Farm Market Salad with Sardines

Serves 1

• 2 handfuls of baby arugula, washed and drained
• 6 yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 small chunk of cucumber, sliced into quarters’
• 1 tbsp red onion slices
• 2 tbsp red pepper, small diced
• 2 tbsp orange peppers, silvered
•  Some chickweed sprouts
• 1 4 oz can of boneless sardines, packed in olive oil

Lemon Garlic Dressing

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juiced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sprinkle of oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil

In a salad bowl, toss arugula with the next five ingredients, top with some chickweed sprouts and add slices of boneless sardines. Drizzle with dressing and Enjoy!

Easy and delicious way to get your omega 3’s in!

I visited one of my favorite farm markets today, Blooming Hill Farm in Washingtonville, NY. They have the best and freshest greens and sprouts. I had some other veggies on hand from the day before and a can of sardines and made this super easy salad and dressing for lunch. You can certainly use other greens,  such as romaine, mesclun and other or additional veggies. It’s ok, make your own recipe! Serve with a slice of baguette and a glass of cabernet and was good to go! Try it for your next lunch, it really is delicious and you will do your heart a lot of good!

Wow, what a great conference I attended last week. It was hosted by Dutchess County Tourism and with over 100 attendees from restaurant owners, caterers, farmers, educators, wineries etc. from around the Hudson Valley. A lot of exciting culinary events, projects, groups are happening in the valley and the amount of people who are visiting the Hudson Valley has grown in these last 5 yrs. This valley is becoming a desired destination for tourism like our west coast folks in the Napa Valley Region. There is an incredible richness of farms, wineries, restaurants, parks, historical sites and roadways that are beautiful during our four seasons with our Fall Season being the most colorful!

The conference was hosted by Mary Kay Vrba, Director of Dutchess County Tourism (second from the right) and ran from 9:00-3:00. It started with a panel discussion on local agritourism lead by three excellent Hudson Valley Chefs, Peter Xavier Kelly, Chef, Vintner, Restaurateur, Laura Pensiero, from Gigi Hudson Vallley, Mark Strausman from Agriturismo. Also, Sara Grady from the Glynwood Center in Garrison, NY spoke on Hard Cider Week and Cider Trail.

Janet Crawshaw from the Valley Table spoke on upcoming Restaurant Week, March 18th-31^st  and share with us on ideas for packaging the many types of food, hotel, B&B, farms, restaurants etc. and how to work on collaborative culinary packages too.

Lunch was included in this conference and wow what a treat! From the pictures above, this was our lunch and Dessert and it was all from a Hudson Valley Farm. Here’s the menu and where everything came from. Absolutely delicious and another treat that we had during lunch was to listen to Betty Fussell speak on Tasting the River and the Rock.

Salad of Organic Baby Greens and Hot House Tomatoes crowned with Fresh Chevre

From Continental Organics, New Windsor

Mt. Fresh Farms, Highland

Sprout Creek Farm, Poughkeepsie-their goat cheese is melt in your mouth good!

Pan-roasted French cut Chicken Breast, Reserved Pan Jus

from Campanelli’s Poultry Farm, Kenoza Lake. I get their Chickens from Adams and they are very tender, juicy and fresh tasting.

Sautéed String Beans and Herb Roasted Potatoes

Winter Sun Farms, Kingston

Plecan Farms, New Hampton

Warm Granny Smith Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Hurds Family Farm, Modena

Benny and Caesar’s Ice Cream Poughkeepsie

And do you believe this home grown lunch and conference was $65.00!

Today, modern pressure cookers are made to be very safe and reliable. They have multiple safety features, improved vent systems and pressure-release valves that are 100-percent safe. These new pressure cookers are made of stainless steel with thick three-ply bottoms that prevent foods from burning and help food cook and brown evenly.

Using a pressure cooker can cut your time by 70 percent. Imagine making chicken stock in 30 minutes instead of five hours, beef stew in 15 minutes instead of 2½ hours, fluffy brown rice in 15 minutes instead of 50 minutes, creamy risotto in seven minutes instead of 40 minutes — and no stirring. You can also make a lot of delicious desserts, such as cheesecake, in 30 minutes.

Now you will not only have more time in your life but also more money in your bank account; a pressure cooker uses one-third of the energy of normal cooking methods, making it very green for our planet.

Other benefits of pressure cooking are healthy and low-fat cooking. The pressure cooker uses very little liquid, and because it’s a “closed system,” vitamins and minerals are retained during cooking. It also doesn’t require that you use olive oil because of its no-stick bottom. The pressure cooker can build up pressure and create 250 degrees of cooking temperature, whereas regular cooking methods heat up to 212 degrees.

Flavor is also better achieved in using the pressure cooker because ingredients under all that pressure help intensify and keep the natural flavors of food. Tougher meats will be more tender, vegetables retain their freshness and brightness of color — food is just more appealing and healthier under pressure.

So how do you know what pressure cooker to buy? There are several brands to choose from, so take some time to evaluate the many models on the market. The larger size 9-quart is great for canning, the 7- and 8-quart sizes are great for soups, stews and desserts. The 4- and 6-quart are great for making vegetables and grains.

Braised Short Ribs

Serves 4

• 4 meaty beef short ribs (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• ½ large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, diced
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pressure cooker over medium heat. Add short ribs in batches, and brown evenly about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add onion, garlic and rosemary to pressure cooker, and cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add tomato paste, red wine and beef stock, and whisk to combine. Add beef short ribs back to the pressure cooker and bring up to a boil, lock pressure cooker lid in place, and cook for 30 minutes under high pressure (15 psi or second ring). Use the quick-release method (running edge of pressure cooker lid under cold water until pressure value is released), and open lid to check if meat is tender and falling off the bone. Take out beef ribs and put on a plate. Empty sauce into a food processor and puree. Add sauce back to the pressure cooker and bring to a boil. If sauce is not thick enough, make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cold water to 1 tablespoon cornstarch and make a paste; add to the sauce a little at a time to desired thickness.

Risotto with Peas and Porcini Mushrooms

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ small onion, finely diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 dried porcini mushrooms
• 2¼ cups of chicken stock
• ¼ white wine
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

In the pressure cooker over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Saute onion and shallot for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add rice and lightly brown. Add frozen peas, mushrooms and stock, wine and stir well. Lock lid in place and bring to high pressure (second ring) and then lower heat and cook for 7 minutes. Use the quick-release method (running edge of pressure cooker lid under cold water until pressure value is released). Stir in parmesan cheese, butter and pepper, and let sit until cheese melts. Serve immediately in bowls.

View Original Article from the Times Herald-Record

Blueberry Almond, Lemon Bread Pudding

Serves 6

• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 slices of challah bread, trimmed and cut into cubes
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ lemon, zested
• 1/3 packed light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups warm milk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 3 cups water
• Cinnamon to taste

Butter a 5-6 cup soufflé dish or bowl that fits loosely into the Pressure Cooker. In another bowl, combine the bread, blueberries, almonds, and  lemon zest. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the bread mixture and transfer to a butter soufflé dish. Cover tightly with foil, bottom and top. Place a trivet in the pressure cooker and add the water. Place the covered soufflé dish in the cooker on a trivet, and close the lid and bring up to high pressure and then lowered the heat to stabilize and cook for 20 minutes. Release the pressure and keep the pressure cooker closed for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and take out the soufflé dish.  Loosen the foil and cool. For more color, place under the broiler and then sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm with whipped cream.

Here’s  great recipe for a chunky minestrone soup. Great for a quick week night dinner. I like this recipe because it’s a no fuss dish, just cut up all the ingredients and (take about 20 minutes) and in ten minutes under pressure, you will have a hearty soup and your family will love you. Serve it up with a crusty loaf of whole grain bread and a glass of cabernet, one of my favorites, California’s Bogle.

Chunky Minestrone Soup

• 3 tbsp grapeseed oil
• ½ onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, sliced ¼ “ thick
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 green zucchini, sliced into quarters
• 1 yellow zucchini sliced into quarters
• 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (add whole can for thicker broth)
• 6- 8 cups of water
• 1 cup string beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ½ cabbage, shredded
• 1 ½ tbsp of Italian seasoning
• 1 can of drained aduki or butter beans
• 2-3 handfuls of brown rice pasta
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Tabasco to taste

Heat the pressure cooker over medium high heat with grapeseed oil. Saute the clove of garlic until lightly browned. Add onion and sauté until transulucent about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes.  Add, the carrots, celery, and zucchini. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cabbage, beans and pasta and cover and bring to high pressure over high heat. Lower the heat to stabilize the pressure and cook for 7 minutes. Release the pressure with the quick release method until pressure drops completely. Open and remove cover, add the drained beans, shredded cabbage and pasta and bring back up to pressure for 3 minutes. Release pressure with quick release pressure and open lid and stir. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
1 Bag of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate-can use ½ semi sweet and bittersweet
1 Qt of Strawberries
1 Sheet of Wax Paper on a baking pan

In a double boiler (saucepan with 1 cup of water with a glass Pyrex bowl or stainless steel bowl on top) bring water to a light simmer and place chocolate in the bowl. Dip the strawberries into the chocolate and swirl and lay to dry on the wax paper. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Read the February 2012 edition of Whats Fresh, What’s Local in the Valley

Servings: 6

• 1 ½ lbs beef chuck stew, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 14 oz beef broth
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 ½ onions, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• One 12 oz beer, water or stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas

Heat pressure cooker over medium high heat.

Add olive oil and when oil is hot not smoking, add beef cubes and sear on all sides.

Add meat in batches so meat will brown and then remove to a plate and set aside.

Pour beer or water in to the hot Pressure Cooker and deglaze the pot. This is very important and your stew will have a lot of flavor.

Return the meat to the pot and put the rest of the ingredients in the pot and stir well. After stirring all ingredients, it should be covered in fluid. If not, add more broth or water.

Put the lid on the pot and bring to high pressure for 17 minutes. Use the quick release method (put Pressure Cooker rim under running water and bring down pressure). When pressure is down, open up and add frozen peas and cook for 3-4 minutes. If stew needs to be thicken, can add 1 tbsp of flour and water or cornstarch. Adjust seasonings.

Easy and heart healthy grilling at it’s best! I find that most people prefer eating boneless skinless thin chicken cutlets. For a fast and simple meal, try this marinade you can marinate it for a hr. or up to three hrs in the refrigerator. Simply can be grilled in doors on a grill pan or fire up the gas grill outside or for more flavor over charcoal or wood.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Rosemary, Garlic, Lemon and Grapeseed Oil

Serves 2

1     chicken breasts, pounded

1      rosemary Sprig, minced

2     garlic cloves, minced

1      lemon, juiced

2      tbsp  grapeseed oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat Gas Grill

Pound chicken breasts by covering it with a sheet of plastic wrap.

Using a meat mallet, pound chicken evenly.

In a medium size baking dish, pour grapeseed oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and s&p, dredge chicken breasts in it.

Cover with plastic and store in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hrs.

Preheat a gas grill or grill pan, and cook for 5-7 minutes each side, rotating to get ready good grill marks and until thoroughly cooked through.

Here’s a take on the classic tabbouleh dish and adapted from a cooking light recipe that I used years ago. It’s really easy to make, nutritious and goes well with this easy grilled chicken dish!

Cherry Pecan Tabbouleh

6 Servings

1 cup bulgur wheat

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 tablespoons walnut oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine bulgur and dried cherries in a medium bowl.

Add 1 cup boiling water, and let stand 30 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Fluff bulgur mixture with a fork.

Stir in chopped parsley and the remaining ingredients, and toss gently to combine.

The flowers are usually open when picking them and you should plan on cooking them the same day they are picked. If not, just keep them in plastic in your vegetable drawer until ready to cook. Trim the stem down and gently wash under water and pat dry and let air dry on paper towels. Be sure to pull out the stamen inside the flower. These make a really nice appetizer and can be fried and stuffed with cheese. Enjoy!

Makes 1 Dz.
Walnut Oil or Grape seed Oil (For Frying)
¾ cups White Spelt Flour
½ tsp sea salt
½ bottle of beer or 1 cup seltzer
2 stiffly beaten egg whites
1 dz zucchini blossoms (stamens removed)

Preparation
In a large deep skillet or deep pot pour about 2 inches of oil and heat over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer reads 350 F.
Combine flour, salt in a medium bowl and then whisk in the beer until smooth (ok to have some bumps) and don’t over whisk or you will deflate your batter.
Fold the egg whites into the batter.
Then dredge the blossoms into the batter and shaking off the excess and gently lay them in the oil without crowding them.
Do a couple at a time, cook them until they are puffy and golden brown and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt.

You can also stuff these with with goat cheese and herbs.