tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81459407228126979202024-03-21T05:25:57.777-07:00Family2Tablea hearth and soul experience.Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-79043563976525824812022-07-13T14:49:00.001-07:002022-07-13T14:49:27.464-07:00Amster-Damn!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP07JTRuTMU7sAMe_T87KWG7EO-y3uT8QpzgIekoxpzdY6c7xlauoiY3B7-8A4IJO4fDbqBw4zS4LGCUmj42R8TU6nSp6dKo4xH9bILO4UYOoZWRoQFiRJyGgZP5YEKNzK3TJUfWdgHl5PevFRRnbkM3G_A9XVaoQJZLWexcJKwjyAK6UR8e5h_vp6/s900/Farmers-at-Dutch-German-border-2JF4293_C_ANP_Alamy-Stock-Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="900" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP07JTRuTMU7sAMe_T87KWG7EO-y3uT8QpzgIekoxpzdY6c7xlauoiY3B7-8A4IJO4fDbqBw4zS4LGCUmj42R8TU6nSp6dKo4xH9bILO4UYOoZWRoQFiRJyGgZP5YEKNzK3TJUfWdgHl5PevFRRnbkM3G_A9XVaoQJZLWexcJKwjyAK6UR8e5h_vp6/w674-h388/Farmers-at-Dutch-German-border-2JF4293_C_ANP_Alamy-Stock-Photo.jpg" width="674" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you know what's happening in Amsterdam? It's happening in Germany and India now too. It's going to happen all over the world and the United States mainstream media is not reporting a whisper about it. Google it or read about it here in <a href="https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/environment/air-and-water/dutch-farmers-organise-mass-protests-in-face-of-farm-closures">Farmers Weekly</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In a nutshell, these protests by hard working farmers are a response to the governments of European and East Asian countries regarding greenhouse gas emissions, which are being blamed on farmers. Farmers are being blamed for climate change and are being told to cut down their production (read:income) by HALF! Ridiculous. No Farms, No Food! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If farmers comply with this demand they will starve and so will we. Please look into this story and support your local farmers. We cannot let this happen. Boycott the grocery stores and get to your local greenmarkets and farms. Buy directly from farmers if you can. Eat seasonally and see how good you will feel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Please follow this story and pass on the information to your friends and neighbors. We cannot let down our farmers who feed and grow our families. Thank you. </span></p><p><br /></p>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-65330723613755107792020-02-29T14:26:00.000-08:002020-02-29T14:26:21.947-08:00Mussels and Sausage in White Wine, Garlic and Parsley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Combining fish and meat is a passion of mine. remind me to tell you all about my monkfish braised in veal glace with caramelized cauliflower and golden hunza raisins. this particular recipe is great for a quick lunch, an impressive appetizer or even an entree when accompanied by chips fried in beef tallow. Oh my goodness, the chips! <br />
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Mussels are a nutrient dense food that can feed you and your family nicely on a budget, all the while feeling rather fancy. In my house we call it cheap and cheerful!<br /><br />Mussels and Sausage in White Wine, Garlic and Parsley.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 lb. of fresh, local mussels (washed with beards removed)<br />4 thick slices dry Italian sausage (or salami ) cut into quarters<br />2 large cloves of garlic sliced thinly<br />1/2 bunch fresh parsley chopped roughly<br />1/2 cup white wine (i used sauvignon blanc)<br />4 TBS fresh butter<br /><br />1. place saute pan on a medium to high flame.<br />2. add 1 TBS butter to pan and melt.<br />3. when butter has stopped foaming, add sausage and saute for 2 minutes<br />4. add 1/2 the sliced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.<br />5. add mussels and saute, getting the mussels coated in butter, salami and garlic (another 2 minutes or so).<br />6. when the mussels open, add the 1/2 cup of wine and cover for 3 minutes.<br />7. uncover and check to see if all the mussels have opened (when a mussels holds tight and does not give up its shell it is not fit to eat. please do not pry it open).<br />8. remove mussels from the pan with tongs and place in a clean bowl.<br />9. to the boiling liquid, add the rest of the garlic, 3 TBS of butter and the chopped parsley and allow to reduce for a minute or two.<br />10. put the mussels back into the liquid to incorporate all flavors.<br />11. again, using tongs put the mussels back in the bowl, pour the broth with sausage over the top and serve.<br /><br />enjoy with a glass of the same wine you cooked the mussels in!<br /><br />Variations:<br />1. use bacon lardons (or chorizo or pancetta or guanciale) instead of sausage.<br />- saute bacon lardons in medium - high pan to render fat.<br />- remove the cooked bacon and hold.<br />- add garlic to the bacon fat, then the mussels, saute and hit with wine.<br />- follow the above instructions but put the bacon back in when the mussels go back in before serving.<br /><br />2. use mixed fresh herbs instead of just parsley.<br />- roughly chop parsley, cilantro, basil and chives<br /><br />3. use coconut milk instead of butter and wine<br />- saute the sausage, garlic and mussels in coconut oil.<br />- add 1 cup coconut milk and a few thin slices of fresh ginger.<br />- throw in a kefir lime leaf for good measure (available at most Asian markets).<br />- add chopped cilantro and whole leaves of purple thai basil (if available) at the end.<br />
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<br />Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-73410330951261226862020-02-28T16:48:00.003-08:002020-02-28T16:48:25.852-08:00Bone Marrow Omelette with Tarragon & Raw Sheep's Milk cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes, creating a great meal is as easy as putting your favorite ingredients together. It doesn't always work out but when it does, my goodness! The return on time invested is worth it's weight in gold. That is exactly what happened with this divine dish I have been happily making for my family. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, this one is a hands down winner! <br /><br />The best part about this recipe is that it was inspired while roasting bones for making beef broth, something I do every few weeks. The marrow yield from my bones was extraordinary and since we could not eat all that marrow at once we stored it for later use. The next day I got to thinking about how amazing that creamy, silky, delicious marrow would taste in an omelette, my idea of the perfect food - nutrient dense, texturally seductive and delicious. Here is the end result of my successful experiment. I think you will really enjoy all of these favors, tucked neatly and sweetly into an envelope of savory pastured egg.<br />
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<br />Bone Marrow Omelette with Tarragon & Raw Sheep's Milk cheese<br />2 fresh pastured eggs<br />2 TBS fresh Beef Bone Marrow (if you have had the marrow in the fridge, take it out to room temp 1/2 hour before if you can)<br />1 TBS fresh (or dried) tarragon, roughly chopped or crushed<br />1 TBS crumbles or 3 small slices of raw sheep's milk cheese (i LOVE feta in this)<br />pinch course grey sea salt<br />grass fed ghee for cooking<br />
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1. preheat a skillet on medium high heat & add 1 large tsp of ghee (i use an enameled cast iron skillet for egg making)<br />2. beat 2 pastured eggs, add tarragon and a pinch of sea salt<br />3. when pan is hot enough, it will be slightly smoking, add egg mixture<br />4. tip pan and use spatula to distribute eggs evenly and quickly.<br />5. add marrow & cheese, fold omelette over and slide onto plate.<br />6. serve alone or with accompaniment of your choice. we love roasted root vegetables in winter or a salad of greenhouse sprouts dressed with olive oil, meyer lemon juice, salt & pepper<br />
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enjoy!<br />
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<br />Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-75319592632437650952014-07-07T07:09:00.002-07:002014-07-07T07:11:04.808-07:00Pass it On!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if i had to describe myself i might use the title of a song i wrote recently called "home sweet home-made & hand-me-down."<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> i am a new traditionalist. </span></b> sounds mighty devo but i am firmly rooted and a true believer in the art of tradition. apparently, i am also a "hippie." i put that in quotes because i was recently called a hippie by a friend while discussing my living situation (24 years in a microscopic west village nyc apartment rental with big tall husband and two rapidly growing children). my friend wanted to know why we were still in this tiny apartment and why we hadn't left for greener pastures, a bigger space, a house, a place we could call our very own. equity. what she termed a solid investment or something we could pass on to our children when that time came. i thought about it for half a second and blurted, "i'm good. i have enough right here. owning big stuff seems like a drag. why would i want to pass that down to my kids when i already pass on priceless amounts of love and tradition every single day." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she didn't quite understand what i was saying until i explained what <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my legacy to my children is: recipes, culinary skills, kitchen know-how, clean food resources, decades long relationships and bonds with farmers, fisherman, butchers and other sustainable growers, flavorful memories, vibrant health and the nourishing traditions of home that they will carry with them wherever they go and pass on to their children and grandchildren.</span></b> the type of investment in health and wellness that unfortunately most people don't see as valuable or worthwhile anymore. that's probably why we are seeing so many parents passing on inherited "taints" like eczema, depression, addiction, diabetes, ADHD, dyslexia, anger, endocrine disorders and many other chronic degenerative illnesses today. we need to take the emphasis off "things" and money and put it back on solid ground where it belongs....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the perfect roast chicken, health restoring and life giving bone broth, probiotic rich cultured foods, a chopped liver that brings back the days of great grandmothers' passed, a connection to a higher power and mother nature that is as solid as the roots of a 200 year old tree that you know will bear fruit year after year. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">what i pass on is an embarrassment of riches that will feed my family physically and spiritually for generations to come. </span></b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">equity that is heartfelt, homemade, happily handed down and held in highest regard. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the handing down of traditions, skills, recipes, clothing, dances, songs, domestic heirlooms like candle sticks, photographs, artwork, tablecloths and other linens, dishes, pots and pans etc. is quickly becoming a lost art. once upon a time these things were called a dowry and they went with a bride when she was married. as a matter of fact, animals were once part of the inheritance and they were prized for milk, meat and muscle in the field. i am not suggesting we bring back dowries by any means but i am lobbying for these assets to be looked at as having real intrinsic value again. we have become a society that places value on material goods that are disposable and obsolete in a matter of months. this skewed perspective on what is worthy of our attention has brought us to this place where mothers do not think it is important to impart kitchen or marketing skills to their children (boys & girls). fathers have lost their desire to teach their kids (boys & girls) how to pick up a hammer and nails to create and fix what can be home-made and fixed. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in my tiny little kitchen, every creation is a potential inheritance for my children. </span></b> when i make a new recipe for a dish or figure out a new flavor combination that wows the masses, i feel like i just put money in the bank. a deposit that we will be able to draw on forever and will always pay dividends. it's a no risk, win-win situation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this might seem silly to some but i am confident that what i pass on each time i bring my Family2Table is obvious and valued. true love, first and foremost. passion, respect, creativity and resourcefulness. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b> with each plate i serve i feel certain that my children are assimilating each physical and emotional nutrient and will someday feel the need to recreate all those flavors and feelings for their families, making them strong and wealthy beyond all the riches in the world. </b></span> because at the end of the day, you can't take it with you when you go so, pass it on and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and now i pass on to you <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Perfect Roast Chicken</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">herb roasted chicken</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- preheat oven to 425 degrees -- go to 450 if you can without the oven smoking.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- place whole, pastured chicken (3.5-4lbs) in a roasting pan and leave at room temp for half an hour to take the chill off</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- liberally season the whole chicken including cavity with sea salt & pepper</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- chop herbs (fresh thyme, rosemary, mint and basil -- other options are tarragon, parsley, marjoram, oregano and chervil) and coat the entire chicken.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- use herb stems to put inside of the cavity. you can put whole garlic, lemon, orange, onions, anything aromatic inside that chicken to perfume and flavor the meat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be creative and use this as a way to use everything -- even vegetable ends and scraps that you might not have any other use for.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- place chicken in the oven legs first and roast for 20 minutes</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- after 20 minutes turn down heat to 400 and rotate bird, legs facing door.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- after another 20 minutes turn down to 350 and turn chicken sideways and leave for another 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- after 1 hour, remove bird and let rest for at least 15 minutes before you cut it up and serve allowing the all the juices to disperse nicely throughout the bird.</span></div>
Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-41693796942745364312014-06-22T09:50:00.002-07:002014-06-22T09:50:20.476-07:00Buttermilk Corn Cakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">corn bread is one of the simple pleasures in my life. It is also a staple of the pioneer kitchen from the 1800s. ma ingalls was a big fan of corn cakes and i am a big fan of ma ingalls. a versatile, filling treat used to sop up gravy (meat drippings), egg yolk, butter, syrup, bacon grease, BBQ sauce and more, corn bread is your friend. i turned to corn bread and developed this particular recipe when i stopped eating wheat almost four years ago. corn is a flavor that resonates with me on many levels and just like me, it happily goes both ways: sweet and savory. when i want a "biscuit" with my eggs these buttermilk corn cakes are just the ticket. when my children want what we call "afters," these cakes, fried in pastured lard and grass fed ghee are a classic with a thick schmear of maple cream or jam and an ice cold glass of raw milk. my husband prefers his corn cakes topped with german style pickled vegetables, raw sour cream and chives. i am happy to enjoy them with cumin spiced avocado mousse (not unlike guacamole) with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime and course sea salt. very much like an arepa, a flatbread made of ground maize dough popular in venezuela or columbia, the corn cake is an individual, grain-free bread at home on the breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner table. they are marvelous for appetizers and hors d'oeuvres. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the following recipe can be adapted and expanded to include, cheese, herbs, spices, banana (or any fruit) puree and is lots of fun to play with so go ahead and have a ball. the simplicity is almost ridiculous and the value is priceless. these cakes can be made and eaten right away or they can be stored in an airtight container right on the counter for a few days and then pan toasted before eating and serving. OH! if you love smoking meats or slow braising meats, these cakes are a must for your repertoire. they are a cool twist on southern corn bread and will hold even the most saucy pulled pork or brisket if you are looking for an edible carrier for all that summer lovin.' if they are going past two days, i recommend putting them in the refrigerator to avoid spoiling. if you come up with any interesting new recipes or ways to serve the cakes when you bring your Family2Table, please email me and let me know! enjoy! xx</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUTTERMILK CORN CAKES</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups organic corn flour (corn meal)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. aluminum free baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 pinches of sea salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups cultured (raw) buttermilk</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">combine dry ingredients</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add buttermilk and mix to a thick batter</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. heat a cast iron skillet on medium flame till very hot</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. add 1 Tbs. pastured lard and 1 Tablespoon grass fed ghee and melt.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. When fat is hot, add one large soup spoon of batter to the pan per cake. I do 3 at a time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. after about a minute and a half to 2 minutes, flip. depending on the pan and the heat source, this can vary so please watch what you are doing and never let the pan or the cakes burn. you want them golden and crisp, not black and burnt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. when they are golden on both sides, put them aside (or eat them while they are hot!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. enjoy with your condiments and accompaniments of choice.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-54224910439480006822014-06-20T09:33:00.000-07:002014-06-21T05:24:12.427-07:00I'll Drink to That!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this week i had the good fortune to raise my glass in celebration many times. it started on monday with my birthday in the form of a spritzer made from passionfruit juice, gerolsteiner naturally sparkling mineral water and a slice of lime. super refreshing! tuesday i toasted a paper cup full of my home-brew of choice, vanilla-cardamom kombucha, at greenlight bookstore in fort green, brooklyn. i was there to do a cooking demo for the recent release of Nina Planck's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Real-Food-Cookbook-Traditional/dp/1608196755/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403281948&sr=8-1&keywords=Nina+Planck">Real Food Cookbook</a>. i am very proud to have contributed an essay and the drinks section to this beautiful book. wednesday i sipped fermented beet kvass the color of blood, sweet and silky and infused with fresh tarragon as i made the announcement that my band, the <a href="http://emilyduffband.bandcamp.com/">emily duff band</a>, had officially released our first single, now available </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for sale </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">online at <a href="http://bandcamp.com/">bandcamp.com</a> and then ran out to gig at arlene's grocery on stanton street. thursday found me and my entire family with ball jars full of gingerade at murray's cheese, once again excited and cheering for the official release of Nina's book. finally friday, i will churn up a frothy glass tumbler full of a vanilla balsamic raw milk egg cream and thank my lucky stars that i have the night to relax and enjoy my family! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i don't know about you but i am a child of the 60s and was raised drinking hoffman's and dr. brown's sodas, seltzer brought by irving the seltzer man in beautiful blue glass bottles, egg creams from seymour's luncheonette and chocolate milk made with u-bet chocolate syrup and pasteurized milk. in the 70's we took the nestea plunge, went to the moon with tang and got our country time on with "convenient' powdered drinks. who knew?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">these days my life does not include soda, powdered drinks and not much from a bottle you buy at the store. we stay away from vegetable and fruit juices unless we juice them ourselves. as a chef, i have found that creating your own drinks can be as creative as putting together a three course meal and more economical too! kombucha has become a popular trend these days and i am very happy to see that. a fermented sweet tea, kombucha is a restorative cold drink that supplies, enzymes, probiotics and helps to detoxify the liver. not to mention that it tastes great! in the store you will pay anywhere from $3.50 up to $5 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for a 16 oz. bottle</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. by brewing your own at home, that same 16oz. bottle costs just .50! not to mention the fact that you get to make up your own flavors and have a bit of microbiology going on in your own home. our favorite flavors are lemon-mint, watermelon-basil, lemon-ginger-raspberry, straight-up strawberry, pink grapefruit, concord grape in the fall, vanilla-cardamom and cinnamon-spice. my children love to see the process of fermentation going on in our home kitchen. sometimes they will have an idea for a new flavor and want to take me to the market to find all of the ingredients to make that flavor happen. at the end of the brewing process they can't wait to taste the final product and share it with friends and family. talk about a community building project! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the brewing process takes roughly 2 weeks, give or take a few extra days for the secondary fermentation to flavor and build up "fizz." for a really special treat, add a few generous shakes of angostura bitters and a generous squeeze of lemon to your kombucha for a cocktail that quenches the thirst and helps with digestion! if i am going to spend money on a store bought kombucha these days, sometimes we drink faster than we can produce, i tend to gravitate toward high country kombucha. their wild root and ginger flavored kombucha is top notch! while i am here....kombucha in all it's flavors and forms is also great to cook with. remember my post on ginger kombucha battered fish and chips? check it out! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">other fermented beverages we like to make at home are beet kvass which calls for freshly peeled and cut up beets, liquid whey, sea salt and filtered water. this rich, silky drink is a great tonic to start the day and is a great blood builder - not to mention a great base for a salad dressing! my son loves to make fermented ginger ale. it is different from bottled ginger ale in that is has no C02 added. it gets it fizz from liquid whey, rapadura sugar and natural fermentation. fresh ginger, fresh lemon and lime juice and some chopped dried apricots lend a beautiful sweetness to the brew. we often add fresh mint or thai basil to create a freshness when we serve it. it goes so well with spicy thai dishes and home made sushi.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the egg cream is something that i hold near and dear to my heart. it is a soda fountain experience that brings back memories of my old neighborhood in queens, my grandma sylvia and my uncle mitch. in the old days it was a combo of pasteurized milk, u-bet chocolate syrup and fountain seltzer. these days i make it with a vanilla balsamic syrup i make by reducing balsamic vinegar with a split vanilla bean till it's a thick syrup. you can store this in the fridge for ages and it will be good to go, no worries. in an 8 oz. glass i use 3 TBS. syrup, then fill the glass half way with raw milk or raw milk kefir, then slowly add naturally sparkling mineral water while vigorously stirring to create a head of foam on the top. this drink takes me right back to my childhood and begs me to eat a good kosher beef hot dog and knish.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">another summer favorite, and a recipe i contributed to Nina's book is a cucumber lemonade with ginger, mint and stevia. fill up a pitcher with good filtered water and add a generous handful of thinly sliced cucumbers, a TBS. of freshly grated ginger and 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice. feel free to use lime, orange, grapefruit, etc....find your favorite. add stevia to taste in very small amounts (it can go wrong quickly) and then mottled fresh mint leaves - basil is beautiful too. you can let this sit out in the sun to infuse if you like and then refrigerate or just serve over ice. a major refresher.....for the adults, add chilled vodka or gin. makes a nice summer martini! garnish with pickled cucumbers or preserved lemons.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">did you know that drinking your breakfast is an awesome way to start your day? here is our favorite smoothie recipe:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup of either (raw) milk, kefir, yogurt, colostrum, etc.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup raw coconut water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 crazy brown ripe cold bananas</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. camu camu powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">barleans greens powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. macca powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 capsules dr. ron's organ delight emptied in the jug</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 raw pastured egg yolks</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup frozen berries of your choice</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">whip it all up with a hand blender, vitamix or counter top blender and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before i sign off and head to the kitchen to create something beautiful and delicious for lunch i want to remind y'all that what i mostly put into my glass these days is pure, clean water. i don't go overboard and swill it all day long but i do get what i consider to be my fill and what's more important it is clean and pure. we have a three stage counter top filter that we purchased at pure-earth.com that removes flouride, chlorine, bacteria, sediment, etc. there are many types and brands on the market but i do recommend that you have a look and see what works best for you and your budget. some of the popular, excellent filters come from <a href="http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/">radiant life</a>, <a href="http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/systems/?gclid=CjgKEAjwt4-dBRCDnaTUn-mC_0oSJAC4Q6kGWu9BQu1VV3ELNkVmzaSLXyPebWwTDBIUpTeYsFBfs_D_BwE">berkey</a> and <a href="http://www.pure-earth.com/">pure earth</a>. our bodies depend on water, please make pure and clean water a priority for you and your loved ones.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">kombucha and water kefir are a great alternative to store bought sodas that are full of chemicals, refined sugars and unwanted additives. herbal teas, tonics, smoothies and ades are health restoring, thirst quenching and delicious! what we can do with drinks in the creative kitchen is a super satisfying, loving and innovative way to save money and introduce new, fresh flavors when bringing your friends and Family2Table and i will always drink to that! cheers & enjoy!!</span><br />
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<b><u>KOMBUCHA 101</u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">equipment/ingredient wise you need very little.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- 1 gallon glass pyrex bowl or 1 gallon glass anchor jar (an old fashioned candy jar)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- 2 air tight glass bottles to store the kombucha in the fridge (i use the Ikea bottles. they are tight and cheap)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- a box of 365 brand organic black tea from whole foods</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- a bag of 365 brand organic evaporated can sugar from whole foods</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- masking tape</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- a tea towel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- a stainless steel pot to boil and brew</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- pure filtered water</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">- a starter culture (from a bottle or a friend)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>recipe</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">1. place 3 quarts of filtered water in a pot and bring to a boil</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">2. add 1 cup organic evaporated cane juice (i use whole foods organic 365 brand) to the pot and stir till dissolved (about 5 minutes)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">3. add 4 tea bags (i use whole foods organic 365 brand) to the pot and turn off flame and cover</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">4. when tea has cooled to room temp (at least 5 hours - i put mine up at night and let it brew and cool till morning)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">5. remove tea bags and put tea into 1 gallon capacity glass bowl</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">6. add 1/2 cup kombucha (starter to inoculate)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">7. place scoby on top - it will float - sometimes it sinks. that's okay</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">8. using masking tape, make a criss-cross over the bowl and date with marker</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">9. put tea towel over the bowl and put in a warm place (i put mine on top of the fridge)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">10. check after 5 days (the sweetness and the tea flavor should be gone) depending on the temp. in your house,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">warmer cultures faster, it could take up to 10 days.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>to harvest</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">remove scoby and baby - which will be attached to each other - and place liquid in bottles with air tight stoppers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">refrigerate and drink. save 1/2 cup for next batch and now you have a scoby to share or put in a glass jar and refrigerate</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">with some kombucha until someone asks you for it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">(you can do a secondary fermentation in these bottles if you want it extra fizzy.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">instead of putting it in the fridge, put an extra teaspoon of sugar in each bottle</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">and let stand for another 3 days before refrigerating).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">as always, if you have any questions about the drinks please contact me at <a href="mailto:emilyduff@mac.com">emilyduff@mac.com</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">cheers!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-265531814044260652013-12-13T08:33:00.001-08:002013-12-14T12:45:04.628-08:00Food is Parenting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EWLXrypxeKquhB248TnH74LOGuviDNk4YNuesHyLfZyVt0Pv8vwsZIEQCuF1XBuLiIi3-xF759lMoLBrSz1Pr9y8oVa1RBn9Quxf_wLHE2CZlnGjIay3u6wzgCQ5p5HqieOqhYlfsPg/s1600/IMG_7138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EWLXrypxeKquhB248TnH74LOGuviDNk4YNuesHyLfZyVt0Pv8vwsZIEQCuF1XBuLiIi3-xF759lMoLBrSz1Pr9y8oVa1RBn9Quxf_wLHE2CZlnGjIay3u6wzgCQ5p5HqieOqhYlfsPg/s320/IMG_7138.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the other day, while walking down the street, my 5 year old son, henry saw a child eating a neon blue frosted cupcake. as we strolled passed the child I watched his eyes narrow and focus on the glowing cake. my 8 year old daughter, sylvia saw it too. as we walked away sylvia said to me, "that was disgusting. have you ever seen blue like that in nature?" I smiled and said "nope." then henry quickly chimed in, "I want a cupcake like that. how come we never get cupcakes like that?" to which sylvia immediately responded, "oh henry! have some self-respect!" I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. henry is at that age when laughing makes him feel a bit self conscious because he feels as if he is being laughed at. so, in order to protect my little man's pride, i smiled ear to ear, put one arm around my sylvia tenderly, and walked on feeling very proud, knowing that my parenting choices were making a real impact and that my children were hearing me loud and clear. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i feed my family the way i do and teach my children proper nutrition because i want them to love themselves, to value themselves and to be able to be of value to others. </span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i became a professional cook, feeding my customers was all about freshness and flavor. as a parent feeding children, my focus is more on freshness, flavor and nutritional value. my desire to feed them the cleanest, freshest, most delicious local foods, chock full of vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, love and proper nourishment became my quest from the time they were born. looking back, i realize that should have been my goal throughout life and that eating the way we all eat now, since the kids have come along, is the way to eat before and especially during pregnancy since that is when we actually start feeding our babies. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">creativity is also a key factor and will always remain high on my list since chicken will always be chicken and a potato will always be a potato. it's what we are able to do with those ingredients and the creativity we bring to them that takes them to the next level of excitement by allowing them to express their innate flavor and maximum nutrient values while we ask them to also perform exquisitely in our manipulation, preparation or "theater" of taste.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> when we retain this creativity in our cooking, we remain engaged with cooking as an art or a craft. this challenges us or pushes us as the "servantless" cooks that we are in order to find the opportunity in every meal. the privilege in every act of culinary expression we put out on the table. to please ourselves, our friends and our families with the most sensual act of giving that we can perform on a daily basis - in public. as you can tell from just this last sentence, i consider cooking, prepping, eating and sourcing clean ingredients to be major, super-important, life giving, life sustaining, life changing, comforting, creative, playful, meditative, healing and more. simply put, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">food is parenting.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i became a parent, nothing became more apparent than the importance of feeding and nourishing. as a breast feeding mum i was reminded, every two hours, how essential this was (my son fed every two hours around the clock for 18 months!). when you are the primary food source you are enlightened to the primal instincts involved in the growing of a healthy child's body and mind. the physical and emotional attachment to nourishment is an equal opportunity for both parties to witness the miracle of life and growth as nature intended. following the path of Fresh, Local, Organic and Whole beyond the breast is always best. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> my kids know the rule of thumb in our house when it comes to what we eat. if people have been eating it for 200 years...go ahead, it's all good! </span>parenting (the verb), comes in many different forms. we might then ask ourselves what it means to parent. in my eyes, to parent is to nurture, to nourish, to feed, to teach, to lead, to inspire, to cultivate, to raise, to look after, to bring up, to rear, to take care of, to love, to cook, to kiss, to play, to wash, to mend, to shlep, to read, to heal, to be present.....you get me?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i have waged major wars with my own parents regarding "treats" that they felt compelled to give to my children that are just not allowed in our family. they claimed that i was depriving my kids of "kid food" and that it was their birth right to have these things just like i did when i was a kid. my reply to them is "nope. we don't eat that." i don't apologize and i rarely give in. some even say </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">"but it's just junk food! everybody gets to eat junk food once in a while." to which i respond, "there is junk. and there is food. we eat food." </span>as the mother of my children, their birth right is to be healthy, happy, safe and loved. my job is to make sure they have all that and a bit more. no where does refined biotech sugar, potentially cancer causing genetically modified corn, cottonseed, canola and soy, antibiotics and hormones from factory farmed meat, eggs and milk ever enter the picture. the health & behavioral problems that go along with cheap, fast, junk are no child's birthright and every parent's worst nightmare. as a parent it is our job to protect our children from this stuff. and it is everywhere.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">as a parent i feel there is no greater opportunity to teach our children than through the blessings of food, </span><span class="Apple-style-span">a medium that always conveys a good old-fashioned, farm raised lesson. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">we can teach them how to read by taking them to market, we can teach them math by having them help pay the shop keeper or the farmer for the food and then follow recipes with us. we can teach them agriculture, farming and other aspects of the sciences when we take them to buy food from farmers and then teach them about how our body digests and utilizes the nutrients in our good food. we engage their social skills at the dinner table whether we are home or at a restaurant and we certainly teach them self respect and self esteem when we teach them how to prepare, cook and eat well via proper nutrition. we teach them that good food will build a strong mind and body. one that will be able to run, jump, play, think and create. when sylvia commented about the neon blue cupcake being disrespectful to our bodies, i felt vindicated in my "food as parenting" style and how it is helping my children form their healthy sense of self in this often confusing and toxic world. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">think about it, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">what we put in our mouths and into our bodies is the most intimate relationship we have with another organism from the day we are born.</span></b> The food we introduce into our inner ecosystems becomes us. our cells, our fuel, our microbiome, our internal and external self. what we put in the tank will determine our health, wellness and behavior. and yet most people do not even know who's growing their food. most people don't even know what is <i>in</i> their food! This brings up the very important concept of priorities. Everyone has their own set or list in their appropriate order. in my opinion, especially because of the times we are living in - GMOs, rampant allergies, autism, environmental toxicity, Fukushima (anyone talking about this, hello?) - making solid food choices is more important than ever and therefore sits at the very top of our family's list of priorities. as a matter of fact when we travel, i always search out where the cleanest food sources will be when we get there. we always travel with our own food and this is also a huge lesson for our children. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">When I teach my cooking classes to parents I like to begin the session by asking a few questions to set the stage. "how many parents spent a lot of time finding your family pediatrician?" everyone's hand goes up quickly. then i go on to ask, "how many parents spent a lot of time and did a lot of research on a super safe family car, car seat and stroller?" again, everyone's hand flies up proudly and quickly. they all beam, actually. smiles all over the room. then i slip this one in...."how many parents devoted all of those hours to finding your family farmer?" at this point the room gets really quiet and they look quite confused. not one hand (maybe one or two if i am lucky) goes up and i say..."really...i'm so surprised. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you're all such amazing, dedicated, hands-on loving parents and you don't know the people who are growing the food you feed your children.</span></b> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the person or people who plant, grow, harvest, kindly nurture and then humanely kill and healthfully process the beautiful food you and your family eat at least three times a day." the crazy fact is that to most, this person is a total stranger! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">think for a minute about those people who spend tens of thousands of dollars on high performance vehicles. i bet you would never catch them putting junk in that tank. it would ruin the machine. and yet, millions allow junk to go into their children's tanks at every meal. children have never been sicker, more learning disabled and developmentally delayed and depressed than they are today. why? because they are malnourished from disrespecting their bodies with junk and calling it food. this is why i teach cooking. this is why i help parents learn how to feed their families properly. i used to think that i was a chef and a cooking instructor. now i realize that i also teach lifestyle and self love. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> i parent my students who then parent their children via food and proper nutrition. </span></b> we must parent those who, perhaps, were not parented properly with food when they grew up. parenting is also teaching, yes? food is all about the teachable moment. use it. every meal you cook. every meal you eat. every time you sit down with your family is another opportunity to be an effective parent. wow. how lucky we are.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">by giving children a solid foundation in proper nutrition and modeling good nutritional habits we are teaching them to love and respect themselves. we are raising little people with big confidence. my 8 year old understands that! my 5 year old will too, i have no doubt. i also know that as my children grow older they will use this foundation to make good decisions when it comes to situations that might harm them. i hope that by teaching my children the importance of good food and nutrition they will respect themselves enough not to sucomb to peer pressure that might harm them in the future. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> food is parenting in all the best ways - food is communication. food is nourishment. food is health. food is happiness. food is love. food is community. food is tradition and so much more. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">unfortunately traditions are being lost and food is becoming less important. families don't always eat together anymore. we spend less of our annual budgets on good, real food, and cooking is becoming a lost art. all the best parties wind up in the kitchen. why? that is where the hearth is. the soul of a home beats strongest and truest from the kitchen. hippocrates said let food be thy medicine. i say that our best hope to heal is through our children. therefore, in my equation, parenting is my soul food and food is parenting.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">there is an old expression that refers to something (an idea, a value, a concept, etc) being "in the water" meaning that it is pervasive, everywhere. parenting, in my opinion, is "in the food." to raise children well we must feed them well and teach them to feed themselves, with love and respect. love </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and respect </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for self, love </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and respect </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for nature, love </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and respect</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for others and love </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and respect </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for life. in doing this we will be raising generations of people who honor the natural cycle of life and consider their bodies sacred and worth caring for. when we really think about what we put into our bodies we realize that what goes in is what we get back. teaching children why we eat fresh, local, organic, whole foods as nature intended and not genetically engineered science experiments will not only grow stronger healthier children but also produce generations of environmental activists, sustainable farmers and gentle souls who care about the planet they live on and the life that inhabits it. they are smart people who deserve to know that eating well has a huge impact on the world and why. in august i asked sylvia what she wanted to be when she grew up. without any hesitation she said, "a farmer's wife." i asked her why and replied "farmers are heros. they work hard to grow our food. i want to marry a hero." smart girl.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i treasure the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Family2Table</span></b> moments in my little home. we say a prayer of thanks, appreciate each other and then talk about our days. they are the sweetest moments when i feel most alive. sometimes they can also be the moments when i feel the most vulnerable too, because thank goodness, we are human. in the end i know that communication, nourishment, health, happiness, community, love and tradition - in other words, real food, will heal whatever ails me. our children and our planet are our greatest natural resources. love, respect and enjoy them! xx</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-44124758720268994022013-12-02T11:24:00.000-08:002013-12-02T11:27:58.415-08:00got broth?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i live in nyc where we are fortunate to experience all four seasons in brilliant fashion. just like that, right on time, mid november, the weather snaps and the cold arrives. fall now feels like winter and the chill has set into my bones. bingo! bones. there. i have said it. a word that sets some folks on edge and others enthusiastically on fire when pertaining to food. in my house <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bones are a blessing and a friend because they give us "stuff" that no other food can give.</span></b> nutrient dense broth and succulent, divine marrow. (if you never saw or read my bone marrow omelette recipe when it was published by sarah, the healthy home economist, i recommend you click <a href="http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/bone-marrow-omelette-w-tarragon-sheeps-milk-cheese/">here</a> after you have finished this post). also, my post, <a href="http://www.family2table.blogspot.com/2011/06/skin-bones.html">skin & bones</a>, on this blog gets into some rather boney good food.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bones are a foundation, a structure, a skeleton, a frame, a sturdy and strong base to build upon.</span></b> the broth we make from bones is an elixir to support all of that in order to keep the structure, in this case our bodies (which includes the mind, y'all) sound and healthy. in it's most fundamental homeopathic approach to feeding or curing like with like....bone broth on a daily basis will supply the necessary amount of collagen, gelatin, minerals, vitamin C and more that we all need to maintain strong bones and vibrant health. it is also the foundation of hundreds of great dishes and traditional recipes! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">however, over the years, the practice of making broth, or stock, from animal bones has gone out of "fashion" and people have turned instead to packaged broths and stocks from the grocer's shelves to save time. convenience is king to americans it seems, but at what cost? in this case it has cost us our birth right. packaged broth has absolutely no nutritional value. as a matter of fact, it contains chemicals and additives (the product and the packaging) that are actually hurting us and making us ill. it is no wonder that we are seeing so many people these days with weak and ailing bones - osteoporosis and the wide spread need for hip and knee replacements, etc. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> bone broth made from properly raised animals could quite possibly be the key to feeling good and healing from chronic illness</span></b>. as a matter of fact broth is such a hot topic again that there is a new book in the works called "nourishing broth" by sally fallon morell and <a href="http://drkaayladaniel.com/">dr. kaayla daniel</a> and i am hoping to contribute a recipe or two to that! but enough about why this traditionally key food is so powerfully good for us and onto how to make it and use it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in my little house on the urban prairie our stock pot is put up every week in order to make roughly 7- 8 quarts of delicious, gelatin rich broth. we put two in the freezer (labeled and dated) for later and consume 5 - 6 quarts a week. i alternate between beef, lamb, chicken and fish. i make veal stock every once in a while on special occasions (and that process is a bit different) in order to make either an onion soup, demi glace for steak (in which i melt an other-worldly australian blue cheese on top of a perfectly rare, seared and peppered grass fed rib eye by pouring hot, reduced red wine, mushroom demi glace over it) or a savory base for my famous lentil stew. all broths are consumed, salted to taste, for breakfast, first thing in the morning by all members of the family. we have been doing this for years and find that it is an amazing way to start the day. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">4 - 6oz. of hot broth is a gentle, beautiful way to start the day and can keep you going for a very long time as far as nutrients are concerned.</span></b> we have also been known to drink our broth as bacon and egg drop soup in the morning. in this case we heat the soup to a simmer, salt to taste, beat 2 pastured egg yolks in a bowl and slowly drizzle into the broth as we stir it in the pot making what my kids call egg noodles. we garnish with bacon lardons, thinly chopped scallions and sometimes a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and bacon drippings. again, a great way to start the day with a hot, delicious, nutrient dense breakfast. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when the weather turns chilly, like it is now, i heat and salt the broth in the morning and then pour it into a 2 quart thermos so it is always ready to take the chill off of whomever requires that feeling of<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"> a warm cuddle in their bellies.</span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> that's what good broth will do. a warm embrace from the inside out. </span></b> there is an old south american saying that claims that broth can resurrect the dead. i have never seen the actual act performed but i can attest to the lazarus effect it provides in someone with a bad cold, the flu or just suffering from being plain, flat out, knackered and tired. bone broth, and meat stocks are the cornerstone of classical french cooking. every soup, sauce, stock, stew and more are based on well made bone broths and can turn a plain tasting dish into a spectacular star.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if bone broth is so delicious and so good for you then why has it fallen out of fashion you might ask....well, like i previously stated above, todays american likes their convenience. bone broth is something that takes a bit of time and effort. not scary effort, mind you. just a bit of patience and preparation and then it couldn't be easier. as a matter of fact i liken stock and broth making to babysitting. in order to make a good bone broth <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you need to source bones from well raised animals who have grazed on pasture, or fresh, wild caught, non oily fish.</span></b> once you have located your source you are halfway there. i always recommend starting at your local greenmarket. if that does not pan out then your local butcher shop or fish monger will do. please ask questions about the bones. you want to know where they came from. how fresh they are....etc. also, if you do get them from your butcher, ask him or her to cut them if they are too large to fit into your pot - this will also produce more gelatin (especially if you are using a cow or pig foot - yum!). okay, so now you have your bones at home. good work. you will need a good stock pot - you can do this in a crock pot too - but i prefer the stock pot in my house. i use a 12 quart stainless steel pot. you choose what is best for you.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5lbs. (give or take) of bones go in, cover with pure filtered water, leaving a few inches at the top. with beef and lamb i use a combo of knuckle bones and marrow bones. sometimes i roast the marrow bones first to eat the marrow then use the bones or sometimes i don't. it all depends on how i feel. i love marrow - and so does my family - so we tend to eat the marrow and use the bones...but cooking the marrow into the soup is fine, healthy and nutritious. into that pot of cold water and bones i put 2 TBS. Braggs apple cider vinegar and then let sit for 1/2 and hour to 1 hour. This will leech more nutrients out of the bones and will not change the flavor at all. then i turn on the flame - med. high and bring it to a boil while the pot comes to a boil, the water and bones will produce a green/grey foam that will gather on top. these are impurities from the proteins. please scoop this foam or scum off. we do not need or want this. my general rule in cooking is that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">if it foams to the top, skim it off</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - something is looking to be extracted because it is not necessary and floating to the top to say hello and tell you so. take the hint. keep the broth clean. there. when all of the scum has been scooped off the top you may add aromatics. I will add a rib of celery, chopped, a carrot or two, scrubbed and roughly chopped, one onion peeled and quartered and about 10 black peppercorns. i then reduce the flame and cover the pot.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you never want the pot to boil. you want it to smile. if a boil is a laugh and a simmer is a giggle...find the smile. here is a video to show you what i mean.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i let my beef and lamb broth go for 30 - 36 hours. my chicken, around 20 hours and fish, usually 6 hours. what we notice here is smaller bones, less cooking time, yes? generally, i will shut the broth off and let it cool. take out the bones and aromatics, then store in glass jars to cool. when i freeze my 2 quarts (in plastic as i have had too many glass jars explode on me in my small freezer = nightmare) i will cool it overnight in the fridge, take off the fat in one solid piece then transfer to plastic to freeze. sometimes i will even reduce the broth further to intensify the flavor before i freeze it. this is a great solution if you have a small freezer and want to consolidate and concentrate flavor. then you can add water later when you use the broth and expand the volume.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beef and chicken broth are sipped hot at least once a day by all members of my family. fish broth is almost always used for soups, risotto, curries, pad thai, stew and congi for weekend brekkie. lamb broth is the cornerstone of my lentil stew and slow oven roasted lamb shanks seasoned with fresh herbs, orange zest and cardamom seeds. i highly recommend broth of all kinds for making rice that has been well soaked. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">by using broth you are imparting nutritional value</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (just like in risotto). finish with good raw butter and fresh reggiano parmagiano and hip hip hooray!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i will stop now because i could go on forever about broth and how wonderful, satisfying, restorative and versatile it really is.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">making broth is a meditation for me -- just like parenting </span></b>(a subtle hint regarding the topic of my next blog, hello). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh! did i happen to mention that when you make broth your home will smell amazing for hours and hours? it does.......</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but before i disappear into my little 9x11 kitchen to thaw some bones and fill the stock pot with filtered cold water and pull out the bottle of raw apple cider vinegar, i want to leave you with this thought....good bone broth is an inspiration and an opportunity to create your next delicious, nourishing meal. when you commit to making bone broth and having it in your home it is like making a commitment to good health and rich flavor. It is like preparing and storing an insurance policy in your freezer. when you have the basis, or foundation for good body health and properly cooked dishes ready to go, you have a home that it ready to heal. so get those bones and fill that pot (and <a href="mailto:emilyduff@mac.com">email me</a> if you need help) and get that broth going cause it might just be a long winter and when you call your <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Family2Table</span></b> on one of those chilly nights, they will certainly smell the broth and feel the lovin' comin' out of the oven. enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-67898668940917109802013-11-04T08:33:00.000-08:002013-11-04T08:59:02.293-08:00Bathing in Butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">slow cooking in fat is a technique that has been employed for hundreds of years. we have all heard of confit, especially duck confit, a preparation for duck legs that are submerged in their own fat and slow cooked in the oven for hours until the meat is succulent, silky and falling off the bone. if you haven't tried it, get thee to your nearest french bistro and order it - or better yet, cook it at home! it couldn't be easier. in my house we slow cook in clean fat all the time. recently, i posted a picture of our dinner on facebook - something i do often - that sparked quite a lot of interest. the dish was a simple, locally caught piece of cod that was slow cooked in raw spring butter. the butter was infused with fresh thyme, log grown shiitake salt (an amazing product that i brought home from melbourne, australia on our last trip back this past august) and truffle salt i purchased from my downstairs neighbor, <a href="http://www.atthemeadow.com/shop/">the meadow</a>, a lovely shop dedicated to fine salt, chocolates, bitters and flowers, owned by author and all around cool guy, mark bitterman....but i digress. the cod was served with a delightful accompaniment of seared cauliflower (i seared it in bacon drippings first -- more clean fat) and then added it to the butter i cooked the fish in, along with some frozen spring peas that i had put away for when i simply had to have peas. i recommend putting away those precious vegetables when they are available - thank goodness for modern freezers! the dinner was beyond flavorful, my children made all gone and today i have received numerous requests for the recipe. because <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i have spent over two decades learning and earning.....my days are now generally filled with "returning." </span> as weston price said, "...you teach, you teach, you teach." so here we go...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the butter bath was made for fish. you can do it with almost all proteins, fruit and veg. but it was MADE for fish. in case you don't understand what i mean when i say butter bath, here is a little video of me bathing some lovely halibut to illustrate.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by bathing the fish in butter you achieve a "buttery" (duh), silky, perfectly cooked piece of fish that will never let you down. you will be able to watch the progression of the cooking by seeing the flesh go from translucent to solid in color. also, please note the texture of your protein by touching it with your fingers. i wholeheartedly recommend getting to know the touch texture of all protein in a raw state as well as the different degrees of their cooked state (rare, medium and well). <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">by adding herbs and spices to the butter you infuse the fish with rich aromatics and flavors that will beautifully take your flavor profile to the next level. </span> by slightly browning the butter - which will no doubt happen as you continue to keep it on a flame and the milk solids become golden - the butter takes on a nutty flavor, continuing to change the experience. i like to use fresh herbs, citrus peel or zest, aromatic spices like curry powder, garam masala, cumin, fennel, caraway, etc. ground spices as well as seeds are fine. experiment and see what you like best. believe it or not, one of my favorite additions to butter when slow cooking fish (and carrots too!) is vanilla bean.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before i write up the recipe for the cod i would just like to say that besides an animals own fat -- butter, ghee, olive oil and coconut oil are all great examples of fat to slow cook and bathe in. as a matter of fact, i love to fill a saucepan with good olive oil and put it on a warmer (never cook with olive oil on high heat) and then toss in sliced celery and julienne carrots. i add fresh herbs, chili flake, a split vanilla bean and 1 TBS. of rapadura sugar. i let that go for a few hours. what i get is a heavenly smell and perfectly cooked vegetables that will hold for weeks if i need them to. what is killer is to then saute some greens in butter until they are almost done - then hit them with a bit of these veggies and the olive oil to finish. holy smokes! oh! by the way....cooking and submerging in good fat will also preserve the freshness of your food and extend it's life. fat has long been used as a way to preserve food as well as increase nutrient value. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">fat is good and it will not make you fat.</span> it will however get your <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Family2Table</span> in a hurry when they smell the butter calling. enjoy! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">okay, as promised.....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>slow cooked cod in raw spring butter with shiitake mushrooms and truffle salt served with cauliflower and peas.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">note: i have replaced the shiitake salt with real shiitake mushrooms because that product is not available in this country (as far as i know). the following recipe is for 4 portions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fresh atlantic cod (7 oz. per portion)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grass fed butter (kerrygold, gold package is fine)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 TBS. picked fresh thyme leaves plus 6 springs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">truffled salt (or truffle oil)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 head large cauliflower</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">frozen spring peas (a bag of frozen organic peas will do nicely)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. heat a pan on med high heat and place 2 TBS. bacon fat from good pastured bacon. if you don't do bacon i suggest using butter or coconut oil.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. cut cauliflower lengthwise so you have a flat surface to sear and get color on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. place cod portions on a plate and sprinkle with sea salt, fresh thyme leaves, truffle salt and a few turns of fresh white pepper (i prefer white pepper on fish)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. when pan is hot place cauli in the pan and caramelize the cauli on both sides till you can pierce the cauli through. remove from pan and set aside. dump that fat and wipe the pan.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. reduce the flame to low and add 5 TBS. butter -- yes, that's right....5 TBS. good grass fed butter - you might even need more as you go.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. when the butter stops foaming, add the seasoned fish and let cook for a few minutes, add the chopped shiitakes, let those cook in the butter and then start bathing the fish in the butter. feel free to add more butter if you need to. cook till the fish is done. could take up to 15 minutes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. remove fish and set aside. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. add cauliflower to the fish and mushroom butter, add frozen peas (that amount depends on you but i generally put in 1/4 - 1/2 cup and cook till the peas are done.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. to plate, put a piece of fish on each plate, veggies on the side and butter over the top. drizzle the truffle oil over the fish and feel the effect! garnish with springs of thyme and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-26350616065362140062013-07-13T16:30:00.000-07:002013-07-13T16:51:34.362-07:00To Market To Market!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this morning i woke with the usual enthusiasm and excitement that is typical of a saturday. not only does saturday mean that my husband is home from work for all of us to enjoy for two whole days, but it also means that i will be going to the market to see what my treasured friends and farmers have harvested for my family! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> because we are a family that goes with the FLOW </span></b>(fresh, local, organic - most of the time, and whole) and eats with the seasons, summer is always chock full of our favorite farm fresh treats. saturday mornings are the best!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as i dressed for my trip up hudson street to our local west village market at abingdon square, i began to fantasize about what i might find at this time of year. Cucumbers, greens, herbs, radish, cherries, beets, perhaps the end of the sugar snaps from the farther upstate NY farmers, field tomatoes from the jersey farmers, many varieties of squash, freshly dug potatoes and much more. I checked my computer to see if Dave from Muddy Farm sent his usual email last night detailing what he will be bringing to market today. he also treats us to the wanderings of his most hysterical brain. i truly appreciate a farmer with bizarre sense of humor who is also not afraid to talk politics, religion and philosophy on the same page. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you can get on lots of farmer's mailing lists and they will happily let you know what they will be bringing each market day. it's a wonderful way to plan your weekly menus and start the creative juices flowing.</span></b> there is that word again....flow. it's a great word because it suggests constant movement which is how a healthy body operates. living, breathing organisms require vibrant, living, growing nourishment with living, nutrient rich foods to support the constant flow of cellular growth. life, death, repair. cycles. breathing in and out. food being grown according to that flow, in harmony with nature. that is how we attain and maintain a healthy balance and a happy life. our food source is our fuel source. our energy force and our life force. freshly grown and properly grown is how we need to source it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my first stop is always with my friend and favorite farmer nevia who is the owner at bohditree farm. her daughter uni is usually with her and my daughter sylvia has been working with them on saturday mornings. they allow sylvia to help them with setting up the stand and restocking the vegetables as they are purchased. two hours of work gets sylvia a bag of vegetables of her choice. sylvia is 8 years old and working is very important to her right now. she is starting to recognize her efforts as having value and the need to put her efforts to good use is a real feeling of pride and accomplishment...not to mention the fact that her mama worked the greenmarkets 25 years ago and she wants to follow in mama's footsteps! the other nice thing about the kids putting their hands on useful "tasks" within our community is that they feel a connection and responsibility to the neighborhood and create a social bond with their neighbors within the context of offering & selling healthy food. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">helping out at a local greenmarket is a golden opportunity for any child to participate in a socially conscious and connected role as helper in their community.</span></b> not to mention the fact that they also learn great math skills by weighing food and attaching value to it. the adding, subtracting, making change and interacting with customers is a huge plus for self confidence!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from nevia i purchased 5 lbs. of kirby cucumbers to make pickles. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> our family loves pickles and we really enjoy the process of lacto-fermenting the pickles ourselves and watching how they take on their exciting flavors. </span></b> these pickles are also loaded with enzymes, vitamins and probiotics. i take much pride in knowing that my children are maintaining proper gut health just by eating pickles with their meals and snacks. we are just finishing up 2 jars of garlic dill with jalapeno spears and 1 jar of tarragon chips. i bought 3 different types of herbs from nevia today and we will be experimenting with new pickle flavors based on those herbs: shiso leaf, purple basil and more tarragon - my personal favorite. the brine will be very simple. filtered water, celtic sea salt, herbs, garlic, a spice perhaps and the cukes. after 3 days we will taste and they will probably be done after 5. they will keep indefinitely in a cool place but i doubt they will last very long. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we tend to also give these quart jars to friends as gifts when we go visiting. </span></b> we will also ferment some chinese long beans today. i love fermented dilly beans and this will be my take on that. i plan to do them with Shiso leaf, one clove of garlic and a nice piece of ginger. that takes care of the kirby cucumbers and the chinese long beans -- the long beans were originally purchased with the intent of accompanying tonight's monkfish dinner. i generally like to saute and blister the long beans in rendered bacon fat and serve with smokey chunks of bacon lardons.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i also purchased sour cherries. this is a personal favorite of mine. i can eat these all day long. today i will set aside half of the quart plus that i purchased for raw eating and then pit & stew the other half as a topping for tonight's dessert of raw vanilla maple ice cream i made yesterday. see how i skipped to dessert already?! i have raw vanilla maple ice cream on the brain today. what else did i buy and how will i use it....i found those sugar snap peas i was after. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> my son henry adores these simply steamed with a drizzle of either olive oil or more than a drizzle of melted raw butter and lemon sea salt from cyprus. </span></b> talk about a gift! we have a specialty store downstairs from our apartment, called the meadow, that sells fine sea salt, flowers, chocolates and bitters. a very cool place for a foodie to live above, i confess. i also purchased 4 lbs of assorted summer squash. my favorite is a variety called avocado squash. it looks like the inside, buttery flesh of an avocado and has that same, buttery, sweet flavor. it can be sauteed, steamed, fried, seared, shredded and made into cakes, sliced thinly and eaten raw with just olive oil and sea salt or whatever you desire. squash is versatile and forgiving. it also makes great soup!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lacinato kale and sungold cherry tomatoes also found their way into my market bag this morning. the kale will be chopped roughly and sauteed in coconut oil. i will add course ground sea salt and eat plainly and simply, savoring each flavorful bite. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> that is what is so powerful about this food we buy at the farmer's markets -- it is so fresh and full of vital energy that we need not do much to it to make it an unbelievable experience.</span></b> each ingredient is a star that deserves to be showcased in it's full beauty and splendor. i do not recommend tossing this type of food into a pasta all at once, creating a dish that does not sing the praises of each individual ingredient. I usually go with the four ingredient rule but i prefer three when i can. from PD & E seafood i happily purchased $20 worth of monk fish which will be our early dinner -- when my husband and the kids get back from the pool in about half and hour. that's $5 in fish per person plus veggies and assorted aromatics, seasoning...i reckon that will a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dd up to $6.75 per person for the best tasting, freshest dinner ever.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i predict that my greenmarket haul from this morning will feed us all week. a little here, a little there. a meal. a snack. etc. i didn't even mention some of the other vendors today who were rockin' their peaches, nectarines, melons, corn, lettuce, etc. there was so much to choose from that it could have been a crazy race to see how much i could spend and carry. but instead i will pace myself by enjoying a few things that are at peak right now and also by fermenting and putting up some others that we can enjoy beyond it's season in a different state. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the summer is a time of seduction and endless variety but we are able to bring all of that diversity and deliciousness from the markets and farms to our Family2Table with intent and creativity. our mission, to design plates that nourish the body, feed the soul and celebrate each individual ingredient which is as special and unique as each individual member of our family</span></b>. enjoy!</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-28023260595543857702013-07-05T10:07:00.002-07:002013-07-05T10:07:46.489-07:00I Heart Burgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">july fourth has come and gone, but it did not leave without stamping it's indelible mark on me. the backyard BBQ tradition of burgers and dogs left me feeling nostalgic and all a'buzz about one of my favorite foods....the burger. when i think back on my life there is almost always a good memory that somehow involves a burger. sitting at the counter of seymour's luncheonette in flushing, queens eating a burger and drinking an egg cream. laughing with my dad at the candlelight diner in commack over a twin burger deluxe - that, by the way was two burgers with fries and all the fixins - and yes, i could put it all away by the time i was 9 years old. i will never forget enjoying a juicy, rare cheeseburger and a cold pint at the corner bistro in the west village at 1am after a gig with my band and on the very morning of the day i got married. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> like a good friend, </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a delicious burger has always been there when i needed it.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the burger is a simple, yet complex dish. it can involve many different ingredients but usually takes the same "form." the patty. it can be a convenient hand-held sandwich or it can stand alone on a plate, sometimes on a lovely pile of well dressed greens or properly prepared grains. sometimes it's not even called a burger when there is no bun but a chopped steak! imagine that.....it can be served hot, straight off the grill, out of the broiler or crusty and seared off of a cast iron skillet or griddle -- but <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sometimes it makes it way into lunch boxes, bags and tiffins as a cold, day old delicacy </span></b>to be dipped in tasty condiments like ketchup (tomato sauce in our house), dijon mustard, pickled relish or eggy house made mayo. honey mustard, chili mayo, herb mayo, caper & dill pickle mayo -- aka tartar sauce, russian dressing, vinaigrette, vegetable & herb puree, tapanade, salsina, ranch dressing, caesar dressing, blue cheese mousse, demi glace...i think you get the idea.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a great burger can be made from grass fed beef, pastured meats like lamb, turkey, pork, veal, venison, elk, bison, wild boar, wild salmon, tuna, organic beans, seeds & nuts etc. fish burgers are amazing and we ate them all the time as kids. our mum called them salmon croquettes and we enjoyed them with spaghetti and tomato sauce. the burger possibilities are endless really because guess what.....the best burgers are the ones you grind yourself. really....no kidding. if you have a kitchen aid, the grinder attachment is a must have. if you don't have a kitchen aid there are a few inexpensive table top grinders that will do nicely. i still have a hand crank grinder that attached to the end of a table just like my grandmother sylvia used to make her famous chopped calf's liver. can i tell you something else...burgers are fun to play with. organic fresh or dried herbs, spices and aromatic vegetables are all ways to make the burger stand up and receive the applause it deserves. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you can even </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">combine your ground meats for a more interesting flavor and nutrient dense burger</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. For example, we here at chez duff do something fun with our burger in that we grind grass fed beef, beef liver, beef or bison heart and bacon all together to make an outrageously delicious amalgam of savory meat and fat and cook it just right -- medium rare in my humble opinion -- we also cook our burgers very often in bacon grease for even more smokey goodness. of course there is not as much ground liver in the mix as there is heart because liver is very strong in flavor. but this is a great way to get liver into your kids or even adults who have an aversion to liver but are in need of the very essential nutrients that liver provides. it also reminds me of a dish i used to do in a restaurant where we would sear a sushi grade tuna steak that had foie gras inserted into the center of the steak -- which is basically an unground burger with liver in the middle. it was beautiful!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">playing with your burger ingredients will allow you to find the perfect blend you prefer and will help you to explore the possibilities. for instance, building your perfect burger could be as easy as dried sage in ground turkey meat and searing in a pan or grilling on the BBQ. top with a good quality, organic ketchup or homemade fermented ketchup and you're good to go. or, you could be that person who goes for what we call <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">"burger with the lot." </span><span class="Apple-style-span">i am married to an aussie and discovered this burger while cooking at a mulberry street restaurant dedicated to australian cuisine. burger with the lot is a perfectly cooked patty of the protein your choice on a bun, topped with......melted cheese, bacon, a slice of pineapple, thinly sliced sweet red onion, roasted beet root slices - can be fermented or pickled, dill pickles and a fried, sunny side up egg. did i forget the ketchup? i am sure there are a few of you who are making a face right now as if this sounds like the weirdest most not tasty burger ever but i implore you to try this combo. not only is it delicious but it is fun! the egg on the burger is one of the best treats ever. as a matter of fact a fried egg in butter on top of anything is just plain awesome! try it next time you make pizza...holy runny yolk yum!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">some of my favorite burgers are oregano crusted lamb burgers stuffed with feta cheese, sage crusted turkey burger, spicy pork burgers with chipotle mayo, wild salmon burgers with tarragon or with dill mayo, tuna and basil burgers with wasabi mayo, grass fed beef & bison heart burgers with curry pickled red onions and raw cheddar. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> playing with the condiments is always a fantastic idea to zing things up without muddying the flavor of the protein. </span></b> people always ask me what i put in my meat and i say...meat. i do not do onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, etc. i save that for meatloaf and let the burger speak loud and clear. i tend to gussy up the condiments or get wild with my toppings. herb roasted vegetable puree is a lovely touch on a burger -- a ratatouille that will not slide off. sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables, sprouts, sauteed greens, raw cheeses plain and melted, cooked and raw onions, sliced avocado, guacamole, cole slaw, dried tomatoes, raw tomatoes, oil & herb cured tomatoes....you think i like tomatoes?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">major important reminder: do not cook grass fed meats on a very high flame or high heat. you can start these burgers on a high-ish flame to get some color on them but them reduce the heat or find a cooler spot on the grill and cover to finish. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">grass fed meats cook differently than grain fed meats</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and you do not want to ruin this beautiful, nutritious product. If you would like to learn more about grass fed meat cooking i suggest reading any of shannon hayes' wonderful books -- or searching out her blog at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://grassfedcooking.com/">grassfedcooking.com</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now get thee to the greenmarket and pick up some quality grass-fed, pastured, organic or wild caught protein and build those burgers. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">simple or fancy your burgers will get the Family2Table with an energy that has raised generations of healthy, happy folks</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> who hold the burger in high esteem and continue to build life long memories around the culinary tradition of good eating. enjoy!</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-81147912269216636522013-03-07T07:16:00.000-08:002013-03-07T10:23:14.278-08:00Crispy Pork Pad Thai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as you might have guessed, i don't do take out much. once upon a time, every once in a while, i did. and when i did it was always asian food. chinese, japanese, vietnamese, thai, korean, etc. stepping so far out of my culinary culture, i always deferred to the professionals for authentic preparation and taste. after all, i did grow up in a home where we went to eng's kitchen every sunday night for chinese take out. it was tradition. when i became aware of the standard ingredients that were being used in most asian restaurants and the big shift in our food supply, i brought production of those foods into my home as well. with good research and lots of practice, any cuisine can be mastered. for the past, say, 13 or 14 years, i make my own "take out" at home. for all the reasons that you think - poor quality ingredients, GMOs, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, chemical preservatives, stabilizers and additives like MSG, etc - i prefer to make everything in house. as a mum, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i am the nutritional gate keeper for my entire family</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and while i don't want us to miss out on the flavors we love, i need to be sure that those flavors are also packed with nutrients and free from harm to our growing, lovely bodies, brains and emotional states. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with all the right moves, a family favorite like crispy pork pad thai can easily become a staple in your home too. </span></b> a crowd pleaser from the word crispy, this dish will not disappoint and when you gather your Family2Table you will never take out this beautiful, loving feeling again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">please know that pad thai can be as simple or as complicated as you are willing to let it be. it can include whatever you have in the house or whatever you decide to buy at the market. there are some traditional ingredients and there are some must haves in terms of making the sauce. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">just know that whatever you decide to create for you and yours, is the right dish for you. </span></b>as always, a recipe is a blueprint - take what you like and leave behind what you don't within reason (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #232323;"><b>baking being the exception to the rule</b></span>). the ingredients listed below for this dish are what i had in the house last night -- and this morning since my family wanted me to make it again for them to take for lunch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuKcCxwYxtRb2iOCEMoGIQB_tvIS7MUQFXVyGklcghy7nyaLytsKhQRQHbDxilaS7QHab_04VRPesh9mktmbyei7QKUa0svdbex5SINgPXRUuXXvyuWX9GcKhwfoHSV1unQl4LQZyrp4/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuKcCxwYxtRb2iOCEMoGIQB_tvIS7MUQFXVyGklcghy7nyaLytsKhQRQHbDxilaS7QHab_04VRPesh9mktmbyei7QKUa0svdbex5SINgPXRUuXXvyuWX9GcKhwfoHSV1unQl4LQZyrp4/s400/photo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GETTING STARTED</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soaking rice noodles in filtered water is where we start. you can soak them the night before or get them into water the day you will use them. i generally like to put them in cold water that morning that i will use them. if the noodles float back up, just put a plate on top to weigh them down. i also recommend getting a jump on the cutting, chopping, julienne-ing and lime squeezing. as a matter of fact. go ahead and make the pad thai sauce a day ahead and leave it in the fridge. this sauce is multi-purpose and can stay in the fridge as a vinaigrette in a squeeze bottle for up to one month without a problem so go ahead and get started on that right now! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE SAUCE</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup fish sauce, 2 TBS. nama shoyu or some type of traditionally brewed organic soy sauce, the juice of one lime, 1 tsp. ume plum vinegar then emulsify into a vinaigrette using toasted sesame oil. an easy way to do this is to combine all acids in a glass jar, then add the oil, put a lid on and shake. viola! asian vinaigrette!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYACwc0X8AuwUxMgkr2W20LxOkYqPP3xpnUh4M1SNLlFkhiyM-zISpjuV7Z6GE5oRhdgHc9De8xey00-0psbHkGFIYrFtWjKXpUPfkftkuyFyymvtRiWMKanVn1kBbROs-IDwTaKfFAQU/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYACwc0X8AuwUxMgkr2W20LxOkYqPP3xpnUh4M1SNLlFkhiyM-zISpjuV7Z6GE5oRhdgHc9De8xey00-0psbHkGFIYrFtWjKXpUPfkftkuyFyymvtRiWMKanVn1kBbROs-IDwTaKfFAQU/s400/photo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">once that is done and all your mise en place is laid out nicely, get your pan hot and put a pound of ground pastured pork into it to render and crisp. i sprinkle a little bit of salt on the pork and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cook till crispy but not overcooked. </span></b> there is a line and you do not want to cross it so watch what's going on and turn down the heat if you need to after you have a bit of crispy. when that is done, using a slotted spoon, take out the pork and set aside. leave the pork fat in the pan and add to it, 2 TBS. of coconut oil. it will smell so good you will swoon, i promise. now, add some minced garlic and ginger. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgXBxBnBi-9YyzVHpdWFAEbOrLxyg46dyFR2xiOm-Y7bRsawGf1cTtHHS0ma5FWh9WN7fXXD7OXHPDt-xsFVWnG4zaPYbVTLgem_RPDIFCOflD5jaxy2AiIB2svb3CQiw_PRfwlmbyuE/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgXBxBnBi-9YyzVHpdWFAEbOrLxyg46dyFR2xiOm-Y7bRsawGf1cTtHHS0ma5FWh9WN7fXXD7OXHPDt-xsFVWnG4zaPYbVTLgem_RPDIFCOflD5jaxy2AiIB2svb3CQiw_PRfwlmbyuE/s640/photo.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">everything laid out and ready to go.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more swooning will ensue as that blooms and you start to smell the mingling of pork fat, coconut oil, ginger and garlic. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">be still my heart this be a potion of love! </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">get that temp up high again and now go ahead and add two eggs and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wreck em! </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yeah, really make em look nasty and let em cook into the fat, ginger and garlic.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt8y6tx0IfMZqkMKSX-IZ8_tRMwhJ5fvvTXutphzMZv9O14y1R6pTqL947_A8x5gSqkgtypB8vhOAgPz1sF3sj1uX98taQuH3yalP31RHuRDOZ8v_qHTcecQ6aX-pnF5bloYZkJyl90I/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt8y6tx0IfMZqkMKSX-IZ8_tRMwhJ5fvvTXutphzMZv9O14y1R6pTqL947_A8x5gSqkgtypB8vhOAgPz1sF3sj1uX98taQuH3yalP31RHuRDOZ8v_qHTcecQ6aX-pnF5bloYZkJyl90I/s640/photo.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lift the noodles out of the water and let the water drip off. then place them in the hot hot pan and add <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">chili flake and chopped peanuts.</span></b> i don't touch the ingredients yet, i just let it all cook and then i start to layer in my prepared veggies placing the ones that take longer to cook on the bottom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1lc7f98JgxcShBpxxmWrc8PSLOPqQU8Myfra9y-TeMbujWkowtN_QfCMg_8V7_6bdPnEkY_Vo1EDoq2G6JyhrIniWPG9B2dDblzWmvwHCft18ydI9JbZ-ZBeq4m2qq05rOL6thGLccc/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1lc7f98JgxcShBpxxmWrc8PSLOPqQU8Myfra9y-TeMbujWkowtN_QfCMg_8V7_6bdPnEkY_Vo1EDoq2G6JyhrIniWPG9B2dDblzWmvwHCft18ydI9JbZ-ZBeq4m2qq05rOL6thGLccc/s640/photo.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then i get to picking up my tongs and turning all of this to incorporate and get well mixed. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica;">i still let it cook for another 4 minutes or so <b>before</b> i hit it with the sauce!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> this will bring about a heady perfume to stir the soul. at this point you will be incredibly hungry and will have to keep everyone in the house from attacking the pan...but WAIT! hang on, we're almost finished.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrRJzNWP-VMxYRZZAQRtNel7GWHsCRYzAejJGOrJPKhGiGRLzrptOUptvtP1VN_XVLgbfE5py7xHaTJA7Rcge3MkIvmyy2ggVuL6JqCeoV2cMQd6jaUbCEmEEvgmtPChuHOW2usMZ2EA/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrRJzNWP-VMxYRZZAQRtNel7GWHsCRYzAejJGOrJPKhGiGRLzrptOUptvtP1VN_XVLgbfE5py7xHaTJA7Rcge3MkIvmyy2ggVuL6JqCeoV2cMQd6jaUbCEmEEvgmtPChuHOW2usMZ2EA/s400/photo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FINISHING TOUCHES</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at this point i add fragile stuff like herbs (cilantro, thai basil, mint) and frozen or fresh peas, bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms and then i add in the pork that was set aside. then i add some chicken stock to moisten cause it should be wet and lovely, not sticky and gluey. i turn down the heat, add a sprinkle of sea salt and then dish it up. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i always squeeze and bit more fresh lime and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. </span></b> it's a quick dish to put together once everything is prepped. i would say, no more than 15 minutes once that pan is hot and the pork has been cooked. so go ahead and give it a try and let me know what you think. it you're ever having difficulty, please give me a buzz and let me know what's happening. we can always trouble shoot together. enjoy!</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all purpose asian vinaigrette</span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c;">make this in your squeeze bottle and store in the fridge.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will last up to a month but i guarantee you will use it all before then.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2TBS shoyu</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 TBS rice wine vinegar or Ume Plum Vinegar</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the juice of 1 or 2 limes</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup fish sauce</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 TBS. sesame oil</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shake to combine and TASTE.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">adjust with whatever your mouth needs</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(mine usually needs more lime juice)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><b>Pad Thai without pork</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Soak Pad Thai Noodles in water to soften before frying</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 or 2 eggs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sliced garlic</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grated ginger</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chopped nuts (we use peanuts but almonds or brazil nuts are great too)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chili flake</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">julienne carrot, cabbage, red pepper, zucchini, broccoli</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chopped scallion</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bean sprouts</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">enoki mushrooms</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">peas</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cilantro</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thai basil (if you can't find this, regular basil is fine, so is mint)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Heat a sautee pan until very hot</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add coconut oil and sesame oil till just smoking</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add garlic, ginger and egg (break egg up)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add drained noodles</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add nuts and chili flake</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add vegetables</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Turn with tongs to wilt all veggies and so egg, ginger and garlic does not burn</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- after a few minutes more add asian vinaigrette and mix to combine through</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- add some stock (chicken, meat, veg) and mix through</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- turn off flame and add fresh herbs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- serve with extra slice of lime for squeezing</span></div>
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Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-33448763608662724792013-02-25T10:36:00.001-08:002013-02-26T03:57:26.885-08:00Springtime for Seaweed Salad Summer Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">after an amazing massage this morning i walked the 3 blocks back to my apartment on hudson street, climbed the stairs, opened the door and knew exactly what i wanted for lunch. spring was soon coming and the hyacinth in my house knocked my head back as soon as i entered. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i was going to push along the process of the seasons by encouraging a little springtime feel in the kitchen. </span></b> you can do that you know. completely change your head space, your mood, your "vibe" if you will, all by making the right dish to ease you along in the desired direction. my direction was firmly moving forward to spring and all things sunshine, flowers and salad. <b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b>i had prepared a really tasty carrot seaweed salad the other day and the flavors were perfectly mingled now. on my last trip to the union square green market i saw vinny denise who sell sprouts. i had broccoli sprouts, mung bean sprouts, lentil sprouts and sprouted sunflower seeds. by mixing these all together with just the right amount of fresh lime juice and basil puree from my freezer i would create a duff family favorite of seaweed salad summer rolls with dipping sauce.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by the way, this will be a shorter post i'm afraid as i still need to get to that lunch i am super excited for! lets call it a recipe posting rather than a big long emily needs to vent post but nonetheless filled with enthusiastic musings about real food in all its splendor from this punk rock culinary cheerleader. that's funny, i am the furthest thing from the typical cheerleader persona i could think of but, hey, i guess i am a cheerleader of gastronomy through and through. back to those summer rolls! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">summer rolls are delicious bit of thai goodness that can be reinterpreted in any way you like. </span></b> the basics are a rice wrapper that is filled with, typically, veggies, peanuts, herbs and more rice noodles dipped in a toasted sesame & soy vinaigrette. here is where i tell you to bring your imagination to the plate and make that summer roll work for you. always make the recipe work for you. play with it. bend it. shape it. own it. a recipe is a framework, a jumping off point, a place to start and then let your desires completely take over. i never follow recipes to the letter. i always, always, always bend the rules. but not so much when baking. baking is science. logic and rules. cooking is more carnal and visceral. a place to feel your way until you find your way. oh shut up, emily!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like i said earlier, i had all that lovely seaweed salad macerating nicely in my fridge. i combined that with about 2TBS of each type of sprout, squeezed half a lime into it and then a tsp. of my basil puree which i froze this summer in batches. it consists of basil, olive oil, garlic, sea salt & pine nuts. notice i don't put cheese in. i do that when i am creating the actual pesto per dish. okay, i combined all those ingredients into a beautiful salad that could stand nicely on its own thank you very much. at that point i could have wrapped it all nicely in some butter lettuce. i could have picked up my fork and dug right in. i could have also included some hot pepper here if i wanted to spice it up...today not feeling so spicy. tomorrow? you never know. back to the summer rolls: then i dipped the rice wrapper, which is dry and hard like a frisbee, into some luke warm filtered tap water and used my hands to gently help it soften. i laid it carefully down on the counter, added a bit of the mixture and folded it up like an envelope to seal it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rice paper wrappers are a fragile ingredient </span></b>- like working with filo or wrapping dumplings -- <b style="font-size: x-large;">so take your time, practice and you will get it. </b>i promise.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i wrapped 6 rolls. i plan to eat two for lunch and will store the rest in the fridge with a damp cloth over them to keep them from drying out. i will pick the kids up from school with these and they will be over the moon! on to my dipping sauce. ready for easy? really...don't laugh. 1 tsp. of raw organic tahini, 1 tsp. basil puree, the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 TBS natural jus (that's filtered tap water). stir all that together and viola! dipping sauce. feel free to add a pinch of sea salt if you like. mine didn't need it at all. okay, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i am drooling now and must get to my plate.</span></b> i hope that you try this recipe or make up your own. it's really nice to know exactly what you want to eat when you bring your <b>Family2Table</b> and be able to execute it. it helps even more when you have quality ingredients already prepared in your fridge that you can combine to create something amazing just when you need it. enjoy. i know i will!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Seaweed Salad with Carrots</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 large carrots cleaned and shredded</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 daikon radish cleaned and shredded</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup wakame dried seaweed soaked and revived (soak and drain a few times for best flavor)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 scallions chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 bunch cilantro washed and chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 - 4 TBS. fish sauce (vegetarians use nama shoyu unpasteurized soy sauce)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 TBS ume plum vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 TBS toasted sesame oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the juice of 1 fresh organic lime</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 TBS sesame seeds if you like</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of sea salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pinch of red pepper flake if you like life spicy</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">combine all ingredients and let sit in the fridge overnight to macerate and bloom.</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-60159971352883558782013-02-22T10:47:00.002-08:002013-02-22T16:10:48.109-08:00Chicken or the Egg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i woke this morning determined to write about, and teach you all, how to cook the perfect roast chicken. crispy skin, tender, juicy meat dripping down the side of your hand, fragrant, succulent and satisfying in every way. then i saw the 3 dozen fresh pastured eggs sitting on my counter (good eggs need not be refrigerated - especially in winter and when you fly through them like we do) and i started to think about the whole chicken egg debate and that turned my attention to eggs and how much i adore them. i got to thinking about <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my favorite lunch when i was a kid, egg salad sandwich, and suddenly i was completely absorbed in the beauty and simplicity of egg salad</span></b>. eggs, red onion, celery diced fine - what we trained kitchen folk call a brunoise, a classic, fresh herb like dill or tarragon and the ultimate topper....fresh, house made mayonnaise. imagine that. a dressing made of raw eggs on a salad made from perfectly boiled pastured eggs. eggs to the tenth power! heaven, no? at this point i was hooked. the perfect roast chicken would have to wait.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eggs are nutritional power houses. what i would consider a perfect super food. but you can't just buy any old eggs you see. you must seek out good, farm fresh eggs from chickens that have been raised on pasture - eating lots of bugs and grass to pack those babies full of omega-3s - and preferably not fed soy. but that's a whole 'nother talk show. my family is lucky in that i have sourced beautiful eggs and feel confident eating them both cooked and raw (we use them raw in smoothies, ice cream, in steak tartare and when making mayo). i suggest that you seek out farmers at your local greenmarkets and ask them about their chickens and what they feed them. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you want brightly colored, orange yolks that stand up tall. </span></b>most supermarket eggs are pale and lifeless. do yourselves a favor and run away from those. if you don't have a greenmarket near you, look for eggs that say pastured eggs on the carton. eggs give us complete proteins, amino acids, choline, B12, B6, A, D, E and so much more. all of those vitamins are in the yolk, that's the best part and can be consumed with gusto every day! please don't worry about your cholesterol when eating good eggs, if those chickens have been fed the right diet, you are good to go. cholesterol is an essential hormone, dare i call it the mother of all hormones - mother. egg. ovary - makes sense and by the way, what is a hormone? a communicator. if we bring that cholesterol too low, communication in the body is cut off and that's when you see problems. eggs can help. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">back to egg salad. boiling the eggs correctly so that they are neither under nor over cooked is essential. this is what i have found over my twenty plus years of professional culinary experience. put the eggs in a pot of cold water and turn on high heat. when the water comes to a boil, cover the pot and turn off the heat. let the eggs sit, covered for 20 minutes and then pluck them from the water and run them under cold water for a few minutes. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is there anything more annoying than an egg that doesn't want to give up its shell?</span></b> ugh. i hate peeling eggs sometimes. today wasn't so bad but sometimes<i> even i</i> lose a bit of egg in the peeling. but that's our secret. a good balance of texture is essential with egg salad. we are dealing with a pretty mushy product when you crumble them so i feel that the addition of celery and onion is key. sometimes i use scallion but mostly i prefer red onion. herbs are always your choice but i endorse fresh dill and tarragon whole heartedly. these are crowd pleasers for sure. sometimes i add curry powder to my egg salad, my daughter loves it too. my son? not so much. he likes his egg salad on an apple slice and i can live with that.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now check this out. i am going to turn the egg amp up to 11 on this one and i fully credit my daughter, sylvia, whose love of fish eggs took me to this over the top egg dish, which i thoroughly enjoyed for lunch today. i usually do this with salmon roe because that is her favorite and what we usually have in the house - by the way, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">fish eggs, especially salmon roe, is a perfect food for babies.</span></b> not only are the roe nutrient dense but they also teach fine motor skills in that babies must pick them up with their fingers and put them in their mouths. caviar and blueberries, great self-feeding foods for your baby to develop a healthy brain. back to my lunch. i finished making my beloved egg salad of my youth and noticed that i had half a cucumber in the fridge left over from the salmon salad i made the other day. i sliced the cuke in 1/2 inch rounds and spooned some egg salad atop. then i did something so goofy. i spooned wild whitefish caviar - eggs - on top of that! unbelievably delicious. a great appetizer, hors d'oeuvre or light lunch in my case. would have been perfect with some proseco but kombucha did nicely.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">egg salad, omelettes, quiche, hard boiled, soft boiled, raw, sunny side up, over easy, scrambled, custard, ice cream, poached, deep fried, deviled, pickled, souffle, mayonnaise, meringue and the list goes on and on. egg fun fact: when you receive a classical french culinary education and earn your toque - that high white hat nobody really likes to wear - you will notice that on the hat there are 100 pleats all around. those 100 pleats represent the 100 ways you should be able to prepare eggs according to classical french cuisine. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when you wear that hat, be prepared to get down with the egg. </span></b> so whether you prefer chicken, duck, quail, ostrich, emu, goose, fish or other - please tell me if you prefer another as i am curious to know how many different types of eggs there are, actually -- eggs are little marvels of flavor, nutrition and versatility in the kitchen. they can impart silkiness, airiness, and what i consider to be the equivalent of magic fairy dust when used well. i applaud all of you who go to great lengths to find great eggs and urge those of you who buy supermarket eggs to try farm fresh eggs and see the difference. you will not be disappointed. eggs are a gift from that chicken that i will be teaching you to perfectly cook very soon - not really, egg layers are stewing hens but we can talk about that another time. when you call your <b>Family2Table </b>for this simple and beautiful egg salad, please remember that it's the simple and beautiful foods like eggs that we will remember for all our lives.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Simple Egg Salad</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 pastured eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 ribs celery diced</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 red onion diced fine</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 TBS fresh dill or tarragon chopped</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">home made mayo to your liking</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sea salt & pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. cook eggs as described above.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. cool down and peel.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. crumble into a bowl with your fingers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. add chopped celery, onion and herbs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. add mayo and mix (feel free to add a dash of dijon mustard if you like - or curry powder)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. sea salt & pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-61989705186799564782013-02-21T10:29:00.001-08:002013-02-22T09:24:09.056-08:00Braised and Confused<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one of the things i love best about teaching cooking is that i am able to effectively illustrate just how simple and enjoyable cooking can be. in other words, demystify it. in my humble opinion, there is nothing more rewarding than being able to create a dish that you and your family & friends will treasure and share over and over again. many of my students, and quite a few of my readers, tell me that they are afraid to try recipes with certain techniques that intimidate them. the technique that seems to puzzle and perplex the most is braising. go figure! perhaps it is because it can involve a few steps that sends some running in the other direction, but i am here to tell you that <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">braising is actually one of the easiest, most fool-proof, uncomplicated, tastiest and economically satisfying cooking techniques of all.</span></b> as a matter of fact, i will bet that by the time you finish reading this post, you will have summoned the courage to go out and buy a quality brisket for a beautiful family2table meal.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">technically, braising is nothing more than taking a few choice ingredients, putting them in a sturdy vessel with liquid, covering tightly and placing on low heat while everything inside simmers & smiles until rendered fork tender. sometimes, this means hours. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the flavors mingle slowly and are reduced and intensely flavored, creating a rich, exciting meal that warms and stirs the soul</span></b> - especially during cold weather months. braising is probably the oldest cooking technique dating back to a time when food was put in a pot and buried under the embers of an open fire. if you have ever watched little house on the prairie, you will remember a cast iron pot that hung in the hearth. this pot was perpetually full in the winter and the fire was always going. meat, pork fat, drippings, onions, potatoes and whatever they were able to save in the root cellar was constantly and continuously put into this pot so that there was always something hot & hearty to eat. braising actually requires less effort from the cook and frees us up!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">some of the traditionally popular dishes that require braising are osso bucco, short ribs, lamb shanks, stews, pot roast, chicken cacciatore and many more. as you can see, these are all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very popular</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dishes that often wind up on fine restaurant menus. want to know why smart chefs employ braising as often as they can in their establishments? well, first of all they are cheaper cuts than muscle meats. shanks, ribs, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chuck roast, pork belly, breast of veal, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">legs & thighs, cheeks, brisket, etc. all cost less than fillet mignon, rack of lamb, veal chops, etc. and in my opinion are way more succulent and enjoyable. but wait, braising is not only for meat. remember? <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">technically, you can braise anything as long as it's put into a sturdy cooking vessel with a bit of liquid, cover on and low heat till it's tender.</span></b> you can braise carrots or cabbage in chicken broth with butter and herbs....and oh my how lovely it is! endive, cauliflower, eggplant and the list goes on. the second reason braising is popular in restaurants is that it's a one pot dish that you set up and let cook slowly. you can't really overcook a braised dish and therefore it is considered a forgiving technique that allows for a greater margin of error in an environment where time is of the essence and every penny counts. in all my years of kitchen experience i have never, ever had osso bucco or lamb shanks returned for being over or under cooked. the dish is ready before service begins and is gently warmed with a reduced sauce for plating along with something traditional like polenta to soak up that beautiful, silky reduction. also, you can use and sell a braised dish the next day. as a matter of fact....i think braised meats are always better the next day. case in point: the pot roast sandwich. say no more.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">braising can happen on the stove or in the oven. another plus when you might be short on stove top space. it also does not need to be watched. and we all know what happens to a watched pot....as a matter of fact,<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> if you have a crock pot, braising can happen without the use of your stove/oven at all! </span></b>imagine that. put dinner up in the morning and viola! ready by meal time. braising can take place in a cast iron pot, a dutch oven, a simple saute pan with lid or even in a roasting pan with aluminum foil covering it tightly but not touching the food. now here is the part of braising that i find shakes folks up a bit. sometimes, you sear before you braise. aaaaaaahhhh! really?! i have to do something first?! well, actually no, you don't <i>have to, </i>but sometimes it's <i>nice to. </i>go ahead and put some extra effort in and add color to the ingredient, or extra flavor with fat (butter, lard, coconut oil) or lock in the juices and crisp up the skin when braising meats and fish. there is nothing worse than flabby, flavorless fish skin, blech. creating textural complexity and "mouth feel" in your dish will take it to that next level, creating a mark of distinction between a good dish and your favorite dish. i must say that i do not sear most grass-fed meats as it is my experience that high heat cooking - which is what searing is - tends to toughen most cuts of grass-fed beef. therefore, when i do my brisket i merely place it, seasoned into the liquid and cover it. couldn't be easier. when do i sear? i always sear chicken skin, lamb shanks, hearty fish and some cruciferous and root veggies. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when the dish is done and the main ingredient is tender, i like to further reduce the sauce - especially from meat dishes. depending on the cut (duck and lamb can be fatty), i will skim off some fat and pour the braising liquid through a strainer and into a pot to simmer gently on the stove until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. yum! an important note, which i will briefly touch on here is <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the nutrient density of braised meat dishes.</span></b> not only are they economically sound and easy to make but they also impart essential vitamins and minerals to your body since you are slow cooking a cut that almost always contains a bone, connective tissue or marrow. these will impart gelatin into your dish which is essential for gut health, bone integrity, brain development and many other vital body functions. perhaps this is why braising is a technique that was so often used by people following a nutrient dense traditional diet. but wait....i haven't said anything about the braising liquid yet. what on earth are we supposed to braise in? that's easy too. you have many choices: wine, stock or broth - meat, veg, fish, miso - or perhaps le jus natural...otherwise known as water. yes, hello....water is a braising liquid too. go for it! personal note: homemade stock and broth from good bones is always best. boxed and canned broths tend to contain MSG and other chemical additives that have no place in our healthy bodies. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the last bit of info. regarding braising is aromatics. my lamb short ribs would be nothing without cardamom, cilantro and vanilla bean. my lamb shanks an absolute flop without cinnamon stick, orange peel and fennel. my pot roast would suffer without garlic powder, paprika and mushrooms. infusing your braising liquid with character via the sweetness of vegetables (mire poix - onion, carrot, celery) is an integral part of lending personality to your braise. i love to play with herbs and spices. sometimes i spend hours toasting and grinding spices just to see how they bloom. i find myself creating "teas" during the day in order to find interesting flavor combinations - i.e dried basil, clove & star anise - achieving balance with flavor is a step closer to creating something delicious. experiment and try new things. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the way into a dish is thru playful experimentation in your kitchen.</span></b> i joke about my little galley in my tiny west village apartment, calling it my test kitchen as if i have an enormous laboratory in which to play. but honestly, we all have test kitchens and every meal is a test in one way or another. either we are tested to get it on the table at the perfect time when everyone is hungry and everything is hot or we are tested to see if it will be received well for its flavor and nutritional profile. whatever the test, braising is a technique that will stand up and succeed beautifully, leaving you, the cook, with a sense of accomplishment and pride and your Family2Table with the sense that they have been truly loved and looked after in every way. enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Traditional Pot Roast or Brisket with Enoki Mushrooms</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3lb grass-fed brisket</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.5 TBS. organic garlic powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.5 TBS organic paprika</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 medium onions, quartered</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 packages of enoki mushrooms</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 QT beef broth or 1 QT water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sea salt & freshly ground pepper </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. season meat with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt & pepper</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. fill pot or saute pan with beef stock or water and add onions</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. turn flame on to medium heat, add meat and bring to a simmer</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. cover meat and gently simmer for 2 hours</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. remove meat and slice (against the grain)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. put meat slices back in and add enoki mushrooms</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. cover and simmer 2 hours more or until done. salt to taste.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-63795671300242505292013-02-14T07:11:00.001-08:002013-02-14T17:37:05.628-08:00Back to my Roots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i have a pretty hard crush on farmers. old, young, short, tall, hairy, bald, gracious and ornery. i love them all. i love them so much, in fact, that i find myself stalking greenmarkets year-round just to get a little taste of what these geniuses have been up to. in the winter months the pickings can be slim and some of my my most coveted growers take time off from the market, their absence making my heart beat a little faster when i think about how they will return with the first asparagus in the spring. but for now, in the darkest, coldest months of winter here in nyc i rely and appreciate on those farmers who babysit their greenhouses and who also bring us </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">those delicious, heavy to carry, winter root vegetables from their cellars that sustain us through the lean times.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i do my level best to "put up" (fermenting, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">freezing and dehydrating) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as many popular summer vegetables as i can during harvest time. It's such a luxury to be able to reach into the freezer in January and pull out Basil puree for fresh pesto, or frozen zucchini and sweet summer corn for succotash. My husband and I make gallons of sauerkraut to ensure that we will have enough of those enzyme and probiotic rich foods to get us through flu season without illness. of course i could go to the supermarket or the health food store and buy whatever organic vegetables i want, year round. these days we have that convenience but we pay dearly for it on many levels. california has apparently been going thru a chilly winter and i noticed that at our local health food store, the price of broccoli was $7 per bunch and cauliflower, $8. I have been told that these prices will be coming down soon but it really made me think about the extravagance of abundance and how we have been spoiled for choice since most people unfortunately do not rely on their local farmer. it also got me to thinking about one of the principles of the macrobiotic diet that always made great sense to me:<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> eat within the parameters of your climate and your body will always know how to "act." </span></b> it will also know how to heal, protect, and defend the healthy homeostatic environment that we hope to create through proper nutrition and good, clean, joyful living. in other words, eat what the earth gives you at the proper time...which leads me right back to my roots.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rough, ugly, gnarled and blemished (like my farmers), roots are some of the sweetest, creamiest, delicious vegetables you will ever know (again, like my good farmers). <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you can poach them, puree them, mash, braise, roast and even eat some raw making them versatile, friendly and forgiving.</span></b> so why do so many people turn their noses up at them? intimidation? perhaps. my best guess is that folks just don't know how to approach them (beyond thanksgiving dinner) or they just don't go looking for them at the winter greenmarkets. they are all shopping at whole paycheck (whole foods) or waiting for asparagus in the spring!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in my little 3rd floor walk up on the prairie (in manhattan's west village) we are grateful to root vegetables in that they are a staple till we see the bounty of spring. of course we indulge in those occasional extravagances from california and florida via the health food store every once in a while when we are feeling flushed or when a birthday rolls around and a request is made, but honestly we are quite satisfied with our beets, gold ball turnips, purple top turnips, black radish, watermelon radish, rutabaga (also known as swede), daikon radish, japanese sweet potatoes, parsnip, carrots, garlic, onions, moo radish, bordeaux radish, celery root, parsley root, horseradish, jerusalem artichoke and more! we put them in soups, stews, roasts, purees and gratins. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">they are hearty and stand up to big flavors while adding sweetness, texture and zing!</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a favorite here is a <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Raw Winter Root Salad</span></b> made by grating peeled beets, watermelon radish and daikon radish. i dress it with extra virgin olive oil, meyer lemon juice (a true winter extravagance), course sea salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped dill. i usually use 4 medium sized beets (peeled), 1 large watermelon radish (skin on) and 1 small daikon (peeled). we let this macerate and blend all its flavors together. it's lovely on its own or served as a relish with a traditional beef stew, cardamom spiced lamb short ribs or a seared piece of fish. this relish or condiment is also great on sandwiches and served with eggs....but isn't just about everything good when served with farm fresh eggs? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mixture of roasted root vegetables with herbs de provence is also a winner in our home. we make a big batch and reheat as needed. the vegetables are also quite good cold in green salads or in a pita as a sandwich with humus. they are our favorite accompaniment to a roasted chicken and go well with eggs in the morning just like you would eat hash browns. you can also cut them in 1/2 inch rounds and saute them in coconut oil and then dust with turmeric. we like to do this with sweet potatoes in place of fries or chips with burgers. roasting beets in my house is a breeze since i just place them whole and scrubbed on the rack in the oven. i take them out when i can insert a knife easily through and let them cool. i peel them and the kids eat them like apples or i cut them into salads or slice them onto sandwiches. cheddar cheese on sourdough with homemade mayo and sliced beet root will always make my family happy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you like mashed potatoes (my husband LOVES them) you will like them even more if you include some parsnip, turnip, rutabaga or celery root. I suggest slowly poaching them in heavy cream with sea salt and then mashing them into the drained potatoes with the sweet infused cream and roots. amazing! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My absolute favorite way to eat root vegetables is in a gratin with LOTS of cream, thyme and a hint of nutmeg.</span></b> below you will find that recipe and i beg you to please try it. i think you will be very happy if you do!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as march approaches i am eager to adopt daylight savings and bring my family out of the winter darkness and toward the promise of spring and renewal. i crave the warmth of the sun on my face and shoulders and look forward to putting the winter coats in storage. i also look forward to seeing all of my farmers back at our local markets. i know that they will bring not only fresh food from the rich soil they tend but also great stories and tall tales about how they make it taste so darn good! i also look forward to their smiles and their generosity and our give and take relationship that grows my heart & my beautiful family so well. i look forward to all of these things and more but for now i will get back to my roots and hope that when you call your <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Family2Table</span></b> you will serve them something delicious and nutritious from your cellar or the the cellar of your local farmer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in a saucepan, saute 1 shallot finely chopped till translucent.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add 1 quart of heavy cream and bring to a simmer</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add a generous bunch of fresh thyme and let simmer till reduced and thick.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">strain through a sieve to take out shallots and thyme</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">season with sea salt & pepper to taste and set aside.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">preheat oven to 350 degrees</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">using a mandolin with much care, slice root vegetables into thin rounds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">put down a layer of cream in a ceramic baking dish and alternate sliced root veggies with reduced cream in layers. with each layer add a sprinkle of salt and a fresh grating of nutmeg.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">build up till all is gone, press down to have a layer of cream on top.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cover with foil or parchment and bake for an hour.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">uncover and continue baking till done - when you can insert a cake tester and it glides through.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cut into portions and serve with some freshly chopped parsley and lots of cream.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this dish can be made ahead of time and reheated. it also stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days. enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">please contact me if you have any questions.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">emilyduff@mac.com</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-59799353788865653502012-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:002012-11-15T17:08:52.777-08:00Fish 'n Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on august 20, 2003 i got married. it was a beautiful day. everything i wanted it to be. skip and i asked my sister, her husband and their 3 year old daughter to accompany us at 11am down to city hall to witness the big event. we all jumped in a cab, did the deed then afterwards came straight back to our apartment in the west village and immediately did 2 things. we opened a bottle of proseco and rang our local "a salt & battery" to deliver fish 'n chips. it was promptly and lovingly delivered via vespa by a lovely young man from doncaster who joined us for a toast, wished us well and collected his $25 plus tip for <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">our wedding day lunch. cod dipped in beer batter and fried to a golden perfection, chips (some soggy & some crunchy). pickled onions, tomato & tartar sauce. </span></b>nothing makes me feel more at home than this comforting meal. it doesn't hurt that my husband is from australia and has had his fair share wrapped in paper and brought home for friday night meal. we both love fish 'n chips.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i fondly remember a romantic trip with my husband the first time he took me home to australia. we drove down to the queenscliff sorrento ferry for a drive down the great ocean road to apollo bay and a stay in a motel on the water. when we got to sorrento we had a little bit of a wait till the ferry came and my husband asked me where i would like to go for lunch. i did not even have to think. i was at the water and i wanted....that's right...you guessed it. fish 'n chips. and boy oh boy was that some good tucker! i will always remember that meal.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> the simplicity and perfection.</span></b> the flavor and the emotion. the love and the falling in love over and over again down by the seaside. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today when i crave fish 'n chips i stop myself. i remind myself how i feel after i eat fish 'n chips. not so good. and i think about why that is. let's see...my diet is really clean. i do not eat any processed, industrial foods at all. i rely on traditional foods and traditional methods of food preparation. i know why... most restaurants and fish shops fry their fish 'n chips in vegetable oil. specifically: soya oil. that stuff is a killer. why do they do this? because its cheap. tragic but true. they can make lots more money frying not so fresh (and even frozen) fish in rancid oil as opposed to what traditional fish 'n chips used to be fried in...<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">good old fashioned beef tallow</span></b>. some shops used lamb fat - that rocks too! for those of you who are not familiar with beef tallow, it is the rendered fat from around the kidneys of a good grass fed cow. a stable animal fat that has been used in cooking for hundreds of years and no one complained...to my knowledge, no one ever got sick from it either. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">passing on our love of fish 'n chips to our children was a given. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">how could we hold back on our passion for comfort food? </span></b> why would we want to? as a matter of fact my son henry loves chips so much that he asks me all the time if we can get them at a restaurant. unfortunately i always say no. bad mommy? nah...i love my kids and i don't want them to get sick. french fries are fried in...you guessed it...vegetable oil in this silly country. and what's more, most french fries are made from conventional idaho potatoes and if there is one thing you should always buy organic, it's potatoes. those fat tubers do nothing but absorb everything that they are growing in - under the ground. pesticides abound in conventionally grown potatoes. do yourself and your family a big treat and leave those spuds alone. also, have you looked at the label on ketchup lately? in restaurants you will get heinz 57. one of those 57 is high fructose corn syrup. again, not something i want my kids/family to eat. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so, what's a fish 'n chips loving mum to do? make it at home! and make it awesome delicious and cool by frying in beef tallow, using fresh fish from a local fisherman, using organic potatoes, dipping in homemade fermented ketchup and tartar sauce and creating a beautiful new batter by using sprouted flour and homemade ginger kombucha! i must say that this was the best fish 'n chips we ever ate. everyone agreed and i will definitely be making it again and again. it takes a while and is a labor of love but hey....<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when we call our Family2Table isn't it always a labor of love?</span></b> i know it is at mine. enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>KOMBUCHA BATTERED FISH 'N CHIPS</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. bring beef tallow up to temperature (325)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. make batter using 8 - 10oz. raw kombucha added to 1 cup srouted whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. of aluminum free baking powder and a generous pinch of sea salt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. cut and fry chips in batches, draining on a paper towel and then adding celtic sea salt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. portion the fish into "bites" - we used flounder. you can also use cod, hake, scrod or sea bass. feel free to play and use squid as well!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. season fish with sea salt & pepper.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. dust fish in plain sprouted flour, dip in batter and then drop carefully into tallow. allow 3 minutes per piece but watch the look of the fish. it should be golden. you might need to turn it with a spider. please don't crowd the pot - fry in batches.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. drain on paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FERMENTED KETCHUP</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 small jars of organic tomato paste </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup pure grade B maple syrup </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup sauerkraut juice (this ferments it)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon celtic sea salt </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cloves of garlic minced or pressed through a garlic press </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mix together or burr with a hand blender</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">let stand at room temperature 24 to 48 hours </span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">put in refrigerator.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will last for a month, well sealed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FERMENTED TARTAR SAUCE</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">let's start by making mayo - you will need a buttery, mild olive oil. i recommend chaffin family orchards - late harvest oil (order now).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Place 1 egg plus 2 yolks into a food processor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. add the juice of one half lemon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. add a generous pinch of salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. add 1 tsp. dijon mustard</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. add 1 TBS. fresh liquid whey</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. turn on and slowly drizzle in 1 cup of olive oil till emulsified.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. place into a glass container and let sit out on the counter for 6 hours to ferment.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. take out 1/4 cup of mayo and add to it 2 TBS chopped cornichon, 1 TBS chopped capers and fresh grated pepper.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObd8-wPC0berXX9DZAcOvEaOejmdrnozbiTt2KYHmlI5rS5HYThdC-D4jq2IuMvoKa1lulP7KJaTwVcCyscYTppRAwSGc9APyTXl0ROgY8dBnetDY7vsmgcBGmeyDcTfNYDLEMmKyOR0/s1600/IMG_1625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObd8-wPC0berXX9DZAcOvEaOejmdrnozbiTt2KYHmlI5rS5HYThdC-D4jq2IuMvoKa1lulP7KJaTwVcCyscYTppRAwSGc9APyTXl0ROgY8dBnetDY7vsmgcBGmeyDcTfNYDLEMmKyOR0/s320/IMG_1625.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dropping the fish into the tallow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWutV1qIKtw8LBW4dxUdTmWWOM2X12YsWh2ZMpEm0phWx2V048FszTyGaMHa5WCUhszURLY63zOKCwiRV8YTjzsvBJ7foZJ43rLV5JKXS4Va5eqlJvWDWEqxIwvLAN2tOQlbzcFfu1Weo/s1600/IMG_1636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWutV1qIKtw8LBW4dxUdTmWWOM2X12YsWh2ZMpEm0phWx2V048FszTyGaMHa5WCUhszURLY63zOKCwiRV8YTjzsvBJ7foZJ43rLV5JKXS4Va5eqlJvWDWEqxIwvLAN2tOQlbzcFfu1Weo/s320/IMG_1636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">draining on paper and salting with celtic sea salt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi4ia0bf7uUr1gNKdF54iJXPDFacPlV4sDwCqyVETCeGSDwMUrRiMKv20iUwy5NweScwwyLXl1pL_cN3kHmjfkNStmTZLi7quwBvBvPkbfYDAZ_5Go090PV_zKCNvgmttRpRxW4cwXnE/s1600/IMG_1646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi4ia0bf7uUr1gNKdF54iJXPDFacPlV4sDwCqyVETCeGSDwMUrRiMKv20iUwy5NweScwwyLXl1pL_cN3kHmjfkNStmTZLi7quwBvBvPkbfYDAZ_5Go090PV_zKCNvgmttRpRxW4cwXnE/s320/IMG_1646.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the final plate.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf89RXOpoi_J2lZnm7t395lqy1aIhic10KELzYOZZThjyOjRutnkusBPOal6Ivxkglsznx71LAktB9b0Q5ca_ugIrjg8Kh5SqG_tl8Q4ppRa29BDWAhlKE1IgmHJvXE5MGxx5A51V_qlQ/s1600/IMG_1655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf89RXOpoi_J2lZnm7t395lqy1aIhic10KELzYOZZThjyOjRutnkusBPOal6Ivxkglsznx71LAktB9b0Q5ca_ugIrjg8Kh5SqG_tl8Q4ppRa29BDWAhlKE1IgmHJvXE5MGxx5A51V_qlQ/s320/IMG_1655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">henry going in for the chips while i cook.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcWlHY3TSgHIrpxkbViKTe0m1q3lhFsQmTdxB-_wXrOAtVLM3FGfIe_xHxeOwLgU9ib9v9H2NAJc1GkFtK8GtMZpn1xxp6iuxx8GkJswOt8fsO-WLt_4OmHw9mTCoM31vJNo7BCFtSJQ/s1600/IMG_1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcWlHY3TSgHIrpxkbViKTe0m1q3lhFsQmTdxB-_wXrOAtVLM3FGfIe_xHxeOwLgU9ib9v9H2NAJc1GkFtK8GtMZpn1xxp6iuxx8GkJswOt8fsO-WLt_4OmHw9mTCoM31vJNo7BCFtSJQ/s320/IMG_1665.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all this deep fried fish from 2 fillets that cost $12.25</td></tr>
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Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-75420570720623648172012-03-26T07:41:00.000-07:002012-03-26T07:41:17.882-07:00The Art and Joy of the Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoEDCDdXo2QcEmrpj8YTbZjIIg7MY_et8cb1-dMPANHSIBBW9rrC7OdZox6q8fbLForEVekibruz6z15Sp9Y667ct1iDDzwpXA_mgpARcEJjXXAgr65lPSPB0fyI1E0wgSmeKvLAzGM0/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoEDCDdXo2QcEmrpj8YTbZjIIg7MY_et8cb1-dMPANHSIBBW9rrC7OdZox6q8fbLForEVekibruz6z15Sp9Y667ct1iDDzwpXA_mgpARcEJjXXAgr65lPSPB0fyI1E0wgSmeKvLAzGM0/s320/IMG_5996.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you build it they will come. they will come and enthusiastically eat, enjoy and be happy. there is something about that hand-held crowd pleaser called the sandwich that makes all who indulge feel jubilant & satisfied. add a cup of delicious soup and you have just defined "comfort." visit another country and you can generally tell a lot about the place by eating a sandwich. in italy i had some of the best sandwiches of my life. even at a gas station. in italy, sandwiches are serious business. usually served for lunch, the sandwich is, architecturally speaking, the perfect meal. meats, cheeses, vegetables, savory spreads and fresh baked bread all brought together in a symbiotic, sensual dance of flavor, texture and delight. <b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b>ask anyone who has been to <a href="http://defontesofbrooklyn.com/">defonte's</a> in brooklyn and you will see what i mean. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quite simply,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"> the sandwich is the stuff that culinary dreams are made of. </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yes, i know, many of us (myself included) do not partake of our daily bread these days but that does not mean we cannot substitute and reinvent the sandwich in another form. lettuce wraps, brown rice tortillas, rice paper wraps, apple slices ( i like mine with chicken liver pate), etc. all make a tasty platform on which to arrange our favorite, fresh ingredients and create our own individual masterpiece. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh27yH9ehDgbRAUgZ34jOYXsF6WF2Fr3ooqHl8vHgUhE_9eqz6DwgU4PASTl-aYkw1yRp70rJda8HEfcbAZ73sHkI46I2grg7Jbnbv9PMcJh2u0W6PBsUXYtHhIGb1qdv6uIc-U6KsygM/s1600/IMG_6164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh27yH9ehDgbRAUgZ34jOYXsF6WF2Fr3ooqHl8vHgUhE_9eqz6DwgU4PASTl-aYkw1yRp70rJda8HEfcbAZ73sHkI46I2grg7Jbnbv9PMcJh2u0W6PBsUXYtHhIGb1qdv6uIc-U6KsygM/s320/IMG_6164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my family loves a good sandwich. i pack them for their school and work lunches. i often serve them for breakfast and sometimes we even eat them for dinner! sandwiches can be very special and quite far from the old days when mum would say <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"nothing fancy tonight, just some cold sandwiches in the icebox."</span></b> warm toasted sandwiches like croque madam, rubens and the ever popular post thanksgiving feast known as "thanksgiving on a roll" (fresh roasted turkey, stuffing, sweet potato and cranberry relish) have taken the sandwich into a new realm, elevating it to meal status.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">after all, who can deny that good ole' stand-by the grass-fed hamburger when its been crafted to perfection. our family burger, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>"burger with the lot,"</b></span> is made of grass-fed bison and has a huge knob of cold butter jammed inside the patty when cooking, is served rare on a sourdough roll and is topped with melted cheddar, sliced beet root, bacon, caramelized onion, a fried egg, fermented ketchup and homemade pickles....and that has been trimmed down. it used to include a ring of fresh organic pineapple as well but the kids can't handle it when it's that big. because i don't eat the bread roll, i usually wrap mine in a neat parcel made from a large romaine lettuce leaf. i have been experimenting with grinding different meats to make the best burger flavor. 50/50 grass-fed beef & bacon seems to be a popular burger recipe ratio these days. mmmmmm, good eats! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IMR2mEZFt9V36zptu_hzGjJDAivfFY4l8CiOM9MXI2g30hR8muXNPSZro6iErBhfRZiM7MZSBm9de7jrp25s6kAY71zDpX1MGcjoKX1UgXlZv8DGM9FvHrg-vborgkk_Z5sH6P5j1n4/s1600/IMG_8472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6IMR2mEZFt9V36zptu_hzGjJDAivfFY4l8CiOM9MXI2g30hR8muXNPSZro6iErBhfRZiM7MZSBm9de7jrp25s6kAY71zDpX1MGcjoKX1UgXlZv8DGM9FvHrg-vborgkk_Z5sH6P5j1n4/s320/IMG_8472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when people ask me about my sandwiches and what i use to make them i always tell them to please cook their own meats. lunch meats from a deli counter are dodgy. that means, not to be trusted. processed meats can contain additives and most probably are not as fresh as they can be. i generally stay away from deli meats except for prosciutto and dry italian salami which i am not making at home.....yet. i have gotten into the habit of roasting a well seasoned, herb stuffed turkey breast every saturday morning (i buy it from <a href="http://www.dipaolaturkeyfarm.com/">di paola's turkey</a> stand at the market). this usually provides delicious turkey sandwiches for the entire week which is about two or three times per week for three or four people. same goes for chicken. roast or poach a whole pastured chicken each week. use the meat one night for dinner, use the leftovers to make chicken salad (meat, celery, red onion, tarragon, homemade mayo, sea salt & pepper) and then the bones to make broth for soups and sipping. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that one pastured chicken will take you far.</span></b> i hand slice my sandwich meats but i like the idea of having a small electric meat <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Waring-FS800-Electric-Food-Slicer/dp/B00005MFCB">slicer</a> in the home kitchen for getting the most value out of your meat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">other sandwich meats i cook are skirt and ny strip steak, bacon, uncured ham steak, lamb shoulder (my favorite with mint mayo) and grass fed, well peppered beef (RARE) - that always goes well on sandwiches with a thick layer of grass fed butter or horseradish mayonnaise & whole grain mustard with arugula or watercress. this one is beautiful on german style black bread or pumpernickel. and don't forget that all sandwiches are great "open-face" style. some call this <i>tartine</i> but i generally refer to them as danish style open sandwiches and my favorites are goat cheese & cucumber, smoked salmon on thick butter with capers and thin sliced red onion or herring with curried cream sauce and dill. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">isn't pizza just an open-face sandwich on thin crust bread?</span></b> a quesadilla, a mexican grilled cheese sandwich? a summer roll, a thai veggie sandwich wrapped in rice paper rolls? i think so. remember, a sandwich can be anything you want it to be. fresh, delicious, mostly hand held and easy to eat...you decide.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGDfDZcE9qZXb0TRfBKpjDqLe2woamVo_EKUqvyK98PDYC9c0jkthCmn-rOjg4l30J3wOyM-hEgN0-1SomBfKPUrLXr8o82H9HtHpVDr4SHkvM3WIJCdl9dJOK6oWbhMuhTH2OQ8Y9Mg/s1600/herbmayo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGDfDZcE9qZXb0TRfBKpjDqLe2woamVo_EKUqvyK98PDYC9c0jkthCmn-rOjg4l30J3wOyM-hEgN0-1SomBfKPUrLXr8o82H9HtHpVDr4SHkvM3WIJCdl9dJOK6oWbhMuhTH2OQ8Y9Mg/s320/herbmayo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sometimes a sandwich contains no meat at all. my husband calls this a "salad roll." he likes cheese on his but you needn't do that either if you are on an animal-free diet (please say you're not). greens, tomato, onion, shredded carrot, beet root, sprouts, cucumber, roasted veggies (peppers, squash, eggplant, onions, etc) and herbs. go for it! these sandwiches are a little bit of farm fresh heaven and reflect what's coming out of the ground wherever you are. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the key here is in the condiments which should be homemade whenever possible</span></b>. a simple vinaigrette to soak the bread, fresh mayo, fermented mayo, herb mayo....start with mayo. here is a simple recipe.....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 whole pastured egg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 pastured egg yolk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. dijon mustard</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the juice of half a lemon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a generous pinch of salt</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup of good quality, buttery tasting, late harvest xtra virgin olive oil (<a href="http://www.chaffinfamilyorchards.com/store/olivefuture1.php">chaffin family orchards</a> is really good)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blend the first five ingredients in a food processor.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SLOWLY add in the olive oil in a thin stream - i hold mine way up in the air & drizzle so the stream gets really thin, almost trickling in drop by drop to emulsify.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this basic recipe can be played with in many ways. it is also a great base for a caesar salad dressing, have fun.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">other delicious sandwich condiments are olive paste (pit and puree your favorite olive - nicoise, kalamata, picholine, etc. add olive oil - garlic if you want - and store in the fridge), herb and olive oil purees (like a pesto), roasted vegetable puree (red peppers, squash, eggplant, onions, garlic, mushrooms, etc), spicy honey mustard, horseradish cream sauce, curried lentil or lentil & tomato spread, sundried tomato paste, chunky salsas, nut butters, avocado & lemon puree, white bean puree......you get my drift, yes? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpsPP1nIM-QO-F2RAqYc_tsWghuuo84No-PpvY5bDnhEoQLhIvdSgbX6tpw97VKtngFf1A4Hy6E0fbMePsl2nEsxRY64lcwZXfoCYoADWqPM0M0SkLo_Uj0VSLflJ_au8MZMqe8WEvOM/s1600/IMG_8481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpsPP1nIM-QO-F2RAqYc_tsWghuuo84No-PpvY5bDnhEoQLhIvdSgbX6tpw97VKtngFf1A4Hy6E0fbMePsl2nEsxRY64lcwZXfoCYoADWqPM0M0SkLo_Uj0VSLflJ_au8MZMqe8WEvOM/s320/IMG_8481.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now the bread. the floor and ceiling of our construction. no pressure there. the bread is almost the most important piece of the sandwich puzzle.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> truly great sandwiches start with great bread. </span></b>"a symphony of crackle" as colette said in my favorite movie, "ratatouille." we are fans of the upstate NY bakery bread alone. we buy them at the markets and they are also available at whole foods. wherever you are located, please source out a fresh, well baked, loaf from a good bakery. we prefer the french levain but sometimes go for the sour rye with caraway seeds. we also like the sourdough rye from hawthorne farms and the levain at le pain quotidian. as far as ready made breads go we keep berlin bakery's sprouted spelt bread in our freezer at all times. my kids relate to this bread and i like the fact that it is sprouted. if you are eating bread please make sure that they are traditionally prepared with only the freshest few ingredients. most packaged breads will have a huge list of ingredients i wouldn't feed to my worst enemy. and please don't be afraid of good bread. if you are not diagnosed with celiac disease or an allergy to grains, please enjoy a life filled with delicious, well prepared bread. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the best case scenario would be to bake your own traditional sourdough bread each week. </span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so there you have it. sandwiches are cool. whether its a bacon egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast, a fresh roasted cold lamb sandwich for lunch or a grilled cheese quesadilla with salsa & raw sour cream for dinner, a sandwich is usually a good idea. make your ingredients yourself whenever possible (even breads) and only buy the freshest cleanest food to put on your sandwich and in your body. be creative, play with variations and experiment with flavors to see what you and your family like. The next time you call your <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Family2Table </b></span>serve them a sandwich and see if they don't all light up with joy! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>some our family's favorite sandwich combinations:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tarragon roasted turkey with fresh mayo & arugula </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wild salmon salad, green onions & celery with fresh mayo and pea shoots</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sardines on buttered bread with thin sliced red onion and dill</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">goat cheese & scrambled egg on bacon fat toasted sourdough bread</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">prosciutto de parma and fresh mozzarella with black olive paste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sliced ham and raw swiss cheese with spicy whole grain honey mustard</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado with chipotle mayo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rare lamb with mint mayo and roasted red peppers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">salad roll with roasted vegetable mayo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">smoked mozzarella with arugula & sundried tomato paste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dark meat chicken salad with wild watercress</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crispy pork and vegetable thai summer rolls with sweet chile sauce</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hummus & roasted red pepper with shredded carrot and raisin salad</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bison sausage and cheddar quesadilla with fermented salsa, sour cream and guacamole</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crispy roasted cod with roasted tomato relish </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sweet italian pork sausage, balsamic roasted red onions & peppers</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>what are some of your favorite sandwich combinations?</b></span><br />
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</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-87389197640804940362011-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:002011-10-23T09:55:08.584-07:00Salad Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQeASN3OscMe0h0CWpDbZfjqjTESAtvDXMGu1o64O7BdY2soYeReS9pk6qDNCDvTwVKDkTRvDKXEb7iB_eU_QAiEbWKorjbWHysAlFSx1_qlSkG9l3lcewJFBGdKG2c9szNQD-w28Ckc/s1600/IMG_6876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1w7nTYoOYuGSNddGO5hFwH8gJSKKwQcVmTJe5lLXX6ai6CKb1tEBukDD9Ryx7Gih8N7p2593Hc3zE-vrjhXzWTvd5CA5FdTFm2_dzTm7m1vmj_e7Fuif8jYl5sLHjdIcl4F5YoD-bO9U/s1600/IMG_6867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1w7nTYoOYuGSNddGO5hFwH8gJSKKwQcVmTJe5lLXX6ai6CKb1tEBukDD9Ryx7Gih8N7p2593Hc3zE-vrjhXzWTvd5CA5FdTFm2_dzTm7m1vmj_e7Fuif8jYl5sLHjdIcl4F5YoD-bO9U/s320/IMG_6867.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one of my earliest culinary memories is of a table side caesar's salad at a local queens, ny restaurant aptly named caesar's. at 6 years old i fully appreciated and always looked forward to their signature salad with garlic and oil crusted croutons, crisp romaine and creamy, dressing. the performance by the waiter was mesmerizing and the shirley temples weren't bad either! almost 40 years later, in my book, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">there is still nothing better than a great salad.</span></b> crisp greens tossed with good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, sea salt and black pepper is simple, elegant and delicious. as a matter of fact i think i recently confessed that i eat this pretty much every evening after my main meal. if you add vibrant, flavorful vegetables, fruits, cheeses, meats, fish, grains, nuts and seeds (you get the idea), the basic green salad climbs to new heights, easily going from appetizer or digestive to stunning entree. you can do anything with a salad, as long as you don't try to add all of these components at once. too many ingredients will always kill the essence of the dish, prohibiting star ingredients from truly shining and getting their due. when it comes to the salad, we must really tip our hats to that most special ingredient, greens.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWouubjJYAl2SEtdDGnC74Nr4xBytS6l73lH2Ijdl-2XFBwYJXn2UTUy6kqDI4mzCj23iZdKiG9NZt7Foe5EuzcCzl4edmZOtkYSRmlVwUy6V5q3fArM2p_bB8xXUl7p8jPuV4tfqGM-k/s1600/IMG_6888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWouubjJYAl2SEtdDGnC74Nr4xBytS6l73lH2Ijdl-2XFBwYJXn2UTUy6kqDI4mzCj23iZdKiG9NZt7Foe5EuzcCzl4edmZOtkYSRmlVwUy6V5q3fArM2p_bB8xXUl7p8jPuV4tfqGM-k/s320/IMG_6888.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yes it is october and the weather is already changing here in nyc as is evident by my steam heater hissing in the wee morning hours (must cover that wicked dangerous hot pipe in the kitchen) and my wearing layers to the greenmarket this morning. so, why am i talking about summery green salads? this week in florida <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">3,265 cases of salad bags sold under the the fresh selections, marketside, HEB and taylor farms labels have been recalled due to the risk of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">salmonella food poisoning</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">. it already happened with bagged spinach, remember? i want to talk about this because <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bagged salad has become more popular than buying freshly picked heads of greens and that's not okay. </span></b> </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBV0N3WN7OtGtCwF3lhWZ6Wt3t1G6EIp_KsMiILXXsV26t56qPjqCnVzflOV5OiKM329LySuppBIbb__PVoHQCIbE0sTMPxVmaPlHFS_ZvNaujsBt1HGld7S9HIK0q4vBL26ODLPdeeA/s1600/IMG_6424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBV0N3WN7OtGtCwF3lhWZ6Wt3t1G6EIp_KsMiILXXsV26t56qPjqCnVzflOV5OiKM329LySuppBIbb__PVoHQCIbE0sTMPxVmaPlHFS_ZvNaujsBt1HGld7S9HIK0q4vBL26ODLPdeeA/s320/IMG_6424.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">when i began my cooking career i spent most mornings washing and spinning cases of salad greens and herbs. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wild watercress, radicchio, romaine, royal red oak leaf, bibb, buttercrunch, frisee, lollo roso, mache, mizuna, escarole, french crisp, chicory, dandelion, arugula, tatsoi</span></b> and more. filling up the big sink i would twist off the root stem and separate the leaves, watching the dirt fall into the water and sink to the bottom. i would lift the leaves carefully out of the sink and place them into a large stainless steel bowl. drain and clean the sink, refill and do it again. each variety would be soaked three times, spun dry and then laid in a white bin, lined with paper towels, labeled with the variety and date and kept in the walk in refrigerator. some days i spent up to 3 hours meticulously doing this. in my home i still do it and love every minute.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tuaELtGjkKaV6UHbp3-ntWkLrQsSHwymwHnCkoMFaD01D_w4IaBc7Lb0BV3B8DUTeL0QaGXqotWRlDnp__3N1RObhPsarsBdSaYQUcalYB8WYWmLq1D8-u7zqDnKS3PQLHTzJEFUml8/s1600/IMG_6889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tuaELtGjkKaV6UHbp3-ntWkLrQsSHwymwHnCkoMFaD01D_w4IaBc7Lb0BV3B8DUTeL0QaGXqotWRlDnp__3N1RObhPsarsBdSaYQUcalYB8WYWmLq1D8-u7zqDnKS3PQLHTzJEFUml8/s320/IMG_6889.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">i love dirt. i </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">especially </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">love good mineral rich black dirt. i love seeing it on my food when i buy it. it is a sign that it has just come out of the ground. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dirt means that it is farm fresh, it contains vital nutrients that will feed my body well and it will taste amazing. </span></b> bagged salad has none of this. bagged salad is produced on an enormous scale, is an industrial food handled by way too many people not paying attention, is then placed in a "petri dish" (farmer john gorzynski's analogy) plastic bag, held in a refrigerated warehouse and then transported long distances to supermarkets. that's called a potential health risk (hello, FDA). too many handlers not paying attention inoculate the lettuce with potential pathogens and then they are hermetically sealed in an environment that encourages those pathogens to grow. they are kept in that bag sometimes for weeks until the consumer, who thinks they are getting a convenient, pre-washed, healthy food buys it and takes it home. most people do not wash bagged salad. that's the idea right? it's pre-washed. just open it up and go! hey, that sounds a lot like fast food to me. and we don't like fast food.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN-msQn5YyZnz5QkiwBuXkl-2i9sZYAats48Goegm7JLc3MuRx5B8guG3XLYqAUfm48K77IN8uYWQwpjK1k9-PluWmh9WTkVYgDO_zSVY3jhKRgWCVFL94v4OEDnLNZSwZOzP7v2DIbI/s1600/IMG_6882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN-msQn5YyZnz5QkiwBuXkl-2i9sZYAats48Goegm7JLc3MuRx5B8guG3XLYqAUfm48K77IN8uYWQwpjK1k9-PluWmh9WTkVYgDO_zSVY3jhKRgWCVFL94v4OEDnLNZSwZOzP7v2DIbI/s320/IMG_6882.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i ask people what they eat when they are trying to be healthy they say, a nice, fresh salad. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">there is nothing fresh about the salad you are eating if it comes from a bag. </span></b> the average head of lettuce (or any freshly picked vegetable) will lose 40% of its nutritional value </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">by the time it hits the supermarket shelf. the amount of petro-chemicals it takes to wrap it and get it there is a whole different blog all together.....bagged salad, by the time you get it home has lost its zing. the bloom is off the rose as they say. it also doesn't taste as good as freshly picked greens. i know some people will say that bagged salads are delicious but i challenge and suggest that you go to a farmers market and buy freshly picked, dirty greens - take them home and give them a nice cool bath, spin them dry and see for yourself. in my humble opinion there is no comparison. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKknaOAplxqoLSfCUNwSShBMc7NfUobjffwAo-KAhkCyDNghcKvN40ltPsD5S323pd5P4rH9M56odrTkCjvKexfDE0H90SprBglBK5mD8GHs-R7xzTnuwiHP6H7p4kP-89iFa8ab4BNu4/s1600/IMG_6884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKknaOAplxqoLSfCUNwSShBMc7NfUobjffwAo-KAhkCyDNghcKvN40ltPsD5S323pd5P4rH9M56odrTkCjvKexfDE0H90SprBglBK5mD8GHs-R7xzTnuwiHP6H7p4kP-89iFa8ab4BNu4/s320/IMG_6884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">i bought lettuce from j</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px; line-height: 15px;">ohn & sue g<a href="http://www.realtimefarms.com/farm/4985001/gorzynski-ornery-farm">orzynski</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> today. i adore all of their product but their greens are stellar. my heads of lettuce were picked by john and then put up in a crate by his son tim at the union square greenmarket. i brought those gorgeous dirt encrusted greens home, washed them 3 times, spun them and tucked them into my fridge until dinner when i will happily toss them with chaffin family orchards late harvest olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt & pepper. if you have a home with a yard (back or front) and you can plant a garden, please grow greens. there is nothing better than harvesting what you grow and eating it straight from the garden. if you are an urban farmer like me i suggest trying something like <a href="http://www.woollypocket.com/?gclid=CNPR6JSh_6sCFQpo5QodNl1Jlw">woolly pockets</a> or a <a href="http://growvertical.net/?gclid=CLrXy7Gh_6sCFWJn5QodKFfKmA">vertical garden system</a> where greens and herbs grow really well. small scale farming is safe farming because everyone knows what is going on with the product. the product is real food. we support real food by supporting real farmers. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">no farms. no food.</span></b> that's what it says on the gorzynski truck and it is the gospel truth. tonight i will call my Family2Table with confidence knowing that they will be happy, well fed and healthy from the food we are eating and i hope you will to. be well and enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">here are a few of my favorite salads:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">1.<b> warm spinach salad with chantarelle mushrooms, shallots, goat's cheese and bacon vinaigrette</b> (red wine vinegar, finely chopped shallots, dijon mustard and warm bacon fat to emulsify)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">***you will need rendered bacon fat for this recipe.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">clean chantarelle mushrooms and pull apart into pieces.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">in a hot pan sautee mushrooms in bacon fat and olive oil</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">add cleaned spinach, fold in with tongs and turn off heat</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">add warm bacon vinaigrette and wilt.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">plate and top with soft goat's cheese.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">serve immediately.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">2. <b>wild watercress and endive with australian roaring 40s blue cheese, crispy macadamia nuts and sherry vinaigrette</b> (sherry vinegar, dijon, shallots, olive oil, salt & pepper)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">toss washed greens with cheese, chopped nuts & vinaigrette.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">plate and serve.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">3. <b>arugula and enoki mushroom salad with rare, seared, peppered tuna in a ginger lemongrass caesar dressing. </b>(egg yolks, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, blanched chopped lemongrass, grated ginger, parm reggiano cheese, olive oil).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">toss washed arugula and enoki shrooms in caesar dressing.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">slice tuna and drizzle dressing on tuna.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">**tuna can be seared and held in fridge until serving. the best way to sear peppered sushi grade tuna is frozen so you get a good sear in a hot cast iron pan and the center remains really rare.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">4.<b> frisee with bacon lardons, blanched haricot verts & poached egg</b> (soft boiled is fine).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">blanch haricot in salted water and then in a salted ice bath.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">add to washed frisee with lardons</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">toss with olive oil, salt, pepper & lemon juice</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">top with poached egg or soft boiled egg</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">break egg and stir yolk into salad.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">5.<b> mixed greens with barley, cucumber & roasted red pepper with preserved lemon vinaigrette.</b> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">***preserving lemons is curing them with salt and takes a while. basically what you do is score the lemons into quarters making sure you don't cut all the way through. pack them with good sea salt and put them in a sterilized glass jar. pack as many as you desire into the jar so they are crammed in there and letting go of their juice. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Fill up the jar with lemons, make sure the top is covered with lemon juice. Add more fresh squeezed lemon juice if necessary. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt. seal the jar and leave out at room temp for a few days. turn the jar and agitate the lemons. after a few days put in the fridge and continue to turn the jar. you should have preserved lemons in 3 weeks or so.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">to make the vinaigrette use the rind and cut into very small pieces. whisk with apple cider vinegar, oil and pepper. fee free to use more lemon juice if desired.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">soak barley overnight in water and whey.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">cook barley with added salt and cool to room temp.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">roast red peppers in olive oil in oven with salt & pepper.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">remove skins and cut into strips.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">toss barley, cucumbers & red peppers with washed greens and vinaigrette.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">is nice with sardines!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">6. <b>grilled mustard greens with ripe tomato, red onion and avocado with roasted garlic aioli.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>***</b>an aioli is a mayonnaise. puree 1 egg plus 1 yolk with 5 roasted garlic cloves, 1 TBS. lemon juice and a pinch salt. slowly drizzle 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil until emulsified. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">if you don't have a grill you can wilt in a hot pan but the char of a BBQ grill on the greens is really what you want.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">toss mustard greens in olive oil salt & pepper and wilt on the grill</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">plate with ripe tomato (heirloom and cherry tomatoes are best i think) and avocado, finish with sea salt. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">add a dollop of aioli with washed torn basil and ENJOY!</span><br />
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</span></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-73953975660406771622011-10-15T12:42:00.000-07:002011-10-17T11:34:06.825-07:00Food Rules<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM9BwmqOBvlpKhO74fj2tiyVWezJ1p05BbKsMv9SalR7oxKKRjPGXnoxIl_E8foNy_a6zCCKQzkN3lajvM0MMvBVC4eKfuk0AQqEQPb5j-6VPEnSuz9xgEoSUu36jmAkS0bGhqmxlPY8/s1600/IMG_6433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM9BwmqOBvlpKhO74fj2tiyVWezJ1p05BbKsMv9SalR7oxKKRjPGXnoxIl_E8foNy_a6zCCKQzkN3lajvM0MMvBVC4eKfuk0AQqEQPb5j-6VPEnSuz9xgEoSUu36jmAkS0bGhqmxlPY8/s320/IMG_6433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a friend of mine who is worried about his health rang me the other day and asked what i thought about the movie "forks over knives" and should he become vegan? i told him that a vegan diet is okay for a week or two detox but that's it. i also directed him to <a href="http://rawfoodsos.com/">denise minger's</a> extensive piece on "forks" hoping that would satisfy his burning desire to change his diet based on a movie that is ultimately rooted in the flawed research of t. colin campbell's china study. i also advised him to read "nutrition and physical degeneration" by <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/">weston a. price</a> which is data that i believe is rooted in fact and can be trusted. he told me that he is desperate to find the right diet to restore his health. hello....who isn't? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the absolute diet for optimum health does exists. it always has.</span></b> however, please do not forget that we are all individuals and therefore require different nutrients from real foods to keep us at our vital best. if you are looking to restore what is lacking, i suggest working with a nutritionist who will order all the right tests and blood work with significant markers to let you know exactly where you need support.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0GAz3Q-6U2ojksUkn38X8Zx9DkBXp-chlxKAwR7SAHP4g7SEOW3Z7fKGw-QAF7onUCyCc4U0iNADQU9Wdg2tGbdNFRDokB44hcgZQK0rK1GkhZE_Tu0RE60ORlb6dM5XTczzLfk6czk/s1600/IMG_6691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0GAz3Q-6U2ojksUkn38X8Zx9DkBXp-chlxKAwR7SAHP4g7SEOW3Z7fKGw-QAF7onUCyCc4U0iNADQU9Wdg2tGbdNFRDokB44hcgZQK0rK1GkhZE_Tu0RE60ORlb6dM5XTczzLfk6czk/s320/IMG_6691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as a chef, cooking instructor, locavore and mother of two young children i am constantly asked "what do you feed your family?" my first response is, "i feed them food." people look at me as if i have three heads and want to slap me. okay, so maybe i can be a bit snarky at times but you have to understand that there are lots of products out there masquerading as food that are very toxic, scary chemicals. and what's worse, people are buying them. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">real food does not come in packages.</span></b> real food does not sit on a shelf without going bad and real food is not what is making our population so sick and sad. people want me to tell them what i serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. they want me to tell them what they should buy, cook and feed their family. they want me to write them menus and email them recipes and that is what i do. when it comes to food and "diet," people who are serious about their health and the health of their families want to be told what to eat. these people want to follow the rules.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFweIViT8nNis0jtCz7qWkp8PrTJgwK4q2u3g9v2SgtmjT9Btnt6UBejHDTRZp9AlErqToI1WuYeYRrMPdrslnisWtK8Jy4jA0-GX_Ldfcy9alXZB4zfTjI6o0_jq3GYp1mTQC02y0yw/s1600/IMG_6642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFweIViT8nNis0jtCz7qWkp8PrTJgwK4q2u3g9v2SgtmjT9Btnt6UBejHDTRZp9AlErqToI1WuYeYRrMPdrslnisWtK8Jy4jA0-GX_Ldfcy9alXZB4zfTjI6o0_jq3GYp1mTQC02y0yw/s320/IMG_6642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">okay, i can dig it. handing the responsibility of making important choices over to someone else can be quite a liberating experience - especially handing it to someone who will never steer you wrong. someone who has spent half her life dedicated to sourcing clean ingredients and putting them together in flavorful, nutritious combinations that would make even the pickiest eater happy. okay, fine. i'm your chef. i'm your teacher. i'm your girl. i'm good to go. but let's get something absolutely clear. i'm a punk rocker and i've never been into rules. however, when it comes to real food i'm serious. i guess you could say i'm more of a food rules! kind of person. i celebrate the fresh. i cast my vote for the local. i praise the organic. i rejoice in the whole and<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> i always, always put love into everything i make.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so, as a teacher dedicated to giving her students what they want, cool. food rules, you got it. let's go!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <b>keep it simple </b>- let ingredients sing and be the star. don't go bananas with too many components to a dish. an honest piece of super fresh, wild caught local fish in good butter and fresh herbs is a poem. recite it at least twice a week. stay away from farmed fish, please. same goes for all meats - grass fed, pastured animals that have a sweet life eating what they were born to eat taste best and contain all the beautiful omega 3s and CLA you are looking for. a freshly dug potato with butter, sea salt, sour cream and chives will make you so satisfied it's almost ridiculous. get to a local farmer's market and buy a few local apples. then buy some local raw milk cheese. go home. slice or bite the apple. then taste a piece of the cheese....BANG! that's love. that's simple. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <b>soup. salad. cheese </b>- a good rule for family meal-making. start with a cup of soup or broth made from real pastured meat or wild fish bones. always have some type of salad with your meal. many parents say "my kids won't eat salad!" i say HA! perhaps not now they won't but when they see you eating it day after day and enjoying it, they will want to be a part of that vibe too. especially if you include them in preparing it. washing and ripping greens and herbs is a great kitchen project for young ones. (oh yeah, no bottled salad dressings - that's a big rule). they can even dress the salad and learn basic pouring skills with olive oil, vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon, sea salt & pepper. cheese is my favorite way to end a meal. of course we do a sweet now and then for "afters" but generally it's an enzyme rich piece of raw milk cheese. a seasonal piece of special fruit with the cheese is a great end as well. when fresh figs come to the table it feels like a birthday. it is a good idea to shed a light of importance on these dear pieces of seasonal gold so that they are appreciated for the treat they are.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <b>fermented foods </b>with every meal - digestion is key. foods are only nutritious if you are assimilating the nutrients. you can eat really well and ultimately be malnourished if your gut can't do it's job. one way to help your gut out is to include real fermented foods at every meal. that could be as easy as a dollop of good yogurt or sour cream on your soup or salad. a side of sauerkraut, a few pickles, a glass of kombucha or kefir. fermented foods add spark the way citrus can. check them out, you won't be disappointed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. <b>good fats</b> at every meal - healthy saturated fats are making a comeback (thank goodness) and should be eaten with gusto! animal fats from pastured meats (chicken fat, lard, beef tallow), wild caught fish, butter, avocado, properly prepared nuts and seeds (that means soaking in sea salted water and drying), olive oil, coconut oil and high vitamin cod liver oil every day. good fats will satisfy with less food and keep blood sugar stable for longer ( a must for little people). remember to stay away from vegetable oils especially soy, corn, cottonseed and canola - blech! they are predominantly genetically modified and hydrogenated. stay away from anything marked low fat, please. as a matter of fact stay away from anything that makes a health claim. this is marketing and we don't like the taste of advertising.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. <b>natural sweeteners only</b>, please - use raw honey, rapadura, succanat, palm sugar, coconut sugar, molasses, grade B maple syrup and liquid stevia to sweeten. please stay away from refined sugars and artificial sweeteners as they tend to break down our immune systems and cause all kinds of problems - especially for children. all sugar free, chemical ridden products are out! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. <b>not too many grains</b> and if you do, properly prepared - soaking grains overnight in water with liquid whey, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice will make them much easier to digest. soaking legumes will also make the nutrients more available and easier to digest. when selecting breads, fresh baked, organic sourdough is best. if packaged please keep it to just a few ingredients (like 4!) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. feed <b>nothing from a package</b>. only fresh, local, organic (even this rule can be bent when you are buying local and farm fresh) and whole. ** if you must feed from a package, please read labels carefully and stay away from unhealthy oils, sugars, soy and other toxins like MSG (hydrolyzed vegetable proteins), etc. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. <b>stay out of the supermarket </b>- local greenmarkets are everywhere these days. support your local growers and patronize your local health food stores. i realize that there are certain things we go to the grocery store for (i personally need d'agostino for my preferred scrub pads to wash dishes). if 70% of your weekly food is coming from the greenmarket you are looking good!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">because <b>real (raw) milk</b> is not legally sold in all states -- don't even get me started on this one -- i am not going to tell you that all your dairy should be raw. i wish i could. in a perfect world it would because that's the way our great great grandparents had it and that is essentially what i am telling you to do. eat like them! you can be creative and source raw milk and i applaud you if you do as there is nothing like it. but, the next best thing would be to source local dairy that is grass fed and not homogenized. raw milk cheese is best and always, always buy whole fat dairy. the war on raw milk has been declared by our government and i am curious to see how far they are willing to take their lies "in the best interest of the people." discuss!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QplvRxeg8I22Jeq-QMm8YpaB1agM_DkFLyaRTupr6Nrfo5mw2YIasKAKbzCNiGhV4pyQ2xrxNWrutNk5RI_GnIM3Ycf_O8S28oKZV249PlGDHlsVkuVymgbdIt9ulW7NzV5sdNhyhSc/s1600/IMG_6138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QplvRxeg8I22Jeq-QMm8YpaB1agM_DkFLyaRTupr6Nrfo5mw2YIasKAKbzCNiGhV4pyQ2xrxNWrutNk5RI_GnIM3Ycf_O8S28oKZV249PlGDHlsVkuVymgbdIt9ulW7NzV5sdNhyhSc/s320/IMG_6138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so those are my very basic food "rules." i told you it was simple. what's even easier is following all of these rules and not eating the crap that will make you feel horrible...and you know that it does. it makes you sluggish, your bowels irregular, you get moody, your kids melt down, you get stressed out and chaos ensues. unnecessary. the cleaner you eat the more difficult it gets to go off your diet and eat the "stuff" you once called food. your body is wise and it will let you know when you eat something that disagrees with it. OH! okay, i have another really important rule that i forgot to put in the list......<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">listen to your body!</span></b> duh. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if all of this seems too overwhelming i would like to suggest changing your diet little by little. what about this.....? start off by eliminating vegetable oils (corn, cottonseed, canola, soy, etc) from your diet and see how you feel. these are really disgusting and do not belong in the human body. trust me. do this for a month. i dare you to tell me that you don't feel better. then remove refined sugars and artificial sweeteners (goodbye aspartame). then caffeine. yes, caffeine. your body doesn't really need it - try an organic decaf. slowly, little by little you take away the bad habits (soda, fast food, packaged snacks) that are doing you no favors and <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">implement the beneficial, real foods that will nourish and replenish</span></b>. a good yogurt or kefir, a traditionally prepared sauerkraut, a beautiful raw honey and grass-fed raw milk cheese, nutrient dense pastured eggs with yolks so orange they look like a tropical sunset, wild caught fish and my favorite, grass-fed beef. before you know it you will be craving pate and making beef bone broth every weekend just because you feel so amazing! not to mention the fact that these foods are all REALLY YUMMY!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Lih1L2a9GJKzmMCwg1nZ4zAVdgT_-em-mMbFIr1JxUb8DLJRnGbVBwcjXSUsNiqz9yo7Z5V2Azm9sixf49jIZ3rV07dHSemwZNFBSC0-gDy7Zj11xBNDJCoMdODlJ04gwV0AXXKocLo/s1600/IMG_6627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Lih1L2a9GJKzmMCwg1nZ4zAVdgT_-em-mMbFIr1JxUb8DLJRnGbVBwcjXSUsNiqz9yo7Z5V2Azm9sixf49jIZ3rV07dHSemwZNFBSC0-gDy7Zj11xBNDJCoMdODlJ04gwV0AXXKocLo/s320/IMG_6627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm sure i could come up with more rules (elbows on the table?! not in my house!) but why bother, you get the idea. eat and enjoy. that's the important part. you need to come up with your own rules for you and your family. my 6 year old daughter is already writing new rules for ours....hers are about colors. "if the color doesn't exist in nature, don't eat it." smart kid. i am perfectly clear about why we should be eating real food and want you to be as well. i would also like everyone to <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">view meal planning and cooking as an opportunity and a privilege not an obstacle or a chore. </span></b>when you realize how unlimited you are in your choices to properly feed and nourish yourself and your family with love and good spirit you will bring your Family2Table not necessarily with rules but with creativity, recipes and ingredients that will restore and maintain your vibrant health and get you shouting food rules! food rules! food rules! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now just in case you are interested, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this is what we ate yesterday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BREAKFAST: pastured eggs scrambled in lard with uncured ham steak and heirloom cherry tomatoes. toast grilled in bacon fat. raspberry kombucha and farm fresh milk to drink.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SNACK: toasted seaweed and salmon jerky</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LUNCH: thyme roasted chicken with root vegetables and goat's cheese salad.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SNACK: asian pear slices with sharp cheddar cheese.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DINNER: lamb burgers served over stewed lentils with thickened yogurt and sauteed kale. raw milk vanilla ice cream for dessert with honey sweetened chocolates.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my menu for today.......</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BREAKFAST: whole milk raw cow yogurt with sprouted sunflower seeds, crispy almonds, coconut flakes and blueberries (frozen from august).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SNACK: popcorn with coconut oil and sea salt</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LUNCH: sprout salad with soft boiled egg, smoked salmon & sour cream with chives</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SNACK: almond raisin bread with lots of butter and a big glass of milk</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DINNER: buffalo kielbasa and cheese quesadilla (brown rice tortilla) with salsa, sour cream and avocado.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fYBskkEJzNMZInDRiwra3XYPwi_O8hXS9tMbNTAmMRG9M2rkcsCcdJTxoQVLd4Ln5nKMFnzBDpD56zQExc34rQRZkRgBMUPBrMQKzNl7EOHuQVxKgR0CzQ9mBX0tORhk0bphXFDBk6Q/s1600/IMG_6321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fYBskkEJzNMZInDRiwra3XYPwi_O8hXS9tMbNTAmMRG9M2rkcsCcdJTxoQVLd4Ln5nKMFnzBDpD56zQExc34rQRZkRgBMUPBrMQKzNl7EOHuQVxKgR0CzQ9mBX0tORhk0bphXFDBk6Q/s320/IMG_6321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here is a recipe for my favorite lentils that i served with the lamb burgers yesterday</span><br />
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</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soak 1 lb. dry french green lentils in warm water with 2 TBS whey for 24 hours.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">drain and sort through for stones and set aside.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">add 3/4 cup tomato paste, 1 TBS grade B maple syrup, pinch cayenne pepper, 1 tsp sea salt & 2 TBS fresh thyme leaves and incorporate for a few minutes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">in a saucepan on med-hi flame, saute 1 large diced onion 2 carrots diced, 2 stalks celery diced and 1 clove of garlic, crushed, in a good fat of your choice (i use lard or olive oil) until translucent.</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add 1 quart filtered water & then lentils (add more water if not totally covering lentils)</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bring to a boil and then simmer until lentils are cooked - not mushy (about 30 - 40 minutes).</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">add salt & pepper to taste, cover and let sit for an hour or two to finish cooking.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lentils will hold in fridge for up to 2 weeks.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you have any questions about ANYTHING please contact me at <a href="mailto:chefemilyduff@gmail.com">chefemilyduff@gmail.com</a></span></div><br />
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</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-14877583891234531032011-07-29T11:55:00.000-07:002011-07-29T13:13:39.644-07:00The Snack Trap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp5Abz56lXwdG__soGb7RwcNXBKOGq5lwF3UEdrZnw7KYQR8YNSB9tYQ0Tx0MGTWdDwzEZnzwHn-LvoQvLeYAEqyvOQRQss-T9FI9DRKzglo6YjinMC6vk2S44FOfYiIWfaqTrUF6ZGU/s1600/IMG_4579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp5Abz56lXwdG__soGb7RwcNXBKOGq5lwF3UEdrZnw7KYQR8YNSB9tYQ0Tx0MGTWdDwzEZnzwHn-LvoQvLeYAEqyvOQRQss-T9FI9DRKzglo6YjinMC6vk2S44FOfYiIWfaqTrUF6ZGU/s320/IMG_4579.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it is no secret that i love (real) food. i love to cook and i love to eat. there are days where i am constantly preparing, tasting & writing new recipes. however, i am not what i would call a "snacky" person. i prefer my meals and when i get a hankerin' for something in between i usually gravitate towards a piece of raw milk cheese, seasonal fruit or vegetable, a glass of kefir or home brewed kombucha. although right now i could go for a small bowl of zerbe's potato chips fried in lard. anyway, this is not the case for most. from what i can tell, and i am "in the field" everyday observing with a keen eye, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>americans have become addicted to snacks. </b></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">snacking wouldn't be so bad if everyone was eating real food but they're not. roughly <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>17,000 new packaged, processed food products make it onto the grocery store shelves each year</b></span> and most of them are not food. chemicals have replaced food and are cleverly (read: deceptively) marketed as economical, convenient and healthy! the marketing is so clever that adults buy the advertising, become addicted to the chemicals they perceive as food and then raise their children on them creating a whole new generation of people addicted to chemicals. these products posses zero nutritional value and are made with cheap, dangerous ingredients, creating a vicious cycle of hunger and addiction that keeps people craving more and more in order to feel satisfied. this is what i call the snack trap: constantly eating to maintain stable blood sugar levels and instill a feeling of comfort. the truth is that when you get caught up in snacking on packaged, processed foods this way, your body is in a perpetual state of dis-ease and there is nothing economical, convenient or healthy about that.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbu1gjbioOUggcJmn-5Epuc1LTURQXHfw1W-h5ahP3ByOzPSBDCfeX1qHOXiNXctYHFfGxK2W4tnkX07lnvWG4W5t-hYCZxh5HxYS7_5F92Nd1iFmoS_UEfjDvb3X227AK0Sa_Lxyer8/s1600/IMG_3925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbu1gjbioOUggcJmn-5Epuc1LTURQXHfw1W-h5ahP3ByOzPSBDCfeX1qHOXiNXctYHFfGxK2W4tnkX07lnvWG4W5t-hYCZxh5HxYS7_5F92Nd1iFmoS_UEfjDvb3X227AK0Sa_Lxyer8/s320/IMG_3925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i talk about constant snacking i immediately envision chubby legged toddlers with their plastic snack traps loaded with cheerios, pepperidge farm goldfish, pirate booty and those awful fruit flavored puffs my friend leah calls "baby crack." (have you ever tried to take those puffs away from a toddler?) these snacks provide an unhealthy dose of toxins in the forms of sugar, MSG, food dyes & colorings, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable oils, soy byproducts, GMOs, artificial flavors and fillers that keep kids busy chewing. sometimes i think parents love these foods just because they keep their kids quiet (drugged) so they don't have to engage.....but that's another talk show altogether. the good news is that if you know how to read labels you will see exactly what is in packaged foods and can avoid them. (<a href="http://www.truthinlabeling.org/">see truth in labeling</a>). by staying away from packaged and processed food snacks, this vicious cycle can easily be broken and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>snacking can be a fun, healthy, delicious good time for all. </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by the way, the snack trap is a useful invention for self feeding toddlers that can be filled with healthy and nutritious foods.</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when packing food to go it is important to think about what types of food travel well. summer is a great time to investigate as there are plenty of opportunities for picnics (breakfast, lunch and dinner). i always pack snacks when we head out for a day at the park as well as when i take my turn as class mum for a weeks worth of snacks for 25 children. this can be a difficult task but i have found a solution (see below). <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the thing you want to remember about snacks is that they should be nutrient dense, easy to eat and provide energy as well as flavor. </span></b> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYp2pCzr2cyGG_MP77oBKkaZTBqcT8Vp3CWKjn3AOEYVz5oon2K3IwbkDb6RO3UsZ55qRt94u4831axBzVpKDj6FQ2uEcHJM4I9HOXSVSKieD7DAGdEYMWKA0qTF2_l30Tc7bcHnlpg4/s1600/IMG_4808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYp2pCzr2cyGG_MP77oBKkaZTBqcT8Vp3CWKjn3AOEYVz5oon2K3IwbkDb6RO3UsZ55qRt94u4831axBzVpKDj6FQ2uEcHJM4I9HOXSVSKieD7DAGdEYMWKA0qTF2_l30Tc7bcHnlpg4/s320/IMG_4808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on a typical day i will have any of the following <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">smart snacks</span></b> in my bag in order to restore myself and my children when we get to feeling low on energy: bison, beef or turkey kielbasa, raw milk cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, radishes, salmon jerky, nori sheets or even sushi, dried fruit leather, fresh berries, dried figs, coconut macaroons, cucumber spears with sea salt, pickles, popcorn with coconut oil, sea salt & nutritional yeast, sourdough bread & butter, pate on cracker, a boiled egg, sesame seed crunch bars, a freshly baked muffin or bread, skewers with cheese and fruit, roasted whole beets - eaten like an apple, a peach, pear, plum, melon slices, ham slices, soaked and dehydrated walnuts and almonds, pita chips with guacamole, a container of hummus with steamed carrots and a thermos of real milk, bone broth, water or kombucha tea. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZrONTAXmNHFRutF4gnp7sQMhA6Gs7FtD65gYIBBg-jr1Yxr8XSG7UqL1RDVgDOZ2zPK-1a7L7b3jmq7WIbDpGlyuByNdGfV6woRKk1bMx_XVikp7kwHIe_cyuFuZ9l8n3X4GPkmx7mQ/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZrONTAXmNHFRutF4gnp7sQMhA6Gs7FtD65gYIBBg-jr1Yxr8XSG7UqL1RDVgDOZ2zPK-1a7L7b3jmq7WIbDpGlyuByNdGfV6woRKk1bMx_XVikp7kwHIe_cyuFuZ9l8n3X4GPkmx7mQ/s320/IMG_3917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all of the above mentioned foods can be prepared ahead of time and will sit happily in your bag until needed. when my daughter or son says that they are hungry it usually means that they are bored (or growing). my test is to offer them a few choices and if they don't want what i have offered, i then get them interested in an activity. if after they have been involved in that activity for a little while they tell me that they are hungry again, it might just be time for lunch or dinner. i remember coming home from school and wanting a snack before i ran out to play. i was ravenous! my snack always included a big glass of milk. i was instinctively refueling in order to continue on. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we need to listen to our bodies.</span></b> sleep when we are tired, use the toilet when we have to go and eat when we are hungry. it's very simple and we should take our cues from newborns who are comfortable at the breast and not yet aware of anything but the basics to survive. we don't need to eat all day long. if we eat good meals made from fresh, local, organic & whole ingredients then our bodies will be happy and perform as we need them to. again, i ask you to ask yourselves when making food choices for yourself and your family "have people been eating this for at least a hundred years?" I guarantee that when you abandon the snack trap and throw away the puffed rice cakes, butter flavored pretzels, soy crisps, booty, 'whole grain" goldfish, part skim string cheese, blue go-gurt and pizza combos and any other disgusting astronaut-like concoction you squeeze from a tube, you will bring a hungrier, more enthusiastic <b>Family2Table<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b>who can really taste and appreciate real food prepared with love. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbQXf8izpvF364CcLIaEl3w-rDwveFYyFPaAlE_r7vNC6zRAVvZqnYWu1ZyEaBOyNgtH2_NJIh6cxFm9qBdzyvqKM0R9laZsZaaY7pLMga8bBXnZYGiV3nNQgyooTxVX2Om4T-tQWUWk/s1600/IMG_4779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbQXf8izpvF364CcLIaEl3w-rDwveFYyFPaAlE_r7vNC6zRAVvZqnYWu1ZyEaBOyNgtH2_NJIh6cxFm9qBdzyvqKM0R9laZsZaaY7pLMga8bBXnZYGiV3nNQgyooTxVX2Om4T-tQWUWk/s320/IMG_4779.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">parents who feed their children real food often have a hard time dealing with the community snack situation at school. some parents choose to home school just so their children do not have to be exposed to poor nutrition. I totally understand and have been there -- i frequently have to clear my throat and remind parents of where i stand. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you are having this problem this is what i suggest. write a friendly letter (or email) to all of the parents in your class letting them know that your child has a sensitivity to processed, packaged foods. this sensitivity needs to be regarded and respected as seriously as any food allergy (i.e. peanuts) and exposure to processed, packaged foods will result in health problems for your child somewhere down the road. exposure to neurotoxins such as MSG, food colorings, soy, GMOs and other chemical additives could produce severe reactions and possible illness. let them know that these chemicals could also produce adverse reactions in their children as sometimes food sensitivities do not surface until later and you don't want to take any chances. i do not intend any disrespect to anyone with a severe allergy nor do i take any food allergies lightly. i only mean to compare in order to convey my concern for the health of our children. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if they are persistent in pushing garbage food on the kids please ask them to 1) limit the number of ingredients in the package to three 2) notify you so you can provide an alternative for your child and 3) really read the label and see what is in the package. oftentimes parents will look at labels and decide that it is not so good for anyone to eat. another suggestion is to come up with a list of approved snacks that all the kids will enjoy and stick to that list for the year. when birthdays arise, have a set recipe for a treat that everyone makes to celebrate. declare your child's classroom a processed, packaged food-free zone! after all, parents want happy, smart kids and toxins are not good mood, developing brain food.</span><br />
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</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-48595100589012114272011-07-03T11:52:00.000-07:002011-07-03T11:52:56.463-07:00Herbage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ovQacz3FTrRc2ZFY0VubYVY5JK1uNcL8_dLrkzmvT3BaGtGxl_phIGrgjq4X0udgqRqI-lx7Vu1lHNLyp7vy9Nl8ebsP6Z1iYMg2G-fF_mCcxcsRu3E34L4xTqBb-RQjGypJQqlw3_g/s1600/IMG_4162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ovQacz3FTrRc2ZFY0VubYVY5JK1uNcL8_dLrkzmvT3BaGtGxl_phIGrgjq4X0udgqRqI-lx7Vu1lHNLyp7vy9Nl8ebsP6Z1iYMg2G-fF_mCcxcsRu3E34L4xTqBb-RQjGypJQqlw3_g/s320/IMG_4162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life would be a sad, boring, flavorless place without fresh herbs. i absolutely love them, rely on them, am inspired by them, can't get enough of them. i remember the exact moment herbs took hold of my heart and never let go. i was working in a corner shop in tribeca in 1988. the chef was an incredibly talented young painter turned cook named shelly boris who one day gave me the task of picking and cleaning an entire case of basil. not so much fun but definitely an a-ha moment for me. the real love affair began when i was asked to pick and chop a selection of herbs for the herb mayo we made fresh daily for our sandwiches. as i pulled the beautiful little thyme leaves off the stems, i brought my fingers to my nose and took a deep inhale of the fragrant oil that lingered on my skin. i did this repeatedly with all the herbs (tarragon, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, chives) until i had chopped them all and incorporated them into the freshly made mayo. i ripped off a piece of crusty tom cat bakery baguette, applied a thick layer of the herb mayo, sprinkled with sea salt and took a bite. that was it. i was hooked. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in love and forever a slave to fresh herbs.</span></span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuyKbgddEIwgx4N2b1UZ9s9aLfouwL7s-tjNSCyBOQ1-mnG-iPWuu6lTLemphIBQm_BAJt7AHpWyNoVrPo19NygxFsPEvFaOx1pUaRwxp-LSRYRTkt4yBC-BDKm521aNP-eokNwCXNsE/s1600/IMG_4234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuyKbgddEIwgx4N2b1UZ9s9aLfouwL7s-tjNSCyBOQ1-mnG-iPWuu6lTLemphIBQm_BAJt7AHpWyNoVrPo19NygxFsPEvFaOx1pUaRwxp-LSRYRTkt4yBC-BDKm521aNP-eokNwCXNsE/s320/IMG_4234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my grandmother used to say that when she didn't know what to cook she would get a pan of onions sauteing. the smell of the onions would inspire her and within minutes she would know what to do for dinner. for me onions work pretty well but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nothing inspires like fresh herbs and right now is the time to go get them! </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">basil becomes pesto for pasta, halibut, tomato salad, corn relish and more! cilantro longs for roasted sweet potatoes with sweet chile sauce and sour cream, rosemary, oregano & mint scream for lamb, chives beg for sour cream and creme fraiche, thyme marries roasted chicken perfectly, tarragon holds hands with scrambled eggs, chicken salad and sauteed radishes, dill runs side by side with egg salad, cucumbers and beets & thai basil, lemon verbena, mint and chives make my coconut milk fish soup sing like Callas. shall i go on? oh yes.....</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9J7ohdUB86byiJwl9DdR11R3W9G0ZTOEcozjFXxH1gJHHoiWWOUBCN8C3FZ6sxsOiQNQJwn2JC99bvX7KXD4FIb16HTWiOdljsLiGvHNSU5q6C5O94ZOT65DbVAqJ5rRLDC1-d0XtqOI/s1600/IMG_3789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9J7ohdUB86byiJwl9DdR11R3W9G0ZTOEcozjFXxH1gJHHoiWWOUBCN8C3FZ6sxsOiQNQJwn2JC99bvX7KXD4FIb16HTWiOdljsLiGvHNSU5q6C5O94ZOT65DbVAqJ5rRLDC1-d0XtqOI/s320/IMG_3789.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it would be difficult to declare a favorite herb. i have a few. i used thyme this morning in my breakfast of sauteed onions and chicken liver with fried egg and ruby red kraut. i also used it last night when i sauteed summer squash with garlic scapes. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as i write this i am sipping an iced chamomile tea infused with lemon verbena</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and mint</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and dinner tonight will include halibut in basil butter with radishes and tarragon. there are always at least a half dozen bunches of fresh herbs in my vegetable bin (all wrapped in paper towel individually) as well as a cabinet full of freshly dried herbs (i have a dehydrator so i dry my own and put them up for the winter). my usual stock includes thyme, basil, cilantro, tarragon, chives, flat leaf parsley, dill, oregano and mint. </span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW92U7ZK-JkxX5ZxA9sZ7JWdR6REzXWt0YvLQlFThoi_olPhWBrC8TcpOi7K_7yBLaqjqwuPjghpe6tRpjydHPtY7UCQjjYwZLmn0fzhUzswOJzWb58tCAkZSNEUP7Rqayz1ePtJjGMfc/s1600/IMG_3840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW92U7ZK-JkxX5ZxA9sZ7JWdR6REzXWt0YvLQlFThoi_olPhWBrC8TcpOi7K_7yBLaqjqwuPjghpe6tRpjydHPtY7UCQjjYwZLmn0fzhUzswOJzWb58tCAkZSNEUP7Rqayz1ePtJjGMfc/s320/IMG_3840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">storing fresh herbs is tricky. some say they must be kept in plastic bags with the air sucked out of the bag. i prefer mine in paper towels. it really depends on your fridge and where you put them. basil can go from lush green to black in less than a day. i have put my basil in a glass of water and then put that in the fridge - it keeps well especially if you still have the roots attached. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i like to use basil right away. i also tend to make herb purees in olive oil as soon as i get my fresh herbs home.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> i find parsley, mint, cilantro and basil hold the best this way. pick and quickly wash and dry the herbs. individually process them in your cuisinart adding good extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt. these will keep in the fridge for a good 3 to 4 weeks. these purees can then be turned into pestos (all herbs can make a good pesto), gramolata, chimi churri sauce, pastas, soups, stews, salad dressing, marinades, condiments, a spread for sandwiches, a quick spark to hummus, whisked into eggs for frittata and omeletes and even into dough for savory biscuits, breads and scones. purees can even be frozen and used later. a time and money saving way to use fresh herbs!</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk8KQQRprp85Sv7B4r3GcTy5f_6jMIOI-hGteqt_2C75RgoeQG1gWrd1e6itzlp0meULcp4A2IS5CYN29kUzVPS09xBwx2DoRWYVk90o2dIJLMZdRh3y3Cut6I6hwtvh3mIFUbQeBT_I/s1600/IMG_3880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk8KQQRprp85Sv7B4r3GcTy5f_6jMIOI-hGteqt_2C75RgoeQG1gWrd1e6itzlp0meULcp4A2IS5CYN29kUzVPS09xBwx2DoRWYVk90o2dIJLMZdRh3y3Cut6I6hwtvh3mIFUbQeBT_I/s320/IMG_3880.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you don't use fresh herbs in your cooking i strongly suggest you try them and find out why i am gushing. not only do i think you will get inspired by their flavor and endless creative possibilities, i also think they can be an exciting addition to your home and family lifestyle. growing an herb garden - even in a small apartment in manhattan is a beautiful way to </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">engage your entire family in the farm to table process and educate them about new and interesting flavor combinations.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in our tiny 400 square foot, not much sunlight apartment here in nyc, my kids know that you can grab a fragrant handful of leaves from a flower pot and turn a plain dish into something that sparkles like pixie dust. as a matter of fact, my daughter and i play a game called name that herb where you have to close your eyes, take a big whiff and you guessed it - name that herb! we do this at the greenmarket every saturday and i am amazed at her ability to identify herbs by smell. children are also very savvy when it comes to identifying herbs in food. ask them at the table if they know what they are tasting. it's a great way to get a good food conversation started at the table.</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LpXWaVYMpgUT7scwDk_XldxgnFNunTMbrh2inRV5lHMXzLo2PrL24lNxYAshbutmXhNtZas_nf6vv63L6DvL-PnpTDnDnBpYq_Wz8-J5q7iIo3SSOwo-3Ip_HvZtBA1GV9G_XP3g1Y8/s1600/IMG_4171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LpXWaVYMpgUT7scwDk_XldxgnFNunTMbrh2inRV5lHMXzLo2PrL24lNxYAshbutmXhNtZas_nf6vv63L6DvL-PnpTDnDnBpYq_Wz8-J5q7iIo3SSOwo-3Ip_HvZtBA1GV9G_XP3g1Y8/s320/IMG_4171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in my opinion, thyme and rosemary are the hardiest potted herbs. they grow like stink week and will be the gift that keeps on giving if you remember to cut them back and water them. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">children love to help at mealtime. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">asking them to pull herbs for a meal will make them feel very helpful and important. they will also be more likely to try something new if they had a hand in growing it and making it. keeping herbs will be a family project that everyone will benefit from. if you have cats, grow catnip too!</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9bi9f-7_p4PbjzAt3081KpOVLjrCMnDmaxfHZKdOuWOejgbneS22zQExPGQAwE1lRjcCt9WxxoRhQpIrgoQPzuW_enu03uj4-TLjtdsMgIoql_ORISeNbLWcM8KPVLuLuWTdKcV9bGQ/s1600/IMG_3883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9bi9f-7_p4PbjzAt3081KpOVLjrCMnDmaxfHZKdOuWOejgbneS22zQExPGQAwE1lRjcCt9WxxoRhQpIrgoQPzuW_enu03uj4-TLjtdsMgIoql_ORISeNbLWcM8KPVLuLuWTdKcV9bGQ/s320/IMG_3883.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before i give you some of my favorite herbalicious recipes i want to turn you on to something. when you clean and pick your herbs </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">always save the stems </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(this need not be done on the inside of a double album cover i.e "frampton comes alive"). stems can be used to impart flavor to many dishes. for example, i stuff my stems inside the cavity of a chicken when roasting or use them as a bed to roast meat and fish upon. stems can be used to flavor braises and sauces just like using a vanilla bean (pods already removed) to flavor cream and custard. herbs are packed with flavor and it is up to you to get the most out of them. </span></span></b></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzke6aAKr7V3jRbYG4ESsqldHfZ_mILRTfZiY0KqbllfydndpzA7JKBg9-S6MuaEBrEzyeVgZfPkfxL7Zl0In6mo1HsWEq2Eagx_B_gHNJpn6cxEeXpBUkk_-0vFmqZbg53GnvgCZL3Y/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzke6aAKr7V3jRbYG4ESsqldHfZ_mILRTfZiY0KqbllfydndpzA7JKBg9-S6MuaEBrEzyeVgZfPkfxL7Zl0In6mo1HsWEq2Eagx_B_gHNJpn6cxEeXpBUkk_-0vFmqZbg53GnvgCZL3Y/s320/IMG_3778.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">last wednesday sylvia and i went to market. i asked her what treasure she wanted to find. she quickly said lemon verbena. she also said "laura ingalls says that miss beadle the school teacher on little house on the prairie smells like lemon verbena and i want to smell what she smells like." we found a beautiful bunch of lemon verbena at cheryl rogowski's farm stand and i gave it to sylvia to smell. "well?" i said. "what does miss beadle smell like?" she replied "ice pops with honey." so we went home and made them. we call them miss beadle pops and we hope you enjoy them when you bring your </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Family2Table.</span></span></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>radishes with tarragon</b> - clean and quarter radishes. melt good butter in a saute pan. add radishes and saute till brown but not too brown. add sea salt, pepper and fresh whole tarragon leaves. saute for another minute and transfer to a serving bowl. serve hot or warm.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>herb roasted tomato sauce </b>- pre heat oven to 425 degrees. empty 2 cans of organic whole tomatoes into a roasting pan. add 6 whole cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 TBS balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper, 6 stems thyme, 1 long sprig rosemary, 6 stems oregano. put into oven for 1 hour - 1.5 hours or until the liquid has reduced and tomatoes are roasted with color. remove herb sprigs (let whatever leaves fall into the sauce remain). using a hand blender, blend sauce till smooth. use immediately or cool and hold in fridge. use hot or cold.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>lemon and thyme roasted chicken</b> - (4lb.- 4 1/2lb. chicken) preheat oven to 450 degrees. salt and pepper chicken inside and out. fill cavity with large bunch of thyme and 1 whole lemon cut into quarters. place chicken in roasting pan in oven, legs first. after 20 minutes reduce heat to 400. after another 20 minutes reduce heat to 350 and rotate chicken in pan.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>coconut milk fish soup</b> - for each quart of fish stock use one can of organic coconut milk. combine coconut milk with fish stock. add julliene carrots, thinly sliced haruki turnips, diced summer squash, freshly shelled english peas, whole cilantro leaves, whole thai basil leaves, chopped lemon verbena leaves. bring to a simmer until vegetables are soft and herbs have permeated the soup. salt and pepper to taste.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>watermelon and feta with torn basil </b>- cut watermelon and feta into bite sized pieces and place on on top of the other. garnish with a piece of torn basil and serve.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>miss beadle pops - </b>bring a quart of water to a boil. place a large bunch of lemon verbena into the water and turn off the heat. add 3 TBS raw local spring honey and cover to steep.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">strain the herbs when cool. add to ice pop mold and freeze. (optional - add lemon zest from 2 organic lemons for texture).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>rosemary roasted new potatoes - </b>preheat oven to 425 degrees.<b> </b>cut potatoes equal size. toss with olive oil and chopped rosemary. sprinkle well with sea salt & pepper. place into oven for 30 minutes. turn potatoes for color on all sides. roast for another 30 minutes until golden on all sides. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>baked herbed goat cheese & apple</b> - preheat broiler. slice a hearty apple (johnagold, mutsu, winesap) into a 1/4 inch round. add goat cheese and press down to cover. sprinkle with fresh herbs - thyme, dill, chives, taragon, basil - salt & pepper. drizzle with olive oil and put under broiler until golden. serve with a simple tossed green salad dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper. (optional - substitute apple with roasted beet or crostini).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>basic lentils - </b> saute onions, 1 crushed clove of garlic carrots and celery till translucent. add herbs - thyme, marjoram, rosemary, parsley, chervil and lavender - add tomato, add 1/2 cup wine and reduce. add 2 quarts of stock (veg, chicken or beef). add lentils (about 2 - 3 cups). bring to a simmer for 1 hour. shut off flame. when cooked, add salt and pepper and let sit in liquid and finish cooking. cool and hold in glass jars with liquid.</span><br />
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</span></span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-37943295399528415342011-06-07T18:32:00.000-07:002011-06-07T18:32:29.261-07:00Skin & Bones<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODpccddt7b8xOaU6N9rAqY4rAuUE8jOLqH4x-gwSaqlwZZgj92eRFEk6xSoyZ9VSn7ynAZUGVxEVoKiC-ZPdD-UWtMj1ArikxQAEQmM8d1mjZCNaTXSbWS7QxFAdR_TyqI-5AidyyApM/s1600/IMG_3623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODpccddt7b8xOaU6N9rAqY4rAuUE8jOLqH4x-gwSaqlwZZgj92eRFEk6xSoyZ9VSn7ynAZUGVxEVoKiC-ZPdD-UWtMj1ArikxQAEQmM8d1mjZCNaTXSbWS7QxFAdR_TyqI-5AidyyApM/s320/IMG_3623.JPG" width="274" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when we came home from the park last saturday, the kids were wiped out. it was really hot outside so i gave them sour cherry rocket-shaped ice pops to cool them off while i got dinner on the table. i had already roasted chicken thighs earlier that day meaning dinner was only a few side dishes and a salad away while my husband and i chatted and listened to music in the kitchen together (heaven). we started putting the food out on the table. the kids had finished their pops and were playing nicely with toys when we noticed that it had gotten very quiet in the living room/tv room/bedroom/family meal room, etc. my husband motioned for me to check out what was happening at the table: <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">our kids were busy devouring the chicken. </span></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">henry goes right for his favorite food, what he calls the "skeel." that's skin to you and me. he systematically eats all of the crispy skeel off the chicken and then moves on to the meat. sylvia loves skin too but really concentrates on the bones, getting all of the meat off and even eating the cartilage, marrow and connective tissue. i love this. from the time they were able to eat solids i put bones from beautifully pastured animals in their hands and encouraged them to gnaw away. at the ripe old ages of 3 and 6 years they are expert bone handlers and love all things skin and bone related.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzZ0vDy59tf6r78W3P4E4VG_wM46w98kpTeL5K3LsAYQLvqnVA59KoK1rTZ6N0gakQuaG_uhicJz-n40LBgiRzmpIor2lAHaf7A38tUHO2mXdpqXIArE_k51uJHPMLdmUbMRl1ZzAmSY/s1600/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzZ0vDy59tf6r78W3P4E4VG_wM46w98kpTeL5K3LsAYQLvqnVA59KoK1rTZ6N0gakQuaG_uhicJz-n40LBgiRzmpIor2lAHaf7A38tUHO2mXdpqXIArE_k51uJHPMLdmUbMRl1ZzAmSY/s320/IMG_0441.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">some of you might be asking yourselves at this point....why is emily so into skin and bones? why is it so important for her kids to like chomping on this stuff? <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">skin and bones are economical, nutrient dense, delicious foods that we all need for proper healthy development and growth.</span></b> they impart vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are sorely lacking from our diets because unfortunately we have forgotten how vital and energizing they are. as a culinary society we have classified them as "fattening & inconvenient." instead we have traded natural skin & fat for gluten rich breading and get most of our soups from cans and boxes (which are hardly ever from good clean pastured meat sources). my other delight with skin and bones is that my family knows how to handle food in its whole state, understands where cuts of meat come from (chickens don't have fingers, remember?) and is not "put off" or grossed out by anything that tastes delicious. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we get our hands dirty at the table and that is FUN!</span></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApGbRhb2NPE9fE2fGgKWoCYlkyRbfVe8x1AJ9G9N7aY1km718rAP8Vy1UD_ApG3QFXKIlFiUg6nIHj9AaEEtOpLz6wBFMkUhHyTiwEOkbyuKvimUCz23IIJ-p7L4j-dECw6if3vkzyfU/s1600/IMG_3639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApGbRhb2NPE9fE2fGgKWoCYlkyRbfVe8x1AJ9G9N7aY1km718rAP8Vy1UD_ApG3QFXKIlFiUg6nIHj9AaEEtOpLz6wBFMkUhHyTiwEOkbyuKvimUCz23IIJ-p7L4j-dECw6if3vkzyfU/s320/IMG_3639.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">evidence that we have lost the fine art of utilizing skin and bones in our diet is the rise of joint and bone diseases in our country. we must feed like with like. in her book Deep Nutrition, Dr. Catherine Shanahan divides the foundation of world cuisine into four pillars citing meat on the bone as number 1. "when cooking meat, the more everything stays together - fat, bone, marrow, skin other connective tissue - the better." i agree. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">one of the things we used to say in the professional kitchen is "the flavor is in the fat."</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span> we would say that every time a customer would order a piece of meat or fish (especially chicken) "no oil, no butter, no skin." we would say "NO FLAVOR!" beside there being no flavor, there were far less nutrients as well as we have discussed before -- fat soluble vitamins need an activator to make them available to the body. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-YSMxIIx2yG-JKm99HuIPzjfszet7xn6tv9GPrt85jLo6Y4QWp5zKlzYt-L5WCE95m1oea250ypJb0ayvXEAV4Ue75gkRC5zIj26CDmPhsktjPTv6aryiSp0-t5eA6ThpHD3aZw2TkM/s1600/IMG_3633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-YSMxIIx2yG-JKm99HuIPzjfszet7xn6tv9GPrt85jLo6Y4QWp5zKlzYt-L5WCE95m1oea250ypJb0ayvXEAV4Ue75gkRC5zIj26CDmPhsktjPTv6aryiSp0-t5eA6ThpHD3aZw2TkM/s320/IMG_3633.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we have a saturday lunch tradition at my house. we roast a belle rouge chicken from violet hills farms. it is one of the best tasting chickens you'll ever have. when we have finished lunch we put all of the bones in a bag and store in the freezer until we have enough for the stock pot. even if the kids take a roasted chicken leg or thigh to school for lunch (and my husband to work) they always bring home the bones for the stock pot. they know that those bones give us soup and broth to sip with our meals (my kids used to sip broth out of their sippy cups as much as they sipped milk). <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">broth not only packs a nutrient dense punch but also aids in healing the gut lining</span></b> for those who are dealing with "leaky gut" issues - allergies, eczema, etc. who can honestly say that they don't feel better after a rich pot of homemade chicken soup?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FkcVqAC0GCS7TWQgWe4Cv_iYtNX7AE2zBoNWuCGKfnOftMbOCFbKcit9cSCF8Ezvnla8ddVOE_FdyadZ33Zq4ce45coW7DBbnQbPcGYlpjYbvXEYvo8OBUNFf7tWFV5p8ywJAGzrlrg/s1600/IMG_3683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FkcVqAC0GCS7TWQgWe4Cv_iYtNX7AE2zBoNWuCGKfnOftMbOCFbKcit9cSCF8Ezvnla8ddVOE_FdyadZ33Zq4ce45coW7DBbnQbPcGYlpjYbvXEYvo8OBUNFf7tWFV5p8ywJAGzrlrg/s320/IMG_3683.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i tend to alternate my stock every week rotating chicken, beef and fish (fish always depends on what racks and heads i can get from my fisherman on wednesdays at the market). most times you can get racks and heads for free if you ask! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">fish broth with coconut milk, cilantro, red pepper and green onion is a real treat in this house.</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span>the meat that falls off the bone is amazing in fish cakes. stock in the freezer keeps for a few months (if it lasts that long) and will insure a quick soup when needed or extra flavor to a sauce. adding bone broths to grains and pastas will certainly improve their nutritional and flavor profiles. finish with butter (good healthy fat) and my goodness you have created a thing of beauty! i generally soak my bones in cold filtered water and raw vinegar for an hour before i turn on the flame, skim off the scum and then add aromatics. I let my beef stock go for 30 hours, my chicken for 20 and my fish from 8 - 12 hours. the house smells divine. my yield is 7 quarts. A quart of good soup is at least $10 and my ingredients are never more than $20 for the lot. That's good math! <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we never boil we only simmer.</span></b> the fat we get off the top of the stock is great for cooking! (we had scrambled pastured eggs cooked in beef tallow just this morning). oh! and by the way, bones are sexy...did you know that? after we remove our bones from the pot my husband and i have a great time searching for marrow, bits of meat, succulent fat and connective tissue to eat together. odd bits of concentrated flavor and love. the joy we get from harvesting these buried nutritional treasures always brings us a little bit closer (wink, wink). </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6wFaGyZxZtOHkIBStXthKYfnb5IoXFrUY2m303cNmJcQrDto0egs8WA-op_15etUBpiqeStUlJRcbHpvCNeS7vxj62QsFX40TJ6qDTx_D7xihk9LdLZ_aZrUnaCMzG75BlgqVHDNIUg/s1600/IMG_3450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6wFaGyZxZtOHkIBStXthKYfnb5IoXFrUY2m303cNmJcQrDto0egs8WA-op_15etUBpiqeStUlJRcbHpvCNeS7vxj62QsFX40TJ6qDTx_D7xihk9LdLZ_aZrUnaCMzG75BlgqVHDNIUg/s320/IMG_3450.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">skin and bones also come into play with fish. when buying canned salmon and sardines (and i hope you do) please buy the ones with skin and bones intact. the bones are small enough that you don't even realize that you are eating them and the skin provides a flavor and mouth feel that is brilliant. these extra nutrients (calcium, vitamin c and much more) provide you and your family with the nutrients we all need to flourish.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i could go on about how eating marrow and all of it's yummy rich goodness gives me amazing energy or how lamb chops with their succulent fat make me happier than almost any other food. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i see how my family acts after a good meal of meat on the bone</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with everything intact and i just want to hug the world for making it so simple and delicious.</span></b> why is thanksgiving such a lovely holiday? i say it's the turkey and all it's skin and bones that bring that warm, loving family glow to the table. "skin and bones" is an expression that conjures a very negative image of a sickly, hungry, unhealthy person and certainly not how we should strive to look. i propose we change that image and think of skin and bones as delicious, nourishing, healthy traditional foods that we need to reacquaint ourselves with immediately! skin and bones from well raised animals are what i recommend serving to bring your healthy, beautiful <b>Family2Table.</b></span><br />
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</div>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-87683565312627262592011-04-10T13:53:00.000-07:002011-04-10T17:22:21.256-07:00Shelf Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEIkTLFXMVxJpqccv4U1TIXclXNxRUjI8F_CUU7ZctfyYIWPx4UCz0Ml4wGoK2eKR1btOfTqSLawH1m5krFV_wpuOE4anGymQvct9z3MQ3BeuwY3UegEuLC-MoEBhUMkd3-2xcVMyP1U/s1600/IMG_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEIkTLFXMVxJpqccv4U1TIXclXNxRUjI8F_CUU7ZctfyYIWPx4UCz0Ml4wGoK2eKR1btOfTqSLawH1m5krFV_wpuOE4anGymQvct9z3MQ3BeuwY3UegEuLC-MoEBhUMkd3-2xcVMyP1U/s320/IMG_1524.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when I close my eyes i see the contents of my refrigerator. it is an involuntary response somewhat akin to breathing for me. i trained myself to do this back in 1988 when i became a food professional and it has stuck with me ever since. i know you are asking yourself "why on earth would this crazy woman train herself to visually memorize the contents of her refrigerator?!" i will tell you....most walk-in refrigerators in restaurants are located in the basement. there is a lot of running up and down if you don't prepare your station well. <b>knowing EXACTLY where everything is really saves time. </b>and not just for me. there have been many times when i would know where something was that someone else needed (and they could not find). mine was a handy skill to have and i was proud to keep my obsessive compulsion razor sharp. at the end of my shift, after i cleaned my station, washed up, made my prep list & changed my clothes i would memorize my station low boy (fridge) like an architectural map. then i would have a stroll through the walk-in, absorbing it all and committing the location of everything to memory. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that evening, at home in bed and ready to call it a night, i would close my eyes and go back through the walk-in, talking myself through my prep list for the next day. with my eyes closed, i would mentally place the the ingredient and it's location together with each dish on the menu as i fell asleep. some might call it an unwinding. the next morning, well rested, confident and content, i woke ready for what was ahead of me in the kitchen that night. As you can imagine, this is a hard habit to break and one that i am grateful to have hung onto because knowing what is on your shelves and where it is all located is an important step toward what i call a healthy shelf life or some serious <b>pantry pride!</b> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7nFVDEikbHYU32wVUxqzeF6v8X_CsfzlErJj3CaNk8lHbOi8HRHFRloRdEEeIDoI-HDrlQAA_9tNRX1wpfv8-hPd5wLrB7alFk9ItkwYD_TckNP7YmAmRQf47MLTB-NkOmI0uOxI-Gc/s1600/IMG_1429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7nFVDEikbHYU32wVUxqzeF6v8X_CsfzlErJj3CaNk8lHbOi8HRHFRloRdEEeIDoI-HDrlQAA_9tNRX1wpfv8-hPd5wLrB7alFk9ItkwYD_TckNP7YmAmRQf47MLTB-NkOmI0uOxI-Gc/s320/IMG_1429.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">efficiency and economy in the kitchen, home or professional, is a tremendous asset. it's all about saving time, saving money and using as few steps to accomplish your goal as possible (economy of motion). one of the most popular questions people ask me when i teach is <b>how can i shave dollars off the grocery bill without sacrificing quality?</b> great question. another popular question is how can i prepare nutritious meals when i don't have a lot of time? my answer to both of those questions involves preparation or what the restaurant industry calls "prep." If you know how to prep your station (your home, family fridge and pantry in this case) a nutritious meal is usually a 20 minute pick up away (not including meats if you are roasting, stewing or braising, etc). let's apply, shall we?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>PROJECT & DO</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it all begins with the very satisfying task of laying in a good supply of quality staples and bringing them to a ready state for consumption. i divide these staples into categories: grocery (dry goods), perishables (seasonal fruit, seasonal veg, dairy, meat, fish) and frozen. after all of those are in place i (mentally) write a weekly menu and then a prep list. prep lists are incredibly helpful (a must actually) and can be organized according to "project" and "do" (thank you anita!). a project is something that you don't necessarily need right away or for the next meal and a do is just that, something that you need to do now for what you are about to eat (may we all be truly thankful). </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSglUoF87OOw3Q7pMKojv3qV-isWHGpcnwbIE4MfJWfvIIs5aTsKr0VlTFhffUjgTrDtC-TJ5DLGw39pq3DUxJuCtEEN2zQ_6z6FOUTgXPSBC-6dydDaPXWdniT8vBus9iAT-Ccwy3htw/s1600/IMG_2321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSglUoF87OOw3Q7pMKojv3qV-isWHGpcnwbIE4MfJWfvIIs5aTsKr0VlTFhffUjgTrDtC-TJ5DLGw39pq3DUxJuCtEEN2zQ_6z6FOUTgXPSBC-6dydDaPXWdniT8vBus9iAT-Ccwy3htw/s320/IMG_2321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for instance, making mayo, ketchup, hummus, salmon jerky, crispy nuts and roasted tomato sauce in my house are all projects. something i do about once or twice a month that will last for a while and a few meals. making stock is also a project since there is usually a few quarts in the fridge and back-up in the freezer as well. a "do" might be julienne carrots, zucchini and cabbage for pad thai. other do's for that dish would be to make an asian vinaigrette. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pick and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wash cilantro, basil and mint. soak noodles. these are all jobs that can be done ahead of time. the vinaigrette is something that could potentially last up to 10 days in the fridge and dress a number of meals (soba noodles, cucumber beef salad, salmon lollipops) so making a good size batch is a great idea - a project. washed herbs like the cilantro, basil and mint can last a few days as well and lend a hand to many tasty dishes (chicken salad, soup, summer rolls, curry, fried rice, etc). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an example of a project and a do is to roast a whole chicken. not only is that chicken going to be dinner for that night (do) but it will also likely wind up being a few projects like chicken salad for sandwiches the next day, meat for tacos, bones to make stock for a delicious soup and fat for healthy cooking. that one chicken has gone as far as it could and stretched the dollar value for a beautiful pastured bird raised with love and care by a local farmer. you can prep grains ahead of time (make sure you soak them first), blanch, chop, roast and steam vegetables, braise meats, make stews, cook pasta, sauces, dips, soups and so much more! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">okay. one more example. you want to have a roasted vegetable side dish with your roast chicken so you do a big tray of beautiful caramelized seasonal veggies for that night. delicious! the next night it goes in a pasta with lots of chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts, the day after it's a sandwich on baguette with feta cheese and basil oil, or a salad over greens, a filling for an omelette or quiche and finally you puree the vegetables with pitted olives and anhovies to make a gorgeous tapanade (spread) for crostini or as a sauce, or a base for a soup, or a vinaigrette or a garnish for pizza! YES! good prep goes a long way my friends.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dZ7pmNI4ZyvwlUJXV7R2Kwb6h6YhZYKiP9cGJblOvEoc6MVIV_M7QHtcryMBXgUxe-OmbhkKrv8bYGXNQFNMeTyNLsogBvikk1trvctuUE0cFaxGcAUo2uluAKvrKeXWcWoIGNKtUQA/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dZ7pmNI4ZyvwlUJXV7R2Kwb6h6YhZYKiP9cGJblOvEoc6MVIV_M7QHtcryMBXgUxe-OmbhkKrv8bYGXNQFNMeTyNLsogBvikk1trvctuUE0cFaxGcAUo2uluAKvrKeXWcWoIGNKtUQA/s320/IMG_2835.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i think you get the idea. (if you don't please email me and i will explain further) <b>prep ahead of time, label the containers, date them and know where they are</b>. when your pantry and fridge are set up this way you can't loose. meals come together easily and everything is fresh and ready to go. being organized equals no stress. economy of motion, economy of time and ultimately economy of dollars because everything is being used. no waste. no kidding. i find the weekend is the best time to whack up the prep in my fridge and my pantry. then i usually have to fill in with one light day during the week. all in all it's a lovely meditation that will leave you feeling cool, calm and prepared and what is better than that? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">below is a list of my staples. items i could not live without. as a matter of fact i sometimes feel a bit shaky until i do lay in a good supply. my confidence in the kitchen has a lot to do with my love and respect for ingredients as well as my need to have them around me at all times. i look to them for inspiration but i do not hoard. i take as much as i know i will use and go back to see my beautiful friends the local farmers, growers, sellers and neighborhood merchants who help nourish my family when we need them. i also use many online resources when ordering in bulk which saves a few fazools and who doesn't love that?! May your pantry pride swell till it has its own parade and your shelf life be a happy life, ready at a moments notice to feed and feed well when you bring your lovely self and Family2Table.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* please assume that the following are all local, organic, wild, pastured and raw (like me). do not in any way feel that you need to run out and have all of these in your home. over time you will determine what works best for you. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>grocery staples</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">extra virgin coconut oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sesame oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raw apple cider vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">balsamic vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rice wine vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raw unpasteurized soy sauce</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">celtic sea salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">himalayan sea salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tellicherry peppercorns</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">white peppercorns</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raw spring honey</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">orange blossom honey</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grade b maple syrup</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vital choice canned fish</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anchovies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">capers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blanched almond flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coconut flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sprouted wheat flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">palm sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dried fruit (raisins, apricots, turkish figs, mango)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crispy almonds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">jasmine rice</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gluten free oats</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">brown rice pasta</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soba noodles</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">french green lentils</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">navy beans</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">canned tomatoes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sea vegetables (arame, dulse, kelp, nori)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bee pollen</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chia seeds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flax seeds</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nutritional yeast</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">popcorn</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coconut flake</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mineral water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dried herbs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spices</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wine</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vanilla extract</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vanilla bean</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aluminum free baking powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">baking soda</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">teas</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coconut milk</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>perishables</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seasonal fruits (always lemons, limes)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seasonal vegetables (always onions, garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, potatoes)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raw milk</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">milk kefir</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">kombucha</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yogurt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cheese</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">butter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lard</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beef tallow</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chicken fat (schmaltz)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bacon grease</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sour cream</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cream cheese</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sausage</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fresh herbs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fermented vegetables</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">greens powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fermented cod liver oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">meat & fish stock</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish, salsa)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">miso</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tahini</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">curry paste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">olives</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>frozen</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vital choice seafood (alaskan sockeye salmon & halibut)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">meats (chicken legs & thighs, bones for stock, shanks, hot dogs, stew meat, liver)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">berries and bananas for baking and smoothies</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sprouted bread</span><br />
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</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8145940722812697920.post-31180811600140623202011-03-22T09:41:00.000-07:002011-03-22T09:41:25.722-07:00We Love Carrots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfuHI3DfhxmkHvYGuvxtLlrS_ja4BcYi1gJgLHqCCF5tO7mNN4dnQl1Eulf_ew40OSHnI9X1ikecdt-tY9IXTmtw-Gv0g8n-OCRHn_5-lgYJJYqXsU6_y5NEA63ewpNQzHH1vosc3WrE/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfuHI3DfhxmkHvYGuvxtLlrS_ja4BcYi1gJgLHqCCF5tO7mNN4dnQl1Eulf_ew40OSHnI9X1ikecdt-tY9IXTmtw-Gv0g8n-OCRHn_5-lgYJJYqXsU6_y5NEA63ewpNQzHH1vosc3WrE/s320/IMG_2069.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">orange is my favorite color. i don't know if that signifies any deep meaning to anyone but orange has always been my favorite color. except of course, when red was my favorite color. there are some that say that orange foods are healthy for you. really? why? according to the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/health/research/30diet.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ny times</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People with high blood levels of alpha-c</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">arotene</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">— an antioxidant found in orange fruits and vegetables — live longer and are less likely to die of heart disease and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> cancer</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">than people who have little or none of it in their bloodstream." really? why? then there are those that say that those foods are rich in vitamin A. you can almost understand why parents are eagerly buying those annoying packages of organic baby carrots and putting them in lunch boxes all over the world. one of my heroes, dentist & nutritional anthropologist </span><a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weston a. price</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> did much research in this area and found that vitamin A is only present in animal foods (egg yolks, fish eggs, animal livers, butter) not orange fruits and vegetables. beta-carotene, yes. vitamin A, no. sorry. his brilliant research is documented in his equally brilliant and compelling book "</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nutrition-Physical-Degeneration-Weston-Price/dp/0916764206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298905257&sr=1-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nutrition and Physical Degeneration</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">." </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U_KD9ouz_ill6us_nHYd5huKoRtj66dfFgCwwxMlsYfQtFUoAFSOwL09PfZNUyCGjGAkUSywCT4WZK4n4TTOfmVLW_4POmKI82Te8hxikZYvbK_6FLIfTd_Mbo3VlJ5L2C94BenmRpI/s1600/IMG_2066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U_KD9ouz_ill6us_nHYd5huKoRtj66dfFgCwwxMlsYfQtFUoAFSOwL09PfZNUyCGjGAkUSywCT4WZK4n4TTOfmVLW_4POmKI82Te8hxikZYvbK_6FLIfTd_Mbo3VlJ5L2C94BenmRpI/s320/IMG_2066.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so what's all the hub-bub about carrots, good eyesight and vitamin A then? or, better yet, how do we go from beta-carotene to Vitamin A? according to price, beta-carotene can only be converted to vitamin A in the presence of animal fat. awesome! great news! i love animal fat! i LOVE FLAVOR! flavor is in fat! butter, cream, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, tallow, bacon grease, lard, etc. go hand in hand with vegetables in order to make them nutrient dense and healthy! perfect! it makes so much sense, doesn't it? when we cook vegetables for children (and even for some silly adults), we often get a fight. why? most people forget to season them. yes, i personally do believe that most vegetables are absolutely perfect and delicious on their own, just as they have sprung forth from the sadly mineral depleted earth. but, if you want them to provide all of the vitamins and minerals that they are able to provide to our bodies for optimum health, you need to properly prepare them and that means adding good healthy fat and a pinch of sea salt. you can eat organic baby carrots all day, every day and never see a drop of vitamin A without the essential co-factor of butter, the fat that makes this FAT SOLUBLE VITAMIN accessible. so, the next time you steam those carrots (or any vegetable for that matter), remember to put lots of really good quality butter and a generous pinch of celtic sea salt on them. speaking of carrots......</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when sylvia was three years old she wrote her very first song on her own and i was so proud. it goes like this:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"we love carrots" (sung to the tune of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frère Jacques or Are You Sleeping?)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we love carrots, we love carrots</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">everyday, everyday</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">may i please have a carrot?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yes you may, you're welcome</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crunch, crunch, crunch</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crunch, crunch, crunch</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CARROTS 101</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The carrot is a root vegetable that is usually orange in color but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist and are available from June through October in NY and the surrounding areas. We eat the taproot of the vegetable although you can eat the greens if you really want to. I find them bitter in a bad way - not like radicchio or endive which are bitter in a good way. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to wikipedia, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wild ancestors of the carrot are likely to have come from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iran</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afghanistan</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, which remains the centre of diversity of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">D. carota</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wild carrot</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Selective breeding </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over the centuries of a naturally occurring </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">subspecies</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> of the wild carrot, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daucus carota</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">subsp. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sativus</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, to reduce bitterness, increase sweetness and minimise the woody core, has produced the familiar garden vegetable. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In early use, carrots were grown for their aromatic leaves and seeds, not their roots. Some relatives of the carrot are still grown for these, such as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">parsley</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fennel</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dill</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cumin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The first mention of the root in classical sources is in the 1st century CE. The modern carrot appears to have been introduced to Europe in the 8-10th centuries.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like to geek out i invite you to get your carrot on at the </span><a href="http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">World Carrot Museum</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (not kidding), a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> virtual museum whose mission is to educate, inform and amuse visitors through the collection, preservation, interpretation and exhibition </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of this amazing, edible root vegetable.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KNOW YOUR FARMER</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhkIPPdGEGQ3Po6UgMdERrxWFZjUyuHi2fo4gLsdi1C7gMWw8e3cpg9RCfe6BlV-euJfN7zvBC1H514MfiVMlGCDAcMvM8lCz8DtnykqXPp4ERBu_9wSOHDQIN8k2qhE74yrRXKMpCfE/s1600/IMG_2059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhkIPPdGEGQ3Po6UgMdERrxWFZjUyuHi2fo4gLsdi1C7gMWw8e3cpg9RCfe6BlV-euJfN7zvBC1H514MfiVMlGCDAcMvM8lCz8DtnykqXPp4ERBu_9wSOHDQIN8k2qhE74yrRXKMpCfE/s320/IMG_2059.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i always liked carrots but this past year something amazing occurred. i discovered 2 farmers at the union square market who grow carrots that are out of this world. i already mentioned vinny & denise who introduced me to their "cowboy" carrot variety, which are sadly now gone until june which i will always gladly pay $4 per pound for (imagine that). thankfully, about a month ago i discovered carrots ($1.50 per pound!) grown by john schmid at muddy river farm. muddy river farm is located in new hampton, ny about 10 miles away from middletown. known as the "black dirt region" this land used to be an old lake bottom and is famous for it's peat/muck soil which contains over 50% high organic matter and produces delicious, nutrient dense food. John and his son Jack have been farming their 20 acres for 15 years and bring their not certified organic, but unsprayed food, to union square market on fridays only. their carrots are being pulled from storage and will last only about another week but will soon be bringing in spinach, arugula, radish, swiss chard and more. in the winter they grow roots and pumpkins as well as some greens in their high tunnel (unheated green house). </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FAVORITE CARROT RECIPES</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still love my raw carrots, and so do the kids. we love to crunch, crunch, crunch and do it almost every day. however, sylvia likes to dip her carrots in raw sour cream or a simple guacamole. henry prefers hummus. the following are my favorite cooked carrot recipes. try them, i think you will really enjoy them. they are quick and fun to make and even better to eat when you bring your beautiful, vitamin and mineral enriched </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">family2table</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">roasted carrot mash </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(a great alternative to mashed potatoes)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. wash and peel 12 medium carrots.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. roughly chop carrots into pieces and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. roast in the oven until golden and cooked through. (shake the pan so they don't burn)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. slightly cool carrots and put into a food processor. (do this in batches)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. add 1/4 -1/2 cup heavy cream and pulse. (depending on the consistency you like. i prefer my mash with big chunks of carrot still in it)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. add 1 TBS raw honey and pulse.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. adjust seasoning and serve alongside meat, fish or sauteed/wilted greens.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gingered carrots </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(this is best done ahead of time and stored in the fridge, using when needed. they will hold up to a week)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. bring a large pot of filtered water, salt and a knob of ginger, sliced into chunks to a boil.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. wash and peel 12 medium carrots.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. cut them into (coins) rounds or on the bias (keeping them all the same size).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. put carrots into water and boil until cooked al dente.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. drain water and retain ginger with carrots. put in containers and hold in the fridge)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To serve</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. heat a bit of water in a saute pan.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. add carrots (no ginger this time) till heated</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. when water is almost gone, add 2 TBS butter and coat carrots.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. salt & pepper (i prefer white pepper on my carrots) to taste and serve.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carrot cardamom soup</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">heat a stock pot and add a generous knob of butter</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. add 1 large onion, diced & 2 large stalks of celery diced, sweat veggies</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. add 6-8 carrots washed and roughly chopped, sweat</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. in another pan, toast 6 cardamom pods, split pods and add seeds to veggies</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. add 1 quart of chicken stock and 1 cup of water. bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. puree till smooth and serve with a generous dollop of sour cream with fresh chives.</span></span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carrot oatmeal cookies</span></b><br />
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<b><b><div style="display: inline !important; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup sprouted flour</span></span></span></div></b></b><b></b><br />
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<b><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt<br />
1 cup rolled oats<br />
2/3 cup chopped crispy walnuts<br />
1 cup shredded carrots<br />
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature<br />
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted<br />
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger</span></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.</span></span></span></div></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carrot salad with tahini dressing</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. grate a bunch of carrots</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. add a cup of raisins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. add 1/4 up toasted pine nuts</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. toss with extra virgin olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. salt and pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. refrigerate (this can last days)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>tahini dressing</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. mix 1 TBS raw tahini with water until a paste forms</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. thin it out with fresh lemon juice until you achieve the desired texture</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. salt & pepper to taste</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. drizzle on top of the carrot salad (which can be mixed with any greens or sliced apple to fill it out it can also be stuffed inside a pita, rolled into a wrap or used as a stuffing for pork chops!)</span><br />
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</span>Emily Duffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894153509970196199noreply@blogger.com10