Sarson Ka Saag

Ingredients
1 lb mustard greens and other field greens, coarsely chopped
½ cup water
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 fresh green chili pepper (ex. Serrano), minced
¼ cup cornmeal
½ teaspoon cumin seed, toasted 2 minutes in a hot dry skillet
~ salt
~ butter
~ fresh lemon or lime juice

Steps

1. In a large saucepan, gently simmer the greens in water with the ginger and pepper.
2. When the greens are tender, slowly add the cornmeal and mash the mixture with a wooden spoon. Cook until thickened, 7-10 minutes.
3. Top with butter to taste, lemon or lime juice to taste, and cumin seed to taste.

recipe from Ayers Creek Farm

Apple Crisp

Ingredients
Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg     
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Fruit:
3 lbs apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 2 quart baking dish.
2. Toss together apples, lemon juice and cinnamon. Place fruit mix in baking dish.
3. Mix together the dry topping ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter pieces and work in with your fingers or a pastry blender. Mix until the topping has a crumbly texture. Distribute topping evenly on fruit.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is brown and fruit is bubbling.  

 Variation: Substitute pears for apples. Pears cook more quickly so check for doneness at 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Ingredients
2 lb. sweet potatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
2 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp. flour or matzoh meal
~ salt
~ pepper
~ vegetable oil
~ sour cream
~ applesauce

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Shred sweet potatoes in a food processor or by hand and place in a large bowl. Add onions, eggs and flour (or matzoh meal). Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat about ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Oil is ready when a sweet potato piece sizzles in the pan.
4. Stir mixture again to incorporate the starch settled in the bottom of the bowl. To shape latkes, take a 3-4 tablespoon amount of the mixture, squeeze excess liquid out and shape into pancake. Fry pancakes until well-browned. Remove from oil when done and set on paper towels to drain. Place latkes in preheated oven to keep warm while cooking the remaining pancakes. Serve with sour cream and applesauce.
5. If reheating latkes, set in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in a 450 degree oven. Heat until hot, 10-15 minutes. Turn latkes several times while in oven.

Beans and Greens Soup

Ingredients
1 cup Dutch Bullet beans
1 bunch curly endive, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
~ water
~ salt
~ pepper
~ Pecorino Romano (optional)

Steps

1. In a medium pot, add beans and enough cold water to cover beans with one inch of water. Soak beans overnight.
2. Drain beans, rinse and put back in pot. Add enough water to cover beans by one inch. Add bay leaf and place pot on medium high heat. When the water begins to boil, lower heat and simmer beans until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid.
3. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté briefly until garlic is fragrant. Add endive, sauté until greens wilt.
4. Add beans, cooking liquid and stock. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated Pecorino (optional).

Cranberry Bread

Ingredients
2 cups flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1½ cups chopped cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel

Steps

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix together orange juice, sugar, butter, egg, and orange peel. Add to dry ingredients. Fold in cranberries.
4. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes or until done (a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
5. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Wilted Greens

Ingredients
2 lbs small red potatoes
1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil bunches arugula, washed and coarse stems discarded
~ cider vinegar, to taste

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut potatoes in half. Cut larger potatoes into quarters Toss potatoes and onion slices with oil in a bowl. Transfer potatoes and onions to a shallow baking pan and roast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 20-25 minutes.
3. Transfer hot potatoes and onions to a bowl. Add arugula, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, tossing until greens are wilted.

Vegetable Fritters

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for frying

Batter:
1 egg
1 cup ice cold water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Vegetables:
1 carrot, cut in half crosswise then thinly sliced lengthwise
1 zucchini, cut in half crosswise then thinly sliced lengthwise
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 8 lengthwise pieces
8 cauliflower florets1 small eggplant, sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

Steps

1. Sift together the baking soda and flour and set aside. Put egg in a bowl and beat smooth. Add water. Add the dry ingredients and beat a few times to mix. Set batter aside while oil heats.
2. Pour oil into a large frying pan or wok to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. Cook vegetables in batches, a few minutes per side until nicely brown. Remove vegetables with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towels. Skim oil between batches to remove bits of vegetable and batter. Serve immediately with lemon wedges or your favorite dipping sauce.

Tuscan Beans (Beans all’Uccelletto)

recipe by Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Beans are a wonderful source of inexpensive protein. The benefit of farmers market beans is that they are so much fresher than those you’d procure at the grocery store. You may find that the flavor and texture are quite different than what you’re used to, and that the cooking time is less, due to their freshness.

Limited on time? Cook a large amount of beans and freeze what you will not use right away, along with the cooking liquid, in food storage containers or in plastic bags in the freezer. Thaw containers to use as needed in any recipe that calls for canned or fresh beans. And use the cooking liquid for soups – it’s delicious!

Ingredients
2 cups dried beans (soaked in cold water several hours or overnight if desired)
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
7 fresh sage leaves
1 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled & seeded , or 1 pound of canned whole tomatoes, separated from the juice (break each tomato into 4 pieces with your fingers)
~salt and pepper

Steps

1. Pick over the beans, removing any stones or little clumps of earth, and then rinse the beans thoroughly. Soak them if desired. Drain the beans and place them in a pot. Add fresh cold water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer steadily but gently until tender but not mushy (start checking the beans after about 40 minutes). Turn off the heat and let the beans settle for 10 minutes. Stir in 1⁄2 tsp. salt and let the beans cool in the pot so that they absorb some of the cooking liquid.
2. To prepare the cooked beans, gently heat the oil in a skillet large enough to comfortably accommodate all of the beans. Add the garlic and cook for several minutes until the garlic has flavored the oil and the cloves have colored a light golden brown. Add the sage leaves to the oil. Let them sizzle for a few seconds, and then add the tomatoes. Be careful when adding the tomatoes to the hot oil, as they may splatter. Let the mixture cook for 2 minutes.
3. Drain the beans, reserving the bean cooking liquid. Add the drained beans to the pan, along with a cup of bean cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, adding reserved bean water as the mixture thickens, so that you keep the beans creamy, almost a little soupy. Adjust seasonings and serve drizzled with good olive oil if desired and accompanied by a slice of rustic country bread.

Rustic Peperonata

This colorful pepper stew is sweet and delicious in the summertime, when the peppers are ripe. You can eat it over toasted country bread as a snack, or as a vegetable with dinner. There are lots of things kids can do to help cook this dish – like mashing up the tomatoes, taking the ribs and seeds out of the peppers, and even adding the seasonings!

Rustic Peperonata

Ingredients
fresh bell peppers in a variety of colors (red, yellow, orange!)
one small ripe tomato for each pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 small to medium yellow onion for every 2 peppers, sliced or chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Cut the peppers in half and take out the ribs and seeds. Cut them into strips or triangles or any shape you like.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. With a knife, cut out the core of the tomato and cut a shallow X in the opposite end. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water for a minute or less, then remove them to a bowl of very cold or iced water. Peel the skin from the tomato (the hot water should have loosened it – if not, return it to the boiling water for another 30 seconds and try again). Cut the tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds, or remove them with a spoon. Mash the tomatoes a little with your hands.
3. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet large enough to accommodate all the peppers. Heat over a medium flame. Add the onions and cook until they soften and begin to turn golden.
4. Add the cut up peppers to the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cover the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the peppers begin to soften and wilt. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring gently, until the liquid evaporates. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for a couple more minutes, until the vegetables are all warmed through. Adjust seasonings if needed with salt and pepper.

from Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans, The Farmers' Feast

White Peach and Summer Tomato Salad

recipe from Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients
white peaches
ripe tomato
arugula
one lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper prosciutto, if desired, and/or mozzarella
maybe a few basil or mint leaves

Steps

1. Slice the white peaches and tomato and arrange them on a platter with the arugula.
2. Squeeze lemon juice over the fruits & leaves, then drizzle all with olive oil. Season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Garnish with slices of prosciutto, mozzarella, etc. to suit your taste.

Sweet Moroccan Tomatoes

adapted from a recipe in the book Morocco - Mediterranean Cuisine (a compilation of recipes from a dozen chefs)

This preparation of sweet tomatoes invites the fruit, which we commonly employ as a vegetable, to flaunt its fruitiness.

A kemia, or small (cold) appetizer, accompanied by bread. The dish of tomatoes would then remain on the table as a condiment for a main course (such as a tagine of chicken with onions, cinnamon, & ginger). I have found that they also pair very well with creamy soft cheeses, such as fromage blanc, making for an unusual and delicious cheese course.

Choose tomatoes of medium size; firm and not too juicy. The tomatoes should still be fleshy after removing the skin & seeds.

Ingredients
2 1⁄4 pounds tomatoes
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
2 pinches saffron threads
5 or 6 cinnamon sticks
2 1⁄4 cups sugar
7 Tbsp. orange flower water
4/5 cup peanut oil

Steps

1. With a paring knife, cut out the core of the tomato at the stem end. Do not cut deeply, just enough to remove the core. Cut a shallow X at the base of the tomato. Plunge the tomato into a pot of boiling water. When the skin loosens, remove the tomato from the water with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Immediately place the tomato into a container of iced water. Repeat with remaining tomatoes. Gently peel away the skins of the tomatoes, using a paring knife to facilitate peeling if necessary.
2. Halve all the tomatoes vertically. Remove the seeds. Place the hollowed out tomatoes in a baking dish, cut side up.
3. Distribute the salt, saffron threads, & cinnamon sticks over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with sugar, then spoon on the orange flower water. Lastly, drizzle the peanut oil over the tomatoes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes. Allow the tomatoes to cool in the liquid. Serve hot or cold. They will keep, refrigerated, for 3 or 4 days.

Recipe from Chef Kathryn Yeomans, The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com/

Tomato and Sweet Pepper Salad

Ingredients

4 sweet peppers
6 ripe tomatoes, Cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
salt
pepper

Steps

1. Halve the peppers lengthwise. Remove the seeds and ribs and place flat on a baking sheet, skin-side up. Broil peppers until skins are charred. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag, seal tightly and steam for about 15 minutes. Slip off and discard the skins. Cut the peppers into 1 inch squares.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and garlic plus a little salt and pepper. Simmer over a low flame, stirring occasionally until the liquid begins to evaporate. Cook until the liquid has a thicker, saucelike consistency. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, toss and serve.

Mayonnaise with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

2 egg yolks
1 tsp. lemon juice (plus more to taste)
2 tsp. champagne vinegar (plus more to taste)
salt and pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
1 Tbsp. water
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup vegetable or peanut oil
2-4 Tbsp. chopped soft herbs (such as parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives)

Steps

1. Combine the yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, Dijon mustard if using, and water in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
2. Add the oil, little by little in a thin stream at first, until the emulsion begins to form and the mayonnaise starts to thicken. Continue to add the oil, a little more quickly, but still in a slow, thin stream. Adjust seasonings, fold in herbs (do not process herbs).

Notes

Mayonnaise can be made by hand by combining the ingredients in a bowl rather than a processor, and whisking with a wire whisk. Whisk rather frantically, adding the oil drop by drop in the beginning, gradually increasing to a thin, steady stream.

In the spring, try a seasonal Oregon mayonnaise: omit the mustard and replace the herbs with 1⁄2 cup Douglas Fir tips, chopped)

recipe by Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast

Pickled Cherries

adapted from Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters by Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients

2 pounds cherries (sweet or tart)
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
4 1⁄4 cups white wine vinegar
4 cloves
6 peppercorns

Steps

1. Rinse, dry, and pick over the cherries, discarding or eating any blemished ones. Cut the stems down so that they are a half-inch long.
2. If you would like to can the cherries, prepare eight 1-pint canning jars and self-sealing lids in boiling water, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Stir together the sugar, vinegar, cloves, & peppercorns in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over a high flame. Cook the brine for 3 minutes.
4. Pack the cherries into a food-grade plastic or glass container, or pack them into the canning jars.    Pour the hot brine over the cherries, cover, and if canning, process them in a boiling waterbath for 10 minutes. If refrigerating, cover, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate, making sure that they are fully submerged in the liquid. Let sit for 2 weeks before eating, or 2 months if you have canned them.

After opening, the canned cherries will keep refrigerated for a year.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer's Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Frikeh Salad

recipe by Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

Ingredients
1 cup cooked frikeh (see note)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, Blossom Vinegar's apple-habanero vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar, or a combination
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
a couple of tablespoons of chopped herbs - parsley, fennel fronds, mint, marjoram, chives (maybe some basil as well)
~ salt
~ freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

optional - diced tomato or cucumber, pine nuts, toasted slivered almonds, chopped preserved lemon, sweet or hot peppers (roasted or raw), a handful of rough chopped arugula or watercress, or anything you might like in your salad

Steps

1. Combine the frikeh with everything except the cheese.
2. Let marinate 1/2 an hour at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator (or longer without the added options - just toss these in after you remove the marinated frikkeh from the fridge).  If you have refrigerated the frikeh, allow it to come to room temperature before serving. 
3. Scatter the cheese over the frikeh salad & serve (with grilled or baked fish or chicken, or grilled vegetables).

NOTE: Cooking frikeh is pretty simple. Rinse the frikeh to remove grit and chaff. The ratio of uncooked frikeh to water is 1:2. Just put water and frikeh into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat. Let the frikeh simmer for 30-40 minutes until nearly all the liquid is gone.

Basic Quick Pickle Recipe

Lots of vegetables can be utilized with this brine when you want a quick batch of refrigerator pickles. Pour it (hot) over green beans, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, celery, spring turnips, fennel bulb, Swiss chard stalks, etc. Let the vegetables marinate for a day or a week before eating, and enjoy the pickles for the next month or so. If you make up a batch of brine, you can keep it handy in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, pulling it out to heat and use with vegetables as you bring them home from the market. This recipe halves or doubles easily.

Ingredients
4 cups vinegar (white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup kosher salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
4 or more garlic cloves

optional spices such as allspice, clove, cinnamon stick, Szechuan peppercorns, mustard seed, fennel seed, dried whole chili or chile flakes, coriander, celery seed, juniper berry, etc.

optional fresh herbs, such as thyme stems, rosemary branch, bay leaves, fennel fronds, dill, oregano or marjoram stems

Combine all of the ingredients except the fresh herbs in a non-reactive pot. Heat over a high flame, stirring until the salt & sugar are dissolved in the liquid. Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour hot over vegetables, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

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

Chilled Cherry Soup

Ingredients

3 cups cold water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds fresh cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

Steps

1. Combine 3 cups water, sugar, zest, and cinnamon in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add cherries, bring back to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Whisk cornstarch together with 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl, then whisk into boiling cherry mixture. Lower heat to a simmer and whisk until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool soup completely, uncovered. When cooled, refrigerate covered for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, whisk together sour cream and heavy cream in a small bowl. Ladle soup into four bowls and drizzle with cream mixture.

Quick Summer Chicken

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp nut oil
1 whole raw chicken, cut into strips or diced
½ cup fresh chopped tarragon leaves, tops reserved for garnish
Crème fraiche, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. In your largest skillet on med-high, heat the butter and oil together until sizzling but not brown.
2. Add the chopped tarragon and chicken pieces immediately and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is sticky and a nice caramel color.(The butter will have browned by now, but that is fine as long as it does not burn) Depending upon the relative sizes of your skillet and your chicken, you may need to do this in two batches.
3. Turn the chicken over and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add a large spoon of crème fraiche - about 2 tablespoons, but you can add more later. Allow to bubble for about 2 minutes and then add some lemon juice to taste.
5. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the consistency if you want it creamier.
6. Serve with fresh tarragon leaves scattered over the top and a side salad with French dressing.

Recipe from Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor, Kookoolan Farms

Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients

1 lb. sugar snap peas
2-3   scallions
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying


Steps

1. Wash peas and remove stems and strings. Wash scallions and slice thin on the diagonal.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add peas and stir-fry for a minute. Add scallions and stir-fry until peas turn bright green. Add garlic and ginger and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute or two. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Kale Frittata

Ingredients
3 cups coarsely chopped kale (remove ribs), about ½ bunch
1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
9 to 10 eggs
¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese
3 Tbsp. olive oil
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Beat eggs and cheese in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften. Add garlic and saute briefly. Begin adding kale, a cup at a time. Stir, let the kale wilt, then add the next cup. Cook until all the kale is wilted and is a bright green.
4. Turn off heat, add salt and pepper to taste. Add eggs, turn heat back on to medium. As the eggs begin to set, use a spatula to lift up the mixture around the edges of the pan and allow the eggs to flow underneath. Cook until the eggs set on the edges but the middle is still runny. Place skillet in oven and bake until the frittata is slightly browned and puffy, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes. Carefully slide frittata onto a serving plate. If the frittata is sticking to the skillet just serve from the skillet. The skillet will be hot so use an oven mitt or potholder.