Tag: spring
Grain Salad with Feta Dressing
As fresh spring vegetables start to pop up, combine them with some cooked grains and a creamy feta dressing. Add some protein by topping the salad with our newest tinned fish line, Scout Canning Ontario Trout with Dill.
Grain Salad with Feta Dressing
Ingredients
Feta Dressing
- 2 cups mixed tender herbs – basil, cilantro, mint, dill, parsley, tarragon
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 jalapeño – seeds removed to reduce spiciness
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons
- ¾ cup buttermilk or greek yogurt
- 4 oz Feta
- salt
Grain Salad
- 1 cup dried grains – farro, freekeh, barely, bulgar, wild rice
- 1 lbs mixed crunchy spring vegetables – snap peas, cucumbers, radishes, fennel
- 3 scallions
- ⅔ cup pistachios
- 1 can Scout Canning Ontario Trout with Dill
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- In a blender, combine the herbs, garlic clove, jalapeño, olive oil, Feta, the zest of half of a lemon, the juice of 2 whole lemons, and the buttermilk. Blend until smooth and pale green. Season the dressing with salt and transfer to a medium bowl.
Make the salad:
- Cook the grains according to package directions. Place in a large mixing bowl to cool.
- Thinly slice the crunchy vegetables. Add to the bowl with cooled grains.
- Coarsely chop pistachios and thinly slice scallions. Add to the bowl.
- Pour half of the dressing over and stir well to combine, adding more as needed until thoroughly coated. Reserve the remaining dressing for another use. Season the salad with salt.
- Divide among plates. Open the can and flake trout on top of the salad.
Julianna Spring Pizza
More signs that spring is here! Julianna is back in the case and looking beautiful as ever.
The rind of this semi-soft goat cheese from Capriole is rubbed with thyme, lavender, rosemary, and wildflowers. It has a delicate sweet and savory balance and a buttery texture that makes it a great cheese to snack on with olives and charcuterie.
Fully melting a delicate cheese like this will dilute some of its subtleties, so adding the cheese after the pizza is cooked warms it up a bit, without taking away the flavors.
Feel free to use your favorite pizza dough recipe, precooked flatbread, or frozen pizza crust.
One bunch of grocery store scallions will be plenty for this recipe. But if you have larger, farmer’s market green onions, use a few less. You’ll want a little more than 2 cups of sliced scallions before you start cooking them.
If you are feeling spicy, feel free to sprinkle over some red pepper flakes or serve with some chili oil.
Julianna Spring Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 recipe your favorite pizza crust
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 radishes
- Splash of light vinegar, rice, white wine, white balsamic
- .25 pound wedge of Capriole Julianna
- 1 tbsp tarragon leaves or chives
- Honey, for drizzling
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza stone, pan, or baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
- Prepare or roll out pizza crust. Let rest while preparing the scallions.
- Slice the scallions on an extreme bias. Cook over medium-high heat with butter for 6-8 minutes, until the scallions are bright green, soft, with a few crispy spot. Season with salt and pepper.
- Carefully remove the hot stone, pan, or sheet from the oven and place pizza crust on the hot pan. Drizzle with olive oil and spread on a thin layer of mustard. Scatter scallions evenly over the crust.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
- While the pizza is in the oven, thinly slice the radishes. Place in a small bowl with a splash of vinegar. Set aside.
- Thinly slice the Julianna. Don't remove the rind!
- Chop the tarragon leaves or chives.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the sliced Julianna and let the residual heat of the pizza slightly melt the cheese.
- Scatter the radishes and herbs over the top and drizzle with honey.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
*If you think your crust will take longer, feel free to add the scallions halfway through cooking. But they should be able to last about 20 minutes in a hot oven. Or if you are using a premade pizza crust and it doesn’t need that much time in the oven, cook the scallions a bit longer on the stove.
Onion Dip
Springtime means lots of things – rain, flowers, warmer temperatures. But most of all, fresh Michigan produce! And one of the first crops to pop up are onions.
Spring onions, leeks, and ramps are all beautiful vegetables that signal that spring has sprung. If you find yourself having a few too many on hand, make some onion dip! Any combination and variety of onions will work, even if it’s not springtime – all colors of onions, shallots, leeks, spring onions, ramps, etc.
The most important part of the recipe is the slow caramelization. Trim the tender green parts of the ramps and scallions and add those in towards the end of the cooking time, to not burn them to a crisp.
Some new yogurts from Bellwether Farms have been added to the case. Pick up a tub and try some in this dip.
Our favorite Salt & Vinegar Sal de Ibiza chips make a great dipper for this dip. But don’t limit yourself to just chips. This dip can be spread on pizza dough for an oniony flatbread, or used as a spread on sandwiches.
Onion Dip
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 4 cups assorted onions, thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 anchovey filet (optional, but oooh so good)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream, crème fraîche or plain yogurt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh herbs – dill, parsely, chives, chopped
- Piparra peppers or pepperoncini peppers, chopped
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil to cover the surface of a wide and shallow pan. Add the sliced onions, reserving tender green leaves. Saute over low heat, stirring frequently, until onions reduce in size and become brown and caramel-y, about two hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the anchovy filet (if using,) smash the garlic cloves, and add the reserved tender leaves and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayo, sour cream/crème fraîche/yogurt, and onion powder. Add the caramelized onion mixture and stir to combine. Add more creamy ingredients as needed until the desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with fresh herbs and chopped peppers. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
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Napa Cabbage Salad with Marcona Almonds and Paški Sir
Have a head of Napa Cabbage from your CSA or farm share box? Not sure what to do with it? Make this salad!
The leaves of the cabbage get softened with some salt and tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing. It is fresh and bright, crunchy and sweet. A perfect salad to accompany a light dinner.
The cabbage doesn’t take too long to soften up – only about 5 minutes. So make sure you have everything else ready to go so you can plate and serve the salad before it gets too soggy.
Paški Sir is a Croatian sheep’s milk cheese that is salty, savory and tangy. It is delicious shaved over this salad, but feel free to use Parmesan or a Pecorino in its place.
This salad is super easy to scale up or down. A full head of Napa Cabbage should make 4 plated salads. But if you are making this for less people, use about 4-5 leaves per person.
Napa Cabbage Salad with Marcona Almonds and Paški Sir
Makes 4 servings
- ½ cup Marcona Almonds (about .25 pound container)
- ½ tsp lemon zest (or any citrus you have on hand)
- 1 head Napa Cabbage, tough outer leaves removed
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning dressing
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Italian Cherry Blossom Honey
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup parsley leaves, torn
- 1 Tbsp sliced chives
- 3 oz. Paški Sir, shaved, plus more because more cheese is always better
Preheat oven to 350°F. Shake the plastic container of Marconas to redistribute the oil. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until warmed and slightly golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle over the lemon zest and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
Remove the leaves from the cabbage core, tear off the tough white bottom, and tear into 3″– 4″ pieces. Add to a large bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the leaves. Gently massage with your hands and set aside until ready to serve, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey and black pepper together. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and drizzle over the cabbage. Add the chives, parsely, shaved Paški Sir and the chopped Marconas and toss together.
Transfer salad to a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle on more cheese, chopped Marconas, salt and pepper and serve.
Flora with Crispy Sunchokes, Pepper Jam & Pea Shoots
It isn’t hard to miss the large, elaborate and colorful cheese platters that have taken over any cheese lover’s Instagram feed. While they are jaw-droppingly beautiful, sometimes a one cheese plate can be just as inspiring. In a world of excess, occasionally it’s nice to keep things simple.
Goat cheese may be the springy-est cheese out there. It’s bright, fresh and reminds us there is life after winter. Capriole is one of the favorite goat’s milk creameries in the Aperitivo case. Their newest offering, Flora, is a delicate, bloomy rind chèvre round that is pleasantly grassy and creamy. It is a perfect size for a one cheese plate for a few people to share, or just one hungry person to enjoy.
These fried sunchokes chips are a delightfully crisp and subtlety spring garnish. Paired with pepper jam and pea shoots, the freshness of the Flora shines through. Have a glass of rosè alongside and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Flora with Crispy Sunchokes, Pepper Jam and Pea Shoots
- 1-2 medium-sized sunchokes, scrubbed
- ½ cup EVOO
- 1 wheel Capriole Flora
- 1 tablespoon Wildly Delicious Red Pepper Jelly
- A handful of pea shoots
- EVOO to drizzle
- Crunchy Salt
- Baguette or crackers
Using a mandolin, slice the sunchokes into thin rounds, then again into ¼ inch strips. Keep strips in a bowl of cold water to prevent oxidation.
Heat ½ cup of olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy bottom pot. Drain the sunchoke strips and dry thoroughly on a paper towel. Add sunchoke strips and fry gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. The strips are ready when they start to brown on the edges and curl up. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and keep on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
On a serving board, scatter pea shoots and top with the wheel of Flora. Spoon the red pepper jam over the top of the cheese and top with the sunchoke chips. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and crunchy salt.
Enjoy with toasted baguette or crackers.
Cheesy Bacon Potato Nests
Potatoes…yum.
Bacon…yes, please.
Cheese… hell yeah.
These cheesy potato nests are a yummy riff on a French Reblochon Tartiflette – a rich gratin dish from the Savoie region of France. The dish is made with sliced potatoes, onions, lardons, a big glug of white wine, and then topped with an entire wheel of Reblochon cheese before it is baked in the oven.
The name “Reblochon” comes from way back in history when farmers would get taxed on the amount of milk their herds would produce. They would wait until the tax collectors had counted their yield, then go back and milk their cows again. The second milking was much richer and creamier and made cheese which was equally as rich and creamy. True raw Reblochon from France isn’t available in the United States, but there are US creameries making washed-rind cow’s milk cheese in a very similar style.
Sawtooth from Cascadia Creamery was tasting particularly amazing when this batch of potato nests were made, but any soft washed-rind cheese would work in this recipe – Oma, Taleggio, Mont. St. Francis, Muenster, or Raclette. The pungentness of the cheese does reduce a bit in the recipe, so don’t worry too much if the wedge you picked up is a real stinker. Using the entire wedge (rind included!!) adds a funkiness that makes these potatoes addicting.
Traditionally, a Reblochon Tartiflette would use a white wine from the Savoie region. Essay Chenin Blanc is a great (non-French) option to use in this recipe and to drink alongside. No matter what you get, use something you would enjoy drinking also. The recipe only calls for less than a glass, so get something you like to drink.
These cheesy bacon potato nests are a great side to serve at brunch, at a spring holiday meal or just alongside a light green salad. Let them cool a bit in the pan before you start to remove them, so they have a better chance of holding together on a plate.
Cheesy Bacon Potato Nests
Makes 12 muffin-sized nests
- 1 small onion
- 7 oz slab bacon
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 ½ oz. dry white wine
- 1 pound waxy potatoes (ex. Red Bliss, Fingerlings or New Potatoes)
- 9 oz. washed rind cheese (.6 pound wedge)
- Salt and black pepper
- Pan spray
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a standard muffin tin with pan spray.
Peel and dice the onion into small pieces. Slice the bacon in lardons. Add onions, bacon and bay leaf into a skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is beginning to crisp and the onions are tender, 8-10 minutes.
Pour in the wine and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated, around 3-5 additional minutes.
Using the julienne blade on a mandoline (or carefully by hand,) slice the potatoes into matchsticks. Stir into the onion, bacon and wine mixture and remove from heat.
Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces and gently stir into the potato mixture. Evenly portion into the muffin tins and place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Let cool slightly in the pan and serve warm.
Maple Butter Roasted Radishes
It doesn’t get much simpler than radishes and butter. But frankly, you don’t need much more. Sharp and peppery radishes get roasted until tender and juicy, then get tossed with melted maple butter. These make a great side dish and work with any variety of radish.
Maple Butter Roasted Radishes
- 1 bunch radishes
- Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Ploughgate Creamery Maple Butter
- Crunchy salt
- Chopped assorted herbs, parsley, tarragon, chives
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Half or quarter larger radishes so all are roughly the same size. Place on baking sheet, lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Place cut side down and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until radishes are brown and soft.
In a medium skillet, melt the maple butter on medium heat. Add the roasted radishes and toss until all are coated. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with crunchy salt and chopped herbs. Can be served warm or room temperature.
