Greetings Fellow Eaters,
Hope you are enjoying a delicious harvest
season. September is the BEST eating month.
It's the bridge month when the last of
summer's corn, blueberries and tomatoes
remain while the early fall goodies-crisp
apples, tasty winter squashes and sweet root
vegetables-are starting to make it to the
market. Celebrate the mix with some lovely,
bright salads (recipes below) before we head
into low and slow roasting season.
September is not just a great time to cook,
it's the perfect time to load up the pantry
with local treats to see you through the
sparse growing months ahead. I've been a
busy little pack rat. Proud to say I've
reached my tomato "century" this summer-I've
put up 100 pounds of tomatoes! Sounds like a
lot, but considering it takes 3 pounds of
tomatoes to fill a quart jar, it adds up
quickly. I've canned the pretty ones, turned
the less than perfect ones into puree for the
freezer and made up a batch of spicy salsa to
perk up the double-feature couch sessions
that are a favorite snow day activity.
If you haven't tried canning, you might want
to give it a go. It's not as hard-or as
risky-as you might think. In this month's
Sustainable Solutions, I'm offering up a list
of references you can use to get started. If
mason jars are not in your future, I've got a
few easy ideas you can use to stock pile some
of the bounty at the farmers' market that
will bring great flavor and fond memories of
this growing season to your winter dishes.
Keep it Real,
Sherri
Take Me to the Bridge!
Summer Meets Fall in These Tasty Dishes
These recipes pair summer ingredients with
cold weather -roasters such as celeriac and
potatoes in salads that are just right for
the still-warmish weather. They were
inspired by my friend and Westport Farmers'
Market muse, Rebecca Howe, who is always full
of good ideas when it comes to locally grown
food.
Celery Root and Tomatoes with Creamy
Mustard Dressing
Celery root, also called Celeriac, browns
quickly once it's peeled. Make your dressing
first, so you can toss shredded root right
into it.
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1-2 pound celery root with leaves
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half or 1
large tomato, seeded and chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh salad greens
Whisk mustard, vinegar and salt in a medium
bowl. Add oil in a fine stream until
emulsified. Whisk in sour cream. Remove two
tablespoons leaves from celery root, chop
leaves finely and set aside. (Reserve
remaining leaves for stock or as a bed for
roast chicken.) Pare celery root of tough
outer skin and grate on large holes of a box
grater or mandoline. Add shredded celery
root, chopped leaves and tomatoes to dressing
and toss to combine. Season generously with
pepper and serve on a bed of greens.
*Turn this salad into a light lunch by adding
1 pound peeled, cooked Gulf shrimp.
Serves 4
Spicy Potato and Corn Salad
- 2 lbs yellow or red potatoes,
scrubbed and quartered
- 4 ears corn, cut from cob
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 1 red pepper, diced
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender,
about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted
spoon. Add corn to boiling water and cook
2-3 minutes. Drain. While potatoes cook,
make dressing. In a large bowl whisk
limejuice, vinegar, chili powder, salt and
pepper. Add oil in a slow stream. Add hot
potatoes and corn and peppers to bowl. Toss
to combine. Can be served warm or at room
temperature.
Serves 8
Tomato Treasure Chest
Easy Ways to Put By
Tomatoes are the base for so many sauces,
soups, and stews that it's a good idea to
have a stash in the pantry. Rather than
relying on the canned variety, you can keep a
supply of locally grown on hand with these
tips. While some require extended cooking
time, none ask more than a quick stir of the
pot or peek in the oven from the cook.
Frozen Tomato Puree
Skin and core tomatoes. Crush 1/4 of them
into a large stock pot. Cut remaining
tomatoes in half and add to pot. Heat over
medium high until boiling, then reduce to a
simmer. After tomatoes begin to break down
(about 15-20 minutes) puree them with a stick
blender (be very careful when blending hot
food). Lower the heat to medium low and
continue to simmer for two hours, stirring
frequently. Allow to cool somewhat then
ladle puree into large pyrex baking dishes to
cool completely in the refrigerator.
Transfer cold puree to quart-sized mason jars
or bags and freeze. Make sure to leave 25%
free space for puree to expand while freezing.
Whole Frozen Tomatoes
Wash and dry tomatoes. Arrange on a cookie
sheet in a single layer and freeze. When
frozen, transfer to freezer bags. Skins will
slip off frozen tomatoes easily as they begin
to thaw or when briefly run under warm water.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
Cut plum tomatoes in half. Toss with olive
oil. Arrange cut side up on a cookie sheet.
Roast in a 250 degree oven for 2-3 hours,
depending on size, until tomatoes are
shriveled and browned in spots. Freeze whole
or pureed in pint sized jars or freezer bags.
Canning Resources
You love those little Ball jars for flowers.
If you're like me, you know they make great
wine glasses, too. But if you're ready to
really see them work, pick up one of these
books. You'll have yourself a shelf of
canned gems lined up in no time.
Putting
Food By,by Janet Greene
This is a
standard volume that gives detailed
information on canning basics.
Ball
Complete Book of Home Preserving, by Judi
Klingry and Lauren Devine
I love the recipes in this book. No matter
what you need to preserve, there's a formula
for it in this book.
Preserving
Summer's Bounty: A Quick and Easy Guide to
Freezing, Canning, and Preserving, and
Drying What You Grow by Rodale Food Center
and Susan McClure
Also has info on root
cellaring. What's not to love?
Calendar
Show Up, Change the World
Eat Well, Live Well
Only ONE more sessions left in this
series.
I am very grateful to the Paul Newman
Foundation for sponsoring this series. I'll
be cooking up dishes, full of fresh from the
market ingredients, at the Westport
Center for Senior Activities. All
classes run from 2:30-3:30 Call to reserve your
spot!
- June 27, "Super Salads, Great Grains"
- July 25, "Market Basket Mystery"
- August 22, "Tomayto, Tomahto"
- September 26, "Root Vegetables"
Yes you Can, Can
Last session in the series--Learn to put by
at these open air workshops
at the Westport Farmers Market:
Sunday, August 5, Pickles
Sunday, September 16, Tomatoes
Sunday, October 14, Chutneys
The Real Food Revival:
Aisle by Aisle, Morsel by Morsel
Buy the book! The Real Food Revival is for every
eater who wants to enjoy sustainably raised
foods.
Whether you're new to the real food movement
or an
old pro this book is full of tips and tricks for
reclaiming the food chain.
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Copyright, Sherri Brooks Vinton, 2007
Sustainable Solutions may be reproduced in
whole or
in part by contacting
sherri@sherribrooksvinton.com
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