Cooking From the Garden: Pickled Striped Beets

Striped beets aren't usually as sweet as regular beets, so they tend to get overlooked when we harvest things from our garden.  Jake continues to grow them because he thinks they are pretty, but the result tends to be what I refer to as "monster beets."  Sometimes, we will have left them in the ground so long a couple of them grow together into one beet. 

At that point, they are a little bit tough, and the flavor leaves something to be desired.  But it is easy to punch up that flavor by roasting the beets, then pickling them.  The stripes present in the raw beets fade over time, leaving a pale pink pickle this goes beautiful in a salad or as an accent to a meal.

 

We made these earlier in the summer.  I've been holding onto these pics until I opened a jar so I could show you the finished product at the same time.  You can use the following recipe with red beets, but the color will be much darker.

 

8 - 10 c. striped beets, cleaned and peeled

3 tbsp. fresh rosemary needles
2 tsp. olive oil

1 large red onion, frenched

1 c. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prepare a canning bath. 

Cut the beets into small chunks and place them on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the rosemary over the beets and sprinkle with the olive oil.  Roast in the oven for 35 minutes, or until the beets are completely completely cooked through.

 

Remove any tough spots from the cooked beets.  Layer together with the onion in 1-quart jars.  In a small non-reactive pot, combine the vinegar, sea salt, sugar and water.  Bring the liquid just to a boil, then pour it over the beets in the jars.

In a small pot boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets, leaving proper head space. Process for 30-35 minutes.

 

Key Lime Pie

When you think of key limes, your mind probably automatically goes straight to pie.  But there are so many other uses for this versatile citrus.  Of course you can use it for other baked goods – think butter cookies, cheesecake, muffins, etc.  Grown in both Florida and Mexico, it is the most authentic lime to use for Mexican-inspired soups (you can give a nod to Florida by using it in fish preparations).  Key limes also make great additions to marinades and sauces.  As a bonus, they make for a super-tangy limeade.

But when I brought in the groceries, and the hubby noticed the bag of key limes that I had bought in a super-cheap sale, he said, “Ooooh.  Pie.”  So I’m posting my favorite key lime pie recipe.  I like to keep it simple, without meringue or what have you on top.  And it is just as easy to make two of them at a time.  In our house, the second one gets sliced and the slices set on a tray in the freezer.  Once they are frozen, I place individual slices in zipper bags so I don’t have to thaw the whole thing.

Key Lime Pie (makes 2 pies)

16 graham crackers (full sheets)
6 tbsp. sugar
 ½ c. melted butter
8 large or extra large egg yolks
2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 c. fresh key lime juice
2 tbsp. key lime zest

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, crush the graham crackers. 

Add the sugar and melted butter and mix until well combined.  Divide graham crumb mixture in half, and press each half into a pie plate.  Place pie plates in oven and bake until browned, about ten minutes.  Transfer to a rack and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.  Beat the egg yolks on high speed until they thicken and turn pale.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat to combine. 

Add the lime juice and zest.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat until well combined. 

Pour half of the mixture into each pie shell and bake for 12 minutes.  Allow to cool on a rack for at least half an hour, then chill completely in the refrigerator before serving.

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

I am always looking for ways to turn leftover into gourmet.  When I cook a turkey, leftovers are a given, so I plan a couple of follow-up meals, including this creamy soup. If the base of this soup seems familiar, you are following the same basic steps as when you make cream of chicken (or in this case turkey) soup, with the addition of a few extra ingredients.  You could also make this soup with leftover chicken.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

2/3 c. uncooked wild rice

6 tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 c. turkey or chicken stock

2 c. chopped cooked turkey

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 c. half-and-half

Cook rice according to package directions.

.Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the  onion becomes translucent and the celery softens. Add the flour, and stir frequently until it becomes a light golden brown. Add the stock one ladel-ful at a time, whisking constantly.  Continue wisking for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken.  Stir in the wild rice, turkey, salt, pepper, sage and thyme. Return to a simmer, and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, half-and-half and white wine.; bring the soup almost to a boil (but do not allow to actually come to a boil), and serve hot.

Pastys

My hubby and I first became acquainted with the concept of the pasty from reading Lilian Jackson Braun's Cat Who... books.  Pastys .(also sometimes spelled pasties, and occasionally known as Cornish Pastys) are empanada-shaped hand pies.  In the Cat Who . . . . world of Pickaxe, they are filled with steak or ground beef, onion and turnip. Turnip is not on either of our favorite veggies list, so I was relieved to learn that the original Cornish version often uses potato instead.  (Early versions used venison, but we're sticking with beef). 

Pastys

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium.onion, chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and minced

4 sprigs parsley, minced

2 tbsp. breadcrumbs

1 tsp.Worchestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4. tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 c. beef stock

1 egg

4 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. sugar

1 1/3 c. butter

4 tsp. white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I a large mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, potato, parsley, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, nutmeg and stock. 

In a separate large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar.  Cut in butter using two knives or a pastry blender until mixture is pea-sized and crumbly.  Add vinegar and 10 tablespoons water.  If necessary, add additional water, until you can roll the dough up into a neat ball.  Roll the dough out to 1/4" thick, and cut into a dozen 5" to 6" circles.  Place circles onto ungreased baking sheets.  Divide the meat mixture into a dozen equal pieces, and place one piece onto each pastry circle. 

Fold the circle in half around the meat to form a moon shape, moistening the edge with water if necessary.  Beat the egg in a small bowl, and use a pastry brush to brush egg wash across the pastys.   Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Greek Meatballs

It's that time again!

Starting September 22, I will be doing another session of Cooking Around The World over at UTA (University of Texas at Arlington).  There are still a few spots left, so sign up now!

This time, we are covering: New Mexico, Greece, The Philipenes and China.  In each class, we discuss food history and its impact on culture, and we make a representative meal.

To get you in the mood, I thought I would offer my recipe for Keftedes (a.k.a. Greek Meatballs).  It is deceptively simple, but offers a ton of flavor.  You could serve this as a main course along with a nice salad and some crusty bread.  Or, for something even more authentic, consider it a meze (a small plate or appetizer, cousin to Spanish tapas).  Add a couple of other Mezes (make sure to include tatziki and pitas for dipping), and you've got a light party menu.  In fact, this is one of my go-to dishes to bring when I get invited to a pot-luck party.

Keftedes

2 tbsp.  olive oil

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (or a combination of beef with lamb or pork)

1 small onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 c. dry white wine

Juice of one lemon

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high.  When the oil starts to show motion in the pan, roll golf-ball sized portions of the meat, adding each one to the pan as you work.  Cook meatballs for ten minutes, then deglaze the pan with the white wine.  Cook until the wine reduces, then squeeze the lemon juice on top.   

Bacon Turkey Wrap

We are cleaning out the deep freeze, and trying to use the meat that has been in there forever.  I found a turkey leftover from when they were on sale, and we roasted it, despite the sacrifice of heating up the kitchen during a Texas August.

We've been getting creative with the leftovers, and these simple Bacon Turkey Wraps came out so delicious, I just had to share.  The wraps are served hot, so they taste like a cross between a regular wrap and a quesadilla.  Add any fresh veggies (bell pepper, spinach, etc.) to this that you have on hand.  I didn't, so I plated this with celery sticks to balance it.

Bacon Turkey Wrap

1/2 c. cooked diced turkey
2 slices thin bacon
1 whole wheat sandwich wrap
1/4 c. shredded cheddar
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, to taste
Salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste

Cook the bacon until crispy.  Heat the turkey through.  Heat the wrap, either directly on a burner, using tongs, or in a dry skillet.  Spread the mayo on the wrap, then sprinkle salt and pepper over it.  Add the bacon, turkey and cheese, roll up and enjoy. 

Suitcase Cake

A family that we are friends with just had the father retire from American Airlines.  I volunteered to do the cake for the retirement party.  I wanted to do something special, and I've seen a lot of designs for suitcase cakes.  It sounded perfect, since he was in the travel industry.

The cake went over really well.  Several people commented that it was some of the best frosting they'd ever had. (see recipe below)

I decide to do my suitcase cake with sugar cookies for travel stickers.  I frosted them with different colors of royal icing, and used chocolate to write names of places I know he's gone.

The cake iteslf is a basic chocolate, frosted with a triple batch of my favorite chocolate buttercream.  The handle and straps are rolled fondant.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. solid vegetable shortening
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
4 c. sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
½ c. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. milk  

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until well combined.

Cheese Straws

June was a crazy month, with three cooking classes out at the University, a tea party, and a couple of food-related articles.  I know I owe you guys follow-up on all of it (and I'll try to get to that over the next couple of weeks), but today I wanted to get in the kitchen and cook some old-fashioned comfort food.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much in the fridge, so I decided to make some cheese straws.  I didn't have any cheddar on hand, so I did the cheese straws with Parmasean.  The dough came out a bit dry, so I added a little water.  I like my cheese straws with a bit of a kick.  If you don't, you could alway omit either the cayane or the white pepper, or both.

Parm Cheese Straws

2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated  
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup butter, softenend
2 tbsp. very cold water
in a large bowl, combine all ingredients, working the butter into the rest of the ingredients with the tips of your fingers or a pastry cutter.  If necessary, add a litte more cold water.  When the dough can be gathered together into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and referigerate for half an hour or more.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Remove dough from referigerator, and roll out to form a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 1 1/2" x 3" pieces and place 1" apart on a baking stone (or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper).  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until  browned.

 Note:  If you want to make "fancy" cheese straws, skip referigerating the dough, and press it through a cookie press into strip "cookies" instead.

Mufongo and Shrimp

This weekend we will be covering the Dominican Republic in the Cooking Around the World class I am teaching at UTA.

The food in the DR shares a lot on common with food in both Puerto Rico and Cuba.  We visited Puerto Rico last year (the same trip were we went to the DR), and everybody told us to try the mofongo.  All the restaurant web sites said try the mofongo.  So we walked into a restaurant and declared we wanted mofongo.  What we got was dry and disappointing, and my husband declared he was never trying it again.  Mofongo is more of a base, like plain white rice, and isn't meant to be eaten alone.  So, since mofongo is also enjoyed in the Dominican Republic, I sent the hubby a grocery list, said it was for my class, and didn't tell him until we started cooking that we were making mofongo to go under the tomatoey shrimp.  This makes enough for two people. 

Mofongo

4 cloves garlic

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 slices bacon, cooked extra crispy

Vegetable oil, for frying

2 green plantains, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick

1 tsp. salt

Pulverise the garlic in the olive oil, using a mortor and pestle.  Place the bacon in a large bowl.  Add the garlic and oil. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Add the plantains and fry until golden and softened.  Remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  After two or three minutes, toss the plantains in with the bacon mixture and mash the plantains into the oil until you get the text ure of chunky mashed potatoes.  Use the mortor as a mold, filling it with mofongo and inverting on the plate to serve.  Cover it with sauce.   Heat canola oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mash the garlic with the olive oil in a mortar and pestle. Combine garlic mixture with the pork rinds in a large bowl; set aside.

Camarones Guisados (Stewed Shrimp)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

8 cloves garlic, pressed

1 lb.fresh large shrimp, deheaded, shelled and deveined

1/2 c. tomato sauce

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

good grinding of black pepper

In a heavy pot ofer medium high heat, heat the butter and olive oil.  Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook until the bell pepper is soft, the garlic is fragrant and the onion is translucent.  Add the shrimp and cook through.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking for another five minutes.  Serve over mofongo or white rice.   

Pickled Ginger

When I did the Japan class for Cooking Around the World over the weekend, I brought some of my home-made pickled ginger.  I had a request for the recipe.  Pickled ginger (also called Gari) is sometimes colored pink using beet juice or synthetic chemicals.  I prefer the more natural looking product you get using the instructions below.

Pickled Ginger

9 oz. fresh ginger

1 tbsp. salt

3/4 c. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. water

1/2 c. sugar

Peel the ginger.  Use a mandolin to cut each "finger" of ginger into thin slices,.  Salt the slices and let them sit for an hour to release moisture.  Rinse off the ginger and pat it dry.

Combine the  vinegar, water and sugar in a medium pot over medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts. 

Arrange dry ginger slices into a sterile jar and pour the hot vinegar over them.  Store in the referigerator for at least a week before consuming.  (If you wish to can your pickles, multiply this recipe by the number of jars you want to make.  Make sure you use new canning lids, and process your pickles for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.)