Baked Orzo with Smoked Pork Stock
Flavorful and filling, this satisfying baked dish is wonderful served with this week’s grilled halloumi kabobs.
Ingredients:
2 cups orzo pasta
4 tablespoons butter
4 white spring onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups smoked pork stock
½ cup water
1 cup Grana-style cheese, grated
½ cup freshly-chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add in the orzo, and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add in broth and then salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and sprinkle in the cheese, mixing well.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 2-quart baking dish. Add the orzo mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from oven and garnish with the chopped parsley before serving.
Roasted Spring Vegetables
Earthy and bright, these roasted beauties are lovely atop this week’s risotto.
Ingredients:
½ pound asparagus, trimmed of any tough ends
1 bunch baby Harukei turnips, washed, trimmed of greens and quartered
1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed and cut into thin coins
½ pound red radishes, washed, trimmed of greens and quartered
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly-chopped herbs, such as thyme, sage or parsley
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Spread vegetable out on a baking sheet and toss to coat with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Roast for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until all vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown.
3. Remove from oven, season with more salt and pepper as necessary and toss with fresh lemon juice and chopped herbs.
Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Strawberries
This rustic cake has a slightly-crunchy texture courtesy of polenta and is beautifully flavored by olive oil.
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder lemon olive oil cake mix
½ cup olive oil
1 cup milk or buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
¾ cup crème fraîche or whipped cream
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch cake pan or cast iron skillet with 2-inch sides with some of the olive oil.
2. Whisk together milk or buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, vanilla, and olive oil. Pour the cake mix into this milk mixture and fold together with a spatula until just combined; do not over-mix. Scrape batter into greased pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Immediately run a knife around edge of cake, and turn cake out onto a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool before cutting.
4. To serve, slice cake into wedges and top with sliced strawberries and a generous dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream.
For optional cake glaze: Combine ¾ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, adding more lemon juice if needed. Drop by spoonfuls over cake after it has been placed on cooling rack, spreading within half an inch of the cake’s sides.
Bucatini with Red Kuri Squash, Kale & Mushroom Confit
The classic pairing of squash and sage is utterly delicious combined with our housemade confit and pasta.
Ingredients:
For squash:
1 Red Kuri squash
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, coarsely torn
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
To finish:
½ cup half & half
½ cup grated Pecorino cheese
½ bunch Lacinato kale, ribs removed and greens roughly torn into bite-sized pieces
1 pound bucatini pasta
Farm & Larder mushroom confit
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Scrub squash well and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and attached pulp; cut each half lengthwise again, then slice crosswise into ¾-inch thick slices.
2. In a small bowl, mix melted butter with honey. Arrange the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush each piece with the butter and honey, reserving half of the mixture. Season the squash with salt and pepper and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add the fresh sage to the remaining butter-honey mixture. Remove the squash from the oven and turn them with tongs. Brush each piece with the butter mixture, season again with salt and pepper, and return to the oven, uncovered for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente, about 8 minutes, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid. During the last minute of cooking, add the kale to blanch. Drain.
4. Combine the pasta and kale in a large serving bowl with half & half and Pecorino, adding pasta cooking liquid as needed to create a loose sauce. Add the squash slices and confit, toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed, and top with an extra grating of Pecorino cheese.
Seasonal Green Salad with Apples, Blue Cheese & Pecans
This fresh salad combines peppery greens and crisp apples slices and is finished with a light Champagne apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
½ pound mixed greens
1 apple, cored and thinly-sliced
½ cup crumbled Westward blue cheese
½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon minced shallot
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a large mixing bowl, toss mixed greens with the apple slices.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine vinegars, honey and shallot, then whisk in olive oil to combine. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad greens, tossing to combine. Top salad with crumbled blue cheese, toasted pecans and a twist or two of fresh ground pepper if desired.
Sautéed Turnip Greens Topped with Olive Oil Fried Eggs
Topped with eggs, this scrumptious dish makes for a fantastic breakfast!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 pound turnip greens, cleaned and chopped
¼ cup water
Pinch brown sugar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Olive-Oil Fried Eggs (see recipe)
Method:
1. Drizzle olive oil into medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Then add half of the turnip greens. Allow to cook down and add the remainder of the greens, and cook, tossing occasionally, until fully wilted.
3. Add water, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Adjust the amount of red pepper to your personal taste. To serve, top each helping of greens with a fried egg.
Summer Slaw
This zippy coleslaw is incredibly crisp and fresh, with cabbage, cucumber and scallions.
Ingredients:
2 heads mini cabbage, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
3 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2-3 tablespoons high-quality mayonnaise
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Combine the sliced cabbage, cucumbers, almonds, sesame seeds, basil, and scallions in a large bowl. Mix together.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, ginger, and mayonnaise. Season with salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until smooth.
3. Pour most, but not all, of the dressing over the cabbage mixture, and toss until lightly coated with the dressing. Taste, and add more dressing or seasoning as desired.
Maple Blueberry Butter
Transform traditional waffles or pancakes with a pat of this seasonal butter.
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh blueberries
6 tablespoons good-quality maple syrup
1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
Method:
1. Combine the blueberries and syrup in a small, heavy-bottomed pan. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or so until blueberries are softened. Remove from the heat, smash some of the berries up with a fork, and allow to cool down to room temperature.
2. Once the berry mixture is cool, process the mixture and the butter together in a food processor (stopping to scrape the sides down as necessary) until well-combined. Serve immediately with waffles or pancakes; the butter also keeps for at least a week in the fridge or for several months if wrapped and stored in the freezer.
Purple String Beans with Caramelized Sweet Onions
These beautiful beans are tossed with flavorful onions and fresh parsley.
Ingredients:
1 pound purple string beans, trimmed
½ Walla Walla sweet onion, chopped
2-3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup freshly-chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil. Drop in the beans, cook briefly until just tender, approximately 1 minute. Remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the beans from cooking any longer. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, add the butter and onions, cooking over low heat until onions are tender and caramelized. Add the beans, turn heat to high and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the parsley.
Roasted Green Garlic
Roasting these garlic bulbs brings out its lovely springtime sweetness.
Ingredients:
Green garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Heat oven to 375°. Trim the green garlic, removing the roots and dark green stalk. Lay the trimmed garlic in a baking pan or on aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt.
2. Cover the green garlic with foil and roast it for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting until garlic is tender and browned, about 15 minutes.