Category: Recipes (Page 26 of 55)

Chef Brian Adornetto’s Melon Gazpacho

Our Soup of the Week is from Chef Brian Adornetto–professional chef, culinary instructor, freelance food writer, and food editor for the Raleigh Downtowner. To check out some of his writing/editing skills, head to the “Sustainable Spotlight: Chapel Hill Creamery“; to check out some of his awesome skills as a chef, look no further than this Melon Gazpacho. We can’t wait to try it (mouth watering)!!

Ingredients:

*Note: Wash all produce before peeling and seeding.

  • 1 Honeydew Melon, peeled and seeded
  • 1/4 Seedless Watermelon, rind and pith removed
  • 1 each Red/ Yellow/ Green Bell Pepper, seeded
  • 6 Cucumbers, peeled and seeded
  • 1 bunch green seedless grapes
  • 2 cups dry sparkling wine
  • Sea Salt
  1. Dice melons, peppers, and cucumbers until approximately the size of the grapes. Place in a large bowl.
  2. Remove grapes from the stem, reserving a few for garnishing, and add the rest to the bowl.
  3. Fill the blender half way with the produce from the bowl and add wine as needed to allow it to blend. Puree all of the ingredients until smooth and place in a container large enough to hold all of the gazpacho. Repeat as necessary.
  4. Add extra wine if needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season the gazpacho with salt, cover, and chill in a refrigerator for at least 2.5 hours.
  5. Quarter reserved grapes. After ladling soup, place a few grapes on top of the gazpacho to garnish.

 

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Kitchen D.I.Y: Cheese Making

By Emily King

These days, you can buy almost any cheese under the Sun in your local supermarket, but where’s the fun in that?

Making your own cheese may be more time-consuming than throwing a hunk of it into your grocery basket, but it’s something I believe every cook should experience at least once.

There’s nothing quite like the taste and mouth-feel of freshly made cheese, and you have the opportunity to season it to your liking.

Here is a simple recipe for Paneer (Indian-style farmer cheese). Get creative with spices, flavorings, and serving methods. Also, click here to check out a great video on cheese making. The recipe in the video is slightly different from the one listed below, but it’s a great instructional piece.

Ingredients:

½ gallon whole milk

¼ cup lemon juice

Your choice of spices, dried fruits, nuts, and flavorings

Salt to taste

1.) Set your burner on low, and bring milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Make sure that you stir the pot occasionally to keep the milk from developing a skin or scalding.

2.) When the milk reaches a boil, add the lemon juice and stir briefly. The milk should begin to curdle and form solids. If the whey (remaining liquid) is very cloudy, add a bit more lemon juice and stir again.

3.) Turn off the heat under the pot. Line a colander with fine cheesecloth or clean, cotton cloth and pour the contents of the pot into the colander to separate the curds from the whey.

4.) Gently press the curds in the cloth together, and tie the ends of the cloth to form a bundle. Tie the bundle to a wooden spoon or spatula, and suspend the bundle inside of a pitcher to allow gravity and the tension of the cloth to squeeze out excess moisture from the curds. Let it hang for about 30 minutes.

5.) Open the cloth and add any spices or flavorings you’d like. I’d strongly suggest adding salt to bring out the flavor of the cheese. Start with ¾ teaspoon and adjust from there. Other great additions are curry powder, nuts, dried fruits, and herbs. Briefly knead the ingredients into the cheese, and reform it into a ball.

6.) For firmer cheese that you can cut into cubes, place the reformed ball (wrapped in cheese cloth) on a flat surface, and place a weight on top of it (like a pot or pan) for 3-4 hours in the refrigerator to remove residual moisture.

7.)When the cheese is firm, cut it into cubes and pan-fry it. It’s a great addition to curries and vegetable sautés.

 

 

 

Sustainable Spotlight: Chapel Hill Creamery

By Brian Adornetto

Tucked away in the heart of Orange County’s old dairy country, is Chapel Hill Creamery. It is part dairy farm, part cheese making facility, and part sustainable business model. Oh, and the product? Totally delicious.

What began nine years ago as just a dream and a love of cheese has turned into a successful, yet unpretentious agricultural operation. Portia McKnight and Flo Hawley’s business partnership is the result of their coincident employment at Wellspring Grocery, and later, Whole Foods.  Their positions at these fine retailers fostered a deep appreciation for great cheese and cheese making. They delved into the bovine world in order to determine which breeds’ milk made the best cheese. They also studied the dietary necessities of the cows, how they were raised, and which climates best suited them. Finally, they studied the processes used to make the cheeses they loved, and in 2001, Portia and Flo were ready to “set up shop”. They purchased 37 acres of land in Chapel Hill’s “dairy land” and put their new knowledge to use.  

Today, there are 26 Jersey Cows (chosen based on their reputation for rich milk and ability to withstand North Carolina’s climate) to provide the milk for all of Chapel Hill Creamery’s cheeses. Unlike many businesses these days, they never outsource milk. These renowned cows feed on a rotation of 30 paddocks featuring a special blend of grass that is planted just for them. They graze twice a day, each time in a different pasture. This allows the cows to eat the most nutritious part of the grass while enabling the grass to regenerate before the pasture is needed again. Portia and Flo developed this intensive rotational grazing system to ensure that the cows have access to high-quality grass during their March-December milking season. And yes, the cows do provide the grass with the natural fertilizer that is spread out on the pastures.

Chickens and pigs are also raised on the farm. The chickens offer a natural way to keep the fly population in check as well as provide the owners with fresh eggs. The pigs feed on whey, the byproduct of cheese making. There is no waste at this farm! Additionally, Flo and Portia have been adding solar panels to provide green energy for the cheese making facility, furthering their goal of keeping their carbon footprint to a minimum.

One of the Creamery’s most popular cheeses is its fresh mozzarella which comes in half pound balls, one pound logs, and cherry sized “Ciliegine”. Other popular choices are New Moon (a buttery, semi ripened cheese with a bloomy rind), Asiago (a hard, aged cheese), Hickory Grove (the raw milk, washed rind, aged, meltable cheese), Farmer’s Cheese (a refreshingly tangy, salt brined cheese), and Carolina Moon (a spreadable, French style cheese). They also produce wonderful feta and camembert.

The farmstead’s fundamental principal is summed up with a single question: What is your proudest accomplishment over these last nine years? Their answer is simple; “Raising cows that are healthy and happy while improving the quality of our land.”

You can support their admirable mission by purchasing Chapel Hill Creamery Cheeses at Whole Foods Markets nationwide.

Want to try making your own cheese? Click here.

About Chef Brian Adornetto

Brian Adornetto is a professional chef, culinary instructor, freelance food writer, and food editor for the Raleigh Downtowner. For more information on Brian, please visit his website, www.loveatfirstbite.net

Hula’s Modern Tiki Fish Soup Broth

This is certainly one of the most interesting soup recipes we’ve posted here at into the Soup.  But, then again, Hula’s Modern Tiki ain’t no slacker when it comes to ingenuity and unique flavor combinations.  Although I’ve not yet tasted this lovely little concoction, my familiarity with these  ingredients sets my taste buds on fire, kind of like a tiki torch!  Light it up : )

Ingredients:

  • 3.5 oz  KOMBU                        
  • 3.5 oz  BONITO FLAKES                                     
  • 36 oz GINGER                                                
  • 3 cups GARLIC                                                 
  • 5 each SERANO  CHILI                                     
  • 2 cups KAFFIR LIME LEAF                   
  • 5 each LEMON GRASS                           
  • 5 each ONIONS                                              
  • 6 oz TOMATO PASTE                             
  • 2 qts SAKE                                                 
  • 16 oz can COCONUT MILK                        
  • 1 cup SOY SAUCE                                                   
  • 1.5 cups FISH SAUCE                                   
  • 3/4 cup LIME JUICE* (use in place of kaffir lime leaves, if necessary)
  1. WIPE THE KOMBU WITH A WET CLOTH. BREAK IT UP INTO PIECES AND PUT INTO A POT WITH 3 GALLONS OF COLD WATER. BRING TO A BOIL AND ADD THE BONITO FLAKES. BRING BACK TO A BOIL, THEN STRAIN IMMEDIATELY.
  2. MEANWHILE, ROUGHLY CHOP serrano, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and onions AND SAUTE IN A LARGE POT WITH garlic and ginger AND SOME OIL. COOK UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN A BIT THEN ADD TOMATO PASTE AND SAKE. REDUCE BY 1/2; ADD THE STRAINED LIQUID from step 1. BRING TO A BOIL and REDUCE HEAT TO SIMMER FOR 20- 30 MINUTES. STRAIN, PUT BACK INTO A POT, AND ADD the remaining ingredients. BRING BACK TO A BOIL. SEASON TO TASTE!!

*Note: 1 to 1 1/2 total lbs of Crab, shrimp (coarse chop) and/or any diced, firm white fish (a combo is nice) to be added at the end of the cooking process. 

 

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Coffee 101: Could a Cup a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

by Emily King

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who enjoys a cup of coffee or two every morning, you may be paving the way for a longer, healthier lifeor maybe not.

We’re definitely not the first to report on the controversy over coffee’s effects on the human body, so if you’re looking for ground breaking findings, consult your medical journals (and make sure you have a pillow nearby. Yawn). In fact, just about any internet search on the health effects of coffee will yield thousands of articles.

Still, despite hundreds of existing studies on the subject, scientists have yet to come to a consensus: Do the benefits of coffee outweigh the risks? The unsatisfactory answer is: It depends.

Are you ready to throw your insulated mug across the room yet?  Me too.

According to a particularly fair and balanced article by the Wall Street Journal, “an analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who drink three to four cups of java a day are 25% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who drink fewer than two cups.”

Additionally, cancer researchers have found that people with coffee habits are far more successful at fending off cancer than their non-coffee drinking counterparts. Men who drink six or more cups of coffee per day substantially lower their risk of developing advanced prostate cancer (by 60%). Coffee consumption has also been linked to reducing the risk of getting colon, mouth, throat, esophageal and endometrial cancers.

Outside of the cancer realm, research suggests that coffee drinkers suffer from fewer cavities and gallstones, and are less likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, there is the correlation between coffee drinkers and suicidal tendencies. Guess what? Those who “get their caffeine buzz on regularly” are far less likely to commit suicide. As a self-proclaimed non-morning person, somehow, this last finding doesn’t surprise me at all (insert morbid chuckle).

Now that I have made coffee sound like a miracle elixir and you’re already contemplating your next cup, I think it’s important to point out that there is a difference between causation and correlation. In other words, it hasn’t been proven that coffee is the cause of all these health benefits, but it is a factor that has been correlated with the lifestyles of the healthier research subjects.

On the flipside, the caffeine that coffee contains has been linked to high-blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and elevated levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. This amino acid is associated with stroke and heart disease.

 Doctors do not recommend that pregnant women consume caffeinated coffee, as it has been linked to higher rates of miscarriage and lower birth-weight babies. Elderly women should also avoid caffeine to minimize bone loss and the development of benign breast lumps.

Finally, among the minor, but undesirable side effects of coffee-drinking for some people, are feelings of anxiousness or irritability, heartburn, and sleeplessness. Unfortunately, these side-effects can lead to more serious conditions like obesity and its accompanying complications.

The point is, we are all genetically different and enjoy different lifestyles. There are those who can drink 10 cups of coffee and take a nap, while others are ready for a power-lifting session after just one. Coffee may be a health safeguard for some, and a hazard for others if consumed in excess.

One thing that all researchers preach is moderation. While six cups of coffee per day may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, other negative effects of all that caffeine could mitigate the benefits.

Parting words for my coffee-drinking peers: Stick to 1-3 cups o’ joe per day and limit the whipped cream, half and half, sugar, and syrups. Take the stairs when you can, eat your leafy greens, and wash your hands frequently.

Click here for an informative article on coffee and health by Melinda Beck in The Wall Street Journal

For More Coffee 101, click here

Brought to you by Village Coffee Roastery, turning Science into Art

Chef Michael Brown’s Vegetarian Creole Gumbo

Direct from Jamburritos’ “Cajun Grille” and Chef Michael Brown!!! The traditional celery, onions, bell peppers, and okra make this a Creole-style vegetarian gumbo rather than Cajun gumbo. However you slice and dice it (celery, onions, Creole or Cajun), try this gumbo and bring a bit of the old South into your kitchen!

Yield: 2 quarts

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups Okra, cut 1/2″ thick
  • 1 cup Collard Greens, cooked and drained
  • 1 1/2 quarts Vegetable Broth
  • 3/4 cup Corn Kernels, roasted
  • 4 tablespoons diced Onions
  • 2 tablespoons diced Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Diced Celery
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Parsley
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • Tabasco Sauce, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-duty sauce pan for about 7 minutes on a medium to high flame. Whisk in flour and stir briskly making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the mixture from sticking and burning.  Continue to stir until the mixture turns dark brown in color.
  2. Add dice onions, diced celery, diced green bell peppers, minced garlic. and chopped parsley and stir thoroughly. This is the Roux for your Gumbo.
  3. Add vegetable broth stirring the mixture briskly to  dissolve the roux. Then add the cut okra, roasted corn, and collard greens. Add Cajun seasoning and tabasco to taste. Reduce the temperature to low and let cook for 1 hour.  
  4. Serve under your favorite rice. 

 

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