PEPPERS PIEDMONTES

The tomatoes are ripening fast and finding ways to use them is always fun.
Piedmont peppers are a marvelous way to use the abundance of both red peppers and tomatoes.

Few things could be as easy.  Slice peppers in half and remove seeds and white membrane. Peel tomatoes by letting soak in very hot water for just a few seconds. The skins should just pull off.

Place one anchovy fillet in the bottom of each pepper and then fill with tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in a hot oven till soft and a little charred.  Enjoy.

ONION FLAT BREAD, with help from Emmett

1 tsp yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons yogurt

1 medium onion,grated (peeled, of course)
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup melted butter

MIx all ingredients together in a large bowl, stir well and then let sit 20 minutes. turn out onto a well floured board and kneed for 5 minutes, return to well oiled bowl and let rise till doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and then divided into eight pieces. roll into balls and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll out as thin as the onions will let you, let rest again for 10 minutes. Get a cast iron pan good and hot. Or use your grill.

Place rolled out dough into hot pan. cook till it begins to brown and then flip.

Charred bits are just fine. These freeze well and can be reheated in a flash.

   ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH

FIRST SIDE

FLIPED AND COOKING OTHER SIDE, NOTE LITTLE CHARRED SPOTS. THIS IS GOOD!

                                                          ROLLING OUT MORE

                                                                     AND MORE

EMMETT WORKING AT THE STOVE

READY TO EAT

BLUEBERRY CAKE

I can not remember a time when we did not have this.  It was often asked for as a birthday cake and as a dessert at lobster and clam bakes.

If you do not have Maine blueberries, those small wild grown gems, then make something else.  If using frozen,Maine berries then do not thaw them before adding.

• 2 eggs, separated 
• 1 cup sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1½ cups sifted flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1½ cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add about ¼ cup of the sugar to keep them stiff.

Cream butter and remaining sugar remaining sugar, add salt and vanilla and unbeaten egg yolks, beat until light and creamy. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Fold in beaten whites, Your hands will be the best tool for this make sure they are clean.. Fold in the fresh blueberries. (Take a bit of the flour called for in recipe and gently shake berries in it so they won’t settle.)

Turn into a greased 8-by-8-inch pan. Sprinkle top of batter lightly with granulated sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Serves 8.

JANSEN'S TEMPTATION

BEFORE GOING INTO THE OVEN (Alas, I was not quick enough to snap a picture when it came out)

This is my version of the classic Swedish potato dish, Jansen's Temptation.  I made this for the first time on the schooner last week.  Always a little apprehensive about bringing out a new recipe.  What a relief when I saw guest going back for seconds and thirds.

The true Swedish recipe would call for pickled sprats, not always easy to find here, I follow the more English variation but go one step further and add canned salmon.  If you use canned milk rather than cream, and keep potatoes in your larder, this is a dish that you can have on hand should you get snow bound or just not feel like going shopping.

4 large russet potatoes, sliced paper thin

2 sweet onions, sliced paper thin

2 cans Anchovies

1 can Pink Salmon (drained)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)

fresh ground black pepper

Mash the salmon and anchovies together, along with the oil from the anchovies.

preheat oven to 400 degrees

Butter a cassarole dish and layer the bottom with 1/3 of the potatoes.  Layer  the onions and then half of the fish mixture, then another layer of potatoes now add the remaining fish mixture and top with remaining potatoes.  Give a liberal grinding of black pepper and then top with pats of butter and pour 1/3 of the cream/milk over the top.

Bake covered for 20 minutes, add half of the remaining cream, reduce heat to 250 degrees and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes, add remaining cream and bake till potatoes and onions are tender.

Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Great with a big salad and a vinegary dressing.

DEVILED EGGS

DEVILED EGGS

A classic and always popular.  Start off by cooking your eggs correctly. Avoid aluminium pots.  Place eggs in a large enough pot so that they can all be in one layer on the bottom with room to move around. Cover with water and add 1/4 cup of salt. Place on high heat, stir now and then, gently!. This helps center the yolks.

Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat.  Let sit for 9 minutes.  Drain and then cover eggs with ice cold water.  Let chill and then peel

Cut in half, lenght-wise, with a sharp knife, wiping the blade after each use, this keeps the yolks from making a mess on the whites.

Put the egg yolks in a small bowl and arrange the whites, cut side up, on a serving platter.  If a hand full of spring mix or other lettuce is under the yolks it will help keep them in place. Slippery little buggers.

Now comes the creative part.  A little mayo or good mustard is added, just enough to moisten the yolks some but they still want some body.  I Place this into a plastic storage bag, with a small hole cut in the end, and pipe the yolks back into the whites.

Small cucumbers are sliced and added, as are capers and what have you. Deviled eggs are a great excuse to be creative.

CHEESE BREAD

Sailing late into the evenings this time of year. An attempt to get all the sun we can before fall arrives and the days become shorter.
Midday lobster baked become the norm and this allows for a simple, but satisfying evening meal of a good soup, a salad and fresh bread.
Tomato bisque is on the menu this evening and what better to have with it than cheese bread.

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sharp,cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups buttermilk

Into a large bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the baking soda, toss in the cheese and mix well

. Add buttermilk, stir the mixture until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, work the dough gently by folding and flattening but no more than seven times, treat this as if it were bisguit dough!

. Halve the dough, shape each half into a round loaf, and transfer the loaves baking sheet that has been dusted with corn meal 

. Cut an X 1/4 inch deep across the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife and bake the loaves in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer the loaves to racks and let them cool

SPANISH RICE

This was a family favorite growing up.  We could expect to see it a few days after a ham dinner, followed a few days later by a pea soup.  If you do not have leftover ham, then use kielbasa or chorizo.

I am sure that my Mother pulled this out of some magazine some time in the mid 60's.  I would say it was one of the more "Exotic" meals at our table.

2 cups cooked ham, cubed

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 green pepper, cored and diced

1 red pepper, cored and diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cans diced tomato

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups white rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt to taste

In a heavy bottomed pot saute onion.peppers and celery, along with the paprika and pepper flakes, till soft. Add tomato and chicken stock,  bring to a boil. Add rice and ham, give one quick stir, bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook till rice is done to your liking. A real treat is the crusty bits that get stuck to the bottom of the pot.  

P.S. My sister Lois just sent me a message reminding me that Mom would, on occasion, add green olives.

ONION TARTS

These sweet and savory onion tarts are wonderful any time of day. With an egg for breakfast, or perhaps a bloodymary. As a lunch with a cold beer or a glass of wine and as a light dinner along with a nice crisp salad.

The dough used here is very easy to work with, rich in olive oil and very forgiving. It has the consistency of play dough and is almost as fun to work with and it certainly tastes better. Once you have handled this, I am sure you will start thinking of other wonderful things that can be made with it.

 Planning a party, busy schedule? Make both the dough and saute the onions the day before and bring all to room temperature before proceeding or you can even finish the whole tart the day before and the reheat.

I use either Vadallia onions or red onions and then slice them thin as thin into half circles.  Sauteed in olive oil till well caramelised.

What you will need:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup warm water
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
2 large eggs, beaten
Pinch of salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add water,  egg and oil. Mix until a soft dough ball forms. Turn out onto a well floured board and knead just till smooth and pliable. Add a little flour if it feels sticky.

Place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in fridge for 30 minutes or over night.
While the dough is chilling it is time to cut and cook those onions, unless you have already done that, then you can relax for a bit.

5 large onions, peeled and sliced or diced, your call.
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Olive oil for sauteing

In a heavy bottomed pot or frying pan, saute onions till well caramelized. Add honey and paprika and cook 2 more minutes.
Set aside and let cool.
Now, pull the dough out of the fridge and either roll it out onto a sheet pan or press it onto a baking pan.
Bake in a hot oven till almost done and just a hint of colour, now spread the onions over the top and bake till done, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm or room temperature.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

It

THE START OF A WONDERFUL FRENCH ONION SOUP

This soup takes time. No short cuts to a perfect French onion soup. The onions are peeled and cut. I avoid the awkward mess of trying to eat a spoon full of onion rings by cutting them the onions in half and then making a partial cut down the center before slicing. Basically  quartering the onion.

Into a pot with plenty of butter and a bouquet Garni of bay leaf and thyme plua a few grating of Nutmeg. then allowed to cook down over medium?low heat for hours.  Most recipes call for sugar but I feel enough onions are in this recipe and that given time they will caramelize well on their own, again it is all about time.

Remember the beef stock that you made a few weeks ago and put in the freezer? This is what you made it for. Did not get around to making your own stock? Buy a good quality brand, I prefer the cartons to the cans.

4 Tablesppons (1/2 stick)unsalted butter

10 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (about 3-1/2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

bunch of thyme

A few gratings of Nutmeg

1 1/2 tablespoon flour

10 cups beef stock,home made or good quality store bough

1/4 cup Cognac

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

8 (1/2-inch) thick slices of French bread, toasted

3/4 pounds coarsely grated Gruyere

Directions
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed soup pot, stir in the onions add nutmeg,bay and thyme, cover, and cook slowly until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium high, and let the onions brown, This takes time!  Keep an eye on them so as they do not burn.  Your going for nut brown here.

Sprinkle the flour and cook slowly, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat,  whisk in 3 cups of hot stock. When well blended, bring to the simmer, adding the rest of the stock, Cognac, and wine. Cover with a piece of waxed paper with a hole cut in the center, and simmer very slowly 1 1/2 hours, Peek in know and then and add a little water if needed. Taste for seasoning

Now, I do not have a broiler, or a large enough oven to place  place 30 bowls of hot soup, and when we are sailing along in a good breeze it would just become a nightmare of a mess.  To solve this, I place the bread slices on a baking sheet, add the cheese on top and toast these. Come serving time I just ladle the hot soup into bowls and place a slice of toasted cheese bread on top.