Stout Oak Farm heirloom tomatoes

Day 10 of 10 days of tomatoes…

Heirloom tomatoes are plants whose seeds have been passed down for many generations. They tend to have stronger, sweeter flavors, and come in many sizes, colors and shapes, unlike hybrid which all tend to look alike and are grown more for shippability and storage than taste. (i.e. they need to survive the road trip from California without getting bruised or mushy.)  

The Chefs Collaborative, through a program to renew America’s food traditions (RAFT),  is trying to help heirlooms make a comeback in New England, including the Trophy tomato. Don’t be scared off by heirlooms which don’t look as “perfect” as the commercial tomatoes, and which may be green, pink, yellow or even purple when they’re ripe.  The heirloom varieties work well on small farms because unlike hybrid, they’re not all ready for harvest at one time.

With heirlooms, all you really need to do is slice them, drizzle on a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some balsamic vinegar, sprinkle some salt and pepper and you almost have a meal.

For more on “tomato week” check out Maria Rodale’s blog for some more easy recipes and planting tips:

http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/tomato-week-easy-tomato-recipes-tomato-plant-harvesting-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-15591

I appreciate the feedback I got this week and all the wonderful tomatoes I bought from local farms.  I also really enjoyed the gazpacho from the Soup Guy at the Barrington Agricultural Fair which was made with tomatoes from Warren Farm. He also uses Clementine oranges in his gazpacho. He said this was very popular in Spain where they would serve gazpacho as a small side dish to help cleanse the pallet during the meal. Keep an eye out for him at the winter markets.  Meanwhile must figure out what to do with the 10 lbs of tomatoes I got from my CSA, Willow Pond Farm today… maybe in October I’ll feature six days of squash…

See you at the market…

One more day of tomatoes to go…

I’ve been wanting to try some stuffed tomatoes so instead of searching for a recipe, I decided to use what was fresh in the frig.  I kept the recipe simple; some rice (I used wild rice) along with whatever veggies I had which turned out to be some onion, zucchini and yellow squash, some kale, and fresh herbs.  I decided not to add any meat and instead made this as a simple side dish but you could definitely add some ground hamburger or pork and make it the main course. I sauteed the veggies, added the rice and then carved out the tomatoes and stuffed them.  Add some cheese, like feta or mozzarella or change up the spices and add some curry or turmeric to give it more of an Indian theme.  This version would also do well with some jalepenos.

We served the tomatoes with some grilled chicken, sliced cucumbers and a few leftover green beans.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Summer

4+ medium-sized tomatoes (you could do more tomatoes as I had some leftover rice mixture which will be leftovers tomorrow.  I added the inside of the tomatoes that was scooped out to the rice.)
1 cup rice (wild or brown) (plus two cups water, wine or chicken broth)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, diced
½ small zucchini, diced
½ small yellow squash, diced
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper
2 handfuls chopped kale
fresh herbs
1-2 tablespoons crushed almonds
Grated parmesan

Directions:

Saute onions for 4-5 minutes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then add zucchini, yellow squash and garlic. Cook for another 4-5 minutes then add the rice and liquid.  Cook down till just a little liquid remains (about 30 minutes) and then add the kale and let it cook down for another 4-5 minutes.  Meanwhile cut tops off tomatoes and carve them out with a spoon or melon ball scooper without puncturing the sides.  Add the almonds and herbs in right before you stuff the tomatoes. The rice should be al dente (just about done, but a little firmness to the rice). Stuff the tomatoes and top with grated parmesan cheese (or feta would be nice too).

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until tomatoes are soft, but not mushy. Serve warm.

The tomato countdown continues…two more days to go.

One of our summer favorites is a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, or the BLT.  Five ingredients (including the mayo and bread). We don’t try to dress it up too much, just stick to the basics. A nice light (gluten-free) bread, a dollop of mayonnaise, the best tomato you can find, and some crisp lettuce. (Udi’s Gluten Free bread.) We’ve tried other lettuces, like arugula and other mixed greens, but Romaine keeps the sandwich nice and crunchy.

If you haven’t had your BLT yet this summer, make sure to enjoy one before the good tomatoes are gone as it’s just not the same with a bad tomato.

Mackenzie gets up the courage to pick up a baby chick!

My daughter and I went to the Barrington Natural Heritage Agricultural Fair today at Warren Farm.  We were taxied in by two mules on a hay ride, had a wonderful lunch and tasted some roasted pig, held some baby chickens (her very first time!) and saw some pigs, cows and alpacas. It was a beautiful day to be out on a farm. We also picked up some heirloom tomatoes from Stout Oak Farm which I’ll feature tomorrow…

My first tomato tart was a huge hit tonight with my daughter!  Yeah! She kept saying over and over how much she loved it! “Momma, this is so good! Momma, I love this!” she said.  Music to a mother’s ears.

It started out with a link to a Food TV tomato tart recipe from a friend from the farm who told me about a tomato tart.  When she sent it to me she said she replaces the crust with pizza dough. Seeing how she is French, I thought this would be okay…I took it one step further and checked out a few other French tart recipes including  one from David Lebovitz’s blog and then came up with my own version.

It incorporates a little bit from both recipes including some Dijon mustard spread on the crust. I added caramelized onions sautéed with garlic, and used parmesan and Manchego cheese (sheep’s milk) instead of the goat and mozzarella recommended in the other two recipes. My friend said she uses fontina. I used gluten free pizza dough which my husband thinks is crispier than a whole wheat crust. I don’t eat much cheese so this was a special treat! 

Ingredients:

Pizza dough
2 tomatoes
Herbs – I went with fresh Thyme and Oregano this time..Basil would be great..
Parmesan cheese (about ¾ of a cup)
3 or so ounces Manchego cheese
 1 onion, or more..
1-2 cloves garlic

Saute chopped onions for about 15 minutes until soft and caramelized. Roll out the dough and place it in a pie pan. Trim and pinch the edges like a pie. (Put a splash of olive oil to keep it from sticking).  Spread the mustard on the dough and let it sit for a few minutes. Layer in the tomatoes, onions, herbs and cheese and leave enough to lay some cheese on the top. Bake at about 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. I didn’t cover the pie/tart crust, but it did get pretty golden brown..you may want to cover it with tin foil.

Let me know how you like it! I hope your family likes it as much as mine!

(Day six of the 10-day tomato countdown…see below earlier posts for more recipes.)

Sun Gold tomatoes are bursting with flavor this time of the year!

Today was only a two-meal day: brunch and dinner with a few nuts in between. Tomatoes took a back seat to lobster dinner which was definitely the highlight of my day along with a few hours at the beach with family.

I did manage to pick some cherry tomatoes and Sun Gold tomatoes from our garden for breakfast.  I thought I would share with you one of my favorite breakfasts, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions (and usually chard or kale) with some guacamole on the side. Guacamole goes so well with eggs and really helps fill me up in the morning. Fresh salsa also goes well with eggs.

For the scrambled eggs I just sauté some onion for a few minutes until soft, then add some chopped tomatoes and whatever other vegetables I might have like spinach, chard, kale or peppers. Sauté the tomatoes for just a couple minutes then throw in the scramble eggs and cook until light and fluffy. (Low and slow is the key to good scrambled eggs.) Don’t overcook the tomatoes or they get mushy.

My guacamole consists of avocado, chopped tomatoes, small bit of diced onions and a few squirts of lime (or lemon if that is all I have) and a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro. You can also add jalapeño or garlic. Avocados are not exactly local, but I really enjoy them so I treat myself to a couple each week to go with my eggs, salads, or a Mexican meal. If I don’t have all the ingredients, I just use what I have, or slice up the avocado and serve it with the eggs. Parsley or basil can replace the cilantro if that is all you have.

Some tips for storing your tomatoes
Store your tomatoes at room temperature out of direct sunlight. They should keep up to about 10 days.  Do not refrigerate tomatoes, it will destroy their flavor and make them spongy!! If they are really ripe, you can put them in the frig to stop the ripening but you risk losing flavor.  If one tomato gets to ripe and starts releasing juices, you will get fruit flies so make sure to keep them dry and use up the really ripe ones first.

La Tartine Gourmande Gazpacho

Today I’m featuring a gazpacho recipe from La Tartine Gourmande one of my favorite blogs by Béa, a French expatriate living in Boston.  She is a professional photographer and her wonderful recipes will also soon become a book.  My photo is a shabby comparison so make sure to go to her sight!

I’ve tried making several gazpacho recipes and also just “winged” it a few times, but really enjoyed this recipe for a very creamy soup and the suggestions for toppings which really made the dish a meal: avocado, corn, shallots, cucumbers, some cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of crumbled hard boiled eggs. The toppings added some nice texture and something and flavors to complement the tomatoes.

Rather than typing it out, I’m referring you to her web site:
http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2010/07/15/tomatoes-rhyme-with-gazpacho/. (copyrighted La Tartine Gourmande)

I loved it and so did my husband, but I’m not sure all the teenage and 4-year-old dinner guests did…some tried it, some did not…they just don’t know what they’re missing.  Nothing against “this” gazpacho, they just didn’t have an interest in a cold tomato soup I guess.

Anyone else have any recipes they want to share??  I’ve had several people contact me about tomato tarts..so that might be next in line. I also chatted with two friends at the farmers’ market today who made homemade ketchup..maybe I’ll tackle that over the weekend.   

Thanks Béa.

Tomatoes with Curry Powder - the perfect appetizer!

Rain, rain, rain. And, more rain. Spent the day sitting in traffic to get in and out of Boston, but luckily in between got to see the big fish tank at the Aquarium and check out the U.S.S. Constitution with my family from Michigan. The cool rainy weather was a nice change, but I’m looking forward to few more hot sunny days before summer ends.

A late dinner meant that tomatoes were not the featured item, but they added a nice touch to top off the burgers, along with some baked beans and fresh corn.  We also ate a few sliced tomatoes with a really nice balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

The featured appetizer was some cherry and Sun Gold tomatoes with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a generous sprinkle of curry powder. Sounds simple but it is one of the tastiest ways to enjoy tomatoes. If you haven’t had the Sun Gold tomatoes you must find some before summer ends. This is a super appetizer to serve and is great on its own. I keep the little stems on so that they are easy to pick up, or you can just grab ‘em with your fingers.

Enjoy. Looking forward to trying some new tomato recipes in the days to come.

The "salsa" girls!

What’s your pleasure – chunky or smooth?

I love to make a fresh chunky salsa and planned on sharing my recipe this week, but my friend Audrey from Pickpocket Farm pond gave me a recipe for roasted salsa from the Joy of Cooking. I tried that tonight and am a bit torn between which I like , the chunky fresh tomatoes, or roasted and pureed so I’m giving you a twofer today. You be the judge.  The roasted takes a bit more work, but it’s not difficult.

Chunky Fresh Salsa

The best part was making it with a little help from my daughter and my two nieces who are in town visiting.  We served this with some homemade chili and tacos with all the fixins’ and of course homemade guacamole.

Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa

Ingredients

1 lb tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeno peppers
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
¼ teaspoon salt
½ small white onion, finely chopped, rinsed and drained

Roasted Salsa

Directions:

Heat the broiler. Arrange on a baking sheet: 1 lb red, ripe tomatoes. Broil 4 inches from the heat until they blister, darken and soften on one side, about 4 minutes; turn them over and broil the other side until blistered and darkened, 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a dry cast iron griddle or skillet over high heat, and add: 2 large fresh jalepeno peppers and 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Shake them in the pan until their skins are soft and charred here and there, 5 to 10 minutes for the jalepenos, about 15 minutes for the garlic. Let cool, then peel the tomatoes, reserving the juices, pull the stems off the jalapenos, and peel the garlic. Place the jalepenos and garlic in a food processor or blender with ¼ teaspoon salt.

Process to a coarse paste. Add the tomatoes and process a few times until you have a coarse-textured puree. Stir in: ½ small white onion, finely chopped, rinsed, and drained and 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and about ½ teaspoon cider vinegar (optional).

Add 2-4 tablespoons water, if necessary to give the salsa a fairly thick but easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt. (Joy of Cooking)

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe tomatoes (or lots of cherry or sun gold tomatoes)
2-3 tablespoons of finely minced onion
1-2 tomatillos (optional)
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
1-2 tablespoons Jimmy Nardello peppers (A sweet heirloom pepper) (optional)
jalepeno peppers, to taste (just 1 teaspoon or so if it is very hot!)
Lime juice (couple squeezes)

Instructions:

Chop up tomatoes and tomatillos and combine with onion. Add in cilantro, jalepeno and lime to taste. I added in the Jimmy Nardello sweet red peppers my last batch. They’re sweet and give it a little crunch. Enjoy!

Oven-roasted chewy tomatoes

I’ve roasted and dehyrated about 10 lbs of tomatoes and have about 10 to go. They really cook down so I’m sure I’ll be replenishing this week. It’s nice to have some cool weather while we have the oven going.

We’ve decided so far that we like the roasted ones better than the dehydrated because of the olive oil and garlic. I’ve been roasting them for about 4-5 hours with olive oil and also adding minced garlic.  The Sun Gold tomatoes are really sweet.  I found this recipe below on the Willow Pond Farm web site from Molly Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven – since I’m still a novice, I’m featuring her tried and true recipe. I also cut my tomatoes in half and then turned them cut side down – she says to keep the cut side up…not sure how much of a difference it makes.. Another recipe said to put a slit in the back so I’ve been doing that as well. I also did not use tin foil, but some tomatoes did stick.

These are the most wonderful little treats. I plan to roast as many as I can for snacks, and also to save for sauces and stews over the winter. I’m going to store some in the frig and the rest in the freezer.

I’m calling this tomato candy as it is so sweet.

Cherry Tomato Chewies
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
 
Olive oil for the baking tray & 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil and brush generously with olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in half, and arrange them cut side up in a single layer on the prepared tray. (It’s okay if they are touching.) Bake for 2 to 6 hours, jostling them loose and moving them slightly every half hour or so, so they don’t stick and/or burn. Don’t actually turn them over. They come out best if left facing up for the duration of the baking.

Transfer the tomatoes to a platter lined with a double thickness of paper towels and cool for at least 30 minutes. Store them in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for softer, moister Chewies, or leave them uncovered and out of the refrigerator, and they will dry out a bit more and become somewhat crispy. They’re lovely both ways.

(Serve Cherry Tomato Chewies as a garnish, for snacks, or on sandwiches or grains. Float them in soups or sprinkle them on top of a platter of roasted vegetables.)

From Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven

Stout Oak Farm cherry tomatoes

I love tomatoes, in August.  Forget about getting tomatoes the rest of the year, they’re just not worth buying. So, I try to get my fix in the summer when they are fresh and sweet and and not pasty and flavorless.

As a tribute to the wonderful taste of good summer tomatoes, for the next 10 days, I will feature recipes using cooked and raw tomatoes along with ways to store or preserve with some other tips and tidbits. I will use locally grown, vine ripened, fresh tomatoes which cannot be compared to commercially grown tomatoes that are picked when they’re still green and then exposed to ethylene gas to make them red when they are ready to sell. So don’t try these recipes with supermarket counterfeits! Get to your local farmers’ market or farm stand! (Or hopefully you have some growing in your yard.)

Kate with her tomatoes!

I picked up about 20 pounds of tomatoes today from my friend, Kate, who runs Stout Oak Farm in Epping. She gave me some tricks for dehydrating and roasting tomatoes so I’ll be able to enjoy them for the coming months.  Keep an eye out here for some ideas for preserving tomatoes.

A little history about the apple of love: The tomato originated in what is now Peru although the Peruvian Indians (Incas) did not really cultivate it. The Spanish explorers brought the tomato seeds from Mexico and Peru back to Spain.

As little as 200 years ago the Europeans and Americans thought that the tomato was poisonous and it was merely used as an ornamental fruit. The Italians were the first to finally figure out how wonderful it was starting in the late 1700s. As it made its way through Europe, the French called the tomato the “Apple of Love,” and the Germans referred to it as the “Apple of Paradise.” I agree.

The tomato settled in the Americas in the 1700s and although it is botanically considered a fruit, because of its savory taste and use in a meal instead of as a desert, in 1893, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that it was legally considered a vegetable and would be imposed a tariff along with other vegetables. (Every wondered about that?)

My daughter loves sun golds and cherry tomatoes!

In the 1920s the government included the tomato as part of an “ideal” healthy diet and encouraged citizens to eat 55 pounds of tomatoes annually per person!!  Unfortunately now, aaccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Americans consume only around 23 pounds of tomatoes every year – more than half of which is attributed to ketchup and tomato sauce.  (Mostly from fast foods restaurants!)

I figure we get about 7-8 weeks of really good tomatoes so to get in that 55 pounds of tomatoes, I’ll need to eat just about 7  pounds per week or nearly a pound a day or one large tomato per day – easy!

Fresh tomatoes over warm pasta! My favorite summer dish!

My absolute favorite summer dish is fresh (raw) tomato sauce which is tossed with warm pasta. I had it for the third time this summer at our friend’s house at their lake house to top off a perfect day. You will love this!Use the best tomatoes you can find and serve this with some fresh corn on the cob. It is delightful!

Ingredients (Serves 6 as side dish or 4 as main)

3- 4 tomatoes chopped into small pieces (about the same size you would for salsa) (You can also add cherry and sun gold tomatoes)
a handful of fresh basil cut into ribbons and then loosely chopped
about half a small sweet onion, minced
garlic – as much as you can take!  At least 1-2 cloves, minced
a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive (little more than 1 tablespoon)
a drizzle of the best syrupy Balsamic Vinegar you can find (little less than 1 tablespoon
salt and pepper
Parmesan (optional)

The colors of summer.

Mix everything together and let it sit on your counter for half hour or so. Serve over a warm pasta, like angel hair, and top with some parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

See you tomorrow!

Still trying to enjoy all the zucchini in my frig before they go bad.  I picked up my share from Willow Pond yesterday and will hopefully grate some today and freeze it for zucchini bread in the fall. 

Monday night I made zucchini pancakes. I was nervous to serve them as the main course, but both my husband and daughter loved them. I served them with some fresh yogurt dip which consisted of plain yogurt (Brookford Farm) with some garlic salt, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. They loved it all and ate every bite. I didn’t really follow a recipe, but checked out a few Epicurious recipes to remind me of the basic ingredients.  I used the basic and added lots of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, some parsley), scallions (instead of the red onion they suggest below), and some feta cheese. I also substituted the bread crumbs for some gluten free bread crumbs.  The rest of the dinner included fresh tomato salad, grilled green beans and some arugula. It was fresh and light, but very filling.

The key to keeping them from being too runny, is to drain your zucchini well. Grate it first, then salt it and put it in a colander. Put a heavy plate over it and let it sit for as long as you can. Afterwards, I wrapped it up in a clean dish towel and squeezed out the excess water (or use your hands).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 large egg
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
vegetable oil for brushing skillet

Grate zucchini on the largest holes of a grater into a colander and combine well with salt. Let zucchini drain 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°F.

Using hands, squeeze as much liquid from zucchini as possible. In a bowl stir together zucchini, onion, egg, bread crumbs, and pepper to taste until combined well.

Lightly brush a 12-inch non-stick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Drop four 1/8-cup measures of zucchini mixture into skillet and with a spatula flatten into 1/4-inch-thick pancakes. Cook pancakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through, transferring pancakes to an ovenproof plate. Keep pancakes warm in oven while making more pancakes in same manner.  (www.Epicurious.com)

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Pancakes-100768#ixzz0wIPTvef9

Darren Davis, Little Brook Farm in Newfields

100 percent pure grass. That’s what farmer Darren Davis feeds his cattle and because they’re ruminants, that’s exactly what they’re supposed to eat. He keeps his grass healthy, and with the addition of chickens to his pasture who help fertilize the soil, his cows are happy chomping on green grass all day long. If you enjoy beef, than you’ll be pleased to know that grass-fed cows (or pastured cows) are superior to feedlot beef because it is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, and has more vitamins, such as vitamin E (an antioxidant), carotenoids (also antioxidants) as well as conjugated linoleic acid, another “good” fat that is produced by ruminants. (Ruminants are animals with more than one stomach which helps them break down the grass.)

Black Angus cattle at Little Brook Farm

Darren thinks it’s crazy that some farmers spend so much money hauling in grain and building large facilities to house their cows when all they need is grass. “Why bring the feed to cows, when the cows can go out and get it themselves?” he said.

I went out to meet the cows at his farm, Little Brook, and was surprised at how friendly they were. Not that I have met so many cows up close and personal, but they came right up to me like a dog wanting to nuzzle my leg. Darren said that many of the large feedlot cows have been hybrid, cross bred or fed bread so much so that they have become skittish and a little crazy. He said that mellow cows are a good sign. They sure seemed like very happy cows to me.

Darren with his father, Dan, and his mom

Darren and his father, Dan, run Little Brook in Newfields, NH and raise grass fed, pure bred angus cattle and have kept the farm in their family for three generations. In the winter they are fed grass silage or haylage which is grass that is chopped up and fermented so you continue to get the health benefits from the meat. Darren said that the taste of the meat can change from season to season. He also thinks that the females are more tender!  Grass-fed beef does taste different from grain-fed beef so it may take a bit getting used to it, but the flavor is wonderful. His farm is not organic, but he does not use growth implants (steroids) or feed supplements.  For more information check out their web site at www.littlebrookfarm.com. This Saturday, July 31, they will be hosting a “farm store” from 10:00 – 1:00 pm featuring chickens, grass-fed beef and eggs. Children are invited with parents to wander in the garden and help themselves to herbs, etc. 

Wine Braised Grass Fed Chuck Roast with Onions
(Serves 4 with leftovers)

Active time: 40 minute         Start to finish: 4¾  – 5 hours

4          lbs boneless Grass Fed beef chuck roast
2          teaspoon salt
¾   teaspoon black pepper
2          tablespoons vegetable oil
2          lbs onions (4 – 6 medium), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2          large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1          tablespoon tomato paste
1          teaspoon chopped fresh Thyme or 1/4 tsp dried, crumbled
1          teaspoon chopped fresh Rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried, crumbled
1½ cups dry White wine
1 cup water

Put oven rack in middle position. Pat beef dry and rub all over with 1½ teaspoons salt and ½  teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof 5-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown beef on all sides, about 15 minutes total.  Transfer beef to a plate.

Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.  Add wine and water and bring to boil.  Return beef to pot, then cover tightly and braise in oven, turning once after 1 hour, until beef is very tender, Add more wine or water if mixture seems dry, 2½ to 3 hours total.

Let beef stand, uncovered, in onion sauce about 30 minutes. Slice beef into ½-inch thick slices, serve with onion sauce.

Not sure what to do with all those cucumbers and zucchinis? Here are simple recipes that would go well with any dinner or with a salad for lunch.

Crisp and Light Cucumber Salad

Instead of peeling your cucumbers and taking away all the nutritious skin, take a fork and run it down the sides around the cucumber. This breaks up the thick skin and when you cut it, makes pretty lines.  Slice cucumbers thin. Mix with some thinly sliced onions, or green onions. Pour on several tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar (enough to cover the botton third.) Salt and pepper and add several 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar (it breaks the acid of the vinegar.) Marinate in the frig and keep mixing frequently – gets better with time. Will last several days in the frig.

Creamy Cucumbers

Follow directions above, except add some sour cream to the cucumbers to cover and only a splash of vinegar.

Zucchini Simple Sauté

Saute some onions for 5-6 minutes in pan on medium until they start getting soft.  Slice up zucchinis (I cut them in rounds than cut in half for moon shape). Saute until al dente..don’t let them get mushy. Add in some herbs – tarragon is great with this dish – or add fresh basil, parsley or cilantro and cook for another minute to two. That’s it! Sprinkle with some parmesan if you’d like.

Grilled zuchinni: Slice thin strips (about ¼ inch thick) of zucchini (the long way). Toss some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and let sit for 30+ minutes. Or throw any salad dressing on it and marinate. Grill for approximately 7-8 minutes, flipping after about 4 minutes until just soft.

Zuchini with Pecorino (From Poor Girl Gourmet)

Beautiful blueberries!

Blueberries are abundant!  I went this past weekend to Blueberry Bay Farm in Stratham and the blueberries were so ripe that they were just falling into my bucket!  My friend Sheryl brought a blueberry crisp over the other night (see recipe below) and it was so good I had three helpings. It was a little embarrassing actually as I just couldn’t stop eating it!  I thought the almonds really made this dessert! 

There are plenty of U-Pick blueberries for the taking in the seacoast area. It’s a great field trip for kids.  There are 32 farms with blueberries in the seacoast area. Prices range from $1.25 to $2.25. 

You can easily freeze blueberries for your winter smoothies and save lots of money as the frozen ones in the grocery store are more than twice the price. To freeze blueberries, just lay them on a cookie sheet to freeze so they don’t stick together, then throw them in a zip lock. The folks at Blueberry Bay told me that they don’t spray so you don’t need to wash them. Ask the farmer as many don’t spray, or use very little pesticides. If they do, give them a light wash, and dry them on paper towels before you freeze them.

Blueberry Crisp with Oatmeal and Almond Topping
(comments in parenthesis are from me)

Ingredients:

3 1/2-pint baskets fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar (Suppose you could use maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (Brookford Farm is selling fresh butter!)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (or just chop up your own)
Nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt (or go with the full fat organic ice cream!)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse blueberries. Drain, allowing some water to cling to berries. Place berries in 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon; stir to blend. Let stand until sugar dissolves and coats berries. Stir oats, flour, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar to blend in medium bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips or fork until moist clumps form. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over blueberries. Bake crisp until berries are bubbling and topping is golden, about 35 minutes. Serve warm, each serving topped with a spoonful of frozen yogurt. (Source: www.Epicurious.com)

By Sarah Jacobson, guest writer. Sarah is studying nutrition and eco-gastronomy at the University of New Hampshire. Following her passion for food and sustainability Sarah was an intern for Seacoast Eat Local, and this will be her second year as the president of Slow Food UNH. In August she leaves to study at the University of Gastronomic Science in Pollenzo, Italy.

The New Hampshire cheese-making industry has really taken off in the past few years, with many of the state’s 130-plus cow and goat farmers offering customers an abundance of fresh local dairy products. Despite this, the state’s dairy farmers are struggling to keep their businesses and livelihood – buying local mozzarella, quark, and yogurt is a delicious way to promote our state’s small farms while protecting vital farmland, and encouraging conscientious animal husbandry.

Yogurt, milk and cheese provide high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, along with distinct flavors and complex aromas that vary with the breed and diet of the dairy animal. Many farmers offer grass-fed, or pastured milk products, which can contain more Omega 3 fats and a beneficial fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) shown to prevent heart disease , fight cancer and build lean muscle. Products like yogurt and kefir contain live cultures, some of which are considered probiotics – microbes that are beneficial to our digestive system. In addition, locally-made products, especially those that are certified organic, typically lack chemical additives, preservatives, and artificial colorings.

Brookford Farm is small, family-owned, dairy farm located in Rollinsford, NH that offers a wide range of products from their certified organic dairy herd and gardens. Their pasture-raised Jerseys produce the organic raw milk that is available in whole and reduced fat varieties and used to produce raw cream, yogurt, and quark – a soft, freshly fermented cream cheese-like spread. Brookford, as one of the few farms offering raw milk, is a great resource for amateur cheese makers. One of their newest additions is fresh, hand-stretched mozzarella. Visit them at the local farmers markets or at their farm stand.“Cheesemaking is a craft that makes perfect use of milk that isn’t being sold as fluid. exciting to create another product out of the rich and organic milk from Brookford’s herd. People have been really pleased to see another dairy product (from our milk) in Brookford’s offerings, as many folks have been turned on to the quality that comes from a local-scale dairy farm, and are eager to sample artisan cheese from a farm in their area,” said cheesemaker Erin Ehlers.” For more info go to www.brookfordfarm.com.

Another New Hampshire-based dairy farm is Sandwich Creamery that offers homemade specialty cheeses and ice cream. Each small batch of cheese is made by hand, following traditional recipes to produce wheels of soft Brie and Coulommier, Jersey Jack and flaky Welsh Caerphilly. The farm offers unique flavors of homemade ice cream and fruity sorbets. You can find their cheeses at your local farmer’s market, a select number of retailers, or you can order online. The website also has a complete list of the stores in the area that carry Sandwich Creamery products: www.sandwichcreamery.com

For the serious ice cream lovers, there’s Walpole Creamery – a New Hampshire ice cream oasis which uses only fresh milk from cows raised in Walpole, NH. The fresh, local milk produces creamy, sweet ice cream with ginger, mango, caramel, cashews and other unusual ingredients. Check out the Walpole Creamery Scoop Shop in the town of Walpole to see how the ice cream is made or pick up a pint in local stores like Philbrick’s Fresh Market in Portsmouth. For a complete listing of where you can by them check out their web site at www.walpolecreamery.com.

Thanks Sarah for your contribution!  I also just found out that Brookford farm is selling grass-fed butter!

Wendy Berry and her husband Jon, decided to start raising their own animals about 10 years ago because they were concerned about the quality of the food they were giving their six children.  At the time, there were an increasing number of health reports about the antibiotics and hormones that conventional farms were putting into the “feedlot” animals and other health issues associated with large industrial food production. 

Education plays a bit part in Wendy's CSA

Thankfully Wendy and her family lived on a non-working family farm, Lasting Legacy in Barrington, NH, that had been passed down in her husband’s family for 200 years –  all they needed were some animals. Their simple family project started out with three pigs in 2000 to learn the ropes of raising animals. Wendy eventually quit her “day” job at the Rochester Opera House in 2003 to work full time on the farm and now they’re raising more than 30 cattle, 700 chickens, about 30 pigs, 80 turkeys, and a few sheep a year.

The cows are 98 percent grass fed, but are treated with a “cookie” size portion of grain which ‘mellows out the grass fed beef flavor” and gives them a few extra minerals and vitamins. They chose non-organic grain because the organic grain is cost prohibitive, nearly 3 times as much. Their consumers are also more concerned about the animals well being and that they are not given any hormones, steroids, or  antibiotics.

The Lasting Legacy Menu

To respond to customer demands, they offer several ways for customers to purchase meat, so in addition to buying beef directly from the farm, or the farmers’ market, customers can buy cow shares, or join the Lasting Legacy CSA which offers customers a weekly share in their community supported agriculture (CSA) in the spring and the fall. Buy a cow share and you get a quarter share of a cow that is flash frozen so you can store it in your freezer over the winter. Pig shares are also offered. Half a pig or a quarter cow will feed a family of four for about 4-6 months. 

The CSA gives customers a menu for just about everything they need except milk and bread. Working with other farmers the CSA provides a one-stop-shop of food including: beef, chicken, pork, eggs, vegetables (from Heron Pond) fish (from Eastman’s Fish Market) and even ice cream (from Sugar and Ice).  

Raising cattle is as much as a science project as it is an agricultural project and Wendy has become an expert on “pasture raised” animals.  She works hard to keep her grass healthy so that the animals are getting everything they need and is even looking at bringing in seaweed to help fertilize the soil.

I’ve seen firsthand how much time Wendy spends at the farmers’ market and her CSA pick up educating people about the benefits of grass-fed food and how to cook it. This is a big part of her job as more and more people choose to buy directly from the farm instead of supermarkets. Wendy has also helped organize local events around eating local and will be hosting some cooking classes to help new foodies learn the ins and outs of grass fed meats. She is even working on a cookbook  on “eating local” that will hopefully be available this fall!

Wendy was kind enough to share one of the recipes for flank steak, a flavorful, but slightly tougher piece of beef which she marinates to help tenderize it. it  Thanks Wendy!

Steak Fajitas

Ingredients

1 lb of flank steak or skirt steak
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the grain as one would normally slice an onion. Slice first in half, and then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into half-inch wide strips

Marinade:
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 fresh Jalapeño pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped (be careful not to touch your eyes or anywhere near your eyes after handling a Jalapeño pepper!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems

Directions:
Mix all marinade ingredients. Set the steak in the marinade and let it sit at least an hour, the longer the better.

Heat to high heat a large cast iron pan or griddle. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the steak, frying on each side for 3 minutes, or to desired doneness. 3 minutes per side will yield approximately medium rare doneness for an average cut of flank steak. If pan starts to smoke too much, reduce the heat to medium high. We want the steak browned, not burned. Remove from pan and let sit for 5 minutes.

Reduce the pan heat to medium high. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary. Add the onions, bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent.

Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. If you slice the meat at a slanted angle, you will be able to get your slices pretty thin.  Flank steak is flavorful but can be a little tough, so thin slices will really help make it easier to eat.

Serve immediately with shredded cheese, salsa, shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and warm flour tortillas. (Hint for warming tortillas – put in microwave over a paper towel for 20 seconds on high heat.)

Rose Sanders

You may have seen my post this past fall for the sweet beet salad from Farmer John’s Cookbook. I’ve modified it using sesame oil and rice vinegar, with just a little agave and it’s so delish! My friend’s keep requesting it so I’m sharing my “Asian” version.  This raw beet salad goes with just about everything and is great to have in the frig to accompany your salads, pork and even eggs in the morning!  It will last 4-5 days in your frig and gets better with age. Fiddle with the dressing – you could also add lime or ginger.  I’ve already seen beets at the Exeter Farmers’ market so keep an eye out and get fresh and local!

Ingredients

4 medium beets peeled and coarsely grated.  (3-4 cups)
¼ cup sesame oil and ¼ cup toasted sesame oil (or some combination there of)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
1 clove garlic minced (optional)
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (optional) (or sweet red or white onion)
Few shakes of toasted sesame seeds

Directions
Put grated beets in bowl and combine with shallot/onion.  Combine oil, vinegar, agave and shake until smooth.  Pour the dressing over the beets and toss until well coated. Marinate in the frig for an hour or so (if you have time – if not it’s still good!). Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on before you serve.

Fish and ice cream don't mix, except at the farmers' market where we enjoy both!

I read a consumer study the other day which showed that although fish consumption is up by 63 percent, more than 9 percent of those surveyed find fish difficult to prepare. It also said that the majority of people like to cook their fish at home, so I thought I would share a few my favorites. We try to eat fish at least 1-2 times per week because we love it and because it is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids which Americans do not get enough of. The simpler the better as far as I’m concerned.  My husband likes his fish crispy and I like it soft and flakey so we have to bounce back and forth between different methods. My 4-year old daughter, who used to eat fish, has decided that she doesn’t like it anymore. I hope it doesn’t take her as long as it took me to appreciate fresh seafood. (After college!)

We pick up one pound of fresh fish each week at the Exeter farmers’ market from Eastman’s Local Catch community supported fishery (CSF). They also have some recipes posted on their web site. The fish is so fresh it jumps in your mouth!  I consulted with my dad who is the master chef in our family and who lives in Florida so he eats fish frequently. I’ll be featuring more recipes over the summer so keep an eye out!

Simple Saute with Garlic, Capers and White Wine

Heat olive oil and butter in a sauté pan (combining olive oil with garlic gives you a higher heat point): add minced garlic, and any combination of tomatoes, capers, white wine, spinach.  Saute these ingredients for 1-2 minutes before you add the fish and then cook the fish on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side until fish is flakey.

Fish in Parchment Paper

This is one of my favorite, full proof, ways of cooking fish because it steams the fish and keeps it nice and light. I feature it in my cooking classes and it is always a hit. You can find parchment paper in any grocery store. This works well with any type of white fish, ocean perch (red fish), pollack,wild salmon or cod (add to cooking time if it’s very thick). Start with a simple marinade. I use one that I adapted from Rachel Ray with whatever I have: 1-2 tablespoons minced ginger, 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced, 3 tablespoons honey and ditto for tamari (or soy sauce) and 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar. (Or I also use just plain rice vinegar.)

Place a large piece of parchment in a shallow dish then in the center of the paper stack add vegetables such as scallions and mushrooms, thin slices of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or spinach.  Blend the marinade and pour 2 or so tablespoons over the fish. Bring the two sides up over the parchment then roll the sides in to form a sealed pouch on both sides. (Appearance is not critical, just roll up the top and sides as tight as you can.) Lay the pouches on a baking sheet and roast in an oven at 375 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes. (If needed, you can open up the parchment and check to make sure the fish is flakey…roll it back up if needed and continue cooking.

You could also skip the marinade and just drizzle some olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the fish and bake in the parchment. You can definitely add other vegetables to this, but you may need to blanch things like broccoli or carrots before hand as they won’t cook fully in the parchment.

Rub Your Fish

I tried a simple spice rub last night on some haddock using the quick fry method. It was excellent and gave the fish a crispy outside and flaky inside. I combined paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, onion powder, and pepper (ingredients in order from what I used most to least). You could also try some “local” rubs from Buzz Bomb’s Spice Blends which you can get local farmers’ markets. To quick fry something you need a fairly high heat, so I used canola oil – or you could use peanut. (Don’t use olive oil for this method – if you heat it to high you will make it rancid.)  Put the rub on the fish and heat pan until the oil sizzles. Fry the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on size. When fish is flakey it is done. I served this with some homemade (spicy) black beans, brown rice with some fresh scallions tossed in and a green salad! It was delish!

copyright Poor Girl Gourmet

I went to the book signing of Amy McCoy, the author of “Poor Girl Gourmet” cookbook yesterday at the Water Street bookstore in Exeter.  I was curious to see how she cuts corners and as she says, “eat in style on a barebones budget.”  I was pleased to learn that Amy loves to eat local and even has her own chickens.  She also encourages readers to start their own garden even if it is just some potted herbs (herbs are expensive). She shops at Whole Foods and local specialty shops and farmers’ markets, but  still makes most of her meals on the cheap (most dishes were around $10.00 for 4-6 people). She said she never used to shop for sale items, or use generic brands (like the Whole Foods brand of products) but now to keep on budget these are some of her staple items. Bottom line is, she is cooking for less, but she is not settling for Ramen Noodles. She is making healthy meals, with simple ingredients.  I look forward to trying some of her recipes. She couldn’t have been nicer and answered many questions which had nothing to do with food.  You can check out her blog at http://poorgirlgourmet.blogspot.com and her book is available on Amazon. It is a soft cover book listed at $16.99 but Amazon has it on sale for $11.99.

Some of her recipes include “untraditional Bolognese sauce, chicken in cider gravy, sweet Italian sausage with apple and fennel seed and easy sidedishes like roasted cauliflower, pan-sauteed cabbage with roasted garlic and some straightforward desserts without a lot of ingredients.  She even has a section on “value wines” with a list of red, white and sparkling wines for the budget shopper.

For each recipe she breaks down the estimated cost of the dish. She said I could share a recipe so, although I haven’t made anything yet, I’ve picked something with some something you can buy from local farmers - zucchinis which are already showing up at the farmers’ markets (early this year). Thanks Amy!

Zucchini with Pecorino Romano (Serves 4 for $5 or less)

2 pounds zuchini (approximately 2 large or 4 medium), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit.
2. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini rounds iwth the olive oil to coat them. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the zucchini in a single layer on a 10 by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino Romano over the top of the rounds and bake until the zucchini is soft and the cheese is golden brown, 30-35 minutes.

(Author’s note: Estimated cost for four: $2.99. In season, zucchini costs $1.25 per pound. We’re using 2 pounds here, so that’s $2.50. The olive oil costs 24 cents, and the grated Pecorino Romano costs 24 cents.)

I got this idea from Jordon Pike at Two Toad Farm at the Portsmouth farmers’ market who suggested to use bok choy (or baby bok choy) instead of cabbage in cole slaw. I tried it with a ginger dressing I loved and sweetened it up with some agave and soy sauce and it turned out great. I added some sesame seed for a little crunch and color. You could also add some minced onion to this.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons miso (fermented soy beans)
¼ cup plus 2  tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons wheat free tamari or gluten free soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1-2 teaspoons raw agave sweetner (or try maple syrup or raw honey)
½ cup oil: peanut, safflower or sesame (add in some toasted sesame if you have it)
Splash of water (if needed to thin it out a bit)
One large head bok choy or 2-3 small heads cleaned and sliced thinly
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions: Slice bok choy in thin pieces. (Slice thinly and then rough chop so you don’t get big stringy pieces of greens.) Mix dressing ingredients above well until creamy. (Best to add all ingredients then mix in oil slowly or mix well in blender.) Toss bok choy with dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Let me know how you like it!

If you like bok choy, here is another recipe for a simple bok choy saute.