Casaclarkcooks

The Elephant Hunter

2011-11-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

A delicious cocktail that I created for my FAVORITE CSA.

http://thefarmersdaughtercsa.blogspot.com/2011/11/katias-korner-elephant-hunter.html

Homemade Cajeta

2011-07-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

All good things must come to an end, and thus I say farewell to Vegan town. Although I visit regularly for culinary inspiration, you won't be the only town I visit. With that said, here's a recipe for some delicious cajeta, a delicious goat milk Latin caramel candy. Use it in coffee, over ice cream, in ice pops; really the sky is the limit. It is SUPER sweet so please proceed with caution when using.

I am super lucky to get my hands on 2 gallons of raw goat's milk every month. I have homemade feta in the fridge right now, and needless to say, it is awesome. If you live in the Central Valley of CA I highly recommend that you contact Meg Dickey and sign up for their herd share program. The milk those goats make is beyond delicious. If you can't get your hands on goats milk, you could use whole milk just make sure it is not ultra-pasteurized or it just won't work. Without any further delay....

Cajeta
Modified from a recipe in Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking soda
12 c whole raw goat's milk
3 c sugar
1 vanilla bean split down the center
1 small piece of canela (cinnamon stick)

I added the vanilla and cinnamon myself. I just love the flavor of dulce de leche so much I thought it would make a nice addition. Don't feel as if you have to add, omit the last two ingredients if you are just not that into them.

Add 1 cup of the milk into your stock pan along with the cornstarch and baking soda. Using a whisk, incorporate the starch and soda until no lumps are visible. Add the rest of the milk. Over med-high heat, bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Once it boils, remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean if using and stir constantly until you get a caramel consistency. I usually make sure that the sauce coats the back of my wooden spoon.

Pour into clean jars, cover with a clean dish towel, and allow to it to come to room temp.

Once this happens place the lids on top and store in the fridge up to a month. If you plan on using it over ice cream, heat it in microwave or place jar in a bath of hot water for a bit. Enjoy!

Korean Fried Tofu in a Sweet-Soy Garlic sauce

2011-04-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is one delicious meal! I made it as part of our Soup Sunday fare and it was a huge hit. I wouldn't recommend using this batter technique unless you plan on tossing the tofu in some sort of sauce. I have made mole tofu this way and it was out of this world! I hope you make this for your family and tell me what you think.

Korean Fried Tofu
America's Test Kitchen

3 quarts vege oil ( I use a fry-daddy so I use much less)
1 1/2 c cornstarch; place 1 c in a bowl and 1/2 c in another
1 x 16oz block of extra firm organic tofu ( no gmo's would be ideal), drained and cut into strips; see below
1 c water ( add to the bowl with 1 c cornstarch in it and mix to combine)
2 scallions, sliced thin and the bias; garnish
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves minced; garnish

This is my high tech way of removing the excess liquid from the tofu. I place a kitchen towel down and then place my tofu onto it. I cover with another kitchen towel and place a brick over the top towel and directly on top of the tofu. I let it sit for at least 1/2 hour.

While this is draining I make the sauce........

Sweet-Soy Garlic Sauce
America's Test Kitchen

*Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan as it will need to go into one anyway ; no need to dirty up any extra dishes*

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c tamari
1/4 c water
3 medium garlic cloves pressed through a garlic press
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sriracha ( I use 2 tsp)

Heat over medium heat until syrupy, about 5 min. Let cool to room temperature.

Now that the tofu is drained and the sauce is made it's time to fry it up. Place the oil in a dutch oven with a candy / fry thermometer attached. Wait until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Or in my case heat the oil in a fry-daddy or deep fryer or your choice.

You'll need to dredge the tofu strips in the 1/2 c of cornstarch first and then place them in the water / cornstarch mixture you made earlier. Fry them in batches until they are golden brown. I remove excess oil by placing the tofu onto paper grocery bags then place into a bowl.

Once the tofu has been completely fried you top with the sauce and gently stir to combine.

And there you have it. Place this delicious tofu over some rice and top with the garnishes and you'll have a delicious meatless meal.

Hibiscus Martini

2010-10-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

This month I am hosting my book club and wanted to serve martinis. I will be serving a pear, cardamom, clove, and orange peel martini as well as this red beauty. This hibiscus martini is perfectly balanced with alcohol, sweet, and sour (fresh lime juice). The hardest part of this drink is making the hibiscus syrup but once it's made you'll have syrupy goodness for a while.

Hibiscus Martini (a Casa Clark original recipe)

2 oz hibiscus syrup (recipe follows)
2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lime juice ( read this article and it'll illustrate what I mean by fresh juice; thanks E for sharing this article)
hibiscus flower in syrup for garnish (optional)

Place all your ingredients except for garnish into a shaker and shake until the outside of shaker is cold. Place your garnish at the bottom of the martini glass and pour cold drink over the garnish. Enjoy.

Hibiscus Syrup
I actually found this recipe online. It calls for fresh hibiscus flowers but I used dried Jamaican flowers that I purchased at the Latin market (RN) for about $3. If you have seen this syrup at Amazon be prepared to pay $11 for a bottle of 8.8 oz. You not only save money but have enough ingredients to make it over and over again. The flowers are super pretty in flutes topped with champagne (I'll post a pic once the girls come over on Saturday).

20 dried whole hibiscus flowers
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
2 c water
2 c sugar

Place your flowers and lemon juice in a microwave proof bowl and nuke for 2 min. on high.

Add the water, sugar, and hibiscus flowers in lemon juice to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by 1/3. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature. Use a slotted wooden spoon to retrieve the flowers or strain flowers from syrup into a clean bowl.

Gently place the flowers into a clean mason jar and top with the syrup so that they are completely covered ( I prefer to use a wide mouth version because it's easier to get the flowers out when you want to use them). Add the surplus syrup into a clean mason jar and cover both jars. Place in refrigerator and store for up to one year. You can also make hibiscus vodka with it.

Let them eat vegan Pho

2010-10-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

Casa Clark has gone vegan. It's been coming for a while and it's been a good thing especially for me. R and C aren't too convinced yet and occasionally ask for eggs, cheese, and milk (although C has been drinking lots of my almond milk lately). It's been a challenging culinary adventure but I'm not one to shy away from a fight.

One of my most favorite things in the world is the wonderful Vietnamese rice noodle soup Pho. The only problem is that as a recent vegan I know there is fish sauce lurking in the savory depths and was bummed that I couldn't have it especially since it's gotten a bit chilly out there. I was looking at my p.v. (pre- vegan) cookbooks and found a Pho recipe in my Cook's Illustrated The Best International Recipe cookbook and liked some and changed some. You'll die at the depth of flavor in the broth and have a healthy dinner to boot. The secret to this broth is time, so start it the night before or before you head out to work. Trust me, it's worth the wait.

Vegan Pho Broth (adapted from Cook's Illustrated)
You'll need a dutch oven and crock pot for this one.

4 tsp vege oil ( I didn't actually measure the oil and just added enough to cover the bottom of my dutch oven)
4 medium onions sliced
8 medium garlic cloves, pressed
2 lemon stalk with tough outer edges removed and sliced thin; only use the bottom 5" of it
20 c water
4 Tbsp tamari
4 Tbsp sugar
8 star anise pods
8 whole cloves
a handful of dried shiitake mushrooms
a piece of Kombu for dashi cut in half
mushroom soy sauce or tamari to taste
1 piece of lemon grass with outer skin removed and mashed a bit with the back of a knife ( to add to crock pot)

Add the oil to your dutch oven and warm up; add the onions and cook until caramelized. This is a very important step because it will add color and flavor to the broth.

Add the garlic and lemon grass and cook until fragrant. Add the water, tamari, sugar, dried mushrooms, and kombu. Now you can add the star anise and cloves but I place 4 star anise and 4 cloves into a tea pouch ( so you'll make 2 pouches) and then add. It makes it easier to get them out later. It'll make sense.

Place the lid on your dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat a bit and allow to simmer for 10 min. Now here is where the magic happens.

Before you strain your broth into the crock pot be sure to dig out one of your spice pouches and the kombu; set aside. Strain the rest of your broth into the crock pot and add the reserved spice pouch, kombu, and the macerated lemon grass. Cook it on low for at least 8 hours. Season to taste with more tamari or mushroom soy sauce as needed.

As far as the garnishes go, the sky's the limit. I personally like to use bean sprouts, chopped tofu, carrots, green onions, sliced bok choy, sliced jalapenos, sliced cabbage, cilantro leaves, rice noodles, and Thai basil of course. You place your garnishes into your bowl and then top with the hot broth. Add some Sriracha and you're in business. This is super healthy and delicious comfort food that you'll crave throughout the winter.

What to do with your CSA part 7

2010-07-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Greek style Quinoa

Although date night was extraordinarily fun last night the food was heavy and I woke up feeling blah. I wanted to make us a healthy and delicious lunch. As I was flipping through my latest Saveur issue (Aug/ Sept 2010; the Greek issue) I came across Ladolemono, which is the Greek version of a lemon sauce. With this sauce as inspiration I created a delicious meal packed with protein and delicious Greek flavor.

Greek Style Quinoa
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 eggplant ( from my garden) diced
8 baby carrots, diced
1 cucumber (from my garden) peeled, seeded, and diced
kalamata olives, handful which were quartered
8 oz feta cheese, divided
mint leaves cut into ribbons
2 c of quinoa, rinsed under water
4 c of homemade vege broth
Ladolemono sauce ( recipe follows)

After rinsing the quinoa under water for about 1 min I placed into a saucepan with the broth. I covered and brought to a boil on med-high heat. Once it came to a boil, I lowered the heat to low and allowed it cook.

While the quinoa is cooking place your butternut squash, eggplant, and carrots into a pan with warm oil over med- high heat until the veges are browned and cooked through. Remove from heat.

Once the quinoa is done cooking place it into a bowl. Add the cooked veges, cucumber, olives, and 4 oz of the feta, crumbled. Add 1/2 of the ladolemono sauce and toss to coat. Place the quinoa on a plate and garnish with some crumbled feta and the mint leaves. Delicious!

Ladolemono sauce
Again, this recipe is from the Saveur Aug/ Sept 2010 issue. Super tart and good.

1/4 c fresh lemon juice ( thanks again Prietos for the lemons although this is the last of them)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Place all of the ingredients into a jar and shake until combined.

What to do with your CSA part 6

2010-07-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Grilled Vege Sandwich

I love the summer veges. They are so good and quite satisfying. I have yet to grow tired of zucchini, summer squash, or eggplant; maybe I'm a weirdo. I thought these sandwiches would make a hearty summer dinner which they did. I've remade these with the same delicious results. Feel free to substitute with any seasonal veges. The pic is a bit yellow because the fluorescent lighting in the kitchen at night is dreadful, sorry.

Grilled Vege Sandwich
1 large eggplant, cut into thin slices
2 large zucchinis cut into medium thick slices
1 large patty pan sliced
baby carrots slice in half
bell peppers, seeded and sliced
onion, sliced
cooked bacon slices (optional)
2 small peaches pitted and sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 small package of blue cheese at room temperature
havarti cheese slices (Costco)
bread ( I prefer sour dough)

I grilled the veges on my electric grill, but feel free to grill outside. Before being placed onto the grill the veges were placed in a large bowl and covered with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I tossed them in the oil and seasonings with my hands until they were well coated. I grilled until the veges were tender but not overly done. Once they are cooked place them in another bowl or platter. Grill the peach slices. I didn't coat the peach slices because I wanted their natural sugars to do the caramelizing and I didn't want them to taste like oil. Once the peaches are done remove from heat and set aside.

Crumble the blue cheese into your stand mixer, and using the paddle mix the cheese until smooth and spreadable. I decided to dice a peach and mix it into the smooth cheese. I had it so I did it but this is not necessary.

Brush olive oil on your bread and place onto grill. Cook for 2 min and flip over. Add the havarti slices and grill until the havarti begins to melt. Place onto a plate. Add the blue cheese onto the non-havarti slice and spread using a spreader. Now you're ready to top.

On the blue cheese side place your grilled peaches. On the havarti side place your grilled veges how you'd like them. Place the peach half onto the havarti half and slice in half. Enjoy!

What to do with your CSA part 5

2010-07-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are a Clark staple during the summer. I love how tasty these are. I will also include the Peanut Sauce recipe that really makes these shine. It's seriously the best sauce I've ever had and now you'll know it too.

Spring Rolls
1 package of spring roll wrappers
fine rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled according to the package instructions
carrots, julienned
cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and julienned
green onions; only use the green parts, julienned
spinach chopped ( I used a custom salad mix that I made at the farmer's market )
cilantro leaves
vege chicken strips ( or real chicken if you prefer )
basil, mint, and purple basil cut into ribbons and mixed in a bowl together
1 bowl of warm water
kitchen towel

Start by soaking the wrapper in the bowl of warm water until softened but still able to keep its shape. I place on plastic cutting board but you can place onto your clean counter top. I take my kitchen towel and dab any excess water on the side that faces up. Now you're ready to fill.

Start with your carrots and cucumber. Don't put too much and be sure to place on the side closest to you.

Add the spinach (salad mix) and green onions.

Add the cilantro leaves, the basil - mint mixture, and top with a piece of soy chicken.

Add the rice noodles and roll it up like a burrito; tucking in the sides as you roll. Be sure to place it seam down if you plan on cutting it. Use a sharp knife and just press down onto the spring roll. Place the roll onto a platter or plate. Repeat until you have the desired amount of rolls. Dip your roll into the peanut sauce before enjoying.

Hoisin-Peanut Dipping Sauce
I found this recipe in Cooks Illustrated. I love this sauce

1/4 c hoisin sauce
1/4 c creamy peanut butter ( I use and prefer the extra chunky)
1/4 c water, plus extra as needed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Sriracha
2 tsp vege oil
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Place the vege oil into a pan over med heat. Once warm, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.

What to do with your CSA part 4

2010-07-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Empanadas

Because I had plenty of left overs from the tostadas I decided to make empanadas with them. These are great because they are easy to make and you can freeze them to cook on another day. I should have taken pictures of the steps, but I am going to go ahead and assume that you can read and follow directions. As far as the fillings are concerned, the sky's the limit. I also made some with chopped peaches tossed with homemade jam but didn't take pictures of them so didn't include. Be creative!

Empanada Dough
I actually like to use a dough recipe from Cook's Illustrated for this. It's easy to make with few ingredients.

18.75 oz of AP flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes and frozen for 10 min
1 1/4 c ice water
Filling of your choice, chilled
1 large beaten egg

In your food processor process the flour, sugar, and salt together until combined. Scatter the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter resembles coarse crumbs, about 16 pulses.

Add some of the water and process; keep adding water and continue processing until the dough comes together. Place in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To make empanadas: Flour your counter or work space slightly. I like to keep the dough in the fridge and only work with one small piece at a time. Pinch a piece of dough and roll out to 1/8" thick circle. Place the filling into the half closest to you but don't overfill. Add some water using your finger around the edges of the circle and bring the other half towards you until you form a half moon. Use a fork to crimp the edges and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet until it's filled ( usually 6 to 8 empanadas). Place in the fridge for 30 min and preheat your oven or place into your freezer and freeze for at least 8 hours then place into a Ziploc bag.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (have it preheat while empanadas are in the fridge) for at least 30 min. Brush the empanadas with the beaten egg and cook for about 25 min switching and rotating your tray half way in between, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

What to do with your CSA part 3

2010-07-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

Tostadas

These yummy tostadas were full of summer veggie deliciousness and most importantly topped with grilled halloumi cheese. They were simply marvelous. Our tostadas were layered (in order) as such: beans, Mexican rice, meat and veges, fresh salsa, and grilled Halloumi cheese. I also should mention that I chose to fry small flour tortillas instead of the standard corn tortilla.

Beans: I just used organic re fried beans because they were in the pantry and it saved me from having to make them from scratch.

Mexican rice: 1 onion diced, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 cups of long grain white rice, 1 can of organic tomato paste, 4 c water and salt to taste. Cook the onion in pan until transparent over medium high heat, then add garlic and rice and cook until the rice starts to brown a bit. Add the tomato paste and water then season to taste. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for about 20 min or until liquid is evaporated.

Meat and Veges: 1 large patty pan diced (from our garden), 2 zucchinis diced, 1 large eggplant diced, 8 baby carrots diced, 4 yukon gold potatoes diced and pre-cooked, 1 x 12oz bag of morning star meal starters / crumbles, home made chili powder. Cook the patty pan, zucchinis, egg plant, and carrots in pan with olive oil and salt until cooked but still crunchy. Put in bowl and set aside. Add the crumbles and cook in pan with olive oil until defrosted and cooked. Add the cooked potatoes season with salt and add the chili powder to taste. Add to the bowl of veges and stir to combine. Set aside.

Fresh Salsa: 1 white onion diced, 2 jalapenos finely minced, 1 bunch of cilantro chopped (store bought), 4 to 5 early girl tomatoes diced, 2 nectarines diced (or other seasonal KMK fruit), the juice of 1 lemon, and salt to taste. Combine all of the ingredients and season to taste.

Grilled Halloumi cheese: I bought this amazing Greek cheese at Pita Kabob, but look for it at your favorite Mediterranean market. I preheated my electric grill to med, sliced the cheese, drizzled it with olive oil, and grilled each slice for about 2 min per side. You'll get a nice crust on this slightly salty and creamy cheese. Absolute heaven.

Enjoy!

What to do with your CSA part 2

2010-07-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

Muffins

Muffins are a great way of using the fruit that you get in your CSA. I've chosen the Lemon Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins because I used the corn from the box to make my own cornmeal, and I've chosen the Gingered Bran Fruit Muffins because I used CSA fruit. These are both delicious for breakfast or dessert. We had ours with homemade Mochas too which was super yummy. You can candy your citrus peels, dehydrate your fruit to extend the life of it, and make your own cornmeal. Once you have these things made you can enjoy them past the season through out the year.

Lemon Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins
These are essentially the cornmeal dessert that I posted not too long ago but instead of using the blueberry sauce, I opted to include the blueberries into the batter instead.

glaze
1 1/2 c (packed) powdered sugar
3 TBSP fresh lemon juice (you may need more)
candied lemon peel (optional)

muffins
1 1/2 c AP flour
1/3 c homemade corn meal
3/4 c sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
2 large eggs beaten lightly
2 large lemons zested
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter melted and cooled

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray or butter your 12 count muffin / cupcake pan and set aside.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and frozen blueberries in a bowl and set aside. Combine the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and butter in a bowl. Add to the flour mixture and fold until just combined; DO NOT OVER MIX.

Spoon the batter in prepared muffin pan and bake in oven for 20 to 25 min or until golden brown and a toothpick placed in center comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack for 5 min and remove the muffins.

Combine the glaze ingredients and add more lemon juice if too thick. Top the muffins with the glaze and add the candied lemon peel before the glaze sets.

Gingered Bran Fruit Muffins
This is actually a revised version of a recipe that I found in my mom's Better Homes and Gardens. I like that this recipe is simple and that you can use whatever fruit is in season. It also lends itself to fresh or dehydrated fruit.

2 c AP flour
1 c packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c whole bran cereal
1 1/2 c whole raw milk
1 1/2 c chopped fresh or dehydrated fruit (seasonal fruit is always best; I used dehydrated KMK apricots)
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 Tbsp canola oil

Topping
2 Tbsp almonds
candied lemon peels, diced
candied ginger, diced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray or butter your 12 count muffin / cupcake pan and set aside.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt in a bowl, make a well in the middle, and set aside.

Combine the cereal and milk in a bowl and allow to sit 5 min. Add the apricots ( or fruit of choice), eggs, and oil and stir to combine. Add to the well of flour mixture and fold to combine. Again, do not over mix.

Spoon mixture into your muffin pan and top with the almonds, lemon peels, and candied ginger. Bake in the oven for 20 min or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Homemade Mochas
Fresh brewed coffee
Cocoa powder (Dutch processed preferred)
Raw milk

Place 1 Tbsp of the cocoa powder on the bottom of your coffee cup. Top with coffee and fill cup half way. Stir to combine. Top with the milk and once again stir.

Enjoy!

What to do with your CSA part 1

2010-07-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yellow Gazpacho with Fresh Relish

I get asked what do I do with my CSA, so in an effort to answer that I've decided to blog for a week with the meals that we make from our box. I really enjoy being part of The Farmer's Daughter CSA because I know my farmers, the food that I get is top notch and organic, and it allows me to be really creative in the kitchen. All of the ingredients are organic unless otherwise noted. This lovely soup was both our lunch and dinner which I served with sour dough havarti cheese toast.

Fresh Relish (Casa Clark original recipe)

2 early girl tomatoes, diced

2 carrots finely chopped

purple basil leaves, cut into ribbons

mint leaves, cut into ribbons

Kingsburg gold tomatoes, halved

diced red onion (this onion also goes into the gazpacho so don't use too much)

extra virgin olive oil

salt

I placed all of the ingredients into a bowl, swirled with some extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned with salt to taste. I didn't give you exact amounts because I didn't measure and just threw it all in. You'll figure it out.

Yellow Gazpacho (Casa Clark original recipe)

I used what I had in the box and left overs from last week's box to make this. I weighed the ingredients and am providing you with exact measurements of what went into the soup. The pic is of the vege landscape before they were blended into creamy and refreshing goodness.

2 lb 3.5 oz of Carolina gold heirloom tomatoes, quartered

1 lb 3.5 oz purple bells, sliced

1 lb cucumbers (these were store bought)

1 red onion diced (the onion used in the relish; I hadn't used too much of it so threw it in)

2 cloves of garlic quartered

8 oz baby carrots

1 lb tomatillos husked, washed, and halved or quartered

9.2 oz apricots (weight with pits inside) pitted and halved

1 Tbsp sherry vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

water

I used my blender for this because I have one that is awesome, but feel free to use a food processor.

I blended in batches and once I placed some of the veges into the blender I added a bit of olive oil and a splash of water to make the veges easier to blend. Once they're blended pour them into a sieve over a bowl. Fold the vege pulp until no more juice is extracted, repeat with the rest of the veges. On your last batch be sure to blend for a full minute and just incorporate into the soup without straining. Mix to combine. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and season to taste. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Place into bowls and top with the relish. Enjoy!

Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze and Crushed-Blueberry Sauce

2010-06-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

I made this DELICIOUS cake for our Dad's on Fathers Day and wanted to put it on the blog because it was so very good. I also made a corn ice cream to go with it, which complemented the cake beautifully. Cake from Bon Appetit April 2009 and the ice cream is a Casa Clark original.

Glaze
1 1/2 c (packed) powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp (or more) fresh lemon juice

Cake
1 1/2 c AP flour
1/3 c yellow cornmeal (I used my homemade cornmeal)
3/4 c sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large lemons zested
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Crushed - Blueberry Sauce

Line the bottom of a 9" cake pan with parchment paper and butter. Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk, eggs, zest, vanilla, and butter in a bowl and add to the flour mixture. Don't mix together, but just gently fold the liquid into the dry ingredients and stop once everything is moist.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 min or until sides pull away a bit.
Make the glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. If it is too thick add more lemon juice to achieve the consistency you want.

Immediately run knife around edges, place cooling rack on top, and with oven mitts on invert the cake onto the rack. Add the glaze and spread to within 1/2" of the edge. Cool Completely. Top with Blueberry Sauce when served.

Crushed Blueberry Sauce
3 c fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed, and divided in half
2/3 c golden brown sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 large lemon zested

Combine 1 1/2 c of blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a sauce pan on cook over med heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to med - low and continue cooking until the berries are very soft and liquid is syrupy, stirring often, about 7 min. Remove from heat; add remaining blueberries. Using the back of a spoon gently press the blueberries onto the side of the pan and crush. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Corn Ice Cream (Casa Clark original recipe)

1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 1/2 c raw milk
1 c sugar
4 ears of sweet corn, kernels removed, and pulped (scrape with the back of knife once the kernels have been removed)
12 egg yolks
1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Bring the cream, milk, sugar, and corn to a simmer in a pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in stand mixer on medium speed for 4 min. Temper the eggs with 1/3 of the milk mixture and add to the pot. Continue cooking until thickened. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap (directly on the custard), and place in ice bath. Cool completely. Once cooled add the nutmeg and vanilla and follow manufacturers instructions on your ice cream maker. Freeze at least 4 hours and enjoy.

Wheat and Oat Pancakes

2010-06-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

The kids didn't have school today, so Chloe and Gabe had these for breakfast. They loved them. Why use a mix when it's so easy to make at home. A Vege Times Magazine delight. Enjoy!

3/4 c quick cooking oats (old fashioned ok too)
1 1/2 c + 2 Tbsp well shaken buttermilk, divided (3/4 c batches)
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

bananas or other fresh fruit for garnish.

Soak oats in 3/4 c buttermilk for 10 mins (if using old fashioned soak for 15).

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

Stir egg, butter, brown sugar, remaining 3/4 c + 2 Tbsp buttermilk, and oat mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.

Heat griddle to 275 and lightly brush with melted butter. Working in batches pour batter onto griddle and cook until browned and cooked through.

Bon appetit.

Garden News

2010-06-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

I had to get out of the house this morning after my disastrous and traumatic first bout on Foodie Fights. Although the Garden is not big and is not located in one specific spot, it felt good to feed the plants and see what new and exciting food is growing in our back yard. So far it's been going well and for next year we plan on removing those large decorative rocks and making some raised beds. Some of the lovely things that I saw and that made me feel better are:

Our first broccoli is coming out. Now, I went into this without actually knowing if broccoli is a good summer crop. If you have any input please share. I am sure that I'll have to keep an eye on it to ensure that it doesn't bolt.

The Black Russian Heirlooms are flowering. I never actually buy the seeds for these guys, just buy the tomatoes at the Farmer's Market, cut it in half, squeeze out the pulp onto a sieve, clean everything out except the seeds, dry them in the sun, and plant. It's awesome. I hope that I am able to do that from my own crop.

This year we have 15 different Heirloom tomatoes, squash, peas, broccoli, cantaloupe, peppers, sun flowers, radishes, chard, kale, and carrots. Although it sounds like a lot, it's in such small quantities that I doubt it'll make a dent on our KMK budget. Regardless, it's been a fun experience for the family and I; especially today, also a nice escape from my thoughts.

Braised Dandelion and Parmesan Ice Cream - Oh my!

2010-06-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

I want to start off by saying that I apologize that mine is not a true "foodie" blog, yet. My blog was started so that my 10 year old daughter would have a place to go to find the recipes of dishes that mom makes and that she loves. I've posted recipes from others that have been tried and successful. Although I am a good cook, I've never taken the time or made the effort to write down how I make a meal on the fly. This lack of motivation has made it impossible for me to replicate exactly the truly yummy food I make. This challenge made me do just that. I am hoping to better chronicle my culinary adventures moving forward and making this blog truly my own.

Having said that....let's move onto my first Foodie Fights entry.

After seeing the ingredients I instantly thought Italian and then came to realization that the other fighters might have too. All I knew was that I wanted to grill, that I would be making this meal for my book club, and that I wanted to make it as seasonal as possible. Then it hit me, arepas (Central American corn cakes)! Once that decision was made everything else fell into place. The meal that I present for your consideration is grilled arepas with braised dandelion greens and Parmesan sauce, green salad (which did include dandelion greens), and Parmesan ice cream with sweet dandelion and mint pesto.

A special Thank you to our CSA, The Farmer's Daughter, of KMK Farms for providing me with the last of the dandelion greens this season. I truly love you guys and the extraordinary organic nourishment you provide my family and I. Ethan, thank you for thinking that this might be a fun outlet for me and making me aware of this site. Finally, to the lovely ladies that I call friends, you were all such good sports about this. Thanks for stimulating conversation and debate, for good wine, and delicious food. Long live the Superlatives!

Go to Foodie Fights and vote for Casa Clark!

Grilled Arepas (Casa Clark original recipe)

These sweet little cakes were a nice counter point to the bitter greens. They get a nice crust and are still delicately soft on the inside.

2 c fresh sweet corn kernels
3/4 c heated water
1 3/4 c instant corn masa
1/2 c homemade sweet corn meal
2 tsp sour cream
2 oz grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter

Process the kernels. Then add the water, sour cream, and butter and process to combine. Place masa and corn meal into bowl and add the kernel mixture and Parmesan. Combine with your hands and form into a ball. Separate into 16 pieces and place on rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Get your grill ready. Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand and spray with grilling spray. Grill each arepa 3 min per side. Cool to room temp. Enjoy.

Braised Dandelion with cranberries (Casa Clark original recipe)

I really wanted to play with sweet to help counter balance the bitter. This was REALLY good and when tasted alone reminded R and I of a slow simmered tomato sauce.

2 large yellow onions
4 garlic cloves, pressed
8.1 oz of dandelion greens (I only used the tender top and discarded the bottom stems)
2.9 oz of sorrel, stemmed
1/2 c cranberries
1 large lemon juiced
2 c white wine (we used Chardonnay)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 c of sugar

I stated by cooking the onions in a Dutch oven until they were caramelized over med heat. I then added the garlic and cooked for about 1 min or so. Added the greens and salted a bit; I stirred until they began to wilt. I added the rest of the ingredients and let it cook for 10 to 15 min until the wine had reduced and made a sauce.

Parmesan cheese sauce (Casa Clark original recipe)

This sauce has a whooping Parmesan punch. It went well with the sweet pillowy arepas and the sweet and savory braised greens.

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp AP flour
pinch of salt
some grinds of fresh pepper
1 1/2 c raw milk
8 oz of grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan over med heat melt the butter and add the flour. Whisk and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk while whisking and continue to cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and add Parmesan. Continue whisking until combined and melted. If not using immediately cover the sauce with some plastic wrap directly onto the sauce so it doesn't get a"skin" on it.

Green Salad with dandelion greens
I just made a very simple salad with a salad mix from my favorite CSA and augmented it with some arugula and dandelion. I topped my salad with a homemade lemon dressing, tomatoes, pine nuts, and some Ricotta salata. I know, I know. I should have probably used Parmesan but at the time this sounded better.

Parmesan Ice Cream (Casa Clark original recipe)

This is the recipe that some of the ladies wanted, so here it is. Easy custard based ice cream that is easy to make and even easier to eat. I've gotten into the habit of saving the rinds of our Parmesan in the freezer so that I can make minestrone but they work for ice cream too.

12 egg yolks
3 c raw cream
3 c raw milk
1 c sugar
large pinch of salt
7 oz of Parmesan rinds
2 Tbsp Lemon cello
1/4 tsp of fresh grated nutmeg

Place the yolks in stand mixer

In a pot bring the milk, cream, sugar, salt, and Parmesan rinds to a simmer over medium heat. While the milk in warming beat the yolks on med speed in your stand mixer for 4 min. Once the milk mixture has simmered remove the rinds with tongs and discard the rinds. Add 1/4 of the warmed milk into the bowl of mixer and temper the yolks. Stir the yolks a bit and then slowly return to the pot. Continue heating and stirring until is is thickened.

Once thickened, strain the custard into a clean bowl with a fine mesh sieve, place plastic wrap directly onto the custard, and place into an ice bath. Allow to cool completely ( I usually do this the day before and place the custard into the fridge overnight).

Set up your ice cream maker and before adding the custard to it, add the lemon cello and nutmeg. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and place into freezer for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!

Sweet Dandelion and Mint pesto (Casa Clark original recipe)

This "pesto" was soooooo good. It was just enough to make the dessert come together. It is sweet but not too much.

1/4 c simple syrup ( I like to use the ratio of 1 c sugar to 1 c water)
2/3 c of loosely packed dandelion, rimmed
1/3 c of loosely packed mint
the zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 of a large lemon juiced
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted and cooled
1/4 c pecan halves, toasted and cooled

Combine all of the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor or blender and process until it is smooth.

Chloe's Birthday Granola

2010-03-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

Per request I am posting the granola recipe that I used for Chloe's party. It was super good and I noted where I made some substitutions. It also made DELICIOUS cereal the next morning.

Granola (Ala Alton Brown)

3 c rolled oats (we used organic of course)
1 c slivered almonds (didn't have so I didn't use)
1 c cashews ( I used 2 c since I didn't add the almonds)
3/4 c shredded sweet coconut
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp real maple syrup
1/4 c vegetable oil ( I used canola but you could use a light olive oil)
3/4 tsp salt
1 c raisins ( I like to use craisins instead. I used 1/2 c strawberry craisins and 1/2 c cherry craisins but regular craisins would work too.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 min, stirring every 15 min to achieve an even color.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Add the raisins (craisins) and mix until evenly distributed.

We made the paper

2010-03-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

I sound like a total idiot, but made the paper anyway. I am not the best interviewee. I wish I had the chance to write an essay about the marvels of raw milk. Perhaps, at a later date.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20100310/LIFESTYLE/3100310/1024/Local-debate-about-raw-milk-runs-deep

Fenugreek Fan

2010-03-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

When I went to pick up my box this Saturday from Kyle (KMK Farms Kingsburg CA) he suggested that I try fenugreek, which is an herb that I have never heard of. After reading up about it online I know that it's great for nursing moms, improves digestion, helps with inflammation, and most importantly is used in Indian cuisine (thanks for that info Kyle). I decided to make an Indian inspired dinner thinking that R would return from the Bay tonight, but no hubby yet. Since C and I are fairly early eaters, we had this for dinner.

The recipe that inspired the dinner came from this blog and is called Alu Methi.
www.chittiskitchen.blogspot.com

I try to be a little more creative in the kitchen when R is gone for two reasons: 1.) I've already convinced my husband that I'm a good cook and 2.) C is not all that convinced. The recipe was easy but I tweaked it by adding cumin seeds to hot oil as well as a bit of curry. I would have gone hog wild with the seasoning, but C is not a huge fan of spice. I also decided that I should practice my naan making skills and added the fenugreek to the naan as well.

Fenugreek seeds are actually used in most curry powders so the flavor is vaguely familiar and yet distinct. It was a bit overwhelming in the potatoes, so to compete with it, I wilted some kale, chard, and sorrel with some garlic and olive oil and showered them in some fresh lemon juice. The pairing was lovely.

The fenugreek shined in the naan. It helped give the naan a bit of smoky flavor that the authentic naan has, without being overpowering. I used Peter Reinhart's Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for serious Bread Bakers naan recipe with amazing results. It was very reminiscent of Indian, but because it lacked some of the spice, could be improved upon. C and I ate well tonight.

TED Talks with Jaime Oliver

2010-03-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

Jaime Oliver doing a TED talk about the importance of teaching our kids about REAL food. Thanks Kristi.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

Breakfast Pizza

2010-02-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

Last night I made a pasta with broccoli raab and great northern beans, and thought that I would make a pizza with some of the left overs. This lovely breakfast pizza has vitamins K, A, C, D, E, manganese, vitamins B6 and B12, dietary fiber, folate, potassium, iron, and iodine just to name a few.

I made my pizza dough with bread dough actually and shaped it into a rectangle. I then topped it with olive oil, mashed beans with rosemary and thyme (for the sauce), some kale and beet greens, fresh mozzarella, potatoes and an over easy egg. I decided not to cook the egg with the pizza because I don't like my eggs overcooked and prefer them to be creamy.

I like my crust with some color but I still want it to be on the chewy side, so I have a trick for accomplishing that which I reveal after Thursdays' dinner at the Duttons.

The egg just made it a homerun. Super good and easy to do when you have awesome ingredients.

Can you believe this?

2010-02-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

Since we made the decision a year ago to do our best to eat local organic and sustainable food, we've been eating better than ever. We've been doing a CSA (community supported agriculture) for over a year and have fallen in love with the idea of buying directly from our local farmers and eating seasonally. We recently changed CSA's and wanted to share the good news.

Let me start by saying that I have a personal bias anyway towards KMK farm in Kingsburg CA. Kyle and his family remind me of this famous Thomas Jefferson quote: " Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God, whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virture." If you ever get the opportunity to tour KMK farm you'll know what I mean. The respect and love of the earth and for the food it bears is overwhelmingly present in all who work to provide my family and others with soul nourishing delights. So when I heard that Kristi was starting their CSA I knew that I wanted to be part of it.

I love this CSA because I get to choose what we get in it. For our first box we ordered: baby lettuce heads, broccoli raab, fennel, parsley, dill, kale, romanesco cauliflower, swiss chard, stir fry mix, sorrel, thyme, watermelon radish and two dozen eggs. I was so elated when I saw the box that I couldn't stop smiling. Look at what we got! Insane. We made a frittata for breakfast with the chard and some scallions that I bought this morning from Kyle and I plan on a big salad for dinner. I highly recommend that you contact Kristi at: thefarmersdaughter.csa@gmail.com and sign up. You'll be all smiles too.

Spicy Tofu Bento Bowl

2009-11-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

Made this tonight for our weekly vegetarian dinner and it was so delicious I had to share. Vegetarian Times Magazine.

Spicy Tofu:
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c chile-garlic sauce
2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
14 oz extra firm tofu ( I cubed it and let it drain on kitchen towel all day)
5 green onions, finely choppped
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 Tbs. lemon juice

Salad:
1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger ( I opted to grate vs. mince)
1 tsp. chile garlic sauce
cooked brown rice
mixed baby greens
carrot (optional)
cucumber, seeded and choppped (optional)
avocado, peeled and sliced (optional)
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Spicy Tofu: Whisk together the soy sauce, chile, and sesame oil in bowl. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip tofu in soy sauce mixture and place into oil. Fry until nice and golden brown. Cool the tofu.
Mix the onions, yogurt, and lemon juice in remaining soy-chile mixture. Toss with tofu.

Make Salad: Whisk the soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, and chile sauce in bowl or mason jar.
Place dressing on bottom of bowl.
Mound the rice on top.
Top with greens.
Shave carrot strips over top with peeler. (optional)
Top with tofu.
Top with cucumber and avocado. (optional)
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. (optional)

Enjoy!

My bread

2009-11-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous bread was made using the book My bread by Jim Lahey with Rick Flaste. Lahey is the founder of the Sullivan Street Bakery in New York.

Of all of the methods for cooking bread, I have to say that Lahey has turned me into a dutch oven believer. The crust is bubbly and chewy, and the crumb is custardy and moist which is a nice contrast to the crust. I love bread.

Thanks for starting me on this path Ethan. I love it and hate how much I do.

Homework assignment #3

2009-11-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

Finally completed my homework for the Seasonal Table. Love this class and will be sad when I won't be able to sign up for it. Maybe I'll sign up using Ryan's info? I decided to make pizza, cake, and frosting from the book for vege Wednesdays and to celebrate Erica's birthday. I decided not to post the recipes, but instead just tell you what pages they can be found in and what we all thought of it. The picture used was actually the cake with some mascarpone - espresso filling, vanilla ice cream, and a homemade marshmallow "ghoul."

Pizza dough page 60
Chocolate cake page 370 - 371
Simple frosting page 386

Artisan Bread

2009-10-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

I bought a new bread book entitled Artisan Baking by Maggie Glezer. I love this book. It's a little more work than the bread from 5 minutes a day but really tasty. I've made some focaccia and a boule so far, and have started my sourdough starter without yeast, thank you very much, with her help. A great buy.

Fresh - Pickled Vegetables / Assignment # 2

2009-10-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy pickles, so when I saw this I thought I would give it a try. This is assignment # 2 for Seasonal Table. Please read the comments to see what other people thought.

1 1/2 c white wine vinegar
1 3/4 c water
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 bay leaf
4 thyme sprigs
Half a dried cayenne pepper or a pinch of dried chile flakes
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 whole cloves
1 garlic clove peeled and cut in half
A big pinch of salt

Bring the brine to a boil in a non-reactive sauce pan. Add the veges that you would like to pickle into the brine and cook until they are done but still crunchy.

* I actually decided to pickle some green beans and squash. I steamed the green beans for 2 min and placed them in an ice bath for 2 min. I prepped the squash by placing it in a colander with some salt for 1 hour then added it to the jar. *

Pappardelle with Mushroom Ragu sauce / Assignment #1

2009-09-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe from Alice Waters' cookbook The Art of Simple food. I really admire what Ms. Waters has done to revolutionize the way Americans think about food, however, I would not recommend this cookbook to others. I don't like the format she uses to write her recipes and find that some of the recipes I've made from the book are bland and uninspired. You definitely have to know your way around the kitchen to "doctor" some of them up. Having said that I made this meal because it is homework for my cooking class, the Seasonal Table at COS with Debb Campbell.

I made this for our vegetarian Wednesday feast with the usual suspects and asked that they give their honest feedback on the dinner. I served the pappardelle with a homemade European peasant loaf, a simple green salad, some of Ethan's amazing homemade beer, and some cab sav. For dessert I made a pear sherbert. I did my best to not modify the recipes but when I did I make note. Please read the comments to see what everyone thought.

Fresh Pasta page 89

2 C flour (I assumed all purpose since she didn't specify)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

In a bowl add the measured flour. Make a well and pour in the eggs. Mix with a fork, as though scrambling eggs, incorporating the flour bit by bit. When the flour becomes too stiff to mix with fork, finish the mixing by hand. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Let rest at least an hour before serving.
* I kneaded the dough about 10 min even though she did not mention this. I've played buffet before, sort of speak, and KNOW that pasta has to be kneaded a while to make it pliable enough to pass through the pasta machine.*

Roll out by hand our by using a machine. Go to pappardelle section for further instructions.
*I actually just put the noodles into my dehydrator at 150 degrees for about 3 hours. I like a pasta with some bite and not so gummy.*

Mushroom Ragu sauce page 228

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced fine
1 large carrot, peeled and diced fine
2 celery stalks, diced fine
salt
6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked from the stems
6 parsley sprigs, leaves only, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 c diced tomatoes
2 Lbs mushrooms ( choose a mixture of 2 or 3 types such as chantrelles, black trumpets, hedgehogs, brown or white button)
Olive oil and a little butter
1/2 c cream or creme fraiche
1 c water or chicken broth

In a large, heavy skillet heat the 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. Cook over medium heat, until very tender. When cooked through, with no crunch but with little or no browning add the thyme, pasley, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 min. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 min. Set aside.

Carefully clean and slice the mushrooms. If the mushrooms are very dirty, it may be necessary to wash them. Prepare a skillet and cook each mushroom type of mushroom individually. As they cook, the mushrooms will give off liquid; let the juices boil away or tip of the juices and set them aside. Cook mushrooms until they are lightly browned. Turn the mushrooms over onto a cutting board and chop to the size of the cooked veges.

Combine the vege mix and mushrooms in a skillet and add the cream and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 min. Taste for salt and add as needed. Moisten with more liquid if too thick.

*I used dried mushrooms that I ordered through Oregon mushrooms. http://oregonmushrooms.rtrk.com/?scid=406053&kw=3733917
I reconstituted the chantrelle, black trumpet, and hedgehog mushrooms by adding 1 c of boiling water to 1 oz of dried mushrooms. I weighed the mushrooms to be sure everything was accurate. I kept them separate and put each in the fridge overnight. I saved the soaking liquid and substituted the broth with it, which gave the sauce a really intense mushroom flavor. I also added fresh criminis to make the 2 lbs. I chopped the mushrooms fine before I cooked them, so that saved me a step.*

Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce pages 266-267

1 recipe Fresh Pasta
2 to 3 oz Parmesan grated (about 1/2 c)
2 c Bolognese Sauce (sub was Mushroom Ragu as recommended in book)
2 to 3 Tbsp butter ( I used unsalted)
salt
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Cut pasta into 3/4" wide noodles. Toss the noodles with extra flour and lay them out on plate or baking sheet, cover them with a towel, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small saucepan warm the Mushroom Ragu sauce.

Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 3 or 4 min, until al dente. While the noodles are cooking, melt the butter in a large saute pan. Turn off the heat. Drain the noodles, reserving a small amount of the hot pasta water. Put the noodles into the warm pan with the butter and toss with two thirds of the parmesan and some salt.

Moisten with a bit of pasta water if needed. Divide the noodles among 4 pasta bowls or place on a warm platter. Spoon the sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the parsley. Serve immediately.

Pear Sherbert page 375

6 to 8 ripe pears (about 3 lbs)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 egg white

Place the lemon juice and 1 Tbsp of sugar in a bowl. Working with one pear at a time peel, quarter and core the pear; place into bowl and toss with lemon and sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining pears.

Add the remaining sugar and egg white to the pears. Puree the mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and correct the seasoning with lemon juice or sugar. You should be able to taste both sweet and tart. Freeze right away in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
* I did not add the 1/3 c sugar because one of my guests is sensitive to sugar. Instead I added 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar to egg white to help stabilize it. I blended these two together first before adding the pears, and then I proceeded with the recipe.*

Assignment #1 done. :)

Five minutes a day

2009-09-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

I love the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day; The discovery that revolutionizes home baking by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois; I've been making delicious bread with this book. Ethan's advice was invaluable too and I truly appreciate his input. From beautiful and delicious bread to pizza, there is nothing you won't love from this book. The pics are of the European peasant dough in bread form and pizza form. Absolutely fabulous.

Vegan Indian Dosas

2009-09-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ethan hipped to the Daring Kitchen and I've wanted to do it for a very long time. The problem is that it's hard for me to navigate their website and to get organized enough to actually log in when I'm supposed to. I still want to become a better cook and baker, so I will make the recipes once they've been archived, while still respecting their posting rules. This way I get to challenge myself without being forced to make things I don't want, and having to revolve my life around their dates.

This was really good and fairly easy to make, although the recipe looks intimidating. We used the left over sauce the very next night, put some sauteed veges in it and had a delicious dinner again.

This recipe comes in 3 parts, the dosas, the filling, and the sauce. It does take awhile to make, but the filling and sauce can be made ahead and frozen if need be. You can serve them as a main course with rice and veggies, or as an appetizer. This does take a little planning ahead, so make sure you read the recipe through before starting.

Serves 4
Equipment needed:
large bowl
whisk
griddle or skillet
ladle (or large spoon)
spatula
vegetable peeler &/or knife
large saucepan
food processor or bean masher

Dosa Pancakes
1 cup (120gm/8oz) spelt flour (or all-purpose, gluten free flour)
½ tsp (2½ gm) salt
½ tsp (2½ gm) baking powder
½ tsp (2½ gm) curry powder
½ cup (125ml/4oz) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
¾ cup (175ml/6oz) water
cooking spray, if needed

Dosa Filling
1 batch Curried Garbanzo Filling (see below), heated
Dosa Toppings
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
¼ cup (125gm) grated coconut
¼ cucumber, sliced
Dosa Pancakes

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.
3. Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes.

Curried Garbanzo Filling
This filling works great as a rice bowl topping or as a wrap too, so don't be afraid to make a full batch.
5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (red, yellow or orange are fine too)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced ( I used seeded jalapenos here instead)
2 TBSP (16gm) cumin, ground
1 TBSP (8gm) oregano
1 TBSP (8gm) sea salt (coarse)
1 TBSP (8gm) turmeric
4 cups (850gm/30oz) cooked or canned chick peas (about 2 cans)
½ cup (125gm/4oz) tomato paste

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Mash the chickpeas by hand, or in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.

Coconut Curry Sauce
This makes a great sauce to just pour over rice as well. This does freeze well, but the texture will be a little different. The flavor is still the same though.
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ (2½ gm) tsp cumin, ground
¾ (3¾ gm) tsp sea salt (coarse)
3 TBSP (30gm) curry powder
3 TBSP (30gm) spelt flour (or all-purpose GF flour)
3 cups (750ml/24oz) vegetable broth
2 cups (500ml/24oz) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the spices, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
3. Gradually stir in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.
4. Let it simmer for half an hour.

Tres Leches Cake

2009-09-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Made this for my dad's birthday. We had him over for lunch and birthday cake. I love tres leches cake and this is truly the most ridiculous version. It's out of this world. From Sunset May 2007. Will definitely be making when brothers visit for Thanksgiving.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611627

Blue Cheese Dressing

2009-09-07T14:26:00.001-07:00

I wanted to blog this just in case I lost the recipe. It was great on a salad, but I suppose would also be great with buffalo wings. In any case.....

1 Tbsp hot bacon fat (I omitted this for R)
1/2 c sour cream
3 Tbsp whole milk
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 scallion, chopped
2/3 c crumbled blue cheese

Whisk bacon fat, sour cream, milk, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stir in the scallion and the blue cheese. Thin with additional milk if desired.

Home made Feta II

2009-09-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, here is the recipe for homemade feta. Although I had originally wanted to do a taste and texture comparison between raw and conventional milk, I decided that I didn't need to know. I love that we use raw milk and the cheese was superb. The salty and briny flavor of this feta is balanced by the silky texture of the cheese. It's quite wonderful. The nice thing about this recipe is that you use milk vs. goat's milk which keeps the cost down once you've gotten your supplies. Hope you will try it and give me some updates, especially if you're using conventional milk. We'll set up a taste test and see how they are different. As always, only use pasteurized milk not ultra-pasteurized. I would not recommend making cheese with raw milk unless you are 100% confident with your farmer and do not assume any liability should things go south. Enjoy.

http://www.finecooking.com/articles/how-to/make-homemade-cheese-feta.aspx

Also, a link to a great thermometer for accuracy.
http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-9842-Commercial-Waterproof-Thermometer/dp/B00009WE45/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1254777371&sr=8-1

Homemade Feta

2009-08-12T21:33:00.001-07:00

I'll have to try it to make sure that it doesn't kill anyone. Keep you posted. Not made with goat's milk which makes this REALLY cost effective. This first batch was made with raw milk, but I will make some feta with pasteurized milk to see which one has the better texture. I'll let you know, but I suspect the raw milk will win. Check back to see what happens.

Organic Pickled Grapes

2009-08-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

What could be better than sweet and briny goodness?

1 c white balsamic vinegar (Trader Joe's is a great resource)
2/3 c sugar
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp whole allspice berries
1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 c red seedless organic grapes

In a saucepan combine all the ingredients except for grapes. "Cook" until all of the sugar and salt is dissolved.

Meanwhile, place the grapes into a glass container. Pour the vinegar mixture over the top and cover. Refrigerate overnight. Will store up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Quick Pickles

2009-07-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

I really love pickles and made some this weekend with the help of food and wine. They are delicious and very easy to make.

Spicy Dill Quick Pickles

*For each 1 qt jar, use 12 oz of veges*
Before pickling do:
Asparagus - blanch 1 min and cool
Broccoli stems - peel and cut into sticks
Carrots - cut into sticks; blanch 2 min and cool
Cauliflower florets - blanch 1 min and cool
Green beans - steam 2 min and cool
Cucumbers - quarter or thinly slice

*12 oz Veges (see above)*
3 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 c distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
6 large garlic cloves, halved
4 to 6 long red or green hot chilies, halved lengthwise
16 dill sprigs

Pack veges into 2 clean 1 qt glass jars; also add 3 of the cloves to each, 1 Tbsp of the coriander seeds, 8 sprigs of dill, and tuck 2 to 3 of the halved chilies in between the veges. In a separate jar combine the salt, sugar, and vinegar. Shake until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add 2 c water and pour the brine over the veges. Add enough water to keep the veges submerged. Close the jars and refrigerate overnight or for up to 1 month.

Home Made Corn Meal

2009-07-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make homemade corn meal for a while. I thought it would be simple enough and decided to do it without doing any online research. It's easy enough to make using some pretty basic supplies.

I started out by scraping the kernels from about 8 ears. I also scraped the pulp and put them onto my dehydrating trays. I dehydrated the kernels overnight at 105 degrees. The kernels seemed pretty dry so I processed them in the food processor only to find that there was still a lot of moisture. That's when I went online.

So, ideally you should dry the kernels still on the cob. Round 1 goes to the Internet, oops. Then once the kernels are dried it's best to use a grain mill to grind the corn into meal. The grinders are not expensive (I found a nicely reviewed one on Amazon for about $ 30), but I had already started down this path. I decided to continue taking the crazy train.

I lined my dehydrator panel with some parchment paper so I wouldn't lose any kernels and dehydrated them again at 105 degrees overnight again. SUCCESS! I ground the corn once again using my blender this time because it seems to do a better job than the processor. I got a nice meal that I used to make polenta for dinner. It made about 1 and 3/4 c of meal. I could also have used it to make cornbread, but I didn't. I'm still not a super fan of the consistency of polenta, but this polenta was truly delicious and it was really rewarding to know that I was able to do it. I may break down and buy the grain mill (yeah another gadget) knowing that I'll actually use it.

I just wanted to share because it made me feel accomplished. I think I'll just skip to step #2 next time and just start with mashed corn kernels. If you buy the corn I can always make you some meal.

Polenta
1 Tbsp coarse salt
2 bay leaves
1 2/3 c coarse cornmeal (white or yellow; best if homemade)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Put 7 cups of cold water, salt, and bay leaves into a medium heavy bottomed pan. Stir in cornmeal.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then add oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until polenta thickens and pulls away from the bottom and sides of pot, 30 to 40 min. Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaves.

Gadget whore

2009-07-06T07:18:00.001-07:00

Well, as some of you may know I like to dehydrate food. I've dehydrated strawberries, cherries, apples, apricots, and peaches to name a few. Until recently I was using an Aroma brand dehydrator and after that broke I moved onto the Ronco that my mother in law gave me, until of coarse that one failed as well. I went online and researched and found Excalibur dehydrators.

I LOVE IT! Aside from being able to do my fruits I am now able to make jerky (I'm experimenting with tofu jerky as I write), raise bread, make yogurt, and fruit roll ups. It's awesome and the drying time is a fraction of what it was before. For out next book club, since it's Indian themed, I am planning on making curried mango jerky or fruit roll ups. My only complaint is that it is SO BIG. It cannibalizes so much of my counter space.

I was planning on learning how to can and to have a canning party with Ethan, but I think that I just won't go down that road. I've been reading some raw food blogs and they recommend dehydrating at 105 degrees in order to preserve the food and it's nutrients and enzymes. Canning doesn't seem to be in my future any time soon. I'll keep you posted about the dehydrator especially once the tomatoes start making their debut.

Extra sour - sour dough

2009-07-06T07:16:00.001-07:00

I shared the cheese recipe so I thought I would share the bread that we find is a perfect companion. This also makes great cheese toast. I feed my starter every friday, so if you get a container to me by Thursday you could be baking this soon.

1 c "fed" sourdough starter
1 1/2 c lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
5 c all purpose flour

Pour the starter into a large mixing bowl and add the water with 3 c of flour. Beat vigorously. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest at cool room temp. (68 to 70 degrees) for 4 hours.

Then refrigerate overnight, or about 12 hours.

Add the remaining ingredients, kneading to form a smooth, soft dough. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, adn let it rise for about 5 hours.

Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 loaves ( I shape mine into rounds). Place onto a baking sheet, cover, and let it rise till doubled 2 to 3 hours.

Slash the tops and bake in pre-heated oven of 425 degrees for 30 min or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Cheese is Heaven!

2009-07-06T07:14:00.001-07:00

I've been inspired lately (by Ethan mostly) and decided that I would start making our own cheese. So far I've made mozzarella, lemon cheese, and ricotta. Once my cultures and cheese press get here I will be making queso fresco, Gorgonzola, and cheddar among a few. It's really easy and we all love it. I've included the recipe for the easy version, which incidentally enough I made at my cooking class. We love it the best on some homemade sourdough bread with alaea finishing salt and some lemon zest.

Whole Milk Ricotta
1 gallon whole milk ( I use Raw Milk of course. In a pinch I use 1/2 gal raw milk and 1/2 gal whole; also be sure that it is pasteurized and not ultra-pasteurized.
1 tsp citric acid
1/4 c cool water (bottled water not from tap)
1 tsp salt, optional (cheese salt, however I use sel gris)
1-2 tbsp heavy cream (not needed if you are using raw milk, but highly recommended if using regular pasteurized milk.)

Add the citric acid into the water and stir until dissolved. Add this to your pot along with the salt and milk and mix thoroughly.

Heat the milk to 185 - 195 degrees (do not boil) . I have looked at my cheese log and found that I am most satisfied when my milk reaches 190 degrees. Stir often to prevent scorching.

As soon as the curds and whey separate (make sure whey is not milky), turn off the heat and leave undisturbed for 10 min. Be warned that if using Raw milk you won't see the curds until you let it rest, so don't panic.

Line a colander with butter muslin. Carefully ladle the curds into the muslin; once all curds are in tie the corners of muslin in knot and hang the bag to drain for 20 to 30 min (for raw milk ricotta you may need to leave undisturbed for 1 hour or more). The cheese is ready to eat once it is drained. For a creamier consistency, add the cream at the end and mix thoroughly.

Store in a covered container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Enjoy

We're Locavores

2009-07-06T07:13:00.001-07:00

Ryan and I decided to become localvores this year. We are doing our best to get all of our food from the farmers market, a csa, and if we must go to the store, only purchase local products. This will mean a lot of extra work in food preparation, but this is a choice that we're willing to deal with. We are in a csa (community sustained agriculture) co-op and we got our first "box" this last Friday. Although we couldn't eat from it on Friday and Saturday, I did make soup on Sunday with some of the veges, and we're having soup and steamed artichokes for lunch/ dinner tonight. We really love abundant harvest organics and hope that some of you will decide to join. If you would like more information on our decision please visit their website at: www.abundantharvestorganics.com.
We'll let you know how it goes. So far our favorites are the raw milk, raw cream, organic butter, the veges of course, and the organic pistachios. It's a good way to ease some of the strain on the environment and get really nourishing food in our bodies.