Featured Farm
Anderson Orchard
Pickerington, Ohio
614-837-5487

How long have you been farming?
I began farming in 1985. We planted 2,000 apple trees and 25,000 strawberry plants for a u-pick.

How long have you been coming to North Market?
I started bringing apples to the north market in 1989 or 1990.

What are your signature crops?
We now sell flowers and produce in season. We start with asparagus and peonies in the spring. We grow a variety of flowers including sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, delphinium, celosia and lilies. In the fall we also have oriental pears and lots of hand made wreaths of bittersweet.
New this year is our free range pork including brats, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, bacon and smoked pork loin.

What is important to you about selling your items at the North Market?
Knowing and having direct contact with customers is very important to me.

How did you become a farmer?
I became a farmer because it sounded fun. I didn’t realize how much work it would be.

Do you have any special farming practices?
Though we aren’t certified organic we use very few non-organic methods. I believe the land has to be treated as a living thing.

***************************************************************************************

Participating farms on July 17
Anderson Orchard Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, mixed flower arrangements and lucifers tongue flowers and plants, free range antibiotic-free brats, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, ribs, Ohio hardy banana plants, cranberry plants, tobacco plants and more.

Beech Meadow Farm Chicken Drumsticks on Sale for $4.50/lb.
This weekend at the North Market, drumsticks are on sale for $4.50/lb.! Try some Beech Meadow Farm pastured poultry drumsticks in our Recipe of the Week: Panko-Crusted Baked Chicken (find recipe below or pick up printed card at our counter). What better way to lock in the juicy, delicious flavor of our signature pasture-raised chicken than with crunchy breading!

Blossom Acre’s Produce Tomatoes, peppers, green beans, yellow beans

Bridgman Farm Bridgman Farm is moving! We’ll be in E-14 for the remainder of the season, former home of Elizabeth Telling Farm. This week we’ll have our incredible cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, several varieties of eggplant, cabbage and green peppers.

Combs Fresh Herbs

Ehmann & Sons Greenhouse Hanging baskets and assorted annuals and perennials.

Hinkle Farm

Honeyrun Farm This week we will be bringing Pure Raw Honey, Comb Honey, Chunk Honey, Infused Honey, Beeswax Candles, Handcrafted Soap, and Garlic..

K & R Garden Fresh Produce We will have basil, eggplant, potatoes, squash and peppers.

Oakvale Farmstead Cheese We will be bringing our family’s Farmstead Gouda.

Ohio Farm Direct Whole milk cheeses including cheddar, mozzarella, baby swiss, pepper jack, garlic and herb, tomato basil pinenut and lemon zest. The beef is always trail bologna, summer sausage, and beef sticks. What makes them stand out is the wonderful nutrition and taste that comes from the 100 percent grassfed cows.

Persinger Farm I will be bringing okra, sweet corn, romaine lettuce and napa cabbage.

Quiver Full Farm We will be bringing: granola, whole wheat pastry flour, corn meal, whole wheat pancake mix, light spring honey, fresh brown eggs, Red Norland potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, popcorn, blackberries, and a few heirloom tomatoes.

Rhoads Farm Market Blackberries are now in season along with homegrown peaches, raspberries, sweetcorn, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, green beans and peppers. Email rhoadsfm@bright.net to reserve your order.

Shady Brook Farm We will be bringing green, yellow and purple beans, peas, potatoes and garlic.

Somerset Greenhouse Cucumbers, mini yellow squash, GARLIC, the first taste of sweet tomatoes! Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes, fresh herbs and basil, planters, perennials on sale at 3 for $20, green peppers and assorted hot peppers.

Summer Thyme Farm This Saturday we will have: ornamental peppers, a few herbs, NO basil, a few zinnias, succulents, phlox, rudbeckias and perennial grass

Thomas Family Orchard We will be bringing Lodi apples (maybe another early variety also), some peaches and blueberries.

Toad Hill Farm I’ll have arugula, head lettuce and Japanese cucumbers.

Toby Run Growers I will continue to have Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms.

The Wayward Seed Farm We will probably have beets, swiss chard, and summer squash again.

Wishwell Farms Produce We will have sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, cabbage, bell and jallepeno peppers, eggplant and grape tomatoes.

Witten Farm

 ***************************************************************************************
Panko-Crusted Buttermilk Baked Chicken

What better way to lock in the juicy, delicious flavor of Beech Meadow Farm’s signature pasture-raised chicken than with crisp, spicy breading!

Ingredients: Serves 4.

2 lbs. Beech Meadow Farm drumsticks, skin removed
Olive oil cooking spray
2 cups buttermilk
4 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
teaspoon dried thyme
teaspoon sea salt
teaspoon black pepper
teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a bowl and pour buttermilk over top. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Combine Panko, herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Remove chicken from buttermilk, one piece at a time, and dredge in Panko mixture.

3. Transfer chicken to rimmed baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake for about 40 minutes, turning pieces half-way through, until crisp and golden on the outside. Transfer to a large platter and serve.
Voila! Dinner is served! Stop by the Beech Meadow Farm stand at the North Market Farmers’ Market this Saturday, July 17, between 8AM and 1PM and get your drumsticks while supplies last.

Gravlax
• 2 pounds fresh salmon, center cut from The Fish Guys
• 1 large bunch of dill, plus 1/4 cup chopped dill for serving
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons white peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Pumpernickel bread, for serving
• Mustard Sauce

Directions:
Cut the salmon in half crosswise and place half the fish skin side down in a deep dish. Wash and shake dry the dill and place it on the fish. Combine the salt, sugar, lemon zest, crushed peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Vigorously mix the dry ingredients to “bruise” the lemon zest and sprinkle it evenly over the piece of fish. Place the other half of salmon over the dill, skin side up. Tightly wrap the salmon in plastic wrap. Place a smaller pan on top of the plastic wrap and weight it with some heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 and up to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.
Lay each piece of salmon flat on a cutting board, remove the bunch of dill, and sprinkle the top with chopped dill. With a long thin slicing knife, slice the salmon in long thin slices as you would for smoked salmon. Serve with dark pumpernickel bread and a mustard sauce of your choice. You can also serve with chopped red onion and capers, if desired.

Thanks to all of our entrants for the Amateur Jam & Jelly contest at the Farmers’ Festival this past weekend! We ended up with SIXTEEN entries! Our intrepid judges included Jennifer Nesbitt of This Week News, Vicky Thomas of The Orchard of Bill & Vicky Thomas, Kathy Persinger of Persinger Farms and Roland Kopecky of Slow Food Columbus and recent culinary winner at Wild Goose Creative’s Bacon Camp (we hear he makes a mean pierogi).  Our first place winner was John Woods with his delectable Organic Concord Grape Jelly. Second place was taken by dynamic duo Cindy McDermitt and Alma Holbrook with their Jalapeno Jam.

A couple entrants were good enough to share their recipes to be passed along to you!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam by Christine Rinehart and Pat Kokoczka

2 C. Strawberries

2 C. Rhubarb

Cook rhubarb with 1/2 cup of water to soften. Add crushed strawberries. Add 6 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/2 tsp. butter. Bring to a rolling roil while stirring constantly. Add pectin quickly. Return to a boil for 1 minute. Skim foam (good on crackers)…Can it!

Cherry Jam by Karen and Ernie Corsi

3 pounds cherries, stems removed, pitted & rinsed

Chop 3/4 of cherries into smaller pieces, but not minced. Leave the remainder of the cherries whole. Cook cherries in a large non-reactive pot. Add the zest and juice of 2 fresh lemons. Cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Once cooled measure the amount of cherries and juice and use 3/4 that amount of sugar. (ie., if you have 4 cups of cooked cherries add 3 cups of sugar). Stir constantly over moderate heat with a heat proof utensil (the best jam cooks quickly). Put a small plate in the freezer. Once the cherries begin to thicken and gel, test by spooning some onto the cold plate and returning to the freezer. When the plate is nudged the jam should wrinkle indicating that it is done. Add a few drops of almond extract, ladle into warm clean jars and add covers. Cool to room temperature. Place in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to complete the canning process.

The North Market hosted another splendid Chef Series Class last night featuring the market’s own Chef Rocco Valentino from Pastaria. Aiding him with the class was Sous Chef Samantha Melton.  Here’s the dynamic duo preparing for the evening:

The first course of the night was a mushroom and celery salad which was such a big hit that it was hastily consumed by the class:

Mushroom and Celery Salad

2 oz. Lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 oz. Extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. Shallot, minced

Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

2 1/2 # Fresh mushrooms, cleaned

1# Celery hearts

1 Tbs. + 2 tsp. Parsley, chopped

1 Tbs. + 2 tsp. Mint, chopped

10 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano

Mesculun greens, 1 oz. per person

Whisk lemon juice, salt and mustard in a bowl until the salt dissolves. Add the olive oil in a very thin stream, whisking constantly. Stir in shallots and pepper.

Thinly slice mushrooms through the cap and sten. Slice celery thinly on an angle.  Combine mushrooms, celery, parsley and mint in a large bowl. With a vegetable peeler, sliver half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top. (Can be made ahead to this point and chilled)

To serve, place greens on plate, toss celery-mushroom salad with dressing and mound on each plate. Garnish with slivers of remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano.

For the second course the class was treated to a tutorial on making homemade gnocchi. I don’t know about everyone else but I was pretty excited to learn this technique and the finished product topped with Tomato Rosemary Broth was divine!

Basic Potato Dumplings ~ Gnocchi (makes 6 servings)

6 Idaho or russet potatoes, large

1 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Freshly ground white pepper

2 Eggs, beaten

4 c. Flour

1/2 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

1. Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 40 minutes, until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Allow the potatoes to cool until they can be handled. Peel the potatoes and press them through at ricer or a food mill fitted with a fine blade (or a fine mesh sieve).

2. Spread the riced potatoes on a work surface and let cool completely.

3. Gather the cold riced potatoes into a mound, forming a well in the center. In a bowl, beat the eggs, salt and white pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the well. Sprinkle with nutmeg and work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands. Gradually add 3 cups of the flour and scrape the dough up from the work surface with a knife as often as necessary. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Incorporation of the ingredients should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become.

4. Dust the dough, your hands and the work surface lightly with flour. Cut the dough into six equal parts and set aside. Work one piece of dough. Continue to dust dough, hands and surface as long as the dough feels sticky.

5. Using both hands, roll the piece of dough into a rope 1/2 inch thick, then slice the rope at 1/2 inch intervals. Sprinkle some flour and roll each piece into a ball, flouring as needed. Place on a lightly oiled sheet pan and continue until all dough is finished.

6. To cook the gnocchi, bring 6 quarts of water + 2 tablespoons of sea salt to a boil. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water a few at a time, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, cook 2-3 minutes until they rise to the surface.

Tomato Rosemary Broth (makes 8 servings)

1 Yellow onion, medium, diced

2 oz. Garlic, chopped

6 oz. Fresh rosemary, chopped

28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes

28 oz. Chicken or veggie broth

8 oz. White wine

1 oz. Extra virgin olive oil

1 oz. Butter

Heat olive oil and butter in sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the fresh rosemary and cook one minute. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the crushed tomatoes and broth and simmer 45 minutes.

Pour over gnocchi and voila!

Then it was on to the main event:

Roasted Cod with Parma Ham and Fresh Sage

6 Cod filets

6 Sage leaves

6 Parma ham slices, paper thin (can substitute Prosciutto)

1/2 head Savoy cabbage

3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

1 Onion, finely diced, medium

Ground coriander

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Black pepper, cracked

2 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped

3 Tbsp. Flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. Black pepper, cracked

1 c. White wine

1/2 c. Carrot, blanched, finely diced

Juice of 1 lemon

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 c. Chicken stcok

3 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tbsp. Sage, minced

Pat the cod dry. Place a sage leaf in the center of the top of each piece. Wrap a slice of ham around the fish, leaving the sides uncovered, and stick a toothpick into the ham at the point where it meets to hold it in place. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Wash, dry and core cabbage, keeping it in one piece. Lay the cabbage, cut side down, on a clean, flat work surface. Using a very sharp knife, slice the cabbage lengthwise into very fine shavings. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 4 minutes or until slightly brown. Add the cabbage and coriander and toss to coat. Lower heat and saute for about 5 minutes or until just softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Remove from heat. Partially cover and keep warm.

Remove cod from refrigerator. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until hot but not smoking in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Lightly dust wrapped fish with flour and cracked pepper. Lay the cod in the pan, top down. Sear for 3 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 2 minutes or until just rare in the center. Using a slotted spatula, remove to a warm platter. Place a piece of paper over top to keep warm.

Add the wine, carrot, lemon zest and juice to the same saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes, or until the pan is almost dry. Add the stock and butter. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Stir in minced sage and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place equal portions of cabbage in the center of each of 6 warm dinner plates. Set a piece of cod in the center of each, carefully removing the toothpick. Return sauce to high heat and quickly bring to a boil. Remove from heat and spoon equal portions over the top of each piece of cod. Serve immediately.

The lovely Samantha Melton was in charge of dessert and she whipped up a Torta di Polenta or Polenta Cake. It was something of a cross between lemon pound cake and a light cornbread. Served with raspberry coulis the result was the perfect ending to a wonderful dinner.

Torta di Polenta ~ Polenta Cake

5 oz. Bread flour

2 oz. Yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. Baking powder

6 oz. Butter, softened

5 oz. Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 tsp. Lemon zest

pinch of salt

6 Egg yolks

2 oz. Sugar

6 Egg whites

1 tsp. Cream of tartar

Confectioners sugar, as needed for garnish

Combine bread flour, cornmeal and baking soda and set aside.  Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla zest and salt until very light. Add egg yolks slowly. Add the flour mixture and mix until just blended.

Whip sugar, egg whites and cream of tartar to medium peaks. Fold meringue into batter. Pour into a buttered and floured 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch and is golden brown.

To serve, invert onto platter and dust with confectioners sugar or serve with raspberry coulis.

Raspberry Coulis

1/2 pint Raspberries

2 oz. Sugar

2 oz. Butter

2 oz. Cranberry juice

splash of lemon oil

splash of vanilla

Heat butter in saute pan and add raspberries, cook 2 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, lemon oil and juice and reduce by half. Puree mixture in blender until smooth. Chill overnight.

Thanks Rocco and Sam! Everything was wonderful!

I had a meeting with the Market’s new WCBE underwriting representative, Jim Coe, today. We were “reintroduced” as it were, though we had never made a formal acquaintance. He, with wife Sharon, was the  proprietor of Red Rooster and purveyor of one of my early North Market addictions when I was a newcomer to Columbus more than a decade ago, the Blue Rooster Sandwich.  He was kind enough to share the recipe for re-creation at home. For those who know him you can read along in Jim’s deep voice:

1# Danish Bleu cheese, crumbled

liberally sprinkle in fresh-ground pepper and a little salt

add freshly diced garlic cloves (to taste)

stir in olive oil to your desired texture

stir in the fresh-squeezed juice of 1-2 lemons

add coffee cream or half-and-half

NOTE: It is KEY to use nothing but a SILVER fork to stir with. There’s a chemical thing going on here with the mold, the citric acid and the silver. You’ll taste the difference.

THERE you have the dressing for salad, but I found it a little too rich and thick for the chicken sandwiches so I cut it 50-50 with Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise.

Take one of Jerry’s (of North Market Poultry) roasted chickens and pull the meat from the skin and bones and pull into small pieces to thoroughly mix into the bleu cheese/mayo dressing.

The final touch was always putting this on a bun from Thurn’s Bakery. Nowadays you can pile it onto an Omega Artisan pretzel roll or avunzucci. Bon appetite!

It’s always a treat when Chef Matt Langstaff of the Bexley Monk visits the Dispatch Kitchen at the North Market. The class is always in for a delicious meal and an entertaining repartee from this amiable and accomplished chef. On this occasion he was accompanied by sister Melissa Langstaff who gets credit for the photos taken.

First course was a twist on a classic recipe: Creole Crawfish and Crab Cakes with Creole Mustard Remoulade

Creole Crawfish and Crab Cakes

1 lb. Crawfish tail meat drained and roughly chopped

1 lb. Lump crab meat

1/2 c. Mayonnaise

1 Tbs. Old Bay seasoning

1/4 c. Italian parsley, chopped

2 Eggs

1/2 c. Bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil

1 c. Bread crumbs for breading

1. Combine crawfish, crab, Old Bay, mayonnaise, parsley, eggs and bread crumbs in a bowl; gently mix until all ingredients are combined.

2. Let mixture rest for 30 minutes then form into 2 oz. patties. Place patties on a baking sheet.

3. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Lightly dredge the cakes in the remaining bread crumbs, then evenly place them into the pan.

4. Cook the cakes until evenly golden brown on each side then serve with Creole Mustard Remoulade.

Creole Mustard Remoulade

3/4 c. Creole mustard

3/4 c. Mayonnaise

1/4 c. Horseradish

1/4 c. Honey

2 Tbs. Lemon juice

1/2 c. Green onion, chopped

1 Tbs. Paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve with crawfish and crab cakes.

Apple, Bacon and Gorgonzola Risotto

1 c. Onion, diced

1/4 c. Butter or olive oil

2 c. Arborio rice

6-8 c. Chicken stock

1 c. Apples, sliced

1/4 c. oil

1 1/2 c. Bacon, diced

1 c. Gorgonzola, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat butter in a pot and lightly sweat onions over medium heat, then add rice and lightly toast.

2. Start adding small amounts of stock into the pot, stirring occasionally. Once the stock is absorbed into the rice, keep adding more stock in small batches until the rice is almost cooked.

3. In a separate pan heat oil and start to brown the bacon, once the bacon is almost crisp, add the apples and cook until tender.

4. Once the apples and bacon are cooked, drain off the excess fat and add the apple-bacon mix to the risotto.

5. When the risotto is almost done stir in the gorgonzola, adjust the seasonings and serve.

Bourbon Glazed Pork Loin (6 servings)

3 lb. Pork loin

1/2 c. Bourbon

1/2 c. Water

1/2 c. Brown sugar

1/4 c. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 Tbs. Ground black pepper

1/2 c. oil

1. Combine all ingredients except pork in a bowl  and mix well.

2. Place pork in a large plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

3. Remove pork from marinade and place in a roasting pan.

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roast pork in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with Bourbon Glaze and serve.

Bourbon Glaze

1/2 c. bourbon

1/2 c. Brown sugar

1/4 c. Ketchup

1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 Tbs. Kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, bring to a simmer and cook until lightly syrupy. May be refrigerated until needed.

The grand finale was a flourless chocolate torte served with Grand Marnier marscapone mousse and raspberry sauce. Delicious is an understatement for this dish:

Flourless Chocolate Torte

3/4 c. Butter

3/4 lb. Bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 c. Grand Marnier

1/3 c. Sugar

6 Eggs

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and sugar 10″ cake pan.

2. Place chocolate, butter and Grand Marnier into a bowl over a double boiler and cook until melted. Set aside.

3. Place remaining ingredients into a bowl and whip until thick and aerated.

4. Gently fold egg mixture into the chocolate until well incorporated, then pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

5. Place cake pan into a water bath and put into oven. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes.

6. Cake should be slightly moist in center but not gooey when finished. The carry over temperature will finish cooking the cake.

7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Can be served with:

Grand Marnier Marscapone Mousse

1/2 c. Marscapone cheese

1/4 c. Grand Marnier

1/4 c. Powdered sugar

1 c. Heavy cream

Mix cheese, liquor and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Place heavy cream in a mixer and whip until almost stiff. Fold whipped cream into the cheese mixture until it is incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Raspberry Sauce

3 c. Raspberries

1/2 c. Sugar

1/2 c. White wine

Place all ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Once mixture is syrupy, puree it and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Cool in refrigerator before serving.

Thanks to Chef Matt Langstaff for another outstanding Chef Series Class!

1/4 cup *Dou chi fermented black beans
1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine
1/4 cup *Sichuan Gan Hai Jiao* dried Sichuanese chilies
2/3 cup *Hua Sheng Mi Cai You* peanut oil
1/2 cup *Dou Ban Jiang* Sichuanese chili bean paste
1/3 cup *Lao Zao* fermented glutinous rice wine
1 tsp *Hua Zhao* whole Sichuan pepper
6 qt *Xian Tang*everyday stock (recipe below) or Beef stock
2/3 cup Beef drippings or lard
3 inch *Sheng Jiang* piece of fresh ginger unpeeled
1Tbl Rock sugar

Feel free to add more *Sichuan Gan Hai Jiao* dried Sichuanese chilies and *Hua Zhao* whole Sichuan pepper as you like… Which I always do…

Mash black beans w/1Tblsp Shaoxing wine, with mortar and pestle until smooth.

Wash ginger and cut into slices about the thickness of a coin.

Snip all chilies into halves or 1 inch sections with scissors, discard seeds (seeds can be saved and planted for fresh chilies).

Heat 3 Tblsp of peanut oil in wok/pan over medium flame until hot but not smoking. Add all chilies and stir-fry briefly till they are crispy and fragrant, be careful not to burn the chilies as the process happens fast. Oil should sizzle gently around the chilies. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour oil in separate container and set aside, give the wok/pan a quick rinse and dry thoroughly.

Place the beef drippings and rest of peanut oil into wok/pan over medium-low heat. Until the drippings have melted completely. Then turn heat to medium. When oil just begins to smoke (200-300F), add all the chili bean paste and stir-fry for a minute or until the oil is a rich red and fragrant. The paste should sizzle gently take care not to burn. Remove from heat briefly if necessary so to avoid burning. When the oil has reddened, add the mashed black beans and ginger and continue to stir-fry till fragrant. Then pour 1 ½ quarts of the stock in and bring to boil. The rest out the stock will be used later to top off the Huo Guo (hotpot) as you eat.

When the liquid comes to a boil, add rock sugar and the rest of the Shaoxing rice wine, with the fermented rice wine and salt to taste.

Finally, add the prepared chilies and the Sichuan pepper according to taste and leave broth to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. This will bring all the flavors together and intensify the spiciness.

Xian Tang (*Everyday stock*) by Donte Allen

1-2lbs of pork bones
2-3lbs of chicken bones, necks, wings
2in piece of ginger peeled and crushed
2-4 spring onions
4 cloves of garlic

Add all large bones to a large stock pot. Cover with plenty of water so to submerge the bone and bring to a fast boil. Skim all scum from the top of the liquid. After the scum now longer forms reduce to low/medium heat. Then add ginger, spring onions, and garlic. Let simmer 2-3 hours… Strain liquid and allow stock to cool.

Stock maybe used immediately of refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. Refrigerated stock can be kept longer if you boil it up each day or two.

Sichuan Huo guo (Sichuan hot pot) by Donte Allen

Side dishes…You can have improvise, there is no rule to what you can have.

Here are some traditional dipping ingredients.

Meats:
Chinese wind dried sausage
Chicken breast, thinly sliced
Chicken thighs, skinless thinly sliced
Pork Tenderloin, thinly sliced
Lean beef or lamb, thinly sliced
Cooked meats of all kinds
Pork kidney, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Smoked bacon, thickly sliced
Firm bean curd, thickly sliced
Dry bean curd skin, soaked until soft
Lambs brains
Tripe
Intestines, or as my Sichuan friends directly translate it, “the sh*t pipe…”

Veggies:
Cabbage
Lotus, sliced and soaked in lightly salted water
Spinach
Bean sprouts, whole
Fresh coriander (cilantro)
Radishes, turnips
Potatoes, thickly sliced and soaked in lightly salted water

Fungus:
Shiitake
Oyster
Button
Enoki
Wood ear or cloud ear, pre-soaked in hot water for at least 30mins
Chinese dried mushrooms, pre-soaked in hot water for at least 30mins
Large flat mushrooms, cut into chunky slices

For the seasoning dips:
Sesame oil
Sea salt white or black pepper
Garlic, finely chopped, at least one head of garlic for every 4 people
Dou fu ru
Coriander( cilantro), chopped

Markets: Where to find what you need
There is nothing more frustrating that getting a new recipe(s) and then finding that your local Supermarket doesn’t have all that you need. Luckily, here in Slo-lumbus when have a menagerie of ethnic markets, if you can’t find everything you need at one then you may at a combination of 2 or 3. Also, you will find you save money shopping at ethnic groceries than your major supermarkets where prices are marked up dramatically on things you find at a specific ethnic market for a margin of the price. Also Ethnic groceries will have several options on every product giving you far more choices.

So, I made a list of market that is a great resource… for the Slo-umbus Foodie…

The North Market: meats, produce, specialty import foods, etc…

Mon: optional hours for merchants
Tues-Friday: 8am-7pm
Sat-Sun: 8am-5pm

Koyama Shoten: Japanese
5857 Sawmill Rd
Dublin, OH 43017
Get Directions
(614) 761-8118

Lotte: Korean
218 Graceland Blvd
Columbus, OH 43214
Get Directions
(614) 885-3232

Toul Bo: Korean
999 Bethel Rd
Columbus, OH 43214
Get Directions
(614) 459-8888

Mediterranean Foods Imports: Name says it all, also great to spices by the oz.
2647 N High St
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 263-9400‎

New Asian Supermarket: Like a Warehouse
3635 W Dublin Granville Rd
Columbus, OH 43235
Get Directions
(614) 889-8899

Sunrise Asian Supermarket: Like a Warehouse, great for exotic meat.
1841 Henderson Rd
Columbus, OH 43220
Get Directions
(614) 326-1999

CAM: Columbus Asian market: Great for veggies and meats and assortment of everything else.

Olentangy Plaza
817 Bethel Road
Columbus, OH 43214
Mon-Sat: 10:00am-8:00pm
Sun: 10:00am-7:00pm

Tensuke Market: The best Japanese grocery in Slo-lumbus.
1167 Old Henderson Rd
Columbus, OH 43220-3607
(614) 451-6002

After a four course feast of indulging in many a Mardi Gras dish, one would think that dessert would be out of the question. But Chef Steve’s Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce (spiked with bourbon) was simply irresistable! And all of us in attendace for that Chef Series Class learned the literal translation of Mardi Gras, “fat Tuesday”, though in our case it happened to be a Wednesday.

Bread Pudding

1 C. golden raisins

1/4 C. bourbon

16 C. cubed day old bread

4 oz. melted butter

1 1/2 C. sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 1/2 C. heavy cream

1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

8 large eggs

In a small bowl soak the raisins in bourbon.

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with melted butter. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon together and sprinkle over the bread, tossing to distribute evenly. Heat the heavy cream, 1 cup sugar and remaining cinnamon over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT let the mixture boil! Place eggs in a bowl and slowly whisk in the warm cream. Pour cream mixture over the bread, mix in the raisins and allow to stand 45 minutes to 1 hour, mixing a couple times during this period. You will know it is ready when the bread cubes are no longer dry in the center.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Butter a 9×13 baking dish and pour in the bread mixture. Place the dish into a larger baking pan and place in the oven. Carefully pour hot water into the larger pan until it comes halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for 1 hour or until the center is set and a knife tip inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand until the inner pan can safely be removed from the outer pan. Serve with caramel sauce (below).

Caramel Sauce

3/4 C. heavy whipping cream

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 C. sugar

3 Tbs. dark corn syrup

4 Tbs. butter, chilled and cut into pieces

Bring the cream and the vanilla bean to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the bean, scrape out the tiny seeds with the tip of a sharp knife and add to the cream. Set aside.

Place the sugar and corn syrup in a 3 quart saucepan and use a wooden spoon to mix the sugar and syrup. Heat the pan over medium heat and the sugar will begin to break down after 3-4 minutes. Stir once or twice mixing the undissolved sugar into the warm liquid. It will become foamy after a bit, once it does stop stirring. Continue heating until the mixture turns medium brown. Whisk in the butter a little at a time and continue whisking until the mixture comes together. (I think an undisclosed amount of bourbon was added to the sauce at this step in our class too). Remove from heat and very slowly whisk in the cream a little at a time. The caramel is extremely hot and will bubble up as the cream is added. Return the pan to the burner over low heat and stir until the mixture is completely smooth. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm. This can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator until you need to use it. Simply reheat slowly over low heat before serving.

John Hard (aka CaJohn) and Chef Steve Lawrence of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire created a spectacular Mardi Gras feast for the North Market Chef Series Class last week. Attendees were treated to colorful decorations, Mardi Gras trivia (with beads tossed as prizes), sumptous Cajun foods and the engaging banter of CaJohn and Steve. The menu featured a stunning five courses of traditional New Orleans favorites. Since Mardi Gras is a mere week away I’ve reprinted the recipes from the dinner for you to create your own Mardi Gras repast. I’d go with the BBQ Shrimp for sure and then pick from among the gumbo, jambalaya and etouffe for a main course as most of us were rolling out of the Dispatch Kitchen last week after sampling all three!

Course one: Barbeque Shrimp on Mardi Gras Rice

1# Shrimp 20-25 ct.

1# butter

1 tsp. CaJohns Cajun Seasoning

1 Tbs. CaJohns Creole Seasoning

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. Lil’ Kick hot sauce

Peel shrimp, but leave the tail on and rinse in cold water. In a high wall skillet over medium-high heat melt the butter. Add the seasonings, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and stir until combined. Add the shrimp and shake until they are fully cooked, about 2 minutes. Lay on top of Mardi Gras Rice and drizzle with pan liquor.

Mardi Gras Rice: Prepare rice according to manufacturer’s instructions as to ratio of uncooked rice to water. Rule of thumb: 2 cups water per cup of rice. Add CaJohns Creole Seasoning to taste to water before cooking and stir (Chef Steve recommends 1-2 Tbs. per cup of rice). Cook rice, stirring occasionally. When rice is cooked stir once more to evenly distribute the seasoning.

Course two: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Chef Steve actually made this for the class with duck instead of chicken which made the dish even richer! Feel free to make up your own substitutes as well. It was also served with rice as were/are most of these recipes. It was all stick-to-your-ribs tasty!

1 C. vegetable oil

1 C. flour

1 1/2 C. onion, diced

1 C. celery, diced

1 C. bell pepper, diced

1# andouille sausage, 1/2″ slices

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 bay leaves

6 C. chicken broth

1# boneless chicken, 1″ chunks

1 tsp. CaJohns Cajun Seasoning

1 tsp. CaJohns Creole Seasoning

1/2 c. green onion, chopped

1 Tbs. file powder

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast iron or enameled soup pot over medium heat. Slowly stir constantly for 20-25 minutes (Chef Steve recommends having a beer or two to keep you company) until the roux turns dark brown the color of chocolate (DON’T burn it, if you suspect you have, time to crack another beer and start over). Add the onions, celery and bell peppers and stir for 5 minutes or until the onions are opaque and the peppers and celery are wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne and bay leaves. Continue to stir 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Stir until roux and broth are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Season the chicken with the Cajun blend, add to the pot and simmer for 2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. remove from heat. Stir in Creole Seasoning, green onions and file powder. Remove bay leaves and serve in deep bowls.

Course three: CaJohns Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

3 # boneless chicken breast & thighs, chopped

2 # smoked sausage/andouille sliced

1/2 C. olive oil

2 C. onion, chopped fine

1 C. bell pepper, chopped

1/2 C. fresh parsley, chopped

1 C. green onion, chopped fine

3 C. uncooked rice’

8 C. chicken broth

1 Tbs, garlic, chopped

Salt to taste, 2 Tbs. Hot Spots/ Lil’ Kick (more if you like it HOT)

In large stock post or high-walled chicken fryer, brown the chicken in olive oil, stirring frequently so the chicken doesn’t stick to the pot. After the chicken has browned, remove from hot, but leave oil. Add onions, bell pepper, green onions and parsley. Saute until the onions are transparent. Add sausage, broth, garlic, chicken , rice, salt and Hot Spots. Cook until broth level falls just beneath the level of the rice. Reduce heat and cover with tight fitting lid. Simmer for 1 hour until rice is fully cooked. DON’T PEEK FOR 1 HOUR! Serve with a bottle of Hot Spots- Spark Hot Sauce to turn up the heat!

Course Four: Chicken Etouffee

4 # (total) boneless chicken breast & thighs

Salt

Garlic powder

Cayenne pepper

1 1/4 C. flour

Vegetable oil for frying

1/2 C. onion, finely chopped

1/2 C. celery, finely chopped

1/2 C. bell pepper, finely chopped

4 C. chicken broth

3 tsp. CaJohns Cajun Seasoning

1/2# butter

3/4 C. green onion, very finely chopped

Rub all sides of chicken pieces with a generous amount of salt, garlic powder and cayenne making sure it is evenly covered. Refrigerate 30 minutes. In plastic bag combine flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and 1/2 tsp. cayenne. Add chicken pieces and shake until coated. Reserve excess flour.

Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy high-walled skillet to 375 degrees. Fry the chicken pieces until browned and meat fully cooked (5-7 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels and set aside. Carefully pour oil into large glass measuring cup, leaving as much of the browned bits in the skillet as possible. Scrape bottom of skillet with spoon to dislodge stuck particles, and return 1/2 cup of oil to skillet.

Heat oil over high heat until it starts to smoke. Meanwhile, measure 3/4 cup of flour from chicken coating (add flour if needed to 3/4 cup). In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of each of the “trinity”, onions, celery and bell peppers. When oil is hot, remove from heat and add flour. Use long handled metal whisk to stir until flour & oil are blended. Return to medium-high heat and whisk constantly until the roux is dark brown, being very careful not to burn the roux OR you! Immediately remove roux from heat and whisk in the trinity. Continue whisking until the roux stops turning darker, about 2-3 minutes.

Bring 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add the roux by spoonfuls, stirring until each spoonful is dissolved. Bring the finished mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring almost constantly. When it becomes the consistency of thick gravy, set aside.

Melt 1/4# butter in large skillet. Add remaining trinity and saute over very low heat until the veggies are completely wilted (10-12 minutes). Add the roux and the seasoning and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the green onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken and the roux mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let rest 15 minutes. Skim off surface oil. Place back on medium burner and reheat. Place chicken on a bed of rice, cover with sauce and serve immediately.

There’s bread pudding for dessert, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for that recipe!

I made one of those WOW dinners last night. I got bison shanks from North Market Poultry and Game and had some leftover Calasparra rice (traditionally for paella) that I had purchased from Curds and Whey.

The menu ended up being Bison Osso Buco and mushroom risotto, since I had ample carrots, celery, and mushrooms from earlier foraging at Greener Grocer. I got recipes from Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian and used them as templates, as I often do. (When in the kitchen, I like to have a guideline, but I have enough years of experience to take a few detours.)

Everything turned out beautifully! Bison was deeper flavored than veal would’ve been, so the mushrooms in the risotto worked out really well.

And the kicker? No Italian Red in the house. Me. A wine shop owner. Not a single bottle of Italian red in the basement… Oh, well. I’m correcting that problem. I had a really deep older California Merlot that usually drinks like a Pomerol. It worked out really well, too.