Back in 1998, I was honored to have a private interview with Julia Child. It's something I will always cherish, and with the film "Julie and Julia" and Meryl Streep's Best Actress nomination generating new interest in this amazing woman's life, I thought it timely to share the story I wrote from that experience. So here you go!

$HCD.CITY,Julia,janrd$T^
FOOD FOR THOUGHT for 5-8-98; A Conversation With Julia^
TO: The Gazette-Times^
FROM: Jan Roberts-Dominguez^
541-752-7060^
^
   It wasn't enough time. It would never be enough time. Forty minutes or forty hours, not enough time existed for me to have a satisfying conversation with Julia Child. Except, that is, during the panic attack I experienced on my drive to Portland for the interview. That's when I was sure we would find NO words to fill that thing that all interviewers fear: an interminable void.^
   But Julia ("May I call you that?" "Of Course.") would have none of it. At 85, keeping up the sort of professional pace that would do-in lesser mortals of younger years, she sat before me rarin' to go. Gentle smile and sparkling eyes, she began to talk the moment I sat down. Ever conscious, perhaps, of the precious few moments we all want to have with her.^
   The occasion was the annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, which was held in Portland, April 21st through the 25th. Julia, of course, was a founding member, and worked actively with members to construct standards and certification procedures. When the Certified Culinary Professional examination was established, Julia took it herself.^
   There were so many things I wanted to ask this remarkable woman who wears the unofficial title of National Treasure with beloved great aunt sort of grace and warmth.^
   "Did you have a sense when you were writing 'Mastering The Art of French Cooking,' of the importance of it," I wondered. This was the book that set her on the path toward Household Name status when it was published by Knopf in 1961.^
   "No. I just wanted to do it absolutely as best as we could. And Judith (Julia's editor at Knopf) said, 'remember, you can't do a complete book. Just do as much as you can. But you're mot going to cover the whole ground.' Otherwise, on something like that, you could go on and on and you'd never get it done." ^
   "So where'd you trim," I asked.^
   With a gentle shrug, Julia said "Well, we just didn't put in various things. Like I hadn't really gone into French bread at that point, so that took up 18 to 20 pages of Volume II."^
   As her career in the food business reaches the forty year mark, she has so much to share. And when she's with fellow professionals, she is willing to be a guiding force. Thus, with every thought we covered that day, it seemed she had a tidbit to share...^
   On the subject of cookbook indexes: "I think a book is only as good as its index. Because if it's not in the index, it's lost. You should make sure that it's in your contract (to have a good index), because if the publisher begins running out of space, they will take it out of the index. And they would prefer that the author know nothing about that."^
   On book publishing: "Authors should really know lots more about contracts. They just shouldn't go in it blind. No one knows what's going to happen with all the books. I think if the conglomerates gobble up nothing but the big books, it's going to mean there will be a lot of small publishers around. Distribution will be the problem then. Then there will be people that will be professional distributors, which will work out very nicely."^
   On the energy she brings to promoting her books: "I have them send me around. It's important."^
   On her late-husband, Paul Child, and his support throughout her career, until his death on May 12, 1994: "He was an intellectual and an artist, and always a great help."^
   On French male chefs: "I think the macho French - particularly the French - don't think that women are used to a sharp knife."^
   On food professionals: "I think people in the food business ARE nice."^
   On growing up in Pasadena, and being a California Girl: "I will always love the smell of California. The Eucalyptus. The Beach. It's a smell and a feel one can't experience anywhere else on earth, I think."^
   On taking the subject of gastronomy seriously at the university level: "I think it is a serious subject. And it's a wonderful profession for people to be in. And I think people who don't know anything about the culinary arts don't know that it has a role in history. And that sociologists and historians appreciate the importance of knowing about food habits and what goes on - and what did go on - in society. It should be considered a serious subject. One should be able to get a college degree in that sort of thing, gastronomy. It wasn't until five or six years ago that we had the first masters degree in gastronomy at Boston University."    ^
   Between some of these thoughts, I asked if it was really true that Dan Aykroyd's bit on Saturday Night Live was based on an actual incident. It was one of Aykroyd's funniest parody's, and even years later, is a favorite re-run. In the skit, dressed like Julia, and swinging a chefs knife overhead in true Julia fashion, he presumably slices off his finger while attempting to cut up a rubber chicken. Then, even as a steady flow of fake blood is gushing from the wound, he carries on, giving tips for giblets and liver.^
   "Yes, " she said. "I had been on some other show (I had read it was The Today Show), with Jacques Pepin, and cut a big piece out of my finger, and I had to wear a big bandage."^
   It was reported that Julia eventually went to the hospital, where she received stitches and a tetanus shot.^
   I wondered where she was going after Portland, and wasn't surprised to hear her non-stop itinerary for the week ahead, which included a stop in New York City to attend the James Beard Awards and an appearance on The Rosie O'Donnel Show. "She's very nice," said Julia of O'Donnel. "Quite like a real human being. But it goes awfully fast."^
   Just like our time, I feared. Julia's schedule coordinator appeared at the door, gently reminding her that there was a conference call on hold.^
   But she kept talking.^
   I had asked her what she'd be cooking on O'Donnel's show. She said something in French that sounded like "Conk-que-bee-sure," and when she saw my puzzlement, immediately said, "Ham and Cheese. Sauteed in butter. I was distressed to see in 'The New Joy of Cooking,' they didn't have the real recipe. I think the nutritionists got after them. So rather than have the good flavor of sauteeing in butter - which is so good - they have it just toasted. In other words," she added, "it's a diet recipe. In the 1975 'Joy of Cooking,' there's a very good recipe for it."^
    As the minutes ticked past zero-hour I suddenly remembered my copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," that I had brought for her to sign. Quickly retrieving it from across the room, I set it before her, explaining that I had received it as a teen. Dog-eared and tattered - the true sign of a well-loved (and used!) cookbook - Julia gently opened it. First she checked the publication date, 1968. It was the 17th printing since 1961. Then she turned to the title page and wrote, "Bon Appetit to Jan - Julia Child, April '98.^
   Now our time was really at an end. I was reminded of what Julia's biographer, Noel Riley Fitch, had written of her subject; that her appetite for life would never be sated. Said Julia, according to Fitch, "Retired people are boring. In this line of work, you never have to retire. You keep right on until you're through."^
   Thank goodness. Because I didn't want this to be a good-by; merely a farewell. I stood. Then we shook hands. "Thank you Jan. We'll be seeing you around."^
   Thank you, Julia.^
^
--------^
^
   On June 10, 1993, Harvard University honored Julia Child with an honorary doctorate, which was wonderful validation of her years as a scholar-cook, teacher, and pioneer of educational television. She sat in the front row, next to General Colin Powell, who was also receiving an honorary degree. Twice during the conferring of Julia's degree, President Neil Rudenstine was stopped by applause. Julia's citation read: "A Harvard friend and neighbor who has filled the air with common sense and uncommon scents. Long may her souffles rise. Bon appetit."^
^
...sidebar...A talk with Julia's assistant.^
 Julia's boundless energy is legendary, and it can be exhausting for anyone trying to keep up with her. When Stephanie Hersh, who has been with Julia for about ten years, was hired, she couldn't have known what lay ahead. Armed with a four-year college degree as well as a two-year degree from the Culinary Institute of America, Hersh had worked as a banquet manager and private family chef. But none of this prepared her for the wild lifestyle she was immediately swept into.^
   Soon after taking the position, said Hersh, they both attended a cocktail party. Unaware that Hersh was within earshot, someone asked Julia if her new assistant was temporary.^
   "I strained my ears to hear her response," said Hersh. "She said, 'No, we are together until death do us part,' at which point, I leaned in and said, 'Yes, but whose, Julia?'."^
   On a trip to Los Angeles a while back, added Hersh, "we were driving back to the hotel after a very full day of book signings, television appearances, and various other media events. I was really looking forward to the moment when I could just sit down and rest. Then Julia turned to me and said, 'Let's go shopping!.' " ^
   ^
   ^
^
^
Books by Julia Child:^
"Mastering the Art of French Cooking," (with Simone Beck and Louisette Berthole). NY:Knopf, 1961.^
"The French Chef Cookbook." NY: Knopf, 1968.^
"Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. II," (with Simone Beck and Louisette Berthole). NY:Knopf, 1970, 1983.^
"From Julia Child's Kitchen." NY: Knopf, 1975.^
"Julia Child & Company," (in collaboration with E.S. Yntema). NY: Knopf, 1978.^
"Julia Child & More Company," (in collaboration with E.S. Yntema). NY:Knopf, 1979.^
"The Way To Cook." NY: Knopf, 1989.^
"Julia Child's Menu Cookbook," (one-vol. ed. of JC & Co. and JC & More Co.). NY: Wings (Random House), 1991.^
"Cooking with Master Chefs." NY: Knopf, 1993.^
"In Julia Child's Kitchen with Master Chefs," (with Nancy Barr). NY: Knopf, 1995.^
   Source: "Appetite for Life, The Biography of Julia Child," by Noel Riley Fitch.^
^
Television Series^
^
"The French Chef" (black & White), 119 episodes, 1963-66.^
"The French Chef" (color), 90 episodes, 1970-73.^
"Julia Child & Company," 13 episodes, 1978.^
"Julia Child & More Company," 13 episodes, 1979.^
"Dinner at Julia's," 13 episodes, 1983.^
"Cooking with Master Chefs," 16 episodes, 1993.^
"In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs," 26 episodes, 1994.^
"Baking with Julia," 39 episodes, 1996.^
   Source: "Appetite for Life, The Biography of Julia Child," by Noel Riley Fitch.$E^

 

 

Now that we're well into the new year, there's something you're just going to have to face. The party's over. In other words, if your diet in recent weeks has been organized around what I consider to be the Basic Four December Food Groups - egg nog, fudge, Christmas cookies and hors d'oeuvres - your system's in for a shock.

I mentioned this to a friend and she said, "I know what you mean. Last night I tried to slice fudge into my salad."

But that doesn't change the fact that if you've been eating too many naughty things it's time to start being nice to your body. Within reason, of course. The diet pendulum needn't swing wildly in the other direction. You simply need to approach the process in a sensible manner: A little more fruit, a lot less cake.

At the dinner table, the concept could include a variety of meals based on the salad theme. Lots of crisp leafy greens, tossed with just a little bit of meat or other protein items such as cheese or eggs, then laced with a simple homemade salad dressing (one in which you control the oil and salt content). One of the benefits is that when serving flavorful main-dish salads, the perfect accompaniment is a simple loaf of French bread or whole grain dinner roll, so you'll naturally be avoiding higher caloried pasta and potato dishes.

I've put together a collection of what I consider to be terrific shock-free diet options. I think you'll agree they're far from rabbit food, but healthy enough that you can feel good about eating them.

Chilled Crab with Snow Peas, Chicory, and Dill Vinaigrette

10 to 12 ounces cooked fresh crab meat

1/4 pound snow peas, or sugar snap peas, string removed

1 head curly endive or chicory (see note below)

1 head curly leaf lettuce

Dill Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

 

Blanch the snow peas in a large pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process; drain well, then pat dry.

Wash the salad greens and dry well.

To assemble the salad, toss the salad greens and snow peas very lightly in a small amount of the vinaigrette and arrange in the center of each of 4 plates. Arrange one fourth of the crab meat on top. Arrange half of a sliced egg, a few cherry tomatoes and avocado wedges on the plate, then spoon more vinaigrette over the top of these ingredients. Yields 4 servings.

DILL VINAIGRETTE: (You’ll note that my ratio of vinegar to oil is almost 1 to 1, which means it will have more zip and less fat.) In small, deep bowl, combine 1 clove of minced garlic, scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard, and 1/4 cup wine vinegar. Drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil, then adjust flavors, adding freshly ground pepper to taste. Yields about 2/3 cup vinaigrette.

NOTE ON FRISEE OR CURLY ENDIVE: This is considered a "designer green" if you will. The light green leaves are tangy-yet-sweet in flavor, somewhat spiky in appearance, and fairly firm textured - which means they can stand up to a warm dressing, if that's what you happen to be serving. If unavailable, I suggest a mixed collection of baby dandelion greens (or very tender mature dandelion greens), arugula, radicchio, and escarole.)

Tossed Green Salad with Chicken, Almonds and Curry Vinaigrette

1/2 head romaine lettuce

1/2 head iceberg lettuce

3 cooked, cooled and diced chicken breast halves

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 cup sliced toasted almonds

2 tart green apples (peeled if desired), cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup diced red or white onion

Curry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

 

In large salad bowl, combine lettuces, chicken, cabbage, almonds, apples and onion. Toss desired amount of the vinaigrette with the salad and serve. Yields 4 servings.

CURRY VINAIGRETTE: Combine 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 clove minced garlic; mix well. Whip in 1/2 cup virgin olive oil until well blended. Adjust seasonings. Yields about 3/4 cup dressing.

Warm Lamb & Black-eye Pea Salad

This was one of the daily specials I enjoyed several summers ago at Bistro Roti, a wonderful downtown San Francisco restaurant overlooking the Bay Bridge. Chef Manuel Goodman was kind enough to share his wonderful creation. The lamb they used was grown to order on a Napa Valley farm, and then carefully grilled right there in their dining room on their custom-made rotisserie. Although you don't have access to the same supplier, it's worth selecting the finest quality lamb you can to prepare this dish, it's worth the effort!

12 1-ounce slices of rare, roasted leg of lamb (cold) sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 cup fresh black eye peas, blanched (or, see note below)

2 or 3 slices bacon, diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 cup Champagne vinegar (if unavailable, use white wine vinegar)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/4 cup tomato concasse (see note below)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 to 10 ounces of frisee (another term for "curly endive"; see note below)

scallions

Salt & pepper to taste

Saute bacon gently to render fat, add onions, shallots and garlic, and simmer to allow flavors to bloom. Add peas, thyme, olive oil, vinegar, and cayenne. Cook for 3 minutes, then reduce heat and add tomatoes, scallions, salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Arrange slices of lamb, 3 slices on each plate. Warm slightly in oven. In a large bowl, toss black eye pea mixture with the frisse. (The black eye pea mixture acts as a warm vinaigrette for the salad.) Remove frisse from the bowl and place in center of the plate. Sprinkle any remaining pea mixture over the frisse and lamb. Drizzle remaining oil over the plates and serve immediately.

NOTE ON BLACK EYE PEAS: Fresh black eye peas are the best, but dried peas can be used. Cook first by following package directions.

NOTE ON TOMATO CONCASSES: From the french, "concasser", the coarse chopping of food with a knife. This means simply peeled and seeded tomatoes that are chopped in preparation for cooking. In this instance, the tomatoes should be cut into small dice.

NOTE ON FRISEE, OR CURLY ENDIVE: If unavailable, I suggest a mixed collection of baby dandelion greens (or very tender mature dandelion greens), arugula, radicchio, and escarole.

Recipe created by Chef Manuel Goodman, Bistro Roti, San Francisco.

Pocket Delight Salad

A delightful salad of fresh, crunchy vegetables, grated cheese, diced egg and sunflower seeds, all tucked into a chewy pocket of bread, then drizzled with either of two sauces.

1 cup each: chopped carrot, chopped celery, shredded Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

3 tomatoes, cored and diced

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

1 or 2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled and diced

4 pocket breads, halved

Alfalfa sprouts

Raita Sauce and/or Pocket Delight Vinaigrette (recipes follow)

In a bowl, combine carrots, celery, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, sunflower seeds, eggs, and avocado, tossing to mix thoroughly. To assemble the sandwiches, diners stuff the pocket halves with a portion of the filling, some alfalfa sprouts, and then drizzle on either one or both of the sauces. Yields 4 servings.

RAITA SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine 1 peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber; 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion; 1 cup plain yogurt; 1 cup sour cream; 1 to 2 teaspoons cumin powder; salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend. Yields a scant 2-3/4 cups.

POCKET DELIGHT VINAIGRETTE: In a small, deep bowl, combine 1/3 cup wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce; beat with wire whisk to blend. Continue beating while adding 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup salad oil. Finally, stir in 1/3 cup sour cream. Yields 1-1/8 cup vinaigrette.

Tossed Green and Turkey Salad

Similar to one of my favorite traditional composed salads, The Cobb Salad. But this version is much easier to prepare since all of the ingredients are tossed together before serving. The combination of flavors, however, is just as delicious.

1/2 head romaine lettuce

1/2 head iceberg lettuce

About 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups cubed, cooked turkey (or chicken) breast

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed

3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

6 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled

About 1/2 cup sliced ripe black olives

1/2 cup chopped green onion

Herbed Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Tear lettuces into pieces and place in large bowl. Add tomatoes, turkey, avocado, blue cheese, bacon, olives and green onion. Pour enough of the dressing over the salad to coat the ingredients well, toss thoroughly and serve.

HERBED VINAIGRETTE: Combine 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon dried and crumbled rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup vegetable oil and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Yields about 1-1/4 cups.

It wasn’t the way summer was supposed to be.
A professional whirlwind of expanding goals and shrinking hours to achieve them. Very few opportunities for hikes in the Cascades. And then, just a few days before Labor Day Weekend, my husband and I finally broke out for a hike. A big hike, with a picnic tacked on at each end.

Driving into the Cascades, through forests of grand old firs and sparkling alpine meadows, I could feel the tension melting away at the base of my neck. At the start of our hike, I inhaled the aroma of late summer - a dryer, more incense-laden fragrance than June’s.

Near the trail head, the huckleberry bushes had quit bearing fruit. One more thing we had missed this summer, I grumbled! But a few hundred feet higher, we were rewarded with varieties that were still offering sweet musky fruit to anyone willing to stoop and pluck. At last, the sights, smells and flavors I had hankered for all season were appearing. Jewel lakes. Jumbled cliffs and mounds of volcanic rock. Private little tarns laced about with the dainty footprints of small creatures that had come to be refreshed. The electric blue flash of Stellar’s Jay. The orange flicker of, well, flickers. And finally, in pole thickets below the summit, the rustle, and then the rush, of grouse slowly losing their nerve as we approached.

On top, we soaked in the vista stretching from the Three Sisters and Mount Jefferson all the way up to Mount Hood in the north. Before we knew it, the sun had pitched to within three fingers off the horizon, so we began our descent.

Back at the trail head, Polish sausages pierced with a wire coat hanger and cooked over a bed of coals were savored along with a pertinent old vine Zinfandel. Afraid of missing some unscheduled finale, we didn’t leave until the deep-green forest became a dark silhouette against a glowing full moon and the camp-robbers, sated with treats plucked from our hands, had gone to roost.

I finally felt right with my world again. Ready to put summer to rest and embrace the approach of autumn. Of course, September and October still offer great hiking weather, so here are a few of my favorite pack-along foods for the trail. Maybe we’ll run into each other out there. I’ll be the one sporting a grin and a mustard stain on my fleece. Bon appetit.

 

Muffuleta Garlic-Olive Spread

Makes about 2 cups.

Because this wonderful, zesty sandwich spread can survive just fine without refrigeration for several hours, it makes a perfect addition to your day pack. Just be sure that you store it in a leak-proof container or your pack - and everything in it - will be coated in olive oil and garlic. Yuck! At its most basic level, it goes great with chunks of a good quality crusty bread and a semi-firm cheese, such as an extra-aged gouda. But it’s also dynamic in the setting for which it was originally designed, that is as a zesty condiment on a layered sandwich concept (with such delights as salami, several cheeses, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce, for example). Just remember, for food safety reasons, such sandwich creations should be served within 2 hours of removal from the cooler. Of course, if you’re hearty, you could always pack along some "blue ice," so that you can hike farther into the wilderness before sitting down to lunch.

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives

1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (more to taste)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons drained and rinsed capers

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the olives, onion, parsley, vinegar, garlic, capers, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and continue processing until the mixture is thoroughly chopped but not pureed. Adjust seasonings, adding additional vinegar if it needs a "zing," or additional olive oil if the mixture seems too "sharp." Will keep at room temperature for several hours without suffering in quality, or in the refrigerator for at least one month. Since the olive oil solidifies at low temperatures, remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sun-Dried Pesto Spread

Makes about 2 cups

While basil is still fresh and local, make a lot of this and freeze in small batches. It’s a great spread to take along on a day hike because it can survive out of the refrigerator for several hours without suffering in quality. For long-term storage, however, definitely store it in the refrigerator!

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

5 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

About 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper

16 oil-packed dried tomatoes (drained of the oil)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine the basil, garlic and parsley in a blender and process until finely chopped. Add the pine nuts and Parmesan and process just until blended. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until a smooth paste is formed. Add the dried tomatoes and vinegar and continue processing until the tomatoes have been chopped into tiny pieces (but are still visible). Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Just pack into a lightweight container and pull out at lunch, along with crusty chunks of bread and a bit of your favorite cheese, plus some really great garlic-dills and local cherry tomatoes.

Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Sandwich

Makes 3 to 4 sandwiches, depending on the size of your baguette.

Slice a baguette open lengthwise and brush the cut side of the bread with olive oil. Broil or grill until lightly toasted. Spread the inside of the baguette with some pesto, then layer sliced tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella (or another cheese, such as an extra-aged gouda or good quality Gruyere, sliced sweet onions, mixed greens or arugula, and salt and pepper to taste. Cut the loaf into desired number of sandwiches, then wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in a cooler until you reach the trail head. For food safety reasons, serve within 2 hours after removing from the cooler.

 

San Francisco Spread

Makes about 2 cups.

I’ve shared this recipe before, during the holiday season when it makes a wonderful appetizer. But it’s a dandy treat on a day hike also. Just pack into a lightweight container and pull out at lunch, along with crusty chunks of bread and a bit of your favorite cheese, plus some really great garlic-dills and local cherry tomatoes. And remember, for food safety reasons, if you plan to keep the spread out more than 2 hours before using, store it in a cooler.

About 1/4 pound salami, finely chopped to yield 1 cup

1 cup finely chopped green onions (use all of the white portion, about 2/3 of the green)

24 ounces cream cheese, softened

Good quality crusty French- or Italian-style bread

A food processor will chop the salami and green onion in no time. Just don't over-process or you'll wind up with ground salami. Also, process the salami and green onions separately.

Combine the finely chopped salami and finely chopped green onions in a medium bowl with the softened cream cheese. Stir well to evenly distribute the salami and onions. Scrape the mixture into a lightweight container and refrigerate. Serve along with crusty chunks of bread and a bit of your favorite cheese, plus some really great garlic-dills and local cherry tomatoes. And remember, for food safety reasons, if you plan to keep the spread out more than 2 hours before using, store it in a cooler.

High Top Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Olives and herbs

You thought I was kidding? I love my pizza piled high with golden-sweet caramelized onions and lots of other goodies. As picnic fare, what could be better? Bake the night before your jaunt, chill, then wrap up tightly and take it along. Remember, though, for food safety reasons, serve within 2 hours of removing from the cooler.

 

Serves 5 or 6

Pizza dough (purchase enough dough for a "large" pizza, unrolled, from your favorite pizzaria or well-stocked supermarket)

8 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

10 yellow onions (about 3-1/2 pounds), thinly sliced

10 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

5 bay leaves

2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Cornmeal for the pan

About 1/2 cup of your favorite tomato-based pizza sauce (or jazz up an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce with 3 minced cloves of garlic, about 2 teaspoons of olive oil, some chopped basil, and pinch of salt)

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

1-1/2 cups nicoise olives, pitted and sliced

Refrigerate the dough while you proceed with the recipe.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, combine 6 tablespoons of the olive oil and the butter. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves, then sprinkle with the brown sugar, salt, and white pepper, tossing gently to thoroughly coat the onions with the seasoning. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes without stirring. Remove the lid, increase the temperature to medium-high, and continue cooking and stirring for 15 minutes. For the final phase, increase the temperature to high, and, stirring constantly, continue cooking until the onions are a rich golden brown. This will take about 10 more mnutes (your total cooking tie will be about 45 minutes). Stir in the wine and vinegar, and deglaze the pan by stirring well to loosen any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pan; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, pat and roll the dough to fit a 16-inch round pizza pan or a 16- by 12-inch baking sheet. Sprinkle the pan with a thin layer of cornmeal, then press the dough into the pan, rolling the edges slightly to create a rim. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface.

Spread or brush on the pizza sauce, then arrange the onions evenly over the dough. Sprinkle on the cheese and fresh herbs, then add the olives. Bake until the crust is a rich golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Can be eaten immediately, but it’s great as picnic fare; cut into pieces and let cool, then wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Store in a cooler until you reach the trail head. For food safety reasons, serve within 2 hours after removing from the cooler.

 

Pizza Supreme Sandwich

Makes 4 hearty sandwiches

Another concept in pizza. Great picnic fare - either fresh-out-of-the-oven, or chilled.

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 loaf good-quality sourdough or similar crusty bread (consider Big River varieties), measuring approximately 16 to 18 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 3 inches high

1/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, crumbled and browned

3 tablespoons sliced black olives (half of a 2-1/4 ounce can)

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (any commercially canned variety will do)

2 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni

About 5 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup coarsely grated medium or sharp Cheddar cheese

Sandwich garnishes: thinly sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, vinaigrette dressing

In a skillet, over medium heat, saute the onions in the oil until softened and transparent, about 10 minutes; set aside.

With a serrated knife, cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise, creating a slightly thicker bottom half. With your fingers, gently hollow out the bottom half, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge, and about 1/2-inch thickness on the bottom.

Place both halves cut-side up on a baking sheet and broil until golden. Remove from the oven and spread half the mozzarella slices along the bottom of the hollowed-out portion. Next, layer on the sausage, olives, and sauteed onions, then drizzle on the spaghetti sauce. On top of the sauce, layer the pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, and Cheddar cheese. Place top half of bread over the cheese, and bake in a 375 degree F. oven until the cheese melts and the other ingredients are steaming hot, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. If this is being prepared for a picnic, then remove from oven, let cool, wrap in foil and chill until ready to use. Serve the garnishes on the side for folks to finish building the sandwiches to desired taste. Store in a cooler until you reach the trail head or picnic site. For food safety reasons, serve within 2 hours of removing from the cooler.

Turkey and Pork Terrine

Delicious as an entree, of course, but my favorite use for this excellent concoction is as hiking or picnic fare. Or cross-country-skiing fare. Or tailgate fare. Your food processor makes preparation a snap - and it can be done days in advance.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sherry or brandy (or milk)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 pound ground pork

Place the onion, parsley, eggs, milk, brandy or sherry (or milk), Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and blend for about 10 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the container. Add the bread crumbs and continue to puree until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and combine with the ground turkey breast and ground pork.

Pat the mixture into a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan with foil, then place the pan on a baking sheet (to catch any drips during baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1-1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear.

Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for at least 15 minutes before slicing. However, for outdoor fare, the terrine should be chilled first because this improves the flavor and firms up the texture for slicing into thin cuts.

For picnic sandwiches: This terrine is particularly wonderful with a bold-and-spicy whole-grained mustard, the crunch of a good garlic dill pickle, and some sliced tomatoes, all either tucked into a whole-wheat pocket bread or nestled between 2 slices of a really good sourdough or whole-grained bread, slathered with mayonnaise and the whole-grained "deli-style" mustard, and layered with a few crunchy sheets of lettuce. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and store in a cooler until you reach the trail head. For food safety reasons, serve within 2 hours after removing from the cooler.

 

 

 

 

 

After four hours of clambering up slippery granite and crumbly talus slopes, my hiking partner and I had made it to the top of a 12,000 foot peak overlooking one of Yosemite’s many high-Sierra lakes. The view would have been reward enough, but as I looked on in amazement my friend pulled two crystal goblets and a bottle of Champagne from his pack. Next, he removed a plastic carton containing eight fresh strawberries.

While I held the berry-filled crystal, he uncorked the bottle with a resounding "pop" that echoed across the canyon below. As Champagne bubbled and frothed around the berries, we toasted the sunset. Naturally, I thought that my life as a strawberry lover was complete.

But that was many (many!) summers ago. Three years later I had moved to Oregon, and THAT was when I discovered what strawberry life in the fast lane is all about. Oregonians take their strawberries seriously. VERY seriously. For good reason: They're WON-derful. So wonderful that dedicated souls disdain all imports, waiting not-so-patiently for the real thing to ripen on local bushes. Then, trusty cartons in tow, they tromp out to their favorite strawberry patch or vendor and pick a peck of strawberry heaven.

In an established strawberry field, it’s 30 to 40 days from bloom to berry. This year, that process began earlier than usual. About three weeks earlier, thanks to an unusually warm and dry spring. So don’t delay. If your inner strawberry clock was set for the first week in June as the time when you would begin thinking about jams and shortcake and daiquiris, you’re going to miss out. Here it is early June and we’re already mid-way through the season.

Almost all of Oregon’s strawberries are grown west of the Cascades in the Willamette Valley. Marion County has the most strawberry acreage in the state (about 47 percent), followed by Washington County (22 percent). Other Willamette Valley counties producing significant amounts of strawberries include Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Lane, Linn, Multnomah, Polk, and Yamhill. Of course, there’s also some acreage in the north central and southwestern parts of the state.

If you’ve been living in this state long enough, then you’ve noticed a significant drop in the numbers of strawberry fields. The Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service reports that back in 1955, the state boasted a whopping 17,500 acres of strawberries. By the time I arrived in 1980, acreage was down to 5,200 acres. Last year 2,600 acres were harvest.

Even with this rapid drop in acreage, Oregon still ranks third in the United States in strawberry production. But it’s a distant third, behind California and Florida, and represents only 2 percent of the nation’s strawberries. The main reasons for the decline of Oregon’s strawberry industry is three-fold: an increased cost of production; a decline in the number of local strawberry processing plants; and huge competition from the Florida and California markets, which have significantly longer growing seasons, cheaper labor and production costs, and a cheaper end-product..

Of course, nowhere in this analysis have I stated a decline in quality. No sir. Oregon strawberries still rank at the top in this department, which makes them all the more dear.

There are many varieties to enjoy, and a thousand different opinions as to which is "the best". And since such judgements are subjective, when it gets right down to it you'll just have to try them all and decide for yourself.

The good news is you won't have to climb to 12,000 feet to do it. Unless you really want to impress a hiking partner.

(NOTE: below the following recipes, I’ve included some step-by-step guidelines for making jam)

Jan's Exquisite Strawberry Jam
For food preservers with a little bit of canning experience, or adventurous beginners, I’m including my favorite strawberry jam recipe. One that is free of commercial pectin. It’s based on my popular recipe for Peerless Red Raspberry Preserves, which is a fast-cook procedure. The resulting preserves are what I would describe as a "soft" gel. But it’s a luscious preserve, no commercial pectin giving the jam an unnatural firmness, and full of fresh Oregon strawberry flavor. All that and only about 7 minutes of cooking.

Makes 4 half-pints.

The secret to perfection is the brief, fast cooking in small batches (this recipe cannot be doubled). A wide, shallow pan (a 12-inch cast-iron skillet is perfect) is essential.

4 heaping cups washed and hulled strawberries(1 pound, 6 ounces; to ensure a high pectin content, about 1/4 of the berries should be slightly under-ripe)

3-1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon butter

 

Coarsely chop the berries by placing small batches of them into the workbowl of a food processor and hitting the "pulse" button several times (you can also do this by hand, of course, but it goes pretty slow). You should have 3-1/2 cups of coarsely chopped berries.

In a large bowl, combine the berries with the sugar and lemon juice. Gently stir the mixture using a rubber spatula until the sugar is evenly distributed and the juices have begun to flow; let the mixture stand, stirring gently every 20 minutes or so, for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 2 hours.

Wash 4 half-pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

Scrape the mixture into a 12-inch skillet or saute pan. Add the 1 teaspoon of butter (this controls the production of foam). Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a straight-ended wooden or nylon spatula. Adjust the heat downward to keep it from boiling over, and boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Remove the skillet from the burner and let the jam settle for about 20 seconds; if any foam remains, skim it off. Ladle hot preserves into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars.

At this point, the jam may be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months or longer without the quality suffering.

For long-term storage at room temperature, you will need to process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (at 1,000 to 3,000 feet, process for 15 minutes; 3,000 to 6,000 feet, for 20 minutes; above 6,000 feet, for 25 minutes). Using a jar lifter, remove the processed jars from the boiling water and let cool on the counter, undisturbed, overnight.

NOTE ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY OF THE JAM: This is going to be a very "loose" jam - the kind that moves around in the jar slightly as its tilted. So if you don't like such a soft gel, you might as well steer clear of this recipe. There's also a stronger likelihood of fruit wanting to float toward the top of the jar, which creates a clear layer of jam at the bottom of the jar. Here's how I've managed to repair that phenomenon when it appears to be happening: About 3 hours after the jars have been removed from the boiling water canner, if you notice that that clear space at the bottom of the jars hasn't started to fill in with fruit, then you can begin a cycle of turning the jars on their heads for periods of 60 minutes at a time (gently flip the jars for 60 minutes, then gently flip them back onto their bottoms for 60 minutes; repeat several times during the day or night). This really does seem to work.

 

Jan’s Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Mix

Makes about 1 quart frozen strawberry puree

There are no special canning skills required to make up batches of this fresh strawberry puree. Just plenty of fresh local strawberries and a little bit of freezer space. This simple puree makes for heavenly rum-laden daiquiri drinks or alcohol-free strawberry-flavored treats all year long.

2 cups granulated or superfine sugar

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (approximately 2 medium limes)

1/4 cup water

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

Combine the sugar, lime juice and water. Stir to mix, and then let stand until sugar is almost completely dissolved, about 15 minutes (mixture will be thick).

In blender jar or food processor, combine the sugar mixture with the berries. Blend until smooth. Pour into half-pint, pint- , or quart-size freezer containers. Alternatively, pour the mixture into ice cube trans and freeze until firm, unmold and pack into zip-lock freezer bags.

The mixture will become solid, but will have the consistency of a very firm sherbet, so you’ll be able to scoop portions from the main batch, then re-seal the mixture and store back in the freezer.

FOR A 1-SERVING SIZE STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI: In a blender jar, combine 1-1/2 to 2 ounces rum, 1/4 cup frozen strawberry daiquiri mix (2 average-sized cubes that have been frozen in ice cube trays) and 7 or 8 average sized ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Most blender jars can handle up to 4 servings.

ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS: it makes a delicious non-alcoholic cooler when blended with a bit of sparkling water or soda and ice. Or for a more creamy "Smoothie," blend in milk, a banana or yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

The Original Grace Center Strawberry Jubilee Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Also known as "Killer-Berries Supreme" around our house. I created these for the very first Strawberry Jubilee, many years ago. They were a huge hit. And rightly so; they’re the ultimate chocolate-covered berry. A little more work than the plain-dipped varieties, but worth it.

1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons almond extract

1-1/2 pints fresh strawberries, with pretty stems intact

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, shortening and butter over hot, not boiling, water (don't rush the process, it should happen slowly and gently or the chocolate will do funny things).

Meanwhile, cream together the 1/2 cup butter and sugar. Beat in the milk and almond extract. This will form a stiff dough.

Now pinch off small portions of the dough and pat out on hand into a thin round pancake (do this quickly or the dough will begin to melt). Place a berry in center of the pancake and form the dough up around the berry, making sure the leaves remain exposed. If possible, chill the strawberries at this point so the chocolate will harden more quickly during the dipping.

Dip the dough-covered strawberries in the melted chocolate, to within 1/4-inch of the almond dough mixture (in other words, leave a rim of the dough exposed for the prettiest appearance) and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill. Remove from cookie sheet when the chocolate has hardened and place in a covered container, in the refrigerator. Berries are best when served within 24 or 36 hours. After that, they begin to ooze berry juice (but they still taste wonderful).

Scofield House Strawberries in White Chocolate Cream

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 ounces coarsely chopped white chocolate

1-1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped to form soft peaks

1 quart fresh strawberries

Place the 1 cup of whipping cream in a heavy-bottomed 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cream just comes to a boil (about 2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk in egg yolks with a wire whisk until light and creamy. Gradually whisk in the warm cream to the egg mixture. Return to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and white chocolate, continuing to stir until the chocolate has melted. Refrigerate overnight.

Gently mix the 1-1/2 cups of whipped cream into the custard. Re Clean and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar if desired. Spoon strawberries halfway into 8 parfait glasses. Spoon 1/4 cup of white chocolate mixture over strawberries. Fill rest of each glass with strawberries. Spoon on another layer of the custard. (For a more decorative touch, instead of simply spooning the last layer of custard on top of the berries, you could fill a decorating bag with the custard and pipe a dollop of custard on top of the strawberries. Chill at least 1 hour to firm up the custard.

Recipe from the Scofield House Bed and Breakfast, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

River Walk Inn Strawberries in Port

1 quart fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced

½ cup good-quality tawny port

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. If berries are not sweet, you may sprinkle with a little sugar. Dessert wine is a good alternative to port.

Recipe from River Walk Inn Bed and Breakfast, Eugene, Oregon.

 

 

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THE BARE MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST FOR MAKING JAM:

Most of these items are self-explanatory and will be found in any department store where canning supplies are sold.

- Boiling water canner. If you plan to store all of your preserves in the refrigerator, you won’t use this. But if you have limited refrigerator space, you’ll want to take the extra steps to "can" your batches of jam, fruits, pickles, and relishes so that they can be stored at room temperature. This requires "processing" the filled and capped jars in a boiling water canner. They’re not expensive, and they’re usually made from lightweight aluminum or enameled metal. Any pot will do, as long as it will hold several jars sitting on a rack (see below), and still have enough head room to cover the jars with at least 2 inches of water boiling vigorously and not leaping out of the pot.

- Canning jars and lids. The most common sized jars available are half-pints, pints, and quarts. You’ll need half-pints and pints for jams, relishes and chutneys, whereas the quarts are handy for bulkier items like pickles and fruits in syrup. All sizes come in either "regular" or "wide-mouthed" tops. Obviously, wide-mouthed jars are easier to fill, however, from an aesthetic point of view, I tend to use more of the "regular" jars.

- Jar funnel. Even if you’re using the wide-mouthed jars, you’ll need this device for filling canning jars. It’s designed to nest on top of an empty jar and direct a ladle-full of preserves (or relish, or salsa, or chutney, or pickles) down into it without leaving messy glops on the jar rim. Get one, they’re cheap!

- Jar lifter. Unless your hands are tough enough to withstand a plunge into scalding-hot water, you’ll need this device to retrieve filled and sealed jars from the depths of a boiling water canner.

- Lid lifter. A magnet embedded into the business end of a plastic wand, designed to fish out the lids from their hot soaking water. Look, ma! No hands.

Rack - keeps jars off the bottom of the boiling water canner during processing. Also keeps jars from bumping into each other during the process, which helps to eliminate breakage.

STEP-BY-STEP TIPS FOR MAKING JAMS

1. PREPARE JARS AND LIDS:

If you’re going to make your jams "shelf stable," as opposed to storing them in the refrigerator, you will need to process the filled-and-closed jars in a boiling water canner. This is the time to fill the canner with water and get it heating up on a back burner while you make the jam. I’ll walk you through the "processing your jars in a boiling water canner" further down in the recipe.

Start with freshly-washed canning jars and two-piece canning lids (available this time of year in most supermarkets and hardware-type stores). Wash them by hand in hot, soapy water, then give them a rinse and place the jars, bottoms up, on a towel-lined cookie sheet in a warm oven until needed.

To prepare the lids, just follow the manufacturers directions that came with them. Typically, you’ll place them in a pot of water which you’ll bring JUST to a boil then remove from the heat. The hot water softens up the sealing compound that is on the flat lids. Leave the lids in the hot water until you use them.

2. PROCEED WITH MAKING THE JAM:

Wash and remove caps from strawberries. Place small batches in a bowl and crush one layer at a time until you have 4 cups of crushed berries. Place the measured berries in a 6- or 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add the butter, and stir it in.

Remove the pot from the burner. Add the entire contents of liquid pectin and quickly stir it into the hot fruit and sugar mixture. Return the pot to the burner, bring to a rolling boil (NOTE: "rolling boil" means a vigorous boil that can’t be stirred back down to a simmer), and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove the pot from the heat and place it on a hot pad to settle down for a couple of minutes. At this point, if there is any foam on the surface, scrape it off with a spoon.

3. FILLING AND CAPPING YOUR JARS:

Remove a hot jar from the oven and place it next to the pot of hot jam. Place the jar funnel on top of the jar and ladle some hot jam into the jar. Fill the jar to within 1/4 inch of the top. The space left between the surface of the jam and the top of the jar is called the "head space." Lift off the funnel and place it on a clean surface, like a saucer or dinner plate. To make sure there are no droplets of jam on the jar rim, wipe it with a clean, damp cloth.

"Attach lid." This phrase will be used in all future recipes. Here are the steps it involves: Using your magnetic lid wand, fish out one of the flat metal discs from the pot of hot water. Shake off excess water, and place it on the jar rim with the sealing-compound side down against the jar rim. Next, remove one of the metal screw bands, shake of excess water and screw it down onto the jar. Screw firmly, but not excessively. If you’re planning to process your jars in a boiling water canner (see below), then place your filled and closed jar in the pot of hot water using a jar lifter. Repeat the filling and closing with all of the jars, placing each one in the pot as it is filled and closed. You will probably run out of jam before you run out of jars.

4. PROCESS IN A BOILING WATER CANNER (or not):

If you have enough refrigerator space, you can, at this point, simply store your jams in the refrigerator without further ado. They will hold their quality well beyond one year. But if you want to make your jams "shelf stable," so they can be stored at room temperature without molding or otherwise suffering in quality, you need to process the jars in a boiling water canner. In some cookbooks, this procedure is called a "boiling water bath." Use a pot that is deep enough to ensure that the jars are covered by at least 2 inches of water, and that there will be 2 inches of pan left to keep the boiling water from bouncing out while it’s boiling.

When the jars are filled, lids screwed on, and placed in the boiling water canner, bring the water to a boil. You may have to adjust the heat slightly at this point to tame the boil - you don’t want water leaping out of the pan, but you do want a vigorous boil that won’t go away. Boil the jars in the water (this is called "processing") for 10 minutes. (NOTE: The processing time varies from recipe to recipe, although most jams are processed for 10 minutes. After the jars have been "processed", remove them with your jar lifter and place them on a towel in a draft-free area of the kitchen.

5. LISTEN FOR THE PING:

The most satisfying sound to a food preservers ear is the tell-tale "ping, signifying that a vacuum has been formed and the jar is sealing properly. The ping occurs as the lid is sucked down from its convex to concave position. It occurs anywhere between the first few moments after removing the jars from the canner up to an hour or so. After the jars have completely cooled, check the seal by pressing down on each lid. If it’s truly sealed, the surface will be solid and won’t bounce back to your touch. Place unsealed jars in the refrigerator.

IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH WEEK

APRIL 18 - 25^TH

"Where’re you going with that" asked my Dad.

My uncurled fingers exposed two crumbled up pieces of foil from the bottles of wine I had just uncorked.

"I’m throwing them out."

"I recycle those."

Of course he does. He also washes and reuses (and reuses! and reuses!) every plastic food container he buys; rips paper towels into quarters so he won’t waste an entire segment on a small task (ditto with paper napkins); won’t toss plastic picnic utensils in the trash; saves up his newspapers for the Boy Scouts; bundles plastic grocery bags together for reuse; tries to fix aging kitchen appliances instead of throwing them out; won’t let Mom forget a pre-heating oven - and is right there to turn it off when the baking’s done; maintains burners under pots at the minimum level for the task.

At 86, you might say that Will Roberts now has time to focus on such things. But my Dad’s always been following us around turning off lights, not wasting food, buying in bulk and giving half away.

He was raised by a depression-era mother, which imprinted him with a keen sense of thrift. But what’s been good for his pocket-book is now, it turns out, the very thing our planet needs to stay healthy. After all, waste is waste. Whether electricity, water, or food, if you use more than you need we all pay for it in the long run

Besides, my father truly does love this planet, especially the wild parts, and wants to make sure that this beauty and wonder is still around for his great grand children’s children. He understands that a part of that goal depends on him and his very small actions.

Indeed, it’s tempting to deny stewardship of our streams and creatures since there’s such an overwhelmingly big picture to consider. But there is a place where you can take a stand for helping the environment. In and around your very own kitchen. All you need is a desire to leave the earth in a little better shape than when you arrived.

So here is my ever-evolving list of ideas to consider. I’ve shared many of them before, but they bear repeating in a climate where more people are trying to take action:

- From OSU Geoscience instructor Steve Cook: If you want to measure your ecological footprint, go to www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp.

- Recycle. Most local disposal companies make it so easy these days, there’s simply no excuse not to put your week’s worth of used glass, paper, cardboard and aluminum items out on your curb for pick-up.

- Use cloth instead of paper towels for clean-up (but immediately toss them in the wash after wiping up any bacteria-laden mess, such as raw meat juices).

- Don't put blazing hot things in the refrigerator; let them cool down on the counter for 15 minutes so your fridge doesn't have to work so hard.

- When putting groceries away, pile all perishables by the side of the fridge, then load it up all at once so there's not such a fluctuation in temperature.

- When boiling water for tea, don't fill the kettle with more water than you need.

- When cooking pasta, put a lid on the pot so it will come to a boil faster and use less energy; and if you want to be even more careful, do as my friends Chris and Don. When they know they’re going to be cooking pasta later in the day, says Chris, "We fill the pot with water a few hours early to let it warm up to room temperature, which saves a bit of electricity. Or, if it’s a sunny day, put it out in the sun on the patio (lid on), to solar heat a bit."

- Use the correct size burner.

- Get a 2-slot toaster if you don't need a four-slot version; get a toaster oven if you only bake little things.

- Don't run small loads of dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

- Grow some of your own food.

- Buy directly from local farmers either by seeking them out at their farm stands, or by shopping at our Wednesday and Saturday Farmers’ Markets (see note below on location and times), or by shopping at stores that sell locally-grown foods.

- Do some of your shopping at First Alternative Cooperative, which is a community-owned natural foods store. As local writer, Chris Peterson wrote in the April 2005 issue of the The Co-op Thymes, "First Alternative helps you make informed choices by giving you as much information as possible...(at First Alternative) your food dollars work harder for the environment and our community than at any other store in the local area...While everyone else lumbers into the foggy world of global trade where imported food costs less than it can be produced locally, pockets of sanity - food co-ops like ours - nurture food-related environmental ethics until the rest of the world catches up." Well said, Chris!

You don’t have to be a member to shop there (but they’d love it if you were). Just tell the clerk when you check out that you aren’t so she/he won’t try to give you the membership discount.

- Buy food items in glass containers rather than plastic

- Pay attention to how many of the foods you purchase are "over-packaged," then check out the bulk-foods section of your market to see if a similar product will suffice.

- Support supermarkets with serious recycling programs and well-stocked bulk food departments.

- For brown-bag lunches, avoid using containers and packaging that can’t be re-used.

- Cook with a conscience: avoid veal, eat wild salmon and perhaps take another look at your canned tuna usage.

- Keep your kitchen equipment environmentally sound (the fridge runs more efficiently when you've taken the time to vacuum its heat exchanger and kept adequate ventilation around it).

- Give serious thought to eating organic produce. Start learning more about sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management, and if you like what you're reading and hearing, support those stores and growers leaning in this direction.

- Compost your kitchen garbage. Sure, it's a hassle - all those extra steps out to the yard each evening add up - but if you can minimize the use of your garbage disposal, you'll be limiting the stuff that goes to the water treatment plant, which reduces the burden on the over all system, including those glorious lakes and rivers you're so fond of rafting on each spring. Plus, you’ll have produced a fabulous soil amendment for your garden.

And while we're on the subject of seasons, consider the philosophies of the Chefs Collaborative, which is a network of chefs, restaurateurs and other culinary professionals promoting sustainable cuisine through education and the support of farmers. To learn more about their goals, go to www.chefscollaborative.org. One of their stated principles is the belief that "Good food begins with unpolluted air, land and water, environmentally sustainable farming and fishing, and humane animal husbandry."

The Chefs Collaborative promotes the philosophy of using locally-grown foods, particularly in-season local produce, but also regional specialties from the sea, rivers, and ranches. You'll discover that your frequent visits to a farmer's market has a more immediate pay-off than your other environmentally sound practices. After all, when you bite into a locally-grown cucumber - or peach, or melon, or carrot - you're reminded of how much flavor food can have when it's grown nearby and isn't suffering from jet lag.

In the interest of thinking globally and acting locally, my recipes for this week take advantage of regional and seasonal ingredients. Pacific shrimp are now in season, and there are plenty of lovely greens to bring into the kitchen.

Rhubarb Cake with Sugared Hazelnut Topping

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks

Grease a 13- by 9-inch baking pan; set aside.

Prepare the topping by combing the nuts with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

For the cake, beat together the brown sugar with the remaining 4 tablespoons of softened butter and the egg until well blended. Beat in the yogurt. In another bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda and salt, then add to the butter and sugar mixture; stir just to blend. Fold in the rhubarb and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle on the topping.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center springs back when gently pressed. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Adapted from "Recipes from America’s Small Farms," by Joanne Lamb Hays and Lori Stein.

 

Tangy Pacific Shrimp Chowder

The Pacific shrimp season started in April and will wind down the end of October. So this is the perfect time to take advantage of this wonderful part of the Northwest bounty.

3 russet (baking) potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups finely chopped celery

2-1/2 cups light cream (half and half)

1 cup dry white wine

1-1/2 pounds cooked Pacific shrimp, divided

Salt and white pepper

parsley and chopped green onion for garnish

 

Peel the potatoes, cut into thirds and boil until soft, then drain well and mash (you will have about 3 cups of mashed potatoes); set aside.^

In a large, heavy pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the mashed potatoes and light cream, then add the wine, salt to taste, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and gently reheat the soup, stirring frequently. This soup base may be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.

Just before serving, stir in 1 pound of the shrimp and simmer gently for 5 minutes. If soup is too thick, thin with additional light cream. Garnish each serving with the remaining shrimp, as well as a sprinkling of parsley and green onion. Yields 6 to 8 servings

Adapted from "From Portland's Palate," by the Junior League of Portland.

 

Lamb Chops with Rosemary-Green Peppercorn Sauce

Spring lamb and blooming rosemary - two seasonal favorites of mine in one recipe.

1 cup red wine

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups beef broth

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, divided

1 teaspoon chopped green peppercorns

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 (3- to 4-ounce) lamb chops

2 teaspoons olive oil

To prepare the sauce, put the wine, shallots, and garlic in a heavy saucepan and reduce over high heat until about 1/4 cup of wine remains. Add the broth and reduce over high heat until about 1/3 cup of liquid remains. Add the cream and reduce again over high heat until just about 1 cup of liquid remains. Add 1 teaspoon of the rosemary and the 1 teaspoon of chopped green peppercorns and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Keep warm while preparing the lamb chops.

To prepare the lamb chops, heat the grill on high. Drizzle the chops with the olive oil, rub with the remaining 2 teaspoons of rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the hot grill and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium doneness. Remove from the grill and serve hot with the green peppercorn sauce spooned over the top. Delicious with a big bowl of fresh-and-creamy mashed potatoes, or Caprial’s Seasoned Mashed Baked Potatoes (recipe follows). Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from "Caprial’s Bistro-Style Cuisine," by Caprial Pence.

Fettucine with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus

Two great sources for smoked salmon right now are Emmon’s Meat Market and Harry and Anette’s Fresh Fish. You might also check the farmers’ markets this week.

8 to 9 ounces dried egg fettuccine

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (not the creamy style)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

6 ounces smoked salmon, cut or broken into 1/2-inch wide ribbons or chunks

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Add asparagus to pot for the last 3 minutes of pasta-cooking time.

While asparagus is boiling, heat the cream, horseradish, and dill in a large skillet over medium heat, just until hot, about 1 minute. Drain pasta dn asparagus and add to cream mixture, tossing. Add salmon, and a bit of salt and pepper and gently toss to combine. Serve. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine, March 2000.

Grilled Wild Salmon Fillets

We’re seeing some wonderful wild salmon in the fish market. Mostly, it’s from Alaska, but in the case of salmon, that’s as regional as it gets for now. Here’s my own most favorite treatment. I start with a foil pan so that during cooking, the butter-soy mixture I brush on the fillets caramelizes around the fish, creating a rich and flavorful sauce to drizzle over the final dish

1/2 cup melted butter

Juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons Kikkoman’s Tempura Sauce (available where Kikkoman soy sauces are sold)

Up to 3 pounds of salmon fillet

1 to 2 Sweet onions, peeled and sliced into rings

Combine the butter, lemon juice and tempura sauce. Create a foil pan out of heavy duty aluminum foil that is only a few inches larger in all directions than the fillet. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of the sauce, then place the fillet on top, skin side down. Drizzle on some more of the butter mixture, then layer on the onions (arranging some of them around the edge of the fish), and drizzle on a bit more sauce) Grill over hot coals or gas burners, basting with the sauce several times. Keep the lid on the grill when not basting the fish. Fish is done when the flesh is just flaking when gently prodded with a fork. Figure on a cooking time of about 10 minutes per inch (measured at thickest part of the fillet).

December 22, 2008

About 5 years ago, our oldest granddaughter - in her toddler wisdom - decided that my husband and I should be Papa Steve and Papa Jan. Her parents had a moment of concern that I’d take offense. Such a masculine spin on the exquisite role of grand-parenting. On the contrary, I reassured them! Anna had transformed Steve and me into a category, which was alright by me, considering my husband’s fine character.

During the hazelnut harvest in late October Papa Steve and I took the family on a picnic to a nearby farm where our friends, Margy and Dave, had just finished gathering the year’s crop. After our simple lunch of cold-cuts, store-bought potato salad, fruit and cookies, we explored the orchard with its cool, leafy-green canopy over head. Anna and her little sister Lily marveled at the dusty beams of sun bursting through the trees; how it seemed to be making golden puddles of light on the ground. We inspected the tough-shelled nuts, cracked them open to see the treasures within, and speculated on how many a squirrel would need to get through the winter.

Next stop was the barn where Dave kept his rock tumbler. I explained to the girls that Dave was polishing some of the special rocks I had collected on the coast last winter. What kind of rocks, they wondered. So I showed them the treasured "blue-black" agates and unique bits of jasper. They said they had never seen such beautiful stones.

"Would you like to choose one to keep?"

"Oh yes" they exclaimed. After much agonizing, pondering, selecting, re-selecting, and finalizing of their choices, we shut the door on the rock room. As we left the barn, each girl clinging to one of my cherished blue-blacks, Anna reached for her mother’s hand. "Oh Mama, do you think we could EVER be bored with Papa Jan and Papa Steve?"

A picnic, a walk through an orchard, and a free rock. Talk about cheap dates. In our attempts to build The Best Christmas Ever, we should never forget that - just how easy it is to charm a child.

So in a year when scaling back seems to be imperative, take comfort in the fact that simple can most definitely be better. Which brings us to THIS night; Christmas Eve. It’s always a special night, if only in our mind's eye where it has taken on a Norman Rockwell sort of warmth and tradition. But realistically speaking, when that time actually rolls around, most of us are approaching total meltdown. Which makes it all too easy to say, Oh well, NEXT year will be better.

My response, however, is a resounding IT'S NOT TOO LATE. There's still time. Time to charm a child or two by letting them come into your kitchen to help with your last-minute preparations, for starters. Case in point: here’s a simple open-faced sandwich of sorts that is easy and fast to assemble, even with a youngster by your side being "helpful." And it comes with my guarantee to warm heart and soul of each and every guest you bring to your Christmas Eve table. Because it's such a snap to prepare, you'll still have plenty of hours left in the evening for festivities.

I've also included my favorite Make-Ahead Christmas Brunch Strata that can be assembled the night before, then popped in the oven on Christmas morning.

And if you have the time to assemble a collection of really (really!) fresh fish consider throwing together a pot of my fabulous Cioppino. There are as many renditions of this classic San Francisco fish stew specialty as there are folks who’ve left their hearts there, but this one is one of the tastiest I’ve ever encountered. What makes it especially great during the holidays is the fact that the tomato base can be prepared days ahead (so you may want to back-burner it for next week’s New Years Eve festivities). Then, just before you’re ready to serve, you can heat it up and begin adding the fish and shellfish in the appropriate order so that everything turns out tender and cooked to perfection. Just make sure the ingredients are fresh! fresh! fresh! So know your fish guy. This one’s a keeper!

Bon Appetit and Merry Christmas,

Jan

Cioppino

There are as many renditions of this classic San Francisco fish stew specialty as there are folks who’ve left their hearts there. Good friends Pam and Dan Bottom shared this versiona couple of months ago and I was blown away by its simplicity and flavor. What makes it especially great during the holidays is the fact that the tomato base can be prepared days ahead. Then, just before you’re ready to serve, you can heat it up and begin adding the fish and shellfish in the appropriate order so that everything turns out tender and cooked to perfection. Just make sure the ingredients are fresh! fresh! fresh! So know your fish guy.

If you think you’ve seen the recipe before, you probably have. I included it in a story last year on Potluck recipes, but figured that many of you might have missed it if you weren’t in a potluck frame of mind. This one’s a keeper!.

 

3/4 pound red snapper

3/4 pound halibut

1/2 pound scallops

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups chopped onion

4 fresh cloves garlic, minced

16 ounces salsa (any salsa will do, but I prefer Pace’s "medium" picante sauce)

5 cans( 14-1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes (see note below)

1-1/2 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or an Oregon Chardonnay

2 teaspoons each, dried (or 1 tablespoon each fresh): basil, thyme, marjoram, and oregano

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 pound steamer clams (optional, but very tasty)

2 cups shrimp meat

Salt and additional pepper to taste

Cut the snapper and halibut into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks; set aside in refrigerator until needed.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot and saute the onions and garlic over medium-high heat until the onions are tender. Stir in the salsa, tomatoes, wine, herbs, black pepper, and parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened enough to have enough substance to coat a spoon. The stew base may be refrigerated at this point for several days (or even frozen for up to 4 or 5 months).

When ready to assemble the Cioppino. bring the tomato mixture to a boil, then add the fish chunks and simmer until just barely cooked through. Add the scallops and clams and cook just until the clams open (discard any clams that don’t open). Add the shrimp and remove the pot from the burner; the shrimp will heat through nicely and not become tough. Add salt and additional fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Makes about 8 generous servings of 2-1/4 cups each (or 10 to 12 potluck servings)

do 1-1/2 recipe for a group...for 4 servings.

NOTE ON DICED TOMATOES: I use 1 can of diced tomatoes with jalapeno, and 4 cans of regular diced tomatoes. That little bit of jalapeno adds just enough zip. However, if you think you’ll be serving some very sensitive palates, just use 5 cans of regular diced tomatoes.

Adapted from: The New American Diet, by Sonja L. Connor, and William E. Connor.

WINE PICK: Go with a great Oregon Pinot Noir.

Focaccia Bread Special with Onions and Olive oil

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced to measure about 2 cups of onions

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (8- or 9-inch) round of focaccia bread (these are marketed in a brown 'n serve form, and are distributed nationally in most supermarkets.)

Saute the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil just until the onions are softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stewed tomatoes and simmer until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Place the loaf of focaccia bread on a lightly greased 9-inch round cake pan. Brush the surface with the remaining oil (you don't have to use the entire 2 tablespoons), and broil briefly just to crisp the top.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread half of the onion mixture on top of the toasted loaf, making sure it gets down into all of the holes on the surface. Sprinkle on half of the Cheddar and Parmesan. Top with remaining onion mixture, then sprinkle with remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.

Bake the loaf in a 425 degree oven about 20 or 25 minutes, until top is beautifully browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let the loaf rest for about 5 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into serving-sized wedges. A delicious meal on its own with a big green salad. For more substance, it can be served alongside a plainly grilled chicken breast or chop. Yields 4 to 6 entree servings.

ADAPTATIONS ABOUND: To the onion mixture, add any number of chopped vegetables as they come into season, such as sweet bell peppers, Walla Walla Sweet onions, and celery. Other delicious toppings include pepperoni, cooked sausage, sliced olives, and mushrooms. Exercise your imagination!

Easy Cheese and Vegetable Strata

Assemble this the night before, then pop into the oven about 45 minutes before breakfast. If you have some Emmons ham (a Corvallis-area meat market), that would make a delicious addition)

Half a 1-1/2 pound loaf of unsliced bread, crust removed (any style of bread will do, it's your choice, but the lighter the bread, the fluffier the strata; Albertsons or Safeway brands of French bread work nicely, and you can't go wrong with Big River breads or Alpine breads, even though the strata will be a little heartier in texture)

1 pound grated Cheddar cheese

8 slices bacon, diced (or 3/4 pound bulk sausage; or a combination of the two)

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped red, green or yellow sweet bell pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

6 large eggs, beaten (or the equivalent of a low-cholesterol egg substitute mixture)

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Dice the bread and mix with cheese in large bowl; set aside. Saute the bacon or sausage until browned, crumbling the sausage thoroughly if used. Strain off all but 2 tablespoons of the grease. Add the mushrooms, celery, bell peppers, and onions and continue to saute until the vegetables are softened; remove from heat. Whisk together the eggs, milk and seasonings. Add the egg mixture and vegetable mixture to the bread cubes and mix well. Pour the mixture into a 9- by 13-inch greased baking dish. Refrigerate at least half an hour or up to 24 hours. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and puffy. Delicious served with fresh fruit on the side.

My Special Chocolate Truffle Sauce

This has been a favorite specialty of mine for many years, and I can always count on requests for it every December, so here it is again. NOBODY suspects just how easy and fast it comes together. So in no time flat, I have a decadently rich and chocolately Christmas gift which I jazz up by presenting in lovely jars, with a simple-yet-colorful homemade label. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. And skip the homemade labels, if you want to

You can get the kids involved on many levels: there’s a lot of stirring to be done and kids are great little stirrers; they can help measure the chocolate and other ingredients; and of course, they can create the labels to stick on the jars.

1 pound semisweet chocolate, cut into very small (1/4-inch) chunks

1-1/3 cups heavy cream

5 tablespoons butter, softened and cut in chunks

Place the chocolate chunks into a large heat-proof bowl. Now place the bowl over a saucepan filled with hot (not boiling) water. Let the chocolate mixture begin to slowly melt while you proceed with the recipe.

In a small heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately pour it over the chunks of chocolate, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted. Keep the bowl positioned over the hot water because this will help keep the temperature at the melting point. Once the chocolate is smooth and creamy, stir in the butter and continue stirring until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Pour the sauce into clean jars and let cool completely before screwing on the lids. Refrigerate the sauce. It will become firm, but just tell the lucky recipient to scoop out the sauce as needed and either warm in a pan on the stove, or at low power in the microwave. Of course, most folks end up just eating it directly from the jar. Makes about 2-1/2 cups sauce (recipe can easily be doubled or tripled).

DECEMBER 20, 2008

When I read stories by well-intentioned nutrition experts on ways to avoid the culinary traps of the season, I come away thinking that they’ve missed the point. The holidays aren’t about avoiding food. They’re about integrating food - and food memories - into the celebration.

If you’re lucky, you’ve had some special people pass through your life. Times when life was particularly sweet. And because the human mind is so fantastically wired, simple things like baking shortbread, or sipping a single-malt scotch, can kindle images of these people and times.

Indeed, the people who return to us in spirit this month are, perhaps, the dearest gift of the season. It’s why tradition is so essential to the celebration.

That means you can’t reduce the butter in Grandma Skinner’s shortbread. Or the cream in Uncle Henry’s egg nog. Or do anything that would alter the character of any treasured family recipe. Because when you’re hankering for Uncle John’s fudge, it’s got to be the real deal since you’re conjuring golden times in the kitchen and around the dinner table when life-long bonds were formed.

Which is why I strongly encourage you to remember that food and wine over the next few weeks should be designed to pull friends together, not keep them fretting over which fork or goblet to use. Then apply this one important rule for hosting that I learned from my mother: The food is never more important than the people eating it.

But I do understand. We’re entering into that time when good intentions are sort of hard to follow through on. Wishing we could capture the Christmas spirit is one thing. But realistically speaking, when opportunities come along, most of us are approaching total meltdown. So try to remember that the magic, hope, and joy of the season is all around us. We just need to slow down, listen, and look. Then set some time aside to break bread with the folks you really care about, at a time of year when we’re all buoyed with the feeling that anything is possible.

 

November 1, 2008

It was my delight to talk with Portland’s (Oregon) infamous and ever-popular gardening guru, Mike Darcy, on his long-running KXL radio show, "In The Garden" with Mike Darcy. If you were listening in on the show today you know that Mike and I share a running history on the subject of pumpkins, squash, leeks, and all the other wonderful things we harvest in the garden. At one point, when Mike hosted a television show on one of Portland’s television stations, he and his producer would come down to Corvallis and join me in the kitchen for an occasional cooking segment. Those were fun times!

Chatting with Mike over the airwaves is equally fun. So here are some recipes that cover what we talked about, plus a whole lot more...

Enjoy!

PREPARATION OF LEEKS: Wash the leeks thoroughly and cut off the roots and about 1/4-inch of the base. Then slice each leek once from the green end almost down through the base. Fan the two sections apart and pass the leek through running water to remove all of the grit that has accumulated. The most edible portions of the leek are the white and pale green sections. The dark green leaves are rather tough, even after a lot of cooking. So if you plan to use that portion, it’s best to mince very small. On the other hand, the dark green leaves make a great addition to homemade broths; just throw them into the pot along with the rest of your vegetable trimmings.

ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH PUMPKIN & CHIPOTLE PEPPERS

Chipotles are a fabulous tool to have in the cook’s arsenal of ingredients. Chipotles - dried and smoked jalapeno peppers - add a subtle smoked flavor to this wonderful soup I created from a variety of golden-roasted vegetables. The roasting of the vegetables adds a great depth of flavor. Plus, of course, you’ll find just a bit (!) Of fire from the chipotle pepper.

1 medium-sized winter squash (see note below)

1 large baking potato

1 large red or yellow onion

1 medium sized leek (about 1-inch in diameter at the root end)

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 (7 ounce) can dhipotle peppers in adobo sauce

7 cups chicken broth

Sour cream for garnish

To prepare the squash, slice about 1/2 inch from the top and bottom ends to create flat surfaces. Laying the squash on one of the flat surfaces, cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds, then lay the cut halves cut-sides down on the cutting board and slice each half into 1-inch half circles. With a sharp paring knife, peel away as much of the skin as possible (it’s difficult to remove all the skin in the scalloped surface, so don’t worry).

Peel the potato and cut lengthwise into quarters.

Cut off stem and root end from the onion and peel. Cut each onion half lengthwise into thirds.

After thoroughly washing the leek, slice away the root end and then cut into 1-inch rounds, using all of the white and pale green portions.

Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (11- by 17-inch or larger) roasting pan. Layer in the prepared vegetables, turning each piece to coat thoroughly with the olive oil (you may have to drizzle on a bit more). Brush each piece of vegetable with some of the adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers.

Roast the vegetables in a 375 degree oven until the vegetables are soft and golden, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Place the vegetables in a large soup pot with the chicken broth and 1 chipotle pepper (you can always add a second pepper after pureeing the soup if you think it won’t be too spicy).

Now ladle about a cup of the chicken broth from the pot into the roasting pan. Swirl the broth around in the pan and scrape with a spatula to dissolve and capture any caramelized bits of vegetable (there’s a lot of flavor in these pan drippings), then pour this mixture back into the pot. Bring the broth and vegetables to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, just to further soften the vegetables.

At this point, for a smooth soup, puree the soup in batches, using a blender or food processor. For a slightly chunky soup, consider using a hand-held blender and simply chop up the vegetables right in the pot. If the soup seems too thick after chopping or pureeing, you can add additional chicken broth, or even a bit of half and half or cream (then reheat).

Serve immediately if desired, or prepare up to 2 days ahead, refrigerate, and then reheat when ready to serve. Garnish each serving with a dollop or drizzling of sour cream.

NOTE ON CHIPOTLE PEPPERS - As I said, chipotle peppers are smoked and dried jalapenos. They are sold either in the dried state or canned in a spicy red sauce called adobo sauce. For this recipe, you’re using the "canned in adobo sauce" chipotle peppers. Look for them in the Mexican food section of a well-stocked supermarket.

TIP ON USING CHIPOTLE PEPPERS - Since you’re only going to use 1 or 2 chipotes in the can, consider pureeing the remaining peppers and sauce and then storing them in your refrigerator for up to 10 days, or up to several months in the freezer. You can dip into the puree to use whenever a bit of smoke and heat is desired in a recipe.

LEEKS BRAISED IN BUTTER AND SHERRY AU GRATIN

This simple dish is a wonderful accompaniment to steak or roast chicken.

6 tablespoons butter

4 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green portions only, about 4 large leeks)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the sherry, salt, and white pepper and continue to cook until the leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook for a couple of minutes longer to reduce the liquid slightly; remove from the heat. Sprinkle with the Monterey Jack cheese and then the Parmesan. Place the pan under the broiler and broil just until the cheese melts and begins to turn golden around the edges, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP WITH SWISS CHEESE

4 cups chopped leeks (about 2 pounds whole leeks), use white and pale green portion

1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

4 medium-sized potatoes (russet or Yukon Gold variety), peeled & chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups half & half

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute the leeks and onion in butter for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add potatoes and broth, and cover; simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Place mixture in blender or food processor, small batches at a time, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, stir in cream and bring mixture almost to a boil. Add the grated cheeses, stirring gently as the shreds melt. Makes about 6 servings.

 

MASHED POTATOES WITH BASIL AND LEEKS

This is one of my favorite mashed potato combinations. The leeks gives the mild, creamy potatoes a strong boost of onion flavor and lovely green color, while the basil kicks in with a surprising depth of flavor.

1-1/2 pound russet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled

2 cups finely chopped leeks (use the white and pale green portions), about 2 large leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

About 1/4 to 1/3 cup butter

About 1/2 cup milk, half & half, or heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into quarters, then place them in a large saucepan with enough salted water to just cover them by about 1/2 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the leeks and basil in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the leeks are very soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the desired amount of butter to the leek mixture and the 1/2 cup of milk (or half & half, or heavy cream). Bring this mixture to a simmer then remove from the heat and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, drain well then mash into a puree. Stir in the leek and cream mixture, then adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, adding additional cream or milk to reach the desired consistency. Makes about 6 servings.

POTATO, LEEK & PARSNIP CHOWDER

A traditional New England recipe, with a few modifications

4 slices bacon, diced

2 cups sliced leeks (use the white and pale green portions; cut 1/4-inch thick rings), about 2 large leeks

1 pound parsnips,

3/4 pound potatoes (2 medium-sized russets)

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups half & half (or milk, or a desired ratio of milk to half & half)

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter as garnish, if desired

In large, heavy-bottomed pot, saute the bacon until crisp over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and remove bacon and all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Reserve bacon for later. Add leeks and saute for several minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, peel parsnips and potatoes and coarsely cut into approximately 1/2-inch dice. Add the potatoes and parsnips to the leeks, along with the chicken broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cream and/or milk, the reserved bacon (crumbled), and heat through. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Soup may be prepared up to 48 hours ahead. Just before serving, garnish each serving with a thin pat of butter (if desired.). Makes about 4 servings.

CURRIED LEEK BISQUE

About 1-1/2 pounds leeks (white and pale green portions), cut into 1-inch chunks to measure 6 cups

3 cups homemade or canned chicken broth

1 cup peeled, cored, and diced apples

1 cup diced yellow onions

1 cup diced yellow onions

1 cup diced potato (a red, white, or Yukon gold variety would be best)

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced to measure about 3/4 cup (or use good-quality canned diced tomato)

1/2 cup diced carrot

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and leeks are tender. Remove the soup from the heat and cool slightly, then blend the mixture in several batches in a blender or food processor until very smooth. To serve, reheat gently until heated through. Makes about 6 servings.

Copyright, 2008, Jan Roberts-Dominguez

October 22, 2008

Here in Oregon, apple season is in full swing. One of the delights of the times is turning the apple bounty into gallons and gallons of delicious homemade sweet cider. And some folks are taking that a step further by pursuing the fine art of hard cider making.

THE BASIC STEPS INVOLVED IN MAKING SWEET CIDER ARE SIMPLE:

First of all, figure on 45 lbs of apples for 2 to 3 gallons of cider.

1. Begin with ripe, unbruised apples of several varieties. An experienced cider maker will have a formula for blending, and also goes by taste. Each of the apple varieties they use will contribute something to the finished cider, depending on if they are sweet, mildly to extremely tart, or aromatic. If you use only sweet varieties, the cider will lack depth. (NOTE: for a list of apple varieties and characteristics, go to the Mail Tribune website....)

Also, It’s important NOT to use apples that have fallen to the ground, because they can be contaminated.

2. At this point, experienced cider makers "sweat" the apples, meaning they store them in a clean, odor-free area for a week to ten days, to allow the apples to increase the sugar in the juice and encourage good flavor development. When a good firm squeeze leaves finger impressions in the fruit, they are ready for grinding. (Note: Some North American apple varieties do not benefit from this mellowing period, including Jonathan, Newtown, and Rome Beauty, which should be pressed when freshly picked)

3. Wash the apples to remove dust, chemicals, and stray bugs.

4. Grind the apples into a fine pulp, which is called the pomace. Unless you’re dealing with a very small batch - 20 pounds or so - you’ll need to rent (or purchase) a special piece of grinding equipment to accomplish this. Check your local newspaper for ads and local equipment rental stores. If you have a beer and wine making store in your community, they most likely are renting apple grinders and presses this time of year. Commercial-quality machinery will take the whole apple, but for small batches you can use a kitchen food processor or blender, as long as you quarter the unpeeled apples first.

5. The pomace is poured into the container of an apple press, a crank is turned, and cider begins to stream out below into a waiting tub.

6.You’ve now got a delicious batch of sweet cider. If this is your end point, then before drinking, the Oregon State University Extension office cautions that you will need to pasteurize the juice in order to kill any harmful bacteria that may be in it. Unpasteurized apple cider has been linked with illness caused by E.coli01157:H7 bacteria. So pasteurization is particularly important for specific high risk groups of people who are more vulnerable to food poisoning. That includes the elderly, very young, pregnant women, and those people with weakened immune systems.

To pasteurize, heat the juice to at least 160 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, simply heat to just simmering (bubbles will just be appearing on the surface).

TURNING SWEET CIDER INTO HARD CIDER

To give you a general idea of how to go about fermenting sweet cider into hard cider, here’s a run-down of the process. These directions will NOT guide you through a batch of home made hard cider. But reading through them will give you an idea if it’s even the type of activity you want to undertake.

First, the equipment:

- Some sort of vessel to ferment the cider in. Barrels are traditional, but expensive. Other suitable containers include glass carboys, which hold around five gallons; or (for smaller batches) glass gallon jugs that were previously used for wine or fruit juice; or collapsible polyethylene containers (make sure they aren’t punctured), or rigid polyethylene containers.

- A hydrometer (sold as a wine maker’s or brewer’s hydrometer) to measure the sugar and other soluble solids in the liquid, as well as hydrometer scales to determine the sweetness of the apple juice, the amount of sugar in it, and the potential alcohol level.

- A "winemaker’s thermometer to check the air temperature during fermentation.

- Titration equipment, including a burette, acid test strips and pH papers, a direct reading acid tester.

- Fermentation locks, water seals, valves and air locks.

- A scale to measure the various additives, such as yeasts, nutrients, pectic enzymes, and sulfur dioxide.

- Filtering equipment, which can be as simple as a funnel and filter paper, or much more complex (read, expensive).

With equipment in hand, consider the following steps only a general introduction into the process for creating a dry, still hard cider, which is the most straightforward style to produce. (Highly recommended for first-timers.)

In a dry style hard cider, all of the sugars have been converted to alcohol, leaving very, very, (very!) little residual sugar in the finished cider. "Still" means that it will not be a sparkling, which is a more challenging style to produce.

After you’ve produced your sweet cider:

1. Remove a sample of juice (or all the juices if you kept your apple varieties separate). Blend the different varieties of juice to taste, and then test it for tannin content, and specific gravity.

2. Adding sulfur dioxide and let the juice stand for 24 hours.

3. Add yeast culture.

4. Leave the barrel or tank open until the foaming and frothing stage of primary fermentation slows down. This might take sevral weeks.

5. Fermentation. Once the primary fermentation is subsided, you’ll seal up the vessel and let the fermentation proceed until to the desired level of dryness.

6. Start measuring for dryness. You’ll begin taking specific gravity readings from time to time as fermentation slows. At dryness, you’ll test for acid.

COMBINE SEVERAL VARIETIES OF APPLES FOR THE BEST TASTING CIDER

When blending apples for a balanced flavor, some cider makers like to grind and press the different varieties separately and then blend them together in the end. Others like to just throw them altogether and let the juice become what it will. Whichever approach you choose, select varieties that fall into the four categories below for the best flavor:

Neutral - thirty to 60 percent of the juice should be from apples that are sweet and low-acid. Such varieties include Baldwin, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, Winesap, Cortland, Ben Davis, and York Imperial.

Tart - Ten to 20 percent of the juice should be from apples that have medium-acid flavor. Such varieties include Jonathan, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Eospus Spitzenberg, Newtown, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Wealthy, and Winesap (I know! Some categorize Winesap as "neutral.")

Aromatic - Ten to 20 percent of the juice should be from apples with a lovely aromatic, "apply" flavor. Such varieties include Golden Russet, Gravenstein, Winter Banana, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Wealthy.

Astringent - Five to 20 percent of the juice should be from apples with a relatively high level of tanin in flavor. These include Newtown, Lindel, and Red Astrakhan. Crab apples also are high in tannins, but go easy, as some are so high in tannin that they can overwhelm the juice.

CIDER-MAKING SOURCES:

"Cider, Making, Using and Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider," by Annie Proulx and Lew Nichols.

On the web: www.motherearthnews.com. In the "Most Popular" category, click on "Make your own hard cider."

10-18-2008

Here’s the mustard recipe I talked about on the Mr. Barbeque radio program today. As you’ll see, it’s really straightforward and simple to make!

Classic Whole Grain Mustard

2/3 cup yellow mustard seeds

1/2 cup brown mustard seeds

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Syrah

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

IN a non-aluminum pot or jar, combine the mustard seeds, vinegar, wine, and garlic; cover and soak for 48 hours, adding additional vinegar and wine (in correct proportions) if necessary to maintain enough liquid to cover the seeds.

Scrape the soaked seeds into a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mustard turns from a liquid and seeds to a creamy mixture flecked with seeds. This takes 3 to 4 minutes, so be patient. Add additional vinegar as necessary to create a nice creamy mustard that still has some whole seeds in it. Keep in mind that the mustard will thicken slightly upon standing. This mustard benefits from several weeks of aging. Makes about 3-1/4 cups mustard.

Note: This mustard needs to be refrigerated for long-term storage. Do not seal in a boiling water canner and store in the pantry, because the acid level may not be high enough for this to be a safe method of storing the mustard.