Happy Mother's Day, Homegrown and Homemade

It's hard to shop for a mother who swears she neither wants nor needs anything 
-- and means it. But this year I came up with a Mother's Day gift that made us 
both happy. 

I signed us up for a cooking class at  
taught by Sheri Castle, author of "The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Enjoying 
the Best From Homegrown Gardens, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, and CSA Farm Boxes" (UNC Press, 2011).  I've been cooking out of that book since I got my copy last year, and every recipe I've made has been a winner.

My mother and I love to cook together, and when I presented this idea to her she 
was totally game. So Saturday morning, we joined Sheri and a group of other 
participants at the store, and then headed over to the farmers' market a couple 
of blocks away. 

Sheri led the way, from booth to booth, chatting with farmers and picking up 
ingredients for the lunch we would all have a hand in fixing. Several items on 
her grocery list were not to be found, but Sheri was not the least bit 
flustered. As a regular farm market shopper, she's become a master improvisor. 
Upon realizing that the farmer with the free range chickens was a no-show, she 
barely missed a beat:  "I know -- we'll get these peaches instead!" 

Though the peaches were nearly hard as rocks, she showed us later how to 
transform them into a fantastic appetizer -- by wrapping the slices in 
prosciutto -- which she had planned to do to the chicken cutlets. Roasting them 
in a hot oven softened them up beautifully. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, she reduced some aged balsamic vinegar with a little brown sugar to drizzle over them before serving. Yum!

Another great appetizer idea easily customized to what's fresh and 
available: Crostini With Homemade Ricotta, which is from her book.Brush thin  baguette slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, arrange on a 

baking sheet and bake in a 375-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 
fresh ricotta with finely grated lemon zest and a tablespoon of minced fresh 
herbs (the recipe called for mint, but we used dill.) At Sheri's suggestion, we 
also added a finely minced garlic clove.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, smear it on the cooled crostini, and top with thinly sliced vegetables that have been toasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. We used baby turnips, carrots, and breakfast radishes and the combination was outstanding. Drizzle it with a little more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and you're ready to serve. (In Sheri's book, she gives instructions for making ricotta cheese from scratch.)

To round out the menu, we made Lemony Deviled Eggs, Seasonal Vegetable Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing, and Strawberry Tiramisu Trifles, adorably presented in small canning jars. They, too, can all be found in her book, which my mother insisted on buying for herself.


Here is the recipe for the trifles, slightly adapted from  "The New Southern 
Garden Cookbook: Enjoying the Best From Homegrown Gardens, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, and CSA Farm Boxes" (UNC Press, 2011). 

Strawberry Tiramisu Trifles
Makes 8 servings

1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
24 crisp ladyfingers or biscotti Savoiardi
5 cups capped and sliced strawberries
8 perfect whole berries, for garnish

Whisk together the strawberry preserves, liqueur, and orange juice in a small 
bowl. Beat the whipping cream to very soft peaks in a medium bowl. Add the 
mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla and continue beating until soft peaks form. 
Divide half of the whipped cream mixture evenly among eight small canning jars, 
wine goblets, or other serving glasses. (A small spring-loaded scoop makes this 
easier and neater.)

Stand three ladyfingers upright inside each glass, spacing them evenly. The 
whipped cream mixture should hold them in place. Divide half of the strawberry 
preserve mixture evenly among the glasses. Divide the sliced strawberries among 
the glasses. Top with the rest of the strawberry mixture, followed by the 
remaining cream mixture. 

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Just before 
serving, garnish each parfait with a whole berry.