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Farm.Field.Sea. An Island Culinary Adventure

Tales from an Island

ROASTED HABANERO CARROT SALSA

10/10/2018

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Roasted Habanero Carrot Salsa
This recipe by Vanilla and Bean strikes the most perfect combo of sweet and spicy (real spicy!) and is not for the faint of heart. Bottle it, share it - dip it , sip it - this concoction is for us - elixir from the hot food gods.  Vegan + Gluten Free. 

 Total Time 30 minutes
 Servings 1 Cup (335g)
 Author Traci York | Vanilla And BeanIngredients
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, deskinned
  • 2 Tbs + 2 tsp Olive Oil, extra virgin, divided
  • 1 (9oz or 250g) Large Carrot, quartered lengthwise
  • 1/2 White Onion, quartered
  • 2 Habanero Peppers
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 2 tsp White Vinegar
  • 1/2 C + 2 Tbs (255g) Water, this varies, but is the max amount I used
  • 1/4 tsp Evaporated Cane Sugar, optional depending on the sweetness of the carrots
Instructions
  1. Set oven rack to 1/3 top of oven and preheat oven to 425F (218C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 
  2. Place the garlic cloves in a small piece of foil and add 2 tsp of olive oil. Wrap loosely and place on the sheet pan. Toss the carrot, and onion with two tsp of olive oil and arrange the veggies and peppers so that there is space between the veggies, as to not crowd them. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes turning the habaneros a few times so that all sides blister. 
  3. Decide if you want to keep the seeds and ribs of the habanero. If retaining the seeds and ribs, gently slice off the stem and add the peppers to the high speed blender (I use Vitamix) along with the remaining olive oil, garlic, carrot, onion, lime, salt, and vinegar. Add half the water and increase as needed as you begin to blend. If removing the ribs and seeds, after roasting and the peppers are cool enough to handle, use gloved hands to slice open the pepper and remove the seeds and ribs. Holding the peppers under running water makes this easier. Add the sugar now or test after salsa is purred to see if it's desired. Puree the mixture using the tamper to push the mixture into the blades. Stop and scrape down the container several times. Puree until a smooth texture is achieved. For a thinner puree, add more water, a few tablespoons at a time and blend until the desired consistency is reached. 
  4. Serve with corn chips and cooling veggies like celery, green bell pepper, jicama and cucumber. 
  5. Store in a lidded container, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. * (see note)
Recipe NotesThe salsa tends to thicken in the refrigerator. Prior to serving, blend it again until a desired consistency is reached. 

Other notes:
  • Use gloved hands when handling the habaneros, then discard the gloves. Spreading the oils can be painful, especially if you have an eye itch.
  • For full-on flavor, there’s no need to remove the seeds of the habanero post-roasting. Simply remove the stem and toss the peppers into the Vitamix. For a milder flavor (but still HOT!), remove the seeds and white ribs after roasting. This can be done under running water.
  • A little salsa goes a long way!
  • I use two habaneros in this recipe. Start with one for a milder (but still HOT!) salsa. Take it over the top, with three (at your own risk!).
  • For a more diluted salsa to douse eggs or sprinkle on tacos, add more water until the desired consistency is reached.
Recipe reprinted from Vanilla and Bean, with recipe development by Rick Bayless.

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Makers Table 2018 - sweet memories, new friends

9/20/2018

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Whether you live on the Island or you’re a visitor, one of the sweetest things to receive is an invitation. An invitation beyond a gated, keyed beach, to a friend’s home, or a stranger’s studio to soak in the magic that is Martha's Vineyard.
Come step inside Makers Table.
​

What happens when you throw down experiences on Martha's Vineyard for 88 people who have never met in locations like a historic whaling captain’s home, open fields, Island farms, a fantastically martian-like hydroponic greenhouse or the deck of a pirate ship at sea in Vineyard Sound?

How do things unfold when you serve a collection of guests the best of Island bounty harvested and foraged earlier that day from the sea, and the Island’s rich fields and hydroponic nurseries bursting with summer-time freshness?

Imagine musicians with impressive liner note credits (Grateful Dead, James Taylor, The Smithereens etc!) as they share their melodic magic, historians telling tall tales of Vineyard sailors and the high seas, artists creating live works of fine art and performance artists dance as guests mill, munch, and sip.

This is the Makers Table. We shared boards of expertly cooked native foods at long tables lighted by candles under the moon to islanders and summertime visitors; food writers, fisherman, shop owners, publishers, lawyers, actors, clowns, sailors, and billionaires gathered at each romantic, no rules apply, joints beneath-the-stars. Shellfish biologists, native fish experts and farmers --knit together their knowledge of aquaculture, sea and soil remediation, and sustainable eating-culture to help us discover new ways of doing old things responsibly, in ways that taste great. When a visitor from LA asked how she could snag a ticket, we were thrilled to say...YOU ARE INVITED, everyone is invited!

The Makers Table dinner series began with a passion for connecting people to the story of the food we eat--how it is planted, fished, farmed and prepared to serve a host of pallets; then turned back into the soil and sea to nourish and sustain delicate ecosystems for years to come. In the end, the mix of adventure and unparalleled food yielded camaraderie mixing the best ingredients for a perfect party--food, friends and dreamy settings. Engaging people from a zillion different mailing addresses at one long, boisterous table where everyone shared an interest in digging into the stories about food--how it is farmed and fished, and how it can be turned out in myriad delectable styles.


Katama Bay and Cottage City Oysters were a menu mainstay. Salty sea beans, miniature fairytale eggplant from Milkweed Farm, amaranth and red Shishu from Morning Glory Farm, North Tabor Farm tomatoes and Beetlebung Farms carrots and leeks….and sea candy, sea scallops landed directly in Menemsha after a 20-year sidetrack to mainland distributors were shucked and delivered directly to our table.

Meanwhile, the folks from Frog’s Leap Vineyard poured 500 bottles of wine--roughly 48 bottles of Rose, 200 bottles of white and the balance poured in reds. And, there is not a drop left from Bad Martha’s 275 growlers of beer.

And the "plancha. Stoked with hardwood by a brilliant team of cooks from Jamaica, Brazil, and Croatia. The boys' minced fresh herbs to turn out nasturtium vinaigrette while minding toast points on the grill. They chopped firewood, prepared delicate vegetables and filleted and flipped strippers, bluefish and black bass under the direction of the chief, Chef Spring Sheldon whose special touch and grace with meals for a crowd wowed guests all along.

Each Maker's Table was underscored by nuance and surprise. Locations included space abutting the lagoon on a thick pea stone expanse at the MV Shipyard. We visited the Blue Barque in Chilmark, one of six tea houses on the island in the 1920's, where Emily Post and friends gathered for tea, cards, and likely, to sip sherry and champagne during Prohibition. At the Whiting Farm, animals and art flourished on the heels of the release of the film featuring Whiting and his wife Lynne in “A Farmer who Paints." (Look for Whiting's work on the set of Larry David's “Curb your Enthusiasm,” there's a huge oil in Larry's living room that will bring you back to the island.) At the Island Grown Initiative's Farm Hub, we snacked on hydroponically grown sweet cherry tomatoes and learned about creating resilient food systems. And a few guests stowed away inside the walk-in cooler to beat the heat.  


At Beetlebung Farm, eight island women celebrated a milestone birthday with a surprise party at the chef's table. The plant-based menu was rooted, raw, and ridiculously delicious. Naysayers wrapped up the evening asking, "what was that incredible cheese?" Almond, cashew chive creama, prepared by guest chef Ky---from Not Your Sugar Mamas.  Others were knocked over by the meaty goodness of island-grown mushrooms served in a truffled risotto, on toast points and digestive broths. MVM shiitake mushrooms were served at all of our feasts validating their street-rep as powerful brain food rich in vitamin B, D, anti-inflammatory and weight loss properties (peer-reviewed by Handayani: Food & Nutrition Sciences, 2012). In fact, a producer from NY left the table that night with an oak log cultivated with the savory spores--the fruit of the fungus made the coolest souvenir of the summer season.

Behind the scenes, staff murmured about a love connection between a Croatian sous chef and server. We gossiped for weeks then discovered the pair has been engaged for six years. We dug into trays of leftovers, cheered to our success finishing off bottles of Frogs Leap and spent some late night swimming with the phosphorescents, celebrating being a great team and resting our weary legs.

The sign of a great party is captured by the intensifying volume of the guests, deep connections made by strangers, the unexpected burst of fireworks, clear serving trays and sometimes, what’s left behind. A cell phone, a fine cashmere sweater, a mascara wand the size of a Scout’s flashlight, and a dubious publication that was likely wrapped in brown craft paper and sold behind the counter of a newsstand.  

While the initial draw of the Makers Tables was Martha’s Vineyard cultural immersion, what happened was magic, education, and some crazy dancing. It was super satisfying to follow Instagram threads from guests and hosts who met at one event making plans to sit together at the next island makers table. Guests were invited to eat with ease, put down their cameras, learn a little and talk a lot, and that is what the Vineyard is all about.

-JenWool for Farm.Field.Sea.


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Chef Spring Sheldon's favorite summer recipe

6/25/2018

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Blood Orange Fluke Ceviche with Spring Vegetables

Ceviche is a classic Mexican dish and can be prepared in a multitude of ways. It’s great for warm weather and perfect for parties. Here we use locally caught fish and fresh spring vegetables, served over a bright pink blood orange and chipotle aioli. This is simple, easy and a great way to impress your guests. If fluke is not in season, any light white fish will do such as black bass or tautog.

1/2 pound fresh fluke, cut into small bite-size cubes
1 cup fresh peas, shelled
5 stalks asparagus, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely minced
5 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 blood orange, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 chipotle pepper, chopped VERY finely (use canned chipotles here, not dried!)
Salt and pepper

For aioli base:
Mix together mayonnaise, chipotle and 2 tbsp blood orange juice. Season with a bit of salt to taste.  Set aside.

For Ceviche:
Combine fish and 2 tbsp of lemon of lemon juice. Let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes.
In a small pot, quickly blanche first the peas and then the asparagus. Run them under cold water when you remove from the hot water. This is to prevent them from cooking further and turning brown.
Remove the fish from the fridge, add red onion, radish, peas, asparagus, cilantro and 2 tbsp blood orange juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. ​

Plate:
Spread your beautiful pink mayonnaise onto a dish, spoon ceviche over it. Garnish with cilantro springs, flowers, Maldon sea salt or a little chili pepper on top. Serve with corn chips.

More from Spring here. 


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    Penned by the staff of Farm. Field. Sea. and inspired by the experiences of working with Martha's Vineyard's chefs, farmers, fisherman, oyster cultivators,  artisan producers and food educators. 

    Cover photo by @​SheoftheWoods

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