What’s Brewing Chez Moi?

23 May

I often have trouble deciding what to order when we go out for drinks with our friends. Beer can be refreshing, but it is pretty heavy and after one I need a nap. I like cocktails, but I am a lightweight and I would prefer something with less alcohol so that I can have more than one.  Wine is great, but it gives me migraines and I haven’t been able to drink it for a while now… enter: hard cider. It is the perfect drink for me because it is light and refreshing, gluten-free, and low in alcohol. I have really fallen in love with it.

I first had hard cider in France while on a visit to Normandy. The region is famous for it, and with good reason. We would drive around the bucolic countryside, through miles of apple orchards, and pull over at one of the many “degustations” offering tastes. I have actually been to the town of Calvados, where apple brandy is made, and wished that someone here was making a product of equal quality.

drinking-in-normandy

I think that a lof of Americans are afraid of cider because they think it is too sweet. The few brands we have been able to get here are overly sweetened and (to my palate) undrinkable. But, recently there has been a cider renaissance in Washington State, and now there are quite a few good (and great) ones to choose from. But, you know me, I love to make everything from scratch and so why not cider? I mean, our forefathers made it themselves (John Adams was known to drink a tankard of it a day, lucky man), so I know it can’t be that hard.

Hard_Apple_Cider-300x199

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you know what? It isn’t hard at all. Actually, the apple juice we started with had a warning label on the bottle that said to keep it in the fridge else it could turn alcoholic. So really, it just simply could not be easier to make this stuff. We now have our first batch fermenting down in the basement, and for this batch we are experimenting with two different yeasts to see which we prefer. Once we get our baseline taste profile then we can add fun things to the cider, like ginger or lemon or whatever we decide would be fun. If you want to be involved in some of the tastings we will do send me a message and I will put you on the list.

fermenting_apple_cider

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My latest adventure: Staging

30 Apr

If you aren’t familiar with the culinary definition of the term staging, it is working briefly and without pay in another chef’s kitchen to learn new techniques and cuisines. Come next week, this is what I will be doing at a fantastic restaurant located in the Lake Chelan area. (I will leave more specific details for a future post, so stay tuned.)

Why in the world would I want to leave husband and kitties behind for a week of hard work and no pay? Because Dave and I have some ideas brewing in our heads about what we might want to do in the next few years, and opening a small restaurant in Walla Walla is one of  them.  We have been contemplating a move to Walla for years now, and something about the timing feels right these days.

restaurant

Yes, I know restaurants usually fail. Yes, I know they are incredibly hard work. But, we have been running a successful small business for over a decade now and for some reason we just aren’t afraid to try something new.  But I’m also the kind of person who does her homework, and I am lucky enough to have friends with successful restaurants who are willing to let me try it out. This is my first stage but it won’t be my last; I plan to spend a good amount of time trying out different experiences to really get a feel of whether we can do this as a business for ourselves. Maybe we can, maybe we can’t. All I know is I’m planning to have a lot of fun figuring it out.

Stay tuned for updates from my latest adventure! And wish me luck.

 

 

Raw Banana Macadamia Coconut Dream Pie

21 Mar

Dave and I did a raw food cleanse last month that we really loved, and I have to say it really changed my palette. I haven’t been able to eat meat since we quit the cleanse (about a month ago), and I don’t tolerate alcohol at all. Which is kind of a bummer for someone who likes to have a nice glass of wine once in a while. C’est la vie.

In the meantime, I have become totally addicted to raw desserts. We have banished sugar completely from our diet, and to the delight of my super-sweet-tooth, have found plenty of delicious but healthy treats. Like this one.

bananacremepie 005

Who knew that soaking some cashews could give you all kinds of amazing dessert options? You can make whipped cream with them, and I recently made a vegan mayo with cashews and coconuts that was surprisingly believable.

Raw Banana Madacamia Coconut Dream Pie
From: Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Crust:
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cups shredded, dried coconut
1/2 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat (or additional coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
8 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:
2 cups sliced bananas
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours in filtered water and drained)
1 1/2 cups young coconut meat or soaked cashews (drained)
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)
1/3 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
2 sliced bananas
3 Tbsp raw cacao powder
Cream topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/4 cup coconut water
1 cups fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
3 Tbsp raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 teaspoons vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup large flake coconut
large pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp honey
For the crust, combine the nuts, coconut, and buckwheat in a food processor and process until crumbs. Add the sea salt and dates and process until the mixture starts to come together when squeezed. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 6-inch springform pan, sprayed with non-stick coconut oil spray. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For the filling, combine 2 cups bananas, coconut, coconut water, agave, sea salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the coconut oil and process for a minute. Divide the mixture into 2 bowls, then place one back in the food processor and add cacao powder.  Process until combined. Pour the chocolate filling mixture over the prepared crust, then top with sliced bananas, then the plain filling, then more bananas.  Place in the freezer to set for about an hour.

Meanwhile, to make the topping, combine the cashews, coconut water, sea salt, agave nectar, and vanilla and process until smooth. Add the coconut oil slowly with the motor running (If the mixture starts to separate and clump, the filling is too cold to emulsify the oil, so warm some of it and process again). Place the topping in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it firms up to whipped cream  consistency. Once frosting consistency, move to the fridge until ready to use.
Once the filling has set,spread over the tart.
In a food processor, place macadamia nuts, coconut, sea salt, and honey and pulse until chopped.  Sprinkle over tart, and serve! Store extra in the fridge.

Belizean Dreams

29 Jan

We just got back from Belize, and I think I am feeling the most well-rested and happy that I can remember. What an amazing place!! We stayed at a small resort in a little coastal village, and everything was perfect… except the food. In an attempt to cater to American tourists, our resort and all of the others in our little strip of coastline served things like burgers, nachos, and wings, instead of the local cuisine. Dave and I managed to corner every local we encountered and grilled them about their local food culture, and soon found some other dining options more suited to our desire to experience real Belizean food.

Belize is comprised of many different cultures and cultural influences, from Mayan to African to Amish. The main culture of the region we visited is Garifuna, descendants of Carib Indians and Black Africans originally from the island of St. Vincent. This dish, pictured below, is called Hudut and is their most popular. The fish is caught fresh each day, and is simmered in a coconut “gravy” with aromatics. It is served with mashed plantains and sweet potatoes and is really delicious.

Hudut

We also spent lots of time staring at the sea and drinking tropical concoctions, like this blended pineapple drink:

On our way to visit the Mayan ruins of Xunatunich, near the Guatemalan border, we stopped in a town called St. Ignacio. This town is second in size only to Belize City, and is a mix of Creole, Mestizo, Chinese, Mennonite and more. Their most famous local dish is called beansandricechickenandsalad (said like it is one word), and we stopped at a great place called Benny’s to enjoy ours.

It came with this watermelon drink, which is simply watermelon thrown into the blender. It was perfectly refreshing, and such a welcome change from the idea of sugary sodas popular here.  We couldn’t get enough of it.

I would definitely recommend Belize if you haven’t already been. It is simply beautiful, and rich with cultural and natural beauties.  There are jungle preserves to explore, caves to spelunker, coastline to enjoy and of course the best scuba and snorkeling in the world. Or, if you are like me and want to stare into the blue sea for an entire day, that works too.  Just pack LOTS of sunscreen, and don’t trust your husband when he tells you that you can’t get burned in the shade!

Quince and Sweet Gorgonzola Salad

4 Jan

Happy New Year! I hope you said a proper goodbye to 2011, and thank you for continuing to read my blog. I know I only post sporadically, but perhaps in 2012 I will be better about it. I don’t make resolutions (mostly because I never keep them), but if I did I am sure blogging more would be at the top of the list. The good news is that I’m not cooking any less, just really busy with my day job and finding less and less time in my day. But, since I own my own small business I guess being busy is a good thing, especially in this economy.

Since I saw you last I have been cooking up a storm from Plenty, the latest cookbook from London chef Ottolenghi. The recipes are all vegetarian, but they are designed to be filling and hearty and attractive to carnivores as well.  This salad would be an excellent accompaniment to anything, from fish to chicken to beef and pork. Quince are my new favorite fruit, and though they require some cooking time to make them easily edible, they are such a fragrant, delightful treat that I can’t resist any recipe that contains them.

One caveat: quince are only in season through February, and may be hard to find if your grocery store doesn’t have them. We get ours from our CSA, and I just got these last week so I know there are still some out there. Many people actually have quince trees and don’t have any idea what to do with the fruit. Friend one of these people, and “help” take some off their hands.

Quince and Sweet Gorgonzola Salad
From Plenty
Serves 4

1 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
15 black peppercorns
4 strips orange zest
2 bay leaves
juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup red wine
2 medium quinces
1 tsp grainy mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
4 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups mixed greens
4-5 ounces sweet gorgonzola
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted, some whole and some roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 275. Take a medium-sized heavy pan that can go in the oven and for which you have a tight-fitting lid. Place inside the water, sugar, peppercorns, orange zest, bay leaves, lemon juice and red wine. Set on the stove and bring to a light simmer. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat.

Meanwhile, peel the quinces; keep the skin. Cut the fruit vertically into quarters and remove the core; keep this too. Cut each quarter into two segments. Place the quince segments, plus the skin and cores, in the sugar syrup. Cover the pan and put it into the over to cook for about two hours. After this time the quince should be completely tender. Remove from over and leave to cool, uncovered.

Whisk together until smooth the mustard, vinegar, 4tbs of the quince cooking liquid, 1/2 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper.

To finish the salad, place some salad leaves on 4 serving plates. Arrange four quince sergments per portion and some hand-broken pieces of gorgonzola on the leaves. Try to build the salad up. Place a few more leaves on top. Spoon the dressing over and scatter over the pistachios. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil. Alternatively, arrange similarly in a large central mixing bowl and bring to the table.

 


 

Whole-Grain Mustard with Roasted Garlic and Maple

21 Dec

I really do love the holiday season. I think it is easier to love in the last five or so years since Dave and I decided to get out of the STUFF cycle– no more stress of finding the exact perfect thing for someone who already has everything s/he wants or needs; no more shocking credit bills in January; no more frantic trips to overcrowded shops, no more pretending to love something you know will get thrown straight into the trash bin.  But I do love the spirit of giving, and so I have managed to find a happy balance for myself by focusing on homemade gifts. Nothing is more fun (to me) than starting lemons and vodka in July in anticipation of bottling limoncello in December for my friends. Last year I made this, to rave reviews, and the mustard I am sharing with you now was also such a big hit last year I had to make it again.

Sadly, I don’t have any pictures to share of the mustard (computer issue, I won’t bore you with the details). So instead I will share a photo of Robyn and I and the fun we have been having this season, and you will just have to trust me that this mustard  is really, really good. Slather it on pork or chicken and roast away. Or add it to a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, or serve with crackers and an kind of cheese.  Once you see how easy it is to make your own fresh mustard, you might never want to buy the supermarket stuff again.

Whole-Grain Mustard with Roasted Garlic and Maple
From Cooking.com
Yields about 8 cups

2 1/4 cups  whole yellow mustard seeds (see Tip)
3/4 cup  whole brown mustard seeds (see Tip)
2 1/2 cups  cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups  water, plus more as needed
1 head  garlic
1 teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup  pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons  salt

Combine yellow and brown mustard seeds, vinegar and 1 1/2 cups water in a large bowl; cover and let stand at room temperature until the liquid is mostly absorbed, at least 6 hours (or up to 24 hours).

About an hour before you’re ready to make mustard, preheat oven to 400°F. Rub off the excess papery skin from garlic without separating the cloves. Slice the tip off the head, exposing the cloves. Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with oil and wrap into a package. Place the package directly on the oven rack and roast until the garlic is very soft, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze half of the cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add half of the mustard seed mixture and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary and adding water by the tablespoon as needed to facilitate the blending, until some of the seeds are coarsely chopped and the mixture looks like grainy mustard. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining roasted garlic and mustard mixture and add to the bowl. Stir in maple syrup and salt.

Spoon the mustard into airtight containers and refrigerate.

Slow-roasted Pork with Apple Cider and Quince

7 Dec

It has been a while since I have posted a recipe, and I have to tell you it is because I have been busy having a lot of fun. This past month I returned from France, spent a week in San Diego with my family, and in any and all of my spare time have been cooking up a storm. The only problem? I haven’t been stopping to take photos, which means no blog post. I made a batter-fried chicken recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that was pretty great (so great that it was inhaled before pictures could be snapped), and a lot of other things that were just too good to wait and eat and so didn’t get photographed. (sigh)

This recipe suffered the same fate (there is no picture of the final product after it cooks), but at least I captured some of the journey. I have to say that this is the best pork I have ever had. Who knew pork and quince were such a perfect marriage? The fruit, which has such a lovely fragrance, perfumes the meat and so every bite is heaven. I have made this before without the quince and just used apples in their place, but I promise you the quince knocks this out of the park. I found fresh quince at my local market in Seattle, and it is really worth the trouble to find. Here is what it looks like:

When I came back from Normandy last month, all I wanted was apples and cider and things that reminded me of Norman fall. I love to use cider to braise pork, and this recipe is just a riff on one that I make every year with Washington apples when they are at their freshest. Serve with mashed potatoes and a good Norman hard cider, and this is the perfect Autumnal meal.

Slow-roasted Pork with Apple Cider and Quince
Adapted from Gourment

4-lb pork shoulder
1 large onion, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 large apple
2 medium quince
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 tbs olive oil
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
salt and pepper

Serves 4-6

Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to plate.

Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic,  3/4 teaspoon salt,  and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more. Add the fresh thyme.

While the onions are carmelizing, peel and slice the apples and quince into 1/2-inch slices.

Return pork to pot with sliced fruit and onions, and add enough cider to cover pork about 2/3 of the way. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.  Can also be made in the crock pot by following the same steps and adjusting the cooking time.

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