vegetarian Archive

Life’s Simple Pleasures: Salted Molasses Butter

This isn’t really a recipe post, it’s more of a revelation. It’s a post about the simple pleasures in life, and about taking the time to enjoy them.

Last night, Nich was working late and I was home by myself. I had a lot of things to get done and I was generally feeling overwhelmed by life. As I stared at the sink full of dirty dishes before me, I made a choice to stop for a moment. I actually took time to sit down and eat a proper dinner. I turned off the TV, poured myself a glass of bubbly, and ate one of the best meals I’ve had in awhile. It was just what I needed.

For those curious, my dinner consisted of a baguette with salted molasses butter and a roasted beet salad. I’ll write more about salad in a few days (it was really good), but today I’m going to keep it simple. I’m just going to tell you that you need to make some salted molasses butter. Whip up a batch this weekend, spread it on a crusty baguette, and eat to your heart’s content. You’ll thank me for it.

And in case you’re wondering…salted molasses butter is every bit as simple as it sounds. Mix together softened (unsalted) butter, molasses, and kosher salt. That’s really all there is to it. (Oh, and a big thank you to Jennifer Perillo at Simple Scratch Cooking for the idea in the first place.)

So, here’s to a lovely weekend full of simple pleasures. I’m going to do my best to take the time to enjoy them, and hope you all can do the same. Happy Friday!

(p.s. I didn’t realize until just now that the salted molasses butter looks strangely like peanut butter?)

Recipe Swap: Strawberry Champagne Jam and Thumbprints

It’s recipe swap time again!

For those of you who are unfamiliar, this recipe swap is the brain child of Christianna at Burwell General Store. Every month, she selects one recipe from a vintage cookbook and sends it out to a group of food bloggers from all over the world. We’re each asked to reinterpret the recipe however we see fit, and then we all post our recreations on the same day.

For this swap, CM picked the old time recipe of Jelly Cake.

As I’ve said before a million (billion) times, I’m not a big sweets person. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t think of a savory application for Jelly Cake. My thoughts drifted to summer berries, jams, preserves, and syrups. CM specifically told us she picked this recipe in hopes that we’d be inspired by summer preserves, and she was spot on. I was THRILLED to have an excuse to make jam!

So when I saw that strawberries were still very much in season here in Oregon, I promptly bought a flat of strawberries from my farmer’s market and invited myself over to my mom’s house for a day of canning. I grew up making jam with my Grandma, and I must admit that my Grandma’s strawberry freezer jam is one of the best things I have ever, ever tasted.

But, for whatever reason, this time I didn’t set out to make my Grandmother’s jam. I think I was too afraid of messing up her recipe. I was scared it wouldn’t taste like the jam I remember so fondly from my childhood! So, then, I decided put my own spin on my childhood favorite: I made Strawberry Champagne Jam with Thyme.

I wasn’t sure how the alcohol would work with the jam, but I decided to give it a shot. I’d seen a few recipes online (so I knew it was possible), and it just sounded like such a wonderful combination. I worried and fretted as I made the jam, hoping that the champagne wouldn’t keep the jam from setting up properly. I stared at the jars of jam as they cooled, willing them to set up properly. When I opened up a jar the next day, I was pleased to see the jam had set up nicely. I was even more pleased to discover that the jam tasted fantastic. However, I was totally and completely taken aback by the fact that his jam somehow tasted exactly like my Grandma’s strawberry jam. Let it be known that my Grandma does not put champagne or thyme in her jam. I have no idea how my jam ended up tasting so much like hers! There isn’t a lot of thyme or champagne in the jam, so I think these flavors paled in comparison to the natural fruity flavors of the strawberries. Try as I might to make my own version, I still ended up with a jam that was a lot like my Grandmas. I couldn’t be happier!

So, then, what do you do when you have 11 jars of delicious strawberry jam? First, you spread some on a piece of toast and happily devour it. Then, you make another piece of toast and devour that piece as well. Then, you give away a couple of jars to your friends and family.

Then…you make jam thumbprints!

I love thumbprint cookies, and this seemed like the perfect way to feature the jam. In addition, this cookie is such a classic old recipe, and it really seemed to fit well within the realm of jelly cake. The cookies were bright, fun, flavorful, and captured so many of my favorite flavors of summer.

As always, I had a great time participating in the recipe swap. I am thankful to Christianna for giving me the excuse to make my first jam of the summer (there will be many more to come, I hope!). Make sure you stop by the Recipe Swap page at Burwell General store, and be sure to visit all the other fantastic blogs to see what they came up with for the swap!

Strawberry Champagne Jam with Thyme
(Adapted from Recipe Circus)

(Note: The champagne and thyme flavors are very subtle in this jam. Feel free to experiment with the measurements to reach your desired flavor profile. Also, this jam is a bit runny. If you want a firm jam that sets up completely, I would suggest omitting the champagne.)

Ingredients
4-1/2 to 5 cups strawberries
1 pkg. (3 Tablespoons) pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dry champagne
6 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

Method
In a large pot or stock pot, combine berries, pectin, lemon juice, thyme and champagne. Cook on medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. (Note: the mixture will bubble and foam and will triple in size. If you’re afraid it will boil over, feel free to scrape off some of the foam).

Once boiling, add sugar and stir constantly until mixture comes to a rolling boil again. Boil, while stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately ladle into clean, hot jars.

Invert jars after applying lids and let set for a few hours before processing for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. (The original instructions call for this step, but I was in a hurry so I skipped the inverting part and went straight to the hot water bath).

Strawberry Jam Thumbprints
(Makes 2 dozen cookies)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup ground (toasted) almonds
8 ounces butter (2 sticks), room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
The zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
pinch of salt
2/3 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter with sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (5 mins). In a food processor or blender, grind almonds, thyme and lemon zest together until the almonds mixture is finely ground.

In a separate small bowl, Whisk together flour, ground almonds, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined. Refrigerate dough for 20-30 minutes before shaping.

Using a teaspoon (or your hands), form small balls and place on cookies sheets, evenly spaced apart. Using your thumb, make indentations in the cookies, creating a well for the jam. Fill each cookie well with strawberry jam.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are just barely browned around the edges. Allow to cool on a wire rack. The cookies should be crumbly, buttery (and fabulous)!

Radish Leaf Pesto Pasta Salad

For whatever reason, I’ve had a really hard time writing this post.

It definitely isn’t due to lack of effort. Quite the contrary, I’ve sat down to write this post many, many times. But every time I turn on my computer and attempt to write about this radish leaf pesto…I simply draw a blank. I try to will my brain to come up with the words, but my brain keeps telling me that it would rather look at pretty things on Pinterest. Apparently, I can’t will my own brain into submission.

All that to say, it would appear that I’ve got a case of writer’s block. It happens to the best of us. I think that I’ve had a hard time writing this recipe because, well, it isn’t really a recipe. Pesto is one of my favorite things to make, for this very reason. There isn’t any one right way to make it, and there are no hard and fast rules for pesto-making. Pesto can take on many different forms, depending on the mood and ingredients at hand. The very freedom I feel in making pesto is the very thing that makes it so hard to write about.

Since I’m having trouble finding the words, I’ll just say this: pesto = greens + garlic + hard cheese + nuts.

It’s as simple as that. To be clear, pesto is traditionally made with basil and pine nuts. But by no means am I traditional, and therefore my pesto tends to skew the same way. Depending upon what I find in my fridge, I’ll make pesto with any combination of the following ingredients: parmesan, pine nuts, hazelnuts, arugula, cilantro, asiago, beet greens, basil, mint, parsley, pecorino romano, almonds, walnuts, and more. There are countless ways to make pesto, it all just depends on what you like (or what you have on hand).

Seeing as this is the season for all things green, I find myself making pesto all the time. My garden and fridge are currently overflowing with leafy greens, and as much as my bunny would love to devour all my extra greens, I usually break his little heart and make a giant batch of pesto instead. Pesto is a fantastic way to reduce waste and use greens before they go bad, and pesto can easily be frozen and then thawed for later use. It just might be the perfect food.

However, in all of my years of pesto-making, it had never dawned on me to use radish leaves. In fact, I’m rather embarassed to admit that it had never occurred to me that you can eat radish leaves (On the same note, I recently saw a recipe for pesto using carrot greens. Genius!). I give all credit for this idea to Portland’s own Chef Vitaly Paley, who recently competed against Chef Garces on Iron Chef America’s “Battle Radish”. During the battle, Chef Paley whipped up many amazing things, including a radish leaf pesto. Even the usually unflappable Iron Chef judges were amazed by his use of radish leaf. It was such an inventive way to use the entire vegetable, as opposed to just throwing the greens away. Chef Paley made all us Portlanders proud! (Note: Chef Paley also won Battle Radish)

It goes without saying that the next time I bought radishes from the farmer’s market, I came straight home and made a batch of radish leaf pesto. It was everything I hoped it would be! The radish leaves lend a little kick of spice to the pesto, and they give it an especially vibrant bright green color. Honestly, I’ll never look at radishes (or their leaves) the same way again. They are a versatile and delicious little vegetable.

(And would you look at that? I see a lot of words on this here page. Maybe I don’t have writer’s block after all!)

RADISH LEAF AND HAZELNUT PESTO PASTA SALAD

Note: When I make pesto, I don’t measure anything. I usually start by throwing a few cloves of garlic in the food processor. Then, I’ll add greens and nuts. Then olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a few red pepper flakes. I keep blending and adding olive oil and/or lemon juice, until the pesto looks right to me. I happen to like a nice, thick pesto that isn’t too heavy on the olive oil. The following measurements are a set of rough guidelines, so feel free to alter the amounts in any way you see fit.

For the radish leaf pesto:
1 large bunch of radish leaves, washed and patted dry (radishes set aside for use in pasta salad)
3 heads of green garlic (or 3 cloves of normal garlic)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Dash of red chili flakes
1 large handful of fresh basil leaves* (or any other leafy green you have on hand)

*Note: I was making a rather large batch of pesto, so one bunch of radish leaves wasn’t going to cut it, hence why I added in basil. You could easily double the amount of radish leaves for a larger batch, but I only had the one bunch on hand.

Method: Mince garlic using a food processor. Add in nuts, radish leaves, basil, and lemon juice. Blend until combined. Add olive oil in small amounts, until you reach desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, and extra lemon juice (if so desired). If not using immediately, refrigerate until use.

For the pasta salad:
1 small bunch of asparagus
1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
1 lb fresh pasta of your choosing
1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1/2 – 1 cup radish leaf pesto
1 cup baby arugula
Radishes, washed and sliced thinly

Method:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta water and set pasta aside to cool.

Snap the ends off the asparagus. Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath. When the pot of water is boiling, add asparagus. Allow the asparagus to cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Once the asparagus has cooled (a few minutes), remove it from the ice bath and cut into 1″ pieces.

Toss cooled pasta with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir together pesto and Greek yogurt, then toss yogurt and pesto mixture with the pasta. Gently stir in parmesan cheese, sliced radishes, asparagus and arugula. Allow to chill at least 20 minutes before serving, as this will allow the flavors to meld.

Recipe Swap: Mashed Potato Pancakes with Lemon Tarragon Creme Fraiche

Its recipe swap time again!

By this time, many of you know the drill. My friend and fellow food blogger – Christianna at Burwell General Store – created this swap as a way to encourage creativity in the kitchen. Every month, an ever-growing group of foodies from across the globe reinterpret a recipe from a vintage cookbook (and hymnal!) called All Day Singin’ and Cookin on The Ground.

I’ve been part of the swap from the very beginning, and I never grow tired of the crazy recipes that CM asks us to reinterpret. From Ozarkian Taffy Apples to Company Time Lemon Cake, every swap is completely unique and forces me to think outside of the box. I absolutely love being a part of this group.

For this swap, CM selected a simple recipe for Potato Donuts.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not a big “sweets” person. When I want a snack, I’ll reach for a bag of Kettle chips long before I’ll grab a candy bar. What can I say? I’m a salty gal.

That being said, I knew that my potato donut would morph into something savory. Potatoes are such a versatile ingredient, and I was overwhelmed by the possibilities offered by this recipe swap. I thought about making potato bread. Then, I thought about making potato gnocci (but, wait, I’ve already made that). I toyed with the idea of potato bagels, and then I realized my life is far too hectic at the moment to attempt something as time consuming as bagels.

So, I went with my gut. Literally, I obeyed my stomach. It happened to be dinner time, and I found myself staring at the bag of red potatoes I’d bought for the recipe swap. I’d changed my mind a million times about what to make, but ultimately I let my stomach be the guide. I had a sudden and inexplicable craving for mashed potato pancakes, so I just ran with it.

I’d seen recipes for mashed potato pancakes previously, usually marketed as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes (which it is a genius idea). Sadly, I didn’t have any leftover mashed potatoes. What I did have was raw red potatoes, which meant I would needed to pre-cook and mash them before I could make potato pancakes. But, by this point, I was really set on the idea of mashed potato pancakes, so I was willing to put in the extra effort.

So, I went through the trouble of boiling and mashing the potatoes. I left the skins on and mashed them with fresh herbs from my garden. Once the potato mixture cooled, I formed them into patties and pan fried them in a cast iron skillet with some brown butter. I served them atop a bed of arugula with a dollop of lemon tarragon creme fraiche.

And holy smokes, they were everything I had hoped they would be. They were crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside. They were hearty, without being heavy. And while I know these “pancakes” are a far cry from a traditional donut, I feel this reinterpretation is completely in line with my palate and style of cooking. Somehow, I turned a potato donut recipe into a seasonal spring dinner! Go figure, I suppose. :)

And, as always, I had a great time. I highly encourage you to visit the Recipe Swap page at Burwell General Store, and take a look at all the other fabulous creations.

Mashed Potato Pancakes with Lemon Tarragon Creme Fraiche

For mashed potatoes (or use leftover mashed potatoes!)
6-8 small red potatoes, washed and cubed (leave skins on)
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons nonfat or lowfat Greek yogurt
Salt & pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons minced chives
1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add in cubed potatoes. Allow potatoes to simmer until cooked all the way through (test with fork or knife for doneness).

Drain water from potatoes. With a potato masher (or other tool), mash potatoes until they reach a smooth consistency. Stir in yogurt in yogurt and butter, mix until creamy. Add in spices and seasonings. Allow potato mixture to cool.

For the potato pancakes
3 cups mashed potatoes
3 Tablespoons flour
1 egg white
Clarified butter

Using a cast iron skillet or griddle pan, heat clarified butter over medium high heat.

Form patties: mix 2 tablespoons of flour and egg white together with the mashed potatoes. Using your hands, form small mashed potato patties, and dusting each patty with flour on the outside. Pan fry until golden brown and crispy on each side (about 4 minutes per side). Adjust heat if the pancakes are browning too fast.

Lemon Tarragon Creme Fraiche
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1.5 Tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
The zest of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill until use.

Serve potato pancakes warm, atop a bed of arugula. Top with a dollop of lemon tarragon creme fraiche.

Spicy Pickled Carrots

As I mentioned earlier, I recently traveled to San Francisco to visit an old friend. We did some sightseeing – and of course, we did some eating – and I think my favorite stop on the whole trip was at Tartine Bakery.

Everything we ordered at Tartine was spot on. The bread pudding was moist, but not soggy. The asparagus monsieur was the happiest of marriages: melty cheese, crunchy bread, and roasted asparagus. My Americano was a thing of perfection.

Its been a few weeks since my trip to SF, and I still catch myself daydreaming about the late afternoon “snack” we had a Tartine.

But you want to know something funny? The one thing that really stuck with me were the side of pickled carrots.

There was just something special about them. I think that part of the reason I loved them so much was the fact that they were unexpected. I didn’t know that when you ordered bready cheesy goodness that it came with a side of house made pickles. Let alone, spicy carrot pickles. They were crunchy and briny – with just the right amount of spice – and were the perfect compliment to an ooey gooey cheesy sandwich. I was in love. Which brings me to the subject of pickles…

If you don’t recall from last summer, I really love pickles. I love eating them, making them, blogging about them, etc. (See exhibits: A, B, C, D). I went a bit pickle crazy last summer, but I finally stopped posting pickle recipes after my sisters begged me to knock it off. Not every shares my obsession for pickles, I suppose.

But, the spicy pickled carrots at Tartine were amazing and they reminded me of how much I love all things pickled. So, then, when I got back home to Portland and saw a bunches of small carrots for sale at the farmer’s market – it seemed like fate. I snatched up bunches of the cute little carrots and took them home to make my very own spicy pickled carrots.

I have no idea how Tartine actually makes their carrot pickles, but I stumbled across Thomas Keller’s recipe for them and figured it would work nicely. I love that Keller adds a bit of curry powder into his pickle brine as it gives the brine a vibrant color, and adds an interesting flavor element. While Keller calls for a fresh jalapeno, I opted to use red pepper flakes as I like the color contrast and how the red pepper flakes stick to the carrot pickles to give an extra punch of spice.

Now, please, I beg of you: come to my house and help me eat some of these carrot pickles. I’ve been eating them like a crazy person and could use a little help. Please and thanks. :)

Spicy Pickled Carrots
(Adapted from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc At Home)

10-15 small carrots (or larger carrots, cut into carrot sticks)
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Wash and trim carrots. If using small whole carrots, scrub, but leave whole.

In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, water, sugar, curry poweder and bay leaf to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and discard bay leaf.

Meanwhile, pack as many carrots (or carrot sticks) as you can into a sterilized jar. Pour chili flakes and mustard seeds into the jar. Pour hot pickling liquid over the carrots, until the jar is full. Seal and refrigerate. Should keep in the fridge for 1 month (or more).

New Market Post: Shaved Asparagus Salad

I am so excited – my neighborhood farmer’s market opens this week! On Sunday, June 5th, The Montavilla Farmer’s Market officially opens for the 2011 season.

I’ve been volunteering with the market for a few months now, and I have nothing but good things to say about the market, the vendors, and the volunteers. I’m so lucky to live next to such a great little farmer’s market!

As part of my volunteer duties, I occasionally blog for the market. In honor of opening day, I just posted a new blog with a roundup of spring recipes, including a new recipe I just tried: Shaved Asparagus Salad with Hazelnuts and Mint. This salad is so simple, and yet so fresh and tasty. I never knew that raw asparagus could be so delicious and tender!

Head on over to the Montavilla Farmer’s Market blog to see the full post and recipe!

Eggs en Cocotte

Sisters, Nieces, Bunnies, Coffee, Brunch. These are a few of my favorite things. And on one perfect Saturday, the stars aligned and I had all of my favorite things under one roof. Under my roof, that is. It was pure lovliness.

These days, my sisters and I aren’t all under one roof very often. We all live in the same state, but we all have busy schedules that don’t seem to intersect often. However, my youngest sister is having a baby this summer. And with babies come baby showers, and the planning of said baby shower(s). So, the three of us decided to get together under the auspices of planning Candyce’s baby shower. I offered to fix brunch and introduce them to my new baby bunny and the matter was settled.

The thing is, we didn’t do much in the way of actual planning. We were extremely distracted by the cuteness of one infant (my niece Ramona) meeting one baby bunny (Lil Omar). It was too cute for words, so I will just show you a picture:

The cute fest ended when Ramona started hitting Lil Omar in the face, so we separated the two little ones and went about our brunching. We did as the Strannigan sisters are prone to do: inhaled our food, gabbed about life, drank a lot of coffee, fought over who got to hold the baby, and so forth. It was just what I needed. A simple meal, enjoyed with some of the people I love the most.

So, here’s to sisters and babies and bunnies. And to fresh eggs with bright orange yolks that are baked with cheese, herbs, and cream. And to coffee mugs with creepy kitten pictures on them. I love it all so very much.

EGGS EN COCOTTE (AKA: SHIRRED EGGS)
Serves 3
(Based off Leela Cyd’s lovely recipe on The Kitchn)

3 eggs
3 tablespoons cream
3 teaspoons minced shallots
3 grated gruyere cheese
2 teaspoons minced chives
A few sprigs of fresh thyme, minced
3 slices crusty bread or toast

Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease three small ramekins (or any other oven proof cups or bowls). Crack one egg into each ramekin or bowl, and pour one tablespoon of cream onto each egg. Sprikle the cheese, shallots, and a bit of minced time over each egg.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (7 for a runny yolk, 10 for a firmer yolk), until the egg is ‘set’ to your liking. Serve (and eat) as quickly as you can, as the yolk will continue to cook in the hot dish (and we don’t want overcooked eggs!).

Best enjoyed with a big cup of coffee (or tea), in your favorite kitten mug. In addition, it is great when paired with strawberries and fresh cream, your two little sisters, a baby bunny, and the cutest niece on the planet.

*Note: Being the ever-blossoming Pacific Northwest granola that I am, I made this meal the day after I’d purchased my first gallon of raw milk from a local dairy. I skimmed the cream off the top to use with the eggs, and used the rest of the cream to make whipped cream for the strawberries. It was heavenly. All other whipped cream pales in comparison.