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!

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.

Warm Kale Salad - Dedicated to Cathy Hume

A few weeks ago, when I did the demo with kale, this was something I threw together on the fly. It wasn't anything I thought would be very impressive, but as I ran through the recipe, my mind changed about the whole thing!  It turned out to be a big hit with Dave and Cathy.  In fact, they have been begging me to post this recipe ever since.  Short of procrastinating, finally I've got it for you.

I must tell you how easy this was to make and how quick it was ready to eat. Remember, this is just my way of doing it - please feel free to adjust the recipe and add your own twist on it.  Let me know in the comments how it turned out and what you did.   I'm all about learning something new.

Warm Kale Salad

Ingredients
3 tbsp small diced sweet onions
2 tsp fine chopped garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp dried cranberries
1 bunch kale, washed, drained, & roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp feta cheese
Salt to taste

Method

1. Over a med to high heat skillet, sweat out onions and garlic in oil.
2. When the onions just start to caramelize, add in the kale and cover.
3. After about a minute, remove the lid and toss in dried cranberries.  Cover again (the water left on the kale after washing it will help create the steam to wilt it down).
4. After one more minute, or until just wilted though, remove the lid and toss in feta cheese.  Season to taste.
5. Portion out and enjoy.

One of the great things about demoing at the farm, is having "all you can eat" fresh cut greens available at lunch time.  Having an endless amount of fresh produce at my fingertips helps give me just what I need to make it though the day.  It gives me the taste I crave, and aids my creative mind.  I hope you all have the same thing and can appreciate the hard work and love that goes into each and every plant out there.

Here's to you, Miss Cathy,
Eat well.