Monday, May 11, 2009

Saturday Lunch At The Farm

My sister Emma and I drove upstate this past weekend to celebrate our mother at Red Hen Farm, her property in the Catskills. The farm was exceptionally beautiful in the pristine spring weather with lettuces and flowers beginning to pop from the rust red earth of the gardens and the hilly surrounding ablaze with wild dandelions. It is the best place to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside with the added bonus of good food and even better company. Upon arrival, Emma and I were greeted by our old English setter Annie and a fabulous lunch of ribs and pasta. She roasted pork ribs in the oven until they browned nicely and coated them with a combination of barbecue sauce and Chinese duck sauce. The glaze was smoky, sweet, and exotic all at once, caramelizing well under the broiler.

The second dish was a simple roasted cherry tomato pasta. Roasting tomatoes is an awesome way to draw out their natural sweetness while condensing their flavor. My mother layered a baking dish with tons of fresh basil and then added whole cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, fennel seeds, and good olive oil. The tomatoes were cooked at 350 for 10 or 15 minutes until they collapsed a bit. I have been using this technique for years thanks to her and it always turns out wonderfully. Just toss the saucy tomatoes with your favorite noodle and you have a tasty meal ready to roll in under a half hour. The lunch was a nice treat after being on the road for a few hours and marked the start of a mighty weekend of eating. As always, I encourage you to enjoy and share delicious food and home cooked meals with yourself and others!

1 comment:

Claudia said...

Jack, this is a must at the beach house this weekend! Claudia