Kaffir Lime and Ginger Ice Cream

My friend Liz tipped me off that our co-op had kaffir limes in stock.  This time last year I came across kaffir limes and attempted a sorbet. It was a complete flop. Too bitter to even eat. But this ice cream  was worth waiting for. This is one of the best ice creams I have made, so unique, so good. If you see these at your local store -- they're in season in California right now -- buy them and try this!

Kaffir Lime and Ginger Ice Cream
Adapted from David Lebovitz Ginger Ice Cream recipe in Perfect Scoop

Ingredients:

• 3 inch piece of ginger
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• Zest of three kaffir limes
• Juice of two kaffir limes, approximately 2 tablespoons
  

How To:

Bring two inches of water to a boil in a saucepan. Cut the ginger into thin slices, no need to peel. Drop the ginger into the boiling water and blanch for about two minutes.  Strain and remove ginger.

In a saucepan, heat 1/2 of the cream, milk, salt, sugar, and blanched ginger. Be sure not to boil. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixutre is warm, remove from the heat and let steep for one hour.

Add the remaining cream, zest and juice to the saucepan.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Begin to reheat the milk mixture and slowly add in the egg yolks. Over medium heat gently stir the mixture until it thickens. It will be done when the mixture evenly coats a spoon and holds a line when you run your finger along the backside.

Remove the ginger slices with a slotted spoon, and pour the mixture into a bowl. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to its instructions. Remove ice cream and put into a freezer container and let set for an hour before serving.

Notes: The kaffir limes I used were very small, maybe an inch or so in diameter, adjust accordingly. Also, I skipped the crystalized ginger that David Lebovitz's recipe calls for. I wanted the lime to really come through and not have the ginger dominate. The ginger adds a perfect balance to the kaffir lime scent and flavor.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

These caught my eye a couple of months ago when I was looking for Thanksgiving dinner ideas. There is a recipe in Food and Wine using these on top of a creamy veggie pot pie. I remembered this recipe when I came across a lone sweet potato in the pantry. No longer in the mood for a heavy pot pie, I decided to just make the top -- sweet potato biscuits.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
This recipe is adapted from Food and Wine and makes 8 biscuits.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound sweet potato
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 1/3 cup buttermilk

How to:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Poke the sweet potato with a fork and bake until tender, about 45 minutes, or microwave on high for 5-6 minutes. Once the potato has cooled, peel and mash -- there should be about 3/4 of a cup.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mashed sweet potato until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick. Using a 4 inch diameter round cutter, cut out the biscuits and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

Notes: I served these for dinner with curried lentil burgers and braised kale. The next time I make these will be for a breakfast or brunch - they would be perfect smothered with butter and honey and served with a cup of hot tea.

Choucroute Garnie

I have changed my blog name to reflect my one true (food) love, cornichons. I keep a large jar of cornichons and religiously gorge myself on them for a post-work pre-dinner snack. They manage to be tangy, sweet, salty and with the slight tarragon flavor...mmmm...they never get old, there will always be a jar of cornichons (and my loving husband) at home.

I thought a French recipe would be appropriate for my first post under my re-named blog, a French recipe that I have been craving ever since the weather has been sub-zero and since my diet has evolved to include meat.

With the new year, a significant change has been made to my diet -- I am eating meat. How to incorporate meat into my diet, cooking techniques, and flavors are all new to me. After countless years as a vegetarian and 10 years of those being a strict vegan (even working as a vegan baker), I am eating meat. It's not a full on meat every day at every meal change, but rather trying to incorporate meat into my diet about once or maybe twice a week. This recipe is more than meaty.

I am starting with poultry. I have carefully tried a handful of dishes -- pollo alla birra, chicken meatballs, and apricot almond chicken curry.

Choucroute is traditionally made with an array of pork -- hamhock, ribs, smoked sausages-- or occasionally fish. This is my version of choucroute made with a variety of poultry. The recipe I am adapting from uses ribs, ham, kielbasa and sausage. I will try the original recipe once I am ready to eat pork.
Choucroute Garnie

This is largely adapted from Jacques Pepin and serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs sauerkraut (in plastic bags), drained
  
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces bacon, chopped
  
• 6-7 juniper berries
  
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp of caraway seeds
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cups Riesling or Pinot Gris
• 2-3 sausages, cut into bite size pieces
  
• 1/2 pound kielbasa, cut into bite size pieces
  
• 4-5 pounds medium potatoes or 10 small potatoes, boiled

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a dutch oven, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onion, garlic, bacon, and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions are tender and the bacon begins to brown, about 7 minutes.

Add in the sauerkraut, stock, wine, juniper berries, caraway, and bay leaf. Scrape all of the bits that have browned on the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the dutch oven, or cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 1.5 hours.

While the sauerkraut is baking, bring a pot of cold water with potatoes to a boil. Cook until tender and drain.

Add the sausage and kielbasa to the dutch oven and cook until they are fully warm, about 25 minutes.

Add the boiled potatoes and serve with a variety of mustards (such as Vodka Chili Mustard), rye bread, and of course cornichons!

Notes: This is a must try recipe for winter! I cut the original recipe down to serve about 4 people. I used smoked turkey kielbasa, turkey bacon, and chicken sage sausages I found at my local co-op.

Taste of Amalfi: Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad

Are you looking for a perfect summertime salad? My mom has been making this salad ever since my parents visited the Amalfi Coast 10 years ago. I have since loved this salad, and appreciate it even more after having spent some time in Praiano, Italy. Something about it brings me back to afternoon Peronis, midnight glasses of Prosecco and limoncello, cherries, olives, - oh the amazing freshness and flavors of the Amalfi Coast!

This salad is even better served with a good crusty bread with a soft inside - a good sourdough is perfect.

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1 can hearts of palm*
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1/4 red onion
• 3 ears of corn
• 1/2 lemon
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Once the oven is preheated, place the corn cobs (still in husks) onto the oven racks. Roast for 30 minutes.
   
3. While the corn is roasting, chop up the hearts of palm into 1/2 inch pieces, and slice the onion and tomoatoes.
4. Combine the hearts of palm, onions, tomatoes, and olive oil in a serving bowl. Salt to taste and let marinate while the corn roasts.
5. Remove the corn from the oven, slice the corn off the cob, and combine with salad.
6. Chop the avocados into 1/2 inch pieces, combine with the salad, vinegar, and lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon.

*Note: Hearts of palm can be found in most grocery stores in the canned vegetable aisles. Some brands have very woody exteriors - if that is the case, remove the outer layer. The best brand (and surprisingly, the cheapest!) is Whole Foods 365 brand of hearts of palm - they are the most consistent in size and texture and sometimes go on sale for less than $2 a can!

Spring Spaghetti

Spring has finally sprung! This dish is the perfect reminder that long, warm and sunny days are here. This is one of my all time favorites because it is so light and fresh.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 4 servings of dry spaghetti
• 1 leek, sliced
  
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
  
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  
• 1.5 cups frozen or fresh peas
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmesan
  

How to:

1. Bring a large stock pot filled with salted water to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil add the dry spaghetti
   
2. Heat a 12 inch skillet and coat with olive oil. Add the leeks and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes
3. Add the garlic, asparagus and 1 ladle of the pasta water to the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes on medium-low heat. Add the peas and stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
   
4. Using tongs, add the pasta to the skillet and stir until the vegetables and pasta are mixed well.
   
5. Garnish with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Notes:
It's very important not to overcook the vegetables. Be sure that the vegetables remain bright green and have a snap to them, it adds to the freshness of the dish. Enjoy!

Artichokes Provencal

I have been waiting for baby artichokes to be in season to cook this recipe by Mark Bittman. Baby artichokes grown in California are at my local co-op this week - get them while they last because I know I will be making this at least one more time over the weekend!

Ingredients:

• 6-8 baby artichokes
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water
• olive oil
• salt

How to:

1. Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet, add whole cloves of garlic and thyme
   
2. Prep the baby artichokes by peeling off the tough outer leaves, trimming the outer edges of the stem, cut the top inch off of the top, and cut in half. Add the artichokes into the skillet.
3. Once the bottom of the artichokes are slightly brown, add the olives and tomatoes.
4. Add in the water, cover and let simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes
5. Salt to taste
6. Serve with good crusty bread and a little grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
   

Notes: This may be good with a pasta or grain like farro. The bread is great since it soaks up all of the juices.

Indoor Sweet and Sour Tofu Kabobs

Anyone anxiously awaiting outdoor barbecue season? Here is an idea - indoor kabobs that fit on a stove top grill pan. These would be great to serve at a party.

I made kabobs with pineapple, tofu, scallions, and orange bell pepper by skewering on toothpicks. Just like kabobs on the grill, be sure to soak the toothpicks in water for a minute. I grilled these on the indoor stove top grill lightly oiled with canola oil.

My main goal with the sweet and sour sauce was to not use ketchup as so many recipes do (even my vegetarian Chinese cookbook in Chinese).

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients:

• 6 ounces pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

How to:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the cornstarch and water in a sauce pot. Heat and let boil for about 30 seconds. Reduce heat.
   
2. Make a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water.
   
3. Slowly add into the sauce pot and stir until thickened.

Note: The sauce would be perfect to add to a stir fry.