Behold the mighty onion!

“Life is like an onion. You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.” – Carl Sandberg

Behold the mighty onion!

Can you imagine life without onions? I can’t, but I seem to take them for granted as I toss them in every meal I cook. But, I’m here to tell you that they are an honest to goodness vegetable full of healthy nutrients and robust flavor that need to be given their just deserves.

This wonderful bulb is one if the oldest edible veggies known to mankind. Onions have been prized throughout history and were found in the tomb of King Tut to take with him to the hereafter. (I mean, what would heaven be like without onions?) They have also been used in traditional medicines since ancient times for their health promoting and curative powers.

Onions, like the well acclaimed garlic, are alliums, which are rich in sulfur containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent, tear provoking fragrance and many health benefits. The onion has been linked to heart health, decreased cholesterol and blood pressure, increased bone density in the elderly and anti-inflammatory benefits. It also has shown anti-diabetic properties and cancer protection.

This humble root that we toss in everything is actually a super food. Who would have known? Most of the onions healthy benefits are concentrated in the outer skin so when peeling your onion make sure and take off as little of the outside skin as possible. Over peeling can result in losing up to 75% of the nutrients in an onion.

To get the most nutrition out of your onion chop them up then let them sit for 5 minutes to allow the allicin in the blub to concentrate. This is because they have an interesting phyto-chemical compound that converts to allicin when the blub is disturbed. Studies have shown that allicin protects the body from cancer and helps lower blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol. All of these nutrients found in the onion dispel into whatever you’re cooking, so eat the whole shebang!

There are a bewildering amount of varieties of onions to choose from for your dishes. If one were to pick an onion solely on the health benefits, choose one with strong, bold flavors. The more flavor and fragrance, the more health properties. The “sweet onion” that we all know and love has the lowest nutrition profile where the shallot has the highest. The next in line is the humble yellow onion and the lovely red.

Now the question you’ve all been waiting to have answered; “How does one cut an onion without crying?” I always leave an onion in the fridge cause letting the onion chill helps to reduce the gases that are released from it when you cut it. A chef friend of mine says don’t cut off the root of the onion, that is where the bulk of the enzymes are stored. I tried this and it really works well. But no matter how you cut the onion it is a wonderful, healthy packed vegetable.

As the winter rains fold around us like a blanket, my cooking pots just seems to magically stir up pots of soup. This onion soup is so nurturing and healthy that it fills the dance card with style. It is also very different from French onion soup, which is a welcome respite. But if you are really into French Onion soup try this recipe. It is very very good. Enjoy the winter quiet with a warm cup of this soup that will keep you strong as a super hero.

Chinese 5 spice onion soup
Kombu is a type of kelp that you can get at Mother Nature’s or any health food store. Its nutritional value is outstanding and delicious in this soup. All of the spices in this recipe are available form Mother Nature’s or your favorite health food store as well in their bulk spices. Make this a meal by adding shrimp, chicken or tofu when you add the majority of the ingredients.

3 nice fat yellow onions
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 32 oz container of low sodium chicken broth
1 quart of water
1 tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger
4, 1/4 inch slices of fresh ginger
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
1/4 cup of dried kombu, cut into small pieces (optional)
2 cups of sliced shitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon or more of low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses
Hot sauce to taste, preferably Sriracha

Skin and chop the onions up and let them sit for 5 minutes to let all those health-promoting properties to condense. Take out your favorite heavy bottomed soup pot and melt the oil on medium heat. Toss the onions and minced garlic into the pot and stir till the oil has been distributed among them. Then cook slowly over the medium heat. Resist the temptation to turn it up, we want the onions to get caramelized. Stir every few minutes with a heat resistant rubber spatula making sure to get all the goodies off the bottom of the pan. The onions will start to get toast colored and very fragrant after about 15 minutes. Stir more frequently for 5 more minutes then add the fennel bulb through the mushrooms to the mix.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil over the medium heat then let simmer over a medium low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes to concentrate the flavors. (The smell of the soup will fill the kitchen with faraway places.) Fish out the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves and ginger if you can find them. If not, no big deal, just warn people you serve to not bite into them or they will get quite the flavor punch. Season the soup with soy sauce and molasses and serve immediately in beautiful soup bowls.

Let’s pop the cork and celebrate!

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” Mark Twain

Douglas fir sparkling wine cocktail

As midnight approaches on New Year’s Eve, more than one of us will be holding up a drink and toasting in the new year. (That is if you are awake!) And the number one type of glass that will be raised on that night are champagne flutes. We aren’t even going to pretend that there is any other serious competition in the drink division for toasting out the old year and celebrating.

Celebrating with champagne is an old tradition that dates back to the early 1700s. It is an example of a well thought out and executed marketing plan by those industrious French winemakers. By world war II, champagne had become such a part of world celebrations that Winston Churchill was quoted railing the troops with “”Remember, gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne!”

Champagne, which is a sparkling wine, comes from the Champagne region of France in the Northeastern area. They have so effectively cornered the market on sparkling wines that everyone refers to any sparkling wine as Champagne. The French have maintained their legal rights to call their wines Champagne for over a century. Now even though champagne is a very respectable bubbly there are many other worthy sparkling wines that should not be overlooked!

Prosecco is a lovely sparkling wine grown in Italy in the Vento region, near Venice. It has quite a cult following! The Italians make it from the prosecco grape, which is not used in Champagne wines. The resulting sparkler is drier and a less sweet than the traditional Champagne most people are used to. Now, it is important to note here that cheap Champagne is the stuff headaches are made of but a fine sparkling wine is a completely different experience. The prosecco devotees can get a very nice bottle for around $12. (Fat chance getting a good bottle of Champagne for that.)

Another contender in the sparkling wine world is the west coast of the good old US of A. California has some fantastic vintners that produce some very nice wines. Then there is Oregon and Washington, (surprise!) which have the cooler temperatures like the Champagne region, making this the perfect place to produce some wonderful bubbly. A wonderful local sparkling wine to try is Argyle Brut.

Now picking the right sparkling wine for your personal taste needs a little deciphering. There are 6 different “flavors” of sparkling wines depending on the dry to sweet ratio. A bit of sugar known as “dosage” is added to the bottle right before it’s corked. These following terms describe how much sugar is present in the wine; the driest bubbly is the “extra brut” which has less than .6% of sugar per liter. “Brut” has less than 1.5 %, “extra dry” less than 2%, “sec” less than 3.5 %, “demi sec” less than 5% and the sweetest “doux” which has greater than 5%.

Adding more sugar to the wine can help hide imperfections so consequently some of the sweeter bubblies are the cheaper ones, aka a headache in a bottle. (Not to say that there are not fine bubblies that are sweet, just a generalization) “Brut” is a good wine to select if you like them dry and “sec” if you like them sweet. Great Northern Garlic Company on Hwy 101 has many lovely sparklers that they can help you choose for the occasion. Make sure and chill your bubbly in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving to bring out the flavor.

Sparkling wine has been taken on a new twist with the latest trend; sparkling cocktails. These little bubbly concoctions can be gentle, like the classic mimosa which is 50% orange juice and 50% bubbly. Or wicked like the French 75, which is a powerful brew with cognac and sparkling wine. Sparkling cocktails are a lovely addition to any celebratory party. This sparkler cocktail I share with you was inspired by Erich Miller. (Thank you Erich!) Happy New Year’s everyone! Hope your year is filled with comfort and joy.

The crystalized ginger is so beautiful in the Doug fir sparkler

Oregon Douglas Fir Sparkler
2-3 teaspoons of Douglas fir syrup
1 tablespoon of vodka
Brut sparkling wine
1 small sprig of Douglas fir (optional)
1 cube of crystalized ginger

Chill the vodka and the doug fir syrup in the fridge the night before. Add the first ingredients to the champagne flute then top off with sparkling wine. Drop a piece of crystalized ginger in the glass then serve with a tiny sprig of fir. (Looks pretty but can be kinda pokey when you drink it.)

Doug fir syrup.
Use needles that have been stripped from a fresh, washed bough. (Make sure and use needles that are harvested from a tree that hasn’t been sprayed or near a busy street.) Wash the bough and let dry completely before making the syrup. If you really want to get fancy poke a couple of clean fir springs in the vodka a week or more ahead of time. Spruce or rosemary are good in this recipe too.

1 cup of doug fir needles
2 cups of water
1 cup of sugar

Add water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring over med-high heat. When all the sugar has dissolved add the fir needles and simmer, stirring often for 10 minutes or so. Remove it from the heat and let it cool. Strain out the needles with a sieve and use in anything you want. Try it on ice cream. This is very good is gin drinks as well. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Linzer sables, a Christmas jewel of a cookie

“The ‘Linzer Torte’ is considered to have the longest history of any cake in the world” Leo Jindrak II, Linzer Torte Baker

Linzer sables, a sparkling gem of a Christmas cookie

Austrian Linzer sables are my all-time favorite Christmas cookie. They look like stain glass windows and the flavors reflect the warm and generous nature of the holiday season. Not only are they incredibly delicious and beautiful but they are also cookie with a luscious history.

The Linzer Torte recipe, which is the European mother of the Linzer sables, is the oldest known written recipe in history. A copy of this delightful cake recipe was found in the Veronese Admont Abbey’s journals, dated 1653. The confection, however, was made famous in the little town of Linz Austria in the early 1800’s. An industrious Linz baker, Johann Vogel, started mass producing this gem of a treat and made it famous around the world. Hence, its name, Linzer torte. (Torte means cake in German)

Now Linzer torte is basically a giant cookie or tart made with nut flour and filled with jam and baked till bubbling. (Nuts were way more plentiful than wheat in Europe a long time ago.) The Austrians fill it with red current jam but most cooks around the world prefer raspberry jam. (They are a great way to show off a lovely jam you made.) Linzer tortes are the crown jewels, shinning in the windows of all the Austrian and German bakeries during the Christmas season.

Linzer torte became a big hit in the United States, when Franz Holzlhuber, an Austrian immigrant, started a bakery in Milwaukee Wisconsin with his grandma’s recipe in 1850. Linzer sables or cookies were born here in North America. Leave it up to the Americans to make this ancient cake into something portable that one can eat on the go.

When making Linzer sables, I recommend you use hazelnuts because they impart such a wonderful flavor to the cookie and they are also traditional. Many bakers use almonds instead, which is fine. Nut meal of different types can be used in place of the ground nuts. You can get it through “Bob’s Red Mill” which is a good option if you do not have a food processor. But if you can, I recommend you make your own ground nuts for the cookies.

Roast your nuts till they just start to scent the kitchen and are turning golden. If you are using hazelnuts, let them cool a bit, then rub them together in a clean dish towel to remove the skins. (That chore is best done outside, believe me!) Then process the nuts in a food processor till they are ground but not superfine. This lends an exotic texture and taste to the cookie.

This recipe I am sharing with you is from one of my very favorite tattered cookbooks, “The Fiddlehead Cookbook”. This recipe is perfect with very little tampering by me. (I know, shock and awe.) These cookies are easily made gluten free by substituting your favorite gluten free flour mix for the flour and adding 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to it. Leave some of these jewels out for Santa and he is bound to fill your stocking with something other than coal!

Linzer Sables
If you really want to get decadent, spread a layer of nutella under the jam. FYI, Amazon has Linzer cookie cutters sets. Makes about 12-16 sandwich cookies, depending on their size.

1 cup of butter softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 large orange, zested
1 large lemon, zested
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of ground roasted nuts such as hazelnuts or almonds
1 cup of raspberry seedless jam or other yummy jam you have
Powdered sugar

Put on some Christmas music and get out your favorite mixing bowl. Cream together with a blender, the butter and sugar till light and creamy. Beat in the zest, egg and vanilla. In another bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients, except the nuts, till well fluffed. On a medium setting on your mixer, carefully blend the dry ingredients into the wet till mixed. Slowly add the ground nuts till just blended. Pat the dough with wet fingers into a flat shape, (it’s sticky!) then cover the dough and set in the fridge for 30 minutes to overnight to chill.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get your dough out to party! Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about a 1/8 of an inch thick. This is sticky dough so make sure and flip the dough a few times while you are rolling it out so it doesn’t stick to the counter. Cut out two cookies of each shape that will make up the sandwich Linzer cookie. Place them on a two lightly greased cookie sheets. Have all the top cookies on one cookie sheet and all the bottoms on another as the tops will cook faster than the bottoms. Then take a smaller cookie cutter and cut the center out of the top cookies for the “window” that will show the jam. Bake for 10 -12 minutes until golden brown. (Bake a little longer if you want a cookie that stays crisp.)

Let your little masterpieces cool completely then spread bottom cookies generously with the jam. Place the “window” cookie on top. Dust liberally with powdered sugar and have a joyous and delicious noel!

Occupy your kitchen by making gifts from your pantry

“All I ever wanted to do was to make good food accessible to everyone.” Jamie Oliver

gifts from your kitchen

Ah the holiday season is upon us. I do love the energy, lights and spirit of the holidays yet the constant pressure to give more gifts than you can afford is the downside. Gifts are such a wonderful way of expressing appreciation and affection but the relentless stress from our consumer driven culture is overwhelming this time of year. I have found the solution though; occupy your kitchen and make gifts from your pantry.

Gift giving can be easy and affordable, just march right in that kitchen and beat the system by turning out delicious gifts that makes your recipient shout with joy! At the very least these delights will fill their tummies with warm happiness. Additionally making these presents at home is a great way to relax and enjoy the season opposed to out in the craziness getting pepper sprayed. (Like the way I laid out your options there?)

Smoky nut and fruit bark is a great gift from your kitchen

The normal trays of cookies are enthusiastically received except for the waist line which is already under assault from the season. I suggest expanding your mind to new culinary horizons in your kitchen this year and prepare some healthier delights. Also if you have a familial recipe that you would like to share that gives the gift an extra special touch, do it. Make sure and write the history of the recipe on the tag to impart the meaning to your recipient.

Package your gift food in containers that add an extra something like ball jars or old Christmas tins you find at the thrift store. The tag you place on it really brings together the package with bright ribbons and maybe a Christmas ornament. Have fun and enjoy the creative process! Do your part to take back the holidays and occupy your kitchen this to make meaningful and appreciated gifts.

Herbed rice mix
This homemade rice mix is easy to cook and versatile enough to complement just about any main dish, making it an appealing to anyone. It looks especially nice (and keeps well) in a glass jar accompanied by a tag with the following instructions: “For 4 servings, combine 2 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice mix and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot and steaming.”

1/2 cup of dried mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon of onion flakes
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1 tablespoons of dried dill
3 cups of basmati or jasmine rice

In a large mixing bowl combine the mushrooms with all the spices and mix well. Add the rice and toss with joy, but not all over the kitchen! Pour the mix into a lovely quart jar and seal tightly. Adorn with ribbons and a tag proclaiming your independence from the stores.

Southwestern bean soup in a jar

Southwestern four-bean soup in a jar
This recipe is easily doubled and placed in a quart jar.

1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of oregano
1/3 cup of dried black beans
1/3 cup of pinto beans
1/3 cup of dried kidney beans
1/3 cup of dried great northern beans

Get a 2 cup jar and layer the ingredients into the jar starting with the chili powder and ending with the great northern beans. Seal with lid and put this recipe on the tag.

“For a dark and stormy night. Add soup mix to a soup pot with 9 cups of water, 4 cups of broth, and a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. Bring to a lively simmer over medium high heat then reduce to a gentle simmer for 1-2 hours till beans are tender. Then add an onion diced, 3 carrots chopped and 3 sticks of celery chopped. Simmer for 1 more hour then season with salt and pepper and serve with lime, cilantro and hot sauce.”

Smoky nut and fruit bark

Smoky fruit and nut bark
I couldn’t help myself, I had to get one sweet in here. This nut bark is simply amazing. It makes one pound of satisfaction that can be split 4 ways, if you want to share. If you can’t find smoked salt, use kosher salt instead.

1/2 pound of dry roasted unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup of chopped dried apricots or cherries
1 pound of dark chocolate, chopped
1–2 teaspoons of coarse ground smoked salt

Line a 17-by-11-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the almonds and dried apricots in a medium bowl. To temper the chocolate I use a microwave. (I know but really it is so easy! The stovetop recipe will be on my blog) Place three-quarters of the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Set the microwave at 50 percent power. With the bowl uncovered, heat the chocolate for 1 minute, then stir using a rubber spatula. Repeat heating for 30 seconds and then stirring, until almost all of the chocolate in the bowl is melted, about 4 minutes total. Add the rest of the chocolate and zap for 1 more minute. Take out and stir till all the chocolate is melted. (It is easy to burn in the microwave so be careful!)

Working quickly using a rubber spatula, spread chocolate in an even layer about 1/4 inch thick on parchment. Evenly sprinkle the apricots and almonds over the chocolate, then gently press them in so they stick. Immediately sprinkle salt over the top. Set aside in a cool, dry spot to harden, about 1 hour with a mouse trap to keep the kids out. Break into irregular pieces and share! To turn this into a gift kit, include a bottle of port or brandy.

An easy Thanksgiving to be thankful for

I can only remember one thanksgiving dinner in the last 10 years that I have sat down to that I wasn’t exhausted. And that was at someone else’s house. Last year as a wearily lowered myself down to the dinner table, I vowed to change that at the next Thanksgiving, without running off to Hawaii. I mean what is the use making this beautiful dinner and not enjoying it??

After a lot of research I believe there are a few ways to produce an easy and gentle Thanksgiving. A) Plan more or B) drink more wine, or C) both of the above. (I think if I stuck more with plan A, the dinner would turn out better.) So in light of an easy dinner I shall engage plan C, more wine and more planning.

One of the difficult things that I always run into is there is never enough room in my one oven household to get everything done all at the same time. On top of that we have a vegetarian in our midst so if I do not plan right, I have to make two of every dish. One of the big culprits is the stuffing.

I believe my troubles are over in that department though. I have found a handy dandy little recipe for crock pot stuffing. How ingenious! It cooks all day and adds its own lovely fragrance to the house, and doesn’t take up any space in the oven. It is also incredibly tender like out of the bird. Yippee! I’m going to make mine with veggie broth to so it is friendly to both the turkey eaters and the not.

Easy Crock pot stuffing, just like out of the bird

Easy Crockpot stuffing

12-14 cups of dried bread cubes
2 onions, diced
1 bunch of celery, cleaned and chopped
2 apples chopped
1 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup of dried cranberries
2 cups of wild rice cooked, (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons of celery salt
2 teaspoons of dried sage, rosemary and thyme
1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
1/2 stick of butter, melted

1 cup of broth

Get out a very generous bowl, like we are talking BIG! Mix everything together in there except the butter and broth. Tuck in a 5 qt crockpot and drizzle the butter and ½ the broth over it, tossing it with a fork till well distributed. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, drizzling 2-3 tablespoons of broth over it every two hours. And voila! The stuffing is done when the turkey is, delicious, moist and not taking up room in the oven.