Monthly Archives: March 2016

Dill Veal Stew with Peas and Carrots

Enjoy the early days of Spring with this bright stew using veal with dill, peas and carrots. It’s the perfect dish using early spring vegetables from your garden or market!

From by the bay, wishing you dill filled spring memories!

Maryann

blog veal carrot pea stew

Dill Veal Stew with Peas and Carrots

Adapted from Silver Palate
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
3 pounds boneless veal shoulder or shank, in 1-inch cubes
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 scant teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus additional to taste
1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus additional to taste
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
3 cups peeled carrots, sliced diagonally (1/8 thick)
3 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions
5 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream or yogurt

optional: 2 cups frozen baby peas

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter in a heavy oven-proof casserole over medium-low heat. Add the veal and cook, turning frequently, without browning.
3. Stir 3 tablespoons flour, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the veal. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. The flour and veal should not brown.
4. Add the carrots, onions, 3 tablespoons of the dill, and enough stock just to cover the meat and vegetables. Raise the heat to medium, bring to a boil, cover, and bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours.
5. Remove the stew from the oven and pour it through a strainer placed over a bowl. Reserve the solids and liquid separately.
6. Return the casserole to medium heat and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in it. Sprinkle in the remaining 5 tablespoons flour and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes.
7. Whisk the reserved cooking liquid slowly into the butter and flour mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
8. Whisk in the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons dill, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Return the veal and vegetables plus the frozen baby peas to the casserole and simmer together to heat through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a deep serving dish and serve at once.

Hot Cross Buns

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Thinking about the week ahead, I decided to research making hot cross buns. This recipe by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), was the one I decided I liked the best. I never much cared for the hot cross buns in the bakeries, much of that dislike was around the bun being too sweet and some bakeries would use dried fruit I didn’t like and occasionally it was candied. It definitely put me off hot cross buns, This recipes has an easy technique for making a yeast dough, a nice amount of spices and Ree suggested dried fruit like raisins and cranberries. The resulting bun is terrific and really changes not only my point of view about these Easter treat, but my whole family!

The traditions around hot cross buns are wonderful. In the United States, hot cross buns are part of the tradition for both Good Friday and Easter, while in Great Britain they are primarily  Good Friday tradition. Some myths about hot cross buns are if you hang one in your kitchen evil spirits will stay away, if on good Friday you make them sharing them will cement your friendships, the bun can keep ships from sinking and a bun made on Good Friday will never get moldy. That’s a lot from a small little mount of dough!

From by the bay, wishing you little bun food memories!

Maryann

blog hot cross bun 2

Hot Cross Buns

Recipe by Ree Drummond, Pioneeer Woman April 1, 2010

Buns
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Canola Oil
1/2 cup Sugar
1 package (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup (additional) Flour
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Spices: Cardamom, Nutmeg, Allspice (optional)
1/2 cup Raisins
GLAZE
1 whole Egg White
Splash Of Milk
Icing
1 whole Egg White
Powdered Sugar
Splash Of Milk

blog hot cross bun 3
INSTRUCTIONS
BUNS

Combine 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot–about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and stir to combine. Mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.

Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir till combined.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use.

Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is “plain” again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time until all the raisins are used. (You won’t use all the sugar/cinnamon mixture.)

Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes…an hour-plus is better.

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PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 degrees

GLAZE

Mix 1 egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto each roll.

Bake for 20 minutes, give or take, or until tops of buns have turned nice and golden brown.

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

ICING

Mix 1 egg white with enough powdered sugar for icing to be very thick. Splash in milk as needed for consistency.

Add icing to a small Ziploc bag and snip the corner. Make icing crosses on each roll, making sure they’re completely cooled first.

hot cross bun 6

Luck of the Irish Soda Bread

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Although I’m not Irish, I have always enjoyed eating Irish Soda Bread.  St. Patrick’s Day is the unofficial start of Spring. After a long winter, you start to see the signs of spring. The crocus start peeking out of the ground, there is a big outdoor parade with lots of green the official color of spring and then there is Irish Soda Bread. I had some Irish good luck when my mother’s close friend Nancy, shared her family recipe with me. I find this bread pretty easy to make and quite forgiving in the preparation. Ready to celebrate Spring with some of your own good luck?

From by the bay wishing you some good luck food memories of your own!

Maryann

blog irish soda bread

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour, plus a tablespoon to mix with currants

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup currants

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, caraway seeds and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk and egg together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound. Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 blog shamrock

Shrimp and Grits Northern Style with Pickled Celery

A recipe to delight – the creamiest of grits, topped with sweet succulent shrimp tossed among red pepper and onion slices with some heat from the butter and to cut through that richness some pickled celery.  Inspired by one of the best meals in Nashville and adapted by this northern girl , who can’t find okra so easily out of season but celery is a good fill in and using some sriracha for heat since it’s a condiment of the moment to add the right amount of heat to the dish. Enjoy.

From by the bay, wishing you a shrimp and grits food memory!

Maryann

blog pickled celery

Spicy Pickled Celery

Food 52 by vrunka • March 13, 2012

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
8 large celery stalks, peeled and cut into pieces (see note)

Directions

Bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and add garlic, mustard seed, peppercorns, chili flakes. Place the celery pieces in a large bowl (preferably glass or ceramic) and pour the vinegar mixture over it. Stir to combine spices. Make sure all the pieces are submerged in the brine. Allow to cool completely (at least a couple hours) before serving. If you would like to make longer stalks into pickles, you can cut them to the length of the tallest wide-mouthed Mason jar you have. Stand them upright in the jar and pour the brine over them. Cover tightly. As the pickles cool, you may have to shake the jar (carefully!) to distribute the spices and brine

blog shrimp and grits pick

Shrimp and Grits Northern Style with Pickled Celery

Adapted from Nashville Chef’s Table by Stephanie Stewart-Howard recipe from Sunset Grill

Serves 6

Ingredients

For Grits

  • 1/2 quart chicken stock
  • 1/2 quart heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • pinch of fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 cup grts
  • 1/4 pound shredded white cheddar cheese

For the flavored butter

  • 1 pound butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sriracha sauce ( or tabasco)
  • 1 teaspoon honey

For the shrimp

  • 1 1/2 pound of shrimp
  • 1 1/2 cup sliced red bell peppers
  • 1 1/2 cup sliced sweet onion
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil to saute

Directions

To make the grits

Heat all the ingredients except the grits and cheese in a pan on the stove. Turn the heat to low and then add the grits. Stir frequently until soft, about 30 minutes, then add the cheese.

To make the hot butter

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.

To prepare the shrimp and assemble dish

In large saute pan, heat the oil and add the bell peppers and onions. Saute until starts to soften. Add shrimp and cook 1/2 way, add the butter and continue to cook until shrimp is done. The shrimp should be pink and no longer translucent. Serve over grits and garnish with pickled celery.

Rye Waffles with Caramelized Apple

I’ve been exploring using rye flour in my cooking. I love the hardy deep taste of rye. Besides the delicious rich taste here are a few things you probably didn’t know about rye:

  1. Rye increases your fullness feeling
  2. Rye may suppress weight gain
  3. Rye balances blood sugar
  4. Rye is rich in fiber

I made these rye waffles mixing both rye and white flour together. The added flavor comes from using sour cream in the waffle batter. This is a yummy breakfast.

From by the bay, wishing you delicious rye food memories!

Maryann

 

blog rye waffle

Rye Waffles

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup rye flour
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
  • spray vegetable oil

Directions

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add milk, sour cream, vanilla and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix well. Let batter rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, spray waffle iron with vegetable spray and preheat waffle iron. Add 1/2 cup of batter for each waffle. Cook according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown. Serve with caramelized apples and or syrup. Yield: 8 waffles.

Caramelized Apples

Ingredients

4 Jonagold Apples (or any other good cooking apple, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Peel and core apples, then slice thinly. Toss apple slices with sugar until thoroughly coated. Melt butter in a saucepan, add apples and cook over medium-high heat until very soft and tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Serve caramelized apples over top of waffles.