Tastes: Local Michigan Recipes, Volume I

TA S T E S

LOCAL MICHIGAN RECIPES VOLUME 1

season TA S TE WHAT ’ S IN

SUMMER VEGETABLES Beans

Kohlrabi

Beets

Leeks

Broccoli

Onions

Cabbage

Peppers

Carrots

Potatoes

Cauliflower

Radishes

Celery

Scallions

Corn

Sprouts

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

Eggplant

Swiss Chard

Garlic Scapes

Tomatoes

Greens

Turnips

Kale

Zucchini

FRUITS

OTHER

Apricots

Eggs

Peaches

Edible Flowers

Blackberries

Herbs

Plums

Honey

Cantaloupe

Mushrooms

Raspberries Cherries Strawberries Nectarines Watermelon

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S TR AW B E RRY G A Z PAC H O COOK TIME: 20 MIN

INGREDIENTS

Leftover bread ends, medium to large dice (cut off crust if thick) 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced

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2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp salt

1 ½ pounds of strawberries, halved

As much basil as you can find

1 red bell pepper, diced

A few extra strawberries for slicing Your best olive oil for drizzling

SUMMER

Gazpacho is usually made with tomatoes, but I was inspired by a recipe from Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park in Massimo Bottura's cookbook, Bread is Gold. He replaced the original gazpacho recipe using over-ripe tomatoes with strawberries, and I’ve adapted my recipe from that one.

DIREC TIONS

In a large bowl, place all of your ingredients together and toss. Cover in your reusable beeswax food wrap, and leave in the fridge overnight.

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. I prefer a texture to my gazpacho, but you can also press through a sieve if you’d rather have a finer mouth feel.

Claire Butler Taste the Local Difference 8

Chiffonade your basil. Slice your additional strawberries.

Place your gazpacho into a chilled bowl, and garnish with a “nest” of basil, and the strawberry slices, as well as a drizzle of your favorite olive oil.

CLICK TO SEE HOW IT'S MADE

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KO RYO C A RROT S A L A D COOK TIME: 15 MIN

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FA LL

This Central-Asian version is another favorite variation of kimchi. In the mid-20th century, there were a significant number of Koreans living in Russia, and Josef Stalin deported approximately 500,000 Central Asia. Now known as “Koryo-Saram,” Koreans in Central Asia make their own version of kimchi, making the most of the local produce and ingredients. I love the resilience of Koryo Saram and this dish. This marriage of tradition and local ingredients is at the heart of the food at Miss Kim. The original recipe is from Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford’s wonderful book Samarkand, but we add beets and carrot-top greens to ours to use even more local ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

¾ lbs carrots

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

¼ lbs beets

2 tsp sugar

Wash, peel, and julienne carrots and beets. Toss in the kosher salt and set aside for an hour.

½ tsp kosher salt

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Toast the sesame, perilla, coriander, and cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant.

½ tsp perilla seeds

1-2 thai chiles, seeded and finely chopped

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 Tbsp canola oil

Make the dressing by whisking the vinegar, sugar, garlic, chiles, and oil together with spices.

½ tsp cumin seeds

4 oz. carrot top greens

½ tsp sesame seeds

Chef Ji Hye Kim Miss Kim, Ann Arbor 30

DIREC TIONS

Dress the carrots and beets with the dressing, let sit for another hour. Garnish with carrot-top greens to serve.

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Don’t forget to label your food with the date & contents!

[ PI C K L E D B E E T S ]

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3 W AY S T O P R E S E R V E F O O D It’s easy to get carried away with the bountiful produce available during the summer and fall months. These easy preservation methods give you a reason to stock up on seasonal local produce so you can enjoy it throughout the year.

FREEZING

PI C K LI N G

CANNING

Filling the freezer is a simple way to save summer’s bounty for the rest of the year. Almost all fruits and vegetables can easily be frozen using the tips below.

Jams and sauces can also be frozen instead of canned.

Prefer your produce with a little zip? Pickles bring a boost of flavor to meals and are another great way to preserve vegetables. Pickling can be approached in two ways:

Low on freezer space, but nervous about canning? It’s not as hard as it seems - follow these rules for canning safely.

• Berries: Wash and spread on baking sheet to freeze, then transfer into freezer bag.

• Other Fruits: Wash, peel, and slice fruits, then follow the same process as berries.

• Vegetables: Cut vegetables to desired size, blanch for 1-2 minutes, then chill in an ice bath before freezing.

• Vinegar pickles: Made by brining vegetables in a vinegarbased brine, these pickles can be canned to last all winter.

• Fermented pickles: Sour flavors are created with salt, spices, and time, rather than vinegar. These pickles last in the refrigerator for 4-9 months.

• Use a science-based recipe from a trusted source. This will ensure the proper pH and sugar level for preservation.

• Keep it clean.

Sanitized jars and tools are important for a safe final product.

• Follow canning guidelines.

Seal jars in a water bath or pressure canner for the appropriate time based on what you’re canning and the size of the jars.

GET MORE CANNING INFO HERE!

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