Issue 1: Fall 2004

In Season


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Crunchy Blackberry Cobbler

Late summer in Oregon is blackberry season. As children, my sister and I picked them by the bucketfull and our mother baked them into delicious pies. Now, with two daughters of my own, crunchy blackberry cobbler is a favorite dish that I bake for my girls.

Any fresh, seasonal fruit available to you may be substituted for the blackberries.

    Fruit Mixture:
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 2 cups diced apples (with or without skin)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 TBSP lemon juice
  • dash of cinnamon
    Topping:
  • 1 cup uncooked oatmeal
  • 3/4 cup flour (whole wheat or white)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 TBSP butter

Combine all ingredients for the fruit mixture and turn into a greased 8x8x2 pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkleover fruit mixture. Bake at 350 degress for 35-45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream. Serves 6-8.

— from Jennifer Romero
West Linn, Oregon

Too-Early-for-Anything-but-Peas Salad

I am known for my salad side dishes. My partner, Greg, wows people with the barbecue, but the usual dinner guests all know to expect a little something from me, too. "You...always with the interesting little side dish!" they gush as they corner past me to the fridge for another beer. It's surprising, then, that the salad I get the most compliments for is the quickest, easiest, cheapest and most hassle-free of them all.

One afternoon I was surprised by a flock of diners in my back yard and, feeling pressured to produce a side, I grabbed all that was ready in my late spring garden and hurried into my kitchen to inspect my scant pantry and fridge holdings. In the garden I found a strainer full of peas, and in the kitchen I found soy sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil and an onion.

As I combined the ingredients, I became more and more embarrassed over my meager offering, and shoved the serving bowl back into the corner of the kitchen counter. Imagine my pleasant astonishment as those who found the hidden pea salad oohed and awed over it.

My new standard and most requested side dish takes no more than five minutes to make, and its primary ingredient I can retrieve from my Pacific Northwest garden a good four months out of the year!

    Ingredients:
  • Snow Peas
  • Sesame Oil
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Onion and/or Green Onions and/or Red Bell Pepper
  • Soy Sauce

Place peas in a pot of boiling water and blanch for about 15 seconds, until brilliant green.

Drain and immediately rinse with cold water or place in a bowl of ice water to stop the peas from cooking.

Drain well.

Heat a bit of sesame oil and sauté onions and/or bell pepper(s) until crisp-tender.

Add sesame seeds and sauté until lightly toasted.

Lightly coat peas with sesame oil. Add a soy sauce to taste (be careful here... it's easily overdone). Add onion/sesame seed mixture.

Chill until ready to serve.

It's good!

— from Tami Garrard
Deming, Washington

Morel and Summer Squash Basil Sauté

    Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup fresh (1/4 cup dried) morels
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 zucchini squash
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp dry basil
  • Fresh basil to garnish
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Dice the onion.

Dice the tomato, saving the juice.

Slice the squash into 1/4" discs.

Soak the morels (if they are dry).

Cut the morels if they are large.

Heat a pan on medium high. Add the olive oil and heat until it's hot.

Add the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the dry basil and tomato.

Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the squash.

Sauté until the squash is tender.

Add the mushrooms (and soak water) and the minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil for garnish.

— from Brendan O'Sullivan
Oakland, California

Honey Glazed Carrots with Fresh Mint

    Ingredients:
  • 1 pound carrots
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Peel carrots and cut into evenly sized rounds or sticks.

Combine carrots, butter, honey, and 1/2 cup water in large skillet over medium-high flame. Bring to simmer and cook until carrots are tender and most of the liquid has reduced to a glaze, 10-15 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle mint on the carrots, toss well, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

— from Terese Allen,
Madison, Wisconsin
(Recipe taken from From Asparagus to Zucchini,
Third Edition by MACSAC,
due out Fall, 2004 from
Jones Books)

Swiss Chard Omelet with Middle Eastern Savor

    For each omelet:
  • 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped, cooked chard leaves and/or stems, warm or at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon currants
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped kalamata olives
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
  • lemon juice
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • herb sprig (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.)

Heat olive oil in small non-stick skillet over high flame, and add the beaten eggs - they will immediately begin to set on bottom of pan.

With a spatula or non-stick egg lifter, pull the cooked egg from outer edges of pan towards its center. The uncooked egg will spread and cook.

Use spatula to help spread the liquid egg off top of cooked egg and onto exposed sections of pan bottom. Continue to do this until nearly all the liquid egg is set.

Reduce heat to very low. The egg will continue to cook as you layer the following across the omelet: chard, currants, olives, and pine nuts.

Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, hold a plate close to the edge of skillet and, shaking skillet slightly, slip omelet onto the plate, either rolling it into a cigar shape or folding it over into a half-moon. Serve immediately. (Or, since this entire process takes only 2-3 minutes, you can keep the omelet warm in the oven while you make more of them.) Garnish with an herb sprig.

Makes 1 serving.

— from Terese Allen,
Madison, Wisconsin
(Recipe taken from From Asparagus to Zucchini,
Third Edition by MACSAC,
due out Fall, 2004 from
Jones Books)

Sweet Corn Cheddar Pan Cakes

    Ingredients:
  • 2/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon corn oil
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/2-1 cup cooked corn kernels
  • additional corn oil, for cooking pancakes
  • spicy tomato salsa
  • sour cream

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in bowl.

Mix egg, buttermilk, and corn oil in another bowl; stir in cheese, green onions, cilantro, and corn kernels. Mixture can stand at room temperature up to an hour.

Heat a griddle or large, heavy skillet over medium flame several minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and brush cooking surface with corn oil.

Cook pancakes in batches: Ladle batter onto hot griddle, 1/4 cup per pancake. Cook until first side is golden brown and pancakes have set well on the bottom. Flip pancakes and cook on other side until done.

Serve hot with salsa and sour cream.

Makes 10-12 pancakes.

— from Terese Allen,
Madison, Wisconsin
(Recipe taken from From Asparagus to Zucchini,
Third Edition by MACSAC,
due out Fall, 2004 from
Jones Books)