Classic Eggplant Parmesan

Barker's Farm eggplant, homemade marinara, and cinnamon basil straight from the garden made this eggplant parmesan one of the best yet!  Modest amounts of thin slices of locally made, fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan (um, not local) in between two layers of lightly fried panko-encrusted slices of eggplant, seasoned only with salt and pepper, is a treat worth heating up the kitchen for!  Use just parmesan--the best your money can buy--for topping it off.  No cinnamon basil on hand?  Season your marinara sauce with ground cinnamon instead!  Another tip: for seasoning consistency, season the egg, not the flour, when dredging.

A Perfectly Local Valentine Dinner for Two!

All thanks to the diversity of foods at the recent Winter farmers' Market in Exeter this weekend!




Riverside Farm greens dressed in honey cider vinaigrette made with local cider vinegar, sunflower oil, honey, mustard (Reye's from Eastpoint, ME) and herbs from Herb Farmacy.  Apples from Hackleboro Orchards, cheese from Sandwich Creamery.

 

Valicenti Organics farro pasta tossed in their own red gravy, served with Me & Ollie's parisian baguette doctored up with fresh local butter and garlic.



Flourless chocolate torte made with fair trade/organic Green & Black's 72% cacao chocolate, minimal sugar (only 3 Tbsp in the entire recipe!), local eggs and butter, topped with honey sweetened, freshly whipped Brookford Farm cream and decorated with spots of raspberry glaze (from leftover homemade jam) and decorating candies.  Served with Sweet Baby Vineyard raspberry wine....

Ingredients in any of the above that were not selected from local sources:

Salad:
pistachios
sugar
cayenne pepper

Garlic Bread:
flour and yeast in bread
parsley

Torte:
chocolate
vanilla extract
decorating candies

Everything else entirely local!!

Good things with garlic!

In the early nineties there was an Italian chef on PBS who introduced me to this favorite of braised cauliflower which is eventually roasted with tortellini.  It is super easy to make, really tasty, and perfect for a cold winter night.  For a vegetarian version, eliminate the anchovy and instead use a splash of soy sauce.

The perfect addition to this cauliflower and tortellini bake, garlic chips are buttery and sweet, and make for great bursts of flavor.  Saute thinly sliced pieces in olive oil over medium heat until just golden (go too far and you'll wind up with bitter chips), remove from heat and set on paper toweling while cooking rest of dish....

 

Saute thick slices of cauliflower in olive oil, red chili flakes and anchovies (which completely break down and lend a superb, intense layer of flavor) until seared and golden on each side.  It took one large head of cauliflower cooked in two batches to get what you see above.



Al dente tortellini (Vermont Putney Pasta Co. ~115 miles) and a bit of their cooking water (~1 cup) were added to the cauliflower, along with chopped basil, grated parm or romano cheese, and the garlic chips.  You don't need to mix it all together; just layer as you go, making sure the thicker pieces of cauli are tucked down into the added cooking water.  Spread an even coat of fresh bread crumbs mixed (~1 cup) with melted butter or more grated cheese all over the top and bake for 15 minutes at 375.



Succulent Fresh Maine Shrimp!

Right now in the Maine and New Hampshire Seacoast region we are enjoying these scrumptious little shrimpies, brought to us straight from the local fishermen and women who catch them. You can find them for sale at local fishmongers' counters, on the curb in various seaside towns, at the farmers' markets still taking place, and even through CSFs ("Community Supported Fisheries" - a complement to CSAs, or Community Supported Agriculture).


These loves don't need but 30 seconds to cook, honest and truly, so choose your recipe(s) wisely. I add them, and a bit of chopped parsley, at the very last moment to a pan of sizzling-hot scampied butter (finely chopped garlic, a little white wine and lemon juice already sauteed into the butter), toss them for one or two flicks of the pan, and then pour then over a bowl of hot, tender fettucini ribbons.


A bit more chopped parsley to finish, and maybe a wedge of lemon, and you've got a delicious, hot dinner in the amount of time it takes to boil pasta! Don't overcook! If they feel mushy in your mouth, you've overcooked them. They should have a texture that pops when you bite down on 'em.

Why choose Maine shrimp over the commonly seen tiger shrimp in our supermarkets? There are lots of reasons, and an article in the Concord Monitor states them succinctly.

For general info on what CSAs and CSFs are all about, check out Local Harvest's site here. For info on CSFs and CSAs in the ME / NH areas, Seacoast Eat Local has a listing here. Elsewhere, ask your local fishmonger or farmers' market organization!