New Ways to Think of Brussels Sprouts

Oh no, not "Brussels Sprouts" tonight.  I think many a kid screamed that as a youngster.  I know I did.  But when I was young, only carrots, corn and green beans crossed my lips as a vegetable. Thankfully, our taste buds change as we mature.  I love Brussels sprouts today.  Especially roasted in a the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Simple but tasty (I even add fresh garlic occasionally).

I think the big problem back then was most people just boiled them.  That didn't do much to make them appealing.  We experiment more today with food and different techniques to come up with some incredible dishes.

Take this week's recipes.  Tomorrow's recipe uses it in a delicious salad (Brussels Sprouts Salad).  On Thursday, it is in a frittata (Brussels Sprouts Frittata with Bacon & Gruyere) that works for any mealtime.

So why should we eat Brussels sprouts?  Besides the culinary angle, they are good for you.  Health-wise, Brussels sprouts are a good source for fiber, vitamins K & C, low in fat, sodium and cholesterol.  Not to mention they are good against cancer too.

In picking good ones at the store or farmer's market, look for bright green and firm sprouts.  Don't buy them if their stems are dark (slight discoloration is alright), it means they are old.  Always remove the outer leaves and slice off the end of  the core.  They can come to you in two different ways.  Mostly, they come individually loose or in bags.  But they also come still on the stalk.  Here you will need to cut them off before starting on your recipe.  They keep best in the refrigerator if kept in the coldest section or area.  The closer to freezing (but not freezing) the temperature the better.

Grilling, frying, roasting or even steaming are the best cooking techniques to use.  And, of course, eating them raw works too.  For that, separate the leaves or thinly slice the Brussels sprouts.  Use your imagination and create your own dish using Brussels sprouts.

So until next week, "Happy Cooking" and give those "Brussels Sprouts" a try.  Also, please share my blog site with your family and friends.  Especially those needed a little help in the kitchen.  Thanks.

Spicy Crab Bisque

Spicy Crab Bisque

(6 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter

½ small White Onion, finely chopped

3 ribs Celery, finely chopped

3 Scallions, thinly sliced

1 Bay Leaf

2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

2½ cups Chicken Broth (low-sodium)

1 tbsp. Roast Garlic, mashed

1½ cups Whole Milk

1 tbsp. Dry Sherry

½ tbsp. Ketchup

½ tsp. Tomato Paste

1/8 tsp. Sweet Smoked Paprika

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Pinch Ground Cloves

Pinch Ground Mace

Pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg

½ cup Heavy Cream

½ tsp. Tabasco

to taste Salt & Black Pepper

1 lb. Crab Meat (see note)

Directions:

In a large pot, melt butter and add onion, celery, scallions and bay leaf.  Cook over medium heat until softened (about 5 minutes).  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thickened and the vegetables are very tender (about 15 minutes).  Add the garlic and milk and bring to a simmer.  Stir in the sherry, ketchup, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, cloves, mace, nutmeg, cream and tabasco.  Again bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the crab meat and simmer until hot.  Discard the bay leaf and serve with oyster crackers.

Note:               You can use fresh lump crab meat, fresh Dungeness crab meat or canned crab meat.  If using the canned type, be sure to drain well before adding.  Also, remember to pick through the crab meat for small pieces of shell.

Note:               For the roasted garlic, there is a recipe on the blog for that.  You could substitute fresh pressed or minced with a little salt to make a paste for the roasted.  It will affect the taste some.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rouille

Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rouille

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

Bouillabaisse:

1 tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 small Onion, chopped

1 rib Celery, chopped

1 Carrot, chopped

3 cloves Fresh Garlic, chopped

1 tsp.  Lemon Zest, finely grated

½ tsp. Saffron Threads (optional)

¼ tsp. Fennel Seeds

¼ tsp. Herbes de Provence

as needed Salt & Black Pepper

4 large Skinless Chicken Thighs

1 (14 oz.) can Diced Tomatoes, drained

½ cup Dry White Wine

3 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled & each quartered

10 oz. Kielbasa, cut into 1/3 inch rounds

2 tbsp. chopped Tarragon

Rouille:

2 large cloves Fresh Garlic, smashed

¼ tsp. Sweet Paprika

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

to taste Salt

Directions:

Bouillabaisse:

In a Dutch oven, combine the oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, lemon zest, saffron, fennel seeds and herbes de provence and season with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Then let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, wine, potatoes and ¾ cup of water to the Dutch oven.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover partially, reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are half cooked (about 25 minutes).  Add the kielbasa and simmer until chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes).  Stir in the tarragon and keep mixture warm.

Rouille:

Transfer 2 potato chunks to a food processor along with ¼ cup of cooking liquid from the stew.  Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and pulse to combine.  Add the mayonnaise and puree.  With the machine on, add the olive oil in a thin stream and process until smooth and creamy.  Season with salt to taste.

Serve the bouillabaisse in shallow bowls (1 thigh per bowl) and top each with a spoon full of Rouille and serve.

Note:               The saffron threads are very expensive so that is why I list them as optional in the recipe.  It will make a difference in taste.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Time to Start Thinking Soups Again

Hard to believe but it is "Fall" again in the northern hemisphere.  Most of us in Minnesota are hoping for a "Long" fall because winter was too long last year.

But with the coming of fall, we all start to look towards having comfort foods again.  The fall and winter variety is what we're looking for and "Soups & Stews" are a big part of it.  Now I eat soups year-round but now we're talking the "Hearty" ones.

If you go back and check previous blog posts over the years, I've talked about soups and stews several times before.  So I'm not going to get to involved talking about them in this blog post.

With the two new recipes this week, it makes 25 recipes available to you just on this blog.  Most of which fall under the hearty type.  There are 12 more recipes in my cookbook too.  It's enough to get you through a long fall (and winter).  So be sure to try any of these great tasting dishes and let me know what you think.

I found a couple of recipes for this "Soup" blog that are a little out of your usual path.  They include a Jacques Pepin's recipe.  It is for "Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rouille" and requires a little work.  Well worth it though.  The other recipe is for "Spicy Crab Bisque" by Tanya Holland.  Both are very tasty and you will be very happy you tried them.

If you have a favorite soup or stew, please let me know.  I'd be happy to try it and even use it on the blog.  In the meantime, "Happy Cooking" and enjoy sharing my blog too.  Till next week.

Ham & Cheese Tortas

Ham & Cheese Tortas

(2 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 Fresh Bolillo Rolls (see note)

2/3 cup Refried Beans

1 medium Fresh Avocado

4 oz. Ham, sliced (your choice on type)

3 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced

¼ small White Onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup Pickled Sliced Jalapeno Chiles

Directions:

Slice rolls and remove some of the insides so slightly hollowed.  Spread half of beans on each bottom roll half.  Mash avocado and spread on top halves pressing to make it stick.  Next divide and layer the ham followed by the cheese.  Top this with the onion and chiles.  Place the tops on and slice to make it easier to eat or leave whole.

Note:               A Bolillo is a Mexican bread roll.  You could use a Ciabatta roll, French or Italian bread in its place if none are available.

Note:               You could use other sliced deli meats if desired in place of the ham.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Pork Tortas

Pork Tortas

(2 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 medium Fresh Jalapeno Chiles

1 medium Fresh Lime, juiced

2 Fresh Bolillo Rolls (see note)

2/3 cup Refried Beans

5 oz. Mexican Pulled Pork (see note)

2 small Fresh Tomatoes, sliced

4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, sliced

1/8 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves

2 tbsp. Crème Fraiche (see note)

Directions:

Cut chiles in half and remove seeds.  Slice halves in thin strips and place in a small bowl with half the lime juice.  Set aside until needed.  Slice rolls and remove some of the insides so slightly hollowed.  Spread half of beans on each bottom roll half.  Next divide pork and place on top of beans.  Top this with the sliced tomatoes and drained chile strips.  Place the cheese slices next and sprinkle the cilantro over the cheese.  Taking the tops, spread the crème fraiche on each and place on top of everything.  Eat the tortas whole, sliced or after grilling on a Panini grill.

Note:               A Bolillo is a Mexican bread roll.  You could use a Ciabatta roll, French or Italian bread in its place if none are available.

Note:               You could use any type of pulled pork or even sliced pork for this sandwich.

Note:               In place of crème fraiche, you could butter, mayonnaise, guacamole or even just smear avocado over the bread.

 

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Part 8 Mexican (Tortas) Cuisine

I'm not sure about the rest of the world but "Sandwiches" are a big thing in the USA.  I believe many (at least Americans) will be surprised to find out that "Mexican Cuisine" is big on sandwiches too.  They are called "Tortas" or "Torta de something" depending on the filling that is used.

I believe most people thought they only used tortillas in Mexico to tacos and the like.  In fact, I'm sure everyone thought the taco was the sandwich of Mexico.

But they make breads in Mexico too.  The type used for tortas is a "Bolillo or Telera" which are a type of roll.  If you can't find them in your area, try using ciabatta rolls, French bread or even Italian bread as a good substitute.

The best way to describe a "Tortas" is to say they are very much like an American sandwich only they use traditional Mexican ingredients inside them.   They will be made with all the different types, styles and flavors of meats throughout Mexico.  Just as in the USA, different regions have different favorite ingredients too.

The condiments or garnishes used again are of typical Mexican items.  The only essential ingredient for a torta is refried beans and chiles.  Others that are common include avocados, onions, tomatoes and some type of cheese.  I guess there is one other ingredient they like to use.  Instead of mayonnaise that many other countries will use, they use crème fraiche or heavy cream.  Usually on the top half of the bun (the refried beans always goes on the bottom part.

"Crème Fraiche" is actually French but they did have their influence of Mexico too.  If you can't find crème fraiche in the store, you could make your own.  It is similar to sour cream in thickness but is sweet, nutty and yet slightly sour.

To make a cup of your own crème fraiche just use equal amounts of sour cream and whipping cream.  Another way is to add 3 tbsp. of buttermilk to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, cover and let stand for 12 hours.

You could just use mayonnaise or even mash up an avocado and spread it on the bread.

Tortas can be served cold or warm.  You could toast the bread first in desired.  You can even use a sandwich press or fry pan with a weight to grill the sandwich.  And don't think they can't match the French Dip sandwich too.  Instead of dipping their sandwich into au jus as with the French Dip, they like to dip into different types of chili sauces (green and red).

They are popular because they can be wrapped and hand-carried for events such as bullfights, football (soccer) matches, concerts or wherever street vendors operate.  Tortas are also good for any of the 3 traditional meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In fact, in Northern Mexico they are referred to as "Lonche" which  relates to eating on your lunch break.

The "Torta" recipes this week are for a "Pork Tortas" on Wednesday and a "Ham & Cheese Tortas" on Thursday.  I hope you will try these and others as you have the opportunity.  They are big in California and the Southwest USA.  So if you are in the region, hunt them out.

For that matter, come up with your own tortas and let me know how they turned out.  "Happy Cooking" until next week and please share my food blog with family and friends.  Thanks.

Fresh Caramel-Apple Cake

Fresh Caramel-Apple Cake

(12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1½ cups Pecans, chopped

½ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

2 cups Sugar

2 large Fresh Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 ½ lb. Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored & cut into ¼ inch wedges

1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

½ cup Unsalted Butter

¼ cup Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.  Stir halfway through.  In a large bowl, stir butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  In another large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Now add to butter mixture mixing until well blended.  Stir in the apples and 1 cup of pecans.  Batter will be very thick and similar to cookie dough.  Spread batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish and place in the pre-heated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean from center.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  While cake is cooling, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Stirring constantly bring to a boil and continue for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Stir for 2 minutes and then top cake with glaze.  Let cake cool another 30 minutes and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of pecans.  Spoon cake out of pan, cobbler style and top with ice cream as you serve.

Note:               You could use other baking type apples if

                        desired.

Note:               You omit caramel glaze and use your favorite frosting too.  If you frost cake, I recommend that you slice cake into 12 pieces instead of using a spoon.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Easy Baked Apples

Easy Baked Apples

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

4 large Apples (tart cooking types like Granny Smith or Rome)

4 tbsp. Brown Sugar, packed

4 tsp. Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon (plus more to sprinkle)

Directions:

Core apples but leave in the bottom (see note).  You may want to peel top half of apple or just around the center (helps prevent splitting) or not.  Place apples in a glass baking dish (ungreased).  Spoon sugar into apples first followed by the butter and then the cinnamon.  Add water to dish to just cover bottom.  Sprinkle a little more cinnamon over apples and place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes (give or take 15 minutes depending on size and type of apple).  Apples should be fork tender when tested.  You can baste apples during and after baking with juices in dish.

Note:               You can use a knife or a melon baller to core the apples.  Be careful not to cut all the way through to bottom.  You want the apples to hold the seasoning mixture throughout the baking and serving process.  You also want to make the cavity big enough to hold the sugar, butter and cinnamon.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Apple Time of Year

September usually means the start of "Apple Season" in the USA.  There's nothing better than biting into a fresh apple just picked off a tree.

As kids, my brothers (and friends) use to pick green apples off trees that were not in our yards.  Most of those people didn't mind us taking a few apples to eat but a few did.  Those were just a challenge for us to see if we could get in and out without being caught.

A neighbor lady (in fact I babysat her children) would have us get green apples for you during a few seasons.  She craved green apples during her pregnancies.  I have to say we loved doing it for her too.

Besides just eating them as an apple, they are great in baking, salads and many other dishes.  This week I'm sticking to a couple of dessert recipes but there are a few salad dishes already on this blog calling for apples.

This week's recipes are for "Easy Baked Apples" (Wednesday) and "Fresh Caramel-Apple Cake" (Thursday) and both are simple to make.

There is well over 25 different types of apples out there.  Most are great for salads and sauces.  Fewer are used for baking and pies.  The thing you need to do is fine what's available in your area and then which ones you really like to eat.  Then check to see what use they are best for in making a delicious dish to serve.

You'll find that apples vary in texture and taste too.  There are crisp, slightly crisp and tender textures to apples.  Some of the crisp ones include; Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden (and Red) Delicious, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Winesap.  Of these crisp apples; the Braeburn is slightly sweet, the Winesap is slightly tart and the Granny Smith is tart.  The rest of the list considered sweet.

Slightly crisp apples include Honey Gold (sweet), Fireside (slightly sweet), Rome (slightly tart) and no common ones that are tart.  For tender apples none are sweet, Jonamac is sweet tart, Jonathan is slightly tart and there are no tart apples either.

I hope today's blog and the recipes this week have got you started thinking about apples and how you can use them in your lifestyle.  Remember the old adage "An apple a day will keep the doctor away" I'm sure you have heard sometime in your life?  It is very helpful so please try it (especially in season).  "Happy Cooking" until next week.

Green Tomato Pickles

Green Tomato Pickles

 (5 quarts)

 

Ingredients:

5 lb. small/medium Firm Green Tomatoes

10 tbsp. Dillseed

5 cloves (large) Fresh Garlic, peeled & crushed

5 whole Cloves

5 large Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, sliced (optional)

1 qt. Water

1 qt. Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup Pickling Salt, granulated

5 qt. Canning Jars, Lids & Bands

Directions:

Wash and slice tomatoes a quarter to a third inch thick.  To each jar (see note) add 2 tbsp. dillseed, 1 clove garlic, 1 clove and 1 jalapeno (if using).  Then place tomato slices into jars leaving ½ inch headspace.  In a large sauce pan, combine water, vinegar and salt then bring to a boil.  Carefully and slowly pour vinegar mixture over tomatoes into jars again leaving a half inch of headspace.  Wipe rims clean and put on lids and bands according to manufacturer’s directions.  Place jars in canner with boiling water at least 1 inch above jars, cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes starting as soon as you put them in the water.  Remove from water bath and place on a towel to cool.  Sound for lids to pop as that means they are sealed.

Note:               Jars need to be sterilized in boiling water or washed in dishwasher with drying cycle on just before filling.

Note:               You could half and quarter green tomatoes instead of slicing if desired.

Note:               You could use something other than the jalapeno for heat to make your tomato pickles spicy.  Use your favorite ingredient.

Note:               Pickles need to rest for 8 weeks before opening for best results.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Spicy Dill Pickles

Spicy Dill Pickles

(7 quarts)

 

Ingredients:

5 -8 Pickling Cucumbers per quart (depending on size)

14 heads Fresh Dill

14 cloves (large) Fresh Garlic, peeled & crushed

7 large Jalapeno Peppers, sliced in half diagonally

7 large Hot Peppers (see note)

7 qt. Canning Jars, lids & bands

4½ cups Cider Vinegar

15¾ cups Water

7 tbsp. Pickling Salt, granulated

Directions:

Wash cucumbers and set aside on a towel.  Place 2 heads of dill, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 jalapeno and 1 hot pepper in each jar (see note).  Now add cucumbers and pack as tight as you can.  The name of cucumbers will vary by jar because of sizes.  In a large sauce pan, combine vinegar, water and salt together and bring to a boil.  Carefully and slowly pour the vinegar mixture over cucumbers into jars leaving a ½ inch of headroom at top.  Wipe rims clean and put on lids and bands according to manufacturer’s directions.  Place the 7 jars in boiling water in a canner covering them by at least 1 inch with water and cover with a lid.  Start cooking time of 20 minutes as soon as you have the jars in the water.  Remove from water bath and place on a towel to cool.  Sound for lids to pop as that means they are sealed.

Note:               Jars need to be sterilized in boiling water or washed in dishwasher with drying cycle on just before filling.

Note:               I use Ho Chi Minh chile peppers.  They are yellow and about the size of your index finger.  I slice these in half lengthwise diagonally too.  You can use any pepper/chile you desire to achieve the spiciness you desire.  I will also use the dry red peppers you find to Chinese cooking if I don’t have the other ones that I prefer.

Note:               Pickles need to rest for 8 weeks before opening for best results.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Canning Season Continues

Many of you reading this blog today have never "Canned" food in your life.  For those of you that have canned before or do it regularly now, this is just a little refresher.  Might even be a few items you forgot about regarding the process.  Whichever group you are in, I hope this well help you try it or do it more.

Many vegetables and fruits work well with canning.  For the recipes this week, I have one using cucumbers and the other tomatoes.  Both are for pickles.  The Wednesday recipe is for "Spicy Dill Pickles" and is great for those wanting a little kick in their pickle.  Thursday is "Green Tomato Pickles" and both recipes can be spicy or not.  Of course that is one of the nice things about food, you can adjust it to your own palate.

Let's get started.  Canning does take some special equipment but it is not that big of an expense.  There are 2 ways to can vegetables and fruit.  One is using a stove-top "Water-Bath Canner."  It comes with a large canning pot, lid and insert rack that separates the jars while in the boiling water-bath.  This is the only way I have ever canned or even seen it done.  I observed my grandmothers and both watched and helped my mother with this canning method.  The other is using a "Steam-Pressure Canner" which I won't be covering as I have no practical knowledge of using one.

You will need glass jars, flat lids and ring bands to put the food in to process.  The jars should  be the type that are made specifically for canning food.  They also need to be without any defects.  The jars and bands can be reused many times but the lids should be a one time only use.  You want to make sure you always get a good seal on the jar.  You can buy a kit that gives you a jar funnel, bubble remover & headspace tool, magnetic lid lifter and jar lifter (tongs).

The funnel helps you from making a mess filling the jars.  The bubble/headspace tool does just that, helps get bubbles out of the product in the jars and helps determine the correct fullness of jars.  The magnetic lid lifter helps get the lids and bands out of boiling water without getting burnt.  The jar lifter helps fill and empty the canner with your full jars for the water-bath.  This helps keep you from getting burnt hot water too.

An optional item would be labels.  You can get labels to stick on the glass jars or just write the needed information on the lid.  You want to be sure to put the name of the canned item and the date processed on the label or lid.

Another process you want to follow is cleaning the jars before filling them.  You can wash them in the sink with soapy water, rinse with hot water and let dry/drain on a rack.  I use my dishwasher to clean my jars.  You want the jars to be hot/warm when you fill them so they don't crack or break.  By using my dishwasher, the  jars are clean and hot as I run it just in time to use the jars.  Some people put their empty jars in a boiling water-bath before filling with product.  But that really isn't necessary.  The jars s well as the food will be sterilized during processing.

One more thought on the jars.  I recommend that you try to use "Wide-Mouth" jars as they are easier to fill and empty once you open them.  Also, think about what you are canning and how it will be used.  That will help you decide on whether you want to use quart or pint jars.  After going through the process of canning food to save and consume later, you don't want any of it going to waste because you didn't use it fast enough.

I've only touched on the subject of home-canning today.  My advise is to do a little research and follow directions on boxes of any equipment you will use.  Have fun with canning and "Happy Cooking" until next week.