Westchester Eats

Chopped salads are all the rage again! This one will have you saying, “Food for life…” Delicious and satisfying, yet simple.

Vinaigrette

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Roughly chop the garlic and then add the oregano, salt and pepper. Chop the mixture together and use the side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to make a grainy herb paste.

2. Transfer the paste to a large salad bowl, and add the lemon juice and vinegar. Mix with a fork, allowing the salt to dissolve, then add the oil and whisk with a fork until well combined. The dressing should be thick with garlic and oregano.

Salad & Assembly

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced into fine rings
• 1/2 pound provolone, sliced 1/4 -inch thick then cut into 1/2 -inch ribbons
• 1/2 pound salami, peeled, sliced 1/4 -inch thick then cut into 1/2 -inch ribbons
• 4 medium or 8 small pickled pepperoncini, sliced into rings
• 3/4 pound cherry tomatoes
• Sea salt
• 1 head romaine lettuce, cored, and cut in ribbons 1/4 – to 1/2 -inch wide
• 1 head radicchio, cored and cut in ribbons 1/4 – to 1/2 -inch wide
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano for garnish (optional, preferably Sicilian or Turkish)
• 1. Gently fold the chickpeas, red onion, provolone, salami, pepperoncini (including seeds and juice) into the dressing, one at a time. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
• 2. When ready to serve, gently add the tomatoes, lettuce and radicchio to the salad bowl, along with a couple of generous pinches of oregano, and toss to combine with the dressing. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano over the top (or pecorino romano depending on your taste)… Serve immediately.

I had an abundance of tomatoes from the garden and wasn’t sure what to do with them before they lost their freshness. I decided to make “sun dried” tomatoes but using the oven.

Fresh tomatoes needing some attention

The procedure is so easy but just requires many hours in a low oven until they have concentrated their flavors.

Here is what to do:

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees with the rack in the center position
• Slice your tomatoes (easier to do with a serrated knife) into 1/4 inch rounds. Try to slice them into even sizes so they cook at the same rate.
• Assemble a cookie cooling rack on top of a sheet pan
• Place the tomatoes onto a cookie cooling rack, evenly spaced, to allow for air circulation.
• Put the tray of tomato slices onto the center rack inside the oven for approximately 8 to 10 hours, checking for consistency.
• You want the tomatoes to be dehydrated with that rich chewy sun dried tomato consistency.
• Allow them to cool and remove to a jar drizzling them with olive oil to cover.

Use them on salads, in marinades, and sandwiches. Delicious.

Tomatoes sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

Rich concentrated sun (oven) dried tomatoes

At this time of year, your garden may be providing fresh garlic to you.  My friend Larry, an avid gardener, just harvested some young fresh garlic from his property this week.

If you aren’t growing your own this year, hit the farmers markets as this is the time!

The additional benefit of the fresh garlic head are the chives and scapes.

Generally available in June or early July, garlic scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic whereas chives are the tender leaves. Garlic needs to be harvested on the early side if you plan on utilizing the scapes. They are best used when they are curled. As the plant matures, the stalks become more straight in order to support the plant. When that happens, the scapes become less tender and less aromatic.

The entire stalk and flower of the garlic plant are edible.  The stalk (scape) has a mild garlic flavor and aroma.  Scapes provide a garlic essence to your dishes that are not as strong as using the cloves.

In the kitchen, scapes are great to add to stews, your marinades, salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, the possibilities are up to you.  Scapes can also be sauteed and eaten as a side dish along with grilled meats or fish.

Here is just one idea to get you going with your scapes:

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 pound garlic scapes
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on desired consistency) of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup lightly toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)

1. Chop the garlic scapes into 3 inch lengths.
2. Place the scapes into a food processor and pulse until pureed.
3. Add the parmesan and nuts continuing to pulse until smooth.
4. Add lemon juice then slowly drizzle in the olive oil as the food processor runs and continue until all the oil is combined into the garlic mixture.
5. Store in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for future winter use.

Your pesto can be spread on breads, used on sandwiches or drizzled on grilled meats and fish.

I posted this idea about three years ago around this time and felt that it was worth a re-post. Simple, elegant and delicious.

This individualized “mini” salad looks beautiful on the plate and will most likely bring a smile to your guests’ faces.

• Tomatoes sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (use two different colors.  For example, red and yellow)
• Fresh ball of Mozzarella sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• Red Onion sliced thinly
• Basil leaves, fresh only
• Rosemary sprigs
• Sea Salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar, optional

On a plate, build your tower beginning with the red tomato slice.  On top of that, place a slice of mozzarella cheese.  Next, place a few thin strands of red onion. Begin with your next tomato color (for example, yellow) and place that on top of the onion.  Follow it again with another slice of mozzarella and finally, a red tomato slice.

Garnish the top by placing a single large basil leaf on the top center of your salad.  Hold it all together by driving a single sprig of rosemary through the top so that it is almost like a “tree” coming out of the top.  The stem will serve as a “toothpick” holding it together.

Rain a slight amount of sea salt over your salad, and drizzle lightly with fresh extra virgin olive oil.  If desired, a few drops of balsamic vinegar around the salad plate for decoration and dipping are nice.

Buon Appetito!

The farmers markets kicked into high gear this weekend. Abundantly available was asparagus. Here is a delicious way to enjoy the local bounty.

Serves 4

• Flour, for work surface
• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet (Pepperidge Farms makes quality sheets)
• 2 tablespoons good quality Dijon mustard
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded (approximately 6 ounces)
• 1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions
Place oven rack in middle-center of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, dock (pierce) pastry inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from oven. Using a pastry brush, coat the inside rectangle with a brushing of Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with Gruyere inside the marked rectangle. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; in a separate dish, toss the spears with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer over Gruyere. Bake until spears are tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Enjoy with a simple salad and a glass of your favorite summer beverage.

Mark your calendar!

On Saturday, May 29th Community Markets and Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the seasonal re-opening of the Ossining Farmers Market with a ribbon cutting!

This year’s opening is marked with additional vendors and the market will run every Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm until December 18th on the corner of Main and Spring Streets.

In addition to last season’s fresh local and certified organic produce, artisanal organic breads, fish, meat, eggs, cheese, herbs, baked goods and specialty foods, this year’s market will feature handmade chutney, simmer sauces and other Indian delicacies from Calcutta Kitchens of Norwalk, CT., hard and soft goat cheeses, milk and yogurt from Coach Farm of Pine Plains, NY and mushrooms, orchids and vegetables from Hodgson Farm of Walden, NY.

Community Markets will also be hosting events like: cooking demos, tastings, a corn roast and live music throughout the season. Details are posted on their website.

Today is Cinco de Mayo which celebrates Mexico’s victory over Napoleon’s army in 1862. The margarita, a cocktail which is widely consumed on this day, has a history that depending upon the person asked, is varied.

Regardless, many celebrate this holiday with a margarita in hand. Below is a straightforward and delicious recipe for your celebration.

What makes this margarita really deliver, is the use of good ingredients: fresh limes, good quality tequila, and orange liqueur.

You’ll be the hit of the party.

Best Margarita

• lime slices for garnish, either in round slices or wedges
• Coarse salt, kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 cup of chipped ice or small cubes
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup Cointreau orange liqueur
• 1/4 cup best quality silver tequila such as Patrón

Rub the rim of your margarita or martini glasses with a lime wedge. Dredge the rims in a dish of salt until nicely coated. In a cocktail shaker, place the ice, lime juice, orange liqueuer, and tequila. Put the lid on and shake vigorously for approximately 15 seconds. Pour into your glasses and garnish with either sliced rounds of lime, floating them on top; or finish with a lime wedge on the rim. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe will serve two thirsty happy people.

Serves 12  (3/4-cup servings)

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 1 cup dry wheat berries
• 1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 bundle fresh asparagus, cut into 3/4 inch segments
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons good quality French Dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely pasted

Preparation
1. Combine water and wheat berries in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 55 minutes or until wheat berries are just tender. Two minutes before draining the wheat berries, put the asparagus segments and edamame into the water for a quick blanching.

2. Drain the wheat berries, asparagus, and edamame into a fine mesh strainer and run under cold water to cool quickly, drain well.

3. Prepare the viniagrette by combining the vinegar with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp of freshly ground pepper along with 2 tsp. of French Dijon mustard and the pasted garlic cloves.  Once the salt has dissolved, whisk in the olive oil. Combine the wheat berries with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 8 hours in advance.

The Hudson Valley also has been coined “The Napa Valley of the East”.  Laura Pensiero, chef/restaurateur of Rhinebeck’s acclaimed Gigi Trattoria has penned this wonderful cookbook.  The message promotes what we’ve been hearing all along: “Eat local, eat seasonal.”  Worth every cent. I highly recommend it. Support your local farmers’ markets and follow Laura’s lead.

RECIPE: Goodbye-Winter Choucroute
Pages 52-3

Makes 12 to 14 Servings

“What a dramatic and aromatic presentation this dish makes in the dead of winter! On particularly cold nights, we prepare our Mediterranean version (seasonal with pancetta and prosciutto) as a special for our customers. At the last of winter, we kick the season away with a full-on party at my farmhouse, serving the choucroute with crusty breads, pickled vegetable, and Alsatian cheeses and wines and beers. We use all sorts of fresh, cured, and confit meats from local producers. The ingredients list is long (and flexible). But the presentation is really not fussy; you chop the vegetables and meats into large rustic-looking chunks and cook the choucroute slowly for several hours, melting the vegetables, tenderizing the meat, and perfuming the house. Enjoy the whole process.

Ingredients:

3 pounds sauerkraut, preferably organic
1 medium onion, studded with 12 to 14 cloves
¼ cup olive oil
6 ounces nitrate-free bacon, cut into 2-to-3 inch chunks (I use Mountain Products Smokehouse slab bacon, or pancetta)
1 pound pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3-inch-long segments (I use Mountain Products Smokehouse)
7 ounces bratwurst, sliced into 3-inch-long segments
6 ounces kielbasa (I use Northwind Farms), sliced into 3-inch-long segments
One 8-ounce end piece of prosciutto
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
1 cup Alsatian white wine, such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer
1 bouquet garni (our mix: 6 parsley sprigs, 6 thyme sprigs, 6 fresh sage leaves, 2 bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick, tied together with string)
4 cups chicken or beef stock or reduced-sodium broth, heated

Rinse the sauerkraut thoroughly, and drain it. Spread the sauerkraut over the bottom of the an attractive 6-quart casserole, preferably one with a lid (otherwise have aluminum foil ready to cover). Place the clove-studded onion in the center. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 275? F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the pork shoulder and cook until the pork and bacon are nicely browned, another 5 minutes. Add the bratwurst, bockwurst, and kielbasa, and continue to cook until all the meats are well colored, 5 to 7 minutes. Finally, add the prosciutto chunk and the celery, carrot, onion, and juniper berries.

Cook, stirring often for 5 minutes, Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the skillet, until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 minutes.

Transfer the meat, vegetables, and pan juices to the casserole. Add the bouquet garni. Pour the stock over the meat and vegetables. The liquid should come to about 1 inch below the top of the meat and vegetables; add water or more stock if it doesn’t. Cover the casserole with a lid or foil, transfer it to the oven, and bake for 3 to 4 hours (this is a dish that will only improve with more cooking). Add a bit more liquid, ½ cup at a time, if needed, during the cooking time to prevent drying.

Remove the lid and the bouquet garni. The dish will not likely need salt, Serve immediately, straight from the casserole.

Serving Suggestions:
Serve with any combination of the following parslied boiled young potatoes, caramelized apple slices, pickled vegetables, grated horseradish, and/or a variety of mustards. (To caramelize apples, peel, core, and cut them into 1-inch-thick rounds. Cook in butter over medium heat until browned on both sides and soft but still structured.) And of course, serve Alsatain wine or beer.