One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to can tomatoes with Romana. We usually buy 4 or 5 cases of just ripe tomatoes and spend the day “putting up” tomatoes to use in the winter. There really is nothing like opening a jar of home canned tomatoes in January and making some rustic tomato sauce to go over pasta with a little grated Parmesan cheese. It’s just like opening a jar of summer sunshine. They also make great gifts! So here’s an easy way to can tomatoes!

Canned Local Tennessee Tomatoes

(count on using 3 pounds of tomatoes for each quart Mason jar)

Ingredients:

15 pounds just ripe local Tennessee tomatoes
15 teaspoons of sea salt

Bring 6 quarts of water to a simmer in an 8 quarts stock pot. Score a little X in the bottom of each tomato with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Remove and bits of stem on the tomatoes.
Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside to shock chill the tomatoes after blanching.
Working in batches of 4-5 blanche just ripe tomatoes in simmering water for 1 minute or until the skins begin to wrinkle. Remove each one to the ice bath. Peel off the skins and cut out the cores, then cut into quarters. Pack into clean, hot prepared quart Mason jars and press down with a clean wooden spoon until the jars fill up with tomato liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart. Wipe the rim of each Mason jar with a clean paper towel
and place on a new clean lid and then close and tighten the ring. Process in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes (35 minutes for pints, if using). Remove form the water bath using special jar tongs and place on kitchen towels to cool. Lids should seal so there is no movement when pressed. If you have some jars that don’t seal properly you can still use them, but you need to refrigerate them and use them within 2 weeks. Learning how to can tomatoes will deliver some delicious pasta winter meals. Enjoy!

Michael R. Martin
South Fork Catering

South Fork had a great time cooking this past weekend at the Franklin Farmers Market. We broke out the grill and grilled a wonderful collection of meats from River Cottage Farm, The Fly Farm, and Tavalin Tails Farm. Additionally, we had loads of fresh produce from Evans Produce, Paradise Produce, Flying S Farms, and Kirkview Farm. Romana had a great idea to create a simple recipe on the spot to highlight some of the abundant squashes found throughout the market using just a few ingredients. She thinly sliced some Zephyr squash and candy onions from Paradise Produce on a mandolin and tossed them with some Herban Market olive oil and vinegar, a little salt and pepper and a touch of red wine vinegar. So simple yet very delicious! We handed out several hundred samples to market-goers and everyone requested the recipe! So here it is, give it a try and serve it alongside your favorite grilled meat this Summer! Hope to see you at the Market next weekend! PDF of Summer Squash Salad Recipe from the Williamson Herald. 

Summer Squash Salad with Sweet Onions, Olive Oil & Two Vinegars

4 cups thinly sliced Summer squash, like zucchini and Zephyr squash (Paradise Produce)
1/3 cup thinly sliced candy onions (Paradise Produce)
1 ½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil (Herban Market)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (Herban Market)
1 tsp red wine vinegar

This recipe is dead simple but packs big flavor. Serve it as a side dish or as a tasty base for a juicy grilled steak. If you don’t have a mandolin use a sharp knife and carefully slice as thin as possible.

In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients gently together. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to get a little chill, then serve. Enjoy!

An incredible recipe, easy and quick to make. Everyone needs to try this one!

Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

I always love grilling at the Franklin Farmers Market during the Summer Chef Demos. It gives me a chance to share the best of our local meat producers with the Market customers and to talk about the quality standards of each farm. Recently South Fork was grilling at the Market and we featured different cuts of meat from 4 different producers- Bear Creek Farm, Tavalin Tails Farm, The Fly Farm, and Peaceful Pastures. 

For this week’s recipe, I grilled some hefty double-cut lamb chops form Tavalin Tails Farm that was simply seasoned with salt & pepper and lemon zest. I picked up a few cucumbers and fresh dill from Rosecreek Farms to make a small salad to help bring out the depth of flavor from the pasture-raised lamb. Hope to see you at the market this weekend!

Grilled Lamb Chops with Cucumbers, Yogurt & Couscous

Serves 4-6
For the Lamb
2 double cut lamb chops (Tavalin Tails Farm)
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thinly (Rosecreek Farms)
½  clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbl of lemon juice
1 tsp Sea salt
Black pepper
Fresh dill (Rosecreek Farms)

For the Couscous
1 cup couscous
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup boiling water

Fire up the grill to medium-high. Season the lamb with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and some fresh ground pepper. When the grill is hot grill lamb on both sides, turning often until medium-rare. (145F) Set aside to rest. Toss the sliced cucumbers with the remaining olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of sea salt and some fresh dill. Set aside and make the couscous.

In a bowl stir together the olive oil and salt with the couscous, then add the boiling water and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the plate and fluff with a fork. Spoon some couscous on a plate, add a dollop of Greek yogurt alongside, top with the cucumber salad and finally the lamb chops on top. Tear some fresh dill over everything, divide the lamb chops and serve.

Enjoy!
Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

The farmer’s market just comes alive when the first heirloom tomatoes arrive in June! There are so many ways to enjoy those sweet juicy tomatoes fresh: sliced on a BLT, chopped stirred into freshly cooked pasta or cut into wedges to go with your favorite salad. But another great way to make good use of a large quantity of tomatoes is the slice them in half and roast them. Use them to go alongside a grilled steak or a toasted flatbread.

A super tasty way to finish the roasted tomatoes is with a good drizzle of infused basil Olive Oil from Herban Market.

Oven Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Sea Salt

Find delicious Heirloom Tomatoes from Beaverdam Creek Farm and many of our other Farmers

2-3  lbs of large heirloom tomatoes, cut in half cross-wise
2 tbl olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
Small hand full of fresh basil leaves
Fresh ground black pepper from the mill
A good drizzle of Herban market Basil Olive Oil

Heat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the tomatoes cut side up and drizzle with olive oil and season with the sea salt. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to take on some color and the juices begin to concentrate.

Set aside to cool, drizzle the Basil Olive Oli and tear the fresh basil leaves all over the tomatoes, serve room temperature.  Can be store in an air tight container for 3 days. Bring to room temp before serving. Enjoy!

Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

Recently South Fork Catering Co. was grilling at the Franklin Farmers Market and we featured different cuts of meat from 4 different producers- Bear Creek Farm, Tavalin Tails, Fly Family Farm and Peaceful Pastures. For this week’s recipe, I grilled a beautiful Wagyu NY Strip steak from The Fly Farm that was simply seasoned with salt & pepper, just to let the flavor and quality of the local beef to shine through, and it was delicious! I picked up some little cherry tomatoes from Lauren at Bloomsbury Farm, as well as fresh sweet corn from Cam at Conry Farm. Everything so fresh and delicious, it is so worth buying local produce! I hope you can make it out to the Market this weekend.

Grilled Wagyu NY Strip with Charred Corn & Tomato Salad
Serves 2

Beef Wagyu NY Strip from The Fly Farm

For the steak
1 8oz. Wagyu NT Strip, 1” thick (The Fly Farm)
½  tsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the salad
2 ears of sweet corn (Conry Farm)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes (Bloomsbury Farm)
A handful of parsley leaves (Rosecreek Farm)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Sherry vinaigrette
½ tsp salt
Touch of black pepper

Fire up the grill. Season with salt and pepper and allow the steak to come to room temp on a platter. Shuck the corn and rub a little oil on to it, season with salt and place on the grill.  Be sure to turn the corn often, and when it begins to char on all sides take off the grill and set aside to cool slightly.

Halve the tomatoes and reserve in a bowl, add the parsley leaves and set aside for later. Once the grill is hot, rub a little oil on the steak and then place on the hot grill and close the lid. Grill for 1 minute then turn over and grill for 1 minute more (you might need to turn down the grill or adjust the coals if it’s burning too hot).  Flip the steak once again and continue to grill until a meat thermometer reaches 130F for medium-rare and 140F for medium. When done reserve to a clean serving platter and allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes.

Trim the corn kernels from the cob and add them to the tomatoes and parsley. Add the salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar and toss lightly. Once the steak has rested slice into ¼ inch slices and while the steak is on the cutting board add the corn and tomato salad to the serving platter and stir to incorporate the steak juices accumulated during the resting period. Now place the steak over the salad and finish with a touch of fresh ground black pepper and maybe a splash of olive oil. Enjoy!

Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

I always love grilling at the Franklin Farmers Market during the Summer Chef Demos. It gives me a chance to share the best of our local meat producers with the Market customers and to talk about the quality standards of each farm. Recently South Fork was grilling at the Market and we featured different cuts of meat from 4 different producers- Bear Creek Farm, Tavalin Tails Farm, The Fly Farm, and Peaceful Pastures. For this week’s recipe, I grilled a beautiful flank steak from Bear Creek Farm that was simply seasoned with salt & pepper, just to let the flavor and quality of the local beef to shine through, and it was delicious! I picked up some heirloom Purple Cherokee Tomatoes from Ray at Rosecreek Farms and some little cherry tomatoes from Lauren at Bloomsbury Farm, as well as arugula form Karen at Norton Family Farm. Everything so fresh and delicious, it is so worth buying local produce!  I hope you can make it out to the Market this weekend and Happy Independence Day!

Grilled Flank Steak with Heirloom Tomatoes, Arugula & Mozzarella
Serves 6-8

2.5-3lbs flank steak(Bear Creek Farm)
4 heirloom tomatoes(Rose Creek Farms)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (Bloomsbury Farm)
8 oz whole milk mozzarella
½ pound arugula (Norton Family Farm)
Olive oil
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black pepper
Red wine vinegar

Season the flank steak on both sides with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp olive oil. Set aside to come to room temp, about 30 minutes. Fire up the grill to medium high heat 10 minutes before you’re ready to grill.

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and arrange on a large platter. Cut some of the larger cherry tomatoes in half and arrange them with the others on the platter. Add the arugula alongside the tomatoes and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over everything, then season generously with salt and pepper and a few drops of the wine vinegar. Once finished pop the salad platter in the fridge and grill the flank steak.

Once the flank has come to room temp place the steak on the grill and close the lid and grill for 2 minutes. Turn over and grill 2 minutes more, keeping the lid closed. Turn the flank again and season with a little salt and pepper and continue to grill for 2 more minutes. Repeat turning and seasoning the other side for another 2 minutes, for a total of 8 minutes. If you have an insta-read thermometer you can cook it to 120F for Rare or 126F for Medium Rare, just start to check after about 6 minutes on the grill.  When the flank is ready to remove to a large serving platter and let rest for 10 minutes before carving, this allows the meat to relax and retain all of the juices inside. Carve the flank steak into thin slices and serve along with the tomato salad, drizzle any steak juices over the arugula, it’s delicious. Enjoy!

Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

Enjoy this easy delicious recipe with the current summer harvest from our local farmers, it’s one of the best!

Last Saturday South Fork had a great time at the Franklin Farmer’s Market grilling and sampling meats and vegetables from local farms. We had 35-day dry-aged sirloin tip steaks from Bear Creek Farm, Italian sausages & grass-fed flat iron steaks from Peaceful Pastures, Waygu beef from The Fly Farm and ground grass-fed lamb and beef from Tavalin Tales Farm. Delvin Farms and Colbert Farms provided delicious summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, candy onions, cucumbers, and green & red cabbages. And we also featured Basil Infused Olive Oil & Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar from market sponsor Herban Market, which really complimented the grilled summer veggies.

As the Summer goes along feel free to add bell peppers, okra, and even tomatoes, also use fresh lemon juice in place of the vinegar if you’d like.

Grilled Summer Farmer’s Market Vegetables

2 summer squash
2 zucchini
2 ears of corn, shucked
1 eggplant
1 green or red cabbage
1 tbl Canola oil
Salt
Black pepper
1 tbl Olive oil
2 tsp Red wine vinegar

Fire up the grill to high heat. Cut the squash and zucchini in half, slice the eggplant into finger-width rounds and cut the cabbage into 1/6s or 1/8s depending on how large it is (be sure to keep the core intact to hold the cabbage together). Lay all of the veggies on a sheet pan, drizzle the oil over and season with salt and pepper, and lightly toss them together. When the grill is hot carefully place the vegetables on the grill cut side down and close the lid. Grill for 1 minute then turn over and close the lid and grill for 1-2 minutes more (the eggplant may take a little longer to get cooked through). Remove the squash, zucchini, corn, and eggplant to a platter and turn the cabbage over again and turn the grill down to medium, don’t worry if the parts of the cabbage are starting to char, that’s where the flavor will develop. Continue grilling the cabbage turning often until it begins to wilt somewhat, 4-6 minutes, then it’s ready. Add the cabbage to the veggie platter and re-season with a little more salt and pepper, then drizzle the olive oil and the red wine vinegar over everything.

That’s it, enjoy!
Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.

Summer Cucumber Salad

One of my favorite Summer vegetables are cucumbers and they are so simple to transform into a delicious salad that serves well as a quick lunch or a great side dish for anything off the grill.

Right now in the Franklin Farmer’s Market, there are cucumbers all over the place, from English to Garden varieties, large and small, thick or thin-skinned, there are plenty of choices. Now is the perfect time to enjoy them at their peak, as the Summer grows on sometimes the cucumbers have a tendency to become bitter. When you try this recipe make sure your cucumbers are nice and cold when you start, and if not using right away hold in the fridge until serving, either way, make this at the last possible moment for the best result, that’s the main reason to keep it simple here. Also, a nice dollop of yogurt or ricotta would do well on top, as well as some fresh dill or mint if you have a few sprigs on hand.

Serves 4-6

2 large Garden cucumbers (Organic from Delvin Farms)
1 small red onion with the green tops
1 small clove of garlic, finely grated (a Microplane works well for this)
2 tsp White balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
1 tbl Olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
Fresh black pepper

Peel the cucumbers but leave a few green strips of skin, then slice as thin as possible and reserve in a mixing bowl. Cut the tops off the red onion and set aside. Half the onion and slice as thin as possible, as well as a few of the green onion tops and add them to the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the cucumbers on onions and toss thoroughly.  Divide into little chilled bowls and serve. Enjoy!

Michael R Martin
South Fork Catering Co.