Recipe Ideas?

As I mentioned in another thread on this forum, I’ll be spending the weekend with my better half along the Northern California coast in a little 50s cottage situated on an organic farm right beside the Pacific Ocean, with a large well stocked kitchen and a large charcoal BBQ pit out back.

We’ll be cooking some light lunches and dinner and I’m looking for some recipes hopefully inspired by the contents of this thread… see below!

  1. My wife does NOT eat any red meat (incl. pork) - not strict w/ sauces, stocks, etc. Just won’t eat a piece of meat.

  2. Due to recent acid reflux diagnosis, she’s off tomatoes and red sauce as well, which is pretty limiting.

  3. She doesn’t like eggplant. (philistine!)

https://www.facebook.com/pg/marvistacottages/photos/

I just received an email from the lovely owners with an absolutely incredible list of seasonal produce available to pick fresh (basket and shears provided!) from their organic garden. I am more than impressed!

In addition to all of the following, daily delivery of still warm eggs from the hen house comes to the door each morning too.

We are doing a big seafood cookout on the BBQ one night and I was originally planning to do a simple fettucine with shitake and brussels sprouts (Chris Fischer recipe) the next, but I’d really like to take greater advantage of the farm fresh bounty we have access to…

I’m copying + pasting the list I received this morning and would greatly welcome some veg-friendly recipe ideas that I could whip up for our 2nd dinner from the garden:

DON’T MISS! BASKET(S) ON BENCH @ NE GATE ENTRANCE OR IN THE EAST GREENHOUSE IF RAINING OR HOT

Garlic Chinese Pink & Music (E GH Table)

Squash Variety (E GH Table)

IN RAISED BEDS & CONTAINER

Apples Arkansas Black (13)

Basil Holy, Aroma & Sweet (18)

Basil Aroma & Sweet (11)

Broccoli Umpqua (3)

Carrots Candy Snax, Mokum & Purple Haze (4)

Chard Bright Lights (1)

Eggplant Millionaire (W side of bed 18)

Fennel Preludio (bulb, leaf, flowers: E blocks of bed 2,18)

Kale Scarlet, Dwarf Curled Green & Dazzling Blue (15,17)

Leeks Hannibal and King Richard (1,11, W side of bed 20)

Lettuce Heirloom (7, E side of bed 8,11,14,16)

Onions Pacific Pearl (19,E side of bed 20)

Peas Sugar Ann Snap Peas (21)

Peppers Shishito & Sweet Bell (W GH bed, 18)

Purslane Specialty Greens (Containers W end of bed 17)

Squash Kabocha & Gold Nugget (Square bed NE corner)

Strawberries (2, 9, Blocks of bed 19)

Turnips White Top Purple Globe (22)

HERBS & EDIBLE FLOWERS

Anise Hyssop (South Border)

Borage (8,16,17)

Calendula (all)

Chamomile (NE block of bed 4)

Chives, Garlic, Regular (7,10,15, square bed NE corner) Chocolate Mint (2)

Cilantro (Blocks of bed 10,11)

Culinary Bay (E of square bed NE corner)

Dill Hera (S block of bed 6)

French Sorrel (S blocks of bed 5)

Johnny Jump-Ups (4, 5, container E of bed 4)

Lemon Balm (South Border)

Lemon Thyme (7)

Lemon Verbena (10, South Border)

Marjoram (16,17, blocks of square bed NE corner)

Mexican Tarragon (N blocks of bed 11, S block of bed 3)

Nasturtiums (South Border)

Oregano (1,10,11)

Parsley, flat & curly (10,11)

Pineapple Sage (Container W of 16)

Rosemary (Driveway)

Sage (1,2,3,15,16)

Shiso (South Border)

Spearmint (13, South Border)

Thyme (3,11,17)

Yerba Buena Mint (South Border)

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It really depends on what your favorites from that list are, but if it were me, I’d be doing something with leeks for sure (love them) - roasted or braised, whatever. Pesto or other herb sauce for sure. A salad of that lovely lettuce with shaved fennel and snap peas. Roasted squash or a squash gratin. Kale chips for a snack. Lots of gorgeous options!

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Of course, shaved fennel salad with snap peas and shallots, some fresh thyme, parsley, lemon and oil- should’ve thought of that!

And pesto is a great idea too; thanks!

I also love leeks and was planning on using them in my clambake (w/ the pearl onions, carrots, turnip and chard + bringing my own sweet corn and v/a potatoes) but I’ll explore other recipes and uses as well.

I’ve never made kale chips but my wife loves them so thanks for that idea! Do you just bake in the oven with oil, salt + pepper or is there more to it?

I’d be doing a vegetable pasta - mix of veggies cut up with a very cute shaped pasta and shaved parm cheese.

I’d be doing a frittata with the eggs and veggies of choice (good for breakfast or lunch).

I’d consider doing a leek “confit” to go with cheese. Mince (or I do thin 1/2 circles) of a leek with a little salt and a few Tbs of butter and a few Tbs of water. Bring to a boil covered for 5 minutes, reduce and simmer for about 20 minutes or until almost all liquid has evaporated. It’s awesome and can always be tossed with pasta and veggies if you have left overs. (Did that tonight with leftovers).

Maybe bring some pre-made tart dough. Roll out once there, spread with mustard and creams fraiche - or grated cheese - and top with veggies that look good.

Herbs can go in all of them.

Is all that in season and available? It is California but … that’s a lot. I’d plan some wiggle room in there.

Excellent suggestions!

Frittatas were definitely in the cards for breakfast along with sauteed chard, leeks and fresh runny eggs.

The leek confit is a great idea and sounds so easy; I’m jotting all of this down in a notepad and definitely giving it a shot!

I’ve already picked up some shiitake and brussels sprouts for a pasta but I’d love to do something with that dark green umpqua broccoli (apart from breakfast frittata/scrambles) so maybe I’ll swap it out for the brussels sprouts or even use it as an addition. I’m picking up some fresh pasta in North Beach tomorrow because it’s such a quick and easy lunch fix and it’d be easy to toss with kale, garlic, and other veggies and herbs.

And yes it’s all in season and available right now!! I was definitely not expecting such a bountiful garden from a small family run inn. Check out the photos in the above FB link to see their gardens and greenhouse; it’s really something!

Wow!! What an idyllic weekend…
I’m thinking you bring or buy a good loaf of bread, then in the morning you can make an omelette with some of those fresh herbs to have with toast and egg sandwiches with some of the purslane or soft salad greens. Garden strawberries or apples along side.
For a lunch save a portion of seafood from your bbq dinner and use the salad greens, thin slice the fennel, some of the sugar snap peas, and make a dill vinegrette, add the fish on top with a few edible flowers.

Tabbouleh makes a great easy lunch, you could omit the tomato or swap in cucumber. I like to add in some chickpeas or white beans and chopped nuts or sunflower seeds to make it more of a meal.

ETA: grilled kale is really awesome! This recipe you marinate in coconut milk and spices- and the brilliant author then used the flavored coconut milk to make some rice. The kale cooks on the grill crazy fast and shrinks a lot. Would be a great side dish to your pasta. Then use the rice for a lunch stir fry the next day with some garden zucchini and snow peas and whatever else looks good. Plus an egg or two.

Ah forgot about the apples - crisp, tart, pie or cored, filled with butter and cinnamon/sugar, wrapped in foil and baked in the coals after the seafood bake - brings back childhood memories.

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Oh I’m one step ahead of you on that… I’ve got a big country loaf from Tartine on order for pickup tomorrow aft! :slight_smile:

Fantastic idea on the seafood salad! I was thinking of maybe picking up an extra lb of clams for linguine alle vongole, but I much prefer your suggestion. I’m jotting all of this down for reference and we’ll probably just wing it each day. I can’t wait!!

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Another left over seafood idea could be making a pearl couscous salad, including all sorts of veggies and herbs - add all the shucked seafood.

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This sounds lush! I’ve never thought to bake pie on coals but I’m definitely adding pastry dough/pie crust to my shopping list tomorrow!

Just for clarification - pie in the oven, plain baked apple in the coals-can top with ice cream though.

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So core an apple, fill with butter and cinnamon/spices, wrap in foil and pop it over the coals until it starts to carmelize? That sounds great!

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Sautéed Swiss chard with the garlic chives, topped with an egg.

You could serve it with an herbed polenta.

Roasted carrots (foil, butter), then sprinkle with herbs.

If peas are in season, I would make a pea risotto.

Pan-Roasted Baby Turnips with Their Greens & Chimichurri.

I would be eating a lot of salad! And apples with a nice cheddar.

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Good call, I picked up a nice Cabot clothbound!

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A veggie stir-fry (carrots, peppers, sugar snap peas, chard, onions) served over rice.

A veggie-pasta with lots of fresh herbs for a lemon-herb sauce.

A loaded quiche or frittata.

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From your other thread i’m sure you will have a bit of seafood left over, and a big salad won’t need much anyhow.
I’m jealous of your loaf from tartine! You have thought of everything…!

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