Farmers' Market Friday - Crisp, Fresh, and Savory {Fattoush Salad}

When last we met here in this space, we were spending a little time in the Levant - that geographic and cultural area of the Eastern Mediterranean - what I like to refer to as Medi-Eastern. The farmers' market is full of tomatoes and cucumbers and they are the central components of this most delicious, refreshing salad. Paired with last week's FMF dish of Baba Ghannouj and perhaps some grilled kabobs and you're set for a Medi-Eastern inspired feast.

For this recipe the items from the market include:

• luscious, ripe tomatoes- I used a mix of both yellow and red
• crisp, juicy and flavorful cucumbers
• onions and garlic - I used some garlic and some purple onions that I had picked up at the market a while back and hoarded stored in a cool, dry, place; unsure of current availability status - if you can grab some of that glorious garlic and super fab. onions.
• whole wheat pitas from Artisan Oven
• Olive oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Fattoush Salad 

• 2-3 medium cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• 3-4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 C minced onion (your choice what type)
• 1/2 C fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 C Olive oil
• 1/4 C fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 pita breads (about 7 in diameter)
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F and bake pita breads until crisp and lightly browned to make crispy chip. (about 10 minutes).
2. Toss together in a large bowl: cucumber, tomatoes, onion and herbs.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt to taste. Whisk until completely emulsified (mixture will appear creamy yellow).
4. Pour dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss well. Add crumbled pita toasts and feta cheese. Toss again and enjoy immediately.

We love this salad. The fresh vegetables and herbs are delicious when highlighted by the brightness and zinginess of the lemony dressing. Add the crispiness of the toasted pita and the salty tang of that feta and I could just eat truck loads of this stuff! I have taken to making a big giant batch and only adding the toasted pita bits to each individual serving so that it is crisp and ready to go and totally avoids the sogginess that can happen if you toss it together ahead of time. Also, as I've mentioned before, the recipe for this dish varies by family in the region. With that in mind, feel free to leave out herbs that aren't your favorites or to add other appropriate vegetables - diced green pepper would be a great addition, for example.

Try out this Summer cooler at your home and take an imaginary trip to an exotic land.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

Farmers' Market Friday ~ A Light Summer Dinner {Grilled Wild Pork, Cucumber and Peach Salad and Pita}

It is Independence Day today, and sure, I could be like all just about every other source posting food ideas and go with some recipes that are the typical for celebrating this day (e.g., potato salad, cabbage slaw, funky hot dog or hamburger toppings, or even a flag cake.) However, I figure if you're like me, you have your own way of doing the traditional meal and I'm not about to mess with that. Instead, I'm going to offer up something for the day after the usual celebration - a fairly light meal that is cool and refreshing and will be something different after a day of overdoing it with burgers or hot dogs and all the fixin's. 

We are in the midst of Central Texas' peach season. With so many different varieties planted, fruits have overlapping ripening windows. Essentially, these amazingly juicy, sweet and delicious fruits are available from early June to mid- August (depending upon variety)  It has always been family tradition to buy a bushel of these beauties, eat some fresh, and then spend some time and effort preserving them for use in the rest of the year (I'm sensing a pattern here.) When I was a kid, my mother was fond of preserving them via freezing. This preserved stock would then be used later in the year to make the most delicious Peach Cobbler (I still have to hit her up for the recipe on that one.) or just spooned over vanilla ice cream. A couple of years back, I did the same thing - adding another generation to the tradition. I've used those frozen peaches to make ice cream, and a variety of other sweet treats. I've also had peaches paired in a main dish as a glaze for pork or what have you, but when I ran across a recipe that used the peaches in a main dish salad, I was intrigued.

For this post, here's  the Farmers' Market Shopping list:

• Sweet, delicious freestone peaches from Star Farmers Market
• Red and sweet onions from Rock House Farms
• Wild Boar pork tenderloin from BLT Farm
• Whole Wheat Pita from Artisan Ovens
• Cucumbers from Two Happy Children Farm 
• Extra Virgin Olive oil from Central Texas Olive Oil

Grilled Wild Pork Tenderloin with Cucumber and Peach Salad

adapted from Grace Parisi

• 2 pork tenderloins, butterflied and pounded slightly click here for instructions on how to butterfly a pork tenderloin (about 1 1/2 lbs each; for our meal, I used the Wild pork tenderloin offered for sale by BLT Farm see notes below for more discussion.)
• olive oil for coating meat
• 1 Tbsp of seasonings of your choice ( I used black pepper, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes and garlic salt - be creative)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp finely minced red or sweet onion (I used red onion, but use what you like)
• 2-4 peaches, pitted and diced
• 3/4 lb fresh crisp cucumber, peeled and diced (I usually remove the seeds, but the farm produce has had such small sweet seeds that I haven't had the need to do so.)
• 1/4 C Fresh Mint Chopped
• Pita bread for serving; plain yogurt(optional for serving)

1. Heat grill to moderately high heat. Combine your seasonings/spices in a small bowl and mix well. Rub the pork with a bit of olive oil and rub your spice mix all over it. Grill over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 135F (approximately 8-10 minutes.) Transfer pork to cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Place pita bread on grill and watch closely, remove when heated through and grill marks appear but pita is still soft and pliable. 
2. While the meat and pita are on the grill - in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lime juice and 1/4 C of olive oil. Season with salt to taste and then add the minced onion and let stand for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Add in the chopped peaches, cucumber and mint. Stir well so that the produce is fully coated with the dressing. 
3. Slice pork into strips, serve with a side of the salad, pita and yogurt. 

NOTE: We used the wild pork tenderloin for this recipe and while the flavor was incredible (seriously, like delicious pork and not at all gamey or rangey or anything that might come to mind when you hear the word "wild") we would not butterfly it next time. Instead, I would cut it into thickish filet steaks and grill that way instead *and* watch it more closely - I think it suffered from being slightly overcooked. So, if you've ever considered the wild pork, I say don't shy away from it - just be smarter than we were.

While the pork, cucumber-peach salad and pita would be sufficient, we added an extra vegetable side. This slightly sweet and spicy okra will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the stuff.

FMF Extra - El Syd's Barbecued Okra

• 1 lb or so fresh okra
• 1 Tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tsp smoked paprika
• 1 Tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
• a dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat grill to moderately high heat.
2. In a large zip close bag, put all of the spices and the oil. 
3. Rinse the okra under running water; blot dry. Dump the okra into the spice/oil mix bag. Zip closed and shake to coat completely.
4. We have a nifty grill basket to grill the okra in a single layer without worrying that they will fall through the grill grate. If you don't have one then make sure that your okra are positioned cross-ways on the grill grates - or - skewer a few pods together to keep okra in place. 
5. Grill until browned to your liking (about 2-4 minutes per side) use tongs to turn easily.
6. Transfer grilled okra to plates and serve immediately.

This meal was surprisingly light and refreshing. The sweetness of the peaches and crispness of the cucumber paired with the lime and onion were fabulous with the hint of mint. Such a great side to go with that grilled pork. The okra provided a sweet and spicy kick. Grilled, it has none of its usual sliminess, and is a great way to win over non-okra folks. Again, all told this meal took a little over half an hour to make. Quick, simple, light, and fresh - sounds like just the thing after a little overindulging on Independence Day!

Happy Cooking!
sld


Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmers'Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for the Friday Farmers'Market posts. I was not compensated to write this post and all opinions are my own.

Farmers'Market Friday ~ A Little Self-Preservation {Frozen Corn & Pickled Cucumbers}

We just marked the Summer solstice - the official start of Summer. However, in Central Texas Summer produce season has been in full force for a while now. This includes melons, peaches, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and, for a fleeting, five week period that is just about to wind up, sweet corn. So, while we're all in a state of euphoria over all of these choices that summer brings to the table, I'm thinking of ways to extend all of this deliciousness into Fall and Winter.  If you're like me, after a while of the relative repetitiveness of the Fall and Winter produce selections, you crave just a hint of what Spring and Summer have to offer. Just like the Ant in Aesop's tale of The Ant and the Grasshopper, with a few exercises in saving Summer in a jar (or bag, as the case may be), you'll have a few items at your disposal to help "preserve" your sanity during the bleakness that can sometimes happen in the kitchen during the colder months. There is a variety of ways to preserve foods: dehydrating, fermenting, jams and jellies, etc  In this post, we'll cover 2 methods (freezing & pickling) for 2 specific Summer vegetables(corn & cucumbers.) 

Freezing
Preparing and storing foods in the freezer is super simple to do. Most vegetables and some fruits will need to be blanched in advance of freezing.  Blanching is the scalding of vegetables (and sometimes fruits, if needed to preserve.) in boiling water for a short time. This process will stop or slow the enzymes found in the vegetables that can cause loss of flavor, color and tenderness when frozen. Also important is the type of container used for freezer storage. Appropriate freezer containers range from rigid plastic containers or plastic freezer bags/vacuum freezer bags (like a Food Saver type item) to certain glass containers (they must say on the box that they are suitable for freezing (typically, wide-mouth jars)). Finally, the temperature inside your freezer is also critical. In order to inactivate bacteria and other microbes, and to retain as much vitamin content and quality as possible, the temp inside your freezer should be at 0F or below. Many household freezers might be several degrees higher than this (especially if the door is opened and closed frequently). Check your appliance to make sure.

Freezing Corn

• 4-5 lbs of corn/quart you wish to preserve (Make sure that the corn is the highest quality and at its peak of maturity.)

• Large pot of boiling water for blanching

• Appropriate containers for freezing

1. Keep your produce in the fridge if you can't work on freezing it immediately.
2. Shuck and remove silk from all of your corn. Clean corn well with cold water.
3. Blanch the corn right on the cob.. For corn, drop ears into boiling water and allow water to return to a boil. Then, time for 4 minutes. 
4. Cold Shock to stop blanching process: Plunge corn cobs into ice water ( I fill one side of my clean kitchen sink with ice and water for this step.)
5. Cut corn from cobs using a sharp knife (special tools are sold for this that may (or may not) make it easier; I use a knife.) 
6. Fill Containers and leave about 1/2 in of head space on top. (Appropriate freezer containers range from rigid plastic containers or plastic freezer bags/vacuum freezer bags (like a Food Saver type item) Certain glass containers can be used but they must say on the box that they are suitable for freezing (typically, wide-mouth jars)).
7. Freeze and keep frozen until ready to use.
8. When ready to use the frozen corn, note that it is better cooked straight from the frozen state rather than thawing first.

If you want to prepare your own ready-to-go side dish, you can do that too.

Frozen Fiesta Corn

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 4 Tbsp minced fresh herbs of your liking (chives and parsley are a good starter, but this is open to experimentation)
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
• 12-15 ears of corn, shucked & silks removed and prepared as above.
• 3/4 C red sweet pepper (finely chopped)
• 1/2 C sweet onion (finely chopped)

1. In a small bowl, combine the butter, herbs, salt and pepper. Shape into a log, wrap in waxed paper & freeze until firm (about 1 hr.) Slice into 8 even slices and return to freezer until later.
2. Line 2 large baking pans with foil or parchment paper. Spread blanched/prepared corn kernels, pepper & onion pieces evenly over the pans. Cover loosely and freeze about 2 hours. (This will allow the items to be bagged without freezing into a block.)
3. Evenly divide the vegetable mixture among 4 1-qt freezer bags. Add two slices of herbed butter to each bag. Squeeze air from bags; seal and label with date. Best used within 6 months.
4. When ready to use: Empty bag contents into a medium sized skillet. Over medium heat, cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes until butter is melted and vegetables are thoroughly heated (stirring occasionally).

Voila! You're very own homemade fresh, frozen side dish!

Of course, freezing is just one of several means to home-preserving of foods, and a newer method due to the relatively short history of freezers being in most households. An older traditional food preservation method is pickling. 


Pickling
Pickling is the process of preserving foods in a highly acidic brine. The brine provides an environment that is inhospitable to microorganisms and, therefore, prevents spoilage. There are two types of pickles: traditional water-bath canning in which foods can be stored at room temp in jars for up to one year, and quick-pickled foods which must be stored in the fridge to increase shelf-life, keep a crisp texture and are super fast and simple to make - Pretty much anything you can think of can be pickled, but you know what is especially good? what most of us mean when we say the word 'pickles' - cucumbers! Starting with my Grandma Mary's recipe as a guide, I adapted a few things for taste and general availability(ie, ix-nay on the grape leaves that she had access to via her mother's grape arbor, but the rest of us wouldn't commonly be able to get.)

Classic Pickled Cucumbers

• 3-3.5 lbs of pickling cucumbers (3-4"long) 

• 4 C water

• 4 C apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 C sugar

• 1/3 C pickling salt 

• 6 Tbsp dried dill seeds

• 6 pint jars - sterilized in a pot of boiling water

1. Clean cucumbers thoroughly. Scrub with a vegetable brush under cold, running water. Remove stems and blossoms (if attached) Slice off blossom end as it contains enzymes that will impact the texture of your pickles (causes softness). Cut cucumbers into quarters to make spears.
2. In a 5 qt stainless or enamel (non-reactive, non-aluminum) pot, combine water, vinegar, sugar and pickling salt. Bring mixture to boil, stir to dissolve sugar and salt.
3. Pack cucumber spears loosely into the still hot, sterilized jars, leave about 1/2 in of head space. Add 1 tbsp of dill seeds to each jar. Using a funnel, pour hot pickling liquid (vinegar brine) into jars. Be sure to maintain the 1/2 in head space. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and finger tighten bands. 
4. If you want to make these shelf stable and are familiar with water bath canning, processing time is 10 minutes; Otherwise, cap and store in the fridge - waiting one week before you enjoy the fruits of your labor. Quick-pickles will last about 1 month.

Note: If pickling cucumbers are not available, use regular garden cucumbers. However, do not attempt with the standard, waxed grocery-store cucumbers (they are grown for slicing and salads and will not provide a good pickle result.) Also, I tested this recipe using white pickling vinegar (higher acidity) as it was what I had on hand. If you like a really sharp, vinegary taste, then I would suggest using it. However, next time I make a batch for our home, I'm going to stick with apple cider vinegar like my Grandma Mary used in her various pickle recipes.
I hope you enjoy your summer produce fresh, in the present, but I also hope that you'll endeavor to be "the ant" and prepare for some future uses as well.


Happy Cooking!
sld