Apple Cider Vinegar With Fresh Garlic
Infused vinegar isn’t a novel idea by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I thought the whole thing was much ado about nothing, a way to over charge for something as simple as vinegar. Until I tried it. Now, I’m (slightly) obsessed with putting just about anything edible in a bottle and soaking it in vinegar. My favorite so far, apple cider vinegar infused with fresh garlic. It’s delicious in Martha Stewart’s blue cheese vinaigrette.
Apple Cider Vinegar With Fresh Garlic
- Peel 8 – 12 large cloves of garlic and carefully thread them onto a clean wooden skewer.
- Place the skewer into a sterilized bottle.
- Fill bottle with apple cider vinegar and cover.
- Wait a week and, in the meantime, give the bottle a shake every day. Voilà!
P.S. I still think the store bought varieties are over priced and not nearly as tasty.
(Leftover) Cardamom Spiced Rice Pudding
Think twice before you toss that carton of leftover rice taking up space in your fridge.
Ingredients
2 cups leftover cooked rice (any kind)
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk (soy milk and coconut milk work too)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tspn salt
1 cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
Preparation
- Combine rice, milks, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick and cardamom in a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until creamy. (Time will vary depending on how dry the rice is to start.)
- Fish out the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.
- Serve warm or cold. Top with a spoonful of Orange Peel Preserves.
Orange Peel Preserves
In celebration of Earth Day here is a tasty use for what many people think of as food scraps. The preserves will keep in the refrigerator for a month, but it will be gone before you know it. Add a spoonful to a bowl of olives. Spread it on a piece of wheat toast with almond butter. Add it to your favorite bread or scones. Or spoon it over a bowl of cardamom spiced rice pudding.
Orange Peel Preserves
Ingredients
Skins from 5 oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Preparation
- In a medium saucepan cover skins with water and boil vigorously for 20-30 minutes, until skins are soft but not mushy.
- Remove pan from heat and let cool.
- Drain skins, reserving orange broth.
- Using a paring knife carefully separate the outer skin from the rind. This takes about 15 minutes.
- Cut skins into matchsticks and add the rinds to your compost pile.
- Return skins to the sauce pan. Add sugar, reserved broth and enough water to cover skins.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally, until the mixture is the consistency of a compote.
- Spoon into a sterilized pint jar and refrigerate when completely cool.
Lemon Curd
What to do with a bag of lemons? You can always freeze the juice in ice cube trays.
But if you’re feeling ambitious, try making and canning a batch of lemon curd. Because eggs are a key ingredient in lemon curd, I was skeptical that it could be canned. But I have been relying on the expertise of The National Center for Home Food Preservation at The University of Georgia for many years now with safe and delicious results. This lemon curd tastes like the filling of a lemon square, but it’s creamier and even more delicious. Mix it with Greek yogurt, spread it on a blueberry scone or eat it straight from the jar.
Butterscotch Sauce
I’m so over cookies, but my tenacious sweet tooth remains. This recipe from Food and Wine Magazine will have you running to the store for vanilla Häagen-Dazs…in your pajamas.
Blue Cheese Gougères
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tspn. salt
1/8 tspn. cayenne pepper
lots of fresh ground black pepper
3 large eggs
6-8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bring butter and water to boil in a medium sauce pan.
- Remove from heat. Add flour, salt and peppers. Beat until batter begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Vigorously mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in cheese. Let mixture rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly buttered baking sheets.
- Bake until golden brown, about 30 mintues.
Great with a little bubbly! Makes 24 Gougères.
Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies
From Marcel Desaulnier’s Death By Chocolate
These may not be the prettiest cookies on the plate, but they are sheer bliss for any chocolate lover.
Sea Salt Vanilla Caramels
Food and Wine Magazine, December 2009
I coated the top and bottom of the caramel slab in chocolate before I sliced them. Unfortunately, the sides got a little too sticky when left at room temperature. Next time, I’ll dip the whole caramel. Still, quite tasty!
Bob Vivant 
