The Harvest Dinner series, hosted by Toledo GROWs, are exactly what they sound like: farm-to-table meals made by local chefs that utilize just-harvested produce.
This year, the organization is hosting four dinners in partnership with The Garden by Poco Piatti (on Tuesday), Bellwether at Toledo Spirits (Sept. 16), at Toledo GROWs Urban Farm, 900 Oneida St., with Chef Cynthia Bunch (Sept. 26), and Souk Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar (Oct.7).
A Harvest Brunch is set for Oct. 19 at Toledo GROWs’ farm with a brunch buffet by Chef Pam Weirauch featuring her specialty pumpkin “Pamcakes,” and of course fresh produce from Toledo GROWs.
“The idea behind using fresh produce from the farm at these dinners is to help people understand how much better fresh produce that’s been harvested in the last couple of days tastes,” said Yvonne Dubielak, executive director of Toledo GROWs. “If it’s in season, especially, that will help [guests] understand that you can make beautiful dishes with whatever you have.”
At grocery stores, consumers are so used to buying all kinds of fruits and vegetables at their fingertips, she said, “but they just don’t taste the same if they’re shipped across the country, if they’re stored, if they’re not in season. … Plus I think it tastes better if you’re growing it yourself.”
The Harvest Dinners are meant to showcase how fresh, locally-grown produce can be turned into beautiful multi-course meals, highlighting the rich agricultural roots in northwest Ohio.
“It’s an opportunity for people to come and have a great meal cooked by amazing chefs and to learn a little bit more about Toledo GROWs and what we do,” Dubielak said. “We keep it small, 35 people. … It’s really a more intimate gathering, so that people can talk … and just have a nice conversation together.”
In early September — when the dinners start — the farm will be growing lots of greens, garlic, beets, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and more, which the executive director is sure will be incorporated into plenty of the chefs’ creations.
In the kitchen
Local chef Aaron Lawson will be preparing this year’s Harvest Dinner at Bellwether, 1301 N. Summit St., recalling that the menu in 2023 was an innovative take on late summer flavors, like both squash and edible flowers.
“Keeping items local and fresh is always a key focus when I am building any menu,” the chef said. “This always means [to] intensify specific flavors within a dish, then choosing the supporting ingredients.”
When utilizing sustainably sourced produce from Toledo GROWs to prepare each Harvest Dinner, Chef Lawson said this way of cooking “brings us back to our roots, and helps us to understand why a certain item like tomatoes should only be available during its actual season.”
The point of the dinner series is to further the field to table movement, he said, which allows chefs to work directly with the farmer that they source their ingredients from, and for “the guests to see the results on a plate that is well thought out and respectful to the team growing the ingredients.”
Creating the menu is Chef Lawson’s favorite part, he said, along with the after dinner conversations with the guests that attend.
“The menu will be driven by what’s available [from Toledo GROWs],” he said. “I know that the Japanese Milk Toast will probably make its way back on the menu this year. I am very excited for the dinner, and [am] hoping to make some great connections that will last a lifetime.”
A harvested meal
Each recipe featured was a part of the Harvest Dinner Chef Lawson and his team prepared at Bellwether in 2023.
Japanese Milk Bread and Whipped Cheese with Local Peppers was served as an appetizer course at last year’s dinner, making for a subtle, sweet-and-spicy dish with notes of umami throughout.
Coriander Rubbed Pork Belly with Bacon-Braised Swiss Chard, Summer Squash Succotash, and Edible Flowers was served as a main course at the dinner, presenting late summer on a plate.
Both dishes showcased the beauty of Toledo GROWs’ mission to provide locally-grown produce to the community when it’s meant to be eaten — and that’s when it’s in season.
To learn more about the Harvest Dinners, the Harvest Brunch, or to reserve a spot, visit toledogrows.org/events/hd2024/ . Both The Garden by Poco Piatti and Souk dinners are sold out, but the others still have some availability.
Japanese Milk Bread and Whipped Cheese with Local Peppers
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Sweet Miso Paste:
3 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 tablespoon mirin rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari soy
Other components:
4 slices of Texas toast or brioche
4 to 5 medium-sized local peppers, either sweet, spicy, or a mix
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon local honey
1 tablespoon of good olive oil
Pinch of salt
For the whipped cheese:
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup local goat cheese
2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs, either cilantro or parsley
Directions:
To make the sweet miso paste, place the white miso paste, agave, mirin rice vinegar, and tamari soy in small blender and mix until smooth.
Use four slices of thick-cut Texas toast or brioche, cut off the edges, and smear the miso paste on one side covering completely. Place on a small sheet tray with a baking liner and bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve and let cool.
Utilizing 4 to 5 medium sized local peppers either sweet, spicy, or a mix. Remove seeds and cut into small rings, then marinade in a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of local honey, and 1 tablespoon of good olive oil finish with a small pinch of salt. Reserve and marinade for 10 to 15 minutes.
For the whipped cheese, use 1 cup of cream cheese, softened, and 1 cup of local goat cheese. Whip in mixer for 5 to 7 minutes on medium speed until aerated. Finish by plating a piece of toast with a scoop of the whipped cheese, a few marinated peppers, and a sprinkle of chopped herbs.
Source: Aaron Lawson
Coriander Rubbed Pork Belly with Bacon-Braised Swiss Chard, Summer Squash Succotash, and Edible Flowers
Yield: 4 large servings or 6-8 smaller tastings
Time:
Ingredients:
2 pounds skin off pork belly
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ cup brown sugar
2 medium-sized summer squash, washed and diced
3 to 4 strips of bacon
2 medium-sized bunches of Swiss chard, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons maple syrup
12 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
You will need to prepare the pork belly the night before. This can be done by slow poaching the pork belly and water at 185 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. For the rub combine 1 tablespoon of ground coriander, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper, and a ¼ cup of brown sugar. Slather in the rub, and roast it in the oven low and slow for 3 ½ to 4 hours.
Once pork belly is cooked, cool in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours minimum.
Next, you will need two medium sized summer squash washed and diced to ½ inch cubes.
For the bacon braised Swiss chard, dice the bacon and render until crispy in a medium skillet leaving all the fat in the pan. Add the washed and cut Swiss chard (make sure to trim off the ends) with the chicken stock and maple syrup. Finish with salt and pepper as desired.
To compose the dish, place the pork belly on a wire mash rack over a sheet tray with aluminum foil in between and bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crispy. Slice the pork belly into 4 to 5 ounce portions once out of the oven.
Add the diced summer squash in a medium nonstick skillet on high heat with 12 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce heat to low for 3 to 4 minutes and cook until just tender.
If available, finish with fresh edible flowers from your local market or micro greens.
Source: Aaron Lawson
Local News
Comments / 0