RECIPE: Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce

Original recipe: Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce

Wow!  This sauce is delicious!  I drizzle it on everything!  I stumbled on the recipe a few weeks ago and just tested it.  The original recipe didn't work for me - there wasn't enough mayonnaise for the blender to do its job - so I doubled the amount and ended up with a delicious condiment!  I didn't want it overly spicy so I used 2 jalapenos (including the seeds) and two mild peppers.

Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce

Makes 2 cups

• 2-3 ounces washed and dried cilantro including stems (about 4 cups loosely packed)
• 4 small hot peppers (I used 2 jalapenos and 2 green cayenne)
• 5 medium cloves garlic, peeled and chopped OR 2 t. garlic powder
• 1 scant c. mayonnaise
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 2 T. avocado oil  OR 2 T. water for a thinner, pourable sauce
• 1/2 t. salt

Slice the peppers 1/4" thick, removing the seeds and ribs if you don't want the sauce to be spicy.

Wash and spin dry the cilantro, then weigh it.

Load everything into a high-speed blender, in the order listed, and blend until smoothly pureed.

Adjust seasoning and serve.

NOTE:  Although this 'sauce' uses a lot of cilantro, and our homemade mayonnaise isn't stiff,  the sauce isn't drizzle-able and I suspect it's the avocado oil.  If you need a thinner sauce, use water instead or add a little water before serving.  The photo below is the sauce over some pasta salad.

Cilantro 'Sauce' over Pasta Salad

The photo below is the sauce diluted with a little water, then drizzled over bean barbacoa:

RECIPE: Cucumber Salad with Sesame Oil and Garlic

Here's another refreshing cucumber salad that my husband deemed, "just as good as the sweet-sour one but in a different way."  This one is smashed, rather than sliced, and seasoned with sesame oil and garlic.  I cut the recipe in half and used pickling cucumbers.

Original recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad with Sesame Oil and Garlic

Makes 2 cups

• 3 large pickling cucumbers OR 1 english cucumber
• 1 t. white sugar (I used biodynamic)
• 1 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1 clove garlic, finely crushed (would be better grated on a microplane)
• 1 T. rice vinegar
• 1 t. soy or 2 t. tamari sauce
• 1 t. toasted sesame oil
• red pepper flakes to taste (I used a pinch, it gets hotter as it sits)
• 2 t. toasted sesame seeds

Wrap the cucumbers in a dish cloth, place on a cutting board, and pound with a flat object (I used my meat pounder) until they break.  Unwrap, transfer to cutting board, slice each one lengthwise, than in half lengthwise again.  Slice into 1" pieces.

Cucumbers smashed in dishcloth

Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl.  Mix with sugar and salt and leave to drain for 40-60 minutes.

Whisk together the garlic, vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.  Transfer cucumber to a bowl and mix with the sauce.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to mingle.  Sprinkle with toasted sesame and serve. 

RECIPE: Hakurei Turnip Risotto with Arugula (or turnip greens)

In searching for a vegetarian risotto made without the umami of meat broth, I made this one (almost) exactly as written and was disappointed.  As the author says, the end result is very watery and needs the egg yolk to firm things up.  I didn't believe her - I've never made watery risotto - and I thought she must have done something wrong.

So... I made the recipe, except that I didn't add the miso until the end, reasoning that since it was 'raw' I didn't want to cook all the goodness away.  Up until that point, the risotto was perfect!  As soon as I stirred in the miso, the whole thing broke down into a watery mess!!!  There must be something in the miso that interferes with the starch in the rice.

I didn't want to use the egg yolk to thicken the mess, so I strained the rice out of the pan, reduced the liquid, and poured it over. The meal was salvaged but I wasn't going to make that recipe again!

Hakurei risotto without the beef

Fast forward two weeks I had some beef broth made from 4 ribeye bones and trimmings, plus the fat skimmed from that broth.  I still had turnips but no greens; however, I did have arugula and thought it would make a good substitute.  I also had some garlic scapes, since I had just processed them for the freezer, and I had some leftover sauteed onions.

When I went out to harvest some rosemary I discovered we didn't have any, but we did have tarragon.  Another substitution.  This is how I 'develop' a recipe....

Fortunately, the end result was so good my husband asked me to save the recipe!  I think it would be just as good without the ribeye meat but NOT without the broth.

Hakurei Turnip Risotto with Arugula

Serves 6-8

1/4 c. fat from ribeye broth OR ghee OR EVOO, divided
1 ribeye sliced thinly across the grain (as for stroganoff) (optional)
1 onions sliced 1/4" thick
1 c. garlic scapes sliced 3/4" (or 6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly)
500gms carnaroli rice (about 2 cups)
10 medium hakurei turnips, quartered and sliced 1/8" thick
8 c. beef broth* made from ribeye bones and trimmings
2-3 t. himalayan pink salt
2 t. fresh tarragon
2 t. garlic powder (omit if you used fresh garlic instead of scapes)
1 t. cayenne
3-4 c. arugula sliced 1/4" thick (or turnip greens)
1/2 c. cream or grated parmesan**

In a large saute pan, melt 2 T. fat over med-high.  Add ribeye and stir for 1-2 minutes until cooked medium-rare.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add the onions and saute them until softened and lightly browned.  Remove to the bowl with the meat.

Add 2 T. fat to the pan, add the garlic scapes, and saute until lightly browned. (If you're using garlic instead of scapes, saute on medium-low so it doesn't burn).

Reduce heat to medium, add the rice to the pan and stir constantly until opaque, 3-4 minutes.

Raise heat to high!

Add 4 cups of the broth, 1/2 c at a time, stirring constantly after each addition and adding more when you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.  Rice should now be half cooked.  Turn heat to low.

Add the salt, turnips, tarragon, garlic powder and cayenne.  Stir to combine.

Raise heat to high again!

Add the remaining 4 cups of the broth, 1/2 c at a time, stirring constantly after each addition and adding more when you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.

The rice should now be cooked and surrounded with a creamy 'sauce'.  Turn heat to low and stir in the arugula.  Add the reserved beef, sauteed onions, and the cream/parmesan.  Stir to combine, adjust seasoning, and serve.

*The best risotto is made with beef broth, usually the broth from a pot roast.  This broth is almost clear and adds no color to the rice, unlike the veal demiglace I normally use which turns it light brown.  To make the broth, I covered the raw bones and trimmings with RO water, added a pinch of salt and 1 t. ACV, brought to a simmer (don't let it boil!), simmered on low for 24 hours and then strained. 

**I usually use cream instead of parmesan because cream is easier (no grating) and I can get healthy raw cream from our farm.  We think it tastes just as good.

RECIPE: Veggie-Heavy Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is "Springtime Pasta" made with spring vegetables.  Whenever I order Pasta Primavera in a restaurant, it's always light on the vegetables and heavy on the pasta!  This recipe is my attempt to overcome that using as many of the vegetables currently in our farm store, plus a few that aren't.  Additional veggies that would be awesome in this dish would be asparagus and artichoke hearts.

Veggie-Heavy Pasta Primavera

Serves 8-10

1 pound noodle-shape pasta (elbows, shells, penne, fussili, bowties, whatever...)
2 cups shelled peas
2 cups green beans cut into 1" pieces
2 cups carrot coins
2 cups broccoli florets
OPT: 2 t. red pepper flakes
2 cups sliced mushrooms
6 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
4 green peppers, cut into 1/2" dice
2 cups small yellow summer squash/zucchini
4 large scallions, green parts sliced 1/2" thick, white parts sliced 1/4" thick
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 T. chopped fresh herbs: parsley, basil, chives or a combination
1 c. EVOO, divided
salt

I decided that the easiest way to cook the vegetables and not have them overdone was to cook each one separately in boiling water until they were crisp-tender, and then combine them all at the end.  I then used the veggie-flavored water to cook the pasta.  The times noted are for farm-fresh vegetables.  Adjust them if your vegetables are frozen or from a grocery. 

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to boil in an 8-quart stock pot with a pasta insert.  Add the peas to the water and cook for 7 minutes or until almost soft.  Remove the pasta insert with the peas inside letting all the water drain back into the stock pot.  Set peas aside in a large bowl and return pasta insert to stock pot.

Repeat with green beans, cooking for 7 minutes, adding to the bowl with the peas.

Repeat with carrot coins, cooking for 5 minutes.

Repeat with yellow squash cooking for 3 minutes.

Repeat with broccoli cooking for 4 minutes.

Turn off heat under water.

In a large saute pan heat 2 T. EVOO over med-high and saute the mushrooms until lightly browned.  Remove but do NOT add to the bowl with the other vegetables.

Reduce heat to med, add 2 T. EVOO to the pan, and saute the garlic, green peppers, and the whites of the scallions until softened.  Add the mushrooms back into the pan, and the pepper flakes if you're using them, and keep warm over low heat.

Bring the water back to boil and cook the pasta until al dente (follow directions for timing on the package).  Add the reserved vegetables back into the water and cook until pasta is done and vegetables have been reheated - about 1 minute max!   Drain immediately reserving 1 c of the cooking water.

Add the pasta and vegetables to the saute pan with the garlic, peppers, and mushrooms.  Add the tomatoes, the scallion greens, the chopped herbs, and the rest of the EVOO and toss to combine.  If it's too dry, add some of the cooking water.

Adjust salt and serve.

NOTE: I used a tri-color pasta made with spinach, beets, and turmeric which adds to the colorfulness (and nutrition) of the dish.  Although there is only 1 pound of pasta, it makes a HUGE amount.  Fortunately, the leftovers can be eaten cold. (If you use gluten free pasta, it probably cannot be eaten cold, as we've found that the Tres-Omega pasta we use is very tough unless it's warm.)

RECIPE: Spicy Curried Egg Salad

I just made the BEST egg salad! Although our favorite mayonnaise flavor is harissa, our second favorite is curry so we often have a jar in the fridge.  In the past, I've used the curry sauce we serve with raclette, but it's a bit too runny so I made some adjustments for egg salad.

Spicy Curried Egg Salad

Makes 4 cups

• 8 large-ish eggs, hard boiled and cooled (the eggs we buy aren't graded)
• 1/2 c mayonnaise (see recipe notes below)
• 2 t. curry powder (I've been using Pure Indian Foods organic)
• 1 T. ghee
• 1 t. Thai curry paste
• 1/2 granny smith apple, peeled and minced
• 1/2 small red onion, minced 
• Opt: 1/4 c. minced jalapeno
• Opt: 1 T. minced cilantro leaves
• 1/2 t. salt

Make one recipe of homemade mayonnaise but use 1 cup of oil rather than 3/4.  This will yield a stiff mayonnaise that will stand up to the moisture the eggs exude.  (You can use regular mayo if you plan to eat it right away, but if it sits, moisture from the whites will make it too loose to use in a sandwich.  As you can see from the photo - I eat it in lettuce leaves.)

On medium heat, saute 2 t. curry powder in 1 T. ghee until fragrant - about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature (don't let it solidify!).  Stir into mayonnaise.  Stir curry paste into mayo.

Peel eggs and cut by hand into 1/4" pieces.  (I've found it's less messy to peel all the eggs, then chop all the eggs.) I make 4 lengthwise cuts on one side creating slices, then three lengthwise cuts on the other side to make batons, then as many cuts as needed across all these batons.  Yes, you can use an egg slicer but we prefer the slightly larger cubes created by hand. 

Mix eggs with everything except the mayonnaise.

Stir in enough mayonnaise to lightly coat.  I use about 1/2 c. 

RECIPE: Roasted Almonds

Normally, I soak our nuts (to neutralize the  phytates) and then dehydrate them to crisp them back up.  But, sometimes, I need roasted nuts in a hurry and don't have time for that 4 day process.  Here's how I roast them.

Roasted Almonds

1 pound raw almonds
10" x 15" jelly roll pan
stainless cooling rack to fit jelly roll pan
optional: salt

Preheat oven to 350F (325F ifyou're using convection)

Put the rack inside the pan and spread the almonds on the rack in a single layer.

Roast for 10-15 minutes.  (I went the full 15 minutes)  Because they're in a single layer, and raised up from the pan, you don't need to stir them!

Open the oven door to release the heat, and let the almonds cool inside the warm oven.

Transfer to a glass jar and store in a cool dark place.

OR...use them to make almond butter

RECIPE: Arugula Almond Pesto

Original recipe: Arugula Pesto

I followed the original recipe almost exactly except for the part where she tells you to drizzle in the EVOO.  Olive oil can be damaged by the speed of the food processor blades so I poured it in quickly, scraped down the sides, and then pulsed it once to combine.

Arugula Almond Pesto

Makes 1.5 cups

• 1 cup clean dry arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup lightly toasted almonds* (I used a small fry pan to toast them), coarsely chopped
• 1-3 large garlic cloves, chopped**
• 3 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c. EVOO
• 1/2 t. himalayan pink salt

Combine everything except the EVOO in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until almost smooth.  (It took some time to get the almonds to break down!).

With the motor running, pour the EVOO down the feed tube in about 3 seconds.  DON'T OVER-PROCESS or the blades will damage the EVOO and make it bitter!  If it's not creamy, scrape down the sides and then pulse once or twice.

Taste and adjust seasoning.  Use like basil pesto.

*You can also use walnuts
**If you want, you can toast two garlic cloves in their skin until blistered, then peel and mince.  If you don't toast two of the three, then only use 2 fresh cloves.

RECIPE: Mushroom, Aduki and Onion Stroganoff

This recipe is from the cookbook, A Taste of Russia, by Darra Goldstein.  The original recipe calls for beef tenderloin but for vegetarians, I make this with mushrooms instead of beef and add 1/2 c. of aduki beans.

Mushroom, Aduki and Onion Stroganoff

Serves 4

• 2 pounds mushrooms
• 4 T. ghee
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 t. mustard (dry or Dijon)
• 1 c. onion broth
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 cooked aduki beans, rinsed

Clean the mushrooms and slice 1/4" thick. 

Peel and halve the onion, slice 1/4" thick, and halve the slices.

In a large saute pan, melt 2 T. ghee over med-high and saute the onion until soft and barely golden. Remove to a bowl.

Melt the remaining 2 T ghee, add the mushrooms and saute until soft and lightly browned.  

Return the onions to the pan and add the onion broth.  Cook stirring until the broth is reduced to 1/2 cup.  Reduce heat to low.

Stir the mustard into the sour cream, then add the mixture to the pan with the mushrooms and onions.  Stir in the aduki beans. 

Raise the heat to medium and heat through but do not boil.  Season to taste.


The recipe directs you to serve stroganoff with french fries but we normally serve it with fettucini noodles.

RECIPE: Beef Ribeye and Onion Stroganoff

This recipe is from the cookbook, A Taste of Russia, by Darra Goldstein.  The original recipe calls for beef tenderloin but since that's rarely available in our farm store I've been using ribeye.  I've also eliminated the flour and replaced the beef bouillon with demiglace.  For vegetarians, I make this with mushrooms instead of beef .  I will also often add mushrooms to the beef version, although it's not authentic.

Beef Ribeye and Onion Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff made with Red Onions

Serves 4

• 2 ribeye steaks
• 4 T. ghee
• 2 large onions, yellow or red (I used red in the photos)
  
• 2 t. mustard (dry or Dijon)
• 1/2 c. veal or chicken demiglace
• 1/2 c. sour cream

Remove the bones from the steaks and slice the meat AGAINST THE GRAIN into pieces 2" long by 1/8"  thick.  The slices need to be thin or they'll be tough.

Peel and halve the onion, slice 1/4" thick, and halve the slices.

In a large saute pan, melt 2 T. ghee over med-high and saute half the onion until soft and the edges are dark brown.  Add the rest of the onions and saute until barely golden. Remove to a bowl.

Sauteed red onions

Melt the remaining 2 T ghee.  

Add the meat and saute on high for just a few minutes until it's med-rare.  Reduce heat to low and return the onions to the pan.

Stir the mustard into the sour cream.  Add the demiglace, and then add the mixture to the pan with the meat.

Raise the heat to medium and heat through but do not boil.


The recipe directs you to serve this with french fries but we normally serve it with a vegetable - peas, broccoli, or roasted cabbage fettuccine noodles.


 

RECIPE: Zucchini with Basil, Mint, and Balsamic

This is another recipe I've been making for years.  I'm sharing it now because the farm store has both zucchini and basil.  Mint is long gone so I used dried.  Don't over cook the zucchini - they should be nicely browned but still hold their shape.  (I'll add a photo the next time I make this.)

Zucchini with Basil, Mint & Balsamic

Serves 4-6

• 6-8 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2" thick
• 1 T. fresh basil chiffonade (sliced into thin threads)
• 2 t. dried Moroccan mint
• 4 T. EVOO, divided
• 2 T. balsamic
• salt

Heat 2 T. EVOO in a large saute pan over med-high.  Add half the zucchini and saute, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned but not mushy.  Don't overcook them!  Remove to a bowl and repeat with the remaining 2 T. EVOO and the rest of the zucchini.  .

Return the first batch of sauteed zucchini to the pan, salt to taste* and add the herbs and balsamic.  Toss to combine and serve.

*Don't salt until after the zucchini is cooked or they will become mushy.