Recipe: Cooking the Market Class 9/25

Lots of inventive recipes from this class!
note: these recipes were 'created' in the cooking class and have not been tested for accuracy outside of the class

Stuffed Apples
serves 12


12 tart apples, cored-leaving 1" bottom on apple
1 lb. chorizo
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1C wild rice, cooked
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1T smoked paprika
olive oil
salt + pepper


-season butternut squash with olive, salt + pepper; roast at 400˚F until tender
-sauté onion, chorizo and smoked paprika in small amount of olive oil until chorizo is cooked through; season with salt + pepper to taste
-combine cooked squash with chorizo mixture and cooked wild rice; re-season as needed
-fill cored apples with stuffing mixture and place in oven proof baking dish
-cover with foil and bake at 375˚F for about 30 minutes or until apples are just tender
-uncover, top apples with cheddar cheese and return to oven to for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and apples are tender but not falling apart
-serve warm on a bed of additional stuffing

Almond Stuffed Mushrooms
makes about 24


16 oz. crimini mushrooms caps, cleaned and de-stemmed
2T fresh parsley, chopped
1T fresh thyme, chopped
1/4c roasted almonds
1/4 lb. apple smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded
salt + pepper
olive oil
cayenne, to taste


-pre-heat oven to 400˚F
-in the bowl of a food processor, add almonds, herbs, salt + pepper
-pulse until mixture is finely chopped, resembling bread crumbs
-place in large bowl and add cheddar cheese until thoroughly combined
-fill each mushroom cap and place on baking sheet
-drizzle olive oil over mushrooms and bake until mushrooms are just soft (about 20-30 minutes)

Apple + Pear Crepes
serves 12 plus crepes


2C all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2C apple cider
2C water
1 apple, sliced
2 pears, sliced
1T unsalted butter
prepared dulce de leche
sweetened whipped cream, for serving
pomegranate seeds + ground cinnamon for garnish


-sauté apples + pears in large saucepan with butter until just tender; set aside to cool
-in a large bowl, mix flour, eggs, cider and water until thoroughly combined. crepe batter will be thin!
-working in 2 slightly oiled small crepe pans, pour a small amount of crepe batter into pans (fill bottom of pan) and cook over med-high heat until crepe appears dry; turn crepe to cook other side and set aside to cool while cooking the remainder
-once crepes are cooled, fill bottom third of crepe with cooked fruit and roll; place seam side down on platter
-drizzle dulce de leche over top and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, cinnamon and pomegranate seeds

Black Tea Pork Tenderloin
serves 8-12


2 2-pound pork tenderloins
5T black tea leaves
1T mild curry powder
2t ground cumin
1/2t ground anise
1t ground cayenne
1T fresh ginger, chopped


-in a spice grinder, add tea, spices and fresh ginger and grind until finely ground; add a little olive oil to thin into a paste
-season pork with salt + pepper
-rub pork with paste on all sides and let rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes
-pre-heat oven to 400˚F
-roast pork until done, about 20-30 minutes
-let rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve over Cumin Rice


Cumin Rice
serves 12


2C long grain white rice
3T whole cumin seeds
2T butter
4C water or vegetable broth


-add all to large pot and bring to a boil
-reduce heat, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (about 20 minutes)
-fluff with a fork and serve

Recipe: Honey Lime Vinaigrette

The warm weather has me screaming for salads, and this little dressing is easy, versatile and oh so yummy! The cumin adds an earthiness to the zingy citrus.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette
approx. 1/4c dressing

juice of 1/2 a lime
1t cumin
1T honey
1-2 T canola oil
salt
mix all with whisk and adjust seasoning as needed

copyright 2009, Molly L. Herrmann

Ingredient: Cumin

n. [KUH-mihn] An aromatic spice with a distinctive bitter flavor and strong, warm aroma due to its abundant oil content. Available in ground or as whole seeds, the "seeds" are actually the small dried fruit of an annual plant in the parsley family. Native to the Mediterranean, cumin is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Latin cuisines, and is one of the main ingredients in curry powder.

I love to use cumin when I cook black beans. We'll post a yummy recipe on Friday!

Spice Sifter Lid Thingys

Why in the world do they make these things? All I do is throw them out. They get in my way. Can your oregano fit through that sifter that they insist in putting on top? Mine doesn't...unless I throw my shoulder out from brute force. Maybe I use too much spice, but I prefer to pour, scoop, dollop or cast. Sifting takes way too much time and effort. Besides, it's silly. Silly sifter tops. Also, it's a supreme waste of plastic. So, a call to arms! No more sifter caps! To paraphrase Alice's Restaurant:

You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
has nothing better to do... And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three
throwing away their sifter caps. They may think it's an organization.
And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said
fifty people a day throwing away their sifter caps.
And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

(For those unfamiliar with         Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant, here is a link.)

Cardamom

n. [kahr-duh-muhm]
the seed pods of a tropical plant in the ginger family; native to SE Asia; used as a spice and in medicine

I am really into cardamom right now. I'm not sure if it is due to the heavy Scandinavian influence here in Minnesota, but I've come to appreciate it's versatility. It has a pleasant, slightly sweet flavor that is at home in everything from curry to tea. The Swedes even use it to flavor baked goods. If you are a cardamom newbie, I would suggest buying the ground version to experiment. Once you get more confident with it's flavor, then move on to the seeds to toast and grind yourself. I have a recipe for a chai that uses cardamom in the recipe section, and I highly recommend Sadaf's Cardamom Flavored Black Tea. Both great ways to introduce cardamom to your tastebuds!