For Immediate Release
August 12, 2013
William Troxell
717-694-3596
[email protected]
Winners Declared in 2013 Vegetable Recipe Contest
Veteran contestant, Frances Dietz of York, repeated last year’s feat of winning the first place prize in two categories. This year she won the first-place prizes in both the Snap Bean/Lima Bean/Pea and Sweet Corn categories. She has won first-place prizes in four previous contests, including two first-places in 2007 and in 2012 and is the only person to win two first-place prizes in one year. First-time finalist Sally Kocan of Gibsonia won the first-place prize in the Leafy Greens category and Marilyn Goldfarb of Boalsburg took the prize in the Broccoli/Cabbage/Cauliflower category. The Cook Off was held on Thursday, August 8, 2013, at the Lebanon County Career and Technology Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Daniel Naylor, Eastern Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture presented certificates to the winners.
Ms. Dietz, won the first-place prize in the Snap Bean/Lima Bean/Pea category with her “Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry” which the judges described as a “great summer entree” with “nice colors” and a “pleasant flavor”. It featured pod peas, carrots, peppers, onion and peanuts stir-fried with chicken. Her entry in the Sweet Corn category was “Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Salad” featuring corn, black-eyed peas, grape tomatoes, peppers, green onions and parsley with a enhanced bleu cheese dressing topped with feta cheese a combination great colors, textures and flavors according to the judges.
Ms. Kocan, a first time contestant, won the Leafy Greens category with her “Garden Fresh Beans and Greens. “This is delicious!” was one judge’s reaction. The recipe calls for 6 cups of mixed greens which can include arugula, kale, mustard greens, spinach, collard greens and/or swiss chard plus cannellini beans, tomatoes and Italian sausage. “Asian Style Stewed Cauliflower” prepared by Ms. Goldfarb won the first-place prize in the Broccoli/Cabbage/Cauliflower category. The judges called it “New and fresh!” with great flavors. It features cauliflower cooked with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, coriander seed, tumeric, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, parsley and peanuts in chicken and nam pla broth with sour cream.
Four finalists in each category completed for the top prizes. Judges choose the finalist recipes for the Cook-Off from 90 written recipe entries submitted by 43 cooks from across the state. Recipes were scored on the basis of five criteria: creativity, nutrition/healthfulness, ease of preparation, use of a category vegetable as major ingredient and overall appeal. Recipe entries had to contain as a major ingredient at least one vegetable in the category. Recipes were required to be created or modified by the contestant or a member of the contestant’s family.
The other recipes prepared by the finalists at the Cook-Off are listed below. All the finalist recipes are available on the Vegetable Marketing and Research Program’s website at www.paveggies.localor by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Program at: PA Vegetable Mktg. & Res. Program, 815 Middle Road, Richfield, PA 17086.
Snap Beans/Lima Beans/Peas
Pea and Potato Salad – Cindy Kerschner, Schnecksville
Tom’s Better Beans – Tom Orlando, Altoona
Ouinoa and Pea Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lemon Dressing – Kathy Engel
Leafy Greens
Strawberry Pecan Mixed Greens Salad – Mary Ellen Miller, Orwigsburg
Leafy Greens and Beans Soup – B J Reed and Tom Sabo, Chambersburg
Swiss Chard Saute – Becky Frey, Lebanon
Sweet Corn
Spicy Corn Salad – Marilyn Goldfarb, Boalsburg
Corn Quinoa Salad – Vicky Sokoloff, Sokoloff
Corn Gazpacho with Fiery Lime Coutons – Cindy Kerschner, Schnecksville
Broccoli/Cabbage/Cauliflower
Cabbage and Shrimp with Easy Thai Peanut Sauce – Kelly Paul, Harrisburg
Seaslaw Salad – Mary Ellen Miller, Orwigsburg
Red Cabbage, Red Quinoa Stew – B J Reed and Tom Sabo, Chambersburg
These finalists each received a $25 gift certificate to the farm market of their choice.
The judges for the 2013 Contest were:
- Robert Corle, Jr., culinary arts instructor at Lebanon County Career and Technology Center;
- Susan Gleiter, food writer for the Patriot News in Harrisburg;
- Robert McMullin, professor of hotel restaurant and tourism management at East Stroudsburg University; and
- Libby Mills, registered dietitian, lifestyle coach, author, and speaker
The winning recipes are as follows:
Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry
Serves 4
1 large boneless, skinless chicken half breast – thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce – divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups diagonally halved pea pods, ends trimmed
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup red bell pepper slivers
1 medium yellow onion – cut in slivers
1/3 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts
generous grinding black pepper
4 servings cooked instant brown rice
2 green onions – sliced
Combine chicken, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ginger root, garlic, and sesame oil then let stand 10 minutes. Combine chicken broth, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and set aside. Heat olive oil in large skillet or wok. Add pea pods, carrots, red pepper and onion then stir-fry for 1 minute. Add chicken, and then stir-fry 3 minutes. Add broth mixture, then cook and stir until boiling. While boiling, stir in peanuts and black pepper and then taste and add salt if needed. Serve stir-fry over the rice. Garnish it with green onions.
Frances Dietz, York, First-Place Prize, Snap Bean/Lima Bean/Pea category
Garden Fresh Beans and Greens
Serves 3-5 as a side dish, 2-3 as an entree
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups mixed greens, stems removed and chopped – use one or all of the following greens: arugula, kale, mustard greens, spinach, collard greens, and/or swiss chard
1/2 cup chicken stock
15.5-ounce can of cannellini beans or great northern beans, drained
15.5-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
1/2 pound of cooked sliced italian sausage (optional)
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
fresh grated parmesan cheese
Heat oil and garlic in a large skillet on low heat so as not to burn the garlic. Add the greens in two to three batches and stir to coat with the oil and garlic. Add the chicken stock to further wilt the greens. Add the beans and the tomatoes and continue to stir. For a hearty meal add your pre-cooked sliced Italian sausage. Toss the greens with the hot pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Top with a generous portion of fresh grated parmesan cheese. Mangia!
Sally Kocan, Gibsonia, First Place Prize, Leafy Greens category
Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Salad
8 servings
15-ounce can black-eyed peas – drained
8-ounce can whole kernel corn – drained
1 cup grape tomatoes – halved
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
4 green onions – sliced
1 outer rib celery – halved lengthwise, then sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 small clove garlic – minced
12 Kalamata olives – halved and pitted
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/3 cup fat free blue cheese dressing
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 or 3 ounces feta cheese – crumbled
Combine first nine ingredients in a bowl. Combine and mix the remaining ingredients, except the cheese, to make dressing. Taste and season it with salt and pepper as necessary. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, however flavor is best after 24 hours. Before serving, stir cheese into salad.
Frances Dietz, York, First-Place Prize, Sweet Corn category
Asian Style Stewed Cauliflower
Serves 8 as a side dish. Can serve 4 over rice as a vegetarian main dish. If so, replace fish sauce with no-anchovy Worcestershire sauce
1 head cauliflower
1 1/2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 large ripe tomatoes chopped, (or a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, lightly drained)
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 to 3 chopped jalapeno peppers
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts
2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
Trim cauliflower into bite size pieces. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Stir in coriander, turmeric and jalapeno. Add broth, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil. Stir in cauliflower to coat well. Lower heat to low- medium, cover, and simmer about15 minutes. Stir in greens, peanuts, and sour cream and serve.
Marilyn Goldfarb, Boalsburg, First Place Prize, Broccoli/Cabbage/Cauliflower category
The Vegetable Recipe Contest is sponsored annually by the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program, a marketing order for vegetable growers under the state Department of Agriculture. Growers pay annual assessments to the Program to promote Pennsylvania-grown vegetables and to fund practical vegetable production research at Penn State and other universities. The Vegetable Recipe Contest is designed to generate creative new recipes for consumers to use to enjoy fresh, local Pennsylvania vegetables. The finalist recipes for the previous years’ contests are also posted on the Program’s website at www.paveggies.local.