Peach Cobbler Recipe

Peach Cobbler

So, we have Cobblers, Crisps and Crumbles, Galettes, Crostadas and Turnovers, and of course Grunts and Slumps!  All of these wonderful dishes are filled with hot bubbling fruit amid a sweetened carb topping.  Of course they can also be prepared with savory fillings.  But what exactly is the difference between these homey, mom and apple pie treats you may ask.

I'll start with the Turnover since it is a rather distant cousin to the others.  Turnovers are simply pastry dough circles or squares folded into triangles or semicircles.  The edges are pinched closed to prevent any yummy filling from escaping.  The biggest difference here, is that Turnovers are prepared with layers of flaky puff pastry rather than singular pie crust.

My Mother and I ate Turnovers for Breakfast every morning for about a year!

Galettes and Crostadas are actually free-form tarts. No tart pan with the removable bottom is needed.  For these redolent confections, one prepares a basic pie dough, rolls it out, fills it with their fruit of choice then folds the edges around and over the filling.  These can be baked on a parchment lined sheet pan or in a deep-dish pie pan.  A very rustic and wonderful dessert for those of us who are pastry-challenged.  As for the difference between the two - none.  Galettes are French, Crostadas are Italian!  That's it.

You Say Galette I Say Crostada - Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

Now Cobblers, Crisps and Crumbles have become interchangeable monikers.  So let me clarify.  Cobblers are fruit desserts topped with a batter mixture which is more like biscuit than pie dough.  However, I like to prepare cobblers with a batter similar to cookie dough (sweet) as do many other cooks.  If you allow your eyes to look at the dish as a whole, and kind of unleash your imagination, the finished product does somewhat resemble a Cobbled Road, hence the name.  Now a Crumble is another dish of baked fruit.  These are topped with an oat-based streusel.  Yum!  Love streusel!  The brown sugar and butter, when mixed with the oats give you lots of "crumbly" texture.  While a Crisp, it's closest relative, also has a streusel topping but does not include oats.  Both offer a dandy, buttery finish to a hearty autumn meal.

A Stunning Blueberry Crumble

And just are Grunts and Slumps?  Well, to begin they are exactly the same thing, and are quite similar to Cobblers.  The difference between Cobblers and Grunts/Slumps is that while Cobblers are baked in the oven Grunts and Slumps are cooked on your stove top.  Most commonly in a cast iron skillet.  Then name Grunt came about because someone, somewhere decided the sound made by the fruit bubbling up from the batter sounded like grunting.  And Slump is the name given because someone else, some place else, decided that's what the dessert looks like when served on your plate.  Apparently there are many who agreed, as the names have stuck.

Stove-top Grunt or Slump - You Decide 

Oh! and there's one more, a Buckle.  A Buckle also used ripe fruit combined with a batter, but true Buckle recipes use a batter that is more cake-like.

So there you have it.  You now know the difference between Cobblers, Crisps, Crumbles and Buckles, Grunts and Slumps, Galettes and Crostadas.  I'm not going to even touch Brown Bettys!

Set Up - Not A Whole Lot Of Ingredients

Recipe for PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted        1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1 cup all purpose flour                                 2 teaspoons baking powder                               

¾ cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons

1 large egg – room temperature                  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup buttermilk                                          ¼ teaspoon salt

2-2 ½ cups sliced, ripe peaches                  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment – 6 ramekins, parchment paper or silicone mat (silpat)

Preparation                                                         Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1)    Line a large sheet pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a silpat.

2)    Using a small pastry brush or a wadded up paper towel, brush the entire interior of each ramekin with the melted butter, set aside on your lined sheet pan until ready to fill.

3)    In a mixing bowl combine peaches, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon, set aside.

4)    In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, ¾ sugar, baking powder and salt.

5)    Using a large bowl, whisk egg into buttermilk – stir in vanilla extract.

6)    Gently stir dry ingredients into larger bowl with wet ingredients in 2 batches.

7)    Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each ramekin.

8)    Evenly distribute peach mixture among the six ramekins then pour remaining batter over the top.

You may sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar on top of the batter.  I do.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until cobblers are golden brown in colour.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or my favourite, crème fraiche.

Big Flavor In a 4-oz. Ramekin

It's All About What's Inside - Right?

The Comfort of Home

Among the tall trees, long before Google and Facebook moved in, even before the terms “dot-commer” and “Silicon Valley” were invented, we lived here.  Bicycles outnumbered automobiles and the few restaurants that existed downtown or on California Avenue were mostly closed on Sundays, with the exception of Peninsula Creamery and Jim’s Coffee Shop.  We ruled those bike lanes as most of us didn’t yet own cars zipping our way up and down the bike lanes, doing our best to avoid Officer Banks, who drove around town in his beige Ford Pinto (the local police department’s vehicle of choice) spending his time busting everyone’s chops, including my brother Lawrence, “Bags” and a few others whom I won’t reveal here.

      

Some weekends when we weren’t attending football games, basketball games, or dance and piano lessons our weekends were spent at Frost Amphitheater swaying and singing to the music of Tower of Power, The Chambers Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, Sly And The Family Stone, The Sons of Champlin and a host of other rock bands.  God, those concerts were SO fun and, believe it or not, only about $11.00 to $17.00 for your ticket!

I recently spent a few days back in my home town of Palo Alto for a gathering of school friends.   It’s funny, I haven’t lived in the Bay Area for over twenty years, but I often feel terribly home-sick .  As soon as I disembark from my blue limo (Super Shuttle) and inhale the crisp clean air I feel a sense of peace.  I am awash with joy and that “coming home” euphoria only those of us who really grew up somewhere can feel.   I savor the cracks in the sidewalks.  We don’t have cracks in our sidewalks in Las Vegas we keep everything looking brand new here.  The old U.S. Post Office on Hamilton Avenue, designed by local architect Birge Clark, with its humongous and ornate light fixture in the foyer hangs today as it did in 1932.  In Vegas we pretty much implode everything that is old, preserving only a few remnants of signage at our Neon Boneyard museum.    

Not much has changed along our streets

 Today Palo Alto is a financial hub.  The amount of money and affluence present is obvious in the shoes and watches worn by the IT and Technology residents who now live there.  While the streets are lined with the same quaint, uniquely-styled homes we were raised in they are now well above the million-dollar mark.

One of those million dollar homes

It’s true, parking has become impossible and the number of people milling around downtown is almost overwhelming.  Back in the ‘70’s, Palo Alto was a far quieter, practically boring place on the weekends.  There was the annual art and wine festival, now Palo Alto hosts a myriad of art festivals and events almost monthly.  Even the well attended Saturday morning farmers market with its abundance of ripe fruit, organic vegetables, artisan breads and cheeses didn’t exist back then.

Which brings me to the food segment of this week’s Blog.   I should be focusing on a seasonal food/herb/ingredient that begins with the letter Qq.  That would be quince.  But quince isn’t actually in season until next month, so I will write about quince for my next entry.  This week I’d like to share with you the details of my experience and delight in a homey-heartfelt meal prepared for a mere 140 or so of us old Palo Altons.

I pulled into the parking lot at the Palo Alto Arts Center on Newell around 6:30 p.m.  Oh my gosh, there’s Mark Macres, and he’s wearing a suit!  I thought this was supposed to be casual!  A feeling of diminished confidence seeped into my pores.  Fortunately it lasted only a moment.  When I pulled into my parking space, another car pulled in next to me and there were my wonderful and beautiful friends, Janis, Terri, Jill and Jill’s little sister.  Terri was wearing jeans, white, but they were jeans none-the-less.  As we made our way into the Art Center, I hadn’t been there since my family hosted Lawrence’s funeral service, I felt a small gasp of breath catch in my chest.  But the feeling immediately dissipated as I was met with smiles and hugs from Judy, Allyson and Skeeter.  It was funny to see how some of us change while others are essentially the same.  Most of us have gained a few pounds and wear the wrinkles of worry and joy over our children or bear the badges of loves known and lost, or for many here, badges of honor for sustaining the love of a still intact marriage.   Wine glass in hand, I had to only look into the eyes to recognize those I competed against in track in, or who I missed the bus with on our way to summer school science class, or one who sat next to me in the car for Driver’s Education with coach “what’s his name.”

Conversations abounded;  “You look great,” “Are you still living in the Bay Area?” “Are you married?” “How many kids do you have now?”  Sometimes needing a quick peek at the name tag before inquiring.  I struggled to find my friend Sue.  “Where’s Sue?” I asked.  “She used to have long dark hair I lamented but I can’t find her.”  “Well didn’t you used to have long dark hair too Deborah?” someone asked.  Good point. 

As the sun went down, Sandra decided it was time to serve dinner.  Sandi is married to her high school sweetheart, Vince.  Actually I’m thinking they were Jr. High sweethearts.  He played football, very well and as I recall, was always kind hearted.  Sandi was rather tall and had the best pair of long, shapely legs in school.  And she loved to laugh.  My most memorable recollection of her infectious laugh involved our beloved Tony Rodriquez, Dickie Gould (I think), and our drama teacher Mrs. Atkinson, who possessed her own flair for the dramatic.  

 It was the end of the school year and Mrs. Atkinson was sitting in her “director’s chair” facing the stage  directing a small ensemble of students in the art of projecting.  Tony, Dickie, Sandi and I were bored and for some reason decided Mrs. Atkinson’s dramatic flair needed some taming.  Every day of our ninth grade year, Mrs. Atkinson wore colorful silk scarves to accent the tailored suits she wore.  One of her more dramatic behaviors was the way she would toss one side of the scarf around her neck to her back whenever it would fall forward.  On this particular day Mrs. Atkinson was so focused on the kids on stage she left the rest of her students to fend for ourselves.  But there was nothing to fend for, nothing to do, no scripts to rehearse so Tony deferred to his most high of talents; making us laugh. 

 Mrs. Atkinson threw her the one side of her scarf back over her shoulder for the twentieth time during that 40 minute class, Tony came up with an idea, a wonderfully, awful idea.  This scarf was just long enough to extend a bit down the back of Mrs. Atkinson’s upholstered chair.  As Sandi, Dickie and I watch in silent horror and mischievous glee, Tony crept up behind her and with a few pushpins he pulled from one of the classroom bulletin boards tacked the end of her scarf to the back of the chair, thereby securing our drama teacher to her seat.  So intent on her task, Mrs. Atkinson wasn’t the least bit aware of Tony crouching down behind her and pinning her scarf.  Tony was very careful as he worked.  It was amazing to all of us, as now every student observed his movements that our teacher couldn’t feel or sense what was going on behind her.  No one uttered a sound.  Then sloowly he crept back to his seat on the drama room couch with the rest of us to watch the drama unfold.  All we had to do was sit and wait for Mrs. Atkinson to jump up from her chair in heated passion, as she always did, to correct the actors on stage.  It didn’t take long, within minutes she was lunging out of her seat towards the stage only to be bounced back by the pinned end of her scarf, which promptly brought her back down into her seat like Ricochet Rabbit.  We howled with laughter, every one of us.   Sandi and I laughed so hard, we ran, holding hands, to the girl’s bathroom.  Of course no one confessed or ratted out the tacking down of our teacher.  Now I know this may read like a sick, adolescent joke, but that’s just what it was.  Because we were adolescents, but we weren’t sick, just rather bored.  And it really was so funny!

Here's The Original

So Good!!

Now that we’re grown we no longer play pranks on teachers, but Sandra and I do stay in touch due to our mutual love of cooking, especially cooking for others.  It was Sandra who prepared the beautifully presented crudités in glass, for our little gathering.  The jambalaya with shrimp, the pasta and salad with homemade focaccia bread on the side.  And for dessert Sandi’s Cobbler Cups.  Now if you’re lucky enough to live in the San Francisco or the Bay Area, then you’ve probably enjoyed one of her Cobbler Cups while attending a Giants or 49er’s game.  But since we all went to school together and this was a special event Sandra shared her talents and showed us the love by providing us with two versions of her Cobbler Cups, peach and mixed berry.  She also does one with apricots.  Sandi’s Cobbler Cups offer a hearty serving of fruit tucked into a flaky, buttery pastry then it’s all topped with a generous scoop of rich and creamy vanilla ice cream.  It’s obvious by the taste and texture Sandra uses wholesome ingredients.  I’ve seen on FB Vince’s expansive garden and the effort he puts into canning his harvest of fruits and vegetables.  Sandi’s pastry is sweet but overly so, yielding but hearty enough to stand up to a cup brimming with fruit.  At first bite your mouth is greeted by a provocative play of homespun goodness.   It was hot that weekend and spooning something so symbolic of summer was the perfect finish to a meal that made us feel more like members of Sandra and Vince’s family rather than just an eclectic group of friends.  Thank You Sandra!!

I can’t give you the recipe for her Cobbler Cups, you’ll have to go to Levi Stadium or AT&T Park for her original version  (or I believe you can order them and she’ll ship to you).  But I can share with you my go-to recipe for fruit cobbler.  

*Cobbler Recipe to Follow . . . . .

Pp Is For Plum

What grows in clusters is dark in skin color, round in shape and comes in as many varieties as apples?  Why it’s a Plum!  Though, as I mentioned, there are hundreds of varieties, Plums are divided into two distinct groups, Japanese Plums (these actually originated in China) and European Plums.  The difference being European Plums are sweeter and the more delicate Japanese Plums tend to be juicer.

 Plums don’t often find their way into my grocery cart.  Probably because too many times I’ve bitten into one that has resulted in my making an involuntary sour face similar to when I’ve eaten a Sweet Tart candy.  However, I chose wisely this week and my Black Plums are extremely sweet and juicy.  Whenever I come across a Plum “spin-off,” Plumcots and Pluots, I do buy them.   I have yet to find the Aprium, another Plum hybrid, which is predominately apricot with some Plum edging its way in.   Apriums are shaped like apricots and have fuzzy skin.  Pluots are more Plum than apricot, round in shape and the smooth skin of its Plum parent.  Plumcots were created by American horticulturist Luther Burbank, and are the sweetest of all the Plum spin-offs. 

Not too many ingredients - oh, eggs too. 

 Being it’s still summer, fruit remains the strong hold for my seasonal alphabet of foods.  Plums are in season from late May to early October.  Look for Plums that are firm but not so hard they don’t give a little when you apply a bit of pressure.  Avoid picking those with cracks, soft spots or brown discolorations.  Once home, keep them in your refrigerator for up to four or five days.  This is when you can enjoy their juicy, sweet slightly spicy flavor.  Beyond that time frame, your Plums would best be served up as an ingredient in a sweet or savory dish such as a galette, crostada, jam or sauce reduction.  Notice I didn’t include Plum Pudding.    

During the late seventies I worked as a waitress and cook in a small restaurant in downtown Palo Alto, called the English Tea Room.  It was here I learned to prepare good chicken and beef stocks from scratch and how to boil and prepare beef tongue which we used to make sandwiches on the thinnest of bread slices.  As a college student, I enjoyed my supervisor’s tutelage.  I learned the differences between Bass Pale Ale, Watney’s Red Barrel and Guinness Stout (to this day my favorite beer).  Of course I am well versed in the proper English preparation of Welsh Rarebit and English Trifle.  But we never did prepare Plum Pudding.  Though we did sell it proudly encased in tin containers decorated with patterns of traditional Tartan prints.

Our staff did everything, from waiting and bussing tables to cooking and keeping the bar.  Where, of course, there was always a good game of darts going on.  While working at the English Tea Room my skill at playing darts finally exceeded my skill as an archer.  One night, after hours, the son of the owner sat and enjoyed his Guinness as I wiped down tables and tended to general cleaning.  Looking up from his stein of beer, a bored Steven decided to challenge me to a game of darts.   I was more than glad to set down my mop, wipe my damp hands on the front of my bar-maids apron and fetch my personal set of darts from my locker.  My set was not nearly as ornate and opulent as the one Anne Boleyn reportedly gave to King Henry the Eighth in 1530, but they were the right weight for my hand, had slim barrels for tight groupings and the flights were really pretty.  Steven poured himself another beer then trickled a bit of his serving into a small glass for me.  I was still under 21. 

Holding my dart at eye level, right foot in front of the left, weight forward, and holding my body upright, careful not to lean forward, I released my first dart smoothly and with only a minimal amount of push.  My dart landed in the Red Bull of the 18, doubling my score from 18 to 36.  My next two throws were comparable.  Steven grunted a “pretty good for an American girl,” then grabbed his darts.  Two were tight in the middle, 50 points for the Red Bull, 25 points for the Green Bull, the third hitting the metal break causing it to fall to ground.  Steven, who hated looking stupid in front of American girls, mumbled something about the number of Guinness he had consumed.  Surprising Steven I beat him at his game.  A testament to what American girls can accomplish. 

Another English favourite - Herring Pie. 

 We put away our darts at the urging of my supervisor, Valda.  Wiping her own damp hands on the bar towel that hung from the ties of her floral printed apron, Valda pulled up a stool and announced we were done for the evening.  She meticulously brewed a cup of Earl Grey tea for herself as Steven poured himself a small glass of port.  I was still nursing the small amount of beer he shared with me earlier.  The three of us continued the conversation Steven and I had started before our dart game about other English traditions such as cricket, the Edinburgh Festival and of course British foods, such as Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak, Hot Cross Buns (there’s even a song about them and it’s the only tune my little sister learned to play on the piano) Simnel Cake (a spicy cake layered with marzipan and served on Mother’s Day) and Spotted Dick (another pudding-like cake prepared with currants), which brought me back to wondering way no one has bothered adding Plums to Plum Pudding.   It was Valda who explained that “Pud,” as it’s affectionately called by many Brits, why there are no Plums in Plum Pudding.  Apparently during medieval England times, when this dish was created, the word Plum was used when referring to currants or raisins, which Plum Pudding is filled with.    

 

To celebrate the Plum in its own right I’d like to partake of the wealthy Brit’s tradition who enjoyed French cuisine by preparing a French dessert,  clafoutis.  Originally created in the Limousin region of France, clafoutis is a custardy, cake-like batter topped with fresh fruit.  Traditionally made with black cherries, but this week Plums!

Smells so good while baking!

A very easy and a most forgiving dessert for those of who are pastry challenged. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter – room temperature              1 ¼ cups half and half

6 tablespoons granulated sugar  + extra for dusting pan       1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract                                                         zest of one lemon

4 whole eggs                                                                                  ¾ cup all-purpose flour

2-3 plums, sliced thin                                 

Confectioners and crème fraiche for garnish

Preparation                                                                          Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Generously grease a cast iron skillet with butter and dust with granulated sugar.

In mixing bowl add sugar, eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon zest and half and half, blend until well combined.

Mix in flour, batter will be thin.

Pour batter into prepared skillet and scatter sliced plums into batter.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes

Cake will be puffy and golden brown, but deflates quickly.  Sprinkle finished cake with confectioners sugar.  Spoon a dollop of crème fraiche ( or vanilla ice cream) on each serving. 

Light, sweet and oh so simple!

OOooh Ong Choy

They look like Morning Glories, but . . .

     You may know it as Water Spinach or Kangkong.  Until searching out seasonal foods beginning with the letter Oo, I had never heard of Water or Asian Spinach.  When I saw photos of it growing in its natural habitat it was obvious this would make for a stunning addition to any garden!  Ong Choy is reported to do very well in hydroponic systems, with one report indicating it is a rather prolific ground cover in hot climates.  That’s Vegas!  But I can’t say I’ve ever seen this plant used as ground cover in our valley.  Any Master Gardeners out there with information on growing this plant as ground cover please share.  If it’s indeed do-able I’d be interested in trying.  I think it's lovely, as the flowers look similar to Morning Glories, to which Ong Choy is related.  Another surprise, sweet potatoes happen to be a close relative, though I don't see the connection.   

A summer vegetable, Ong Choy, literally grows in the water ways of tropical and subtropical climates, loves lots of direct sunlight (Vegas) and can be rather invasive due to its abundant and fast growing nature.  The entire plant is edible, though it is not recommended it be eaten raw.  Unlike American Spinach, Ong Choy is a bit heartier and takes longer to cook. 

 I was able to find Ong Choy at one of the markets on Spring Mountain, as this is a commonly used ingredient in Asian cuisine.  The stems are much thicker around than American Spinach and I was surprised to see they are actually hollow!  Yet the hollowness doesn’t speed up the cooking process, the stems still need to be cut and added to the wok or pot before the leaves.  Which also need to be chopped, as they tend to get a bit stringy, kind of like the stems of artichokes.  As a matter of fact, Ong Choy has that same nutty flavor characteristic found in artichokes.  High in vitamins A and C as well as a good source of calcium makes Ong Choy a healthy choice for pasta dishes and other vegetarian entrees. 

Summer at my house equals lots of grilling.  But you can’t grill every night.  So simple one-pot meals are a great alternative.  I decided to use my purchased Ong Choy in a stir-fry.  So easy and tasty with just a few ingredients.  Feel free to add your favorite stir-fry vegetables to the recipe below

Ingredients 

2 bunches Ong Choy – rinsed and towel dried             3 cloves fresh garlic – minced

3-4 fresh red chili peppers *                                              1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fermented bean curd                                1 tablespoon fresh ginger – grated

1 tablespoon soy sauce – low sodium                          ½ cup raw peanuts – roughly chopped

1 yellow bell pepper - seeded and chopped                  1-2 clean carrots - shaved with a peeler
1 cup sliced mushrooms - any kind                              1-2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Cooked rice or noodles for serving

* Special Tool: Wok or large deep skillet if you do not have a Wok

Procedure

1)      Cut and remove bottom ends of stems on Ong Choy – chop remaining, usable portion of stems as well as chopping the leaves

2)      Pour grape seed oil into hot wok

3)      Add garlic and sauté just until soft – don’t let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter

4)      Add the chopped Ong Choy stems and allow to cook about 2-3 minutes

5)      Add red chili peppers, Ong Choy leaves, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, bean curd and sauté another 2-3 minutes

6)      Add chopped peanuts and cook one more minute

Taste for seasoning adding salt or pepper to taste.  Though you really shouldn’t need any since the soy sauce and bean curd are a bit salty and the red chilies should provide you with enough heat. 

*Remind your guest not to eat the whole red chilies – unless they can take the heat.

Serve over cooked rice or noodles                                                    Makes 4 servings

 

Ready to add the carrots and bell pepper

Never Say Nectarine

Nectarines on the left-Peaches on the right

Never say Nectarine . . . if you really mean peaches.  It’s surprising how many people confuse the two.  Similar in shape and coloring, peaches originated in China and were introduced to Europe and later the New World, by way of Persia, hence the old moniker Persian Apple.  Nectarines also originated in China, but have since undergone lots of propagation and modifications.  Peaches have fuzzy skin while the epidermis of the Nectarine is smooth.  Both have large pits in the center are in season from about May to October, with Nectarines coming onto the fresh produce scene a bit later in spring and finishing up closer to September.  Nectarines also seem a bit more delicate and sensitive than peaches as they are prone to brown rot and diseases.  Generous amounts of vitamins A and C can be found in both these fruits.  And while there are a great variety of both peaches and nectarines they are separated into two groups known as clingstones and freestones.  These terms refer to the ease or difficulty with which the pit can be separated from the pulp or meat of the fruit inside.

In terms of culinary, I suppose you could use peaches and nectarines interchangeably.  Although it has been my experience that peaches are juicier making them my preference over nectarines in pies, cobblers, and tarts.  Although Nectarines hold up really well in salads and in sauces melding the sweet with the savory.  Think of them as a luscious alternative to applesauce over thick, braised pork chops.  And while peaches or nectarines would make for a wonderful ice cream or sorbet, it has been my experience nectarines hold up better on the grill than peaches.  So that’s what we’re going to do this week. Grilled Peaches and Panna Cotta. 

Panna Cotta is an incredibly simple (takes about 7 minutes to prepare) and lovely dessert to have as part of your recipe repertoire.  Generally a warmed assembly of milk, heavy whipping cream, a sweetener and unflavored gelatin, poured into individual ramekins, then unmolded onto a plate and topped with fresh fruit or a colis.  Northern Italians lays claim as the originators of this creamy confection.  But there don’t seem to be any references to Panna Cotta (literally translated means cooked cream) in any Italian cookbooks prior to 1960.  It’s rumored the dessert was in fact created by a Hungarian woman who happen to live in Langhe, which is in the Piedmont Region of Northern Italy. 

What I LOVE about my decision to prepare and share with you my recipe for Panna Cotta with grilled nectarines, is that peaches and/or nectarines are reported to be the original fruit colis prepared to complement this dessert! 

Here’s the basic recipe with some alternatives included for Panna Cotta

                                                                                                               Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 envelope unflavored gelatin                     3 tablespoons cold water

1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream                 2 cups honey or vanilla yogurt (Greek is best)*

½ cup fine granulated sugar *                      1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest           pinch salt

*you can substitute buttermilk or whole milk for the yogurt *you can substitute honey for the sugar *you can substitute espresso powder or rum for the lemon zest.

For the fruit topping – three fresh, ripe nectarines, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2-3 tablespoons honey, grape seed or vegetable oil for the grill and the ramekins.

1)1      Measure the cold water into a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the entire envelope of gelatin into the water and set aside.

2)2      In a heavy, medium saucepot, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, salt and sugar, over low heat just until sugar completely dissolves – Note: if you’ve decided to use buttermilk or whole milk in place of yogurt add that ingredient to the saucepot as well (yogurt is added later).   Do not let this mixture come to boil.

3)3      Remove saucepot from the heat and whisk in vanilla paste, lemon zest (and rum or other ingredient of choice)

4)4      Pour warmed milk/cream mixture into the bowl of gelatin and stir until well mixed.  Now whisk in yogurt.

5) 5     Pour panna cotta mixture into 6 individual ramekins that have been lightly brushed with the unflavored oil.  Place in refrigerator until cool and firm.

Meanwhile – cut nectarines in half and remove pits (hopefully you purchased the freestone variety). Lightly brush grill with oil and grill both sides of nectarines for about 2-3 minutes per side.  You should have nice marks showing before you remove the fruit from the grill.  Immediately after removing the fruit from the grill, slice the nectarines into thin slices.  Place nectarine slices into a large mixing bowl also lightly greased with the unflavored oil, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cover loosely until ready to use.

For plating up, slide a thin knife along the inside edges of each ramekin and invert the panna cotta onto a small dessert plate or shallow bowl.   Spoon the sliced, honeyed nectarines over each serving of panna cotta.  YUM!!!

For an even simpler preparation you can pour a generous spoonful of marmalade or a commercially prepared raspberry-chipotle sauce over each serving of panna cotta!  Sweet marmalade with its tart citrus taste is great over this and the raspberry-chipotle with its sweet/smoky heat over the cool panna cotta . . . oh!  Easy-Sneezy.

Mmmmm - Mulberries!

So, not everyone fell in love with Lynda and Larry, who during a chance meeting, discovered they each had an unusual affinity for Lychees.  I do hope, however, you gave my lychee ice cream recipe a try – it truly is delicious.

Just a note; I shared my delectable treat with a few culinary friends, and while their responses were positive, one of my chefs told me I had actually prepared a sorbet. “No,” I replied, “it’s ice cream.”  “Nope,” he said smiling, “it’s not creamy enough to be considered ice cream.”  It was true, though smooth and sweet, with the succulent tone of lychee and a few high notes provided by the fresh lime zest and grated ginger, my concoction was not terribly rich and creamy. 

“You didn’t add enough sugar,” my wise-sage of a pastry chef continued.  “I didn’t use any sugar.” I replied proudly.  “I used honey.  And not much of that, since lychee are so sweet on their own. “  Chef “L” (his name really does begin with the letter L, I’m not making this up) went on to explain a good dose of sugar works to reduce the ice crystals, while acting as a stabilizer when churning.  I can use honey, sugar even corn syrup, but no matter which sweetener I chose, if the desired outcome is ice cream and not sorbet, I need to be a bit more generous.  Next time I prepare my lychee ice cream I will indeed add an additional ¼ cup honey – for a creamy, velvety outcome.  

                                                     

Mm is for Mulberry

On to my Seasonal Alpha-Food of the Week; Mulberries.  If memory serves me correctly the nursery rhyme chorus went something like this; “Here we go ‘round the Mulberry Bush, the Mulberry Bush, the Mulberry Bush, here we ‘round the Mulberry Bush, so early in the morning.”  I believe this old English song was first recorded in the mid-19^th century and unlike, Here We Go ‘Round the Maypole, which is really an X-rated adult chant in the guise of a children’s nursery rhyme, The Mulberry Bush was intended as a learning song. 

I can remember standing gathered outside on the playground, holding hands with my classmates as our teacher arranged us on the painted circle of the blacktop.  Slowly and carefully we would walk, tracing the circle loudly singing the chorus, then stopping to act out the directives; “this is the way we brush our teeth,” or “brush our hair,” or my favourtie, “this is the way we wash our clothes.”  I fervently orchestrated washing clothes on an old washer board the same way I’d seen my grandmother do it long before she and Papa had a real washing machine!

But I wondered, why the Mulberry Bush?  Actually, Mulberries aren’t bushes at all.  They’re gargantuan, deciduous trees that can grow between 30-50 feet tall with a 35 foot spread.  Fortunately the wind pollinates these monsters of green, so you need only one to reap the reward of the mulberry fruit, although they do take several years to mature.  I did read about Dwarf Mulberry trees, which appear incredibly easy to grow in large pots.

Back to why the Mulberry bush, well I couldn’t find any answers.  Only that it’s the Bramble Bush in Scandinavia and the Juniper Bush in the Netherlands.  Perhaps the Mulberry tree held some special interest for the originators of this little diddley in that it is the sole source of food and lodging for the treasured silkworm.  While they eat only Mulberry leaves, these busy weavers don’t seem terribly choosy about whether they are feasting on those trees indigenous to Eastern and Central China which produce the white Mulberries, those native to western Asia which produce the purply-black berries or our home-town fellow, the Red or American Mulberry tree, found on the Eastern side of the U.S.

As the silkworm is busy cocooning itself in its own personal version of a top-shelf Sleep Number bed, the Mulberry tree goes on to produce berries which are available for only a short period of time, from late May through early June.  Taste wise Mulberries can range from rather bland to sticky sweet.  You can use them interchangeable with recipes calling for Blackberries and Raspberries.  But don’t underestimate these plump little conglomerates of seeds and pulp.  They are rich in iron, flavonoids and vitamin C.  With smaller amounts of vitamins E and A.

It’s true; during our summer season we walk into any market and are met by baskets and plastic containers of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.  Mulberries took more searching, but after a few stops my hunt and peck mission was rewarded.  Because this berry is rather special and not available year round, I didn’t want to prepare the standard pie, gallette, or jam.  I considered cooking them down, creating a viscous reduction doctored with a splash of sweet red wine.  Then straining the mixture through my chinoise and finally drizzling the luxurious mixture over a partially sliced, herb-roasted chicken.  But it’s too hot to roast a chicken in Vegas in July.   I just made ice cream (sorbet) last week and I definitely didn’t want to toss my malleable Mulberries into my Vitamix!

Instead I decided to prepare a Mulberry Gratin with a Grand Marnier Sabayon.  Sounds intimating I know but it’s not!  Using only 6 ingredients, a copper bowl (glass if you don’t have copper) a good balloon whisk and a willingness to work your biceps and triceps, you’ll end up with an ebullient emulsion.  Sabayon, like its Italian counterpart, Zabaglione, is a foamy, luminous, egg-y, custard.  When poured into individual Le Crueset au gratin dishes, where our jubilant berries await their tepid bath, it makes for a creative and succor appellation over the traditional presentation in champagne glasses. 

Here’s my recipe for Mulberry Gratin with Grand Marnier Sabayon

Ingredients

1 ½ - 2 cups fresh Mulberries                            4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons fine (Bakers) sugar                    3 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1 teaspoon vanilla paste                                    about 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Tools – a medium copper or glass bowl, don’t use stainless or ceramic, a good balloon whisk, 4 au gratin or ramekins

1)      Butter each au gratin dish with unsalted butter, distribute rinsed Mulberries evenly among each dish and place them on a cookie sheet.  Set to the side until ready to fill.

2)      Place the copper or glass bowl over a pot of low-simmering water on the stove.  Do not let the bowl touch the water.Pour the Grand Marnier, sugar and egg yolks into the bowl, in that exact order (dumping sugar over egg yolks can burn them)

3) Using your whisk begin to whip the mixture over the simmering water.  You’re going to get a good upper arm workout here.  Continue to whisk until mixture becomes frothy and pale yellow.  This will take about 8-10 minutes.  Don’t walk away, change arms if you need to.  You’ll know the mixture is ready then you lift the whisk up and the custard that drips back into the bowl takes about 8 seconds to flatten out.

4)      Remove the bowl from the heat, but keep whisking for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the mixture to cool down slightly.  Add the lemon zest and vanilla paste here, keep whisking.

5)      Spoon the Sabayon over the berries and place the cookie sheet with the filled au gratin dishes on it in the broiler until the custard and a light, golden brown on top.  About 1-2 minutes.

                                                                                                      

 Serve Immediately – Makes 4 servings

No one gave me time to plate up the finished product!  They spooned this dessert up so fast!

Lychees or Litchis?

There once was a lady named Lynda.  She lived in Louisiana and loved lychees.  She often ate them fresh, sometimes incorporated them into her baked desserts or added them sliced, to her salads.  But Lynda wasn’t happy in Louisiana, she longed to leave her job at the Laundromat , with all its noise, lone socks left in dryers and coins jammed into machines clearly marked, “out of order.”   Instead Lynda wanted to lead a life of glamour and glitz, and follow her calling as a line-dancer. 

     Lynda finally made her move to Las Vegas and found a tiny studio apartment just off Spring Mountain, in an area known as China Town.  Within a week she found a part time job working as a waitress and spent her first day off lining her warped and splintered kitchen cupboards with pink floral contact paper .  By late afternoon, deciding the kitchen was as ready as would ever be, she went shopping at a nearby Asian market.  It was there she met Larry.  They were both reaching for the one can of lychees on the shelf. 

     He was left-handed but that didn’t matter.  He loved lychees as much as Lynda.  He tole her he kept a staple supply of lychee simple syrup to use in cocktails of his own creation.  He always included dried litchi nuts in his homemade trail mix when hiking. 

  Larry and Lynda fell in love quickly once they realized they both loved  lychees.  They decided to live together. Though light on money they were large on ambition, working hard and happy, not really caring they lived in lack-luster apartment.    

   Every evening, after a dinner of noodles and vegetables, followed by a couple of canned lychee for dessert, Larry headed off to work as a bartender at a lively biker bar.  Lynda would blend up some lychee in her smoothie then race out the door to dance classes and auditions between shifts at the restaurant.  While everyone was impressed with how limber she was, alas, she was not tall enough nor well-endowed enough.     Lynda’s drive to dance was beginning to lag.  Larry lamented almost nightly about the smoke the loud music and the fights that occurred in the bar. 

   Now it had always been Larry’s dream to open a Laundromat, actually an entire chain of Laundromats!  So after months of let-downs and too little money, Lynda relented and taught Larry everything she knew about running a Laundromat. 

   Today, Lynda and Larry own a league of Laundromats.  They have lots of money and live in a larger and more lavish apartment where they invite all their friends for parties and gatherings.  Of course Lychee fruit is always on the menu, whether it is stirred into a mojito during a barbeque or shaken into a martini during a quiet dinner.  Lynda and Larry laugh when they see their friends’ eyes pop when they are shown how to peel, pit and pop a fresh lychee into their mouths. 

   Lynda likes to experiment and see how far she can go with this ancient fruit of Chinese origin.  Everyone loves her lychee and coconut ice cream and Larry’s spicy and sweet lychee salsa. 

   How I  wish Larry and Lynda were my friends.  However, they've inspired me to go out and scavenge up some lychee fruit, fresh or canned.    

Recipe for Sweet & Spicy Lychee Salsa

Ingredients

4 ripe peaches or nectarines,-diced                        ½ pound green, seedless grapes,-stemmed and chopped

1 cup fresh lychees,-peeled, pitted and rough chopped      ½ cup red onion-minced

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce-chopped                      ¼ cup chopped roasted red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro                                           1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, (about 2-3 limes)          1 tablespoon olive oil                                                                salt and pepper to taste

1)      In large bowl combing the peaches or nectarines, grapes, onion, lychee, and chipotle peppers

2)      Stir in cilantro, lime juice and olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  If you’d like more heat add a teaspoon at a time of the adobo sauce. 

 This salsa is best served same day – but can be stored in covered container up to 3 days.

                                                                                                     Makes approximately 4 cups

Recipe for Lychee and Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 can of coconut milk, (regular)                         1 cup reduced-fat coconut milk

12-15 lychees – peeled and pitted                     2 tablespoons fresh ginger 

Zest and juice of 1 lime                                     1 tablespoon vanilla paste            1 pinch salt

1/4 cup honey                                           

 fresh mint – chopped for garnish and 2-4 tablespoons toasted coconut for garnish

1)      In a medium saucepot, over medium heat combine sugar, water and honey.  Stirring until sugar has completely dissolved.  Allow to cool slightly

2)      Using a good blender or food processor, combine the cooled sugar/honey mixture, lychees, coconut milks,  ginger, zest and juice of the lime, vanilla and salt.  Blend until smooth.

3)      Pour mixture into a covered container and allow to cool completely in refrigerator – about 1 hour.

4)      Pour ice cream base into frozen ice cream drum and follow the manufacturer’s directions for your particular ice cream machine.

When finished, garnish each serving with a sprinkling of the grated ginger, chopped mint and toasted coconut.

*To toast the coconut simply spread shredded or shaved coconut onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, in a single layer.  Toast in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes OR you can do this in a large skillet on your stovetop.  Just don’t walk away, no matter which method you use, the coconut burns quickly.

Some Lychee Trivia:

Lychee is the sole member of the genus "litchi" in the Soapberry family.  It is a sub-tropical fruit born of Evergreen trees native to the Guangdung and Fujan Provinces of China.  Now these monstrous trees are cultivated all over the world, India, South Africa, Vietnam, Thailand even California and Florida.

The delicate whitish pulp is encased in a pinkish-red prickly rind, which is NOT edible.  The taste of the fruit is sweet and rather perfumy.  Think watermelon and strawberry.