A Learning Experience with Ice Cream

I recently bought an ice cream maker, which I previously wrote about in my Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt post. Last week, I set out to try my second batch, this time wanting to make brown sugar peach ice cream. I had this vision in my head of ice cream that would taste like peach pie.  I did my due diligence, googling various recipes and came up with some ratios that I thought would work.

        I couldn't resist including a few cat pictures in my post.  I think
my favorite part of making ice cream is how excited the kitties get
when they spot the cream.

Once I began, I realized I didn't have any brown sugar.  That was ok though, as most of the time I substitute maple syrup for brown sugar (and white sugar, and honey, and basically any other sweetener the recipe calls for).  I made the custard base and refrigerated it for a few hours.  Since I cooked the base, I don't *think" the substitution of maple syrup caused much of an issue.  I think where I ran into problems though, is when I decided to cook the peaches at the same time I began churning the ice cream.  I tried to cool the peaches as quickly as possible, moving them into a different bowl, placing that bowl in an ice bath, and then transferring the whole thing to the freezer.  I should have remembered that boiling fruit and sugar gets very hot (hotter than boiling water) and stays hot for a while (think jam).  Also, I got pretty enthusiastic with the number of peaches I prepared.  So when I added this mixture to the half-churned ice cream, not only did it double the liquid in the recipe, it was still quite warm.  It was actually still steaming but I didn't want to admit that to Noah when he came home and found me upset about the ruined batch of ice cream.  I plead ignorance about what happened for at least ten minutes.

Frozen disaster

I let my cat try a little of the ice cream.  She liked it.

I let the ice cream churn and churn and churn for about 35 minutes before finally admitting defeat and sticking the whole bowl in the freezer with secret hopes that it would freeze and taste awesome.  Well it wasn't.  It tasted like weird frozen ice and there were huge clumps of peaches that had separated out from the "cream" portion.  Noah pretended he liked it, and we let it sit in the freezer for a week before he conceded defeat and I threw it out.

So what did I learn?  Ice cream may be harder to make than I thought and perhaps I should follow a few recipes to get the hang of it before venturing too far off the path.  Also, ice cream ingredients should be cold when you put them in the mixer.  Duh.

What ice cream looks like when it churns.

The next batch I tried was maple toffee vanilla ice cream.  I made the toffee - a recipe I plan to share at some point this fall as it makes an awesome holiday gift.  I followed a very basic vanilla ice cream recipe from Epicurious and only made two changes - I used only 1/2 cup of regular sugar and substituted 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and used 3 tsp of vanilla extract instead of soaking a whole vanilla bean.  Once the ice cream was nearly churned, I added in 2 cups of finely chopped maple toffee.  I served it at our last supper with some very dear friends who were moving to Toronto in a couple of days .  (Miss you guys already!)

Happy almost Labor Day Weekend everyone! 

grilled corn and lobster cakes with lemon pear tartar

Dear Friends,

When I see a recipe that makes me want to race to the store and have it for dinner and invite my friends over to share in the feast, well, I just have to blog it. This recipe came to me via email from Stonewall Kitchen. Of course, they want me to buy the lemon pear tartar and lobster rub from them but I have pear trees laden with fruit and plenty of herbs in my garden.  But I buy lots of other delicious goodies from Stonewall so I do not feel the least bit guilty. If you want a shortcut however, they make a good product. I actually eliminated the rub in this recipe and it stayed delicious. I used only a bit of paprika. This dish is indescribably good and simple to make.

Enjoy
jude

grilled corn and lobster cakes with lemon pear tartar


Homemade lemon pear tartar

4/5 semi ripe pears peeled and cut into small chunks
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 lemon sliced very thin

Place pears in pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer  until pears are tender. Drain.

Combine sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes (mixture will be a thin, transparent syrup). Remove from heat, and let cool about 10 minutes.

Stir in drained pears and lemon slices; bring mixture to a fast boil until pears are transparent (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Pour pear mixture into a shallow pan (  10x2x4)  and let stand in a cool place until it sets,  about 3 to 6 hours. Because I do not want much of the sugar syrup I pack in a small jar using a slotted spoon. 

I used fresh lobster meat.

Corn straight out of garden that I boiled and then grilled. It does not have to be grilled.

Lemon and Pear make the perfect blend of flavors.

It does not exactly form as a true marmalade because I am not crazy about sugar but it is twice as good.

Amazing Meal

Tomato Days

Every year my CSA holds an event for members called Tomato Days.  I previously blogged about Strawberry Days, and the concept is very similar.   Crew members at the farm harvest several hundred pounds of tomatoes with imperfections or that are too ripe to get to market.  The farm also supplies onions, basils, peppers, and if we are lucky, eggplant.  CSA members come out and can whole tomatoes, sauce, salsa, and juice until they run out of fuel, either for themselves or their stove.  In the past, the CSA manager also served some mean bloody mary's to help keep us cool in the heat.

This year, a member graciously volunteered to host two Tomato Days at her house in the city.  While I ordinarily like to get out to the farm, a busy travel schedule, rapidly approaching due date, and sweltering heat wave made San Francisco a more attractive option.  Noah and I literally spent the whole day canning - from 8:30 until 4:30 - and put up 22 quarts of sauce.  Below are some shots of the day.

The first batch of tomato sauce.  Note the winter hat.

Crates of tomatoes.  We went on the second day so they were out of peppers and basil.

We took about 20 pounds of tomatoes home with us and continued the canning fun.

This is the first time we tried out a tomato crusher, which mashes the tomatoes for you.  I usually opt for a chunkier tomato sauce, but really enjoyed the results from this method.

Healthy Nachos

This recipe came together spur of the moment a couple Fridays ago.  We had some friends over and while everyone had various snacks and beers over the course of the evening, we never had a proper dinner.  So what better way to finish off a night like that than to make nachos?

I had made the salad earlier to use up some cucumbers and very ripe avocados.   It's actually quite tasty on its own, or with some cheese and corn tortillas.  (A very similar combination to nachos.)  I learned it from a friend a few summers ago when we were in Nicaragua.  It was the perfect hot weather lunch and worked well with the vegetables we had around -- we were about an hour away from any store over very rustic roads, so we made do with what we had.  All the proportions below can be adjusted to your taste.

Avocado-Cucumber Salad 
3 avocados
1 medium onion
2 small cucumbers, or 1 large cucumber
sea salt to taste
2 limes
cilantro (optional - I didn't have any so omitted it)

1. Peel the cucumber and thinly slice (about 1/4 of an inch).
2. Finely chop the onion.
3. Combine in a bowl and add the avocado, juice from 2 limes, and salt to taste.
4. Combine until the avocado is well mixed with the other ingredients.

Nachos
1 bag of good quality corn tortilla chips
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (I actually used Monterey and Parmesan as it was all I had, but I think cheddar would be better. Also, if you are a huge cheese fan, definitely use more.)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat the oven to 300.
2. Layer the chips in an 8x11 inch casserole dish and sprinkle the cheese on top.
3. Bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chips look a bit toasted.
4. Remove from oven and spoon the salad on top.  Cover with the chopped cherry tomatoes.
5. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!
Meghan

Eggplant Tapenade

Blogging? I don't have time for blogging.
In reality that is not true, the truth is that I haven't made time to fulfill this commitment. My summer has been filled with family, friends and adventure. I have had so many experience to share with our followers that I get overwhelmed by the thought of putting them into 2 witty, well written paragraphs.
I as type I am settled in on Martha's Vineyard with my childhood buddy. We are  enjoying long walks on the beach (and along memory lane), cold salty water and amazing meals with farm fresh vegies and seafood brought straight from the boat. I have decide to share an amazingly simple recipe perfect for the summer harvest, travel stories can be told throughout the year when I an settled into my usual school schedule.

                                                          Eggplant Tapenade

 

 Gather, a medium sized eggplant, red pepper, red onion and one or two garlic cloves

Peel and chop vegies into one inch cubes, coat with olive oil, add salt and pepper 

Spread on a cookie sheet and roast at 350 for about an hour or until soft and meshy

Use an emersion blender or food processor to emulsify into a chunky constancy

Serve the eggplant tapenade on crackers, endive, pita bread or on pasta. (If you have any other suggestions please post them so we all can try them out.)

I hope you enjoy this go to spread, it keeps for at least a week in the fridge. Make it your own by adding what ever roasted vegetables you have on hand (I used tomatoes last time I made it). I love the versatility of this recipe because it is fast and simple, we need to be outside enjoying the rest of what summer has to offer.

LWC

Three tried and true Zucchini Treats

Dear Friends,

Zucchini season is over.  It comes on strong and then just a few weeks later vanishes. And when it is gone, I feel a void. It is such a versatile vegetable that entire cookbooks have been dedicated to it. But I am glad that I grated enough for the freezer to have this winter for soups, cakes and casseroles. As my zucchini finale, I leave you with three very gratifying recipes. All three tried and true.

Enjoy,

Jude



The First : An appetizer from fine cooking  - Zucchini Tart with Lemon Thyme and Goat Cheese

My friend Marie made this for a cocktail party and it was such a hit that it disappeared in seconds. It not only looks beautiful and is delicious, it is so easy to make. You will not believe that this high class presentation could take such a short time to prepare. Of course, you do not have to share how little time it takes.

zest of lemon mixed with soft goat cheese and fresh thyme

I spread it on the fresh rolled dough

added the sliced zucchini in circles

bake and it is ready to eat hot or cold

The Second: A main course from the Classic Zucchini Cookbook - Crumb Crusted Zucchini Quiche

Don't let the word quiche fool you. This takes one egg and you make a mild cheese sauce to pour over it.  But what makes this a hit is the bread used for the crust.  I used a multi grain that I bought from Berkshire Mountain breads. I toasted it then crumbled it on the dish bottom. This is the best and when I brought it to my Wednesday night women's gathering, it disappeared quickly.

slice the zucchini thin

Unbelievably delicious

The Third - Plain and Simple Zucchini Soup -

This is so easy, it can be read once and memorized. Make a vegetable broth or use a can. Cut up the zucchini, chop the onion, add some salt /pepper and cook until tender on med high heat. Then puree it. Now you can if you would like add some yellow squash, thyme, lemon zest to it. This is my summer breakfast soup but I made enough for the freezer to have as my winter breakfast soup as well.

Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt

I've been on a mission to use up some of our old gift certificates.  When you've had them for almost two years, the time has come to bite the bullet and use it.  We have several to Crate and Barrel, so after two months of indecision, I decided to splurge on an ice cream maker.

The arrival of the ice cream maker coincided with the posting of this recipe for Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt from the Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook.  I'm certain I'm not the only one re-blogging this recipe either - pretty much everyone I talked to who read it planned on making it.  This is not your typical low-fat, high-sugar, frozen yogurt - it's cream and full fat Greek yogurt.  It's tangy, minty, refreshing, and all around divine.

The original recipe called for brown rice syrup as a sweetener, but I went with Mead and Mead's maple syrup instead.  I spent Friday night packing syrup for a few hours, and the frozen yogurt was a well-earned treat after.

Winter, hamming it up for the camera.  After finishing this dessert, he then ate a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

Summer in Santa Fe

Last weekend I took my final plane ride (I think) for at least a few months to visit some friends and family in SantaFe.  Over the years I've really come to love and miss northern New Mexico.  I love that it's big sky country- perfect for star-gazing at night, and that even on the easiest hikes, you may turn a corner to views that feel out of this age.  I love the clarity of the light, created by the high altitude and dry desert air.  And just when the soft shades of the landscape - the browns, rust, sage, and muted blues threaten to become monotonous - you will see a sky so blue it's almost purple, or the most vivid sunset of reds, oranges, pinks, and blues, and feel so blessed to in that place at that moment.  

I want to share a few pictures from this weekend.  On Saturday, Noah's mom held a baby shower for us.  Yes, it was our third baby shower of the month.  We've had a baby shower cocktail hour, a baby shower BBQ, and this time, a baby shower brunch with breakfast burritos from El Parasol.  I was a little skeptical that anyone's breakfast burritos could compete with Noah's, but they give him a run for his money.  Two days later, we were still eating the leftover breakfast burritos.  (Is that a little gross to admit?  They were still delicious.)

I received a new camera for my birthday, so please excuse my admittedly amateur attempts to document the party and some shots from the weekend.  No recipe today, but I hope to post a couple over the next week or so.

We are all watching one of the dogs sniff at a breakfast burrito.  Somehow, nobody thought to pick it up before he demolished it.

Yellow Squash, Green Squash, Pickled Squash, Yum

Dear Friends,

I am buried in squash. Remember when I said if I miss more than a day, monster squash appear in my garden. Well, now I am out there twice a day picking. And what do I do with all this squash? Some I give away, some I recycle, and most I use. As a seasonal eater, I center my meals around what I harvest at the moment. It keeps me quite creative and happy. Here are a few of the recipes I did this week. I am saving a very special recipe for a post this weekend. It came from my good friend Marie, an absolutely amazing cook. Stay tuned but until then enjoy these delights.

Keep squashing, 

Jude 

   Pickled Zucchini and Cukes - simple way to enjoy the bounty

These you put right in your freezer and my husband loves pickles. No hot packing here. This is so easy, I have it to memory. 

Slice your cukes and zucchs thin. Combine them with thinly sliced onion in a bowl and add 11/2 tsp salt. Let set for several hours and then drain but do not rinse.

In a non reactive  saucepan, combine 11/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2cup sugar, 1tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp celery seed, and 1/4tsp black pepper.  Heat to dissolve sugar then pour over zuccs and cukes and onion mixture. Pack the veggies and brine into containers for freezer. Should be used within 6 months. Can defrost in refrigerator. 

My husband likes to mix these with a bit of mayo for a delicious tartar sauce for fish.

Pesto Angel Hair with Yellow Summer Squash 

Cut squash into small pieces, set in a colander with a tsp of salt mixed in and drain for fifteen minutes. Then heat olive oil in saute pan and when oil is hot, toss in squash and cook until browned over med heat.

Toast sliced almonds or pine nuts until lightly browned

Boil water for angel hair pasta. Cook according to directions. When you drain save about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the water.

Make pesto ahead of time, maybe a day or two like me. Gives me several meals and saves time. Here is a link for a good recipe. 

    pesto









Assembly

Put angel hair in bowl, mix in pesto and 1/4 cup of saved water, top with squash, sprinkle with black pepper, top with almonds. Do not mix it together, serve it layered. A much nicer presentation.

 I served this with flounder, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and Parmesan breaded zucchini baked in a very hot oven ( 425) for fifteen minutes. My husband had the pickles. WOW this meal was quick and good.