A pot of Gold

The other day I went to help a friend make a big batch of orange marmalade. I  had never made it before and wanted to learn. Now I can read a recipe just like anyone else can and Ive canned lots of things before. But marmalade Ive avoided cuz I do not like the bitterness of it. Yes I know that's the classic way but I don't like it. My friend says his isn't like that so I wanted to see what he does. Ill be making some this week and posting my recipe but for now I wanted to post what I did with the extra gold I got from this.

He cut the ends off the oranges and most of the pith, then cut them up. And when cleaning up I noticed all those orange ends and asked him could I take them home. Of course he said yes.....not gonna use them himself I guess. But I saw a pot of gold there.

 Ever notice that when you want to bake something it often calls for orange juice and the zest of one orange? How many times do you NOT have an orange around? And so I thought if I zested these and dried them, Id have a nice pot of gold sitting around for when I baked. I already did this with a few oranges and lemons I got a few months ago. And I often do it with lemons Ive juiced to make dressings for salads too. Once dried they stay nice in a jar in my cabinet so I can flavor up anything I want without having to run to the store all the time.

But I still had all these fragrant ends and thought why not put them in vinegar?  They still had some zest on them and there's oils in it yet. So why not extract those in white vinegar. I use white vinegar for cleaning my bathrooms and counters and such. I used to add orange essential oil to it so it would smell good too. So I thought why not fill a jar with these leftovers and cover with vinegar. Ill let it sit awhile and then drain it and Ill have a nice smelling cleaning liquid plus orange oil is a great de-greaser. 

 And so I ended up with this, you see here. That is an old plastic gallon jar from mayonnaise that I saved. Its perfect for the vinegar. Heck if the vinegar tastes good, I might just make some more with apple cider vinegar for salads. I have a bunch of oranges here I have to use this week to make my own marmalade. But also you could toss these in your freezer and when you want the house to smell good, throw a few slices into a pan of water with some spices and bring it to a boil, then simmer it and the whole house will smell good. Its a cheap room deodorizer. So I think I got a lot of bang for the buck and it wasn't even my bucks lol. These were free.

Blackberry Vinegar... a duh moment

I'm a smart lady. I mean Ive gotten this far , almost 60. Yea I've had hard times like everyone else. I did good in school, A, B student, sometimes honor roll. I was told I have a high IQ but they didn't tell me what it was. Honestly I didn't want to know and still don't. Why? That number scares some folks and makes some folks think they are better than they really are. And so I didn't want to know. I became a chef without any schooling for it. I worked with many in the business for yrs and even some CIA folks. I felt inadequate and thought about quitting and going to school. My exe. chef told me, don't, you are already a chef. He asked me a few things which of course I knew and he said all they do is teach you how to cook, you already know how to do that. I felt much better and he was right. I watched CIA grads fumble around and I had to fix their stuff. lol So I think I'm pretty good at least.

And several yrs ago after my divorce I went to collage. I was terrified to do so after being out of school for over 30 yrs. But I aced my first courses, one of them was a second yr. business law class, people were stunned I took. No I didn't finish, family problems but I am very proud that I could do that at my age.  And so why is it then the simple stuff often evades me? Maybe I just over think it.

I recently purchased at our local Farmers Market, a Marion berry balsamic vinegar. I adore Marion berries and so I had to have it. At $9 bottle it was a bit pricey but I HAD TO HAVE IT . Didn't know yet what I would do with it tho. And in one of my most recent posts on jam you will see what I did with some of it. It was good.

And wandering online today, several times I saw postings for making your own cherry vinegar. Now I like the thought of that. And I had a few cherries frozen from last week I didn't want to go bad. And I had a whole bag frozen and pitted. I used some of it when I made the Honeyed Fruit Preserves. But today because I decided to make that, can you believe I couldn't find that frozen bag of cherries?

I moved a yr ago from CA. to Or. I had packers and movers. They took anything they found and shoved it in a box. And so I was very surprised when I found a 1/3 jug of balsamic vinegar at Christmas time shoved in my decoration boxes. lol First they told me they wouldn't transport any liquids but I told them I will not get rid of that stuff , you know how expensive it is? And so I guess they just hid it so I could take it anyway. But I didn't know that. And so today I remembered that bottle and decided to use it to make that cherry vinegar.

But its not gonna happen....

Now I know your wondering where all this is going. Its leading to the recipe! But I thought you might like to hear how it all came about. So when I realized I couldn't find those damn cherries........I remembered I had blackberries. Marion berries are a strain of blackberry. I could make my own vinegar instead of buying it.........DUH!!! The Pacific Northwest is Berry Paradise.

Last September when no one else had blackberries, mine were finally ripening in my woods. I thought somehow I missed the season. But because I'm on the coast, we were later than everyone. What serendipity!!! And so every week until there were none left I regularly went out in the woods and along my road with a basket picking berries. Every week I got a couple pts. and froze them. AND THEY WERE FREE! And so my AHA! moment came today......why buy it when you can make it with free stuff?

And so here it is........

Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar 

Makes any amount you want

1 big jar
a couple cups of blackberries without stems
Balsamic vinegar to cover

The cherry recipe said she taste tested it 10 days later and it was pretty good. Ill do the same with these.  When it tastes like you want it to , strain it and bottle it. Ill let you know how it works out.

There!! Cant get much easier than that! (So why didn't I think of this earlier if I'm so darn smart? lol)

Updates:

Day two: I stirred it up this morning real good and tasted it. Omgosh its already yummy. I'm not sure how long Ill let it sit, but I don't think it will need as much as a cherry vinegar would. In fact, when I do decide to drain this, I'm saving the pulp. I will strain the seeds out and add it to the blackberry jam Ill be making real soon. 

Day Three: Yummy berry flavor is starting to develop in the vinegar.

Day Four: Stirred once again and tasted. The vinegar bite seems to be almost gone. It tastes good enough to use as a drizzle over Ice cream. This would be one of those kinds of vinegars, Id mix with Olive oil and herbs to dip bread in.  

 Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar bottled up and ready to use. Its mellow and fruity. Would be good for salads or desserts. It even tastes better than the one I bought so I guess Ill be making my own from now on.

Roses, an herb to love in so many ways

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo and Juliet (II, ii 1-2)

I love roses. I grow them at every home I ever have. I always thought they were so hard to grow and maybe its where I live now, but they are like weeds. Pruning them properly helps alot and you can prune often and hard. But its not hard to do at all. What you want is an open stem area. That means any stems that might cross another, you cut out. You want them to branch out towards the outside, not towards the inside. Look along the stem where there are leaves and you will often see a nub. That's where the new growth will come in. Cut just above that but cut where the nub is on the outside not the inside of the stem. Otherwise the new growth will grow into the middle. You can cut pretty far down the stems too. But once you cut into old wood, you may not get any growth.

When I first started growing roses I put a row of all kinds that I researched right across the front of my porch. I had floribunda, hybrids and english roses, I picked out my favorites. The first year after they stopped blooming for winter, I hacked those back to about 6in. My daughter saw it and said mom you killed them. lol. The following spring there was so much growth I was able to prune them every two weeks and get armloads of flowers to bring inside. So pruning and shaping is important. And I actually found it to be fun, not a chore once I understood how much more I could grow by doing it.

Rose has always been a favorite fragrance of women. I often have potpourri around my house from my dried rose petals that I add essential oils too. And I love it in my soap and I even wear a rose perfume. (Evelyn by Crabtree and Evelyn). But rose is good for your skin too, especially older, mature skin. Altho Ive used it for yrs, its nice to know its better for me now that I'm older. I often by a rose hydrosol to add to the lotion I make for my skin. Rose absolute and essential oils tho are very expensive. It takes tons of roses to make just a lil bit of oil. If you do buy the oils be sure to buy ones that are not cut with cheaper oils. And if it is, make sure they do it with organic oils able to be used for skin. Many fragrance oils for the home and such are petroleum based and shouldn't be used on skin. Food grade or cosmetic grade is what you should be using on you.

Rosehips are good too. They are loaded with Vit. C. and because that used to be hard to come by, especially in the winter, many folks throughout time used it to make tea. One cup of fresh rose hips has the equivalent amount of vitamin C in 60 oranges.
Rose syrup
Use unsprayed roses. Pick early in the morning when they are most fragrant and only use fragrant ones. No perfume means no taste. Only use white sugar because anything else will change the color. Makes 12 cups

6 packed cups of rose petals
12 cups water
6 cups white sugar

1. In large bowls add rose petals, have a large heavy platter that fits over the bowl snugly.
2. Bring to a boil 12 cups of water and pour over rose petals and quickly cover with platter.
3. Set aside till water cools.
4. Strain water and discard petals.
5. Mix water and sugar in a large pot and bring to boil till sugar is dissolved. But do not boil, only heat water enough to dissolve sugar.
6. If the color is not to your liking, you can adjust it. Add food coloring. Keep refrigerated. Will last about 3 months in fridge. Or you may also can it for longer storage. Use it drizzled over fresh fruit, in custard, on pancakes with fresh berries, in iced tea.

Note: To make the syrup pink you can add 1/8 cup or 2 tbsp. lemon juice to each cup of rose infusion. It is fun to watch it turn pink before your eyes. The lemon juice may also act as a preservative and lengthen the shelf time.

Rose Petal Tea
1-1/2 cups rose petals
3 cups water
honey to taste
Choose fresh rose petals. Strip the flower gently under running water then place the petals in a saucepan. Cover with the water and boil for 5 minutes, or until the petals become discolored. Strain into teacups and add honey to taste. Serves 4.
Rose Petal Infused Champagne Vinegar
4 cup champagne vinegar
3 cup dried rose petals
1/2 cup dried rose petals
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
Combine vinegar and 3 cups petals in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover pan and put in oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven and cool.
Strain vinegar into a bottle.Add the 1/2 cup rose petals. Cap bottle and refrigerate. Use within 5 days. Makes 4 cups.

Rose Dusting Powder

Petals from 4 roses (medium size)
1 cup cornstarch
3 TBS baking soda
3 dried roses

1. In a small cardboard box, layer the petals and cornstarch. Fit the cover on but don’t seal tight, you want the contents to still have a bit of air. Leave for 24 to 36 hours.
2. Sift the petals from cornstarch then add the baking soda (you may have to sift a few times to remove all the petals). Mix well then split the powder mixture into two batches.
3. Next take the dried roses, remove the stem and leaves and add the rose heads (petals) to one half of the powder mixture. Pour into a blender and mix until the dried roses are finely ground.
4. Add the fine ground powder mixture to the other half of the powder mixture, use a wooden spoon to blend the powder by hand.
5. Pour the scented powder into a decorative box or shaker jar, allow to sit for a day before using.
Tips
If you prefer a stronger scented dusting powder, you can add another batch of fresh rose petals and allow the powder to sit another 24 hours (first sift out the first batch of rose petals).
* You can use lavender or other scented flowers instead of rose petals if you prefer.

I did this twice and sifted out the roses. I used my favorite Double Delight roses plus another one I dont recall the name of that was very fragrant. It makes a very nice light rose dusting powder, I love it.

Nasturtiums Go Wild!

When I had my garden I used to grow Nasturtiums along the edge. They grew quickly filling in the alloted spot and spilled over the border edge. They were stunning. Even when the garden looked leggy or sparse it just seemed more bountiful and pretty with that edging. I originally only grew them for looks and because I had heard they help keep bugs away from the garden. Then I tasted them. The leaves are awesome lil peppery bites in a salad or whatever your making. I would bring armfuls of the flowers to work to garnish plates there. I had to spread it around they were just too pretty to keep to myself. Now of course in order to do all this , they must be kept pesticide free but they really don't need any anyway. I miss that and while wandering online I saw some interesting recipes to use these in. Hope you enjoy them.

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Nasturtiums grow quickly from seed and one packet is plenty. I've found most packets have about 25 seeds. Space your seeds 8-12 inches apart in the ground, and a little closer in containers. In zones with freezing temperatures wait until after the frost, and in the mild southern climates they can even be planted in the fall for "winter" blooming. I've found the trick with nasturtiums is to keep them watered during the entire growing season. Especially when they are in containers. They love full sun, but they don't do well in drought-like conditions. As long as you keep them watered and give them room for the air to circulate they are a prolific flower. The soil shouldn't be too rich because you will get more leaves than flowers. The soil can even be slightly sandy and they will thrive. You can use barrel planters, window boxes or porch boxes too. Pick the blooms freely once they start coming, and you will have many more during the summer. I water mine once in awhile with the water from our fish tank, to give them a little boost. If you do notice aphids you can spray them with a safe soap, alcohol and water mixture. Remember, as with herbs, you don't want to use chemicals on your plants.

It's important to keep your nasturtiums free from any exposure to chemicals. They do trail and spread, and so be aware of this if anything nearby is treated. I think of them as a flowering spicy green, and grow them as such. The leaves and blooms can be added to any salad, used as garnish, or chopped into pasta salads.

The seeds were ground during World War II as a replacement for pepper and you can still do this. Wait for the seeds to dry-they are larger than peppercorns-and grind them in a grinder. You can add this mixture with herbs to make a savory herb salt as well. Store in tightly closed bottles.

The fresh seeds can be pickled as a type of substitution for capers, which are fairly expensive. After the blossoms wilt and form seed pods, pick the greenish pods off the plant for this recipe.

Nasturtium Capers

1 quart white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons pickling salt

1 thinly sliced onion

1/2 teaspoon each allspice, mace and celery seed

3 peppercorns

nasturtium seed pods

Keep the solution refrigerated in a sealed bottle and drop the seed pods into it as they are ready. Keep them refrigerated and later use in place of capers.

Nasturtiums Filled with Guacamole

Piquant nasturtium blossoms are a wonderful foil for guacamole, and the jicama provides a nice, crunchy base. If you don’t have jicama, Jerusalem artichokes or cucumber slices are a good substitute. This recipe is excerpted from the book Flowers in the Kitchen (Interweave Press, 1991).

1 large avocado, preferably Hass
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 small tomato, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and finely minced
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
Salt, to taste
About 20 nasturtium blossoms
1 small jicama
Lime juice

Peel avocado and remove pit. Mash avocado in a bowl with a fork and add lime juice. Blend in tomato, onion, chile and garlic. Add salt to taste. Let guacamole stand, covered, while preparing the nasturtiums and jicama.

Rinse nasturtiums carefully and pat them dry. Peel jicama and slice it about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the slices into pieces about 2-by-2 inches in size. (They don’t have to be perfect squares—leave the rounded edges.) They should be just the right size to accommodate a nasturtium filled with guacamole. Squeeze a little lime juice over the jicama slices.

At this point, the guacamole, jicama and nasturtiums can be kept for a few hours in the refrigerator, if necessary. To assemble the appetizers, hold nasturtiums at the base and use a teaspoon to fill them carefully with the guacamole. Set each filled nasturtium on a slice of jicama and arrange on a serving platter. The prepared appetizers can be kept very briefly in the refrigerator or served immediately.Serves 20

Stuffed Nasturtiums

3 ounces softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Salt to taste
30 large nasturtium blossoms

Mix together the cream cheese, heavy cream, chives, and salt until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoonful of the mixture into the center of each flower. Fold the petals up around the stuffing. Chill for up to an hour before serving. Makes 30 appetizers.

Nasturtium Mayonnaise

T his recipe is the perfect compliment to chilled summer salmon, or any fish, fresh off the grill. Also makes a great spread for tea sandwiches, or any sandwich needing some zip.

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. finely minced garlic
2 tsp. coarsely chopped capers
1/3 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 tsp. chopped nasturtium leaves

Combine all ingredients. Keep chilled until ready to use. Makes 8 servings as a sauce for fish .

Nasturtium Vinegar

The finished vinegar has a nice peppery bite and makes an excellent ingredient to use in salad dressings, sauces, and other dishes.

1 cup nasturtium leaves, flowers, and buds
1 pint champagne, white wine, or apple cider vinegar

Place the ingredients in a clean clear glass jar or bottle. Tightly seal. Let sit for at least 3 weeks before using. The nasturtium can remain in for decoration, but you should make sure the vinegar always covers the flowers or they will mold. Makes 1 pint vinegar.

Strawberry-Nasturtium Salad

This unique salad is filled with delightful flavor and color. The sweetness of the strawberries is perfectly balanced by the pepperiness of the nasturtiums and spark of the vinegar for a salad that everyone will love. This salad should not be made too far in advance to prevent wilting of the nasturtium blossoms.

1 pint sliced strawberries
1/3 cup nasturtium blossoms
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2-3 tablespoons sugar

Toss together all of the ingredients. Taste the mixture, and adjust the amount of sugar depending on how sweet the strawberries are. Makes 4 servings.

Salmon-Cucumber Stuffed Nasturtium Leaves

Nasturtium leaves are very similar to watercress leaves, and have the same affinity for cucumber and salmon that watercress does. These little rolls are very easy to make and offer a beautiful presentation. Homemade salmon cream cheese can be made by mixing equal amounts of lox and softened cream cheese.
2 ounces softened salmon cream cheese
1/4 cup finely minced cucumber
Salt to taste 20 large nasturtium leaves
20 long stemmed nasturtium blossoms

Mix together the salmon cream cheese, cucumber, and salt until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoonful of the mixture into the center of each leaf. Roll the leaves up into a tight roll. Wrap the blossom stems around the leaf and tie tightly. Chill for up to an hour before serving.

Nasturtium and Potato Soup

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
25-30 nasturtium leaves, stems removed
4 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste ,nasturtium blossoms for garnish

Melt the butter in a stock pot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and nasturtium leaves and continue cooking until the leaves are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and milk to the stock pot. Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and discard. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Serve garnished with fresh nasturtium blossoms. Makes 6 servings

Grilled Salmon with Nasturtium Vinaigrette

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup snipped nasturtium flowers
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
8 (3 ounces each) pieces of salmon fillet
Chives for garnish

Preheat broiler or grill. Combine vinegar, shallots, and all but 2 tablespoons olive oil. Whisk until combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Add nasturtiums and chives. Rub salmon with remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on grill for 3 minutes. Turn, and cook until done (about 3 more minutes, depending on thickness). Place two pieces of salmon on each serving plate. Whisk vinaigrette and spoon over salmon. Garnish with fresh chives. Yield: 4 servings

Nasturtium Pesto

Into a food processor or blender, put the following ingredients:
4 cups packed nasturtium leaves
3 to 5 cloves of garlic
1 and 1/2 cups olive oil
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1 cup walnuts

Process the mixture until smooth. To store the pesto, you can freeze it in ice cube trays so it's ready whenever you need it. The pesto is excellent on top of grilled salmon, halibut, chicken or steak.

TARRAGON PART 3

HERBED BATTER ROLLS

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

In a large mixing bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sage, tarragon, nutmeg, sugar, salt, egg, butter or margarine and 1 cup of the flour. Using a wire whisk, beat until smooth. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups flour with a wooden spoon and beat until smooth. Scrape batter from sides of the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until doubled in volume. Deflate batter by Stirring with a wooden spoon.

Lightly grease one 8 cup muffin pan. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin pan. Fill each cup slightly more than 1/2 full; set aside in a warm place and let rise for about 15 to 20 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.


LEMON TARRAGON CAKE

The surprise ingredient tarragon puts the 'wow' in this cake.

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant coconut cream pudding mix
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Crumble the dried tarragon into a fine powder and mix with the cake and pudding mixture. Make a well in the center and pour in lemon-lime soda, lemon juice, eggs and oil. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.



***Here are a couple Tarragon Vinegar recipes to make. Ive made this before and it keeps forever. I just put vinegar in a canning jar or nice bottle and add lots of tarragon to it. The tarragon keeps well in it too so you can use it in cooking if you wish. I let it sit in my pantry at least 6wks before I use it.

TARRAGON VINEGAR

Makes: 2.5 cups

2 1/2 cups white wine or cider vinegar
2 stems tarragon, plus extra for decoration (optional)
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

Bring vinegar to boiling point in a pan. Put tarragon and garlic into a clean, sterilized bottle or jar. Pour over vinegar. Screw lid down tightly. Leave in a sunny place for 2-3 weeks. Strain, discarding herbs, into a clean, sterilized bottle or jar, adding extra tarragon stems for decoration if desired. Seal and store in a cool, dry, dark place.

TARRAGON VINEGAR II

You need:
Good quality white wine vinegar
Plenty of fresh tarragon leaves

Place plenty of fresh tarragon leaves, stripped from the stalks, into a wide-mouthed jar. Cover with good quality white wine vinegar, cover the jar lightly and leave on a warm window sill - or similar spot - for a couple of weeks. (I sometimes leave mine for months!)

Strain off the vinegar, pour into a pretty bottle with a few fresh sprigs of tarragon and you have a nice gift for a hostess or a useful addition to your own kitchen cupboard.f you are desperate, substitute a couple of tablespoons of good quality dried tarragon for the fresh leaves. Serving Suggestion: This will keep for ages in a dark cool place in the pantry.

LEMON-TARRAGON VINEGAR
4 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups tarragon, loosely packed crushed to release oils
2 lemons, peel of,pith removed

Combine vinegar and sugar in a heat and simmer till sugar is dissolved. Put into 2 quart glass jar. Add tarragon and lemon. I use the jars with a rubber seal. Close jar and store in dark cool place for 1-4 weeks. Give a shake every couple days. When desired strength is reached strain through layers of cheesecloth. Heat vinegar to 180 degrees. Ladle into hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace add fresh sprig of tarragon and lemon peel. Place 2 piece caps on. Process 10 minutes in boiling water canner. Nice to gift wrap and put into a fruit basket. This takes 1-4 weeks to infuse flavors. Can be doubled.