HEIRLOOMS: Johnny Tompkins' Peas & Potatoes

I'm starting a new series here on The Cozy Herbivore called HEIRLOOMS, in which I will post old family recipes that have been handed down to me. These recipes are the tastes of my childhood, prepared over and over again as I grew up. My love of comfort food began with these dishes, and I'm so excited to pass them along to you! In some cases I'll adapt the recipes to be vegetarian, but for the most part I'm not going to futz around too much with them. They're best as I remember them: simple, comforting and delicious.

Have a family recipe that you'd like to see on this site? Please pass it along!

My grandfather was the master of comfort food. For most of my childhood, our family spent every Sunday at his house on Oneida Lake, running back and forth from the water in the summer and cozying up under the snow drifts in the winter. Grandpa's dinners were just like Grandpa himself-- solid and comforting. In the winter we had pot roasts and mashed potatoes, in the summer he would grill hot dogs and hamburgers. But one of his most iconic dishes was creamy peas & potatoes, usually made in the early summer when the peas were at their freshest and the new potatoes were tender and easy to cook.

Sadly, Grandpa Tompkins is no longer with us. When he passed, I inherited a lot of his kitchen utensils and the kitchen table that both my mother (and later I) grew up eating around. By cooking his recipes with his utensils and eating on his table, I feel like he's still with me. I know that he would be proud to see his granddaughter carrying on the Tompkins family tradition of comfort food, cooked simply and with a lot of love.

While this recipe isn't exactly health food, the creaminess of the new potatoes is really highlighted by the cream and butter. It's important to use the freshest and most flavorful peas and potatoes, so I highly recommend getting them from your local farmer's market. Don't even think of using frozen peas here-- if fresh peas aren't available, it's better just to wait for next season. Trust me, with a preparation this simple, you'll really taste the produce, so it must be quality! And if you're anything like Grandpa, you'll know that lots of black pepper makes everything taste great.


Bain taitneamh as do bheil!


PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25-35 minutes
SERVES: 4-6


INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes (about 15-20 potatoes)
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups water
1/2 cup fresh peas, shelled and rinsed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup half and half
5-6 twists of the pepper mill
salt, to taste


DIRECTIONS:
Wash potatoes thoroughly. Cut the larger potatoes in half to match the size of the smaller potatoes. (This will ensure that they cook evenly).

In a large stock pot, bring veggie stock and water to a boil. Add potatoes, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes begin to get tender.

When potatoes are just tender, add rinsed peas to the pot and cover, cooking for 10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Drain potatoes & peas and place in a large bowl. Add butter, half & half, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. The mixture should be slightly runny-- if too dry, add more half & half to create a creamy sauce.

Serve as a side dish at your next summer cook-out!

Farmer's Market Pasta

It's that time of year again, folks: when farmer's markets in Philadelphia are just starting to really kick it into high gear with fresh and local produce. Oh, we're quite not at the bounty days of late July and August yet, but the stands are starting to overflow with asparagus and peas and lettuces and the very first berries of the season.

We're a little cash poor these days, but I was amazed at the amount of produce I was able to purchase from the farmer's market with a mere ten dollars. It was such an exciting haul and the produce was just so darn fresh that I was instantly inspired to whip up a dish that highlighted the flavors of the season.

Just look at this bounty:

The Swiss Chard and basil came from my garden, but the produce (plus a pound of pasture-raised, grass-fed ground beef for my omnivorous girlfriend) amounted to pocket change at the market.

This dish comes together in a snap, but the balsamic reduction gives it a sophistication that's guaranteed to impress your friends. Serve it at your next summer dinner party and everyone will think you're one classy mo-fo. There's no need to tell them how easy it really is!

This recipe is, of course, extremely flexible-- use whatever produce is fresh in your area! The goal of this recipe is to let the true flavors of the season shine, so chose produce and greens that don't have to be cooked extensively. I picked very young Swiss Chard leaves from my garden so they would be tender without too much heat, but baby spinach or kale would work great too.

Cherries not in season? Try a raspberry or a blueberry balsamic reduction! The goal is to experiment, explore and most of all ENJOY your local farmer's market.


Bain taitneamh as do bhéil!



PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
SERVES: 6-8


INGREDIENTS:
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 large handful sugarsnap peas, spines removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
3-4 young Swiss Chard leaves, stems removed and leaves chiffonaded
2 large stems fresh basil, leaves removed and chiffonaded
olive oil, for cooking
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

For the sauce:
15-20 cherries (pits removed), diced finely
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt


DIRECTIONS:
Cook penne according to package directions until just al dente. Drain, toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking and set aside in a large bowl. In a large frying pan, saute zucchini wedges in a little olive oil until just browned, taking care not to over-cook. Add cooked zuchini, sugarsnap peas and chiffonaded Swiss Chard & basil to bowl.

Prepare the sauce: in a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar, diced cherries, olive oil and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir frequently, until the sauce reduces and becomes thick and sweet.

Toss sauce with pasta mixture, stirring to incorporate fully.

Serve with a summery Hefeweizen and enjoy all of that fresh and local goodness!

Mexicana Summer Pasta Salad

Unseasonably sweltering temperatures have hit our fair city this week, leaving Philadelphians to scramble away from their ovens and outside to their grills. I usually leave the actual grilling to my Texan girlfriend, but I am the queen of summer side dishes. I consider it an inheritance from my mother-- she passed along all of her favorite hot weather picnic dishes to me, along with a deep love for eating outside under the summer sunshine. This is an adaptation of her pasta salad recipe, but I decided to give it my own twist by using Mexican flavors in the dressing.

This pasta salad comes together in a snap and keeps very well in the fridge for a few days. It's great for barbeques and outdoor potlucks, as the flavors really come out when it's been sitting at room temperature for a little while.

I didn't have a can of black beans on hand to add to this salad, but I've used them in this recipe before and they are quite delicious.

And of course I urge you to use whatever vegetables are fresh and local to you: the sugarsnap peas are from my local farmer's market and the green beans are from my very own container garden!

Bain taitneamh as do bheil!


PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
SERVES: 8-10


INGREDIENTS:
12 oz. tri-color radiatore or rotini pasta
4 cups veggie stock
2 cucumbers, skin removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 bell peppers, diced finely
1 large handful sugarsnap peas, ends & spines removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large handful green beans, ends removed, snapped into bite-sized pieces
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 pound pepper jack cheese, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed (optional)
1 handful fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped

for the dressing:
the juice & zest of 7-8 limes
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (mild or hot, depending on your preference)
salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS:
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook pasta according to package instructions in veggie stock, adding water as necessary to cover pasta. When pasta is al dente, remove from heat, drain, toss with a little olive oil and set aside.

Chop all vegetables, the cilantro and the cheese and combine in a large bowl. Add completely cooled pasta and beans (if using) to the bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the juice & zest of the limes, water, olive oil and spices. The dressing will taste a little sour by itself, but the cheese and pasta will help to mellow out the tartness.

Drizzle the dressing over the pasta & vegetable mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Serve as a side dish at your next barbeque, picnic or summer potluck!