20 Questions with Grant
Grant Guidroz and his wife Allison are the power farming couple behind Fullness Farm, a bustling one acre plot that they carefully tend for great yield and delicious harvest. They make it so easy to eat with the seasons! I first met Grant at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market and got hooked on the salad greens which are popular in some of Baton Rouge’s finest restaurants as well as home kitchens across the city. I was so intrigued I had to see the farm for myself and have visited in all seasons.
Knowing the salad you’re enjoying tonight was harvested and washed just days before it reaches the kitchen is a huge win! The greens are a rainbow of flavor and for me it was love at first taste. Ditto for the sweet baby carrots, the fresh herbs, the eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. And the broccoli! The broccoli is prettier than a bridal bouquet.
Going with the adage ‘start ‘em young’ Grant and Allison are raising their two young children on the farm and it won’t be long before their preschooler is filling cartons with eggs from their chicken coop.
What’s your 20 minute recipe? Roasted vegetables. When I was a kid, all the vegetables were steamed. I really love roasting them. We try to eat something that we grow with every meal. I chop up some slices of frozen cooked bacon and whole cloves of garlic and it really elevates it! I can get the rest of the meal going on the stove while the vegetables are in the oven.
What’s your favorite city? It’s Baton Rouge, man! We go visit places but we always want to come back home.
What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? Definitely Nino’s, that’s where we go! We have a lot of history there. They have our invoice number one. The chef Elton and his wife Randee Hyndman are family friends and it was a no brainer when we started selling. We did a farm to table dinner at Inglewood Farm when we were interning up there. He says “The more I’ve gone farm to table the more I’ve been rewarded” It took his restaurant to the next level. They are really cool.
Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Probably some really good hot peppers in vinegar. Put the peppers in the jar raw and pour hot vinegar over them. We take off the stems and put them in. We’re experimenting now with different vinegars. We put a little salt and some peppercorns and that’s about it. You can add more vinegar to make a second batch.
Who taught you to cook? My dad did most of the cooking growing up. He’s from the Westbank of New Orleans and has a lot of Louisiana food traditions. He really knows how to cook all the classic dishes without a recipe. Etouffee, red beans and rice. My mom is from Jonesboro, LA, up north. The food is very different from south Louisiana. My aunt always had a summer garden and made a really great salsa. I spent time up there in the summer, having those experiences influenced me to go into farming. Looking back, having been exposed to it, yeah it definitely had a big influence. City kid going to the country. It was awesome having more space
What’s your go-to dish for company? Probably grilling. That’s what we do the most when we have people over. The vegetables are always the biggest hit! When we go over to friends’ houses, we always bring vegetables to put on the grill. They are always a surprise hit! Any vegetable is great on the grill! Eggplants, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes. Okra is the surprise thing, it is so great on the grill!
What’s on your cooking playlist? Lately I’ve been listening to musicians on YouTube. There’s a guy who does piano mash ups. He’s a combo of Beethoven and Pink Floyd. I’ve got an affinity for Beethoven especially when I’m working
Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee!! I do love all those! Coffee is my mainstay. Super strong, as much coffee grounds as the thing will hold. It is black!! I like to add a little cream from Feliciana’s Best. We put the extras in a mason jar with a little honey and put it in the fridge so it’s hot brewed iced coffee. I pretty much drink it all day long. I also love hibiscus tea with honey.
Date night--at home? or out? If we really want to do a date night we go out. We’re also a big fan of the staycation. We can make a fire and pick up a nice meal and enjoy it at home. It’s hard to get out with young kids. El Tio and margaritas from Superior.
Most stained cookbook? I don’t even have a cookbook. I google recipes. I’m part of the new generation. Allison does these zucchini fritters from a recipe from 225 Magazine.
Surf? or Turf? Turf!
Indispensable kitchen tool? Cast iron, the 10 or 12 inch skillet. So easy to clean and when it’s dry I rub it with a little avocado oil so it keeps its sheen.
Staple childhood comfort food? Pot roast.
Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Jesus for sure! All the questions.
Ideal grilled cheese? Oh wow. On Dave’s Killer Bread with Kerrygold butter, butter both sides of the toast, extra sharp white cheddar cheese. And I take one of the kids’ organic mozzarella cheese sticks and slice it lengthwise and lay it on there, you get that nice pull when you tear it apart. We like it with tomato soup.
Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni with fresh arugula on top after the pizza is done. Secret ingredient is quail egg. We’ll put 5 or 6 on a pizza. I really don’t like a lot of toppings. I love pizza, it’s such a great meal.
Where would you want to take a cooking class? Probably Red Stick Spice. I would want to do a fermenting class. I’d love to learn to make a fermented hot sauce.
What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Roasting things in the oven changed the game. It turned turnips into, you know, like the value of a rock into something as good as gold!
Three things next to your stove? Spoon rest, cast iron and avocado oil. Some pink Himalayan salt. The cast iron is technically on the stove.
Favorite Sports Team? Lately none of them. It’s so crazy, I grew up loving sports! But I don’t know it seems like season 33 of Lost. If I had to pick one, it’s LSU football. I really just want them to win because it makes everyone else happy! It seems like everyone’s life is better here when LSU is winning!
In Grant style I fired up my cast iron skillet to roast the broccoli. A rimmed baking sheet also works well. Make sure you have it in a single layer for best crisping.
Roasted Broccoli
Start your oven! Grant shares his praise for roasting all vegetables and his treatment for broccoli is a game changer. He also has a fun tip for adding quick flavor--he keeps cooked bacon in the freezer so it’s ready to add to any dish. The whole bouquet of broccoli from Fullness Farm is a work of edible art. It can all be roasted--stalks, leaves, florets--for a delicious and nutritious side dish.
HEAT a rimmed baking sheet or large cast iron pan in a hot oven (425) while you prep your broccoli. Roughly chop a whole head of broccoli into chunky stems, large leaves and bite-sized florets. Peel some whole garlic cloves and cut them in halves or quarters. Tear a slice or three of cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces. When the oven is HOT, carefully remove the heated pan and slide all the broccoli onto the pan. Toss with the garlic and bacon and drizzle with a tablespoon or so of avocado oil or olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast until leaves are crisp like kale chips and florets are sizzling and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
