Fried Stuffed Pumpkin Blossoms

We are former city-folk and this was the first blessed summer that I’ve had the opportunity to grow a vegetable garden since growing up in the ‘burbs (I don’t count the tomato plants I had on my fire escape in college). I was so eager to get started that I planted the seeds in little peat pots in early April and coddled them along on our porch.

Unfortunately, seeds will not grow on enthusiasm alone (I actually sang to them). I had no idea that they would need way more warmth and sun than our porch could offer. This spring was extremely cool, gray and damp. It took about a month for all of the seeds to sprout, and once they did they were stunted by another cool spell in May.

It is now mid-August. The pepper plants are about 8 inches tall and sport just leaves. The thyme, basil and rainbow chard are passable. There are a few teeny little green San Marzano tomatoes, and we have a boatload of pumpkin blossoms. That’s my harvest. Happy flipping new year.

One might be thinking, “Yay! Lots of punkins!”, but here’s the thing: our veggie patch is not very big and the pumpkin plants are threatening to take over (they left a note in our mudroom stating as much, signed “Audrey II”). I’m clearly no gardening expert, but I’m thinking I should probably go ahead and cut the pumpkin back a bit if we don’t want a bumper crop of small decorative gourds.

Which brings me to Fried Stuffed Pumpkin Blossoms. It would be a shame to let all of those lovely blossoms end up in the compost. This recipe will work just as well with squash blossoms, which are readily available at farmers markets, farmstands and sometimes gourmet shops this time of year.

Pumpkin blossoms are delicate in both flavor and texture, frying gives them an almost flaky texture. Pecorino Romano adds a salty cheesiness, and fresh basil and thyme bring a grassy tang.

Note: this is a messy project. The blossoms will probably not seal like tupperware. I recommend just going with it and trying to not get frustrated if some of the cheesy goodness melts out. I promise it will all taste fantastic in the end.

Fried Stuffed Pumpkin Blossoms – serves 2 – 4

1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1 large egg
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 – 12 pumpkin blossoms
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
Edible flowers like marigold for garnish (optional)

Combine the ricotta, Romano and herbs in a medium bowl

Separate the egg, allowing the white to fall into a shallow bowl. Add the yolk to the ricotta mixture. Stir to combine.

Add water to the egg white and lightly beat to combine.

In another shallow bowl, combine the flour, bread crumbs and seasonings.

Gently stuff each blossom with one to two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, depending on the size of the blossom. Twist the tops to close.

Dip each stuffed blossom into the egg white mixture, drain, and dredge in flour mixture. Set aside on a rack to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high until the butter begins to bubble. Gently place the stuffed pumpkin blossoms into the oil. Cook 3 or 4 at a time for 2- 3 minutes per side.

Carefully remove from the pan and plate with other lovely edible flowers.

Ramps Primavera

So, I know I’m like two years late on the whole ramps trend, but I’ve never been one for following the herd (though I do love imagining the sound a tiny herd of ramps would make… shuffle shuffle shuffle). Ramps are known as one of the very first vegetables to come out of the ground in Spring. They are just as much a harbinger of the bounteous warmer months as a clam shack reopening on a 45 degree April afternoon.

Primavera is the Italian word for Spring. Pasta Primavera, however, is an Italian-American dish and since Italian-American cuisine developed primarily during the 20th Century – a time at which a variety of fresh, or at least canned vegatables became readily available year round – seasonality hasn’t traditionally been a defining requirement in most pasta primavera recipes. The most common vegetables used in Pasta Primavera are typically peas, zucchini, and carrots – which, in most hardiness zones, will not arrive on the scene until well into l’estate. Or Summer.

Wilted, sauteed and then combined with a cream sauce, ramps would be a natural addition to Pasta Primavera, if it were actually meant to represent Springtime. I’m not a major fan of heavy, creamy dishes this time of year (unless it’s chowder at a clam shack). This recipe is relatively spare on cream and butter. There’s just enough to lightly coat the pasta and not enough to overwhelm the delicate onioniness of the ramps.

Ramps Primavera serves 2-4

1 lb ramps
1/4 C water
1 T olive oil
1/2 C heavy cream
2 T butter
1/4 C finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb  dry pasta (fusilli pictured)
Sea salt to taste

Clean the ramps – cut off any roots and, using a sharp knife, peel away any discolored layers. Rinse the ramps and cut to 1 inch strips.

Meanwhile, cook, drain and rinse the pasta. Toss with a little bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking while the sauce is made.

Combine water and olive oil in a saute pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add ramps and allow to wilt 3 minutes. Once water has evaporated continue to saute 2 minutes.

Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Allow the cheese to melt while stirring. Remove from heat.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss with tongs or a spoon until well coated. Add the ramps and toss to coat.

Serve warm and think of even warmer days ahead.

Pulled Lamb

Why choose lamb over pork for a pulled meat dish? Lamb is slightly leaner than pork, though only by 2 grams per 3 ounce serving for a bone-in shoulder cut. Like red meat, it contains more iron than pork, as well as high levels of zinc, potassium, iron and B vitamins. Slightly lower fat and better nutritional value are both good reasons, but the best reason to choose lamb over pork is for flavor. Lamb has a grassy, more exotic and slightly sweeter flavor than pork.

Another reason I go for the lamb is for sustainability. Grass-fed, pasture-raised lamb is becoming more and more convenient to find in areas where local farming is popular, and obviously, local lamb beats imported lamb when it comes to sustainability. We buy ours from Riverslea Farm at the Newburyport Farmers Market. After the Newburyport market closes for the season in December, Riverslea will also have a stall at the Seacoast Winter Farmers Market in New Hampshire, which runs every other Saturday from November to April, alternating locations between Exeter High School and Wentworth Greenhouses.

Sweet and slightly spicy, this recipe for pulled lamb is great on a sandwich or served over rice or couscous.

Pulled Lamb - serves 4 – 6

2.5 – 3 lbs lamb shoulder
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 white onion, loosely chopped
1 T garam masala
1 t cumin
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/2 C vermouth
1/4 C water

Combine the spices and salt. Rub the spice mixture into the lamb shoulder until thoroughly coated. Set aside

In a large skillet, caramelize the onion in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and butter. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place the lamb into the hot skillet and sear all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Deglaze the skillet with vermouth, scraping up any solids in the pan. Add the water to combine and pour over the lamb in the slow cooker.

Set the cooker to 6 hours.

After 6 hours the meat should be tender and falling off the bone and there should be liquid and rendered fat at the bottom of the slow cooker. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and remove the bones. Using two forks, pull the meat apart into pieces.

During this time, the fat should have settled to the top of the liquid in the slow cooker. Using a ladle, carefully skim the fat from the surface of the liquid.

Return the meat to the slow cooker and toss with the liquid.

Serve hot over couscous or on a sandwich.

Roasted Stuffed Figs

There is a chill in the air as Summer hangs up its floppy sunhat, puts on a scarf and goes by the name of Autumn again. While it’s sad to say goodbye to summer’s warm weather and produce, the best has just begun. Fall’s harvest brings all kinds of goodies, as you know. Aside from sweet squash and corn, more interesting and, dare I say, exotic fruits and vegetables are being grown and harvested in New England these days. Among them are figs.

More commonly seen in places like the Mediterranean, figs have made themselves comfortable right here in New England. Years ago, my mother saw figs at a local market and brought some to my grandfather, who had been raised in Italy. He hadn’t seen a fresh fig since he was a boy.

Well, I wish he could be here today to find them fresh and locally grown. The figs in this post came from a farm right down the road from us. Sweet and juicy, roasting condenses the sugars. I like them stuffed with a goat or blue cheese and drizzled with olive oil to add a little earthiness. Freshly chopped mint brings a subtle herbal snap to keep things from becoming too cloying.

Though this certainly seems like a decadent snack, figs are quite nutritious and low in fat. They contain vitamin A and C to prevent scurvy, as well as calcium and potassium.

Roasted Stuffed Figs – serves 4 -6

12 black mission figs
4 oz goat cheese
2 T finely chopped fresh mint
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the stem off of the fig and cut a cross from the point to about halfway down. Gently open the fig and stuff with a teaspoon of goat cheese.

Arrange the figs on a lightly greased baking dish. Top with a sprinkle of mint and drizzle with olive oil.

Place the sheet on the top rack of the oven closest to the flame or element. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the cheese begins to brown slightly and the kitchen fills with the aroma of figs.

Pan-Seared Bluefin Tuna

We were very fortunate yesterday to be given four fresh, local tuna steaks. The tuna was caught by harpoon off the coast of Massachusetts by a friend of a friend. Bluefin tuna are enormous and can reach over 900 lbs. Needless to say, the gentleman who caught the tuna had lots of excess meat and he invited us to come to his home to try some. He showed us photos of the process and the harpoons used. It was really fascinating.

So what to do with bluefin tuna? It is often found on sushi menus as sashimi because of its wonderful buttery-smooth texture. We were not able to have it immediately though. I thought of making tuna tartare or ceviche, but I didn’t want the delicate texture and flavor to get lost. I decided to pan-sear it, which was exactly what our friend had suggested.

Tuna and soy sauce really are close buddies and so I decided to make a lightly sweetened sauce using soy, sesame oil and brown sugar. It’s a very simple recipe, but adds a wonderful salty-sweet flavor to the tuna without overwhelming.

Pan-Seared Bluefin Tuna – serves 2

2 – 1/2 lb. bluefin tuna steaks
1 t sesame oil
1 t sesame seeds

Heat sesame oil in a large  skillet over a medium high flame. Place tuna steaks on the skillet.

Cook for 1 minute on either side. The outside should be just gray and the inside should still be ruby red.

Remove from heat and plate with Brown Sugar Soy Sauce (below) and garnish with sesame seeds.

Brown Sugar Soy Sauce – makes about 1/3 cup

3 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
2 T brown sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar.

Over medium heat, whisk continuously to emulsify. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.