coconut rose rice pudding (kheer) vegan and dairy-free

This is a lovely, refreshing treat for a hot summer day because it can be eaten cold.  It is  just as good warm, in the winter!

I buy my rose water and basmati rice at the Indian/Asian grocery store.  While there, I also get mint water, orange blossom water, pomegranate molasses,  moong (or muong) dal flour, and sorghum flour, which is known as jowar atta.  It is much less expensive to get these items there rather than to pay for them elsewhere because they are seen as “exotic”.  This is a great place to find non-wheat or gluten-free flour alternatives.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (Chef’s Choice is my preferred brand)
• 2 cups almond or rice milk (I prefer Trader Joe’s unsweetened, vanilla rice milk drink)
  
• use between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup depending on your taste for white sugar (hint- it will not taste as sweet when cold)
  
• 1/2 cup Basmati rice
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp rose water (the brand I use is Al Wadi)
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chopped or ground pistachio nuts

Method:

In a small saucepan, add the basmati rice and milks.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium/low and cook for another 20 minutes or so, until the rice has softened.  Stir.  Add the rosewater, vanilla extract, ground cardamom and sugar.  Keep stirring gently.  Add more almond/rice milk as needed.  Cook for another 5 minutes to be sure that all of the sugars have dissolved.  Take it off the stove, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cool.

I grind pistachios in my coffee grinder so as to make them very fine .  Sprinkle the nuts over your pudding just prior to serving.

eat-down-the-fridge zucchini risotto

Every once in a while I have to “eat down the fridge (or freezer).”  Too many things get filed into the dark spaces of the refrigerator.   I don’t want to see them go to waste, especially if an animal product was involved.  Earlier in the week I made zucchini blackberry bread and I saved the beautiful green, salted zucchini liquid that resulted from straining the zucchini overnight.   https://rusticruralreal.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/lemon-zucchini-blackberry-bread-gluten-free/  I also found some onion and scallion scraps, and the prize of left-over bacon drippings that I had saved.  Further fishing around revealed some nice grilled chicken sausage links and an opened bottle of white wine from a prior dinner party.  Plus I still have many, many zucchinis left.  Voila!

Sounds like the perfect ingredients for a risotto.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 chopped fine red onion
• 1 chopped scallion
• 1/4 cup of matchstick size zucchini
• 1 TBSP bacon grease
• 4-5 saffron threads (soak in 1tsp of hot water)
• 2 cups of leftover zucchini liquid (or substitute with other liquid)
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup parmesan/romano blend cheese

Method:

Put bacon grease in a tall saucepan, melt and then add the chopped onion.  Fry on medium until wilted (a few minutes), add scallion.  Saute until soft, add risotto.  Swirl  the pan to coat the rice with the oils and onions.  Add zucchini sticks.  Cook for 3 mins.  Add zucchini liquid and white wine (have them ready either slightly warm or at room temp) in small batches, just enough to cover the rice.  Stir constantly.

Continue to add some liquid when it appears absorbed and stir frequently.  Add the saffron threads and water.  Stir.  Keep stirring.  Stir some more.  This should go on for about 20-30 mins or until the rice is al dente and creamy.  Once most of the liquid is absorbed, throw in any sausage or cooked meats that you want in there to make this a hearty lunch meal.  Turn off the heat and then whip in the cheese.

That’s it!

 

Homage: Ms. Betty’s Fried Chicken: Butler, Georgia

Is that not glorious?

Since this is my blog, I’ve decided to create homage or shout outs for rural establishments that I am grateful for having visited.  Ms. Betty’s Fried Chicken in Butler, Georgia is one of them.  If it drums up some business for these folks, all the better.

Butler is a tiny little town, off the main highway.  Ms. Betty’s was well worth the detour.  I especially loved the wooden drumsticks on the handmade sign.  We arrived and were told that it would take 20 minutes to cook up our chicken, so we walked around town for a bit.  When we got back, there it was, piping hot and crispy.  Perfect.  You may have noticed that I write many gluten-free recipes.  Today was one of those days that it was worth it to indulge.

Sorry, no recipe.  You will just have to visit Butler one of these days.  I hope places like this stick around.

Blackberry whiskey honey lemon-thyme jam

Yesterday I made a blackberry-whiskey-lemon thyme jam.  Mid-July is wild blackberry season here in Pennsylvania, and I’ve been out picking these past two weeks.  Fighting past the brambles is worth it.  Pick mostly the ripest, darkest blackberries and a few of the young reddish ones (they have lots of natural pectin in them). This jam is not too sweet yet flavorful.

I had a little Bulleit Rye left over and thought I’d put it to good use.  Nursing the bramble scratches is tough work sometimes.

I’ll be okay.

Here is what you need:

• 1 pound of blackberries
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 tablespoons of whiskey
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh lemon thyme (or use another thyme to substitute)

Method:

Some people like the seeds in their jam, some do not.  If you do not, you can do a few things to get rid of the seeds.  One option is to use a food mill.  I could not find mine, so I just used a potato masher inside a metal sieve.  The seeds stay inside and the juices flow outside.  Problem solved.  I have also put the berries inside a blender on pulse low for a moment or two and then strained the seeds out that way if in a pinch.

For jams, use non-reactive cookwear (I like stainless steel or copper for jam making).  Place a few spoons in the freezer for checking whether jam is done, aka, the freezer test.  Split a vanilla bean and scrap the beans using the dull side your knife.

Place blackberries in a pot and add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla bean, and mash the blackberries using a method described above (or your own).  Let the fruit macerate and seep out its own juice for a few hours if you have that luxury of time.

Heat your jam pot on medium and until it reaches a gentle boil and the sugars have dissolved.  Add honey and lemon thyme.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, check if the jam has set by testing it on the frozen spoons. Pour some jam over the back of a frozen spoon and if the liquid doesn’t run off the spoon, the jam is set.

Pour the hot jam into clean (sterilized is best) jars.  Can process as you would an acid fruit product.  For me, that is usually 10 minutes in a boiling bath.  Let cool.  Label, store.

Stone fruit (plum or peach) polenta cake gluten-free

I was on breakfast duty and made this cake at Mildred’s Lane for my fellow artist friends.  It did not last long.  We had some plums on hand so I saved them up for this dish, but you could use peaches and it would be just as delicious.   This is a gluten-free recipe, but feel free to experiment with GF flours to see which works best for you.  I made this in a deep-dish casserole, but I have also made this as a tart, in a tart pan.  If you go the tart route, shorten the cooking time and check frequently so it does not brown up too fast.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal (polenta)
• 1 cup gluten-free flour (such as King Arthur gluten-free or try my go-to GF sorghum baking mix*, see below)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 plums OR peaches, pitted and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease and lightly flour a deep-sided, oval approx. 8″ x 10″ casserole pan.

2. In a small bowl, toss the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until pale yellow and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating afterward. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the whole eggs, one at a time, beating as you go. Mix in the almond extract and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and blend until just combined.

4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Place the peach OR plum halves, skin side down, in whatever pattern strikes you, on top of the batter. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the fruit and batter. Bake until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick or knife  inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.

 

**** My sorghum baking flour mix is as follows:

1 cup of sorghum flour
1 cup of white rice flour
1/2 cup of potato starch
1/4 cup of arrowroot flour
1/4 cup of tapioca starch

lemon zucchini blackberry bread (gluten-free)

I visited my friend Niny two days ago and she gave me five or six rather large zucchinis.

The perimeter of the corn field is full of blackberries.

What does one do?

Make lemon zucchini blackberry bread.

• 1 cup of *sorghum baking flour mix (see below or use a pre-made gluten free mix)
• 1/2 c potato starch
• 1/2 c millet flour
• 1/4 c muong dal flour (sold in Asian groceries or you can use garbanzo flour instead)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 packed brown sugar or muscovado sugar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 tablespoon of yogurt (or more if needed)
• 1-2 cups of packed shredded zucchini (I sprinkle it with 1tbsp of salt, leave it in a sieve overnight, collect the liquid, and then squeeze out all excess liquid before use.  Save the liquid for other uses.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract (or use lemon zest)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup blackberries

 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line a 9×5-inch bread pan with parchment paper, so that the paper sticks up the two long sides of the pan.  Or instead, butter a pan and sprinkle cinnamon on the bottom to evenly distribute.  Acts as a barrier.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla & lemon extract.
4. Pour the sugar mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
5. Stir in the shredded zucchini and nuts (if using). Scrape batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading to make the loaf even.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Wait 5 minutes before removing the loaf from the baking pan, and placing it on a wire cooling rack. Once the loaf is completely cool, wrap in two layers of plastic wrap. It is good on the counter for two days, but since it is such a moist loaf of bread, it is better to store in the refrigerator.

 

* My sorghum baking flour mix is as follows:

1 cup of sorghum flour
1 cup of white rice flour
1/2 cup of potato starch
1/4 cup of arrowroot flour
1/4 cup of tapioca starch

quinoa, corn and mint salad (gluten-free)

This is my favorite go-to salad for picnics, parties, or summer lunches.  The texture of the corn and quinoa blends nicely together and the mint sets it all off, with traces of butter and honey lingering through the grains.   This recipe is adapted from Gourmet Magazine, August 2006.

Here is the recipe:

quinoa, corn and mint salad

• 2 cups quinoa (about 10 oz)
• 3 ears corn on the cob
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 stick butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 scallions or chives, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Instructions

Get the corn ready:  Put the cobs in a big pot of water, boil the water, cover with a lid.   Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.  Once it is cooled off, you can cut the corn kernels of the cob into a dish.

Prepare the dressing:  Whisk together lemon zest and juice, butter, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined.

Make the quinoa:  Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a large sieve each time.Cook quinoa in a4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve over same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don’t worry if lid doesn’t fit tightly) and steam until quinoa is tender, fluffy, and dry, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (still covered) 5 minutes.

Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in corn, scallions, mint, and salt and pepper to taste.