Lentil Stew with Red Russian Kale, Sweet Potatoes & Sausage

05 Monday Apr 2010

Posted by in Dinner, Entree, Farmers' Market, Lunch, Recipe, Stew

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Need a quick and tasty recipe to use up some leftover winter or spring greens? This simple recipe yields a savory and subtly sweet hearty stew. It calls for french lentils, which maintain there shape, color and texture in the cooking process. You can find french lentils at Whole Foods or other grocery stores that have a bulk section.

French Lentils

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 links organic turkey or chicken chorizo or andouille sausage, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4-5 garlic cloves*, minced
  • 1 large onion*, chopped
  • 3 small to medium sweet potatoes*, peeled and diced into small 1/4″ cubes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup french lentils, picked over
  • 5 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 large bunch red russian kale*, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoon balsamic or red-wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a stock pot brown sausage over moderate heat and transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. If there is more than 1 teaspoon fat in pan pour off excess; if there is less, add enough oil to measure 1 tbsp. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened.
  2. Add sweet potatoes, bay leaves, lentils, water, broth, and sausage and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Add kale and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

CSA Bounty – Star Hollow Farm

04 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by in CSA, CSA Bounty

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spring is here! While most CSA subscribers in the region do not start receiving their weekly bounty until the beginning of June, Star Hollow Farm started this weekend. As a Star Hollow Farm CSA member, every Wednesday from the beginning of April through end of December I will be able to order a weekly CSA harvest box and additional a la carte items (produce and dairy).

Here’s what was in my April 3, 2010 harvest box:

Baby Mizuna (a variety of Japanese mustard, usually served raw in salad mix)

Claytonia (aka miner’s lettuce that grows wild in California, usually served raw in a salad)

Mixed Carrots (yellow, orange and purple varieties)

Parsnips

Onions

Bibb Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce

Fingerling Potatoes

Granny Smith, Golden Delicious & Honey Crisp Apples

I also ordered:

Tuscarora Mesclun

Garlic Greens

Chives

Dill

Ethiopian Feast – The Menu

03 Saturday Apr 2010

Posted by in Menu

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Last Saturday marked the sixth meeting of a cooking club Kim and I are involved in with our significant others and one other couple.   We’ve done Indian, Irish, Mexican, Greek…it was never intended to be a trip around the world, but it’s ended up that way.  This month I decided to take us to the continent of Africa for an Ethiopian feast.  The menu:

Doro W’ett (Chicken Stew)

Beet and Potato Salad with Lemon

Atar Allecha (Spiced Green Pea Puree)

Stewed Kale

Misr Allecha (Stewed Red Lentils)

Yemiser W’ett (Spicy Yellow Lentils)

Yetakelt W’ett (Vegetable Stew)

Served with Honey Wine and Injerra

I didn’t make the Injerra, I purchased it from a shop on 18th street in Adam’s Morgan.  Everyone really enjoyed the meal, and there was enough left over for lunch all week (and dinner on Sunday).  It was delicious and economical.

Stay tuned throughout the week for the recipes!

Potato Fries

02 Friday Apr 2010

Posted by in Dinner, Lunch, Recipe, Side, Vegan, Vegetarian

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

These are super easy to make and make a delicious side for Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers and veggie burgers. (*Indicates produce from the Next Step Produce at the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market.)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 large sweet potatoes, regular potatoes or a combination, peeled and sliced into 3 inch strips
  • 1 tsp montreal steak seasoning (a spice blend made of coarse salt, black pepper, red pepper, garlic, fennel and other spices and herbs)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 425 degrees F.
  2. Toss sweet potatoes with oil and seasoning. Place on a 9X13″ baking dish, coated with olive oil. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender in the middle and crispy and brown on the edges.

Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers

01 Thursday Apr 2010

Posted by in Dinner, Entree, Recipe

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

These burgers are so easy to make, but oh so delicious. They taste fabulous on fresh rolls with mayo, mustard, and caramelized onions. Serve with Sweet Potato Fries and Sauteed Swiss Chard or a salad.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb organic, grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • Propane grill

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine beef, blue cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Combine well with hands.
  2. Form into 4 evenly sized patties. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each burger so that it doesn’t plump up in the middle when you grill it.
  3. Grill hamburger patties on medium to medium-high for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the centers are just barely pink.
  4. Remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes for eating.

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges & Raspberry Vinaigrette

30 Tuesday Mar 2010

Posted by in Dinner, Lunch, Recipe, Side, Vegan, Vegetarian

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 lbs small beets (red, pink, or golden – or a variety)*, washed well with skins
  • 1 large head of green or red lettuce (such as Bibb & Red-Tinged Lolla Rose Lettuce)*, torn into pieces and rinsed and drained well with a salad spinner
  • 1 medium orange, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice or high quality bottled lemon juice such as Santa Cruz)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 small to medium garlic clove, minced*
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees F. Place the beets into an 8X8 inch baking dish. Drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss to coat. Cover with foil and roast for 60-70 minutes, or until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife or fork. Remove from the oven, uncover and let cool. When cool enough to handle, rub off (or peel off) skins with your hands or a knife. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and cut the slices in fours or eights. Transfer the beets to a large bowl.
  2. Combine 3 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper, and garlic in a small class container with tight fitting lid (such as an old jam or jelly container). Shake until well combined.
  3. Combine lettuce, orange and beet pieces in a large bowl. And evenly toss with about 2-3 tbsp of the salad dressing.

Grilled Pizza with Onions, Garlic & Kalamata Olives

30 Tuesday Mar 2010

Posted by in Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

There is nothing like the taste and flavor of grilled pizza. Grilling the pizza may add a few more steps, but it’s definitely worth it. In the middle of the summer harvest, try adding grilled zucchini and yellow squash and grilled red bell pepper instead of the jarred roasted red bell pepper. Also try experimenting with different types of cheese and other toppings, such as thinly sliced bosc pear. Serve with a side salad, such as Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Raspberry Vinaigrette, and a glass of red wine. (*Indicates Star Hollow Farm produce.)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 prepared pizza dough, divided into 3
  • 1 batch of basic pizza sauce
  • 3 medium organic yellow onions*
  • 4-6 cloves organic garlic*
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced (optional)
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese (or a combination of freshly grated parmesan and feta; or fresh cheese curds from your local italian market)
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper
  • Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

  1. Prepare pizza dough and basic pizza sauce according to directions.
  2. Prepare grill (for a gas grill, turn on high; after 5 minutes, scrape clean with a grill brush; turn heat down to medium-high).
  3. Carefully peel and slice onions into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lightly coat both sides of each slice with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside and roughly chop.
  4. Peel garlic and place in the center of a 8 inch by 8 inch piece of aluminum foil along with 1 tbsp oil. Carefully form a little pouch with the foil.
  5. Grill onions until tender and evenly browned (about 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side). Meanwhile, place pouch of foil with garlic on a corner of the grill. Grill until garlic is cooked through and very tender (about 10-20 minutes). Set aside and roughly chop.
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll out a third of the pizza dough on a large cutting board (if the dough sticks to the board, dust the cutting board with a little flour). Coat one side of the dough, evenly, with cooking spray. Place the rolled out dough (cooking spray side down) on the grill.
  7. Pre-cook the crust: Grill for 1-2 minutes, or until the cooking spray side of the dough forms a crust and starts to turn golden brown. Quickly and carefully spray the uncooked (top side) of the crust with cooking spray, and flip the crust, so that the top side is now touching the grill surface. Cook another 1-2 minutes, or until the crust just starts to turn golden brown. Remove from the grill and set aside.
  8. Repeat for the remaining 2/3 of the dough.
  9. Top the pre-cooked crust with sauce, grilled onions and garlic, kalamata onions, and slices of mozzarella cheese. Place on grill on top of a long piece of foil, to prevent the crust from burning on the grill and to give the cheese enough time to melt. Cover the grill, and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts (note: check often to make sure the bottom of the crust does not burn.)

Organic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

29 Monday Mar 2010

Posted by in Dessert, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

]

Don’t be intimidated by this 2 layer, 99.9% organic cake! It is probably one of the easiest cakes to make – even my husband with is rudimentary baking skills can make this delicious dessert. And one of the best things about this recipe…it has half the fat of the typical carrot cake recipe, because it substitutes all-natural organic apple sauce for half of the canola oil. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose, organic flour
  • 2 tsp organic cinnamon
  • 2 tsp organic baking powder
  • 2 tsp organic baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup organic walnuts or pecans

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 cups peeled and grated organic carrots
  • 1/2 cup all-natural, organic applesauce
  • 1/2 cup organic canola oil
  • 2 free-range, organic eggs*

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 tbsp organic butter, chilled
  • 1 (8 oz) package organic cream cheese (preferably Neufchatel cheese – also called 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
  • 1 lb package organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp grated organic lemon rind

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using cooking spray, evenly coat 2 round, 8-inch cake pans and lightly dust with flour.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Mix all wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well (note: batter will be very stiff).
  4. Spread the batter evenly into TWO round, 8-inch baking cake pans.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake pan comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans using a narrow spatula or plastic knife; turn out onto wire racks; and let cool completely (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Beat butter and cream cheese at high speed of a mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon rind; beat at low speed until just blended (do not overbeat, or icing may become runny). Cover and chill.
  7. To frost the cake, place 1 cake layer on a large plate. Spread about 1/3 the cream cheese icing on top of the layer; spreading carefully from the center out to just the edges of the cake layer (it is easiest to use a large knife). Top with the second cake layer and repeat, however this time use all the remaining icing and spread the icing over the sides/edges of the cake layer, making sure to evenly spread the remaining icing over the sides and top of the cake.

Chowing Down in Asheville, NC

28 Sunday Mar 2010

Posted by in Food System, Restaurant, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

This post is long overdue. For our 2010 New Year’s celebration, my husband, two friends, and I piled into my friend’s Honda for a little road trip to Asheville, NC to see The Avett Brothers in concert. Armed with a fabulous list of restaurants we headed to Asheville ready to take on the local music, food, and fabulous microbrews.

For those of you thinking about going to Asheville in the near future, these were some of our favorites places:

Bouchon

Early Girl Eatery

Laughing Seed Cafe

Tupelo Honey Cafe

For fabulous local brews and much more, check out these wonderful places:

The Thirsty Monk

For a map of these great restaurants and more, check out: http://tinyurl.com/ashevillefoodsystem.

Creamy Stewed Chicken with Multi-Colored Root Vegetables

28 Sunday Mar 2010

Posted by in Entree, Recipe

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

This is a great autumn or late winter recipe that uses a variety of root vegetables and even some new spring vegetables, such as fingerling potatoes. The combination of cream, chicken and savory/sweet root vegetables creates a delicious, hearty dish. Serve over rice or with a big piece of fresh sourdough bread. Recipe adapted from Chicken in Riesling at epicurious.com. (*Indicates Star Hollow Farm produce.)

(Cook’s Note: The recipe from epicurious.com indicates that the chicken dish should braise in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The first time I cooked this it took more like 1 hour before the carrots and parsnips were tender. I recommend sauteing the carrots and parsnips with the onions (as I indicate in my version of the directions below) to speed up the cooking process.)

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb free-range, organic chicken breast on bone with skin
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 medium yellow onions, chopped*
  • 6 medium carrots (red, orange, golden, purple and red varieties), peeled and sliced*
  • 2-4 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced*
  • 1 cup dry white wine (such as Riesling)
  • 1 1/2 pound small (2-inch) fingerling potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • Fresh lemon juice to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle.
  2. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a rounded 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a wide 3 1/2- to 5-quart heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 batches, turning once, about 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare onions, carrots, and parsnips and pat dry. Wash fingerling potatoes well and cook until just tender in a pressure cooker according to the directions of your pressure cooker (approximately 5 minutes at high pressure). Set potatoes aside and then after about 5 minutes, using just your hands, carefully peel skins off the potatoes.
  4. Pour off fat from pot, then cook onions, carrots, and parsnips and 1/4 teaspoon salt in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken, skin sides up, with any juices from plate, and wine and boil until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover pot and braise chicken in oven until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. (Note: this may take longer, depending on the root vegetables you use.)
  5. Stir crème fraîche into chicken mixture and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, then add potatoes.
Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started