2009 June | Sequatchie Cove Farm

This is one seriously good way to eat what some might call chocolate pudding.  The cooked blueberries are an essential part if you ask me.  They get warm enough to turn the centers to juice, but not hot enough to burst until you bite into the soft berries wrapped in rich chocolaty creamyness.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened good quality cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar or sucanat
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant expresso powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream*
• 1 1/2 cups of whole milk *
• 3.5 ounces of gluten-free chocolate, such as Lindt 70% dark, (or Dagoba Lavender-Blueberry if not concerned with gluten-free)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries

(*If dairy-free, substitute 3 cups of rice, soy, potato, or nut milk instead of using cream and cow milk.  Also, if using rice or potato milk, increase the cornstarch to 4 tablespoons.)

Method:

In a medium saucepan, mix together the dry ingredients until well blended.  In a large jug, mix together cream, milk and vanilla.  Pour over dry ingredients in saucepan while whisking to mix.  Turn on heat to medium, continue to stir with whisk while adding the chocolate and blueberries.  Stir for another 6-10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and blueberries are coated and no longer floating.   Remove from heat.

Let cool 5 minutes and transfer to small cups or glasses.  Chill in the refrigerator until firm (about 4-6 hours).

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on June 29th, 2009 | Comments Off

Ingredients:

• 1 long, slender japanese eggplant
• 1  bulb of fennel
• 1 yellow onion
• 6-8 sungold tomatoes, or 4-6 campari tomatoes
• Fresh parsley
• 1/2 lime
• Sea salt
• Olive oil for brushing & roasting

Method:

Trim bottom and stalks from fennel and discard or reserve for other use.  Coarsely chop fennel bulb and onion and place in a small baking dish.  Toss with olive oil and a little sea salt.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the onion and fennel begin to brown and crisp on the edges.

Meanwhile,  slice eggplant lengthwise into thin strips (about 1/4 inch thick), brush with olive oil and grill long enough to soften and leave grill marks on both sides of the eggplant.

When the fennel and onion are roasted, remove from baking dish and place in a food processor with tomatoes and pulse until the mixture is still a little coarse, but blended well.  Add lime juice, parsley and salt to taste.

Spread the fennel mixture over one side of each grilled slice of eggplant and roll each one into pinwheels.  If re-warming is necessary, you can place the pinwheels in a baking dish, cover with foil, and warm in oven until ready to serve.

Serve as appetizers or a side dish.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on June 29th, 2009 | Comments Off

Filed under: Video on June 26th, 2009 | Comments Off

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of kale, washed and chopped
• 1 bag of shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
• 1 cup of  freshly shelled (or frozen) edamame
• 1 diced onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, summer savory, sorrel, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• Sea Salt
• Lemon and/or white wine
• Aproximately 2 oz of dry pasta per desired serving (or freshly made pasta if you have the time and energy!)

Method:

Set a large saucepan of salted water to boil for the pasta.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat, and add the kale.  Stir while cooking until the kale wilts and turns a bright green color.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sautee the shiitake mushrooms, onion and edamame until soft.   Remove from the skillet and set aside.    Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the skillet with the garlic.  Sautee until soft, then add some white wine, a little fresh lemon juice and salt to taste.  Let simmer until the alcohol mellows and remove from heat.

When the pasta is cooked, pour into a collander to drain, then return to the pot.  Add the remaining butter and toss with the fresh herbs until the butter is melted and the herbs are well blended into the pasta.  Add the kale, mushrooms, onion and edamame, as well as the garlic and wine sauce.   Toss together until well blended.  Season to taste.

Serve with pan seared sea scallops and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on June 23rd, 2009 | Comments Off

(From CSA shareholder Oriel Wiggins)

Preparation:

Use small beets, about the size of a golf ball, if available.  Bigger beets should be quartered or sliced after steaming (I always slice or quarter small ones too just because it gives more surface area to be absorbing the yummy juice).  This recipe can be refrigerated up to 1 month.

Ingredients:

• 2       bunches beets , about 4 pounds, greens removed and reserved for another use, leaving a 1-inch beet top; beets washed thoroughly
• 1/2     cup sweet vermouth (you can substitute other things for this, it’s not crucial)
• 2/3     cup red wine
• 1/4     cup cider vinegar
• 1/4     cup honey or brown sugar
• 1       teaspoon whole cloves
• 1       stick cinnamon , about 3 inches long
• 1       sprig fresh rosemary , medium
• 2       orange slices , 1/4-inch thick, seeds removed
• Table salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place beets in steamer basket set in large saucepan with 1 inch of water.  Bring to boil; steam over high heat until beets can easily be pierced with thin knife, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on beet size.  Drain, cool slightly, and remove skins.  Place beets in medium bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring vermouth, wine, vinegar, honey, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, and orange slices to a boil; simmer to blend flavors, about 3 minutes; add salt and pepper to taste, then pour mixture over beets.  Cool to room temperature, cover, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on June 23rd, 2009 | Comments Off

Ok. So here’s a little story about growing up at Sequatchie Cove Farm…

The farm is in a blessedly very rural part of Tennessee. To get there you have to drive on a few small roads where most of the houses are hardly bigger than the cars parked out front (it is funny in America how small cars usually live at big houses and big SUVS live at the smaller ones). One of our neighbors raised goats- mainly to eat up the undergrowth in the woods, but sometimes to sell for slaughter. One day he gave us a miniature Billy goat. I think now it was just to get rid of the thing. Read more …

Filed under: Local Food Letter on June 23rd, 2009 | Comments Off