Spinach Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
A loosely packed cup of spinach
Your favorite cheese (that melts - I used a combination of Cabot Cheddar and Spring Day Creamery Blue)
Your favorite grilled cheese bread (I had a nice, light rye from Zu bakery handy)
Butter (or your preferred cooking oil)
Recipe:
You wouldn't think it, but there are definitely different ways of making grilled cheese. This is the way I (Ailish) make it. Ben makes it differently, and I will describe his variation.
- Assemble your ingredients. Slice the bread. Slice the cheese so it will comfortably fit on the bread, and tear the spinach into smaller pieces if it looks like it won't sit comfortably on the bread either. You can also wilt the spinach first, and then it will drape nicely on top of the cheese.
- Turn your skillet or griddle on to medium heat.
- Butter the outer sides of each of your pieces of bread. Place one slice, buttered-side down, on the hot skillet. Quickly place the cheese, spinach, and other slice of bread - buttered-side up! - on top.
- Turn the skillet down to medium-low and cover the sandwich with a lid (this helps the cheese melt without burning the bread)
- Check the bottom in a minute or two - when it is golden brown, flip the sandwich over completely. Cook on this side until golden brown. It should be another minute or two, and the cheese should be perfectly melty.
- Variations: Ben likes to make each half of his grilled cheese separately, by melting butter in a medium hot pan, and putting both slices of bread in at once. Usually, both slices get cheese and toppings, and then the lid, to hold in heat and melt the cheese faster. Check to make sure the bottoms aren't burning after a minute or so (turn down the temperature, if so. When the cheese is melted, pick up one half and flip it over onto the other half, making your sandwich complete.
- More variations: add caramelized onions, a slice of ham....the options are endless!
- Enjoy!
Ham Steaks and Gravy in the Crockpot
Fresh Ham Steaks and Gravy in the crock pot
Perfect for the crock pot or other slow cooker.
Ingredients
• 1 Whatley Farm organic fresh Ham Steak, cut into 2 pieces. Our ham steaks are large and equal 2 store-bought steaks
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 6 Tbsp flour (or equivalent gluten-free thickener - see this article in Bon Appetit for suggestions)
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock – preferably homemade
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 Tbsp "Rosemary's Italian Blend" from Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped – or use dried mushrooms and rehydrate
Recipe
1. If you are using dried mushrooms, rehydrate in enough warm water to cover, until tender.
2. Warm the chicken stock.
3. In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add flour and stir together. Cook on low, stirring constantly, until slightly golden. Slowly pour in the warmed stock, whisking to smooth out the lumps, until mixture is nice and thick.
4. Add remaining ingredients – salt, pepper, chives, parsley, garlic, mushrooms. Stir sauce until well mixed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
5. Pour a little sauce into crock pot, place one piece of ham steak in crock pot, pour half of sauce over it, place second piece of steak in, pour remaining sauce.
6. Cook for at least 4 hours on high. It is done when the meat is tender and falls apart in large chunks. If you double this recipe you will need to increase the cooking time, as the bulk in the crock pot will slow down the cooking a bit.
Sweet Dumpling Squash Wedges
A lot of the smaller squashes like acorn and delicata will work in this recipe, but Sweet Dumpling is one of our favorites, so it gets to be the featured squash.
Ingredients
Two medium Sweet Dumpling squash (about the size of softballs)
Oil to grease the baking sheet
Salt to taste
(Optional) Spices to taste: Cinnamon and ginger; cumin and smoked paprika; cayenne and nutritional yeast - the combinations are endless!
Recipe
1. Preheat your oven to 375F.
2. Start with two Sweet Dumplings that have definite orange edges along their stripes, or have stripes that are entirely orange (see below). The color change from green means that more of the starches have converted into sugars. Yum!
3. Cut your squash in half with a nice, sharp knife. (If it's dull, it may slip, especially around the stem areas).
4. Scoop out the seeds - you can compost them, or save them to toast them, just like pumpkin seeds! Backyard chickens are also very fond of squash seeds.
5. I break off the stems if I can; otherwise cut around the stems and the blossom end scars after you have cut the squash in half (see below).
6. Coat an edged baking dish (like a jelly roll pan or a casserole dish) lightly with your cooking oil of choice.
7. Toss the squash in the oil so it gets lightly coated; sprinkle with salt and spices. I generally start at a half teaspoon salt and a teaspoon or so of spices. Then diners may add more salt, pepper, or spices at the end to their taste, too.
8. Bake squash for 25 minutes, then stir with a spatula so each side of the wedge has some time in contact with the pan to get nice and caramelized. Bake 5 minutes and stir again. Bake another 5-10 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork through one of the wedges.
9. Remove from oven, sprinkle with more salt, seasonings, honey, or maple syrup if you desire.
10. Enjoy!
Fresh Cabbage Salad
I learned this recipe from a friend during my first farming apprenticeship. It's an excellent way to use some storage cabbage and to have a seasonal (light) green salad in the middle of winter. Cabbage is chock full of vitamin C and other good nutrients, and is extremely tasty when prepared well. Hope this recipe will help convince the cabbage skeptics in your house!
Ingredients
A medium-sized cabbage (about 2.5 lbs - OR, 2.5 lbs of a larger cabbage)
Parmesan cheese, about 1 cup grated
Salt, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
That's it!
Recipe
1. Grate 2.5 lbs of cabbage (it will make about 4-5 cups of shredded cabbage). You can also shred it in a food processor.
2. Grate Parmesan cheese and mix into grated cabbage. Add cheese to taste - 1 cup grated is about how much I use to for 4 cups of shredded cabbage.
3. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil.
4. Mix well, and add salt, more olive or more cheese to taste.
5. Enjoy!
Cider-Brined Pork Roast
Pork Loin Roast Brined with Cider: Roasted with Potatoes and Onions
Based on Dawn Perry's recipe from Bon Appetit (October 2013)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 Whatley Farm pork loin roast (bone-in, 3-5 lbs)
2 pounds Whatley Farm Blue Gold potatoes
3 large or 4 medium Whatley Farm red onions
¾ cup + 3 teaspoon fine salt (or 1 cup coarse)
1-2 T smoked salt (Gryffon Ridge is great)
1 teaspoon peppercorns, plus more fresh ground
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 T coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
32 oz hard cider (use dry cider such as Norumbega; buy extra so you can drink it as you cook!)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Recipe
Defrost your loin roast by sticking it in the fridge a day ahead of when you plan to brine it. Brining is best done for approximately 8 hours (not much more or it will taste too salty—if you need to brine it longer, plan to soak the meat in fresh water before roasting).
Prep the brine—bring 2 cups of water to boil, add brown sugar, salt, bay leaves, 1 T of the coriander seeds, peppercorns. Simmer and stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Transfer to a bowl, add the hard cider and 2 cups of ice.
Place pork roast and brine in a water tight container. This can be a large resealable bag, or a bowl or pan. You want the roast to be completely submerged in the brine. Put in the fridge and let sit 8-10 hours. See note above about not brining too long!
Remove pork and pat dry. Let sit at room temp for an hour.
Wash but don't peel the potatoes. Half or quarter them, depending on size.
Peel and cut the onions in half.
Toss potatoes and onions together in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 425 F, and place rack near the bottom.
Using the side of your knife, crush the remaining 2 T of coriander seeds, and rub these, along with some smoked salt and fresh pepper, all over your roast. (optional: grind the coriander coarsely in a coffee grinder).
Heat some olive oil in a skillet (medium heat) and brown the pork on all sides (about 2 minutes per side).
Place pork in roasting pan and surround it with the potatoes and onions.
Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the roast reads 140 F. It will continue to cook while it rests, so don't overcook it. Turn the roast and stir the vegetables after half-an-hour. The roast should be ready in around an hour.
Rest the pork roast on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing, and keep the potatoes and onions in the still-warm (but shut-off) oven.
Optional: make a gravy with the pan drippings, cider or white wine, flour, and milk.
Carve roast in between the bones for thick loin chops.
Serve with the potatoes and onions, and optional gravy.
Baked winter squash is a great side dish! Make a root veggie slaw or salad and have a nearly 100% local winter feast.
Enjoy! -Whatley Farm