Shop Local: Gifts from the Farm

Since the holiday shopping season is officially underway, I thought I'd re-post this list of gifts from our local farms and farmers' markets. Winter Markets are popping up all over the Hudson Valley. Stop by the Rhinebeck WINTER Farmers' Market for many of these items.

Chile Pepper Wreath from The River Garden

Also available: Chile Pepper Sprays, Wheat Wreaths, Dried Lavender Sachets and more.

Garlic Braids from Free Bird Farm

Give one of these garlic braids to the cook on your list. They are beautiful and practical…that’s my kind of gift.

Clinton Vineyards Cassis 

This cassis is one of Clinton Vineyards best…and the kind of gift that would make me real happy. It’s great on its own, in a Kir or Kir Royale or even drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Gourd Birdhouse from Osma Acres Farm

For the birds!

Hand Dipped Beeswax Candles from Ray Tousey

Ray Tousey is a beekeeper in Germantown, NY. He sells these handmade beeswax candles as well as honey products including comb honey and creamed honey.

Sheepskin Pelts from Awesome Farm

These pelts are so soft. I like to keep one by the fire so I can plop down on it to relax with a nice cup of cocoa. My almost brother-in-law is a pedi-cab driver in New York City, he keeps one in his pedi-cab so his riders can stay cozy….so many uses.

Tuthilltown Spirits

Why not add a little kick to the holiday eggnog? Tuthilltown Spirits is a small batch distillery in Gardiner, NY that uses locally grown ingredients.

Oliverea Schoolhouse Maple Syrup

Ahh, Pure Maple Syrup is one of nature’s precious gifts but it can be a little pricey so it’s always nice when it comes as a gift.

Mohair Socks from Buckwheat Bridge Angoras

Again, I think the best gifts are the little luxuries that most people are reluctant to splurge on for themselves.

The fiber for these comfy and colorful socks was grown, spun and knit on a small family farm and spinning mill in Germantown, NY that is powered with wind and solar power. The dyes are all environmentally friendly.

 

Local Cheeses: Berkshire Blue and Hudson Red can be found at Julia & Isabella

Hudson River Valley Farms by Joanne Michaels

This is a wonderful book with gorgeous photos that celebrate the farms and farm families of the Hudson Valley.

Hudson Valley Mediterranean by Laura Pensiero

Laura Pensiero is the force behind Gigi Hudson Valley which includes Gigi Trattoria in Rhinebeck and Gigi Market in Red Hook. This is a lovely book filled with mouth watering recipes that are built around the bounty of the Hudson Valley.

Art Pack Heirloom Seed Collection from Hudson Valley Seed Library

A great gift for gardeners…The Hudson Valley Seed Library has put together a collection of sixteen heirloom seeds packets each featuring the artwork of a Hudson Valley artist. The Gift Basket itself is a functional seed-starting tray made of recycled papers with recycled shred, twine and biodegradable cellophane wrapping. Plus, each basket contains a packet of edible seeds dipped in a vegan chocolate coating. I love this gift!

Autumn Lasagna with Butternut Squash, Spinach & Sage

I recently made this dish again for a small party and everyone wanted the recipe. So, here it is. I think it's a perfect way to kick off the fall season.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Butternut Squash - about 1 pound
• 1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 lbs Leafy Greens - such as Kale, Spinach or Swiss Chard
• 1/4 cup Water
• 30 Fresh Sage Leaves - minced
• 1 Cup Parmesan or Local Hard Grating Cheese - grated
• 1 Cup Pecorino Cheese - grated
• 1 8oz Package No Cook Lasagna Noodles
• 6 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Small Onion - diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves - minced
• 4 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Quart Whole Milk
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 °. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (save them to roast for a snack) brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Place them cut side up on a baking sheet and roast on a sheet pan in the oven until fork tender, about 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Remove the squash from the oven and allow it to cool. Remove and discard the skin. Cut the flesh into small cubes. Set aside.

Remove the stems from the greens, fold the leaves in half lengthwise and slice them into long thin strips. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the greens to the pan, toss gently and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes until wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water, toss the greens again, cover and let them steam for 5 minutes or until wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the sauce by heating a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter. When it sizzles, add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the onions are translucent, whisk in the flour, stirring until for 1-2 minutes until golden. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Add the sage and bring to almost boiling, then reduce to a simmer, continue stirring and allow to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside.

Combine the 2 cheeses together and set aside.

Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish. Then start assembling the lasagna by placing a layer of the noodles on the bottom of the dish. Then add a layer of cubed roasted squash, then a layer of the cooked greens, top with some of the grated cheese and then pour a layer of the white sauce. Continue layering noodles, squash, greens, cheese and sauce. Top with grated cheese and then cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more until lightly browned on top.

Sources:

• Butternut Squash - Four Winds Farm
• Spinach - Migliorelli Farm
• Sage - My Garden
• Barat Cheese - Sprout Creek Farm
• Pecorino - Dancing Ewe Farm
• Butter - Ronnybrook Farm Dairy
• Garlic - Taliaferro Farms
• Flour - Wild Hive Farm
• Milk - Ronnybrook Farm Dairy

Strawberry Smoothie

It's strawberry season here in the Hudson Valley, so I couldn't think of a better way to start the day than with a strawberry smoothie. When I had my cafe', Black-Eyed Suzie's, we made a gazillion of these at the juice bar. The secret is the frozen banana. It makes a thick, creamy and cold smoothie without using ice. I think the ice dilutes the flavor and waters everything down. So, whenever I have bananas getting a little too ripe, I peel them and wrap them in plastic wrap and stick them in the freezer so they are ready to go when the weather and the season call for a nice cold drink.

Ingredients:

• 8 Fresh Strawberries - stems trimmed
• 1 Frozen Banana - cut into chunks
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider or Apple Juice
• 1/2 Cup Milk

Directions:

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Sources:

• Strawberries - Mead Orchard
• Apple Cider - Migliorelli Farm
• Milk - Creamline Milk from Ronnybrook Farm Dairy

Gemelli with Fresh Peas, Garlic Scapes, Ricotta & Tarragon

Garlic scapes are in season!

Garlic Scapes are the flower bud of the hard neck garlic plant. Around this time every year, farmers remove the bud along with its curvy stalk so that the energy that would have gone toward producing a flower instead gets directed downward to produce the garlic bulb that will be harvested in the fall.

Besides being beautifully curvatious, garlic scapes have a wonderfully mellow garlic flavor. I always pick some up when I see them. They are only around for a few short weeks, so you have to get them while you can.

 

 

I was passing by Julia & Isabella's booth at the Rhinebeck Farmers' Market on Sunday and noticed that the Toussaint cheese from Sprout Creek Farm look a bit different. I asked the vendor, Meri about it and she explained that the cheeses often turn out different from batch to batch. To me, that is the beauty of these small producers. So I asked for a little taste and was surprised by how dry and crumbly and remarkably similar to parmesan it was. I love the idea of having that wonderful parmesan flavor produced right here in the Hudson Valley.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Gemelli Pasta - or any other pasta shape that you like
• 6 Garlic Scapes - shaved into ribbons or 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
• 1 Cup Fresh Shelled Peas - shelled and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Sprigs Fresh Tarragon - chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon - about 1 Tbsp
• 1/2 Cup Ricotta
• 1 oz Toussaint or Parmesan Cheese - shaved
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, shave the garlic scapes into thin ribbons. I do this by laying the garlic scape on a cutting board and running a vegetable peeler along the stalk. This takes a little getting used to but I think it's worth the effort to retain the curvy shape of the garlic scapes.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Add the peas during the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Strain the pasta and peas, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shaved garlic scapes along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until the garlic scapes have softened and are golden on the edges, 2-3 minutes.

Add the pasta, peas and cooking liquid. Stir to combine. Stir in the tarragon and lemon zest. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add dollops of ricotta cheese and top with shavings of Toussaint.

Serves 2

Sources:

• Garlic Scapes - Brittany Hollow Farm
• Fresh Peas - Migliorelli Farm
• Fresh Tarragon - Taliaferro Farms
• Ricotta - Dancing Ewe Farm
• Toussaint - Sprout Creek Farm

Dad's Hot Dog Sauce

BBQ season is officially here so I thought I'd share one of my family's favorite recipes for a backyard cookout. But first, I feel like I should explain why I haven't been posting for the past couple of months. My father suffered a severe stroke on March 18th and I pretty much dropped everything so that I could dedicate all of my free time to be with him with during his recovery. He's been doing well in therapy and getting better everyday and we are all hopeful that he'll be back to himself soon.

I thought it would be fitting to dedicate my first post since then to him. There is no doubt that my love of cooking comes from my father. He is always cooking something delicious and always makes enough to share with family and friends.

Dad's Hot Dog Sauce is a classic in my family. My father makes it for every backyard BBQ and he always makes a big enough batch so that we all get to take a stash home. The sauce even has it's own fan club and its numerous fans are always hinting for him to make some for them too. I take this with me to BBQ parties all the time and it's always a huge hit. Makes 1 quart and freezes well.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
• 3/4 Lb Ground Beef
• 3 Large Onions - minced
• 6 Garlic Cloves - minced
• 2 Cups Tomatoes - diced (when it's not tomato sesason, I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes)
• 4 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 5 Tbsp Dry Mustard Powder
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 Cup Water

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and allow it to brown, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and water. Add to the skillet and stir to combine.

Lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour.

Serve the sauce over a grilled hot dog...or if you want to try it the the classic way, top your hot dog with minced red onion, mustard and a generous serving of this sauce.

Sources:

• Ground Beef - Kesicke Farm
• Onions - Rogowski Farm
• Garlic - Mead Orchards
• Hot Dogs - Northwind Farm

Collard Green & Potato Cakes w. Duck Leg Confit

St. Patrick's Day is coming up later this week and since I have some Irish in me I thought I'd have a little fun with a traditional Irish dish, Colcannon.

Colcannon is basically a combination of mashed potatoes and sauteed greens, usually kale or cabbage. I'm using collard greens because I was able to pick up some frozen collards from nearby Migliorelli Farm. I took things a step further and made them into patties because I love a crispy potato. But what I love even more is crispy duck.

Hudson Valley Duck Farm has made it incredibly easy for lovers of duck leg confit to enjoy this delicious treat without all of the fuss that comes with making it yourself. Just sear it in a hot pan and it's ready to eat. What could be easier than that?

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds potatoes - peeled and chopped into large chunks
• water
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Onion - chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic - thinly sliced
• 1 Bunch Collard Greens - rinsed, stems removed and chopped or 12 oz Bag Frozen Collards - thawed
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 Tbsp salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil the potatoes until the are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Add the milk, 3 Tbsp of the butter and salt & pepper to taste. Roughly mash the potatoes. Cover and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, saute until soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the collard greens. If using fresh collard greens, add 1/4 cup of water. Cook the collard greens for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked collard greens to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Combine the flour and paprika on a plate and spread into a thin layer. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out 1/2 cup portions and form into a patty. Dust each patty with the flour.

* If you will also be serving the duck leg confit, then heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place the duck leg in the skillet, bone side down for 5 minutes, turn and then sear the skin side for 5 minutes or until heated through. You can then use the duck fat left in the pan to cook the potato patties.

If are not making the duck leg, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Makes 8 patties

Local Sources:

• Potatoes - Little Seed Gardens
• Creamline Milk - Ronnybrook Farm Dairy
• Butter - Kate's Homemade Butter
• Onion - Rogowski Farm
• Garlic - Cowberry Crossing Farm
• Frozen Collard Greens - Migliorelli Farm
• Flour - Wild Hive Farm
• Paprika - Bradley Farm
• Olive Oil - Dancing Ewe Farm
• Duck Leg Confit - Hudson Valley Duck Farm

Maple Syrup Season

I love seeing those metal buckets hanging off the maple trees. It means that Spring is almost here.

Maple Weekend in NY is coming up on the last two weekends in March. Sugar shacks all over the state will open their doors to demonstrate their yearly ritual of boiling the sap that they have collected from the maple trees into sweet maple syrup.

I’m a fan of the dark amber, grade B syrup. Last year, I bought a couple cases from Oliverea Schoolhouse and gave them as gifts to my family. Pure Maple Syrup is a treat that everyone loves plus it’s a great way to keep your gift giving dollars in the community.

For more info on Sugar Shacks in the Hudson Valley, check out Hudson Valley Food Network.

Orzotto with Sausage, Fennel & Collard Greens

Orzotto (orzo risotto) is something that I make all year long adjusting the ingredients as the seasons change. It’s so easy to prepare and only takes about 20 minutes to put a hearty and satisfying meal on the table. This variation was created around the offerings at the Rhinebeck WINTER Farmers’ Market. 

Migliorelli Farm has just begun to offer frozen packets of many of their vegetables, making it even easier to buy from our local farmers all year long.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Qt Water
• 1/2 Lb Orzo Pasta
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Onion – sliced pole to pole
• 1/2 Fennel Bulb – thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 Pork Sausages – casings removed
• 12 oz Package Frozen Collard Greens - thawed or 1 Bunch Fresh Collards – rinsed, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 Cup Pecorino Cheese - grated
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Bring 1 quart of generously salted water to a boil. Add the orzo, reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until much of the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sausages breaking them apart with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

When much of the water for the orzo has been absorbed and the consistency is soupy, stir in the collard greens and butter and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sausage mixture and cheese. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Local Sources:

• Olive Oil -  Dancing Ewe Farm 
• Onion & Fennel – Migliorelli Farm
• Sweet Italian Pork Sausage – Northwind Farm 
• Fresh or Frozen Collard Greens – Migliorelli Farm
• Butter – Ronnybrook Farm Dairy
• Pecorino – Dancing Ewe Farm or Barat from Sprout Creek Farm