You Say Potato, I Say Leeks

Another vegetable we were lucky enough to receive through our One Straw Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) this fall was leeks. While I used the mild, onion-flavored vegetable in a variety of dishes, my favorite recipes were the Roasted Potato Leek Soup below and "Rocket Pie" (recipe to be posted at a later date).

A Leek Cultural Connection:

• Due to my Welsh heritage, I was happy to learn the leek is one of the national emblems of Wales, traditionally worn along with the daffodil on St. David’s Day.
• Legend has it that King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd had his soldiers identify themselves by wearing the vegetable on their helmets in battle.
• In Shakespeare's Henry V, Henry tells Fluellen (a Welsh captain) that he is wearing a leek “for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman.”

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

Recipe: Roasted Potato Leek Soup
adapted from Ina Garten, Back to Basics

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (This means you will need approximately 4 leeks.)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving (As I mentioned in a previous recipe post, when using wine in my recipes I rely on what was served or sold the prior day. For this particular recipe I used Essay's Chenin Blanc. Heck, even Robert Parker gave it a good review so make sure you plan ahead and drink a glass while you're cooking!)
• 6 to 7 cups chicken stock (Ina Garten recommends using homemade stock but as you can see below, I cheated with Swanson chicken broth. You could also easily substitute vegetable broth. I actually prefer to mix a little vegetable in with my chicken broth.)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces crème fraîche
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (Save some extra for garnish.)
• Crispy Prosciutto (Ina Garten recommends using Crispy Shallots - a great alternative for my vegetarian friends. We had leftover prosciutto that I wanted to use up so I heated some oil on medium and crisped up the prosciutto to use as a garnish.)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

3. In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings

4. When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan. If using, top with crispy prosciutto.

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

Squashing the Soup Competition

Question: What kind of socks do you need to plant squash?

Answer: Garden hose, of course!

Recipe: Roasted Squash Soup with Maple-Glazed Bananas

adapted from Adina Guest and Timothy Hollingsworth, Food & Wine contributors 

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

Ingredients:

One 2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Kosher salt
1/2 cup pecans
1 banana, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup water
1/2 cup crème fraîche
Pinch of cinnamon
8 small watercress sprigs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter a medium baking dish. Season the squash with salt and set it cut side down in the baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes (the squash should be very tender). Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the banana and maple syrup and stir to coat.
3. Peel the squash. In a blender, puree the squash, water, crème fraîche and cinnamon until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and warm over low heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the banana-nut topping and watercress and serve hot or at room temperature

A Happy Accident:

As a printmaker, I am used to happy accidents - you know, when a print you envision coming out a certain way doesn't but you end up loving it just the same or even more. Here is the story of our Roasted Squash Soup happy accident: while I planned to serve it as an appetizer, it was decided that we should use it as a base below our friend's herb-stuffed pork loin roast served with a side of bok choy. (Let's face it, the women walked out of the kitchen to check on the babies and by the time we got back, the men had started plating their own way.) It was unplanned and unbelievably delicious! Then for dessert, I served little cups of the soup with the maple-glazed bananas as well as roasted figs in caramel sauce and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

Fennel: A Delicious History Lesson

The best thing about joining our One Straw Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) this year was that we were introduced to fruits and vegetables we probably never would have even glanced at in the supermarket. As someone who likes to know what I am eating as well as the best ways to enjoy it, I started doing a little digging on my new find - fennel.

A Brief History of Fennel

• Fennel is an ancient plant from coastal regions around the Mediterranean. Roman warriors are said to have consumed fennel to make them strong.
• In Greek mythology Prometheus, who brought fire to mankind, concealed it in a stalk of fennel. Fennel's Greek name is marathon, which means "grow thin," and reflects the belief it suppresses appetite. The town of Marathon, site of the famous battle between the Athenians and the Persians, means "place of fennel." After the battle, the Athenians used woven fennel stalks as a symbol of victory.
  
• Charlemagne declared in 812 AD that fennel was essential in every garden because it had healing properties.

Tasting Notes for a Fennel Newbie:
Fennel has a slight anise or licorice flavor, and the crunchy texture of a fennel bulb makes an interesting combination in recipes. It was suggested to use fennel raw in salads and try roasting or braising it to serve as a side dish. Fennel can easily be substituted for celery, onion or bean sprouts, and is a welcomed addition in soups, casseroles and even lasagna.

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

The Winning Recipe: Onion & Fennel Soup Gratin
adapted from Ina Garten, How Easy Is That?

• 4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 lbs onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick (Ina recommends Spanish onions because they are sweeter and easier to slice; I used the onions I had received from the local CSA that week.)
• 2 lbs fennel, tops and cores removed, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (Ina recommends a Sauvignon Blanc; I ended up using what was left in my husband/wine salesman's bag from the day before - Honig's Sauvignon Blanc. And since one should always taste what they are cooking with I had a glass while I waited.)
• 8 cups beef broth (Of course, you could substitute vegetable broth but if you are not a vegetarian, go for it!)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Tbs kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small sourdough or white French boule, crusts removed and sliced 1/2 in thick, toasted (I used a French bread loaf from Whole Foods Market.)
• 4 to 6 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (I substituted Swiss cheese here because I liked the mild flavor of the cheese with the beefy broth and hyped-up fennel and onions.)

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and fennel, and cook over medium heat 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden-brown.
2. Add the sherry and Cognac, scraping up the browned bits in the pan, and simmer uncovered about 5 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes.
4. Add the beef broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. At this point you can also taste for seasoning.
5. Preheat the broiler with a rack 5 inches below the broiler and ladle the soup into oven-safe serving bowls. Top with the toasted bread, sprinkle generously with grated cheese, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot!

Watch out! Giant Pile of Craft Crossing!

Organized by Baltimore’s Charm City Craft Mafia, Pile of Craft is a juried indie craft fair on Saturday, June 16th from 10am-5pm. The whole homemade renaissance has resuscitated the image of crafting — gone is the cliché of your kooky aunt slaving away at a kiln behind the garage. In are bright colors, bold patterns, and inventive artwork of modern design. With over 45 vendors selling their own hand-made wares out of a beautiful restored church in the awesomely community minded neighborhood of Charles Village (Baltimore) – the Charm City Craft Mafia is pulling together one of the most exciting and unique shopping and arts events of the year. One of Baltimore’s beloved food trucks - Gypsy Queen Cafe - will be on hand to keep us fueled, as well as Kinderhook Snacks and coffee provided by Red Emma’s Coffeehouse.

Plan to shop local and handmade from these vendors this June in Baltimore. Buy a raffle ticket (or three or four) for a chance to win a "pile" of amazing craft donated by vendors. And definitely feel super because the money raised is going to Great Kids Farm – providing opportunities for Baltimore City students to understand and participate in every aspect of food preparation – from seed to fork.

Totally amazeballs!

Holiday Heap: A Not-to-miss Craft Show & Raffle!

The Charm City Craft Mafia's 5th Annual Holiday Heap Craft Show will take place Saturday, December 3rd at St. John's Church (2640 St. Paul Street) from 10am-5pm. This year's fair will have 65 of the best local and national crafters, as well as a yarn-spinning demonstration by Three Ravens. This year the Charm City Craft Mafia's raffle will support Arts Every Day, a Baltimore non-profit whose mission is to strengthen learning by making arts education and cultural experiences an integral part of the education of all City Schools students. The raffle will feature two baskets heaped full of goodies plus a third raffle to win illegible ink's "The Animal Alphabet" print (a 24x36" linocut with watercolor detail) perfect for an alphabet lover of any age or your favorite K-8 teacher!

Can't wait to see you there!

Only 14 hours, 56 minutes and 31 seconds left...

I don't think you can live within a 60-mile radius of Baltimore and not know about the huge deal that is coming to our city this weekend: The Inaugural 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix. And while I see on the website that many of the hospitality packages are sold out, I'm pretty sure the majority of us know about the race not because we're huge racing fans but because we can't get from Point A to Point B downtown.

While I think our favorite ink spot is too young to enjoy the race (even though he does look super adorable in his noise canceling headphones) and Mr. ink will clearly be too exhausted from driving throughout the countryside trying to get home to enjoy the race, I am trying to have a positive attitude. And these Knob Creek Metal Arts Welcome Signs for $16.99 each surely put me in a festive mood!

So grab a bushel of crabs, some drawn butter, a tin of Old Bay and a Natty Bo' and let's hope the Baltimore Grand Prix is such a huge success that we forget all about the hours spent in traffic gridlock! After all, we just survived the 2011 Quakicane!

It's COMING!

I know summer is on it's way usually in June because of two things:

1. Cucumbers are almost ready to be harvested for cucumber margaritas, cucumber salad and cucumber soup; and 

2. A giant "pile of craft" is staring at me from the living room.

Be sure to come visit the illegible ink family this Saturday, June 25th from 10am-5pm at St. John's Church (2640 St. Paul Street). There's sure to be a new fox print!

Happy National Raisin Day

So, we were standing in the kitchen this afternoon, looking at the raisins and reminiscing about all of our favorite raisin memories (and recipes). Who can forget the California Raisins singing "I heard it through the grapevine?" Actually, this brought up a sour note to our evening as Mr. ink peered in the box and said, "Oh the poor raisins never made it into wine. They were shriveled on the vine." (Can you tell that Mr. ink sells wine?) We're thinking tomorrow morning we might have raisin bread french toast or oatmeal raisin cookies just to make sure none of them shriveled in vain.

Anyway, it's bedtime now and one of Baby ink's favorite songs is undoubtedly, "The Ants Go Marching."

The ants go marching one by one, huzzah, huzzah
The ants go marching one by one, huzzah, huzzah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Our ants are marching one by one through the honey rain drops.

And just like that, thirty days of national food holidays comes to an end. I hope you've had as much fun as we have! We're currently picking out our favorite food holidays for the our new illegible ink print. Let us know your favorites as well and remember to eat, drink and be merry in May!

Happy National Shrimp Scampi Day

Tonight we learned all about "scampi." (And basically found out we didn't really know a lot about it at all!) The term "scampi" actually refers to specific type of lobster - nephrops norvegicus (commonly known as langoustines or Norway lobsters). If I had known this beforehand, we might have had a very different dinner!

We found several recipes online for scampi: a traditional Italian scampi is a langoustine that has been poached and served with a lemon wedge. In the U.K., scampi is typically the shelled tailmeat that has been battered and fried, and then served with tartar sauce and chips. In the U.S., shrimp scampi is usually made with a combination of white wine, garlic and lemon - sometimes battered with breadcrumbs and sometimes served over noodles. Mr. ink decided this evening to do just that - a combination of breadcrumbs, dry white wine, garlic and lemon served over a bed of egg noodles.

Happy National Blueberry Pie Day

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk go the blueberries into the pail of a little girl named Sal who just can't seem to pick as fast as she eats.*

The Robert McCloskey classic, Blueberries for Sal, is what I always think about when eating Grandma ink's blueberry pie. (To Fox's giggly delight, Grandma ink is from a long line of master pie makers.)

*According to Grandma and Grandpa ink, yours truly was very similar to little Sal except my vice was black raspberries.

Happy National Prime Rib Day

Mr. ink and I have decided there are seven wonders of the meat world, and clearly this prime rib I made is one of them. To create this perfection, I decided the meat should speak for itself. Simplicity with just salt and pepper; no fancy rubs or marinades needed. In a saute pan, unsalted butter bubbled around diced onions and crimini mushrooms. Then I added the beef juices and some extra stock to make a thin "gravy" that I continually spooned over the meat as it cooked slow and low. (And yes,  I sang Patience while I waited.)

Marble is new the hotness.

A little meat to add to your culinary education: "Prime rib" is actually the colloquial term for a standing rib roast. A standing rib roast is a cut of beef from the rib section (usually anywhere from two to seven ribs consist of the roast). A butcher can also slice a standing rib roast to give you rib eye steaks (which will save you quite a bit of money).

Happy National Pretzel Day

Mmm... baked, salty dough with signature knot. Just add mustard!

In 2003, Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26th National Pretzel Day to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel in Pennsylvania's history and economy. The PA pretzel timeline started in 1861, when the Sturgis Pretzel House in Lititz became the first commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. Then the Reading Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automatic pretzel twisting machine in 1935. And in 1993, the Pretzel Museum opened in Philadelphia. I wonder what happened in PA Pretzel history today?

Happy National Zucchini Bread Day

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was an environmental education intern at The Holcomb Farm. This 367-acre property is the home of a thriving CSA and youth education program. One summer, I worked in the Education Learning Center on 11 different programs for children between grades K-6. The salmon hatchery program was always sold out but still my favorite by far was one week called "Garden Gourmet." (Now you see where the blog comes from!) Garden Gourmet campers learned about the 30 different varieties of produce grown on the farm - participating in the planting, caring for and harvesting of many of the crops and animals. We then brought what we harvested to the kitchen and worked on recipes together. One of those recipes was for zucchini bread and I'm happy to report the recipe still tastes just as delicious 14 years later!

Here is the recipe from my journal:

Zucchini (aka Sugar) Bread
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking sodea
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup and 2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups mashed zucchini (cut and mix in a blender for best results)
1/2 cup walnuts and raisins (optional)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients (except walnuts and raisins) until well blended.
2. Add walnuts and raisins and mix again.
3. Pour mixture in two 9x5" greased loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Test with toothpick to make sure it is done.
Tip: Do not cut when hot. Better on second day!

Happy National Pigs in a Blanket Day

Hip Hip Hooray! It's National Pigs in a Blanket Day! While in the U.S., pigs in a blanket refers to little sausages wrapped in dough, I learned tonight that in the U.K., they wrap the sausages with bacon. Good thing we have extra little sausages as I see us celebrating this holiday again... and soon!

Pigs in a Blanket are always better with a martini with bleu cheese-stuffed olives.

Happy National Cherry Cheesecake Day

 Thank goodness I didn't have to wait until July 30th for National Cheesecake Day!

Did you know that cheesecake the earliest attested mention of a cheesecake is by the Greek physician Aegimus, who was writing a book on the art of making cheesecakes?

When thinking about the cheese in cheesecake, it was 1872 when William Lawrence from Chester, NY, along with other dairymen, came up with a way of making an "unripened cheese" that is heavier and creamier by accident (they were actually looking for a way to recreate Neufchatel.) Lawrence distributed the cheese in foil and "Philadelphia-style cream cheese" was born.  In 1912, James Craft pasteurized cream cheese - which is what we used this evening to make our unbaked cheesecake!

Happy National Jelly Bean Day

The next time you walk down the candy aisle, count the number of flavors in your jelly bean assortments. Most of them use eight different flavors and they are usually all fruit-flavored. (Of course, if you buy your jelly beans at Costco, you'll get 49 flavors of Jelly Belly.)

We might be sick tonight if we keep trying all 49 Jelly Belly flavors!

Daring enough (and have enough spare time) to try to make your own jelly beans? Check out this article! I love the instructions. You're supposed to be patient and go slow and then all of a sudden, you need to "work quickly!"

Happy National Chocolate-Covered Cashew Truffle Day

A chocolate truffle is a type of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with chocolate ganache and then coated with a cocoa powder. These chocolate truffles not only covered with cashews but inside there are chocolate chip cookies. Don't you wish you were here?

Happy National Lima Bean Respect Day

Today is the day to start showing respect for lima beans! (Yes, these beans were named for Lima, Peru, where they have been grown since 6000 B.C.) I mean, really, what have they ever done to you? According to Mr. ink, they've made him gag but I think he just hasn't tasted the right lima bean recipe yet. That's why tonight we decided to make a lima bean casserole with onions, mushrooms, sausage and cheese. Tell me again - what's not to like?

These extremely healthy vegetables are rich in fiber, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese. Low in fat, lima beans also contain protease inhibitors that stall the development of cancerous cells.  Not to mention, they are the perfect shade of green for springtime.

So, pick up your fork and give lima beans a chance!

Happy National Garlic Day

A special shout out to the town of Gilroy, CA - the self-proclaimed Garlic Capital of the World - located on Highway 101 (about 45 minutes south of San Jose). I'm sure all the residents are still out celebrating at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Perhaps someday the illegible ink family will get there and sample the famed garlic ice cream!

Here is the simple roasted garlic recipe Mr. ink worked on this evening:

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.
3. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan or on a cookie sheet. (Muffin pans were also recommended.) Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes. You will know it is done when the cloves feel soft when pressed.
4. Make sure to allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a fork to pull the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
5. You can eat as is (which is what we did with a little Rosemary boule!) or mash with a fork and use for other recipes (like garlic mashed potatoes).
6. Make sure you brush your teeth tonight!

Happy National Animal Crackers Day

Sing with me, "Animal Crackers in my soup. Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop."

Animal Cracker Ice Cream sandwiches are a roar-erriffic twist!

Everyone recognizes little Shirley Temple's voice singing, "Animal Crackers" - just like we also recognize Nabisco's "Barnum's Animal Crackers." But did you know that animal-shaped biscuit cookies were first produced in the United States by Stauffer’s Biscuit Company in 1871 in York, PA? (Prior to that, they were shipped from England.) Better yet, next time you are at Pub Trivia Night, remember it was in 1902 that circus-themed animal biscuit crackers officially became known as "Barnum's Animals."