stetted

Wordless Wednesdays: Sea Veggies

Megan — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:00:10 +0000

Want to know more? Head on over to my Examiner.com article here

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Fig Oatmeal Bars

Megan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:37:28 +0000

Don’t worry – I’m not continuing to cook with the fresh figs I got a few weeks ago. Those are sadly gone. However, I do still have a couple recipes I haven’t posted! And I still have a big stash of those dried beauties. So I’ll be posting more fig recipes from time to time.

For this recipe, I was thinking of a sort of portable crumble or cobbler. I had been toying with the idea of making rugelach, but that is a lot of work and uses a lot more butter than I was wanting to after all that goat cheese. This still uses a stick of butter, but it makes 9 hearty servings instead of those tiny cookies you just pop into your mouth one after another.

Fig Oatmeal Bars

adapted from Whole Foods

2 cups fresh figs, such as Sierra, diced
1/4 cup honey
2 cups oats
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. (It works best to spray the pan with non-stick, then press in parchment, and spray the top.)
Combine figs and honey in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until honey is dissolved and figs start to break down. Mash up a bit with a potato masher. Set aside while you get the oatmeal mixture ready.
In a food processor, blitz oats, flour, salt, and cinnamon until the oats are broken up to your liking. Cut butter into cubes and add to mixture, pulsing until incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.
Take about half the oat mixture and press it into the pan evenly, forming the bottom crust. Spread the fig mixture over the top, then scatter the rest of the oat mixture over it.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

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Oxymoronic Petit Fours

Megan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:13:51 +0000

I love ice cream all year long (hot chocolate, too. I’m a weirdo.) but of course it’s best in the summer. And now that I have an ice cream maker, I’m not daunted by the process of making it.

The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.

I had never made brown butter before, and I’m glad my first attempt with it was for this pound cake. I really, really liked the poundcake, and I actually thought it was a bit of a shame to have to use it for the petit fours. Because you had to freeze the cake with the ice cream, the texture got lost and dried out a bit. It improved if you let it sit out, but then of course the ice cream starts melting… Can’t win either way!

I also had trouble with the glaze. I followed the recipe provided, but used white chocolate. Granted, white chocolate is more temperamental than dark chocolate, but this glaze would not thicken at all. I didn’t have any more white chocolate, so I had to add in some dark chocolate to thicken it. That sort of worked, but it never got nice and crackly, and instead was soft and your fingers would leave marks in it, even right out of the freezer. Oh well.

The petit fours also seemed too tall – I baked the pound cake in a sheet pan instead of a square cake pan in the hopes that I wouldn’t have to worry about halving the cake. But the finished product was still too tall for a single bite. After I had covered about half the petit fours with the glaze, I said “screw it” and just dumped the rest of the glaze on a big slab of cake. So, yeah. Oxymoronic Petit Fours, because these things are giant.

It did turn out tasty overall. I was pleased with my ice cream choice, Strawberry Balsamic, and how well it worked with the pound cake. Next time, however, I’ll probably just do this “deconstructed” and make a sundae of it.

I don’t have a recipe for the ice cream as I haven’t posted a recipe for the strawberry balsamic jam I used to create it. But if you happen to already have some of that jam, just add about half a cup to your favorite vanilla ice cream recipe.

Brown Butter Pound cake

19 tablespoons (9.5 oz) (275g) unsalted (sweet) butter
2 cups (200g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) (See “Note” section for cake flour substitution)
1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
1/3 (75g) cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C and put a rack in the center. Butter and flour a 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan.

2. Place the butter in a 10” (25cm) skillet over medium heat. Brown the butter until the milk solids are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. (Don’t take your eyes off the butter in case it burns.) Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the freezer until just congealed, 15-30 minutes.

3. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Beat the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and then the vanilla extract.

5. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until just combined.

6. Scrape the batter into the greased and floured 9”x9” (23cmx23cm) square pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and rap the pan on the counter. Bake until golden brown on top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge and invert right-side-up onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze

9 ounces (250g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) heavy (approx 35% butterfat) cream
1 1/2 tablespoons (32g) light corn syrup, Golden syrup, or agave nectar
2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract

Stir the heavy cream and light corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the dark chocolate. Let sit 30 seconds, then stir to completely melt the chocolate. Stir in the vanilla and let cool until tepid before glazing the petit fours.

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Big Fig Winner!

Megan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:16:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered my fig giveaway! I loved reading what you all planned on doing with the figs. Sadly there can be only one winner, and that is

Jayme! Congrats Jayme! I’m looking forward to reading about your fig creations.

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Fig Brownie Bites

Megan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:34:40 +0000

While I was trying to figure out how to create a fine-for-canning fig-chocolate combination similar to Ficoco, I got sidetracked by brownies. I’m not sure how, but really, it’s only a short hop from chocolate to brownies. Sometimes brownies just can’t be beat when you want chocolate. More than once I’ve sent my husband on a brownie errand. When I was not pregnant. It’s a little bit sad, but my husband is easily swayed by the idea of junk food, so any time I get that craving I can just give him the sad looks.

My main problem with brownies, though, is that you can pretty much only get a giant pan of them, so once I’ve had my tiny chocolate square, which is really all I needed, I’m left with far too many square inches of gooey chocolate goodness. Save it for later, you say? Either you don’t like chocolate all that much or you’ve clearly never been left with a pan of brownies.

It starts out innocently. You think, “Yay, brownies! I’ll just have one.” And you get one, and eat it, and go sit back down. Pretty soon you start thinking about how awesome that brownie was, and one little sliver more wouldn’t hurt, right? So you sneak back into the kitchen under the guise of needing more water, artfully cut off a piece so it looks like nothing happened, and go merrily on. Except you do that multiple times. And um, so does your spouse. Pretty soon it’s bedtime, there are no brownies left, and your stomach hurts.

I thought I would try to combat that problem with brownie bites. Sort of based on the theory that five one-dollar bills look like more money than one five-dollar bill, surely grabbing a handful of brownie bites would make you stop and think about what you’re doing, right?

Unfortunately that theory doesn’t apply to chocolate.

These are almost like cupcakes due to the rounded and non-crackly top, but still fall firmly into the brownie category. However, if you want to top these with an airy frosting and call it a mini cupcake, I’m not going to argue.

Fig Brownie Bites

makes approximately 36

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
7 or 8 large figs, such as Calimyrna
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a mini muffin pan and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter together and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, halve figs and scoop out insides with a spoon and set aside. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar and vanilla and stir. Whisk in chocolate-butter mixture, then add figs.
In another bowl, mix dry ingredients, then incorporate into wet batter.
Fill each muffin cup with about a tablespoon of batter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your brownies. Cooked longer will result in a more cakey brownie.

These have a little bit of crunch from the fig seeds, but it’s not obtrusive. Of course, these taste best when still warm, so don’t forget to pop them in the microwave for a few seconds when you’re snacking later. Because we all know you’re going to sneak into the kitchen when no one’s looking.

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Stuffed Figs with Sirloin

Megan — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:19:21 +0000

I was musing about what to create with my figs when over on Twitter Rachael of La Fuji Mama said she was going to try a tempura deep-fry. Everything is more delicious fried, right? I don’t particularly like frying at home because I manage to make a huge mess every time I do it, but the seed had been planted. I needed crispy with my figs. That got my brain turning and I came up with this crazy, delicious recipe.

It’s almost strange for me to think back now and realize I didn’t have fresh figs until this year. I’ve been so obsessed with them this summer! My friends keep trying to tell me to just give in and buy a fig tree for my yard, which I probably need to do, but in a way I’m glad I haven’t yet because then I might be on fig overload. It has been fun experimenting with my bounty, but I don’t want to take it too far! I don’t think these little morsels do that.

The recipe incredibly easy, so much so that I didn’t even include amounts, and you can make as few or as many as you want. I ate all the ones I made without sharing. Ahem. Plus this uses leftover steak, which is awesome because you don’t need to cook up a whole steak for an appetizer, yet your guests will have no idea they’re just getting your seconds.

The soft and sweet fig, tender meat, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy panko create a really wonderful mouthful. Gosh. My mouth started watering just thinking about these little gems. I think I know what I’m having later on.

Stuffed Figs with Sirloin

Flour
1 egg, beaten
Panko breadcrumbs
Figs (I used Brown Turkey)
Goat cheese
Sirloin steak, cooked and sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve figs, peel if desired (I find it helps keep the coating on, but I’m too lazy to do it, so it’s not necessary). Dip skin side in flour, then egg, then panko, being careful not to smush the fig and yet also make sure you get a good coating. Arrange figs on baking sheet.
Cut goat cheese into chunks and carefully set into fig center.
Cook for approximately 6 minutes, then remove, place a slice or two of sirloin over the cheese, and pop back into the oven for 2 more minutes.

Be sure to serve these with a fork and plate, as they will ooze fig juices!

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Dried Fruit & Nut Couscous – Guest Post

Megan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:00:03 +0000

Bonjour! I’m Brie of Le Grand Fromage. I’m excited Megan welcomed me to do a guest post on her blog. We share many of the same food morals, as I’m also a major proponent of natural and sustainable foods which I share on my blog. I switched to organic foods four years ago and I haven’t looked back since. My dishes shine with natural flavors and I enjoy continuing to experiment with new taste combinations.

I make my own stocks from scratch with natural meat bones and organic vegetables, and dairy products like cream and butter from local raw milk to use in my recipes. I love eating soaked lentils and fermented grains in simple dishes that keep the focus on the ingredients without covering them up. I do have a wicked sweet tooth, though, which is quite evident from the recipes I share.

I’ve decided to share a great summer dish full of sweet flavors. The Mediterranean couscous is thick and hearty, but soft when it absorbs the hot orange juice. And the dried fruits are a different way of enjoying summer harvests. In mine, I used dried apples, pineapple, tart cherries, and bananas. It’s a versatile way to your individual favorite fruits, as well as a healthier grain to pair with tasty dishes. This is a great side dish for a light lunch or even a hearty summer dinner. Enjoy!

Dried Fruit & Nut Couscous

1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup French couscous
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup dried fruits, chopped
2 tbsp hulled pistachios

In a small pan, bring the orange juice and water to a boil.

Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour the boiling liquid on top and cover with plastic wrap.

After ten minutes remove the wrap and mix in the salt, dried fruits, and pistachios. May be served warm or chilled.

~Yields 4 servings.

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Fig Pizza & giveaway!

Megan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:29:21 +0000

The other day I was contacted by the California Fig Advisory Board, wanting to know if I’d like to try some California figs. This is the year I discovered how incredibly delicious figs are, to the point of pouncing in the figs at the market each week, no matter whether I knew what to do with them. So, of course I was very excited about getting to try some California figs, hoping I would get a couple different varieties.

I was completely shocked when I received two giant boxes filled with figs! I unpacked more and more and more figs. All told I received 3 dozen each of 5 varieties of fresh figs, plus two 4-pound bags of dried figs! I freaked out for a moment wondering just what to do with so many and then thanked my lucky stars we have an extra fridge in the garage.

Here in Texas we can grow figs (many people have their own trees) but I had never heard of four of the varieties I was sent. In the grocery stores I’ve only seen Black Mission figs, and at the farmers’ market I’ve only come across Brown Turkey and Strawberry figs, even though there are over 100 different varieties of fig. The California figs are also larger than most I’ve seen here – I’m guessing our intense summers have something to do with that.

Since I’ve started growing my own food I’ve been amazed to learn all the little tidbits about produce, and I was surprised to learn that figs are actually flowers inverted into themselves. Despite them not actually being a fruit, figs are packed full of nutrients. They have tons of fiber and are a good source of potassium, which is great news for people like me who have odd reactions to bananas!

From left to right, the figs are Sierra, Brown Turkey, Calimyrna, Black Mission, and Kadota. I took some in to work and my friends and I tasted each one, trying to determine the difference between them all. All four of us decided that the Calimyrna was the best of them all, and I’m very pleased that one of the bags of dried figs is indeed of Calimyrna.

Since I have so many figs I of course have been experimenting, and my first thought as I was falling asleep the other night was to make a pizza.

Fig, Acorn Squash, & Goat Cheese Pizza

1 small acorn squash
2-3 figs, diced
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (I used an herbed variety)
Fresh pizza dough
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Halve acorn squash, de-seed, and slice into crescents. Rub each slice with olive oil and set on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then diced into 1-inch chunks.
Turn oven up to 475.
Roll out pizza dough. Drizzle olive oil across dough, then scatter squash, figs, and goat cheese on top. Cook for about 12 minutes, until dough is browned and cheese has softened.

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I’ll be posting more recipes on how I used the figs, so be sure to come back and check them out! And hey, right about now I bet you’re starting to think of all the ways you’d use these figs. You’re in luck, because the California Fig Advisory board has offered to send one lucky reader a giant box of figs for their very own!

A couple caveats: Really, this is a lot of figs. If you don’t think you will be able to use them (or share with your friends) please reconsider entering! I wouldn’t want to poor figs to waste away in your fridge! Secondly, you’ll need to be either at home for the delivery, or give them an address at which you’ll be there for delivery. Even though it’s late August it’s still quite hot in many parts of the country, and you won’t want the figs sitting out in the heat!

To enter just leave a comment on this post letting me know what you’d do with the figs! I’ll keep entries open until Friday, August 27 at 7 am CST. Because this is fresh fruit, the giveaway is for US addresses only!

For extra entries

Follow @stetted on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway, then come back here and leave a new comment letting me know you’ve done so.

Become a fan on Facebook, then come back here and leave a new comment letting me know you’ve done so.

The fig giveaway is now CLOSED! Thanks everyone for entering, and congrats to Jayme, who won!

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Want more figgy recipes? Check out fellow bloggers who are also posting their fig creations!

La Fuji Mama

Teenie Cakes

A Good Appetite

Disclaimer: The California Fig Advisory Board provided me with fresh and dried figs. I was under no obligation to write about figs or hold a giveaway.

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Ketchup

Megan — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:01:37 +0000

Homemade ketchup.

I know. I know what this sounds like. One, I’ve gone completely off the deep end when it comes to this canning thing. Two, I clearly have too much free time, because hello, ketchup?

Number one is probably true, but number two really isn’t. I’ve got so many projects going right now it’s a wonder I can think straight. It does seem strange that I can get so much done plus work a full-time job, but I’ll let you in on a secret. My house is a mess.

Good thing making ketchup is a bit hands-off once you’ve got it in the pot, because then I can run around picking up toy cars, folding laundry, and checking Twitter.

What? Just being honest here.

OK. The ketchup. When I was at Camp Blogaway we received the gorgeous cookbook Eating Local. I was planning on buying it anyway, so score! Flipping through it, trying to find a recipe to use the produce we had in season at the time, I came across the Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm Ketchup. Except, it had about a bazillion ingredients. So I turned to Jam it, Pickle It, Cure It, but that recipe used canned tomatoes and seemed almost too easy. I did my best to combine the two, and I think for my first try at ketchup it turned out fairly well.

Why bother making my own ketchup? Having a small child means there is a chance of going through a lot of ketchup. While there are now many brands that use regular sugar instead of HFCS, I still don’t know what exactly goes into the creation of that bottle. This one of the main reasons we do home canning – those of us who are concerned about what we put into our bodies are more able to trust the products we make ourselves. Homemade ketchup tastes great – actually like tomatoes and spices, not like sugar. You won’t get the same uniform puree that the bottled stuff has, but this does thicken up rather nicely, especially after being stored in the cupboard for a while.

The thing about this ketchup – when you think you’re done, cook it longer. You really want good low-and-slow simmer on this in order to make sure it goes from a strange pasta sauce to an almost-paste.
It’s also important to make a bouquet garni for the spices, because you won’t be dividing them up into each jar (like you would for making pickles, for example). Usually people use squares of cheesecloth for this, but when I made the ketchup I actually used some medical gauze! I also like to use tea filters.

I’d post the recipe for this, but I really think you should go out and buy Eating Local. Even if you’re not interested in making ketchup, there are a lot of other yummy recipes and the photography is lick-the-page gorgeous.

What did you do with your tomatoes this year? Have you tried making ketchup?

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Wordless Wednesday: Péché & Potluck

Megan — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:00:54 +0000

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© Megan Myers, stetted, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food porn, Peche, Wordless Wednesday

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