Farm to Table
Chef’s recipes for the summer harvest

Watermelon, Goat Cheese and Basil Salad
Chef James Gentry, Magniloa: A Delta Grille
Horseshoe Casino, Tunica

1 watermelon, seedless preferred
6 ounces micro greens
1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh basil
2 ounces goat cheese crumbles
2 ounces white balsamic vinaigrette, recipe follows
Basil oil for drizzling, recipe follows
Fresh ground black pepper

Cut the rind off the melon and slice it into pieces ranging from 1/4- to 1/2-inch. With the slices take a square or round cookie cutter and stamp out serving pieces. Layer one to two basil leaves in between each piece of melon. Stack it as high as you can carry to the table. Directly on top of that add the micro greens and the mint that has been tossed together. Sprinkle the goat cheese around the plate. Drizzle basil oil and vinaigrette around the plate. Grind some fresh black pepper.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil or mild flavored oil

Place all the ingredients in a blender and emulsify. Check for seasoning.

Basil Oil
3 cups fresh basil
1 cup olive oil

Place a pot of water on to boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Place basil leaves in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove and place in the ice bath. Remove and pat dry. Place all ingredients in a blender and emulsify. Strain and let sit before using to let the sediment fall to the bottom

Delta Sweet Corn Ice Cream
by Melissa Townsend, Delta Magazine

3 ears fresh-picked sweet corn, preferably Mirai
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Slice the kernels off the cobs and set aside. Puree corn kernels in a blender and refrigerate until ready to freeze ice cream. Break one of the cobs into thirds and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt and warm over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cobs to cream mixture, remove from heat, cover and let sit for an hour to infuse flavor.

3. Fill a large bowl with 2 to 3 inches of ice water. Set a stainless steel bowl in the ice bath and a fine strainer on top of the bowl. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into the bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks.

4. When cream has been infused, discard cobs and re-warm over medium high heat, about 2 minutes. Pour half of the cream mixture into the egg yolks in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes, until it coats the back of the spoon. Do not allow to boil to prevent from curdling. Strain custard into the cold cream. Stir in vanilla, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to one day.

5. Add the sweet corn and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Farm-Fresh Rustic Vegetable Tart

Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (preferably zero-trans fat)
frozen, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 stick chilled unsalted butter (4 tablespoons), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water*

Tart:
1 large egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Assorted heirloom tomatoes (red, yellow, green and striped)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
3 to 5 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

1. For the crust: Blend the flours and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Add the shortening and butter and blend by pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, and continue pulsing until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round that is about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold the overhanging dough in and press, forming double thick sides; refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes, or place in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork, and line it with parchment paper (or aluminum foil). Fill to the brim with pie weights.

4. Place the pastry shell in the oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, then carefully take out the weights and parchment. (Note: The weights will be very hot.)

5. For the tart: Brush the bottom of the pie shell with the egg white, and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set aside until needed.

6. About 30 minutes before serving, spread the mustard over the crust, then sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley.

7. Core the tomatoes, and cut into thin slices. Place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet (or platter) to remove all excess moisture. (Note: If the tomatoes are very small, simply slice in half.)

8. Fan the tomato slices decoratively in concentric circles over the cheese. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Bake until just warmed through, about 10 minutes.

9. Allow the tart to cool for about 5 minutes, then garnish with a chiffonade of fresh basil.

10. To serve, cut with a very sharp, serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Add ice to a measuring cup of water and set aside. When you are ready to add water to the recipe, strain and measure the amount needed. Variation: Use grilled or roasted summer squashes or zucchini sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Make the tart shell up to 3 days in advance. Serves 4 to 6.

From the July “Farm to Table” Hands-On Cooking Class at Viking Cooking School

Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad
Chef James Gentry, Magniloa: A Delta Grille
Horseshoe Casino, Tunica

6 assorted heirloom tomatoes
1 English cucumber, thin sliced and lightly salted
1 red onion, shaved paper thin
Cider vinaigrette, recipe follows
1 bunch fresh dill
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
2 ounces Maytag blue cheese
Basil oil, recipe page 103
6 ounces micro greens
Fresh ground black pepper

Cut tomatoes into wedges. Toss with the cucumbers, red onions and the cider vinaigrette. Place them on a plate lengthwise. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the dill, chives, and the cheese over the top. Drizzle with the basil oil. Grind fresh black pepper around the plate. Garnish with the micro greens directly on top.

Cider Vinaigrette

1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons honey
Place all the ingredients in a blender and emulsify. Check for seasoning.

Mock Ratatouille
Chef Taylor Bowen Ricketts
Delta Bistro, Greenwood

It is called “mock” because of the lack of ratatouille’s signature eggplant. And since everyone always has tons of squashes…

2 pounds yellow squash, diced
2 pounds zucchini, diced
2 pounds tomatoes, diced
2 red onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 pound green beans, cut in 1/2 inch sections
3 tablespoons garlic puree
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon each fresh basil and thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Begin with a large stockpot and heat oil. Add onion, pepper and garlic. Sauté till translucent and a little fond develops on the bottom of the pan. Add squash, zucchini, tomatoes and green beans. When they start to get soft, deglaze with vinegar and red wine. Cook ten minutes then add herbs and spices. Turn heat down and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. Serve with pasta if preferred. DM