tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905710920592705902024-03-05T17:40:49.287-08:00UndercookedAcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-84586287292798837772014-08-12T09:16:00.000-07:002014-08-12T09:16:26.673-07:00Tomato-Corn Pudding with Leeks and Cubanelles<div style="text-align: center;">
**Originally posted on <a href="http://greensgrow.org/blog">Greensgrow's blog</a>**</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Ah, sweet corn. Nothing says summer quite like it.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">It’s commonly enjoyed boiled, slathered in butter and eaten messily with your hands straight off the cob.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">But if you grow tired of picking kernels out of teeth or run short on napkins, give this—one of our favorite sweet corn preparations—a try.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In all honesty, this is really more of a casserole than a pudding, but my grandma always called it corn pudding so we’ll stick with that. This works well paired with grilled shrimp or pork but is hearty and delicious enough, i think, to be eaten as a stand alone main course.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this recipe, we used the corn from last week’s pick-up and this week’s tomatoes from AT Buzby Farm. The juicy-sweet acidity of a cooked tomato is a beautiful compliment to corn. Add in your leeks from Marodla Farms to bolster the savoriness and the cubanelles (also from last week’s pick-up) for a little peppery zest.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Prep time:</b> 10 minutes</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cook time:</b> 35 minutes</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span></b></span><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 ears of sweet corn, shucked and cut off cob</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 large leek, sliced</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cubanelle pepper, diced</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tomato, diced</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 bunch (about 2 Tbl) fresh thyme, chopped</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tbl fresh chive, chopped</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 egg whites</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup whole milk</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large saute pan, sweat leek, cubanelle and thyme in olive oil over medium-high heat for about five minutes</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After the leeks and pepper become tender, add corn kernels and saute for two or three minutes.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Season with salt and pepper, then drain off any excess liquid using a fine mesh strainer or colander.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in diced tomato.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brush a 7”x9” casserole dish with olive oil and spread vegetables evenly inside it.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In small mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites and milk and pour over the corn.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 25 or 30 minutes or until the eggs have set.</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Allow to cool, and garnish with fresh parsley and chive. </span></span></li>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-39593555344270228512014-07-30T21:41:00.000-07:002014-07-31T12:22:05.679-07:00Blueberry, Peach and Ginger Fruit Leather<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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**Originally posted on <a href="http://www.greensgrow.org/blog/">Greensgrow's</a> blog**</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">While preparing for an upcoming hiking trip, we decided to hit the trail with as much of our CSA as possible.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Backpacking cuisine is all about saving weight, space and preparation effort, which makes packing fresh produce tricky. Doe Run’s Seven Sisters cheese is a no-brainer (we always like to bring hard cheese), but we needed to conceive of a way to get our Fifer Orchard peaches and blueberries trail-ready.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fruit leather was the answer. Think of this snack as an all-natural, homemade Fruit Roll-up. Or maybe fruit jerky. Pureeing then dehydrating the fresh fruit condenses its sugars and essential flavors resulting in a tart, chewy, easily portable and non-perishable fruit snack. In other words, a perfect companion for extended trekking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This can also be a great tool for tricking your kids into healthier eating. It’s as sweet as candy yet contains no added sugar or preservatives. It requires very little effort and you can make fruit leather with almost any fruit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">For this batch we added lemon and ginger for a little extra zing. But when choosing flavor enhancements keep in mind that you’ll be baking the fruit leather for a very long time and delicate herbs like mint and basil won’t hold up to the heat. Look instead to heartier herbs and spices like cardamon, cinnamon, cayenne or rosemary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Prep time:</b> 10 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 cups fresh blueberries</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">4 peaches</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 inch of fresh ginger</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Zest and juice of 1 lemon</span></span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Preheat oven to 200 degrees F</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Peel and pit peaches</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Peel ginger and puree with blueberries and peaches</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir in lemon juice and zest</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cover a 10”x16” sheet tray with wax or parchment paper and spread the fruit puree evenly onto it</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bake in oven for roughly 5 hours or until the fruit leather has hardened. For a low-energy alternative to baking, use a food dehydrator but allow for more time. </span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let cool, cover with wax or parchment paper, and cut into strips. Roll and tie with twine.</span></span></li>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-79334334094060538892014-07-28T21:33:00.000-07:002014-07-28T21:48:10.093-07:00Chilled Pea and Garlic Scape Soup<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Originally posted on <a href="http://www.greensgrow.org/blog/">Greensgrow's</a> Blog**</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">It's official folks: summer's here. And while the season's super-stars—tomatoes, peppers, corn, and melons—have yet to hit the stage, it's time to give it up for summer's fantastic opening acts. Strawberries and cherries need no introduction, naturally. English peas, fava beans, and string beans are also favored headliners this time of year. But with this recipe, we'll be shining the spotlight on a more obscure offering of early summer's harvest: garlic scapes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">These curly, twisty sprouts are trimmed from the growing garlic plant to encourage larger bulbs. And although they're often relegated to the compost pile, they offer great flavor and unique visual appeal. You can use them as a substitute for garlic in almost any setting, or try charring them on the grill for a punchy addition to your line up of cookout toppings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">We decided to highlight scapes as a vital component in a light, refreshing chilled pea soup—a perfect dish for enjoying on a hot summer evening. This is a quick, easy and fun way to use your fresh peas from Fifer Orchard. We blanched some of Glick Farm’s garlic scapes to soften their fibrous texture and provide a savory backbone to the soup. We also left a few raw, and pureed them in for a nice garlicky bite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Prep time:</b> 15 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Cook time:</b> 5 minutes </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div>
<ul>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">4 cups fresh shell peas</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6 garlic scapes, chopped into small, manageable pieces </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">½ cup plain yogurt</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 cups ice water</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 Tbl fresh dill, chopped</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 Tbl fresh mint, chopped</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 lemon, zested and juiced</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">1 ½ Tbl salt, approximate according to taste</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Directions:</b></span></div>
<ul>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blanch peas in a pot of boiling salted water. Leave them submerged for about 2 minutes, or until they're tender and sweet tasting. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to instantly drop their temperature and arrest the cooking process. Shocking them this way will also preserve their gorgeous green color.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blanch four garlic scapes them in the same manner, boiling them until they're tender.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Transfer the blanched peas and scapes to a large mixing bowl and puree (we like to use a small immersion blender) with the yogurt, ice water (buzz the ice cubes in too), herbs and the 2 remaining raw garlic scapes.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After a smooth, light bodied consistency has been achieved, season with salt and juice of one lemon.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Garnish with lemon zest, olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, and yogurt whipped smooth.</span></li>
</ul>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-23190124644627943632014-06-11T13:30:00.000-07:002014-06-11T13:30:23.614-07:00Pickled Beets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pickling is a trick every CSA shareholder should carry in their bag. It's fun, easy and acts as a delicious last-ditch way to utilize your produce. You can pickle any fruit or vegetable. Plus, making pickling brines provides plenty of room for experimentation. Tweak the ratio in this recipe, use different spices and vinegars and enjoy the limitless array of pickling possibilities<br />
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Pickling brines are best understood by breaking them down into ratios of vinegar, water, sugar and salt. For this recipe I used (basically) 2 parts vinegar: 2 parts water: 1/2 part sugar: 1/4 part salt. A good starting point is a basic sweet and sour recipe, which is 2:1:2:1/2. So 2 cups vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup salt. Want it sweeter? Use less vinegar and more sugar. More sour? Obviously, less sugar, more vinegar. Want to accentuate the flavor of the vegetable? Use more water. Like I said folks, there's an infinite amount of fine tuning available here.<br />
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For this most recent pickling endeavor, we did some beets that were taking up space in our fridge. Beets are a sweet vegetable so I cut back on my sugar and amped up the acidity, combining orange juice (because it has a huge flavor affinity with beets in my opinion) and rice wine vinegar to make up the vinegar component. I used a "hot pickling" technique by boiling the solution first then pouring it over the beets. This will cook the beets slightly to give them a softer texture. For other, softer vegetables (like a cucumber), you'd want to chill your brine first so your pickles don't turn to mush.<br />
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Cook time: 10 mins.<br />
Prep time 10 mins.<br />
Inactive: 24 hours.<br />
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</div>
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>5 small beets, peeled and chopped. (about 1 pint)</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>1/2 cup rice wine vinegar</li>
<li>1/2 cup orange juice</li>
<li>1 Tbl salt</li>
<li>2 Tbl sugar</li>
<li>2 Tbl coriander</li>
<li>1 tsp red pepper flake</li>
<li>1 tsp mustard powder</li>
<li>2 cardamon pods</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Combine vinegar, sugar, water, salt and spices in a pot and bring to a boil.</li>
<li>Whisk thoroughly to dissolve the sugar and salt in the liquid solution.</li>
<li>While the solution is coming to a boil, transfer the chopped beets into a mason jar or other container with an air-tight seal.</li>
<li>Strain spices and pour boiling liquid into the container over the beets.</li>
<li>Allow to cool and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using.</li>
</ul>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-43792511245345930672014-06-08T08:20:00.000-07:002014-06-08T08:20:21.389-07:00Raw Kale Salad with Rhubarb-Mint Vinaigrette<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
**Originally posted on <a href="http://www.greensgrow.org/raw-kale-salad-with-goat-cheese-strawberries-and-rhubarb-mint-vinaigrette/">Greensgrow's blog</a>**</div>
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If you're like us, you have a ton of rhubarb in your fridge right now begging to be used. The obvious way to utilize rhubarb is in a dessert setting, such as a pie or cobbler. But being the health conscience folks we are, we decided to employ its palate tingling tartness as the base for a salad dressing.</div>
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While any type of salad green will certainly do, we used the kale from Mardola Farm in Vineland, NJ. Making a salad with raw kale is a great way to level up your salad game. Rather than simply dressing the salad right before you eat it, massage the vinaigrette onto the kale and let it marinade for a for an hour or two. The acidity from the vinaigrette slowly tenderizes the kale, resulting in a hearty salad that melts in your mouth.</div>
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Toss in the this week's strawberries from Fifer Orchards in Delaware, some red onion and goat cheese (we bought Kirchenberg Farms goat cheese from Greensgrow's awesome farm stand) and you've got a salad that's absolutely singing with the fresh flavors of spring.</div>
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<b>Rhubarb-mint vinaigrette:</b></div>
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Cook time: 15 mins.</div>
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Prep time: 10 mins.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 cups (1 stalk) chopped rhubarb</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 cup water</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup honey</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 tsp salt</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 bunch mint, chopped</div>
</li>
</ul>
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Directions:</div>
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a saute pan, simmer chopped rhubarb in the honey and water over medium heat for 15 minutes or until it's reduced to a syrup</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Puree the rhubarb syrup with the rice wine vinegar and salt until it's smooth.</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Transfer to a small mixing bowl and slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify it.</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fold in chopped mint. You should yield about two cups of dressing</div>
</li>
</ul>
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<b>Raw kale salad:</b></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One bunch kale, de-stemmed and washed</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
¾ cup rhubarb-mint vinaigrette</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
5 strawberries, sliced</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1/3 cup sliced red onion</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 oz. Goat cheese</div>
</li>
</ul>
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In a large mixing bowl, massage the vinaigrette thoroughly into the kale. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.</div>
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Toss in onions, strawberries and goat cheese</div>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-78104305849142980342014-05-11T12:32:00.000-07:002014-05-11T12:32:00.028-07:00Chocolate Crepes with Honey Ricotta and Macerated Berries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One thing you'll learn about me is that I'm a huge Francophile. That is, I love all things French--their food, their art, their language, their berets--I'm really into it. It follows then, that I love crepes, and I jump at any opportunity to make them. So when Naomi's parents came to visit us last weekend we found the perfect excuse to try out a chocolate crepe recipe from one of my cookbooks. <br />
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As much as I'm into crepes, I'm also deeply interested in cheese-making and I thought it would be fun to show her dad (who immigrated from Italy) how easy it is to make his homeland's famous fresh ricotta. All you need is milk, lemon juice and cheesecloth and you'll never want to eat store-bought ricotta again. Flavor your fresh-made ricotta with a little honey and you've got something really amazing.<br />
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To complete this dish, we thawed out some frozen raspberries and blueberries from CSA's past and mixed them up with a little bit of sugar to create a tart berry jam. In one fell swoop I managed to indulge my passion for crepes, make an unforgettable breakfast and score major points with the in-laws.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Making Ricotta:</b><br />
prep time: 5 minutes<br />
cook time: 30 minutes<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 gallon whole milk. Preferably raw and unpasteurized.</li>
<li>1 quart of heavy cream, or half and half (optional, the cream will make the ricotta richer)</li>
<li>1/2 cup lemon juice or 1 Tbl citric acid powder</li>
<li>1 Tbl salt</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>In a 6-quart stock pot, whisk together milk, cream, salt and lemon juice. Put on low heat.</li>
<li>Slowly bring the milk to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit over 30 minutes, whisking frequently to prevent scorching. A thermometer is helpful here, but not necessary; just don't let the milk boil.</li>
<li>As the milk reaches 190 degrees, it will begin to curdle. That is, solids (called curds) will begin to form. When this happens, remove from heat, cover the pot and let stand for 10 minutes.</li>
<li>Simply skim the curds from the milk and transfer to a colander lined with cheesecloth.</li>
<li>Let dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The longer the ricotta drains in the colander the tighter it will become.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Chocolate Crepes:</b></div>
<div>
prep time: 10 minutes</div>
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cook time: 20 minutes</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>1/2 cup 10x powdered sugar</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups milk</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.</li>
<li>Using an immersion blender or a whisk, slowly incorporate the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients. The resulting batter should have the consistency of heavy cream.</li>
<li>Heat a 10 inch saute pan on medium heat and brush with melted butter or olive oil. </li>
<li>When the pan is hot, ladle the crepe batter into the center. Tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter thinly across the entire surface.</li>
<li>After about a minute, when bubbles begin to form in the batter, gently flip the crepe with a spatula. The other side will cook instantly when it hits the pan.</li>
<li>Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat until all the batter is used. The crepes won't stick together so you can pile them on one another.</li>
<li>Spread the ricotta on the finished crepes. Roll them, fold them or sandwich them and top with berries.</li>
</ul>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-57833744546797263242014-05-08T12:13:00.002-07:002014-05-08T12:13:16.159-07:00Review: Porto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For a foodie, Philly is city sparkling with neighborhood gems. And in my 'hood, none shine brighter than Porto at 11th and Wharton. It's a tiny lunch counter that has everything I look for in a good brunch spot: Good coffee (they serve La Colombe), relaxed atmosphere, reasonable pricing and well-executed food. But what makes this place really stand out--and I mean <i>really </i>stand out--is their menu, which is a menagerie of strange but tantalizing pairings, and dishes that come straight outta left field.<br />
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Porto touts itself as a Portuguese joint, but most of their dishes are intriguing (if not completely insane) riffs on classic, good-ol'-fashion American diner fare. Want French toast? Porto's got banana s'mores stuffed French toast, topped with gram cracker crumble and caramelized maple pecan syrup. How about waffles? Porto has the "Yo Cuz," a mad-cap chicken and waffle sandwich with bacon cheddar waffles and jalapeno maple yogurt glaze. <br />
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As if that's not crazy enough, the menu also skews unexpectedly across disparate ethnicities. Take for example, their "Porto Special," a heaping plate of eggs, kielbasa and periogies that are sure to be the envy of Polish grandmothers everywhere. Consider also their culturally confused "Virgin Mary Falafel Tacos," served with a cabbage lime slaw, feta cheese and a yogurt-sumac sauce. What?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falafel Tacos (right) and Perogies (left)</td></tr>
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Sure, the menu here reads like a mad-libs exercise, but it all works. Trust me. My favorite dish is the curiously titled "Black Dawg," which features that hallmark of Portuguese cuisine: bacalhau cakes. Similar in appearance to a crab cake, bacalhau is a traditional Portuguese staple made of dried and salted cod. Porto pairs them with perfectly poached eggs and a bliss potato hash studded with olives. A cilantro yogurt sauce completes the dish, rendering it unforgettable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complimentary hot-sauces that complete Porto's unique dining experience</td></tr>
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As evidenced by their playful array of yogurt condiments, Porto's sauce game is out of control. And to further hammer this feature home, they bring every table a sampling of four house-made hot sauces. Ranging in character from tangy and mild to searing hot and sweet, these sauces are all wonderfully tailored for your dipping pleasure. And for me, they're half the fun of eating here. You could even say they summarize Porto's food as a whole. They're colorful, playful and outlandish on one hand yet natural and familiar on the other. They're shining examples of serious culinary flare and gusto, which is what this place is all about.<br />
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<br />Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-54168503877731787102014-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:002014-04-26T08:30:01.885-07:00Cider-Glazed Scallops and Mushroom Quinoa Risotto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
**Originally posted on <a href="http://www.greensgrow.org/blog/">Greensgrow's</a> blog**</div>
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This week’s fantastic mushroom mix from Phillip's Farm begged us to be made into a risotto. And with last pick-up's shallot's still lying around, we happily obligued. In place of traditional arborio rice, we choose quinoa, which contains more protien, fewer carbs and cooks in a fraction of the time. We finished the “risotto” with Misty Creek aged goat cheese (picked up at Greensgrow's farmstand) to highlight the mushroom's earthiness.<br />
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To accompany the risotto, we choose diver scallops. These meaty mullosks, with thier sweet, buttery flavor and pleasently springy texture, are one of my favorite foods. And I know I'm not the only one who thinks so. Scallops are steadfast top sellers at any restaurant, so odds are you’ve ordered them yourself at one point or another. But have you ever pan-seared them at home?<br />
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Scallops' huge flavor is undoubtedly hard to improve upon. But I figured I'd take a stab at it anyway, by using a tried and true apple cider honey glaze. Yes, the glaze will require some of this week's Weaver’s Orchard apple cider. But fret not: we need only a single cup. You'll have plenty left to enjoy as a crisp, refreshing beverage.<br />
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.<b>Quinoa Risotto:</b></div>
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Cook time: 25 min</div>
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Serves 4</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped (shitaki, crimini and oyster mushrooms)</li>
<li>5 medium shallots, peeled and sliced</li>
<li>2 cups quinoa</li>
<li>4 cups water or stock</li>
<li>2 Tbl butter</li>
<li>2 cups grated aged goat cheese</li>
<li>½ cup apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>1 lemon, juiced</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>In a 6-quart pot, melt butter over medium flame and sweat shallots until they become translucent.</li>
<li>Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown. </li>
<li>Look for brown material collecting on the bottom of the pot. That’s caramelized sugar cooking out of the veggies, and in the culinary world it’s called fond. </li>
<li>When a decent amount of fond has collected, pour in the apple cider vinegar. As the cold liquid hits the hot pan the temperature instantly drops and the fond is loosened. You can now scrape it off with a wooden spoon and incorporate it into the risotto.</li>
<li>Add water or stock and bring to a boil.</li>
<li>Add in quinoa and let simmer for 7 – 10 minutes. You’ll know the quinoa’s done when it’s enlarged, softened and a tiny sprout pops out of the seed.</li>
<li>Stir in grated cheese and finish with lemon juice.</li>
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<b>Honey Cider Glaze:</b></div>
<div>
Cook time: 10 minutes</div>
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<div>
<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 cup apple cider</li>
<li>½ cup apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>¼ cup honey</li>
<li>¼ cup dark brown sugar</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b>Directions:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>In a medium sauce pan, bring apple cider and vinegar to a simmer</li>
<li>Whisk in sugar and honey</li>
<li>Reduce by half or until a syrupy consistency is achieved</li>
<li>Reserve until scallops are ready</li>
</ul>
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<b>Searing Scallops:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>For this recipe we used one pound of diver scallops—the big guys. No matter which kind you choose, always buy fresh, dry scallops. Never wet. Wet scallops have been treated with a chemical preservative which causes them to absorb moisture and swell in size. They may look bigger and more appealing behind the counter, but as soon as they hit a pan they shrink substantially and the high moisture content makes it difficult to get a good sear.</li>
<li>Begin by removing any “beards” remaining on the scallops. These are the small, easily detachable tissue on the side. Next, sandwich the scallops between several paper towels to remove excess moisture. Water repels oil, and you need oil to conduct heat to your scallops. Therefore: the less moisture, the better the sear.</li>
<li>Heat a heavy sauté pan (I use a cast iron skillet) on high and add a generous amount of cooking oil. When you can see ripples in the oil and it just starts to smoke, it’s hot enough to sear.</li>
<li>Season your scallops with salt and pepper and place them carefully in the pan. Ensure they are flat and square against the metal. You can push them down a little to maximize the surface contact. Do this, and a crispy, golden sear is easy.</li>
<li>After about two or three minutes, start flipping them with a spatula. They should be a nice golden brown color. If some aren’t, just flip them right back over and give them another minute to finish browning.</li>
<li>When all scallops are flipped, kill the heat and add one tablespoon of butter. It should melt almost instantly in the ripping hot pan. Pour in your glaze and baste over the scallops using a spoon.</li>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-7674262089380376202014-04-24T08:17:00.000-07:002014-04-24T08:18:58.084-07:00This Week's Haul<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CL0h5NI1AGxFmdh0FW7PMbXoQLP3trps2EJc90bpjDXlKHHNLbRraXQKpRXdrW_ixUBP_cl8i6G95eBtO8Eq5wVReE3O_7YRs1kkH4lnu6bnJ5lqIELmAhwslOgvjHR9n2pxtyKNnOOb/s1600/416A6994.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CL0h5NI1AGxFmdh0FW7PMbXoQLP3trps2EJc90bpjDXlKHHNLbRraXQKpRXdrW_ixUBP_cl8i6G95eBtO8Eq5wVReE3O_7YRs1kkH4lnu6bnJ5lqIELmAhwslOgvjHR9n2pxtyKNnOOb/s640/416A6994.jpg" /></a><br />
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Is our CSA suggesting we need to slim down for bikini season? Look at all those greens we got this week. Tatsoi, spinach, baby lettuce...salad season is definitely upon us. <br />
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In keeping with the green trend (perhaps as an homage to Earth Day) we also received broccoli rabe. I'm rather ambivalent towards this hearty bitter green. The only way I enjoy it is when it's paired with heavy, fatty dishes, such as the Philly classic roast pork Italiano hoagie. When rabe's on a roll with juicy shaved pork, gooey sharp provolone and sweet caramelized onions, its bitterness is forced to the background and works as a compliment But as a stand-alone green, I'll usually pass. Naomi on the other hand--being second generation Italian--loves the stuff. <br />
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And we got mushrooms. A food I never get bored of. This week it's a medley of oyster, shitaki and crimini mushrooms. Fresh cut a stone's throw from Philly, these guys come from Kennet Sqaure. A.K.A. the mushroom capitol of the world. We are truly blessed to live here.</div>
<br />Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-37059887610406675782014-04-18T12:20:00.001-07:002014-04-18T12:20:53.989-07:00Bread Pudding<b>**Originally posted on <a href="http://www.greensgrow.org/bread-pudding-recipe/">Greensgrow's </a>blog**</b><br />
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This week's raisin muffins from Philly Bread are great for a ready-made breakfast or snack. But maybe you feel like being a tad more creative. Or maybe they--or any old bread--went stale sitting too long in your cupboard. Then bread pudding is your go-to folks.</div>
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Bread pudding is simple and delicious way to re-purpose bread. Generally all you need is some eggs, milk, sugar and about 45 minutes of bake time and your stale bread becomes a stately dessert. This example is particularly easy given that the muffins are already tasty and don't require much in the way of extra flavoring</div>
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We used the amazing blueberry honey from Fruitwood Orchards to ramp up the sweetness. And, for some textural contrast, we topped the bread pudding with some salty sunflower seeds we had lying around. The result was a moist, rich, salty-sweet dessert that was better than the original product. Confession: Salted almonds, walnuts or granola would have made a better topping. But sunflower seeds are what we had on hand, and wound up serving as a pretty good stand-in. Waste not, right?</div>
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Prep time: 15 minutes</div>
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Cook time: 45 minutes</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
4 Philly Bread raisin muffins or half a loaf of any bread</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
½ cup blueberry honey</div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 eggs</div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 ½ cups half and half</div>
</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1 cup nuts, or granola. Chopped and salted</div>
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</ul>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Preheat oven to 350 degrees</div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cut muffins into cubes and toast</div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and whisk in half and half</div>
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Pour egg mixture over toasted muffin cubes in a different mixing bowl and drizzle half of the honey</div>
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Mix well using your hands until the bread has soaked up most of the egg mixture</div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Transfer to a small baking tray (ours is 8" x 8") and pat bread down flat and even with a spoon.</div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 30 mins</div>
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<li style="background-color: white; margin-left: 15px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Remove from oven and sprinkle nuts and remaining honey on top. Replace in oven and let bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the nuts have toasted and the bread pudding becomes firm and dry.</div>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-82812366165023270052014-04-16T21:03:00.001-07:002014-04-16T21:03:11.061-07:00Seafood Tomato Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For me, April is perfect stew weather. The days are soggy, the nights are chilly, and nice light stew--as apposed to a rich bisque or a heavy pureed soup--is exactly what spring is all about. Plus, with the heat of summer steaming towards us, these are the last days such a fun and delightful dish is desirable. <br />
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Stews, and soups in general, are among my favorite things to cook. They're all about taking your time and layering in flavor ingredient by ingredient. It's not something you should rush. A good stew should take at least an hour (two or three even) just to simmer. The flavors need that time to commingle and deepen.<br />
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We choose to stew up some shellfish for this one because I feel as though most home cooks shy away from these guys. Really you shouldn't. They're the biggest, most delicious bang for your buck in terms of seafood and ridiculously easy to cook. The CSA line up for this recipe includes that nice spinach and potatoes from this week and the wacky carrot from a few weeks ago. This dish also presented a great use for the frozen New Jersey tomatoes we got awhile back.<br />
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A note on clams and shellfish: These creatures are bottom feeders. They literally eat shit and dead things. And, when they're bagged up for market, marinade in their own excrement. That said, they're also some of the most delightful of the sea's offerings. It's all how they're handled. Firstly, always buy fresh. Don't waste your time with frozen garbage. You want those babies alive and kicking when you bring them home. Secondly, WASH THEM. Clams are often really sandy and mussels can be slimy and smelly, so rinse them thoroughly using a colander. Pull the beards off the mussels (the little ropey tassels often pinched in their shells). Be sure to toss any dead ones. Check any open shellfish by squeezing their shells closed a few times with your fingers. If they're unresponsive and remain wide open, they're trash.</div>
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Prep time: 30 mins</div>
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Cook time 1 hour 30 mins</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 large onion, diced</li>
<li>1 carrot, chopped</li>
<li>1 bell pepper diced</li>
<li>4 small potatoes</li>
<li>2 tomatoes</li>
<li>1 bunch fresh spinach</li>
<li>4 cloves garlic, sliced</li>
<li>1 can (6 oz. tomato paste)</li>
<li>1 cup white wine</li>
<li>2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock. We used water and added bouillon.</li>
<li>1 bunch parsley</li>
<li>1 lemon, juiced</li>
<li>6 little neck clams</li>
<li>1/2 pound PEI mussels</li>
<li>1/2 bay scallops</li>
</ul>
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Directions:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Boil potatoes skin on in heavily salted water until tender throughout, about 20 mins. Set aside to cool.</li>
<li>Place a 4 quart pan over medium heat and oil generously with olive oil. Add onions and cook until they begin to turn golden.</li>
<li>Add carrot and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the pepper and sweat until it becomes tender. Add the garlic and allow it to brown slightly.</li>
<li>Add tomato paste and increase heat to caramelize. You want to start seeing brown stuff (called fond) collecting on the bottom of the pan. Add chili flake at this step if you prefer a little heat.</li>
<li>After a good amount of fond has collected, add white wine to deglaze the pan. Allow the wine a few minutes to reduce fully. In the meantime scrape any remaining fond from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This where a lot of the stew's flavor will come from.</li>
<li>Add water or stock and let simmer covered on low heat for an hour, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. </li>
<li>While the stew is simmering, wash your shellfish and peel your potatoes.</li>
<li>Add potatoes and clams together and cover with a lid. </li>
<li>After 5 -7 minutes, add mussels. Clams have a longer cook time than mussels or scallops. The idea is to have the clams and mussels open at approximately the same time to avoid over-cooking them.</li>
<li>When they begin to open add in your scallops (which cook almost instantly) and spinach.</li>
<li>Cut heat and finish with chopped parsley and lemon juice.</li>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-30539129314792085092014-04-07T21:56:00.002-07:002014-04-07T21:57:16.048-07:00This Week's Haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring may have indeed sprung, but the produce is always a few paces behind. This week's haul brings us the usual root vegetables (turnips this time around) and crimini mushrooms, which are one of my favorite things on this planet to cook. And shallots? Booya. Some good meals are bound to come from that combo.<br />
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The spinach this week is some of the best I've seen in awhile--really hearty, and deep in flavor. And you know we have big plans for the bag of Philly Bread and corn cake mix. Stay tuned to see what we do with those boys.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-88010151046873240922014-03-29T14:47:00.004-07:002014-03-31T07:34:52.689-07:00Review: Marrakesh, Philly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qWK0pLnGq_W7uA35ncTW4FEgytRojzw6OquxXfCS_4W28BKflIm-KGTQWi2-en_4bEEdgjDZQNqY4Khxc22DssVWqhR-5HTJaJpowJJHC9ePtEK6asXQQKHXQ7Z-1SnpeZbqx9vWEcz/s1600/416A4932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qWK0pLnGq_W7uA35ncTW4FEgytRojzw6OquxXfCS_4W28BKflIm-KGTQWi2-en_4bEEdgjDZQNqY4Khxc22DssVWqhR-5HTJaJpowJJHC9ePtEK6asXQQKHXQ7Z-1SnpeZbqx9vWEcz/s1600/416A4932.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Marrakesh, a Moroccan restaurant just off 4th and South, has been a Philly institution for 35 years. Naomi and I had been hearing about this place for awhile now (including that the Rolling Stones once ate there) and decided it was time to give it a go.<br />
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From a block away, the deep, luscious scent of Arabian spice draws you to the restaurant's unmistakable facade. Inside, beautiful Moroccan music wafts through dinning rooms hemmed by tapestries and Arabic script.<br />
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Your host leads you to a decadently engraved and gilded table. He motions you to sit on plush, low-seated couches, and presents large towels to drape over your lap in place of napkins. Next he ferries a polished basin to your table and pours cleansing water over your hands--important as they will be your utensils for the evening. Before any food hits the table, you're charmed. Marrakesh has begun weaving its spell.<br />
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Throughout the evening seven kingly courses are paraded before you. As you indulge in the food and drink your wine (it's a byo so go nuts), completely at ease, reclining on your couch, a belly dancer lilts through the room, chiming finger bells and gyrating from table to table. Soon Marrakesh's magic has taken hold. Utterly. You're in a different world. An exotic, decadent world of sensory delight, and you're the sultan--the center of it all. In the blink of an eye, two hours have past and you're completely stuffed, contentedly drunk and happy you came.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/review-marrakeshphilly.html">Read more</a>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-70064569922796164162014-03-24T21:13:00.000-07:002014-03-25T08:36:37.163-07:00This week's haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXISLqE1TRagetf5sSwpQ3hHF74LpGUXoyrtRL9oMYrPXuHplVIddv4d1Fa10r-QSB_pB8qxt1HbmFPcwKM8gYfwsK1jWUrkwUxJHkOS5z-_glUWhFLDCVZpGWIQz2gbfTLGFozmtdJ6G8/s1600/416A4865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXISLqE1TRagetf5sSwpQ3hHF74LpGUXoyrtRL9oMYrPXuHplVIddv4d1Fa10r-QSB_pB8qxt1HbmFPcwKM8gYfwsK1jWUrkwUxJHkOS5z-_glUWhFLDCVZpGWIQz2gbfTLGFozmtdJ6G8/s1600/416A4865.jpg" height="440" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here it is folks: this weeks CSA. Check out that crazy heirloom carrot--that, um...weird yellow thing just right of center. It's hardly recognizable as a carrot. Can't say I've seen anything like it before. But really that's half the fun of a CSA; getting your hands on unique (sometimes ugly) vegetable varieties you definitely can't find at the grocery store.<br />
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We're also stoked about the pea shoots (bottom left). These greens have awesome flavor, are amazingly healthy, and look really cool composed as garnish. The drawback: they have a short shelf life, so it's use 'em or lose 'em.<br />
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I should mention this picture is composed to maximize aesthetic value, and does not reflect the quantity of produce we receive from our CSA. I.e, We got more than one carrot and two sweet potatoes. Only two portabella caps though. Sadly.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-391197730966175722014-03-21T09:57:00.002-07:002014-03-24T21:19:16.497-07:00How to Cook the Perfect Restaurant-Style Omelette<div style="text-align: right;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American cheese omelette with CSA peppers onions and mushrooms. Salad of black radish and onion. Pan-friend halluomi cheese.</td></tr>
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I know, I know...you cook a great omelette. It's easy. You've been doing it since you were tall enough to reach the stove, and you don't need me to tell you how. But think about the perfectly shaped, cheerfully yellow omelettes you get from your favorite brunch spot. The eggs sublimely fluffy, the cheese gooey. If you want to elevate your game to that level, read on my friends.</div>
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Long ago, when I first began working brunch service, my egg cookery was horrible. It took months of broken yokes and burnt whites to get a handle on it, but eventually I worked my way to the chief brunch position: omelette station. </div>
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At this restaurant it was a hideous beast of a station, the busiest and most challenging of them all. I'd seen omelette station humble cooks with twice my experience and laugh as it sent them home defeated and ashamed. But I was eager to measure my skill against its imposing menace. So, with grim resolve, I accepted its challenge. It put up a good fight, omelette station did, but in the end I prevailed. And after a few services, I had sous chefs asking me if I'd cooked omelettes somewhere before. I hadn't. Turn's out I'm something of a natural.</div>
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At home, away from the pressures of cooking in a busy restaurant, omelettes are much easier. Last weekend I cooked up a round filled with the frozen peppers, onions and mushrooms from our CSA. We paired it with a salad of mixed greens, black radish and onions. I also fried up some halloumi cheese I made last month. Go ahead, I dare you to find a better brunch anywhere.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/how-to-cook.html">Read more</a></div>
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-46671372341909778552014-03-18T08:57:00.004-07:002014-03-25T08:35:31.635-07:00Fun with Foam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're like most of the dining public, edible foam impresses the shit out of you. When you find the strange, dish-soap-looking substance atop your salmon actually tastes intensely of corn, or saffron, or espresso, your entree becomes memorable. The foam's effervescent, airy mouth feel leaves an indelible impression. Wow, you think. The guys in this kitchen are unbelievable. They're aces. Magicians. Gods even. How ever do they do it?<br />
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A magician never tells his secrets, but I, dear reader, am no magician. Just a humble line cook with a humble blog and I'll happily dispel foam's mysterious aura. The secret is soy lecithin. And the process of making foam is so shockingly simple, you'll wonder why more people don't do it.<br />
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Extracted from soy beans, soy lecithin is a friendly little protein that's sold all over the place as a dietary supplement. It's also commonly used as an emulsifying agent in many processed foods. But what we in the fine-dining world love about soy lecithin is it's ability to stabilize air bubbles. All you have to do is make a tasty liquid, add a spoonful of our little foam-making friend, and aerate the mixture with an immersion blender. The bubbles that form naturally when you aerate something simply don't pop and your left with a palate-amusing froth that can be spooned onto a plate. <br />
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The other night we cooked up some nice sea bass with heirloom sweet potatoes, cabbage and onions (all from our CSA of course). I spiced the veggies with smoked paprika, chipolte powder, and a little cinnamon. But the dish still needed a sauce, so I broke out my molecular gastronomy kit and made lemon-lime foam.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/if-youre-like-most-of-dining-public.html">Read more</a><br />
<br />Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-52654026784950020652014-03-13T08:33:00.001-07:002014-03-24T21:31:49.828-07:00Whole Wheat Ricotta and Mushroom Ravioli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fresh-made ravioli is one my favorite things on this Earth. Ravioli are so commonplace, so deeply ingrained in our culinary culture (thanks to Chef Boyardee), that they're accessible and familiar to everyone. But, break out the pasta roller and the ravioli cutter, and this ho-hum foodstuff becomes something to be savored.<br />
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We especially love this one for dinner parties. Ravioli are incredibly cheap to make and guaranteed to please. And because they are rather labor intensive, we like to enlist the help of our guests. Everyone happily joins in, chatting and enjoying the shared experience of crafting something special. It's fun. There's something deeply comforting about using your hands and doing simple, repetitive tasks to create delicious, wonderful things.<br />
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And of course, this kind of project affords us ample time to get drunk before dinner. So there's that too.<br />
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We made this batch with my mom. She's not the most adventurous eater, so we kept it pretty standard, using the ricotta and mushrooms from our CSA to provide filling. We went with a whole wheat pasta dough because, simply, my mom didn't have enough all purpose flour on hand. She made the sauce, slow cooking canned tomatoes, herbs and bay leaves all day in her crock pot. We used our CSA's god-sent hydroponic basil to garnish the dish. Naturally.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/whole-wheat-mushroom-and-ricotta-ravioli.html">Read more</a>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-61906346437765317842014-03-10T22:25:00.000-07:002014-03-10T22:56:04.972-07:00This week's haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week brings us more prepared food than we're used to, but it's hard to complain about handmade cavatelli and Claudio's ricotta. We're especially excited about the heirloom sweet potatoes. And of course the hydroponic basil, which is always a treat this time of year. Definitely feeling some pasta dishes in this week's posts.</div>
Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-39193775657370377392014-03-07T08:03:00.000-08:002014-03-24T21:42:16.074-07:00Beet & Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Almond Milk "Cream" Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although it’s centered on a classic winter staple--beets--this dish is a much-welcomed blast of summer. We punctuated the beets' earthy sweetness with a summery zip of lemon and the sunny nostalgia of basil--which, local and hydrponically grown, was a pleasant surprise from last week's CSA.<br />
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This dish transported us from the icy grips of a February Nor'easter to a mild June evening dining on the patio. It's a vicarious experience. A vacation on a plate. And it did wonders for our souls.<br />
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We based it on a family gnocchi recipe, using beets and goat cheese (our favorite) instead of potatoes. We've also put your dietary conscience at ease by using a low-fat almond milk “cream sauce,” so you can enjoy this meal guilt-free. Carbs notwithstanding.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/beet-gnocchi-with-almond-milk-cream.html">Read more</a>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-46026062288102768392014-03-04T07:52:00.000-08:002014-03-24T21:39:43.049-07:00Root vegetable hash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Prep time: 20 mins<br />
Cook time: 1 hour and 10 mins<br />
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For a CSA beginner, winter’s root vegetables can be off-putting or even down right daunting. Let’s face it, few people grew up eating rutabagas and kohlrabi. But if you’re cooking seasonally, root vegetables are a fact of winter. One that's very easy to love. You’ll find their robust, often sweet and comforting flavors to be a fantastic counter-balance for frigid winter temperatures.<br />
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Today’s recipe shows one of the simplest ways to enjoy their hearty goodness: roasting them into a root vegetable hash. You'll get the varied character of each individual vegetable in a combination that's tastier than the sum of its components. And why not add cranberries (also common in many winter CSA’s) to really pack some zing?<br />
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In our home, we love this one for a Sunday night. We’ll roast off a large batch, and then sauté up bits throughout the week. Pair the hash with eggs for breakfast, or a nice cut of fish or meat at dinner.<br />
Afraid this dish takes too much time? Let us stop you there. Here is a little guide of things you can do while everything's in the oven.<br />
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<u>Things to do While Roasting</u></div>
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<li>Do the dishes</li>
<li>Take a shower </li>
<li>File your taxes</li>
<li>Watch a Leonardo DiCaprio movie</li>
<li>Take the dog for a walk</li>
<li>Finally shovel the sidewalk (your elderly neighbors will love you for it)</li>
<li>Have sex</li>
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You get the idea – roasting affords you time to get things done. Throw everything in, walk away, and let the oven do the work.<br />
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<a href="http://undercookedblog.blogspot.com/p/root-vegetable-hash.html">Read more</a><br />
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Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-55715247379398451912014-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:002014-03-02T18:59:44.583-08:00RelaunchWell old friend, you've sat here collecting cyber dust for far too long. Time to rise from the ashes and rejoin the world of the living. It's time I breath new life into you, help you become the food blog you've always wanted to be. It's time for a re-launch.<br />
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In this new incarnation you will be an outlet for recipes my girlfriend and I develop at home using the produce from our CSA. You will be a source of inspiration to everyone who stares befuddled at their kholrabi and cardoons. A sanctuary for those brought to wits end by receiving yet more kale and heirloom carrots in their CSA's. A home to cooks for whom the words local and organic are indispensable.<br />
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You will be great. You will be heralded as a testament to what great food blogging can be. People will shout your name from the roof tops, they will carry you through the streets. You will be a hero.<br />
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But enough about you, let's talk about me. When last we spoke, I was earning my chops at a prominent gastropub in Philadelphia. Here I got my first introduction to seasonal cooking, and a style that highlights and prioritizes local, organic produce over the size and the amount of toppings on the burger. I've since worked my way into the fine-dining world, landing jobs at restaurants that specialize in farm-to-table fare. And now I work at one of the best.<br />
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With my expertise in the kitchen, and my girlfriend's behind the lens, you, dear blog, are sure to become the stuff of legend.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-40939006056171271862011-04-25T14:37:00.000-07:002011-05-03T15:43:23.852-07:00Praise Be to the Restaurant GodsThe restaurant gods are fickle and harsh; They can smile on you one moment and drive your restaurant into the ground the next. But they're not without a sense of mercy. Last week's post, lamenting the pressures of cooking at high volumes, surely appealed to them. Because, with a sweep of thier benevolent hands, they granted me respite.<br /><br />It <span style="font-style: italic;">must </span>have been divine intervention, for our business was uncommonly comatose all week, nearly flat-lined throughout the weekend, and pronounced dead Sunday. Or perhaps, because our deck is undergoing renovation, diners flocked to other restaurants with outdoor seating to enjoy the ideal spring weather.<br /><br />Either way, the break was great--almost like a miraculous vacation. I can't remember the last time I felt bored at work. It was fantastic. Glorious even. Sunday, I spent more time chillin' out back than I did behind the line. And becasue we'd been so slow all week there was no prep work to do. No prep work! Surely this was the work of a higher power.<br /><br />One of my work buddies brought in a laptop. We watched YouTube and pornography for at least an hour. We also played darts, had a few beers and watched the Phillies game. Had I not been in my chef checks, it would have been like I wasn't at work at all.<br /><br />Thank you almighty gods of the restaurant industry. Thank you.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-28054573785617253272011-04-12T14:38:00.000-07:002011-04-25T14:36:55.719-07:00OvercookedDearest Blog,<br /><br />I hope this post finds you well. It's been far too long old friend--what five months? How are you? You look good. Have you lost weight?<br /><br />I'm deeply sorry for allowing us to fall so grievously out of touch, but these past few months have been rough on me. Shortly after we last spoke, one of my co-workers at Joe's was fired and I was asked to absorb many of his hours. I now work between 50 and 55 hours a week.<br /><br />We are extremely busy this time of year. Busy to the point where the stress of selling hundreds of covers each night pushes me closer and closer to my limit. It seems we are constantly one step behind on our prep work. And even though I've grown to be more comfortable in the weeds than a cricket, I've felt myself nearing my breaking point many times.<br /><br />There's a saying used frequently around the kitchen: "High volume, high stress." It's an easy way to justify assholeness, to brushoff uncharacteristic petulance.<br /><br />High volume, high stress makes you a little crazy. As relentless business pushes your sanity to the edge, the patrons--the very people upon whom your livelihood depends--no longer seem like innocent, reasonable people out for a good meal and a good time. Instead, you begin to look at them as loathsome, despicable douche bags who, like ravenous plagues of locusts, descend upon your restaurant eager to strip it to the bone.<br /><br />Under high volume, high stress, the servers and food runners, who by and large are easy-going, likable people, mutate into lazy, incompetent curs. I also find myself scapegaoting them frequently. After all, something in my stress-addled mind says, they're the ones ringing in the orders , therefore this raging torrent of tickets must be their fault.<br /><br />So that's why we haven't spoken in so long. The past few months have been like a belt sander to my soul, grinding away my spirit bit by bit. By Sunday (the final day of my work week) I am exhausted physically and mentally and must drag myself through the shift.<br /><br />My typical day off consists of me being a complete waste of life. I while away hours with mindless video games and staring listlessly at the TV. Lethargy and sloth have become my favorite weekend activities. I haven't bought groceries in months, much less cooked a meal at home. I fed hundreds of people this week, I like to say as I order delivery, now it someone else's turn to feed me.<br /><br />But fret not, dear blog, for it is not all bad. There's a certain pride that comes of vanquishing such adversity. A pride in knowing that despite the odds, you've served up multitudes of banging meals and made the world a slightly happier place. Joe's has also recieved a lot of good press lately, including a write-up in Philadelphia magazine. So it's almost like I'm in the spotlight, fastidiously serving up plates of humble renown.<br /><br />Additionally, I've become pretty tight with everyone at work, so as bad as it gets I never exactly <span style="font-style: italic;">hate </span>it. There's a strong sense of "we're in this shit storm together, and together we will succeed." We also have a lot of fun, pulling too many hilarious pranks and shenanigans to recount.<br /><br />Well, it was good catching up. Again, I hope things are well with you. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>And be sure to send the Mrs. my warmest regards. I'll<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>be sure to write again soon.<br /><br /> Best always,<br /><br /> AceAcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-72539165792060953002010-10-14T08:06:00.000-07:002010-11-02T23:12:27.778-07:00HaikuI'd like to present the following haiku, inspired by all-you-can-eat sushi:<br /><br />Delightful treasures<br />Gifts from land and boundless sea<br />Furled conveniently<br /><br />This poem is but a humble offering when considering the majesty of my muse, Ajia Japanese Fusion in University City. Indeed, the meal I got could have been, in better hands, muse enough for an epic bunraku play or a sublime woodblock print. Perhaps even a manga series.<br /><br />While the service was poor--borderline negligent, really--the sushi was great. And offering a $30-ish all-you-can-eat option, Ajia's value is unparalleled.<br /><br />I doubt their chef was prepared the workout he received when my friends and I began placing our orders. We ordered practically every roll and sashami on the menu. And for several items, such as their fried sweet potato roll, many duplicates.<br /><br />The waitress, when she wasn't gabbing on her cell phone, brought us tray after porcelain tray of beautifully presented rolls, as vibrant in color as in flavor.<br /><br />But it was more than mere quantity that made this experience memorable. The food was definitely a cut above. Even their Philadelphia roll, a commonplace, humdrum morsel elsewhere, was fantastic here.<br /><br />I left feeling content, stuffed to the gills and brimming with creative vitality. So much so that I'll leave you with another sushi haiku to ponder:<br /><br />Flavors hot and sweet<br />Pop like a blazing sunset<br />Dancing on my tongueAcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690571092059270590.post-10312089587933307542010-09-30T10:41:00.000-07:002010-09-30T16:02:22.578-07:00A Fantastic Voyage Through Fine DiningRestaurant week is a wondrous time. It's time when many of Philly's finest restaurants offer gloriously discounted prix fixe menus. A time when the city's plebeians can, for a moment, delight in pleasures normally reserved for higher society. A time I anticipate with the elated giddiness of a child marking the days till Christmas.<br /><br />My first stop was Tequila's Restaurant at Locust and 16th for a taste of upscale Mexican cuisine. The meal began with complimentary fried corn chips, salsa and guacamole. I was at first slightly dismayed with such a cliche offering. But this simple starter was far from plain--Indeed, it was probably the best example of each I've ever had.<br /><br />I ordered Sopes del Rancho as a first course, which consisted three small corn dough cups filled with chorizo, beef and chicken and topped with queso fresco. The sopes were flaky and moist and thier contents were perfectly succulent.<br /><br />For my main course, I ordered their Mar Y Tierra, or surf and turf. It was comprised of a perfectly med-rare 6oz filet mignon and the largest (1/4 lb according to the menu) jumbo shrimp I've ever seen. I swear this thing was the size of a chihuahua--and, cooked in a garlic, tequila, lime sauce, it was way more delicious. The highlight, however, was the steak, and, more specifically, the sweet tamarind reduction with which it was paired. This was a completely novel combination for me; I wouldn't have guessed that a fruity sauce could compliment steak so mouth-wateringly well. <br /><br />The next stop on my foray into fine dining was Fugo de Choa, a Brazilian steak house at 13th and Chestnut. Here, there's no limit to the amount of meat and sides you can consume. You don't place an order. Rather, you help yourself to an extensive salad bar, and when you're ready to gorge yourself on animal protein, you flip a red coaster on your table to it's green side.<br /><br />Now it's game on. Waiters, seeing the green side, swarm your table with giant skewers of steaming, dripping meat, from which they carve slices right onto your plate. They keep coming, parading meat before you, asking with Latin-accents if you'd like sirloin, pork loin, lamb chops, chicken legs, tenderloin, bacon-wrapped filet mignon and so on. When you've had enough, or just need some time to catch up, flip your coaster back to it's red side. <br /><br />While I've had meals of better quality, the sheer, gut-busting quantity of Fugo de Choa's meat procession was ample compensation. The side dishes they offered (garlic mashed potatoes, fried plantains, and fried corn bread) were very mediocre, but fitting in with the restaurant's devotion to gluttony, they kept 'em right on coming. <br /><br />This is no place for vegetarians. But for incorrigible carnivores such as myself, it's Valhalla. I left feeling like quite the Center City fat cat, both because of the air of classiness that surrounds the place, and because I had just eaten my weight in steak.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047393631431019084noreply@blogger.com0