“Food is so primal, so essential a part of our lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with strangers turns them into good friends. That’s why I love this community. “
-Jasmine Heiler
Evening Meals' Most Recent Newsletter
May 28, 2009
The Arikara Beans featured in tonight’s Moroccan Spiced Stew come from Full Circle Farm in Carnation, Washington. Slow Food USA has placed the Arikara Bean on the US Ark of Taste, a catalog of over 200 noteworthy native foods in danger of extinction. This designation promotes awareness of the historical importance of such foods before they are lost and forgotten. According to the Slow Food website:
“The Arikara Yellow Bean was a primary food crop for the Mandan and the Arikara American Indian tribes of the Missouri Valley—the former is the bean’s name bearer. Both its hard shell and its tendency to hold shape make the Arikara Yellow an excellent dry bean. Arikara Yellow plants are extremely prolific in producing these yellowish-tan seeds as well as very drought-resistant, making them the ideal market bean plant. However, because the Arikara Yellow bean does not fit the established classes for dry beans in North America, there is no ready market for this bean and thus the bean’s existence is seriously threatened.”
Moroccan Spiced Stew with Heirloom Arikara Beans
Serves 4
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tblsp paprika
1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (or 1½ cups dried)
2 bunches spinach, chard, or mustards thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional-1 lb ground lamb, crumbled and sautéed
If using dried beans start their preparation the night before. Pick through the beans to remove any rocks or debris.
Directions:
In a heavy bottomed soup pot, cover the beans with 3 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove beans from the heat, make sure they are covered by at least 3 inches of water, partially cover the pot and allow the beans to sit out overnight.
The next day drain the beans and rinse them well. Return beans to the soup pot, cover with 3 inches of water, bring to a simmer over med-high heat, and cook until partially tender.
In a separate sauté pan cook onions in olive oil until limp and lightly browned. Add garlic and all dried spices and cook until garlic is fragrant and onions are evenly coated with spices. Add onion mixture, optional cooked ground lamb, and diced tomatoes to mostly cooked beans, adding more water as needed to
cover stew by 1 inch. Continue to simmer until beans are tender. Take stew off the heat and immediately add greens and stir until wilted. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Pilaf of Ancient Emmer Farro Wheat
Serves 4
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 cup dried emmer farro
3 cups water, veg or chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, sorrel, lovage, tarragon, or chives
Directions:
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a heavy bottomed saucepan sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Stir in emmer farro until grains are well coated with olive oil. Add 3 cups of chosen cooking liquid and salt and bring to boil. Cover saucepan with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to low,
and simmer until grain is tender but chewy, about 50 minutes. Remove emmer farro from heat, stir in chopped herbs, taste for salt and pepper, and serve.
Rhubarb Custard Squares
Makes an 8” by 8” pan
1½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
12 oz cold butter, cut into ½” piece-we used cultured
butter which contributes a bit of a ‘tang’ to the recipe
¾ cup brown sugar
1½ cups oats
3 cups rhubarb pieces (½ inch pieces)
3 eggs
1½ cups sugar
3 rounded Tblsp flour
4 Tblsp butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Butter an 8” by 8” baking dish. In the bowl of a standing mixer or food processor combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course
cornmeal. Press mixture evenly into baking dish, bringing crust up an inch on all sides of dish. Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, and melted butter. Gently mix in rhubarb pieces. Pour custard mixture over crumble crust.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is puffed and
nicely golden brown. Cool and cut and enjoy!
An archive of additional newsletters may be viewed at Lopez Locavores.org
Programs
The L.I.F.E. Garden Program teaches K-12 students how to grow and eat organic, healthy food…
Evening Meals at School serve up organic, affordable communal dinners for the whole community…
S&S Homestead Farm demonstrates principles of sustainability and takes a leadership role in educating youth…
The Vita Parcours Lopez Island Fitness and Ecology Trail offers a scenic fitness experience for all abilities and ages…
Local initiatives support cultural diversity, a connected community, and healthy, well-informed individuals…
Collaborating with a local effort to bring clean water to a village in Ethiopia with the Water for Anasi project…