Normally, Farmer Brett grows field greens throughout the relatively mild DC winters. He has cultivated his seeds for kales, mustard greens and other brassicas to withstand bouts of cold and snow. Temperatures rarely fall below freezing for longer than 72 hours, allowing most of the greens to quickly spring back after the brief shock. And a light blanket of snow is no match for his winter hardy brassicas.
This year, winter was different: The DC area was pummeled with several feet of snow – they had more snow in one storm than Boston had all season.
Brett depends on the greens (salad and cooking) to create diversity for the winter CSA subscribers. In addition, he offers free-range eggs, sweet potatoes that were harvested in the fall, and other summer crops that were preserved for winter: seasoned salts, sundried tomatoes and jams. Because he is at the mercy of the weather, the best crop insurance is a diversity of crops. If one fails, there are back-ups.
Thankfully, he also has a greenhouse. Despite brutal weather, the greenhouse is warm, bright and filled with hardy lettuces: romaine, tat-soi, Chinese thick stem mustard, and an assortment of fresh herbs. It’s true – the greenhouse lettuces are not as flavorful and textured as their field counterparts. The winds and natural rainwater give the field lettuces their robust flavor. Nonetheless, the greenhouse produce is still more vibrant than any California green available at the market in the dead of winter. And until the weather cooperates, this will suffice.
After several days of 60F temps and substantial rain the fields have defrosted. And the mustard greens and kales are slowly rejuvenating. Alas, the fall planting of radishes did not fare as well: they were too small for harvest at the onslaught of snow. After the thaw, they are woody and dry.
And in a corner of the greenhouse, seeds are sprouting summer hopefuls. In early June, these teeny tomato sprouts will be transformed into robust plants bestowing sweet juicy tomatoes.
In my first year of business school, we were presented with the following problem (slightly modified):
A farmer in Iowa owns 45 acres of land. She is going to plant each acre with corn or potato. Each acre planted with potato will yield $200 profit; each with corn yields $300 profit. Each acre of potato requires 3 workers and 2 tons of fertilizer. Each acre of corn requires 2 works and 4 tons of fertilizer. One hundred works are available and 120 tons of fertilizer are available. What is the optimal mix of potato and corn that the farmer should plant to maximize profits?
I plugged all the numbers into an excel spreadsheet, opened the solver box, and clicked “solve”. The computer spit out the answer, 20 acres of each.
The computer modeling fascinated me. The following week, during spring break, I headed down to Even’ Star Farm. I wanted to utilize this new tool to see if I could help Brett maximize his profits. During the week, we calculated all the costs to get crops into the ground, out of the ground and to market. We then calculated the annual yields (based on previous years) and the profit. I wrote up the “case study” and submitted it to my professors.
They liked it! So much so, that they paid me retro-actively for my work; got the paper presented at the “American Accounting Association-Management Accounting Section International Case and Research Conference”; and now use the case-study in the MBA curriculum.
It was through this case-study project, that I was offered the opportunity to teach accounting at Babson, and begin the transition from chef to accountant/consultant.
A few weeks ago, I was in a Chinatown market, stocking up on pantry supplies. Looking for corn starch, I grabbed a bag and threw it in my shopping cart. I wonder if this came from that fabled farmer in Iowa??
photo credit: Christine Bergmark, Even' Star Organic Farm
The process of breeding greens for winter-tolerance takes many years. Each spring, after the grueling winter winds have dissipated and the snow has melted, Farmer Brett inspects his fields for survivors. In a field of thousands of plants, maybe 10 have withstood the elements. Before the plants begin to flower, he transplants them within 50 feet of each other. When the plants flower, several weeks later, the bees can pollinate them. And after the plants flower, they generate seeds for subsequent years’ plantings. After several years of breeding out weak plants, Brett has robust and flavorful plants.
Last week, Brett came north to the New England Fruit and Vegetable Conference to talk about cold hardy greens and how New England farmers can adapt this process to the more severe winters.
He brought with him several varieties of greens for sampling and also for cooking dinners at the end of the meetings. The greens are spicy and full of flavor and texture. The overnight frosts that Maryland experienced (before the two feet of snow from two days ago), causes a chemical reaction in the plants which makes them sweeter.
The recipe for Savory Potatoes and Greens comes from his Winter CSA cookbook. I used basil from my garden (that I froze in August) to season the dish.
SAVORY VEGETARIAN GREENS AND POTATOES 3 average sized russet potatoes, washed but with skins on salted water to cover 1 bag (gallon) any of our cooking greens 3 – 6 T mix of olive and neutral oils 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 t black pepper ½ to 1 t salt ½ bunch scallions fresh herbs, or 1 t dried oregano, basil, or rosemary
1. Gently boil potatoes until just cooked (skins aren’t all coming off, and a sharp knife inserted into spud encounters a teeny resistance). Remove from pot with a slotted spoon. Let cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Use same water to barely blanch greens, and be sure to shock in an ice bath. Drain in colander, and push out all extra water. Chop coarsely. Set aside. In a heavy skillet (works best in seasoned cast iron), sauté onion and garlic ‘til barely soft. Add potatoes and fry, scraping pan bottom often and adding more oil if needed. When potatoes have started to brown, add greens, herbs, and chopped scallion. Cook two minutes more. If needed, season further before serving: this should be hearty, not bland.
2. Can nicely be served with a dollop of sour cream, or of home-made guacamole, or with grated cheddar or Monterey jack, on top. Also really good with 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed (added to skillet right before spuds go in) in lieu of or in addition to other herbs. Hot peppers complement the latter approach well.
My friends refer to Even’ Star Organic Farm as my happy place. When I need an escape or simply reconnect with the land, I retreat to the farm. And if I’m feeling particularly stressed (as I was when I had a corporate job), Brett will send me immediately to the fields to pick okra: my sanctuary within my happy place.
How could you not love a vegetable that looks this beautiful when it’s growing?
Life is peaceful in the okra patch and I can hear myself think.
It’s quiet because no one else likes picking okra. At the first hint that I’m willing to take over this job, the crew runs as fast as they can to other chores. To them, picking okra is only one step better than cleaning the chicken coop. The stalks are fuzzy like a peach with enough prickle to make the skin itch. To add insult to injury, the harvester must don a long sleeve shirt and nitrile gloves. With temperatures reaching into the 90s, the last thing the crew wants is to put on more clothes.
I still love it.
The okra has a cult following at the farmers market, and Brett must ration how much he gives away to the crew. My reward for picking is that I can take as much as I want!
An excellent light appetizer to serve guests or yourself, especially when the heat of summer makes heavier foods less appealing.
1 heaping pint fresh tender okra ice water bath in a medium bowl 2 or 3 t of any good vinaigrette
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Steam or boil the okra until the color just changes from bright green to darker green, about 3 minutes. Immediately drain the okra and as fast shock them, by dumping into the ice water bath. Swirl okra in bath until cold, then drain again. Place onto a serving platter or into a pretty bowl. Chill. Drizzle vinaigrette onto the okra about 5 to 20 minutes before serving.
EVEN’ STAR GUMBO A deeply flavored stew of summer vegetables that mandates okra, one of whose African names is “gumbo” and the seed of which was carried to this continent by the slaves. Once made, the thick base can be frozen, to be thawed in deep winter, and simmered with poultry, seafood, sausage, or with only vegetables.
3 T oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped ½ onion, chopped 2 mild green peppers, chopped 2 c ripe or overripe tomatoes, puréed 4 c water or chicken or vegetable stock I pint fresh okra, sliced into 1/4” rounds 1 to 1 ½ qt. water or stock (chicken, vegetarian, or seafood) 2 t dried thyme or 1 ½ t fresh thyme or oregano 2 t gumbo file powder (optional but very good) 2 T flour Salt, pepper, and hot pepper to taste Chopped green onion or parsley as final garnish
The omnivore options: Shrimp, chicken, game, scallops, crab, oysters, andouille or other sausage, or pork chunks The vegetarian options: sweet corn kernels, tempeh, vegetarian sausage, and/or fresh mushrooms
1. In 1 T of the oil and in a large stainless or cast iron pot, sauté the garlic, onion, and peppers until soft.
2. Add the puréed tomatoes and water or stock; simmer 10 more minutes.
3. Add the okra, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer 2 more minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings to taste.
4. If you want a thicker gumbo, make a roux by cooking the remaining two T oil with 2 T flour in a separate pan on moderate heat. One minute after it starts bubbling, add into the larger pot of gumbo, beating vigorously with a whip to prevent lumps. Simmer another 5 minutes, and again adjust seasonings to taste. This base may be frozen or used immediately.
5. To complete the gumbo, add whatever omnivore or vegetarian options you want, but be sure to add long-cooking items like chicken or sausage way before foods like shrimp or scallops that need only the briefest of cooking. Simmer all together until the brief-cookers are just tender.
6. Gumbo is nearly always served with cooked white rice, a spoonful in the center of each diner’s bowl. This may be the best and only use for a converted rice like Uncle Ben’s. Alternately, a crusty French or Italian bread does well. Sprinkle each bowl with the chopped parsley or scallion at tableside. Excellent with a chilled white wine, any beer except stout or porter, or even a red wine (Portuguese or Spanish) or a moderately chilled Pinot Noir.
While Brett drove into DC to deliver the weekly CSA boxes, I got myself organized. Brett had set aside 60 pounds of tomatoes for me. Early in the week, I trimmed, cut and then smoked 30 pounds, and diced another 30 pounds. The outdoor kitchen was set up: a steam kettle to fit all 72 jars, a propane cook-top to sterilize the tomatoes and a 6 foot work table.
The steam-kettle was wood-powered. We built a fire in the furnace below, and waited patiently for the water to boil. I put all the jars in the water, and set aside the lids. The smoked tomatoes fit perfectly into the 3-gallon rondeau pot I brought down with me from Boston.
After the water boiled (with the jars) for 10 minutes, the jars were sterilized. I carefully pulled out each jar, poured out the water and laid them out on the table. One by one, I filled the jars with tomatoes, then wiped clean the rims, put a lid on and screwed the top on. Back into the water they went.
Next up, the diced tomatoes. Again, I boiled the tomatoes for 10 minutes, boiled the jars for 10 minutes, and then filled them just as I did for the smoked tomatoes.
With all the jars were filled, and back in the kettle, I covered the pot, refueled the fire, and let them pressure cook over-night. This final stage serves two purposes. First, it kills any remaining bacteria or live spores remaining inside the jars. Second, it creates a vacuum seal which prevents any future aerobic bacteria from developing.
When Brett returned from his delivery, we were both exhausted. He from waking at 2 am to load the truck with the 300 boxes (each weighing about 15 – 20 pounds), driving to DC to deliver (and unload) to 7 different sites and then returning back to the farm. It feels lame to put my exhaustion in the same category as Brett, but I was tired from working in the hot, 90+ degree sun over an open fire stove.
Needless to say, we both needed a restorative. With cocktails in hand, we headed back to the Chesapeake Bay to check on the crab pots and take a swim. We had 6 keepers.
For the past several evenings, we had enjoyed the crabs as a little snacking, picking the meat from the shell. On this night, I shelled all the meat and made Korean style scallion pancakes with Crab and a Soy Dipping Sauce (Pa Jon or Pa Jeon). I generated about 2 cups of meat
PaJeon with Crab These pancakes are thicker and doughier than the Chinese counterpart
1 cups rice flour 2 cup A/P flour 2 cups water 2 eggs 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 tsp. salt 1 pound crab meat 1 tbs. cooking oil (canola or peanut)
Dipping Sauce ½ cup soy sauce 2 – 4 tbs. rice vinegar (depending on taste) 1 tbs. sesame oil 1 tsp. fresh sesame seeds 2 tbs. scallion rings 1 tsp. chili paste (more or less to taste)
1. In a bowl, whisk together the rice and A/P flour. Stir in the water and eggs to combine. Finally, gently mix in the salt, crab and scallions. Let rest.
2. In a separate (serving) bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Adjust to your taste with vinegar, sugar and chili paste.
3. Heat a large, cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour in a scant cup of batter and smooth out to 6 inches around. Cook until the edges crsip up. Flip over, and cook for 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat this process, replenishing the oil in the pan as necessary, until all the batter is used.
4. Just before serving, you can spread out the pancakes into a single layer cookie sheet and reheat in a 450 oven for 10 minutes.
5. Cut into pie wedges and serve with dipping sauce.
Every year I make a pilgrimage to Southern Maryland to can tomatoes. Perhaps it seems silly (and environmentally unfriendly) to drive 500 miles each way, but I treasure the time I spend with my friend Brett – harvesting, cooking, fishing, eating and drinking. And we always have much to chat about – whether it’s the tomato blight or the antics of his work-crew.
When Brett started Even’ Star Organic Farm twelve years ago, he wanted to be known as the “Tomato Man.” He pledged to only sell tomatoes that had truly ripened on the vine, unlike the commercially graded “vine ripens” which need only show the slightest blush of pink to garner that label. Unfortunately, after the first year, he discovered that the fully ripened tomatoes were too fragile, and his customers wanted a product with a longer shelf life – 2 days instead of 2 hours. Now he picks them two days from perfection, still more ripe than his commercial counterparts.
Over the years, and through some research I did for him, he realized that the tomatoes were a loss leader – he only makes about $1 per case profit. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and he uses the tomatoes to lure customers and relies on other crops to make his money.
This year, Brett is up to his eyeballs in tomatoes. And coming from New England, where entire tomato crops have been wiped out, this is a welcome sight! Hundreds of cases of tomatoes fill the storage room. His CSA subscribers are getting seven pounds a week.
He will not be able to sell all the tomatoes, so he will preserve them to sell with his winter CSA subscription. In addition to canning for his home-use, some tomatoes will be truly sun-dried. The tomatoes are sliced thickly and laid out on trays in the greenhouse (where temperatures can exceed 150F) to sun-dry.
If you are in the DC area, you can purchase his tomatoes at the Chevy Chase Farmers' market on Saturday mornings from 9am – 1pm, at the corner of Broad Branch and Northampton Sts., NW, DC.
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes ½ cup olive oil 2 tbs. pine nuts or almonds 1 tbs. chopped garlic. 2 tbs. parmiggiano reggiano ¼ cup basil leaves Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
1. Rehydrate tomatoes in olive oil: Combine in skillet over medium-low heat and cook until the tomatoes plump and are pliable, about 5 minutes.
2. To the tomatoes, add the garlic and nuts, and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until garlic is lightly golden and nuts are slightly toasted. Immediately remove from heat.
3. Strain oil and reserve. Put tomato/garlic/nut mix in a food processor. Coarsely chop. Then slowly drizzle in reserved oil and process for 1 minute more. Add parmesan and basil and pulse until incorporated.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Last week, when I arrived on Brett’s farm for a visit, he announced I was just in time for a chicken matanza. Brett had decided to reduce his flock of egg-layers to a few dozen instead of a few hundred. The labor involved in raising chickens had become too burdensome, and he preferred to focus his energies on growing organic vegetables and selling them through his CSA. The few dozen remaining hens would continue to provide eggs for the family’s consumption and a repository for the non-salable produce.
Let’s be honest, killing, feathering and gutting chickens are not most people’s idea of a good time – including mine and Brett’s. But we accept this ugly truth as part of eating meat. We comfort ourselves knowing that the chickens had a good life, living in expansive coops with easy access to outdoor space – and maintaining good health from eating well, drinking clean water and breathing fresh air. And Brett shows a modicum of pride in taking the good with the bad – if he wants to enjoy humanely raised meat, then there’s a price to pay. In his case, it’s killing animals. While most people try to gloss over this fact, he accepts it as part of the process and shows gratitude to his animals for what they provide.
In Brett’s words:
All of our birds range freely on large pastures, fenced to keep the birds out of the vegetables and most predators out of the birds. Throughout their lives our animals are treated with compassion, dignity, and humanity. Our chickens eat grasses, clovers, bugs, and bushels of greens, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, melons, and other veggies that are too blemished to sell. As we cannot get organic corn in our area, we give the birds a very high-quality vegetarian grain mix (never with hormones, medications, or animal byproducts) specially formulated by us in partnership with our local Mennonite feed mill. Our birds are therefore not classed as organic—just very free range, very happy, very active, and very healthy.
Free-roaming animals, like the chickens on the farm, develop more muscles and stronger bones. This yields more flavorful meat, but also tougher. Fryer chickens typically meet their maker chef at 6 weeks, so even a free-roaming bird will still be reasonably tender. By contrast, the chickens from last week’s matanza are extra tough because they’re much older than the traditional fryer chicken: averaging 3 years.
With meat this tough, they demand a long braise to tenderize the meat. This weekend I cooked a coq au vin with one of the hens from last week’s matanza. It simmered for 5 hours, far longer than a conventional chicken recipe would suggest – or as Madeleine Kamman recommends in her recipe: 45 minutes.
Coq au Vin (serves 4 guests)
1 old stewing hen, cut into quarters 1/4 cup flour 3 slices smoked bacon 3 tablespoons butter 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped. 1 celery rib, chopped 1/4 cup garlic cloves 1/4 lb. mushrooms, quartered 1 cup chicken broth 1 – 10 oz. can tomatoes 1 bottle red wine 1/2 cup brandy 2 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs parsley salt and pepper to taste
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Dice bacon, and put in a large skillet with high sides. Brown bacon over high heat. Remove bacon and set aside
2. Add butter to bacon fat pan and brown the chicken (on high heat) for about 4 minutes on each side. Add onions, shallots, carrot, celery, and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Turn heat off, and deglaze pan with brandy and red wine. Scrap all of the browned bits off the bottom, this is good stuff. Add chicken stock, thyme and parsley. Turn heat back to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, [if using commercial chicken add mushrooms here]. Cover pot and put in 325 oven. After about 1 1/2 hours, add mushrooms. Cook covered for another hour or three or until meat is tender. My chicken took 5 hours.
4. Serve chicken over potato puree or with grilled bread.
I recall a visit to Even’ Star organic farm many years ago to visit my friends Brett, Chris and their daughter. We sat down for dinner, a beautiful plate of beef rib- eye before us. We all bowed our heads slightly as if to say grace and 5-year old Allesandra summed it up in three words: “Thank You, Lemo.”
Lemo was the name of the limousine cow that Allesandra, along with her dad Brett, raised on their farm. Brett didn’t need to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan to know that commercial cattle industry has strayed from sustainable practices. Many commercially raised cattle no longer eat a grass-based diet as they were biologically designed, and they are housed in tight quarters that harbor disease, requiring many animals to be injected with antibiotics. By raising his own cow, Brett would know the animal’s diet was appropriate to its heritage and roamed freely within a clean stable with access to the outside. He chose the limousine breed for its “growth efficiency,” lean meat, and flavor comparable to the prized-Angus.
While many of us have no qualms about eating meat, most people get squeamish when they’ve seen the animals in the live state before cooking or eating it. Some won’t even purchase whole chickens at the supermarket because of the visual recognition that the meat they’re about to cook was once a live animal. I was quite impressed with Allesandra’s maturity to accept that the meat we eat comes from a once living being. And she expressed her gratitude to the animal for giving us a wonderful meal.
Last week’s article in the Boston Globe reminded me that I need to begin my spring and summer garden plans. It’s hard to believe with temperatures hovering around 30F that spring will ever come, but I remain optimistic. In fact, I can start seeds indoors on March 15th so that when the ground begins to thaw in April, I’m ready!
I’m fortunate to have a decent sized backyard (especially for Cambridge). But you don’t need a large backyard to reap benefits from fresh herbs and vegetables. Whether you have a balcony or even a window sill, options abound. Your specific needs and constraints will dictate what you plant. Here are some things to consider.
Limited space When I lived in an apartment in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, I grew herbs in a window box outside the kitchen and cherry tomatoes on the fire escape. The yield was just enough to enliven much of my summer-time cooking. In one box, I fit four herbs: my favorites: basil, thyme, tarragon and chives.
Bang for your buck If you have limited financial resources (and who doesn't these days), you want to get the most out of your gardening dollars. Many components go into this. First on my list is avoiding waste. Second, is getting high yields for low square footage, and finally the cost of the seeds vs. seedlings.
Too often, herbs at the supermarket are packaged in quantities greater than what I need. Further, if I have a recipe that calls for 2-3 varieties, I can spend $10 on herbs alone, and half will end up in the compost bin. For $10, I can buy seedlings of 4 or 5 varieties. And as I cook with herbs throughout the summer, I just snip off what I need, and the plant keeps growing. Better yet, some herbs, like sage, tarragon and thyme, are perennial. I bought two plants each several years ago, and the herbs just keep coming back year after year with no financial reinvestment.
Celery is another example of the package size being larger than my need. I buy two or three plants ($5 total) and break off a single stalk as I need it – usually for chicken, tuna or egg salad. Unfortunately, celery does not regrow after the stalk has been harvested. So if I cook a recipe that requires a full head, then I’ll buy it at the market, saving the garden variety for when I need a small amount for a recipe.
Most lettuces are “cut and come again.” That means that if you harvest the lettuce properly (at least 2 inches above the roots) it will continue to sprout leaves. I can cut a mixed lettuce salad throughout the spring and summer with an investment of $6 in seeds (3 packets – arugula, romaine and mizuna).
Cucumbers proliferate in my garden, and can grow upwards on stakes offering economy of space. The fruit can be used in salads or pickled. Last summer, my three plants produced cucumbers well into September and yielded many snacks, salads and pickles. Last year I bought a packet of seeds for $2 and still have enough left over for this year’s planting.
Radishes sprout early. They offer an early fix for locavores craving garden fresh vegetables. Better yet, their season is quick and short, opening up the garden space to other summer vegetables.
A final, but very important consideration is the greenness of your thumb. Do you buy seeds or seedlings? For sure, seeds are cheaper – two dollars, for example will buy you dozens of seed or one seedling. However, some vegetables, like tomatoes, require careful attention to get them from seed to seedling into the ground producing fruit. I have attempted for several years to start tomatoes indoors to transplant them in the late spring. I have never had success, and end up buying the seedlings anyway.
I only buy seeds when I can direct-sow: that is, I can directly plant the seeds into the ground. Seeds that work well in this fashion include: lettuces, cucumbers, zucchini and peas. If you are unsure if a seed can be direct-sowed, check the back of the packages, the information is usually printed there.
Can’t Beat Homegrown Perhaps the most enticing reason to grow your own vegetables is that nothing beats home-grown – especially when it comes to tomatoes! Supermarket tomatoes and even farmers’ market tomatoes will never compare to homegrown, because they are always harvested before they’re ripe. When growing at home, the tomatoes can absorb sugar producing sunshine until the very second you pluck it from the vine. Better yet, you can grow the most flavorful heirloom varieties such as Cherokee Purple.
Some years, I’ve grown zucchini for the squash blossoms because I never see them in the markets. I enjoy their floraly soft texture that’s perfect for stuffing or just using in a quiche or omelet.
Lettuces taste spicier and crisper home-grown. Potatoes are sweeter and less starchy. And Brussels sprouts can stay on the stalk in my garden until after the first frost so I get sweet, tender sprouts instead of earthy, stringy baby cabbages.
And now for the giveaway…. To help you plan your spring garden, I'll be giving a packet of Even’ Star Organic Farm Seeds. Seeds from Even' Star Farm are cultivated to yield the most flavorful, hardiest plants. They are organic and heirloom and can also be purchased at FedCo Seeds. To give you a sense of their quality, they retail for 10 times the price of similar varieties. I have several varieties of seeds suitable for spring planting and harvesting, so the winner can select his or her favorite. All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog between now and Friday, February 27th at 5pm EST, telling me about your favorite fruit or vegetable to grow.
While we think of sweet potatoes as a winter vegetable, they are actually grown in the summer. Shooting up green vines from the earth, each plant will yield up to 5 pounds of this sweet tuber. They last for months if stored properly in a root cellar. Two months after harvest, I'm still enjoying my stash that I brought back with me to Cambridge.
An interesting factoid about sweet potatoes: they actually get sweeter after they've been harvested. Once the plant is cut away, a chemical reaction occurs turning the starches into sugars. As such,the sweet potatoes need to cure for at least one week after harvesting before eating or cooking.
There are dozens of varieties of sweet potatoes — both white and orange. Typically, in New England, you'll find jewel. To hear Brett describe them, they are pure sugar. His favorite varieties are white hamon and beauregard. These offer sweet, nuanced and balanced flavor.
Here are some more thoughts from Brett about sweet potatoes:
Very large sweet potatoes are unjustly scorned by novices, but old-time Southern cooks treasure the mammoths for ease of use. They also know that a slowly grown but big sweet potato is more flavorful than a typical conventionally grown, smaller sweet potato whose growth was rushed and babied with agricultural chemicals. Different sweet potato cultivars have markedly different flesh colors and flavors. The white types (actually beige, to my eye) usually have a nuttier, nuanced suite of flavors, and often a less creamy and more stringy texture, than the orange types. White Hamon is an exception, being both very sweet and creamy and with a unique beige-pale green flesh when cooked in certain ways. We will let you know the names of the types you are receiving. I personally prefer the white kinds for savory roasted uses and the orange types for pies, but there is naught more subjective than palate opinions.
Sweet Potato Vichyssoise is a fantastic summer-time chilled soup, but can also be served hot on a cold winter evening. 3 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 1 celery stalk 4 garlic clove 1/4 cup white wine 2 medium large sweet potatoes 4 cups water 2 leek — washed 1/4 cup cream
1. Heat pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbs. butter. Add onions, garlic, leeks and celery. Sweat for about 5 minutes. Deglaze with white wine 2. Add potatoes and water. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
3. Puree soup. Add cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice
4. Chill soup.
5. While soup is chillin', heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add remaining butter, corn, shallots and garlic. Sauté without shaking the pan, for 3 minutes, or until the corn becomes sweetly aromatic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Puree chipotle peppers with 1/4 cup water and 1 tbs. red wine vinegar
7. When soup is chilled, garnish with a- corn and a drizzle of the chipotle puree, or b- spicy sausage and scallions
I brought down with me from Boston.
