Harissa

Our good friend Dave Sanford of Seattle restaurant Belle Clementine kindly gave us this recipe for harissa, a North African condiment.  It’s a fun and delicious way to use our many varieties of dried peppers.  You can use almost any variety of pepper to suit your taste and heat level preference.  It’s a great with flatbread and hummus or as an addition to stews, couscous, and roasted vegetables as well as many other dishes.

Ingredients:

8 dried Guajillo chiles (about 2 oz. without stems or seeds)

8 dried Joe Parker chiles (about 1 1/2 oz. without stems or seeds)

1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

1/4 tsp. coriander seeds

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. dried mint leaves

3 TBSP. extra-virgen olive oil, plus more as needed

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

5 garlic cloves

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

In a medium bowl, cover chiles with boiling water and let sit until softened (about 20 mins).  Toast caraway, coriander, and cumin over medium heat, swirling skillet constantly, until fragrant (about 4 minutes). Combine with dried mint and grind to a fine powder.  Drain chiles and puree in a food processor with the ground spices, olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice until very smooth (about 2 mins.) Transfer to a sterilized 1-pint jar and top with 1/2 inch oil.  Refrigerate, topping off with more oil after each use; harissa paste will keep for up to 3 weeks.  Enjoy with flatbed and hummus, or with any grilled meat!

Rhubarb Galette

Rhubarb is just coming in to season and this tart is a perfect way to enjoy it!  It’s simple nature lets the rhubarb’s flavor really shine.  The recipe comes from http://www.marthastewart.com.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1/2 recipe Cornmeal Pate Brisee
• 1 pound rhubarb, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground, cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Turbinado or sanding sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
3. Place rhubarb and lemon juice in a large bowl; toss to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Add sugar mixture to rhubarb and toss until well coated. Arrange rhubarb mixture on top of dough, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Fold border over the fruit mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds. Brush edges of dough with egg, sprinkle with turbinado or sanding sugar, and dot with butter. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the galette. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cornmeal Pate Brisee (*makes enough for 2 tarts so you may want to halve it):

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

1. Place the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and process, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together (do not process for more than 30 seconds).
2. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten each to form a disk. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before using.

Asparagus With Morels and Tarragon

This incredibly delicious recipe comes from the New York Times’ Minimalist column.  I’ve made it with all types of mushrooms in many different combinations.  You can find dried and fresh mushrooms at the University District Farmers market.

1/4 to 1/2 ounce dried morels or porcinis, or a combination

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1 pound fresh shitake or white button mushrooms or a combination, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

1 to 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 -inch lengths

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil

Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Put morels, porcinis or both in a bowl with very hot water to cover; soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain morels and reserve soaking liquid. Cut morels in half; if porcinis are large, chop them roughly.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when butter is hot and foam has subsided, add shallots and reconstituted and fresh mushrooms to pan. Cook until shallots soften and fresh mushrooms have released their liquid and it has cooked off, about 10 minutes.

3. Add asparagus and 1/2 cup reserved liquid to pan. Bring liquid to a boil, cover, reduce heat so mixture simmers, and continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add cream and tarragon or chervil and continue cooking, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly and asparagus is tender, about 4 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Beef Stew with Dried Cherries

This recipe is from Sally, one of our customers at the University District market.  Sally says:

I was on a private tour of the Saviah winery in Walla Walla, where a chef prepared a special lunch for our small group.  Everyone was so taken with this stew, it was perfect for spring.  The chef at the winery just gave me the quick recipe without amounts.  I decided to try it immediately and see how close I could get. 

It’s very close.  And very good, so here goes–the amounts are adjustable per your taste:

Beef Stew with Dried Cherries
1.25 # lean beef (chuck and sirloin tip)
1/3 c.  flour
1/4 tsp +- ea. cinnamon and allspice
oil for browning

CUT the beef into ~1” cubes, salt and pepper lightly

COAT very lightly with the flour, mixed with cinnamon and allspice

BROWN in oil in small batches (don’t let it steam), remove each batch as it cooks

It may be necessary to add a little more oil.

ADD and brown briefly:

1/2 large sweet white onion, roughly chopped

ADD:

1 c. mushrooms
1/2 c. dried sour cherries (I used Bing cherries)

4 c. home made or good beef broth
1 c. good red wine
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar

1/2-1 bay leaf

Simmer on low (always below a boil) until tender, about 60-90 minutes, depending on size of cubes. 

Adjust the seasonings. 

Yield: 2-4 servings

Our meal was thin and translucent–almost like soup, and served in cups with mashed potatoes on the side.  If this gets too thick, water it down with wine or broth or water.  Be sure to try this thin version, it’s not meant to be a thick stew–this is more delicate, light and tasty.

Enjoy!

Golden Squash Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home’s October/November 2007 issue. 

Golden Squash Soup

5 medium leeks (white portions only), sliced

2 T butter

 1 ½ lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 4 C)

4 C chicken broth (or vegetable)

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp pepper

1 ¾ C shredded cheddar cheese

¼ C sour cream

2 T thinly sliced green onion

 In a large saucepan, sauté leeks in butter until tender.  Stir in the squash, broth, thyme and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until squash is tender.  Cool slightly.

In a blender, cover and process squash mixture in small batches until smooth; return to the pan.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.  Add cheese; stir until soup is heated through and cheese is melted.  Garnish with sour cream and onion.

 Yield: 6 servings

Sweet Squash Casserole

Stacy’s college roommate passed this recipe along to us.  It’s a twist on the traditional holiday sweet potato caserole.  

Sweet Squash Casserole—from Denisse Cameron

 Squash Mixture:                                                      Topping:

6-8 C. pumpkin or kabocha squash                  ½ C. brown sugar

¾ to ½ C. brown sugar                                         ½ C. flour

¼ C. butter                                                                 ¼ C. butter

1 tsp cinnamon                                                         ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp all spice                                                           ½ C. walnuts or pecans, chopped

¼ tsp nutmeg                                                             additional butter for dotting

1 ¼ C. milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Squash Mixture:

Cook squash until tender; cool and mash.  Add sugar, butter & spices.  Then add milk and eggs; mix well.  Pour into 3 quart (9×13”) buttered casserole dish.

 Topping:

Crumble together sugar, flour and butter; add cinnamon and walnuts.  Mix well and sprinkle over squash mixture; dot with butter.  Bake at 375 F for 35-40 minutes.

Carla’s Stuffed Pumpkin

This recipe is from Carla, one of our market friends (and past employee).

Stuffed Pumpkin (serves 2+)

1 small pumpkin (~4 lbs)

3 C. mixed grains (any combination of brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, barley, orzo, Israeli couscous, or similar), cooked

1/4-1/3 lb country sausage (or meatless sausage)

2 T oil

1 medium shallot or small red onion, chopped medium

2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut lid in pumpkin, scrape clean and set aside.  Scrape seeds and “guts” from pumpkin and remove (seeds can be cleaned and broiled in olive oil and garlic salt for a tasty snack later).  Replace lid and place pumpkin on shallow pan with sides (jelly roll or broiler pan works well) and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  While pumpkin is baking, brown sausage and shallot in oil until almost brown.  Add garlic in the last few minutes of cooking.  Combine sausage mixture with grains mixture and set aside.  At 45 minutes, test pumpkin for doneness (fork should go easily into inside flesh).  When pumpkin is done, remove from oven, remove lid and stuff with sausage/grains mixture, pressing down and to the sides while filling (there might be filling left over).  Replace lid and put pumpkin back in oven to heat through, 10-15 minutes.  Pumpkin can be transferred to platter and used as a serving dish–gently scrape sides of pumpkin while serving to get both pumpkin and filling.  Any extra filling can be served on the side or used to stuff any other squash, peppers, etc.

To serve 4+

Follow directions above using medium pumpkin (~12 lbs), 4-5 cups mixed grains, 1/2-2/3 lb sausage, 2 shallots or 1 medium onion and 3 garlic cloves; cook pumpkin 1 1/2-2 hours.

To serve 8-10

Follow directions above using large pumpkin (~24 lbs), 6-8 cups mixed grains, 1-1 1/2 lbs sausage, 3 shallots or 1 large onion and 4-6 garlic cloves; cook pumpkin 2 1/2-3 hours.