Blueberry-Maple BBQ Sauce

The timing is perfect. New Jersey Blueberries are making their seasonal debut just in time for 4th of July blueberries pies and...blueberries BBQ sauce. Easy and versatile, it will adorn your 4th of July grilling fare.  Try it with grilled local chicken.

Photo courtesy of New Jersey Department of Agriculture

2 cups  blueberries
11/3  champagne vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons  maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine blueberries, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup, allspice and cayenne pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Let cool and puree in the blender until smooth.

6 Ways To Eat More Vegetables (With Recipes!)

Tuesday, June 17 is Eat Your Vegetable Day. 

We didn't even know such day existed. We just eat our veggies every day with great delight. When treated right, vegetables can be the extraordinary main event of your meal.

If consuming your recommended two to three cups of vegetables every day feels like a chore, you are yet to tap into the artful, enchanting and exquisite potential of the edible plant. Below, find 6 ways to beautifully rack up those servings of spring vegetables. Enjoy!

Lamb Lettuce Two Ways

Asparagus Sauce for Pasta

Kale Cacio e Pepe

Arugula and Grilled Peach Salad

And for dessert Beets Bonbon from the ever creative Rose Robson of Robson’s Farm

Sauteed Early Summer Greens

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 lbs tender greens such as chard, spinach, baby kale cut into bite size pieces.

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add greens and toss to coat. Cover and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add vinegar, salt and crushed red pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

1 Spice Rub, 1 BBQ Sauce, 1 Amazing Grilling Recipe for Your Dad

As Father's Day approaches, we would like to share a simple yet amazing grilling recipe. It will be sure to make dads and those who are celebrating them very happy.

We use chicken, but the dry rub and BBQ sauce can also be used on beef, pork, veal, seafood, corn, potatoes, antelope, yak and just about anything else that can be cooked on a grill.

Before you start, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

• A dry rub is preferred for longer cooking times because it will not burn quickly. The sugar in the mix will actually caramelize onto the meat.
• The spice rub recipe is very basic and can be adapted to your taste by using your favorite spices and dried herbs. Feel free to make it spicier, sweeter, saltier, etc.
• Remember that your grill also acts like an oven when the lid is closed, and that your chicken will cook more thoroughly that way. Meats like steak cook better on high heat with an open lid, which ensures the desirable charring outside and a more rare center (which is why thick steaks are better.)
• There are no exact cooking times because the size of meats varies, as does the heat of each grill. You just need to watch and learn about the idiosyncrasies of their grill.

Dry rub mix:

4 tbsp. brown sugar

3 tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dry thyme

1 tsp. dry rosemary

Mix the dry spices and herbs together thoroughly. 

BBQ Sauce:

¼ cup cooking oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, diced

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Up to a week ahead of time, make the simple barbecue sauce. In a saucepan, add the oil, garlic, onion and peppers. Let the mixture cook slowly until the vegetables are soft. Add the brown sugar and let it melt. Add the vinegar, bring to a boil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. This sauce may be pureed if desired.

Simple Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into quarters, bones in

Spice rub

BBQ sauce

Method:

Rub the chicken pieces all over with the spice rub; let rest for at least 15 minutes (or as long as overnight). The flavors will permeate deeper the longer the chicken marinates. Preheat your grill on high heat, making sure that the grates are clean. Add the chicken pieces and lower the heat to medium. (Cook for longer at a lower heat to prevent burning.)

Cook the chicken with the lid closed and check it often to make sure it does not burn. You can adjust the heat accordingly, allowing common sense to dictate whether or not the bird is cooking too quickly or too slowly.

When the chicken is less than two minutes away from being fully cooked, baste it with your sauce. Turn once and baste the other side. Serve.

For more grilling recipes and tips, join Jim's grilling class on June 27th. Click here for details.

Crespelles With Local Strawberries + How to Chiffonade Like a Pro

This time of year, when the markets are full of fragrant strawberries just begging for a touch of something rich and creamy, crespelles, Italian crepes with creamy filling and fresh strawberries, are the perfect treats. Everybody loves them as they are, but to make them extra special, and as a nod to the Italian flag, add some basil cut into thin ribbons (this is called chiffonade; see note). And remember: The First Rule of Pancakes applies here, too. The first few crepes may not come out that perfect.

Note: To make chiffonade: stack about five leaves of basil into a neat pile. With practice, you’ll be able to handle more at a time. Roll the leaves lengthwise into a fairly tight cigar shape. Use your sharpest knife to slice across the cigar into thin ribbons. Fluff the chiffonade with your fingertips to separate the ribbons. Serve, if you want with some homemade strawberry jam.

Crepes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup melted butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

3 cups milk

Additional melted butter as needed

In a mixing bowl combine the flour and sugar. Whisk the eggs and milk and fold in gradually using a rubber spatula, adding more milk if needed to help thin out the batter. The consistency should be just slightly thicker than that of heavy cream. Fold in the melted butter. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour to settle.

Heat a wide, shallow non-stick pan over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of the melted butter. Swirl it around to cover the entire surface of the pan. The pan is hot enough when the butter begins to sizzle.

Ladle about two ounces of the crepe batter and cover the bottom of the pan. When it is ready to turn the batter will not have any liquid left on top. Cook for about a minute, turn, and cook for another thirty seconds. Remove and let cool at room temperature. You can stack the crepes as you go.

Cannoli Filling:

Ricotta cheese

Mascarpone cheese

Cinnamon

Granulated sugar

Combine the ricotta cheese and mascarpone cheese and mix with a rubber spatula. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Plate Set-up:

Fresh sliced local strawberries

2 tsp confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp fresh basil cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade)

Fill the center of the crepe with the cannoli filling and roll. Spoon the strawberries over the crepe and dust with confectioner’s sugar and a few ribbons of basil. Fold the crepe over the filling and serve.

Lamb Lettuce Two Ways

Local spring greens are here. Crisp, vibrant, and utterly delicious.

We've just come across a nifty gardening trick to keep the bugs from the lettuce. It included a tip on cleaning the lettuce, but no recipes. So I decided to step in and offer some recipes.

The greens recipes below suit many greens but I want to highlight a less popular yet delicious - lamb lettuce (aka Mâche or corn salad).

In my humble opinion, lamb lettuce bears no resemblance to lamb but some say the name comes from the lettuce's resemblance to lamb's tongue. So be it.

The dark leaves are long and spoon-shaped and have a distinctive, tangy flavor. It is used raw in salads as well as steamed and served as a vegetable.

The season is starting now and you can find lamb lettuce at farmer’s markets and good produce sections. Choose dark, narrow leaves that are springy and unwilted. Store in an airtight plastic bag in the fridge and use quickly because it doesn't hold well. Use as a main ingredient in salads or cooked and served as a side vegetable.

Wilted Lamb Lettuce with Shallot Vinaigrette

You can substitute with spinach or baby kale.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 pounds triple washed lamb lettuce

For vinaigrette:

1 small shallot, chopped

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon zest

4 ounces Cherry Grove Farm Buttercup Brie, thinly sliced

Make vinaigrette:

Combine the shallots, salt, and vinegar and mix well and macerate for about 30 minutes. Stir in the honey and gradually add the oil, stirring to emulsify the vinaigrette. Taste and correct seasoning.

Saute lettuce

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. Saute garlic in oil for 2 or 3 minutes. Add lamb lettuce to the pan in stages. Fill the pan with leaves and turn leaves in warm oil until they wilt. Add more leaves to the skillet and repeat the process until all of the lamb lettuce is incorporated. Season the wilted greens with salt and pepper. Serve warm with vinaigrette as a side dish, or top with local brie and serve with some crusty bread as a light satisfying meal.

Assemble the salad:

In a bowl, toss the greens with some vinaigrette to coat, arrange on four serving plates. . Sprinkle some lemon zest. Arrange the cheese over the greens. Drizzle some more vinaigrette. Serve immediately with some crusty bread.

Lamb Lettuce Salad with Mango and Hazelnuts

Catch the end of mango season.

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 cups lamb lettuce or arugula

1 cup toasted hazelnuts broken into pieces

1/2 cup crispy bacon bits, heated just before serving.

Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar with salt and whisk until emulsified. In a bowl, mix the lamb lettuce and walnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss to coat.

Place the mango on a platter. Toss the leaves with vinaigrette and place over the peaches. Garnish with the crispy bacon and serve immediately.

Breakfast From The Farmers Market

Did you get a lot of greens for the farmers market? Make a fritatta! You can serve it hot or at room temperature. It works as a brunch item, sandwich filling and even a light dinner.

Swiss Chard at the Princeton Farmers Market

6 cups baby Swiss chard leaves, packed (available at farmers markets) or 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves stripped from stems (save stems for another use)
Salt to taste

1/2 lb asparagus, steamed until al dente, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

6 eggs (Beechtree Farm, Lima Farm and many other form sell super delicious eggs)

1/4 cup cream (optional)

1 cup grated aged cheese such as manchego or parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

Asparagus at Stults Farm, Plainsboro, NJ

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet and add garlic. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped chard and cook, stirring, until ingredients are combined and greens wilted and nicely coated with oil. Remove from heat and let cool. Chop the greens.

Heat up a generous amount of olive oil in a 9-inch ovenproof skillet. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt (about half a teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper to taste. Whisk in cream, cheese and asparagus. Stir in greens mixture.

When the oil is shimmering, scrape in the egg mixture. The bottom should coagulate right away. Cook over the stove for a couple of minutes. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes, or until set and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm, room temperature or cold.

Whole Wheat Pappardelle with Spring Lamb, Artichokes and Fava Beans

You’ve heard it a thousand times, but that’s because it’s true-spring has finally sprung for good! (We hope.) Is there a better way to bring in the new season than spring lamb braised with seasonal bright green vegetables? The fresh combo complements spring’s blooms and blossoms.

Fava Beans

Few vegetables play as hard-to-get as fresh fava beans. They appear for a short time in the spring and require tedious preparation. You need to remove the beans from their pod, and then peel the skin from of each one of them. Yes, you can buy them shelled, but they are not quite the same.

Local lamb is available from Double Brook Farm and Beechtree Farm. Both will participate in the up-and-coming Princeton Forrestal Village Farmers Market. Jim will cook a whole Spring Lamb Chef Dinner on May 23.

Whole Wheat Pappardelle with Spring Lamb, Artichokes and Fava Beans

Serves 10

1 lamb shoulder, boned and cut into cubes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, sliced

3 tbsp. tomato paste

2 cups dry white wine

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

¼ cup fresh shelled fava beans, frozen peas or frozen uncooked lima beans

4 large artichokes cooked and quartered, chokes and “hairy” centers removed, or frozen artichokes hearts.

Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

¼ cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

1 pound whole wheat pappardelle or other pasta, cooked just before serving according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large heavy pan on the stove on high heat. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan and then the lamb, being careful not to splatter. Make sure you don’t crowd the pan. Brown the meat well on all sides. You may need to work in two or three batches.

Remove the meat to an ovenproof casserole. Add the garlic and onion to the pan in which you cooked the meat and cook, stirring frequently until opaque. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly for about two minutes. Add the wine and the rosemary, bring to a moderate boil and reduce by half. Pour the liquid over the lamb and add 2 cups water or stock. Cover the casserole and roast for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, carefully take off the lid (beware of the steam) and add the favas and artichokes. Check for seasoning and add the parsley. Serve tossed with the pasta and pass the pecorino!