Grilled Peach Salsa
Fresh, local peaches are drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fennel seed before being grilled until lightly blistered and caramelized. Cooled, chopped and mixed with diced red onion, sliced Serrano peppers and fresh cilantro..
Grilled Peach Salsa
Grilled Peach Salsa (inspired by a recipe by Vivian Henoch)
3 fresh peaches
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons fennel seed (or 1 teaspoon fennel pollen)
2 Serrano peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
fine sea salt
Plunge fresh peaches into boiling water for about 1-1/2 minutes to loosen the skin, then chill in a bowl of ice water. Peel or rub the skin from the peaches, split them in half and remove the pit. Blot the peaches dry, then lightly rub with olive and sprinkle with fennel seed. Grill the peaches until slightly blistered and caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.
Cut the peaches into 1/2 inch dice and combine with1 tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining ingredients (except salt) in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator, season to taste with salt and serve.
Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken
Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken, risotto with green beans, browned pearl onions and fried capicola..
Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken
Marinate locally-pastured chicken pieces (I’m using bone-in, skin-on thighs) in a mixture of raw olive oil, freshly-squeezed orange juice, garlic and cracked fennel seeds for 4-8 hours, turning once.
Remove chicken from refrigerator, wipe off excess marinade and season liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then roast in a 375 degree oven until crisp and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute pearl onions and roughly-chopped dry coppa (capicola) in a bit of olive oil until nicely browned and slightly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions & coppa to a plate, then add bomba rice to the pan, stirring to coat each grain with the flavored oil that remains.
Add three times the amount of vegetable stock, chicken stock or water to the pan as you have rice, and allow it to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add cut fresh green beans and allow to simmer, stirring continuously until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the onions and coppa, stir to combine and remove from heat. Allow to stand 3-5 minutes before spooning onto a serving dish.
Top cooked rice with the roasted chicken and pour the pan juices over the top. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve immediately.
P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon
Sustainably rope-grown in the cold waters surrounding Prince Edward Island, these plump, tender mussels are steamed over a reduction of white wine, saffron and preserved lemon, with green garlic, roasted tomatoes and shaved fennel. Served over gluten-free, non-GMO corn pasta with fennel fronds and crunchy sea salt..
P.E.I. Mussels with Roasted Tomatoes, Green Garlic and Preserved Lemon
Consumed by humans for thousands of years, mussels are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, iron and selenium.
“Mussels must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed several times before cooking; wild mussels will need to be scrubbed with a stiff brush to remove any barnacles, sand or grit and their beard must also be removed. This can be done by giving the beard a forceful tug with your fingers and pulling it away or by cutting it off with a small and sharp knife.
Rinse the wild mussels several times but do not let them sit in water, as freshwater will kill them.
Farmed mussels will have already been prepared for cooking and it will suffice to just give them a quick rinse under a running tap of cold water.” –helpwithcooking.com
Trivia: the pale white meat indicates a male mussel, while the females are a yellowish rust color.
Italian Roast Boar Knuckle with Mostarda di Frutta
Boneless knuckle of wild boar is rubbed with a mixture of Italian sweet chili powder, fennel pollen, salt, black pepper and garlic then roasted to a turn, sliced and served with a mostarda of figs, pears and apricots with grainy mustard, dry white wine and a few red chili flakes..
Chili-Fennel Roasted Boar Knuckle with Mostarda di Frutta
For the Spice Rub
3 tablespoons sweet Italian chili powder
1-1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fennel powder (substitute fennel and anise seeds)
1 scant tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
To prepare, coat knuckle roast on all sides with spice mixture and refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator and allow to stand while you pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roast the knuckle until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees, about 1 hour for a 1-1/2 pound roast. Allow to stand a full 10 minutes before carving. Serve with mostarda, bitter greens and a hunk of crusty bread.
“Though you’ll find mostarda from Piemonte on through the Veneto and down into Emilia Romagna, the best known variation is that from Cremona (Mostarda di Cremona), which is also produced commercially. According to Italian food scholar Antonio Piccinardi, the word mostarda derives from the French moustarde, which in turn derives from mout ardent, fiery must, which was made by adding powdered mustard seed to unfermented grape must and cooking it down to produce an invigorating condiment.”
Meatless Monday: Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Pasta
Fennel, Italian peppers, San Marzano tomatoes, garlic and green onions all grilled together with olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, Italian parsley, lemon and fresh oregano. Served over mother-in-law’s tongue pasta and topped with shaved Grana Padano cheese.
click to enlarge
White Bean Soup w/Caramelized Leeks, Fennel & Venison Sausage
Soak dry white beans overnight or use drained canned white beans if that’s what you have.
Cook diced pork belly and venison sausage until the meat is brown and all the fat has rendered. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon of fat.
Add meat to simmering stock with cracked pepper, fresh thyme and marjoram.
Caramelize leeks and fennel in reserved fat, about 15 minutes.
Deglaze pan with white wine and add garlic, roasted red bell pepper and green chilies. Add to the stock and simmer 20 minutes. Skim away any accumulated grease.
Add beans and cooked orzo. Simmer 5 minutes.
Add 1 leaf softened gelatin.
Add a few squeezes of fresh lemon to brighten, and taste for salt.
Serve with smoked paprika and additional fresh herbs.
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