The Fleeting Forages of Spring

Photo from Vegan Yum Yum

The Vermont food scene is all about local and sustainable. Spring is a beloved time for foragers (I am not one, btw)—ramps (wild leeks), fiddlehead ferns, morels, and other things abound, if you know where to look. Nowadays, these items are available at local markets so even us non-foraging types can enjoy them.  Just last night Jim and I had some fiddleheads sauteed with onion, garlic, lemon juice and zest over a bed of rice. Fresh and delicious.

Photo from Flavors and More Magazine

I have only cooked ramps a couple times. Once I added them into mini korean pancakes (Pa Jeon) with great results. Last month when I saw the ramps at the co-op, I knew that I had to incorporate them into the Spring-themed brunch menu I was planning for Easter.  It turned out to be quite tasty—garlicky, with a little saltiness from the pancetta and a nice tooth-feel from the beans.

I used quinoa pasta because it has a great flavor and texture, unlike other gluten-free pastas. A larger pasta, like penne or spirals, is a nice shape to provide contrast with the other small ingredients.

Pasta with Ramps, Pancetta, and White Beans
1 lb. quinoa pasta
2-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped or thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 oz. chopped pancetta
2 cups chopped ramps
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 can (14 oz) navy or other white beans
1/2 cup chicken stock or pasta water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 medium onion, very thinly sliced in half rounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan cheese

Prepare the pasta, cooking a little less time than the package suggests. If it is a little underdone it will be able to absorb more of the sauce flavors without getting soggy.

Saute the garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes with the red pepper flakes over medium-high heat. Add the chopped ramps and pancetta. Cook a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the beans, balsamic vinegar, and stock. Cook down a couple minutes. Toss in the cooked pasta, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. At this point, I added a little extra garlic (I love the paste you can get in tubes) for some fresher flavor and a little more olive oil (or a little butter would be good). Toss in the onion after turning off the heat. Let the mixture set for 5-10 minutes or so so the flavors can come to together. Served topped with a little freshly grated parmesan.

Oh, the things rhubarb can do!

For our Easter brunch I felt compelled to incorporate rhubarb somehow, but already had too many desserts. Hmmmm? Well, how about salad dressing? I often use OJ or other citrus in vinaigrettes, so why not some sort of rhubarb liquid. I had some ideas about how to do it and found a few recipes online. Apparently, others had thought similarly and executed the idea with good results. That was all I needed to give it a go.

Here's what I did. I took about 4 cups of frozen rhubarb (1 1/2" long pieces), added a half cup of orange juice, another 1/2 cup, or so, of water and tossed it in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup honey. I threw in some candied ginger that I needed to use up. I simmered the whole mess until the rhubarb started to fall apart (10-15 minutes) then strained it well, pressing down on the solids. 

I tossed the pulp and returned the liquid to the saucepan, adding a little sugar, since it was quite tart still. I reduced the mixture by about half until it was a little syrupy. I added some powdered cardamom and ginger at this point. Next time, I would put some cardamom pods and slices of fresh ginger in the original mixture. I am thinking I will make and freeze some of this reduction instead of just freezing the chopped rhubarb.

To make the dressing, I took about 1/2 cup of the reduction and added a few splashes of raspberry vinegar, 1-2 Tbs. poppy seeds, a little more sugar (this is a sweet dressing), and about 1/3 cup canola oil. No measurements—this is a taste thing really.  I tossed the dressing with baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and slivered almonds. Very good. The next week, I tossed it over spinach, apples, and pecans. It was also good. Pears, beets, goat cheese, dried cherries, mint. There are still more combos to be tried.


The rhubarb syrup/reduction was also great for mixed drinks. On Easter, we added it to our champagne drinks. I am stilling pondering a name for my favorite combination: rhubarb syrup, pear nectar, champagne, and mint sprigs. Later that week, I also tried it with vodka and a splash of Rose's Lime juice, which made a lovely rhubar-tini. With mixed juices, rum, and seltzer—not so good.


A little sweeter and it would be terrific over pancakes or waffles. The possibilities seem endless from here, as does my expected bumper crop of rhubarb. Who knew?

A coffee cake double take

A couple of years ago, I had the best coffee cake ever at a holiday party in Samuel's class. Of course, I got the recipe from the mom who brought it and I have made it several times since then, to the delight of all who partake. The reason the cake is so delicious? It is loaded with butter, sugar, and sour cream.

For once, I remembered to take a picture. Doesn't look gluten-free, does it?

This year, Sam asked me to make it for Easter brunch. I decided to try to makeover the recipe without dairy or gluten so more guests could enjoy it.  Just to be clear, though. The remake did not make this cake healthy. It still has lots of fat and sugar, but now celiacs and people with lactose intolerance can enjoy the decadence too.


I used the gluten free flour mix suggested by Cybele Pascal in her cookbook (included in the recipe below), The Allergen Free Baker, and added xanthum gum. I subbed dairy- and soy-free shortening for the butter. For the sour cream, I thought of two alternatives: coconut milk or plain soy/rice yogurt to which I would add lemon juice. I ended up using light coconut milk.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

THE ORIGINAL BATTER THE REMAKE 1 cup butter 1 cup dairy- and soy- free shortening 2 cups sugar (a little less is fine) 2 cups sugar (a little less is fine) 2 eggs Use eggs OR 1 Tbs. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup rice milk OR 3 Tbs. Flax meal whipped with 1/2 cup water 2 cups light or whole sour cream 1–14 oz. can light coconut milk, 2 1/2 Tbs. lemon  juice, and Rice milk to make 2 cups liquid 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups gluten free flour mix (2 cups fine brown rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour) 1/2 tsp. xantham gum 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking soda 3 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp salt Streusel: 3 tsp. cinnamon, 4 Tbs. brown sugar, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts Streusel: 3 tsp. cinnamon, 4 Tbs. brown sugar, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (omit nuts, if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (well) and flour 10" bundt pan.


Cream together shortening, sugar, and eggs (room temp). If using soy free shortening, the texture will not be completely smooth.  Add cream/coconut milk mixture and vanilla.


Mix together dry ingredients and mix into batter.


In a separate bowl, mix together the struesel ingredients.


Pour 1/3 of batter into bundt pan. Sprinkle with streusel (try not to touch the sides of the pan with the streusel; keep it down the middle of the batter). Pour another 1/3 of batter over it and top with remaining streusel. Cover with remaining batter.


Bake for 55 minutes. Cool on a rack in pan before removing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

A Spring Brunch

This Easter we invited over several neighbors and friends to join us for brunch. All together there were 11 children and 10 adults. Every now and then I just like to cook up a mess of food for a mess of people. Generally, I try to make at least some tried and true recipes, but sometimes my need to create drives things. That's what happened this Easter. I just had a lot of ideas about things to make using Spring ingredients, so I ended up making several sweet and savory items. The experimentation resulted in some tasty outcomes. 


It will take a few posts to get to all my exciting food discoveries, but first here's the menu. Of course, I forgot to take pictures.


Besides having assorted coffees and teas, I set up a fruity drink station. Guests mixed their own concoctions from an assortment of juices and nectars, champagne, flavored selters, and garnishes of mint and blueberries. I included Triple Sec as well, but other fruity liqueurs (think Chambourd or Peach Schnapps) would be equally delicious. My favorite: rhubarb reduction, pear nectar, and champagne with a sprig of mint.


Coffee cake. Sam requested the sour cream coffee cake I occasionally make. I adapted the recipe, removing the gluten and dairy so that more guests could eat it. After finagling some with the batter, the end result was a delicious cake with a moist, delicate crumb, that noone could even tell was gluten-free. I will post the recipe for this in a separate post.


Hot cross buns. I like a nice sweet roll with tea, but I had never made these traditional Easter rolls before. I used a recipe with a brioche dough base from ArtisanBreadinFive.com with good results. Although time consuming, it was easier than I expected. Adults appreciated these while the kids, although seduced by the icing on top, were at times suprised by the spices, orange peel and currants inside. I used an oat/white wheat mixture for half of the flour. Very satisfying, especially warm.


Sugar cookies. The kids had fun decorating cookies in tulips, eggs, bunnies, and butterfly shapes. These are my absolute favorite type of cookie, with or without icing. Buttery, sweet, tender, with a mere hint of saltiness. I had to freeze the remainder to prevent myself from eating them all. 


Crepes Benedict. Poached eggs and an assortment of meats and veggies (guests picked their own combos), wrapped in a crepe and topped with creamy, lemony hollandaise sauce. Quite delicious. My favorite combo was ham, artichoke bottoms, tomato and scallion. Bacon, broccoli, and herbs were also available. 


I made a small batch of gluten-free crepes for folks who could not eat the regular ones. They seemed fine although perhaps not as tender. Since I needed the prepare about two dozen eggs, I cooked them partially the night before and stored them in a cold water bath in the fridge. The next day I popped them in simmering water briefly to heat through. It worked like a charm.


Asparagus with lemon-herb dressing (basil, parsley, chives, mint), pine nuts and goat cheese. It did not turn out to be what I had originally envisioned, but was tasty—even better the next day.



Roasted fingerling potatoes with pesto. I overcooked the potatoes a tad, but the concept was good and I would make it again. I love to throw pesto into all kinds of things.


Spinach and strawberry salad with rhubarb vinaigrette. I just could not omit rhubarb from a spring-themed menu, especially since my plants are already coming up and I still have some in the freezer from last year. I pondered making a rhubarb apricot filling for crepes and topping them with whipped mascarpone. I also considered preparing some kind baked french toast or bread pudding, but there were already too many sweet things. I stumbled upon the idea for dressing while perusing the internet. 


I began by making a rhubarb reduction then using it to make a sweet dressing with raspberry vinegar, poppy seeds, ginger, and cardamom. The dressing was quite good with the spinach and strawberries and topping of slivered almonds. The rhubarb reduction has many other uses. I'll do a post on this soon.


Quinoa pasta with ramps, garlic, white beans, and pancetta. Saw the ramps at the co-op and could not resist them. These wild leeks are really heralds of Spring for foragers here in VT. This made another great gluten-free entree. Quinoa pasta is quite nutritious and is far, far superior to other non-gluten varieties. Worth trying even if you can tolerate gluten.


Cheesy Grits and Corn Pudding. Saw a recipe for this in Country Living (which, incidentally I enjoy reading via iPad) and needed to try it. If you like creamy polenta you will like this. I added some chives and scallions. This needs to sit for 15-20 minutes before eating or the texture is weepy. Quite good at room temp.


Okay, I am looking at this and seeing the vastness of my limit-setting problem. But, hey I only go whole-hog like this once or twice a year. Tonight I am not cooking for anybody! Sam is in the kitchen as I write, making himself an egg and cheese burrito. He even offered to make one for me. Love it!

Sam Demands the "Sooshy"

Years ago in State College, I made a set of the little sauce cups shown above.
One of the few things I kept for myself.

Time to make the maki! My kids really love sushi rolls, especially California Rolls. In beginning of first grade, the kids in Sam's class were asked about their favorite foods. Much to the delight of his teacher, Sam wrote, "I love sooshy." His and Ethan's idea of a good date with mom is miso soup and sushi followed by a trip to the candy store for a small bit of mix-your-own sweets. Sushi is just so healthy, I somehow can justify the candy that follows.

My friend Michele turned me on to sushi years ago when we worked together in Harrisburg and also taught me to make maki (sushi rolls). Occasionally, I still make sushi rolls at home, but not so often anymore since you can buy it everywhere now...even in Vermont! Last week, Sam specifically asked if we could make some together. Honestly, who is going to refuse a kids who wants to cook with you? So, I picked up some smoked roasted salmon and some lump crabmeat from Costco and we made some yummy rolls together.

We made two combos: crab and avocado, and smoked salmon and cucumber. We also added some veggie cream cheese to some of the salmon rolls—which I must say, was my favorite despite that my purist tendencies lead me to distrust it as an acceptable combination. But then again, I love spicy tuna rolls, which I believe have some kind of spicy mayonnaise atop them. So much for being a purist.

If fish isn't your thing, try filling your maki with veggies like cucumber, shredded carrots, daikon radish, wilted spinach, or scallions. Tofu marinated in teriyaki sauce also makes a tasty flesh-free roll.

If you have never made sushi rolls at home you should buy a sushi mat. These, along with the  specialty ingredients like wasabi and sushi rice, are available at most supermarkets. I wrap my mat in cellophane to keep the rice from sticking to it. You could use a piece of waxed paper in place of the mat.

Sushi Rolls (Maki)

Makes 8 rolls (1-2 rolls per person)

3 cups sushi, or other short-grained rice

3 Tbs. rice vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

8 sheets of sushi nori

Toasted sesame seeds

Filling ingredients

Smoked Salmon (about 8-10 oz. for 8 rolls)

Cucumber, deseeded, cut into long 1/2" thick strips (1 cucumber is enough for 8 rolls)

Creamed cheese (about 4 oz. for 8 rolls), optional

OR

Crab meat, picked over (about 10-12 oz. for 8 rolls)

Avocado, peeled and cut into strips (8 rolls will take about 1 1/2 avocados)

Cook the rice. Combine the rice vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. Add the hot rice, stirring well.

To make a reverse roll (i.e., the rice on the outside): Place a sheet of nori on your mat. Place about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of warm rice on the nori and spread it evenly over the whole sheet using your hands (I wear a plastic bag over my hands to keep the rice from sticking. 

Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds. Turn the nori over so the rice side is facing down. 

Place fillings in a strip across the nori about 1" from the bottom. You can include a little rice to help "glue" your fillings in place if needed.

Roll the nori from the bottom, using the mat to help you make a tight roll. Repeat these steps until you have the desired number of sushi rolls. 

Slice each roll into 6-8 pieces, using a serrated knife with a wetted blade. Serve rolls at room temperature with wasabi paste, soy sauce, and pickled ginger.

Need to see what I am describing above? Check out SushiNow.

Fat Free Baking: A Few Good Recipes

Fat-Free Pumpkin Muffins just out of my oven

While I enjoy cooking authentic foods and embrace Julia Child's no holds barred approach to butter usage, you just can't eat like that every day. In general, I try to cook sensibly--reducing fat and using monounsaturates, sneaking in fruits and veggies in unlikely places, and upping the fiber with whole grain flours and flax meal.


Lately, I have been trying to be more mindful of the the kinds and portions of foods I eat. I am totally a carb addict so I can not go without an occasional treat. Plus, I live with two boys and Jim who appreciate those little homemade goodies. Over the past couple weeks I have been testing out and revisiting various fat free baked good recipes.


First, I made Chewy Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies (originally from the Dr. Cookie Cookbook). They were a lot more cakey than my usual oatmeal cookies, but still enjoyable. They were filled with chewy fruit, nuts, and oatmeal. Very nutritious. The boys enjoyed them and I felt pretty good about letting them eat 'em up. 
MY CHANGES, I subbed prune puree for half of the applesauce and used my trusty combination of oat and whole wheat flours in place of the all-purpose flour. Instead of wasting a bunch of egg yolks, I used 1/2 cup of EggBeaters instead of egg whites. In place of the recommended nuts and fruit, I used dates and pecans. I also upped the amount of oats by nearly a cup. These make a nice breakfast cookie with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Moist and spicy with bits of chocolate chips. Mmmm.

Next, I made Fat Free Pumpkin Muffins. I found this recipe a while back when Jim's mom was on a fat-free diet. Most of the muffins I make are pretty healthy, but these definitely took it up a notch. Pumpkin puree is a great way to reduce or remove fat from baked goods. These are moist and springy. 
MY CHANGES: I added cinnamon and other pumpkin pie spices, chopped dried cherries, and a handful of bittersweet chocolate chips. Also used EggBeaters and my whole grain flour mix. I used pumpkin that Jim had roasted and frozen in the fall. I used honey in place of the corn syrup and reduced the granulated sugar by half. Also, tried it with butternut squash with excellent results. These were such a hit with Sam, Ethan, and I that I made them 3 weekends in a row!  Nice with Chai.

Very chocolatey! Don't they look good?

Then, I was just having one of those I-could-eat-a-bucket-of-chocolate days. I needed brownies! Once again I decided to try a fat free version. I have had good luck in the past with reduced fat versions, but the only time I tried a fat free version, it was too spongey. This healthy brownie recipe from Spork or Foon is not quite as dense and fudgy and chewy as full fat brownies, but it did satisfy my chocolate craving. They have a strong bittersweet taste and are somewhere between fudgey and cakey. I will likely make them again. 
MY CHANGES: I used egg beaters instead of egg whites, part oat flour, reduced sugar to 3/4 cup, added 1-2 extra Tbs. cocoa and omitted coffee granules. I also added a 1/2 tsp. baking powder.  No tea with these; maybe a small cup of milk.


Here are my observations in general. First, while the recipes I started with had no fat, they were still lllllloaded with sugar. I reduced it somewhat, but truth be told it could easily be reduced much more. What can I say? I like sugar! But I do plan to use less refined sugar and more natural products like honey, brown rice syrup, and agave. Second, there is definitely something lost in the texture when you take out all the fat. No crispiness, and the outside becomes sticky after being stored overnight. But they are satisfying still and much more guilt free. 


Good as an everyday kind of treat, but I'll be keeping the full fat recipes for those occasions when you just need the taste and crispness only butter can produce.

Gluten-Free Baking: Orange Chiffon Cake from Cybele Pascal's Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook

Orange Chiffon Cake with Orange Rum Sauce
as pictured in The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook

In our family, we are fortunate not to have any food allergies. But I have an increasing number of friends and family with various food allergies, as well as many who have restricted diets for other reasons. I strive to get a delicious meal on the table for whoever is my guest.  I also just like trying out new ingredients and cooking techniques, regardless of whether they are related to ethnicity, health, or lifestyle.  I have amassed recipes that are delicious and can accommodate most any diet. 


A few months ago, I spent some time trying my hand at gluten-free baking. I have found that, by far, it is the most difficult dietary restriction to accommodate. Not long ago, those with gluten intolerances simply removed breads and baked goods from their diets completely, but now there are so many varieties of gluten-free flour readily available, there is no reason to.


My first encounter with gluten intolerance was in MD, where members of a family in our babysitting co-op were celiacs. Now, I have a sister and a sister-in-law who are eating gluten free diets. And, my good friend's Curtis and Michelle manage to get their kids fed with tasty and nutritious food daily, despite that combined they can not eat eggs, dairy, soy, nuts, gluten, and some miscellaneous fruits and veggies. With limitations like these, you certainly have to think outside the box and that can lead to exciting new discoveries. I enjoy cooking for their family because it is a bit of a challenge, but mostly because I like creating something we all can share. Families with food allergies are accustomed to carting food with them everywhere. A meal where they do not have to worry about that is a welcomed and deserved treat.


Sharing a meal is a collective experience, which can't work if someone is excluded. There are a plethora of recipes to accomodate just about any diet on the internet. So, I encourage all of you to be the one who brings something to the next potluck that can be eaten by an attendee you know is on a restricted diet. Bake the nut free, egg free cupcakes for your kids' bake sale (be sure to label the ingredients and wrap them up nicely so they do not mingle with the allergen-filled items). You will be making someone's day, I guarentee. Many recipes are so good that folks with no allergies will gladly wolf them down totally unknowingly.


Cybele Pascal's cookbook, The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook, has a host of great recipes (FYI, you can also find much of it on Google Books). I purchased the book last summer and liked it so much I got one for my sister and friend. Between the three of us, we have tried many of her recipes with pretty consistently good results. Her secret ingredient is finely ground brown rice flour (she recommends Authentic Foods superfine brown rice flour, which I ordered online). It is healthy and does not produce the gritty texture you find with many gluten-free baked goods. 


This orange chiffon cake, with or without the glaze, is delicious.  By the way, it is cholesterol free and very low in fat. The sugar can also be reduced if you like. And you can easily sub in more traditional ingredients if you do not have allergies.

ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE WITH ORANGE RUM SAUCE
from Allergy-Free Baker by Cybele Pascal

2 cups plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup rice milk (=2 eggs)
1 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. orange zest
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 cups gluten free flour mix (=2 cups fine brown rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour)
3/4 tsp. xantham gum
4 tsp. double acting baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 recipe Orange Rum Sauce (below)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 10" tube pan or Bundt pan, and dust with a little flour mix, tapping out any extra.

In a mixer bowl, combine 2 cups sugar and the egg replacer. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.

Add the orange juice, zest,  and oil. Mix for about 1 minute more.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour mix, xantham gum, baking powder, and salt.

Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches, mixing after each addition. Mix until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the top.

Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes, or until lovely golden brown on top, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Let cool at rom temperature.

Place the cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Poke about 24 holes into the cake, and spoon abut half of the sauce over the top and sides, being sure to drizzle it into the holes. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve along with sliced of cake.

This cake is best the day it is made. Store covered in the fridge.


ORANGE RUM SAUCE

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup amber rum
1 Tbs. dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
1 tsp. vanilla

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in the orange juice and rum, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shortening and vanilla.