Farmer's Market Bag Class

This morning I taught a class at Great News called, "It's in the Farmer's Market Bag"  The premise of the class was that we would use what was in the Specialty Produce Farmer's Market Bag this week and create a menu of delicious food that the students could make when they took THEIR Farmer's Market Bag home with them.  This is a look at some of the produce and some extra recipes that I didn't teach in the class but work well with this week's produce.   

Plums from Fitzgerald farms, so how about a plum lemon pudding cake??  I LIKE IT!
Hot Lemon Pudding Cake with Plums


Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 cups peeled and pitted plums, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (about 3 plums)

4 large eggs, separated

grated zest of one lemon

1/3 cup lemon juice

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 2/3 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream, whipped stiffly with 1/4 cup sugar

OVEN METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Coat the inside of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Spread the plums over the bottom of the pan.

4. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and blend in the zest, juice, butter and milk.

5. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt and add to egg yolk mixture beating until smooth and fold into the reserved egg whites.

6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is firm. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving warm, with sweetened whipped cream.

SLOW COOKER METHOD

1. Coat the insert of a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Spread the plums over the bottom of the slow cooker.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and blend in the zest, juice, butter and milk.

4. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt and add to egg yolk mixture beating until smooth and fold into the reserved egg whites.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 2 ½ hours.

6. Remove the top of the slow cooker, turn off the heat, and allow the pudding to rest for 15 minutes.

Baby Arugula and Blood Oranges

In class we made a delicious salad from arugula and the blood oranges, but I'd like to share my blood orange sorbet recipe here.  If you don't have blood oranges, then use navels, they will work in the recipe.

Blood Orange Sorbet
Serves 6

Makes about 6 servings

3 cups blood orange juice

3/4 cup sugar

1. In a small saucepan, heat the juice and sugar, until the sugar is dissolved. Chill the juice mixture thoroughly.

2. Add the juice to your ice cream maker, and process according to the manufacturers’ directions.

Note:  if you are low on oranges, add some navel orange juice to the blood orange juice. 

Heirloom Tomatoes!!!  We did a nice pasta salad with them, but they are delicious sliced with some olive oil, salt and pepper sprinkled over them. 

I will try and post a bit more later this weekend, but for now, enjoy your weekend, and remember to eat local and organic!