Photograph by Amy Cotler
Okay folks, here comes another AWESOME giveaway and very special guest blog!
One of the great things about living the The Garden State is that we are surrounded by such an abundance of beautiful, fresh, local food. (I know, you thought I was going to say shopping malls and the New Jersey Turnpike, but no!) And so I was delighted to see this wonderful new book come out from chef and cookbook author and all around cool person, Amy Cotler.
I asked her if she would share with us one of her delectable recipes as a guest blog, and we are all in luck, because here it is….from the wonderful Amy Cotler!
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Some of the best recipes are born out of desperation. This is one,
created when I had to come up with yet another wrap for my book,
WRAP IT UP, now out of print. But here it is — a warm wrap
reborn with melty local cheese, apples, shallots and regional
cranberries. Serve as a unique cheese coarse or light meal, sliced in
half on the bias, propped up at an angle, eaten solo, or nestled in a
winter salad of shredded cabbage and carrots.
All apples work well in this wrap. And these days, local and
regionally produced mold-ripened cheeses, such as something in the
brie and camembert family, are plentiful. I found about 10 different
varieties easily at my local cheese shop, but farm stands and gourmet
markets stock them as well.
CRISPY WRAP WITH WARM CHEESE AND APPLE CHUTNEY
Ingredients
l large apple, skin on, small dice
1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
1-1/2 tablespoon dried cranberries
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
Pinch hot chili pepper flakes
4 medium (8-9 inch) whole wheat tortillas (or mountain bread)
5 ounces mold-ripened local cheese, room temperature, rind on, cut or
torn into 12 or so pieces
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl combine the apple,
shallots, cranberries, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and hot chili
pepper flakes. Let sit for 15-30 minutes to marry the flavors,
stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
2. Heat the tortillas or mountain bread, one at a time, in a large hot
cast iron skillet or directly over a gas flame, turning frequently,
just until pliable for about 10-30 seconds each.
3. Lay out the tortillas on the counter. Scatter 3 pieces of cheese in
the center of each. Top each with 1/4 of the apple chutney. Fold in
the sides and wrap. (At this point you can make them about an hour
before cooking.)
4. Lightly oil a baking sheet and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
Carefully add the wraps, seam side down, and bake until crisp on one
side. Turn and bake until the second side is crisp, about l0 minutes
total. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Serve hot
or warm, cut in half on the bias with a serrated knife.
Winter goodies?
In the northeast this is the time of year we mourn the loss of
anything that springs from mother earth. But there’s still plenty to
choose from. So don’t forget maple syrup, eggs, milk, cheese,
sustainable raised meat of all kinds (usually frozen), sustainably
raised or caught fish, winter squashes, root veggies and more….
In the northeast this is the time of year we mourn the loss of
anything that springs from mother earth. But there’s still plenty to
choose from. So don’t forget maple syrup, eggs, milk, cheese,
sustainable raised meat of all kinds (usually frozen), sustainably
raised or caught fish, winter squashes, root veggies and more….
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And if that scrumptious recipe isn’t enough, here is more wonderfulness: I have a copy of Amy’s fabulous book, THE LOCAVORE WAY, to give away! Next Saturday I will pick one lucky random winner who will get a copy of this great book. To enter, just leave me a comment telling me what your own favorite local food is. Mine is definitely the herbs I grow right outside my back door so that I can just run outside and pick ‘em when I need ‘em! (A reminder to my beloved email subscribers — click on the post title at the top of the page to get to the web page where you can comment).Thanks Amy! Local food rocks!
My favorite locally grown food is definitely my home grown tomatoes. I watch my plant for weeks waiting for the first tomato to reach maturity. You would think I had some wonderful plan for this tomato, I do…sliced, on white bread with mayo,salt and pepper. It doesn't get any better then that. I'm thinking of July right now with snow on the ground. Thanks Kate!
My favorite locally grown food are heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market in the summer. They are grown in Chino Valley, AZ, not too far from where I live.
green chilis grown in New Mexico
I really love anything from the farmers markets…and right now in Santa Cruz we are getting yummy crab!
The most local I have are the herbs and cherry tomatoes my next door neighbour has told me to help myself to! Thyme is my favourite herb of all time!
Lovely, lovely Ontario (Canada)peaches and cherries.
My favorite locale grown food is a one of a kind okra hybrid. A friend down at our local farmers market specially bred these okra and they are awesome. I have asked him many time to share, but he laughs me off and says "If he shared it with me, he would have to kill me". LOL Then I buy a couple of bushels for my hamburger stew.