 From Chef Lesley Stiles: Peach Salsa 2 peaches, chopped 1/2 jalapeno, chopped fine 1/2 red onion, chopped 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 lemon or lime, skin grated off and juiced 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons rice vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Mix all together in a bowl and serve over fish, chicken or with chips. Makes 2 cups. Balsamic Drizzle 3 cups balsamic vinegar 3 cups red wine 2 sliced shallots 1 branch rosemary 1/2 cup honey Pour wine and balsamic vinegar into a non reactive saucepan. Add the shallot and rosemary. Bring to a boil , lower heat to a simmer and reduce to about 2 cups. This will be thick and bubbly. Add honey and simmer for 3 minutes. Use for a dressing on salad with olive oil or as a sauce to grilled chicken, roasted duck or vegetables. Makes 2 cups. Printer-friendly version More recipes   |
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Eating
Fresh and Local has become
a way of life for some of us and is just a buzz
word to others. If you are one of the
others, consider this, supermarket produce is
old. It is at least one week old unless
it came to us via a local farm. A truck
burning diesel fuel traveled many miles, sometimes
thousands, to bring it to you and for all that trouble it tastes like, well you
know... and it has had a negative impact on our environment, not very green.
In our global village we live in it is hard,
sometimes impossible to source all of our goods
locally but we can source our foods reasonably
close in California. There are few foods that
cannot be grown here and if you look for and
eat what is in season you will help the State's
economy and our planet. Perhaps that is a tree
hugging point of view and that's ok in my book
- we (all of us) have spent too much time being
spoiled by our own riches so we have forgotten
our main mission: To be good stewards
of this planet for those who come after us.
Don't let the next generation say "they
did more harm than good."
Deep into summer season at the farmers' markets and the produce
is peaking along with the possibilities of preparations for some
exquisite dishes. Sweet corn is perfect steamed on the cob but try
grilling corn out of the husk, lubed up a drop, to a nice little
char. Cut the corn off the cob and toss kernels with some cooked
quinoa, chopped basil, diced cukes
and tomatoes adding a drop of
lemon oil and rice vinegar. Stone fruits are busting out with natural
sugars and tropical flavors. Try replacing peaches for mango in
that favorite salsa for chips or grilled fish. Make free
form tarts using a sheet of puff pastry mounded in the center with fresh fruit
of any kind. Roll the pastry up around the edges of the fruit leaving
it open in the center. Brush the dough with water and sprinkle with
some coarse, organic sugar and bake at 400° for about 20 minutes
until nice and brown. Heirlooms are turning up on tables everywhere
joining early tomatoes. They take longer to mature and the crops
are a bit lighter than the hybrids and that along with the seed
saving process involved in growing heirlooms make them special and
worth the fuss. Slice up with fresh mozzarella creating the ages
old Caprese that unbelievably can be found year round on menus but
now is the only time that this salad is awesome. Sprinkle the tomatoes
and cheese with sliced basil, lemon oil, balsamic
drizzle and cracked sea salt. Website: www.cccfm.org
© Copyright CCCFM 2008.