Monthly Archives: April 2016

Artichokes – Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta

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artichoke

Last year I planted a few artichoke seeds. For various reasons, only one plant survived. I think it may have to do with the potting soil I used. Most of the seedlings planted that year sprouted just fine, but fizzled out after only growing a few inches. I transferred many to larger pots with different soil and most perked up and flourished. For some reason, the lone artichoke didn’t. It survived all summer long in the larger pot, but never put out more then four or five leaves.

Finally in the fall when I was moving plants back into the greenhouse, I decided to drop that little artichoke into my herb garden on the south side of the house. I noticed it started looking better, but didn’t give it any extra care. I just let nature do the watering. I did mulch it and hoped that it wouldn’t be hit by frost. It survived and thrived all winter. In the spring, it shot up and really started adding leaves.

A month ago I noticed it had a flower head forming. I picked the artichoke last weekend. It was the size of my fist. I was so jazzed – I have never grown and harvested an artichoke before. I showed it to David and even he was impressed. He asked to see the plant, so I brought him around to the back of the house and showed him. He couldn’t believe that huge thistle-like plant had been there all this time. He was mostly amazed that he hadn’t taken a machete and chopped it down. Sometimes I’m thankful when he doesn’t try to help me.

That night the artichoke and my new vegetable spiralizer inspired our dinner.

Med Veg

Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, julienne-cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. dry white wine*
1 artichoke, cleaned and sliced thinly
1/4 c. Kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
1 Tbsp. capers
2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
4 small zucchini squash
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté the onions and a pinch each of salt and pepper over low heat until they begin to turn light brown, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add white wine, artichoke, olives, tomatoes and spices. Simmer on very low heat while preparing the zucchini squash.

I used the spiralizer to cut thin strips of the squash. Without a spiralizer, just slice the squash as thinly as possible. Bring a pot of water with about 2 tsp. of salt to a boil. Add the squash “pasta” and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Back to the sauce, add Parmesan cheese and butter. Stir and remove from heat. Drain the “pasta” and serve with the vegetable sauce. I garnished with crumbled goat cheese and chopped fresh basil.

*I used a dry Noon-day Onion wine created by a winery in Rusk. I’ve sold them grapes in the past and had bought the onion wine because it was such a novelty. Maydelle makes several unique wines. It was excellent in the sauce and it had just a hint of onion flavor.

Buttery cracker-crumb fish filets with green beans and potatoes

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fish, greenbean, potatoes

Now that my vineyard is pruned, I’m enjoying the growth spurt produced by each spur on the lateral cordon. I often think about the old wives’ tale that states “A thunderstorm in February means a frost on the same date in April.” That had me concerned because on February 19 of this year, marked for reference on my calendar, Rains County had a very strong storm with lots of thunder. I certainly don’t want to upset any “old wives,” but I am relieved to see that today, April 19, there will not be a killing frost. I’m hopeful this will be a good year for grapes.

I continued planting seedlings in my garden. I have now added pepper, tomatillo, eggplant and melon plants. I’m waiting to sow the finer seeds like carrots and radishes because I fear the rains this week will simply wash them away.

Before the vineyard, I had always planted my garden by mid-April. It seems that now I am always running behind.

I made a tasty fish dinner on Friday with fresh green beans and potatoes. The flavorful green-bean side was the best part.

Buttery Cracker-crusted Fish Filets
1 lb. fish filets
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. crushed crackers
1 pinch each salt and pepper

Combine lemon juice and melted butter. Stir together cracker crumbs (I used townhouse crackers and oyster crackers), salt and pepper. Coat each filet in the lemony-butter mixture and dredge in seasoned cracker crumbs.

Place on a lightly-greased baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes or until done.

Green beans and Caramelized Onions
2 bunches of green beans
1-1/2 large onions, julienned
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic, minced
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. almonds, toasted

Cook the onions in olive oil on low heat, seasoning with salt and pepper. After about 20 minutes they will turn a lovely caramel-brown color. Add cleaned green beans and garlic.

Cook for about 5 minutes and then add chicken broth, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Cover with a lid and turn the heat as low as it will go. Let the beans cook for about 15-20 minutes more. Garnish with toasted almonds.

Microwave Potato Slices
Slice 4-5 small red potatoes, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. parsley, minced

Place potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and toss with salt and pepper. Cook covered on high in the microwave for 4 minutes. Remove, stir and place pieces of butter on top. Cover and microwave for 4-5 minutes more or until done. Garnish with parsley.

Locally-grown, vine-ripened greenhouse tomatoes

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tomatoes

Last week I visited a local farm store on RCR 3410. I was there about a tractor, but also purchased 5 lbs. of beautifully ripened red tomatoes. They were grown locally in a greenhouse. My own tomatoes won’t be producing soon and I just couldn’t resist those.

The tomatoes were meaty and sweet – perhaps they seemed better than usual because it’s been so long (November?) since I had a real naturally vine-ripened tomato. David and I ate tomatoes every day of the week in salads and sandwiches. It also encouraged me to get my own tomato seedlings into the ground. I planted 52 tomato plants over the weekend. I like tomatoes, okay?

I started the plants from seeds, planting Big Boy, Roma, San Marzano and Rutgers. I will buy a couple of cherry and yellow pear tomato plants soon – just to round out the offering. I’m looking forward to transplanting the rest of my seedlings – eggplant, tomatillo, melon, okra and pepper plants.

With the last two tomatoes and my own home-grown asparagus, I pulled together a savory quiche for Sunday night’s dinner. It wasn’t a quickly pulled together meal, but David agreed it was worth the wait.

Quiche

Asparagus, Tomato and Bacon Quiche
6 slices bacon
1 onion, sliced
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 c. Greek yogurt
4 eggs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. flour
1 Tbsp. Fat-free Half-and-Half
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 medium-sized tomatoes
1 pie shell

On the stove top, cook bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Saute onion and asparagus stems in about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease. Save the asparagus tops to add to the quiche later. They are tender and do not need to be pre-cooked.

In a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, eggs, Parmesan cheese, flour, milk, onion and garlic powder, salt and hot sauce until smooth.

Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add to the onion and asparagus stems. Scoop that mixture into the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle cheddar cheese (I used white and orange cheddar) over the vegetables and pour the yogurt-egg mixture into the shell.

Slice tomatoes thinly, about 1/4 inch thick. Gently dip one side into the yogurt egg mixture and flip them over and lay on top. You want them to be thinly coated. Place the quiche on a sheet pan and cook in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until set. I ended up cooking for a total of 55 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Quick Pie Crust
2/3 c. shortening, really cold
2 c. flour
1 pinch salt
6-7 Tbsp. icy-cold water

Using a pastry cutter – or fork tines – cut the shortening, flour and salt until pea-sized crumbles form.

Add the water 2 Tbsp. at a time and continue to work the dough. I usually only add 6 Tbsp. and by then the dough can be squeezed into a ball. Wrap that ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using.

Really cold shortening and icy-cold water are the keys to getting a light and flaky crust.

Grilled Meatball Gyros

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meatball gyro

I think my right forearm may be larger than the left, but I’m relieved to finally be finished pruning in the vineyard. It is satisfying to see that job completed, however my favorite time in the vineyard is when the little shoots bud out and are 4-6 inches tall. That sea of green on the vines after the long dormant season makes my heart swell with joy. It is a promise fulfilled.

All around the county, shrubs are blooming with early spring colors. On Sunday, I visited the Scarbrough’s place for Emory Blooms. The azaleas were stunning pops of color along the paths that led through the wooded property. That was my second visit to their property and once again, I struggle to find the right words to describe the experience. Words like peaceful, serene and tranquil come first. Then, knowing how hard I work to achieve just a bit of beauty at my own place, I think industrious, ingenious and meticulous should also be included. Regardless, the place is magnificent, brilliant and incredibly impressive.

Afterwards I weeded a few of my own flower beds. They are less than impressive, but it felt good. I cleaned up one area and discovered that a peach-colored iris is getting ready to bloom. I received the plant in the mid-90s as a birthday gift. Those rhizomes traveled with us when we moved to Colorado and then back again to Texas. It’s amazing that the ugly roots have such resilience – another promise fulfilled.

With that note, I better get back to this column’s purpose – food. After enjoying the beautiful day, I wanted dinner to be light and flavorful with lots of fresh herbs. I had thawed ground beef and pork and planned on making meat loaf. Somehow that no longer interested me. We’ll have meat loaf another day. Instead I used part of the pork to make meatballs for gyros with tzatziki sauce. I strongly recommend homemade pita bread. Gyros are great, but the fresh pita made it excellent.

Grilled Pork Meatballs
1 lb. ground lamb, beef or pork
1/2 c. onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c. feta cheese crumbled
1 egg, whisked

Combine all ingredients and roll into balls. I made 20. Spear 4 meatballs each onto metal skewers. Refrigerate while the grill heats up and make the pita dough.

Pita Dough
1 pkg. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 c. warm water
4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Let it sit while the yeast blooms. Then add 2 cups of the flour and stir. Add the salt, the rest of the flour and olive oil.

Stir until it becomes difficult and then use your hand. Knead by scooping the dough from the far side of the bowl and folding it over. Just try it, it will make sense. Add a little flour if it is too sticky to work, but not more than half a cup. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rest.

Now that the grill is hot, turn to medium heat and grill the skewered meatballs about 4 minutes on each side. I used both a spatula and tongs to flip them over. When done, remove and cover with foil while making the tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce
1 c. yogurt
3/4 c. cucumber, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until dinner. At least 30 minutes in the fridge will help the flavors meld together. While that happens, roll out and bake the pita bread.

The recipe makes about a dozen small pitas. Just divide the dough and roll out on a floured surface while preheating an oven to 350 degrees. I placed 3 pitas at a time on a lightly greased baking sheet and cooked for 5 minutes on each side.
When ready to serve, heat a small amount of olive oil in a hot skillet and toast the pitas on each side. We only used a couple, so I stored the rest in a plastic bag and refrigerated for another day.

I served each toasted pita with chopped lettuce and tomato, meatballs (removed from the skewers) and topped with tzatziki sauce. The grilled meatballs had a herby flavor with a hint of lemon and the cool-as-a-cucumber tzatziki sauce was tangy and fresh. But it was the texture of the pita bread that I liked the best. Surely you’ve had freshly made tortillas, and if so, you know a sack of 20 in a bag on the grocery store shelf could never compete.

Easter Dinner

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I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to cooking chicken. However, Easter Sunday I tried a new recipe that turned out well and received lots of compliments.

Lemony Rosemary Chicken
1 stick of butter, melted
4 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 chicken breast halves

Combine butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a re-sealable plastic bag. Add chicken and massage to cover the chicken breasts with marinade. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Take the chicken and marinade out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Using a paper towel, wipe excess marinade from chicken and sear each side in a hot oven-safe skillet. Reserve the marinade.

Squeeze or scoop marinade over the seared chicken. Cover and finish cooking in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes or until done.

I think this marinade would also be good spread under and over the skin of a whole roasting chicken (about 5-6 lbs.). Then put the leftover lemon rinds and rosemary twigs in the cavity of the bird. Roast in the oven as usual at 425 degrees for 1-1/2 hours or until the juices run clear when testing a cut between the leg and thigh.

pate

Calf Liver Pâté
1 pkg. or 12 slices bacon
2 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
1 lb. sliced beef liver
1/2 c. melted coconut oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook bacon until crispy in a cast-iron skillet. Remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook onion, garlic, rosemary and thyme in the bacon fat for about 20 minutes. Do not let them burn. Reduce heat if necessary.

Dry the slices of liver with paper towels. Move onion mixture to one side of the pan and lay half the sliced liver in the skillet. Scoop the onion mixture over the liver and lay down the rest of the liver. Spread the onion mixture evenly over all the liver. Cook for 4 minutes.

Then flip the liver slices, cover again with onion mixture and cook for another 4 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool about 10 minutes.

Purée onion mixture and liver in a food processor with coconut oil and salt.
The recipe recommends sprinkling chopped bacon over the pâté when serving. I saved the bacon for BLT sandwiches since I believe pâté should be smooth and creamy. Crispy bacon is not.

I served the pâté with wheat crackers and thinly sliced gherkin pickles as an appetizer before the Easter dinner with my family. The verdict from the group was that if you like liver, you’ll love this pâté. If you don’t like liver, you’d be willing to eat it if you were starving. I guess that’s a win.

Pruning time in the vineyard – means quick and simple dinners

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I started rough-pruning the vineyard in early March. Mainly trying to get long straggly vines out of the trellis, leaving 4-5 nodes (buds) on each spur. The idea is that will enable me to final-prune more quickly when the time comes. The time has come – I usually prune the last week in March and the first week in April.

I love working outdoors and have been taking advantage of the warm weather. Even after working outside all day, I love to come in and cook. My husband doesn’t understand it, but cooking relaxes me. I kept the dinners simple and utilized leftover wild rice for a vegetarian bean soup and a skillet meal.

Bean Soup

Vegetarian Bean Soup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 c. beef broth
1 can Ranch-style beans, do not drain
2 cups prepared rice
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 corn tortillas, cut into strips, for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil until softened. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, beans and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep beans from burning on the bottom of the pot.

Using a potato masher directly in the pot, mash some of the beans. That will help thicken the soup. Then add rice and cilantro. Cook for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Place tortilla strips in the oven and toast for about 8 minutes. Checking halfway and rearranging on the pan so they don’t burn.

Serve the soup garnished with tortilla strips and shredded cheese.

I love using my cast-iron skillet. It browns and sears better than any other pan. The next recipe should be made in a cast-iron skillet for the best results.

Sausage Skillet

Sausage and Vegetable Skillet
1 pkg. cooked smoked sausage
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. fresh spinach
1 c. marinara sauce or tomato sauce
1 c. chicken broth
3 c. rice
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

I like to cut the sausage lengthwise and then slice those into half-round, bite-sized pieces. I guess that’s a habit from when the boys were young. Anyway, brown those in a medium-high heated skillet. Remove and reserve the sausage. Add olive oil to the hot pan and sauté the onions. Season with Creole seasoning.

Add minced garlic, broccoli and spinach. Stir until the spinach begins to wilt. Add marinara sauce, chicken broth and rice. Stir until the mixture begins to boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve in the skillet.

Looking for calf liver recipes:
My husband and I purchased half a bull-calf for processing. When asked by the processor, I said yes to the liver. I was thinking that making a little pâté would be fun. I had no idea how much liver a bull-calf would have – it’s a lot! While I’m not a big fan of liver and onions, I love pâté. What are your favorite calf-liver recipes? Send them to news@rainscountyleader.com. I’d love to try them.