20 Questions with Lisa

The Red Stick Farmer’s Market hums with activity every Saturday, rain or shine, in downtown Baton Rouge. I discovered this unique farmer’s market on a pre-move visit and was captivated by the brass band and strawberry perfume. After the big move I met Lisa Gray, the manager of Red Stick Mobile Farmers Market and coordinator of school garden projects. 

At the market, seasonal selections and friendly farmers lure locavores from nearby parishes. Behind the scenes, Lisa hauls local produce in a jazzed up trailer to sell in the far reaches of the community. She also plants and tends school gardens where the students learn the essentials from seeds and soil to flowers and harvest. I’ve had the honor of working alongside her and it’s incredible to witness the joy the kids get in their outdoor classroom.

Lisa has called Baton Rouge home for all but one year of her life. During her year away, she worked with the CDC in Atlanta. In her words, “the experience was great but I wanted to get back home to farm life. I gotta get back home and work with farm animals.” She took a job with the Ag Center at Southern University as a research associate before her now seven year tenure with Red Stick Market.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Shrimp fried rice. I get the shrimp peeled and deveined from Anna Marie’s and use brown rice that’s leftover from another meal. I get as much from Red Stick Market as I can. Carrots from Fekete Farms, onions and green onions, orange or red bell pepper, pasture raised farm eggs and frozen peas that I buy. I use sesame oil and soy sauce while I’m cooking. I use the whole pound of shrimp! I call it the Real Shrimp Fried Rice. 

What’s your favorite city? I would love to travel to Washington, DC now. I’ve been there a lot in the past, it’s one of my favorites. People are really nice there.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? I like Pimanyoli’s on Airline. They specialize in smoked meats and classic American dishes, and they have hot tamales, a recipe from their family that’s like 100 years old. The owner’s father was a sergeant on the police force at Southern University.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Maybe some pickled okra

Who taught you to cook? My grandmother. She raised me, I was always in the kitchen with her. One of her specialties, my favorite, was her peach cobbler. My uncles always request it. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? I would do some beef and shrimp kabobs or an okra, shrimp, tomato and smoked sausage stew served over rice.

What’s on your cooking playlist? Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Tea. 

Date night--at home? or out? Right now?! At home.

Most stained cookbook? River Road. My grandmother used to use it. I still have hers and just got a new one from the Junior League. My uncle in Texas is holding on to my grandmother’s.

Surf? or Turf? Surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My whisk.

Staple childhood comfort food? Chicken and dumplings. That was easy!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My grandmother.

Ideal grilled cheese? I’m pretty plain when it comes to grilled cheese. I like it with cheddar.

Favorite pizza topping? One of my favorites is pickled banana pepper

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Italy and learn how to make a classic red sauce, the type that takes hours.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? I don’t like to overcomplicate with a lot of ingredients. I like to keep it simple. If I can wing it without a lot of ingredients, that’s what I prefer.

Three things next to your stove? A trivet, canisters with flour and sugar, tool caddy.

Favorite Sports Team? Of course The Saints!! 

A trip to the Red Stick Farmer’s Market transforms yesterday’s extra rice into a gourmet meal in minutes!

Lisa’s Real Shrimp Fried Rice

A trip to the Red Stick Market will elevate your next batch of fried rice to the next level of delicious! Gather your ingredients and your fried rice masterpiece is ready in minutes.

• 1 pound medium sized peeled and deveined shrimp, drained and patted dry

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large carrot, grated

• 2 eggs, whisked to blend in a small bowl

• 3 cups cooked rice

• ½ cup frozen peas

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

TOSS the shrimp with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. 

ADD the shrimp and cook, turning once, just until they turn opaque, about a minute or two per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

ADD the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the grated carrot, toss to combine, then push the vegetables to the perimeter of the skillet to make room for cooking the ‘egg pancake.’

POUR the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the bottom of the skillet and add the whisked egg. Let it sizzle and cook in one layer, just until it is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Chop the cooked egg into small pieces in the skillet with a spatula and push it out to the perimeter with the vegetables.

ADD the rice to the center of the skillet and cook a minute or two to heat the rice through. Stir in the peas, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss it all together in the skillet incorporating the vegetables and egg from the perimeter. Stir in the cooked shrimp and green onions and serve. Happy Cooking!

Romancing the Peach

When peaches arrive, nearly bursting from their velvety suits, it is cause for celebration. I
mark my calendar for peach season and fit them into every menu of the summer.
Our local celebrity peach farmer, Mr. Buddy (a Louisiana legend), hauls peaches to the Red Stick Farmer's Market from June through September. I imagine strolling through his orchard beneath the leafy canopy and plucking the plump fruits, their perfume provoking “pick me!”
Who can resist a fresh peach, eaten out of hand with a stack of napkins? It’s a close-your-eyes-and-savor-this-moment experience. Such a happy coincidence that these gems grow right in our midst.
Every Saturday, I bring them home by the dozen, intending to whip up something
delicious and before I know it, they have vanished. 
This time I got to work before the tasters swooped in, deciding to add some sizzle to accent the sweet.
For a quick and company-worthy salad, I grilled quartered peaches and arranged them
with creamy Burrata and silky prosciutto atop a bed of lightly dressed arugula. With a hunk of good bread, you have something fancy in a hurry.
Though peach season will not last forever, there is no end to their enjoyment. Be sure to
pick a peck, whether straight from the tree or from your local market. The sweet perfume will remain.

Grilled Peach Salad
This combination of textures makes for a memorable Summer salad

Makes 2 servings

• 2 firm-ripe peaches, pitted and cut into quarters
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 handfuls fresh arugula or other salad greens
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• coarse salt and pepper
• 4 paper-thin slices prosciutto
• 2 small balls of Burrata, each cut into quarters
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, really just a drizzle (use your best one here)
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat.Brush the cut sides of the peaches with the vegetable oil.

Grill the peaches for a few minutes on each side until just tender and warmed through.
Toss the arugula with the olive oil in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss
again and transfer to a serving platter.
Arrange the prosciutto, Burrata, and grilled peaches over the greens.
Drizzle the salad with the balsamic vinegar and serve.

Happy National Farmer's Market Week!

Hello August! I used to fret the ticking away of Summer. Now I fear not. I'm a sunshine seeker, and two years ago I moved to Baton Rouge where the sun blazes until Christmas. Perennial Summer! I do miss my farmer friends, though. Happy to have connected with local growers in my new town.

Let's do a little local foods challenge to celebrate farmer's market week: I'm making a conscious effort to focus my menus around the local harvest. As Michael Pollan says, "shake the hand that feeds you." I had the honor of shaking the hands of the Harris brothers who dedicated untold hours to making maple syrup on their farm at the corner of Summers and Greenbrier. The syrup tastes better knowing where it came from and the love that went into every step of its production.

Another favorite West Virginia farm product, J.Q. Dickinson SaltWorks, celebrates five years of making sun-dried salt which seasons dishes across the country. The 'time flies' adage is right at home here. The opening celebration of the salt's revitalization was a family dinner on the gorgeous farm in Malden, West Virginia in 2013. (The salt originated about 200 years ago! Nancy, Lewis, and Paige brought it back to iife after years of quiet at Kanawha Salines). If you haven't tried their salt, it's a perfect way to celebrate farmers year round. 

Banh Mi, West Virginia Style*

I discovered this fantastic sandwich on Food52. I tweaked their recipe, omitting the salty fish sauce and soy sauce and instead using JQ Dickinson salt--the results are fabulous and really highlight local handmade ingredients--maple syrup and JQD salt.

Makes 6 servings

• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed but still intact
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Tiny ciabatta rolls or baguette (Or lettuce ‘boats’ to make lettuce wraps)
• Garnish: Red leaf lettuce, paper-thin slices of radish and fresh jalapeno, shredded carrot, cilantro 

Place the pork slices on a sheet of plastic wrap one inch apart.  Cover with second sheet of wrap and pound gently to flatten to 1/4-inch thick (or a touch thinner). Transfer to a shallow dish.

Combine maple syrup, salt, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, green onion, and black pepper in a small bowl, whisking to combine.  Pour mixture over pork, turning with tongs to coat.  Let marinate for 10 minutes, then drizzle with the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Heat a griddle to medium-high.  Sear meat until deep golden on one side, then turn to brown the second side--about one to two minutes per side.

To assemble, slice rolls in half, keeping a hinge intact.  Mound each bun with desired toppings and a few slices of meat.  Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

*(in Lousiana I'll get my pork tenderloin from Iverstine's. West Virginia: check with Black Oak Hollow Farm for great pork)

Market to Table with Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

When I landed in the U.S. after a two week food excursion in France, the email at the top of my inbox grabbed my attention: “A little help needed for Market-to-Table tomorrow.” Jet lag couldn’t keep me away from this invitation and I answered with an enthusiastic yes.

Once a year, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, a signature program of FirstLine Schools, loads up the 3rd grade students from Samuel J. Green Charter School onto buses and over to Crescent City Farmers’ Market. Hand in hand with their chef educators and New Orleans chefs who carve out time to assist with the annual event, the students skip through the market selecting good things from local farms. They will bring their haul back to the kitchen classroom and prepare lunch for their families. 

The vendors at this open air market welcome the inquisitive shoppers and offer them tastes of their bounty. A sampling of thin-sliced cucumbers and sweet peppers prompted a discussion about how fresh and delicious the produce at the market is. “My mom always buys vegetables here!” a proud student announced.

A rough menu had been sketched featuring the best seafood and produce of the season and the teams selected local catfish filets, okra and sweet potatoes, green beans and pomegranates, tomatoes and squash, and satsumas. My team was led by Reed Eldridge, executive chef at Three Muses on Frenchman Street, who drew the dessert card. Chef Reed explained to the kids how he likes to feature seasonal fruits in his desserts and they carried heavy sacks of tangy satsumas back to the bus and into the kitchen. “Let’s make satsuma bars,” he said. My mind drifted to the satsuma tree in my new backyard, heavy with tangerine-looking citrus and I knew what I would get into the moment I got home.

A recess break for the junior chefs allowed time for the kitchen crew to set up the stations for an all hands on deck cooking party. The quiet shifted to lively chatter when the kids jumped in with scrubbed hands, ready to work. 

Our group got busy blending cubes of butter into flour for the crust, cracking eggs, and zesting and juicing the satsumas for the filling. Chef Reed helped the small hands pat the dough into parchment-lined pans and while this buttery crust baked, they whisked the filling together. 

Quiet resumed as the students headed out to the dining room to greet their families at tables set for lunch where they break bread together and celebrate the meal they all helped prepare. For me, it was a gift to take part in this annual event. Third graders chatting with farmers and chefs, shopping and chopping, juicing and stirring, then enjoying the delicious fruits of their labor. Their smiles are forever etched in my mind. Now I'm off to my own kitchen to share smiles and satsuma bars with my neighbors.

Satsuma Bars

I am new to Louisiana, but no stranger to homegrown citrus. Pleasant surprise to have a flourishing satsuma tree in my backyard in Baton Rouge! I had to dive right in with a batch of satsuma bars in my kitchen. Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens ‘Blood Orange Bars’ -- if you don’t have a satsuma supply, try this with tangerines or the BHG version.

For the crust:

• 1 1/2cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cool unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small cubes, plus a little for the baking pan

For the filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon citrus zest (I chose orange-skinned satsumas and zested with a microplane)
• 1 cup fresh satsuma juice
• 3 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• powdered sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 350. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, extending the paper up the sides of the pan and lightly butter the paper.

Make the crust: Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter cubes and work together with your hands until mixture is blended and crumbly. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and press evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes until light golden. Let cool on a rack a few minutes before filling.

Make the filling: Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk in the sugar, citrus zest and juice. Add the 3 tablespoons flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt, whisking until the flour is blended in. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set, about 20 minutes.

Let cool completely on a rack before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into squares. (Using the exposed edge of the parchment paper, slide the cooled bar onto a cutting board to make cutting easier. Chilling the bar before cutting also makes a neater cut. Cut into squares or rectangles as desired and serve. Keep remaining bars chilled in an airtight container).