by Suvir Saran
Serves 6 to 8
FOR THE PASTRY
6 tbsp/85 g unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp at room temperature
12/3 cups/200 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
¾ tsp kosher salt or fleur de sel
1 egg yolk
FOR THE FILLING
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs (any combination of chives, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, or winter savory)
½ large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ 1 tsp kosher salt
1 small or ½ large head cauliflower, divided into small florets
5 large eggs
8 oz/225 g Gruyère cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
3 oz/85 g fresh chèvre
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To make the pastry: Slice the 6 tbsp/85 g butter into small pieces, place them in a bowl, and put in the freezer to chill. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, rosemary, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 3 tbsp cold water and set aside. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse until the dry ingredients are mealy with nuggets no larger than a small pea. Pulse in the liquid just until the dry ingredients look sandy, then turn the mixture out onto your worksurface. Knead the mixture lightly until it can be pressed into a mound (if you tap it, it should break apart). Transfer the mound to a large sheet of plastic wrap, wrap it tightly, and then lightly knead the dough to make a solid, flat disc. Chill the dough for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Unwrap the dough and place it on a generously floured worksurface. Roll the dough to a 10-in/25-cm circle, fold it into quarters, and transfer it to a 9-in/23-cm extra-deep pie dish, a 9½-in/24-cm standard pie dish, or a 10-in/25-cm fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Fit the dough into the corners of the pan and, if using a pie dish, trim and crimp the edges (if using a tart pan with removable bottom, press off the excess dough to create a clean edge). Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Rub the remaining 1 tbsp butter over a large sheet of aluminum foil. Line the chilled pie crust with the foil, buttered-side down, and then line the foil with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the pie crust until it is just set, about 12 minutes. Remove it from the oven and remove the foil and weights. Place the crust back in the oven and continue to bake until it is golden, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and set aside.
To make the filling: In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, black pepper, and herbs over medium-high heat until the herbs are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the onion and ½ tsp of the salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is browned and starting to crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until browned and glossy and the onion starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the Gruyère, chèvre, parsley, and remaining salt. Scrape the vegetables into the crust, and then pour the egg-cheese mixture over the vegetables. Place the quiche on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the filling is browned, slightly puffy, and set, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing the rings, slicing, and serving.
Farm Yarn:
Goat’s Milk Surprise
It’s been our experience that most people are squeamish about trying goat’s milk. Whenever we ask our guests if they’d like to drink some, they often respond as if we’d just offered them brains for breakfast: gaping mouths, wide eyes, and raised eyebrows. So we no longer ask … we surprise.
Spring is the time of year when the goats have their babies and the mothers produce milk to feed them. After the kids are weaned, Charlie gets up early to milk the goats and brings the fresh unpasteurized, nonhomogenized milk in to the fridge. Around the time that Charlie returns to the house with the milk is about the same time our guests—we’re always playing host to someone—usually start descending from the second floor, awake and ready for coffee and a hearty breakfast.
Right away we ask our guests if they would like to try some goat’s milk, as fresh as the day is young. They inevitably respond with shocked looks, and we don’t press them any further. Instead, Charlie innocently places a pitcher of milk on the counter. Our friends make themselves coffee with, yes, the goat’s milk. They admire the milk for its richness, its creaminess, it’s fresh flavor… Charlie and I smirk and look at them with knowing eyes … and then they guess the truth—it’s goat’s milk!
In a blind taste test, most people actually prefer the goat’s milk to the cow’s. Besides its wonderful flavor, it’s more digestible and has less fat. Our country neighbors need no convincing. These characters swing by the farm in the morning knowing that we will have an extra jug or two of milk to give to them.
Scratch Bean Salad with Basil and Roasted Peppers
Chef Cesare Casella, the chef-owner of the fantastic Salumeria Rosi on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and his wife, Eileen, gave us a wonderful selection of heirloom Italian beans from their company, Republic of Beans. What did we do with the beautiful selection of Italian heritage beans fagioli pavoni, scritti, fagioli del papa, coco di mamma, pavoni, cicerchi, fagioli corona, and fagioli diavoli? We put them in decorative jars to give shape and color to our curio display. Shameless!
After more time than I care to admit, Charlie and I realized that we had to cook them, otherwise we’d bear the wrath of Cesare (whose wrath is about as fearsome as a teddy bear’s). We came up with this salad inspired by a version that Cesare served us when we first met him while he was the chef at Beppe (and later Maremma) in New York City. It’s about the texture of the beans, the fruitiness of the olive oil, and the pungency of the basil. Try to get the best-quality dried beans you can (see Farmhouse Resources), meaning plump and shiny, not shriveled and dull. Herbs and black pepper gently fried in olive oil (a classic Indian technique) boost the flavor of this otherwise simply seasoned salad.
Serves 8
1 lb/455 g dried beans
2½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
½ tsp Herbes de Hebron or herbes de Provence
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for serving
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
3 roasted red bell peppers, seeded and diced into ¼-in/6-mm pieces
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving
¼ cup/10 g thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Place the beans in a stockpot and cover with 6 in/15.25 cm warm water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the beans are plump but not entirely cooked through, about 1 hour (cook the beans on low heat so that they retain their shape). Add 1 tsp of the salt and continue cooking until the beans are tender, 1 to 2 hours longer (depending on the size of the beans and how fresh they are). Drain the beans in a colander and transfer them to a large bowl.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the Herbes de Hebron, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 1 minute. Stir in the carrots and ½ tsp salt and cook until the carrots are tender, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the seasoned carrots to the bowl with the beans.
Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and immediately drizzle it over the beans and carrots, then stir to combine. Stir in the onion, roasted peppers, Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil, and remaining 1 tsp salt. Taste and season with salt if needed, and add a drizzle more oil if the beans taste dry. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold with extra ParmigianoReggiano, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper.
VARIATION: BEAN SOUP
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nbsp; Transfer half of the bean salad to a food processor and blend with 3 to 4 cups/720 to 950 ml of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a large pot and repeat with the remaining beans. If you like a chunkier bean soup, leave the second batch of beans at more of a rough texture than the first. Scrape the second half of the processed beans into the pot. Cook over medium heat until hot, adjust with more water or broth, and season with salt and pepper. Serve finished with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a drizzle of fruity olive oil, and a crack of pepper.
RECIPE NOTE: PLANNED OVERS
Charlie and I like to say that we don’t have leftovers in our house, we have “planned overs.” Meaning, I double or even triple a recipe, such as with this bean salad. I’ll take some of the planned overs and toss them with warm pasta for a rustic lunch, and then purée the rest with water to make a voluminous and richly flavored bean soup (see Variation above). Or I’ll prepare the salad as a white bean hummus spread by puréeing it in the food processor along with a little water, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice and serve it like bruschetta on a slice of toasted baguette. There is no harm in repurposing leftovers. Getting many meals from one pot of beans is pure country ingenuity!
Pasta Primavera
Charlie’s Grandmother Burd from West Virginia travels to our farm a few times a year. During these visits, we know we have to be at the top of our game, because this woman is tireless—she’s five feet tall, in her mid-eighties, and makes us look like lumps of lazy corruption! She loves to pick our herbs and vegetables (and then watches me like a hawk to make sure I use each and every one she has gathered). This pasta primavera is the result of one such garden adventure. You can use any vegetables you like in this recipe, just remember to add the quicker-cooking tender vegetables toward the end so that they don’t overcook.
Serves 6
1 tbsp kosher salt, plus 1 tsp
One 14.5-oz/410-g box of whole-grain, multigrain, or nutrient-enriched penne pasta (or other tube or spiral-shaped pasta)
9 tbsp/135 ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 dried red chiles
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium head (about 2 lb/910 g) cauliflower, divided into small florets
10 oz/280 g brown mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
¼ cup/10 g finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup/100 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the 1 tbsp salt and the pasta, and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat 4 tbsp/60 ml of the olive oil with the chiles, rosemary, and black pepper in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until the rosemary becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and 1½ tsp salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is limp and brown around the edges, 5 to 8 minutes.
Push the onion to the side of the pan and add another 2 tbsp olive oil and the cauliflower. Stir the cauliflower into the oil (but not into the onion pushed over to the side) and cook, stirring often, until the florets start to brown and become soft, about 5 minutes. (If the cauliflower browns too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low.)
Push the cauliflower to the side and add another 2 tbsp olive oil and the mushrooms. Mix together all the vegetables, and cook until the mushrooms become glossy and shriveled, about 2 minutes.
Make a hole in the center of the vegetables and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then stir the garlic into the rest of the vegetables. Cook all the vegetables together for 3 minutes and then stir in the basil and the cooked pasta. Reduce the heat to low, add the butter and, once it is melted, stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste, add more salt if necessary, and serve.
Asparagus and Green Pea Risotto with Fresh Herb Tarka
In India, we look to add flavor to food using spices and cooking techniques, not stock. So instead of weighing down risotto with chicken broth, I instead fry herbs in butter and oil to make a tarka, a seasoned oil stirred into food to brighten its flavor. But I like a good stock, too, and I make mine with every scrap of vegetable when I cook, meaning that the carrot peelings, mushroom stems, and asparagus ends become stock for the risotto, introducing depth, nutrition, and interest beyond what plain water can bring. Making water-based scrap stocks also helps control the sodium levels of the finished dish (read the nutrition label on that can of chicken broth and be prepared for a shock when you get to the percent of sodium that one serving of the packaged broth adds to your daily intake). A Parmigiano-Reggiano rind or a few whole black peppercorns add a nice extra flavor.
Serves 8
FOR THE TARKA
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
FOR THE RISOTTO
2 lb/910 g asparagus
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional), plus 1 cup/100 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper (optional), plus 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp/85 g unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 cups/200 g Arborio rice
½ cup/120 ml dry white wine
10-oz/280-g bag fresh or frozen green peas
Finely chopped fresh basil for serving
To make the tarka: Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, basil, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and set aside.
To make the risotto: Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and add them to a large soup pot. Slice the trimmed asparagus spears on the diagonal into 1-in/2.5-cm lengths, leave the tips whole, and place both in a medium bowl and set aside.
Pour 12 cups/2.85 L water over the asparagus ends and add 1 tsp of the salt, the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (if using), and the coarsely ground pepper (if using). Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer until the broth is fragrant, about 25 minutes. Strain the broth into a clean pot, cover to keep the broth warm, and discard the asparagus ends and the rind. (The broth can be made up to a week in advance; reheat before making the risotto.) You should have about 10 cups/2.35 L broth.
Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the freshly ground pepper and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the onion and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and soft, 1½ to 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until the grains are opaque, 1½ to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring often, until it is absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 cup/240 ml of the broth. Cook the risotto, stirring constantly, until the liquid is mostly absorbed (when you push a wooden spoon through the center of the pot, a trail should remain for 1 second before the rice comes back together) and then add another 1 cup/240 ml of warm broth. The rice will probably need about 2 minutes of cooking and stirring between each addition.
Once you have added 5 cups/1.18 L broth total to the risotto (after about 10 minutes), add the sliced asparagus, asparagus tips, peas, and the remaining ½ tsp salt. You know the risotto is done when the rice is creamy, not mushy, the grains are plump yet separate, and the rice is cooked to an al dente doneness (there should be an opaque speck in the center of a grain of rice), after another three to five additions of broth and 8 to 10 minutes more. Turn off the heat. Add the tarka and 2 tbsp o
f the Parmigiano-Reggiano, stirring to combine. Spoon the risotto into serving bowls, shower with some fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.
Farmhouse Crispy-Creamy Potatoes
Anne Willan’s book From My Château Kitchen and her recipe for butter-and-oil-poached and roasted potatoes are partially responsible for getting us out of the city and into the country. We fell in love with her stories about her elegant country life and made her creamy olive oil–poached potatoes over and over again in our tiny Manhattan kitchen, and then in our generous farmhouse one. Throughout the years, we’ve played with her recipe, combining it with Charlie’s Grandmother Hayes’s method, which involves parboiling the potatoes first and finishing them in a cast-iron frying pan. The resulting potatoes are wonderfully crisp on the outside with soufflé-like interiors. I add whole heads of garlic and loads of herbs that infuse the potatoes and the oil. Like most Indians, I have a deep love of carbohydrates, and I’m famous for serving the potatoes alongside fresh-baked bread for smearing the roasted garlic on—pure indulgence! Herbes de Hebron is my take on herbes de Provence—blending your own spices is economical and practical, yielding a brighter flavor than preblended mixes. If you prefer, you can use preblended herbes de Provence.