Vendor Spotlight | Week of August 1st

Ohio City Pasta - A Cleveland Story

For more than twenty years, Ohio City Pasta has consistently delivered high quality, fresh pasta. As a one-man operation in 1990, Chef Gary Thomas introduced Ohio City Pasta to the Cleveland restaurant scene, realizing a need in time-stressed professional kitchens that did not have the staff or the equipment for proper pasta production. The chefs of Cleveland began to rely on Ohio City Pasta to deliver consistent quality pastas made specifically for them.

Since that time, he and his team have expanded well beyond the original flat cuts of pasta and beyond the Cleveland, Ohio area. Quality and consistency remain the focus as Ohio City Pasta’s menu of pasta products now include ravioli, gnocchi, tortellini and many other custom pasta products. Thousands of pounds of fresh pasta are being delivered throughout Ohio and neighboring states, still meeting the high expectations of Thomas and his customers.

A Little About Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta transforms an ordinary pasta meal into the extraordinary. It adds flavor and texture unparalleled by ordinary dried or extruded pasta products. American durum and semolina flours, the best in the world, are custom-blended as the essential base for all Ohio City Pasta products. Whole eggs add richness and texture to the pasta. No artificial ingredients or flavor enhancements are used. The finest and freshest spices and flavors that the world offers provides further distinction to Ohio City Pasta. Spanish saffron, telichery peppercorns, genuine squid ink, fresh herbs and countless other ingredients add quality, creativity, and endless varieties to the fresh cuts of pasta.

Limitless flavor combinations create enhancements to any meat, seafood, vegetable or sauce. No longer is pasta just a vehicle to carry the sauce. In addition, it is an ingredient adding flavor and inviting cuisines not normally associated with tradition. Roasted red pepper, lemon, garlic & chive, black pepper basil, orange-sesame ginger, cajun, chipotle, spicy lime and cilantro are just a few of the endless possibilities available from Ohio City Pasta.

Filled pastas, such as ravioli, agnollotti, and tortellini expounds the flavor possibilities even further. All fillings are made from scratch. Sautéed mushrooms, grated cheeses, and roasted butternut squash are all done in-house.

Fresh pasta cooks in a fraction of the time required by ordinary dried pasta. Depending upon the chosen cut of pasta, boiling time may be as brief as 30 seconds(!) and the longest cooking time being four minutes.

Available to the trade through local distributors. Home chefs will find Ohio City Pasta at The West Side Market in Ohio City and select high-quality grocers, as well as some of the areas premier farmers markets.

[ Information Courtesy Ohio City Pasta, http://www.ohiocitypasta.com ]

Ara-zagna!

Ara-zagna

Recipe by Arabelle Romeo
Arabelle Romeo

No stove necessary - pull out the veggie peeler or mandolin and the blender or food processor and you're on your way to a delicious, nutritious and raw food lasagna!

Cashew Ricotta

2 cups raw cashews, soaked 4-8 hrs

Juice of ½ lemon

1tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 -1/4c. water

Sundried Tomato Marinara

2 cups Sundried tomatoes, soaked 4-8 hrs

2 Medjool dates, soaked with tomatoes

2 medium sized heirloom tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

1/8 cup olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

Sea salt & pepper to taste

Pistachio Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup raw pine nuts

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt to taste

For Assembly:

3-4 Zucchinis, peeled

2-3 tbsp. Olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Dried Italian herb mix

3 firm heirloom tomatoes

1 bunch spinach leaves

Assembly:

Slice zucchini thinly with mandoline or vegetable peeler. Toss with olive oil, herbs and salt and let marinate.

Drain cashews and combine Cashew Ricotta ingredients in blender until smooth. Set aside.

Drain sundried tomatoes and combine marinara ingredients in blender until smooth. Set aside.

Combine pesto ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until coarsely blended.

Slice heirloom tomatoes and layer ingredients as follows in 9X13 glass dish:

* Marinated zucchini

* Cashew ricotta

* Spinach leaves

* Heirloom tomato slices

* Pistachio pesto

* Marinara

Repeat layers until ingredients are all used ending with marinara on top.alt to taste

dried tomatoes and comb

Arabelle Romeo acendayoga.com (216)633-1575

Sage Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Kissel Farms Cubanelle Peppers stuffed with Hickory Acres Sage Sausage

modified from Saveur.com

This was a big hit with the whole family and the tri-colored Cubanelle Peppers were festive and seasonal! This recipe would work with bell, pablano or chili peppers too.

SERVES 8

8 fresh peppers - Cubanelle from Kissel Farm
1⁄4 cup oil - Grape Seed Oil from the Olive Tap
1⁄2 medium onion, peeled and diced - White Onion from H-W Organic
1⁄2 lb. sausage - Sage Sausage from Hickory Acres Meats
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 1⁄4 cups cooked brown rice
1⁄4 cup shredded cheese - Hickory Acres Mozzarella

1. Char peppers over under a hot broiler, turning to blacken all over. Remove and, when cool enough to handle, rub off blackened skin, taking care not to tear flesh. Cut a slit down the length of each, stopping about 1⁄2" from the tip. (If using bell peppers, simply cut off the top.) Scrape out ribs and seeds. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until golden, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add sausage, breaking up with the back of a spoon, and brown for 7–10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and stir in tomatoes and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in rice, 1/8 cup of cheese and 1 tbsp. of the oil.

3. Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1⁄4 cup filling into each pepper and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with remainder of cheese, drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp. oil, and broil until golden.

BLT BOWL aka I'll Huff and I'll Puff and I'll blow out the fiery pan of smoldering bacon

Jenny's BLT Bowl

Is your tummy is a rumblin' for a delicious, healthy, locally sourced and (theoretically) easy meal? Look no further, the BLT Bowl is no match for the hungry.

Round one: Bacon - 1, Jenny - 0

I decided to give oven cooked bacon a whirl, putting baking racks on a pan and spreading the strips across them. I set the oven to 350 and went upstairs to put my son down for a nap. I came down about 10 minutes later and it was thoroughly cooked, but not sufficiently crisp, so I decided to pop it in the broiler. A couple minutes later it was nearly perfect. I thought another few seconds would put that 'melt in your mouth' finish on the strips, so I closed up the broiler. Immediately smoke began spilling out. I pulled open the door and saw my precious Hickory Acres 'No-No' Bacon engulfed in flames. After nearly hyperventilating from blowing out the fiery mess, the smoke detector stationed right outside my son's room started bleating. I tossed the smokey pork remains out the front door, ran upstairs and ripped the alarm from the wall. Disaster averted.

Round two: Jenny - victorious, Bacon - devoured
So... I fried up that bacon in a pan.

Recipe:
(2) tomatoes - a couple of heirloom varieties from Kissel Farms
(1/4) cup feta - goat cheese feta from lake Erie Creamery
(3) cups greens - baby spinach
(6) strips bacon - No-No bacon (no nitrates, no msg) from Hickory Acres
(1) tbsp olive oil - The Olive Tap's Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin

-Wash your veggies - 1 part distilled white vinegar, 2 water in a spray bottle
-Put greens in a bowl
-Cover with thinly slice tomatoes and bacon strip
-Crumble feta on top
-Drizzle with olive oil
-Salt and pepper to taste

Serves 2

Is it a sign? Almost burning down my mother's house and later nearly in tears over 'Babe'
I may be returning to a vegetarian diet! And remember always smother a grease fire!!!

Until next time eaters...

Hot and Corny - Jalapeno Corn Bread

Jalapeno Corn Bread

Serves 8

2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels, removed from the cob
1 cup chopped onion
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
¾ cup Colby cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. In a mixing bowl mix together the cornmeal, flour, soda, and salt.

2. Separately, mix together the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and corn. Pour into the
cornmeal/flour mixture and stir to mix.

3. Stir in the onion and jalapeno and pour 1/2 the mixture into a 10- to 12-inch
greased, cast iron skillet or 9-inch square (or equivalent proportions) glass or
metal baking pan. Sprinkle with the cheese, top with remaining batter and bake
for 40 minutes or until golden.

Me so Corny - Saffron Corn Soup

Celebrity Chef Bob Sferra
owner of Culinary Occasions

will demonstrate his healthy Corn Soup recipe at
12:30 on Sunday 9/26/2010 at the
Kamm's Corners Farmers Market!

It calls for crab but you could use whatever sweet shellfish is available to you such as lobster or shrimp. If you wanted to go “whole hog” you could of course garnish with crème fraîche, caviar, etc.!

2 tablespoons butter

1½ cups chopped onion (1 medium)

1 cup chopped carrots

¼ cup chopped celery

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

3½ cups corn kernels (cut from 6 medium ears)

1 whole bay leaf

big pinch saffron threads

5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

● salt and freshly ground pepper

½ pound fresh Dungeness or lump crabmeat, picked over

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1. In a deep saucepan or soup pot heat the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook till soft but not brown, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the corn, bay leaf and saffron; continue to cook and stir for another 5 minutes.

2. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Discard the ay leaf and puree in a blender being careful to do so at lower speed and with blender jar only half filled (hot liquids expand dramatically so be careful!). You’ll need to do this in batches.

3. Strain the soup through a medium-mesh strainer pushing down on the solids and return to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and reheat. Ladle into warm soup bowls, top with crab and serve.

Say Cheers to Autumn with the sauce of the season!

Apple Cider &

Ginger Gin Drops

Fall is fast approaching, just 2 days away.
Welcome the change with these delicious drops.

Ingredients
-1/3 cup fresh cranberries
-2 tbsps sugar
-1/2 cups fresh apple cider (pick some up from Hickory Acres at the KCFM)
-2/3 cup chilled ginger beer (available at Nature's Bin, or your neighborhood grocer)
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1/4 cup + 3 tbsps gin

Muddle cranberries and sugar in a pitcher & add liquid ingredients.

Makes 4 servings.

Thanks M.S. Living 10/09!