How to bring New Orleans into your home and host an amazing crawfish boil!

Phew, we're finally recovered and back to normal after last weekend's crazy busy, and fun-filled Sunday! My lady and I hosted our 4th Annual Crawfish Boil - a time where I bring a little bit of my New Orleans heritage down to Florida to share with those I love.  Friends and family from near and far came over to visit us, enjoy our garden, and suck down a few heads!

We always showcase a few varieties of beer from our good friends' brewery, Pair O' Dice Brewing Company - this year we selected Cascade Amber and Lucky Lucy Strawberry Blond Ale. 

We shipped 100 lbs of live Crawfish straight from Louisiana!

The day turned out to be gorgeous, and good times swept the yard.  By the end of the night, we had less than a pound of tailmeat left - a sure sign we had some good eaters at the party!

6 Steps to Hosting Your Own Cajun Crawfish Boil

What to do with all that cabbage?

On weekends during market hours, I'm asked "What do I do with cabbage?" pretty regularly. I readily rattle off a few random recipes - maybe something I've made in the past, or something completely new I just thought of.  I enjoy the challenge of brain-storming new and old ideas, oftentimes coming up with something I've never seen before or just giving a little twist on a forgotten recipe.

So, as they say, Challenge Accepted.

The Secret to Using Up Leftover Garden Greens

After cleaning up the garden a bit this afternoon I was faced with 2 dilemmas: what should I make for dinner tonight, and what in the world can I do with all of these leftover greens I'd just harvested?!?

I don't know about you guys, but in between seasons, I always end up harvesting  a bunch of random greens - not enough of one for an entire meal, but a little bit of everything that can be thrown all together.

This harvest included a couple types of kale, some Swiss chard, mustard greens, red-veined sorrel, and some lettuce.  

Back inside, I started rummaging around in the fridge.

 I needed some inspiration here pretty badly, but these meals tend to be my favorite to create!  

Successful, I pulled out a few carrots and turnips harvested from our garden that desperately needed to be eaten, a random bunch of parsley, and a jar of local Pappy's Creole Sauce.  

 Check them out here Watson's Kitchen - Pappy's Creole Sauce

We love supporting local companies whenever we can, and this sauce is tasty and great in a pinch! 





I plucked about 1/4 cup of the parsley and set it aside.  The stems can be saved for stock, composted, or fed to the chickens.  We'll have to introduce you to our feathery flock soon!

What's the Deal with Fermented Cod Liver Oil?

John and I have often been asked what nutritional supplements we take on a regular basis. Fermented Cod Liver Oil is one of the the only supplements we take regularly & recommend to friends and family.  

Fermented? Why not Regular ol' Fish Oil?

We choose Green Pastures FCLO rather than other brands because the cold-processed fermentation allows the Omega-3, Vitamin D and Vitamin A content to be more readily absorbed by the body.  The heat-processing implemented by other manufacturers damages these nutrients. Fermented Cod Liver Oil is more of a whole food than a nutritional supplement.

Why Cod Liver Oil in the First Place?

Fermented Cod Liver Oil is a traditional food, having been around for centuries.  Diane Sanfilippo outlines some of the benefits of taking FCLO :

So, What do we take?

Muddled Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

Hi friends!

To celebrate the beginning of spring, I thought I'd spotlight one of my favorite herbs around here... lemon balm!

Lemon balm is easy to grow and makes a great curative tea to sip on.  Toss in some stevia leaves to sweeten the tea up a bit if you'd like.

Not only great in salad dressings like this vinaigrette I whipped up the other day, lemon balm can also be used to calm nerves or lessen stress and stop bug bites from itching.  Matter of fact, it's one of those 'catch-all' herbs that seem to fix everything!

Just crush a handful of leaves and rub on your skin to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Muddled Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the salad:
red-veined sorrel, chopped
scallions, shaved
sunflower shoots

For the vinaigrette:

1 tbsp lemon balm leaves, crushed or chopped
6 nasturtium leaves
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp oil of choice

Method

1. Muddle the lemon balm and nasturtium leaves until broken down and fragrant. 
2. Add balsamic vinegar and oil and whisk together. 
3. Combine together salad greens.
4. Toss with vinaigrette. 
5. Season with salt, garnish with nasturtium blooms and serve.

Photo Shoot

Today, I had a photo shoot at the farm for Edible magazine. Although not one of the most beautiful days we've had, all the plants seemed to enjoy the heavy rains, happy to be alive. Turns out, it ended up being a good day for a close-up.

Summertime in Florida means a shortage of greens on the farm so I've been longing for the fall season's harvest to begin. This recipe showcases the first kale harvest of the season, finally! 

Kale is the most nutritious green out there and, by far, one of my favorites. For the photo shoot, I paired the kale with tatsoi (a cross between mustard greens and spinach), arugula, and vine-ripe cherry tomatoes. Add a splash of black truffle oil and sea salt to finish. YUM! 

Warm Kale and Tatsoi with Truffle Oil 

serves 2 

1/2 bunch kale 

1 bunch tatsoi 

3 ea scallions 

7 cherry tomatoes 

arugula 

truffle oil 

sea salt 

Prep 

Wash and dry all fresh ingredients. 
Remove the stems from the the kale and tatsoi. Tear leaves and set aside. 
Cut tomatoes in half. 
Chop the whites of the scallions
Chiffonade arugula.

Method

1. Heat saute pan over medium heat. Toss scallions with a tablespoon of truffle oil. Cook until tender.
2. Add tatsoi to the scallions and wilt. It should only take 30 seconds or so.  Then toss in kale and season with salt. The greens should have an al dente tooth. 

Plate the wilted greens first. Generously top with chiffonade arugula. Drop in cut tomatoes then drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with the sea salt. 

Enjoy!

Blueberry Marinade

Lately, I've been challenged to create meals outside of my comfort zone as a chef. These same ingredients I've used my entire career, but in different ways. I've had to step back a bit, learn a few new tricks and educate myself on the true basics of food and rethink everything I know about nutrition and health. I've gone back to the roots of real food and, I must say, created many tasty dishes!

Yes, I speak of a new lifestyle - my newly found  "food love." Even though I'm calling it new, and this is the first time writing about it here, my love for real food has been around for quite some time.  I've gone back to basics by eating real and traditional food - I'd love if you came along with me.

Seasonal ingredients come and go so quickly that we must take advantage of them while they're around. Yes, I know you can go to any large grocery store and find blueberries in the dead of winter or Brussels sprouts in the heat of the summer. Personally, I don't want year-round fruits and vegetables from other parts of the world. They have many air miles, and frankly, don't taste as good.

Local farms are not hard to find.  You'll see many are relativity close by, if your heart is in it. Once you make it to a farm or farmer's market, here are a few things you should look for:

Are they using GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) seeds?
Where dose the produce come from? If you're not standing in the middle of fields of veggies, find out where they're grown.
Are they using harsh chemical pesticides? If yes, walk away quickly!

Most farmers will give it to you straight, and are all-around good people to know.

I was fortunate to came across a grassfed skirt steak, from a local company. Yummy! Although I know quite a bit about different cuts of beef. one thing I have to remember is grassfed beef has a different fat consistency than conventional, grain-fed beef. It should be cooked slow and low, to ensure the juicy and tender flavors it so desires to give. Read more on this here.

Once again, eating seasonal is key.  We happen to be at the peak of blueberry season, so I made a great tangy blueberry marinade - so easy!


Blueberry Marinated Skirt Steak



Ingredients
1 grass-fed skirt steak (8oz or so), cleaned & cut into 6-inch pieces

Marinade
1 1/2 cup washed blueberries
3 ea garlic cloves
1/4 cup ACV (apple cider vinegar)
12 ea black peppercorns
1 1/2 tbsp Brewers Yeast flakes (optional, but recommended)
sea salt to taste








Method
1. Place the steak in a 1-gallon vacuum seal bag or Ziplock
2. Blend all marinade ingredients, pour into the bag with the steak and seal. Let it sit for at least 45 minutes.

(I really wanted to light up the grill for this one... play a bit in my backyard kitchen.  Since the rains were upon me, I turned to my trusty cast-iron skillet.)

3. Over medium high heat, (careful not to smoke yourself out!), season both sides of the skirt with sea salt.
4. Sear the steak about 90 seconds on each side then lower the heat and cook for roughly 7 minutes on each side.
5. Set the steak on a rack to rest for 2-3 minutes. When serving, slice "against the grain."

I served the steak with salad and sautéed rosemary fingerling potatoes - more on that at a later time.

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Welcome South Tampa Magazine Readers

If you've found your way to Chef on the Farm through the South Tampa Magazine or its email newsletter, Welcome!  

~Chef John

Summer Time!

Summer is almost over... finally. Just the other day, Dave turned to us and said, "The taste of Fall is in the air." I, for one, could not be happier. I wish this meant the rains would stop, but they'll keep on coming for weeks to come.  With this Hurricane Isaac threatening another 3-feet of water, the farm expansion will again be postponed to a drier date.

So we wait...

We have been working hard over the last few months trying to put the Farm back together from an almost double-in-size expansion project. With so much still left on the To-Do List, it's been tough getting Fall planting started. Lots of baby veggies need to get in the pots or we'll never be ready for the Fall crops. Not that I don't love peppers and okra, but I'm very much looking forward to fresh vegetables again!

At home, I've been rebuilding and expanding my own little chef's garden. Even though I spend countless hours outside at the Farm, I still love coming home to work on my own slice of heaven. Now's the time to start on your own garden.  Just as we're prepping and planting for Fall at Urban Oasis, I must do the same thing at home. My tomato seedlings have already grown a foot, and I've sown new seeds of several different herbs. I've got all sorts of other plants scattered throughout my Chef's Garden. Plans are in the works to add garlic, carrots, mixed greens, shallots, and ginger, if not more!  One of my favorite parts about having garden in my back yard - the culinary world is just a root away. 

Although I've been away most of the summer, it's brought in fresh ideas and new flavors to my palate.  I'm sure you will see much of in the future, so get your gardens prepped and forks ready. It's going to be a great ride!

Chef's Garden

Friendly Faces

Every so often, I come across a few friendly faces hidden among the rows of vegetables throughout the farm. Sometimes they literally jump out at, or even on, me! When I get the opportunity to take the time to admire them, I'm transported away from everything, lost in the world they live. The beauty of the world from their perspective blows me away.  I am reminded of just how sweet life is, and I give thanks. 

Every day I get to work with hundreds of little critters. They are working just as hard as I am, trying not to be seen in the process. When I do get the chance to spy on them, I usually try to pull out my camera and snap off a few shots before they hop, crawl, or fly away. I'm no photographer, but I'd like to think some of these turned out pretty amazing.

Here are a few I'd like to share with you guys.

Out on the farm these beneficial critters help us control the environment in which we grow. The bees spread pollen to pollinate surrounding plants, and in turn provide us with honey for our enjoyment. The frogs catch and eat little bugs and mosquitoes, keeping them from biting me! The spiders eat unwanted intruders I can't even see. I could go on and on about everything these small creatures bring to us, but I think I'll spare you this time. 

We do our best to respect these friendly faces on the farm, and I believe the relationship works. So, the next time you see a happy frog or little lizard run by, think of how important they are to us.

Thank you!

Introduction to Cooking

For my inaugural class, I decided to offer a little bit of everything. Come out to The Barn at Urban Oasis March 17th at 11:30am and learn basic knife and saute skills, time management, and safety and food handling.


Class will run 1 1/2 - 2 hours, and I'm offering it at the iintroductory price of $40 per person. Urban Oasis members get $5 off.

Please email chefonthefarm@gmail.com or call 813.421.FARM if you have any questions.  To register, please click the Food and Cooking Education link.

Best Idea Ever

Some time ago, I made chocolate ice cream with Guinness, and let me just say how awesome it turned out. Loved it! Afterwards, I had a few extra cans sitting in my beer fridge, waiting to be consumed. What to do? What to do?


I got it!


Guinness Broccoli Cheddar Soup!                           ....................YES!....................


A fairly easy recipe, this soup is not too hard to make yourself. The most important part of this whole thing, is the roux. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is to cook out all the flour. No one wants a doughy soup, or a lumpy mess in their bowl. Okay you got me, it's a pet peeve of mine.  Mainly because I've seen it happen far too often, or maybe because I come from a place where the roux is what can make the whole dish happen.


Now that I've gotten that little rant out of the way, we can start.

Guinness Cheddar Broccoli Soup
by Chef John N Carminati


Ingredients 
1/2 large Spanish onion (small to medium diced)
4 garlic cloves (rough chopped)
1/4 cup unsalted butter 
2/3 cup all purpose flour 
3 qt whole milk 
1/2 cup heavy cream 
2 cups Guinness
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese (grated) 
1/2 lb chopped broccoli 


Method 

1. In a large stock pot over medium heat, sweat out onions and garlic in butter until just translucent, no color.
2. Dust in flour and cook out roux until blonde.
3. Turn heat down slowly. Whisk in milk, taking care not to scald the bottom. Bring to a simmer, then add cream and bring back to a simmer.  Add Guinness. 
4. Melt in cheddar, 1 hand full at a time.
5. Fold in broccoli, cover and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The Barn is born!

There is a space in front the house at Urban Oasis that I called at one time "the front yard".  Over the years, it became an unused space where dust and weeds came to settle, and piles of unwanted artifacts were as abundant as the stories behind them. In my mind, I saw past missing floors and dirty walls into the heart of its potential.

I kicked around some ideas for a few days, then brought my thoughts to Dave and Cathy. I laid it all on the table and told them "I had a dream..."  A dream where we can help educate people about the lush vegetables we take so much pride in growing. A place where I can pass on my passion and knowledge of food. Unbeknownst to them, we already had the space! I went on, telling them more and more and painting the picture I saw so clearly in my mind.  Soon, we began to see ourselves on the same page.

"The Barn" at Urban Oasis was born.

Since then, I've spent countless hours rebuilding walls and floors, remodeling windows and shelves, painting, plumbing, and replacing lights, fans, and parts of the roof!  Slowly, over 2 long months, I cleaned up a space that was full of old lumber and rocks and broken this-and-thats to a clean and empty, professional demonstration space.

One of Urban Oasis' members, Andrew Hasebroock, is a very talented artist and agreed to paint a mural to best capture the inside of a barn setting. He put a lot of thought into his work, and helped bring "The Barn" to life. Nearly complete, the mural just needed one final touch - space for the two resident dogs at Urban Oasis, Bogey & Bailey.

A few days later, the paint was dry and his work was done.  Thank you Andrew!

I've got just a few more finishing touches to look over, but "The Barn" is open for business!

New blog update!

The About Me page is up!  Please take a minute to look over my culinary journey and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Demo Day - Creamy Kale & Artichoke Dip

Kale has been growing in full strength this season, and members of Urban Oasis have been lucky enough to get a bit each week. Yet, I still hear the question "What can else I do with kale?"  The truth is, you can get tired of the same old thing all the time, so I set out each growing week to come up with something different to put on your plate.  As I slowly walk though the rows of kale, recipes swim wildly in my mind.  Eventually, I settle on an idea - A dip - and just in time for the Super Bowl! 

We go to gatherings, hang out in bars or just end up on the couch somewhere to watch the big game. Regardless of where we find ourselves, there's usually some form of junk food around. I'm betting a healthier option, like the one here - served with fresh Urban Oasis broccoli or carrots, might make you feel a little better while you're drinking that extra beer.  

Creamy Kale & Artichoke Dip
by Chef John N Carminati


Ingredients
6 mustard green leaves, stems removed
6 kale leaves, stems removed
6 artichoke hearts
2 medium radishes
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup, equal parts parsley & cilantro
8 oz block cream cheese, room temperature
lemon juice
olive oil
salt to taste


Method

1. Blanch and shock kale and mustard greens, squeeze out all liquid.
2. Combine all ingredients, except cream cheese, to blender or food processor and blend until combined.
3. Add cream cheese and blend.

Beef & Cabbage

As I sit here typing up tonight's dinner recipe, I noticed this would make two posts about cabbage in a  row - and I'm perfectly ok with that.  Farming is seasonal work.  I know these cabbages will only be around for a short while, and I'm taking full advantage!  As consumers, we're used to heading on over to the grocery store, at any time of year, and find pretty much every type of produce imaginable.  We forget, winter produce like cabbage shouldn't be readily available all year long - and especially not in the middle of the hot Florida summer!


Beef & Cabbage
by Chef John N Carminati


Ingredients
Cabbage Mix
1 white onion, sliced thick Julianne
1 medium cabbage, chopped
1 bok choy bottom, chopped (separate from leaves)
1/2 cup scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
salt to taste

Beef & Marinade
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
2 generous pinches Kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp hot sauce
3/4 - 1 lb thinly sliced beef

Method

1. In a medium bowl, combine beef marinade ingredients.  Add beef slices, and let marinate. 
2. In oiled saute pan, sweat onions until translucent and slightly caramelized.
3. Add cabbage, bok choy and butter to the pan and cover.
4. Stir every so often.  When bok choy and cabbage are tender, remove pan from heat and keep covered.
5. In a hot pan, sear the beef until cooked through.
6. Fold scallions into cabbage and add salt to taste.
7. Serve beef over cabbage

Demo Day - Bacon & Cabbage

Bacon & Cabbage

by Chef John N Carminati

Ingredients

3 strips of your favorite bacon, sliced thick Julianne
1 medium cabbage diced
1 medium bok choy diced, separate top from bottom
½ bunch chopped mustard greens

Method

1. In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, render out bacon until it starts to crisp up.
2. Add in cabbage and cover for about 10 to 15 minutes, mixing often.
3. Add the bok choy bottoms then cover again for about 5 min.
4. Add mustard greens and bok choy tops, wait 5-7 min longer and taste.

This was a very simple dish to cook, one you can come back to every so often while you’re working on other things in the kitchen. The best part of this dish (aside from its amazing flavors) is you only need four ingredients. The bacon was just salty enough, and gave off just the right amount of fat to help steam out the cabbage and wilt down the mustard greens to our desired consistency.

I wanted to use mustard greens so much in this dish to prove they’re not as scary as most people think. In fact, mustard greens are off-the-charts high in nutrition and so flavorful - once you bite into them, you definitely know you’re eating a mustard.  Please don’t be afraid of the unknown.  Lessons are learned though trial and error.  You’ll never know if you don’t like something until it’s on your plate.

Keep in mind, and I’ve said this many times before, recipes are always open to interpretation by the one behind the knife.  In your kitchen, you are the chef. There are times during my demos or at home, cooking for my girlfriend, when something in a recipe just doesn’t feel right for the moment.  Change it up a little, and the dish will take on a life of its own.

Food is good.

Parsley & Tomato Salad

At Urban Oasis, we have many different varietals of tomatoes.  Varying in size, color, sweetness and acidity, these different characteristics all play a large part in food paring.  I really wanted to showcase the quality of the farm’s fresh vegetables, so I chose a simple lemon juice dressing. Bringing in the green flavor of celery leaves and the earthiness of parsley gives this salad just what it needs to hold its own on any fine dining room table.

This tomato season has had its ups and downs.  The plants put up a fight early on, but due to farmer Dave’s amazing knowledge and skill, we ended up growing more than we ever hoped for.

Thanks, Dave!

During the demo, I wanted to show these tomatoes off a bit.  Not because I happen to work out there (and think they’re the best ever),  but because I love food. I also love sharing my passion with others, and this was one way to do just that.



Parsley & Tomato Salad

by Chef John N Carminati




Ingredients

1 1/2 cup halved tomatoes
1 cup packed picked parsley leaves
1/2 cup celery leaves
Juice from one large lemon, roughly 5 tbsp
2 1/2 tbsp walnut oil
Red onion, julienned
8 nasturtium leaves chiffonade and chopped stems
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, add tomatoes, onions, nasturtium stems and lemon juice.  Let the flavors marry together a few minutes.
2. Add nasturtium leaves, oil & salt.  Toss together and serve.  
3. Garnish with nasturtium flowers.

First Demo at the Farm - Swiss Chard Caprese Wraps

So, as I mentioned previously, I occasionally perform demos at the farm, themed by a particular ingredient.  Dave and Cathy approached me the first time a few weeks ago to demo ways to serve Swiss chard to the members as they came to pick up their weekly produce.


I was pretty excited about the demo and spent the night before researching Swiss chard, its nutritional values, and ways to eat it.  Swiss chard's a pretty versatile leaf that people don't always think about, and I hoped to change people's minds.  I decided on a simple caprese wrap.  I'd heard a few member mention on occasion that they knew to saute and cook down leafy greens like chard and spinach, and I felt a wrap would make chard the 'showpiece' of the dish.  You don't have to just cook it down into a pile of greens.  Also, the red, white and green of the wrap would make this colorful dish very attractive on the plate for the demo.

I woke up anxious and excited the morning of the demo.  I couldn't wait to get to the farm!  What would the turnout be?  Would the farm members be excited?  Would they think it's a big deal? I needed to stop off at the grocery store on the way in to pick up a few extras for the demo and my farm chores still needed to be done.  I was a bit nervous about the demo space and how it would be designed - it needed to look good for the spectators!  All of these thoughts swirled in the back of mind while I attempted my farm chores.  I needed to make this demo a success... make it taste right.  I kept thinking that I shouldn't cook things in front of people that I hadn't tried before.  I felt confident in my process and the flavors I was shooting for, but you never know what can happen.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture to accompany this first demo - I was way too amped up about my performance  and demo itself to stop and take pictures!  In the middle of it all, I remember looking up  and there was a man buying produce across the way at the market.  I could tell he was listening, but uncertain uncertain about what was going on.  I made it a point to call him over to include him in the demo.  I recognized a few of the members standing around and really loved being able to interact and joke around with everyone!  When the wraps were ready to be plated I looked around and realized I completely forgot to bring presentation plates!  I ended up using the top of a plastic container I brought with me - maybe that's the real reason I forgot to take pictures!

All in all, everything worked out great for the demo!  The members left full of new knowledge about Swiss chard and excited to cook in their own kitchens.  The best part of all - when everyone left the farm, all those wraps made a perfect lunch for Dave, Cathy and myself!

Swiss Chard Caprese Wraps

by Chef John N Carminati

Makes 4 wraps

Ingredients

4-5 leaves Urban Oasis Swiss chard

1 large Urban Oasis Heirloom tomato, cut into petals

1 sliced fresh large mozzarella ball

Urban Oasis lemon basil to taste, roughly chopped

White Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)

Method

1. Lightly blanch and shock Swiss chard. Pat dry.
2. Remove chard spine from each piece. Lay pieces of each leaf flat, overlapping.
3. Drizzle vinaigrette over chard leaves, spreading evenly.
4. Place sliced mozzarella, basil, and 1 tomato petal on each chard leaf pair, near the bottom.
5. If desired, add more vinaigrette. Otherwise season with salt & (optional) pepper.
6. Delicately roll chard wrap in from the bottom, being careful not to tear.

Presentation

Slice wraps on a bias in the center. Arrange on the plate by leaning one half on the other, displaying the open sides. Drizzle vinaigrette over and around the wraps and plate.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tsp finely diced shallots

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup sunflower oil (or any other light oil)

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

pepper, optional

Method

Whisk together all ingredients.

Demo Day - Turnips!

Turnips have been the talk around the farm lately, we've been waiting and watching, then waiting some more for them to be ready.  Now, the wait is over! The beautiful greens rise from their pots, the colorful bulbs reaching from the soil. Much to our excitement, they are ready.  Every member has been getting a few turnips in their goodie bags over the past couple weekends, and the question on everyone's lips has been, "What can I do with turnip greens?" Sounds like a job for the Chef on the Farm! (dat ta da da!) 

A demo for you.

Some time ago, as I was doing my nightly research, I came upon a delightful dish I wanted to try - Wilted Swiss Chard Quesadilla with Cheddar Cheese. Yum! ... if I do say so myself. Keep in mind, unless you are working in a professional kitchen with the Chef peering over your shoulder, recipes tend to change with whomever stands behind the knife. Not every ingredient will be the same, and seasons provide a different flavor.

I put my own spin on it - turnip greens and Spanish onions with avocado pico de gallo, made with radishes and nasturtium. Although, it may be a bit more time consuming than just using the same old stuff - pre shredded cheese blend, dry chicken breast and pre-made salsa in a jar - I promise you will enjoy the end result so much more when you've spent that extra time!

Wilted Turnip Green Goat Cheese Quesadilla with Avocado Pico de Gallo
inspired by DigginFood
Par 4-5 medium quesadillas


Make the pico first so there will be time for the flavors to marry together.


Pico de Gallo


Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, flesh-only, small dice (Roma tomatoes are best, but use what's on hand.)
3 scallions, bottoms sliced
3 tbsp cilantro, fine rough chopped
3-4 Nasturtium petals with steams, finely chop stems and chiffonade petals
7-8 small radishes quartered,  blanched until tender
1 avocado, peeled large diced
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Method
In a medium bowl add all ingredients together, and set aside until ready to serve.


Quesadilla


Ingredients
4 turnip tops washed dried, rough chop leaves, remove most stems reserve the bulbs
2 small Spanish onions thick julienne
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 scallion tops chopped
Olive Oil 
Salt to taste
Whole wheat tortillas (or any kind on hand)
2 tbsp goat cheese per tortilla


Method
Make Turnip Greens Filling

1. In a sauté pan, lightly caramelize onions.  
2. Add in garlic and deglaze the pan with lemon juice.   
3. Add turnip greens and cover.  Let them wilt for about 10-15 minutes, stirring a few times so as not to char the pan.
4. Add scallions and cover for 2 minutes

Assemble the Quesadillas

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a flat skillet.  One tortilla at a time, place on the pan.
2. Add filling to one side of the tortilla, then crumble goat cheese over top of filling. 
3. Fold tortilla over top (Take care when folding it over so as not burn yourself). When both sides are crisp and golden brown, remove it from the pan and set aside.
4. Check the heat on the pan and continue making the rest. 

You can keep assembled quesadillas in a warm oven until they're all finished.

When you're ready to serve, cut each quesadilla into thirds, and place one tip on the other for plating. Top with pico de gallo and chiffonade nasturtium.

As the demo progressed and the quesadillas were coming together, I learned some guests I had in front of me were vegan and some were gluten-free.  I told them a little story about the makings of a chef, and how important it is to be able to adjust the menu according to factors like these.  After some quick thinking, I came up with a little something different, using the bulbs of the turnips. 

Using the same wilted greens for the base of this dish, I added to it orange citrus glazed turnips.  We are lucky to sell the fruits of a local citrus grove here at the farm, which I am a big fan of.  More on that at a later time.

Orange Citrus Glazed Turnips
by Chef John N Carminati 

Ingredients
Turnip greens filling from above
Avocado Pico de Gallo from above
4 turnip bulbs, peeled, halved and quartered. 
2 fresh squeezed oranges

Method

1. Blanche turnips until just before tender.
2. Over high heat, in a oiled pan, sear each side of the turnips.
3. Turn the heat down and deglaze with orange juice.  Reduce until nappe (until it coats the back of a spoon). Season to taste. 

For presentation, place greens then turnips in the center of the plate. Spoon the avocado pico de gallo over the top, letting it fall as it will.

An idea on the fly.