Robb + Jessie Married & in the Badger State
Ramp and Parsley Pesto Pasta
Yesterday, Robb and I enjoyed a lovely morning-date at the Dane County Farmer’s Market. We rode our bikes to the capitol and strolled around the square in a leisure fashion. Arriving at 8am was just a little bit too late to miss the start of the rush (families with strollers and slow moving people). Nevertheless, we were able to find everything we came looking for: spring garlic, ramps, rhubarb, and asparagus. Probably my favourite spring veggies. The other week I had a craving for ramps after seeing Hank’s (from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook) guest post over at Simply Recipes on Ramp and Pesto Pasta. Last year, we missed the ramps by a good month (we enjoyed green garlic in the meantime)… but this year we were ready.
Ah, but what are ramps? If you don’t know of Allium tricoccum already, you are missing out. These beauties are typically found east of Minnesota in the spring time. Not until we moved to Wisconsin did we discover what all the fuss was about. As a member of the onion family, they are known under several different names including ramps, spring onion, ramson, wild leek, or ail des bois (French). Eaten raw, they have the flavor of onions and garlic. Upon gentle cooking (like sautéing or blanching) they develop a more mild and sweeter flavor. So, in early spring, check out your farmer’s market and see if you can score some ramps! Otherwise, you can use green (or spring) garlic which is baby garlic which has been harvested before the bulbs mature. They look a bit like scallions and are more prominent throughout the States in the spring time. You can use them in place ramps in pretty much every recipe.
Last night, after a long, long run (we didn’t get home until 9:30!) we quickly threw together the ramp and parsley pesto that we had been dreaming about all afternoon…
We served it on top of some garlic and basil pasta from Trader Joe’s. Now, that hit the spot.
And finally, we sauteed some of the asparagus we bought earlier yesterday, too. I do not think I have ever enjoyed fresher, more tender asparagus in my life. Yum!
Wondering what to do with the leftover pesto and white tips of the ramps? Try this.
Daring Baker’s Challenge: British Pudding
The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of The Lilac Kitchen. She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet.
Well, this challenge combined the two things I detest most in the food world: pudding and raisins. I was most inclined to make the pudding that everyone giggles about: Spotted Dick. [heehee] Moving on. If you know me at all, you know that I wont put a raisin (sulphured or unsulphured) or any type of pudding-like material (Jell-O, tapioca, custard, crème brulée, meringue, etc.) near my mouth. Well, last night I found an exception: British puddings. Why, you might ask? Because they have the consistency of … scones!! Yum! If you are not familiar with the traditional British pudding, it is typically a steamed dessert or savory dish. Many of the savory dishes are enveloped in a suet-based pastry (commonly served at Christmastime). For this challenge, I had intended to visit my local butcher, but with biophysicalchemistry taking up my life (yes, that is the course I am currently taking) I ran out of time. Never fear, in the coming months, I hope to post one made with recently procured suet.
That brings us to today’s post: Spotted Dick. [heehee] I followed the recipe on Epicurious which used butter as its fat. I especially enjoyed the little video clip of techniques for making the dessert. For my first pudding, I should have to say it was a success. I discovered that I don’t like American puddings. But the Brits got this one right! I think, though, next time I make this I will use currents rather than raisins. I wonder, though, how cranberries would taste… Give it a Wisconsin flare.
Enjoy the photos. (Robb and I enjoyed the puddings).
Join the revolution.
As a former dietetics student and as someone affected by the obesity epidemic that is sweeping the United States, I strongly support what Jamie Oliver is doing for our nation: getting us amped up about changing our eating habits, especially in our children’s schools. I remember vividly sharing plates of greasy, salty fries with my classmates throughout junior high and high school (it was a rare to have fries whilst growing up in the Oberholser household). Elementary through high school are when we develop habits (good or bad) — especially when it comes to food decisions. If we are presented with healthy options and unhealthy ones, we are likely to pick the more tasty ones (sweet and fatty foods). My options as a student generally consisted in whatever I happen to find in my brown bag lunch. I consider myself lucky. But the children who take a daily stroll down the hot-lunch line generally have a more difficult time.
I encourage you to watch (if you haven’t already) Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. He has already been making strides in his homeland: England. But he is hoping to share with our great nation what he’s learned over the years and trying to inspire us to have a more active role what happens in our schools and communities as far as our food choices and knowledge go.
Please consider how your decisions affect not only your health and family but the nation as a whole. If we join together, our voices will be strong and they will be heard. Also, consider signing Jamie’s petition:
Sign Jamie’s petition to save cooking skills and improve school food.
I support the Food Revolution. America’s kids need better food at school and better health prospects. We need to keep cooking skills alive.
Nigella’s Pancake Mix with Blueberry Syrup
The other week I was inspired to make my own pancake mix after seeing an episode of Nigella Express. I don’t think I have made pancakes from a boxed mix since elementary school, but I never thought to make my own so I can quickly make pancakes on the weekends. I threw the ingredients together in a plastic baggie last week. After our run today it was quite nice to whip up a stack of flapjacks and top them with a flavorful blueberry syrup.
This isn’t a lengthly post, I just wanted to share with you a time saving pancake mix that you can whip up in about five minutes, stick it on the shelf for future use.
Ingredients
Pancake mix:
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
Pancake batter:
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
For the pancake mix:
Directions
Mix the above ingredients together and store in a jar.
For the pancake batter:
For each 1 cup pancake mix, add 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Do not overmix.
Heat a flat griddle or pan over medium-high heat.
Spoon drops of 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter onto the hot griddle and when bubbles appear on the surface of the little pancakes, flip them over to make them golden brown on both sides. A minute or so a side should do it.
Ingredients
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (not fake processed stuff!)
2 tablespoons of water
1 cups blueberries
Directions
Put the syrup and blueberries into a pan and bring to the boil.
Let bubble for 2 to 3 minutes, and then pour into a jug and bring to the breakfast table with the pancakes.
Daring Cooks’ Challenge: Risotto
The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.
One of the first fancy dates Robb and I went on was to the 35th St Bistro in Fremont on 16 August 2006. That was probably the first time I had ordered a meal that cost more than a year’s subscription to Cooks Illustrated. Not to mention, the first time either of us had asked a waiter to recommend a wine pairing for our meals.
Robb ordered an Ahi tuna steak and I ordered risotto. The rich, creamy and depth of flavors that permeated my first bite swept me off of my feet. And like that first bit of tiramisu, I was hooked. Bite after bite I kept discovering new flavors which still make me smile to remember. (I especially loved those fresh peas!) For some reason I wasn’t smiling in this photograph, but maybe it was because I had food in my mouth when Robb snapped the photo! Or maybe it was because I hadn’t tasted that delicious Italian comfort food yet.
This brings us to this past months’ Daring Cooks’ challenge. I have made risotto several times since my initial discovery. I am not sure if you could say that I cheated on this challenge since I ended up pulling from the freezer several quart-sized bags of turkey stock I made shortly after Thanksgiving. As a busy graduate student, this time saving measure (three hours!) allowed us to enjoy an early weekend dinner without much preparation. I adapted the risotto base to our tastes (and what we had on hand) peas and bacon! Though, I wish I had browned the rice in the bacon fat instead of olive oil… A good note for next time.
Risotto Base (used for Pea and Bacon Risotto)
Ingredients:
olive oil 2 fluid oz 60 ml
1 small onion, diced
rice 14 oz 400g
Any type of risotto rice will do. I use Arborio but the recipe itself says Vialone Nano. Another to look for is Carnaroli.
white wine 2 fl oz 60 ml
chicken or vegetable stock , simmering 2 pints 1 L
Directions:
Heat oil in a pan and add onion. Fry for a few minutes to flavour the oil.
Add the rice and stir for a few minutes to coat each grain of rice with oil and toast slightly.
Add the wine and let it bubble away until evaporated.
Add enough stock to cover the rice by a finger’s width (about an inch or two). Don’t actually stick your finger in, it will be hot. Just eye it off.
Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time, until most of the stock has been absorbed.
Repeat Step 5 making sure to leave aside approximately 100 ml. of stock for the final step. .
Repeat, save 100ml for the final stage.
Once you are at this point, the base is made. You now get to add your own variation.
While the risotto absorbs the stock, fry the bacon until crispy.
Before adding the final 100ml of stock, stir in 1/3 cup frozen peas and allow to cook through (about 2 minutes).
Now, add the remaining stock and:
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Then top with the crispy bacon (yum).
Put your feet up and enjoy with a nice glass of white wine. (Well, that is at least what we did.)
In conclusion:
What a great challenge. It’s so great to get back to the basics and remember that a delicious home cooked meal always tastes better when it’s made with lots of love and time.