Tag: entertaining

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Gnocchi, Italian Comfort Food

 Gnocchi are light, little pillows of potato dumpling goodness. Like the dumplings of so many international recipes, they are comfort food. Actually comfort is the reason, according to legend, that the dumpling was invented. One story tells of Zhang Zhongjing, a Chinese medical practitioner who wrapped dough around a meat filling, and added it to soup to provide relief from frostbite and illness to his villagers. The Italians track their gnocchi to the 1500’s.  Whether you believe the Italians or the Chinese or for that matter the Romans, dumplings, have been around for a very long time. I was quite surprised to discovered just how many countries have dumplings in their history of recipes.
There is one word that you will find repeated throughout this recipe. That’s ‘gently’. Overworking, just like overcooking will create hard little nuggets. You want the dough to just come together and be slightly sticky. Traditional Gnocchi have ridges, sometimes made over the tines of a fork or rolled over a special wooden mold. I made these simply, as it can be enough of a challenge making a tender Gnocchi. If you want to go for the gusto, there are lots of YouTube videos on how to do it.
When it comes to the potatoes for Gnocchi, Yukon Gold are the best choice, but in a pinch a Russets are the next best. Yukon Golds are a higher starch potato, prized for creamy mashed potatoes. Exactly what you want to create a beautiful Gnocchi.

Ingredients:

Dough:
  • 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
Sauce:
  • 3 lg tomatoes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 lg clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Grated cheese

Method:

Gnocchi:

  1. Cook the Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on, either by steaming or gently in microwave.
  2. Set the potatoes aside to cool, skins on.
  3. Peel and gently crumble the potatoes with a fork. Resist the temptation to get out the masher.
  4. In a separate bowl combine salt and flour.
  5. With fork, beat egg and gently combine with potatoes.
  6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the potato mixture. You can mound the potato and flour on a working surface and add the egg to that, but I find it easier to mix it in a bowl.
  7. Using your fingers of one hand gently swirl around to combine flour and potato. The mixture will come together to form a light ball. Still with one hand gather all the bits and with a few gentle turns, knead the mixture.
  8. Divide dough into 4 sections. Cover bowl and set aside.
  9. Bring a pot of water to gentle boil.
  10. While you are waiting for the water to boil start the sauce.
  11. Flour a work surface lightly.
  12. Roll each of the sections into a long rope, roughly 3/4″ thick.
  13. Slice rope into pieces 3/4″ long.
  14. Boil all the gnocchi from each rope section separately.
  15. As soon as the gnocchi float they are cooked.
  16. Lift with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Sauce:
  1. Finely dice onion and mince garlic.
  2. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes. I used basic beefsteak tomatoes because that’s what I happened to have. Ideally plum tomatoes, such as Roma, are best for pasta sauces.
  3. Stem and mince fresh oregano.
  4. Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor, adding the oregano leaves i
  5. n the last few seconds. Do not puree.
  6. Heat a saute pan on fairly high heat and add the prepared onion and garlic.
  7. As the onion starts to brown lightly, reduce the heat to medium.
  8. When the onion and garlic are tender add the tomato mixture. Then add the wine, butter, and milk.
  9. Simmer until sauce reduces. Salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Add the gnocchi to the tomato sauce. Toss and serve immediately topped with grated cheese.
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Making Earl Grey Jelly

Who’d have thought to make tea from jelly? Our daughter is a fan of all things tea, so it wasn’t surprising that she wondered if I could make jelly from tea. Making jelly is as much science as it is art. When you have the right balance of sugar, acid, pectin, time, temperature, etc you have jelly or jam. That’s pretty simplified, which is why it is usually recommended that you follow the recipes inside the Bernardin or Certo box until you get the hang of jam making and can branch out.

The tea jelly was quite an experiment. The Strawberry Jammin’ was bit of an easier one. Perhaps because the tea has bits of fruit in it.  Earl Grey a little less forgiving. I had to increase the lemon juice and the pectin to get it to set. Amazingly, the Lemoncello tea was the hardest recipe to make set.

In your leisure you can Google all about the science of jam making. Not that it is boring, but it is quite a dry read , especially when all you want to do is fire up the jam pot. It’s all about collagen, a history of jam making, sugars, etc. So let’s get steeping shall we?

In the recipe I have laid out the process for preparing to make jelly. This is as important part of the procedure. You want to have everything in place so you aren’t rushing to measure sugar or wash jars, during the one minute your jelly is boiling.

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups boiling water
  • 5 tbsp Earl Grey de la Creme tea leaves.
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice. You can squeeze a lemon or use a bottle of lemon juice like RealLemon
  • 1 pkg Pectin. This method uses Bernardin.
  • 5 cups or 1000 g of white sugar
  • A flat of 125 ml Mason Jars

Method:

  1. I used Earl Grey de la Creme from Sipology. It’s a lovely Earl Grey and a good quality tea. Measure 5 tbsp of tea leaves in 2 steeping sacks and seal.
  2. Boil 5 cups of water, reduce to a simmer and add the steeping sacks. Brew for 15 minutes.
  3. Wash mason jars, disks and rings in hot soapy water, then fill with boiling hot water and set aside.
  4. Measure out the sugar and set aside.
  5. Prepare a surface for filling your jars. I use a large cookie sheet and a cooling rack.
  6. On a plate lay out a ladle, rubber scraper, and a slotted plastic spatula or a slotted spoon for skimming foam. In jam and jelly making it is important to keep everything involved in the process as clean as possible to minimize risk of contamination.
  7. Filling your canning pot half full of water and set to boil.
  8. Place a small plate in the freezer. This is for testing the set of your jelly.
  9. Remove and discard the steeping sacks. Measure the liquid tea to ensure you have 3 1/2 cups.
  10. Return the steep tea to the cooking pot and add the lemon juice.
  11. Whisk in the pectin and return to the heat, bringing to a boil quickly.
  12. As soon as the pectin mixture boils slide the pot off the heat and add sugar stirring thoroughly to dissolve the sugar. Scrape down the sides and return the pot to the heat.
  13. Bring jelly mixture to a fast boil. Over boiling will give you a very tough jelly, so don’t walk away from the stove. As soon as the mixture boils, set the timer to one minute.
  14. Remove the jelly pot from the heat and place on your prepped surface.
  15. Take the plate from the freezer and spoon out enough to make a small circle. Two inches across is plenty. Return plate to the freezer.
  16. Carefully skim any foam from the surface of the jelly. I use a slotted plastic spatula. You will notice over a couple of minutes that it becomes easier to skim. Don’t stir.
  17. Check the plate in the freezer. Drawing your figure through the mixture should give you a jelly texture. If it is very soft you can decide whether or not to increase the lemon juice by one tablespoon and the sugar by 1/4 cup and repeat the boil.
  18. Drain the jars of the hot water and turn upside down on the cooling rack.
  19. With a ladle, quickly fill the hot jars to within 1/4″ of the top edge. That’s about half way up the threaded part of the jar.
  20. Anything you can’t ladle, or pour out stays in the pot. Everything left in the pot can go on your sampling toast, but you don’t want it in your pretty, clear jars of jelly.
  21. With a hot, damp paper towel, wipe off the rim and the outer threaded part of the jar. I say paper towel as you want a single use, not a damp tea towel. Run your fingertip around the rim of the jar to make sure there aren’t any sticky spots that will prevent a good seal.
  22. Place the hot discs and rings on the jars and finger tighten. Too tight will prevent sealing.
  23. Place the filled jars in holder of your canning pot and lower into the boiling water. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.
  24. Cover and set your timer to 10 minutes.
  25. When boiling has completed remove the jars from the canner and set on a rack to cool.
  26. As the jars cool you will hear distinctive pops ensuring that you have an airtight seal on each jar.
  27. Try not to move until the jars have completely cooled. That means you don’t rock the jars to see if the jelly has set. That will break the surface of the jelly most certainly cause a jelling failure.
  28. Check to see that “button” in the center of the lid has drawn down, ensuring a seal. If you push on it and it goes down and stays that way, it is fine. Any jars that don’t seal will have to be refrigerated.

And there, you have a tea jelly to enjoy and share.

 

 

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How to Cook with Fresh Herbs

Yes, even in an Alberta winter you can cook with fresh herbs. In fact it’s probably the best time, as far as enjoyment goes. Just the aroma of the fresh herbs takes you back to summer dining. Bruise a fresh leaf and inhale. You won’t be able to help yourself. You have to smile and savor that aroma.

As for what herbs are best fresh? Just about everything, but herbs with woody stocks like rosemary and thyme hold their flavour well when dried. The tender stocks, like the basils, cilantro and chives are far better fresh.

Where to Find Fresh Herbs?

Well, there is the fresh produce department in your grocery store. But those poor bruised cuttings can be pricey and if they are discounted as a store loss leader, you know the quality probably isn’t great. Sometimes the groceries have live plants, but you need to get them while they are still fresh as they don’t get much care and attention, ie. watering once they are put on the display.

Variety on the grocery shelf is limited and frequently you will find an empty peg where the dill should be. Thai Basil, Lemon Grass or Kafir Lime are almost non-existent, except in the Asian markets. Herbs like Marjoram or Savory are pretty much only available dried in a bottle, unless you know a local grower.

There is your own windowsill, if you brought in your plants before the temperatures dropped. There are lots of ways to grow fresh in your home, depending on your space and lighting restrictions. Ideally start with something small and easily cared for, while you are experimenting with how what to grow. The photo is of a tiny countertop hydro system we which we experimented. We grew a number of different herbs very successfully.

Farmers’ and Community Markets are a great source of fresh herbs and you may still be able to get herbs from local growers. (Shameless plug, we grow a variety of fresh herbs all year round.)

Why is Fresh Better?

Tune into any cooking show and watch the chef. They are always chopping fresh herbs to add to their recipes. A big reason for this is the flavour. Yes, if you look up the conversion you will see that you need more fresh vs dried herbs, but the aroma of the fresh herbs is so much better. Like anything else, freshly picked provides way more nutrients and antioxidants. Plus a sprig or two of the herb makes a beautiful garnish on your dish, and presentation is important, including at the family dinner table.

One note to make on using fresh herbs is the length of cooking time. Some cooks say why bother with fresh if you are simmer for an hour or more, but European chefs are famous for their use of bouquet garni.  Bouquet garni is a bundle of fresh herbs, tied together with a string. That makes it easier for you to pull it out of the pot prior to serving. Rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, tarragon and parsley are the most common herbs that you would remove prior to serving. If you are using a bouquet garni bag you can also add peppercorns and other spices to the bag. Bouquet garni bags are fine cotton or muslin, but you could use tea egg in a pinch.

To Chop or not to Chop

Not a question really, more like a kitchen myth, says Peter Aitken. But it is a point of some debate. I go with ‘chop’ in a cooked dish, ‘tear’ if it’s a salad. It would be my opinion and yes, it is with some bias, that I say it is more important the quality of the ingredient and less how you get it into the pot.

Have a great day and may your cooking always be successful!

Laura

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How to Create a Charcuterie Table

No matter the entertainment season, and many of us try to decide if it’s beer and wings, a bunch of premade frozen appies or if we have a day to make something ourselves. Then there is a old favorite, cold cuts and cheese.

Magazines are filled with suggestions for that popular favorite, calling it charcuterie. That might be a new word to you, but it actually goes back roughly 6000 years. It means to preserve meats by means of curing, smoking, etc. But what does charcuterie mean to you when you are prepping for those guests you want to impress? It means putting together a nice collection of sliced meats, blocks of cheese, and all the supporting pieces that all compliment each other and look wonderful on your table. That can be bewildering when standing in front of your favorite deli counter trying to decide how much you need and what to buy.

Tips to Make your Choices Easier

  1. Meats: A variety of flavours, from the mildest to something bold and spicy gives even your most picky guest options. Don’t be afraid to ask your deli for samples. They will be pleased to offer you a slice. You can go for meats from one country or region, like Genoa salami and prosciutto. Or mix it up. Offer at least 3 meats on each board. As for quantities, if your party is several hours count on 100 grams per person.
  2. Cheeses: The sky’s the limit for choices here, but I suggest picking a variety of textures from soft and creamy to old and bold with a firm texture. Don’t forget to include the blue cheese lovers. You could go with a few good basics and then splurge on the black truffle. Whether you are going to your local cheese shop or the grocery, again ask for samples, when you can and ask what’s new. It’s easy to gravitate to your favorites, but it’s more fun to expand your palette with things you haven’t tried before. Again, pick a range from mild to strong, counting on 100 grams per person.
  3. Wines: It’s nice to have 6-8 different wines, red, rose and white when you have a group of 12-18, and you don’t have to break the bank with really expensive wines. I like to stay vintage and varietal, but there are some really great blends that break all those rules. We created a tasting card for our last charcuterie.  It will encourage your guests to think about the combinations they are putting together. The conversation can become quite involved as people discuss the jams, cheeses and meats they pair and how they pair with each wine. Speaking of that don’t over pour. Give your guests the chance to try all the wines by thinking of sampling size in a regular wine glass, roughly 1.5 to 3 oz.
  4. The supporting cast: Here’s what will set you apart from every other party. Fresh breads, whether you make them yourself or hit up the local bakery for great artisan breads. Please avoid those salty, overly flavoured crackers from a box. They won’t do anything to support all those beautiful cheeses and meats you selected. You can also toast up flat breads in the oven or on a panini press. Savory jams, yes this is a plug here. They pair beautifully with all kinds of cheeses. Include a few choices of nuts, some fresh fruit, like grapes or Ambrosia apples (they don’t brown as quickly). A nice selection of olives or little pickles, both if you like, make great pickings. Make sure the olives don’t have pits. Your guests will be looking for a place to put them. Lastly some chocolate, plain, preferably dark.

Putting it all Together

Remember to make it easier for guests. Leave the cheese in blocks, but include several cheese knives. It’s always a  good idea to use name markers for your cheeses. Then you don’t have to dig for the package to remember what you picked. Cut large meat slices in half and roll.  You can put meats and cheese on the same board, but I find it easier for guests if I put several boards out around on the table. Separate bowls for the pickles and the savory jams are a good idea, but if there is room on the board, a nice arrangement with a few herbs always looks tempting. The chocolate can tuck in wherever you can find space.

Give your guests the feeling of elbow room to fill their plates, spread jams, etc by spacing out your boards or platters. It always becomes a kitchen party when there is good food, particularly nibbles. Plus spreaders, you can never have too many spreaders and a few extra forks and spoons for pickles,etc, especially if others are bringing things.

You might not be thinking the cover of ‘Food’, but decorating each board with a few mixed nuts, fresh fruit with the cheese, fresh herbs on both makes your guests feel special, that you went to some effort. Please, no plastic trays. A couple of decent wooden or slate boards won’t set you back much.

There, it’s done, now pour yourself a glass of wine and await your guests.

Laura