Carrots

My Fresh Farm Breakfast — Vege Tartine

~ Chambers Life! ~ Leave a comment
I am so amazingly fortunate to have my own community farm www.raleighcityfarm. Gracing my plate & my health this morning — food that is locally & sustainably grown; is pesticide & herbicide free & tended by passionate professional Farmer Josh Sattin.
My harvest is pictured here. A quick zip up to Raleigh City Farm’s COVID smart Farmstand thrills me. First I get to see the plots of gorgeous vegetables & herbs organized as a work of art. Then I easily order my produce, flowers, bird house, bird feeder, even micro greens with a sprouting young farmer John (pun intended) NEW this week.

The recipe — VEGE TARTINE

  • 1 slice rustic sourdough, toasted
  • 1/4 avocado or smashed great northern beans or refried beans
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 t Greek herbs (or your favorite herb/spice blend or salt & pepper)
  • 1 pattypan (scallop) squash or other summer squash, sliced
  • 1 large green onion, white & a bit of green cut in long strips. Green tops: chopped & saved for garnish
  • 1 carrot (enough for 8 diagonal carrot slices or more)
  • 1 French radish sliced
  • 1 handful of Russian Kale torn
  • Fresh micro sprouts (garnish & health!)
  • 1 t balsamic vinegar
  • 1 T pickled onions or your favorite zing (capers, sauerkraut, olives, pickles, lemon peel, sriracha, salsa)
  • 1 t (or more) hemp seeds (so healthy)
  • Fresh coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F (convection speeds roasting time). Hand rub the veggies with 1 T (more if needed) olive oil & herbs. Place in specific vegetable type groups on roasting pan in case one cooks faster than another so they’re easy to take out. Bake about 10 minutes, checking after 5 (removing kale) until the veggies are done to your preference.

Meanwhile toast the bread & smash the avocado on it. Drizzle with oil. Layer the veggies on the toast. Drizzle with olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with pickled onions, hemp hearts & black pepper.

Garnish with sprouts.

TRIPLE THE ROASTED VEGES — They’ll be delicious later!

See you next Wednesday at Raleigh City Farm 4-7. Check the site for each week’s harvest. https://raleighcityfarm.org/farmstand

Disappearing Carrot Almond Lemon Cake

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Well, there is a big hunk out of this cake. And I ATE IT! Inspired by Deborah Madison’s fabulous book Vegetable Literacy, it’s delicious. I only tweaked the recipe a bit.
Raleigh City Farm-stand @raleighcityfarm Wednesdays 4-7
has carrots (green onions, kale & French radishes) this week!
  • 4 T melted & cooled + 1 t butter (1t for pan)
  • 1 1/2 C blanched almond flour
  • 2 t fine lemon zest (grated from about 2 lemons)
  • 3/4 C + 2 T sugar
  • 1 1/4 C cake flour
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 4 large eggs (room temperature is better)
  • 1/4 t each almond & lemon extract
  • 1/2 t vanilla extract (double strength)
  • 2 C finely grated carrots (not packed cups)
  • Confectioner’s sugar (optional for top)

Heat oven to 375°F. Parchment line a 9″ springform or cake pan, using 1 t butter to stick paper to pan sides & to lightly butter the batter side of the paper. Sprinkle a bit of the almond flower in the cake pan bottom over the buttered parchment.

Mix the almond flour, lemon zest & 2 T sugar in. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt.

In an electric mixer, whip the eggs on high for about 2 minutes. Add the 3/4 c sugar & whip until pale, thick & creamy, about 5 minutes.

Reduce speed to low. Add extracts, almond flour mixture & carrots. Mix until well combined. Add butter & mix until just combined. Fold in flour mixture, combining gently until the dry mixture is just incorporated.

Pour batter into baking pan. (I pull the batter a bit from the center so it bakes more evenly.) Bake 30 minutes until lightly browned & the center springs back. It will most likely have a couple of cracks in the top when it’s done. Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Remove the cake from the pan & display on a cake stand with a glass dome so you can walk by & easily eat it. Hence the name “disappearing.”

P.S. Sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar before serving, if you like. I never made it to this step.