Tuesday 18 October 2011

Cheesy Fall Fixes - a trio of toasties



This month i’ve witnessed some spectacular golden, red and orange hues burning against the blue skies, and with them the reality that our summer growing season is ending. Some plants in the garden, as they wilt and decay, beg to be relieved of their last fruits, with it bringing hope that the goodness in the soil is being replenished for next year. A rebirth. So as the curtain falls on summer, i’ve turned my thoughts to preserves. By saving any surplus from our garden bounty, i can keep the memory of summer alive on a plate. I’ve pulled some end of season beets from my patch to make a spiced relish with orange, and jellied the excess of my mediterranean herbs. With the colder weather in mind, i’ve matched these with a trio of melt in your mouth grilled American cheeses, comfort food for the long, cold nights ahead. What better way to highlight some of our nations artisans as part of American Cheese Month. I’m keeping my winter bed warm with straw, and wait tentatively for new season garlic sprouts in the Spring.



Rustic seeded roll smothered in a blanket of melted Appalachian cheese - a slightly sweet, nutty and supple cow’s milk cheese from Meadow Creek Dairy in Virginia - mixed with leek, egg and cream. This is an indulgent treat not to be missed.

Rustic roll with Appalachian, leek, egg and cream topping

1 medium leek, chopped small
1tbsp olive oil
6oz Appalachian cheese, grated
2 egg yolks

1tspn thyme

2 tbsp cream

½ tspn grainy mustard
seasoning

butter for spreading

2 rustic rolls, halved lengthways

Gently soften the chopped leek in the olive oil for 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix the remainder of the ingredients and add the cooked leek. Toast the rustic roll lightly on both sides, butter it, and put the cheese mixture evenly on top and to the edges. Place under a medium grill until the cheese begins to bubble and colour.




Walnut bread topped and toasted with Point Reyes Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead in California - a silky, salty organic blue with a spiced beetroot relish on the side. The mustard seeds add a crunchy texture to this relish, and for any beet sceptics out there this is a relish to relish. Try it.

Walnut bread with Point Reyes Blue and beet relish


6oz Point Reyes Blue

2 slices walnut bread from a large loaf (or 4 from a small)

butter to spread
Toast the walnut bread lightly on both sides.

Butter the toast and crumble or spread the Point Reyes blue onto one side. Return to the grill and toast lightly until the cheese bubbles on top. Serve with the beetroot relish below.


Spiced beetroot relish


This makes approximately 4lbs or 8 x 8oz jars.

3lbs beetroot washed, peeled and chopped into small cubes

3 onions peeled and finely chopped

3 apples peeled and grated

3 oranges zested and juiced
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
1tbsp ground cloves
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 cups / 24oz red wine vinegar
1 1/2lbs golden sugar
pepper

In a large saucepan, mix all the ingredients and bring to a gently simmer. Cook for 1 hour with the lid on, stirring occasionally until it appears thick and the beetroot tender.

While the relish is cooking, sterilize your jars. Either put them through a short wash in the dishwasher or boil for 15 minutes in a large pot. Be careful to lift the jars with clean tongs so as not to introduce any new bacteria.


Spoon the cooked relish into the jars and, using a clean cloth, wipe the jar clean of any residue around the rim before sealing.

It can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months and use as desired. Once opened the shelf life is 2 months.




Crusty french baguette topped with Hooligan - a pungent, creamy washed rind cheese from Cato Corner Farm in Conneticut - served with a dollop of fragrant mediterranean herb jelly

Baguette with Hooligan and herb jelly

1 medium sized baguette, halfed length and widthways into 4

butter to spread
6oz Hooligan, sliced thinly


Toast the baguette lightly on both sides. Spread with butter and lay the sliced Hooligan on the bread. Return to the grill and toast lightly until the cheese bubbles on top. Serve with Mediterranean herb jelly spooned over the top.


Mediterranean herb jelly

This makes approximately 3 1 pint jelly jars / 5 - 6 cups

3 cups apple juice
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (Rosemary, Oregano and Mint work well)

2 tbspns freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pouch of liquid pectin Sure Jell OR 1 pack (1 ¾ ounces or ⅓ cup) powdered pectin

½ teaspoon butter

4 cups sugar

sprigs of herbs rinsed and dried to decorate jars


Sterilize your jars. Either put them through a short wash in the dishwasher or boil for 15 minutes in a large pot.


Heat the apple juice and chopped herbs to a low simmer. Remove from the heat and stand for 20 minutes. Strain the herbs and juice into a large bowl and put the juice only back into the pot.

Return herbs to the hob on a medium - high heat, add the lemon juice, stir in the pectin and butter and stir until it comes to a full boil. Add the sugar and stir until it returns to the boil again. Cook at a rolling boil for exactly 1 minute.


Remove from the heat and skim off the foam with a clean spoon.

Place a sprig of herb into each jar and spoon in the jelly. Using a clean cloth, wipe the jar clean of any residue around the rim before sealing.

It can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months and use as desired. Once opened the shelf life is 2 months.


To tantalise your tastebuds even further, pair with a sweet cider or a beer with a sparkle. I also think these can be dressed up accordingly for the occasion. For a lunch with friends, toss a few salad leaves in citrus and olive oil and add to the plate.
All the cheese recipes serve 2 generously. The relish and jelly recipes will make a “batch”.


October posting written for http://www.pastoralartisan.com/

A love affair with tomatoes - part deux

I am currently writing allotment inspired recipes for Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine in Chicago - a "European-inspired neighborhood cheese, specialty food and wine shop offering the highest quality, cut-to-order domestic and international specialty cheeses, freshly baked breads, perfectly chosen accompaniments and small production wines, along with hand-crafted, cheese loving beers"

September issue 1

We are excited to introduce a series of recipes from our friend and fellow cheese-lover Jane McKay at the Merchant Park Community Garden. Each month, we'll feature a delicious recipe that marries our artisan cheeses and the seasonal, local produce from our own backyard in Chicago. Keep up to date with happenings at the Garden on their facebook page and keep checking in here for more great recipes and pairings.

Merchant Park Community Garden (MPCG) strives to provide an opportunity for neighbors and their children to work, play, learn and grow together. MPCG is not only for the benefit of our members, but also aims to benefit the community at large through outreach efforts such as donations to local food pantries. In short, MPCG is an oasis in the 30th ward - a backyard for us all.

Kids Love Tomato  Tarts With Cheese

The garden at this time of year has been groaning with fruit, providing us with a bountiful supply of tomatoes. Our hot Chicago summer, peppered with big rain showers, has allowed the plants to fruit abundantly.

With heirlooms such as Reis brought from Wisconsin, to Black Prince, green and red Tigrella and of course Cherries, one way or another, tomatoes make their way into our weekly menu and when the season is over then in come the tinned or store bought alternatives. Imagine a year round diet without tomatoes? This year I will say "imagine a year without homegrown tomatoes".

The tomatoes coming from our vines are juicy, misshaped and tasty mouthwatering fruits. Aside from eating them straight from the vine, there are many ways to prepare tomatoes; from a simple salad of sliced fruit drizzled with olive oil and splashed with balsamic vinegar, (I recommend you use the best oil and vinegar that you can get. Try Frescobaldi Laudemio oil and La Vecchia balsamic, aged 10 years); to a fresh tomato sauce with such depth of flavor that all it requires is a bowl of spaghetti as a vehicle for eating.

Tomato Tart With  Prairie Fruits Farm Fresh Chevre And Mozzarella

To pay homage to our ongoing first harvest, a Tarte fine aux tomates (Tomato Tart) is offered up. The tomatoes are sat on top of the tart which allows them to partially dry out during cooking, concentrating their already sweet and sharp flavors. Underneath, the tomatoes are cushioned by a delicious creamy, salty and fragrant mixture of grated Parmesan and soft goat cheese flecked with fresh basil. A fresh Aioli is the perfect addition. Eat the tart while it's still warm with a glass of crisp Rose wine such as Prestige Chateau Peuch Haut.

Tarte fine aux tomates

serves 4

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F.

Roll the pastry to 12" and place on a baking sheet.

In a bowl grate the parmesan, tear in the basil, mix in the goat cheese and season

Spread the mixture onto the inner 8" circle of the pastry

Slice the tomatoes and lay them in ever decreasing circles from the outside edge of the pastry inwards, and upwards over the cheese mixture, using the top and bottom slices to prop up each circle as you move towards the the center.

Bake at 390 degrees F for 25 minutes, and then for a further 45 minutes at 340 degrees F.

aioli

serves 4

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 12 ounces/350ml olive oil (or half the amount of olive to half vegetable oil)
  • 3 crushed cloves of garlic

Put the egg yolks into a basin, add the water and mustard

Start whisking a drizzle of olive oil until incorporated ensuring the mixture doesn't split. Add the oil in small amounts whisking continuously until the mixture becomes firm.

Mix in the crushed garlic and season to taste

Alternatively the aioli can be made in a small food processor by adding the oil slowly while blending

Jane McKay is a member of the Merchant Park Community Garden - "a backyard for us all"

Everything we grow is within 8' x 8' raised beds, constructed by the members in May 2011. Each raised bed has a dedicated owner for a year and all of our produce is organically grown.