Tag Archives: 4th Annual Dark Days Challenge

challenge, locavore

Challenge Meal: Roasted Chicken and Grains

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My Dark Days Challenge meal #18 was roasted chicken and root vegetables with grains.

This is a rather simple meal, but I needed to make chicken to get the ingredients to make more of my own chicken broth. I thought I had a stock of stock, but I emptied the freezer and found none! Broth in the box is organic and not bad, but it’s not local and it’s not as good as mine.

The grain mix consists of short grain brown rice, black Japonica rice, wild rice, and black quinoa. The packets come attractively and tastily pre-mixed from Boxed Goodes, a local company. This one is called Onyx Whole Grain Blend.

Food sources:

  • chicken from Stuarts Family Farm
  • white wine, Chardonnay from McLaughlin Vineyards
  • garlic, sage, and thyme from me
  • carrots and parsnips from Riverbank Farm
  • cayenne pepper from Cherry Grove, Newtown, CT (frozen whole, vintage 2010).
  • green onions from Newgate Farms
  • chicken broth from away (last time, I promise!)
  • grain mix from away (as discussed above)
  • olive oil from away

The challenge officially ends on April 15 and I think I may have one more challenge meal post in me.

Other Challengers

These folks have been keeping up with the challenge all along, God bless ’em! Here’s their most recent challenge posts:

Enjoy!

challenge, farms, locavore

Challenge Meal: Yankee Pot Roast

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My Dark Days Challenge meal #17 was Yankee Pot Roast a New England favorite. (Notice it’s not called Red Sox pot roast, neighbors!)

I use a few extra ingredients, not ordinarily part of this dish including garlic, wine, and tomatoes. I like to think of it as my own Bronx Italian Yankee pot roast.

Food sources:

I usually like to use celeriac as well, but there was none to be had.

Buon appetito!!

challenge, farms, locavore

Challenge Meal: Overwinter Soup and Frittata

Dark Days Challenge meal #16.

As I mentioned, a funny thing happened at Sport Hill Farm: last year’s crops were still growing! (Okay, maybe not growing, but definitely not dead. Certainly viable and edible. Very tasty even!) Patti let me forage these gifts from the Earth. I scored spinach, carrots, and leeks.

So I made something like potato leek soup, without the potatoes. I used the carrots with a carnival squash (from the remnants of my Fall collection).

I mostly followed Julia‘s recipe for potato leek soup and sliced a pound of leeks and a large bunch of carrots and cubed a pound of squash into the Dutch oven. I added two quarts of water and two teaspoons of salt and simmered for about 40 minutes.

Soups on!

Now for the frittata. I sautéed the spinach in some bacon fat:

I changed my frittata method a bit. I used to just pour the beaten eggs over the sauteed veggies. Now I remove the sauteed veggies off to the side, pour in the eggs, and add the veggies back in after the eggs have had a chance to set a bit. After a brief wait, I add some cheese. The whole operation goes into the oven for about 10 minutes. I let it rest for a few minutes after I take it out.

I’ve been on a frittata kick lately. They’re quick, easy, healthy, and tasty. Eggs around here are great and I have a few fabulous sources. Almost anything can go in a frittata. (Note: not everything can go together in a frittata—just saying.)

Food sources:

challenge

Challenge Snack: Popcorn

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My Dark Days Challenge Meal #15 is a snack: microwave popcorn!

I usually like to make my popcorn in a pot on the stove. I have one of those popcorn-making pots, with a crank handle that turns the paddles inside, so the kernels keep moving. I have to admit, sometimes I’m impatient and lazy, so t appeal of microwave popcorn is that it’s fast and clean-up is easy.

If you’ve given up microwave popcorn because of the diacetyl from the “butter powder,” the Teflon from the bag coating, or you just don’t want to give ConAgra any business, here’s a method that might make you reconsider.

Start with pop corn on the cob. You need a specific kind of corn seed and  after harvest, has to cure in a dry, well-ventilated space. The popped corn is denser than the store-bought variety, and likely would make an excellent caramel corn.

Use this cool gizmo to remove the kernels from the cob.

Mix 1/4 cup of the kernels with one teaspoon of oil. Some use olive, others like peanut. I like coconut oil because it imparts an interesting flavor (and because I was into saturated fats before they were cool—ever since Julia Child was on the Rosie O’Donnell show and told her fats were good for you.)

Back to the snack…

Put the oiled kernels into a brown paper bag; a lunch bag is perfect. Fold the top of the bag twice to make a seal. Tape the folded end. Put the bag in the microwave (on a paper towel if you want to keep the carousel from getting oily).

Microwave for one and a half  minutes on high. Even though the pops are still coming at less than five seconds apart, stop the microwave. I’m a firm believer that it’s is better to have a few (even several) unpopped kernels than to have any burnt kernels.

Note: Be careful of the steam when opening the bag. Steam burns really hurt.

Pour the popcorn into a bowl.

Pour on one to two tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle on some salt. Toss. Eat.

Food sources:

There are numerous flavoring variations. You can  add maple syrup, Cajun seasonings, or Parmesan cheese (but probably not all at the same time). How do you like your popcorn?