Potato Basil Salad

Being basil is the theme of this week, I thought to try a potato vinaigrette salad. It’s quick, easy and tasty. You can mix it up any way you choose by adding different vinegars or herbs.

4 cups potatoes, boiled, cooled and diced

1 T. toasted mustard seeds

1/8 cup minced fresh basil

1/8 cup olive oil

1 T. champagne vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients in one bowl and mix well. Set aside for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator for flavors to combine and imbue with the potatoes.

Zucchini Fritters

I wanted to do something different, so I decided it would be nice to cook Greek cuisine for this week. To garnish and add texture, I prepared a cucumber tzatiki sauce and together, the flavors merry well. If you have orange blossom flower water, add it to your fritters to lighten the taste and cut through the fat from the oil. It is not necessary, but is quite lovely. One can find the flower water at Holyland deli, a specialty grocer or greek deli.

Serves 4-6

2 cups zucchini, grated

2 green onions, sliced thinly

¼ cup fresh basil chopped

½ cup flour

1 carrot, grated

salt and pepper

1 egg

1 tsp. orange blossom water

2 Tbsp. oil

Add the zucchini, onions, basil and carrot in a bowl while preparing a cast iron skillet or frying pan adding oil to the pan.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg slightly with a fork and add the orange water. Together add the egg mix to the zucchini mix with the flour and 1 tsp. salt. When the oil is hot, spoon the mixture onto the pan being careful not to make the fritters too thick. If too thick, they will not cook thoroughly, so flatten out uniformly. You may have to prepare them in batches, as I cooked three at a time, the circumference of a softball. Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes and let rest on a towel. Salt and pepper to taste.

Results are IN

So, I'm sure you are all dying to know which bread won the taste test. It took several individuals to make such a decision. Everyone from the farm found both recipes to be lacking in one quality the other possessed, so it was declared to be undecided. However, amongst others at Noemia's Barbeque, it was decided that the Beet Zucchini bread was the clear winner. I must apologize for the late results. But wait no more, here is the recipe...

Beet Zucchini Bread

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. clove ground

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup minced candied/crystallized ginger

3 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cup beets grated

1 cup zucchini grated

Zest of one orange

Add toasted walnuts for an additional crunch

Preheat the oven to 350.

Prepare two loaf pans by buttering and laying down parchment paper.

Combine in a large bowl the all purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, clove, crystallized ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. Combine the oil, sugar, extract, beets, zucchini, beets and orange zest.

Add the two bowls together and mix with a wooden spoon. Pour into the prepared pans, ¾ full and sprinkle additional salt and sugar; bake for 55-65 minutes.

The Zucchini Bread Battle

As some of you know, I write recipes for Riverbend's CSA newsletter. Well, yesterday I heard some mention of beets for next week! Really, I thought, beets!!! I just adore beets with their bold colors and versatility. Immediately, I new I'd include my Cold Beet Soup, to further expound on a later day; however, I continued and thought of something absolutely brilliant. What about Beet Zucchini bread? How lovely really. Last week all I could think about food wise was zucchini bread, which is why I thought to combine the two flavors and make perfection. But that's not all. Anyone who knows me, can tell you I am incapable of following recipes. Every time I try to prepare according to the instructions, I go on to disagree and proceed with what I think seems to be most logical. I will admit, I have made mistakes a time or two, yet for the most part, my adjustments do work well.

Anyway, I began to look up a zucchini recipe and started to think more and more about variations of zucchini bread. Take for instance my two ideas,

Gingered Beet and Zucchini Bread

Apple, Walnut and Zucchini Bread

Here's where the inner dispute takes place. Now that I've baked off both types, I find myself unable to proclaim the best after an intensive taste test. I guess my lucky guinea pigs on the farm, co-workers, will have to help me decide. Using your virtual taste buds, tell my which you think sounds more appealing and enticing.

Until next time, happy eating!

Gratin Dauphinois, Kale and Farro

It is a French classic with an Italian flare. I was inspired to prepare this gratin style dish when Nate, another worker from Riverbend, cooked a wild rice, sausage gratin. It was absolutely brilliant. The problem I find with traditional Gratin Dauphinois is the richness. My version has broth instead of cream with added veggies and grain. Traditionally, the dish is made with potatoes, onions, cream and butter. Being I like to mix things up and put a spin on things, I decided to add an Italian grain called farro. Farro is a pure form of wheat with the husk still intact and displays a firm, chewy texture giving versatility in cooking. In the end, the final product came out elegant with a beautifully browned topping. Serve it with a salad to bring freshness to your palate.

1 pound potatoes, Cranberry Red preferred
1 cup farro, or whole grain like brown basmati or wild rice
1 bunch kale, lacinato preferred
1 tbsp. garlic
¼ pound fontina Val D’Aosta cheese (can be purchased at Surdyk’s, or simply choose another variety of fontina), cut into several small, thin squares
1 small onion, diced
1 ½ cup milk
1 ½ cup broth
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese to garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 ° F

In a sauce pan, add about 2 ½ cups salted water and one cup farro. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the grain with the closed lid for 15-30 minutes until tender. Drain off water if any remains and set aside.

Prepare the veggies as such: wash and thinly slice the potatoes with the skins on to 1/8 inch rounds (may use a mandolin if one is available). Cut out the rib of the kale and dice; the remaining leafy bits should be shredded as well, but kept separate. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a cast iron 12-14 inch pan, heat butter and sauté onions, garlic, and kale ribs. Once the kale ribs are tender, add the kale leaves. Then, layer the cooked farro on top the kale/onion mixture. Fan out the potatoes on top in a layered fashion and proceed to add the cheese, laid out randomly. Sprinkle salt and pepper once more. Once everything is assembled, add the milk and broth to the pan, bring to boil and put in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Pictures From the Farm

Purplette Onions

The Lingering Butterfly

[Followed Nate around the farm while transplanting and weeding the beets and carrots.]

Swallows

Purple Viking Potatoes

Garlic, Garlic and More Garlic

Cranberry Red Potatoes

Varieties

Before working on the farm, I had no idea how many varieties a specific vegetable had. For instance, Belstar, Castle Dome and Packman are broccoli types, and is interesting, but understandably so why it is not sold for their specific varietal. Green Lettuce is actually a mix of Tennis Ball, Black Seeded Simpson and Nancy while Red Lettuce could mean you're eating Roxy or Rouge d'Hiver, and lastly a mix of Red/Green could be Grandpa Admires or even Red Sail. Interesting. If you plan on having your own garden, here are my suggested varietals to buy:

Roxy: green near the roots and turns to deep red toward the outer filly leaves, sweeter than most varieties of lettuce, no dressing required, number one personal choice

Castle Dome Broccoli: One head with several, skinny shoots and florets, mildly sweet with a great crunch

Tennis Ball: leafy green lettuce, soft in texture, would highlight a dressing beautifully

Lacinato Kale: skinny, long leaves, flat ribbed on one side

Black Seeded Simpson, I just needed to comment on how much I detest this one in particular. Don't purchase this seed and stay away. It's worthwhile mentioning...

There are more, but I'll have to wait further into the season to determine other favorites. Please do keep these in mind and let me know what you prefer....

Potato Pizza

As I was packing boxes from today's harvest in the rain, I overheard Greg mention something about chard. Ooo la la, chard! I could not help but interrupt and ask if it was one of the new veggies for the CSA boxes. To my delight, it was. Immediately, I thought gratin. Oh wait, what about pizza. Yes...PIZZA. But not just any sort of pizza. How about chard with a cracked egg and swiss? Greg must have known my mind was on food, as always, and proceeded to list off the CSA box items,

new potatoes (pink, delicate flavor), chard, mizuna, lettuce, onions, red mustard, broccoli...

There must be one or two more items, but for the moment, it escapes me. Anyway, to go along with my pizza idea, I began to think of ways to incorporate the other veggies. That's when it struck me. Potato pizza crust prepared two ways, one with the chard and egg; the other with kohlrabi, broccoli, and bacon.

You must try this recipe for yourself and discover the harmony of flavors for you will not leave disappointed and hungry. Seconds or thirds is a must.

Potato Pizza Crust

Makes one large pizza or two mediums

1 cup mashed potatoes

2 tsp. yeast

1 cup water

1 Tbsp wheat germ

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

3 cloves roasted garlic

2 cups whole-wheat flour

¾-1 ½ cup all purpose flour

In a small bowl or cup combine water (warm to the touch), sugar and yeast. After fifteen minutes, combine in a stand mixer with the remaining ingredients being sure to start with ¾ cup all-purpose flour. If the dough is too sticky, then adjust by adding more of the all-purpose flour.

Once kneaded for 5 minutes in the machine, place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel for a minimum of one hour (a warm environment is preferred). Preheat oven at 450 in the mean time.

After one hour, mold to a baking sheet in a flat circle or square.

Add desired toppings. (see below)

Swiss Chard topping

(one medium sized pizza)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 ½ c. thinly sliced chard

2 cloves of roasted garlic

2 ounces of swiss cheese grated

2 eggs

Salt and pepper

Top the pizza dough as follows: garlic spread as even as possible, chard, 2 eggs cracked (on top the bed of chard diagonal from one another), swiss cheese, salt and pepper.

Kohlrabi Bacon Mash topping

2 kohlrabi, softball sized trimmed, peeled and diced

5 strips of bacon, thickly sliced

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. milk

¾ cup broccoli, thinly sliced with stems

2 cloves garlic

2 ounces swiss cheese, grated

salt and pepper

Boil the kohlrabi and mash with butter and milk once it has cooked thoroughly. Add the roasted garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook the bacon frying pan and reserve bacon fat. Once cooked and sizzling, put to the side.

Top the pizza as follows: kohlrabi mash, bacon, drizzle bacon fat, add broccoli and lastly the cheese.

Lower the oven to 425 and bake for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust.