Week 8..Corn chowder and meatloaf, meatloaf, double beatloaf.

Week 8 pick up:

1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 pound grassfed ground lamb
2 quarts frozen tomatoes
2 pints frozen sweet corn
1 quart frozen corn stock
3 bulbs shallots
1 lb carrots
1 pint frozen blackberries
1 quart frozen strawberries
3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
1 dozen eggs

I'm not a huge fan of lamb, so I decided meatloaf was a good option to downplay its strong flavor. Most recipes call for beef, pork and lamb; but in keeping with the grass-fed theme I purchased another pound of grassfed beef. This provided an opportunity to use those yukon golds. They were simply boiled till tender, mashed with milk, butter, salt and pepper.

The following recipe was adapted from Ina Garten's "Foolproof" cookbook
(she called for 1 pound of pork, and I omitted the chives and tarragon - I simply couldn't find them at the store that day, and had to use dried thyme)
The meatloaf was topped with her garlic sauce. Good, but not great.

2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 cups chopped spanish onion
1 1/2 cups small diced celery
2 pounds ground beef
1 pound lamb
1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cup panko

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent but not browned. Set aside to cool.

Place the beef, lamb, parsley, thyme, eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Put the panko in a food processor and process until the panko is finely ground. Add the onion mixture and the panko to the meat mixture. With clean hands gently toss the mixture together until combined.

Place a sheet of parchment or foil on a sheet pan. Pat the meat into a flat rectangle and then press the sides in until it forms a cylinder down the middle of the pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a thermometer inserted in the middle reads 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot with the garlic sauce.

Garlic Sauce

3/4 cup olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups chicken stock (home made from fresh fork chicken)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the oil and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove the garlic from the oil and set aside.

Combine the stock, butter and cooked garlic in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook at a full boil for 40 minutes, until slightly thickened. Mash the garlic with a fork, whisk in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.



The Verdict:
My sister and brother-in-law, vocal meatloaf haters (though they hadn't eaten it in like 20 years), ate two helpings. I tasted too much lamb and thyme. Would I make it again? Probably not...still prefer mom's recipe.



Onward

I'm drowning in shallots and frozen corn! I regret to say that I've already had to toss a soggy shallot bulb from weeks past. After some thought I recalled a corn chowder recipe that my friend shared with me last year from Gwenyth Paltrow's cookbook. I altered many aspects - namely the turkey bacon. I cannot even stress this enough...turkey IS NOT BACON! I apologize (not really) to any vegetarians out there...I warned you.

That said, I would make this again and again. It's a great substitute for tomato soup with grilled cheese.

Corn Chowder:

4 slices bacon, diced

1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced

1/2 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 cups stock

6 ears of corn: Scrape kernels from 4 ears, grate 2 ears. Scrape pulp from all 6 ears. 

Note: I used the corn stock pictured below, which is made with corn cobs, so I simply used 2 pints frozen corn

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

Fresh chives and tarragon for garnish

You can also add small diced red potatoes if you have them for a thicker soup.

Render the bacon and cook, stirring until beginning to brown. Add shallots, onion, thyme and bay leaf. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn kernels, salt and pepper and cook for a minute, stirring all together. Add the stock, milk, cream, potatoes (if using) and heat to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until the corn is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Puree a ladle full of soup in a blender (or Vitamix!) if desired. Return it to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkling each portion with a bit of chives and tarragon. 

Nothing like a warm bowl of soup to get us through another frigid winter night in Cleveland.

Still to use:
2# brewers grain mix
2# sauerkraut
pizza dough
 *I can't even count the number of times we have ordered pizza since getting this dough. It's just so easy to have someone else make it!
turtle beans
adzuki beans
1 shallot
1 pint frozen corn
2 quarts frozen tomatoes
*I would have 3 quarts, but one was used to make chili at my moms - No, you may not have the recipe.
1 pint frozen blackberries
1 quart frozen strawberries
1 quart frozen green beans - it wasn't on the list but showed up in my bag.

My freezer can't take much more...

Week 7 winter share. Chorizo, salsa, chips, Ole!

I love that the Fresh Fork bags have a theme, and was really excited to see that this week was Southwestern food!

Week 7. Pick up 1/16/14:

1 lb chorizo
1 bag corn chips
1 bag dried adzuki beans
1 pint frozen sweet corn
1 quart frozen, chopped tomatoes
1 dozen spinach, garlic scape, and ricotta stuffed raviolis
1 candy onion
1/4 peck jonathon apples
1 red cabbage
1 pint fresh salsa
1 quart grape cider
1 dozen eggs

There were still 2 pounds of purple potatoes left over that needed attention, and I did not know what to do with a whole head of red cabbage. So, I turned to my good friend, Google. Bam - breakfast for dinner. Who doesn't enjoy that?! The following recipe is a combination of many of the results my dear friend procured. I made this for George and I and four friends. There were leftovers, so this serves a crowd. The corn chips and salsa were the perfect breakfast-for-dinner appetizer.

Breakfast Hash:

1 pound ground chorizo
olive oil or bacon grease
1 head red cabbage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cooked potatoes, cooled and diced.
salt and pepper
1-2 eggs per person

Heat 1 tbsp oil or bacon fat in large frying pan. Add chorizo and cook through, about 10 minutes. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, a pinch of salt and cook until softened. (I liked the cabbage with a little bite left, not completely wilted). Add the diced potatoes and cook until slightly browned.
Heat a separate pan and cook eggs over easy. While eggs are cooking, return the chorizo to the pan with the potato mixture and cook until heated through and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hash mixture topped with one or two fried eggs.

Yes, that's wine with my breakfast-for-dinner. Don't judge.

This is one of those recipes that you can adjust and substitute anything you like. But the combination of chorizo and potato was heavenly.  If I hadn't had to use the red cabbage I may have used kale.

Since we had the squash and the ground beef to use I decided to try a variation of the stuffed squash that we loved so much from week four. This time I omitted the pasta. It was nowhere near as good as the italian sausage version.

A few nights later, the ravioli with the remaining pasta sauce from the stuffed squash. They were good, but not my favorite Ohio City Pasta product.

The apples were eaten quickly by the kids. The grape cider was good, but a little strong. So we mixed it with sprite...yum!

In pantry/fridge/freezer after this week:

2# brewers grain mix
2# sauerkraut
pizza dough
turtle beans
adzuki beans
shallots

1 pint frozen corn
1 quart frozen tomatoes

If anyone has ideas for the above ingredients please, let me know!

Week six pick up, 1/2/14. Roast chicken and lentil soup.

SO. MUCH. FOOD. I know, most people over-eat over the holidays. But this year seemed exceptionally gluttonous. I wouldn't change a thing, it was so nice sharing so much wonderful, (mostly) local food with our friends and family.



The goat gouda was eaten around the holidays, ok...but not great.

It was difficult to think of cooking again so soon, but our next Fresh Fork delivery was the day after New Years.

Week 6:

1 whole chicken
3# purple potatoes
1-2 bulbs shallots
1 candy onion
2# mixed parsnips and carrots
1 bag kale
1 head napa cabbage
1# brussels sprouts
1 dozen eggs
2 winter squash
apple cider

Remember that smoked Berkshire ham I made for Christmas Eve? Thankfully I was smart enough to freeze the bone for lentil soup. This is a hearty, simple, delicious meal perfect for the sub zero January we had. 

Lentil soup:

1 ham bone
3-4 quarts water
12 oz dried lentils
1 medium sweet onion, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
5 carrots, diced
a few handfuls of kale
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf

1 tsp whole telicherry peppercorns
salt, to taste

Place hambone in stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and skim surface for first 10 minutes.
While ham is simmering, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add kale and cook until wilted. Set aside.
After ham has simmered 10 minutes, add rest of ingredients (including kale). Simmer about 3 hours.

You can see in the photo below the varied color of the Fresh Fork heirloom carrots. 

I roasted the chicken using the Thomas Keller recipe from week 1. (This recipe also used some of the potatoes, parsnips, carrots and onion.)  The Napa cabbage was again grilled, and again was delicious. Unless otherwise noted, the eggs are cooked over easy on the weekends. These are THE BEST eggs we have ever had. I cannot even go back to buying grocery store eggs ever again!
Apple cider replaces OJ in the mornings whenever we get it. My kids can't get enough.

Sadly, I got to the brussels sprouts too late. They were wilted and a little rotted on the inside. I kept them on the stalk this time instead of removing and cleaning them right away. Lesson learned.

Ingredients I still need to use:

2# brewers grain mix
2# sauerkraut
pizza dough
turtle beans
ground beef
shallots
winter squash
approximately 2# purple potatoes

I'm pretty proud that we made it to week six before actually letting an ingredient go to waste! (Now, if only I can find someone to take that last two pounds of sauerkraut off my hands.)

The Holidays (are over). LATE re-cap, sorry.

Christmas-time. I love Christmas. (I hate driving around Northeast Ohio for 2 days.)
I have not hosted a single Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years meal since we moved back to Bay 5 years ago. So I was thrilled when George's Dad, step-mom and siblings agreed to come over for Christmas Eve dinner.

I don't remember what I made or ate before Christmas Eve. I probably involved a lot of eating out while Christmas shopping.

Christmas Eve Menu:

Roasted beet salad <-------- recipe from week 1
Fresh Fork smoked berkshire ham (pre-ordered and picked up 12/20). AMAZING.
Southern style swiss chard
Roasted fingerling potatoes

No pictures. Sorry.

Christmas Morning was spent at my mom's and she made the most incredible Reuben Strata with corned beef, swiss cheese and Fresh Fork sauerkraut!

Then we traveled to the east side for Christmas dinner and more presents. I was tasked with making a side dish for steaks. There were tons of possibilities from the past weeks pick-up. I decided on greens (the kale) and roasted root veggies.

I diced the celery root, peeled and then cut the rutabaga and carrots into small wedges. Tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until golden. The celery root was so delicious this way. And I told the kids the rutabagas were french fries and they believed me!  Win!

Not a whole lot of cooking went on until New Year's Eve. Enter pork...gotta start the new year off right! (Don't forget greens and black eyed peas...don't mess with southern tradition)

The pork from Fresh Fork was browned, then braised with beer, apple cider vinegar and onion. When it was fall apart tender I simply added Heinen's Two Brothers BBQ and voila. Yum!

This, I brought to our New Year's Eve party. 12:35 and I was in bed.

New Year's day we headed to George's mom's for Pork Roast and my first attempt at Hoppin' John.
I kind of winged it with what I had on hand. Fresh Fork Bacon (of course), chicken stock made from fresh fork chicken a few weeks ago, greens, black eyed peas. Ahhhmazing. Oh, and the sauerkraut added the perfect acidic balance. (This coming from a girl that was not particularly fond of sauerkraut!)

1 pound bacon cut into 1/2 inch lardons
1 bunch greens (collards in this case)
2 cloves garlic, minced
cayenne, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound black eyed peas (soaked over night)
1 cup chopped onion
3 TBSP chopped green onion
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 or 2 bay leaves (turkish from Penzey's are the BEST)

Sauerkraut (FINALLY used it!)

*seve over rice if desired (we so desired)

Render bacon in cast iron Dutch oven until almost crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Sautée onion in bacon fat until translucent. Add garlic and green onion and cook for 2 more minutes. Add greens and sautée until tender. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne if desired.

Add black eyed peas, bacon, bay leaves and chicken stock (enough to cover peas, etc.) season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Simmer until black eyed peas are tender, adding more stock or water as needed. 

Serve over rice. 

Pork, greens and black eyed peas. Happy, and prosperous New Year to you!