Katzenzungen

It is time to stop "smashing pumpkins" and turn on the sparkling lights to finally wish you Season's Greetings!  

Lucie introduced me to another German cookie she makes this time of year called Katzenzungen, or in English "cat's tongues."




 


It may be that the texture of the cookie is a bit rough like a cat's tongue, thus giving the cookie it's name.

Lucie also remembers that as a kid she had these cookies with a chocolate creme filling.  It was a rare treat for her, because they could be quite dear to purchase.  It seems you can also sandwich the cookie with jams, jellies, or nougat as well.






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Smashing Pumpkins

Smashing pumpkins?  Is that sort of like breaking bad?  I guess that is only if you don't like pumpkins. No pumpkins were harmed in the making of the below recipe, I can guarantee that!  We tried Delicata squash recently, in the form of a pie.  This pie was also enhanced with maple syrup and a dash, or two of cardamom.  I found these squash at the market one day and they stood out to my eye, so we just had to see what they are all about.   While most of us still like pumpkin pie too, this was really nice!

 This squash goes by other monikers; Peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or Sweet Potato squash.  The latter name is due to the squash having a sort of sweet potato texture and sweet flavour.  They are considered  winter squash, but related to many summer varieties.  I will give them a try in the garden next year, me thinks.   

                                      
Delicata Pie

Preheat oven to 400 deg.

1- 9", pastry-lined pie plate
2 Delicata squash, roasted and pureed
1 can condensed milk
1 egg
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsbp. of each - ground - ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves
sm. pinch of salt

Mix well.  pour into pie shell and bake for 10 mins.  Then, turn the heat down to 350 for 30 mins.  Cool.

                                      

All that is left for it, is a dollop (or quennelle) of whipped cream!

                                      

The seeds are rather good roasted, as well.  They are more tender than most pumpkin seeds.

I soak mine in water for a bit and then drain,  salt as desired, then slowly dry out in the oven and finally they will turn golden brown.

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Bang, Bang!

....Chicken that is!  A dish with lots of bang for the buck.  Here for another installment of the Albany Asian market items that are new to me - Szechuan pepper.  I have heard of Szechuan pepper and Bang Bang Chicken previously, but have never tried them.   

 It seems Szechuan pepper was banned in the USA for quite awhile, due to a fear of spreading canker to citrus trees.  Maybe that is why our paths never crossed.  I also learned that Szechuan pepper isn't really pepper, it is the husk of a Prickly Ash berry.

 A very unique flavour that can be quite addicting.  It provides a tingling sensation on the palate with a citrus zing, some people compare it to a citrus carbonated drink.

Bang Bang Chicken

1lb. steamed chicken breast, cut in matchsticks, or shredded

2 cucumbers, cut in matchsticks

2 carrots, cut in matchsticks

 Toast 1- 1/2 tbsp. Szechuan pepper

Arrange the chicken and veggies on a platter drizzle with dressing.  Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. chili flakes, the Szechuan pepper, and 3 scallions cut on the bias.

I will be revisiting Szechuan pepper again in other dishes!

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Larb Gai

The next item that I found at the Asian market in Albany is roasted rice powder.  When I researched this item, I found out it is used a lot in Larb a Thai dish with different meats.  The roasted rice powder adds a subtle texture change to the meat and a roasted flavour, of course.

1 lb ground chicken

3 tbsp. lime juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. brown sugar, or palm sugar

1/4 cup chopped mint leaves

3 tablespoons roasted rice powder

2 tablespoons Thai chili

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce

In a wok cook onions until translucent, add chicken, garlic, chili and lime juice.  Brown chicken and reduce liquid, then add the sugar and mint.  Stir to incorporate, then stir in fish sauce and then finally the roasted rice powder. 

Serve with shredded veggies, we had shredded carrot and cucumber and some brown rice.  Garnish with fresh mint (....Glad there is still some in the garden).

Brussels Sprouts in my daughter's allotment.  Wonder if Sandy took care of them for this year with wind and too much rain since my visit?

Albany in HDR

Leaf peeping in HDR

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Happy Halloween 2012

  Our neighbour pumpkin Totoro.  There was a Pinterest pin of an old favourite of my kids and myself. I had to carve this guy!

Besides making Totoro carvings.  I have made a delicious, Thai-style pumpkin soup.  The original recipe has butternut squash, which is called Butternut Pumpkin in certain places, Australia being one of those places where the recipe below comes from.  Anyway, I made this soup a bit different with what I had on hand, plenty of round, wonderful Pumpkin Pumpkins.  I used two oven-roasted cooking pumpkins. 

I visited the Asian store near my daughter's home in Albany, New York again. I found a few new things to me there. Here is the first - Fried shallot.  I was thinking a more refined version of the onions you can buy in an everyday grocer, and some people use in green bean casseroles.  The shallots in this bag were less salty than the mentioned onions.  While I was searching how to use these fried shallots in an asian dish, I found several recipes for this soup:

   Thai Pumpkin Soup w/ Spanner Crab

http://food.ninemsn.com.au/recipes/icrab/8347819/thai-pumpkin-soup-with-spanner-crab 

  

I didn't hesitate to use our frozen red chili paste I grew and made.

The recipe says the toppings can include crab, or prawn....I used both, and why not?  Don't forget to sprinkle with the fried shallots, they are what brought us here in the first place.

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Another favourite of the kids and myself, this one for Halloween



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Creme of Hamburg Parsley Soup

Still working on the veggies from the garden.  Besides some tomatoes and tomatillos, it may be finally done!  Today I am featuring Hamburg Parsley, or Root Parsley.  It is grown mostly for the roots that look quite a bit like parsnips, but taste very different.  It is not very widely used in the UK, or the USA, but is starting to appear on the scene there.  This root is more popular in central and Eastern Europe. This is the first time I tried growing this and it made pretty small roots for me.  I left some in the ground to see if they get bigger next year.    

Hamburg parsley is commonly used for flavouring soup.  It is nice in in mashed potatoes, as well.  You can use the roots and the leaves.

I did get enough with the leaves to make a soup.

Creme of Hamburg Parsley Soup

1 quart chicken stock
2 lrg. Hamburg Parsley roots, peeled and small diced.
1/2 c. cream
Bouquet Garni (leave out parsley, or throw in some of the Hamburg parsley leaves)

Cook the roots in chicken stock and reduce the liquid a bit (about 1/2) with the Bouquet Garni.  This will cook the root.   Process in a blender until smooth.  Run through a sieve.  Add cream to the pot with the broth. Gently heat through.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped leaves.


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Brillant song!  Goosebumps time!

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“It is a fine seasoning for joy to think of those we love."  -Moliere

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Liquor Of A Different Colour

Oi, me muckers!  Right! With all the herbs I am still processing into meals, I had to include some lovely liquor over some pie and mash with the bounty of parsley.   The pictured meal was made previously, I didn't take pictures this time.  Too busy working  and enjoying the meal.  In the picture however, are a few twists....I put some porchini mushrooms in the pie filling and parsnips are in the mash...The last twist is that I had cider instead of washing it down with a brew.  I'm not sure how that would be received in East London, but I will take comfort in the fact that it was brill!    

Recipe for the liquor:

http://www.hub-uk.com/foodpages36/1797.htm

History of pie, mash and liquor, not to mention some eels.....

http://www.pieandmash.org.uk/

http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A10357102

After reading the history of pie and mash with liquor, you can see how the parley sauce came to be known as liquor.  The sauce was made from the water that prominent eels were cooked in, back in the day.  Eels not being so prolific on the Thames, it isn't made that way as much now.

                                    

Don't forget to douse with loads of vinegar, or even better chili vinegar - Pukka!                                                              

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"Parsley - the jewel of herbs, both in the pot and on the plate."Albert Stockli

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My favourite Cockney - Delboy.  I'm sure he tucks into Pie and Mash on a regular basis.



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Whole Lotta Lovage

Lucie gave some little sprouts of lovage to me this summer.  I think she grew some earlier, but bunnies ate the tender little leaves.  Anyway, every bit of a lovage plant can be used.  The roots, leaves, seeds.....It can be used for a salt substitute, tea, soups, salads, and a spice, it is used in a cordial to add to brandy in the UK.  I can say that it adds quite a bit to chicken stock.  In German it is called maggikraut, due to the fact it taste like Maggi soup seasoning.  The official name in German for is liebstockel -  "love sticklet".  The original origin of the name lovage  "love ache" medieval for parsley and probably a corruption of the French word levesche.  

I am trying to make lovage vinegar after researching recipes and ways to preserve it.  One bottle for me and one for Lucie.  

The instructions are clear that you should not use too many leaves for this, as lovage is quite strong!  It tastes quite a bit like a strong celery.  Leave the bottles in a cool, dry place for a couple weeks, then use for dressings and sauces.

The plant is said to grow quite tall by the second year, in the right conditions.    

Lovage: 

 1. (n.) An umbelliferous plant (Levisticum officinale), sometimes used in medicine as an aromatic stimulant.

                                                                     Umbelliferous:
1. (a.) Of or pertaining to a natural order (Umbelliferae) of plants, of which the parsley, carrot, parsnip, and fennel are well-known examples

Some links to check out regarding lovage:

http://www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/beverages/alcohol/01/rec0196.html

http://oldfashionedliving.com/lovage.html

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“He dropped pejoratives like subliminal seasoning.”  -Jim Bishop

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They're Red Hot

As promised yesterday, Habanero Hop Hot Sauce.  

I used the Frontera Habanero sauce recipe as a base with a bit more sugar to counter the added hops.

Remember these?

5 cloves of garlic, roast in a skillet, brown evenly.

In a pot add:

1/2 c. carrots, peeled, chopped
1/2 c. chopped white onion
12 med. orange habanero peppers
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
Handful of hops
Salt to taste carefully

Cover the pot and simmer until the carrot is tender about 10 minutes.  Add the whole pot to a blender with the garlic.  Process into a smooth mixture and strain.  It is wise to wear gloves and divert your face whilst dealing with these tough customers.

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“Ending up an atheist wasn’t my fault. My mother’s religion forced her to breast feed me after coating her nipples with juice from a habanero pepper.”

Bobby W. Miller

I'm Ready For You Mr. Frost

A frost and probably snow is coming to the Front Range and I'm ready!  I got all the tender bits  harvested and the whole plants covered, because they may have a chance when the weather turns warm again, as predicted.  Below are all the things I've been working on from the garden, in the kitchen.  I will go through them quickly, as I am knackered.....

Herbs of all sorts; sorrel, thai basil, basil, lovage, fennel, hamburg parsley, parsley.  Those and a few other things like green onions and celery.

 Tomatoes of all sizes, shapes, colours, ripeness.  Tomatillos and cukes too!

Jalapenos, Thai chilis - red and green.  Pumpkins, onions and a few green beans.

I am trying the salt layer method of preserving some of the Thai basil.  Lovely chicken stock from all the garden goodies.  A few Zinnias got to come in too.

Carrots!  Cake anyone?  Also pictured is lovage and hamburg parsley, I will do a feature on those two soon!  

More flowers!

Tomorrow will be the habanero hop hot sauce recipe I promised.

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"The frost performs its secret ministry, Unhelped by any wind."

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  'Frost at Midnight'.

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