South Indian Green Beans Thoren

Wow. I haven’t pulled this notebook out in a while. This is my journal from a month of cooking classes in Kerala, India back in 2000. Mark & I were staying at a small school where he studying South Indian music and Ayurveda. There were about 6 students at the school and tuition came with 3 meals a day plus a tea time snack. They didn’t normally offer cooking classes, but I asked if I could hang out in the kitchen and they agreed. It was one of the best experiences of my life and luckily, I took copious notes and came home with some wonderful South Indian recipes.

Most of the Indian food that is served in restaurants here in the states is in the Northern India style and while it is mighty tasty, it is usually on the heavy side with rich and creamy sauces. Southern Indian food on the other hand, is almost totally vegetarian, usually much lighter and fresh coconut makes a frequent appearance.

This was my teacher, Karup. He had been cooking at the school all of his life and had all of his recipes in his head. He was without a doubt the happiest chef that I have ever known. As a matter of fact, I even made note of one of his favorite sayings:

It was true. He was always laughing and we had such a great time together in the kitchen. I cherish those memories and hope I make my way back there again someday to share a cup of chai and a vada with him.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Green Beans – rinsed and sliced
• 1 tsp Chile Powder
• 1 tsp Tumeric
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
• 6 Small Garlic Cloves – peeled
• 2 Tbsp Ghee or Canola Oil
• 1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
• 20 Fresh Curry Leaves or 30 Dry Curry Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Water

Directions:

Combine the green beans with the chile powder, 1/2 tsp of the tumeric and the salt. Set aside.

Since most of us won’t have the big stone mortar that Karup had for this next step, place the grated coconut, the remaining 1/2 tsp of tumeric, cumin and the garlic cloves into a food processor and pulse for a minute until combined and finely chopped.

In a large skillet, heat the ghee or canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait for a minute while they sizzle and pop, then add the green beans and curry leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the coconut mixture along with 1/2 cup of water, cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the green beans and coconut are tender. Remove the lid and cook for another minute or two or until all of the water is absorbed.

Remove the curry leaves and stems.

Sources:

• Green Beans – Four Winds Farm 
• Garlic – Keith’s Farm
• Ghee – Homemade by Joan Reynolds, Bearsville, NY

Swoon Kitchenbar Meatless Mondays

If you haven’t been to Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson, NY you are missing out of one of the best farm to table experiences in the Hudson Valley. Jeff Gimmel and his wife Nina Bachinsky-Gimmel have been supporting local farms long before it was the trendy thing to do. They are the type of couple who spend their day off driving around the Hudson Valley visiting with the farmers that have become their friends over the years and hand selecting the freshly picked produce that will inspire their menus for the coming days.

Swoon recently joined the Meatless Monday wave that has been sweeping across the county by offering a Four Course Vegetarian Prix Fixe Menu every Monday night. If you are a vegetarian and have endured the dread of piecing together a few side dishes to try to assemble a decent meal for yourself, then you will be in absolute heaven. The menus are well thought out and each course is a creative celebration of fresh, local produce beautifully presented.

Vegetarianism never felt so good.

This was the menu last night.

Crispy Squash Blossoms with Caper Aioli and Gazpacho Shot

Sweet Corn Crepe with Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Goat Cheese & Fried Basil

 

Moroccan Style Eggplant with Curry Couscous, Raisins & Peanuts  

Everbearing Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Custard & Black Currant Ice Cream

Nasturtium Butter

Both the leaves and the blossoms of the nasturtium plant are edible. Try tossing a few of the leaves in with your salad to add a peppery note to the mix. The bright orange blossoms add a gorgeous burst of color and a little bit of spice to a variety of dishes. Their sharp, radish-like flavor balances nicely with creamy butter.

Keep this nasturtium butter in the fridge and just slice off portions as you need it. I like to place a medallion over a piece of fish hot of the grill and just let it melt in. It’s also great on grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes and grilled chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Nasturtium Blossoms
• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter - softened
• 1 Shallot – minced
• Salt & White Pepper

Directions:

Rinse the blossoms, spin them dry or pat them dry with a paper towel. Separate the petals from the stem and divide them in half. Pound half of the petals into a paste in a mortar and pestle. Finely chop the other half and set aside.

Slice off 2 tsp of the butter and add it to a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of white pepper. Saute until translucent and softened. Transfer to a small bowl or plate and set aside to cool.

When the shallots have cooled, place the soften butter in a mixing bowl, add the shallots and puree of nasturtium petals and work together with a spatula to incorporate. Stir in the chopped nasturtium petals.

Lay a piece of parchment paper on a countertop. Transfer the butter to the parchment forming a line. The idea is to form a log shape. Roll the parchment paper up and over the butter, pressing firmly on the butter to form the log. Pinch the ends and chill until firm.

When the butter is firm, you can slice some off whenever you need it. The log can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the freezer as well.

Sources:

• Nasturtiums – Challey Comer, Pure Catskills
• Butter – Cabot 
• Shallots – RSK Farm

Tender Ends with White Beans & Tomato

I won’t pretend to know a lot about “tender ends” and yes I realize several jokes could be made about that statement but I happen to think it’s a cute term. Anyway, I saw them for sale at the Migliorelli Farm stand where they were labeled as squash runners. They looked kind of interesting with their curly tendrils so I thought, what the hell, I’ll give them a try. So I picked up a bunch and went home to google squash runners.

In Sicily they call it Tenerumi, which translates to “tender ends” because it is the tender ends of the squash plant. I found several recipes for Sicilian Tenerumi Soup but I’m not  in the mood for hot soup these days so I decided to go with the spirit of Italy and create a dish using tomatoes and white beans. I think it makes a nice lunch especially for a vegetarian. It would also make a nice side dish to go along with some grilled fish or chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch Tender Ends / Squash Runners
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced 
• 1 Shallot – thinly sliced
• 1 Tomato - chopped
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 2 Cups Cooked White Beans
• 1 oz Pecorino Cheese – shaved

Directions:

Wash the squash runners, trim the cut ends and discard and then roughly chop the entire bunch. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot along with a pinch of salt and saute until soft. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the squash runners along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the water and stir to wilt the greens. Add the beans and continue to cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and top with the shaved Pecorino. 

Sources:

• Squash Runners – Migliorelli Farm
• Olive Oil – Gigi Hudson Valley
• Garlic – Keith’s Farm
• Shallot – RSK Farm
• Navy Beans – Cayuga Pure Organics (available through Wild Hive Farm)
• Pecorino – Dancing Ewe Farm 

Tomatillo Chicken Tacos with Goat Cheese

We made chicken on the grill last night and had a ton of leftover chicken meat, so I decided to use it for these tasty tomatillo chicken tacos.

I was at the Fort Greene Farmers’ Market in Brooklyn over the weekend and picked up some handmade corn tortillas from Hot Bread Kitchen. Man, are they good!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Leftover Grilled or Roasted Chicken
• 1/2 lb Tomatillos – husks removed
• 2-3 Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers
• 1 Shallot or Small Onion
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro – chopped
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Sugar
• Water – as needed
• 8 Small (6”) Corn Tortillas
• 3 oz Goat Cheese – crumbled

Directions:

Make the tomatillo sauce by roasting the tomatillos, jalapenos and onion over a charcoal fire or under a broiler until they are charred and have softened. Add the cilantro, salt and sugar, coarsely chop the mixture by hand or in a food processor or blender adding a little bit of water if necessary to create a saucy consistency.

Shred the chicken meat and set aside.Transfer the sauce to a large skillet, add the shredded chicken and heat through. Meanwhile, char the tortillas over the embers of the charcoal fire or in a hot cast iron skillet. Begin stacking the charred tortillas on a plate and cover with a clean dishcloth so they stay warm and pliable.

Assemble the tacos by scooping the chicken-tomatillo mixture into the center of a tortilla and top with the goat cheese and a few cilantro leaves.

Serves 2 –3

Sources:

• Chicken – Northwind Farms
• Tomatillos – Veritas Farm 
• Jalapeno Peppers -  Brittany Hollow Farm
• Summer Onion – Little Seed Gardens 
• Cilantro – Cowberry Crossing Farm
• Corn Tortillas – Hot Bread Kitchen
• Goat Cheese – Coach Farm 

Red Currant Sorbet with Lime Zest

Oh dear, I think I’m in trouble. Double trouble, actually. I’ve made friends with an ice cream maker and fallen in love with a berry.

I finally bought an ice cream/sorbet maker last week after having it on my wish list for years and years and years. I’m not really sure what I was waiting for. But once I decided to take the plunge, I immediately began thinking of all of the different flavors that I would make.

Red currants weren’t even on my radar. I’ve seen them in the farmers’ market for years and although I get excited when I see them come into season, it’s mostly because I think they are so pretty, look:

Gorgeous right?

But, I never even once bought them…never knew what to do with them or even what they would taste like. Then, a farmers’ market colleague and friend suggested I christen my new machine with Red Currant Sorbet and since I couldn’t find the black raspberries that I was originally thinking about using, I decided to give them a try, finally. Thanks for the nudge, Georgia. You’re brilliant. But, now. Now, I’m in love. They have this amazingly bright and tart flavor that is just so, so  lovely.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pint Red Currants
• 1 tsp Lime Zest
• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 2 Cups Water
• 1/4 Cup Corn Syrup

Directions:

Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer without stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Strip away the stems from the berries, rinse them and put them in a food processor with the lime juice. Process until completely smooth.

Press the currant puree through a fine mesh strainer or use a colander lined with cheesecloth to strain the seeds out. Combine the currant puree,  lime zest, cooled sugar syrup and corn syrup. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Follow the instructions for your ice cream / sorbet maker. I poured the puree into the freezer bowl of my ice cream maker with the motor running and let it run for 30 minutes. Then transferred the sorbet to an airtight container and put it the freezer for 2 hours.

Sources:

• Red Currants – Ray Tousey 

Ratatouille with Grilled Merguez

This is one of those recipes that I find myself making over and over again because it’s the best ratatouille that I’ve ever tasted. The flavors are fresh, bright and clean and all of the ingredients come into season at the same time. So it’s like capturing a little bit of summer on a plate.

I serve it several different ways. Tonight we will have it alongside some grilled Merquez, which is a spicy lamb sausage from Dancing Ewe Farm that is so, so good. And, since the ratatouille tastes even better the second day, I often have the leftovers for lunch on a bed of couscous with a little goat cheese crumbled on top.

The recipe for the ratatouille was adapted from a recipe in Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters. I’ve simplified my version a bit over time eliminating a couple of steps because I’m always looking for an easier way to do things. If you can pick up a copy of Chez Panisse Vegetables, I would highly recommend it. It’s a great resource for any farmers’ market shopper since the recipes are organized by vegetable. So you can just go to the farmers’ market and scoop up whatever looks good to you that week, then go home and open up to the section of the book where that vegetable is featured. There is always a wonderful recipe or two or three to guide you toward a delicious, local and seasonal  meal.

Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Onions – chopped
• 6 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Red Pepper – cored, seeded and chopped
• 2 Yellow Summer Squash – coarsely chopped
• 2 Zucchini – coarsely chopped
• 1 Eggplant – coarsely chopped
• 3 Tomatoes – coarsely chopped
• 1 Bunch of Basil – leaves only, roughly chopped
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Chop the onions, peppers, squash, eggplant and tomatoes roughly the same size – about a 3/4” cube. Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until soft and translucent. Add the sliced garlic and saute until golden.

Stir in the red pepper and cook 1-2 minutes stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium, add eggplant with another pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes and basil. Season everything with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring.

Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes until all of the vegetables have softened.  Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Ladle into a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Sources:

• Olive Oil – Gigi Hudson Valley
• Summer Onions – Taliaferro Farms 
• Garlic – Keith’s Farm
• Yellow Squash – Brittany Hollow Farm
• Zucchini – Brittany Hollow Farm
• Eggplant – Little Seed Gardens
• Tomatoes – Migliorelli Farm
• Basil – Mead Orchards 
• Merguez – Dancing Ewe Farm

Apricot, Walnut & Camembert Sandwiches

  

I’ve made mini versions of these sandwiches for two recent parties that I catered and they were a smash hit both times so I thought I’d share them with all of you. Apricots are in season right now in the Hudson Valley, so I began by following a recipe for Apricot Jam from David Lebovitz. Besides being a hoot, David is a one helluva pastry chef, so I knew these sandwiches would be off to a good start.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Apricot Jam
• 2 Tbsp Walnuts - chopped
• 1 Baguette
• 6-8 oz Camembert or Brie – sliced
• Handful of Baby Arugula

Directions:

Combine the apricot jam and walnuts. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise and smear the top half of the bread with apricot-walnut mixture. Be generous. Arrange the baby arugula on the bottom half of the bread and lay the slices of cheese on top. Put the top half on and slice into whatever size works for you. You can cut it into quarters to serve 4 people for lunch or make slices every 2 inches or so for 10-12 cocktail sandwiches.

Sources:

• Apricots – Breezy Hill Orchard 
• Walnuts – wishing and hoping for a local source
• Baguette – Our Daily Bread
• Camembert – Old Chatham Sheepherding Co.
• Baby Arugula – Sky Farm