Archives for October 2007

End of the month round-up

I’ll admit it, I’m happy to see this month recede. Don’t get me wrong, I usually adore October, brisk chilly mornings, sun drenched indian summer afternoons, leaves turning brilliant reds, blues, and oranges, and good food to eat. But my cooking hasn’t been that interesting and there was this, which seems to be lingering to some extent. Also my appetite betrayed me. For the longest time all I wanted to eat were delicious falafel, crispy brown and tucked into a warm pita lined with tomatoes, chopped parsley, and yogurt sauce seasoned with garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Actually, I just had one for dinner tonight and I don’t see this obsession of mine waning at all. You’ll notice there are no pictures of falafels, too busy eating. But we have enjoyed eating these lovely pears from our CSA fruit share.

This club sandwich brought me right back to a road trip vacation with my parents and my brother. I must have been 9 or so and we drove west. Whenever we’d stop and eat in a restaurant I’d order a club sandwich. I thought it was so cool. Also I had a pair of cowboy boots that I wore all the time, a bad perm, an overbite, and cat woman glasses as thick as a coke bottle. Yes indeed folks, I was quite a beauty. But this sandwich is the real thing, beautiful, totally local and tastee.

This herb encrusted Icelandic lamb with purple potatoes, both from Jordandal Farm, were lip smacking good with great lamby flavor, and so much fun to eat. Those potatoes are another one of my obsessions this month. The first time I bought the potatoes I only got a few because our CSA keeps us well stocked in taters. But these were not typical spuds…on no my friends, these were potatoes of the gods. When I went back 2 weeks later Eric didn’t have anymore with him. I explained how much I loved these potatoes and what fine and awesome taters they were, and poor Eric took pity on me and said he’d see what he could do. Sure enough he wrangled me a good sized bag of them and now it’s all I want to eat. I cut them into a 1/2″ dice, steam them, and then toss them with shallot butter, coarse kosher salt, and some coarse pepper…ummm, I’m in heaven. They’re perfect warmed up in the microwave with leftover whatever on top. Again no photos, too busy eating.

Beef, eggplant, and mushroom stir fry is one of my favorite combos. I sauce it with some soy, siriracha, and a dash of rice vinegar. I always use dried shitakes for this because they have such a bold flavor and a great texture.

This was a huge pot of soup featuring diced french fingerling potatoes, squash, chard, onions, and carrots. Totally local too.

Another sandwich…this is made on a ciabatta and filled with Brunkow’s pepper-jack cheese, Jordandal’s beef summer sausage, olives, and those beautiful sweet and spicy red peppers from Whole Foods’ olive bar…I have no idea what they’re called but I love, love, love them on everything. I made this into a panini using my new electric griddle and and a cast iron skillet as a weight.

Another easy-peasy obsession of mine…stir-fried rice noodles with egg, sriracha, and topped with ribbons of fresh basil. I know it’s ridiculous, but I like it.

I can already hear the humming of the interweb as it gears up for the gluttonous holiday season. I’ll get there…after a few more falafels.

30 October 2007 | Asian, Lamb, Local, beef, fish, poultry, pork, bits and pieces, eggs, cheese, dairy, food, fruit and nuts, gratins, stews, and stir-frys, pasta, pizza, noodles, quick and easy, rice and other grains, soup, salad, sandwich, spicy, vegetable, vermont Valley CSA | 7 Comments

Apple upside down mistake

I’ve always been a pie person, and I still am. But now I get the cake thing. Its moist, fluffy yet dense crumb, its buttery and sweet notes play so well with coffee…and then there’s cake batter…oh food substance of the gods. I love, love, love cake batter. Is it possible to have a cake batter pie?

This cake was supposed to be a riff on the standard pineapple upside down cake. But in the end I didn’t like this cake. It was way too sweet for me and the apple was too mushy…pineapple has more substance.

As I was putting this together I was thinking about why and when the pineapple upside down cake came about. Dole immediately came to mind and I suspected they had something to do with the recipe and in fact they did…however the food historians have found a recipe in a Seattle community cookbook dating back to 1924. I like how cooking connects me back to another time, it makes it’s easy to imagine an intrepid cook in the past making the cake with apples just like me and then saying “meah”.

I’ll whip up something delicious and beautiful soon…any suggestions?

Apple Upside Down Cake

1 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick of butter
2 apples peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
Dried tart cherries

Melt the butter and the sugar in a saucepan over a medium flame, stirring often. When it bubbles and the sugar is dissolved pour the mixture into a 9” x 2” round cake pan. Place the apples on top of the mixture and add the cherries to the center of the rings.

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 ounces ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt

Using a mixer cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one-at-a-time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and alternate adding them and the yogurt to the butter/egg mixture. Mix until well combined. Spoon over the apple slices, smooth the top, and place the pan on a heavy baking sheet lined with a silpat, foil, or parchment.

Bake for 48 – 60 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a plate. Let cool

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27 October 2007 | Local, baking, food, fruit and nuts, sweets | 7 Comments

The season draws to a close

The Westside Community Farmers’ Market has been good to me this year and with only two more Saturdays left the season is drawing to a close. I really hate getting out of bed early to go to the market…sleep is just one of those things I do so very well. But I do get up, pull a double-double latte, and hit the road. This week I placed an order with Eric and Carrie of Jordandal Farm for a rack of lamb and I wanted apples from Green’s Pleasant Springs Orchard but I thought that would be it. Then I happened to pass by the mushroom man and although he didn’t have any Hen of the Woods we chatted about what a perfect mushroom that is and I picked up a few shitakes. Then the Gassen family had Shagbark Hickory nuts and parsley, celery, and lettuce so I couldn’t resist the chance to hoard more celery for the winter and have one last ceasar salad. Finally I stopped by Brunkow Cheese. I buy Brunkow medium cheddar and jack cheeses as my all purpose, kid-friendly cheese, but I recently read that they were producing artisanal, raw milk cheeses. I purchased Little Darling and when I got home we had it, a huge Sundowner apple, and the hickory nuts for breakfast. That always happens to me…I go to the market for 2 things and ended up with a lot more.

Since not everything we eat is a complex meal I thought we should consider snacks. What do you snack on? I love fruit, nuts, cheese, and chocolate. We’re also big fans of the Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll.

23 October 2007 | Local, Wisconsin, bits and pieces, eggs, cheese, dairy, food, fruit and nuts, quick and easy | 5 Comments

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