the demise of Peter Piper.

It's been a tough week--hence the lack of updates--and the forecast for the next few weeks doesn't seem to promise much better. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a lack of significant cooking which saddens me greatly and leaves you with few recipes.

But, do not pity me. In times like these I manage to prevail and always find a solution in food. Or, I should say, I always find a solution in sweet food.

I rarely end an evening meal without having a little [or a big] something sweet. This is particularly the case when life's a gettin' me down.

I'm not talking fruit salad or balsamic strawberries here, kids. I'm talking real down 'n' dirty dessert. People seem to fear dessert, but I generally can't sleep if I haven't had any; without dessert, dinner just feels incomplete.

The go-to of choice is generally ice cream--it's in my genes--but it doesn't last long in my freezer, so I rarely actually have it available. Other times, I'll make bread or rice puddings, cookies, a crumble...all quick and easy things to whip together and cook while I am eating the main meal. Sometimes, if I'm on top of things or it's a weekend, I'll make something a bit more elaborate. Then, there are the times when I just sit down with a puzzle and eat chocolate chips out of the bag.

In Turkey, I learned early on that my oven was not made for baking. So, I didn't make as much while I was there. However, one of the best things about Turkey is that you can't walk a block without seeing one, if not two or three, patisseries--glowing counters filled with 15 types of oozy, drippy baklavas, sweet and salty cookies, sutlac [Turkish rice pudding], keskule [almond pudding], or cikolata puding [chocolate pudding].

Before going to Turkey, I was never much of a traditional pudding fan. I don't know why that is exactly...but now that I think about it, I suppose my only real experience with the stuff was in Jello box pudding or those pudding cups. Highly unsatisfying.

But, over the past year, I discovered that a nice, cold, chocolaty pudding can be one of the most delightfully refreshing desserts, especially after a long day working hard out in the sun. Additionally, I learned that it's so easy to make!


Today's Menu:

The Peppered Pudding that Peter Piper Poo-pooed for Pickled Peppers Subsequently Lost



Since Turkey, homemade chocolate pudding is often found on my List of Current Cravings and has become one of my new found comfort foods.

As I did some research on making pudding, I discovered that there are two forms: pudding made with eggs and pudding made without eggs. They are somewhat different in that pudding made with eggs is quite custardy and, in my opinion, richer than that made without eggs. I actually find it to be less satisfying, as a result. A custard has its place--don't get me wrong, I love creme brulee--but when I want pudding, I don't want custard.

Making pudding with eggs, though still insanely simple, requires a greater number of ingredients and a bit more time. Nonetheless, if you're a custard lover, that's the kind of pudding for you.

On the flip side, most puddings that are made without eggs call for the use of cornstarch as a thickening agent...

Uh-oh!

I try to avoid cornstarch and corn syrup as much as possible. So, when I first went to make my own pudding I spent a lot of time trying to find a recipe that didn't use the stuff. Let's just say this: I did a lot of looking.

But, every recipe I read insisted on cornstarch. I remembered that in Turkey they sometimes used gum mastic, but I'd have to go a ways away to get a bit. Some people did suggest arrowroot flour as a reasonable substitute, which I also couldn't get quickly, and there is always tapioca...but that's a different beast unto itself.

I was shocked, though, that no one included plain old flour in the mix. Sure, it doesn't have the thickening power of cornstarch [you have to use two times the amount], but it sure does thicken stuff...

As I kept looking around, I found that people did mention flour, but not in a good way: "It gets too gummy", they'd say.


In the end, after spending all that time looking around and researching and reading opinions and getting myself into a general tizzy over the whole thing, I looked at my watch and realized that it didn't matter anymore because I didn't have the time to do much about it.


So, since I didn't have eggs or cornstarch or tapioca or arrowroot flour, I decided to defy the statements of all the nay-sayers and use that plain old flour.

And guess what--it was good! In fact, it was great!

Maybe it's just because I was making a small amount, but I didn't find the pudding to be gummy at all. It set well and wasn't too rich.


Another great thing about pudding is that it's quite versatile--the flavor options are endless. In the month since first trying it, I've made this pudding at least three times in three different variations:

The first time I made it I went for classic chocolate pudding. The second time, it was mint chocolate pudding, which was utterly delicious. The third time, I wanted to spice it up a bit--it would go well with what I had planned for dinner--but I was tired of the classic "Mexican" spiced chocolate, with red pepper and cinnamon.

After thinking about it a bit, I decided to take a little risk and I created a peppered pudding: rich chocolate delicately laced with coarsely ground black pepper.

The result was phenomenal.

And so, I share my Peppered Pudding with you today.

I highly recommend you try the recipe sometime, even if you forgo this particular flavoring. The basic chocolate is very satisfying, and it is a great base for flavor experimentation. One note of caution: as I said, this pudding did not turn out tasting gummy, but I was making a very small batch of it--for two or three persons--and that may have had something to do with it. If you want to increase the recipe yield, consider using a different thickening agent. Or take the risk and let me know how it works out!




The Peppered Pudding that Peter Piper Poo-pooed for Pickled Peppers Subsequently Lost



[note: this recipe is adapted from one found at Smitten Kitchen. It thickens quite quickly, so be aware]




1/4 c flour
1/4 c sugar
a pinch of salt
1-1/2 c milk
3-oz semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tsp cocoa powder [optional]
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper


directions:

1. combine flour, sugar, and salt in a non-reactive bowl. place bowl on top of a pot of boiling water, but be sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
2. whisk in the milk and continue stirring the mixture until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
3. add the chocolate and cocoa powder. continue stirring until the pudding is thick and smooth.
4. remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the black pepper.
5. transfer to small bowls and put in the refrigerator to cool slowly or the freezer to cool quickly. let cool until set, at least 30 minutes.

if only Peter Piper had picked a peck of peppered pudding, no one would care about where those darned pickled peppers went!





Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

when the calendar lies.

Whew, what a week!

I know, I know--I just went completely AWOL with no warning.

I'm sorry!

But, it was for a good reason: I was in New Mexico.

Yeah, the PB and I took a little trip on a whim [thank you quarter systems] to gorge ourselves on some sun and chiles.

And boy-oh-boy did I gorge...especially on those chiles...and all other things New Mexican food.


The trip couldn't have come at a more perfect time: I desperately needed some respite from my steadily declining roommate situation and from Chicago's idea of springtime.

That's right--despite all my efforts to bring springy vibes into my life, the epic First Day of Spring came to Chicago in droves of snow and cold.


The week before we left was particularly trying; the anticipation of going was eating me from the inside out. Every day leading up to NM I checked the weather reports, crossing all my fingers in the hopes that any number above 35 would show up on my screen.

Luckily, those golden numbers--40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s--did pop up. However, that didn't change the fact that Chicago was still cold and gray. Spring was supposed to be on its way [March 22nd], but there was no evidence supporting that idea.


So, if spring wasn't going to come to me willingly, I intended to violently grab Spring by the throat and shake it forcefully until it had whiplash, screamed "yes, yes, Spring is coming to town", and obliged.

Ok, ok, I wasn't that mean. I was actually quite gentle, celebrating Spring instead of spitting in its face until it capitulated.

How?
Surprise, surprise--I did it with food.

Well, I mean, how could I not make spring foods when I realized that Nowruz was coming up? It was just the perfect time to celebrate all things springy and sunny and fun!

Ok, some background:

Nowruz is the Islamic--though most often associated specifically with Iran--new year and spring festival. As with most Islamic holidays, food is a big part of the celebrations. Like Passover and Easter, eggs play a big roll in the array of traditional Nowruz foods.


For my Nowruz meal, I decided to focus on some traditional Persian dishes.


Today's Menu:

Herb Kuku
Dill and Pistachio Rice
Pomegranate Chicken


As I was doing research, I realized that while Persian cuisine has an almost overwhelming number of dishes in its repertoire, there are a very limited number dedicated to the Nowruz meal. Luckily, those are some of my favorite dishes to eat and make:

I love, love, love dilled rice.

The special kind of sweet-and-sour that flavors pomegrante chicken is always so appealingly different.

The plethora of pungent herbs in the kuku is delightfully refreshing.



As a warning, Persian foods tend to be not-so photogenic, often characterized by "unappealing brown color" and a gunky look. However, the flavors are swell and you absolutely must try these recipes sometime.

Additionally, in terms of the visual, you can present the meal in nice dishes and garnish with pomegranate and parsley. Unfortunately for this post, pomegranates were also a no-show in HP that week, but those little ruby gem-like beads do wonders to the look.


With these dishes on my mind, I was sure I could cajole Spring into attending the meal.
Alas, it was not to be--Spring was a no-show. Despite all my hard work and sincere emotions, the next day was cold and nasty.

But, at least at dinnertime it felt like springtime in my house.


As an added bonus, I did get a great gulp of spring in NM, and it seems the season is now slowly creeping into Chicago's territory--accompanied, of course, by the inevitable Spring Rain.

Oh well. At least spring produce is on its way!


happy spring feasting!



Herb Kuku

[note: this recipe was adapted from the one found at Epicurious. I followed it pretty closely, but I'm thinking about all the different directions I can take the dish. I suggest playing with the herbs trying out some different flavors/textures with nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and even vegetables!]




1/2 c olive oil
5 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chopped fresh chives
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 c chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp flour


directions:

1. preheat oven to 350F and grease a baking dish with olive oil.
2. put the remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly to combine.
3. pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake uncovered until the edge is brown, approximately 45 minutes.




Dill and Pistachio Rice

[note: this recipe is adapted from the one found in Gourmet, May 2001. Some recipes for Persian rice create a crunchy layer on the bottom that is most prized. While the original recipe for this rice is supposed to make this layer, I didn't make it because I was too hungry. However, if you continue to cook it longer it will make the crunchy layer.]



1-1/2 c basmati rice
8 c water
1-1/2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp butter
1/3 c chopped fresh dill
1/2 c coarsely chopped pistachios

directions:

1. soak rice [note: if you don't have time for this part, skip to #2]
a. rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
b. put rice in a pot and cover with water. let sit 30 minutes-1 hour.

2. parboil the rice
a. rinse the rice and return it to the pot. add water and salt. bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes.
b. remove rice from the heat and drain.

3. cook rice
a. melt butter in the pot.
b. spoon some rice into the pot to cover the bottom.
c. sprinkle some of the pistachios and dill over the rice.
d. repeat the b and c, ending with a layer of rice.
e. cover the pot with a dishtowel and then the lid. fold the dishtowel up over the lid to make sure it doesn't burn.
f. cook rice, undisturbed, over moderately low heat until cooked, approximately 30 minutes.



Pomegranate Chicken


[note: this recipe is adapted from one found at Epicurious. This is a delicious dish but tends to be quite sweet--you can reduce the sugar if you want. Pomegranate molasses or syrup can usually be found in Middle Eastern stores and tends to be relatively cheap. You can also find it at places like Whole Foods, where it tends to be more expensive]


for the chicken:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds


for the sauce:

1/2 lb walnuts
1 tsp salt
1/2 c pomegranate molasses
2-1/2 c water
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground saffron threads, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water


directions:

1. make the sauce
a. mix the pomegranate molasses and water together.
b. put walnuts, salt, diluted pomegranate molasses, sugar, cinnamon, and saffron in a food processor or blender.
c. blend until smooth.

2. make the chicken
a. heat oil in a saucepan. add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
b. add chicken and cook until browned, about 15 minutes.
c. add carrots and cook a few minutes longer.
d. add the sauce to the pan and simmer over low heat until sauce thickens significantly, about 40 minutes.
e. taste for seasoning--add more diluted pomegranate molasses for sourness and more sugar for sweetness.

Spring's got some guts not showin' up for this meal!





Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

pi on my mind

Well, folks, today is the one week anniversary of Pi Day, also known as the date 03/14.

[thank you Miss Spont]

As a result, I'm gonna go back in time here--back a week--to tell you about how I celebrated the glorious number 3.14...


Today's menu:

Mini Quiche Lorraines
Maple Syrup Pie


When I first realized that Pi Day was upon me I immediately got to thinking about pies. That was an entire week before the holiday came around...

Hey, I love pie. So so much. Any excuse to think about pies and make pies is always welcome.

Eventually, I came up with some ideas. I didn't want Pi Day to only celebrate those pies that are sweet, so I decided to extend the pie theme and make an entirely pie based dinner on Friday night. That meant making both a sweet and a savory pie.

It didn't take long to decide on a savory pie--a quiche lorraine would be perfect. The sweet pie, though, was a toughy. I thought a lot about different fruits and just couldn't come up with an in-season fruit that would make a decent pie. So, I started to move away from the fruits and think about other kinds of pie: grasshopper, peanut butter, pecan...

None of them felt quite right.


I thought about it some more. Suddenly, I remembered that March is prime maple syrup season. I started looking around to see if there were any good maple syrup based pies and lo-and-behold Tarte au Sirop d'Erable [maple syrup pie] is a traditional French Canadian pie!!

Hurrah! A celebration of the French and the winter and PI[E] was well on its way to coming true...


But, then I got the memo about the potluck.

I was still adamant about making pies, but I didn't just want to bring two plain ol' pies. Eventually, after thinking about it a bit and doing a little searchign around, I decided to make mini quiche lorraines and a single maple syrup pie.


Then I had another problem--I didn't want to make two butter crusts. I just felt that was too much. I decided, though, that I shouldn't mess around with the maple syrup pie. So, what to do with the quiche lorraines?

The answer came quickly: a cornmeal crust! make a cornmeal crust! ahhhh!

And that's what I did. And everything came out splendidly. And the quiches were a seriously big hit! The pie was delicious--on the sweet side, but paired with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream...c'etait parfait!



Mini Quiche Lorraines


[note: this recipe is based on a whole bunch of different recipes I looked at, which I mostly used to figure out proper egg-to-milk ratios. The crust is adapted from the one found in Gourmet, September 1998. It's easy to play around with the ingredients here--keep the egg base and add whatever you want!]



for the crust:

1 stick butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp ice water


for the filling:

5 slices of bacon, cut into small bits
1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 c grated gruyere cheese, divided
3 eggs
3/4 c milk
1/4 c cream
salt
pepper
olive oil


directions:

1. make the crust
a. in a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, and salt together.
b. add the butter and mix with fingers or pastry blender [or pulse on a with a food processor] until mixture resembles a course meal with some pea-sized chunks remaining. I don't have a food processor so I always use my hands and I find that I don't overmix when I do it this way. You don't want the dough to come together in a ball and you don't want the butter to melt--there should be chunks of butter left in the dough and this is what makes a crust flaky!
c. add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and bring the dough together to form a ball. with the heel of your hand, smear the dough across the countertop a few times to spread out the butter.
d. wrap in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill at least 30 minutes.
e. pull off a large chunk of dough and roll it out until it is about 1/8-inch thin. lay the dough over a muffin cup and press in to the cup. you can clean up the edges, but I like mine to have a "rustic" look so I just let it hang over the sides. repeat this process until all the cups are filled.
f. bake at 375F for approximately 10 minutes, until the sides of the crusts set.

2. make the filling
a. heat some oil in a saucepan and add the bacon. cook until bacon starts to brown. add the onions and cook until they begin to caramelize. remove from the heat and let sit while you make the custard.
b. in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cream. add salt and pepper to taste.

3. make the quiches
a. place half of the cheese on the bottoms of the crusts, followed by the bacon and onions.
b. add custard to reach 3/4 of the way up the crust.
c. top with the remaining cheese.
d. bake at 375 until centers are set, approximately 15 minutes.
e. let cool slightly and then remove from the muffin cups. i found a spoon and a spatula worked well for this job.




Maple Syrup Pie

[note: this recipe is from the one found in Gourmet, November 1999. You can use an 8-inch pie plate or a 9-inch tart pan--if you use the tart pan, prebake the crust] The dough is from Gourmet, November 2007. Do as the recipe suggests and serve the pie with creme fraiche or unsweetened whipped cream. Don't be swayed to sweeten the whipped cream!]



for the dough:

1-1/4 c flour
1 stick unsalted butter, very cold cut into cubes
1/4 tsp salt
3-5 tbsp ice water


for the filling:

1-1/2 c packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c heavy cream
1/3 c pure maple syrup, preferably dark amber
2 tsp butter, melted


1 c heavy whipping cream, whipped


directions:

1. make the crust
a. in a medium bowl, mix the flour and salt together.
b. add the butter and mix with fingers or pastry blender [or pulse on a with a food processor] until mixture resembles a course meal with some pea-sized chunks remaining. I don't have a food processor so I always use my hands and I find that I don't overmix when I do it this way. You don't want the dough to come together in a ball and you don't want the butter to melt--there should be chunks of butter left in the dough and this is what makes a crust flaky!
c. add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and bring the dough together to form a ball. stop when you can grab a chunk and it stays together. with the heel of your hand, smear the dough across the countertop a few times to spread out the butter.
d. wrap in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill at least 1 hour.
e. roll dough into a circle larger than the pie or tart pan you are using. lay dough over the pan and press down into the sides.
f. if you are prebaking the crust, pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. if you have pie weights, put them on the bottom to avoid having the crust bubble up.

2. make the filling
a. whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until creamy.
b. add cream, maple syrup, and butter and mix until smooth.
c. pour into pie shell and bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes, or until pie has browned and puffed up--the top will look dry but the insides will still tremble. let cool and serve with unsweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche.

and that's how an Ay does pi[e].




Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

halloween in march.

It's Purim!

Purim is one of my favorite holidays on the Jewish calendar because it is like my favorite non-Jewish holiday: Halloween. However, unlike Halloween, when Purim rolls around the weather is usually beginning to springify.

Ok, so it's not exactly like Halloween--there's no trick-or-treating or haunted houses or carved pumpkins. But! There is serious partying and playing, megillah reading and costume wearing...though the costumes tend to be variations on the King Ahasuerus-Queen Esther-BadMan Haman themes. Nonetheless, despite the lack of costume diversity, it is a time to celebrate and shake groggers and boo when Haman's name is mentioned [boooooo].

It also means hamantasch in great quantities--Purim's answer to Halloween candy. The word hamentaschen actually mean's "Haman's pocket", but they are made to represent Haman's famous tricornered hat.

Hamentaschen are delightful cookies that are traditionally filled with mohn--a poppyseed spread that has a limited number of dedicated followers. Generally, people tend to prefer a filling of jam or dried fruits.

It's astounding to me that this time last year I was sitting in a kitchen in Ankara, folding dough into hamantaschen at 11pm with MDL. It was a great time, but the results were a bit off-putting. The flavor was great, but the expansion of those things was remarkable. At the time, I blamed the "freak taschen growth" on "high" altitude...

I just can't believe it's been a year already. I still wake up sometimes expecting to open my eyes and see Anitkabir outside my window while hearing Screaming Boy screaming his head off. Sigh...I miss Turkey so much.


Anyhow, today's menu:


Raspberry Hamantaschen




So, in honor of the holiday that starts tonight, the PB and I made some hamantaschen last night. It was the PB's first time making them and I was thoroughly impressed. I think his ended up looking nicer than mine, but his turnover rate was half of mine--so ha! Ok, ok, his are better. This one was his definition of a "perfect" hamantasch.




I actually used the same dough recipe as last year, I wanted to experiment and see if it was a problem with the recipe or a problem with the altitude [I stand by my beliefs!].

The results?

They were completely different--they didn't expand at all! They came out lookin' and tastin' like hamantaschen should.

These cookies are fun to make, especially when you have friends around. They can be time consuming, so having an assembly line system makes for a good time. The dough is incredibly forgiving and the results are worth the effort!

Try different jams, dip half in chocolate, eat 'em while they're hot or while they're cold, dunk them in milk...oh-so many ways to make and eat these delicious cookies!

Happy Purim!





Raspberry Hamantaschen


[note: This is a slightly altered version of a recipe that my mom gave me. I don't know where she got it from--she owns a lot of Jewish cookbooks. When I find out, I'll let you know. Don't forget to try out different fillings!]



1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
raspberry jam


directions:


1. in a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. add egg and mix until incorporated.
2. in another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating between the two and mixing to incorporate before making the next addition.
4. mix in vanilla.
5. the dough will be quite sticky, but don't worry about that. place dough on a floured surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/16-inch thickness.






6. cut dough into 2-inch rounds.









7. remove the excess dough and set aside. you can roll this out again, repeating the processes below.








8. place a dollop of jam in the center of the circle. don't use too much--it will make explode out the sides. it always seems like you aren't using enough, but you are usually using too much.








9. draw up the sides to create a three pointed shape.








10. if filling is oozing over the top, remove the excess. and there you've got a hamantasch!




11. after making a batch, carefully transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. if they tear or start to fall apart, take some of the extra dough and smooth it over the areas where holes have formed.







12. bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes, until edges have browned and tops are lightly tanned.

eating hamantaschen: a passive-aggressive way to fight the [Ha]man!







Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

how to eat a beet--part III.V

Well, here I am at the third-and-a-half and final installment in the How To Eat A Beet series. I know, it's sad. Don't worry though, there's some great stuff for you to consume in upcoming posts.

Let me tell you, today's foods are quite exciting! Ok, maybe they are only exciting because I find new and inventive uses for foods to be fantastic, but a girl's gotta have something to keep her going in this cruel cruel [or not really cruel (to me) at all] world! Or, ok, I'm making excuses for being the food geek I am...and I'm rambling, so now it's time to ferme ma bouche and move on to what counts: the beets.

Now, I have to be honest with you--the only reason today's post is happening is because Sunday rolled around and I had forgotten [gasp!!] that I had a third beet. Since it was the beginning of a new week [i.e. a new vegetable], I needed to do something with the beet--quick!


Today's Menu:

Beet Chips
Ruby Red Sorbet


I was having some gal pals over for afternoon tea on Sunday and the theme was, no surprise, St. Patrick's Day and All Things Green [recipes forthcoming]. However, I thought the crimson of the beets would make a nice contrast to the rest of the table and it was the perfect opportunity to see what beets could do as snack foods. So, I decided to see what I could do with my limited time.

Luckily, earlier in the week I had stumbled upon a recipe for beet chips. Remembering how much I love those red Terra chips [also beet], I was pretty thrilled at the though of making my own. Furthermore, I thought they would make a wonderful addition to my array of teatime finger foods.

The beet chip recipe calls for making a simple syrup in which you soak the beets before baking them. However, that process leaves behind a beautiful simple syrup that I didn't want to just dump down the drain.

Simple syrup: One part water to one part sugar, heated and boiled until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly. A simple syrup is often put in cold drinks [like iced tea] as a sweetner because straight sugar doesn't dissolve. Additionally, it forms the base of sorbets and granitas.

Given this fantastic leftover simple syrup, infused with beety goodness, I decided to make a sorbet out of it. This is the "half" part of the series because:

a. it doesn't actually have beets in it
b. i'm still working on the recipe a bit--as it is, the sorbet is very very beety, even with the addition of grapefruit juice. While it makes for a wonderful 'tween courses palate cleanser, I'd like to see if I can make it into something viable as a stand alone dessert. I'd like to mellow the beet flavor a tad and bring in some more citrus flavor, which is a wonderful and common combo with beets.

I must say, though it needs some work the sorbet has the most gorgeous color. I can't get over how well beets impart their crimsonness to anything they touch. Thoroughly pleased.

The end results of this experiment were definitely satisfying. The chips were great, with good flavor and an interesting crunchy-yet-chewy texture that was quite pleasant. The sorbet is also delicious, but i'm still working on it.

And this concludes beet week, but don't worry...







Beet Chips


[note: this recipes is based on the one found in Gourmet, June 2004. I recommend a mandolin for slicing, but a sharp knife and steady hands will do just as well.]




1 medium beet
1 c water
1 c sugar

directions:

1. prepare the beets
a. peel the beets.
b. using a mandolin, or a sharp non-serrated knife, slice the beets paper thin.

2. make the simple syrup
a. put the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves, and continue boiling a few minutes longer until the mixture thickens.
b. add the beets and remove the pot from the heat. let beets sit at least 15 minutes.

3. bake
a. preheat the oven to 225F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
b. using a slotted spoon, take the beets out of the syrup and let drain. lay them on the baking sheet making sure they don't overlap. season with salt and pepper.
c. bake beets until dry, approximately 1 hour. remove from the oven and let cool--they should crisp up as they cool.








Ruby Red Sorbet


[note: this sorbet is highly sugared. as a result, it does not get icy and it melts relatively quickly when taken out of the freezer. it is, however, easy to scoop]




beet infused simple syrup [see above]
juice from 1/2 ruby red grapefruit

directions:

1. add juice to the prepared simple syrup and bring to a boil. continue boiling a few minutes until mixture becomes very thick.
2. remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. pour liquid into a plastic container and put in the freezer. let freeze overnight.

...the beet goes on!





Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

how to eat a beet--part II

After the success of beet gnocchi I was more excited than ever to continue on my personal beet discovery mission.

I was definitely pleased with beets as a main course. However, in initially undertaking this exploration, my goal had always been to experiment with the versatility of the root. So, for my next foray into Beet World, I decided to use them in a side dish.

In some ways, this should have been easy to do. In the end, though, I actually had a harder time coming up with a non-salad side dish featuring beets than I did coming up with a main dish. It was a slow process and I nearly ran out of time, but in the end I did manage to develop a well-balanced meal.


Today's Menu:

Sweet and Spicy Mini S&P Burgers
Rubied Mashed Potatoes
Chopped Salad


As with the gnocchi, I built the meal around the beet--trying to find a balance of flavors and textures that would be both complimentary to each other and highlight the beets. But, as I said, I had a hard time coming up with a beet dish. At the last minute, I remembered that I had a bunch of red bliss potatoes lying around, and they were about to take root...

Again, I wanted to stay away from the traditional uses of beets, so I didn't want to just make a side of roasted beets and potatoes [delicious though this may be]. Eventually, I decided to go for a mashed potato that included roasted beets, caramelized onions, feta cheese, and parsley.

I thought the caramelized onions would add nice texture. The feta would be a nice change from something like cheddar--it has a distinct flavor and saltiness that I imagined would play nicely with the beets. Basically: it's a mediterranean spin on mashed potatoes.

In the process of creating this recipe, I learned something about making these mashed potatoes:

I've been baking a lot of bread lately and have gotten used to putting my hands in bowls and kneading doughs. I don't have a potato masher at home and two forks was a waste of time. So, I actually kneaded the potatoes and beets together with the heels of my hands and ended up with a nice smooth consistency. I love chunky mashed potatoes, but in this case I think a smooth dough worked out better as it allowed the texture of the feta and onions to contrast boldly.

Just like the gnocchi, this dish sure was colorful. This time, though, the magenta-crimson color was maintained and the bright flecks of green and white really popped. It wasn't an appalling color, either--somehow, it managed to seem natural even though I can't think of any magenta colored foods. It's absolutely gorgeous on a black plate.



I always have trouble coming up with meals that pair with potatoes. This was no exception. It took me forever-and-a-day to come up with a main dish. In fact, I stopped thinking about it for awhile because it was frustrating me so much and I moved on to another side dish. Since I don't feel like i'm eating real vegetables when I eat mashed potatoes, I decided that a nice chopped salad of fresh veggies would be a reasonable idea.

Ok, ok, so I stalled long enough. I really struggled to come up with something, though looking back at it I don't know why. I actually came up with the idea, went off to do some work, and then I couldn't remember what I'd decided to make. It took another hour for the idea to come back. Boy did I breathe a sigh of relief!

Granted, I was super stressed out at the time because of grad school and work related stuffs...but that is no excuse for forgetting a meal plan!

Shame.

Moving on.

So, I often have the traditional Meat + Taters urge when I make potatoes. I don't have a lot of time in the evenings to go grocery shopping, so I try to use what I have at home. In this case, that left me with some boneless skinless chicken breast and some ground beef as potential proteins. Remember that I had leftover rolls [I'd made them to go with dinner the night before], I suddenly came up with the idea of mini-burgers.

My mind went quickly from there, recalling a recipe for salt & pepper burgers with a mustard sauce in my Best American Recipes 2004-2005 cookbook. I'd enjoyed the mustard-beet combo before, so I thought I would make those.

Alas, when I went to make them I discovered I had only the ground beef, the salt, and the mustard necessary. So, I adapted it a bit and ended up with some delicious salt & pepper burgers with a mango mustard sauce.

The end result: all good. This meal is definitely going to be entered into my regular rotation of go-tos. It's easy, satisfying, and, yet again, brings out the greatness of the Beet!






Sweet and Spicy Mini S&P Burgers


[note: this recipe was inspired by the one found in The Best American Recipes 2004-2005. it's been changed significantly, so you should really try out the original sometime]




for the burgers:

1/2 lb ground beef
coarsely cracked black pepper
fine-grained sea salt


for the sauce:

1/4 c dijon mustard
1/4 c sweet mango chutney


directions:

1. make the burgers
a. make four patties from the beef.
b. cover the surface of a plate with black pepper. place one side of each patty into the pepper and press lightly to get it to stick. do not repeat this on the other side.
c. heat a skillet [preferably cast-iron but use the heaviest skillet you have] over high heat until very hot [a drop of water will skate across the surface]. pour salt in the skillet to lightly cover the bottom surface.
d. place the patties, un-peppered side down, in the skillet and cook a few minutes. flip the burgers and cook until done to your standards.

2. make the sauce
a. remove the burgers from the pan and put them on buns. leave the pan on the stove and decrease the heat to low.
b. add the mustard and chutney to the pan and stir with the remaining burger juices until it is all combined and becomes runny.
c. put sauce on the buns and add whatever other condiments you wish.











Rubied Mashed Potatoes











1 medium or 3 small red beets
5 red bliss potatoes
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 handful parsley, roughly chopped
1/3 c feta cheese, crumbled
olive oil
salt
pepper


directions:

1. prepare the dough
a. make the beets
i. preheat the oven to 450F. wrap the beets in tinfoil and place in the oven to roast 1 hour or until fork tender.
ii. remove from the oven and peel off the skin. cut into chunks and put in a medium bowl.
b. make the potatoes
i. bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. add the potatoes and cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes.
ii. remove from water and put in the bowl with the beets.
c. mash
i. with the heels of your hands, knead the beets and the potatoes together until they form a smooth dough that comes together [some chunks of beet will likely remain and that's great!].

2. prepare the onions
a. put some olive oil in a pot and heat on medium-high. add sliced onions and cover. cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown.

3. mix
a. add the onions, feta cheese, and parsley to the dough. with your hands, lightly knead the dough until everything is combined. chunks of onion, cheese, and parsley should remain distinct.
b. add salt and pepper to taste.



Chopped Salad


1 bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 medium tomato, cut into large chunks
1/2 medium cucumber, cut into large chunks
1 celery stalk, sliced into thick crescents
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 handful parsley, finely chopped
1 handful walnuts or other nut, coarsely chopped
1/2 handful raisins or other dried fruit, coarsely chopped
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper


directions:

1. combine vegetables, nuts, and fruit in a medium bowl.
2. add a few swigs of vinegar and olive oil, to taste. add salt and pepper to taste.

beets and burgers bewilder the [taste]buds!





Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.

how to eat a beet--part I

To me, beets are dirty.
I mean, the taste dirty...but not like they come from the tuvalet.

They taste like dirt.
But, in a good way. Somehow.

Do you know what I mean?


A lot of people fear the beet. There are all sorts of nasty stereotypes attached to the poor root, bad borscht and a rough Russian winter being one. But, hey, good borscht is good! I think--I don't know that I've had any good borscht to be honest...

But, I can imagine it's possible because behind all that dirtiness lies a delightfully sweet flavor and vibrant color! You just have to get it out.


The challenge with beets usually lies in what to do with them. It shouldn't be that hard. They have so much going for them: flavor [original but pliable], color [of all types], season [all the time]!

Often, good beets are left to shine on their own, typically in salads where they are set to reign supreme. However, there is much more that can be done with the root.

The PB and I have recently started a new "thing": Every week, when we go grocery shopping, we try to get a new fruit or vegetable that we've never had or haven't cooked with much frequency. We also try to keep it seasonal [but that doesn't always pan out, much to my chagrin].

Last week, we picked up three beautiful red beets and I tried to find-slash-create some new ways to use them.

Here's what I found out:
a. beets are great
b. beets can be used in anything
c. anything that uses beets is great

So here I present you with a three-and-a-half part series on How To Eat A Beet, my attempt to open your eyes to the world of beets outside of salads.


Today's Menu:

Gnocchi Tartare
Durdy Peas


The first beet laden meal I made last week stemmed from a dinner the week prior. Every week I have a food date with MZarc and it was his turn to decide on the meal. He made some potato gnocchi.

Inspiration. I was reminded of a time last year, in Turkey, when I had some potatoes to use up and I decided to make gnocchi. When doing research about it I learned that gnocchi can actually be made out of so many things, not just the potato!

So, why not beet gnocchi?

As it turns out, I'm not the only one who thought of this. I discovered, as I was trying to determine general gnocchi-making ratios, that beet gnocchi is actually a traditional dish from the Piedmont region of Italy.


The key to making any gnocchi is in the flour. Flour weighs the gnocchi down, so you want to use just enough to keep the dough together. If you use too much, the pasta will be too dense and they won't float to the top when cooked. Light and airy gnocchi, that's the goal.

Everyone always asks about the little ridges on the gnocchi. Well, there are a bunch of different techniques for getting it, but I tend to just use a good fork.















I find it works best if I pick up the gnocchi and press my thumb into the back while I roll the fork over the top and edges.


A few other tricks I've discovered:


do things quickly: make the gnocchi when the grated/riced vegetable is still hot, for some reason this keeps them lighter

don't overwork the dough: make sure it comes together and then stop touching it!!

don't worry about the shape: cut up all your pieces and shape them with your fingers when you add the ridges

a little goes a long way: one medium piece of vegetable will make nearly 100 gnocchi

freeze, freeze, freeze: it's a somewhat labor intensive process to make gnocchi, so make a big lot and then freeze them for another day



I wanted the flavor of the beets to shine through in this dish, so I didn't want to overwhelm it with a heavy cheese-based sauce. Red sauce would also be too much. At the same time, I was bored with the typical "herb butter" sauce that goes with so many gnocchi recipes.

So, for this one, I brought some spinach, garlic, and parmesan into the mix. This gave the pasta some added body and texture but kept the beets as the centerpiece.

The color of the dough was utterly fantastic, nearly magenta! Unfortunately, however, it wasn't exactly easy to work with--I was constantly tempted to add more flour, but I knew that would ruin it. You just have to trust that it will work out. A bit of flour here and there is ok, but it's a sticky dough and messes with your head.



Coming up with a side dish to go with the gnocchi was a bit difficult. Using spinach in the pasta made me hesitant of making a salad. Additionally, I didn't want to just make a bland vegetable.

Eventually, I decided that the punch of dijon mustard would be a good compliment to the sweetness of the beets, and peas would be a nice additional texture. Putting these together I developed a wonderfully easy but flavorful pea dish.

All I have to say about that is this: mustard is the most underrated condiment ever. Learn to love it, learn to use it--if you do, your life, and your stomach, will be eternally blessed.

In the end, this meal was a success--for me, for you, for beets. The flavors and textures melded beautifully and the sight was a delight!


Gnocchi Tartare

[note: The reason this recipe is named gnocchi tartare is because in the pictures the end result looks like a pile of raw meat--that icky pale pink color. Do not let the photos dismay you! These gnocchi are delicious and, in reality, they are a much more vibrant pink. This recipe is based on the one in Bon Appetit, October 2004]



for the gnocchi:

3/4 c grated roasted red beet [see below], approximately 1 medium or 3 small red beets
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 c flour, divided


for sauce:

1 clove garlic
1 lb fresh spinach
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese


directions:

1. prepare beets
a. preheat oven to 450F. wrap beets in tinfoil and place in oven for approximately 1 hour or until fork tender.
b. remove skins and grate on a medium tooth or rice with a potato ricer. place 3/4 c into a large bowl and reserve the rest for another purpose.

2. make gnocchi
a. in a large bowl, combine beets, ricotta, egg, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
b. mix in 1 c of flour. the dough will be very sticky and you may need to add more flour, but do this cautiously. add only enough to make it so you can just barely roll the dough--it will still seem sticky, but you will roll it on a floured board with floured hands.
c. lightly flour the countertop and your hands. roll 1/4 of the dough into a log 1/2-inch in diameter. with a knife, cut the roll at 3/4-inch increments to make the gnocchi. continue this process with the remaining dough, working in batches.
d. [optional] dip a fork in flour and roll the tines over each gnocchi to create the ridge pattern.
e. at this point the gnocchi may be frozen [put them in a plastic ziploc bag] or cooked. to cook, put the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water and wait until they rise to the surface.

3. make sauce
a. in a large saucepan, heat up some olive oil. add garlic and cook for a few minutes.
b. add all the spinach and cook until it has wilted.
c. add the cooked gnocchi directly from the pot to the saucepan. cook until the sides of the gnocchi start to brown somewhat.
d. sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and turn off the heat. let the cheese melt before serving.











Durdy Peas









1 large shallot
2 cups fresh or frozen peas [petits-poids are the best]
2 tbsp dijon mustard
olive oil

directions:

1. in a medium saucepan, heat up some olive oil on medium heat. add the shallots and saute a few minutes until translucent.
2. add the peas and cook until they are warmed through.
3. add the mustard and stir until peas are coated. serve immediately or cover to keep warm [they will turn a lighter green as they steam a bit with the lid on].

color me beet!




Comments, questions, and recipe alterations are always more than welcome.