Simply Organic (15 page)
Authors: Jesse Ziff Coole
Place the cake on a serving plate and top with the berries.
KITCHEN TIPS
This cake actually tastes better the next day. Cover well, but do not refrigerate unless you need to store it for more than 1 or 2 days.
If you can’t find coconut flour, omit it, increase the all-purpose flour to 2½ cups, and reduce the buttermilk to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
MAKES
10
SERVINGS
Use a variety of berries in this pie. My favorites are blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Strawberries are too juicy for this pie, so save them for another recipe. I like to make my pies in a 10-inch glass pie plate. It allows me to see the crust baking, and I love to hear people ooh and aah over a big old beautiful pie.
Crust
½ cup whole grain pastry flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
½ cup ice water
Filling
3 pints fresh berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, and/or blueberries, or 18 ounces partially thawed frozen berries, drained well
1¼ cups sugar
3 tablespoons tapioca
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the crust: In a large bowl, combine the pastry flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Grate the butter into the flour mixture. Using your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are about the size of peas. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and blend until a soft, moist dough forms.
Shape the dough into a flat, round disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To make the filling: When the dough has chilled, in a medium bowl, combine the berries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the berries well.
Place the dough on a well-floured surface and roll to about 1/8-inch thickness, turning over the dough often to keep it well floured. Fold the dough in half and place in a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Unfold the dough, turn under the edges, and crimp them. Spoon the berry filling into the crust.
Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust is lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
KITCHEN TIP
Most people like ice cream or whipped cream on their pie, but because of the sweetness of this filling, I prefer a big dollop of sour cream.
pioneer profile
FRONTIER NATURAL PRODUCTS CO-OP
For years our restaurant kitchens have been buying dried organic herbs and spices in bulk from the Frontier co-op. It is one of the pioneers in the organic food movement, and has maintained its integrity throughout a thirty-year period of phenomenal growth.
It all began in 1976 in a simple cabin along the Cedar River in eastern Iowa, where two people passionate about organic and natural products formed a company called Frontier Natural Products Co-op. More than thirty years later, Frontier has grown from a small startup into one of the world’s largest suppliers of organic herbs and spices. Its three brands—Frontier, Simply Organic, and Aura Cacia—can be found in natural foods and grocery stores across the United States and Canada.
Frontier’s founders built their business on the belief that food should be grown on land that has been free from the use of synthetic fertilizers, growth regulators, insecticides, and herbicides. The company remains a champion of organic and sustainable agriculture. Its employees believe that fostering environmental responsibility is crucial to the world’s future.
“We want to encourage growing and processing that helps protect, rather than deplete, our natural resources,” says Tony Bedard, CEO of Frontier. “We visit growers all over the world to make sure our suppliers practice sustainable farming and respect the environment.”
In 1988, Frontier introduced its first line of packaged spices. The line sold well and eventually led to the establishment of the Simply Organic brand, which appeared in 2002.
Simply Organic is an all-organic brand that offers spices, spice blends, and seasoning mixes for items like sauces, chili, dips, and dressing mixes. Simply Organic has quickly become the leading brand in the organic seasonings category.
Frontier’s most sustained and dramatic success with product expansion has been in the area of aromatherapy. In its early days, the company bought bulk quantities of essential oils and rebottled them into one-half-ounce glass bottles. This line expanded as aromatherapy became increasingly popular.
In 1993 Frontier purchased Aura Cacia, an aromatherapy and natural personal care products company. In the years since, Aura Cacia has become a leading seller in natural health outlets nationwide. Products include essential oils, massage and body oils, mineral baths, and lotions.
As the largest supplier of organic herbs and spices, Frontier recognizes its responsibility to help convert food producers to sustainable farming and production practices.
Frontier gives back 1 percent of sales of Simply Organic’s spice brand to the support of organic farming causes. The company also recently initiated a Sustainable Sourcing program that goes beyond the scope of the USDA’s Fair Trade program. It establishes guidelines for suppliers to ensure ethical business conduct and sustainable farming practices.
As consumers increasingly look for products that represent sound social and environmental values, Frontier is looking forward to many more years of success in the future.
Ah, summertime, and the cookin’ is easy. I find myself wanting to make salads and dishes that don’t require a lot of stove time. The outdoor grill gets more attention as I enjoy roasting and grilling fresh vegetables for pastas, salads, and appetizers. I Everywhere, gardens have hit their stride. This is the opposite of deep winter: So many varieties of fruits and vegetables are in abundance. I celebrate this bounty. I also remind myself not to let the sheer volume stop me from appreciating and enjoying the pleasure that each fruit and vegetable offers. I A visit to a farmers’ market in midsummer can make me feel like a kid in a candy shop. At times, the selection in summer is almost too enticing, even for me. All too often, as I unpack my over-flowing basket at home, I wonder what I was thinking and how I will have the time to prepare everything. Then I motivate myself to prepare as much as possible for easy use during the week ahead. I For example, I pull out my trusty steamer and steam as many fresh items from my basket as possible. I remind myself that this hour or two that I spend on a weekend will reward me with quickly assembled meals during the week. My refrigerator is stocked with organic vegetables, fruits, salads, and even steamed fish. They can be eaten as is or with a little seasoning. I also add them to pastas, grains, meats, and poultry; use them as side dishes; and toss them in a vinaigrette.
110 Fresh Corn Bites with Tarragon
112 Garlic Bread with Roasted Sweet Peppers
113 Zesty Zucchini Quesadillas
116 Vegetable Stew with Polenta
117 Salmon Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
120 Pancetta and Leek–Stuffed Pork Chops
121 Deep-Dish Summer Vegetable Cobbler
122 Vegetable Risotto with Goat Cheese
129 Watermelon-Rosemary Granita
130 Cream Cheese–Glazed Sponge Cake
MAKES
4
TO
6
SERVINGS
This recipe shows up more often than any other at our summertime catering gigs. We like to garnish it with freshly fried corn tortilla chips, and bamboo skewers of avocado. It is a great way to use tomatoes at any point in the season. If the tomatoes don’t have much flavor, use a little sugar to enhance it. In winter, if you are craving tomato soup, use canned organic ones. Picked at their prime, they will offer better flavor and nutrition than fresh tomatoes shipped from the far reaches of the world.
3 pounds very ripe, juicy tomatoes (any color), coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sugar (optional)
Working in batches if necessary, purée the tomatoes, red onion, and basil in a food processor or blender until smooth. Remove to a large bowl. For a more refined soup, push through a medium food mill or sieve to remove the skin, seeds, and coarse pulp.
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and turmeric, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add sugar if needed. Chill until ready to serve.
WITH
TARRAGON
MAKES ABOUT
18
BITES
If you are looking for a way to use up leftover steamed or grilled corn, this is it. These delicious bites are a hit at most of our catering functions.
2 cups cooked corn kernels (2 to 3 medium ears of corn)
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
1/8 scant teaspoon nutmeg
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 18 mini-muffin cups (1 or 2 pans).
Put the corn in a medium bowl and, using a fork, mash to bring out the juices and pulp. Alternately, put the corn in a food processor, process, and transfer to a bowl.
Stir in the eggs, flour, tarragon, paprika, and nutmeg and season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk in the heavy cream and continue whisking until well blended.
Place the muffin pan in a jelly-roll pan and place in the oven. Pour about 1½ cups water into the jelly-roll pan. Bake the muffins for about 10 minutes or until they are puffed and rounded and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
WITH
ROASTED SWEET PEPPERS
MAKES
10
SERVINGS
Use peppers when they are at their peak and in abundance. Lots of new varieties can be found at farmers’ markets and ethnic grocery stores. They make a nice change from the usual red bell peppers in every grocery store. If you prefer, roast the peppers over an open flame, such as a gas burner, and then remove the skin. I like to roast peppers in the oven; it works just as well and takes half the effort.
1 pound sweet bell peppers, such as red, yellow, orange, or purple
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
