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

Quirky Gourmet: Recipe for Monday's Humble Feast

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Zucchini photo by Devra Gartenstein

Devra Gartenstein, the Quirky Gourmet, is staging a Humble Feast dinner this coming Monday at her Patty Pan restaurant, 15550 27th Ave NE, Shoreline 98155, 5:30 - 7:30pm.


The full menu for Monday:

Stuffed Zucchini
Green Salad
White Beans with Garlic Scapes
Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
Berry Crisp

"Patty Pan's Humble Feast is a series of community-based dinner events featuring local ingredients sourced primarily from area farmers who are our friends and neighbors at the markets. But these dinners are also a practical attempt to answer the question: how can we eat well without busting our budgets?"

Advance tickets are $10 - $12 at the door.

Stuffed Zucchini (makes 6 servings) 

3 medium-size zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound ground beef or ½ pound cooked lentils
½ teaspoon salt, or more, to taste
Half an onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
¼ cup chopped fresh tomato or canned crushed tomato
¼ cup grated cheese such as parmesan or feta (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Boil water in a medium-size stockpot. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, and then cut each half crosswise to make four pieces from each zucchini. Blanch the pieces in the boiling water for about a minute and then drain or remove them with tongs.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the ground beef and salt. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, and then add the onion, garlic, basil, and oregano. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until the onion is soft and translucent, and then add the tomato and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until the mixture starts to thicken.

For the vegetarian version, heat the oil and then add the onion, garlic, basil, oregano and salt. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes, and then add the lentils and turn off the heat.

When the zucchini is cool enough to handle, gently scoop out as much of the flesh as you can without breaking the skin. Finely chop the pulp, and then add it to the beef or lentil mixture. Spoon this mixture into the zucchini shells, and top with grated cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, until heated through. 



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Recipe and community dinner

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Asparagus
Photo by Devra Gartenstein
Patty Pan's June community dinner will be serving a meal inspired by North African flavors this month: 

Spring Vegetable Tagine (vegetarian and omnivore), Couscous Pilaf, 
Radishes with Dukkah, 
June Salad with Fig and Orange Dressing,
Sesame Cookies.

Good food, good neighbors, and the weather should be perfect. More information here.

First Monday of every month
June 5, from 5:30 to 7:30pm
Patty Pan Grill Cooperative, 
15550 27th Ave NE.

And here's a recipe from Patty Pan's owner, Devra Gartenstein

Asparagus with Mustard-Dill Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
I think about this recipe all winter, as I look forward to spring. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare.

1 quart water
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (preferably seeded)
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Boil the water in a medium-size saucepan and blanch the asparagus for about 15 seconds. Drain and run them under cold water for a minute.

2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and cook on low heat for a minute or two. Turn off the flame, add the dill, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon, and mix well.

3. Toss the asparagus with the sauce, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: If you bend the stem end of a stalk of asparagus, it will break at precisely the point where it's tender enough to eat. When working with a bunch of asparagus, you don't have to bend every piece individually. Just do one or two, and that will give you an idea of where to cut the rest.


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Recipe: Seattle Granola Topped Fruit Crisp

Sunday, February 12, 2017


Seattle Granola Topped Fruit Crisp
Serves 6


Ingredients

1/2 cup granola
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4-5 cups berries and/or sliced fruit *

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first five ingredients and work together, by hand, until crumbly.
Spread fruit in a buttered 3-quart baking dish and top evenly with granola mixture. Bake about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.
Serve warm.

* Apples or Pears – peel before slicing
* Peaches or other stone fruit – choose firm fruit
* Berries – toss with an extra two tablespoons of flour

Recipe from Central Market Ballard - Culinary Resource Center 
Some products may not be available at all stores.



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Quirky Gourmet: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Monday, January 30, 2017

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with lemon-garlic sauce
prepared by a reader
Photo by Austin Carpp
Devra Gartenstein is the owner of Patty Pan Grill in Shoreline. She is the author of Cavemen, Monks and Slow Food: A History of Eating Well, The Accidental Vegan, and Local Bounty.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Makes 4 servings

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the Brussels sprouts with two tablespoons oil, half a teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Arrange them on a baking sheet.

Toss the garlic cloves with enough oil to coat them, wrap them in foil, and place them in a separate corner of the same baking sheet.

Roast the Brussels sprouts and the garlic for about half an hour, or until the Brussels sprouts start to brown and the garlic becomes aromatic.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the pulp out of the skins and mash it with a fork. Mix it with the remaining oil and salt, as well as the lemon juice. Serve the sauce on the side, as a dip, or toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with it before serving.

(Ed. note: absolutely delicious)



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Recipe: Slow cooker ham & beans

Sunday, January 22, 2017


Slow Cooker Ham and Beans


Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry white beans
  • 2 smoked ham hocks or shanks
  • 1/2-3/4 pound ham, cubed (optional)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 3 1/2 cups water (or fill empty tomato can)
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Hot sauce
  • Salt

Directions

Cover beans with water and soak overnight in the refrigerator. Alternately, cover beans with water, bring to a boil and drain well.

Place all ingredients except salt and hot sauce in a slow cooker, with the ham hocks on the bottom. Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours or on low for about 8 hours.

When the beans are tender, use a fork to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot, just until the broth starts to look creamy.

Remove the ham bones. Pull off any ham still clinging to the bones (it should be very tender) and return the ham to the pot.

Stir and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce. Ham hocks can be quite salty, so be sure to taste before adding additional salt.

Serve with garlic bread or on buttered toast.

This recipe makes a large batch and keeps well in the freezer.

Recipe from Central Market Mill Creek - Culinary Resource Center



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Recipe: Beef Curry with Shiitakes and Edamame

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Photo courtesy Central Market

Beef Curry with Shiitakes and Edamame

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
  • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste 
  • 1 pound top sirloin, thinly sliced across grain 
  • 2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms 
  • 3 cups chicken broth 
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed 
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste 
  • Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped 
  • 2 teaspoons lime zest 
  • Hot cooked rice or rice noodles to serve 
Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add curry paste and stir until soft and mixed with oil.
Add beef and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until browned, but still pink in center.
Stir in shiitakes.
Add chicken broth and simmer until beef is cooked and shiitakes are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add edamame and stir until hot.
Add fish sauce, sugar and salt.
Remove from heat and stir in basil and lime zest.
Serve hot with rice or noodles.

Recipe from Town and Country Market Bainbridge aka Central Market - Culinary Resource Center
Some products may not be available at all stores.


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Recipes: Teriyaki Steak and Cold Noodle Salad

Saturday, January 7, 2017


Teriyaki Steak and Cold Noodle Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 (6- to 8-ounce) steaks, your favorite cut 
  • 1 1/2 cups your favorite teriyaki sauce, divided 
  • 1 pound fresh Asian-style noodles, or soba or spaghetti noodles cooked al-dente (some fresh noodles require only rinsing) 
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil 
  • 1/2 teaspoon Asian hot chili sauce (or to taste) 
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth 
  • 1/2 cup each shredded cabbage and carrot (or substitute 1 cup packaged cole slaw mix) 
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion 
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 

Directions

Place steaks in a large, zip-top plastic bag.
Add 1 cup teriyaki sauce and seal bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Lay flat and marinate for 20-30 minutes, flipping bag over halfway through.
Toss prepared noodles with sesame oil and set aside. In a small saucepan, stir together remaining 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, chili sauce, peanut butter and chicken broth. Stir over low heat until just smooth and well combined.
In a large salad bowl, toss together noodles, cabbage and carrots. Dress with teriyaki-peanut mixture and toss. Remove steaks from marinade and grill to desired doneness. Rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks and serve over noodle salad, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.


Recipe from Central Market Mill Creek - Culinary Resource Center
Some products may not be available at all stores.

Central Market Shoreline, 15505 Westminster Way N, Shoreline, WA 98133


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Recipe: Northwest Bouillabaisse

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Northwest Bouillabaisse

From Central Market's Culinary Resource Center comes this hearty Northwest Bouillabaisse stew.

Ingredients

Juice of 1/2 large orange and 1 large strip orange zest
Large pinch saffron
Olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
3 cups clam juice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 pound (skinned and boned) salmon cut in large chunks
1 pound clams and/or mussels, well-scrubbed
1/2-3/4 pound large prawns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
  1. Combine orange juice and saffron; set aside.
  2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven to medium-high. Add oil to lightly coat bottom of pan. Add onion and fennel; season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté 2-3 minutes or until starting to brown.
  3. Add garlic and white wine. Increase heat. Boil for a few minutes, or until wine is reduced by about half. Add juice and saffron, zest, tomatoes, clam juice, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Break up tomatoes as they cook.
  4. Add salmon. Stir occasionally 5-6 minutes, or until fish is almost cooked through. Add shellfish. 
  5. Cover and cook until clams and mussels open and shrimp is pink and cooked through.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add butter and parsley; stir gently until butter is just melted.
  7. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Central Market Mill Creek - Culinary Resource Center
*Some products may not be available at all stores.



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Recipe: Mashed potatoes with gruyere and caramelized leeks

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Mashed potatoes with gruyere and caramelized leeks
From Central Market's Culinary Resource Center comes this tasty way to serve mashed potatoes.


Ingredients
  • 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes 
  • 1 large leek (about 1 pound) 
  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided 
  • 1/4 cup white wine 
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream 
  • 1/2 cup whole milk 
  • 2 cups shredded cave-aged Gruyère cheese (about 1/2 pound) 
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Directions

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat slightly and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain well, return to pot, and let steam for a few minutes.
While potatoes cook, slice leek in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise about 1/8-inch thick. Place in a large bowl of water and stir to loosen any trapped dirt. Lift leeks out of water.

Heat a large, high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, then add leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally for 7-10 minutes, or until leeks are tender and starting to brown. Add white wine, stirring to loosen any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add remaining butter, cream and milk and warm through. Remove from heat. 

Mash potatoes to desired consistency. Add leek-cream mixture and stir until well combined. Add gruyère, stir until melted.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.


Recipe from Central Market Mill Creek - Culinary Resource Center
Some products may not be available at all stores.



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Cooking with hard cider delights foodies

Sunday, November 20, 2016

The glaze for the apple cider pork tenderloin is what
sets this dish apart from ordinary holiday entrees.
Hard Cider Adds Zing to Holiday Dinners

Sure, you can drink hard cider, but cooking with hard cider is an even tastier way to enjoy your drink.

In time for holiday feasting, Core Hero Hard Cider in Edmonds shares a kitchen-tested recipe that will delight your taste buds.

“Add some local flavor to your holiday dinners and try this apple cider-glazed pork tenderloin recipe for a home-grown, gourmet experience,” recommends Steve Kaiser, owner of Core Hero Hard Cider. 
“Hard cider is the star of the recipe because it doubles as the basis of the marinade and glaze to complement the pork flavor.”

After Kaiser began pairing hard ciders with food, he advanced to cooking with hard cider.

 “I soon discovered that my apple cinnamon hard cider worked very well in many recipes I tried. I went a little crazy adding cider to all sorts of foods that no reasonable person would attempt. For example, I wouldn’t recommend hard cider guacamole.”

Core Hero, a one-person start-up, launched one year ago in select local stores and the Edmonds Farmers Market. The handcrafted ciders are made with local apples (some from Edmonds) in small batches.

Apple Cider Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
1-1/2 pound pork tenderloin (with no brine added)
1 bottle (15.9 oz) of Core Hero Hard Cider apple cinnamon or similar handcrafted apple cinnamon hard cider
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 whole cloves, crumbled
½ tsp salt
Black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp sesame seed oil for searing pork

Instructions
1.      Mix the marinade ingredients (everything except the sesame seed oil) in a bowl
2.      Place marinade and pork in a container and refrigerate up to 24 hours
Cooking
1.      Preheat oven to 350 F degrees
2.      Heat sesame seed oil in a skillet over medium high heat
3.      Remove pork from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in skillet. Sear until golden brown all over
4.      Transfer skillet to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 145 F degrees using a meat thermometer
5.      Remove pork from skillet, place on a plate and cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce
6.      Pour reserved marinade into the skillet used for searing the pork and bring to a boil. While stirring, continue to boil the marinade until it becomes syrupy
7.      Remove skillet from the stove, roll roasted pork in the sauce then remove and slice. Serve remaining sauce on the side for dribbling onto the pork


--Steve Kaiser, Owner, Core Hero Hard Cider

   

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Recipe: Easy Basil Pesto

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Central Market in Shoreline maintains a Culinary Resource Center near their Produce department. There's often something to sample, and always recipes for the taking.

They have recipe demonstrations most days. The kiosk is staffed 10 am-6:30 pm daily (9 am-5:30 pm Sundays) with sampling noon to 4:30 pm.

The following recipe is scheduled for Wednesday, August 10.

Central Market is located on the upper level of Aurora Square near Sears, just off Aurora at 15505 Westminster Way N, Shoreline 98133.

They have recipe videos online.



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Recipes and demos from Central Market

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Culinary Resource Center near Produce at Shoreline Central Market, upper level Aurora Square on Westminster Way is staffed 10 am-6:30pm daily (9 am-5:30pm Sundays) with sampling noon to 4:30pm. The recipe is demonstrated and finished samples are there for the tasting.

If you miss a day, well, most of the recipes are below and you can try them yourself, courtesy of Central Market.

NOV. 14-18, 2014 

Fri, November 14 Truffle Gouda Egg Cups

Sat., November 15 Squash tasting - Taste some unique varieties

Vegan Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows 


Tues, November 18  Succotash


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What's cooking at Central Market

Wednesday, August 20, 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.

AUG. 20-26, 2014

Thurs, August 21Mango-Lime Yogurt Pie
Fri, August 22Asian-Glazed Salmon with Mushrooms over Soba Noodles
Sat, August 23Hatch Green Chile Sauce
Sun, August 24Bread and Tomato Salad with Bacon – This Week’s Featured Recipe!
Mon, August 25Broiled Figs with Goat Cheese, Black Pepper and Honey
Tues, August 26Sorry, no demo today


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Cooking local: Tomatoes and Zucchini Already?

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Tomatoes and Zucchini Already?
Photo and text by Greta Hardin



Tomatoes! Well … Cherry Tomatoes! For a town that is used to local tomatoes tiptoeing in at the end of August, this year’s tomato crop looks to be epic. The cherry tomatoes are already showing up willy-nilly and it is time to enjoy the bounty.



Now, with the tomatoes comes its sunshine buddy, zucchini. I confess, I had long been a zucchini avoider, a “barely-tolerater”, someone who would work around or through it, but not enjoy it… until recently.

It is a vegetable (well, fruit – seeds on the inside, but I’ll let it slide this time) that does not improve by sitting around. It gets a spongy and bitter. Those zucchini I’d been dealing with for years from the grocery store, those were the culprit. I have never understood why, other than obligation , someone would, on purpose, voluntarily pay for and eat zucchini. It wasn’t until I was faced with farm fresh zucchini that came in my weekly veggie box that I had to confront this food nemesis and figure out how to make it good.

For me the key was messing around with zucchini long enough to discover that it is one of those foods that can be cooked both too much and not enough.

When it is tiny and tender and sweet and crunchy raw, it should be barely cooked – merely charred on the outside, and the inside should be sweet and crunchy, almost cucumber-like. When these small sweet ones are cooked to softness, it is a pity. So char them and eat them crunchy – that was my first revelation.

The second revelation was the bigger zucchini. They still have that sweetness, but it is buried and must be coaxed out. When not cooked long enough the large amounts of water makes the cooked zucchini somewhat bland and bitter. Incompletely cooked eggplant suffers from this as well. But that is another column for another day.

The answers for larger zucchini: cut them smaller – and use a cast iron or other heavy pan. And cook them longer. The results are almost unexpected; a deep, delicious zucchini tomato sauce you will be proud to share.




Charred Zucchini and Tomato Sauce



Ingredients:

  • zucchini – 2 banana sized
  • cherry tomatoes – 1 pint (2 cups, same thing)
  • garlic – 2 cloves finely chopped or pressed
  • red wine – ½ C
  • salt – to taste
  • oil – 1.5 tsp and 1.5 tsp and 2 tsp
  • water – as needed
Optionals – tasty bread to char or delicious noodles or polenta, and excellent mozzarella (worth it this time). 



Equipment:

  • heavy sauté pan – cast iron is best for the charring
  • 2nd sauté pan (optional – but it allows you to work on the two vegetables at the same time)
  • lid or other splatter guard (optional)
  • cutting board 
  • knife
  • spatulas or stirring spoons

Prep:


Rinse off the zucchini, rubbing off any prickly hairs. Trim off the ends, and cut the sides to square off the sides. Cut into 2 or 3 rectangles so each zucchini is manageable.

You are going for diced cubes.

cubed zucchini

Slice each rectangular box into slices thinner than your pinky (about 4), tip this stack on its side, and do it again so you get sticks. Now cut these sticks into slices so you get cubes (or something like it). The most important part is that you have small pieces about the same size and shape so they all cook pretty quickly. The perfect cube will come with practice.

Smash or chop the garlic and rinse the tomatoes.


Cook:


(Note: if you have two sauté pans, cook both vegetables at the same time – and use the heavier pan for the tomatoes. Otherwise, just follow the recipe. Please don’t “throw it all in together” or the browning will not happen and it will be a very different sauce.)

Heat 1.5 tsp of oil in your heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat with a small piece of zucchini. When the test piece of zucchini is sizzling, add half of the zucchini and about ½ tsp of salt. Let the zucchini sit and cook for about 3 minutes – until a few pieces are starting to get a little browned. Stir the zucchini and continue to cook it until the pieces are getting browned again – and so on. If brown is sticking to the pan – this is good, and part of the plan.

browned zucchini

When the zucchinis thoroughly browned and soft, add ¼ of the wine to dissolved the brown stuck on stuff. If you need more liquid, add ¼ of water. Keep cooking until most of the brown is dissolved. Remove this zucchini sauce from the pan and repeat with the second half of the zucchini. If the tomatoes go here, wipe out any large amounts of zucchini, and move on to the tomatoes.

For the tomatoes, heat up the last 2 tsp of oil over high heat. 

When the oil shimmers – about 4 minutes – add the cherry tomatoes whole. Let them sit for two minutes. Shake the pan to roll the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until they char and burst.

burst tomatoes with garlic

Add the garlic, about a ½ tsp of salt, and cook it with the tomatoes until it mellows and the juice thickens. 

Turn the heat down to low. Add the zucchini mixture back in, stir it together and taste for salt. Add a little carefully until it tastes just right.

Sauce ready!

I tried eating this Charred Tomato and Zucchini sauce on some grilled bread

grilled bread

and noodles with a little mozzarella. Wow, was it good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 will be at LFP Town Center
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.


Cooking Your Local Produce now has a CookLocal App for iPhone! A Farmers Market Guide and Shopping Lists for recipes.


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Cooking local: Edible flowers

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Edible Flowers

So you went away for a weekend. It was hot and sunny, and your kale, or mustard greens, or broccoli, turnips or some other brassica sp. went haywire, bolted, and started producing these yellow flowers. What do you do?

Bolted kale

Eat them. Turns out, any plant where we eat the leaves, we can eat the flowers. The flower petals are simply specialized leaves. Some flowers may not taste particularly good – many lettuce flowers are particularly bitter – but they are all edible. (Hey – what? There are lettuce flowers?! Yes – that’s where lettuce seeds come from.)

Don’t be scared off by the bitter lettuce flowers, skip to the yummy ones. Arugula flowers have a curiously sweet, spicy flavor – some people even think they taste a bit like peanuts, making them a very nice accompaniment to Thai food (try them on a cold Thai Beef Salad). Broccoli flowers taste of broccoli, kale flowers are a nice addition to any salads, and those bright red and orange nasturtiums you are seeing in lettuce mixes also have a pleasant sweet and peppery flavor.



For an especially tasty treat, snap up those squash blossoms as they appear at the Farmers Market. The very yummiest combination is the female flowers atop itty-bitty baby summer squash. These are so crisp and sweet you’ll see the relationship of cucumbers and summer squash as you eat one up. (The male flowers are the ones on regular stems. Very spiky – don’t {owww---ptooie!} eat them.)  Both male and female flowers have a large center – pistil or stamen – that is edible, but it does have an odd texture, and gets in the way of stuffing, so it is usually broken off and removed.

Now, make a salad that includes flowers, and enjoy this summer-only treat!

And if you are feeling adventurous, try this simple stuffing for squash blossoms.

Tomato Bread Crumb Dressing
-for-
Squash Blossoms and Baby Summer Squash

Ingredients:
  • bread – 1 slice (or the hard ends off a baguette)
  • cherry tomatoes – 6-8, any color
  • parsley – small handful (basil and oregano are also good here)
  • queso fresco or feta cheese (or any other fresh cheese)
  • garlic clove
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • baby summer squash and blossoms – 6 -12 or however many you can get
  • oil – a few tsp
Equipment:
  • toaster -or- oven and pan
  • knife
  • cutting board
  • small bowl
  • sauté pan
  • spatula
  • (tongs)
  • food processer (optional)
  • serving plate
Prep:
  1. Toast the bread and break into crumbs.  (This is very fast in the food processor).  If using the food processor, toss the parsley and garlic in with the crumbs to mince and mix them together.  Otherwise finely chop the parsley and garlic by hand.
  2. Cut or crumble the cheese into tiny pieces.  Halve the tomatoes and clean out the seeds and goo and discard (this keep the bread crumbs from getting too squishy).  Chop up the tomatoes small.
  3. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, tomatoes and cheese.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Gently rinse the baby squash, rub to remove any prickly hairs and trim off any spiky stems.  Gently open the blossoms and remove the pistil or stamen inside (edible, but not scrumptious).
Cook!
  1. Carefully stuff the blossoms with a tsp or two of stuffing.  Don’t over-stuff.  You don’t want to tear the fragile blossoms and have the mixture spilling everywhere.
  2. Pour about 2 tsp of oil into the sauté pan with a few breadcrumbs.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  When the breadcrumbs have fried, the pan is hot and ready to go (about 4 minutes).
  3. Gently place the baby squash and blossom in the hot pan.  Sauté and gently turn the baby squash and blossoms until they are browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).  Set them aside on a plate.
  4. Quickly fry the rest of the breadcrumb mixture in an additional tsp of oil.  It is done when the crumbs have darkened a little and the cheese crumbles are soft.
  5. Place the crumb mixture on the serving plate with the fried baby squash and blossoms.
  6. Eat ‘em up while they are hot.  Repeat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 will be 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.

Cooking Your Local Produce now has a  CookLocal App for iPhone! A Farmers Market Guide and Shopping Lists for recipes.

Read more...
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