Kumquat Jam

One day at our local store a bright orange fruits caught my attention. I went by it once, than came back to the produce section to pick something else and looked at it again, then before I went to the register I came back to the produce section and couldn't resist to put in my basket a couple of kumquat packs. They were so sunny, so cheerful, and so happy looking at me, how could I had left without them?!

I came home, had a few kumquats with all their flavor bursting up to my brain. Then I had a few more, then... well, by the end of the day we finished it. Needless to say that the very next morning I went back to the store and headed straight to the section, where the little sunshine fruits were sitting. I bought a few more boxes with a single thought: "I need to preserve some of it". I didn't know how and what I was going to make, I just wanted a jar of this fantastic flavor to be preserved. 

And here it is, Kumquat Jam. I made it traditionally by pre-soaking sliced kumquats in sugar overnight, then adding some grapefruit juice and cooking for 30 minutes. The hardest part was to slice those tiny fruits into half moons. It took me just two hours to get it done. :) 

See you,
Marina

P.S. It looks like we will be moving back to Washington State in July. And we also have two graduations: our teenager is graduating from high school in May, and my husband is graduating from the residency in June. With all that said, my posts will be sporadic for the time being, until we move and settle somewhere. I also may not be visiting your lovely blogs as often as I'd like to.  But I think of you all often. 

Cranberry and Quince Preserve

February is a month when I least think of preserving. Nevertheless, I made some cranberry preserve that lasted not longer than a week (can you even call it a preserve if it didn't have any time to actually go through all the stages to be a mature preserve?!)

A week ago, while I was doing my monthly shopping, I got stalked by  bags of cranberries. Yes, those bags kept looking at me when I added to my basket carrots, leeks, beets, cabbages, onions, greens. 
Each time I put something in the basket, cranberries would appear either before my eyes or in the corner of my eyes. 
When I reached for turnips, my hand somehow piked a bag of cranberries instead. 
"Oh, well, if you insist I might do something with you", was my thought, and I added another bag of cranberries to the basket. 
"Cranberries make a good winter drink, quick and easy, yet loaded with nutrients. It will make the teenager happy and help him fight his after practice thirst", I convinced myself.

Ingredients

I came home, washed the cranberries and set it aside, still deciding what to do with it. I rotated produce in my refrigerator (something I forced myself to do a few years back, and now doing it on autopilot: saves a lot of food, not to mention money), and found a lone quince. As soon as I looked at it, I smiled and my eyes lit with this spark of adventure: I know what I am going to do! 

Cranberry and Quince preserve (sauce)

Cranberry and Quince Preserve

Ingredients:

• 2 (12oz each)  bags cranberries - 700 grams
• 1,5 cups sugar 
• 1 quince, cored and quartered
• 2 cups water

In a blender or food processor blend together washed cranberries, quince, and water. If you don't have any of the mentioned equipment, just crash the cranberries with the potato masher. Cut quince into a small cubes with the knife.
Transfer all ingredients to a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or enameled cast iron 6+ Quarts pot.
Bring it to a boil, stirring a few times. 
Add sugar, reduce the heat to a medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stir well.
Turn off the stove, and let it rest (uncovered) until it cools down (2-3 hours at least).
Bring the mixture to a boil again, stirring frequently (to prevent scorching), reduce the heat to a medium and boil for another 10 minutes. 
Transfer hot preserve into a sterilized pint (500 ml) jar (s), leaving 1/2 inch from the top, wipe the rims of the jars with a clean damp cloth, close with sterilized lid. 
Let the jars cool completely (I usually leave it overnight), and refrigerate.
This preserve keeps up to 4 months in the refrigerator (if it stays that long. Not in my house though!)
If you process it by boiling the jars for 10 minutes, it will stay for up to a year (USDA has a resource)

Whether you like it with turkey on your sandwich, or as a dessert with your tea (my personal preference), this cranberry preserve (sauce) would be another homemade addition to your pantry. 
Two teaspoons dissolved in a cup of hot water will make a perfect cold remedy, loaded with vitamins and fiber. 

Cranberry drink

Have you ever been "stalked" by a fruit or vegetable on a  market? :)

See you,
Marina

Mushroom Stock (Broth)

Cold winter days are perfect to stock up on some broths.  Every other weekend I make a fresh broth to use in cooking during a week and to freeze for later (for hot summer months when just thinking of turning on the oven makes me hot!). I prefer to make my stock during weekends, uninterrupted by pick ups, drop offs, and other school activities that sometimes come on a moment notice. 
For the stock I use portobello mushrooms as they have a little more flavor. 

Mushroom Stock (Broth)

Ingredients:

2-3 portobelo mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, washed and pilled
1 leak, thoroughly washed white part, cut lenthwise in half
1 onion, sliced in half
1 celery root (you can use 2 celery stalks, just don't bake it, and add it with the seasoning), washed, pilled, and quartered
5 l (a little over a gallon ) water

Seasoning:
1 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
1 bay leaf


Preheat the oven to 350F (175 C).

Prepare all ingredients (clean and cut), and place on oiled baking sheet. Roast until golden brown (about 25-30 minutes depending on your oven).

Transfer all roasted vegetables to a big pot, add water and bring it to a simmer (never let your broth reach a rapid boil point!). If there is any foam, skim it with a slotted spoon. 

Simmer for about 3 hours.

Add dill seeds and peppercorns and simmer for another 1-2 hours. Add bay leaf and simmer another 10 minutes. Cool, discard bay leaf, and refrigerate over night: let all the flavor develop and blend.

Next day strain the broth, bring it to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Now it's ready to be used in your favorite risotto, soup, sauce. Shelf life in the refrigerator 3 days. 
I also freeze it in a freezer safe  and labeled container (I personally like wide mouth jars) for up to 6 months. 

There's no salt in this broth as I prefer to control salt when I make a dish with it. However, from time to time I do add salt at the end and label it accordingly.  

Can you smell it?! :)

See you,
Marina

Everything Roasted Warm Red Winter Wheat Berry Salad

Everything Roasted Warm Red Winter Wheat Berry Salad

This morning was cold, very cold, -7C (19F) cold... So I let myself  linger under a blanket for a few extra minutes before I rushed myself out of a bed. Then I had my traditional ritual "wake me up" dance (you know, the one when you move all your limbs in different directions), which this morning turned out to be a "warm me up dance". 
You know I am not a morning person, not at all. And my kids, bless their hearts, have been so kind to let me sleep just a little longer, like 2-3 minutes longer on a school day mornings. 
Today when I finally got out of the bed and came to the dining room, the teenager was doing the same "warm me up" dance. After a quick breakfast we left for the car, continue moving our limbs, almost performing a break dance on a parking lot. 
That's when I thought of something warm and comfortable for lunch, and Everything Roasted Warm Winter Wheat Berry Salad idea came to me. 
What else would you think of on a parking lot?! :)

Fennel

***

Everything Roasted Warm Red Winter Wheat Berry Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked red winter wheat (see notes)
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 turnip
• 1 parsley root
• 1/2 squash
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs mix (basil, oregano, rosemary, coriander, chives, marjoram)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

Vegetables 

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Cut fennel, carrot, red pepper, turnip, parsley root and squash into wedges, place in a large bowl, add dried herbs and olive oil, and mix. 
Transfer all vegetables to a baking sheet, and bake 25-30 minutes.
Wash and dry the bowl. 
Mix roasted vegetables and cooked wheat berries with lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Sprinkle with chia seeds and serve.

Red Winter Wheat Berries

Notes:
1. Dry wheat berries take a long time to cook, about 2-3 hours. If you pre-soak it for 8-10 hours, the cooking time will be reduced 30 minutes. I usually pre-soak wheat berries from 10 to 24 hours, rinsing it a few times before cooking. Then I keep cooked wheat berries in the refrigerator and add to my soups, salads, breads, and etc. 
2. This recipe has no salt in the ingredient list as it doesn't need any: you have all that flavor from the dried herbs, enhanced by the heat, plus lemon juice and fresh parsley. However, if you wish to, you can add salt and pepper to taste.

***

Now, I am off to another dance, a happy belly dance!

See you,
Marina

My Mother's Recipe: Stuffed Peppers

A sprig of  lovage on the top of stuffed peppers

After a week of traveling and eating out I am back to cooking. A home made meal, a cup of a warm soup on a chilly night and a few out of the oven peppers are a must upon our return. If we were coming to my parent's home, that's what my mother would have made for us. It's her signature "Welcome"  dish (see the second photo from the top on the linked page) for many-many guests in our home.

***

My Mother's Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
8-9 bell peppers, washed and seeds removed 
1 cup rice
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup buckwheat
2-3 carrots, shredded
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup smashed tomatoes, or tomato sauce
2 cups tomato juice
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh lovage
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tablespoons sunflower oil (or any other oil of your choice)

Gluten Free option: skip the barley and add a whole cup of buckwheat.

For Meat lovers: when mixing grains and tomato/carrots/onions mixture add 300 grams (a little over half a pound) grinded meat of your choice. Then you will need to adjust seasoning and use 3-4 more peppers.

Buckwheat

Pre-heat oven to 400F / 200C

1. Wash and pre-soak rice and buckwheat in hot water for 20-25 minutes.
2. Wash and pre-cook barley (bring it to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes).
3. On a high heat pre-heat oil in a large skillet, turn it to medium-high and add onions. Sprinkle with salt and stir for about 3-4 minute (until onions become translucent).
4. Add carrots, and stir for another 3 minutes.
5. Add 1 cup smashed tomatoes  and sugar, and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring a few times (it may burn very quickly, don't leave the kitchen, stir!)
6. Drain all grains and combine in a large bowl.
7. Add the tomato/onion/carrot mixture to the grains and mix well.
8. Add 1 teaspoon salt and grind some pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon). Add chopped lovage, dill, and mix again.
9. Fill all peppers. To make it easier, I place peppers in the Dutch oven and then fill it.
10. Pour 2 cups tomato juice, 2 cups water (or vegetable stock), and a teaspoon of salt over stuffed peppers.
11. Cover and bake on the middle rack for 60-70 minutes.  Then take the lid off and check grains for doneness. It may need another 10-15 minute in the oven (depends what rice you use and how you oven bakes).
12. Serve stuffed peppers with some cooking juice and sour cream (optional).

***

Aroma of baked peppers perfumed my kitchen...
Can you smell it?

See you,
Marina

Spicy Aubergine (Eggplant) Fries

Technically it's not a fries as it's baked in the oven with just a little oil to prevent eggplants from absorbing too much oil in it. 

Ingredients:

2 eggplants
2 tablespoons salt
2-3 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp granulated garlic

Cut eggplants lengthwise  into 1/2 inch  strips, mix with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. 
Preheat the oven to 450 F/230C.
Rinse  the eggplants under a running water to remove excess of salt, pat dry with the towel (or paper towel). 
In a large bowl combine olive oil, chopped rosemary, garlic and cayenne pepper and coat eggplants in the mixture by tossing it a few times. 
Transfer to a baking sheet and place on a middle rack in the oven. 
Bake 25-30 minutes, turning the baking sheet 180 degrees half way through the baking. 

Warning: highly addictive! :)

See you,
Marina

Stuffed Dates

Last night after our dinner I prepared a plate for today's post. It was quite dark to take photos, so I decided to leave the plate in the refrigerator and take another, better photo after sun comes up in the morning. After dropping the teenager at school, I drove back home, thinking of what place in my home  is better to take photos this time of the day? Would it be kitchen? Or Living room?  Upon my return, I started to prepare the set: props, position of the table (I am gaining muscles moving furniture around for better photos as I don't use any additional lights. More on that in a later posts). When everything was ready I went to the kitchen for the plate... Before I checked refrigerator, with the corner of my eyes I caught the familiar plate in the kitchen sink.  "It must be left by someone after the breakfast" - was my innocent thought. Then I opened the refrigerator... My head was turning from refrigerator to the sink in disbelief.  I looked at the happy husband, who was sipping his morning coffee and reading the news. 
"Thanks for the breakfast", - he said. "I love those roasted vegetables. The plate was pretty too. Can you make some more?" 
"Yes, dear"- was my respond with a deep sigh...  
I approached my husband, giving him a hug and kissing him in a well groomed cheek, and murmured in his ear: "I wanted to take a picture of that plate, dear..." 
"Do you know, there is a guy, who ate too much pop corn..." - spoke he softly, taking the conversation into the different direction... 

We continued our  morning conversation about all things life with some tea (me) and coffee (husband) and walnuts stuffed dates, that I made a day before, and had already taken some photos. :)


See you,
Marina

Cold Summer Salad: Spicy Barley and Sorrel

Spicy Barley and Sorrel Salad

Why sorrel, a culinary herb with lemony flavor and delightful green leaves,  a common ingredient in salads, soups, stews, and even sauces for hundreds of years, vanished from many kitchens? 

Sorrel

It rarely appears in US markets as it must be used immediately after harvest (shelf life of sorrel is 2-3 days), hence to have a reliable supply of sorrel I grow my own. 

Sorrel and parsley from my garden

Europeans grow and use sorrel as an herb and for medicinal use. As medicinal remedy sorrel was highly valued for centuries for it's ability to prevent scurvy due to high  level of vitamin C. It also has vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. 
However, people with rheumatism, kidney and bladder stones should eat a small amount of sorrel, as oxalic acid can exasperate these conditions. 

Sorrel soup

I start cooking with sorrel when the first young light-green tender leaves appear in the garden, and use it in my cooking until frost damages leaves in late fall. 
I am not the only one who enjoys sorrel as a meal: rabbits love to nibble on young leaves too. We "negotiated" with rabbits by building a net fence around the herb garden, and whatever grows beyond the net, rabbits can have.

Dicing instrument is a workhorse when it comes to chopping 

Spicy Barley and Sorrel Salad

Cook 1 cup pearled barley according to instruction (usually 1 cup barley is boiled in 4 cups water for 40 minutes), drain the excess water and refrigerate.

Now, it's dicing time: one bell pepper, 5-6 cucumbers, 2-3 tomatoes.

Combine all diced ingredients with chilled barley, squeeze one lemon in it, a teaspoon olive oil (optional), add 4-5 chopped parsley sprigs, and a handful of sorrel chiffonade (stack the leaves, roll tightly, and cut across into thin ribbons).

Mix well, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for all flavor to bland. Serve with a few slices of chili pepper. 

Barley and sorrel salad (not spicy yet)

This salad was a gamble with my men: Mr. I.V. doesn't like barley, except in this meal, and teenager has his very own view on what is food. My job is to blend something healthy in what they eat. We negotiated to have a salad before each meal, and here my creativity is put to the test.  I was pleasantly surprised when they both asked for more. Today it was my little victory! 

What is your favorite meal with sorrel?

See you,
Marina

Kale Salad

Forecast for next week is not promising: temperature above 40C (100F) all week long. I was brave enough to cook a few meals and bake some bread, but most of our meals during the week will be cold, cold salads, beginning with a simple kale salad. 
Last Saturday at the Farmer's Market I stopped at the stand with a great selection of leafy greens with young kale being most attractive. I made this salad as soon as I came home from the Market.

Kale Salad With Avocado Dressing and Peaches

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 ripe avocado
• juice of one lemon
• 2-3 peaches, chilled

Wash the kale and set aside.
Cut avocado, remove the pit, spoon avocado flash into a small bowl, mash it with a fork, add lemon juice and mix well.
In a large mixing bowl combine kale and avocado dressing, mix well until all kale is coated. 
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with chilled sliced peaches. 

This salad became quickly our favorite, flavor is incredible. I tried other fruits, and even berries, but peaches make the best topping for the avocado coated kale.

Have a great week!

See you,
Marina

Hurry, Hurry! Here Comes Papaya Curry!

Green papaya curry

When it comes to Asian food I am first in line - to eat, and last - to cook. So far I've mastered stir-fries and a curry dish, that vary to what is available in refrigerator and a few cans: coconut milk, curry paste, and straw mushrooms sometimes. 
When I read a recipe, I am often intimidated by a long list of ingredients and unfamiliar names.  Needless to say, I make a curry dish just a few times a year, and only one that I've somewhat succeeded.
Last Saturday The Husband was off and we went to the local Farmer's Market, and spent the whole $12 on fresh cabbage, new potatoes, herbs, green peas, and leafy greens. Not bad, if you ask me. 
On the way home we stopped at now our favorite Mexican La Hacienda just to explore. 
Then we bumped into a big Asian Market, where we spent about an hour: we were like a little kids in a candy store. Colorful inviting packages of products we had no idea what they were left us feeling childish as we were taking turns guessing what's in it. We ended up buying a few things, including shredded green papaya. We decided to try it after we watched Anthony Bourdain's episode in Vietnam. 


Plan A: to start with curry paste from a can and just add all other ingredients until it's all done. Upon opening, the can content was less then appealing so it had to be disposed. 
Plan B: cook grated ginger, garlic and curry powder, then add coconut milk and other ingredients, which in this case were potatoes from the market, shredded green papaya, and a can of straw mushrooms. I cooked it until potatoes were done and served hot with some brown rice and sprouts. 
All together ingredients married well, including papaya, that added crunch to the dish. 
When table was set up, I called everyone: "Hurry to the table! Hurry, hurry, here comes papaya curry!"

Have you cooked with green papaya? 

How did you prepare it, and what is the best way to eat it?

See you,
Marina

Porcini Mushrooms and Barley Soup

When I did a rotation in my pantry last week I also found a jar of barley that hasn't been used in a few months. To pay my respect to this grain (I always feel guilty when I abandon some of my grains for more than two months) I made a very simple but aromatic and full of flavor soup. 

With just a handful of dried porcini mushrooms,   half a cup of barley and an onion my dinner was ready in less then an hour.

First, you need to pre-soak dried porcini for about 15-20 minutes. I usually wash any dried mushroom first from any debris, and after that I place mushrooms in a bawl and cover it with about 1 liter (1 qt) of cold water. Then I prepare all other ingredients: chop the onion, wash the barley. 

Next, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the cast iron dutch oven or a stainless still pot. 
Add the onion and stir, sprinkle with a little salt and stir again. 
Fish the mushroom from the bawl and reserve the soaking water (It should have a reach amber color). Chop the mushrooms and add to the onions. Stir a few times and add water from the mushrooms. 
To make sure there are no debris, I run soaking water through coffee filter placed inside the strainer. 
Bring it to the boil, reduce the heat to a medium and cook until barley is done (about 30-35 minutes). 
Season with salt, dried dill (optional) and serve with toasted bread (I made rosemary-garlic  crostini from homemade rye bread). Can you smell it?!

I thought I made enough soup for us to have for dinner and for the next day's lunch. Silly me, thinking I would have some leftover! I could only hear crunch-slurp-crunch-slurp... until all soup was gone. We loved it, and to our surprise, the Teenager even made a comment, that we should have this soup more often! 

I am making a list of grains in my pantry to print and stick it to my refrigerator. This way I may cook with grains not just whet I do  the next rotation in the pantry, I think... :)

How often do you use your grains? 

What grains do live in your pantry? 

See you,
Marina

Buckwheat

Buckwheat with roasted vegetables

Today I did a kitchen inventory and rotated my pantry, task I perform every 3-4 months. And each time I find some dry ingredient that I forget to use for some time. To my delight I bumped into a jar of buckwheat. 
I need to tell you, that I don't actually have a real pantry, a room with shelves from top to bottom, where dry goods stored on one side, preserved food on the other, and all my "technical support" in the middle. That's a dream pantry. 
In reality I have a couple tight places where I keep my dry goods in mason jars in two rows, hence sometimes I forget what is in the second row that I don't see. My preserved food and "technical support" Kitchen Aid stand mixer, juicer and food processor occupy a bookshelf in the kitchen/dining area.

Back to buckwheat. I simply cooked one cup of buckwheat groats in two cups of water, and served it with roasted vegetables, bound together with sauteed shallots and tomato sauce. 


A few interesting facts:
1. First cultivation of buckwheat was around 6000 BC.
2. Too much fertilizer, nitrogen especially, reduces yield of buckwheat. 
3. Buckwheat has no gluten. 
4. Buckwheat is not related to wheat grain; it comes from the same family as sorrel and rhubarb.

What is you favorite food made with buckwheat? 

See you,
Marina