09 September 2010

9/9/10 Taste the Place Demo: Adam Hawkins, Accanto

September 9, 2010 Taste the Place demonstration by:

Adam Hawkins, Genoa and Accanto

PEACHES, PROSCIUTTO & PURSLANE

Ingredients:
Purslane
·    available from Gathering Together Farms
·    is a succulent flowering plant
·    full of omega 3 fatty acids
·    flavor is slightly sour and resinous but mild and it is really a weed
Prosciutto
·    ask your butcher to slice you prosciutto di parma as thin as possible(12 thin slices makes enough for 12 one bite hors d’hoevres)
Peaches
·    available from Market Fruit and Tamiyasu
·    are a great source for potassium and vitamin C

Directions:
·    clean the purslane of any woody stems so to have nice leafy pluushes….(not sure about sp.)
·    slice 2 peaches, 1/8″ thick right before serving
·    take a small bunch of purslane, place it against the peach slice
·    wrap the prosciutto around peach and purslane to bundle (the ham should adhere itself)
·    sprinkle with sea salt, good olive oil, and possibly a drop or 2 of old balsamic vinegar

CHILLED CHERRY TOMATO, MELON & CUCUMBER SOUP
Serves 4-8

This soup is wonderfully simple in preparation and nutrition. Feel free to switch up the recipe with different types of tomatoes and  melons to suit your tastes.  Right now I am using Gathering
Together Farms Sungold cherry tomatoes and Charentais canteloupe melon as well as their cucumbers because they are the sweetest and purest in flavor.

This soup can be served in shot glasses as an hors d’ ouevre or in individual bowl servings.

Ingredients:
8 cucumbers,  peeled and roughly chopped (remove seeds if bitter)
1 pint Sungold cherry tomatoes cleaned and halved
1 Charentais canteloupe seeded and roughly chopped, skin removed
1 clove of garlic thinly sliced
1 small spring onion chopped  (small meaning the size of golf ball)

Directions:
·    add all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl with 1 1/2 T of salt and mix well ( the salt will get the juices going and all of the ingredients will get to know each other)
·    add 2 T champagne vinegar and 2 T fruity olive oil to the mix also
·    after all the fruit and vegetables marinate for at least an hour but preferably up to a day puree, juices and all
·    adjust the salt and pepper, chill and serve

*optional*-   add herbs like mint, basil, etc…. or chili if you like