preserving summer

If you’re anything like me, I find that sometimes the simplest things can be so satisfying. Whether it’s a perfectly pulled shot of espresso poured over a creamy frothed cup of milk in the morning. A handful of fresh fruit, bursting with juice and flavor that can only come after it has finished its course abiding on the vine. Or maybe it’s a crusty loaf of bread that has been doused in extra virgin olive oil and rich sweet balsamic. These are definitely some of my simple “food” pleasures.

With summer now in full swing, produce seems to be overflowing at the farm stands. Berries are plump, lettuces are lush and green and the root vegetables that are showing up are tender and sweet. But more than that, it’s the tomatoes that seem to grab me. As soon as I walk up to my local farm stand I can smell that earthy sweet fragrance that only comes from a freshly picked tomato. They are displayed on large rustic wood tables almost flaunting themselves; they seem to take center stage. Large beefsteak, heirloom varieties that hit a wide spectrum of color from golden yellow to dark purple, even some bright green “zebra” tomatoes boasting their white stripes.

One way to take a little bit of summer and stash it away for later in the year is to take some of those fresh off the vine tomatoes that are at the peak of the season and roast them for those times during the “tomato wilderness”- the long dark time between locally grown tomatoes. For roasting I prefer the smaller roma style tomatoes, their meaty, firm flesh are just right for roasting low and slow.

Simply rinse the ripe plum tomatoes and lay out on a clean kitchen towel. Slice lengthwise and lay in a single layer on ridged cookie sheets. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast at 325° for about 1 ½ until the tomatoes have shriveled up a bit and are nicely caramelized. Once they come out of the oven drizzle with a little more olive oil and let cool. Once cool, put in freezer bags or other storage container with a bay leaf or two and seal tightly. These can be stored in the fridge for 1week or in the freezer up to a year.

These are a wonderful addition to sauces and stews, a topping for homemade pizza or even as a hors d’oeuvre served with some goat cheese on a toasted slice of baguette.

Enjoy!
Shannon

 
 
 
 
 

agra-dolce

The idea of agra-dolce is essentially to try to achieve a balance between contrasting tastes-salty (or savory) and sweet. Where each ingredient will both compliment but also pull against the other as well, to create a harmony of flavors that both satisfy and excite the palate.

In my kitchen the principle of agra-dolce has its base in chutney’s, relishes and spicy-sweet tomato jam. Using ingredients such as maple syrup, honey or molasses and then contrasting it with soy sauce, vinegar, chile, or citrus is the perfect way to achieve this idea.

The recipe below is a perfect “in season” chutney. The base uses apricots which are at their peak right now. These golden orange fruits with velvety skin and flesh are smooth and sweet with an almost musky flavor, with a faint tartness that lies somewhere between a peach and a plum. The addition of sweet plump raisins, golden syrup and cider vinegar help to create that opposing flavor balance of agra-dolce.

This chutney would be a lovely accompaniment to a roast chicken or any pilaf made with aromatic rice such as basmati. It would also be a welcome addition on a cheese board, either with a creamy goat cheese or even a nutty Manchego.

Enjoy!
Shannon


Apricot-Raisin Chutney
Adapted from Living Magazine, June 2005

2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
1 pound apricots, pitted and roughly chopped
½ cup sugar
½ cup good quality honey or golden syrup
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Transfer onion to a large saucepan. Add apricots, sugar, honey, raisins and vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened, about 25 minutes.

Pour chutney into a large bowl. Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature. Chutney can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

makes 2 cups

a thoughtful take on a simple pleasure

I am so inspired by the literary prose of M.F.K. Fisher the legendary food writer of such books as Consider the Oyster, How to Cook a Wolf,  and The Gastronomical Me. Fishers’ work is masterful; every word seems perfectly placed, like the musical notes in a score. Her muse is food and the enjoyment that surrounds it, and the way in which she shares those pleasures is a melody that seems to transport you to a happier time and place.

It makes me wonder, that in a time that is so busy, where pleasure seems complicated that we can, or are willing to slow down enough to enjoy the simple beauty to be found in life.

With all of the rambling I do in this blog for almost a year now, I’m not sure who even reads these words of mine, if anyone.  I’m curious...dear reader are you a cook, a gourmand, or just a curious passerby? Are you inspired in the kitchen? Or do you simply need inspiration?

When someone finds out I enjoy cooking and even finds out I actually blog about it (which is sometimes a little embarrassing) I more times than not hear “Oh, I don’t cook.” After I hear this I always think, (but of course never say) “Do you eat?”

Or maybe I should ask “Do you eat well?”

My hope is that we will see our need for appreciation of the beauty, especially the simple beauty, to be found in life, amidst the confusion and turmoil that surrounds most of our lives. One simple way to achieve this, in my humble opinion is to carve out time each day to plan and create a meal for your family or just for yourself. Then take pause and a prayer if you will and give thanks.

Below is a recipe for Salted Dark Caramel Sauce, it is a quick delicious pleasure that can be a lovely flavoring for your favorite coffee drink, or simply drizzled over ice cream. I like to take the caramel to the brink of burning, until it is the color of an old penny. I love the deep intense flavor of a well colored caramel.

Enjoy!
Shannon


Salted Dark Caramel

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split in 1/2 lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. sea salt

Place the heavy cream and vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the cream from the heat and let sit while making the caramel.

Whisk together the sugar and water in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Cook until dark golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and immediately add the cream slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Return to the heat and cook until the mixture becomes smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and salt. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

makes almost 2 cups

toolbox: stock

The foundation for many soups is a broth or stock and is one of the first things you learn as a young chef. Stock is not only easy to make, it’s one of the few things I freeze so as to have the makings of a soup or risotto always at hand. A sufficiently rich and fragrant stock makes a wonderful soup all by itself or can be the base for a wide range of dishes. I use chicken stock in a lot of my cooking and find that the full flavor of a homemade stock cannot compare to a store bought product, especially when you might want to reduce the stock down to intensify the flavor. Some store bought versions when reduced can taste artificial and unpalatable.

At times, I have used a whole chicken to make stock, which may seem extravagant, but it produces a very sweet, fragrant full-bodied stock. After an hour of cooking you can lift the chicken out of the pot and remove the breasts and return the carcass to the pot. The poached breasts are delicately tender and delicious; they make a great meal, especially with a little salsa verde.

But more often than not, I use two free-range organic chickens, in which I take the breast meat as well as the leg and thigh portions off and freeze for later use. I take the remaining carcass with the wings, neck and back and roast for a time until they turn a lovely golden color. I find this brings a wonderful depth of flavor to the stock. I have come across many variations of making stock, some more complex than others. This is one method that I have come to rely upon that results in a beautifully rich, clear and fragrant stock.

Enjoy!
Shannon

Chicken Stock
makes 4 quarts

4-5 lbs. chicken bones, wings, neck and back
3 yellow onions (I leave the skins on)
6 carrots
3 ribs celery
a little olive oil
20 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
small bunch of thyme
bunch of flat leaf parsley
4 quarts cold water

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lay the chicken pieces on a large baking tray and roast on the top rack of the oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile, roughly chop the onions, carrots and celery and place in a large stockpot or saucepan. Add the tiniest amount of olive oil and sweat over a low heat until the vegetables soften slightly and start to release their flavors.

When the bones are nicely colored, add them to the vegetables along with the black peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Pour in the water and bring just to the boil. Immediately, turn the heat down to low and cook gently for 1 ½ hours, skimming the foam from the surface every now and then. It is very important that a stock does not boil, as this causes the impurities to be dragged back down into the stock rather than collect on the surface where they can be removed.

At the end of the cooking time, you should have a pure, clean tasting stock. Remove from the heat, and strain through a fine sieve. Use as required. If preparing ahead, cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze until needed.

toolbox: crème anglaise

Vanilla custard or Crème Anglaise is a staple for many desserts as well as breakfast specialties. It is a light pouring custard that can be used a dessert sauce, poured over cakes or fruits. The custard can be used for French toast or pain perdu and is the base for creamy ice cream or crème brûlée. It has a mild taste but a rich and thick vanilla flavor.

The custard in itself is not difficult to make, but it does require a fair amount of vigilance and care. The cream is made by whipping egg yolks and sugar together until the yolk is almost white and the batter forms pretty ribbons or until your arm gets tired (about 2 minutes), and then slowly adding hot milk, while whisking. The sauce is then cooked over low heat (otherwise the yolks will cook, resulting in scrambled eggs) and stirred constantly with a spoon until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and then removed from heat. If the sauce reaches to high a temperature, it will curdle. Then you are back to square one.

This sauce is easy to do and should definitely be in anyone's 'toolbox'.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Crème Anglaise (vanilla custard)
makes 3 cups

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
6 egg yolks, preferably organic free-range
½ cup sugar

Pour the cream and milk into a heavy bottomed pan and place over low heat. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add them to the creamy milk with the empty pod. Slowly bring to just below the boil, remove from heat and set aside to infuse for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl with a whisk until the mixture becomes thicker and paler. Gently reheat the creamy milk and pour on to the egg yolk mixture, stirring with the whisk as you do so.

Return the custard to the saucepan and place over the lowest possible heat. Stir gently and patiently until the custard thickens-this may take 10-15 minutes (don’t be tempted to increase the heat, or you’ll have scrambled eggs). It should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon. Draw finger along the back of the spoon-it should leave a clear trace.

As soon as the custard thickens, remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Don’t leave it in the saucepan, as the heat of the pan will continue to cook the custard. Once cooled, the custard is ready to use or can be stored in the refrigerator. Sauce will keep for 4 days.

toolbox: béchamel

“Sauces” according to the maven of cookery Julia Child, “are the splendor and glory of French cooking”.


One of the sauces that I have in my toolbox and turn to most often is the traditional White Sauce or Béchamel. This basic sauce is referred to as the “Mother of Sauces” for it is the base for a roster of other sauces. It takes about 5 minutes to make, and can be used as is, or can be built upon with the addition other enrichments.

Béchamel is traditionally made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour butter roux (equal parts butter and flour). I use this basic sauce as a layer within my Lasagna Bolognaise, or as the base for cream soups, and soufflés. With the simple addition of some nutmeg and white cheddar it becomes the vehicle that turns ordinary elbow macaroni into Mac n’ Cheese bliss.

So if this sauce isn’t in your ‘toolbox’ yet you might consider adding it, for as Julia says “It would be hard for the everyday cook to get along without these good simple sauces”.


Enjoy!
Shannon

Sauce Béchamel (White Sauce)
Adapted from Julia Childs'  Mastering the Art of French Cooking

2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk, heated to the boil in a small saucepan

In a saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Blend in the flour, and cook slowly, stirring, until the butter and flour froth together for 2 minutes without coloring. This is now a white roux.

Remove roux from heat, and pour in the hot milk all the while beating vigorously with a wire whisk to blend the milk and roux together. Set the saucepan over moderately high heat and stir with a wire whisk until the sauce comes to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring.

Remove from heat, and beat in salt and pepper to taste. Sauce is now ready to be used as is or can have other final flavorings or ingredients added to it.

If not used immediately, float a thin film of milk or melted butter on top to prevent a skin from forming on its surface. Set aside uncovered, keep it hot over simmering water, refrigerate, or freeze it.

makes 2 cups

toolbox: pastry

For years I’ve heard the phrase “it’s as easy as pie” and thought “okay, clearly you have never made one”.

Why is the idea of making basic pastry dough daunt even the most cool, calm and collected types? Making them so nervous at even the thought of tackling a pie crust?

Well, if this is you then you never need fear pastry again. I have found a wonderful recipe for pastry dough, which is flaky, flavorful, and tender. It is also strong enough to be rolled out and molded into a free-form shape or a galette. You can use this dough to make any kind of pie or tart, sweet or savory, plain or fancy. By adding a little sugar and vanilla you have a beautiful pâte sucrée or sweet pastry. Throw in some thyme, lemon zest and grated parmesan and you have the base for a savory tart. Once you have mastered this recipe you can let your creative juice flow and create wonderful crusts for so many recipes.

I have made this recipe by hand with a pastry cutter, but have also found the food processor works great as well. This recipe is large and can be cut in half or even quartered, but since the dough can be frozen for up to a month, it’s practical to make the full batch. You can freeze the dough disks, rolled out in circles, or already fitted into pie pans or tart molds, ready to go into the oven-without thawing-when you’re in a crunch for a crust.

Enjoy!
Shannon


Pastry
recipe adapted from Leslie Mackie

5 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 ¾ cups (11 ounces) solid vegetable shortening, chilled
1 cup ice water

To make the dough by hand, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and using a pastry blender (or your fingers); cut it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Be patient-this take a while. Break up the shortening and add it in bits to the bowl. Still working with the pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture has small clumps and curds. Switch to a wooden spoon and add the ice water, stirring to incorporate it. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold it over on itself a few times-don’t get carried away. The dough will be soft, but it will firm up in the refrigerator.

To make the dough in a food processor, start with very cold ingredients and take care not to overwork them. Place dry ingredients in the food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse just to mix. Take the top off, scatter the chilled cubed butter and shortening over the flour, cover, and pulse again, working only until the fats are cut in and the mixture resembles slightly moist cornmeal. Add a little of the liquid and pulse a few times, then add more liquid and pulse again. Continue until the mixture has curds and clumps and sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Don’t process until the dough forms a ball that rides the blade-that’s overdoing it.

Chilling the dough; divided dough into quarters, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, any longer and it’s too difficult to roll out.

Storing; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for 1 month. Defrost, still wrapped in the refrigerator.

Makes enough dough for four 9- to 10-inch tarts or open-faced pies or 2 double-crusted pies.

a word on "curd"

The word “curd” has never sounded very appealing to me. But when the word “lemon” is in front of it, well that’s another story. It’s then that my jaw tightens and my glands begin to salivate anticipating that something tasty is on the horizon.

Lemon curd, with its silky smooth and tart creaminess is hard to resist. Put into a crepe, or between layers of a decadent yellow cake it has outstanding results. It is wonderful on a warm blueberry scone, a waffle hot off the griddle or my preferred vehicle for enjoying lemon curd… a spoon.

I have been a little compulsive lately with Meyer lemons. They are in season right now and I’ve been like a mad scientist in the kitchen using them in this and that.

The fruit of the Meyer lemon is yellow and rounder than a typical lemon we can find in the markets year round (such as the Eureka or Lisbon). It has a slight orange tint when ripe and is sweeter and less acidic in flavor. The flowers of the Meyer lemon are white with a purple base and are quite fragrant. This is the time of year here in Southern California that the citrus trees are loaded down with fruit and the fragrances of the blossoms are intoxicating.

Even if you cannot find Meyer lemons in your area, you could use the typical Eureka lemon or whatever is available and add some fresh squeezed orange juice at a ratio of 1 part orange juice to 3 parts lemon juice to get a similar taste to the Meyer. Either way, making your own lemon curd is easy and worth the effort. The results are so much better than what you can buy in a jar.

Enjoy!
Shannon

Lemon Curd
Recipe by Karen Solomon from the book jam it, pickle it, cure it

Prep ahead: You will need clean jars to store your bounty. Make sure they are free of rust and odors and the lids seal tightly. Prepare a label that lists the contents and date prepared.

6 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
10 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Zest of 2 lemons, removed in large pieces with a vegetable peeler

In a large saucepan, with a whisk, beat the eggs and egg yolk thoroughly, then whisk in the sugar and lemon juice. Stir together until thoroughly combined. The sugar should be completely integrated into the liquids, which will result in a much creamier curd. Place the pot over medium heat and gently warm the mixture. After 3 minutes, add the butter and the zest pieces. Whisk constantly for 7 to 8 minutes, until the butter melts and the mixture becomes very thick.

Pour the curd into a clean glass jar and let it cool at room temperature, uncovered. Remove zest and discard.

Serve warm or refrigerate, in a covered glass jar, up to 10 days.

Makes about 2 cups

flavor notes

In Skye Gyngell's cookbook A year in my kitchen, she begins with talking about base notes & top notes; equating flavors to a musical scale, and is constantly seeking harmony-a balance of sweet, sour and salty tastes. This isn’t a new concept; it is the way people have cooked in the East for a very long time.

Like the notes on a scale-beginning with the earthy base note flavors and finishing with the top notes that add freshness and make a dish “sing”. At the top of the flavor scale you might have lemon zest, infused oils, and vinaigrettes as well as mayonnaise bases. Through the center you have agra-dolce (sour sweet), slow roasted tomatoes, toasted nuts. Approaching the bottom there might be more earthy flavors such as braised lentils, tea-smoked fish, stocks, and roasted spice mixes.

There are many different combinations of spices that work well together, from curries, garam masala, beau monde, Zahtar, five spice…on and on.

This particular combination of spices from Skye’s book is really nice, the flavors work particularly well together, lending a depth of flavor and aroma to many purées and slow-cooked dishes. They should be used in conjunction with other flavors in order to balance them out. The spice mix is a foundation that only really works if the heat of a chili is added, plus the sweetness of sugar or maple syrup, as well as the sourness of lemon or lime. Adding a salty touch is also needed to underpin the spice mix flavor.

Buy the spices whole for this, ready-ground spices will already have lost their freshness and give dishes a dull, musty taste. And for optimum flavor, use a pestle and mortar or spice grinder rather than a food processor to grind the mix. You can keep the roasted spice mix in a sealed container up to a month, but no longer.


Enjoy!
Shannon


Skye's Roasted Spice Mix
adapted from A year in my kitchen

1-2 cinnamon sticks
¼ cup coriander seeds
¼ cup cumin seeds
¼ cup fennel seeds
¼ cup mustard seeds
¼ cup fenugreek seeds
5 cardamom pods
2-3 star anise (or cloves)

Place a dry, heavy-based frying pan (preferably non-stick) over a low heat. Break the cinnamon stick in half. Once a clear smoke begins to rise from your pan, add all the spices and cook, stirring frequently, to toast them. Be careful not to burn them though, as this would give a bitter taste. Once the seeds begin to pop, they are ready. Remove from the heat and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.