Fresh Summer Salad

A fresh summer salad from my garden is defined daily by whatever is "ready to pick". Today, in the sweltering heat, i quickly watered and plucked a handful of radishes and some rosemary before escaping indoors to prepare a simple salad lunch. Radishes aren't always the easiest vegetables to insert into a recipe. Generally speaking we eat them as they are, perhaps with a little olive oil (or butter - eek!) and salt, but the radish i have this year are super spicy and require a morcel of attention. Historically, radishes (which have been around in culinary terms for over 1000 years) have the role of “clearing the taste & preparing for food and drink”* and should be eaten raw and without much fuss. The combination that follows is a crunchy, peppery, sweet and sour salad with a hint of fragrance from the fresh rosemary. I added tiny cubes of aged Comte cheese which deliver an earthiness and complementary texture.

Serves 4 as a light appetizer


Radish, Apple and Comte salad

8 medium radishes, sliced thinly into circles
1 granny smith apple, cored, quatered and sliced thinly lengthways
1 shallot, quatered and sliced thinly
8 oz Comte cheese, cubed

dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1/2 tsp honey
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
salt and pepper

Method

Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl, being careful not to break the apple slices. In a separate jar with a lid, combine the dressing ingredients and shake well. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix to ensure all the morcels are coated. Serve immediately or chill for later.

* (Jane Grigson - Vegetable Book)

Strawberry Delight

Expect the unexpected. It’s not a motto i live my life by, but it certainly has it’s place in the context of the weather we’re experiencing right now, and i have no complaints. Our higher than average seasonal temperatures and prolongued days of sunshine have ensured our strawberry season has arrived with gusto. We’ve waited patiently for some color in our urban garden, and like the first glimpse of sunshine after a storm, were rewarded with these rich red, textured, heart shaped fruit nesting in their foliage. A good percentage of home grown strawberries are popped straight into the pickers mouth. For any which make it into the kitchen, try this no-bake Strawberry Cheesecake using some tangy, creamy, fresh Michigan Cream Cheese.



Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 4-6 depending on glass size

Ingredients

• 6oz Graham Crackers, crumbed
• 2oz butter, melted
• 12oz Michigan Cream Cheese
• 2oz confectioners sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla essence
• ⅔ cup/5 fl oz heavy cream
• 8oz (approximately 10 medium) strawberries
• 2tbsp confectioners sugar

1. In a bowl, mix the melted butted and the crushed graham crackers (you can do this in a processor or by hand by putting into a plastic bag and using a rolling pin)
2. Press into the individual glasses for serving and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the heavy cream and combine.
4. Spoon the cream mixture onto the individual cooled biscuit bases and refrigerate.
5. Puree half the strawberries with the 2tbsp sugar and seive.
6. Slice or dice the remaining strawberries and pile onto the cheesecake bases, then drizzle

          with the puree

 

Green City Market Pickings

Saturday mornings are usually a leisurely affair in our household. I'm the one who stumbles into the kitchen bleary eyed and bed-headed in my pj's desperately seeking out the coffee pot. I'm grumpy and i communicate in grunts. Once i have my hands tightly wrapped around that steaming mug of freshly brewed french press, i become human again. We are definitely not the family who comes to the breakfast table all sparkling clean and new. Last weekend was an exception, because we didn't convene around our usual breakfast table, but chose instead to head to Green City Market "early doors" to snaffle the best fresh produce and enjoy coffee and fresh pastries. There are folks who do this weekly and without a doubt i understand its appeal. When residing in France we find a different local outdoor market to frequent every day, and a little place to drink a small black coffee and eat the occasional croissant au beurre. At Green City, not only did we get to feast on Monkey Buns (like a croissant but folded differently and topped with a sprinkling of sugar), fresh wholewheat pancakes and buttery brioche, but we came home with a small collection of rather fine ingredients. Ah, and the coffee, Chicago's very own Intelligentsia, a homely cup of freshly brewed medium roast just topped off with milk. The "rather fine ingredients" included (amongst other things which i will wax lyrical about in a future post but think fresh cheese and interesting coloured vegetable variations) spinach and a boule of sourdough bread enveloping small buttery sweet chunks of Yukon Gold potatoes. The spinach along with 2 crushed garlic cloves became a soft frittata made with a half dozen free range organic eggs. I volunteered for the extra special wibbly wobbly soft bit in the middle, and spread it onto my bread, a very satisfying end to our Saturday morning.

Spring has Sprung

Right now is the perfect moment to embrace the seasonality of cheese. The explosion of spring brings delicious fresh cheeses back to centre stage. It’s easy to overlook the fact that our animals produce milk essentially to feed their young, so it follows that fresh sheep or goat milk cheeses are seasonal. Those skipping spring lambs and goats signify the best time to start eating fresh, un-aged goat and sheep milk cheeses. An urban spring is unlike a rural one in that the reality of these images is unlikely to frequent the lives of seasoned cityfolk, other than for a sporadic jaunt into the countryside. By cultivating and nurturing our own small parcel of shared land tucked away in our urban landscape, we’re connecting ourselves with our neighbors and immediate physical environment in the best way possible. It’s the 2nd growing season for Merchant Part Community Garden and we’ve added 6 new plots. Folks are busy planting seeds and anything incubated over our cold but milder-than-usual winter is bursting forth with gusto, akin to those little lambs after taking their first clumsy, tentative steps. Self seeded lettuces are popping up unexpectedly and plants usually categorised as annuals are making their second appearance on the spring stage. Nature has a way of taking taking us by surprise. Rather than meddle with these delicate cheeses, i have a simple suggestion. Choose a fresh cheese, serve it alongside hot toasted seeded bread oozing with melted salted butter and some pickled fennel to add a tangy anise crunch. I have used fresh Mozzarella for this recipe.

Makes 1 pint

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, split down the middle vertically and chopped into ¼ inch thick semi circles
2 cups of white wine vinegar
⅔ cups sugar
⅓ cup water
1 tspn salt
½ tspn each of fennel, caraway and mustard seeds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a pan and bring to the boil
2. Add the chopped fennel and cook for 5 minutes
3. Toast the seeds in a dry frying pan and drop into the bottom of a sterilized jar
4. Pour the pickling liquid and fennel over the seeds in the jar leaving ¼ inch at the top.
5. Seal the jar and leave to cool.

This will keep for 1 month, if you want it to keep for longer then process the sealed jar in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Jumping on the Street Food (Band) Wagon

As a European immigrant to America, I’m continually inspired by some of the little known ingredients adorning the displays of my local Windy City grocery store, where the avocados are always ripe and delicious, the watermelon seed free, juicy and sweet. Despite backpacking in Mexico some years ago, I never ate cactus or jicama, but filled up on street side tacos, quesadillas, pickles and oil drum rotisserie chicken with the occasional splurge on a restaurant meal which invariably wasn’t half as good as the street food.
The street vendor struggle is well documented in our city, where officially no one is allowed to prepare and sell food on the street for public consumption. There are a number of dormant food vans awaiting a change in the law to legalize the preparation and sale of food streetside. The culinary landscape in Chicago is already diverse, add this movement to our repertoire and it’s a new dawn. There’s been a burgeoning of artisanal businesses, a movement which in some cases reflects the food truck model.
Operating in a confined space with limited ingredients to produce quality, freshly prepared goodies for waiting customers can be best served by employing a refined and focused menu. Just as the spatial limitations of a food truck do nothing to hinder the quality of the output, the same applies to our small 8’ x 8’ raised beds in our garden Urban Community Garden. The smaller the space, the more resourceful you have to be, a lot of it is about the preparation.
The winter months put a stop to most growth in the raised beds, with the exception of some winter salad leaves grown under plastic. The augmentation of small scale street vendors of late correlates to that warm sun we've been feeling, and is the inspiration for this Mexican style chili-dressed salad, using the winter leaves which are available. It’s vibrant and refreshing, made more substantial with the addition of some sticky and salty Valbreso feta cheese and a chilli kick from mixed spiced nuts.

Mexican inspired crunchy, spicy salad

Serves 4 as a starter
8oz spinach, washed and torn
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into batons (no need to peel if using an English Cucumber)
½ / 8oz Jicama sliced into matchsticks
16oz watermelon cubed into 1cm cubes
4 salad onions sliced lengthways
7oz Valbreso Feta cheese, crumbled
3 limes, juiced
1tspn salt
1tspn mexican chilli powder
2oz spiced nuts (see recipe below)
1. Put the spinach, cucumber, jicama, watermelon, onions and feta into a large bowl
2. Mix the lime, chilli and salt and pour over the salad ingredients, toss together carefully
3. Sprinkle the salad with the spiced nuts and serve

Spiced and candied Mixed Nuts

8 oz mixed nuts
2 tbspn confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
½ tspn of each of the following: cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon, allspice, cumin, salt, ground black pepper
2 tbspn vegetable oil
1. Place the nuts in a bowl and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute then drain.
2. Stir the confectioners sugar into the nuts to coat.
3. Mix the spices together in a bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet (frying pan) and fry the nuts until they take on some color, about 1 minute.
5. Remove the nuts from the pan with a slotted spoon and toss into the spice mixture, making sure all the nuts are evenly coated.
6. Spread the nuts out onto a tray to dry out and store in an airtight container in a cupboard for up to 2 weeks

Sno-zone Layer

 
I recently took off from Chicago on an evening Trans Atlantic flight in bright sunshine and cloudless skies with not a flake of snow on the ground. We were greeted on our descent into London Heathrow at sunrise by a fresh blanket of snow covering the green and pleasant land: it seemed everything that should be normal is not normal. Things seemed to be upside down, inside out and topsy turvey (thankfully not the airplane): my unsynchronised bodyclock, the distant acquaintance with my homeland after a year of absence, and, on an inauspicious note, the disconnect between anticipated and actual weather patterns.
The reality of climate change appears increasingly obvious. The last winter Olympics in Whistler were characterised by a serious lack of the white stuff, and, going slightly off-piste, I am wondering what apres-ski fayre was on offer as sustenance for those ski folk going stir crazy from the lack of snow. Elk? Venison? Freshly landed Pacific Coast seafood? I’m not convinced that highly tuned Olympic athletes coming off the slopes would plump for such cheesy Alpine delights as Tartiflette, a staple of those chalet restaurants that dot the mountainsides of the Savoie in France. Potatoes, cheese, bacon and cream are baked together with a triumphant result.
The reality of this dish is the reverse of it’s delicate sounding name. It is rich, luxurious and homely. I recall groaning my way through a Tartiflette during the height of a heatwave some years ago while camping in the Savoie, being pig-headed about eating a regional favourite. A half Reblechon sits on top of the potato mixture so that when the cheese melts the rind is left on top. Delicious. Pickled vegetables or gherkins make a good acidic accompaniment washed down with a glass of cold white wine. Our garden potatoes were limited this year but in abundance they can be stored successfully over winter. Reblochon can easily be replaced by Ardrahan, an award winning Irish washed rind cheese with a distinctly earthy aroma and an equally good crust.

Tartiflette

Serves 6

• 2 1/2 lb/1.1 kg waxy potatoes
• 2 tbsp/28 g butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2lb/225g slab bacon chopped, or lardons
• ¼ cup/60 ml dry white wine
• 1 cup/240ml heavy cream
• 1lb/450g Reblochon cheese (Substitute with Ardrahan or Hooligan) 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C.
2. Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes. (Use potatoes of similar size to ensure even cooking).
3. Drain the potatoes and slice into 1 cm rounds when cooled.
4. In a saute pan heat the butter, add the onion and saute until golden brown. Add the bacon/lardons and saute over a medium heat until crisp. Pour off any excess fat.
5. Add the potatoes and wine to the saute pan and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients together for a minute.
7. Butter the inside of 10 inch earthenware baking dish. Add the potato mixture and smooth the surface.
8. Slice the cheese in half horizontally into half moons. Use a sharp knife to lightly score the crust of each piece.
9. Place the two pieces of cheese crust-side-up on top of the potatoes so that they form a circular cheese again. Bake in the oven until bubbling, for about 45 minutes.

The Onion Principle

Somewhat belatedly, we find ourselves in the depths of winter, although i’m still not sure if we’re totally there yet. I’ve been anticipating blizzards and all the challenges they bring with them since, ooh, November, so I wasn’t disappointed when finally some snow arrived. It introduces another dimension to our day and instantly makes me think of steaming mugs of hot cocoa and scrumptious stove-top stews served bubbling from the pot. Our house is like an unending human flip-book of dressing indecision - layers on, layers off - but the Onion Principle is proven to be the best way of maintaining one’s core temperature.

To celebrate the versatility of the onion, this triumphant alium, in all it’s glory, I have showcased it by baking it under a blanket of Italian Gorgonzola in an onion gratin. This dish will stick to your ribs, providing another layer of insulation against the cold. The gratin makes a rich and tantalising side dish to accompany a steak or roast beef (I recently discovered tri-tip roast,  a cheaper and very tasty cut), or as an entree served with warm crusty french bread and a spinach salad.

Last year, I harvested shallots from the garden and these can be roasted whole for this recipe, but I have used sweet yellow onions here since they are more accessible. Onions can be stored perfectly well over the earlier winter months by initially air drying the tops then braiding them before hanging in a sheltered damp free location with air circulation. Some experimentation with homemade polytunnels at the garden this winter has provided a steady crop of spinach for a salad. Pair with a big, gutsy red wine or a dark beer.

Onion and Gorgonzola Gratin

Serves 6 as a side, 4 as a lunch entree.

3 medium yellow onions, quartered and separated

2 tbsp olive oil

seasoning

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 cup/240ml heavy cream

¼ cup/60ml dry white wine

nutmeg

4oz Gorgonzola

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9" x 9" ovenproof dish toss onions in the olive oil and season. 

Bake for 45 minutes and stir the onions occasionally when required. Remove from the oven.
2. Melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux, cook out for a minute before adding the cream, wine, nutmeg and seasoning. Cook for a further 5 minutes on a low heat.
3. Pour the sauce over the cooked onions and sprinkle with the Gorgonzola.

Grill until bubbling (approximately 2 minutes).

Serve immediately.

Good things come in small packages

Growing up in England, our end of year excesses were confined to Christmas and the New Year. This year in Chicago, i find myself recovering from a 4 day weekend of lavishness, the crowning glory of which had to be the brined and roasted organic turkey, or was it the sage, sausagemeat and chestnut stuffing, but surely the pecan pie takes first place or perhaps it was the sneaky cheese course.....Regardless, the advent of my first Thanksgiving in Chicago has led me to rekindle some festive childhood memories from afar. There were always an array of salted and sweet snacks, from nuts to hand dipped chocolate gingers which I'd make with mum once school was over, and a centrepiece - a Stilton (with the requisite bottle of Port wine for the adults). Assuming you’ve decked the halls and made some headway into your yuletide preparations, you may be planning on welcoming friends into your home and sharing food and drink: what better way to elevate your spirits.


As we creep towards the end of the year I'm surprised at the collection of treats I have to hand from the garden. As recently as early November I was harvesting tomatoes. Some of the ever abundant cherry variety made it into the oven to be dried and then neatly packed away in olive oil and herbs for later. Herbs reside in the freezer and will be used daily to flavour dishes. Chilli peppers, both red and green, made it into chilli jam perfectly flecked with the colors of Christmas, and make a gloriously spicy accompaniment to cheese. If you don’t have a glowing log fire to warm you from the outside, then the chilli will do the job from the inside.


Thinking of my heritage led me to produce some slightly retro cheesy numbers, moreish mouthfuls to wash down with a glass of festive fizz (try adding pomegranate concentrate to a fizzy white such as Bele Casel Prosecco), or mull some red wine with spices and orange.


Bitesize stitchelton tarts - the blue and gooey affair - a cheat’s pastry basket filled with stichelton dip and baked.



Makes approx 24


12 slices white bread
butter for spreading
6oz stichelton (crumbled)
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
worcestershire sauce
seasoning


1. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the slices of bread, then butter on both sides. Using a 2 ½” cookie cutter cut out 2 pieces from each slice, and push into a muffin tray (i use individual silicon moulds).
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and spoon approx 1tspn of the mixture into the bread moulds.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.


Cheese and Chilli - the warm and spicy one - goats cheese warm from the oven drizzled with homemade jalapeno jelly. Scoop it up on pieces of artisan crackers which stand up to being dipped. You could give remaining jars of jelly as a Christmas gift (or keep it in the fridge all for yourself)



Prairie Fruits Farm chevre frais 6 oz pot
Jalapeno Jelly (see recipe below)


Warm the goats cheese in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove and spoon a generous helping of jelly over the top. Serve immediately with crackers for dipping.


Jalapeno Jelly


Makes approx 5 cups or 5 x ½lb jars


¾ lb jalapeno peppers
2 cups cider vinegar, divided
6 cups sugar
2 (3 ounce) envelopes liquid pectin


1. Remove stems and seeds from jalapenos, puree in food processor with half the cider vinegar
2. Combine puree, remaining cider vinegar, and sugar in large saucepan. Bring
to a boil; boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in liquid pectin. Return to a rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat.
4. Skim foam, if necessary, and stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.
5. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust 2 piece caps.
If you want to ensure preservation for more than 2 months then process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.


Parmesan, walnut and rosemary crackers - the nutty, salty one - a twist on an old favourite. Eat by themselves, any leftovers can be used in salads or as croutons in soups.

Makes approx 50


1 cup/4 oz all-purpose flour
4 tbsp/2 oz chilled butter
½ cup/2 oz grated Parmesan (or Podda)
1 cup/4oz toasted walnuts, finely chopped
2 tspn dried rosemary (double the amount if using fresh)
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper
1 egg
milk for brushing




1. Toast the walnuts in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
2. Rub the butter into the flour in a bowl until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the cheese, walnuts, rosemary,salt and pepper and mix. Add the egg and bring the dough together. If it’s too dry add a tspn of cold water. Once the egg is absorbed, knead the dough lightly until it comes together and forms a ball. Shape into logs 1” across, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into ¼ “ slices. Place on the baking sheet and brush with milk.



5.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.


A Mediterranean mouthful - the meaty, fruity choice - Oven dried cherry tomato and slivers of marinated garlic enveloped in Jamon Serrano.


Makes approx 24


8 slices of Jamon Serrano
24 halves oven dried tomatoes (see below for recipe)
3 cloves marinated garlic


Lay out your slices of ham and tear 2” pieces, wrap around an oven dried cherry tomato and a sliver of marinated garlic (optional). Skewer with a small stick of rosemary.


Oven dried tomatoes



Makes one ½ lb jar


Cherry tomatoes (1 small box)
Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
Mediterranean herbs


Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each tomato crosswise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.


Use them straight away or pack in a jar with the garlic and herbs, cover with olive oil to jazz up pizza or sandwiches.

A feast for a festival

November is a month for remembrance, celebration, and all things orange. Orange is said to stimulate the appetite, somewhat indicative of the time of year with the onset of the colder weather. Socially, orange and black represent Halloween while orange and brown are synonymous with Thanksgiving.

The origins of these prominent dates marked on our calendars at this time of year are arguably rooted in harvest time, among other things. So as we replace one set of decorations with another, it feels like a race to the “big event”, Christmas. Slow down.

This is also a time for reflection. I’m doing some of my own now that our garden harvesting is mostly over for this year, although some winter spinach crops and parsnips remain in the ground for a while longer, I stop to consider what we have successfully grown.

We need no excuse for a feast presently and my mind turns to Butternut Squash - the lovely orange, versatile, dense fleshy vegetable readily available to buy now but one which can be stored. A few from the garden made it into the pot this year, unlike some other unlucky squash varieties which fell victim to the squash bug who infected much of the crop.

In a traditional marriage of flavors for this Butternut squash lasagna, I've included garlic and fresh sage (I’m still picking sage fresh from my plants but it can be chopped and frozen for future use). I’ve chosen to use fresh Mozzarella alongside Prairie Breeze Cheddar, which adds a saltiness to the dish which is otherwise sweet from the squash, and toasted hazelnuts add a luxurious crunch. The chunks of squash retain their shape in this dish, quickly giving way to an oozy, cheesy sauce.

This makes a great dish for the Thanksgiving holiday and I’ve teamed it with an indulgent winter coleslaw.

Butternut is also a gift for winter soups and purees.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Serves 4-6

Squash filling

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp butter

3 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1inch cubes

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp chopped sage

1 cup/4oz hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped

1tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

white sauce:

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp butter

5 tbsp flour

4½ cups/40 fl oz milk

½ cup/8 fl oz white wine

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

cheese layer

1/2 lb/2 cups fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated

4 oz/1 cup Prairie Breeze cheddar, coarsely grated

12 small sheets (1/2 lb) lasagna

Filling

Soften the onion in the butter in a large pan, add the garlic and squash and cook on the hob for about 15 minutes (until the squash is just tender). Put a lid on the pan after the first 5 minutes as this allows the squash to steam after it’s initial coloring in the pan. Once cooked, stir in the parsley, sage, nuts and seasoning. Leave to one side.

Roux Sauce

Melt the butter and soften the garlic. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and wine, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaf and seasoning. Leave to one side.

Assembly

Assemble in a rectangular dish 13” x 9”. Spread a spoonful of the sauce on the bottom of the dish, cover with 3 sheets of pasta, next 2/3 cup sauce and one third of the filling, then 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat twice more with pasta, sauce, filling and cheese. Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

* the filling and roux can be made a day ahead and chilled.

Winter coleslaw

2 large carrots, finely grated

2 cups red cabbage, shredded

1 small red onion, finely sliced

1tbsp capers, chopped

4 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp cider vinegar

pinch of brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

Mix the carrots, cabbage, onion and capers in a serving bowl. Mix the remaining dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir into the vegetable mix.

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 spreadToast 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/