Localavore Challenge Examples

Breakfast

Crunchy Berry Good Breakfast

Granola, Goat Yogurt, Strawberry, Blueberries, Honey, Salt

Granola

Goat Yogurt

Strawberries

Blueberries

Honey

Salt

Wash the berries off in a colander.  Remove the strawberry tops, and cut into quarters.  Mix the berries with the yogurt, and a pinch of salt.  Place the berry yogurt mixture in a bowl and drizzle with honey until the desired sweetness. 

Jambalya “Benedict”

Rice Cake, Fried Egg, Peanut Potatoes, Andouille, Spring Onion, Bell Pepper Hollandaise

Rice

Eggs

Peanut Potatoes

Andouille

Spring Onion

Bell Pepper

Salt

Cane Vinegar

Tomatoes

Garlic

Bay leaf

Butter

Thyme

Overcook popcorn rice in salted water, spread onto sheet tray and season with cane vinegar, salt, and sugar.  Once cooled enough to handle, form the rice into cakes about the size of an English muffin.  Boil the potatoes in water with bay leaf, salt, garlic, and thyme until just cooked.  Cut the onion, Bell Pepper, Andouille, tomatoes into small cubes about the same size.  Clarify butter on the stove.  Place two egg yolk into blender, blend until smooth and pale yellow color starts to appear, add bell peppers, season with salt.  Slowly drizzle warm clarified butter into the yolks until the sauce has an airy consistency.  Heat saucepan on medium heat and sauté the Andouille, onion, tomatoes, and potatoes, until golden brown, remove from pan.  Saute the rice cake in the reserved Andouille onion pan until heat through.  In an egg pan, fry an egg sunny side up.  Place the cake on the plate, and spread the vegetables around.  Dab a bit of the sauce on top of the cake, place the egg on the cake, and finish with the bell pepper hollandaise.

Lunch

Beet Rocket Salad

Arugula, Shaved Beets, Goat Feta, Cane Vinegar, Cherry Tomatoes, Salt

Arugula

Beets

Goat Feta

Cane Vinegar

Cherry Tomatoes

Salt

Split Cherry tomatoes in half, and roast cut side up in the oven for about an hour at 300F.  Season the arugula with cane vinegar and salt.  Arrange the greens on the plate, and shave thin slices of raw beets onto salad.  Finish the salad with the oven roasted tomatoes and goat feta.

The Chicken & The Egg

Cornmeal Roasted Chicken, Herb Salad, Brown Butter Mayonnaise

Chicken

Eggs

Butter

Cornmeal

Herbs

Cane Vinegar

Salt

Cut chicken breast into strips, and pound until about ¼”.  Melt butter until it begins to foam, and the milk solids are toasted (it should smell like grilled cheese).  Place egg yolk in blender and slowly add the brown butter, season with salt.  Whisk together the remaining egg whites with water, dredge chicken in the whites, then cornmeal, and bake in oven 400F until crisp and cooked through.  Place all of the fresh herbs you have (Parsley, celery leaves, tarragon, chervil, picked thyme, oregano, etc.) in a bowl.  Fry off egg sunny side up in a little butter.  Place the brown butter on the plate.  Place the chicken on top, then the egg.  Season herb salad at the last minute with vinegar and salt, then place on top of egg.

Dinner

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp, Peppers, Onions, Tomato, Rice

Shrimp

Bell Peppers

Celery

Onion

Tomatoes

Rice

Garlic

Tomato Juice

Bay leaf

Thyme

Peel shrimp, wash and reserve the shells.  Cut up the tomato into cubes the same size as the onions, peppers and celery.  Roast shells in the oven until the kitchen smells like shrimp.  Place shells in water with bay leaf, and simmer for 45 minutes.  Strain and reserve the liquid.  In a heavy soup pot, sauté half the onion, celery and pepper mixture until translucent, add tomatoes and cook until all water is evaporated.  Add the shrimp stock, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme, cook for twenty minutes.  Place the rest of the vegetable into the pot along with the tomato juice.  Cook for twenty minutes with the lid off.  Remove from heat, add the shrimp and let sit for ten minutes.  Cook the rice according to package instruction, and serve the shrimp creole over the cook rice.

Local Steak “Fiorentine”

Seared Steak, Arugula, Shaved Asiago

Grass-Fed Ribeye or Porterhouse

Arugula

Salt

Pepper

Asiago

Season and grill the steak until the desired temperature, medium rare (135F) is preferred but not mandatory.  Take the steak off the grill and shave the asiago cheese on top, let rest for eight minutes.

Dress the arugula with some of the meat juices which have gathered while the steak is resting, and place the greens on the plate.  Put steak on top of greens.