Tag Archives: green onions

Les Carottes, Oui!

I have always appreciated the versatility of vegetables, as the possibilities are endless. It certainly doesn’t hurt that we are vegetable farmers. There are times when fresh, simple ingredients will make combinations shine. The French are masters of this approach to cooking. This is a salad that can be tweaked on so many levels. Herb choices can be varied, such as parsley, mint, cilantro, or a mixture. If you want to bulk it up, it’s so easy to add chickpeas or cannellini beans. You could add sliced radishes, snap peas, or snow peas. Think color and texture. Frankly, I can’t get enough of this salad!

Typically, this salad uses grated carrots, but I find that they become slightly mushy when used as the centerpiece. I prefer to use a julienne peeler as it gives it more loft and texture interest. I’ve used a few of these peelers over time and have not been plused. However, I finally found one that works perfectly as advertised. The Sunkuka Julienne Peeler, is made of stainless steel and performs beautifully. This salad also holds for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

FRENCH CARROT SALAD WITH LEMON DIJON VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 2 scallions, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1.5 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons good quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons local honey
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Peel and julienne carrots. Place in a large bowl. Add scallions and parsley (and any other salad ingredients you choose).
  2. In a pint mason jar, combine avocado and olive oil, Dijon, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Place lid on jar and shake vigorously. Add to salad and toss gently. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

OPTIONS:

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup snap peas, sliced in thirds
  • 1 cup snow peas, sliced in thirds
  • 1/4 cup cilantro and/or mint

Serves 4

The majority of my diet is probably vegetables, but I’m not a vegetarian or vegan. –Abigail Spencer

Savoring the Savory

As a confirmed nibbler, I love baked goods, particularly warm from the oven. We don’t eat a great deal of sugar in our home, but tarts and scones are always a hit. I prefer the savory scone to a sweet one, and this scone has all the markings of a moist, slightly salty and savory mouthful. I return to these again and again for something unexpected and delicious.

GRUYERE, PROSCIUTTO & GREEN ONION SCONES

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2/3 cup grated gruyere or Comte cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped prosciutto
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • Sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture, until you have coarse crumbs. This can also be done in a food processor with a few pulses. In using a food processor, place contents in a bowl after pulsing.
  2. In another bowl, whisk and eggs and buttermilk together. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just moist.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the gruyere, prosciutto, parmesan and green onion. Add this to the batter, then mix lightly. The dough will be sticky.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, turn the sticky dough out and knead lightly until all the cheese, prosciutto and green onion are incorporated into the dough. Roll the dough 3/4 inch thick. Shape roughly into a circle and cut 8 triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, and lightly brush with half and half. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  5. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  6. Once the scones have chilled, bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm.

Serves 8

“Baking is love made edible.”

A Big Bowl of Yummy

When we’re busy on the farm in the summer, it’s good to have some go-to salads that can be made in advance, and eaten over several days if need be. This a riff on tabbouleh, a Lebanese salad from the Middle East, made primary with bulgur and parsley. Bulgur is made from parboiled or steamed wheat kernels/berries that are then dried, partially stripped of their outer bran layer, and coarsely ground. The result of this process is a highly nutritious grain that cooks relatively quickly. There might be as many recipes for tabbouleh as their are cooks. The ratio of fresh parsley to bulgur is one of the reasons.

Traditionally tabbouleh is made with bulgur, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley and mint. Since we are vegetable farmers, I like to load mine up with additional ingredients like radish, grated carrot, and chickpeas. I also like to use a little more bulgur than they might use in the Middle East, making it packed with fiber rich whole grain, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Although most recipes call for a medium-coarse, or #2 bulgur, I like to use a fine bulgur or #1 for my tabbouleh. If you enjoy a more chewy grain, use the #2 medium-coarse. Either way, 1 cup dried bulgur will yield 4 cups cooked bulgur. I buy my fine bulgur from a Middle Eastern grocery store. At any rate you can adjust proportions and ingredients to your personal preferences, however non-traditional it may be. Just don’t omit the bulgur or fresh parsley altogether. Tabbouleh, although best when fresh, will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

BRICKYARD FARMS TABBOULEH

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup bulgur, #1 or #2
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch, then quarter slices
  • 4 green onions, sliced using both white and green parts
  • 6-8 radishes, sliced
  • 2-3 carrots, peeled and shredded on large holes of box grater
  • 1 large bunch curly parsley, chopped
  • 6-8 large mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (quality matters here)
INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. If you are using fine or #1 bulgur: Place 1 cup bulgur in large bowl. Boil 2 cups of water and pour in over the bulgur. Let rest for 10-12 minutes. Fluff with a fork. I like to place it in the refrigerator for about an hour to cool it down. You can also just let it cool in the bowl.
  2. If you are using medium-coarse #2, place 1 cup bulgur in a heavy pot and add 2 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional). Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and cover. Cook for 12 minutes. Take of heat and let stand for 10 minutes more. Fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature or place in refrigerator for one hour.
  3. To the cooled bulgur add your halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green onions. radishes, chickpeas, grated carrots, chopped parsley and mint.
  4. In a separate bowl or pint mason jar, mix together the lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Mix with a whisk, or shake vigorously to emulsify. Pour 1/2 of dressing over tabbouleh. Mix thoroughly. Add additional dressing just before serving.

Serves 6-8

“What is more refreshing than a salad, when your appetite seems to have deserted you?” –Alexis Soyer

Walk on the Wild Side

Wow, it’s been quite a week. My sadness for our country is overwhelming. I bow to my black and brown brothers and sisters who in spite of the pandemic have peacefully protested for justice for George Floyd and for themselves. We have not been listening. Historically, it has always been the youth that have demanded change. Although the timing of such things is not in our hands, the call for justice is asking us to lend our voices to promote it. I am proud of our country’s youth and have confidence they will help to lead us out of this quagmire.

Here, we still farm. This week we have planted, caged and wired 400 tomato plants. When they become ripe, we will savor their sweetness, dust off our canners and prepare for cooler months. We will sell some, process for our future and take what we have remaining to local food banks. Our land is sacred to us. It has fed many families for 2 decades. As we age we are confident this land will find its future in the hands of like minded people of service.

This week we needed a sturdy salad that we could enjoy when we were too tired to cook. This amazing salad will hold for 5 days in the frig and only gets better as the dressing macerates the veggies in the salad. It has crunch, texture, and an appealing nuttiness that compliments the lemony dressing. It’s great for a picnic or potluck, since it’s completely stable with no dairy. I think you will agree it’s a keeper.

WILD RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups good quality long grain wild rice
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup green onions (white and green parts), sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms, halved and sliced thin
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped, fried, drained (optional)
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a heavy medium pot bring the rice, water and salt to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and simmer until tender, 45-55 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl.
  2. To toast pecans, heat oven to 350 degrees F and place on rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool.
  3. Add celery, green onions. parsley, and mushrooms to bowl. Mix gently.
  4. In a pint mason jar, measure avocado oil and fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Shake vigorously.
  5. Add pecans and dressing to bowl and mix thoroughly. Place in decorative bowl or platter. Crumble bacon on top. Serve.

Serves 6-8

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“Truth never damages a cause that is just.” —Mahatma Gandhi

 

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