With skepticism and an armor of hope, I courageously embarked on my Thanksgiving Day Journey with brined heritage turkey and high temp cooking instructions in hand.  The recipe I decided to follow, (and recommended to all those who chose a Heritage Naragansett or Bourbon Red from www.ourlocalfoods.biz ), suggested a radical oven temperature of 425 degrees with NO BASTING!  This idea seemed  blasphemous and to be undermining of the basic truths of my Turkey Day ritualistic behavior.  How to endure the anticipation without a frequent peek?  How to know for sure the skin would not turn to pale rubber instead of a crispy bronze if we left it covered for the entire cooking time?  What assurance could I have that I would be able to carve the flesh of this annual culinary trophy without dousing it with pan juices at regular intervals?  Faith?

According to Sandra K. Miller, in an article posted on www.localharvest.org, the heritage turkey’s cooking style is as different as it’s lifestyle.  The differences include brining the bird before roasting, adding a liquid to the bottom of the roasting pan, and keeping the bird covered during the entire cooking time without basting.  It is suggested that a slathering on and under the skin with a butter/maple syrup blend will improve the succulence of the part of the bird that often becomes dry during roasting.  Additionally, I sprinkled the surface of the breast with a chopped fresh herb blend to impart some of the delicate flavors of the season from the garden at this time of year (in the south, our herbs are rejuvenated by cool temps and moisture in the fall).

Heritage Turkey (in parchment paper)

The ideal cover for the bird to roast evenly and fully is oiled parchment.  The circulating air of my convection oven seemed to only slightly notice the parchment around the pan, imparting a sleeve of crispy goodness by the sound of the bell.  My first realization when preparing the turkey for roasting was that I would need four hands to place the parchment paper around the roasting pan.  Without detailed instructions, but a fair amount of experience working with parchment paper, I summoned my daughter to the task and we came up with a plan.  We wrapped the long edge of the parchment paper around the perimeter of the roasting pan, overlapping the beginning and ending edges.  Pulling the paper snug around the lip of the roasting pan, we tied a twine “belt” around the paper to tightly secure it.  The cylinder of paper that rose up around the bird in the pan was folded over and in (sort of like folding an origami pocketbook).  As it was folded over, it held itself intact and became a perfect envelope around the bird.

My oven has a convection feature, and so we set the oven temperature at 410 degrees.  Weighing in at 20.63 pounds, we sheepishly placed the timer at 3 hours, shrugged our shoulders and hoped for the best.  When we committed ourselves to this cooking method, we took a “pinkie swear” not to baste and not to open the oven door.

At the end of the torturous three hours of uncertainty and fear of the worst, we pulled the roasting pan from the oven and opened the end of the “pocketbook”.  What we found was that the centerpiece of the celebration was quite extraordinary; it was cloaked in bronze, and the hinge of the bird’s thigh joint was relaxed with juices running clear.

All indications were in line for a completely abnormal result – a perfectly roasted turkey, tender and more full of flavor than we have ever experienced!

Now… well I’m a firm believer in the heritage turkey and the contemporary cooking temperature!

Best Wishes!

Maria

This question arises often in my mind. Now, I know what I eat, and most of the time, I am satisfied that I am meeting my nutritional requirements. But when I’m super busy, or when I look around at the supermarket checkout, or notice what folks are leaving with from the “farmer’s market”, I have to ask the question.

How do we do it? The food guide pyramid suggests we consume more dark green veggies and more orange and red veggies. Whole grains are recommended over processed ones. Simple grilling and baking is suggested above other methods.

Try preparing simple meals using fresh ingredients and whole foods.

What are whole foods? Whole and unadulterated foods are those you find at the farmer’s market or around the perimeter of the grocery store. Have you ever noticed the foods that do not have long ingredient lists that you can’t pronounce, are those in the produce section, dairy section and butcher? You can improve your diet immensely by avoiding the middle aisles.

Why eat whole foods? Whole foods have intense flavor and satisfying taste. Vegetables, fruits and grains that are minimally processed boost our energy and maintain our blood sugar levels. Whole and unadulterated foods contain natural fiber that fills our tummies and satisfies our hunger for longer periods of time, discouraging snacking between meals. Foods prepared without a lot of processing and additives don’t encourage weight gain, rather encourage the body to burn calories evenly and consistently according to energy used. Minimally processed foods have their naturally occurring amino acids and enzymes intact, and vitalize our bodies natural processes of cell building and maintenance, keeping us healthy and immune.

A diet that includes simply prepared meals of fresh ingredients from your local farm market or supermarket perimeter can only be good for you and your family. Follow these simple guidelines and eat your way to a healthy lifestyle:

• I encourage recipes that contain five or fewer ingredients.
• I highly recommend leftovers. Cook a simple, healthy meal and plan to take leftovers the next day for lunch, or offer it to the kids after school.
• Prepare single ingredient dishes and save in the refrigerator to be added to snacks, salads and simple dishes later in the week, utilizing what is fresh, healthy and local.

Try this technique with goodies from the farmers market –

Pinwheels – Using healthy, whole grain tortilla shells or flat breads, spread fresh ingredients on the shell, roll up and slice about 1 inch thick. Can be dipped in lowfat sauce, such as lemon aioli, for added flavor!

Suggested ingredients include – one ounce of healthy cheese of your choice (goat cheese, lowfat cream cheese or thinly sliced cheddar), something green (arugula, spinach, basil, leaf lettuce, or sautéed kale or mustard), something red (sundried tomatoe slices, sliced fresh or pickled peppers, pickled beets or radish slices), something kinda spicy (thinly sliced red or white onion or some good, spicy mustard). Add a small amount of meat, if you like (skinless chicken breast meat or turkey) .

Roll up tightly, slice and dip for a healthy, light “whole food” meal.

-Maria

Learn more about our organic farm and farm to table at http://ourlocalfoods.com

The spring palate of greens and turnips and delicate bulbs of all things “baby” is finally giving way to the long anticipated summer sluggers…tomatoes and melons are just around the corner.  But the bridge to that long awaited season of plenty is showing up in garden rows and farmer’s markets now.

Zucchini is the celebrated staple of the CSA box this week.  It is here to stay for awhile, and so why not celebrate?  What will we do to keep ourselves from growing tired of the ordinary and keep the love affair with zucchini alive for at least a few weeks?

Our recipe suggestions this week include three ways to enjoy this hearty and unrelenting power veggie of the season, ZUCCHINI!

Tagliatelle with Baby Vegetables and Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

From Bon Apetit May 2009, I was excited to uncover Tagliatelle with Baby Vegetables and Lemon-Parmesan Sauce. The pasta could take almost any form, but the freshest fettuccini will work best.

• 8 oz. Fresh, or high quality dried fettucine (or other ribbon pasta).
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Med. White Spring Onion, thinly sliced.
• 8 oz. Baby Zucchini, halved lengthwise.
• 8 oz. small green beans, cut in 1 “ lengths.
• 2 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 ¼ c. grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.
• 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
• 2 ½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Cook pasta according to package directions, and then reserve two cups cooking liquid, returning the drained pasta to the pot. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan, and sauté zucchini, onion, and fresh green beans until tender ~ about 5-7 minutes.  Add lemon peel, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and toss. Add one cup reserved pasta liquid, whipping cream and lemon juice to pan, scraping browned bits. Reduce slightly and pour over reserved pasta, adding more of the reserve liquid as needed to moisten. Serve immediately with good grated parmigiano reggiano cheese grated on top.  A salad of spring lettuce or arugula and warm crusty French bread will soak up the flavors and satisfy the spring appetite.

Zucchini alla Scapece

Chef Scott Stephanelli, chef instructor of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, visited the farm as a significant volunteer over the past couple of weeks while on semester break from the classroom/kitchen.  It was interesting for all of us to exchange ideas about the phenomenon of local food and ever emerging trends in foodways.  The instructional kitchen is a great place to learn what is fundamental and what is trendy, and so is the garden, according to Chef Scott.

Chef submitted the following recipe as we anxiously coaxed our first baby zucchini with squash blossoms attached for our favorite restaurant chefs/customers.

Traditionally this dish is served as part of an antipasti plate. It is also a great accompaniment to grilled fish or sliced fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients:

• 3 zucchini or summer squash, slice into 1/4 inch slices or rounds
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 t.. aged balsamic vinegar
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 8 mint leaves

Heat a large heavy bottom skillet (Cast iron works great if you have one available) over medium high heat. Add just enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil begins to smoke add half of the zucchini slices, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the squash begin to turn a nice golden brown. Turn squash over and cook for another 2 minutes to allow the zucchini to get tender. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate or a shallow baking dish.

Repeat the process with the remaining zucchini. Add a touch more oil if needed, but be carefull not to add too much as the zucchini will not brown with extra oil.

Slice the mint leaves into threads and mix with the remaining olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Drizzle this mixture over the warm zucchini slices and gently toss to ensure that all of the zucchini is marinated. Lay onto a clean serving plate and arrange as desired. Drizzle the extra vinegar mixture over top and sprinkle some sea salt on top. Allow to sit at room temperature at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Thai Zucchini Curry

With the addition of local fresh shrimp, free range chicken, or tofu, this one-dish curry will give a healthy loft to the weeknight evening meal:

• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 # skinless boneless chicken breast, shrimp or tofu
• Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 spring onion bulb, thinly sliced.
• 2 Zucchini, cut into rough chunks.
• ½ cup sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced.
• 1 tbsp. red curry paste (available from most groceries)l
• ½ c. unsweetened coconut milk.
• 2 Tbsp Water
• Zest of one lime,
• 1 TBSP. Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sear and sauté the chicken, shrimp or tofu in a large skillet on high temp with the olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper after it is hot.  Transfer to a dish to hold until later.

Add the spring onion and zucchini to hot pan, and sear briefly, about 2 minutes.  Add curry paste and toss to coat and toast, then add the sundried tomatoes, zest of lime, lime juice, coconut milk and water, allowing to cook for 2  minutes on high heat.

Add chicken, shrimp or tofu, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, then toss in the cilantro and spoon over rice.

As the season progresses, look for our favorite ways to make “goodies from the kitchen” using zucchini and other vegetables harvested in abundance.

Until then, HAPPY AND HEALTHY EATING TO ALL!!

Maria

Visit us at OurLocalFoods.com

Our Local Foods and Chef Sean Brock from McCrady’s Tavern in historic Charleston, SC celebrated the garden this week in an extraordinary way. We hosted “dinner on the porch” as fulfillment of a pretty classy auction item from the coffers of the local fundraiser circuit.

The wonderful meal consisted of vegetables freshly harvested from the damp rows that afternoon, as they were hastily collected in the rain for the evening event.

Guests arrived just as the rain subsided to find the table all set with linens and candles on the screened-in front porch of the cabin that will become our farm store. Mini-lights and citronella lanterns filled the space with a soft welcoming hue of light that said “settle in for a comfortable evening with the chef…”.

With a glass of champagne in hand, poured by the classic Andre from the same restaurant, we loaded into the six passenger golf cart and took a tour of the garden at dusk. The rows were tidily laid to bed, with glimpses of squash blossoms folding in their petals for the evening. The low shadows of the grand oak that stands in the middle of the garden told of a restful day, being that this dinner on the porch was on a Sunday evening in May.

After the tour, and back at their respective assigned seats, each guest was greeted with a celebration of “turnips!” Chef Sean had elegantly attired these springtime tenants in fine fashion. A triptych of preparations, the cylinders of raw root and roasted triangles of the same were sandwiched between a disc of gelatinous seaweed and a silky broth of turnip puree. Sound exciting???

The second course consisted of an explosion of fresh ingredients. Some thirty in number, the collage of freshness was the backdrop (or not) of a simple pan roasted portion of indigenously (from Alaska) harvested halibut. Chef draped the mélange in his version of a pistou, elegantly infusing the palate with fireworks from the earth!

And if this is not more than we could imagine, the next course was “steak and eggs”! A digitally controlled “bain marie” was the cooking method of choice for both, and the results were amazing. A slow and delicate cooking process resulted in texture to sleep on. It turns out that you can cook slowly at a temperature that will not melt butter and keep all the flavor completely intact. Our garden fresh poached eggs were nested in a plump bed of Russian Red Kale. Amazing!

For a finale that was a true celebration of the earth, Chef prepared Chocolate Dipped Carrots! Dig that!

Many thanks to the chef, McCrady’s staff, Joan Perrie, and the lovely dinner guests that spent a Sunday evening in May on the porch at Thornhill Farm.

Planning your meals around what’s in season can be a tasty experience and satisfying way to enjoy food.  It may be daunting to imagine only utilizing fresh food that’s growing nearby, but here are some tips that may help:

• Purchase seasonal foods in enough quantity to last for several meals.
• Wash and cook what you purchase right away.
• Use the freshly cooked ingredient in several meals by creatively adding it to different dishes.
• Divide and store in the refrigerator to be used throughout the week.

Let’s take an example from OurLocalFoods at Thornhill Farm.  We’ll plan a few meals around a yummy seasonal item from the CSA box!!

Our spring garden is in full bounty of seasonal greens.  We have an abundance of Curly Mustard, Russian Red Kale and Turnip Greens.  Yummm!

Let’s cook two pounds of curly mustard.  Wash the beautiful lacy chartruese leaves and leave in the collander to drain.   Finely dice some garlic or shallots.  Heat a tablespoon of fresh green olive oil in a large wok or saute pan.   Have a half cut fresh lemon for the finish.

Coursely chop the mustard leaves.  Add shallots and curly mustard leaves together to the wok at medium heat.  Simply stir the greens as they wilt and gently saute to tenderness in about 10 minutes.  Finally, drizzle with about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then salt & pepper.

Bowtie Pasta with Curly Mustard – Add the cooked chopped mustard greens to some al dente bowtie pasta!  Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toasted pine nuts.   Finally, top with a dusting of good quality parmesan cheese.

Serve bowtie pasta with curly mustard alongside grilled pork tenderloin and garnish with a bouquet of beautiful red radishes, fresh from the farm!

Later in the week, think about a lovely Rice Pilaf, with curly mustard, garbanzo beans and sundried tomatoes.  Served with some flat bread and hummus, or a 6 oz portion of grilled free range chicken breast, you’ll be satisfied with a light mediterranean meal.

Finish the weeks seasonal serving of bright green sauteed curly mustard by making a Pizza a la Springtime! For a healthy and fast weeknight meal, top a thin pizza crust with dollops of sauteed curly mustard, some local goat cheese and diced sundried tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil before baking, then dust with salt and pepper as it comes out of the oven.  A spring arugula and radish salad will complete a healthy week of eating locally!

Enjoy-

Maria

Our Local Foods attended the 2009 Earth Day Fair at Park Circle in North Charleston, SC this past Saturday, April 18. It was a really well attended event, and we had a lot of information about the farm, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture sign-up forms), and plant starts to give away to help people “green” up their patch of Earth. Here’s some photos of the day:

Take care!

Maria

-April 8, 2009
Today we finished potting up plant starts for the Plant Sale this Saturday, April 11.  We have a “hoop house” full of potted plants (and a few flats) that are ready for putting in the ground, now that the weather is warm enough for them to thrive outside.  We have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and many other vegetables, as well as some nice flower starts.  Be sure to drop by and see us at 215 Coleman Blvd in Mt. Pleasant (near Shem Creek) – sale starts 9AM.

Last week we put the potatoes starts in the ground.  In total we put out about 3000 plant starts.  It is about 100 days to harvest, although delayed harvesting is OK too.   So, look for potatoes in late May.  We are also fast & furious on the rest of planting for spring and summer.  If you’re in the area, drop by and see what we’re doing.

- Maria