Category: Uncategorized

Paneer

This is a simple cheese to make, and is used in many Indian dishes. Be creative, and find other uses for it; toss it into salads, add it to a cracker appetizer, or use it where you might use tofu. The recipe can be easily cut in half, if you don’t want to make as much cheese.

  • 1 gallon whole milk, cow’s milk or goat’s milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
  • ½ cup lemon or lime juice, or white vinegar – additional juice may be required, depending on the acid level of the fruit.
  • 1 teaspoon salt

In a large pot, over medium heat, directly heat the milk to 200oF, or nearly boiling. Stir often to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to low and stir in lemon or lime juice, or vinegar, cooking for 10 to 15 seconds. The curds should form quickly.

Remove curds from the heat and add the salt. Let it set for about 20 minutes.

* If the whey is still milky (instead of clear), return the milk to the heat and add a few more teaspoons of juice/vinegar while gently increasing the heat. Once you obtain a clear separation of curds and whey, remove from the heat and allow it to rest.

When the curds have settled below the whey, gently ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Set the colander in another pot or bowl if you wish to reserve the whey. Gently twist the top of the cheesecloth to squeeze out additional whey.

The bag of curds can be hung to drain for 2 to 3 hours or you can return the curd mass to the colander and place a weight (bowl of water, or brick) on top; press until the curd is firm.

Store the cheese in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

*Do not use an aluminum pan – it will leach into the cheese causing a bad taste.

Yield: 1 ¾ to 2 pounds

Total prep time, from start to draining in cheesecloth: about 1 hour. Additional time needed for draining.

Uses for whey: cooking liquid for hot cereal, or vegetables, Use in place of part of the stock in a soup, water your plants with it, use it for the liquid when making bread.

Recipe adapted by Jane Blaisdell. Original recipes by Jackie Freeman, PCC Cooks Workshops, 2016 and opalcab, Tasty Kitchen.

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Pickled Melon and Rhubarb with Mixed Greens

I created this recipe for my Son’s Pre-Wedding party, in August. It is a perfect summer salad and can easily be doubled, or more, to serve a crowd. The salad combines the tartness of rhubarb and the spice of pickled melons to create a delightful dish.

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon brine from the pickled melon or rhubarb
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • Pinch of salt

Salad:

  • 4 – 6 cups mixed greens: spinach, arugula, beet greens, baby kale… (any or all)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped or chiffonade
  • ½ cup pickled melon*, sliced thin
  • ½ cup pickled rhubarb (recipe below), sliced thin
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing, combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar, and shake well to combine.  This can be made in advance and refrigerated until needed.

For the salad, wash the spin dry the greens. Place the greens in a medium sized bowl, and add the mint. Toss to mix.

Add half of the rhubarb and half of the melon and the dressing. Toss these together.

Sprinkle the salad with the remaining pickled fruit and the sesame seeds.

Serve immediately.

 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2018

 

*Recipe for Sweet, Sour, and Spicy Pickled Melon found at www.finecooking.com, by Domenica Marchetti.

 

Quick Pickled Spiced Rhubarb

  • ½ pound rhubarb stalks
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ¼ teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 whole arbol chile
  • 1 star anise

Have ready a hot, sterilized wide mount pint sized jar and a lid and ring

Wash and trim the rhubarb stalks, cutting them to size to fit the height of the jar, slicing any stalks lengthwise if they are too wide.

In a small pan combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt and bring the brine to a boil.

Place the mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, arbol chile and star anise in the sterilized jar. Pack the rhubarb pieces tightly into the jars above the spices.

When the brine has boiled and the sugar and salt are dissolved, pour the liquid into the prepared jar, over the rhubarb. Place the lid and ring on the jar, and refrigerate for at least 48 hours, to cure.

Use within one month. The brine can be used for vinaigrettes or beverages.

 

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 48 hours to pickle

Makes one pint jar

Adapted by Patrice Savery from Serious Eats at http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/04/pickled-rhubarb-stalk-recipe.html, author Marisa McClellan, April 2012.

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Dandelion Pesto

Each spring when the dandelions begin to show their yellow heads, I take my trowel in hand and gather as many as I can. This pesto is lovely on warm pasta, or as the base sauce for a pizza.

  •  4 cups, packed, dandelion greens
  • 1 cup, packed, mild greens, such as beet greens, spinach, or kale
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • 4 – 5 dried tomato halves
  • ½ cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese (if you are planning to freeze the pesto, add this when you thaw it.)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

 

  • Blanch all of the greens: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, toss in the greens, cook for a couple of minutes, until the greens are bright green and wilted. Drain the greens through a colander and run cool water over them to stop the cooking. This process will mellow the flavor of the dandelions and retain a bright green color.
  • Place greens, garlic, walnuts, dried tomatoes, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process the mixture until it is well chopped.
  • While the processor is running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. Add more oil if the pesto is too thick.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Extra pesto can be frozen for several months.

Preparation time 30 minutes (not including the picking and rinsing of the dandelions plants)

Yield: about 2 cups

Copyright 2017, Jane Blaisdell, Original recipe.

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Blackberry Smoothie Bowl

This simple, delicious bowl of yum can be blended together in a couple of minutes.

  • 1/2 cup frozen blackberries
  • 1/2 banana, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup plain, whole milk yogurt

Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend it until it is smooth.

Or, place the ingredients in a large, tall cup and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Transfer the smoothie to a bowl.

Add ons, such as shredded coconut, chia seeds, chopped nuts, banana slices, or berries can be arranged on the top of the smoothie.

Yield: 1 serving

Recipe by Jane Blaisdell

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Sourdough Crackers

These crispy crackers are simple to make and delicious with a bit of cheese. The sourdough starter gives them a pleasant, tart flavor. They are also fairly sturdy, and good to take on any outing.

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (rye flour can be substituted)
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds or chia seeds or any other small seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sourdough starter
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat oven to 300o F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, seeds and salt. Add the starter, melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir until it comes together into a ball. Add flour or water, if needed to create a moist dough ball.

Turn dough onto a floured work area, and knead briefly to thoroughly mix the ingredients. The dough should be slightly tacky, but not too sticky to roll out.

Divide dough into four balls. Roll the first ball into a rectangle on a floured surface. Roll it as thin as the seeds will allow.

Cut the rolled dough into 1” – 2” squares (this is easiest using a pizza cutter) and transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Continue rolling and cutting until all four dough balls have been rolled and cut. Scraps from cutting can be re-rolled.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes. Bake until the crackers are crisp. They will curl slightly.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

 

Adapted by Jane Blaisdell. Original recipe from www.culturesforhealth.comP1000532

Sourdough Starter

Some bakers prefer to take their chances when creating a new sourdough starter. I prefer to use this easier and less risky method.

Glass jar, 1 pint or larger – I prefer an “old fashioned” glass top canning jar

1 cup flour – any type, or any combination of wheat, spelt, or rye – at least half should be wheat

1 cup water – chlorine free – if you are using treated city water, let it sit out overnight to allow the chlorine to escape

1 organically grown grape – unwashed

Cheesecloth

Combine the flour and water in the jar. Drop the grape in, and cover the top of the jar with the cheesecloth. Secure the cloth with a rubber band to keep flying critters out. Keep the jar in a warm place.

Visit your starter often, and stir it several times a day.

After a few days, you should see some bubbles forming in the mixture. At this time, remove the grape and feed your starter a tablespoon of flour. Remove the cheesecloth and use the glass lid to cover the starter.

You will now need to feed your starter every day. About one tablespoon of flour per day is sufficient. Add more water (filtered or otherwise chlorine free) as needed to maintain a “pancake batter” consistency.

Within a week, you should be able to use some of the starter. Whenever you use it, make sure you have a little left in the jar and add some flour and water and give it a vigorous stir.

Notes:

If you are not able to feed your starter daily, you can keep it in the refrigerator and feed it once a week. However, it needs to be at room temperature and fed for a couple of days prior to using it.

I like to give my starter a clean jar every week. Sometimes the dried batter on the sides of the jar begins to smell bad.P1000522

Now you are ready for some sourdough baking adventures!

Eat Your Veggies Chili

A hot bowl of chili is the perfect food for a stormy day. This simple, quick recipe is delicious and will boost your veggie intake without really noticing them. Serve it with fresh, warm cornbread for a hearty, vegetarian meal.

  • ½ tablespoon butter or oil
  • ½ medium onion, diced, about 1/3 cup
  • 1 tablespoon hot red pepper, minced (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon whole cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 can (about 15 ounces), Kidney beans or black beans, drained
  • 1 can (about 15 ounces), diced tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ cup corn, canned or frozen
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 cup mixed power greens, coarsely chopped (or any combination of spinach, kale, and/or bok choy)

Heat a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the butter or oil, then the onion, red pepper, whole cumin, and salt, and cook gently for at least 15 minutes, or until the onions are tender.

Add the ground cumin and chili powder and cook for a few minutes (until fragrant).

Add the beans, tomatoes, oregano, corn and carrots. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

Add more salt and chili powder if needed for desired taste.

Stir in the greens and continue to cook the soup until they are wilted.

Serve immediately!

 

Prep time: 45 minutes

Yield: 2 large servings, or 3 medium servings

 

Original recipe by Jane Blaisdell, 2017

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Savory Tomato Jam

When autumn comes I am usually overrun with ripe tomatoes from my garden, and looking for ways to preserve them beyond basic drying and canning. This bit of jam adds a bright spot to winter entertaining, and you will be glad of the time invested to create it. The jewel-toned jam is at it’s best on a crisp cracker with cheese. 

TomatoJam

  • 5 pounds ripe tomatoes, any variety
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon coriander, ground and toasted

Blanch the tomatoes until their skin splits, then peel and cut in half on their “equator”.

Place a strainer over a bowl and lightly squeeze the seeds and juice into the strainer. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place them into a large saucepan, with the reserved juice.

Add lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft (about 15 minutes).

Stir in the sugar, increase the heat to medium-high and cook the jam, stirring constantly. Continue to boil the jam until it reaches 220°F.

Stir in the coriander and remove from the heat.

Pour into sterilized half-pint jars, wipe the rims clean, place lids and rings on the jars and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

yield: about 6 half-pints

prep time: about 2 hours

Adapted by Jane Blaisdell. Original recipe obtained from Chef Wendy Jordan.