loquat cobbler

 So many loquats.  I go to pick a few and the next thing I know, I have heaps.  So I found this recipe for loquat cobbler which I modified.

Ingredients

• heap of loquats (about 2-2.5 pounds unprepped, 3 cups prepped with seed & skin removed)
• cardamom (1/2-1 tsp) 
• sugar (1 Tablespoon or so)

• Prep loquats and put into a baking dish (pie plate, 8x8, etc.), sprinkle sugar and cardamom on top and stir in.

Then mix together:

• 1 c. flour (whole wheat)
• 1 tsp baking power
• 1/4 c. brown sugar (I put in 1/2 cup - which is a third of what the recipe called for - and it was way too much)
  
• salt

Add in:

• 1 egg

combine with hand or fork.  Sprinkle that atop the loquats and then put on top

• 1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped

 Then melt and drizzle over the top:

• 1/4 c. butter

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

loquat jam

I have a beautiful loquat tree in my backyard.  Here in New Orleans they're called "misbeliefs" and they are also known as Japanese plums.  They're not something you'll buy in the supermarket because they don't travel or store well, but they are very tasty.  The dog and I have eaten countless loquats this year, as well as birds who like to come peck at them, and it just keeps producing.  So I grabbed a heap to make loquat jam and remembered that they are not fun to process.  Picking is easy, deseeding not so much.  I skinned probably about half or more because of marred skins, and I removed seed and tried to remove the dark part of the seed sack that goes to the hard blossom end part.  I kept a variety of ripenesses, from barely ripe to very ripe, for pectin and flavor differences.  Cut in half, I then put them with sugar overnight in the fridge.  Recipe below, taken from my own jamming knowledge and various websites.

Ingredients

• loquats - about 4.5 pounds prepared - seeds removed, etc.)
• sugar - about 1.5 pounds (a 3:1 ratio is what I'll try)
• lemon juice - 3.5 Tablespoons
• cardamom - 1/2 teaspoon (or more)
  

Directions

• Mix sugar into prepared loquats and allow to sit at least an hour.  Add lemon juice and cardamom.  Put into a large heavy bottomed pan.
• Prepare jars and lids at this time (sanitize, warm up, etc.).
• Gradually heat up the ingredients.  Bring to simmer until skins burst and juices start to boil.
  
• Increase heat to medium high and cook to a slow, thick boil (about 35 minutes or so). Stir often.
  
• Hot pack water bath process for 5 minutes.

Yield: about 6 jelly jars (half pints)

grits and greens

 This recipe for grits and greens with NYT caught my eye.  It's warming up here and some greens are starting to bolt, so I want to get all the goodness that I can.  

Ingredients

For the Grits:

• 2 cups vegetable stock (I used beef bouillon; vegetable bouillon would be fine, too, or the chicken stock I can up)
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup whole milk (having no milk on hand I used half and half and ... it was too rich)
• ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar (3 ounces) 
• a dab of butter  
• Salt

For the Greens:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• Pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 1 bunch collard greens (12 ½ ounces), stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard (10 ounces), leaves and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable stock (again beef bouillon)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Hot sauce, to serve  

Preparation

1. Make the greens: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes, collards and chard. Toss to combine until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
2. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (Or longer)
   
3. Make the grits: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable stock and 2 cups water over medium-high until boiling. Once boiling, slowly pour in the grits while whisking to reduce lumps. Once the grits come to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the stove. Season the grits with the pepper, then stir in the milk and cheese until the cheese melts. Season to taste with salt. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
5. Stir in the vinegar, and season again to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the grits among plates and top with the greens and a dash of hot sauce.

 

Edit: this is really good.  The ACV was enough umami that I didn't miss the meat at all, and I added a little butter to the grits and it was so good.  Even good as leftovers.  Four good meals worth.  

black bean burritos

 I got this recipe for black bean burritos from the NYT, and I modified it a bit.  The beans are also great as a dip.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup safflower or canola oil
• ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)
• ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper (from 1/2 pepper) (poblano or other peppers would be good)
• salt and black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, 1/2 cup of bean liquid reserved and the rest drained (I don't drain them because I can them myself; I just add 2 pint jars entirely and do not add water)
• ½ cup store-bought or homemade pico de gallo or salsa
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 6 (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar (this is a lot of cheese; I use considerably less)
• Sour cream and hot sauce, for serving 

Preparation

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pinto beans, pico de gallo, smoked paprika, reserved bean liquid and 1/2 cup of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing occasionally with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer refried beans to a bowl, and wipe out skillet.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans in the center of each tortilla and top each with 1/3 cup of the cheese. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling; fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling and tightly roll.
3. In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium. Add 3 burritos seam side down and cook until golden, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 burritos. Serve warm with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.

 

pickled carrots

 I took the recipe from pickled carrots from here (adding bay leaf) and here but I think I should be able to figure it out in the future without dirtying every bowl and pan in my house.  I cleared my garden beds to move them to the backyard - they were always just intended to be temporary (I reused old fence boards with planter blocks) and they look awful in the front yard.  Now that my driveway is finally fixed I can fix the landscaping in the area so to the back these go, where I don't care if they look bad because they produce nourishment.  If I can get them set up next weekend in backyard I'll plant anther run of beets, daikon, and carrots, but mostly I'm getting these deeper beds prepped for sweet potatoes. Anyway, I had about 4# of carrots so I made a batch of pickled carrots with about 2.75# (the amounts worked out well - I did three pint jars and two random small pickle jars) and the rest of the carrots (and daikon) will go into sauerkraut I'll make next weekend with cabbage from the garden.

Ingredients

    ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    2 cups white wine vinegar
    2 cups water
    2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
    2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano (or dried oregano)
    ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
    1 small red onion, peeled and cut into ⅛-inch slices
    2 to 4 jalapeño chiles, quartered (seeded for less heat)
    2¾ pounds carrots, peeled and cut on a bias ½ inch thick
    8 garlic cloves, peeled

    bay leaf (1 per jar)
    4 small dried red chiles (optional)

Directions

   Sterilize jars. In a large, deep pot, add 4 pint jars and their lids. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Use tongs to remove the pint jars and lids from the hot water. Turn the jars upside down onto a kitchen towel to drain.

   Toast cumin seeds.  In a small skillet set over medium-high heat, add the cumin seeds and toast, stirring often, until the seeds are golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.

 Make liquid. To a medium saucepan, add the vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano and crushed peppercorns and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the onion and jalapeños and turn off the heat. - NOTE: since I water bath these and it was kind of a mess and difficult to distribute the spices, next time I'll just add oregano and peppercorns to the jars directly.

 Cook carrots. Bring a large saucepan of water and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander and immediately transfer them to the saucepan with the vinegar and onions. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then turn off the heat.
 

Jar it up. Divide the toasted cumin seeds, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and red chiles (if using) among the 4 jars. Using a slotted spoon, divide the carrots and onions among the jars. Top with the hot vinegar, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Fasten the tops onto the jars and refrigerate for up to 1 month. 

 Water bath carrots. For longer storage, hot-water-process the pickles: Transfer the jars back to a pot of water, making sure the lids are tightly secured and that the jars are covered by at least a few inches of water, and boil for 10 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the jars to a kitchen-towel-lined surface and cool completely at room temperature. Store in a cool, dry, dark space.

healthy banana muffins

 This recipe for healthy banana muffins taken from here.  They hit the spot, though I wish I'd used all whole wheat flour (or maybe some buckwheat) instead of the half-half with white flour (since I didn't have white whole wheat).  Or added oat bran or something like that - I just wanted a little grittier texture, I guess.  I also liked that this was a straightforward one-bowl recipe, not requiring a lot of fuss or cleanup, and while I don't usually have three overripe bananas on hand, I do always have the other things.  I am looking forward to my banana plant producing and having heaps of very local bananas to use up.

 Update 11/24 - these turned out well!

Ingredients  

• 3 large overripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup yogurt
  
• 2 tablespoons oil/melted butter
  
• 1/2 cup date paste
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup pecans toasted at 350 for about 5 minutes, then chopped
  

Instructions 

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare12-cup muffin tin.  Lightly toast pecans.  
  Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in the egg, and then the yogurt and oil. Whisk in the date paste and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon over the top, and then stir until combined. Gently stir in the flour until barely combined (it will be thick and that's ok), and then fold in the nuts.

 Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup nearly to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the muffins spring back lightly when touched in the center.

***

Edits for time #2 included below

Ingredients  

• 3 large overripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I strained some old, runny yogurt through a coffee filter) - did about 1/2 cup of regular yogurt
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or melted/cooled coconut oil (butter would be fine)
  
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup - eliminated
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I did half-half white-wheat flour and ... next time all wheat) - did 1/2 cup buckwheat flour; rest whole wheat
  
• 1 cup walnut halves (toasted and coarsely chopped) - (I used raw pecans and next time better toasted for sure)

Instructions 

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners, or lightly grease with nonstick spray. (I used parchment liners for the first time and wow was that great.  They always seemed an unnecessary indulgence but I got some on cheap sale and I always want to use those now.)  Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in the egg, and then the yogurt and oil. Whisk in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon over the top, and then stir until combined. Gently stir in the flour until barely combined, and then fold in the walnuts.

 Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup nearly to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the muffins spring back lightly when touched in the center.

 

 

pasta e ceci

 Just made this soup (Italian chickpea and pasta stew) and it was outstanding.  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 packed cup canned whole tomatoes, drained (diced tomatoes, not drained)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed (i canned them myself without salt so not rinsed)
• 1 cup ditalini (little elbow macaroni was fine)
• 4 cups roughly chopped escarole, Tuscan kale or radicchio (I used Tuscan kale and added it earlier)
• Grated pecorino, for serving  

 

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and the chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or spatula and smashing about 1/2 cup of the beans.
3. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high.  (If using kale, add now and let it cook a little) Add the pasta and simmer, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. The water will mostly be absorbed by the pasta, but if you prefer it brothier, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup water and simmer until warmed through, 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the escarole and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil