Resolution Recap 2012: Drinks

I tried a couple of new drink recipes last year including two herb flavored lemonades, sangria, and a home made bloody mary mix.

I was inspired to try herb lemonade after seeing Giada De Laurentiis make some on her cooking show. I grow a variety of fresh herbs and am always looking for new ways to use them.  The first time I tried this I did a half batch with thyme syrup and a half batch with basil syrup (both made by following the recipe below for making Basil Simple Syrup and using whichever herb desired).  Brad much preferred the thyme flavored version and he also prefers his lemonade less sweet.  So below you will see the quantities I used in parenthesis and that is the version (with thyme syrup) we opted to keep and make repeatedly last summer. 

Italian Lemonade**
(Prep Time 20: Total Time: 55 min, Serves: 4-6)

• 2 cups lemon juice, about 12 to 15 lemons (depends on lemon size but with good juicer I can get by with  8 to 10 large lemons)
• 2 cups Basil Simple Syrup, recipe follows (thyme syrup to taste depending on acidity of lemons)
• 2 cups cold or sparkling water
• Ice
• Lemon twists, for garnish

Mix lemon juice, Basil Simple Syrup, and water together in a pitcher. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Pour over ice filled glasses and garnish with a lemon twist.

 

 

Basil Simple Syrup:

• 1 bunch fresh basil, washed and stemmed (or 1 large bunch fresh thyme)
• 2 cups sugar (1 1/2 cup sugar)
• 1 cup water (1 1/2 cup water)

In a saucepan combine basil, sugar, and water and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 5 minutes. Cool, strain the simple syrup, and store in the refrigerator.

 

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Next is the homemade bloody mary mix recipe from Bon Appetite magazine.  Seems like last year the concept of make your own bloody mary bars for brunch at home or in restaurants was the new thing to do.  I love a good bloody mary but for the longest time have been disappointed with store bought bloody mary mixes so when all the magazines starting printing make your own recipes I decided to give it a try. And it is so worth the effort!  The most challenging part is getting dill pickle juice.  If you are not a dill pickle eater I did find a couple of sources online for just pickle juice but I think it would be easier to make your own dill pickle brine instead.  Note this is one of those make in advance recipes so that the flavors can really come together.   And my preference for vodka is Level One.  While many people say you can get away with lower quality vodka's in a bloody marry because of the strong flavors of the drink base, you will note a difference by using a cleaner tasting vodka.  However, I wouldn't waste a premium sipping vodka in any mixed drink recipe.

New Look Bloody Mary**

(Serves: 8)

4 cups tomato juice (preferably Campbell's)
1 cup dill pickle juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups vodka
8 celery stalks
8 lemon wedge

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large pitcher. Chill overnight.  Add vodka to pitcher; stir well. Fill tall glasses with ice. Divide Bloody Mary cocktail among glasses. Garnish each with a celery stalk and a lemon wedge.

 

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So the Sangria recipe is always a work in progress for me and modifications relate greatly to what wine I have on hand.  I make a specific point of buying strawberry and peach wines each year as I visit NC wineries as they are often the ideal base for sangria.  I will share two different NC wineries sangria recipes.  I tend to use the second recipe more often but modify it to just 1 bottle of peach wine and 1 bottle of either a house red and/or 1 bottle of strawberry wine and then I adjust the orange-pineapple juice to taste, often omitting the maraschino cherries completely.

 

Garden Gate Vineyards

 

1 bottle Strawberry wine

2/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 oz lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

sliced oranges, limes, lemons

 

Place sugar in sauce pan with just enough wine to cover and heat till melted, stirring constantly.  Stir all ingredients together, add fruit and chill for at least 2 hours.

 

Stonefield Cellars Winery

 

1 bottle Strawberry wine

1 bottle Peach wine

1 bottle Rudy Rock Red wine

1 bottle any red wine

1 qt orange-pineapple juice

3 oranges sliced with rinds removed

8 oz maraschino cherries with juice

1/2 cored and ringed pineapple

 

Mix all together and let fruit marinate 1 hour at room temperature.  Chill well before serving over ice and garnish with fresh orange slices.

 

 

Resolution Recap 2012 Sides: Green Beans, Corn, Squash

Finally, the side dishes which were not potato based. 

One recipe I will only mention in passing because it was not worth recording.  I attempted to saute lettuce much like you would saute spinach with oil, garlic, red pepper, etc.  We had to quickly harvest all of our spindly crop of buttercrunch and red leaf lettuce after a rabbit found our garden.  The condition of the leaves were not good enough for a true salad so I thought I would revive them by saute.  This actually had potential until I accidentally put in way too much red pepper flakes and created in Brad's words "lettuce napalm".  Unlike this one, the last three recipes in the Sides category are not only quite edible but are considered to be YUM**.

The final three recipes have become regulars on our summer menu rotation (when fresh veggies are abundantly in season).  The first recipe for green beans from Food and Wine Magazine was actually part of an article showing two ways to make the recipe to appeal both to children and to adults.  When I make this dish I follow the adult version but I omit the orange juice and zest because the first time I made it I only had lemons and I also omit the tarragon because we do not like that herb.

Green Beans Two Ways (what I call Citrus Flavored Green Beans)**
(Total Time: 30 min, Serves: 8)

• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 3/4 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 pounds green beans
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine the tarragon, rosemary, lemon zest and orange zest. Season the gremolata with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook the garlic in the butter over moderately high heat until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, toss to coat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, cover tightly and bring to a boil. Cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, tossing occasionally, until the broth is nearly evaporated and the beans are tender, about 4 minutes longer. For Kids Transfer half of the beans to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. For Adults Add the gremolata to the beans in the skillet and toss until fragrant. Stir in the orange and lemon juices and transfer the green beans to a bowl. Serve right away.
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The next recipe on our summer rotation is a grilled corn on the cob recipe from a Real Simple magazine snippet for four quick corn recipes.   What follows is the actual snippet for the recipe:

Charred Corn With Cotija and Lime**

Grill shucked corn over medium heat until cooked through and slightly charred (5 to 7 minutes). Spread with mayonnaise and sprinkle with crumbled Cotija cheese or grated Parmesan, lime juice, and cayenne pepper.

When I make this recipe I follow the "soak then wrap in foil" technique for grilling corn on the cob.  And I have only used parmesan cheese.  This is my version of the above recipe:

Remove husks and silks from corn and soak for 20 – 30 minutes in water. Pat dry then coat in olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Wrap well in foil. Grill over medium heat for 20 minutes turning every five minutes. Check for doneness. Remove foil and lightly coat with mayonnaise and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese, small amount of cayenne and drizzle with lime juice.

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Next is fried squash following the recipe from one of my favorite Italian cookbooks: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.  What is unique is that the batter is only made of flour and water.  The author indicates that the Italians call this type of frying batter "la pastella" and that it gives a "deliciously brittle" crust that does not fall off the vegetable or soak up too much oil.  I totally agree with that assessment.  We used this batter for yellow squash as well as for zucchini and the author recommends it also for things like asparagus, onions, and broccoli.  Recipe is taken straight from cookbook.

Fried Zucchini with Flour and Water Batter**
(Serves: 4-6)

1 lb fresh zucchini
2/3 cup flour
vegetable oil
salt

Soak and clean the zucchini, trim away ends, and cut it lengthwise into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Put 1 cup water in a soup plate and gradually add the flour, shaking through a strainer and, with a fork constantly beating the mixture that forms.  When all the flour has been mixed with water, the batter should have the consistency of sour cream.  If it is thinner add a little more flour; if it is thicker, a little more water.  Pour enough oil into a skillet to come 3/4 inch up its sides, and turn on the heat to high.  When the oil is quite hot, drop the zucchini slices, a few at a time, into the batter.  Slip a fork under the zucchini, one slice at a time, lift it, and slide it into the pan.  Do not put in any more of them at one time than will fit loosely.  Cook until a fine golden crust forms on one side, then turn the slices over and do the other side.  Transfer them with a slotted spoon or spatula to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels.  Repeat the procedure until you have fried all the zucchini.  Sprinkle with salt and serve while piping hot.

Resolution Recap 2012 Sides: Potatoes Part 2

On to the mashed or layered potato recipes. 

My favorite of these is the mashed sweet potatoes (YUM). I have had so many versions of sweet potato dishes at Thanksgiving and while they are all yummy, they are all overly sweet and are almost like having dessert instead of a side dish.  This recipe from Martha Stewart is a nice savory version that compliments a lot of entrees.  I do not steam the potatoes like this recipe calls for and instead just boil the cut up sweet potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes.  I also do not simmer the brown sugar mixture but instead microwave the combined half and half, butter, and brown sugar enough to melt things a little so it does incorporate well into the mashed sweet potatoes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes**
(Serves: 3 cups)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Place sweet potatoes in steamer basket and cover; steam until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain, and return to saucepan. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring half-and-half, butter, and brown sugar to a simmer, stirring to combine; remove from heat. Add to drained sweet potatoes, and mash just until smooth; season with salt and pepper.

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Colcannon is a classic Irish dish and there are many versions of it but the primary aspect is that the dish contains potatoes and either cabbage or kale.  This is a simple recipe for those wanting to add something Irish to the table on Saint Patrick's Day.  I have no idea where I originally got this recipe other than I printed it from the Internet years ago. 

Colcannon**

• 1 lb Kale
• 1½ lb Potatoes
• 8 Tbsp Butter
• 1 cup Leeks – finely chopped
• ¾ cup Half and Half
• ½ cup Onions – finely chopped

Wash, trim and blanch kale. Drain and gently squeeze out water then chop fine – set aside. Peel and boil potatoes till tender. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp butter in a skillet and gently stew the leeks until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale and saute over high heat, stirring to evaporate excess moisture. Turn heat to low and add 2 Tbsp of butter and slowly cook the leeks and kale for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In another skillet brown the onions in the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and keep hot. When potatoes are tender, drain and mash them. Whip in the kale and leek mixture and 1 tsp salt. Heat the half and half and gradually beat in until mixture is smooth, creamy, yet firm. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat if necessary (adding more cream if needed). Mound potato mixture in a hot dish and make a depression in the center and pour the browned onions in butter into the well until they spill over the sides. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
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The last potato recipe, from Food Network Magazine, was a huge hit with Brad I think because it did not generate leftovers (he doesn't really like scalloped potatoes when reheated).  Although this was indeed tasty I gave the recipe a pretty good* simply because it takes more effort to layer into multiple smaller dishes than when building a normal sized version.

Mini Scalloped Potatoes*
(Prep Time: 35 min, Total Time: 1 hr 35 min, Serves: 6)

• Unsalted butter, softened, for the ramekins
• 1 1/4 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• Large pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter), unpeeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously brush six 6-to-8-ounce ramekins with butter. Combine the cheddar, parmesan, chives, flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Thinly slice the potatoes a little less than 1/8 inch thick (a mandoline works well) and add to the cheese mixture. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper and toss to combine.

Divide half of the potato-cheese mixture among the prepared ramekins, filling them about halfway (arrange the potato slices so they go to the edge of the ramekins). Top with half of the cream. Repeat with the remaining potato-cheese mixture and cream.

Transfer the ramekins to a baking sheet, cover each with foil and bake until the liquid is bubbly and the potatoes begin to soften but are not completely cooked through, about 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, uncover the ramekins and bake until the potatoes are tender and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and let stand 10 minutes before serving.