Recipes from The Sylvia Center at Katchkie Farm are those used to to inspire young people and their families to eat well through hands-on learning experiences on the farm and in the kitchen. Madeleine Fischer, program coordinator at The Sylvia Center, offers recipes that they cook with the youth, teens and families who participate in their cooking classes in the community and programs at Katchkie Farm. Follow their blog to learn more.
This spring grain salad says spring is here like the sounds of birds chirping in the morning! We love it so much that we made it five times last week! One of the best elements of this recipe is the opportunity to experiment with different grains. At The Sylvia Center, we always try to incorporate whole grains into our recipes. They give us the natural benefits of fiber, nutrients and flavor, whereas white grains are stripped of all of this good stuff when they're processed. In addition to couscous and wild rice, we added farro and wheat berries, which provide a delightful mixture of texture and color. As long as you keep in mind the different cooking times and keep the proportion of grains to vegetables, you can’t go wrong. We also can’t get enough of the tender spring vegetables and herbs in this dish. This time of year, asparagus and peas are so tender that young chefs can safely practice their dicing skills or easily break them into bite-sized pieces with their hands. Sliced into delicate discs, the radishes add a beautiful contrast of color. In the Katchkie Farm Learning Garden, we’re just starting to see our radishes and peas sprout, but our perennial chives are popping up like crazy and we aren’t afraid to put them in everything. They pull this dish together by adding a fresh spring flavor you can’t get from anything else.
Spring Grain SaladServes 4 1 cup cooked couscous 1 cup cooked wild rice ½ cup sweet peas, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 small bunch radishes, sliced thinly 3 scallions, sliced thinly ½ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped ¼ cup garlic chives or scapes, minced ¼ cup crumbled feta or other crumbly cheese like queso fresco or cotija Zest of 1 lemon ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste 1. Lightly saute the peas, asparagus and radishes over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. 2. Toss together the couscous, rice, vegetable mixture, scallions, zest, and herbs until combined and set aside. 3. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil until emulsified. Drizzle over grain and vegetable mixture and toss to combine. 4. Season with salt and pepper and top with crumbled feta.
