Ingredient of the Month: Strawberries

It’s berry season once again, when those luscious jewel-toned gems abound in the gardens and adorn cheesecakes.  Ruby red raspberries and sapphire-hued blueberries are also colorful confetti for garnishing summer salads, as well as nutrient-packed additions to your morning cereal.  Blackberries are also bursting with juicy flavor, offering a nice alternative topping for panna cotta.  In a couple of months, I will delight in bringing forth some tasty ideas to highlight berries in general.  However, in light of numerous signs cropping up outside of every farm beckoning all to pick strawberries to their craving’s content, this time let us focus on this ever most popular berry of them all.

Strawberries are actually members of the rose family, and have grown wild throughout North and South America as well as Europe.  It was not cultivated until the thirteenth century.  From there, the strawberry we know and love commonly today did not evolve until centuries of cross breeding. The result originated in the Brittany region of France during the 1750s from a combination of the wild Virginia strawberry and a Chilean specimen.  This hardy, juicy, red, cone-shaped berry offers us a flavor that is so coveted that it is now infused into everything, from ice cream to beverages to cereals.

While strawberries are available in supermarkets all year round, the peak time for picking strawberries here in the northeast is from April through June.  Smaller berries are more flavorful, larger ones tend to taste watered down.  Opt for bright, crimson-hued berries with their leafy green caps still attached; select those that are firm and plump, leave the mushy or shriveled ones behind.  Once purchased, plan to consume these late spring delicacies within two days.  Many farm stands that offer pick your own strawberries also vend jars of strawberry jam and preserves, as well as freshly baked strawberry rhubarb pies.

If you have a green thumb, you may want to consider adding strawberry plants to your garden plot, as they are easy to grow and hardy enough to endure most conditions worldwide.  Long Island is a perfect locale, as they do prefer sandy soil.  Keep plants well watered and protect developing fruit from birds and other hungry critters.  Strawberries can also be planted in pots, either hanging baskets or the aptly named strawberry jar pot.

Strawberries are often added to dairy products, such as ice cream, yogurt and milkshakes.  There is something so sweetly delicious about strawberry-flavored consumables.  One of my favorites is the Starbuck’s strawberry cream Frappuccino, sort of the grownup’s variation of the strawberry milkshake or the Quik strawberry milk!  Strawberries can also be made into preserves, jams and ice cream topping sauces.  When dried, they can be added to baked goods and cereals.  In their simplest, whole form, strawberries can be decadent when dipped in chocolate, lightly sprinkled with turbinado sugar or drizzled with mascarpone whipped cream.   Sliced or whole, they’re stunning confetti when dropped over cheesecakes or cereal.

Here is a recipe for a dessert that is a welcome happy ending to the meal, in that it is simple to prepare and doesn’t require firing up the oven.  This is panna cotta, which is an Italian custard, in this case vanilla flavored, that is topped with a strawberry coulis and sliced strawberries.

Almond Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 packet (4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder (such as Knox)

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

¼ cup sliced almonds

2 cups strawberries, hulled

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

6 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced lengthwise

Lightly spray the bottoms and sides of four ¾ cup-sized custard cups with the non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, pour 1 cup of the milk and then sprinkle the gelatin powder over the milk.  Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, the gelatin should swell.  Place the saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining milk and sugar, and stir constantly until the sugar and gelatin have dissolved.  As soon as this has occurred, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, vanilla and almond extracts until well blended.  Carefully pour the mixture into the four prepared cups, dividing evenly (I like to pour the mixture into a large glass measuring cup first, the spout allows for easier pouring into the small custard cups, but work quickly!).  Cover each cup with clinging plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In a small food processor, process the 2 cups of strawberries and the confectioners’ sugar until all of the strawberries have been pureed.  Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.  Transfer the mixture to the sieve and press all of the liquid through the sieve into the bowl.  Discard the solids left in the sieve.  Stir the lemon juice into the liquid.  Stir in the strawberry slices.  Set aside.

In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat lightly toast the sliced almonds until their sliced surfaces start turning a golden brown.  Remove the toasted almonds from the pan and set aside.

At serving time, fill a shallow bowl with hot water.  Carefully run a very sharp knife around the inner sides of each custard cup.  Dip the bottom of the first cup into the hot water for about five seconds.  Invert the cup over a dessert plate, unmolding the custard.  Repeat with the remaining three cups.  Once all custards have been plated, spoon the coulis and sliced strawberry mixture over each, add a final sprinkle of toasted almonds and serve at once.  Serves four.

Notes:

·         I have never had a problem unmolding the custards, but if you feel daunted by the task, you can instead divide the custard mixture into four deeper individual glass dessert dishes before refrigerating, and then simply spoon the topping over each right into the same dish.  It won’t look as elegant, but it will certainly taste the same.

·        Chocolate lovers can add another facet to this recipe by melting some top quality chocolate and then artistically drizzling that over the above finished product, extending those slashes of chocolate onto the surrounding plate itself, just before serving.

·        Throughout the summer you can enjoy this dessert by highlighting other berries, simply substitute the strawberries in the coulis for blackberries, raspberries or blueberries.  Instead of sliced strawberries, just toss in a quarter cup of the same whole berry to match the coulis flavor.

·        Those with nut allergies, simply omit the nuts and almond extract and use one full teaspoon of vanilla extract for a vanilla panna cotta that will be just as sublime, creamy and delicious.

From Farm to Table: Farm Stands and Farmers' Markets

The season of quests for outdoor strolls and indulging in freshly grown local produce is welcomed once again; consider a new game plan for contemplating dinner menus.  While many of us try our hand with cultivating herbs and vegetables in our own backyards, what better way to wile away a lazy weekend morning than to take a stroll through your local farmers’ market?  Even the greenest of thumbs cannot present an entire meal solely from his or her gardening plot.  Compliment your own harvest with that of other local epicurean producers who share in your passion for fresh foods.

Nothing beats provisions that are locally grown and prepared by dedicated farmers and artisan culinary creators.  There are a couple of ways in which you can support these local producers.  One, if you live in an area where such businesses are abundant, is to take a leisurely drive and visit several of these locales, selecting the most appealing bounty that each establishment has to offer that day.  Here on Long Island, the entire North Fork is a local food Mecca to which residents make regular pilgrimages.  Two main roads run the length of the fork, each flanked on both sides by local farm stands, pick your own fruit orchards, wine vineyards, cheese makers, bakers and the like.  Many of the farm stands offer jarred products that are produced locally as well, such as honeys and jams.

The other way to partake in one-stop local grocery shopping is to frequent a farmers’ market.  To drift off of my home turf briefly, I recently experienced a pleasurable couple of hours at a farmers’ market down in Marietta, Georgia.  The open-air market sets up for business every weekend in Marietta Square, in the old village adjacent to a picturesque park.  The market boasts dozens of local farmers and vendors peddling their wares which range from locally grown fruits and vegetables, locally produced cheeses including goat cheese, jams, condiments, pies, artisan breads and other baked goods, sausages, and other delectable delights to delve into.  There were even representatives from a few of the local restaurants offering flavorful introductions to their establishments.  Most vendors offered samples of their highlighted merchandise for that week, so one can try a nibble of something before committing to bring home a sack full.  Live music serenades browsers, dog owners lead their faithful companions as they shop, and a beckoning fountain in the park welcomes picnicking on any tasty eats that you just cannot wait to take home before indulging.  Some weeks also feature local arts and crafts vendors as well.  The market was bustling and its popularity clearly demonstrates that this is a highly coveted thing to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning.  My first and only trip here yielded purchases of several cheeses for an after dinner cheese course that evening, some croissants for the next morning’s breakfast and a jar of jalapeño-raspberry jam that I knew Brian would enjoy.  I could have bought so much more if I had been facing an extended stay in that area. 

Upon returning home, I did some Internet browsing to find that there are indeed several weekend farmers’ markets throughout the summer on Long Island.  With the extensive array of locally produced foods here, I thought it shocking that I had yet to encounter such markets.  There is one in Greenport that looks like it warrants immediate exploration.  Some of the farmers’ markets appear to be quite small with only a few vendors.  Luckily, I do have the advantage of a very local and friendly farm stand that I can frequent any day of the week for fresh produce and a few locally produced gastronomic gems.

During the summer months, make the weekly trek to a farmers’ market and/or farm stands.  Go into this with your eyes and imagination open, ready to plan that evening’s dinner solely around the freshest seasonal bounty that you happen to find.  A simple drive along that North Fork here can result in a fresh local duck from Miloski’s Poultry Farm, locally grown seasonal vegetables from numerous farm stands to toss on the grill as well, some locally produced cheese from the Catapano Dairy Farm to nibble on before dinner, a local bottle of wine from any of over forty vineyards to have with dinner, a locally baked bread to accompany the meal and a locally baked fruit pie to conclude it, both available at Briermere Farms.  Add a jar of locally produced jam to have on hand, and some fresh picked strawberries or peaches to enjoy with breakfast the next day.  You will reap the benefits of incorporating fresh, natural foods into your diet and support your local growers as well, a combination that makes me feel good both physically and mentally with every meal that results from these purchases.

Here are two of my recipes for a spinach salad.  One rendition contains bacon and eggs, plus mushrooms, green bell pepper, olives and Brian’s honey mustard dressing.  The other contains goat cheese as the protein source, and different ingredients.  As long as you keep the spinach, go ahead and swap out other ingredients in favor of whatever seasonal veggies and even fruits are in the spotlight.  If asparagus is abundant, for example, go ahead and cut the spears into one-inch lengths and then blanch them.  Once chilled, toss them into the mix.  Have fun with it.  If strawberry season is past and blueberries are coming into their own, use those instead.

Spinach Salad with Bacon

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh spinach leaves *

1 pound bacon, cut into 2 inch lengths

4 eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled and chopped *

1 large green bell pepper, cored and cut into one inch squares *

10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

1 cup black olives

Fry the bacon in a frying pan over medium-high head until jut starting to crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and combine with all remaining ingredients in a large salad serving bowl.  Serves four.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Goat Cheese and Pecans

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh spinach leaves *

1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved *

1 yellow bell pepper, cored and cut into one inch squares *

10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled *

Place the pecans in a single layer in a frying pan and toast over medium heat until aromatic.  Remove from heat.  Combine all ingredients in a large salad serving bowl.  Serves four.

Both of the above recipes are best served with Brian’s honey mustard dressing:

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup honey *

1/8 cup white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients with either a wire whisk or in a mini food processor.

* Denotes ingredients that can typically be purchased locally from a farm stand or farmers’ market.  Accompany the salad with a bread and pie from a local artisan baker or farm stand, and a locally produced bottle of wine and you have a meal that is fresh and one that you can feel good about.

Savor the Summer Seashore

Summer is fast approaching, a season that is heartily embraced by those of us fortunate enough to live along the coast here in the northeast.  Boat owners eagerly set out on their first expeditions.  Sun-worshippers make pilgrimages en masse to the shorelines.  Fisherman cast their first lines.  Best of all, it’s shellfish season.  Coastal living means a steady diet of fresh locally caught fish and seafood for four to five months.

As with any developed nation, there are regions within the United States who boast their culinary gems.  Southern states retain bragging rights to fried foods and barbecue fare.  The southwest may produce the best in Mexican delights this side of the border.  Rivalry does reign, however, between Chicago and New York when it comes to the best pizza.  As a New Yorker, I’ll go down fighting to the bitter end for my home state.  Here in the northeast, no food group better defines our specialties than that of seafood.

From appetizer plates of Maryland crab cakes to warming bowls of thick and creamy New England clam chowder, evening ocean side clam bakes to complete Maine lobster dinners and everything in between dominates the epicurean scene from Maryland, New Jersey and New York, across Long Island and all the way up throughout the six New England states. 

Fresh shellfish is even appreciated in the simplest form known as the bucket of steamers.  A great opener to a fish repast, a bucket of mussels, for example, is simply a bucket, pot or large bowl that gets plopped down in the middle of the table.  The vessel is piled high with steamed mussels (this is also made with clams) that have steamed in a pot, often with garlic and butter and perhaps white wine and herbs.  These additional ingredients are all poured, along with the nectar from the mussels or clams, over the shellfish before presented to the table.  A second, empty bowl is also strategically placed on the table to serve as the shell receptacle.  Then diners around the table simply dig in and let the good times roll.

The Maine lobster dinner is simple as well, and it has summer written all over it.  The entrée consists of a whole cooked lobster, accompanied by steamed mussels, boiled corn on the cob and small potatoes.  In this northern-most state, lobster is the pride of Maine.  On the to-do list of every tourist who sojourns there is to consume at least one of these native crustaceans.

Clam chowder originated in New England as a thick and chunky cream-based soup loaded with clams and potatoes, plus the usual ingredients of celery and onions.  Then New Yorkers had to get their hands in and substituted a tomato-based broth for the thick cream component and dubbed their recreation as Manhattan clam chowder.  Well I guess Long Island felt left out of the conjuring pot, but they took the easy way out in creating their Long Island clam chowder: the soup is merely a combination of Manhattan clam chowder and New England clam chowder – a best of both worlds concept.  As much as I enjoy all three of these incarnations, when it comes to seafood soups I still prefer lobster corn chowder and lobster bisque.  The best lobster bisque I ever ate was at the Carltun Restaurant in Eisenhower Park.  Its texture was the smoothest, silkiest and creamiest, the flavor was the magic of a chef who did not in any way hold back on his use of butter, it was the most blissful ecstasy I have ever experienced in a soup.

For those who love fried foods, restaurant that reigns supreme is called the Lobster Roll, with locations on both of the twin forks of Long Island.  From their fried blowfish “puffers” to their pub style fish & chips to a full compliment of various fried gems of the sea on one platter, their fried fish is superb.  What is a lobster roll anyway, you inner landlubbers ask?  Essentially, a lobster roll is a lobster salad (think tuna salad but swap out the tuna for shredded lobster meat) served in a long roll.

Fine Italian restaurants take full advantage of the fresh shellfish that becomes available.  Remember, Italy is a boot kicking out into the Mediterranean, surrounded on three sides by water, and thus the prevalence of fish and seafood entrees in Italian cooking.  Pastas with pesce, such as succulent shrimps and scallops, whole clams and mussels and rings of calamari, are always a first choice of mine when ordering in any Italian trattoria. 

On that note, here is an easy recipe for linguine with clams.  It is quick and easy enough to generate a weekday meal, yet elegant enough to serve for an occasion meal as well.  Keep a box of linguine, a bottle of white wine reserved for cooking, crushed red pepper flakes in your spice rack and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes on hand and all you’ll need to buy on the way home from your busy day are the clams and some parsley.  Add to the shopping list some fresh Italian bread, the makings for a quick salad and a bottle of Italian pinot grigio and dinner’s ready to prepare.

Linguine with Clams

Ingredients:

4 ounces dried linguine

3 dozen fresh little neck clams

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1 8-ounce bottle clam juice

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling water until tender.

Rinse off the clams and scrub any particles of sand off of the shells.

In a stockpot, cook the onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent.  Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes, sautee and cook for two minutes.  Add the wine and clam juice and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until reduced by 30%.  Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.  Place the clams into the pot, cover and continue to boil, steaming the clams, for about 5 minutes or until the clam shells have opened.  Drain the linguine and place into a large serving bowl.  Begin removing the opened clams from the pot and arranging them over the pasta.  Discard any clams that remain closed after another five minutes.  Pour the contents of the pot over the clams and pasta, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.  Makes 2 servings.

 If you live in a coastal region and are looking for a couple of fun ideas to try this summer, all to the end of savoring a seafood dinner with a few friends, here are a couple of plans to contemplate.  One is a bit labor intensive, but going in with the right attitude of having fun and a few laughs and having the day’s activity culminate in a reward of freshly caught clams cooked in any manner you desire makes clam digging a unique experience that everyone should try once.  Have everyone attending produce one of their favorite recipes that calls for clams.  Another idea, my preferred of the two because I’m always ready for a party with a fun atmosphere, is the clambake.  Find a beach that will permit the activity, as a campfire for cooking will be required.  Plan an evening for this activity, ask each guest to contribute one shellfish.  Add to that a few other items for the fire, such as corn, some salads to accompany, a few blankets, some music and some beverages and you’ve got a party at which to celebrate your region’s pride, its cherished ingredient in the cooking world, seafood.

Ingredient of the Month: Honey

One of the world’s oldest ingredients, dating back at least 8,000 years, is that thick, sweet, amber culinary gem called honey.  We can thank the honeybees for this fine ingredient, as they work hard to produce our honey from the nectar of flowers.

The bee’s digestion process transforms flower nectar into honey, which they deposit into wax honeycombs inside the beehive.  The honey is then harvested by beekeepers and then passed along for our enjoyment.  Honey is used as a sweetener in baking as well as in some savory recipes such as glazed ham, barbecue sauce, salad dressing and glazed carrots.  It is also added to warm beverages, such as tea, or drizzled over such edibles as biscuits or fruit.  Honey produces naturally occurring yeast.  Fermentation of this yeast is instrumental in the production of mead, or honey wine.  Honey is also used as an adjunct in the production of some craft beers.  The various flavor nuances of different honeys are influenced by the variety of flower nectar that they honeybee consumed.

Honey was harvested in ancient times in various civilizations that include China, Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Mayan region of Mesoamerica.  In addition to culinary use, honey has held symbolic significance in cultural and religious practices.  Honey is believed to be one of the five elixirs of immortality in Hinduism.   In Judaism, honey signifies the new year, or Rosh Hashanah.  Across the spectrum of religions and cultures, honey has been referenced as possessing healing properties for various maladies throughout the ages.  Even today, a piping hot cup of tea sweetened with honey can be soothing to that nagging sore throat.  Advocates of holistic medicine swear by daily consumption of a locally produced honey to deter allergy symptoms.

There are a host of different honey varieties produced around the world.  Honeys that present as a darker hue will yield a stronger flavor.  Most honeys are labeled for the flower from which they were derived.   Clover and orange blossom are the most popular honeys produced in America.  Other honeys that are less widely available include, but are not exclusive to, lavender, sage, thyme and buckwheat.  The liquid form of honey, that is the honey that has been extracted from the honeycomb and filtered, is the most commonly sold form of honey.  Some of these have been pasteurized to prevent crystallization. 

One of the most prized traits of honey that is so appreciated by cooks is its longevity.  Honey can be stored in a sealed jar for up to a year on the shelf of a cool, dry cupboard.  It may be stored in the refrigerator as well, but this will likely result in crystallization.  Remember that old science experiment of creating rock candy by leaving a solution of sugar and water for days on end to do its magical transformation?  This similar process occurs with honey, as honey is comprised of liquid plus various sugars.  Not to worry, if you reach for the honey jar one day and discover a grainy, gooey mass, simply place the opened jar in a microwave on high power for a few seconds and that will dissolve the glucose blob.

With the approach of warmer days when main dish salads are embraced, here is a recipe for a chicken salad platter with a honey-mustard dressing.  This is my version, which does require some deep frying.  However, if you prefer a less labor intensive variation, you could substitute broiled or grilled boneless chicken breasts that have been sliced into strips.  Yes, it will be healthier.  No, it won’t be as good.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Salad Platter

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups whole milk

3 eggs

3 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs

1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 pound chicken tenders

1½ quarts corn oil

1 ¼ cups mayonnaise

¼ cup honey

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

3 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 pint cherry tomatoes

8-10 ounces sliced white button mushrooms

Place flour in a large Ziplok baggie.  Whisk the milk and the eggs together in a shallow bowl until well combined.  Whisk together the next six ingredients until well mixed and pour into a second Ziplok baggie.   Place oil in a large deep pot with a deep-frying thermometer and heat on the stove until it reach a temperature of 350 degrees.  In the meantime, place the chicken tenders in the flour filled baggie.  Seal the bag and shake until all surfaces of each tender are coated.  Remove one tender at a time, dip it into the egg mixture and then place into the breadcrumb mixture.  Seal the breadcrumb baggie and toss to coat thoroughly.  Repeat with remaining tenders.  Once the oil has reached the proper temperature and all tenders have been coated, slip them into the hot oil.  Fry until the surfaces are crisp and amber golden brown.  Remove the tenders with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, in a single layer.

Whisk the next five ingredients together until blended.  You can use a mini food processor for this.

Arrange the shredded romaine to cover two large plated.  On one upper quarter of the plate, arrange a pile of the cherry tomatoes.  Arrange the mushrooms on the quarter below the tomatoes.  Arrange the chicken tenders over the remaining half of the plate.  Drizzle entire salad with the honey mustard dressing.  Serves 2.

Note: this is my basic recipe.  I have changed things up once in awhile and I would encourage you to do the same.  You could add another little pile to the salad platter of blanched and chilled green beans, for example, or thinly sliced red onion, strips of colorful bell peppers, anything you like.