Vegetables

Everyone’s Nonna had her own Broccoli Raab specialty, whether it was a steaming side to Sunday porchetta, a robust pasta or a hearty, crusty sandwich. Broccoli Raab’s fierce greenness and complex, slightly pungent taste grows on you to the point of undeniable craving, especially on chilly fall nights. This is our base recipe from which we easily create pasta dishes and amazing sandwiches. You can also use the parboiled Broccoli Raab in scores of other dishes like lasagna, frittatas, quiches and savory winter bread puddings. You can even substitute parboiled Broccoli Raab for part or all of the basil in pesto.

This is our time-tested favorite sautéed Kale side~so perfect for an autumn night with a chill in the air.

A casual, cheerful restaurant adorned with local artwork, The Burning Tree is acclaimed for its fresh vegetables and herbs, much of which is grown in their own garden. Imagine squash ravioli with rosemary cream or prosciutto-wrapped sea scallops accompanying this fresh, zesty and healthy cabbage slaw. By her own report, Chef Allison is on a bit of a cabbage kick these days. This recipe is really good and easy to prepare. For reservations from mid-June to Columbus Day, call (207) 288-9331.

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone is the only center in the world dedicated to continuing education and career development in the food, wine, health and hospitality fields. The CIA's West Coast campus, in the heart of Napa Valley, is housed in an historic, 1888 stone winery complete with teaching kitchens, a cooking demonstration auditorium, terraced kitchen gardens and the exquisite Wine Spectator Greystone restaurant. For courses, special events and visitor information, visit or call them at www.ciachef.edu or (707) 967-1100. Once the mysteries of making a soufflé are revealed, soufflés will become a part of your weekly repertoire. The base of this soufflé, the béchamel sauce, can be made two days in advance and kept refrigerated.

Cucina Fresca is a wonderful cookbook that emphasizes the importance of using abundant, fresh vegetables to create beautiful foods simply for family and friends. One of our favorite leek recipes, it is wonderful hot or cold as an accompaniment to grilled fish or meats. (Available through your local book store or www.amazon.com)

Here's a new twist on mixed vegetables. It works with any vegetables that can be cut into long strips, but I like to use ones of contrasting colors. This winter version works well as a side dish served with meat, and is a good starch substitute. (A summer version might combine yellow summer squash, red peppers, green peppers and onions.)

Nestled in the foothills of the Absaroka Mountains in Montana’s Paradise Valley, Chico Hot Springs Resort is a rustic oasis where we floated in steaming hot springs, and feasted in their quaint 100-year old dining room. The service was impeccable and the food divine. Most of the produce was harvested from their own organic garden and geothermal greenhouses. We so enjoyed their signature Fennel Breadsticks, Vegetable Tower and irresistible Orange Flambe. If you can’t visit soon, you must get “A Montana Table: Recipes from Chico Hot Springs Resort” by Seabring Davis (ThreeForks, an imprint of the Globe Pequot Press).