FOOD: What to do with the bounty of Asparagus?

BY Kathleen Nixon

May 11, 2012

Falls Church Times

One of the heralds of warmer weather is the regal asparagus. This year with the warm weather early we have had a bounty of spring fruit to include lots of asparagus along with strawberries and early tomatoes.  Last weekend both my husband and I were so thrilled with the offerings of asparagus that we both loaded up on it. Thus we ended up with 6 bunches of asparagus and we had to come up with a variety of ways to prepare and serve it.

Asparagus is only available in our area for a few weeks in the spring and there is nothing better than those tender stems with slightly purple tips. Asparagus is a highly productive plant highly suited for cooler climates and provides a great source of Vitamins A and C and the leading vegetable supplier of folic acid. An established asparagus plant can produce spears for 15-25 years without replanting. The asparagus crowns are planted and are only harvested after they have been establish for 3-5 years. After a few weeks, the asparagus is allowed to grow to its full height and resembles a small Christmas tree with red berries. The large growth allows for the root crown to build up its energy stores for another year. Asparagus grows wild and many used to harvest it in the open fields.

There is the standard preparation of steamed asparagus with Hollandaise sauce, but we found that grilling the asparagus spears provided an intense accentuation to the majestic vegetable and we were nibbling on the spears before they made it to the table. After breaking the tough ends off of the stalk, we tossed the spears in canola oil, salt and pepper. Then we placed them directly on the grilled perpendicular to the grill slots so we wouldn’t lose them into the grill. It took about 5-8 minutes before the asparagus spears were slightly crispy and ready to eat. We also used another method of creating asparagus “rafts”.  You take 5 asparagus spears, line them up together and spear the stalks with two bamboo skewers – one at the top and one at the bottom of the stalk. This allows you to hold grill the asparagus without losing them into the grill.

A few years ago at a Farmers Market Chef demonstration, Willow Restaurant demonstrated making an asparagus bisque as another way to truly enjoy the vibrant colors, aromas and taste of this herald of spring.  Many at the demonstration asked if variations could be made to accommodate different diets. Vegetable broth could be substituted for chicken broth and it would be helpful if a little extra butter was added to the recipe to add in the necessary fat. Chervil is added to the recipe to ensure the bright green color to the bisque, but if it is not available, you could double the order of parsley. Many asked about substituting the cream with evaporated milk, which is of course perfectly fine. For those who don’t use dairy products, you may use creamed or mashed potatoes to add in the creamy base.

Spring Asparagus Bisque from Willow Restaurant

Yield: 6 Servings

2 bunches Local Spring Asparagus

2 quarts Chicken Stock (Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth may be used)

16 ounces Heavy Cream

4 ounces Crème Fraiche

4 ounces Smoked Ham, cut into large chunks

1  Leek, white part only

6 pieces Thyme Sprigs, tied in a bunch

3 bunches Fresh Chervil

1 bunch Fresh Parsley

6 ounces Shredded Smoked Salmon, Max & Me Brand (the best!)

to taste  Kosher Salt

2 tbsp.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

Bring 8 quarts of water and 1/4 cup salt to a rolling boil.  Trim 3 inches off the top of the asparagus and reserve tips.

All the asparagus should be pre-blanched in the same manner: Add asparagus to boiling water in small batches, cooking the stems and tips separately.  Once the asparagus is tender, place in a large container of ice water until cool so as to stop the cooking process.

Blanch the chervil and parsley in boiling water for 30 seconds and cool in ice water.

Drain asparagus tips, herbs and asparagus stems separately.

In a blender, puree the asparagus stems, chervil & parsley with just enough ice water (2 Tbsp) to ensure the items are thoroughly blended to a smooth texture.  To make the base, start by heating an 8 quart stock pot over medium-high heat, add 1 ounce Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the ham & the leek.  Cook over medium heat until everything is soft, trying not to add too much color.  Once tender, add the chicken stock and thyme bouquet.  Bring the stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Gently reduce the liquid by half.

Once reduced, add the heavy cream and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes.  Allow the soup to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, after which pass through a fine sieve strainer.  Discard the vegetables.

Just before you plan to serve the soup, return the base to the heat and slowly bring to a simmer.  First, whisk in the crème fraiche and then the asparagus puree, ensuring the soup has returned to a simmer before adding the asparagus.  Taste and adjust the seasoning with Kosher salt.  Serve immediately and garnish the bowls with smoked salmon, asparagus tips and chopped chives.

FOOD: Spring Onion and Bacon Bread Pudding

By CLAIRE McCONNELL
May 4, 2012
Special to the Falls Church Times

(Editor’s Note: When I met up with Claire at the last Falls Church Farmers Market chef demo she was so excited about this recipe and I can see why!  She thought this would be a lovely accompaniment to a Mother’s Day dinner or brunch. So come to the Falls Church Farmer’s Market tomorrow to welcome all the new and familiar vendors and pull together your ingredients for next weekend’s Mother Day celebrations.)

When my husband and I lived in the Napa Valley several years ago, I cooked at a very popular Michelin-star restaurant. The summer was the valley’s busiest time of year, and on weekends especially, the restaurant would be bustling with servers, cooks, bussers, dishwashers, you name it. I worked the lunch shift on the weekends and, in addition to prepping my station and cooking for the guests, it was also my responsibility to make family meal for our entire staff.

We were encouraged by our chef to make dishes that fed many but cost little. One of the ingredients we always had plenty of was stale bread, left over from the night before. Obviously, I had used stale bread in the past to make French toast or sweet bread pudding, but as side dishes go that wasn’t going to work. But I thought, why not a savory bread pudding, a creamier stuffing if you will. “Eureka!” Now I know that a savory version of bread pudding was thought up long before my time as a cook, but this recipe is true perfection and so affordable, even with a multitude of farmer’s market ingredients. It also makes a great addition to any Mother’s Day breakfast or brunch or dinner.

Five of the ingredients for this dish are from the Falls Church farmers market. The San Francisco Sourdough bread, made from certified organic flour, is from Atwater’s Bakery in Baltimore, Md., http://atwaters.biz/. The uncured bacon, from grass-fed pork, is from Smith Meadows Farm in Berryville, Va., http://smithmeadows.com/. The spring onions are from Laurel Grove Farms in Oak Grove, Va. The free-range eggs are from Flower of the Forest Farm in Lexington Park, Md. And the milk is from Clear Spring Creamery in Clear Spring, Md., http://www.clearspringcreamery.com/.

Equipment: 1 medium skillet, 1 9 X 13 baking dish, 1 large mixing bowl, 1 medium mixing bowl, 1 medium sauce pan.

6 cups stale bread (I think sourdough works well in this recipe) – cut into a 1-inch dice — $3.50

6 strips of bacon (I used uncured, hormone free)- small dice — $2.89

4 spring onions (not scallions), about 1 cup – sliced thinly into rounds — $1.25

1 cup whole milk — $0.62

1 cup heavy cream — $1.24

2 whole eggs — $0.78

1 egg yolk –  $0.39

½ tsp fresh thyme — $0.03

1 tsp. salt — $0.01

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper — $0.01

½ cup grated pecorino — $0.53

2 Tbsp. softened butter — $0.40

Total cost of dish = $11.65

Begin by cutting the stale bread into a 1-inch dice. The bread should be very stale and hard. If you feel like your bread isn’t stale enough, it can always be popped into a low oven, at about 300 degrees, for about 15 minutes. Once the bread is cubed, place it in a large mixing bowl for later.

Saute bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes. Add crispy bacon to the large mixing bowl with the bread. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat from the skillet. Saute spring onions in rendered bacon fat until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add onions to the large mixing bowl.

Whisk whole eggs and the egg yolk in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a separate sauce pan add milk and cream. Cook until scalding (when mixture just begin to boil around the edges).  Slowly stream in the hot milk/cream mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. If the milk is added to the eggs too quickly, the eggs will scramble, so ADD SLOWLY!  Season the milk/cream mixture with salt, pepper and thyme. When the salt is dissolved, add the milk/cream mixture to the bread. Stir until all of the ingredients are well-combined. Add pecorino and stir to combine. The mixture will look very wet. This is okay. The bread will absorb the liquid as it sits, (reference picture below). Refrigerate the mixture for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Move the oven rack to the highest setting and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with softened butter. Add the bread mixture to the greased dish and cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes covered on the top rack and then uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes. The bread pudding should be set and all the liquid should be cooked and absorbed into the bread.  Be cautious not to overcook the pudding; it will be very dry.

Makes eight 1-cup portions.

http://clairesculinaryconnection.blogspot.com/

 

 

Season 4 of Falls Church Farmers Market Chef Kicks Off

BY KATHLEEN NIXON
Falls Church Times Staff
April 29, 2012

The cold and chilly morning did not dampen the kick off of the fourth year of the Falls Church Farmers Market Chef. Willow Restaurant’s Tracy O’Grady and Kate Jensen all bundled up prepared a sweet and savory pairing of ricotta pancakes topped with sautéed asparagus and roasted strawberries. And while many thought that the morning would not be a success as the sun decided to hide behind some clouds shortly after 8am, you could tell it was another success by the more than 500 ricotta pancakes served by 10:30am.

Tracy chose the pairing of the asparagus and strawberries to show consumers that with a little creativity you can create savory or sweet dishes to highlight local seasonal food. The asparagus was blanched for 3- 4 minutes and then sautéed in butter with salt and pepper. The strawberries were trimmed and then roasted. To roast the strawberries, you wash and trim them, toss them in white balsamic vinegar and then place them on a shallow baking dish at 250 degrees in the oven for an hour. Roasting intensifies the sweet flavor to the strawberries which sets off the savory of the asparagus.

The ricotta pancakes were very light and Tracy recommends using the farmers’ market ricotta rather than the commercial ricotta as the farmers’ market variety is sweeter and lighter. The commercial ricotta due to the preservatives will have much more of a sour taste. The pancakes are super easy to make and can be used as an appetizer or a light lunch. The recipe can be found on the Farmers Market Chef website.

It is always a pleasure having Tracy O’Grady as part of the Falls Church Farmers’ Market Chef demo as she has so many fans in the local community due to the many organizations she and Willow support. Willow is also a favorite of many of the local community for a dining experience and it is a treat to get to see Tracy and Kate in action. What is also very special is the Curtin family tradition of supporting local chefs and Ciara Curtin donning her chefs toque to help out with the line and dress the pancakes with the roasted strawberries.

The next Falls Church Farmers Market Chef will be on Saturday, May 19^th featuring Chef Bertrand Chemel.

FOOD: Tapping into Cajun Cuisine at Chasin’ Tails

By RA CHAN
April 13, 2012
Special to the Falls Church Times

A few weeks ago, Twitter was buzzing about the grand opening of a place called Chasin’ Tails Seafood and Bar.  And if you are listeners of the Sports Junkies, 106.7 the Fan, one of the hosts EB, was helping to promote the place as well. After seeing pictures of his crawfish dinner at their grand opening, I had to go check them out!

The restaurant is at the location of the old Bear Rock Cafe in Arlington just a few feet from the Falls Church City line, across from La Cote D’Or.  Walking inside, I was immediately impressed at the architecture and décor.  I love the dark wood; it gives the place a very modern and clean feel, which is very impressive for a seafood place.  There were tables set up outside as well, if you wanted to dine al fresco.

Looking over the menu, there’s a decent selection of seafood for those who are not into crawdaddys. But I was determined to try out their crawfish and see how it compared to a few other places I’d eaten at. The crawfish are served by the pound, and you get your choice of 1 of 4 seasoning mixes and then you pick your heat level. What impressed me on the menu was that each bag of seafood comes with corn and a potato and for each 2 lbs you order, sausage is included.  I settled on an order of the Cajun seasoning, Hot and then the Whole Shebang seasoning, Hot. The Whole Shebang is just a combo of the Cajun, Lemon/Pepper and Garlic seasonings.

The crawfish comes out steamed in a bag, enveloped in the seasoning and spices. You get to wear a bib and just go to town with your fingers, no silverware needed! I was amazed at the size of the crawfish, they were huge. I had read somewhere that their crawfish were flown in live, so none of the frozen variety here. The Cajun seasoning was average to me; the Whole Shebang seasoning on the other hand, was amazing! I love the mix of all the flavors and since I got it Hot, it was finger licking delicious!  For those who may be afraid of the heat, I didn’t think the Hot was that spicy at all, it was a good level of heat that didn’t make you sweat and numb the rest of your taste buds.

I ended dinner with an order of the beignets for dessert. They come out in bite size pieces smothered in powdered sugar and served with strawberry jam. I love the concept of the mini beignet pieces, but they were that spectacular in my book. The beignets weren’t as airy and fluffy as the kind I’m used to, but dipping them in the strawberry jam helped.

You also can’t beat the pricing here. Priced per pound, the crawfish were very reasonable and the restaurant itself is great for large parties. I have a new spot and cannot wait to go back for a few more pounds! I was also eyeballing their gumbo and jambalaya, can’t wait to give those dishes a try next time.

Chasin’ Tails Cajun Seafood and Bar

2200 N. Westmoreland St.

http://www.chasintailscrawfish.com/

703-538-2565

Hours of Operation: Mon-Sun 3pm-1:30am

Twitter Handle: @ChasinTailsCF

FOOD: It’s Spring! Where are the tomatoes?

BY Kathleen Nixon
April 6, 2012
Falls Church Times Staff

The warm weather start to the spring has brought out many folks to the Falls Church Farmers Market and no one can be happier than the vendors. At the same time the questions start as to when will we see some of the summer time fruits and vegetables? This happens every year as the warmer weather starts and we are accustomed to seeing all kinds of out of season fruits in the supermarkets like strawberries in January. You will find some tomatoes in the Farmers Market as many vendors start tomatoes in their greenhouses. For now you will have to wait a bit for your vine ripened tomatoes, strawberries and stone fruit. Since the weather has been so warm the Falls Church Farmers Market will be opening earlier this year on April 14^th, but even before then some of the summer vendors are already part of the Farmers Market including are Clear Spring Creamery, and Sinplicity Catering.

There are some winter Farmers Market vendors who will not be returning for the summer season and you will want to catch them in the next two weeks, such as Cold Country Salmon which offers vacuum   packed salmon that is caught fresh by a father and son duo. You can purchase salmon now and shares of salmon for later similar to a CSA and they will be delivered at the end of the summer.

Some winter vendors have put on a serious marketing push to be able to come back in the summer and the competition has been fierce. Interesting tactics such as marketing flyers at stands to tell Farmers Market Director Howard Herman to let them stay or just telling customers to campaign the Director in person. The Farmers Market will be expanding some of its space to the sidewalk area along Park Avenue to accommodate the expansion of the market for a few, new vendors. The final list of new vendors is still being reviewed and there is an extensive waiting list. The biggest challenge is making sure that there is enough variety in the market to ensure good crowds for all the vendors to be successful. Which of the winter vendors would you like to see come back for the summer session?

The Farmer’s Market Chef program now in its fourth year will be returning on April 28^th with Farmer’s Market Chef favorite Tracy O’Grady from Willow. There will be monthly Farmers Market Chef demonstrations from April to November with some special programs including two educational programs. The first will be the Culinary Program from Falls Church High School in neighboring Fairfax County and the Culinary Program of DC Central Kitchen with the Kitchen Director Chef Rock of Hell’s Kitchen fame.

As gas prices continue to go up, so will the cost to the farmers to produce their goods and bring them to market. The same pain you are feeling at the gas pump they are feeling triple fold to produce the fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and baked goods that you have been waiting for all winter.

WEDNESDAY, 3/14: Bruegger’s Fundraiser for MEH

On Wednesday, March 14th, all guests who visit the new Bruegger’s Bakery-Café located in Falls Church at at 7393 Lee Highway, will receive a free bagel with cream cheese.  They will also have the opportunity to purchase a Bottomless Mug trial card(s) for $5.00 each – good for unlimited coffee, tea or fountain drinks through the end of March – to the first 200 interested guests. All proceeds from the card, will benefit the Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School teacher grants program.  We hope you will stop by to support the MEHMS PTA.

FOOD: Great Finds at the Farmers Market – Friends and Food

By Kathleen Nixon
March 2, 2012

I wax poetic frequently about our Falls Church Farmers Market, much to the chagrin of my readers. Celebrating food and community has become one of my greatest pleasures in life second only to my family and home. Recently I was poignantly reminded of this little gem in our little city, when someone stopped me at the market to ask about my Farmers Market bag from San Francisco.

From there started a fabulous conversation about a new family that has returned to our area. Claire McConnell grew up in our area and after high school attended the Culinary Institute in New England. There she met her husband and they worked for several years at restaurants throughout the country, most recently Napa California.

While raising her two young girls, Claire writes her own blog creating recipes that focus on health, taste and budget. She will be sharing some of these posts with us from time to time.  It is with great pleasure that I share Claire’s first article and recipe that focuses on some of the greens – Collards -that we will find in the farmers market this week as well as the sausage and the french bread.

Farro with Stewed Collard Greens with Grilled Sausages and Grilled Bread

 

 Farro is a grain that is a lot like barley, in fact if you can’t find Farro in the store barley will work just fine. It is high in fiber, high in protein and low in fat. And like rice at little bit cooks up to feed the whole family. It has an excellent nutty flavor that makes it a bang of flavor for your buck.

Collard greens are members of the cabbage family, but tend to be more bitter. That bitterness will decrease as the greens cook. Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and Folic acid. They are also low in fat and calories. And unlike spinach let’s say, collards really hold their body and don’t shrink down to nothing.

Equipment: Large dutch oven (similar to a Le Creuset) and a grill pan.

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil — $0.15
1 medium onion – small dice — $0.65
3 garlic cloves – sliced thin — $0.10
1 1/2 cups Farro – rinsed under water — $2.30
1 large bunch collard greens – remove stems, rough chopped (about 6 cups) — $2.50
1/2  cup white wine — $1.00
2 1/2 cups chicken stock  – $2.00
2 tbsp butter — $0.40
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese – grated — $0.75
4-5 of your favorite raw Italian sausages — $3.95
1/2 loaf of french bread  – $0.75
————-
Total ingredient cost =$14.55

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in dutch oven on medium heat, add diced onion and saute until translucent about 5 minutes. Add sliced garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add collard greens, Farro, wine and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stir, and then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour on med-low heat.

While the Farro is cooking, heat a grill pan without any oil. Brush sausages with 1 tbsp oil and when grill pan is very hot grill the sausages until cooked. Remove from grill pan and let sausages cool. Slice baguette and grill bread (crust side up) on the same grill pan, but turn the heat down to medium. The bread will soak up the oil and the juices from the sausages. Grill bread to your likeness, be careful not to burn. Once sausages have cooled slice them into 1 in rounds.

After an hour the Farro should be cooked and have no bite to the grain and the collards should be soft but not falling apart. Remove from the heat and stir in butter, Pecorino and sausages.

Serve with grilled bread.

Makes 4 large portions

How to modify for:
Vegetarians: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock and take out sausages. Replace with roasted wild mushrooms, such as king trumpets or Mitakes.
Vegans: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock, take out sausages, butter and Pecorino. Replace with roasted wild mushrooms, such as king trumpets or Mitakes.
Pescatarians: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock and take out sausages. Replace sausages with firm, white fish such as Halibut. Grill each side and finish in 375* oven for 8-10 minutes.
Lactose Intolerance: Just remove the butter. Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese and does not contain lactose.
Gluten Intolerance: Unfortunately Farro contains gluten as it is a grain. Use a grain like Arborio or Carnaroli rice and make this dish more like a risotto. Follow the steps on the bag for cooking advice. And omit the grilled bread.

http://clairesculinaryconnection.blogspot.com/

FOOD: Sushi Nami

By KATHLEEN NIXON
February 24, 2012

Sometimes you never know where or when you will find next favorite eating venue. My new favorite spot is in one of the most unlikely places: the lobby of the Westin Tysons Corner on Leesburg Pike at the intersection of Route 7 and the Beltway. Thankfully it is before the Beltway for those of us in the City of Falls Church.

A few years ago, the Westin General Manager wanted to find a way to multi-purpose a high trafficked area in their lobby that wasn’t being used at night: the Starbucks stand. Many other restaurants in our area have found ways to create different revenue streams in the same space, such as Willow’s Nosh Bistro, but the Westin was way ahead of the curve on this one. The Westin felt that sushi would be a good offering for its many frequent hotel guests and the space was perfect to showcase sushi. At the same time, a young sushi chef named Sung Shin had just finished an apprenticeship in Baltimore learning both traditional and fusion sushi. Sushi Nami was born.

Sushi Nami made an appearance at the Falls Church Farmers Market Chef demonstration in the fall of 2010 just after they opened. Nothing like trial by fire for Sung, who was told shortly after he started that “he would be going out into the community to do sushi”. Sung delighted the farmers market chef participants with multiple vegetarian options including a yam and cream cheese, spicy basil cucumber roll and an avocado roll.

Sung says he feels very fortunate that his teachers were not only very forthcoming with sharing with him traditional sushi but also very inspirational in being innovative and creative. Traditionally sushi chefs keep their trade secrets very close to their chests and do not share their knowledge with young chefs. Sung not only learned traditional sushi, but how to experiment and be creative. I see this each time I happen by Sushi Nami. Like many great chefs, Sung knows his audience and remembers his customers’ tastes. It is wonderful to have a quick conversation with Sung as I am ordering and deciding the key ingredients that will be the mainstay of my meal. From there, Sung’s creativity and imaginations take over and I salivate with anticipation of what he will produce. Each time I am astounded at the manipulation of standard sushi ingredients under the influence of such creative and innovative mind to showcase delicacies I would have never dreamed of.

The creations for my most recent visit included: Salmon, spicy tuna with Japanese radish, marinated squash and sweet tofu; shrimp, cream cheese, cucumber topped with smoked salmon drizzled with eel sauce and spicy mayo sauce.  My husband’s  selections included spicy tuna with Japanese radish and spicy mayo topped with salmon; spicy yellow tuna chopped and combined with roe, sesame oil and hot oil topped with avocado; spicy tuna pocket with wasabi, rice, eel sauce, pickled radish. The spicy tuna pocket was a delightful treat taking a twist on the traditional maki roll.

Most times I will stop off on my way back from Tysons Corner to pick up an order to go. Other times I will order a Sapporo and sit in the Bluefire Lounge which is the hotel’s lobby bar and restaurant. While the ambiance is nothing special at the Bluefire Lounge but the sushi more than makes up for it.

Sushi Nami
Monday – Friday 4pm to 10pm
Westin Tysons Corner
7801 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 893-1340

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