kitchenvixen.ca

A recipe collection that spans the seasons from chefs Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann at the Ancaster Old Mill, just outside of Toronto, Earth to Table: Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm is almost a how-to guide on eating locally, seasonally, and ethically.

From advice on choosing farmed fish that doesn't harm its environment to commentary on using more than just "choice" cuts of meat and from tips on foraging in the spring to canning in the summer, Crump and Schormann take you on a culinary journey.

Crump admits he's only after the end product. And the end product has to taste good. He writes: "A local, seasonal, organic tomato tastes better than its alternative... I suppose if it were the other way around, I'd have to consider switching, luckily I don't."

The recipe titles scream simplicity. What you see is what you get: Chicken Under a Brick; Salt-Baked Arctic Char, Bread and Butter Pudding. They are all exactly what you would expect. Start with good ingredients, and it's hard to go far wrong. Some jumped out at me. I can't weight to try my hand at the Mile-High Pumpkin Pie, the Oatmeal Molasses Bread, or the One-Pot Fish Soup with Rouille. And I'm already dreaming of spring when I can try my hand at some of their rhubarb offerings.

I tried out one recipe, which I've been given permission to reproduce here by Random House. I should note that the recipe in the book gives you the amount of potatoes in weight, as well as a unit count.

I would go with the unit count. The weight (4 1/2 lbs for 4 medium potatoes) didn't seem quite right (that would be some heavy potatoes), and when I tried it that way, the mixture came out quite wet, and not workable.

I roasted my potatoes on a bed of salt in their skins, which helps keep the mixture drier, and I used a potato ricer, to lessen the mashing which can cause the potatoes to become more glutinous, which makes for tougher gnocchi. Though as noted in the recipe, the addition of sweet potato will lessen the chances of that happening.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

By Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann, authors of Earth to Table

Adding sweet potatoes to a gnocchi recipe makes it a little easier for the home cook to pull off, because sweet potatoes have less starch than potatoes, and a high starch content can make gnocchi dense and tough. The combination of sage and sweet potatoes is one for the ages.

Serves 6 as a main course

4 medium sweet potatoes

4 medium Yukon gold potatoes

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

12 fried sage leaves (see tip) 

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place sweet potatoes and potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 2 hours. Let cool slightly, then cut in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. (This should yield about 5 lbs of roasted potato mixture.)

Add flour, salt and pepper to the potato mixture and mix together until smooth. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs. Using a fork and starting in the center of the mixture, incorporate eggs into mixture. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a soft, slightly sticky, spongy dough forms, being careful not to work dough too much. Shape into a ball and place on a lightly floured cutting board. Cut ball into 8 pieces and cover with a clean tea towel. Dust a baking sheet with flour.

On a lightly floured surface, working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping the rest covered, roll each piece into a 20-inch rope, about 1⁄2 inch thick. Cut rope into 1-inch lengths. Using your thumb, roll each piece of dough over the back of the tines of a floured fork, leaving an indention from your thumb on one side and the markings from the fork on the other. Place gnocchi on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Plunge half the gnocchi into the boiling water. Once they float to the surface, cook for 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet or plate and continue cooking the remaining gnocchi. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and fried sage leaves.

TIP:  There is such a things as “tough herbs” or winter herbs, like sage or rosemary.  These hearty herbs that keep growing well after the first snowfall can handle being fried- the result is crispy and delicious.  In a small frying pan heat ½ cup of canola oil until hot but not smoking.  Add hers band cook until crispy, about 30 seconds, and remove from oil using tongs.  Transfer to a paper plate lined with paper towel and use as needed.

Excerpted from Earth to Tableby Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann. Photographs Copyright © 2009 by Edward Pond. Excerpted by permission of Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.