Sangria is an iconic drink in Spain. The primary ingredients are red wine (Rioja), orange juice, and simple syrup with chopped fruit, such as pineapple, peaches, berries, apples, and pears. Later white wine became a popular variation, and as I’m a big fan of Rosés and pomegranate juice, I thought that combining theses two ingredients would make another delicious modification to this popular drink.
Use a dry, not too fruity rosé, such as Pinot Gris, an unsweetened pomegranate juice, such as POM, a pomegranate liqueur, such as PAMA, and a small dose of simple syrup.
Toss in quartered strawberries, blueberries, sliced peaches and limes. This recipe makes a delicious and stunning presentation!
If you use a sweetened pomegranate juice, leave out the simple syrup or add only after tasting. The drink is not meant to be overly sweet, but cool, and refreshing.
Pom Pom Sangria
Serve little cocktail forks on the side so people can enjoy the macerated fruit later!
Pom Pom Sangria
To make a Pom Pom Sangria Spritzer, use 2/3 sangria and 1/3 seltzer or sparkling water.
½ cup blueberries ½ cup thinly sliced peaches, fresh or frozen ½ cup quartered strawberries 8 thin slices of fresh lime 1 bottle dry rosé 2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice, such as POM ½ cup pomegranate liqueur, such as PAMA 2 ounces simple syrup
Garnish
Mint leaves, optional
Instructions
Place the fruit in the bottom of a 2-quart pitcher and add the rosé, juice, liqueur, and simple syrup.
Chill well.
Pour into a glass, making sure to include some of the fruit in each one and garnish with a pinched mint leaf, which releases the mint oils.
Notes
To make a Pom Pom Sangria Spritzer, use 2/3 sangria and 1/3 seltzer or sparkling.
Keywords: fruit punch, rose wine, cocktail, alcoholic beverage, pomegranate juice
I stopped at a Cosi for lunch one day on a drive back from the city. Haven’t been to one in years. I ordered an Adobo Lime Chicken Salad. I enjoyed it and reproduced it, I think with a little more zip. Here’s my version, Chicken Chopped Salad with Adobo Lime Vinaigrette.
Adobo LimeVinaigrette
Make the vinaigrette first so it has a chance to meld. Make at least 30 minutes in advance and leftover vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Combine olive oil, lime juice, adobo sauce, grated garlic, agave, salt, and chopped cilantro in a covered jar and shake well.
Grilled Chicken
Grill up boneless and skinless chicken breasts to serve with the Chopped Salad with Adobo Lime Vinaigrette.
Heat the grill to high. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Drizzle a little olive oil over both sides to prevent sticking. Grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice on the bias. See our video, Grilled Boneless Chicken Breasts.
Chopped Salad
Use fresh corn raw, grilled or steamed, let cool slightly and then remove the kernels by sliding a knife down the corn from top to bottom, turning a little each time until the whole cob is bare. and place in a large bowl.
Add black beans, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and salt to the corn and toss to mix well.
Use a crisp lettuce like Romaine and chop it to bite-size pieces and place in a large salad bowl.
These ingredients can be prepared up to a day in advance. Cover tightly and hold in the refrigerator.
To assemble, dress the lettuce with enough of the adobo lime vinaigrette to coat well, but not pool in the bottom of the bowl.
Pour more of the vinaigrette over the vegetables, toss well, and spread over the top of the greens.
Note: The chopped vegetables are heavy and fall to the bottom of the bowl when tossed. Dressing the lettuce separately and spreading the dressed vegetables over the top makes a more attractive presentation.
Slice the onion and avocado, season with a sprinkle of salt, a drizzle of there vinaigrette, and lay decoratively over the salad.
Garnish with the shredded cheese as desired.
Serve the sliced chicken on a separate platter, or prepare individual salad bowls as directed above, and place the chicken on the very top. Don’t forget to pour a little of the vinaigrette over the chicken, too.
½ cup olive oil ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, strained from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 1 medium clove of garlic, grated 1 teaspoon agave 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Place the oil, lime juice, adobo sauce, garlic, agave, salt, and cilantro in a covered jar and shake well.
Let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Notes
Can be made in advance; shake well just before using. Lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator
This recipe is great for entertaining. Almost everything can be prepared in advance and assembled at the last minute. Dress with our delicious Adobo Lime Vinaigrette.
4 ears fresh corn, or 3 cups frozen or drained canned corn 8 baby bell peppers thinly sliced or 1 red bell pepper, diced 20 cherry tomatoes halved ½ English cucumber quartered and sliced ½ teaspoon kosher salt 8 cups chopped lettuce, such as Romaine 1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained well 1 avocado, sliced
red onion slices
Garnish
Shredded cheese, such cojita, Monterrey jack or sharp cheddar; optional
Instructions
Use fresh corn raw, grilled or steamed, let cool slightly and then remove the kernels by sliding a knife down the corn from top to bottom, turning a little each time until the whole cob is bare. and place in a large bowl.
Add black beans, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and salt to the corn and toss to mix well.
Use a crisp lettuce like Romaine and chop it to bite-size pieces and place in a large salad bowl.
These ingredients can be prepared up to a day in advance. Cover tightly and hold in the refrigerator.
To assemble, dress the lettuce with enough of the adobo lime vinaigrette to coat well, but not pool in the bottom of the bowl.
Pour more of the vinaigrette over the vegetables, toss well, and spread over the top of the greens.
Slice the onion and avocado, season with a sprinkle of salt, a drizzle of there vinaigrette, and lay decoratively over the salad.
Garnish with the shredded cheese as desired.
Serve the sliced chicken on a separate platter, or prepare individual salad bowls as directed above, and place the chicken on the very top. Don’t forget to pour a little of the vinaigrette over the chicken, too.
Notes
Note: The chopped vegetables are heavy and fall to the bottom of the bowl when tossed. Dressing the lettuce separately and spreading the dressed vegetables over the top makes a more attractive presentation.
Summer is the season for delicious, refreshing rum cocktails that evoke days by the poolside soaking up the sun, reading a good book, or schmoozing with friends. The Daquiri is a simple mixed drink, yet over the years it has taken on many forms, particularly a frozen, slush-like cocktail, made from a variety of fruits or packaged blends.
I remember my parents and some or our neighbors would have a frozen daquiri on a hot summer evening. My mom would get out the blender, toss in some ice, a can of frozen limeade, and rum and they sipped the drinks on the front stoop or while they played croquet in the yard.
The original Daquiri, however, is fresh and sweet-tart, made only with rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. The drink is shaken and served neat in a glass with a twist of lime peel. That peel is optional, and I personally don’t think the drink needs it.
Try the original version for a less sweet, refreshing summer cocktail!
Rum is distilled from a fermented sugar cane product such as molasses.
Rum is aged, usually one or two years, in old bourbon oak barrels; any longer and the clean taste is altered.
Light rum is filtered through coal to remove any color from the barrels.
Rums are often blended, mixing various years or adding light, medium, and/or dark rums for complex flavors and colors.
Rum is used in cooking, such as rum balls, rum cake, and is great to use to macerate fruit. Let’s not forget Bananas Foster or rum raisin ice cream. Also try a little rum in your rice pudding!
We spend as much time outdoors as we can in the summer and that includes eating meals outside. We have a screened-in porch, which makes that possible even when it rains or when the mosquitos are swarming everywhere. That means cooking outside and keeping the indoor cooking to a minimum. Grilling steaks and topping it with this quick and easy Chimichurri Sauce fits the bill!
Chimichurri sauce is a South American recipe. It’s a green sauce made up of parsley, garlic, oregano, white vinegar and olive oil. I’ve taken some liberties here and use red wine vinegar in lieu of white vinegar and added scallions and a pinch of red pepper flakes. It’s a slightly spicy sauce!. Make it a couple of hours in advance to let the flavors mesh and store in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made a day or two in advance, but do serve it at room temperature. Just leave it out for 30 minutes before dinner.
Make our Potato Packets as a side; potatoes, onions, olive oil, and seasonings wrapped in foil and cooked on the grill. A totally pot- and pan-free meal!
Asparagus season is upon us and this Asparagus and Leek Soup with Tarragon is a two-for one recipe. It’s delicious either hot or cold!
After a long, cold spring, the farmers’ markets are now open and I’m scooping up these slender, green asparagus stalks weekly. Asparagus is an easy vegetable to work with, but be careful not to overcook it. Those crispy, green spears quickly turn an unappealing gray-green and become stringy. Time the cooking carefully, 30 seconds for the very skinny spears up to 2-3 minutes for the thicker spears, and you’ll end up with a bright green vegetable that’s slightly firm to the bite and garden fresh.
The recipe uses butter, primarily because I like the flavor of butter with both leeks and asparagus, but you can easily substitute vegetable oil to make this a vegan recipe.
Method
Melt the butter or heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Stir in the leeks, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cover and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring twice. This process expels liquid and softens the vegetables. If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat a little.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the asparagus spears and cook 5 minutes more.
Take the pot off heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Purée Options
There are three options for pureeing the soup, but to get the smoothest purée, use a blender. Also check out our post on How to Safely Blend Hot Ingredients.
1. Blender – purée in batches until very smooth.
2. Food Processor – use the blade attachment and purée in batches until very smooth.
3. Immersion blender – puree in the pan until very smooth, this method takes the most time; however, you won’t have as many tools to clean after.
Stir in the tarragon and reheat. Garnish with more tarragon and a dollop of creme fraiche!
2 ½ pounds asparagus, washed and trimmed (any thickness) 2 leeks 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup minced onion 1 minced clove garlic 2 teaspoons coarse salt ½ teaspoon pepper 6 cups vegetable stock ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
Instructions
Melt the butter or heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Stir in the leeks, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cover and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring twice. This process expels liquid and softens the vegetables. If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat a little.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the asparagus spears and cook 5 minutes more.
Take the pot off heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Purée Options
There are three options for pureeing the soup, but to get the smoothest purée, use a blender. Also check out our post on How to Safely Blend Hot Ingredients.
1. Blender – purée in batches until very smooth.
2. Food Processor – use the blade attachment and purée in batches until very smooth.
3. Immersion blender – puree in the pan until very smooth, this method takes the most time; however, you won’t have as many tools to clean after.
Stir in the tarragon and reheat. Garnish with more tarragon and a dollop of creme fraiche!
A simple Lemon Vinaigrette goes well with a variety of lettuces, from delicate butter leaf to pungent greens like arugula or watercress. Toss in a few halved cherry tomatoes that have been dusted with kosher salt and a twist or two of a pepper mill and you have a delicious salad. Add some protein, such as chunks of lobster meat, or sliced chicken and you have a light lunch or dinner.
I enjoy chilled asparagus dressed with a tablespoon or two of lemon vinaigrette. Try this with a our Herb-Crusted Roast Salmon, (LINK/ PHOTO) simply place the asparagus in the center of the plate and drape the salmon across.
This recipe calls for both the zest and juice of a lemon. Be sure to remove the zest, first and then juice the lemon! Pour 3 tablespoons good olive oil in a jar, all of the zest and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a jar and shake. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients in a bowl.
The mustard creates an emulsion, which keeps the oil and lemon juice together and softens the tang of the lemon juice just enough that our lips won’t pucker up!
Never overdress. This recipe makes a generous ¼ cup and is enough for 4-6 cups of lettuce and fillings. Lettuce greens or vegetables, such as Chilled Asparagus, only need a light coating and the vinaigrette should never pool in the bottom of the bowl. And, a good dose of freshly ground pepper is always welcome.
A simple lemon vinaigrette that’s great on delicate lettuce or pungent greens like arugula or watercress. Also good over chilled vegetables, like asparagus!
Asparagus comes a variety of sizes, from pencil thin to very thick. The pencil-thin spears require very little trimming, while thick, chunky spears with woody bottoms need some attention.
How to Trim Thin Asparagus
Take one thin spear and hold the very bottom end in one hand and the center in the other. Bend slowly until the spear snaps at the natural breaking point.
Lay the trimmed spear next to the others with the tops aligned. Slice the remaining bottoms following the cutline of the trimmed asparagus.
How to Trim Thick Asparagus
Use a vegetable peeler to trim from the halfway point to the bottom. Trimming reveals more of tender inner portion that is covered by newer tough peel. If you skip this step, the natural breaking point will be higher and you waste good asparagus. Follow the directions above.
Thoroughly rinse the spears and set aside.
How to Parboil Asparagus
Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and place a strainer in the sink.
Bring a large saucepan of cold water and the salt to a boil.
Add the trimmed asparagus and cook for 20-30 seconds for thin spears and up to to 3 minutes for thicker spears.
Drain and immediately plunge into the ice-water bath to cool and stop the cooking.
Drain again, wrap in a large flour sack or dish towel and refrigerate for at least an hour. Use within 48 hours.
Gin and Tonic sounds pretty simple. Select a gin, fill a glass with ice, add tonic water and a wedge of lime. Not all gins are produced in a similar fashion, however, and high-end distillers use a wide variety of ingredients in different quantities and use different infusion methods, which result in a broad range of flavors. Below are descriptions of three different gins that make an excellent Gin and Tonic, a great summer refresher, and a superior tonic water.
Tonic Water
I chose Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water, which is made from naturally sourced ingredients, with no artificial flavors or added sweeteners. Quinine is the primary ingredient and is responsible for the bitterness found in tonic water. Fever-Tree sources quinine from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and “fever tree” is the local name of the Chichona Ledgeriana trees, which produce some of the highest quality quinine in the world.
Fever-Tree makes over a dozen tonic water varieties and mixers each meant to accompany the varying flavor essences of different gins. Flavors include clementine, elderflower, cola, and Sicilian lemonade. Take a look at Fever-Tree’s pairing wheel for great suggestions in matching their tonic water and mixers with different gin flavors.
For this cocktail, I chose the Light Indian Tonic Water, which has 46% fewer calories than the regular tonic water.
Gin
My daughter Margot suggested I start with Bombay Sapphire for this post, but she had other recommendations as well, which I discuss below. Bombay Sapphire uses hand-selected botanicals from around the world: juniper berries, lemon peel, coriander, grains of paradise, cubeb berries, cassia bark, almonds, licorice, orris (iris root). The alcohol is evaporated three times in a Carter-Head still and then the alcohol vapors are infused into these botanicals, which results in a lighter and more floral gin.
Since this gin is made with only lemon, I like to use lemon juice and a twisted lemon peel. To jazz it up further, add a few coriander seeds or juniper berries.
Another favorite of Margot’s is St. George Botanivore Gin. We did a tasting of this gin at Stew Leonards (Link: https://www.stewswines.com) a few years ago and were impressed with the complexity of the flavor.
St. George Botanivore Gin is made with 19 different botanicals: angelical root, bay laurel, bergamot peel, black peppercorn, caraway, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, citra hops, coriander, dill seed, fennel seed, ginger, juniper berries, lemon peel, lime peel, orris root, Seville orange peel, and star anise. It seems counter-intuitive that all these flavors would mesh well, but they do. The citrus component lends itself well to lemon, lime, and/or orange juice and wedges in the gin and tonic. As a salute to the herbal components, add a sprig of dill or cilantro and toss in a few juniper berries for a sophisticated looking drink!
My daughter also enjoys Hendrick’s, which has a cucumber infusion she really appreciates. Hendrick’s uses a dual still method to make the gin, a traditional copper pot still and a Carter-Head-style still, which uses a copper basket to hold the botanicals and then vapor infuses them to extract flavor. The last step is to combine the two alcohols together and add the essence of cucumber and rose petal for a distinctive flavor.
Hendrick’s recommends using cucumber instead of citrus in a gin and tonic or soda water and elderflower for a unique cocktail, and Fever tree has an elderflower mixer, as well.
Salmon is always a crowd pleaser with family and friends. Prepare this recipe for Herb-Crusted Roast Salmon in advance and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes for a quick and easy dinner. Serve with our Israeli Couscous as the perfect side!
The herb crust is made with thyme, chives and parsley that impart a lovely herbaceous flavor to the breadcrumbs with a little lemon zest for brightness. I use Panko breadcrumbs, which have more texture than regular breadcrumbs and crisp up nicely providing a crunchy contrast to the soft-textured fish.
Order a center-cut portion of the salmon.
Ask the fishmonger remove the skin for you.
The center portion is the thickest part with only a little taper either at the side or one end. Keep the fish whole, it’s easier to spread the crumb topping on a whole piece of fish instead of individual portions and it makes a beautiful presentation on a platter. The fish slices easily with a cake server.
Make this Herb-Crusted Roast Salmon for your next dinner party – everyone will thank you, I promise!
Setup
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, line a medium-size baking pan with foil, and brush with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Method
Place the salmon on the baking sheet and sprinkle the top with the salt and pepper. Fold any thin ends or sides underneath. If the thin end doesn’t fold easily, cut a small piece off.
Slide that piece of salmon under the remaining thin end. The salmon cooks evenly and the end doesn’t dry out.
Combine the breadcrumbs, thyme, chives, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil until thoroughly blended.
Scoop the crumb mixture across top of the salmon, patting gently to set.
NOTE: The fish can be held in the refrigerator at this point for one day. Take out 30 minutes before roasting to bring to room temperature.
Pop the salmon in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the salmon registers 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Use the foil to lift the salmon onto a platter and then rip the foil in the middle and pull from the ends to side the foil from under the salmon.
1 1/2 pounds center-cut salmon, skin removed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons chopped thyme 3 tablespoons chopped chives 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
zest of one lemon 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil
Garnish
fresh chopped herbs
Instructions
Setup
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, line a medium-size baking pan with foil, and brush with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Method
Place the salmon on the baking sheet and sprinkle the top with the salt and pepper; fold any thin ends or sides underneath. If the thin end doesn’t fold easily, cut a small piece of and tuck underneath.
Combine the breadcrumbs, thyme, chives, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil until thoroughly blended.
Scoop the crumb mixture across top of the salmon, patting gently to set.
NOTE: The salmon can be held in the refrigerator at this point for one day. Take out 30 minutes before roasting to bring to room temperature.
Pop the salmon in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the salmon registers 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Use the foil to lift the salmon onto a platter and then rip the foil in the middle and pull from the ends to side the foil from under the salmon.
I had a request from a follower to create a Polish Red Cabbage dish. We PMed back and forth to determine whether she wanted a hot or cold dish, a savory, sweet, or sweet and sour slant, and finally whether or not to include some smoked pork. She decided on hot, savory, and definitely some smoked pork.
Classic polish seasonings include, caraway, bay leaf, juniper berries, dill, and fried onions, all of which are perfect for a hot and savory preparation. An apple complements cabbage nicely adding a sweet/tart flavor – I used a Honeycrisp. For the smoked pork, I chose diced bacon and highly recommend using a hardwood-smoked bacon like hickory or apple. Slab bacon is also a great alternative.
Use a knife or mandolin to cut the cabbage into about 3/16-inch slices; not too thin or they get too soft and mushy while cooking. And finally, a heavy-bottomed pan like a 7-quart Dutch oven for slow, even cooking.
We’re delighted with the end result and hope Barbara is too!
METHOD
Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.
Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.
Stir in the onions, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring 3 times. Uncover and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should be lightly fried, but not burned. Turn the heat down if the onions are cooking too fast.
Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.
Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.
Add the cabbage, apple, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, but still holding it’s shape.
Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.
Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.
Here’s a Polish-Style Red Cabbage side dish made with fried onions, apple and bacon with typical Polish flavors of caraway, juniper berries, and dill. Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.
3 juniper berries 2 bay leaves 4 ounces good bacon, diced; slab bacon if you can find it 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup good chicken stock 1 medium red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded, about 8 cups 1 apple, such as Honeycrisp or Macoun, peeled, cored and diced 2 teaspoons caraway seeds 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
GARNISH
Few sprigs of fresh dill
Instructions
Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.
Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.
Stir in the onions, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring 3 times. Uncover and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should be lightly fried, but not burned. Turn the heat down if the onions are cooking too fast.
Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.
Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.
Add the cabbage, apple, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, but still holding it’s shape.
Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.
Keywords: red cabbage, cabbage, polish cabbage, bacon, caraway seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, apple
3 juniper berries 2 bay leaves 4 ounces good bacon, diced; slab bacon if you can find it 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup good chicken stock 1 medium red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded, about 8 cups 1 apple, such as Honeycrisp or Macoun, peeled, cored and diced 2 teaspoons caraway seeds 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
GARNISH Few sprigs of fresh dill
Instructions
METHOD
Use a spice bag or cheesecloth to hold the juniper berries and bay leaves. This makes for easy removal at the end of cooking.
Place the bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan, like a 7-quart Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, and the bacon is crispy.
Stir in the onions, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring 3 times. Uncover and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should be lightly fried, but not burned. Turn the heat down if the onions are cooking too fast.
Pour a couple tablespoons of water over the fried onions and stir to loosen the fond on the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the onions, stir to combine.
Slowly add the stock, stirring constantly to incorporate the flour.
Add the cabbage, apple, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, but still holding it’s shape.
Remove the spice bag or cheesecloth and stir the dill. Garnish with a few sprigs.
Serve with more smoked pork or sausages, such as Kielbasa.
Keywords: red cabbage, cabbage, polish cabbage, bacon, caraway seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, apple
I’m a big fan of a dirty martini, which is made with vodka and olive brine/juice, and sometimes vermouth depending on the bartender and/or the drinker’s taste. Then I discovered the Filthy Martini!
This Filthy Martini is inspired by a drink I had on vacation last fall at E.B. Strong’s Prime Steakhouse in Vermont It was delicious and the addition of the gherkin juice was such an interesting little twist.
Once I got home, I wanted to recreate this drink. I did a little research and found there’s a Filthy Food Company that makes premium drink garnishes, including the blue cheese stuffed olives. I always have gherkins on hand, love them in tuna salad, on charcuterie platters, or just a quick salty/sour snack.
While I enjoy Tito’s vodka, my preference is Kettle One. I like the mouthfeel of the vodka, it rolls across the tongue unlike any other vodka I’ve ever had. I tried the brine from the Filthy Blue Cheese Olives, but found I prefer my old standby, Dirty Sue Premium Olive Juice.
In my opinion, what really makes this drink special is that ¼ ounce of gherkin juice. It teases the palette. If you didn’t know it was there you’d be trying to suss it out. I have to admit I didn’t pay that much attention to the ingredients until I tasted the Filthy Martini at Strong’s. It took a few sips before I identified the gherkin juice, even though the gherkin was on the toothpick with the olive (DOH).
Garnish with a speared olive and a small gherkin to complete the drink. The blue-cheese stuffed olive is an excellent choice. But, don’t hesitate to try a pimiento-stuffed olive, spicy marinated olive, or olives marinated with bits of lemon and garlic. Each contributes a different nuance to the drink and are equally enjoyable. Many of these are available at grocery/specialty store olive bars.
Once you get the right ingredients together, shake them well for 15 seconds. A great martini is an icy cold martini!
4 ice cubes 2 ounces vodka, such a Kettle One or Tito’s 3/4 ounce olive juice 1/4 ounce gherkin juice, such as Maille or 1 olive* 1 gherkin
Instructions
Place the ice, vodka, olive juice, and gherkin juice in a cocktail shaker, cover, and shake for 10 seconds.
Remove cover, place strainer over opening and pour into a chilled martini glass.
Skewer the olive and gherkin and place in the glass.
Notes
*The blue-cheese stuffed olive was an excellent choice. But don’t hesitate to try a pimiento-stuffed olive, spicy marinated olives, or olives marinated with bits of lemon and. They all make a great garnish and add a distinctive touch to a Dirty Martini.
Kale is a nutrient dense food high in antioxidants, sometimes referred to as a superfood because of these qualities. It’s a deeply colored leafy green with a firm texture that’s used raw in salads, protein shakes and smoothies. However, if you want to maximize the vitamins and minerals in kale, it’s best to eat it cooked. It’s a known fact that eating any food cooked provides access to more nutrients than raw food. But, before using for either a raw or cooked recipe, let’s discuss how to clean and parboil kale.
In this post, we’ll show you how to clean kale and to parboil it to use in recipes like our Creamed Kale and Leeks (coming next week). Toss kale into soups and stews during the final 15 minutes of cooking to add color, texture, and nutrients. Try our Chicken Kale and White Bean Stew, a delicious one-dish meal.
Kale is usually sold in bundles of leaves that weigh approximately 8 ounces. Once the tough stems are removed, you have around 5-6 ounces of useable greens, which need a thorough rinse to rid them of any grit. It’s much easier to do clean when the stems are removed first.
A pound of kale (stems and all) yield about 2 cups parboiled and squeezed dry kale.
How to Trim Kale
There are two ways to remove the stems, either by using your hands to pull the green away from the leaf or to cut it away with a knife.
To use your hands, grab the kale with the leafy party toward your palm right where the stem begins. Pull the stem back, but don’t break it. Pull towards the top of the kale and remove the tough upper rib as well.
To use a knife, lay the leaf on a cutting board and fold it in half so the rib is revealed. Take a sharp knife and start almost at the top of the leaf and draw the knife along the inside edge until the leaf is free.
If the recipe calls for chopped kale, cut it up before washing.
For salads, cut the leaves in half lengthwise and pile one on top of the other. Roll the leaves lengthwise and cut thinly across top to bottom and then wash.
How to Wash the Kale
Plunge the trimmed leaves into a large bowl filled with cold water. Swish around and scoop the kale into a colander. Drain the bowl, refill, and repeat. Repeat the process until there’s no grit on the bottom of the bowl.
How to Store Kale
Spread the kale out on a large towel (such as a flour sack towel) or a length of paper towel and roll. Place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to Parboil Kale
Fill a large saucepan (7-quart) with cold water, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and bring to a boil.
Have a strainer ready to drain the parboiled kale.
Make an ice bath by filling a very large bowl with water and a couple of handfuls of ice cubes to plunge the kale into to stop the cooking.
Place 1/3 of the trimmed and cleaned kale in the boiling water, stir to get the kale completely into the water. Add another third, stir, and then the final third. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
Drain the kale and immediately plunge it into the cold-water bath. Stir a couple of times to make sure all the leaves are free. Remove any ice cubes and drain the kale again.
Remove the excess moisture from the kale by squeezing in handfuls.
NOTE: If you are using the leaves whole, such as in a stuffed leaf recipe, don’t squeeze dry.
The kale is now ready to be used in a recipe or frozen.
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