Mixed Greens with Mandarins & Hazelnuts

One weekend, one salad, four parties

This last weekend was approximately 400% more social than most.  And like most get-togethers, food took center stage, with sports both played and watched a very close second.  The seasonal availability of mandarins and the extra hazelnuts I bought for biscotti, made the Zuni Café Cookbook recipe for Mixed Greens with Mandarins, Hazelnuts & Hazelnut Vinaigrette (pg 141) a clear choice … twice.  For another get-together we all enjoyed shopping for, preparing and savoring BiBimBop … wow.  It definitely wasn’t simple, but the high enjoyment factor (and leftovers) more than compensated.

I recently counted all the recipes in the Zuni cookbook and found a total of 281 recipes … many of which would push me WAY out of my cooking comfort zone.  Squab.  Mock Porchetta.  Rabbit Sausage.   Well, one day at a time.  After recently enjoying Risotto with Wild Rice, Squash, & Wild Mushrooms (pg 197), I figure I have 273 more recipes yet to try-adventure-experiment-rollercoaster through in 2014.  This winter salad is definitely a keeper and easy to make ahead and bring to a party.

We observed that I am on a citrus pinwheel kick. 

Mixed Greens with Mandarins & Hazelnuts

 For one of these salads I didn’t find Frangelico liqueur or hazelnut oil within my grocery shopping time limit… but with a broader search we secured the liqueur and included in the second dressing.  With or without is delicious.  I especially like J. Rodgers’ suggestion of dipping a lettuce leaf into the dressing to taste, and adjust seasons before finalizing (both times I added more olive oil).  I also like to combine the greens and dressing with my hands, the best and gentlest tools for the job.

Time:  10-20 minutes

Cost: $4-5

Servings: 4 adults + 4 kids as a side dish

Ingredients:

1/2 c Hazelnuts (skins removed and coarsely chopped)

6-10 mandarins peeled and cut into pinwheels (video above)

½ extra virgin olive oil

2 T Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 tsp Frangelico liqueur or hazelnut oil (optional)

Salt

~10 c salad greens cleaned and dried

As you slice mandarins transfer them to a bowl and save juice.  In small mason jar combine oil, vinegar, liqueur or hazelnut oil if using, a trickle of juice from mandarins, and salt to taste.  Securely put lid on jar and shake vigorously.  Taste dressing and adjust seasonings.  Drizzle 1-2 T of dressing over sliced mandarins.

Just before serving the salad, drizzle and toss the lettuce with the dressing, coating lightly (you could have ~1/3c dressing left for another night).  Taste a lettuce leaf and add more dressing if needed.  Place mandarins on greens, sprinkle with nuts and enjoy.

Orange Slices with Rosemary Honey Drizzle

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“For me, the best dessert is simple and bright, and often overtly sensual.” ~ Judy Rodgers, Zuni Café Cookbook

By this standard the recipe for Oranges with Rosemary Honey (pg 456) in the Zuni Café Cookbook, must be one of the best deserts in Rodgers’ mind.  It is tremendous in my mind for its simplicity, sweetness and use of oranges otherwise not well suited to peeling.  It was a joyful surprise after a rich dinner of Shrimp Cooked in Romesco with Wilted Spinach (pg 334).

Ctirus Slices with Rosemary Honey Drizzle

Thrifty, simple and fast – the triple threat trifecta.  I look forward to experimenting with a mix of citrus for an upcoming baby shower.  Recipe below adapted from Zuni Café Cookbook.

Time: 20 minutes

Cost: $2-3$

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

3 T Honey

4 tsp water

1x small sprig fresh young rosemary

6 oranges, or mix of oranges, grapefruit (lemon or kiwi?)

In smallest saucepan combine honey and water.  Pick off rosemary leaves and mash in mortar with pestel or with back of knife on cutting board.  Add crushed rosemary leaves to  saucepan.  Warm, without boiling, over low heat until honey dissolves.  Let infuse for 15 minutes while you prep fruit.

Using a sharp paring knife, remove peel and slice oranges into pinwheels, arrange on serving plate and drizzle with honey mixture.

Note: Rodgers provides an excellent (!!) description of how to make oranges into beautiful pinwheels on pg. 457.

Gourgeres Fun: Pickled Onions

Laughing and crying in the kitchen, within the space of one meal's preparations, is a good sign.  Crying courtesy of onion slicing on the mandolin for Carol's Pickled Onion's (pg. 271) and uncontrollable giggles while "piping" out New Year's Eve Gougeres (pg. 116) (imagine, little cubes of cheese not quite fitting through the tip ... well ... you will just have to try it).  We savored the (extravagant for us) Gruyere and had the (unusual for us) experience of eating an appetizer for dinner.  We agreed they make an excellent appetizer, but growing boy appetites prefer more hearty fare in the dinner category.

My favorite part was the easy, fast, tart and inexpensive addition of pickled onions; I am looking forward to trying them on sandwiches (BLT!) and salads. Recipe below adapted from Zuni Cafe Cookbook. 


Pickled Onions
Use a Mandolin with a great caution - my fingers get seasick just thinking of one - having danced too close to the edge one to many times...

Time:  20 minutes (with a Mandolin)
Cost: $3

Ingredients:
3 medium yellow onions
1 1/4 cups Champagne Vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
2 T sugar
2 bay leaves
1 small dried chili (e.g. thai)
Pinch of black peppercorns
Salt to taste

Slice onions 1/8" thick, ideally falling into rings.  Combine remaining brine ingredients into saucepan large enough to accommodate addition of onions.  Bring mixture to a simmer over med-low heat, turn heat up to medium and add onions.  Gently stir brine and onions and return to a simmer for 1 minute.  Carefully pour onions and brine directly into a mason jar(s), cover and store refrigerated ... indefintetly.

New Year's Eve Gougeres with Arugula and Bacon

These were made with absolutely no idea what a Gougeres looked or tasted like  - or in fact how to pronounce .. a quick google search shows we weren't too much off the mark in looks.  Now how to say it ...  

How to Hard-Boil an Egg

It has taken me 29 years to learn how to hard boil an egg – but today, alas, I boiled four beautiful hard boiled eggs. Victory. I think my days of cracked, mangled and protruding boiled eggs are over.

I remember looking through my mom’s recipes many moons ago and stumbling across a recipe card for ‘How to Boil Water’ … As the story goes the recipe, now a family secret to be sure, was given to my mom as a bridal shower gift. A must have for every new bride (or groom… or college student?). This basic recipe for hard boiled eggs, I propose, should accompany the matrimonial recipe bouquet. I wish I had been spared the years of miserable looking hard boiled eggs!

Jon and I were struck with sticker shock the other day when we purchased two dozen antibiotic/hormone free/organic/cage free eggs at 4.29/dozen (~$0.36/egg). Alas, it still makes for a thrifty snack when compared to packaged granola bars (~$1/bar). Happily for me, it did rekindle our conversation about a backyard chicken coop … someday.

Hey Bryn … now that I know how to hard-boil eggs can you teach me how to devil them?

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Good for so many things, like sliced in a salad or a sandwich. Also a thrifty snack at home (peeled over the sink and sprinkled with salt) or at the park.

Servings: Up to you
Cost: ~$.36/egg for eggs from “happy” hens
Time: 25-30 mins

Eggs
Water

Place eggs in the bottom of a saucepan. Fill with water to approximately one centimeter above eggs. Cover and bring to boil on stovetop. When water begins boiling turn off heat. Leave eggs covered on stovetop for an additional 15-20 minutes (varies depending on the size of the egg). Run eggs under cold water until eggs and water are cool. Crack, peel and enjoy.

White Bread

I almost titled this post, “The Best (White) Bread (I) Have (Ever) Made (Yet)”: a small attempt to acknowledge the many wonderful and untested bread recipes in existence and my own bread making naiveté. A little background …My oldest friend (not in years lived, but in years counted as my friend) stopped by a couple of weeks ago for a baby viewing and mentioned some “time-off” she has coming up. In thinking about what to do with her time, she thought she might make bread. This is one of the little things that holds us together as friends…it is comforting to know there is someone else out there who thinks about their time and their bread as I do. If I have the time, I love to make bread. Simple. Rewarding. Delicious. And thrifty too.

Now why white bread? I will admit I never buy the stuff, and in the grocery store naturally gravitate towards the darkest grainiest loaves on the shelf. I have been making various bread recipes over the last couple of months and so far haven’t found my “favorite” wheat loaf recipe, but will keep you up to date on this, as I think I am close… So this recipe is based on a Potato Bread recipe in The Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown. I adapted the recipe for a stand mixer and recommend checking on the loaf after only 45 minutes of baking, rather than 1 hour, as it might be done sooner. The recipe uses 1 ½ to 2 cups mashed potatoes, which of course you can use from a previous meals leftovers (It is a family rule to NEVER run out of mashed potatoes at dinner!)

Cut a thick slice of this bread while it is still warm, slather it with butter and enjoy … I savor this moment as the purest reward for my bread making patience.

A - I hope you get the time to try this out.

Potato Bread

I buy the yeast and dry milk in bulk from the natural grocery, which saves a little money. I also keep all the rising in the original mixing bowl ... which saves a dish.

Servings: 2 Loaves
Cost: ~$2.50
Time:~ 4 ½ hours, 45 active

2 cups warm water
1 ½ Tbls or 2 packages dry yeast
¼ honey
1 cup dry milk
3 cups unbleached white flour
4 tsp. salt
¼ cup oil
1 ½ - 2 cups cooked mashed potato
3 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup or more unbleached white flour for kneading

In the large bowl of a stand mixer whisk together water and yeast until yeast is dissolved. (note about “warm water”: I try to get the water so it feels just hot to the inside of my wrist) Add the honey and dry milk, and stir to combine. Stir in the flour and beat well with a spoon (100 strokes). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes. Using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, fold in salt, oil and potatoes. Add 3 cups flour. Once the flour is incorporated, switch to the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes (alternatively, incorporate ingredients with a spoon and knead by hand for 10 minutes). Add additional flour as needed so that dough forms a ball around the dough hook and is not sticking to the bowl. Remove bowl from the mixer. You can transfer the dough to an oiled bowl to rise or cover the dough in the stand mixer bowl and let rise for 50-60 minutes until doubled in size. Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down by kneading it for 1 minute within the bowl, cover and allow the dough to rise for 40-50 minutes until doubled in size. Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down by kneading it for 1 minute within the bowl and separate into two equal sized balls. Shape each ball into a loaf and place into loaf pan. Let rise for 20-25 minutes, or until top of dough is above the rim of the loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pans on middle shelf of the oven and bake until golden brown on top and “hollow” sounding when tapped, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove bread from pans and place on wire rack to cool.

The Whole Beet

The first of our four CSA trial boxes has arrived. Though I am not sure how much of a “trial” it will be; after the first night’s dinner Jon declared it “wonderful” and “totally worth it”. On Friday night after picking up our box I made a quick stir fry (with onions, carrots and the stir fry greens from our box) accompanied by a recipe for baked broccoli with lemon and butter made according to a recipe in the CSA newsletter. Scrumptious. Since then we have also enjoyed Carrot Leek Soup, and a little Thrifty Kitchen Challenge emerged to create a recipe using all edible parts of a bunch of beets nestled in our box.

I found recipes in three different cookbooks for how to cook beets and greens, and spread them out in the kitchen to create, what I think I will call, a Warm Beet and Green Salad. The beet greens were the most intimidating; would they be bitter or need a long cook time to become tender? Nope. The greens had a subtle nutty flavor and were tender after only five minutes of light sauté. I loved every bite. My beet experiences are limited, but there is no doubt the high quality of these beets played heavily in the success of my experiment. Thanks Full Belly Farm for a great first week.

Warm Beet and Green Salad

One recipe I referenced suggested trimming the beet tops by leaving 1-inch of stem at the top instead of cutting down to the beet bulb, as a means of keeping the nutrients inside the beet during cooking. I really liked this, and the next time around would leave more of the “root end” as well. Another recipe bonus: the tactile sensation of removing the skins off of warm beets. Gotta try it.

Servings: 4, as a side dish
Cost: $3 (~The box price ($17) divided by the number of items (6) included)
Time: 40 minutes, 15 active

4 2-inch diameter beets with greens attached
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Pinch nutmeg

Perheat oven to 375 degrees. Set out a bowl of cold water with a couple ice cubes. Detach beet from greens 1-inch above the top of the beet. Scrub the beet clean and place in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with ¼-inch of water, cover tightly with foil and place on middle rack of warm oven. Cook for approximately 25 minutes. Test for tenderness by piercing with a paring knife. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and keep covered for 5 minutes to finish cooking.

Meanwhile, wash, rinse and dry greens and remove stems. Cut into rough 1-inch pieces. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 T butter with 1 T olive oil. Add greens and toss to coat with butter and oil. Add lemon juice, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Once the beets are cooked, remove them from the pan and submerge into the ice water bath. Use your fingers to remove the beet skins. Transfer beets to a cutting board and cut into wedges or cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss with red wine vinegar and remaining 1 T olive oil. Place in serving dish and spoon greens over. Dust with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

Three Dinner Chicken: Part III

This chicken broth can best be described as “scrappy”. And I mean that in the best sense of the word, like:

“Wow, did you see the play that shortstop just made? (S)he sure is scrappy.”

This is the broth that nothing is getting by. You are looking in your refrigerator, wondering what to make for dinner, and chances are you have ingredients to make broth (in this case chicken) which is a versatile ingredient for many a meal.

So where do you start? For me, it is with a leftover chicken from Part I and Part II of a roast chicken, and hopefully, though not necessarily, some onions, carrots, celery and other assorted herbs. I also just read a Miserly Moms tip about saving carrot peels and assorted onion and celery leftovers to make vegetable stock … I am going to give it a try and will let you know how it goes.

I used the broth from this round of three dinner chicken to try out a Citrus Risotto recipe from the Zuni Café Cookbook. I am a risotto novice and this well written recipe was very approachable. The risotto was tasty but didn’t make the cut… as in: It wasn’t quite good enough to go ‘in the book’, that being my little recipe collection where our favorites are stored. So for now, here are the broth basics.

Thrifty Kitchen Chicken Broth

I keep all the leftovers from the previous nights’ chicken, but discard the congealed juices and fats that accumulate around the chicken. These may be tasty, but my instinct tells me they add more fat than flavor. Or is the fat the flavor? Mmm?

Servings: ~10 cups broth
Cost: $3.50
Time: 10 mins active, 1-1.5 hours total

Chicken carcass, bones skin and any remaining meat
1 onion, quartered
3 carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 sprigs fresh herbs (optional)
Water
Salt to taste

In a medium large pot place chicken, onion, carrots, celery and any herbs. Cover with water so no parts of the chicken are above the surface. If you find yourself adding more water to cover a leg or a wing of the chicken, chances are this piece can be removed and nestled in with the other ingredients. Without stirring the ingredients, bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat. Use a spoon to remove any foam that accumulates on the surface of the broth. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Check occasionally to remove any additional foam and to taste broth for saltiness. Depending on how the chicken was cooked you may not need to add any salt. Strain the broth through a colander into another pot or container to cool. Remove onion, carrot, celery, herbs and chicken pieces.

For the risotto, I let the broth stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using in the recipe, and scraped away a “cap” or layer of fat that was developing on the surface of the broth before incorporating it into the recipe. The remaining broth may congeal when stored in the refrigerator, but I don’t let this slow me down… it is great to use in soup and/or other crockpot recipes.

Princliple IV and the Spring Tease

We have been joking/playing around about the Thrifty Kitchen principles. Loosely, they embody what we have been doing around here … trying to eat, live and be well while staying within budget. And I am happy to report that the first two months of Thrifty Kitchen living were mostly a success. Principle number four, however, was somewhat less than a success and sadly the most neglected principle to date. Can you eat seasonal, local and organic food on a budget? I honestly want to believe that you can. I really want to believe. Really, really want to believe. But my gut is telling me that compromises must be made.

So how? How is my little kitchen going to satisfy this fantastic ideal?

First off, I realize that I need to keep track of what is in season in this disconnected world of well traveled produce. The following is an excerpt from a Special ‘Green’ Section of the San Francisco Chronicle (April 2007) with a month by month summary of seasonal foods. The blossoms outside our house signal we are safely within the:

First Hint of Spring (February or March)
Root vegetables, braised meats, sauerkraut, winter greens, dried beans, citrus fruits, corned beef, cabbage, asparagus, and kiwi.

Good to know. So, even if I can’t afford to go organic I can at least menu plan and buy my produce according to what is in season. Now, how about the organic and local bit of principle four?

Farmer’s Market shopping is decidedly off-budget, no matter how glorious and wonderful the experience. The same Chronicle article propelled me to look into other options, specifically a weekly delivery of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce. I visited Local Harvest and easily navigated my way to two farms with weekly produce box drop offs nearby, one only a mile away from our house. After looking at the price ($17/box), we decided to sign up for a four-week trial.

I have fantastic visions of collecting our produce … Looking it over. Feeling it in our hands. Washing it. And planning meals based on seasonal, local and organic ingredients. Mmmm. So watch out principle four, you may be less of an ideal than I first guessed.

Homemade Playdough

Who said it couldn’t be as good as the store-bought stuff? Because this stuff is good. It feels soft and moist in your hands, like supple plastic you can mold into any shape your imagination suggests. And fun not only for the under-four year old set … this recent batch of playdough had me thinking about a party with 20 or 30-somethings sitting around a table happily chatting with hands busy creating lizards, lions, lassos and lollipops. Or whatever. So I might not be the most raucous partier, but this sounds like a fun and potentially therapeutic party experience.

I found this recipe for ‘Traditional Playdough’ online and did not modify the ratios, but have added more detail to the instructions. My favorite part of the recipe: The kneading of hot/warm playdough makes for a dreamy hand relaxation experience.

Who knows, maybe someday my son will wonder why other kid’s playdough isn’t as cool as his homemade variety?

Traditional Playdough … for ALL ages

The first, second … sixth, well I think no matter how many times you make this recipe the transition of this combination of ingredients from a soupy to solid state will remain a magical mystery. We bought the McCormick brand of food coloring and used the color ratios on the box for white icing – which worked great.

Servings: ~ 2 cups of playdough (1 color)
Cost: $0.67
Time: 15 minutes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ cup salt
Food Coloring

In your (not best) saucepan mix all ingredients except food coloring using a spoon, spatula or whisk. The more you incorporate all the lumps at this stage the fewer white chunks you will have in your final playdough (a homemade product give away). Add food coloring according to package directions or your artistic inspiration. Mix until color is evenly incorporated. Place pan over medium heat and stir continuously with spoon or heat resistant spatula, scraping dough from bottom of pan as it transitions to a solid state. As it cooks, solid chunks from the bottom of the pan will loosen and incorporate into the mixture. Remove the pan from the heat when the entire mass becomes solid. Remove the dough from the pan and knead the dough until smooth. Place in a plastic bag or air tight container. My first batch is over one month old and still going strong.

Play.

8-2-1 Lemonade

Sometimes life gives you lemons. Cliché as it may sound; some recent lemon gifts inspired me to make lemonade. The recipe (a simple ratio really) of water/lemon juice/sugar also arrived from friends, as a housewarming present during the summer. It was such a pleasure to receive a beautiful glass bottle, corked, with fresh cold lemonade inside… mmm. Immediately on receiving their gift I brewed some tea for teamonade (aka Arnold Palmer?), a favorite of mine, another option for enjoying this simple and fast recipe.

Transforming lemons to lemonade also seems appropriate for the first post on this site as a metaphor for life in my kitchen and home. We are in the midst of an experiment: attempting to live our life fully without allowing our budget to control our happiness. Sounds grand, but really, can it be done? First off, can we live within our budget? Then can we eat organic food? Local food? shop at the farmer’s market? – all the things we hold as ideals - but sound, well, out of budget.

So the lemonade. I saved the cute blue cork and bottle from the housewarming gift, and found additional corks at Bed Bath and Beyond for $2.95, and with a 20% coupon (which NEVER expire, so always good to keep a stash around) they were too good to pass up. Also of note here is the benefit of storing juice in a glass container versus plastic, for health reasons, and the simple satisfaction and beauty of pouring juice from a cold glass bottle. Fantastic.

8-2-1 Lemonade

Servings: 10+ cups
Cost: $0.24 ($0.03 per cup) (Lemons gratis)
Time: 20 minutes (includes time to make lemon juice from hand juicer)

It really doesn’t get much simpler than this – many lemonade recipes start with sugar syrup, but I had no problem with the white refined sugar dissolving in the lemon water mixture. Also when you are figuring out quantities .... I found that one medium small ripe lemon yields approximately 1/8 cup juice.

8 cups water
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup white refined sugar

Stir in a juice container until well mixed and sugar well incorporated. Enjoy.