Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Cooking Local: Shop for Fava Beans at the Farmers' Market

Friday, July 25, 2014



Fava Beans
Text and Photos by Greta Hardin

The Favas are on their way, and they come with a super simple, introductory recipe. As simple is this recipe is, it was one of the later things I tried in my local vegetable adventure. I blame lima beans for my delayed introduction to favas. I was a complete non-fan of lima beans, or at least the frozen lima beans I had to eat as a child. The particular grainy mushiness of the limas had set me up to believe any large beans were doomed to be the same way. After a few extremely pleasant and tasty encounters with Gigante beans I now know the off-putting texture had more to do with preparation than any virtue, or lack thereof, in the lima beans themselves.


Lima beans aside, the fava beans in their mildly fuzzy, well-padded pods are immature and will have a texture much closer to edamame (those green soy-beans you get at Japanese Restaurants and Sushi Bars), though the flavor is quite different – and most excellent.

Fava beans are a bit of a project since they are “Old World” beans and thus have a skin over the bean that is tough and not pleasant to eat once the beans get above a certain size. Garbanzos and soy beans fall into this rough group. “New World” beans can have edible pods - think snow peas or green beans – and while they still have a skin over the seed, it is so thin we eat it without noticing.

All that detail means that to get the goodies in a fava bean, there’s popping open pods, shucking, and then some peeling. But the little guys are so tasty, it is completely worth the trouble.


Here’s a basic recipe for cooking favas on a grill, and make a fun, finger friendly vegetable to accompany cookouts. This also leaves the tedious work to the individual eaters.

Grilled Fava Beans

Ingredients:
  • Fava Bean Pods – 4-6 per person
  • Salt
Equipment:

  • Grill
  • Plates
  • Somewhere to put the non-edible parts
Prep:
  • Rinse the pods if they need it.
Cook:
  1. On a heated grill (or a sautĂ© pan with a little oil) place the pods on and cook until the pods are soft and wilted – often with black marks.
  2. Let the pods cool until they can be picked up. Use the stem to pull the string off the side of the pod. Pull out the beans and peel the light green skin off the darker green and extremely tasty bean inside. Sprinkle with a little salt and eat them all up!
Note: You can also shuck the beans raw, blanch them in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes and they pop out of their skin with a quick squeeze.

Now that you’ve met fava beans you can use them for lots of things. I like them in a beet and sweet lettuce salad with a really garlicky vinaigrette.

For that recipe, visit my blog

Saturday June 14th - October 4th
The Shoreline Farmers Market at Shoreline City Hall
Top level of the Parking Structure (Free Parking underneath)
17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline

Sunday May 11th - October 26th
The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market at Third Place Commons
Lower Level Parking Lot (Free Parking in surrounding spots and in the upper lot)
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greta Hardin is a science teacher, food nerd, and the author of Cooking Your Local Produce: A cookbook for tackling Farmers Markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and your own back yard.


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Cooking local: Spicy Zucchini Crostini

Sunday, July 13, 2014


Spicy Zucchini Crostini
Text and Photos by Greta Hardin

Zucchini is arriving, and the question again arises – what to do? Many a zucchini has been eaten baked and sprinkled with salt, pepper and parmesan (and maybe bread crumbs?). But what if you are ready for something a little different this year? Why not take a cue from the cradle of agriculture, with a little influence from Italy.

Zucchini and dill are great partners. The sweet wateriness that comes out in zucchini makes it a great friend to herbs, especially dill. And with the excellent sunny growing weather we’ve been having chili peppers are here a little early. Grab a chili pepper or two (or the however many you need for the desired hotness), and some garlic to round out your crostini topping.

Cook up a whole pot full and freeze it

The other excellent thing about this topping – you can cook up a whole pot full when the zucchinis are arriving in waves, and then freeze it in convenient serving sizes. Since you’ve already cooked it – this crostini topping will not suffer the soggies that usually afflicts frozen zucchini. And as for thawing – you’ll want it warm anyway, so warm it up quickly in the microwave on in a sauce pan on the stove top.

Spicy Zucchini Crostini

Appetizers for 8 or hearty snacks for 2-4

INGREDIENTS:
  • zucchini – 2 large banana size
  • jalapeño pepper – 1 (or harissa paste– ½ tsp or to taste)
  • dill – 1 bunch
  • garlic – 4 cloves +1
  • oil –a good splash
  • salt – pinches, to taste
  • feta or goat cheese - or other fresh crumbly cheese
  • crispy bread slices or
  • excellent tortilla chips
EQUIPMENT:
  • knife – chef’s & bread
  • cutting board
  • sautĂ© pan (large)
  • plates to hold cut veggies
  • serving bowl
  • spoon
  • (toaster or grill – optional - for crisping bread)
Zucchini are fresh and organic
at the Farmer's Markets
PREPARATION:
  1. Trim the ends off the zucchini, and cut into 2 boats. Cut into 3 or 4 long pieces, then slices pinky width or thinner.
  2. Peel and smash or finely chop the garlic. Remove the stem and seeds of the jalapeño (unless you LOVE spicy, then leave them in), and chop it to smithereens.
  3. Rinse the dill and roughly chop. Stop when you get to the larger tough stems. The small stems don't matter.
  4. Slice the bread thinly – on the bias for a good bite.
  5. Crumble up enough cheese for sprinkling over the finished crostini.

Remove the stem and seeds of the jalapeño
unless you LOVE spicy!
COOK!
  1. Pop the bread in the toaster, or get a minion to grill it for you.
  2. Place the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pour in a splash of oil about 2 tsp., and a small piece of zucchini. When it sizzles, add the garlic. Add a pinch of salt, and stir over the heat. Continue until the garlic is fragrant, but not colored.
  3. Add the zucchini, half of the jalapeño and about 1/3 of the dill.
  4. Cook for a few minutes, until the zucchini starts to soften. Taste for salt, and to see if the garlic has mellowed a little. Need salt? Add a bit.
  5. Keep stirring as the zucchini softens and shrinks. Keep cooking until the sweetness of the zucchini emerges and blends with the spicy pepper and the garlic flavor mellows. Add any salt or jalapeño you feel it needs and give it another stir. When the flavors all come together, and you want to eat it with a spoon, take it off the heat, and place in a serving bowl.

Rub the toasted bread with the last garlic clove cut in half.
Serve the zucchini on the toasts and top with a little cheese.

To turn this into a meal, add some sautéed or grilled shrimp or smoked chicken.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturdays through October 4th
The Shoreline Farmers Market at Shoreline City Hall
Top level of the Parking Structure (Free Parking underneath)
17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline

Sundays through October 26th
10am to 3pm
Lower Level Parking Lot (Free Parking in surrounding spots)
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greta Hardin is a science teacher, food nerd, and the author of Cooking Your Local Produce: A cookbook for tackling Farmers Markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and your own back yard.


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Cooking local: Blackberries and Pork

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Blackberries and Pork
Text and photos by Greta Hardin

I know, the strawberries are going, going …. gone. And you feel so very sad. You can stop now. It is Blackberry Time. Even if you don’t have the wherewithal or the desire, or the time to go hunt out blackberries, and brave the stickers, you can now get blackberries at the Farmers Market. (I know you see them at the grocery store, but resist. Those are almost always picked under-ripe to ship, and will be tart to bitter rather than heady-summer-sweet. And berries can’t ripen once picked. They just rot.)

Beyond the “no scratches”, these blackberries (boysenberries, marionberries etc.) have another advantage, the farmers have been hybridizing and selecting the best, and these babies are the size of your whole thumb! They are huge and rich and amazing. I have never run across their like in the wild.

Get at least four containers, as you or someone you know is going to eat one on the way home. Don’t worry, you used to eat them right off the vine as a kid, bugs and dirt and all – it just made you stronger, and it will do you good now. Especially if they are still warm from the sun.

You’ll also need some pork. For this one you’ll want a chop or a tenderloin. You are looking for a quick cooking piece of pork, rather than a slow cooking piece (like shoulder, ribs or belly). Ask the person selling the pork, and they’ll point you in the direction of something that will taste excellent when cooked quickly.

And before you depart the Farmers Market, also get yourself some greens – a sweet lettuce and something peppery like arugula or mizuna is a good bet, or maybe a little something bitter. Anyway, get a nice mixture – maybe even grab something you’ve been growing in the back (front/side) yard.



Last of all, pick up a sweet onion – it only needs to be a little salad sized one.



You will need one grocery store ingredient to bring together all the flavors for this salad – a lemon or a lime – or if you are feeling really adventurous a bottle of Ponzu sauce for an even deeper flavor.

You are about to make:

 

Blackberry Salad with Grilled Pork

(I like to eat mine with some garlic bread on the side)

Ingredients:

Blackberries - 1 small green box (aka ½ pt or 1C)
Lime or Lemon - juice of ½ (or 1 Tbs Ponzu sauce)
Balsamic vinegar - 2 tsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Lettuce – 1 small head
Arugula (or mix of bitter/spicy greens) – 1 handful
Tasty olive oil

Pork Chops -2 (or a pork tenderloin)
Salt & Pepper
Lime or Lemon - juice from the other half
Oil – plain stuff just enough to lightly coat

Equipment:

Salad bowl
Salad servers
Fork
Measuring spoons
Salad Spinner (or kitchen towels)
Knife
Cutting board
Grill -or- Cast Iron pan & Oven
Small sharp knife
Tongs or spatula
(very good hot pad if using skillet)
2 Plates

Prep:

Either turn on the grill to high heat or preheat your oven to 450F with the cast iron skillet set 4 inches under the broiler.

Separate the greens and give them a good rinse in plenty of water.  Spin or pat dry and set aside. Use the fork to crush 5 or 6 black berries in the salad bowl. 


Trim and thinly slice the sweet onion.  You'll need about 1/2C of thinly sliced onion.

Add the citrus juice(or Ponzu sauce), Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust until it is fruity, tangy and just enough salt. Set aside.

On 1 plate lay out the pork chops (or 1 in. thick slices of pork tenderloin).  Sprinkle with lemon juice and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle with oil.

Cook:

Place the pork on the grill. (Or turn on the broiler and place the pork in the HOT HOT skillet, and place it under the broiler.) Let it cook for 1-2 minutes (longer for thicker chops - less for thinner). Flip the pork, cook for 1 more minute, then move the pork to a cooler (medium heat) part of the grill - or move the pan down a shelf in the oven.

Let the pork cook another 8 minutes.

While the pork is cooking, use the fork to stir a bit of tasty olive oil into you dressing base in the salad bowl. Make any adjustments in salt, pepper or vinegar. Add the greens, the rest of the blackberries and the sliced onion.  Toss to coat with the dressing.

Get back to the pork. Check the firmness. If it is still quite soft, flip it and let it cook 5 minutes more. If it is getting firm, and the juices run clear and just slightly pink, check inside for doneness. It should be barely rosy and then turn pale.  If it is firmly pink, it needs more time.

Keep both eyes on the pork until it is done.  As soon as it is, remove it to the clean plate. 



Let it rest a few minutes (while you make up some garlic toast).

Slice the pork thinly and serve with the blackberry salad. Summer has arrived! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturdays through October 4th
The Shoreline Farmers Market at Shoreline City Hall
Top level of the Parking Structure (Free Parking underneath)
17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline

Sundays through October 26th
10am to 3pm
Lower Level Parking Lot (Free Parking in surrounding spots)
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greta Hardin is a science teacher, food nerd, and the author of Cooking Your Local Produce: A cookbook for tackling Farmers Markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and your own back yard.


Read more...

What's cooking at Central Market

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

If you're looking for inspiration, answers, tips or new recipes - come by the Culinary Resource Center near Produce at Shoreline Central Market, upper level Aurora Square on Westminster Way.

There's often something to sample, and always recipes for the taking. Below is the lineup for demonstrations.The kiosk is staffed 10 am-6:30pm daily (9 am-5:30pm Sundays) with sampling noon to 4:30pm. If a line appears under the recipe or if the name is in color, you can click to go to the full recipe.

JUNE 26-JULY 1, 2014

Thurs, June 26 Blueberry Coleslaw
Fri, June 27 You’ll Go Nuts! Taste a great new product - Jem Raw Nut Butters
Sun, June 29 Fun with Focaccia - Ideas for Essential Baking Company’s Rosemary Focaccia plus Blueberry Coconut Milk Shakes
Mon, June 30 Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs
Tues, July 1 Jazz Up Your Burgers - How to take ordinary condiments to the next level


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What's cooking at Central Market

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

If you're looking for inspiration, answers, tips or new recipes - come by the Culinary Resource Center near Produce at Shoreline Central Market, upper level Aurora Square on Westminster Way.

There's often something to sample, and always recipes for the taking. Below is the lineup for demonstrations.The kiosk is staffed 10 am-6:30pm daily (9 am-5:30pm Sundays) with sampling noon to 4:30pm. If a line appears under the recipe or if the name is in color, you can click to go to the full recipe.

Thurs, June 19 Easy Shrimp Cocktail Salad
Tues, June 24 Lynnae’s Pickles - Taste this amazing local pickle!


Read more...
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