Arizona Farmers and Ranchers Propose 2007 Christmas Menu

Contact Julie Murphree
AZFB Director of Public Relations
(480) 635-3607
(480) 276-7444 (cell)
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Arizona Farmers and Ranchers Propose 2007 Christmas Menu
Featuring Arizona-grown ingredients from Fill Your Plate
 
ARIZONA, December 12, 2007 – The Arizona Farm Bureau solicited tasty recipes from Arizona farmers and ranchers to produce a first ever Christmas Dinner menu featuring produce and products grown and raised in Arizona.
 
Farmers and ranchers all over the state submitted their favorite recipes. Once recipes were submitted, the Arizona Farm Bureau consulted with a top Arizona chef to create this year’s Christmas Dinner menu.
 
“Working with farmers and ranchers on their recipes for the Christmas Dinner menu is truly utilizing the staple ingredients,” says James Porter, owner and chef of Tapino Kitchen Wine Bar in Scottsdale. Porter carefully reviewed the submitted recipes by Arizona Farm Bureau farmers and ranchers and picked the following menu.
 
 
Drum roll please … Arizona Farm Bureau’s 2007 Recommended Christmas Dinner Menu (recipes below)
  • Lemon-Rosemary Lamb Chopsby Bill Spencer, Citrus Producer from Yuma, Arizona
  • Roast Butternut Squash with Lemon and Mustardby Bill Spencer, Citrus Producer from Yuma, Arizona
  • Scalloped Corn Supremeby Pennee Murphree, former Cotton Producer from Chandler, Arizona
  • Eggelicious Pumpkin Pieby Sharman Hickman-Silva, Egg Producer from Avondale, Arizona
 
To select the menu, Chef Porter considered what dishes would suit an enjoyable Christmas dinner, feature Arizona-grown produce and products and highlight some creative cooking ingredients. “The Lemon-rosemary lamb chops highlight a great combo of the lemon zest and juice for a really tasty main course. Then the butternut squash is a rich winter vegetable dish to compliment the lamb. The scalloped corn creates the traditional, down home favorite. And when all is said and done, you can’t go wrong with a great pumpkin pie at Christmas,” explains Chef Porter.
 
The main ingredients in each recommended Christmas dinner recipe can be found on Arizona farms and ranches. Some can even be purchased directly from an Arizona farmer or rancher. To find what items you might be able to purchase directly from the producer go to www.azfb.org and look for the Fill Your Plate logo (allow time for the logo to load). Once you click on the Fill Your Plate logo, you’ll have access to more than 45 Arizona farmers and ranchers and their product offerings.
 
Remember, even if you don’t purchase directly from the farmer or rancher you can find the best agriculture Arizona and America has to offer when it comes to U.S.-based agriculture goods. For every food dollar you spend, the American farmer receives only 19 cents of it. The other 81 cents of your food dollar goes to off farm labor, packaging, transportation, energy, profits, marketing, depreciation, rent, interest, repairs, business taxes and other costs.
 
Arizona Farm Bureau President Kevin Rogers says, “We have great cooks in the Farm Bureau family. If you want variety, freshness and homegrown food you can get it from Arizona agriculture.”
 
Rogers adds, “Your main ingredients from every one of these recipes can have Arizona-grown or raised products in them. The best way to ensure that is going to www.azfb.org and linking to our Fill Your Plate matrix that hosts various Arizona farms and ranches.”
 
 
About Arizona Farm Bureau
The Arizona Farm Bureau is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and improving the Agriculture industry through member involvement in education, political activities, programs and services. As a member services organization, individuals can become a member by contacting the Farm Bureau. Go to www.azfb.org to learn more. For information on member benefits call (480) 635-3606.
 
About James Porter & Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar
James Porter is owner and chef of Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar on Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale. Chef Porter received his formal training at Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the famed Greenbrier Culinary Program.  He honed his skills at highly regarded 4-Star & 5-Star resorts and restaurants throughout the U.S. and overseas.
Exciting dishes... exploratory cuisine... fresh flavors... innovation with old-school roots... intense tastes... disciplined preparation... fun presentations are signature approaches Chef Porter applies. Those who know him, and those who have enjoyed his food, have always described Chef Porter and his style of cooking in vibrant terms.
 
Recipes
Lemon-Rosemary Lamb Chops
4 Lamb shoulder chops
- or -
8 Lamb loin chops
1 teaspoon Fresh lemon zest
1/3 cup Fresh lemon juice
¼ cup Olive oil
1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Fresh garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Trim chops of any excess fat and then score the fat on the edges of the chops. Arrange the chops in a marinator or shallow glass baking dish just big enough to hold the chops in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Pour over the chops, turning the chops once to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to grilling. Remove chops from the dish and reserve the marinade. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Oil the grill and grill the chops over medium-hot to hot coals. After turning, brush the chops with the reserved marinade. Grill to between medium-rare and medium doneness. Plate and serve immediately.
 
4 servings
 
Roast Butternut Squash with Lemon and Mustard
1 Large butternut squash
Juice and zest of 1 large fresh lemon
1 Sprig fresh thyme, chopped
Olive oil
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Prepared coarse grain mustard
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
1 Large clove fresh garlic, minced
¼ cup Cream
1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, and chop into 1 inch dice. Place the diced squash on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the lemon juice, lemon zest, and thyme over the squash. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool off a bit. Place the squash in a food processor and add the mustard, butter, garlic, cream, and parsley and process for about 1 minute. Scoop the squash mixture out of the processor into a serving bowl, add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed, sprinkle a bit of coarsely chopped parsley over the top for color, and serve immediately.
 
Makes 2 large servings or 4 small servings
 
 
SCALLOPED CORN SUPREME
1 can of cream style corn
1 cup milk
1 well beaten egg
1 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
3 tablespoons of chopped pimiento
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
Heat corn and milk, gradually stir in egg. Add 1 cup crumbs, onion, pimiento and seasonings. Mix well. Pour into greased 8 1/2" x 1 1/2" round pan. Melt butter and pour over 1/2 cup crumbs. Sprinkle the buttered crumbs over corn. Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Consider adding fresh oysters for scalloped corn supreme with oysters.
 
 
Eggelicious Pumpkin Pie
8 egg yolks, Large/Extra Large/Jumbo or Super Jumbo
1 ½ cans evaporated milk
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup pumpkin
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash salt
 
In a small bowl, fold pumpkin pie spice into sugar, making sure spice is thoroughly mixed into sugar.
 
In mixer, on medium, blend egg yolks, vanilla, and salt together, at least two minutes. Add evaporated milk, turning mixer to lower speed, than add pumpkin, keep adding sugar and milk until all ingredients are used, and blend together for at least one minute.
 
Pour mixture into your favorite raw/frozen piecrust. Place in preheated 375 degree oven. This should make two shallow pies or one deep-dish pie. You can spray with nonstick cooking spray and pour extra pie mix for a crust-less pumpkin pie.