Holiday Appetizers

Beverly McLaughlin of Beverly’s Foods showed us some easy ways to wow your guests at your next holiday parties (and maybe even keep them healthy). A vegetarian, Beverly is a 4^th generation vendor at the Mecklenburg County Market who uses local produce to create her products. She showed us how to make Lentil Walnut Pate on Puffed Pastry, Kalamata Olive Pinwheels, and Tofu Lettuce Wraps.

Lentil Walnut Pate on Puffed Pastry

Ingredients:

Puffed pastry dough (look for it in the freezer section)

Lentil Walnut Pate (made by Beverly, but you can use any topping)Cherry TomatoesParsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet and line with parchment paper. Unroll the slightly thawed puffed pastry dough. Using a cookie cutter (she used the lid of a spice jar), cut the dough into round pieces about the size of a large cracker. Put the round pieces on the cookie sheet. Spray a second piece of parchment paper and put it on top of the pastry circles and then put another cookie sheet on top of the second piece of parchment paper, sandwiching the dough between two cookie sheets. The weight of the second cookie sheet prevents the puffed pastry from puffing too high. Bake for 10-15 minutes (8 minutes if you are using a convection oven) until slightly golden. Allow to cool and then top with pate and quartered cherry tomatoes.

Kalamata Olive Pinwheels

Kalamata Olive Spread (made by Beverly, or use another filling that doesn’t use mayonnaise) Puffed pastry dough

Unroll the slightly thawed pastry dough and trim about a strip of dough about an inch wide from the sheet. Spread the kalamata olive spread in a thin layer on the dough. Roll the dough back into a log and wrap it with the parchment paper it was packaged in, and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours (you can also make this up to a month in advance and keep it in the freezer; let it rest for an hour on the counter until it is soft enough to slice). When you are ready to cook the pinwheels, preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with not stick spray and line with parchment paper. Cut ¼ of an inch slices and put the slices on the cookie sheet, making up to 20 per log. Bake the pinwheels for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Serve warm.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Bibb lettuce (leaves about the size of your palm are perfect for individually-sized wraps)Extra firm tofu roasted in hoisin sauce (coat tofu in hoisin and toast in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes)Cooked rice noodles, choppedCarmelized onions (onions sautéed to a darker complexion)Fresh red peppers, choppedFlat leaf parsley or cilantro

Combine the tofu, rice noodles, onions, red peppers, and parsley into a bowl. Fill the lettuce leaf with a couple of tablespoons of filling and plate on a large, flat platter so that the wraps can lie side by side. Serve with a vinaigrette, soy sauce, or hoisin sauce.

Halloween at Ethan Court

Thank you to Halloween Committee and all those who helped with our Halloween party this year. We all had a great time and really appreciate your efforts.

Atherton Mill

Lynn Caldwell, manager of Atherton Mill, shared with us the ins and outs of finding local produce and bringing it to your table. A native of Charlotte, she found her green Zen in Seattle where she apprenticed at a farm. Bringing her fresh ideas back to Charlotte, Lynn started a “tailgate market”, selling fresh produce from the back of a truck. The concept eventually turned into Atherton Mill, a Charlotte market dedicated to the idea of selling locally produced products. Most of the products sold at Atherton Mill are “producer only” in that they are sold by the people who grew/made them. The Mill offers a variety of products with the intent of giving the shopper a market-like selection of the essentials and more.

What are the advantages of eating local? Reduced carbon foot print, having a relationship with the people who produce what you eat, and supporting the local economy are nice ideas, but amazingly fresh produce is the real bonus. Even though the market sells what is in season, there is always food available at the Mill. Poultry, seafood, sweets, chocolates, bread, cheese, grains, rice, pancake mixes, and of course fresh fruits and veggies are just a small selection of what is available. Lynn’s definition of a local producer is someone who can have a relationship with their customer and uses a product that is created locally.  Lynn challenged us to be aware of where our food comes from, how it is produced, who is affected by the way it is produced, and in general be more conscious about what we put in our bodies.

Looking for a place to let someone else cook “local” for you? Check out Halycon, Savor on Morehead, Fern, Bistro La Bon, Carpe Diem, Zada Jane’s, Passion 8 Bistro, Barrington’s, and Good Food on Montford. You can also check out Lynn on WFAE’s WFAEats blog.

Real local produce: tomatoes from Erin's garden. Thanks Erin for hosting!