The Beet Goes On… The Pizza!

This is the follow up to the previous recipe, in which roasted winter vegetables were loaded onto a simple sandwich.  This version takes the same idea of roasting beets and potatoes but puts them on… pizza!  It’s an amazing pizza, and for our family, the realization that potatoes make an awesome pizza topping has been a game changer!  If you’re not up to trying this with beets consider substituting mushrooms and onions.

The Beet Goes On… The Pizza!

Ingredients:

·        1 large or medium potato, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

·        1 large beet, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

·        local oil (soy, canola, sunflower)

·        pizza dough

·        pizza sauce (about ¾ cup)

·        mozzarella, grated (about ½ - 1 cup)

·        very sharp cheddar, grated (about ½ cup)

·        1-2 scallions or leeks, sliced into small rounds

Preheat the oven to 400.  In a bowl toss the potato slices with a little bit of local oil and a bit of salt and pepper.  Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet, and toss the beet slices with oil (this prevents the beets from dying everything red!).  Add the beets to the baking sheet and roast at 400 until the potatoes are beginning to turn golden and bubble, about 30 minutes. 

Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool slightly while stretching your dough.  (And turn the oven up to 500).  Top the pizza with pizza sauce, then the roasted potatoes, next the mozzarella and cheddar, finally the beets and scallions.  Bake the pizza until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is beginning to turn golden or brown.  Every oven is a little different so keep an eye on the pizza, it will probably cook in about 4-7 minutes.

Recipe from Bailey’s member, Jon Spee, who blogs about localism at The Local Kitchener.

Moosewood's Perfect Protein Salad - A Local Adaptation

According to cookbook author Molly Katzen, this recipe was the result of looking in the fridge and finding only some cooked soybeans and wheat berries.  Not bad for such humble beginnings, and this salad is a new family favourite!  The key for me was the addition of one habanero pepper from Mark Brubacher.  Be careful with those peppers, they are extremely hot.  But they’re worth it too, they have such great flavour and the spiciness helps warm your whole body!  But even if you leave out that extra kick of spice you’ll still find this a very satisfying salad. 

The name of the salad refers to the combination of a grain and legume, which results in the full range of amino acids we need.

Moosewood’s Perfect Protein Salad

Adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen

Ingredients:

·        ¾ cups dry soybeans

·        ¾ cups dry wheat (or rye) berries

·        ½ red onion, minced

·        2 medium carrots, finely chopped 1 cucumber, seeded & finely chopped

·        1 hot habanero pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

·        1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbs. dried parsley 1 tsp. dill

·        ¼ cup mayonnaise (you could make your own if you want it local)

·        ¼ cup cider vinegar

·        ¼ cup tangy yogurt 

·        ¼ - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 2 teaspoons salt

·        freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·        optional: add other diced vegetables like celery, tomatoes, or anything else that sounds good.

Soak the wheat berries and soybeans overnight in separate jars or bowls.  Rinse them several times the next day.  Cook the soybeans in one pot, covered completely with plenty of water, and the wheat berries in another pot with 2 cups water, over low heat simmering for 1 – 1.5 hours.  The wheat berries should be soft, while the soybeans will retain a bit of a crunch.  Drain, rinse, and allow to drip dry for a few minutes in a colander. 

While cooking the grains and beans chop your vegetables and mix together the vinegar, mayonnaise, and yogurt.  Mix these together in large bowl, adding in the spices and seasonings.  Add the grains, beans, cheese, and mix all ingredients together.  Test the flavour and adjust spices and seasonings to your liking.  Serve or refrigerate for later.  Makes a great lunch or dinner!

And by the way, look what ingredients Bailey’s has right now for the salad (basically everything you need to make it):

·        dry soybeans (from Round’s)

·        wheat berries (from Oak Manor)

·        red onion(from Bowman’s or Stevanus)

·        carrots(many options)

·        cucumber(from Roseland Produce)

·        habanero pepper(from Mark Brubacher)

·        garlic, (several options)

·        dried parsley (from Brenda Knechtel)

·        dill (from Brenda Knechtel)

·        mayonnaise (you could make your own if you want it local)

·        cider vinegar (from the Cider Keg or Filsingers Organic)

·        yogurt  (several options)

·        feta cheese (several options)

From Jon Spee, who shares more of his KW Locavore adventures at localkitchener.ca

Cabbage Mushroom Toasts

Time: 30-45 minutes

Season: All seasons, best suited to fall and winter.

·        ½ cabbage, finely shredded

·        ½ pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

·        2-4 Tbs. butter

·        1 shallot, minced

·        1 garlic clove, minced

·        ½ cup water or broth

·        2-3 sage leaves, minced

·        ¼ cup heavy cream

·        Slices of your favorite bread

• Melt butter in a large skillet or dutch oven, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  
• Cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are softened and have released their juices, about 5-8 minutes.  
• Add the shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.  
• Add a small amount of water or broth, about a ½ cup, and boil for about 5 minutes. 
• Add the cabbage and a bit more butter, and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the cabbage is soft.  
• Add the cream and sage and simmer a few more minutes, seasoning with more salt and pepper if you like. 
• Serve over slices of toasted bread.  
• If you want it a bit richer, spread butter on the bread and grill it over high heat in a frying pan, flipping it once to get both sides nice and crispy!  

This dish goes well with another vegetable side or salad and fresh or canned fruit.  It would also go nicely with a creamy butternut soup.

Guest Recipe Post by Jon Spee

The Local Kitchener

Adapted from Food and Wine