Another Appetizer for the Renaissance Festival

As I wrote in my previous blog, this year the fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen is called Renaissance Festival. I find the title odd, to say the least, but it was necessary to change it, and so it is. . .

I have been continuing to work on things that can be done from this remove. The event itself is on April 8th, at the Ward Hotel, from 6:30 to 10 PM. I wrote about making the little tamales, and they are mightily good, but I had yet to finish making the amount needed. That was finally done 2 days ago. They are all safely frozen, needing only to be reheated before the event.

Lamb Burgers with Feta and Tapenade

Another of the items I wanted to make were a version of my lamb burgers, on tiny buns. Due to the fact that these burgers are so divinely flavorful, each time I have made them, which has been very often, they have been totally devoured before I ever think to get a photo. In making the mini versions last week, while I didn't eat them all, they were made and frozen. Since I didn't have the buns made yet, I really couldn't assemble one to shoot photos. So, once again, I am talking about these heavenly burgers with no true photos to speak of. I did take a few photos at table. I had just enough of the mixture left after making the amount of tiny slider patties, and I made two normal sized burgers for my husband and me for supper, shown above.  

Simulated Mini Greek Lamb Slider on bun

The recipe (made as the regular recipe size) makes enormous burgers, far larger than my usual, and no one ever leaves a single bite behind. The one thing I did differently this time was instead of grilling the Feta cheese, which I would never have time for just before the fundraising event, was to grate the cheese and add it to the burger mixture. I fried all the tiny mini slider patties, each one just between 21 to 23 grams apiece. Each one was measured and weighed. I wanted these little sliders to stay together, making it easier for people to grasp the little sandwich without having it slip and slide and fall apart in their hand. Trying to have a slice of Feta on the little slider would make these way to hazardous to walk around and eat, so grating the cheese into the meat seemed ideal. And it was.

While the cheese is not immediately noticeable, you can detect a few bits in the photo above. And it all tastes just the same. I made the same Greek olive tapenade as I have made for these Greek Lamb Burgers before, and I plan to put a dab on each of the little sliders at the event. In case you, like me, are leery of making tapenade, I have to say this: I love Greek olives, yet avoided going the extra step for the tapenade. Finally I did give it a try and I have to say, the tapenade really and truly makes that ultimate OMG moment even better. That first bite into these heavenly burgers is amazing anyway, but the tapenade just takes them totally over the top. MAKE it! You won't regret it!

I started with just a bit over 6 pounds of ground lamb, and with all the additions, including the Feta, I got 162 tiny, bitty little slider patties, at 21 to 23 grams each. I tried frying up one patty at the very start, to see how they looked size-wise, and as it fried, the patty shrunk up to a very teensy diameter, but very high. This was not what I had in mind, so I stood there in the kitchen looking around, trying to come up with a "press" of some sort. As it happens, I have some plastic water glasses with a totally flat bottom, about 3-inches in diameter. I used this to press down each round ball of the meat mixture, making the initial patty very thin. As they fried, they shrunk to about 2-inches diameter, which was just perfect. This took me all afternoon, but they are now done and frozen, so one more item off my to-do list. 

The next thing was to make the little slider buns. I wanted a very simply flavored bun, something that would not interfere or detract from the slider flavor, which is plentiful. I had a recipe for Potato Rolls or Buns, but if you click that link you will see that they have both honey and egg in them. I wanted something even simpler. I played with the recipe, keeping the potato flour and switching to a much smaller amount of sugar in the recipe, and no honey at all. Potato flour, even in a small amount, makes for a very tender dough, making these buns soft and pillowy. This should suit the Greek Lamb Sliders perfectly. This is my updated recipe for the little buns, which could also make the same larger sized buns or rolls as my previous recipe.

Potato Mini Buns

Makes 20 regular sized buns or about 80 tiny slider buns

Potato Mini Buns, just baked

3½ cups (28 fl. oz.) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (11 grams) salt
½ cup (4 fl. oz.) olive oil
6½ cups (904 grams) bread flour, divided
1 packet instant rise yeast (about 7 - 8 grams)
1 cup (164 grams) potato flour (NOT potato starch) 
¼ cup (32 grams) dry milk powder

In a mixing bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Add in about half of the bread flour, the yeast, potato flour and milk powder. Using a dough hook (or stir with a wooden spoon) on low speed, mix to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet. Add in the remaining bread flour, a bit at a time, kneading until it is all incorporated. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, 12 if by hand. If it remains too sticky, add up to 2 tablespoons more flour. 

The mixing process when using potato flour (or even fresh baked potato) in a recipe is a bit different. The potato makes a more tender crumb to the bread, but also seems like the dough is way too dry at first. Have faith and keep beating or kneading. Soon it will begin to puddle back into the bowl, leaving a far more wet and "difficult" dough, if a little more flour is not added. I did use the extra 2 tablespoons of flour, which left the dough manageable; not too sticky.

Once kneaded, cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise to about double is size. Once risen, if making regular buns, turn the entire mass out and divide the dough into 20 to 24 buns or rolls. If making tiny slider buns, I used 20 gram sized balls (0.65 ounce), yielding about 80. These are very tiny. Once baked they are just about 2-inches in diameter. Flatten each ball as much as possible and set them about an inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Allow them to rise to almost doubled in size and then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes. Mine did not even color on top, but were above 85 degrees internal temp, so they were perfectly baked. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

This Year it is called Renaissance Festival

This April marks the 5th Annual Fundraiser event to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen. In past years it was called Winefest Renaissance, but this year due to some technical difficulties, it is called Renaissance Festival. However, "a rose by any other name" and all that; it is the same event. 

This year, I got started on the menu first, due to the lateness of the first meeting. Usually, I select the wines that interest me, then build an appetizer that fits the flavor profile of the wine. In the past years I have created wine and food pairing sheets for just this reason, and have been adding to them each year. I search the internet diligently to find the wine varietal and it's flavor characteristics. These are helpful when pairing a food, as they help point the way. Then I search for any suggested food pairings for that particular varietal. One site in particular has been invaluable: Wine Folly. It is a blog, or an informational site, and when one searches for food pairing with a certain varietal, such as Petite Sirah, this site pops up more times than not. Check it out here: http://winefolly.com/review/petite-sirah-wine-guide/

This is not the only site I search, so between all the places I can find suggestions to pair a wine, I amass all the suggestions and compile a list. 

Sweet Potato Bourbon Tamales with Country Ham and Cheese and Fig Apricot Preserve

Anyway, I started doing things in reverse this year and came up with some proposed foods to make, hoping I could find proper wine pairings from the list, yet to be provided at the time. I did research on the foods I planned, trying to match the wine that had the most hits in the food pairing column. Two foods in particular were so much a match for particular wine varietals that I prayed these might be on the wine list. One of the foods was my recipe for Lamb Burgers with Feta and Tapenade. I planned to make the burgers into mini size, and add the Feta, grated, into the burger rather than try to grill it and keep it atop the little slider. I have already made these and frozen them. I will reheat them before heading to the venue. I made the tapenade also, which just absolutely makes these burgers pop. When searching my lists, Petite Sirah was the only wine that held all the flavors involved: lamb, strong cheese, oregano, mint, olives.

I looked through the wine list when it finally arrived and hurrah! there was one, and only one, Petite Sirah. I pray it is available for me.

Then the other food I planned to try was a version of Tamales. My version bears little resemblance to the flavors of a Mexican Tamal, but I am using corn tamale flour (masa harina) as a base ingredient, and the corn husks to wrap them! I used Bob's Red Mill brand of corn flour for one batch, and Maseca brand for another batch. The corn flour has to be the kind that has been treated with limewater and ground, not cornmeal. 

Tamales just steamed and unwrapped

Outside of that is where the other non-traditional flavors come in. I am calling them "Sweet Potato Bourbon Tamales with Country Ham and Cheese and Fig Apricot Preserve." Long name for these tiny, two-bite tamales, but then they are truly long on flavor. I researched all the possible wines that might fit this flavor profile and two were standouts: Chenin Blanc and Viognier. And guess what? There was one wine on the list - and it contained BOTH these varietals! It is a Terra d'Oro Chenin Blanc/Viognier. I actually found this wine in our local grocery, so since I had already gone ahead and made half the tamales, I thawed 2 for my husband and me to try with the wine. When I opened the wine, the bouquet was immediate and definite. Aromas mainly of fruit, tropical fruit, maybe flowers. It smelled so very inviting. I knew it would taste wonderful. And it did. Then I worried that it might not fit the flavors of the tamales. But after taking a bite, savoring the amazing flavors (if I do say so myself!), then sipping the wine again - well, it could not have been a more perfect match.

The goal I strive for in these wine and food pairings is that the wine taste good (or even better) with the food, and also the reverse. It is imperative that the food be enhanced when tasting the wine with it. In this case, it was both and amazing.

My learning curve on making the tamales was a little steep. I had never made Mexican style tamales before, and not even the Guatemalan ones that are quite similar but called Chuchitos. Getting used to the varying ideas and ways of making these little antojitos (AHN-toe-HEE-toes), or "little cravings," took a little bit of study, but once I got going, they went easily enough. They do take quite some time to make, but with the flavors that come out, they are well worth the effort.  

Sweet Potato Bourbon Tamales with Country Ham and Cheese and Fig Apricot Preserve

Makes 62 mini tamales

MASA (batter):
2 cups corn masa flour for tamales (I used both Bob's Red Mill for one batch and Maseca brand for another)
2 cups hot water, plus more if needed
10 ounces lard
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 ounces baked, cooled, peeled, smashed sweet potato
Dried Corn Husks

FILLING:
5 ounces country ham, minced (or substitute Prosciutto or Serrano ham)
5 ounces Chevre or Montrachet soft goat cheese
4 ounces smoked Fontina, or regular Fontina

Earlier in the day, combine the Masa Flour with the hot water and stir to make sure all the flour is wet. If it is so dry that stirring comes to a screeching halt, add more hot water, until the mixture is somewhat stiff, but not dry. More water can be added later if needed. Cover and set the masa aside to fully hydrate, about 2 or 3 hours.

Meanwhile, bake the sweet potato and have it ready. Prepare the filling by setting the minced ham into a bowl. Crumble the chevre and grate the Fontina on a large holed grater. Stir the cheeses together with the ham and set aside.

When ready to mix the masa, place it into the bowl of a stand mixer. It should be perfectly cooled (not cold). Add the lard and salt and beat to combine, then beat on medium high speed for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add in the baking soda, bourbon, maple syrup and sweet potato. Beat on medium high for another 3 or more minutes. If the mixture is not the consistency of hummus, adjust by adding more masa flour (if they are too wet) or more water (if they are too dry).

Place the dried corn husks in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. They will soften within a couple of minutes. You will need corn husks that are between 6 and 8-inches wide at their wider end. Many will be wider than this, in which case, just rip off any excess. You will also need narrow, ¼-inch wide strips torn from those leftover pieces to use for tying the husks closed for steaming.

measure out masa; spread;  place filling inside; bring edges together

Filling the husks is easiest with two level 1-teaspoon scoops; regardless, use two teaspoons of the masa set about ⅓ of the way up from the wider end of the husk. Spread it to about ¼-inch deep, making a roughly square blob about 3x3-inches. Down the length of the masa, place about 1 teaspoon of the filling. Start lifting both edges of the husk to encase the filling in the masa, then tuck the edge of the husk around the masa and roll to fully encase.  

roll the packet;  fold end upwards;  leave space when tying;  set upright in pot

Now, lift the little roll and fold the narrow end upwards, pushing the masa towards the wider end and letting the pointed end meet the open end. Using one of the narrow strips of corn husk, tie a loose band around the middle of the packet, to prevent the husk from unfolding and spilling all your work right back out. There should be adequate space in the opening for the tamal to "grow" while steaming. There may be some overflow, but hopefully not too much.

Set the little tamale packets standing upright into a large pot with a rack in the bottom (or two - I set two of them, criss-crossing each other). This is to prevent the tamales from actually setting in water. Continue standing, or just slightly leaning the tamales against each other as you roll and tie them shut. Once finished, or the pot is full, put water in the bottom, just to the very bottom of the tamales. Do not have them standing in water. Cover the pot and bring the water to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and steam the tamales for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the water level, that it does not burn dry!
 

Finished batch of tamales cooling

Once they are steamed, use tongs to remove them to a surface to cool. Store them in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to a month. To reheat, either set them on a rack in a lidded pan to steam for 10 to 15 minutes (half-hour if frozen), or set them onto a pan with foil to cover tightly and reheat slowly at 250 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. If they were frozen, they will take a bit longer, up to 30 minutes.
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The Fig Apricot Preserve is not a total necessity - these little two-bite tamales are amazing on their own. The fruit compote just adds a flavor dimension, so if you want, here is the recipe:

Fig Apricot Preserve

Fig Apricot Preserve, on Tamal

Makes about 4½ to 5 cups

1½ cups dried figs, chopped
1¾ cups dried apricots, chopped
zest of one orange
juice of one orange
3 cups water, divided
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Bourbon, or Port, optional

Place the figs, apricots, zest and juice with 1½ cups of the water, the balsamic vinegar and ancho powder. Bring to boil, lower heat and cook gently, covered for about 20 minutes, until the fruit is well softened.

Set aside to cool slightly, then pour into a food processor with the remaining water, salt and Bourbon, if using. Puree until very smooth. Return to the pot and cover. Bring back to simmer, then remove from the heat to stir, return to heat, and repeat. The mixture is thick, so as it boils, it will splash very hot blobs. Be very careful. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, to meld flavors. Once cooled, store in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Guinness Chili con Carne ReMake

A few years ago, I got ambitious and made a huge pot of chili con carne. It was amazing. I used a couple of bottles of Guinness stout as the liquid, and oh, my! This Guinness Chili con Carne filled my large crock pot to the very top with goodness.

Guinness Chili con Carne

But, not everyone needs a huge pot that will feed up to 12 people, and on more normal days I use a scaled down version. While I am not using all the extra Anaheim chilies, nor the third pound of meat, it can be customized and still have amazing, rich flavors, and still use the Guinness. I am fond of using Guinness stout in cooking, though I don't care for it as a drink. My taste in beer runs to the very bitter and very hoppy types. Guinness is just too "sweet" for my taste. Used in cooking though, it imparts a wonderfully rich, round flavor and depth. 

On normal days, making chili just for my husband and me, I scale the recipe back and use 2 pounds of meat. This still gives us dinner for a few days, which is great. I always use a pound of hamburger meat, and then alternate between using plain ground pork or pork sausage as the second pound of meat. I usually buy sweet Italian sausage, but hot Italian sausage can be substituted if you prefer the heat. If using sausages, remove from the casings and break up the meat as it cooks, as with the hamburger meat. 

My husband loves beans. I mean he LOVES beans. So when I would make this chili with one can of kidney beans, he asked if maybe I could add in another can of them, please? So, I use two cans of beans, but obviously this is a matter of taste. 

Up here in South Dakota, we just had our lovely spring-like weather turn into a blizzard this morning. It's still snowing, since early this AM. It seems like a really great time to make this Guinness Chili con Carne to me!

Guinness Chili con Carne

Serves 6 to 8 

Guinness Chili con Carne

3 - 4 slices bacon 
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork or pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 small (4-ounce) cans "chopped green chilies" 
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons Barbecue Spice Mix, optional
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 - 2 bay leaves
¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves or 2 teaspoons fresh leaves, minced
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
1 or 2 (15-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 bottle Guinness Stout

Heat a large soup pot. Cut the bacon across in ¼-inch widths and saute the bacon in the pan. Remove the bacon to drain on paper toweling, leaving 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot. Add in the ground beef. If using ground pork, add this in also. If using sausage, either use bulk sausage or Italian sausage. If using links, remove from casings. Break the meat up in the pot and fry until browned. Add in the onion, garlic and bell pepper and toss well until softened. Add in the chopped green chilies, chili powder, Barbecue Spice Mix, salt, bay leaves, oregano, cumin and fennel and stir in. Add in the tomato sauce and paste, then the kidney beans, reserved bacon and the Guinness stout. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer on low for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the pot.

Serve hot with cornbread on the side. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheddar and/or chopped onion.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

An Unusually Delicious Breakfast

I love breakfast. Most often, I eat traditional "breakfast" foods: eggs, toast, bagel, bacon, muffins, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, and others. This is pretty evident, if anyone looks at my Index and the breakfast items that are listed there. Then, there are just times when none of those foods, no matter how much a favorite they may be, just do not - quite - fit the bill on a given day. Nothing sounds quite right, and nothing appeals.

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

This does not happen often, for sure. I love all those foods, and trying to keep portions under some control is difficult for me. I love food. I love to eat. I love the flavors of certain foods. I enjoy breads of most kinds. I try to keep away from plain white-flour breads, but there are some. When I got into making breads from rye flour and/or sprouted flours, I found a great love for the whole grain breads. Eggs themselves are a particular favorite, though I now have to keep cholesterol in mind. You may get the drift.

Salsa Verde; Salsa in bowl; Brussels sprouts in steamer pan; timed for 8½ minutes; perfectly steamed

So a couple of days ago, I was in this particular rut. I stood there in the kitchen, running through in my mind all the foods I would normally have for breakfast. And still I stood there, undecided. I opened the fridge and looked. Nothing. No ideas. I stood there some more. And then I thought maybe I should think outside of my particular box, for a change. 

I have done this before, at times. When I first found I had diabetes, I ate leftover (my own) stir fry for breakfast with all sorts of veggies in it. It was satisfying, and I love my stir fry, so no problem there. With that thought in mind, I opened the fridge again and looked. I noticed a jar of opened Salsa Verde. Love that stuff, so, okay, that came out. And then I saw a bag of Brussels sprouts that I had yet to open. Hmmm. Not sure, but got them out anyway. I closed the fridge while I thought some more. 
 

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

Somehow, Brussels sprouts and Salsa Verde seemed an odd combo, but to me, at that moment, they sounded good. 

If I was going to eat Brussels sprouts, I prefer to steam them. Just barely cooked through, at about 8 to 8½ minutes, while they are still a beautiful bright green, they are so delicious. I got out my steamer. I set a pan of water to boil while cleaning the sprouts. I cut them into quarters, just so they would cook through quickly. I set them into the steamer part of the pan and used my "Misto" sprayer with olive oil and spritzed them a bit, then sprinkled salt over. I find that this way, the salt clings to the vegetables while they are steaming, and they are perfectly seasoned when done. Okay, that part of things was underway.

Then, thinking about the Salsa Verde. Normally I make my own (see my recipe here), but one day on a whim I bought two jars of Stonewall Kitchen Salsa Verde. I opened one a couple of weeks back, and it was really hot-spicy. Much more than my husband would tolerate, so I fried an onion with green pepper and garlic and added this to the salsa from the jar I was using, to tame the flame a bit. It was still spicy, but very tolerably so. I scooped some of this out into a wide bowl.

Boiling water from the sprouts; add vinegar; stir into a whirlpool; set spoon aside; crack in the egg

At this point in the process, I thought I would just have an egg with the sprouts. I got out a skillet for this purpose and set it on a burner to heat. As the Brussels sprouts were done and I lifted off the steamer insert, I thought about the boiling water in the lower pan and thought, "Poached Egg!" I haven't made poached eggs in forever, it seems, and here was the perfect opportunity. I turned off the burner under the skillet and instead added a dollop of vinegar to the boiling water and vigorously stirred the water into a whirlpool. I gently cracked the egg into the center of this whirlpool, turned down the burner to very low, and allowed the egg to poach for about 2 minutes, at which point it was just perfect: whites were set and yolk still runny.
 

Salsa Verde in bowl; Steamed Sprouts on Top; Poached egg ready to place

I had already toasted some of my Finnish Hapanleipa Rye bread and set it aside. The salsa was already in the bowl. I poured the Brussels sprouts on top of the salsa, then set the just-poached egg on top. A little grating of salt and pepper, and it was one beautiful dish. I broke the yolk, and sighed. It was a beautiful sight, for sure. Still, I hadn't yet tasted it, so that was still waiting. 

When I sat down to eat and took that first bite, I was in heaven. It so exactly fit something I had been craving without knowing what that was. Despite the odd combo of Brussels sprouts and salsa verde, it was wonderful. The egg was just that one added dimension. It was absolutely amazing as a flavor profile. The really dense Rye bread was a perfect accompaniment. It was so delightful, I decided to have it again this morning.

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

Serves 1 

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

½ cup Salsa Verde (any brand you prefer, or home made)
5 Brussels sprouts

a sprinkle of olive oil
a sprinkle of salt
2 - 3 teaspoons vinegar
1 egg 
Salt and pepper for serving

Place the Salsa Verde in a wide bowl and set aside. In a steamer pan put in enough water so the steamer insert is not setting in water. Bring the water to boil. While that is happening, cut off a bit of the stem end of the sprouts and discard, along with any damaged outer leaves. Cut the sprouts into quarters, lengthwise and place them in a steamer basket. If you have a Misto-type sprayer, mist the sprouts with olive oil. Otherwise, simply drizzle a little oil over them and toss gently. Sprinkle lightly with salt. When the water is boiling, set the steamer over top, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover. Time for about 8 minutes, or until they are just barely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Lift off the steamer basket and set aside. 

Turn the heat down if the water in the pan is still boiling too vigorously. Add in about 2 - 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Using a large slotted spoon, quickly stir the water in a circle to create a whirlpool. Set the spoon aside and quickly, but gently crack the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Do this just barely over the surface of the water, so it doesn't splash and/or disintegrate. Time the egg for about 2 minutes for a still-runny yolk. 

Pour the Brussels sprouts onto the Salsa in the bowl. Lift out the poached egg with the slotted spoon and set on top. Season with salt and pepper if desired. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Great Muffins from Rye Flour and Rye Bran

The Rye Baker by Stanley Ginsberg

I had been busily making rye breads before Christmas, particularly having just received my latest bread cookbook, "The Rye Baker," by Stanley Ginsberg. Between the two new bread baking books, I made a lot of breads of many varieties, to be covered when guests were here over the holidays. I have my own electric grain mill, making quick work of grinding most things into flour; wheat berries, rye berries, Kamut Khorasan, red rice, dried garbanzo beans and more. The difficulty lies in that with rye, most breads call for at least medium rye, which is rye flour with the bran sifted out. Let me say, I spent a lot of time sifting the rye flour. That I need a better, faster way to accomplish that is a no-brainer. Since the holidays, however, I have still been noshing on the already made breads I have in the freezer.

Maple Bacon Rye Muffins

That comes back to the fact of all the leftover rye bran that I had sifted out. I have lots and lots. I made some muffins a few weeks ago, using mainly the rye bran, and while they were good, they were not exciting. In the meantime, I had been reading about the whole grains and the problem with phytic acid, after talking with a friend whose doctor warned her against whole grains. This is a quote from one website:

"High-phytate foods, such as grains, nuts, and legumes, can raise the risk of iron and zinc deficiency. As a countermeasure, strategies such as soaking, sprouting and fermentation are often employed. For those who eat meat regularly, deficiencies caused by phytic acid are not a concern."

Another site, precisionnutrition.com, and another quote:

"Some experts even suggest that it’s the phytic acid in whole grains and beans that lends them their apparent protective properties against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes."

Most all of the whole grain breads I've been making call for very long, slow fermentation periods, some including overnight cold rising in the fridge. This slow fermentation mitigates phytic acid binding the minerals. Many of the newer bread recipes call for soaking and sprouting the grain, then drying and grinding, so that long soak also balances out any harm. But when it comes to the rye bran, which is culled from just plain rye berries not previously soaked, sprouted or other, the bran is then high in phytic acid. 

As one of the things to do is soak, I thought I would soak some of the rye bran in buttermilk (double whammy, as an acidic environment is also supposed to help, along with soaking in general). Then I read more and found that the soaking medium should be hot. And, that it requires a long soak. 

I mean, REALLY! What's a girl supposed to do to have a healthy breakfast anymore???

Maple Bacon Rye Muffin texture

Long and short, a few days back I thought I would heat some buttermilk and soak the rye bran while prepping the rest of the ingredients to make some more muffins, and have done with it. I am not vegetarian, so I shouldn't fall into the risk of iron and zinc deficiency. All this aside, most readers will not own their own electric grain mill, grind their own rye berries to make bread, and sift out rye bran. And if this is the case, oat bran would work just as well in these muffins. Rye flour is easily found these days. Bob's Red Mill carries at least 3 different grinds: Light Rye (the rye equivalent of white all-purpose flour, but with less gluten), Medium Rye (what I approximate when sifting out the bran), and Pumpernickel Rye (more coarsely ground and with all the bran and germ), plus all the organic options. There are other types and grinds, but these are the most easily available. I happened to have some of my sifted "medium rye flour" in a baggie I found pushed back behind some things, so decided also to use this in the recipe. 

Okay, so I knew what I was doing with the rye part of the recipe. I happened to have some bacon in the fridge. I don't eat it often, so I thought I would use some in the muffins. Maple is always an excellent flavor combination with bacon, so I used maple syrup as the sweetener. 

This time, the muffins were fantastic. Oh my! The texture was light and just perfect. Even my husband, generally not one to actually eat anything whole grain if he can help it, actually asked if he could have a couple! They must have smelled really good to him, too! He said they were great, and that is just about the biggest endorsement I could possibly give to a whole grained food! 

Maple Bacon Rye Muffins

Maple Bacon Rye Muffins

Makes 12 regular sized muffins

1 cup buttermilk, heated
½ cup rye bran (or oat bran)
5 strips thick sliced bacon
¾ cup medium rye flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup real maple syrup
½ teaspoon maple flavor
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the bran into the heated buttermilk in a medium bowl, stir, and set aside.

Cut the bacon across into ¼-inch pieces and fry until just crisped. Drain on paper toweling. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk or sift together the rye and all-purpose flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the eggs, maple syrup and melted butter to the bowl with the buttermilk and bran. Stir to mix well. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine, then add in the Maple Flav-r-Bites and stir in.

Grease the wells of a 12-count muffin tin, using cooking spray. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 wells and bake the muffins for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with only a crumb or two. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Remembering Some Cookies Called Gauchos

Long ago (in the late 1960s, but don't tell anybody, okay?) I used to love these cookies called "Gauchos." I guess the brand name was "Burry's," though that part didn't stick in my memory. I did remember the elephant on the box, when I saw them online. Gauchos were oatmeal peanut butter cookies with a sweet peanut butter filling.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I have never, ever been one of those who would eat a teaspoon (or tablespoon) of plain peanut butter from the jar. I don't think I have ever done that, even in childhood. I have lots of vices, but that isn't one. On the contrary, I am most certainly one of those who eat cookie dough, lick the beaters after making cake or cookies, scoop out remains in the bowl. I know this gives some people the shudders, and maybe the "raw egg police" will come after me, but since my earliest childhood, I followed Mom around by her apron strings in the kitchen waiting just for these treats. I never got sick from it, either, not in all these years since. And yes, she wore aprons, mostly those with the bib top like this pattern shown at left.

Somehow though, I just really loved these Gauchos cookies. I love oatmeal cookies, and these had oatmeal in them, too. Maybe that was my tipping point. Or maybe it is just the fact of sweetened peanut butter in the middle? I have a really serious sweet tooth. I love peanut butter cookie dough, but not the cookies once they are baked.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

All these musings, and I still cannot say what specific thing is what made me love these particular cookies, but I recall, as a teen, going through whole boxes all on my own! So this morning, I suddenly remembered these, and wondered if someone had a recipe out there. As it turns out, there are lots of the exact same recipe posted on many blog sites. I made only a minor change in the cookies and one in the filling. Most places show the same recipe whether it is for what used to be Gauchos, or the Girl Scout Cookies called "Do-Si-Dos®," and apparently the same company made both, or so I read somewhere. 

Long and short of it all is that I gave into the temptation this morning, and though the recipe is the same on numerous web or blog sites, I am posting it here one more time, with my own small changes and observations. 

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Makes about 45 large sandwich cookies or up to 60 smaller ones

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies before sandwiching

COOKIES:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

FILLING:
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
¾ cup peanut butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut parchment to fit various cookie sheets.

In bowl of a stand mixer, add in the first 4 ingredients for the cookies and start beating slowly, until the mixture is creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. 

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add this to the mixer bowl and starting on low speed, gently mix until there is no fluffy powder left. Increase speed and combine well. Add the oatmeal and mix to just combine. 

I used a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop first, which yielded large cookies almost 3-inches in diameter. A little past halfway scooping the cookies, I switched to a 1-teaspoon scoop. They seem small, but puff and spread when they bake. Allow plenty of room on the parchment lined sheets. Flatten the cookie mounds to about ¼-inch thick. Bake larger cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly golden. Smaller sized cookies bake for about 8 minutes total.

Allow the cookies to cool completely. They will harden enough to handle. Then make the Filling. Place the first three Filling ingredients into the clean mixer bowl and begin beating slowly, until all the confectioners' sugar is moistened. Increase speed slightly to cream. Mixture will be thick. Add in 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat to combine. 

If a piping bag is available, it makes quick work of piping the filling onto the cookies. Turn one cookie bottom side up and pipe on the filling (or spread with a knife or icing spatula), then top with another cookie, right side up. Repeat with all pairs of cookies. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Mini Cheesecakes are Cute as Buttons

I will admit right up front, I saw this pattern being made on top of something that looked like little cheesecakes in photos on someone's blog site. The fact that I had no clue what language this blog was written in is immaterial. The design is adorable. I decided to try out some little cheesecakes with other ideas I got while perusing various web and blog-sites, and they are just so cute. Apart from being really tasty, they really are "cute as buttons."

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes

Five Appetizers Served at CorTrust Bank

I was helping to coordinate an event at CorTrust Bank yesterday. My husband and I had met with Northern Area Market President, and the Mortgage Loan Specialist, having done some other design work with them. At the last minute, there were dire blizzard warnings for that area around Sioux Falls, where some out-of-towners would be coming from, with the possibility that the whole event would be called off. Still, some brave souls ventured up here to Aberdeen and the event took place. The appetizers served at the event last evening were Green Pea Pancakes with Smoked Salmon Mousse, Flank Steak Rolls with Asiago and Arugula, Spanakopita Cups, Buffalo Chicken Wraps and Lemon Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes. 

The little cheesecakes, shown bottom right in the photo above, were made in mini muffin tins, making them about 1½ inch in diameter, or just about 2 - 3 bites worth. Tiny and adorable. Which makes them so irresistible.

The flank rolls have been made with many fillings and various marinades in past, but this marinade (below) is my favorite. Cutting thin logs (about ¼-inch diameter) of Asiago cheese, about 1½ to 2-inches long and tucking in a couple of peppery baby arugula leaves make these a hit at any party or get together. The Asiago and arugula combo makes this appetizer so easy to make.

Flank Rolls with Asiago and Arugula

Amount will depend on size of flank steak

Flank Rolls with Asiago and Arugula

About 30 to 65 rolls

½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or concentrate
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
1 to 1½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

1 to 2½ pound flank steak

Asiago wedge, cut in ¼ x 1½-inch pieces
Baby Arugula leaves

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a zip-top bag and place the flank steak in the bag to marinate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally so the marinade coats the steak evenly.

To broil, either grill on a very hot grill for 6 minutes per side (slightly more or less, depending on size and thickness of steak), or set the steak on a rack on a rimmed baking sheet and broil about 4-inches from the heat for 6 minutes per side. Tent the meat once done grilling/broiling for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing very thinly, preferably at a bias, to achieve wider pieces. Using a length of about 4-inches, set a piece of the Asiago and 2 baby arugula leaves on one end. Roll the steak around these filings and skewer with a toothpick to keep closed. 

Back to the little Cheesecakes 

I thought about placing a fresh blueberry in the bottom of the tart shells, but for practice purposes, I had none available. I did, however, have a jar of Polaner All Fruit Blueberry Spread. I wanted something not terribly sweet, and this was as good as I could come up with quickly. I used a slightly rounded ¼-teaspoon of the fruit spread in each of the little pie shells, and then filled them with about 2 teaspoons of the lemony cheesecake mixture.

When I made the Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes recently, with a chocolate shell, I did not bake the chocolate pie shell first. I liked the soft texture of the shell with the strawberry cheesecake filling as it made the shell almost brownie-like in texture. For the new mini cheesecake recipe, I tried them without baking the shell first, and they were (to my own personal taste) good, but I felt that others would prefer a more crispy textured shell. Of course, once the mini shells are baked blind, they do shrink. It turned out that this way I could only use a level ¼-teaspoon of the fruit spread and possibly about 1½-teaspoons of the cheesecake filling. Altogether, somewhat smaller versions, but no less delicious.

Keep in mind that these were made in the tiny wells of mini-muffin tins and not regular muffin tins!

And then the Little Designs

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I saw this idea on a blogsite that was written in another language. Not a language I recognized, either! but a picture is worth a thousand words, they say, and this picture was too good to pass up. The photos showed what appeared to be a sort of cheesecake-like batter in a small tart shell. Five, straight <¼-inch lines were drawn onto the batter. I used gel food color to make the lines, using a toothpick. Once the five lines are drawn, you draw the toothpick down through the center of the five lines in one smooth flow, and then out the bottom and curling out a bit (shown on the top three in the diagram below). This gives the appearance or suggestion of something like lavender flowers. I used "violet" food color, yet the designs came out looking deep blue. 

Creating the patterns

As I got familiar with the feel of using the toothpicks and gel food colors, I decided to try something new. I used a pink gel food color and sketched 5 "petals" moving upwards from the base of each "petal" and curving slightly. Next, using green gel food color, I drew a stem downwards, and then a leaf, also dragging downwards toward the stem. Trying to draw the leaf from the stem up and out, created a break in the pattern of the stem. This process is shown in the bottom three in the diagram above. All in all, this was one really easy way to make these tiny gems even more adorably irresistible.

Making Designs on Cheesecakes

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes

Makes 30

Lemon Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes

SHELL:
1 cup all purpose flour
3 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

FILLING:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Polaner Blueberry Fruit Spread 
Gel Food Colors: Purple, Pink, Green

Make the shells: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the flour into a bowl. Add in the 3 ounces of cream cheese and the butter and cut in as for pie pastry. Once the ingredients start to form larger bits, begin working with fingers, bringing it all together in one solid mass. It takes a minute or so, but will come together completely. Break off or cut 30 equal sized bits of the dough. Flatten or roll the dough pieces into about 3-inch pieces and fit them into the mini muffin tin wells, pressing so they stick up above the well slightly. They will shrink in the oven! Bake the shells for 9 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Allow the little shells to cool for about 10 minutes. Use a ¼-teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop a level amount into each of the little baked shells. Set aside.

MAKE the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and the cornstarch to combine. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the 8-ounces of cream cheese until softened. Add the sugar mixture and beat to just combine. Add in the sour cream, then the egg, beating just to combine. Add the lemon juice and zest until mixed.  

Scoop about 1½ teaspoons of cheesecake filling into each of the little wells with blueberry spread. The filling should cover the blueberry completely, leaving a little surprise when they are bitten into. Before baking, scoop out a small dot of each of the food colors onto a plate. Use toothpicks (a separate one for each color) and create patterns as shown in the diagrams above. Once all are decorated, bake the cheesecakes for 8 minutes, or until set.  Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.