UC Santa Cruz Environmental Studies student Bella Freed will be interning with us for the next 6 months. Bella will be working with the youth baking pies when they come to the Ranch. Additionally, she will be including a savory dish & pie recipe in our e-newsletter and website each month. At the end of the internship, she hopes to present us with a cook book that will include a variety of recipes prepared on the ranch with the youth along with their reflections on their experience working in the fields and eating food grown here.

May’s Recipes

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bread & Cornmeal Cheddar Biscuits with Chipotle

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

Ingredients

1½ cups Pie Ranch Sonora Wheat flour

1  cup sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2  large Pie Ranch egg whites

1  large Pie Ranch egg

¾ cup mashed Pie Ranch strawberries [drain them, if they’re very juicy]

¾ cup cooked Pie Ranch rhubarb [about 3 stalks]

¼ cup butter

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry, whisking just until blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake about 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely, 1 hour or longer.

Cornmeal Cheddar Biscuits with Chipotle

Makes about 10 biscuits

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¾ cup (packed) chopped Pie Ranch green onions

1 ½cups Pie Ranch Sonora wheat flour

½ cup Pie Ranch yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 ½cups (packed) coarsely grated yellow extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1 large Pie Ranch egg, cold

¾ cup buttermilk, cold

1 tablespoon finely minced canned chipotle chiles

1 Pie Ranch egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon whipping cream (for glaze)

Directions

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté 2 minutes to soften slightly. Remove from heat.

Blend flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, cayenne and baking soda in processor. Add 1/2 cup chilled butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheese; cut in using on/off turns. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl.

Whisk 1 egg in glass measuring cup. Add enough buttermilk to egg to measure 1 cup; stir in green-onion mixture and chipotles. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk mixture into well; mix just until evenly moistened.

Turn dough out onto generously floured surface. Knead gently just until dough holds together, about 10 turns. Pat out on generously floured surface to 3/4-inch-thick round. Using 3-inch round cutter, cut out biscuits. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps; pat out to 3/4-inch thickness and cut out additional biscuits. Brush biscuits with egg glaze.

Bake biscuits until golden, tester inserted into center comes out clean, and biscuits feel firm, about 18 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Serve warm.

April’s Recipes

Breakfast Pizza and Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancakes)

Breakfast Pizza

Makes 2 12″ pizzas. Adapted from The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:

½ tsp. dry active yeast

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp.
kosher salt

6 strips bacon
(optional)

1 cup asparagus, chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan

2 cups grated mozzarella

6 large Pie Ranch eggs

freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp. minced chives

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 shallot, minced

Directions:

The night before, prepare the dough

Place ¾ cup lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and 1 tsp. of salt and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and mix until smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes more. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into two equal pieces and form each half into a tight ball. Place on a large floured sheet pan, place the pan in a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag loosely and refrigerate overnight.

One to two hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. (If you do not have a stone, use the bottom of a sheet pan- but do not preheat the sheet pan). Preheat the oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.

Prepare the dough and toppings:

Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop. Medium dice the asparagus and sauté in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 1-2 minutes (asparagus should still be crispy).

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella, bacon, and asparagus. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza:

Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.

Kimchi

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pickling salt

6 cups water

2 pounds Chinese (Napa) cabbage, cut into 2-inch squares

6 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths, then slivered

1 ½ tbsp. minced fresh ginger

2 tbsp. Korean ground dried hot pepper (or other mildly hot ground red pepper)

1  tsp. sugar

Directions:

Dissolve the 3 tbsp. salt in the water. Put the cabbage into a large bowl, a crock, or a nonreactive pot, and pour the brine over it. Weight the cabbage down with a plate. Let the cabbage stand for 12 hours.

Drain the cabbage, reserving the brine. Mix the cabbage with the remaining ingredients, including the 1 tsp. salt. Pack the mixture into a 2-quart jar. Pour enough of the reserved brine over the cabbage to cover it. Pull freezer bag over the mouth of the jar, and pour the remaining brine into the bag. Seal the bag. Let the kimchi ferment in a cool place, at a temperature no higher than 68° F, for 3 to 6 days, until the kimchi is as sour as you like. Remove the brine bag, and cap the jar tightly. Store the kimchi in the refrigerator, where it will keep for months.

Makes about 1 ½  quarts.

Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancakes)

Ingredients:

¼ lb. ground turkey

2 cups chopped cabbage (see above recipe, or use store-bought)

1 cup Pie Ranch Sonora wheat flour

½  cup rice flour

6  scallions, finely chopped

1 Pie Ranch egg, slightly beaten

1 cup ice-cold water

10½ tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

Combine ground turkey, kimchi, flours, scallions, egg, and water in a bowl; whisk to combine. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes.

Working in seven batches, heat 1 ½ tbsp. oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat; scoop four 2-tbsp. portions of batter into skillet, flattening each portion with the back of a spoon. Cook until the edges are crisp, about 2 minutes.

Transfer pancakes to paper towels and wipe out skillet after each batch. Serve pancakes warm, sprinkled with salt.

March’s Recipes

Coconut Custard and Kiwi Tart and Winter Greens, Chanterelle and Goat Cheese Quiche

Coconut Custard and Kiwi Tart

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups Pie Ranch Sonora wheat flour1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water
2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream

Coconut custard
1 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup well-stirred canned cream of coconut (not coconut milk)
2 large Pie Ranch farm fresh eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Cream topping
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon sugar

Garnish
12 kiwis
1 cup coconut flakes

Special equipment: a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep) with removable bottom

Preparation

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and cream. Process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out onto tart pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside and let cool.

Make custard:
Stir together milk and cornstarch until well blended.
Bring heavy cream and cream of coconut to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking occasionally. Whisk cornstarch mixture, then add to cream in a stream, whisking. Boil custard, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in eggs and coconut extract.

Pour custard into cooled crust and smooth top. Cover custard with a round of wax paper (to prevent a skin from forming) and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill tart until set, at least 4 hours.

Make topping:
Beat together cream, sour cream, and sugar with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Remove wax paper from tart and spread cream evenly over tart.

Peel and slice kiwis and arrange on top of the tart. Garnish with coconut flakes.

Winter Greens, Chanterelle and Goat Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

Crust
1 cup Pie Ranch Sonora wheat flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped Chanterelle mushrooms
2 cups chopped chard
10 ounces (1-inch-wide) broccoli florets (with 1 to 2 inches of stem attached)
2 large garlic cloves
6 large eggs

Preparation

Make crust:

Blend until mixed: butter, flour, and salt using a pastry cutter or a Cuisinart. Sprinkle mixture with water a little at a time, incorporating it into the mixture until you can gather dough into a ball (it should not stick to your fingers.) Squeeze into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one segment of the dough to fit a 9-inch baking pan. Roll from the center out to create an even crust. Roll crust onto the rolling pin then unroll it over the pie pan. Ease the dough into the pan and pinch around the edge of the pan.

Make filling:

Sautee greens and broccoli florets in olive oil until tender. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk together garlic paste, chopped chanterelles, eggs, half-and-half, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.
Pour filling into pie shell and add sautéed greens and broccoli, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake quiche until custard is just set, 45 to 50 minutes. (Center will tremble slightly; filling will continue to set as it cools.) Cool at least 20 minutes.

February’s Recipes

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Soup and Roasted Pumpkin Muffins

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Soup

6 servings

Heat in a soup pot over medium heat:
2 tablespoons olive or other vegetable oil
Add and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, 5 to 10 minutes:
1 white onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled

Stir in:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 quarts stock (vegetable or chicken)

Bring to a boil and stir in:
1 can coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons red curry paste
Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is cooked, about 20 minutes.
Blend until smooth.

Roasted Pumpkin Muffins

12 servings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet:
1 medium Pie Ranch pumpkin
Position rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12 muffin pan with paper cups.

Whisk together thoroughly:
1 ½ cups Pie Ranch Sonora flour (sifted)
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ baking soda

Combine in another bowl:
1/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl , beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Gradually add and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes:
1 1/3 cups sugar

Beat in 1 at a time:
2 large eggs

Add and beat on low speed lust until blended:
1 cup roasted pumpkin puree

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, beating on low speed. Scrape the batter into the 12 muffin cups evenly.
Bake 12-15 minutes. Let cool.

January’s Recipes

Pumpkin Pie and Winter Wheat Berry Salad

Pumpkin Pie

Pie Ranch Pumpkin Pie Crust

Ingredients