Sunday, August 30, 2009

Proteins

I've been writing a lot recently about the local harvest available at farmers' markets, area farm stands and those markets that sell locally raised produce.  Today I want to turn from fresh vegetables to protein sources, as many area farms are beginning to harvest chickens, beef and pork, with the turkeys still fattening for a fall crop.

I personally purchase all of our meats from people I have met and visited their farms to observe their production practices.  I didn't have that luxury when I first switched from supermarket meats to grass fed meats in 2004 while shopping at the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan, while attending culinary school.  However, I did talk with the producers to learn their methods, and I wasn't inundated with the plethora of confusing and contradicting terms that our government agencies, which are heavily lobbied by agri-business interests, use to describe protein products sold in large supermarkets.

What is generally sold in supermarkets is confinement raised animals without access to pasture and fed a variety of corn or soy products including various "animal byproducts" which can include any number of questionable ingredients, like chicken guts and blood, amongst other things.  Their feed is laced with antibiotics, otherwise they would become sick and die on their unnatural diet, and growth hormones to speed their weight gain.  They routinely live in close confinement, covered with and standing in their own excrement, and experience higher than normal mortality rates due to these conditions.  Cattle fed corn for too long develop health problems that will lead to their death, so getting to market before that point is paramount to operating a profitable business.

Thse feeding practices have led to the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which may pose a public health threat in the future.  Also, confinement raised cattle include higher amounts of E. coli in their guts that pasture raised cattle, and this, combined with the manure on their hides, translates into more contaminated beef being released for sale to the public by slaughter facilities that are more concerned with speed of the kill than public health.

Many area farmers practice not only a more humane, but also a more natural production process.  They allow their animals to forage on grass and other vegetation, which they were born to eat.  The cow has four stomachs for a reason, and that is to process otherwise indigestible grasses into food they can live on.  Grass fed meats are usually less marbled with fat then corn-fed meats, however they contain much higher levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which have shown positive effects in areas of heart disease, cancer and the immune system.

Seeking out and finding local pasture raised meats is more challenging that strolling into your local mega-mart to pick up a steak or some chicken for the grill on a pleasant evening, but in my mind, the benefits in terms of taste, the environment and our health are worth the effort.  So I encourage you to visit a farmers' market or a store dealing in local meats and try some home grown goodness.  It's a great time to fill up your freezer for winter.

Dry Marinaded Pork Chops
I usually make up this marinade for pork chops or roasts a day or two before planning on serving.  It is a recipe I've adapted over the years from one originally published in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  The major change I made, to make it more Italian, was to add either ground toasted fennel seed, or fellen pollen, which is fairly expensive and difficult to find. 

For each pound of pork, make a mixture of the following ingredients:
1 Tsp Sea salt
1/4 Tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 Clove of garlic, minced
1 Pinch of Allspice
1/2 Bay Leaf, ground
1 Tbl Fennel seed, toasted and ground or substitute 1 Tsp Fennel pollen
1 Sprig fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stem, or use 1 Tsp dried thyme leaf
Combine all the marinade ingredients and rub on the pork.  Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.  Turn the pork over once or twice, depending on the length of your marinade time.  When ready to cook, scrape the marinade off the pork before proceeding with your recipe.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Zucchini



The wet weather doesn’t seem to have hurt our zucchini crop as it is starting to produce some fine little specimens, many with their bright yellow flowers still attached. Growing zucchini, which almost all home gardeners do, is not difficult, however keeping after the budding fruit is an almost daily chore. You know what happens when you’re away on vacation for week in August…ZONKERS up to three feet long take over your zucchini plant, and they’re no good for anything except the compost heap.

While most squash plants are American in origin, the zucchini, also know in many parts of the world as courgette, seems to have been developed near Milan, Italy, where the Italians cook them in an infinite variety of ways. The plant was brought to America by Italian immigrants and has been readily accepted in the American market. It is a member of the Cucurbita pepo family and closely related to our yellow crooked neck summer squash, which is can be substituted in any zucchini recipe. The Italian word for squash is zucca, so the feminine diminutive zucchine is used in some areas of Italy, however the male diminutive zucchini is most commonly used.

Zucchini, which is actually the fruit of the plant, being the female ovary, needs to be harvested while it is immature. As the fruit grows, so too do its seeds, which become unappetizing as they get larger. The flesh of an overgrown zucchini can become fibrous, making these large marrows undesirable. So pick them when they are small with the flowers still attached. They will range in color from a light green to a luxurious, deep green color, their skin will be taunt and firm and the flesh white with a few immature seeds. While zucchini are available year round, they are best when locally grown when their flavor is at its height. If purchased in the market, they should be glossy and free from blemishes. Any with dark spots or bruised flesh should be avoided.

Zucchini are low in calories and contain beneficial amounts of Vitamin A, folate, potassium and manganese.

When it comes to cooking zucchini, let us count the ways. They are grilled, steamed, sautéd, deep fried, baked, stuffed, steamed, made into a risotto or included in a frittata, or with pasta, or grated, or included in a ratatouille, or a soup…the list goes on and on. They are frequently sliced into rounds or ovals, but can also be cut lengthwise into quarters or matchsticks, depending on the application. They are most commonly eaten with the skin on, so they should be carefully washed before using, especially when purchased in the supermarket.

We particularly enjoy the zucchini flowers. If you pick the male flowers, those that grow on a long stem, you can deep fry them in fritter batter, or stuff them with mozzarella and anchovy and bake them in the oven. They make a distinctive presentation and an interesting side dish.

Pastella for Fried Zucchini Flowers

1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Cup +/- water

Place the flour in a small bowl. Slowly mix in the water until you have a smooth batter, slightly thicker than cream.

Heat deep frying oil in a cast iron skillet, not allowing the oil to exceed 1/2 way up the side of the pan. Using a deep fry thermometer, heat the oil to 375 degrees. Dredge the zucchini flowers in the pastella and slip into the hot oil. Fry a minute or two and turn the flowers over with thongs. Allow to cook on the other side a couple of minutes. Remove to paper towels to allow to thoroughtly drain. Immediately sprinkle with sea salt and serve while hot.