2009 November | Sequatchie Cove Farm

Please don’t ask me how long I’ve been here. If I looked at the calendar it would probably say two weeks. But you never can tell. It is a little like being out in Sequatchie Cove- time has a different meaning.Since there is so much to say and nowhere to begin so I guess I will start small.I made my very first batch of coconut milk from beginning to end a few days ago. Making-coconut-milk-from-beginning-to-end has already retired off to the Land of Things Other People Are For- along with changing tires and picking okra.

First I found a strong handsome man to knock the coconuts out of the tree while I lay on the beach and looked at teeny shells. Then I carried the coconuts home, one under each arm, first over volcanic rocks by the raging sea and then up a steep muddy path to the house. Then I proceeded to aimlessly hit them with a cutlass (that is a machete but they call it a cutlass down here so so do I) that I have finally gotten the hang of sharpening (I think). After about thirty minutes of that I began to work out a technique for getting the very fibrous tough husk off. I am pretty sure the easy way to do this is to have a pole in the ground with a nice sharp blade on top and cut and wiggle and work the husk from the coconut with that. But I didn’t have one of those fine-tuned gadgets. Eventually I figured out if I set the coconut up on its end on the ground I could whack off pieces of the husk til I got down to the hard shell. Now, it is all well and good to get down to the hard shell of the coconut but pulling the husk off is a whole new battle. I did figure it out eventually though and by the time I got to my third coconut I was averaging about forty minutes a husking. Read more …

Filed under: Local Food Letter on November 17th, 2009 | Comments Off

The bittersweet end of the CSA season is marked by the welcoming of the winter season, while saying goodbye to the luscious harvests of the warmer months.  In past years the CSA ends the week before Thanksgiving, but as nature would have it, the rainy late start this year will give us two more weeks.

Nonetheless, it is fitting that we should celebrate this week with the delicious bitterness of radicchio and marigolds covered in sweet honey vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of radicchio
• 8-10 marigold blooms
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, minced
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Martin Pouret Apple Vinegar with Honey (can be found at Greenlife)
• 1/4 cup local raw honey
• Sea salt
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

In a quart size jar, combine the oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, rosemary, 3-4 marigold blooms, and a pinch of sea salt.  Shake until well blended.

Wash and quarter the head of radicchio (leaving the stalk end attached that holds the leaves together).  Place the quarters in a bowl, sprinkle salt over the cut sides and drizzle some of the vinaigrette over generously.

Melt the butter in a skillet on medium-high heat.  Place the quartered radicchio into the pan and sear, turning once to cook both cut sides of each quarter.  Add the remaining flowers to the pan (you can save some for garnish if you like) and cook for about a minute.

Remove radicchio and flowers from pan and drizzle a little more vinaigrette over and add Parmesan cheese.  Serve warm.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on November 17th, 2009 | Comments Off

Ingredients:

1 small sweet potato

2  small red potatoes

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 beet

4 small kohlrabi bulbs

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Olive oil

Sea Salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups of grated white sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups of milk

Method:

Peel the sweet potato, beet, and kohlrabi bulbs.  Slice the potatoes, sweet potato, beet and kohlrabi into 1/4 inch slices, cut slices in half if the diameter is too large.  Toss the vegetables and onion with olive oil and place in a large cast iron skillet.  Sprinkle a few pinches of sea salt over the vegetables and place in a 400 degree preheated oven.  Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the edges of the vegetables start to brown.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg and milk together and stir in the grated cheese.  When the vegetables are cooked, remove the skillet from the oven.  Stir the vegetables to dislodge any that are stuck to the skillet.  Sprinkle the cilantro onto the vegetables and pour in the egg mixture evenly.  Return to the oven and cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until the egg is set but still soft.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on November 10th, 2009 | Comments Off

I almost called this dish “nostalgia” since the pesto and roasted tomatoes and peppers are summer extras  from my freezer.   It was delightful to reminisce on this cold and rainy fall day, but don’t worry, this one is rich and filling enough to comfort through the worst weather.  (And it’s quick and easy too!)

Ingredients:

Leaves from 3 beets, washed and stems removed

Leaves from 3 kohlrabi bulbs, washed and stems removed

4 strips of bacon

3 tablespoons of pesto

4 oz roasted tomatoes and red peppers

2 oz soft goat cheese

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Method:

Fry bacon in a skillet, remove from pan when crispy and drain most of the fat.  Chop the beet and kohlrabi greens, then add to the skillet and cook until it wilts and darkens in color.   Cook orzo pasta according to packet directions.   Drain the water from the pasta and add the pesto, roasted tomatoes and peppers, goat cheese and crumbled bacon.  Mix together until blended, and spoon the pasta over a bed of the wilted greens to serve.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on November 10th, 2009 | Comments Off

Saturday, November 21st — 5 PM

Come celebrate the Fall Harvest and support your local farm!

All proceeds will go to help purchase a tractor for Williams Island Farm.

MOUTHWATERING LOCAL VITTLES
LOCAL ARTISAN SILENT AUCTION
STORIES BY JIM PFITZER
MUSIC BY MATT EVANS AND GERLE HAGGARD

B.Y.O.B , Ya’ll

TICKETS: $50 & UP

TICKETS, INFORMATION, DIRECTIONS, RSVP:
423-802-0516
williamsislandfarm [at] gmail [dot] com
Limited Space, Please RSVP !!

Filed under: Events, Local Food News on November 4th, 2009 | Comments Off

Ingredients:

• 2lb chuck roast, or your favorite cut of beef for roasting
• Sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• one bulb of fennel
• one medium onion
• one cup of dry white wine

Method:

This recipe is almost too simple to post.  After all, most people have cooked a pot roast at some point.  But it’s worth reminding how something as simple as adding a little bulb fennel can dress up an old classic.

Heat a large skillet and generously rub salt and freshly ground black pepper into both sides of the roast.  Sear both sides of the meat in the heated skillet (a couple of minutes on each side, or until it begins to brown).

Remove the roast from the skillet and place it in a dutch oven or deep roasting dish.  Add the fennel and onion to the hot skillet and sautee for one minute.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan and gently braise the vegetables.

Pour the contents of the skillet into the dutch oven with the roast.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours.

Approximately 45 minutes before serving, add small red potatoes or sweet potatoes to the roasting dish, replace cover and cook until soft.

Filed under: Seasonal Food Recipes on November 4th, 2009 | 1 Comment »