Pfeffernüße

This recipe is a fat free dough; a spiced, sweet holiday treat.

Because there's no fat in the dough, it's best to bake them on sprayed parchment paper.

Traditional pfeffernüße are usually hard after they've cooled - then stored for a few weeks in loosely covered tins.  During this time, the spices develop a full flavour and the flour absorbs moisture, making them edible.

I can't wait for weeks, so this recipe produces ready to eat cookies.  Simply dust with powered sugar while still hot and cover them while they cool.

December 2012 Gardening

The same things are still growing in the garden, but a recent bit of warm weather has brought some new progress.  While most people are out Christmas shopping, I'm in the garden. Mixed carrots: it's much of a melange, but they've all got a sweet, crisp flavour.  Recent rain and some fertilization have caused the noticeable hair-like roots. They're growing big, all the same.

Three kales, freshly mulched and growing well:

Black/Italian/Dino

Russian

Curly Blue

Broccoli - just getting started.  Even if it doesn't fully mature, the greens are perfect in stir-fry.

Gluten Free Apple and Pear Tarte

The gluten free crust is made from ground almonds, walnuts pecans and oats. Mixed apples and pears, garnished with dried cranberries.

Gluten free and vegan can taste great.

Bread and Jam

Made from scratch whole-wheat brioche with homemade  jam.

Citronnée chou frisé

Three varieties of baby kale with lemon juice and macadamia oil.  Garnished with fleur de sel and roasted pine nuts.

Balsamic Baby Carrots

Blanched baby carrots in a sauce of balsamic vinegar, macadamia oil and fresh basil.  Served with fresh beet leaves.

asperges et pommes de terre

From the grill: asparagus and mixed new potatoes, served over sesame brown rice.

Fall Gardening 2012

Fresh baby carrots:

Russian, Black and Curly Kale:

The open air garden patch: carrots, kale, broccoli, beets, mixed greens.

Lettuce in the cold frame:

Black Risotto

Although it's not a classic risotto (not made with Arborio rice) it's got an amazing flavour.  The rice is full grain, so texture is a bit looser and chewy. Forbidden rice and black trumpet mushrooms, garnished with pan roasted parsnips.

Morel and Truffle Risotto

Such deep flavours!

Morels and truffles are both pricy, so I don't make this often.  All the same, it's a worthwhile treat!

Porcini and kale risotto

For now, here's an amazingly flavoured dish with the earthy taste of mushroom and fresh kale.

Chanterelle and Pea Risotto

Sweet peas and savoury mushrooms make this risotto a winner.

Shiitake and sweet pepper Risotto: How-To

First: start a stock (or you could use prepared stock).  Do not salt the stock, or it will make the final result unpleasantly salty.

Risotto needs a particular sort of rice: Abborio

Rinse the rice, otherwise it gets sticky.

Saute diced onions until transparent, then add the rice and continue the sauteing for a few moments more.

Then add the vege stock one ladle at a time and continue to saute.

The rice is ready when the rice is "toothsome" - al dente.

Baked Acorn Squash with Quinoa

First, wash, cut-in-half, place on oiled baking sheet.

Bake about 45 minutes or until the squash becomes softened.

While it's baking, prepare a filling mix of cooked quinoa, pine nuts, sauteed: parsnips, cranberries, peppers and onions.

Season the squash with salt and fill with the quinoa mix.

Split Pea Soup

  Start with some onions, herbs, celery and pepper.

After adding the peas and chanterelle mushrooms and cooking until the peas become soft, it doesn't look very glamorous.

It can easily be given a nice green colour naturally, by adding pureed greens.

Garnish and serve:  Split pea soup with chanterelles

Soufflé au chocolat

It's got whipped egg white, sugar, dutch process cocoa, salt.  I'll probably add vanilla and cayenne, next time.

It's so fluffy!

I didn't use a recipe, or a guide - I'd only seen souffle made on tv once, but it seemed to be a straight forward process.  I'm just blessed.

Sweet and Savoury Gruyère, Pecan and Apple Tarte

Sweet, savoury, roasty and smooth flavour!  Since there's no real baking that has to be done - this is a quick and easy dish.

Add sliced apples and grated gruyère to a tortilla.  Broil until the cheese just begins to brown.  Remove from oven and add pecans.  Broil again for 2 minutes.

Concept: Double Breasted Cardigan

I designed this as I was on a train, leaving the Alps.  I found myself rather chilly, so I was inspired to make something warm.  This will be a lined cardigan, cotton inside and out.

Muscadine

It's autumn and the muscadines are ripe! These grapes are a Southern tradition - their flavour isn't quite grape, or pineapple, or peach; rather a combination.

They have different hues: bronze and burgundy

The flavour varies slightly between the two colours, but it's amazing all the same.

Unlike most grapes, the skin isn't generally eaten, rather the chewy fruit is squeezed out and the seeds removed.

Apple Pie

This is one of Chloé's recipes.  Rather than the typical pastry top crust, this pie is covered with a crumble of brown sugar, cinnamon, oats and butter. It's one of the most flavourful and rich pies I've ever tasted.