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Baking Bread and Feeding the Community with Members Nancy and Ralph Reinertsen

Sep 27, 2021 | Flour Power, In The News

For Nancy DePas Reinertsen and Ralph Reinertsen, baking with Flour Power, Slow Food East End’s community powered baking co-operative, has been their way to connect to their community through food. They’ve been baking bread loaves every other week since the program began this past spring as a way for members of the community to provide home-baked loaves of bread to local food pantries.

Nancy and Ralph were both teachers before recently retiring, and they’ve both seen firsthand how many people in our communities can use a little extra help getting food on the table. Baking her four loaves of bread has become a regular weekend ritual, but it’s also become about more than just feeding others.

The way it works is this: anyone with a few hours to spare and an oven to bake can sign up to bake bread. Chef David Chaffin, board member and experienced baker, developed a simple, healthy recipe that everyone can bake. As Nancy says: “It’s a foolproof recipe.” Made with half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour, the bread has honey and molasses in it which not only add a delicious flavor but keep the bread shelf-stable – so it’s available to anyone coming to the food pantry even a few days after it’s been delivered.

“It nourishes the soul because I feel so good about doing this, and it nourishes the body,” she says, adding: “My house smells like heaven!”

Nancy has been baking for years with a sourdough starter she created 20 years ago using East End air to bring it to life. But she doesn’t need that to bake these loaves, and you don’t need to be an experienced baker to take part in Flour Power.

After watching the how-to video, and with the recipe in hand, home bakers across the East End of Long Island bake four loaves of bread every other Monday. Three of them will be picked up by a volunteer and brought to pantries like the North Fork Spanish Apostolate in Riverhead, and the fourth is for the baker to eat!

“Flour Power is a really wonderful way to connect to people,” says Nancy. We agree, and we think you will too. We hope you’ll join us in keeping the program going. Register today for the next baking cycle. We’ll provide the recipe; you’ll get to spend a few hours doing kneading bread dough and helping feed your community.

RECIPES: Latkepalooza

Dec 9, 2020 | In The News, SFEE LIVE

We’ve got the recipes from our Latkepalooza Slow Food East End Live. Chef Noah Schwartz and his mom Pennie, our own chair of the SFEE board, demonstrated how to cook the latkes and how to break down the argument of the choice between baked or fried.

Noah’s Local Cheese Pumpkin Latke Recipe

  • 2 lb. local cheese pumpkin (or other hard winter squash like butternut)
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (greens or tops)
  • 1 Tbl. Garam Masala
  • Chives for garnish
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Salt and pepper

Peel, seed and scrape pumpkin. Grate pumpkin and onions on largest side of a box grater. Ring out all excess liquid through a towel, squeezing hard. Mix in eggs, flour and scallions. Fold in with your hands to incorporate ingredients. Form lose ¼-cup cakes and pan fry for approximately two minutes on each side until golden brown. Garnish with thinly sliced chives. Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.

 

Noah’s Potato Latke Recipe

  • 3 large white potatoes
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced chili peppers (optional)
  • Chives for garnish
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Salt and pepper

Peel potatoes and cover with cold water. Boil for ten minutes or until just tender with a fork but not soft. Let chill in refrigerator until fully cooled. Grate potatoes and onions on largest side of a box grater. Ring out all excess liquid through a towel, squeezing hard. Mix in eggs flour and chili’s if using. Fold in with your hands to incorporate ingredients. Form lose ¼ cup cakes and pan fry for approximately 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Garnish with thinly sliced chives. Serve warm with apple sauce and sour cream.

Noah’s Local Sweet Potato Latke Recipe

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (bottoms)
  • Chives for garnish
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Salt and pepper

Grate potatoes and onions on largest side of a box grater. Ring out all excess liquid through a towel, squeezing hard. Mix in eggs, flour and scallions. Fold in with your hands to incorporate ingredients. Form lose ¼ cup cakes and pan fry for approximately 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Garnish with thinly sliced chives. Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.

 

Vegan Sour Cream

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours if you do not have a  high-powered blender
  • ½ cup water  
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more if needed  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar  
  • Heaping ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt  
  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard  
  1. If you soaked your cashews, drain and rinse them until the water runs clear.  
  2. In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and mustard. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If you’re having trouble blending the mixture, or would prefer a thinner consistency, slowly blend in up  to ½-cup additional water, as needed.  
  3. Taste and add an additional teaspoon of lemon juice if  you would like more tang, or add more salt for a more intense flavor. Serve immediately or chill the  sour cream for later.  
  4. Leftovers keep well, chilled, for about 5 days. The sour  cream will thicken the more it rests, thin by whisking in a small amount of water. 

WATCH: A Three Sisters Succotash with 18 Bay

Oct 7, 2020 | In The News, SFEE LIVE

Three Sisters Succotash with Chefs Elizabeth Ronzetti and Adam Kopels of 18 Bay Restaurant

Chefs Elizabeth and Adam own and operate 18 Bay Restaurant on Shelter Island. Join them as they demo how to cook with beans, corn and squash, known as the Three Sisters, a traditional plantings of First Nations people in the northeast. 

8 Bay’s Three Sisters Succotash

Ingredients

  • 6 ears local corn
  • 2 cups yellow wax beans or string beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces*
  • Large butternut squash, diced into 1 inch cubes*
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1 bunch thyme picked and light chopped
  • 4 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil (this is a good occasion to use the good stuff)
  • Crushed red pepper and salt

Method

Cut kernels off of 4 ears of corn off the cob. In a separate bowl grate kernels from the remaining 2 ears of corn using a box grater, creating a milky pulp.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large saute pan on medium heat. Add the cubed squash and cook on medium heat stirring occasionally, until starting to soften and browning on the sides. Then add the cut corn, stirring and cooking until the corn is bright yellow and aromatic. Add shallot and thyme to the pan, followed by beans and salt and crushed red pepper 

When the shallots are translucent and the thyme brighter and aromatic add the grated corn. Stirring and folding the grated corn pulp is key to the texture. Don’t let the mixture settle and stick to the bottom of the pan. 

As soon as the mixture is warmed through, remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, retaining the fresh corn flavor.

This can be served as a side dish with meat or fish or as a vegetarian option. 

This can also be baked in a buttered casserole dish and topped with cheese as a side dish.

*The squash and bean components of the recipe can be changed to reflect the season and availability.

ENJOY!

WATCH: Escargot With Taylor Knapp

Oct 7, 2020 | In The News, SFEE LIVE

 
The Real Slow Food with Snail Wrangler Taylor Knapp of Peconic Escargot.

Snails are truly a Slow Food. Snail Wrangler Taylor Knapp believes snails are the future of food. Join us to hear about his journey, which started in 2013 as a chef on the North Fork on a quest to find the perfect snails for escargot. Then he thought, “Why don’t I grow my own? We will also learn how to cook-up something snailicious!

Peconic Escargot and Chorizo

Ingredients:

  • 12 Peconic Escargot – In Shell
  • 1 Cup Dried Chorizo (cut into slices)
  • 1 Apple (diced similar to size of escargot)
  • 1/2 Cup Dry Apple Cider (alcoholic)
  • 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
  • 1 Shallot (diced)
  • 1/2 Cup Butter (cold, cubed)
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Parsley Leaves (chopped)
  • Sea Salt

 

Preparation:

1. Put the snail in a pot with 2 quarts cold water and a handful of sea salt. Gradually bring the water to a rolling boil. Remove the escargot.

2. In a cast iron skillet, sweat our the shallot with some butter.

3. Add apples. Cook until apples begin to gain color.

4. Add chorizo and cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Add escargot and maple syrup. Give a good stir in order to glaze all ingredients.

6. Deglaze skillet with apple cider. Reduce heat by half. Add remaining cold butter.

7. Glaze the ingredients with the butter, tossing vigorously.

8. Finish and garnish with chopped parsley.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Hugue Dufour – M. Wells Steakhouse – Long Island City, NY

Many more recipes can be found on the Peconic Escargot website.

RECIPES: Corn Dishes from Estia’s Little Kitchen and 18 Bay

Oct 7, 2020 | In The News

Even though we can’t hold an in-person Annual Meeting and Potluck this year, we are working hard to match the fun of a live meeting in a virtual setting. We can’t share food in person, but we can still share a meal together by cooking ahead and enjoying our meal while hearing about the latest news from Slow Food East End.
 
 
Estia’s Mexican Sweet Corn Chowder

Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor serves up American food with a Southwestern influence. Chef Colin Ambrose has been a staple in the Hamptons for decades and is known for food that is locally sourced and grown —some from the garden on the grounds of the restaurant!   Estia’s is a recipient of one of SFEE’s earliest Snail of Approval awards. Enjoy his recipe for Mexican Sweet Corn Chowder.

|serves a crowd|

Add ingredients in a large pot:

20 corn cobs – ( remove corn from cobs first and save kernels for later)

Bring 2 gallons of water to a simmer then add:

  • 1 lb unsalted butter
  • 1 quart half and half
  • 1 large white onion – chopped
  • 3 bunch cilantro, stems included (rinsed twice)
  • 20 poblano chilis – (cut peppers in half and don’t remove seeds or stems)
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • Add corn cobs

Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Remove corn cobs.

Blend all remaining ingredients at medium speed in Vita-mix until smooth. Place in large shallow pans (2-6 inch deep hotel pans), add the raw corn kernels and then chill.

To serve: Bring soup to a simmer. Fry corn tortillas cut into strips. Garnish with queso fresco or feta cheese and a sprig of cilantro.

bowl of Mexican Sweet Corn Chowder

Estia’s Mexican Sweet Corn Chowder

18 Bay Three Sisters Succotash
18 Bay on Shelter Island serves an Italian inspired menu that is a direct reflection and inspiration of the local markets and that shows off the animals, fruits and produce that can only be found here. Chefs Elizabeth Ronzetti and Adam Kopels were semi finalists in the prestigious James Beard awards and joined us recently for a demo of this recipe on SF Live. Enjoy this recipe with beans, corn and squash, known as the Three Sisters.

Ingredients

  • 6 ears local corn
  • 2 cups yellow wax beans or string beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces*
  • Large butternut squash, diced into 1 inch cubes*
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1 bunch thyme picked and light chopped
  • 4 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil (this is a good occasion to use the good stuff)
  • Crushed red pepper and salt

Method

Cut kernels off of 4 ears of corn off the cob. In a separate bowl grate kernels from the remaining 2 ears of corn using a box grater, creating a milky pulp.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large saute pan on medium heat. Add the cubed squash and cook on medium heat stirring occasionally, until starting to soften and browning on the sides. Then add the cut corn, stirring and cooking until the corn is bright yellow and aromatic. Add shallot and thyme to the pan, followed by beans and salt and crushed red pepper 

When the shallots are translucent and the thyme brighter and aromatic add the grated corn. Stirring and folding the grated corn pulp is key to the texture. Don’t let the mixture settle and stick to the bottom of the pan. 

As soon as the mixture is warmed through, remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, retaining the fresh corn flavor.

This can be served as a side dish with meat or fish or as a vegetarian option. 

This can also be baked in a buttered casserole dish and topped with cheese as a side dish.

*The squash and bean components of the recipe can be changed to reflect the season and availability.

ENJOY!