The Farmer & The Chef

Cheddar, Bacon & Tomato Strata from Bob & Barbara Russell Farms

Jennifer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:27:51 +0000

Cheddar, Bacon, and Tomato Strata

• 3 bacon slices
• 1 cup vertically sliced onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups cubed Italian bread (14 ounces)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 3 large tomatoes, each seeded and sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites
Preparation
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; combine onion mixture and bacon.
Arrange 4 cups bread cubes in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with 2/3 cup cheese, half of onion mixture, and 6 tomato slices. Combine milk and remaining ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Pour half of milk mixture over tomatoes. Top with 4 cups bread cubes, 2/3 cup cheese, remaining onion mixture, 6 tomato slices, and half of milk mixture. Cover; chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 325°.
Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 55 minutes. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipes from To-Jo Mushrooms and T.A. Farms

Jennifer — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:49:56 +0000

Portabella Mushroom Burger with Roasted Red Peppers and Mozzarella

Ingredients; (makes six burgers)
• 1 12 oz. bottle red wine and olive oil or italian salad dressing
• 1 12 oz. jar roasted red bell peppers (sliced)
• 6 large portabella mushroom caps, stems trimmed
• 6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 6 kaiser or rustic rolls, split
Directions
1. Marinate trimmed portabella mushrooms in salad dressing gill side up for a minimum of 2 – 3 hours. Mushrooms are porous and will soak up dressing rather quickly, do not over marinate.
2. Pre-Heat grill to 400 degrees.
3. Grill mushrooms over medium-high heat, gill side down for 5 – 7 minutes. Keep lid closed.
4. Turn mushrooms over; and top with bell pepper and one slice of mozzarella cheese, cook 3 – 5 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted. Toast rolls cut side down on grill.
5. Place one mushroom on bottom of each roll. Serve hot with favorite side dish.

DOWN ON THE FARM TURKEY CHILI
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 large onions
2 large red bell peppers
2-4 jalapenos (depending on how hot you want it)
6 garlic cloves
3 lbs. of T.A. FARMS ALL NATURAL TURKEY
3 tablespoons of chili powder
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
1 12 oz. can of beer
2 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups of beef broth
2 15 oz. cans of kidney beans drained

Instructions:
1. Heat half the olive oil in skillet medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers diced. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until tender.
2. Add jalapenos and garlic for approximately 2 minutes removed from heat and set to the side.
3. In a large pot or Dutch oven add the rest of the olive oil medium heat. Add turkey and sauté the meat until brown. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper. Let simmer for 6 minutes.
4. Add the beer to your meat mix 2-3 minutes let thicken add the vegetables from earlier (onions, peppers, garlic, jalapenos). Also add beef broth and cans of tomatoes. Let simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
5. Transfer to a crock pot for easy serving; add your kidney beans and you are ready to serve!
6. Garnish with a shredded cheese of your choice.

This makes a large serving

Caffe Gelato Goat Cheese & Ricotta Tortellini

Jennifer — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:17:50 +0000

Caffe Gelato Goat Cheese & Ricotta Tortellini
Goat cheese and ricotta tortellinis with roasted butternut squash sauce and hazelnuts
>
> Ingredients:
> Pasta sheets or fresh pasta
> 1/2 c. Ricotta cheese
> 1/4 c. Goat cheese
> 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
> 1 egg
> Water, as needed
> 1 two lbs. Butternut squash
> 2 cloves garlic
> 4 Tbs. Butter
> 2 small onions, diced
> 16 oz. Mushrooms (used a variety of local mushrooms or your favorite), sliced
> 5 Tbs. Fresh sage, chiffonaded
> 1/4 c. Sherry
> 1 c. Chicken stock (or more as needed to thin sauce to desired consistency)
> 1/2 c. Cream
> Freshly growing black pepper (to taste)
> Salt (to taste)
> Freshly grated Parmesan
> Toasted hazelnuts
> Truffle oil (optional)
>
> For tortellini:
> Combine ricotta, goat cheese, and nutmeg. Using a 3 to 4 inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds from pasta sheets and set aside. Cover with a damp cloth. Beat egg with 2 tbs. Water. Working with one round at a time, place a 1/4 tsp. Of filling in the center, brush one half of pasta with egg wash. Fold over filling, pressing edges to seal. Wrap pointed edges around finger and press to seal. Fold top edge down to form tortellini. Repeat with remaining pasta rounds and filling. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil a cook tortellini 3 to 5 minutes, or until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
>
> For sauce:
> Cut butternut squash in half length wise and place on a greased cookie sheet. Place one garlic clove under each half of squash and roast in a 375 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes until caramelized and slightly charred. Allow to cool, then scoop out flesh and purée in food processor with garlic until silky smooth, scrapping down sides as needed. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat and sauté onions until they start to color. Add mushrooms and cook until almost all of their liquid has evaporated. Add sage and swirl pan for a minute or two. Add sherry and deglaze pan scrapping up any brown bits and continue to cook until reduced to about 1/8 of a cup. Lower heat, and add stock, cream, and butternut squash purée. Slowly heat through and thin with more stock, as desired, then season with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Mean while, toast hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic and beginning to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
>
> To plate:
> Toss tortellini with desired amount of sauce until heated through. Divide amongst plates and top each with some hazelnuts, some Parmesan and drizzle with truffle oil, if desired. Serve with a fresh arugula salad and enjoy.

No Bake Peach Pie & General Joe Chicken

Jennifer — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:09:40 +0000

TS Smith Easy No Bake Peach Pie
Ingredients (crust)
1 ¼ c crushed graham crackers
6 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ c sugar, reserve ¼ c for topping
Ingredients (filling)
6 TS Smith Peaches
2/3 c sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp cornstarch, mixing in water until smooth (about 1/8c)
Directions
Prepare crust: Mix together crust ingredients and press firmly in 9” pie plate.
Bake 375˚ for 6-8 minutes; cool
For unbaked crust: chill 45 minutes before filling
Prepare filling: Puree all ingredients. Pour into sauce pan. Heat over medium high heat until bubbly and thick, stirring constantly. Slice 2 peaches into pie crust. Pour cooked peach puree over peaches.
Chill 1-2 hours.
Add topping: sprinkle top with reserved topping & add ¼ to ½ c chopped pecans. Garnish with whipped cream. Enjoy!
Easy pie to modify. Try these variations: use vanilla wafers or pecan sandies for crust. Instead of vanilla, try almond extract.

Chef Joe Poon – General Joe Chicken
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
6 – 8 oz. Chicken breast (2 large breasts)
½ cup cornstarch

Sauce:
1 Tbsp White vinegar
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
3 Tbsp Chardonnay
4 Tbsp Sugar
5 Tbsp Chicken Broth
1 tsp Garlic
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Hot sauce
2 to 3 Tbsp Slurry*

*Slurry – thin paste of water and cornstarch stirred into hot preparation as a thickener

Procedure:
Slice chicken breasts, marinate and dust with dry cornstarch.

Deep-fry Chicken breast pieces until brown. Place Crispy Chicken on the plate.

Heat up the sauce. Pour sauce on the top of the General Joe Chicken, making sure all chicken is covered.

Serve with rice, decorated with crispy basil. Enjoy!

Buying From Your Neighbor

Jennifer — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:02:20 +0000

The rewards of this insufferably hot summer are starting to pay off. It seems every where you turn, there is gorgeous, local produce to be had in Delaware! “Buying From Your Neighbor” has finally rooted itself in the consciousness of residents, and as a result, we all win.

I have generally always tried to cook seasonally. When it’s available and fresh, I use it. And, when it’s not, I don’t. But, how about now when you can get dozens of varieties of garden fresh vegetables, lettuces, fruits and herbs all at once? Better have a picnic, I say! As the heat abates this week, get the family together for an outdoor lunch or dinner and use it while it’s fresh and in season.

The first lima beans are here now. They’re versatile to stick in with a traditional succotash, or throw them in with tomato wedges, cilantro and cucumber for a starter. Stone fruits are so delicious and plentiful now; try quartering and tossing them on the grill as an accompaniment to a salad. Just about any vegetables tossed with fresh herbs and a good olive oil make for a great topping on fish and meat off the grill. There are also many easy-to-make cold soups that require little more than a blender and some patience.

You can start stocking the larder, too. Mixed herb pestos and home made tomato sauce will can well, and loaves of zucchini bread will keep in the freezer for chilly morning breakfasts well into October.

This year, The Farmer and The Chef promises to be one of the best events, yet. Continue your support of buying from your neighbor, and get your tickets today!

Chef Robert Lhulier

It’s Farmer and Chef Time!

Jennifer — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:00:42 +0000

We are gearing up for what promises to be another awesome event! Be sure to visit the Chefs and Farmers Pages often to see current listings of this year’s participants. We are happy to say that DuPont is back as our Presenting Sponsor and we are also thrilled to have Bryan Silbermann, President of Produce Marketing Association as our Event Chairman! Here’s another exciting piece of information…. Chuck Wicks will be performing at the event from 6pm – 7pm! Stay tuned as we continue to update the site.

2010 Winners Announced

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:23:24 +0000

1st Place
Delcastle High School Cooks & Bakers with Blair View Farms and Kalmar Farm
Tilapia and Kalmar Farms Vegetables

2nd Place
Woodside Farm Creamery
Hand-dipped Ice Cream

3rd Place
Café Scalessa with CT Bartoli Mushrooms
Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce and Butter Cake

Rookie Chef of the Year
Caesar Rodney FFA with Cook Family Farms
Pulled Pork on Toasted Baguette

Gardening 101

Jennifer — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:05:35 +0000

The harvest is soon upon us, but in our neck of the woods, I’m sandwiched by eager neighbors who’ve taken their gardening to frighteningly ambitious levels. To our right: a recently plucked watermelon grew in a sling (for support) hanging off a deck. Tomatoes also abound, courtesy of a Topsy Turvy that caused great alarm when it initially appeared to have dried up. To our left sits a garden of stalks, which has produced at least one squash. In the middle of all this, of course, is our overgrown jungle, which contains more weeds and elephant plants than anything else, and certainly nothing edible.

Perhaps keeping up with the Joneses will force us to rethink things next year.

Michael Pollock, Editor-in-Chief, Out & About

You, Farmers and the Earth: One and the Same

Jennifer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:59:25 +0000

When it comes to thinking about the farm to table movement, one could say that it isn’t a new trend, but an old one. From the early 70s, there had always been an awareness of the roles of restaurants and farmers and their place in the world. No one embodies this movement more than Chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse.

“I’ve always felt it was part of my job as a cook and restaurateur to try to wake people up to these things, to challenge them really to taste the food and to experience the kind of community that can happen in the kitchen and at the table. Those of us who work with food suffer from an image of being involved in an elite, frivolous pastime that has little relation to anything important or meaningful. But, in fact, we are in a position to cause people to make important connections between what they are eating and a host of crucial environmental, social, and health issues. Food is at the center of these issues.

This isn’t a matter of idealism or altruism, but rather one of self-interest and survival. Restaurateurs have a very real stake in the health of the planet, in the source of the foodstuffs we depend on, and in the future of farmers, fishermen, and other producers. Professionally and personally, both our livelihoods and our lives depend on the preservation of what we have and the restoration of what we have lost. The fate of the farmers- and with them the fate of earth itself- is not somebody else’s problem: it is our fate, too.”

Chef Alice Waters, Berkley, California

Farmers and Chefs Make a Great Team!

Jennifer — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:57:04 +0000

I love when I can work directly with someone who has produced the ingredients I cook with. There’s a special satisfaction that comes with knowing when something was planted, grown and harvested, especially when it is from Delaware.

It’s no secret that the fresher the food, the better it’s going to taste. But, when you have access to so many of those ingredients, it also makes it more exciting to cook! Who isn’t inspired by walking through a field or stand of ripened tomatoes or first-of-the-season lima beans and heirloom eggplants and pumpkins? Quite simply, you feel privileged.

The Farmer and The Chef is an event that allows Delaware chefs and Delaware agriculture a chance to collaborate and shine, as only this combination can allow. What makes this event so unique is the direct connection between the farm, the restaurant and the consumer. Yes, “locavore” is a buzzword, but it is by no means a fad: it’s the future returning to it’s past.

For the first time this week, I noticed that ACME has a new section in their produce section entitled “Locally Harvested”. It features produce from the surrounding area, which all but guarantees its freshness, but also gives a special feeling of satisfaction you are supporting a local farm. Imagine a whole event of Delaware’s finest restaurants collaborating with the growers of all things seasonal and local, all for the purpose of your enjoyment. It’s happening in just less than two months at the Third Annual The Farmer and The Chef.

robert lhulier
executive chef
union city grille