The Time is Ripe: Award-Winning Recipes Just in Time for Fair Season

The Kentucky State Fair is almost here and nothing puts you in the mood for Fair festivities like fresh fruit and produce that is reminiscent of Fairs’ past. Baskets at local farmers markets are overflowing with fresh produce from across the state, so cook up some tasty recipes that celebrate both the Kentucky State Fair and the Commonwealth’s growing power. Look for Kentucky-grown blueberries, peaches, strawberries and tomatoes, fruits that all boast a late summer picking season.

Check out these ribbon-winning recipes that feature the season’s best and then head to the State Fair Aug. 20-30 to see who takes the cake in 2009. Cooking competitions take place Aug. 21, 23-28 at 6 p.m. on the Gourmet Garden stage, while the culinary entries will be on display daily at the Fair.

BLUEBERRIES – Want a delicious breakfast that is as blue as our ribbons? Try Barbara Tenney’s 1995 blue-ribbon-winning blueberry muffin recipe that will sweeten up this season’s best blueberries.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Ingredients:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup shortening (softened) or oil
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup blueberries
½ cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together sugar, shortening and egg. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, then add milk and vanilla; stir just until blended. Add blueberries, stir gently.Streusel Topping:½ cup brown sugar1 tablespoon flour1 teaspoon nutmeg1 tablespoon butterDirections: Combine brown sugar, flour, nutmeg and butter; blend well with fork. Pour batter into greased muffin cups, filling two-thirds full, then sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Yield: 8 large (or 12 medium) muffins.


PEACHES – Peaches and cream go together like the Fair and Freddy Farm Bureau, and with this 1995 blue-ribbon-winning recipe of Kathy Metzmeier, you’ll have a homemade snack that’s good to go.

Peaches and Cream Date Bars
Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) chopped and pitted dates
2 cups chopped fresh peaches (finely chopped without skin)
1 stick butter1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon brandy
1 teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add egg and flavorings. Sift dry ingredients together then add dates and peaches to coat. Stir in creamed mixture well and spread in an 11 ½” x 7 ½” glass baking dish (greased and floured). Add topping (recipe below) then bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes. When cool, cut into bars and drizzle with cream cheese icing (recipe below).

Topping:
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup English walnuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together in food processor or blender.

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese
½ teaspoon vanilla½ teaspoon brandy
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Milk, if needed

Directions:
Beat all ingredients with mixer. If necessary add milk a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
Yield: 32 bars


STRAWBERRIES – Want to mix savory with sweet in a gourmet salad that even kids can help make? Check out the 2008 Gourmet Garden blue-ribbon-winning recipe by Samantha Hall in the Kentucky Beef Cook-off “Kids in the Kitchen” Contest.

Fruit Skirt Salad
Ingredients:
½ cup Soy Sauce
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
2 lbs. Skirt Steak

Salad:
Mixed Greens
½ cup Mandarin Oranges
½ cup Sliced Strawberries
¼ cup Sunflower SeedsRaspberry Vinaigrette salad dressing

Directions:
In a large zip-lock bag, combine all marinade ingredients. Cut the skirt steak into manageable large pieces and add them to the bag of marinade. Allow the meat to marinade for at least 2 hours. Remove the meat from the bag and grill the steak for 6-8 minutes on each side- grill until desired doneness is achieved. Allow the steak to sit for about 10 minutes before slicing it into thin strips. Arrange the strips over the salad greens. Arrange the oranges and strawberries around the edge of the salad. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the salad. Drizzle the salad dressing over the salad.


TOMATOES – The two requirements to be a fair-favorite food: deep fried and on a stick. This fried green cherry tomato recipe of Rusty Portman from the 2008 Canolainfo.org “Stick with Canola Oil, Fry it for the Fair” Contest captures both the essence of the south and the deep-fried goodness of the Fair. Try this southern favorite with a twist at your next summer cookout.

Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients:
30-60 Cherry tomatoes
2 ½ - 3 cups cornmeal
3 tablespoons pepper
2 – 2 ½ cups flour
¾ cup milk
48 oz. Canola oil

Dip:
¼ cup horseradish
1 teaspoon tomato pesto
¼ cup ranch dressing

Directions:
In a stand mixer combine flour, eggs and milk for 5 minutes. In a Ziploc bag, combine cornmeal, salt and pepper. Spear 3 green cherry tomatoes on each skewer and dip in batter and roll in cornmeal and set on a rack until all are complete. Dip in batter and roll in cornmeal a second time and fry in Canola oil heated at 325 degrees for 3 minutes.