Not the Farmer's Daughter, So I Go to Fisher Farm

My thumb isn't at all green, my idea of a good time is not spent weeding, mulching and perusing seed catalogs, but I do adore fresh grown food and prefer to buy it from those who actually grow it, hence my preoccupation with farmers' markets and farm stands.

One of my family favorites is out in Ripon, CA. We are out that way a few times a year and my husband, the traveling salesman, is out that way a lot, so we get to enjoy Fisher Farm's crop rotations throughout the year.

Take a look at their seasonal schedule and maybe you'll find yourself making a detour to this jewel of a farmstand in the San Joaquin Valley. (With lots of other farmer-run farm stands near by, too.)

In addition to the fruit shown on the schedule, they have lots of heirloom tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables.

Read what else I've written about Fisher Farms in this post, including photos and directions for homemade hot sauce. (We called ours Below the Belt Hot Sauce.)

Dog Days of Summer: Top Your Hot Dog with Homemade Relish, Chili or Tomato Onions

Red hots, hot dogs, frankfurters, wieners, tube steaks, or weenies, whatever you call America’s favorite sausage, they are a staple of summer. July was National Hot Dog Month and I thought I would celebrate (a bit belatedly) with a post about man (or woman) biting dog. And topping said dog with homemade pickle relish, New York-style warm tomato onions and or a delicious (vegetarian) chili certainly improves the dog days of summer.

The origins of the first actual hot dog in a bun as we know it are murky, but America’s claim goes back to 1870 in Coney Island, a beach resort in Brooklyn, N.Y, which by 1916 leads to the creation of Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand by Polish Jewish immigrants and its popularity with the throngs of visitors crowding the area’s beach and boardwalk.

New York City is still the top dog in frankfurter eating, according to National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. As made by an army of street vendors through out the city, the New York all-beef dog is boiled or steamed and served in a plain bun with a tomato-onion sauce and mustard. However, a Coney Island hot dog is one served in a bun topped with chili. Chicago-style tube steak connoisseurs avoid ketchup, use a poppy seed bun and serve their all-beef dog with a pickle slice, relish, a pickled pepper, onions, tomatoes, mustard and celery salt. Here in the West, we are more likely to enjoy an alternative style hot dog, perhaps made from tofu, turkey or chicken than the rest of the country.

I’ve adapted some of these favorite hot dog toppings. My Phoney Island Hot Dog Chili is vegetarian. New York Onions with Ketchup Sauce recreates the steamed onions with tomato sauce I loved as a child but with a more adult taste. Fresh Pickle Relish will perk up any hot dog but works well within the tradition of the Chicago dog. These recipes were featured in my jweekly column here, since they make the perfect topping for Kosher all beef or vegetarian dogs.

New York Onions with Ketchup Sauce
Makes 2 Cups

2 tsp. oil
2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup tomato ketchup
5 Tbs. tomato paste
1 cup water

Heat oil in large fry pan over medium high heat. Add onions, sauté until beginning to soften and light gold. Add pepper, paprika, cloves, sugar, salt, ketchup, tomato paste and water. Mix well. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Cover and lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and sauce has thickened, about one hour. Serve warm over hot dogs.

Fresh Pickle Relish
Makes 2 Cups

Using a green bell pepper helps keep the relish it’s traditional green color. Red adds a bit of color.

6 medium full sour dill or garlic dill pickles
½ medium onion
1 jalapeño, seeded, optional
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Finely chop or mince (do not puree) the pickles, onion, jalapeño (if using) and bell pepper and mix well. Add sugar, salt and vinegar. Mix. Cover and let stand for an hour. Taste and add more vinegar, salt and or sugar as needed.

Phoney Island Hot Dog Chili
Makes 12 cups

This recipe makes a flavorful and spicy “Greek” style lentil chili that works great on top of a vegetarian or regular hot dog (or as an entrée by itself). Try it with a sprinkling of raw onions and soy or regular cheese. This recipe makes a lot of chili. Try it for dinner on its own or as a spaghetti topping (substitute it for the beef chili in the Cincinnati Five-Way Chili recipe here, the seasonings are very similar) in addition to a hot dog topping. The chili improves if made ahead a day or two and can be frozen.

1 pound regular brown lentils, uncooked
2 Tbs. oil
2 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
4 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. ground caradmon
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. paprika
1 bay leay
6 oz. tomato paste
1-14.z oz. can of diced tomatoes with liquid
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. salt or more

Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain. Heat oil over medium high heat in a deep pot. Saute onions until golden, add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add broth, chocolate, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cardamom, cumin, and paprika. Bring to a boil. Add cooked lentils, bay leaf, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with liquid and vinegar. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally for an hour. Taste and add salt as desired. Simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes until all the flavors have melded and the chili has thickened. Remove bay leaf before serving.

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About the photo: All three toppings on one dog. Not necessarily recommended for the faint of stomach, but useful for purposes of illustration.

Apologies

As is my way -- things get very busy for me in the summer and it is harder than ever to post.  I will try to download some pix and get some recipes up at least soon.

In the meantime, check out the archives -- always something good there!

World Class Tortilla de Espana for World Cup Finals

Looking for something to serve at the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands?
Try this Spanish open-faced omelet called a Tortilla de Espana, especially if you are a supporter of the Spanish soccer team. (I guess if you want to be less partisan you could add some Gouda cheese to the recipe.)  My version relies on really, really good potato chips instead of the sliced and fried potatoes that are traditional.

This is more a procedure than a recipe, per se, so feel free to adapt and make it your own.
What happened to the photo of this dish?  Why, it was red carded. (Actually, I forgot to take it. I'll post one next time I make this.)

Tortilla de Espana
Serves 4

Be sure to use sturdy, artisan or homemade style chips for this recipe. Try making it a tortilla de tortilla by substituting high quality tortilla chips. The recipe works well for brunch or as a light entree, first course or appetizer or tapas (cut into small wedges).

1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 red peppers, seeded, thinly sliced
6 eggs, beaten
Salt, pepper, oregano, hot pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste
4 oz. salted or lightly salted potato chips (I recommend kettle cooked with ridges)
Smoked or regular paprika,  hot or sweet
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Heat the butter and oil together in an omelet or small saute pan.  Saute the onions until light brown and add garlic and peppers.  Saute until onions and peppers are soft.  Remove peppers to a bowl and let cool. Add eggs and seasonings. Mix well. Gently fold in potato chips.

Reheat pan and add more butter/olive oil if needed.  Pour egg batter into the pan and cook until bottom of eggs are lightly brown and the top just set. Slide or tip the omelet onto a plate, so the browned side of the omelet is down. Turn the plate into the pan so the browned side is now up and cook until the bottom of the flipped tortilla is golden brown.  Turn out of the pan and serve hot, warm, room temperature or even cold, sprinkled with paprika and garnished with the chopped parsley.

4th of July Menu: Celebrate Your Independence -- Grill Once, Eat Twice -- BBQ Chicken with Grilled Vegetables and BBQ Chicken Salad Recipes

Here's a favorite family recipe I've reworked from the past to give it a new twist -- grilled vegetables.  With lots of cookouts and entertaining planned for July 4th, I thought it would be nice to feature a recipe that creates such great leftovers for another meal.  Make the BBQ Chicken with Grilled Vegetables one day and serve the BBQ Chicken Salad for lunch or dinner the next.

Use any prepared or homemade barbecue sauce for these recipes. We like a smoky hot one. The grilled chicken recipe is easily multiplied if you need to serve crowds but still want leftovers for the salad.

BBQ Chicken with Grilled Vegetables
Serves 8 (or 4 with leftovers for BBQ Chicken Salad)

If you do not have an outdoor barbecue, the chicken can be broiled and the vegetables oven roasted instead.

2 cups olive oil, plus extra
1 cup lemon juice
½ tsp. black pepper,
½ tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup minced yellow onion
¼ cup prepared BBQ sauce, plus extra
7-8 pounds of chicken parts on the bone
1 small red onion
8 medium zucchinis
8 large tomatoes
4 red bell peppers

Mix 2 cups of olive oil, juice, pepper, salt, garlic, onion and ¼ cup of the BBQ sauce. Set about 1/3 cup aside and use the rest to marinate the chicken pieces for 20 minutes to an hour. Cut the red onion horizontally into slices about ½” thick. Halve zucchinis lengthwise, slice tomatoes in half. Core and seed bell peppers and slice in half. Brush cut surface of vegetables with olive oil.

Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium high heat. Grill chicken and vegetables until done, turning occasionally. Baste chicken occasionally with reserved 1/3 cup of marinade. When the chicken is about cooked through, lower grill heat (or move chicken off to the side, away from coals) and brush with BBQ sauce. Flip and brush other side. Continue grilling the chicken until it is just cooked. (The chicken should feel firm to the touch but still have some resiliency.) Let rest for 10 minutes so juices are reabsorbed. (The chicken will keep cooking as it rests.) If making the BBQ Chicken Salad, reserve half the chicken and half the vegetables. Serve with additional BBQ sauce.

BBQ Chicken Salad
Serves 4

Do not assemble and mix with salad dressing until just before serving.  Try with all romaine lettuce for a crunchier salad.

1/2 cup oil olive
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2-3 Tbs. prepared BBQ sauce
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
Grilled Vegetables (1/2 of the above recipe)
Grilled Chicken (1/2 of the above recipe)
1 lb. mixed greens
2 cups raw vegetables such as carrots, green onions, cucumbers, radishes, etc.

Whisk together oil, vinegar, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Taste.
Adjust seasonings as needed. Chop grilled vegetables into ½” pieces. Remove skin and bones and shred chicken. Tear salad greens into bite-sized pieces. Slice or chop raw vegetables as desired. Mix chicken, vegetables and greens in large bowl. Toss with dressing or serve with dressing on the side.
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About the photo:  Fireworks over San Francisco Bay

A version of this article first appeared in the j. weekly.

Care and Feeding of Picky Eaters

Erika, of the wonderful In Erika's Kitchen, tweeted today looking for suggestions on how to deal with children who are picky eaters.  I started listing out what worked with my picky eater and before I knew it I had gone from writing a tweet to writing an email to writing a lengthy blog post. 

Consider this a post-in-the-making.  I'm going to add and refine it and maybe add a recipe and photo as I think more about what worked with my two boys growing up. (I had one foodie and one picky eater).

If you have tips or other info to share, please leave a comment.
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Picky eaters can be born or made.
Those who are born that way are probably supertasters (like author and food guru Michael Pollan's kid). That is a whole another issue where what the children taste and smell is so intense that it overwhelms them.

My own picky eater (who at almost 23 is still relatively picky) was made. Unlike some (my mother for instance who was a notoriously picky eater in her childhood since her mother was always pushing food), he didn't become a picky eater from pressure from his parents to eat, but rather from an attempt to shape his own world and control his own life.

Before he was four he ate anything. Recipe after recipe with ingredients like chickpeas, eggplant, spices and other adult favorites is marked with "even the baby liked it." At four that all stopped. Confused we took him to the doctor. The doctor smiled and said: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is your son is very smart. The bad news is that he is manipulating you."

Our son needed a lot of limit setting (which he tested continually) to thrive back then. The doctor felt our oldest was finding a way to express some boundaries and limits of his own by what he would choose to eat. (Our youngest is whatever the opposite of a picky eater, he's open to new foods, and prefers fruits and vegetables to just about anything else.)

Relived our son was healthy we went from the pediatrician's office armed with only this advice: "Don't make him a separate meal."

I began not saucing the pasta so he could eat his plain, scraping the sauce off a piece of chicken before he was served it and looking for ways to make sure he'd eat healthy meals.

Here are some strategies that worked for us:

1. Asking questions. Why do you like this or not like that? It took us a while to figure out it was the texture of cooked vegetables he couldn't handle, but that he would eat and even ask for raw ones. (My non-picky eater stopped eating broccoli and artichokes for awhile. Finally we figured out he only liked the stems of the broccoli and the leaves of the artichokes. We were happy to accommodate his tastes and share with him.) Kids' taste buds are sensitive as well so overwhelmingly bitter foods can be a problem. If there was a low-fat salad dressing, ketchup, yogurt or salsa to dip them in, so much the better. (Watch portion sizes on the salad dressings). Look for similar foods and put them out to try. Mine went from eating raw carrots to nibbling on jicama, for example.

2. Instituting a three servings a day of fruit and vegetables (excluding juice) rule. Sliced bananas with cinnamon, dried fruits, veggies with dips, celery with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese and raisins, apple slices and other "fun" foods helped get the boys to their three a day. Luckily, they also liked green salads. If they accomplished three servings a day they could have a small cookie or small serving of non-fat pudding or other relatively healthy treat after dinner. (That helped keep their treat consumption down as well). Because juice was extra the boys almost always got their 5 servings a day. To be honest, in the beginning the picky eater's choices were very narrow (carrot sticks and fruits) but eventually he widened his list of acceptable foods.

3. Setting a good example. We always have a full fruit bowl that can be used for snacking at any time and the kids always saw us reaching for fruit as a snack.

4. Posting a list of suggestions on the fridge door of healthy snacks or foods. The kids used to love watching me change the "menu" and get excited by the new choices.

5. Offering no thank you portions. Our rule was you had to try new foods at least three times before you could officially say you didn't like it.

6. Making meal time interesting and compelling, not a time of judgement or criticism about the child's eating style or anything else. Conversation, asking questions, sharing, etc. all help. Dinner time was mandatory for my two even as teens. If you didn't feel like eating, you still had to sit with us until we were done.

In the Bay Area -- Local, Seasonal and Delicious

Thanks to Slow Food San Francisco (and the Local Foods Wheel) for what's in season and in the market for us right now.

Here's the list and write up from Slow Foods.

Some highlights: strawberries, kumquats, leeks, king trumpet mushrooms.

If you are not buying from a farmer or at a locally sourced produce market, be sure to check on the food resource. I'm still seeing asparagus from Mexico, for example, even though our own local crops are available.

Update: 12/10/10 -- For year-round info on what's in season when in California, check out this list.  For a national list, check out this link.

Eggs with Tomatoes and Peppers (Shakshouka) and Homemade Pita Bread

I've heard of short-order cooks, but for one recent j. weekly article, I became a short-order columnist. My editors needed me to make my cooking column about some facet of Israeli cuisine since it would be appearing in a special section with Israel as a theme.  This was complicated by my not being sure exactly how to define Israeli cuisine which is a mix of the seasonings and ingredients from Middle Eastern, Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Yemenite, Moroccan, and many other cultures united by an emphasis on fresh vegetables and herbs.

The dish that came to mine is one I think of as "all shook up eggs," more technically known as shakshouka (which is said to mean crazy, all mixed up). This egg dish began as an Ottoman stew. It migrated across Arab lands, was transformed by the foods of the New World and became popular in Northwest Africa. Jews had their impact on the dish as well by cooking the onions in olive oil. Immigrants brought this light entrée to Israel where it is popular for breakfast, brunch or even supper.

Serve shakshouka with fresh pita breads. The recipe below allows you to make the dough ahead and bake the breads the next day. (Here's a link to the column featuring these recipes that appeared in the j. weekly.)

Shakshouka
Serves 4-6

Also spelled shakshooka (among other variants), there are probably as many ways to make it as there are people who cook it.  Some versions substitute mushrooms or spinach for the peppers. Others make it like scrambled eggs instead of cooking the whole eggs on top.  Many add some cumin or paprika to the seasoning mix. Needless to say, it is very versatile and accommodating and always delicious.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups 1/4” thin slices of red and or green bell peppers
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. dried ground oregano
2 cups ½” cubes of tomato
6 eggs
¼ cup minced fresh parsley and or mint

Heat oil in 12” skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic, sauté a minute. Add bell peppers, paprika, salt, black pepper and oregano. Sauté for 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauté for 10 minutes. Smooth top of stew, using a spoon to make six indentations. Break an egg into each indent. Lower heat to medium low and cover pan. Cook eggs 3-4 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve directly from pan. If desired serve with Greek yogurt and fresh salsa, z’hug or harissa.

Time-Shifting Pita
Makes 10 breads

Make the dough up to two days ahead. These are thicker and tangier than supermarket pitas. Thanks to Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Bread Bible” for the inspiration on how to time-shift my recipe. If you want to make the pitas the same day instead of the next morning, don't refrigerate the dough and let rise for about two hours then proceed with shaping and baking the pita breads.

1 package (2 ½ tsp.) yeast
1 1/3 cups of 110 degree water
1 tsp. sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil, plus extra

Mix yeast, water and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes until foamy. Mix flour, salt in large bowl. Add yeast mixture and oil. Combine. Knead in bowl until a rough dough forms. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface (or in a mixer with dough hook) for 10 minutes, adding flour or water as needed to keep dough pliable and smooth. Oil 3 quart bowl or other container. Press dough into bottom. Oil top of dough. Cover container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to two days. (Dough should double in size.) One hour before baking turn oven on to 500 degrees and place a baking sheet on a rack at the lowest point in the oven. Place a second rack as high as possible. A half hour before baking, place a pan with 1” of water on the top rack of the oven. Remove dough from refrigerator, roll into 10 balls and flatten into disks. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rest 20 minutes. Roll disks into rounds just less than ¼” thick. Let rest 10 minutes. Place rounds 2-3 at a time on hot baking sheet. Bake for about 4 minutes until puffed but not browned. Remove from oven, cover with towel. Let oven reheat a few minutes. Repeat.

For My Old Sugar Savvy (or Paper Palate) Posts -- Click Here

I just realized a lot of the links to my old Sugarsavvy.net posts are broken or have been changed, which means instead of reading my tasting reports about See's Candy or some other candy you are taken to the Wellfed.net home page.

To check out something I've written for Sugar Savvy, please click on my list of posts at the site and then click on the link for the topic you are interested in.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  When I get a chance, I'll update all my posts on Blog Appetit that reference Sugar Savvy with the new links.

Update: If you are having trouble looking for a Well Fed link for cookbook or food magazine review from PaperPalate.net, please click on my author archives on Paper Palate.

Update: 11/4/10 -- It appears all Well Fed links are now out of service.  I'm really bummed since I don't have copies elsewhere of some of this writing.  If they are restored or I can retrieve them in any way, I'll update again.

Update: 12/14/10 - You can find some of these posts by searching the Way Back Machine. To use, click on the link to Sugar Savvy, Paper Palate or Well Fed, copy the url from the address bar for the page the link was on, go to http://waybackmachine.org/ and paste that url in the site's search box.  There's a good chance you'll find it there.  How sweet it was.

Update: Ug. lots of dead links.  Until I get them cleaned up you can view these antique posts on the wayback machine.  (11/29/18)

Overdue Cookbook Reviews: Steamy Kitchen & Pioneer Woman Cooks

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook

Pioneer Woman Cooks

I always have the best of intentions when I plan to review cookbooks. But somehow my wanting to really read the book, try some recipes and just do a thorough job of it ends up with the actual review getting further and further away from being completed.

So to make up for this I’ve decided to do capsule reviews of two books I’ve been meaning to get around posting about on Blog Appetit. Watch for other capsule reviews as I try to get caught up a bit with the flood of cookbooks around here.

The Steamy Kitchen by Jaden Hair --- Like many cookbooks written by bloggers, this one brims with details, asides, stories behind the recipes, personal information and more. By the time you’ve cooked a few of the dishes and read a few of the notes you feel like an old family friend (a feeling that Jaden gives you when you meet her in person, too). The photographs of Jaden, her family and the food (mostly taken by Jaden herself) are beautiful. The recipes are all Asian or inspired by Asian ingredients or techniques. I’ve tried three of the recipes. The Baked Garlic Chilli Wings were outstanding. I made it twice (once with drumsticks) to bring to parties and they were devoured both times. Another, a Brussels sprouts dish stir fried with fish sauce, was also impressive. A third recipe produced a dish that was fine, but not seasoned enough for my taste. If I had not been testing it for a review I would have added more seasoning.

What most impressed me throughout the book were the clear instructions and the thoughtful use of Asian ingredients. Techniques were not necessarily simplified as much as made easy to follow. Dishes that may have called for unfamiliar ingredients were not shied away from and, where appropriate, logical alternatives were offered (such as balsamic vinegar for the fish sauce in the Brussels sprouts recipe). To Jaden, these are everyday ways to cook and she makes sure you feel the same way about it. (Here’s a link to the recipe for the Baked Garlic Chilli Wings from a Miami FL newspaper.)

I’d recommend this to cooks who are just beginning to explore the wonderful world of Asian flavors or for fans of Jaden’s popular blog, Steamy Kitchen.

Disclaimer: I was supposed to have gotten a free copy, but didn’t (long story, but it was my fault, I didn’t follow up). A friend loaned me her copy which I hung on to way too long because I enjoyed reading and using the book.

Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond.  Ree, another extremely popular blogger/photographer, has also written a book that gives you not only a good feel for her life and cooking, but also her roles as a ranch wife, parent, teacher (she homeschools her four children). It features a darn good love story, too. It has the same welcoming feel as her Pioneer Woman Cooks blog. No wonder it is rumored that her story has been bought by Hollywood and might star Reese Witherspoon.  I’ve met the real Ree Drummond though, and I think she should play herself; she’s beautiful and engaging. Ree’s recipes are straight forward and lean toward comfort foods. She specializes in step-by-step photography to complement the recipes’ directions.

I haven’t had a chance to cook out of the book yet, but those bloggers who have have given the recipes raves. I particularly have heard great things about her biscuits, meatballs and chili. I look forward to trying those as well as some of the others in the book (especially her French Breakfast Puffs which might go well with the New Orleans coffee with chicory I just bought).  Here is Ree’s recipe for biscuits (and gravy).

Going to Ree’s blog is like going to a multiplex, there are so many choices you might not be able to decide which one to choose – personal essays, recipes, a reader forum, photography tutorial and more. But whichever one you do you'll enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Ree and the publisher.

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About the photo: My version with drumsticks of Jaden's Baked Garlic Chilli Wings