Recipe from Pestos! by Dorothy Rankin
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes about 1 cup
I noticed that Lost River Market & Deli recently started carrying flat leaf parsley in the produce section. I was so glad because it tastes so much better than the curly leaf variety that is used mainly as garnish. I believe people are hesitant to buy the flat leaf parsley because they can confuse it with cilantro. They look quite similar, but have very different tastes. We have sage growing in our garden so I decided to make a pesto with the two herbs. I’ll be able to freeze it and then use it this fall and winter when I want to roast a chicken or turkey. (I plan to spread the pesto under the skin before roasting the birds.) The book suggests even using the pesto to make a cream sauce for pasta. I will try that later this season and if it passes the husband test, I’ll post it on the blog.
½ cup fresh sage leaves
1 ½ cups fresh flat leaf parsley
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup pine nuts or walnuts
½ cup or more olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Combine the sage, parsley, garlic, cheese, and nuts in a food processor or blender. Process to mix. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. (I add it until it is a thin paste.) Season with salt and pepper and process to the desired consistency. Place in a jar with a lid and refrigerate or freeze. (You can also freeze pesto in ice cube trays and then pop them out and put them in a freezer bag.)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream
Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Ice Cream, by Mary Goodbody and Husband-
Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes about 1 quart
Blueberries are in season from late spring until the end of the summer, they are a delicious treat when warm weather arrives. Like all berries, blueberries freeze beautifully, so if you cannot find fresh ones, use frozen. We have several blueberry bushes in our garden that my husband treats like precious children. I almost have to put him in a head lock before he'll share any with anyone, even me, but I was able to secure 2 cups for this creamy berry ice cream. I found this recipe in an inspiring cookbook that my parents gave me. The color of this ice cream is just gorgeous! It's so easy to make. We made quick work of eating this dessert! Locally grown blueberries can be found in season at Lost River Market & Deli and also at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries (see Note)
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the fresh blueberries, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes to steep.
Transfer the blueberry mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries, if desired.
Note: If using frozen blueberries, make the sugar syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and cooking it until clear, about 1 minute. Put the frozen blueberries in a heatproof bowl and pour the syrup over them. Let cool and then transfer to the food processor. Proceed with the recipe.
Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes about 1 quart
Blueberries are in season from late spring until the end of the summer, they are a delicious treat when warm weather arrives. Like all berries, blueberries freeze beautifully, so if you cannot find fresh ones, use frozen. We have several blueberry bushes in our garden that my husband treats like precious children. I almost have to put him in a head lock before he'll share any with anyone, even me, but I was able to secure 2 cups for this creamy berry ice cream. I found this recipe in an inspiring cookbook that my parents gave me. The color of this ice cream is just gorgeous! It's so easy to make. We made quick work of eating this dessert! Locally grown blueberries can be found in season at Lost River Market & Deli and also at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries (see Note)
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the fresh blueberries, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes to steep.
Transfer the blueberry mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries, if desired.
Note: If using frozen blueberries, make the sugar syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and cooking it until clear, about 1 minute. Put the frozen blueberries in a heatproof bowl and pour the syrup over them. Let cool and then transfer to the food processor. Proceed with the recipe.
Wild Mushroom Potato Gratin
Recipe from Gourmet Magazine September 2003 and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes 8 servings
This mild, wet weather has brought us a fabulous array of mushrooms in our woods. Right now, my husband Jim is bringing home bags of chanterelle mushrooms that he has foraged. Lost River Market & Deli has had some as well in their produce section recently brought in by a local forager. We've sauteed most of our mushrooms in a bit of unsalted butter and put them in the freezer for later as recommended by my Internet research. Jim has been thawing them and putting them in his pasta. I made this dish for our friends Bob and Debbie using fresh chanterelles from our woods, crimini mushrooms from Lost River Market & Deli and Simon's potatoes from the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. This was so yummy, I'm planning to use some of the frozen mushrooms later this fall maybe for a Thanksgiving get together. It'll be a big hit!
1/2 lb fresh wild or exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles or shiitakes (discard shiitake stems), trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 lb fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 lb russet (baking) potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz finely grated Gruyère (1 cup)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 400°F.
Cook chanterelles or shiitakes with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cook cremini in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in skillet, stirring, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to bowl with wild mushrooms. Toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon garlic.
Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (preferably with an adjustable-blade slicer). Bring potatoes, cream, milk, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring once or twice, then remove from heat.
Transfer half of potatoes to buttered gratin dish with a slotted spoon, spreading evenly. Spread mushrooms evenly over potatoes, then top with remaining potatoes. Pour cooking liquid over potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake gratin until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Cooks' note: •Instead of using 1/2 lb of 1 type of wild or exotic mushroom, you could use 1/4 lb each of 2 types.
Makes 8 servings
This mild, wet weather has brought us a fabulous array of mushrooms in our woods. Right now, my husband Jim is bringing home bags of chanterelle mushrooms that he has foraged. Lost River Market & Deli has had some as well in their produce section recently brought in by a local forager. We've sauteed most of our mushrooms in a bit of unsalted butter and put them in the freezer for later as recommended by my Internet research. Jim has been thawing them and putting them in his pasta. I made this dish for our friends Bob and Debbie using fresh chanterelles from our woods, crimini mushrooms from Lost River Market & Deli and Simon's potatoes from the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market. This was so yummy, I'm planning to use some of the frozen mushrooms later this fall maybe for a Thanksgiving get together. It'll be a big hit!
1/2 lb fresh wild or exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles or shiitakes (discard shiitake stems), trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 lb fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 lb russet (baking) potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz finely grated Gruyère (1 cup)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 400°F.
Cook chanterelles or shiitakes with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cook cremini in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in skillet, stirring, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to bowl with wild mushrooms. Toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon garlic.
Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (preferably with an adjustable-blade slicer). Bring potatoes, cream, milk, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring once or twice, then remove from heat.
Transfer half of potatoes to buttered gratin dish with a slotted spoon, spreading evenly. Spread mushrooms evenly over potatoes, then top with remaining potatoes. Pour cooking liquid over potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake gratin until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Cooks' note: •Instead of using 1/2 lb of 1 type of wild or exotic mushroom, you could use 1/4 lb each of 2 types.
Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Recipe from Ina Garten Barefoot in Paris Cookbook and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Yield about 3 cups
I received a beautiful fresh rosemary plant as a gift from one of our Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market vendors. Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. (For some more ideas on how to use rosemary in your cooking, check out one of the cooking links at the bottom right hand side of this blog.) I purchased some very nice cashews from the bulk section at Lost River Market & Deli and then I hurried home to make this fragrant batch of cashews for some friends to go along with before-dinner drinks. We all gave this quick to make snack a thumbs up!
1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt (if the cashews are already salted, omit this)
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.
Yield about 3 cups
I received a beautiful fresh rosemary plant as a gift from one of our Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market vendors. Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. (For some more ideas on how to use rosemary in your cooking, check out one of the cooking links at the bottom right hand side of this blog.) I purchased some very nice cashews from the bulk section at Lost River Market & Deli and then I hurried home to make this fragrant batch of cashews for some friends to go along with before-dinner drinks. We all gave this quick to make snack a thumbs up!
1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt (if the cashews are already salted, omit this)
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.
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