The Earthy Delights Recipe Blog
Celebrating wild harvested, traditional & artisanal foods
Here’s a tasty way to get your minimum daily requirement of vitamins B, E and M (Bacon, Eggs & Morels, of course). A couple of these hearty sandwiches are just what the doctor ordered to put some pep in your step and a smile on your face . This savory sandwich has all the elements of a classic country breakfast, neatly contained in a single delicious package, but its appeal goes far beyond breakfast; we’d eat if for breakfast, lunch or dinner and for …
The fresh flavor of fiddleheads, that wild spring vegetable with the charming name, is distinctive, but not assertive. It’s these qualities that make fiddleheads so versatile. They can be prepared in any number of traditional ways, but they also make a fine substitute for just about any green vegetable. Think of any dish that calls for green beans, asparagus or even broccoli and use fiddleheads instead! But before you add fresh fiddleheads to your favorite recipe, they need a little …
While almost everyone has heard of “fiddlehead ferns,” most people think only of the Eastern fiddlehead, the ostrich fern (Matteucia struthiopteris), as edible. But there is another widely consumed wild fern, the lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), which grows along the west coast of North America from California to Alaska. Often simply called “Western fiddleheads,” lady fern fiddleheads differ only slightly from ostrich fern fiddleheads in appearance and flavor. Both fiddleheads have a distinctly “wild” green flavor that is often compared …
This simple, velvety soup with the aroma of an autumn woodland allows the delicately sweet flavor of chestnuts to shine. Fresh chestnuts are a popular staple in fall soups, both on restaurant menus and in the homes of creative cooks. Since chestnuts are a seasonal delicacy and aren’t available for most of the year, it’s a great idea to enjoy them as much as possible now while they’re fresh and at their best. Most recipes for chestnut soup pair them with …
When the weather takes a sharp turn toward the cool side, there is nothing more welcome than a bowl of hot, rib-sticking homemade soup. This hearty wild mushroom and barley soup is satisfying on so many different levels, that it just can’t miss. First, and perhaps most importantly, it delivers a great, big mouthful of robust flavor. How can something with just a handful of simple ingredients taste so great? Let’s give credit where credit is due: it starts with wild mushrooms. Mushrooms are known for their umami, a Japanese …
Savory. Succulent. Tender. Sweet. We’re talking about pork, but not just any old cut. We’re talking about thick-cut boneless pork loin chops, in our opinion, one of the best and most flavorful cuts of pork. Boneless pork loin is essentially a pork loin chop without the bone. When you de-bone a whole pork loin, you end up with baby back ribs and a boneless pork loin. Pork loin chops are easy to cook, they’re big, meaty and tender – and …
Matsutake mushrooms are in season again. Wild mushroom aficionados look forward to the arrival of the esteemed pine mushroom with great anticipation each year. Matsutake can be prepared in any number of traditional ways, but it’s always a pleasant challenge to create new dishes that highlight their woodsy flavor. Matsutake have an intriguingly spicy aroma akin to a blend of pine, cinnamon and rosemary. Their texture is quite firm and holds up well to just about any cooking method. We …
Dried porcini mushrooms do double duty in this healthy new take on a classic recipe. Instead of the usual beef, our stroganoff features plump little mini-meatballs made with ground turkey. Making these turkey mini-meatballs is incredibly easy; instead of frying, they bake in the oven in just minutes. Since they’re made of lean turkey and baked, not fried, they’re very low in fat. Best news of all – even without all that fat, they still taste fantastic! This recipe really highlights the …
Summer isn’t even over yet, but with Labor Day weekend upon us, there’s already a little bit of fall in the air. Shadows are growing longer, nights are cooler and soon, instead of picnicking, we’ll be tailgating. There’s another September tradition worth mentioning: Oktoberfest, the German celebration of beer and all the wonderful food that accompanies it. Everyone loves Oktoberfest. Who doesn’t enjoy drinking beer and eating sausages? (Not that we really need an excuse.) But why is Oktoberfest celebrated …
The days of boring burgers are over. The best tasting burgers begin with really good beef or bison, then add layer upon layer of savory ingredients to build a symphony of bold, harmonious flavors. Leaner grass-fed beef and bison naturally contain less fat than regular ground beef. Less fat is better for you, but it can lead to a drier, less flavorful burger. Our solution? Stuff those burgers with a layer of moist, buttery morel mushrooms! Nothing beats fresh morels, of …