tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73787359624002433532024-03-12T20:15:19.324-07:00Crunchy Chicken CooksCreating seasonal recipes that are inspired by my passion for local, organic foodsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-9527216030590143832011-03-12T13:45:00.000-08:002011-03-12T13:51:19.687-08:00Salted Chipotle Chocolate Chunk Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolA-cJtaaFoU3Kp9wsNYsL8cmkYf4ROTY4aetOyk5zNgnmX2in6hYRulLXED3ahchDINUyI53bDN1KrMIuVVQljruhpJ5-R3IXlIqwiAVHtEh3bD9tEhGzpWBuzPK9Aj-lIE9WKXM5PDG/s1600/chipotle2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolA-cJtaaFoU3Kp9wsNYsL8cmkYf4ROTY4aetOyk5zNgnmX2in6hYRulLXED3ahchDINUyI53bDN1KrMIuVVQljruhpJ5-R3IXlIqwiAVHtEh3bD9tEhGzpWBuzPK9Aj-lIE9WKXM5PDG/s200/chipotle2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551529454399277826" /></a>I made a lot of cookies over the holidays. But these aren't your ordinary cookies. These are complex cookies with character. The kind that makes your taste buds report in waves of flavors.<br /><br />First, I took a standard, chocolate chip cookie recipe that I've had success with in the past (and, more importantly, was quick - I was strapped for time). In this case, it's the Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip cookie <a href="http://www.ghirardelli.com/bake/recipe.aspx?id=1045">recipe</a>. And then I doctored it up with some spices, most notably chipotle, cinnamon and cayenne and then sprinkled some sea salt at the finish for a sweet, salty, spicy (with a hint of smoky) flavor profile. <br /><br />I recommend getting Ghiradelli bittersweet bars and chopping them into chunks or you can use Scharffen Berger chocolate chunks (it ends up being cheaper than the bars). Just make sure you use good quality chocolate. I would have used Guittard, but didn't want to wrestle with chopping up the bulk chocolate. For the rest, I used all organic ingredients, house made vanilla extract and eggs from our backyard chickens.<br /><br />These end up being mildly spicy. If I weren't baking these for other people (and eating them myself), I would increase the chipotle and the cayenne. So, if you like things spicy, feel free to double the cinnamon, chipotle and cayenne!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Salted Chipotle Chocolate Chunk Cookies</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ingredients</span><br />1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed<br />2 large eggs<br />2 teaspoons vanilla<br /><br />2 1/4 cup unsifted flour<br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder<br />1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper<br />1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br /><br />12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks<br />fleur de sel (or fine sea salt)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Directions</span><br />Heat oven to 375º F.<br /><br />Stir flour with baking soda, salt and spices and set aside. <br /><br />In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated. <br /><br />Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle fleur de sel or sea salt on each unbaked cookie.<br /><br />Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for three minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Then stuff into mouth.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-15012470974800866022011-03-11T13:41:00.000-08:002011-03-12T13:51:51.466-08:00Blackberry, Rum and Black Pepper Jam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPHsEaABm-0iCpIxLa8LvLQGsurJYO8D61MNtvbW8j2vEsCJxo2shKAq-EQxOVBD336gmbtBEwaDfBkS5epiFB56G85_wNmxKYsa-Axjkn9rE4nq9MmH3oQC-n8LlMpKbFDiG149kpWYx/s1600/blackberries.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPHsEaABm-0iCpIxLa8LvLQGsurJYO8D61MNtvbW8j2vEsCJxo2shKAq-EQxOVBD336gmbtBEwaDfBkS5epiFB56G85_wNmxKYsa-Axjkn9rE4nq9MmH3oQC-n8LlMpKbFDiG149kpWYx/s200/blackberries.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503980196944158674" /></a>We just ran out of homemade jam. It is quite the horror and I'm wondering if I should bust out the frozen berries to make more jam. <br /><br />Last summer we didn't do as much canning as we normally do because we were out of town for almost a month during prime canning season. This year, I'm sure I'll more than make up for it, but I wanted to let you all know about my favorite jam that I've come up with so far. It's a fantastic mix of blackberries, spicy and complex flavors.<br /><br />Last summer, I was trying to figure out what additional flavors would go well with blackberry and decided to give fresh ground black pepper and barrel aged rum a try. I was not at all disappointed.<br /><br /><strong>Blackberry, Aged Rum and Black Pepper Jam</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients:</em><br /><br />5 cups packed (not crushed) blackberries, preferably organic<br />2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper<br />1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel<br />1 package Ball (or SureJell) natural fruit pectin<br />7 cups sugar<br />1/3 cup aged rum*<br /><br />Makes 9 half-pints.<br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br /><br />Rinse and measure blackberries and add them to a large, non-reactive pot. In the meantime, sterilize 9 half-pint canning jars and lids in a water bath canner. <br /><br />Heat the berries over high, adding in the grated lemon peel and blending. As the berries start to reduce, freshly grind in about 2 teaspoons black pepper on a medium or coarse grind. As the berries further reduce, gradually stir in the fruit pectin. <br /><br />Bring mixture to a full boil until it cannot be stirred down. Add the entire amount of sugar and stir. Return to full boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately take mixture off the heat and add in the rum. Stir until the rum is well incorporated and the alcohol is cooked off from the residual heat (it will reboil when you add in the rum).<br /><br />Fill your canning jars with jam, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Apply lids and process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (adjusting for altitude as per the instructions that come with your pectin).<br /><br />Remove jars and allow to cool for 12 - 24 hours and store. Assuming you don't eat it all as soon as it's cool.<br /><br />*For the rum, I used Barbancourt Rhum Reserve Speciale, aged 8 years in oak.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:75%;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.outdoorblogging.com">Outdoor Blogging</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-47413280959515597592010-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:002011-03-12T13:40:10.269-08:00Eat Your Christmas Tree<a href="http://thelunacafe.com/trim-the-christmas-tree-eat-it-too-cookies/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0oCJUCH13UtYzWQdnQlt7Hh_v9Ote_uw0RWIMhIWMj3eDumPycXf3glktWoDx8aVc3so_G8Ytx70aJIxFYWtRPNDAvq2VIicZ3quXrcFAZHLcvl8onXzh3F3lwKsswVkt8YXPAqiM_sD/s200/dougfircookies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415329611308583522" /></a>A few years back, when my 8-year-old son was an infant, my husband and I visited the (now-defunct) restaurant <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/washington/seattle/52120/cascadia-restaurant/restaurant-detail.html">Cascadia</a> in Seattle, which focused on regional and seasonal ingredients - hence the name. It was before most of my eco-nuttiness, so I wasn't nearly as in tune to the local ingredients thing, but when we went back the second time - whoa doggie - did I ever grill the waiter. Unfortunately, he didn't have many answers to my litany of questions. But I digress. <br /><br />On that first visit we tried a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giadas-weekend-getaways/alpine-martini-recipe/index.html">Douglas Fir Sorbet</a>, mostly because of the uniqueness of it. It was fantastic - one of those flavors that, although you may not want to snack on it daily - has stuck in my mind all these years. And, that's saying something given my ADD.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811864065?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0811864065"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggP9br-BO_mF4jvn45NQSn49CAz0a7fHJwoeAT5Os_5OELl3DXLD6FSDLLSu-3y_nPYXcMjCHVl76WxNdkdtIufzoCJnLF-svRyPpJjyp2cT07AyrYumt7fT1eUzs4EI2DYq4Imi23040/s200/douglasfir.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415223511009198802" /></a>Anyway, last year my husband purchased a little book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811864065?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0811864065">Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers</a>, written by a local author, and one of the cocktails included in this fabulous little gem is a Douglas Fir drink that reminded me of that sorbet from yesteryear. <br /><br />So, now that you have that fresh Douglas (or Noble) Fir Christmas tree hanging around the house (and I <em>know</em> that you bought an unsprayed one, didn't you?), go ahead and clip a six inch section from the tree where no one will notice it missing and make yourself some Douglas Fir infused gin or vodka and get your holiday spirits on! And, don't forget, little sprigs of Douglas Fir also make for a fantastic drink garnish.<br /><br />I think a fir or spruce infused gin, vodka or brandy would also make for a nice present, particularly if you hang a drink recipe around the bottleneck.<br /><br /><strong>Douglas Fir Sparkletini</strong><br />1 1/2 ounce Douglas Fir infused gin (see below)<br />3/4 ounce white cranberry juice<br />1 1/2 ounce fresh Lemon Sour (see below)<br />Splash of dry sparkling wine (preferably local)<br /><br /><em>For garnishing:</em><br />Tiny sprig of Douglas Fir<br />Fresh or frozen cranberry<br /><br />Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure in the infused gin, cranberry juice and lemon sour mixture. Strain into a martini glass and top with a splash of dry sparkling wine. Garnish with a fir sprig and float a cranberry in the drink.<br /><br /><strong>Douglas Fir Infused Gin</strong><br />1 (5-6 inch) sprig of Douglas Fir branch, rinsed<br />1 750ml bottle gin<br /><br />Put the fir branch into the gin bottle and cap and let sit for 24 hours (do not leave it in for longer). Remove the branch and discard. The infused gin can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year.<br /><br /><strong>Fresh Lemon Sour</strong><br />Makes 1 cup:<br />1/2 cup fresh lemon juice<br />1/4 cup sugar<br />1/4 cup water<br /><br />In a small container with a lid, combine the ingredients. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.<br /><br />Another drink idea is the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/PINE-NEEDLE-DAIQUIRI-50056115">Pine Needle Daiquiri</a>. If drinking trees ain't your thang, then, by all means go ahead and eat it. Here's a tasty looking recipe: <a href="http://thelunacafe.com/trim-the-christmas-tree-eat-it-too-cookies/">Douglas Fir & Orange Blossom Butter Cookies</a>. And, for the serious tree snacker, check out <a href="http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/wild-thing">this post</a>: <em>Douglas fir tips bring the flavor of the forest into the kitchen</em>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-43565375056832395072010-07-31T13:32:00.000-07:002011-03-12T13:32:47.804-08:00Pickled radishes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSnI3Q7nR0mq_qpxpYJSbhPcKTKbBykzG6Dx5We7ysn781RZ6qKl62ilP-Xmkb3G43W4KDVFeXumji_SsRb9v9DjAl_NhMINuJBEzYqImsz52OtLPEyKxDllK-cEerTLvZL17UZn8guQ9/s1600/pickled_radishes.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSnI3Q7nR0mq_qpxpYJSbhPcKTKbBykzG6Dx5We7ysn781RZ6qKl62ilP-Xmkb3G43W4KDVFeXumji_SsRb9v9DjAl_NhMINuJBEzYqImsz52OtLPEyKxDllK-cEerTLvZL17UZn8guQ9/s200/pickled_radishes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498407362195566386" /></a>We came back from our long vacation with a veritable crapton of radishes ready to jump out of the ground. Not too surprising, since the kids planted them a week before we left. Okay, maybe crapton of radishes is a bit of an exaggeration, but 35 radishes I cannot eat in one week. <br /><br />Henry loves radishes, Emma thinks they are "too spicy", I can only eat a few as they irritate my stomach and my husband, who can plough through them, had the stomach flu last week. So, what's a gardener with a big bowl of radishes to do?<br /><br />Well, during one of my many hours spent in the garden last week, I remembered an article I read in my new <a href="http://www.hobbyfarms.com/hobby-farm-home-table-contents/hobby-farm-home-september-october-2010.aspx">Hobby Farms Home</a> magazine, <em>Oh Yes You Can!</em>, which is all about canning, go figure. Anyway, one of the recipes is for pickling radishes, which didn't strike me at the time as useful, but am glad I remembered it.<br /><br />So, the radishes, coupled with the garlic I just pulled out of the ground (those little guys that didn't exactly make it to a full head), and some thyme from the garden went into the canning jars (after blanching said radishes and garlic). I poured the hot vinegar/salt/sugar/peppercorn solution in and let them cool before refrigerating.* <br /><br />I love the combination of the garlic, radishes, pepper and thyme. Adding in the herbs really gives it an extra flavor that makes it taste more complex than just pickled radishes. Another combination that I read online was to use rice vinegar, ginger root and dill.<br /><br />Since I have a bunch of beets growing for our fall garden, I'm anxious to try something similar with making pickled beets, in addition to roasting them as usual. Anyway, here's an adaptation of the recipe from the magazine. I'm not using exact measurements for stuff being pickled, just for the brine. The brine will be enough for 2 quart jars:<br /><br /><strong>Quick Pickled Radishes</strong><br /><br />Radishes<br />Garlic cloves (about 5 per quart jar, depending on how you like it)<br />3 thyme sprigs per quart jar<br /><br /><em>Brine</em><br />3 cups white vinegar<br />1 1/8 cup sugar<br />1 Tablespoon kosher salt<br />1 teaspoon peppercorns<br />1/4 cup water<br /><br />Wash and stem the radishes, cutting the larger ones so they are all uniformly the same size. In a medium sized pot, boil water. Boil garlic until soft, remove and chill in an ice water bath. Boil radishes for 30 seconds, remove and chill in an ice water bath. While the garlic and radishes are cooling, heat the brine until boiling. Put the drained radishes, garlic and thyme sprigs in quart jars, filling about 2/3 full. Pour boiling brine mixture into the jars and seal, leaving them until they are cool. <br /><br />Place jars in the refrigerator and consume within 2 - 3 weeks. The pickled radishes can be eaten as soon as they are cold, but you may want to wait a day or so for the flavors to meld.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">*These would be considered refrigerator pickles (rather than canned ones) and will only last a few weeks in the refrigerator since there's no hot water bathing going on.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-35123526460565835202009-09-11T21:00:00.000-07:002009-09-11T21:32:00.242-07:00Spicy Sweet Relish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x0X3w3w5dtMFzbVdU2xnQJegPLcdPZrJEF8IG6hU1wIKyz8ox64uwAzfITUHUkQLxYgWx6zGohRgwtw2U2cfZI0cmBoStz88M5np7Yu8wLoehVc8EAT7ADSOBo5HqA0uQ8R-iz8v2GNU/s1600-h/picklerelish.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x0X3w3w5dtMFzbVdU2xnQJegPLcdPZrJEF8IG6hU1wIKyz8ox64uwAzfITUHUkQLxYgWx6zGohRgwtw2U2cfZI0cmBoStz88M5np7Yu8wLoehVc8EAT7ADSOBo5HqA0uQ8R-iz8v2GNU/s200/picklerelish.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380433203296951426" /></a>We've gone a little crazy buying pickling cucumbers. We've made some refrigerator pickles and I just finished up a batch of relish. I've adapted a sweet relish recipe that I found to make it a little more spicy and thought you guys would like to give it a whirl yourselves.<br /><br />This recipe assumes you understand the basics of canning. Do not experiment with the quantities as you want to make sure you have the appropriate ratio of sugars to acids.<br /><br /><strong>Spicy Sweet Relish</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients:</em><br />6 cups diced pickling cucumbers<br />3 cups diced peppers - you can mix it up with hot, mild or sweet depending on how spicy you want it<br />3 cups diced sweet onion<br /><br />1/4 cup kosher salt (or pickling salt)<br />3 cups sugar<br />2 cups apple cider vinegar<br />1 T celery seed<br />1 T mustard seed<br /><br /><em>Preparation:</em><br />Mix the diced cucumbers, peppers and onion with the salt, cover and let sit for two hours to draw out the moisture. Rinse well and drain. In a stainless steel pot, bring the sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed to a boil. Add in the cucumber mixture and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. <br /><br />Ladle hot relish into hot canning jars and water bath process for 10 minutes. Makes about 8 half-pint jars.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-2123035413385525142009-08-29T19:30:00.000-07:002009-08-29T19:58:07.109-07:00Indian Masala Strawberry Jam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2ceXobiR0GxJpNuQaBRb31rnq6Meq1yUaykXm-bmb1pLBhP0lErfFNo0l9J_DfqD09QDM8Q5z7sMoV9ytdfszYqaxSrc-rcTAkRlefFs6B8vu5GOWM8BdFir8A3vI6woxf-kY1xbG9sO/s1600-h/Triple.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2ceXobiR0GxJpNuQaBRb31rnq6Meq1yUaykXm-bmb1pLBhP0lErfFNo0l9J_DfqD09QDM8Q5z7sMoV9ytdfszYqaxSrc-rcTAkRlefFs6B8vu5GOWM8BdFir8A3vI6woxf-kY1xbG9sO/s200/Triple.jpg" border="0" alt="Triple threat"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221239187538044930" /></a>I love Indian Masala Chai tea and I've <a href="http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2008/08/enlightenment-for-idiots-book-giveaway.html">yammered</a> on about making it before. So, what better way to savor the flavors of Masala but in a strawberry jam? Now, this may sound like a very unorthodox combination, but trust me, the resulting flavors are very subtle and they add just enough complexity to the jam without overpowering the strawberry flavor in any way.<br /><br />Like the other <a href="http://crunchychickencooks.blogspot.com/2007/08/triumvirate-of-peach-preserves.html">jam recipes</a> on this blog, start with the standard Ball jam recipe (this makes about 11 8-oz jars), this time for strawberry. <br /><br /><strong>Strawberry Jam</strong><br />5 cups crushed organic strawberries, washed and hulled<br />1/4 cup lemon juice<br />1 package pectin<br />7 cups sugar<br />2 teaspoons lemon zest<br /><br />Sterilize your jars, lids, etc. I'm not going to go into food safety techniques here - if you want more information, study the instructions that come with your pectin package.<br /><br /><strong>Masala Strawberry Jam</strong><br />Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above)<br />1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or something similar can be used)<br />2 cinnamon sticks<br />3 star anise<br />1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper<br />12 cardamom pods, cut in half<br />1/4 cup Port wine<br />additional fresh cracked black pepper to taste<br /><br />Simmer spices in wine for 20 minutes and strain. This will reduce the wine down to about 1/4 cup. Return to the pot and add in the strawberries, lemon juice and lemon zest. Slowly add the package of pectin. I use a wooden spoon, but you can use any non-reactive implement you like. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat and then add the sugar. <br /><br />Bring this mess up to a rolling boil, wherein you can't stir down the boiling action and, most likely, are getting bombarded by spattering molten lava strawberry bits. Boil for one full minute. At the end of cooking, add the Port and more fresh cracked black pepper to taste. <br /><br />Ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-56580138830432699762009-07-06T20:00:00.001-07:002009-07-06T20:00:50.604-07:00Homemade mascarpone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7eX1woy0zs5PE8fTFIiVSz2Ec2TWPLDNnMXYupOK6MhBiQJ_bmTbQwIi1H2vvGUTuP3KROv3Sp4EsFj6hACjbpZeEF0OiPy2jA_eg56UBPbXJH2PkytHbPPlPu3E21rihOKDRkPzp_s/s1600-h/mascarpone.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7eX1woy0zs5PE8fTFIiVSz2Ec2TWPLDNnMXYupOK6MhBiQJ_bmTbQwIi1H2vvGUTuP3KROv3Sp4EsFj6hACjbpZeEF0OiPy2jA_eg56UBPbXJH2PkytHbPPlPu3E21rihOKDRkPzp_s/s200/mascarpone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350197998583874258" /></a>I don't know about you, but I love foods made with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascarpone">mascarpone</a>, even though I inevitably always mispronounce it. It's that triple-cream cheese that's used in making tiramisu and a whole host of very tasty sweet and savory Italian dishes. You can also serve it with fruit or it can be mixed with cocoa or coffee.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it's also very expensive to buy, that is, if you can find it in stores. However, luckily for us, it's actually quite easy to make yourself.<br /><br /><strong>Homemade mascarpone</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em>:<br />16 ounces (not ultra-pasteurized) organic whipping cream<br />1 tbsp fresh lemon juice<br /><br /><em>Preparation</em>:<br />Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the water in the skillet. <br /><br />Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 15 minutes of gentle heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. The whipping cream will become thicker and will cover the back of your spoon thickly. <br /><br />When the cream reaches temperature, keep it at temperature for 5 minutes, then remove the bowl from the water and let the mixture cool for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the mixture into the lined sieve. Once it is cooled completely, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the sieve overnight or up to 24 hours. Transfer to a sealable storage container. Or your mouth, whichever comes first.<br /><br />Yield: about 12 ozUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-1669188219218255852009-06-07T00:00:00.000-07:002009-06-07T00:00:01.397-07:00Homemade rosolio<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580867?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580867"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ukgbDR24vdjfFIJ2tLm03KYTbmwRTXPrdFjabPRZewcMMElT1Aai1dAaRCTjdRfCuc2HuBL-gRpjaAyUTfxNVPFoBw0p6S9zn1tVQDZHGQaiOHXBBCmDZLf0JZ_bvsr5M7cnPbMAaQ4/s200/libation.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344426198227426738" /></a>I'm reading another book by the same author from whom I got the <a href="http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2009/05/asparagi-alla-milanese.html">Asparagi alla Milanese</a> recipe. This one is called, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580867?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580867">Libation: A Bitter Alchemy</a> and, no surprises here, it's about the origins of different drinks, written in a series of essays.<br /><br />And wouldn't you know it, before you even hit page 50, there's already a recipe I want to try out using my roses. You see, I've already made rose jam and rose potpourri and I'm hankering to try something new. So, when I ran across the recipe for making rosolio, an Italian liqueur made with rose petals, I knew I wanted to give it a whirl. <a href="http://seattlefoodies.net/articles/2009/05/21/everclear-alert">My brother</a> is the master of making his own lemon liqueur, limoncello, and I've always wanted to try doing it. I've never had rosolio, but it sounds rather tempting and, most importantly, super easy to do. There are other recipes online for making rosolio, but this one sounds way more tasty to me.<br /><br />Here's the instructions from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580867?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580867">the book</a> (p. 37):<br /><blockquote>Pick roses at the hottest point of the day - red roses, for they will impart more color and flavor to the alcohol. (If you do not have your own rose garden, I recommend procuring your roses from a friend or a local grower so that you can be certain that the blooms have not been treated with any chemicals.) <br /><br />Separate the petals from the flower. Trim the white edge at the base with a knife or scissors. Weigh out 1.75 ounces petals, then steep the petals in a jar of 190 proof (95 percent) pure grain alcohol with a vanilla bean in a large canning jar. Close the jar and set aside in a dark place for two weeks. After two weeks, strain the liquid, removing the rose petals and vanilla bean. <br /><br />Prepare a simple syrup by dissolving 1 pound sugar and 3.25 cups water. Add the simple syrup to the alcohol, return the mixture to the jar, and store for another two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, filter and bottle. After your first tasting, more simple syrup can be added if desired to cut the hotness of the alcohol and suit your taste.</blockquote><br />If you get cracking now, you'll have enough rosolio to give away for holiday gifts this year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-18686025741752913732009-05-28T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-28T00:00:00.675-07:00Asparagus with Fried Eggs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC10FTvb_I8HMwDzYJGspNPEo2ifnA5XGDni8VujiBuIHVkoHjLYkpfad401tS5KUJrSgFahsc3qyD2_32R2Ek6aq-92Y7-gozFiEsYe4__R0NCTCERMf2aWtSu5yCB-jBzT0y4BX24gST/s1600-h/asparagi.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 86px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC10FTvb_I8HMwDzYJGspNPEo2ifnA5XGDni8VujiBuIHVkoHjLYkpfad401tS5KUJrSgFahsc3qyD2_32R2Ek6aq-92Y7-gozFiEsYe4__R0NCTCERMf2aWtSu5yCB-jBzT0y4BX24gST/s200/asparagi.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340742121432287986" /></a>I've been busy reading this great book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603581014?ie=UTF8&tag=cruncchick-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603581014">In Late Winter We Ate Pears: A Year of Hunger and Love - Seasonal Recipes and Stories From an Italian Kitchen</a>, and have already run across a couple of fantastic recipes. <br /><br />Last night I started off making <em>Asparagi alla Milanese</em> and was delighted with the result. I'm usually not a runny fried egg sort of gal, so I cooked them a tad more thoroughly than is probably expected. I also decided to roast the asparagus rather than pan steam them.<br /><br />Here's my version of the recipe:<br /><br />Serving: One<br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />2 inch thick bundle of fresh asparagus<br />2 to 3 teaspoons butter<br />Salt and freshly ground pepper<br />2 eggs<br /><em>Parmigiano Reggiano</em><br /><br /><em>Directions</em><br />Heat oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating up, snap the tough ends off the asparagus, rinse and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt to taste. Roast in oven until cooked but still crisp (about 8 minutes). <br /><br />In the meantime, heat a skillet on medium-low, adding butter when skillet is hot. Crack eggs into butter and season with salt and pepper. Heat until cooked to your preference.<br /><br />Place the roasted asparagus on a plate and slide cooked eggs directly on top. Top with freshly grated <em>Parmigiano Reggiano</em> and serve immediately.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-20793774724647846912009-05-27T21:29:00.000-07:002009-05-27T21:32:20.954-07:00Lavender Honey LemonadeDuring one of the stops on our trip to the Kitsap Peninsula last weekend, at the <a href="http://poulsbohemian.com/">Poulsbohemian Coffeehouse</a>, I had this great Lavender Honey Lemonade. Not wanting to reinvent the wheel, I found a recipe for lavender lemonade from a <a href="http://www.happyvalleylavender.com/lavender_recipes.html">local lavender farm</a> and tweaked it to recreate what I had over the weekend:<br /><br /><strong>Lavender Honey Lemonade</strong><br /><br />1 cup honey<br />1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender (or 1/4 cup fresh lavender blossoms)<br />1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained <br />Ice cubes <br />Lavender sprigs for garnish <br /><br />Combine honey with 2 1/2 cups water in a medium pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the honey.<br /><br />Add the lavender to the honey water, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand at least 20 minutes (and up to several hours). <br /><br />Strain mixture and discard lavender. Pour infusion into a glass pitcher. Add lemon juice and another 2 1/2 cups cold water. Stir well.<br /><br />Pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice or refrigerate until ready to use.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-35228948007682953042009-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T22:16:14.126-07:00Snappy Salted Potatoes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsRjxjbZzUIyNUmGW1imocDjTZUrQK2LOqkLAyUD42RE7BemPZaan_vUnO0xCB2xF6Ph6g9t6keaJnxQQHaTFYtFZg2C-mcz3-NRPLwJGfs8GxsGOl-AMJ0YEyMlVhSjMb_GZAiT3JQ8/s1600-h/saltedpapas.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsRjxjbZzUIyNUmGW1imocDjTZUrQK2LOqkLAyUD42RE7BemPZaan_vUnO0xCB2xF6Ph6g9t6keaJnxQQHaTFYtFZg2C-mcz3-NRPLwJGfs8GxsGOl-AMJ0YEyMlVhSjMb_GZAiT3JQ8/s200/saltedpapas.jpg" border="0" alt="Salted potatoes"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337379768514930082" /></a>My brother came over on Sunday for dinner and whipped up a batch of fingerling potatoes. <br /><br />Okay, "whipped up" is definitely not the correct description to use because he used a technique his friend Leonardo showed him for cooking salted potatoes that requires very little effort. The end result is that you have salty, snappy potatoes that are cooked to perfection.<br /><br />Curious? Well, I was too. Basically, you just place your fingerlings (or other small) potatoes in a saucepan and fill the pot with water until the potatoes are just covered. Huck in a handful of salt (anywhere from a few teaspoons to a tablespoon depending on how many potatoes you are rocking) and simmer/boil uncovered until all the water is boiled away and there's nothing left but potatoes and salt. I guess this method is similar to <em>papas arrugadas</em>, which are popular in the Canary Islands.<br /><br />The potatoes will squeal for life as the water evaporates away, but do not fear. This is part of the process that will result in fabulous potatoes. All in all, it takes about 45 minutes to cook. What you get in the end are creamy potatoes with a skin that snaps when you bite into them.<br /><br />Serve with creme fraiche (or sour cream) mixed with chopped chives and pepper. Do not add any additional salt as the potatoes themselves are good n' salty. I guarantee you won't be able to stop eating them. Which is a good thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-62998516323993819502008-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:002009-05-27T21:38:53.643-07:00Caramel Covered Homemade Marshmallows<a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku3779493/index.cfm"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNw7Sfb-TyLi2A1wpQFN1tmvljZHTMfOYIrPsoLVToRRy82B9FARwUhA6ztjuORf4WRgMiL_eagFuW9oyOONrPrfgxi5A_E_XYk_QjGLIZPsEjvnLczNj9wPxBTfz1KlEONaZ1ksfyXc/s200/marshmallow.jpg" border="0" alt="Williams Sonoma version"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278353594517819554" /></a>Following the theme of <a href="http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2008/12/candy-cane-themed-holiday-gift-ideas.html">recreating</a> Williams Sonoma food gift ideas, I wanted to share with you our latest knock-off. It's the caramel covered marshmallow treat. Also called Modjeskas, these candies were purportedly named after a beautiful Polish actress by an admirer. <br /><br />Anyway, they look a heck of a lot more complicated to make than they actually are. These make great gifts wrapped in wax paper. Especially when you aren't paying $27 a pound for them!<br /><br /><strong>To make the marshmallows:</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 cup confectioners' sugar <br />2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin <br />1/2 cup cold water <br />2 cups granulated sugar <br />1/2 cup light corn syrup <br />1/2 cup hot water (about 115 degrees) <br />1/4 teaspoon salt <br />2 large egg whites <br />1 teaspoon vanilla <br /><br /><em>Directions</em><br />Oil bottom and sides of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar. <br /><br />In bowl of standing electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften. <br /><br />In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. <br /><br />With standing mixer beat on high speed until white, thick and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. In a large bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to 1 day. <br /><br />Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto large cutting board. Lifting up 1 corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and let drop onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallows into roughly 1-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar into a large bowl and add marshmallows in batches, tossing to evenly coat. Marshmallows (without caramel) keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 week.<br /><br /><strong>To make the caramel: </strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 cup sugar<br />1 cup light corn syrup<br />1/2 cup cream<br />1/4 cup water<br />1 tbsp butter<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />1/8 tsp salt<br />16 marshmallows (see recipe above)<br />Wax paper<br /><br /><em>Directions</em><br />Cut the wax paper into 2 inch x 3 inch wide strips. You may need to adjust the size of your wax paper depending on how big your marshmallows are.<br /><br />Place the sugar, water, cream, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the butter until it is melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the caramel reaches 238 degrees, then remove from the heat. <br /><br />Stir in the vanilla and salt. Allow the caramel to thicken and cool for 10-15 minutes until it cools to about 175 degrees. <br /><br /><strong>To dip the marshmallows:</strong><br /><br />Using a fork, drop a marshmallow into the caramel and turn it over until it is completely covered. Remove the marshmallow from the caramel, letting excess caramel drip off. Place the marshmallow on a piece of wax paper. <br /><br />Continue dipping with the remaining marshmallows. If the caramel becomes too stiff, place it over the heat for a minute or two until it becomes easy to work with. <br /><br />Allow the candies to set fully at room temperature before wrapping. Store excess candies in an airtight container at room temperature.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-19757842086925582002008-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:002009-05-27T21:48:17.451-07:00Chocolate Peppermint Bark<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE12j8Pp6D0IlP3bndLWdBZjrZ2wlG7V1Utmmp0VlFwclHWFZE9fQBwuAoOm2mn_XJcTLNTukyoZJGm7I5YC8G1FFgbF3QxBcDCtBMyPU2ZshVu6wu7vQDdUvauPbB5AVHnLOGMRAsP-s/s1600-h/Bark.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE12j8Pp6D0IlP3bndLWdBZjrZ2wlG7V1Utmmp0VlFwclHWFZE9fQBwuAoOm2mn_XJcTLNTukyoZJGm7I5YC8G1FFgbF3QxBcDCtBMyPU2ZshVu6wu7vQDdUvauPbB5AVHnLOGMRAsP-s/s200/Bark.jpg" border="0" alt="Layered peppermint bark"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276162771960194706" /></a>I suspect I'm not the only one being bombarded by <em>Williams Sonoma</em> and <em>Crate and Barrel</em> catalogs all sporting delicious tins of chocolate peppermint bark. I've had the stuff from Williams Sonoma and it's mighty tasty, but for about $30 a pound, I knew I could do much better (Crate and Barrel's is something like $15 for 14 ounces). <br /><br />So, even with using high quality Callebaut chocolate (on sale this week in the Seattle area at Town and Country Markets for $4.99 a pound) it's much, much cheaper to make it yourself. <br /><br /><strong>Peppermint Bark</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br /><br />16 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped <br />12 ounces high quality white chocolate, chopped <br />6 candy canes, coarsely crushed (about 6 ounces)<br />1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract <br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br />Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. <br /><br />Melt bittersweet chocolate in double boiler until it is melted and smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour bittersweet chocolate mixture onto cookie sheet. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate so that it is about 1/4 inch thick. Chill for about 15 minutes or until it is set. <br /><br />Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler until it is melted and smooth. Cool until it is barely lukewarm (about 5 minutes). Pour the white chocolate onto the cooled bittersweet chocolate, using a spatula to spread out the chocolate to cover the first layer evenly.<br /><br />Immediately sprinkle top layer with crushed candy canes. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then chill just until firm, about 20 minutes. It can be broken apart or cut into rectangles. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or freeze. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.<br /><br />You can pack the bark in glass jars that are decorated with red ribbon and candy canes for a sweet touch.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-9937997499006270212008-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:002009-05-27T22:13:24.856-07:00Roasted Cranberry Sauce<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonddc55bK2FfS4KpacP-DNjM9To7a85IlZl62aTLjh-htCwQafRfMCoaw69vFtzFUx-5oCjgfiu2Z5xC_L_GZCOGcBDOvDzdAe9xyn7SfufPRuPztldS0CKN29cu1IGMn-V6vHMxfcibL/s1600-h/cranberry.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonddc55bK2FfS4KpacP-DNjM9To7a85IlZl62aTLjh-htCwQafRfMCoaw69vFtzFUx-5oCjgfiu2Z5xC_L_GZCOGcBDOvDzdAe9xyn7SfufPRuPztldS0CKN29cu1IGMn-V6vHMxfcibL/s200/cranberry.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340738283993670082" /></a>I always enjoy making my own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, so when I saw <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Food/Roasted-Cranberry-Sauce">this recipe</a> for roasting the cranberries first, I was more than excited to give a try. Here's my doctored version of the recipe:<br /><br /><strong>Roasted Cranberry Sauce</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 orange<br />1 lb. fresh cranberries<br />1 cup sugar<br />2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil<br />1 tsp. kosher salt<br />4 green cardamom pods, smashed<br />4 whole cloves<br />2 sticks cinnamon<br />1 1/2 tbsp. port<br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br />1. Heat oven to 450°. Using a peeler, remove peel from the orange, taking off as little of the white pith as possible. Cut peel into very thin strips about 1 1⁄2" long. Squeeze juice from the orange; strain and reserve 1 tbsp. juice.<br /><br />2. In a bowl, combine peel, cranberries, sugar, olive oil, salt, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon. Toss and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Roast until cranberries begin to burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes.<br /><br />3. Transfer cranberry mixture to a bowl; stir in reserved orange juice and port. Let sit for at least 1 hour so that the flavors meld. Remove and discard cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon before serving.<br /><br />Makes 2 cups.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-16933908648302769142008-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T21:53:07.247-07:00Homemade Ricotta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qnwv2MLncMjX0ckO7qkd1TeI-iSThdkDEIUIwbBEQjFA54EQkKwU_VvdJgcotz8NulSKiMOXktrxByDOzYrhF8Tu7vjNA1yT2-6hRj2CX26_6zHgIDXtliV7CHjK29lXFIJx11I7hsY/s1600-h/ricottacolander.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qnwv2MLncMjX0ckO7qkd1TeI-iSThdkDEIUIwbBEQjFA54EQkKwU_VvdJgcotz8NulSKiMOXktrxByDOzYrhF8Tu7vjNA1yT2-6hRj2CX26_6zHgIDXtliV7CHjK29lXFIJx11I7hsY/s200/ricottacolander.jpg" border="0" alt="Homemade ricotta"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261682136499289586" /></a>Making your own cheese seems so horribly insurmountable that most people don't even think to try doing it themselves. It always seems like you need a ton of equipment, weird ingredients or a lot of patience to wait for your cheese to cure.<br /><br />There are a number of cheeses you can make easily at home, mostly the soft style ones, with little skill and effort. I'm doing a series of cheese making posts to get you all started and to get me inspired to make them myself. <br /><br />I'll be starting with some of the easier ones and working my way up to the more complicated ones. But, rest assured, I won't be telling you about cheeses that you can't easily make yourself, since I have little interest in spending all my time making cheese.<br /><br />This first recipe is for making ricotta. There is a huge difference between freshly made ricotta and that dry lumpy stuff packaged in plastic that you get from the store. There's just no comparison since you are using so little in the way of ingredients and you don't having to worry about long shelf life dates.<br /><br />So, here goes!<br /><br /><strong>Whole Milk Ricotta</strong><br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 gallon whole milk<br />1/4 cup white vinegar (or lemon juice)<br />2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)<br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br />If you like your ricotta extra creamy, add the heavy cream to the whole milk and heat on medium-low to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring often to make sure it doesn't boil or scald. This is a slow process that should take about 25 minutes, you don't want to rush this step.<br /><br />Once the milk has reached temperature, gently stir in the vinegar (or lemon juice), being careful not to over stir. Take the milk mixture off the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. You should see the ricotta curd separating from the whey.<br /><br />Using a slotted spoon, ladle the curds into a lined colander (thin weave cloth like a cotton kitchen towel or double cheesecloth works well) being careful not to break up the curds. Let your ricotta drain in the colander for about 45 minutes or until desired consistency is reached (some people prefer a drier ricotta in which case let it drain longer or even overnight in the refrigerator). <br /><br />Store refrigerated for up to a week.<br /><br /><em>Yield</em><br />1.5 - 2 pounds<br /><br />There are so many great recipes for using ricotta cheese, ranging from sweet to savory, that you'll probably never get bored of making this cheese.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-69558925175632439332008-10-21T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T21:44:37.419-07:00White Chocolate Raspberry Jam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxfovWtTtGbPBm0PlDXoJX_WlsumrNBv4Jpv_KTGnXA_IdViNimtrHlQtUgd5B0oilHhdJrTUuAwOb10dKou6kOLfwXXdsOCxqPCOyevW6-_U5yHt252yM-cTcfgc4dM9LIxxgc4_wYNv/s1600-h/CookingRasp.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxfovWtTtGbPBm0PlDXoJX_WlsumrNBv4Jpv_KTGnXA_IdViNimtrHlQtUgd5B0oilHhdJrTUuAwOb10dKou6kOLfwXXdsOCxqPCOyevW6-_U5yHt252yM-cTcfgc4dM9LIxxgc4_wYNv/s200/CookingRasp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340730958572814034" /></a>Even though it's October, I'm canning away the last of the summer berries. We've still got raspberries coming in from a local farm and I wanted to do something a little different than the standard raspberry jam recipe. When I spice up a jam it usually includes some interesting addition or flavoring and some sort of liqueur or liquor. Most of the alcohol gets burned off and you are left with a very complex flavor profile. <br /><br />This recipe makes ordinary raspberry jam seem, well, ordinary. Since I've started tinkering around with jam recipes, I really have a hard time going back to the basics. This recipe can also be used as a dessert topping as well if you lower the amount of pectin and keep it a little more liquid.<br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em> <br /><br />5 cups raspberries, crushed (use a potato masher or other implement to crush the berries)<br />6 cups sugar<br />1 pack pectin<br />1 cup white chocolate chips (spring for the Guittard or other gourmet chocolate if it's available in your area)<br />1/4 cup coffee liqueur (Starbucks or Kahlua) <br /><br /><em>Instructions</em> <br /><br />Heat raspberries while slowly adding in the pectin. Once the raspberries are at a full boil that you cannot stir down, add in the sugar. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring for one minute. Take the raspberry mixture off the heat and add in the white chocolate. It will take awhile to melt, so be patient (unless you want chunks of white chocolate in your jam). <br /><br />After the white chocolate has melted, add the coffee liqueur and stir until well blended. Because the raspberry jam is quite hot, the alcohol will burn off, so if you want to have more of the alcohol flavor, add it in at the very end. Pour jam into sterilized canning jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. That is, assuming you haven't eaten half of it already. <br /><br />Yields 10 pints.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-37598427966266391722008-10-18T20:42:00.000-07:002008-10-18T20:48:55.956-07:00Crunchy's Favorite Whole Wheat Bread<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgB5hVd77mpPvnx-ibuXMpUjBjNw1zQ_Gyro-wpuuTiDZ8PH-jzAt84mY6mBTNHaRtasmdjqrl2B__bPuaFqdAGdOhO1CPVssmWYgp2b0lINZ3poVhWNIxiF4tg_ql3M5d2UugWM5JU5X/s1600-h/whole_wheat.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgB5hVd77mpPvnx-ibuXMpUjBjNw1zQ_Gyro-wpuuTiDZ8PH-jzAt84mY6mBTNHaRtasmdjqrl2B__bPuaFqdAGdOhO1CPVssmWYgp2b0lINZ3poVhWNIxiF4tg_ql3M5d2UugWM5JU5X/s200/whole_wheat.jpg" border="0" alt="Whole wheat bread"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258706729095065602" /></a>This recipe is based on one I found in <em>Baking Illustrated</em>, published by the editors of <em>Cook's Illustrated</em>, one of my favorite food magazines. This bread also freezes fantastically and, after thawing, tastes just a good as when it's just made.<br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast<br />2 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees)<br />1/4 cup honey<br />4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br />2 1/2 teaspoons salt<br /><br />1/4 cup dark rye flour<br />1/2 cup wheat germ<br /><br />3 cups whole wheat flour<br />2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br />Mix the yeast, water, honey, butter and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer with a spoon. Mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, 1 cup of the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flours.<br /><br />Add the remaining whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. Attach the dough hook and knead at low speed for 8 - 10 minutes or until the dough is shiny and elastic. If you don't have a dough hook, knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes.<br /><br />Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm area for about an hour (or until it has doubled in volume). <br /><br />Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Gently press down the dough and divide in two. Form each piece into a roll 9 inches long and place into a buttered and floured bread loaf pan (9 x 5) with the seam down. Cover again and let rise for 30 minutes.<br /><br />Bake for 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 205 degrees. Transfer loaves immediately to a wire rack, letting cool to room temperature.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-48489243677333793862008-10-07T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T21:58:40.721-07:00Grilled Pumpkin with Rosemary and Sea Salt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkz3KHwCSdBOxeuaNuEVm2aBQRVPl9DeeoYXhBrsdmrEyfQ6hQLDVogOHISnItnTKL_cK5UTgesPKl27QxxxGgGGdqu6IVgQtTzNnNC_1m3iyBm4AtgvE40EIWQIFuPwnKdnWePHniCzE/s1600-h/pumpkin.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkz3KHwCSdBOxeuaNuEVm2aBQRVPl9DeeoYXhBrsdmrEyfQ6hQLDVogOHISnItnTKL_cK5UTgesPKl27QxxxGgGGdqu6IVgQtTzNnNC_1m3iyBm4AtgvE40EIWQIFuPwnKdnWePHniCzE/s200/pumpkin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340734744199606770" /></a>My backyard grown sugar pie pumpkins are finally ripening up in spite of the steady rains we've been experiencing here in the Pacific Northwest. A few of the pumpkins ended up being somewhat small and weren't worth the effort to process into pumpkin puree. So, what to do with these little guys? I wanted to do something new and, not having grilled pumpkins before, I was quite excited to give it a try.<br /><br />During grilling, the sugars in the pumpkin caramelize. The combination of sweet and salty, coupled with crisp rosemary, will give you a different way of thinking about pumpkin. After trying this, you just might find yourself dreaming of expanding your pumpkin patch next year.<br /><br />Make sure you use sugar pie pumpkins or the equivalent for this recipe — you really don't want to eat a jack-o-lantern type pumpkin as they are stringy. If you aren't growing your own sugar pie pumpkins you should be seeing them available in stores and farmers markets this month or, better yet, make a fun trip out of it and head out to a U-pick pumpkin farm. Don't forget to pick up a few extra for making your own pumpkin puree for pies and breads later in the year.<br /><br /><em>Ingredients</em><br />Sugar pie pumpkins (preferably on the small side)<br />Olive oil<br />Fresh rosemary, chopped<br />Sea salt <br /><br /><em>Instructions</em><br />1. Heat grill to medium-high.<br /><br />2. Wash and cut the pumpkins vertically into 3/4 inch slices. Remove the seeds and stringy parts. Brush both sides of each slice liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.<br /><br />3. Place the slices on the grill for about 5 minutes a side or until dark grill marks appear. Turn and grill the other side until you can easily pierce the pumpkin slice with a fork. You want to make sure that the pumpkin is tender.<br /><br />4. Since some of the salt tends to fall off during the grilling process, serve with a small dish of additional sea salt.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-38007352269023386682008-09-22T22:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T22:01:00.619-07:00Drying Herbs for Idiots<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJy1dOPNcVqJ_elqqMXzMuoAt1AbuuJt3j8fCgZiI-26rg8sM5U-iam6z96zqtSZ6XV0BQ6GY9vycZrwpUutxeqydr9xEZZtrbu3N_R9NZPHhiIUjzeWCZs5slMoH-o4vIWHoNlkdTy30/s1600-h/parsley.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJy1dOPNcVqJ_elqqMXzMuoAt1AbuuJt3j8fCgZiI-26rg8sM5U-iam6z96zqtSZ6XV0BQ6GY9vycZrwpUutxeqydr9xEZZtrbu3N_R9NZPHhiIUjzeWCZs5slMoH-o4vIWHoNlkdTy30/s200/parsley.jpg" border="0" alt="Parsley"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248680359836516146" /></a>My herb plants are getting totally overgrown and are encroaching on my other plants. So, I took matters into my own hands and bushwacked them back.<br /><br />I didn't want to just huck the clippings onto the compost bin, so I decided to try to dry the herbs that are annual. Things like rosemary, sage and other plants are perennial around here, so I don't worry too much about not having them year round. Particularly the rosemary. It's almost viral it grows so big and gets out of control so easily.<br /><br />I wish I had taken the time to dry some oregano before I chopped the hell out of it and transplanted it elsewhere earlier in the year. Same thing with the marjoram (which I ended up killing). Oh well, next time I'll know better.<br /><br />So, what did I end up drying? A ton of Italian flat leaf parsley and some sage just for sport (even though it sticks around in winter). The sage is handy to have on hand inside since sometimes when it's dark, pouring rain and cold out I don't like to poke around in the yard when I'm making dinner trying to scout out decent herbs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtW-NW7OlFxKjaYkvJYO6zQlJJnjB1EF2XXmg_mVGur5jeiBtKYkYt2Yuh0G30OytM_TvtHMnmruYmj0dOPM3frNKYwv8Mkz0D93Qc6_YXvi8kDP9ry-9dYQEMbZ_qvkL4tXK3LJp7kE/s1600-h/ParsleyDried.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtW-NW7OlFxKjaYkvJYO6zQlJJnjB1EF2XXmg_mVGur5jeiBtKYkYt2Yuh0G30OytM_TvtHMnmruYmj0dOPM3frNKYwv8Mkz0D93Qc6_YXvi8kDP9ry-9dYQEMbZ_qvkL4tXK3LJp7kE/s200/ParsleyDried.jpg" border="0" alt="Dried parsley in an oregano jar"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248681572195084514" /></a>There are a couple different ways of drying herbs. You can put them in the traditional dehydrator and go that route. I was afraid they'd stick like crazy (like my strawberries) and didn't feel like spending hours scraping little paper thin leaves off the grates. You can also freeze them dry and store them at room temperature. Allegedly. I'm still not convinced that freezing works without molding up.<br /><br />Lastly, you can dry them in the microwave, which is the method I chose. Basically you place your herbs (I washed and then dried them between kitchen towels) on a paper towel and then nuke them in the microwave until they are dry and crispy. For my microwave it took about 2.5 minutes for the parsley. The sage took closer to 4 minutes since they are so thick.<br /><br />Once they are crispy dry, crush them with your hands and then store them in small jars. I had some old spice jars that fit the bill, so I loaded them up using a small funnel. The color is phenomenally more vibrant and the herbs have a much more fragrant smell than anything you can buy from the store. <br /><br />Now I can save the summer bounty of my herbs and have them available to season my foods in the dead of winter. And it's so damn easy you have no excuse to not try it yourself. By the way, drying your herbs is also useful for when you buy too many herbs and want to keep them out of the compost.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-80337220396051539972008-07-11T00:00:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:57:17.120-08:00Triple Orgasm Strawberry Jam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2ceXobiR0GxJpNuQaBRb31rnq6Meq1yUaykXm-bmb1pLBhP0lErfFNo0l9J_DfqD09QDM8Q5z7sMoV9ytdfszYqaxSrc-rcTAkRlefFs6B8vu5GOWM8BdFir8A3vI6woxf-kY1xbG9sO/s1600-h/Triple.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2ceXobiR0GxJpNuQaBRb31rnq6Meq1yUaykXm-bmb1pLBhP0lErfFNo0l9J_DfqD09QDM8Q5z7sMoV9ytdfszYqaxSrc-rcTAkRlefFs6B8vu5GOWM8BdFir8A3vI6woxf-kY1xbG9sO/s200/Triple.jpg" border="0" alt="Triple threat"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221239187538044930" /></a>Yes, this is a very salacious sounding title for a series of three takes on strawberry jam, but they are so amazing, the name is fitting.<br /><br />Like the recipes for the <a href="http://crunchychickencooks.blogspot.com/2007/08/triumvirate-of-peach-preserves.html">Triumvirate of Peach Preserves</a>, start with the standard Ball jam recipe (this makes a little over 8 8-oz jars), this time for strawberry. You'll find the directions remarkably similar so if you've made the peach preserves, these should be easy.<br /><br /><strong>Strawberry Jam</strong><br />5 cups crushed organic strawberries, washed and hulled<br />1/4 cup lemon juice<br />1 package pectin<br />7 cups sugar<br />2 teaspoons lemon zest<br /><br />Sterilize your jars, lids, etc. I'm not going to go into food safety techniques here - if you want more information, study the instructions that come with your pectin package.<br /><br />Add the lemon and lemon zest to your strawberries in a non-corrosive pot and slowly add the package of pectin. I use a wooden spoon, but you can use any non-reactive implement you like. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat and then add the sugar. Bring this mess up to a rolling boil, wherein you can't stir down the boiling action and, most likely, are getting bombarded by spattering molten lava strawberry bits. Boil for one full minute.<br /><br />Now comes the fun part: adding flavors to this original recipe to make it much more tasty.<br /><br /><strong>Spiced Sangiovese and Strawberry Jam</strong><br />Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above - this recipe makes more like 11 jars)<br />1 cup Sangiovese wine (Pinot Noir or something similar can be substituted)<br />2 cinnamon sticks<br />3 star anise<br />1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg<br />8 cloves<br /><br />Simmer spices in wine for 20 minutes and remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves. Add in the strawberries, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue with the above instructions to produce one batch of strawberry jam.<br /><br />Ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.<br /><br /><strong>Black Pepper and Peppermint Strawberry Jam</strong><br />Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above)<br />10 fresh peppermint leaves, washed and coarsely chopped<br />1/2 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper<br /><br />Follow the instructions above to produce one batch of undoctored strawberry jam. Stir peppermint leaves and black pepper into strawberry mixture and ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.<br /><br /><strong>Vanilla Amaretto Strawberry Jam</strong><br />Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above)<br />1 vanilla bean, cut in half and split down the middle<br />1 tablespoon quality balsamic vinegar<br />1/4 cup Amaretto (or Disaronno)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9laxIsOe3s8hwSRiEO7V1KjvMPhp_soRJD3bEEo2P9GINzu16BcLjWaDfsoKYqSJTr_lAqQ4Vl-7282Qs5jz5HOU2Yv0PhuQOM1ky44IOmByW2xKHwoFv5BMPoKh-r7gIWUsRIYOCyG9/s1600-h/Sangiovese.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9laxIsOe3s8hwSRiEO7V1KjvMPhp_soRJD3bEEo2P9GINzu16BcLjWaDfsoKYqSJTr_lAqQ4Vl-7282Qs5jz5HOU2Yv0PhuQOM1ky44IOmByW2xKHwoFv5BMPoKh-r7gIWUsRIYOCyG9/s200/Sangiovese.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221242405101685586" /></a>Follow the instructions above to produce one batch of undoctored strawberry jam, adding in the vanilla bean and balsamic vinegar at the point where you mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest. <br /><br />This concoction smells absolutely heavenly while on the stove but avoid the temptation to throw yourself into the pot head first lest you suffer third degree burns on your face and mouth.<br /><br />When the jam is finished cooking, take it off the heat and let it rest for about 3 minutes. Stir the Amaretto into the prepared strawberry jam and ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.<br /><br /><hr width="60%"><br />Don't get greedy and eat these right away. The flavors in the jams will mellow out and become quite subtle - even a few days maturity will improve the flavor of these jams immensely!<br /><br />Once you've tried these jams, there's no way you'll go back to faking, I mean, making plain strawberry jam again!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-38025085963930143862008-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:002008-11-16T22:31:47.035-08:00Candied orange peel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlLdev8YLkZgsVHwQGmj3V5TtJCSQtUIQZTDYqulT0Div5pFvkFSjjPhqPcdXmCREUmYAiWr3dCgZ7ymFUhfaHhv_sb0fVLIKPHYQ2vqzTYECVZDNwYyn1fJ0Ekk-85zSMju6rzaE58cb/s1600-h/Chocodippy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlLdev8YLkZgsVHwQGmj3V5TtJCSQtUIQZTDYqulT0Div5pFvkFSjjPhqPcdXmCREUmYAiWr3dCgZ7ymFUhfaHhv_sb0fVLIKPHYQ2vqzTYECVZDNwYyn1fJ0Ekk-85zSMju6rzaE58cb/s200/Chocodippy.jpg" border="0" alt="Chocolate dipped candied orange peels"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163367767990294338" /></a>Over on <a href="http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2008/02/project-nowaste-candied-orange-peels.html">Crunchy Chicken</a> I'm describing how I'm turning some of my food scraps into delectable foods. Candied orange peels are no different. <br /><br />You can modify this recipe to make more or less.<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />Peels from 5 medium size organic oranges<br />4 cups granulated sugar<br />2.5 cups water<br />6 oz milk chocolate (for dipping, if desired)<br /><br />The process is fairly easy.<br /><br /><strong>Step 1.</strong> Scrape the inside of the orange peels to remove the residual orange from the pith. If the pith is really thick, scrape it out with a vegetable peeler or a knife.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRB-ClRUFwi-XUfLTnWwizEkmC-CuEUPq8wkc8KAV54Y17uLEIMmEw82-Z-1ThYI-ePZmbRzx2mUPuA7Syv__54TSq2YxGVBltfDHdCsbgwr2DbKLTTZdPoAxUGAYKaXkxZ1Z8941v_SD/s1600-h/Step1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRB-ClRUFwi-XUfLTnWwizEkmC-CuEUPq8wkc8KAV54Y17uLEIMmEw82-Z-1ThYI-ePZmbRzx2mUPuA7Syv__54TSq2YxGVBltfDHdCsbgwr2DbKLTTZdPoAxUGAYKaXkxZ1Z8941v_SD/s200/Step1.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 1"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162859767848457906" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 2.</strong> Cut the peels into strips about 1/4" in width, removing the parts where the stem and the orange end are and any parts that don't look good.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpehsAyZHsTaXBeI5d7N0IP26v8zO7gTe7DKtZR1pE6Wd1MPhtLM10nWdFZO3cBSstdNs2Fey3LBYr3JZriiLQMeiVSyztrDSFANzRM_25AFFNoEPD1oXM35VdQdFstwu80M-0wRlKYQtv/s1600-h/Slicing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpehsAyZHsTaXBeI5d7N0IP26v8zO7gTe7DKtZR1pE6Wd1MPhtLM10nWdFZO3cBSstdNs2Fey3LBYr3JZriiLQMeiVSyztrDSFANzRM_25AFFNoEPD1oXM35VdQdFstwu80M-0wRlKYQtv/s200/Slicing.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 2"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162859849452836546" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 3.</strong> Put the strips into a medium sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil to blanch the peels. This helps remove the bitterness of the pith. Repeat the blanching process one more time (if you removed a lot of the pith) or two more times if you left a lot of the pith on (like I did).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UmJscYc8HSaQv3dGYuWppmFhOnPuCf7lvucibVEIVaBUmIAc_Iwm-PDWYKNDPB1fjF2hFX2fSvODwLPhO9GRLjnwTf-fokGpAriy1ZeXsXVwIjo9YbUcViz3nqSoPg2EoUkGon9fZ8A0/s1600-h/Blanching.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UmJscYc8HSaQv3dGYuWppmFhOnPuCf7lvucibVEIVaBUmIAc_Iwm-PDWYKNDPB1fjF2hFX2fSvODwLPhO9GRLjnwTf-fokGpAriy1ZeXsXVwIjo9YbUcViz3nqSoPg2EoUkGon9fZ8A0/s200/Blanching.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 3"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162860334784141010" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 4.</strong> Drain the peels and rinse with cold water. In the same saucepan add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. It will start to boil somewhere around 210 degrees F.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10mGwX-BxT68NJ2Y78bjkhQCJPidzoZtKB6h20oEp3tSVYKD7Z1kn6AAynBDGKNp3jNH6fuAMr0i309e3GAYCAgsvdX6f7AsK4zRRylzo17bbNheAQPVO5Rlk5GIDJMjDXhLBELtQpgnF/s1600-h/Sugarboil.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10mGwX-BxT68NJ2Y78bjkhQCJPidzoZtKB6h20oEp3tSVYKD7Z1kn6AAynBDGKNp3jNH6fuAMr0i309e3GAYCAgsvdX6f7AsK4zRRylzo17bbNheAQPVO5Rlk5GIDJMjDXhLBELtQpgnF/s200/Sugarboil.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 4"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162860991914137314" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 5.</strong> Once the sugar syrup is boiling, add the peels and bring the temperature back up to boiling. Simmer the peels on medium low until they become translucent. Depending on how much pith is on the peel this will take anywhere from 1/2 an hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (this is how long it took mine).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrggAoV-00dqVPPJoSd6_sBNT73YpxlPoN-1lpU81baGlEFPEGpZvaY6iuCGM3Nlds6DaZyxUfPU70QCOmxjvdWFaLuwV3cGGlABomYkfAIdPsRu1-5IrbGYAM1tgqdYcRhMsFc6a8cXdU/s1600-h/Simmering.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrggAoV-00dqVPPJoSd6_sBNT73YpxlPoN-1lpU81baGlEFPEGpZvaY6iuCGM3Nlds6DaZyxUfPU70QCOmxjvdWFaLuwV3cGGlABomYkfAIdPsRu1-5IrbGYAM1tgqdYcRhMsFc6a8cXdU/s200/Simmering.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 5"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162861537374983922" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 6.</strong> When the peels are looking translucent, use a pair of tongs and remove them from the pot, placing them on a rack set over a cookie sheet to catch the drips. If you want you can roll the freshly removed strips in additional sugar but I found this to be a huge mess. <br /><br />[You can strain the sugar syrup and use it as a simple syrup in a variety of recipes - just make sure you refrigerate it.]<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPObbeXlRQY83ZWeRygxHuvLwbYm7nCn46Nx3ZDmLzJ0sf4rWuE4hiXMEodbbCd3xA48pXMYaG70oaAyF6Mm5qMpGJDsZfweZHyfIszaTB1e8igz_0sCjlWahGpzDUDZDVmImj2M0KfP2I/s1600-h/Racked.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPObbeXlRQY83ZWeRygxHuvLwbYm7nCn46Nx3ZDmLzJ0sf4rWuE4hiXMEodbbCd3xA48pXMYaG70oaAyF6Mm5qMpGJDsZfweZHyfIszaTB1e8igz_0sCjlWahGpzDUDZDVmImj2M0KfP2I/s200/Racked.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 6"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162862100015699714" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Step 7.</strong> Leave the peels out to dry. If you want to speed things up you can put the whole cookie tray/rack combo in the oven at 250 degrees F for an hour or two. <br /><br /><strong>Step 8.</strong> If you want to dip the strips in chocolate, melt the milk chocolate over a double boiler and dip, laying the strips down on parchment paper to dry.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuVfraZsBR8LO3tG7tH1LLKXJVkyIlArEiQSpEIOgEQKgBZkOClZqwJfU6bbmCzM1pO0dGoYBgkzudh1oUDa0MeNCYtWML9WgECSEtfJlX5HoAdph37dJVKecy9bXZ09C3ghjyu2WHK5f/s1600-h/ChocDipped.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuVfraZsBR8LO3tG7tH1LLKXJVkyIlArEiQSpEIOgEQKgBZkOClZqwJfU6bbmCzM1pO0dGoYBgkzudh1oUDa0MeNCYtWML9WgECSEtfJlX5HoAdph37dJVKecy9bXZ09C3ghjyu2WHK5f/s200/ChocDipped.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 8"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163366110132918066" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-53129632536008829002008-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:002008-11-13T07:57:23.001-08:00Handmade butterThought you couldn't make butter by hand without a churn or some sort of fancy equipment? Well, I'm here to tell ya that all you need is a little cream (heavy whipping cream), a Mason jar and lid and two hands. It will take you about 30 minutes (probably less if you don't stop to take pictures). <br /><br />Let the shaking begin!<br /> <br />1. Collect all the necessary equipment. I highly recommend trying to find local, organic cream as the quality is much better, but you can use whatever you have on hand if need be. I'm using a pint of heavy whipping cream here and a quart jar.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHlkGf2PIGo26q1bdWyF-DuRQ5XutENQ1_1Dk144cxeu68_E5qSL5m32v2N_ie9AHf9GHMkxfZNO1WqaMvkl2UAtPAyVZd-Iz1KivE6E5X04bThZyNe7zLMZos31buZGLrlgzryKS-gXr/s1600-h/Step1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHlkGf2PIGo26q1bdWyF-DuRQ5XutENQ1_1Dk144cxeu68_E5qSL5m32v2N_ie9AHf9GHMkxfZNO1WqaMvkl2UAtPAyVZd-Iz1KivE6E5X04bThZyNe7zLMZos31buZGLrlgzryKS-gXr/s200/Step1.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 1"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162136130283591106" /></a><br /><br />2. Leave the cream out on the counter for a while (the longer the cream sours, the less sweet the butter will be). Once the cream is warmed up to about 60 degrees then pour it into the Mason jar.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9QxEwgoTh-eYFWPfA4KjtxSLLH-qXJ_zBRZRfVmrA3qfkwGe21-jVhFsy_p4StbEov-Ly_CBQMTufKIjU5OAAK7oiHyxtt73UPS4_h6OhucqHmaSt9tpcA-opb2O6RqlSGaaiWoLZXsc/s1600-h/Step2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9QxEwgoTh-eYFWPfA4KjtxSLLH-qXJ_zBRZRfVmrA3qfkwGe21-jVhFsy_p4StbEov-Ly_CBQMTufKIjU5OAAK7oiHyxtt73UPS4_h6OhucqHmaSt9tpcA-opb2O6RqlSGaaiWoLZXsc/s200/Step2.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 2"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162136327852086738" /></a><br /><br />3. Put on the lid and start shaking it. After about two minutes you'll see a nice lightly whipped cream.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr3P31HAU6xRLcGWxDrfIB2tkSZCi9Y3dSiSNaKxjuezGkj-Ik4NVQauYK5z3coHiHRY7GRl643i7PDTKildV0itnsyXt6Xd39hMJDmWMRusGUVCjPYPdZkZN3pbB-fkFgVyIUZfXxsWD/s1600-h/Step3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZr3P31HAU6xRLcGWxDrfIB2tkSZCi9Y3dSiSNaKxjuezGkj-Ik4NVQauYK5z3coHiHRY7GRl643i7PDTKildV0itnsyXt6Xd39hMJDmWMRusGUVCjPYPdZkZN3pbB-fkFgVyIUZfXxsWD/s200/Step3.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 3"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162136525420582370" /></a><br /><br />4. After about four minutes it will look like thick, whipped cream. Resist the temptation to empty the entire Mason jar into you mouth at this point. But do breathe in the heavenly, sweet scent.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAlTndFnMxusWFRZ9oJe4ZLZdnFz78RR_eWS1JxCeJVXt1Qv2DHF6hg0xELgZE75A2Tq-i87ZeQh4Zga2wurmKAjJV-IDl5Vr86UdafSGYOQAi_gigSvejDzRmoSKBSyQ-ZpEVYxdZT7P/s1600-h/Step4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAlTndFnMxusWFRZ9oJe4ZLZdnFz78RR_eWS1JxCeJVXt1Qv2DHF6hg0xELgZE75A2Tq-i87ZeQh4Zga2wurmKAjJV-IDl5Vr86UdafSGYOQAi_gigSvejDzRmoSKBSyQ-ZpEVYxdZT7P/s200/Step4.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 4"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162136765938750962" /></a><br /><br />5. After about nine minutes of shaking, the cream will start to separate from the sides of the glass. Feel free to take a break.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVmMG9yH9TJo6BHBzwbZ0Wwh7gm47tBoojPtCElWVRMFTODw3D8YLEicMtvLNGifKIaEWaGXx7_UDb0didf1H6wtKmRY6Cy8II7CIRtYul-r0EmSQ_LOgZlqFXv9ckGZh_icykF2orDvJ/s1600-h/Step5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVmMG9yH9TJo6BHBzwbZ0Wwh7gm47tBoojPtCElWVRMFTODw3D8YLEicMtvLNGifKIaEWaGXx7_UDb0didf1H6wtKmRY6Cy8II7CIRtYul-r0EmSQ_LOgZlqFXv9ckGZh_icykF2orDvJ/s200/Step5.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 5"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162137165370709506" /></a><br /><br />6. After about fourteen minutes, the whey starts separating from the butter.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDav-4ySIK51UYFmIVCGksXTLoAnK208D6p0WBvPERT4aYCO_Zx_vybWVU-YIMumyLk7e4j9F4YHNAOw4dlfCqII2hLZ_oEvaq9a4hzULj92ajmhKpEpIw7CVKRaUHSHMX7aTxdy0reDZ/s1600-h/Step6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDav-4ySIK51UYFmIVCGksXTLoAnK208D6p0WBvPERT4aYCO_Zx_vybWVU-YIMumyLk7e4j9F4YHNAOw4dlfCqII2hLZ_oEvaq9a4hzULj92ajmhKpEpIw7CVKRaUHSHMX7aTxdy0reDZ/s200/Step6.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 6"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162188915431659026" /></a><br /><br />7. After about sixteen minutes, the curd is more noticeable and there's a lot more whey. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmUkXi29DOUQJ3qBLK8PofazDX4znI2HciiOju6tk-BvxcC52pgiQFzCAIHW4fNNOHzcSNX-qJkHoI8YHPeg6Lz8sRFHNc-41GAs1EJO5qY8orSdqpCBbRBC2afS7VdTu2FYd4V41bzE2/s1600-h/Step7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmUkXi29DOUQJ3qBLK8PofazDX4znI2HciiOju6tk-BvxcC52pgiQFzCAIHW4fNNOHzcSNX-qJkHoI8YHPeg6Lz8sRFHNc-41GAs1EJO5qY8orSdqpCBbRBC2afS7VdTu2FYd4V41bzE2/s200/Step7.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 7"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162191342088181282" /></a><br /><br />8. At this point you can start pouring the buttermilk off. Continue shaking for a few minutes until your butter has solidified a bit more and until you aren't getting anymore buttermilk off of it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh38Wr8db_Jqp6acIm7o7zjP7_mLmhrEpCX8InH287vuxEzIawJZcyUAIh7W1z-aXIxt3moy8AaUAL54uK82wMp3hcVdiiGJCFPsKDoAdIYI2wn51Y7tYWw51_5pnVu2ZtrgjPCsun7f8/s1600-h/Step8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh38Wr8db_Jqp6acIm7o7zjP7_mLmhrEpCX8InH287vuxEzIawJZcyUAIh7W1z-aXIxt3moy8AaUAL54uK82wMp3hcVdiiGJCFPsKDoAdIYI2wn51Y7tYWw51_5pnVu2ZtrgjPCsun7f8/s200/Step8.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 8"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162192016398046770" /></a><br /><br />9. Pour out the butter into a bowl. Doesn't this look like ice cream?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEsFcuKzZ-4826Tb50SkWuw8p-xp6vgq0w3XaFP5JkhI7yGzvP-0VEyA18O9zIpR9iQme2wvkS7-qcPHFNS4BiIayU0NRi7ACvD3rZ_DkSpLUGmVd6U_P-vKXD7P4Xe_Br763Wnidta1r/s1600-h/Step9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEsFcuKzZ-4826Tb50SkWuw8p-xp6vgq0w3XaFP5JkhI7yGzvP-0VEyA18O9zIpR9iQme2wvkS7-qcPHFNS4BiIayU0NRi7ACvD3rZ_DkSpLUGmVd6U_P-vKXD7P4Xe_Br763Wnidta1r/s200/Step9.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 9"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162192892571375170" /></a><br /><br />10. Pour cold water over the butter and start "massaging" the butter with a spatula to rinse the rest of the buttermilk out. Continue replacing the water until the water stays clear. Drain.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwU3_ilAjbKBWFcamyF6exfxnBN0p2ykqMu5IB-d_Eit3fp71z-YSbVeEYy-muYinTeKGzjsRgCnH0t6irBrt6Yk1Drbar654w15AuhvNWjQ0X5WYW7R9095kbPproO29ra6engmGk4XC/s1600-h/Step10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwU3_ilAjbKBWFcamyF6exfxnBN0p2ykqMu5IB-d_Eit3fp71z-YSbVeEYy-muYinTeKGzjsRgCnH0t6irBrt6Yk1Drbar654w15AuhvNWjQ0X5WYW7R9095kbPproO29ra6engmGk4XC/s200/Step10.jpg" border="0" alt="Step 10"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162193562586273362" /></a><br /><br />Mold your butter into butter molds or into ramekins. You will also end up with a scant cup of buttermilk (depending on how "juicy" your cream is).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcql1AANIbpbSoSTqpVHgE28A3m2XUlVvep5Qpszr59mbKB1ctBoUsfxn3THeTVC-mFzsAtIV2dSHNo-pSp2qgQ6CJsSUR_32HJc-6WNZcMUSYZcbWjfDsAQtnr0w7saZoOqvYYy1DIjXX/s1600-h/Final.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcql1AANIbpbSoSTqpVHgE28A3m2XUlVvep5Qpszr59mbKB1ctBoUsfxn3THeTVC-mFzsAtIV2dSHNo-pSp2qgQ6CJsSUR_32HJc-6WNZcMUSYZcbWjfDsAQtnr0w7saZoOqvYYy1DIjXX/s200/Final.jpg" border="0" alt="Butter and buttermilk"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162194700752606818" /></a><br /><br />Voila! Butter. In less than thirty minutes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-51636110241977750942008-01-01T19:38:00.001-08:002008-11-16T22:32:58.947-08:00Kick-ass hummus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_SY4JkgkZKD8D2zDh_zR8QR_P3POcPsr1UREhxLuHxCRhOn1UuSY6VNWEitJDfGlTok2yZOsKC5KBJaTxfmh9bHPeiR35f_8ShcGOc86NDXG85e8phV67URaXb6RKXHCeHHSfAT8QnGh/s1600-h/hummus.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_SY4JkgkZKD8D2zDh_zR8QR_P3POcPsr1UREhxLuHxCRhOn1UuSY6VNWEitJDfGlTok2yZOsKC5KBJaTxfmh9bHPeiR35f_8ShcGOc86NDXG85e8phV67URaXb6RKXHCeHHSfAT8QnGh/s200/hummus.jpg" border="0" alt="Hummus in sight, afternoon delight"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150722180422851874" /></a>I love me some hummus! Especially when you make it yourself and when you use dried chickpeas. You can substitute 2 cups of canned chickpeas in this recipe if you don't have dried ones.<br /><br />1 cup dried chickpeas (née garbanzo beans)<br />5 cloves garlic<br />1.5 teaspoons kosher salt<br />1/3 cup tahini (ground sesame seeds)<br />6 tablespoons lemon juice<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br /><br />If you are using the 2 cups canned beans, you can skip this step:<br /><br /><em>Step 1. Preparing the chickpeas</em><br /><br />Soak the chickpeas in water and the following mixture: <br /><br />1 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 tablespoon flour<br />1 tablespoon salt<br /><br />Add enough water to the 3 ingredients above to form a paste and mix into the water that you will soak the beans in. Soak overnight.<br /><br />Drain and rinse the beans. Add the beans to enough water to cover them with a few inches and bring to a boil. Simmer until soft (usually about 1/2 an hour, but it might take up to an hour depending on the hardness of your water). When the beans are the right consistency (firm, yet soft enough to bite into), drain. If you want to remove the skins, soak in cold water, straining the skins as they float to the top.<br /><br /><br /><em>Step 2. Making the hummus</em><br /><br />In a food processor, process the garlic until minced. Add in the rest of the ingredients and process until well blended. If you want you can serve with paprika, hot sauce or a drizzle of olive oil on top.<br /><br />You can double this recipe if you want to have a serious hummus-fest. I've heard that you can freeze hummus, but haven't tried it myself, but it's worth a try.<br /><br />If you are interested in reading more about the many wonders of beans, check out this <a href="http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/2008/1/full-of-beans.html">post</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-71434805189761679422007-08-28T10:02:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:57:24.181-08:00Lavender Chocolate Mousse Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmb2xCi-NboIrfIEopNLO8MmBWQwWEa5dX7IdwiMFBGnmaT2xbMK4t8dnOpqJP-qijXr4Vj8rYqQBcScvu0a9eVAv2LUmdKtaoTcDsu_s0pL-miBSWyj8-vrMSHWB0kDYCl6YZgDVWcei/s1600-h/mousse.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmb2xCi-NboIrfIEopNLO8MmBWQwWEa5dX7IdwiMFBGnmaT2xbMK4t8dnOpqJP-qijXr4Vj8rYqQBcScvu0a9eVAv2LUmdKtaoTcDsu_s0pL-miBSWyj8-vrMSHWB0kDYCl6YZgDVWcei/s200/mousse.jpg" border="0" alt="Lavender chocolate mousse pie"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101746095573442226" /></a>Last month's lavender flowering resulted in some lovely dried culinary lavender. What better way to enjoy it than to couple it with chocolate?<br /><br />My husband makes this wonderful <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/2687?id=2687">chocolate mousse pie</a>, so we adapted it to include a lavender infusion with the cream. It turned out aromatically heavenly.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lavender Chocolate Mousse Pie</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Crust</span><br />21 organic Newman's Own chocolate sandwich cookies (or Oreos)<br />1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted organic butter, cut into pieces, room temperature<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mousse</span><br />12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped *<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />Pinch of salt<br />3 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream<br />1/4 cup sugar<br />2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender<br /><br />For Crust:<br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4 inch high sides. Finely grind cookies in food processor. Add butter and process until mixture is evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan to form thin crust. Bake crust 5 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely.<br /><br />For Mousse:<br />Combine chocolate (* we like <a href="http://www.chocolatesource.com/products/detail.asp?selection=686§ion=10">Callebaut</a> - you can get it at Whole Foods), vanilla and salt in food processor. Bring 1 cup cream and 2 tablespoons dried lavender to boil in heavy small saucepan. Strain cream mixture to remove lavender buds. With processor running, gradually pour hot cream through feed tube and process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Cool to room temperature stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Beat 2 cups cream and sugar in large bowl to still peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour mousse into prepared crust. Chill until set, about 6 hours.<br /><br />Serves 8. Errr, 5?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7378735962400243353.post-34323783920438444872007-08-22T00:37:00.000-07:002008-11-13T07:57:24.395-08:00Crunchy Chicken Marbella<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO60j3Bbach-mR1cYDSvcyVezfQp9yoWs2U4IFlJnTyxLV7OPnOZ3fZIiiJkGgX_jgRd5bUakOoJYBZEw4X6RPl6LGh0QI1c63_OVvUSNpj-ucQ3FNyRujR-x6Ohlpgn71UXKi_0wScOt/s1600-h/CrunchyChickenMarbella.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO60j3Bbach-mR1cYDSvcyVezfQp9yoWs2U4IFlJnTyxLV7OPnOZ3fZIiiJkGgX_jgRd5bUakOoJYBZEw4X6RPl6LGh0QI1c63_OVvUSNpj-ucQ3FNyRujR-x6Ohlpgn71UXKi_0wScOt/s200/CrunchyChickenMarbella.jpg" border="0" alt="Chicken Marbella and Roasted Root Vegetables"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101022750066351698" /></a>Do you still have loads of dried plums left over from your (or a neighbor's) tree from last summer? Do you have any leftover bay leaves you dried last winter?<br /><br />Here is one good way of using up those plums to make way for this year's crop. It is my take on the classic <a href="http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2000/0894802046_2.html">Chicken Marbella</a> from the Silver Palate cookbook ca. 1982. Throw in some fresh garlic, oregano and Italian parsley from the garden to make the flavors really stand out. This is an extremely easy recipe to whip together - the only thing you have to remember is to prepare it the night before so the chicken has ample time to lounge in the marinade.<br /><br />Since I generally don't cook for hoards of people, I've cut down the amount from the original recipe. Also, since I'm a breast man, I mean woman, I used bone-in chicken breasts instead of thighs. This recipe serves 4 - 5 (depending on how you cut up the chicken).<br /><br /><strong>Crunchy Chicken Marbella</strong><br />2 bone-in organic chicken breasts (approx. 2 lbs)<br />5 cloves of garlic, chopped<br />5 bay leaves<br />1.5 cups dried, pitted plums, chopped into smallish chunks<br />1 cup green olives (I leave the pits in)<br />1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />1/2 cup sherry vinegar<br />2 tablespoons fresh (or dried) oregano<br />sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste <br /><br />1/4 cup brown sugar <br />1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Viognier) <br />1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped <br /><br />With a large knife, split the chicken breasts into more manageable sizes - I cut mine up, yielding servings for 5. Rinse and pat dry (mostly to remove little bits of bone). In a large bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, bay leaves, dried plums and green olives. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Pour the olive oil mixture over the chicken and combine well, adding salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. <br /><br />Place the chicken in a single layer in a large, shallow baking dish. Spoon the remaining marinade (make sure you include the plums, olives and bay leaves) over the chicken evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with brown sugar and add the white wine around the chicken. <br /><br />Bake for about 45 minutes or so, flipping the chicken every 20 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear.<br /><br />Transfer the chicken, plums and olives to a serving platter and moisten with the pan juices. Sprinkle with parsley. <br /><br />Make sure each serving gets an ample amount of the plums and olives - they are what makes this meal stand out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0