The Charmed Kitchen

Curry Cauliflower Salad

I heard there was a cauliflower shortage. A couple of friend’s had commented that they could not find cauliflower, or that it was really expensive. I hate to hear that. Long before cauliflower became trendy, I was a fan. I love it steamed, served with a little butter and salt. Or pan fried and mixed with garlic and a bit of Parmesan cheese. I have enjoyed it in any number of salads. I found some at the local store- and it wasn’t even expensive. Hope that is a sign that the shortage is over and the cauliflower will again be plentiful. It does make me think though, and I will be planting some for my garden this year, just to be safe.

Here is a salad I made with a head of cauliflower last night. I used curry powder- I make my own- but you can use a store bought one. I also added some green onions and peanuts for crunch. It came out quite nice. I have used curry powder in hot cauliflower dishes before, but the salad was a pleasant change of pace.

Curry Cauliflower Salad

1 head cauliflower, cooked
½ c. chopped green onions
¾ c. mayo – or less or more depending in the size of the head of cauliflower
1 T. curry powder- or to taste
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. peanuts

First break the cauliflower into florets. Cook the cauliflower any way you like. I steamed mine for about 5 minutes. You could roast it, or sauté it in a little oil. You want it tender, but still a little crisp. Don’t cook it to mush. I would also advise against boiling it, as it gets too wet. Once the cauliflower is cooked, let it cool down before proceeding. Combine the cauliflower with the green onions, the mayo and seasonings. It was hard to be exact because your head of cauliflower might be bigger or smaller than mine. I could have said 5 cups of cooked cauliflower- but would that really help? Then you’d have leftover cooked cauliflower. Or perhaps not enough. So add a little more mayo, if needed, and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste and the amount of cauliflower you have. Chill and toss the peanuts in closer to serving time. They are fine, even when in the salad for a while, but the peanuts crunchier when first put in.

Busha’s Mushroom Soup

It is blustery and cold today and I thought I might make soup. I spotted a carton of sour cream in the fridge, so I was inspired to make Polish Mushroom Soup.  This soup is a tradition in my family. When I was a kid my Busha, (Polish grandmother) would make it every Easter. My Mom made it for Christmas Eve. Now we have it the day before Thanksgiving. It is one of those dishes that brings back so many wonderful childhood memories. I love the rich, earthy flavor of the mushrooms, and the slightly sweet/sour flavor of the broth. It is made with dried mushrooms, usually. I can  remember watching my mom get out a big bowl and soaking the mushrooms to get them clean, and to soften them, before starting the soup. I use dried shiitake mushrooms, but often add fresh mushrooms as well. Sometimes I use other dried mushrooms, too. I like to have a variety of mushrooms  in the soup. I used home canned chicken stock. If made with vegetable stock it could make a great meatless meal.

Polish Mushroom Soup

4 qt. Chicken, beef or vegetable stock

5 c. dried mushrooms, about 4 0z. I use Shiitake.*

Water for soaking

½ c. flour

1 pint sour cream

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

2 T. sugar

1 Lb. Kluski-style noodles, cooked and drained

Soak mushrooms in water for 1-2 hours.  Lift mushrooms carefully out to leave any sand in the bowl of water. Rinse and drain. Set aside.  Bring stock to a boil and add the mushrooms. Simmer, covered for about 1½ hours, or until mushrooms reach desired tenderness. Mushrooms will retain some “chewiness”.  In medium bowl whisk sour cream into flour gradually until smooth. Stir in vinegar and sugar until smooth.  Add a small amount of the hot soup to the sour cream mixture, whisking until smooth.  Continue adding hot soup to the sour cream mixture until sour cream mixture is warm. Add the warm mixture to the pot of soup and stir to combine. Return to simmer and simmer 1 minute, stirring continuously.   Place desired amount of kluski into bowls and ladle over the hot soup. Serves12.

Note:  You can add a variety of fresh mushrooms to the soup to make it even more special. You might use portabellas; crimini, button or whatever mushrooms are at the store that day. Add in addition to the dry mushrooms; don’t reduce the amount of shiitakes.

You can use other cooked pasta. Mom said you might want to try spaetzels or even gnocchi. You might also need more than one pound of kluski, depending on how much pasta your family likes in their soup.

*The dried shiitake mushrooms can be found at specialty grocery stores, some larger grocery stores and at Asian markets.

Corned Beef on Rye Salad

I had a corned beef and cooked it up in the crock pot. My original plan was to make a Reuben sandwich with it for dinner. By the time it was done, and I was ready to have dinner, I realized I was more in the mood for a salad. I decided to use the corned beef with Swiss cheese and some rye bread to make this dish. It really did remind me of a Reuben sandwich.

Corned Beef on Rye Salad

4 c. mixed salad greens, washed and dried off

3 oz. corned beef, cut in bite sized pieces

2 oz. cubed Swiss cheese

1 slice rye bread, toasted and cubed

2 T. Thousand island dressing- recipe follows

Place greens in a bowl. Top with the meat, cheese, rye bread and drizzle with the dressing. Serves 1.

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Combine equal amounts of mayo, ketchup and sweet pickle relish. Stir to combine. I like to add capers sometimes, too. Store unused portion in the fridge.

Potato and Kale Salad

I was inspired to make this salad because of a soup. It’s a Portuguese soup make with kale, potatoes and sausage. It can be made with chorizo, linguica (Portuguese sausage), or even kielbasa. I opted to make a salad, using many of the same ingredients. I had a bunch of kale and thought it would make a tasty and healthy addition to my potato salad. For the dressing, I used many of the same seasonings I use to make chorizo. You can add the sausage to the salad, or leave it on the side and let people add their own. That way, the salad works for vegetarians, too. I had a friend over last night to try it. She really liked it. I hope you do, too.

Potato and Kale Salad

2 lbs. potatoes
1 lb. kale
6 oz. cooked chorizo, or other sausage, optional
Dressing:
½ c. red wine vinegar
1 T. parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
1½ t. salt, or a little more to taste
2 t. paprika
1 t. oregano
½ t. cumin
¼ t. cinnamon
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of cayenne, or to taste
½ c. oil
1 T. sugar, optional

Cook potatoes, peel and cube. I like to cook potatoes in the microwave or bake them in the oven. If I cube them up and then boil them, I always find the potatoes get overcooked. Cook them any way you like. Place cubed potatoes in a bowl and set aside to cool down. Remove the stems from the kale and discard. Wash kale and chop coarsely. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Place kale in water for 1 minute. Remove kale and drain well. Place kale in cold water to stop the cooking. The idea is to wilt the kale but not to cook it much. Once the kale is cooled down, drain it well, squeeze dry and chop into smaller pieces. Place in bowl with the potatoes. If adding chorizo, place in bowl with the potatoes, too. Place vinegar, garlic, salt and spices in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the oil in a slow stream to make a creamy dressing. I thought it tasted fine the way it was, but you might like the added sugar. You can also make the dressing using an immersion blender. Pour as much of the dressing as you like, over the potatoes and kale and toss to blend. I had a little leftover. Chill until ready to use. You might need a little more salt. I like a slightly spicier salad and would also serve hot sauce with the salad so folks can add their own.

Key Lime Pie

I picked up a bag of key limes, knowing I’d be making a pie with at least some of them. It is, after all, citrus season. I figure any way I can get more Vitamin C is a good thing, right?  I had decided to go with a classic version: graham crust, creamy filling and a little meringue to top it off.  The pie itself is simple and fast to make, although it does need time to chill. I think it took more time to juice all those tiny limes than it did to make the actual pie.  One of the traditional ingredients in key lime pie is sweetened condensed milk. You can, if interested, make your own sweetened condensed milk, instead of using store bought. I’ve included the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Key Lime Pie

Crust:
1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
⅓ c. melted butter
¼ c. brown sugar
Filling:
2 cans sweetened condensed milk*
1 c. key lime juice
Topping:
2 eggs whites
½ t. cream of tartar
2 T. sugar

In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients and toss until mixed well. Press crust into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. I use a 9-inch deep dish pan. Bake crust in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir until well mixed. It will look sort of soupy, but as you stir, the filling becomes pretty thick- like pudding. Pour into crust. Prepare topping. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, while still beating the eggs whites, until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the egg whites over the filling. Bake pie 25-28 minutes- or until meringue topping is golden brown. Chill at least 6 hours before serving. Serves 6-8.

* You can make your own sweetened condensed milk, if you prefer. Here is the recipe.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 c. dry non-fat milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. boiling water
3 T. butter, melted and hot

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Can be stored in the fridge and used within 3 days. This is the same as 1 (14 oz.) can.

Warm Shrimp and Soba Noodle Salad

Whenever I make soba noodles, I wonder why I don’t eat them more often. I have made my own, but these I picked up at a recent visit to the Asian market. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. They have a wonderful, almost nutty flavor. I have enjoyed them in cold salads, hot soups and stir fries. This time, I decided to use them in a salad that fell somewhere between hot and cold. It made a great meal for a chilly evening.

Warm Shrimp and Soba Noodle Salad

12 oz. soba (buckwheat) noodles
1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 T. oil
2 cloves minced garlic
½ c. chopped sweet peppers
½ c. chopped green onions
Dressing:
¼ c. oil
2 T. Rice wine vinegar
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. soy sauce, or more to taste
1 t. hot sauce, or more to taste
1 t. ginger

In pot of boiling, salted water, cook noodles according to package directions. They only take a few minutes. Be careful not to overcook them. Drain and set aside. Heat a skillet and add the oil. Add the shrimp and garlic and stir fry until shrimp are just cooked through. Time will vary based on the size of the shrimp you are cooking. Place soba noodles in a bowl. Add the cooked shrimp and veggies. Make dressing by placing all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake until mixed well. Pour dressing over the noodle mixture and toss to coat evenly. Serve while still warm. Serves 4-5.

Homemade Almond Liqueur

I enjoy making liqueurs with seasonal fruits, but when fruit is in short supply, you can also use extracts. Pure extracts will give your liqueur a nice, true flavor, but no color. I have made almond, hazelnut, walnut and peppermint. You can use whatever flavors you think you might like. One advantage is that liqueurs made from extracts are ready to drink in less than a week. Fruit based liqueurs often take weeks and weeks to fully develop. So if you like a little almond flavor in your coffee- you can make your own liqueur with almost no effort. Another advantage is that you can adjust the sweetness to your own taste as well. I have included the recipes for almond and peppermint, but the recipe is the same for any extract flavor you might want to make.

Almond Liqueur

1 t. pure almond extract
3 c. vodka
1 c. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients and let mature several days. Makes 4 cups.

Peppermint Liqueur

1 t. pure peppermint extract
3 c. vodka
1 c. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients and let mature several days. Makes 4 cups.

Sweetening- Simple syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup. You can sweeten your liqueur with honey, if you prefer. Watch when you substitute honey for sugar, as it is sweeter and stronger flavored. Better to use orange or clover honey. Add to suit your taste.

Sunshine Fruit Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

Winter time is all about citrus. Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, I can’t get enough of them. I also feel like I need all the extra Vitamin C they provide. With a batch of snow looming, I decided to make a salad to brighten things up around here. Winter days are short, and this salad makes me think of warmer, sunnier days. I added a pineapple to the grapefruit and oranges and finished it with a ginger-lime dressing, sweetened with a little honey. I had a big bowl for breakfast, but I could see this salad making a nice, light dessert, too.

Sunshine Fruit Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and diced
4 or 5 grapefruit, peeled
4 or 5 oranges, peeled
Dressing:
½ c. lime juice
¼ c. honey
1 t. grated ginger

Place pineapple in a medium bowl. Once the grapefruit are peeled, break into segments and peel off any white membrane. Place segments in bowl with the pineapple. After orange are peeled, cut in half and remove the white pith in the middle. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl with the other fruit. Drain off any juice- I drink the juice. Make the dressing by combining the lime juice, honey and ginger and whisking until smooth. Toss with the fruit and chill until ready to serve.

Waldorf Fennel Salad

I have always loved Waldorf Salad. It was a salad my mother would make in the Fall and Winter. Traditionally, Waldorf Salad is made with apples, celery, raisins or grapes, and walnuts, dressed in mayo and seasoned with salt and pepper. I have added chicken, on occasion, and often used pecans or pumpkin seeds. For this version, I left out the celery, and added fresh chopped fennel instead. I also added some fresh fennel leaves. It was a nice change, without straying too far from the classic.

Waldorf Fennel Salad 

3-4 apples, cored and chopped- I leave the peels on, but peel , if you prefer

3/4 c. finely chopped fennel bulb

3/4 c. toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped*

2/3 c. raisins

2/3 c. mayo, or to your taste

salt and pepper to taste

fresh chopped fennel leaves for garnish, optional

Combine apples with fennel, nuts and raisins and toss with the mayo. Season to taste. Add a little more mayo, if you like. Top with a few fennel leaves and chill before serving. Serves 4.

*To toast the walnuts, you can bake them in a 300 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or place nuts in a skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly toasted, stirring often.

Fresh fennel. While called a bulb, it is actually a swollen stem.

Whole Wheat Swiss Cheese Bread

This bread is a little different than most of the breads I make. For starters, the dough has Swiss cheese melted into it- giving it great texture and flavor. It is also a cool- rise recipe.  That means the dough is prepared, rested for a bit, shaped and then popped in the fridge to rise. It can be baked several hours later or even the next day. You can prep it in the evening- let it rise in the fridge overnight- and bake it in the morning. Great for when you want homemade bread- but don’t have a long block of time to make it. As to the cheese in the dough- it kind of disappears. You aren’t going to find a gooey, cheesy middle. The cheese is melted and kneaded into the dough. It adds great flavor and texture. You can also experiment with other cheeses, if you like.

Whole Wheat Swiss Bread

3 c. flour

2 ½ -3 c. whole wheat flour

2 packages active dry yeast

2 T. sugar

2 t. salt

1 c. each milk and water

4 oz. diced Swiss cheese

3 T. butter

Oil

Combine 2 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Heat together water and milk with cheese and butter until warm, cheese does not have to melt. Add to flour mixture and beat 3 minutes. Stir in remaining white flour and beat 2 minutes. Stir in enough whole wheat flour to make a soft dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic. Cover with bowl and let rest 20 minutes. Divide dough in half and shape into loaves by rolling out and then rolling into a loaf and sealing seams. Place in greased 8×4 inch loaf pans and brush with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge. Chill 2 –24 hours. Remove from fridge and remove plastic wrap allowing to stand while oven preheats. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. Remove from pans and brush with butter. Cool. Makes 2 loaves.