Lighten Up with Priscilla Martel

We are fortunate to have the remarkably creative culinary energy of Priscilla Martel in the Local Beet community.  Priscilla, a member and steady supporter of the Beet, also happens to be a chef with a long, interesting and diverse culinary career, including two award-winning cookbooks, ownership of two notable restaurants, inn management, a consulting company, recipe and product development, national food writing and much more.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Priscilla twice, once for the Gluten Intolerance Group of Shoreline East, and most recently for the Local Beet Co-op. At our first meeting, Priscilla and I discussed gluten-free baking with nuts, and she provided me with two decadent dessert recipes for the gluten-free community that anyone who loves to bake - gluten free or not - must try!

This time, I am excited to offer two interesting and unique salad recipes, with complexity in flavor and unusual ingredients. These walnut-based salads are perfect in winter, and either can complement a rich meal nicely or stand alone as a main course. Since so many of us are lightening up post-holidays (myself included), it's an ideal time to share them.  These recipes, along with the two gluten-free desserts, are all Chef Martel's own creations.  

The first salad, Baked Walnut-Coated Herb Cheese on Bitter Greens with Pears and Mustard Vinaigrette, involves both hot and cold ingredients, and baking home-made (easy to make) yogurt cheese. The second, an easy cabbage and walnut Salad, incorporates wintry cabbage and is simple to prepare. Both recipes follow below.

Baked Walnut-Coated Herb Cheese on Bitter Greens with Pears and Mustard Vinaigrette

This recipe puts a healthy spin on a bistro classic, baked goat cheese. Tangy yogurt-cheese, made by draining some of the liquid from yogurt, is flavored with fresh herbs, then baked. The warm cheese is served with bitter greens and sweet ripe pears. Not only does this salad compliment a rich meal, there is something festive about the combination of hot and cold on one plate. 

Yogurt cheese has been a staple in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. If you have not made it you are in for a treat. All it takes is some cheesecloth, a colander and a little patience. After 18 to 24 hours, much of the liquid will drain out of the yogurt. What remains will have the consistency of soft cream cheese. Greek yogurt is ideal but you can also use a locally-made one. Once drained, the yogurt cheese will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Serves 4

For the Yogurt Cheese:

1 pound low-fat yogurt
  or 1 pound low-fat farmer's cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced shallots
1-1/2 teaspoons finely minced chives
½ teaspoon finely minced fresh tarragon
Fresh black pepper to taste
Vegetable seasoning or sea salt to taste

For the Salad:

 ¼ cup walnut pieces, finely chopped
1 head of Belgian endive
1 Seckel, Bosc or Comice pear
1/2 small bulb of fresh fennel
1/2 small head of chicory, washed and shredded
Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1. Prepare the yogurt cheese. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Cover the cheese with a clean towel and let it sit at least 18 hours in the refrigerator to drain. (Discard any liquid that collects in the bowl or use it in place of buttermilk in pancake or muffin batter.) Or, begin the recipe from here using low-fat farmer's cheese.

2. Combine the cheese, parsley, shallots, chives and tarragon. Season to taste. Blend well. Form the cheese into 4 individual balls.

3. Roll each cheese ball in the chopped walnuts. Set them aside in refrigerator until ready to serve.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

5. Cut the endive in half and separate the leaves. Cut the pears into eighths and core, but do not peel. Finely slice the fennel bulb.

6. For each salad, arrange the torn chicory leaves on the plate. Position the endive leaves, pear slices and fennel around the plate in a spiral pattern.

7. Place the herb cheese balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cheese until it warms through and the walnuts brown, about 10 minutes.

8. Place one cheese ball on center of prepared salad. Drizzle each serving with a few tablespoons of Mustard Vinaigrette.

Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

Yield: about 1/2 cup

1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil or a combination of the two

Combine the mustard, salt and pepper, garlic and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine or simply mix with a fork. Add the oil while whisking vigorously until the mixture emulsifies. Use immediately. If you serve it later, whisk again to recombine the ingredients.

Cabbage and Walnut Salad

1 pound finely shredded green cabbage, about 1/4 head

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 cup Sherry or red wine vinegar
1/3 cup walnut oil or peanut oil
1-1/2 tsp. chopped white onion or shallots
1 Tablespoon hot water
salt and a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 pound of lean bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup large walnut pieces
2 sprigs of fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped chives or 1 scallion trimmed and diced

1. To prepare the cabbage; toss it with the Kosher salt and place in a colander to drain for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, dry the cabbage in paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. For the dressing, combine the vinegar, onions or shallots, salt and pepper in a blender.  Blend.  Add the oil and blend to emulsify the dressing.  With the machine running, add the hot water.  This will help keep the dressing from separating.
3. Toss the cabbage with the dressing. Add the optional cooked bacon. Top with the walnut pieces, fresh chopped parsley, and scallions or chives.

About the Chef

Priscilla's distinguished career has led her down many diverse paths, affording the chef a well-rounded perspective on many facets of the culinary realm. Her accomplishments reach beyond what is noted herein, but below are some highlights.

The chef began her career as owner and operator of two restaurants, the award-winning Restaurant du Village (located a few doors down from the Local Beet Co-Op), and the Restaurant au Musée, in Hartford. She subsequently worked as Executive Chef at the sizable Norwich Inn & Spa, where she oversaw kitchens and staff and developed healthful, spa-like menus.

Priscilla then established a consulting company, All About Food. Through this, she has consulted broadly in the areas of food styling, recipe development and retail product development for clients like the Almond Board of California, Dannon, Idaho Potato Commission, Shady Brook Farms, Stew Leonard’s, Tropicana and more. In the 1990’s, a consulting position with the American Almond Products Company led to her 4-year position as President. To date, Priscilla continues to work with the 80-year old company in her capacity as Culinary Director, wherein she works to develop and promote nut-based recipes.

Priscilla is a member of several culinary associations, including the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and a graduate of Phillips Academy and Brown University. The chef’s articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Connecticut Magazine, Food & Wine, France Amérique and New York Magazine. She served as guest chef at the Fifth Annual James Beard Awards and has worked with her husband, Charles van Over, on the writing and development of his award-winning book, The Best Bread Ever, co-written with Jacques Pepin. She has also co-authored the award-winning textbooks On Cooking and On Baking.

Thank You, Terry Walters

It was a pleasure having Terry Walters come to the Beet during Chester's annual Holiday Night Festival, on December 7th, to talk about healthy living and demonstrate a quick and easy recipe for entertaining - Shallot Fig Spread (recipe follows). 

Terry is the author of two well-received and innovative cookbooks that incorporate a "clean" approach to eating, Clean Food and her latest, Clean Start: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source.  Clean Food has been on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list and received a World Gourmand Cookbook Award for Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the United States. 

She is a graduate of the School of Integrative Nutrition.

 

Here's the recipe: 

Shallot Fig Spread

1 cup dried Turkish figs (about 12)
2 cups water
7 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Zest of 1 large orange
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Discard tough stem ends from figs and cut fruit into halves. Place in small pot over medium-high heat with 2 cups water and bring to boil. Simmer until liquid is reduced to a half cup (20 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.

Our Nod to the Nygards

As some of you may know, this year the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives, celebrating around the world the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.  It happens that one of our members, Rick Nygard, is a United Nations consultant, and Rick and his wife have been steady volunteers at the co-op since its inception. We find it fitting, therefore, to tell you a bit about the Nygards.

Rick, retired from a career in the federal government, has held a consultancy at the United Nations and U.S. federal agencies for the past ten years. Susan is a retired teacher. In 2010, Rick and Susan moved from Maryland to Connecticut to be closer to two of their children and their families.


Rick and Susan Nygard

As newcomers in Chester, the Nygards looked for volunteer opportunities as a way to become involved in the local community.  When they learned the Local Beet was shifting from a private store into a co-op model and sought volunteers, they joined and signed up to volunteer. The Nygards believed the co-op would serve a need in town for quality food, and this belief has been confirmed for them in the last year.

 

The Nygards have routinely volunteered at the Beet a few hours each week since the beginning – clerking, cleaning and stocking shelves.  Susan says that having a regular volunteer time each week makes it easy to fit in co-op time with other activities, and that volunteering enables them to get a good understanding of what the co-op is currently offering, how it works and who shops there. By way of other volunteering, Susan is a board member of the Chester Land Trust, and Rick has been appointed an alternate member of the Chester Board of Finance.

The Nygards feel the Local Beet plays important roles in the Chester community, not only providing high-quality organic foods, but serving as one of the only in-town grocery stores with a number of everyday items such as produce, meats, bread and milk. They also feel the Beet gives locals the opportunity to work together in a venture that is rewarding not only to them, but to the community as well. We’d like to thank the Nygards for their continued support and steady volunteerism. We’re lucky to have them!

United Nations Declares 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives

Cooperatives offer a mutually supportive environment where everyone’s voice is heard. Consumers who support co-ops become part of a community representing more than just a grocery store.  But co-ops not only offer the opportunity to connect with people who share the same values and views, they help to support the viability of regional economies.

This year, cooperatives are being celebrated around the world. Declared by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) is shining a light on the cooperative model, affording an opportunity for all to take a closer look at the value of cooperatives universally. Some attributes highlighted include poverty reduction, employment generation, socio-economic improvement and social integration.

The United Nations recognizes that co-ops are principled-run businesses that strengthen regional economies. Around the world, the largest co-op enterprises have combined sales of over one trillion dollars, and account for 100 million jobs, and they accomplish this with democratically run businesses where everyone has a say.

Some of the values important to food co-operators may include knowing food sources, full disclosure in food labeling, hormone-free and free-range meat, rBGH-free dairy, GMO-free foods, pesticide-free produce, foods without high-fructose corn syrup, democracy, social responsibility, support for small-scale farmers and respect for the environment. As a part of a co-op community, you have a democratic say in what matters to you, as well as in shaping the future direction of the co-op.

For a closer look at IYC, take a look at the video on the home page of the United Nations’ dedicated website.

Announcing Our Summer Film Series

Our new summer film series called Health Matters focuses on ground-breaking films (outdoors, weather permitting) related to health, consciousness, and environmental/global awareness.  Films will screen once a month through August.

Co-sponsored by the Local Beet Co-Op and JUSTFood, the series kicks off on Wednesday, June 27th, with Food Matters, a feature-length documentary film about the choices you can make for you and your family’s health.  In a collection of interviews with leading nutritionists, naturopaths, scientists, doctors and medical journalists, the film addresses:




How to use food as medicine
Who needs vitamins?
Is organic better?
How safe is our food?
Natural treatments for lowering Cholesterol
Foods that fight Anxiety and Depression
Natural therapies for Cancer
Which drugs might do more harm than good?
The best ways to detox, lose weight and keep it off

When:  Wednesday, June 27th, 7:30pm - 9:30pm (7:15pm seating).
Where:  1 Main Street, Chester

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling (203) 218-3701. There is a $5 requested donation per family.

A Great Night for a Great Cause

If you live in Chester, Essex or Deep River and have children in the school system, you may be interested in an upcoming picnic-style farm dinner to benefit a new healthy lunch initiative in the schools of the Region 4 School District.

Region 4, which district comprises the three towns, already made great strides in its mission to serve healthier foods in the district when it hired Chef Thomas Peterlik as its Director of Food Services in 2010. Chef Peterlik, who is a part of the Local Beet community and former board member, comes to Region 4 with extensive food services experience. He previously served as Culinary Director of Yale University's food services and holds degrees from Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of Austria.

The new Director of Food Services has already implemented several meaningful changes in the region's school lunch menus, yet there is more to do. The issue comes down to budgetary considerations, as so often is the case. So Region 4 has teamed up with the Local Beet's Chester Village neighbor, River Tavern Restaurant, to create the Get Fresh 4 School picnic fundraiser on Saturday, June 9th, from 4:30 to 8:30. Rain date is the next day, same time. The event will benefit Region 4's efforts to bring better quality foods into our school cafeterias.

Come out and show your support of this great cause by enjoying a farm fresh, local meal served by the same people who bring fabulous open-air Dinners at the Farm every summer. Tickets for the benefit are $25 per person, and children are free.  All proceeds from the picnic will go to Region 4’s new Get Fresh 4 School healthy food program. For more on the event and what Region 4 hopes to accomplish, see the Valley News Now article of May 24, 2012.

GMO Labeling Act Removed from HB5117

In an unfortunate turn of events, it seems an integral section of Connecticut bill HB 5117, scheduled today to be brought before legislators for debate and an historic vote, was pulled from the bill at large last night. The act removed was Section 2, a piece of legislature that would have mandated labeling of food products containing genetically modified products in the State of Connecticut.

You can voice your concerns by calling Governor Malloy's office (860-566-4840 or 800-406-1527) or posting on Governor Malloy's Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/GovMalloyOffice.  You can also e-mail your thoughts at http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?a=3998&q=479082 or Tweet: @govmalloyoffice.

While we may not have control over what happens with the State Legislature, we always have the ability to vote with our forks.  At the Local Beet, we make every effort to provide products that do not contain GMOs and will continue to do so. You can also make informed decisions about products containing GMOs by visiting these two websites:  www.nongmoshoppingguide.com and  www.nongmoproject.org.