Naturally delicious
Whenever you think of farm-fresh food, thank your local farmers’ markets for all their goodies. I, for one, am a devoted proponent of buying farm-fresh food and supporting our local farmers.Right now, I’m recovering from sunburned arms and strained leg muscles after walking over some farm acres this past Sunday. Washington DC’s Slow Food convivium hosted a trip of area chefs and passionate foodies on a visit to Tuscarora Organic Cooperative in Pennsylvania, where a group of certified organic farmers pool their produce and other farm products to sell at DC metro area farmers’ markets.
Not only did our group learn about the ins and outs of small-time local farming — and all-organic at that — but we also sat down to eat a feast of farm-fresh salads and a platter of sliced sugar-sweet tomatoes, plus assorted breads, cheeses, fresh-picked berries, cakes, sweets and fresh minty tea.
What could be more appropriate to eat in a farm shed than a splendid feast, you say? Well, not much, and one of the ladies who came along generously shared her coleslaw salad recipe, so thanks to Slow Food member Anke Meyer, and enjoy this delicious and very unusual salad with your summer barbecues — or winter pot roasts. (Note: the instructions don’t mention this, but if you choose to include mung bean noodles — also called cellophane noodles and mung bean vermicelli — you’ll need to soak them for a few minutes in very hot water to soften them; otherwise, they are too tough to eat raw.)
SPICY LIME AND CILANTRO SLAW (ADAPTED FROM PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER CIRCA 1990
Ingredients
4 pounds of cabbage (red and/or green), thinly sliced
1 pound of carrots, grated
Red and/or green peppers (about 1), diced
1 medium red or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
Cubed tofu and mung bean threads or thin rice noodles make nice additions
Dressing (prepare in blender - you may need only about 1/2 of the dressing)
4 Thai chili peppers, seeded and minced (or ½ Habanero) – according to tolerance
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
½ inch fresh ginger, minced (optional)
2-3 Tbs chunky peanut butter or the equivalent amount of freshly roasted peanuts
¼-1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs rice vinegar
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup Vietnamese fish sauce (3 Crab brand is good)
½ cup canola oil
Marinate for at least 1 hour before serving.