This spice, native to China and Vietnam, brings a licorice flavor to dishes and is a bit stronger than regular anise. It is used in traditional Chinese cooking, as well as Chinese medicine. Although it may seem unrelated to Christmas and the holidays, there are many traditional holiday recipes that debut this robust spice. Regardless of it's festive shape, I'm sure you didn't realize the taste of black licorice was so merry.
here are just a few:
pistachio anise wafers
Christopsomo - Christ's bread greece
bizcochitos new nexico
springerle germany
anise tuiles french-ish
teebroedchen - christmas tea biscuits germany
pizelles italy
cranberry asian pear star anise cake
chräbeli switzerland
and did you know...
...star anise is the seed pod of an evergreen tree (Illicium Verum) grown in southwestern China and Japan.
...star anise is one of the spices in five spice powder.
...in traditional Chinese medicine, star anise is prescribed as a digestive aid, and to remedy rheumatism.
...Shikimic Acid, extracted from star anise, is one of the chief ingredients in the antiviral Tamiflu drug used to fight avian influenza.
...star anise can replace regular anise in western recipes.
...it is a 'secret ingredient' in many curry recipes.
thanks to about.com
Jj
19.12.08
spices: star anise
15.12.08
in season: cookies
I guess I'm being a bit facetious in saying that cookies are in season here in Utah, or that they even have one. But honestly, cookies do have a certain window of time when they are found in abundance. The holidays are that time. I want to share with you one of my favorites.
andes mint cookies
¾ c. butter (1½ stick)
1½ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
12 oz. (2 cups) chocolate chips (I do 1 cup bittersweet, 1 cup semi)
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl melt together the butter, brown sugar, water and chocolate chips. *I microwave it for a minute at a time stirring after each until melted.
Beat in eggs, add in sifted remaining dry ingredients until blended. Chill 1 hour or overnight. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 325°F for 8-10 minutes. Place mint on top, you may want to place back in the oven for a second or two. Spread when melted. Let cool completely; or not.
This year I paired these with my mom's snickerdoodles and a bag of muddy buddies. Of all the cookies I make, these are the only ones I'll be making more than one batch of.
Here are a few more delicious cookie recipes from local bloggers:
ginger snaps
oatmeal chocolate chip
peanut butter
molten chocolate lava
lemon ricotta
happy {baking} holidays - Jj
5.12.08
destination: puerto rico
According to the Puerto Rico Culture website, Puerto Rican cuisine "is a unique tasty blend of Spanish, African, Taíno, and American influences, using such indigenous seasonings and ingredients as coriander, papaya, cacao, nispero, apio, plantains, and yampee. Locals call their cuisine 'cocina criolla'." During the short time I was there, every meal included fresh tropical fruits, plantains, and always rice and beans.
This is one place I would hope everyone visits sometime in their life; and not only for the beaches, snorkeling and food. Talk to the locals to find the best places to visit, and the best beaches. Some of our friends told us of a place people call 'the ugly beach'; it was the most beautiful beach I've ever been to.
click here for a recipe using plantains that comes straight from the caribbean.
26.11.08
celebrate: thanksgiving and 'the bird'
Looking for a last minute way to dress that turkey? This recipe is the most simple recipe for a moist, delicious turkey to serve at your big feast. My husband learned this technique from a Jewish friend of his. Apparently, he doesn't exactly eat kosher.
Hermele's turkey
A Turkey
1 large onion, halved
1 large potato, halved
strips of bacon, enough to cover the top of the bird
Put the potato and onion halves inside the turkey (I like to add a few cloves of garlic), truss it, and lay the bacon on top. Bake according to suggested time. Using a dutch oven is optional, but makes a delicious turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Jj
20.11.08
recipe: seasonal thanksgiving side dish
Looking for another side dish that would be perfect for your Thanksgiving meal? Here's one that pairs a winter squash with an all time Thanksgiving original, rice.
buttercup squash risotto
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4-5 medium-large sized shallots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
1½ washed arborio rice
6-7 cups of stock, plus more if needed
1/2 cup white wine - substitute with: ½ cup of stock with 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice added
1 Tablespoons butter
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup cream, or half and half
2 cups buttercup pureé
2½ Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
one of my favorite parts of risotto
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add the shallots, salt, and pepper cooking until the shallots are clear. Add the garlic and thyme, until aromatic. Add the rice, stirring well so it's all incorporated.
Cook for a few minutes until the rice becomes clear in color, be sure to stir constantly so the kernels do not brown. Add in the white wine, and stir until it is completely absorbed. Add ½ cup of the broth and stir until it is almost absorbed entirely. Keep adding ½ cup of the broth at a time, continually stirring after each addition and repeating until the rice is tender, but slightly firm when you bite it. Also referred to as al dente. Add in the cream, and parmesan cheese until combined, and remove from heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then add the puree and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
You can garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of ground cloves, or fresh parsley.
Jj
12.11.08
will you be ready?
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” A. A. Milne
The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving, a holiday all about food, is in two weeks. It's time to start thinking about preparations. Think it's too early? Well, I assure you the sooner you prepare and plan, the more relaxed and enjoyable your holiday will be. Here are a few tips and ideas for a wonderful holiday feast with family and friends.
1 to 2 weeks before thanksgiving
...begin planning your menu, and know how many people will be coming as well as any allergies and food preferences you'll want to remember.
keep it simple, and of course delicious. maybe ask guests to bring something making it a little more like a potluck, and take something off your hands.
...if you can, why not order your turkey ahead of time? it saves the last minute turkey rush, and if you can get it fresh from a local butcher, you're supporting local business which is always a wonderful idea.
this photo from the library of congress
...this may seem silly, but read your recipes thoroughly from start to finish. this will assure that no nasty surprises come up at the last minute and you realize you can't get the ingredients because the market is closed. {shudder}
...make your shopping and to-do lists, and maybe even starting your cooking timeline.
a few days before thanksgiving
...solidify your timeline for the actual day. here is a great example, and of course, don't sweat it if you don't have as many ovens as this example shows. You know your kitchen and really it's just important to have it all on paper so you know how much time things will need to take, and what will be in the oven when.
...start your food shopping
...if you have the time, prepare any food that can be done ahead of time, such as pie pastry, gravy, thawing the turkey.
...organize serving dishes and plan your table settings.
day before thanksgiving
...if you ordered a turkey, pick it up.
...finish any shopping for food, buying extras of certain things you may need, just in case.
...review and adjust your cooking timeline, being sure you know how long you will need to cook the turkey for (turkey times at bottom).
...prepare anything you can make before hand, pies, gravy, stuffing, sides (potatoes, vegetable casseroles, etc.), breads, prep the turkey (brine, etc.).
...set the table
...look over your timeline one last time.
thanksgiving day
... wake up early, have a good breakfast, and follow your timeline.
...tell your family and friends why you're grateful for them.
...have fun.
...take a nap.
...watch some football, totally optional
all other images by norman rockwell
Turkey Times:
allow 13-15 minutes per pound.
Turkey: Approximate time:
10-12 lbs. 2½ - 3 hours
12-14 lbs. 2¾ - 3¼ hours
14-16 lbs. 3 – 3¾ hours
16-18 lbs. 3¼ - 4 hours
18-20 lbs. 3½ - 4¼ hours
20+ lbs. 3¾ - 4½ hours
here are a few links for more info and tips:
do it like martha
entertainment ideas
how to stay sane on turkey day
have a wonderful holiday
Jj
5.11.08
sautéed mushrooms
If you love this fungus fresh, you'll never stop sauteing them once you start. Sauteing mushrooms is easy, and well worth the time put into them (it doesn't take too
long). They're a delicious accompaniment to an entrée, tossed with a salad, added to a soup or sauce, or savored one by one purely by itself.
How do you like your mushrooms?
sautéed mushrooms
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
a few fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
1 pound crimini/babybella mushrooms, sliced
In a hot pan, add the olive oil (you don't want to oil to cook for a long time). Immediately after, add the shallot, garlic and thyme.
Let these ingredients sweat for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms.
Cook on medium-low heat until mushrooms are soft, and much darker in color; about fifteen minutes.
most all kinds of mushroom are delicious sautéed, but i love crimini because of their bold flavor.
a few fungus facts and websites :)
...the crimini mushroom is simply an immature portabello mushroom.
...mushrooms are low in calories, have no cholesterol and are virtually free of fat and sodium.
...mushrooms contain many essential minerals one of which is selenium, which works with Vitamin E to produce antioxidants that neutralize "free radicals" which can cause cell damage.
...while mushrooms are canned, pickled and frozen, drying mushrooms is the oldest and most commonly used way to preserve mushrooms.
...one portabella mushroom generally has more potassium than a banana.
food timeline's mushroom history
the american mushroom institute
the mushroom council
bon appétit.
Jj
29.10.08
celebrate: a hogwart's halloween
Alright all you Harry Potter fans, we know you've all dreamed about what butterbeer actually tastes like. Well luckily, you don't have to be a witch or wizard to find out. Throughout the world wide web you'll find an array of recipes devout to J.K. Rowling's make believe beverage. You can even make it a Halloween tradition to try different recipes and eventually make up your own. Or, you can try our sweet tooth quenching version.
butterbeer
1 pint (2 cups) cream soda or apple cider
1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
Place cream soda or apple cider in a microwave safe mug, and heat on high for about 3 minutes, or until very hot. While it's heating, mix together the vanilla ice cream, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
When the soda is hot, pour into a blender, add ice cream mixture, and pulse on high for about 5 seconds. Pour into individual mugs, and sprinkle a dash of nutmeg on top. Enjoy with some fresh apple chips, or another munchie, maybe some ton-tongue toffee?
Bottoms up!
Jj
21.10.08
recipe: old fashioned apple butter
Apples are in abundance this season and apple butter is an easy recipe that takes little preparation, even less hands-on time, and lots of apples.
This recipe is from a vintage cookbook that had no given measurements, so you know the recipe is tried and true. Most of it is eyeballed and according to your own taste. So every time you make it, it'll be your best batch.
apple butter
making it the old fashioned way.
ingredients:
Fresh, unclarified apple juice (you know, the unpasteurized kind that's not great for little kids to drink; don't worry, we'll boil it down.)
a few pounds of yummy locally picked apples (depending on how much you're making)
cinnamon
nutmeg
cloves
allspice
cardamom
a little vanilla
any other spices you fancy, adore, and love
The best apples to use are: Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Maclntosh, or another tasty variety, just pick your favorite. :)
directions:
In a large stock pot bring the cider to a boil. Let it boil on medium heat until it's about half the amount you started with. This will assure that any bacteria (the reason little kids can't drink it raw) is killed.
Next; pare (that means peel), core and quarter your apples, then slice them up into thinner slices into a large crock pot.
After the juice is reduced, add it to the apples until they are just covered, reserving whatever juice may be left. You don't have to get rid of the sludgy looking stuff unless you prefer to.
Let the apples and juice sit, ruminate, boil and cook in the crock pot on high until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 8-10 hours. After about 8 hours, check it every so often (half hour) to assure it's not burning. Or just start it in the evening and let it cook on low while you sleep. When you awake it'll likely be finished.
Take a fork and break up the apple pieces if they aren't already broken down as it cooks. When the butter gets to the consistency that you like, press the apples through a colander, food mill, strainer, or puree in a blender.
The consistency should be where if you spoon it there is no liquid separating from it and it stays "mounded", like butter. If it is too thick to your liking, add in more apple juice that's been boiled. Don't add in fresh apple juice, the bacteria hasn't been murdered yet, meaning it's not safe to can.
Now this is the fun part, add whatever and how ever much spices you like according to taste. "Goutez, goutez, goutez!" Try adding a little molasses, or if you want it sweeter, add honey. Although I doubt you'll need to. Go with your taste buds.
Pour the butter straight into quart jars if you want to store them in the fridge or process it to keep on the shelf for a year or two. You process the jars the same as you would do for any other type of jam, preserve, etc. For more info on canning, see here. If you do plan on canning the butter to store (at room temperature), make sure you leave a little bit of head room for the butter in the jars.
Enjoy it on toast, in a peanut butter sandwich or in a smoothie. I love it in my oatmeal. Use your imagination, follow your tummy.
Enjoy!
Jj
15.10.08
in season: winter squash
There are numerous types of produce that are in season during October, being the reason they call it the "harvest" I suppose. One specific type that is grown locally, and in abundance, are winter squash - butternut, butter cup, turban, pumpkins, and spaghetti to name only a few. They can be roasted, baked, fried, pureed, used in appetizers, as main dishes and in all kinds of desserts. They are also uniquely an American vegetable as they are native to the American continents. So show your patriotism and visit a local farmer to pick up a few. Here's one of my favorite ways to eat butternut squash, in Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup. Warms the heart and toes.
To bake any winter squash simply cut the squash in half symmetrically, remove seeds and such, drizzle a little olive oil on the flesh and bake, flesh side down, for at least 45 minutes (depending on the size) in a 350 degree oven; or until tender and soft. Remove the flesh from the rind and use however you fancy. The possibilities are endless!
Jj
