Heartland

The Cookbook

by Judith Fertig

Price: $35.00
ISBN-13: 9781449400576
ISBN-10: 1449400574
Size: 9 1/2 x 10 in.
Page Count: 304 pages

April 28, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Signing
The Kansas City Store
314 Ward Parkway
Kansas City, MO
816-756-1997

“There are two views of the Midwest which Heartland sets out to defy: 1) that nothing grows there anymore except vast tracts of soy and wheat; and 2) that the food is traditional, bland and purged of ethnic flavor. The Midwest, Fertig counters, is the home of a burgeoning small-farm movement, a culinary heritage enriched by decades of immigration, and a host of artisanal producers: La Quercia’s smoked meats, Maytag blue cheese, Minnesota wild rice. The photographs are expansive, the recipes farmhouse-earthy — but also just a trifle chic, like a Farm Girl Cosmo made with rhubarb syrup.” ––NPR http://n.pr/lSFctm

“It’s time for the coasts relinquish their claim to being the center of our food culture: Heartland exists as a big, beautiful, delicious argument that what’s interesting and real in food is right here, right now.” ––Heavy Table http://bit.ly/iyUBFN

“Tethered to my desk but restless and prickly with an incipient case of Spring Fever, I found delicious respite with an armchair tour of the Midwest in Heartland, the newest addition to my cookbook library. Author Judith Fertig explores the soul of the Midwest family farm in a grand adventure that takes us from the forested hills and broad river valleys of her Ohio birthplace, through the Great Lakes, and then westward to the Kansas prairie she now calls home. … Judith is just the sort of companion you want on a road trip—enthusiastic, funny, curious, and above all, hungry! She has country girl’s instinct for a good story and quirky lore (Who knew you could judge a hen’s egg-laying potential by the color of her feet?) but it’s clear that she has an urbanite’s sophisticated palate. Her appreciation and appetite for the region’s bounty shaped the book’s 150 recipes, from Blue Plate Specials like “Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta” to “Brewpub Cheese and Charcuterie on a Plank” inspired by a hearty working-man’s snack that sustained waves of Chicago’s immigrants at the corner tavern.” ––The Local Beet: Chicago http://bit.ly/jPIBFO

“Heartland’s terrific photos and engaging stories would make it a perfect coffee table book, if it were just that. But at its core Heartland is a cookbook, and an excellent one at that. … Heartland: The Cookbook is excellent — substantial enough to give, accessible enough to want, and practical enough to use.” ––Simple Good and Tasty http://bit.ly/iLQTcE

“The Overland Park, Kan., author’s fourth prairie-themed cookbook, “Heartland: The Cookbook,” is being hailed as a celebration of a region of the country “where farm-to-table isn’t a movement.” … The 283-page hardcover book undoubtedly is Fertig’s most beautiful cookbook on the subject. It also might be one of her most useful, with a focus on shorter preparation times and simpler cooking methods.” ––Eau Claire Now http://bit.ly/lnku3r

“Included along with stunning food and scenic photography on nearly every page are 150 recipes covering breakfast foods, dinner courses and desserts as well as a chapter on bread-making and a ready reference to online resources for the likes of heritage game, fresh lake trout and premium flour. Dinkel’s Bakery and Goose Island Brewing Co., two Chicago institutions, are among those listed. While Fertig cites our deep-rooted culinary traditions of the past, she also recognizes busy 21st century lifestyles. Her recipes are straightforward and keep an eye on shorter prep times and simpler cooking methods than those of yesteryear. ” ––Pioneer Press http://bit.ly/kOPoY0

“Everyone will enjoy this well-researched book, whether you were raised in the Midwest or have simply driven through and recollect the beauty of the landscape and rejoice in the people who love the place they call home. It’s full of remembrances, not only of the food, but of food purveyors, historical trivia, humorous stories (many by well-known Midwest authors), and pioneering memories. As the farm-to-table movement sweeps the country, here also are foods that will widely appeal. The collection of 150 recipes highlight the ethnic diversity of the peoples who settled this region of the country. They are well written and use modern cooking methods, so you can enjoy traditional favorites made in a fraction of the time.” ––Kitchen Gadget Gals http://bit.ly/kmxIwm

“What is also true for me and perhaps for you thoughts of home in the Midwest bring to mind good, hearty, healthful food. Not the kind we now find at drive-ins but the delicious homemade dishes we remember, and here they are again in this comprehensive, beautifully illustrated cookbook HEARTLAND. However, the author has put a definite twist on these recipes as all are made with very modern cooking methods ensuring not only easier preparation but a much shorter preparation time than our mothers knew. You’ll find recipes for breakfasts and brunches, appetizers, salads and soups, main dishes and desserts. There is 272 pages of pure enjoyment as in addition to recipes Fertig has included anecdotes, historical data, and quotations - all with a Midwestern flavor.” ––Beauty by the Books http://bit.ly/ghrZ1p

“Over the last 15 years, [Judith Fertig, a] prolific cookbook author has carved out an area of expertise by focusing on traditional Midwestern cuisine with a twist. Her fourth prairie-themed cookbook, “Heartland: The Cookbook”, is being hailed as a celebration of a region of the country “where farm-to-table isn’t a movement.” “Finally!” cookbook author and New York native Molly O’Neill proclaims boldly from the book jacket. “Someone who gets the Midwest, and loves the Midwest, and is not afraid to explain why the least-understood part of the nation is rapidly becoming a food scene worth getting to know.”” ––The Kansas City Star http://bit.ly/glb8mk

Makes 8 Ounces

This has become one of the staples at our house. I use it crumbled over salads or pasta, stuffed into cherry tomatoes, spread on a sandwich with roasted chicken and baby greens, stirred into soups, or blended with cream cheese for a dip. If you like, use a fresh Heartland chèvre such as Capriole from Greenville, Indiana; Donnay Dairy in Kimball, Minnesota; or Prairie Fruits Farm in Champaign, Illinois. You will need 1 to 2 cups of apple, hickory, pecan, or other hardwood chips for this.

8 ounces fresh goat cheese or cream cheese in a log

Canola oil, for brushing

1 Prepare a medium-heat indirect fire in your grill, with the fire on one side and no fire on the other.

2 Place the goat cheese in a disposable aluminum pan and brush the cheese with canola oil.

3 For a charcoal grill, scatter 1 to 2 cups wood chips on the charcoal; for a gas grill, place the chips in a smoker box or an aluminum foil packet poked with holes near a gas burner. When you see the first wisp of smoke from the chips, place the pan of goat cheese on the indirect or no-heat side of the grill and close the lid. Smoke for 1 hour, or until the cheese has a burnished appearance and a smoky aroma. Store the smoked cheese in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

VARIATION:
To smoke garlic, trim about ½ inch from the top and bottom of a whole head of garlic. Brush with canola oil, place in a disposable aluminum pan, and proceed from step 3. Smoke for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is soft when you squeeze it and it has a smoky aroma. Store in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serves 8

Kansas is, literally, “home on the range”—at least it was to Brewster Higley, the Smith County settler who wrote the song there in 1871. Today, there are still deer and even a few antelope, but mainly beef cattle in the Flint Hills and the western prairie. To make your taste buds sing, get your outdoor grill a-smokin’ so you can rustle up this easy version of beef carpaccio. The beef gets a little tasty char around the outside, is very rare inside, and has a smoky sauce to finish. You can make the sauce and grill the beef a day ahead and then assemble the thin slices a few hours before your guests arrive. Keep them chilled until you’re ready to serve.

Smoked Tomato Drizzle
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon smoked tomato puree (see page 16)
¼ cup chipotle hot sauce

Beef
1 pound boneless eye of round, top loin, or beef tenderloin
Olive oil, for brushing
Coarse kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper
Drained capers, for garnish
Baby arugula, for garnish

1 For the drizzle, whisk together the mayonnaise, tomato puree, and hot sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer to a plastic squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

2 Prepare a hot fire in your grill and place a cast-iron skillet or griddle on the grill grate to heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

3 Brush the beef with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When the skillet is very hot, sear the beef on all sides until blackened, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

4 Let the beef rest until it is at room temperature. Cover with plasitc wrap. To serve the same day, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. To serve the next day, store in the refrigerator, then in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving. Chill the serving plates.

5 Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the beef into paper-thin slices and arrange on the chilled plates. Drizzle the sauce on each plate in a crosshatch pattern and scatter the capers and arugula over the top. Serve immediately.

As the farm-to-table movement sweeps the nation, Judith Fertig presents Heartland: The Cookbook, a collection of delicious recipes that puts a modern twist on Midwest tradition. Among the book’s 150 recipes, readers will find breakfast foods, dinner courses, and chapters devoted to preservatives, breads, and desserts.

Heartland pays tribute to both the land and the people who call it home. Alongside its recipe collection, the book offers humorous stories, historical facts, sidebars about local food purveyors, and memorable quotes that forge connections between readers and Midwestern natives. Beautiful color photographs of food, animals, and landscapes bring America’s heartland to life.

Heartland’s recipes are as diverse as Midwesterners themselves, with some dishes ethnically inspired by Amish, Swedish, Czech, Scandinavian, and other communities. Dishes include Flyover Duck Confit, Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta, and Pheasant Schnitzel with Danish Red Cabbage.

As varied as Heartland’s recipes are, all of them are made with modern cooking methods, so readers can prepare their traditional favorites in a fraction of the time. For example, “The Heartland Breadbasket” chapter shows that breads can be made with no-knead/one-bowl dough. “Praise and Plenty: The Heartland Pantry” teaches readers how to make tasty homemade preserves with methods much simpler than those used in pioneer days.

In addition to its shorter prep times and simpler cooking methods, Heartland offers versatile recipes that can be used to make more than one meal. Dishes like Minnesota Wild Rice Soup, Haymaker’s Hash, and Hunter’s Pie can all be made using other recipes’ leftovers.

With scrumptious recipes and age-old wisdom, Heartland celebrates every aspect of the Midwest, including its beauty, diversity, commitment to sustainability, and pioneering spirit.