From the Farmer's Market, to Sushi Bowls, to Pasta and Beyond!

After a couple of weeks of being purely busy, to the point that I'm even behind on my blogs, I have to say that it's been pleasant at my house the last few days...  Last Wednesday afternoon, I took my son to the West Racine Farmer's Market on West Blvd & Washington Ave.  He picked out some kale at one of the stands, and I bought some green onions, that had a nice size knob on the end, and the bunch was a mix between white and red onions.  We also got some sugar snap peas, and a garlic bulb with all of the greens still on it, including the shooting star.  These shoots are edible.  We know that with the warmer weather, we don't necessarily like heavy meals, so I had an idea yesterday...

But anyway, I sold a couple of rely local cards today, and the proceeds of that will be going toward buying more fresh produce at the farmer's market again...  With more recipes to be inspired around the foods that I buy...  So, it's like helping the community businesses, area farms, as well as offering quality & fresh foods to my family!



red leaf kale



garlic shooting star



I decided to make Tokyo style scattered sushi bowls, and put all of my stuff to good use...  Take about 12 dried shiitake mushrooms, and let soak soft in a sauce pan.  When soft, add 1/2 cup of dashi, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup cooking sake, and I like to also add 2TBS mirin.  Bring to a boil, and simmer about 20 minutes.  I used a bowl shaped strainer to put the sliced green onion tops, sugar snap peas, and the kale in it, and set it on top of the sauce pot, to let the steam lightly cook those to be more tender for eating.  For the rice, make sure you have sushi grade rice.  Rinse well until you don't see the white come out, and cook as directed.  When it's done, have a large pan, such as a rectangle cake or lasagna pan, and spread the rice in there.  Have a mix of 5 TBS + 1tsp rice vinegar, 5 tsp sugar, and 4 tsp salt - blended well.  Slowly drizzle that mix over the rice, while flipping the rice, to mix well.  Let it rest, until cooled down to room temp.  Top with various items, such as the flavored shiitake mushrooms, blanched spinach, takuan (Japanese pickled radish), egg omelet (super thin), strips of seaweed, etc...  Be creative.  We enjoyed supper last night, with more for lunch today.



scattered sushi



But anyway, the aroma from the garlic was very pleasant, w/o being overpowering.  So, I took the garlic greens and my "dump bag", in which I store onion skins, carrot peelings, celery roots, you know, the parts you don't eat...  and made it into a veggie broth.

So, anyway, I am using the red and white knob ends of the onions for part of my spaghetti sauce, as well as the fresh garlic, which I already peeled, and each of the cloves are good sized, with pretty much uniformity throughout...  It should be pretty good.  I will be using the broth in place of the water for my sauce, to add even more dimension to the flavors.  My son's favorite is my home made spaghetti sauce.  I remember once when he was a baby, about 9 months old, he woke from his nap upon smelling sauce that JUST went on the stove, so it was going to be a while...  He would NOT stop fussing.  Not even mashed potatoes nor pureed pears would do.  90 minutes worth of fussiness, just to get the spaghetti.  Then, when he was 2, we were spring cleaning, and time got away from us...  So we doctored up a jar of sauce, and there was no way to make it better.  My son, seeing the plate of pasta, starts getting excited.  he takes his fork, twirls it...  shoves the fork in his mouth...  then proceeds to push the plate out away from him, insisting that, "I can't want to like that"!  Oh my...  A spaghetti sauce connoisseur at age of 2.


spaghetti & meatballs...


meatball recipe:
About a generous pound of freshly ground meat (you may be able to substitute a moist, crumbled tofu)
1/3 cup each of bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup parsley
2 level TBS oregano, 1 slightly heaping TBS basil
1 egg
1 tsp salt & about 1/8 tsp of black pepper

Mix well with hands.  Make into about 1" diameter balls, and they should be slightly stiff.  (Yes, stiff balls are good)
Brown well in the pot that you're going to use for the sauce.  Get all sides, and drain the grease.  it will cook the rest of the way when simmering with the sauce.

spaghetti sauce recipe:
1 medium onion (I prefer regular yellow onion, but any kind are okay) minced finely
1 bulb of garlic, peeled, finely minced.
1 bell pepper (I like green or red) finely minced
12 oz tomato paste (with 3 cans of water)
sliced mushrooms (I prefer portabellos or baby bellas)
4-5 TBS oregano, 3 TBS basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

After draining the grease, place the pot back on the burner, letting the grease drain from the balls while in the strainer.
Brown the onion, garlic and bell pepper until aromatic.
Put meatballs in the pot, to bring them up to temp.
Add tomato paste with 3 cans of water.  Let it absorb into the water.  Add the spices.  DO NOT ADD SALT.  The balls will be salty, and this will add to the sauce to blend the flavors.  As it comes to a boil, add the mushrooms, turn down the heat, and let simmer for at least 90 minutes.  If the sauce gets too thick, add water as needed.

Serve with your favorite pasta.  Bon Apetito! 

Off to make my spaghetti...