I had the opportunity to visit Stone Barns Agricultural Center which is a non-profit farm, educational center just north of Manhattan in Pocantico Hills, New York. I think I may have mentioned in a previous post that I have always wanted to visit Stone Barns. For one thing, I just love upstate New York. My father’s family was from there and I spent my summers in Westchester. The farm at Stone Barns is centered on sustainable agriculture and one of their main goals is to teach people about what sustainable really means. They host workshops on soil building, green house gardening, foraging, egg collecting, bee keeping and more. If I lived closer I would be there every weekend possible. It is an amazing resource center.

After a long week working in Manhattan I convinced my friends Liz and Steve to go up for the day. I didn’t have to work very hard to convince them. They often take workshops up there and love getting out to the farm. It wasn’t really the nicest day, overcast, sort of cold and threatening rain but it didn’t much matter to me. I was just thrilled to explore the farm.

I was anxious to check out the green houses because I had heard so much about them. They cover 22,000 square feet, half an acre, which is intensely planted with dozens of varieties of crops grown year round. Some of the more interesting features are the retractable roofs and dirt floors. I was also impressed by the irrigation system.

Garlic, shallots and onions as well as winter squashes are put up in the green house for storage.

I headed down to the barns. My first stop was the brooder barn.

The little chicks are precious, I just wanted to pick one up and put it in my pocket.

We headed down the hill behind the barns and into the forest. I was told there were several litters of piglets. Unfortunately, it was lunch time and most of the piglets were nursing. This big momma was taking a break, some much needed lounge time.

As we wandered through the forest we saw a coyote and a few little rabbits hanging around.I get so excited over wild life! Even a rabbit.

Out of the woods and up the hill to see the turkeys.

Are they fattening up for Thanksgiving?

The sheep are pastured and moved almost daily from pasture to pasture.

Colorful bums.

The sheep dog was dutifully tending his sheep.

I’m not sure if these chickens are layers or meat chickens.

The bee hives are colorfully painted and just swarming with bees. (P.S. I have always wanted to keep bees!)

Stone Barns is simply incredible. I only wish we had been able to stay for dinner. Blue Hill at Stone Barns is only open for dinner and unfortunately we had to head home. Most of what is grown on the farm is used at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Blue Hill in Manhattan. I will have to schedule another trip just to eat.

Stone Barns hosts numerous workshops on gardening, foraging, composting, bee keeping and more. I highly encourage people to visit the center. I left feeling so inspired.

Stone Barns Program Calendar

Finally! One of the first copies of Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders has landed on my desk! This long awaited arrival of our latest cookbook project has me and my team reminiscing over some of our favorite dishes from the book. We couldn’t wait to try some of them again:  congee, kimchi-fried rice, jap chae, only to name a few. With the One Pot, Three Weeks promotional blogger party going on, we felt we had to join in on the cooking fun. Stacey has plans to make kimchi-fried rice tomorrow, but I happily spent time in the test kitchen today making our beloved congee.

A friend of mine turned me on to the Chinese rice soup known as congee (a.k.a. jook) several years ago. After introducing it to my colleagues here in the test kitchen, it quickly became one of the Emeril’s Culinary Team’s favorite go-to dishes. It is a comforting dish that is always well-received, especially when rainy and cool outside. In the simplest terms, it’s a thick rice soup made from long, slow simmering of rice in broth. We usually make a stock with pork and chicken, with hints of aromatic ginger, garlic, scallions, and cilantro. Here it is simmering away!

Once the broth is just right, it is strained, the meats are shredded for garnish, and then the rice is cooked low and slow in the broth until it literally falls apart. Here is the strained broth simmering with the rice. Sometimes I can’t resist adding a few additional pieces of ginger and scallions to make sure it’s extra flavorful. (Just make sure you remove these before serving.)

The finished soup is then garnished with the shredded meats, cilantro leaves, crispy garlic, crispy shallots, sliced scallions, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and spicy sesame oil – all to taste. It’s one of those dishes that you can easily tailor to use what’s available. Today I used an already made pork stock and so the soup turned out a bit darker in color than the recipe created for Sizzling Skillets…but boy, was it good. The crispy shallots and crispy garlic can be purchased in Asian markets already prepared if you’re not up to frying at home. Friends and family love garnishing their own bowls to taste with just the right amounts of stuff so please, don’t even think of skipping the garnishes – they elevate this soup to something truly special.

Kitchen tip: The small Japanese mandolines work well for slicing the garlic and shallots to the same thickness, which makes a big difference when frying. This way all the pieces end up done more or less at the same time. Once you’ve done this a few times you’ll see how important this is!

This is just one of the test kitchen’s favorites from Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders…on sale in bookstores next Tuesday or order online at emerils.com by clicking on https://www.emerilstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=10CB116! If you want to see what some of the other bloggers have been cooking, check out my latest favorite blogger/photographer partnership at http://freshlybakedbyphotokitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/emeril-lagasses-cookbook-sneak-peak_19.html and http://mangesmangi.blogspot.com/2011/09/one-pot-wonder-collaboration-with.html The photos are amazing!

Gazpacho

Earlier this summer I had an overabundance of cucumbers and tomatoes. I made salsas and sauces, ate them raw sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, added them to salads and sandwiches but after a few months I needed a new take on ingredients that were becoming kind of old to me. I had thought about making gazpacho but hadn’t quite gotten around to it until last week.

Chef Emeril was looking for a good gazpacho recipe for his next appearance on Good Morning America. He had been to Spain earlier this summer and had a gazpacho that with watermelon and strawberries, as well as tomatoes and peppers and he hoped we would be able to search our database for a similar recipe. Sure enough we had done a Spanish-style gazpacho for Emeril Green but I felt we should tweak and retest the recipe.

Gazpacho is not just tomato soup. It is a liquid salad, fresh, clean, crisp and cool. The perfect summer soup. The addition of watermelon and strawberries may seem a little odd but the sweetness of the melon and berries balances the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat from the peppers. I like my gazpacho on the thin side but this was definitely a point of discussion; everyone seemed to have a very definite opinion on the viscosity of this dish. In this version, which is fairly thin, I added a considerable amount of finely diced vegetable. I think it worked as far as giving the soup substance and the proper mouth feel.

As we approach the end of August and summer starts winding down, take advantage of those ingredients that in a few months we will only be dreaming about. The wonderful thing about gazpacho is that you never have to turn your oven on. Serve it with jumbo lump crabmeat, poached shrimp and a baguette.

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Check out Martha’s blog post today!

I have always wanted to visit Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and hope to go for the day this September when I am in NYC. Stone Barns seems like heaven on earth, seriously I would just love to move right in.  It is a working farm that focuses on sustainable agriculture, raising heirloom vegetables and fruits, heritage varieties of pigs, chicken and sheep, as well as bees. There is so much happening there I could not possibly convey it all in a short blog. I have included a link to Martha’s blog as well as links to Stone Barns and Dan Barber’s site.

Enjoy!

http://www.themarthablog.com/2011/08/a-recent-visit-to-stone-barns-center-for-food-agriculture.html

http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/

http://www.bluehillfarm.com/food/overview/team/dan-barber

I recently met a wonderful woman, Pam Broom. She has an urban garden in Central City here in New Orleans.Pam Broom named her garden The Sun Harvest Kitchen Garden because the lot was initially planted entirely with sunflowers in an effort to remediate the soil. This summer I had the opportunity to spend the morning chatting with Pam about her garden. We sat in her office which consisted of two chairs under the shade of a mulberry tree.She started Sun Harvest about two years ago in a neighborhood that may be considered a food desert in Central City, New Orleans. There are very few grocery stores; those that do exist are really just corner shops selling mostly packaged foods. The garden is fully accessible from the street, fairly close to the New Orleans Mission one of our city’s largest homeless shelters. It seems all of the neighbors have great respect for both Pam and her garden because theft and vandalism are almost nonexistent

As a dedicated and serious gardener Pam is in her garden daily greeting friend’s and neighbors as they walk by. Pam’s garden is beyond a doubt an urban oasis.When I asked Pam what techniques she uses in the garden she quickly stated that she uses a French Intensive Gardening Method. In layman’s terms, this means the garden is planted mainly for heavy production using organic methods and sustainable practices. The garden is planted with traditional culinary herbs such as mint, basil, rosemary and chives but she also grows stevia, lemon verbena, lemon thyme, pineapple sage, lavender and anis hyssop, just to name a few. There is a large bed of about 50 Padron pepper plants grown exclusively for Emeril’s restaurants. She is also growing interesting heirloom varieties like black garbanzo beans, Longhorn okra, black lima beans and bronzed fennel. She is trying to keep heirloom and heritage varieties of fruits and vegetables alive by introducing the varieties to chefs and educating both the chefs and the consumers.

Cafe Reconcile is just a few blocks away from the garden. It is a non profit restaurant that assists in teaching life skills and acts as a training ground for job skills in the food service industry. The restaurant reaches out to young people who are at risk and helps them become a member of the community and the workforce. Pam, a member of the board, works closely with the restaurant and the staff. She assists with the curriculum and hopes to establish what she describes as an artisanal apprenticeship working in the garden. Life skills illustrated through gardening. The students will be able to harvest herbs and vegetables from the garden and use them in the kitchen at Café Reconcile. They will learn how to compost, build soil, plant, harvest and generally tend to the garden. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

Spending time with Pam was so enlightening because you really get a sense of how committed you have to be to farm. It is not an easy job to be a farmer, urban or otherwise. Farming requires knowledge of what to grow and how to grow it, how to maintain your soil, sustainable pest management systems, composting and irrigation systems. It is hard work, often in the hot sun or even the rain. You must have a market or an outlet to sell your produce or milk or meat. But often, urban farms provide food in places where fresh food may not be available.

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This is the last week of my Eat Local Challenge and I thought it would be nice to reflect on my experience.

First of all, I loved taking this challenge. It really made me aware and mindful of what I was eating and where it came from. I had to take the time to source all of my ingredients right down to salt and sugar. I allowed myself a few provisions coffee and local beer and eventually American wine. At first the biggest challenge was stocking my pantry but once I had bought all of the basics, which took a little longer than I thought, I was fine. My second biggest challenge was bread and anything made with wheat. Gosh, I really had no idea how much I loved bread and crackers! I made homemade goat cheese but wanted desperately to spread it on a slice of a toasted baguette drizzled with a little olive oil and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Instead, I ate it crumbled on tomato salads or sweetened it with honey and had it for breakfast with my blueberries. I was getting the hang of it. The third biggest challenge was cooking for myself. I realize I am a chef and this should not be difficult but I don’t always want to cook a big meal when I get home. It is so much easier to just pick something up.The same goes for lunch when I am craving Vietnamese food, I know it is literally minutes away. I did not succumb, I packed lunches that were quick and easy to put together. No sandwiches mind you, but lots of delicious summer salads and fresh fruit. Perfect for these hot summer days.

I learned that if I wanted to eat I had to be prepared well ahead of time. I tend to get “crungry”- you know that cranky feeling you get when you will eat just about anything. So I got into my kitchen on the weekends and began planning meals. I would begin with cooking, freezing or processing everything from my market basket that was extremely perishable. I would then make sure that I had several meals prepared in advance, like fresh local Lima beans with Gueydan rice or peppers stuffed with tomatoes, sausage and goat cheese. I made chicken stocks, soups and salads and packaged them in small containers so I could take them to work. I have enjoyed getting back into my own kitchen. When we test recipes or are working on a major project I just don’t cook at home. So it was nice to brush the dust off of my pots and pans.

The more I talked about the Eat Local Challenge the more people became involved even in small ways. One friend invited me to her house for fresh caught snapper and she made sure to have sides I could eat. Another went to Hollygrove Market for the first time because she heard me talk so much about it. People pulled out venison from the freezer just for me! People just started thinking about what was local and what came from South America or beyond. So in this way I feel the challenge was a huge success. I will continue to eat and buy as much local produce, dairy, eggs, and meat as possible and on occasion I will indulge in Vietnamese food. Right now what I really want is a burger- thank goodness the Fourth of July is just around the corner.

This summer Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans is paying homage to local farmers. Chef David Slater is serving a few special summer dishes highlighting local, seasonal ingredients.

Covey Rise Farmed Greens and Pickled Beets, Fried Ryal’s Dairy Goat Curds, Spiced Louisiana Pecans, Jay Martin’s Raw Honey Vinaigrette

Gulf Shrimp Stuffed Vicknair Farms Fairytale Eggplant, Grape Tomatoes, Fekete Farms Cabbage Kimchee, Fermented Black Beans

Bronzed Local Speckled Trout, Stewed Covey Rise Tomatoes, The Monica’s Okra, Cajun Grains Brown Jasmine Rice, Mango Chow Chow

Special thanks to:

Covey Rise Farms in Husser, La

Vicknair Farm in Pontchatoula, La

Fekete Farms from the Hungarian Settlement in Albany, La

Ryal’s Goat Dairy in  Tylertown, MS

The Monica’s in Garyville, La

Cajun Rice in Kinder, La

Jay Martin New Orleans Bee Keeper

and to all of the farmers, ranchers, and fisherman in and around Louisiana who provide our restaurants with the freshest and best ingredients

Making flavored liquors and infused vodka is a fun and simple project you can do at home. (As long as you are over 21!)

Over the years we have experimented with a few in the test kitchen. The lemoncello and orangecello have been stellar and in March we started working on a homemade Kahlua, a simple coffee liquor, pear liquor and a surprisingly good ginger flavored liquor. The homemade Kahlua and the ginger flavored liquor are set to appear on Emeril’s new show on the Hallmark Channel this fall.

For the past few years I have made orangecello to give as gifts for the holidays. It’s a unique gift that people are really amazed that it is not only delicious but homemade. I package it in a small bottle with a handmade tag. (I got the idea from Charlotte who gave this to me as a gift one year and I absolutely loved it.)

It does take some patience because the the flavors take about two weeks to infuse and then the bottles need to be racked to allow any sediment to settle to the bottom.  But it is well worth it, the final product is exquisite  and your friends and family will be so impressed.

There are serious mixologists all  over the country crafting their own infused grappa, vodka, and making various liquors of all flavors. Emeril’s Delmonico has a Louisiana strawberry infused grappa on the menu for the summer. Cure on Ferret Street here in New Orleans makes not only it’s own bitters but also infused vodka and liquor. I love the fun cocktails they create. Of course, this is all the rage in NYC and has been for quite a while.

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HERBED GOAT CHEESE BUTTONS

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, from Farm to Fork:  Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh, Harper Studio Publisher, New York, 2010, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved

These serve as a wonderful spread for crackers or crusty bread, or make a nice garnish to dress up simple green salads.

11 ounces soft, mild goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

 ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or thyme

 1½ teaspoons minced garlic

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Fresh herb sprigs, for lining serving platter, optional

In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and stir until well combined. If the mixture is too stiff to mix well, add a bit of the remaining olive oil and stir to combine. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper. Place in the refrigerator to stiffen; this will make it easier to roll.

Use a small spoon or scoop to portion the cheese mixture into roughly 2 tablespoon portions. Using clean hands (lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking), roll each portion into a small ball shape and then lightly flatten to form a “button.” Place buttons on an herb-lined platter and refrigerate (lightly covered with plastic wrap) until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, allow buttons to come to room temperature and then drizzle with additional olive oil as desired.

Yield: 11 ounces goat cheese buttons, 6 to 8 servings as garnish for salads, etc., 13 buttons

Please note: You can substitute pecan oil for the olive oil, use Avery Island salt instead of Kosher and eliminate the black pepper altogether for a strictly local version of this recipe.

This afternoon is the big kick off party for the 1st Annual New Orleans Eat Local Challenge. If you haven’t already signed up there is still time. You can sign up online or head over today to their headquarters at 1619 Oretha Castle Haley St. I stopped by there yesterday to pick up my goodie bag which includes a bag of Avery Island salt, a resource guide for buying local (up to 200 mile radius), my Eat Local Challenge T-shirt and I bought The Locavore’s Handbook by Leda Meredith.

The party tonight is from 5pm to 8pm at 1619 Oretha Castle Haley St. in the Zeitgeist Center. It sounds like it will be fun. Many of the sponsors of  the event will be there to talk about how and where to buy local ingredients. Pontchartrain Vineyards will be serving local wine and Old New Orleans Rum will offer cocktails and I was told there will be food as well.

I am really excited about taking this challenge. I have cleared out my pantry and restocked it with local items such as pecans and pecan oil, Louisiana sugar, Avery Island salt, local hot sauce, Steen’s cane vinegar and grits. Today I plan on heading over to Hollygrove Market to pick up a box of produce which will include squash, tomatoes, eggplant, blueberries, peaches, lettuces, sprouts, arugula and brown rice just to name a few.  Then I’ll head over to The Crescent City Farmers Market to pick up cheese, milk, butter, eggs, fish, shrimp and anything else that looks good. I  was a little nervous at first that I would have a hard time with this but as I start shopping and looking around there are so many local ingredients available it may not be as tough as I thought.

I have given myself a few little provisions; I am going to drink my coffee but I am going to drink only coffee that has been roasted locally such as PJ’s or CC’s and I think Coolbrew is also roasted in NOLA. I am also allowing myself beer but only the local stuff.

Going out to eat may be more of a challenge but there are a few restaurants participating. Satsuma, La Provence, Surrey’s, The Upperline and La Divinia are all sponsors of the event and I have heard that several restaurants around town will try to serve at least one dish that is mainly local. I will keep an up to date list of restaurants that are participating. Luckily, so many of our local restaurants use mainly local and regional ingredients. Hopefully the challenge will inspire our chefs to use that much more! Support for our local farmers and our local economy is so important. It is also gratifying to know that what you buy and how you eat affects your immediate community in such beneficial ways. The other benefit is to your health and the health of our environment.

The Eat Local Challenge is occurring nationwide so if you do not live in New Orleans check out the challenge in your community or start your own challenge.

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