Polenta and Black Bean Stuffed Pablanos with Peach Salsa

This was a recipe inspired by a suggestion from the checker at Fair Foods when we were talking about how beautiful the local chile pablanos were. She said friends grilled them and stuffed them with polenta and black beans. I had to try it. The result was a great summer hot day dish.
I made this for two but the recipe is for 8--two peppers each.

Ingredients
chile pablanos, 8

Stuffing
dry black beans, 2 c or equivalent for canned beans
olive oil, 2T
white onion, 1 med, sliced
garlic, 2 cl, minced
cumin, 1t
prepared red salsa (I used Trader Joe's), about 1 c
water or broth, about 1 cup total
dry polenta, about 1.5 cups
water or stock, enough to follow package directions
Parmesan, grated, about 1/2 cup
butter, about 1T

Salsa
white onion, 1 med, chopped
olive oil, 3T (I used 1T olive oil and 2T of a slow-cooked pureed garlic in oil. You can substitute 3 med cloves fresh garlic instead.)
garlic, 3 med cloves, finely minced
jalapeno pepper, 1, finely minced (I used 1/2 but it needed more.)
tomato in season, about 1.5c diced; (For out-of-season, I would use canned Muir Glen oven roasted diced tomato.)
ripe peach, 1 med, peeled and diced
cilantro, 1/4 c chopped
(optional) baby tomatillas, whole with paper skins removed. (I happened to get these in the market. They were tiny--about 1/2 in. diameter or smaller--and very sweet. You could substitute regular tomatillas chopped small, but then add more peach because the tomitillas will be sour. You could also use grape tomatoes quartered instead of the tomatillas if you want to add sweetness.)

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Wonderful Winter Pizza

Though we're in the beginning of spring, this was a dish I first made in winter with mostly local ingredients. The key is the lamb sausage with spinach and feta from Jamison's Farm. You could use another sausage with some feta and spinach in it (such as chicken) or use a hearty Italian, but the Jamison's lamb really makes the dish. I get it at Fair Foods Farm Stand (of course.)

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
about 1 lb. lamb sausage with feta and spinach, sliced as thinly as possible. (Easier to do if the sausage is still a little frozen.)
3 med. onions, thinly sliced
about 1/4 c. sherry or white wine (could use water if not on hand)
garlic--either 1 head or 1/4 c. garlic scape tapenade if available (spring/summer thing); garlic finely minced
1/3 c. olive oil + 4T
4 oz. feta cheese
1 whole wheat pizza dough (for 18 in. standard pizza)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

1. Combine the garlic with the 1/3 cup of oil. (I had an old jar of garlic scape tapenade--just crushed scapes in oil really--that was still good from summer. Used that once and it was awesome.) Let sit while you do the rest of the prep.
2. Slice your onions and saute them in 3 T olive oil on high; when soft reduce heat to low and caramelize for at least 10 min. Occasionally (2 or 3 times) deglaze the pan with sherry or wine or water. Just enough liquid to loosen whatever's sticking.
3. In 1 T of oil, saute sausage on med to low heat, stirring occasionally. Best if in cast iron skillet. Cook until all liquid is gone from pan and sausage is getting a little crispy.
4. While your onions and sausage are cooking, work on rolling out your pizza dough (or get someone to help you with it.)
5. When the pizza dough is spread, sprinkle corn meal on your pizza pan or cookie sheet and then put the rolled dough on it.
6. Using a brush, cover the pizza dough with the oil-garlic mixture. If you need to, spoon out the garlic and spread it. Don't just use the oil.
7. Spread the cooked onions across the pizza.
8. Spread the cooked sausage across the pizza.
9. Crumble the feta cheese across it evenly.
10. Place pizza in oven and cook until edge of crust is nicely brown -- around 10 min.

Let cool slightly. I usually serve it with a local hothouse greens (in winter) with a Balsamic vinaigrette. The pizza is quite rich and 1-2 pieces is plenty for a serving, assuming 8 pieces from the pie.

Crispy Pork Delight

This was basically a leftover with meat dish, but turned out so well, I had to write it down. All of the ingredients except the rice, sauces and oil are local.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork (I used coarsely ground)
2/3 c. cooked short grain brown rice (Short grain makes a difference, but you could use long.)
1 egg
1/2 c. minced leek
3 T soy sauce
1 t mirin
enough vegetable oil to cover pan about 1/8 in. deep

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the port and rice. I use my hands for this. Messy but effective.
2. Add the egg and combine that in as well.
3. Add the leek, soy, and mirin. Add some salt and pepper (few shakes each) and combine.
4. Make small patties from the mixture--about 2 in. across and about 1/3 in. thick is good, but any shape will do.
5. Heat oil in pan to almost smoking. Add patties and fry until crispy on one side. Flip and cook the other side until crispy. Take one out and break it in half to check for doneness. If at all pink, flip again and cook another minute or so.

This dish is great with some local cabbage sliced up and dressed with a simple Balsamic vinaigrette. If you have some baked sweet potatoes, that's a great complement as well.

--JAH

Blissful Hawaiian Butter Fish

This was, according to my family, one of the, if not THE best fish I've ever prepared. I think that's largely due to the fact that it was in incredible piece of fish, but I thought I'd write down the preparation in case such a choice fillet comes my way again--or yours.

The fish was a 1.5 lb. fillet of Hawaiian Butter Fish (or escolar to be more technical). It was a thick and fairly even piece, about an inch thick at the center. Here's what I did with it:

Ingredients
1.l5 fillet Hawaiian Butter Fish
1 T olive oil
about 2 oz. salted butter (local cultured)
1/2 t dried lemon
2 shakes cinnamon (maybe 1/8 t)
three grinds smoked salt (maybe 1/8 t)
two or three grinds black pepper
about 1.5 c shredded cabbage--mix of green and red
fresh marjoram--about 2T of leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Place butter in glass brown and melt in microwave for 30 sec.
3. Add dried lemon, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to butter and whisk. Set aside. Let sit for at least five minutes
4. Brush oil on the bottom of a large rectangular pan-I used a glass lasagna pan.
5. Place fish on pan and brush butter mixture across it. Cover it completely.
6. Sprinkle cabbage in a ring around the fish.
7. Brush the rest of the butter mixture on the fish if any remains.
8. Place in 400 oven for about seven minutes.
9. Turn oven to broil; move fish to broiler until well browned--about 4 or 5 minutes.
10. Return pan to oven and lower to 400. Finish for another 3 to 4 minutes or until opaque throughout.

Serve immediately. I served it with roasted sweet potatoes (They shared the oven.) along with seared and steamed Brussels sprouts tossed with Parmesan cheese. A great February meal.