A recent trip to Mexico preceded by Natural Products Expo inspired this post. Coconut water is a natural isotonic. Next to water it is the best way to rehydrate if you are dehydrated which is the main reason why athletes and weekend warriors alike are buying the retail brands Zico and O.N.E.
I’ve tasted most of the retail coconut waters and can safely say that aside from having fresh coconut water right out of the coconut, the two brands mentioned are the best -bar none.
This is because the water is extracted from young coconuts, or rather coconuts that are about 7 months into their maturing process. The meat of the coconut has not yet developed. Zico and O.N.E. are manufactured in their country of origin which is Brazil.
Coconut water takes a little getting used to which is why these brands are adding natural flavor. Believe it or not but coconut waters do vary in flavor, not only from country to country but from tree to tree,
The Mexican coconuts above were very different in taste. The one on the right, known as Naranja because of its orange color, was sweeter than the greener ones on the left.
On Cozumel, I saw many coconut water cocktails. There was one called Mexican Gatorade which was made with rum that claimed you wouldn’t get a hangover from it. Indeed because of its rich potassium content, it does make a great refresher if you over imbibe. I like to make agua frescas using coconut water. With all this hot summer weather, this recipe is worth a try.
Using fresh is great but then you are left with having to deal with getting the meat out. The coconut pictured above is actually a mature coconut that I used in Shanghai while developing drinks for a client.
The recipes below use O.N.E. brand in the quart size package. I chose watermelon as the Chinese believe watermelon to be very cooling. You can try using strawberries and mangoes. If you use frozen fruit, you can omit the ice.
Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you might not need any simple syrup. Simple syrup is made easily by boiling 1 cup water with 1 cup of sugar until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool before using. During the summer I store simple syrup in the refrigerator so that I can make homemade lemonade and agua frescas anytime.
Coconut Agua Fresca
2 cups coconut water
1 cup fresh watermelon or cantelope, no rind
a few cubes of ice
simple syrup, to taste (Kim’s mint syrup would be a great choice)
In a blender place the ice, coconut water and cut up melon. Process until all the ice is broken up.
Add simple syrup, 3 Tbsp. at a time, until you get it to your desired sweetness. Pour into glasses and enjoy!
A few weeks back, we were invited to participate in a recipe contest using Tasteful Selections baby potatoes. Being a lover of the spud, I couldn’t refuse! Aren’t they the cutest potatoes you have ever seen?
My intention was to come up with a quick cooking dinner that could be served al fresco with some good vino. I am happy to report success: Tender potatoes in a spicy, smoky sauce studded with thick slices of chorizo all in one pot.
The thick and hearty tomato sauce is seasoned with smoked paprika, aromatic garlic and sliced onions. You could use any of the potato varieties for this dish, I really liked the look of the red on red.
We enjoyed the meal on its own but you could certainly add some corn on the cob, a simple cheese plate and/or some fresh summer fruit for dessert.
One Pan Spicy Potatoes with Chorizo
Serves 5
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, about 3 cloves
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper, more to taste
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1 (28-oz.) pkg. Tasteful Selections Ruby Sensation Potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives or finely chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Add the olive oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. When hot, add the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate.
Add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, crushed red pepper, paprika, and salt to the pot, cook and stir until quite fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and stir well to coat them with the seasonings.
Add the diced tomatoes and the crushed tomatoes. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the chorizo back to the pot and stir well, vent the lid and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is somewhat thickened.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. If using, garnish the dish with chives or parsley. Serve hot or warm.
We recently became the recipients of some Montana wheatberries via Marco’s banjo teacher, Kevin, who is trying to work his way through a 40 lb. bag. Always up for a challenge, I immediately thought about some summery salads that would incorporate wheatberries
There was some trial and error with regard to cooking the wheatberries but once that was mastered, it has been smooth sailing. For our gluten-free readers, cooked brown rice is an easy (and tasty) substitute for the wheatberries.
Wheatberries
Soak 1 cup of wheatberries overnight or quick soak them (Cover wheatberries with ample water, boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain.).
Bring pre-soaked wheatberries, 8 cups of water and 1 tsp kosher to a boil over high heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until wheatberries are tender. The wheatberries will appear to puff slightly. Drain and rinse with cool water.
At this point, the cooked wheatberries should be stored in the fridge until needed. If you are into batch cooking, the cooked wheatberries could also be frozen for soups and other grain mixes.
Summer Wheatberry Salad Serves 4
Hearty beans, summer corn, toothsome wheatberries and briny feta make salad a perfect Meatless Monday meal and other than cooking the wheatberries (which can be done ahead of time), it requires no cooking.
Salad
1 cup fresh cooked corn off the cob or frozen corn, thawed
1 cup cooked wheatberries
1 cup white beans
1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (sub any summer tomatoes)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
To make the dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl, Set aside.
Add all of the salad ingredients, except to feta, to a medium serving bow and mix to combine. Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad and toss well.
A recent work project has me making ice cream! A recipe for homemade honey ice cream is offered below.
I wish I could use liquid nitrogen as it is far more dramatic. I don’t even know where to begin on this part of the lecture series as I was so mesmerized by the liquid nitrogen.
Harold McGee started off with a brief history if ice cream along with a sample of what would be considered the first ice cream. Click here to read his account and technique for making "instant ice cream." Dave Arnold’s raspberry concoction was made by pouring in liquid nitrogen. It was part of his quest to try and replicate Salep dondurma - or Turkish ice cream.
This unique frozen concoction has a secret ingredient that is illegal to take out of Turkey, it is so highly revered and impossible to reproduce commercially. To read more about it click here.
In the course of my research, I rediscovered one of my favorite Saveur articles on the world of ice cream. It was published back in 2001. Coming up with the flavors and making them outstanding for a commercial package is harder than you think.
Ice cream always tastes unbelievably the best just after it’s been processed. Still gooey and nicely chilled, the texture is dreamy and no commercial ice cream can come close to the almost chewy texture.
Once ice cream firms up and sits in the freezer, it changes in flavor as well as in texture. I love my Cuisinart ice cream maker and once you make ice cream, like most things, it gets easier and easier and more fun to do as you become less intimidated by the process and more creative.
And if you don’t even want to bother with making the custard, Kim’s No Cook Vanilla from July 2009 is fantastic.
This recipe - however is slightly old school. It does require making a custard. I recommend a nice clover or star thistle honey. Creamed honey would also work nicely but anything darker would be a bit overbearing.
You can easily make this into cinnamon ice cream by replacing the honey with 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Serve it with the Mexican Chocolate Sauce featured a few weeks back.
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Honey of a Honey Ice Cream It really helps to have a candy thermometer so that you don’t over cook the eggs.
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
5 egg yolks
3/4 cup honey
In a heavy bottom an heat the cream and milk and bring to almost a boil. In a another bowl whisk together the honey and the eggs. Using a ladel, slowly pour some of the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking.
Keep pouring until all the milk is gone and the eggs are "tempered". Return mixture to the pot and cook on moderately low heat until the thermometer reads 110 degrees. Stir constantly and do not allow the mixture to boil, this will cook the eggs. If you don’t have a thermometer then you can tell when the custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon
At this point, remove from heat and pour the custard into another bowl (If you are nervous about having cooked the eggs, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve). Allow to cool completely.
You can speed this process up by placing the bowl into a ice water bath and stirring occasioanlly to release some of the heat. I like to refrigerate my custard for a few hours before processing. Usually I make the custard the day before want to have homemade ice cream or at least in the morning.
Process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Once it comes right out of the ice cream maker, I think it’s perfect to eat. It is also the best consistency for making ice cream cookies, cakes and for filling roulades.
For my first born’s 14th birthday, a super fudge chocolate cake was requested. I decided to try a cake made with vinegar. Vinegar is one of the secret ingredients in Red Velvet cake. It is also used in vegan baking because vinegar reacts with baking soda creating carbon dioxide which causes cakes and cookies to rise.
I can’t say this cake was super tall, but it delivered on super fudge as I layered the cake with milk chocolate ganache and then topped the whole cake off with a fudge frosting. The result was a very rich, moist cake. Since the chocolate, sugar and butter are all melted together, the batter is very loose and pours like a liquid.
For the cake:
2 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 stick of butter (1/4 lb)
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
(At high altitude you need to decrease leavening by 1/3 otherwise the cake gets dry and tough)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees( 350 degrees at high altitude). In a sauce pan melt together the chocolate, sugar and butter and stir well. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Pour the milk into a measuring cup and add vinegar and eggs and beat together so the eggs break up.
Once the chocolate is cool to the touch whisk it in the milk mixture. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Now slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry stir well and slowly until the batter is smooth.
Add the vanilla and stir again. Pour into 2 prepared 9-inch round cake pans. Bake until firm and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center - about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool entirely before removing from the pan and frosting.
Milk Chocolate Ganache
1 cup heavy cream, heat to almost boiling
9 ounces milk chocolate chips
Pour the heated heavy cream over the chips and stir until all smooth.
Super Easy, Very Kid Friendly, Fudge Frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar, about 3 3/4 cups
1/4 tsp. salt
4 ounces butter, softtened
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
Place the powdered sugar and butter into the bowl of a food processor and process until combined. With the machine running, pour in the milk and vanilla and blend until smooth then add the melted chocolate. Use immediately.
To Assemble: Using a serrated knife, slice each cooled cake in half. You will have a total of four layers.
Place the first layer on a platter and pour some of the ganache on top. With a flat spatula or knife spread it to about 1/8 inch from the edges. Now add next 2 layers and repeat. Add the top, and it should be a smooth top piece from one of the 2 original cakes so that there are no crumbs present.
Spread the fudge frosting across the top and down and around the sides. For best results, allow this cake to sit together from a couple of hours so that the ganache permeates the cake.
Off to have a piece with vanilla ice cream right now!
This winter has been a strange brew of warm sunny days mixed with some serious wind and a generous dose of cold rain. What ain’t we got? We ain’t got snow (Sung to the same tune as There is Nothing like a Dame from South Paciifc).
In the winter, one can only eat so much oatmeal. So when you are tired of dreary mornings and warm cereal, start off with a bright fruit plate made of sliced bananas, kiwi and oranges (with a few almonds tossed in for good measure).
Maverick has enthusiastically jumped onto the kiwi bandwagon. I sliced up 4 kiwis for him and a friend the other day. Before I blinked, the entire plate was devoured. I would venture to say that he loves kiwi as much as Lollie loves pomegranates.
The time to enjoy California kiwi is November to May. At roughly 50 calories each, kiwis are very nutrient dense. One kiwi delivers about as much vitamin C as an orange in addition to Vitamn K and E. All those little seeds equal 2 1/2 grams of fiber, 10% of the RDA.
For youger children, I like to peel and slice kiwi. For solo snacking, I simply cut the fruit in half and scoop out the middle with a spoon.
Maverick’s Strawberry Kiwi Milkshake adapted from All Recipes Serves 2
1 banana, sliced
6 frozen strawberries (or 1 cup frozen raspberies)
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream (or frozen yogurt)
1 kiwi, peeled and roughly chopped
1/3 cup milk
Add everything to a blender and process until smooth.
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