Farmed and Dangerous (25 page)

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Authors: Edith Maxwell

BOOK: Farmed and Dangerous

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Recipes

Roasted Root Stew

Serves eight.

Use local ingredients whenever possible.

Ingredients:

4 cups Â½-inch cubed parsnips

2 cups Â½-inch cubed carrots

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for sautÃ©ing the onions

8 cups ham stock

4 medium gold-fleshed potatoes, cut into Â½-inch cubes

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 fat cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Â¾ head green cabbage, sliced thin

6 cups baby kale or kale leaves, finely chopped

2 cups herbed tomato sauce

Â½ pound ham, cut into Â½-inch cubes

Â¼ cup basil pesto

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

1 habanero chili pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400Â°F.

In a large bowl toss the parsnips and the carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and then spread them out evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast the vegetables in the oven, turning every 10 minutes, until they are tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the ham stock and the potatoes in a large soup pot. Bring them to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a separate large soup pot or in a large Dutch oven, sautÃ© the onions in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sautÃ© until soft, about 4 minutes, being careful not to brown it.

Ladle all but 2 cups of the reserved ham stock and potatoes into the pot with the onions and garlic. Stir in the cabbage, kale, tomato sauce, ham, pesto, rosemary, and sage. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Float the habanero chili pepper in the pot, and then reduce the heat and simmer until the cabbage and kale are tender, about 20 minutes.

Lightly mash the potatoes in the reserved ham stock and potatoes. Add the mashed potato mixture to the pot along with the reserved roasted parsnips and carrots.

Simmer the stew until the flavors mesh, about 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the habanero chili pepper with a slotted spoon. If you like a spicier flavor, press the habanero between two spoons over the pot, releasing the juices, and then discard what remains. Otherwise, simply discard the entire pepper.

Serve the stew hot with a hearty red wine and a salad of local greens.

Note: You can substitute chicken stock and cubed chicken for the ham stock and cubed ham, or substitute vegetable stock and 2 cups cooked dried beans for protein.

Apple-Almond Cake

Serves eight.

Ingredients:

2 medium local apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Cortland, Macoun, or Spartan varieties work well)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus Â¼ teaspoon for the almonds

Â½ cup sliced almonds

1Â½ cups unbleached white flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Â½ teaspoon salt (Note: NOT cyanide salt . . .)

Â½ cup local salted butter, softened

cups light brown sugar

4 large local eggs

Â½ cup local milk (fat content of your preference)

Whipped cream for garnishing the cake

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350Â°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

In a medium bowl toss the sliced apples with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sliced almonds and the remaining Â¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition. Gradually fold in half the reserved flour mixture, then the milk, and then the remaining reserved flour mixture.

Pour half the batter in the prepared springform pan, layer the reserved apples evenly on top, and then pour the remaining batter over the apples. Sprinkle the cinnamon almonds evenly on top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm with whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.

Winter Rummy Cider

Serves five.

Ingredients:

1 quart local apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

10 ounces local rum (can be spiced)

5 ounces Cointreau

Directions:

Combine the apple cider, the cinnamon stick, and the cloves in a large saucepan. Heat the cider over medium heat until it just begins to boil, and then lower the heat and steep the cider just short of a simmer for 1 hour.

Ladle the cider into 5 mugs, filling each two-thirds full.

Add 2 ounces rum and 1 ounce Cointreau to each mug and stir well. Serve at once.

KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018

Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 2015934122

ISBN: 978-0-7582-8467-9

ISBN-10: 0-7582-8467-5
First Kensington Hardcover Edition: June 2015

eISBN-13: 978-0-7582-8469-3
eISBN-10: 0-7582-8469-1
First Kensington Electronic Edition: June 2015