Posts filed under 'Stealth Health'
Saugatuck Apricot Jam by Flavorista Contributor, Tracey Shafroth
As a young child growing up in Colorado my mother and I spent hours making different jams and jellies each summer. We had prolific plum bushes which most years yielded a bumper crop of small dark plums. We experimented with mint jelly for a few years in an attempt to tame the veritable hedge of mint that grew outside of my bedroom window. And, for a few years, we found some wonderful Seville oranges and made a rich bright orange marmalade in the middle of winter.
Our favorite jam of all though was apricot made from apricots grown in Paonia, Colorado. It was hard to count on always finding the small golden fruit as apricots are far more sensitive to early frosts than peaches or apples. But when we found them we made buckets of the jam and gave it to friends.
One of the reasons we loved it was because it is one of the very easiest jams to make. Apricots have enough natural pectin that we never needed to add commercial pectin. I am always surprised to discover that store-bought pectin requires at least double the amount of sugar. Years ago, I came across a wonderful article in Gourmet Magazine by the late food writer Laurie Colwin called Jam Anxiety. For anyone who fears jam making, track it down. It’s a great read and will get you over any jam angst.
When I moved to the Midwest and settled into Saugatuck, Michigan each summer I discovered that apricots grown here are not unlike their Colorado cousins. Michigan apricots are equally sensitive to the whims of a good spring frost.
My favorite apricots are the very earliest ones that appear in early July and produce a very tart jam. The growing season this year has been one of the craziest ever due to cold temperatures and a great deal of rain throughout the summer. The apricots are just at their peak this week, almost a month later than most years. While not as sour as I usually like them, they made a beautiful and delicious jam.
Apricot Jam
16 cups of apricots, pitted and halved
4 cups of sugar
Place all ingredients in a large heavy pot and cook on a medium-high heat until the jam is in bubbling constantly. Stir regularly. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the jam thickens. Depending on the apricots, it should take about 20- 30 minutes. To test, pour jam off of a big spoon and watch to see if drips come together to form one big thick drip. The best explanation for this process can be found in the Joy of Cooking. Pour jam into hot sterilized jars, screw heated tops on firmly and invert for 5 minutes. This helps to ensure a tight seal.
This method of canning is called hot packing. It is not endorsed by the USDA, but it has been practiced by home cooks for hundreds of years. If any of your jars fail to achieve a good seal, simply refrigerate the jam.
This is a special jam pot that my sister gave me years ago for a birthday present. It is the ideal for jam making because it has a heavy bottom, a great handle and slightly flared sides. The theory is that the flared sides create a larger surface and promote faster evaporation of the fruit juice. It is absolutely not necessary to have a pot like this, but it is my favorite.
Check out the virtual jam swap at Under the Highchair.
September 9th, 2009
I had to take remodelista Julie to Lulu Wilson for the deep fried pickles. Our tipple was a Kim Crawford wine from New Zealand. The Pea Soup with sauteed pea shoots and goat cheese was divine but the hit of the night was the Kale Salad- very finely shredded and seasoned with lemon juice, currants, Parmesan and toasted pinenuts.
I had to try and recreate it. It’s important to have the freshest, greenest kale. If it’s too tough, you should let it marinate for a day. Massaging the kale may seem silly, but it really helps. Kale is a great source of vitamin K which has been linked to increasing bone mass and is also a great antioxidant.
Raw Kale Salad
4 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 bunch kale, stem removed and sliced into a thin chiffonade
juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup currents, re-hydrated in 1 cup boiling water
1 cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and Pepper
Lots of Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
Rinse the chiffonade of kale well and spin dry. Place in a large bowl and pour in the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. With clean hands, gently massage the kale for about 3 minutes. Allow to rest for 1 to 4 hours at room temperature. The lemon juice helps to break down the tough cell walls of the kale. Add the currrents and the soaking water. Toss and add salt and pepper, pinenuts and about 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Toss well and place aeon your plate. Add more grated Parmesan as a garnish and serve.
August 4th, 2009
There were some beautiful, small apricots at our local grocery store, just perfect for one of my favorite middle eastern inspired desserts. Quick and easy, these are also wonderful as hors d’oeuvres during the summer. With only four ingredients and no cooking needed, this is a great recipe for children in the kitchen.
Simply take 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese) and mix in some mild honey to taste. I used about 1 tablespoon. Place into a pastry bag or zip lock baggie and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Pull the apricots apart and remove the pits. Place them on a plate. Pipe or spoon a bit of the mascarpone mixture into the center and then place a roasted pistaschio in the center. Enjoy!
PS from Kimberly: YUM! I am going to make these apricot dandies with some ricotta and almonds that I happen to have leftover from recipe testing. Mmmmmmm.
June 11th, 2009
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If you haven’t tried out panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) yet, you should. Lighter and flakier than traditional bread crumbs, panko can work some serious, crispy magic in the kitchen.
You can interchange panko with traditional bread crumbs in any recipe. We like Ian’s brand whole wheat panko because it offers a sneaky, whole grain alternative to tradtional white panko.
I have found that panko works best for pan frying, unless you toast the panko beforehand: Add 1 cup of panko to a skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp. oil, stir until all the panko is coated with the oil and lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside until needed. If you pre-toast the panko, it will work amazingly well for "oven-fried" recipes and it also adds a nice layer of "toasty" flavor.
Click here for a super easy BBQ Spiced Oven Fried Chicken recipe.
Click here for a Panko-Crusted Pork Chops with Yummy Napa Cabbage Salad from Martha Stewart.
Click here for Tyler Florence’s Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, a bit fussy, but worth the effort; just save it for a weekend.
Happy (crispy) Cooking!
April 16th, 2009
I love pistachios. Dr. Andrew Weil agrees that they are a healthy snack, high in polyphenols. They are good for your eyes and are an excellent source of fiber.
Here is one of my favorite recipes featuring pistachios. My friend, Maude, took a vegan baking class at Millennium restaurant in San Francisco many years ago. She shared it with me and I took a few liberties with the recipe. It happens to be vegan but everyone I know enjoys this cake. Lovely on its own or with a simple raspberry sauce.
Pistachio Cake
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. plus1 tsp. semolina flour (this makes the cake a nice attractive yellow)
1/2 cup ground pistachios, plus more whole ones to place on top
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. lemon Juice
4 Tbsp. agave syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup coconut milk (or soy milk)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grind the pistachios in a food processor. Add the remaining dry ingredients (flour through sugar) to the food processor work bowl and process. Whisk wet ingredients (lemon juice through coconut milk) together in a small bowl.
With machine running, add the wet ingredients. The dough will very thick and form into a ball. Grease a 9 1/2 inch spingform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Dust your hands with flour and press the dough into the pan and scatter some pistachios on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cake will be golden and a toothpick will come out clean when you insert it in the middle. Allow to cool before removing it from the pan.
March 24th, 2009
I’ve been working very diligently to perfect these sweet potato gems for the North Carolina Sweet Potato recipe contest. Finally, recipe nirvana was achieved and it only took 6 batches! These have a deep, rich sweet potato flavor which was really achieved by the choice of ingredients. Each ingredient "potentiates" the sweet potato. Don’t be put off by the ingredient list. If you love sweet potatoes, these pack a punch of flavor which is why I call them Sweet Potato Pie Muffins.
I’ve been experimenting with coconut flour. It has a mild flavor and it is high in fiber and protein. Because of the naturally occuring protein, there needs to be more liquid in the recipe, thus the agave syrup, coconut milk and vegetable oil. Whipping the egg whites helps to lighten the muffins. If you don’t then they are a little more dense. Gluten and dairy free, this recipe is good for you AND delicious. Consider them as energy muffins. The Coconut Flour can be found at any store which carries Bob’s Red Mill products. And if you’re wondering where all the non-contenders ended up, the were snarfed by my children.
For 12 Muffins (1/3 cup capacity muffin tin)
1 (15 oz) can Sweet Potato Puree or 2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup coconut flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Place the sweet potoato puree in the bowl of a mixer and add the oil, brown sugar, agave, and coconut milk. Mix until evenly blended. Add the coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the egg yolks and mix until well blended. Transfer batter to a different bowl.
Clean your bowl and then add the egg whites. Whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the sweet potato mixture. Using an ice cream scopper, fill a greased muffin tin right to the top. I baked these for 25 minutes in a convection oven set at 350°.
March 20th, 2009
So I’m sure the title of this post has everyone salivating for the next great thing to do with this much "loved" member of the brassica family. I think I can hear all of you running into the kitchen right now. Nutritionally, there are very good reasons to eat cauliflower. Not only does it contain folate, fiber and vitamin C. It also has the phytonutrient and cancer fighter, sulforphane, that is in broccoli and other members of the brassica family.
During a recent meal at Elevations in Aspen, Colorado I was introduced to cauliflower couscous. It was served with bacon wrapped sea scallops and was pretty tasty but not as good as the Carmelized Black Cod with Ginger Risotto, Tomato Sambal and Cashew Vinaigrette which I highly recommend.
When I mentioned the couscous to Kimberly she told me she had already published a recipe for it in her The Big Book of Low Carb Cooking. I made it with a few alterations. I used green cauliflower which is a little milder than the white. Served along with some grilled, grass-fed steak, it came out exceptionally well. Next time, I am going to add some toasted slivered almonds and some of the other "colored" cauliflowers.
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Green Cauliflower "Couscous"
1 medium head (about 2 pounds) broco-flower, cored and cut into 1/4 chunks
1/4 cup butter
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
Grate cauliflower, either in a food processor or with a hand-held grater with large holes. I used a hand grater and it worked well. I just need to fnd something to do with the stems besides put them in the compost.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Saute the bell pepper and scallions. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until the cous cous is softened and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the parsely. Perfect anyplace where traditional couscous would be used.
February 27th, 2009
Finding myself the lucky recipient of many large red bell peppers, I needed some quick ways to use them. After grilling them and removing the stems, skin and seeds. I placed them into a glass container and covered them with olive oil. The oil seals off the air and acts as a preservative so the peppers will keep them in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
I was first introduced to Muhammara in San Francisco and instantly fell in love. For those people who enjoy roasted red bell peppers, this is a unique type of Middle Eastern spread that features walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Serve with crostini or your favorite crackers.
2 ½ lbs roasted red bell peppers, seeded (jarred peppers work well too)
1 to 2 small hot chilies or 2 Tbsp. Turkish Red Pepper Paste (optional)
1 ½ cups walnuts, lightly toasted
½ cup wheat crackers, like Akmak or Wasa, crumbled (optional)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro
In the bowl of a food processor, place the bell peppers, chilies (if using), walnuts, and wheat crackers. Place the lid on and pulse until it is a chunky puree. Remove lid and add the remaining ingredients, except for cilantro. Place lid back on and and pulse again until the puree comes together. It should have a little bit of texture and not be completely smooth. Add the freshly chopped cilantro. Let sit for a few hours before serving so the flavors meld together.
PS – Muhammara is good for your Valentine’s heart! There are healthy fats from the olive oil and the walnuts along with oodles of antioxidants from the peppers and pomegranate molasses.
February 13th, 2009
My grandfather loved having pancakes for supper on Sunday nights. The children’s book by that title is wonderful with beautiful graphics. Below is our family recipe for Pancakes for Supper. Be sure to serve your pancakes with really good bacon and/or your favorite sausage links.
Whole Grain Dinner Pancakes
Obviously,these are just as good for breakfast. They are really exceptional with little bits of banana cut in and folded into the batter.
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup bran
1/4 cup cornmeal or oat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soa
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated, whites beaten until stiff
Sift together dry ingredients. Blend wet ingredients, except egg whites. Blend throughly with the wet. Fold in the egg whites. Cook on a hot griddle until golden on each side.
January 25th, 2009
As the Queen of Schmootz, I highly recommend that you try making this Cashew Hummus. I was intrigued by the technique that raw foodies have for soaking their nuts for 24 hours. In the case of the cashew, it actually starts to sprout! This is a divine surprise and although it is technically not a hummus (there is no tahini), it makes it somewhat identifieable to those in doubt. This recipe was inspired by Raw, written by Roxanne Klein and Charlie Trotter.
Start with 2 cups raw cashews covered in clean cold water and left overnight.
Rinse and drain them a few times.
Place them in work bowl of a food processor with 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, adding more water to achieve a smooth consistency.
The variation in the photo was made with 1 Tbsp. of Capitol Hill Seasoning fromThe Savory Spice Shop. I kept one 1 cup of the cashews out and added them after I processed the first cup with ingredients to a smooth consistencyy. By pulsing the extra cup of cashews into the smooth puree, I got a really wonderful texture. This batch was served with pappadams and garnished with a few cashews so that anyone with a nut allergy would know not to eat. it.
December 21st, 2008
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