From the Sublime to the Ridiculous; Food Stories of 2011

More of us are near farmers markets with winter hours.

Some efforts were noble; some, well, you’ll see.

Part 1
1) I met the people from Red Jacket Orchards at the farmers market in Union Square.  Their apple and apple-combo (raspberry, pear, etc) juices are unsweetened and addictive. This year, they did something about food deserts by teaming up with local bodegas to supply and stock 'skinny fridges' with healthy fruits and vegetables.  Finding a new market for their great fruits and juices by surmounting the distribution hurdles in low income areas benefits buyer and seller.
http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/149580/-skinny--fridges-provide-healthy-produce-in-city-bodegas

2) The last few years have seen a rise in urban farming. Now, see if you can spot a winter farmer’s market in your area.  There are an estimated 1,200 markets open through coldest months.  That’s an increase over 2010 of about 38%.  This is not just a southern US trend says the USDA who tracks winter markets cropping up in Vermont, Rhode Island, Michigan and Colorado. “Hoop house” technology is heralded as one major reason for the increase.  It’s an inexpensive way for smaller growers to extend their seasons.  Consumers get to enjoy more cold weather crops like spinach and winter squash. The top three states with winter farmers markets are New York, California and Pennsylvania.  To find a farmers market near you, check the USDA listing at http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/default.aspx

3) And while we are on the subject of the freshest produce, 2011 saw a trend become a habit: the use of assistance (WIC vouchers, seniors and supplemental food programs) being used with dignity and cheerfulness at farmers markets.  I’ve witnessed the acceptance and growth at open air markets in suburban and city sites over the past few years and this summer saw a marked increase in the normalcy of this smart use of resources.  (Note the USDA Farmers Markets link above also includes payment methods and programs accepted at each market.)

4) Tired of walking around at the mega-store?  You are not alone.  After decades of bigger is better, fatigue has set in  especially among older shoppers.  Retailers are responding.  Smaller footprints at grocery stores (and other retailers) are on the rise so that more of what you want is closer.  Prototype stores in Germany even play oldies music, feature non-slip floors and have steps designed into shelving for safer reaching. The trend is moving stateside with chains including Walmart launching some smaller sites (theirs are called Marketside).

Part 2
1) Celebrity investing in food-related businesses and restaurants isn’t new. Newman created a line of organic supermarket staples, Coppola bought a winery, Tom Selleck grows avocados.

But this year things went a little over the top as Great Britain got to sample produce and livestock stamped with famous names. Move over Neiman Ranch.  It is now possible to consume Elizabeth Hurley pork chops.  I can’t wait for the red carpet to roll out at supermarkets in this country.  Crispins and Macouns from Gwyneth’s Apple Orchard?  And I’ll start checking the tiny labels on the avocados to see if any marked Selleck has found its way into the bin.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/nov/01/celebrity-farmers-a-list-ingredients

2) The oversimplification of nutrition news has lead to widespread misapplication of so-called  “functional” foods.  Alternating poor food habits with a shot of green tea for its cancer fighting properties or an order of salmon steak to stave off heart disease are examples of our band-aid mentality when it comes to health and eating.  Restaurants are onto our mix and match approach.  More and more are offering healthy choices alongside the indulgent, slightly questionable ones (the industry calls this a ‘double-sided’ menu).  You know my perspective, if it's actual food (e.g. you recognize the ingredients as food stuffs) it’ probably better for you than things you eat with non-food ingredients.  Eat real food at every meal and neither health nor deliciousness will be sacrificed.

3) 28% of Americans over 25 cannot cook.  So says Market Watch who’s 2011 study for Bosch home appliances found that nearly a third of us have lost this rudimentary skill.  I have heard similar statistics before and found them hard to fathom but a little observation has shown me that the figure is probably not far off.  The easy availability of breakfast-lunch-dinner and all the snacks in between has made it quite simple to get around turning on the stove. While more prepared pure food choices are on the rise, we most often select something more indulgent on our double-sided menus.  It may take us until we reach 50% non-cooks, but at that point I predict a rise of cooking instruction and cookbook sales.  At least, I hope for it.

Holiday Cheez-ies

The Lee Brothers of southern cooking fame made goldfish crackers a pure thing—all natural ingredients.  From there bloggers everywhere saw the potential for cheez-its. Before Cheez-its were boxed up by a corporate kitchen they were mini cheese crackers baked up with real cheese and lots of it.

Here’s my version, made holiday ready with mini-cookie cutters in snowman, tree and star patterns (as well as the traditional square with center hole).  Pick a cookie cutter pattern that benefits from little holes poked into the dough with a skewer.  It helps the cheese puff more evenly and provides an artistic touch to your work. 

This is an easy dough to make and work with.  Kids will enjoy helping.  If the dough stays out a while and becomes too pliable put it the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This dough is like pie pastry and likes to be kept chilled.  You can also cut out the cheez-ies then chill the cut-outs on the baking sheet in the freezer for about 5 minutes or for a few hours.  Bake as usual. 

Homemade Holiday Cheez-ies
Yield: never enough

1 1/2 (6 ounces) cups grated hard cheese*
4 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 cup flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons milk (or light cream)

Method

1. Preheat  oven to 350˚F. 
2. Place cheese, butter, flour, salt and spices in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is just combined and the flour mixture looks a bit crumbly.  
3. Add milk, a little at a time and pulse again.  Add more milk until dough just comes together. 
4. Place dough on a floured surface or wax paper. Use lightly floured hands to form the dough into a flat disc, about 1 inch thick.  Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes or overnight.  
5. When ready to bake cheez-ies, place dough on a floured surface and roll into a rectangle, about 1/16 inch thick. Use mini cookie cutters to cut dough into shapes and transfer to a cookie sheet.  (You can also cut the dough into 1-inch squares using a knife or pasta wheel.) 
6. With a skewer, poke a few holes into each cheez-ie either in the center or create a pattern that matches the shape.  (Buttons for the snowman, garland for the tree, etc.)
7. Bake cheez-ies for 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Cooled cheez-ies should be stored in an air-tight container. They can be frozen and reheated in a warm oven (under 200˚F).
Cheez-ies are a grown-up cocktail snack but still kid friendly. They go well with soup and can even stand in as croutons in salads. 

Hasty Indian Pudding

Served with vanilla ice cream and a roasted pear quarter

Indian Pudding.  Not everyone knows what this is.  Those who do might swoon when you serve it. 

It’s nostalgic; it’s New England. The trouble is recipes for this light corn meal-based pudding sweetened with molasses, ginger and cinnamon always serves large quantities (10-12) and takes hours to cook.  Hard to enjoy in a small household and burdensome if the holiday dessert table is already brimming with pies and sweets.

Given its origins, applying old English recipes for Hasty Pudding to New World ingredients (corn meal, molasses, ginger and nutmeg)*, it really belongs somewhere on the American holiday table.  And maybe we should start calling it Pilgrim Pudding to be really up to date.

Here’s a version that serves four-five that will encourage nostalgia in your family.

Hasty Indian Pudding
Serves 4-5

Ingredients
Butter for baking dish
2 cups milk (whole is richer but you can use 1% or 2%)
1/3 cup finely ground cornmeal
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
large pinch nutmeg (freshly grated if available)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
hot water for bain mairie (water bath for baking)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Butter a 1-quart strait-sided casserole/soufflé dish. 
2. In a 2-quart heavy bottomed saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of milk to a boil.  Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornmeal.  
3. When milk begins to boil, lower heat to simmer and stir in cornmeal-milk mixture.  Cook cornmeal mush for 12-15 minutes stirring with a whisk or heatproof rubber spatula until mixture is creamy and smooth.  
4. Remove from heat.  Stir in molasses, brown sugar, salt, spices and vanilla.  
5. Crack the egg in a small bowl.  Stir in 1/2 cup of cornmeal to temper egg and return mixture to pan.  Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.  
6. Pour pudding into buttered baking vessel.  Set inside a high-sided roasting pan and fill pan with hot water to reach at least halfway up baking dish.  
7. Bake 90 minutes at 250˚F.   Let rest 15-30 minutes.  Pudding will lose it’s soufflé-like puff but remain light. Serve with a side of good quality vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. Warm fruit is also a nice compliment.

Indian Pudding can be made ahead and reheated on low in the microwave before serving.  Or, it can be reheated, covered, at 350˚F while the main course is enjoyed.  If you bake it during dinner, you will  have a leisurely progression from main meal to dessert.  Our family always needs a bit of a break between courses at the holidays. 

* Thanks go to Linda Stradley’s excellent food history website for the traveled history of this dish.  http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HastyPudding_IndianPudding.htm

Fennel & Artichooke Shaved Salad

Interesting salads often leave the dinner table when cold weather sets in and nothing more than limp lettuce or pale tomatoes are in stock.  Lamentable because heavy winter stews and rich simmered dinners are complimented by something light and refreshing like a side salad.  A shaved salad is the answer and creatively transforms many ho-hum ingredients.  The main ingredient is sliced very thin-- shaved- making it easy to eat raw. 

These salads feel very sophisticated and continental but you know their humbler cousins in the form of cole slaw and carrot-raisin salads.  Just like them, shaved salads are great ahead of time sides because they benefit from a little marinating time in the dressing.   Most shaved salads use a mandolin to get the vegetables extra thin.  I’ve also used a vegetable peeler on zucchini, asparagus and radishes or even a very sharp chef’s knife to create thin slices—close to 1/16 of an inch thick is best. 

There are inexpensive vegetable slicers with good hand protection if a mandolin is out of the budget or safety range of your household.  (We put our mandolin away in favor of a simple slicer that is safer and easier to clean and maintain years ago.)

Fennel & Artichoke Shaved Salad is simple to make.  The salad is balanced by a citrus vinaigrette which mellows the raw flavors. It goes nicely with an Italian meal and you will find it on the menu of many upscale Italian restaurants.  There are lots of other fun combinations to play with—just open your vegetable drawer for inspiration. 

Fennel & Artichoke Shaved Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients
6 baby artichokes, raw
1 large fennel bulb
Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 1/2 orange
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 Asian pear (or apple), sliced thin using a vegetable peeler or paring knife
1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese shavings (use a vegetable peeler to get large shavings)



Method

1. Prepare artichokes by peeling away outer leaves until you reach pale green leaves.  Cut off stem and tips of leaves so that only tender leaves and heart remain.  Squeeze some lemon juice over the artichokes as the they are prepared for slicing.  
2. Using a vegetable slicer, draw the artichoke along the blade holding it so that the leaves pass through the slicer with tips up.  Place slices in a bowl and pour remaining lemon juice and half the olive oil over artichoke slices.  Lightly salt and pepper mixture.  
3. Prepare fennel.  Peel away any discolored outer pieces of bulb.  Drag across slicer to create thin slivers of fennel.  Place in a separate bowl with orange juice and remaining olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper mixture.  
4. Cover both bowls tightly and store at least an hour or up to 5 hours.  
5. To serve, alternate spoonfuls of artichoke and fennel over greens.  Sprinkle with parsely and garnish with generous portions of Asian pear and Parmesan cheese.  Spoon on extra vinaigrette at the table.

Master Recipe for Shaved Salads

• 1-2 types of raw vegetables, shaved or sliced 1/16” thick
• Vinaigrette

Optional (add as a garnish)

• A few shavings of a hard cheese like Parmesan, Ricotta Salata, Manchego, Aged Cheddar
• Nuts or seeds, dried fruits including cranberries, cherries, raisins, apricots
• Fruits including thinly sliced apple, pear, Asian pear.
• Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, tarragon, cilantro, basil, etc

Combine sliced vegetables and dressing for a minimum of one hour.  Serve with extras.  Pass extra dressing.


More Ideas:

• Shaved Brussels Sprouts with hazelnuts served with a lemony buttermilk dressing
• Shaved winter squash with toasted pepitas and cheddar with a smoked chili dressing
• Celeriac and Asian Pear in a honey-mustard vinaigrette
• Shaved Mushrooms and Carrots over Spinach dressed with grated ginger, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar
• Thinly sliced radishes and cucumber in equal parts water & rice wine spiked with a dash of salt and sugar (or honey)

Other candidates for shaved salads include cauliflower, red bell pepper, beets, zucchini, carrots, celery, asparagus.  Check your vegetable drawer for more possibilities.