Back to the basics

Let me preface this post by saying I know all you fabulous foodies have been blogging about your CSAs for weeks now. Just think of it as "reliving" your first delivery all over again, with the fabulous bounty that mid-summer brings...

Once upon a time Kate and Kyle lived on three different organic farms in Italy.



Along the way they learned about the language, culture, and cooking associated with living on a working farm. Kyle continued on for another 3 weeks on an organic (and nudist {this was not mentioned in the WWOOF description of the farm}) farm in Wales. It was then that they caught the farming bug. And it's one of those bugs you live with for the rest of your life. Always there being tamed by nothing but"rational" thoughts of friends, families, mortgages and student loan payments...

After much deliberation Kyle and I painfully decided not to join a CSA earlier this year. We wasted so much (well, our compost appreciated it) last year because of our busy lives, and with Kyle in school and my work load getting nothing if not larger, we knew we'd be kidding ourselves trying it again this year. We planted a garden. And then that damn sun just didn't shine. We've harvested a couple of small treats, but only enough to constitute a meal once or twice. And the poor little farmers that live inside of us were sad.

Then, tada! I got a new job. And it just so happens that job thing occurred simultaneously with a Simple Good and Tasty post by Lee about Jackson Hollow expanding their CSA and accepting mid-season shares. Uh... Duh? Where do I sign?

Yesterday was our first pick up and just look at all the beautiful stuff we got!



Oh, and how I love that basket!














We got some gorgeous green beans too, but I didn't realize Kyle had snatched them up for snacking while I was taking these pictures.


On my way home from picking up our share I was inspired to make Broccoli and Gavadeals (Cavatelli for the non New Jersey readers out there) though had a sneaking suspicion the Eastside Co-op didn't carry Cavatelli (named after small hollow sea shells). No matter, I bought chiocciole (named after snail shells). At least I was in the same genus. I also grabbed some Pastures a Plenty Spicy Italian Sausage and went home to whip up our first veggie CSA dinner of 2009.

There is no tried and true Broccoli and Cavatelli recipe I can give you. Kyle's dad makes it the absolute best I have ever had it but if I told you how much fat he adds to it, it would flat line you then and there. Instead, as I love to do, I'll give you approximates. Let it be known I cooked the entirety of the bag of pasta and didn't really need all of it. Fortunately I made pesto earlier in the week, so once we pick out all of the broccoli and sausage, we'll have a whole new meal out of the leftovers.



Ingredients:

Broccoli, cut into slightly larger than bite sized pieces
1 pkg Italian Sausage, sliced on the bias (I prefer spicy, but you can always use sweet)
Cavatelli (substitue any tubular medium sized pasta if you can't find Cavatelli)
Garlic, smashed with a knife, skin removed
Red Pepper for spice
Your favorite italian style grating cheese

Set water to boil in large pot

Saute the sausage in a heavy bottomed until well browned





Remove sausage from pan and set aside leaving browned bits and fat in the pan

Add pasta to pot and cook according to package. Drain, reserving 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooking water

Add broccoli and garlic to sausage pan and cover. Stir every 3-4 minutes until broccoli is tender but not over cooked.



Toss it all together and season according to taste.



Drizzle with olive oil and cooking water if desired. Sprinkle with cheese. Eat it up!




Tomorrow: My cat eats Kale and I've got pictures to prove it

Recap of Simple Good and Tasty Dinner: Red Stag Supperclub

If you know me on a personal level or have been reading my blog long enough you know that Red Stag is my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis.



Perhaps it would not be the restaurant I would go to all the time if I had indispensable income. But for where we live, what they offer, and their dedication to the environment and local food, it's a slam dunk.



I've recently partnered up with Lee from Simple Good and Tasty regarding his local food endeavors.


Due to some exciting news (TBA really soon, I promise) I will hopefully have more time to be more frequently involved in the works of SGT in the near future. If you didn't know about SGT (as I fondly call it) it's a new project of this incredibly nice guy named Lee, he's smart, incredibly friendly, and totally ambitious. He started SGT from the bottom up, knowing little about the "locavore" movement (now in the Merriam Webster... this is the real deal people) and soon approaching expert level status. The dinners he arranges on a monthly are a great many things, but to keep things short the things I appreciate MOST about them is that they are:

1)Economical: $35 for four-course meal at the Red Stag is amazing, not to mention the optional beer or wine pairings you can add on based on your desires.

2) Friendly: Everyone attending these meals is prepared to sit at a table with strangers. This pretty much ensures little social awkwardness.



3) Like minds: If you don't care about local foods, there is really no reason to be there. You don't have to worry about your table partner being a McDonald's shareholder. They probably have a garden or csa, or they at least know what a co-op is and appreciate a good meal

4) At amazing restaurants. The list of restaurants that have so far been on the SGT line up have been places I would recommend that out of towners go to try out true Minnesota fare.

Locally sourced Arugula and Broccoli used in the Red Stag Kitchen



If you're not on the mailing list you can email Lee at info@simplegoodandtasty.com and you can prepare yourself for up and coming locavore events by checking out the new and beautiful Simple Good and Tasty Calendar.

In lieu of describing the dinner, I'll allow my pictures and Lee's recap to walk you through the deets.

Chef Hauke on the line

Simple, Good and Tasty: A Meal

A month or two ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to a meetup with other local food bloggers, hosted by Jim Norton of The Heavy Table. It's always fun to meet others in the blogosphere (especially when it comes to food) and get their advice on where to eat, what to order, who to talk to, what's in the works, who is closing shop. One of the individuals I met was Lee Zukor, "Instigator" for Simple, Good, and Tasty. Lee is diving into the world of local, organic, and responsible eating and wants you to come with him. In addition to his garden, CSA and farmer's market extravaganzas, he's started organizing meals at restaurants that focus on using local ingredients.





I was a little late in the game on finding out about his first meal (I read too many blogs and therefore often end up skimming even my favorites) but made sure to get my name on the list to his second, scheduled to take place at Heartland Restaurant in St Paul.






Lee invited me to come a bit early to tour the kitchen, which I gladly obliged. I enjoyed a nice glass of Cremant Rose in the bar while discussing what it takes to quit your job and become an organic farmer with one of Lee's previous co-workers. Then we were whisked off the the dinning room which was reserved solely for Simple Good and Tasty dinner participants.










While I didn't cook anything "new" this week, I did experience a first. It was a challenge to pass up the vegetarian menu that was featuring duck-egg pasta ravioli with local sheep's milk ricotta (oh god my mouth is watering just typing that) but I had to dive into the house made headcheese, which I had never officially previously consumed (I am certain I had one version or another during my time in Italy, but never knowingly called it headcheese).

head⋅cheese [hed-cheez]

–noun

a seasoned loaf made of the head meat, sometimes including the tongue or brains, of a calf or pig and molded in the natural aspic of the head.

Hey, I'm always up for a challenge

I was dining solo (shocking, right?! Kyle started Grad School two weeks ago, so the occasional dinner without him is inevitable) and had a great time getting to know my dining neighbors, Steve and Ben, a couple of dads from Lee's neighborhood and Joan and her sister, from A Backyard Farm. Fortunately, Joan ordered the Flora option, so I was able to take pictures for both meal options.


Before the meal Lee talked a little bit about his mantra, announced that Simple, Good and Tasty is officially a business according to the State of MN, and thanked everyone involved for being a part of the evening.





Next up was Chef Lenny Russo who also talked about his local food mantra, explained a bit about his business practices (like the fact that they purchase and utilize a whole pig, hence the headcheese portion of the evening)






This led to an amuse bouche (I'm not sure there are any other two words in the world that I love more... especially when I'm not expecting to hear them... or maybe foie gras) of Walleye Mousse on Kohlrabi slaw with a chervil aioli. Yums.




For us omnivores the 1st course was the much awaited headcheese. If you like ham, you'd love headcheese. It's creamy and rich, and the idea of internal organs being in there is the farthest thing from your mind when it hits your tongue. I was immediately brought back to the time Kyle and I spent on the pig farm in Italy. There is an undeniable earthy character to properly raised pork. I have to admit I kind of missed the concept of the chrysanthemum salad while eating it but the dish was delicious.





The vegetarian eaters got a very brightly colored fruit soup that looked incredibly refreshing (a good thing on any 90 degree day).





Next up was the Poussin (which may or may not just be a young chicken)
It was incredibly tender, rich, and in sum, delicious. Additionally, I could eat about 20 of those wild rice-pumpkin seed cakes and ANYTHING that has been drizzled with bit of Glace de Viande (fancy pants description for boiled down meat juice) gets two thumbs up from this girl. Well done Chef!









I already talked about how great the vegetarian option sounded. This picture makes me seriously hungry.




The dessert was delicious, and I love love love pepper with my chocolate. It's my new obsession. Last winter I was making chipotle hot chocolate for my crew in the cold blustery mornings. Sadly since this is Minnesota only a few appreciated the heat in their belly's from the spicy pepper addition. I'm not always a chocolate and cherry fan, but the cherries were mild, and are definitely in season so it works in my book.



I would have really liked to try the veg option, but probably didn't need a 2nd dessert. Damn it looks good though.



All in all, I highly recommend you go to one of Lee's up and coming dinners. Next month is at (my all time favorite, and impeccably close to me) Red Stag Supper Club. The price is right, the company is light hearted and good natured, and hey, it's local! Email Lee if you're interested in learning about future events!