More recipes not to be missed

The challenges of putting out a newspaper in a COVID-19 world include occasionally missing an article that we very much meant to include. This happens even when we are all working in the office, but it’s more likely to happen when we are not together, and some of our normal checks and balances are lacking.

And so in our Compass special issue in the July 2 Lakeville Journal and Millerton News, we neglected to include our recipes from Noble Horizons and Lime Rock Park. We are deeply sorry and hope you will enjoy their recipes, below and on our website at www.tricornernews.com.

Lime Rock Park

Lime Rock Park participates in fundraisers throughout the year for numerous local charities and nonprofit organizations, as well as the Park’s annual “official charity.” 

In 2020, the Park selected the Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter as its official charity. 

Lime Rock’s Farm-To-Track Picnic is part of its commitment to support the Tri-State region, our local farms and food purveyors, as well as our official charity. 

The picnic is part of Lime Rock’s Trans Am SpeedTour Classic weekend, just one of the major fundraising events for the Alzheimer’s Association. 

This year, the Farm-To-Track Picnic is being planned for Sunday, Oct. 18, in coordination with the annual Royals Garage Car Show, a charity event. 

For more information, go to www.limerock.com/NWCTwalktoendalzheimers and www.limerock.com/farm2track.

Chef Mark Mazzeo says, “We serve this annually for our Farm 2 Track Pig Roast during the Trans Am Weekend. It’s the one item that won’t change, no matter what else is on the menu. We get local bacon from Connecticut. People always ask for extra, and they request the recipe. We’ve emailed this out countless times.  It’s not a house secret — it’s housemade with love and quality ingredients.” 

Lime Rock Park Catering bacon relish

Ingredients

4 pounds of the best quality local slab bacon

1 1/2 pounds of white onions

10 cloves of garlic 

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons Tabasco 

2 cups of coffee
(the stronger the better)

1 cup apple cider vinegar, unfiltered if available 

3/4 cups real maple syrup (
the track makes its own,
but local syrup is available
at Sharon Audubon)

2 tablespoons
ground black pepper

4 cups water (added gradually during cooking)

1.5 cups hot banana peppers (drained and then
chopped fine)

Preparation

Dice the bacon into half-inch pieces. Chop the onions and garlic. Over medium heat, render the bacon about halfway to crisp, then add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Add all the remaining ingredients except the water and banana peppers. Reduce the heat to a simmer and then gradually add the water as needed (you might not use all 4 cups). Simmer for at least 45 to 55 minutes, until it has a thick and stick consistency, like jam. Remove from heat and mix in the chopped banana peppers

Skim off some of the fat on top — although it’s important not to remove all the fat (Fat=Flavor). This is most easily done when the relish is chilled.

This mixture stays good jarred and well-sealed in the refrigerator for about two weeks. 

Noble Horizons

Chili is a perennial favorite for food fundraising events. It lends itself easily to being made in large portions, it’s easy to serve and eat and it can be adapted to suit the diner’s tastes. (More hot sauce? Go ahead!)

Like many things in life, it is incredibly simple to make chili and very difficult to make excellent chili. 

Noble Horizons for many years hosted a chili cooking competition during the Fall Festival, a multi-day event that was a fundraiser for Salisbury, Conn., churches and businesses.

In 2005, Salisbury resident Kelly Rollo won the competition with this recipe, which was published in The Lakeville Journal in October 2006.

Noble Horizons is a continuing care community with a variety of living situations, outpatient rehabilitation, two levels of skilled nursing and memory care. 

Fundraisers help enrich residents’ lives, individually or as a group. Events include the annual Christmas-season Festival of Trees, and art exhibits several times each year. 

“Each exhibit opens with a reception, the highlight of which is not only the art of course but the apricot cheese roll! Guests swoon and repeatedly ask how it was made,” reports Caroline Burchfield, director of community relations. 

“We also serve the apricot cheese roll at the Festival of Trees Gala, which raises funds to provide special touches such as salon appointments, flowers on the dining room tables, large-print newspapers and more, as well as larger projects like the renovation of the salon and the chapel.” 

Donations to enrich a resident’s life or to help support the arts may be made at www.noblehorizons.org or sent to Noble Horizons, 17 Cobble Road Salisbury, CT 06068.

Kelly Rollo’s black bean apple chipotle chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 yellow onions,
peeled and diced

8 large cloves of garlic,
peeled and minced

3 small to medium apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 pounds of ground beef chuck

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon cumin seed

2 tablespoons
ground coriander

2 28-ounce cans
chunky tomato sauce

2 1/2 cups apple cider

6 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 tablespoons additional adobo sauce from the can

8 cups cooked black beans

Juice and zest of two limes

1 whole dried red chile, crushed

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons oregano

Preparation

Combine the ingredients in a heavy pot, a slow cooker or an Instant Pot and allow them to cook until the flavors have had a chance to meld together.

Rollo warned that this chili is “smoking;” adjust the seasonings for a milder, mellower experience.

Apricot cheese roll

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dried apricots

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup orange marmalade

1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans

Preparation

Mix the ingredients well and roll into a log shape, using plastic wrap. Chill until firm.

Unwrap and roll the log in the nuts.