Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 26 Oct., 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
Pumpkins, of course, are just one of the many winter squashes. Winter squashes are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, related to both the melon and the cucumber. They were originally cultivated, 10,000 years ago in South America, for their seeds. Now they offer us complex carbohydrates, fiber, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids, omega-3 fats, and a whole alphabet of vitamins. They are said to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic and insulin-regulating properties. Research has suggested that growing winter squash can help remove contaminants from soil, which is good as long as you weren't planning to eat them. The corollary is that this is a good vegetable to buy organic if you do plan to eat it.
In the kitchen
Being a bit pressed for both time and inspiration, I turn once again to good ol' Epicurious for, of course, pumpkin recipes.
Ginger-Pumpkin Muffins
5.5 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
2 tablespoons brandy
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooked pumpkin puree (or canned solid pack pumpkin)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1/2 cup light molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Mix 2.5 tablespoons crystallized ginger, currants and brandy in small bowl. Sift together flour, ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Whisk pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat egg whites and egg until foamy; beat in 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Beat until light, about 2 minutes; beat in molasses and oil. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin mixture in 3 additions each. Stir in currant mixture. Divide batter among sixteen 1/3-cup muffin cups with paper liners. Mix 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 375F about 25 min., until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
Sugar Pumpkin, Feta, and Cilantro Quesadillas
3 cups peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash in 1.5-inch cubes (about 1 lb. whole pumpkin)
1 finely chopped seeded jalapeño (about 2 tablespoons)
salt and pepper to taste
12 flour tortillas, 8-inch diameter
10 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1.5 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges, to serve
Cook pumpkin in boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool 10 minutes; transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in jalapeño; season with salt and pepper. Spread about 1/4 c pumpkin mixture evenly on each of 6 tortillas. Sprinkle with feta, 1/4 cup cilantro and pepper to taste. Top each with a second tortilla. Cook in a heavy skillet over med-high about 1 min. per side, until golden with dark char marks.
Pumpkin-Seed Brittle
1/2 cup fresh pumpkin seeds, not rinsed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Toss seeds with oil and salt and bake at 250F on an ungreased baking sheet, stirring occasionally, for 1 - 1.25 hours, or until golden and crisp. Combine sugar and water and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and washing down the sugar crystals with a brush dipped in cold water until the sugar is dissolved, and simmer it, undisturbed, tilting and rotating the skillet, until it is a deep caramel color. Stir in the pumpkin seeds until they are coated well, and turn the mixture out onto a buttered sheet of foil, spreading it evenly. Let the brittle cool completely and break into pieces.
Showing posts with label newsletters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsletters. Show all posts
26 April, 2017
Newsletters: 27 Oct., 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 27 Oct., 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
As you were probably expecting, here are some fun Halloween recipes. I have always loved Halloween and enjoy seeing all the food art it inspires.
Chocolate mice
1 c (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c sour cream
12 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c powdered sugar
butter (optional; for greasing your hands)
24 cinnamon imperials, mini chocolate chips, or mini M&Ms, for eyes
24 almond slices, for ears
red and black licorice laces, for tails
Melt the chocolate over hot water (or in the microwave, carefully). Stir in sour cream and cookie crumbs; chill no more than 15-20 min., until firm. Butter your hands, if desired, and roll chocolate mixture into 12 oval mouse bodies; place on waxed paper. Roll half the mice in powdered sugar and half in cocoa. Press candies and almond slices into the pointed end to make faces and poke 3-inch lengths of licorice lace into the rounded end for tails. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Witches' knuckles
1 c water
1/2 c butter
1 c flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 c extra sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz.), grated
1 egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
dried whole rosemary leaves
9 pieces sliced pepperoni, quartered
Bring water and butter to a boil; remove from heat and stir in flour, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Return to heat and cook 1-2 min., stirring constantly, until the dough stars to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and continue stirring 1-2 min., until slightly cooled. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Stir in mustard and cheese. Put dough in a pastry bag (or make one by cutting a 1/2-inch hole in the corner of a plastic bag). Squeeze 3-inch-long fingers onto 2 baking sheets lined with baking parchment or waxed paper. Brush with egg yolk mixture; add a pepperoni fingernail to one end of each and place a few rosemary leaves in the center of the finger as knuckle lines. Bake at 400F for 15-18 min., until the fingers are golden brown and crisp. Serve warm.
Both from: Ghoulish goodies / Sharon Bowers. Storey Pub., c2009.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
As you were probably expecting, here are some fun Halloween recipes. I have always loved Halloween and enjoy seeing all the food art it inspires.
Chocolate mice
1 c (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c sour cream
12 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c powdered sugar
butter (optional; for greasing your hands)
24 cinnamon imperials, mini chocolate chips, or mini M&Ms, for eyes
24 almond slices, for ears
red and black licorice laces, for tails
Melt the chocolate over hot water (or in the microwave, carefully). Stir in sour cream and cookie crumbs; chill no more than 15-20 min., until firm. Butter your hands, if desired, and roll chocolate mixture into 12 oval mouse bodies; place on waxed paper. Roll half the mice in powdered sugar and half in cocoa. Press candies and almond slices into the pointed end to make faces and poke 3-inch lengths of licorice lace into the rounded end for tails. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Witches' knuckles
1 c water
1/2 c butter
1 c flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 c extra sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz.), grated
1 egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
dried whole rosemary leaves
9 pieces sliced pepperoni, quartered
Bring water and butter to a boil; remove from heat and stir in flour, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Return to heat and cook 1-2 min., stirring constantly, until the dough stars to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and continue stirring 1-2 min., until slightly cooled. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Stir in mustard and cheese. Put dough in a pastry bag (or make one by cutting a 1/2-inch hole in the corner of a plastic bag). Squeeze 3-inch-long fingers onto 2 baking sheets lined with baking parchment or waxed paper. Brush with egg yolk mixture; add a pepperoni fingernail to one end of each and place a few rosemary leaves in the center of the finger as knuckle lines. Bake at 400F for 15-18 min., until the fingers are golden brown and crisp. Serve warm.
Both from: Ghoulish goodies / Sharon Bowers. Storey Pub., c2009.
19 April, 2017
Newsletters: 19 Oct., 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 19 Oct., 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
This being our designated planning-for-the-winter week, it seems only right to give you a run-down of what will be going on out there over the winter. Here's a summary of what the WSU Master Gardeners tell us.
• Nov.: Mulch. Move container plants inside (if you haven't already). Be careful not to over-prune your roses.
• Dec.: Pot up paperwhites for forcing. Fertilize for the winter.
• Jan.: Do a little winter weeding. Start planning next year's garden, including crop rotation.
• Feb.: Don't be fooled by good weather into exposing your roses or getting a start on your spring pruning. Instead, go slug hunting or start your brassica seedlings indoors.
• Mar.: NOW you can prune and feed those roses. Transplant your brassicas outside and start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants inside. Sow hardy vegetables such as beets and spinach.
• Apr.: Sow carrots. Start squash and cucumbers indoors. You should probably mow the lawn, too.
• May.: Plant dahlias, gladiolus and calla lilies; fill containers and deadhead bulbs. Sow corn and beans, and transplant tomato, pepper and squash starts, if and when it's warm enough.
In the kitchen
The cold weather is here, so I guess it's time to talk about nice hearty soups again.
Clove-scented onion soup with Madeira and paprika
0.25 c unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 lb. onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 c beef broth
3 Tbsp. golden raisins
1.5 tsp. paprika
0.5 tsp. ground mace
8 whole cloves
salt and pepper to taste
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
0.25 c dry Madeira wine
Cook onions in the butter and olive oil, stirring occasionally, 20 min. or until the onions are wilted and golden. Add broth, raisins, paprika, mace, and cloves. Bring to a boil; partially cover, and simmer 30 min. Season. Stir 1/4 c of the soup into the egg yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, for about 4 min or until slightly thickened. Stir in Madeira.
From: Adriana's spice caravan / Adriana & Rochelle Zabarkes.
Healthy Oatmeal Soup
10 cups chicken stock
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1 cup quick cooking oats (more or less, according to desired thickness)
Salt to taste
Boil chicken breasts, tomato, cumin, and coriander in chicken stock until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken meat from the bones and cut or tear into small pieces. Return meat to broth and stir in oats. Bring to a boil, stir occasionally for about 2 minutes. Boil for about 15 minutes.
Source unknown.
Crock Pot Barley Soup
1 lb. stew beef in 1/2" cubes
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3/4 c. barley
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
6 c. beef stock
Slow-cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Source unknown.
In the garden
This being our designated planning-for-the-winter week, it seems only right to give you a run-down of what will be going on out there over the winter. Here's a summary of what the WSU Master Gardeners tell us.
• Nov.: Mulch. Move container plants inside (if you haven't already). Be careful not to over-prune your roses.
• Dec.: Pot up paperwhites for forcing. Fertilize for the winter.
• Jan.: Do a little winter weeding. Start planning next year's garden, including crop rotation.
• Feb.: Don't be fooled by good weather into exposing your roses or getting a start on your spring pruning. Instead, go slug hunting or start your brassica seedlings indoors.
• Mar.: NOW you can prune and feed those roses. Transplant your brassicas outside and start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants inside. Sow hardy vegetables such as beets and spinach.
• Apr.: Sow carrots. Start squash and cucumbers indoors. You should probably mow the lawn, too.
• May.: Plant dahlias, gladiolus and calla lilies; fill containers and deadhead bulbs. Sow corn and beans, and transplant tomato, pepper and squash starts, if and when it's warm enough.
In the kitchen
The cold weather is here, so I guess it's time to talk about nice hearty soups again.
Clove-scented onion soup with Madeira and paprika
0.25 c unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 lb. onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 c beef broth
3 Tbsp. golden raisins
1.5 tsp. paprika
0.5 tsp. ground mace
8 whole cloves
salt and pepper to taste
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
0.25 c dry Madeira wine
Cook onions in the butter and olive oil, stirring occasionally, 20 min. or until the onions are wilted and golden. Add broth, raisins, paprika, mace, and cloves. Bring to a boil; partially cover, and simmer 30 min. Season. Stir 1/4 c of the soup into the egg yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, for about 4 min or until slightly thickened. Stir in Madeira.
From: Adriana's spice caravan / Adriana & Rochelle Zabarkes.
Healthy Oatmeal Soup
10 cups chicken stock
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1 cup quick cooking oats (more or less, according to desired thickness)
Salt to taste
Boil chicken breasts, tomato, cumin, and coriander in chicken stock until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken meat from the bones and cut or tear into small pieces. Return meat to broth and stir in oats. Bring to a boil, stir occasionally for about 2 minutes. Boil for about 15 minutes.
Source unknown.
Crock Pot Barley Soup
1 lb. stew beef in 1/2" cubes
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3/4 c. barley
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
6 c. beef stock
Slow-cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Source unknown.
Newsletters: 20 Oct., 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 20 Oct., 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Last month Jackie at L&I recommended a recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables using corn and zucchini that I think must be this one. If you move quickly you still might be able to find all the ingredients.
Summer squash and corn pasta
4-6 small summer squashes, diced
5-6 ears corn, cut from cobs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
handful cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. water
1 lb. fresh fettuccine, cooked
juice of 1/2 lemon, optional
Saute squash in the oil until tender and a little brown; season with salt and pepper. Add corn, garlic, and jalapeño; continue cooking a few more minutes. Add cilantro (reserving some for garnish if desired), butter, and water; correct seasoning. Add fettuccine and toss. Add lemon juice if corn is very sweet and garnish with cilantro.
From: Chez Panisse vegetables / by Alice Waters and the cooks of Chez Panisse. HarperCollins, c1996.
Warm spinach and squash salad
1.5 lb. delicata squash cut in half, seeded, and sliced, or butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 t salt (divided)
black pepper
3 Tbsp. lemon juice or red wine vinegar
8 oz. spinach leaves
1/2 c toasted sliced almonds
Toss squash with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste, in a 12x17-inch baking dish. Bake at 400F ca. 20 min., until tender. Mix lemon juice with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; add squash, spinach, and onions. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, pour over all, and toss to coat, wilting spinach. Serve immediately.
From: Yoga Journal, Nov. 2009.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Last month Jackie at L&I recommended a recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables using corn and zucchini that I think must be this one. If you move quickly you still might be able to find all the ingredients.
Summer squash and corn pasta
4-6 small summer squashes, diced
5-6 ears corn, cut from cobs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
handful cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. water
1 lb. fresh fettuccine, cooked
juice of 1/2 lemon, optional
Saute squash in the oil until tender and a little brown; season with salt and pepper. Add corn, garlic, and jalapeño; continue cooking a few more minutes. Add cilantro (reserving some for garnish if desired), butter, and water; correct seasoning. Add fettuccine and toss. Add lemon juice if corn is very sweet and garnish with cilantro.
From: Chez Panisse vegetables / by Alice Waters and the cooks of Chez Panisse. HarperCollins, c1996.
Warm spinach and squash salad
1.5 lb. delicata squash cut in half, seeded, and sliced, or butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 t salt (divided)
black pepper
3 Tbsp. lemon juice or red wine vinegar
8 oz. spinach leaves
1/2 c toasted sliced almonds
Toss squash with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste, in a 12x17-inch baking dish. Bake at 400F ca. 20 min., until tender. Mix lemon juice with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt; add squash, spinach, and onions. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, pour over all, and toss to coat, wilting spinach. Serve immediately.
From: Yoga Journal, Nov. 2009.
16 April, 2017
Newsletters: 16 Apr., 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 16 Apr., 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say this is the time to plant dahlias, gladiolus, calla lilies, corn and beans, and harden off your vegetable starts. They also suggest planting out your tomato, squash, pepper, and cucumber starts, but some local tomato growers tell me it's better to wait until really warm June weather to plant out tomatoes, basil, and other heat-lovers.
...
In the kitchen
At this time of year, lettuce is the one thing we can be sure of finding at the market.
Wilted lettuce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water
ca. 3 slices bacon, chopped (or cut up with kitchen shears)
1 head leaf lettuce
Mix sugar, vinegar, and water; these measurements will probably give you enough for more than one head of lettuce but it can be kept in the fridge longer than I've ever needed to use it up - months, at least. Wash and tear up lettuce and place in a large bowl that won't object to a little hot grease. Fry the bacon until crisp. Drain off some of the grease if there's a lot, but reserve 1-2 Tbsp. of it. Add bacon to the lettuce, then the sugar/vinegar/water mixture in about the amount you would any dressing (not enough to leave the lettuce swimming, though). Toss, then add the reserved bacon grease and toss again.
From: Kelly Iverson
Fried lettuce
1 large head of lettuce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
pinch salt
1 tsp. Vesop, Bragg's, or soy sauce
Wash and trim lettuce and shake off excess moisture. Cut into four sections. Heat the oil and fry lettuce for 1 min. Add crushed garlic, salt, Vesop; mix well and cook another minute.
From: The Left Foot Organics cookbook : recipes for great food and a healthy community. Gateway, [2008].
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say this is the time to plant dahlias, gladiolus, calla lilies, corn and beans, and harden off your vegetable starts. They also suggest planting out your tomato, squash, pepper, and cucumber starts, but some local tomato growers tell me it's better to wait until really warm June weather to plant out tomatoes, basil, and other heat-lovers.
...
In the kitchen
At this time of year, lettuce is the one thing we can be sure of finding at the market.
Wilted lettuce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water
ca. 3 slices bacon, chopped (or cut up with kitchen shears)
1 head leaf lettuce
Mix sugar, vinegar, and water; these measurements will probably give you enough for more than one head of lettuce but it can be kept in the fridge longer than I've ever needed to use it up - months, at least. Wash and tear up lettuce and place in a large bowl that won't object to a little hot grease. Fry the bacon until crisp. Drain off some of the grease if there's a lot, but reserve 1-2 Tbsp. of it. Add bacon to the lettuce, then the sugar/vinegar/water mixture in about the amount you would any dressing (not enough to leave the lettuce swimming, though). Toss, then add the reserved bacon grease and toss again.
From: Kelly Iverson
Fried lettuce
1 large head of lettuce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
pinch salt
1 tsp. Vesop, Bragg's, or soy sauce
Wash and trim lettuce and shake off excess moisture. Cut into four sections. Heat the oil and fry lettuce for 1 min. Add crushed garlic, salt, Vesop; mix well and cook another minute.
From: The Left Foot Organics cookbook : recipes for great food and a healthy community. Gateway, [2008].
12 April, 2017
Newsletters: 12 Oct., 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 12 Oct., 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
This month, the WSU Master Gardeners say you should plant garlic and green manure (a nutritious cover crop such as crimson clover). This is also a good time to divide perennials and plant spring bulbs, ground covers, shrubs, and trees. Winter is a good time for all kinds of transplanting. Don't forget to turn off any irrigation system you might have, and rake those fallen leaves right around (and even over) your tender plants so the mulch can protect them over the winter and feed them in the spring.
In the kitchen
Instead of recipes, this week let's revisit vinegar, because I have a reader's question to answer. After the discussion of the health aspects of vinegar, Catherine wrote to ask how to make vinegar. It turns out it's not as simple as keeping wine so long it spoils, although that may be where it began. Here is a general outline of the process; you should check with a brewing supply store or the extension service for more exact directions, or hit the library for some quality research time, before actually starting a project. You should also be aware that it is generally considered a bad idea to try to make wine and vinegar in the same space.
Making vinegar is a two-step process, in which sugars are converted to alcohol and then the alcohol is converted to acetic acid. The first part is the familiar fermentation of wine, cider, or beer (vinegar made from beer is called "alegar"), which in vinegar-making is called "vinegar stock." The best vinegars are made from a stock with an alcohol concentration of 9-12%, to which the bacteria Acetobacter aceti is added. This bacteria is sensitive to UV light, so the vinegar stock should be left undisturbed in the dark for the first two to three weeks. The container should be covered but not sealed, because the bacteria need oxygen. If a mat of solid matter -- a "mother" of vinegar -- forms, your vinegar is doing well, although its absence is no cause for concern. It should be removed once the vinegar is through fermenting, however. It can be used to create another vinegar (a bit like sourdough starter) or just discarded. After about four weeks, the vinegar should be ready to test; you can get a test kit that will tell you the sugar, alcohol, and acetic acid levels, or you can just taste it. Fresh vinegar has a sharp, intense flavor that will mellow as it ages. Once all the alcohol has fermented to acetic acid, the vinegar should be strained into airtight containers so the acetobacters won't continue to break the vinegar down into carbon dioxide and water. Vinegar is usually aged about six months once it is done fermenting.
Well, OK, one recipe; but keep in mind that this is still an overview for the curious and you should do more research before starting your first batch.
Maple Vinegar
950 grams maple syrup
800 grams live vinegar (red wine vinegar, or unpasteurized cider vinegar)
300 grams dark rum
200 grams water
Combine all the ingredients in a glass vessel. Cover the opening with cheesecloth and store the container in an undisturbed, dark place for at least four weeks. Test the vinegar for development. Once the alcohol has been completely fermented out of the stock, strain the vinegar and store it in sealed bottles or mason jars. It can be used immediately but will improve with age.
From: popsci.com
You can find more information at:
popsci.com
Virtual Museum of Bacteria
howstuffworks.com
In the garden
This month, the WSU Master Gardeners say you should plant garlic and green manure (a nutritious cover crop such as crimson clover). This is also a good time to divide perennials and plant spring bulbs, ground covers, shrubs, and trees. Winter is a good time for all kinds of transplanting. Don't forget to turn off any irrigation system you might have, and rake those fallen leaves right around (and even over) your tender plants so the mulch can protect them over the winter and feed them in the spring.
In the kitchen
Instead of recipes, this week let's revisit vinegar, because I have a reader's question to answer. After the discussion of the health aspects of vinegar, Catherine wrote to ask how to make vinegar. It turns out it's not as simple as keeping wine so long it spoils, although that may be where it began. Here is a general outline of the process; you should check with a brewing supply store or the extension service for more exact directions, or hit the library for some quality research time, before actually starting a project. You should also be aware that it is generally considered a bad idea to try to make wine and vinegar in the same space.
Making vinegar is a two-step process, in which sugars are converted to alcohol and then the alcohol is converted to acetic acid. The first part is the familiar fermentation of wine, cider, or beer (vinegar made from beer is called "alegar"), which in vinegar-making is called "vinegar stock." The best vinegars are made from a stock with an alcohol concentration of 9-12%, to which the bacteria Acetobacter aceti is added. This bacteria is sensitive to UV light, so the vinegar stock should be left undisturbed in the dark for the first two to three weeks. The container should be covered but not sealed, because the bacteria need oxygen. If a mat of solid matter -- a "mother" of vinegar -- forms, your vinegar is doing well, although its absence is no cause for concern. It should be removed once the vinegar is through fermenting, however. It can be used to create another vinegar (a bit like sourdough starter) or just discarded. After about four weeks, the vinegar should be ready to test; you can get a test kit that will tell you the sugar, alcohol, and acetic acid levels, or you can just taste it. Fresh vinegar has a sharp, intense flavor that will mellow as it ages. Once all the alcohol has fermented to acetic acid, the vinegar should be strained into airtight containers so the acetobacters won't continue to break the vinegar down into carbon dioxide and water. Vinegar is usually aged about six months once it is done fermenting.
Well, OK, one recipe; but keep in mind that this is still an overview for the curious and you should do more research before starting your first batch.
Maple Vinegar
950 grams maple syrup
800 grams live vinegar (red wine vinegar, or unpasteurized cider vinegar)
300 grams dark rum
200 grams water
Combine all the ingredients in a glass vessel. Cover the opening with cheesecloth and store the container in an undisturbed, dark place for at least four weeks. Test the vinegar for development. Once the alcohol has been completely fermented out of the stock, strain the vinegar and store it in sealed bottles or mason jars. It can be used immediately but will improve with age.
From: popsci.com
You can find more information at:
popsci.com
Virtual Museum of Bacteria
howstuffworks.com
Newsletters: 13 Oct, 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 13 Oct, 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Last week I got a request for green tomato recipes, and especially fried green tomatoes. When I was growing up, green tomatoes always went into relish (I never heard of fried green tomatoes until the movie came out) so I've given you my mom's green tomato relish for the second recipe. About this time of year she'd start watching the weather forecast for frost (this was in Spokane, you see), and when it was likely to freeze she'd go out and pick all the tomatoes, ripe or not. The red ones got eaten right away, the green ones got put aside for relish, and the in-between ones went on the kitchen windowsill to see if they'd ripen (the cats always managed to knock at least one off, but they were too green to squish so Mom put up with it). Then the food grinder would come out and the relish-making would begin. This was a rather messy undertaking, because no matter what we did the grinder dripped. There was a big yellow plastic bowl that went on the floor under the grinder (the rest of the year it was used for popcorn) but it didn't catch all the splashes. Everybody in the house took turns turning the handle (funny how Dad always had errands to run...) and the kitchen filled with steam from the sterilizing jars while we cranked, it seemed, for hours. Enjoy!
Fried green tomatoes
1/4 lb thick-sliced bacon, finely diced
1.5 lb green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 c coarse yellow cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
Fry bacon until just beginning to crisp. Reserve bacon and fat separately. Press tomato slices into cornmeal until well coated on both sides. Cook tomatoes in some of the bacon fat 5-6 min. on each side, until golden; wipe out pan between batches to avoid burning loose cornmeal. Season to taste and sprinkle with bacon bits.
From: Vegetables / James Peterson. William Morrow and Co., c1998.
Green tomato relish
Put the following through a food grinder (you can use food processor but a grinder gives a more even result):
24 med. green tomatoes, cored but not peeled
2 red peppers
4 green peppers
8 small onions
Add:
4 Tbsp. salt
Mix well. Let stand 2 hours. Drain. Squeeze out as much water as you can.
Heat:
2 cups sugar (up to 4 cups if you like sweeter relish)
3 cups vinegar
4 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 Tbsp. celery seeds
Add tomato mixture; boil 10 minutes. Pack boiling into hot (sterilized) jars, cap with hot (sterilized) lids, and hope they seal. Unsealed jar(s) will keep all winter if refrigerated. Makes about 10 1/2 pints.
From: Dorothy Huffman's recipe collection
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Last week I got a request for green tomato recipes, and especially fried green tomatoes. When I was growing up, green tomatoes always went into relish (I never heard of fried green tomatoes until the movie came out) so I've given you my mom's green tomato relish for the second recipe. About this time of year she'd start watching the weather forecast for frost (this was in Spokane, you see), and when it was likely to freeze she'd go out and pick all the tomatoes, ripe or not. The red ones got eaten right away, the green ones got put aside for relish, and the in-between ones went on the kitchen windowsill to see if they'd ripen (the cats always managed to knock at least one off, but they were too green to squish so Mom put up with it). Then the food grinder would come out and the relish-making would begin. This was a rather messy undertaking, because no matter what we did the grinder dripped. There was a big yellow plastic bowl that went on the floor under the grinder (the rest of the year it was used for popcorn) but it didn't catch all the splashes. Everybody in the house took turns turning the handle (funny how Dad always had errands to run...) and the kitchen filled with steam from the sterilizing jars while we cranked, it seemed, for hours. Enjoy!
Fried green tomatoes
1/4 lb thick-sliced bacon, finely diced
1.5 lb green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 c coarse yellow cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
Fry bacon until just beginning to crisp. Reserve bacon and fat separately. Press tomato slices into cornmeal until well coated on both sides. Cook tomatoes in some of the bacon fat 5-6 min. on each side, until golden; wipe out pan between batches to avoid burning loose cornmeal. Season to taste and sprinkle with bacon bits.
From: Vegetables / James Peterson. William Morrow and Co., c1998.
Green tomato relish
Put the following through a food grinder (you can use food processor but a grinder gives a more even result):
24 med. green tomatoes, cored but not peeled
2 red peppers
4 green peppers
8 small onions
Add:
4 Tbsp. salt
Mix well. Let stand 2 hours. Drain. Squeeze out as much water as you can.
Heat:
2 cups sugar (up to 4 cups if you like sweeter relish)
3 cups vinegar
4 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 Tbsp. celery seeds
Add tomato mixture; boil 10 minutes. Pack boiling into hot (sterilized) jars, cap with hot (sterilized) lids, and hope they seal. Unsealed jar(s) will keep all winter if refrigerated. Makes about 10 1/2 pints.
From: Dorothy Huffman's recipe collection
05 April, 2017
Newsletters: 5 Oct., 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 5 Oct., 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
I've written about CSA shares before, but this seems like a good time to remind you of all the great vendors we have who are joining the CSA parade. Mostly I've spoken of the advantages to the farmers and other producers, who love to have those advance sales and a little predictable income, and also just enjoy having a personal relationship with their best customers. This time I'm going to say a little about the advantages to the customer, beyond the discount. You, too, benefit from a personal relationship with your farmer (or baker, or soap-maker, or...), with special frills such as first-of-the-season produce, limited-run specialties, farm news, and deals on, or first shot at, additional products. A traditional produce CSA can also help you eat better, because you've got this huge box of beautiful vegetables and there's another one coming! You get to try new things with the help and advice of your personal farmer, often including preparation instructions and recipes in your CSA newsletter. Not sure you want to try new things? Most farmers will let you trade what you won't use for something you will.
...
In the kitchen
How about recipes from CSA newsletters to go with the CSA information? Here are some late-season selections from our two "anchor" farms. No, it's not at all that I'm rushed and lazy, they just fit in so well... OK, it's because I'm surrounded by half-packed moving boxes and don't know where I put the inspiration.
Creamy Potato and Parsnip Gratin
8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
8 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, halved
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 c whipping cream or yogurt
Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish and rub with garlic. Arrange a single layer of potatoes in dish. Sprinkle lightly with a little of the thyme, salt and pepper. Add a layer of parsnips. Sprinkle with seasonings. Repeat layers with remaining vegetables. Pour in enough cream to come three-quarters up side of dish. Place on baking sheet and bake, covered, in 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until top is brown and crusty and potatoes are cooked through.
Variations: Butternut squash, kohlrabi, or celeriac may be added to the vegetables. Maple syrup may be added to the cream.
From: Left Foot Organics CSA News, October 16, 2008
Sweet and Sour Peppers
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups very thinly sliced onions
2 large red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
2 large green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 can baby corn, drained
1 1/2 cups cashews
Combine catsup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water, and cornstarch to make a sauce. Heat oil in wok or large skillet and stir-fry garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add peppers; add 2-3 tablespoons water if necessary to prevent scorching. When peppers and onions begin to soften, add corn and cashews. Stir fry 1 minute, then add sauce mixture and let simmer another minute.
From: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home, as quoted in The Kirsop Farm news, October 14, 2009
Red Cabbage with Apricots
2 1/2 lbs. red cabbage, sliced thin
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup dry red wine
Salt to taste
Combine cabbage and apricots in a slow cooker. Mix honey and juice; drizzle over cabbage mixture. Add wine; cover slow cooker and cook on LOW until cabbage is very tender (5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours). Season to taste with salt.
From: Left Foot Organics CSA News, October 22, 2009
Fennel with Parmesan Cheese
2 pounds fennel bulbs, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, in small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Blanch or steam fennel 8-15 minutes, until tender but firm. Cool and quarter, leaving a thin layer of the core to hold the bulb together. Arrange cut side up in a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Cover with cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.
From: Victory Garden Cookbook, as quoted in The Kirsop Farm news, October 13, 2010
In the belly
I've written about CSA shares before, but this seems like a good time to remind you of all the great vendors we have who are joining the CSA parade. Mostly I've spoken of the advantages to the farmers and other producers, who love to have those advance sales and a little predictable income, and also just enjoy having a personal relationship with their best customers. This time I'm going to say a little about the advantages to the customer, beyond the discount. You, too, benefit from a personal relationship with your farmer (or baker, or soap-maker, or...), with special frills such as first-of-the-season produce, limited-run specialties, farm news, and deals on, or first shot at, additional products. A traditional produce CSA can also help you eat better, because you've got this huge box of beautiful vegetables and there's another one coming! You get to try new things with the help and advice of your personal farmer, often including preparation instructions and recipes in your CSA newsletter. Not sure you want to try new things? Most farmers will let you trade what you won't use for something you will.
...
In the kitchen
How about recipes from CSA newsletters to go with the CSA information? Here are some late-season selections from our two "anchor" farms. No, it's not at all that I'm rushed and lazy, they just fit in so well... OK, it's because I'm surrounded by half-packed moving boxes and don't know where I put the inspiration.
Creamy Potato and Parsnip Gratin
8 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
8 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, halved
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 c whipping cream or yogurt
Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish and rub with garlic. Arrange a single layer of potatoes in dish. Sprinkle lightly with a little of the thyme, salt and pepper. Add a layer of parsnips. Sprinkle with seasonings. Repeat layers with remaining vegetables. Pour in enough cream to come three-quarters up side of dish. Place on baking sheet and bake, covered, in 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until top is brown and crusty and potatoes are cooked through.
Variations: Butternut squash, kohlrabi, or celeriac may be added to the vegetables. Maple syrup may be added to the cream.
From: Left Foot Organics CSA News, October 16, 2008
Sweet and Sour Peppers
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups very thinly sliced onions
2 large red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
2 large green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 can baby corn, drained
1 1/2 cups cashews
Combine catsup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water, and cornstarch to make a sauce. Heat oil in wok or large skillet and stir-fry garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes. Add peppers; add 2-3 tablespoons water if necessary to prevent scorching. When peppers and onions begin to soften, add corn and cashews. Stir fry 1 minute, then add sauce mixture and let simmer another minute.
From: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home, as quoted in The Kirsop Farm news, October 14, 2009
Red Cabbage with Apricots
2 1/2 lbs. red cabbage, sliced thin
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup dry red wine
Salt to taste
Combine cabbage and apricots in a slow cooker. Mix honey and juice; drizzle over cabbage mixture. Add wine; cover slow cooker and cook on LOW until cabbage is very tender (5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours). Season to taste with salt.
From: Left Foot Organics CSA News, October 22, 2009
Fennel with Parmesan Cheese
2 pounds fennel bulbs, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, in small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Blanch or steam fennel 8-15 minutes, until tender but firm. Cool and quarter, leaving a thin layer of the core to hold the bulb together. Arrange cut side up in a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Cover with cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.
From: Victory Garden Cookbook, as quoted in The Kirsop Farm news, October 13, 2010
Newsletters: 6 Oct, 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 6 Oct, 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
There are two things I associate with October: the return of stew weather and, of course, Halloween. It's a bit early for the latter but it just so happens that my favorite stew recipe was written with spookiness in mind. I'm going to share it with you anyway because it's a perfectly good dish and you don't have to tell people that's supposed to be maggots in there. You can even leave them out if you want.
Maggot Stew
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
1 lb. stew beef in 1-inch chunks
2 cans (14.5 oz.) plain or Italian-style crushed tomatoes
1 can (10.5 oz.) beef broth
1 tsp. thyme (optional)
1 tsp. oregano
3-4 medium carrots
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
3/4 cup orzo pasta
(optional ingredients: onions, potatoes, canned garbanzos)
Pour oil into stewpot on medium-low. Measure flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder into a plastic bag (Ziploc-type is easiest); drop in stew meat, close bag and shake until meat is well coated. Dump bag into stew pot and turn heat to medium. Brown meat, turning frequently, until it begins to look crusty. Add tomatoes, broth, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for an hour. Peel the carrots and cut into small "coins"; add carrots and beans to the pot and simmer another 45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Cook the orzo according to package directions. When just tender, drain in a colander and add to the stew pot. Do not stir in too much. Serve.
Adapted from: Gross grub / Cheryl Porter.
Here's a simple, less... adventurous stew for the slow-cooker:
Apple Cider Stew
1-2 lbs. beef or venison stew meat
8 carrots, sliced thin
6 potatoes, sliced thin
2 apples, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 tbsp. minced onion
2 c. apple cider
Place carrots, potatoes, and apples in crock pot. Add meat and sprinkle with salt, thyme, and onion. Pour cider over meat and cover. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Thicken gravy.
Source unknown.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
There are two things I associate with October: the return of stew weather and, of course, Halloween. It's a bit early for the latter but it just so happens that my favorite stew recipe was written with spookiness in mind. I'm going to share it with you anyway because it's a perfectly good dish and you don't have to tell people that's supposed to be maggots in there. You can even leave them out if you want.
Maggot Stew
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
1 lb. stew beef in 1-inch chunks
2 cans (14.5 oz.) plain or Italian-style crushed tomatoes
1 can (10.5 oz.) beef broth
1 tsp. thyme (optional)
1 tsp. oregano
3-4 medium carrots
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
3/4 cup orzo pasta
(optional ingredients: onions, potatoes, canned garbanzos)
Pour oil into stewpot on medium-low. Measure flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder into a plastic bag (Ziploc-type is easiest); drop in stew meat, close bag and shake until meat is well coated. Dump bag into stew pot and turn heat to medium. Brown meat, turning frequently, until it begins to look crusty. Add tomatoes, broth, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for an hour. Peel the carrots and cut into small "coins"; add carrots and beans to the pot and simmer another 45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Cook the orzo according to package directions. When just tender, drain in a colander and add to the stew pot. Do not stir in too much. Serve.
Adapted from: Gross grub / Cheryl Porter.
Here's a simple, less... adventurous stew for the slow-cooker:
Apple Cider Stew
1-2 lbs. beef or venison stew meat
8 carrots, sliced thin
6 potatoes, sliced thin
2 apples, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 tbsp. minced onion
2 c. apple cider
Place carrots, potatoes, and apples in crock pot. Add meat and sprinkle with salt, thyme, and onion. Pour cider over meat and cover. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Thicken gravy.
Source unknown.
29 March, 2017
Newsletters: 28 Sept. 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 28 Sept. 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
This seems like a good time to look at stress. Stress is, at heart, the feeling that things are out of control. It can be counteracted to a certain extent just by taking charge of your life -- if not of the events themselves, then at least of your reactions to those events. This is at the heart of stress management. Nothing can really stress you out without your permission, but of course just not worrying about it isn't that easy. There are all kinds of techniques out there for dealing with stress, and we all have our own methods as well -- some healthy, some not so good. Some popular methods of stress management are over-eating, smoking, and excessive drinking; healthier options include meditation and relaxation in many forms, exercise, laughter, gratitude, altruism, various sorts of social activity, improved time management, counseling, journaling, and various sorts of "me-time" or self-care (I was going to say self-indulgence but that has negative connotations; that's what we're really talking about here, though). Stress has a bad reputation these days, but a certain amount of stress is actually good for you, and keeps life from being boring. Too little stress can lead to depression. The trick is finding the right balance.
Standard disclaimer: I'm a librarian, not a doctor. Make up your own mind and don't believe anything just because I put it in this newsletter.
In the kitchen
A friend of mine just bought 30 lbs. of onions for the winter. I can't imagine what she's going to do with them all. She says she puts them in everything.
Cabbage with red onion and apple
1 large apple, cored but not peeled, shredded
2 med. carrots, scraped and shredded
10 oz shredded cabbage
6 oz shredded red onion
1 t cumin
3/4 t ground coriander
pepper
Place all ingredients in a pot over med-low heat. Stir, cover, cook 6-8 min. until soft.
From: 20-minute menus / Marian Burros. 1st Fireside ed. Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Caramelized onion and parsnip soup
2 T butter
3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 T light brown sugar
1 c dry white wine
3 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 c vegetable stock
1/4 c cream
fresh thyme leaves, to garnish
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sugar and cook over low heat for 10 min. Add the wine and parsnips and simmer, covered, for 20 min. or until the onions and parsnips are golden and tender. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 min. Cool slightly, then place in a blender or food processor and blend in batches until smooth. Season. Drizzle with a little cream and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
From: Bowl food / edited by Kay Scarlett.
Pickled onions
16 white boiling onions (about 1 lb.)
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 Tbsp. coarse salt
1 c white wine vinegar
1 c water
3 Tbsp. sugar
Bring all ingredients to a gentle simmer in a non-reactive saucepan; simmer, covered, 10 min. Remove from heat and let cool, still covered. Pour into a 1-quart jar and refrigerate at least 12 hours; keeps up to two weeks.
From: Vegetables / James Peterson. William Morrow and Co., c1998.
In the belly
This seems like a good time to look at stress. Stress is, at heart, the feeling that things are out of control. It can be counteracted to a certain extent just by taking charge of your life -- if not of the events themselves, then at least of your reactions to those events. This is at the heart of stress management. Nothing can really stress you out without your permission, but of course just not worrying about it isn't that easy. There are all kinds of techniques out there for dealing with stress, and we all have our own methods as well -- some healthy, some not so good. Some popular methods of stress management are over-eating, smoking, and excessive drinking; healthier options include meditation and relaxation in many forms, exercise, laughter, gratitude, altruism, various sorts of social activity, improved time management, counseling, journaling, and various sorts of "me-time" or self-care (I was going to say self-indulgence but that has negative connotations; that's what we're really talking about here, though). Stress has a bad reputation these days, but a certain amount of stress is actually good for you, and keeps life from being boring. Too little stress can lead to depression. The trick is finding the right balance.
Standard disclaimer: I'm a librarian, not a doctor. Make up your own mind and don't believe anything just because I put it in this newsletter.
In the kitchen
A friend of mine just bought 30 lbs. of onions for the winter. I can't imagine what she's going to do with them all. She says she puts them in everything.
Cabbage with red onion and apple
1 large apple, cored but not peeled, shredded
2 med. carrots, scraped and shredded
10 oz shredded cabbage
6 oz shredded red onion
1 t cumin
3/4 t ground coriander
pepper
Place all ingredients in a pot over med-low heat. Stir, cover, cook 6-8 min. until soft.
From: 20-minute menus / Marian Burros. 1st Fireside ed. Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Caramelized onion and parsnip soup
2 T butter
3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 T light brown sugar
1 c dry white wine
3 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 c vegetable stock
1/4 c cream
fresh thyme leaves, to garnish
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sugar and cook over low heat for 10 min. Add the wine and parsnips and simmer, covered, for 20 min. or until the onions and parsnips are golden and tender. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 min. Cool slightly, then place in a blender or food processor and blend in batches until smooth. Season. Drizzle with a little cream and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
From: Bowl food / edited by Kay Scarlett.
Pickled onions
16 white boiling onions (about 1 lb.)
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 Tbsp. coarse salt
1 c white wine vinegar
1 c water
3 Tbsp. sugar
Bring all ingredients to a gentle simmer in a non-reactive saucepan; simmer, covered, 10 min. Remove from heat and let cool, still covered. Pour into a 1-quart jar and refrigerate at least 12 hours; keeps up to two weeks.
From: Vegetables / James Peterson. William Morrow and Co., c1998.
Newsletters: 29 Sept. 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 29 Sept. 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Your market manager, Connie, asked me about veggie burgers, which she was sure could be made at home at a considerable savings. I was surprised to find that neither of my good vegetable cookbooks had anything at all to say about vegetable patties, while my two favorite recipe sites had all kinds of variations. Here are the two most interesting, and I'll put some of the others up on the Market recipe pages sometime in the next couple of weeks.
>Veggie Burgers
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 carrots, shredded
1 small summer squash, shredded
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Cook onion and garlic in olive oil over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the carrots, squash, and zucchini; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in oats, cheese, and egg. Stir in soy sauce, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate 1 hour. Form the vegetable mixture into eight 3-inch-round patties and dredge in flour to lightly coat both sides. Grill on an oiled grate 5 minutes on each side, or until heated through and nicely browned.
From: AllRecipes.com
Indian Vegetable Patties
1.25 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium russet potato, peeled, grated
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach leaves
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon (or more) vegetable oil
Mix corn, carrot, potato, onion, spinach, flour, peas, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and cumin; season to taste and stir in egg. Form patties (3 tablespoons make a 3-inch-diameter patty) and place on large baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cook in oil over medium heat in batches until golden, about 4 min. per side, adding more oil as necessary. Serve with yogurt and chutney if desired.
From: Epicurious
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Your market manager, Connie, asked me about veggie burgers, which she was sure could be made at home at a considerable savings. I was surprised to find that neither of my good vegetable cookbooks had anything at all to say about vegetable patties, while my two favorite recipe sites had all kinds of variations. Here are the two most interesting, and I'll put some of the others up on the Market recipe pages sometime in the next couple of weeks.
>Veggie Burgers
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 carrots, shredded
1 small summer squash, shredded
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Cook onion and garlic in olive oil over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the carrots, squash, and zucchini; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in oats, cheese, and egg. Stir in soy sauce, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate 1 hour. Form the vegetable mixture into eight 3-inch-round patties and dredge in flour to lightly coat both sides. Grill on an oiled grate 5 minutes on each side, or until heated through and nicely browned.
From: AllRecipes.com
Indian Vegetable Patties
1.25 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium russet potato, peeled, grated
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach leaves
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon (or more) vegetable oil
Mix corn, carrot, potato, onion, spinach, flour, peas, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and cumin; season to taste and stir in egg. Form patties (3 tablespoons make a 3-inch-diameter patty) and place on large baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cook in oil over medium heat in batches until golden, about 4 min. per side, adding more oil as necessary. Serve with yogurt and chutney if desired.
From: Epicurious
22 March, 2017
Newsletters: 21 Sept. 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 21 Sept. 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
It's pickling season, so I thought I'd do a little research on vinegar. I know vinegar as an old thirst-quencher; Roman legionaries added it to their water both to kill whatever might be in there and for its rehydrating properties. You can make your own old-fashioned sports drink by mixing 1 c sugar, 1 Tbsp. ginger, and 6 Tbsp. vinegar into 2 quarts of water, but I've heard it's only drinkable if you really need it. It is also widely used as a mild antiseptic, deodorizer, and cleaner -- adding a dollop of white vinegar to your laundry helps eliminate that winter mistiness; a dab on insect bites keeps them from itching. Dilute cider vinegar is said to be good for the skin and is sometimes used as a sunburn remedy. Whatever your health problem, you can probably find someone to tell you vinegar is the cure, and someone else to tell you that's nonsense. Until a lot more research is done, all that can be said for sure is that, while it doesn't offer any great nutritional surprises, its acetic acid helps with digestion and the absorption of important minerals.
In the kitchen
Here we are with corn in season again, but last year when I looked for corn recipes they mostly involved cutting it off the cob, which I think is a waste. I suppose you could go all '50s and put it (cob and all) into a casserole, pour condensed cream-of-mushroom soup over it, and bake it, but that sounds like a waste as well. I'll leave you to boil or roast it, and give you some interesting fruit recipes instead.
Fruit pizza
Crust:
1 c. shortening/margarine
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 3/4 c. flour
2 eggs
2 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt (optional)
1 t. baking soda
Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Spread dough in 10-inch pizza pan (or larger; it's pretty thick at 10" dia.). Bake 10-15 min. at 350. Let cool.
Topping:
16 oz. cream cheese
6 T. sugar
fruit (whatever you like, sliced in most cases, fresh is best but canned is OK too; I tend to use bananas, kiwis, peaches, strawberries (all sliced) and sometimes canned mandarin orange segments)
Cream cream cheese and sugar; spread on cooled crust. Top with fruit (you can make decorative designs if you want. You want to end up with a single layer of fruit, closely spaced but not overlapping).
Glaze:
2-3 c. fruit juice, sweetened if necessary
4 T corn starch
Cook, stirring, until thick (this step is very important; failure to cook the glaze will require sponging down the inside of the fridge). Spoon glaze over fruit, making sure air-sensitive fruit such as bananas and apples are covered entirely. Glaze should set on its own; if it seems reluctant, refrigerate.
From: Dorothy Huffman's collection
Peach milk shake
3 sm. peaches, skinned, pitted, and roughly chopped
1.25 c milk
1 T superfine sugar
1 T apricot or peach brandy (optional)
grated chocolate for garnish
Place all ingredients except grated chocolate in a blender and process until smooth. Chill, garnish, and serve.
From: Fruit fandango / Moya Clarke. Chartwell Books, c1994.
Peach duff
1/4 c butter
1 c flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c milk
1.5 lb peaches (4-6), peeled and thickly sliced
Melt butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar together; gradually add milk and stir just until moistened. Spoon batter evenly onto melted butter and arrange peach slices on top. Bake 35 min. at 375F. Serve warm.
From: Cooking with fruit : the complete guide to using fruit throughout the meal, the day, the year / Rolce Redard Payne and Dorrit Speyer Senior. Wings Books, 1995.
In the belly
It's pickling season, so I thought I'd do a little research on vinegar. I know vinegar as an old thirst-quencher; Roman legionaries added it to their water both to kill whatever might be in there and for its rehydrating properties. You can make your own old-fashioned sports drink by mixing 1 c sugar, 1 Tbsp. ginger, and 6 Tbsp. vinegar into 2 quarts of water, but I've heard it's only drinkable if you really need it. It is also widely used as a mild antiseptic, deodorizer, and cleaner -- adding a dollop of white vinegar to your laundry helps eliminate that winter mistiness; a dab on insect bites keeps them from itching. Dilute cider vinegar is said to be good for the skin and is sometimes used as a sunburn remedy. Whatever your health problem, you can probably find someone to tell you vinegar is the cure, and someone else to tell you that's nonsense. Until a lot more research is done, all that can be said for sure is that, while it doesn't offer any great nutritional surprises, its acetic acid helps with digestion and the absorption of important minerals.
In the kitchen
Here we are with corn in season again, but last year when I looked for corn recipes they mostly involved cutting it off the cob, which I think is a waste. I suppose you could go all '50s and put it (cob and all) into a casserole, pour condensed cream-of-mushroom soup over it, and bake it, but that sounds like a waste as well. I'll leave you to boil or roast it, and give you some interesting fruit recipes instead.
Fruit pizza
Crust:
1 c. shortening/margarine
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 3/4 c. flour
2 eggs
2 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt (optional)
1 t. baking soda
Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Spread dough in 10-inch pizza pan (or larger; it's pretty thick at 10" dia.). Bake 10-15 min. at 350. Let cool.
Topping:
16 oz. cream cheese
6 T. sugar
fruit (whatever you like, sliced in most cases, fresh is best but canned is OK too; I tend to use bananas, kiwis, peaches, strawberries (all sliced) and sometimes canned mandarin orange segments)
Cream cream cheese and sugar; spread on cooled crust. Top with fruit (you can make decorative designs if you want. You want to end up with a single layer of fruit, closely spaced but not overlapping).
Glaze:
2-3 c. fruit juice, sweetened if necessary
4 T corn starch
Cook, stirring, until thick (this step is very important; failure to cook the glaze will require sponging down the inside of the fridge). Spoon glaze over fruit, making sure air-sensitive fruit such as bananas and apples are covered entirely. Glaze should set on its own; if it seems reluctant, refrigerate.
From: Dorothy Huffman's collection
Peach milk shake
3 sm. peaches, skinned, pitted, and roughly chopped
1.25 c milk
1 T superfine sugar
1 T apricot or peach brandy (optional)
grated chocolate for garnish
Place all ingredients except grated chocolate in a blender and process until smooth. Chill, garnish, and serve.
From: Fruit fandango / Moya Clarke. Chartwell Books, c1994.
Peach duff
1/4 c butter
1 c flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c milk
1.5 lb peaches (4-6), peeled and thickly sliced
Melt butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar together; gradually add milk and stir just until moistened. Spoon batter evenly onto melted butter and arrange peach slices on top. Bake 35 min. at 375F. Serve warm.
From: Cooking with fruit : the complete guide to using fruit throughout the meal, the day, the year / Rolce Redard Payne and Dorrit Speyer Senior. Wings Books, 1995.
Newsletters: 22 Sept, 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on DATE. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
I was browsing along in my little stack of canning and preserving books -- mine and the library's, anyway -- when it occurred to me that most of the recipes I was looking at made some pretty broad assumptions about the reader's level of expertise. I can't really include all the basic information a beginner needs here in the newsletter (well, I could, but I'd run out of little photos to fill up the sidebar), so I found you a website instead. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a pretty comprehensive overview -- I'm sending you to the canning section, but there's a little list at the lower left with links to freezing, pickling, fermenting, all kinds of fun stuff (the fermenting section includes how to make your own yogurt, for instance).
We now continue with your regularly scheduled recipes...
Sweet and sour pepper jam
12 large red peppers, stemmed. seeded, and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. salt
1.5 lb. sugar
2 c vinegar
Sprinkle pepers with salt and let stand 3-4 hours; rinse in cold water. Bring peppers, sugar, and vinegar to a boil and simmer until thick, stirring frequently. Pour into jars and seal.
Spiced peach jam
2 lb. peaches, peeled and with pits removed
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp crushed cinnamon bark
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 c peach juice or water
1 lb. sugar
Crush peaches, cook until soft, and press through a fine sieve or food mill. Tie spices into a cheesecloth bag and add to peaches, juice, and sugar. Boil until thick, or until it registers 222F on a candy thermometer. Remove spice bag. Fill jars and seal.
Both from: The home canning and preserving book / by Ann Seranne. Barnes & Noble, 1975.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
I was browsing along in my little stack of canning and preserving books -- mine and the library's, anyway -- when it occurred to me that most of the recipes I was looking at made some pretty broad assumptions about the reader's level of expertise. I can't really include all the basic information a beginner needs here in the newsletter (well, I could, but I'd run out of little photos to fill up the sidebar), so I found you a website instead. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a pretty comprehensive overview -- I'm sending you to the canning section, but there's a little list at the lower left with links to freezing, pickling, fermenting, all kinds of fun stuff (the fermenting section includes how to make your own yogurt, for instance).
We now continue with your regularly scheduled recipes...
Sweet and sour pepper jam
12 large red peppers, stemmed. seeded, and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. salt
1.5 lb. sugar
2 c vinegar
Sprinkle pepers with salt and let stand 3-4 hours; rinse in cold water. Bring peppers, sugar, and vinegar to a boil and simmer until thick, stirring frequently. Pour into jars and seal.
Spiced peach jam
2 lb. peaches, peeled and with pits removed
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp crushed cinnamon bark
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 c peach juice or water
1 lb. sugar
Crush peaches, cook until soft, and press through a fine sieve or food mill. Tie spices into a cheesecloth bag and add to peaches, juice, and sugar. Boil until thick, or until it registers 222F on a candy thermometer. Remove spice bag. Fill jars and seal.
Both from: The home canning and preserving book / by Ann Seranne. Barnes & Noble, 1975.
20 March, 2017
Newsletters: 20 Mar, 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 20 Mar, 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners recommend fertilizing this month. You can also divide late-blooming perennials, plant out those cabbage-family seedlings you started last month, and sow seeds for beets, chard, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips directly outdoors.
In the kitchen
Did you expect a recipe for green punch or corned beef this month? Nah, you can get those anywhere. Did you know that the 16th of March is St. Urho's Day? St. Urho's Day was invented by Finnish-Americans in reply to all the uproar over St. Patrick, and is celebrated by wearing royal purple and Nile green and eating a traditional Finnish soup called mojakka. So this month you get mojakka recipes! OK, yeah, they're a little late, but think of all the planning time you have for next year.
Ancient Finnish Secret Mojakka
2 lbs. cod fillets
1 c. (or to taste) stout beer, such as Guinness
ca. 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 lbs. diced red potatoes
3 ribs celery, diced
ca. 12 green onions, diced
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
1 pt. heavy cream
1 lb. butter
1 pt. skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 tsp. oregano
Dissolve brown sugar in beer in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add cod fillets and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and flake into bite-sized pieces. Boil potatoes until nearly tender. Combine cream, butter and skim milk and heat thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and oregano. Layer potatoes, celery, green onions, spinach and cod in a slow cooker. Stir in cream mixture. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Yield: About 3 quarts.
Mumu's Mojakka
1 lb. beef stew meat
3 qt. water
4 med. Yukon Gold potatoes, partially peeled, in bite-sized chunks
6 carrots, thickly sliced
1 med. rutabaga in bite-sized chunks
4-6 ribs celery, thickly diced
4 small turnips in bite-sized chunks
2-3 tsps. whole black peppercorns
1-2 tsps. whole allspice
Salt to taste
4 to 5 bay leaves
Combine beef and water and boil for 20 minutes; skim to clear broth. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; simmer about 20 min. until meat and vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings. Continue to simmer to blend flavors.
Yield: 6-8 hearty servings.
Both from: Mojakka.com
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners recommend fertilizing this month. You can also divide late-blooming perennials, plant out those cabbage-family seedlings you started last month, and sow seeds for beets, chard, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips directly outdoors.
In the kitchen
Did you expect a recipe for green punch or corned beef this month? Nah, you can get those anywhere. Did you know that the 16th of March is St. Urho's Day? St. Urho's Day was invented by Finnish-Americans in reply to all the uproar over St. Patrick, and is celebrated by wearing royal purple and Nile green and eating a traditional Finnish soup called mojakka. So this month you get mojakka recipes! OK, yeah, they're a little late, but think of all the planning time you have for next year.
Ancient Finnish Secret Mojakka
2 lbs. cod fillets
1 c. (or to taste) stout beer, such as Guinness
ca. 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 lbs. diced red potatoes
3 ribs celery, diced
ca. 12 green onions, diced
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
1 pt. heavy cream
1 lb. butter
1 pt. skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 tsp. oregano
Dissolve brown sugar in beer in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add cod fillets and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and flake into bite-sized pieces. Boil potatoes until nearly tender. Combine cream, butter and skim milk and heat thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and oregano. Layer potatoes, celery, green onions, spinach and cod in a slow cooker. Stir in cream mixture. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Yield: About 3 quarts.
Mumu's Mojakka
1 lb. beef stew meat
3 qt. water
4 med. Yukon Gold potatoes, partially peeled, in bite-sized chunks
6 carrots, thickly sliced
1 med. rutabaga in bite-sized chunks
4-6 ribs celery, thickly diced
4 small turnips in bite-sized chunks
2-3 tsps. whole black peppercorns
1-2 tsps. whole allspice
Salt to taste
4 to 5 bay leaves
Combine beef and water and boil for 20 minutes; skim to clear broth. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; simmer about 20 min. until meat and vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings. Continue to simmer to blend flavors.
Yield: 6-8 hearty servings.
Both from: Mojakka.com
17 March, 2017
Newsletters: 17 Nov. 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 17 Nov. 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
About that food...
My family was always very traditional about our Thanksgiving dinner -- right down to the jokes about the Candied Yam. Mom only cooked one yam, you see, because it had to be there -- marshmallows and all -- for the meal to be complete, but Dad was the only one who would actually eat any. I grew up thinking I didn't like sweet potatoes and yams, then a few years ago someone served me mashed sweet potatoes. I had a spoonful to be polite and discovered they're actually quite good without the marshmallows. Of course, doing them that way means there's no bag of slightly stale marshmallows to roast in the fireplace on a cold January evening....
There is a lot of information about roasting turkeys around this time of year so I'll just give you a couple of links and get on to a less thoroughly discussed facet, one that is becoming increasingly important as families grow smaller: what to do with the leftovers. The first thing I think of for using up leftovers is soup.
...
Turkey and sweet-potato soup
2 Tb butter
1 onion, in thin slices
1.5 tsp dried sage
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes
1.5 qt chicken broth
2 tsp salt
1/4 lb green beans, in 1/4-in. pieces
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb turkey cutlets, cut into ca. 1.5 x .5-in strips
Melt butter in large pot over med-low. Add onion and sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, ca. 5 min. Add sweet potatoes, broth, 1 t salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, ca. 10 min. Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return to the pot and add beans, remaining salt, pepper. Simmer until beans are just tender, ca. 8 min. Stir in turkey; cook until turkey is done, ca. 1.5 min.
From: Quick from scratch : one-dish meals. Food & Wine Books, American Express Pub., c2004.
Turkey, carrot, and apple stew
olive-oil nonstick spray
1.25 lb boneless skinless turkey breast slices, in strips
2 onions in wedges
14 oz chicken broth
1 rib celery in 1/4-in slices
1/2 c raisins
6 carrots in 1/4-in slices
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 c chopped apples
2 Tb cornstarch
3 Tb cold water
1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste
Coat a nonstick skillet with the spray and heat over med. Add turkey and onions and cook, stirring, until browned, 4-6 min. Combine turkey mixture, broth, celery, raisins, carrots, brown sugar, curry powder, and turmeric in a med. crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hr, until turkey is cooked through. Stir in apples. Cook another 1-2 min. to soften the apples. In a small cup, whisk together cold water and cornstarch and add; cook another 1-5 min. until sauce is thickened.
From: Essential slow cooker recipes / Carol Heding Munson. Main Street ; Sterling, c2002.
-------
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
-- Lao-tzu --
It is better to die of indigestion than of starvation.
-- Cicero --
About that food...
My family was always very traditional about our Thanksgiving dinner -- right down to the jokes about the Candied Yam. Mom only cooked one yam, you see, because it had to be there -- marshmallows and all -- for the meal to be complete, but Dad was the only one who would actually eat any. I grew up thinking I didn't like sweet potatoes and yams, then a few years ago someone served me mashed sweet potatoes. I had a spoonful to be polite and discovered they're actually quite good without the marshmallows. Of course, doing them that way means there's no bag of slightly stale marshmallows to roast in the fireplace on a cold January evening....
There is a lot of information about roasting turkeys around this time of year so I'll just give you a couple of links and get on to a less thoroughly discussed facet, one that is becoming increasingly important as families grow smaller: what to do with the leftovers. The first thing I think of for using up leftovers is soup.
...
Turkey and sweet-potato soup
2 Tb butter
1 onion, in thin slices
1.5 tsp dried sage
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in cubes
1.5 qt chicken broth
2 tsp salt
1/4 lb green beans, in 1/4-in. pieces
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb turkey cutlets, cut into ca. 1.5 x .5-in strips
Melt butter in large pot over med-low. Add onion and sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, ca. 5 min. Add sweet potatoes, broth, 1 t salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, ca. 10 min. Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return to the pot and add beans, remaining salt, pepper. Simmer until beans are just tender, ca. 8 min. Stir in turkey; cook until turkey is done, ca. 1.5 min.
From: Quick from scratch : one-dish meals. Food & Wine Books, American Express Pub., c2004.
Turkey, carrot, and apple stew
olive-oil nonstick spray
1.25 lb boneless skinless turkey breast slices, in strips
2 onions in wedges
14 oz chicken broth
1 rib celery in 1/4-in slices
1/2 c raisins
6 carrots in 1/4-in slices
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1.5 c chopped apples
2 Tb cornstarch
3 Tb cold water
1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste
Coat a nonstick skillet with the spray and heat over med. Add turkey and onions and cook, stirring, until browned, 4-6 min. Combine turkey mixture, broth, celery, raisins, carrots, brown sugar, curry powder, and turmeric in a med. crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hr, until turkey is cooked through. Stir in apples. Cook another 1-2 min. to soften the apples. In a small cup, whisk together cold water and cornstarch and add; cook another 1-5 min. until sauce is thickened.
From: Essential slow cooker recipes / Carol Heding Munson. Main Street ; Sterling, c2002.
-------
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
-- Lao-tzu --
It is better to die of indigestion than of starvation.
-- Cicero --
15 March, 2017
Newsletters: 14 Sept. 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 14 Sept. 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
The eggplant, also called an aubergine, belongs to the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Like tomatoes, it is really a fruit. When immature it contains toxins that can cause illness (but it grows out of it). People with arthritis and related issues should consider avoiding eggplant and its relatives, because the solanine they contain can be a problem for them. However, eggplant has also been used to reduce other kinds of swelling and bleeding, and to treat dysentery, so you'll have to make up your own mind whether to eat it or not. Eggplant is full of bioflavinoids, and the skin of the purple varieties contains another kind of anti-oxidant, anthocyanins. It has some nice B-complex vitamins, but it is more known for its minerals, especially manganese, copper, iron and potassium. It is also a very low-calorie fruit and provides plenty of fiber.
Eggplants probably originated in India or Southeast Asia, and was cultivated in China as early as the 5th century. The Moors brought it to Spain in the 8th century, and the Italians were trading with the Arabs for it in the 13th century. In India it is called brinjal, Australians call it an eggfruit, and West Africans call it garden fruit. Some use it to treat scorpion bites or frostbite.
In the kitchen
I went looking for some nice leek recipes because they looked so pretty, and of course I immediately ran up against my collection of Welsh recipes. So here are two traditional Welsh soups and a fairly modern chicken, just for variety.
Swp cennin a thatws (leek and potato soup)
3 leeks
1 lb. potatoes
2 oz butter
1 oz flour
3 pints chicken stock
1 c milk
3 sprigs parsley
salt, pepper
Trim leeks, wash thoroughly and slice finely. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place leeks and potatoes with 1 oz butter in a large saucepan. Cover and heat gently 5 min. until the leeks are very lightly coloured. Shake the saucepan gently to prevent the vegetables burning. Pour on the stock and simmer 3/4 hour. Melt the rest of the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. Stir in the milk, making sure there are no lumps. Simmer 2-3 min. on a gentle heat and add to soup. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Serve hot, garnished with parsley.
From: The Welsh dresser : more recipes from Wales / by Sian Llewellyn. Cardiff : Emeralda, c1986.
Cawl Aberaeron (Aberayron broth)
1.5 lb. bacon
1 lb beef
1 white cabbage
1/2 lb. carrots
1/2 lb turnips
1/2 lb parsnips
1 lb potatoes
2 small leeks
oatmeal
salt, pepper
Wash and shred the cabbage. peel and cut up all the other vegetables. Dice the bacon and beef. Place the meat and all the vegetables except the leeks in a large saucepan; cover with water and season to taste. Simmer 2-2.5 hr. Add the leeks and continue heating for a further 10 min. Serve hot.
From: The Welsh kitchen : recipes from Wales / by Sian Llewellyn. Cardiff : Emeralda, 1972.
Chicken braised with leeks and figs
1 T butter
3 c coarsely chopped leek (ca. 4-5)
2 T flour
3/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
4 chicken drumsticks, skinned (4 oz ea.)
4 chicken thighs, skinned (4 oz ea.)
2 c dry white wine
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
6 parsley sprigs
1 sprig thyme
16 medium light-skinned fresh figs, halved (ca. 1.5 lb)
1 T chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
thyme sprigs, for garnish
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over med-high. Add leeks; saute 5 min or until tender. Remove leeks from pan and set aside. Combine flour, salt, pepper, chicken in a plastic bag and shake to coat. Place chicken in the skillet and brown on all sides, ca. 10 min. Return leeks to pan and add wine, vinegar, honey, parsley, thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 15 min. Add figs and simmer another 10 min. or until chickien is done. Remove parsley and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with parsley and thyme garnish if desired.
From: Cooking light, Aug. 2004.
In the belly
The eggplant, also called an aubergine, belongs to the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Like tomatoes, it is really a fruit. When immature it contains toxins that can cause illness (but it grows out of it). People with arthritis and related issues should consider avoiding eggplant and its relatives, because the solanine they contain can be a problem for them. However, eggplant has also been used to reduce other kinds of swelling and bleeding, and to treat dysentery, so you'll have to make up your own mind whether to eat it or not. Eggplant is full of bioflavinoids, and the skin of the purple varieties contains another kind of anti-oxidant, anthocyanins. It has some nice B-complex vitamins, but it is more known for its minerals, especially manganese, copper, iron and potassium. It is also a very low-calorie fruit and provides plenty of fiber.
Eggplants probably originated in India or Southeast Asia, and was cultivated in China as early as the 5th century. The Moors brought it to Spain in the 8th century, and the Italians were trading with the Arabs for it in the 13th century. In India it is called brinjal, Australians call it an eggfruit, and West Africans call it garden fruit. Some use it to treat scorpion bites or frostbite.
In the kitchen
I went looking for some nice leek recipes because they looked so pretty, and of course I immediately ran up against my collection of Welsh recipes. So here are two traditional Welsh soups and a fairly modern chicken, just for variety.
Swp cennin a thatws (leek and potato soup)
3 leeks
1 lb. potatoes
2 oz butter
1 oz flour
3 pints chicken stock
1 c milk
3 sprigs parsley
salt, pepper
Trim leeks, wash thoroughly and slice finely. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place leeks and potatoes with 1 oz butter in a large saucepan. Cover and heat gently 5 min. until the leeks are very lightly coloured. Shake the saucepan gently to prevent the vegetables burning. Pour on the stock and simmer 3/4 hour. Melt the rest of the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. Stir in the milk, making sure there are no lumps. Simmer 2-3 min. on a gentle heat and add to soup. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Serve hot, garnished with parsley.
From: The Welsh dresser : more recipes from Wales / by Sian Llewellyn. Cardiff : Emeralda, c1986.
Cawl Aberaeron (Aberayron broth)
1.5 lb. bacon
1 lb beef
1 white cabbage
1/2 lb. carrots
1/2 lb turnips
1/2 lb parsnips
1 lb potatoes
2 small leeks
oatmeal
salt, pepper
Wash and shred the cabbage. peel and cut up all the other vegetables. Dice the bacon and beef. Place the meat and all the vegetables except the leeks in a large saucepan; cover with water and season to taste. Simmer 2-2.5 hr. Add the leeks and continue heating for a further 10 min. Serve hot.
From: The Welsh kitchen : recipes from Wales / by Sian Llewellyn. Cardiff : Emeralda, 1972.
Chicken braised with leeks and figs
1 T butter
3 c coarsely chopped leek (ca. 4-5)
2 T flour
3/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
4 chicken drumsticks, skinned (4 oz ea.)
4 chicken thighs, skinned (4 oz ea.)
2 c dry white wine
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
6 parsley sprigs
1 sprig thyme
16 medium light-skinned fresh figs, halved (ca. 1.5 lb)
1 T chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
thyme sprigs, for garnish
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over med-high. Add leeks; saute 5 min or until tender. Remove leeks from pan and set aside. Combine flour, salt, pepper, chicken in a plastic bag and shake to coat. Place chicken in the skillet and brown on all sides, ca. 10 min. Return leeks to pan and add wine, vinegar, honey, parsley, thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 15 min. Add figs and simmer another 10 min. or until chickien is done. Remove parsley and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with parsley and thyme garnish if desired.
From: Cooking light, Aug. 2004.
Newsletters: 15 Sept, 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 15 Sept, 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
As our thoughts turn more and more to the cold weather to come, many start to think about saving the wonderful summer flavors. Poking around in my old canning and preserving books, I came across these interesting-sounding recipes (well, actually, I came across a lot of interesting-sounding recipes, so we may be seeing more from this little collection in the coming weeks).
Yellow Tomato Preserves
2 qt. yellow cherry tomatoes (about 3 lb)
3 c sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
1/4 c thinly sliced candied ginger
After washing and drying tomatoes, cut a thin slice from the blossom end and press out the seeds, keeping tomatoes otherwise whole. Combine tomatoes, sugar, and salt; simmer slowly until sugar dissolves. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring. Boil gently 40 min. until it thickens, then add lemon and ginger. Boil another 10 min, stirring often. Fill about 4 hot, sterilized jars (8 oz. each) and seal immediately.
October butter
8 med. cooking apples, chopped
2 large firm Anjou pears, chopped
3 c orange juice
2 sticks cinnamon
2 c mashed ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
half as much sugar as fruit pulp (see below)
Chop apples and pears into small pieces without peeling or coring. Cook, covered, with orange juice and cinnamon over med. heat until very soft, 45 min.-1 hr. Put through a food mill, discarding skins and seeds. Combine with banana and lemon juice and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. Measure and return to pan; add half as much sugar (e.g. 3 c sugar to 6 c fruit). Continue boiling and stirring another 20-25 min. until thickened. Fill about 5 hot, sterilized jars (8 oz. each) and seal immediately.
Both from: The how-to book : canning, freezing, drying / written and compiled by Anne Borella ; Barbara Bloch, ed. Benjamin Co., 1976.
Books!
One more book on preserving, and a fun one I came across while looking up something else entirely.
Canning & preserving your own harvest : an encyclopedia of country living / Carla Emery & Lorene Edwards Forkner. Sasquatch Books, c2009.
The hungry scientist handbook : electric birthday cakes, edible origami, and Other DIY projects for techies, tinkerers, and foodies / by Patrick Buckley and Lily Binns. Harper, 2008.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
As our thoughts turn more and more to the cold weather to come, many start to think about saving the wonderful summer flavors. Poking around in my old canning and preserving books, I came across these interesting-sounding recipes (well, actually, I came across a lot of interesting-sounding recipes, so we may be seeing more from this little collection in the coming weeks).
Yellow Tomato Preserves
2 qt. yellow cherry tomatoes (about 3 lb)
3 c sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
1/4 c thinly sliced candied ginger
After washing and drying tomatoes, cut a thin slice from the blossom end and press out the seeds, keeping tomatoes otherwise whole. Combine tomatoes, sugar, and salt; simmer slowly until sugar dissolves. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring. Boil gently 40 min. until it thickens, then add lemon and ginger. Boil another 10 min, stirring often. Fill about 4 hot, sterilized jars (8 oz. each) and seal immediately.
October butter
8 med. cooking apples, chopped
2 large firm Anjou pears, chopped
3 c orange juice
2 sticks cinnamon
2 c mashed ripe banana (3-4 bananas)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
half as much sugar as fruit pulp (see below)
Chop apples and pears into small pieces without peeling or coring. Cook, covered, with orange juice and cinnamon over med. heat until very soft, 45 min.-1 hr. Put through a food mill, discarding skins and seeds. Combine with banana and lemon juice and boil gently, stirring frequently, until thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon. Measure and return to pan; add half as much sugar (e.g. 3 c sugar to 6 c fruit). Continue boiling and stirring another 20-25 min. until thickened. Fill about 5 hot, sterilized jars (8 oz. each) and seal immediately.
Both from: The how-to book : canning, freezing, drying / written and compiled by Anne Borella ; Barbara Bloch, ed. Benjamin Co., 1976.
Books!
One more book on preserving, and a fun one I came across while looking up something else entirely.
Canning & preserving your own harvest : an encyclopedia of country living / Carla Emery & Lorene Edwards Forkner. Sasquatch Books, c2009.
The hungry scientist handbook : electric birthday cakes, edible origami, and Other DIY projects for techies, tinkerers, and foodies / by Patrick Buckley and Lily Binns. Harper, 2008.
08 March, 2017
Newsletters: 7 Sept, 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 7 Sept, 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say that this is the time to plant winter cabbage, choi, and mustard, as well as all that harvesting. Water trees and shrubs less to harden them off, and keep your flowers picked (or at least dead-headed).
In the kitchen
Since we're in full harvest season (i.e. somewhere between the end of apricots and the beginning of winter squash), how about another round of preserving recipes? There's already some information in the Market recipe pages, including such classic recipes as dilly beans, kale chips, and two kinds of green tomato relish, but if a little's good, more must be better, right?
Sweet onion and fennel relish (What can I say? I like fennel--ed.)
8 oz. sweet onion, sliced into thin half-circles
10 oz. fennel, sliced into thin half-circles
1 swet red pepper in thin strips
2.5 tsp. pickling salt, divided
1.5 c white wine vinegar
0.5 c water
0.25 c sugar
2 bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
Place onion, fennel, and red pepper in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp. salt. Toss and let stand 4 hours. Rinse well and drain thoroughly. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil in a large non-reactive saucepan; add vegetables and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pack vegetables into hot jars and cover with cooking liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Distribute bay leaves and peppercorns among jars. Process 10 min. for half pints, 15 min. for pints.
Peach mint salsa
2 c peaches, peeled and chopped (about 4)
0.25 c finely chopped red onion
0.25 c finely chopped sweet green pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeño pepper
2 Tbsp. honey
0.25 tsp. pickling salt
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
Combine all ingredients except mint in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Gently boil, uncovered, 5 min., stirring occasionally. Add mint and cook 1 min. more. Ladle into half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process 20 min.
Asian plum sauce
9 purple plums, washed, pitted, and finely chopped (about 1.5 lb./1.75 c)
1.5 c brown sugar
1 c cider vinegar
1.5 tsp. salt
1.5 c onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
0.25 c raisins
2 tsp. soy sauce
0.25 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
Bring plums, sugar, vinegar, and salt to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan; boil gently, uncovered, 3 min., stirring occasionally. Add onion, garlic, raisins, soy sauce, and spices; return to a boil. Boil gently 45 min, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened. Ladle into hot half-pint jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace; process 15 min.
All from: The complete book of small-batch preserving : over 300 delicious recipes to use year-round / Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard. Firefly Books, c2007.
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say that this is the time to plant winter cabbage, choi, and mustard, as well as all that harvesting. Water trees and shrubs less to harden them off, and keep your flowers picked (or at least dead-headed).
In the kitchen
Since we're in full harvest season (i.e. somewhere between the end of apricots and the beginning of winter squash), how about another round of preserving recipes? There's already some information in the Market recipe pages, including such classic recipes as dilly beans, kale chips, and two kinds of green tomato relish, but if a little's good, more must be better, right?
Sweet onion and fennel relish (What can I say? I like fennel--ed.)
8 oz. sweet onion, sliced into thin half-circles
10 oz. fennel, sliced into thin half-circles
1 swet red pepper in thin strips
2.5 tsp. pickling salt, divided
1.5 c white wine vinegar
0.5 c water
0.25 c sugar
2 bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
Place onion, fennel, and red pepper in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp. salt. Toss and let stand 4 hours. Rinse well and drain thoroughly. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil in a large non-reactive saucepan; add vegetables and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pack vegetables into hot jars and cover with cooking liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Distribute bay leaves and peppercorns among jars. Process 10 min. for half pints, 15 min. for pints.
Peach mint salsa
2 c peaches, peeled and chopped (about 4)
0.25 c finely chopped red onion
0.25 c finely chopped sweet green pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeño pepper
2 Tbsp. honey
0.25 tsp. pickling salt
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
Combine all ingredients except mint in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Gently boil, uncovered, 5 min., stirring occasionally. Add mint and cook 1 min. more. Ladle into half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process 20 min.
Asian plum sauce
9 purple plums, washed, pitted, and finely chopped (about 1.5 lb./1.75 c)
1.5 c brown sugar
1 c cider vinegar
1.5 tsp. salt
1.5 c onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
0.25 c raisins
2 tsp. soy sauce
0.25 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
Bring plums, sugar, vinegar, and salt to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan; boil gently, uncovered, 3 min., stirring occasionally. Add onion, garlic, raisins, soy sauce, and spices; return to a boil. Boil gently 45 min, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened. Ladle into hot half-pint jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace; process 15 min.
All from: The complete book of small-batch preserving : over 300 delicious recipes to use year-round / Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard. Firefly Books, c2007.
Newsletters: 8 Sept, 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 8 Sept, 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
I don't have any questions to answer this week, which means I get to pick something from my own collection. If you enjoyed the medieval recipes I shared last spring, you should find these classical Greek and Roman reconstructions interesting too.
Cheese and sesame sweatmeats
(Globi, from Philoxenus and Cato)
1.25 c. milk
2 Tbsp. semolina
3 Tbsp. honey (divided)
4 oz. ricotta cheese
.75 c. lightly roasted sesame seeds (divided)
olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying
Bring the milk to a boil and sprinkle the semolina over it, stirring constantly. Cook briefly but do not let it burn. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until it forms a firm paste. Add 1 Tbsp. honey and the cheese; mix well and stir in the sesame seeds. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or saucepan until a little of the mixture dropped into the oil rises and begins to color. Form mixture into balls between two spoons and drop into the oil 2-3 at a time. Turn occasionally until they are golden-brown on all sides; lift from the oil and drain on paper towels. Warm the remaining honey and toss the cooked balls in it, then in the remaining sesame seeds. May be served hot or cold.
Garlic cheese
(Moretum, from a poem attributed to Virgil)
2 bulbs garlic (very roughly, 15-25 cloves)
8 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese
1 large handful cilantro
2 tsp. chopped fresh rue
2 heaped tsp. chopped fresh celery leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and herbs; grate the cheese. If you are grinding by hand, start with the garlic and salt and break it down to a pulp, then add the cheese and herbs. When you have a smooth mixture add the liquids and mix well. If you are using a food processor, process all the solid ingredients into a smooth mixture, then add the liquids. Chill. Serve with a crusty loaf as a snack.
Both recipes this week are from: The classical cookbook / Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. J. Paul Getty Museum, c1996.
Cooking, and reading about cooking
I don't have any questions to answer this week, which means I get to pick something from my own collection. If you enjoyed the medieval recipes I shared last spring, you should find these classical Greek and Roman reconstructions interesting too.
Cheese and sesame sweatmeats
(Globi, from Philoxenus and Cato)
1.25 c. milk
2 Tbsp. semolina
3 Tbsp. honey (divided)
4 oz. ricotta cheese
.75 c. lightly roasted sesame seeds (divided)
olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying
Bring the milk to a boil and sprinkle the semolina over it, stirring constantly. Cook briefly but do not let it burn. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until it forms a firm paste. Add 1 Tbsp. honey and the cheese; mix well and stir in the sesame seeds. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or saucepan until a little of the mixture dropped into the oil rises and begins to color. Form mixture into balls between two spoons and drop into the oil 2-3 at a time. Turn occasionally until they are golden-brown on all sides; lift from the oil and drain on paper towels. Warm the remaining honey and toss the cooked balls in it, then in the remaining sesame seeds. May be served hot or cold.
Garlic cheese
(Moretum, from a poem attributed to Virgil)
2 bulbs garlic (very roughly, 15-25 cloves)
8 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese
1 large handful cilantro
2 tsp. chopped fresh rue
2 heaped tsp. chopped fresh celery leaf
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and herbs; grate the cheese. If you are grinding by hand, start with the garlic and salt and break it down to a pulp, then add the cheese and herbs. When you have a smooth mixture add the liquids and mix well. If you are using a food processor, process all the solid ingredients into a smooth mixture, then add the liquids. Chill. Serve with a crusty loaf as a snack.
Both recipes this week are from: The classical cookbook / Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger. J. Paul Getty Museum, c1996.
01 March, 2017
Newsletters: 1 Sept., 2010
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 1 Sept., 2010. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
Welcome to September. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, kale, cheese, bread, honey, coffee... wait, this sounds awfully familiar. Care to sing along?
Cucumbers and broccoli, coffee, coffee
Peppers, taters, tomatoes, yerba mate.
Crepes with strawberries, pulled pork on a bun,
Gyros, cheese, kale, lemon tarts
And hot dogs just for fun.
(To the tune of Camptown Ladies, but inspired by Pinky and The Brain's brainstem song)
...
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Someone mentioned kale chips, which sounded interesting, so I went looking for recipes. You get three recipes this week because I couldn't bear to leave one out (and because I slacked off again in the main section, so there's plenty of room; I did that on purpose, of course. Yeah, that's right; you believe me, don't you?).
Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or other vinegar if preferred)
1 pinch sea salt, to taste
Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut ribs from each kale leaf and discard; tear the leaves into pieces of uniform size. Wash torn kale pieces and dry thoroughly. Place in a large resealable bag with about half the olive oil; seal and squeeze the bag so the oil gets distributed evenly on the kale pieces. Add the remaining oil and squeeze the bag more, until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly "massaged." Sprinkle the vinegar over the kale leaves, reseal the bag, and shake to spread the vinegar evenly over the leaves. Spread the leaves evenly onto a baking sheet. Roast until mostly crisp, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and serve immediately.
From: Allrecipes.com
Or here's another method:
Basic Kale Chips
curly kale
garlic salt
nutritional yeast
Preheat oven to 250. Wash and dry kale; remove leaves from stems. Tear leaves into large "bite-sized" pieces and spread out across two jelly roll pans. The kale can be touching each other, but should generally be spread out. Sprinkle kale with garlic salt and nutritional yeast to taste. Bake for about fifteen minutes, and then start checking for doneness very 5 minutes. The leaves are done when they are totally dry, light, and can crumble easily. They should crunch like a potato chip. Remove the "done" leaves from the pan and return the rest to the oven.
From: Food.com
Similar but with lots of cheese:
Kale crisps
2 bunches kale, washed and dried
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Remove the stems and ribs from the kale, and shred the kale very thinly. Spread onto the baking sheets, and sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese. Bake 10 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until the kale is crisp and the cheese is browned.
From: Allrecipes.com
Welcome to September. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, kale, cheese, bread, honey, coffee... wait, this sounds awfully familiar. Care to sing along?
Cucumbers and broccoli, coffee, coffee
Peppers, taters, tomatoes, yerba mate.
Crepes with strawberries, pulled pork on a bun,
Gyros, cheese, kale, lemon tarts
And hot dogs just for fun.
(To the tune of Camptown Ladies, but inspired by Pinky and The Brain's brainstem song)
...
Cooking, and reading about cooking
Someone mentioned kale chips, which sounded interesting, so I went looking for recipes. You get three recipes this week because I couldn't bear to leave one out (and because I slacked off again in the main section, so there's plenty of room; I did that on purpose, of course. Yeah, that's right; you believe me, don't you?).
Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or other vinegar if preferred)
1 pinch sea salt, to taste
Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut ribs from each kale leaf and discard; tear the leaves into pieces of uniform size. Wash torn kale pieces and dry thoroughly. Place in a large resealable bag with about half the olive oil; seal and squeeze the bag so the oil gets distributed evenly on the kale pieces. Add the remaining oil and squeeze the bag more, until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly "massaged." Sprinkle the vinegar over the kale leaves, reseal the bag, and shake to spread the vinegar evenly over the leaves. Spread the leaves evenly onto a baking sheet. Roast until mostly crisp, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and serve immediately.
From: Allrecipes.com
Or here's another method:
Basic Kale Chips
curly kale
garlic salt
nutritional yeast
Preheat oven to 250. Wash and dry kale; remove leaves from stems. Tear leaves into large "bite-sized" pieces and spread out across two jelly roll pans. The kale can be touching each other, but should generally be spread out. Sprinkle kale with garlic salt and nutritional yeast to taste. Bake for about fifteen minutes, and then start checking for doneness very 5 minutes. The leaves are done when they are totally dry, light, and can crumble easily. They should crunch like a potato chip. Remove the "done" leaves from the pan and return the rest to the oven.
From: Food.com
Similar but with lots of cheese:
Kale crisps
2 bunches kale, washed and dried
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Remove the stems and ribs from the kale, and shred the kale very thinly. Spread onto the baking sheets, and sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese. Bake 10 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until the kale is crisp and the cheese is browned.
From: Allrecipes.com
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