The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook150 Home Grown Recipes from the Green Mountain State
Small, independent farms are the lifeblood of Vermont’s agriculture, from the sweet corn grower to the dairy goat farmer to the cheesemaker whose locally sourced goat milk chevre becomes the heart of a new dish by a chef in Montpelier.
Small, independent farms are the lifeblood of Vermont’s agriculture, from the sweet corn grower to the dairy goat farmer to the cheesemaker whose locally sourced goat milk chevre becomes the heart of a new dish by a chef in Montpelier. While this farm-to-table cycle may be a phenomenon just hitting its stride in the United States, it has long been a way of life in Vermont, part of the ethos that Vermonters use to define themselves. As such, Vermont exemplifies a standard of small-scale, community-minded, unadulterated agriculture that has become a national model.
When Tracey Medeiros wrote Dishing Up Vermont in 2008, she wanted to showcase the chefs and restaurateurs who were dazzling taste buds with their fresh, wholefood creations. With The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook, Medeiros has traversed the Green Mountain State once again, in search of not only those celebrated chefs but the hard-working farmers who provide them with their fresh and wholesome ingredients as well. Collecting their stories and some 125 of their delicious, rustic-yet-refined, Vermont inspired recipes, Medeiros presents an irresistible gastronomic portrait of this singular state.
Classics like Vermont Cheddar Soup and exciting innovations like Ramp Dumplings or Raisin Hell Pie will send you racing to your local farmers’ market in search of the ingredients. And with dishes that shout “only in Vermont,” like Wood-Fired Blueberry Pizza or Beer- Battered Fiddleheads, no matter where you are you’ll want to transform your tried-and-true menus into fresh and flavorful Vermont farm table suppers.
Tracey Medeiros is a freelance food writer, food stylist, and recipe developer and tester. She writes a weekly food column for the Essex Reporter and the Colchester Sun and writes the Edible Farm column for Edible Green Mountains Magazine. Medeiros is also the author of Dishing Up Vermont. She lives in Essex Junction, VT.
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Chevre and Sautéed Ramps
Served with Pickled Ramps and a Rhubarb Gastrique,
Tarentaise Bread Pudding
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Chevre and Sautéed Ramps Served with Pickled Ramps and a Rhubarb Gastrique
Serves 4
When ramps are no longer available, you can substitute a combination of 18 wild scallions and 6 garlic bulbs (small fresh heads of garlic with stalks). Reserve two garlic bulbs, including the lower end of the stalks, and 8 scallions for pickling. Chef Mahood uses Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery goat cheese in this dish. Serve with wild rice or pilaf, if desired.
Rhubarb Gastrique
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 cups finely chopped rhubarb
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sautéed Ramps
12–14 ramps, cleaned, green leaves discarded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken
4 (6-ounce) boneless, skin-on split chicken breasts, trimmed
8 ounces goat cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil
Pickled Ramps (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
2. To make the rhubarb gastrique: Bring the sugar, vinegar, and water to a boil in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add the rhubarb, and sage and boil until the rhubarb is soft and the mixture has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, spoon into a bowl, and set aside.
3. To make the sautéed ramps: Slice the bulbs and stalks into small rounds and slice the leaves into narrow strips. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the bulbs and stalks and sauté until soft and tender. Add the leaves and cook until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool completely.
4. To make the chicken: Using a small sharp knife, cut horizontally through the center
of each chicken breast, to within 1 inch of opposite side, creating a pocket. Spoon onequarter of the sautéed ramps and one-quarter of the goat cheese into the pocket of each chicken breast. Season each chicken breast liberally with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add the breasts and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the breasts to the prepared baking sheet, skin side up and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.Let rest for 5 minutes. Top with the rhubarb gastrique and pickled ramps and serve.
Cloudland Farm
Tarentaise Bread Pudding
Serves 12
Tarentaise cheese is smooth and dense, with a slightly nutty flavor and a natural rind.
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 cups fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
4 cups chicken stock
3 ounces Tarentaise cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat twelve 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often for 1 minute. Stir in the thyme and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the onion mixture, bread crumbs, stock, cheese, egg and yolks, and salt and pepper to taste until fully combined.
4. Divide the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Place in a roasting pan, add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the pan with foil. Poke small holes in the foil to allow steam to release.
5. Bake 15 minutes, then carefully rotate the pan and bake an additional 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake until the puddings are golden brown, 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Carpenter and Main Restaurant for Thistle Hill Farm
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