Category: Flavor Infusion

Holiday Spice Blend

An easy to make ahead store purchased pumpkin pie spice substitution made with existing spices in your cabinet.
Direct replacement for pumpkin pie spice used in holiday cooking.

Ingredients

2 T cinnamon

1 T ginger

1 t nutmeg

1 t allspice

1/2 t mace

1/2 t cloves

Directions

Add all ingredients in small bowl. Combine.

IMG_4097

Place combined ingredients in storage container.

Use in place of pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin muffins,cookies, pies,and breads.

Use as direct substitute for purchased pumpkin pie spice spice blend.

Store in air tight container.

Cilantro Basil Pesto

An easy to make pesto with cilantro and basil that has a fresh summery taste. It is delicious served with fresh pasta and seared shrimp or diver seallops with a dusting of fresh grated parmesan.

Ingredients

2 C cilantro leaves and stems rough chopped

1 C packed basil leaves

3 garlic cloves

1/2 C cashews unsalted

1/2 to 2/3 C olive oil

1/3 C Parmesan cheese shredded

1/4 to 1/2 t salt

Directions

Makes about 2 cups

Place cilantro, basil, garlic, and cashews in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Scrape down sides of bowl then add Parmesan.

Turn on processor and slowly add in olive oil until pesto is smooth.

Add salt and pulse to combine.

Ready to serve or freeze¹.

Note:

¹You can freeze the pesto in ice cream trays and transfer to air tight plastic bags or  freeze it small plastic containers that have air tight lids.

 

White Balsamic Vinegairette

An easy to make balsamic vinegairette that is light but sweet.

Ingredients

2 T white balsamic vinegar

1 t honey

1 T dijon mustard

1 T shallot chopped or 2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 t salt

2 t  lemon juice

Pinch of black pepper

1/3 C olive oil

Directions

Tools and ingredients

In small bowl add all ingredients except olive oil and mix. Add oil in steady stream while whisking vigorously to emulsify dressing.  Transfer to salad dressing container.

 

 

Champagne Vinaigrette

IMG_3196

A light, delicate salad dressing that lets the salad ingredients shine.

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, good quality

2 T champagne vinegar, good quality

1 T honey

1 1/2 T shallot minced

1/2 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t salt

Pich of pepper

Directions

Tools and Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, shallot, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.

The dressing will have a consistent appearance, and the oil will not be seaprated and floating on top.

Serve over beet and feta salad (my favorite) or a green salad.

Note

I order a beet feta salad at my favorite Italian restaurant, and it is dressed in a champagne vinaigrette.  I have had this salad a couple of times and based on what I tasted,  this recipe is my attempt to recreate what I was served.  We also use this dressing on our fruit salads and spring green salads.

Marjoram Compound Butter

IMG_2641_1

Compound Butter

Compound butters mix herbs, seasonings, butter and perhaps olive oil to create a flavor-packed finishing butter.  We use compound butter as a way to use up extra herbs from cooking.

Most compound butters appear to call for ratios of 2 to 3 tablespoons of herbs to 8 ounces of butter.  In some cooking, the higher fat content works. But as a finishing butter, the extra fat can feel heavy.

We use a much smaller ratio of herbs to butter to get stronger flavors–in the recipe below, a ratio of nearly 1-to-1.  We use this compound butter to finish many dishes such as pan roasted prawns.  The only watchout with the recipe below is to not leave the butter in too long or the herbs will burn.

Ingredients

2-3 T marjoram leaves

2 1/2 T butter

Directions

Remove leaves from stems and rough chop. Cube butter into 1/4 inch squares.  This pre-work yields better distribution of hearbs across the compound butter after mixing.

Place leaves in food processor and pulse 3 to 4 times.  The leaves should be finely chopped.

Add butter and blend for about 30 seconds. Using spatula, scrape butter herb mixture from sides of food proessor bowl and mix for another 20-30 seconds.

Remove compound butter from bowl and place onto plastic sheet.  Role butter into a log. Use or refrigerate for further use.  The pictures below display the final mixing and forming of compound butter into a log.  The picuter is shiny due to the plastic and not strangly colored butter.

Compound Butter

Ingredients 

1/4 pound butter chunked

3 T leftover fresh herbs

Directions

Chop the herb leaves and place in small blender. Pulse 2-4 times. Add chunked cold butter and pulse until combined. Remove and place on sheet of plastic wrap and roll into log. Ready to use or refrigerate and use on favorite dishes.

Notes

I have logs of thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, and basil in my refrigerator. I use for seasoning vegetables, scrambled eggs, and  meats.