My brother Jonathan and some good friends and neighbors joined us for a spring pheasant dinner, complete with blanched asperagus and a delicious grave, enriched from Tom's collection of dried mushrooms. Two pheasants 5 people. I had promised Jonathan a pheasant dinner as he knew about the pheasants in the freezer -- one wild and one a new release hunted last fall. (Tooth warning: be careful of the shot.)
Our neighbors brought a ruby red rhubarb pie. And a delicate Burgundy -- Savigny Les Beaune 2001. Lovely.
I made a watercress salad, with bits of grapefruit, topped with toasted sliced almonds. Sang Lee has a slightly sweet, tangy citrus dressing that made a great base for an olive oil and vinegar dressing. The almonds add a richness and nutty quality.
Then I almost forgot the wild rice!
Menu
Pheasant
Stuff with pate de canard (sauteed in duck fat) and 3 prunes, mix in dried trompette de la morte
Rub truffle oil on pheasant and butter
Always put a few shallots and an onion in the pan, for a brown gravy
Bake 425 oven 30 minutes then turn to 325
Gravy
Wine, and trompette de la morte soaked in rain water madiera
Wild rice
Asparagus
Blanch to crunchy bite, saute breadcrumbs brown to add on top
Watercress Salad
Fresh local watercress, cut off ends
Dressing - 3:1 olive oil to vinegar (mild, I used orange vinegar) and add a spoon of Sang Lee's Citrus Dressing
Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb cooked with butter made it rich and creamy, and ruby red!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Delicious Taste of Spring - April Asparagus Pasta
I know this recipe by heart because I just made it. So simple, quick, fresh, local and in season.
Fresh crisp just-picked asperagus, cut into bitsize peices -- blanched in boiling water.
Pasta cooked -- we used Capellini D'angelo, but I'd prefer something a bit thicker.
In the pasta bowl: 2 egg yolks (local of course), grated Parmesean, salt and pepper.
Toss the cooked pasta in the prepped pasta bowl, add the blanched asperagus, top with more shavings of Parmesean and black pepper.
Decorate the plate with just picked watercress (we know a source in Riverhead.)
Superb.
Fresh crisp just-picked asperagus, cut into bitsize peices -- blanched in boiling water.
Pasta cooked -- we used Capellini D'angelo, but I'd prefer something a bit thicker.
In the pasta bowl: 2 egg yolks (local of course), grated Parmesean, salt and pepper.
Toss the cooked pasta in the prepped pasta bowl, add the blanched asperagus, top with more shavings of Parmesean and black pepper.
Decorate the plate with just picked watercress (we know a source in Riverhead.)
Superb.
Monday, March 15, 2010
August Pasta in March
Tonight we continue to empty the freezer. Something I love to do from January to March, which meets with great resistance from Tom. He loves to stuff more things in, even when there is obviously no more space. And nothing ever comes out.
We're going to have a simple, inexpensive dinner from a zip lock bag stuffed with leftover summer tomatoes, olive oil and garden basil. The aromatic surprise of August in March fills the kitchen.
This fresh pasta sauce is amazingly good. Simply heated (if it's a little watery, simmer it down.) Or thaw the frozen tomato first and drain its water out. Sauce capellini #9, and grate over it fresh parmesean reggiano. Rooting around the 'fridge I found the wedge we smuggled in our suitcase not too long ago from Venice. In the grocery stores there you can buy beautiful hard cheeses as amazingly low prices.
So tonight I got my way -- a "no meat" "no muss" "no money" night. Tom cooked too!
OK. The cost.
1/3 of a 99C package of pasta
free tomatoes
nearly free parmesean
We're going to have a simple, inexpensive dinner from a zip lock bag stuffed with leftover summer tomatoes, olive oil and garden basil. The aromatic surprise of August in March fills the kitchen.
This fresh pasta sauce is amazingly good. Simply heated (if it's a little watery, simmer it down.) Or thaw the frozen tomato first and drain its water out. Sauce capellini #9, and grate over it fresh parmesean reggiano. Rooting around the 'fridge I found the wedge we smuggled in our suitcase not too long ago from Venice. In the grocery stores there you can buy beautiful hard cheeses as amazingly low prices.
So tonight I got my way -- a "no meat" "no muss" "no money" night. Tom cooked too!
OK. The cost.
1/3 of a 99C package of pasta
free tomatoes
nearly free parmesean
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sorrell Soup
Back in November we made Sorrell Soup.
Tom spotted the spikey greens in the sand alongside the drive to the house. Just where it was supposed to be. Wild sorrell is found on sandy roadsides in coastal areas on the east coast. Flowers from March to May -- Peterson's Guide.
Our neighbor with a southern facing slope planted the bigger leafed garden variety, and he gave us some. Outstanding in salads.
Sorrell Soup
Wash a handful of sorrell.
Make a roux, but don't brown.
Add chickn stock, don't brown
Add the sorrell, cook a few minutes, blend.
Add cream to taste.
Tom spotted the spikey greens in the sand alongside the drive to the house. Just where it was supposed to be. Wild sorrell is found on sandy roadsides in coastal areas on the east coast. Flowers from March to May -- Peterson's Guide.
Our neighbor with a southern facing slope planted the bigger leafed garden variety, and he gave us some. Outstanding in salads.
Sorrell Soup
Wash a handful of sorrell.
Make a roux, but don't brown.
Add chickn stock, don't brown
Add the sorrell, cook a few minutes, blend.
Add cream to taste.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Why Buy Local
It was supposed to snow today. Ten inches. But the big weather pattern stalled below Philadelphia. Washington D.C. is a playland of snow banks, cross country skiiers and site-seers. Very 19th c.
The Southold fishmarket had glistening, pinky white cod. Just right for fish 'n chips, Tom's favorite. And baked cod (in milk with potatoes) mine.
Why buy local?
So many reasons.
What it is NOT:
-on average picked 4-7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves.
-shipped an average of 1500 miles before being sold.
-had about 80 cents on the dollar taken out for packaging, shipping, marketing.
I like my money to stay local. I like to help keep the farms around. I like the taste of deliciously ripe in season. It's so worth the wait.
Helping keep another farm actually saves local taxes. Several studies in New England show that for every dollar paid in taxes on farmland the community saves about 30 cents in services. Unlike developed land, farmland and open space do not use services like police, school, hospital, etc. To compare, the tax dollar on home and business lots costs the community about 30 cents over that dollar. We could go bankrupt if we developed everything!
Another study. Guess what -- kids eating real food for breakfast, lunch and dinner raises their academic achievement. Food for thought.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Bay Scallops in Braiselles
November 4th. The opening of bay scallop season here on the east end.
And the harvest is big, beautiful, and meaty.
Our good friend (actually our dog Bryn's best friend) donned his wetsuit and returned with a king's ransom. They are so wonderful, and rare, we've been frequenting the fish market for more. (A word of thanks to the big scientific project underway by the Cornell Marine Program to "jump start" the scallop population by introducing 11 million year-olds into the bays.)
Darling Husband has, to my taste, pefected the most delicious way to cook those glistening white animal bodies: Scallops in Braiselles (or breadcrumbs, bruseln as his Austrian grandmother would say). The toasty buttery breadcrumbs added to the pan fried scallops at the end soak in all the concentrated juices. The taste is pure scallop. The best vegetables to accompany, complement, and not overpower -- crispy baked potatoes and fresh brussel sprouts (with braiselles of course.) Everything from the farmstand and the fishmarket. Very locavore.
After you put the potatoes in the oven, this dinner is prepared very quickly. Here's the order:
Baked Potato
The easiest thing in the world and so delicious! Buy Rusetts from your farmer. We like them cooked hot and fast -- 420 degree oven for 1 hour. They are very crispy, and open with a crack! I like to season mine with olive oil, DH slathers butter, of course.
Braiselles
Brown breadcrumbs in a small pan, about 1/2 c., in butter/olive oil. (For color and taste, add some sesame or poppy seeds.)
Brussell Spouts
Those glorious green brussel spout stalks are at every farmstand. We buy a stalk and keep it outdoors in the cool. A la Julia, wash (soak in cold water briefly), trim, and toss into boiling salted water. Remove / drain when still green and a little crunchy. Cover them with the finished braiselles.
Scallops
Add scallops to melted butter and a bay leaf. For a few minutes let them cook and emit their juices. The juice will concentrate as it bubbles and the scallops will reabsorb some. Then toss in the browned bread crumbs at the end, mix around to absorb the remaining juice.
Great with local chardonnay.
Cost
3/4 lb scallops ($15-$20 lb.)
2 bakers $1
brussel spouts ($2 a stalk-several meals worth)
Total: $15-$17
Guten Appetit!
And the harvest is big, beautiful, and meaty.
Our good friend (actually our dog Bryn's best friend) donned his wetsuit and returned with a king's ransom. They are so wonderful, and rare, we've been frequenting the fish market for more. (A word of thanks to the big scientific project underway by the Cornell Marine Program to "jump start" the scallop population by introducing 11 million year-olds into the bays.)
Darling Husband has, to my taste, pefected the most delicious way to cook those glistening white animal bodies: Scallops in Braiselles (or breadcrumbs, bruseln as his Austrian grandmother would say). The toasty buttery breadcrumbs added to the pan fried scallops at the end soak in all the concentrated juices. The taste is pure scallop. The best vegetables to accompany, complement, and not overpower -- crispy baked potatoes and fresh brussel sprouts (with braiselles of course.) Everything from the farmstand and the fishmarket. Very locavore.
After you put the potatoes in the oven, this dinner is prepared very quickly. Here's the order:
Baked Potato
The easiest thing in the world and so delicious! Buy Rusetts from your farmer. We like them cooked hot and fast -- 420 degree oven for 1 hour. They are very crispy, and open with a crack! I like to season mine with olive oil, DH slathers butter, of course.
Braiselles
Brown breadcrumbs in a small pan, about 1/2 c., in butter/olive oil. (For color and taste, add some sesame or poppy seeds.)
Brussell Spouts
Those glorious green brussel spout stalks are at every farmstand. We buy a stalk and keep it outdoors in the cool. A la Julia, wash (soak in cold water briefly), trim, and toss into boiling salted water. Remove / drain when still green and a little crunchy. Cover them with the finished braiselles.
Scallops
Add scallops to melted butter and a bay leaf. For a few minutes let them cook and emit their juices. The juice will concentrate as it bubbles and the scallops will reabsorb some. Then toss in the browned bread crumbs at the end, mix around to absorb the remaining juice.
Great with local chardonnay.
Cost
3/4 lb scallops ($15-$20 lb.)
2 bakers $1
brussel spouts ($2 a stalk-several meals worth)
Total: $15-$17
Guten Appetit!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Eggplant Pizza
Well not exactly completely eggplant.
One night a week we have pizza. Because we love it, and because I have convinced Darling Husband that "eating down the food chain" (i.e. less meat) is better for our health, and the health of the planet. Our toppings are local and fresh-- as much as is possible -- always different, and sooo delicious.
We buy the dough from the local "brick oven pizza" guys in Greenport. It's the best. When home DH puts it in a zip lock plastic bag and then in the 'fridge. When kids are over, we have fun asking them to "make the pizza" by spreading it out over an olive oiled pan with holes. (Wash your hands first!) Then they can be artistic with their own toppings.
Tonight, in order: garden herbs - basil, oregano, garlic flowers -- mozzarella and bits of a beautiful Gorgonzola Dulce, nickle and quarter sized thin slices of a skinny eggplant lightly tossed in olive oil, last night's yummy ham cut in strips. 450 oven, 20 minutes or so. The eggplant crisped slightly and was perfect. We plastered it all over the pizza, and it could have used more!
Yes, tasty tomatoes!
Sliced real-tomato-tasting tangy tomatoes, nearly as good as I remember as a kid, from Latham's farm became our appetizer. Odd, though, these were crunchy. We luxuriate in them all August and September, and toss any leftover --tomato, oil, basil -- in a zip lock in the freezer, to be a delightful summer remembrance on a January evening.
Dinner
Eggplant Pizza
Tomato basil salad
Cost
Dough $2
eggplant, tomato $ 2
mozarella, Gorgonzola - $4 (only used half, actually this is a guess, the Gorgonzola was a gift)
garden herbs, leftover ham
Total: $8 (because we reduce, recycle, reuse)
Buon appetito!
One night a week we have pizza. Because we love it, and because I have convinced Darling Husband that "eating down the food chain" (i.e. less meat) is better for our health, and the health of the planet. Our toppings are local and fresh-- as much as is possible -- always different, and sooo delicious.
We buy the dough from the local "brick oven pizza" guys in Greenport. It's the best. When home DH puts it in a zip lock plastic bag and then in the 'fridge. When kids are over, we have fun asking them to "make the pizza" by spreading it out over an olive oiled pan with holes. (Wash your hands first!) Then they can be artistic with their own toppings.
Tonight, in order: garden herbs - basil, oregano, garlic flowers -- mozzarella and bits of a beautiful Gorgonzola Dulce, nickle and quarter sized thin slices of a skinny eggplant lightly tossed in olive oil, last night's yummy ham cut in strips. 450 oven, 20 minutes or so. The eggplant crisped slightly and was perfect. We plastered it all over the pizza, and it could have used more!
Yes, tasty tomatoes!
Sliced real-tomato-tasting tangy tomatoes, nearly as good as I remember as a kid, from Latham's farm became our appetizer. Odd, though, these were crunchy. We luxuriate in them all August and September, and toss any leftover --tomato, oil, basil -- in a zip lock in the freezer, to be a delightful summer remembrance on a January evening.
Dinner
Eggplant Pizza
Tomato basil salad
Cost
Dough $2
eggplant, tomato $ 2
mozarella, Gorgonzola - $4 (only used half, actually this is a guess, the Gorgonzola was a gift)
garden herbs, leftover ham
Total: $8 (because we reduce, recycle, reuse)
Buon appetito!
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