RECIPES
Asian Beef and Greens
2 lbs. London Broil (or equivalent)
6 oz toasted sesame oil (divided)
1 oz white wine vinegar
2 oz soy sauce
Spicy greens or Kale to taste
Slice beef and cut into bite-sized pieces. Marinade several hours in 3 oz toasted sesame oil, the white wine vinegar, and the soy sauce.
Drain off marinade. Fry beef in 3 oz toasted sesame oil. Add in garlic, ginger (lots!), onions, and/or leeks and fry till tender.
Thinly slice lots of greens. I've used Napa cabbage, turnip tops, beet tops, bok choy, kale, dandelion greens, mystery greens from the Asian market - just about anything (except spinach - too strong for this dish). I usually use about three or four bunches of whatever greens I have on hand. Add the rest of the marinade and the greens to the beef and fry until tender.
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Sweet Dumpling Tomato Soup
makes about 7 to 8 cups of soup
2 Sweet Dumpling squash
about 10 small-to-medium tomatoes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1½ C chicken stock (homemade is best)
Really good olive oil, or some plain yogurt
Sea salt
Halve squash, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on an oiled baking dish. Bake in a moderate oven (350 – 375 degrees) until soft, 30 to 40 minutes. While the squash is baking, peel your tomatoes: cut an X in the bottom of each tomato then drop into a pot of boiling water for 10 to 30 seconds or so, until the skin splits. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. The skin will now come off easily. Core and chop peeled tomatoes and set aside.
When the squash is done, spoon the pulp out of the skin and discard skin (you should end up with 2½ to 3 C pulp). In the pot you plan to cook the soup in, sauté onion in some butter and olive oil until translucent. Add stock, tomatoes and squash pulp, stirring to kind of mix everything. Bring to a boil then cook over medium heat until tomatoes fall apart (about 10 minutes). Cool enough so you can purée in a blender without it exploding all over the place. Purée in batches, then transfer back to the pot and heat through. Serve hot, with a drizzle of flavorful olive oil and some coarse sea salt scattered on top. Alternatively, you could serve with a dollop of plain yogurt on top (and salt to taste).
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Freezing Carrots
Preparation – Select young, tender, coreless, medium length carrots. Remove tops, wash and peel. Leave small carrots whole. Cut others into thin slices, 1/4-inch cubes or lengthwise strips.
Water blanch small whole carrots 5 minutes, diced or sliced 2 minutes and lengthwise strips 2 minutes.
Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze. Then enjoy all winter in a multitude of dishes.
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Cinnamon Baked Apples with Garam Masala Syrup (courtesy of Bauman College)
6 whole apples
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup apple juice
1 cup water
1 stick cinnamon
3 slices ginger, 1/4 " thick, minced
10 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
8 whole peppercorns, lightly crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Using an apple corer and then melon baller, remove core from apple, making sure the cavity does not
extend out through bottom.
3. In a small bowl, mix the walnuts, cinnamon, and salt together.
4. Fill each apple with the mixture and place in a glass baking dish.
5. Pour water and apple juice into dish, then add the whole spices to the liquid. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes
or until apples are soft throughout yet still maintain their shape.
Add more water in 1/4 cup increments if baking dish looks like it will get dry before apples are cooked all
the way through.
6. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the apples out to a platter.
7. Strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, discarding spices. Reduce cooking liquid over high
heat until it is the consistency of syrup.
8. Spoon sauce over apples and serve.
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Notes from the Field (Cont.)
Our friend Mark DeNittis of Il Mondo Vecchio has recently returned from New York where he was honored to cook at the James Beard House. We congratulate him on his well deserved reward. If you have not had the chance to visit his store in Denver please stop by on a Friday for his free tastings, free people! We look forward to his butchery classes which we will offer during the winter at the store.
Our thanks go out to Caroline as well who held a masterful class this past Saturday with some very happy children on the wonders of wool. We believe she may be the incarnation of joy.
On it goes for us until the mercury drops, so see you soon and enjoy.
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