Wondering what to do with the surfeit of multicolored hardboiled eggs in the fridge left over from Easter festivities? Try this elegant spin on traditional deviled eggs. This recipe makes a party-sized batch. Although it can be halved, leftovers are wonderful mashed and used as a sandwich filling. Enjoy, and Happy Spring!
Lemon-Dill Deviled Eggs
- 1 dozen hard-boiled eggs, shelled and halved lengthwise
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream (can use light)
- 11/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Dill sprigs or grated lemon zest and black pepper for garnish
Remove egg yolks from egg halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the hollowed-out whites on a serving platter. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash the yolks.
To the mashed yolks, add mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Fold in chopped dill and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Using a piping bag or a small spoon, fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill or sprinkle lightly with lemon zest and black pepper.
Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These can be made a few hours in advance. For best results, though, don’t garnish until just before serving.
Makes 24.
(Recipe adapted from epicurious.com/Bon Appétit April 2006.)
An Irish tradition at Halloween, colcannon (cál ceannan) is a perfect way to use up some of those lingering winter veggies. Feel free to use any variety of green or white cabbage or even to replace the cabbage with kale. If you like, you can sauté a few slices of bacon, crumble it, and set it aside to mix in right before serving. Use the rendered bacon drippings to sauté the cabbage and onion.
Colcannon
- 2 pounds potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
- Milk, chicken broth, or vegetable stock, as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Grated white cheddar cheese, if desired
Peel, dice, and boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, combine olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onion and shallot. Sauté until onion begins to sweat, and add cabbage. Sauté cabbage mixture until all vegetables are very tender. If necessary, add a little water or stock to moisten.
When potatoes are done, drain and return to pan. Add milk or broth as necessary and mash with a potato masher. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir cabbage mixture into mashed potatoes and transfer to serving bowl. Make a depression in the center and pour the melted butter into it. Sprinkle with grated white cheddar cheese if desired, and serve.
When I think “American fruit,” the first thing that jumps to mind is an image of a fat, red-cheeked apple, juicy-sweet and ready for its transformation into that most classic of American desserts, the apple pie. So, I was a bit suprised to learn recently that not only is that pie not really an American original, but neither is that iconic apple.
In fact, there are only three fruits that are native to North America: the blueberry, the Concord grape, and the cranberry.
Cranberries are grown mainly in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, British Columbia, and Quebec, with additional producers in Delaware, Maine, New York, Michigan, and elsewhere. Currently, well over a quarter of the cranberries produced hail from the New England state of Massachusetts.
Native Americans have been eating cranberries and using them for dye and medicine since at least the sixteenth century. Although others caught on to the culinary benefits fairly early on - Colonial settlers were enjoying cranberry juice by the 1680s - the health benefits of this tart little berry are just starting to be appreciated and acknowledged on a more widespread level.
High in antioxidants and a good source of fiber and vitamin C, cranberries contribute a lot of flavor for a small caloric price-only about 50 calories a cup. And current research shows that compounds in cranberries, called proanthocyanidins, may actually help prevent urinary tract infections by keeping bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder and urethra - and this applies to cranberries in juice, sauce, and fresh or dried berry form. Emerging research supports possible benefits in the areas of dental and cardiac health, cancer and peptic ulcer prevention, and blood cholesterol regulation.
To celebrate the start of the cranberry growing season, which begins in April, here is a wonderfully fragrant, simple recipe for Cranberry Orange Muffins with Walnuts. If you have a bag of whole cranberries in your freezer, purchased 2-for-1 post-Thanksgiving and forgotten till now, go ahead and use those. No thawing or chopping required. If you want to substitute dried, sweetened cranberries, just soak 1/2 cup of dried cranberries in orange juice for about 30 minutes, and don’t add the extra 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Cranberry Orange Nut Muffins
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 large organic eggs
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan or 12-cup standard muffin pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flours, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Roughly chop fresh cranberries and place in a small mixing bowl along with walnuts. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and orange zest, stir to combine, and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the two eggs. Add orange juice and oil and stir. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in cranberry mixture. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for jumbo muffins or 15 to 20 minutes for standard muffins. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and then remove to rack.
Makes 6 jumbo or 12 standard-size muffins
Ah, March. A little bit closer to spring here in the Northeast. That’s spring as in asparagus season! But for now, we’ve still got quite a bit of snow cover and it’s at least 10 degrees below the freezing mark as I write this. So while those little asparagus shoots are still snug in their well-mulched beds, what shall we eat?
Well, on my kitchen counter rests a good-sized butternut squash. This squash has been sitting in my kitchen since sometime this fall, a passive observer to the changing of the seasons. It has witnessed scores of school lunches packed, been wiped clean of Christmas cookie batter flung from emerging beaters, and overseen the Valentine’s Day production of pot after pot of honey-lemon tea for bronchitis-suffering members of the household.
And now, it’s practically begging to be eaten, spared the indignity of counter sitting still at the cusp of spring, this beautiful winter squash. Why hasn’t it been eaten before now? Sentimental reasons. It makes me think of summer. How clearly I remember when this 5-pound squash was just a blossom, then a hard little bud, then a baby-fist-sized squash. I can still recall picking stink bugs off its tender vines. All those fond warm-weather memories encapsulated in this tough, tough shell.
And there’s that. I do kind of dread breaching the shell. (I can’t help but wonder how many squash-related casualties end up in the emergency room each autumn.) But actually, I’ve devised a pretty reliable method for butchering winter squash, so I’m thinking that today’s the day we clear some counter space and say good-bye to Butternut.
Read more…
I love coffee. A lot. By this I mean, I simply cannot begin my day without wrapping my hands around a comfortingly hot mug of steaming coffee. And because I drink it black — without cream or sugar or milk or anything else to disguise any irregularities or imperfections in flavor — I’ll own to a certain pickiness concerning the coffee I buy for brewing at home. Now this doesn’t necessarily translate to “expensive” or “exotic.” It just has to be good, consistent, and robust.So, although I am always on the lookout for practical ways to eat and buy local, sustainable, and organic foods, it was with a touch of reluctance that I took the plunge in the area of my favorite morning beverage. I have a favorite blend. I love this blend. I have been drinking it for years. But I felt I had to at least give the organic stuff a shot. So I walked down the coffee aisle of my local grocery store and picked up the first pound of organic ground coffee I could find. This turned out to be a Starbucks product, the Serena Organic Blend, which Starbucks deems a “medium” coffee. (Turns out that Starbucks makes 2 organics, Serena and Organic Shade Grown Mexico, both of which are considered medium.) I tossed the package into my cart and threw a wistful look back at my own favorite blend.From the package I learned that this coffee was a blend of organic beans from Latin America and East Africa, which was promising. I brewed a pot, poured a cup, sat down to sample. Nice aroma, pleasant enough taste. It was on the mellow side of medium, clean and light tasting, and all together an enjoyable cup of coffee.
There are other organic coffees out there, and I mean to sample them. If I can find one that has all the good qualities of this one with just a bit more oomph, it wouldn’t be hard to make the switch to organic.
Posted on February 24th, 2008 in
Coffee,
Organic food | Author:
Sandy |
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Good news if you’re planning to give flowers this Valentine’s Day: Fair Trade Certified flowers are now widely available in the United States! Many of these flowers are produced by growers in Kenya, Ecuador, and Columbia, which benefit hugely from the revenue provided. When you buy Fair Trade Certified flowers, a portion of the retail price helps to fund education, provide housing and health care, and support micro-businesses, among other worthy enterprises.
Be sure to look for the Fair Trade logo on the label when you purchase your next bouquet. If you don’t see it, ask your florist about it. You can purchase Fair Trade flowers online at 1-800-Flowers.com and at also at Sam’s Club Online, among other places. Check out the Transfair USA Web site for information on additional retailers who carry Fair Trade Certified flowers.
Have a happy Valentine’s Day!
Posted on February 14th, 2008 in
Fair Trade Certified | Author:
Sandy |
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Some folks love Valentine’s Day, others hate it with a curmudgeonly fervor. No matter your perspective, it’s still a great opportunity to indulge in the sweet stuff. So whether your plans include cozily snuggling your way through February 14 with your significant other or you’re bitterly going stag, if you’ll be spending at least part of the day with chocolate in your mouth — and, really, why not?! — consider going organic!
Okay, maybe you won’t easily find organic chocolates in a big frilly heart-shaped box, but overall, organic chocolate is getting easier to find, and as I found out this week, it’s pretty darn good. The chocolate I sampled was Green & Black’s Organic, which I picked for 3 primary reasons:
It was available in both my local health-food store and in Target, and I liked the fact that it was easy to purchase in the mainstream.
It was available in a nice selection of varieties — milk, caramel, almond, Maya Gold, etc.
All of Green & Black’s products are organic, and the Maya Gold line is Fair Trade Certified.
I chose a 1.2-ounce bar of milk chocolate, which I paid about $1.50 (US) for at Target. A little steep for mainstream, but still cheaper than some of the top-shelf chocolate bars available from this retailer. For milk chocolate, this is an extremely flavorful, full-bodied chocolate bar. With 34 percent cocoa, it has an assertive cocoa character, balanced and mellowed by a rich sweetness. This was a really pure-tasting, chocolatey chocolate — no overt hint of caramel or other flavors. Altogether, it was enjoyed and given high marks by both the adults and the kids who tasted it. And an interesting side note — the name of the chocolate brand is not eponymous. The “Green” refers to the organic part; the “Black” evokes the rich, dark color of the chocolate itself.
I’ll admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the flavor and texture of the organic milk chocolate we sampled. I’m looking forward to trying the Maya Gold line, and then, who knows? Back to the candy shelf for more research, probably. I’ll keep you posted. (And let me know if you have any suggestions!)
So, regardles of whether you’re celebrating this Valentine’s Day with a sweetie, do celebrate with a sweet. And make it organic!
Happy hearts and flowers!
Earthy, unbelievably sweet, and loaded with nutrients, these easy-to-prepare roasted beets are a midwinter treat. If you can get your kids to try them, you’ll likely be asked to make this a regular side dish.
Roasted Beets with Orange Horseradish Cream
- 3 medium beets, washed and peeled
- Olive oil
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Orange Horseradish Cream:
- 1/4 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Salt and white pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a 13 × 9-inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cut beets into wedges and place in a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle beet wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Spread beet wedges in a single layer in the bottom of the baking pan. Cover pan with foil and place in a 400 degree F oven. Bake for about 11/2 hours, or until beets are tender when pierced with a fork.
4. For Orange Horseradish Cream: While beets are roasting, combine sour cream or crème fraiche, horseradish, orange zest, and salt and white pepper in a small bowl. Stir well, cover, and let stand in the refrigerator to allow flavors to blend.
5. Serve beets hot or at room temperature, garnished with a tablespoon of Orange Horseradish Cream.
Makes 4 servings.
Want to eat local but aren’t sure where to get the goods? Here are 5 of the best places to find locally grown and produced foods.
1. Down on the Farm
Pick-your-own (PYO) farms, farmers markets, farmstands, and roadside garden stands are all excellent places to go to for fresh local produce. You may find other foods here too-eggs, jams and preserves, honey, baked goods, and the like.
2. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), or Farm Share
For an upfront sum, subscribers get a weekly or monthly portion of produce–fruits and veggies, eggs, milk, and so forth. Some CSA arrangements require a little dirty work during the height of the growing season, but others are strictly pay and pick up.
3. Food Co-ops
These are not your mother’s co-ops! The food co-ops of today have come a long way in terms of both what they offer and who they offer it to. Count on plenty of organic dried bulk items as well as an abundance of fresh local produce in season. Again, you may be asked to help out on a rotating schedule, but you may not. Some co-ops are members-only; others are open to the public.
4. Grow Your Own
Discover your inner green thumb! Indoors or outdoors, on patios, windowsills, balconies, or back-forties, gardens are fast becoming one of the most popular way to “eat green.” Many favorite varieties of fruits and veggies have been developed specifically for growing in small spaces. There’s no question that growing your own costs less, and there’s no way to get fresher seasonal produce.
5. Back to Nature
If you hear the call of the wild, answer it! Hunting, fishing, and foraging are time-honored ways of bringing food to the table. Make sure you have the proper permits as required by your state, and invest some time in learning the basics of safe hunting and foraging. Proceed with caution.
Have some suggestions of your own for where to find the finest local foods? I’d love to hear about them! Feel free to send me your comments and suggestions on where you get your local produce, meat, poultry, grains, etc.
This past week, I paid a visit to my local health food store, looking to buy some poppyseed. On the way to the bulk spices, I got sidetracked by the grain bins, which turned out to be a serendipitous thing. Staring at the six or eight varieties of bulk oats offered, the steel-cut oats caught my eye.
I’m a big fan of oatmeal. Everyone knows it’s good for you. Very good, in fact. A 1-cup serving packs 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein, with 150 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. Additionally, oats are an excellent source of manganese and a good source of phosphorus, thiamin, and magnesium. All that, plus there’s good evidence to suggest that eating oatmeal on a regular basis can help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. I’m down with that!
But steel-cut oats are hard core, literally. I’d heard horror stories about pots of these stalwart oats that never cooked, despite hours on the range. Making breakfast, especially oatmeal, shouldn’t be as labor intensive as making risotto! I leaned in. But those oats were so compelling. They looked good; hearty and nutritious. They looked, to me, like grains that had fallen directly from the waving stalk into the Plexiglas bin.
Besides, I thought, even Quaker brand is jumping on the steel-cut bandwagon. Anything that mainstream can’t be too hard to figure out. I scooped up a pound of organic steel-cut oats: 89 cents worth. Poured them into a bag, slapped the price code label on, paid. Left feeling pretty good about my bag of cheap, nutritious oats.
It wasn’t till I got home that I remembered two important things about my visit to the health food store: 1) I’d neglected to buy the poppyseed, and 2) bulk foods don’t come with instructions.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I burned the first batch of oatmeal. Which I had attempted to cook in 4 cups of milk. (That hurt.) The second incarnation, however, was perfect. Lesson learned, and now shared. Enjoy! Read more…
Posted on January 30th, 2008 in
Local food,
Organic food,
recipes | Author:
Sandy |
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