cheddar lime zucchini fritters

Lovely people - I've been mighty silent for quite some time now, but don't fear - I'm back in action this week! I've been hinting that a big move was heading my way in discussing the project of eating through our massive pantry... but I never really laid it all out. 

So! The move has happened, and while there are still plenty of empty spaces and belongings we haven't found a home for - our new home is starting to feel more and more like our own. Babes and I are creating this new home in Portland, Oregon - far far away from our little town on the bay in northern Michigan! It's a somewhat short term move as he gets settled in a new position at the FoodCorps headquarters for a year or two, but we couldn't be more excited to explore this foodie and outdoor heaven in the west! 

Here's to a few years surrounded by inspiration for my work, and a study in cooking in a small space (more on the new kitchen soon!). To kick things off, lets just take a moment to appreciate these simply divine cheddar lime zucchini fritters. I rushed back into work with my monthly piece for The Awesome Mitten due the day after we unpacked the kitchen supplies, and with a stroke of genius decided to add a kick of fresh lime juice and some grated Grafton Aged Cheddar to my zucchini fritters. It was a smashing success! 

I never get sick of simple zucchini fritters lightly pan fried to perfection, which makes them perfect for using up an excess of zucchini! These are amazing served with a generous squeeze of fresh lime and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.

This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

ingredients: 

1 pound zucchini, grated

1 tsp salt

2 scallions, sliced into thin rounds

1 large egg

Freshly ground black pepper & more salt to taste

about 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (I just squeeze in the juice from 1/4 of a lime)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup aged cheddar cheese, grated

canola or another hight heat oil for frying

instructions: 

Place grated zucchini and salt in a bowl, give it a good stir, and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the zucchini into a mesh bag, cheese cloth, or just wrap it into a clean dishtowel, then squeeze it with all you've got over the sink until you've removed as much water as you possibly can. I guarantee you'll be amazed at how much water you can squeeze out! This helps create a fluffier fritter.

Put the zucchini back in your bowl and stir in the egg and a pinch or two more salt, beating it slightly in the process. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and stir to combine (so they distribute evenly), then add that and all of the remaining ingredients to your main bowl (except the oil for frying, of course!) and stir until it is well combined. 

Now, we just need to cook them! Heat a pan (I like to use cast iron for this) over medium-high heat, then add enough oil to create a thin layer over the bottom of your pan. Dollop in as many mounds of the batter as you can, flattening them a bit with your spoon. Once they've browned (maybe two minutes or so depending on your pan), flip and let brown on the other side. Repeat with your remaining batter, then enjoy. And don't forget, these are best served with a generous squeeze of lime juice and a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt!

springtime spring rolls!

most of you know by now, but i'm in the process of eating through our pantry. daniel and i are packing up and moving across the country in just over a month, and we have A LOT of food to eat before we leave. these are the "benefits" of loving grocery shopping the way most ladies enjoy shopping for clothes. 

one of the lovely things stashed away in that pantry is a rather large stockpile of spring roll wrappers. thankfully, you can put just about anything into fresh spring rolls and they're delicious! which is exactly why i think that spring rolls are something every home cook should have stashed up their sleeve. veggies, tempeh, leftover chicken or pork - they're all perfect for turning into a quick meal of spring rolls. 

so, today i give you the springtime spring roll - packed with all of these amazing fresh and local ingredients: 

fresh local asparagus from some of my favorite market folks at greenrock farm, 

pea shoots from our dear friends at birch point farm, 

wild leek greens picked by yours truly while cursing the lack of morel mushrooms in our special foraging spot,

and some carrots for good measure! 

now, for my two secrets to making (and enjoying) great spring rolls! first, practice makes perfect and ugly spring rolls still taste amazing. it might take you a few meals to get the hang of wrapping tight spring rolls. mine still aren't perfect - but they're still perfectly enjoyable!

second, no spring roll is complete without a tasty dipping sauce. it is a great sauce that gives spring rolls their addictive oomph! so i'm giving you two options of sauces to choose from here, both homemade.

the first is a miso and tahini dressing from smitten kitchen that i've aptly named "crack" in my household. i use it as a salad dressing, dip spring rolls in it, and i've been known to down a whole bunch of carrots with an open jar of sauce on the side.

the second is a peanut butter sauce which you may remember from my kale and tempeh salad if you're an avid reader. i love this sauce on kale salads, for dipping spring rolls, and well a myriad of other joys!  

i'm a sucker for savory dipping sauces like these. i just about always have one of these two dressings pre-made in my fridge for when a craving strikes and i just don't want to put in much work. may i suggest you do the same? believe me, you'll be thankful you did! 

alright! enough gabbing, lets get down to making your own springtime spring rolls. you'll be sitting down to a big plate of fresh goodness like this one in no time! 

if you want to go with the peanut dipping sauce - just follow the ingredients and instructions from this post. 

miso & tahini dipping sauce ingredients: 

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger 

2 cloves of garlic 

3 Tbsp miso paste (any type will work, but i like red miso for a stronger flavor) 

2 Tbsp tahini 

1 Tbsp honey 

1/4 cup rice vinegar 

2 Tbsp sesame oil 

2 Tbsp vegetable oil 

miso & tahini dipping sauce instructions: 

this couldn't be easier - just puree all the ingredients together. i use my immersion blender and the little cup it came with for this, but you could also use a food processor or a blender. if you're motor-less, just chop the garlic and ginger extra fine and give it a good stir! 

spring roll ingredients: 

spring roll wrappers 

a few spears of asparagus, sliced in half lengthwise and into 3 inch long pieces

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks 

greens of one wild leek, chopped into ribbons 

pea shoots 

cooked farro, or rice noodles 

spring roll instructions: 

first, prepare some water for wetting your spring roll wrappers. i like to use a rimmed plate wide enough to submerge the whole wrapper, but you could also use a pie dish or a frying pan - the options are endless! 

now, you just have to assemble! working one at a time, dip the wrapper into the water making sure to thoroughly wet both sides, you want the wrapper to start to become flexible so you can easily form the spring rolls. 

once the wrapper is wet, place it on a dry work surface (i usually use a wooden cutting board). pile your fillings into a long mound in the center of the wrapper. fold the wrapper around the two ends of the filling to keep everything inside, then roll it up as tight as you can! just like a sticky burrito! 

farro risotto with the brinery tempeh, and eating through the pantry

so... what's in your pantry?

if your kitchen is anything like mine, there is a seemingly endless supply of dry goods that haven't made it into the typical rotation of meals. i love having infrequently used ingredients on hand for when inspiration strikes, and folks tend to gift me pantry items for my love of cooking. 

for that reason, we have a healthy supply of unique dry beans, assorted lentils, uncommon grains and mung beans. so many mung beans. sometimes i open the pantry door and can't think anything but "where did all of this stuff come from? when did we buy this?!" 

if your pantry for some totally crazy reason holds the same treasures as mine - you're in for a treat! we're on a mission to eat through the pantry and the freezer before moving (more on that soon!) in just a few short months. how are we going to accomplish that? we've committed to buying nothing but fresh, perishable items. it's time to get creative with what we have, and take advantage of having months of food stored away! so - the blog will be featuring a number of recipes filled with the treasures of my pantry! 

thankfully, the freezer held the joyful bounty of tempeh from the brinery in ann arbor. this, my friends, is leagues beyond any tempeh you've tasted to this day. unpasteurized and traditionally made, both the texture and the flavor are out of this world. if you're in michigan, i HIGHLY recommend you test this tempeh out! 

plus, we have farro coming out of our ears - so here we go, farro tempeh with carrot, kale, and tempeh! 

ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups farro 

3/4 cup white wine 

1 medium yellow onion, diced 

2 medium carrots, diced to about the size of cooked farro 

2 cups chopped kale 

1  8oz package of tempeh, cut into half inch cubes 

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth 

2 tsp dried rubbed sage (or fresh if you have it!) 

4 Tbsp butter 

salt & pepper to taste 

1  1/2 cups grated piave cheese (or parmesan) 

instructions: 

bring 4 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan, add farro, and let simmer for 10 minutes. remove from heat, strain, and set aside. 

heat broth in a saucepan, bringing it just to a simmer and then keeping it warm. 

while the farro is cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan with sides at least a few inches high. add the onion and sauté until it starts to brown.  

add the slightly cooked farro, and stir until it is covered with butter. add wine and let simmer, stirring constantly until most of the wine has been absorbed. add salt, pepper, and sage. 

while continuing to stir constantly, add the warm broth about one third cup at a time, not adding more until the previous addition has been completely absorbed. 

once you've added about half the broth, add the carrots and continue the process. 

with two additions of broth remaining, add the tempeh and continue. add the kale with the last addition of broth. 

once you've added all the broth, make sure the farro is cooked through. use more broth if needed until the farro is soft. this should take about 25 minutes from the first addition of broth. 

when cooked, remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted and evenly distributed.