Braised Artichokes: get thee to the farmer's market!

I just came across this recipe in Mark Bittman's "Minimalist" column on the NYT site today (plus watch a video of the ever entertaining Bitty making the dish). This is the first time I've ever posted a recipe without first making it, but this is so simple and reads so perfectly that I can't imagine it not being delicious. Plus Bittman has built up a pretty good credibility reservoir in my consciousness. So if you're looking for inspiration as to what to grab at the weekend farmer's markets around you, a half-dozen or so fresh artichokes might be just the thing to add to your list.

As always, thanks to the NYT for letting me "borrow" another picture (this one by staff photog Evan Sung). It made my mouth water just looking at it!
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Braised Artichokes
from Mark Bittman/NY Times
time: 45 minutes

ingredients:
4 medium artichokes
4 tablespoons butter ( 1/2 stick)
1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon.

method:
1. Cut each of the artichokes in half; remove the toughest outer leaves,
use a spoon to remove the choke, and trim the bottom.

2. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large, deep skillet over
medium-high heat. When it melts and foam subsides, add artichokes, cut side
down. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add stock (it should come
about halfway up the sides of the artichokes), bring to a boil, and cover;
turn heat to medium-low. Cook for about 20 minutes or until tender, checking
every 5 or 10 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, adding
more stock as necessary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and transfer
artichokes to serving platter.

3. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid
is reduced to a sauce. Stir in lemon zest and juice and remaining tablespoon
butter; taste and adjust seasoning. Serve artichokes drizzled with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings.

Caponata: Sicilian seasonality!

You want to be a hip, trendy, very now cook? Do using the words "local", "seasonal", and "organic" when you cook make you feel better about yourself? Do you care about where your food comes from? Do you even know what the "Bush Doctrine" is....oh, wait scratch that question. I mean if our possible president-in-waiting doesn't care enough to know, why should we?! If the answers to the first three of those questions are yes, then get your eco-responsible bodies down to your local farmer's market, because the recipe below for that Sicilian wonder known as caponata uses produce ingredients that should be all over the market stalls right now. I found this recipe on the New York Times site a few weeks ago, and it is absolute money! Caponata is the Sicilian version of ratatouille, with the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, every ingredient seeming to compliment the other. It tastes fabulous, and is also a great appetizer for those whiney vegan friends we all have none of. Perfect as a spread with crostini, you can also, as w and I did, put it on top of rice for a main course. Very easy to throw together once all the prep is done, this particular recipe makes a large amount, so your effort will be rewarded over several days!
And in case your going "wow, that is a pretty good picture", it isn't mine. I nabbed it from the NYT site because my picture, frankly, didn't look too appetizing.
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Caponata
By Martha Rose Shulman

from the NYT: "Caponata is a sweet-and-sour Sicilian version of ratatouille. Because eggplant readily absorbs other flavors, it’s particularly good in such a pungent dish. Caponata should be served at room temperature, but it’s good cold and tastes even better if left overnight. Caponata makes a great topping for bruschetta."

ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds eggplant (1 large), roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, from the tender inner stalks, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
Salt to taste
1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably Romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree)
3 heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

method:
1. Roast the eggplant, then allow to cool. Chop coarsely.

2. Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, then add the onion and celery. Stir until the onion softens, about five minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir until just tender, about eight minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another five minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.

3. Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Serves six to eight
Advance preparation: Caponata will keep for three to five days in the refrigerator.

Dip into this Summer Bagna Cauda!

C'mon...you can do better than ranch dip with those perfect little veggies at your farmer's markets can't you? Don't they deserve a little more respect than that? Don't your guests deserve something a little more creative?? I thought so. And with this amazingly easy take on bagna cauda, that classic Mediterranean dipping sauce that is usually thought of as a fall and winter dish and served warm, this version which is served at room temp is perfect right now! Butter, garlic, olive oil, anchovies....are you freaking kidding me? If that doesn't get your pleasure receptors fired up then perhaps you'd be better off at the model railroaders blog or maybe starwarslosers.com

The rest of you, make your plans for a farmers market visit this weekend, then invite a few friends over, pop the corks on a few bottles of icy cold dry rosé, which is the perfect accompaniment to this treat, and spread some pungent summer love.*** *** ***
Summer Bagna Cauda With Vegetables
from the New York Times
recipe adapted from “Biba’s Northern Italian Cooking.”
Serves 4

From the NYT: "In Italy, bagna cauda, or hot anchovy dip, is usually served during the winter months. But it’s also delicious eaten at room temperature with fresh summer vegetables."

For the bagna cauda:
¼ cup butter
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To finish:
½ pound asparagus, trimmed and blanched
1 bunch small radishes, cleaned and trimmed
1 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise and seeded
1 bunch baby carrots, peeled and trimmed
1 sweet potato, sliced and roasted
1 small bunch celery, cleaned, stalks separated
1 endive, leaves separated.

1. Prepare the bagna cauda: in a small saucepan melt the butter in the oil. When the butter foams, add the garlic and cook over medium heat until the garlic just begins to color. Add the anchovies, reduce the heat to very low and stir until the anchovies have dissolved. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Just before serving, arrange the trimmed vegetables on a large platter and serve with the anchovy dip.

Cooks note: The NYT article listed the veggies above, but feel free to sub at will. I used peppers, baby carrots, French radishes, and roasted sweet potato (which was a big hit by the way). Next time I do it I'll also serve some crusty bread alongside.

A tale of two markets (w/ a delicious ending!)

After my somewhat traumatizing $22 chicken experience last week at one of our many farmer's markets here in PDX, I had another eye-opener this past Saturday. On Saturdays' here there are two main farmer's markets. One is downtown in the city center park blocks. Very attractive setting, GREAT vendors, where all the "foodies" and wannabes go. It's a great market, but gets crazy crowded (and I preface this next comment by saying I am a huge dog lover, and our beloved Chopper brings us untold happiness, but having said that would all you market shoppers leave your big fucking dogs in the car. It's bad enough with today's giant strollers that parents have, but when you see people with their big labs, newfies, and other oversize mutts, tugging every which way, blocking the flow of an already overcrowded pedestrian walkway, it's time to get a little awareness, don't ya think? Besides, I don't think Fido gives a rat's ass about whether baby artichokes or white asparagus are available!). Then there is the market in the Hollywood neighborhood on the eastside. Much smaller, low key, but with all your basic needs covered without the throngs of people who need to "be seen" downtown. And oh yeah, much lower prices.

Take my haul Saturday. I was in a risotto frame of mind, and made a beeline for the mushroom guy at the Hollywood market. Now there is a great mushroom guy downtown, too. The fungal glory that are morel mushrooms are in high season right now. Mmmmm, morels....earthy, intense, simply amazing. Price downtown: $35 a pound. Price at Hollywood market: $20 a pound. Difference in quality: zero! Plus most other offerings are at this market are at least 10-20% less. Give me a less popular location and better prices any day. Like my experience with the chicken, if we're ever going to get everyday people on board this whole buying locally, sustainably, and any other trendy adjective you want to use, something has to give price-wise.

So what did I make with all this foraged from the forest goodness? Check out one of my all-time favorite, easy, and sensationally delicious go-to dishes. This recipe that I adapted from Gourmet magazine and Anthony Bourdain, is guaranteed to get raves from your crowd!
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Wild Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Makes 4-6 servings.

ingredients:
3/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock or good quality broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 lb fresh wild mushrooms such as morels, shiitakes, porcini, chanterelles, or hedgehogs, trimmed and chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon white truffle oil* (optional)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
method:
Bring stock to a simmer in a 4-quart pot and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Cook shallots in 2 tablespoons butter in same saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Pour in wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.

Ladle in 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring very frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 16 to 18 minutes. (Save leftover stock for thinning.)

Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon butter, sautéed mushrooms, truffle oil to taste (if using), cheese, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. If desired, thin risotto with some of leftover stock.

Season's Eatings!

With spring finally hitting us here in PDX, my thoughts of course turn to what new seasonal delights I get to stuff in my ever hungry pie hole. It's good to know that in the next couple of weeks, if I don't feel like cooking springs bounty from the farmer's market, then my pals at Castagna have me covered with two fantastic special dinners that celebrate the best of what's fresh. At $45 a pop...including wine!...these are great dining bargains. I've done several Castagna wine dinners in the past, and they always deliver.
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SPRING ASPARAGUS DINNER
Wednesday May 7th 6:30 pm

~ Asparagus soup with fried morels
~ Pork schnitzel with asparagus
~ Elder flower ice cream

SPRING MOREL DINNER
Wednesday May 21st 6:30 pm

~ Vol au vent with morels & asparagus
~ Coq au vin Jaune with morels
~ Rhubarb crème brulée tart

$45 a person includes wine
call 503 231.7373 for reservations
Castagna
1752 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, Or 97214

Like an addiction is a bad thing.....

Like any good addiction, it built slowly. First, one box bought at my local farmer's market was enough. Then, by mid week I was jonesing again, and found myself walking away from the Viridian Farms stand with two boxes. Last Saturday, on my way to the market, I was actually starting to sweat, feeling a little panicky that they might be out by the time I got there and I wouldn't get my fix. I jumped out of the car, practically running to the Viridian Farms stand, only feeling relief upon seeing box after box of the cute, wrinkly little green gems known as pimientos de padron lined up on their counter. Knowing others were coming for dinner, I bought the largest box they had, my sense of well being intact as I wandered around the rest of the market, feeling its reassuring weight in my shopping bag.

I'm telling you, one taste of these late summer miracles will have you anticipating your next hook up as much as I do. This is the easiest, tastiest, most crowd pleasing appetizer you could ever serve. If they're not in your local market, well, I can only feel for your half empty lives. Me, I'm feeling pretty smug, as the folks at Viridian said they'd be around until the first frost. Imagine, WEEKS of satisfaction ahead!

If you're reading this in PDX, you can get them at the Viridian Farms stand at the downtown Saturday and Wednesday markets. If you're reading this and you live elsewhere, maybe they can overnight you some. It's worth it, I promise!!

The finished product, awaiting consumption!














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Sautéed Pimientos de Padron

ingredients:
1 dozen, more or less, pimientos de padron
olive oil
coarse sea salt (available at most markets. I get mine at Trader Joe's- BB)

method:
Pour olive oil to barely coat bottom of nonstick sauté pan, then add a smidge more. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add peppers, toss some sea salt on top, and sauté until brown and white marks appear, about four or five minutes. Serve immediately, using the stems as convenient little handles.

Getting Saucy!

Like me do you have an abundance problem? Too much of a good thing? Pounds and pounds of round red orbs falling off of your tomato plants, overflowing your baskets, rolling across your counters? Fruit flies buzzing about? I don't know about you, but no matter how freaking delicious they are right now I can only eat so many. And I've been eating dozens! So here's what ya do, so you can enjoy them when the dark days of winter are sapping your spirit...say January or February...when all seems cold and gray and tomato season seems to be not just months, but years away: MAKE SAUCE! In particular this sauce because nothing could be easier. I mean really easy in that walking down the street and breathing sort of way. If you don't have tomato plants at home, get yourselves to the nearest farmer's market, because tomato season is on! And come February, when you have your delicious, steaming platter of spaghetti with marinara sauce in front of you, and after that first bite you taste the sunny warmth of summer, think of me and know I'm probably doing exactly the same thing!

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Summer Fresh Tomato Sauce
(thanks to w's friend Kathleen for the inspiration!)

ingredients:
1 dozen (or more....or less) fresh tomatoes (I would use medium round or Roma/San Marzanos. Save the big beefsteaks for your burgers and BLT's)
kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil

method:
Preheat oven to 250*. Destem tomatoes. Slice tomatoes in half and arrange cut side up on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with olive oil. Slide baking sheet in middle of oven and roast for 3-1/2 hours. remove baking sheet. Carefully slide a spatula underneath each tomato and drop into work bowl of food processor. It may take a couple of batches. Pulse tomatoes until chopped to your desired consistency. Eat fresh, or remember that winter will soon be here and freeze a few conatiners.

*cook's note: I read a lot of recipes that called for adding herbs sprinkled on top while they roast. I think this takes away from the essential freshness of this sauce. Save the herbs to add when you heat up the sauce later.

Spring is calling!

It's automatic: Springtime...sun comes out in PDX...warmth...no rain...grill is calling...find piece of animal to cook.........................

But sometimes you need too ignore the siren song, because one of the other signs of spring is fresh, young asparagus that is seemingly calling to you from every stall of the farmer's market, just begging to be cooked in any number of ways. Last night w and I had a very satisfying Asparagus Risotto based on a Mario Batali recipe. Risotto is one of those things that to me always tastes, and feels, so good. The Italian equivalent...along with creamy polenta...of mashed potatoes. Total comfort food. Here's yet one more way to take advantage of spring.....
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Asparagus Risotto
Adapted from Mario Batali
Time: 45 minutes
1 pound asparagus, peeled, trimmed and cut into one-inch-long pieces, tips reserved (I didn't peel the asparagus and it worked just fine. If you're more patient than me, have at it!- bb)
4 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 medium red onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add half the asparagus stalks and cook until quite soft, at least 5 minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water. Put cooked asparagus in a blender or food processor and add just enough water to allow machine to puree until smooth; set aside.

2. Put stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine, stir, and let liquid bubble away. Add a large pinch of salt. Add warmed stock, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time stock has just about evaporated, add more.

4. After about 15 minutes, add remaining asparagus pieces and tips, continuing to add stock when necessary. In 5 minutes, begin tasting rice. You want it to be tender but with a bit of crunch; it could take as long as 30 minutes total to reach this stage. When it does, stir in 1/2 cup asparagus puree. Remove skillet from heat, add remaining butter and stir briskly. Add Parmesan and stir briskly, then taste and adjust seasoning. Risotto should be slightly soupy. Serve immediately.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings.