The Huguenot - A Unique Farm-To-Table Partnership in New Paltz, NY

Sunday, June 29, 2014

I learned about The Huguenot while writing an article on farm-to-table restaurants for Hudson Valley Magazine's July issue. As farm to table joints go, The Huguenot is unique in that it's actually co-owned by the chefs and the farmer.

Kris Karl's family farm is located just six miles up the road. After getting to know chefs Nathan and Bonnie Snow as one of their poultry suppliers at A Tavola, the award-winning Italian restaurant they left New York City to open, he approached them with the idea of opening a restaurant together. He'd supply the fresh, grass-fed meats and vegetables and they'd turn those uber local ingredients into delicious food. Long story short, the restaurant opened in February of this year. Based on my one visit, I'd say it's a winning combo.

Chef and co-owner Nathan Snow at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014
Chef and co-owner, Nathan Snow, a seriously talented chef and genuinely nice guy.
Joined by our good friends, Meadow and Steve, we enjoyed a delightfully child-free (hurray for grandparents!!!) and delicious dinner there on a clear, slightly chilly night recently. The decor is dark with a rustic chic feel. The walls are lined with taxidermied heads of beasts that Kris or his family dispatched, including one menacing-looking wild boar that had been wreaking havoc on a farmer's crops down in Florida before he met his maker Kris. This is a crappy photo as I had to use the flash but I figured you might want to see it.

Wild boar head on the wall at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Although the restaurant is not likely to be popular with PETA supporters or vegans, the menu does have some delightful vegetarian offerings. The food is fresh and flavorful with a lot of creative combinations. I've included descriptions of the mouth-watering dishes along with our candid reactions and the prices below.

Menu and Specials at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

While we waited for our food, we scarfed down some of their house-made rye buns (technically they're baked next door at A Tavola but I think that still qualifies as house-made.) Served warm with really good butter, they had a lovely, potent caraway flavor. They also had these funny, pointy little nipples on top that resulted in some bawdy comments.

Steve taps the distinctive "nipple" on fresh baked rye roll at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Then the appetizers arrived:

Braised beets with watercress, cardamom brittle and a yogurt dressing. The pairing of the sweet, tender beets with the peppery watercress and little crunchy bits of sweetness from the brittle was both interesting and delicious. I could've eaten those beets all day. $7

Braised beets with watercress, cardamom brittle and a yogurt dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Seared ahi tuna, pickled egg, field greens, crispy capers, haricot verts in a nicoise dressing. This had a very fresh taste and Steve really liked the intensity of the rock salt on the tuna and the black pepper crust. I was surprised by how much I liked the sweet, briny pickled egg - I want to try making them sometime soon. The sweetness of the egg provided a nice balance for all the salt in the dish. $12

Seared ahi tuna, pickled egg, field greens, crispy capers, haricot verts, nicoise dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Crispy pork belly with endive, watercress and pickled cherries in a gin-curry dressing.The pickled cherries were great and the blend of their sweetness with the curry and the crispy fat of the pork belly was interesting and appealing - kind of a "taste explosion." The phrase "party in my mouth" was uttered, only half in jest. $11

Crispy pork belly with endive, watercress, pickled cherries in a gin-curry dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Frisee with cucumbers, fresh-picked strawberries and toasted almonds, in an avocado vinaigrette. I loved the toasted almonds and everyone loved the strawberries though we wished there'd been more of them. $9

Frisee with cucumbers, strawberries picked that morning, toasted almonds, in an avocado vinaigrette at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Next we moved on to the entrees:

Chicken two ways - grilled breast, confit leg, roasted baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, herbs, charred lemon and jus. The chicken breast was remarkably juicy and tender with a salty, black pepper crust. The confit was "amazing" as anything deep fried in duck fat tends to be. Meadow really appreciated the sweetness and the mint on the carrots and felt they helped to balance out the saltiness of the dish. $24

Chicken two ways - grilled breast, confit leg, roasted baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, herbs, charred lemon & jus at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Center-cut pork chop from the farm with stewed white beans, fava beans, ramp greens, salsa verde and house mustard. The combination of the two kinds of beans with the ramps and the mustard sauce was fantastic. The pork was really good, too. It had wonderful flavor though it was a bit less tender than we'd hoped. $24

Center-cut pork chop from the farm with stewed white beans, fava beans, ramp greens, salsa verde and house mustard at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

The Huguenot burger - house-ground beef with smoked caramelized onions, New York cheddar and Bibb lettuce on a house brioche bun with choice of side - I chose the red bliss potato salad with tarragon aioli. I LOVED the smoky, sweet flavor of the onions and really enjoyed the subtle sweetness of the brioche bun. The meat also had a nice smoky flavor and was very finely ground. The burger was really big and I really needed the ability to unhinge my jaw to really do it justice. While good, the potato salad was not a standout. $16

The Huguenot Burger at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

For dessert, we split the butterscotch pot au creme with a salt and sugar cookie. Aaaahhhhhh. This was so good! It had an intense creaminess and deep flavor that made all of us realize we had NO idea what butterscotch is (I looked it up when we got home - it's primarily cream and brown sugar, no Scotch.) The crunchy, salty, sugar cookie was delicious dipped into the creme. Unfortunately, I have no pix of this since it had gotten dark outside by then and the flash really is horrible. $7

Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5-10 PM
36 Main St., New Paltz. 845-255-5558
Web site: http://www.TheHuguenot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHuguenot

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3 Hudson Valley Farm-To-Table Restaurants You Should Try

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Luckily for me, New York's Hudson Valley is a growing hub for local food, small farms and sustainable agriculture. As my first assignment for Hudson Valley Magazine, I had the privilege of learning more about three terrific farm-to-table restaurants in the area.

I covered The Huguenot - a wonderful, new restaurant in New Paltz, NY (my review should be coming your way in the next day or two), Grazin' Diner in Hudson, NY - the nation's first Animal Welfare Approved certified organic burger joint, and Farm to Table Bistro in Fishkill, NY - a happening place that's been doing farm-to-table dining since before it became a buzzword.

Chefs-farmer-owners of The Huguenot. Photo by Teresa Horgan for Hudson Valley Magazine
The benefits of farm-to-table partnerships are myriad. Small farms get the steady support they need to survive and thrive, keeping farmland safe from development. Animals are raised more humanely. Chefs get the super fresh, high-quality produce and meats they need to turn out top-notch fare that keeps diners coming back for more. Diners get to munch on delicious food they can feel good about. Local economies get a boost - and our local economies could really use a boost! Fuel is conserved and dangerous carbon pollution is avoided. A win-win-win-win-win-win-win...

The article appears in the July issue and you can read more on Hudson Valley Magazine's web site.

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Sweet Potatoes Are In The Ground!

Friday, June 27, 2014

Just wanted to give a quick update on the Great Sweet Potato Experiment. We started with a bunch of  organic sweet potatoes. I cut them in half and put in water. After a little while, they sprouted plants and grew white roots that began to snake all throughout the water. Once the plants began to grow their own little white roots (separate from the roots that came directly out of the bottoms of the sweet potatoes, I cut the slips (which is what the baby plants are called) off the mama potatoes and planted them in small pots. Then I let them get a little more established in their pots of rich dirt while we waited for the weather to warm up a bit more.

It's Easy to Grow Your Own Sweet Potatoes from Supermarket Sweet Potatoes by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

After putting up a deer fence (a necessity in these parts!), my husband planted all the slips in the ground about two weeks ago. At the advice of a few gardening friends, we planted them right through the cardboard I'd put down to try to keep the Japanese Silvergrass and other unwanted plants from shooting back up after I did my thorough weeding earlier in the spring.

Rahm putting down a layer of cardboard to plant the sweet potato slips in by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

The benefits of planting through the cardboard are two-fold: the extra layer will help keep the soil warmer which makes the sweet taters happy since they're tropical vines and they like it hot, and it will also give the sweet potato vines a little competitive edge over anything else that might be in there by blocking sunlight to lemon balm, Japanese Silvergrass and weed seeds of all types.

Sweet potato vine just planted by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I am hoping that, come fall, we'll have a big harvest of my two favorite kinds of sweet potatoes and a long bed of dirt that is free of Silvergrass, lemon balm and other things. Then we will just add a thick layer of mulch and compost right over top of the cardboard -- a no-till method espoused by Lee Reich, one of our gardening experts here in the Hudson Valley in his excellent book, Weedless Gardening.

Rahm watering the sweet potato slips by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I'll keep you posted! (Update - October 2014 - we harvested the plants and it was a bumper crop! Read more here.)

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Lemony Kale Salad with Avocado-Coconut Dressing

Monday, June 23, 2014

I've been meaning to share this recipe for months now but was delayed by a number of things, including a run of bad avocados - you know the kind with those awful strings in them that are already turning black when you open them? Blech...

But my avocado luck has finally turned and our kale plants are producing like crazy - it's actually pretty hard to keep up with them - so the time is ripe to finally get this out to you.

Lemon Massaged Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

This salad has so many wonderful things going for it - it's like the holy trinity of healthy foods. There's the kale - so fresh and packed full of vitamins (C,A, and K, especially) and nutrients. I actually think that you can taste the goodness - for me, much of kale's appeal lies in its pleasing mineral-like flavor.

First kale harvest by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Then there's the avocado - buttery, smooth, slightly nutty and full of good stuff including nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Avocado, coconut oil, garlic and kale by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

And the coconut oil! It has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as helping to lower cholesterol, aid digestion and increase thyroid function and insulin use. After decades of economically-motivated misinformation spread by the soy and corn industries, we now know that coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats we can eat. If you'd like more information on this, check out my wonderful Thai cooking teacher, Kasma's web site. And, if you happen to live in the Bay area, get on the waiting list for one of her classes!

Meyer lemons from Josephine Street by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

The lemon juice and the garlic are pretty darn good for you, too.  But as I've said before, this is all just icing on the cake for me -- the health benefits are a nice plus but the important thing (the cake, to stick with my rather tired culinary metaphor) is that it tastes really good.

Assembly is pretty easy. You wash and dry the kale, remove the ribs, and chop it up, then massage the lemon juice, coconut oil and salt into it. It will look more or less like this. Let it sit while you prep the rest of dinner to give the acid in the lemon juice time to soften the kale up a bit.

Chopped kale for the avocado kale coconut by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

When you're getting close to being ready to put the meal on the table, peel and slice your avocado. Mash half of it with a fork and mix in the garlic and leave the other half in slices or cubes (or mash all of it, I've done it both ways). Toss the whole mess into the kale and stir well to combine then sprinkle with shredded coconut, toasted pepitas and/or toasted sesame seeds for a little nutty crunch.

Lemon Massaged Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Lemony Kale Salad with Avocado-Coconut Dressing
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

* 1 large bunch of fresh kale, rinsed and dried
* 1/2 large or 1 whole small avocado
* Juice of an organic lemon
* 3 tsps organic coconut oil
* 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
* 1 tsp maple syrup
* Generous pinch of sea salt
* Few grinds of black pepper
* Handful of unsweetened, shredded coconut
* Handful of toasted pepitas, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds

Directions

1. Remove the ribs from the kale and chop it well. Place it in a good sized serving bowl and rub the lemon juice, sea salt and coconut oil thoroughly into the leaves. Leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes.

2. Peel and pit the avocado and cut it into cubes. Mash half of the avocado cubes with the garlic, black pepper and  maple syrup and work it into the chopped kale.

3. Top with the rest of the cubed avocado, the shredded coconut and the toasted seeds and serve.

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6 Tips for Making the Most of Your CSA & Enjoying It!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

We've been part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for many years now. Although I love both the wonderful food we get and the fact that we're helping to support a local farm, I also know how it feels to be drowning in veggies and overwhelmed by the fact that a lot of high-quality food will soon spoil if I don't make use of it quickly.

But being part of a CSA does not have to make you feel guilty or overwhelmed -- it can and should be FUN! With that goal in mind, here are six helpful tips I've gleaned over the last five years.

6 simple tips for making the most of your CSA and enjoying it by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

1. Get inspired! 

When you find out what you're getting (we get an email from our farm the morning of our pick up) take a few minutes to think about possible meals you might like to make that week. I find that this helps get me excited about the possibilities and increases the likelihood that I will actually use everything and cook some really good meals.

If you're looking for inspiration, you'll find lots of good recipes right here on this blog. But if my recipes don't quite do the trick, here are a few of my favorite sites and blogs: The Kitchn, Food52, Martha Rose Shulman's Recipes for Health series on NYTimes.com, 101 Cookbooks, Local Kitchen, Dash & Bella, Brooklyn Supper and Simply Recipes. And there's always Food Blog Search - a great blog search engine and Epicurious - a huge database of more commercial recipes including a lot from Gourmet, Bon Appetit, etc.

Desiree potatoes from Eatwell Farm by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2010

2. Only take what you want & will actually use. 

If you find yourself humming "killing me softly with cabbage" on your way to get your veggies and you know deep down that you're not going to end up using that big bunch of parsley or those collard greens, I have some radical advice -- don't take them! Just leave them at your pick-up spot. Some farms have a box you can use where others who are more enthusiastic about that particular thing can nab it and most, if not all, farms have a plan for the food that goes unclaimed. Some share it out amongst their volunteers in lieu of payment and others deliver the unclaimed produce to a local soup kitchen or both. Either way it will go to hungry mouths that will appreciate it instead of rotting in your refrigerator and making you feel guilty.

Tomatoes, dry farmed by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2007

3. Wash the greens when you get home

This sounds simple but I've found that I am about ten times more likely to actually make use of, say, spinach if I take a few minutes to wash and dry it right when I get it home. That way, rather than throw up my hands and order crummy take-out when I haven't started dinner yet at 6:30, I just grab the bag of cleaned spinach out of the crisper and quickly saute it with some minced garlic to make this delicious dish. This also holds true for arugula, kale, chard, herbs, lettuce and more. If you don't have the time to wash them, make sure to at least remove any rubber bands or ties holding them in bunches since those will make them rot more quickly.

Gorgeous first spinach of the season from Taliaferro farms by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

4. Don't forget freezing & canning.

 If you've got too much of something, it's a great idea to make pickles or jam or just freeze a big bunch of chopped fresh greens or herbs for easy use later. Not only does it keep good food from going to waste, you'll thank yourself later when you're munching on some spicy pickled carrots or grabbing a bag of chopped kale out of the freezer to add to a stew in the middle of the winter. These pickled beets with cumin and cloves were born out of CSA-driven necessity and are now one of the highlights of our winter!

Pickled Beets With Cumin & Cloves by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

If you're new to canning and preserving, I suggest you start here. And if you're not new to it but are looking for even more inspiration, there is so much great stuff out there! For books, I like the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (it's a bit of a Bible), Put 'em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton, and Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round by Marisa McClellan. Online, I check Punk Domestics, The Preserved Life, Food In Jars, The Hungry Tigress, Well Preserved and the From Scratch Club for ideas.

5. Consider signing up for just a half share

After starting out with weekly veggie pick-ups from our first CSA back in Berkeley, we quickly made the decision to scale back to every-other-week since a massive box of vegetables each week was too much for us to use without it feeling like a job. After all, this should be enjoyable!

Sometimes Less Really IS More by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

While I actually love the way the CSA forces me to explore new recipes and plays a role in what I end up cooking, I don't enjoy being a complete slave to what I get from the farm. I like having the flexibility to make something that's not in the box or to pick something up at the farmer's market just because it looks great without having to feel guilty about it. So every-other-week works perfectly for me. Whether you're entering the wonderful world of CSAs for the first time or you're just feeling overwhelmed, this could be a good option for you.

6. Clear the decks before CSA pick-up day

I use the fact that I know another big load of great, fresh stuff is coming soon to motivate me to use up the last of the veggies in our fridge. Plan a big salad as one of your meals, whip up a stir-fry, make a big pot of soup or start a batch of refrigerator pickles. You and your family will enjoy it and you'll be thankful for the space in your crispers when the new load of produce arrives. By the way, my crispers have not been this clean since we moved into our house a year ago - what a nice bonus to writing this post :)

Empty Crispers by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I hope these tips help you have fun with your farm share. Happy eating, cooking, pickling and freezing!

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Ten Awesome Asparagus Recipes

Monday, June 16, 2014

Here are ten tasty ways to enjoy the heck out of asparagus while it's fresh and at its most delicious. The season is a brief but glorious affair so make some of these while you still can!

Asparagus 10 Ways - a recipe round up by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

As is usually the case with my round-ups, the first seven are from this blog and I've rounded out the selection with three more recipes that made me drool. Enjoy!

1. Parmesan-garlic grilled asparagus. A very easy but rather decadent way of preparing asparagus. Toss the spears in olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese then toss them onto the grill. So good!

Parmesan garlic grilled asparagus by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2013
Prepping parmesan garlic grilled asparagus by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
2. Lemon aioli with asparagus, roasted beets and oven fries. This dish takes a bit more prep time than most of the recipes included here but it is soooo worth it. A vegetarian spring feast awaits you, complete with perfectly cooked oven fries (thanks to directions from Cooks Illustrated), sweet roasted beets, fresh asparagus and a homemade lemon aioli.

Asparagus, roasted beets and oven fries with homemade lemon aioli by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2012
Asparagus, roasted beets & oven fries with homemade lemon aioli by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
3. Grilled asparagus in a sesame-soy-ginger-garlic marinade. Let the asparagus spears soak up the flavor of this sweet, spicy Asian-style marinade all day, then throw them onto the grill for a quick cook.

Grilled asparagus in an Asian-inspired marinade by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2013
Grilled asparagus in ginger, sesame, soy, garlic marinade by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
4. Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans. This recipe came from our next-door neighbors in Berkeley (we miss you, Freemans!) and the combination of the fresh flavor of the asparagus with the creamy goat cheese, crunchy and sweet candied nuts and just a leetle bit of bacon never fails to impress.

Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2011
Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
5. Bacon asparagus pizza with caramelized onions and fresh basil. My most recent discovery, this pizza can be made with leftover asparagus should you ever fail to devour them all in the first sitting. Asparagus joins sweet, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, fresh basil and a mix of fresh mozzarella and goat cheese to make a surefire success.
Bacon asparagus pizza with caramelized onions and fresh basil by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014
Bacon asparagus pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
6. Quick roasted asparagus with garlic. One of my go-to ways to prepare asparagus - this is quick, easy and, most importantly, very very good! You can also grill this if the weather is good.

Quick roasted asparagus with garlic by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2010
Roasted asparagus with garlic by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating.
7. Pickled asparagus spears. Since we're at the tail end of the asparagus season, these pickled spears are a perfect way to preserve the unique flavor of spring for many months to come. The vinegar, sugar and spices amp up the natural umami of the asparagus, making for a uniquely tasty treat with a surprising flavor. Hat tip to Marisa at Food In Jars for the inspiration.

Pickled asparagus spears by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014
Pickled asparagus spears by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating.
8. Shaved asparagus, fennel, and piave cheese salad with meyer lemon caper vinaigrette. An addictive salad made with raw, shaved asparagus, capers, fresh fennel, light, floral meyer lemon, salty cheese and more from Phyllis at Dash and Bella. You'll want to bust out your mandoline to make the shavings - it makes everything soooo much easier (read more about why I love this tool here). And if you don't already know it, you will LOVE this blog. Phyllis' photos are incredible and her writing is honest and funny. I'm just sorry I didn't know about her when I lived in Berkeley and could've actually hung out with her :(
Asparagus, fennel, and piave cheese salad with meyer lemon caper vinaigrette by Phyllis Grant, courtesy Dash and Bella, copyright 2010
Shaved asparagus, fennel and cheese salad by Phyllis Grant via Dash & Bella
9. Cream of asparagus soup with spring onions. You can't go wrong with asparagus and cream but you really can't go wrong if you roast the asparagus with spring onions and garlic first as Elizabeth and Brian at Brooklyn Supper have done here. The result is a rich, sweet, savory soup with a velvety texture. MWAH!
Cream of Asparagus Soup by Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper
Cream of Asparagus Soup by Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper
10. Miso ginger asparagus. I love the mix of complex flavors in this delightful recipe from Jaden at Steamy Kitchen. Roasting the spears before drizzling with the sauce helps develop the sweet, nutty flavor of the asparagus.
Miso ginger asparagus by Jaden Hair via Steamy Kitchen
Miso ginger asparagus by Jaden Hair via Steamy Kitchen.
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Bacon Asparagus Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Basil

Thursday, June 12, 2014

This quick pizza combines asparagus and bacon for a simple but decadent weeknight dinner. If you want to make your own crust, you may want to wait for a weekend to try this since the process will take significantly longer.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Truly fresh asparagus is such a fleeting delight that you gotta make use of it while you can get it. And, as I've mentioned before, everything is better with bacon (unless you happen to be a vegan, vegetarian or Muslim, of course.)

Cooking the bacon by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

While the oven was heating up to 425º, I cooked some bacon from the quarter pig we bought from cousin Norah's beautiful farm up in Vermont. Then I caramelized a whole mess of onions in the bacon fat.

I used leftover asparagus that was already cooked so all I had to do was slice them. While I ran out to the garden to snip some fresh basil and oregano (and smush a whole lot of red aphids that were all over the tomato plants) my husband grated a small mountain of fresh mozzarella.

Fresh, organic, local asparagus by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Assembly was quick and easy - bacon and onion mixture then some mozzarella then the asparagus and herbs and a little bit of goat cheese finished with a very light dusting of sea salt and black pepper.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza about to go into the oven by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Into the oven it went and out it came 10 minutes later, crisped on the edges and bubbling in the center. Slice, slice, slice, slice with our handy pizza cutter and we were in business.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

The recipe below makes one pizza pie but I would recommend doubling it because the leftovers are incredible. I should know, I am eating them as I type :)

Bacon Asparagus Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Basil
Makes one pizza

Ingredients

* 1 prepared pizza crust - I've had decent results with pre-baked organic ones from Trader Joe's but I also like to use flatbread or lavash - they're wonderfully thin and crisp up beautifully. If you want to make your own crust, click here for a good dough recipe
* 1 small to medium-sized ball of fresh mozzarella, grated
* 3 strips of bacon, chopped
* 1 small to medium-sized onion, peeled and either sliced or chopped
* 6 spears of cooked asparagus - you can use grilled, roasted, steamed or sauteed though the steamed and sauteed ones run the least risk of burning in the oven since they're moister, sliced into whatever size and length you like
* A few tablespoons of goat cheese
* A handful of fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and chopped
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º. While the oven is heating, cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a frying pan or cast iron skillet. After much of the fat has rendered out but before the bacon is really crispy, toss the onions into the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and sweet - roughly 10 minutes.

2. Grate the mozzarella, slice the asparagus spears and chop up the fresh herbs. Once everything is prepped, it's time to assemble the pizza. Place the crust on a heavy baking sheet and begin with a layer of onions and bacon. Add half the mozzarella and then the asparagus slices. Add the rest of the mozzarella, the herbs and the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Put the pizza into the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned and the cheese is bubbling. the exact timing will depend on what type of crust you're using. A crust that is pre-cooked will require much less time than one that is not and thicker crusts require more time than thinner ones so just check often if you're unsure.

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

The Huguenot - A Unique Farm-To-Table Partnership in New Paltz, NY

I learned about The Huguenot while writing an article on farm-to-table restaurants for Hudson Valley Magazine's July issue. As farm to table joints go, The Huguenot is unique in that it's actually co-owned by the chefs and the farmer.

Kris Karl's family farm is located just six miles up the road. After getting to know chefs Nathan and Bonnie Snow as one of their poultry suppliers at A Tavola, the award-winning Italian restaurant they left New York City to open, he approached them with the idea of opening a restaurant together. He'd supply the fresh, grass-fed meats and vegetables and they'd turn those uber local ingredients into delicious food. Long story short, the restaurant opened in February of this year. Based on my one visit, I'd say it's a winning combo.

Chef and co-owner Nathan Snow at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014
Chef and co-owner, Nathan Snow, a seriously talented chef and genuinely nice guy.
Joined by our good friends, Meadow and Steve, we enjoyed a delightfully child-free (hurray for grandparents!!!) and delicious dinner there on a clear, slightly chilly night recently. The decor is dark with a rustic chic feel. The walls are lined with taxidermied heads of beasts that Kris or his family dispatched, including one menacing-looking wild boar that had been wreaking havoc on a farmer's crops down in Florida before he met his maker Kris. This is a crappy photo as I had to use the flash but I figured you might want to see it.

Wild boar head on the wall at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Although the restaurant is not likely to be popular with PETA supporters or vegans, the menu does have some delightful vegetarian offerings. The food is fresh and flavorful with a lot of creative combinations. I've included descriptions of the mouth-watering dishes along with our candid reactions and the prices below.

Menu and Specials at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

While we waited for our food, we scarfed down some of their house-made rye buns (technically they're baked next door at A Tavola but I think that still qualifies as house-made.) Served warm with really good butter, they had a lovely, potent caraway flavor. They also had these funny, pointy little nipples on top that resulted in some bawdy comments.

Steve taps the distinctive "nipple" on fresh baked rye roll at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Then the appetizers arrived:

Braised beets with watercress, cardamom brittle and a yogurt dressing. The pairing of the sweet, tender beets with the peppery watercress and little crunchy bits of sweetness from the brittle was both interesting and delicious. I could've eaten those beets all day. $7

Braised beets with watercress, cardamom brittle and a yogurt dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Seared ahi tuna, pickled egg, field greens, crispy capers, haricot verts in a nicoise dressing. This had a very fresh taste and Steve really liked the intensity of the rock salt on the tuna and the black pepper crust. I was surprised by how much I liked the sweet, briny pickled egg - I want to try making them sometime soon. The sweetness of the egg provided a nice balance for all the salt in the dish. $12

Seared ahi tuna, pickled egg, field greens, crispy capers, haricot verts, nicoise dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Crispy pork belly with endive, watercress and pickled cherries in a gin-curry dressing.The pickled cherries were great and the blend of their sweetness with the curry and the crispy fat of the pork belly was interesting and appealing - kind of a "taste explosion." The phrase "party in my mouth" was uttered, only half in jest. $11

Crispy pork belly with endive, watercress, pickled cherries in a gin-curry dressing at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Frisee with cucumbers, fresh-picked strawberries and toasted almonds, in an avocado vinaigrette. I loved the toasted almonds and everyone loved the strawberries though we wished there'd been more of them. $9

Frisee with cucumbers, strawberries picked that morning, toasted almonds, in an avocado vinaigrette at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Next we moved on to the entrees:

Chicken two ways - grilled breast, confit leg, roasted baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, herbs, charred lemon and jus. The chicken breast was remarkably juicy and tender with a salty, black pepper crust. The confit was "amazing" as anything deep fried in duck fat tends to be. Meadow really appreciated the sweetness and the mint on the carrots and felt they helped to balance out the saltiness of the dish. $24

Chicken two ways - grilled breast, confit leg, roasted baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, herbs, charred lemon & jus at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

Center-cut pork chop from the farm with stewed white beans, fava beans, ramp greens, salsa verde and house mustard. The combination of the two kinds of beans with the ramps and the mustard sauce was fantastic. The pork was really good, too. It had wonderful flavor though it was a bit less tender than we'd hoped. $24

Center-cut pork chop from the farm with stewed white beans, fava beans, ramp greens, salsa verde and house mustard at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

The Huguenot burger - house-ground beef with smoked caramelized onions, New York cheddar and Bibb lettuce on a house brioche bun with choice of side - I chose the red bliss potato salad with tarragon aioli. I LOVED the smoky, sweet flavor of the onions and really enjoyed the subtle sweetness of the brioche bun. The meat also had a nice smoky flavor and was very finely ground. The burger was really big and I really needed the ability to unhinge my jaw to really do it justice. While good, the potato salad was not a standout. $16

The Huguenot Burger at The Huguenot restaurant in New Paltz by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating copyright 2014

For dessert, we split the butterscotch pot au creme with a salt and sugar cookie. Aaaahhhhhh. This was so good! It had an intense creaminess and deep flavor that made all of us realize we had NO idea what butterscotch is (I looked it up when we got home - it's primarily cream and brown sugar, no Scotch.) The crunchy, salty, sugar cookie was delicious dipped into the creme. Unfortunately, I have no pix of this since it had gotten dark outside by then and the flash really is horrible. $7

Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5-10 PM
36 Main St., New Paltz. 845-255-5558
Web site: http://www.TheHuguenot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHuguenot

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Saturday, June 28, 2014

3 Hudson Valley Farm-To-Table Restaurants You Should Try

Luckily for me, New York's Hudson Valley is a growing hub for local food, small farms and sustainable agriculture. As my first assignment for Hudson Valley Magazine, I had the privilege of learning more about three terrific farm-to-table restaurants in the area.

I covered The Huguenot - a wonderful, new restaurant in New Paltz, NY (my review should be coming your way in the next day or two), Grazin' Diner in Hudson, NY - the nation's first Animal Welfare Approved certified organic burger joint, and Farm to Table Bistro in Fishkill, NY - a happening place that's been doing farm-to-table dining since before it became a buzzword.

Chefs-farmer-owners of The Huguenot. Photo by Teresa Horgan for Hudson Valley Magazine
The benefits of farm-to-table partnerships are myriad. Small farms get the steady support they need to survive and thrive, keeping farmland safe from development. Animals are raised more humanely. Chefs get the super fresh, high-quality produce and meats they need to turn out top-notch fare that keeps diners coming back for more. Diners get to munch on delicious food they can feel good about. Local economies get a boost - and our local economies could really use a boost! Fuel is conserved and dangerous carbon pollution is avoided. A win-win-win-win-win-win-win...

The article appears in the July issue and you can read more on Hudson Valley Magazine's web site.

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Friday, June 27, 2014

Sweet Potatoes Are In The Ground!

Just wanted to give a quick update on the Great Sweet Potato Experiment. We started with a bunch of  organic sweet potatoes. I cut them in half and put in water. After a little while, they sprouted plants and grew white roots that began to snake all throughout the water. Once the plants began to grow their own little white roots (separate from the roots that came directly out of the bottoms of the sweet potatoes, I cut the slips (which is what the baby plants are called) off the mama potatoes and planted them in small pots. Then I let them get a little more established in their pots of rich dirt while we waited for the weather to warm up a bit more.

It's Easy to Grow Your Own Sweet Potatoes from Supermarket Sweet Potatoes by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

After putting up a deer fence (a necessity in these parts!), my husband planted all the slips in the ground about two weeks ago. At the advice of a few gardening friends, we planted them right through the cardboard I'd put down to try to keep the Japanese Silvergrass and other unwanted plants from shooting back up after I did my thorough weeding earlier in the spring.

Rahm putting down a layer of cardboard to plant the sweet potato slips in by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

The benefits of planting through the cardboard are two-fold: the extra layer will help keep the soil warmer which makes the sweet taters happy since they're tropical vines and they like it hot, and it will also give the sweet potato vines a little competitive edge over anything else that might be in there by blocking sunlight to lemon balm, Japanese Silvergrass and weed seeds of all types.

Sweet potato vine just planted by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I am hoping that, come fall, we'll have a big harvest of my two favorite kinds of sweet potatoes and a long bed of dirt that is free of Silvergrass, lemon balm and other things. Then we will just add a thick layer of mulch and compost right over top of the cardboard -- a no-till method espoused by Lee Reich, one of our gardening experts here in the Hudson Valley in his excellent book, Weedless Gardening.

Rahm watering the sweet potato slips by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I'll keep you posted! (Update - October 2014 - we harvested the plants and it was a bumper crop! Read more here.)

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Lemony Kale Salad with Avocado-Coconut Dressing

I've been meaning to share this recipe for months now but was delayed by a number of things, including a run of bad avocados - you know the kind with those awful strings in them that are already turning black when you open them? Blech...

But my avocado luck has finally turned and our kale plants are producing like crazy - it's actually pretty hard to keep up with them - so the time is ripe to finally get this out to you.

Lemon Massaged Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

This salad has so many wonderful things going for it - it's like the holy trinity of healthy foods. There's the kale - so fresh and packed full of vitamins (C,A, and K, especially) and nutrients. I actually think that you can taste the goodness - for me, much of kale's appeal lies in its pleasing mineral-like flavor.

First kale harvest by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Then there's the avocado - buttery, smooth, slightly nutty and full of good stuff including nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Avocado, coconut oil, garlic and kale by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

And the coconut oil! It has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as helping to lower cholesterol, aid digestion and increase thyroid function and insulin use. After decades of economically-motivated misinformation spread by the soy and corn industries, we now know that coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats we can eat. If you'd like more information on this, check out my wonderful Thai cooking teacher, Kasma's web site. And, if you happen to live in the Bay area, get on the waiting list for one of her classes!

Meyer lemons from Josephine Street by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

The lemon juice and the garlic are pretty darn good for you, too.  But as I've said before, this is all just icing on the cake for me -- the health benefits are a nice plus but the important thing (the cake, to stick with my rather tired culinary metaphor) is that it tastes really good.

Assembly is pretty easy. You wash and dry the kale, remove the ribs, and chop it up, then massage the lemon juice, coconut oil and salt into it. It will look more or less like this. Let it sit while you prep the rest of dinner to give the acid in the lemon juice time to soften the kale up a bit.

Chopped kale for the avocado kale coconut by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

When you're getting close to being ready to put the meal on the table, peel and slice your avocado. Mash half of it with a fork and mix in the garlic and leave the other half in slices or cubes (or mash all of it, I've done it both ways). Toss the whole mess into the kale and stir well to combine then sprinkle with shredded coconut, toasted pepitas and/or toasted sesame seeds for a little nutty crunch.

Lemon Massaged Kale Salad with Coconut Avocado Dressing by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

Lemony Kale Salad with Avocado-Coconut Dressing
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

* 1 large bunch of fresh kale, rinsed and dried
* 1/2 large or 1 whole small avocado
* Juice of an organic lemon
* 3 tsps organic coconut oil
* 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
* 1 tsp maple syrup
* Generous pinch of sea salt
* Few grinds of black pepper
* Handful of unsweetened, shredded coconut
* Handful of toasted pepitas, sunflower seeds or sesame seeds

Directions

1. Remove the ribs from the kale and chop it well. Place it in a good sized serving bowl and rub the lemon juice, sea salt and coconut oil thoroughly into the leaves. Leave it to sit for at least 10 minutes.

2. Peel and pit the avocado and cut it into cubes. Mash half of the avocado cubes with the garlic, black pepper and  maple syrup and work it into the chopped kale.

3. Top with the rest of the cubed avocado, the shredded coconut and the toasted seeds and serve.

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

6 Tips for Making the Most of Your CSA & Enjoying It!

We've been part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for many years now. Although I love both the wonderful food we get and the fact that we're helping to support a local farm, I also know how it feels to be drowning in veggies and overwhelmed by the fact that a lot of high-quality food will soon spoil if I don't make use of it quickly.

But being part of a CSA does not have to make you feel guilty or overwhelmed -- it can and should be FUN! With that goal in mind, here are six helpful tips I've gleaned over the last five years.

6 simple tips for making the most of your CSA and enjoying it by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

1. Get inspired! 

When you find out what you're getting (we get an email from our farm the morning of our pick up) take a few minutes to think about possible meals you might like to make that week. I find that this helps get me excited about the possibilities and increases the likelihood that I will actually use everything and cook some really good meals.

If you're looking for inspiration, you'll find lots of good recipes right here on this blog. But if my recipes don't quite do the trick, here are a few of my favorite sites and blogs: The Kitchn, Food52, Martha Rose Shulman's Recipes for Health series on NYTimes.com, 101 Cookbooks, Local Kitchen, Dash & Bella, Brooklyn Supper and Simply Recipes. And there's always Food Blog Search - a great blog search engine and Epicurious - a huge database of more commercial recipes including a lot from Gourmet, Bon Appetit, etc.

Desiree potatoes from Eatwell Farm by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2010

2. Only take what you want & will actually use. 

If you find yourself humming "killing me softly with cabbage" on your way to get your veggies and you know deep down that you're not going to end up using that big bunch of parsley or those collard greens, I have some radical advice -- don't take them! Just leave them at your pick-up spot. Some farms have a box you can use where others who are more enthusiastic about that particular thing can nab it and most, if not all, farms have a plan for the food that goes unclaimed. Some share it out amongst their volunteers in lieu of payment and others deliver the unclaimed produce to a local soup kitchen or both. Either way it will go to hungry mouths that will appreciate it instead of rotting in your refrigerator and making you feel guilty.

Tomatoes, dry farmed by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2007

3. Wash the greens when you get home

This sounds simple but I've found that I am about ten times more likely to actually make use of, say, spinach if I take a few minutes to wash and dry it right when I get it home. That way, rather than throw up my hands and order crummy take-out when I haven't started dinner yet at 6:30, I just grab the bag of cleaned spinach out of the crisper and quickly saute it with some minced garlic to make this delicious dish. This also holds true for arugula, kale, chard, herbs, lettuce and more. If you don't have the time to wash them, make sure to at least remove any rubber bands or ties holding them in bunches since those will make them rot more quickly.

Gorgeous first spinach of the season from Taliaferro farms by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

4. Don't forget freezing & canning.

 If you've got too much of something, it's a great idea to make pickles or jam or just freeze a big bunch of chopped fresh greens or herbs for easy use later. Not only does it keep good food from going to waste, you'll thank yourself later when you're munching on some spicy pickled carrots or grabbing a bag of chopped kale out of the freezer to add to a stew in the middle of the winter. These pickled beets with cumin and cloves were born out of CSA-driven necessity and are now one of the highlights of our winter!

Pickled Beets With Cumin & Cloves by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

If you're new to canning and preserving, I suggest you start here. And if you're not new to it but are looking for even more inspiration, there is so much great stuff out there! For books, I like the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (it's a bit of a Bible), Put 'em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton, and Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round by Marisa McClellan. Online, I check Punk Domestics, The Preserved Life, Food In Jars, The Hungry Tigress, Well Preserved and the From Scratch Club for ideas.

5. Consider signing up for just a half share

After starting out with weekly veggie pick-ups from our first CSA back in Berkeley, we quickly made the decision to scale back to every-other-week since a massive box of vegetables each week was too much for us to use without it feeling like a job. After all, this should be enjoyable!

Sometimes Less Really IS More by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

While I actually love the way the CSA forces me to explore new recipes and plays a role in what I end up cooking, I don't enjoy being a complete slave to what I get from the farm. I like having the flexibility to make something that's not in the box or to pick something up at the farmer's market just because it looks great without having to feel guilty about it. So every-other-week works perfectly for me. Whether you're entering the wonderful world of CSAs for the first time or you're just feeling overwhelmed, this could be a good option for you.

6. Clear the decks before CSA pick-up day

I use the fact that I know another big load of great, fresh stuff is coming soon to motivate me to use up the last of the veggies in our fridge. Plan a big salad as one of your meals, whip up a stir-fry, make a big pot of soup or start a batch of refrigerator pickles. You and your family will enjoy it and you'll be thankful for the space in your crispers when the new load of produce arrives. By the way, my crispers have not been this clean since we moved into our house a year ago - what a nice bonus to writing this post :)

Empty Crispers by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I hope these tips help you have fun with your farm share. Happy eating, cooking, pickling and freezing!

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Monday, June 16, 2014

Ten Awesome Asparagus Recipes

Here are ten tasty ways to enjoy the heck out of asparagus while it's fresh and at its most delicious. The season is a brief but glorious affair so make some of these while you still can!

Asparagus 10 Ways - a recipe round up by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

As is usually the case with my round-ups, the first seven are from this blog and I've rounded out the selection with three more recipes that made me drool. Enjoy!

1. Parmesan-garlic grilled asparagus. A very easy but rather decadent way of preparing asparagus. Toss the spears in olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese then toss them onto the grill. So good!

Parmesan garlic grilled asparagus by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2013
Prepping parmesan garlic grilled asparagus by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
2. Lemon aioli with asparagus, roasted beets and oven fries. This dish takes a bit more prep time than most of the recipes included here but it is soooo worth it. A vegetarian spring feast awaits you, complete with perfectly cooked oven fries (thanks to directions from Cooks Illustrated), sweet roasted beets, fresh asparagus and a homemade lemon aioli.

Asparagus, roasted beets and oven fries with homemade lemon aioli by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2012
Asparagus, roasted beets & oven fries with homemade lemon aioli by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
3. Grilled asparagus in a sesame-soy-ginger-garlic marinade. Let the asparagus spears soak up the flavor of this sweet, spicy Asian-style marinade all day, then throw them onto the grill for a quick cook.

Grilled asparagus in an Asian-inspired marinade by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2013
Grilled asparagus in ginger, sesame, soy, garlic marinade by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
4. Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans. This recipe came from our next-door neighbors in Berkeley (we miss you, Freemans!) and the combination of the fresh flavor of the asparagus with the creamy goat cheese, crunchy and sweet candied nuts and just a leetle bit of bacon never fails to impress.

Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2011
Asparagus with goat cheese and candied pecans by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
5. Bacon asparagus pizza with caramelized onions and fresh basil. My most recent discovery, this pizza can be made with leftover asparagus should you ever fail to devour them all in the first sitting. Asparagus joins sweet, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, fresh basil and a mix of fresh mozzarella and goat cheese to make a surefire success.
Bacon asparagus pizza with caramelized onions and fresh basil by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014
Bacon asparagus pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating.
6. Quick roasted asparagus with garlic. One of my go-to ways to prepare asparagus - this is quick, easy and, most importantly, very very good! You can also grill this if the weather is good.

Quick roasted asparagus with garlic by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2010
Roasted asparagus with garlic by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating.
7. Pickled asparagus spears. Since we're at the tail end of the asparagus season, these pickled spears are a perfect way to preserve the unique flavor of spring for many months to come. The vinegar, sugar and spices amp up the natural umami of the asparagus, making for a uniquely tasty treat with a surprising flavor. Hat tip to Marisa at Food In Jars for the inspiration.

Pickled asparagus spears by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014
Pickled asparagus spears by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating.
8. Shaved asparagus, fennel, and piave cheese salad with meyer lemon caper vinaigrette. An addictive salad made with raw, shaved asparagus, capers, fresh fennel, light, floral meyer lemon, salty cheese and more from Phyllis at Dash and Bella. You'll want to bust out your mandoline to make the shavings - it makes everything soooo much easier (read more about why I love this tool here). And if you don't already know it, you will LOVE this blog. Phyllis' photos are incredible and her writing is honest and funny. I'm just sorry I didn't know about her when I lived in Berkeley and could've actually hung out with her :(
Asparagus, fennel, and piave cheese salad with meyer lemon caper vinaigrette by Phyllis Grant, courtesy Dash and Bella, copyright 2010
Shaved asparagus, fennel and cheese salad by Phyllis Grant via Dash & Bella
9. Cream of asparagus soup with spring onions. You can't go wrong with asparagus and cream but you really can't go wrong if you roast the asparagus with spring onions and garlic first as Elizabeth and Brian at Brooklyn Supper have done here. The result is a rich, sweet, savory soup with a velvety texture. MWAH!
Cream of Asparagus Soup by Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper
Cream of Asparagus Soup by Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper
10. Miso ginger asparagus. I love the mix of complex flavors in this delightful recipe from Jaden at Steamy Kitchen. Roasting the spears before drizzling with the sauce helps develop the sweet, nutty flavor of the asparagus.
Miso ginger asparagus by Jaden Hair via Steamy Kitchen
Miso ginger asparagus by Jaden Hair via Steamy Kitchen.
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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Bacon Asparagus Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Basil

This quick pizza combines asparagus and bacon for a simple but decadent weeknight dinner. If you want to make your own crust, you may want to wait for a weekend to try this since the process will take significantly longer.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Truly fresh asparagus is such a fleeting delight that you gotta make use of it while you can get it. And, as I've mentioned before, everything is better with bacon (unless you happen to be a vegan, vegetarian or Muslim, of course.)

Cooking the bacon by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

While the oven was heating up to 425º, I cooked some bacon from the quarter pig we bought from cousin Norah's beautiful farm up in Vermont. Then I caramelized a whole mess of onions in the bacon fat.

I used leftover asparagus that was already cooked so all I had to do was slice them. While I ran out to the garden to snip some fresh basil and oregano (and smush a whole lot of red aphids that were all over the tomato plants) my husband grated a small mountain of fresh mozzarella.

Fresh, organic, local asparagus by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Assembly was quick and easy - bacon and onion mixture then some mozzarella then the asparagus and herbs and a little bit of goat cheese finished with a very light dusting of sea salt and black pepper.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza about to go into the oven by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

Into the oven it went and out it came 10 minutes later, crisped on the edges and bubbling in the center. Slice, slice, slice, slice with our handy pizza cutter and we were in business.

Bacon Asparagus Pizza by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2014

The recipe below makes one pizza pie but I would recommend doubling it because the leftovers are incredible. I should know, I am eating them as I type :)

Bacon Asparagus Pizza with Caramelized Onions & Basil
Makes one pizza

Ingredients

* 1 prepared pizza crust - I've had decent results with pre-baked organic ones from Trader Joe's but I also like to use flatbread or lavash - they're wonderfully thin and crisp up beautifully. If you want to make your own crust, click here for a good dough recipe
* 1 small to medium-sized ball of fresh mozzarella, grated
* 3 strips of bacon, chopped
* 1 small to medium-sized onion, peeled and either sliced or chopped
* 6 spears of cooked asparagus - you can use grilled, roasted, steamed or sauteed though the steamed and sauteed ones run the least risk of burning in the oven since they're moister, sliced into whatever size and length you like
* A few tablespoons of goat cheese
* A handful of fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and chopped
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425º. While the oven is heating, cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a frying pan or cast iron skillet. After much of the fat has rendered out but before the bacon is really crispy, toss the onions into the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and sweet - roughly 10 minutes.

2. Grate the mozzarella, slice the asparagus spears and chop up the fresh herbs. Once everything is prepped, it's time to assemble the pizza. Place the crust on a heavy baking sheet and begin with a layer of onions and bacon. Add half the mozzarella and then the asparagus slices. Add the rest of the mozzarella, the herbs and the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Put the pizza into the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned and the cheese is bubbling. the exact timing will depend on what type of crust you're using. A crust that is pre-cooked will require much less time than one that is not and thicker crusts require more time than thinner ones so just check often if you're unsure.

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