Last night COOK had the pleasure of hosting Meritage chef Anne Coll for a truly delicious dinner celebrating local produce. For her “Farm Fresh” class, she brought along a bunch of just-harvested veggies to create a simple yet original meal that showcased the best quality area produce. Anne lives just outside Lancaster on a farm — she has a pet pig named Jenny! — and all of us were able to take advantage of her green thumb, as she even brought in some stuff she grew herself!
Check after the jump for photos and recipes from this amazing evening!
Anne’s amuse bouche was an immediate hit: She served deviled farm eggs, garnished with chives blossoms grown in her own garden and bacon-infused trout roe. The yolks of the eggs were also improved upon with bacon and bacon fat. Next was simply roasted Lancaster County asparagus, which had just been picked that morning, along with whipped ricotta. For her second and third courses, Chef Anne prepared Amish chicken, cooked confit in duck fat and served with pickled local rhubarb and her own lettuces; and seared Jersey scallops with a beautiful spring salad of asparagus, peas, radishes and mint. For dessert, another crowd favorite: almond cake with strawberries and lemon curd, a sweet treat many guests were surprised to learn was both gluten- and dairy-free.
Deviled Eggs
- 6 boiled eggs peeled and cut in half, yolks removed
- 1 1/2 TBSP mayo
- 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 1 TBSP bacon cooked with the reserved fat
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp fresh chopped chives
- 1 cup of ricotta
- 1/4 cup roasted garlic
- crushed black pepper
- oregano chopped
- zest and juice of one lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb of asparagus
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Pre Heat oven to 400. Place asparagus on a sheet tray or baking sheet. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with whipped ricotta.
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 TBSP honey or agave
- 1/4 sherry vinegar
Place all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake until well emulsified. This will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Pickled Rhubarb
- 2 Stalks of rhubarb cut into one inch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- salt to taste
- juice and zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 TBSP ginger grated
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Place rhubarb in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk water, sugar, juice and zest, and ginger. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture over rhubarb. Chill and pickle over night. This will last for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Lemon curd
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 1/4 cup butter
Place a medium size sauce pan on the stove filled half way with water. Bring water to a simmer. Place all the ingredients in a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl over top of the sauce pan and let the ingredients cook for about 10-15 just until the eggs are set. Once the eggs are set, place the ingredients in a blender and puree. Chill the curd until completely cool. Will last 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
