Food from my Garden, from my Friends, and from my County

Maille has been in the kitchen utilizing what's fresh, what's local, what sings to her.

For my inaugural post to the Wee Girls Kitchen, it seems inevitable that my theme should be spring and all of its tender, verdant delicacy. It always comes out of nowhere, while I'm nose deep in turning my garden and avoiding frosts. My approach to food now, after years of exposure from all over the globe, is to stay fresh, stay local, get to know your food producers and understand your seasons. One thing to remember about my savory dishes: I never measure. I learned much of my technique from our Daddy, and he doesn't measure much either. I think dishes that require too much finagling with aren't worth it. I've gone through exactly one of those mega long food chemistry tasting menus, and by the time my carrot balloon came, I had lost interest. More on simplicity vs. boring later.

Our opening market day was spare, but still full of new life. My grocery loot included oyster mushrooms, G!ANT sprigs of mint, living radishes, greenhouse raspberries from Beamsfield (the sweetest I've ever tasted, but not as great as finding them yourself wandering about), a wedge of Raw Ramembert (an herbaceous sheep's cheese with a St. Andre texture, grassy aroma with a little ammonia and a nice mush-roomy bloom) and two darling strawberry plants. Rowan had her first tear-free horsey ride, fed all the animals and generally gamboled in the wabe, so to speak.The 'boys' bought some freshly made sausages and hamburgers, made from animals who watched the sun rise every day and got scratched under the chin.

I'm not a breakfast lover. I also don't spend much time in bed in the morning – I am always up before everyone, and I like it that way. The truth of silence exists just after the birds' First Cacophony, and just before the sunrise. I also don't really like other people to cook for me, because I find the putting together of a meal to be my only chance for creative outlet, these days. I was gifted this breakfast in bed once in Ireland, a lifetime ago, and I've never wanted another. Best toast ever made, thank you, Margaret.  Instead, I present to you my Mother's Day meal (as made by me, the night before).

Chick pea and root vegetable soup (sprouted chick peas,sweet potato, white potato, garlic, onion, stock) garnish: spring oyster mushroom, pepita and chives (from my neighbour Nora's garden) roasted in butter with raw Ramembert and extra virgin olive oil garnish: early spring mint and sunflower seed pesto ( I kind of ate this out of the bowl with crackers for lunch the next day)

Grilled cheese panini on multi-grain baguette with pesto, Ramembert, kale and Gordon's Goat Havarti Gluten-Free coconut flour dark chocolate chip cookies!

To save scrolling space, recipes available upon request. Next time: more market finds, a spring salad from my garden, Rowan's Pancakes, Rowan's Pick Me Up (or anyone's really).

Chick Pea Soup (made from whatever was around my kitchen)

Ingredients

16 oz sprouted, soaked or canned chick peas
1 TBSP grapeseed or other non GMO oil, 1 TBSP butter
4 small white potatoes
1 parsnip
1 medium yam
3 small yellow onions (or 1 large)
one million garlic cloves, or, however many you like. 4 is probably good if you like a milder garlic flavour.
1 tsp miso paste
1/4 cup almond milk
enough stock (I used veg stock) to cover, approximately 5 cups
salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, what have you to taste

Directions

Peel and dice your vegetables, but keep the garlic whole. Put them in cold water while you prep your pot. Peeling is optional for root veg, as long as your veg isn't old. Most of the nutrition lies just beneath the peel. I usually scrub my root vegetables with a natural sponge soaked in warm water. Works just as well, and you don't lose all that good stuff.

In a large soup pot, heat oils over medium-low heat and add onions,yam,potatoes, miso and parsnip and put the garlic on top. Let that warm in there for a few minutes, then stir around to saute. If you want to brown your vegetables instead of sweating, turn it up a bit and add the garlic with the stock at the end.

Add chick peas, stock (and garlic, if you are waiting) and turn up the heat. Bring to the boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer away for 45-60 minutes.

Taste. Season. Add almond milk.

Now, you can either leave this as a pot of stuff and serve it paysanne (peasant), or, you can blend it like I did.  I also tossed some kale into mine, but that's because I'm always trying to sneak more greens into my diet.

Spring oyster mushroom, pepita and chives roasted in butter, with Ramembert and olive oil

Ingredients

1 pint oyster mushrooms, trimmed and cut into similar sizes (some small bits are yummy too, though)

1/3 cup pepitas or other nutty seed (sunflower, soaked and drained wheatberries, etc)

1 bunch chives, roughly chopped

1-2 oz triple cream cheese, en Macedoine (a medium dice)

2 TBSP butter, 2 tsp olive oil plus more for drizzling

pinches of himalayan pink salt, pink pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375

On a heavy 'roasting sheet' (my ruined cookie sheets that make great shallow roasters), combine ingredients by tossing them around. You can do this in a bowl and transfer to the sheet, as well.

Roast for 20 minutes. Voila!

 

 

 

 

Spring mint and sunflower seed pesto

1 gigantor bunch mint, or, enough to 'fill' your blender/food processor. If you are doing this in a pestle, do it in two batches.

1-2 cups sunflower seeds

1 cup oil. I am lucky to have access to affordable, cold pressed olive oil, but any cold pressed organic oil will do. Keep in mind that safflower oil does have a very floral flavour. 

1 TSP himalayan or other mild, less salty salt (grey celt is good, but grind it a little finer)

1 clove garlic

Directions

Pop it all in the blender and whiz away. If it is too pasty, add a little more oil, or stock if oil is dear. Add pepper if you want more kick.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup sifted coconut flour
½ cup butter, earth balance or coconut oil, melted
1 cup succanat (unprocessed cane sugar)
4 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ cups grated or flaked coconut
¾ cup dark chocolate chunks. I buy large bars of fair trade, organic, non dairy chocolate and hack 'em up.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375

Mix together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.

Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and coconut flour.

Drop batter in spoon-sized mounds 1 inch apart on parchment/silpat/or greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until centres are not too gooey. Cool for a couple minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Or eat them

Did someone say Granola?

Manda loved the granola we bought in Stowe, Vermont at Christmas.  The request was simple -- make me some granola. Without making any purchases, I made granola an hour ago.  I now wonder why anyone buys granola since it costs a lot at Whole Foods or the Fresh Market.  I purchased nothing.  I had everything in the house -- which is the big indicator of what you put in your granola.  Whatever kinds of nuts and dried fruit you purchase the most should find their way into the granola.  Here is the recipe I ended up with.  The house smells lovely, and if I do say so myself, it's the best granola I've had in years.  I should note that there is a scant amount of sugar in this recipe.  Honey probably could be substituted.

Nuts, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange rind, dried cranberries (leftover from Christmas), oats and cinnamon.

The recipe is simple. 

Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries

1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 t. vanilla extract
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T orange zest
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (no, not instant or steel cut!)
2 cups pecans, chopped
2 cups mixture of dried cranberries and dried cherries (it was what I had -- definitely golden raisins, apricots, dried blueberries could be substituted or even mixed to form the 2 cups.)

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, grated orange zest, vanilla, and salt in large bowl.  Whisk in oil.  Fold in oats and nuts until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer oat miture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer.  Press down with spatula until mixture is quite compact. 
4. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes.  Turn baking sheet half way through.  Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Break cooked granola into pieces and then stir in dried fruit.  It should keep in an air tight container for two weeks -- unless you live with roommates who eat it all.

So, back to the store to replenish the nuts, the dried fruit and the maple syrup.  Or maybe I should just go back to Vermont.

Sugar is Sweet but Agave is better! Manda makes Apple Fritters.

So, back to the kitchen go I.  Have I mentioned how much I love apple pie, apple fritters, apple cobbler, apple muffins ... you get the idea.  On the hunt for a satisfying treat that was sugar free, I found one that is also dairy free -- so, a two-fer -- so both Maddy and I could enjoy them. 

While sister Maille has more familiarity with Agave, I figured I could give it a whirl as well.  What apples?  Granny Smith have just the right amount of tartness and they need to hold up and not turn to mush.  I also peeled the apples and while the original recipe called for milk, almond milk was substituted and made them just right.  They were just sweet enough to satisfy my sweet craving and they grab and go on the way to tennis really well.  These were stupendous.  Serve them hot -- or if you have any left after the first go around, just heat them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

I should note the original recipe is from Apron of Grace. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup or Honey (I used Agave)
• 2 Egg yolks
• 1 & 1/3 cups Milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil or Butter (I used olive oil instead of butter)
• 1 & 1/2 cups Apples, cubed

Instructions

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Beat egg white until stiff and beat in maple syrup or honey.
2. Without washing beater, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored and add milk and oil or butter.
3. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in egg whites and then apple cubes.
4. Spoon into greased cupcake/muffin tins and bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes.
5. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Look at that beauty!  It was fabulous.