Radish and Pesto Crostini

INGREDIENTS

1 baquette, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of garlic scape, basil or cilantro pesto (see basic pesto recipe)

1 bunch or radishes (or turnips), thinly sliced

Coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400. Brush baquette slices on both sides with olive oil. Bake on cookie sheet until golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes per side.

Slather a bit of pesto on each slice of baguette, arrange a few slices of radish or turnip. Sprinkle with sea salt. Yum, perfect appetizer or side dish.

 

Anise Hyssop Ideas

Anise Hyssop

General Use:

The leaves and flowers are edible and can be used to sweeten and flavor tea or quickbreads and muffins (add 1/2 cup chopped fresh flowers or leaves). Anise hyssop has a licorice/minty  flavor and the profusion of blooms throughout the summer make it an ideal perennial, edible flower and great for bees and hummingbirds.

Anise Hyssop Sugar Drop Cookies

1/3 cup anise hyssop florets removed from stem

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Lightly oil or line cookie sheets with parchment.
  3. Chop florets fine.
  4. Beat eggs.
  5. Add sugar, anise hyssop and vanilla. Mix well.   
  6. Add flour, baking powder and salt to egg mixture.
  7. Mix thoroughly.
  8. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto lined cookie sheets, spacing well apart.
  9. Bake till they begin to color (about 12 to 15 minutes).

 

 

 

    Braised Hakurei Turnips

     

     

    6 Hakurei turnips, tops removed (save and throw in a stir fry)
    2 cups cold water
    3/4 cup mirin
    1/4 cup white soy sauce

     

     

    Trim turnips and peel with a vegetable peeler. 
    (1) Cut the turnips into sixths and
    (2) place them in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients.
    (3) Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook very slowly for about 15 minutes, or until just tender. Let cool to room temperature in the braising liquid, then drain and serve, great with steamed or roasted fish.

    Braised Radishes

    INGREDIENTS

    1 bunch of radishes or turnips, tops trimmed to 1 inch above roots

    1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil

    1 tablespoon sugar or honey

    1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

     ground black pepper to taste

    DIRECTIONS

    Place the radishes in a large skillet and add just enough cold water to cover, about 1 to 1 1/4 cup.  Add the butter or oil, sweetener, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.

    Reduce heat to simmer until the radishes are tender when pricked and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, about 5 - 12 minutes.

    If the radishes are tender, but the liquid hasn't reduced sufficiently, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving dish and continue reducing the liquid. Spoon it over the radishes and serve with buttered crusty bread.

     

     

    Rhubarb Salsa

    Ingredients:

    Rhubarb (10 stalks cooked)

    Small tomato

    Small onion

    Celery (2 stalks)

    Hot peppers (a few slices)

    Garlic (2 cloves)

    Lemon juice/lime juice (to taste)

     

    Directions:

    Simmer chopped rhubarb in small amount of water in sauce pan until soft. Finely chop all other ingredients. Once rhubarb is cooled, combine all ingredients together and let chill in refrigerator. 

    Green Salad Dressing

     

    Ingredients

    ½ cup plain yogurt (SideHill is our favorite!)
    2 Tbsp oil or mayonnaise
    ¼ cup chopped parsley, basil, arugula, chives, spinach and/or cilantro
    1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
    ¼ tsp salt
    a squeeze of garlic

     

    Directions

    Place all ingredients in a food processor and whirl until smooth. Serve over grain or green salad. 

     

    Tamarisk Farm Rhubarb Cake

    The Backstory:

    Dan and I travelled through Europe, working on organic farms through an organization now called World Wide Workers on Organic Farms. We were extremely lucky to land at Tamarisk Farm in West Bexington, England, on what is known as the "Jurassic Coast" looking out over the channel and the chesil beach. The farm operated on the "hamper or basket system" - basically, a lovely name for a CSA, where your share of the harvest would be ready for you in a basket.  This recipe comes from Josephine Pearse, a wise farmer, we worked for there.

    Cooking note: She used, and I use, truly sour milk. The milk that Farmer Dan says is un-usable because it curdled in his coffee. You can use regular milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice added, buttermilk or kefir and all work well (and Food Safe might prefer this).

    TAMARISK FARM RHUBARB CAKE

    3 cups finely chopped rhubarb

    1 egg

    1 cup sour milk

    1/2 cup olive oil, butter or coconut oil

    1 cup brown sugar or sucanat

    2 cups whole wheat or whole spelt flour

    1 tsp baking soda

    1/2 tsp salt

    1 tsp or more of cinnamon

    turbinado sugar mixed with additional cinnamon (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350. Mix egg, oil, sour milk, brown sugar and rhubarb well. Add dry ingredients on top. Mix gently with spatula until dry ingredients are just incorporated. Pour into greased 9 x 13" pan (or make into muffins). Sprinkle turbinado sugar and cinnamon mix on top for a shiny, sweeter cake. Bake cake for approximately 30-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out without any flour on it (you may see a little soft rhubarb on toothpick and this is fine). 

     

     

     

     

    Ratatouille

    This recipe comes from one of Brookfield Farm's first apprentices, Nicole, who brought the recipe home from southern France. It is a great July dish, as usually all of the vegetables are available. Serve alongside bread and cheese for a complete meal.

    2 T olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 bell peppers, cubed
    1 medium zucchini or squash, cubed
    1 eggplant, cubed
    3 tomatoes, chopped
    1 clove of garlic (i like to add more)
    fresh parsley, oregano, basil

     

    Saute the onion, garlic and pepper until soft; stir in eggplant and squash; add tomatos and seasoning; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Voila! Serves 6.

    Search terms: Soup, summer, dinner, one pot meal,

    Tomato Corn Chowder

    Ingredients:

    3 scallions
    1 tsp oregano and thyme
    4 paste tomatoes, diced
    1/4 cup flour
    1 cup cream
    2 cups fresh corn kernels
    1/4 cup parsley

     

    Fresh Brookfield sweet corn and paste tomatoes will make for an especially tasty soup!! Saute scallions with oregano and thyme over medium heat until browned. Add tomatoes, then 4 cups of water. Lower the heat and simmer 30 minutes covered. Mix flour and cream (watch for lumps!) and add to soup. Simmer and add corn kernels, pepper and parsley. Simmer 15 minutes uncovered and enjoy!

    Savory Scallion Biscuits

    Ingredients:

    1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
    1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
    2 tsp. baking powder
    1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
    1/2 cup minced scallions
    1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
    1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

     

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flours. Sprinkle in the baking powder and salt, and stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, yogurt, scallions, dill, and pepper. Blend the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture quickly and thoroughly to form a soft dough.

    On a floured board or countertop, pat the dough into a 3/4 inch-thick circle and cut it into eight wedges. Separate the wedges and place them on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean. Serves 8.

    From Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

    Asian Style Spinach Salad

    Ingredients:

    1 pound fresh spinach (1 large bunch) washed and stems trimmed

    Dressing:
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
    1/4 cup choppped scallions
    1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
    2 Tbsp. lime juice
    2 Tbsp. soy sauce
    1 tsp. sugar
    1/8 tsp. sesame oil
    1/4 cup peanut oil

     

    Place spinach leaves in a large salad bowl. Thoroughly combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add oil in a steady stream, processing until well blended. Toss dressing with spinach, garnish with mint leaves and/or peanuts and serve. Serves 4.

    From:More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden

    Kohlrabi with Apples and Creamy Mustard Dressing

    Ingredients:

    1/2 cup heavy cream
    2 tbsp lemon juice
    1 tbsp coarse grained mustard
    3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
    1/2 tsp sugar
    1 Granny Smith apple
    2 lb kohlrabi, peeled and cut into strips

     

    In a bowl, whisk the cream until it holds soft peaks, and whisk in the lemon juice, the mustard, the parsley, the sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the kohlrabi strips and the apple, peeled, cored, and diced, and combine the salad well. 

    From our friends at Riverland Farm

    Sauteed Kohlrabi

    Ingredients:

    2 kohlrabi, 3 if small
    1 medium onion, diced
    1 tsp salt
    4 tbsp oil
    1 tbsp fresh herbs (thyme, sage, chives, etc.)

     

    Grate kohlrabi, place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to drain. Heat oil, add onions, and sauté a few minutes over medium heat. Stir in kohlrabi, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.

    Kohlrabi and Carrot Slaw

     

    Dressing:
    2 Tbsp. very finely chopped onion
    1/2 cup low fat sour cream
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
    2 Tbsp lemon juice
    2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
    2 Tbsp chopped parsley
    pepper to taste

    1 1/2 lbs kohlrabi, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)
    2 medium carrots, shredded

     

    In a bowl, combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Add kohlrabi and carrots and toss. Servces 4-6.

    From: More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden