Picking raspberries, kayaking through ancient sea caves, watching the sun sink into Lake Superior as the embers of the beach fire glow, sharing a farm to table dinner in the field… all of these adventures are possible on our Taste of the Apostles trips with Beth Dooley.
A Taste of the Apostles is a summer sampler of the best in a glorious season. On these trips, we highlight local ingredients, tour organic farms, pick berries, and meet some of the area farmers who are doing amazing things with food. For breakfast, wake to the scent of coffee and sizzling bacon. Spend the day paddling to shipwrecks and stop on the sandy beach for a picnic lunch of artisan meats, smoked fish, farm fresh veggies and cherries. For dinner, fry fresh fish on the beach or enjoy a farm-to-table feast.
Here are some of Beth Dooley’s recipes from her recent Taste of the Apostles trips:
Wild Rice Salad
Serves 6-8
Real wild rice, “manomin,” is a sacred staple for the Ojibwe people, harvested by hand from canoes. It is nothing like the commercial paddy rice often sold at roadside convenience stores along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Though it’s two or sometimes three times the price of paddy rice, the flavor is far superior and it cooks in just about 20 minutes.
2 cups cooked wild rice*
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped toasted nuts
Dressing:
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup walnut or hazelnut oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Turn the cooked wild rice into a large bowl. Toss in the dried cranberries, onion, parsley and nuts. Put the vinegar, mustard and oil into a jar with a lid, close and shake until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Toss the dressing over the rice and coat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*1/2 cup real wild rice = 2 cups cooked rice
**To prepare real wild rice, rinse it well under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put in a pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the kernels open up. Drain and serve hot or cool or use in a salad.
Power Bars!
Makes about 24 bars
These make power packed bars that are great for breakfast or as a fast snack. Feel free to add dried coconut, different nuts, and other dried fruit.
1 Tablespoon sunflower or coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup granola (I use leftovers)
1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans or cashews or a mixture of all
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup honey or maple syrup or combination of both
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with the oil. In a large bowl, mix together oats, granola, walnuts, sunflower seeds and cranberries.
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, mix together the maple syrup or honey, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it thickens to generously coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour over the dry mixture and stir to combine. Dump into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly with a spatula. Allow to cool and cut into bars.
Kicking Kale Salad
Serves 4 to 6
There are all kinds of variations on kale salad, but this one kicks the flavors up a notch or two. Add more ginger or substitute jalapeno peppers instead. It will keep several days in the refrigerator.
2 bunches kale, rinsed and chopped
2 Tablespoons dark sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons dried cherries (or any dried fruit)
2 Tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (or any toasted nut)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Put the kale in a bowl and add the sesame oil, working it in with your fingers. Toss in the remaining ingredients and season to taste.
Rye Berry and Bean Salad
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup rye berries
1 cup dried beans (navy beans are great)
2 bunches green onions, white part and 2/3 of the greens chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons pumpkin seed oil
3 Tablespoons maple vinegar or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Put the rye berries and the beans into separate bowls and cover with water by 2 inches; allow to sit overnight. Drain, rinse with cold water and turn into separate pots. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring both pots to a boil, reduce the heat and cover. Cook the rye berries for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft. Cook the beans for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Drain both. Turn the cooked grain and beans into a large bowl. Toss in the onions, carrots and sunflower seeds. Toss in the pumpkin seed oil and the vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold.
Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup. (Double or tripe a batch. It’s great to have on hand.)
This is a go-to vinaigrette that’s fabulous on roasted beets, chopped kale, shredded carrots, and cabbage. On the last trip, we used it to dress a beet and feta salad. Then, we chopped leftover beets and tossed them into a leftover red cabbage coleslaw and added chopped kale and chopped sweet onions.
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
1/2 cup vegetable oil (i.e. sunflower, canola)
Put the syrup, vinegar, mustard, garlic and shallot into a blender and puree. Slowly pour in the oil. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
Makes 4 pints
6 pounds blueberries
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 tablespoon shredded fresh ginger, optional
1 cup sugar, or more to taste
Put the berries, lemon or lime juice, and ginger (if using) into a large pot. Crush the berries slightly with the back of a spoon and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and stir as the berries release their juices. Stir in the sugar to taste and simmer until the jam has reduced to your liking, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Spoon into clean jars. Allow to cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze.
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