Sat - May 16, 2009
Let's Be Honest About Grapefruit Tart
There’s no hiding a less than stellar
result in the kitchen. But I’ve grown to live by the Julia Child
approach to such disasters, serve it with a smile and offer no apologies.
And so I did the day I tangled with a grapefruit and lost.
It should have been an “oh, so easy dessert”: grapefruit sliced onto a layer of mascarpone cheese spread on a tart shell.
The directions were simple: cut the peel including all the pith from a grapefruit and then cut the segments free from the membrane. However, the more I cut, the more the grapefruit disintegrated until I gave up and in frustration crushed the segments with my fingertips.
I spread the unruly mess on top of the mascarpone, which looked more akin to shredded salmon than grapefruit, and finished it with a few slices of grapefruit and a sprig of mint from my herb garden.
“What is it?” my mom inquired when I presented the tart at the conclusion of the Mother’s Day meal I had cooked for her.
I smiled and said, “Grapefruit tart!” as if it looked exactly as I intended.
Grapefruit Tart
Sweet pastry dough
4 grapefruit (preferably 2 pink and 2 red)
8 oz mascarpone cheese at room temperature
3 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a floured surface and fit into a tart pan (if pastry breaks, press together with your fingers). Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork. Chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, then carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden, 13 to 15 minutes more. Transfer shell in pan to a rack to cool.
Make filling just before serving:
Cut peel, including all white pith, from fruit with a sharp pairing knife, then cut segments free from membranes and pat dry with paper towels. Squeeze 3 tablespoons juice from membranes into a bowl. Whisk together mascarpone, candied ginger, 2 tablespoons juice, and 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar. Add remaining tablespoon juice if mixture is too thick.
Spread ginger mascarpone evenly in tart shell and top decoratively with fruit. Dust with remaining 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
-From Epicurious.com.
-Not intended for those with dull knifes or for the faint of heart. The grapefruit will wage an impressive battle.
-Although instructions were given on how to bake the pastry dough, the recipe did not include an ingredient list or preparation instructions for the dough.
And so I did the day I tangled with a grapefruit and lost.
It should have been an “oh, so easy dessert”: grapefruit sliced onto a layer of mascarpone cheese spread on a tart shell.
The directions were simple: cut the peel including all the pith from a grapefruit and then cut the segments free from the membrane. However, the more I cut, the more the grapefruit disintegrated until I gave up and in frustration crushed the segments with my fingertips.
I spread the unruly mess on top of the mascarpone, which looked more akin to shredded salmon than grapefruit, and finished it with a few slices of grapefruit and a sprig of mint from my herb garden.
“What is it?” my mom inquired when I presented the tart at the conclusion of the Mother’s Day meal I had cooked for her.
I smiled and said, “Grapefruit tart!” as if it looked exactly as I intended.
Grapefruit Tart
Sweet pastry dough
4 grapefruit (preferably 2 pink and 2 red)
8 oz mascarpone cheese at room temperature
3 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a floured surface and fit into a tart pan (if pastry breaks, press together with your fingers). Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork. Chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, then carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden, 13 to 15 minutes more. Transfer shell in pan to a rack to cool.
Make filling just before serving:
Cut peel, including all white pith, from fruit with a sharp pairing knife, then cut segments free from membranes and pat dry with paper towels. Squeeze 3 tablespoons juice from membranes into a bowl. Whisk together mascarpone, candied ginger, 2 tablespoons juice, and 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar. Add remaining tablespoon juice if mixture is too thick.
Spread ginger mascarpone evenly in tart shell and top decoratively with fruit. Dust with remaining 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
-From Epicurious.com.
-Not intended for those with dull knifes or for the faint of heart. The grapefruit will wage an impressive battle.
-Although instructions were given on how to bake the pastry dough, the recipe did not include an ingredient list or preparation instructions for the dough.
Posted at 06:44 PM Read More
Sun - May 3, 2009
Savory Parmesan Shortbread Rounds
My philosophy has always been: Have recipe, can
cook.
Even if I substitute ingredients or alter quantities, if I have a recipe base from which to start I’m golden.
When people compliment my cooking I think, “Give a well-trained monkey a recipe and they could cook this too.” Regardless, I am appreciative, I do have manners, I always say “thank you”, and don’t mention anything about monkeys.
I’ve realized, however, that perhaps I overestimate the abilities of monkeys and some people.
We had an interesting discussion in my Slow Food Dallas Book Club the other night about people who follow recipes and still cannot cook. It seems that when one of our book club members shared a recipe that called for “whipped cream”, her friend added “whipping cream” instead.
Big difference.
If Parmesan is your thing you’ll love this recipe; these rounds literally melt in your mouth, and despite the fact that they look like cookies, they are savory not sweet.
And this is an easy, easy, recipe. So easy that I’m convinced a well-trained…
Savory Parmesan Shortbread Rounds
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic, and cayenne pepper in processor. Add butter and, using on/off turns, process until dough begins to come together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 12-inch log, and cut each log into 1-inch pieces. Arrange dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Press each ball into 2-inch diameter round. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over.
Bake shortbread rounds until tops are dry and bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer shortbread rounds to rack and cool completely.
Shortbread rounds can be made 1 week ahead. Store rounds in airtight container at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
-Recipe from Bon Appetit
Even if I substitute ingredients or alter quantities, if I have a recipe base from which to start I’m golden.
When people compliment my cooking I think, “Give a well-trained monkey a recipe and they could cook this too.” Regardless, I am appreciative, I do have manners, I always say “thank you”, and don’t mention anything about monkeys.
I’ve realized, however, that perhaps I overestimate the abilities of monkeys and some people.
We had an interesting discussion in my Slow Food Dallas Book Club the other night about people who follow recipes and still cannot cook. It seems that when one of our book club members shared a recipe that called for “whipped cream”, her friend added “whipping cream” instead.
Big difference.
If Parmesan is your thing you’ll love this recipe; these rounds literally melt in your mouth, and despite the fact that they look like cookies, they are savory not sweet.
And this is an easy, easy, recipe. So easy that I’m convinced a well-trained…
Savory Parmesan Shortbread Rounds
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic, and cayenne pepper in processor. Add butter and, using on/off turns, process until dough begins to come together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 12-inch log, and cut each log into 1-inch pieces. Arrange dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Press each ball into 2-inch diameter round. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over.
Bake shortbread rounds until tops are dry and bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer shortbread rounds to rack and cool completely.
Shortbread rounds can be made 1 week ahead. Store rounds in airtight container at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
-Recipe from Bon Appetit
Posted at 05:55 PM Read More
Sun - April 19, 2009
Pecan-and-Armagnac-Stuffed Dates
When I needed a French appetizer for a French
movie night with friends I turned to Jacques Pepin, one of my favorite French
chefs. I watch him on the local PBS station on Saturday afternoons and
always learn something new. He teaches as much about technique and quality
of ingredients as he does about the mechanics of the recipe.
And he licks his fingers. Right there on television. I feel right at home.
I've never seen him make Pecan-and-Armagnac-Stuffed Dates, I found it in the only book of his I own, "Encore With Claudine."
The linchpin of taste to this recipe is the Armagnac, a French brandy that Americans for the most part know little about.
Don't think of substituting Cognac for the Armagnac in this recipe. There's a more interesting palette of flavor, depth, and texture in a sip of Armagnac (more on this later). I used a 1978 Marquis de Maniban given to me as a gift by the owner of Chateau du Busca, the producer of this fine spirit, at the conclusion of a personal tour of the Chateau and grounds in 2008.
I had to laugh as I crushed my gingersnap cookies and mixed them with the Armagnac, one of the oldest eau de vie's on the planet with very strict standards for the growing and harvesting of the grapes, as well as production, aging, and bottling.
Written in great big letters on the front of my box of gingersnaps were the words "Made with REAL GINGER & MOLASSES!"
What a concept.
Pecan-and-Armagnac Stuffed Dates
20 regular size dried pitted dates or 12 very large Medjool pitted dates
3 ounces cookies (Pepin recommends gingersnaps, but chocolate chip, tuiles, or even graham crackers can be used)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac (don't do it!)
1/3 cup coarsley chopped pecans
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
20 small spearmint or peppermint leaves, for use as a decoration
1. Using a sharp knife, split the dates, stopping before cutting them in half entirely, and open each one like a book. Crush the cookies coarsely in a small bowl, and lightly mix in the lemon juice and Armagnac. Add the nuts and minced mint, and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
2. To Fill Regular Dates: spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cookie mixture onto each date, then gently fold the date to partially close it around the stuffing. Follow the same procedure to fill Medjool dates, but use 2 teaspoons of the cookie mixture for each date.
3. Decorate the dates by inserting the stem end of a small mint leaf in the center of the stuffed edge. Arrange the dates on a platter, and refrigerate them until serving time.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- I used orange juice as a substitute for the lemon juice.
And he licks his fingers. Right there on television. I feel right at home.
I've never seen him make Pecan-and-Armagnac-Stuffed Dates, I found it in the only book of his I own, "Encore With Claudine."
The linchpin of taste to this recipe is the Armagnac, a French brandy that Americans for the most part know little about.
Don't think of substituting Cognac for the Armagnac in this recipe. There's a more interesting palette of flavor, depth, and texture in a sip of Armagnac (more on this later). I used a 1978 Marquis de Maniban given to me as a gift by the owner of Chateau du Busca, the producer of this fine spirit, at the conclusion of a personal tour of the Chateau and grounds in 2008.
I had to laugh as I crushed my gingersnap cookies and mixed them with the Armagnac, one of the oldest eau de vie's on the planet with very strict standards for the growing and harvesting of the grapes, as well as production, aging, and bottling.
Written in great big letters on the front of my box of gingersnaps were the words "Made with REAL GINGER & MOLASSES!"
What a concept.
Pecan-and-Armagnac Stuffed Dates
20 regular size dried pitted dates or 12 very large Medjool pitted dates
3 ounces cookies (Pepin recommends gingersnaps, but chocolate chip, tuiles, or even graham crackers can be used)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac (don't do it!)
1/3 cup coarsley chopped pecans
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
20 small spearmint or peppermint leaves, for use as a decoration
1. Using a sharp knife, split the dates, stopping before cutting them in half entirely, and open each one like a book. Crush the cookies coarsely in a small bowl, and lightly mix in the lemon juice and Armagnac. Add the nuts and minced mint, and mix until the ingredients are well combined.
2. To Fill Regular Dates: spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cookie mixture onto each date, then gently fold the date to partially close it around the stuffing. Follow the same procedure to fill Medjool dates, but use 2 teaspoons of the cookie mixture for each date.
3. Decorate the dates by inserting the stem end of a small mint leaf in the center of the stuffed edge. Arrange the dates on a platter, and refrigerate them until serving time.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- I used orange juice as a substitute for the lemon juice.
Posted at 09:35 AM Read More
Wed - January 21, 2009
Inspirational Grilled Jalapeno Cream Sauce
We were standing in Skinner’s Corner Store,
Longview, TX, when Bud had a flash of inspiration for our New Year’s Eve
meal; he suggested a jalapeno cream sauce to top off our grilled red
snapper.
Yes, of course. That was it. I had several ideas as to how to top our fish, but none struck me quite so deliciously as a jalapeno cream sauce.
My mouth still waters over a cheese ravioli dish topped with a jalapeno cream sauce that I had at Terilli’s several years ago. I’ve been back several times since then with no luck on getting a repeat of that meal.
So a jalapeno cream sauce it would be and a jalapeno cream sauce cook-off between the two of us to boot.
Bud is no stranger to the kitchen. His cornbread dressing took top honors at our Thanksgiving dressing throwdown, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Yes, that one still stings.
I knew the competition would be tough.
Truly, I’m humble when it comes to my talents in the kitchen. I’m a cook, not a chef, a pretty darn good cook I will say, but not chef-creative. I typically need a recipe.
Not this evening. Maybe it was my good feelings for the upcoming year, the beautiful view from the deck of Bud's Lake Cherokee house, or maybe it was the glass of bubbly we drank as we cooked. More than likely it was beginner's luck, but my jalapeno cream sauce ruled the evening's meal.
The real test will be seeing if I can repeat it. In that case I'll say that it was the bubbly that made the difference.
If you’d like to give my Grilled Jalapeno Cream Sauce a whirl, I’ve described below my approach and approximate measures. Let me know how it turns out.
Grilled Jalapeno Cream Sauce
1 - 2 grilled jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of flour
1/4 c. heaving cream
a sprinkle of sea salt
Heat the olive and oil and butter until the butter is melted. Add the jalapenos and sauté for a minute or two. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or two until the garlic releases its fragrance. Add 2 teaspoons of flour and stir. Add 1/4 c. of cream and sprinkle of sea salt. Stir until sauce thickens and is heated through.
Cook’s Notes:
- Remember, these measures are approximate. I wrote them down after the fact and after a couple of glasses of bubbly.
- In my excitement over my culinary achievement I forgot to take a photo of the cream sauce. I do like the picture of the red snapper; the fin seems to be either standing at attention or waving.
Yes, of course. That was it. I had several ideas as to how to top our fish, but none struck me quite so deliciously as a jalapeno cream sauce.
My mouth still waters over a cheese ravioli dish topped with a jalapeno cream sauce that I had at Terilli’s several years ago. I’ve been back several times since then with no luck on getting a repeat of that meal.
So a jalapeno cream sauce it would be and a jalapeno cream sauce cook-off between the two of us to boot.
Bud is no stranger to the kitchen. His cornbread dressing took top honors at our Thanksgiving dressing throwdown, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Yes, that one still stings.
I knew the competition would be tough.
Truly, I’m humble when it comes to my talents in the kitchen. I’m a cook, not a chef, a pretty darn good cook I will say, but not chef-creative. I typically need a recipe.
Not this evening. Maybe it was my good feelings for the upcoming year, the beautiful view from the deck of Bud's Lake Cherokee house, or maybe it was the glass of bubbly we drank as we cooked. More than likely it was beginner's luck, but my jalapeno cream sauce ruled the evening's meal.
The real test will be seeing if I can repeat it. In that case I'll say that it was the bubbly that made the difference.
If you’d like to give my Grilled Jalapeno Cream Sauce a whirl, I’ve described below my approach and approximate measures. Let me know how it turns out.
Grilled Jalapeno Cream Sauce
1 - 2 grilled jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of flour
1/4 c. heaving cream
a sprinkle of sea salt
Heat the olive and oil and butter until the butter is melted. Add the jalapenos and sauté for a minute or two. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or two until the garlic releases its fragrance. Add 2 teaspoons of flour and stir. Add 1/4 c. of cream and sprinkle of sea salt. Stir until sauce thickens and is heated through.
Cook’s Notes:
- Remember, these measures are approximate. I wrote them down after the fact and after a couple of glasses of bubbly.
- In my excitement over my culinary achievement I forgot to take a photo of the cream sauce. I do like the picture of the red snapper; the fin seems to be either standing at attention or waving.
Posted at 08:16 PM Read More
Wed - January 14, 2009
The Accidental Gardener
During my teenage years my dad was an avid
gardener: okra, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, blackberries, onions
and more.
I didn’t appreciate it then, but I do now. And I miss it.
Somewhere in my mid-life years I had this wild idea that I wanted to garden. My children laughed. I’ve killed almost every houseplant we’ve ever had and have paid someone to take care of the yard for years.
How could I ever nurture plants to sprout leaves much less bring forth food?
But I persevered and with the help of a couple of friends built a garden bed late one summer and planted early the next spring: okra, tomatoes, squash, zuchinni, eggplant, bell peppers, jalapenos, herbs galore, including thyme, oregano, sage, and mint.
It was quite the undertaking for a self-admitted plant killer.
While I had visions of plump tomatoes and oodles of squash dancing in my head, I’m here to tell you that growing food is not a magical experience. It’s hard work and my first year of gardening ended in disappointment and discouragement.
There was one exception: Swiss chard, a beautiful green-leaf vegetable with red veins and ribs. My Swiss chard out-produced every other plant in my garden and is still going strong.
Looking out my kitchen window in mid-January at my bare garden except for the abundant and tangled stalks of Swiss chard, my friend Tailor remarked that perhaps I could christen my city as “Swiss Chard Capitol of the World.”
That might be possible. A quick Google search did not reveal a place yet claiming this title. I'm not surprised. Previous to my attempt at gardening most of my friends and family were not familiar with Swiss chard.
So how, oh how did my Swiss chard grow? I planted it and left it alone; it's growth seeming to be accidental except for the singular act of planting it last March.
I’m going to continue my expert gardening technique of ignoring it and see how long it grows. Maybe it will still be around this time next January.
For now I’m content that the children who doubted I would ever plant a garden or be able to make something grow in it are eating their words and love to eat my Swiss chard.
Swiss Chard with Garlic
Swiss chard cooks up like fresh spinach. Sautee it with olive oil, fresh garlic, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a quick and easy side dish.
2-3 bunches of Swiss chard
Olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic
salt
red pepper flakes
Wash and clean the Swiss chard removing the stems. Roll the leaves and slice into thin strips. Drizzle some olive oil in a pan; when oil is heated add garlic and sautee for a minute. Add the Swiss chard and sprinkle with salt. Sautee until Swiss chard is wilted. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
- You will need a lot of Swiss chard to feed 3-4 people. When it seems like you have too much to cook is probably when you have enough.
- I’ve never been good at measuring ingredients when I throw things together. Learn to live on the edge in the kitchen.
I didn’t appreciate it then, but I do now. And I miss it.
Somewhere in my mid-life years I had this wild idea that I wanted to garden. My children laughed. I’ve killed almost every houseplant we’ve ever had and have paid someone to take care of the yard for years.
How could I ever nurture plants to sprout leaves much less bring forth food?
But I persevered and with the help of a couple of friends built a garden bed late one summer and planted early the next spring: okra, tomatoes, squash, zuchinni, eggplant, bell peppers, jalapenos, herbs galore, including thyme, oregano, sage, and mint.
It was quite the undertaking for a self-admitted plant killer.
While I had visions of plump tomatoes and oodles of squash dancing in my head, I’m here to tell you that growing food is not a magical experience. It’s hard work and my first year of gardening ended in disappointment and discouragement.
There was one exception: Swiss chard, a beautiful green-leaf vegetable with red veins and ribs. My Swiss chard out-produced every other plant in my garden and is still going strong.
Looking out my kitchen window in mid-January at my bare garden except for the abundant and tangled stalks of Swiss chard, my friend Tailor remarked that perhaps I could christen my city as “Swiss Chard Capitol of the World.”
That might be possible. A quick Google search did not reveal a place yet claiming this title. I'm not surprised. Previous to my attempt at gardening most of my friends and family were not familiar with Swiss chard.
So how, oh how did my Swiss chard grow? I planted it and left it alone; it's growth seeming to be accidental except for the singular act of planting it last March.
I’m going to continue my expert gardening technique of ignoring it and see how long it grows. Maybe it will still be around this time next January.
For now I’m content that the children who doubted I would ever plant a garden or be able to make something grow in it are eating their words and love to eat my Swiss chard.
Swiss Chard with Garlic
Swiss chard cooks up like fresh spinach. Sautee it with olive oil, fresh garlic, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a quick and easy side dish.
2-3 bunches of Swiss chard
Olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic
salt
red pepper flakes
Wash and clean the Swiss chard removing the stems. Roll the leaves and slice into thin strips. Drizzle some olive oil in a pan; when oil is heated add garlic and sautee for a minute. Add the Swiss chard and sprinkle with salt. Sautee until Swiss chard is wilted. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
- You will need a lot of Swiss chard to feed 3-4 people. When it seems like you have too much to cook is probably when you have enough.
- I’ve never been good at measuring ingredients when I throw things together. Learn to live on the edge in the kitchen.
Posted at 03:16 PM
Tue - January 6, 2009
The Lowly Lentil: Big Flavor, Long History
When the weather turns chilly I say, “Bring
on the soup!”
My meat and potatoes family rarely turned to soup during my growing up years unless it was canned. When we did consume a bowl, it was for a quick meal usually slurped alone, ala tomato soup with crackers. Canned chicken noodle soup and Sprite will forever remind me of youthful days spent recovering from one short-term ailment or another.
How delightful as an adult to have discovered the beauty of homemade soup as a simple, satisfying meal.
Oh, have I mentioned that soup is easy on the wallet?
Whether you choose it for its taste or economics, soup is also good for you.
Consider the lowly lentil, a lovely soup choice.
As legumes go, the lentil doesn’t get much respect in the United States. We export 80% of what we grow and rarely does the lentil get a showing on our dining room or restaurant tables.
Yet lentils are high in fiber, provide the body with seven of the eight essential amino acids, serve up more folic acid than any other unfortified food, and is a good source for several important minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc. Small and shaped like a lens, lentils come in an array of colors including black, brown, green, yellow, and red.
And lentils will also make your taste buds dance.
Lentils have a long history with the human race being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. Esau was so enticed by this legume that he traded his birthright to his brother Jacob in exchange for bowl of red lentil stew (Genesis 25:34).
Let’s do our part to keep more homegrown lentils on American soil and eat healthier at the same time; I say, “Bring on the lentil soup!”
In the meantime, I am giving thought as to what hungry heir/heiress I might tempt with a scrumptious bowl.
Red Lentil Soup
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 sprig fresh Thyme
1 cup red lentils (7 oz.), picked over and rinsed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
Cook onion in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring 1 minute more. Add lentils, broth, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are very soft and falling apart, about 30-45 minutes. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig, then puree 2 cups of mixture in blender and return to pan. Stir in parsley and season with salt.
Serves 4-6
Cook’s Notes:
- I use an immersion blender to puree the soup. My immersion blender is one of the best investments I’ve made in kitchen tools; it makes pureeing a cinch.
- Red lentils turn golden when cooked. Don’t ask me why.
- From "Gourmet", October 2007
My meat and potatoes family rarely turned to soup during my growing up years unless it was canned. When we did consume a bowl, it was for a quick meal usually slurped alone, ala tomato soup with crackers. Canned chicken noodle soup and Sprite will forever remind me of youthful days spent recovering from one short-term ailment or another.
How delightful as an adult to have discovered the beauty of homemade soup as a simple, satisfying meal.
Oh, have I mentioned that soup is easy on the wallet?
Whether you choose it for its taste or economics, soup is also good for you.
Consider the lowly lentil, a lovely soup choice.
As legumes go, the lentil doesn’t get much respect in the United States. We export 80% of what we grow and rarely does the lentil get a showing on our dining room or restaurant tables.
Yet lentils are high in fiber, provide the body with seven of the eight essential amino acids, serve up more folic acid than any other unfortified food, and is a good source for several important minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc. Small and shaped like a lens, lentils come in an array of colors including black, brown, green, yellow, and red.
And lentils will also make your taste buds dance.
Lentils have a long history with the human race being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. Esau was so enticed by this legume that he traded his birthright to his brother Jacob in exchange for bowl of red lentil stew (Genesis 25:34).
Let’s do our part to keep more homegrown lentils on American soil and eat healthier at the same time; I say, “Bring on the lentil soup!”
In the meantime, I am giving thought as to what hungry heir/heiress I might tempt with a scrumptious bowl.
Red Lentil Soup
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 sprig fresh Thyme
1 cup red lentils (7 oz.), picked over and rinsed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
Cook onion in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, bay leaf, and thyme and cook, stirring 1 minute more. Add lentils, broth, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are very soft and falling apart, about 30-45 minutes. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig, then puree 2 cups of mixture in blender and return to pan. Stir in parsley and season with salt.
Serves 4-6
Cook’s Notes:
- I use an immersion blender to puree the soup. My immersion blender is one of the best investments I’ve made in kitchen tools; it makes pureeing a cinch.
- Red lentils turn golden when cooked. Don’t ask me why.
- From "Gourmet", October 2007
Posted at 12:18 PM
Mon - January 7, 2008
Spiced Cranberry-Pear Tart
Good things do come in small packages.
Especially the kind that is smaller than a marble, bounces when ripe, and matures to a brilliant ruby color.
It’s the cranberry and it’s packed with more flavonoids per fresh weight than 20 other common fruit.
This means that this tiny jewel of a fruit is an important source of anti-cancer fighting nutrients and antioxidants. Cranberries are also loaded with proanthocyanidins (PACs) that have an “anti-adhesion” effect on bacteria in the body which can help prevent urinary tract infections, periodontal disease, and some stomach ulcers.
Wow, all this without a visit to the doctor or health food store.
Interestingly, the cranberry along with the blueberry and Concord grape are the only commercially-important fruits native to North America. The grapefruit originated in Barbados (sorry, Texas) and the peach is native to China (that one hurts, Georgia).
Of course, Native Americans believed in the benefits of cranberries a long time ago and used them for a variety of medicinal and other purposes.
Glad we’re catching on.
Sadly, cranberry production in the United States still outstrips demand. Not surprising though given our American penchant for food pre-prepared, pre-packaged, or purchased in a drive through.
With a harvest season that begins in September, fresh cranberries don’t last much on the shelves past January so I take full advantage. New Year’s day I whipped up a cranberry-pear tart and fresh cranberry sauce as a part of my celebratory meal for family and friends. There wasn't enough left of either following our mid-day gathering to qualify as "leftovers."
Ocean Spray, the largest producer of canned and bottled juice drinks in North America, calls the cranberry the “Wonderberry” for all its nutritional and health benefits.
I simply call this little dynamo of a berry wonderful.
You still have time to grab a bag of fresh cranberries for this wonderful tart. Frozen cranberries will work as well.
Spiced Cranberry-Pear Tart
Pistachio Sugar
1/2 cup unsalted natural pistachios
1/3 cup sugar
Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Pear Filling
3 cups dry red wine
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (broken in half)
4 large slightly underripe Bosc pears (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 3 long wedges
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped unsalted natural pistachios
For Pistachio Sugar: Combine 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/3 cup sugar in processor and blend until pistachios are chopped.
For Crust: Blend flour sugar, salt in processor. Add butter, pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until mixture begins to clump, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill overnight.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold in and press, forming double-thick sides. Pierce all over with fork. Chill 30 minutes, then freeze 15 minutes.
Position rack in center of voen and preheat to 400 degrees. Back crust until golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.
For Pear Filling: Combine first 7 ingredients in large skillet; bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with knife, turning occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes depending on ripeness. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish in single layer. Add cranberries to liquid in skillet; simmer until berries begin to soften but remain intact, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to plate in single layer. Cover, chill at least 3 hour. Boil poaching liquid in skillet until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Drain pears on paper towels 10 minutes. Brush bottom of crust with 2 tablespoons poaching syrup; sprinkle pistachio sugar over. Starting at outer crust, arrange pears closely in starburst pattern with stem ends toward center. Arrange remaining pears in center. Brush pears lightly with some of the syrup. Toss cranberries with 1 tablespoon syrup; scatter over pears. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- I made this in a pie pan as my tart pan was already occupied by a dark chocolate tart with a gingersnap crust. It didn't affect the taste but I would have preferred to have had more room to fan out the pears purely for presentation.
- Several people commented about how good the crust was. This was the first crust that I've made with powdered sugar. Maybe this was the secret or I'm just particularly skillful at making crust late on New Year's Eve.
Especially the kind that is smaller than a marble, bounces when ripe, and matures to a brilliant ruby color.
It’s the cranberry and it’s packed with more flavonoids per fresh weight than 20 other common fruit.
This means that this tiny jewel of a fruit is an important source of anti-cancer fighting nutrients and antioxidants. Cranberries are also loaded with proanthocyanidins (PACs) that have an “anti-adhesion” effect on bacteria in the body which can help prevent urinary tract infections, periodontal disease, and some stomach ulcers.
Wow, all this without a visit to the doctor or health food store.
Interestingly, the cranberry along with the blueberry and Concord grape are the only commercially-important fruits native to North America. The grapefruit originated in Barbados (sorry, Texas) and the peach is native to China (that one hurts, Georgia).
Of course, Native Americans believed in the benefits of cranberries a long time ago and used them for a variety of medicinal and other purposes.
Glad we’re catching on.
Sadly, cranberry production in the United States still outstrips demand. Not surprising though given our American penchant for food pre-prepared, pre-packaged, or purchased in a drive through.
With a harvest season that begins in September, fresh cranberries don’t last much on the shelves past January so I take full advantage. New Year’s day I whipped up a cranberry-pear tart and fresh cranberry sauce as a part of my celebratory meal for family and friends. There wasn't enough left of either following our mid-day gathering to qualify as "leftovers."
Ocean Spray, the largest producer of canned and bottled juice drinks in North America, calls the cranberry the “Wonderberry” for all its nutritional and health benefits.
I simply call this little dynamo of a berry wonderful.
You still have time to grab a bag of fresh cranberries for this wonderful tart. Frozen cranberries will work as well.
Spiced Cranberry-Pear Tart
Pistachio Sugar
1/2 cup unsalted natural pistachios
1/3 cup sugar
Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Pear Filling
3 cups dry red wine
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (broken in half)
4 large slightly underripe Bosc pears (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 3 long wedges
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped unsalted natural pistachios
For Pistachio Sugar: Combine 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/3 cup sugar in processor and blend until pistachios are chopped.
For Crust: Blend flour sugar, salt in processor. Add butter, pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until mixture begins to clump, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill overnight.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold in and press, forming double-thick sides. Pierce all over with fork. Chill 30 minutes, then freeze 15 minutes.
Position rack in center of voen and preheat to 400 degrees. Back crust until golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.
For Pear Filling: Combine first 7 ingredients in large skillet; bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with knife, turning occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes depending on ripeness. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish in single layer. Add cranberries to liquid in skillet; simmer until berries begin to soften but remain intact, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to plate in single layer. Cover, chill at least 3 hour. Boil poaching liquid in skillet until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Drain pears on paper towels 10 minutes. Brush bottom of crust with 2 tablespoons poaching syrup; sprinkle pistachio sugar over. Starting at outer crust, arrange pears closely in starburst pattern with stem ends toward center. Arrange remaining pears in center. Brush pears lightly with some of the syrup. Toss cranberries with 1 tablespoon syrup; scatter over pears. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- I made this in a pie pan as my tart pan was already occupied by a dark chocolate tart with a gingersnap crust. It didn't affect the taste but I would have preferred to have had more room to fan out the pears purely for presentation.
- Several people commented about how good the crust was. This was the first crust that I've made with powdered sugar. Maybe this was the secret or I'm just particularly skillful at making crust late on New Year's Eve.
Posted at 06:37 AM
Sun - October 21, 2007
Cowlitz River Salmon with a Soy-Ginger Marinade
Fishing, I’ve concluded, is a lot of doing
nothing interspersed with moments of adrenaline rushes.
It was a quiet morning on the Cowlitz River and I was snoozing peacefully during one of those nothing periods. It had been an early rise at 3:30 am for the two-hour drive south from Seattle.
My baited hook was dangling in the water and the sun was gently warming the crisp, cool day. Then came the battlecry.
“Fish on! Fish on!”
Jamie, one of my fishing mates, had noticed the telltale dip and tug of the rod; his call snapped me from slumber.
Whose rod was it?
Mine!
As I pulled my rod from its placeholder my fellow fisherman scrambled to collect and put theirs away.
With the first difficult twist of the reel, I knew it was a doozy. I was in a massive tug of war with a finned and scaled opponent.
This was only the second time I had been fishing; the first time was on an outing with my dad’s family in Mississippi. I was five at the time and by late afternoon everyone had caught a fish except for me and I had cried, you know that thing that girls and five-year-olds do. Just about the time I was ready to call it a day there was a nibble on my line and with my dad’s help I reeled in the biggest catch of the day, a 1.5-pound catfish. I was ecstatic.
Now, standing on a boat in the middle of the Cowlitz River with a wild fish flailing on the other end of my line I felt like I had graduated to the big leagues without ever truly playing in the little leagues.
And my dad wasn’t there to assist.
As the only girl on the fishing expedition I had purposely stirred things up the night before as we paid for our fishing licenses and again during the wee morning hours trek to the river with the idea that I was going to catch the biggest fish.
Now in this mammoth struggle of girl against fish I was happy to hang onto the rod which I thought would fly out of my hands at any moment.
The fish zigged and zagged, tugged and pulled. I cranked the reel steadily and deliberately, and somehow hung on.
As I slowly but surely reeled the thrashing fish within a fishing net’s distance of our boat, our fishing guide, Cesare, stooped down and scooped it up.
Victory! It wouldn’t be the story of the one that got away after all.
At 25 pounds it was the weightiest catch of the day for which I earned $125 from my fishing companions from a group bet that we had agreed to the night before. My catch outweighed Jeff’s fish, its closest competitor, by two pounds.
With memories of a warm, long ago Mississippi afternoon, I was once again ecstatic.
The art of fishing is a mystery to me. We each tantalized the fish with the same bait in the same fishing hole at the same time but it was the luck of the draw as to which fish ended up on my line.
But now I get this fishing thing. Not so much the how, but the why. There’s something relaxing, satisfying, and addicting about doing nothing interspersed with a handful of adrenaline rushes especially when you hook and land something very good to eat.
Among the Dallas residents we fileted, froze, and boxed up 49.2 pounds of salmon for the flight home.
I also had the fortune of pulling in a second fish that afternoon, a nice 10-pound catch. Seemed like a piece of cake after the fight I had with the larger one.
I was the only one who reeled in two fish on this expedition, but I thought better of making a big deal of it with the guys. They might not invite me back.
To see more photos from this fishing trip click here. Click on any individual photo to start the slide show.
Cowlitz River Salmon with a Soy-Ginger Marinade
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Marinate the salmon for 1/2-1 hour then grill.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
This is my own concoction.
It was a quiet morning on the Cowlitz River and I was snoozing peacefully during one of those nothing periods. It had been an early rise at 3:30 am for the two-hour drive south from Seattle.
My baited hook was dangling in the water and the sun was gently warming the crisp, cool day. Then came the battlecry.
“Fish on! Fish on!”
Jamie, one of my fishing mates, had noticed the telltale dip and tug of the rod; his call snapped me from slumber.
Whose rod was it?
Mine!
As I pulled my rod from its placeholder my fellow fisherman scrambled to collect and put theirs away.
With the first difficult twist of the reel, I knew it was a doozy. I was in a massive tug of war with a finned and scaled opponent.
This was only the second time I had been fishing; the first time was on an outing with my dad’s family in Mississippi. I was five at the time and by late afternoon everyone had caught a fish except for me and I had cried, you know that thing that girls and five-year-olds do. Just about the time I was ready to call it a day there was a nibble on my line and with my dad’s help I reeled in the biggest catch of the day, a 1.5-pound catfish. I was ecstatic.
Now, standing on a boat in the middle of the Cowlitz River with a wild fish flailing on the other end of my line I felt like I had graduated to the big leagues without ever truly playing in the little leagues.
And my dad wasn’t there to assist.
As the only girl on the fishing expedition I had purposely stirred things up the night before as we paid for our fishing licenses and again during the wee morning hours trek to the river with the idea that I was going to catch the biggest fish.
Now in this mammoth struggle of girl against fish I was happy to hang onto the rod which I thought would fly out of my hands at any moment.
The fish zigged and zagged, tugged and pulled. I cranked the reel steadily and deliberately, and somehow hung on.
As I slowly but surely reeled the thrashing fish within a fishing net’s distance of our boat, our fishing guide, Cesare, stooped down and scooped it up.
Victory! It wouldn’t be the story of the one that got away after all.
At 25 pounds it was the weightiest catch of the day for which I earned $125 from my fishing companions from a group bet that we had agreed to the night before. My catch outweighed Jeff’s fish, its closest competitor, by two pounds.
With memories of a warm, long ago Mississippi afternoon, I was once again ecstatic.
The art of fishing is a mystery to me. We each tantalized the fish with the same bait in the same fishing hole at the same time but it was the luck of the draw as to which fish ended up on my line.
But now I get this fishing thing. Not so much the how, but the why. There’s something relaxing, satisfying, and addicting about doing nothing interspersed with a handful of adrenaline rushes especially when you hook and land something very good to eat.
Among the Dallas residents we fileted, froze, and boxed up 49.2 pounds of salmon for the flight home.
I also had the fortune of pulling in a second fish that afternoon, a nice 10-pound catch. Seemed like a piece of cake after the fight I had with the larger one.
I was the only one who reeled in two fish on this expedition, but I thought better of making a big deal of it with the guys. They might not invite me back.
To see more photos from this fishing trip click here. Click on any individual photo to start the slide show.
Cowlitz River Salmon with a Soy-Ginger Marinade
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Marinate the salmon for 1/2-1 hour then grill.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
This is my own concoction.
Posted at 11:42 AM
Mon - October 15, 2007
Love At First Sip: Beer Bread With An Apricot Twist
I’ve never been a beer
drinker.
Why bother, I always thought, especially after watching the “Laverne and Shirley” television show as a teenager.
Laverne and Shirley were bottle cappers at the fictional Shotz brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This Yiddish hop-scotch ditty from the show’s opening scene forever cemented in my mind that beer makers and beer drinkers were a crowd that perhaps I’d prefer to not hang out with:
“Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”
Translation:
“An inept, clumsy person! A chronically unlucky person! A German stew made from marinated rabbit!”
I’m not sure where the “Incorporated!” plays into it, but you get the picture.
My tastebud's translation on the whole beer scene: there is no taste, no body, might as swill water flavored with alcohol.
That is until I was introduced to craft beer maker Pyramid Brewery in Seattle and had my first taste of Pyramid’s Apricot Weizen.
It was love at first sip.
Lovely, not too sweet, with just enough apricot for my tastebuds to take notice.
And I had a revelation.
All beers and brew masters are not created equal.
Craft beer makers, like Pyramid, are artisans who are small, independent, and adhere to traditional brewing methods and ingredients. On a personal tour of Pyramid's brewery in Seattle I learned that taste is Pyramid's ultimate pursuit and they don’t cut corners on the process or the ingredients.
Pyramid’s flagship beer, Hefe Weizen, is a wheat beer brewed with two-row barley, wheat, and caramel. It’s an unfiltered beer true to the hefe weizen style which means your eyeballs will notice some cloudiness in the liquid, but your tastebuds will benefit from the flavor of the yeast left in the beer.
Even when a style of beer calls for filtration Pyramid filters only once to catch lingering solids.
Beer making is an art and a science. Lean too much to the science side of beer making and the result is the mass-produced, colorless, mostly tasteless liquid that the majority of Americans call beer because their palates don’t know the difference.
These beer makers use less expensive adjunct grains like corn and rice which add no flavor and serve only to sugar and thin the beer. In addition, multiple filtrations leave the beverage with coloring more akin to water than beer.
Some historians speculate that before mankind learned to bake bread we had mastered beer.
Smart bunch we are. Except it’s taken a very long time, domestically that is, to learn to make it tasty.
But we’re catching on.
Craft brewers’ supermarket sales increased 17.8% in 2006 while large domestic breweries sales continued to lag behind a 2004 peak. The total craft beer market increased by 12% in 2006.
Pyramid Breweries is a leader of the craft brewer's pack and there's a reason.
Their brews make your taste buds dance.
Mazal tov to us all.
This recipe combines the best of both worlds -- beer used in bread making.
Beer Batter Bread
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 bottle beer, unopened and at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Open the beer and add it all at once; it will foam up. Stir briskly just until combined, about 20 strokes. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and drizzle the melted butter.
Bake until the top is crusty and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a rack. Serve wam or at room temperature the day it is made. Cut into thick slices and accompany with plenty of butter.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- From "Bread" published by Williams-Sonoma.
- I used a bottle of Pyramid's Apricot Weizen which imparted its lovely apricot flavor to the bread.
Why bother, I always thought, especially after watching the “Laverne and Shirley” television show as a teenager.
Laverne and Shirley were bottle cappers at the fictional Shotz brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This Yiddish hop-scotch ditty from the show’s opening scene forever cemented in my mind that beer makers and beer drinkers were a crowd that perhaps I’d prefer to not hang out with:
“Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”
Translation:
“An inept, clumsy person! A chronically unlucky person! A German stew made from marinated rabbit!”
I’m not sure where the “Incorporated!” plays into it, but you get the picture.
My tastebud's translation on the whole beer scene: there is no taste, no body, might as swill water flavored with alcohol.
That is until I was introduced to craft beer maker Pyramid Brewery in Seattle and had my first taste of Pyramid’s Apricot Weizen.
It was love at first sip.
Lovely, not too sweet, with just enough apricot for my tastebuds to take notice.
And I had a revelation.
All beers and brew masters are not created equal.
Craft beer makers, like Pyramid, are artisans who are small, independent, and adhere to traditional brewing methods and ingredients. On a personal tour of Pyramid's brewery in Seattle I learned that taste is Pyramid's ultimate pursuit and they don’t cut corners on the process or the ingredients.
Pyramid’s flagship beer, Hefe Weizen, is a wheat beer brewed with two-row barley, wheat, and caramel. It’s an unfiltered beer true to the hefe weizen style which means your eyeballs will notice some cloudiness in the liquid, but your tastebuds will benefit from the flavor of the yeast left in the beer.
Even when a style of beer calls for filtration Pyramid filters only once to catch lingering solids.
Beer making is an art and a science. Lean too much to the science side of beer making and the result is the mass-produced, colorless, mostly tasteless liquid that the majority of Americans call beer because their palates don’t know the difference.
These beer makers use less expensive adjunct grains like corn and rice which add no flavor and serve only to sugar and thin the beer. In addition, multiple filtrations leave the beverage with coloring more akin to water than beer.
Some historians speculate that before mankind learned to bake bread we had mastered beer.
Smart bunch we are. Except it’s taken a very long time, domestically that is, to learn to make it tasty.
But we’re catching on.
Craft brewers’ supermarket sales increased 17.8% in 2006 while large domestic breweries sales continued to lag behind a 2004 peak. The total craft beer market increased by 12% in 2006.
Pyramid Breweries is a leader of the craft brewer's pack and there's a reason.
Their brews make your taste buds dance.
Mazal tov to us all.
This recipe combines the best of both worlds -- beer used in bread making.
Beer Batter Bread
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 bottle beer, unopened and at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Open the beer and add it all at once; it will foam up. Stir briskly just until combined, about 20 strokes. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and drizzle the melted butter.
Bake until the top is crusty and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a rack. Serve wam or at room temperature the day it is made. Cut into thick slices and accompany with plenty of butter.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- From "Bread" published by Williams-Sonoma.
- I used a bottle of Pyramid's Apricot Weizen which imparted its lovely apricot flavor to the bread.
Posted at 07:36 AM
Wed - September 26, 2007
Dancing With Marinated and Grilled Pork Filet
Hello. My name is Sandra and I’m a
“Dancing With The Stars”
addict.
Even before local-boy, uh, risk-taking entrepreneur and billionaire, as he was described on the show last night, Mark Cuban, made his debut.
Just for the record, I don’t tape it, record it, Tivo it, or otherwise plan my social calendar around it, but I will make a point to read the next day Internet reviews and get the lowdown from my mother should I miss an episode.
It’s a perplexing complex because those who know me well know that I rarely watch TV, though Saturday afternoon PBS cooking shows do catch my eye.
So why “Dancing With The Stars”?
Good question. I’ve asked myself that too.
Maybe it’s the beauty of the dance; the costumes, the rhythm, the creativity of the choreography set to music.
I spontaneously clapped approval following one performance last night.
Glad I was alone; I felt like a nerd.
My fascination with the show goes beyond the fun of the performance for me. It’s the intrigue of watching successful people journey through a challenge completely foreign to how they gained their fame and fortune.
While many contestants make it look effortless, ballroom dancing is not an easy challenge.
But they ante up in front of millions of viewers on live television and pour themselves into the task just for the thrill of it.
It’s a nice parallel to how I want to live my life; ante up and give it all I have.
And when I take the occasional break from chasing my own dreams I like to watch others chasing theirs.
Dance, Mark, dance.
Grilled Marinated Pork Filet
I couldn’t think of clever (or polite) tie-in with this pork recipe and “Dancing With the Stars,” other than to say it’s what I had for dinner and it’s worth sharing.
1 small piece of ginger, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 clove garlic peeled
1 tablespoon honey
1 piece jalapeno pepper, size depending on your tolerance for hotness (from 1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons nuoc mam, or fish sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 large pork filet (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of all fat and silver skin
1 teaspoon canola oil
1. Place all the marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until pureed. Pour the marinade into a plastic food bag, and add the trimmed pork fillet. Seal the bag tightly, and shake it until the meat is well coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 8 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before cooking time, heat grill until it is hot. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
3. Remove the pork filet from the marinade, and reserve the marinade in an ovenproof skillet or metal gratin dish. Sprinkle the fillet with the oil, and place it on the hot grill. Cook, covered about 6 minutes, then turn the filet over. Cook, covered for 6 minutes on the second side, until the meat is nicely grilled on all sides.
4. Bring the reserved marinade to a boil on top of the stove. Return the meat to the marinade and place it in 200-degree oven for at least 10 minutes but as long as 40 minutes to rest. Slice the filet, and serve it with some of the juices.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
• Recipe is from “Jacques Pepin’s Kitchen: Encore with Claudine”.
• I substituted molasses for honey. Who knows what happened to my honey jar.
• I used center cut pork chops and didn’t return them to the marinade after grilling. It was tasty and quick.
• I will give this recipe another try, this time with the whole filet and time in the oven.
• I served it with a kale side dish.
Even before local-boy, uh, risk-taking entrepreneur and billionaire, as he was described on the show last night, Mark Cuban, made his debut.
Just for the record, I don’t tape it, record it, Tivo it, or otherwise plan my social calendar around it, but I will make a point to read the next day Internet reviews and get the lowdown from my mother should I miss an episode.
It’s a perplexing complex because those who know me well know that I rarely watch TV, though Saturday afternoon PBS cooking shows do catch my eye.
So why “Dancing With The Stars”?
Good question. I’ve asked myself that too.
Maybe it’s the beauty of the dance; the costumes, the rhythm, the creativity of the choreography set to music.
I spontaneously clapped approval following one performance last night.
Glad I was alone; I felt like a nerd.
My fascination with the show goes beyond the fun of the performance for me. It’s the intrigue of watching successful people journey through a challenge completely foreign to how they gained their fame and fortune.
While many contestants make it look effortless, ballroom dancing is not an easy challenge.
But they ante up in front of millions of viewers on live television and pour themselves into the task just for the thrill of it.
It’s a nice parallel to how I want to live my life; ante up and give it all I have.
And when I take the occasional break from chasing my own dreams I like to watch others chasing theirs.
Dance, Mark, dance.
Grilled Marinated Pork Filet
I couldn’t think of clever (or polite) tie-in with this pork recipe and “Dancing With the Stars,” other than to say it’s what I had for dinner and it’s worth sharing.
1 small piece of ginger, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 clove garlic peeled
1 tablespoon honey
1 piece jalapeno pepper, size depending on your tolerance for hotness (from 1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons nuoc mam, or fish sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 large pork filet (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of all fat and silver skin
1 teaspoon canola oil
1. Place all the marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until pureed. Pour the marinade into a plastic food bag, and add the trimmed pork fillet. Seal the bag tightly, and shake it until the meat is well coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 8 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before cooking time, heat grill until it is hot. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
3. Remove the pork filet from the marinade, and reserve the marinade in an ovenproof skillet or metal gratin dish. Sprinkle the fillet with the oil, and place it on the hot grill. Cook, covered about 6 minutes, then turn the filet over. Cook, covered for 6 minutes on the second side, until the meat is nicely grilled on all sides.
4. Bring the reserved marinade to a boil on top of the stove. Return the meat to the marinade and place it in 200-degree oven for at least 10 minutes but as long as 40 minutes to rest. Slice the filet, and serve it with some of the juices.
Sandra’s Cooking Notes:
• Recipe is from “Jacques Pepin’s Kitchen: Encore with Claudine”.
• I substituted molasses for honey. Who knows what happened to my honey jar.
• I used center cut pork chops and didn’t return them to the marinade after grilling. It was tasty and quick.
• I will give this recipe another try, this time with the whole filet and time in the oven.
• I served it with a kale side dish.
Posted at 10:19 AM
Sun - September 23, 2007
Sitting Solo At The Community Technology Table
I can count on one hand, one finger actually, the
number of times I’ve gone to the movies by myself. I have never been a
go-to-the-movies-by-myself kind of
girl.
However, I need both my hands and feet including a set of yours to count how many meals I’ve eaten by myself mostly as a solo business traveler.
So what’s a girl to do at supper time when she's alone on the road?
Venture out; there’s an adventure to be had, I say.
But that’s me.
For the not so bold at heart there’s “iTASTE,” the brainchild of the Grand Hyatt DFW.
ITASTE delivers a guided cheese, wine, or chocolate tasting for a solo guest using podcast technology; an iPod loaded with a video specific to their tasting choice is delivered to the guest along with the tasting tray.
Seated at a community table for the tasting in MOKA, the hotel’s Epicurean Boutique/Uber Coffee Bar, chances are that solo guests may not be solo for long.
Community tables are a growing trend in the American dining landscape and rightfully so. In a culture that leans more towards isolation than community, people are hungry (no pun intended) for ways to connect.
Kudos to the Grand Hyatt DFW for the thoughtful blend of technology and hospitality in a hotel where the average stay is a single night or two.
The experience isn’t perfect yet. I found myself wanting more information about the products presented, and I was a bit distracted by my virtual video host whose flickering eyes betrayed his dependence on cue cards.
But the vision is solid and iTASTE is the perfect virtual companion to beckon intrepid travelers from their lonely hotel rooms or to entertain travelers looking for adventure on a layover at DFW Airport.
No need to have an airplane ticket in hand at DFW to experience iTASTE.
The hotel is accessible without going through security at Terminal D so locals can give iTASTE a spin. And there’s nothing wrong with taking a handful of friends with you.
One of my favorite winemaker’s Sauvignon Blanc, Benziger, is included in the wine tasting so I’ll be headed back there soon with friends in tow.
As for the movies - I'll consider going by myself when my iPod can share a bag of popcorn with me.
However, I need both my hands and feet including a set of yours to count how many meals I’ve eaten by myself mostly as a solo business traveler.
So what’s a girl to do at supper time when she's alone on the road?
Venture out; there’s an adventure to be had, I say.
But that’s me.
For the not so bold at heart there’s “iTASTE,” the brainchild of the Grand Hyatt DFW.
ITASTE delivers a guided cheese, wine, or chocolate tasting for a solo guest using podcast technology; an iPod loaded with a video specific to their tasting choice is delivered to the guest along with the tasting tray.
Seated at a community table for the tasting in MOKA, the hotel’s Epicurean Boutique/Uber Coffee Bar, chances are that solo guests may not be solo for long.
Community tables are a growing trend in the American dining landscape and rightfully so. In a culture that leans more towards isolation than community, people are hungry (no pun intended) for ways to connect.
Kudos to the Grand Hyatt DFW for the thoughtful blend of technology and hospitality in a hotel where the average stay is a single night or two.
The experience isn’t perfect yet. I found myself wanting more information about the products presented, and I was a bit distracted by my virtual video host whose flickering eyes betrayed his dependence on cue cards.
But the vision is solid and iTASTE is the perfect virtual companion to beckon intrepid travelers from their lonely hotel rooms or to entertain travelers looking for adventure on a layover at DFW Airport.
No need to have an airplane ticket in hand at DFW to experience iTASTE.
The hotel is accessible without going through security at Terminal D so locals can give iTASTE a spin. And there’s nothing wrong with taking a handful of friends with you.
One of my favorite winemaker’s Sauvignon Blanc, Benziger, is included in the wine tasting so I’ll be headed back there soon with friends in tow.
As for the movies - I'll consider going by myself when my iPod can share a bag of popcorn with me.
Posted at 09:10 PM Read More
Fri - September 14, 2007
Slow Food In A Fast World - An Internet/Television Broadcast Concept
Riding in the car with my mother when she was
four-years-old, Hannah, my youngest daughter now 19, posed a question that
started a conversation that’s become a classic and retold at family
gatherings over the years.
She was an observant kid and noticed some new construction not far from our home.
“Grandma, what’s that going to be?”
“That’s going to be a fast-food place,” answered my mother who didn’t name the national chain.
Hannah thought for a moment and replied, “Oh, I can’t eat there.”
This statement stumped my mother who then inquired of Hannah, “Why not?”
“I can’t eat fast,” came the innocent reply.
There’s a lot to be said about the wisdom of children.
Despite a culture that values harelike speed and where Americans consume 24% of their meals in the car, the race isn’t won by the swift especially when it comes to food, nutrition, and health.
You read and hear about it every day now: obesity, high-cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and yes, depression, are just a few of the ailments typically associated with diets that are filled with highly processed, high calorie, nutritionally deficient fast food.
It’s a paradox: the food that we need to sustain us is also killing us due to our lack of knowledge, bad choices, and slavery to clever marketing.
But there is an alternative and I have a vision for the message: "Slow Food In A Fast World," an Internet/television broadcast concept produced by Life At The Table. Click on the movie camera above, the picture below to see a demo.
You can also watch it on YouTube by clicking here.
"Slow Food In A Fast World," guides viewers on a journey to good food, great tastes, and talented chefs.
More importantly, "Slow Food In A Fast World" peers behind the veil that separates modern society from it's food source to introduce viewers to local food producers and food artisans who produce food in ways that is good for the consumer and the environment.
Each episode will feature a "local" ingredient, "local" producer, and a "local" chef who prepares a delectable dish with the ingredient to demonstrate how easy the viewer could do it at home.
Even a burger isn’t a bad thing when quality beef is used, it’s cooked at home, eaten occasionally, and when flanked by a diet rich with freshly prepared fruits and vegetables.
More of us should see the world of food through the eyes of four-year-old child.
Sandra's Notes:
Interested in sponsoring or distributing “Slow Food In A Fast World”? Email me at the "Feedback" link below.
She was an observant kid and noticed some new construction not far from our home.
“Grandma, what’s that going to be?”
“That’s going to be a fast-food place,” answered my mother who didn’t name the national chain.
Hannah thought for a moment and replied, “Oh, I can’t eat there.”
This statement stumped my mother who then inquired of Hannah, “Why not?”
“I can’t eat fast,” came the innocent reply.
There’s a lot to be said about the wisdom of children.
Despite a culture that values harelike speed and where Americans consume 24% of their meals in the car, the race isn’t won by the swift especially when it comes to food, nutrition, and health.
You read and hear about it every day now: obesity, high-cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and yes, depression, are just a few of the ailments typically associated with diets that are filled with highly processed, high calorie, nutritionally deficient fast food.
It’s a paradox: the food that we need to sustain us is also killing us due to our lack of knowledge, bad choices, and slavery to clever marketing.
But there is an alternative and I have a vision for the message: "Slow Food In A Fast World," an Internet/television broadcast concept produced by Life At The Table. Click on the movie camera above, the picture below to see a demo.
You can also watch it on YouTube by clicking here.
"Slow Food In A Fast World," guides viewers on a journey to good food, great tastes, and talented chefs.
More importantly, "Slow Food In A Fast World" peers behind the veil that separates modern society from it's food source to introduce viewers to local food producers and food artisans who produce food in ways that is good for the consumer and the environment.
Each episode will feature a "local" ingredient, "local" producer, and a "local" chef who prepares a delectable dish with the ingredient to demonstrate how easy the viewer could do it at home.
Even a burger isn’t a bad thing when quality beef is used, it’s cooked at home, eaten occasionally, and when flanked by a diet rich with freshly prepared fruits and vegetables.
More of us should see the world of food through the eyes of four-year-old child.
Sandra's Notes:
Interested in sponsoring or distributing “Slow Food In A Fast World”? Email me at the "Feedback" link below.
Posted at 02:01 AM
Tue - August 7, 2007
Twilight Peach Crisp
It’s early August and just as the summer
heat is upon us it’s the twilight of the peach season in
Texas.
While some orchards have closed, one local grower has a variety that they’re picking through August 9th so it’s not sunset yet on one of my favorite summer treats.
I didn’t hesitate when my neighbor Phil offered some of his peach bounty to me a couple of weeks ago.
Seems his next-door neighbor had a peach tree dripping with fruit, but she had no matching inclination to pick them. Phil relieved the heavy-laden tree of its burden, with his neighbor’s blessing of course, and snagged at least a half-bushel worth of luscious peaches. He used his RV as a makeshift ladder since many of the trees branches were already drooping over on Phil’s side of the fence.
Peach cobbler was my first thought. It would be a fitting end to a dinner with friends who had offered to help me with a garden project.
But with not enough daylight left for the more time-consuming-cobbler-which-means-a-crust-of-some-sort, I opted instead for the fruit-crisp-recipe-with-the-truly-easy-brown-sugar-and-butter-topping approach.
I washed and cut the peaches and easily separated the pit from the flesh. The fruit was beautiful with more of a white flesh than I’ve seen on most peaches.
While I wasn’t sure how well the peaches would accommodate the brown sugar and butter topping with barely a spoonful or two of crisp left, I’d say my guests and their tastebuds approved.
This recipe may be end of life as far as peaches go this season, but consider it a head start for fall apples.
And, remember it next year as the sun rises on the May 2008 peach season.
Fresh Fruit Crisp
6 cups sliced apples, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, or apricots
1 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place fruit in 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with cinnamon, water, and lemon juice. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- This recipe comes from "Sweet and Easy," a 1986 Pillsbury cookbook, the kind that you pick up while you're in the grocery checkout line. I have a stack of these books that I've collected over the years and have enjoyed them even though I rarely buy them now.
While some orchards have closed, one local grower has a variety that they’re picking through August 9th so it’s not sunset yet on one of my favorite summer treats.
I didn’t hesitate when my neighbor Phil offered some of his peach bounty to me a couple of weeks ago.
Seems his next-door neighbor had a peach tree dripping with fruit, but she had no matching inclination to pick them. Phil relieved the heavy-laden tree of its burden, with his neighbor’s blessing of course, and snagged at least a half-bushel worth of luscious peaches. He used his RV as a makeshift ladder since many of the trees branches were already drooping over on Phil’s side of the fence.
Peach cobbler was my first thought. It would be a fitting end to a dinner with friends who had offered to help me with a garden project.
But with not enough daylight left for the more time-consuming-cobbler-which-means-a-crust-of-some-sort, I opted instead for the fruit-crisp-recipe-with-the-truly-easy-brown-sugar-and-butter-topping approach.
I washed and cut the peaches and easily separated the pit from the flesh. The fruit was beautiful with more of a white flesh than I’ve seen on most peaches.
While I wasn’t sure how well the peaches would accommodate the brown sugar and butter topping with barely a spoonful or two of crisp left, I’d say my guests and their tastebuds approved.
This recipe may be end of life as far as peaches go this season, but consider it a head start for fall apples.
And, remember it next year as the sun rises on the May 2008 peach season.
Fresh Fruit Crisp
6 cups sliced apples, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, or apricots
1 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place fruit in 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with cinnamon, water, and lemon juice. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- This recipe comes from "Sweet and Easy," a 1986 Pillsbury cookbook, the kind that you pick up while you're in the grocery checkout line. I have a stack of these books that I've collected over the years and have enjoyed them even though I rarely buy them now.
Posted at 07:05 AM Read More
Mon - July 16, 2007
Open Your Eyes and Tastebuds to the Tomatillo
Mexican is the cuisine I crave the most, but cook
the least.
I offer no explanation for this contradictory behavior other than I have grown up in and still nest in the middle of Tex-Mex heaven where Mexican restaurants are almost as proliferous as Starbuck’s stores in San Francisco where there’s one on every corner.
But a simple, green, tart, and somewhat mysterious fruit which nature lovingly wraps in a paper-like casing has changed my behavior.
It’s the tomatillo (toe-ma-tea-o), also known as the Mexican tomato, husk tomato, jamberry, or ground cherry.
It’s a cousin to the tomato (yes, the tomato is also botanically a fruit, but declared a vegetable by the Supreme Court in 1893 so it could be taxed) and its name means “little tomato” in Spanish.
You’ve seen it. It’s usually snuggled close to the tomatoes in the grocery store.
You’ve eaten it. It's the primary ingredient in salsa verde.
You’ve probably ignored it.
And so did I until I discovered how effortless it is to make homemade tomatillo sauce (aka salsa verde) and how absolutely delighted my tastebuds were that I did so.
That’s what I’m about: good food that tastes fantastic and is easy to make. It’s not that I’m unwilling to knock myself out in the kitchen. I just like it when I don’t and it tastes like I did.
I serve my tomatillo sauce with chips and salsa, over homemade chicken enchiladas, and fried eggs.
Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce
1 pound (11 medium) fresh tomatillos, husked and washed; OR two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained
2 jalapeno chilies stemmed
5 or 6 sprigs cilantro roughly chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lard or vegetable oil
2 cups any poultry broth
Salt (about 1/2 teaspoon depending on the saltiness of the broth)
1. Boil the fresh tomatillos and chiles in salted water to cover until tender, 10-15 minutes; drain. Simply drain canned tomatillos.
2. Place the tomatillos and chiles in a blender or food processor, along with the coriander, onion, and garlic. Process until smooth, but still retaining a little texture.
3. Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a medium-large skillet set over medium-high. When hot enough to make a drop of the purre sizzle sharply, pour it in all at once and stir constantly for 4 or 5 minutes, until darker and thicker. Add the broth, let return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thich enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- From "Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless.
I offer no explanation for this contradictory behavior other than I have grown up in and still nest in the middle of Tex-Mex heaven where Mexican restaurants are almost as proliferous as Starbuck’s stores in San Francisco where there’s one on every corner.
But a simple, green, tart, and somewhat mysterious fruit which nature lovingly wraps in a paper-like casing has changed my behavior.
It’s the tomatillo (toe-ma-tea-o), also known as the Mexican tomato, husk tomato, jamberry, or ground cherry.
It’s a cousin to the tomato (yes, the tomato is also botanically a fruit, but declared a vegetable by the Supreme Court in 1893 so it could be taxed) and its name means “little tomato” in Spanish.
You’ve seen it. It’s usually snuggled close to the tomatoes in the grocery store.
You’ve eaten it. It's the primary ingredient in salsa verde.
You’ve probably ignored it.
And so did I until I discovered how effortless it is to make homemade tomatillo sauce (aka salsa verde) and how absolutely delighted my tastebuds were that I did so.
That’s what I’m about: good food that tastes fantastic and is easy to make. It’s not that I’m unwilling to knock myself out in the kitchen. I just like it when I don’t and it tastes like I did.
I serve my tomatillo sauce with chips and salsa, over homemade chicken enchiladas, and fried eggs.
Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce
1 pound (11 medium) fresh tomatillos, husked and washed; OR two 13-ounce cans tomatillos, drained
2 jalapeno chilies stemmed
5 or 6 sprigs cilantro roughly chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lard or vegetable oil
2 cups any poultry broth
Salt (about 1/2 teaspoon depending on the saltiness of the broth)
1. Boil the fresh tomatillos and chiles in salted water to cover until tender, 10-15 minutes; drain. Simply drain canned tomatillos.
2. Place the tomatillos and chiles in a blender or food processor, along with the coriander, onion, and garlic. Process until smooth, but still retaining a little texture.
3. Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a medium-large skillet set over medium-high. When hot enough to make a drop of the purre sizzle sharply, pour it in all at once and stir constantly for 4 or 5 minutes, until darker and thicker. Add the broth, let return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thich enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- From "Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless.
Posted at 11:00 AM Read More
Thu - July 5, 2007
A Taste of Freedom
On the early morning of July 4th my cargo
included more than 200 patriotically-decorated cookies and cupcakes; my mission
was to deliver them to DFW's USO center for troops redeploying back to Iraq and
Afghanistan after I greeted the troops just
arriving.
It was a match made in heaven.
I had volunteered to greet the troops with a group from my church; Celebrity Cafe and Bakery had volunteered to donate the treats.
As the clock ticked closer to arrival time, the crowd surged to numbers beyond my ability to estimate accurately, maybe 700, and it was a party atmosphere. Terminal D was swimming in a sea of red, white, and blue posters, signs, shirts, shorts, hats, and excitement.
There were a handful of family members present.
But most were people like me who woke up early on a day typically designated for sleeping in to join with a crowd of people I didn’t know to welcome home men and women who didn’t know me.
It was “indivisible” in action at its best.
We waited patiently, but were so anxious to celebrate that we cheered a flight attendant who exited just before the troops.
When the first of 120 soldiers did cross the threshold of the International Arrivals door a din of noise rose with cheers, whoops, hollers, and whistles began that lasted with the same energy and fervor until the last soldier had passed through the crowd.
Although they deserved the same recognition, there was no hoopla or clamoring crowds in Terminal B where the troops were gathering for redeployment.
They’d been home for two weeks and, as I learned from chatting with a handful of soldiers, it’s tough leaving family and friends especially on a national holiday even with a sendoff that included a banjo-playing Grandpa-type, a BBQ lunch with all the fixings, and sweets from Celebrity Bakery that I had successfully delivered.
With my mission completed, I was free to go.
I left with a feeling of deep thankfulness for the men and women who are willing to go, for those that have gone before, and especially for those who never made it home.
Yes, I am thankful from the very bottom to the top of my red, white, and blue heart for the freedom and the liberty they have given me.
And thanks to Celebrity Cafe and Bakery for the reminder of how good it tastes to be free.
Sandra's Notes:
- Celebrity Bakery is offering a "two for one" offer for any of their "red, white, and blue" treats during the month of July for all military personnel. Show your military ID at any of their locations to receive a two for one.
It was a match made in heaven.
I had volunteered to greet the troops with a group from my church; Celebrity Cafe and Bakery had volunteered to donate the treats.
As the clock ticked closer to arrival time, the crowd surged to numbers beyond my ability to estimate accurately, maybe 700, and it was a party atmosphere. Terminal D was swimming in a sea of red, white, and blue posters, signs, shirts, shorts, hats, and excitement.
There were a handful of family members present.
But most were people like me who woke up early on a day typically designated for sleeping in to join with a crowd of people I didn’t know to welcome home men and women who didn’t know me.
It was “indivisible” in action at its best.
We waited patiently, but were so anxious to celebrate that we cheered a flight attendant who exited just before the troops.
When the first of 120 soldiers did cross the threshold of the International Arrivals door a din of noise rose with cheers, whoops, hollers, and whistles began that lasted with the same energy and fervor until the last soldier had passed through the crowd.
Although they deserved the same recognition, there was no hoopla or clamoring crowds in Terminal B where the troops were gathering for redeployment.
They’d been home for two weeks and, as I learned from chatting with a handful of soldiers, it’s tough leaving family and friends especially on a national holiday even with a sendoff that included a banjo-playing Grandpa-type, a BBQ lunch with all the fixings, and sweets from Celebrity Bakery that I had successfully delivered.
With my mission completed, I was free to go.
I left with a feeling of deep thankfulness for the men and women who are willing to go, for those that have gone before, and especially for those who never made it home.
Yes, I am thankful from the very bottom to the top of my red, white, and blue heart for the freedom and the liberty they have given me.
And thanks to Celebrity Cafe and Bakery for the reminder of how good it tastes to be free.
Sandra's Notes:
- Celebrity Bakery is offering a "two for one" offer for any of their "red, white, and blue" treats during the month of July for all military personnel. Show your military ID at any of their locations to receive a two for one.
Posted at 01:27 PM Read More
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Published On: May 16, 2009 07:08 PM
Published On: May 16, 2009 07:08 PM