“He who sits/stands in front of the fire sees more than the flames.. He feels the heat! Too often from a distance others observe the flames only as a source of light.”
―
picture by Julie Clark
Hot!! No I’m not talking about the cutie standing in front of those hay bales – I’m talking about the weather. And I sometimes wonder if everyone worked outside – if we might worry a little more about climate change. So often, from a distance, things don’t seem so serious.
Curtis is so tough. He has been relentless. Cutting hay – baling hay, hauling it to our barns. I helped only one day – raking. But mostly I am here working in the garden. And at least I can come inside and take a break every once and a while. I hope we are not in for another drought.
Farm News: Hot!! All of my spring plants were planted late because of the rain – and they are not happy!! I did take a chance and plant sweet corn early – and it looks like it will be here soon!! fingers crossed.
What’s in the bucket: leeks, spring onion, radish, kale, green leaf and/or red leaf lettuce, baby squash, turnip roots with greens.
What’s at market: LOTTA LOTTA lettuce. Trying to harvest it all before it gets bitter. Radish, Turnip, Arugula, Mesclun, Mustard, young onions, leeks.
I love onions and leeks. Following a great way to appreciate the two! Make a salad and serve. Call it dinner!! Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
leek fritters with garlic and lemon
yield: about ten 2½- inch fritters
- 2 pounds (905 grams) leeks (about 3 very large ones)
- ½ teaspoon table salt, plus more for pot
- 2 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (30 grams) all- purpose fl our
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 large egg
- Olive or vegetable oil, for frying
garlic lemon cream
- ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
- lemon juice
- Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
- Pinches of salt
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed
prepare the batter Trim the leeks, leaving only the white and pale- green parts. Halve them lengthwise, and if they look gritty or dirty, plunge them into cold water and fan the layers about to remove any dirt and grit. On a cutting board, slice the leeks crosswise into ¼- inch strips. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are slightly softened but not limp. Drain, and wring them out in a dish towel or a piece of cheesecloth.
Transfer the wrung-out leeks to a large bowl, and stir in the scallions. In a small dish, whisk together the fl our, salt, baking powder, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if you’re using it. Stir the dry ingredients into the leek mixture, then stir in the egg until the mixture is evenly coated.
cook the fritters Preheat your oven to 250 degrees, and place a baking sheet covered in foil inside. Stack a few paper towels on a large plate. In a large, heavy skillet— cast iron is dreamy here— heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop small bunches of the leek mixture onto the skillet—only a few at a time, so they don’t become crowded— and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters until they are golden underneath, about 3 minutes. If you find this is happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium- low; I find I have to jump the heat back and forth a lot to keep it even. Flip fritters, and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.
Drain the fritters on paper towels, and transfer them to warm oven while you make the remaining fritters.
I like to let the fritters hang out in the oven for at least 10 minutes after the last one is cooked— they stay crisp, and this ensures that they’re cooked through, even if they finished quickly on the stove.
to serve Whisk together the garlic lemon cream ingredients until smooth. Dollop on each fritter before serving. These fritters are also delicious with a poached or fried egg on top. Trust me.
do ahead Fritters keep well, either chilled in the fridge for the better part of a week, or frozen in a well-sealed package for months. When you’re ready to use them, simply spread them out on a tray in a 325-degree oven and heat until they’re hot and crisp again.
Happy eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.
Letty