The Food Nanny
July15/16 2008
Meal 1: Pan Roasted Meatloaf, New Potatoes with Green Beans, & Peach Cobbler
· Pre-heat your oven to 375°. Bake the meatloaves for 10-13 minutes depending upon your preferred doneness. They should be sizzly, aromatic, and somewhat firm to the touch.
· Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a sauce pan with a little water and some butter, salt and pepper. Allow the water to boil gently, cover the pot and steam the potatoes until hot, about 5 minutes. Then add the green beans and steam one minute more. Add a pat more butter and serve. Alternately, you can dress them cold with olive oil and herbs or a vinaigrette.
· Remove the piece of wax paper separating the peaches from the biscuit. Place the cobbler in the oven to bake at 350 °for 5-10 minutes or until beginning to bubble. Add the biscuit to the top and bake for 5 minutes more. Enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream
Meal 2: Fried Polenta with Summer Vegetable Ragout, Herb Risotto, & Blue Moon Salad Mix
· In a sauté pan heat some oil on medium high. When the oil is hot place the polenta cake in the pan ‘dry’ side down – be careful! Cook several minutes until lightly browned, then flip and finish cooking through. Reserve the polenta cake and sauté the ragout in the same pan. Serve atop the cake.
· To finish the risotto place it in a sauce pan with a little water and heat to a simmer stirring all the while. If necessary, and a little more water and stir until the rice grains are firm but not starchy. Finish with a bit of parm, butter, or very good olive oil if you like.
· Dress the salad with oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy!
Trivia: What is the traditional Swedish garnish for new potatoes?
July15/16 2008
Meal 1: Pan Roasted Meatloaf, New Potatoes with Green Beans, & Peach Cobbler
· Pre-heat your oven to 375°. Bake the meatloaves for 10-13 minutes depending upon your preferred doneness. They should be sizzly, aromatic, and somewhat firm to the touch.
· Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a sauce pan with a little water and some butter, salt and pepper. Allow the water to boil gently, cover the pot and steam the potatoes until hot, about 5 minutes. Then add the green beans and steam one minute more. Add a pat more butter and serve. Alternately, you can dress them cold with olive oil and herbs or a vinaigrette.
· Remove the piece of wax paper separating the peaches from the biscuit. Place the cobbler in the oven to bake at 350 °for 5-10 minutes or until beginning to bubble. Add the biscuit to the top and bake for 5 minutes more. Enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream
Meal 2: Fried Polenta with Summer Vegetable Ragout, Herb Risotto, & Blue Moon Salad Mix
· In a sauté pan heat some oil on medium high. When the oil is hot place the polenta cake in the pan ‘dry’ side down – be careful! Cook several minutes until lightly browned, then flip and finish cooking through. Reserve the polenta cake and sauté the ragout in the same pan. Serve atop the cake.
· To finish the risotto place it in a sauce pan with a little water and heat to a simmer stirring all the while. If necessary, and a little more water and stir until the rice grains are firm but not starchy. Finish with a bit of parm, butter, or very good olive oil if you like.
· Dress the salad with oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy!
Trivia: What is the traditional Swedish garnish for new potatoes?
A Vegetable Garden is Not Beautiful; Unless You Think Food is Beautiful
This was actually spoken to me this week. Go figure.
Above is our variety of garlic. It was found growing ferel in the compost area of the Meadowbrook Organic Gardens by Kate and I in 2003. We grew out the plants and have cultivated the bulbs since. My best guess is that it is a Rocambole type. The skins mature to a mauve color. It has medium heat and roasts well. We use it all around as it fortifies food as garlic should without being over-prominent. We call it Urbana Tiger.
I would like to present some new arrivale to the cast this week. Most notably, to my sensabilities: The Potato.
New potatoes are sublime and I summon all the power of my convictions to convince you to raise some just so you can experience the otherwise unapproachable gustation of freshly dug new potatoes. They are unique and become something else: a potato, and still a good one at that, after even 12 hours.
New Potatoes are the young ones either robbed from the hills of the parent plants or just taken whilst small due to market demands or a justified impatience.
Red Norland is one of the first varieties to come on line and it is a good potato. But grab some Red Gold if you see it. Imagine Yukon Gold and Red Norland's love child.
I planted over 30 lbs. of potato for us all this year, over 7 different varieties. But my Meadowbrook plot all but failed mainly due to innundation and poor plot preparation last fall. Rest assured I'll find some great treats for you all at the market.
We are also, finally, getting local onions. Lets hope for a good keeper crop. I should put up several hundred pounds for this year. FYI we are averaging 10 lbs. per week. Eat 'em up folks!
And hey ! Sweet corn!
The ragout is just the epitome of midsummer eating to me. We are very fortunate to have farmers bringing eggplant to us to lend its lusciousness to the otherwise square saute of corn, onions and squash. The red pepper is the end of our garden stash of roasters we put up from last year. There are somethings that only come with summers heat, and sweet red peppers are one of them.
The ragout is just the epitome of midsummer eating to me. We are very fortunate to have farmers bringing eggplant to us to lend its lusciousness to the otherwise square saute of corn, onions and squash. The red pepper is the end of our garden stash of roasters we put up from last year. There are somethings that only come with summers heat, and sweet red peppers are one of them. 
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