Pesto and Pretzels and Peppers

When asked for a recommendation for use in pesto, a Meyer Lemon olive oil was one of three oils suggested by Olive Oil Etcetera in Doylestown, PA.  At the store, I purchased Mission and Meyer Lemon olive oils (after the requisite taste test) and was happy I asked for the suggestion. First up: the Meyer Lemon olive oil.  I could have consumed the entire stock of the oil if I had been allowed.  Using this oil in the pesto added a new dimension and I was eager to try it in an entrée dish, specifically, a fish or seafood dish.

I selected a pasta/shrimp/pesto dish which is quick, tasty, nutritious, and comes with easy clean up. With the pasta in boiling water, I sautéed the shrimp in olive oil (I usually use butter). Because I used a too small pan for too much shrimp, the pasta was finished before the shrimp. No problem, I placed the cooked pasta onto the plate added the pesto and tossed to coat.  Once the shrimp had finished cooking, they were added to the pasta and tossed again with a bit more pesto. I added a bit of salt and pepper and begun to eat. I loved it. For those who wish to maximize the lemon flavor, friends Carrie and Linda tell me to add Meyer lemon zest to the pesto.

For some people, frozen-pretzels-in-a-box and shelf-stable-for-months pretzels are no longer acceptable. Instead, pretzels must be created from scratch, ‘authentic,’ and part of a communal activity. A nephew, Mike, has always had an interest in cooking. As a three year old he and I would make cookies; at ten, he was cooking salmon on the grill, and while in college he and his buddies would road trip to the local bison farm to purchase bison meat for their dinner.  Now in his twenties, he and friends recently made ‘authentic’ pretzels and took this step of ‘authenticating’ them with a lye bath (eye protection and gloves were used) for the pretzels and pretzel buns.  Via facebook and text messages, I learned the pretzels tasted just as good as they looked. 

These pretzels, made in a home kitchen, represent multiple trends in the American food industry. First, an increasing interest in the origins of the food we consume, an interest in ‘authentic’ food ingredients, and lastly, the self-production of what we eat. We are becoming artisans in our home kitchens. Our food must taste good and we must have a hand in the creation of the food. Whether it is pretzels, or pesto, or pound cake Americans care more about food origin. This can lead us to caring about the production methods used for the ingredients in our food products and recipes. It was a concern for growing methods which motivated me to seek out an organic methods CSA farm. Such farming techniques would not hurt the soil or nearby water sources. Nor would they harm the growers and, most importantly, they would not harm me.

What I am currently researching: where to find jalapeno peppers which have been allowed to turn red on the vine. Why: I want to smoke them (actually, a friend will do this), once smoked they are chipotle peppers. With chipotle peppers, I can expand the culinary horizons of my kitchen. I'm thinking how to incorporate into veggie sandwiches.

BLT's are on the menu!

This week, there are lots of veggies perfect for a vegetable sandwich or a salad. Green and jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuces, cilantro, carrots, scallions, leeks, fennel, and beets. 

First on the menu: Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.  The lettuce and tomatoes in this week’s share are begging to be used in this classic, quick summer sandwich. It is all so easy as the lettuce and tomatoes are fresh, bacon is in the refrigerator, bread is in the pantry, and I can not stop thinking about the sandwich.

This sandwich will not be the first of the summer for the BLT taste combination. A recipe for a tomato, bacon, and onion pie caught my eye and I was inspired to make pie, but one with my own twist. I used cherry tomatoes from the farm stand, basil from my deck, caramelized onions from the freezer, peppered bacon, and fresh-made ricotta cheese. Pulling them into a pie was easy. The difficulty was allowing enough time to pass for the pie to cool. Maybe I waited enough time, maybe not. I’m not telling. I will say it was delicious and held well as a leftover. 

To prepare this BTO pie: make and bake a pie crust (roll a bit thicker than a traditional crust as you want something substantial to hold the ingredients). While the crust is baking, cook three or four pieces of bacon (I used the microwave), and begin to cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters and halves and place in a bowl.  Add two tablespoons chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the cut tomatoes.  Once the crust has been baked and has cooled a bit, add a layer of fresh-made ricotta cheese and layer on the caramelized onions. Follow with the bacon (broken into bite size pieces) then add the tomatoes. Press the tomatoes into the cheese mixture. 

Bake this deliciousness at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes and wait an hour for it to cool. That is, if you can.  Where is the lettuce? It was in a simple salad served on the side. 

The preparation of this dish meant my caramelized onion experiment was a success. I had read they could be frozen, but was not certain they would taste good or have a texture I would like.  These onions were just as good as the day they were caramelized.

Now, the second experiment: lard.  I made lard because, I heard people say a pie crust made from lard was the “best.” Now, I don’t know what type of crust people were comparing the lard-based crust to, but I wanted to know for myself.  To the butcher I went. Oddly, the butcher was not surprised, he only asked how much I needed, retrieved it, and sold it to me. At home, I placed the fat into a slow cooker, turned the cooker to low, and let the fat melt for half a day. Once liquefied, I strained it, let it cool, put it into the refrigerator, and began to use it. Would I do it again? Probably not, there did not seem to be a taste difference from pie crusts made with butter, but now I know.

The longest two weeks

This week I had the opportunity to stop by the CSA farm and spend a bit of time speaking with the guys who grow my food. Looks like there may be some eggplant in the next week’s share! I will need to dig out my recipe for an eggplant parmesan which is neater and lower in calories than traditional recipes.  My friend Bob is sending recipes to me and I will have to try at least one.  But I digressed, the point I want to share is: since the visit my mind has been on recipes which will use what I expect, and hope, will be in the next share box. 

The farm fields are filled with various green leaves sprinkled with the reds of tomato, the purple of eggplants, and the colors of vegetables I did not get a chance to see up close. The hills provide a backdrop of green and help fence off the cares and stresses of the real world. Across the road is the river, filled to the banks, and helping to create a place of serenity and calm. If I could handle the heat, I could work in the field all day long. Just at a much slower pace than the guys who own the farm! The guys work at a remarkably fast pace and keep up even when the temperatures are in the high 90's.

The tomatoes have begun to reach the fully ripened stage. If all goes well, they will be a part of the share. More will be needed in order to satisfy my cravings and I will have to find a source to fill my need for paste tomatoes. My plans are to make catsup, tomato sauce, barbeque sauce, and possibly salsa. I can’t process all those tomatoes without craving them in dishes and sandwiches. Lately, I want a cherry tomato and prosciutto salad, a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, and anything else with tomatoes! All of this because I see the tomatoes in the field and on the farm market table.

Before I leave, I stop at the nearby farm stand and select a more onions, cherry tomatoes, and corn. I cannot wait for my next share box. This has been the longest two week period of my life.

It's pesto season!

This week has been crazy busy at work and little time was left for food prep or writing.  My share consisted of: cabbage, carrots, green beans, scallions, tomatoes, basil, dill, cilantro, basil, flowers, jalapenos, summer squash, 2 types of lettuce, plus cherries, blue berries and onions purchased at the produce stand. Plus, this week my friend Barb generously gave me blueberries, raspberries, and garlic fresh from her garden. (A blueberry or raspberry just hours from being picked is one of summer’s best treats.)

Making pesto is relaxing, so bail became  walnut-basil pesto. On my deck are more basil plants waiting for their time on my cutting board.   Some of the pesto will be frozen  and some will be gifts. (Traditional pesto with pine nuts and a pesto with a Meyer lemon olive oil).   When preparing the pesto forgo the blender and use a cutting board and knife.  Stack the basil leaves, roll somewhat tightly, cut into ribbons/chiffonade, and then chop into smaller pieces. Chop the nuts and garlic, add to chopped basil and place in a mixing bowl. Grate parmesan cheese, stir, and olive oil a bit at a time stirring to incorporate the olive oil until you have your desired consistency.  Preparing basil this way yields a much better tasting pesto. Love it, love it, and love it.

On the menu for the week: slaw with tomatoes, slaw with cilantro, baked beans (onions and jalapenos) For my contribution to a BBQ meal  the onions and jalapenos went into baked beans, and blueberries and raspberries were made into single-fruit sauces for ice cream.  Half of the cabbage sits awaiting final disposition into pickled cabbage and a freezer slaw. 

The carrots and some onion were combined with parsnips and celery and herbs for a beef stock. This year I opted to oven roast the veggies and shin bone in hopes the stock will have an even better-than-normal flavor.  The cost of homemade stock can be more expensive than off-the-shelf stock. The cost breakdown $28 for about 7 pounds of bone and meat, $8 for the vegetables, and the herbs cost is unknown. . About four quarts of stock were obtained ($8 per quart) and one quart of stock is used for each soup. The average soup recipe yields about 6 servings, adding 1.33 to the cost of each of those servings. Keeping the cost of other ingredients low, the soup probably is less than what I can purchase off the shelf, but with increased flavor, no chemical preservatives, and no salt.  

Next up:  how best to use the lettuce.