Farmers' Market Friday - Fending Off the Buzzards {Easy Autumn Appetizers}

Just in case you hadn't noticed, Thanksgiving will be upon us in about 3 weeks. Menu planning will begin in earnest around the TGK soon. I have a stable of tried-and-true-cannot-vary-recipes that will always appear on the menu, but I do also like to play around with a few of the sides. Some of my new introductions have made their way into the regulars list and others, well, let's just say, we should never speak of them again. Regardless of what you are making for your feast, one thing is certain, folks get hungry and start circling like buzzards around the kitchen. They just hope you won't be looking when they nab that little morsel of crispy skin from the turkey as it rests or the missing spoonful of mashed potatoes from the serving dish. 

Of course, the last thing anyone wants to do is *add* work to the already full day of cooking. But, a really great way to keep the pests hungry on-lookers away is to serve up some appetizers. Simple, yet tasty, is the key here. The following are two such items that will keep your guests happy and keep you sane in the kitchen.

Items from the market: 

• Brazos Valley Brie
• Pumpkin Pecan Butter from Star Farmers Market
• Watermelon Radishes from Star Farmers Market

Baked Brie with Pumpkin Pecan Butter

• 1 quarter wheel wedge of brie
• 1 jar of pumpkin pecan butter

1. Heat oven to 350F. 
2. Slice cheese very close to the top rind to make a thin "lid".
3. Spread a generous amount of pumpkin pecan butter over the bottom cut part of the cheese. Replace lid on top.
4. Place cheese on an oven proof baking dish and pop into the oven for about 5-7 minutes until soft and melty. (from the photos, you can see what happens when you get distracted and go a bit longer - super runny, completely delicious, but not so photo lovely).
5. Serve with hearty crackers of your choice or even sliced fall apples.

Watermelon Radishes with European Butter and Sea Salt

One of the great things about the farmer's market is that you will find varieties of common vegetables that you won't see at the standard supermarket. Case in point, the watermelon radish. This heirloom variety of the daikon radish is noted for its creamy to pale green exterior and lovely pink hued center. They are tender, crisp and firm. Their flavor is mild with a slightly peppery taste (which, Farmer Terry reports can be diminished by peeling them.) They range in size from a golf ball to soft ball and are great served fresh or cooked; hot or cold. For our purposes, raw and cold is the order of the day for this very traditionally French presentation of a light snack.

• 1 (or more) bunches of watermelon radishes (depending upon size); sliced to 1/4"thickness
• European-style butter (available at most local HEB stores, it has a tangy flavor and higher milk fat content and is a perfectly matched topping here)
• sea salt

1. Wash radishes well. Slice as directed. 
2. Serve with a dish of butter and sea salt.
3. Diners should smear a bit of butter on the radish slice, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy.
4. If desired, you can also serve this with a nice round cracker and have folks top their cracker with the radish, etc. but honestly, the buttered radishes on their own are surprisingly delicious. 

I hope that having these 2 easy appetizers in your arsenal will help with your Thanksgiving menu planning and also will help avoid any sneaky buzzards from hitting the main attractions before its time!

Happy Cooking!

sld

Farmers' Market Friday - Treats not Tricks {Everything in a Pumpkin}

One Halloween, when I was about 10 years old or so, my mother found a recipe in a magazine that entailed stuffing a pumpkin with a bunch of stuff (including ground beef) and putting it in the oven to cook while the family was out trick or treating. The goal was that when you returned from the fun, the dinner would be complete in the cooked pumpkin. Well, that recipe was an atrocity. What resulted was a soupy, foul mess - in a pumpkin. We ended up having grilled cheese that night and that pumpkin was thrown out in the brush for the for the foxes and other animals to come and have at it. It was definitely more of a trick than a treat!

So, last year when my good friend, KPQ, raved about an "everything in a pumpkin" recipe from a Dorie Greenspan cookbook that we both own, I was skeptical. In fact, I was so scarred from that first foray into pumpkin cooking that I wouldn't even consider another go. This year, the Greenspan recipe resurfaced yet again as a can't miss recipe. Considering the pumpkin-palooza at the farmers' market, and that this recipe didn't include ground beef, I decided to give it a whirl.

I can happily report that I'm glad I finally gave in after some 30 years or so. This one is a real treat and certainly something you'd be happy to come home to after trick or treating or anytime on your fall table.

Items from the market:

• pie pumpkin
• country bread of your choice
• bacon
• cheese 

Everything in a Pumpkin

(adapted from Dorie Greenspan)

• 1 pumpkin (about 3 lbs)
• 1/4 lb crusty bread, cut into 1/2"chunks
• 1/4 lb cheese, cut into 1/2"chunks (I used Gruyere, but found it overpowering for the delicate flavors of the rest of the dish - I would try a milder Gouda or even a Cheddar or mixture)
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 lb bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
• 1/4 C green onions, sliced thinly
• about 1/3 C heavy cream

1. Before heating oven, place your pumpkin on a baking sheet and into the oven to test for size/placement of the oven racks. Move racks as needed to ensure pumpkin will fit and not hit the top heating element. Remove pumpkin and while preparing it for cooking, heat oven to 350F.
2. Using a sharp knife,carefully cut the cap off of the top of the pumpkin like you would if you were going to carve a jack o'lantern. Be sure to make a large enough opening to allow you to clean out all of the pumpkin seeds and strings. Once you've cleaned out the pumpkin and the cap, season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper.
3. Place pumpkin on a parchment or foil lined, rimmed baking sheet.
4. Toss bread cubes, cheese, garlic, green onions and bacon together in a large bowl. Pack this mixture into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be filled to the top. (I had to press my filling in to make it all fit.) If you don't have enough filling, add some more bread and a bit more cheese. Pour the cream into the pumpkin (you don't want your mixture to be floating in cream, but you do want to make sure the bread gets moistened - you'll need to eyeball this and add just enough cream.)
5. Put the cap on the pumpkin and bake it for 2 hours (check on it at the 90 minute mark) Once everything in the pumpkin is bubbly and the shell of the pumpkin is soft (can be pierced easily) it is almost ready. Remove the cap during the last 20 minutes of cooking to allow the excess liquid to bake off and the top of the stuffing can get a crusty brown layer. 
6. Once complete, carefully remove from the oven.(it will be a little unwieldy to remove from the oven).
7. Serving suggestions: 1) you can slice wedges of the pumpkin as is and serve. 2) stir the whole thing together mixing the cooked pumpkin flesh into the stuffing mixture and serving with a spoon. - we served in wedges and enjoyed that.

This dish definitely changed my attitude about stuffed pumpkin dishes. I will definitely do this one again, with the only change being the type of cheese I use. As I said, we found the Gruyere to be a bit too pungent and would prefer a creamier, more mild flavor to go with the sweetness of the pumpkin and the saltiness of the bacon. This is a great fall dish and I hope you give it a try!

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 - Last Minute Ideas {Sweet Potato & Arugula Risotto}

I was stuck for something to make for dinner the other night. Usually when that happens, I search the fridge for what vegetables I have on hand, defrost some meat and make up something on the fly. This time, however, I relied more on the pantry. We just recently got a new fridge, and, in the process of restocking it and rearranging the pantry in an entire kitchen edit, I was keenly aware of what I had on hand. 

To be honest, risotto isn't one of my go-to items. I've only made it once before, and I'm not entirely sure why. I think there is an unfair idea that it is hard to make or takes a lot of babysitting which might just keep it out of the top spots for things to make in a hurry. But, truly, it isn't that hard, and takes just about 30 minutes or so to make, so I think it will be more of a go-to dish around here in the fall and winter.

The basic method of making risotto (a Northern Italian rice dish in which rice is cooked in broth to a creamy consistence) remains the same regardless of your flavorings and additional ingredients; you cook rice (classically, the arborio variety) slowly, gradually adding broth so that the rice kernel expands, the outer layer dissolves and the whole thing takes on a luxurious, creamy texture.  This base can take on a whole range of flavor combinations that are limited only by your imagination. 

For my purposes, I wanted to use some leftover baked sweet potato that I had in the fridge and some bright, fresh, peppery arugula that was at the market. The combination was wonderful - sweet and creamy accented with that peppery arugula. It definitely earned a place on the dinner rotation.

From the market: 
Sweet Potatoes
Arugula
Onion
Olive oil

Sweet Potato & Arugula Risotto

serves 4

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 C. baked sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 C arborio rice (local HEB has store brand available in rice section)
• 3 C chicken broth, heated
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large handfuls of arugula leaves, rough chopped

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over high heat, add onions and cook until soft and glassy. (if they take on a little color, that's okay, too.)
2. Add dry rice grains and stir to ensure that each kernel is coated with oil.
3. Add 1.5 C of hot broth; bring to a boil slowly, then reduce heat to a simmer. As broth is absorbed, add small additional amounts of broth & stir often. (if you have your heat at the right setting, you will not need to stand and stir continuously - steady simmer is what you want and not a rapid one).
4. Cook the rice until it is slightly al dente (still has a little bite) and most of the broth has been absorbed. Add the sweet potato cubes and stir to incorporate. Rice should be creamy. (This process takes about 20 minutes) 
5. Finish risotto by stirring in the butter & cheese & arugula leaves. 
6. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

There are many risotto variations - pumpkin and butternut squashes are a natural partner to the rice base. You can also do a mushroom variation by skipping the squash and adding sliced mushrooms during the cooking process. So many different options with just one basic cooking method - that's my kind of dish!

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 - Fall is in the Air {Beer-braised Beef Short Ribs & Garlic Mashed Potatoes}

For a while now (perhaps the past 2 years or so), I've been noticing that beef short ribs are all over the place in cooking magazines and cookbooks. I've been wanting to give them a whirl and the promise of a cool front coming was just the incentive to make it happen. 

Not being well-versed in beef short ribs, (or beef ribs, in general - our family has always been more about the pork ribs than the beef) I decided to do a little research on the cut and how it is generally prepared. According to that research, beef short ribs are cut from the rib and plate primals. Typically, you'll find them in rib strips that are about 8-9 in by 3in and vary from 3-5 in thick. Being ribs, they include about 4 flat bones. These can be cut apart to make individual rib pieces which makes for easier browning, cooking, and serving.They are meatier than their pork counterparts and have a good balance of meat and fat. 

While there are many ways to prepare these short ribs - many cultures grill them - it is that combination of meat and fat (and connective tissues) that make this cut of meat perfect for braising. Braising is a combination of cooking methods that uses both dry and moist heat and relies on three variables, time, heat, and moisture, to break down the collagen in the cut of meat to produce a tender, succulent, fall-off-the-bone deliciousness. Many classic peasant dishes (eg. coq au vin) use slow braising to tenderize a tough, less palatable (and typically, less expensive) meat into something amazing. You might think this sounds complicated but really, if you're a fan of the slow cooker, it is likely that you've employed the technique of braising in your cookery.

After reviewing a passel of recipes for braised short ribs, I had the general gist of the method and set out to make (what I would hope to be) a rave worthy dinner.

Ingredients from the market:

Beef short ribs from Mike Kelley Ranch

Onions

Tomato

Olive Oil

Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs

• 2 lbs beef short ribs, cut into 1-rib pieces
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2"thick slices
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tomato, cored and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bottle of dark beer of your choice
• 1 C beef stock
• 1 1/2 C white mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced 
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour (all purpose)

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Generously season the rib pieces with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over high heat. Brown ribs in batches (you want a nice brown crispness. If you over load the pot, they will steam instead of browning nicely). Transfer browned ribs to a rimmed pan or dish.
3. To the hot oil and drippings, add onion, garlic, carrot, celery and tomato. Cook until slightly browned (about 4 minutes or so). Add bay leaf, beef stock and beer. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add ribs back to the Dutch oven (along with any juices that are in the pan or dish.)Once the pot has returned to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender (test with a fork) and about to fall off the bone.(2 1/2 to 3 hours).
4. Once ribs are fall off the bone tender, remove ribs from braising liquid and place in an oven proof dish/pan. Cover and return to a 200F oven to keep warm while you complete the sauce. Using a ladle skim excess fat off of the sauce and then bring the mixture to a simmer; reduce the liquid by 1/4th or so.
5. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously to create a quick roux (thickener for the sauce). Whisk roux into the reduced sauce and simmer on low for about 5 minutes or so to thicken up the sauce.
6. In a large saute pan, heat remaining olive oil. Add mushroom and green onions and saute until mushrooms brown a bit (about 5 minutes). Add mushrooms and onion mixture to the braising liquid. Place warm ribs back into the braising sauce over low heat until ready to plate.

A dish like this requires a good, hearty foundation - for me, that foundation is garlic mashed potatoes! We usually only have these on Thanksgiving & Christmas for some unknown reason. So, I knew it would be a big treat for the family to find these on the menu.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 tsp salt

1. In a large saucepan, place potatoes and garlic and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and keep a slow boil to cook potatoes until fork-tender (about 20 minutes).
2. Once potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and shake to remove as much water as possible. If you have a potato ricer, pass potatoes through it and back into the sauce pan.. Melt butter. Add cream and melted butter to the riced potatoes and then stir to mix well with a large spoon or spatula. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste. (If you do not have a ricer, add 1/2 the liquid and mix with an electric hand-mixer until smooth. Add rest of liquid and continue to mix until liquid is completely incorporated.)

Putting it all together - 

To serve, dish a generous serving of potatoes into the center of individual plate or large bowl. Top with 2-3 rib pieces and then with a ladle of the thickened braising sauce and vegetables. Serve and enjoy!

My! Oh my! This dish is everything you'd want to welcome fall. Warm, comforting, mashed potatoes topped with fall-off-the-bone, tender meat. The meat itself was fantastically flavored and just soaked up the braising liquid in that long slow cooking. Top that off with the richness and vegetable sweetness of the sauce - enhanced with the mushrooms and onions and you've got quite an impressive meal that (aside from the browning & sauce making) happens in the 3 hours in the oven. The family definitely approved. The funny thing is that while I was cooking this dish, I kept having a feeling of deja vu...a feeling like this is something I've done before, when I surely had not. Upon looking at this dish and getting one whiff, my sweet daughter, T, said, "Is this beef bourguignon?!" *That* was it - so similar in method and ingredients, these beer-braised beef ribs are the Texas cousin to that Fraunchy dish! I highly recommend you give this a try - head out to the market and grab some of those short ribs - it will make for a great "hello fall" meal.

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 - Transitions {Sweet Corn Soup}

It is the funky time of year in Central Texas. We're approaching Fall, and yet, we still have temps registering in the 90s. The rest of the country is sporting corduroys and sweaters while we are still in shorts and tank tops. However, we do have odd breaks in the weather like last weekend when the cool rains held temps in the mid 60s. It is days like that which make you long for a complete change in the seasons. You begin to think, not only how your clothing options will change, but also, how your plate will change. If you frequent a farmers' market, you will have noticed that some of the gems of summer are starting to wane - there's less okra and eggplant available; winter squash have been to appear. As I've mentioned before, our Central Texas farming friends are pulling a veritable rabbit out of their hats with a second Sweet Corn crop - an encore before the season fully changes on us once and for all. 

That little cold snap last week made me think of more traditional fall dishes - soups and stews and the like. However, when you've got fresh, sweet corn staring you in the face, it is hard to ignore. So, why not straddle the seasons? Use a traditionally summer item in a fall-ish way. Although this Sweet Corn Soup is a creamy soup, it is remarkably light and thin and yet still warm and completely satisfying. Fantastic by itself, that sweetness makes it a natural vehicle for some salty and spicy mix-ins. 

Items from the market:

• Sweet Corn
• jalapenos
• onions
• bacon or pork belly

Sweet Corn Soup

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

• 6 ears of corn, shucked and de-silked
• 6 C whole milk
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (stick to yellow or white)
• 1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced (or run through a garlic press as I prefer)
• 4 C water
• 2 sprigs of thyme(fresh)
• 1 bay leaf

For Add-ins: 

• Fresh corn kernels
• jalapeno pepper, halved & seeded then thinly sliced
• bacon or pork belly, cut into small pieces and fried crisp
• fresh chives

1. Make soup base: remove corn kernels from the cobs. {There are many devices on the market that are advertised as making this an easy job. I find a sharp knife and a deep bowl work well: Using a corn holder (those tiny handles that pierce the cob) is also helpful. Place ear of corn upright in the bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut straight down the cob along the base of the kernels. Continue by turning the cob until you've made your way around the entire thing.) Keep the cobs and set the kernels aside. Cut each cob in half or thirds.
2. Put the cobs in a large dutch oven or soup pot. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the cobs and milk to steep while you work on everything else.
3. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and a bit of salt. Cook over low to med-low. Stirring occasionally until the onion softens and becomes glassy (about 5 minutes or so; you do not want the onion to brown.) Add the celery, carrot, garlic and reserved corn kernels. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is softened( about 10-12 minutes)
4. Scrape the vegetable mixture into the steeping corn cob/milk pot, add water and herbs. Bring to a boil and then lower heat. Partially cover the pot and cook on low (check that you have a nice low simmer) for about 30 minutes.
5. Taste the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the cobs, the herb stalks and the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.
6. To serve, ladle piping hot soup into individual bowls. Pass bowls of mix-ins at the table and allow guests to add their personal touch to the soup. Enjoy!

I hope you'll give this soup a try. It was a hit with the family who enjoyed that it was a soup that seemed to have a toe in both summer and fall - a great way to transition in your kitchen.

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 - Southern Favorites {Fried Green Tomatoes & Black-eyed Peas}

Although Texas may not fit the textbook definition of the geographic, or even the cultural, South, you will find commonalities in some ingredients and dishes. Fried green tomatoes and black eyed peas are two such dishes. If you have any Southern cultural heritage in your family, you may be well-versed in both of these standard dishes. In my family, we didn't really do fried green tomatoes, but black eyed peas were a must have on New Year's Day. 

This New Year's tradition is said to date back to the Civil War. At that time, these legumes were planted as a feed crop for livestock. It is reported that when Sherman's troops arrived and took food crops to feed the troops and destroyed the rest, they ignored the black-eyed peas. Thus, these field peas were left and became a major food source for the surviving Southerners. Over time, eating black-eyed peas took on a symbolic meaning of good luck. There are many varied traditions related to this New Year's dish - some say you must eat them with greens (symbolizing coins and paper money); others say you must eat them with cornbread to symbolize gold as well; others say that your luck is compounded for each pea you consume; still others say that you must eat the peas with tomatoes to symbolize health and wealth.

With that last tradition in mind, while putting a bit of a spin on it, this dish pairs tomatoes (fried green and ripe red) on a bed of stewed black-eyed peas - finished with a sprinkle of cheese and cilantro and you've got a touch of Texas to round out this dish.

Items from the market for this dish: 

Black-eyed peas with snaps
Ripe tomatoes
Green tomatoes
Olive oil
Bacon or pork belly
Instead of cotija, you could pick up some feta (not marinated) from Brazos Valley Cheese (contact them in advance to ensure availability)

Fried Green Tomatoes and Black-eyed Peas

adapted from Southern Living Magazine

Black-eyed Peas

• 1 C onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 C fresh black-eyed peas
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 (12oz) bottle of Shiner Bock Beer (or other amber beer)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until glassy (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Stir in fresh peas, bacon, beer, tomato paste and bay leaf. Add about 3 cups of water. Stir well and bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. 
2. Simmer for about 1.5 hours, making sure to stir occasionally. Uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate and the mixture to "tighten up". Discard bay leaf; add salt to taste. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

• 1.5 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 C cornmeal
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 3 large, firm, green tomatoes (sliced into 4 slices each)
• canola oil for frying

1. In a shallow dish, stir together 3/4 C flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the remaining 3/4C flour, cornmeal, and remaining salt and pepper. In a third shallow dish, whisk together eggs and buttermilk.
2. Dredge green tomato slices (1 at a time) in the flour mixture. Shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture and then, dredge in the cornmeal mixture.
3. Pour oil (about 1 in deep) in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron if you've got it). Heat over medium-high (if you have a candy thermometer, you can use it to check temp - you want to to be around 375F). Fry dredged green tomatoes in batches for about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel lined baking sheet.

Putting it all together

• 3 large ripe tomatoes (sliced into 4 slices each)
• 1/2 crumbled cotija cheese (or feta)
• 1/4 C chopped cilantro
• hot sauce for adding at the table

1. On individual shallow bowls, dish a scoop of black-eyed peas (about 1/2 cup or so). Top with 2 each:  ripe and fried green tomato slices; starting with ripe and ending with fried green. Sprinkle with a bit of cotija and cilantro over the dish and serve with hot sauce (like a tabasco or Crystal). Enjoy!

This was such a good dinner just as is, but would make a great side dish to a nice, thick, fried pork chop as well. You're sure to have leftover black eyed peas as we did. Enjoy them as a side later in the week, or put them in a freezer safe container and freeze them to enjoy later. Enjoying this dish made me wonder why we seem to save black-eyed peas just for New Year's - this is one dish that we'll try to have more often - it certainly couldn't hurt our chances for good luck!

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 - Sweet Corn?! again? {Grilled Corn Salad}

I love corn. I mean, who doesn't really? The thing is, the Central Texas corn season is a short one - about 6 weeks beginning in mid- May through about July 4th. We surely ate our fill of sweet corn during the season this summer and even made sure to buy enough to blanch and freeze for later in the year. So, imagine my surprise when I saw fresh, sweet corn at the market last Saturday! Yup, the real deal, locally grown sweet corn - a second crop for late summer heading into fall!

One of my all time favorite ways to prepare corn is to grill/roast it and then to prepare it as Mexican street vendors do - slathered with mayonesa (Mexican mayo with a tinge of lime juice), rolled in cotija cheese and sprinkled with chile powder and chopped cilantro. When prepared this way, and left on the cob, it is known as "elotes" If the corn is cut from the cob first, and then mixed with the listed flavorings, it is known as "esquites" (Which is how we usually fix it at home as it is just easier to eat that way.) 

Lately, I've been looking for a way to change up this side dish a little bit - lighten it up a bit. This salad has all the flavors of the classic, but with a light bright lime dressing. It was so good, we had it two nights in a row.

Items for this recipe from the market: 

• sweet corn
• jalapenos
• onions
• olive oil
• jalapenos (preferably ripe, red)

Grilled Corn Salad

adapted from Alison Roman

• 4 ears of sweet corn, shucked and de-silked
• 1/4 C onion, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 Tbsp grated cotija cheese
• 1/4 C fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp chile powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin 

1. Prepare grill to medium heat. Cut the corn kernels off of one cob of corn and place in a medium bowl. Toss corn with onion and cilantro and set aside.
2. Place other 3 ears of corn on grill and cook until very tender. Be sure to turn occasionally (about 10 minutes of cooking time.) Let cool to touch.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, chile powder and cumin. Cut corn from grilled ears and toss with fresh corn mixture in the bowl. Toss with lime dressing.
4. Divide into four bowls; sprinkle with cotija cheese and a few of the pepper slices (or leave out for those who do not like any heat/spice.) Enjoy!

We served this along side some grilled pork ribs one night and a grilled ribeye the next. The sweetness of the corn is accentuated by the tangy, lime dressing and the salty cotija? - it is just a knockout. Grab some of that sweet corn at the market this weekend and make this light salad before it is too late - again!

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 - For the love of Okra {Chiles Rellenos with Okra, Corn & Chorizo}

I'm having a modest love affair with okra right now. As I've previously mentioned in this space, the mere mention of the word can strike fear in the hearts of the uninitiated. Furry, fibrous, filled with large tan seeds and mucilaginous, it isn't the most obvious objects of affection. However, given the right treatment, this vegetable is a summer wonder. Mostly known in its fried and gumbo forms, I've been sauteing, stewing and pickling it for the past few weeks. It was about time for something new. 

When I saw some absolutely gorgeous Sweet Italian Peppers at the market, I knew what was up - Chiles Rellenos would be a great way to enjoy some okra. Chiles Rellenos (simply stuffed peppers in Spanish) are are typically on Tex-Mex menus as poblano peppers stuffed with ranchero chicken, or beef, or just cheese, and then battered and fried. I've made them, and they are a lot of work, and as you'll note, with the exception of the pepper itself, not very produce focused. Rather than that style, I ventured to try a more traditionally Mexican preparation that excludes the battering and frying and focuses on roasting and baking. Additionally, this recipe includes Spanish-style chorizo which is not the fresh super spiced red sausage that most of us know as a breakfast taco filling. Instead, this Spanish style chorizo is dried links with a very fragrant, smoky flavor and can be found near the deli in the "fraunchy" cheese section of most grocery stores.  

For this recipe, here's the market shopping list - (note: a number of vendors grow and sell the produce listed below. Investigate the market and ask vendors and select the items that look best from the vendors you choose.)

• Sweet Italian Peppers (mine were green; they may be available only ripe red now and that might be even more delicious)
• Okra 
• Sweet Corn 
• Sweet onions 
• Fresh Garlic 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Central Texas Olive Ranch

Chiles Rellenos with Okra, Corn & Chorizo

adapted from Tim Love

• 6 large Italian sweet peppers (or poblanos)
• 1/2 lb okra, sliced in 1/2 in. rounds (about 2 C)
• 2-3 oz of dried, Spanish Chorizo (locally, I like Aurelia's Chorizo made in my childhood hometown of Boerne (oddly enough) & can be found at HEB)
• 1/2 medium sweet onion cut into small dice
• 2-3 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, grated/shredded
• 6-8 Tbsp of cotija cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil

1. Heat broiler. Line a baking pan with foil. Wash peppers well and pat dry. Coat each pepper with a bit of olive oil and place on baking pan. Place peppers under the broiler and allow skins to char. Watch closely to prevent burning. Use tongs to turn peppers so the entire pepper is blistered and slightly browned to your liking. Remove pan from oven and allow peppers to sit and cool.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil and add the chorizo. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add corn and okra and continue to saute for 7-8 minutes. Add 1/2 C water and allow the mixture to simmer over moderately low heat to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
3. Heat oven to 350 F. Once peppers are cool enough to touch. Use a knife to make a small slit, lengthwise, in the side of the pepper. Remove seeds. Spoon filling into the prepared peppers.Top with one tbsp of cotija cheese. Place peppers in an oven-safe baking dish. Top each pepper with a generous amount of Monterrey Jack cheese.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes until filling is hot and cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

This dish was another big hit with the family. The sweetness of the Italian pepper and the corn paired well with the onion and smokiness of the chorizo. The okra adds an interesting texture (not at all slimy) and a great flavor as well. For the vegetarians in your life, you could easily eliminate the chorizo and add a bit of smoked paprika to the vegetable filling mix to capture that smoky essence. Give okra a chance to be a co-star in this dish and let me know what you think!

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