In the few days I had at home last weekend I managed to catch the very beginning of red currant season. Red currants are still fairly uncommon in the US. Astringent and seedy, I can see why they don’t fit in with the sugar-sweet raspberries and mellow blueberries we favor, but I’d like to make a case for them. Firstly, they’re beautiful – translucent globes that shine with red juice. They freeze well – and when frozen they make the most satisfying marble sound as you drop them into a glass bowl. They also add an acidic complexity to otherwise saccharine fruit desserts.

I was worried the currants might be overripe by the time I returned from my trip to Asia. I wanted to make sure I could use at least a few in a new recipe, so I picked the reddest of the bunch. With them (and some frozen ones leftover from last year), I made a Red Currant Crème Brûlée, inspired in equal parts by dinner at ForettaBarinn last week in Iceland, where I had a delicious rhubarb crème brûlée, and by Nigel Slater’s beautiful cookbook, Ripe. Trevor has promised to watch over the rest of the berries and optimize their harvest so that I can enjoy as many as possible when I get back home.

Sometimes when people ask me what my favorite food is, I tell them that it’s cream. This is only partially a joke. Accordingly, crème brûlée is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and it can be very difficult for me to not order it. Luckily (dangerously?) it’s very easy to make at home – just a simple custard of egg, cream, and sugar, gently baked in a bain marie.

This particular crème brûlée – with a layer of homemade red currant jam on the bottom – was exceptional. The sweet, silky smooth custard just barely punctuated by bursts of tart red currant jelly, the crackling burnt sugar crust – it’s more than the sum of its parts, for sure. I only wish I hadn’t inadvertently calculated the nutrition facts when pouring all two cups of lovely cream into the bowl. If I hadn’t known, I would have eaten more.

I didn’t remove the seeds from my homemade red currant jam because I don’t mind them. But if you want a really smooth jam, strain the jelly through a fine mesh strainer after simmering. You can also use store-bought red currant jelly if you don’t have any of your own fresh currants around.

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More Red Currant Recipes…

Red Currant Crumb Bars

Red Currant Kompot

Red Currant Chutney

Red Currant Crème Brûlée

A fruit-on-the-bottom version of Crème Brûlée using a thin layer of homemade red currant jam. 

Inspired by Nigel Slater’s Ripe and the crème brûlée at Forettabarinn.

• Author: Katie at the Kitchen Door

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen red currants, stems removed
• 1/3 cup plus 6 TBS of sugar, divided, plus more for caramelizing the tops of the custards
• 1 TBS raspberry liqueur
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 4 large egg yolks

Instructions

1. For the red currant jam: Combine the red currants, 6 TBS of sugar, and the raspberry liqueur in a small saucepan. Lightly crush some of the currants with the back of a wooden spoon to release their juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until the currants have burst and softened and the sauce has thickened to the consistency of a thin jelly (it will continue to thicken as it cools). This should take about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat. If a very smooth jam is desired, strain through a fine-mesh strainer while still hot, discarding the seeds. I prefer to use it un-strained. Set jam aside and let cool to room temperature.
2. For the crème brûlée: Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the cream in a clean, medium-sized saucepan. Carefully slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream. Add the vanilla bean to the cream as well. Heat cream over low heat until it just reaches a slight simmer, stirring the cream frequently to prevent a skin from forming. Once it reaches a simmer, immediately remove from the heat and let steep for 4-5 minutes. After 5 minutes, use a spoon to remove the vanilla bean.
3. In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar together until the egg yolks are pale in color and the sugar is mostly dissolved. While continuing to whisk the yolks, pour the warm cream over the egg and sugar mixture. Whisk until very well combined.
4. Divide the red currant jam between four 6-oz ramekins, spreading the jam out so there is a thin layer on the bottom of each ramekin. Carefully pour the cream mixture over the top of the jam, doing your best not to mix the jam and the cream. Place the filled ramekins in a large, high-sided baking dish or casserole. Carefully fill the baking dish with very hot water so that the water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Don’t get any water inside the ramekins! Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven. Bake until the centers of the custards are just barely set – they should still jiggle slightly when the dish is moved – about 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then remove the ramekins from the  baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Just prior to serving, remove the chilled crème brûlées from the fridge. Spoon a thin, even layer of sugar over the top of each custard. Use a pastry torch to caramelize the sugar until it is melted and browned all over, forming a thin crust on the top of each crème brûlée (here’s a video to help!). Serve immediately.

Notes

You will need a pastry torch and 6-oz oven-safe ramekins for this recipe.

The post Red Currant Crème Brûlée appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

We spent last weekend in Maine, in what felt like the real kick-off to the summer. I love the way Maine smells – like pine needles drenched in sun, freshly cut hay, lake water, wood shavings, and the occasional whiff of smoke. When I step out of the car I inhale deeply, taking in everything sweet and fresh and good about a place where days are spent outdoors and the windows are always open. It was a blissful few days. I went swimming every day, hiked on mossy trails and rocky ones, ate fried seafood overlooking the harbor, and caught a few beautiful sunsets – one from a small cabin deck with a 180° view of the ocean, one from the middle of the harbor, bobbing gently in our boat, and two from the picnic table where we gather for wine and dinner. I can’t wait to go back.

While we were there, we put together a sunny Sunday brunch featuring Stonewall Kitchen products in celebration of their 25^th anniversary. Stonewall Kitchen is a Maine company through and through, headquartered in a beautiful space in York, Maine. They are probably most famous for their jams and jellies (especially the Wild Maine Blueberry Jam!), but I’ve tried a number of their sauces and spreads and all of their products are truly high quality and delicious. Started by two young men selling their jams and chutneys at a farmer’s market, Stonewall Kitchen has expanded into a company that is a household name for many. You can read more of their story, and check out all their delicious products, on their anniversary website, Taste of 25 Years.

For our brunch, we used four Stonewall products to put together three delicious recipes. First, Sea Breeze Mimosas, the simplest thing in the world to make – just a splash of chilled cranberry-grapefruit Sea Breeze Mixer, a dash of cranberry bitters, and a healthy pour of prosecco. If you’re getting an extra strong start to your day, a little bit of vodka added to the mix doesn’t hurt either. Second, a Smoky Roasted Garlic Hash – potatoes sautéed with shallots, Roasted Garlic Oil and smoked paprika, strips of roasted red pepper and poblano, a sprinkling of scallions, and a crispy olive-oil fried egg to top each serving. And to finish off the dish, an essential topping: Habanero Mango Hot Sauce. This smoky, slightly sweet, slow-burn hot sauce is absolutely delicious – I’m kicking myself for leaving it behind with my family (we put it on everything from eggs to burgers to baked beans over the course of the weekend).

The last recipe, and in my opinion the star of the show, Wild Maine Blueberry Jam Doughnuts. These are the doughnuts of your dreams – light, just a little bit chewy, rolled in a generous amount of cinnamon sugar, and stuffed to the gills with Wild Maine Blueberry Jam. There’s a trendy/hipster doughnut shop near us in Boston that makes jelly doughnuts that I dream about (so much so that I got one for my birthday breakfast for the past two years) – and these were even better. Every single one of my family members tried to have just one and ended up eating two – even my weight-lifting, sugar-avoiding little brother.

Congrats to Corinne of Spare Cake on winning! A Giveaway! I have good news – Stonewall Kitchen is also hosting a giveaway to send one reader their own set of products to make a delicious, Maine-inspired brunch. In addition to the four products I used in these recipes, you will also receive a canister of Farmhouse Pancake and Waffle Mix and the most adorable Downeast Coffee Mug to round out your brunch-making kit. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to spend a summer morning. By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to the contest rules as outlined at the bottom of this post.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Stonewall Kitchen, but all opinions are honest and my own as usual.

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Sea Breeze Mimosas

Serves 1.

• 1/4 c. Stonewall Kitchen Sea Breeze Mixer, chilled
• 1 dash bitters
• 1 oz. vodka (optional)
• 1 c. chilled Prosecco

1. Pour Sea Breeze Mixer into a champagne glass. Add 1 dash bitters and vodka, if using. Top with chilled Prosecco. Serve immediately.

Wild Maine Blueberry Jam Doughnuts

Makes 12 large doughnuts. Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and Serious Eats.

• 1 c. milk, heated until warm but not hot to the touch
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 c. plus 1 TBS sugar, divided
• 3 TBS softened butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. AP flour
• 1 1/2 c. bread flour
• canola oil or shortening, for frying
• 1 c. sugar mixed with 2 tsp ground cinnamon, for coating
• 2 jars Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam

1. Place warm milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the top of the milk, along with 1 TBS of the sugar. Stir for 30 seconds, then let stand 10 minutes, until yeast is foamy. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and remaining 1/4 c. sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in salt, then beat in eggs until completely mixed in. Add milk and both kinds of flour and stir until a smooth dough is formed. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in the fridge overnight.
3. When ready to fry doughnuts, remove the dough from the fridge. Shape into a flat disc, then roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut 3 inch circles out of the dough, and place doughnuts on a baking sheet or tray. Re-roll any scrap dough to make more doughnuts. Cover doughnuts with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
4. Heat canola oil or shortenining in a high-sided frying pan or dutch oven until the temperature reaches 350-375ºF. Fry doughnuts one at a time in the hot oil, flipping once. Doughnuts should fry for about 1 minute per side before they are golden brown on the outside and cooked all the way through. You may need to adjust the temperature up or down as you go.
5. Combine the 1 c. sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a paper bag. Immediately after frying each doughnut, place it in the paper bag and shake the bag to coat the doughnut with cinnamon-sugar before placing it on a plate to cool. Repeat the frying and sugar coating process until all doughnuts are cooked.
6. Once the doughnuts are cool to the touch, begin filling them. Place the blueberry jam in a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip. Insert the pastry tip into the side of the doughnut and fill until the doughnut is heavy and jam is starting to come out the front of the doughnut. Serve doughnuts as soon as possible after filling them.

Smoky Roasted Garlic Potato Hash

Serves 4.

• 8-10 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• sea salt
• 2 TBS Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Oil, divided
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 4 eggs
• Stonewall Kitchen Habanero Mango Hot Sauce, for serving

1. Add the cubed potatoes and white vinegar to a large pot. Fill with cold water to cover the potatoes and salt generously. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil gently until potatoes are just tender when poked with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then toss with 1 TBS of the roasted garlic oil and the smoked paprika. Set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler to high. Place the poblano pepper and red pepper on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet, then place under the broil. Broil until pepper skin is beginning to blacken and blister, then use tongs to turn the peppers to another side. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Once peppers are blackened all over, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove and discard the stems and seeds, and slice the pepper flesh into thin strips.
3. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until browned and crispy, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the sliced shallots and saute until golden brown. Add the cooked potatoes to the pan and season generously with sea salt. Fry the potatoes until golden brown all over, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes total. Remove from the heat and mix with the sliced peppers. Transfer to a large platter.
4. Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a frying pan. Carefully crack the eggs into the hot oil and fry sunny-side up. Place the fried eggs on top of the potato hash. Serve with the Habanero Mango Hot Sauce.

Giveaway Rules

• No purchase necessary
• Void where prohibited
• One entry per household, and only entries answering the listed question will be considered
• The sponsor of this giveaway is Stonewall Kitchen
• The estimated retail value of the products is $49.25
• The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received
• This contest is only open to U.S. citizens over the age of 18
• The contest will open today, July 11^th, 2016 at posting time and will close at 11PM EST on Friday, July 22nd, 2016
• One winner will be selected randomly and contacted via email (so please leave an accurate email address!). If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, the winner forfeits their prize and an alternate winner will be chosen.
• I will post the winner here by Monday, August 1^st, 2016

The post Stonewall Kitchen Maine Brunch (and Giveaway!) appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

I have to admit to you all, I’m having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. I feel as though I’ve said this before, and when I look back at posts from past years, I see similar sentiments. It’s a busy time of year, and I’m struggling to be excited and engaged instead of just feeling kind of run down. I think the underlying problem is that so much of what I do every day feels like another item on my checklist, and not enough is spontaneous or just for fun. I’m hoping that this feeling starts to go away once I get some major things off my plate: my economics final next week, and a few big client deadlines coming up. And starting now, I’m going to try and focus on building more relaxation and spontaneity into my day-to-day.

I am trying to get in the spirit, though – to be thoughtful, and joyous, and rested. We’ve been cranking up the Christmas carols when we’re cooking, we put up and decorated our tree this week, I made the first batch of Christmas cookies and shared them at work, and I tried to go to Mass last weekend (it turned out that it was not actually Mass but a caroling concert put on by the Harvard Catholic choir – I still get credit for that, right?). I’m also sitting by the tree to write this post, hoping maybe it’s sweet smell and calming lights will wear off on me (it’s kind of working, too). So with two weeks to go, I think there’s still hope for me and Christmas this year.

Although this post itself may not be very Christmasy, I assure you that these cookies will make up for it. The cookie is dark, soft, and a little spicy, based more on a molasses chew than traditional gingerbread men. I chose cherry jam because I’ve been a little bit obsessed with the Bonne Maman cherry preserves we bought for this Chocolate Cherry Crepe Cake, and I’ve been putting it on pretty much everything, but other jams or jellies would work well too. Most thumbprint cookie recipes have you bake the thumbprints with the jam already in them, but since these cookies will rise and flatten quite a bit, I chose to repeat the indentation process immediately after taking them out of the oven, and then fill them with hot jam. The jam will dry thick and shiny, and these will still be very transportable. Plus they’ll look much neater than if you filled them pre-baking. I also thought these pictures needed a little oomph, so I whipped up a batch of one of my very favorite holiday indulgences – European-style hot chocolate – and spiked it with Cointreau for good measure. If anything will help put you in the Christmas spirit, it’s thick and boozy melted chocolate served steaming hot. In fact, maybe I better go make another batch right now and get this weekend started off right.

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Gingerbread Thumbprints with Cherry Jam

Cookie base adapted loosely from Bon Appetit and America’s Test Kitchen. Makes ~30 cookies.

• 2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. dark molasses
• 10 TBS butter, melted
• 1/2 c turbinado sugar, for rolling
• 1/2 c. cherry jam

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the molasses and melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together just until combined. Chill the dough for 20 minutes.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the turbinado sugar onto a plate or small bowl. Break off ping pong ball sized pieces of the cookie dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls through the turbinado sugar and place on the baking sheet. Use your thumb or forefinger to make a deep imprint in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes. When you take them out, immediately reinforce the imprints (which will have risen slightly) by using the back of a teaspoon to press the circle back into them.
3. Heat the cherry jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is simmering gently. Simmer for 1 minutes, then remove from heat and spoon 1 teaspoon of the hot jam into the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool completely.

The post Gingerbread Thumbprints with Cherry Jam appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

The Book: I  have a special book review for you today, one that involves a lot of cheese, an anniversary, and an awesome giveaway (scroll down for details). Although I’m not from Philly, I’m thrilled to be helping Philly-institution DiBruno Bros. celebrate their 75th anniversary as well as their first book, DiBruno Bros. House of Cheese: A Guide to Wedges, Recipes, and Pairings. DiBruno Bros. is a gourmet market specializing in high-end cheeses and cured meats, as well as other specialty food products. Family owned and operated, its the kind of gourmet culinary institution that’s worth supporting and preserving. Their only brick and mortar locations are in Philadelphia, but the rest of us can enjoy their delicious products by purchasing them through their online store.

Last year, DiBruno Bros. released their first book, House of Cheese, in partnership with blogger Tenaya Darlington, author of Madame Fromage. The bulk of the book is composed of descriptions of various cheeses, separated into 10 categories, from “Free Spirits” to “Pierced Punks.” The descriptions of each cheese are quirky and engaging – I’ve never heard cheese described with such personality and detail! – and each includes a series of food and drink pairings for that particular cheese. Tenaya writes with a subtle sense of humor that had me cracking a smile at descriptions like “full of wild, fatty-licious stink – prepare yourself for the smell of boiled peanuts, pick-up truck exhaust, and bare feet [Cato Corner Farm’s Hooligan]” and “wrapped in walnut leaves and aged in mountain caves, it’s the sort of cheese you want everyone to see that you’re eating [Foja de Noce].” Interspersed throughout the descriptions are notes and anecdotes about making, serving, and eating cheese, cheese board suggestions, and simple recipes for appetizers to serve with your cheese. The themed cheese boards with pairings will ensure that you really impress your guests at your next party – I, for one, will be trying the “fireside party” board when the weather turns colder, which includes Truffle Tremor paired with roasted chestnuts and Stilton paired with dark chocolate. Yum. All told, the book is both pleasantly engaging and very informative, covering a much broader range of cheeses than I expected to find. The next time I step up to the cheese counter, I’ll certainly have done my research about what I really want to try.

The Food: While there’s only a handful of recipes included in House of Cheese (the focus is more on the cheese descriptions and pairings), I don’t like publishing book reviews without at least giving you a taste of whatever recipes there are, so I decided to make the Goat Cheese Terrine with Fig Jam and Pesto. Like most of the recipes in the book, it’s very simple to pull together – it only took me about 10 minutes to whip up – and the results are really lovely. I’m not sure I would have naturally come up with the combination of pesto and fig jam, but the sweet and herbal flavors are tied together well by the layer of goat cheese in between. This is the kind of appetizer that disappears in no time at a party, the sort of thing that draws everyone into the same room to stand around the table and nibble on cheese-covered crackers and chat. It takes a little bit of patience to get the cheese to spread out evenly, but that’s the only part that is even remotely tricky. Even my least culinary friends could handle this one.

Congratulations to Victoria C on winning this giveaway! Enjoy your goodies :-)

The Giveaway: I’m not the only one who gets a great new cookbook and a gorgeous cheese gift basket – one lucky reader will get one, too! The gift basket includes a few different cheeses, some tasty snacks to serve with your cheese (like addictive Black Lava Cashews), and a $25 gift card to DiBruno Bros. for you to try something new. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below letting me know a) what your favorite kind of cheese is, and b) what your favorite cheese-centric recipe is. If you don’t win here, keep your eyes on Dine and Dish, All Day I Dream About Food, and Kitchen Confidante in the coming weeks for more chances to win. By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to the official rules as listed below:

• No purchase necessary
• Void where prohibited
• One entry per household, and only entries answering the question above will be considered!
• The sponsor of this giveaway is DiBruno Bros.
• The estimated retail value of the book and gift basket is $150
• The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received
• This contest is only open to U.S. Citizens over the age of 18
• The contest will open today, July 23rd, 2014 at posting time, and will close at 11PM EST on Wednesday, July 30th, 2014
• One winner will be selected randomly and contacted via email (so please leave an accurate email address!). If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, the winner forfeits their prize and an alternate winner will be chosen.
• I will post the winner here by Friday, August 8th, 2014

Recipe Shortlist: Manchego and Marcona Almond Pesto; Pickled Feta with Olives and Strawberries; Baked Brie with Pears and Apricots; Semolina Crackers with Sea Salt; Lavender Mustard; Zeke’s Bacon Maple Grilled Cheese; Tomato and Pancetta Strata

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DiBruno Bros. sent me a copy of House as Cheese, as well as a 75th anniversary gift basket free of charge for this post. I was not otherwise compensated, and all opinions are my own.

Goat Cheese Terrine with Fig Jam and Pesto

Recipe reprinted from DiBruno Bros. House of Cheese courtesy of DiBruno Bros. and Running Press. Serves 8-12 as an appetizer.

• 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound soft fresh goat cheese, such as Capricho de Cabra, at room temperature
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. basil pesto
• 3/4 c. fig jam
• 1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. Line the inside of a very deep 4-cup bowl with plastic wrap, allowing the edges to drape over the sides. Cream the butter and fresh goat cheese in a mixing bowl for 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add a dash of salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Spoon one-third of the goat cheese into the plastic-lined bowl, and spread it evenly with a spatula to form your first layer. Top this with a layer of pesto (using up the entire 1/2 cup), but don’t spread it all the way to the edge (it will seep out on its own), followed by a second layer of goat cheese (there will be three total). Top the second layer of goat cheese with a layer of fig jam, followed by a final tier of goat cheese.
3. Cover the dish with a layer of plastic wrap. Chill for 2 to 4 hours, or until set. Before serving, remove the top layer of plastic wrap and invert the bowl onto a plate (you may need to tug at the plastic wrap to get the terrine to fall out of the bowl), then remove the bowl and the plastic liner. Garnish with the toasted nuts. Serve with baguette rounds or crackers.

The post Book Club: DiBruno Bros. House of Cheese – Review and Giveaway! appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

The first thing I did with our strawberries was make jam. I know that for many people, jam is sort of a last resort thing, something they turn to when they’ve run out of ideas and their fruit is on its last legs. But I’ve been dreaming about filling my pantry with jars of strawberry jam, made from our very own strawberries, since the middle of winter, so for me getting a batch of jam on the shelves was my first priority. Canning still makes me a little nervous, but with every batch of preserving I get a bit more confident. This time around, I veered ever so slightly from the recipe I was using (Paul Virant’s Strawberry Pinot Noir Jam recipe from The Preservation Kitchen), adding a little bit more sugar (which, from what I understand, is basically always safe to do), and a whole vanilla bean. The resulting jam is sweet but not saccharine, loose but not runny, and very elegant. I only wish 2 pounds of strawberries made more than 3 little pint jars! It’s going to be torture to wait until fall to open the others, even though I know I’ll appreciate them much more when the prospect of meals based mainly on kale and sweet potatoes starts looming.

Of course, as delicious as jam is out of the jar, it’s still a condiment, and you typically need to serve it on something. As I waited for my canning jars to seal, my mind wandered off somewhere along the lines of “If you give a moose a muffin…” until it settled on black pepper buttermilk biscuits as the most appropriate companion for my strawberry pinot jam. Upon comparing a number of different biscuit recipes, I determined that the basic, accepted buttermilk biscuit recipe uses approximately the following ratio: 2 cups flour + 2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1 stick butter + 1 c. buttermilk, with a bit of variation from author to author. I followed this general guideline, used the frozen grated butter trick and added a few hefty teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, and the resulting biscuits nearly stole the show from my poor jam. But really, they’re best together – cold and sweet strawberry jam filling in the nooks and crannies of hot and flaky buttery biscuits. And if for some strange reason you get tired of that combo, my next recommendation is to use these biscuits as a vehicle for bacon-egg-avocado sandwiches, with vanilla ice cream and strawberry jam for dessert, of course. Really, you can’t go wrong.

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Strawberry, Pinot Noir, and Vanilla Jam

Adapted from The Preservation Kitchen. Makes 3 half-pint jars.

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 1/4 c. plus 2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 (750ml) bottle of Pinot Noir
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 vanilla bean

1. In a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, wine and lemon juice. Split the vanilla bean down the middle, scraping the seeds into the berry mixture, then adding the bean pod. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the strawberries have released some of their juices. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days to allow the berries to continue macerating.
2. On the day you will can the jam, fill a large pot or canner with water and bring to a simmer. Scald 4 half-pint jars in the hot water to sterilize, leaving them there and a gentle simmer until you are ready to can. Soak your lids and rings in hot water to soften the seals, and sterilize your other equipment.
3. Strain the juices from the berries into a large pot, reserving the fruit on the side. Place the juices over medium high heat and cook until they have reduced by half and have reached a temperature of 215°F, about 25 minutes. Add the fruit back to the juices and continue to cook, skimming any foam off the surface with a ladle, until the mixture has reached 212°F, another 15-20 minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the consistency of a jam by dropping a few drops of liquid on a frozen plate – if the chilled liquid gels, then your jam is ready.
4. Drain the hot water from your jars, and place the hot jars on the counter. Use a funnel to fill the hot jars with the hot jam, leaving a 1/2 inch space between the top of the jam and the rim of the jar. Wipe the rim with a clean paper towel, then place the lids on the jars, and screw the rings on until snug but not tight. Use canning tongs to transfer the jars back into the simmering water, increase the heat to a boil, then boil the jars for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water for a few minutes, then remove the jars from the water and let cool completely. Listen for a pop as you remove the jars from the water – that indicates a seal has properly been formed. Note: Do not process any jars that are only partially full – it is only safe to process full jars. Any partially full jars should be stored in the fridge and eaten within a few weeks.

Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes 12-15 biscuits.

• 2 c. AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stick salted butter, frozen
• 1 c. cold buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Grate frozen butter over the coarse holes of a box grater, then add the grated butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingers to gently toss the grated butter with the flour, fully coating the butter.
2. Pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture, and use a fork to gently mix them together, just until the dough is moistened. Don’t overmix. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough 2-3 times, just until it comes together, then flatten into a disk that is 1/2 an inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter (about 2-inches in diameter) to cut out biscuits, pressing the scraps together when you’ve run out of room to create a smaller disk. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Chill the biscuits in the fridge for 20 minutes, then transfer to the preheated oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown on the top and sides, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

The post Ingredient of the Week: Strawberries // Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits with Strawberry Pinot Noir Jam appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

After 11 days of vacation, I had to go back to work… for all of 5 hours. Then we had our first Nor’easter of the year, they closed my office, and now I’m back on vacation for another 3 days. So far, 2014 hasn’t been too strenuous. Sadly, Trevor had to drive off into the snowy wilderness to go to work today, but he made this nice warm Russian drink and wrote this post for you to help those of you who are in the same boat warm up:

I’m especially pleased with the way Christmas and New Years came in 2013. It’s been like having a string of one day weeks for us around here, and work has been pretty low-key for everyone. I feel like I’ve had enough large meals and beer to hibernate at least through to March, and the bitter cold has kept us reading in bed until late in the mornings for quite a few days in a row. That being said, work is starting again in earnest, and most Bostonians are battling the first Nor’easter of the new year. For me, when I’m shoveling in the dark after a long day of work, the thought of a nice warm (alcoholic) beverage is pretty much the only thing that makes it bearable. [Edit: I swear Trevor isn’t a sad, lonely alcoholic. Also, I sometimes help with the shoveling.]

I discovered this drink while looking for ideas for the Captain’s Table Challenge, that Katie and I have been participating in (results for the second round are imminent).  With Katie traveling to Russia so often, it seemed like a good place to look for bracing beverages for the darkest depths of winter. At any rate, Sbiten, (according to the internet) it one of Russia’s versions of the hot, spiced, mulled winter drinks that cure what ails you. It stood out to me because the use of jam and honey make it so thick and hearty and give you a lot of control over the flavor. I’ve tried the recipe using a red wine base, as well as a rum-water base, and both turned out very nicely.

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Sbiten: Russian Mulled Rum

Serves 2.

• 1 c. water
• ½ c. spiced rum (plus one shot, optional)
• 2 T jam of choice
• 1 T honey
• ½ t ground ginger
• 1 t ground clove
• ½ t ground cinnamon
• ½ t ground nutmeg

1. Heat the water and ½ c. rum over medium heat in a small pot. When the mixture is just boiling add the jam and honey and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the spices, and stir to mix. Strain into mugs and add a dash of rum to each, if desired, for a stiffer drink.

Note: For a red wine-base, replace water and rum with ½ c. water and 1 c. red wine.

The post Cold Weather Cocktails: Sbiten appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

After spending a few months last fall really diving into cookbook reviews (and recently picking it up again), I’ve come to recognize the things I truly love in a cookbook. Before, when I picked up a book and flipped through it, I had some immediate reaction to it which was either positive, negative, or neutral, and I bought the ones I felt positively about over multiple visits to the bookstore. I did sort of identify that the books that fell into the negative category were the ones where I said “eh, I’ve seen this before,” and my favorites were the ones with the most to teach me. But after writing 11 reviews since October, I’ve developed a whole new thought process for analyzing and talking about cookbooks – and, while I’ve discovered some really wonderful new books, it has also strengthened my love for some of my old favorites.

Roast Figs, Sugar Snow, is one of those favorites. It has everything I love in a book – a touch of whimsy, delivered via lovely quotes (the fact that this book opens with a Laura Ingalls Wilder quote probably sealed the deal for me before I even started reading it); a few travel stories, just compelling enough to make you close your eyes and envision another place; photographs evocative of both food and place; a strong voice that’s personal but not oppressive; and last, but most important, recipes that are new to me and make me want to eat them right away. Oh, and the fact that the first chapter is entirely devoted to cheese-based recipes doesn’t hurt either.

Since I wrote a full review last year, I won’t go into any more detail here. But I wanted to bring it back up to the top of my pile, since I always find myself flipping through it in the summer, dreaming of steaming mugs and rich stews, and well, winter is almost over, so now’s the time!

Trevor and I made this lovely meal for lunch on Sunday, while the snow was whipping around outside. I love the idea of a Sunday roast, and since Trevor’s good friend Merges got him a gift certificate to Savenor’s for Christmas, he decided to get something a little out of the ordinary to pop in the oven – six little quail (which he lovingly shared with me, like the good boyfriend that he is). The recipe we used called for whiskey and marmalade, for which we substituted the last of the grapefruit jam I made last week, as well as a large amount of bacon. A frighteningly large amount of bacon, which served to keep the quail moist and flavorful. I also made a side dish called “Hot Lightning” – a mix of potatoes, apples, pears, and, yep, more bacon. Both the quail and the veggies were really delicious, a treat on a winter afternoon.

While this was a comfy, cozy meal, and I’m glad I got the chance to make a few more wintery dishes from this book, I still kinda can’t wait for spring. Bring on the asparagus and fava beans, I’m ready for them.

Stuffed Quail with Marmalade, Whiskey, and Bacon

Recipe from Roast Figs, Sugar Snow. Serves 4.

• 1/2 c. marmalade (or grapefruit jam)
• 1/2 c. plus 2 TBS whiskey, divided
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• salt and pepper
• 8 quails
• 10 slices bacon, divided
• 1/2 small onion, finely minced
• 1 TBS butter
• 2 oz. fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 TBS finely minced fresh parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 3/4 c. strong-flavored chicken stock

1. Whisk together the marmalade, 1/2 c. of the whiskey and the thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the marinade over the quails, cover loosely and let marinate for at least one hour up to overnight (if marinating for more than 1 hour, do so in the fridge).
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Take 2 slices of the bacon and finely dice them. Add the bacon, the onion, and the butter to a frying pan and saute over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Add the breadcrumbs and saute until golden. Remove from heat, and stir in the parsley and the beaten egg. Use this stuffing to stuff each quail. Cut the remaining 8 strips of bacon in half, and lay criscross on top of each bird. Season with pepper. Put the birds in a pot in which they fit snugly, and spoon the marinade over them again. Roast for 25-35 minutes, until quail is cooked through, spooning the juices and marinade over the birds every 10 minutes. If bacon is not crisp but quail is cooked, broil on high for 2-3 minutes to finish. Serve 2 birds per person.
3. While the quail is roasting, reduce the chicken stock by half over medium heat, or until it is slightly syrupy. Add the remaining 2 TBS of whiskey. Serve gravy with the quail.

“Hot Lightning” – A Dish of Roast Potatoes, Apples, Pears, and Bacon

Recipe adapted slightly from Roast Figs, Sugar Snow. Serves 4.

Notes: I changed the cooking time and temperature of this dish so that it could be made at the same time as the quail – the original recipe called for 30 minutes at 325°F. I also reduced the amount of bacon since we would already be consuming so much with the quail! I didn’t think it needed any more bacon than we used. If you have slab bacon, cooking that in 3/4-inch cubes in place of the strips would be lovely. You don’t need to peel the potatoes or the fruit, but do take care to wash them well.

• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 8 strips bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored, then thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 pears, cored, then thinly sliced lengthwise
• 3 TBS light brown sugar
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt butter in a large oven-proof and gas-proof casserole dish over medium heat. Add potatoes and bacon, and saute, stirring, until bacon is crisp and potatoes have begun to turn golden, about 10-15 minutes. Add the apples and pears and turn over in the buttery juices. Season with the sugar, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
2. Remove the dish from the flame, cover with a lid or tin foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

The post Roast Figs, Sugar Snow, Revisited // Stuffed Quail with Marmalade, Whiskey, and Bacon & “Hot Lightning” appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Three years ago, I didn’t know what currants were.  I guess this isn’t really that surprising, given that I also didn’t eat broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, or other cruciferous vegetables, didn’t know how to pit an avocado, and certainly couldn’t tell you the difference between a lemon and a meyer lemon.  (Don’t totally write my three-years-ago-self off though – I did know how to prepare couscous in a dorm room without getting any dishes dirty, which I consider a feat up there with being able to completely change your clothes – underwear included – in the locker room without ever flashing anything).

Besides the fact that I didn’t really know much about food in 2009, currants haven’t really been a thing here for a long time.  You still don’t see them in grocery stores, and even at farmer’s markets, I hear a lot of people ask what they are.  Their lack of popularity is not because they’re an unlikeable fruit, although their tart-tart flavor can be off-putting at first, but rather because they’ve been banned as a crop in many parts of New England since the early 1900s due to the fact that they can carry White Pine Blister Rust.  Recently, bans have been lifted town by town as demand for the berries has begun to rise, and now, for a brief few weeks in July, you can actually get red currants, white currants, and gooseberries fairly consistently at Boston farmer’s markets.  Black currants are still a no-go, although rumor has it that there are wild bushes still around – if you know of any locations, I’ll trade you a pie for the deets.

Back to 2009.  That fall was the semester I spent in Prague, where I learned a lot of things, among them, how to cook for myself on a daily basis.  This is where I started to learn about foods I thought I didn’t like, like cabbage (a Czech staple), and goulash (which I would love a good bowl of right now).  Grocery stores were an adventure, and there were definitely recipes I made where I didn’t know what the ingredients were even after the dish was complete.  I also made a lot of pie and quiche in Prague, and have vivid memories of sitting at the kitchen table, slicing up frozen butter for a pie crust and being perfectly content.  But this is not about Prague, it’s about currants.  And Czech people eat quite a few of them.  I didn’t really actively notice them, as they’re usually mixed with other berries, but frozen fruit mixes contained them, cheesecakes were topped with them, and I liked them.  It wasn’t until I got back to the U.S. and went to buy some at the store that I learned you can’t get them here – which clearly set me on a mission to find them.  Long story short, 2 1/2 years later and I got my hands on some, which I quickly turned into two things – red currant and meringue pie, and red currant chutney.

I really enjoyed both these recipes.  The pie, well, it’s different, in the best sort of way.  Not what I typically think of when I hear “fruit pie,” the sweet, airy meringue is punctuated by bursts of tart red currant, with a buttery crust to ground the flavors.  It’s ethereal, surprising, and totally delicious.  It would be the perfect sort of thing to serve at a picnic, when you need something light to finish off the meal, or for a pretty, feminine treat at a bridal or baby shower.  Or for dinner on a Monday night, if that’s more your speed (hint: it’s definitely more mine).  I promised Trevor I would save him some for when he gets home from his business trip Friday, but given that I’ve already had three big slices, I’m not sure how good the chances of that are.

The chutney is also a real treat – with a flavor vaguely reminiscent of sweet and sour sauce and a smooth, jammy texture, it’s delicious on toast, as a condiment, or straight out of the jar.  The currant gets mellowed out a lot during the cooking process, so it’s less of a standout flavor, and the seeds are strained out as well.  Whereas when I’m eating the pie I’m thinking “currant! meringue! currant!” with every bite, with the chutney it’s just “mmm, chutney.”  I had the chutney spooned over toasted sourdough and melty fontina cheese alongside a cold glass of raspberry lambic for dinner on both Friday and Saturday nights last weekend – lazy summer cooking at it’s best.  (Can I take a moment to express how amazing raspberry lambic is?!  It’s like someone distilled raspberries – not sugary-sweet raspberry syrup, but fresh, sun-ripe, forest floor raspberries – into a bottle and then gave it the added bonus of giving you a buzz.  If it weren’t $10 a bottle, I’d be drinking a lot of it.  Tangent over.)  Since currants are newer to the American palate than many fruits, many people seem mystified by what to do with them beyond toss them into a berry mix.  If you happen to find yourself with some (maybe you bought a box at the market because they’re just so pretty and now can’t figure out how to use them) – I highly recommend both these recipes.

Red Currant Meringue Pie

Adapted slightly from Heather Homemade.  Serves 8.

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 c. butter, very soft
• 1 c. white sugar, divided
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• pinch cream of tartar
• 1 c. white and red currants, washed and stemmed

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.  Stir in butter, 1/2 c. of white sugar, lemon extract, and the 2 egg yolks until evenly moistened.   Knead with your hands several times to bring dough together, form into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.  Press chilled dough into a 9 inch tart pan, forming a crust a little less than an inch thick that also wraps up the sides of the pan.  Bake the crust for 25 minutes, until golden, then remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.  Increase oven temp to 400°F.
3. Whisk 2 egg whites until frothy, then sprinkle cream of tartar over, and whisk vigorously until egg whites are stiff.  Whisk in cornstarch, then gradually add remaining 1/2 c. of sugar to egg whites, whisking vigorously between additions.  Whisk until whites are stiff and shiny, then gently fold in currants.  Smooth currant filling out on top of the pre-baked pie crust, then bake for 12-18 minutes, until most of the meringue top is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool/set.  Serve at room temperature on same day.  Refrigerate leftovers (although this will make the meringue begin to “weep”).

Red Currant Chutney

Adapted slightly from Fresh Juice.  Makes about 1 1/2 c.

• 2 c. red currants, washed and stemmed
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 3 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 c. water
• 1 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 TBS whole mustard seeds
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on your heat tolerance

1. In a small saucepan, bring currants, sugar, vinegar, and water to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until currants begin to fall apart, about 10-15 minutes.  Careful, this is a recipe that’s likely to boil over (and make a mess!), so leave your lid somewhat ajar or give it a stir frequently
2. Strain red currant mixture through a fine sieve, catching the juice in a bowl.  Press down on the currant solids to extract as much juice as possible.  Discard the solids, reserve the juice.
3. Rinse out the saucepan and return to stove.  Heat vegetable oil in saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, and salt, and fry until mustard seeds begin to pop, about one minute.  Warning, the hot mustard seeds can pop quite forcefully and splatter oil, so work quickly and carefully, removing pot from heat if need be.
4. Add the onion to the spices, and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add currant juice and cayenne pepper to pot, and stir.  Bring to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.  Let cool and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Note: This wasn’t written as a canning recipe, so I’m not sure if it has enough sugar/acid/other preserving elements to work, but if that’s your thing and you can figure out the safe ratios, I think it could work really well!  If not, I’m sure you’ll be able to use this up pretty quickly.

The post Red Currants, Two Ways appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

I have this vision.  A vision of myself, in 15 years.  In this vision, I live on a small, successful farm that sustains itself through selling beautiful homemade cheeses and jams and artisan breads and hosting intimate gourmet farm-to-table dinners.  I wake up early every morning and milk the cows and goats, feed the horses, collect eggs from the chickens, harvest whatever vegetables need to be harvested.  In the afternoon I whip up batch after batch of fresh jam, bake loaves of bread on a stone hearth outside (which of course is handmade as well), and check the cheeses for ripeness.  Everything around me is bright and clean and wholesome.

Enter reality.

Most people in my generation, and the generation before mine, did not grow up with the skills needed to live “a homemade life.”  I’ve never grown a plant larger than 6″ tall, never had a pet that stayed alive more than 2 years, and head to the grocery store for things like jam and cheese and bread at least once a week.  My family is more wholesome than average – my dad has an extensive vegetable garden and a small fruit orchard, my mom makes incredible homemade bread, and we generally eat healthy, homemade food at home.  So I have an advantage over some.  But if I ever want my vision to be reality, and I really, really do, I have a lot to learn.  Actually, a ton to learn.  And learning new things can be hard.

New Year’s is a good time to focus on your dreams, no matter how far in the future they might seem.  Since I’m living in the city (and since I’m only 22), I can’t get started on the big things yet.  Aka, I’m not going to order any bees for my backyard or keep a goat tethered to my front hedge.  This year, at least.  I figure, however, that there are some things I can start learning.  How to take care of plants.  How to make homemade cheese that actually behaves like cheese and not some weird milk-yogurt-hybrid.  How to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables.  Cheese is an ongoing project, one that Trevor really takes the lead on.  Bread is also kind of his thing.  So lately, my project has been lemons.  Growing, preserving, making jam with, and loving lemons.

Not too long ago, meyer lemons arrived on the shelves of all the organic groceries near me.  Never having had a meyer, but having read accounts of their sweeter flavor and lovely scent on blogs everywhere, I snatched a bunch up.  At 99 cents a lemon, they aren’t cheap, so I started musing about whether or not I could find a meyer lemon tree nearby to keep inside for the winter.  A quick google search revealed that they could be found at Mahoney’s, and after musing aloud some more to Trevor, one thing lead to another and he showed up at my door one day with a lemon tree.  I actually jumped up and down a little I was so excited (and surprised).  Isn’t he the best?  Who surprises their girlfriend with a meyer lemon tree?  I’m the luckiest.  And I really, really hope I don’t kill this tree.  Fingers crossed.

The lemons on my tree are still ripening, but I did have a bunch of lemons from the store that needed to be used, so I tackled two meyer lemon recipes to begin my education in preserving.  The first was a meyer lemon marmalade, which was my first hands-on canning experience.  I first learned about canning on spring break last year, where the major takeaway for me were a. if you do it wrong you’ll kill everyone you love through botulism poisoning, and b. sterilize everything in your kitchen before starting.  So when I embarked on this canning adventure, I was a little bit paranoid about doing it right.  So paranoid, in fact, that I failed to read the actual recipe thoroughly, and missed the step where you uh, cut up the lemons.  Aka about three quarters of the way through the recipe I was staring at a pot of lemon halves, water, and sugar, and wondering when it would turn into marmalade.  Duh, me.  Good thing I have a very loving boyfriend with a high tolerance for holding hot things who sliced up the hot lemon halves into more marmalade sized pieces.  The preserved lemon recipe was much simpler, for me, and didn’t involve any sterilizing or canning.  The marmalade is great – very bright and tart, and I have yet to try the preserved lemons (they’re still resting), but I’m looking forward to using them in some Middle Eastern recipes.  And I’m very glad to have taken some actual steps towards learning some traditional homesteading skills, rather than just reading and daydreaming about them.  Hopefully this year will be full of similar exciting learning experiences!

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Recipe from Gourmet.  Makes 4 (1/2 pint) jars.

• 4 meyer lemons
• 3 c. water
• 3 c. sugar

1. Thoroughly wash the lemons.  Slice in half crosswise and remove all the seeds, placing the seeds in a muslin or cheesecloth bag and setting aside (tie off the bag – you will cook the bag with the lemons).   Thinly slice the lemon halves (that’s the step I missed!) and place in a non-reactive stockpot with the 3 c. water and the bag of lemon seeds.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
2. Bring lemons and their soaking water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced to about 3 cups.  Stir in the sugar and boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until a drop of the mixture dropped on a cold plate gels.  Ladle the hot jam into your hot, sterilized jars (more about that below), filling to within 1/4 inch of the top of the jar.  Carefully wipe the rims of the jar, place the sterilized lid on top of the jar, and screw the sterilized band over the top.  Using canning tongs, move the filled jars back into the pot used to sterilize the jars, being sure that there is enough water in the pot to cover the jars by 1 inch, and bring the water to a gentle boil.  Boil the filled jars for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a rack.  If the lid has sealed, the marmalade will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.  Any jars that did not seal, or that were not completely filled, should be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks only.

Sterilizing Jars for Canning

If you have never before canned, you should read a thorough primer on how to safely can to ensure that you do it properly.  Improper canning can lead to food that is not safe to eat.  This is a good basic primer for the boiling water method (what I used), and there are tons and tons of books out there.  Better yet, have someone who’s been canning for ages teach you how – that’s the best way to learn.

To sterilize jars for this recipe, wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water, then place immediately into a clean pot filled with water.  Bring the water to a boil, and boil the jars, covered, for at least 15 minutes or until you about 15 minutes before you are ready to fill the jars.  To keep the jars from knocking around and breaking one another, you may either use a canning rack in the bottom of the pot or, in a pinch, a clean washcloth on the bottom of the pot.  Once the jars have been sterilized, turn off the heat and let the water come down to 180°F or slightly less.  At this point, add the lids and bands to the pot and let all three pieces of the jar assembly sit in the pot for 10 minutes.  If you boil the lids, the seal may become damaged and not seal properly, so be sure that the water is less than 180°F before adding them.  Once your jam is ready and your jars are sterilized, use canning tongs to lift the jars out of the pot one at a time, carefully dumping the hot water out of the jar.  Fill the hot jars with the hot jam (wiping the rim and filling to the level specified in the recipe), then set the lids on top, and screw down with the band.  Process the filled jars in the hot water bath as described above.  When your processing is finished, check the seal on your jar.  You should not be able to push the “button” on the lid up and down – it should be firmly vacuum sealed and not move. Try pressing the top of a lid on a new or opened mason jar to see what I mean; it will make a popping noise when you push down on it and move slightly down and up.

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Recipe adapted from Gourmet.  Makes 1 (1/2 pint) jar.

• 4 meyer lemons
• 1/4 c. coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/2 TBS olive oil

1. Thoroughly wash lemons.  Cut two of the lemons into 8ths (slice in half lengthwise and then quarter each half into 4 wedges) and remove and discard all seeds.  Toss the cut lemon slices with the salt, and then pack into a clean jar.  Cut the remaining two lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a cup measure – it should measure about 1/3 of a cup.  Pour this lemon juice over the salt packed lemons to cover them.  If it does not cover them, supplement with additional lemon juice.  Close the jar and let stand at room temperature for 5 days, shaking gently once a day.  After 5 days, add the olive oil and keep in the fridge, for up to 1 year.

The post A lemon tree, and learning new things appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

For the first four days of spring break, I took part in an alternative spring break program called “Being a Locavore: Food and Farming in the Triangle.”  Um, right up my alley, no?  As soon as I saw the itinerary, which included tours and work at local farms, meet and eats with local restaurant owners, brewery and bakery tours, and communal cooking, I was super excited, and I ended up having an incredible time.  As with most experiences, the people you are with can really make or break a trip, but despite my slight initial concern that I would end up spending four days with a bunch of off-the-charts crunchy, mildly anti-social people, this group was awesome.  With a 50/50 Duke-UNC split, a strong contingent of graduate students, and majors ranging from Christian ministry to electrical engineering to Southern studies, the diverse perspectives represented in each conversation was one of my favorite things about the trip.  Conversation was diverse and constant, and topics covered included vermiculture, how and when to pick okra, whose grandmother pickled what how, how movie rental stores are dying out, the major and not-so-major cultural differences between Duke and UNC, deep sea diving, bad first dates, and the intersection of religion and food, just to name a few.  I arrived home each night exhausted as much from the intellectual stimulation as from the travel, work, and extensive energy required to eat … um I mean work… the amount that we did.

On each day we participated in so many activities, met with so many different fascinating people, learned so many new things, and ate so much delicious food that I couldn’t possibly cover everything I want to share in one post.  So I’ll spend the next week or so covering a few things we did each day and trying to recreate some of the recipes I most enjoyed over the course of the trip.  To get going, as Julie Andrews likes to say (sing), “let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.”

After meeting bright and early Saturday morning, we walked together to Durham’s Farmer’s Market, which, even in the very beginning of March, is a hopping place.  We spoke briefly with the market manager, Erin, about what differentiates the Durham market, and North Carolina markets in general, from others.  The biggest difference I could pick out was that prices for vendors to participate in NC markets are much, much lower than the national average.  Go North Carolina!  We then split into small teams, and each team was assigned two ingredients to seek out.  The goal was to talk to the farmers selling our assigned ingredient and learn about their background, their practices, their favorite ways to cook with the ingredient, etc. – anything to develop a relationship with the person growing and selling you your food, which, I’ve come to realize, is a huge part of the whole local food movement thing.  In my mind the importance doesn’t come so much from knowing exactly how everything is grown and processed and transported, but from it’s motivational purpose.  Since many agree that eating local is good for the environment, for the economy, for your own health, and for the flavor of food, but can seem prohibitively expensive to some, knowing and liking your farmers is where I can see finding incentive to buy local more often.  If you are deciding between spending $6 on a log of chevre from a woman who you know and joke with and who has fed you lunch and $4 on a similar log from the cheese counter in your grocery store, it can be easier to justify the extra $2 when there’s a personal relationship behind the exchange.  At least for stingy old me.

One of the ingredients that my team was assigned to purchase was jam.  Two vendors were selling jam at market – Amy was selling an array of fruit butters, pickles, and pepper jellies, and the man from Benjamin Vineyard and Winery was selling a grape jelly made from his own muscadine grapes.  I was obsessed with the banana butter Amy was selling, but Shannon wanted to stick with the theme of staying as local as possible, so we ended up getting some jam from each vendor.  We’re so choosy.  Really though, this banana butter is so incredible, which is why it is the recipe of honor for today’s post.  Amy told me that the trick in getting the banana butter right comes from using the bananas at their perfect ripeness.

After the Farmer’s Market we spent time both at the Duke Campus Farm and cooking an elaborate, slightly stressful dinner, but since we spent the majority of the day on Tuesday at the farm and I have a whole series of thoughts on the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen,” we’ll save those for later.  In the meantime, enjoy my delicious approximation of Amy of Durham’s even more delicious banana butter.  My favorite ways to eat it include on french toast, mixed into vanilla yogurt, on a peanut butter sandwich, and by the spoonful.  I just made one jar’s worth so I didn’t bother to can it, but it could easily be preserved.  If you do decide to preserve it, make sure you check that the amount of sugar in this recipe is enough for the pectin you’re using – I reduced the amount of sugar by half from the recipe I referred to, but that can be dangerous if you’re truly preserving your food (as we learned from Emily’s canning workshop on Sunday!)  An un-preserved jar will keep for a week or two on the fridge.

Banana Butter

Makes 2 1/2 cups.  Adapted from Kraft Recipes.

• 4 ripe bananas
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• small pat butter
• 1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp. hot water

1. Thoroughly mash bananas (I used my hands to get all the little pieces out) and add to a medium saucepan with the lemon juice and the butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring all the while.  When it is fully boiling, add all sugar at once.  Reduce heat slightly to help reduce spitting.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.  Add cornstarch and water mixture, and continue to cook/stir until the jam has thickened to your desired consistency, adding more cornstarch if necessary.
2. Pour hot jam into your prepared jars or bowls – glass jars should be pre-warmed so that they don’t shatter on contact with the hot jam.  Allow to cool, then refrigerate.

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Dear Blog,

I’m sorry about August.  I really meant to spend a lot of time with you, whisking, mincing, drinking nice wines, holding hands… but I got distracted, and I let things slide.  Please forgive me.

To be fair, I did get to do some pretty cool things in August.  I successfully summitted Katahdin via the Cathedral Trail, and although it was one of the most challenging/terrifying/harrowing things I’ve ever done, it was also completely exhilarating and incredible and awesome.  I finally had the loon stalking experience I’ve been waiting for (see my previous lament), and I was totally channeling my Native American heritage as I paddled my little red canoe, kneeling quietly in the center, into the middle of a group of birds fishing.  And then whipped out my huge high tech camera and stole their souls. Sorry, guys.  I kayaked in the ocean and communed with bald eagles, I saw Shakespeare performed in a tiny opera house by the sea, and I had some really, really good steak.  Life’s been OK.

I even got a little busy in the kitchen, despite my lack of effort in the documentation department.  I tackled my first leg of lamb with less than thrilling results.  I then returned to my vegetarian inclinations and made the most sublime gnocchi-corn-chanterelle-sage concoction, which I promise to share with you sometime.  And I had ribs for the first time in my life and now I know why everyone always wants to eat them.  I lost negative 1 pounds.

But now I’m back.  Back in Durham, back at school, back in my own kitchen.  And that means I’m once again responsible for feeding myself every day.  So hopefully, with a little help from the food muses, I’ll be around here more often.  And by food muses I mostly mean Justin, whom I have committed to cooking for at least once a week.  He has high standards.

So, to start things off, I’ve made some back to school cookies.  You know, to pack in my lunch bag.  Because I’ll probably never outgrow bagged lunches.  These particular back to school cookies are linzer cookies, because I’ve been meaning to make them since I had a less than satisfactory one in Prague.  And because one of the other things I did in August was spend an amazing hour in Rooster Bros, my favorite kitchen store of all time, buying culinary essentials like tartlet pans, orange oil, and linzer cookie cutters.

I used the Dorie Greenspan recipe, as it seems to be fairly ubiquitous, and I would give it a 4 out of 5.  Definitely make sure your nuts are ground very finely so that you don’t get irritating little pieces stuck in your mouth.  Less jam makes a prettier cookie, but more jam gives a better flavor balance.  The dough was a little bit difficult to work with it – be sure to chill it in between each time you roll it out so your cookies don’t crack as you transfer them.  And, for the most photogenic results, dust the top halves of the cookies with powdered sugar before placing them on top of the jam.  Enjoy!

Linzer Cookies

Makes 12 large sandwich cookies, or 20 small sandwich cookies

Recipe from Dorie Greenspan via Lottie and Doof

• 1 1/2 c. ground almonds and/or hazelnuts
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp water
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. jam
• 2 tsp water
• powdered sugar for dusting

1. Sift together ground nuts (to grind, pulse in food processor), flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  In a separate bowl whisk egg with 2 tsp water.
2. Beat softened butter with 1/2 c. sugar until smooth.  Add egg and water mixture and beat for another minute.  Add dry ingredients to wet and stir gently.  Do not overwork the dough once you have added the dry ingredients as it will toughen the dough.  When the dough comes together in your hands, take half of the dough and form it into a ball.  Flatten into a disk and place between two sheets of wax paper.  Roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Place dough sheets on top of a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 2 hours, until dough is firm.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles from the chilled dough.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Use a smaller round cookie cutter to cut circles out of the centers of half of the cookies; these will form the tops.  Bake cookies for 12 minutes.  Re-roll any dough scraps and chill quickly in the freezer while first batch of cookies bakes.  When first batch is done, remove from oven and place on racks to cool to room temperature.  Cut out cookies from remaining dough and bake.
4. In a small saucepan, bring jam and 2 tsp water to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Once boiling, remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
5. Dust top cookie halves with powdered sugar.  Line bottom cookie halves up and place a small spoonful of jam on each one.  Sandwich the jam by placing a top cookie half over the jam.

The post Sorry, August. appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.