pão e queijo

What I learned from October Unprocessed (Rosemary Walnut Crackers with Sea Salt + How To Make Almond Flour)

 

It's easy to ignore where your food comes from, what it's made of, how the people who grow or produce it are treated, and how it affects your health.  

 

It's easier to ignore the list of infinite ingredients on a nutrition label than to look up what each one is.  It's more convenient to stop by the grocery store on your way home from work to pick up a box of Kellogs, Post, or Kashi (they're all about the same, anyways) than to make your own granola.  Too tired?  Take out is a quick option.  

 

During the five plus months that I've been back in the States, I've dove deep into learning about where our food comes from, how it's processed, and how it affects us.  And I think it's our fundamental right and obligation to know these things.  

 

October Unprocessed made me think even more about these things.  In the first week, my mom and I decided to drop sugar and processed sweeteners pretty much altogether.  We've mostly been using local honey and maple syrup ever since.  We felt more rooted in our opinion that eating healthy isn't buying the "light" yogurt (that compensates its lack of fat with a sweeter flavor, mainly imparted by HFCS).  We realized that it doesn't have to be complicated, or difficult.  Not the decisions we are making, nor the food we are cooking at home.  

 

There are a few simple underlying facts:

 

1.  The more natural, the better.  Eat wholesome, unprocessed foods.  If it has a label, ingredients that you normally wouldn't find in your kitchen, and is wrapped in plastic, chances are it's processed.  

 

2.  This is pretty deep if you understand it:  government subsidies (think corn & soy) = corn syrup = obesity (and other diseases heavily influenced by the Western diet) = pharmaceutical companies benefit.  That's how simple it is.  We have to do our own research on our food system, because the information provided to us by our government is limited due to political interests.  It's true: Big Ag makes Wall Street look like nickels and dimes.  

 

3.  "You can pay the farmer or you can pay the doctor."  Buy local, spend those extra few dollars for good quality, wholesome food.  Cook at home with family and friends.  It needn't be complicated.  What it comes down to is this:  local food tastes better and is more nutritious because it was harvested yesterday, not a few months ago and then stored in a warehouse months before being transported 1500 miles, negatively impacting flavor and healthfulness.  When we buy local, we support our farmers and local economy, know how our food is grown, and are not harming the environment as much.  While eating organic is important, who wants to eat a plastic -wrapped organic zucchini that is out of season, came from California (2000 miles away), and was grown much like conventional zucchini?  

 

Although in October we had our "slips," the most important issue is that we took away so much.  We have left sugar mostly behind, we are regularly making our own crackers, cereal, snacks, etc. on top of the meals we make at home.  They're delicious and nutritious.  Good for the environment, the farmers, and ourselves.  We think that's pretty great.  

 

Rosemary walnut crackers with sea salt [gluten-free]

Inspired by Adrienneats 

Makes 20-40 crackers, depending on size

 

½ cup walnuts

1 cup almond flour (recipe below)

1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (I'm sure between ¼ and ½ tsp of dried rosemary would work fine)

½ tsp sea salt

3 tbsp buttermilk

 

Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the center.

 

Chop the walnuts very finely by hand or in the food processor.  Add them to a mixing bowl along with the almond flour, rosemary, and salt.  Whisk well to combine the ingredients.  Add the buttermilk slowly and use a fork to incorporate.  You want a dough that sticks together but isn't too wet.  Form into a ball using slightly dampened hands.

 

Cut two pieces of parchment; lay one on the counter.  Place the dough ball on top and flatten into a rectangle.  Place the other sheet of parchment on top of the dough rectangle.  Using a rolling pin, roll pretty thin (think typical Wheat Thins), rotating the parchment/ dough as you go to roll evenly.  When the dough is thinly rolled, remove top sheet of parchment and, using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the crackers into desired size/ shape.  Leave in place on the parchment paper.  

 

Move the crackers on the parchment paper to a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until crispy.  Let cool on the baking sheet to make them even crispier.  

How to make almond flour

To make about 1 cup of flour, you will need…

 

Generous ¾ cup almonds (unsalted)

2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour (I used all-purpose gluten free flour)

 

Add the almonds and the flour to the bowl of your food processor.  Press the "on" button and let whirl until the almonds are very fine.  If it looks like they are turning into butter instead of flour (you don't want that to happen!), add a little more flour.  The flour should be fine enough that you do not see any chunks of nuts, and kind of like sand.  

 

Bittersweet (Chunky honey-sweetened applesauce)

 

These past few days have been uncharacteristically summery.  As my mom likes to say, her favorite season is Indian Summer.  The rising temperatures outside make us strip our sweatshirts and open the windows, that squeak open in relief, screens were already replaced with glass in preparation for winter.  We've had one last glimpse of summer, an adios, or as I prefer to see it, an hasta luego.  

 

Tina, our yoga instructor, says that winter can be a sad time, a time that represents death, letting go of summer, and watching it wane away.  We wait with anticipation as the nights get chillier, piling on more layers each week.  

 

Indian Summer has left us bittersweet, craving comfort food, but at the same time missing the eternal evenings when the sun never sets.  

 

I've decided to make applesauce with the Cortlands I bought at Owen's; they turned out to not be suitable for pies.   Dad and I had been to the orchard a couple days ago, and although we arrived before opening hours, the amiable owner opened the door for us, greeting us on the fresh morning.  

 

 

First, I pick out the prettiest apples with firm, shiny flesh.  Then I place the apples on the scale, in sets of two because they are large and my scale won't fit them all.  Two make about a pound.  

 

I place them in the colander with care, caressing the red and green, gently removing dirt.  Cold, I then move them to my cutting board, the one mom bought me at King Arthur Flour last summer.  It seems ages ago.  I methodically peel them (y-peelers work best), appreciating the crisp sound as the blade cuts away at the skin.  Apple foam oozes out, and soon my hands are sticky; I don't mind.  

 

In one swift motion, my apples are cored and cut into eighths with the slicer-corer.  I plunk them quickly into the water that awaits them in my new stockpot.  They splash, finding a different home.  One by one, the fruits disappear from the cutting board, no longer the colorful produce of fall.  

 

They simmer and spit, swimming in a hot frothy bath.  The house is filled with an incredibly intense apple aroma.  I feel like I've been doing this my entire life.

 

At last, off comes the cover to the stockpot, steamy air hissing upwards and apples bubbling and puffy.  A quick stir with a long-handled spoon and they're mush, delicious mush.  In go the cinnamon and ginger, sprinkled, and then swirled, leaving a muddy trail behind them.  The honey I'm using was crystallized, but melts generously in the warm mixture.  The smell of spices penetrates my nostrils and I'm urged to bring the sweet sauce to my mouth; alas, it is to hot to try, but I don't mind waiting.   

 

Chunky honey-sweetened applesauce

Makes just shy of 3 quarts

Adapted from Canadian Living

 

6 lbs sauce apples (see here for apple types; I used 12 large Cortlands)

2 cups water (or substitute natural apple juice)

½ cup honey, or more to taste (buy local honey; I used local wildflower honey)

1 TBSP ground cinnamon, or to taste

1 scant tsp ground ginger, or to taste

 

Peel apples, core, and cut into 8 equal pieces (I find one of those apple slicer-corers are helpful here).  In a large saucepan (I used 8 qt), bring apples and water to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan, and simmer about 20-25 minutes until mushy.  

 

For chunky applesauce, just stir up the apple mixture to break up the larger pieces (this is pretty easy).  If you want a smoother applesauce, you can use a potato masher, a food mill, blender, etc.  Stir in the honey, cinnamon, and ginger, adjusting honey and spices to taste.  

 

I used quart jars to store the applesauce in the freezer; you can keep it in the fridge up to 5 days or can the applesauce if you wish.  

 

*Note: for smaller batches, you can easily halve this recipe.

 

Apple picking photos (Spiced apple butter)

I know I have talked about going apple picking last weekend a lot, but you may have not seen photos yet!

 

As all of you know how excited I was to go picking, I'll just let you enjoy the photo essay, and let the photos speak for themselves.  

 

The apples we picked were Jonamacs, a cross between Jonathan and Macintosh, great for sauce.  I felt incredibly inspired to make the apple butter, and it turned out divine.  Use any flavorful apples that are good for sauce making.  

 

Without further adieu… 

 

Tractor ride (Em & Aimee) + Funny animals

One of my favorite parts- the apple fritters.  They sure were tasty.

The girls and I had a great time!  They were great pickers.

Apple picking; Frida & I on the tractor ride.

Probably the girls' favorite part was the pony ride.

 

As for the recipe...

Spiced apple butter

4 lbs apples (about 10-14 depending on size), quartered (no need to peel or seed)

1 cup apple cider

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ginger

½ tsp salt

 

Combine the apples, cider, and water in a large saucepan or stockpot (I used 5 qts) and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down a little and simmer for 40 minutes, until the apples are a bit mushy.

 

Place a mesh strainer over a large bowl (have this ready!) and pour the cooked apple mixture in.  Push down on the solids, forcing them to go through the sieve and leaving peel and seeds behind.  You'll end up with about ½ cup of peel and seed waste; discard.  

 

Return the apple sauce to the saucepan on the stove.  Stir in sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the apple butter is reduced considerably, about 25-30 minutes.  Be very careful not to burn yourself, this will jump around quite a bit, and you will need to stir without leaving the sauce at all.  You will know it's done when you draw a line across the bottom of the pot with the spoon and it takes more than a few seconds to disappear.  

 

I do not can (as in sterilize in canning jars) the apple butter, I simply wash the jars, lids, and bands well and then dry them.  Then I scoop the apple butter in the jars, close tightly, and freeze them.  They also last a while in the fridge.

 

Easy and elegant: Roasted pears with caramel glaze and candied walnuts

 

Once upon a time there was a girl named Sarah who was terrified of making caramel.  The only real attempt had been more than a failure- it had been an incredible mess. 

 

She set out to make a caramel apple pie with the new, beautiful red Emile Henry deep pie dish her sister had given her for graduation.  It was an overcast day in July and the crumb topping had sort of been a failure, but at least it tasted good (you can hardly go wrong with butter and sugar). 

But when it came time to make the caramel to coat the apples, Sarah had no idea what she was getting herself into.  The caramel sputtered on her old stove, and before she realized it, the amber color she was waiting for soon turned to a burnt ochre.  It smelled terrible, and tasted it, too.  That is, if you could lift a spoon out of the sticky mess to taste it.  Instead of throwing the whole pot away, Sarah applied the bitter concoction to the sad apples, hoping that after baking nobody would notice the burnt flavor. 

But she was wrong.  The apple pie came out of the oven as disgusting as it had gone in.  The sticky burnt goo on the saucepan took two days of soaking and scrubbing to give in and be cleaned.  And instead of eagerly taking up the spatula once again, Sarah silently refused to make caramel again for a very long time.

 

If I, older, wiser Sarah, could go back and give some advice to the younger Sarah who was frustrated with her burnt caramel, I'd tell her this: 1) Watch the caramel very carefully; 2) Follow instructions closely; 3) Have everything ready and nearby, it's only a matter of seconds difference between amber-colored and delicious, and burnt and bitter; 4) Do your research on how to make different types of caramel (dry and liquid), the stages, the science, etc. 

Now, over a year later, I can say I've made a successful caramel sauce.  This is the easiest one I have found; it only uses sugar.  Don't crank the heat up too high, and watch carefully so that you start stirring when the sugar starts to melt.  The syrup will turn from a transparent white to a yellow color, and finally darken.  If in doubt, add the walnuts a little early.

 

Roasted pears with caramel glaze and candied walnuts 

Roasted pears with caramel glaze
Adapted from Three Many Cooks
Makes 8 pear halves

3 TBSP butter
4 firm but ripe pears, halved and seeded (I leave the skin on)
½ packed cup light brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks, halved*
Candied walnuts (recipe below), for serving
Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle.  Add butter to a 9 x 13-inch pan and place in preheating oven to melt while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

When butter is melted, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.  Place the cinnamon sticks in the pan and top with the pears, cut side down.  Bake about 25 minutes, or until the pears are tender.  Remove from oven, flip pears so that they are cut side up, and spoon caramel over them.  Return to oven about 5 more minutes, or until they are golden and bubbling.  Remove from oven, cool slightly, and serve with the candied walnuts and a little ice cream or whipped cream. 

Note: You can substitute the cinnamon sticks for 2 tsp ground cinnamon mixed into the brown sugar.  Also, you could substitute the pears for apples!

Candied walnuts
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Makes about 1 ½ cups

½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups walnut halves
⅛ tsp coarse salt, such as sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle.  Place walnut halves on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment.  Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant.  Be careful not to let them burn.  Remove from oven and cool, on the baking sheet, on a wire rack. (Don't skip this step).

Put sugar into a medium (I used 2 qt) saucepan with heavy bottom.  Have walnuts and a wooden spoon nearby.  Cook sugar on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon as soon as the sugar begins to melt.  Stir almost constantly until all the sugar has melted (some crystals will form; don't worry, they'll melt later) and is medium amber in color.  Add the walnuts to the pan, quickly stirring to coat each one. 

When completely coated, spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment (I used the same one I had used to toast the walnuts).  Use two forks to separate the walnuts and sprinkle with salt.  Let cool completely, about 15 minutes.

 

Challenge: puff pastry made simple(r)

 

So, I'm going to cut to the chase here.  I learned how to make puff pastry in my pastry class on Wednesdays, but as you know the class is mainly demonstrative  and I didn't get to do it myself.  Being the kinesthetic learner that I am, I finally got around to making the puff pastry, and woke up one morning with a huge urge to do so.  The pics here might not be the prettiest, but hey, the point is to illustrate how to make puff pastry, which can be a daunting task.  Let's get started! 

Puff Pastry

Makes 3 1/2 lbs

Ingredients
750 grams all-purpose flour (6 ¼ cups- measure by weight if you can)
4 bars of margarine (1 bar cold, 3 bars room temperature) (see note)
Ice water, as needed (1.5 cups)

1. Make the dough:

Mix cold margarine with hands into the flour until small pea sized balls are left and the mixture is like "sand." 

Little by little, add small amounts of ice water until you form a smooth, manageable and even dough.  There should be no loose flour.  Do not knead; pat gently to incorporate flour and not develop gluten.

 

2. The five turns:

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangle as large as you can without making it too thin or stretch too much (should be about ½-inch thick or slightly less). 

For each turn, you must have the dough originally in a rolled-out rectangle shape, the long side of the rectangle facing you.  Visualize (depending on the type of turn) the 3 or 4 sections of the dough). 

First turn- business letter fold: Visually imagine 3 sections of the dough from left to right (always of the long side).  Spread 1 stick room temperature butter on the two right sections, but not on the one left section that you have visualized.  That means, ⅔ of the dough will be covered in butter.  Then proceed to make the business letter fold by folding first the left section over the middle section, and then the right section over the middle section.  You now have a finished business letter fold.

Second turn- book fold: change the direction of the finished business letter fold so that you are once again facing the long side of the dough.  Roll out the dough from the middle, again about 1 cm or ½-inch thick, or until the dough starts shrinking back.  This time, divide the dough into 4 imaginary parts down the long side.  Spread another stick of room temperature butter down the 2 middle imaginary sections of the dough.  Now fold the dough as if it were a book: fold both the far right section and the far left section over the 2 middle sections (far right over near right; far left over near left).  Then fold in half from the center.  Now you have a finished book fold. 

Third turn- business letter fold: Change the direction of the finished book fold so you are once again facing the long side of the dough.  Butter the two right sections, leaving the left section without butter.  Follow the business letter fold instructions from the first turn. 

Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.

Fourth turn- book fold: Take out of the refrigerator and roll out into a rectangle  as you have been doing, with the long side always facing you.  Butter the two imaginary middle sections and then proceed to follow the instructions for a book fold from the second turn.

Fifth turn- business letter fold: Change the direction of the dough and roll it out into a rectangle with the long side facing you.  Butter the two imaginary right sections, leaving the left section without butter.  Follow the business letter fold instructions from the first turn. 

3. Let the dough rest, refrigerated, 24 hours before using.  The dough will last up to one week in the fridge or months in the freezer. 


Important notes:
- Remember to try not to incorporate more flour into the dough, and always brush extra flour off (this is hard because the dough is a little sticky when rolling out). 
- Don't press down hard when rolling, and NEVER roll over the edges, especially not with pressure; this will ruin the layers. 
- Remember after each turn to flip the dough/ change its direction before rolling it out again for the next turn.

Sarah notes:

- You'll want a big space to make the puff pastry on (I used my kitchen table and a silicone pastry mat)

- Try to roll the dough out into the best rectangle you can

-Try to spread the margarine as even as you can

A note about the margarine:

Anyone who regularly reads my blog has noticed I always use real butter, and believe it's sooooo much better than margarine.  So why did I choose to use margarine here?  A) Butter in this country is 4 times as expensive as margarine (A box of four sticks costs more than $5- there's a monopoly on dairy products); B) Because of this, I didn't want to waste all that butter on the puff pastry if it wasn't going to work.  I wanted to see if it would "work" first; C) Smearing 4 sticks of butter onto dough seemed a bit gluttonous; I used margarine for the slightly "healthier" impact it would have.  However, if you would like to use butter to make the puff pastry, be my guest!  (And please, let me know how it turns out!)

SIster love (Homemade honey macadamia granola)

 

I'm dedicating this post to my amazing sister, Em, who is my inspiration every day.  She was the one who got me into horseback riding, who played Breyer horses with me all day and designed imaginary stables by my side.  She is also the one who sparked my interest in cooking, when all I cared to know how to do was mac-and-cheese out of a box (EW!), bruschetta, spaghetti (nothing special), and quesadillas with black beans.  Make your own ricotta?  Or vegetable broth?  Why would anyone complicate their lives so much? 

She also helped me to get over my yeast phobia (along with my darling KitchenAid and King Arthur Flour class) and to love bread making.  She is patient, gracious, loving, creative, brave, and an overall wonderful mother to my two precious nieces.  In the kitchen and out, she claims to have a very simple philosophy.  She thinks I make elaborate meals and she prefers to stick to "simple" things such as making and canning her own pumpkin pie filling, homemade yogurt, canning tons of summer tomatoes, jams, and making her own pasta and fruit leather.  Simple?

If it hadn't been for Em, I probably wouldn't have ventured so far into the culinary world.  I saw her happiness in the kitchen, part of the making of a homemade life, and wanted to make my house a home by cooking, too.  I still love to see the smiles on peoples' faces when they bite into a delicious blondie or hear about how yummy my pecan pie is.  And most of all, she inspired me to want a homemade life.  Although it sounds sort of crazy, even if the recipe is simple, if it takes a long time to make (such as granola or ricotta), I feel intimidated.  So I gave this recipe that my mom passed along to me my own twist…

Homemade honey macadamia granola
Adapted from a recipe that a friend of my mom's passed along to her
Makes about 1.5 quarts

Warning: this is NOT low fat food.  And it's delicious.

Ingredients
4 cups oats (I used old fashioned)
150 grams unsalted macadamia nuts, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup bee's honey
Vanilla extract to taste, optional

Preheat the oven to 225F with the rack in the center.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish (preferably glass) with nonstick spray.  Mix together the oats and nuts in the dish.  Mix together the butter and honey in a measuring cup or small bowl.  Mix in vanilla extract if using (I did not use it but think it would be delicious!  Maybe 1 tsp).  Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture and toss well to coat.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 ½ hours (if you like it chewy) to 3 hours (if you like it crunchy), stirring about every 45 minutes so that it bakes evenly.  When done, cool in an airtight container without the lid on.  The granola will harden up slightly when cooled.  Store in airtight container. 

Feeling funky? Feel free to change the nuts, add more, add almond extract, dried coconut, dried fruit (at the end), and more!  Be creative!

Firsts (Fresh ricotta, Spinach crepe cake with mushroom sauce)

 

First times are exciting, if you achieve what you put yourself up to.  I've had a lot of good firsts, and a lot of bad firsts.  I remember the first time I rode my bicycle without training wheels (ask my dad, I hated those things!), the first time I rode a horse, my first day of college in Costa Rica, the first time I made lasagne (fail), and now… I made my first cheese.  

 

The best news of all is, it has NO rennet in it (calf's gut lining, used to thicken some hard cheeses, for those of you who were unaware, as I was, until of recent).  And, it's easy to make!  I decided to use it as a filling for a spinach crepe cake.  

 

 

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Ricotta cheese

Gourmet

 

Ingredients

• 2 quarts whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

 

• You will also need a large sieve and fine-mesh cheesecloth (I got mine at the grocery store, it's an organic brand called "If you care").  

 

Line a large sieve with a layer of heavy-duty (fine-mesh) cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (I overlapped mine a few times).

 

Slowly bring milk, cream, and salt to a rolling boil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.

 

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain 1 hour.  You may need to empty the whey into another bowl.  After discarding the liquid (try to make use of it in other things), chill the ricotta, covered.  It will keep in the refrigerator 2 days.

 

 

 

 

Spinach crepe cake with mushroom sauce

Adapted from Vegetarian suppers from Deborah Madison's kitchen

Serves 6

 

Don't be scared away by the lengthy prep time, it's really not that hard and is worth the effort.  

 

Ingredients

    Crepes:

1 bunch of spinach (I used 2, they're a bit smaller here), washed but not dried (may use frozen- 1 cup cooked)

Salt

1 ½ cups milk

3 eggs

3 TBSP melted butter or oil (plus extra for the pan)

1 TBSP chopped basil

1 cup all-purpose flour

 

    Ricotta filling:

2 cups homemade ricotta cheese (recipe above), or store-bought whole-milk ricotta

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (from a block)

2 TBSP chopped parsley

1 TBSP chopped basil

1 TBSP finely minced scallion

 

    Mushroom sauce:

2 TBSP butter, olive oil, or a mixture

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup dry white wine

1 TBSP chopped parsley

½ cup cream

 

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To make the crepe batter:  Heat a wide skillet over high heat, toss in the wet spinach with a pinch of salt, and cook until spinach has wilted.  Put the cooked spinach in a food processor with milk, eggs, butter and basil.  Pulse a few times to puree.  Add flour and 1 tsp salt.  Puree until smooth.  Let mixture rest for 20 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, make the ricotta filling:  Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste with salt.

 

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

 

When 20 minutes have passed since you made the crepe mixture, heat a little butter (or oil) in a 10-inch skillet.  Stir the batter up a little, then pour enough batter into the pan to cover when the bottom when the pan is tilted (this takes a little practice).  Cook over medium heat until golden on the bottom.  Pry up the edges with a spatula and turn the crepe over with your fingers; cook the second side until it becomes dry enough to slide in the pan.  Add a little butter or oil before cooking a new crepe.

 

When you have cooked all of the crepes, stack them one by one on a baking sheet,  the greenest side up, spreading the ricotta mixture on them as you go (don't worry about it not spreading too much, it won't make much of a difference in the end).  Cover the crepe cake with foil and bake until heated through, 15-20 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, make the mushroom sauce by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the scallions and cook for a minute, then raise the heat slightly and add the sliced mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring/ tossing frequently, until they start to turn brown.  Add the wine and let it reduce.  Add the parsley and cream when the mushrooms begin to get tender.  Taste for salt and pepper.  You will want some sauce, so don't let it all cook away.

 

When the crepe cake has been baked, serve each person a slice and let them drizzle some of the mushroom mixture on top.  

 

 

 

Goodbye, canned vegetable broth (Homemade vegetable stock)

 

 

Can you believe that I pay $2 for a can of Campbell's condensed chicken broth (non-low-sodium)?  It's pretty gross stuff (and I can't get vegetable broth here, I'm lucky if I can find chicken broth).  Ok, so here comes another blogger confession.  I used to be afraid of making my own vegetable broth.  Something about it intimidated me.  Until today, thanks to Mark Bittman, the author of How to cook everything vegetarian.  

 

The best part is, you don't have to worry about picky details, like peeling the veggies.  I doubled this recipe and it made about 2.25 liters/ quarts/ 9 cups of vegetable stock.

 

Vegetable stocks give depth to soups, risottos, and the like.  If you don't happen to have one or two of the ingredients, don't worry, it will still be better than adding water, or canned chicken stock to your dishes. You can play around with the vegetables, as well. 

 

 

 

 

Simple, easy and fast vegetable stock

 

Ingredients

 

2 carrots, cut into chunks

1 onion, quartered (don't bother to peel)

1 potato, cut into chunks

1 celery stalk, chopped

2- 3 garlic cloves (don't bother to peel)

10- 20 parsley stems (with or without leaves)

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Combine all ingredients in a small stockpot or saucepan with 6 cups of water.  Add a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil (I did covered the stockpot).  Lower the heat to medium and simmer steadily but gently.  Cook for about 30 minutes (more if you can afford the time), until the vegetables are tender.  Strain and adjust the seasoning before using or storing. 

 

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A personal anecdote- last summer when I visited home, dad was out fixing something in Em's yard on a hot sunny day, and I offered to get him something to drink.  I went to the fridge and got out a bottle of some yummy-sounding apple cranberry or other type of juice (can't remember exactly the name).  There was no top, instead, it was covered with aluminum foil and sealed with a rubber band.  I figured the cap had been lost during a game the girls might have been playing.  I poured my dad a glass of what looked like a very refreshing juice and took it out to him.  

 

A few minutes later, when probably about half of it had been drunk, my dad politely asked me what type of juice it was.  I responded (insert juice name)… it's quite good, he said, but I'm not sure it's juice.  In that moment, Em exclaimed, "No!! That's my vegetable broth!!"  Needless to say, she had made homemade stock and stored it in the juice container.