cherry cobbler

 Moving into a new refrigerator, I realized I have a bunch of frozen not super great cherries to eat up. they're fine and I ate a lot fresh when I picked them from a new friend's backyard, but they're not the best ever.  They need some doctoring.  this cherry cobbler to the rescue.  As always, cutting the sugar drastically. 

Ingredients

Fruit

• 4-6 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
• 2-3 T corn starch (use 3 T if frozen cherries)
• 2 T (fresh) lemon juice
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract 

Cobbler

• 6 T butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk

Put fruit mixture on stove top and simmer briefly, stirring.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and put butter pats into 9x13 pan.  Put pan in oven as it preheats to melt.

Combine dry cobbler ingredients, then add milk just to mix and spread over butter in pan.  Put fruit mix on top.

Bake about 40 minutes, until browned on top. 
 

apple crisp

 Yesterday I canned apples from my backyard tree and some jars didn't seal so I made this crisp to use them - and uncanned apples - up.  It's ok. The canned apples were mush-with-peels and the topping not crisp and the flour made it kind of pasty.  I cut the sugar by about 2/3 and could cut even more.  I'll give it away and make more to keep refining it.  PLenty of apples still on the tree, if the damn squirrels don't eat them all.  

Ingredients

For the topping:

• ¾ cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (99 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
•  1/4 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed

For the filling:

• 7 to 8 fresh apples, such as Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp - I filled a 9x13 pan halfway up with a mix of drained canned apples and chopped/sliced fresh 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)
• ¼ cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
•  1/4 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• spices which can include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg

Directions

Make the topping:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch metal or glass pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together until combined. With a pastry cutter or a fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the apple filling.

Make the filling:

1. Core, peel, and slice the apples into ¼ -inch to ½ -inch slices until you reach 6 cups of sliced apples, weighing 650 grams. Place in a medium-sized bowl and immediately drizzle with the lemon juice, tossing until evenly coated.
2. In a separate small bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, salt and spices (adjust to your preference). Pour dry mixture over the apples and toss to coat, mixing until evenly distributed amongst the apples.
3. Pour the apple mixture directly into the greased pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the apples feel tender when pierced with a fork, and the topping is golden brown. Let the apple crisp cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

 

 

 

damson plums - canning

By the end of the season, I got a little overwhelmed with my damson plum trees (or whatever hybrid they are).  I have heaps of jam and syrup, and I even froze some.  But there was still a full 5-gallon bucket staring at me.

So I canned 'em.  I washed them, put them whole into the jars, filled with hot light syrup, and pressure canned for 10 minutes.  

Last night I popped the first one open.  I strained the juice and put the plums into a baking dish. I used my hand to feel around and remove all the pits.  Then I made the pudding cake I so liked with rhubarb (cutting back the sugar because they were canned in syrup).   

Delicious.  I think I'll drink up the rest of the juice mixed with seltzer water.  I'd cook it down to syrup but I"ve already got a fair amount of that. 

Next year I won't get many plums because we really hacked the trees all back, but they'll come back.

And I'll be ready. 

I went to a farmer's market recently where a man was selling some unrelated products but really just wanted to share the gospel of damson plums.  Nutritional powerhouses! We talked for ages about these plums.  He really likes his as fruit leather.  

How funny that I'd never even heard of these fruit as recently as three months ago, and now they're a real part of my life. 

quince jam

I could only get the ornamental quince, but I'm sure this is still lovely.  Cooking now.  From a variety of sources.

- 2# of prepared quince (cleaned, seeded, cored, sliced)

- 4 cups water

- 1 lemon, juiced (2 T bottled)

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

Heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves.  Add prepared fruit and simmer for about two hours.  

Put into sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes if storing long-term. 

plum torte

 From NYT.

Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

• ¾ to 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1cup unbleached flour, sifted
• 1teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 24 halves pitted purple plums
• Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping

• Preparation

  1. Step 1

     Heat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

     Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.

  3. Step 3

     Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.

  4. Step 4

     Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

  Tip

  • To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.
   

damson plum jam

 It looks like my new house has heaps of damson plums - or to be more accurate from a landscaper who came by, some sort of hybrid on-nongrafted stock that likely developed right here. They're in large clusters so heavy as to pull down the thin branches. Everyone says the tree needs trimming back and I warn them to wait until after harvest.  I'm quite excited about these plums.

I made my first batch of jam and it seems very tasty though I have to let it cool first for maximum effect.  

Damson Hybrid Plum Jam 

Ingredients:  

• 1.5 kilogram of damson plums.  It seems fine to pick when slightly underripe and there's more pectin in there
• 2 cups water
• 750 g sugar (is what I used and I want to try even less sugar)

Directions

Pick and clean the plums. Clean jars and lids; put lids in hot water to prep and sterilize jars. 

If more than 1.5 kilograms, make in batches.  

Put the plums in a big pot with 2 cups of water.  Turn on low-medium to let the plums cook a bit to soften, like 5-10 minutes.  Let cool enough.  Pour into a colander on a bowl and pick out the pits.  Then return the pulp and juice to the pan.

Warm again and add sugar, stirring well.  

Keep stirring as turning up the heat.  Once it gets to boiling, stir very well and let it boil for ten minutes. 

Pour into clean jars and lids.*  Process if you wish**

 

*Re jars & lids: I reuse.  Not just mason jars, but jam jars.  I especially like the Bonne Maman jars, they're a great size.  I've reused the lids numerous times without issue, and I like that I can give them away and if they're recycled instead of returned to me it's no big deal. 

**Re processing: I grew up with homemade jam poured into sterlized jars and letting them seal on the countertop.  Since I've learned they're supposed to be water bathed for 10 minutes.  Shrug.  Either way.  If I water bath, I"m a little less fanatical about everything fully sterilized, and just clean is good enough.  

freeze snow peas

 My snow peas hit hard, finally.  Lots of fresh eating and sharing, and I wanted to freeze some for later.  For deep in dark winter when I want to remember what spring tastes like.  

Because I want to store them for awhile, I blanched first (which I don't always do).  Recording here so I remember times. 

- Clean and remove blossom end

- Blanch 1.5 minutes  

- put into ice water for 2 minutes

- lay out to dry

- pop into freezer bags, label with date

- into freezer they go!

potato leek soup

 Taken from several sources, inspired by my friend's backyard overrun by leeks.

Ingredients

• 3 T butter (or less, or oil)
• 4-5 cups leeks (white and light green parts only, well-cleaned) (from 2-4 leeks)
• (onion if short on leeks)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
• 2 bay leaves
• sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream or 1 cup)
  

Melt butter in pan, add leeks and garlic (and onion).  Cook until soft and wilted but not browned.

Add potatoes, broth, and seasoning.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer about 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaves and thyme (if using fresh).  

Add cream and bring to simmer.  Taste to check seasoning.

Use an immersion blender to smoothen soup if desired.  

 

creamed greens potpie

 I got this recipe for creamed greens potpie from the New York Times, and it's really good - like you can get in a restaurant.  Very few modifications made and it was tasty, like deconstructed spanakopita.  It was about four servings for us because we were hungry.  The puff pastry wasn't cheap so I'd like to figure out another option for the top - maybe just a pie crust, that's easy.

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 2½ pounds mixed hearty greens (like kale, spinach, mustard greens or collard greens), stems removed and leaves torn into large pieces (this was about 5 bunches of greens)
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 cups half and half or cream (note: I'll try to sub in evaporated milk next time because it was too rich for my delicate stomach)
  
• 1teaspoon hot sauce
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten

1. In a medium (10-inch) oven-proof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, shallot and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add a handful of the greens and season lightly with salt and pepper. Using tongs, toss the greens in the butter until wilted. Repeat, making sure to season each batch, until all the greens are added and wilted.
    
3. Stir in the flour until it disappears into the greens, then add the cream and hot sauce and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. On a lightly floured work surface or the bottom of another baking sheet, use a lightly floured rolling pin, roll and trim the puff pastry into a 12-inch circle. If you find the pastry contracts when you roll it, give it a few minutes between each roll to relax a little.

5. Transfer the skillet to the lined baking sheet. Drape the puff pastry over the skillet so that there is about ½-inch hang over on all sides. (Trim any sides that have more than an inch.) Brush the beaten egg onto the puff pastry, then cut four large slits into the pastry. Bake until the puff pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the pastry is cooked through and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. (If the pastry is getting too dark, cover with foil.) Let sit for a few minutes before diving in.
   

 

  

strata

 I had a nice baguette left over and they're always best fresh, so I cut it up and made strata which turned out very good.  I just used what was in the refrigerator, and it's a great recipe for that.  All the proportions can be adjusted.

• 1/2 baguette - chopped or ripped up; if it's too fresh let it dry out (I left it a day in a pan with cover), 

Then whisk together:

• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• cheese (parmesan, extra sharp cheddar)
  
• salt, pepper 

Mix the egg mixture into the bread and leave it to soak overnight or all day. 

Chop and saute:

• onion (or green onion)
• garlic (I used 4 cloves)
• greens 
• other vegetables, meat, etc. needing to be used up (had some cooked ground turkey I tossed in)

Stir vegetables into the egg/bread mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees for 70-80 minutes. 

cranberry muffins

 Cranberry muffins from here. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• (citrus zest, if desired)

Combine above in medium bowl.  Then separately combine the following:

• 3/4 cup milk (or I use yogurt)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or substitute vanilla or citrus or whatever)

Add in the wet ingredients to the dry, then add in:

• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Put into 12 muffins cups, sprinkle tops with sugar if desired.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes (ish).

banana bread waffles

 I got a little Dash waffle maker.  IT's cute AF, and I finally have it waffling.  The booklet with it included this recipe - which is timely because I have A TON of bananas in my freezer right now (blue java from my backyard tree).  They're pretty tasty.

Ingredients

Combine in a medium bowl:

• 1.5 cups AP flour (or a whole grain flour would be nice)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

 Mash bananas so no more large chunks, then add the rest:

• 1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 bananas or more if small)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or yogurt)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp canola oil

Then add wet ingredients and mix.

Add 3 tbsp to the mini waffle maker ad cook until golden brown. 

sukuma

 A Facebook friend who is from Kenya recently mentioned sukuma and it piqued my interest.  I've got some gorgeous greens that will do well in this.  I checked different recipes and like this one (the spices look great) which I'll try this weekend.  (I'm not going to make ugali or fufu, so I'll eat it with rice.) 

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 3 medium tomatoes diced
• 1/2 tsp curry or turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 T smoked paprika
• 1/2# ground beef (or other meat)
• 1 T bouillon powder or cube 
• 1 bunch collard greens or kale
  
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 juiced lemon, about 1 T
  

Instructions
1. In a medium- large skillet, add oil, onions, and garlic, and sauté, for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent any burns.

2. Then add tomatoes, curry, coriander, and paprika, and continue stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, about 2 minutes.

3. Add minced meat, bouillon powder; stir until ingredients have been thoroughly combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes or more. 

4.  Throw in chopped collards, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until flavors have blend and greens are cooked, according to preference. Adjust seasonings –Salt and pepper, turn off the heat.

Remove from the heat and let it cool.  Best with ugali (I eat it with naan).