September 28, 2011 CSA Delivery
Recipe Suggestions from Conne Ward-Cameron
Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn
Butternut Oyster Stew
Pickled Radishes
Tomato, Goat Cheese and Basil Cornbread
How’s that for a menu?
I think this is the most eclectic batch of recipes I’ve put together for you. But there’s a reason for each one. So let me get to it.
First of all, I hear there’s great consternation and confusion about how to handle those beautiful ears of popcorn in your box. We got popcorn last year, and I gave it all to Marcia Killingsworth – your faithful photographer – because she loves popcorn so much. Come to discover today that she tried to take the kernels off the cob before popping them and gave it up as an impossible job. I’m guessing last year’s popcorn went to feed the squirrels in her neighborhood.
The good news is that I’m keeping all the popcorn in this box for me. Now I get to experiment with it. Everything I’ve read says cook it in your microwave – on the cob – in a bag. Same idea as microwave popcorn, but just on the cob and without the icky stuff I imagine impregnates those microwave popcorn bags. I remember hearing from some CSA members last year that popping the corn in a paper bag worked just fine.
I know there are some folks who have concerns over what’s in our paper bags these days – especially those made of recycled content. Bits of metal? Tiny pieces of plastic?
It’s actually my intention to try the popcorn in my Whirley Pop popcorn popper – the lightweight metal pan with a lid that folds back and a crank to turn a small metal arm that keeps the popcorn from hanging out too long on the bottom of the pan. I’ll probably have to break the cobs in half, but that seems easy enough to do.
Let us know how your popcorn turns out.
I’m so glad to see the popcorn because I’ve been saving this recipe just for its appearance. The aforementioned Ms. Killingsworth is a true fan of bacon. She might be willing to pop a little Riverview popcorn to make this recipe.
Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn
This recipe comes from Denver restaurant Colt & Gray. Who can resist salty-sweet caramel corn studded with cashews and bits of bacon? The method of popping corn here would work fine with the whole cobs. Oolong is a lovely chef-y addition to the recipe, adding its bit of smoky flavor to the mix. Bacon and Cashew Caramel Corn balls for Halloween anyone?
Makes about 15 cups
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 ounces bacon, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted raw cashews (one 2.5-ounce package)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 oolong tea bag
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat popcorn and oil in covered heavy large pot over medium-high heat until kernels begin to pop. Using oven mitts, hold lid on pot and shake pot until popping stops.
Pour popcorn into very large bowl. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until almost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; cool. Add bacon and cashews to bowl with popcorn. Sprinkle with coarse salt and cayenne; toss to coat.
Bring cream and tea bag just to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; let steep 15 minutes, occasionally pressing on tea bag with back of spoon to release flavor. Discard tea bag.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with nonstick spray. Coat 2 wooden spoons or heat-resistant spatulas with nonstick spray; set aside. Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir until blended. Immediately drizzle caramel over popcorn mixture; toss with sprayed spoons until evenly coated. Transfer to sheet.
Place caramel corn in oven and bake until caramel is shiny and coats popcorn, tossing mixture occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on sheet on rack, tossing occasionally to break up large clumps. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight in refrigerator.
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Also on my mind right now are oysters – having just come home from one coast and headed to another in about a week. September brings the months with “r” back, so it’s time to be thinking oysters again. I think this is adapted from a recipe actually came from Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
And how great is it to see that butternut squash in our box today? It may be the first of many to come, but what a blessing – a vegetable you can sock away in the pantry and pull out come January when we’re missing the delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables every week. We published a bunch of butternut squash recipes last year. Check them out at http://www.grassfedcow.com/recipes/SeptemberSpecial.html.
Butternut Oyster Stew
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 diced red peppers – bell or hot or a combination
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced shallots
4 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 quart milk
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12- to 16-oz. fresh shucked oysters with their liquid
Kosher salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
Boil squash cubes in some water for 5 minutes or until tender. Immediately scoop squash into a bowl of ice water and allow to cool to room temperature or cooler. Drain and set aside. Mix cornstarch with the 1/4 cup water until lumps are gone; set aside. In large pot over medium heat, sauté peppers, garlic and shallots in 2 tabelspoons olive oil until tender. Add milk, remaining olive oil, parsley, and Worcestershire. Stir frequently until mixture is almost boiling. Add squash and cornstarch mixture; continue cooking and stirring. When mixture is nearly boiling, add oysters and their liquid to pot. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir until oysters curl at edges. Turn off heat and let soup stand for 5-10 minutes. Stir and serve.
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I was also excited to see the return of radishes. It gives me the chance to provide another pickling recipe for those of you into that sort of thing. This is from Roy Eyester at Rosebud. Cut the recipe in half for that little bunch of radishes into today’s box.
Pickled Radishes
1 tablespoon fennel seed
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, smashed
thyme to taste
2 pounds radishes, sliced or quartered
In a dry skillet, toast fennel seed until slightly brown. In a medium saucepan, combine fennel seed, vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, salt, ginger, pepper, garlic and thyme. Bring to a boil and dissolve salt and sugar. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Put radishes in a quart canning jar and pour pickling liquid over them. Refrigerate at least 2 days before serving.
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And finally, how about baking up some of those tomatoes? This recipe comes from the “Green Market Baking Book” by Laura Martin. Once you’ve enjoyed it fresh from the oven, you could vary the experience by toasting slices until golden brown.
Tomato, Goat Cheese and Basil Cornbread
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 small green onions, white parts only, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus 4 to 6 whole basil leaves
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease 4 small loaf pans with olive oil.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the green onions and cook until soft. Add the chopped basil and turn off the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and milk with the onion mixture. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture, stirring until just blended. Do not overmix.
Divide half the batter among the 4 loaf pans. Chop the tomatoes into small chunks. Divide the tomatoes and place lengthwise down the center of the batter in each pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of goat cheese on top of the tomatoes. Top with 1 or 2 whole basil leaves. Divide the remaining batter among the 4 pans.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pans and cool on a wire rack.
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That’s it for me for this week. See you over next week’s box.
conne
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