Spoons Across America: September 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Buckets & Buckets...of Apples!

The time of year when leaves begin to change color, the air gets a crisp feeling and the type of fruits and vegetables available in the market has arrived. With fall comes so much new and exciting produce…so it’s time to get tasting, cooking, exploring and picking. Here at Spoons, one of our favorite fall activities is taking a trip to a local Greenmarket to pick some fresh, locally grown apples.

Did you know that apples are a healthy source of antioxidants, which help to keep our bodies strong and healthy by protecting us against free radical damage? We learned that fact from The U.S. Apple Association (http://www.usapples.org). That’s just one of the many reasons why the Spoons Team will be loading up on apples this fall season.

Find your closest Greenmarket to get all sorts of fresh, local tasty produce by checking out the Greenmarket 2009 Map by following this link: http://www.cenyc.org/files/gmkt/map.pdf. For readers able to make it to an apple orchard this season...Happy Picking from The Spoons Team!
-- Marva Butler & Alix Small

P.S. Stay tuned for blogs including delicious fall produce recipes and clever food ideas!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Obama & Bloomberg Duet…Marva and Alix are the Backup Singers

Spoons Across America welcomed two full-time AmeriCorps VISTA/ NYC Civic Corps volunteers: Ms. Marva Butler and Ms. Alix Small on August 10^th, 2009. These two women came to Spoons as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s response to President Obama’s call for National Service. Marva will be working on grants and fundraising, and Alix will be focusing on volunteers and volunteer management. This VISTA team will build Spoons capacity by putting systems into place and developing sustainable practices by driving volunteer activity. These VISTA members will be working in partnership with the board, our Spoons consultants and Spoons volunteers, so everyone will have an opportunity to get to know them and become more involved in the projects!\

Marva hails from Houston, Texas and this past May earned her MBA from Florida A&M University. Some of her hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. One of her most exciting past internships includes working with The International Rescue Committee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where she provided program and logistical support for three refuge camps. Marva hopes to use her strong business and marketing/fundraising background to successfully build sustainability.

Alix is a native New Yorker, hailing from Long Island. This past May she earned a B.S. from Binghamton University in Psychobiology. Alix enjoys spending time outside, cooking, entertaining her family and friends and staying active. This past year she completed a year long internship with a Gastroenterologist in Binghamton, NY where she conducted two research projects focused on nutritional aspects of a gastrointestinal disease. Alix is not only passionate about nutrition, but also about the SPOONS mission. She has great hopes to increase volunteer activity while serving as a VISTA for SPOONS

Here is a link to the Press Release and a link for the video of the Swearing in Ceremony on the steps of City Hall on July 30^th, 2009: http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2009b%2Fpr354-09.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Tomato, Garlic, and Oregano Crostini

1 loaf unsliced crusty Italian bread or baguette-style French bread, cut diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices
¼ cup olive oil or olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Beefsteak tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ cup chopped fresh oregano
1 chopped Beefsteak tomato

1. Preheat the over to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper foil.

2. Arrange bread on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush bread with a little olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the bread.

3. Bake, turning once, until crisp and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, Rub each piece of toasted bread with garlic, then rub with a cut side of a tomato. Sprinkle with oregano and chopped tomatoes.

Seasonal Suggestion: During tomato season you can often find different tomatoes of different varieties, colors, and sizes. Experiment with the flavors of yellow cherry tomatoes, heirloom varieties, sweet 100s and others.

Makes: 18 crostini

Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Carrot and Ginger Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cut chopped shallots
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or regular sugar
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Drizzle the oil in a heavy 3-quart soup pot and swirl it around until the oil coast the entire surface. Heat over high heat until hot.

2. Add the onion, shallots, bay leaves, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, but not brown.

3. Add the carrots, fresh ginger, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir in the vegetable stock. Bring to a bowl. Reduce heat to simmering and cook until carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove soup pot from heat. Cool for 15 minutes.

4. Ladle soup into a blender a little at a time and blend in small batches until pureed. (Be very careful because hot liquids in a blender can be explosive when you turn on the blender.) Once all the soup is blended, return soup to pot. Or use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the soup pot.

5. Serve hot or chill and serve cold. Top each serving with a sprinkling of ground ginger.

Makes 4-6 Servings
Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Vegetarian Summer Rolls

1 seedless cucumber
12 10-inch round rice papers*
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch fresh mint
1 ½ cups cooked rice
1 ½ cups shredded carrot
1 2/3 cups shredded daikon **
2 cups hoisin sauce

Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, then cut each quarter into 3 long pieces. Trim to 4-inch lengths.

Fill a bowl with very hot water and lay out a large cotton towel or napkin that has been sprinkled with water. Place 1 rice paper in the hot water and let it soften for 15 seconds or so, until it is flexible and nearly transparent. Lay it on the towel. Working in the center of the rice paper, place 2 basil leaves and 2 mint leaves, then top with 2 tablespoons of rice, pressing down slightly. Add about 1 tablespoon shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon shredded daikon, and 1 piece of cucumber. Top with 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce.

To wrap the summer roll, fold 2 sides of rice paper over filling, then roll into an egg roll shape. Serve the remaining hoisin sauce on the side for dipping.

*Note: Rice papers can be found at Asian groceries or specialty food stores. They are about 10 inches in diameter and are translucent, papery, and made from rice flour. In order to use the rice papers, they need to be soaked in hot water, but don’t leave them soaking in the water for too long or they get gummy. They are very sticky and need to be placed on cotton towels that have been sprinkled lightly with water.

** Note: Daikon is a long white Asian radish. If you can’t find these at your local market or farm, you can substitute with regular red radishes.

Seasonal Suggestion: Add or substitute vegetables depending on what is in season and/or available at your local market, farm or farmers market. Try chives, sautéed mushrooms, sprouts, red peppers, etc. Be careful not to add too much to the rolls, or the rice papers will rip and fall apart.

Makes: 12 Summer Rolls
Recipe from "Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook" by Robert Surles

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: 4th of July Berries and Cream

Spoons Across America founder, Julia Jordan, shares her recipe for a simple taste of summer. She recommends that you "sit back; enjoy the lush creamy texture and the bursts of berry flavors. It’s as close to perfection as summer gets."

4 Cups Market Fresh Berries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
1/3 Cup Sugar – optional
1 Cup Heavy or Whipping Cream from your local dairy
1 teaspoon Vanilla – optional
1 Tablespoon Confectioners or superfine sugar – optional
1 bunch Mint or Verbena or Lemon Thyme Leave

Lightly rinse berries. Drain.
Reserve 1 cup berries for garnish.
Toss remaining berries with sugar. Set aside.
Whisk heavy cream, until soft peaks form*. (7-10 minutes)
Fold vanilla and/or sugar into the whipped cream, optional.

Place berries in individual parfaits or glass bowls. Top with whipped cream or alternate layers of berries and cream.
Garnish with whole berries and sprigs of mint.

*Note: Place stainless steel mixing bowl and whisk in freezer, or whisk cream over a double boiler filled with ice water.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Radishes

This was one of our first Greenmarket dinners of the season! We enjoyed this fresh side dish with fresh lamb sausage from the Greenmarket and bread from our local bakery. It also goes well with grilled chicken or fish, or add shrimp or scallops for a complete main course!

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. Sugar Snap Peas (trimmed)
1 bunch radishes (thinly sliced)
1 tsp. fresh mint (minced)
1 tsp. fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a medium sauté pan. Add peas and cook for 3-4 minutes, until heated through and tender, but still slightly crispy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the radishes and sauté until warm (1-2 minutes). Add mint and chives and toss to coat.

Serves: 4-6

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Buckets & Buckets...of Apples!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Obama & Bloomberg Duet…Marva and Alix are the Backup Singers

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Tomato, Garlic, and Oregano Crostini

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Carrot and Ginger Soup

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Bobo's Vegetarian Summer Rolls

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: 4th of July Berries and Cream

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Radishes

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