Summer’s Peaches Dripping with Flavor (Try this Peach Crostini)
By Margaret Gilmour
Mix a few downpours with record heat this summer and our local produce is bursting with flavor. So much sweetness, in fact, that Lisa Kerschner of North Star Orchards in Cochranville says “eating fruit this year is definitely not something to do while driving— talk about distractions!”
Our warm, dry weather helped concentrate the flavors so instead of huge, water-filled fruits, we’re getting smaller peaches, plums, apples and pears with flavors and textures that “may just about blow people’s minds,” Lisa says. Then she adds: “I don’t think I can remember a year when the fruit has been this flavorful. I can’t imagine what that’ll mean for the Asian pears as they come in.”
Peaches, especially, are juicy and sweet, the white-fleshed variety (my favorite) now so fragrant and lush I can hardly wait to get home to eat them—many times biting while leaning over the sink so the juice can trickle from my chin to the stainless steel basin.
Usually ripe fruit only lasts a day in my house. Sometimes, though, I choose not-quite-ripe peaches and place them single-file on the counter to mature so I can savor them throughout the week (I just learned that stacking them in a bowl promotes bruising).
I may slice a peach into a cup of yogurt, or better yet, make peach crostini as a light meal or quick appetizer (see recipe, below). Eight-seven percent water, the stone fruits are a packed with vitamin C, vitamin A and iron.
Lisa sells her peaches (and famous Asian pears) each Saturday at the West Chester Growers Market and at the Phoenixville Farmers’ Market (check the North Star Orchard Web site for other market locations). Stock up now, because this winter you’ll be dreaming of the summer’s mouth-watering, fragrant peaches.
Here’s a quick and easy method for freezing whole peaches:
• use only ripe and ready fruits;
• DO NOT WASH THEM…spread the peaches out on a baking sheet and place in your freezer until they are rock-solid;
• you can use freezer bags to store them for up to six months or more, but if you’re trying to avoid plastic, the peaches will keep just as long or longer in wide-mouth jars made for freezing and canning. You can also reuse your ice cream or milk cartons, though because they are not perfetcly moisture-vapor resistant, this method works for short-term storage only (up to three months).
Check out the 2010 Chester County Buy Fresh Buy Local Food Guide to find your local orchard or farm stand by clicking here:
Peach Crostini (adapted from a NYT recipe)
(Crostini means “little toasts” in Italian)
Grill or toast several slices of ciabatta, (actually, a baguette or any favorite, fresh loaf will do), pile with ricotta, baby arugula and slices of ripe peach.
Variation: Toss peaches and arugula with a simple olive oil vinaigrette kissed with a little seasoning and topped with a pinch of sea salt. If ricotta doesn’t appeal, substitute cottage cheese (drained). Or heck, if you love cheese as much as I do, use whatever type you find in your fridge (I’ve used feta in this recipe too).
Special thanks to local writer/photographer Matt Freeman who generously shared his image of peaches. You can see more of Matt’s work at his upcoming exhibit at the Brush and Palette gallery in Kennett Square, where his giclée prints of fine-arts photo still lifes will be featured from September 3rd through the 22nd. Matt’s images of fruits and other foods are inspired by Chester County’s continuing agricultural tradition. For more info on the exhibit click here.
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Sources: NYT, The National Center for Home Food Preservation
Crispy Kale Chips
By Margaret Gilmour
We’ve had record-breaking heat this summer, along with occasional bouts of soaking rain. So why is kale, ordinarily a cool-weather crop, still keeping company with the cucumbers?
To help me answer this question, I gave Jennifer Cully, co-owner of SunnyGirl Farm, a call. My friend Paula picks up her CSA share from SunnyGirl each week, and for the past few, Paula’s basket featured deep green, curly kale.
Jennifer says while most of SunnyGirl’s lettuces bolted about three weeks early this year because of record-breaking temperatures, her kale is in fact thriving and should continue to do so for a few more weeks.
Also loving this summer’s heat wave are the tomatoes: a surplus of plump, succulent varieties along with sweet cherries now appearing at the local farm stands and farmers’ markets. In my own backyard green zebras and sunsugars hang waiting to be plucked. What a difference to the 2009 blight. Peppers, too, are soaking up the heat and taking on the sweetest of flavors.
But kale will only be around for a little longer—new crops appearing again in the fall—so now’s the time to make kale chips. Serve them on their own (with a cold beverage), pile them up alongside your sandwich or arrange them with other cold-platter fare. They’re great for picnics too, the perfect pack-n-go food.
Paula makes kale chips from her weekly CSA bundle, offering me my first taste, then a bowl full. Even my seven-year-old snatches up the delicious, crunchy treats, and he has no idea how good the green chips are for him.
Kale, a member of the brassica family of vegetables that includes cabbage and Brussels sprouts, is loaded with vitamins and is said to have more antioxidant capacity than any other fruit and vegetable. So devour them knowing they’re great for you, and when they’re gone, kale chips are so easy to make, you can simply make more.
Kale Chips
1 bushel of kale
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp salt (or more if you like salty)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Rinse and dry the kale. Tear the kale into bite-size pieces—leave stems behind. In a large bowl, rub the olive oil and salt into the kale. Spread the kale evenly onto a baking sheet (they shouldn’t be top of each other). Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes until really crisp. Serve when cool.
For a spicy variety season with:
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/6 tsp cayenne pepper
Source: whfoods.com, accuweather.com
Margarita
By Leslie Kedash
There is nothing like a good margarita, and they don’t come from cheap tequila and “margarita mix” and they certainly don’t emerge from the bowels of those souped up “slushy” machines. They are made, painstakingly, with four simple ingredients of the highest quality.
I struggled to find a patriotic themed beverage for 4th of July and, with a little web searching, learned that the best tequila is made with the BLUE agave cactus, which grows in the RED volcanic soil of the Tequila area of Mexico. Top it with WHITE salt and there’s your link, however tenuous, to Independence Day.
Don’t scrimp on the ingredients, they all matter, and you’ll be glad you didn’t.
So enjoy the weather this holiday weekend and if you have never had a real margarita, try these and declare your independence from the mundane variety.
Happy Fourth!!
Top-Of-The-Line Margarita
Rick Bayless | Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen
Lime Wedges
Coarse Kosher or Sea Salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, about 1 large lime
1/4 cup Tesoro silver or other 100 percent agave tequila
1/4 cup Cointreau orange liqueur (we use less)
1/2 cup coarsly cracked ice cubes
Rub the rims of 2 martini glasses with a lime wedge, then dip the rims in a dish of coarse salt. Refrigerate the glasses if desired.
In a shaker, combine the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur. Add ice and shake 10 to 15 seconds, then strain into prepared glasses.
Sesame Noodles with Asparagus Tips
By Leslie Kedash
This is a classic “make ahead” recipe and is perfect as a side dish for taking to friend’s home for a potluck meal. It calls for asparagus, but you can use any vegetable that’s in season; snow peas, roasted peppers, grilled eggplant or carrot julienne strips.
Another great recipe from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
The Marinade
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
7 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese black or balsamic vinegar
3 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
The Noodles and Asparagus
salt
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 14-ounce package thin Chinese egg noodles
10 scallions, including the firm greens, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted until lightly browned
Mix the marinade ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the stgar.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the asparagus. Cook until bright green and tender but still firm, just a few minutes. Scoop the asparagus out, rinse it under cold water, and set on a towel to dry.
Pull the noodle apart with your fingers, add them to the boiling water, and give them a quick stir. Boil until tender but not overly soft, tasting them often as they cook. it should take only a few minutes. pour the noodles into a colander and immediately rinse under cold water. Shake off excess water.
Toss the noodles with all the marinade and most of the scallions, sesame seeds, and asparagus. mound them in a bowl or on a platter, then garnish with the remaining asparagus, scallions, and sesame seeds.
Spicy Lemon Dip
By Leslie Kedash
Vegetable dips can be tricky. Some are too heavy and overpower the taste of fresh vegetables and some add little to the mix. I usually default to the same recipes that worked in the past. I wanted a light fresh dip to complement the just picked produce from our local farmers’ markets. A quick google and I found what I was looking for on a site new to me, tastyplanner.com.
Great dip, minimal ingredients and you have a light and cooling concoction that’s perfect for serving on the patio. Enjoy.
Sugar Snap Peas with Spicy Lemon Dipping Sauce
Chef Tim Weber
kosher salt
12 oz peas, sugar snap trimmed and rinsed
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream (I used greek yogurt)
1 lemon, zest chopped fine
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp tarragon, dried
kosher salt
black pepper
Instructions
1. Bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a 4 quart saucepan, covered over high heat. 2. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 2.5 to 3 minutes, careful not to overcook them. Drain the peas and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain well, like very dry. 3. Then the dip: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and tarragon. 4. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
Garlic Scape Soup
By Leslie Kedash
Scape: a long leafless flower stalk coming directly from a root.
In this case, the root is a bulb of garlic and I do love garlic. The scapes are best consumed young while still in full curl. Removing the young scapes from the garlic bulb encourages it to continue to grow and are an added perk from the king of ingredients.
Possessing a mild “garlic taste,” this recipe is a subtle variation on the potato leek standard and a perfect choice for dinner, given the mercurial weather of late. I bought the tender scapes at the Kennett Farmers’ Market last week and, armed with spinach from our garden and the other ingredients from the pantry, whipped this up.
Another simple and satisfying recipe from Heidi Swanson, I find myself haunting her blog 101 Cookbooks for more delicious ideas.
Enjoy.
Garlic Scape Soup
Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
2 tablespoons clarified butter or extra virgin olive oil
2 dozen garlic scapes, flower buds discarded and green shoots chopped
3 larger russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
5 cups vegetable stock or water
2 large handfuls of spinach leaves stemmed
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
Chive blossom, for garnish (optional)
Heat the butter in a larger saucepan over medium heat, then add the scapes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock, cover, simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and beginning to break down.
Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and puree using a hand blender. (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out of the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches on low speed.) Season with the lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk in the cream for a silkier texture. If the soup tastes flat, add salt a few pinches at a time until the flavors really pop. Serve garnished with the chive blossoms.
Serves 4 to 6
Note: I used extra virgin olive oil, peeled my potatoes and used water rather than vegetable stock.
Not in the mood for soup? Try this recipe.
Garlic Scape Pesto
A Mighty Appetite by Kim ODonnel
Ingredients: 1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
Method:
Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
For ½ pound short pasta such as penne, add about 2 tablespoons of pesto to cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.
Coconut Panna Cotta with Summer Berry Coulis
By Leslie Kedash
Panna Cotta, (Italian for “cooked cream”) originated in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. It is a simple dish, easy to prepare and, due to the highest quality ingredients, a delicious and light dessert for Summer.
In this recipe, agar flakes (derived from red algae) are substituted for gelatin as a thickener, making the dessert truly vegetarian. Yes, you may recall agar plates from high school biology, it’s a great medium for culturing organisms as well.
Fond or not so fond memories of petrie dishes aside, this is another hit recipe from Supernatural Cooking which hits multiple marks. Simple, delicious and healthy (aside from the copious fat content, but hey, it’s dessert!).
The term Coulis derives from the Latin “colare” which means strained. It is essentially a fruit soup and the perfect complement to the milk custard. I substituted strawberries for the raspberries and blackberries and it was delicious.
Coconut Panna Cotta
with Summer Berry Coulis
Supernatural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup light colored natural cane sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons agar flakes or 3/4 teaspoon of agar powder
To make the Panna Cotta, lightly oil 6 ramekins and set aside. Place the coconut milk, milk, sugar, and agar flakes in a pan. Stir, then rest for 10 minutes to allow the agar to soften and start to dissolve; this is particularly important of you’re using flakes. Very slowly, bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer for a few minutes, until the agar is incorporated. If it doesn’t completely dissolve, pour the mixture through a strainer, pushing the undissolved agar through as well. Pour into the prepared ramekins and chill until set, about 1 hour.
Summer Berry Couls
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup natural cane sugar (less if the berries are super ripe)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
To make the coulis, combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Mash the berries a bit, then chill.
Serve the panna cotta either in the ramekins or turned out carefully onto small plates; top with the berry coulis.
Crunchy Slaw Salad
By Leslie Kedash
This is a fresh take on over-served, over-saturated and generally cringeworthy cole slaw we are all accustomed to passing up at most summer gatherings. Obviously, I’m not a fan of the “go to” summer “healthy” side dish. With this recipe, that has all changed. This is easy to make, has a delightfully crunchy mouth feel and tastes just fabulous. A great substitute for salad, that people will actually eat, and perfect for summer’s hot weather.
So far this cookbook is batting 1,000 albeit on just two recipes, but promises to be a mainstay in the repertoire. The writing makes it easy to incorporate whole foods into your diet. Remember last years lemon cucumber salad? Another very good dish from Heidi.
I hope to find garlic scapes at the Kennett Square Farmers Market today for Garlic Scape Soup. Heidi maintains it’s good cold or hot and she’s turning me into a believer.
Crunchy Slaw Salad
Supernatural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
Creamy vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Splash of heavy cream
1 extra-crisp apple, peeled and cored
1 big squeeze of lemon juice
1 small savoy cabbage
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
To Make the dressing, whisk the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, season with a few pinches of salt and a couple grinds of pepper, then gradually whisk in the olive oil followed by the cream. Set aside.
Shred the apple on the large holes of a box grater (or use the grater attachment on a food processor), then put the shreds in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon; this will keep the apple from browning. Cut the cabbage into quarters and core each section, then cut them into a very fine chiffonade. Just before serving, drain the apples and toss the cabbage, walnuts, and dressing in a large bowl.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.
Do-It-Yourself Power Bars
By Leslie Kedash
Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking had been sitting on my cookbook shelf for months. I purchased it to learn how to incorporate whole and natural ingredients into our meals.
Once I finally cracked the book open, I found it hard to put down. Recipes like Sweet Potato Spoon Bread, Crunchy Slaw Salad and Garlic Scape Soup have me hooked. And all of these great recipes just in time for the opening of the local farmers’ markets.
Heidi clearly describes the benefits and qualities of wheat flour, non-wheat flour, non-grain flours, how to use them, when to use them, and how to incorporate them into your daily recipes. The book then takes you through oils, natural sweeteners and more. I thought I knew something about basic ingredients but the clarity and detail of the writing will have me referencing this book frequently.
If you have even a passing interest in whole grains and natural foods, this book is worth a look.
Do-It-Yourself Power Bars
Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 1/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cups unsweetened crisp brown rice cereal
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystalized ginger
1 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Grease a baking pan with coconut oil. If you like thick power bars, opt for an 8 x 8-inch pan; for thinner bars, use a 9 x 13-inch pan.
Mix the oats, walnuts, oat bran, cereal, cranberries, and ginger together in a larger bowl and set aside. Combine the rice syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly as it comes to a boil and thickens just a bit, about 4 minutes. pour over the oat mixture and stir until the syrup is evenly incorporated.
Spread into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature before cutting into whatever size bar you desire.
Quick and Delicious Szechwan Chicken
By Leslie Kedash
The days are getting longer yet I can’t figure out why I seem to have even less time than normal. Now it’s 4:30 p.m., there’s no plan for dinner, and I need one.
There’s a wayward cookbook on the kitchen table and I open it, hoping to find a miracle meal that won’t cost a lot, won’t take much to make, and will be at least as good as the local pizza take-out.
Chicken with Summer Berries? No, too soon for local berries. Steak with tarragon butter? Too heavy a meal for tonight. Szechwan Chicken over Rice? Bingo.
Eleven ingredients (I am sure you will have most of them), everyone liked it and it was made in 20 minutes. Be sure to use cocktail peanuts, the dry roasted ones just don’t cut it.
Szechwan Chicken | Beyond Parsley
Serves 4
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 lager chicken breasts, boned, skinned and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 cup of oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 scallions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup peanuts
Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in bowl. Add chicken, stir to coat and set aside. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and vinegar; set aside.
Heat oil in wok; add red pepper and cook until black. Add chicken and cook two minutes; remove chicken and set aside. Add scallions and ginger; stir-fry for 1 minute. Return chicken to wok and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add soy sauce mixture and stir 1 minute. Add peanuts. Serve over rice.
Flower Pot Bread
By Leslie Kedash
I have made many types of bread: french baguettes, challah, cinnamon buns, doughnuts (they were a flop) and finally bread in a bread machine, the Brandywine Book of Food has a recipe I can’t wait to try this weekend.
Bread in a flower pot, how unexpected, how portable… think tailgate.
The rain predicted for this weekend will keep me inside, the perfect time to try this out.
A sure bet for our first outdoor gathering.
Flower Pot Bread
Sweetwater Farm Bed and Breakfast, Innkeepers Farrell
and Sean Kramer
Serves 6
4 cups unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast
2/3 cup lukewarm milk
11/2 cups lukewarm water
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chives
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
1 egg, beaten
6 4-inch terra cotta flower pots, greased
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Sift together the flour and salt. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Let rest for 15 minutes. Add the water, butter, garlic, and herbs. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise 1 hour and 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
2. Punch down the dough and divide among the
6 pots. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
3. Brush tops with egg. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn out on rack to cool.
To serve: Return bread to pots and serve with sweet cream butter and homemade jams.
Photography by Ella Morris
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Leslie Kedash
Ok, this one is a bit involved. Most every ingredient is whipped or fluffed up in some manner. The payoff for a little extra work is a cake that is just plain first rate.
It’s got it all: light and airy, exuberant flavor combination and a nice dose of sugar.
Goes down easy, not too filling, a stupendous package, all in all.
I’ve never added the ground walnuts so can’t vouch for their inclusion.
Blueberry Cake with Lemon Filling
Linda Davis From the cookbook Beyond Parsley
12 servings.
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground walnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Lemon Filling
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
Butter 3 8-inch layer cake pans, line with waxed paper and butter again.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until thickened. Beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy.
Sift flour and baking powder together. Reserve.
Beat cream, vanilla and salt in a chilled bowl to stiff peaks. (more…)
Linguine with Asparagus & Prosciutto
Leslie Kedash
Spring has arrived, kind of. It’s warmer, light at night and there are gardens to prepare, winter’s aftermath to deal with, and little time to cook
Everyone needs a few recipes in their back pocket that are fast, easy and satisfying. This has minimal prep, and is ready to eat when the pasta is cooked. Asparagus, prosciutto and goat cheese. Yum..
Linguine with Asparagus & Prosciutto
From California Fresh Harvest
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus
8 ounces linguini
4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup chicken stock (more…)
Almond Biscotti
By Leslie Kedash
Biscotti originated in ancient Rome and was used as a non-perishable foodstuff carried by the Roman Legions on their various conquering, plundering and pillaging expeditions.
Translated, biscotti means “twice-baked”, as the process of making them includes two trips through the oven. The second baking removes all of the moisture from the biscotti, giving it a long shelf-life. With the fall of the Roman Empire, biscotti hibernated until it was resurrected during the Renaissance by a baker in Tuscany who served it for dipping in sweet wines and port.
I’ve never tried them with sweet wine but I know for sure that this recipe produces a cookie which, when dipped in a cup of strong coffee, delivers a sublime gustatory experience.
Almond Biscotti
Mary Beth Clark The Best of Casual Italian Cooking Trattoria
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (more…)
White Bean Soup with Pasta & Potatoes
By Leslie Kedash
Only eight more days until we can leave this forgettable winter behind. With cold, wet and rainy
weather still with us for now, I decided to try this hearty bean soup as a send off to the season.
It’s fast and easy and you likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
I upped the pasta, veggies and potatoes to make a hearty thick soup.
White Bean Soup with Pasta and Potatoes
Deborah Madison The Savory Way
Makes 6 servings
1 cup cannellini or other dried white bean, soaked 6 hours or over night
2 quarts cold water
2 medium-sized white or red potatoes
8 large sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 medium-sized carrots
1 small onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dried pasta, short tubular variety
salt
freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil, to finish the soup
Drain the beans, put them in a soup pot, and cover them with water. Slowly bring to a boil, then boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface; then lower the heat to a simmer. (more…)
Pasta Piñon Verde
By Leslie Kedash
El Farol sits at the end of Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is that town’s oldest restaurant/bar. A small, funky but endearing combination of western and adobe, white walls, vigas and creaky wooden floors.
When out there we often make this our last stop on a night out. Local “color” is there in abundance and there are fine area musicians who play there each weekend. More than once a local has mentioned that in the late 1800s, hangings used to take place across the road where there tree still stands. Seems that folks used to gather at El Farol to drink coffee and such on those occasions.
It’s a bit more civilized today and the restaurant serves Tapas (a collection of small dishes brought out on a platter and eaten as a main course) in the evening before the entertainment begins. The menu is varied and well rendered. This recipe is from El Farol’s Cookbook: El Farol Tapas and Spanish Cuisine. Enjoy, we surely did.
Pasta Piñon Verde
Bow tie pasta with Pine Nuts, Cream, and Poblano Chiles
Makes 8 small plates of pasta as a Tapa
2 quarts of water
Pinch of salt
1 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1/8 cup butter
3 tablespoons white wine
1 pint heavy cream
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1 handful of shelled piñons or pine nuts
1/2 cup grated manchego or Parmesan cheese
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, diced
Boil 2 quarts of water with a pinch of salt. Cook pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. While pasta is coking, sauté onion and garlic in butter until soft, and then deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add cream, poblano chiles, and piñons to the sauté pan and bring to a boil. Cook on high heat for about 2 minutes. turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Drain the pasta and, while it is still hot, toss with the cream sauce. Add salt and pepper and serve topped with diced fresh tomatoes.
Creamy Tomato Soup
By Leslie Kedash
Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich is, to me at least, one of life’s great pairings. This recipe surely beats the salt-laden canned variety you’ll find in your local supermarket. And it’s quick and easy. Combine with a grilled cheese sandwich with real cheese (not cheese “food”) on French bread and a salad. Consume in front of the fire and dream of Spring.
Creamy Tomato Soup
Horn of The Moon Cookbook by Ginny Callan
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (3 onions)
Two 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes (or the tomatoes you put up last fall)
Juice of one lemon
2 cups of water or stock (more…)
Sugar Cookies
If “a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand,” you’ll be well on your way to nutritional excellence with these old fashioned sugar cookies. With two sticks of butter in one hand and two cups of sugar in the other, this classic cookie is pure, simple, and oh so satisfying. So try them out…and give the last one to someone you love on Valentine’s Day.
“Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you.” Cookie Monster
And if you like treats, you should check out what our sponsor, Historic Kennett Square, has planned for Valentine’s Days (click on their ad, top right)
Sugar Cookies
From Martha Stewart
Shaped Sugar Cookies
Makes about 16 large cookies
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (two sticks) of unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and grated zest of 2 lemons
In a large bowl, sift together the flour , salt, and baking powder. Set aside. (more…)
Créme Caramel
By Leslie Kedash
Remember Junket? Unless you are of a certain age, you may not, but it was a custard like concoction which was often fed to children when they were ill (or wanted a sweet dessert that wasn’t overly unhealthy).
Think of this dish as Junket made incredible. The texture, taste and mouth feel is just too amazing to not try it a few times.
I used to only order this dish in restaurants, figuring it would be just too tedious to make at home. Wrong.
I admit to having a bit of a cookbook addiction. I love the pictures, design and the thought of really good food
prepared at home. While work and life sometimes get in the way, nothing seems as satisfying as mastering a new recipe (sometimes it takes a few tries) and then consuming the fruits of your labor.
Recently, I was paging through a book which we use for the family’s favorite recipe for Shepherd’s Pie and I came across this little gem.
This time, the planets were aligned: the hens had done their work, I already had all the ingredients and the time to make it happen.
Turns out, the recipe is quite simple to make. The only place where you might mess up is in the beating of the eggs and sugar. Don’t overbeat or you will end up with way too much custard and its consistency will not be at all what you are looking for (dreamily smooth and rich). The rest of the prep is easy, the hardest part waiting for the custard to cool and set up before you can devour it.
Créme Caramel
Paris Bistro Cooking by Linda Dannenberg
The long slow cooking of this classic dessert produces a perfectly smooth and silky custard.
1 Quart Milk
2 Vanilla Beans, Split Lengthwise, or 3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
(Vanilla beans are EXPENSIVE but they “make” the dish. You can buy them at Acme for seventeen bucks or at Giant for twelve, you know where we got ours)
2 Cups Sugar (divided)
3 Tablespoons Water
1 Drop Vinegar or lemon Juice
8 Large Eggs
Yolks of 4 Large Eggs
Small Pinch Salt
In a larger saucepan over low heat, scald the milk with the vanilla beans. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Then remove the vanilla beans and discard.
Caramelize an 8-cup mold; Place 1/2 cup of the sugar, the water, and vinegar or lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until golden. Carefully pour into the mold and tilt the mold to coat the bottom with caramel. let the caramel harden.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Place the eggs, yolks, the 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and salt in a bowl; whisk together until the mixture thickens and is pale yellow. Strain the milk into the egg mixture and stir it to blend. Pour the custard mixture very carefully into the previously caramelized mold.
Place the mold in a larger pan, place the pan on the oven rack, and fill the pan with hot water to come halfway up the mold. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the custard is set when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool, then refrigerate. to serve, run a knife around the edge of the mold. Invert the mold onto a deep serving dish. the caramel will run out and fill the dish.
Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
By Leslie Kedash
Chocolate and chocolate, a match made in heaven and great traveling companions for butter, sugar and eggs.
These cookies have a rich history in our house. First, they were the companion cookies to the more standard chocolate chip version sent to school for various occasions, usually birthdays.
Somehow, this cookie became “the” cookie of choice for those special occasions when I am informed at 7:30 pm that baked goods need to be ready for school by 7:30 am (the next day…). Occasionally, I am tempted to run to the market for a bag of cookies, but considering the time and hassle of the supermarket, it’s just as easy (almost) to make these. They fill the kitchen with a chocolaty, just baked aroma.
Take some time this weekend and make these cookies, pour a glass of milk and curl up by the fire, watch an old movie or read a book. They are sinfully rich so consume with care.
They just might become your favorite treat.
Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes 40 to 48 cookies
A “reverse” chocolate chip cookie: chocolate dough with white chocolate chunks.
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (more…)
Bring in the New Year with Fish House Punch
By Leslie Kedash
As a child, it seemed like my parents had a lot of books. We moved more often than I would have liked, but in each new home, a special place was found to house that ever growing collection. I remember being fascinated by the leather binding, gilt titles and eventually, the type design on each cover.
Today’s recipe comes from that collection via a book called Here’s How, a cookbook of mixed drinks published in 1941. The book always intrigued me, more for its wood cover, metal hinges and leather binding than the illicit concoctions listed inside.
While the book has recipes for hundreds of cocktails, many long since faded away, one that caught my eye is Fish House Punch. With a name like that, some digging was in order. The date of origin of this potent brew is debated but here are two versions extracted from Wikipedia:
This most venerable of American flowing bowls is held to have been first concocted in 1732 at Philadelphia’s fishing club, the Schuylkill Fishing Company also known as the ‘Fish House.’ The Fish House was an august gentleman’s society devoted to escaping domestic tribulation, but also to cigars, whiskey and the occasional fishing foray upon the Chesapeake or the Restigouche River in Nova Scotia.
Another version states that it was created in 1848 by Shippen Willing of Philadelphia, to celebrate the momentous occasion of women being allowed into the premises of the ‘Fish House” for the first time in order to enliven the annual Christmas Party. It was supposed to be just something to please the ladies’ palate but get them livelier than is their usual wont.
The drink even has its own poem:
Fish House Punch
There’s a little place just out of town,
Where, if you go to lunch,
They’ll make you forget your mother-in-law
With a drink called Fish-House Punch.
The Cook (1885)
submitted by a descendant of Shipping Willing
A decent batch consists of:
30 limes, cut in half and squeezed, such pulp as gets through is fine
15 lemons, treat as above
This constitutes a “part” for measuring the rest of the ingredients:
1 part dark rum
2 parts light rum… Use a reasonable quality, these are friends you will be poisoning so treat them well
1 part brandy
1 part brown sugar
1 part water, in the form of a block of ice
Put sugar into a suitable container that has a tight lid. Gently work the citrus into the sugar until wetted out and then add the rest of the ingredients.
Ease the ice into the container gently as we do not want to waste any of this precious stuff! Gently “bail” the mix over the ice, cap it and repeat this every couple of hours until time to serve it.
This is the most important part: do the preparation and mixing early in the morning the day of the party and mix the ingredients every few hours to “mellow” them together into what will be a most refreshing punch. It is most proper to sample the batch each time it is mixed, to monitor the manner in which the materials are melding together.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year.
Coconut Chocolate Pudding
By Leslie Kedash
I’ve been meaning to make this recipe for some time now. The start of “comfort food” season has pushed me into action.
It’s not complicated and once the ingredients are gathered and measured out, it’s a piece of cake to make.
It looks to be a recipe that would respond well to a little experimentation, like substituting milk and peppermint extract for the coconut milk or adding some Coco Lopez to highlight the coconut flavor.
As Cole Porter said, “Experiment.”
Recipe from 101 Cookbooks
1 14-ounce can of coconut milk, divided
3 tablespoons sugar
scant 1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup arrowroot powder, sifted
1 teaspoon raz el hanout spice blend or curry powder
3 tablespoons alkalized dutch-cocoa powder, sifted
1 3.5-ounce semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut flakes, toasted in a dry skillet
Shake the can of coconut milk vigorously for a few seconds. In a heavy saucepan bring 1 1/4 cups of coconut milk, sugar, and the salt to a simmer over low heat.
While that is heating, in a seperate bowl whisk together the remaining coconut milk, arrowroot powder, spice blend (or curry powder), and cocoa powder. It should look like a chocolate frosting.
When the coconut milk and sugar mixture has started simmering take about 1/4 cup of it and whisk it little by little into the arrowroot mixture, creating a slurry. Turn down the heat to the very lowest setting. Now drizzle the arrowroot slurry mixture into the simmering pan of coconut milk whisking vigorously all the while. Keep whisking until the pudding comes back up barely to a simmer and thickens up a bit, about a minute.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, continue whisking while it is cooling for about a minute. Now whisk in the chocolate and vanilla. keep stirring until the pudding is smooth. Place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. To prevent a skin from forming press plastic wrap up against the surface of the pudding. Serve dusted with the coconut flakes and a tiny pinch of spices (or curry powder).
Apple Cider Sauce
By Leslie Kedash
When I get a new cookbook, it’s hard for me to shelve it before trying a few recipes.
Usually I thumb through all the pages several times, admire the photographs and read a few of the ingredients before choosing a recipe. But since I had seen Roger Morris’ new book The Brandywine Book of Food, before it was published, and worked on the design, by the time I finally got my own copy, I knew exactly what I’d cook first.
This Apple Cider Sauce is by Chef Bryan Sikora at Talula’s Table. I chose it because it fit the season and I am always on the look out for ways to add flavor to Sunday night supper. It was delicious, and I will definitely make it again.
Apple Cider Sauce
Talula’s Table, Chef Bryan Sikora
1 tablespoon butter
1 small diced apple
1 small diced onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh apple cider
2 cups rich chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Calvados apple brandy
1. In the bottom of a two-quart saucepan heat a little butter and sauté the apple and onion until soft. Season with salt and pepper, and add the remaining ingredients.
2. Over medium-high heat allow the liquid to simmer and reduce by a third. Let the liquid cool, and then blend in a blender or with a hand blender.
3. Strain through a fine sieve and season.
To Serve: Drizzle over roasted pork or chicken.
The Brandywine Book of Food is available at Talulah’s Table.
Vegetable Soup’s On
By Leslie Kedash
I think soup weather is defined by rainy days and chilly evenings, and we’ve recently had our fair share of that. A good soup is one you can make on a moment’s notice, (or a few moments, anyway)…and this one is quick and tasty.
I tried this recipe this week and liked it enough to share. It contains plenty of good winter vegetables.
Two steps (two recipes combined, actually) and it’s on the table, served with salad and bread.
The recipes come from The Barefoot Contessa Family Style.
Roasted Winter Vegetables
The high temperature carmelizes the outside and leaves the inside tender and moist. This is a very flexible recipe; you can add any root vegetable you have in the house to this mélange.
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 and a quarter inch cubes. They’ll shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small.
Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on two sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.
Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot. (or in this case, use them in the following recipe)
Roasted Vegetable Soup
This is very versatile—you can also throw in last night’s mashed potatoes and even the tossed green salad from lunch. It adds wonderful flavor and goodness. A great way to get vegetables into your kids without their knowing it.
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 recipe Roasted Winter Vegetables
Kosher salt and pepper
For Serving: Croutons and quality olive oil
In a large saucepan, heat 6 cups of the chicken stock. In two batches, coarsely puree the roasted vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour the soup back into the pot and season to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it is the consistencey you like.
Serve with the croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
