50 Best Plants on the Planet (48 page)

½
teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛
teaspoon salt

OPTIONAL GARNISH
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks; baked piecrust leaves (
see Cook's Notes
)

1
.
Preheat the oven to
425
degrees F. Cut off the top
½
- to
1
-inch of each pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds, strings, and enough flesh to leave
½
inch of flesh on the sides and bottom. Set aside.

2
.
Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat until frothy (tiny bubbles form). Add the pumpkin, milk, sugar, pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3
.
Fill each pumpkin to
¼
inch below the top edge. Place them in a baking dish (or two, if necessary), without crowding. Add about
1
inch of hot water to the bottom of each dish. Bake for
25
minutes. Reduce the heat to
350
degrees F; bake
35
to
45
minutes more, or until set. The filling should be puffy when it comes out of the oven but will fall as it cools. Let the pies cool
20
minutes before serving. If desired, top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a piecrust leaf.

COOK'S NOTES
Mini pumpkins are smaller than a softball. They are squatty and deeply fluted and hold about
¼
cup filling. “Baby” pumpkins are slightly larger, usually softball size, and will also work well in this recipe. They will hold about
½
cup filling.

To make piecrust leaves, cut out leaf shapes from rolled-out pie dough with a sharp knife or cookie cutter. Use the back of the knife to create deep veins in the leaves. Place the leaves in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake in a
350
-degree-F oven until nicely browned, about
4
to
6
minutes.

With stalks more slender than those found on broccoli, rapini is topped with spiky, jagged-edged leaves and compact, tightly closed buds. More mature buds open into yellow blossoms, which are edible, too. It has a no-snooze flavor profile with a pleasing bitterness that can be tamed with cooking and well-planned ingredient partners. Chile, garlic, or ginger complement its assertive side, as do creamy pasta, grains with dried fruit, or caramelized onion. Although rapini is a broccoli cousin, it is a lot more nutrient-packed. It has three times the calcium, vitamin A, and niacin, plus almost twice the folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup raw, chopped)

calories
9

fat calories
2

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
13

total carbohydrates (g)
1

fiber (g)
1

sugars (g)
0

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
21
%

vitamin C
13
%

calcium
4
%

iron
5
%

With fewer than
60
calories per cup after cooking, rapini offers a wealth of B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, as well as heart-healthy folate. It turns out that B vitamins, especially riboflavin, can help alleviate the pain of migraines. A Dutch study noted that riboflavin was particularly effective on tension migraines in children. And niacin has been shown to lessen wound pain in some adults.

A cup of rapini is a surprisingly good source of omega-
3
fatty acids, delivering more than
200
milligrams per cup. Omega-
3
s are thought to protect the body from heart disease and cancer while lowering the risk of cognitive decline and alleviating depression, arthritis pain, and inflammation.

Year-round

Look for rapini that smells fresh, without yellowed leaves or soft spots. Stalks should be firm and buds compact. Refrigerate rapini, unwashed, stored loose in a plastic bag, for
3
to
5
days.

Wash with cold water. Trim off a small portion at the base of the stems. Most often rapini is cut into
1
- or
2
-inch lengths before it is cooked.

Bring several cups of salted water to a boil in a large, deep skillet or
4
-quart saucepan on high heat. Add
1
or
2
bunches of rapini (trimmed, cut into
2
-inch lengths). Cook just until they are tender-crisp,
3
to
5
minutes. Drain in a colander; refresh with cold water. If desired, toss the rapini with quick Asian dressing: Combine
3
tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce with
3
tablespoons rice vinegar,
1
teaspoon agave syrup,
1
teaspoon roasted sesame oil, and a drop or two of Asian hot sauce.

Slice
2
medium red onions. Heat
2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat; add the onions and cook until they are softened and starting to brown. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until they are nicely caramelized. Toss in
1
bunch blanched rapini (see Quick Cook). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar around each serving.

Soften
1
medium onion (coarsely chopped) in
2
teaspoons oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add
1
cup sliced mushrooms,
¾
cup coarsely chopped rapini, a pinch of dried red pepper flakes, and
1
cup shredded or thinly sliced carrots; cook
3
to
4
minutes, stirring occasionally. Add
4
cups fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium and cook until the rapini is tender-crisp, about
4
minutes. Add
1
½
cups cooked brown rice and
½
teaspoon dried thyme. Season with garlic salt plus a small splash of balsamic vinegar.

Add some
1
-inch blanched rapini pieces to a vegetable-based stir-fry dish during the last minute of cooking.

If you like the flavor of brown rice, you will undoubtedly appreciate the earthy, nutty taste and alluring chewiness of barley. Rapini adds its signature spark to this salad, the flavor profile balanced with sweet raisins and toasted almonds. Served on a big platter, this dish is great for a buffet table or picnic.

Yields
10
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
190

fat calories
80

total fat (g)
9

sat fat (g)
2

cholesterol (mg)
5

sodium (mg)
240

total carbohydrates (g)
23

fiber (g)
5

sugars (g)
5

protein (g)
7

vitamin A IUs
60
%

vitamin C
50
%

calcium
10
%

iron
8
%

¼
cup golden raisins

1 cup pearl barley

Salt

10 ounces rapini

½
cup slivered almonds, toasted (
see Cook's Note
)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

6 cups mixed baby greens

½
cup grated Parmesan cheese

GARNISH
6 small lemon wedges

1
.
Put the raisins in a small bowl; cover them with hot water and set aside.

2
.
In a large saucepan, combine the barley,
3
½
cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring them to a boil on high heat. Stir and cover; reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer until the barley is tender, about
30
minutes. Drain and cool for
10
minutes.

3
.
Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil on high heat. Cut the rapini in
1
-inch pieces. Blanch it until tender-crisp, about
3
to
5
minutes. Drain it in a colander. Run cold water over the rapini and shake the colander to remove excess water.

4
.
Put the barley and rapini in a large bowl. Add the almonds and sprinkle the oil on top; toss. Drain the raisins and add them; toss. Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss. Season with salt and pepper and let rest for
10
minutes.

5
.
Mound the baby greens on a platter in an even layer. Top with the barley mixture. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Place the lemon wedges on a separate plate for optional use.

COOK'S NOTE
To toast slivered almonds, place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a
350
-degree-F oven for
3
to
4
minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily.

There are several brands of brown rice blends in the marketplace. When cooked, they have a lovely earthiness that teams well with rapini. One example is a blend of long-grain brown, nutty Wehani, and black Japonica rice. Brown rice generally triples in volume when cooked, but brown rice blends often yield a little less, varying from brand to brand. Figure that approximately
1
½
cups raw brown rice blend will yield
4
cups when cooked.

Yields
6
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
220

fat calories
40

total fat (g)
4.5

sat fat (g)
0.5

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (m)
35

total carbohydrates (g)
37

fiber (g)
3

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
7

vitamin A IUs
120
%

vitamin C
150
%

calcium
6
%

iron
8
%

1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, cut into
⅜
-inch slices

OPTIONAL
½
teaspoon sugar

2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1
¼
pounds rapini, cut into 2-inch pieces

¼
teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1
½
cups uncooked brown rice blend

GARNISH
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

1
.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and toss to coat it with the oil. Cook until it starts to soften and turn brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low. If desired, add the sugar. It helps the onion to caramelize, but it will brown without it; it will just take a little longer. Cook until the onion is nicely browned, stirring occasionally, about
15
minutes, adding the garlic
3
to
4
minutes before the end of cooking.

2
.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of salted water on high heat. When it is boiling, add the rapini. Cook until it is tender-crisp, about
3
to
5
minutes. Drain it well in a colander. Add it to the onion. Add dried red pepper flakes and toss. Season with salt and pepper.