Oh food… how we love you.  Especially when you’re local and fresh and prepared with plenty of love.

Recently our friends at Fairview Gardens and Goodland Kitchen organized an afternoon cooking class for us.  It was fun to get expert tips on kitchen safety, menu planning and cultivating a friendly relationship with our ingredients.  The results were pretty amazing too.  Here’s the menu and corresponding recipes.  Keep in mind that the quantities listed are for a big group of Toads… adjust accordingly and be prepared to get culinarily happy.

Lemon cuke salad with strawberry vinaigrette
Chard with apricots and walnuts
Rice pilaf with herbs and onions
Herb and cheese stuffed chicken breasts
Lemon cookies

Lemon cuke salad with strawberry vinaigrette

Salad:
4 heads          lettuce, washed and chopped
1 lb                  arugula, washed
2 lb                 lemon cukes, quartered and sliced
2 pts               strawberries, cored and sliced

Dressing:
2-1/4 cups    olive oil
2-1/4 cups    fresh strawberries, halved
1/4 cup          balsamic vinegar
1 tsp               salt
1/2 tsp           black pepper
1/2 tsp           tarragon, leaves only
1/2 tsp           honey
1 cup              almonds, sliced and toasted

1. Toast almonds in a dry heavy pan, stirring constantly until slightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside in bowl.
2. Chop ends off lettuce. If very dirty, wash and drain leaves before cutting into bite sized pieces. If not that dirty, cut first. Float lettuce pieces in very clean veggie   prep sink. Spin dry and place in large bowl. If arugula is clean, add to bowl without washing; do not cut.
3. Cut ends off lemon cukes. Cut in quarters lengthwise and slice thinly. Add to lettuce.
4. Wash, core, and slice 2 pints strawberries. Set aside.
5. Make dressing by adding all ingredients EXCEPT OIL to blender and processing until smooth. While blending at a slow speed, add oil slowly until smooth.
6. Just before serving toss salad, including sliced strawberries. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently again. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Braised chard with apricots and walnuts  

2 cups            walnuts, pieces
6 bunches     chard
1 tsp               salt
1 tsp               pepper
1/4 cup          olive oil
1-1/2  tsp      ground cumin
8 each            apricots, sliced
1 bunch         parsley, chopped
1/2 cup          parmesan cheese, shaved

1. Toast walnut pieces in dry heavy pan until fragrant and slightly brown. Set aside.
2. Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Stack chard leaves and roll up lengthwise into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-wide strips.
3. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, then cook chard stems with salt and pepper and cumin, stirring occasionally, until stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chard leaves stirring occasionally until stems are just wilted, about 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Add parsley and apricot slices. Sauté until apricots are softened but not mushy.
5. Remove from pan into serving bowl and add walnuts. Toss gently. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese.

Rice pilaf with herbs and onions

9 cups            veggie stock
1/4 cup          olive oil
12 stalks        celery, chopped
1.5 cups         onion, diced
12                   green onions, white and green parts separated and sliced
9                      cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch         cilantro, chopped
1-1/2 tsp       salt
4-1/2 cups     uncooked basmati rice

1.  Bring veggie stock to boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; continue simmering on low flame while preparing remaining ingredients.
2.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, onion, green onion white portions, garlic, curry powder, and salt in the hot oil until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
3.  Add rice to same skillet and sauté,  stirring constantly over medium heat  until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
4.  Stir toasted rice into simmering veggie broth. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue simmering until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
5.  Remove rice from heat and stir in green onion tops, cilantro, and celery mixture until well blended.

Herb and cheese stuffed chicken breasts

 9 each           chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise and pounded flat
2 bunches     fresh basil, leaves removed from stems
5 cloves          garlic, minced
3/4 cup          fresh parsley, minced
3/4 cup          fresh chives, minced
Pinch              cayenne, to taste
12 oz               cream cheese, softened
Pinch              salt and pepper

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Put each chicken breast, opened, between two layers of plastic wrap, on a chopping board, and use a meat mallet to pound until 1/4-inch thick.
2. Boil a small amount of water, toss in basil leaves until moistened, drain and set aside.
3. Mix together the garlic, parsley, chives, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper into the softened cream cheese and set aside.
4. Lay the chicken breasts flat, season each side with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese-herb mixture over each breast, covering the surface of the breasts. Layer on the basil leaves. Starting at the shortest end of the chicken breast, roll up as tightly as possible and tuck in the ends to form a neat roll. Secure each breast with 2 toothpicks.
5.  Transfer chicken breasts to a greased baking dish, seam side down. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the breast, until the internal temperature is 165°F, the juices run clear, and the chicken is slightly browned.
6.  Let rest for 5 minutes before dividing each breast in half and arranging on a serving platter.

Zesty Lemon Cookies

4 oz                unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2              cup granulated sugar
2                     eggs
1/4 cup          lemon juice
1 tsp               freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp           salt
1/2 tsp           baking powder
2-1/2 cups    all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add lemon juice and zest, mixing until blended.

3. Add salt, baking powder and flour and mix until blended.

4. Drop by rounded scoopfuls onto prepared baking sheets and bake until edges are firm with no color, 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar using a sifter or sieve.