TimberPine UnPlugged

Have you about had it with the recent storms? The water has been good for the tomato garden, and great for making gardening and lawn care a floody, muddy mess. A few of my acquaintances have been getting colds (going into the first week of summer with the sniffles is rediculous) and have been asking my advice on what foods to eat to beat the Summer Sickness. This week I bring to you my own take on a classic Italian soup recipe that comes in handy when you are feeling a little weathered, Ten Mothers Soup. This soup is rumored to have the healing power of Ten Mothers (a Motherlode if you will) and is a hearty, healing, brothy soup of LOTS of roasted garlic and Swiss Chard. As they say in Italy…Semplice.

You are going to need to roast 4 heads of garlic, and either make or procure one quart of vegetable stock (you can use whatever stock you want, but I suggeest vegetable…we will get into stock making next week).

For the soup:

4 heads of garlic, roasted

1 quart vegetable stock

1 lb Swiss Chard (or similar green), roughly chopped

S&P

To roast the garlic, slice about 1/4” off of the bottom of each head then place them, cut side down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place it in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the garlic head feels a little soft.

Let the garlic cool just enough to handle, then squeeze the pulp into a food processor and puree.

Combine the Garlic puree and stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with S&P to taste.

If the chard is very “stalky,” cut the leaves away from the stalk and discard the stalks.

While the broth is simmering, place the greens in a saute pan with a little of the broth and sweat down until just limp.

Pour the broth into bowl and garnish with a nice big helping of the wilted chard.

EAT and be well!

This is a great way to knock some sense into your body and to use that abundance of nice late spring greens you have sitting around.

If you want to go REALLY wild, drop a spoonfull of Cilantro Pesto in your bowl of soup and swish it around. The pesto makes a great addition to this brothy goodness.

Until next time,

Happy Gardening and Good Cooking!

Sam

Locally Grown

The weather in our area over the last two weeks has lent itself to more of a warm fall feel than our normal expected sultry, summery sun fest. The constant rain and sporadic gloom has put me back into the mood for some colder weather cuisine. At the same time the weather is pointing towards comfort food, the soil is pushing up some fresh, tender early asparagus. And all of this at during grilling season? I think there is an all-inclusive solution to our Fall-in-Spring weather problem…

Note: when I say wild rice, I don’t mean that stuff from Pappy Ben’s or anything with rice included.  This should be long black grains.  Try getting some grown in Minnesota.  It’s Good.

Wild Mushroom, Wild Rice, and Quinoa Pilaf with Grilled Asparagus and Tomato Pesto

This dish can be served solo or as an accompaniment for any protein such as Ginger Grilled Tofu, or something meaty such as Salmon. This would also be a great dish for you lucky ones with Morrel mushrooms this year, just fry a couple caps in butter and place atop the pilaf.

For the Pilaf:

1/2 oz Dried Porcini or other wild mushrooms, soaked and drained. Strain and Reserve the Liquid

8 oz Shitake Mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced thin

¼ c Wild Rice

1 c Quinoa

2 c Vegetable Stock

1 yellow onion, fine dice

4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

a few sprigs of fresh Thyme, leaves removed from stem

1 Red Bell Pepper, finely diced

For the Asparagus:

1lb Fresh Asparagus, woody ends trimmed

Olive Oil

S&P

A hot grill

For the Pesto:

3 oz Sundried Tomatoes*

3 cloves Garlic

3/4c Olive Oil

The Pilaf:

Cook the Wild Rice in 4 cups of water until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.  The grains should be split and puffy. (like old school Sean Combs)

Cook the Quinoa in 2 cups vegetable stock until tender and grains unfurl their “tails.” Set aside to cool.

In a large heavy bottom skillet, saute the onion for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until they begin to turn translucent, then add the Shitake and Porcini Mushrooms then cook for another 7-8 minutes.

Add the Garlic and Red Peppers then saute an additional 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Add the Quinoa and Wild Rice and a little of the Porcini liquid then cook until the grains are heated through and the liquid is fully absorbed.

Remove from heat and cover.

For the Pesto:

Cover the Sundried Tomatoes with boiling water and rehydrate for 10 minutes

Drain the Tomatoes, place in a food processor with the Garlic Cloves and process until it becomes a chunky paste.

Add the Olive Oil, then pulse until incorporated

For the Asparagus:

Toss the Asparagus in Olive Oil and a little S&P, then grill.

Plating:

Although this dish can be served “family style”, I prefer to get a little fancy. You will need a circular form such as a biscuit cutter or small round springform.

Place the form on the plate, fill with some of the pilaf, and press down slightly. Carefully lift the form from the pilaf. You should have a nice round pilaf mold.

Drizzle some of the Pesto on the plate, surrounding the pilaf mold the rest 5 or 6 spears of the Grilled Asparagus against the mold.

EAT.

*Making sundried tomatoes is a great way to utilize your extra ‘mater crop. We will cover a few techniques for this when tomato time comes ’round.

I hope that you enjoyed our time together this week.  I will be back next week with a slightly simpler recipe. Until then…

Happy Gardening and Good Cooking!

Sam

Locally Grown