Black Olive Vinaigrette

 

I have been on a bit of a black olive tear as you may have noticed from last week's Black Olive Fettuccine. It’s amazing the difference they make in everyday recipes. The same holds true for salad dressing, as I found out, when I turned my favorite recipe for simple vinaigrette into something extra special with the addition of black olives. This is tremendously good, and must be tried. There’s really no need to buy a can of sliced olives if you have some whole [pitted!] ones in the pantry. Just toss them into your mini processor and give them a pulse or two first before you throw in the rest of the ingredients.  You are going to love this! Black Olive Vinaigrette

 1 2.25-oz. can sliced black olives

1/3 c. cider vinegar

½ t. kosher salt

1½ t. sugar

¼ t. dry mustard

¼ t. freshly ground pepper

1 t. garlic salt

½ c. vegetable oil

 Place all ingredients into a mini food processor and pulse until blended.

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Chai Tea

After watching “Victoria Wood’s Nice Cup of Tea,” a documentary available via Acorn TV, I became obsessed with making tea. I dug out all of the bags, boxes, and loose tea tins that had piled up in the back of my pantry, and every day would brew a different variety. I enjoyed this on many levels. First of all, it forced me to relax, something that tends to be a bit foreign to me. Secondly, it allowed me to enjoy my small collection of teapots in a way that I hadn’t previously, when I made tea in more of a rush. Lastly, this daily ritual allowed me to savor each sip, and in the doing I found myself appreciating every aroma, unique flavor, and nuance of the various types of tea that I tried.

In the process, I found myself becoming interested in something I had previously resisted (largely because it seemed so, well, “millennial,” not that there's anything wrong with that), and that is chai tea. I think the fact that it’s loaded with milk and sugar is what put me off of it the most. I decided to tinker around with the main ingredients, lightening up both the sugar and milk to see how I would like it. While I didn’t have a proper pottery cup made of mud from the bottom of the River Ganges in which to enjoy it, I surprised myself by liking it. To me, it was more like dessert, and something to be enjoyed after a meal. Still, the kick of the spices and heat of the peppercorns, coupled with sweet, might just make this a nice morning eye-opener. 

Chai Tea

3” piece Melissa’s ginger, cut into thin rounds

3 cinnamon sticks

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

15 whole cloves

10 cardamom pods

1 whole anise

6 cups cold water

6 bags of black tea (Darjeeling is best)

1 ¾ cups whole milk

¼ cup brown sugar

 Combine first 6 ingredients in medium saucepan. Using the back of large spoon, lightly bruise spices. Add 6 cups water; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pan, and simmer gently 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bags and steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add milk and sugar. Bring tea just to simmer over high heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Strain into a teapot and serve hot.

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If you prefer coffee to tea, this spicy Mexican Coffee is a great winter warmer.

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Devonshire Cream

I am a huge fan of clotted cream, and have been ever since I experienced my first cream tea in London back in 1997. It's expensive to buy in those little jars (and not all that easy to find), although I do, on occasion, treat myself to the original thing. I know that clotted cream can be made at home, but I've not had great success with that, so when I came across a recipe for Devonshire Cream I thought I'd give it a try. No, it is not clotted cream, but it is a nice substitute, and goes together in a flash. 

I experimented with a couple of different recipes, and I like this one the best, because it's not overly sweet. Authentic clotted cream isn't sweet at all, but Devonshire Cream is, so I like to keep that sweetness to a minimum by adding more cream cheese than sugar. You can experiment on your own, adding an additional tablespoon of sugar (or more), or even going so far as to adding a drop or two of flavoring like vanilla or almond just to change things up a bit. For me, this is the best recipe for Devonshire Cream around. It goes wonderfully well with yesterday's Cream Scones with Amaretto Cherries, so give it a try.

 Devonshire Cream

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and salt. Slowly stream in whipping cream, beating constantly, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Chill for two hours before serving. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

NOTE: I used my stand mixer with the whisk attachment to make this. I found it worked much better when streaming in the cream. As you can see from the photos, the results were beautiful.

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This post is linked to: 

Home and Garden Thursday
Grace at Home

Coffee and Conversation

Friday at the Fire Station
Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Create, Bake, Grow and Gather
Share Your Style

Simple Saturday Blog Hop

A Bouquet of Talent

Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Mushroom Broth

Earlier this month I told you about Marco Canora’s amazing book on bone broth called Brodo, and provided you with the recipe for his mushroom broth. Here it is again with my adjustments. I simply cannot recommend this enough. I have come to enjoy it so much that in the afternoon, instead of taking a tea break, I’ve been taking a savory bone broth break with this intensely flavorful and satisfying broth. Yesterday I used what was left of the stock and made mushroom soup. What a tremendous difference it makes to make mushroom soup with mushroom rather than vegetable, chicken, or beef stock. It was so delicious as to be almost intoxicating. I've said it before, and I’ll say it again: Buy this book, and use this book. Even your favorite recipe can be improved with Marco’s delicious homemade broths.

Mushroom Broth

Slightly adapted from Brodo by Marco Canora

5 large onions, peeled

1 t. extra virgin olive oil

2½ lbs. cremini mushrooms, halved

12 celery stalks, scraped and coarsely chopped

6 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped

2 1/2-ounce packages Melissa’s dried shiitake mushrooms

2 1/2-ounce packages Melissa’s dried porcini mushrooms

5 bay leaves

1/2 bunch fresh thyme

1 T. black peppercorns

Fine sea salt

Cut 2 of the onions in half crosswise. Coarsely chop the 3 remaining onions and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil ripples and the pan begins to smoke, add the halved onions, cut side down, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan and ensure browning. Reduce the heat to medium-high and brown the onions for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them.

Place the browned onions and the rest of the ingredients except the salt in a 16-quart stock pot. Add cold water just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 40 minutes, skimming off any foamy impurities.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 2 to 3 hours.

Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Season with salt to taste and allow to cool.

Transfer the cooled broth to storage containers (leaving sediment in the bottom of the pot) and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Makes approximately 9 quarts. Recipe may be halved.

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Beef Gravy

We all have recipe boxes, stuffed to overflowing, with recipes that have been passed down through the family, given to us by friends, or simply plucked from various sources for future experimentation, but I wonder just how many of these recipes, if any, are for sauces or gravies?  A basic knowledge of how to make a good Béchamel, vanilla custard, perfect hollandaise, and well-seasoned gravy are worth their weight in gold.  Each one of these sauces can turn something ordinary into something extraordinary.

Take, for example, Béchamel.  It can be infused with flavor and used to top an already prepared dish, as I have done here with crepes, or spiced up a bit to enhance the flavor of a delicate vegetable as done here. Simpler yet, stir in a variety of cheeses, fold in cooked pasta, and you have a delicious macaroni and cheese.

My grandmother's vanilla custard sauce (recipe to come) has turned a handful of fresh strawberries and many a biscuit into a decadently delicious strawberry shortcake dessert, and saved many a slice of pound cake from being mundane.

Today I'm going to talk about gravy. While much of the gravy we make comes from pan drippings, there are those occasions when we find ourselves, well, dripless.  When all of the gravy from Sunday's pot roast has been used up on the mounds of creamy whipped potatoes served as a side, what are you to do with the slices of gravy-less beef that remain? You make your own, of course!

This recipe is based on one by Emeril, but I have to say that mine is better. I always find that a pinch of espresso powder enhances anything having to do with beef, and a bit of cognac (or brandy) adds incredible richness. Give this a try and let me know what you think.  It freezes beautifully, so feel free to double the recipe.  It is excellent on slices of roast beef, meatloaf, hamburgers (even cheeseburgers, I kid you not!), stirred into soup for an added burst of flavor, and is always so good to have on hand when a hot sandwich in front of a crackling fire sounds so satisfying. 

Beef Gravy

3 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of espresso powder

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 cups beef broth

1 Tablespoon cognac or brandy

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Add flour and espresso powder to pan and stir to incorporate and form a roux. Continue to stir until roux becomes medium brown in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and continue to cook, stirring often, until shallots and garlic are fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour Worcestershire sauce into pan and cook until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add beef broth, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and continue to cook until sauce has reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in brandy. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat when ready to use.

Yields about 2 cups

 This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

What We Accomplished Wednesday

The Weekend Social

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Homemade Boursin Cheese

I've often wondered, maybe you have too, as to why Boursin cheese is so expensive.  Why?  It's cheese, it's herbs, what's so expensive about that?  I suspect the French name ups the price a buck or two and perhaps the quality of the cheese, but when you get down to it, it's really pretty basic.  If you like Boursin the way I do, and enjoy using it in recipes in addition to enjoying it with crackers or crudites, then you will love this clone of the pricey version.  It is easy to put together and I think you'll be amazed at just how close it comes to the taste of the original.  The advantage in making your own, of course, is that you can alter the herbs any way you see fit, to reflect your personal tastes -- can't do that with the purchased version!  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.  Oh, and be sure to look in tomorrow and I'll show you what I did with the cheese.  Yum!

HOMEMADE BOURSIN CHEESE

2 medium garlic gloves, run through a garlic press
1 stick butter, room temperature
2-8 oz. packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese (no substitutions!), room temperature
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used Tellicherry)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoons dried parsley
 Pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)

Directions: 

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cheese.  If it is truly at room temperature, it will blend together quickly and be very creamy.  Add garlic puree; blend.  Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.  Turn out into a lidded container large enough to hold the cheese and store it in the refrigerator.  Using dried herbs, the cheese will keep for two weeks.

Bring to room temperature. Serve with crudites or crackers...OR check my blog tomorrow for something delicious for breakfast or brunch using this cheese as an ingredient.

NOTE:  Make sure that all of your dried herbs are fresh.  If you can't smell and identify them when you open the jar, throw them away.  If you prefer, you may substitute fresh herbs for some of the dry (tripling the amount of fresh) but due to the moisture content in the fresh herbs, your cheese will not last as long.  I used all dried herbs and the end result was delicious.

This post is linked to:
Fresh Food Friday @ La Bella Vita
Flaunt It Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Friday Link Party @ Creation Corner
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge

Making Homemade Orange Marmalade

I fell hopelessly in love with orange marmalade during a trip to Scotland in the same way that I fell in love with clotted cream while living in Oxford.  I knew from the first bite of each that they would be permanent fixtures in my kitchen, and I had hoped to one day learn to duplicate these British delicacies.

Inasmuch as I thoroughly enjoy, and am a prolific prolific maker of relishes and chutney, the skill involved in successfully making jams and jellies has always eluded me.  So when I saw this can of Seville oranges at Williams-Sonoma and read the very simple instructions, I knew I had to give it a try.  I was very pleased with the results.  This can makes an excellent and very fresh tasting marmalade reminiscent of what I had each morning in Edinburgh, and the process is astoundingly easy.  A can of Seville oranges, sugar, and a "knob" of butter are all it takes to get wonderful results.

I encourage anyone who loves marmalade the way that I do, but who has always been a bit hesitant to make it, to buy yourself a can of these Seville oranges and plunge right in.  I knew I had it right when my brother-in-law said he disliked this as much as he disliked the Keiller Dundee brand from Scotland.  Success!

Another resolution to check off of my list!  

Of course we had to have the marmalade for breakfast this morning, so I made a batch of Mile High Biscuits in order to try it out. DELICIOUS!

MILE HIGH BISCUITS

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk

Whisk together first five ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk; mix until dough forms a ball. Do NOT overmix. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead 10-12 times, only. Roll out to 3/4 inch, cut with a 1-1/2" round floured biscuit cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

HOLIDAY PROJECT #1 - Homemade Wrapping Paper

Yes, Virginia, I made my own wrapping paper, and you can too.  You are only limited by the size of paper you can run through your printer.  I can only run letter and legal size through (though I long -- if you'll pardon the pun -- for a 12" carriage!), so this piece is letter size.  I altered a picture of my cousin's little boy (which makes him my first cousin once removed, though most people don't know stuff like that -- geez, why do I?!) and checkerboard-ed him with Garfield.  It was surprisingly quick and easy.  It's amazing the things a person can come up with while suffering from insomnia (or maybe coffee was not such a good idea at 11:00 PM).  The down side here is that you'll need a relatively small gift in order to use paper this small.  In my case I printed out two sheets, wrapped the top of the gift with one sheet and the bottom with another and then covered the side seam with a ribbon.  You're really only limited by your imagination (and graphic supply).  Now go have fun and report back telling me what design you made.  I'll be waiting.  (Seriously, I will, so don't let me down.)

This is linked to Seasonal Sundays.