Feta, Chard and Sun-dried Tomato Pastries

These savory bites are simple to make, but have the presence of something fancy (and slaved over in a hot kitchen). The rounds are flakey and buttery, dotted with flecks of garlicky chard, salty cheese and the occasional punctuating-pop of sun-dried tomato. The hardest part is remembering to defrost the puff pastry at room temperature, for at least an hour before baking. Sometimes I defrost the pastry in the fridge — it will keep that way for up to one week — so it’s ready at a moment’s notice for dinner-party-worthy appetizer elegance on any ordinary weeknight. Pair with a bowl of soup or a hearty dinner salad. Continue reading

Barley Salad with Roasted Mushrooms and Greens

This dish was adapted from Melissa Clark’s A Good Appetite column in the New York Times. Clark is a terrific writer and her recipes are always straightforward and spot-on. The original featured roasted celery root — I’ve substituted sautéed greens instead (or try roasted sunchokes, turnips, parsnips or carrots per Clark’s suggestion). Vary the greens as you wish — add a handful of those zippy mustard leaves included in last week’s delivery along with whatever else is in the fridge like broccoli, spinach or chard — just about any would be nice. I used a mix of chard, dandelion and arugula. The barley is nutty tasting with a pleasant chew — just right for a hearty dinner salad. Continue reading