Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The Farmer's Market Contest

Hi all,

Food world news at the top of the list this week, as Local Harvest, in cooperation with Care 2, is running another contest. They want to know your favorite farmer's market. For more details, see their website:

http://www.localharvest.org/

And for this week's recipe. One of my favorite freezer foods--this goes together fast and it freezes beautifully. Great way to store lots of green beans. Fabulous over pasta as a vegetarian entree or on its own as a side dish.

Roasted Green Beans with Walnuts
by Marta Ferguson

1 lb. green beans, washed and snapped
1/4-1/2 lb. walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons+ walnut or other oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 450. Lay beans on high-sided cookie pans (may need two). Sprinkle walnuts over beans. Generously drizzle walnuts and beans with oil. Roast for 5 minutes or until nuts smell good and beans look slightly carmelized. Remove and eat. Serves several adult diners.

In the box?

This week we will have cucumbers, candy onions, zucchini, cabbage, green onions, red leaf romaine, lettuce, collards, oregano.

See you next week!
;-)M

Friday, June 19, 2009

If not pickles, then what?

Hi all,

In boxes this week:

There will be spinach, cucumber, zucchini, beets, green onions, radish and mint. Green beans are on the horizon! Maybe next week.

So, more cucumbers on the way this week, and since I've just never been a pickle fan, I'm always trying out concoctions. Here's one from my appetizers-for-fancy-folks file:

Cucumber coconut shrimp
by Marta Ferguson

1 lb. medium (41-50 count) shrimp, defrosted, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons+ coconut oil
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1/3 cup pistachio nuts, roasted and salted
1 tablespoon+ of light olive oil

Preheat oven to 425. Lay shrimp in high-sided pan or pans, adding coconut oil as desired. Roast. After the shrimp has cooled, dice and toss with olive oil, toasted coconut and pistachio nuts. Chill and serve. Serves four adult diners.

As for food-world news?

Food, Inc., the food-industry documentary featured at The True/False Festival this year, begins opening at selected theaters this week. It will be at the Tivoli in University City on the 26th. It'll be here at RagTag by July 24th. Here's the website:

http://www.magpictures.com/films.aspx

See you next week!
;-)M

Friday, June 12, 2009

SOFAB!

Hi all,

Well, as we're in the travel season and some of you may be looking for slow-food destinations, I thought I'd share some information about SOFAB, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans. I had the pleasure of interviewing their director two years ago as they were getting ready to open their doors. Since that time, SOFAB has moved from conceptual idea to working museum and one-stop food-advocacy shop. Every week they host new events and classes. So if you're headed south for summer vacation, check it out!

Here's the link:
http://southernfood.org

Meanwhile, more great fresh food in your boxes this week:
Cucumber, Squash, Zucchini, Lettuce, Spinach, Green Onions, Radish, Asparagus, chives. Blueberries for fruit & berries CSA's.

And, though I will, I really will get our quiche recipe tweaked and posted, here's its ubersource. Alton Brown's suggestions for refrigerator pie:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/refrigerator-pie-recipe/index.html

See you next week!
;-)M

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Omelets at the Farmer's Market This Week!

Hi all,

A little late with this week's post, but I've got great news from our local Slow Food chapter:

Brook Harlan, a chef instructor at Columbia Area Career Center, will be cooking made-to-order omelets with his students at the Columbia Farmer's Market this week from 8:15 until 11:15.

The fresh ingredients will be from the market farmers, of course. All proceeds benefit the Culinary Arts Department students, who are attending a national competition in Kansas City later this month.

In your boxes this week:

Asparagus, lettuce, spinach, green onions, radishes, snow peas, and oregano.

And the recipe, from one of my favorite breakfasts:

Fast Eggs Florentine
by Marta Ferguson

2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon of butter
4 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of grated cheese, preferably romano

Place butter in skillet and wait for it to bubble. Add spinach. As the spinach starts to wilt and shrink, add eggs and scramble. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate and garnish with cheese.

Works well over toast or with hash browns. Serves two adult diners.

See you next week!
;-)M