The 2020 theme for National Agriculture Week is “Food Brings Everyone to the Table.”

Locally, Hayley Buerster brings goat, and Halley Kocher bring pork and lamb to their tables through their FFA projects.

The 4th graders at Albion Grade School had planted two types of peas and were watching their progress before the schools closed last week.

Posey County (Indiana) is known locally for delicious watermelons every year.

In Evansville and Henderson (Kentucky), Azteca Milling makes masa harina (corn flour) using locally grown corn from local farmers right here!

You can get locally produced honey at or from Hunter’s Honey Farm in nearby Martinsville (Indiana).

I’ve decided to celebrate National Ag week by sharing recipes that highlight some local agriculture!

Many of these topics can be further explored reading this week’s National Agriculture Week special section.

Recipes wanted! Submitted recipes will be accepted at [email protected], or you can stop by the Albion office and drop a copy off up front. If you don’t have a recipe to submit right now, but there is a recipe you’re desperately seeking, feel free to email or drop off a note for a “Recipe Request.” I’m still requesting recipes for your favorite apple pie recipes!

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Goat Stew

Try your hand using goat meat like Hayley Buerster!

Ingredients:

1-lb. bone-in goat meat, cut into large chunks

1/4C vinegar

1/4C soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 TBSP vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares

1C tomato sauce

2C beef stock

1 potato, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/2C green peas

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 pinch cayenne

Directions:

Mix goat meat with vinegar, soy sauce and garlic in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate from 1-8 hours. For best flavor, marinate at least 6 hours. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; reserve marinade and garlic cloves.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the goat meat, working in batches if necessary, 10-15 minutes. Set goat meat aside. Cook and stir onion, red bell pepper, and garlic cloves from the marinade over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; pour in tomato sauce and bring mixture to a simmer. Allow to cook down slightly, about 5 minutes.

Return goat meat to the sauce and pour in reserved marinade and beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until goat meat is partially tender, 30-40 minutes. Stir in potato, carrots, and peas; season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Simmer until goat meat is very tender and potato and carrots are cooked through, 20-30 more minutes. Adjust seasonings before serving if necessary.

Note: Serve over rice, or even better, sop up with Mission tortillas made with masa harina produced in Evansville with locally grown corn!

***Recipe courtesy of Olivia Tuggle, allrecipes.com***

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Easy Honry-Garlic Pork Chops

Use locally produced honey from Hunter’s Honey Farm in Martinsville, Ind.

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, bone-in or out

Salt and pepper, to season

1 tsp garlic powder

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP unsalted butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4C honey

1/4C water (or chicken broth)

2 TBSP rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or any white vinegar)

Directions:

Preheat oven broiler (or grill) on medium-high heat. Season chops withsalt, pepper and garlic powder just before cooking.

Heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium high heat until hot. Sear chops on both sides until golden and cooked through (about 4-5 minutes each side). Transfer to a plate; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the honey, water and vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook until the sauce reduces down and thickens slightly (about 3-4 minutes), while stirring occasionally.

Add pork back into the pan, baste generously with the sauce and broil/grill for 1-2 minutes, or until edges are slightly charred.

Garnish with parsley and serve over vegetables, rice, pasta or with a salad.

Note: Try serving with the Fresh Peas with Mint (recipe below).

***Recipe courtesy of Karina from “Cafe Delites” blog.***

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Baked Corn Tortilla Chips

Use Mission tortillas, made with masa harina produced in Evansville with locally-grown Azteca corn!

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP cumin

1 TBSP smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with foil.

Using a pizza slicer, cut tortillas into 8 triangles by cutting in quarters then eighths; place in a bowl.

Drizzle olive oil and spices over tortilla triangles and mix well so all tortillas are evenly coated in oil and spices. Don't be afraid to use your hands!

Divide tortillas evenly between both baking sheets and spread out so that they are in an even layer.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until browned (varies based on oven).

Store in air tight container for up to 4 days.

Note: Serve with the Watermwlon Salsa (recipe follows) made with locally-grown watermelon!

***Recipe courtesy of Liz DellaCroce of “The Lemon Bowl” blog.***

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Watermelon Salsa

Use local Posey County watermelons!

Ingredients:

3C fresh watermelon, chopped

1/2C cucumber, diced

1/2C yellow, orange or green peppers, diced (small)

1/2C red onion, diced

1/4C cilantro, chopped

2-3 TBSP jalapeno, diced and seeded (small)

2 TBSP lime juice

sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Combine watermelon and vegetables into bowl and toss.

Season with lime juice and salt to taste. Stir and serve chilled.

Note: try using fresh mint instead of cilantro. If you don’t like the idea of using cucumber, just add more watermelon or try another fruit or vegetable, like radishes.

Note 2: Serve with the corn tortilla chips (recipe above) made with masa harina produced in Evansville with locally grown corn!

***Recipe courtesy of SweetGreens website.***

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Fresh Peas with Mint

Use fresh peas like the AGS 4th graders are growing at school!

Ingredients:

2 TBSP unsalted butter, plus more to taste

1-1/2 pounds green peas in the pods, shelled (or, in a pinch, a 10- to 16-oz. package of frozen peas; never canned peas!)

1 to 2 TBSP mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan or skillet. Add the peas and heat, stirring, until just cooked through but not soft or mushy, 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the peas to a serving dish, strew the mint over the top, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add a little (or a lot) more butter and stir to combine. Serve at once.

***Recipe courtesy of Leites Culinaria website***

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