Cook & Digest

Don't underestimate a good dip!

This silky and rich vegetable hummus could be used as a spread, a dip, or used as a topping for your pizza or chicken. White bean and kale hummus was one of our bestsellers at the farmers market.

White Bean and Kale Hummus Yields: 4 cups 2 cups white beans 1 large bunch of kale, stemmed and roughly chopped 2 tbsp minced garlic 1 bunch cilantro, chopped juice of 1 lime 3 tbsp cold pressed olive oil 1 tsp chipotle pepper sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight, then cook until very tender. Blanch the kale in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool kale in an ice bath and then set until almost dry. Mix all the ingredients together and puree in a food processor until smooth. It might take a few batches, depending on the size of your food processor.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Yes, we can!

Todays bitter cold winds took me back to my childhood where I once told myself I would rather be dead then have a job as a Siberian trolley driver. Seeing those women working in unheated trolleys, sub zero temps, getting out every half hour to manually pry the frozen track mechanisms free, was a job worse then hell. I could not imagine how those woman survived that daily routine, my short ride was torture enough.

I am sure a few people look at me as being crazy, my job as a Chef requires a schedule that is just about 100% opposite of the rest of America, because of the odd and long hours. I end up working most weekends and every holiday. It might sound sad, to celebrate holidays the day after the rest of America, but for family it's not a big deal. My husband told me he loves our "day after holidays" because he can get some killer discounts on gifts!

I have a passion for cooking, I love it! And there is no other place I would rather be during this blistering cold winter day then in my toasty kitchen. But I need some fresh & local ingredients, so forced myself out of my comfortable kitchen, to visit the Phoenixville Farmers Market.

During the summer the farmers market is held outdoors, which is a wonderful time in good weather. To my surprise, during the winter, they also hold the market outdoors! I was less then thrilled with the Siberian temps but pleasantly surprised to see a dozen brave local farmers. Sue Miller from Birchrun Hills Farm had an amazing variety of grass fed beef, veal and a fantastic "Fat Cat" raw milk cheese. Charlestown Farm brought bock choy, arugula, Asian greens and frozen tomatoes. I purchased some giant Shiitake mushrooms from Joe and Angela Evan's Oley Valley Mushrooms, a dozen organic pastured eggs from Barb Shelly's Mountain View Poultry Farm, Kohlrabi and radishes from Dan H's Jack's Farm and some heritage pork and nitrate free bacon from Country Time Farm. I felt like a trolley driver after just a half hour of shopping so I ran to my car with my goodies and a very big, new found, appreciation for our local farmers!

I cranked up the heater and raced home. I couldn't wait till dinner to create a simple Asian greens salad with radishes, cheese and Shiitake mushrooms. Wow what a difference the Asian green salad mix made. It has a nice spicy bite that really made this a perfect "winter mix" salad compared to the bland organic "spring mix" you can find at the local grocery.

I was always jealous of warmer states like California with the year round growing season. Who would of guessed a local Pennsylvania farmer, Melissa Ingaglio from Charlestown Farm, was growing greens in an unheated greenhouse through out the winter. At this very moment I began to believe: "Yes, we can!" have local, organic, produce all year round.

Phoenixville Farmers Market Winter Salad with Radishes, Smokey Shiitake and Fat Cat Cheese

Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1/4 cup Sherry vinegar 2 T Dijon mustard 1/2 cup olive oil sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste Salad Ingredients: 1 T olive oil 1# Shiitake mushrooms from Oley Valley Mushrooms, sliced 1/4 t Chipotle powder or to taste 1/2# Asian greens from Charlestown Farm 4 oz radishes from Jack's Farm, sliced 6 oz Fat Cat cheese from Burchrun Hills Farm, crumbled

Vinaigrette:

In a small mixing bowl whisk together mustard and vinegar. Add olive oil in slow stream while whisking to make an emulsion. The vinaigrette can be kept for up to a week in the fridge.

Salad:

Heat the oil in the cast iron skillet until almost smoking. Add sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with Chipotle powder. Cook stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown. Cool to room temperature.

Place Asian greens in a large bowl toss with sliced radishes, cheese, mushrooms and just enough vinaigrette to evenly coat.

Plate the salad, enjoy and rember "Yes, we can!" eat local & fresh all year round.