"WASTE NOT, WANT NOT"
"BUY LOCAL, BUY SEASONAL, BUY FRESH"
DID YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH A SHOW FILMED AT THE WHITE HOUSE? THREE FAMOUS CHEFS AND THE HEAD WHITE HOUSE CHEF AND THEY SHOWED A TOUR OF THE GARDENS THAT MRS. OBAMA, HER CHILDREN AND LOCAL CHILDREN HELPED PLANT AND TEND TO. FORTUNATELY FOR US, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO GET OUR FRESH PRODUCE. WE JUST GO DOWN TO HYDRO HARVEST FARMS. THE WHITE HOUSE CHEFS USE THE PRODUCE FOR DINNER PARTIES AND FOR THE FIRST FAMILY. THEY HAVE PLANTED SO MUCH PRODUCE LIKE FARMER JOHN HAS GROWING. THINGS LIKE TOMATOES, ASIAN EGGPLANT, TURNIPS, GREEN ONIONS, ETC. HOWEVER, THEY DO NOT HAVE STRAWBERRIES LIKE FARMER JOHN. OFF TO THE KITCHEN AND LET'S GET COOKING WITHOUT LOCAL PRODUCE. THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO HAS BEE HIVES ON THE GROUNDS, WHICH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE REFINED SUGAR IN THEIR DIETS. REMEMBER FARMER JOHN SELLS LOCAL HONEY.
HEAD CHEF OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND BOBBY FLAY PICKING GREEN TOMATOES
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES WITH BREAD-AND-BUTTER PICKLE REMOULADE
4 Large green tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
11/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain white cornmeal or Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Vegetable or peanut oil
GARNISHES: bread-and-butter pickles, fresh parsley sprig
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut tomatoes into �-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle both sides of tomatoes evenly with salt and pepper.
Pour buttermilk into a shallow dish or pie plate. Stir together cornmeal, Creole seasonings and 1 cup flour into a SEPARATE shallow dish or pie plate.
Dredge tomatoes in remaining 1 cup flour. Dip tomatoes into buttermilk and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
Pour oil to a depth of 2-inches in a large-cast iron skillet; heat over medium heat. Fry tomatoes in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a wire rack on a cookie sheet; keep warm in 200 degree oven until ready to serve. OPTIONAL; Sprinkle with salt to taste.
BREAD-AND- BUTTER PICKLE REMOULADE
� cup mayonnaise, light or regular
� cup Creole mustard
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1 Tbsp. finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles or what you have on hand
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
� tsp. hot sauce
� tsp. file powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper
Whisk all ingredients together. This will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Save any leftover sauce and serve on sandwiches, serve as a dipping sauce for cooked shrimp or grilled or broiled fish of choice.
STUFFED SWEET POTATO SKINS
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
�-cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
� tsp. sweet paprika
4 to 5 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
3 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias, using green and white parts
� cup extra- sharp shredded cheddar cheese, or whatever you have on hand
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet that you have rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake approximately 35-40 minutes or until tender.
Halve the potatoes and scoop out about 1/3 of the flesh of each half and place in a large medium -size mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk or yogurt, season with salt, pepper and paprika and mash.
Fill the potato skins with mashed potatoes and arrange on a large baking sheet. Place back in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until edges are slightly golden brown.
Remove potatoes from oven, sprinkle with grated cheese, bacon and scallions.
TURNIP SOUP
1 Medium turnip
1 medium onion
2 cups chicken stock
Pinch of garlic salt
Pinch of curry powder
11/2 cups cream
Salt
Sour cream
Chop turnip and onion and boil with stock, garlic salt and curry powder until tender. Place in blender and puree. Cool and whisk in cream.
Heat soup, adding salt to taste. Garnish generously with sour cream.
Serve with crusty bread.
ROLLED PANCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY FILLING
"WASTE NOT, WANT NOT' ONE MORNING WE MADE PANCAKES AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF BATTER LEFT OVER. I SAID HMMM. WHAT CAN I DO, SO WE COOKED THE REST OF THE BATTER UP AS THIN AS WE COULD GET THEM.
On the pancakes, I added cream cheese down the middle, added the strawberry filling (recipe to follow) rolled them up, wrapped them in saran wrap, refrigerate or freeze. When ready to serve, thaw them out slightly and microwave.
For a dessert sprinkle with powdered sugar. For breakfast, drizzle with pancake syrup.
STRAWBERRY FILLING AND SYRUP
8 ounces of strawberries, thinly sliced
8-10 Tbsp. sugar
� tsp. fresh lemon juice
� cup water
Combine berries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and mash berries until chunky. Let cool. Place in pancakes over cream cheese and roll up tight as you can.
TIP: Take any extra mixture, blend to syrup consistency. When ready to serve, warm syrup and pour over the pancake rolls.
Our fruit trees and neighbors are getting ripe, barter or they may just want you pick them. Make fresh juice, have a nice glass for breakfast or freeze in ice cube trays, when frozen, pop out and place in baggie for using in cooking.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING RECIPES, e-mail me afreebody@verizon.net OR IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AND OLD FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE e-mail
RECIPES COURTESY OF ANDREA FREEBODY, APOLLO BEACH, FL
What a cold snap!
