"Yy" Has It Taken Me So Long?

Beans with Blossoms

It’s long, slender and exhibits a brilliant shade of green.  I’m not referring to asparagus, though I  could be since it is currently in season, but asparagus doesn’t begin with letter Yy.  Hmmmm, you wonder, what exactly is in season that begins with letter Yy? Think, think, think.  I know they’re in your local markets now as they are pretty year round, Yams, with their Yy status are not truly in season until September.  Yogurt and Yeast begin with letter Yy, but can hardly be considered produce, no matter how much I try to stretch the concept.  And while Yakitori and Yachtworst are absolutely delicious, they constitute prepared dishes.  Think, think think . . . . Karen! you genius! ~ you’re right, it’s the Yard Long Bean, also known as the Chinese Long Bean or Snake Bean!!  These leggy legumes are commonly found in local Asian markets, and lucky for us are showing up in many Farmers Markets these days. 

A close relative to black-eyed peas, the Yarn Long is actually quite lovely as it extends down the vine to which it’s attached, growing up to 3 feet in length.  I was surprised to discover there are several more varieties than I've ever known: Red Seed, Black Seed, White Seed, the Stickless Wonder and the show-stopper of a looker the Purple Pod Yard Long. But the Southern Winner is purported to be among the most tasty of all.  A deeper shade of green than the other varieties, Southern Winner is a prolific producer resulting in crispy, sweet beans.  Many people may pick up a bunch of Yard Longs only to put them back down, thinking their soft, suppleness indicates age.  But Yard Longs tend to be less snappy than the traditional green bean.

Easy to grow, they produce flowers and pods in about 45 days.  Once they get going, should you decide to include them in your garden, you may find yourself going out almost daily to harvest.  As I mentioned earlier, they live up to their name Yard Long and each variety does indeed grow up to a yard in length, some even longer.  Displaying heart shaped leaves and small flowers, in white (as shown) pink or lavender in colouring, many people ascertain the flavor of a Yard Long is similar to that of asparagus.  Another common name for this bean I failed to mention is Asparagus Bean.  

A canopy of Yard Longs

Once harvested or purchased, Yard Longs will keep in your fridge for up to 5 days.  As for culinary uses, cook with them as you would any green bean.  Great in stir-fries, trimmed and cut on the bias they’re a beautiful addition to salads or as we use them frequently at Sur La Table Cooking School, in our Thai dishes.   

I prefer allowing them to maintain their elegant style by presenting Yard Longs whole, steamed and displayed on a platter, drizzled lightly with hazelnut infused oil, a generous sprinkling of fresh lemon zest and some crumbled goat cheese dancing across the arrangement!  Yum Yum for Yard Longs!

Oh! ~ I didn't answer the question as to "Yy" it has taken me so long to get back to my Blog.  That would be due to my finally completing my book, One 4-Ounce Serving, A Collection Of Food Stories And Recipes.  There will be an official book launch, hosted, hopefully, by Sur La Table at Downtown Summerlin in the next few weeks.  So watch this Blog or check out my FB page for the upcoming details.  Finally!!  Yahoo!  Yippee! (Yy words of excitement).

Yard Longs cut down to size - easier for eating I guess

Xing - Xang - Xong

It might look like gibberish . . .  because that’s what it is.  As we near the end of my Alpha-Foods series things are getting tougher!  To be honest, the ONLY food ingredient I could find starting with Xx is Xanthan gum.  That food additive produced from fermented corn sugar, commonly used as a thickener, emulsifier and/or stabilizer of many a commercially prepared food item found in your local grocery store.  I don’t intend on doing anything with that!  Actually, taking some culturalistic license I did find Xigua.  But xigua is simply another term for watermelon in some cultures.  And certainly not in season right now.  

I did find out, from a sommelier friend of mine, about the Xinomavro grape.  This little morsel was the primary grape used to produce red wine in ancient Macedonia.  He reports it was more of an elixir back then, but believes the grape is still used to produce wine in Greece today.  As much as I’d love doing the research and sharing with you a recipe to make wine, I hit a wall trying to locate where I could buy this edible berry.  So no wine recipe this week. 

Instead I am forced to consider Xacuti, Xavier Soup or Xampinyons.   Yes, these are actual dishes.  Since we’re no longer in the month of December, I can’t justify Xmas Cookies.  Xampinyon is actually the Catalan word for mushroom.  I could write about the exciting array of mushrooms at our disposal.  Cépe, Chanterelle, Enoki, Morel, Puffball and Shitake to name just a few, so many more options than the early Greeks and Romans had at their disposal when they were cultivating mushrooms.  Rich, nutty and earthy, mushrooms are the example I often give when describing that 5^th taste sensation, Umami.  My students are usually familiar with sweet, salty, sour and bitter, not so much the unctuous characteristics of mushrooms.  A piping hot , dripping with warm butter and stuffed to over-flowing with minced garlic and shallot, fresh parsley and grated Asiago cheese, of course the left over stems are chopped fine and incorporated into the filling with only a minute amount of seasoned bread crumbs, moistened with a fine Chardonnay. 

Perhaps introducing you to Xacuti, pronounced “sha-kooti,” would entice you.  This less familiar gem of a spicy chicken dish originated in Western India, Goa to be exact.  A bright red curry-like dish, often prepared with chicken, or goat or lamb and plenty of Kashmiri chilies hits those high notes and rings some bells.  Best served over rice and washed down with a cool beer.  I am tempted to try it.  A complex amalgamation of spices that include but isn’t  limited to, anise, coriander and fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, mace and nutmeg.  All cooked together in a large Dutch oven, with diced chicken and coconut.  Served over rice, this dish is calling me by name! 

Finally, there’s Xavier Suppe.  Now this consist of far fewer ingredients and also speaks to me, since it is Italian in origin, like me, and offers all the creature comforts of a healing soup.  So many of us here in Vegas are coping with or getting over severe head colds and the flu, so I deem this to be Soup Season.  Xavier Suppe gets its name from Saint Francis Xavier, who lived in Italy and was canonized in 1622.  The Feast Day of St. Xavier is held on December 3^rd, and of course this soup is a component of the meal.  Easy to prepare, with few ingredients, all of which I have on hand; I’ve decided to use this recipe to express letter Xx.  There is very little variation in the recipes I researched, which I take to mean, it is as good today as it was in the 17^th century. 

Well, except for the chicken stock.  The traditional preparation requires a rich chicken consommé which is actually homemade chicken stock, clarified.  I’m using commercially prepared, low sodium chicken stock. 

Pretty much all the ingredients you need right here. 

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all purpose flour                                ½ cup heavy cream

½ cup unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons             1-2 fresh leeks, cleaned and sliced

½ cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese + more for garnish

½ teaspoon each salt and pepper                     pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks                           6-8 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons + additional for garnish, Italian parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh chervil, chopped (you can substitute fresh tarragon if needed)

Be sure to peel back the layers as you rinse the leeks under running water. 

Sauteed leeks in butter.

Procedure

1       In a large heavy stock or soup pot, melt 2 tablespoon butter.  Add chopped leeks and cook until soft.  Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Cover and keep warm over low heat. 

2      . In a separate large, heavy pot over low heat, stir together the flour, cream, butter, and grated cheese.  Continue stirring until mixture comes together into a soft but solid dough. 

Starting the dough for the dumplings.

Then is comes together so easily.

Piping out the dumplings using a Ziploc gallon bag.

3     3. Remove from heat and gently stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, whole eggs, egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley.

4       4.Spoon mixture into a piping bag (or large Ziploc bag if you don’t have a piping bag) fitted with a large tip.  If you’re using a large Ziploc, simply cut off a corner of the bag large enough to pipe out cylinder dumplings but not so big you end up with blobs squeezing out. 

5      5. Pipe 1” tube-like cylinders onto a sheet of waxed paper or buttered parchment paper. 

6       Allow dumplings to rest for approximately 30 minutes.

7       6.Meanwhile set another pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a gentle boil. 

8       7.When dumplings have rested, using a slotted spoon, gently lower 1/3 of the dumplings into the water and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to float.  Mine are rather large, we like hearty dumplings in this household, so they didn't really float all the way to the top.  Use your slotted spoon to remove the cooked dumplings and gently slide into the pot of warm chicken broth.  Do this until all the dumplings are in the pot of chicken stock.

9       Immediately ladle Xavier’s soup into individual bowls and garnish each with the fresh chervil (or tarragon), parsley and cheese.

My dinner for the evening.

Kind of like an Italian "matzo ball soup" but even better!

                                                                    Serve with a warm baguette – Makes 6-8 servings

Note: However, I am planning on preparing that Xacuti.  It looks way too good to pass up the adventure.  

Ww - Winter Squash

Summer Squash - yes you'll find them in your produce section, but it's really not their season.

Ww – Winter Squash versus Summer Squash.  Though I’ve never considered munching on summer squash poolside it does have its draws.  For example, Summer Squash can make a splash by entering  the ring dressed in a bright, yellow-fringed tutu-like skirt.  The scalloped trim on this rather snappy, sometimes greenish-hued vegetable is thrilled to be eaten as part of veritable parade of colour in your favourite salad or sautéed with a mixture of like minded squash in a skillet of unsalted butter and fresh garlic or simply eaten raw as a crudité with more eye appeal than your average carrot or celery stick.  Look for the name Pattypan Squash and you’ve found it!

In mid-June you’re also likely to find Cousa Squash nestled nearby the Pattypan.  Some people mistake Cousa for green zucchini.  I can see why they might assume Cousa to resemble a kind of runt of the  litter, since it is shorter and squattier than your average zucchini.  Adorned with the same various shades of green stripes running the length of this summer squash, Cousa boast a sweeter flavor than its relatives.  The other two Summer Squash worth mentioning is the Eight Ball and the Zepher.  The Eight Ball looks like a zucchini, same green colouring but the shape is exactly round, like a ball.  But the real beauty among our summer time gourds is the Zepher.  Don’t confuse her with Yellow Crookneck, Zephers are a bit longer than Crookneck, to whom they are related, as they are to Delicata and Yellow Acorn, but the long cylindrical shape is highlighted by the green tips at both ends capping off the yellow body.  What I find so startling, is the colour differentials are so neatly separated!  There isn’t any muddling of colours.  Mother Nature is certainly talented. 

But how do these thin-skinned, high water content squash with soft edible seeds stack up against our current in season Winter Squash?  Well our hearty winter gourds, with their thick, tough rinds and usually large, inedible seeds, range in colour from dark forest green to deep yellow and orange, but all require cooking.  Roast them, stuff them, puree them and add to your soups, stews or serve as a satisfying side dish, the possibilities in methods of preparation and service are limited only by your imagination. 

Winter Squash - just a sampling.

 I could almost do an entire alphabet of squash what with the wide variety of options available during these cold months.  Beginning with Acorn all the way to those Zephers (which will likely be my Zz food item for this Blog) with Butternut, Hubbard, Kabocha and Spaghetti in between.  But this week I’d like to focus on the beautifully accommodating Acorn Squash. 

First off, when purchasing Acorn Squash, look for those that are mostly dark green in colour.  Too much orange, as pretty as it is, means the flesh inside will be tough and fibrous.  The squash should feel heavier than it looks when you pick it up.  This is actually a trait you should look for when buying any type of squash. 

I happen to home sick with a serious head cold today so I have soup on my mind.  And Acorn Squash Soup is one of my favourites.  Rich and creamy, spiced with Garam Masala and a dollop of crème fraiche, served right in the hollowed out shell of the squash, it’s a healing antidote I yearn for right now.  And I might just cook some for myself when I’ve finished writing, but the recipe I’d like to share with you is an adaptation of our friend Dave’s old family recipe.  Now Dave grew up on the Eastern Seaboard and for those of you who grew up on the outskirts of the big cities know that maple syrup is either a staple ingredient in any recipe or is placed on the table as a condiment.  It goes without saying maple syrup is a star ingredient in Dave’s Roasted Acorn Squash.  He introduced me and the other members of our Supper Club group the Friends Amid Food to this hearty side dish about five years ago.  Mark and Dave were the hosts for that month’s gathering and they went all out in sending invites, arranging the Tablescape and ensuring we were all committed to preparing dishes that played off their food theme.

 

Mark - Isn't he cute?  Look how happy he is with that Acorn Squash on his plate!

 Here's the adapted recipe, as I remember it.  Dave if you see something terribly wrong let me know!

Roasted Acorn Squash With Maple Syrup

Ingredients

2 medium-sized acorn squash – cut top portion off and remove seeds

Olive oil to prepare pan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons good maple syrup

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped walnuts                                                

Preparation                                                                Preheat oven to 450 degrees                                                             

1)       Line cookie sheet with foil.  Using your hands, rub olive oil over foil to prevent squash from sticking during roasting.

2)      Set four squash halves on baking sheet and top each with ½ tablespoon of the butter, ½ tablespoon of the brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon of the nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt.

3)      Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until fork tender but not so soft shells might collapse.

4)      When done, remove pulp and spoon into a large mixing bowl.  Taste for additional seasoning, if needed.  Once seasoning has been adjusted, spoon mixture back into the individual squash.

5)      Drizzle 1 tablespoon (or two or three) of the maple syrup over each and return to oven baking for another 10-15 minutes until squash are golden brown. 

Garnish each squash with chopped walnuts before serving.  

                                                                                       Makes 4  4-ounce servings

Me, Dave and Mark - Miss you guys!!!

Vv ~ Vanilla

Splitting a fresh Vanilla bean to extract flavorful seeds. 

     Vanilla(Spanish for little pod) is a bit of a seasonal stretch this week.  Seeing as we can purchase this flavor enhancer pretty much year round.  But I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, stretching I mean. 

     I’m not a New Year’s resolution maker, but I do enjoy the feeling of waking to a clean slate and a fresh start every January 1^st.    I know some of you have renewed your commitment to working out regularly.  My gym is always more crowded for the first few months of the New Year.  Some of my friends kicked off 2016 by engaging in a cleanse just as they did last year.  Still others focus on being kinder towards others.  I’m hoping they can hold to that self-promise for more than three trips in the car.  It can be quite annoying to drive around here. 

     As for me, I plan on stretching myself throughout 2016 in areas of my life that could use increased attention while simultaneously bringing some of my projects (many of which have been progressing  for years) to completion. 

     The first of those would include publishing, printing and selling my cookbook

One 4-Ounce Serving – A Collection of Food Stories and Recipes by end of February.  Another area I plan on extending myself in this year is Travel.  Many of you know my dear friends, Nancy, Brenda, and I will be going to Umbria, Italy to hike the Franciscan Trail in May.  We have a Blog for that: www.foodfaithalzheimers.blogspot.com.  Of course, I will make my annual trip to Palo Alto to visit with Mother, my brother Kirk and friends.  El Dorado Hills is a regular stop for me, love hanging out with my little sis and her kids.  Arizona needs to be on the list and absolutely Seattle to visit my darling grandson.  All that travel includes plenty of Family time, another important component worthy of my attention.  Other areas of focus for me this year is my Financial standing, would like to be on more solid ground with that one.  My Health, nothing like a little strokey-stroke to get your attention and set you straight on pacing yourself, making healthy food choices and acknowledging life’s real priorities.  Cooking, teaching, gardening with improvements and updates for the house, all segments of my life I wish to bring into sharper focus. 

     My list is common, nothing earth shattering really.   I attribute this to acknowledgment of my current abundance of blessings and good stuff.  Honestly, my cupboards are stocked, I exercise daily I have regular contact with my children.  I write, cook and teach at least five times per week.  And most of those trips are already on my calendar.  So what’s with wanting more?  Am I never really satisfied?  Is the grass always greener on the other side?  What gives?  And what does all this have to do with Vanilla? 

     I see the connection as embracing opportunity.  Reminding ourselves that once we have spent the day, it’s done.  No do-overs.  We can’t go back and ask to have that day returned for bad judgment or poor choices, nor can we change what we did, said or thought.  So Carpe dium!  And do it right, with thought and feeling. 

Vanilla Bean Vine - Wish we Smell-a-Vision! 

      The vanilla pod, as we know it, grows on the vine of one specific Orchid of the genus Vanilla, whose origins are in Mexico.  There exist a symbiotic relationship between this choosy flower and her natural pollinator, the Melipona Bee, which also is found solely in Mexico.   What’s more, there is only a 1% chance of successful pollination.  Once pollination is complete, if successful, the flower dies within hours and a single vanilla pod will grow from it. 

     All these “perfect storm” conditions and brief windows of opportunity seem to align with my personal realization that I better get myself ready for all those good things I want out of life.  How can I be that authentic and best version of myself as intended?

   I start by Preparing my Soil, doing my personal work, getting my mind straight and showing up.  Pruning, I do this by staying fit and healthy.  Pollination (well obviously that’s already happened – I have four children)  I’m referring to pollination as it relates to connecting myself to the right people, places and things so my goals and dreams can indeed come to fruition. 

     Vanilla is now hand harvested, thanks to the ingenious efforts of a twelve year old slave boy who figured out what a Belgian botanist couldn’t, and is grown in greenhouses in Madagascar, Réunion, and the Cormoros Islands.  But the cultivating and harvesting of Vanilla is still such a labor intensive endeavor, it remains the second most expensive spice in the entire world.  Saffron is the most expensive and cardamom is third. 

      Taking a page from Vanilla’s precarious beginnings and laborious processes ending with a much sought-after and seductive aromatic is akin to what I aspire to.  I too want to be a woman who is prized and appreciated for my ability to enhance both sweet and savory dishes, or in my case, situations.   I too yearn for a journey that is both dependent upon nature’s gifts with a particular set of circumstances that when everything is as it should be, allows me to thrive permeating the lives of others in a most pleasant and tasteful manner. 

    Here is a healthful and delicious recipe for Vanilla Granola Bars I hope you’ll enjoy!

I didn't actually use the coconut chips this time, I used coconut oil as directed in my recipe.

 Ingredients

   2 ½   cups rolled oats (can use gluten-free oats)          ½ oat flour ( grind your oats in mini processor)

   ½ teaspoon salt                                                                   ½ cup brown sugar

   ½ teaspoon cinnamon                                                        ½ cup vanilla whey protein powder

   3 cups mixture of your choice of nuts, seeds, dried fruits  (cut dried fruit into small pieces)

   ½ vanilla Greek yogurt                                                        1/3 cup peanut or almond butter

   1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste                                        4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

   2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted                                    ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons, light corn syrup                                 

Procedure                                                                                          Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a 13x9” pan with parchment paper that extends a bit over the edges, then lightly grease parchment  with non-stick spray.

    In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients, including nuts, seeds and dried fruits.  Set aside.

In a separate, medium bowl, stir together, yogurt, peanut or almond butter, vanilla paste, butter, coconut oil and corn syrup.  Using a rubber/silicone spatula, stir wet ingredients into large bowl of dry ingredients.  Spread the mixture into prepared/lined pan, using the spatula to help press the mixture firmly into pan.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, until edges are golden brown.  The mixture may feel somewhat soft in the center when you touch it, but will firm up while cooling.  When cool enough to handle, lift mixture out of pan by holding onto edges of the parchment.  Set on top of cutting board and cut into individual bars.  Allow to completely cool, then wrap and store in refrigerator. 

If you like your bars less chewy and more crunchy, place cut bars back onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake another 10-15 minutes before wrapping and storing.   

Sticky, Gooey, Chewy - just like Mom used to make.  Oh wait . . . 

Notice the rich amount of Vanilla seeds in the paste.  Lots of sweet flavor!

I don't usually do this, but I'm going to give my store, Sur La Table a plug here, as that's where you can purchase Vanilla Bean Paste.  

You, You, Uuuu

Ugli (or Uniq) Fruit as seen in your local market.

Uu, Uuu.  Uuuuu.  I can’t write the letter Uu without thinking about that exchange between Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal in the movie Analyze This.  So funny.  If any of you were standing in front of me right now, I too would likely be saying “you, you, youuu,” smiling with an expression of knowing, as I simultaneously moved my pointed finger back and forth. 

It is because of you I write this Blog.  I so appreciate all the comments, questions and input I have received from so many of you.  My school chums Andrea and David L. who I can always count on to add a note of interest and enthusiasm to my Blogs.  And David, you, Sandra (of Sandi’s Cobbler Cups) and her husband Vince with your penchants for gardening only serve to further motivate me in seeking out unique and wonderful produce from Catus Leaves to Fiddleheads.  You, Mary M. who expressed gratitude on my timely Rutabaga Blog, as you sought out recipes for a rather special Thanksgiving side dish.  Megan, Cheryl, Lenore and Mr. Williams, you, my DWSS comrades, can’t know how much your chiming in brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.  Love being part of your newsletter Mr. Williams!  My Golden Girls, it is you I can consistently count on to write notes of support and encouragement as you did in response to “Bringing Them Home,” and “Qq Is For Quince.”  Certainly a shout out goes to my family members.  My niece Megan, my sister Janice and my Aunt Rose who acknowledged “A Date With Nana,” and “Another Lap Around The Sun.”  Can’t do this kind of thing without family in my corner.  And of course my Friends Amid Food, remembrances of our supper club gatherings, dishes we prepared and ate together, you all serve as mire poix foundations for me as I write this bi-weekly Blog.  Which I have to be honest, has not always been published on a bi-weekly basis.  And explains why, here it is the last day of 2015 and I am only on letter Uu. 

Now, I’m betting you’re wondering just what seasonal food I would be able to Blog about that is one; currently in season and two; begins with the letter Uu.  Well wonder no more, I’ve had this up my sleeve for a while now and lucky for me this is the early part of the season for Ugli Fruit.  Also known as Uniq Fruit. 

You may have only briefly seen these gnarly looking tropical orbs, which are native to Jamaica, in your local grocery store as they are in season for about five short months, December to April.  Though so unattractive as citrus, you probably kept on walking by without even inquiring about it to your produce guy.  The Ugli Fruit is a naturally hybridized combination of an orange and grapefruit, likely with some input from the pomelo (the original grapefruit).  A thick, pock-marked, greenish-yellowish-orange rind fits loosely, like the wrinkly skin on the knees and ankles of elephants, encasing a pale orange-yellow pulp.  A bit sweeter than grapefruit and dripping with juice Ugli Fruit is consistent with its other citrus relatives in that it is high in vitamin C and has a fair amount of fiber.  Another plus, there are hardly, if any, seeds inside.

When choosing Ugli Fruit look for those that feel heavy for their size and are somewhat soft but not mushy.  The smaller ones are sweetest.  They keep for up to five days in your fruit basket or two weeks in the fridge.  I eat Ugli Fruit  the same way I eat an orange, however I do take the time to supreme the sections.  Not supreme but supreme.  This is the process of removing all the white membrane, which is edible but gives that bitter after-taste to oranges and other citrus.  Use a sharp paring or small slicing knife so you can easily cut between each segment of the fruit. 

I'm using a combination of Ugli Fruit, Grapefruit and Oranges today.

To supreme simply:

1 Trim top and bottom off the fruit and discard. Remove the peel by slicing lengthwise between flesh and peel, following fruit's contour and toss peel into trash.

2 Hold the fruit in the palm of one hand over a bowl to catch juices. Slice lengthwise between 1 segment and the membrane until you reach the center of the fruit.

3 Make a similar slice on the other side of the same segment. Use the knife blade to remove segment. Repeat this process for each segment until you have a nice little arrangement of wedges on your cutting board.

4 Once all segments are removed, squeeze any remaining juices from membrane into the bowl. You will end up with the skeleton of the citrus fruit membrane.  Discard membrane and reserve the juice for another use.

 

Easy Sneezy 

I squeezed the juice from the Ugli with my hand here.

For the grapefruit and orange I used my old hand juicer.

Once you’ve separated your sections of the Ugli Fruit you can indulge and eat it as it, or add the wedges to your salad in place of mandarin oranges.  Lamb lettuce or grilled endive that has been sliced and mixed with arugula or radicchio a few sliced strawberries or blueberries and slivered almonds all drizzled with a light vinaigrette will make for an enticing and different tasty salad.

 But I’m still too cold to munch on salads these days, instead I’m using my Ugli Fruit to prepare a warmed concoction of dark rum (my homage to Jamaica) simple syrup and freshly squeezed Ugli Fruit juice. 

Warm it up - It is afterall a hot tottie

Ingredients:
4 ounces freshly squeezed Ugli Fruit juice,  4 ounces simple syrup, 2 ounces water, 2 ounces dark rum.

Add all ingredients to a saucepot and warm over medium heat to desired temperature.  Pour into two glasses or mugs and garnish with a wedge of Ugli Fruit or Orange and a cinnamon stick.

                                Serves 2

I'd add a cinnamon stick - but ran out over the holidays

For the purest in the group

As we bring 2015 to a close, I just want to thank all of Uu for your comments, suggestions and questions.  Keep them coming.  As for the remains of today I’m going to ring in the New Year with my Ugli-Rum hot tottie while these black-eyed peas finish soaking. 

Gotta start the New Year out right!  

                                        Happy New Year to all my family and friends!

Tt is For Turnips

I don’t want to offend any of our seasonal root vegetables, but it is my feeling Turnips are rather boring.  Unless of course you’re a bunny.  Speaking of which, those little rascally rabbits have really been nibbling away at my herbs!  But unlike Mr. McGregor, I haven’t set any traps to catch them.  Although I have openly threatened to cook them up in a stew if I see one more bunny munching on my herbs.

If I were smart, I’d put out some carrots, cabbage or . . . turnips!  Rabbits love turnips, as do horses, goats and other livestock.  Of course livestock eat the larger versions of this bulbous root.  We humans consume the smaller more tender productions.  And please don’t confuse turnips with rutabagas.  Remember I explained the difference between the two a few weeks back.

Amid their many fairy tales the brothers Grimm wrote a short, strange little story about a turnip, called The Turnip.  It tells the story of two brothers, both soldiers, one was rich the other poor.  The poor brother was forced to become a farmer in order to feed himself and his family.  On his small farm he grew the only crop affordable, turnips.  One season while out in his garden he discovered he had grown one of the biggest turnips ever out among his crop.  He decided to take it to the King as a gift (actually if I’m remembering my history correctly, I’m thinking as a Serf he was required by law to give a portion of his harvest to the King).  The King expressed his gratitude by lavishing gifts upon the poor brother.  When the rich brother heard about this, he then gave multiply gifts to the King.  Alas, he was repaid by the King with that same ginormous turnip harvested by his own brother.  Of course the rich brother felt anger mixed with his jealousy.  In retaliation he hired some men to capture and murder his brother.  Just when the thugs captured the poor brother while he was out innocently riding his horse through the woods, they heard someone singing.  Instead of killing the brother, they hurriedly stuffed him into a large sack and hung the sack from the branch of a tree with the intention of returning to kill him later.  Not long afterward a passer-by happens upon the poor brother just as he emerges from a hole he had cut into the sack.  In order to avoid his own demise the poor brother explains to the passer-by that the sack is magical and when inside one will be bestowed with knowledge and wisdom.  The passer-by willingly climbs into the sack as the poor brother secures it closed, telling the passer-by, “see you are already learning a great lesson.”  All this because of a turnip.  The brothers Grimm often enlightened us with morals in their dark stories.

There is yet another children’s story about a turnip, this one entitled The Enormous Turnip.  In this story we are told about how one of the turnips from a collection of seeds sown in an elderly couple’s garden grows to such huge dimensions they can’t  pull it from the ground.  They call upon their young, strong son to help, but still the turnip can’t be pulled.  Finally, with the assistance of the son and their daughter, the dog, the cat and a neighbor they are able to uproot the stubborn turnip.  Everyone is overjoyed and celebrate by using the super-sized turnip to prepare a wonderful feast.  This story teaches children how when we work together we all succeed and benefit.  A nice and less gruesome story about turnips. 

I have purchased turnips, perhaps only three or four more times than I have rutabagas.  When I do purchase turnips from the market, I make sure I buy those with the leaves still attached.  I use the leaves, only the smaller ones, as the bigger the leaves tend to be bitter, in much the same way I use mustard greens.   They’re great in soups and stocks. 

I suppose I should also mention turnips themselves are high in vitamin C, while the leaves offer generous amounts of vitamin C, A and K, as well as some folate and calcium.  And if I am to be really fair, I should point out, as indicated by the two children’s stories I shared, turnips have a long history as a source of food for humans.  As a matter of fact, in ancient Greek civilization the turnip was consumed regularly by Kings and rural peasants. 

So in keeping with Medieval times I’m thinking a turnip soup recipe is in order.   Perfect for this weather we’re having. 

DEBORAH’S TURNIP & HERB SOUP

 Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallot - minced

3 Tbsp each fresh, chives, chervil leaves and sorrel leaves

2 Tbsp fresh tarragon

NOTE: (if you are unable to locate these herbs as fresh used dried- but use only 1 Tbsp each. If you cannot locate these as fresh or dried then substitute a commercial blend of “fines herbs”)

1-2 cups fresh turnips - diced

1 cup fresh, chopped celery

1 cup fresh chopped leeks

1 quart vegetable stock

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of sugar

Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

 Process

Begin by melting butter in a large stockpot.  Add minced shallot and saute until fragrant.  Add diced turnips, celery & leeks and cook until softened.  Pour in stock and all remaining seasonings, ingredients and herbs.  Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Garnish w/large croutons or a warmed, sliced baguette

Arghhh, Whew, Whirrrrr

Okay, so Sharon thinks it's funny . . . 

Arghhhh - The sound I made when I first woke up this morning and realized I omitted something very important in yesterday's recipe for Salsify Soup.

Whew - The second sound I made when I thought thank goodness, Blogs can be easily amended, edited or corrected.

Whirrrrr - The sound your immersion blender or Vitamix (or whatever you decide to use) will make when you puree your Salsify Soup to make it  creamy.

To remind you, in yesterday's Blog entry I commented that boiling Salsify makes it mushy and I advised you not to overcook your soup in order to avoid this.  However, while we don't want Salsify Mush, we do want to break down the soup somewhat to create that smooth, richness we associate with cream soups.

So, when you have finished cooking your soup and have seasoned it just right, you will need to either; A) use your immersion blender and whip up the soup a little to break down some of the cubes of cooked Salsify.

 You can leave a few pieces whole, which is what I do.  This allows your soup to maintain some chunky integrity.  Or B) spoon a few ladles of the soup mixture into your blender or Vitamix to puree the soup.  Using these devices will completely puree the soup, especially if you ladle the entire contents of your soup pot.  It's your decision on how creamy or chunky you like your Soup.

* Good thing Blogs are open to additional input!