Turkey and Zucchini Burgers

This Sunday, visit the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market from 10 am - 2 pm at the corner of Agate and 19th Ave for a wide selection of fresh produce from Camas Swale Farm and pastured meat and poultry from Fair Valley Farm and Fog Hollow Farm. 

With our haul of Camas Swale zucchini and green onions I finally tried a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem that I'd heard has a cult following. I'd avoided it until now because of my kids' lukewarm feelings about zucchinis. Miraculously this summer they have suddenly become zucchini enthusiasts, for example eating zucchini flatbreads with gusto. These burgers were a similar hit, especially with the spiced yogurt sauce that doubled as a creamy dressing for a salad with lentils and roasted baby turnips.

Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onions and Cumin

from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem

makes about 18 small burgers  

for the burgers
1 lb ground turkey
1 large or 2 medium zucchini, grated (2 cups grated)
3 green onions, sliced
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
oil for browning

for the sour cream and sumac sauce
2/3 cup yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sumac
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Make the sumac sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. Refrigerate until needed. 
3. Put all the burger ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl. Mix well, using your hands, making sure to get all the ingredients are well incorporated, and shape into about 18 burgers.
4. Coat the bottom of a skillet lightly with oil and heat until it is nice and hot. You should hear a good sizzle when the patties hit the pan, If not, let the oil heat more. Working in batches, brown the patties on both sides, for about 2 minutes per side, and add more oil as needed.
5. Carefully transfer the burgers to a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, just until done inside.
6. Serve the burgers warm or room temperature with the sauce.

Seared Corn and Pepper Salad with Ahi Tuna

This Sunday at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market you will find fresh eggs and pastured chicken, beef, pork, and lamb from Fair Valley Farm and Fog Hollow Farm, as well as fresh cut flower bouquets from Tiger Lily Art Company. 

Camas Swale Farm will have plenty of summer produce including:
peppers and sweet corn (sear in a warm salad, below) 
celery (for these celery beef lettuce wraps)
leeks and tomatoes (try this leek and cherry tomato clafouti) 
delicata squash (make what my son calls "squash candy")

My husband and I got to celebrated our anniversary this year viewing the spectacular corona of the total solar eclipse. I even made some eclipse cookies for the event. A week later the stars aligned and we found ourselves kid-free with the chance to whip up a belated anniversary dinner. We seared ahi tuna, corn, and peppers, and served these with sauteed zucchini, cherry tomatoes, black lentils, and a lemon crème fraîche sauce. It was a lovely dinner and then the kids came rushing back into the house to remind us of a couple of the major accomplishments of our marriage. 

Seared Corn and Pepper Salad with Ahi Tuna

serves two

corn and pepper salad
1 ear corn
1 mildly hot pepper
salt to taste

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Shuck the corn. Place the corn and whole pepper on the skillet and sear. Rotate and sear on all sides until the corn and pepper are partially charred but still a bit crisp. Remove from heat and when cool enough to handle, seed the pepper and cut it into small pieces and cut the corn kernels from the cob. Combine and season with salt to taste. Serve warm.

ahi tuna
1/2 pound ahi tuna steak, cut into in inch wide strips
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat a skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan and when hot, add the ahi strips. Let sear for about 30 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Remove from heat when the interior looks more raw than you like because it will continue to cook. Serve with lemon crème fraîche sauce.

lemon creme fraiche sauce
2 Tbsp crème fraîche
zest of 1 small lemon
juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon, and honey. While continuing to whisk, add the olive oil slowly to emulsify. Taste and add salt, and more lemon or honey as needed.

Leftovers Bibimbap

This year, my solution for using up Easter eggs was bibimbap. This dish also served the purpose of using up leftover Easter ham, leftover roasted asparagus, and leftover collard greens, and made a dent in my latest batch of kimchi.

I took inspiration from the bibimbap sauce here and the miso lentils here. Once we got over the pain of peeling favorite eggs, this meal was a hit with enough different toppings to please everyone, including sesame carrots for bunnies.

Bibimbap from Easter leftovers

bibimbap sauce
1/2 cup gochujang
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp sugar or honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Mix together all of the ingredients and thin with 1-2 tsp water if it seems too thick.

eggs
hard boiled if you have ones to use up, or cooked for 6 minutes in boiling water.

ham
1 cup diced ham, sautéd in a hot skillet in 1 Tbsp canola oil and 1/2 tsp soy sauce until brown on edges. Add 1 tsp miring, cook down, and remove from heat.

cooked greens
1 bunch greens blanched and quickly sautéed in a little sesame oil, or use pot roasted collards, sauté with a chopped onion in olive oil and then roasted in a closed Dutch oven for one hour at 325 degrees.

roasted broccoli or asparagus
1 small broccoli head cut into spears, tossed with oil and salt, and roasted on a preheated baking sheet at 475 degrees for about 12 minutes. Alternatively roast trimmed asparagus similarly but for about 7 minutes.

sesame carrots
1 carrot julienned and sautéed in a hot skillet in 1 Tbsp canola oil with 1/2 tsp sugar until soften. Add 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp mirin, cook down, remove from heat and toss with 1 tsp sesame seeds.

miso lentils
3/4 cup puy lentils cooked in boiling water until soft (~18 minutes) and drained. Transfer to a bowl and mix in 2 tsp miso paste, 1 tsp sesame oil, a small pinch of sugar and black pepper.

toasted sesame rice
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 1 Tbsp sesame oil and heat over medium low. Add 4 cups of cooked rice (I like to use a mixture of brown and white rice) and pack down. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom has developed a toasted crust (peek with a spatula).   

kimchi and sesame seeds to garnish

To serve, scoop out a serving of toasted rice, layer on all desired toppings, and drizzle with bibimbap sauce.

Roasted Cumin Carrots and Red Lentil Salad

A meeting in Boston last weekend afforded many serendipitous treats: beautiful spring weather in place of the predicted rain, a lovely stroll through neighborhood streets of my childhood bursting with blooming dogwoods, a chance encounter with my favorite high school French teacher, and some precious time with my parents as just parents, rather than grandparents or parents-in-law. Also, I whipped up a delicious lunch for us with some roasted carrots and a packet of red lentils that had been lingering in the pantry since my last visit.

With the lentils I made approximately this pilaf and layered it on some lettuce leaves with mango slices on the side and the roasted carrots on top, finally drizzled everything with approximately this spiced yogurt sauce. Like the rest of the weekend, it was an unanticipated treat, well worth savoring.

Roasted Cumin Carrots and Red Lentil Salad

serves  four for lunch 

Roasted cumin carrots

6 carrots

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp paprika

pinch of salt

good drizzle of olive oil

Red lentil pilaf

Spiced yogurt sauce

Lettuce for four

1 mango

1. Rinse 1 cup of red lentils and soak for an hour or two. 

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Trim and scrub the carrots and cut them along the diagonal into 1 inch long chunks. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss together the carrot chunks, spices, and olive oil such that the carrots are well coated. Spread out the carrots in a single layer and roast in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, shaking every ten minutes or so, until they are soft and have started to brown and caramelize on the edges. 

3. While the carrots are roasting, assemble the spices for the lentil pilaf and prepare the yogurt sauce.

4. Cook the lentils, according to the pilaf directions, which will take about five minutes.

5. Assemble the lettuce on plates and arrange mango slices around the edges. Scoop on a pile of the red lentils in the center and top with a generous serving of roasted carrots. Drizzle over yogurt sauce and serve with more yogurt sauce at the table. Enjoy.

Fill your pantry now (and thank yourself later)

As chance would have it, I found myself entirely alone at home for the evening, for the first time in ten years, on the day after Halloween. Candy cauldrons overflowed with unguarded chocolates, but did I dine on twix and kitkats? No, because I was lucky enough to have a stash of caramelized onions in my freezer and a supply of Camas Country Mill lentils in the pantry, which I whipped up into a delicious Mujaddara for one. You too can fill you pantry with beans, grains, and storage vegetables at the Fill Your Pantry community bulk buying event on Sunday, November 17th, from 12-4 pm at Sprout Food Hub, 418 A Street, Springfield. 

Mujaddara and Grilled Eggplant with Tomato Topping

This Sunday at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market you can look forward to the following offerings from Sweetwater Farm, Fair Valley Farm, and Tiger Lily Art Company:

Blackberries and cantaloupes (make some fresh fruit crepes) 

Shiro plums from SLO Farm

eggplants (make the grilled eggplant with tomatoes below)

tomatoes, including romas, and 10 lb flats for $20 (starting preserving)

red sweet peppers, Italian frying peppers, Ho Chi Minh and Cherry Bomb hot peppers 

Costata Romanesco zucchini and cucumbers (make tsukemono)

green, yellow wax, and romano beans (make green and yellow salmon salad)

new potatoes, beets, celery, carrots, and kohlrabi (try kohlrabi and capers)

assorted herbs including Italian parsley and 1 lb bags of basil 

fresh spring garlic and onions (make the mujaddara below)

kale, chard, and a variety of lettuces, including Romaine (try kale pesto with beet pasta)

dried beans and grains from Camus Country Mill (pick up some lentils for mujaddara)

jams, salsa, and pickles from Sweet Creek Foods

pastured chickens from Fair Valley Farm (try slow cooker Pueblan Chicken Tinga)

floral arrangements from Tiger Lily Art Company

At the height of summer, jewel purple eggplants like the beauties above demand our attention. I took inspiration from a recipe by smitten kitchen and piled grilled eggplant slices with diced tomato, feta cheese, and mint, with a splash of pomegranate molasses. 

I also picked up a package of Camas Country Mill red chief lentils and a hefty spring onion to try my hand at the lentil and rice dish, mujaddara. I mostly followed a recipe from Rivka of food52, which starts with a big pot of browned onions that are mixed into separately cooked rice and lentils. But feeling a little lazy about pot washing, I followed Melissa Clark's method for making this a one pot dish by presoaking the lentils and then cooking them together with the rice. Choose your method, depending on your level of risk aversion, but definitely make the spiced yogurt sauce to accompany it.

Grilled Eggplant with Tomatoes and Mint

1 large eggplant, sliced

olive oil for brushing

1 large tomato, diced

2 ounces feta cheese, diced

10 mint leaves, minced

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon olive oil

Brush the eggplant slices with a little olive oil. Cook over a hot grill or on a grill pan, flipping once, until soft and partly charred. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Mound onto the grilled eggplant slices.

Mujaddara and Spiced Yogurt

Adapted from Rivka of food52

for the Mujaddara
1 cups small lentils such as Camas Country Mill red chief or French puy
1 cup jasmine rice
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups onions (about 3 medium onions), halved and thinly sliced
3 1/2 cups water
about 1 teaspoon salt

For the yogurt
1/2 cup full fat or Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin (freshly ground, if possible)
1/2 teaspoon coriander (freshly ground)
1/2 teaspoon spicy paprika or aleppo pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Sort through the lentils to remove any pebbles, rinse, and set to soak in a fresh water while you prepare the onions.

2. Set a wide, deep saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter has mostly melted, add onions and toss to incorporate with butter and oil. After 5 minutes, onions will have softened slightly and started to release their liquid. Raise heat to medium and cook 10 to 12 minutes more, until onions are very soft and browned. Add water by the tablespoon if pan gets too dry or if onions start to stick. When onions are well browned, add last tablespoon of olive oil and raise heat to high. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until bottom layer of onions has charred and crisped; try not to stir too much, or onions won't crisp up. Remove the onions to a bowl and lower the heat to medium-low.

3. Toss the rice into the pot and stir to coat with the remaining oil for about one minute. Drain the lentils and add to the pot. Add 3 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and check the rice and lentils. Add more water and salt if needed and cook for another five minutes if needed. Otherwise, stir in the cooked onions and any accumulated juices, and let sit for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Note: you can also cook the lentils and rice separately and mix them together with the cooked onions.

4. Meanwhile, make the yogurt: mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve alongside the mujaddara.

Red Lentil Pilaf with Cumin Seeds

With the end of daylight savings time, the early darkness creates a new sense of urgency about getting dinner on the table in the evening. This lentil dish from Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes cooks up in a matter of minutes after you enter the house, as long as you remembered to rinse and soak a cup of red lentils in the morning. I used Camas Country Mill's red chief lentils, and was delighted to find that the soaking nicely brought these orange beauties out of their brown outer skins. You can stock up on local lentils at the Fill Your Pantry event November 18 from noon to 4 PM at Sprout (pre-order here). This recipe uses an unusual cooking technique in which the liquid from the softened soaked lentils is evaporated quickly over high heat with a minimum of stirring, creating a fluffy pilaf rather than a creamy soup. Here's the game plan: first thing when you get home, start a pot of rice cooking. Then mince some ginger and start toasting the spices for the lentils. Once you get the lentils cooking down in their water, warm some flatbread, cut up some crunchy carrots and peppers, put out some condiments like chutney, yogurt, and Indian pickles, and then sit down to enjoy a satisfying vegetarian meal.

Dry-Cooked Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds (Sookhi Dhullt Masoor Dal)

adapted slightly from Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes

1 cup red lentils, rinsed well (such as Camas Country Mill's red chief lentils)
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cooked and minced beets (optional, used to give the lentils a red hue)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 to 5 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp peeled minced ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
4 scallions, finely sliced

1. Combine the lentils, water, and beets (if using) in a bowl and allow to soak 2 hours or longer.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.Cook the chile pepper until they puff up, about 1 minute. Add the cumins and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the ginger and stir for about a minute. Add the coriander, ground cumin, and garam masala and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.

3. Add the lentils with their soaking water and the salt and cook over high heat until the water has evaporated and the lentils are tender, about five minutes (taste and add a little more water if you need to). Stir a few times with a fork just to fluff, but take care not to break the lentils.

4. With a fork, gently mix in the citrus juice and chopped cilantro, transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the chopped scallions, and serve.

Lentils with Butter and Parsley

Not unlike the trajectory of an obstinate, dawdling toddler who needs to be coaxed out of every puddle on the endless walk home, springtime's arrival seems to be stalled by intermittent stormy tantrums. Still there are signs of progress, such as the longer evenings and the increasing diversity of fresh green offerings through Eugene Local Foods. These signs inspired me to turn to the Spring section of Elin England's treasure trove of seasonal recipes in Eating Close to Home: A Guide to Local Seasonal Sustenance in the Pacific Northwest. Here I discovered her lentils with butter and parsley, which make an especially bright and refreshing springtime dish.

The recipe has you simmer lentils with garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and parsley stems, reserving the leaves for a parsley butter to mix in at the end, along with a dash of lemon juice. As opposed to deliciously enveloping lentils in rendered bacon fat, this gentle tossing with uncooked butter lets the legumes' distinctive flavor shine. I first made this dish with red chief lentils from Camas Country Mill, which made a soft and tangy accompaniment to seared salmon.

The next time I used Camas Country Mill's small brown lentils, similar to French or puy lentils. They gave a nice texture and heft to an after-Easter salad with hard boiled eggs and strips of ham on top and a bed of garlicy sauteed mixed greens from Sweetwater Farm below. These little legumes provide the heart of a satisfying meal and the satisfaction of supporting a local solution to feeding our community through partnerships between local growers and Food for Lane County. 

Lentils with Butter and Parsley

slightly adapted from Eating Close to Home by Elin England

1 cup (~1/2 lb) lentils rinsed and drained
1 large bay leaf
1 small bunch of parsley stems, tied together
3 large garlic cloves, pealed and cut in half
2 Tbsp butter, softened
juice and zest from 1 small or 1/2 large lemon 
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
salt and pepper to taste


1. Place the lentils in a pan with with 4 cups water, the bay leaf, parsley stems, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium low heat until the lentils are tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, parsley stem bunch, and garlic, and drain the lentils or transfer them to a bowl with a slotted spoon.


2. Meanwhile, prepare the parsley butter. You could use a small food processor to mix together the parsley leaves, lemon zest and juice, and butter, or do this by hand in a bowl, first snipping the parsley finely with kitchen shears.


3. When the lentils are done, mix in the parsley butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Red Lentil Soup

I would have liked to have cooked up a fancy Valentine's Day meal, complete with this fabulous chocolate mousse, but busy travel itineraries, wintertime colds, and the demands of supervising the production of 99 cards, thwarted such plans. 

In the end, it seemed fitting to turn to a well-loved family standby. This is a fragrant red lentil soup from Melissa Clark, that is delicious in its original incarnation, but which I've tinkered with over the years, adding more spices along with the cumin, and some sun dried tomatoes to the broth, and blending it into an intoxicatingly velvety and exotic puree.

I'm a little surprised that this spicy soup is a favorite with my chile-averse children. I think my daughter likes its smooth, silky texture, and my son probably finds the flavors familiar because I ate this so often when he was in utero. They also both love being able to play with the accompanying lemon wedges to their hearts' content. And I love being able to serve a simple, heart-warming meal that elicits repeated requests for additional helpings. Really, what better Valentine's Day gift is there than having one's food, cooked with love, be greeted with heartfelt enthusiasm? 

Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from Melissa Clark

serves four

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled chopped

2 carrots or 1 carrot and 1 parsnip, peeled and diced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp ground cumin 

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chipotle chilli powder 

1/4 tsp cayenne

salt to taste

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth plus two cups water (or use six cups water with 2 tsp Better than Boullion)

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 1/4 cup red lentils

lemon wedges for garnish

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and sauté until it starts to caramelize, then add the diced carrot (and parsnip if using) and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add spices and sauté until fragrant.  Then stir in the tomato paste, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

3. Add lentils and coat in spice paste.  Then add broth and water and sun dried tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

4. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée the soup until smooth.

5. Reheat soup if necessary, then serve with lemon juice and cilantro. 

Buckwheat Blini

This weekend the Southern Willamette Valley Bean and Grain Project is hosting two events for consumers to stock up on locally grown whole grains, fresh ground flours, dry beans, legumes, and storage crops (garlic, onions, roots and winter squash). SLO Farm will be at the Eugene event on Sunday.

Fill Your Pantry Farm Direct Community Bulk Buying Events

Linn County Fill Your Pantry (Shedd):

Saturday, November 12, 2011

2 to 6pm

At the former Methodist Church, 30090 Hwy 99E (approx 5 miles south of Tangent)

Click here for product list and pre-order information

Deadline for pre-orders: Friday, Nov 4

Sponsored by: Willamette Seed & Grain and Ten Rivers Food Web

Lane County Fill Your Pantry (Eugene):

Sunday, November 13, 2011

noon to 4pm

Hummingbird Wholesale's new building, 150 Shelton McMurphey Blvd.

Click here for product list and pre-order information

Deadline for pre-orders for Eugene sale: Thursday, Nov 10, 5pm

Sponsored by: Willamette Farm & Food Coalition and Hummingbird Wholesale

For more information call (541) 341-1216, or email info@lanefood.org

One locally grown and milled grain is buckwheat, which will be available at these events from Camas Country Mill, Lonesome Whistle Farm, and Open Oak Farm. Buckwheat is a good cover crop, but has a limited market. It is an excellent flour to include in gluten-free waffles and is a traditional ingredient in French savory crepes.    

Another great use for buckwheat is in Russian blini, savory pancakes made with a yeast batter. In my family, these are considered the height of elegance, and we often serve them on New Year's Eve. These delicate disks are the perfect receptacle for any number of toppings. Start with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and then layer on caviar, smoked salmon, bacon bits, chives, or use another of your local bulk purchases to whip up a lentil caviar.

Buckwheat Blini

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs, separated into whites and yokes
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (or for lighter blini, you could use a mixture of buckwheat and white flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
more butter for cooking the blini
Any of the following toppings: creme fraiche or sour cream, smoked fish, bacon bits, chopped chives, lentil caviar

1. Prepare the batter at least 2 1/2 hours before you want to serve the blini. Combine the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let sit until it foams, about 5 minutes.


2. Whisk together the milk and egg yokes, and reserve the egg whites for later. Whisk in the melted butter. Then mix in the yeast mixture, the flour, and the salt until smooth. Let the batter rest in a warm place for 2 hours or more as it expands.


3. When you are ready to make the blini, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and then fold into the batter.


4. Warm a griddle on medium low heat and grease it with butter. Spoon out the blini batter with a soup spoon to form pancakes approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Cook until they form permanent bubbles and then flip and cook an additional couple of minutes on the second side. The blini should be lightly browned on both sides. Remove to a warm platter and rebutter the pan with each batch.


5. Serve the blini warm with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream and a sprinkle of any of the listed toppings.