Quilting and Roasted Sunchokes

I have always wanted to make a quilt.

Not just any quilt.

I have always wanted to make a big, heirloom, queen sized quilt for TBHITW and my bed.

I know how to sew but I do not know how to make a quilt.

Until today.

My good friend Anne knows how to quilt (her quilts are beautiful) and she is going to teach me how to make my own. Starting today.

Yesterday we went to the fabric store and I think I died and went to heaven. The colors!! The choices!! I decided for my first quilt I would use my favorite colors, yellow and green.

I'm going to name this quilt "Summertime". The back will be a rust colored cotton reminiscent of the colors of newly turned earth. The green is like a meadow, the yellow represents the sun and the cream is the color of wheat.

Per Anne's instructions, last night while the rest of the world watched the Super Bowl, I washed, dried and ironed the fabric (Go Saints!). Today she will show me how to cut it. We are designing a "Nine Patch" quilt. Anne informs me a Nine Patch is a good beginner quilt. Eventually we will work our way up to the Ohio Star and (be still my pounding heart and aching fingers) the Log Cabin design.

This quilt will cover our bed in our new home. Eventually.

Today I become the student.

Sunchokes:

Sunchokes are in season. No, they are not pieces of ginger and no, they are not cousins of artichokes. Sunchokes (known as Jerusalem artichokes) are actually the tubers of a variety of sunflower. They are choke full of vitamin C, iron, thiamin, phosphorus and potassium.

Originally cultivated by Native Americans, sunchokes have a nutty, sweet flavor and can be used raw in salads, roasted, fried (chips!), boiled or steamed.

Grab yourself a pound of chokes, roast them up with this recipe and serve along side chicken or fish. Yum. You will be glad you did.

Roasted Sunchokes: (serves 4)

1 pound sunchokes, scrubbed (do not peel) and sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 cloves garlic, sliced

One bulb fennel, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

One 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons parsley chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice the sunchokes and if not using right away, place in a bowl of cold water with juice from 1/2 a lemon (sunchokes will oxidize and turn pink)

In a heavy skillet heat the olive oil. I use my cast iron skillet. Drain and pat dry the sunchokes, add to the pan and saute over medium high heat until nicely browned on both sides.

Meanwhile, spread the artichokes and fennel out on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Add the browned sunchokes and the sliced garlic. Toss with a little more olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until the fennel is browned and the sunchokes are soft - turning about 1/2 half way through. When finished roasting, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Thank me later - I'm off to my quilting class.

A Cook's Notes: TBHITW and I have devised a 5 year plan I am calling from City to Farm in Five. While this keeps my mind busy I'm hoping a new found love of quilting will keep my hands busy. I would ultimately like to make each bed in our new home its own quilt.

PS. A serving of Roasted Sunchokes delivers about 160 calories, 6 grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber - as best as I can figure.. remember, I am a cook, not a nutritionist. That's my disclaimer.

Shelburne Falls and Roasted Butternut Squash

So.

I went to Massachusetts this weekend. Shelburne Falls and Ashfield to be exact.

Never heard of either one? That's because they are both tiny, tiny villages at the foot of the Berkshires. When I tell you they are unspoiled blasts from the past - that is exactly what they are. Handsome villages suspended in time with noble New Englanders living the simple life. Shelbourne Falls population: 2,000 nice people and a couple of grumps. The Ashfield sign said "densely settled".

Shelburne Falls' main street (which is Bridge Street) is 4 blocks long. It has 4 claims to fame. I think it has many, many more... but first:

The Flower Bridge

Glacial Potholes (the largest in the world - The Best Husband In The World was happy!)

Candlepin Bowling (I'll get to that)

Lamson and Goodnow, a Cutlery Outlet and kitchen store (be still my pounding heart)

This is one of the views driving into the village of Shelburne Falls:

Here is the flower bridge, it is an old trolley line that is no longer used for trolleys. Volunteer town folk have kept it planted since 1929 and everyone uses it to get from Shelburne Falls to Buckland (population just under 2,000 but who's counting), just over the bridge. I loved walking over this bridge and did it everyday of our stay.

Here is the view of the flower bridge from the "car bridge":

You have to drive over the car bridge or walk over the flower bridge to get to Lamson and Goodnow - the kitchen store.

I would have crawled:

Seriously.

The Best Husband In The World (a Professional Geologist by day) would have crawled to see the world's largest Glacial Potholes. The holes are formed over the years when a pebble gets caught on the rock - then the water washes over it, spinning it like a drill. Some of the holes still have the rock pebble in there. Interesting. Doesn't this picture look like a spooky face? Eyes, nose, round mouth with teeth?

Doesn't this picture look like a happy scientist face? The smile is caused by looking at geologic wonders.

Anyway, here is your recipe for the day. All the beautiful squashes are now in the markets. This is one of my family's favorite side dishes. Even my fussy eaters go for seconds. It is actually hardy enough to serve as a main vegetarian meal.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Walnuts and Spinach:

One butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts

2 cups fresh spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place the butternut squash cubes in a heavy, oven proof casserole (with a lid if you have one, if not, you will use aluminum foil).

Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Add the butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put a lid on the casserole and place in the center of the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Uncover and stir. Toss the walnuts and cranberries in with the squash and stir to mix around. Put back in oven and roast for another 20-30 minutes until nicely browned and soft. Stir once or twice while checking for doneness.

Remove from oven and toss in spinach leaves. Cover for 5 minutes to wilt the spinach.

Serve.

A Cook's Notes: This is a great side to roasted chicken, turkey or pork.

Tomorrow: The Cheese Queen and Candlepin bowling (you don't want to miss that...)

Tuna Steaks with Roasted Cipolline Onions

I keep getting fooled by Mother Nature. This morning it was snow flurrying on Holly Bear and I at the dog park. Brr... Everyday I look out my kitchen window promising the grill we will get reacquainted only to be foiled by nature. 

Tonight I think I'll fight back with a little comfort food (for my spring cold) and a little bit of spring by grilling indoors. I adapted this recipe from an original by Giada De Laurentiis. (who I secretly hate because she weighs 1 1/2 pounds fully dressed).

Roasted Cipolline Onions:(chip-o-lean-ee)

1 pound cipolline onions- skins removed. (to easily remove skins, drop in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. cool. The skins will slip right off)

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk it all together, coat onions, put in a small oven proof casserole and roast at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes(uncovered). You will know they are done when they are soft and the balsamic vinegar has reduced to a syrup stage. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Tuna Steaks: (enough for 4 people)

2 tuna steaks (about 1/2 pound each)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 T lemon juice (don't make me say it... FRESH SQUEEZED.. throw that bottle out)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, few grinds fresh black pepper. 

Whisk everything together, place tuna steaks in marinade, turning to coat and let rest for about 5 minutes per side.

Now the comfort food part:

Polenta with wilted arugula (you could also use spinach or blanched asparagus tips)

2 cups chicken broth (low salt)

2 cups water

3/4 cup polenta (quick cooking)

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream (I told you this was comfort food)

2 cups fresh arugula - rough chopped

Heat the broth and water to simmering. Slowing whisk in the polenta (your Italian grandmother will tell you that you have to stir in only one direction). Continue to cook until thick and smooth - about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir. Add the cheese. Stir. Add the butter and cream and stir until butter is melted. Stir in the arugula. Season to taste with salt and pepper (easy on the salt - remember to taste because the cheese will add salt).

Back to the tuna:

Preheat your grill pan to medium high. Remove tuna steaks from marinade and grill about 3 minutes per side for medium. Cut the steaks in half. Plate - spoon the onions and balsamic sauce over. Pass the polenta. 

Take that Mother Nature.