It almost seems silly to slide this dish, as delicious as it is, across the table to you right now when it would seem spring has officially come to visit my neck of the woods (as I write, there’s a thunderstorm rolling through!).  You see, this rustic savory bread pudding is full of winter delights – parsnips, sweet potato, farm fresh eggs, and leeks – when you might very well be able to snag some fresh greens already from your progressive local farmer who’s been putting his or her hoop house to good use.  But let’s face it, crisp tender green things are still few and far between and with the cool rainy days sure to come yet, a hearty helping of this bread pudding will do you a world of good. 

When you sit and contemplate the ingredients in this recipe, it’s hard to think of a dish that would provide a more balanced meal.  I say this to possibly justify the fact that I ate the entire casserole dish of it myself over the course of last week; it was such a wonderful microwaved lunch!  In any case, it has loads of protein from the eggs, lots and lots of vitamins from the vegetables (including much needed vitamin C with the wave of sniffles going around), and ample carbs to rev you up.  And, if you can be a real optimist, there’s a good bit calcium from the heavy cream. 

Individual ingredients and their notable merits aside, it’s the entirety of this dish that makes it worthy of your dinner table of lunchtime Tupperware.  The flavor is rich and the texture comfortingly soft and filling.  And the aroma while it’s in the oven is sure to draw a hungry crowd, eager to dig in.  It’s worth noting though that I actually enjoyed this bread pudding more after it had spent a night ruminating in the fridge, its flavors playing leapfrog and tumbling together.

Oh, before I let you scurry off to gather ingredients or go back to your busy work day,  just remember that now is the time to sign up for a CSA share for the coming season so you can get a box of delicious produce every week without fail.  Don’t put it off as the CSAs around here at least fill up fast.  Here’s a link to a national directory of farms that provide a CSA option.  You can also check for others at www.localharvest.org.  And if you live in Philadelphia, last I heard, Henry Got Crops (a part of the Weavers Way Farm sites) still had shares available.   Soon there’ll be asparagus and rhubarb and tender greens aplenty.  Yum!

P.S. – The amazing pottery pieces in the photos today are handmade by the talented guys at Ripple Pottery out of New Hampshire.  Aren’t they beautifully organic in their colors and shapes? 

Parsnip Leek Potato Bread Pudding
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 large or 2 small parsnips
1 medium sweet potato
1 large leek
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. butter
1 C. vegetable stock
1/2 t. fresh rosemary, finely minced
1 t. dried marjoram
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 C. heavy cream
3 T. melted butter
5 eggs
1 t. fresh grated nutmeg
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Begin by scrubbing the parsnips and sweet potato well, peeling (if desired), and coarsely grating using the large holes on a box grater or food processor.  Set aside. 

Slice the leeks very thinly, discarding the dark green parts.  Place in a bowl of water and swish to remove all grit and sand.  Drain off water and lay leeks on a paper towel to dry. 

In a large skillet, heat the oil and two tablespoons of butter until hot and melted.  Add the prepared vegetables and stir briskly to coat evenly.  Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes; when vegetables begin to look a little dry, add the cup of vegetable stock and turn down the heat to medium low so vegetable can simmer.  Add the rosemary , marjoram and cumin and stir well.  Continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and translucent.  Take off the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before mixing with the remaining ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. 

In the biggest bowl you have, whisk the heavy cream, three tablespoons of melted butter, eggs, and nutmeg until well combined.  Add 3/4 cup of the cheese, holding back the remainder to use on top of the bread pudding.   Stir in the vegetable mixture and then fold in the bread cubes.* 

Prepared a shallow 2 quart baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray.  Carefully pour in the bread mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Spray another piece of foil with non-stick spray on one side and lay that side down over top of the bread pudding, loosely folding over the edges of the dish.  Bake for about 50 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.  Remove foil and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes until top is beautifully browned and crunchy. 

*At this point, you can cover the bowl in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and put it in the fridge overnight if you’d like to prepare this dish in advance.   The bread pudding is also excellent  as reheated leftovers. 

(serves 8-10)

Well, hello there!  Great news…SFTF is featured on Design*Sponge today!  Welcome, all D*S readers!  If you’re an SFTF reader (not to drive home any ideas of “camps” here among you all) who has yet to stumble upon D*S, it is a site full of amazing inspirational posts from some of the most creative minds in the world.  The topics and projects featured there never cease to amaze me!  And I’m addicted, checking in on the D*S divas at least twice a day. 

My recipe on D*S for Perfect Pumpkin Risotto is one that I conjured up many months ago, and I’ve been biting my nails ever since, anxious to share this heavenly and comforting winter dish with you.  Unfortunately, the season for buying local pumpkins is likely passed in most parts at this point.  But perhaps you’ve been holding on to one or two in your cellar, hoping to carry memories of glowing autumn days just a little deeper into the pale dimness of winter.  Or, as you all are probably well-aware of by now (am I driving this point home too much?),  pumpkin puree is a miracle ingredient and if you’ve got a stash, this risotto is well worth a cup or two.  To replicate the “chunks” without any fresh pumpkin on hand here in the depths of winter, you could cube and roast sweet potatoes instead. 

Please be sure to click over to Design Sponge to see the post there and perhaps leave some SFTF love for me?  M’wah! 

~

Perfect Pumpkin Risotto
A Straight from the Farm Original

Pumpkin
1 large or 2 small eating pumpkins
2 t. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t. coarse sea salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. finely minced fresh rosemary
pinch of white pepper
1 firm ripe pear

Risotto
3 C. vegetable stock
3 T. butter
1/2 C. diced onion
1 1/2 C. aborrio rice
1/2 C. white wine or sherry cooking wine
1/2 t. finely minced fresh rosemary
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 C. pumpkin puree (above)
1 C. roasted pumpkin cubes (above)
1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C. heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
sprigs of rosemary to garnish

* The pumpkin portion of this recipe can be prepared in advance and stored in sealed containers in the fridge for 2-3 days before making the risotto or frozen for several months.  Just thaw completely before making the risotto.

Begin with making the pumpkin puree and roasted cubes.  Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Cut the pumpkin(s) in half with a very sharp knife (be careful!) and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon.  Place one half of the pumpkin cut side down in a baking dish and put about a half inch of water in the bottom.  Place in oven and bake until a fork slides through the skin easily and the flesh is very soft, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and use tongs to place the pumpkin cut side up on a cool surface to let off some of the heat.   When pumpkin can be handle (use a dish towel if you’re in a hurry), scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon and place in a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.  Set aside.  You can freeze any extras in a freezer bag for use later. 

While the first pumpkin half is baking, prepare the second half of the pumpkin by using a good vegetable peeler to remove the skin and cutting the uncooked flesh into small cubes.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place pumpkin cubes on it.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat evenly.  Add the nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, rosemary, and white pepper.  Wash the pear but do not peel it.  Halve, core and dice the pear into smaller pieces than the pumpkin.  Add the pear to the pumpkin on the sheet and toss everything with your hands to combine all the ingredients.  Place in the oven and bake until tender and golden at the edges, about 25 minutes. 

Once the pumpkin is well on its way to being done, begin to work on the risotto. Put the vegetable stock in a medium saucepan over low heat to come to a simmer. 

Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.  When it is melted, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir for about two minutes so it can absorb the butter and toast a bit.  Add the wine and let everything simmer for another minute or two until the wine is absorbed. 

Set a timer for 18 minutes.  Add about half a cup of hot stock to the risotto and stir constantly until it is absorbed.  Add another half cup of stock and repeat this process until 18 minutes is up.   Add the pumpkin puree, nutmeg, rosemary and a final half cup of stock and stir vigorously to combine.  When risotto has once again become thick and creamy, add the roasted pumpkin cubes and grated cheese and stir again to combine.  Finally, finish the risotto by stirring in the heavy cream and adding pepper and salt to taste.  

Serve immediately while hot, garnishing with addition grated cheese and a sprig of rosemary on each plate. 

(serves 6)

I’m snickering to myself  a little bit here as I write today’s post.  You see, I’ve been up to no good (or rather “oh-so-good”) in the kitchen again using my weapon of choice, pumpkin, in decadent preparations.  And I would really love to share those recipes with you right now, but I’m desperately trying to behave just a bit and offer you vegetables while we all are still sorting through our New Year’s resolutions.  Veggies are good too, especially these tasty Rosemary Cumin Glazed Carrots and Parsnips. 

I’m rather traditional when it comes to my savory side dishes on the dinner table.  I like them to be straightforward in their savory classification, and glazed carrots have always been a little too sweet for me.  I know, I’m being a stickler, but that’s just the way I feel about basic glazed carrots.   When I want my carrots sweet, I put them in deliciously moist cakes. 

To resolve my “issues” with glazed carrots, I decided to add distinctively savory notes to them to balance the flavors to be more to my liking.  Cumin has always been a favorite spice of mine; the smoky undertones it gives to dishes being one I find highly addictive.   Rosemary, of course, is always alluring with its powerful oil and fragrance.  There’s a reason Shakespeare aligned rosemary with remembrance in the lines of Hamlet; just the slightest whiff of this herb and it carries me away on warm breezes to  sunny afternoons tending my garden or the hikes I took while traveling in Portugal where rosemary grew wild. 

The inclusion of parsnips also adds more depth to the savory side of these glazed carrots as I find parsnip to have a hint of dark anise in their flavor.  I find that parsnips often baffle cooks that are new to them, but they are rather easy to include in any dish that calls for carrots.  I bought my parsnips at the farmers market at the end of the season but the carrots are those that grew in my garden both last spring and fall.  It’s amazing to me how long carrots will last in storage.  What a treat to have fresh locally grown vegetables in January! 

Rosemary Cumin Glazed Carrots & Parsnips
A Straight from the Farm original

1 lb. medium carrots
1 large parsnip
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. finely minced fresh rosemary
2 small green onions, sliced thin
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. wild flower honey
salt

Begin by washing and peeling the carrots.  Use a sharp knife to slice the carrots in half lengthwise and trim off the thin ends so they cook evenly.  Place face down in a single layer in a large skillet or saucepan.   Add just enough water to cover the carrots completely.  Set over medium high heat on the stove.   Sprinkle in the cumin, rosemary, and just a very small pinch of salt.   Add the butter in a big hunk that will then melt down into the carrots.  Drizzle the honey over the carrots and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the liquid is just about evaporated and carrots are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.    Still working over the heat, toss the carrots in the skillet a few times to make sure they are getting evenly coated with the glazing that was produced by the evaporated liquids.  Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and toss some more. 

Remove from heat and serve while hot.  Can be stored in the fridge and reheated over low heat. 

(serves 4-6)

I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with cauliflower.  It’s one of those vegetables I was somewhat forced to eat as a kid and, though I squirmed in my chair, I managed to get it down.  Thankfully my mom usually took mercy on us kids and combined it with broccoli and cheese.   And in my mind’s eye, cauliflower was always just that:  broccoli’s pale and tasteless cousin. 

I’m not going to lie to you…I was pretty much hitting the nail on the head with my childhood assessment of cauliflower.  As a cook with a passion for putting local produce to use though, I’ve discovered that cauliflower is just a vehicle for shuttling other amazing flavors into your mouth.  Case and point: that dreamy Creamy Cauliflower Garlic Soup that I made last winter and the Roasted Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Mash I declared the “perfect dish” many moons ago. 

When a mammoth head of cauliflower at the last-of-the-season farmers market made its way into my shopping bag along with a small tub of the most mouth-watering sun-dried tomato marinated goat cheese from my friend at Shellbark Hollow Farm, the wheels in my head began to turn in that way that makes me giddy as I can nearly taste the flavors coming together.  The only thing that needed sousing out was how to prepare the cauliflower…

Pan searing a vegetable like cauliflower gives you the opportunity to infuse it with the flavors of high-quality olive oil and a good butter as well as any herbs or seasoning.  I heated sprigs of rosemary in my skillet, giving the finished cauliflower a wonderful wafting aroma that enticed me to eat a few pieces even before the sauce was ready.  I have to say, if I had to eat “plain” cauliflower, this is the preparation I would always use.  The slices were tender but not at all soggy, and the searing added a great deal of depth to an otherwise bland vegetable. 

The real star of this show though is the sauce.   It really is reminiscent of creamy vodka sauce, but it’s a much simpler one to put together.  The key is to find yourself some outstanding local goat cheese that hasn’t been over processed.  Just a few tablespoons makes this sauce a stand-out.   Next time I’ll be sure to make a double batch since I also really enjoyed having the little bit of leftovers over a bowl of pasta the next day.   So, while cauliflower hasn’t made its way to the tippy top of my favorite vegetables list, it can be quite tasty when it finds a good dinner companion. 

. 

Pan Seared Cauliflower & Creamy Tomato Sauce
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 large head of cauliflower
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. butter
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 T. finely minced garlic
1 T. tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
3 T. goat cheese
3 T. heavy cream
1/2 t. fresh oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Scrub the cauliflower.  Use a large sharp knife to cut the cauliflower into slices about a half inch thick.  If big pieces of the core/stem come with a slice, you can remove it, being careful to keep the slice intact. 

Heat a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter over high heat in a large heavy skillet until the butter is melted.  Put one sprig of rosemary in the hot skillet and give it a shake to get it coated.  Lay one layer of cauliflower slices in the hot skillet and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes or until you start seeing the browning around the edges.  Use a spatula to carefully flip the pieces over, giving the pan a gentle shake once they are all turned over to redistribute the oil and butter.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until second side is also golden and the pieces are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Repeat this process, adding an additional tablespoon of oil and of butter to the hot skillet before each new batch of cauliflower.  Keep seared cauliflower under foil or in a warm oven to keep it hot until ready to serve. 

To make the sauce, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and a sprig of rosemary.  Stir until fragrant and garlic is turning golden.  Add the tomato paste and stir briskly to incorporate.  Add the diced tomatoes and allow mixture to simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly.  Use a potato masher or large spoon to break up the larger chunks of tomato.  Add the goat cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and mixed into the sauce.   Stir in the cream and oregano.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. 

To serve, plate up the cauliflower and top with the warm sauce.  Cauliflower and sauce can be made the day before and reheated  (cauliflower in the oven and sauce on the stove works best) just before serving.  Also delicious when served over a pile of warm whole wheat pasta. 

(serves 4)

I’m sitting on the porch today to write this post, soaking up the autumn rays of the heavy late-afternoon sun.  It requires a good deal of squinting to see my laptop’s screen, but it’s worth it . I can understand why the pilgrims chose this time of the year to give thanks.  Every warm moment in the fading fall sun seems like a precious gift.  And really, when I think about my life right now, hectic as heck and strung out as it is, I’m really really lucky to have so many good things and good people bumping along with me on this mysterious ride. 

Sorry if I’m a bit moody and wordy today.  In addition to the amber autumn sunbeams making me warm and fuzzy, I’ve had an interesting week with lots of “potential” for fulfilling some of my quirky visions for the future and lots of opportunities to reflect on my past while peeling and canning gobs of fruit and vegetables.  More details on all of that later.  All you really need to know is that my mind is in an interesting place at the moment.  

There is a recipe in here somewhere, I swear.  But let me bend your ear for just a bit longer.  As you know, cooking holds a lot of memories for me.  And local food holds a lot of passion for me.  And urban farming stirs my imagination in ways I will only hint at most of the time for fear you all think I’m nuts.  One reason I find these three things so compelling is the fact food is so critical to the welfare of our community – not just for nutritional value, but also as a means for mending neighborhoods and bringing families and strangers alike together. 

So many of our modern cities are still plagued by “food deserts”, blocks or whole neighborhoods where access to fresh produce and other healthy food choices is extremely limited, and it’s no doubt hard for individuals in these areas to get “three square meals” a day.  If I had my perfect world, there would be an urban farm dedicated to growing food just for the surrounding neighborhood in every part of our city.  And also in that perfect world, neighbors would gather together to take the fresh bounty and work to put it in jars to preserve it for winter so no one would have to worry about catching three buses and walking five blocks just to get some green beans and fruit for their kids in the bitter cold of January. 

Unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet.  In the meantime, there are still many neighborhoods and neighbors within them that need some help getting decent food to set on their tables.  Over the past year, food pantries have seen a 33 percent increase in demand, while their costs have climbed 20 percent, due to rising food prices and fewer donations.  I can’t imagine those pressures are going to lessen any time soon.  It’s not often that I jump on the corporate benefactor cheerleading squad, but Stroehmann (ya’ know, the bread guys) has started a Nourishing Neighbors™ campaign that donates 10 cents of every purchase of Stroehmann King and Stroehmann Dutch Country bread to the Great Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger when you buy their products at an Acme or Giant supermarket from now until November 7th.  Many of these stores are also hosting food drives at the same time so you can toss a few cans into the donation box if you’re not in need of any bread.  Or, I know from personal experience, food banks love to get fresh produce from local gardeners so if you have anything left in your garden yet this year, consider gleaning it and dropping it off at the food bank. 

So thanks in advance for lending a hand to help nourish our city’s neighborhoods.  I know many of you aren’t in Philadelphia, but I’m sure there’s a similar way to help out the hungry in your neck of the woods.  How delightful would it be if everyone in your town could have a hot plate of food before them tonight?  Perhaps that plate should have an aromatic and steamy Vegetarian Stuffed Patty Pan Squash on it?  They are very tasty, filling, and nutritious.   Perfect!

Vegetarian Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 unpeeled head of garlic
4 medium patty pan (or scallop) squash
1 can (15 oz) butter beans
1 T. butter
1 small onion
1 t. finely minced fresh rosemary
1 t. fresh marjoram
1 T. fresh minced chives
½ C. grated parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling
generous dashes of salt and pepper
lemon slices to garnish/squeeze

*Stuffing can be made the day before; just store stuffing and “shells” separately in the fridge in air-tight containers.

Using a sharp knife, cut the top half inch off the head of garlic.  Set garlic on a sheet of foil and top with butter and a dash of salt.  Draw up edges of foil and create a sealed pouch to enclose the garlic.  Bake at 400 F until garlic is soft when squeezed, about 45 minutes.  Carefully unwrap and let stand to cool.

Wash the squash and slice about a ½ inch off the top.  Place squash (including “tops”) in a large saucepan and fill with water to about half way up the squash.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until a sharp knife easily slides into the squash.  Drain off water and allow to cool.

While garlic is roasting and the patty pan steaming, drain and rinse your can of beans.  Place in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 2 minutes.  This step is required, but it helps to loosen up the beans.  Use a potato masher to mash the beans into a smooth pulp.  Set aside.

When squash is cool enough to handle (I hold mine in a dish towel when in a hurry), use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, being careful not to pierce the sides or bottom.   Set “shells” in a baking dish and set aside.   Chop scooped flesh up as best you can.
 
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Mince the onion and add along with the squash flesh to the skillet. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sautee until golden brown.  Add the herbs and sautee for another minute.   Add the mashed beans, roasted garlic and parmesan. Stir well to combine.  Season again with salt and pepper, tasting to make sure you like it.
 
Carefully spoon the filling into the squash shells in the baking dish, mounding to up at the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle generously with additional parmesan cheese and salt.  Place “tops” back on squash, but do not press them down.  Bake until golden brown and hot, about 15-20 minutes.
 
Serve immediately garnished with wedges of lemon and sprigs of herbs. 

(serves 4)

I’d better hurry up and post this recipe for Grilled Basil Garlic Corn Coins.  I realize the last days of fresh-picked local corn on the cob are upon us, at least for this season.   This second dish on my recently full summer plate is the perfect way to savor those last few ears that show up at the farmers market.  Because the grilling imparts a smokey and more savory flavor to the corn, it’s a good preparation for corn that’s reached its end and may not be as sweet as it once was when the season was young.   Plus it just looks beautiful cut into coins like this, doesn’t it?   Good way to impress your dinner guests. 

I spent the weekend with my family at the farm and enjoyed plenty of funny moments watching my young niece and nephew cover their faces in corn as they raced to eat their ears like typewriters.  There was also a race to eat the most watermelon the fastest.  I won that one, of course.   Spending time there at the farm, immersed in nature and family, is always rejuvenating for my soul.  Most weekends, D can attest to my groans come Sunday evening, when I rather predictably mutter something to the effect that the weekend went way to fast.  While I was visiting with my family, enjoying working alongside my mom on some projects, picking the tail end of the garden harvests with my dad, and taking sun-kissed walks with the family dog, I was amazed at how long the days felt, stretching on for hours in the best way possible.  Something about the beauty of wide open fields and the low light of autumn that slows the clock’s hands. 

In those fields was plenty of corn, mostly the kind you feed to cows and pigs.  But tucked in a few places are stands of sweet corn.  My parents still use the same picking bag, made of an old feed sack, that my great grandmother had sewn long before I was born.  It’s an interesting design, one that slings over your shoulder like a messenger’s bag, but it’s completely sewn shut save for a relatively small hold by the strap on one end.  This hole is just big enough to slid an ear of corn through lengthwise, and yet because it’s narrow enough that you can bend over and move freely without worrying about spilling out your load.  Ingenious, no?  

I guess it was being back at “ground zero” for all my food origins that really stirred up so many memories about how we used to pick a shocking amount of corn as a family on summer evenings and then sit around in a circle on lawn chairs outside to husk, brush and cut out any worms or bad spots (yes, an ear of corn with a worm on it is still a perfectly edible ear, just get rid of the worm).  Once we had our large basins stacked full of pristine ears, mom would set large kettles of water on to boil and the ears would be blanched, first dunked in the boiling water and then in large tubs of ice water, before being cut off the cob and frozen or canned for using later that winter.  It was a lot of work, but when there were so many hands helping, it went by fast and with relative fun.   My brother and I loved to watch my mom use her very sharp knife to cut the entire length of the cob without breaking the line of kernels coming off (it’s hard to explain but if you’ve cut corn off the cob, you’ll understand).  I loved to eat those big long pieces right out of her basin.    Each morsel was so so sweet, having barely left the stalk in the field before reaching my greedy mouth. 

So go get your fill of summer before it’s all gone.  There’s still plenty of delicious local food to be had before we’ll need to resort to our canned and frozen stashes.  That being said, now’s a great time to go to your garden or the farmers market and pick plenty of extras of what you love to take into the kitchen to preserve.   Corn in particular can be frozen (as generally described above), canned (good outline here), or even dried in your oven as I’ve talked about before. 

Grilled Basil Garlic Corn Coins
A Straight from the Farm Original

4 ears of fresh corn
3 T. butter
3 cloves of garlic
3 T. finely chopped fresh basil
1 t. salt
fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.  While you wait, husk and clean the ears of corn.  Place ears in the pot and boil for 4-5 minutes.  Use tongs to remove and let cool for a few minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Use a garlic press or sharp knife to prepare the garlic, getting it as close to a paste as possible.  Add it to the hot melted butter and cook just a minute until it starts to turn golden.   Remove from heat and add the chopped basil.  Swirl and let stand while you cut the corn. 

Using a very sharp knife, very carefully cut the corn into round “coins” about an inch thick.   Place them in a bowl and pour the basil garlic butter over them.  Toss with your hands. 

Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.  Use tongs to place the coins flat on the hot grill in a single layer.  Allow to cook until nice dark grill marks form, about 5 minutes.  Turn over and do the same for the other side.  Sprinkle with the salt.   Remove from heat and stack on a serving plate.   Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately. 

(serves 4)

This past weekend I took the autumnal blue skies in stride and made a trip to the Headhouse Farmers Market to pick up some long-anticipated Asian pears and other specialty bits that I’m not growing myself.   I love farmers markets any time of the year, but strolling the stalls in fall is an extra special experience.  When September rolls around, fields are in their peak of production as they hold on to the last of the summer crops and start to churn out harvests from the fall crops too.   Peppers mingle with pears, butternut squash cohabitates with tomatillos, apples stand shoulder-to-shoulder with white peaches, and heirloom tomatoes keep stride with freshly dug potatoes. 

After loading up on the coveted Asian pears from North Star Orchard, gala and honey crisp apples from Ben at Three Springs Fruit Farm, new fingerling potatoes from Yoder Heirlooms, and some plums from Beechwood Orchards, I decided it was time to truck it all back to the kitchen and make a delicious all-local meal for D and I to eat out on the deck in the cool autumn-kissed twilight.  There’s something about seeing one plate piled with nothing but locally-sourced ingredients, be it from an atmospheric farmers market, the vegetable garden, or just containers on the deck, that seems utterly poetic to me.   Am I alone in this sentiment? 

I decided to make a mini-series out of the three recipes I used to create this end-of-summer-beginning-of-autumn dinner, though the plate full of food reminded me more of summer still.  I think it was the grilled corn coins that kept the flavors of warm days at the forefront of my mind, despite the chill in the air. 

I’m starting off with the potatoes because they have so many memories associated with them from my childhood days.  We grew potatoes on the farm and planting and digging them were big family affairs – my grandparents would come down from their house on the hill above ours, my brothers would all be there, my parents of course, and occasionally even some cousins and aunts.   Sometime I’ll spin the tale of all that went into growing those potatoes – suffice to say that as a very Irish family, we planted plenty and celebrated their harvest with heaps of young tender baby potatoes fried up just as I have here in today’s post.  I always loved getting the extra crispy little bits hot out of the oil.  Originally my mom would fry these in lard – hello Pennsylvania Dutch heritage – but I can’t bring myself to do that so vegetable or canola oil are good choices instead, though the flavor just isn’t quite the same.   

While we only grew your basic white potatoes when I was a kid, the adult me now enjoys having a mix of potatoes in this fry.   The sweet potatoes are almost a must as they make the platter memorable.  They do fry faster than the other potatoes though so watch them closely or put them in separately.  

Come back soon to load up your plate with the recipes for Warm Beet Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing and Grill Basil Garlic Corn Coins!

Mixed Fried Potatoes
A Straight from the Farm Original

2 large sweet potatoes
1 lb. fingerling potatoes
1 lb. small purple potatoes
1 C. vegetable oil
1 T. coarse sea salt
1/2 C. fresh chopped parsley

Scrub the potatoes well.  Do not peel.  Halve the small potatoes lengthwise.  For the larger potatoes,  cut as needed to get them into pieces about the same size as the halves of the smaller potatoes.  Make sure every piece of potato has some skin on it.   As you cut them, place them in a large bowl of cold water.   When all the potatoes are cut, drain the water out of the bowl  and replenish with clean water.  Allow to sit for a minute or two. 

Heat the oil in the largest skillet you have over high heat.  When it begins to shimmer, you’re ready to fry.  Remove potato pieces from water and pat dry on a kitchen towel.  You may need to fry in batches so leave potatoes in the water just until you’re ready to put them in the skillet.  Carefully place in a single layer in the hot oil and allow to fry undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until golden and relatively soft when pressed with the spatula.   

Use the spatula to roughly break apart the potatoes in the skillet to create a few smaller bits that will fry up extra crispy.  Use the spatula to turn over the potatoes a time or two and fry for another 2-3 minutes until potatoes are golden all over.   Remove from oil and place on a serving plate lined with paper towel.  Sprinkle generously with sea salt while still hot. 

Repeat with remaining potatoes until all are fried to a golden crisp.  Sprinkle each new batch with sea salt.  When all are done, garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately while still hot.

The leftovers make a great addition to scrambled eggs or an omelet the next day. 

(serve 4-6)

As the growing season winds down, I’m trying my best to savor some of the flavors of summer that I’ll soon be missing when the cold weather comes.  Tomatoes are always quintessential to summer dining.  Unfortunately it was a bad year around here for locally grown tomatoes with that nasty blight wiping them out, including those in my vegetable garden.   My salvation has been the two potted tomatoes on my deck, which have been producing a bumper crop despite being confined to a container.   With compost mixed into the potting soil and a weekly soaking with an organic solution of compost tea, they have been real troopers.   I’m growing ‘Super Bush’ from Renee’s Garden Seeds because this variety has been bred to handle containers with gusto.   While they can’t begin to compare to a juicy flavorful heirloom tomato, these Super Bush have surprised me with their longevity and the truly outstanding sauce they make. 

So to celebrate this bumper crop of a summery favorite, I decided to make another local seasonal favorite – tomato pie.  Now, I realize when some of you read “tomato pie”  you’re expecting something like this that Elise made.   As delicious as her recipe looks, tomato pie can only be one thing in my house:  a version of pizza topped simply with fresh homemade tomato sauce.   Around Philadelphia, this Sicilian-inspired pizza pie is a staple in any respectable pizzeria or Italian bakery.   It’s always prepared in a rectangular shape and usually served cold or at room temperature with a light dusting of grated parmesan just before it’s boxed up or dished out.  

Since there are no gooey cheeses or droves of toppings, the seasoning of the sauce is crucial to a good tomato pie.  I put heaps of basil and oregano in mine, along with plenty of garlic.  I also like to use a red onion instead of yellow because it tempers the acidity of the tomatoes, adding greater complexity to the flavors.  And finally, my secret ingredient is a carrot!    By adding a chopped up carrot to the sauce as it simmers, a hint of sweetness comes into its undertones that is a perfect complement to the yeasty sweetness of the crunchy crust. 

As with any pizza, working with the dough can be intimidating for anyone just getting started with homemade tomato pie.  I try to take a very relaxed and zen approach to it.  I never aim for perfection when rolling it and shaping it, though getting it as thin as possible is always the goal.  Over many years of failures and successes, I’ve learned that the real trick to a good crust is the oven.  You don’t need a fancy wood-fired oven (though if you have one can I be your new best friend?), but you do need a hot regular old oven.   Make sure you pre-heat your oven at its hottest possible temperature and also pre-heat your pan or stone at the same time.   When the dough hits that hot surface in that hot chamber, it has no choice but to puff up and get airy and crisp.    Just be sure to watch your pizza/pie closely as it will go from “perfect golden and crunchy” to “charred inedible slab” in just a few minutes. 

Oh, and when cutting a tomato pie, you must make square slices.  It’s the rule.  Don’t know why.  It just is.  While my personal preference is to snack on cold slices in the afternoon, it’s fun to serve tomato pie at parties or for dinner with other types of pizza.  One of my Italian-American friends loves to grill slices at his big summer picnic, and it’s very tasty with just the bottom of the crust warmed up and a little bit charred.  Mmmmmmm. 

Tomato Pie
A Straight from the Farm Original

1 batch of pizza dough
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic. finely minced
1 large red onion, diced
6-8 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large bunch of fresh basil, chopped (about 2 T.)
1 T. minced fresh oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.  When it is hot, add the garlic and sautee for a minute (do not allow it to brown) before adding the diced onion.  Stir and season with a pinch of salt.  Cook onions until they are soft.   Add the chopped tomatoes and carrot and bring the sauce to a boil before lowering the heat to its lowest setting.   Stir and season with another pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.  Stir every 10 minutes or so and allow sauce to simmer until it thickens, about 30 minutes, depending on the moisture content of the tomatoes. 

When the sauce has thickened, either use a potato masher or a stick blender to smooth it out a bit if desired (I leave mine fairly chunky) .  Add the basil and oregano, stirring and simmering for another minute before turning off the heat.   Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper as desired.   Allow sauce to sit for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors merge.   At this point you can put the sauce in jars or tupperware and store it in the fridge for up to a week, though it tastes best if eaten within 24 hours. 

Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and put in the baking stone or tray you’ll be using.  Preheat oven at highest temperature possible while you prepare the pie. 

To make the tomato pie, generously dust the surface of a pizza peel (or try a sturdy piece of heavy cardboard) with flour.  On a floured countertop, roll out the dough as thinly as possible  into a large rectangle and place it on the pizza peel or other board.  Give the peel/board a little wiggle to make sure the dough can slide freely.  If it doesn’t, lift it gently and toss a little more flour under it. 

Spoon tomato sauce onto the center of the dough and use the back of the spoon to spread it out, leaving a one inch rim around the edges.  Don’t skimp on the sauce - remember its all you’ll have on this crust.   Pull out your oven rack and carefully slide the pie directly onto the baking stone or tray in the hot oven.  Turn heat down to 450 F.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, checking after a few minutes to rotate if one side is browning faster than the other.

When the crust is golden, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Slice  into squares, dust with grated parmesan cheese and serve.  It’s good cold out of the fridge, at room temperature or hot off a grill. 

(serves 12)

Beets, much like brussel sprouts, have suffered at the hands and up-turned noses of small children everywhere.  And, just like brussel sprouts, the ruby and orange roots have experienced a bit of a renaissance in those of us adults who have finally grown up enough to realize that sometimes if you just try something, you’ll actually like it.  I credit the dislodging of beets from the “ick” category to the beautiful and fresh varieties that have poured into farmer markets around the country.   Even people who don’t have any interest in buying beets from our market table are prone – even compelled – to pick up a bunch of these colorful beauties to appreciate visually, if not in actual taste.

I have to confess that I wasn’t a huge beet fan myself when I was younger.  I did, however, love the pickled beets my mom made every year to line our root cellar shelves.   I’ll be posting a recipe for those shortly, by the way.  I didn’t discover the rustic sweet delight of roasted beets until much later in life (okay, so only a few years ago, in truth).  Now I can’t imagine a dinner I’d rather have more than one that centers around roasted beets. 

Today’s recipe for Gingered Millet with Roasted Beets is a show-stopper, both in taste and presentation.  The ginger is the perfect spicy heat pairing for the natural sugars of the beets.  The millet is hearty and healthy, making an entire meal out of this one dish.    Hot or cold, this is a dish that does double duty as a dinner entree or a picnic lunch next to a vibrant salad of fresh greens dressed in simple oil and vinegar.

If you don’t have these exact ingredients on hand, don’t fret.  Save for the beets and ginger, you can achieve pretty much the same flavors and textures with substitutions such as quinoa, spelt, or orzo for the grain; white or yellow onions instead of red;  grape tomatoes instead of sungolds; tarragon instead of cilantro; and so forth.    Experiment and make this recipe your own using whatever is coming out of your garden.   Just please do come back and tell us all about your adaptations, especially if any of them win over the wee ones in the crowd!

Gingered Millet with Roasted Beets
Very loosely adapted from Martha Stewart Living

5 or 6 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed
½ C. water
1 t. coarse salt
1 T. plus 1 t.  extra virgin olive oil
1 C. millet
2 C. boiling water
2 t. freshly grated ginger
¼ medium red onion, finely diced
1 large handful of sun gold tomatoes, sliced in half
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. honey
1 ½ t. freshly ground coriander
1 t. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
¼ C. chopped fresh mint
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place beets, water and ¼ t. of coarse salt in a baking dish.  Cover with parchment paper and then foil.  Bake until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45-55 minutes.  Let stand to cool before using your hands to slip off the skins.  Quarter the beets and place in a small bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. 

In a medium saucepan, toast the millet over medium heat, stirring regularly, until it gives off a nutty aroma, about 4 minutes.  Slowly and carefully add the 2 cups of boiling water (it will sputter!) and stir in 1 teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil again before reducing heat to low and covering.  Cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.  Let stand for a few minutes after taking off the heat.  Fluff with a fork. 

While beets and millet cook, prepare the remaining ingredients.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the diced onion, tomato halves, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, red wine vinegar, and honey.  Toss well and let sit for 15 minutes. 

When ready to serve, whisk 1 tablespoon oil and coriander with the onion and tomato mixture.  Toss with the cooked millet.  Season with pepper.  Stir in the chopped mint and cilantro.  Arrange beet wedges on top and garnish with more herbs. 

(serves 6)

Oh non, je suis désolé, mes chéris!  This post was meant to go up automatically while I was traveling this past week to Puerto Rico.  But apparently there was some sort of ”technical difficulty” and here it is, several days late and perhaps nearing the end of that most wonderful time of spring: asparagus season!  I hope that you are still able to get plenty of these delectable green shoots where you are.    And of course there will be some photos shortly of my brief visit to sunny San Juan that will remind us all that summer is just around the corner. 

~

Ah, asparagus season!  It’s here in full force and I snapped up several bunches of these delicious green spears at last week’s Headhouse Market where the tables were already beginning to fill out with all manner of greens, herbs, asparagus, rhubarb, fennel, and even some apples that had been stored through the winter in a cool barn cellar.   And of course, my favorite bakery and cheese vendors were back once more, and I made sure to show my appreciation by buying much more than I should have since I won’t be home much this week (I’m traveling south to Puerto Rico for a professional development opportunity). 

But back to the asparagus, my favorite of all spring time ephemeral foods.  I grew up with plenty of asparagus at the ready in both my backyard and the roadside bed across from my grandmother’s house.  I never was one of those kids that pinched my nose and said “pee-yew!” when mom brought over the asparagus platter to the dinner table.   I loved it from the start and I loved picking it – going out each morning to see if there were new shoots the right size for the taking.  Asparagus can grow very quickly this time of year, literally overnight.

I never realized what a treat I had on my hands back then.  Fresh picked asparagus is leaps and bounds better than anything you’ll ever get in the store.  Even the stuff that’s at the farmers market, if it’s been picked a few days in advance, is already starting to toughen up and loose its sugars.   I usually ask the farmer when it was picked before buying and then I try to make sure I use up the asparagus within a day or two to get maximum flavor.   As such, I made it a point to put together this Roasted Asparagus Risotto before leaving town. 

Risotto, if you recall, is relatively new to the Straight from the Farm kitchen, but I’ve been making plenty of it since I first started last summer.  The creamy robust rice is the perfect way to transport asparagus to a whole new level.  I found that roasting the pieces first really brought out a caramelized note in the final dish.  And surely you’ve notice that I love to roast just about anything I can on this site. 

Get yourself some asparagus before the season slips away for another year.  And, please, do tell me, what is your favorite way to prepare it?! 

Roasted Asparagus Risotto
Adapted from Simply Recipes

1 lb. fresh asparagus
1 T. olive oil
3 T. butter
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1 C. uncooked arborio rice
1/2 C. dry white wine
3 ½ – 4 C. vegetable stock
1 t. minced fresh mint
4 ounces goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with foil. 

Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the tough ends.  Give the spears a rinse and then cut into bite size pieces.  Place the pieces in a bowl of cool water and swish around to remove grit – let it sit for a moment so the grit falls to the bottom of the bowl and then remove the asparagus pieces with a slotted spoon.  Pat dry and place on the baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat all pieces and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown.  Set roasted asparagus aside.

In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.  While the onion is cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in another saucepan.

Add the wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice.

Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Gently stir in the mint, cheese, and roasted asparagus. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

(serves 4)