Sugared Cranberries

Bring 200g sugar and 1c water to a boil. Add 2c cranberries (fresh or frozen). Transfer to a bowl; cool to room temp. Weight them to keep them submerged and refrigerate overnight. Set a rack over a baking sheet, with slotted spoon, transfer berries to rack. Let dry 1 hour. Spread 1/2 cup sugar on a plate, roll berries in sugar. Spread out on a baking sheet; let dry an hour. Store uncovered at room temp for up to 2 days.

24 December 2017

Rice Pudding from Scandilicious

300g short grain rice (we used 200g sushi & 100g long grain brown)
600mL  water
2T butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 T sugar, or to taste (we use 3-4 T)
1L milk
1 tsp vanilla

Bring water to a boil. Stir in rinsed rice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat for ten minutes or so, til water is absorbed. Stir in milk and sugar, bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

20 December 2017

Slow Roasted Pit Ham brine (from Founding Farmers)

7 1/2c water (1800g)
4 1/2T kosher salt (Morton's, 65g)
2 1/2T pink (curing) salt (40g)
2T juniper berries (10g)
1/2c brown sugar (100g)
1/4c honey (85g)
2T caraway seeds (15g)
15 cloves garlic (used one head; didn't count the cloves)

Smash and toast juniper berries, dissolve salts in water. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add a 9-10# boneless pork butt and refrigerate for three days.

9 December 2017

Gummy Bears

1-3oz box Jell-O (we used cherry)
1 pkg unflavoured gelatin (7g)
1/4tsp citric acid
1/4c corn syrup, glucose, or tapioca syrup (80g)
1/3c room temp water

Stir together gelatins and citric acid. Add corn syrup and water, and stir gently (to avoid air bubbles, cosmetic only). Let sit for 5 minutes so the gelatin can bloom. Stir gently, then microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir then heat for 15 seconds, stir, heat 15 sec, stir...for a total heating time of 1 1/2 minutes. Let set for ten minutes. It should clear up a fair amount. Spray molds with oil spray. Pour into molds using a measuring cup with a pouring lip (the eyedroppers that come with the molds don't work well). Let set 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from molds and set them on their little butts for 48 hours. Lay them on their backs for 24 hours. If they're not chewy enough, leave them out, tossing them around a bit. Store in an air-tight container, tossed with a tiny pinch of cornstarch to keep them from sticking together--if you don't eat them all up first!

18 December 2017

German-Russian Wedding Schnapps, aka Red Eye

330g sugar
1 2/3c boiling water
6 1/2c room temp water
750mL Everclear

Melt sugar til caramelized (to whatever colour you prefer) over medium heat. Carefully pour in boiling water and stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and add room temp water, then alcohol.

Yielded just shy of 3qts.

17 December 2017

Cactus Candy!

Scaled, as we got 2/3c of puree from our 2 fruits (275g)

2/3c (160g) cactus puree (yes, wear gloves!)
2c (460g) unsweetened applesauce
4 tsp pectin  (13g) (we used Sure Jell)
3 1/3c  (660g) sugar

Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Mix 1/3c sugar with the pectin, and stir into puree and applesauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add remaining sugar and bring to 225*F. Pour into prepared pan and let set for 12+ hours. Cut into squares, roll in sugar, and let set 6+ hours.

Swedish Meatballs

from Jul: Swedish American Holiday Traditions by Patrice Johnson (p122, scaled down).

Mix together and let sit five minutes or so, til it resembles oatmeal:

1/2c bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/3c milk
1 medium egg

Mix in 15oz elk/veal/pork meatloaf mix. Form into walnut size balls & bake at 375*F for 10-15 minutes.

These were surprisingly good. A little on the salty side (which I particularly like). We will make them again.

27 November 2017

English Muffin Toasting Bread

Whisk together:

360g flour
1T sugar
1 1/2tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp soda
1T instant yeast


Mix together and heat to 120-130*F:
8oz milk
2oz water
2T oil

Pour over dry ingredients. Beat on high for a minute. Grease and cornmeal 8x4 pan, scoop batter into pan. Cover and let rise to 1/4" over lip--should take 45 minutes to an hour if temps are correct. Bake in preheated 400*F oven for 20-30 minutes, til golden and 190*F.

If I had read my previous notes (as I had intended), I'da reduced the milk and increased the water right off the bat. And subbed some of the all purpose for bread flour. It's too tender. Nice and holey, though. I think it needs salt, Dan doesn't.

Carpet Pizza

Pourable Crust

10g instant yeast
100g dry milk
4g salt (I overshot a bit)
625g flour
60g sugar
1T olive oil
725g water
30g cornmeal

Used 760g per half sheet pan (2)
Pourable Pizza Crust


Ground Pork Topping

2# ground pork
70g onion, chopped
12oz tomato paste
635g water
1/2 tsp salt, sage, and white pepper
3/4 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil & oregano
1/4 tsp marjoram & thyme
1 1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

24oz mozzarella, shredded

Ground Pork Topping

Scaled the crust recipe down to 2/10s and the topping down to a quarter, for 20 servings in two half-sheet pans.

Honey Spiced Rye

230g milk
125g honey
125g sugar
1g toasted aniseed
1g ground ginger
250g flour
125g medium rye
4g soda

from The Rye Baker, Stanley Ginsberg.

This was very, very good, even though I torched the top.

20 August 2017

Hot Chokecherry Jelly

2c juice in which 3 siling labuyo peppers were infused
1c plain juice
3T lemon juice
300g sugar (1 1/2c)

Bring juices to a boil, add sugar 1/3 at a time, bringing it back to the boil before adding more. Boil 15 minutes. Yielded 2 1/2c.



Peach Chile Preserves

400g peeled and diced peaches (2. Recipe called for 3 peaches, 16oz. We got 14oz out of 2)
1 1/2T lime juice (recipe called for juice of half a lime)
60g roasted chopped green chiles (recipe calls for 1/4c / 2oz)
200g sugar (recipe calls for half the weight of the peaches

Recipe says to boil 20 minutes or so (using a lower heat at first to melt the sugar), until temp reaches 220*F (sea level). My temp only got to 205*F, and took not quite ten minutes. Yielded 2c.

This recipe has NOT been tested for canning.

from MJ's Kitchen

This is incredibly tasty!

13 August 2017

Chokechile Jam

440g chopped New Mexico green chiles (2c, approximately 1.4# prior to chopping)
1c chokecherry juice
1T cider vinegar
1T lemon juice
300g sugar (1 1/2c)

Yielded 2 1/2c. Original recipe called for a box of pectin (the no sugar type). I just cooked it a bit longer (10 or 15 minutes, I think). I didn't remove many seeds (they were a medium variety, slightly milder than other mediums we've had), and it's pretty good as far as heat level. I wouldn't want it any hotter, I don't think. Most excellent mixed with cream cheese and spread on toast. Very pretty, too.

from Focus New Mexico, halved and slightly adapted.

Apfelkuchen

Apfelkuchen

Zutaten für den Teig: 10g Hefe, 6 Eβl. warme Milch, 20g Zucker, 1 Prise Salz, 125g Mehl, 20g Butter

Für den Belag: 750g Äpfel, 2 Eβl. Zucker, evtl. 1/2 Teel Zimt oder Zitronensaft.

Für den Rahmguβ: 2 Eier, 75g Zucker, 50g Mehl, 1/4l saure sahne, 3 Tropfen Zitronenbacköl.

Hefe, Milch u. Zucker verrühren und gehen lassen. Salz, Mehl u. Butter darunleskneten. Zugedeik. 30 Min. gehen lassen. Den ausgerollten Teig in eine Springform legen. Noch einmal 2
 Minuten gehen lassen.Geschälte Äpfel in Spalten schneiden, mit Zucker und Zimt oder Zitronensaft muschen und auf den Teig legen. Eigelb und Zucker achaumig schlagen. Mehl, Sahne und Zitronenbackoel unterdühren. Eiweiβ steif schlagen und umler die Masse ziehen. Im Backolen ca. 60 Minuten bei 200 Grad backen.

from Kulinarische Genüsse von gestern und heute, 1984, p.66.



Dough:
10g yeast
6T warm milk
20g sugar
pinch salt
125g flour
20g butter

Topping:
750g apples
2T sugar
1/2tsp cinnamon or lemon juice (?)

Cream sauce (?):
2 eggs
75g sugar
50g flour
1/4 litre sour cream
3 drops lemon oil

Mix yeast, milk, and sugar and let rest. Mix in salt, flour, and butter. Let rest 30 minutes. Roll out dough and place in springform pan. Let rest 20 minutes. Slice the peeled apples, mix with sugar and cinnamon or lemon juice and put onto dough. Beat egg yolks and sugar. Add flour, cream and lemon oil. Beat egg whites til stiff and pile on. Bake about 60 minutes at 200*C.

from Culinary Delights of yesterday and today, 1984, p. 66.

6 August 2017

Chokecherry Juice

3000g chokecherries (about 6.7 pounds)
36oz water

Yielded 5 1/2c juice.


Chokecherry Syrup

5 1/2c juice
1/2c water
 3c sugar
6T lemon juice

I finally got syrup! Boiled 10 minutes, did freezer test. Was a bit loose yet, so gave it another 5 minutes.

Yielded (4) 8oz jars and (3) 4oz jars.

5 August 2017

Chokecherry Syrup/Jelly (well, more like chokecherry paste)

3c juice
3T lemon juice
2c sugar

Yielded (2) 8oz jars
             (2) 4oz jars

30 July 2017

Got 3 1/2c chokecherry juice from a 3/4 full ice cream pail of berries.

July 2017

Watermelon Pickles

from the Ball Blue Book

2.5 qts (500g/qt) trimmed rind
1/2gal water
1/2c salt



3 1/2c sugar
1 small lemon
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
1c vinegar
1/2T allspice
1/2T cloves
1/8tsp mustard seeds

This batch didn't seem as good as the last batch.

Chicken Salad

•  2 tablespoons mayonnaise
•  2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
•  1 teaspoon dijon mustard
•  1/4 teaspoon onion powder
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
•  2 tablespoons dried cranberries
•  3 tablespoons chopped pecans
•  1/4 cup diced Granny Smith apple
•  1 can (10 ounce) white chunk chicken breast, broken up into pieces

Asian Scotch Eggs

from Molly on the Range, recipe also here.

Just a couple of things I don't want to forget:
1. If using beef, double the seasoning
2. Skip the ginger in the panko; add it to the flour
3. Half a pound of beef was enough for 8 bantam eggs