The Hungry Hoosier

November: Time to Talk Turkey

Originally published in moist and juicy newspapers on November 1, 2007

For those of us who like to cook, much of our spare time in November will be spent planning for and procuring needed supplies for Thanksgiving Dinner, the Super Bowl of cooking and eating holidays. In years past, I’ve encouraged readers to bypass the grocery store birds to try a farm-fresh turkey. This year, your hearing more of the same from me.

Here in central Indiana we have several options for local birds, from both farmers and now a couple retailers. Here are a few of those options.

Promised Land Farms (9781 W 275 N Thorntown) offers free-range birds that can be ordered and picked up a couple of days before Thanksgiving. You can arrange a pre-Thanksgiving visit to see the turkeys in action and meet Jim and Nancy Whelan. It is a fun trip for the whole family. They can be reached by phone at 765-483-9268. Their website is www.promisedlandfarm.us.

Humphrey Family Farms (3981 S. Grant St, Williamsport) raises all sorts of birds - geese, ducks, chickens, and turkeys. The Humphreys take orders at the Traders Point Creamery Winter Market in Zionsville (www.tpforganics.com) and deliver the birds there for pick up. The Humphreys can be reached by phone at 765-762-3160. You might want to also keep them in mind for a Christmas goose if you want to have an old fashioned Charles Dickens sort of holiday.

Purple Rock Farm (2282 E. 250 N, Frankfort) is also selling an all-natural bird. Gina and Travis Sheets have already processed their birds. They are frozen and ready to pick up anytime. Proceeds from Purple Rock sales go to support the Sheets’ missionary work in third-world countries. Gina and Travis can be reached by phone at 765-659-5310.

Joe’s Butcher Shop (111. W. Main Street) is Carmel’s butcher extraordinaire and Joe is selling all-natural free-range turkey’s raised across the state line in Ohio. Even though it is not an Indiana farmer, I think this is a good choice. Joe has a commitment to quality and sustainable practices. This is guaranteed to be a delicious bird. Joe is taking orders until November 10, 2007. He can be reached by phone at 317-846-8877 and online at www.joesbutchershop.com.

Goose: The Market (2503 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis) is a brand new retail shop in Indy’s Fall Creek Place specializing in top-rate foods from both near and far. They have a terrific year-round selection of meats, cheeses, and all sorts of delicious foods. For Thanksgiving, they too have gone to Ohio to procure all-natural, pasture-raised turkeys. You can count on Chef/Owner Christopher Eley to provide you with a quality product. Goose is taking orders through November 5th. They can be reached by phone at 317-924-4944 and online at www.goosethemarket.com.

The last several years I’ve gotten my bird from an area farmer. I can honestly say these have been the best turkeys I’ve ever had. This year I decided to order from Joe’s Butcher Shop in Carmel. I wanted a whole bird and an extra bone-in breast for plenty of white-meat turkey sandwiches! Joe was able to handle that request. Next week, I’ll provide some tips for how I’ll be preparing my bird this year.

When in Rome...or Orlando

Thanksgiving this year will be another "away game" for our family. We're headed to the Orlando area to spend the holiday with my wife's mother. Before we leave, however, we will be picking up our local pasture-raised turkey from Promised Land Farms in Thorntown (they have a few turkeys left unspoken for, BTW). I'll pack it in a cooler of ice and it will make the trek with our family. I'm sure I'll have to replace the ice along the way to keep the bird at 40 degrees or less.

For the last several years, I have brined my turkeys. You can read about my technique here. I've had great results from brining but this year I am trying something new - a dry salt rub. There is a great article here in the LA Times about dry salt rubbing. The article actually does an experiment comparing several techniques, including brining.

The article calls for just plain salt but I am interested in infusing into the turkey some additional flavors. So, I will be making a citrus salt and then use that to salt the bird. I figure that since I'll be in Florida, I should take advantage of the availability of great citrus fruits. Here is the recipe I will be using to make the Citrus Salt and then the technique for salting and roasting the turkey.

Citrus Salt

• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime zest
• 1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt

You will need to do this this weekend. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together and spread out evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for about two hours or until completely dried. Grind in a food processor and the store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Citrus Salt-Rubbed Roasted Turkey

On Monday evening before Thanksgiving, prepare the turkey rinsing, drying (inside and out), and then loosing the skin around the breasts and thighs. A chopstick works well for this. Set aside about one tablespoon of the citrus salt for each 5 pounds of turkey. Use this amount of salt to work the it into the four cavities you've made under the skin.

Wrap the bird up in plastic wrap or in a ziplock back (if you can find one big enough - sometimes you can find brining bags this time of year). Place the turkey in the fridge.

On Wednesday night, remove the turkey from the fridge, rinse off excess salt, dry, and put back in the fridge uncovered overnight to let the skin dry out (this will help you have a crisp skin).

Thanksgiving day you can prepare the turkey the way you like. I plan to fill the cavity with a cut-up orange, lime, lemon, roasemary, and sage, use Penzey's Poultry Seasoning on the outside of the bird, and roast uncovered starting with a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes and then knocking the temperature down to 325 degrees until I get an internal thigh temperature of 170-175 degrees.

Is August too Early to be Thinking about Christmas Dinner?

For those of us REALLY into food, the answer, of course, is no. Thanksgiving and Christmas are to foodies what the World Series and the Superbowl are to the sports fans. Our Thanksgiving tradition includes getting a pasture-raised turkey from our friends the Whelan's at Promised Land Farms in Thorntown. Last year, Henry (five) and I went out to the farm in September to "visit" or turkey. Jim and Nancy send them off to be butchered a few days before Thanksgiving and you come back to pick up your bird right before the big day. This tradition has added a new layer of "thanks" to our thanksgiving - knowing the people who cared for our bird, seeing the quality of life it lived on the farm. Jim has told me that he talks to his gobblers from day one telling them that they have a very noble purpose - to help one family have a very special Thanksgiving. You've got to love that. My wife, who is a vegetarian 364 days a year, makes an exception on Thanksgiving when we are eating a Promised Land turkey.

This weekend I learned about another family farm that raises turkeys and also geese. It is the prospect of a GOOSE that prompted me to begin thinking about Christmas dinner. The Humphrey Family Farm is located in Williamsport, Indiana (west of Lafayette near the Illinois line) and they specialize in pasture-raised poultry. As you might imagine they have a limited supply of turkeys and geese so they are already taking deposits on birds for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can download a deposit form here.

Humphrey's birds freely room over 36 acres of pasture and woods, sleeping, eating, and basking in the fresh country air. Birds will be available the week before Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas and you can arrange to pick up either at their farm or at Trader's Point Creamery in Zionsville. See the deposit form for contact information and further details.

I've never fixed a goose for Christmas, or any other time for that matter. It sounds so Dickensian - I'd have to coach the boys on an English accent so one of them could say, "God bless us, everyone!"    

Rhubarb Cream Pie from Lyndale Farm

Originally published in the Lebanon Reporter on April 27, 2006

The term “Yin Yang” originates from Chinese philosophy and describes complementary opposites - masculine and feminine, day and night, hot and cold. In the world of food, Yin Yang is a fundamental factor. Contrasting taste, texture, and color, makes food interesting. In this week’s recipe, rhubarb is the Yin and sugar is the Yang, working together to create something unique and delicious.

As one of the earliest products of an Indiana spring, there a several favorite ways to prepare rhubarb but the pie seems to be the most popular. Frequently it is used as the featured ingredient in a pie or combined with strawberries. When talking with friends from church last weekend about rhubarb, mention of a sugar cream pie with the addition of rhubarb caught my interest. This recommendation came from Kipper and Diana Freeman of Lyndale Farm, located just north of Lebanon.

The Freemans know their rhubarb, as well as tomatoes, and squash, and peas, and other vegetables. This season marks their third year of growing vegetables to sell at the Thorntown Community Market. Much of their 14-acre farm is in alfalfa now and they grow vegetables and herbs in several plots. Although they are not certified organic, they use organic practices and grow nearly everything from organic seeds or seedlings.

I got to visit Lyndale Farm this week to pick up some rhubarb, a copy of Diana’s family recipe, and to get a tour of the farm. Even though it is just a short five minute drive from Lebanon, Lyndale Farm seems a world away (see photos here). The property is gently hugged by Sugar Creek, adorned with wildflowers, and infused with wildlife. After a few minutes in this peaceful setting I was second-guessing my decision to be a city dweller. As they showed me around, however, I was quickly realized why I don’t live on a farm in the country - I’m too lazy to work that hard.

The Freemans both hold down day jobs, and their evenings and weekends are full of the kind of chores that make my back ache just thinking about them. It is evident that the Freemans are passionate about what they are doing. Last summer I had the chance to sample more than just their rhubarb. Visits to their booth at the Thorntown Community Market yielded heirloom tomatoes, baby carrots, and patty pan squash.

I left Lyndale Farm with a bag full of rhubarb and a copy of the recipe in hand. After a quick stop by the grocery store for a couple of ingredients, I was home and ready to make the pie. The recipe was easy but I got a late start on it and had to wait until the following day to have a piece. It was worth the wait and the very first bite is what brought Yin Yang into my mind - complementary opposites. The ruby red bits of rhubarb were inset like jewels into the soft white of the sugar cream. The textures also offered a great contrast with the smooth mouth-feel of the sugar cream interrupted by the semi-crunchy rhubarb. The taste, however, is where the Yin Yang was most evident as the sweet and the tart melded harmoniously together. Find some rhubarb this spring and give this recipe a try and plan to visit the Freeman’s at the Thorntown Community Market in a few weeks.

Rhubarb Cream Pie

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 unbaked pie shell
• 2-3 cups diced rhubarb

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl mix together the sugar and flour then add the cream, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir until well combined. Pour into the pie shell and then put the diced rhubarb on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 20 minutes or more until set.

Consider a Local Turkey this Thanksgiving

Originally published in the Lebanon Reporter on November 10, 2005

When my grandfather retired from dentistry he bought twenty acres just outside of Oklahoma City. He decided to do some planting and get a couple animals. One of his acquisitions was a pig we named Gertrude. My sister and I would often spend weekends with my grandparents and I became quite fond of Gertrude.

I vividly recall one visit when we arrived Friday night about dinner time. You can probably predict where this story is going. Pork chops were on the dinner menu and when I put two and two together there was a bit of trauma. Like many suburban kids I was completely oblivious to where food came from.

With my own children I’m trying to give then a different perspective. We have visited a dairy, we’ve reached under a hen for eggs, and last weekend we went to visit the turkey we will be eating for Thanksgiving. We’re getting our Thanksgiving bird this year from Promised Land Farm in Thorntown, Indiana.

Jim and Nancy Whelan have raised about 150 pastured turkeys this year. When they arrive as day old polts, Jim has a little chat with them, “You purpose in life is to make one family very happy on Thanksgiving Day.” He feeds and cares for them for them through the summer, into the fall, and then bids them adieu the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Two days later, on Saturday, customers can pick up their fresh turkeys.

As of last Saturday, the Whelans had about 40-50 birds yet to be spoken for. If you are interested you can call them at (765) 483-9268. If you would like to learn more about the Promised Land Farm you can check out their website.

 

I’ve tried a number of different preparation methods for my Thanksgiving turkey and have settled on brining as the best way to ensure a moist flavorful bird. Here is the recipe and instructions for brining a turkey.

Turkey Brine

• 2 gallons cups apple cider
• 2-1/2 cups kosher salt
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• ½ cup of candied ginger
• 4 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 4 tablespoon whole allspice, coarsely crushed
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 12 whole cloves
• 6 bay leaves
• Bag of ice

To prepare the brine, combine in a stock pot one gallon of apple cider with the next seven ingredients (through bay leaves), bring to a boil. Cook five minutes until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let this cool.

If using a frozen turkey make sure it is completely thawed. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey. Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a large plastic cooler. Add the cider mixture, the remaining gallon of cider, and enough ice to raise the level of liquid so that it covers the turkey. Close the cooler and let sit for 12-24 hours. Put cooler outside if cool and check a couple of times to see if additional ice is needed. The cooler should remain cold enough so that ice does not melt. If the outside temperature is below freezing, move the cooler where it will not freeze.

After the brining, remove the turkey, discard the brine liquid, and rinse the turkey in cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. After brining, the cooler should be cleaned with boiling water and bleach. You would not want salmonella to grow all winter and spoil your next tailgate.

You are now ready to cook the turkey in anyway you want. I have both roasted and smoked brined turkeys and both methods produced great results. I’m sure this would work equally as well on a deep fried turkey.

Stookey's: Good Food, Great Personality

Originally published in the Lebanon Reporter on September 16, 2005

Call it ambiance, atmosphere, or a vibe. Every restaurant has a personality. Some personalities are manufactured in board rooms and focus groups. That is why every P.G. O’Pepe’s Sports Bar and Grill is exactly the same. Mega-chains live or die by the tight control of their brand. That doesn’t make for very interesting dining but I guess there is something to say for consistency.

Independent restaurants, for the most part, are completely unique among their restaurant peers. I’ve worked for three independent restaurants in my lifetime. In high school I had the double duty of cook and mascot for Chad’s Crispy Chicken in Peoria, Illinois.

Most of the time I was the mild mannered cook but when the need would arise I would dash into the stockroom and reemerge as Chadwick the Chicken. I donned the head-to-toe chicken suit to wave in the traffic on slow days and make the occasional public appearance at ball games, fairs, and other venues that seemed to always take place during the hottest months of the year. This all contributed to Chad’s distinct personality Last weekend my family and I decided to venture over to Thorntown to have dinner at Stookey’s Restaurant. It was immediately apparent that Stookey’s had personality. There is a friendly buzz about the place. The dining room was nearly full and I could sense that most were regulars.

Sometimes restaurants in small towns are not very welcoming to strangers. On more than one occasion I’ve walked into a busy local haunt and felt like Black Bart walking into the saloon with all conversation coming to a screeching hault. This was not the case at Stookey’s. We were welcomed warmly by the hostess who immediately showed us to a table and the wait staff was friendly and accommodating Assured that Stookey’s had a good vibe, I was ready to get a look at the menu. Reading it I learned that they are apparently famous for their ribeye steaks, catfish, and onion rings. We decided on a small order the onion rings ($3.00) as an appetizer. We also ordered crab cakes ($5.95) as a starter. Both were terrific. The rings were light and crispy. The crab cakes were perfectly prepared and served with a creamy sauce that had a spicy kick.

For dinner, I ordered a 12 ounce ribeye ($14.95) and selected the vinegar slaw and a baked potato for my side dished. The ribeye was flavorful and the vinegar slaw was light and tangy – a welcome alternative to the mayo-based slaw usually found on menus. Our four year old had a lot to choose from on the kids menu that included a hamburger, grilled cheese, catfish, chicken, and shrimp. Kid’s entrees are priced at $3.25 - $5.95.

Besides the ribeye and catfish other adult entrees ($9.95 - $17.95) include chicken, shrimp, ham steak, several other beef dishes, and a surf and turf combo. Several sandwiches are also on the menu ranging from $4.75-$7.00). Although we were too full for dessert several sounded great including key lime pie.

Stookey’s food, service, and personality all compel me to make a return visit. The restaurant does not offer a non-smoking section and although it was not smoky during our visit, that will likely be a factor affecting our frequency. With a couple of asthmatics in the family we have to very careful about being around smoke. I hope Stookey’s will consider jumping on the smoke-free bandwagon soon or at least offer a nonsmoking section.

Stookey’s is located at 125 E. Main Street in Thorntown. They are closed Sunday and Monday. Dinner hours are 5-9 pm Tuesday-Thursday, and until 10 am Friday and Sunday. They are also open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday with daily specials.

Farmer's Market

On Saturday, Henry and I visited the farmer's markets in Thorntown and Lebanon. We came home with quite the bounty - brussel sprouts, baby carrots, green beans, tomatoes, and patty pan squash. On Sunday, Jerry dropped by some sweet corn. Here is a good harvest calendar to help anticipate what you might find at the farmer's markets each week. The link is an Indiana calendar but you can hunt around on the site to find calendars for other states.

Saturday night I braised the brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar and roasted the carrots, and green beans. Henry and I enjoyed a ribeye with our vegetables. Sunday night we had some of the sweet corn and sliced tomatoes. I'm not sure yet what to do with the patty pan squash. Any suggestions?   

Roasted Vegetable Frittata

Originally published in the Lebanon Reporter on March 24, 2005

If you have not yet finalized your Easter menu, consider adding this simple yet elegant Roasted Vegetable Frittata to your plans. This frittata is great for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.

Eggs, as a symbol of new life, are part of the Easter tradition in many countries. In Sweden, for instance, the tradition is to eat hardboiled eggs the evening before Easter. Other countries, like Greece and Portugal, make braided Easter bread with hardboiled eggs, shell and all, placed within the braids. In Italy, the frittata is often on the Easter menu.

If you are not familiar with frittata, it is similar to an omelet or crustless quiche and like these other dishes, can have a wide variety of fillings. This is a two-step recipe, and the vegetables can be roasted up to two days before you plan to make the frittata. At our house, we like roasted vegetables so much I’ll sometimes roast a large quantity and after using them in a frittata, we will eat them as a side dish or use them as a pizza topping. Roasted vegetables are versatile and simple to prepare.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasting caramelizes the sugars in vegetables and results in an amazing sweet-savory taste combination. The following are some of my favorites and these quantities will be just about right for the frittata:

• 4 medium-sized new potatoes
• 4 carrots or one and a half cups of baby carrots
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper20 (approx.) asparagus spears

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To prepare the vegetables, rinse the potatoes, peppers, asparagus, and carrots (if using whole carrots). There is no need to peel the potatoes, but remove any areas where the potatoes might have started to sprout. Peel the outer skin of the onion. Next, cut all the vegetables into bite-size chunks and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle the cut-up vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, toss the vegetables until evenly coated with the oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a large cookie sheet, making sure that they are evenly distributed. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. At about the halfway point, use a spatula to move the vegetables around and turn them over. Continue roasting until they begin to brown evenly. Less dense vegetables, like the asparagus, may cook more quickly so remove them when they are done and let the other vegetables continue to cook. The roasted vegetables can be used immediately or stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.

Roasted Vegetable Frittata

• Roasted Vegetables
• 6 eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese

Set the oven broiler on high and also heat to medium an oven-proof skillet (I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) on the stove top.

I’ve recently become a convert to eggs fresh from the farm. I get mine delivered on Tuesdays by Dave Haxton from Hammerstead Farms. Fresh eggs from happy chickens make a big difference in this and all egg dishes.

Crack the six eggs into a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, and beat the eggs with a fork. Add to the skillet enough olive oil to cover the bottom and tilt the skillet so that the oil coats the sides. Next, add the roasted vegetables to the skillet. If the vegetables were prepared beforehand, allow them to warm up a bit in the skillet then add the beaten eggs. Shake the pan a bit to be sure the eggs settle all the way through to the bottom. Allow this to cook on the stove top undisturbed until the eggs begin to set, about 5-7 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and transfer the skillet to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until the eggs are completely set. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to loosen the sides. The frittata can be cut like a pie into six servings.