Inventive Cooking

During the past month or so I have had opportunity to engage in some adaptive cooking. The first cause of this challenge - as I like to look at it from the perspective of a "reality cooking program" - was the result of the fact that since my return from France, and up until last Thursday, I had no use of a real oven. Apparently a crucial component of our oven had decided to breakdown during my parents' preparation of a roast one weekend during my absence, and said component had to be sent first to Canada and then to Illinois in order to undergo 400 dollars-worth of repair. Incidentally, the lack of an oven this past month has commanded that I rely primarily on a good old-fashioned stove-top method for most of my culinary escapes. However this has not been the only reason I have chosen to partner with the stove in cooking this fall. Since the weather has changed from summery and humid to autumnal and crisp, I have been longing for dishes that invite comfort and warmth, and cook-top braises have provided for precisely that.
It was thus with this mindset that I headed off to Boston for a weekend of reuniting with some of my favorite people from my Alma Mater. Because we had been sequestered to dorm life for four years together we were never presented with the opportunity to cook together, so on this occasion I was determined to be able to prepare a meal for us that didn't come from a dining hall/dorm room microwave. The principal ingredient I decided would be chicken and what better way to feed a group than to have everything come from one pot - well I suppose I should say multiple pots as some size-constraints did limit how much I could fit into one vessel?
Thus I set to work in "R's" and "M's" kitchen to prepare my meal of braised chicken - a la Charlotte - with garlic bread, crudites and chips with chickpea and spinach and artichoke dips to start, and apple crumble to finish. The following are general guidelines and quantities I used, but I cannot guarantee precise accuracy as I did everything by taste for this occasion.


Chickpea Dip
1 can chickpeas, drained and juices reserved
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tblsp lemon juice
1 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder - I actually forgot this, but it really does add a nice flavor
salt and pepper to taste

1) Combine the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings into the food processor and add 1-2 tblsps of the reserved chickpea juices. Process until smooth, season, and transfer to a serving bowl to be eaten with crudites and chips.


Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1/4 package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained- or fresh spinach sauteed until wilted in a little bit of oil
1 8 oz package Philadelphia cream cheese - you can even use the spinach and artichoke flavour if you want
1 8 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped - I really only added these because they were there and I like a little oniony flavor

1) Combine the spinach, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Parmesan and green onions into the food processor. Process until smooth, season if necessary, and transfer to a serving bowl to be eaten with crudites and chips.


Braised Chicken with Mirepoix and Tomatoes
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs - natural, organic preferred
6 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp butter
dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 whole carrots peeled and chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes

1) Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tblsp of olive oil and 1 tblsp of butter. Season all the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dried thyme leaves. When the butter has melted place six thighs into the pan and allow to sear for roughly 5 minutes. Turn the pieces of chicken over and cook the same on the other side. Remove these thighs to a large heavy-bottomed pot, and repeat the procedure with the remaining six pieces of chicken, 2 more tblsps of olive oil and 1 more tblsp of butter.
2) once all the chicken has been transferred, add the 1/4 cup of red wine to the hot pan to deglaze. Add these juices to the pot with the chicken and top it off with cold water - enough to cover all the chicken. Put the pot over high heat to bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat so that the contents is at a bare simmer. Allow to cook uncovered while you prepare the rest of the meal - I think I had it going for about an hour or so - at which point the liquid should have reduced significantly.
3) Return the pan you used to sear the chicken to the heat and add the final 2 tblsp of olive oil. Allow the onions to sweat for five minutes first, then add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook these also slowly over low heat until all the veggies are tender. Remove from the heat.
4) Once the chicken has achieved your desired tenderness - I like it so that one doesn't even need a knife to cut it, and rather it just falls apart by itself - add the diced tomatoes with their juices. Heat through and finally add the vegetables. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. Bring to the table/floor with garlic bread after your friends have enjoyed their appetizer/hors d'oeuvres course.


Garlic Bread
1 loaf of your favorite crusty bread
1 stick unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped - or 1 tblsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt - or to taste

1) Combine the stick of butter, parsley, and salt together in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring when done.
2) Cut your loaf of bread into even slices, being sure not to slice all the way through the bottom so that the butter cannot escape. Put the loaf into a nest of aluminum foil and onto a baking sheet.
3) Brush the butter onto both sides of every slice - any remaining butter can be brushed over the top of the loaf afterwards. Bake the bread in the oven for five to ten minutes until the crust is nice and crispy and the inside pieces are piping hot. Serve with your entree.


Apple Crumble
This recipe definitely needed some tweaking, so I will try to get back to you on it - thanks to "E" though for all her hard work pealing the apples!


THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO FIVE CAMELS: "S", "R", "J", "C" and "E"

Welcome October!

The combination of a truly inspirational trip to the Norwich farmer's market, the opportunity to sift through stacks of years and years worth of cooking magazines, and the emergence of seasonal temperatures had me devoted to the kitchen this weekend. I began with some preparation for the week's meals by making a fully flavorful batch of tomato soup - thanks to the beautifully ripened fruit that "W" offered me earlier in the week. I then moved onto a Normandy-style chicken braise, which combined seared then poached Misty Knoll chicken pieces in a sauce of white wine, apple, mushrooms, and cream; and which served as Saturday night's dinner. Next came the initial preparations for some wild Alaskan salmon gravlax, involving cling-wrapping a marvelously pink filet of salmon with a mixture of 50% sugar and 50% sea salt, and 30 grams of chopped dill. The salmon is currently resting in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped beneath the weight of two liters of tomato soup, and will remain there for the next 24-48 hours until it has been "cooked" through. In addition to these preparations, I also composed two different, yet dilectable salads using the last of the season's beets, tomatoes, lettuces, radishes, green beans, etc...
Thus, it was all in all a sumptuous weekend dedicted to primarily savory tastes. I did however find myself yearning to attempt a slightly more ambitious project, and this afternoon embarked upon the making of one of my favorite candies - soft, chewy, and mouthwatering nougat. I learned how to make this traditional French "Nougat Montelimar" during a chocalate and candy-making course I took while in England. Although the process of making it can seem quite daunting due to cooking various combinations of sweeteners to fairly exact temperatures having to do multiple tasks simultaneously, it proves fully satisfying to complete and then eat! Here is the recipe and technique in adapted quantities.

Dark Chocolate Nougat Montelimar
1 egg white
200 g honey
200 g caster sugar
200 g glucose
100 g dark chocolate couverture
72 g whole roasted hazelnuts
100 g roasted almonds (I used slivers rather than whole ones)
1 sheet of A4-sized rice paper, cut in half

1) Whisk the egg white to a stiff foam - this is best done in a stand mixer as it allows you to have both hands free to accomplish the other preparations, however a hand mixer works fine as I discovered myself.
2) Meanwhile cook the honey to 120 degrees celcius and pour it in a steady stream onto the whisking egg whites. Whisk untill all the honey is incorporated and keep the stand mixer running if you have that luxury.
3) The the sugar and glucose together to 138 degrees celcius and repeat the same process of pouring it steadly into the egg white and honey misture - again all while whisking.
4) Turn the mixer off and melt the chocolate either in a microwave or over a low temperature on a stove top. 5) Add the roasted nuts to the chocolate, mix and then quickly fold the combination into the whipped, significantly sweetened egg white mixture and turn out the lot into a small-sized baking tray lined with one piece of rice paper. Smooth out the top and place the second piece of rice paper over the sticky surface. Allow the whole tray to cool to room temperature and then cut into desired pieces and shapes.

Photos Culinaire de la France

The quotation above comes from the start of my three-week trip to France, and very accurately reflects the culinary experiences that highlighted my days in what I consider to be the forerunning country in all cuisine - from the traditional and basic to the haute and gastronomic. Following are pictures - mostly from markets - of the many delights that I tasted throughout my trip.

 

 

Hamburger Heaven

Just a quick post to share my own Cheeseburger Rossini featuring all local and fresh ingredients!

Bun: Brioche roll from Allechante, Norwich, VT

Pate de Campagne - sorry this is not a local product and hoping to find one similar in the Upper Valley

Beef: Ground grass-fed beef from Luna Bleu Farm, South Royalton, VT

Cheese: Ascutney Mountain from Cobb Hill Cheese, Hartland, VT

Onion: From Hurricane Flats, South Royalton, VT

Tomato: Heirloom variety from Cedar Circle Farm, Thetford, VT

Lettuce: Boston Head Lettuce from Killdeer Farm, Norwich, VT

The Fruits of My Very Own Wild Harvest - Chantarelle Omelette

On a recent Saturday morning run, I decided to take one of my less-usual routes via a forest trail in hopes of a little shade from the intensifying morning sun. After dodging the fangs of a Rhodesian Ridgeback, I made it to the entrance of the forest, and almost instantly spotted a familiar-looking orange-yellow fungus. I immediately halted my stride, and bent down to verify that I was indeed amidst a patch of the very delectable Chantarelle mushroom. Although I was devoted to the completion of my run - and came across several other patches of mushrooms as I proceeded through the forest - I returned home only to set back out to retrace my tracks with basket in hand ready to pick!

My labors were not in vain, as I acquired a good pint and half of the golden harvest. Unfortunately I wasn't able to cook the mushrooms right off, and wanted also to verify their safety; so I made sure to keep them refrigerated under a damp paper towel and to show them to friend and co-worker, "M".

This evening was my first opportunity to cook off the mushrooms and share them with mom and day, and I can truthfully state that they were well-worth the weight.

 I first cleaned the mushrooms by just trimming their soiled ends, and wiping them, again, with a damp paper towel.

Next I sauteed the mushrooms in some butter and olive oil with chopped shallot, garlic,

from our garden - oregano, thyme, and parsley - and allowed them to cook until they were just tenderly al dente.

I proceeded to beat my 7 eggs and waited until my same pan was hot again before pouring in the eggs and preparing my light and fluffy omelet. I still have a lot of practice to do before coming near to accomplishing the Julia Childs of omelets, but I rest assured by the fact that mine encompassed exactly the flavour, texture, and satisfaction that I desired. You can bet that I will be returning to the forest in mere days - post the downpour we just had today - to forage more pure gold!

A Day Devoted to the Locality of the Upper Valley

This Saturday presented me with an localiscious day of shopping for Upper Valley produce at the Norwich Farmer's Market, picking organic strawberries at Cedar Circle Farm with all-time best friend "A," feasting on the aforementioned goods at dinner time, and joining a selection of close friends for a locally brewed pint of lager, "Bock to the Trails", and food discussion at the Norwich Inn's Jasper Murdock's Alehouse/Pub. I simply could not think of a better way to spend the eve of the eve of the summer solstice, and I wanted to share some of the pictures that captured a portion of it. 

 

At the Norwich farmer's market I was first presented with Luna Bleu's stand, from which I selected a pre-packaged bag of tender-looking baby arugula.

From there I proceeded to Crossroad Farm and discovered first of the season's sugar snap peas, which looked, and proved to be, too sweet and crisp to pass up.

 

After meandering my way through several stands of crafts, meats, and baked goods - none of which had an allure for me that day - I found myself at Orford's Echo Hill Farm where I limited myself to a brilliantly green and rounded head of Boston Lettuce and a snow-white variety of turnip I knew to be a crunchfully delightful addition to any salad.

My final stop was at Your Farm, which had a selection of all of the above products, but I made a direct line towards their first-of-the-season's beets, which, despite their bright pink exteriors, presented a beautifully ringed cross-cut when I cut into them that same evening.

It just so happened that Saturday was also the day I started a house-sitting duty for some acquaintances also in Norwich, so I was on my own for dinner. Incidentally one of my go-to-options when I do find myself cooking for one is a salad, which is exactly what I had in mind for that evening. While the picture does not at all do justice to my dinner salad - also including shavings of raw asparagus from the garden of my homestay's garden, my homemade honey and cider vinegar dressing, and the strawberries of my day's "labor" - each bite presented a deliciously flavorful medley of crispness, tenderness, and freshness, which as friend "N" would say "nearly brought a tear to my eye."

My beer accommpanied by exceptional company was the absolute perfect end to a glorious day!

You Know You're in New England When...

I have just come back from perhaps the most pleasurable Upper Valley dining experience I have had outside the homes of my parents or friends since my return to the States last November.  What-is-more, every bite of food was sourced probably not more than 50 yards of my plate!

The Bunten Farm is a family owned and operated farm in Orford, New Hampshire; and has claims to being the only milking Devon dairy farm in the USA. Although Devon cattle were brought over from England by the very first Pilgrim settlers, their existence throughout the US has been minimal at best, and today there are only about 400 or so of these animals in the country. Most of the breed can be found in New England where particular dairy farmers, such as Chris and Bruce Balch, have protected the breed from extinction. Thus, this post must begin with a tremendous THANK YOU to The Bunten Farm for preserving this wonderful breed and providing New Englanders and visitors alike with an array of such amazingly rich dairy products: cream, milk, buttermilk, yogurt, cheeses, and butter. Their own-made products deserve recognition as well, as they do complete the selection of indulgent items to eat on the premise or to take away. It should also be noted that the family strives to remain as self-sufficient and independent of outside resources as possible, though sometimes will rely on local businesses to allow them to take part in the farm experience.

Now on to the brunch! I shared the visit with a friend of mine who has spent her fair share living and working on a farm in Southern Vermont, so I figured she would be a prime companion for the test run. The Farmhouse Kitchen is delightfully cozy and welcoming, and even though the kitchen is separated from dining room by a barrier, it felt almost like you were being invited into a family home to share an informal meal with them. From their service to their tasty home-style food, the Bunten team easily achieves their stated goal of being "the kind of place that makes you glad you came here and not somewhere else."

Upon being seated I immediately took note of the tri-portion dish on the center of our table that held the fresh butter, jam, and ketchup needed for the brunch we were soon to order. This tidbit alone was a welcome change from the packaged butter and jam portions and the family-sized bottles of ketchup typically seen on the tables of most breakfast/brunch eateries. I next took note of the the mismatching china bread plates, which only added to the charm of the experience for me.

Our first order of business was to have a look at our menu choices and pick our drinks, which contributes to making a meal at Bunten Farm Kitchen quite unique. The kitchen will provide the standard hot tea and coffee, juices, and milk that can be either raw or pasteurized; but should you want more than that they ask that you bring your own. The offered selection was enough for my friend and I, but I can imagine that on a dinner visit - they serve dinner Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5:30 to 8:00 - such an option of bringing a familiar bottle of wine would be quite appealing.

Our drinks arrived with a selection of bite-sized freshly-made banana muffins and whipped sweetened Devon Cream, and while my friend could not be tempted, I quickly loaded a spoonful of cream onto one muffin and savored the bananas and cream combination. Next we were ready to really tackle the difficult decision we faced on what to order  for our main courses We both seemed stuck on the Eggs Benedict - "(Ham and eggs)" on Chris' grilled Orford English Muffin/Real Hollandaise Sauce and Fried Potatoes" - and the Veggie Galore Omelet - "Tomato, Kale, Onion, etc. w/ Devon Mozzarella Cheese, Home Fries and Toast". In the end I took on the Omelet while "C" tackled the Benedict, and we both agreed to sacrifice a bite to one another. Because the dining room is small and was probably only about half full while we were there, our wait for our food was very minimal and we were able to dive right in. My omelet came nicely folded with an intriguing medley of vegetables on the inside including the aforementioned ones, sweet carrots, pieces of heirloom tomatoes, and a cabbage-like vegetable that I believe was kohlrabi. Although the combination of the vegetables seemed a bit eclectic to me, the pieces themselves were in large enough chunks that they could be eaten bite by bite each with its own portion of omelet and melted cheese. The cheese was definitely a nice addition as it contributed to a slightly chewy texture to marry the soft omelet and al dente veggies, and it also gave each bite a slightly tangy note rounding out the flavor nicely especially with a little dab of ketchup. The toast was a grilled roll, which I thoroughly enjoyed slathering it with the jam and the fresh and perfectly soft salted butter - such a rare treat at most restaurants that don't want to fork over the extra money to serve anything but unsalted, and dare I say, unflavored butter. As for the home fries, they were clearly newly made and hadn't been sitting in a vat of their own fat for hours beforehand a trait that often makes me avoid this portion of breakfast in most other eateries. Over all my only complaint was that the omelet did not have the slightly runny interior that I tend to prefer because of my own upbringing, but I gather that many people are not of my same mind set, and so I hand it to Chris and Bruce for knowing their clientele. As for the single bite of Eggs Benedict I had, I couldn't make a single complaint. The mouthful perfectly combined a nicely toasted piece of the English Muffin with a bit of the slightly larded and salted ham, and arrived at my mouth dripping with a mix of bright yellow egg yolk - a sign of a truly fresh egg - and an airy yet supremely rich Hollandaise sauce. Clearly I cannot offer a bit of critique to the entirety of the dish as I just had one bite, but I can certainly attest that there was no lack of the sauce and that my one bite was instant pleasure.

My biggest woe from the whole experience was that I didn't get to sample more of menu choices, but I can say with safe assertion that I will be returning very soon and probably quite frequently to have the opportunity to taste the Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes, the yogurt, the Devon cheese sampler, the "Bruce - n - Chris - to" sandwich of shaved ham and Devon cheese served french dipped and golden brown with maple syrup, and whatever other specialties they might be making on any other Sunday!

Brunch at the Bunten Farm Kitchen is served from 10:00 to 1:00 on Sundays, and whether you go for there for brunch or dinner, they ask that you please make a reservation so that they know to accommodate you! The experience is certainly not to be missed if you are a dairy lover of any kind. Simply remember that you can bring your own, and save some time either before or after your meal to visit with the "Pumpkin Coop Girls", Harry the Bernese Mountain Dog, - freshly clipped I might add - and the herd of ruby-colored Devon cattle. Finally, be ready to want to purchase a specialty of Bunten Farmhouse Kitchen. I could not leave without a half pound of butter in hand!