Honey Mustard Dressing and Spring Citrus Salad

I am in love with this dressing. I can't remember what inspired me to make it the first time, probably boredom with my usual salad dressing choices. It is so very simple and so very tasty with my current favorite salad. The sharp slightly sweet flavor sets off the citrus in the salad.

Laurie's Honey Mustard Dressing

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup olive oil


1) Place the mustard and honey in a small mixing bowl.

2) Stir together to combine thoroughly.

3) Add the lemon juice and mix again.
4) Using a whisk add the olive oil slowly.

5) Store in a jar in the fridge.


Laurie's  Spring Citrus Salad

I love this combination partly because it is all in season right now, it has a crisp bright flavor and it is very simple. You can add anything else that suits you: toasted walnuts, thin slices of fennel bulb, avocado...

Ingredients
1 head of butter lettuce
2 grated carrots
1 cup chopped green cabbage
2 oranges, peeled and chopped
honey mustard dressing

1) Wash and tear the lettuce into a large salad bowl.

2) Grate the carrots, chop the cabbage, peel and chop the oranges.

3) Toss together and serve with honey mustard dressing.

Whole Orange Cake

I recently got an offer from Sunset magazine for a "senior" discount subscription, after my initial indignation, I thought, what the heck, Sunset for a year for $10, why not. One or two good recipes would make it worthwhile.

My first issue happened to be a "food" issue, score !! I saw this orange cake recipe and with my current citrus obsession decided to give it a try.

This recipe calls for two WHOLE oranges, in my first attempt I used two of my mandarins and an orange. I didn't remove the navel or any other parts. I found it to be a little bitter for my tastes but my poker game gave it rave reviews.

On my second attempt I was going for more of a brunch item. I used two oranges and removed the navels and the top end. I added some whole wheat pastry flour and walnut and did not glaze it. I loved this version, very moist, not too sweet but so full of orange flavor. Either way this is a great cake !

Whole Orange Cake
modified from a recipe from Sunset Magazine
"Every good cook needs a nice moist, dense cake in his or her repertoire. This one - loaded with orange flavor and tender flecks of peel, and not too sweet - is perfect from brunch as well as dessert."

Ingredients

Cake
Cooking-oil spray
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 oranges (about 1 lb. total), ends trimmed, then cut into chunks and seeded
2 1/2 cups flour ( or 3/4 whole wheat pastry flour, 1 3/4 unbleached white flour)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. orange juice
zest from one orange

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat a 10-cup Bundt pan with cooking-oil spray.

 2) In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs.

.
3) Remove the navel and ends from two oranges and chop into large chunks.

4)  Whirl orange chunks in a food processor until mostly smooth but not pureed.

5)  Add 1 1/2 cups orange mixture to batter and beat until blended.

6) In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder, add to the orange mixture and beat until smooth. Add walnuts and fold into batter.

7)  Spread batter into prepared pan, it will be thick, don't worry it spreads out as it bakes.

8)  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it, about 55 minutes.

9)  Cool pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert cake onto rack and let cool completely.

10)  Whisk together powered sugar, orange zest and orange juice in a small bowl.

11) Drizzle over cooled cake.  Let glaze set, then slice cake.

Here's how it looks without the glaze and with the walnuts. Great brunch fare !!!

Lime or Lemon Simple Syrup

I know... another recipe with citrus, I just can't help myself this year.  I also have an orange cake recipe and a great salad with oranges waiting in the wings ;-)

This is another take on fruit syrups for fun party drinks or just a very refreshing drink after work.

I was recently given a big basket of Bearss limes also know as Persian limes. They can looks like the photo below or be bright green like a Mexican lime. They have great favor, are very juicy and grow well in our coastal climate.

Here is a very simple syrup recipe that can also be made with lemons.

Lime Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
strips of zest from two limes
1 1/2 cup lime juice

1) Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest form two of the limes.

2) Stir the sugar and water in a saucepan, add the lime zest and bring to a boil over moderately low heat.

3) Simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

4) Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

5) Juice the limes to measure 1 1/2 cups of juice.

6) Add the juice to the cooled sugar water, then strain into a jar. Store in the fridge.

7) Serve with sparkling water or mixed drinks. I use about 1/4 cup of syrup to 1 cup sparkling water.

Goat Cheese and Chive Biscuits

This biscuits were recently posted by my good friend and fab food blogger, Mita.
I tried them soon after she posted them and Bob ate about seven in one sitting.

I made her recipe pretty much the way she has it in her blog. I didn't have chives but I did have some young green onions which worked perfectly, I am guessing some fresh herbs in a smaller amount than the chives would also be tasty.

Ingredients

2 whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour 
3/4 cups butter
3/4 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2  tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 egg beaten + (1 beaten egg, for egg wash)
3 tbsp cold water
1/3 cup chopped chives
3/4 cup goat cheese crumbled

Topping [optional]: salt, black pepper, paprika, rosemary mix 'em together.


1)In a large bowl mix the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper.

2) Using a pastry cutter cut in the butter.

 Until it is crumbly.

 3) In a separate bowl, mix together yogurt/sour cream, egg, and water. 

4) Crumble the goat cheese in a separate bowl.

5) Chop the green onions or chives.

6) Add the egg/yogurt to the flour mixture until it JUST comes together. Add in the chives and goat cheese, mix gently.

 7) Knead about 10-15 times. Then roll it out on a floured surface to about 1 inch thick.

8) Use whatever you have that's round [like a glass] to cut out the biscuits. I made them fairly small which worked out well.

9) Put them on a tray lined with parchment paper, and coat each one in the egg wash and the topping mixture lightly.

10) Bake them at 400F for 10-14 minutes. If they last that long you can freeze them for later ;-)
I served them with soup for dinner or with eggs for breakfast !!

Citrus Marmalade

Citrus is still on my mind a lot these days. It's in such abundance here in California right now.

I seem to remember some story about orange abundance being the genesis of marmalade.

While marmalade is great on toast or scones it has other uses as well.

Add a teaspoon to your salad dressing or to some vinegar to top your steamed or sauteed greens. It's great as a filling for layer cakes, or fruit tarts, in frostings or glazes. Add some to your marinades, to some soy sauce for a dipping sauce.

Here is my marmalade recipe, as with most marmalades, it is a two day process. 

It makes about 7 to 10 half pints. You can make a smaller batch if you want. It is not a clear marmalade like some recipes and not as bitter as some. Feel free to use other kinds of citrus.

Ingredients

Part 1

4 cups mandarin sections, chopped in the food processor

1 cup mandarin peel chopped into thin slices

1/2 cup lemon peel chopped into thin slices

4  mandarin juice

1 cup rangpur lime juice

1 cup lemon juice.

Part 2

?? cups sugar *

1) We have a Satsuma seedless mandarin tree that's why I make they the majority stockholder in my marmalade. You could use oranges as well. I juice them in my Champion juicer, saving the peels to chop later. I use the food processor for the mandarin pulp.

2) The lemons and lime I juice with a regular electric citrus juicer. I find a carrot peeler works well to make strips of lemon peel.

3) Put all the juice, pulp and peel in large pot.

4 )Bring to a boil and simmered  for an hour.

5) Cover and let sit over night.

6) Measure your mixture and use an equal amount of sugar.

7) Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about an hour. If you make a smaller batch it may take a shorter time. I do the plate in the freezer trick to see how it is jelling. I have made so much jam I also just know when it is ready to can.You can also use a thermometer, jell temp is about 220 F. It does stiffen once it has cooled so don't over cook it. 

8) If you are going to can it do the magic canning thing with sterilized jars, lids and rings.

Process in your canning kettle for 5 minutes. 

I know it sounds like a lot of work...so look up other recipes on the internet or buy your marmalade from me ;-)

Fresh Spring Rolls

If you have eaten Thai or Vietnamese food at a restaurant, you have probably seen fresh spring rolls on the menu. Unlike their deep fried cousin, they are packed with fresh raw vegetables. They are also a great vehicle for that fabulous peanut sauce I make.

With a little patience fresh spring rolls are easy to make and you can fill them with whatever you have on hand or what is in season. They will impress anyone at your next potluck or dinner party.

You will need to find the rice paper wrapper. These days most large or natural food grocery store have them in their Asian section or go to one of those amazing Asian food emporiums like Ranch 99.

We like our rolls stuffed with thin rice noodles or rice sticks sometimes called maifun. You can find these in the same Asian section of your grocery store.

Fresh Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

rice wrapper
thin rice noodles ( soy sauce, sesame oil)
ripe avocados
fresh cilantro
grated carrot
finely sliced cabbage
other possible fillings: baked tofu, cooked crab meat, fresh spinach leaves, fresh basil leaves, green onions, cucumbers, shrimp, bean sprouts, mint leaves, lettuce leaves.

1) Usually the rice noodle package comes with more that you will need even for a dozen spring rolls. Don't be shy about breaking off a third of the noodles, remember too, they will expand. Bring water to a boil, toss in your noodle and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2) Drain your noodle and toss with a tablespoon of sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. This is optional but I find the noodles pretty bland without something on them. Set them aside to cool while you prepare the vegetables.

3) Grate the carrot, finely chop the cabbage, stem the cilantro, peel and slice the avo.
4) Now you are ready to assemble them. I like to use a plate to soak the rice wrappers. They take about 30 to 60 second to rehydrate, make sure they are completely covered in water. Do them one at a time, as you take one out, put another one in.

5) I like to have a couple of clean dishtowels handy. One goes down under the rice wrapper and the other I use to blot it before I fill it. Handling the rice wrappers are a bit like handling wet paper towels. They rip easily if you are not careful. Small holes are OK, big ones are not ;-)

6) DO NOT OVER FILL your wrapper, that is the key to success. You are not going for the burrito grande !! Just layer your veggies with restraint, slightly to the top of the wrapper.
7) Fold the top of the wrapper toward you, then each side toward center, then wrap the bottom flap up. Place on a plate flap down.

8) Repeat until all your filling is gone. You will find you get the hang of it after the first few.

9) You can serve them whole or cut them in half on the diagonal. Use the peanut sauce I mentioned above or make your own version. These wrappers last for several days in your fridge !! They are great the next day for lunch !

Curried Chickpea Soup

Last weekend I went to lunch with some friends to a delightful mediterranean restaurant called Zameen.
My friend and fellow foodie wanted to try to recreate the chickpea soup they serve there. They call it Moroccan Madness, and when asked the staff said it was flavored with curry, coconut milk and tomatoes.

Here is my attempt, it's very simple to make and very tasty in it's own right.
By the way chickpea and garbanzo bean are the same thing, chickpea has French origins and garbanzo is from Spanish descent.


Curried Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans

1 chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup diced tomatoes or 1 small can tomato paste

1 15 oz can coconut milk

1-2 cups water or veggie stock

juice from half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

You can certainly cook your own beans, I went for fast and easy. I also like the lighter coconut milk.

1) Chop the onion.

2) Saute in olive oil in a large pot.

3) As it softens add the spices, cook for several minutes.

Here is my homemade curry powder !

4) Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup water, working your wooden spoon or spatula to get all the dark bits up.

I had a cup of diced tomatoes in juice from another recipe so I used that.

5) Add coconut milk, tomatoes, lemon juice and the beans. At this point you can save out some of the beans to add back whole later.

6) Simmer 30 minutes.

7) Once the soup has cooled enough, puree adding more water as needed to desired thickness, add back the whole beans to the puree.

8) Salt and pepper to taste and reheat before serving. You can top it with green onions, or some yogurt!