Sounds odd, but the tender/sweet of the carrot is a great foil for the chewy/bitter of the escarole. Scattering the escarole with a little sugar aids caramelization and adds to the sweet/bitter contrasts. Give this unlikely seeming combo a try and you may be hooked. Make this when the carrots are sweet.
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Cocque are a Spanish flatbread equivalent to pizza, but are usually more rustic. Typically the crust is thin, or really thin, and is crisper and blisters a little. The toppings are fewer, but always choice. Cocque appear as part of the tapas pantheon, or as a starter or snack with drinks, not as a main dish. You can use whatever peppers you want, but if using the Hungarian Wax peppers you might want to nibble a few to check for heat.
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We’re enjoying some beautiful August days here on the farm. We’ve cut the water off on our winter squash and pumpkin fields. Over the coming weeks we’ll let the plants dry down and the squash fully cure before we cut the stems and pack them in totes for winter storage. It’s always a bit difficult to see what you have got, in terms of yield and quality, until the plants have died back, but at this stage things look pretty good.
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This dish was somehow inspired by the classic tapa known as Tortilla Española. Don’t ask how, as I am not sure myself. The potatoes used are important here. Find something like a Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold, or other potato that possesses a slightly sweet and nutty flavor without being a really waxy type, nor really mealy. Potato size also matters. The idea is the potato and sauce work together to highlight each other’s flavor, while the tomato acts as a counterpoint with acid and fruit, and the parsley adds earthy and vegetal notes.
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Here, fennel and onions are cooked to give a texture similar to the traditional apples of the original dish. This dish could be served as a dessert with some ice cream or cheese, or serve it as a savory course with a salad of lettuces and herbs such as flat parsley and fennel fronds.
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This sauce is part of a steamed potatoes and tomato dish that was inspired by a Tortilla Española, but is can be used with other things as well. Try it with garbanzo beans, grilled shrimp, or as a dip for flatbreads and crudités. It would be good under poached eggs as well. By the way, this is the perfect way to use the core of the cauliflower.
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This stock first occurred one spring after market when I opened the refrigerator and found it full of whole and partial bits of green garlic and young garlic, leeks, scallions and spring onions as well as the tops I had saved, not to mention the halves of white and yellow onions. Everything was in great shape, but I needed room for the next batch of produce. So, I made stock. This recipe is sized down for the average kitchen.
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Based on a dish I had out recently. You can adjust the ginger to your liking, and if you run hot water over the ginger if will mitigate some of the heat while leaving the gingery flavor behind. Although the recipe looks long, it is a quick and flexible dish to make. Add beef or tofu to the sauté if you wish, and serve with rice.
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Although it says “Creamy” in the title, there is no cream, just a bit of yogurt for the smooth texture. You can, of course, skip the yogurt and the soup will still be quite good, if a little sweeter perhaps. The tomato adds acid and brightens the flavors of the soup, while adding liquid as well. As to seasoning, this soup is amenable to so many different herbs it makes this a truly versatile dish. The vegetable garnish is optional, so this can be a quick and simple dish as well.
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We’ve been busy this last week trying to get caught up with maintenance on our tractors and trucks. It’s always a challenge at this time of year because the trucks are out on the road most days, and the tractors are out in the field. One of the big advantages in having our own shop, as humble as it is, is that, in addition to saving us a lot of money, it is simply quicker and easier to do routine maintenance ourselves rather than having to shuttle a truck to an outside shop and back. And I can have my feline helper with me.
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Although the combination of may seem odd to some, the tomato forms the bridge here between the oxalic roughness of the spinach and the sweetness of the strawberry with its acid and sweetness. The crunch of the spinach and the plush softness of the berries and tomatoes is pleasing to the palate. The lettuce is used here to add loft to the salad and lighten it a little. Be sure to use enough oil to soften the bite of the acid in the dressing or it will team with the spinach to taste aggressive. If you have almond or hazelnut oil, use some in the dressing and add some roasted nuts to match the oil for added depth.
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Although if pressed I’d call this a salad, but it is also pretty much a meal in itself. Lots of crunchy textures, sweet and savory flavors, fruity top notes (tomato) and earthy nuttiness (pepitas), all swathed in refreshing mint and parsley. Add some cheese, cold chicken, cold cuts, or pressed tofu to make it even more substantial.
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Use this dressing for the Spinach, Tomato, and Strawberry Salad if you have the oil and nuts. This dressing will go well with many things. Anything with spinach, and especially arugula, match well with this dressing, as do crisped porcini mushrooms. Use this dressing for a salad if arugula and cress to top thin pan seared pork chops nut crusted swordfish. For nut oils, I like the Tourangelle line of oils. I find them to be full flavored, fresh, and relatively inexpensive for the quality, which I find to be consistent. If you wish, you can substitute almond oil for different salads.
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The strawberries are coming in very strong now, so we’ll continue Strawberry U-picks through the month of August. The berry patch is right next to the Farmstand this year, so we can spread out the U-picking time window to accommodate more of your schedules. Come anytime between 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM on Saturdays or Sundays. Just check in with Mike at the farmstand first to weigh your containers or get an empty one from us.
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For this dish low moisture content squash such as Costata Romanesco or Cousa are ideal, but you can do this with any summer squash, really. The trick is to merely sear the outside of the squash for flavor and color, not to cook it through. A fixed-blade slicer or mandolin is great for prepping this dish, otherwise use a thin bladed razor sharp knife to prevent the squash from cracking.
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The tomatoes look great and we are right on the cusp of having lots of them, so expect to see them in the web store soon. This year we planted several new varieties including grape and “San Marzano” type sauce tomatoes and they all are loaded with fruit. This is the third year that we have used the single stem method of training the tomato plants in the greenhouses and every year we have gotten a little better at it.
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These are inspired by Indian koftas, but they are more of a croquette in that they use egg and flour, not chickpea flour as many kofta recipes do. The bell pepper usage resulted from having halves in the refrigerator, and I think cooling bell peppers, mint, and yogurt make a wonderful contrast to the hot zucchini fritters. Serve these hot or room temperature, but be sure the yogurt is cold.
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This a colorful and aromatic dish that has plenty of crunch due to just cooking the vegetables lightly and quickly. The recipe lists shiso, which is a Japanese herb that usually shows up in sushi. If you do not have it, don’t worry, carry on without it. I used as it was in the garden, and it adds depth to the dish, but you won’t miss it if it is not there. Leftovers make a good cold salad as is, or you could lightly dress it with a little white balsamic vinaigrette.
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