Below is a sharing of favorite recipes as well as substitutions for ingredients not found locally. Please contact
info@eatlocalfood.org if you have a recipe or substitution to share.
Substitutions:
Sugar - Maple Syrup, honey
Fats for saute - saved animal fat
Olive Oil - Clarified Butter (Ghee)
Rice - Soaked Whole Grains
Lime juice (citrus) - apple cider vinegar
Recipe Resource Suggestions:
Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book - "great resource for whole grain baking" (Kris Kerr)
Orange County Bounty - "great local foods cookbook". It can be purchased online for $21.62 (includes tax) at www.WallkillRiverSchool.com or through Phillies Bridge Farm.
Blog link to a fellow locavore with many delicious 100% local recipes - http://laurentamrazjudson.wordpress.com/
Recipes:
Spring Dandelion Greens and potatoes:
Passed on by Kim Kimble -
Mash potatoes with olive oil, incorporate cooked dandelion greens, top with bread crumbs, bake.
One thing that is unusual in this dish is that the amount of potatoes and the amount of greens are equal; each one pound. The oil is significant, but we all know that what makes mashed potatoes really good is fat. Use the best olive oil you have.
Even the youngest, mildest dandelion greens, among the first edible greens of spring, are bitter. To tame them a bit, blanch them in well-salted boiling water. You can use the same water as you used for the potatoes; I do. They're also tamed by the potato itself and, since even the most flavorful potato is pretty bland, the dish works both ways.
The greens and potatoes are mashed together with the olive oil, topped with homemade bread crumbs, drizzled with a bit more olive oil and baked until golden brown. At which point, regardless of your national heritage, you will devour them.
Baking Bread with Whole Grains (Courtesy of Lagusta Yearwood, www.lagustasluscious.com)
I recently got some flour from Wild Hive Farm - so exciting! It's really lovely and fresh-tasting - it makes me realize how old most of the flour we're used to is! All of their flours are whole grain, however, and this got me worrying that people are going to buy their flour, replace 1-for-1 it with the white flour they have been using, not like the result, and give up, so here are my ideas on the subject.
Whole grain flour is of course excellent from a health standpoint but the fact is that we are used to baked goods with all or at least most refined flour, and making the switch from 100% white flour to 100% whole grain can be difficult - even the "whole grain" bread you can buy is made with some refined flour, because 100% whole grain bread sits in the stomach like a brick. I know that, as a professional chef, if I gave my clients 100% whole grain baked goods they would revolt. So, I've been mixing the soft wheat flour from Wild Hive with regular unbleached all-purpose flour in about a 75%-80% white flour to 25%-20% whole grain flour ratio - it works well for breads and other baked goods, even pie crust. It wouldn't work so well with most cakes or other very light recipes, but you can almost always sneak at least some whole wheat (or whole spelt, or whole triticale, all of which WHF carries) flour into practically everything.
Also - because they are whole grains they are more prone to rancidity, so be sure to store them in the basement, fridge, or freezer!
Almost all-local Pancake/Waffle Mix (Richards' family favorite).
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup dark brown organic sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Wisk or sift together. Store in airtight container. Add milk, eggs and/or water to reach desired consistancy. We add seasonal fruits too. Enjoy!
Almost all-local Biscuit Mix (Richard's family favorite).
2 cups spelt
2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
6 to 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Wisk together dry ingredients. Work in butter with fingertips until butter particles are no longer visible. To store batter, divide evenly into three aritight containers. Refrigerate for up to one month. For quick bisquits, blend in 2/3 cup milk (to 1/3 the batter recipe oabove), roll to 1/2 inch thickness, cut into 2 inch circles. Bake at 425 for 12 to 15 minutes.
Holly’s Summer Polenta with Greens
This is an ideal summer dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner with polenta on the bottom and greens with cheese on top.
For the polenta:
1 Cup coarse cornmeal or polenta
4 C water or chicken/vegetable stock
½ stick of good butter
bunch of scallions diced (you can use any onions for this)
a bunch of basil chopped fine
¼ teaspoon salt- more to taste
Bring water and salt to the boil, add polenta and bring to a simmer and wisk constantly until water is absorbed and its thick.(this could take 20 minutes for cornmeal, 45 minutes for wild hive polenta)Taste for texture- it should be soft. When it's the texture you like, add butter, scallions, basil or cilantro and salt then stir to mix. When butter is melted and incorporated, taste and adjust salt if desired. Pour into a shallow baking dish and set aside.
For the greens:
You can keep it raw and use a variety salad greens and scallions along with whatever is in season- or saute greens. If sauteeing, use 3 bunches of cooking greens- (washed and still wet) my favorites are kale, collards, and broccoli.
1 onion + 5 cloves of garlic or scapes
Butter or ghee for saute
Local cheese of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in butter until fragrant, then add your bite sized greens, stir and cover. Sprinkle salt to taste and some extra scallions. If using salad, wash and dry your greens, add scallions + any other veggies you like and make dressing below.
Dressing: Combine 1 C yogurt + handful of basil or cilantro, 1/4 red onion or scallions in a blender with a pinch of salt.
Toss dressing with salad and spoon right on top of polenta and shave or crumble your favorite cheese.
Enjoy! (c) Holly Anne Shelowitz, Certified Nutrition Counselor www.nourishingwisdom.com
Local Summer Slaw (Courtesy of © Holly Anne Shelowitz, Certified Nutrition Counselor www.nourishingwisdom.com )
I love this recipe, its crunchy and full of flavor- perfect as a summer side dish with everything. Its also great sautéed in butter or olive oil and included in your breakfast eggs. This recipe is a great way to use turnips and zucchini in a new way.
1 bunch bok choy leaves and stems, cleaned and sliced thin
2 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini diced
2 turnips grated
1 bunch cilantro or basil chopped fine
4-5 scallions chopped fine
2 unripe peaches or other firm fruit cut into small pieces
sea salt to taste
4 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
5 T olive oil
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (there are local producers of mustard)
Mix all veggies in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine salt, vinegar, mustard and olive oil, mix and pour over veggies. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Green Noodles with Cattail Pollen (courtesy of www.shawangunkridgefarm.com, Halyna Shelpko)
1 1/4 cup chopped ---nettles, spinach, lamb's quarters or dandelion leaves
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 1/4 cup white flour mixed with cattail pollen (if available) for protein
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions: 1. Combine greens and water in a saucepan, cover, and cook until very tender. 2. Place greens in blender. Blend until smooth. 3. Put flour and salt into a bowl and make small indentation in the middle. 4. Beat the egg lightly and pour it into the indentation. 5. Mix egg with the flour while adding the greens slowly. Mix. Do not add water. Add more eggs if too dry, more flour if too sticky. Roll out and cut into strips or put through noodle maker. Hang to dry (we can never wait that long) or put into a pot of boiling water cook until done.
Sauce: Garlic Mustard Pesto 2 cups garlic mustard, lamb's quarters, basil, chickweed, violet leaves 1/2 stick melted butter (for all local meal) or olive oil for not 1/3 cup grated hard cheese add crushed garlic and salt to taste Put all in a blender
Lotsa Local Greens! (Courtesy of © Holly Anne Shelowitz, Certified Nutrition Counselor www.nourishingwisdom.com )
This dish is the perfect solution to the abundant harvest from the farm. Its wonderful with Paneer- an Indian cheese that is really simple to make. *The original recipe I created calls for garam masala (an Indian spice- not local, so I eliminated it) and lime juice which I replaced with apple cider vinegar.
2 Cups broccoli or 1 bunch chopped leafy greens
1 additional large bunch greens of any kind
1 large bunch scallions- chopped
5 T garlic- minced
2 large tomatoes (optional)
1/2 C water
3T butter
1 C fresh cilantro or parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tsp red chilies or other local hot pepper
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Warm skillet over med-high heat, melt butter. Add scallions, lower heat and saute until golden brown- 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, tomato and red chilies and saute 5-7 minutes more. Meanwhile, in a large pot, add washed greens and broccoli, 1/2 C cilantro, salt and water. Cook until vegetables are wilted- 10 minutes. Remove from heat. SAVE THE LIQUID!! Using tongs, lift out the greens and transfer to food processor. Puree thoroughly. Return puréed vegetables to same pot with liquid, add cooked onion mixture, stir and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, cider vinegar and remaining cilantro and stir. Fold in paneer (Indian cheese) taste and adjust seasonings.
Chenna and Paneer: Chenna and Paneer is Indian cheese. Chenna is not as firm and used in desserts, paneer is more like the texture of tofu. It's really simple to make and tastes so delicious!
Prepare the strainer and cheesecloth while the milk is heating so you are ready. **Double this recipe if you are planning on making both the greens with paneer dish AND the dessert. Make it in 2 pots so you can use half for each dish. Chenna/Paneer recipe yields 1 1/2 Cups
2 quarts whole milk
3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (you can use cider vinegar instead)
In a large heavy saucepan, slowly bring the milk to a rolling boil, stirring often to prevent sticking. remove from heat and stir in 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Return pan to low heat and stir gently until white curds separate from yellowish liquid whey. If this doesn't happen in 20 seconds, add more lemon juice/vinegar. Pour mixture into a strainer lined with double folded cheesecloth. Let drain 5 minutes, and now you have chenna. You can keep it simple and drizzle with honey and enjoy! The traditional recipe says: add some pistachios, ¾ teaspoon orange rind, ½ teaspoon each of cardamom and cinnamon and a few Tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice, mix together and you have a delicious dessert!
Paneer- To make paneer, the chenna must be pressed to form a shallow block- think the shape of tofu. With the cheesecloth wrapped around the chenna, flatten it with your hands and push in the sides to make a square. Place a heavy weight on top- we used a small pot of water. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes -1 hour. The longer it is pressed the firmer the cheese. After you make the cheese, proceed to making the saag paneer recipe.
Creme Fraiche (courtesy of the Richards Family)
When you need a thickener with the tanginess of creme fraiche, make your own using the recipe below. Add it to just about any steamed vegetable. Try steaming, then mashing to create a delicious puree.
Makes 2 cups:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
Stir the cream and buttermilk. Cover and leave in warm place until thick, about 24 hours. It can be kept, well covered, in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Garlic Paste
Make in advance and use to spread on breads or whisk into vegetables or dollop on top.
Garlic
Herbs of choice
Work peeled garlic into paste using traditional mortar and pestle or with a food processor. Combine with fresh herbs of choice.
