Eat Local: Recipes

Local mushroom soup

Chef Doug Katz maintains relationships with local farmers to supply ingredients for his Shaker Square restaurant, Fire Food & Drink. In this seasonal soup, he uses butter and milk from Hartzler Dairy, onion from Rainbow Farm and bread from On the Rise Artisan Breads & Pastries in Cleveland Heights.

Beer-braised, pulled-pork tacos with apple salsa and goat cheese creme

Rockefeller's chef Jill Vedaa honors the flavor of the local ingredients she loves, such as Ohio apples, in this recipe. She recommends local Granny Smith apples for their tartness, Great Lakes Dortmunder for the beer, Lucky Penny goat cheese (though she also likes Lake Erie Creamery and Mackenzie Creamery), Dairymen's sour cream, and white corn tortillas made with Ohio corn from Orale! at the West Side Market.(Serves about 10)

Rub the shoulder down with the dry-rub mixture, and let it set over night. Salt the shoulder right before you put it in the oven. Put shoulder and two bottles of beer in a roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil, and put into a 350-degree oven for 3-4 hours or until tender. You should be able to pull the meat away easily. Once it's cooled slightly, just hold it with one fork and with another fork start pulling the meat away.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. This is great fresh but even better the next day.

Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. If it seems a bit too thick, thin it out with a bit of water.

Duck and squash pasta

It's no secret that chef Jonathon Sawyer makes supporting local farms and following sustainable practices guiding principles at The Greenhouse Tavern, and naturally, his team follows his lead. Chef Brian Goodman developed this recipe featuring winter squash, available locally this time of year, and local duck, which you can purchase through Happy Chicken Farms in Grove City or at the West Side Market.

Peel and cube squash, be sure to remove seeds and pulp. Place pot of salted water on stove, bring to boil. In large saute pan, place 3/4 pound butter, and add cubed squash. Once squash begins to soften, add sage, nutmeg and cinnamon. Let butter and squash brown, once squash begins to fall apart, add heavy cream. Puree in blender and set aside. In a medium saute pan, place a tablespoon of butter, and add duck skin and bacon. Let render out until crispy and golden brown. Add sage to pan, let crisp. In the meantime, drop garganelle in boiling pot of water, let cook until al dente. Take squash puree and fold in 2 tablespoons to duck skin. Add brodo or duck stock to squash and duck skin, taste and season. Once garganelle is cooked, combine with sauce. Let sauce and noodle "get to know each other" over medium heat for a minute. Toss thoroughly and eat.

Pan-roasted chicken breast with spaetzel

With the opening of Spice Kitchen & Bar, Ben Bebenroth added another outlet to cook with local ingredients from small family farms, which he's been doing through his Spice of Life Catering Co. since 2006. For this recipe, featured on his restaurant's current menu, Bebenroth uses chicken from Tea Hills Farms and plenty of cool-weather root vegetables, which you can find at local markets.

Season the chicken breasts liberally on both sides. Heat a large saute pan with oil until shimmering. Sear chicken breasts three at a time, starting skin side down. Leave alone and allow to brown about 3-5 minutes per side. After searing, place all on a baking sheet and finish in the oven for about 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat. Place a nodge of butter in the pan, and get brown and foamy. Place bacon in pan, and render with butter for one minute. Add spaetzle (see recipe below), and allow to brown on one side (about 3 minutes). Add roasted root vegetables to the spaetzle pan, and allow to get hot (about 3 minutes). Add spinach to pan, and allow to wilt. In a separate pan, heat to medium high, toss chopped chestnuts into pan and allow to toast. Add sherry vinegar. Allow to reduce by half. Add hickory syrup and glace. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and allow to come together. Add chopped herbs at last minute. Place a pile of the root vegetables and spaetzle in the center of the plate. Place chicken breast on top of the mound, and garnish with sauce around the plate.