Strawberries!!

The first strawberries of the season were at the farmers market this morning. Yippee! We had some with brunch and they were excellent, as local strawberries almost always are--soft, sweet, and bursting with flavor. If it's not too hot tomorrow, I'll pick up some local cream and make strawberry shortcake.

I have posted an array of strawberry recipes here over the last year. Click here to see everything tagged with "strawberries". (Or type into the search box at the top left of the page.)

Grilled Asparagus with Green Garlic and Rosemary

It is way too early in the year to have had so many too-hot-to-cook-indoors days already. But here we are, getting a lot of use out of the grill.

Green garlic (tender young garlic that has not yet formed bulbs; you can eat the whole stalk) is in season along with asparagus, and a few weeks ago I finally replaced the rosemary plant that I killed over the winter.

1 stalk green garlic, minced (about 3-4 Tbsp)
1 - 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb asparagus, tough ends snapped off

Combine the green garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread generously over the asparagus stalks.

Grill the asparagus over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, until tender.

Serves about 4.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Red Peppers and Steak

Leftover steak makes really good stir-fries, especially if already seasoned with an Asian theme. I harvested a bunch of bok choy from my garden that was already going to seed in the hot weather, and added a couple red peppers from the freezer (still using those up!) along with scallions and spring garlic from the farmers market. Serve this over rice.

If you don't have leftover steak, you can either quickly grill one or slice the meat then and stir fry it, then set aside while you cook the rest of the ingredients.

Canola oil
3-4 stalks green garlic, finely chopped
2 red peppers, chopped (frozen is fine)
1/2 lb bok choy
2 cups chopped scallions
3/4 lb thinly sliced cooked steak
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
Chili paste to taste (optional)

Heat the oil in a wok or very large skillet. Add the garlic and peppers and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes or so. Add the bok choy (in batches if necessary) and scallions and stir-fry until the bok choy is wilted.

While you do this, stir together the corn start, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Add this along with the steak and cook, stirring, just until the sauce thickens. Stir in chili paste to taste, if using. Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Popsicles

The weather has turned hot and, with an almost-three-year-old in the house, we decided it was time to invest in popsicle molds. Though to tell the truth, my husband and I have been enjoying them almost as much as the boy has.

You can put almost anything in a popsicle mold, of course. As a kid, we always had pudding pops. But I've been making them from yogurt and fruit. As in: combine yogurt and fruit (fresh or frozen) of your choice in the blender, blend until smooth, then pour into molds and freeze. Nutritious, low in sugar, and totally refreshing. (If you like a sweeter popsicle, add a little honey or maple syrup.) Totally local, too. We're using up the last of the strawberries, blueberries, and peaches that we froze last summer; as the summer goes on we'll switch to fresh stuff. Yum.

Goat Meat

New discovery at the Greenfield Farmers Market yesterday: goat meat. It's for sale by Balky Farm (in Northfield), which also sells lamb and, or perhaps I should say primarily, yarn and wool products. Goat is not something I have seen for sale locally before now. It's not widely eaten in the U.S., except among some immigrant communities. My only personal experience with it was many years ago as an exchange student in Ecuador. And to tell the truth, I can't recall the precise flavor - I just remember liking it. So I think next week I'll pick some up, and in the meantime, I'll explore recipe options. Goat is fairly commonly used in Indian cuisine, as well as Caribbean and Latin America dishes. Stay tuned!

Grilled Ginger-Sesame Steak

Only a few steaks left from our beef share...I think we may actually find ourselves buying some more before we take delivery of our next share this fall. So easy and quick on the grill in hot weather. If you want to punch this up a bit, you can add some cayenne or Asian chili paste to the marinade.

2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger root
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 - 2 lbs steak (thawed if frozen)

Combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Pat the steak dry, then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Spread generously with the marinade mixture on all sides. Let sit for 30-60 minutes, if you have time.

Grill the steak over a hot fire, 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Serves about 4.

The Founding Farmers?

I'm on the road for work - in Washington DC to be specific - and just enjoyed a great dinner at a local- and farm-focused restaurant here, called Founding Farmers.