Curried Radish Salad: Fresh or Fermented

Ingredients:

3-4 bunches of Easter Egg Radishes

1 bulb of fresh garlic (about 10 cloves)

1-2 fresh hot red chilies

Other root vegetables like carrots, turnips, etc.

3 Tbs canning or pickling salt

1 quart water

1 Tbs coriander seeds

1 Tbs fenugreek powder

1 Tbs turmeric powder

Method:

Combine the salt with one quart of water until the salt is completely dissolved.

Puree the chilies with the garlic and a little water until it forms a smooth paste.

Wash and trim the vegetables, removing the stem and root ends. With the grater or julienne attachment on a food processor, shred the radishes, carrots, and turnips.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl and cover with the salt brine.

Let the vegetables soak in the salt brine for about 30 minutes, then pour off about a cup or so of the brine and set aside. Then pour the vegetables into a colander and rinse well with cold water. Press out any excess moisture.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl and combine with the garlic and chili paste as well as the spices.  You may want to use disposable gloves while mixing, depending on the heat level of your chilies.

You can eat the salad fresh as it is, or as a fresh chutney or condiment with sandwiches, soups, or proteins.  It is highly flavored as a fresh salad, but if you choose to ferment the salad, then the spicy flavors will mellow as it becomes more sour through fermentation.

To ferment the salad, pack tightly into a quart jar, being careful to press out air bubbles with each inch or two that you scoop into the jar. Leave about two inches of head space in the jar, then pour a little of the leftover soaking brine over the top. Wipe the inside of the jar mouth with a clean cloth to remove any exposed vegetables or spice paste. Cover with the lid and ring, then leave the jar out at room temperature (not in direct sunlight) for several days, and up to several weeks. Check every day or so to make sure the vegetables are submerged in the brine and not exposed to air. Bubbles should form in the jar when the fermentation process is active.

When the salad is sour enough to your taste, pour off any extra brine, then refrigerate.

Soul Food Long Beans

Towards the end of the fall season beans and greens can sometimes have a more fibrous texture as the plants respond to the change in weather. Comfort-food cooking methods that have more liquid and a longer cooking time are great for late-season vegetables like these. It may not be trendy to boil vegetables, but some of the traditional methods of braising or simmering greens and beans come from centuries of eating seasonally and finding ways to enjoy everything the crops have to offer. Braising or boiling does not have to be bland. If you are looking for the right spice blend to give some kick to your late season greens and beans, the ladies at Seasonest in Atlanta have developed a line of seasoning blends made from fresh, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free ingredients. The Soul Food blend was perfected by their father who wanted more of the traditional flavors without the additives, preservatives, and sodium commonly found in seasoning blends.  Their line of all-natural seasoning and spice blends are available at many Whole Foods and Fresh Market locations in Georgia and South Carolina, as well as the Chattanooga Market, or online through the Seasonest website.

Ingredients:

1 lb Asian long green beans

1/4 lb bacon

1 Tbs Seasonest Soul Food seasoning

2 cups water

Pickled banana peppers and soft boiled or poached eggs for garnish (optional)

Method:

Trim the long beans to your desired length, then set aside. Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces then fry it in a heavy bottomed braising skillet or saucepan large enough to hold the volume of the beans. When the bacon is cooked, drain off any excess fat (but leave enough for sauteing the beans). Then add the beans and seasoning and saute for a few minutes. Add the water and cover the pan with a lid. Let the liquid come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are as tender as you like them.

Add more seasoning and salt to taste, then serve with pickled banana peppers and a soft boiled egg.

Zephyr Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs zephyr squash (or other summer squash such as pattypan, zucchini, etc.)

1 large yellow onion

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cube of Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with sea salt & herbs, plus 3-4 cups of boiling water

Olive or canola oil

Dry white wine

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

The soup has the best flavor if you caramelize some of the natural sugars in the squash and onion. There are several ways to do this: grilling, baking, or sauteing the squash, and caramelizing onions in a heavy skillet or pan. If you don't have time to caramelize, then you can simply simmer the ingredients in the vegetable stock until tender, but the overall flavors of the soup will be more mild.

Our favorite, however, is to grill the squash first.  Remove the stem and blossom ends of the squash. Cut in half lengthwise, brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Heat grill to a high heat (about 450-525 degrees) and place the cut sides of the squash onto the grill. Cook until black streaks appear and turn to color the other side (about 10 minutes on each side).

Slice the onion and caramelize in a heavy soup pot for about 30 minutes with a little oil and salt. (Click here for more information on caramelizing onions.) Once the onions are tender and browned a little, add the cooked squash, garlic, vegetable bouillon cube and about 3-4 cups of boiling water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and let cool about 10 or 15 minutes. Puree in a blender, then return to the stock pot. Stir in some white wine (about 1/2 cup), then season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm through and serve.

Roasted Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

4-6 ears of fresh corn

1 onion, chopped

5-6 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

2 yellow, red or chocolate sweet peppers (not green), seeds removed and diced

5 medium red or white new potatoes (about 1 lb), cubed

2 quarts of chicken broth or stock (can substitute vegetable broth)

1-2 tsp fennel seed (optional)

1/2 cup white wine

2 Tomatoes, diced

Cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive or canola oil

1 lb of grilled chicken, or your favorite seafood like seared scallops, steamed lobster, or shrimp.

Method:

Prepare the corn in one of two ways: 1) For great flavor in the soup, grill the corn then cut the kernels off the cob. 2) Alternately you can shuck the corn, remove the silks, cut the kernels off the corn, then place the uncooked kernels into a baking dish. Toss with some oil then season with kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30- 45 minutes, or until the kernels begin to brown around the edges of the baking dish.

While the corn is cooking, saute the onion and 1/2 of the chopped peppers in a little oil. Add the potatoes, fennel seed, garlic, and broth then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are cooking: combine the diced tomato, remaining peppers, 1/3 of the cooked corn, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add the remaining 2/3rds of the corn and the white wine to the soup. Remove from the heat and pulse with an immersion blender until the ingredients have a creamy look, but some texture remains.  Let simmer for a few minutes more. Season to taste.

Stir in diced grilled chicken, or ladle the soup over your favorite seafood. Garnish with the tomato mixture and your favorite hot sauce if you like a little extra heat.

Green "Baked Beans" with Bacon Jam

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of fresh green beans (Thai yard long, runner beans, French green beans, etc.)

Juice from 1/2 lemon or lime

1-2 Tbs olive or canola oil

Kosher salt

2-3 Tbs Bacon Jam*

Method:

Wash green beans and trim stem-end. Cut to desired length, or keep long.  Place on a baking tray and toss with a little canola or olive oil. Squeeze the lime or lemon juice onto the beans, then season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 or 15 minutes, or until they are tender but still have a little crunch.

Remove from the oven and toss with the bacon jam. Serve immediately.

*You can make your own bacon jam with this great recipe from TheKitchn.com, or buy it fresh, locally- ready-made from Main Street Meats.