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rosemary

Cheddar & Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

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Recipe courtesy of Marcie Place, owner of The Chocolate Spoon

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese* – the sharper the better
● 1 tsp salt
● 2 1/2 cups flour
● 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
● 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary*

Directions
1. Sift together salt and flour; set aside. Cream together cheese and butter until well blended.
2. Gradually add dry ingredients with care not to overmix. This is shortbread so you don’t want to activate the gluten too much. Divide dough in half and shape into rounds. Wrap well in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or freeze for later.
3. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1/4″ thick sheets and cut with a small cookie cutter.
4. Bake until slightly golden, about 15-20 minutes. Bake 9-11 minutes for smaller cookies. Remove from baking sheets and cool. Store in an airtight container or freeze for later.

Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Honey Dip

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Recipe featured in Cooking Light, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 2

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Ingredients
*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market
● 1 sweet potato*
● 1 Tablespoon olive oil
● ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*
● 1 garlic clove*, minced
● 1 teaspoon paprika*
● ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt*
● 2 teaspoons of honey*
● ⅛ Teaspoon (dash) vanilla extract

Instructions
1. Clean the potato and cut into steak fries.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a medium bowl, add olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Add the potatoes slices and coat well. Sprinkle with paprika.
4. Place potatoes on a sheet pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until tender and browned.
5. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, and vanilla. Chill and serve with potatoes.

Strip Steak with Salsa Verdi

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Adapted from the recipe by Milk Street Magazine, shared by Pattie Garrett of My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 cup lightly packed flat leaf parsley leaves*
● ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
● ¼ cup drained capers, rinsed
● 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
● 1 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary*
● 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
● 1 garlic clove*
● ground black pepper
● ½ cup olive oil*
● kosher salt
● Two 14 to 16 ounce strip steaks* (about 1½ inch thick), halved crosswise and patted dry
● 1 Tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a food processor, combine the parsley, half of the almonds, and the capers, anchovies, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic and ½ teaspoon pepper. Process until finely chopped, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process, scraping bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Add the remaining almonds and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12 inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until beginning to smoke. Add the steaks reduce to medium and cook until well browned on both sides and 120 degrees at the center for medium-rare, 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer the steaks to a wire rack and set over rimmed baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks, arrange on a platter or plates and pour over any accumulated juices. Serve with the salsa verde.

    Note: Janet Lampman of Lewis Waite Farm recommends giving the meat time to thaw completely. Before preparing the thawed steak, give it 30 minutes on the kitchen counter to come to room temperature. Then, dry it with a paper towel and then seasoning.
Steak from Lewis Waite Farm with Salsa Verdi, photo by Pattie Garrett

Herbs: The Good Neighbors of the Garden

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By Katherine Morba

Potted herbs and greens at Burger’s Marketgarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Like people, plants relate to one another differently. Unique characteristics such as fragrance, stature, and ability to attract pollinators and repel pests make a plant more or less compatible with its neighbors.

Companion planting, or paying attention to beneficial relationships that exist between species of plants, give way to healthier crops, increased yields, and even enhanced flavor in harvests. Herbs are especially companionable when mindfully placed in a garden bed.

Herbs also possess healing properties to soothe the ailments of the gardeners who tend them. For centuries herbs have been exalted as medicinal remedies, offering relief for sore throats, anxiety, stomachaches, and other health concerns.

Rather than planting rows of single crops this season, try intermingling herbs for a garden that is both plentiful and curative.

Basil and tomatoes have heightened flavors when grown in proximity. Basil also compliments asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, and bell peppers. Basil tea alleviates an upset stomach and is a natural skin cleanser. Place wet leaves under eyes to reduce puffiness and dark circles.

Thyme repels pests like cabbage worms, corn earworms, and tomato hornworms. It will strengthen the flavor of most plants it borders while attracting honey bees and predatory insects. Thyme relieves congestion from colds and seasonal allergies.

Dill is a companion to broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and kale. It attracts honey bees and butterflies while deterring cabbage loppers and spider mites. Dill should not be planted near carrots, as the two may cross-pollinate. Steeping two tablespoons of crushed dill seed in one cup of boiling water creates a dill tea for cold and flu symptom relief.

Rosemary pairs well with broccoli, beans, cabbage, and hot peppers. Aromatically it improves cognitive function and memory. A rosemary tea or essential oil can be used on hair to strengthen and condition.

Lavender compliments cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and rose bushes. Adding a few drops of lavender oil in a bath reduces stress, insomnia, and anxiety. Fragrant dried flowers can be sewn into pillows or sleep masks for a calming effect.

Calendula, or the pot marigold, is a must grow for its bright yellow and orange flowers, pest prevention, and medicinal qualities. Calendula acts as a trap plant, attracting aphids to a sticky stem and away from garden vegetables. The flowers are harvested and used to make oils, teas, and ointments that have antiseptic and wound healing properties.

Potted herbs at Burger’s Marketgarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Roast Lamb

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Adapted from the recipe by Julia Moskin
Yield: 8-12 servings
Time: About 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
● 1 large lamb roast* with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg (these can be as large as 8 pounds), semiboneless leg*, bone-in shoulder*, boneless butterflied leg* or double loin*
● 2 ounces (1 can) anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
● Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs* (2 heaping tablespoons leaves), plus extra sprigs and branches for garnish
● 6 garlic cloves*, smashed and peeled
● 4 ounces unsalted butter*, softened at room temperature
● Black pepper
● 1 lemon, cut in half
● 1 ¾ cups white wine, plus extra for gravy

PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, each about 2 inches deep, through the fat that covers the top of the meat. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, blend 2/3 of the anchovies, the rosemary leaves, and the garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Using your fingers, press paste deeply into incisions.
2. Mix remaining anchovies and the butter into a paste. Smear this mixture all over the surface of the roast. Season liberally with black pepper. (Do not add salt; the anchovies are salty enough) Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, and squeeze the lemon halves over. Pour the wine around the roast into the pan.
3. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees (for medium-rare or medium meat), about another 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 minutes or so with the wine and drippings in the pan, adding more wine as needed to keep the liquid from scorching. If possible, for the last 15 minutes of cooking, use convection or a broiler to crisp the fat on the roast.
4. Remove pan from the oven, remove rack from the pan, and let the roast rest on the rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil. The internal temperature will rise to about 140 to 145 degrees.
5. To make sauce from the pan drippings, remove a few tablespoons of fat by tipping the pan and spooning off the top layer. Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid simmers. Taste the simmering liquid and whisk in more wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency and flavor are right. Do not let the mixture become syrupy; it should be a sharp jus, not a thick gravy.
6. Carve lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a heated platter, decorated with rosemary sprigs. Serve with piping hot gravy.

Delicata Squash and Onions

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Adapted from Eating Well Magazine and shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Ingredients:

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

2 large delicata squash* (2 pounds)

1 medium red onion*, sliced

3 Tablespoons olive oil*, divided

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*

1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup*, to taste

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Cut crosswise into ½ inch half circles. Toss with onion, 1 Tablespoon oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in an even layer on baking sheet. 

Roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and beginning to brown about 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil, rosemary, maple syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Toss the vegetable with the dressing.