Quivey’s Grove Apple Crisp

Recipe submitted by Muriel Gilbert
2007 Peoples Choice Award: Local

Apples

6 cups apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp cornstarch

Crisp

4 oz (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
2/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get out a 9x13-inch pan.

Sprinkle the apples with the lemon juice and butter. Combine the sugar, spices, and cornstarch and toss with the apples. Put the apples in the pan.

Cut the butter into the brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, baking powder, and spices until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.

Cover the pan of apples with a piece of foil; place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the foil.  Sprinkle the topping over the apples, return the pan to the oven, and bake, uncovered, another 15-18 minutes or till nicely browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream or unsweetened whipped cream.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Crêpes with Sungold Tomato Preserves, Heirloom Tomato Relish and Basil Whipped Cream

Recipe submitted by Gail Petersen
2007 Peoples Choice Awards: Homegrown

Crêpes

2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons melted butter

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 5 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl, blend for another 5-10 seconds. Pour batter into a bowl, cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for at least 2 hours.

Heat a 7-inch non-stick pan with sloping sides. Wipe it with a bit of oil.  When the oil sizzles, pour in about 2 Tablespoons of batter. Twirl pan to evenly distribute the batter. After about a minute, turn the crêpe over.  Cook the second side for about 30 seconds. Stack the crêpes to await filling. Put the filling on the paler side, the one that was cooked second. 

Spread about ½ teaspoon of tomato preserves on each crêpe, fold in quarters and put in baking pan. Warm at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.   

After removing the crêpes from the oven, garnish with heirloom tomato relish doused with a bit of balsamic vinegar and fleur de sel sea salt. Top with basil whipped cream.

Basil Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
Pinch fleur de sel sea salt
2-3 Tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped

Beat in a standing mixture until thickened.

Sungold Tomato Preserves

4 cups sugar
¾ cup water
6 cups Sungold cherry tomatoes (I also add Jaune Flammé orange tomatoes)
3 jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar

In a 6-quart sauce pan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees on a cooking thermometer. 

Remove from heat and add the tomatoes, mixing well. The syrup will change consistency—continue stirring until it is evenly mixed.

Return to the heat and add the chilies, basil, lemon juice and vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, on very low heat about 1 hour. Stir often, being careful not to burn. 

Put the mixture through a food mill to remove the tomato skins. Return to low heat and continue cooking until mixture is thickened, about another hour.

Ladle into clean canning jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Cap and seal.

Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. 

Note: If you don’t have the materials to make your own tomato preserves, Tomato Mountain from Brooklyn, Wisconsin makes an excellent tomato preserve. 

 Shiitake and Eggplant Dip

Recipe submitted by Derrick Gee
Chef's Choice Awards: Homegrown

2 medium eggplants
8oz shiitake mushrooms (regular mushrooms OK), chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp capers
About a dozen pitted olives, preferably the black, cured ones or kalamata
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
2 tbsp chopped chives or parsley
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Light gas or charcoal grill and get hot (500F). Pierce eggplant all over with small knife. Grill whole eggplants, turning occasionally until beginning to collapse, about 20-30 mins. Remove and cool.

Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms with ¼ cup of oil until soft.

Pull away skin, stalk and seeds of eggplants, put flesh in processor with garlic, capers, remaining ¼ cup of oil, olives and mushrooms with some or all of their juice to get right consistency. Process until smoothish. Tip into a bowl and stir in lemon juice, chives or parsley, cheese and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, oil or lemon juice.

Serve with pita bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.

 CHARD (or Kale or Collards or Spinach) ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Recipe submitted by Eileen Roeder
Chef's Choice Awards: Local

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper
2 chopped tomatoes
8 oz. tomato sauce
2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 T sugar
8-10 oz. chard (or kale, collard or spinach), steamed, drained well and chopped
10  6" corn tortillas
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups Monterey jack cheese
1 c sour cream

Brown ground beef w/ garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chiles, lime juice, sugar and chard (or kale, collard or spinach). Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Cut tortillas in quarters and dip into butter. Cover bottom of greased 9x13 baking dish with half of the tortillas. Spoon half of the beef mixture on top and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Layer the rest of the tortillas, spread sour cream over them and add the rest of the beef mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 SEASONED MOREL SAUTE

Recipe submitted by Dave Roeder
Chef's Choice Awards: Wild

2 lbs. of fresh morel mushrooms
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 t oregano or thyme
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T Worcestershire sauce

Clean the morels and cut in half lengthwise. Sauté onions in butter for two minutes. Add morels, oregano or thyme, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for two additional minutes. Add Worcestershire; turn off the heat, cover and let stand to absorb the flavorings. Reheat, if necessary, prior to serving.