Portland Foodie

Potatoes: Lessons from the Summer

If you follow Gardener to Farmer, you know of my flagging feelings for my favorite spuds. Let's be clear, I have always been a fan of starch. I grew up in a family where a meat, a veggie and a starch were integral components of our nightly dinner. We sat together at the family dinner table and ate some of my grandmother's amazing cooking. And though I later developed an affinity for rice, I was partial to potatoes.

It should come as no surprise, then, that this summer when I had several potato preparation failures, I was dismayed. And if I can use my pain to help others...so much the better.

Failure #1: Fresh beets and carrots may roast faster than newly dug fingerling potatoes. I know, it seems like because they are small, fingerlings should cook quickly. That was not my experience...though it could just be the varieties. In any case, don't make assumptions based on size...but you should already know that size doesn't matter.

Failure #2: New potatoes do not shred well. Don't use them for hashbrowns. The end result is a sticky, gooey, swampy mess.

Failure #3: Some potatoes are not the best for boiling and mashing. And some potatoes are absolutely awful for frying (see #2). Know the difference before you start.

Failure #4: Not all potatoes cook at the same rate, even when cut to the same size. If you throw a bunch of different potatoes in a pot and boil, then try to mash, you will inevitably wind up with some that are falling apart and some that are hard as rocks.

Failure #5: Yukon Golds do not store the same as Russets. The same could be said for different varieties. Not all are meant to be keepers, some are for use in the near future.

Though there are only 5 failures listed, please note these are categorized...not completely inclusive of my frustrating experiences. Some things were not utter failures (like the fact that some potatoes were so dry when I mashed them I had to use a half a gallon of milk to make it happen) just unexpected detours.

I am thinking of growing only one or two kinds of potatoes next year. Maybe learn their habits, then add others. I don't know...maybe it is time to change starch platforms, couscous, anyone?

Sage, Fennel and Butter Squash Saute

Ok, it is rare that you see patty pan squash this large...but this is what happens when you go out of town for a week and the squash takes over. YIKES! These are as large as they look...huge! What in the world am I going to do with all this squash?

So, I decided to experiment with a saute that is reminiscent of ravioli dishes I have had....here's the scoop:
You will need summer squash. I used white in this recipe and actually find that I like it better than yellow. It has a milder flavor and is more easily adaptable in recipes.
Start by browning diced honey or maple ham in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. Remove and drain. In the same skillet, saute the sliced squash in a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and butter. Make sure the butter browns a bit in the course of cooking, but don't let it burn. Add fennel seeds, fresh sage cut into strips, salt and pepper. Cook until squash is tender. Add crisped ham on top of cooked squash for finishing touch.

For more information on growing squash, visit Gardener to Farmer.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

So, I finally harvested a few tomatoes...and while some were awesome, others were so so...some not so ripe, some split from all of the rain, others munched on a bit...So, I decided to make a basic tomato sauce and freeze it for use later.

I started by washing and cleaning up the tomatoes, chunking up the larger ones. I popped them in a non stick sauce pot over medium heat. I added olive oil, bay leaves, dried basil, fennel seeds, dried italian herb mix, salt, pepper, about 2 tbs sugar. **The amount of sugar is related to the acidity and ripeness of the tomatoes.

Let the tomatoes cook all the way down and reduce in order to concentrate the flavors...this is particularly helpful if you have had a lot of rain and your tomatoes are a bit watery. When it is reduced to this point, it is ready to take off the heat.

Now, since I don't take the time to seed or peel my tomatoes, I run the whole mix through the food mill. What you are left with is a smooth, well flavored sauce that can serve as the base of more complex sauces and soups.

For more information on growing and harvesting tomatoes, check out Gardener to Farmer, my gardening blog.

Dried and Smoked Peppers

I recently harvested my first, and only, crop of hot peppers (for more on my crop, check out the post at Gardener to Farmer). As you can see, quite a few of them ripened at the same time. I thought about a couple of storage options, like freezing, or canning, but I settled on drying...and while I could have dried them in the oven, I decided to smoke them over indirect heat on my Kettle Grill.

I put it on a low, indirect heat...wasn't over 250 at its hottest. Then, I had to replenish it once. All in all, the peppers were on there for maybe three hours. It is important to keep the vent relatively closed in order to control temperature and capture the smoke.

And when I was finished, I had some gorgeous peppers...smokey, yummy and preserved for future use. I think I will grind some of them and use it in recipes...others I might save an reconstitute this winter, or add a couple of whole peppers to a chili recipe.

Have you smoked any of your garden harvests this year? Let me know how it worked...

Pickling and Freezing Grean Beans

This week I am participating in an awesome new food themed blog series. Away to Garden and Martha Stewart's Dinner Tonight blogs have come together to create Thursday Food Fests, a weekly posting on the wonderful things we do with the bounty from our gardens. This week is green beans...

I just harvested 4 lbs of purple green beans and dragon's tongue beans (check out the story at Gardener to Farmer).

Aren't they gorgeous?

Still, there's only so many beans a woman (and her family) can eat...what to do with the rest?

I am a big proponent of the vacuum sealer. I have one and use it all of the time. We also have a chest freezer that keeps everything in a steady, frozen state. Here's what to do to get the best result:

Wash and trim both ends of the green beans. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes or so, then dunk in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry. Pop them in the bag and vacuum seal, if you have one, if not, splurge on the locking freezer bags.

Pretty darn easy, I'd say...but if you are feeling a little more adventurous...how about canning them?

Follow standard sterilizing and canning methods (find them here).

Ingredients:
2 lbs or so of beans
4 cups of white vinegar
1/2 cup canning salt
4 cups of water

In this recipe, there is no pre-cooking (also called raw packing), just clean and trim green beans and put them in the canning jar with a couple of cloves of garlic. Heat up water, vinegar and salt. Pour solution in each jar.

My recipe is adapted from one of my favorite canning resources, PickYourOwn.org .

I would suggest playing with different flavorings and veggie combinations. Try adding pepper flakes or whole hot peppers to the beans. I also love Bay leaves, fennel seeds, dry mustard, caraway seeds...

Pickled green beans are a great addition to salads, used as upscale hors d oeuvres, drained and added at the end of the cooking cycle of a pot roast. Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!

I would love to know if you pickle your green beans...how do they taste?

Zukes and Cukes: The Recipies

This week I am participating in an awesome new food themed blog series. Away to Garden and Martha Stewart's Dinner Tonight blogs have come together to create Thursday Food Fests, a weekly posting on the wonderful things we do with the bounty from our gardens.

This week's theme is Zukes and Cukes...And on Portland Foodie, I will remind you of a cool cuke recipe and introduce you to a new zucchini and caramelized onion gratin recipe. For gardening and growing information, be sure to visit the post at Gardener to Farmer.

I am so excited to share this recipe for Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Gratin! First of all, it involves cheese and cream, so what's not to love about that...and second of all, it is another way to eat all of the thousands of zucchini that grow from those one or two little plants you started out growing. And if you have any doubt that one or two plants could produce a lot of zucchini, take a look at my plants...

 

Man, take a GPS if you are going in there...

What to do with all of that bounty? A gratin is an easy and incredibly yummy way to enjoy fresh zucchini with sweet summer onions. Here's how it goes...

You'll need:
about 2 lbs of zucchini
1 large sweet onion (we use Walla Walla, here in Portland)
1 c half and half, warmed
1/2 to 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere
1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
1 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
nutmeg

Start by caramelizing the onions with a little olive oil. Saute over medium low heat until the onions turn a wonderfully rich light brown. Add sliced zucchini, salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes or so to reduce the water content in the zucchini and soften it a bit. Add flour and let cook for a couple of minutes, then add warmed half and half and nutmeg, let cook for 5 minutes or until a sauce forms.

Transfer to 8 x 10 baking dish and top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until mixture bubbles and top is browned. Let stand for 5-10 minutes when removing from the oven to allow time to set.

What do you do with your zukes? I would love to hear about it...

Carrot Recipes: Weeknight and Cake

I recently harvested the first carrots from my garden (www.gardenertofarmer.net). They were the cause of much blood, sweat and tears this year...hard to grow! But now, just look at them...

I grated the three of them and used them as carrot confetti for the top of my salad. But there are many ways to use carrots, aside from in salads.

A quick dinner option is to cut the carrots into bite size pieces and saute them in a skillet with olive oilover medium low heat for a few minutes. Add freshly grated ginger, dark honey or a bit of molasses and let simmer until carrots are tender (not complete mush, please)...The molasses or honey is very high in sugar content (as are carrots) so don't let it burn!

I am also a big fan of carrot cake...I mean, what's not to like? Below is one of my favorite Martha Stewart Recipes...And the reason is because she uses real grated ginger, as well as orange zest in the frosting. The combination of orange, ginger and carrots is a no-brainer. I want to try it using molasses or dark honey, like I did in the previous recipe...I am sure it would be delish! Will have to wait until gardening season is over so I have time to experiment...enjoy!

Makes 1 four-layer cake, serves 10 to 12
Unsalted butter, for pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 cup (3 ounces) pecan halves
1 pound large carrots, peeled
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 5 cups
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 (8-ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
Pinch of salt

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust pans with flour, and tap out any excess. Set pans aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan, and toast in the oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and let stand until completely cool. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees. Finely chop pecans, and set aside.
Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4 inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots, yielding 2 1/2 cups. Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.
Divide batter between the two cake pans, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middles comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of the cakes so surfaces are level. Slice each layer in half horizontally. Place a layer on a cake stand or cardboard round, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over top. Place a second cake layer on top, and spread with another 3/4 cup frosting. Repeat with third layer and another 3/4 cup frosting. Place last cake layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and the sides of the assembled cake. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill 3 to 4 hours.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Directions
Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes more. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.