Holy Cows

OK. Enough with gray skies, cold winds and snow. It’s times like this that I crave (well, yes, chocolate, of course) but anything that tastes green, crisp and fresh. And I’ve found my favorite cure for the winter funk in Janet Fletcher’s recipe for Escarole and Gruyere Salad with Walnut Oil.

Gruyere and walnuts are a wonderful pairing. And crisp escarole leaves add some snap to these dreary days. Now is the best time to find escarole on the produce shelves.

The recipe comes fron Fletcher’s book “The Cheese Course.” A food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, Fletcher also writes a weekly column on cheese for the paper. –jh

Escarole and Gruyere Salad with Walnut Oil

1/2 cup walnuts
2 heads of escarole, pale heart only, trimmed
1/3 pound Gruyere, trimmed of any rind and cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley

Vinaigrette
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons walnut oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 large shallot
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, vinegar, shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 30 minutes to allow shallot flavor to mellow. Taste and adjust the balance as needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet until fragrant and lightly colored, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Break any large pieces up by hand.

In a large salad bowl, combine the escarole, walnuts, Gruyere and parsley. Add enough of the dressing to coat the salad lightly; you may not need it all. Toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

We are happy to have some very committed wholesale customers who order significant amounts of cheese throughout the year. This spring we have been able to take a little time to get off the farm (yoohoo!) and visit a couple of restaurants that feature our cheese on their menus.  
The Mercury Cafe in Denver was our first stop. In early March, we were in town visiting family and took the opportunity to dine at the Mercury. Owner Marilyn Megenity has spent the last 25 years creating and sustaining her cafe. She is committed to creating a community gathering place with quality food, good music, theater, poetry and dance. Wow! It’s an eclectic, relaxed, delightful spot. If I could recognize a restaurant owner who walks the walk, it would be Marilyn. She is truly committed to supporting local food producers.  
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting Marilyn and her staff. Being a couple of farm kids, we didn’t stay for Tango dancing which began after our bedtime.  
Last week, we were happy to visit the folks at Deer Valley Snow Park and Empire Canyon lodges and enjoy a fabulous fireside meal including Raclette cheese melted over the fire and served with traditional accompaniments of pickles, mustards, sausages and potatoes. Mmmmmmm. 
Jodie Rogers, executive chef, and her staff have got to be the nicest (and I think happiest) chefs I’ve ever met. They clearly love their work. But, hey, with a view of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains and access to the best skiing in the world all winter, who wouldn’t love working there? The people (and the food) are top notch.  
Jodie and Shane Symes, Empire Canyon Lodge chef, were nice enough to share their recipe for “Mountain Macaroni” featuring our Wasatch Mountain Gruyere. I love this macaroni. Thanks Jodie and Shane! (You can see a video of Jodie cooking the recipe on “Good Things Utah” at abc4.com. Just type “Mountain Macaroni” in the search window.) 
 
Mountain Macaroni 
 
10 1/2 Oz. Penne Half Cooked  
4 Oz. Unsalted Butter, Cubed  
1 Yellow Onion, Sliced  
5 Oz. Bacon, Diced  
7 Oz. Cream  
1 Bay Leaf  
Black Pepper, Fresh Ground  
4 Ounce Rockhill Gruyere Cheese, Grated  
2 Ounce Raclette, Grated  
Homemade Mustard to taste  
 
Boil the penne pasta in plenty of salted water until half cooked.  
Drain pasta and put into a buttered ovenproof or cast iron dish, dotting with 1 oz. of butter so the pasta does not stick.  
Sauté onions in 1 oz. of butter until soft.  
Add the bacon and cook until mixture starts to color.  
Remove from heat for a minute or so, add the cream, bay leaf and a ground of pepper.  
Return to the heat and gently simmer for a few more minutes.  
Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf.  
Add the cream sauce and the grated cheese to the penne pasta and mix.  
Add some Homemade Mustard to taste.  
Dot small pieces of butter on top of pasta.  
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until it bubbles and starts to turn golden brown  
– jh