Merrimack Valley Magazine

MVCSA – Seared Daikon Radish

December 3, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

The greens and root vegetables used in these recipes grow well in New England’s climate. They are able to withstand very cold temperatures, making it possible for farmers to grow them in unheated greenhouses, and for you to source them from local farms. Some winter root vegetables, including onions and daikon radishes, can even be stored outdoors all winter.

Seared Daikon Radish

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chile flakes
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 scallions, diced
2 pounds white daikon radish
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cooking oil

Add oil, garlic and ginger to a cast iron pan or wok on medium heat and cook about 1 minute.

Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chile flakes, oyster sauce, the white parts of the scallions, and water. Let this simmer for a couple of minutes while constantly stirring. Pour the sauce into a bowl and let it sit for later use.

Cut the ends off the daikon radishes and cut them into 1/4-inch discs or into 2-inch squares.

Wipe the wok or pan clean with a paper towel. Add the butter and increase the heat to medium high.

Once the butter has melted and has finished bubbling, space the radish pieces evenly in the wok or pan and cook for a couple of minutes until they are golden brown. Flip over the radish pieces to cook the other side.

While the wok or pan is still on the heat, brush the cooked radish pieces evenly with the reserved sauce.

Plate the radishes. Pour the remaining sauce over the dish before serving.

MVCSA – Braised Onions with Greens and Rainbow Chard

November 21, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

Braised Onions with Collard Greens, Mustard Greens and Rainbow Chard

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1/2 pound bacon, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 bunch collard greens (about 8 ounces)
1/2 bunch Swiss chard (6 to 8 ounces)
1/2 bunch mustard greens (6 to 8 ounces), preferably big-leaf mustard greens with stems
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste (the bacon will provide enough salt to cut the bitterness of the greens)

Heat a pot with a heavy bottom on medium. Add oil and cook the bacon until it begins to brown.

Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions and stir until they cook down and become translucent.

Dice about half of the mustard, chard and collard green stems, and stir them into the onions. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the greens and mix evenly.

Add the vegetable or chicken stock and lemon juice.

Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let cook for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed. If not, cook for 10 more minutes.

Finish with salt and pepper.

MVCSA – Cranberry Beans

October 25, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

In autumn, this region’s farms yield three of our most quintessentially New England products: squash, corn and beans. To take advantage of this, we’re sharing three recipes that feature these healthy ingredients.

We’re presenting them in the classic New England manner: unpretentious, hearty and perfect for family get-togethers.

CRANBERRY BEANS

Start to finish: 90 minutes
Servings: 4-6

1 pound dried cranberry beans (also known as borlotti, or Roman beans)
1 pound cherry tomatoes
1 small onion
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

Sort through the dried beans, being sure to remove any small stones. Place the beans in a large stockpot with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil, stir thoroughly, and then reduce to a simmer. After 30 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of salt and cook an additional 30 minutes.

While the beans cook, place another pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Chop the small onion into a fine dice and add it to the preheated pot along with the butter and the red chile flakes.

When the butter is melted, add the whole cherry tomatoes, stir gently and cover. Stir every 5 minutes, for 15-20 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes have burst, and then add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Once the beans are tender, after 60 minutes or so, drain the beans and add them to the cherry tomato sauce. Stir and serve.

NECC to Offer Noncredit Cooking Courses in Downtown Haverhill

September 8, 2021 by Merrimack Valley Magazine

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) will offer a series of noncredit cooking courses in the new Lupoli Family Institute of Culinary Arts this fall. The series will begin Monday, Sept. 13, and each course will be one evening. The series of courses will run through December.

Most of the courses have an ethnic theme, exploring food from countries around the world, including China, India, Spain, France, Italy and Thailand. Also offered are date nights for couples who want to cook together, food and wine pairing, and more. All courses will be taught safely with masks required and limited numbers for social distancing.

Led by the instructors, all of whom are industry professionals, each class will help create a dish or dishes. Participants will leave with new skills and recipes. Local chefs who will be teaching include Denis Boucher, Colby Bergeron, Phuong Lai-Matzker, Shilpi Ranjan, and Alison Hartung.

“These courses are for people who enjoy cooking and want to learn more about the culinary arts,” said Sandy Zappala, program coordinator. “The focus is on having fun while learning.”

Located in The Heights, a newly built 10-story luxury building on Merrimack Street in Haverhill with views of the Merrimack River, the institute includes classrooms, laboratories, and state-of-the art kitchens and offers noncredit community courses as well as credit programs in culinary arts and hospitality management.

To learn more about fall noncredit courses, visit here.

NECC Student Accepted into the Culinary Institute of America

September 7, 2021 by Merrimack Valley Magazine

Timing is everything when it comes to cooking. That’s especially true for Lawrence’s Mercedes Rodriguez — both in the kitchen and in life. The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) culinary arts certificate 2021 graduate was just accepted for transfer to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she will begin classes this fall.

After graduating from Whittier Tech in 2014 in graphic communications, Rodriguez, unsure of what she wanted to do, began working in restaurants. “I came in as a server. I would just watch things happen. I remember thinking this is a great job as 19-year-old,” Rodriguez said. Eventually she realized she preferred being in the kitchen. She had just learned about the new Lupoli Family Institute of Culinary Arts at NECC, when her restaurant suddenly closed due to the pandemic. “Literally, I lost my job in March, and the program started in September.”

Rodriguez took that as a sign, and enrolled in the culinary arts certificate program. She first heard about the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) through NECC culinary program coordinator Chef Denis Boucher, who is an alum of the Hyde Park, N.Y. school. She decided to apply after the CIA sent her a voucher to cover the $100 application fee. For the required essay, she wrote about her grandmother, who emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in the 1960s. She settled in Lawrence and ran a Cuban food truck, which was a novel idea at the time. “It was all Italians, she used to be the only Cuban woman,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez found out she was accepted into the CIA in June, just days before her 25th birthday. She credits her teachers at NECC for helping her achieve this goal. “The teachers are the biggest resource,” Rodriguez said. “All you have to do is ask. I bother them all day with questions.” Rodriguez will join the associate program in baking and pastry this month. The program takes two years to complete, and she is working with counselors at both NECC and the CIA to transfer her credits.

As a vegan and a bread-lover, she thinks that one day she might open a vegan bakery. But for now, she’s focused on getting ready to live away from home for the first time. “This is the best school in the world, I’m going to do it. I’m going to do my own thing. I swear I was never ready — and then it all happened at once.”