Curried Cauliflower Pickles
January 10, 2012
Wandering through the produce market, it is easy to become entranced. I most recently succumbed to cauliflower. The big snowy globes of pure veggie power were calling my name. They may just be the most versatile winter vegetable, ready to adapt to any flavor profile or dish in which they are called to serve. I filled my basket with four huge heads and began dreaming of the possibilities. Two heads went straight into a double-batch of pickles.
Curried Cauliflower Pickles are a crunchy, intensely flavored Indian condiment. Serve them on the side of any Indian-inspired dish or nibble on them as an appetizer. They are not too bad straight from the jar either. Awaken the flavors by toasting the spices in a dry pan before adding them to the jars. The cauliflower, ginger, and garlic all pack into the jars while raw. After pouring the boiled brine into the jar, submerge the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes to seal the jars. In this time the cauliflower cooks to a perfect tenderness. While the pickles are ready to eat in a week, they will continue to become more flavorful with time. Shake the jars periodically to distribute the spices that have settled to the bottom.
T, my good friend and canning comrade, turned me on to this recipe from Alton Brown. The original recipe did not give directions for how to can the pickles, so I cross-referenced with my other canning materials to determine the processing time. I altered the spices a bit to suit my taste. The curry is fairly mild. Increase the amount of spice if you want more intensity. Adding some chile flakes or hot peppers would be a nice touch as well.
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Orange and Beet Winter Salad
January 5, 2012
This has been a cleansing week. No work for me and no school for the kids means that we had a lot (too much?) time around the house. Complications outside our control kept us from adventuring in the way we might otherwise. The upside is that the floors are swept, the drawers organized, and the piles of recipes are neatly filed away. This house is clean. Most importantly, the last of the holiday cookies and sweets have happily made their way (on way or another) into a better place, out of my reach. I mean, who really wants to be looking at a cookie on January 5th? Not me.
Though I am not swearing on to a year of clean eating, or anything as drastically healthy as that, I do find that the foods I crave are those which lack the butter, bacon, and sugar indulgences of the holidays. This recipe I share with you today is probably the complete opposite of the holiday foods which filled my gut (and yours?) the last couple of months. Fresh, mostly raw, brightly colored, acidic. This salad is exactly what I want to eat right now (which works out well since our Satsuma tree is going gangbusters and someone has to eat all that fruit!)
Orange and Beet Winter Salad pairs bright juicy orange with paper thin slices of roasted beet, creamy avocado, and crunchy toasted sunflower seeds. The greens are an accent instead of the foundation of this dish. Eat this now and enjoy it, I know I am.
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Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes
January 1, 2012
2011 was not my favorite year, which seems silly when I think of all the giggles and thrills that graced the last 12 months. My son learned to swim, my daughter to climb trees with ease, our family to adventure by canoe. We ate a lot of very good food. The many good moments cannot, unfortunately, overlook the abundance of unexpected misfortune and challenges that betook my family and friends. We are all looking forward to a better 2012.
I am hard up to think of a better way to start a day (or a year) than with a tall steaming stack of pancakes. Way back when, I asserted my love for pancakes in my first post on this blog. Those Buttermilk Pancakes continue to be our weekly standard, but sometimes we are craving something a little different (or do not have any buttermilk in the house). On those days we have Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes. Buckwheat blends with whole wheat and all purpose flours to produce a pancake that has the characteristic blue hue of buckwheat, but the lightness of a regular pancake. A touch of yogurt in the mix gives them a pleasant moist quality. I like to dot the top of each cooking pancake with blueberries, but they are also very good with a mashed banana mixed into the batter. Stack the pancakes with just a touch of butter between the layers and stream Mixed Berry Syrup over the top. I am off to whip up another batch to welcome my family into the New Year!
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Cranberry Daiquiri
December 30, 2011
It is time to toast the end of another year. If your year was like mine it was full of a myriad of experiences and emotions. Looking back on 2011, I would like to accept the challenges I faced and hope to gain strength from them, celebrate the happiest of moments that my family and I shared, and give thanks to all my friends and family that share my life. I raise my glass to all of you and wish you a 2012 full of health, happiness, and prosperity!
Cranberry Daiquiris are a festive way to toast the new year. Cranberry and lime juices are balanced with a cranberry infused simple syrup and a shot of rum. Not to sweet, not too strong, you will want to make these by the pitcher full. For an unexpected touch, float a couple of slices of jalapeno in each glass. Happy New Year!
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Dark Chocolate Bark with Chile-Spiced Mango and Pepitas
December 23, 2011
The darkest night of the year has come and passed and the holidays are well underway, but I would be remiss to not share with you this one last edible gift.Chocolate Bark with Chile-Spiced Mango and Pepitas is everything I want in a chocolate bar. Dark chocolate (first and most important ingredient), sweet dried mango, spicy chile pepper, crunchy pepitas, and of course the sparkling salt dancing across the top. This combination is unexpected and delightful.
Chocolate Bark makes an excellent gift, wrapped up with a tag and a bow. It would also be a delicious way to encourage your guest to linger at the table after their dinner. Put out a plate of chocolate bark and let everyone break off their own piece. It is delicious with wine or coffee.
You can find chile-spiced mango at Mexican markets and Trader Joe’s. If you have a different taste sensation in mind, go for it! This recipe is incredibly adaptable, just keep the proportions of chocolate to chunks the same. Other ideas I would like to try are Dried apricot and pistachio and dried cherry and almond. If you want chunks of another type of chocolate (white chocolate or milk chocolate in the bark, simply chop them up and add with the nuts and fruit (do not melt). The possibilities are endless!
My Pantry Shelf 