Guest Post-Jo's Quick Moroccan Couscous

Well I just picked up my weekly CSA basket and noticed that serendipitously, in it, were ALL the fixings for one of my all time favourite dishes.  And I just realized I hadn't shared it.

It's a quick and dirty way of making a Moroccan couscous using the instant kind, but people swear it tastes as good as the real thing.

The secret lies in using the broth that you used to cook all your veggies in as the base for the instant couscous too.  You have to strain out all the cooked veggies, but it's spectacular and nothing goes to waste.

I have historically used potatoes, carrots, onions and tomatoes in this dish, but you really can put any vegetables you like in it.  I'm swimming in green beans at the moment, so I put those in there, too, today.  Cauliflower, broccoli, peas, kale, chard, spinach... whatever you like.  The originally recipe called to use leftover meats such as turkey, but I am vegetarian, so I skipped that part.  Again, this is a Nye Armstrong special... the goofy American woman I found online last year who'd converted to Islam, put her hijab in Princess Leia buns and makes a mean Moroccan Harira soup.  Her YouTube tutorial can be found at the bottom.  It's worth a watch.  She actually uses a spice called harisa, but I'm allergic to peppers, so you'll note none of my recipes ever have hot spices.  Alas.

Here's how I make it

Jo's Quick Couscous

Ingredients:

butter or oil

tomato wedges

carrots cut into bite sized pieces

potatoes cut into bite sized pieces

chopped onion, garlic

(other veggies or meats)

1 can of chick peas

lots of parsley and cilantro to taste (I sometimes use a store-bought bunch each)

broth to cover

2-3 cups of instant couscous (I use pearl aka Israeli couscous, you can get it at the Bulk Barn)

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger powder (or fresh grated)

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional... this is very strong and changes the taste IMHO)

saffron (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Process:

In a deep pan, coat bottom with oil or butter and brown the garlic and onions.

Add all spices an stir

Put in root/hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) and coat with pan contents

Add several cups of broth to cover veggies and cook on medium-high until they are softened (usually about 15 minutes)

Add softer vegetables (tomatoes, beans, spinach) as well as chick peas and cook on low for another ten minutes or so. 

When done, lower heat to a simmer (or even turn off), and strain out all veggies.  Taste the broth that remains in the pan and season to taste if it's not to your liking.

Add all the parsely/cilantro, and enough couscous (I use pearl) to soak up the broth.  

Once it's absorbed all the liquid (about 5-10 minutes or longer), fluff with a fork

Mix veggies back into dish, or serve on a platter on a bed of flavoured couscous

When all the vegetables are cooked through, strain them out and set aside in a large bowl, leaving behind the seasoned broth, infused with all the veggie goodness.

And the final product.  I cannot say enough about this dish.  The taste is out of this world!!

CSA Week 8 and the Tomato Stand is Open!

Well, it's arrived and it is definitely official. Tomato season has arrived.
Just in time for my tomato tasting and garden tour on Sunday, the tomatoes are ripening and ready and it's necessary now to pick everyday.
Lots of the tomatoes are going into the CSA baskets, some to stores and a handful of restaurants and Emily and Mollie have started attended the brand new Fenwick market from 4:30-&:30 on Wednesday evenings.

People have been stopping by too, but as of now I will have tomatoes out at my stand on a daily basis, and a few other things which I have in excess.
It will go like this. Get up, do the chores, walk the dogs, help my neighbour and set up the stand. Assuming I don't get sidetracked, I'll be open by 10 am and open for the rest of the day. Please do stop by.
The baskets today were full and heavy. I hope you eat well my friends.

They contained heirloom tomatoes, mixed cut lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, mini eggplants, zucchini and summer squash, mixed heirloom beans, onion and garlic, basil, parsley, summer savoury and a sample of a few more things like mouse melons.

The following recipe is from Andrea Chesman's "The Garden Fresh Vegetable Cookbook"....enjoy!

Pan Roasted String Beans with Warm Soy Vinaigrette
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb beans (any colour will do)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 200 degrees
To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar sesame oil and black pepper to taste in a small bowl
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil, and swirl to coat pan.
Add about one third of the beans, cooking till tender( 4-7 minutes). Put cooked beans on a platter in the oven to keep them warm, and continue in the same manner cooking the remaining beans.
When beans are all cooked, return the pan to the stove and saute garlic, ginger for about 30 seconds, then add vinaigrette and warm.
Pour immediately over the beans and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

CSA Week 7 and Pungent Green Beans and Tomatoes

I had some folks drop over today to buy some tomatoes, and as they waited for me to pick their bounty, they walked around the gardens looking at what was growing. When I arrived back to show them what I had picked for them, they told me how wonderful the gardens looked this year. And they are pretty good, although as the focus is getting to be more on harvesting, the weeds are starting to gain momentum.

"I've been working hard" I said, and they said that it showed.
But after they left I started thinking. I always work hard every single year. That's the nature of what I do, and I know that is why sometimes I get frustrated. I work hard some years and get results, but work just as hard others, and don't. Same effort, same money poured into my business, and I have so much less to show for it. The weather rules all..determines when I can plant, what I can plant, what bugs are around, what pollinators will arrive to work in the garden, whether or not the weeds will be a big problem, and how much I need to water. 

I'm thankful for this year being what it is. I'll take it. (It would work again for next year too!)
The CSA baskets were pretty heavy today, and my girls and I got produce to Bamboo Natural Foods in St Catharines, Churchill Meats in Fonthill and Valli Girls Meats in St Catharines as well. 

Baskets contained, yes, friggin' zucchini. That's what Emily said to call it anyways. 
Also lots of beans, primarily my test garden variety, a french filet bean called Mascott. There were lots of nice tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, onions, carrots or chard, basil, leaf celery and likely a few more items I can't remember now.

This recipe from Farmer John's Cookbook will make good use of some of the beans and tomatoes and has a good kick to it. Enjoy!

Pungent Green Beans and Tomatoes

Serves 4
10 cloves garlic, smashed
1 piece ginger (about 1 inch long), peeled, chopped
 vegetable stock, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup mild-flavored vegetable oil
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chile pepper (optional)
2 to 4 fresh tomatoes, stems removed, peeled, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 pounds green beans, cut in half (about 8 cups)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the garlic, ginger, and 1/2 cup of the stock in a blender or a
food processor; process until a smooth paste forms.
2. Place a large wok (or pot) over medium heat. When the wok is hot,
add the ground cumin and toast it just until it is fragrant. (This will take
only a few seconds—be very careful not to overtoast it, as it can burn
quickly). Immediately scrape the cumin onto a small dish and set aside.
3. Quickly wipe the wok with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove
any remaining spice. Return the wok to the heat; add the oil, let it
heat up for about 20 seconds and then add the whole cumin seeds.
After 5 seconds, add the dried chile pepper. After another 25 seconds
(30 seconds total for the seeds, with or without the chile), add the
ginger-garlic paste. Cook and stir the ingredients for 2 minutes. Stir
in the tomatoes and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Add the green beans, salt, and the remaining stock. Stir the ingredients
until they come to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low.

Guest Post-Jo "The Sauce"

Tomato sauce.  The Sauce.  I always thought it was some daunting task, to be done in huge batches with canning kettles at the ready and all tomatoes set to be blanched, peeled, seeded and seasoned.  Don't forget your bucket of ice water!  You read a thousand recipes online and they almost all say you are supposed to take the skins off and spoon out the seeds.  Techniques and suggestions on how best to do this abound.

Paste tomatoes such as Federle or San Marzano are preferred and juicy sandwich tomatoes are pooh poohed.  Making sauce from cherry tomatoes or smaller varieties is unheard of.

This seems like such nonsense to me.  My tomatoes come from either my own gardens or Tree & Twig.  I know the skins are fine... no pesticide use!  I don't worry about ingesting seeds -- I eat them in a toasted tomato sandwich all the time.

When you google "Do I have to peel and seed tomatoes to make sauce?"  the answers vary from "yes" to "hell yes" to "here's how I do it". 

I am here to tell you NO.  No.  You don't need to take the skins off or remove the seeds.  You can if you want to, but I honestly don't see the point.

***

I  bought seedlings at Linda's Tomato Days this year for the first time.  We planted five plants at my dad's house and one at mine.  We're getting bumper crops -- tons of deliciousness and I've made some soups and salads, but I wanted to try sauce, and was pressed for time.

Also, my most productive plant by far is the Fargo Yellow Pear, and those little guys are about an inch in diameter.  The next most productive is Brazilian Beauty, and they are about two inches.  Lots and lots of little tomatoes.  Too.  Much.  Work.  To.  Peel.

So I cut off the green stems and any blemishes but other than that, I just throw them into my high-powered blender.  In short order, I get a soupy liquid, and I add some onions or garlic or basil and puree some more.  Put in a pot, add some salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer or cook on medium-low for about 45 minutes until it reduces to the consistency I like.  Today I added a lot of parmesan and it was...

of course...

DELICIOUS.

-- 

Sunday Evening Garden Stroll

Thought for Food, September 13th at The Shaw

The Shaw Speakers Series

The exchange of ideas is at the base of all we do here at The Shaw. We revel in plays that throw ideas up in the air and keep them spinning compellingly and surprisingly. How appropriate then, to open our stages to some brilliant guest speakers and artists who are celebrated for creating work that does the same and who in their own specific medium show us new ways of seeing and thinking. We welcome their insights and no doubt provocative points of view, and know that they will add a whole new layer to this season’s theatrical conversations.

Generously supported by

September 13 Thought for Food — Lucy Waverman, Linda Crago, Bill Redeimeier and Stephen Treadwell

October 4 At the Heart of the Matter — Lawrence Hill

Thought for Food

Many of us look at the farm-to-table movement and find the name itself interesting and seductive as it promises a fresher, healthier, a more intimate and sustainable culinary experience. A return to ingredient-driven fare that provides us with a greater appreciation for our local producers. This panel discussion will look at what farm-to-table means to each of the panelists, identify issues and challenges and then focus on each panelist’s community and area of expertise.

This hearty, interesting and entertaining discussion at The Shaw will leave you with a better understanding of the farm-to-table movement and hopefully a desire to explore it through Niagara’s produce, cuisine, wine or simply the principles themselves. A Shaw Speakers Series to savour!

Saturday September 13 I 11am I $35 Festival Theatre
Moderator	Panelists
Lucy Waverman, Culinary Personality	Linda Crago, Tree and Twig Heirloom Vegetable Farm Stephen Treadwell, Treadwell Farm to Table Cuisine	Bill Redelmeier, Southbrook Vineyards

In association with

CSA Week 6 and Planting for the Fall

I got my garlic out this week, a crop that wasn't as big as I would have liked because of the wet planting conditions last fall. It leaves me a spot to consider in my garden.

Our resident toad, "Toadie"

People have been asking lately about what they can still plant now and grow successfully.
Some crops are a sure thing, while some are only possible if we have a great fall season and late frost.
Really though. Why not try? Seeds are inexpensive and some things may not grow to full size, but still are edible when small.
I plant lettuce every week, and without question will continue to do this into September.

Arugula, spinach, chard and various other greens like mustards are a safe bet. Beets I would still risk and baby carrots would likely come along. Radishes including the larger ones like Watermelon would be great now as well as turnips, kohlrabi.

I'll wait at least a month now before I think about planting in the hoophouses for the winter. Winter!
It's hard to start thinking about that now, but it is getting close to the time to think about it. Clean the chimney, get the wood, plant the hoophouses. Oh dear.
I've copied a useful chart  from Seed Saver's Exchange at the bottom of this post, that will help you figure out the likelihood of succeeding with different crops.

Baskets today were still firmly rooted in summer. Tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, cukes, beans, onions, garlic, Italian parsley, curly celery, African Blue basil, golden purslane and perhaps something else I can't think of.
Thanks to Terra for  passing along the recipe for Rad Rainbow Raw Pad Thai from "Oh She Glows" blog. If you wait a week or two to make it you will have fresh edamame in your baskets to use in the recipe.