Homemade Mayo

Before I loose your attention, let me tell you that you can make homemade mayonnaise in 8 minutes! (and in even less time in a food processor) Alton Brown's Good Eats episode intrigued me with the science of emulsion and I can no longer eat store bought mayo. Another factor that makes homemade mayo so delicious... the use of fresh eggs. The yolks are dark yellow and they add a wonderful richness to the sauce. This mayo is a darker yellow than the typical brand (because of the yolks and mustard) but that's just added character! Although I can't say that I improved on Alton's recipe, I will say that I adapted the recipe to my taste. Small side note: It isn't recommended that those with compromised immune systems or pregnant women consume raw egg; use a pasteurized egg instead.

Home Mayonnaise:

1 large fresh egg yolk

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1/2 to 1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup canola oil

-Whisk together the egg yolk, juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt until blended and bright yellow.

-In a VERY slow stream add the oil to the egg mixture while whisking vigorously for several minutes. When the mayo is combined and thick, cover and chill for a few hours.

Leftover mayo makes great garlic aioli, but my favorite thing to do is make...

Tuna Salad:

1/3 cup homemade mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 lb chunky white tuna

1 small shallot, minced

2 ribs of celery, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

-Whisk mayo, sour cream, juice, and dill to combine. Stir in remaining ingredients and chill. (If shallots are too strong, you can soak them in ice water for an hour before adding them to the recipe)

Eating Cauliflower

Not only is this recipe super easy to make, but its one of the only ways I can get Seth to eat cauliflower! This member of the cabbage family is high in Vitamin C, dietary fiber, and folate. One cup of cauliflower contains 25 calories and 3 grams of fiber. Odd fact about cauliflower... it doesn't just come in white! Orange, purple, and bright green varieties, due to antioxidant coloration, are delicious and can usually be found in specialty markets. My CSA grew a pale purple variety, which is what I used for this dish. I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light's version, just because butter really brings out the cauliflower flavor and the citrus adds a nice kick. Enjoy!

Lemon Mustard Cauliflower

1 small head of cauliflower

1 tsp Kosher salt

4 Tbsp butter, melted

Juice and zest from one lemon

3 Tbsp whole grain mustard

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. Cut cauliflower into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and roast about 15 minutes.

-Whisk together remaining ingredients and spoon over cauliflower and roast until tender crisp (around 15- 20 minutes longer) Yield: 6 servings

California Eats

Well it has been a while since I’ve been able to blog. Seth and I just got back from our vacation to San Francisco and San Luis Obispo California, and we had a wonderful time visiting family, tasting wine, and generally touring around. So I thought I’d write a few of our favorite eats along the way, starting with our dinner at Café Chez Panisse...

 First off, they made their own sparkling water on site and the black crusty bread and creamy herb butter was enough to satisfy before the meal started. My salad was a delicious peppery argugula and fennel salad with a savory hand-stretched mozzarella topped with an olive tapenade. Seth LOVED the combination of the flavorful cheese paired with the salty tapenade. My main entrée consisted of veal medallions and herb roasted chanterelle mushrooms (which tasted as if they were picked from the woods that day). The preparation was so simple and the flavors of the ingredients really stood out! Seth’s buttermilk fried halibut with sweet and sour peppers was tangy and delicious. The buttermilk batter was so light it could have been tempura, yet it stayed true to the richness of buttermilk. For dessert, we shared a fig and raspberry clafoutis topped with fennel cream, and it was the perfect ending to a fabulous dinner! As you can tell, Seth really spoiled me on this trip  J 

Other delicious eats worth noting:

-Dark black-crusted peasant bread from Boulange in San Fran

-Free home-style breakfast at the Marine Memorial hotel with apple wood smoked sausage and blueberry pancakes

-Big Sky’s beignets filled with real raspberries (none of that jelly stuff)

-The four course dinner and wine pairings at the Cass House, where I tasted my first fois gras, sauternes, and veal marrow. Delicious!

-Many of the wonderful wineries and tasting rooms: Per Bacco, Tally, Turley, L’Adventure, Four Vines, and Saucilito. And for once, we bought more whites than reds. Very odd for us because we LOVED the pinots, syrah, and zins of Paso Robles, but this trip renewed our interest in chardonnay, viognier, and roussane.

-All the wonderful food Hannah (Seth’s sister) made, including focaccia,  goat cheese and bread quiches, along with bacon!

Minty Garlic Carrots

As I was writing a paper on the standardization of the processed food choice, I ran across an article (that I now wish I could find!) that mentioned fewer and fewer kids are recognizing the whole form of a carrot. Baby carrots are very convenient, but if that's all we eat then we are surly missing out! I'm not saying baby carrots are bad, but maybe we could make the switch every now and then just so the kids recognize a carrot in its natural state, or better yet plant some and dig them up!

This carrot recipe is not only delicious but super easy! Seth was a little skeptical about the combination of ingredients, but after trying he LOVED them. Carrots are low calorie due to their fiber and water content and they're an excellent source of Vitamin A.

Minty Garlic Carrots

4 large carrots cut into medallions

2 Tbsp chopped mint

3 garlic cloves

1 Tbsp butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1.) Place all ingredients in a pan and fill with water to almost cover carrots. Simmer until fork tender. Serves 2!

Summer Salads

When I first signed up my CSA, I was feeling ambitious and excited about fresh veggies each week! I didn't realize how MANY veggies I would be receiving. Seth is on deployment, so I've been forced to get creative with my cooking and share with friends. I also have a very full freezer! Below is a picture of the shed where we pick up our produce. Wish I had more time to write, but I'm busy blanching. Oh, and try this tangy raspberry vinaigrette while the summer greens are still delicious. And some fabulous Walla Walla onions!
Raspberry and Shallot Vinaigrette
1 cup fresh or unsweetened frozen raspberries
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp honey
1.) Puree the raspberries, vinegar, and olive oil until smooth. Stir in honey and shallots. Add more honey if you prefer a sweeter vinaigrette.

Green Goddess Dressing

Everyone has fond memories about visits with the grandparents. Many of mine include picking blueberries, learning to make the best cornbread dressing, and watching my granddaddy fix breakfast. But one memory sticks out in my mind... my first encounter with Green Goddess Salad Dressing. With a title like that, you couldn't help but be intrigued! I saw my grandfather open the bottle and began to pour it over his salad. It was green, slightly globby, and I wanted no part of it! Why was I so opposed? This was the man who taught me to eat and enjoy sardines, surely he could convince me to try a salad dressing! My mother explained that it was a very popular salad dressing years ago (Invented in San Francisco in the 1920s) and I should try a bite. Despite their best efforts, I couldn't get past the odd green color and strange title.

Recently I was flipping through a food magazine and a recipe jumped off the page "GREEN GODDESS DRESSING." As I read through the ingredients I realized this dressing was not as scary as it seemed... avocado, mayo, chives, basil, anchovies, lemon juice. I began to wonder what made me avoid the dressing. Putting the past aside, I grabbed my food processor and began to create my second encounter with Green Goddess Dressing. Yes, it was green and slightly gloppy, but it was delicious! Very herbaceous and it blended perfectly with the salad greens from my garden.

I substituted the traditional mayo for sour cream, added whatever herbs were alive in my garden, and I did use anchovies! You can't even taste them but they add an important umami flavor that ties the dressing together. If you're scared of anchovies, don't be! They're actually in most of the Caesar salad dressings you eat and most people can't even tell. Just a nice little surprise, like Green Goddess!

Green Goddess Salad Dressing:
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup sour cream
2 anchovy fillets
2 Tbsp basil
2 cloves garlic
1 small shallot
juice and zest from 1/2 lime
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sherry
2 Tbsp Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over a fresh green salad or use as a dip for a veggie tray!

Ice-cream fit for the Fourth of July!

Seth and I have been married just over a year now! Times flies not only when you're having fun, but more so when your husband is in the Navy! I wish we could have spent the 4th together (as well as our anniversary), but I was thankful to be flown back to Atlanta to be with my family and close friends. What a blessing they have been! They have also put up with many of my crazy recipe adventures, such as chocolate cherry and Baileys' ice-cream. While I do enjoy Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice-cream, I always finish craving more tart cherries, and dark chocolate! My dad received an ice-cream maker for Father's Day and I thought that the 4th would be a wonderful time to make this frozen dessert.

Chocolate, Cherry, and Bailey's Ice-cream-

(Makes one quart)

Cherries:

1 cup pitted and halved fresh cherries

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

1/4 cup sugar

-Bring all ingredients to a simmer. Cook for a minute until cherries give up some of their juice. Refrigerate.

Ice-Cream:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar (more if you prefer sweeter cream)

-Bring cream, milk, and sugar to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Chill overnight.

Add ins:

2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream, depending on your taste

3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate

-Pour cream mixture into ice-cream maker and follow machine directions. Add Bailey's to taste.

-When ice-cream has reached desired consistency pour into a freezable container. Stir in cherries with a little juice and chocolate. (If you prefer pink ice-cream you can add the cherries and chocolate into the maker while it is still turning. ) Freeze a couple of hours before serving.

-Scoop ice-cream into a chilled bowl, drizzle with extra cherry juice and Enjoy!