Thanks to Emma for this great recipe.  Please check out her blog for some great photos of this dish and other delicious creations.

http://www.cayugastkitchen.com/

Duck Eggs, over Herbed Tomato, White bean and Winter Green Soup

Ingredients & Source

Yields: 5-6 servings

• 1 tablespoon bacon fat (Leftover from Blue Cheese Alfredo Spaghetti)
• 1 small onion, chopped (Full Plate Farm Collective, Winter CSA)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (Full Plate Farm Collective, Winter CSA)
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced (Full Plate Farm Collective, Winter CSA)
• 1 cup whole peeled tomatoes and juice, equal to 1/2 a large can (GreenStar Natural Foods Market; it’s hard to come by locally canned tomatoes – choose an Italian brand without any unpronounceable ingredients)
• 4-5 basil leaves (My plant!)
• 1 teaspoon cilantro (Stick and Stone Farm, U-Pick, Freezer storage)
• 1 teaspoon oregano (Stick and Stone Farm, U-Pick, Dried)
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt (GreenStar Natural Foods Market, Bulk Section)
• 3 cups water (Faucet)
• 1 can Northern white beans or garbanzos (GreenStar Natural Foods Market, choose a can that is BPA free and does not contain any unpronounceable ingredients)
• Parmesan rind, as much as you have! Always save the rind from the Parmesan. It’s the best part and adds flavor to any soup. Cut the wax off the outside first. This is the prize treat in the pot – melted and chewy!
• 2 portions of frozen greens, defrosted (Or two fresh bunches from your local farm, farmers market, or the organic and as-local-as-possible section from the supermarket) (See How to Freeze Greens)
• 1/2 duck egg per person (Daring Drake Duck Eggs, Daring Drake Farm, Ithaca Farmer’s Market)
• Garnish: grated cheddar cheese (GreenStar Natural Foods Market, Locally Produced Cheddar)
• Optional: bread, ciabatta was my stroke of luck for this one! (The Piggery)

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, heat the bacon fat over medium-high.
2. Add the onions and stir until translucent.
3. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir for a couple minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and juice, along with the basil, cilantro, oregano, and sea salt. Stir and lightly mash the tomatoes with the back of your utensil. Reduce to medium heat, cover and simmer for five minutes.
5. Add the water, beans, Parmesan rind and greens. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to boil. Gently drop the eggs into the water with a spoon or ladle. Boil for 10 minutes for a slightly soft interior, 12 minutes for a hard interior.
7. When the soup is ready, ladle portions into a bowl. Top with grated cheese, half an egg sliced, and enjoy with a slab or crusty ciabatta bread.

We are measuring 7 inches of snow in the yard this morning.  The lilacs, currants and gooseberries are all dropping with heavy layers of snow on them.    We are most concerned with the apples – in full beautiful bloom yesterday.  We won’t know the full extent of damage for a few days, maybe weeks.  Biggest problem – lack of pollination.  Even if the snow melts off the trees today and flowers are exposed – the insects will just not be out.  Cold nights ahead only add to the worries.  The optimist around here points out some fruit – plums, most of the cherries, even some gooseberries, were done – or almost done – flowering before this snow.  I have a feeling the ducks are going to be mighty upset when we open the barn door.

What a difference 3 days make:  4/20 & 4/23

Poor red currant:

What to do when you have close to 500 fruit and nut trees to plant?  Call on your friends (especially those without farms) and promise to feed them!  Sixteen of us planted 430 fruit trees on Sunday – while the kids free ranged – and the orchard looks great.  We could really use some rain in the next week (quite the opposite of the 2011 endless spring rain).

Got down to 30 degrees in the orchard last night, not a temperature to worry about.  John didn’t even light the brush piles.  The plums are finishing their blooms; the pears, cherries, and gooseberries are in full bloom; and the apples and currants are just beginning.  It looks and smells beautiful at our home orchard.

All they need is a rock pile.