Recipes by Rafe Hottenstein, The Greenfield Restaurant
Native foods are all the rage in the culinary world. Buzzwords like “indigenous,” “foraged,” and “native cuisine” are popular as chefs post on social sites like Instagram. And all of this talk had us intrigued. What foods are indigenous to our area? And what would they look like on our plates today?
So we asked chef Rafe Hottenstein of The Greenfield Restaurant, which has been known for its wild game menu on Wednesdays, to share with us his interpretation of Pennsylvania’s native cuisine based on what plants and animals would have been plentiful in our first days of colonization.
Grilled Venison Rack
Serves 2
Venison rack
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Twine
1. Using the twine, tie the venison up so it cooks evenly. Oil, salt, and pepper the rack.
2. On a hot grill, grill all sides of the venison. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400° until medium rare, 5-10 minutes. Remember to take the twine off before serving.
Hasselback Potatoes
Serves 2
5 pounds potatoes (the more colorful, the better)
10 garlic gloves, shaved thin
3 thyme sprigs
3 rosemary sprigs
¼ pound butter
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle on each potato
Sea salt, to taste
Chili flakes, a pinch
1. Using a sharp knife, sliceeven slices into the potato,being careful to not cut all the way through.
2. “Stud” the potatoes with the garlic cloves using tweezers if desired. Not every slice needs the garlic, and it can stick out of the potato.
3. Arrange the thyme and rosemary around the potatoes for flavor.
4. Drop a knob of butter (about 2 tablespoons) onto each potato and add a drizzle of olive oil, a good pinch of sea salt and chili flakes. Bake at 300° until golden brown, 30-45 minutes.
Toasted Wheatberry, Delicata Squash, and Pickled Onion Salad
Serves 2
1 delicata squash, washed, cut into ½-inch rings with seeds taken out
1 pound wheatberries
Spring mix (salad blend)
2 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and white pepper
Red onion, sliced in ¼-inch slices
½ cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon each: chili flakes, black peppercorns, pickling spice, fennel seed
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1. In a bowl, toss together squash with olive oil and salt.
2. Roast in a 350° oven for 10-15 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Allow to cool.
3. In a medium saucepot, bring half a cup of olive oil to a simmer and add the wheatberries. Over low heat, simmer and stir the wheatberries until nutty and brown, 15-20 minutes. Cover the wheatberries with water. Allow them to simmer and the water to evaporate. Do this technique, covering the berries with water and simmering until evaporated, until the wheatberries are cooked through and have a nice chew to them. Allow them to cool.
4. For the pickled onion, bring the onions, water, sugar, red wine vinegar, and spices up to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Allow to cool.
For the vinaigrette:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the mustard and lemon juice together with salt and white pepper. Drizzle in 2 cups olive oil and continue to whisk.
2. To finish, place wheatberries, delicata rings and pickled onion in a large mixing bowl. Dress with vinaigrette. Place salad greens in the same bowl on top of the other vegetables with chives. Dress lightly in the vinaigrette and toss all ingredients together. Arrange stacked on a plate to serve.
Stuffed Quail with Roasted Radishes, Braised Winter Greens, Cippolini Onions and Crispy Sage
Serves 2
For the quail:
2 whole quails
Your favorite stuffing
1. Delicately stuff the quailwith stuffing.
2. Rub the quail with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
3. Roast in a 375° oven until cooked, 10-15 minutes.
For the crispy sage:
1 cup olive oil
Sage
Salt to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of olive oil to a simmer.
2. Add sage leaves and cook until crisp, very quickly, barely 1 minute.
3. Lightly salt when they come out of the oil.
For the winter greens:
1 cup water or chicken stock
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 bunch of kale
1 cup minced onion
¼ cup shaved garlic
Pinch of salt and chili flakes
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
1. In boiling salted water, blanch both the greens for 1 minute each. Shock both in ice cold water. Take out and wring out all the water. Dice and mix the greens.
2. In a sauce pot, sweat the onion, garlic, and chili in butter and olive oil. Once onions are soft, add the blanched greens and 1 cup of water or chicken stock. Season with salt, stir, and simmer all together until soft.
For the cippolini onions and radishes:
3 pounds peeled cippolini onions
3 thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 pounds mixed radishes, washed and cut into bite-size pieces
Olive oil, to taste
1. In a mixing bowl, toss the onions, thyme, and crushed garlic in a bowl with olive oil and salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 325° for15-20 minutes until dark and tender.
2. Do the same for the radishes; toss in olive oil and salt and roast until tender,10-15 minutes.
