Garlic Scape Relish

From Rough Draft Farmstead

Every year in the late Spring we pick off the flower stems growing on top of our hard neck garlic – the scape, or pigtail, as the flower is often referred. Removing these undeveloped flowers encourages the garlic plant to put its energy into creating a larger bulb for later harvest. But farmers soon find themselves with as many scapes as they have garlic plants. Luckily for us, garlic scapes are a special kind of tasty.

Scapes taste a bit like garlicky green onions, and are great in stir-fry or salad. But still, if you have a lot of garlic, it’s hard to use them all before they lose their freshness. That is why this easy relish is an excellent way to keep the scapes around a little longer and to turn them into an exciting and versatile summer condiment.

Makes one quart.

At least 3 dozen scapes (may need more depending on scape size)
1 1/2  tbs Salt
3 cups water (Non-Chlorinated)
2 peppercorns
2 fresh hot peppers (habenero preferably)
Zest of one lemon
Fresh Cilantro (optional)
Mason Jar

Cut your scapes into inch-long pieces. Toss in mixing bowl with lemon zest, and peppercorns then stuff into mason jar until at least three quarters full. Dissolve salt into room temperature, non-chlorinated water then pour brine over scape mixture in jar. Fill jar within one inch of top. Since this is a ferment, you’ll need to leave room for expansion. Place a small sandwich bag of water overtop of the ferment to keep the solids submerged below the brine. Cover jar with small piece of cloth and secure with string or rubber band. Set the relish on the countertop to ferment for at least seven days then transfer to either a dark cellar or refrigerator while waiting for fresh peppers to come in season. It’s nice to allow the flavors to marry for at least a week or two, longer if possible. When fresh peppers are available, blend garlic scapes in food processor with fresh peppers and cilantro (if desired). Serve as salsa, our use as a relish with your summer grilling. Anything from eggs to potato hash to hamburgers will find this spicy relish to be an ideal compliment. Keep in refrigerator or cellar between uses. Will last months in right conditions.

Easy Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

from Emeril Lagasse

1/2 ripe medium pineapple, peeled, cored, eyes removed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 4 or 5 slices)
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
14 pecan halves
1 1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
4 fresh cherries, halved and pits removed

Directions:
Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar mixture turns an amber color. Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat. (The mixture will continue to cook even though the heat is off.) Arrange the pecan halves in the spaces between the rings. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and rum.
Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool the cake in the skillet on a wire rack for 4 minutes only. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and, wearing oven mitts and working quickly, invert the cake onto a cake plate, keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Carefully lift the skillet off cake and enjoy!
 

Cabbage Salad

from Michael Needham

1 firm & heavy, medium to large green cabbage
6 big fat carrots, peeled (8-9 skinny ones)
1 small green pepper
1 small red onion
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 - 2 cups mayonnaise
3/4 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
more salt and pepper to taste when blending

Core the cabbage and chop it very fine. Grate or julienne the carrots in fine strips. Chop the green pepper and onion very fine. Toss all the vegetables with the spices and put in a large sealed container and refrigerate for at least 4/6 hours.
When the greens are well chilled, mix the mayonnaise and vinegar well first and then blend with the greens until the salad is well blended. You may need to add more salt, pepper and vinegar to taste at this time.
Dress the top with paprika, cover and place back in the fridge until serving. Re-toss the salad before serving.
*I use a Cuisinart to do all this grating and chopping to save time. If you do use one, cut the cabbage with the slicing blade and grate everything else with the grating blade. If you try to use the large main blade you better know what you are doing or you will have a puree not a salad.

Corn Pudding

from Alrie Middlebrook

2 cups corn (whole kernel)
1 cup half and half
1 cup whole milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup of sugar, depending on preference
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbs. flour, rounded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
Mix. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, stirring carefully once after 20 minutes.

Egg Nog

from Michael Needham

1 part dark rum
1 part decent brandy
2 parts good KY bourbon
4 parts egg nog mix
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Don't shake it unless you want a frappe. Mix with a big wooden spoon. Keep it chilled and it will last for 3-4 weeks. Best served in a deeply chilled punch bowl with a pint of egg nog ice cream floating in it to keep cold. Enjoy!

Braised Red Cabbage

Red cabbage slow cooked with Pippin Apples and finished with Butter and Red Wine (4 servings)

recipe from Hawthorne Valley Farm

1/2 red cabbage head, shredded
2 Pippin apples, peeled & cored
1/2 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons red wine

Directions:Place the cabbage in a heavy "non-reactive" pot with water, vinegar, onion, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 1 hour. Note: Watch the pot carefully. The ingredients will start to burn if the water evaporates completely. Add the sugar and apples. Cook another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the butter and red wine. Note: you can saute the apples in the butter and sugar and then add them to the cabbage when the cabbage is "done."