Learn Something New Everyday: Blanching Almonds

Now it may seem a bit odd to squander a summer entry on 'how to blanch almonds', but this is all part of my master plan to introduce you to Horchata.  Horchata and I met recently by way of the food trucks in Red Hook (not far from Chez Pip).  Nothing beats a lazy Saturday afternoon that's complete with a refreshing ‘learn something new everyday’ moment.

Don’t quote me (because I’m quoting Wikipedia), but I am teaching you how to make Mexican Horchata.  This means blanched almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and, most importantly, rice.

So let’s get back to blanching.  Blanching almonds is dead easy and a skill that you can use year round (flourless chocolate cake for example).  Starting with 'Equipment', here’s how:

Equipment

• Something to boil water in (kettles are useful things... put one on your wish list if you don't have one already)
• A bowl

(Pretty easy so far... right?)

Ingredients

• Raw Almonds (for the Horchata recipe you will need a cup of them)

Method

• Place almonds in a bowl
• Pour boiling water over them
• Let almonds sit briefly until you can pluck one out and slip the nut from the now puckered skin.

You did it!  For next week's follow-up Horchata recipe you will need to have rice, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract a sweetener (sugar? agave?) and a lime.  Useful equipment will be a blender, a spice grinder (helpful but not strictly necessary) and a fine mesh strainer or some cheesecloth.  

Ready yourself for a dairy-free, delightful and delicious culinary 'learn something new every day' moment!

Fresh Garlic

Last week's 'try-something-new' purchase was too extravagant (large) for the usual kitchen photo spot.  These impressive stalks (elegantly seated on the deck) are Fresh Garlic.

This is what garlic looks like before the bulb is separated from the stem, and before it takes on the white papery outfit that we are so accustomed to.  

Originally intended for a pickling recipe, I ended up *braising these impressive fellows, serving them last night over salmon burgers.  They were milder than you might think and there are plenty left over for an omelet.  I’m also thinking that they would make a nice addition to mashed potatoes.  Certain to be at the farmer’s market again this week, I may get a few more stalks for this weekends’ grilling moment.  My guess is that they will keep good company with their fellow destined-for-the-grill-basket vegetables.

* Braising, in this case (although braising is most often mentioned regarding the preparation of meat) meant a quick sauté of the thinly sliced lower ends followed by some chicken broth and a tight lid.  Leaving them at a low simmer until tender and serving them as a garnish at room temperature was just the trick! 

Shocking!

Sugar Snap peas are at the market.  Not shocking news, but a little shock treatment and you have an almost instant snack.  We’ve done this before, but I wanted you to know that you don’t have to save the ‘shock treatment’ for sugar snaps  (even though they are today’s photo op).  Broccoli, asparagus, carrots, green beans, snow peas all brighten up after a little hot/cold treatment. 

Here’s how:

Get a large pot of water to a ‘rolling boil’ (large bubbles) and throw in some salt.

While the water is coming to a boil, wash, cut and trim your veg (only if it needs it).  Smaller pieces will cook more quickly and what we are attempting today (no worries… I have every confidence in your success) is to quickly produce brightly colored veg that is only marginally cooked and retains an almost ‘raw’ character (let’s keep it real!).

Also while waiting for the pot to boil (it’s large after all and has more water in it than you think you need), prepare the ‘shocking’ part: a large bowl containing ice cubes and cold water.

Find your spider, large strainer, slotted spoon or tongs (in other words, something to grab the veg from the jaws of being over-cooked).

Action time!

The water is boiling; quickly tip the prepared veg into the boiling maelstrom.

Wait just long enough for the color to heighten and depending on what’s in there, pull it out now! (or wait a minute or two if you want it cooked just a little)

Grab the ‘get-it-out-of-the-pot-quick-tool’ and quickly transfer the veg from the hot water to the cold cold ice bath….. burrrrrrrrr, who knew that there could be such drama kitchen-side?!

Once your veg has truly chilled out (you may be in a moment of perfect food/cook synchronicity), you can toss it in a little vinaigrette, make a simple dip, pull out some of that fancy salt you rarely use or simply mangia tutto (eat it up)!

Not so shocking after all, but I hope you surprised yourself!

The Commonality of Celery and Grapes

You’ve probably guessed what I’m talking about already. Maybe. If not, what do celery and grapes have in common? They are instant snacks. Pretty much wash and go. Celery usually needs a little trimming on the bottom, but apart from that (and a shower), this is one of those ready to eat staples. Add a little peanut butter or, if you really want to go to town, yogurt dip, and you’re talking snack fest!

Look for heads of celery that are glossy and firm with a minimum of brown scars or damage to the stems. If you have the option, choose heads with leaves attached (when we get into soups later in the season you’ll be glad of them). Store lightly wrapped in a damp cloth inside a container or plastic bag with holes (loosely closed).

If you are not crazy about the fibrous strands along a celery rib (which is what you call one of the pieces from the stalk), you can easily strip them away. Once you’ve trimmed the rib, simply take a paring knife and you will feel the raised bits along the cut edge. Grabbing them with your knife and thumb, you can pull the strands away.

Speaking of which, celery is a terrific source of dietary fiber and potassium along with some Vitamin C and B6 thrown in for good measure.

Other fun stuff? Birds, guinea pigs, horses, squirrels, small rodents and even dogs love celery (Pip agrees). If you want to know about celery in history (and who doesn’t?) check out the page in Wikipedia. Garlands of celery leaves were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. In Homer’s Iliad, horses graze on wild celery and it’s mentioned in the Odyssey as having been outside the cave of Calypso (a sea goddess who was crazy about Odysseus. He must have eaten celery sometime during the seven years that she kept him hostage… grapes too for that matter).

So there you have it! An instant snack for your favorite dog, rodent, goddess, hero or even yourself!

Lettuce Wrap-Up

What did the salad say to the… oh never mind… let’s save that joke for the next time you hang out with a four year old.

What you do need to know, is how to store your lettuce and not waste a bit of goodness.

The hardier sorts of leafy greens, like Romaine, have greater tolerance for sitting in the fridge. Leaf lettuce, like our friend Red, will not last quite as long. Wash and dry both of these, wrap in some paper towels and store inside a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Our other favorite, Arugula, is fast company and requires (well, prefers) slightly different treatment. Use it ASAP, but if you need to store it, wrap the roots in a damp paper towel and store in a plastic bag. Of all our featured leafy greens, Arugula needs to be enjoyed first.

Salad time is just around the corner, so lettuce be ready!

Main Squeeze

Citrus juice is pretty essential stuff. How do get it from your lemons and limes? Of course you can go the no-gadget way and simply cut the fruit in half and squeeze with your hand. Nothing wrong with that!

However, it’s my understanding that Man (as in homo sapiens) distinguishes himself (or herself) from other species by way of tools. We make them and use them. Nothing exemplifies this theory more than the kitchen.

Here you have just a few of the tool possibilities for getting juice from a lemon or lime.

The stainless steel and wood reamer illustrated here are characterized by the multi-sided shape. When you squeeze and turn your lemon or lime on either of these, the juice is pressed and scraped from the interior of the fruit. The stainless steel reamer can sit on a cup or bowl, straining the seeds from the juice. Seeds actually stick (sort of) to a wood reamer and this is held over whatever needs juice as you press the fruit against the reamer and twist.

The fancy cast aluminum double handled thing relies on brute force. Just put in a fruit half and squeeze the handles together.

There are many uses for citrus juice. Here are two very basic ones:

• Lemon juice and some olive oil will make a lovely simple salad dressing.

• If you want to jazz up a glass of seltzer, a little bit of juice will do it.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s Superfruit!

Why? Not because it comes from outer space, but because it’s rich in healthy properties. Fruits that deliver complex health benefits are termed ‘superfruit’ and mangos are superheroes in this category. Mangos are charged with vitamins A, C and E for starters. And the list goes on: B6, potassium, copper and 17 amino acids. There’s more, but I think that we have established already, that mangos are good for you.

The really super thing is that mangos are delicious. Choose a fruit that is free of bruises and slightly soft. Like most superheroes, mangos come in all colors and sizes. If the mangos where you shop aren’t ripe, buy one anyway and keep it on your counter until it’s ready.

Here’s how to cut a mango. There is a long, thin, oval pit in the middle. Cut along the length of the fruit either side of the pit. At this point you can scoop out the flesh from the sidepieces with a spoon or do a ‘hedgehog’ cut. This is done by taking a small knife and cutting just through the flesh – not the skin. Turn it inside out. Eat!

Or, if you are not crazy about using a knife in the manner suggested above, simply peel it with a vegetable peeler. Then you can use a non-scary knife to cut off the flesh. Be brave! It’s worth it!

Imprecise Chicken Soup

What a coup! I finally got Sylvia in the kitchen. This is no small task, but even Sylvia knows that if she is going to live independently, cooking is required. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just something straight forward, basic and quick. I’m hoping that Sylvia will also discover that making things from ‘scratch’ (well, almost scratch) saves money. I suspect that my lectures about meals made from basic ingredients will not be as influential as the discovery that a dollar goes a lot further if you make it yourself. Not to mention the advantage of leftovers!

So, back to the kitchen. We chopped our raw ingredients- carrots, celery, onions, and a boneless chicken breast and had on hand a box of organic chicken broth ( this is the not- cooking-totally -from-scratch part, but... we can do homemade broth another day. Using a good quality broth will be almost as good and will make this recipe happen in a flash!). Put a pot large enough to hold all your ingredients on the stove with about three tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom. Cook the chopped carrots, celery and onion in the oil until soft. Next, add the broth. When the broth is hot, add the chicken breast. If you like noodles, toss in a handful when the chicken is cooked through. A little salt and pepper to taste and when the noodles are soft, you have soup!

If this all sounds a little imprecise, there’s a reason for that. Don’t be afraid to chop up what ever vegetables you have on hand and add a box of broth. I’ll work on a precise recipe that you can link to (Friday I got help my friend Kelly, and have finally figured it out!). Soon you will be able to download some simple recipes and really get started on your kitchen basics.

PS Notice that when Sylvia chops onions, she keeps her knuckles curled under? That’s my girl!

Pineapple Revisited

Perhaps Saturday’s blog got you thinking about pineapple. It did me. I thought I’d pass along what I know about pineapple and also my method for preparing it. I’m also going to attempt a little story board that should help with the process.

How to pick a ready to eat pineapple? There are a few clues. If you can easily pluck the center leaf out of the top you are on your way. Next clue? Look at the color. Unlike our immature fruit of Saturday, a ripe pineapple will smell sweet and have a yellow or golden color. It should yield slightly to pressure but not be overly soft.

Now the tricky part.... but take courage. Fresh pineapple is totally worth it. On a clean cutting board, preferably one dedicated to sweet things, slice off the top and then the bottom. Now you can stand the fruit upright and proceed to the skin. You can make as many top to bottom slices as you like. What you want to do is cut enough side off to avoid most ot the ‘eyes’. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the little eyes out, a small knife or pointed vegetable peeler can be used to follow-up and remove the rest. Now that the skin is off, slice it in half and then again to make four pieces. Now cut out the woody core. I make a ‘V’ cut down the length. Voila! Everything left is ready to eat. However you slice it now is up to you.

Sylvia is still home and this pineapple is almost a goner. I’m hoping that all the vitamin C that’s packed into this lovely fruit will speed her recovery and prevent me from catching that nasty cold.

Take Off Your Coat

I've spent the entire afternoon taking shots for this blog and have run out of time. Cathy and I are headed out to visit our friend Marina, bearing a pot of white bean soup for dinner. But, I've been thinking that it's time I left you with some useful information and wanted you to know how to take the skin off a garlic clove. With the weather becoming wintery, garlic is a kitchen staple.

So, remove a clove from the head of garlic, and smash it with the side of your kitchen knife. Do this by placing the knife on top of the clove and rapping it with the heel of your hand. If doing this with a knife freaks you out, find a little pan or something else that's flat and try it with that. The skin will come away and you are ready to chop. Or slice. Or put in a garlic press. One can never get enough garlic!

Hot the Pot

Just booked a ticket for England to visit my mother. We are certain to have endless cups of tea.

Wikipedia states, “after water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world”. This can’t be true for England. I suspect that they consume much more tea than water. Apparently the British have been drinking tea since the 1660’s when King Charles ll married a Portuguese princess with a tea habit.

Tea doesn’t have to be a big deal. Almost everyone knows how to put a tea bag in a cup with some hot water. It is nice, however, to have a good looking teapot and go through the ceremony of ‘hotting the pot’ (which means swishing some hot water in it beforehand to rinse it out and heat it up), adding some loose tea and letting it steep (stand for a while). My mother would argue that tea always tastes better this way.