This recipe was originally published for PastureLand Co-op

2/3 cup (2 ounces) pecans
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated PastureLand Raw Milk Organic medium or sharp Cheddar, divided
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (5 3/4 ounces) yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons (2.5 ounces) PastureLand unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for brushing muffin tins if going that route
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup whole milk sour cream
1 large eggPreheat oven to 400°F.  Using non-stick food spray, lightly spray twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups or 24 mini muffin tins or brush with softened butter or use paper muffin cups.

Beet season is in full swing.  This still baffles me, as I was always under the impression that beets were harvested in the autumn along with parsnips, turnips, and Brussels sprouts.  Has the beet season changed, now prolonged due to global warming, or have I just been sleeping in the field all these years?  Regardless, the wooden planks of every other stall at the farmer’s market are heavy with ruby red or golden beets.  Some still have their shiny leaves, which are perfect chopped as part of a salad or sautéed with bacon lardons.  Others are clipped, snipped, and sold by the quart.

I’m finding that folks have strong opinions about beets.  Those from a can were the most often mentioned, and then there are the ones filling a stainless steel container sitting next to the cottage cheese in a salad bar.  Neither versions are my favorite, nor have they ever been.

It was many years ago that I was served a beet that had been roasted over hot coals in an aluminum foil packet.  Before being offered to the fire, they were simply drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and neatly wrapped in its shiny package.  After coming off the grill, they were allowed to sit, still bundled up, where they continued to steam for about 15 minutes, before being unwrapped.  I can still remember taking a whiff of the heady aromas of caramelized sugar and char.  Using a dry paper towel, the outer skin was easily removed by rubbing it off.  Some recipes recommend performing this step under running water, but I find that too much flavor is washed away.

More recently, I experienced beets in a new arena — pickled!  I was dining with friends at Moscow on the Hill, a neighborhood restaurant in Saint Paul, MN.  Along with their myriad vodkas, the Hill serves many types of pickled vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and celery, each with their own flavor.  Of course, I honed in on the beets, as these babies were sweet and tangy with hints of cloves and mustard seed.  We attempted to take apart each profile, grilling each other with questions, like “I’m tasting cloves — does this have cloves?  What about coriander?  I could swear I’m tasting coriander in this pickled cauliflower!”

Then last December, my brother Mark brought over a jar of pickled beets that was gifted to him by a co-worker.  These beets were delicious!  And, come to find out they are very simple to make, can, or “put up,” so to speak.

So, since beet season is happening now, and may or may not be around when we start raking leaves, it’s time to get out your canning jars and “put-up” some of these delicious but often maligned root vegetables.

Pickled Beets

About 30 small to medium beets, washed
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
4 cups white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 two to three inch cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon yellow mustard seed (per jar), optional
1 jalapeño pepper per jar, optional

Select small young beets, cutting off stems and roots and wash thoroughly.  Reserve leaves for another use, if desired.  Place beets in large pot and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until beets can be pierced with a paring knife, about 15 minutes.  Drain beets in a large colander.  Place colander in a bowl and run them under cold water for about 3 – 5 minutes to loosen skin.  Skin can then be easily removed by slipping it off with your fingers.

While beets are cooking, in a large sauce pan, bring sugar, water, vinegar, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick to a boil.

After beets are peeled, pack them into sterilized jars within ¾ inch of top.  Stuff a jalapeño, if adding, into the jar.

Pour hot pickling liquid over beets to within ½ inch of top of jar.  Add mustard seeds, if using, seal lid and process for 30 minutes in boiling water bath.

It’s only March 21, and this evening was already the second time that we have pulled out the Weber Grill. For a tasty but simple dinner we decided it would be lamb burgers and grilled potatoes. The burgers were from our friend Suvir Saran’s recipe that Allen Brothers carries on their website. Absolutely nothing is needed to enhance the flavor the lamb burgers. They are perfectly delicious right from the package.

For the potatoes, I microwaved 2 large russet baking potatoes until they were just soft when I gave them a pinch. I let them cool a bit, then peeled and cut them into ½ inch thick slices.  I drizzled each slice with some olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and some Garam Masala from Sameh Wadi’s Spice Collection. He is the chef owner of Saffron Restaurant and Bar.

After the coals were glowing red, the grate was laid over them. Using tongs, the potatoes were placed directly over the fire and turned often to prevent them from burning.  A little more olive oil was brushed on those that seemed a little dry. Once they were cooked, all were stacked up off the direct heat, while the burgers were cooking.  A couple of minutes before they were grilled to perfection, buttered sesame buns were placed on the grates to toast.  Everything was then pulled off the grill and enjoyed with a Sam Adams Maibok.

Since one cannot live on doughnuts alone (contrary to the belief of some, like our friend Barbara), I decide to make a Swiss Chard and Black Olive Tart. This particular recipe is from the Traveling Through Provence Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase.

This savory tart can be served hot or room temperature. Serve it alongside a green salad and a Côtes-du-Rhône for a scrumptious weeknight dinner or after eating too many homemade doughnuts.

Pastry:
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
Pinch of sea or coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2-3 tablespoons ice water or more as needed

Make the pastry. Place the flour, rosemary, salt, and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the mustard and enough ice water so that the dough begins to form a ball as the machine is pulsed on and off. Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for a least 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough to form a 12-13 inch circle. Transfer to an 11-inch tart pan and trim and crimp the edges decoratively. Spread the chard filling evenly in the tart shell. Return it to the refrigerator until ready to fill.

Filling:
1 large bunch Swiss Chard (about 1 lb), washed, stems, and thick center ribs removed, leaves patted dry
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Pinch of grated nutmeg
½to ¾ cup freshly grated Gruyère Cheese
2 large eggs
½ cup light cream or half and half
Sea or Coarse salt
1 ½ cups pitted Nyons or Kalamata olives, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To make the filling. Cut the Swiss Chard leaves into ½-inch-wide strips. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until garlic is fragrant (about one minute). Add the chard and cook until the chard leaves have wilted and any water given off has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently mix in the cheese.

Beat the eggs and cream together in a mixing bowl, grate nutmeg over egg mixture, and set aside.

Spread the chard filling evenly in the tart shell. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the filling. Arrange the olive halves in concentric circles over the top, pressing lightly into the filling. Sprinkle the pine nuts in between the olives.

Bake the tart until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 30-40 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Thanksgiving dinner gave our household many leftovers including the remains of a boned-in ham from Farm on Wheels (Saint Paul Farmers Market). What does one do with the next days’ ham, but make a northern bean and ham soup of course.

What could be better to go with soup then cornbread made in a cast iron skillet?

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) yellow cornmeal
½ cup (2 ¼ ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 medium shallots, minced
2 medium jalapeños, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon butter, divided
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
3 eggs

Heat oven to 400ºF and place 9-inch cast iron skillet in hot oven.

With a whisk stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together sour cream, oil, eggs and milk and set aside.

Heat small sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. When butter is sizzling add shallots and peppers. Cook about one minute or until shallots are translucent. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add mixture to dry ingredients.

Before adding wet mixture to dry ingredients, carefully remove heated skillet from oven and place 2 tablespoons butter in it. Return skillet to oven and remove again once butter is melted.

Working quickly, stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into prepared skillet.

Return skillet to oven and bake about 25 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve warm.

12 servings

The tomatoes have been piled high these last few weeks at the farmer’s market; overflowing the tables with abundance. As I walk the aisles, I realize their days are numbered. Soon I will be longing for another Big Boy, Italian Ice or Roma, knowing all to well that it will be another year before they return to their glory.

Last week we cooked down a bushel and a half of romas to make a roasted tomato paste. We also canned about 18 pints of salsa. This week, I decided it was high-time to test a recipe from the New York Times, created by Melissa Clark for a Tomato Tarte Tartin. I figured my days were numbered if I was to use my yellow pear and cherry tomatoes for the recipe about which she wrote.

Clark is such a wonderful writer, always explaining her inspiration, and giving credit to the New York chefs that she may contact to answer questions she may have. Her diligence in testing results in recipes that are always delicious. Now is the time, before it’s too late, to cook this simple yet delectable  Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tartin. ]]> http://www.bretstable.com/recipes/caramelized-tomato-tarte-tartin/feed/ 1