Recipes

It’s That Time of Year

/ Ren

Time to begin “putting by” the last of the summer’s vegetables for the long winter ahead.  Up today are the last of the homegrown heirloom tomatoes, both hot-ish (Anaheim and Jalapeño) and sweet (banana) peppers (the poblano and serranos are still growing) and an early bushel of Blueridge Mountain-grown golden delicious apples.

The peeled and cored apples have been lightly simmered in fresh-from-the-well water with a little cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.  Once cool, the apples will be ground into applesauce and stored in the freezer.

The tomatoes have been roasted with a touch of sea salt and will be frozen as-is.

I haven’t decided how to preserve the hot peppers yet.  I might roast some of them and simply split, seed and freeze the rest.

The banana peppers, of course, are being fermented and refrigerated for use on deli-style sandwiches (my absolute favorite), in salads, egg dishes and other various and sundry things.  Here’s a super-simple recipe to lacto-ferment peppers (or practically any other vegetable)..

40 ounces cool, fresh water (you may have a little left over)
2 ounces (by weight) sea salt
1/2 cup raw cider vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons pickling spice, divided (optional)

Put the water in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the pickling spices and salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

While the salt water is cooling, wash the peppers to remove any remaining leaves, dirt or bugs. Using a sharp knife, slice the peppers into 1/8-inch rounds. Fill 2 quart-sized Mason jars with the sliced peppers, leaving about 1-1/2 inches of head room. Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into each jar.

Once the water has cooled to room temperature, add enough to each jar to come nearly all the way to the top.

Screw the lids on finger-tight and set aside in a warm place (68-72 degrees) for 5 days, “burping” the lids once a day until the fermentation is complete. Transfer the peppers to the refrigerator or root cellar and consume within about 3 months.

What are you preserving this year?  Let us know in the comments!

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

/ Ren

originally published Oct. 11, 2009

Roasted sweet corn with poblano peppers, onions, seared scallops and smoked bacon..

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon

(informed by a recipe by Rick Bayless)

3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
1/2 small white onion
1/2 large poblano chile
1 red Fresno chile
1 clove garlic
1 cup fresh whole milk
1 cup fresh cream
6 oz dry sea scallops
4 oz smoked bacon, diced
1 teaspoon cultured butter
1/4 teaspoon smoked chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Roast the poblano, Fresno, onion, garlic and 1/2 of the corn in a 450 degree oven until the peppers are blackened.  Place the peppers in a paper bag or under an inverted bowl to steam a bit- the skins will peel right off.

Pulse the uncooked corn in a blender with the milk, cream and smoked chili powder, then transfer to a heavy pot set over medium-low heat.  Stirring frequently, allow to simmer until reduced by 1/4.

Chop the roasted peppers, onion and garlic and add to the pan.  Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, sauté diced bacon over medium-high heat until well browned.  Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat and add 1 teaspoon butter, paprika and cilantro.  Add the scallops and sear until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer to the soup, stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if necessary and serve steaming hot.

Screenshot

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Bacon and Freshly-Grated Nutmeg

/ Ren

Low in saturated fat and cholesterol with tons of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C, this winter vegetable is made sublime with the addition of spinach, specially-prepared bacon, red pepper flakes, pastured butter, sea salt, cracked pepper and freshly-grated nutmeg.

Boldly-flavored and satisfying, this dish is inexpensive and easy to make..

1 organic spaghetti squash (cucurbita pepo, squaghetti)
1-1/2 cups spinach, blanched and squeezed dry
4 oz thick-cut bacon
1 cup filtered water, boiling
olive oil as needed
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons pastured butter
red pepper flakes to taste

Split the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and fibrous material as you would do before carving a pumpkin for Halloween.

Place the squash cut-side-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Mist with olive oil and season liberally with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Place the squash in a 300 degree oven and roast slowly for 1-1/2 hours.  Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to roast until squash begins to brown and char slightly, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside, keeping warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the bacon by cutting it into 1/2-inch strips and placing it in a heavy skillet set over medium high heat.  Pour the boiling water over the bacon and allow to cook until the water is half gone.

Pour off the water and rendered fat and return the pan to medium-low heat.  Cook the bacon until nicely browned, then remove from heat and set aside, keeping warm.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat.

Using the tines of a fork, shred the cooked squash into the pan with the butter, separating it as best you can.

Toss the squash so that its coated with the butter, then add the spinach and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Continue cooking and stirring the squash and spinach until heated through, then taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Turn the squash out into serving bowls.  Top with bacon (including some of the drippings) and just-grated nutmeg.  Serve immediately.

Male_spaghetti_squash_flower

“Spaghetti squash are relatively easy to grow, thriving in gardens or in containers.

The plants are monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers have long, thin stems that extend upwards from the vine. Female flowers are shorter, with a small round growth underneath the petals. This round growth turns into the squash if the flower is successfully pollinated.

Spaghetti squash plants may cross-pollinate with zucchini plants.”

Roe-on Diver Scallops

/ Ren

Rarely seen in the US, these wild North Atlantic scallops with roe still attached are seared until opaque in a fiercely hot skillet with local, farm-fresh butter.  The scallops are plated while black garlic, Louisiana shallots and bits of double-smoked bacon are sautéed and then quickly poured back over the top.  Finished with a grind of black pepper and a few flakes of crunchy Fleur de Sel..

Roe-on Diver Scallops

A diver scallop is a sea scallop that has been hand-picked off a rock by a scuba diver.  More ecologically friendly and less gritty than the boat-harvested variety,  mature scallops are selected from areas with strong water currents, helping to assure that they have firm, plump flesh and nice color.  Diver scallops also tend to be fresher, since they are shipped directly instead of being held in boats while they are sorted. (paraphrased from cookthink)

Related Articles

(Vegan) Peanut-Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower, Thai Yellow Curry

/ Ren

Fresh broccoli and cauliflower cut into small florets, then tossed in a mixture of coconut oil, chopped peanuts, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and a pinch of blonde palm sugar.  Oven roasted at high heat until fork tender and partially caramelized, then served over a curry of coconut milk, galangal, red chilies, star anise and coriander..

Related articles