This is a dish based on one I learned at Chez Panisse. The hardest part of the dish is peeling the squash.* Once that is done it goes together in a snap. I tend to go with savory seasonings, but you could use cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and orange juice as seasoning as well. These spices would go fine with garlic and pepper. Speaking of garlic, you can use a good quality garlic powder instead of the fresh if you wish.
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Probably the first soup I made. I remember thinking that I should make it because “Vichyssoise” was a funny name for a soup, and it was only much later (15 years?) that I learned that is the name for the cold version that has a dollop of cream added. This is one of those things that are easy to make, and it seems that if you are a person who uses leeks, there is always some in the refrigerator, just as there are always potatoes in the back of the pantry. This is my take on the classic from French cuisine.
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INGREDIENTS:
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INGREDIENTS:
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INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch kale 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon seasoned saltContinue reading »
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces 2 Tbs pine nuts ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakesContinue reading »
One year we hosted an Indian exchange student and during that time, we would cook a traditional Indian meal one night a week. The thing I loved the most is dry-toasting the spices before cooking with them. I have a small 6” skillet that I use to combine the spices in, then toast on the stove over a medium heat. It seems to give a richness to the taste when combined with the other ingredients. I also just like the way it makes my kitchen smell.
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INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of favas in the shell (about 2 cups peeled) 1 bunch of red radishes, tops and “tails” removed ½-1 tablespoon good unsalted butter 2 tablespoon flavorful extra virgin olive oil High quality large crystal sea salt or kosher salt to taste Fresh ground pepper to tasteContinue reading »
One day I read about how some Southern cook did her beans, and had to try it. I was so happy I did. This method produces meltingly tender beans that are sweet and have a full bean flavor, but the beans hold their shape. Just remember, patience is a virtue! Don’t keep checking the pot, stirring it, or otherwise messing with it. And you can’t hurry it. But it really is worth the wait.
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Mix 4 tablespoons softened butter with 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons sugar, and salt and pepper to taste; use some of the mixture to grease a baking dish. Rub 4 cored apples inside and out with the remaining butter mixture. Place 4 thick onion rounds in the dish and top with the buttered apples. Add a quartered fennel bulb to the dish. Bake at 425 degrees until the apples are soft, 1 hour.
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This is a riff on the Thanksgiving table. Green beans with brown butter and nuts, and green bean casserole were both influences for this dish. This version is lighter than the latter, and certainly fresher tasting as there is no canned soup in it, but it has a richness that is welcome in colder weather.
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There are just three more weeks of regular season CSA deliveries and the summer seems to have gone by in a blur. This has been a busy year for us, and one with a lot of new projects and challenges. The two biggest changes we had this year were operating as a single farm CSA after 8 years in our Two Small Farms partnership, and getting our new Lewis Road farm up and running.
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The carrots in your box this week are the result of an experiment. No, they are not genetically modified or altered in any way—Mokum is a sweet, tender, relatively early variety in the Nantes class. They have, however, been grown in a field that was treated with mustard seed meal (the solids that are left after mustard seeds have been pressed for oil).
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This is the slaw from the Harvest Fair, and it is quite popular, even with youngsters who normally run away from cabbage. Easy to do, it is light and crunchy, and the colors brighten any table. The dressing on this salad is a loose vinaigrette, using less oil than usual for a salad dressing.
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This was a salad done for the 2011 High Ground Harvest Fair. I have to say many people seemed skeptical at first, but once they had a taste, they were eager to eat more. I even gave some to youngsters and was pleased to see them really enjoy this salad. Simple and quick to make, this will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
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It’s almost here — our 3rd annual Harvest Fair and Pumpkin Patch. The weather forecast is for Sunny and 68 degrees in Watsonville, so we’ll hold them to that! This event is open to everybody so tell your friends to come out too. Entrance fee is $10/adult, $5/child, 3 and under free.
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Someone gave me box of apples once, and I was looking for ways to use them up before they could spoil. I came up with this one morning and the kids love it. I teach this one to the middle-school classes I teach, and love to hear how they use this recipe at home. This is a good way to get more fruit into a diet, and it is great as a complement to French toast, waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal. Try it with pork chops, duck, or roast chicken as a “sauce”. See below for ideas for dinner. Jonagolds are a good choice for this dish as they are great for cooking with. A nice balance of sugar and acid, crisp with a thin skin, these are good for pies as well as out of hand.
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This dish is usually made with a pumpkin, but other winter squash will work as well. Winter Carnival, Butternut, Orange Hokkaido will all work for this. Some squash, such as the Japanese “Kabocha” types tend to be a little drier than pumpkins and most other squash, so you may need to add some butter or olive oil to the squashed squash.
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INGREDIENTS:
4 pork loin chops cut thick, around 4-6 oz. each ½ pound of apples such as Granny Smith, Cameo, or Golden Delicious (1 Large or 2 medium), cut into ¼ inch thick slices or ½” cubes 1 medium shallot, minced 1 oz. high quality apple brandy such as Osocalis*, or a French Calvados. Cognac or brandy may be used as well. 4 oz apple cider or juice ½ tsp fresh minced rosemaryContinue reading »
This is the basic method for cooking winter squash either to eat as is, or to prep it for something else, like soup or as a ravioli or tortellini filling. This works for most winter squash, with the only variation being the times, which will change based on thickness of the squash.
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