Bear Cuisine

Some for Now, Some for Later

Cathy Barrow has probably done more to promote the resurgence of canning in the past few years than almost anyone else. Before her book, Mrs Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry, her blog provided any number of helpful and tasty recipes. One of my favorites is Pickled Asparagus.

Pickled Asparagus

Pickled Asparagus

(makes 3 12 ounce jars)

1. 3 bunches asparagus, trimmed to fit your jars
2. 3 cups water
3. 3 cups white vinegar
4. 2 tablespoons kosher salt
5. 4 tablespoons pickling spices
6. 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
7. 3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
8. 1 lemon zested into long strips.

Trim the asparagus to fit the jars. Reserve the trimmings for other uses.

Start the water bath and a pan of rings and lids simmering

Soak the asparagus in ice water for 20 minutes, to loosen any dirt.

Make the brine by combining the water,vinegar, spices and pepper flakes in a 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Drain the asparagus and gather a bunch in your hand. Loop the lemon rind around the asparagus so it will be seen in the jar. Pack the jars tight. The top of the asparagus should not come above the jar's rim. Tuck one garlic clove in each jar.

Pour the  hot brine over the asparagus to within 1/4" of the top. Wipe the rims and cover with a clean, heated lid and ring.

Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let the pickles cure for at least 24 hours before eating.

 

 

Navel Orange Marmalade

When winter settles in, I think fondly of the summer's mad scramble to get all that gorgeous produce preserved. I miss that rhythm.Fortunately, winter provides us with beautiful citrus that also needs to be canned. I found an intriguing recipe for orange marmalade in Rachel Saunders' The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. This is truly outstanding and proves that you can make marmalade with a slight bite without Seville oranges.

NAVEL ORANGE MARMALADE

(makes 10 8-ounce jars)

1. 2 pounds lemons, cut into eights
2. 2 pounds navel oranges, halved crosswise, each half cut length wise into quarters and sliced crosswise medium-thin
3. 3 1/2 pounds white cane sugar
4. 1 to 2 extra lemons, to make 3 ounces strained freshly squeezed juice.

Day 1

 
Place the lemon eighths in a nonreactive saucepan where they will fit snugly in a single layer. Add enough cold water for the fruit to bob freely. Cover tightly and let rest overnight at room temperature.

In a separate nonreactive saucepan, place the sliced oranges with water to reach 1 inch above the tops. Cover tightly and let rest overnight at room temperature.

Day 2

Prepare the cooked lemon juice. Bring the pan with the lemon eighths to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium. Cook the fruit at a lively simmer, covered, for 2 to 3 hours, or until the lemons are very soft and the liquid has become slightly syrupy. As the lemons cook, press down on them gently with a spoon every 30 minutes or so, adding a little more water if necessary. The water level should stay consistently high enough for the fruit to remain submerged as it cooks.

When the lemons are finished cooking, strain their juice by pouring the hot fruit and liquid into a medium strainer or colander suspended over a heat proof storage container or nonreactive saucepan. Cover the entire setup well with plastic wrap and let drip overnight at room temperature.

Prepare the orange slices. Bring the pan with them to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and cook, covered, at  a lively simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is very tender. If necessary, add a little more water during the cooking; the fruit should remain submerged throughout the cooking process. When the orange slices have finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly and let rest overnight at room temperature.

Day 3

Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer. You will be using these to test the marmalade later.

Remove the plastic wrap from the lemon eights and their juice and discard the lemons. Strain the juice through a very fine mesh strainer to remove any lingering solids.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cooked lemon juice, fresh lemon juice and cooked orange slices and their liquid, stirring well. Transfer the mixture to an 11 or 12 quart preserving pan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook at a rapid boil until the setting point is reached. This will take at least 30 minutes, but may take longer depending on your stove and pan. {I cooked the mixture for a little over an hour.} Initially, the mixture will bubble gently for several minutes, then as more moisture cooks out of it and its sugar concentration increases, it will begin foaming. Do not stir it at all during the initial bubbling; then, once it starts to foam, stir it gently every few minutes. As it gets close to being done,stir it slowly every minute or so to prevent burning, decreasing the heat a bit if necessary. The marmalade is ready for testing when its color darkens slightly and its bubbles become very small.

To test the marmalade for doneness, remove it from the heat and carefully transfer a half-spoonful of marmalade to one of the frozen spoons. It should look shiny, with tiny bubbles throughout. Replace the spoon in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; it still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see whether the marmalade runs; if it does not run and if its top layer has thickened to a jelly consistency, it is done. If it runs, cook it for another few minutes, stirring and testing again as needed.

 

When the marmalade has finished cooking turn off the heat but do not stir. Using a stainless steel spoon, skim off any surface foam and discard. Pour the marmalade into sterilized jars and process for  15 minutes (Add an additional 15 minutes to the processing time if cooking above 6,000 feet.)

Zabar's Would Be Proud of This

We had the pleasure of having my sister and brother-in-law visit for Thanksgiving this year. Sarah didn't want to know how I achieved our succulent and moist turkey nor did she want my fabulous gravy recipe. What she did want was the recipe for gravlax. I was flattered but the credit goes to Cathy Barrow. She includes a recipe for this deli treat in Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry. Gravlax is a breakfast favorite for us and this is as good as Zabar's, one of my favorite of such delicacies in New York City.

GRAVLAX

1. 1 1/2 TBS white peppercorns
2. 1 TBS anise seeds
3. 1/4 cup (3 oz.) coarsely chopped fresh dill
4. 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5. 3 TBS kosher salt
6. 3 TBS gin
7. 2 pounds center cut salmon fillet (Skin-on)

In a small dry skillet, toast the white peppercorns and anise seeds until they release their fragrance,about 3 minutes.Remove from the heat.

Pulse the coasrsely chopped dill a few times in the bowl of a food processor, then add the sugar, salt and toasted spices. Process until all the herbs and spices are ground very fine. Add the gin and pulse to make a loose paste.

Rinse and dry the salmon. Check for pin bones and remove any you find with strong tweezers. Set a large piece of foil on the work surface and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Dump the herb paste on top of the salmon and pat it over the surface. Wrap tightly in the plastic and then the foil.

Place the package in a one gallon zip lock abag, set it on a baking sheet or tray and put another pan on top of the fish Weight down the pan with heavy cans or a brick Cure in the refrigerator for 2 days, turning the bag over a few times.

Removethe pan and weights, remove the fish from the bag and unwrap it. Scrape off and discard most of the paste. Dry the fish with paper towels, then press the remaining finely chopped dill all over the flesh side of the salmon. Well wrapped in plastic wrap, the gravlax can be stored in the refritgerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To serve, slice paper-thin, on a slight angle, cutting it away from the skin.

Favorite Cookbooks of 2014

It's always difficult to choose my favorites, especially since I want to keep the list short. All of these were published in the past year and are the ones most likely to stay in my library. Some have been listed on many such lists while others are relatively unknown. Each author has made me want to cook their food. Maybe they will do the same for you.

You wouldn't think that there was anything left to say about Southern cooking, but chef Sean Brock writes with conviction and erudition about his family's legacy of the cooking of southwestern Virginia in Heritage. He has traveled extensively and has been able to apply what he has learned to the cooking he now does in his restaurants in Charleston and Nashville. Heritage is a beautiful tribute to a family,a region and a way of life.     Reading his recipes makes my mouth water. ( I don't think I will be waiting until next New Year's to try his "Lowcountry Hoppin' John.") His passion inspires mine. I think his creativity will spark yours.

 

At the opposite end of the spectrum from Heritage is Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty More. This book continues his collection of vegetarian recipes begun in Plenty. Using the ingredients and flavors of the Middle East, Turkey and Greece, he makes it possible for omnivores to visit the vegetarian world. Some may even decide to take up permanent residence. The recipes offer foods that are full of flavor and so substantial that you won't miss the meat. You won't be asking "Where's the beef?"

 I am a huge fan of David Lebovitz's dessert cookbooks and I love his latest offering, My Paris Kitchen. Partly because I like the way he writes and partly because I adore Paris, this book is a joy to read. An armchair trip through Paris with recipes. It doesn't get much better than that. Unless, of course,one is actually in Paris. I should add that his recipes really do work should you be inclined to try some of them. I recommend the "Chicken with Mustard." Excellent!

 You knew there had to be a book on preserving in the list, didn't you? Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry grew out of Cathy Barrows blog, Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen. This is a great book for any home canner,i.e., one who is obsessed with keeping the larder well-stocked. My mother was the one who lived through the depression, but I think I must have had a previous life of deprivation. I'm not happy unless the pantry is full of jars of this and that, preferably jars that I've filled with top-notch ingredients . I thought I knew a lot about home preservation, but this book has added to my education in a big way. I have learned something new on almost every page. You not only learn the basic technique, you also get a recipe that uses your creation. If you have ever thought you wanted to make your own jams or pickles, this book will tell you what you need to know.It's almost as if Cathy Barrow were in the kitchen with you, guiding you through the process.

I've been an admirer of Eugenia Bone ever since I found her book Well-Preserved in 2009. This year she published The Kitchen Ecosystem which is a fascinating tour of the kitchen. As she paid attention to the patterns of her own cooking, she observed that each ingredient she used could be used to make more than one meal and with a bit of planning she could produce delicious meals without starting from scratch each time. Each ingredient has recipes for some basic dishes, recipes for preserving some of it, recipes for using the preserves and when possible, recipes for using the scraps. Once you get the idea, you can use her template with the ingredients that you use most often. It's obvious once you start thinking about it and,at the same time, it's a genius idea.

That's it for 2014. Any one of these books could keep you very busy and happy in the kitchen for a long time.

What were your favorites?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Favorte Cookbooks of 2013

2013 is already fading history, but there were several books that made it into my annual pantheon of cookbooks I think worthy of note. The first is Deborah Madison's Vegetable Literacy.

Deborah Madison has long been known as the American guru of vegetarian cooking and her latest book will only add to her reputation. She lives near Santa Fe and our paths cross from time to time at various food-related events. I overheard her tell a friend that this book was tremendous fun to work on. It is also tremendous fun to read and cook from.

She explores vegetables by families, noting the similarities among them that we might not have noticed before. Chapters have intriguing titles such "The Knotweed Family:Three Strong Personalities" or"The Sunflower Family:Some Rough Stuff from Out of Doors." I was intrigued to find that plants I had never thought of as being related belonged to the same family. (A bit like human families I suppose. ) So in the nightshade family we find belladonna, datura, eggplants, husk tomatoes,mandrake, pepino, peppers and chiles, petunias, potatoes, tomatillos, tomatoes, tobacco. Some plants are poisonous (belladonna, datura and tobacco). Others are prized and we look forward to their appearance at the markets--peppers, chiles, eggplants and tomatoes.

In her introduction she writes:

"When we look closely at the plants we eat and begin to discern their similarities, that intelligence comes with us into the kitchen and articulates our cooking in a new way Suddenly our raw materials make sense. We can see how we might substitute related vegetables when cooking or how all the umbellifer herbs, including cilantro, parsley and chervil, flatter umbellifer vegetables, such as carrots and fennel. And when we encounter plants with all their leaves,roots and maybe even flowers intact, we can observe the shapes of leaves, the patterns of petals, the changing forms as they progress from their first true leaves to the perfect stage for eating to maturity and, finally, their going to seed. Curiously,we might discvoer that broccoli leaves and stalks are quite edible, or that a neglected leek makes the same flower as a chive when it finally blooms. Bringing plants' features into view can free us as cooks, make us unafraid to use some amaranth that's going full guns in the garden in place of spinach, which has bolted and dried up. They are, after all, related."

Vegetable Literacy is more than a cookbook. It is also a reference work and,although not intended as such,a course in gardening. It's well worth its hefty price tag.

 Regular readers may groan and mutter something like "What?! Another book on preserving food?" Yes, another book on preserving food. Kevin West's Saving the Season is a masterpiece of this sub-genre and it is so good that Celia Sack of Omnivore Books told me that I would never need another book on the subject. I pointed out that need and the desire to acquire weren't the same thing. Back to the book.

There are a number of unusual recipes here that sound delicious. I tried his recipe for Pepper Relish and it was a definite winner. Quite literally. The NM State Fair judges thought it was pretty tasty. What I really love about this book is the way that West weaves poetry, history, literature,and the visual arts into his cooking narrative. This book is a gold mine for the cook and the student of the food culture. Saving the Season should be on the shelves of everyone who fancies herself a Food Preservationist.

There was a lot of competion this year in southern titles.Edward Lee's Smoke and Pickles and Andrew Ticer's and Michael Hudman's Collards and Carbonara were strong contenders and could easily have made this list. But John Currence's Pickles, Pigs, and Whiskey won out.

John currence holds a special place in my heart for his work on Willie Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans. After Katrina, the Southern Foodways Alliance organized the reclamation project on Willie Mae's and we spent a weekend in NOLA kocking down walls, removing mold and whatever else needed doing in the first stages of the work. The project was way more involved than anyone intially thought and John kept the work going and practically single handedly saw it through to completion. He has great dedication, determination and heart. He is also a great cook. Breakfast at his City Grocery in Oxford Mississippi is one of my happiest culinary memories.

My favorite chapters might be the ones on condiments -"Slathering, Squirting  and Smearing"-and "Pickling and Canning." These alone are worth the price of the book. When I finish writing this post,I'm going to be making some Roasted Red Pepper Harissa and Worcestershire Sauce. I'll let you know how they turn out.I love this book. It captures John Currence's talent as a chef and his quirky personality. Even if I never cook a thing from this book, I get a kick out of reading it. 

I was determined to keep this list to three books this year and there were wonderful books that didn't make the cut. I solace myself with the thought that any such list is idiosyncratic and tells more about the person doing the selecting than the books themselves. In any case, I think all of these books deserve attention and study. I'm jus' sayin'....