Quesadilla time!

It doesn't take much to make two tortillas happy.  All they ask for is cheese and a hot pan.  A few refrigerator mates, however, always make for a fun party.

Okay, so does good tequila.

That was delicious.

Sunchoke Winter Stew

Sunchokes + Deborah Madison + Burnt Swamp Farm = Pure, unadulterated stew heaven!

Madison's recipe is entirely vegetarian.  I modified her recipe by adding hot Italian ground pork, parsnips, celeriac instead of celery stalks, and more sunchoke than she called for.  I also used basil pesto instead of her quasi-gremolata as a topping.  Killer good.  We're happy.  And stuffed. 

Garnish with just about anything that moves you.  My parsley is completely dead from the lack of snow cover, so I used basil pesto that I made last summer and keep in the freezer.  If you've got parsley, mince up a handful with more fresh garlic into a nice paste.  Or use chopped scallions.  Or even garnish with quark or sour cream....  And, be sure to serve with hearty bread.  Sunnyfield Bakery's walnut and date bread was killer with this stew.

Burnt Swamp Farm's Hot Italian ground pork (perfect heat) met Brookford Farm's sunchokes, leeks, parsnips and celeriac, Heron Pond Farm's small bliss potatoes, carrots and onions, and Meadow's Mirth garlic.  All was simmered with homemade stock (which in and of itself was an ultralicious blend of Brookford's delicata squash seeds and roasted Twister Allie ribeye bones that simmered for an hour together), red wine, tomato paste, thyme, bay and nutmeg.  A healthy dollop of homemade basil pesto topped off our bowls.  YUM!  Silky, luxurious, homey, rich, sweet (from the parsnips and tomato paste) and spicey (pork) with a bit of tang (chokes and celeriac) and a touch of buttery pesto ...all good.  Promise. 

Catch up....

I can't believe it's been 2-1/2 months since posting.  I'm going to cut right past all the reasons why and talk about the egg salad sandwich I picked up at the farmers' market today, among other goodies.