Cooking Club: Farmer's Market

It was a small group of us who gathered for cooking club one month this fall, but that didn't stop us from having a feast! We walked together to the farmer's market in my neighborhood and bought all our ingredients fresh from the market. We had fresh pasta with a yummy sauce, fresh mushrooms and other veggies, yummy lavender- and lemon- goat cheeses spread on thin crackers, and this stone fruit salad. You couldn't resist the mounds of fresh stone fruit piled up at one of the stands in particular. So we packed up our grocery bags and headed back to the kitchen to put it all together! Here's one of the things we made:

Ingredients
Peaches and/or nectarines
Apricots
Plums
Raspberries
Granulated sugar
Fresh mint

Directions
1. Thinly slice the stone fruit and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle with granulated sugar (depending on ripeness, you don't need much) and toss evenly into fruit mixture.
3. Add raspberries whole.
4. Julienne the fresh mint and sprinkle on top.
5. Toss well and set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
*Note: as the fruit sits, you'll likely notice some juices pooling at the bottom. This is good...the sugar is driving some of it out!
6. Toss again right before serving to coat in all that sugary juice. Enjoy!
*Note: another option is to grill the stone fruit by cutting each piece in half and brushing with honey. Then grill until soft and slice into a mixing bowl.

Dill Fingerlings and Honey-Mustard Parsnips

It's March ... and I'm posting a recipe that's very clearly from a summer cookout. So sad, I know. Sad for this little blog that I have neglected it so in the last 12 months. But it's been an absolutely crazy year ... mostly in a good way! But I'll get to that later. 

Last summer, I got to spend a bunch of time back home, and it was so nice. I love my family - and when we get together, it's always a blast. We listen to music, we eat, we play games, we go out on the lake, we play more games, we eat more food. This particular weekend we gathered for a summer cookout, and we traversed the Oshkosh farmer's market in the hopes of finding some stuff to cook up.

My mom typically cooks everything, and the rest of us contribute a few things here and there. Scott mixes the drinks and grills the burgers, Chris makes the most amazing appetizers you'll ever have (so good that we oftentimes are full before the main course gets put out!), Craig somehow makes meatless, cheeseless food taste as good as if it were dripping with bacon fat and covered in cheese. In the last few years, I've been trying to contribute more and more. And fortunately, my mom's letting me. So for this meal, while she made up the food and Scott grilled the burgers, I got to cooking some sides. And here they are...simple, delicious, and all fresh from the Oshkosh farmers to our table.

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

I've been making these little nuggets for years, thanks to my girl Ina Garten. They are so easy but absolutely my favorite way to cook a potato. They're soft inside, crunchy outside, with the perfect amount of salt and mmm mmm mm that fresh dill. Try it out:

Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter

1 1/4 lbs. fingerling potatoes

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. You'll need a heavy bottomed pan (I find a Dutch oven to work the best).

2. Melt the butter in the Dutch oven and meanwhile, rinse the potatoes.

3. Add the potatoes whole (not peeled, sliced, diced, just whole), and sprinkle with the salt and black pepper.

4. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and shake vigorously to coat the potatoes in the butter.

5. Cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. 

*Note: while cooking, resist the urge to open the lid! You don't want any of that precious steam to escape because it's what getting those potatoes nice and ready for you.

6. From time to time, shake the pot to ensure that the potatoes don't burn to the bottom.

7. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another five minutes

8. Open and toss with the fresh dill. Serve!

Honey-Mustard Parsnips 

This recipe I actually got over here, and it's a roasted chicken recipe with parsnips as a background star. And it's delicious. But when you find cute little parsnips at the market that are just asking to be slathered in honey and eaten up, you've got to improvise!

Ingredients

Parsnips

Vegetable stock

1 tbsp. whole grain mustard

1 tbsp. honey

Olive oil

Fresh thyme

Directions

1. In a large skillet with a lid, pour enough vegetable stock to coat the bottom and go up the sides maybe 1/2-inch. Bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, wash and peel the parsnips.

*Note: if  you have little guys, just leave them whole. But if they're on the larger side, peel and slice into sticks.

3. Once the stock is boiling, add the parsnips and cover. Cook until just shy of fork tender (time will depend on the size of the vegetables).

4. Remove from stock and add a touch of olive oil to a fresh skillet.

5. Place parsnips in the new skillet and toss with honey and mustard.

6. Saute until well-coated and browning on the edges.

7. Sprinkle with fresh thyme (or parsley) if desired. And serve!

Asparagus-Gruyere Tart and Two Salads

I have the best sister a girl could ask for. People say that, I know, but I'm actually right on this one. I got to stay with her for nearly a month this summer and it was so much fun. Her then-fiance (and my now-brother, Erik) and their dog Jackson, with whom I had a mixed relationship until August, were gracious enough to take me in for four weeks. I learned a lot about them this summer, living in a two-bedroom apartment. I learned how hard they work - long hours, bus rides to the loop from Lincoln Park, jobs that were in flux but are now settling in; how loved they are by their friends, and they have many - always with somewhere to be or someone to see on the weekend; and how you can fall in love with a fuzzy puppy who at one point bit your hand but who knows just how to turn on his puppy dog eyes and win you over.

One of my favorite times were the weeknight family dinners we had. Since I had the month off and spent most of it prepping internship applications and working on my dissertation, I was able to search Pinterest and my favorite foodie blogs for fun recipes that could accommodate our varying diets: my sister's vegetarian, Erik is not, and I don't really like chicken. I know, it's a quirk.

So here are a few things we had for family dinner.

Asparagus-Gruyere Tart
(so slightly adapted from here)

Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
5-6 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 bundle thick asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface into a 16x10" rectangle. Trim off the uneven edges to make a square.
3. Place pastry on a baking sheet and lightly score 1" from the edges to mark a rectangle. Also, pierce the center of the pastry with a fork.
4. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, shred the gruyere cheese and set aside.
6. Remove pastry from oven and sprinkle with the cheese.
7. Trim of the bottoms of the asparagus and shave with a vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer. Arrange in a single layer over the Gruyere, alternating ends and tips to make a pretty pattern.
8. Brush with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
9. Bake until asparagus is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes (depending on how thick the spears are).
10. Serve hot or at room temperature.


Fig & Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients
5-8 fresh figs
1 ripe pear
1 bunch green onions
1 package baby arugula
4 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Vinaigrette (I like Girard's Light Champagne the best)

Directions
1. Rinse arugula, pat dry, and arrange on a large serving plate.
2. Toss with desired amount of vinaigrette.
3. Slice figs into 1/4" pieces (slicing from stem to bottom) and arrange on the arugula.
4. Slice pears into 1/4" pieces and arrange with the sliced figs.
*Note: I cut the pear in half, then half again, then slice off the parts nearest the core and seeds. Then I slice them thinly to desired width.
5. Slice green onions, both the white and green parts, and sprinkle over the salad.
6. Crumble gorgonzola cheese on top and serve.

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients
Fresh heirloom tomatoes (or vine-ripened)
Fresh mozzarella
Red wine vinegar
Granulated sugar
Salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Slice the tomatoes to desired thickness and place in a small to medium mixing bowl.
2. Add desired amount of red wine vinegar, a sprinkle of sugar, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.
3. Let marinate for 10-20 minutes.
4. Remove from marinade and arrange on a platter.
5. Slice fresh mozzarella and arrange on top of the tomatoes.

Crusty "No-Knead" Bread

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven? Yes...bread that you don't have to knead over and over, that you don't have to worry about rising improperly, that you don't have to worry about being too soggy on the outside or too dry on the inside. And this is it...it just requires some forethought the night before to get the dough going, and you can bake it off the next morning.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast.
2. Add water and mix until dough forms (it will look shaggy).
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 to 18 hours (overnight is great).

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
5. Place cast-iron dutch oven (with the lid) in the oven, and heat for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, remove dough onto a floured surface and shape into a ball.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit while the pot heats.

8. Remove pot from oven and drop in the dough. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and place bread on wire rack to cool.

*Note: I only tried a generic white bread. But the blog where I found the recipe suggests some of the following combinations: cheese breads (pepperjack, sharp cheddar, asiago), jalapeno cheddar, raisin/walnut/cinnamon, pumpkin seed/sunflower seed/poppy seed, rosemary/lemon/gruyere, lemon/thyme/asiago, mixed herb (rosemary, chive, thyme).
**She suggested the following sample measurements for a loaf: to the recipe above, add 3/4 cup dried cranberries, zest of one orange, and 1/2 cup sliced almonds. Mix and add the 1 1/2 cups water.
***Another variation measurement: zest one lemon, chopped rosemary, 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere.

Mexican Quinoa Bowl

Ever been to the Protein Bar? They have a really good buffalo quinoa bowl with celery, carrots, cucumbers, chicken, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese. It inspired me to make a quinoa bowl of my own, since I could make it in bulk and eat throughout the week. Here's my version with Mexican flavors. I'll let you know when I get around to an attempt to replicate the buffalo version.

Ingredients
For the bowl:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 can black beans
1 can rotel
1 can whole-kernel corn
1 can diced chiles
1 bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed
Cilantro

For the dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Chipotle pepper
Ancho chili powder
2 cloves garlic

For garnish:

Sour cream

Cotija cheese

Green and/or red salsa

Avocado

Directions
1. Cook quinoa according to package directions, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
*Note: I use chicken broth instead of water for added flavor.
2. Drain and rinse black beans and corn, and add to quinoa.
3. Dice bell pepper and jalapeno, and add to quinoa mixture along with 1 can rotel.
4. Chop desired amount of cilantro (to taste), and mix well into quinoa mixture to combine.

5. For the dressing, whisk together juice of 1 lime and equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil.
6. Mince two cloves garlic and add to viniagrette, along with desired amounts of salt and three peppers.
7. Pour over warm quinoa and toss to combine.
8. Serve warm or refrigerate for several days and eat as desired.
9. Top with desired toppings. I like a dollop of sour cream, shredded cotija cheese, salsa, and fresh avocado.

Melting Moments Cookies

 These cookies are from all the way back at Easter time. As a consequence of living on another coast, I was family-less for the holiday, and a sweet friend invited me over to her place for Easter brunch. After an amazing Easter service at the Hollywood Bowl with this guy as the amazing guest speaker, I headed over to brunch with a tray of these (from here) in hand. It was a great day celebrating God's grace in the beauty of spring in southern California, sitting outside and worshipping under sun and intermittent cloud cover...and a great brunch with friends.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar + 1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In another medium mixing bowl, beat together butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar for two minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
4. Add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour (or until firm).

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. When dough is firm, form into one-inch balls. Place cookies on baking sheets about one inch apart.
9. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until edges start to brown.
10. Remove from oven and place on wire rack (with parchment paper or foil underneath) to cool for five minutes.

11. As cookies cool but are still warm, sprinkle with 1 cup powdered sugar.
12. Place in airtight container for up to a couple of weeks.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Parmesan Crisps, and Cooking Club #3

Cooking Club #3: Beginnings and Endings. Appetizers and desserts. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my two favorite parts of a meal! And the timing coincided perfectly with the end of the third book from the author who inspired the whole idea for cooking club. So I used her bacon-wrapped dates recipe, along with an easy cheese recipe, and paired it all with fresh strawberries, dried apricots, and garlic-rubbed toasts to top with melting camembert cheese. Easy, cheesy, and pleasing :)

And we had a whole spread: hummus, guacamole, cookies, and cake.

 

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Ingredients

8 oz. pitted dates

4 oz. goat cheese

16 oz. bacon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking dish will foil or parchment paper (for easy cleanup).

2. Slice along the side of each date, from top to bottom.

3. Open gently and scoop a small amount of goat cheese into the center of each.

4. Close back up and set each aside.

5. Cut the entire package of bacon in half.

6. Wrap a half-slice of bacon around each date and set aside.

7. Place seam-side down on the lined baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well-browned and crispy.

8. Remove from oven and drain on a paper towel-lined dish.

9. Let cool at least until palatable, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients

All you need is some freshly grated parmesan...

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Place two tbsp. of cheese per crisp along baking sheet.

4. Smooth down and form into a circle.

5. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until golden.

6. Remove from oven and let cool...they'll crisp up quickly.