Grapefruit Mint Salad

Sounds like summer doesn't it? Not bone-cold December. I guess you don't have to wait for the holiday to have a few surprises. One of my favorite local farms is experimenting with high tunnels, which means I am experimenting with FRESH LOCAL salad greens in December.

Winter is also peak season for grapefruit and citrus. All the more reason to celebrate.

Grapefruit-Mint Salad

2 Ruby Grapefruits, sectioned

1 tbs. mint, chiffonade or chopped

3 cups greens, spring mix or mache

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon, plus zest

2 tbs. champagne vinegar

4 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. honey

salt and pepper to taste

Divide salad ingredients among four plates. Drizzle with dressing. You have room for some cookies now!

New Year, New Resolve

Note, I did not say resolutions. I tried to sit down and write a list of specific things I will do in 2010, but so much of it is just an extension of the topics I write about already. So, here are some of what you can look forward to in the New Year here in the kitchen:

• More recipes, of course.
• Thinking Globally. Worldwide issues of climate change and hunger and what that means for all of us, and how we are all connected in these issues.
• Acting Locally. Ways to be active in my (and your) own community for Food Justice, and helping grow the local food movement for all.
• Issues, laws and your food. Just not going to get away from this one. Hot buttons ahead; school lunches, food policy as health policy.
• A little bit of humor now and again. I used to post these things, but we can all use some levity these days.
• More free books. Well, as long as I have them to share!

As far as the other stuff; lose weight! learn a new language! exercise! Hey, we all do what we can. I don't need to wait for the calendar to tick over years before I do something worthwhile. I just need to not let the time pass by before I do.

January Book Giveaway

December's winner for The Berghoff Cafe Cookbook is Suburban Prep. Be sure you email your mailing address to farmerfare AT gmail DOT com to get your free book!

January's giveaway is, appropriately, Victoria Moore's book How to Drink. Leave a comment with your favorite cocktail or adult beverage you celebrate with and you will be entered into a random drawing to win the book.

The book covers not just alcoholic beverages, but the perfect seasonal drink for nearly every occasion. Recipes for the perfect drinks and cocktails are accompanied by advice and historical insights into beverage options.

Remember, kids, as the author says, it's not how MUCH you drink, it's how WELL you drink. And drive responsibly. Cheers for a happy 2010 for all!

Holiday Recipes

I took down quite a few of the recipes on the site for the upcoming book. Still, there are many of the holiday favorites to be found.

Here's to a warm kitchen, full of family and friends and a safe, happy holiday to all this season.

Salads

Red Wine Poached Pear Salad

Orange, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad
Poached Pear Salad with Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Sides

Best Ever Real Green Bean Casserole

Brunch

Pumpkin Gingerbread Waffles

Herbed Waffle with Smoked Salmon and Greens

Eggnog French Toast

Desserts

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

Comfort Food on a Cold Winter Day

I got the idea for this recipe at an Italian restaurant, one owned by Lidia Bastianich. When you think about the ingredients, cabbage and bacon, it doesn't seem very Italian. It also doesn't sound like it would work with pasta. Yet it did, pretty well.

I'm not about to suggest that I cook better than the world's most famous Italian grandmother. No way. But the dish got me thinking. Bacon and pasta. And a huge head of cabbage from the last CSA package of the season. A few of the last apples still in the fridge. Hmmm, could work.

I'm not going to call the end result Italian or German. It's just a nice, cozy dish on a cold winter day like today. Something warm and spicy while we wait for the winter storm to hopefully pass us by.

Bacon and Cabbage Pasta

1 lb. bacon, diced

3 shallots, diced

2 tsp. fennel seed

1 tsp. mustard powder

1 tsp. salt

2 green apples, cored and diced

1/2 medium head of cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup apple cider

1 tbs. cider vinegar

2 tbs. chopped sage

1 tbs. chopped rosemary

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 lb. potato gnocchi, or substitute 1/2 lb. dried whole wheat pasta

Cook the bacon in a large pot. Remove when just crisp and drain on a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 tbs. of the grease. Add the shallot to the pot and saute for two minutes. Add the spices and saute for a couple more minutes. Add the apples and cabbage and saute again, tossing to get the cabbage wilted.

Cook pasta or gnocchi according to directions.

Add the cider, vinegar, sage and rosemary to the pot. Braise the cabbage and apples with the spices and herbs for another 5-8 minutes. Before serving fold in the crisp bacon and the gnocchi or pasta.

Egg Nog French Toast

There are two seasonal foods that I have a real weakness for; pumpkin ice cream and egg nog. Real, full fat, buttery-rich eggnog. Ho, ho, ho, off to jog I go.

Egg Nog French Toast

For the toast:

3/4 cup eggnog

1 egg, beaten

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 slices egg bread like challah or brioche, or a whole grain like honey wheat.

1 tbs. butter

Topping:

1/4 cup grade B maple syrup

1/4 cup pecan pieces

1 tsp. bourbon

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat the butter in a skillet. Soak bread, both sides, in the eggnog mixture. Brown on each side until golden.

Warm the syrup in a sauce pan with the bourbon, cinnamon, and pecans. Top the toast with syrup. Enjoy.

December Book Giveaway

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I am finishing off the last of the sweet potato pie here as I write. Tomorrow, five mile run. And salad.

Congrats to November's winner, Mindy, for her copy of The Spice Kitchen. There are a few recipes in there that should come in handy for December. Mindy, please leave your mailing address for me at farmerfare AT gmail DOT com.

With winter fast upon us, I find myself craving comfort food often. This month's free book is The Berghoff Cafe Cookbook. Book provided by the nice folks at Andrews McMeel Publishing.

The book features familiar German foods with a twist, making for some unique recipes such as Brat, Kraut and Onion Pizza with Swiss Cheese and Caraway Crust as well as classics like Lyonnaise Potatoes. What I like about it is that it shows how to use leftovers creatively so you minimize food waste and save money while making family meals. Very practical.

Just leave your comment below to be entered into the random drawing. Good luck!

Pecan-Pumpkin Seed Brittle

I was reviewing my Thanksgiving menu and thought, hey, that's all a lot of heavy food. Maybe a salad would be good here?

Thing is, to stand up next to all that goodness on the table, it can't just be any salad. Fortunately, this one can be made ahead and just assembled day of.

The first step is the brittle. You can eat this plain, too. And you can make it several days ahead — just hide it so you have some for the salads.

Pecan-Pumpkin Seed Brittle

8 oz. raw pumpkin seeds, pepitas

8 oz. pecan pieces

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar

2 tbs. molasses

1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder or pumpkin pie spice

You'll need a silicon mat positioned on a baking sheet. Spread the pecans and pumpkin seeds out in a thin layer over the silicon mat. Thin is best for the brittle to harden well. Sprinkle the pecans and seeds with the salt.

Put the sugar and molasses in a saucepan over medium heat. Only stir enough to prevent burning, otherwise, as the Beatles sing, let it be. When it becomes a deep brown liquid, stir in the spice powder. Then, pour it in a thin layer over the top of the pecans and pumpkin seeds. It should cool rapidly and harden. Carefully break it into pieces (sharp edges!) when it is hard.

For the rest of the salad, you'll need:

6 cups of peppery greens, some arugula in the mix is good, toss this with:

2 tbs. olive oil

couple grinds of black pepper

For the garnish:

4 oz. Gorgonzola crumbles

4-6 pears peeled, prepared for poaching, see below

Poaching liquid:

1/2 bottle muscadet wine

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

1 white cardamom pod

4 whole cloves

After poaching, you will need 1/4 cup honey.

Poach the pears in the wine for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the liquid and cool. Halve, core when cooled, then slice each half into four lengthwise. Strain the poaching liquid back into the a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup honey. Return to heat and then reduce this liquid to a syrup consistency.

If you are making ahead, store the pear slices in the wine and honey syrup in the refrigerator.

Before service, divide the greens among plates, top each with equal amounts of pear slices. Drizzle the syrup on each plate. Top with the gorgonzola and brittle pieces.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon-Shallot Vinaigrette

I promised Ruthy I would post this recipe.

Brussels sprouts are in season right now and if you never liked them before, (and I was right there with you), you should try them again. Plus, they are just a crazy looking vegetable on the stalk, like a club you can eat.

I use nitrate-free bacon and recommend you do as well. You can reduce the amount of bacon used here, use prosciutto, or skip it if you do not eat meat.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, quartered
1 tbs. olive oil

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1 large shallot, minced
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. red wine or cider vinegar

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. honey
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. Pecorino Romano or Parmesean shavings (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, roast setting, if you have convection oven, or 400 degrees for a regular oven.

Toss the sprouts with olive oil and coarse sea salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about 15-20 minutes until they start to show some golden brown. Go for lots of golden brown, you may have to stir once during roasting. Remove from oven and place on a platter.

While the sprouts are getting crispy, cook the bacon in a skillet until almost done. Pour off all but one tbs. of the grease. Add the shallot and finish cooking the bacon and shallot until browned and done. Remove from stove, whisk in olive oil and red vinegar, honey and Dijon. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the sprouts. Top with the shavings of Pecorino.

November Book Giveaway

First, congratulations to GiGi as the random drawing winner of October's book, Vegan Lunch Box Around the World.

GiGi, please give me some directions on where to mail your book at farmerfare (at) gmail (dot) com.

Just as stores everywhere are cramming the shelves full of red and green, here is a warm, earthy book perfect for fall and Thanksgiving. the spice kitchen, everyday cooking with organic spices by Katie Luber and Sara Engram is 192 pages, hardcover and full color, and a new release provided to me for review by publisher Andrews McMeel. I'll be posting the review at Eat Drink Better this month.

For those of you who read this blog, you know how much I love spices, so I can't wait to share this one with you. You can leave a comment to get your name in the drawing to be the lucky winner of this book.

Just my way of saying "THANKS" in time for Thanksgiving. I'll post the winner's name at the beginning of December and announce the book for giveaway that month as well.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Coconut-Curry Pumpkin Soup

1 8-pound Musquee de Provence Pumpkin — also called a “Fairytale” pumpkin — or other deep-orange, thick-fleshed eating pumpkin or squash

32 oz. chicken broth

2 tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 15 oz. can coconut milk

3 tsp. sweet curry powder

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 tbs. sugar

Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash pumpkin. Cut it into halves and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Spray a baking pan with nonstick as well as the cut sides of the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on the tray cut side down and cook for about 90 minutes, until flesh is fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop flesh from the skin.

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Sweat the onions and garlic until onion is translucent. The difference between a sweat and a brown is the stove temperature. Sweating is a medium-low temp that gets your onions and garlic (aromatics) to give up their moisture and flavor easily. You do not brown the veggies when you sweat them. Browning takes a medium-high temperature.

Add the curry powder, red pepper flakes and ginger and stir for half a minute to get the curry going. Add stock and heat to a boil. Add the pumpkin then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Use a stick blender to puree the soup. This type of pumpkin is very stringy, but it will blend easily. Add the sugar and the coconut milk and heat through. Season to taste with the salt. If desired, garnish with cilantro. This soup tastes better the second day when the flavors have blended more.

Pumpkin Shortage? Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

There has been a lot of news lately about the pumpkin shortage. Good news is, not all states are affected. More good news is that many of the "decorative" pumpkins you see are actually delicious, edible pumpkins in disguise.

Have no fear this October should you reach for a can of pumpkin and the shelf is bare. It's easy to make your own puree.

First, get a large pumpkin. Not the jack-o-lantern kind. Or get a few small sugar (pie) pumpkins.

I used a "Cinderella" variety. It is large, flattened and a beautiful deep red-orange. The flesh is thick and has a high water content. So, the pumpkin is heavy for it's size. This one weighed in at 16 pounds. Other heirloom varieties that are supposed to be good for puree are Musquee de Provence (Fairytale), Long Island Cheese and Hubbard Squash.

Roughly, you can figure on about 6-8 cups of puree for a 16 pounder, 4 cups for an 8-pounder, etc. The first step is to be sure you wash the pumpkin.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Now, cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and pulpy part. You don't have to peel it! Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and spray the cut sides of the pumpkin as well. Place pumpkin, cut side down, in pan. Bake until the flesh is soft, about ninety minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Be sure you do not leave the cooked pumpkin out for more than two hours. Got to remember that food safety!

After it has cooled, scoop the flesh from the skin and blend flesh in a food processor. Now, fresh pumpkin is going to be much more watery than the canned kind. So, you will need to line a strainer with cheese cloth and place the puree on top of this. I make a little bundle to help "press" out the liquid. Set the puree and strainer both into a larger and deeper bowl. Cover with wrap and place in the fridge overnight to drain.

I saw an article on how to "save" your jack-o-lantern and make puree with it after Halloween. This is not a good idea.

Think about it. How often do you take produce out of your fridge, cut it open, set it on the front porch for a week, share a bit with the neighborhood squirrels, burn a candle in it, then take it in to cook?

The cut flesh that gets exposed to air collects a fair bit of bacteria while you are handing out all that candy. Additionally, this is not the best tasting pumpkin since it is cultivated for size and carving, not eating. Especially after it's been outside for a bit. Compost that sucker.

Here are a few more pumpkins sold as decorative that are actually edible — and delicious.

'tis the Season for Food Donations

We're coming up on the holiday season, the time of year when most of us probably do all of our charitable giving. In November, food donations are especially frequent as we all prepare to sit around our own tables and give thanks for plenty.

Recently, I spent the day (along with all my co-workers) volunteering at Harvesters, one of our nation's largest food banks. My main job was to sort those very food donations that each of you generously provides. I learned quite a bit from the experience, so I wanted to pass along some of those observations about the food donation process.

What is a food bank or network versus a food pantry?

A food bank is a large warehouse facility that has tremendous purchasing power, then in turn, fills the shelves of local food pantries and organizations at little to no cost. Food banks handle donations from individuals as well as corporate and manufacturer donations, makes bulk purchases direct from manufacturers. Food banks also handle fresh bread and produce donations, many of which can move those donations quick enough to be able to leverage most of these perishable items in a day. It's a pretty amazing operation. Food networks are the combined power of food banks working as a group.

How many people require food assistance?

I don't have numbers for nationwide, but for Harvesters, in the 26 counties they serve, they feed over SIXTY THOUSAND people per week. This 60K people includes 550 nonprofit agencies; such as emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes, homes for the mentally disabled and shelters for battered persons. With the economic challenges, the demand has risen by 40 percent and continues to increase.

What happens to my food donations?

Once the donations are gathered, they go into large bins on a sorting floor. Volunteers and staff sort each and every item by hand into different food categories such as beverages, vegetables, meats and proteins, baking goods, and even baby items. Here is a behind-the-scenes look that might help you understand the donation process and maximize your gifts.

Glass containers

Each item that comes in a glass container has to be individually washed and placed in a separate bin to avoid risk of injury or breakage. Hint: Avoid donating glass containers.

Canned Goods

Canned good are inspected for dents and damage. Some damage is unavoidable just in handling, but each dented can has to be reviewed and determined to be safe or not based on the condition of the can, size and location of the dent. When in doubt, it gets tossed. Hint: Avoid donating dented goods.

Similar Items

Once sorted, similar items, 24 different cans of green beans for example, must all be re-packaged as a group, even if they are not the same brand. This allows the items to be shipped to the agencies that need them in bulk quantities. Hint: The easiest donations for sorting and volunteer time are items purchased at a big box store like Costco and left in their bulk packaging.

Unique Items and Ethnic Foods

Even with additional time to sort these items, they have great value. Ethnic foods are very welcome, especially for food recipients of that culture. Unique items also help add variety and even premium quality to the food mix. I was pretty happy to see a lot of great organic items and a good mix of ethnic ingredients. Hint: It's a great idea to be inclusive of culture and quality food options with donations.

Save the Date

To keep the sorting a bit interesting, we all were on the lookout for the most obscure items. We were also advised to look for any kind of label that we knew was dated. Canned good items must be within a few years of expiration date. Preferably, they should not be expired. We found such exotics as a 1970s can of smoked oysters (that would be, like, lethal to eat!), a vintage box of gelatin, a glass jar of Borscht so old it was brown, and some Jiffy Pop in its pre-microwave stovetop form. Ancient instant coffee (old AND instant? That's just doubly cruel). Hint: If the item has been in the back of your pantry so long that it would cause bodily harm to consume, don't donate it. Especially baby foods and formula.

More Dregs from the Pantry Bottom

We also found random items like a box of drink mix, opened, with only one envelope in it, partially consumed items, a few miscellaneous tea bags in a plastic baggie. All of this refuse from folks' pantry clean outs has to be discarded. Why not do it yourself instead of wasting volunteer time? Hint: I did not enjoy cleaning out your pantry for you.

Making the Most of Your Donation

We all like a bit of snack items and sweets now and again. But, if you are in dire need, then the food items that are critical are the ones that have nutrition and substance. There are a lot of items that are especially needed, that list includes:

Food

Canned vegetables

Canned fruit

Boxed meals - (Hamburger Helper, Pasta Roni)

Canned Meat/Tuna

Peanut Butter

Canned Soup

Cereal – hot and cold

Household goods, (think if you had to choose between food and toilet paper because you can't afford both), are also needed. Baby items like wipes and diapers. Quality, non-glass containers of NON-expired baby foods and cereals, formula are also highly valued donations.

Household Products

Soap

Deodorant

Shampoo

Toilet Paper

The Harvesters site has a lot of great ideas about how to organize your own food donations, or have a party with friends to come volunteer together before you go have a drink, host a holiday dinner party and charge an "entry fee" of a food donation. You can even donate fresh produce from your own garden if you have a green thumb!

Really, there are a lot of great ways to give. 1970s smoked oysters are just not one of them.

Mixing it Up

"Mommy, I don't want to eat the same thing a lot."

Sharing the Wealth - FREE BOOKS for you

Lately, I have been blessed with a massive stack of food books to review. It's taking me some time, especially with our own manuscript due very soon. But, I will be getting to that stack.

The only problem — besides needing another couple hours in a day — is that I have run out of shelf space. So, I've decided to share the wealth with all of you. Starting November, there will be one book of the month prize awarded to a randomly drawn name from all the NON-SPAM comments that are left on the book post for the month. I'll post the lucky winner each month and the title of the next giveaway.

November's book is Vegan Lunch Box Around the World by Jennifer McCann. So, leave a legitimate comment on each month's giveaway announcement (like this post), then check back at the end of November to see if you won! I'll post how to contact me with an address where to send your FREE book.

FTC and Bloggers

I was crushed recently with the news that Gourmet is no more. It's been depressing to watch the passing of newspapers and now, likely, the single best food magazine. Worse, for me personally, has been watching my own local newspaper minimize its James Beard Award winning food section.

It begs the question, who will be the source of writing on seasonal, local, ethical eating and cooking? There are a few bright spots online such as Ethicurean. Sources that play at the national level across issues. But what about my local foodshed?

I would have to guess that some of that local content will be filled in by bloggers. People like me. Thing is, as hard as I try, I can't replace a full time staff of journalists. I do adhere to standards of good research, fact checking and journalistic ethics. But, not all bloggers have that background.

The FTC has moved to close some of that inconsistency. Bloggers are now required to be transparent about any product or service they write about, if that product or service has been provided to them for free. So:

Courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing, I will be attending the following event here in our KC area. Spots are still available!

Meet Chef

JOHN BESH

Monday, October 19, 2009

at a four-course dinner at Jasper’s

featuring dishes from

Chef Besh’s first cookbook

My New Orleans

Dinner includes non-alcoholic

drinks and dessert

Alcohol, tax, and gratuity additional

Cost: $75.00; includes a signed copy

of My New Orleans

Reservations: (816) 941-6600

Here's the thing. If I did not want to attend the event, I would not have accepted the offer of the ticket. Besh appears to be one of the chefs that actually walks the walk on local sourcing. I want to find out in person. I want to taste the food. I'll let you know how it goes. If you aren't already going, too.

Fall Colors

Last Heat of Summer

It's already getting cool, a few golden leaves showing and the school buses are back on the road. Summer has faded, and the last bit of its bounty can still be found at the market. Tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers of all shapes, colors and heat. It's a good time to grab that last bit of sunshine and make fresh salsa. Easy as well.

Fresh, Roasted Salsa

5 tomatoes, all colors, cored, seeded and quartered

5 small tomatillos, (I used purple, yellow and green), outer husk removed, halved

1 large onion, stem and root cut off, cut in eighths

5 peppers, 2 red bell, 1 poblano, 1 jalapeno, 1 green, 1 banana (or your preference)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (give them a whack with the side of the chef's knife)

2 tbs. canola oil

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place veggies on a baking sheet. Toss with oil, spread to one layer. Roast in oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until you get some golden edges, but not burnt.

Allow to cool, blend in food processor, just pulsing until roughly chopped. Add cilantro, pulse a few more times. Add salt to taste, pulse to blend. Enjoy with chips.

Mmmm, Bacon, Sweet Bacon

I had this dish in a tapas restaurant in Chicago and made a note to try it at home. Usually, I prefer thick-cut bacon, local, from heritage pork. If you can find something of that caliber sliced extra thin, this is really good. If you can't, the applewood-smoked nitrate-free variety works well. Now, if you are "unlucky" enough to only be able to get the thick-cut good stuff, just do a single wrap on the dates. It won't be as pretty (see photo) but it tastes so good, no one will care.

Bacon-wrapped Dates and Almonds

1 lb. bacon slices

15 dates

30 Marcona Spanish almonds

1 tbs. butter

1 tbs. flour

1/2 cup whole milk

4 oz. bleu cheese

salt and pepper to taste

also needed: 10 bamboo skewers

Cut each bacon slice in half, horizontally, set aside with skewers. Slice each date length-wise and remove the seed. Tuck one almond inside each half date. Fold the date around the almond. Repeat with all of the dates and almonds.

Next wrap half a bacon slice around a date bundle width-wise. Repeat with the other half bacon slice vertically. Slide the skewer through to hold the little bundle together. Repeat, placing three bacon-date bundles on each skewer.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the skewers on a baking sheet. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. While the bacon bundles are baking (say that fast three times) melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to make a blond roux. Cook for about two minutes. Slowly add the milk while whisking. The sauce should thicken well.

Add the bleu cheese in crumbles, whisking as you go, until you get a thick sauce. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve the skewers with the bleu cheese sauce on the side.

Ode to September

I love this month. Not because I am a Virgo. Believe me, after the fourth decade ticks over, you find other things to celebrate that are more fun. September is just magic. The last of summer's bounty of tomatoes, corn, peppers and stone fruit mingles with the first of fall's pears, apples and pumpkins. The second burst of greens and lettuces are available. You just can't not eat well this month.

Sugar High Fridays August Edition

Happy Friday! Sugar High Friday, that is. This month's SHF has a bit of a twist, Vegetable Surprise! All entries are a dessert that leverages vegetables in the ingredients. I was impressed with the creativity and some of the Indian desserts that were posted. What a great way to get that extra serving of vegetables in your day!

Anna from Life's Too Short For Mediocre Chocolate posted Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies! She describes the dish as "Soft, chocolatey, and a little spicy with a kick of cinnamon. Perfect for Fall's hot chocolate nights."

Rinku from Cooking in Westchester shares Beetroot Halwa. This halwa, a type of pudding, is prepared by simmering beets in milk, cardamom and sugar with a glossy finish of clarified butter.

Halwa was a popular approach for this month's theme. Ramki posted several different types of Halwa for other vegetables at her site, One Page Cookbooks. Recipes include Carrot, Bottle Gourd, Chayote, and fruit-based Halwa.

Sugar High Fridays, or SHF, was started by Jennifer at Domestic Goddess. Each host for a roundup chooses a theme and all of you post a dessert recipe for the theme. To get an idea of what Sugar High Friday is all about, look at these recent roundups:

May, Sweet Without the Wheat (Gluten Free Desserts)

June, Fruit and Nut

July, All Time Favorite Desserts

August, Vegetable Surprise!

Sharing the Love

Just wanted to say "Thanks!" for the recent coverage of the blog. And also to Saveur magazine for the nice surprise I got today seeing links to this site under the "Sites We Love" section there. Very cool. Over at my other online gig, I just finished an interview with Chef Preeti Mystri who will appear on Season Six of Top Chef tonight. Check that out if you get a moment.

Sugar High Fridays August Edition

This month I am happy to host the SHF August 2009, with the theme of "Vegetable Surprise!" That's right, put your best "Iron Chef" on and get crazy with the dessert course — use of ice cream maker allowed. C'mon make us WANT to eat those veggies whether you make it deceptively delicious or just darn delectable, bring it on!

Sugar High Fridays, or SHF, was started by Jennifer at Domestic Goddess. Each host for a roundup chooses a theme and all of you post a dessert recipe for the theme. To get an idea of what Sugar High Friday is all about, look at these recent roundups:

May, Sweet Without the Wheat (Gluten Free Desserts)

June, Fruit and Nut

July, All Time Favorite Desserts

Rules for Participation:

1. You can make any dessert you want, as long as it contains a bit of vegetable for one ingredient. Your post must include a link to this blog's announcement and a link to

2. Send your entries to farmerfare@gmail.com with subject line SHF-August. Please send your entries in English only, or with a link to the page which has English translation on your blog. Include in your entry:

• Name of blog and link
• Permalink for your post
• Description of recipe
• Image no larger than 200 pixels wide (height can vary).

3. The deadline for sending in your entries is Monday, August 24, 2009. Maximum of TWO (2) entries per blog.

4. The roundup will be posted on the last Friday of August (the 28th), so come back and make sure your entry is a part of the mega-roundup.

5. Non-Bloggers are welcome to email me their recipes, and I'll surely include them in the roundup as well. Or leave your recipe in the comments section of the final roundup post.

Summer Risotto

This is perfect as a light summer meal with a salad and fresh melon on the side.

Summer Risotto
For vegetables
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, mixed varieties, sliced in halves
3 corn cobs, shucked and kernels sliced off
1 red pepper, diced
1 shallot diced
2 scallions, sliced, white part and one inch of the greens
1 tbs. canola oil

For the risotto
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup white wine
1-1/4 cup aborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs. olive oil

Garnish
2 tbs. chopped basil
1 tbs. chopped parsley
2 tbs. grated parmesan


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

To get the kernels off the corn, hold the cob vertical, place the knife along the side and cut down. Turn the cob and repeat. Do this over the tray or bowl. You'll want to keep all the sweet milk the corn releases when you cut.

Mix the vegetables on a baking sheet with the canola oil. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring if needed, until they just begin to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

Bring the water and stock to a gentle simmer in one pot. In another pot, heat the oil and add the rice. Saute the rice in the olive oil for a couple minutes until the grains are translucent. Add the hot stock a ladle at a time. Stir until the rice absorbs the stock, then add the next ladle. Finish with the wine. When all the liquid has been absorbed, the risotto should be al dente and ready.

Gently fold in the vegetables, herbs and parmesan.

Harvest Garden

It was an 80-degree Sunday with a cool wind. Perfect weather, and rare for late July. We needed to get outside. Not too far away, Powell Gardens just opened twelve acres of food gardens, the nation's largest edible landscape. Beyond the typical row crop, the garden artistically mixes vegetables, fruits and herbs in a beautiful landscape. At the edge, a cafe serves food made from picked-that-day produce.

After an inspiring walk, where I actually believe for a moment I can overcome my gardening dysfunction, we ate then walked the rest of the gardens, acres of flowers and waterfalls and a glass chapel.

Sometimes, you don't have to go far from home to feel like you are on vacation.

Go Ahead, Play with Your Food

Lately, it's been a bit of a struggle at dinner time. No, not over food. Manners. Seems like more than the kiddo can bear to remain seated, use a fork she's been using well for years, and just focus. Hmmm. I can recall my own struggles. They ended with a solid thump of a spoon to the middle of my forehead. A firm tap, dealt out by my dad, who had the longest arms of any human ever known. Or at least it felt that way from the farthest end of the table or the corner of the back seat.

Temporary attention span issues aside, let's think about this for a moment. Maybe dinner should be fun. Food should be fun. Like legos. Maybe not molecular gastronomy smoking and levitating over the plate, but just add a little something to the topography once in a awhile.

So, I played. Basically, this is just grilled vegetables with some spreads and polenta. Yes, I used polenta in the tube. I've not gone all "semi-homemade" on you guys. The only addition to the polenta in the tube is water. It's not ready to go, unless you slice it into circles and bake it. Which works really well. The rest is just stacking up grilled veggies and using pesto for spackle. Don't heat up the grill and oven both just for this one. Wait til you were going to throw something on the grill anyway.

Eggplant Stacks
For the grill
1 small eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch rounds
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch rounds
canola oil
salt and pepper

For the oven
1 tube of plain polenta, sliced 1/2 inch rounds

For the spreads
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/2 cup kalamata olive tapenade (recipe below)
3 roasted red peppers, cut in strips
1 recipe roasted tomatoes (recipe below)
4 oz. goat cheese

Prepare all the pesto and spreads. Oil, salt and pepper the vegetables for the grill.

Now, you can buy the pesto and the olive spread (not that it's better, but you can). Other time saving steps — well, my husband does all the grilling. That helps a lot! Grill these just a few minutes a side on a medium-hot grill. The grill marks are nice to have.

Preheat oven broiler on low.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place rounds on the sheet. Broil for a few minutes until golden brown.

Assemble the stacks in this order polenta, 1 tsp. basil pesto, 1 slice zucchini, 1 tsp. olive tapendade, 1 slice eggplant, top with a few red pepper strips and some of the roasted tomatoes, then a tablespoon of the goat cheese. Repeat with the other rounds and veggies. If you are making this in a larger quantity, doubling for a party even, you can keep these warm in the oven before serving.

Kalamata Olive Tapenade
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 large clove garlic
1/3 cup, or about 3 roasted red peppers (jar is fine)
1/3 cup pine nuts
black pepper to taste

Put the garlic in the food processor first, then the nuts and red peppers, olives last. Try to keep some of the texture, not just puree, to use the pulse method instead of just turning it on. This dip is amazing with pita chips and bruscetta or a antipasta platter as well. "Pitted" kalamatas are not always all pitted, so for the benefit of your food processor (trust me on this one) check the olives for pits as you put them in.

Roasted Tomatoes
12 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups), stemmed
2 tbs. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tbs. chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and marjoram in large bowl. Place tomatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes are blistered, about 35 minutes. Top with chopped basil. These work well in other recipes, but also make a delicious and easy pasta dish when tossed with cooked pasta and a bit of grated parmesan.

Go Ahead, Play with Your Food

Summer Treats

Lately, I have been exploring homemade frozen fruit bar recipes. It's ridiculously easy, and yet the kiddo is totally impressed that Mommy can make popsicles. I guess it's the simple things in life. As long as she keeps eating eggplant and squash disguised as lasagne, I am happy to hand her a "dessert" with two servings of fruit packed into it. She doesn't have to know all this is healthy.

The first round of popsicles I made were peach, honey and herb. Really good. But have to save that one for the book project. The other one was a bit more creative.

Pineapple-Cilantro Frozen Fruit Bars
1/2 of a pineapple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 cup orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbs. agave nectar
1 tbs. chopped cilantro

Put all but the cilantro in the blender and blend until smooth. Fold in the cilantro (to keep the popsicle from ending up greenish). Pour into six popsicle molds and freeze at least two hours.

Just before the last bit where you pour the mix into molds, I was very tempted to dump in some ice and about six ounces of rum. It's been that kind of few weeks, kids. And it still sounds good. So, there's another approach. Note that the rum will prevent your mix from freezing into actual popsicles, in case you were thinking about that.

Whichever way you choose to make this, enjoy!

Mushrooms, Peas and Herbs for Spring

Our first CSA box this year held a nice surprise, oyster mushrooms. I decided to take a very light hand with the recipe for these.

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 medium shallot, diced
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen)
1/4 cup tarragon leaves
2 tbs. butter
1 oz. cognac
1 oz. Parmesan (enough to grate over the top of the dish)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cooked linguine

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the shallot and cook one minute. Add the mushrooms and cook another five minutes. Add the peas. Cook another 2 minutes. Add cognac, let liquid get absorbed, about another minute. Finish with salt, pepper, and the fresh tarragon. Toss with the pasta and grate the cheese over the top.

Happy Memorial Day

Just got back from my favorite race, an 8K that runs through the most beautiful neighborhood in my fair city. More than that, the race benefits brain injury association, and my father was head injured. There's a moment at the start of the race where they introduce the year's honoree and that hard road of recovery. Always get a lump in the throat.

It's also on Memorial Day, and this is a particularly powerful combination since many of the vets returning from Iraq and Middle East have sustained head injuries. Took a moment at the opening prayer and the national anthem to remember the vets.

I would have to say my training regimen is, well, less than strict. We worked on building the perfect margarita last night. If you know me, you know I can only have a couple drinks of hard stuff and I am giddy. Any more, and I am asleep. Yes, I have left my own party before to go lie down. Some host.

BB's Two Drink Maximum Margarita
1.5 oz good tequila
2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz; agave nectar
1.5 oz. Corona beer
3/4 oz. Triple Sec

Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice. Strain over crushed ice. Makes a tall one. The agave comes from the same cactus used to make the tequila. This replaces simple syrup with something that has more flavor and married well with the tequila. These are tart and not sticky sweet. And strong.

Served this with grilled steak and vegetable salads. The spouse does the grilling.
Grilled Steak Salad
For the rub
1 tsp. Ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp. canola oil

1 lb. sirloin steak
mesquite chips, soaked in water
Rub the meat with the oil and spices before grilling. Add the chips over the coals.

Veggies
1 bunch spring onions, with a few inches of green attached
2 tbsp. butter in small pieces
1 oz. tequila (happy onions)
salt and pepper to taste

1-2 red peppers, rubbed with canola oil

1 lb. batch roasted tomatoes
(split tomatoes in half, toss with 1 tbsp. canola oil, 1 tsp. brown sugar, salt and pepper. Roast in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes).

4 cups fresh salad greens
1/2 cup crumbled queso blanco cheese

Dressing, Whisk together
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ancho chile pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Some assembly required. Okay. The onions get packed in a double layer of foil and go onto the grill for 30 minutes, indirect heat. The red pepper gets a nice sear and some indirect time. Meat gets about 4-6 minutes a side depending on how thick your steak is and how rare you like your meat. The wet chips go on the coals to make some nice smoke.

After the meat rests, slice it thin. Top the greens with the onions, tomatoes and peppers and beef. Drizzle on dessing and top with the queso fresco crumbles.

Radish Chimichurri

I have to say, I have never loved radishes. I can eat one, bit of salt, but it's not a taste I love. It is an interesting flavor, though. A kind of sharp, spicy that could go well with other tastes. But what?

Always, always, turn to what else is in season. What's growing alongside the radish? Spring. Herbs. Mint. Cilantro.

The idea reminded me of a sauce I had on meat at an Argentinian restaurant — chimchurri. Generally made with parsely, but maybe that tangy bite could work.

It does. Well. Served on grilled flank steak. Enjoy.

Radish Chimichurri
1/2 cup cilantro, packed leaves
1/4 cup parsley, packed leaves
1/4 cup mint, packed leaves
20 small radishes, 1/2-1 inch diameter
4 spring onions, white plus 1 inch of green
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/8-1/4 crushed red pepper

Add radish to food processor and pulse, add onions, pulse. Add herbs, drizzle in oil and vinegar with processor running. Blend in salt and red pepper. Desired texture is coarse, not a puree.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope you are having an easy Sunday.

I'm the last person to give advice on gardening or parenting. But, hey, it's the day, so here goes. I've been out weeding under the watchful gaze of the Buddha rock. He sits in the garden and reminds me about patience. The weeds will always come back and the work I put in only lasts so long. Over time, planting perennials, though, the ugly corner under the trees is taking shape.

What does this have to do with parenting? A few thoughts that came to mind while in the garden. First, it takes constant work. It's a lot easier to keep the garden going if you pay attention to it. Pulling weeds before they take over, when they are just a small problem. Constant work.

I tend to only plant perennials. The first year, they did not look like much. But each year, they grow. I like planting the seeds that will grow for a long time and take on a life of their own.

Finally, the garden is a bit of chaos. Some ivy from under the fence, a present from the neighbor. No planning at all, just placing bulbs here and there where there's an open spot. It would be a master gardener's nightmare. But I like the wildness. I like to let the plants just go. A little wildness makes things stronger.

I'll never be one for bonsai. Keeping a tree tiny and bound is not my approach to gardening or parenting. The beauty of a grown tree, bent against the wind, roots deep, branches reaching for the sky. That's the way it should be.