Lots of wonderful produce being ripening and ready for market now. It feels like spring!
Gaytan Family Farm
Strawberries
Onion bags
Celery
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Spinach
Romaine Lettuce
Red Leaf Lettuce
Beets
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Focaccia is a fun bread to make. It is reasonably quick, and can be flavored many ways. If you don’t have hemp seeds, just leave them off.
Meyer Lemon Focaccia with Hemp Seeds and Herbs
From 101 Cookbooks. Serves 10.
Ingredients
400g/3 cups strong white bread flour
100 g / 3/4 cup rye flour—you can use different flours if you choose
1 packet fast-acting instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 cloves chopped garlic
3 tablespoons hemp seeds, (optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 1/2 cups / 350 ml warm water (~120F)
2 Meyer lemons, sliced razor thin
15 black olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup slices almonds
Directions
Combine the flours, yeast, salt, olive oil, garlic, hemp seeds, and half of the rosemary and thyme in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a work surface and knead for five minutes or so, until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Rub the dough with a bit of olive oil, and return to a clean bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm cozy place until doubled - 45 minutes, to an hour-ish.
Preheat your oven to 400F, rack in the middle.
You can bake the focaccia in a (8x12 or larger) pan or free form on a baking sheet. Tip the dough into baking pan, and deflate with flat hands. Arrange the lemons, olives, and almonds on top, and cover with a tea towel again. Leave to rise for another 20-30 minutes, until the dough is nice and puffy. At this point, use your finger to press deep holes into the dough. Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with any remaining rosemary and thyme, and bake for thirty minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for a bit before cutting and serving. Sprinkle with a bit more salt if needed.
This recipe makes use of this season’s best: sugar snap peas, cilantro, and carrots. I think it will become a favorite, and is easily changed with other veggies.
Sugar Snap Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles
From Cookie and Kate. Serves 6.
Ingredients
6 ounces soba noodles (or spaghetti noodles of choice)
2 cups edamame (frozen organic)
10 ounces sugar pea (or snow peas)
6 carrots (medium-sized, peeled)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 2 handfuls)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil (quality, or extra-virgin olive oil)
1 lime (small, juiced)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey (or agave nectar)
1 tablespoon white miso
2 teaspoons ginger (freshly grated)
1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce (or sriracha)
Directions
To prepare the vegetables: Use a chef’s knife to slice the peas in half lengthwise (or just roughly chop them). Slice the carrots into long, thin strips with a julienne peeler, or slice them into ribbons with a vegetable peeler.
To make the sauce: whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified. Set aside.
Bring two big pots of water to a boil. In the meantime, toast the sesame seeds: Pour the sesame seeds into a small pan. Toast for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, until the seeds are turning golden and starting to make popping noises.
Once the pots of water are boiling: In one pot, cook the soba noodles just until al dente, according to package directions (probably about 5 minutes), then drain and briefly rinse under cool water. Cook the frozen edamame in the other pot until warmed through (about 4 to 6 minutes) but before draining, toss the halved peas into the boiling edamame water and cook for an additional 20 seconds. Drain.
Combine the soba noodles, edamame, snap peas and carrots in a large serving bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss with salad servers. Toss in the chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve.
Absurdly Addictive Asparagus
From Food 52. Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces on the bias
1 ¼ cups leek, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1-2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
In a large non-stick pan, sauté pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and leek and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts and parsley and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.
This orange cake is slightly bitter and marmalade like. Flavor is more complex than just sweet.
Sunset’s Whole Orange Cake
From Food 52, via Sunset Magazine. 12 servings.
Ingredients
2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar
3 large eggs
2 oranges (about 1 pound/450g), ends trimmed, then cut into chunks and seeds removed
2 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups (185g) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice, from half an orange
Directions
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) with a rack positioned in the center. Butter a 10-cup (2.37L) Bundt pan. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one.
Pulse orange chunks in a food processor until mostly smooth but not completely puréed. Spoon out 1 1/2 cups (355ml) of the pulpy orange mixture and add to the batter, then beat until blended. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and beat just until smooth. Scrapte the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake until the cake is risen and firm to the touch, and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with just crumbs clinging, about 55 minutes. Cool the pan on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely.
Whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. Once the cake is cool, spoon the glaze over the top. Let the glaze set, then slice cake and serve. Store any leftovers airtight at room temperature.
If you love the bright, rich flavor of lemon curd but feel guilty eating it by the spoonful, here is a good substitute. This recipe is easier to make and produces a lighter smoother cream.
Tartine Bakery’s Lemon Cream
From Food 52. Makes about 2½ cups.
Ingredients
½ cup 2 tablespoons lemon juice (Meyer or regular)
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup unsalted butter
Directions
Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
Combine the lemon juice, whole eggs, yolk, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel bowl that will rest securely in the rim of a saucepan over, not touching, the water. (Never let the egg yolks and sugar sit together for more than a moment without stirring; the sugar will cook the yolks and turn them granular.) Place the bowl over the saucepan and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180° F on a thermometer. This will take 10 to 12 minutes. If you don't have or trust your thermometer, don't worry. It should thicken to the point that your whisk leaves a trail through the curd.
Remove the bowl from over the water and let cool to 140° F, stirring from time to time to release the heat.
Meanwhile, cut butter into 1-tablespoon (15-ml) pieces. When the cream is ready, leave it in the bowl if using an immersion blender, or pour it into a countertop blender. With the blender running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until incorporated before adding the next piece. The cream will be pale yellow and opaque and quite thick.
You can use the cream immediately, or pour it into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To use after refrigeration, if necessary, gently heat in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water until it has softened, whisking constantly.
This is unusual and memorable. Give it a try!
Oranges with Olive Oil and Chocolate
From Food 52. Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
6 navel oranges or oranges of choice
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 ounces dark chocolate (I like 70-72% cacao)
3/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt or more, to taste
Directions
Use a sharp knife to remove the peel, pith, and all of the white membrane from each orange as follows: Cut a generous slice from the end of one orange to expose a round of bare fruit about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Repeat with the other end. Set the orange, one of the cut end's down, on the cutting board. Starting at the top edge of the rind, follow the contour of the fruit as you cut downward with a very short sawing stroke to remove a wide strip of rind pith, and membrane. Continue around the fruit, removing as much membrane as possible without wasting too much fruit. Repeat with the remaining oranges, saving any juices from the cutting board.
Slice the oranges thinly and arrange the slice, slightly overlapping, on a serving platter. Pour any collected orange juices over the slices and then drizzle with the olive oil. Using the coarse holes on your box or flat grater, grate the chocolate over the oranges and then sprinkle them with the salt. You can pass the olive oil bottle and salt—and even the chunk of chocolate and grater—around at the table, if you like.
Jeni’s Splendid Lemon Cream Ice Cream
From Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Makes about 1 quart.
Ingredients
Lemon Syrup
2 to 3 lemons
tablespoons sugar
Ice Cream Base
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Zest of 2 lemons (reserved from above)
Directions
Prep for the lemon syrup: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 2 of the lemons in large strips; reserve. Halve the lemons and squeeze enough juice to make 1/2 cup. Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and refrigerate until chilled. This won't be a very thick syrup.
Prep for the ice cream base: Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
Cook: Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, corn syrup, and lemon zest in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes -- watch it closely and stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't boil over. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Chill: Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
Freeze: Remove the lemon zest. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and turn on the machine. Pour the lemon syrup through the opening in the top of the machine, and continue to spin the ice cream until thick and creamy.
Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, about 4 hours.