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  • Surprises From The Orchard

    September 17, 2012

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    Indian Free peaches. Yum.

    Sometimes (all the time?) the garden and orchard throws you some surprises. We just spent months, with only middling results, fighting off the varmints from our peaches and nectarines (only passive measures, but one does get tempted to go “active”). Meanwhile, in the corner of the orchard one of our smaller trees had some peaches, but they seemed destined to stay hard and green forever. In fact, these were our Indian Free peaches, and they are a real treat.

    The Indian Free peach is a late-season heirloom peach, common in the northwest and known for resistance to leaf curl. It’s been a popular peach for centuries, Thomas Jefferson even had them at Monticello. And as Jefferson was quite a gourmet, we aren’t surprised, the Indian Free peach is incredibly tasty and very beautiful. Actually we should say the insides are beautiful, with lovely variegated red and white color. The outsides are somewhat less attractive with less blush tones and more dark patches. But beauty often really is skin deep.

    While the Indian Free’s appearance is somewhat undesirable (this and need for a pollinator make it perhaps a less popular commercial variety), the flavor is among of the best of any stone fruit we’ve tried. The Indian Free’s flesh is similar in color and flavor to a blood orange, with more tangy and “berryish” flavors than most peaches. And since we are big fans of blood oranges (see our early posts from last winter) we are instant fans of our Indian Free peaches. And while we could use them in cocktails or put up a few, we are just eating them…..quickly…

    Early Meyer lemons.

    Kaffir limes.

    Why didn’t the squirrels and wood rats go after the Indian Free peaches? We have no idea. We didn’t reinforce or weight the nets, and we waited until they were ripe (the varmints tend to go after the fruit a few days before we would pick). We could come up with any number of plausible explanations, but we have no real evidence of any changes in the orchard. We will chalk it up to dumb luck. Go figure.

    As for the rest of the orchard, the pears and figs are coming soon, and we are very excited. The Comice pears and the figs should be ready in a week or two (some concern that what we thought was a Black Mission Fig is a different fig variety, more on this later). And the “mystery” heirloom pears that grow on the side of the house are still at least a month or two out- these take a while. But once they are done, a new season begins.

    And that means citrus! Our Meyer and Eureka lemons, Kaffir limes and Cara-Cara oranges are off and running. Meyer lemon-based punches for the holidays are already coursing though our minds. And sorbet, and preserved lemons, and lemon curd….you get the idea.

    And as a last pre-holiday bonus, we leave you with pomegranates. We get just a few every year. Not enough to call it a crop, but just enough for a snack and some smiles….

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  • Teriyaki Chicken in Lettuce Cups

    September 13, 2012

    14 Comments

    Teriyaki Chicken.

    Teriyaki Chicken in Lettuce Cups.

    If there is one thing we know about cooking, it is the “80/20 rule”. And in the case of cookbooks, this is almost doubly true. We tend to get more than 80% of our recipes from just 10%-20% of our (ever-growing collection of) cookbooks. So when we get a new cookbook and we find a bunch of good recipes, it is cause for a small celebration, or at least some extra cooking. And it looks like we have a winner with Debra Samuels’ “My Japanese Table“, her book on simple Japanese home cooking. So far we’ve made a number of recipes like Sushi Balls (good stuff and good fun) but often it is the simple recipes that define a good cookbook, and Samuels’ recipe for Teriyaki Chicken is a great example.

    Samuels describes Teriyaki sauce as “the Swiss-Army knife” of Japanese sauces, and that description is spot-on. Sweet, salty and tangy, Teriyaki goes well with chicken, beef, fish, veggies and rice. It just works, and we use it often, particularly as a glaze for fish. But, somewhat shamefully, we never made it ourselves. Happily, Samuels has an easy recipe and we decided to make it, and we are unlikely to ever buy store-bought Teriyaki again, homemade is much better. The homemade sauce has bright flavor with just enough ginger, glossy color and smooth texture.

    Making the Teriyaki sauce is simple. Just combine, simmer and reduce mirin (Japanese cooking wine), sake, brown sugar, soy sauce and fresh ginger. It takes about 45 minutes. but you can make Teriyaki in large batches and it will keep in the fridge for at least a month. But unless you make a very big batch, we doubt it will last that long- you can use Teriyaki on pretty much anything. Basically, you can put this on a shoe and it will taste good…but why not try Teriyaki Chicken, instead?

    And while it seems so “old-school”, good homemade Chicken Teriyaki is incredibly tasty, and a reminder of why many of us fell in love with Japanese cooking in the first place. And it’s easy to make. Simply season and brown chicken breasts (skin on or off) then add some of the Teriyaki sauce and simmer the chicken, turning often, until done. Then, while you rest the chicken, reduce the remaining Teriyaki and chicken juices into a thick glaze. Coat the chicken with some of the Teriyaki glaze, slice and serve.

    And how do you serve Chicken Teriyaki? Samuels suggests with rice, shredded lettuce, some toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lemon, and that will be very good. But we suggest making lettuce wraps (like ssam) with the sliced Teriyaki chicken, Japanese rice (or coconut rice), toasted sesame seeds with a variety of sliced fruits and veggies. In this case we used sliced peaches, quick pickles and avocado. Tasty, and a pretty complete meal. (And while perhaps not traditional, a few drops of Sriracha also work pretty well.) But however you serve Teriyaki, the bright big flavors and beautiful color will remind you this is a dish you should make more often… Continue reading →

  • Cocktail DIY: Grenadine, Simple Syrups, Honey Syrup

    September 12, 2012

    31 Comments

    If you like to “Do-It-Yourself”, then you might want to explore the world of cocktails. Besides making classic drinks from scratch, you can create your own cocktail recipes, boozy infusions, flavored syrups, brandied fruit garnishes, fat-washes (don’t ask) and even your own tinctures and bitters. And many of these DIY products will be way better than anything you buy in the store (a few won’t, btw). And if you want to explore the boundaries of cocktail DIY we suggest visits to Cocktail Chronicles, Boozed + Infused and Serious Eats, all have a wealth of detailed DIY recipes. But before you take the full plunge into cocktail DIY esoterica, we suggest a few basic syrups that cover many classic cocktails and Tiki drinks: Grenadine (pomegranate and sugar syrup), simple syrup ( white sugar or Demerara “raw” sugar syrup) and honey syrup.

    This is all you need to impress your party guests…;-)

    What makes these syrups so special? Firstly, you can make hundreds of snazzy cocktails with these syrups as the primary sweeteners (and they dissolve better in cold drinks than honey or granulated sugar- nobody likes gummy or gritty cocktails). Second, you can find all the ingredients at the grocery store. Third, you can make these syrups in under 15 minutes….combined. And finally, they keep in the fridge for weeks. So if you invest just a little time, you get a big payoff. And the payoff is in the cocktails. What cocktails? Here are just a few examples:

    Scofflaw with Grenadine.

    Grenadine: Planter’s Punch, Scofflaw, Tequila Sunrise, Jack Rose and Bacardi Cocktail (and the Shirley Temple / Roy Rodgers for the kids).

    Daiquiri’s use simple syrup (Demerara will make for a very different sip).

    Simple Syrup: Daiquiris, Mojitos, Collins, Sours, Juleps, French 75, and the Long Island Iced Tea (use Demerara syrup for a richer, molasses-tinged flavor).

    Lots of Tiki drinks use Honey Syrup.

    Honey Syrup: Air Mail, Bee’s Knees, Bebbo, Navy Grog, Tiki Bowl, Rum Barrel and the Missionary’s Downfall.

    And as we noted, making these syrups is very, very easy. You only need two basic cooking methods; mixing and boiling. Grenadine and honey syrup are the “mixers”. Just combine 1/2 sweetener and 1/2 liquid in a container and shake  (just use really hot water for the honey syrup). After a few minutes of shaking, you’re done.  The simple syrups require a brief boiling time to incorporate the sugar and water, but it only takes a few minutes.

    Finally, these syrups can keep for a while. Honey syrup, if kept in the fridge, will last up to a month. Both the Grenadine and simple syrup will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge, but adding a tablespoon of vodka or grain alcohol for every cup of syrup will extend their life a few weeks more. And once you make these syrups, you may find yourself using them quite often- your cocktails will be very tasty and have smooth, “professional” texture. Continue reading →

  • Simple Garden Recipes: Panzanella

    September 11, 2012

    17 Comments

    Panzanella.

    As we move into Indian Summer, we often find ourselves torn. We start to see sign of fall and are tempted by fall flavors, but in reality our garden is still brimming with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Happily there are plenty of good summer vegetable dishes to address this late-summer abundance. We already enjoy Caprese Salads and Gazpacho on regular basis. We make Ratatouille  (particularly to use up the eggplant). And whenever there is some country bread around we make Panzanella, a Florentine salad of bread, tomato, cucumbers, peppers, onions and a vinaigrette.

    Make some croutons.

    Mix a quick vinaigrette.

    Now, if you just said to yourself “isn’t that just gazpacho that hasn’t been pureed?” you would be pretty close. And this makes some sense, the Spanish and Italians share a Mediterranean climate and cultivate similar summer vegetables. Odds are, you will see some similar seasonal dishes from these countries / regions (keep going east and you get a Greek salad) . And as we continue to cook from our garden, we see this pattern all the time. We have no doubt many recipes exist because seasonal ingredients often compliment each other and generations of cooks refined what became classic recipes. But we also have few romantic illusions about seasonal cooking, dishes like Gazpacho and Panzanella exist because they are a good way to pawn off use up all of those tomatoes and cucumbers. And usually when you get your tomatoes and cukes, you get a lot of them. Oh, and might as well use-up that old bread as well…

    Chop tomatoes and peppers.

    Add some chopped cucumber.

    And it does help if the dish actually tastes good, and Panzanella is often a delicious dish. But like many “classic” dishes there are plenty of recipes, not always good, and some details that make the most of the ingredients. We use an adapted recipe from Ina Garten that keeps things simple but has a lot of summer flavor (and uses up our veggies). The key step in this recipe is making croutons with the bread, and not just soaking stale bread. The warm, crunchy and salty croutons mix perfectly with the veggies, herbs and vinaigrette. And if you can chop vegetables and make vinaigrette, making the rest of this recipe is as easy as it gets. And if you have other ingredients you want to add, feel free- purists may cringe, but there are all sorts of Panzanella recipes out there. Find one you like.

    Add some onion, basil and capers.

    Toss in the vinaigrette and add the croutons.

    As for the history of Panzanella, it’s been around in some form since the 16th century. Originally Panzanella combined bread, onions and vinegar. While this was probably “ok”, we think we can speak for most people and say adding tomatoes and peppers (and cukes) in the 19th and 20th centuries probably improved the dish. (Gazpacho has a similar history and improved with the addition of tomatoes, IMHO). As it often turns out, an abundance of tomatoes usually makes for better eating, particularly in summer. So if you can’t pickle one more cucumber of bottle one more jar of tomato sauce, take what you have left, grab some old bread, invite a few friends over and make Panzanella. Enjoy the bounty of summer while you can.

    Serve.

    Panzanella:

    (Adapted from Ina Garten)

    Ingredients:

    (Serves 8-12 as a salad)

    Salad:

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 6 cups country bread (1 small to medium loaf), cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 2 sweet red and/or yellow peppers seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1/2 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
    • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
    • 3 tablespoons capers, drained

    Vinaigrette:

    • 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
    • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 3 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
    • 1/2 cup good olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    Assemble:

    1. To make the croutons, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan or skillet. Add the bread and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, until browned. About 10 minutes. Set aside when done.
    2. To make the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together in a small jar or bowl.
    3. Chop all of your vegetables add place into a large mixing or salad bowl. Add the basil and capers. Add the vinaigrette (don’t do it all at once, add half and see what you need to add) and toss thoroughly. Add the bread cubes and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or let the flavors meld 15-30 minutes before service.
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  • Butternut Squash Gnocchi

    September 5, 2012

    49 Comments

    Butternut squash gnocchi with sage brown butter, bacon and hazelnuts.

    As we noted earlier this week, fall really isn’t quite here yet. But we already jumped the gun with the Applejack Rabbit cocktail, so why not move directly to the heart of the colder seasons and work with butternut squash? And while butternut squash is a “winter” squash, that just means you can store it over the winter. It is perfectly good to eat in the fall (or even late summer). And we do like our butternut squash, it is sweet and savory and a great ingredient in all sorts of dishes. And if you use butternut squash in pasta with some brown butter and maybe some sage…well, then you start inching towards culinary nirvana.

    Somewhat monochrome ingredients, but you get a colorful dish.

    Just because we like the photo…and the ingredient.

    And while we like to make pasta at home (frankly, with mixed results) we do know we can make gnocchi, and it will be good. And if we use butternut squash, it can be very good. And this gnocchi is easy to make, but it does take a little time- time well spent. And this is a frugal dish as well. Butternut squash, flour and butter won’t break the bank. And they are pretty good for you, too…you get the idea.

    Cut the top and bottom from the squash.

    Quarter the squash and cook in the microwave.

    Scoop out the flesh from the squash.

    If you are unfamiliar with gnocchi, it is simply a small dumpling that usually combines a cooked starchy vegetable like potatoes or squash (although you can also use ricotta cheese- but that is for another post) with flour and seasoning . The dumplings are boiled and then served, or cooked a second time (usually browned in butter). What you get is a remarkably light-textured, but very hearty dumpling that pleases a crowd (and sticks to their ribs). Basically, if you want to feed a bunch of kids after they play sports, gnocchi is a good choice.

    Grate some nutmeg.

    Add flour and the seasoning. Start to mix the dough. Continue reading →

  • Bonus Cocktail: The Applejack Rabbit

    September 4, 2012

    24 Comments

    The Applejack Rabbit.

    Fall is here! Well…kinda…sorta…almost…spiritually…uh, whatever. Labor Day is gone, the kids are back in school, and now we feel free to post “fall-themed” cocktails. And when we think autumn, we think apples. And if you like eating (and drinking) with the season, there is nothing quite like Applejack, the great American brandy. And there is no better Applejack cocktail than the Applejack Rabbit.

    Unfamiliar with Applejack? It is the first great American spirit. Way before Americans fell in love with whiskey, we turned our apples into cider and then let that cider turn to apple brandy. How? In the “old” days of the 18th century thirsty Americans would leave out their “hard” apple cider in winter, and as it froze they would remove chunks of ice. The ice was mostly water, as the alcohol has a lower freezing point, so what was left over became ever-stronger apple brandy.  And it was usually potable, but quality could be spotty (and perhaps just short of lethal).

    Laird’s “Bonded” Applejack, really good stuff.

    But soon enough, American’s started to distill their Applejack and it has been a consistently tasty, tangy brandy ever since. And as late as the 1920’s, Applejack was a popular cocktail spirit. But prohibition almost killed Applejack distillation. Only Laird & co. of New Jersey survived as a real business. And this is somewhat fitting, as the Laird’s distillery, founded in 1780, is possibly the longest continuously operated distillery in the country. And their Applejack is very, very tasty- and affordable.

    But one quick note, if buying Applejack, you want the Laird’s “Bonded” Applejack- this version is pure apple brandy and will run you between $20-$30. And what you get is a smooth brandy that has the body of bourbon and the apple flavor of Calvados, but with an extra apple “tang” similar to a green apple Jolly Rancher candy (sorry, but that is what it tastes like). Great stuff and you can use it as a substitute for both whiskey and Calvados in cocktails. If you find it, we suggest you add Applejack to your bar, you can use Applejack in Old Fashioneds or in classics like the Jack Rose. You can even use it in apple desserts….more on that soon.

    As for the cocktail, the Applejack Rabbit combines Applejack, orange juice, lemon juice and maple syrup. Maple syrup is not a common cocktail sweetener, but it works wonders with the Applejack. The citrus adds a sour balance and more depth, but make no mistake, this is an apple cocktail. Most recipes suggest grade B maple syrup, but any good maple syrup will work. And as this cocktail has been around a while, there are many recipes. We use a version from the PDT cocktail book, as Jim Meehan’s recipes usually work well with current tastes. And the Applejack Rabbit is a perfect drink for the season, the apple and maple syrup almost scream out that the seasons are changing…and while we always miss summer, a little Applejack certainly eases the transition…

    The Applejack Rabbit:

    Ingredients:

    • 2 oz. Applejack (Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy)
    • 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
    • 3/4 oz. fresh orange juice
    • 1/2 oz. real maple syrup

    Assemble:

    1. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, flute or coupe’. No garnish. Serve.
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