Vanilla Pear Jam

adapted from Perfect Preserves by Nora Carey
makes 1½ quarts

This jam is sweetened by the natural sugars in the pears, and fruit juice. No additional sugar is required. It is perfect over pancakes, French toast, or waffles, or use it to top ice cream or pound cake. Served with a biscuit and whipped cream, it makes a fun fall shortcake.

Ingredients
5 pounds pears
grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 quarts unsweetened apple, pear or white grape juice 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Steps

1. Peel, quarter, and core the pears. Chop the pears into small cubes and toss them in a bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Set aside.
2. In a preserving pan, combine the fruit juice of your choice with the vanilla bean. Reduce the liquid by half over moderate heat. Remove the vanilla bean from the reduced juice.
3. Add the pears and their liquid to the juice and bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat. Cook the jam, stirring frequently, for 30-40 minutes, or until the jellying point is reached.
4. Spoon the jam into warm sterilized jars and seal. Process jars of jam in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let cool. Check the seals and store up to 1 year.

From the recipe collection of
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Chow Chow Relish

adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserves 

Ingredients
2 cups coarsely chopped English cucumber (or other unwaxed cucumber)
1 ½ cups chopped seeded red bell peppers
1 ½ cups chopped cabbage
1 ½ cups sliced onions
1 ½ cups chopped cored green tomatoes 9 cups water, divided
1 cup canning or pickling salt
3 cups white vinegar
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 Tbsp. celery seeds
1 Tbsp. ground turmeric
1 ½ cups diced green beans, blanched
1 ½ cups diced peeled carrots, blanched

Steps

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cucumber, red peppers, cabbage, onions, and green tomatoes. Add 8 cups of the water and pickling salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place for 12 hours, or overnight. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly again. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
2. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup water, vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add drained cucumber mixture, green beans and carrots and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial relish, about 40 minutes.
3. Ladle hot relish into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to “fingertip-tight”.
4. Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars.

From the recipe collection of:
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Piccalilli Relish

adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserves

Ingredients
5 cups finely chopped cabbage
4 cups chopped cored green tomatoes
1½ cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped seeded red bell pepper
1 cup chopped seeded green bell pepper
3 Tbsp. salt
1¼ cup pickling spice
4 Tbsp. coarsely chopped gingerroot
2 Tbsp. mustard seeds
3 cups white vinegar
1¾ cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground turmeric

Steps

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine cabbage, green tomatoes, onions, red and green peppers and salt. Cover and let stand in a cool place (70 ̊-75 ̊F) for 12 hours or overnight. Transfer to a colander placed over a sink and drain. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly. Using your hands, squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
2. Tie pickling spice, gingerroot, and mustard seeds in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.
3. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine drained cabbage mixture, vinegar, water, sugar, turmeric, and spice bag. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Uncover and boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thickened to the consistency of a thin commercial relish, about 20 minutes. Discard spice bag.
4. Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot relish. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to “fingertip-tight”.
5. Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars.

From the recipe collection of:
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Spiced Plum Butter

Ingredients
4 pounds Italian prune plums
2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves

Steps

1. Pit and quarter the plums and put them in a heavy 4-quart pot. Add the sugar, the cinnamon stick, and the cloves. Stir well and let sit overnight or for 8 hours.
2. The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the pot, un-lidded, into the oven and cook for 2 hours, stirring the mixture occasionally.
3. Sterilize the glass jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
4. When the plums have broken down and the liquid has reduced to a thick jam, remove pot from the oven and fish out the cinnamon stick (if you can find the cloves, fish them out too).
5. Puree the jam with an immersion blender until it resembles a fruit butter, and then fill the sterilized jars with the hot puree, screw on tops and process in a boiling waterbath for 10 minutes. If you prefer a jam with discernible chunks of fruit, however, don't puree the jam; simply ladle the hot jam into the sterilized jars.

Tomato Jam (Melmelada de Tomàquet)

adapted from http://spanishjourneys.com/oliveme/2011/09/23/tomato-jam-with-museu-de-confitura-seal-of-approval/

makes about 4 half pints

Ingredients
3½ lbs perfectly ripe plum tomatoes
1 apple, peeled, cored, & chopped
1½ lbs sugar
1 oz (two tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice a big pinch of salt
a sprig of fresh thyme

Steps

1. Blanch the tomatoes for several seconds in boiling water, and then shock the tomatoes by submerging them in iced water to stop the cooking. Peel and core the tomatoes and put them into a large, heavy jam-making pot.
2. Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt, and branch of thyme to the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then a steady boil, stirring every few minutes. Watch the jam closely as the water cooks off and the juices become syrupy: you’ll need to stir it steadily to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Squash any big chunks of tomato while you’re at it. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface (those dense little bubbles will cloud the jam’s sparkle later if not removed). The jam will begin to set up in about 25 to 35 minutes. When it’s softly set, remove the thyme and ladle the jam into sterilized hot jars and seal.

Note: If you like, you can add spices to this jam, such as a pinch of smoky cumin and/or spicy pimentón, a cinnamon stick or a couple of cloves (that you can fish out before putting the jam in the jar), or a bit of ground ginger or cardamom.

Zucchini-Pepper Relish

adapted from the blog “Simple Bites”

yields about 10 half-pint jars

Ingredients
6 cups/890 g chopped green bell pepper (about 6 whole peppers)
6 cups grated green or a mix of green & yellow zucchini (about 2 ½ -3 pounds zucchini)
2½ cups grated onion (about 2 large onions)
4 cups/960 ml apple cider vinegar, divided
2 cups/400 g granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons sea salt
2 Tablespoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Steps

1. Sterilize five 1-pint or 10 half-pint jars. Prepare a waterbath for canning.
2. Combine the chopped bell pepper, zucchini, and onion in a large, nonreactive pot. Stir in 2 cups/480 ml of the apple cider vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the vegetables have cooked down, about 30 minutes.
3. Drain the vegetables and return them to the pot. Add the remaining 2 cups apple cider vinegar, plus the sugar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Ladle the relish into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch/12 mm of headspace. Gently tap the jars on a towel-lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
5. When the processing time is up, remove the canning pot from the flame and remove the lid from the pot. Let the jars sit in the pot for an additional 5-minutes. This helps to prevent the relish from reacting to the rapid temperature change and bubbling out of the jars.

From Chef Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Peach Chutney

makes about 2 quarts – easily scales up (doubles, triples, or more)

The term chutney comes from the Indian word chatni, meaning "strongly spiced." It is a condiment, typically consisting of a mix of chopped fruits, vinegar, spices and sugar, cooked into a chunky spread. It pairs well with grilled or roasted meats, cheeses, or as an hors d’oeuvre with papadam crackers. Generally speaking, chutneys tend toward the spicy side, but it's easy to adjust the heat factor if you make your own.

Ingredients
2 large peaches
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, diced small
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
3 whole cardamom pods

Steps

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each peach. Plunge the peach in the boiling water. After 30 seconds to a minute (when the skin begins to lift away from the flesh), remove the peach to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking and make the peach cold enough to handle. Peel the peaches and chop them into ½ inch chunks.
2. Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive skillet over a medium flame. Add the shallot, garlic, and ginger, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the mixture is fragrant and has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook at a steady simmer for 20 minutes, until the fruit has softened, the chutney has thickened, and flavors have melded. Adjust seasoning with salt, sugar, vinegar, or spice if needed.
3. If you like, you may can your chutney, sealing according to manufacturer’s directions in sterilized canning jars with two-piece lids. Alternatively, store the chutney in the refrigerator once it has cooled to room temperature. The chutney will last at least a week to ten days in the refrigerator. If canned, the flavor will continue to develop over the next month as it sits. Remove cardamom seeds before eating.

Bread & Butter Pickles

(makes about 8 pints)

Ingredients

36 small pickling cucumbers (about 5 pounds) be sure to choose very fresh, firm pickling cucumbers
1 large onion
½ cup kosher or pickling salt
5 cups cider vinegar
5 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seed

Instructions

1. Scrub the cucumbers with a vegetable brush and rinse thoroughly.
2. Slice the cucumbers into rounds; ¼ to ½ inch thick. Discard or eat the ends of the cucumbers.
3. Slice the onion into strips.
4. Place the cucumber slices and onion strips into a clean non-reactive bowl. Add the salt and 2 quarts of ice, and place the mixture in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
5. After the salting process, rinse and drain the cucumber and onions.
6. Thoroughly wash your hands & the canning equipment with hot, soapy water.
7. Sterilize the jars by boiling for 10 minutes, and then transfer them to a baking sheet set in a low oven (170 degrees) so they dry & stay hot.
8. Pour the vinegar, sugar, & spices into a large non-reactive pot. Stir the liquid with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber-onion mixture.
9. Turn the flame to high. Bring just to a simmer, but do not boil.
10. Remove the pot from the burner, fill the jars with pickles & brine, wipe the edges and seal with flat lids & screw bands.
11. Place the sealed jars in the hot water-filled pot in which you sterilized your jars.
12. Bring to a boil.
13. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
14. Carefully remove the processed jars from the water bath and allow them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours.
15. Shortly after you remove the jars from the canner you will hear a “ping” as the jar seals. After 24 hours, check the seal by unscrewing the ring band from the jar and lifting the jar by the flat lid. If you can lift it in this manner, consider the seal tight – label & store your pickles in your pantry.

These pickles are good right away, & better in a month. Stored properly, they will last about a year.

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Cherry Frangipane Tart

The almond frangipane mixture keeps refrigerated for 1 week, or can be frozen, then thawed and baked.

Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. kirsch or cherry-infused brandy
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup toasted, ground almonds
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. flour
1 pint sweet cherries, such as Bing, Sandra Rose, or Lapin, pitted

Steps

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Beat in the kirsch & vanilla extract. Combine the nuts, salt, and flour. Add them to the mixture, blending until smooth. Chill the frangipane in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Fill a 10-inch tart shell with the almond frangipane. Top with cherries, gently pressing them down so that they are embedded slightly in the frangipane. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean.

Strawberry Jam

This jam recipe is adapted from Perfect Preserves by Nora Carey. I like the intensity of the strawberry flavor that this recipe produces, as well as the way it sets up – whole berries in a soft jam.

Ingredients
5 pounds strawberries, hulled
5 cups sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Steps

1. In a large shallow bowl, sprinkle half the strawberries with 1 cup of the sugar. Add the remaining strawberries & sprinkle with another cup of sugar. Cover and let the berries stand at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, transfer the berries to a colander set over a preserving pan and let the juices drain into the pan. Stir the remaining 3 cups sugar into the pan & cook the juice mixture over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Bring the syrup to a boil & add the reserved strawberries & lemon juice. Boil the mixture 5 minutes. Remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon back to the colander set over a bowl.
4. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, or until reduced slightly. Add any strawberry juices that have accumulated in the bowl & continue boiling to reduce the mixture by the amount added.
5. Add the berries to the syrup once again & boil for about 5 minutes, or until the jellying point is reached (220 ̊ F). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the jam to stand for 10 minutes.
6. Spoon the jam into hot, sterilized jars, seal, & process. Makes 1 ½ quarts

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Mushroom Gravy

makes about 4 cups

Ideally, I use 2 pans to make this gravy. The good news is that the chanterelles can be cooked ahead, eliminating the need for both pans taking up precious stove real estate when you are trying to pull together your gravy. In fact, the gravy itself re-heats nicely if you want to make the whole thing in advance.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ pound chanterelle mushrooms (or substitute other wild mushrooms), cleaned and sliced
2 Tbsp. chopped shallot or leek
1 tsp. fresh chopped marjoram or thyme, optional
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓ cup Madeira or sherry
4 Tbsp. butter
½ pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups mushroom broth, poultry broth, vegetable broth, or meat broth

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a high flame. When the oil is quite hot (shimmering but not smoking), add the sliced chanterelle mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring often, until all the liquid that the mushrooms give off cooks away. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the shallot or leek and the fresh herbs. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the aromatics are tender and the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked and beginning to brown.Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Increase the heat once again to high, then add the Madeira or Sherry. Let the wine bubble away, then remove the pan from the heat.
2. Next, or simultaneously, add the butter to a wide saucepan and heat over a medium-high flame. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the flour. Cook for a couple of minute, moving the ingredients around with your spoon, until the flour begins to brown lightly. Stir in the broth. Bring the gravy to a boil, add in the cooked chanterelle mushrooms, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened to your liking, about 20 minutes.

recipe by Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast

Find the complete blog post and other recipes here (link).

Cranberry Mostarda

makes 3 cups

This sweet-savory mustard fruit condiment is magic paired with roast turkey, ham, pork, chicken, duck, or goose. It also makes for a lovely accompaniment to a charcuterie or cheese plate. And I am at a loss for a better way to elevate leftovers to a more elegant sandwich than with to slather a spoonful of fruit mostarda over sliced turkey...except if maybe you added Ancient Heritage Dairy Adelle Cheese and some crisp market salad leaves along with!

Ingredients
1 pound fresh cranberries
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. dry mustard (such as Colman’s)
1 Tbsp. black or brown mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
salt
the zest & juice of 1 orange

Steps

1. In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the cranberries with the sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Cook for several minutes, until the cranberries begin to burst.
2. Mix the dry mustard powder with enough additional water to make a thin, pourable paste. Add the reconstituted mustard, along with the seeds, to the cranberries. Season the mixture with salt. Simmer, stirring now and then to prevent scorching, until the mixture has thickened (it should be the consistency of melted jam), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the orange zest and juice. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. The mostarda will keep, in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a week.

Chef Kathryn Yeomans ~ The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/ or visit The Farmer’s Feast on Facebook
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market’s Feed Me Fresh Cooking Class

Red Cabbage Agrodolce with Juniper Berries

6 servings

Sweet & sour (agrodolce) red cabbage is perfect either alongside a turkey dinner, or on a sandwich accompanying leftover roast. Neither too sweet nor too sour, the cabbage is instead transformed into a rich, meltingly tender, striking purple savory side dish, particularly festive with the addition of juniper berries.

Ingredients

1 medium head red cabbage (about 2 pounds)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. whole juniper berries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Quarter and core the cabbage. Cut the leaves into 1⁄2 inch wide ribbons.
2. Add the olive oil to a wide skillet. Heat the skillet over a medium-high flame. When the oil is hot (shimmering, but not smoking), add the onion and the juniper berries. Cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage to the pan, tossing the ingredients together, then stir in the sugar and vinegar. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the cabbage is tender and the flavors have mellowed and melded(about 20 minutes). Stir the cabbage occasionally as it cooks, adding water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, if the pan becomes dry. Reduce the heat if the cabbage starts to brown. Once the cabbage has cooked to your liking, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold.

From Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me

Cornbread

A “Northerner’s” cornbread, it is usually made with yellow corn meal (though a good grainy white cornmeal works just as well), and a little sugar (Southern corn bread recipes often omit sugar). I love to add crisp bacon crumbles or even better – cracklins, if I have the luxury, and softened dried corn (that I “put up” during corn season).

I found this recipe in Bernard Clayton, Jr.’s The Complete Book of Breads, and tweaked it slightly. The original recipe calls for the room temperature butter to be beaten with a fork into the milk and eggs. Frankly, I’m puzzled as to how to beat softened butter into milk and eggs, so rather than risk it my first go at the recipe, I just cut the butter into the dry ingredients, as one would for a pie crust. The result is a moist, tender, delicate cornbread with a wonderful crumb. Also, I bake the bread in a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish. This gives the bottom a delightfully crisp, browned crust, and the bread a good rise and even bake.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. dried corn (optional)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup cold butter (½ stick), cut into small pieces 2 eggs
1 cup milk
⅓ cup chopped crisp bacon or cracklins (optional)

Steps

1. Lightly grease a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet. Pre-heat the oven to 425 ̊ Fahrenheit.
2. Place the corn in a small bowl or a mug. Add enough very hot or boiling water to just cover and set aside while you mix the batter.
3. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.
4. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients, as you would for pie dough, so that the resulting butter bits are small but visible “pearls”. Beat together the milk and eggs. Add the liquid into the batter, stirring with a wooden spoon just long enough to incorporate the ingredients. Do not over-stir. Drain the corn (reserving the hydrating liquid for rice or soup if you wish). Gently blend the corn and the cracklins into the batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Let rest 10 minutes.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake or the cornbread will be dry. Cut and serve immediately.

From Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Pasta with Cantaloupe

adapted from Marcella’s Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazen

serves 4-6

This lovely late summer pasta is ideal for the crux of the season when melons are ripe in the field, and evenings cool off enough that we can welcome a bit of cream in our pasta sauce. Choose a delicate (preferably hand-made) pasta, such as angel hair, thin spaghetti, tonnarelli, or fettuccine. Many varieties of local summer melons work well for this dish.

Ingredients
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cups diced cantaloupe (rind & seeds removed, melon cut into ¼ inch cubes) 1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. tomato paste
~ salt
~ freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. dried pasta or fresh pasta made with 3 eggs & 1 ¾ cup flour

Steps

1. Put the butter & oil in a 10-12 inch skillet and turn the heat to high. When the pan is hot but not smoking, add the melon and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring often. The melon should soften, but not disintegrate.
2. Add the cream, lemon juice, & tomato paste. Stir & cook over high heat until the cream has reduced by half. Season with salt & pepper & remove from the heat.
3. Cook the pasta, drain, & toss it with the sauce. Serve at once.

from Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast

Greens Marmalade

This medley of chopped healthful greens and assertive seasonings is delicious on its own, or can be embellished with a slice or sprinkle of cheese. Based on a selection from the cookbook Mostly Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert, it is a perfect year-round recipe – choose greens that are fresh and in season.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh spinach, escarole, Swiss chard, dandelion, kale, etc. (a combination works best, if using just spinach, you may need another ½ pound)
1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 flat anchovy fillets, drained and crushed with a fork (optional)
1½ tsp. capers, preferably salted, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped pitted purple olives
1½Tbsp. seedless black or yellow raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and chopped
&frac18 tsp. hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
grilled or toasted ciabatta, baguette or other rustic, crusty bread

Steps

1. Remove the tough stems and leaves from the greens, then wash them thoroughly. Cook the greens for several minutes, until tender, in boiling salted water. Refresh in cold water. Drain the greens and thoroughly squeeze dry. Chop roughly.
2. In a skillet large enough to accommodate the chopped greens, heat the garlic in the olive oil over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, and the garlic is lightly browned, remove and discard the garlic. Add the anchovies, if using, and stir for several seconds until they begin to dissolve in the oil. Add the greens and fry for a minute, stirring. Add the capers and cook for another half a minute. Stir in the olives, raisins, and pepper flakes, and remove the mixture from the heat. Using a wooden spoon or heat-proof rubber spatula, scrape the mixture out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Allow to cool, and then chop fine by hand. Alternatively, chop in a food processor. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt and freshly ground black pepper. This preparation can be made several hours in advance or the night prior. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow to come to room temperature before proceeding.
3. Top the toast with the greens and serve. If desired, sprinkle the greens with cheese or top with a slice of cheese (such as Asiago or Pecorino Romano) and run the toasts under the broiler to glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.

from Chef Kathryn Yeomans of The Farmer’s Feast

Carrot Pickles

Very Easy Mexican Style Picos (Escabeche)
Makes 1½ quarts

Even if you’re not into canning or “putting up”, you can still make pickles. This recipe comes together very quickly, and then the pickles marinate in the refrigerator; ready as soon as they cool, improved by the next day, lasting about a week.
Serve these pickles alongside tacos, sandwiches, or grilled steak, or on their own as an appetizer.

Ingredients
4 tsp. olive oil
¾ cup sliced white onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups (1 quart) sliced carrot
4 or 5 jalapeno peppers (amount depending on how spicy the peppers are, and how spicy you like your pickles), sliced lengthwise and seeded
a pinch of dried Mexican oregano a large pinch of salt (to taste)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 6-ounce can of pineapple juice

Steps
In a non-reactive pot, large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the onion and garlic cook for several minutes, stirring often, just until it starts to soften. Add the carrots and continue to cook, stirring once in a while, for several more minutes. Stir in the jalapeno, oregano, salt, and liquids. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the cooled pickles.
Note that these pickles do not contain sufficient acid for canning.

Elder Flower Syrup

Ingredients

11 ("forager's dozen") Elder flower branches
¾ sugar
¾ water

Steps

1. Combine the sugar and water in a pot. Stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to a boil over a medium-high flame. Remove the pot from the heat.
2. Pull the elder flowers from the coarse stems and push them down into the syrup. Let the flowers steep until the syrup has cooled to room temperature.
3. Strain the syrup through a sieve, pressing lightly on the flowers to extract most of the syrup that clings to them. Place the syrup in a glass jar, seal, and refrigerate. Should last at two weeks.

from Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Sweet Sabayon with Fresh Strawberries

from Chef Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

serves 2-4

Simple & seasonal, this elegant dessert makes excellent use of ripe strawberries and abundant market eggs.

Ingredients
yolks of 3 very fresh farm eggs
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. Madeira
1 Tbsp. Cognac
fresh strawberries

Steps
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Serve hot over strawberries, or try it over other fresh seasonal fruit, such as peaches, raspberries, or poached pears.

Salmon in Salsa Xnipec

Xnipec
In the Yucatan, there is a salsa made with radishes, cilantro, chiles, tomato and bitter orange juice. The Mayan word is xnipec (pronounced shin-ih-pek), which means "hotter than a dog's nose", and describes a salsa that is so picante that it is likely to make a dog's wet nose hot. Bright, crisp, fresh flavors pair beautifully with rich seafood - salmon, scallops and the like.

Of course you can make the salsa as spicy as you wish. Fresh squeezed orange juice and a little lime zest and juice make for an acceptable substitute for the bitter orange juice (from Seville oranges, available in the winter – squeeze & freeze in ice cube trays for use when not in season).

I sauté the salmon, crisping the skin and searing the flesh golden brown. At the last minute, the salsa is added to the pan, sizzling and bubbling, bright and vibrant. I pair Salmon in Salsa Xnipec with deep green
radish tops that I sauté separately with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Total utilization of the radish and spring sun-filled goodness flourishing on my plate.

Ingredients
2 portions of salmon (about 6 ounces each) juice of 3 oranges
the zest of 1 lime, plus 2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 serrano chiles, chopped (less if desired)
5 radishes, trimmed and sliced into thin matchsticks
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1⁄4 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
1 medium fresh tomato, diced, or 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil plus more for sautéing the fish sea salt to taste

Steps

1. Combine the citrus juice and zest, serrano chiles, radishes, green onion, cilantro and tomato. Stir in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and set aside to allow flavors to meld, about a half an hour, and up to 3 hours.
2. Season the salmon on both sides with salt. Over a medium flame, heat the skillet with enough oil to form a generous film on the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot enough to sizzle when the fish is added (the oil should be shimmering but not smoking), slip the filets into the pan and sear on each side, cooking to desired doneness.
3. When the fish are sautéed to your liking, drain off any excess oil that remains in the pan and all at once, add the salsa to the pan. It should immediately bubble up and boil. Turn the pan off and remove the fish to a serving dish, pouring the salsa over the top. Eat at once, served with sautéed radish greens.

 serves 2

Sautéed Radish Greens

Ingredients
greens from 1 bunch of radishes, washed & drained 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Steps
Heat the oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot, shimmering but not smoking, add the radish greens, tossing and cooking for a minute at most, until they wilt and are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

serves 2 

Note: Any tender spring green (pea shoots, fava bean tops, spinach, etc.) will work well with this dish, or combine various greens for added interest.

From the Recipe Collection of Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/