Archive for November, 2009
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Cranberry-Walnut Quick Bread
from Mary’s Restaurant in Bristol, Vermont
Chef Doug prepared this for the 2008 Feast of the Farms Harvest Celebration, held each September at the Inn at Baldwin Creek. He served it with slices of Vermont Butter & Cheese’s Coupole — a dense, aged goat cheese — but any creamy goat cheese would be delicious. Pair this with “Howl,” Magic Hat’s Black-as-Night Winter Lager, for a perfect start to a blustery evening.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 cups chopped cranberries
½ cup chopped toasted walnuts, plus more for toppingPreheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a large loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, butter, oil and vanilla.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the orange zest, cranberries and walnuts; do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Top with additional walnuts, if desired.
Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes one loaf
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Chef Doug Mack Keeps It Local and Lively
Nestled at the base of the Green Mountains, Mary’s Restaurant at the Inn at Baldwin Creek is a Mecca for sustainably minded diners. Chef/owner Doug Mack has been cooking up local foods at this Bristol, VT, establishment for 25 years — long before “localvore” entered anyone’s lexicon.
Mack is well known on the Vermont food scene. He was a founding member and first president of the Vermont Fresh Network, established in 1996, and he is active in the local Slow Food movement. His new winter menu boasts 21 Vermont Farm Partners, including Baldwin Creek Gardens — right out the kitchen door.For foodies who like to chew on ideas, Mary’s Restaurant is a hub for lively discussions on the politics of food and current food trends. Mack hosts a monthly Friday evening series called Table Talks: Side Dishes for Thought, which brings together authors, food producers and other interested folks to keep abreast of the latest culinary topics, both local and global. Mack prepares a farm-fresh, three-course meal before each talk, which he designs especially around the evening’s theme.
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Thanksgiving All Weekend Long
Back before green bean casserole and jellied cranberry sauce from a can were standard Thanksgiving fare, America’s cooks toiled for days to get ready for our national celebration. To experience how things used to be – and used to taste – visit the Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, VT, this weekend.
Bring the family and watch interpreters in period dress prepare a harvest feast in the 1890s farmhouse. Sample homemade treats and go for a horse-drawn wagon ride too.The Thanksgiving Weekend program takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission ranges from $3 to $12, depending on age.
More Regional Events
Friday, November 27
The annual Vermont Farmer’s Market Christmas Fair takes place at Poultney High School from 9 am to 4 pm on Friday and Saturday. The fair offers crafts, folk art, gourmet foods and more.
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Butternut Squash, Sage and Cheddar Gratin
from Julie Rubaud, Red Wagon Plants in Hinesburg, Vermont
This is a hearty dish and only needs a green salad to round out the meal. It’s great for potlucks and any other time you want to feed a crowd.
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh sage
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
About 3 cups cooked mashed butternut squash, or other winter squash
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
6 ounces grated Cheddar cheesePreheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sage, garlic and oil and cook, stirring, until the onions start to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Spoon the squash into the baking dish. Stir in the onion mixture, cream and salt and pepper to taste until well blended. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 450ºF. Sprinkle the cheese over the squash and return to oven, uncovered. Cook until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes more.
Serves 4 to 6
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Potato Pancakes
from Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury, Vermont
This makes good use of leftover mashed potatoes. The recipe calls for baking the pancakes, but they can be done the old fashioned way too—try frying them in a little butter or oil on the stove top. Kick up the spice a notch by serving salsa on the side.
4 tablespoons butter
3 large onions, finely chopped
4 large eggs
3 cups mashed potatoes
½ cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Hot pepper sauce to taste
2 tablespoons waterPreheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a large baking sheet.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 of the eggs. Add the onions, potatoes, flour, salt, pepper and hot sauce and stir until well blended.
Form the mixture into 16 round pancakes and place on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and the water and brush on top of each pancake. Bake the pancakes until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Serves 8 as a side dish or 4 as a main course
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Spicy Turkey Soup
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
Everyone has a favorite vitamin-packed soup and a favorite hot sauce—the vinegary heat of North Carolina’s Texas Pete makes this sauce a FarmPlate top pick.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces chopped fresh collard, turnip or mustard greens (about 4 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
About 2 ½ cups shredded leftover turkey
6 ounces fresh or frozen okra, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices (about 1 cup)
4-5 tablespoons Texas Pete or other bottled hot sauce, plus extra to serve
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or scallion greensHeat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the greens, 1 handful at a time, and cook, stirring, until each addition wilts. Stir in the broth, turkey, okra and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and cook until the okra and greens are tender, about 15 minutes more. Taste and season with a little salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh herbs. Add more hot sauce to taste.
Serves 4 to 6
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Turkey Enchiladas
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
Here’s an easy, inexpensive and delicious way to feed a houseful of people who are mulling around after Thanksgiving Day. It’s pretty healthy too, especially if you keep the sodium level from rocketing sky-high by using no-salt-added tomatoes.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1-3 fresh jalapeños (to taste)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added chopped tomatoes, drained
18 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
One 15- ounce can pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3 cups shredded leftover turkey
2 cups cooked corn kernels
Sour cream and salsa for servingPreheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeños. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, oregano and cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a food processor. Add the drained tomatoes and process until smooth.
Spread a thin layer of the tomato-onion sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with one-third of the tortilla quarters, overlapping them. Spread the drained beans on top, sprinkle with half of the grated cheese and cover with the second third of the sliced tortillas.
In a bowl, combine the shredded turkey and corn and spoon over the second layer of tortillas. Top with the remaining tortillas following by the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Serve from the pan. Pass the sour cream and salsa separately.
Serves 8 to 10
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Looking Forward to Leftovers
Thanksgiving is a day to soak up familiar aromas and favorite flavors. There’s no need to stick to tradition the day afterwards though, and no one wants to spend too much time in the kitchen. With a fridgeful of leftovers and some hot sauce on hand, you can whip up some very tasty meals in no time at all. Check out four of our favorite day-after picks.
SPICY TURKEY SOUP
from the FarmPlate KitchenEveryone has a favorite vitamin-packed soup and a favorite hot sauce—the vinegary heat of North Carolina’s Texas Pete makes this sauce a FarmPlate top pick.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces chopped fresh collard, turnip or mustard greens (about 4 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
About 2 ½ cups shredded leftover turkey
6 ounces fresh or frozen okra, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices (about 1 cup)
4-5 tablespoons Texas Pete or other bottled hot sauce, plus extra to serve
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or scallion greensHeat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and cook for 1 minute more.
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USDA Invests in Local Food System
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week it would provide over $5 million for 16 organizations that work to make healthy, local food accessible for low-income Americans.
The organizations receiving grants were chosen through the Community Food Projects Program, which is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The funding is a part of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative that launched in September 2009.“Building local sustainable food systems is a key step in fighting hunger and obesity, a priority for USDA and for the Obama Administration,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Vilsack stressed that by investing in a local food system, low-income individuals can eat healthier, nutritious foods while strengthening the economy at the local level.
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Fresh Cranberry Relish
from the FarmPlate Kitchen
The easiest, fastest cranberry relish we know. Perfect for that day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich.1 navel orange, scrubbed
1 lemon, scrubbed
12 oz. (about 3 cups) fresh Vermont cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
2-3 tablespoons Cointreau, Grand Marnier or other orange liqueurCut the orange and the lemon into large chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor, rind and all. Add the cranberries, sugar, salt and liqueur. Process until all is finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and chill before serving. The relish will keep for several days refrigerated.
Makes about 2 cups
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