water; stir pastry cream until cold. Remove from ice bath; set aside.

Scrape papaya flesh into a food processor; puree until smooth. Measure 6 Tbsp. puree (reserve remaining puree for another use, such as a smoothie); return to food processor. Add almonds and 8 tsp. sugar to food processor; finely grind (do not grind to a paste). Using an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 8 tsp. sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add remaining egg and beat well. Gradually beat almond-papaya mixture, then ¹/₄ cup reserved pastry cream (reserve remaining cream for another use), then tequila. Cover; chill until firm, about 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread filling over crust. Arrange figs, cut side up, in concentric circle over filling. Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling in center is golden and somewhat set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let tart cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Garnish with zest and orchids (if using).