We love supporting local farmers. And we’ve been doing that in ever greater numbers through farmers markets and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription boxes that directly connect consumers and farmers.
Problem is, sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with the summer’s bounty of things like okra or eggplant.
With that in mind, we asked chef Zeb Stevenson of Watershed on Peachtree to lend a hand.
Stevenson is a favorite on the Atlanta farmers market chef demo circuit. And as an avid endurance cyclist, he recently led his own “Tour de Chef,” guiding a bicycle ride to local markets, where he gathered fresh produce for participants to make some dishes at home.
We asked Stevenson to do the same for us, using ingredients in season now.
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“My first thought was what’s going to be in people’s CSA boxes in late July? Taking the thought one step further, what’s going to be in people’s CSA boxes that they are unfamiliar with or maybe even a little frightened about,” Stevenson said. “Two things I know people are afraid of are okra and eggplant.”
Stevenson’s go-to method for cooking okra is behind his imaginative recipe for Charred Okra Salad with Refrigerator Pickles, Buttermilk Dressing and Mint.
“Okra’s mucilage really scares people. For lack of a better word, it’s the slime on the inside that surrounds the seeds as a protective coating, he said. “That’s why I simply roll the okra in oil, season them and char them whole. It’s my favorite way to do them.
“You could do them outdoors on a hot grill or in a dry pan indoors. Anything that has enough dry, high heat to get a char. Beyond, that you almost can’t mess them up. The heat intensifies the flavor and adds a savory umami element.”
As for the other ingredients that balance the dish, “Whatever the season, you almost always find something with buttermilk dressing on my menu, because I just think it’s super savory and delicious,” Stevenson said. “The refrigerator pickles add texture and acidity. But it’s also something to do with all your cucumbers, which are usually going crazy in July.”
For the eggplant challenge, Stevenson came up with a recipe for Tomato-Honey Glazed Eggplant with Country Ham.
“I think eggplant still struggles as a vegetable, especially with the American palate. Most people just think eggplant parmesan. And I love that, too. I grew up eating it,” Stevenson said. “But once I started learning more about world cuisine, I started to understand that eggplant is this awesome ingredient that’s used in so many places for so many different things.
“Indian, Thai, and Middle Eastern cooking all feature eggplant and they manipulate the texture and use it like sponge to soak up flavors. With this recipe I give eggplant a bit of Southern flavor with the country ham. The glaze is super simple, with tomato puree, apple cider vinegar, honey, and a touch of butter for some richness and balance.”
As to his overall thoughts on the two dishes, Stevenson summed it up with bit of his cooking philosophy: “Good ingredients should just be allowed to be good. I wanted to do recipes that didn’t require too much cooking, because it’s hot, and I don’t want to be in the kitchen in July. These are the kinds of salads and sides I would serve at home with some backyard barbecue.”
For busy people who like to support local businesses and farmers, Atlanta companies like Garnish & Gather and Peach Dish offer a different kind of subscription solution, with carefully sourced meal kits that come with almost everything you need to make dinner, including the recipes.
Judith Winfrey, who is president of Peach Dish, a partner in Love is Love Farm and longtime advocate for Slow Food, Georgia Organics and small farmers and farmers markets, said her company sets itself apart with the quality of its recipes, the food it procures from suppliers, and by working directly with farmers.
“Peach Dish is really ingredient- and cuisine-driven. We’re trying to celebrate the deliciousness of the new Southern cuisine, literally from farm to kitchen to table,” Winfrey said.
“We’re celebrating the artisans, the growers, the ranchers that are producing delicious, healthy, sustainable food in the South. And we’re also celebrating the cooking of the South. But the South is a big place so we dip into its global connections, too.”
As a seasonal example of what one of its meal kits offers, Peach Dish resident chef Seth Freedman, who is a Culinary Institute of America grad, created a recipe for Chicken Breasts with Field Peas and Cornbread that celebrates the flavors of summer in the South.
“The Chicken Breasts with Field Peas is definitely easy and I think all the ingredients are seasonal, as well,” Winfrey said. “Plus it’s pretty, and it’s really Southern. One of the things I love about Seth, who writes most of our recipes, is that he loves teaching home cooks how to cook.
“Our recipes are designed to be easy enough for anyone to cook and possibly learn about some new ingredients and new techniques. And they’re designed to be cooked within 30 minutes. But we also want them to be interesting enough for someone who knows a lot about food and cooking.”
Winfrey says that as Peach Dish has been growing, she’s come to realize the appeal of meal kits is wider than she ever dreamed
“When I first approached the meal kit business, I thought, well this isn’t for me, it’s for people who don’t know about food and don’t know how to cook,” Winfrey said. “But now I don’t think that’s true. I think it’s for anyone who wants to or likes to cook but doesn’t have the time to do the rest of it.
“The meal kit takes all the work out of the planning and the shopping. Everything you need comes to you, with a recipe and all the ingredients, and you get to have a glass of wine on a Tuesday evening and make dinner. That makes cooking fun and relaxing.”
RECIPES
These recipes all make use of the bounty of summer produce found at farmers markets and in CSA boxes, and one offers a little taste of a meal kit.
Charred Okra Salad With Refrigerator Pickles, Buttermilk Dressing and Mint
This salad from chef Zeb Stevenson is full of contrasting flavors and textures that bring all of the things we love about summer into one dish. It’s a great way to use the okra and cucumbers that are so abundant right now in a refreshing way. You may find that you like less pickle in yours, and that’s just fine. There’s nothing wrong with having some left over. The recipe could also be made as a lunch dish for two and served with some crusty bread.
For the Pickles:
2 cups cucumbers, 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 cups water
1 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup loose dill fronds
4 crushed garlic cloves
For the Buttermilk Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch of white pepper
For the Grilled Okra:
1 pound trimmed fresh whole okra
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
To make the pickles: In a large mixing bowl toss the cucumbers in the salt then pour them out into a colander set inside a large bowl. Allow the cucumbers to drain for 30 minutes then rinse well and pour them into a large bowl. In the meantime, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, dill and garlic in a 1 quart sauce pot and bring to a boil. Pour the pickling liquid over the cucumbers, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight. To make the buttermilk dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk until smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk to mix fully.
To make the charred okra: Coat the okra evenly in oil and salt. Grill over hot coals or in a hot grill pan until they are softened and there is a good deal of char on the outside, about 5 minutes, turning periodically.
To assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the charred okra with a pinch of salt and 2 to 4 ounces of the buttermilk dressing, to taste. Toss together well and pour out into a serving dish. Sprinkle the refrigerator pickles over the dressed okra and finish by scattering the mint leaves over the top.
Serves: 4
Per serving, without Buttermilk Dressing: 179 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 4 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 604 milligrams sodium.
Buttermilk Dressing (makes about 2 cups): Per 1-tablespoon serving: 65 calories (percent of calories from fat, 95), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 4 milligrams cholesterol, 77 milligrams sodium.
From chef Zeb Stevenson of Watershed on Peachtree.
Tomato-Honey Glazed Eggplant With Country Ham
This delicious side dish from chef Zeb Stevenson is a great melding of sweet and savory that is intended to pair well with any meat, chicken or fish that you could be grilling this summer. The texture is velvety and rich while the little bits of crunchy ham provide a great salty accent. The recipe could also be made as a main dish for two and served with a summer salad.
For the eggplant:
1 pound fresh eggplant (any variety, top removed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons country ham (sliced thinly and cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
1 onion (cut into 1/4-inch dice)
1 minced garlic clove
For the tomato-honey glaze:
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon parsley leaves (cut into fine strips)
To make the eggplant: In a large bowl, toss the eggplant and salt together so that the eggplant pieces are evenly coated. Set the eggplant aside in a colander to drain. While the eggplant is draining combine the tomato puree, honey, cider vinegar and salt in a 1 quart sauce pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
To finish the eggplant: In a 10 inch sauté pan over medium heat the olive oil and country ham pieces together and cook for 5 minutes or until the ham pieces have darkened and become very crunchy. Remove the ham and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the eggplant, onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for 4 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables have started to brown. Reduce the heat to low and pour the glaze in the pan and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. Gently stir to incorporate the butter evenly. Sprinkle with the country ham and parsley and serve.
Serves: 4
Per serving: 227 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 2 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 1,514 milligrams sodium.
From chef Zeb Stevenson of Watershed on Peachtree.
Chicken Breasts With Field Peas and Corn Bread
This recipe from Peach Dish celebrates some of the South’s favorite ingredients. Field peas are slowly simmered with garlic and grape tomatoes and served with pan-seared chicken breasts with pot likker and a slice of cornbread on the side. Note: Bragg Liquid Aminos is a liquid protein concentrate used as an alternative for soy sauce and other seasonings.
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 1/4 cups water
2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
6 ounces grape tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil, such as canola
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
8 ounces fresh field peas
In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the garlic, water, Bragg Liquid Aminos, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Place over high heat to bring to a boil.
While you wait for the water to boil, prepare the tomatoes and chicken: Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove chicken breasts, pat dry, and season on all sides with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Let rest at room temperature.
Add field peas to the boiling water. Return to the boil, skim and discard any foam that forms, then reduce the heat to medium low, and set a timer for 15 minutes.
When the 15-minute timer goes off, add the tomatoes and simmer another 8-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes and peas are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
While the tomatoes and peas cook, heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking oil, and add the chicken breast halves. Cook without moving about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned on bottom and opaque at least 3/4 of the way up. Turn and cook 2-3 minutes more, or until flesh is opaque all the way through and juices run clear.
To serve: Divide the peas and tomatoes and top with the chicken. Serve with pot likker and cornbread.
Serves: 2
Per serving: 275 calories (percent of calories from fat, 11), 33 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 66 milligrams cholesterol, 2,067 milligrams sodium.
From a recipe courtesy of Seth Freedman for Peach Dish.
Resources for CSAs and Meal Kits
Georgia Organics Good Food Guide offers listings and a map detailing Georgia CSAs: goodfoodguide.georgiaorganics.org.
Garnish & Gather: garnishandgather.com.
Peach Dish: peachdish.com.
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