Silent Sunday - Clementines

Every now and then on a Sunday, sometimes on a Wednesday, I will upload photos of the seasonal weekend bounty I get at the Farmers' Markets, Costco, Asian or other grocery stores. If you've been following me for three years or so, you might remember my Costco Finds and Farmers' Markets installments.

Speaking of Costco finds, these are bursting with flavor Jaffa clementines I found there. Firm and delicious. It gave me some comfort to find these beauties as I neglected to photograph the orange groves on a Moshav I was staying at, on my recent trip to Israel, and the citrus trees, I particularly recall a lemon tree, in my sister's yard. It was a combination of the volatile weather conditions and pressing family matters I had to attend to.

Many of these photos will be raw ingredients, as with the clementines, that we love to just snack on. No cooking, no messing around, purely fresh, without any loss of the Cs.

Tree Nut Free Granola Bars

Valentine's Day, to say we celebrate it wouldn't be accurate, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, we show affection and love even on a day off. Sometimes heated discussion, a passion reserved only for those you care about the most. Jonathan and I in the kitchen, I wing it and interpret and he, literal, follows a recipe to the letter. He makes the perfect omelets time in and time out so I don't even bother. Boils eggs to right consistency with complete confidence unlike me. That is where his culinary adventures start and end, other than him being a very reluctant sous chef or more of a laborer in the kitchen. He summons all his wit and dry humor to the task but yet again it rolls off his tongue. At the receiving end I mostly burst out laughing as he catches me off guard and surprises with his sharp mind and smarts. After these many years together seems the guy still got some material and game and I call this love.

Meyer Lemon Butter Cookie Sandwiches with Jam

The task on baking cookies is daunting and extremely frustrating to me. The thought of it makes me flustered. Chilling the dough, forming shapes, then freezing before baking. Flouring surface but not too much, working the dough but not over working, glazing, piping with all those tips and apply pressure while piping but just so. Such finicky little cookies that they are! For years now just before Christmas time when the rest of the world around me prepares for Christmas, one Christmas tradition I was taken with, and romanticized about over my years in the States, is the holiday cookie baking. I never wished for a Christmas tree, though I must confess, every year I brush my hands against the miniature rosemary bush shaped as a pine tree, as I pass by and love the lingering rosemary scent on my palm. If not for fear of killing it over the winter indoors I would have gotten the rosemary bush, but what I really wished for were the holiday cookies.

Honey, Agave, Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Rolls with Flax and Sesame seeds: My Tale of Becoming an American

My tale of becoming an American didn't instantly happen at the pledge of allegiance swear in but it started rather rocky and came full circle on Thanksgiving. I was fairly young at the time and stumbled quite accidently to live here in the United States. I didn't seek a refuge from dictatorship lands or escape from persecution. I had good future prospects as I was just out of the mandatory service of the Israeli army, getting accepted to Tel Aviv University. Yes, life growing up was challenging, in an east meets west worlds type of challenges many face and a tad more, but my future prospects were promising. If it were not for Jonathan, who would love me mentioning, that he is younger than I, I might have now not been an American. After so many years, friends back home say I am so Americanized. Well, I am!! Now that I no longer eat fast food, I am, I think, an American only in the most fabulous sense of the word possible!! Imagine me smiling now.

Quinoa - An Ancient Grain from the Andeans to the Mediterranean

From what started as a Mediterranean BBQ somehow I ended up with Quinoa.  Something about the ancient grain like felt right to fit right in with the Mediterranean fare. With added halved grapes, after all, the grapevine was domesticated in Turkey and is one of the seven fruits and grains of the Holy Land. It gave the salad a Mediterranean twist. To accentuate its Andean mountains, South American origin I used Agave instead of Maple syrup or honey for the vinaigrette and lime. Although I had both Agave and Quinoa while dining out, both were firsts in my kitchen this past weekend.  For a natural sweetener Agave is just different from Maple syrup or honey, probably a matter of a habit and an acquired taste.

Worlds collide series: Risotto, Costco organic brown rice meets WholeFoods fresh peas

This post is long time in the making, an experiment...Years ago if you told me I would be taken by brown rice or risotto I would doubt that very much. Today I am courageous enough to incorporate those two in my never ending pursuit of healthy living and greening our lives. Although born and raised in Israel, our daily diet was, if not purely, then mostly Indian. I guess I know one or two things about rice but never taken by the brown kernels until some were scattered on the wooden plank at the Costco warehouse. You can tell from looking at the pictures why I couldn't resist and taken hostage by these beautiful grains, and healthy is just the extra bonus along the way. Fresh peas should appear in the farmers markets any day now. I have not seen them yet at farmer markets although I know season has begun. I got mine at Whole Foods. Keep in mind the smaller the peas the sweeter and more delicate they are, they tend to get bitter when large. Sort the smalls and mediums separate from the large. It is usually recommended to use Arborio rice for a risotto due to the high content of starch in the grain but any short grain should work well. The original recipe that inspired me recently used Farro which is a very popular grain in Israel. I am using a short grain organic brown rice and with my own interpretation of many recipes I've seen over the years. The brown rice will take longer to cook and will need more liquid than the average risotto. I also do not like the risotto floating in cream so I am using only the stock and the wine for moisture and add parmesan and possibly pecorino to the risotto

Organic brown rice risotto with fresh peas

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic short grain brown rice

1 medium onion, diced

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 cup white wine (good quality), room temperature

Cup of fresh peas

4 1/2-5 cups vegetable stock (*see note below), warm temperature

1/2 teaspoon plus salt to tasteFresh black pepper

1/2 Parmesan cheese (or combination parmesan and pecorino), grated

Chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Tools:

Wooden spoon or excellent rubber spatula only

Heavy pot (Le Creuset and such)

Directions: On low/medium heat saute onions in oil until translucent. Add rice and saute for few minutes longer while mixing, salt pepper. Add a cup of wine to rice and mix occasionally, until wine is absorved. Add vegetables stock 1/2 cup at the time and let absorb while mixing occasionally. When adding the last 1/2 cup of water add the peas and keep mixing until all liquid is absorbed. Take off the heat and add cheese. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. About 40 minutes plus cooking time. The brown rice stays al dente and nutty in flavor. If you add too much parmesan it will mask the nuttiness but the texture will definitely remain nutty and chewy.

Important note about Risotto:

For Classic use:

Chicken stock with parmesan (optional cream)

For Kosher use:

Chicken stock with vegan cheese

For Kosher and Vegetarian use:

Vegetable stock with parmesan cheese

For Vegan use:

Vegetable stock with vegan cheese

Gluten Free!!

Note on peas: The small/medium delicate sweet peas use for cooking, the large ones use for sprouting pea shoots , excellent for salads and stir fry.

Verdict on Risotto: I can understand the oohs and ahhs over risotto, although I sense it's somewhat trend driven. It's labor intensive, it's satisfying to see when the grain puffs so perfectly with every 1/2 cup liquid added and the constant stirring.  If I had to eat one again, I would make my own but still not a fan!!

Indian Basmati twist to Rice and (NO) Beans

Couldn't resist it but adding some more buds with this recipe. The Lilac was so stubborn to establish, see this post, that felt like the blooms last year appeared in the summer. I was just sitting on a bench by the lilac, as I raised my eyes to look at all the pollen showering me from the sky, much to my surprise I saw the buds, twice as many as last year.

Worlds collide - Costco Salts meet FreshFarm Sweet Potatoes

This post is one of series of posts I meant to write but fell behind. Every month I got a fabulous Costco find I would like to share with you. By a find I mean a cutting edge, organic product found at Costco. Surprising, yes! but a welcome trend. The trio of salts were at about $20 naturally harvested in Cyprus, The Himalayan and the coastal areas of France. The colors of the salts, pink in Himalayan, grey in the French are determined by different minerals found in that certain areas.  the consistency of the crystals is different from salt to salt some more coarse than others, some flaky and some fine grain.  They are used mostly as gourmet salts,, after cooking is done to enhance the flavors of the dish and give it some texture and color. The intensity of saltiness varies, you will get to know your salts and pair them well once you are familiar with them.This time I paired the Cyprus Flake salt with sweet potatoes. Uncharachteristic to my usual self, I like to peel and cut the sweet potatoes in odd shaped chunky fries. I line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, add a bit of canola or olive oil to the sweet potatoes and roast at 450F until golden. Turn the sweet potato oven fries over to golden on flipped side. It gets crunchy edges outside and creamy and soft inside. Once sweet potatoes are done, I add a touch of maple syrup and roast for few minutes longer, it will carmelize a bit. Plate and sprinkle sparingly with Cyprus Flake salt. Another option is to cut sweet potato fries as instructed above. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on it, add some canola or olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon or more of paprika. Mix and put at 450F oven. Once oven fries are cooked add maple syrup and Cyprus Flake salt as mentioned above. You can also use sea salt or any artisan salts you've got in your pantry.

Costco finds: Gourmet salts

Blizzard's chocolate chip/banana and Meyer lemon/blueberry muffins

It's been a crazy day yesterday, after the last Blizzard (and it deserves an upper case), I held my breath, when the snow was swirling around with the high winds, in this pocket of air in an enclave outside our dining room window. Like a mini hurricane within Blizzard number II. I was hoping not to lose power, although surprisingly enough, I, with my emotional upheavals, am keeping a calm front.  But then I went mad, when realizing we are not losing power, came up with the oddest combination of cooking project yesterday.  On the menu were two sorts of muffins, chicken dim sum. Sorry, SURE pork must be tasty, but can't bring myself to cook with it.  Never been introduced in my diet and better that it wasn't.  Lastly, onion soup. I must have gone MAD, some would say I was to begin with:). Strange cravings and making up for lost time this past weekend with no electricity, heat or water for close to three days.  We are on a well.  When was it that I become a country girl?! This house was charming little cottage when we bought it, beautiful yard, great curb appeal, brick walls directly out of one of my favorite childhood fables, the three little pigs.  Little did we know these brick walls retain heat in the Summers, but this weekend, chances are nothing might have destroyed these brick walls, but if the heat would not have come back on, we would at the least would suffer through hypothermia. Not to sound morbid, but all kidding aside, we do love our little haven of a home and when the electricity is on, cook up a storm. Now I hear there are couple of eight, nine year olds following my blog occasionally. This same basic version of muffins with two different dress ups is dedicated to these young budding chefs. The same idiom from my Red and Golden beet Winter salad spot is relevant to this post.  Don't want to bore you with yet another lecture on the subject.  I bake these muffins, not often, but once in awhile....to keep things interesting an playful. I especially like them the next day, they are absolutely to be devoured.  The original recipe I found within Fine Cooking magazine, which I followed as a cult member, until they went somewhat mainstream.  The recipe is by Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston, with couple of bakeries and a third one on the way in cambridge.  I believe she owns a restaurant as well. For years, wished to visit her establishment in Boston, promise to do so next time we are up to visit family.  Looking forward to her baking book coming out in 2010, that is one I must have as part of my kitchen repertoire!  The basic recipe is the same for both but the flavoring such as, Meyer lemon, vanilla, or the type of fruit, bananas or blueberries gives each muffin it's own unique twist. The batches came  out with perfectly round tops, although I am more of a....oh well, never mind.....that is for another time....

I had a bit more liquid added to the Blueberry/Meyer lemon version but it did well with the muffins!!

Basic muffin ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup milk at room temperature

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature

10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

For chocolate chip/banana ingredients:

Add to above basic muffin recipe..

2 cups combined of Chocolate chips (I use mini) and diced bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Meyer lemon/Blueberry ingredients:
Costco find: Meyer lemons

Add to above basic muffin recipe..

Zest of two Meyer lemons

1 teaspoon vanilla

Juice of one Meyer lemon

2 cups blueberries

Directions:

Mix all wet ingredients with sugar and whisk together.  Sift together all remaining dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula.  Do not over mix, batter should be lumpy. Grease dozen large muffin tins.  Tablespoon batter into large greased muffin tins in heaping mounds, over the top rim. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 35 minutes, tops should be golden. Let cool in tins for 10-20 minutes before removing from muffin tins.

Glaze for Blueberry/Meyer lemon muffin:

1 cup confectioners sugar

Juice of half or whole Meyer lemon

In a sauce pan melt the sugar and Meyer lemon juice and glaze the muffins while still warm but not too hot.

Be playful, change ingredients around and flavors. SO DELICIOUS!!

Meyer lemon creme brulee, now that's my favorite one!!

This Creme brulee is now officially my new favorite custard!! Make it only when Meyer lemons are in season, just in time for the holidays. It brings a dainty, soft, delicate, subdued and sophisticated flavor and fragrance to your elegant Holiday parties! Meyer lemon, although of Chinese origin, should be the eighth to the following seven species: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

Adapted from 'Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee and Other Custard Desserts' by Debbie Puente.

Meyer lemon creme brulee

Ingredients:

2 eggs

6 egg yolk

3/4-1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice, I used 3 Meyer lemons

Zest of 3Meyer lemons, finely zested

2 cups heavy cream (16 oz)

1/4 cup sugar in the raw (for carmelization about 1-2 tablespoons for each custard)

Directions:

Preheat oven the 300F. Boil some water in a pot on top of stove and keep it hot. Whisk two eggs, egg yolks and 3/4-1 cup sugar and beat until light yellow and firm. Add heavy cream, Meyer lemon zest and lemon juice, and mix with a spatula gently, in folding motion, until mixed well. Consistency will be liquidy. Line a deep baking dish with a paper towel, place six ramekins inside on top of paper and ladle mixture evenly between ramekins. Pour water into baking dish as a warm water bath for the custard to cook in, halfway up the ramekins and place in the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 min. Edges should be firm when done, but middle should be wobbly. Take out and let cool outside in water bath. Refrigerate. 2 hours prior to serving, place ramekins in ice bath, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar in the row on top of each custard, swirl sugar to coat custard completely, and carmelize in broiler mode until sugar bubbles. Can carmelize with a torch as well for a deep golden sheen.Refrigerate prior to serving!!

Meyer lemons and other citrus in the snow, or Food Wanderings: jelly, jam, confit, pickle, preserve or marmalade?!

Right at this moment I have an abundance of citrus in the fridge. Clementines, grapefruits, Pomelo, limes, lemons and Meyer lemons. Jonathan and Sagie in Phoenix until Tuesday night, there is no one around to cook for. It's snowing outside (December 5, 09), for the first time this Winter, not many friends will be venturing off in the snow to come and taste my cooking, so I have decided on a very befitting, Winter weekend citrus preserving, one person extravaganza. Sweet jams and Moroccan preserved (pickled) lemons, with a touch of bay leaves and peppercorns. I find the flavor of regular Moroccan preserved lemons to be sharp when adding to Moroccan dishes. I can already tell when slicing Meyer lemons and tasting them that they will give the preserved lemons a more delicate sophisticated flavor. Skipping on paprika, but adding couple of bay leaves and few peppercorns, keeping end result as pure as possible.

Clementine jam:Ingredients:

2 lbs Clementines (can substitute clementines with oranges, grapefruit, lemons, any citrus, always use with peel as it extracts pectin for gelling).
Juice of one lemon
2 lbs sugar
Directions: Wash Clementines, half and squeeze juice into a glass dish and keep in the fridge, discard the seeds. Boil clementine peels in boiling water for 20-30 minute and scoop to cold water bath. Keep for two hours to overnight to get rid of bitter taste, can replace cold water 2-3 times. Take pulp out of the peels and sliver peel to thin strips. In a pan add slivered peel, sugar, tangerine juice and half the lemon juice. Cook for 1/2 -3/4 hours while mixing occasionally, add remainder of lemon juice, mix and turn of heat. Let cool slightly and pour into canning jars and top when cool. Seal jars according to directions of canning jars for storage outside or keep in refrigerator.
Can use Clementine jam/marmalade for desserts, as a breakfast or brunch jam or holiday gifts (mine fit into five 8oz jars).
On a side note: got many compliments on the clementine marmalade, it's absolutely DELISH but the Meyer lemon one I made is my absolute favorite! Just to die for!! They are now officially entered and have a place of honor on my FOOD for ROYALTY list, among Pomegranates and figs and now....Meyer lemons

Meyer lemon preserves:
Ingredients:
2 lbs Meyer lemons
3-4 extra Meyer lemons, juice only
4-6 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup canola or olive oil to seal top
2 bay leaves
Few peppercorns
Directions: Wash jar in dishwasher or bath of boiling water. Wash lemons, take tips off and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Salt lightly and layer in a jar, squeeze 3-4 lemons until juice covers slices. Add bay leaves and peppercorns and pour oil on top to seal. Keep in a shaded cold corner in the kitchen. Preserves will be ready in a month. Once opening jar keep it in the fridge, pickles will last for a year. I went easy on the salt since I want to use the lemons for cooking Moroccan dishes, but feel free to use more salt and keep jar in a cool place outside or use salt as directed in recipe and keep it in the fridge. You can also use pickled lemons as a layer in sandwiches, appetizers. Also can use in 8oz jars as holiday gifts!!