Kale Salad with Citrus-Marinated Beets & Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients
2 large or 4 medium sized beets
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. fresh goat cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped soft herbs, such as chives, parsley, tarragon, or chervil
4 Tbsp. Marcona almonds (or substitute whole almonds)
1 small bunch cavalo nero or other tender, flavorful kale, cleaned & cut into thin ribbons
(about 4 cups shredded kale)
4 thin slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta, pugliese, or mulitgrain boule,
brushed with extra virgin olive oil and toasted under the broiler

Steps
Boil or roast the beets until tender when pierced with a fork or skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into chunks, or slice into rounds.

While the beets are cooking, make the citrus marinade. Pour the orange juice into a bowl. Add the champagne vinegar to the juice and season with salt & pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir the prepared beets into the marinade and let the beets macerate for at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix the goat cheese with the herbs and a few grinds of black pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 ̊F. Place the almonds on a baking sheet & roast them until they are toasted golden brown (about 3 minutes – watch them closely). Remove the almonds to a plate. When the almonds are cool enough to handle, roughly chop them with a sharp knife, or pulse once in a food processor.

To serve, remove the beets from the dressing with a slotted spoon. Toss the greens with enough dressing to coat them evenly. Arrange the greens on 4 plates and spoon some of the beets over each. Sprinkle the almonds over the salads. Spread the toasted bread with the herbed goat cheese. If desired, the goat cheese crostini may be warmed for a minute or two in the oven before serving. Divide the crostini amongst the plates. Serve at once.

from Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin and the other winter squashes have a variety of uses, from stews and purees to simply roasting in the oven. Pumpkin puree (and purees made with butternut squash or Kubocha squash) also make great quickbreads. To make pumpkin puree, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff out of the center,then the pumpkin cut side down on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, 45-60 minutes. Cool, scoop out the flesh. You can freeze the puree you don’t use for another time or double the recipe and make two loaves.

Ingredients
1½     cups all-purpose flour
½     tsp. salt
1     cup sugar
1     tsp. baking soda
1     cup pumpkin puree
8     Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2     eggs, beaten
¼     cup water
½     tsp. nutmeg
½     tsp. cinnamon
½     tsp. allspice
½     cup chopped walnuts

Steps

 1. Preheat oven to 350°F . Stir together the flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.
 2. Mix the pumpkin, melted butter, eggs, water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Stir in the nuts.
 3. Pour into a well-buttered 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients
2 lb. Fresh tomatillos
1 cup chopped onion
1 to 2 hot peppers, cored, seeded and chopped.
1 cup minced cilantro
¼ cup Fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic
~ salt to taste

Steps
Remove husks from tomatillos, wash, dry and cut in half. Place tomatillos cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast until the skin begins to blacken, about 5 minutes. Let tomatillos cool for about 10 minutes then place in a food processor along with the onions, peppers, cilantro, lime juice and garlic. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Season with salt, put into a container and refrigerate for a few hours.

Sweet Pepper and Tomato Salad

Ingredients
4 sweet peppers
6 ripe tomatoes, Cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. 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.

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

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients
2 medium cucumbers
2 cups yogurt
~ salt
~ cayenne (to taste)

Steps
Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and cut into small diced size pieces. Sprinkle cucumber pieces with some salt, then fold pieces into the yogurt. Season with cayenne, add more salt if needed.

Peach Salsa

Ingredients
3 large peaches, skinned and diced
½ onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), minced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
~Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 30 minutes. Note: If salsa is too hot, add another peach.

Blackberry Slump

Ingredients

4 cups of fresh blackberries (2-3 pints)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (add some zest, if you like more lemony flavor)
¾ cup sugar; depending on the sweetness of berries, or to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk (whole, 2%, hemp or soy) room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Steps

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees.
2. Put berries in an ungreased 5- to 5-cup casserole, gratin dish, deep dish or ceramic pie plate and sprinkle evenly with about ½ cup of the sugar.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar into a medium bowl.
4. Add milk and melted butter and whisk until smooth, then pour over berries (don’t worry if berries are not completely covered).
5. Bake slump in middle of oven until top is golden, 35-45 minutes.
6. Transfer to a rack and cool 20 minutes.
7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Thanks to Martie Sucec

Note: Other berries such as raspberries or blueberries can be substituted for blackberries.

Kebabs

Ingredients
1 lb. meat (lamb, chicken or beef) cubed
1 lb. (approx) firm tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, cut into thick squares
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano, chopped
~ salt and pepper, to taste
~ paprika (optional), to taste

Steps

1. Mix together oil, garlic and herbs. Set aside.
2. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 10 minutes. Heat grill. If using a charcoal grill, place grill about 4 inches from heat source.
3. Thread vegetables and meat alternately on skewers. Leave a little space between pieces. Brush skewers with oil mixture and season with salt, pepper and optional paprika to taste. Set aside while grill heats up.
4. Place kebabs on grill when the grill is hot. Brush them with a little more olive oil as they cook. Turn kebabs a few times and cook until they are brown on all sides and meat is tender, about 10 or 15 minutes.
5. Remove skewers from grill and place on a platter. Cover with a foil tent, let the skewers rest for about 5 minutes then serve.

Note: Looking for a vegetarian/vegan option? Use cubes of tempeh instead of meat.

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.

Spring Panzanella Seasonal Bread Salad

Ingredients

For the bread salad base:

4 or more thick slices of a variety of breads, cut into cubes (about 5 cups cubes), & dried in a low oven
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing:
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt (plus more to taste)
½ cup fresh basil leaves (packed)
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salad components:
An assortment of blanched & cooled spring vegetables (sliced snow peas, shelled peas, fava beans, asparagus, etc), salad greens.

To assemble the salad:

1. Sprinkle the vinegar & water over the bread cubes and toss gently. Drizzle in the olive oil & toss again. As the bread soaks in the liquid, occasionally give the cubes a gentle toss. Allow to macerate at least 15 minutes.
2. Make the dressing: Put the garlic & salt in the blender. Add the basil leaves & olive oil & blend.
3. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the vegetables to the bread cubes. Dress the bread cubes and vegetables with the basil dressing. Serve over the greens tossed with vinaigrette.

Strawberry Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. olive oil
~ salt
~ pepper
6 to 8 cups salad greens
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
12 strawberries

Steps

1. Whisk together the vinegar and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Place greens in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss. Add strawberries and toss again. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top of salad.

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/

Leek Salad

Ingredients
8 medium leeks
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 hard boiled egg

Steps

1. Trim the tops and the root off the leeks and quarter lengthwise. Slice the quarters into several strips lengthwise leaving about ½ inch at the base. Rinse and soak the leeks in cold water to remove the grit. Remove the leeks from the water and tie into bundles. Cook the leeks gently in chicken stock until just tender. Remove from leeks from the pot, drain, untie strings and cut into two inch lengths.
2. If you don't have chicken stock on hand, cook some diced potatoes and then use the potato water as the stock for cooking the leeks. Add the warm potato to the salad.

Irish Lamb Stew

Ingredients
2 pounds lamb cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ pounds red potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 large carrots, cleaned and cut into half-moon pieces
1 turnip, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
~ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
½ cup dry red wine

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Dry the lamb cubes and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large thick bottomed Dutch oven on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add ½ the lamb pieces and brown on all sides. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil, brown the remaining meat and transfer from plate.
3. Lower heat to medium and add the onions. Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add wine, scraping up the browned bits of meat and onion on the bottom. Add meat and any juices on plate, thyme, bay leaf and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and place pot in the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
4. Stir in potatoes, carrots and turnips. Cover, return to oven and cook until lamb is done, about 45 minutes to an hour. Let sit for 5 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Serve.

Apple-Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
1 head savoy cabbage
½ small celeriac
1 apple
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 shallot
salt and pepper

Steps

1. Remove and discard outer cabbage leaves. Cut in half, remove core and slice thinly. Peel celeriac, cut into thin slices then julienne the slices. Core and peel the apple, then slice and julienne like the celeriac.
2. Peel and finely dice the shallot. Combine the shallot,vinegar, oil and a little salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add the cabbage, celeriac and apple to the bowl and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Winter Greens Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

Salad Ingredients
4 beets, boiled, peeled, sliced into strips
6 cups winter salad mix, washed and dried
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Dressing ingredients
⅓ cup olive oil
1 lemon
½ teaspoon dry powdered mustard
¾ teaspoon sugar
~ salt and pepper, to taste

On four salad plates, place a handful of winter greens. Top each with a few beet strips, some cheese, chopped walnuts and dressing. Serve.