Farm Shared - June 13

First delivery from Hearty Roots, and it was a little on the thin side, but it’s early yet and I’ll be singing the farm’s praises here shortly. I mean, I am already. But most everything is still from the Greenmarket (which is busting out all over the place with sugar snap peas and strawberries). No, I will not tell you where the pork shoulder is from.

[And yeah, I know these photos are way overexposed, but I'm still trying to learn how to use my Rebel XT.]

The guestlist:
+ Phil
Amy + Meena
Jeremy + Yasmine
Micah + Gillian

The menu:
NC-style oven bbq’d pork shoulder
JT-style 5-hour beans
Southern-style greens
chive biscuits

Oven BBQed Pork Shoulder
from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

One 28-oz can whole tomatoes, with juice
2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup cider vinegar
10-lb pork shoulder
4 yellow onions, trimmed and quartered

Preheat oven to 400°F. In large pot, bring tomatoes, paprika, molasses, and vinegar to simmer over medium-high heat. Slice skin off pork shoulder, leaving thin layer of fat. Season with salt and pepper.

Brown pork shoulder in hot skillet, 5 minutes each side. Place in pot with tomato mixture. Add onions to skillet and sweat. Toss in with pork and tomatoes. Deglaze pan with vinegar and add to pot.

Cover pot and cook for 30 minutes in oven. Turn down heat to 300°F and cook another 2.5 hours. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

John Thorne’s 5-hour Beans

1 lb dried beans (I happened to have some of Rancho Gordo’s Good Mother Stallard beans on hand)
paprika
1 fat clove of garlic
5-10 sage leaves
olive oil
salt
pepper

Cover beans with water in large earthenware baking dish and soak overnight (add more water as beans absorb liquid as necessary to keep covered). Bring soaking liquid to a boil, while adding in a few generous spoonfuls of paprika to beans, along with sage leaves, garlic, a couple glugs of olive oil, and more salt and pepper than you’d think you need. Add hot soaking liquid back to beans. Cover securely with foil and place in oven at lowest temperature setting. Cook for 4.5-5 hours, stirring beans every couple of hours. Season to taste.

Tuesday Greens
adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

1/4 lb slab bacon, diced
2 lbs greens (they’re supposed to be collard greens, but I used turnip and radish tops, spinach, and a stray leaf of bok choy), stemmed, washed, torn up
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Render bacon in skillet over medium-high heat. Reserve bacon and add greens to bacon fat in the pan andn wilt in the pan. Add a small amount of water to steam them as well as vinegar. Season.

Chive Biscuits
using Mark Bittman’s no-fail yogurt biscuit recipe from How to Cook Everything

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bakingn soda
5 tablespoons cold butter
7/8 cup yogurt
1/2-3/4 cup chopped chives

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and rub butter into mixture to thoroughly blend until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in yogurt until mixture forms a large ball. Add chives and knead ten times, no more. Drop 2-tablespoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve within 15 minutes.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pudding Cake and Mint Ice Cream

See this post and this post.

Single-handedly Supporting the Greenmarket - May 31

Wow, not at all an attractive plating, but I think we can agree that it tasted okay. This was one of the least-planned menus, but it came about because I just got overexcited at the Greenmarket.

The guestlist:
+ Benjie + Pat
Arun + Adam
Marisa
Irene + Robert
Jonathan

The menu:
whole wheat pita bread
baba ganouj
swiss chard and goat cheese tart
sugar snap peas
asparagus
Sullivan Street Bakery bread
strawberry-rhubarb pudding cake
mint ice cream

Swiss Chard and Goat Cheese Tart
adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques

5 sheets phyllo
1/2 stick of butter, melted
2 egg yolks
Large bunch of baby swiss chard
4 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 button of goat cheese
Handful of pine nuts, toasted
Handful of currants

Lay sheets of phyllo out in pan and brush some butter in between layers. Sauté shallots in pan until caramelized, add swiss chard. Season. Stir together crème fraîche and yolks and spread over phyllo. Scatter swiss chard and shallots over, as well as goat cheese. Sprinkle with pine nuts and currants and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375°F until it looks done (20ish minutes).

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pudding Cake
from the April 2007 issue of Gourmet

1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb stalks
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
preparation
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.

Stir together water, cornstarch, and 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then stir in rhubarb. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in strawberries.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.

Whisk together egg, milk, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup fruit mixture, then add remainder to baking dish and pour batter over it, spreading evenly. Drizzle reserved 1/2 cup fruit mixture over batter. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake portion comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes before serving.

[This is one of the most forgiving dessert recipes ever, I think. And currently one of my favorite. I've upped the fruit quantity by as much as 100 or 200% and have also forgotten ingredients only to remix the batter after having already poured it into the pan. And it always seems to get the most praise. Especially when paired with mint ice cream (see previous post).]

Noisy Spring - May 14

The guestlist:
+ Aaron
Cecily + Sarah
Justin + Yamin
Kathy + Dan

The menu:
bacon, mushroom, chive, and pea shoot salad with chive blossoms
roast leg of lamb with fingerling potatoes
pan-roasted asparagus
farro salad with mint, feta, and pine nuts
strawberry-rhubarb crisp
mint and vanilla ice cream

The wine:
lots and lots of rosé

Bacon, Oyster Mushroom, Chive, and Pea Shoot Salad with Chive Blossoms and Pumpkinseed Oil Vinaigrette

Cut a good chunk of slab bacon into lardons. Render in hot pan and then set aside to drain on paper towels. Fry oyster mushrooms in bacon fat until a little crispy, allow to cool and set aside. Toss pea shoots and chives (chopped into 3″ segments) and chive blossoms and dress with vinaigrette (standard, but with a little pumpkingseed oil added). Garnish with lardons and mushrooms.

Roast Leg of Lamb
inspired by the chorizo-stuffed version in Sunday Suppers at Lucques, but without, you know, all that extra crap (and time and effort)

One 3.5-lb boneless leg of lamb, butterflied
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Generous amounts of rosemary and parsley, chopped

Coat lamb on all sides with garlic and herbs and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Season lamb a little more and tie up into tidy shape. Stick in the oven for about 1.25 hours and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
topping adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

6 cups of chopped strawberries and rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Spread fruit out into baking pan and sprinkle sugar on top. Combine rest of ingredients and work butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Spread mixture on top of fruit. Bake at 375°F for 30-45 minutes or until brown and bubbling.

Mint Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
1 or 2 cups cream
2 cups mint leaves
1/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks

Bring milk and cream to a boil in a sauce pan and turn off heat. Add mint and allow to infuse 1 hour. Whisk together sugar and eggs. Strain milk-cream mixture and discard mint. Bring mixture back to a boil and turn off heat. Temper yolk mixture and gradually whisk to combine. Place custard back on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (6-8 minutes). Allow to cool overnight and process in ice cream maker.

Liquid Dinner - April 13

The idea for this one came from some nagging desire to make Guinness ice cream. And from there, I decided I needed an ice cream maker (a Cuisinart ICE 50 that I am very, very pleased with) and then an entire dinner made with — you guessed it — beer.

The guestlist:
+ Paul
Allan + Alison + Kamela
Jessica + David
Ganda + Winnie C.

The menu:
Welsh rarebit
beer bread v.1
beer bread v.2 (with Cheddar and scallions)
carbonnades flamandes
Greenmarket salad with beer vinaigrette
chocolate stout cake with Guinness ice cream

The beers:
Brooklyn Local 1
Duvel
Trappist de Rochefort
Ommegang Three Philosophers
at least 7 others I can’t remember, including a lambic

Welsh Rarebit
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Toast some white bread. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan (they tell you to use a double boiler, but aside from the general messiness of this recipe, it seemed fine over direct heat) and stir in 1 cup beer and heat until warm. Stir in 4 cups shredded Cheddar and cook, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Stir in

1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Spoon over toasted bread, sprinkle grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stick in the broiler.

Beer Batter Bread
Adapted from Steven Pyles’ New Tastes from Texas

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the beer all at once, mixing as little as possible; the batter should be lumpy.

Pour the batter into loaf pan and brush with the melted butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Beer, Cheese, and Scallion Bread
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease loaf pan. Whisk together

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add 1-1/2 cups light or dark beer (not stout). Fold until dry ingredients are moistened and transfer to loaf pan, spreading evenly. Bake 35-40 min.

Carbonnades Flamandes
Adapted from Saveur

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 lbs boneless chuck, cut into 2″ cubes
7 tablespoons butter
3 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups beef stock
1-1/2 cups dark Belgian beer
2 bay leaves
2 springs thyme
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown meat, about 5-10 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, melt 4 tablespoons butter in pot. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Set aside with meat.

Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to pot, then immediately add flour andn cook, stirring constantly until deep golden brown, 2 minutes. Add stock and beer, scraping fond from bottom of pot. Return meat, onions, and accumulated juices to pot. Add bay leaves, thyme, sugar, vinegar and season to taste. Simmer on low, partially covered, until meat is very tender and sauce is dark, thick, and velvety, 2 hours.

Chocolate Stout Cake
Adapted from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup Guinness
1 cup molasses
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together first six ingredients.
Pour beer and molasses into medium pot, whisk together and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and whisk in baking soda.

Whisk together eggs and both sugars, mixing well to combine. Whisk in oil and then beer mixture.

Make well in dry ingredients andn pour in liquid ingredients, whisking slowly to incorporate. Do not overmix.

Pour batter into lightly buttered Bundt pan and bake 30 minutes. Cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and top surface is just beginning to crack.

Guinness Ice Cream
Adapted from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Guinness
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons molasses
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring milk, cream, beer, and molasses to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of warm cream mixture into yolks to temper them and gradually add 1/4 cup more, a few more tablespoons at a time, whisking all the while. Add rest of cream mixture, mixing thoroughly. Return to pot and cook custard over medium-low heat, 6-8 minutes, stirring, until thickens and coats back of a spoon. Chill 2 hours or overnight in fridge. Process in ice cream maker.

Dirty South - March 28

The guestlist:

+ Matt
Cecily + Liz + Trevor
Marisa + David
Eric + Daniel

The menu:

shrimp ‘n’ grits poppers
pickled okra (two kinds, including rick’s pick’s smokra)
black-eyed pea salad
biscuits and cornbread
sauteed kale
braised pork shoulder
cracklin’
buttermilk pie

The wines:
Crap, I forgot to write these down before the bottles got tossed. Anyone remember any of them? I know there was a Riesling.

Shrimp ‘n’ Grits Poppers
Adapted from Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking

4 cups cooked grits
5 tbsp butter
2 eggs, well beaten
12 shrimp, halved lengthwise
Vegetable oil for frying
2 cups seasoned flour for dredging

Heat oil. (It’s ready when a piece of bread or a test popper turns deep brown after 30 seconds of frying.) While grits are still hot (but not hot enough to scramble the eggs), beat in butter and eggs. When cool enough to handle, shape into balls around shrimp halves. Dredge in seasoned flour and fry until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Black-eyed Pea Salad
Adapted from Saveur, June/July 2006

6 cups cooked black-eyed peas
4 chopped scallions
1 finely diced seeded red bell pepper
1 diced cored tomato
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup olive oil

Combine first five ingredients. Emulsify last four and pour on bean mixture.

Bay-studded Pork Shoulder
Adapted from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s The Gift of Southern Cooking

1 bone-in pork shoulder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
12 whole bay leaves
2 large onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1 bottle of red wine

Preheat oven to 275°F.
Rinse pork shoulder and pat dry. Cut 12 slits in skin side of pork, about 1 inch wide and 1-1/2 inches deep. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over pork, making sure they get in the slits. Insert 1 garlic sliver and bay leaf in each slit. Scatter sliced onions over bottom of roasting pan. Place pork shoulder on top of onions and pour wine into bottom of pan. Lay a piece of parchment directly on top of pork shoulder. Wrap pan tightly with foil and cover with lid. Cook in oven for 6 hours.

For cracklin’: separate skin from pork and remove in 1 piece. Place on a baking sheet and crisp in 425°F oven until deep golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

Before:

After:

Yogurt Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp cold butter
7/8 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Rub pieces of butter with mixture to thoroughly blend. Stir in yogurt until mixture forms a ball. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead 10 times. Press into 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut into 20 squares. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Pie
Adapted from Food & Wine

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 butter pie pastry shell

Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and flour, then beat in the buttermilk, lemon juice and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the beaten whites into the buttermilk mixture until no white streaks remain. Pour the custard into the baked Flaky Pie Shell and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, until the custard is golden and risen, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and serve.

Butter Pie Pastry
Adapted from Edna Lewis’s In Pursuit of Flavor

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
12 tbsp frozen butter
1/4 cup ice water

Combine flour, salt, and butter. Blend well until mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Add ice water, mix quickly and shape dough into a ball. Dust lightly with flour and flatten into a disc. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and rest for 1 hour in refrigerator or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Roll out dough and press into pie dish. Prick surface with fork to prevent from puffing in oven. Cook until lightly browned.

Cecily covered all the action too, both before and after.