Summer Food

Last night we had BDT's for dinner. We used dandelion greens instead of the lettuce. They were so good. BDT's formerly known as BLT's always make me think of summer, they were always a summer food growing up. Gathering the greens was fun--we often picked greens and I remember lots of stories of the Stockland family food foraging expeditions.

Our foraging for greens just led us about five feet out our front door :)

Isn't it interesting how food make you think of things. I like that. Paul and I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) organization. We get a box of fruits and veggies almost every week. I really am enjoying it. I have learned lots of new recipes and tried lots of new veggies. Last week we had roasted sunchokes and I really like kale. We only eat meat about 1-2 times a week but the increase in consumption of dark green veggies keeps the needed iron levels and eggs, nuts and beans/tofu are filling in for the protein.

One of the CSA coordinators has a blog. This week she had a bit about reading Laura Ingalls Wilder "Farmer Boy". I remember reading all of the books but love her descriptions. I did not recall how detailed the descriptions of the farm meals where in the novels.

Almanzo ate the sweet, mellow baked beans. He ate the bit of salt pork that melted like cream in his mouth. He ate mealy boiled potatoes, with brown ham-gravy. He ate the ham. He bit deep into velvety bread spread with sleek butter, and he ate the crisp golden crust. He demolished a tall heap of pale mashed turnips, and a hill of stewed yellow pumpkin. Then he sighed, and tucked his napkin deeper into the neckband of his red waist. And he ate plum preserves and strawberry jam, and grape jelly, and spiced watermelon-rind pickles. He felt very comfortable inside. Slowly he ate a large piece of pumpkin pie. [from “Winter Evening”]

Wow! I am ready for a farm meal. Check out the rest of Allison's Post.

Here is a salad that we have been enjoying lately--because I usually have all of the ingredients. It won rave reviews at a recent luncheon with Health Educators and Exercise Specialists--healthy and yummy! I got the recipe from a newsletter that comes with each box of produce.

celery-apple salad with currants & walnuts

This recipe is based on one in Deborah Madison’s The Savory Way. It makes great leftovers! Make sure to use roasted walnut oil if possible because regular refined walnut oil just doesn’t have much flavor.

½ cup dried currants
1 large head of celery
2 sweet red apples
handful of pale green celery leaves
4 parsley branches or 1-2 tbs dried parsley
20 walnut halves, toasted for 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven, and then chopped coarsely
1-2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil (or you can substitute good quality extra-virgin olive oil)
lemon juice or champagne vinegar
sea salt or kosher salt
freshly-ground pepper

1. If the currants are hard, cover them with warm water and set them aside to soften while you cut the celery and apples. When they’re soft, after 10 minutes or so, drain them and squeeze out the water.
2. Separate the stalks of celery and peel the tougher outer stalks. Slice the celery into thin pieces, straight across or at an angle. Cut the apples into quarters (or sixths if they’re large) and thinly slice them crosswise. Finely chop the celery leaves and the parsley.
3. Combine the celery, apples, currants, celery leaves, parsley, and walnuts in a bowl. Toss them with just enough walnut oil to coat everything lightly. Add the lemon juice or vinegar to taste, salt lightly, season with pepper, and toss again.