It's Not too Late, Make a Date for Pesto

As the days are drawing shorter it seems as if each waking morning the air is just a bit cooler. I am reminded to take just one more moment to savor the remaining fruits of the summer. 

A dinner just recently hosted by Slow Food Minnesota  at Garden Farme with Bruce Bacon and Chef Erik Sather from Bar La Grassa was the perfect event.

The evening was filled with friendly faces, glorious plants and plenty of delicious organic foods. We learned about basil as Erik put on a pesto making demo. He made pesto not only from basil but Arugula and mint as well. 

Bruce talking about the variety of spicy mustard greens he grows

A row of vibrant lettuces

Bruce led us on a tour through his three beautiful gardens and shared about his unique organic farming methods. It was truly refreshing to see the farm to table concept so close to home to learn about local restaurants that are supporting this trend and why we should all be concerned with farm-to-city issues, knowing where our food is coming from and how it has been handled will continue the healthy of our selves or families and our planet. 

Erik Sather and he freshly made Pesto

My Dinner Plate, So fresh and delicious

We picked up some tasty treats to bring a bit of the farm home with us. A big bunch a basil to make fresh pesto and sorrel to make one of Joey’s favorite Polish soups. I must say it was one of the best batches I have ever made just picturing the farm and Bruce picking it made it that much more special. I encourage you to find out where your produce in really coming from and taste the difference when sampling something that has been grown locally. There is still time for one last batch of homemade pesto enjoy!

Polski Makowiec Dla Was! (Polish Poppy Seed Bread for you!)

I am proud to announce that my entry into the Twin Cities Polish Festival baking contest took first place this past weekend! I made the traditional Makowiec (pronounced "Ma-KOH-viets") 

Photo taken by Scott Knutson, Insideout Studios

It is a classic Polish dessert or tea bread that is commonly served around the holidays. Made from a sweet yeast dough with butter, eggs, and even a bit of sour cream filled with a freshly made poppy seed paste then rolled up and glazed with a simple icing. Little did I know that I chose the most complex out of the three potential categories for the contest, and that you can actually buy poppy seed filling already made, ready to go. But no, I made my own and not just once, but several versions until I found what I thought was the best one. Now, I must say that this bread is soft, unique and quite delicious; but do not enter into this without allowing yourself at least 3 hours. Trust me the efforts are worth it, but man do I wish I had a cute little Polish grandma to make it for me. All the hard work paid off with a pretty blue ribbon and a very proud future mother in-law. Here is my winning recipe, maybe it will be a new tradition for you too.

All the winners of the contest

Note the sweet Polish lady next to my right, said that you could wrap the rolls in parchment paper before baking them to help keep the shape round and the filling tightly together. It sounds like it would work, as this was one of the hardest struggles for me. Don’t worry though even if your roll is not prefect it is still way delicious. 

Enjoy!

Makowiec

Qty      Measure         Ingredient

------------------------------------------------------------

2          Teaspoon       Dried Yeast (same as 1, 7g packet)

2          Teaspoon       Caster Sugar

½         Cup                Milk, lukewarm

1          Pound +         Bread Flour plus more for dusting (3 1/2 cups)

1/2       Cup                Caster Sugar, extra (11g)

1          Teaspoon       Salt

1/2       Cup                Butter, melted and cooled (100g)

1/4       Cup                Sour Cream

2          Each               Eggs, lightly whisked

1          Teaspoon       Vanilla

1          Teaspoon       Orange Zest

2          Tablespoon    vegetable oil to grease the bowl

FILLING

1 1/2       Cups            Poppy Seeds

1/2          Cup              Caster Sugar

1/4          Cup              Butter

1/4          Cup             Milk,

1/4          Cup             Honey

1/4          Cup             Raisins

1/4          Cup             Dried apricots

1             Teaspoon    Vanilla extract

2              Each           Egg whites, slightly beaten

ICING

¾         Cup                 Powdered Sugar      

1          Tablespoon    Butter, melted

1          Tablespoon    Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

¼         Teaspoon       Vanilla

Instructions:

1. Combine yeast, sugar and half the milk in a bowl. Set aside in a warm, place for 10 minutes or until frothy.

2. Combine the flour, extra sugar and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture, butter, sour cream, egg, vanilla, orange zest and remaining milk. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a large bowl with oil to grease. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a clean towel. Set aside in a warm,  place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

4. For the filling, grind poppy seeds in a coffee grinder place in a bowl and cover with boiling water, set aside for 30min to soften. Drain. In the bowl of a food processor combine the raisins and apricots and process until coarsely chopped. In a saucepan melt the butter and add the raisins, milk, honey, vanilla and poppy seeds . Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

5. Lightly whisk the egg whites in a bowl. Add to the filling and stir to combine.

6. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a rectangle. Spread filling over dough, leaving a 1-inch wide border. With one short edge facing you, fold the bottom one-third of the dough into the center. Fold again to enclose. Fold ends under. Place on the lined tray. Bake for 35 minutes.

Try wrapping with parchment here for more round looking results

 7. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Whisk in the butter, orange juice,  and vanilla until the icing reaches pouring consistency. spread over the cake. Set aside for 10 minutes or until set.

 

Freezing note: Wrap in plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Label, date and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and frost if desired.

Yields: 2 loaves

A Glimpse of a Food Shoot, The Pretty Chicken

Check out the latest look into a day in the life of a food shoot with this video. A fun day in the studio with photographer Chris Bohnhoff, Nate Ryan and a chicken. Who knew a chicken could be so pretty.

MMM Cheese!

The Big Cheese is what they call it. Rachael Ray has listed it as one of four "over the top" grilled cheese sandwiches in the nation. Two types of mouthwatering melty cheese goodness layered between toasted sourdough bread and fresh tomatoes it is worth a try.

I had the chance to visit The Cheese Factory in Wisconsin Dells this weekend. Located just 1 mile off I-90/94 this charming restaurant is well worth the stop. They are serving up breakfast, lunch, dinner, amazing desserts, and old-fashioned soda fountain delights daily. Be sure to check out the great vegan and gluten free menu as well. You are sure to find something to please everyone at this cozy diner.

Eat your way through Minneapolis!

I had the great opportunity to participate in one of the Twin Cities Food Tours this past weekend. Laurie Rupe, owner of Twin Cities Food Tours, did a fabulous job incorporating the unique history of Minneapolis with a wide variety of tasty treats. The 3-hour walking tour begins at Local D’Lish, a charming grocery store busting with local products and beautiful fresh produce. Not only can you find meats and daily items too, you can feel the love in this store. Here you know you are supporting high quality local producers. The story of how this magnificent sore came to be, is one of true passion for seeking out the best in the foods we consume.

 Next we took a short walk over the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. We learned some fun facts about the old Grain Belt Brewery sign, while taking in a view of the start of the falls. At Punch Pizza our second food stop not only did we get to taste two different authentic Neapolitan pizzas, we also learned about the “Pizza Police.” You must take the tour and find out which Hollywood celebrity said it was the best pizza they had ever eaten.  

The Brick Wood Fire Oven at Punch

No food tour would be complete without a visit to the long time Northeast Minneapolis favorite Kramarczuk’s. This family run market and deli is dishing up the finest in Eastern European comfort foods. Making all their fresh sausages in house, it seems they have an endless variety. Try taking a guess at how many sausages they make each week for one of their largest clients, the MN TWINS.  

Next a short historical walk past the oldest, continuously used church in MN, and a look at the Ard Godfrey House will help work up an appetite for what I think is the hidden gem of the tour, Gorkha Palace. I have driven past this little corner of Northeast Minneapolis and never seen this restaurant. You will try one of her famous Momos, a traditional Tibetan pot sticker, which is bursting with rich authentic flavors using local ingredients. Rashmi, the owner, goes far beyond serving conscientious, high quality food; her staff is exceptional in customer service as well. 

 Tibetan pot sticker, Momo

 Lastly what better way to complete a meal then with dessert, just one block away at Gardens of Salonica.  You will try, not just one, but three varieties of traditional Greek desserts. With all of them being equally delicious, it was hard to pick a favorite. I could not believe the amount if information and tasty food that was packed into such a short time.

  Enjoy a nice walk around the city and sign up for a Twin Cities Food Tour. Tours run Saturday’s at 11am and 3pm or inquire about a private tour.

Food With a View

New Zealand is a country known for it's spectacular and extremely diverse geological features, ranging from rain forest, to thermal areas of boiling mud, glaciers and volcanic valleys. It offers many attractions for locals and tourists. But did you know New Zealand offers the same appeal in it's multicultural influenced cuisine. Whether it be a casual meal or a fine dining affair, New Zealand will be sure to please your palette.

Driven by local and seasonal agriculture, you will not find a shortage of delicious ripe produce at any time of the year. Just look for the small fruit and vegetable stands along the roads, or stop by one of the wonderful local farmers markets usually held on weekends. The cuisine is British based, using words such as "tea" to describe the largest meal at the end of the day. It also takes on many aspects of the neighboring Pacific rim and native Maori people which are of Polynesian decent. New American Cuisine, Southeast Asia, and more recently Indian traditions, have made an influence of the choice of common dishes and restaurants found throughout New Zealand.

While I was recently in New Zealand, I had a chance to experience an evening event where they cooked a traditional Maori meal in earth ovens called Hangi.

Traditionally the the foods would be packed in leaves and then placed in the ground with heated stones and covered with several layers of damp cloths. Originally they would have used leaves and other foliage to wrap the foods. The foods included lamb, pork, chicken and a variety of root vegetables squash, carrots and kumara (sweet potato).

 New Zealand has a diverse marine life abundant in fresh fish such as Kahawai, Snapper, and Orange Roughy. They are also well known for their lobsters most commonly called "crayfish" and  green -lipped mussels one of the largest species.

A half Crayfish

Maple Smoked Salmon with Potato Gnocchi, Fennel Salad and Basil Oil

No trip to New Zealand is complete without an order of hot fish and chips made with catch of the day. I love the causal experience of getting it wrapped in paper and eating by the water. If they have it on the menu, try out a Paua fritter the flesh is actually black and has a unique salty fish taste.

 Below are some of my other New Zealand favorites from the recent trip. 

 Enjoy the view and imagine the tastes.

Roasted Asparagus with Jamon Serrano, Almond Hollandaise and Arugula

 

Truffled Fried with Parmesan

Pirinoa Station lamb Shoulder with Pancetta Crushed New potatoes and Minted Peas

Turkey Confit with Bacon Sage Stuffing, Pork Sausage and Cranberry Relish

Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Almonds 

I thought this was the prettiest presentation of Bangers and Mash I had ever seen

Duck Confit with Apple and Fennel Salad

Garlic and Chili Artichoke Hearts with Cherry Tomatoes, Rocket, olive and sundried tomato tapenade

Mustard and Herb Crusted Lamb Rack, Kumara Fondant, Ratatouille Vegetables and Truffle jus

Wild Fiordland Venison rubbed with Horopito, served
with Forest Mushrooms, Buttered Beans and Sweet Potato Mash

New Zealand has several different wine regions. Mainly notated for it's bright green, grassy and citrus Sauvignon Blancs, as well as their soft luxurious Pinot Noir.  We found that each area did a particular kind of grape very well. We really enjoyed the rich flavors from the more robust wines that came from the Hawkes Bay area, like this Cabernet Merlot Malbec blend produced at Newton Forrest. Also the unique dryness, of their not so sweet Rieslings are worth a try.

Mango Coconut Panna Cotta with Caramelized Lime and Chili Sauce

Chocolate Mousse Cake with Brandy Cherry Sorbet & Orange Blossom Cream

Passion Fruit Marscarpone Cheesecake

   
 As you can see there is a wealth of unique and delicious foods to be enjoyed in New Zealand. With a large population lamb, deer and cattle farms on the rise, fresh fish in all the waters and an abundance of ripe produce I am sure you will find much to fall in love with.

If you are planning a trip to New Zealand feel free to contact me. I am happy to pass along a few  recommendations to get you started on your culinary journey.

Holiday Liquor

It is not too late to whip up a batch of limoncello for the holidays. This popular Italian lemon liqueur mainly  produced in southern Italy has become a family favorite for us and the perfect way to end any special meal.

This recipe came from Italy but after many years of playing with different American liquors and not ever getting it quite right my Polish boyfriend turned me on to Spirytus. Spirytus is a liquor that no one should ever drink right out of the bottle and for that reason it is perfect for mixing with lemons. I have tried several different liquors vodka, Ever Clear and have even experimented with different flavors like orange, lime and cranberry. The lemon is still the favorite of many and so I will share my process with you.

Happy Holidays!

This was our largest batch ever using 70 large lemons. I will give you the measurements for a smaller starter batch.

You will need:
1.75 liters of Alcohol, pure distilled
3 liters of water
2 pounds sugar
about 30 lemons

 First peal the lemons in to a large glass container. For this recipe to be a success we want the lemon skins because they hold most of the flavor. I used to peal everything the a knife but I have found as our batches grew in size the a sharp vegetable peeler works just as well. The key here is to get the peal with out getting a lot of the white pith of the lemon because the pitch makes it bitter.

This is the Polish liquor I use sadly I have only found it in Illinois.

 Next pour your liquor of choice over the lemon peals. The liquor should come just about 1 inch over the top of the lemon peals. Cover and tightly seal your container. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 48 hours, for larger batches I prefer 72 hours.

This is what happens when you only use the peals of 70 lemons. You are left with a lot of extra juice. It dose freeze well in ice cube trays for later use but I suggest you make friends who like lemon bars and lemon curd if you are going to make this a hobby.

OK, you let the peals and liquor sit for 2-3 days. Now remove the lemon peals form the alcohol and place in a large pot with the water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil for 5 min. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

The water mixture is in the glass container the alcohol is in the bowl.

When cooled remove the lemon peals from the water mixture and discard. Combine the water mixture with the alcohol by pouring through a filter to remove any impurities.

This last batch made 8, 1-1.5 liter bottles

As you combine the water with the alcohol it will turn a bight cloudy yellow. Carefully bottle the mixture and store in the freezer.

Traditionally Limoncello is served chilled as an after-dinner digestive.