Five Feline Farm Archives - Page 62 of 64

Grilled Sweet Corn

It is that time of year in Central Illinois for sweet corn to be available in ample supply. We are growing a lot of our own vegetables but we made the decision not to grow sweet corn. To do sweet corn well and in the quantity we like to freeze, it takes a good size plot. We have the room, but have dedicated our efforts to other crops.

In our continued quest to eat more local and healthy, what better way than looking around the Farmer’s Market after we set up our own booth? There is plenty of sweet corn available at the 18th Street Farmer’s Market.

One of our favorite ways to enjoy corn on the cob is to grill it.

To grill sweet corn, remove the outer dark green husks, leaving the lighter colored inner husks intact. Cut off the exposed silks and any extra cob on the other end. Soak the ears in cold water for about 30 minutes. Just enough time to get the charcoal grill ready to cook.

Throw the corn on the grates, turning every 10 minutes or so until the husk is charred on all sides. Remove from the grill and carefully remove the husks and silks. The best way I have found to do this: hold the cob in one hand protected by a hot pad while stripping away the husk and silk with the other.

Serve with butter, salt and pepper for a classic summer treat. There are a number of equally good variations to spread on the corn: equal parts butter and blue cheese mixed together, substitute seasoned salt for the salt and pepper, just to name a couple. Another option is prior to grilling, peel back the husks, remove silks and spread with equal parts butter and prepared horseradish.

No matter how you enjoy your corn on the cob, grill a couple extra for this rainy day dish.

Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder

3 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes

2 ears of roasted corn, cut off the cob

2 cups milk

3 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp Penzey’s Chipotle (ground red)

1/4 tsp Penzey’s Roasted Garlic

1 tsp minced cilantro

1 Tbsp finely shredded parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain. While the potatoes are draining, melt the butter in the same pot. Add corn and stir until heated thoroughly. Add Chipotle, Roasted Garlic, salt and pepper. Stir for about 30 seconds until the seasonings are distributed and fragrant. Add potatoes and milk. Heat through over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with parmesan and cilantro.

There is always something new to enjoy here at Five Feline Farm. Thanks for stopping by and check in often on Facebook and Twitter to see the latest.

Three Sisters Update

As our regular followers know, the premier area this year is the Three Sisters Garden. Like most things around Five Feline Farm, a simple idea grows and expands into much more. This garden feature started with a vision of a simple garden plot in a Native American style. Corn supporting climbing beans, surrounded by yellow squash to double as a weed blocking mulch. The garden expanded to include an area for gourds, buckwheat, lavender, mammoth sunflowers and additional dent corns.

A recent discovery is the Google Earth view. The design was to reflect a honeycomb and without a doubt it does. The outline is less visible now that the plants are filling in, but the base is still there.

Already these plants are nourishing us. Yellow crookneck squash abounds. It is a goal to find as many delicious ways to cook this new vegetable as possible.

Perhaps we are picking them smaller but this variety seems to have a different flavor than standard yellow squash. When picked small the squash is tender yet firm enough to hold up and not become slimy. So far we have had it grilled, roasted, sautéed, added to a foil packet of green beans, dehydrated into chips, fried and in stir fry. It feels a bit like Bubba in Forrest Gump naming all the ways to cook shrimp. “Ya got ‘yer fried squash, roasted squash, squash casserole…..”

The next anticipated produce from Three Sisters will be pinto beans. These will be picked when the pods dry, then shelled and vacuum sealed. Surely pintos will produce in a more manageable quantity than yellow crookneck squash.

As always, the Farm blesses us with bounty from vegetables to a gorgeous vista.

Leave us a comment if you have a novel way to prepare yellow squash. If you are in our neighborhood and need some, let us know that too.

How to Preserve Lettuce: Egg Rolls

About this time of year as the weather turns hot, lettuce in the garden will either turn bitter or bolt. This cool season crop is not suited to temperatures in the 80’s. Oft times we find ourselves with an abundance of this delicious and nutritious crop. It can turn into a zucchini type proposition where friends run from you when you approach with a bag (or ten) of lettuce. Unfortunately there is no good way to preserve it. Until now.

A long time ago I had a recipe for egg rolls that used lettuce instead of cabbage. That recipe is long gone so I began experimenting. This recipe takes a significant quantity of lettuce. The beauty is freezing the rolls to enjoy in the winter.

Egg Rolls

2 raw chicken breasts
1.5 inch piece of ginger
2 stalks of celery
1 small onion
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup finely diced sweet peppers
8 cups chopped lettuce
1 package egg roll wrappers
1/2 cup canola oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into large chunks and place in food processor. Add one inch pieces of celery and onion. Peel and coarsely chop ginger; add to food processor. Pulse until ingredients are minced. Sauté mixture in a large stockpot until chicken is cooked through. Add sesame oil and diced sweet peppers. Sauté until peppers are cooked, about three to four minutes. Add lettuce and cook until wilted.

Make egg rolls by placing a quarter cup of chicken mixture diagonally on wrapper. Fold bottom point over filling, then each side. Wet the edge of the top point with water, then roll up. Place each egg roll on a wire rack while rolling the rest.

Heat oil over medium heat. Fry point side down until lightly golden, turn and fry other side; about 30-45 seconds per side. Drain on a rack over cookie sheet. Repeat until all egg rolls are cooked.

Let cool and wrap individually in waxed paper or parchment paper. Freeze in ziplock baggies.

To reheat: place frozen egg rolls on rack over a cookie sheet. Place in cold oven and set to 350. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve with sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce for dipping.

Spring Begins at Five Feline Farm

This past week Five Feline Farm hosted a booth at the Lake Land College Innovative Energy Conference. Keynote speaker Ed Begley, Jr. gave great information about living more sustainably by doing what you can. He suggested that every person can do something to conserve by taking just a few steps such as changing to LED lightbulbs or having a home energy audit.

So, what can we do at the Farm?

The goldfish pond uses two electric pumps during warm weather. One is a continuously running pump that powers the filter and waterfall. The other runs a few minutes a day to add water from the well. Plenty of sunshine is available in this area so a solar collector is the goal to power both pumps.

Shouldn’t be too hard. A little study, invest in materials, and the pond goes off the grid.

The next task will be to add some insulation to the greenhouse. The new greenhouse was built on a deck for a secure base that allows drainage. However, it also allows heat loss overnight. Insulation on the deck walls will curb some of this loss. Electricity will be installed so tender plants can stay warm enough overnight to survive. Perhaps next year, this will be converted to solar power for the auxiliary heat source.

With the promise of Spring, outdoor activities around the Farm kick into high gear. We are energized to complete those tasks we have only dreamed about through the long cold winter.

Five Feline Farm Spring task list:

-pick up downed branches in the woods that have fallen or broken during winter storms

-repair any structures that sustained winter damage

-establish new garden areas and install edgings

-run electricity for greenhouse heater

-install solar power to the goldfish pond pumps

-attend Indiana Flower and Patio Show

What spring tasks will you be doing?