Archives for April 2013

Lemon-Chile Pickled Asparagus

April 24, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Here’s another great recipe from The Mile End Cookbook by Noah and Rae Bernamoff, that I made with Fresh From Oregon Asparagus. This was an easy refrigerated pickled asparagus recipe and it took no time at all to turn my jars into a work of art. With asparagus still in season here in Oregon you can start filling your empty glass jars with this awesome recipe. Noah and Rae also shared in their cookbook how to use them in a Russian dressing, see below. There are many more recipes I will be making from this cookbook and I would highly recommend getting it. It will take you on a trip to a culture of food you will not want to come back from!

Lemon-Chile Pickled Asparagus
1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 shallots, thinly sliced
zest of 3 lemons, in wide strips
30 black peppercorns
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 Bay leaves
3 pounds asparagus
Trim the tough base part off the asparagus and set aside. In large nonreactive pot combine all ingredients except asparagus. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate large pot bring water to a boil and blanch the asparagus, 1 minute for pencil size and and 3 minutes for large ones. Remove from water and place into the vinegar mixture. Once cooled transfer to your glass canning jars and put on a lid. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before using. They will keep up to 6 month in the refrigerator.

Russian Dressing: In medium bowl combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup pickled asparagus that has been minced. Cover and refrigerate. Will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

This pickled asparagus is also great substituted in your tarter sauce in place of the relish!

Crunchy Hazelnut French Toast

April 23, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

So here is one of the BEST French Toast recipes I have ever made and so easy to make. I made a custard type French Toast and to give it a crunch I used crushed cornflakes with the Fresh From Oregon taste of ground hazelnuts. The outside has a sweet crunchy taste with a soft and smooth center. Great for your next weekend brunch…

Crunchy Hazelnut French Toast
6 thick slices Challah bread
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash nutmeg
3 cups cornflakes
2 tablespoons Oregon hazelnuts, ground
Butter for cooking

In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg. Place bread slices in shallow baking dish and pour egg mixture over the bread making sure both sides are covered with the egg mixture. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. In plastic bag place the cornflakes and ground hazelnuts and with your hands crush to small pieces. Pour into a shallow bowl. Preheat a griddle* on medium-high temperature and add the butter right before you cook the french toast. Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Dip the pieces of egg soaked bread into the cornflakes pressing into both sides and place on the buttered griddle. Fry until golden brown on both sides and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once you have them all brown place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately with some maple syrup and butter. I also like to sprinkle on some powdered sugar.

* If you do not have a griddle a cast iron skillet works great and it gives it that golden crisp taste.

Challah Bread

April 22, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Here is another recipe I made from “The Mile End Cookbook”, the traditional Jewish Challah Bread. The cookbook tells you how to make the traditional braid or how to make a Pullman loaf. I wanted a bread that would be better for sandwiches and French toast so I made the Pullman loaf. This bread has a sweet taste and is great not only for sandwiches but can be used for French toast, bread pudding and is great in an overnight egg bake. If you want to have a more yellow colored bread add a few drops of yellow food coloring. I chose to keep it just like the recipe in the cookbook and even though the bread has a white color it tastes just perfect. Watch for tomorrow’s post to see the Fresh From Oregon taste I give my extra pieces of Challah bread.

Challah Bread
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 large egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons yeast
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine water, egg, egg yolk, yeast, oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for a few seconds until combined. Place the dough hook on and add the flour and salt, mix on medium speed until dough comes together about 4 minutes. Let dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes, add a little flour if dough seems sticky (1 tablespoon at a time) mix for 5 minutes. On floured surface place dough and shape into a ball. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and towel. Let dough rest in a warm place until doubled in size about 2 hours. I did not make the traditional braid but made a Pullman loaf shape. Place the dough on a well-floured surface and press and stretch into a 10×8-inch rectangle. With the short end start rolling the dough into a cylinder. Tuck the ends under and place in a greased standard-size loaf pan. Lightly grease the top of the bread and cover with plastic wrap and towel, let rise in a warm place until it is slightly above the pan’s rim, about 1 1/2 hours.
Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 25 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through baking. Bake until brown on top and bottom, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before removing from the pan then cool on wire rack.

What is Challah Bread?
Challah is a loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally eaten by the Jewish community on Shabbat, on ceremonial occasions and during festival holidays. The word “challah” is also used to refer to the portion of dough that is traditionally separated from the rest of the dough before baking. The plural of “challah” is “challot.”

Tri-Color Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

April 17, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

The first of the year I started cooking along with the “Cook the Books” Challenge, started by two bloggers Grow & Resist and oh, Briggsy. They choose a cookbook each month and then you select recipes and cook and share your experience with the cookbook on your blog. The April’s “Cook the Books” Challenge is The Mile End Cookbook by Noah and Rae Bernamoff. Read more about their story… This cookbook is full of modern Jewish comfort food recipes like pickled items, smoked meats, and delicious deli foods. As I started through the cookbook marking the recipes I wanted to make (I think I marked up over 1/2 the recipes) it brought back memories. Even though I am not Jewish most of the recipes in this cookbook made me think of the comfort food from my own heritage .
Of course I always want to add a Fresh From Oregon taste to each of the recipes I make. I had just returned from the Portland Farmers Market located on the PSU campus in Portland, Oregon. I gathered up some beautiful and colorful yellow, orange and purple carrots. The first recipe I wanted to try was the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Traditionally carrot cake is made with walnuts but I added hazelnuts for that Fresh From Oregon taste. But if all you have are walnuts that will work just as well but make sure you toast them which brings out the oils giving any nut a better flavor.

Tri-Color Carrot Cake
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1# carrots, yellow, orange and purple, peeled & grated
1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-inch cake pans. Cut two round pieces of parchment paper and place in the bottom of each cake pan and spray with cooking oil, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer add eggs and both sugars and mix on low until sugar dissolves, about 20 seconds. Add the canola oil slowly with the mixer on low speed. Add the carrots and hazelnuts and mix until combined, about 15 seconds. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. With a rubber spatula fold flour mixture into the egg mixture until no streaks of flour appear. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through baking, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Flip cakes out of the pans and cool on wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 1/2# cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Combine all the frosting ingredients, except the hazelnuts, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Mix on medium-high speed until light about 4-5 minutes.
Place one cake on plate and spread with about 1 cup of frosting over top of cake. Place second cake on top and frost the sides and top of the cake. Press hazelnuts into the side of the cake and around the top edge.

Recipe from The Mile End Cookbook by Noah & Rae Bernamoff

Spring Lettuce ~ Fresh From Oregon Salad

April 14, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Among the spring greens at the farmers market was some fresh picked lettuce. I got the most beautiful bag that had 2 bunches of romaine lettuce from one of the local farmers. Today was a day I wanted to put together an easy and quick meal and this Fresh From Oregon lettuce was on the menu tonight. This salad is great for a quick meal, family gathering and parties. It is important not to add the dressing until just before serving. The dressing has a sweet and tangy taste and is perfect with my combination of Fresh From Oregon lettuce, hazelnuts and cranberries. Enjoy a spring day with this refreshing salad.

Fresh From Oregon Salad
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1/2 cup Oregon Hazelnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Oregon dried Cranberries
1 cup chow mein noodles

Dressing
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut the romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces and divide between two plates. Evenly divide the chicken, hazelnuts, cranberries and chow mein noodles between the two plates.
In a pint jar combine all the dressing ingredients and give a few good shakes until it is thoroughly mixed. Pour over salads and serve.
Makes two large salads or can serve 6 people with smaller portions.

Lemon Risotto with Roasted Asparagus & Chicken

April 9, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

Asparagus is popping up out of the ground all over Oregon. This tells me that spring has started here in Oregon. My favorite way to prepare asparagus is to roast it in the oven, it takes just 5 minutes. You can also grill, steam or boil asparagus to make endless dishes. For breakfast I enjoy it in omelets, quiche and served with Eggs Benedict. Grilled asparagus is great tossed in your favorite pasta dish or to make a creamy soup. However you like it, enjoy it Fresh From Oregon.

Fresh From Oregon Asparagus is in season April through June.

Lemon Risotto with Roasted Asparagus & Chicken
12 spears asparagus, cut in pieces on a diagonal, roasted
1 chicken breast, grilled
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
juice and zest from half lemon

In saucepan combine the chicken broth and water to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet on medium heat, add onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute 2 to 3 minutes to lightly toast. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the hot broth mixture, stirring often until liquid is absorbed. Add another cup of broth mixture and repeat until all the broth is gone. This should take 25-30 minutes. You should be stirring often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Once all the broth mixture has been added and liquid absorbed add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and lemon zest & juice. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. It is ready to serve. Place risotto on plate and place some sliced chicken and asparagus on top.

To roast the asparagus toss pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.

If you want to make a vegetarian version use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

Fresh Dungeness Crab Salad with Grilled Asparagus

April 7, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

With fresh asparagus coming into season and Dungeness crab still in season in Oregon I made a Fresh From Oregon crab salad with a lemon vinaigrette. The best way to serve asparagus on a salad is grilled with olive oil and seasoned with a little salt and pepper. This will make two nice size salads.

Fresh Dungeness Crab Salad
1 head butter lettuce
1 pound fresh Dungeness Crab meat, cooked
1/2 pound asparagus grilled
1 each green, red and yellow peppers, cut in strips
2 hard boiled eggs, cut in quarters
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Divide and place the butter lettuce on two plates. In the center of the salad divide and place half of the Dungeness Crab meat. Around the crab arrange the asparagus, peppers, eggs and cherry tomatoes. Serve with the lemon vinaigrette and garnish with lemon wedges.

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoon olive oil
In a pint size mason jar add lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Shake until mixed. Mixing with a small whisk slowly add the olive oil until it is combine and mixed well. You can give it a good shake after whisking, (with a tight lid on).