Day at the Farm

Jake & I at Blooming Glen Farm

Yesterday I got to spend some time at Blooming Glen Farm, the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm right here in Blooming Glen (OK, I guess it's technically Perkasie, but close enough).  As they've done in past summers, Tricia Borneman and Tom Murtha invited me to do some demos at the farm while their members picked up their shares.

It's always fun to talk to these folks who are into good, fresh, healthy foods.  And since everything I made featured items that they were picking up, I hopefully gave them some ideas about how to use their shares.

And what great ingredients to use!  Squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, sweet onions, potatoes, cucumbers, green beans, garlic and loads of incredible herbs.  I tried to find recipes that would highlight the flavors of these fresh foods, not cover them up.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the samples of these simple and delicious dishes.

The garlic from the farm is like nothing you buy at a grocery store.  It's crisp like an apple and has a much less harsh taste.  Just wonderful.  Pair that with the fresh taste of herbs and you can't go wrong.  With that in mind, one of the dishes I made was an Oregano-Lemon Pesto (from Cook's Illustrated magazine).  It couldn't be easier or more tasty.  Here's the recipe:

OREGANO-LEMON PESTO
Makes 3/4 cup pesto, enough for 1 pound of pasta

Use medium-size garlic cloves.  Thoroughly dry the herbs before processing.  This is also delicious in a sandwich, on fish or grilled steak.

A line-up of tasty dishes!

INGREDIENTS
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 3/4 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
7 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

1.  Toast garlic in 10" skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and skins are just beginning to brown, about 5 min.  Add pine nuts and continue to cook until garlic is spotty brown and nuts are golden, 2-3 min.  When cool enough, peel the garlic.
2. Process garlic, nuts, basil, oregano, oil, feta, zest, juice and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor until smooth, scraping down bowl as necessary, about 1 min.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (Pesto can be covered with 1 Tbsp oil and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to a month.)

Easy Salmon Cakes

We had some salmon that I wanted to make for dinner over the weekend, but wanted to do something quick, easy and a little different than the usual grilled or baked salmon fillet.  So, as usual, I turned to Cook's Illustrated magazine.

I found a recipe in the latest issue for Easy Salmon Cakes that were, in fact, very easy, quick and delicious.  It took less than a half-hour from raw ingredients to being on the table, ready to eat.  And did I mention that they were delicious?

Try them yourself. 

EASY SALMON CAKES
Serves 4

If you buy a skin-on salmon fillet, buy 1 1/3 lbs to yield the necessary amount of meat.  When processing, it's OK to have some salmon pieces larger than 1/4".  Just don't overprocess the fish.  Serve with lemon wedges and/or tartar sauce.

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp plus 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
4 tsp lemon juice
1 scallion, sliced thin

1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/4 lb skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup veg oil

1. Combine 3 Tbsp panko, parsley, mayo, lemon juice, scallion, shallot, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl.  Working in 3 batches, pulse salmon in a food processor until coarsely chopped into 1/4" pieces, about 2 pulses, transferring each batch to the bowl with the panko mixture.  Gently mix until uniformly combined.
2. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in pie plate.  Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop level amounts of salmon mixture and transfer to a baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes.  Carefully move each cake to the panko and coat, gently patting into a disk measuring 2 3/4" in diameter and 1" high.  Return the coated cakes to the sheet.
3. Heat the oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Place cakes in the skillet and cook without moving until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully flip the cakes and cook until the other side is golden brown, 2-3 minutes.  Transfer cakes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for 1 minute.  Serve.

They also include a variation using smoked salmon, capers and dill.  Reduce amount of salmon to 1 lb and the salt to 1/2 tsp.  Substitute 1 Tbsp chopped dill for the parsley.  Add 4 oz finely chopped smoked salmon and 1 Tbsp capers to the bowl with the salmon mixture.  Continue with the recipe as written.