CRANBERRY CRAZY!!!

cranberry quince chutney

To celebrate the cranberry harvest and Thanksgiving I have three cranberry recipes for you, including two using raw cranberries. Raw cranberries are extremely healthy. High levels of antioxidants, antibiotic properties very helpful for those with urinary tract infections, and a preventative measure for kidney stones are a few of this autumn berry's nourishing ways.

Cranberries are native in North America and were used by indigenous peoples for food, dyes, skin treatments, and preserved in pemmican. They have been popular for Thanksgiving meals for centuries, and as a juice since the 1960's thanks to Ocean Spray, a cranberry cooperative started in the early part of the century. They are in the genus Vaccinium along with fellow bush berries, the blueberry and huckleberry.

Washington State is the 5th largest supplier of cranberries, many of them being made into juice and Craisins by Ocean Spray. In 1919 the first cranberry farm was planted in Grayland (7 miles south of Westport) and this still is the center of cranberry farming in Washington. On the stretch along the Pacific between Westport and Tokeland the area is called The Cranberry Coast. Thirty percent of cranberry farms in Washington are located here. There is even a yearly Cranberry Harvest Festival and a self guided Grayland bog driving tour available on the Westportwa website. That driving tour would be a great combo trip with some razor clamming out at Grayland Beach State Park.

Most Washington cranberry farmers sell directly to Ocean Spray. It would be nice to see some of those cranberries being directly marketed to local consumers. This year was the first time Foraged and Found Edibles has sold cranberries at the farmer's market. In the past we have picked just enough for personal use. We harvest them in a old overgrown bog in Grayland next to our friends house. Before all this farming cranberries grew wild all along the Pacific Coast and were utilized extensively by the local natives and then the settlers when they arrived. There are still different varieties of cranberries growing in the wild, just a little harder to find than in the past.

a cranberry bog in grayland

Many cranberry preparations call for large amounts of cane sugar to balance out there sour and bitter flavors, unfortunately this greatly lessens their healing properties. I have been trying to increasingly use alternatives to conventional sugar in my cooking. These recipes take advantage of fruits and honey to sweeten the berries. Apple cider is one great sweetener that is easily available to us in the NW.

Cranberry Walnut Vinaigrette

This recipe is inspired by a salad in Starting With Ingredients by Aliza Green. I am not usually a fan of fruit vinaigrettes but this sounded interesting. The bright pink color is not the most appetizing for food but it does taste great. Serve with bitter greens like endives or in a carrot slaw with dried fruit. I ended up nibbling on it like dip with treviso, sliced raw cranberries and chopped walnuts, yum.

1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp chopped shallot
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts
1/4 orange juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth.

creamy pink yumminess

Raw Cranberry Ginger Relish

This easy sauce is great with Thanksgiving turkey or with roast game. And so good on leftover turkey sandwiches. Add some chopped walnuts right before serving if desired. With walnuts it reminds me of haroset served at Jewish Passover meals. Adjust the dates and honey to your sweetened desire.

2 satsuma oranges, washed, halved, and seeds removed
6 - 8 medjool dates, pits removed
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 cups fresh cranberries
2-4 tsp honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup

Place satsumas, dates, and ginger in the work bowl of a food processor. Puree until fine. Add cranberries and sweetener and pulse to chop until medium-fine but not a paste. Alternatively toss all ingredients together and run through a meat grinder. This gives it a great texture. Let sit at least one hour for flavors to combine.

Spiced Cranberry Quince Chutney

I adapted this sauce from my own recipe in the 2010 Illustrated Wild Foods Recipe Calendar for Evergreen Huckleberry Chutney. It goes with out saying - this is turkey dinner material. Also a perfect candidate for a holiday chutney cream cheese roll.

1 cup small diced shallots
3 tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground clove
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 ½ cups small-diced quince (about 1 med quince)
2 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
3-6 tbsp of honey

Sauté shallots in olive oil over medium-high heat until they begin to lightly brown. Turn heat to medium, add salt and spices, and cook for a few more minutes, until spices are fragrant. Add quince and apple cider; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down and keep at a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes until quince is tender. Add cranberries and 3 tbsp honey and cook until berries pop, about 20 minutes. Taste and add more honey if too tart. Let cool to room temperature to serve, or store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Mushroom Recipe Plea Answered

I sent a call out for mushrooms recipes about a month ago. I wanted to hear what was going on in your kitchens, the ways you eat and create.
I had many nice responses but the Lobster Mushroom Bisque really stood out. Lobster mushrooms do have a shellfish aroma and nutty taste that reminiscent of shrimp shells, so it makes perfect sense to make a bisque out of them. I cooked it up a few days ago and ate it with a cheesy grilled fig and proscuitto sandwich, a perfect quick dinner.

creamy orange lobsterness

Naomi Bishop, The GastroGnome, sent in the recipe-

"This is unbelievably tasty...and uses one large lobster mushroom to make a soup that feeds at least 4 people. Simply make a roux using about half a cup of flour, about 6 tablespoons of butter (I didn't measure, so this is my best guess!) You can keep it light, just make sure the flour is all well coated, then add about 2 cups homemade stock (I used turkey, since I'm still working through last thanksgivings bounty) and bring to a boil. Add the mushroom, all cut up, then let it boil for about ten minutes, blend it (I used an immersion blender, so it all stayed in the pot, didn't have to transfer. After blending, I added a small handful of fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste and a splash of sherry vinegar to lighten it up. This is still a thick and hearty soup, and makes an amazing meal. Sometimes I sautee chanterelles with rosemary and sprinkle on top."

This recipe stood out for its simplicity verses its sophistication. Basically I mean this recipe is fast and easy, but fancy enough for a dinner party, if needed. Her recipe was technically loose so I took it upon myself to measure and play with the ingredients, and come up with a ratio for all of you cooks that like to follow recipes to the T. The only big change I made was to add onion and milk to the liquid ingredients to give it a bit of creaminess.
Thank you Naomi, for your contribution!!


Lobster Mushroom Bisque, Nettletown version

An immersion blender is a must for making this a fast project. I was thinking a nice variation would be a touch of saffron, fennel seeds, celery and lemon to play with the "seafood" theme, instead of the thyme and sherry vinegar. If you try it let me know. I reserved a little bit of diced lobster mushrooms to garnish my soup, though sauteed chanterelles, like Naomi suggests, would be great too.

1 pound lobster mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced, about 1 cup
4 cups mild stock- like veggie or poultry
6 Tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp thyme, chopped
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
black pepper or cayenne to taste

Dice a large handful of lobster mushrooms for soup garnish. Over medium high heat heat in a large straight-sided pan, saute diced mushrooms in a 1/2 Tbsp butter until tender and lightly browned. Add a splash of sherry vinegar and a sprinkle of thyme leaves, remove from pan and set aside. Place pan back on heat and saute onion and the remaining lobster mushrooms in 1 1/2 Tbsp butter for about 5-8 minutes, until vegetables begin to sweat. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile in a large pot make the roux - heat 4 Tbsp butter over medium heat and stir in flour until incorporated, cook for a few minutes. Slowly add milk in batches, whisking constantly until smooth. Add warmed stock and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until soup thickens and flavors combine. Add thyme, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper or cayenne and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve garnished with sauteed mushrooms.

More inspirations-
Many others sent in recipes (alot of soup!, its that time of year I guess) that all sounded great too, so here are links to a few more bloggers mushroom inspirations-
From the Desk(top)Russell H. Everett - The Sexiest Soup Ever with chicken-of-woods
From Phoo-d - Mushroom "Cappuccino" with Truffle Foam
Cook Local - Wild Mushroom and Fig Risotto

Pan-Roasted Porcini with Bay Leaves

use chopsticks to gently turn mushrooms

This recipe is inspired by Jonathan Julia, many of you may know from the University District Market booth. Jonathon had chef-ed at many great local restaurants, including Lark and the Herbfarm, before Jeremy snagged him to work with us at Foraged and Found. Don't forget to use him as a great resource for recipe ideas. He says this is his favorite way to eat porcini, and he prefers eating the stems to the caps. Browning king boletes brings out their nutty rich flavor and delicious creamy texture too.

Small Porcini ( King Boletes) - stems only or whole
Butter
1 or 2 Bay leaves per mushroom, preferably fresh
Salt and Pepper

Cut mushrooms into thick wedges. Heat a healthy amount of butter with bay leaves over medium high heat in a saute pan that will fit mushrooms in a single layer. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Turn down heat slightly and cook mushrooms turning often until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Do not over brown or bitter flavors will develop. Serve.

i accidentally had video mode on but I went with it, and it turned out nicely so here it is

Lobster Mushrooms Two Ways

Lobster mushrooms are the story of a special bond. A relationship between two fungi joined together, growing with cells intertwined. Edible, but not choice, Russala and Lactarious species are parasitized by Hypomyces lactifluorum and transformed into a delicious beautiful mushroom.

Lobster mushrooms are characterized by their bright orange-red skin, flower-like shapes and firm nutty flesh. The skin really is as bright as a cooked lobster and the scent is even reminiscent of shellfish's nutty rich seaward aroma. Lobsters are a versatile mushroom lending well to simple sauteing or roasting and its firm flesh also holds up well in longer cooking preparations like braising.

Lobster mushrooms often grow pushing up through the first layer of needles and decaying leaves, embedding their tops with dirt and debris. The best way to clean is to rinse in water and use a pairing knife to scrape away any dirt set in the cap. The flesh is dense and firm and barely soaks up any extra moisture from washing.


Both of these recipes are super quick and easy and can be served warm, room temp, or cold. They are also nice to make in bulk for a few days of ready-to-go, prepared dishes to eat with rice or noodles.

Lobster mushrooms roasted with zucchini, cherry tomatoes and cumin seeds

1 medium lobster mushroom, about 1/3 pound, cleaned and cut in 1/2 inch dice
1 medium zucchini, about 1/3 pound, cut in ½ inch dice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
large pinch curry powder
2 dashes soy sauce
½ pt cherry tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small baking pan (9” by 9”) toss all ingredients together except cherry tomatoes. Bake for about 25 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Depending on the moisture content of the vegetables this could take a bit longer. Add cherry tomatoes and bake for 5 more minutes.


Japanese-style simmered lobster mushrooms

This recipe would work well with almost any mushroom.

½ pound lobster mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into ¼ inch thick pieces
2-3 shallots or a small onion, sliced thick
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp sake
2 tbsp mirin
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Heat sesame oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add shallots or onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add lobsters and saute for one more. Stir in sake, mirin, and soy. Turn up heat a bit and bring to a simmer. Turn down and simmer for about 8 minutes until mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced a bit. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Eek! The Zucchini Are Coming!!

Great, grand, abundant, ample, enormous- all words that can be used to describe the vegetable with humongous possibility many gardeners are graced/laden with this time of year. A few days ago (August 8th) was National Zucchini Day, formally known as Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day. I love this idea - after the sun goes down the zucchini people come out, creeping around the neighborhood with their hefty organic baggage, who are either exacerbated at what more to do with their bounty or just excited to play Secret Summer Squash Santa.

I remember a fellow cook telling me he didn't like summer squash (" boring, plebeian, nothing special"). I was shocked and felt pains for all the zucchini he may have neglected in his life. I quickly expressed my love for this most versatile vegetable and explained my favorite ways to enjoy summer squash.
Grilled, fried, fritters, pickled, raw.... And there is so much variety possible under the summer squash leaf umbrella - in addition to the common green zucchini and yellow crooknecks, there are multiple colors in all shapes and sizes -bright yellow, creamy yellow, dark green, speckled green, minty green, patty pans, ridged, bumped, round, crooked. I don't recommend growing this many types or you will be forced to play Squash Santa, but you can always find a large variety at the farmer's market. My personal favorite varieties are the flavorful costata romanesca, a green-speckled striped ridged Italian heirloom variety, and the little fine-textured pale green tromboncino pictured below. I tried to grow the costata romanesca zuke this year but I think my baby was switched at the nursery- I got a green eight ball variety instead.
Ideas for the Summer Squash Glut

These have been my standbys year after year....

Grilled- See my recipe from a couple weeks ago for Grilled Zucchini with Red Huckleberries and Feta

Fried- Try zucchini fries- battered or dry, oven-baked or fried.

Fritters- Turkish zucchini cakes with dill and served with yogurt sauce. Check out this recipe for Kabak Mucveri. This is a good way to use the bigger squashes.

Pickled- Every where you look on the interweb for zuke pickle recipes you run into Judy Rogers' awesome version for Zuni Cafe Zucchini Pickles. Check it out here. Another fun spicy version is here.

Raw- Use a mix of small to medium multi-colored summer squashes. This is a beautiful display of summer squash's pleasing colors and silhouettes. Shave squash thin on a mandoline and toss with lemon, olive oil, salt, and a fresh herb. Good herb pairings - basil, mint, tarragon, chives, fennel pollen. Try on top of grilled bread with fresh mozzarella.

Soup- Chilled green zucchini soup thickened with potato and topped with yogurt. See recipe below.

Eggy- Like my grandma used to make - a little sliced onion with zucchini cooked soft and soupy and eggs stirred in at the end. Recipe below.

Spread- An easy Tunisian dish-boil whole zucchini til soft, mash, drain excess liquid, and mix with harissa, garlic, lemon, caraway, coriander and olive oil. Yum. Yum yum on fresh pita with feta cheese.

Curry- Made this for the first time the other day- I think it will be a new standby- coconut turmeric lemongrass curry with summer squash and cherry tomatoes. Just make a favorite curry sauce, drop in squash and cook til tender. Remove from heat and stir in cherry tomatoes. I served mine with quinoa and a plethora of aromatic herbs and lettuce on the side.

Soft Zucchini and Eggs

This sounds simple, and it is easy to make, but for just a few ingredients it is so tasty and satisfying. I like this as a quick lunch. My grandma would make this as a side dish with dinner. My partner says this is his favorite breakfast.
I have never measured anything out when i make this- the technique is the most important part. The soft wet texture of the dish is best with "zucchini style" summer squash- the green or yellow straight tube varieties.


butter, a couple pats
onion, about a half, sliced thin
2-3 medium zucchini, sliced thick(1/3 -1/2 inch)
2-4 eggs, beaten
S+P
basil, optional

Heat frying pan (nonstick is nice because of the eggs but not necessary) over medium high heat. Add butter, onions and zucchini. Stir about and season with salt and pepper. Turn down heat to medium to keep vegetables from browning. Cook until zukes are tender, soft and vegetables release liquid. If not that much liquid comes out add a water to cover bottom of pan by about a half inch. I aim for a mix of textures- some of the zuke pieces to be just turning soft and some to be on the mushy side.
Add eggs and stir until they begin to set. Pull off heat and continue stirring until eggs turn to soft curds. Stir in optional basil and enjoy.

Chilled Humongous Zucchini and Potato Soup With Yogurt

This is great dish to rid yourself of huge zucchini. Honestly, it might taste a nip better with the younger sweeter sizes but it is still delicious with the big ones and a nice alternative to the ubiquitous zucchini bread. This makes a lot- share or freeze for later use.
During 'Heat Wave 2009' a couple weeks ago I made this in the morning coolness and brought the vat to an after-the-hot-hot-sun-goes-down-late-night-BBQ. All I wanted to eat that week was chilled soup. There is only a little bit of potato in here to give it that pleasing thick grainy texture. The cucumber is optional but helps lighten the soup, and very convenient if you have excess of those too. And this is actually really good hot or cold.

Olive oil
1 large or two medium onions, sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 humongous zucchini, halve and remove any big hard seeds, sliced thin
1-2 cucumbers, peeled(unless soft skin variety), large seeds removed, and sliced thin, optional
5 -6 scallions, green and white part separated and chopped
a few handfuls of herbs- parsley, dill, and mint, chopped
S+P
plain yogurt- flavor with herbs if desired

In a large pot saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Add zucchini, optional cucumber, and white part of scallions. Stir and push down into liquid. Just cover by 1 inch with water and bring to a boil for a couple minutes. Remove from heat. Residual heat will continue to cook vegetables. Stir in half of the chopped herbs. Let cool to room temperature. If desired place in a ice water bath to speed up this process.
Once cool, puree soup with green scallion tops, remaining herbs, and a glug of olive oil. Adjust the seasoning with salt and herbs and consistency with water if needed. Chill until cold.
Serve with a swirl of yogurt and lemon wedges.

Wild Weedy Purslane

Purslane is a edible weed found all over the world. It was known and used in ancient times in the Mediterranean and Middle east, though facts of its origins are still iffy- I have seen sources state origins as varied as western Asia, North Africa and even the Americas. I myself have seen this hearty green growing in Italy and Vietnam. Purslane is a classic ingredient in the Lebanese pita bread salad fattoush. In Mexico it is popular and known as verdolaga, where it is usually cooked instead of eaten raw.

I introduced purslane to my yard many years ago. Many people would question this as bad judgment. Though considered a prized cultivated green by some, it is a despised relentless weed to many others. It has taken a few years to establish itself in the weed community in my garden but this year it has definitely seeded its way to the top. One plant can produce hundreds of thousands of tiny black seeds!

I have always enjoyed purslane for its uniqueness among other everyday greens. Its beautiful succulent leaves are reminiscent of jade bushes and their slightly sour taste is a pleasant surprise. Its thick leaves stand up in vegetable salads with out wilting-- perfect when going to summer potlucks. I recently made this super simple salad for a BBQ with purlsane-- four different types of cucumbers(they grow intertwined with purslane in my garden), raw sea beans, scallions, dill, a tin of sardines and just a simple dressing of rice vinegar, lemon and olive oil.

A search on the web finds many cooks and health foodies praising this little known weed. The number one reason purslane stands out from the other greens in your fridge is its high content of omega 3 fatty acids, more than any other green vegetable. Some experts recommend eating this superfood instead of taking omega 3 supplements. Also can be used as a healing herb for such things as healing wounds and chronic cough.

If you haven't been introduced to purslane by your garden's weed community it can often be found at farmer's markets or Asian and Latino grocery stores. In Seattle, Local Roots and Alm Hill sell it at the farmer's markets this time of year. There are many varieties of purslane-- wild types are usually small leafed, cultivated have big leaves and longer stems. It is best to harvest before flowering and stems toughen.

with the soft bun, omega 3's, and mayonnaise
this sandwich is like a veggie version of a lobster roll

Heirloom Tomato, Mayo and Purslane Sandwich

Put this all together and enjoy a purely summer treat:

Bread of choice, toasted-
best on sliced sandwich style bread, though good on both wonder type bread and seedy hippy bread (or even a hamburger bun as I used in the picture)
Thick sliced heirloom tomato-
it's the beginning of tomato season around here but Billy's at the West Seattle and University markets has luscious heirlooms already
A thick slathering of mayonnaise
Sprigs of purslane
Salt and pepper
Optional- Few leaves basil or mint, pickled or raw sweet onions, or cucumber slices

Grilled Zucchini with Red Huckleberries and Feta

This is easy and tastes even better than it sounds. Substitute red currants for huckleberries if you like.

Zucchini and other summer squashs- any shape, color and size
Olive oil
Garlic
s + p
lemon
feta
red huckleberries
mint

Slice summer squashes 1/2 inch thick. Toss with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. If preparing in advance don't salt more than 15 or so minutes ahead of time or the squashes will leach out their water and be soggy. Grill until tender and browned. Place on a beautiful platter. Zest a lemon over the top, and sprinkle a little of the juice on too. Crumble feta and scatter about. Sprinkle on chopped mint and red huckleberries and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Heaven and Earth

Sometimes it takes many reminders to appreciate what we have like our health, good friends, family. Other times one hits you in the face.



My Gramma passed away last week.
My mourning is wrapped up with new insight to really appreciate my friends and family, and take better care of my body so I can live to 88 too. The same day as my Gramma's funeral my sister Liz gave birth to her first baby. A bittersweet reminder of the beautiful comings and inevitable goings of existence on earth. The arresting truths that life is a breathe towards birth and heartbeat away from death are ringing in my ears.

One way we all appreciate life in the moment is through food, savoring flavors and the company you are with. With my Gramma's passing I have thought a lot about our family history and those traditions that included her, the constants in our lives together. I pulled out a family cookbook my sister Theresa made a few years ago, put together for my five siblings and I, filled with family recipe favorites from my grandparents and my parents. It flooded me with memories of holiday dinners and the dishes she regularly made to nourish and fill us with love. In her intro to the book Theresa states- "Growing up we were all affected by the foods we ate."

I have to share how important my Swiss grandmother Florence Knusel was to my love of food and entertaining.

She seemed to always pickling and canning something such as sweet dills, yellow cherries, or prune plum jam. Our family always had a healthy stock of jams and applesauce from her hard work. She was dutifully preserving the harvest my grandpa tilled, the boxes and boxes of prune plums from the dozens on their property, or gifts of produce from her country neighbors.

We all looked forward to the a ridiculous spread of snacks(see recipe below) she had waiting for us after the long drive from Seattle to the Knusel home in Scappoose, Oregon. It always included homemade pickles, tinned fish like smoked mussels and chex mix with hazelnuts. As we got older we were able to take advantage of the the full liquor cabinet ready for any mixed drink. She told me how, once upon a time, her and my grandpa, following an old bar book, stirred up a different mixed drink every day.

Lunch was usually a grand "supper"- Swiss macaroni (see recipe below)and broiled garlic studded steak, green beans cooked 'til soft (Swiss style, she hated crispy green beans), and always some sort of yummy dessert. Her enjoyment of sweet breads, "gristle", tripe, liver, and other such meat bits definitely rubbed off on me. She, and now I too, never let a bone go with out nibbling off the fatty chewy parts. For breakfast we often had rosti potatoes with sunny side up eggs or the best pancakes--she just used Bisquick mix but for some reason they were so good, she knew how to perfectly cook and infuse them with her love. Cooked fresh fruit in syrup always ended the breakfast meal. Sometimes it would be Swiss style berry brie-cooked fresh berries or cherries with a white sauce mixed in- like a cold creamy fruit soup.

In the last years, as she had a harder time walking, I would help her with the annual summer parties she loved to throw. There was the Swiss party of old friends and musicians that have known my family for decades. This always included festive music and singing and bratwurst. The other was the "Spanish speaking"(as my gramma said)- parishioners my uncles Frankie's churches he is a priest at. There was still bratwurst at these, in addition to piles of taquitos and salsa someone would inevitably bring.

The last time I saw Gramma I brought a container of corn chowder with seabeans and thyme to the hospital. It was still warm from the stove and after a hard meeting with her doctors about her state of health I gave her a cup. As far as I know it was the first non-hospital home-cooked food she had eaten in a long time, and it was full of salt which she was restricted from. At this point restrictions didn't matter though, and I sat next to her with my arm around her shoulders while she ate. She kept saying how good the soup was and wanted to know everything that was in it.
I said my good bye and I love yous, not knowing it was for the last time. The next afternoon she said good bye to this world for good. I feel happy to know she enjoyed her last meal, and I was able to give back to her a little of something like she gave me.

The following recipes are adapted from
Get To The Table Mable: The Choi Kids Family Recipes, by Theresa Choi

Himmel and Erde Hardaepfel
Means heaven and earth potatoes in Swiss German.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 apple, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 slices bacon, diced
1/2 medium onion
2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine first four ingredients in a pot, cover with water and cook until tender. Meanwhile fry bacon slices until crisp. Remove from fat and add sliced onion and saute until light brown. Drain potato mixture, add vinegar and pepper, and mash coarsely. Transfer to serving dish and top with bacon, onions and nutmeg.
soft-cooked green beans with bacon and swiss macaroni

Gramma's Swiss Macaroni

This is a dish we ate hundreds of times at my Gramma's house. Gramma always used whatever mix of old cheese ends there was in the fridge, the more pungent the better. Because the cheese always changed, it tasted a little bit different every time. I always tried to get as many burnt onion bits possible on my serving.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cup grated cheese- Swiss or whatever is in the fridge
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
Maggi seasoning to taste

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until very tender(almost overcooked). Drain and and while still hot layer macaroni in casserole pan with grated cheese until cheese is the last top layer.
Brown onion in butter until burnt on the edges. Add milk and Maggi, heat through and pour over macaroni. Serve immediately or hold in a warm oven until serving.

Variation: for Alper Macaroni- add cubed cooked potatoes while layering cheese and macaroni. Bake in a 350 F oven until browned. Serve with sliced cooked apples. YUM.
Gramma always browned the onions in this old enamel pan


Gramma's Appetizer Platter

Gramma always had snacks for us when we arrived at her house.
Put a selection of the following in serving trays with separate compartments:
black olives, ham and cream cheese rolls, homemade cuke or sweet onion pickles, tinned smoked fish or shellfish, cheese spread, celery or other veggies, creamy dip like clam or onion, salami, liverwurst, assortment of crackers and chips, bread or toast, and chex mix.

Grilled King Boletes with Wild Salad

This recipe from June in from The Illustrated Wild Foods Recipe Calendar 2009....

Grilled King Boletes with Wild Salad

My favorite way to savor king boletes is simply grilled. Pair them with truly wild delicate spring greens and you have a match made in foraging heaven. This recipe is a guideline to spark your creativity and to use whatever you have found and foraged in the woods or your local farmers market.

For each serving:
1 medium King Bolete
Olive oil
Garlic
A few herb sprigs such as marjoram, thyme, oregano, or parsley
Salt and pepper
A couple handfuls of foraged greens-chickweed, dandelion, fennel fronds, lamb’s quarters, miner’s lettuce, purslane, spring beauty, sheep sorrel, wood sorrel, wood violets, etc
Fresh squeezed lemon juice or wine vinegar
One small button king bolete, sliced paper thin, optional
A crunchy tasty garnish-toasted pinenuts, crispy bacon, or shavings of a hard cheese, etc.

Slice mushroom ¼ inch thick. Mix a spoonful of olive oil with a little minced garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Brush liberally on mushroom and grill slices over hot coals until browned and tender. Toss wild greens with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar or lemon, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and optional raw bolete. Serve next to grilled king boletes sprinkled with garnish of choice.

Grilled Spot Prawns with Sea Bean Carrot Salad, Fresh Herbs and Nuoc Cham

This is a classic interactive Vietnamese meal with few separate fresh and flavorful components that make a delicious whole. Using our northwest local bounty- spot prawns and seabeans- makes it even better. Though not found in Vietnam, sea beans aren’t out of place with Vietnamese foods’ briny undercurrents.

Regular prawns can be used in place of spot prawns but spots are worth seeking out at local fish markets; I think they are superior to lobster. The spot prawn season goes through the summer.

Eat components together in a rice paper leaf or toss over chilled rice noodles. Serves 4- 6 people.

4-5 scallions, green part only, sliced
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ pound sea beans
½ pound carrots, julienne
½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 pounds prawns, peeled
Fresh herbs- such as basil(any type), shiso, dill, mint, cilantro, Vietnamese cilantro(rau ram), fennel, lemon balm
Nuoc cham- recipe follows
Cooked rice vermicelli noodles or dried rice paper wrappers
½ cup crushed peanuts

Make scallion oil- In a small pan heat oil over medium, add scallions a pinch of salt and turn down to low, cook for a few minutes, remove from heat and let cool.

Sea bean carrot salad- blanch sea beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, remove and shock in ice water bath; drain and toss with carrots and rice vinegar. Chill until serving.

Toss prawns in a little scallion oil and salt, skewer and grill. After removing from grill pour over the rest of the scallion oil.

Serve all components together for guests to assemble themselves. Tip for using dried rice paper wraps- dip dried paper in warm water for a moment to get wet, set on plate, top with fillings. By the time filling is added rice paper should be pliable enough to roll. Roll into cylinder and dip in sauce to eat. The moisture in sauce should be enough to finish softening the wrapper with out the insides breaking through.

Nuoc Cham

This is the all purpose Vietnamese sauce. Use as a table condiment, salad dressing or marinade. This version is tangy, salty and sweet though some prefer it sweeter, more sour or saltier - adjust to your desire.

¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup fish sauce- nuoc mam
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1-2 chilis, minced, optional

Mix all ingredients together until sugar dissolves.