Collard Greens Side Dish

Collard Greens are so distinctly southern and possibly my favorite cooked green dish. Remarkably easy to make and yet robust, flavorful and unique.  Accompanying a slow cooked pot roast, grilled pork chops, or meatloaf, collard greens are my perfect choice of vegetable side.

delvin farms collards

Collards are a tough, hearty winter growing vegetable.  Surviving many freezing nights and frost covered mornings, collards are one of the few crops we harvest in December and January.  We plant our late fall/winter crop of collards in September and harvest from early November to the end of January.

For our recipe, start with freshly harvested greens picked up at your local farmers market or out of your CSA box.  De-stem the greens.  Collards have a very tough, thick center stem. An easy way to prepare is to strip the leaves off by holding upside down and running two fingers along this center, ripping as you go.  de-stemmed collards

Layer the stripped leaves on a cutting board and chop into 1″ pieces.

collard greens choppedIngredients:
1 bunch of de-stemmed, coarsely chopped collard greens
2 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
smoking meat. my favorite is the smoked jowl but equally good is a thick smoked bacon or smoked belly meat, if you can find it.
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)
olive oil

collard greens delvin farmsHeat the oil in the stock pot and sauté the onions until translucent and soft. Add the collards, broth, smoking meat. Cook on low heat 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Collards will turn a darker green and become tender. The smoked flavor of the meat along with its juices will coat all the greens in a smokey, rich goodness.

Serve hot and enjoy.

cooked collard greens

Portuguese Kale and Chourico Soup

I had my first taste of Portuguese Kale soup years ago when I was working in Fall River, Massachusetts. Fall River is blue collar town with a history rich in fishing, shipping, manufacturing and sailing. With a large Portuguese immigration population, this kale-chourico soup is on the menu of a lot of the local restaurants. A hearty, warm soup for the colder months; it has become my “go to” soup recipe for kale.

Delvin Farms Kale soup

My favorite kale to use is the wintered Siberian Kale harvested straight from our fields in the winter months. After the first frosts of the fall season, the siberian kale takes on a sweeter more mellow flavor. On the farm, we can harvest the Siberian most of the winter as it is a hearty plant that survives the coldest of weather. Part cover crop, part cash crop, we plant the siberian with a mixture of clovers for winter protection. In the spring, the kale and nitrogen capturing clover help feed our soil with rich organic matter that is turned right under.

I think the key to this recipe is finding a good Chourico (Chorizo) sausage. I’ve tried a lot from the supermarkets but they all seem to have an artificial flavor or try to mask poor taste with a spicy heat. Recently, I found what I believe is the best chorizo I’ve ever tasted from a local butcher shop here in Franklin, TN, The Carnivore Market. Located just off 5 points in Franklin, their sausage is a perfection of spice and smokey flavors that immediately melds with all the ingredients of the soup making a perfect bowl. Their chorizo is so good, we have made this soup twice in the last week.


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb (1 bunch) siberian kale, chopped
16 oz. diced tomatoes (perfect use of canned summer tomatoes)
10 oz chick peas (garbanzos beans)
1 lb diced chourico (chorizo in Spain)
1 quart chicken broth

Delvin Farms Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes from our summer harvest is perfect for this soup.



The Process

Heat the oil in shallow pan over medium heat. Add potatoes, onions and cook 8-10 minutes til potatoes are softened. Add garlic and kale. Cover and cook til kale is wilted.  Transfer contents to medium sauce or soup pot. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico and broth to the pot and bring up heat to slow simmer. Cook for additional 15-20 minutes to really blend flavors together and bring out the chorizo.

Serve warm.

Delvin Farms Kale soup

Delvin Farms kale soup

Autumn Lentil Potato Soup

November can’t be official until a hearty soup is simmering in a crock pot all day long on a Sunday. Inspired by quirky fingerling potatoes from Delvin Farms & a multi-lentil “autumn” blend from Whole Foods, I quickly threw together the ingredients and have been enjoying the rest of my day not in the kitchen.
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Fingerling potatoes are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. I left the skin on for taste, texture, and Vitamin-C (a much needed vitamin in gloomy-autumn). Delvin Farms grows organically, so when tossing all of these raw ingredients into my crock pot, I can rest assured I’m not simmering anything but true goodness!

INGREDIENTS:
+ 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
+ 2 garlic cloves, minced
+ 2 1/2 cups fingerling potatoes, sliced into coins
+ 1 turnip, cubed
+ 1 fresh rosemary sprig, finely chopped
+ 3-5 fresh thyme sprigs, finely chopped
+ 1-2 celery stalks, diced
+ 1 cup autumn blend lentils (or a variety of lentils: French Green, Petite Crimson, Golden, Black Beluga, Spaish Pardina, and Ivory White).
+ 6 cups vegetable stock
+ Salt, pepper and/or all purpose spice
+ 1 tbs olive oil
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METHOD:
Salute the diced onion and minced garlic in a small skillet with olive oil. Place in a crock pot, turned on “High” and add ALL additional ingredients, diced/chopped/cubed! Go enjoy your day and come back to eat in 5-6 hours!

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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Corn, Pepper and Black Bean Dip

Corn, peppers and tomatoes are overflowing at Delvin Farms. I picked up these colorful ingredients, hoping to hang onto the taste of summer and spend another evening outside. Many people are back to the swing of the school year and new “fall” schedules, but I’m refusing to let summer go. This dip requires little prep time in the kitchen so more time can be spent soaking in the last of August.

As summer would have it, I prepped this Corn, Pepper & Black Bean Dip amidst an afternoon thunderstorm. Hoping the clouds would clear away before guests arrived for an outside party just as quickly as the mess in my kitchen will disappear too.

Ingredients:
+ 8 mixed size bell peppers, variety of colors
+ 3 cups tomatoes, diced
+ 2 ears of corn, cooked and removed from core
+ 1 can organic black beans, rinsed
+ 1-2 jalapeños peppers
+ 3 medium sized shallots, diced finely
+ 4 tbsp. olive oil
+ 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
+ Dash/Pinch OF all-purpose spice (shown here with local, East Nashville Spice Co. spicy blend)
+ Tortilla chips

Method:
Toss all ingredients together into a large bowl. Pour over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with all purpose spice, salt & pepper. Fold together gently. Let chill in the fridge for a few hours to let all of the flavors blend together before serving with hearty, tortilla or pita chips.
This dip is very easy to make and would make an excellent side for grilling out or taco night.
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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Mint, Lime, and Athena Cantaloupe Chiller

Sweet, juicy, Athena cantaloupes are being harvested now at Delvin Farms and are perfect for a summertime mint, lime and cantaloupe chiller.  Grown organically and enjoyable anytime of the day in summer, I wanted to try a different way to consume this delicious melon. Despite not having a great blender, I’ve been determined to make a fun chiller this summer. This was so quick to make and made a Saturday afternoon a lot more fun & refreshing. In the dog days of summer, this chiller is a treat!

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Cantaloupe is naturally hydrating and helps with inflammation and digestion. Don’t you love knowing the benefits to simple fruits & vegetables?

+ 1 large cantaloupe from Delvin Farms
+ 1-2 handfuls of fresh mint leaves
+ 1/2 lime, juiced
+ 3 tablespoons honey
+ Sparkling mineral water

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Dice cantaloupe and blend with lime juice and honey. Add in mint leaves at the end and pulse quickly. Pour mixture over ice, about 2/3 full in your glass. Top with sparkling mineral water and garnish with more mint, to your liking.

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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Sweet and Savory Toast

Summer means more time spent outside and less time in the kitchen. Quick, easy snacks or light breakfast meals are a must with schedules packing calendars and sunny skies begging to be enjoyed with family and friends.

Delvin Farm’s blackberries hit the market a few weeks ago and pairing it with mascarpone seemed like a sweet treat for a lazy Sunday morning. I also snatched up the bightest red tomato and basil bundle for another toast recipe I had a craving for with hummus as a base. Toast doesn’t have to be boring and it can serve as a substantial snack, sweet or savory!PlatedColor-Toast2

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TOAST WITH MASCARPONE, BLACKBERRIES & HONEY
+ Toast whole wheat oatmeal bread, let cool slightly before spreading mascarpone (a lighter, Italian cream cheese). Top with whole blackberries and drizzle with local honey.

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TOAST WITH HUMMUS, TOMATO, AND FRESH BASIL
+ Toast bread, spread with hummus. Halve tomato and slice into thin wedges. Arrange on toast and sprinkle in small, fresh basil leaves.

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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Squash Blossoms

‘Bring a side dish’ means it’s officially summer. I think we can all step up our game in pasta salad and add a new staple to our summer plates. Starting with local ingredients in season helps add flavor and color, plus using a vegetable pasta made from quinoa grain keeps it healthy and packed with protein. When I saw the seasons first pint of heirloom tomatoes from Delvin Farms and squash blossoms, I knew the flavor was going to be out of this world.
Making this recipe will turn heads at the next cookout you have to attend. It would pair well with all of our summer favorites; veggie burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob. Cheers to summer time!

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INGREDIENTS:
+ 8oz Garden Pagoda Pasta from Ancient Grains
+ 1 large summer squash, diced into small cubes
+ 1 pint heirloom tomatoes
+ 5 squash blossoms, sliced
+ 2 tbs white onion, diced
+ 3-4 tbs purple basil, finely chopped
+ salt and pepper to taste
+ 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
+ 1 tbs red wine vinegarPlatedColor.com-PastaSalad6

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METHOD:
Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside to cool in the fridge. While the pasta is cooling, cut squash, quarter the heirloom tomatoes, dice the onion, and finely chop the purple basil. Set aside half of the basil. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Slice the squash blossoms by removing the stem, and cutting it crosswise into thin strips.

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To make the dressing, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil with1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and whisk together with ample amounts of salt and pepper. Add the remaining half of the finely diced purple basil.
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Toss dressing & vegetables into the chilled pasta. Garnish with more salt, pepper, and basil to your liking.

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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

Sweet Potato Fries with Dipping Sauce

Summer time is here. Last week it rained while it was also sunny, creating a heavenly smell with humidity touching every pore. I love summer & the fresh produce it brings to the farmer’s market from Delvin Farms. Summer to me means fries and cookouts and veggie burgers and grilled eggplant. Potatoes are one of my favorite foods and in addition to roasting or baking them, I thought it would be fun to see if I could tackle the ole’ fashioned FRY in honor of summer! Sweet potato fries come to life in the sauce they are dipped in. Because I couldn’t pick between a basic garlic aioli sauce or a honey mustard sauce, I decided to make both.

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The garlic aioli won my vote while the honey mustard won my husbands. The next time you make sweet potato fries, serve with a variety of dipping sauces. Why not?!

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SWEET POTATO FRIES:

+ Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into long rectangles or wedges
+ Coconut oil
+ Black truffle sea salt
—Preheat the oven to 425. Peel and cut the potatoes into long rectangles or wedges. Coat in warmed coconut oil (coconut oil is a solid until it is warm). Season with black truffle sea salt and place directly on a baking rack. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, turning over the potatoes mid way through so they can get crispy on both sides.

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GARLIC AIOLI CHIVE Sauce:
+ 4 to 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped. (Shown here are green garlic cloves from the Franklin Farmer’s Market)
+ salt & pepper
+ lemon juice
+ 1 cup mayonnaise
—Pound garlic cloves with salt and pepper until a smooth paste forms. Stir it into the mayonnaise and add fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste. Garnish with fresh chives, salt and pepper.

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LOCAL HONEY MUSTARD Sauce:
—Whisk the following ingredients together and garnish with fresh basil leaves:
+ 1/2 cup organic mayonnaise
+ 1/4 cup mustard
+ 2 tbs local clover honey

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— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

MINT PESTO STRAWBERRY SALAD

Strawberry season leaves us as quickly as it enters out of winters cold.  Delvin Farms will have strawberries for one more week at the Franklin, West End, and Nashville farmer’s markets this upcoming week. The sweetest taste and delight of eating local food in season couldn’t get better with Hank’s strawberries. Paired with fresh, local mint and savory mozzarella, this dish may seem like a strange combination, until you take the first bite! I promise.

Fresh Local Straweberries

(Serving size: 5-6)

+ 2 cups fresh strawberries from Delvin Farms, sliced
+ 1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed, plus more for garnish
+ 1/4 pine nuts
+ 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
+ 3/4 olive oil
+ 1 garlic clove
+ Organic Ovoline Mozzarella, torn or cut into pieces
+ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

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In a food processor, plush olive oil, mint leaves, pine nuts, parmesan, and garlic. (I had to use my blender, and I wouldn’t recommend that, for ease of grinding). On a platter, layer the mozzarella and strawberries. Spoon over the mint pesto. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and garnish with more mint leaves. This is a lovely side dish or would grace a bed of lettuce and grilled chicken beautifully for a more substantial meal.

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Photos & Recipe by Amanda Barnhart of PlatedColor.com

— Amanda Barnhart is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

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Watercress Salad with Oranges, Cucumbers and Pomegranates

I love trying new produce and watercress has been one of those leafy items I have yet to try in my own kitchen. It’s bright green color caught my eye at the Franklin Farmer’s Market last Saturday and I snatched up a bunch at the Delvin Farm’s table. After a brief consult with my trusty cookbooks, I quickly gathered that oranges and cucumbers pair well with watercress.

Organic Watercress Delvin Farms

A salad can’t have too many ingredients, so to spruce it up, I included fresh pomegranate seeds, basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts.  This spring salad leaves the promise of summer right on the tip of your tongue. It will work wonderfully as a first course to dinner or as a light lunch paired with some hummus & crackers.

(Serving size: 1)

+ 2 1/2 cups fresh watercress from Delvin Farms, large stems removed
+ Cucumber (about half of one) thinly sliced
+ 1 Orange, sliced with the pith removed, cubed
+ 2 tbs Pomegranate seeds
+ 10 basil leaves
+ 2 tbs Pine nuts, sautéed in a drop of olive oil
+ 2 tbs Olive oil
+ 1/2 tbs Champagne Vinegar
+ Salt & Pepper to taste
watercress chopped

Remove the leaves from the stems of the watercress and slice the cucumber & oranges. Set aside. Heat a small skillet on low to medium heat and add a small drop of olive oil. Add the pine nuts and sauté slowly, until slightly browned.

watercress salad oranges cucumbers

For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, champagne vinegar, and a dash of salt & pepper.

Toss the pomegranates and pine nuts into the watercress, cucumbers, and oranges. Coat generously with the dressing & enjoy!

watercress Salad

The above recipe comes to us by our guest blogger and food fan, Amanda Barnhart.  Amanda can be found every Saturday at the Franklin Farmers Market foraging among all the local produce brought in by our Middle TN farmers.  We love her photography and fresh look at food we grow on the farm.

Amanda is an art director, food enthusiast, and cat lover. She curates & photographs new recipes weekly on her vegetarian food blog, PlatedColor.com. You can see more photos and read about this recipe there.

— Photos & Recipe by Amanda Barnhart of PlatedColor.com