Nebraskaland

NEBRASKAland July 2018

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/999185

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36 NEBRASKAland • JULY 2018 Whether you grow a personal garden or buy the ingredients at a farmers market, summer is the time to enjoy the best of what Nebraska has to offer. Growing something from seed to stalk or even talking with local growers changes your outlook on food. It creates a sense of ownership and pride in both yourself and the state. I hope you find that special connection in the following recipes. They run the gamut from my grandmother's fresh strawberry pie to Clayton Chapman's milk ricotta gnocchi. What they have in common is a simple treatment of ingredients that highlights the taste of a Nebraska summer. Fresh Strawberry Pie Yield: 8-10 pieces • 1 heaping cup of flour • ½ cup butter • 3½ tablespoons powdered sugar • 1 quart Nebraska strawberries, sliced • 1 cup sugar • 3 tablespoons cornstarch • Whipped cream to cover (recipe below) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cut the butter into the flour and powdered sugar. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until slightly brown, about 20 minutes. Place half the strawberries in the crust. Add sugar and cornstarch to the remaining strawberries. Simmer the mixture in a saucepan until it thickens and becomes clear. Let the mixture cool slightly and then pour it over the fresh strawberries in the crust. Place the pie in the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely. Once the pie has cooled, cover it with whipped cream and serve. Whipped Cream • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar In a large bowl or stand mixer, whip cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Do not overbeat or the mixture will become butter-like. Chilling the bowl speeds up the process. – Jane Sparks, author's grandmother Green Walnut Liqueur (Nocino) Yield: 1 liter • 25 green walnuts, whole in-the-shell, the size of apricots, quartered • 2½ cups sugar • 4 cloves PHOTO BY RYAN SPARKS • 2 cinnamon sticks • 1 star anise pod • Zest of one medium lemon, in ½-inch strips • 1 liter vodka or Everclear Wearing latex gloves to avoid semi-permanently staining your hands, quarter walnuts and pack them into a sterile 1-gallon glass jar with lid. Add sugar, spices, lemon zest and alcohol. Ensure jar's lid is tight and shake to dissolve the sugar. Allow liqueur to steep for 40 days in a dark cabinet, periodically shaking the jar to disperse any sugar that has settled. Strain liquid, disposing of solids, and decant into a clean jar. Nocino is drinkable immediately but does mellow with a couple more months of aging. Use as an ingredient in cocktails, by itself as a digestif or, my favorite, drizzled over vanilla ice cream. – Abigael Birrell

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