wake and bake

ingredients

3 pounds fresh asparagus, rinsed

8 cups chicken stock

4 tbs unsalted butter

1 onion, sliced thin

2 spring garlic, greens chopped off, bulbs sliced thin

bouquet garni: thyme, bay leafs, coriander seeds, black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup cider vinegar, or to taste

salt and black pepper to taste

grated parmesan, garnish

drizzle of olive oil to finish

procedure

a way to present the full-flavored greens of spring on an undersung grain. 

ingredients

1 1/2 cups wheat berries

2 medium onions, halved, divided

5 sprigs thyme

8 tbs olive oil, divided

salt

a few fiddlehead ferns

a few ramps, cut in half or left whole

one bunch stinging nettles, leaves removed and stems discarded

1 lemon juiced

parmesan, to finish

procedure

1)  combine wheat berries, 1 onion half, thyme sprigs, and 2 tbs salt in large saucepan, add water to cover by 2”.  bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until wheat berries are just tender, but still firm to the bite, about 40 minutes.  add more water if dries up.  drain; discard onion and thyme.  place wheat berries in a large bowl, let cool.

2)  cut remaining onion halves crosswise into 1/2” slices.  heat 1 tbs oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  add onions.  season with salt and pepper.  cook, stirring until onions are charred in spots, about 5 minutes.  transfer to bowl with wheat berries.  add 1 tbs of oil to the same skillet, working in batches, cook the fiddleheads, then the ramps, then the stinging nettles.  all removed and added to the bowl before adding the next spring green.  the point of this is to quickly give the vegetables an outside char, but without fully cooking them.  especially with the ramps, you want to preserve the green, so you might want to remove those and let the bulbs finish on their own in the pan. 

3)  drizzle everything with lemon juice in the bowl and any remaining oil.  toss to coat.  season with salt and pepper, add some shaved parmesan to finish.

buttermilk, merely because i love the subtle tang. follow this same ratio for everyday french toast, and simply substitute regular milk or almond milk as desired, so don’t feel like you need to make an extra trip to the market.  but it’s worth it.

serves 2

ingredients

1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. muscavado or brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 slices whole grain bread (1/2” slices if using fresh)
2 tsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. natural cane sugar
1 large banana, sliced on a bias
toasted pecan pieces
powdered sugar, optional
maple or agave nectar, optional

procedure

in a glass pie pan or square pan whisk the egg and vanilla very well. whisk in the sugar, cinnamon, salt and buttermilk until completely combined.

in a cast iron or pan of choice, warm a small pat of butter over medium heat, to coat the bottom of the pan. dredge the pieces of bread in the custard, flipping a few times to be sure they’re coated. allow any excess to drip off, and add the bread to the hot pan. allow to cook for about 2 minutes on one side, when the bottoms are golden and toasty, flip it to the other side, cover and cook another 2-3 minutes until the bottom is toasted dry and when you push on the center, you can tell it’s not soggy. it will be tender, but no liquid should squish out.

while the toast is cooking, in another pan, warm the 2 tsp. of butter and sugar. add the sliced bananas and give them a quick saute just to warm through, about 1-2 minutes.

serve each portion with some of the bananas and their sauce, pecan pieces and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. depending on the breads moisture, add a drizzle of agave or maple as desired.

ingredients

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms

5 ounces fresh baby portobello mushrooms

5 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup rough chopped yellow onion

1 carrot, rough chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup dry white wine

2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

procedure

this is a recipe i adapted from Hugh Acheson’s, A New Turn in The South, i enjoy a more acidic pickle so i added some cider vinegar and some other stuff.

ingredients

1 tbs Old Bay seasoning

half pound shrimp, peeled 

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp allspice berries

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

salt to taste (start with 1 tbs)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 bay leaves, crushed

1/4 cup parsley, chiffonade

1/2 medium spanish onion, thinly sliced

procedure

1) prepare an ice bath by filling a medium bowl with ice and water.  bring a large pot of water to a boil.  add the old bay, then the shrimp, and immediately reduce the heat to low.  cook for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink through and just cooked.  plunge the shrimp into the ice bath to cool, then drain and reserve in the fridge.

2)  prepare the pickling liquid by placing the rest of the ingredients, except the parsley and onion, in a pot.  add half cup of water, bring to a boil.  place the shrimp in a jar with the onions and parsley.  pour the pickling liquid over the shrimp and vegetables.  cover and let sit in the fridge for 24 hours. 

adapted from hannah nordgren

ingredients

1 bunch of any type of grape you like

4 cups white vinegar

3 cups sugar

2 T salt

1 T black peppercorns

1 t coriander seeds

1 T fresh tarragon leaves

2 bay leaves (dry or fresh)

procedure

clean and take grapes off the stem.  place in a jar.  put everything else in a pot and bring up to a boil.  pour over the grapes.  let sit uncovered til it cools down.  after two days, keep refrigerated. 

recipe adapted from nyt

ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1lb ground lamb

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

2 green bell peppers, diced

1 small bunch cilantro, cleaned

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 small jalapeños, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chile powder, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 1/2 cups cooked white beans (homemade or canned)

Plain yogurt, for serving

pickled red onions, for serving

procedure

1. heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. add the lamb and cook, breaking up with a fork, until well browned, 5 minutes. season with salt and pepper. transfer meat to a paper towel-lined plate.

2. add the onion and green peppers. cook until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. finely chop 2 tablespoons of the cilantro stems and add to the pot. stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes. add the chile powder, coriander and cumin, and cook 1 minute. stir in the tomato paste and cook until it begins to turn brown.

3. return the lamb to the pot. stir in 4 cups water, the beans and 1/4 teaspoon salt. simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes; add more water if the chili becomes too thick. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of yogurt and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and pickled red onions

long time no recipe.  i know.  hopefully i will update more frequently with new ideas and amazing food.  nothing better than the winter citron season.  use whatever you can find at your local market. 

ingredients

2 blood oranges or tangerines

1 pink grapefruit

1 navel orange

1 tbs turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)

salt

1/2 small red onion, sliced thin into half moons

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon honey

Lime or lemon juice to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly chopped tarragon

1 bunch baby arugula

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

procedure

1. segment all citrus into a bowl.   macerate with turbinado sugar for 10 minutes to achieve flavor. 

2.  remove citrus segments with a slotted spoon,  and add to a bowl with arugula, toasted walnuts, red onion.

2. whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice and tarragon until well combined; taste, adjust seasoning as needed.  drizzle over salad components.  toss and adjust seasoning.

ingredients

4 cups water

salt and pepper

1 cup stone-ground grits

3 tablespoons butter

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 slices bacon, chopped

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 large clove garlic, minced

procedure

ingredients

for the filling:

1 butternut squash (size is not so important), cubed

olive oil

salt

pepper

for the crepes:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

3 tbs melted butter, cooled

butter, for coating the pan

for the sauce:

1/4 stick unsalted butter

salt pepper

4 sage leaves

ricotta cheese

procedure

for the filling:

1.  preheat oven to 400 degrees.  mix butternut squash pieces in a bowl coated with olive oil, salt and pepper.  cook for about 45 minutes, until squash is tender, with some browning.  set aside to cool.

for the blintzes:

1.  combine all of the ingredients and mix well.  place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. this allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. the batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

2.  heat a small non-stick pan. add butter to coat. pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. lay them out flat so they can cool. continue until all batter is gone. after they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. when using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

for the sauce:

1.  heat butter over medium-high heat.  add whole sage leaves to sauce.  once butter has browned, remove from heat, and drain sage leaves on paper towels.  season with salt and pepper.

assembly:  sear crepes in a hot saute pan with butter.  put in oven to reheat with filling for 5 minutes.  top with a dollop of ricotta and fried sage leaves.