These batches are just awaiting their appointment with the tempered chocolate!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Monday, September 6, 2010
Presto Pesto
- Okay so get chopping after you've been shopping. -Don't let your herbs sit in the fridge! The best herbs are freshly picked whether its from your own garden or your neighbours or local market. I made a terrible mistake with Cilantro once leaving it for 3 days beside our milk. Cilantro milk was not very popular and the leaves were terribly unimpressed with my lack of enthusiasm.
- Some herbs do better than others for making pesto. Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Dill, Rocket and Tarragon all make excellent pesto. Some herbs can be pretty over powering (Sage, Thyme or Lovage) These are best frozen. If you chop them and freeze in a block you can use a grater and grate into you soup, dip or whatever you are preparing.
- Wash and dry your herbs carefully. Herbs need extra care -basil can be very unforgiving if you have a dull knife or making them spin around. Gently wash, do not submerge them in water for extended periods of time and pat dry to preserve their flavour and colour.
- Use ingredients you cook with. If you are making a pesto or pistou with basil and you add an ingredient you wouldn't use in the end recipe, why would you put it in the pesto? Which leads me to my next point which is...
- Leave the garlic out if you are not cooking it. Uncooked garlic once frozen can change the flavour in a negative way. I like to roast my garlic and add fresh later on. Its up to you and you may never notice the difference. You be the judge. Your palette is important too.
- Mortar and Pestle versus the food processor. I like a food processor for big batches or if you want to use stems. (Cilantro stems can be used in this case) But every kitchen should have a mortar and Pestle. Its a great way to work out any frustrations you could experience through the day.
- Pine nuts are delicious but sun flower seeds work too. Along with alot of other nuts. I have seen walnuts in commercial pesto. I don't like the taste of it but hey, someone obviously does. And please roast them. If you are going to spend the coin on pine nuts at least have the decency to treat them to a light roast. Roasting them gives better flavour. And that is the entire point of this -flavour!
- Olive Oil is good but so is Sunflower or Canola. You can always use a mixture if you like and depending on how you are using your pesto, you may choose one over another.
- Refrigerate and/or freeze. Your pesto will last up to two weeks in the fridge or a couple of months in the deep freeze. Do not leave it sit out. As an old cooking chum once said, "things boiling in the fridge are never a good sign."
- Cleaning out your machine. Throw a block of cream cheese, some ricotta or make some flavourful mayonnaise in it with the left over mix. I have even grated cheese into it. An herb is a terrible thing to waste.
Basil Pesto or Pesto Genovese or (without the nuts) Pistou
6 cups of Basil- 2/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts -3/4 cup of Parmesan Regianno- 2 heads of roasted garlic -1 cup of olive oil-juice of half a lemon-salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro Pesto (absolutely amazing with eggplant roasted)
4 cups of Cilantro -2/3 cup of sunflower seeds-half head of roasted garlic- juice of two limes or half a lemon-1/2 cup sunflower oil-salt and pepper -and if you like it spicy throw in a jalapeno for a little zing!
So now that you have scads of delicious pesto, what will you be making?
Cilantro pesto is great in Curries, stir frys, and salsa and dips. Basil is great with pasta, salad dressings, dips, bread... and really when you think about it... the only limit is your imagination.
This morning I made scrambled eggs with Garlic Scape pesto. I will be baking bread and using some basil pesto for foccasia bread later on today.... you get the idea! Throw half a cup with some black olives and make a fantastic tapanade or with some chick peas and make some really great bean dips. Start cooking and the end result will be delicious!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Cupcake Crazy
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Food Memories
I remember the sandwiches and jello she used to make me and wish that she could hang in the kitchen with me today. We'd have a great time and she could tell me some of the disastrous culinary mistakes she has made because I see from her notes she was not always pleased with some of these recipes. Notes like "don't make again" or just NO in capital letters and underlined for effect.
1 medium Onion finely chopped
1 1/2 lb cup mushrooms thinly sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1 1/3 cup milk
1 egg
3 egg whites
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup Parmesan
2. Melt margarine or butter in pan
3. cook onions lightly and add mushrooms cover and stir
4. remove cover and add sherry -cook until liquid is gone -set aside
5. In another bowl -combine the rest of the ingredients except cheese and blend.
6. Pour a thin layer of egg mixture into buttered pie pan and cook for 8 minutes.
7. Add mushroom mixture and pour remaining egg mixture on top and garnish with
cheese.
8. Bake for 1 hour -cool for 15 minutes and serve.
Note: For extra bit use a mixture of herbs from your garden. (in the words of the Fondue
Gleep -use your head!)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Buttercream Icing
- whip over simmering water until it reaches 140 degrees
- keep your egg yolks to make Lemon curd -an excellent addition to any buttercream!