ChezCindy: Pickeled Vegetables

This weekend I was looking for some new ideas on ways to prepare vegetables.  I remembered a quick cucumber relish from a really great hamburger recipe that I make.  This cucumber relish is delicious on burgers, sandwiches or as part of a vegetable tray (March Madness - Go Bucks!!).  I also love cauliflower and wanted to try pickling it.  I see jars of mixed pickled vegetables at the store that include cauliflower, so why not?    This recipe requires no cooking, but must be made ahead of time, allowing time for the cauliflower to pickle.  The pickled cauliflower is excellent when included with salad greens and a olive oil vinaigrette. 

For each recipe I use Ball wide mouth canning jars, pint-size.


Cucumber Relish
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 pinch of red chile pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 English cucumber
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Prepare the cucumber by slicing it in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds by scraping a 1/2 teaspoon down the center of the cucumber.  Slice into 1/4 slices.  Set aside.
 In a saute pan over medium-high heat, toast the coriander seeds for 2-3 minutes.  Drizzle in the canola oil, add the diced red onion, cooking until onions are softened.  Stir in the pinch of chile pepper flakes, and the vinegar.  Then sprinkle on the sugar, stirring until it dissolves. 
Add the sliced cucumber to the pan, cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasional to evenly distribute the mixture.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with kosher salt, allow to cool.
Once fully cool, transfer to a jar.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Pickled Cauliflower
1/2 head of small cauliflower
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 shakes of hot sauce
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf

Cut the cauliflower into small florets.  Fill a pint-size jar with the florets, garlic clove and bay leaf.  In a separate container with a secure lid, combine the remaining ingredients.  Shake to combine.  Pour the vinegar mixture into the pint jar containing the cauliflower.  Close with the lid and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Serve with salad greens or add to a vegetable tray, drizzle with olive oil. 

ChezCindy: Sunday-morning Scones

I love scones.  They sound so fancy, but are very easy to put together.  I like that there is minimal pre-planning. Some recipes require having ingredients at room temperature, or allowing the dough to chill.  Not this one.  Scones work best with cold ingredients right from the refrigerator.  Just pull out the ingredients and go.  I make all kinds of scones, savory or sweet, using what I have in my pantry or freezer.  The picture above is dried apricots, toasted walnuts and chopped white chocolate.  The variations are endless.  A few varieties that I make are lemon scones, chocolate chip scones, fresh blueberry scones, cheddar scones, and ham & cheese scones.  Below is my basic recipe, to which I add the extra ingredients to make the specific scone.  For the savory scones, I leave out the sugar.

Scones
 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flour for kneading
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream

Options:
Apricot-Walnut Scones
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 ounces chopped white chocolate

Chocolate Chip Scones
6 ounces chopped milk chocolate

Cheddar Scones
omit the sugar
4 ounces of grated cheddar cheese

Ham & Cheese Scones
omit the sugar
2 1/2 ounces Gruyere cheese (or Swiss cheese)
2.1/2 ounces thinly sliced ham, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons course grain Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.
In the bowl for an electric mixer, add the 2 cups of flour, sugar (if using), baking powder and salt.  Gently combine.  Take the butter from the refrigerator, (you want the butter to be as cold as possible) dice into tiny peices-1/2 inch cubes.  Add to the flour mixture, mix at low speed until the butter is the size of small peas.  The key to a great scone is that the  butter will not be completely combined into the flour.  In a separate large measuring cup for liquids, measure out the cream.  Add the eggs, slightly mix the cream and eggs together.  With the mixer on low speed, add the cream-egg mixture to the flour.  Mix just until blended.  The dough will not be fully pulled together at this point.  Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer.  Add in your optional ingredients.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in the optional ingredients, just until somewhat incorporated.

Working on a clean counter surface or a work-board, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of flour onto the surface.  Transfer the scone dough directly onto the floured surface.  Using your hands, finish combining the add-in ingredients with the additional flour until well combined and the dough has come together, using a kneading technique.  You should still see bits of butter in the dough.  Shape the dough into a flat disc.  Flour a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 1 inch thickness.  You may need to sprinkle more flour onto your work surface.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut out the scones, place onto the prepared sheet tray.  Collect the scraps, roll out the dough, cut more scones.  Brush the tops with an egg-wash (beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of water).  For the sweet scones, sprinkle the tops with sugar; savory-sprinkle with a bit more shredded cheese.

Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, rotating the pans half way through cooking time.  Remove from the oven, the tops should be slightly browned, slide the parchment paper off with the scones in place, directly onto your counter to cool.  I drizzle my sweet scones with a powdered sugar glaze.  Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon liquid - could be juice, milk or water.




 

ChezCindy: Glazed Salmon with Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Glazed salmon with mustard mashed potatoes looks like a fancy dinner party meal, but it is comfort food in disguise.  It is delicious and simple enough to serve for a busy weekday supper.  Or invite guests and they will think you are a master chef.  Enjoy this simple recipe.

Glazed Salmon
1 side of salmon, about 1 1/2 pounds
3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
salt/pepper
canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a large sheet tray with sides, by covering it with foil. 

Rinse the salmon, pat dry with paper towels.  Set the fish onto prepared sheet tray, skin-side down.  Coat lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

In a small mixing bowl, combine the mustard and brown sugar.  Spread the mustard mixture evenly over the topside of the salmon.  Place the tray into the hot oven.  Roast for 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon.  Internal temperature should read at 125 degrees.  Remove from the oven.  Let rest for a few minutes.  

Cut into portion sizes.  Carefully slide a firm, flat spatula between the salmon flesh and the skin of the fish.  The skin should separate easily and remain stuck to the foil.  Serve with the mustard mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.   


Mustard Mashed Potatoes
Prepare potatoes as you would normally do, by cutting the potatoes into large pieces, covering with cold water and cooking until tender.  Drain the water from the pan.  

Mash the cooked potatoes.  Add in milk/cream, butter, salt and white pepper.  Add a heavy tablespoon of whole grain Dijon mustard (I use 2 tablespoons - but start with 1 until you determine what you like).  Stir to combine.  I like Maille Old Style Whole Grain Dijon mustard for this dish.

ChezCindy: Cookies for Soldiers

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This past week, I had the privilege of baking cookies for soldiers stationed over seas.  About 2 years ago, I was asked if I could do this by the wife of a retired Army General.  My answer was of course.  She then asked how many dozen I could commit to.  I thought for a moment and responded, 15 dozen.  She seemed a bit stunned with my answer, and asked if I was certain, as most people donate 2-3 dozen.  I pondered for a moment, doing the math in my head.  15 dozen.... that's like 3 or 4 batches.  At Christmas time I make a dozen or so different recipes.  Yes, 15 dozen chocolate chip cookies for the soldiers.  That's my commitment.  If they can commit to doing what they are doing, this is the least I can do for them.

Two or three times per year I receive a call that it is time to send cookies.  I usually only make chocolate chip cookies.  I pull out all the ingredients, mixer, measuring tools, baking trays, to get ready.  I then make one batch at a time (using the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag).  I place the prepared dough into a separate bowl, cover an let rest in the refrigerator, then move on to make the next batch of dough.  Once I have 4 batches of cookie dough, I then begin to bake.  Having 4 cookies trays makes this go quickly. There are always 2 trays in the oven baking, while I spoon out 2 more - ready to go into the oven.  Pull out the baked cookies, in go the next 2 trays.  Allow the baked cookies to cool a few minutes before removing to the holding table, spoon out 2 more trays.  Keeping the cookie size small is key - about a 3/4 inch ball of dough using a spring-loaded scoop.  One batch of dough makes about 5 dozen cookies.  Doing the math, 5 x 4 is 20 dozen.  Who eats the other few dozen?  Well, who can resist warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven with ice cold milk?

ChezCindy: Peanut Butter Cookie Comparison

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

I often enjoy comparing 2 or 3 similar recipes to determine which one I like best, and why.  My family still comments on the time I made 4 versions of a Lemon Tart for an Easter gathering.  They thought I was a bit crazy, but it was fun.  Everyone had their favorite and there were no left-overs!
This weekend I wanted to try a new recipe I saw in a magazine for peanut butter cookies.  The difference in this recipe from the traditional recipe I grew up making, is that this is a flourless peanut butter cookie.  Really, no flour.  That is what triggered me to do the comparison.  The new recipe calls for 2 cups of peanut butter.  Comparing to my childhood recipe, just 3/4 cup of peanut butter and 1 1/4 cup of flour.  Quite a difference in the ingredient list.  Both are good in their own way.  The flourless is more chewy with great peanut butter taste.  The traditional is more crisp, and just slightly chewy in the center.  Below are my adaptations to each recipe. 
For a fun twist, once the cookies have fully cooled, spread grape jelly on the back-side of one cookie.  Top with another cookie to make a PB & J sandwich cookie.  Yum!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Mix together the peanut butter, the 2 sugars, eggs, baking soda and salt until combined.  Shape the dough into small balls (about 1/2 tablespoon) and place onto the parchment paper, about 1 inch apart allowing for the cookies to spread.  Using the tines of a fork, slightly flatten each cookie in a crisscross pattern.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, rotating the pans half-way through the cooking time.  Remove from oven, slide the parchment paper off of the trays onto your counter.  Allow to cool. 

Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine together flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.  In a mixer, combine the softened butter and peanut butter, about 1 minute.  Add the sugars, beating till fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.  Add the dry ingredients, mixing to form a dough.  Shape the dough into small balls (about 1/2 tablespoon) and place directly onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart allowing for the cookies to spread.   Using the tines of a fork, slightly flatten each cookie in a crisscross pattern. Bake in the oven for 11 minutes, rotating the pans half-way through the cooking time. Remove from the oven.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 1-2 minutes.  Using a spatula, remove onto cooling rack or parchment paper to continue cooling completely.