If Everyone Was Fed This Way?

Springtime in the Western North Carolina mountains delivers not only trillium blooms and a symphony of birdsong, it is home to a special patchwork of farmland. In tandem with the back-breaking efforts of its keepers, the WNC soil breeds some of the finest food I've ever known, early in the season.

Unpacking my bags from market this morning, a bouquet materialized. Fresh chicken, livers, and ground lamb from East Fork Farm. Grass-fed steak, sausage, and charcuterie from Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Bok choy and zucchini grown on Mountain Harvest Organic Farm, and free range eggs, kale, and strawberries from Gaining Ground Farm.

When I prepare these ingredients, I can't help but wonder- if everyone was fed with this type of food, would the prisons be less crowded? What would happen if we all spent a little more of our precious income on the food we eat verses the amount of cable channels we receive? After eating this food, would it be easier to get through the day without Starbucks and Ronald McDonald riding on our backs? Could we send our children to school without Ritalin? Sleep without drugs? Wake up without drugs? Make love without drugs? See our doctors less? Feel contentment more often?

What would happen if we all ate from the soil upon which we dwell? Bought ingredients for tonight's supper from our neighbor verses Big Oil? Would the birds flying overhead view a different scape below? Hear a different chorus rising from our homes?

Braised Vegetables and Local Grass-Fed Beef with Kale

"Clean" meals often refer to sushi and salads, but this one is just as light on its toes with a bit more staying power. Braising brings out the earthy flavors of carrots and parsnips slow simmered with local grass-fed beef. Add a heap of kale right at the end to soak up all the juices. Perfect served on a bed of tricolor quinoa. Enjoy!

Braised Vegetables and Local Grass-Fed Beef with Kale:

*1 pound grass fed beef tips or stew beef

*7 carrots, quartered

*1 medium onion, chopped

*3 celery stalks, quartered

*3 parsnips, peeled and quartered

*3 garlic cloves, sliced

*sea salt and pepper

*2-3 cups high quality beef broth

*2 bay leaves

*1 bunch fresh kale, ribs removed and chopped

Rinse and towel dry beef. Place a braising pan or heavy pot over medium heat and coat with butter or olive oil. Working in batches to avoid over crowding the pan, sear beef pieces turning once to brown. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.

Add onions, carrots, parsnips and celery to pan. Season with sea salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic. Saute until beef juices caramelize in pan and transfer to vegetables. Return beef to pan and add beef stock (adding enough to just cover contents of pan) and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover and cook for at least 3 hours or longer.

Add kale to pan 10 minutes before serving. Cover and allow to steam for 4 minutes. Uncover and gently stir kale into mixture. Cover again for 5 minutes before serving. Season with additional sea salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over tricolor quinoa or wild rice.

Roasted Cauliflower

Special in its ultra-simplicity, roasted cauliflower is one of my favorite ways to eat this commonly under appreciated brassica. The deep, nutty flavor brought out by roasting makes this dish a great side to anything from grilled meats to garlicky dips and spreads. Anne from Gaining Ground Farm had a gorgeous assortment of purple and white varieties displayed last week at market.

If you often ignore cauliflower for lack of knowing what to do with it, you will be pleasantly surprised how flavorful it truly is, tossed with nothing more than olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper before a brief hiatus in the oven. I like when some of the best dishes are this effortless.

Here are some more reasons to put this veggie on the table:

Cauliflower contains a phytochemical called sulforaphane which has been associated with preventing cancer. Another chemical also present in cauliflower, known as indole-3-carbinol, enhances the repair of DNA, decreasing the rate of cancer cell growth. In particular, those who consume high levels of cauliflower have a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

In addition, you gain a relatively high amount of fiber, folate, and vitamin C when consuming the vegetable. Eat up. . .

Roasted Cauliflower:

*2-3 fresh cauliflower heads, rinsed and chopped into florets

*extra virgin olive oil

*sea salt

*fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Spread onto a lined baking sheet and roast until slightly golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Serve warm or cold.

Variations:

Add toasted pine nuts, almonds or fresh chopped basil after roasting.

Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs

I'm not enough of a rib critic to warrant argument over which method of preparation renders the best results (there are some serious die-hards out there), but after trying them a few ways, this one has won my favor.

Planning to smoke the slow braised ribs toward the end of the process, I had to switch gears and simply slather them with sauce due to their extreme fall-off-the-bone tenderness. I literally could not keep the bones from slipping away from the meat and worried they would fall through the grate onto smoky coals if I risked putting them on the grill.

Another wise move in pre-feasting prep: an overnight spicy brown sugar rub prior to braising. And of course, starting with ribs from the happiest beasts locally available: bison from Carolina Bison, and grass-fed beef from Gaining Ground Farm proved a wise way to begin.

Best to start the sauce simmering in a large cast iron pan shortly after placing the ribs in the oven. Good things take time, this recipe being no exception.

My only other recommendation is to invite a crowd of food lovers over to enjoy the final product. Slow cooking ribs is a process best shared with your friends. If you are lucky, they will bring slaw and banana pudding to round things out. Oh, and don't wear white.

Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs:

*1-2 large racks bison ribs

*1-2 large racks grass fed beef ribs

Brown Sugar Rub: (amounts are approximate)

*1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

*2 Tbsp ground ginger

*2 Tbsp paprika

*2 tsp chipotle chili pepper

*plenty of fresh ground black pepper and sea salt

Blend all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Braising Liquid:

*3 cups apple cider or unfiltered organic apple juice

*2 Tbsp grainy mustard

*1/8 cup tamari or soy sauce

*generous splash of white vinegar

*3 cloves garlic, sliced in half

OR substitute all above ingredients for broth or water.

Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce:

*4 cups apple cider or unfiltered organic apple juice

*3-4 Tbsp white vinegar

*2-3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

*5 Tbsp molasses

*2-3 Tbsp grainy mustard

*1/2 tsp ground cumin

*3 garlic cloves, minced

*1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

*pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Place all ingredients in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk to blend. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Allow liquid to reduce by more than half or until sauce becomes thick, stirring often (about 2-2 1/2 hours). Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer sauce to a bowl and set aside.

Method:

Begin by rinsing ribs. Pat dry. Using a dinner knife (not sharp) lift the translucent membrane away from the meat on the belly side of each rack. It should come up in one piece. If not, use whatever method necessary to remove all of it. Trim any excess fat, but leave the majority to keep meat moist while cooking.

Next, rub each side of each rack with the brown sugar rub. Transfer to a baking sheet (it's okay to stack them on top of one another) and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 225.

Place a rack or grate in the bottom of a large roasting pan fitted with a lid (whatever you cook your thanksgiving turkey in works well). Pour in braising liquid.

Place ribs on top of rack, stacking if necessary. Cover with lid and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, start the barbecue sauce (see instructions above).

Remove ribs from oven. Turn each rack of ribs and return to oven, covered. Bake for an additional 2 1/2 hours.

Gently lift ribs from pan and transfer to a baking sheet. Cut them into manageable pieces, one bone per piece. Meat should be very tender.

Begin liberally basting with barbecue sauce, turning each piece to coat. Serve immediately with sides of slaw, creamy grits or cornbread, and cooked greens.

Enjoy!

Share your weekend culinary journey like this one at Hartke Is Online Weekend Blog Carnival.

Slow Simmered Local Goat with Yogurt, Tomatoes, Spices and Cream

With farmers market back in full swing, meals have been a bit more exciting around here. Thankfully, Walter and Wendy from Imladris Farm are raising another round of goats this year. I was so happy to grab a package of stew meat from them on Saturday, along with an absolutely perfect bunch of leeks from Gaining Ground Farm.

Slow simmered with raw cream from a local Jersey who has been grazing on lush spring grass, a few simple spices, yogurt, tender garden spinach and cilantro- t

he goat was ridiculously tender and mild.

It's safe to say I will come back to this recipe for more.

Slow Simmered Local Goat with Yogurt, Tomatoes, Spices and Cream:

*1 pound goat stew meat

*2 Tablespoons butter

*2 fresh leeks, rinsed and chopped (white and light green portions only)

*1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped

*2 celery stalks, chopped

*3-4 cloves garlic, minced

*2 medium gold potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks

*1 can organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes

*1 cup plain whole yogurt

*1 cup fresh raw cream

*2 Tablespoons ground cumin

*2 teaspoons mustard seed

*6-8 whole cardamom pods

*sea salt to taste

*1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

*4-5 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, chopped

*1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

*1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Note: This dish is fairly mild. If you are a lover of heat, add your favorite chillies while the dish simmers for more kick.

Place a large enameled cast iron cook pot (such as Le Creuset fitted with a lid) over medium heat with 1 Tablespoon butter. Allow to heat. Rinse and thoroughly dry goat meat using paper towels. Divide in half.

Sear first half of meat making sure not to crowd pan, turning once to brown each side. Remove from pot and transfer to a bowl (meat does not need to be cooked through). Repeat with remaining meat.

Add the leeks, onion, and celery with an additional Tablespoon butter to pot. Allow to soften and brown stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Stir. Add potatoes. Cook briefly before adding the crushed tomatoes, yogurt and cream. Return goat meat to pot. Stir in spices.

Reduce heat to low. Stir before covering. Allow to simmer for 3 hours or until goat meat is tender.

Gently stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until wilted, about 7 minutes. Add peas and cilantro. Serve over basmati rice.

Market Kicks Off. . .

A huge storm front didn't keep farmers from their stalls this morning. Despite the rain, familiar faces once again returned, setting up booths to kick-off the season. The clouds eventually broke giving way to crystal clear Carolina blue skies. Thanks to East Fork Farm for the first lamb meal of the season, Gaining Ground Farm for onion starts and the prettiest leeks imaginable, to Farm and Sparrow Bakery with their rustic sourdough loaves, Imladris Farm for the lovely sample of homegrown-homemade fruit leather (the best fruit roll-up I've ever had) and a package of tender goat meat (recipe to follow), among all the many others committed to bringing the fruits of their labors to hungry townsfolk. We are so lucky to have you all; to have the opportunity to hand our cash directly to the growers who deserve every penny most, and for knowing the people behind the food that fortifies our health.

*For local readers, tune into my friend Ruth's Tailgate Market Fan Club homepage for weekly updates on all the growers markets in the area.