Most citrus leaves are edible. In fact, they are downright addictive. Particularly when steeped and added to a martini.
(However, that's not this article.)
Somebody smart at my local farmers' market figured out that they could market lime leaves. As many of you might know, winter is the time for citrus fruits. Ergo lime leaves.
While they are not a perfect substitute for kaffir lime leaves in Thai cooking, they work perfectly excellently in the soups. Most importantly, they work really well as substitutes for curry leaves in Indian cooking particularly when you slice them into pieces. They are hardier so they will not be edible and you will have to fish them out but they lend exactly the correct aroma.
Your rasams and your chitraanam can now be "locavore".
The CC is just thrilled.
Showing posts with label farmers market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farmers market. Show all posts
Monday, January 7, 2019
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Little House on the Prairie
Well, it's that time of the year again in the large city. 40 pounds of tomatoes all bubbling away on the stove into tomato sauce that will be preserved.
What's sauce for the summer is sauce for the winter, as they say.
What's sauce for the summer is sauce for the winter, as they say.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Parsley, Potato & Parmesan Soup
The CC was confused. How come he saw fresh parsley along with the usual panoply of winter vegetables at the farmers' market?
Turns out that parsley is a biennial and has another component that is not generally well known — parsley root which as a winter vegetable is not very different from turnips, parsnips or potatoes.
This French-style soup which uses fresh parsley is just perfect for chasing away the winter blues.
Ingredients
1 large bunch of parsley
2 medium potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 medium onion
5-6 cloves garlic
butter or olive oil (or a mixture)
4 cups broth
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
salt
black pepper
Recipe
First prepare an ice bath.
Wash the parsley discarding all thick roots. Leave the thinner ones on. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over the parsley and let it blanch for about a minute. Plunge the parsley into the ice bath. This helps preserve the vibrant green color otherwise you will end up with a dull green soup.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Sautée the onions and the garlic for 6-8 minutes at a low heat. Fry the potatoes for at least 8 minutes till they are fraying around the edges and coated with the fat.
Add the stock, salt to taste, black pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer at a low heat for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are soft. (It really depends on the size of the pieces.)
Skim the fat as it comes to the surface.
Add the parsley to the soup and blend really fine. Add the parmesan. Bring to a quick simmer again and serve.
You can pass the soup through a fine sieve if you want a really smooth version. A drizzle of crème fraîche works great for serving as would a crumbling of blue cheese.
Turns out that parsley is a biennial and has another component that is not generally well known — parsley root which as a winter vegetable is not very different from turnips, parsnips or potatoes.
This French-style soup which uses fresh parsley is just perfect for chasing away the winter blues.
Ingredients1 large bunch of parsley
2 medium potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 medium onion
5-6 cloves garlic
butter or olive oil (or a mixture)
4 cups broth
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
salt
black pepper
Recipe
First prepare an ice bath.
Wash the parsley discarding all thick roots. Leave the thinner ones on. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over the parsley and let it blanch for about a minute. Plunge the parsley into the ice bath. This helps preserve the vibrant green color otherwise you will end up with a dull green soup.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Sautée the onions and the garlic for 6-8 minutes at a low heat. Fry the potatoes for at least 8 minutes till they are fraying around the edges and coated with the fat.
Add the stock, salt to taste, black pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer at a low heat for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are soft. (It really depends on the size of the pieces.)
Skim the fat as it comes to the surface.
Add the parsley to the soup and blend really fine. Add the parmesan. Bring to a quick simmer again and serve.
You can pass the soup through a fine sieve if you want a really smooth version. A drizzle of crème fraîche works great for serving as would a crumbling of blue cheese.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Colored Cauliflowers
Recently more and more of the colored cauliflowers have started showing up at the farmers' market so the CC started doing some research on them. They are genetically-modified cauliflowers.
The CC is not afraid of the genetic modification because it has been going on forever. The "organic granolas" put scare-quotes around the "genetic" part but it's part of our legacy. We've been doing this since the birth of agriculture. Cross-breeding to get sweeter varieties or more hardy ones or ones that are more resistant to various pests and fungi.
Carrots were not originally "orange". They were cultivated specifically to appeal to the Dutch House of Orange and in return they became the "Royal Vegetable". They were also markedly sweeter which explains why they became the dominant variety.
The story of the colored cauliflowers is as varied as their colors:
The orange cauliflower was a genetic mutant first found in Canada in 1970. It was crossbred using conventional cross-breeding techniques at Cornell University until it now finds its way into the mainstream. The orange comes from beta-carotene — the same compound that gives carrots its characteristic color and which is absolutely necessary for humans to produce Vitamin A.
The purple cauliflower was a similar mutant found in Denmark in the 1980's. Same idea of cross-breeding. The purple comes from anthocyanins (also found in raspberries, blueberries, grapes, red wine, olives.) They are water soluble so if you want to preserve the color, you will need to gently roast it not boil it or steam it. It has a very characteristic smell when you cut into it and it's a lot milder in flavor than the others.
The green one is a cross-breed between broccoli and cauliflower. There is also the Romanesco cauliflower but that's a different breed.
A classic recipe is presented for your benefit.
Pasta with Cauliflower, Anchovies, Raisins, Pine Nuts & Saffron
Ingredients
2 cups rigatoni (or penne.)
1 head cauliflower (separated into medium-sized florets)
1 large red onion (chopped)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins
6 anchovies (preferably salt-cured)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp saffron
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
breadcrumbs
Recipe
Toast the breadcrumbs and set aside. Toast the pine nuts until golden. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside.
Heat an oven to 400°F and roast the cauliflower florets for 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil at medium heat. When shimmering, add the onions and fry for a further 7-9 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and the anchovies and fry. The anchovies will "dissolve" as they fry. Add a cup of water, the raisins, sea salt, and black pepper, and let cook at low heat.
Meanwhile make the pasta until al dente. Drain.
The cauliflower mixture should be just slightly on the wet side. If dry, add some more water.
Toss in the saffron, cauliflowers and the pasta, and mix thoroughly.
Serve with the parmesan and roasted breadcrumbs on top with extra black pepper to taste.
The CC is not afraid of the genetic modification because it has been going on forever. The "organic granolas" put scare-quotes around the "genetic" part but it's part of our legacy. We've been doing this since the birth of agriculture. Cross-breeding to get sweeter varieties or more hardy ones or ones that are more resistant to various pests and fungi.
Carrots were not originally "orange". They were cultivated specifically to appeal to the Dutch House of Orange and in return they became the "Royal Vegetable". They were also markedly sweeter which explains why they became the dominant variety.
The story of the colored cauliflowers is as varied as their colors:
The orange cauliflower was a genetic mutant first found in Canada in 1970. It was crossbred using conventional cross-breeding techniques at Cornell University until it now finds its way into the mainstream. The orange comes from beta-carotene — the same compound that gives carrots its characteristic color and which is absolutely necessary for humans to produce Vitamin A.
The purple cauliflower was a similar mutant found in Denmark in the 1980's. Same idea of cross-breeding. The purple comes from anthocyanins (also found in raspberries, blueberries, grapes, red wine, olives.) They are water soluble so if you want to preserve the color, you will need to gently roast it not boil it or steam it. It has a very characteristic smell when you cut into it and it's a lot milder in flavor than the others.
The green one is a cross-breed between broccoli and cauliflower. There is also the Romanesco cauliflower but that's a different breed.
A classic recipe is presented for your benefit.
Pasta with Cauliflower, Anchovies, Raisins, Pine Nuts & Saffron
Ingredients
2 cups rigatoni (or penne.)
1 head cauliflower (separated into medium-sized florets)
1 large red onion (chopped)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins
6 anchovies (preferably salt-cured)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp saffron
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
breadcrumbs
Recipe
Toast the breadcrumbs and set aside. Toast the pine nuts until golden. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside.
Heat an oven to 400°F and roast the cauliflower florets for 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil at medium heat. When shimmering, add the onions and fry for a further 7-9 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and the anchovies and fry. The anchovies will "dissolve" as they fry. Add a cup of water, the raisins, sea salt, and black pepper, and let cook at low heat.
Meanwhile make the pasta until al dente. Drain.
The cauliflower mixture should be just slightly on the wet side. If dry, add some more water.
Toss in the saffron, cauliflowers and the pasta, and mix thoroughly.
Serve with the parmesan and roasted breadcrumbs on top with extra black pepper to taste.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Little House on the Prairie
It's that time of the year again.
Thirty-five pounds of tomatoes (!) slowly cooking down to make tomato paste and sauce.
February holds no terrors any more.
Thirty-five pounds of tomatoes (!) slowly cooking down to make tomato paste and sauce.
February holds no terrors any more.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Early Morning Haul
The CC was up at the crack of dawn to haul back the goodies like a pack mule.
Corn, onions, garlic, zucchini, sweet peppers, clams, cod, tomatoes, more tomatoes, basil, sage, rosemary.
Corn, onions, garlic, zucchini, sweet peppers, clams, cod, tomatoes, more tomatoes, basil, sage, rosemary.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Improptu Dinner Party
♦
Zebra Tomatoes with Arbequina Olive Oil and Sea Salt
♦
Autumn Mac-n-Cheese with Vegetables
♦
Cheese Course (with Duck-Fat Ciabatta)
♦
Chocolate
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Haul
Shishito peppers (so late!), flat beans, zebra tomatoes (again, so late!), dandelion greens, rosemary.
Already, the brassicaceae are out in full force but the weather being a little too warm means it was a little early for the CC. In any case, there will enough of them all winter.
Already, the brassicaceae are out in full force but the weather being a little too warm means it was a little early for the CC. In any case, there will enough of them all winter.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
The End of Summer
This is it. Summer is gone.
Tomatoes, last of the cherry tomatoes, last of the eggplants, chives, onions.
Saw cauliflower for the first time. Fall is here.
Tomatoes, last of the cherry tomatoes, last of the eggplants, chives, onions.
Saw cauliflower for the first time. Fall is here.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Late Summer Harvest
Pole beans, purple beans, cranberry beans, tomatoes (heirloom and not-so-heirloom), onions, zucchini, pattypan-squash, chives, basil, rosemary.
Not in the least bit over-the-top. No sirree!
Not in the least bit over-the-top. No sirree!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The Return of Tomato Man!
Today at the farmers' market, the CC was grabbing tomatoes to make tomato sauce and tomato paste to freeze.
The farmer said, "Grab them while you can, Tomato Man. Fall is coming. I can see the fear in your eyes!"
The farmer said, "Grab them while you can, Tomato Man. Fall is coming. I can see the fear in your eyes!"
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Spring is Here
That means asparagus!
Also procured at the markets today — mizuna, parsley, cod, clams.
Still a little early for vegetables because of the cool weather we're having lately.
Also procured at the markets today — mizuna, parsley, cod, clams.
Still a little early for vegetables because of the cool weather we're having lately.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Farmers' Market Haul
Some really excellent broccoli, parsley, pea shoots (a bit early!), carrots, clams, some cod.
They didn't have any marrow bones. Oh well!
They didn't have any marrow bones. Oh well!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Luck Factor
Well, we've had a late blast of summery weather, and the tomatoes were still super-ripe at the farmers' market. The CC got there early, and they were selling them for very cheap so the CC bought a ton, and made tomato sauce out of it. It was promptly frozen for future use.
When life gives you tomatoes, you must make tomato sauce!
When life gives you tomatoes, you must make tomato sauce!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Haul
The CC was away on a mini-vacation to Lake Placid.
On the way back, at the farmers' market in nearby Keene, he picked up: celeriac, carrots, garlic, red onions, pearl onions, baby potatoes, lamb shanks and lamb kidneys.
On this nippy Sunday evening, a vegetable broth is being prepared. The carrot fronds, and celeriac fronds will not be wasted.
They will glow with the golden song of a late summer.
On the way back, at the farmers' market in nearby Keene, he picked up: celeriac, carrots, garlic, red onions, pearl onions, baby potatoes, lamb shanks and lamb kidneys.
On this nippy Sunday evening, a vegetable broth is being prepared. The carrot fronds, and celeriac fronds will not be wasted.
They will glow with the golden song of a late summer.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
"He's Not Mad, He's Merely Crazy ..."
"... and he's the Tomato Man!", said the farmer to his buddies at the crack of dawn.
Twenty pounds of tomatoes, half a pound of tomato paste, happiness next February!
(For the visually inclined.)
Twenty pounds of tomatoes, half a pound of tomato paste, happiness next February!
(For the visually inclined.)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Farmers' Market Haul
It's been a really cold wet summer so the first decent vegetables were just hitting the markets.
The CC came home with some tomatoes, onions, spring garlic, flat beans, zucchini and some eggs.
There were some obscure things that the CC considered buying but the prices were larcenious so they have been postponed to a future date.
The CC came home with some tomatoes, onions, spring garlic, flat beans, zucchini and some eggs.
There were some obscure things that the CC considered buying but the prices were larcenious so they have been postponed to a future date.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Farmers' Market Lunch
Inspired by the farmers' market, and a bit carried away while reading Julia Child's memoirs, the CC made probably the largest lunch he's had in a decade.
.jpg)
Fried zucchini blossoms
.jpg)
Panzanella
.jpg)
Linguini with sage butter
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
"It's a bird, it's a plane, look, ..."
"... it's Tomato Man!", yelled out the exuberant farmer at my farmer's market.
"Gather around, folks," he continued, "he's here to get his fix, and I'm his dealer."
As the heads swivelled to see who the farmer was talking about, the CC blushed furiously while the crowd started laughing, pointing, and one even applauded.
It looks like "Tomato Man" is now a known fixture at the market.
Of course, the Culinary Muses being suitably capricious, that was the day the Tomato Man did not purchase tomatoes because the muses had cast their lovely eyes upon the zucchini.
"Gather around, folks," he continued, "he's here to get his fix, and I'm his dealer."
As the heads swivelled to see who the farmer was talking about, the CC blushed furiously while the crowd started laughing, pointing, and one even applauded.
It looks like "Tomato Man" is now a known fixture at the market.
Of course, the Culinary Muses being suitably capricious, that was the day the Tomato Man did not purchase tomatoes because the muses had cast their lovely eyes upon the zucchini.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
