Post 10/13 – My Must Haves in the Kitchen
I am taking a little break from writing recipes and doing something different. I’ve been compiling a list of some of my favorite things in the kitchen. I imagine this list will grow and evolve over time. I would love to hear some of your must haves, it you want to share. Missing from my list is a knife. Most cooks would list this as a must have, I use them often, but I don’t have one I like enough to include on the list. Kinda sad. Must remedy this one day.
In no particular order, here are a few (actually 25!) of my favorite things in the kitchen:
1. KitchenAid hand blender – one of my favorite kitchen tools! They are so handy. Gotta be careful though, if you start too fast, you can sling food all over the kitchen. Also, a helpful tip…it does not work for mashed potatoes. Unless of course, you’re looking for a new glue or cement substitute! It does however, make a great sweet potato purée.
2. Penzeys spices – My sister Anne got me hooked on Penzeys (http://www.penzeys.com/) years ago. The company used to be mainly mail order (unless you lived Wisconsin), but now there are shops all over the country. Even in Birmingham, AL! Yahoo! Some of my favorites: Aleppo Pepper, Black and Red Spice, the Double Strength Vanilla, Buttermilk Ranch, Shallot Salt, and too many more to name. They have gift boxes that make wonderful gifts for weddings, housewarmings, etc.
3. White vinegar – It is a useful cooking ingredient and it is great for cleaning. We buy it in bulk in a 5-liter jug.
4. Cast iron skillet – My mom’s cast iron skillet is a cherished family treasure. I use it just for cornbread. I have more cast iron cookware that I use for other things, but this one is special.
5. Company – I love company when I cook, especially when it is Matt. We have a great time cooking together. We are sometimes joined by our adorable side-kick Will. He’s our almost 15-year old rescue Sheltie. My Dad would be rolling in his grave if he knew we let a dog in the kitchen (a huge no-no when I was a kid). Will sleeps in the corner on his little rug; he’s a pack animal, and he loves being with us. Here’s a blurry photo of him actually sitting on his rug. He hardly ever sits like a normal dog! While I was taking the photo, he started to lie down, thus the bluriness. I’m just glad we have a photo of him sitting. It makes me smile.
6. Salt – Yes, I know too much salt is bad for you. But I can’t help it; I like salt in moderation. We have several different types of salt: Kosher (my stand-by), Maltese sea salt (I saw them collecting it when I was there), Celtic grey salt, Hawaiian red salt, Maldon sea salt flakes, Alder smoked salt (perfect for finishing a simple grilled fish), and Murray River pink salt.
7. Apple cider vinegar – Great for so many things, especially salad dressings and Katie-Ade (a “gross” drink that I make when I’m fighting a cold: garlic, ginger, honey, cayenne, and apple cider vinegar).
8. The Baker’s Catalogue – King Arthur Flour in Vermont has a great catalog and website (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/landing.jsp?go=Home). They have excellent recipes, kitchen tools, and ingredients.
9. Crock pot – Such a convenient, almost magical invention…you can put in steel-cut oats and a few other ingredients (a future post), cover it, turn it on low, and you have a delicious breakfast when you wake up the next morning. Or in the morning, you can fill it with beans, water, seasoning, and veggies and have a hearty veggie dinner when you come home from work. Probably shouldn’t admit this, but we have three crock pots (small, medium, and large)! We combined two households when we got married and then inherited another when my Mom died.
10. Sieves – We have a small one, big one, and a conical one with a stand.
11. Pyrex measuring cups – We have a set of three (1 cup, 2 cup, and 4 cup). You can use them for so many things. I love the large one for making microwave iced tea.
12. Wire whisks – We have a tiny one, medium one, and a long-handled one. Hmmm, I’m sensing a pattern here. Ah, gotta love merging kitchens, hand-me-downs, and wedding gifts!
13. KitchenAid stand mixer – I’ve had it since 1990 and it still works the same! For our wedding, two years ago, we got a pasta attachment for it, we love it!
14. Coffee grinder – We have one for coffee and one for spices! Perfect for making your own curry seasoning blend or spice rub.
15. Wooden rice paddle – Bought it from our friends’ yard sale. Didn’t know what it was at first, I just thought it was a short, squatty wooden spoon. Had no idea how handy it was. Not just useful for rice, I use it for lots of things.
16. Kitchen shears – We got a nice pair of kitchen shears as a gift, thanks to my MIL! What a difference sharp blades make! Now, our old shears are relegated to opening packages and snipping herbs.
17. Latex-free gloves – Kind of dorky but I find them useful. Especially with all my allergies (including latex). They are especially helpful when working with hot peppers.
18. Kitchen scale – Great for portion control and useful when converting European recipes into American recipes.
19. Olive oil – There has been talk recently in the media about olive oil fraud. Scary what manufacturers can pass off as olive oil. Please be aware of what you’re buying. We use the “fancy” organic stuff only for finishing a dish. The best olive oil I’ve had was grown and produced by our friends Claudio and Grazia in Levanto, Italy. We had it for breakfast it was so good! For every day, we use the Extra Virgin Olive oil in the large 3-liter can from Earth Fare, Whole Foods, or Costco.
20. White cotton dish towels – Did I mention I’m a messy cook?!? Just today, I ended up with melted chocolate on my elbow and on helper dog’s snoot (yes, I wiped it off with a dish towel before he ate any, thank goodness).
21. Candy Thermometer – Sometimes you just need one…the “drop a blob” in cold water method I used as a kid is fine for some things, but other recipes need more precision.
22. Metric Wonder Cup – Awesome for measuring liquids in almost any unit you can think of. It has teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces, milliliters, and cups! I remember Alton Brown recommending it years ago. Glad I bought one, it’s very handy!
23. Dutch oven – Crock pots are nice, but sometimes you need something else. Something that can go from stove to oven. So, we have a heavy, red, 6-quart Mario Batali Dutch Oven and we use it often. I love it except when I’m rehabbing broken hands (Did I mention I’m clumsy? Yep, I’ve done this a few too many times!). Then I can’t lift it and Matt helps me.
24. Cuisinart food processor – I used to function fine in the kitchen without a food processor. I relied on my handy-dandy mortar and pestle (wish I still had one), but the electric food processor sure makes easy work of some tasks.
25. Citrus reamer – If you want to get lots of juice from a lemon, lime, or other citrus fruit, a hand-held reamer works great. Mine is wooden. Love it, especially when making lemon curd and limoncello (more future posts!).
Post 9/13 – Fruity and Nutty Slaw
We first tried this coleslaw at a dinner party hosted by our friends Alice, Betsy, Pam, and Brad. We loved it and they were kind enough to share the recipe. The original recipe is from the great Marion Cunningham (of Fannie Farmer fame, not Happy Days : ) and was published on the California Walnut Commission’s website. For Marion Cunningham’s Cranberry Walnut Coleslaw, please see:
http://www.walnuts.org/walnuts/index.cfm/all-recipes/marion-cunninghams-cranberry-walnut-coleslaw/
I wanted a slightly healthier version with less sugar, that used ingredients we had at the house. Here is my tweaked version…
Fruity and Nutty Slaw
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon salt (or for added flavor, celery salt)
2 packets (2.5 ounce each) of Kirkland’s Fruit & Nuts snack mix blend, chopped*
3 cups cabbage, finely sliced (you can use purple, green, or a combination of both)
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional, if you want to add some kick)
In a medium bowl, preferably with a tight lid, combine the apple cider vinegar, canola oil, sugar, celery seed, and salt. Toss in the fruit and nuts, cabbage, onion, and pepper (if you are using it). If the bowl has a tight-fitting lid, I just cover it and shake it. If not, just stir or toss with tongs. Refrigerate it a few hours before serving, so the flavors can blend and develop. I’ve also made it and eaten it immediately, it’s still good!
*You need 1 cup of fruit and nuts for this recipe. You want a little chewiness from the dried fruit and crunchiness from the nuts. It just happened that we had the Kirkland Fruit and Nuts snack blend from Costco when I was making this. The blend includes dried cranberries, walnuts, cherries, almonds, and pistachios. It is delicious in this recipe. However, if you don’t have that, you can use most any combination of dried fruits and nuts that you prefer. Before I found this mix, I used a ½ cup of chopped walnuts and a ½ cup of chopped dried cranberries.
Post 8/13 – Caramel Panna Cotta
I made this for our anniversary dinner this week. It received high marks from both of us. Will make this again next week for the Italian Dinner we are hosting for a church fund-raiser. We have some vegetarian guests and guests with pork allergies, so we’ll also serve another dessert. If you are making this for vegetarians or people with pork allergies, please tell them about the gelatin. There are sources for Kosher and fish-based gelatin that might be preferable. There is also seaweed-based gelatin (agar-agar) that I would like to try one day. Then, I’d attempt a vegan version with soy or coconut milk.
The recipe seems long and complex, sorry about that. Not sure how to simplify it. In a nutshell, you are: heating sugar, making a caramel by adding cream, then adding softened gelatin, vanilla, and salt. In my experience, panna cotta seems simple, but it can actually be a bit tricky. So I tried to explain it with probably more details than I should. Oh well, here goes…
Caramel Panna Cotta
2¼-2½ teaspoons powdered gelatin which is one envelope Knox gelatin (or 2½ gelatin sheets*)
¼ cup cold water
½ cup sugar
2 cups cream (if you warm it first, it is less likely to seize when added to the sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste** (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean)
pinch of salt***
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then stir. If you use half-anf-half, it will probably look clumpy, almost like cottage cheese, but it will be fine since the lumps will melt once added to the caramel mixture.
Spread the sugar in a HEAVY bottomed, large pot. Make sure it is evenly distributed. Heat on medium until it turns a light amber color. Do not stir! This is difficult for me, because I want to stir it, but know it is a bad idea (it can get clumpy)! If it looks like the sugar is not melting evenly, you can tilt and swirl the pan. Take care to keep it from burning; you might need to lower the heat.
Once the sugar is completely melted, slowly pour in the warm cream (be careful, it can bubble up and burn you). Mix well, with a long-handled wooden spoon or long-handle whisk. If the caramel happens to seize (turns into a big glob of caramel), don’t panic. Just stir it over low heat until the caramel melts. Then stir in the softened gelatin/water mixture, the vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt.
Pour the panna cotta mixture through a sieve into a large glass pitcher or measuring cup. Place this container in an ice water bath to help chill the mixture. You might want to cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap so water doesn’t get in it. Use a pitcher or container with a spout to makes\ it easier to pour the panna cotta into martini glasses or other individual-sized glasses. You can also pour it into a regular serving dish (4-cup capacity) and serve it family style. Refrigerate for about 3 hours or until set. If you don’t use the water bath, it can take longer to set, up to 6 hours.
Optional Chocolate Sauce & Finishing Salt Garnish:
3½ ounces dark chocolate, chopped (or use milk chocolate if you prefer)
4 ounces cream or half-and-half
1 teaspoon espresso powder (or instant coffee), optional
pinch of finishing salt***
A traditional method is to heat the cream in a double boiler and then pour it over the chopped chocolate. This messes up multiple dishes and take more time…so here’s the Katie Way:
Heat the cream in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Stir in the chopped chocolate and the espresso powder. Presto – chocolate sauce!
Drizzle the sauce over the panna cotta, sprinkle with a pinch of flake salt, and serve!
A few notes:
*Gelatin sheets: Have been around for a long time, but I’ve never used them. They are not easy to find in Alabama. You can order them online, but I never felt the need to do so. However, when I was at Dean and Deluca in NYC, I bought some. I used them for the first time this week. They are cool. They are not a requirement in this recipe, powdered gelatin works fine. However, if you can find the gelatin sheets, I would use them.
If you are using gelatin sheets: soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes and then squish out all the water before adding to the caramel mixture. Everything else is the same.
**Vanilla bean paste: is an awesome ingredient to have on hand. In Huntsville, you can get it at Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, or Williams-Sonoma. You can also order it online. I use Nielsen-Massey brand. It is a thick vanilla paste with lots of real vanilla seeds. It is not cheap, but it is less expensive than whole vanilla beans. For a recipe like this, it is perfect. Gives the same nice taste with the pretty flecks of vanilla seeds. Regular vanilla extract works fine too.
***Salt: I used Murray River Pink Flake Salt. To me, it is not as salty as Maldon Sea Salt. Regular Kosher salt also works. Or, you can leave it out if you want to watch your sodium intake. I like the salty-sweet combo.
Post 7/13 – Tuscan White Bean Dip
Yahoo, halfway through the Baker’s Dozen Blitz of Posts! Thought I’d share one of our favorite dips. Not sure if this is really Tuscan, but it is Tuscan inspired. We had similar flavors on our recent Italian honeymoon (rosemary, garlic, and lemon – yum!). One of these days, I’ll post some photos from our trip. We took lots of photos!! Once I can figure them out, I’ll also post some recipes from our trip. Trying to re-create the flavors is challenging, but the experiments are fun. Back to the “bean dip,” guess it doesn’t really matter what it’s called, I just know it is delicious and is an easy-to-make alternative to traditional hummus.
Tuscan White Bean Dip
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped (stems removed)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
19 ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained*
½ cup almonds, lightly toasted (slivered, sliced, or chopped; raw would also work, but I like the added flavor from the toasting)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ lemon (both the juice and the zest)
¼ cup hot water, as needed
Optional Garnishes:
almonds, sprinkle of lemon zest, drizzle of olive oil, sprig of fresh rosemary
Infuse the olive oil with the rosemary and garlic: combine the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic in a glass microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds (stop every 10 seconds to check for burning). You can also do it in a small pan on the stove on low heat for about 5 minutes. While you are preparing the rest of the ingredients, let the mixture sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then, use a strainer or a spoon to remove some of the rosemary (it can get bitter). I like rosemary, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. You can also remove the garlic if that is your preference. But I love the extra garlic flavor. I’ve been known to add even more garlic. Remove what you want, leave what you want, it’s your dip!
In a food processor, combine the beans, almonds, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the rosemary garlic infused olive oil. Pulse until the ingredients come together. If it is too thick, add some hot water (start with a tablespoon). Pulse the mixture a few more time. Add a bit more water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed (might need a bit more lemon juice, salt, or pepper). Process until the mixture is thick but still has some texture and is spreadable and dipable (I’m making up more words). If you want it more like traditional hummus, you can process it until it is a creamy purée. Keep in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature. Great on sandwiches or served with pita, crackers, or raw veggies!
*A note about cannellini beans. Cannellini beans are an Italian white bean, sometimes known as white kidney beans. You can buy them canned or dried. I typically use canned, because this is such a quick snack to whip up for company, they are easier. However, using dried beans that I soaked and cooked myself would probably be better. I know my hummus is better when I used freshly cooked garbanzo beans. If you can’t find cannellini beans, you can substitute navy beans or great northern beans. They are easier to find and less expensive. And truthfully, they might work better since their texture tends to be drier. Last time I made this recipe, the cannellini beans were a little too moist and the dip was a bit soupy (had to adjust by adding more almonds). Yep, I have my fair share of mess ups!
Thanks to Matt for the photo. The pottery in the photo is from our friend Diane Walls, an awesome artist in Huntsville (http://claydogdesign.com/Clay_Dog_Design/clay_dog_design.html).
Post 6/13 – Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
This is a quick bar cookie, great for potlucks, bake sales, etc. Usually, I have most of the ingredients in the pantry. It is a good recipe for using bulk ingredients that you might buy at Costco (with just two of us, getting through huge bags of brown sugar, chocolate chips, and oatmeal can prove challenging).
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened (or unsalted butter)
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
½ cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky, natural is ok, but it works better if it isn’t separated)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups oats (I prefer old-fashioned for the texture, but quick oats will also work)
½ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips*
Preheat oven to 350º F. Use an electric mixture to cream the butter and brown sugar (if the butter is soft enough, hand mixing is fine). Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat well. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Add the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir well. I do this step by hand so the oats don’t get broken up as much. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread in an even layer in a 12″x18″x2″ sheet cake pan lined with parchment paper (I use the butter wrappers to grease the parchment paper and then I use the wrappers to press the mixture into the pan). You can also bake them in muffin tins to make little individual bars. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean (it depends on your oven, the pan, etc.).
*Variations:
Decrease the chocolate chips and add some shredded coconut or chopped peanuts. Or you can substitute other ingredients for the chocolate chips: mini or regular M&Ms, mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate covered raisins, Reese’s Pieces, toffee bits, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips.
Post 5/13 – Cheese Soufflé with Spinach
Today Matt and I are celebrating our second wedding anniversary. It’s been an adventure so far. Glad I married a man who likes to cook almost as much as I do. For New Year’s Eve, we cooked dinner together…he made individual Cheese Soufflés with Spinach and I made the Panettone French Toast from a recent post. The meal was awesome but the best part was hanging out together. Wow, that sounds kinda goofy, but it’s true.
This was Matt’s first time making a soufflé and it was great! He wasn’t sure about baking them in individual ramekins, but it worked. They could’ve been a bit poofier (Is this a word?). Maybe using three ramekins instead of four would’ve made them
taller. Either way, poofy or not so poofy, they were good!
Possible variations: Using aged yellow Cheddar instead of the extra sharp white Cheddar. A pinch of dried mustard powder might be a nice addition. Also, I wonder if it would work with chopped broccoli instead of the spinach? The broccoli might be too heavy and the result might be more like a frittata. Bet it would still be good. I might try this one day, when it’s just us and not company. After reading the draft, Matt mentioned maybe using Gruyère and caramelized onions instead of Cheddar and Spinach. Many possibilities.
Here’s the recipe…
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or use ½ teaspoon Penzeys’ Black & Red instead of the cayenne and black pepper)
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room-temperature*
½ cup grated extra sharp white Cheddar
1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature*
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
For greasing the dish(es):
Unsalted butter and freshly grated Parmesan (quantities deepened on how many ramekins you use.)
Preheat the oven to 400º degrees F. Liberally butter the inside of a 6 to 8-cup soufflé dish (or 3 to 4 10-ounce ramekins) and sprinkle the bottom and sides evenly with Parmesan. This step is important, otherwise…the cheese gives the soufflé something to cling to as it rises and it makes it easier to clean.
Make the white sauce base…melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Use a wire whisk and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the hot milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Cheddar, ¼ cup of Parmesan, and the spinach. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl (one that is not hot).
Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low for 1 minute, increase to medium and beat 1 minute, then beat on high until you get firm, glossy peaks (another 2-3 minutes).
Stir about a quarter of the egg whites into the cheese mixture. This will lighten the mixture and make folding in the remaining egg whites easier. Slowly and carefully, fold in the rest of the egg whites. This is where patience pays off. Use care when folding the mixture or you could deflate it. Pour into the soufflé dish(es), smooth the top, and then use a spatula or spoon to draw circle on top, this helps it rise evenly. Carefully place it on the middle rack of the oven. Close the oven door and then turn the temperature down to 375º degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until poofy and golden brown. This is not a time to use the Katie Cookie Technique to open the oven, whack the sheet. Keep the oven closed, you can peek through the window. It is pretty cool to watch it get poofy. Serve it immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers. They are good the next day for breakfast (even cold or you can heat it up). The texture isn’t quite the same but it still tastes great.
*The eggs must be at room temperature. It usually takes several hours to bring them to the right temperature (sometimes overnight). If the eggs are cold and you are ready to make the dish, you can quickly bring them up to temperature by putting the whole eggs (shells included) in a bowl and pour hot water over them. They usually warm quickly, in about 10 minutes.
Post 4/13 – Snickerdoodles
I love baking cookies during the holidays, but I think sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are labor intensive. I enjoy making the cookie dough, but finishing the cookies isn’t my favorite part. With all the rolling, choosing cookie cutters, frosting them, and decorating, it takes time (Did I mention that I get bored easily and tend to bounce from task to task?!? Well, I do.) This year, we dialed down the holidays so I decided to try an easier cookie – snickerdoodles. Granted, I’d never made them before, but thought it was worth a try. Years ago, my friend Christine Teague gave me her Grandmother’s snickerdoodle recipe. I made a few changes to her original recipe: substituted butter for the shortening, added a bit more spice to the cookie dough, and added some vanilla. They were delicious!
Possible vegan option: I haven’t tried this yet, but I think you could use vegetable shortening and an egg substitute and these would be fine as a vegan option. Ah, so much cooking and experimenting to do, so little time!
Here’s the tweaked recipe, hope you like them:
1 cup softened butter
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, optional
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or apple or pumpkin pie spice), optional
For rolling:
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream together the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Chill the dough. While the dough is chilling, mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Form the dough into balls about the size of walnuts and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Preheat oven to 350º degrees F. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly with your hand, a glass, something (this will make a crisper cookie)*. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove from baking sheets and cool on racks.
*I have a strange technique when making ball cookies or drop cookies…I really like crisp, flat cookies. So, not only do I flatten the balls but I also open the oven mid-way through cooking, pick up the cookie sheet (using a handy-dandy pot holder), and whack the cookie sheet on the oven rack so the cookies deflate. I know, you aren’t supposed to open the oven, but I’ve been doing it since I was a kid and some habits are too hard to change (and Matt says it works!).
Post 3/13 – Indian Lentils and Rice
This is my go-to meal of choice. It is similar to an Indian spicy and savory pongal. It is quick, economical, healthy, tasty, and versatile! It can be vegan, and it freezes well. All in all, one of our favorite dishes at the Smith-Jordan house. A few notes:
Fresh Curry Leaves: The recipe calls for fresh curry leaves, they are important to the dish. However, you probably don’t have fresh curry leaves in your refrigerator. Luckily, you can find them at your local Indian or Asian market. They are typically stored in the refrigerated section. It is best to keep them refrigerated, since they tend to oxidize and turn black. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 5 days if left on the stem. The bags of leaves can be large, so I usually freeze the leftover leaves (removed from the stem) in a re-sealable plastic bag. They aren’t quite as pungent when thawed, but they maintain their unique flavor that is essential to the dish.
Curry powder: It does not come from curry leaves. Curry powder is actually a generic term for a blend of several different spices. My former boss ( I miss her) told me that families in India each have their own unique blend.
Ghee: Clarified butter, it is a staple in many Indian recipes. You can make your own or you can buy it. Locally, Garden Cove and Earth Fare usually carry glass jars of organic clarified butter.
Trivia time and random factoids are over, now time for the recipe…
½ cup red lentils (or yellow split peas (chana dal) or moong dal)
2 cups rice (basmati is more flavorful, but delicate, jasmine rice works well)
1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut (not sweetened baking coconut)
6 cups water
¼ cup ghee or oil (coconut, safflower, or any oil of your choice)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon turmeric (heaping)
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground (or you can use Black & Red from Penzeys)
12-16 fresh curry leaves, thinly sliced with a few left whole for garnish
pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
Optional garnishes: thinly sliced hot peppers. additional whole fresh curry leaves, plain yogurt, lime pickles, chopped cashews or almonds, golden raisins, or toasted coconut
If you use split peas or large lentils, cover with water, let soak for 20 minutes, and then rinse. Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear.
In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, rice, coconut, and water. Cover, bring to a boil, stir a few times, then lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, while the rice is cooking, heat a small sauté pan on medium heat. Toast the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, turmeric, salt, black pepper, peppers, and curry leaves in the ghee or oil. Heat the mixture for about 2-5 minutes, until very aromatic. Watch and stir frequently because it can burn quickly. Set aside. When rice/lentil mixture is cooked, gently stir in the spice mixture. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, a few whole curry leaves, and it’s ready to serve.
Note: It is delicious as it is, but I’ve been thinking about making a few changes…upping the lentil quantity to 1 full cup and increasing the water to 6½ cups. I think the addition of more lentils might make it a heartier dish. Also, I’m thinking about adding some grated ginger. Not certain how the ginger would play with the curry leaves, so I might omit the curry leaves.
Post 2/13 – Hot Buttered Rum Toddy
This is a nice hot beverage, perfect for cold winter nights, like the ones we’ve had recently. One of the versatile things about this recipe is that it can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. It is completely adaptable! Leave out the rum and then let everyone customize his or her own drink. It also makes a nice addition to coffee! Added bonus: it makes the house smell great while it is cooking away in the crock pot. We made a few batches over the holidays and kept it in Mason jars in the refrigerator. It looks a little weird with the floating butter beads, but it heats up fine.
2 cups dark brown sugar (light brown sugar works too, but the color isn’t as pretty)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cinnamon sticks or a small handful of cinnamon chunks (I love Penzeys!)*
6 whole cloves
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 quarts hot water
16 ounces gold or spiced rum (brandy would probably also work)
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, optional
Extra cinnamon sticks, optional garnish
Combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and hot water in a 5-quart crock pot. Cover and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. Ladle into mugs and add rum to taste. For an extra decadent toddy, add a small dollop of whipped cream with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.
*If you do not have cinnamon sticks or chunks, I think ground cinnamon would also work. Start with ¼ teaspoon, taste, and add more as needed.
Post 1/13 – Panettone French Toast
January 6th has different meanings for different folks. For some, it signifies the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and is a holy Christian festival. For others, it means it is time to take down the tree and burn the Christmas greens. Some take a humorous view of Epiphany and use it as a time for the Great Fruitcake Toss. A cheeky way to close out the holidays by lobbing fruitcakes at people dressed like kings for a food bank fundraiser in Manitou Springs, CO. In many countries, it is a chance for children to get gifts in their socks or shoes. In parts of the Southern United States, Epiphany is the start of Carnival season. Love the internet!
For me personally, epiphany is about revelations. Specifically, revelations about this blog…I am a bad blogger. I’ve hinted at it before, but it is true. I sometimes get intimidated by a blank page, especially a blank computer screen, and I almost always dislike rejection. Ok, I always dislike rejection. I submitted a blog post to two professional sites and they were rejected. The reason: because the photography was not up to their standard, the composition was “too tight.” It seems their standards are very subjective. I could’ve submitted them again, but I just let it go, and haven’t put myself out there. Then, I realized that this blog is not a means for me to be published, it is a way to share recipes and little stories with friends and family. These stories and recipes might one day become a self-published cookbook, but that’s not even the real goal. Connecting and sharing my love of cooking is the goal.
I am testing new recipes and working on my photography. I used an Amazon birthday gift certificate to buy a food photography book and a recipe-writing book. Yes, there are books about these specific topics, actually lots of books. I narrowed it down to these two titles: Food Photography – From Snapshots to Great Shots and The Recipe Writer’s Handbook. Both are good books. Also, I bought a new tripod for only $6 at our church’s recent fundraising auction! That has helped tremendously with my photos, still need to work on composition and styling, but at least they aren’t quite as blurry.
I don’t really make New Year’s resolution, but I do have goals. This year, one of my goals is to write 50 blog entries. I will kick-start my goal with a Baker’s Dozen Blitz of Blog posts! Yep, 13 posts in 13 days, starting today.
Speaking about resolutions…I know most folks make resolutions to eat healthier, lose weight, etc. in the New Year. Sorry, but many of these first recipes are not very healthy. Several are dishes I cooked over the holidays and used them to practice my food photography. More healthy recipes will be coming soon.
Post 1/13 – Panettone French Toast
This is a perfect recipe for using leftover Panettone and Eggnog. We had both ingredients available after our holiday festivities. Thought it might be a good idea to combine the two. Luckily, it worked.
1 lb. loaf panettone bread, parchment paper removed
6 large eggs
1½ cups eggnog (or milk, cream, half & half – any combination)
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Trim the bottom crust from the panettone. Use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into ¾ inch thick slices. If you slice it crosswise, you get nice rounds that can be cut into two. Thought of this too late and sliced it like a regular loaf of bread. The slices weren’t as pretty but they tasted fine!
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the eggnog (or milk, cream, ½ & ½) and beat until frothy. If you want, whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Butter a large nonstick griddle over medium heat. Dip slices of panettone into the egg mixture, turning to allow both sides to absorb the custard. Grill the soaked panettone slices until they are golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. You can keep the French toast warm, in a low, preheated oven, while you grill the rest of the panettone.
Serve with a little extra butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar, if you want. Otherwise, they are delicious plain.
The Flaming Pot Holder 