SEASONS AT THE FARM: Year-Round Celebrations at the Elliott Homestead
Shaye Elliott
Lyons Press
September 1, 2018
$27.95/Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1493034710
Shaye Elliott (as seen on The Food Network, Hallmark Channel, and in Publishers Weekly, Modern Farmer, Mother Earth, Paste, Civil Eats and much more) is the founder of the popular blog “The Elliott Homestead,” which she began in 2010 when her farm was but a dream. She and her husband, Stuart, are now developing their own little farm in the Pacific Northwest with their quiver of children, Georgia, Owen, William, and Juliette. Shaye spends her days writing, gardening, child and chicken wrangling, cow milking, pig wrestling, wine sipping, and dreaming. She is the author of From Scratch, Family Table and Welcome to the Farm.
If Shaye Elliot has one secret about creating a wonderful life for her family, it’s this: learn how to cultivate everyday magic not just during the holidays, but every season of the year. Life, for most people, is not a series of red carpet events or nights out on the town. Life is tucking children under handmade quilts or reading by the fire on cold winter nights. It’s enjoying a frothy cup of espresso with a sugar dusted apple cake on an autumn afternoon. It’s planting a pot of primroses for the springtime table. And it’s chasing fireflies and celebrating with friends under the glow of the summer moon.
In SEASONS AT THE FARM, Shaye Elliott shares how she celebrates everyday year-round. With her engaging storytelling and gorgeous full-color photos, she brings to life how she cooks, gardens, decorates, and entertains simply yet beautifully to create special memories for those she loves.
SUMMER QUICHE
Serves 8
When vegetables and eggs are coming in by the basketful, it’s prime time for making up this summer quiche. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Corn and peppers is my favorite summer combination.
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (einkorn is my favorite)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup butter, chilled
- 9 eggs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 small yellow onions, minced
- 3 medium sweet peppers, seeded and chopped
- Corn from 1 cob, about 1 cup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese (optional)
- 1 cup grated aged cheddar
- Large pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Cube the 1⁄2 cup of chilled butter into small pieces and drop them in, a few at a time, while the mixer is on medium-low speed. Once the flour mixture begins to resemble coarse sand, add 1 egg and mix to combine.
Remove the dough from the mixer, wrap it in plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill. The dough can also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When ready to bake the quiche, remove the dough from the refrigerator and flour a work surface. Use a rolling pin, and additional flour as needed, to roll the dough into a 12-inch round.
Line a 9-inch springform cake pan with aluminum foil. Gently lift the dough round and place it over the cake pan, using your fingertips to gently press the dough into the pan. Use any excess hanging over the sides to patch holes, if needed. Make sure there aren’t cracks or holes—this will be holding a liquid substance! And unless you want to scrape burnt egg out of your oven (lame), I suggest you make sure that crust is watertight, baby.
Put the crust in the fridge until needed. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the minced onion, chopped peppers, and corn. Sauté for 4–6 minutes, until soft. Turn off the heat and set the veggies aside.
In your stand mixer, combine the remaining 8 eggs, cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix until completely combined. Then, add the sautéed vegetables and parsley. Mix until just combined.
Remove the crust from the refrigerator, pour in the egg mixture, and bake for 40–45 minutes, until lightly golden on the top and the quiche has just the slightest jiggle in the center.
Remove the quiche from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before removing the springform pan. Allow it to sit for just a minute or two more before slicing.
CARAMELIZED PEACHES
Serves 6
These caramelized peaches were so good the first time I made them, I had to do it again to make sure they were as awesome as I thought they were. I invited my parents over to share in this peachy goodness. They moaned while they were eating them, so I guess they were, in fact, as good as I thought. Unless they just felt like moaning randomly at supper . . . and that’s just too weird, so I’ll assume that wasn’t the case.
- 8 large, very ripe peaches
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup dehydrated whole cane sugar
- 1 cup cream
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
Peel the peaches, cut them in half, and remove the pits. Set aside.
Melt the butter, cane sugar, cream, and a pinch of salt in a pan. Heat the mixture over low heat and allow the butter to melt and meld with the sugar and cream. Stir it gently. Alternatively, this can easily be done in a cast-iron skillet over a hot grill outdoors.
Continue heating the mixture for 5 minutes, until it starts to look like caramel. No need to stir it—just keep an eye on it. You don’t want your caramel to burn; however, you must give it time to caramelize. Smell it. Taste it. Once it’s hit the magic point and is the consistency and smell of caramel, add the peaches.
Allow the peaches to heat up in the caramel for 3 minutes. Flip them over and give them 3 more minutes.
Once the peaches are heated through, remove the skillet from the heat. Top the peaches with the mint and almonds and a dash of cream, if you so desire. Serve immediately.
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from SEASONS AT THE FARM: Year-Round Celebrations at the Elliott Homestead by Shaye Elliott. (Lyons Press; September 1, 2018; $27.95/Hardcover, ISBN: 978-1493034710).
Contact: Jessica Kastner
jkastner@rowman.com