Homemade Date Syrup
After a friend mentioned making date syrup it got me to thinking. I had read about date syrup before but never made it. I did have a big bag of dates at home, so I thought I would give it a try. The method is the same with slight variations on all the information I found when looking for directions. The dates are soaked and cooked in water to soften, then they are mashed or pureed, then strained. That’s pretty much it, but it wasn’t exactly that simple. I learned a lot after my first attempt that I will apply to the next time I make date syrup. There will definitely be another time.
This syrup is so tasty!!! The end result was really special. The syrup is a beautiful color and tastes wonderful. It can be used anywhere you might use any other syrup. Drizzle over pancakes, waffles or French toast for starters. You can also use date syrup in beverages, the way you might add honey or other sweeteners. I haven’t tried baking with it yet, but I have baked with maple syrup and honey so I see it have some real creative uses. I did add some to a salad dressing I made in place of a little honey and it added a nice sweetness. Would be a nice addition to a homemade barbecue sauce, too.
So here is the directions on how to make your own date syrup. A bit of work, but totally worth it!!
Date Syrup
1 lb. pitted dates
4 cups of water- plus more as needed
½ t. salt
In large pot bring the water and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the dates. Let them soak in the hot water for 30 minutes or up to an hour. Return pot to the heat and cook the dates, covered, at a simmer for another 30-45 minutes. This partly depends on how dry/old your dates are. The softer they get, the better. Once they are cooled down a bit you can puree them. I used an immersion blender, so I pureed them right in the pot. You can puree in an blender, too. The mixture was so thick I added water to make the mixture the texture of thin applesauce. You have to boil extra water off later, but straining works better if the mixture is thinner. Once the date puree is cooled down enough to handle- it can be warm- but not hot you will want to strain it. I lined a large strainer with cheesecloth. I set it over a bowl and waited. Nothing happened. So I picked up the bag twisted the cheesecloth over the top and squeezed. Then it worked great. Liquid poured out in a steady stream. The harder you squeeze, the more syrup you will get. Dividing the mixture into two smaller batches would make it easier to work with. Once you have squeezed all the liquid out that you can place the syrup in a clean pot and start to simmer to reduce the volume until the syrup thickens to the desired thickness. Keep in mind, the syrup also thickens as it cools and even more when stored in the fridge. Watch it until it get to the viscosity you like in syrup. If you cook it down too much it will turn into a caramel, so better to stop and then cook down more if you want it thicker than to over reduce it. If it gets too thick, you can add more water to it. As it boils, skim foam off as it forms on the top. You can also drain cooked and cooled syrup though a fine strainer to remove any foam. you should end up with about 12-14 ounces of syrup. Store in the fridge and use in a few weeks.
The Pulp
When you get done squeezing you have this date pulp leftover. Some recipes suggest just tossing it, but I couldn’t get myself to do that. You can use it as a spread on toast but there was a fair amount of it. I knew I could never eat enough toast to use it all. I put it in an ice cube tray and froze it. Then I popped out the cubes and returned them to the freezer in a bag. Now I can use it in small amounts once I figure out what I want to do with it. I could see adding it to sauces or dressings.
Thanks, Beth, for the idea.
Asparagus and Yellow Split Pea Soup
I love asparagus and when it is in season I pretty much eat it every day. I love it just steamed with a little butter but it seems I end up using it in lots of stuff. Omelets, salads, stir fries and soup to name a few. Today I wanted a soup using yellow split peas but something more evocative of spring than winter. I cooked the split peas separately in salted water until just tender. That took about 25 minutes. The idea was to have peas with texture not peas that had cooked to mush. This is what I came up with. I was really happy with the soup- I think you might be, too. I did a vegan version but feel free to use chicken stock, if you prefer.
Asparagus and Yellow Split Pea Soup
1 c. yellow split peas, rinsed*
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 sweet pepper, any color, seeded and chopped- I used yellow
1 qt. vegetable stock- or whatever stock you like
1 lb. asparagus, bottoms trimmed
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Place peas in medium saucepan and cover with water. Add salt to taste. Simmer until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile heat oil in soup pot and cook onion until tender. Add the celery and peppers and continue cooking until they are tender. Drain peas and add to the pot along with the stock and bring to a simmer. Slice the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and reserve the tips. Place stems in the soup and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Add the tips and cook until they are just tender. The tips cook faster so I leave them out for the first few minutes the stems are cooking. Tenderness is a subjective thing, sometimes. I want the asparagus to still have a little “bite” to them. If you prefer them more tender cook as long as you like. Serves 3-4.
*Note: If you can’t find yellow split peas the green ones work fine, too. I just like the way the yellow worked with the green of the asparagus.
Cooking with Vadouvan Seasoning
I had heard of vadouvan seasoning for years but never remember having it before. I looked up the ingredients and the flavors appealed to me. It’s often called a type of curry flavor or seasoning. I’ve seen it also called Vadouvan curry powder. I’m not sure exactly how to describe it. Vadouvan certainly has a bit of heat and I would describe it as warm, but not hot. The combination of ingredients works so well together. I certainly see why it is described and curry-like. I was happy I tried it and see myself using it often.
I already had all of the ingredients, except fresh curry leaves. I ended up getting dried curry leaves for this batch with plans to get a curry plant later. From there it was just a matter of making a batch and seeing what I thought.
I was quite happy in the end. I made a larger version than a recipe I found online and I changed the amounts on a few of the ingredients. The version I made is listed below.
I’ve used the vadouvan on tofu -recipe follows-and chicken so far and I am sure I will be using it often. It would make a nice addition to most any vegetable dish, too. You could certainly make it salt free, if you prefer. I think I might with the next batch. It’s not salty at all, but if you like to control your salt intake, leave it out.
Vadouvan
1T. fenugreek seeds
2 T. cumin seeds
3 T coriander seeds
1 T. ground turmeric
40 curry leaves –use fresh or dried if using dried, do not toast
3 T. brown mustard seeds
2 T. dried chili flakes
1T. salt
2 t. black peppercorns- I used multi color
Place all Vadouvan spice mix ingredients into a heavy-based dry pan and toast until fragrant and just starting to steam. I had dry curry leaves so I added them to the warm spice mixture after toasted. Fresh leaves would have gotten to toasted, I fear. Allow to cool. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and finely grind. Transfer into a sealed container and use as needed. Makes ¾ cup. I store mine in the fridge, but you don’t have to.
Vadouvan Crispy Tofu
1 lb. firm or extra firm tofu- not silken type
3-4 T. cornstarch
1 or 2 T. vadouvan seasoning
½ t. salt
¼ c. oil
Remove tofu from the tub and cut into cubes. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add the tofu. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain tofu in a colander, then lay cubes on a linen towel to dry off a bit more. Then place the cornstarch in a plastic bag with the vadouvan and salt. Shake the tofu in the bag, a handful of cubes at a time, to coat evenly with the cornstarch. Place prepared tofu in a bowl and heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, fry the tofu, turning until golden on all sides. I did this step in two batches. When you take the tofu out of the pan, place on a dish with paper towels to absorb any grease. Once all the tofu is cooked, serve with your choice of dipping sauce. I used a sweet chili sauce.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
This is one of those dishes that is so simple, but so tasty. In the end, its just frozen mandarin oranges, blended up in a food processor until creamy. You can add some sugar, if you like, and a little vanilla. then finish off with a pinch of salt.
I served this sorbet to a friend after dinner the other night and she loved it. The color is beautiful and the flavor is refreshing. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it would taste like an elevated version of a creamsicle. I could see adding a scoop to a cold drink on a hot summer day. But it is good enough to serve all on its own.
I make a lot of fruit-based sorbets. An abundance of mandarins were my inspiration for this one. I needed to use them in something!! I will certainly play around with adding other flavors or perhaps adding some zest next time. I already have frozen more mandarins to use later.
For now, I am very pleased with this simple and flavorful dessert. Here is how I made it.
Mandarin Orange Sorbet
10-12 mandarin oranges
1-2 T. sugar, optional or to taste
1 t. vanilla, optional
Pinch of salt
Peel and freeze the mandarins. Once frozen, place them in a food processor and process until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Taste and see if you want to add a little sugar. Sweeten to taste and add the vanilla, also optional, and just a pinch of salt. Combine well then return to the freezer until you are ready to serve it. Makes about 1 pint.
Vegan Banana Muffins
I first made these for my vegan niece and her boyfriend. Bananas are often listed as an egg substitute in recipes. I figured they should work well in these muffins, providing both flavor and moistness. The muffins came out great and you would never miss the eggs. I’ve been experimenting with vegan baking. It’s fun working with alternative ingredients.
The recipe makes a lot of muffins, but you can easily cut it in half, or just plan on freezing some.
Vegan Banana Muffins
3 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. mashed bananas
1 c. oil
1 c. almond milk – could use other non- dairy “milks”
2 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin pans with paper liners, or grease lightly. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside. In medium bowl combine bananas with oil, milk and vanilla until smooth. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour in banana mixture. Stir until smooth, but don’t over mix. Spoon batter into muffin tins, filling just over half full. Bake 28-30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool a little before serving. Makes 24. Freeze well.
Violet Liqueur
I have received requests for directions on how to make violet liqueur. Violet liqueur is, in its most basic sense, a combination of violets and vodka, steeped together for several weeks, then strained and filtered. Once strained, the mixture is sweetened to taste with simple syrup. You can use other alcohols, if you like. Brandy perhaps.
Violet liqueur can just be sipped and enjoyed as is, but it is often used as an ingredient in cocktails.
I have made violet liqueur with the violets that grow in my yard. They are mostly white, with a small amount of purple color. The liqueur tastes great, but doesn’t have a lot of color. It comes out a light golden color. That is fine with me.
For this batch, I am using purple violets I got from a friend’s garden. The color will end up a light purple color. To make the color of your liqueur more purple, you can add a few raspberries or blackberries to the mix.
We need to talk about sweetening, too. A simple syrup is added to suit your taste. The recipe for simple syrup is at the end of this post. How sweet you make your liqueur determines whether it is a liqueur, or creme de violette. Lightly sweetened and it is violet liqueur. Double the amount of simple syrup and it is creme de violette. Strictly your choice and preference.
If you prefer to leave your violet mixture unsweetened, it is a violet eau du vie, which translates to violet water of life.
I use 1/2 cup of simple syrup for each cup of liqueur. Equal amounts of liqueur and syrup creates the creme de violette.
Violet Liqueur
1- 1 1/2 c. violet flowers, rinsed and drained
1 c. vodka
1″ piece vanilla bean, optional
a few fresh raspberries or blackberries, optional
1/2 c. simple syrup recipe follows
Combine violet flowers and vodka in a jar with vanilla bean and berries, if using. Screw on the lid and place the jar in a cool, dark place for at least 3 weeks for the flavors to combine. You can add more violets as you harvest them, if you don’t have enough at first. After a few weeks, strain out the flowers and other ingredients and discard them. Filter vodka mixture through coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth to get it really clear. Sweeten to taste. Return to jar, seal and allow flavors to mellow another week. Enjoy!!
Simple Syrup
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 with honey, if you prefer. Watch when you substitute honey for sugar, as it is sweeter and stronger flavored. Add a small amount, let it sit for a day or so- and give it a taste. You can always add more sweetener later.
100 Flower Dandelion Muffins
The curious name for this recipe comes from my own curiosity. I wondered just how many blossoms I would need to get about a cup and a half of petals. I decided to make muffins with some of the dandelions blooming in my yard. I have a lot of dandelions, and I wanted to use a really decent amount in my muffins. I started counting as I trimmed them and stopped when I had a cup and a half. It turned out to be 100 flowers. So now, if you want to make this recipe, you will know when you can stop picking!!!
If you can’t beat them, eat them. I actually am a big fan of dandelions. I have organized dandelion cook-offs and edited a dandelion cookbook. I eat the leaves, and a tea made from the roasted roots. The flowers are a wonderful ingredient in cooking, too. They are used to make dandelion wine and I enjoy adding them to fritters, pancakes and other baked goods. So here is my recipe for dandelion muffins. They are pretty tasty, tender, light and not too sweet.
100 Flower Dandelion Muffins
2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1½ c. half and half
1/3 c. honey
¼ c. melted butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. orange zest
1 ½ c. dandelion petals*
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease them, set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl, combine egg with half and half, honey, butter, vanilla and orange zest. Beat by hand until well mixed. Stir in dandelion blossoms, then stir in flour mixture. Do not over mix. Stir just until flour is mixed in. Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Great served warm with butter and honey. Makes 12.
* To prepare the dandelion blossoms you want to trim of the tough base and just use the petals in the recipe. Some of the green sepals will get mixed in, and that is OK. Measure the petals after trimming. I picked 100 flowers and ended up with about 1½ cups of petals.
Dining on Dandelions
It’s funny when you think about it. People spend tons of money to eradicate dandelions from their lawns, but will go to an upscale restaurant and pay good money for a salad with mixed greens including dandelions. Dandelions were not always considered a weed. In fact, immigrants brought the seeds to America as a vegetable.
While the greens can be bitter, they can also be tamed when paired with certain ingredients. Combining dandelions with tomatoes, vinegar, cheese or other dairy products, and bread or cereal products will make them less bitter when eaten.
Dandelions are packed with nutrients, and if you don’t spray your yard with herbicides, you can likely find them under your own feet. Free, tasty and nutritious. Sounds like a win all around.
The plant is pretty much edible from top to bottom. The leaves for salads, soups and other dishes. The flowers are used for wine, jelly and the “burger” recipe at the bottom of this page. I recently baked dandelion flowers into muffins. The roots are roasted and used as a substitute for coffee. If you haven’t eaten dandelions before my only question is, what are you waiting for?
A classic dish using dandelions is dandelion gravy. Some versions use bacon, others not. This one uses bacon, sour cream and is served with boiled potatoes.
Dandelion Gravy
4 strips bacon
3 T. flour
1 c. water
1 lb. dandelion greens, washed and chopped
½ c. sour cream
1 T. sugar
1 T. vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot boiled or baked potatoes
Fresh chopped parsley, optional
Chop bacon and cook in skillet until crisp. Leave bacon in the pan. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and stir in the flour until smooth. Add water and dandelion greens and cook over medium heat until greens are tender- about 5- 10 minutes. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Turn off heat. Combine sour cream with sugar and vinegar and stir into dandelion mixture. Adjust seasonings. Spoon gravy over potatoes.
Serves 4.
Note: If you want leave out the bacon instead add 3 tablespoons of oil to skillet along with the flour.
The next 2 recipes come from Dr. Peter Gail, my mentor and dearly loved friend. I will always remember Peter when I cook with dandelions.
Dandelion Pita Pizza
Pita bread, toasted English muffin, or toasted bread
Spaghetti or pizza sauce
Fresh dandelion greens of any age, chopped fine
Grated cheese (any kind)
Cover bread with sauce, add chopped greens, top with cheese, and toast in oven until cheese
melts. For a more sophisticated treat, chopped dandelion greens may be sauteed in olive oil with
onions, mushrooms and several cloves of crushed garlic, and then spread on the pizza and topped
with cheese.
Dandy Fritters
1 cup dandelion flowers, green removed
½ cup flour, any kind
1/4 cup onions, chopped fine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp pepper
enough milk to make thick batter.
Peel dandelion flowers and put in 4 quart mixing bowl. Add onions and mix together. Blend
flour and seasonings together, add to the flowers and onions, and blend thoroughly. Add milk
slowly, blending it in until you have a thick batter.
Heat olive oil in frying pan to cover bottom. Form batter into golf-ball-sized balls. Place in
oil, and squash down flat to make a 2″ diameter patty. Fry till brown on both sides. Remove and
serve on small rolls as you would hamburger sliders.
This post is dedicated in loving memory of Dr. Peter Gail
Dandelion Jelly
Dandelion jelly is one of those nice surprises in life. When people ask me what it tastes like, I tell them honey. It doesn’t have the thick texture of honey. It is jelly, but the flavor is similar to honey. A pleasant flavor that goes well with everything. Dandelion jelly is not hard to make, either. You make a “tea” out of the flowers and use the tea to flavor the jelly. The better you are at removing any green the sweeter your jelly will be. I get the vast majority of green parts out by cutting off the green base of the flowers.
To be safe, be sure to only harvest blossoms where you know that weed killers have not been used. I harvested these in my own yard.
Dandelion Jelly
3 cups dandelion blossoms, yellow only, green base removed
4 c. water
3 T. lemon juice
1 box (1.75 oz.) powdered pectin
4 c. sugar
After gathering the dandelion flowers, trim off stems and as much green as you can. You will need 3 cups of cleaned blossoms. You are going to start by making a sort of tea from the dandelion blossoms. Boil the water and pour over the cleaned blossoms. Allow to steep until it has cooled down. Strain out the petals and squeeze as much water out of them as you can. I then strained the liquid through a coffee filter to get it clearer. You can make the jelly right away or put the dandelion infused liquid in the fridge overnight. When ready to make the jelly, get a water bath canner ready. Add enough water to cover the jars and start to heat the water up to a simmer. Wash 5-6 jelly jars and lids. In a pot, add the dandelion liquid- if it is less than 4 cups add enough water to get to 4 cups. In the same pot add the lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil hard 1 minute. Add the sugar and bring back to the boil. Once the jelly is boiling, boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Ladle hot jelly into jars within ¼ inch of the top. Wipe rim and attach lid. Place jars in water bath and bring water to the boil. Process 10 minutes once the water starts to boil. Turn off heat. Let jars sit in the water bath 5-10 minutes before removing to a towel or cooling rack. Allow jelly to cool down. Check seals the next day. I got 5½ (8 oz) jars.
Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is a classic. This cookie brings those two flavors together perfectly. The cookie itself has a wonderful outer crunch, but is also tender and melts in your mouth. The addition of a dollop of chocolate finishes the cookie just right.
Of course, you could also use a spoonful of jam or jelly to fill in the cookies. Peanut butter and jelly are also a classic combo. No matter what filling you use, these thumbprint cookies are going to be a big hit.
Peanut Butter Thumbprints
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 c. peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 3/4 c. finely chopped unsalted, dry roasted peanuts
Melted chocolate, about 2 cups
In mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and peanut butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour with dry ingredients and mix into butter mixture. Stir in peanuts. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are just set. Press thumb gently into the middle of each cookie and cool on rack. Spoon about a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each cookie. Makes about 8 dozen.
Posted in Cooking | Tagged cookies, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter recipes, peanut butter thumbprint cookies, peanut butter thumbprints, thumbprint cookies, thumbprintcookies
