Iron Chef Win: Sleeping Frog Farms, Ruchikala & Lilly’s Table

This past Cinco de Mayo the Watershed Management Group here in Tucson put on a Local Foods Iron Chef fundraiser. My dear friend Kusuma Rao of Ruchikala and I teamed up to create a dish using their secret ingredient. Unlike the Food Network’s Iron Chef there were a few differences to this event. First, we were up against five other impressive teams of dedicated local food lovers. Next, we received the secret ingredient the week prior and most of the food was prepared in advance to feed a crowd of 150 all judging us to see who would “reign supreme.”

Kusuma and I spent a few weeks discussing, brainstorming and munching on the possibilities prior to learning about the secret ingredient prickly pear juice. We are each relatively comfortable with the ingredient, which is a common local food here in Tucson. Actually, my first experience with them was just last year when I picked them off of the cactus that cuddles up to our mailbox. They simply need to be carefully washed, blended to a puree and than strained to remove any residual prickers and thorns. 

The third part of the collaboration was Sleeping Frog Farm. By chance we ended up driving out to the farm to pick up the produce for our creation and were able to meet & spend some time with the crew there. I have been wanting to see this farm since I have been dining on their greens and things after our move to Tucson and it was a treat to be able to work with their beautiful produce. 

Having grown up in Tucson, Kusuma (aka Kumi), knows even more than I about how to dive further into the integrity and beauty of the prickly pear juice with an interesting method of freezing and defrosting to strain off the richest color and flavor. For whatever reason reducing prickly pear juice by stovetop seems to diminish the intense magenta color and leaves the flavor a mere whisper of its original self, so Kumi’s efforts & technique were essential for the final product. She whipped the concentrated flavor into a beautiful spicy gastrique which is an almost caramelized syrup with hints of vinegar, guajillo chilies and chile cascabel.  

My favorite part of the entire process was the joy of working with Kumi and collaborating with one of the most talented chefs I have the privilege to know.  When we finally were happy with the finished product it contained seven elements. The beauty of this was the base masa cup was entirely a collaboration and then by chance we each took on three of the remaining layers as our own. 

The base cups were colored with shreds of Sleeping Frog Farm’s ruby colored beets along with Achiote & Sarina Pudi spice blends created by Kumi. I next took the beet-masa mixture and formed them into little cups that resembled terra cotta plant pots, hence the name cazuelitas.

Next, we filled them with the goods. I toasted coconut to blend in with another local favorite, drought-resistent Tepary Beans from the Tohono O’odom tribe. These refried white beans became the base filling inside the cups. Kumi sauteed onions, garlic and more Sleeping Frog Farm beets with South Indian tharka spice & chipotle which become the top inside layer in the cup. 

Kusuma also created one of the most heavenly Mole Rojo’s I have ever experienced with tangy tomatillos, pecans, sesame, chocolate and mulato chilies. This was paired with her Prickly Pear Gastrique and placed just above the beet layer and on the plate for the guest to dip as they desired. 

The top of the cazuelitas were crowded with a Prickly Pear Slaw I created with Sleeping Frog Farm beet greens and chard. Many thanks to my husband Xerxes for his masterful skills at turning dark leafy greens into seemingly endless piles of paper thin shreds. My final touch were Candied Chipotle Pepitas that were just baked in a toss of coconut oil, Native Seeds/SEARCH chipotle powder and sugar until toasty golden. Diners were given these to sample as they walked up and watched us assemble their mini creation to order. 

 Fundraisers and events that highlight the joys of the food that can naturally grow in our desert climate are essential for our health and that of our planet. Organizations such as the Watershed Management Group are making incredible efforts to preserve not just our watershed but the local food system.

Finally I would like to raise a Prickly Pear Margarita in thanks to WMG, the Food Conspiracy Co-op for letting us use your beautiful new kitchen, Dana & Paul for the Tohono O’odham Tepary Beans, Xerxes for your endless support & knife skills, Kumi’s parents with their backstage assistance & support, to all of the guests of the WMG Iron Chef dinner, especially those who voted for us and encouraged us throughout the evening. And a final cheers to my kitchen partner Kumi, may we have many future food collaborations whether they are online, over the phone, in another state, country, or just across whatever stove someone dares us to use. It has been a joy! 

For more info and photos from the event check out Xerxes’ post, too. 

Beets & Seeds Burgers

Tucson has a happening food scene that I am always thrilled to be involved in. Living in a desert especially, much attention is given to the limited water resources and drought surviving native plants among many other topics. It is almost because of this strain on resources that many folks come together. 

Last weekend, I was invited to a dinner discussion with the film makers of a documentary about the young farmers community, The Greenhorns. They are in the process of producing follow up short films as they bring the message that the next generation of farmers are ready and willing to step up to change the way food comes to our tables. Our small gathering of Tucson food movers and shakers was inspiring as each guest shared their knowledge and work here. Actually in all honesty, it was an intimidating crowd of hard working folks ranging from urban desert farmers to rain water harvesters to a couple of solar energy dudes, everyone an activist in their own way. And then there was lil’ old me, the chef. In the end, I did my job to fit in with the crowd. I talked about my work on Food Day, the Farm to Child program with the Community Food Bank and I brought these Beets & Seeds Burgers. Arguably my most important contribution were probably these little vegan numbers. While there was plenty of food all around including native tepary beans, local tortillas, spring salads and homemade olives and rosemary bread, I clearly should have made a triple batch. I welcome the next opportunity.

I am tempted to try these on my barbeque, but have not yet as they seem to be a fragile veggie burger prone to falling apart a bit. Placing them on a baking sheet and baking them up keeps them together nicely though and once they are cooked they rarely fall apart. 

In Season: Cabbage for St. Patty’s Day & Beyond

If one ingredient graces your table this St. Patrick’s Day may it be cabbage! In the United States, we tend to have our sights set on Corned Beef & Cabbage despite the fact that the Irish do not. I am a big fan of the dish myself and even though salt pork is more common on the Emerald Isle than corned beef, cabbage is an Irish staple. 

It is thought the Celts brought cabbage to Ireland and it flourished in the chilly weather. It also survived throughout the famine when potato plants were turning black, cabbage was unaffected and continued to feed the hungry.

Cabbage is a diverse vegetable making many culinary performances from being cooked to tenderness, pickled into sauerkraut, or served raw tossed in creamy dressed coleslawor light & tangy variations. 

To select:
Look for firm heads of cabbage that have a bit of shine to them and are fairly heavy for their size. The outer leaves will be removed prior to cooking, but any severe browning, cuts or discoloration could be a sign the inside is less than satisfactory.

To prepare:
Cabbage is usually left in chunks, chopped or thinly shredded. However you prepare it, the stem is perfect for the compost. Remove the outer layer of leaves. Cut almost in half, just along the core into two pieces. Take the side with the core and cut along it again. Lay the final piece with the stem on a flat side and slice off the core at a slightly curved angle. At this point, your cabbage is released to be chopped or left in chunks.

To store:
Left whole a fresh cabbage head will last for a week or two in the fridge. Once it is cut, wrap it in a bag or a sealed container and use within a couple of days.

Fermenting cabbage:
Salty brines have been used throughout the world to create delicious condiments from sauerkraut to kimchi to curdito. My quick version of the Salvadoran cabbage salsa Curdito is lightly fermented and more of a lime infused slaw perfect for topping tacos or more popularly papusas.

In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day this week you can simply Braise Cabbage & Potatoesor flavor it up as Sweet & Sour Cabbage. For a more elegant twist on our Irish-American tradition try the Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls.

As winter comes to a close, learn more about cabbage’s restorative health benefits to our digestive tracts through Dr. Rosen’s blog this week.

By the end of this week, I hope all of you Irish lovers are letting your green shine, especially in cabbage form. If you are still hungry don’t hesitate to whip up a Guinness Float too. ;)

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,

Chef Lilly

tangy, bright & sassy grapefruit

Moving last year we each had a few dreams for our new home. Knowing citrus trees grow here, I suddenly longed to have a citrus tree of any kind in my yard. My wish came true! The blossoms were enchantingly fragrant last spring and now almost a year later we are finally slicing into these ruby red beauties. Whether you are in citrus country or not, this is the time of year to seek out this beautiful fruit.

To pick your grapefruit: By nature they are not going to be sweet like an orange, but rather tangy & various levels of sour. Finding a juicy one that is not too tart is ideal. As you pick through the fruit find one that has a bit of give when gently squeezed. Color is more dependent on variety since they range from yellow to salmon to dusty pink, but in general green is not a shade you want to see. Next, give it a sniff. The more ‘grapefruit’ aroma the less you should pucker when you bite in. While Ruby Red’s have a reputation for being less sour I have enjoyed plenty of almost sweet yellow fleshed fruit, so explore and enjoy!

To prepare: While they can be peeled and eaten in segments as you might an orange, removing the white membranes will give you a little less bitterness in your bite. The most common way to see grapefruit is in open halves for breakfast. Take it a step further and try broiling them cut open. With or without a sprinkle of sugar the tops will caramelize and while I cannot prove it, this method makes them seemingly sweeter. Next time you halve a grapefruit for breakfast give them even more life with Cardamom-Ginger Grapefruit instead.

Grapefruit cooks up beautifully, whether you start with the juice or lightly saute the fruit segments. Simmered down into syrupy sauces is a tantalizing compliment for fish, scallops and even shrimp. Try this Grapefruit Salmon and experiment using the sauce with your favorite seafood.

One of grapefruit’s best friends are avocados, whose creamy deep flavor balances the tartness perfectly. A simple Citrus Avocado Salad will make any dinner more beautiful. But, this Grapefruit Avocado Salsa will bring tacos, seafood and more into a new delicious light.

What about the Grapefruit Diet?
This week Dr. Rosen is diving into whether or not there is any validity to the diet. She makes great points about dieting in general and overall I am happy to see grapefruit comes on top as a natural weight loss aid.

One last tip… composting the beautiful flavor packed rind leaves me a bit sad at times. Before juicing or eating the fruit, I have started zesting my citrus and tossing it with sugar to be enjoyed later or drying the zest into Citrus Salts via Heidi Swanson. 

Whether you prefer it juiced, for breakfast, or simmered into elegant sauces, now is the time to seek out this lovely fruit. 

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well, 

Chef Lilly 

Cauliflower Roast

When my house is chilly, I often want to cook in a more leisurely way, letting the oven do most of the work while I sit back and drink a cup of tea catch up on the seemingly endless list of duties involved with keeping ones house free from clutter and dirt. This job was not my favorite when I was single. After marriage, housework became a shared responsibility, but somehow involved more stuff to clean. Today, I have taken to calling my sweet toddler the reorganizer, because just as soon as I think that the pots & pans are finally back in place or her mini-kitchen is looking just darling, I turn around and everything has found a new home typically interspersed with each other. When I want to bake bread, I now look in her kitchen for my loaf pans. Overall, my standards that weren’t very high to begin with have lowered just as my deep desire to live in something, anything clean has increased dramatically. 

On those days when the house or Juliette need my undivided attention, I try to chop and prep as quickly as possible and let the oven do the work. 

On Lilly’s Table I have two versions of the Cauliflower Roast. One vegan with garlic and olive oil the other stuffed with cheese. For even more detailed recipes check out the Cauliflower Roast and the Cauliflower Cheesehead. 

Here are the basics for making either… 

Select a baking dish just larger than your head of cauliflower. Often this is a pie pan or a 9x9 baking dish. 

To prepare the cauliflower, trim off the large green leaves and most of the base while still keeping the cauliflower head intact. 

Preheat the oven to 425. Place the cauliflower in the dish and drizzle on a generous amount of olive oil, usually I do about 1/4 cup or more if I am leaving it vegan, if I am adding cheese later in the cooking process I use about half of the oil. Next, I sprinkle a generous coat of salt all over, about a teaspoon until every speck is covered. Place the cauliflower core side down. I sprinkle a couple cloves of minced garlic all over, landing mostly in the oil around it. Place it in the oven. 

Every 20 minutes, pull it out just long enough to scoop up some of the olive oil to drizzle back on top. Essentially basting it. Usually after about an hour of cooking, slice into the head with a butter knife. If it still feels firm and is already golden, simply turn off the heat and let the roast continue to cook as the oven cools.  

Want to add cheese? First, you can get away with using only a mere tablespoon of olive oil, the cheese is certainly enough of a flavor profile. Skip the basting altogether and about 45 minutes in flip the whole head and stuff the inside with about 1/2 cup or more of shredded or crumbled cheese. I often do the sharpest cheddar I can find, but gruyere, nutty parmesan or even a crumble of blue cheese would each taste great. Bake for another 15-25 minutes. Checking every 10 minutes or so to make sure the cheese is not burning. 

If at any time your cauliflower (in either situation) is getting too dark, simply lower the heat and anticipate a bit extra roasting time. 

Hopefully, at the end of the hour, you will have dinner ready and your kitchen won’t be too shabby either. 

In Season: Sweet Potatoes

one potato, two potato, three potato… Sweet Potato!

This week I want to share my love of sweet potatoes. Not only because they are popping up in the warmer parts of the country, but because they store quite well throughout the winter, are still easy to find this time of year and are powerhouses of flavor and nutrients that are needed during these colder months.

Often you will see sweet potatoes listed as yams. At grocery stores, if you see Garnet Yams or Jewel Yams know you are actually looking at a sweet potato.

Sweet potatoes are joyfully diverse to play with in your kitchen. I serve them raw like carrot sticks, stir-fried or sauteed in thin pieces, shredded, or roasted. I also consider sweet potatoes my lazy meal, because after a quick scrub the whole vegetable, skin and all, can be tossed in the oven and roasted until soft as I did with these Lime Sweet Potatoes. After roasting, they are great plain or added to other dishes such as the Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas or the Sweet Potato & Bean Shepherd’s Pie.

Of course, I frequently take a bit more effort by peeling and chopping the sweet potatoes into the Jamaican Sweet Potato Salad or the Creamed Coconut Sweet Potatoes.

To select sweet potatoes…
The less banged up the better, but in most cases dark spots and scars can be cut or peeled off. Discard any soft or mushy sweet potatoes. This often starts at the pointy tips and is evidence of a soon to rot sweet potato.

One of the best features of sweet potatoes is they are nutrient packed and lower on the glycemic index then regular potatoes. Just check out Dr. Rosen’s blog about Sweet Potatoes for Blood Sugar for more information about their incredible health benefits.

The next time you need a nutritious, easy dinner you are only a sweet potato away.