Tag: Recipe

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Strong Drink

This summer, on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, as we set up camp along the Gallatin River, a significant addition was made to our camping / fishing kit …

The Flask or more to the point, a flask of whiskey.

And so the evening cocktail hour was initiated and has now become a cherished tradition.

The term ‘whiskey’ can encompass a diverse number of spirits. Bourbon, Scotch, Rye, Canadian, and Irish are all types of whiskey and each has its own taste. What they share is a mash build much like our other favorite beverage (beer). The variations come in how the beverage is treated in the distillation and aging process.

Bourbon, the most american whiskey, has a mash build primarily of corn (50% or more) and it is aged in charred aged oak barrels. This tends to be our spirit of choice, though we’ve found some variations on that theme that are equally tasty.

Want a deep dive check out the Whiskey Tribe on YouTube they have some over the top videos but great information.

A recommendation? Try “Oregon Spirit” which is not just a good bourbon but also distilled in Bend, Oregon. Anything out of the Michtner’s Distillery is great … the American Whiskey (though technically not a bourbon) is excellent. However, you really need to do some tasting because there are so many variations. There are also a lot of craft distillers, one just might be near you.

There is no right way to drink whiskey. That said your first taste really should be un-adulterated, followed by the addition of a splash of water or a cube of ice. The taste will change … you’ll be amazed.

As for cocktail? Might we suggest a classic, “the Manhatten” … our version of the classic drink.

      1. Drop a cube of sugar (20g) in a glass then add three shakes of bitters.
        Muddle these to combine.
      2. Cut a strip of orange peel and expell the oils over the muddled sugar.
      3. At this point I like to add 2 ounces of sparkling soda (dry soda) but you can skip that part.
      4. Add 2 ounces of bourbon and a small handful of ice.

Stir and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

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Simple Vegetable Soup

January is national soup month and one of our favorites is this broth-based vegetable soup. Its packed with vegetables, freezes beautifully, and is low in calories.

This recipe makes a big pot of soup. We have several meals during the week and always freeze some for those days you “just want to have soup,” or need something for a last minute meal.

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Simple Vegetable Soup

A healthy, filling soup full of vegetables, but low in calories. 1 1/2 cups is only 225 calories.
Course: Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 med onion chopped
  • 2 med carrots chopped
  • 12 oz fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock low sodium
  • 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz cans
  • 4 cups kale chopped
  • 2 medium zucchini chopped
  • 4 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • 2 tsps red wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, green beans and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes more.
  • Add white beans, kale, zucchini, tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Increase heat to return to a simmer; cook until the zucchini and kale have softened, about 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe should make a dozen or more servings depending on your serving size. We ladle 14 oz of soup into deli cups, cool in fridge, and then freeze. Stored this way the soup can keep for months and is very easy to thaw and re-heat for a quick dinner.

 

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Persimmon Cookies … who knew?

Recently I was reading a book where the main character baked her signature “Persimmon Cookies.” All the book characters absolutely loved the treat … I figure what better endorsement is there?

Since this was the first time either Jack and I have heard of these cookies we decided  to do some research. If your lucky there might be persimmons in the produce section of your local grocery.  This is one of the rare fruits that is still sold seasonally.  But, have you ever tasted one?

As Jack tells it … growing up the Schommer kids were exposed to a lot of exotic foods … they even had serving utensils for escargot. But Jack couldn’t remember ever tasting any variety of this bright orange fruit.

Persimmons originated in China where they have been cultivated for centuries. There are two varieties … non-astringent (Fuyu) and astringent (Hachiya). You may have trouble finding either in your local market.

Fuyu is round and flat or donut shaped and it’s skin is  more golden orange.

These can be eaten regardless of ripeness and are great sliced onto a salad and should be eaten when the flesh is firm.

The Hachiya (ideal for baking) is typically larger and acorn or oblong in shape, with skin in a deep orange. It will frequently have black sun spots (not a problem).

This astringent-variety must be ripe to eat, and by that we mean soft, very soft. If you should take a bite of an un-ripened Hachiya it will turn you throat to dust (… you have been warned). On the other hand, ripe ones are the best for baking, making excellent cookies.

Persimmon and Cocoa Drop cookies accompanied by drams of Michter’s Whiskey

Persimmons taste of honey with a touch of cinnamon and once you’ve found them you’ll be back.

The cookie recipe we are sharing uses Hachiya and adds seasonal spices to the ripe fruit to bring out their flavor.

Then they are topped with a sweet orange glaze that is perfect with eggnog or whiskey.

 

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Persimmon Cookies

Servings: 2 dozen

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup very ripe persimmon pulp puree
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup golden raisins Substitute chopped cranberries or dates for raisins.

Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice Reserve a couple of extra tablespoons in case you need to adjust the consistency of the glaze.
  • 1 tbsp persimmon puree
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp orange extract

Instructions

  • If available, use hachiya persimmons (ideal for baking). They should be very ripe and completely soft to the touch. Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp. Discard any seeds or membrane that might be there. Each hachiya persimmon should yield approximately 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of pulp.
  • Prepare persimmon pulp: Using a blender or foot processor, puree the ripe persimmon pulp until smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon bakiing soda.
  • Beat together the butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix in the persimmon puree and orange zest.
  • In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and salt.
  • Make cookie dough: Add dry ingredients to persimmon mixture a third at a time, stirring just until flour is incorporated. Stir in nuts and dried fruit.
  • Chill dough for 1 hour.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop cookie dough rounds on stick-free cookie sheets, leaving at least an inch between the cookies.
    Bake for 13-14 minutes or until cookies are browned around the edges and spring back when lightly touched in center. Let cool on baking racks before frosting.
  • Prepare glaze: Sift confectioners sugar, then whisk with 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of persimmon puree, 1 teaspoon of orange zest and 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional). Mix until smooth. Dip spoon into glaze mixture and dribble over cookies. Let harden before serving.
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Cocoa Drop Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 3/4 cup AP flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening at room temp
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Brown Butter Icing

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar keep ¼ cup in reserve
  • 2 Tbls heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Sift together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening, sugar and the egg.
  • Add in buttermilk and vanilla mix until combined and smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients, 1/3 at a time to the liquid and mix until combined before adding next third.
  • Stir in chopped nuts and refrigerate dough for one hour.
  • Preheat oven to 400º
  • Using a cookie scoop, place balls of chilled dough on to parchment lined baking sheets.  2 tablespoon measures (30g) will yield about 24 2” cookies.  1 tablespoon measures will give you 1 ½ inch cookies and yield about 45.

Brown Butter Icing

  • Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat, stirring regularly until it comes to a boil, reduce heat to med. low and continue stirring until it turns a golden brown color. Remove from heat and pour over 1 ¾ cup of powdered sugar in a medium bowl, add in cream and vanilla, whisk until you have a thick, spreadable icing. You can add the reserved sugar to help get the proper consistancy.
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Smoked Trout for Dinner

Here is a recipe with ingredients acquired in a stop at  Trader Joes and on the table in half an hour. Smoked trout, a lemony onion dressing and creamy avocado combine for a great meal.  A good loaf of bread is key and in this case we didn’t source that from TJs, but rather Sparrow Bakery.  Your favorite hearty bread will work … you could try the baguettes from TJs.

The recipe was taken off the Food52 web site. I think those folks are working for Trader Joes because often their recipes, right down to the quantity, match what you’ll find on TJ’s shelves. You can use any canned meat but smoked trout is best and ironically that is the only place we could find it.  Include the oil from the can as it enhances the flavor but doesn’t make the salad too oily.

Along with a baguette from Sparrow, there’s one other alteration. We don’t broil the bread or serve the salad on toast, we prefer the toast is on the side. Be sure you allow the lemon and shallot mix to macerate for the full 20 minutes.

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Smoked Trout and Avocado Salad Toasts

Delicious salad that comes together in no time at all
Servings: 2 people
Author: Alexandra Stafford @ food52.com

Ingredients

  • 1 small shallot minced
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil in small bowl
  • 3 heads Belgian endive one pkg Trader Joes
  • 4 oz Smoke Trout 1 3.7oz tin from Trader Joes
  • 2 scallions finely sliced
  • 1/2 avocado firm but ripe
  • 1/8 cup fresh parsley finely minced
  • 4 1 inch slices of bread

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler to high. Finely mince the shallot and place in a small bowl. Cover with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. (I like to add a pinch of sugar, too.) Set aside to macerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a fork to whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. 
  • Meanwhile, quarter the heads of endive through the core, then finely slice crosswise. Place in a large bowl. Scatter the scallions over top. Break the smoked trout into large pieces over top. Pour the dressing over top, and use your hands to gently toss everything together, keeping the trout in largish pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—now is the time to correct for seasoning because once the avocado is in, you don’t want to toss too much or it will all turn to mush.
  • Dice the avocado, and add to the bowl followed by the parsley. Toss with your hands again gently until combined. Set salad aside.
  • Arrange bread on cooling rack set on sheet pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly golden, keeping a close watch. Remove pan from oven, flip slices of bread over, drizzle with more oil, and return pan to the oven for another 2 minutes, or until bread is golden. Transfer toasts to a platter. Mound trout and avocado salad over top. Serve immediately.
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Cranberry Goodness

From November to January, and maybe a bit longer, we always have some type of cranberry sauce/chutney in the fridge.

First … this is the season when fresh berries are easy to find on your grocers’ shelves and second … they mix really well with citrus which is also coming into season.

There are tons of sauce, dressing and chutney recipes that transform tart berries into tasty accompaniments. From a simple orange and cranberry curry, to a spicy chili infused chutney that makes any poultry or pork dish better.

Perhaps the other classic hoiliday treat is pecan pie. However, it is just too cloyingly sweet and gelatinous. Then we came across a Cranberry-Pecan Tart … YUM!

It’s a bit fiddly in that you need to move the dough into and out of the fridge a number of times. But the tart shell is better than any we’ve attempted in the past.

Then there is the sugar into caramel which is a bit scary the first time … just fight that urge to give the sugar a stir. The results are well worth the effort and it freezes well so you can have treats all through the holidays … when you get tired of cookies.

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Smoked Serrano Cranberry Chutney

Spicy and sweet accompaniment to any holiday meal.
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 smoked serrano chiles
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots
  • 2 Tbsp crystallized ginger minced
  • 1 Tbsp crushed Urfa chiles
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • In small sauce pan, bring water and orange juice to a boil.
  • Stir in cranberries and brown sugar.
  • Reduce to a simmer and stir in remaining ingredients. Continue simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thckens and coats the back of a spoon (about 15 to 20 minutes).
  • Serve warm, room temp or chilled. This also freezes well, allow to thaw on counter and microwave or stovetop reheat to have warm sauce.

 

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Cranberry-Pecan Tart

The perfect tart pastry filled with caramel, pecans and cranberries.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: berries, Pecans, Tart

Ingredients

tart dough

  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup AP flour
  • 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter cut in 1/4" pieces and chilled

filling

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 3 Tbls unsalted butter cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 6 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 1/4 cups pecans toasted and corsely chopped

Instructions

For the tart dough

  • Whisk egg yolk, cream and vanilla together in bowl. Process flour, sugar and salt in food processor until combined (about 5 seconds). Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal., about 15 pulses. With processor running, slowly add egg yolk mixture and process until dough just comes together, about 12 seconds.
  • Turn out dough onto sheet of plastic wrap. Form dough into 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, before rolling. (Wrapped dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling.)
  • Roll dough into 11-inch circle on lightly floured counter. (If dough becomes too soft and sticky to work with, transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.) Place dough round on baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
  • Remove dough from refrigerator but keep dough on sheet. Loosely roll dougy around rolling pin and gently unroll into 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into corners with your other hand.
  • Press dough into fluted sides of pan, forming a distinct seam around pan's circumference. (finished edge should be 1/4 inch thick. If some sections are too thick, press dough up over edge.) Run rolling pin or knife over top of pan to remove any excess dough. Wrap dough-lined pan loosely in plastic, place on large plate, and freeze until dough is firm, about 30 minutes before using. (Dough-lined pan can be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month.)
  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375º. Set dough-lined pan on rimmed paking sheet. Line chilled tart shell with parchment paper or double layer of aluminum foil, covering edges to prevent burning , and fill with pie weights. Bake until tart shell is golden brown and set, about 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and carefully remove foil and weights. Let tart shell cool on sheet while preparing filling.

Tart filling

  • Reduce oven temperature to 325º. Pour water into medium saucepan, then pour sugar into center fo saucepan, taking care not to let sugar granules hit side of pan. Gently stir sugar with clean spatual to wet thoroughly. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring utnilsugar has dissolved completely and liquid as faint golden color and registers 300º, 6 to 10 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns dark amber and registers 350º, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Off heat, slowly whisk in cream until combined. Add cranberries and pecans and gently stir until evenly distributed and thoroughly coated in carmel. Pour filling into tart shell. Bake tart on sheet until filling is bubbling and nearly set (it should jiggle slightly when shaken), 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
  • Transfer sheet to wire rack and let tart cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove outer metal ring of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between tart and pan bottom, and carefully slide tart onto platter. Cut into wedges and serve. (Tart can be wrapped loosely in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours.)