Vancouver metro and its neighboring towns are home to a variety of farms that produce a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy, eggs, honey, and meat products. Most prices are cheaper than the farmers market or the grocery store, except for some weather-impacted crops like peaches, and are fresher tasting than produce that is trucked in from central Washington or Oregon for regional farmers markets.
I found this farm through Craigslist. It looks like most farms with lots of plants growing in rows in the fields with a gigantic barn and a farm store in its front. This is probably where I'll go to get sugar pumpkins in October. If you're unfamiliar with the rural parts of Vancouver, it is easy to get lost. NE 182nd Ave is not a marked street (no street sign) at its intersection with NE Fourth Plain Blvd. While on NE 182nd, hang a right at the split in the road. Farm is on the right.
On my last visit, I picked up fresh corn, cucumbers, a pint of grape tomatoes, an acorn squash. The farm grows a wide variety of vegetables with broccoli, summer squash, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, etc. Next month, I'm told that they'll have brussel sprouts and pumpkins.
Farm Store Hours:
July--September
M -- Fri. 9 a.m. -- 6 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m.-- 5 p.m.
Sunday - Closed
October
M -- Fri. 11 a.m. -- 5 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. -- 5 p.m.
Sunday - Closed
Open Last Sunday in Oct.
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: 18905 NE 83rd Street, Vancouver, WA 98682
Website: Velvet Acres Gardens
Kitchen Notes: Ingredient Sourcing Tips
The latest news articles about hunger in America and the rise in food stamp usage among gainfully employed citizens in the US makes me wonder if the larger problem is due to rising commodity prices for whole grains, increased production in crop-based biofuels, and/or the lack of nutrition and food preparation knowledge. The cheapest calorie-dense foods are usually pre-packaged ones that are high in fat, sodium, and artificial ingredients. Keeping food costs down without reliance on food stamps or subsidies means that you should learn to be a better consumer (and buyer).
Chinese Chicken Salad
In my youth, my mom used to joke about spaghetti's origins saying that the dish was from China. I asked, How so? She replied, because a Chinese person made it. Although, noodles did originate from China and this pretext has nothing to do with the post.
Despite not being an authentic Chinese dish and having its origins in California, this salad makes its summer-time rounds at restaurants and picnics alike. I wouldn't skimp out on the sugar. Part of the appeal this salad has over others is its sweet and savory dressing. It's roughly 1/2 c. cooked chicken per serving, so adjust the recipe accordingly to accommodate more people.
Serves 4.
The basic salad
CCS uses romaine lettuce and/or napa cabbage leaves as its salad base. You could use other types of lettuce, but they simply won't hold up against the dressing over several hours. You'll want to use a lighter-tasting vegetable oil, so olive oil or coconut oil have to sit this out. You could chop or shred the lettuce leaves. Home cooks tend to shred the salad (like how cabbage for coleslaw is cut), and most retail packages have 1" pieces of lettuce leaves--largely this is so that the salad has a longer shelf life.
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 c vegetable oil (grapeseed, peanut, or canola)
Optional ingredients:
fresh snow peas, trimmed
mandarin orange slices, fresh or canned
deep fried wonton skins (cut into 1/4" strips and deep fried in 375 degree F oil)
toasted sesame seeds
toasted sliced almonds
crunchy noodles
fresh bean sprouts
bean thread noodles or thin rice noodles, cooked and drained
Despite not being an authentic Chinese dish and having its origins in California, this salad makes its summer-time rounds at restaurants and picnics alike. I wouldn't skimp out on the sugar. Part of the appeal this salad has over others is its sweet and savory dressing. It's roughly 1/2 c. cooked chicken per serving, so adjust the recipe accordingly to accommodate more people.
Serves 4.
The basic salad
CCS uses romaine lettuce and/or napa cabbage leaves as its salad base. You could use other types of lettuce, but they simply won't hold up against the dressing over several hours. You'll want to use a lighter-tasting vegetable oil, so olive oil or coconut oil have to sit this out. You could chop or shred the lettuce leaves. Home cooks tend to shred the salad (like how cabbage for coleslaw is cut), and most retail packages have 1" pieces of lettuce leaves--largely this is so that the salad has a longer shelf life.
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded or cut into 1" pieces
1/2 head romaine lettuce leaves, shredded or cut into 1" pieces
2 c. shredded or cubed cooked chicken breast
3 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
The dressing:
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 c vegetable oil (grapeseed, peanut, or canola)
Optional ingredients:
fresh snow peas, trimmed
mandarin orange slices, fresh or canned
deep fried wonton skins (cut into 1/4" strips and deep fried in 375 degree F oil)
toasted sesame seeds
toasted sliced almonds
crunchy noodles
fresh bean sprouts
bean thread noodles or thin rice noodles, cooked and drained
Kitchen Notes: brewing a good cuppa joe
Let's face a basic fact about coffee. Call it what you want, java, cup of Joe, mocha, mud, or battery acid; your body simply does not care how it gets its daily caffeine fix. Your taste buds, on the other hand, seem to care a lot if the coffee tastes good and isn't weak, bland, burnt, or stale.
The beans:
Affluent coffee drinkers (and Food Network chefs) will tell you that you should skip the convenience of instant or pre-ground coffee for a DIY grind and brew. This is awfully time-consuming and why alternatives exist.
The grind:
fine - drip-styled, unbleached or gold mesh filters
medium or coarse - French press
The method:
Most electric coffee filter machines recommend 1 level tablespoon (i.e., that plastic spoon that comes with the machine is just that) per 6 oz of finely ground coffee. It's a good start, but if you grind whole beans for this purpose, you may find that this ratio produces a pretty weak cup of coffee.
Today I am drinking a medium grind cup (8 oz) of coffee created from 16 grams of whole roasted coffee beans (Stumptown house blend) plus 1 tsp organic granulated sugar and about one ounce of organic whole milk. Basically, a cup of coffee with milk and sugar. To me, this tastes about right, or what I would expect from a medium roast at a coffee retailer.
The beans:
Affluent coffee drinkers (and Food Network chefs) will tell you that you should skip the convenience of instant or pre-ground coffee for a DIY grind and brew. This is awfully time-consuming and why alternatives exist.
The grind:
fine - drip-styled, unbleached or gold mesh filters
medium or coarse - French press
The method:
Most electric coffee filter machines recommend 1 level tablespoon (i.e., that plastic spoon that comes with the machine is just that) per 6 oz of finely ground coffee. It's a good start, but if you grind whole beans for this purpose, you may find that this ratio produces a pretty weak cup of coffee.
Today I am drinking a medium grind cup (8 oz) of coffee created from 16 grams of whole roasted coffee beans (Stumptown house blend) plus 1 tsp organic granulated sugar and about one ounce of organic whole milk. Basically, a cup of coffee with milk and sugar. To me, this tastes about right, or what I would expect from a medium roast at a coffee retailer.
Corn Pudding in a Cast Iron Skillet
I made this for a "camping food" themed potluck on Saturday. To make this, you first need a completed batch of cornbread. This recipe comes from the "Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook
".
Ingredients
1 batch of cornbread, cubed
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. half and half (or 1/4 c heavy cream + 1/4 c milk)
3/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
2/3 c. fresh or frozen cut corn
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Cut the cornbread into 1" cubes and place in a single layer in a 12" diameter cast iron skillet.
2. Whisk together until combined: eggs, sour cream, half and half, salt, black pepper and corn kernels. Pour mixture on top of cornbread.
3. In a small sauté pan over low-medium heat, brown and caramelize onions.
4. Scatter onions and grated cheese on top of cornbread.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the mixture has set.
".Ingredients
1 batch of cornbread, cubed
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. half and half (or 1/4 c heavy cream + 1/4 c milk)
3/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs
2/3 c. fresh or frozen cut corn
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Cut the cornbread into 1" cubes and place in a single layer in a 12" diameter cast iron skillet.
2. Whisk together until combined: eggs, sour cream, half and half, salt, black pepper and corn kernels. Pour mixture on top of cornbread.
3. In a small sauté pan over low-medium heat, brown and caramelize onions.
4. Scatter onions and grated cheese on top of cornbread.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the mixture has set.
Seasonal Ingredient Map
Epicurious.com has an online tool that allows you to select a “month” and “state” from a U.S. map. Once a location has been selected, a list pops up of all the produce that’s in season.
Rustic Bean Soup
"Rustic" implies simplicity and charm that is typical of the countryside. When the wind isn't blowing in the right directions, I can smell the cows from a nearby dairy farm. That's probably as close to the country as I'm going to get. Those folks have it rough not being close to modern amenities like grocery and hardware stores, farmers markets, museums, food cartopia, freeways, etc.
Ingredients
1 qt organic chicken stock
3 chicken sausages, cooked and sliced (or crumbled)
3 organic carrots, sliced
1 c. dry small white beans, soaked
One 14.5 oz can organic diced tomatoes
2 medium yukon potatoes, cubed
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 c. red rice wine
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp herbs de provence or Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. Soak beans in a bowl overnight. Discard soaking liquid and refill bowl with water until ready to use. Discard liquid before adding beans to crockpot.
2. In a crockpot, add all the ingredients. Set to "low" for 8 hours.
3. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve with homemade bread.
Ingredients
1 qt organic chicken stock
3 chicken sausages, cooked and sliced (or crumbled)
3 organic carrots, sliced
1 c. dry small white beans, soaked
One 14.5 oz can organic diced tomatoes
2 medium yukon potatoes, cubed
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 c. red rice wine
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp herbs de provence or Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
Directions
1. Soak beans in a bowl overnight. Discard soaking liquid and refill bowl with water until ready to use. Discard liquid before adding beans to crockpot.
2. In a crockpot, add all the ingredients. Set to "low" for 8 hours.
3. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve with homemade bread.
Kimchi Soup
For an overcast and cooler-than-normal July day, this soup really hits the spot. It's a lot on the spicy side because my kimchi experiment came out spicier than I like; but I really haven't eaten any kimchi that doesn't burn everything it touches. Though, the heat in this soup may be what Scovillites expect. The amount of kimchi in this soup recipe might not be enough if serving more than two people.
Makes 2-3 servings.
Ingredients
1 boneless country pork rib, sliced into 1" x 1/4" strips
1 c. homemade kimchi, drained
1 qt pork or chicken stock
1/2 c. shitake mushroom, sliced
1 c. extra firm tofu, cubed
3 tbsp shaoxing red rice wine
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 stalk green onion, sliced for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. In a bowl, marinate red rice wine and pork together for 10 minutes.
2. In a stockpot, heat pork stock to boiling. Add mushrooms, tofu, and fish sauce.
3. In a small frying pan, fry kimchi in its liquid for about five minutes. If you have taken the kimchi from the refrigerator, this step will bring it up to temperature to match the soup.
3. Add the cooked kimchi and marinated pork to the stock liquid. Let boil until the pork is cooked, up to 15 minutes, or longer depending on how tender you want the pork.
4. Serve in bowls and garnish with green onion.
Notes:
For an authentic sour flavor, use kimchi that is more than three months old or add vinegar to the soup. The cut of pork that I use for most of my pork dishes is boneless country pork rib, which is inexpensive and versatile with its high fat content. Mmmm, natural lard.
Makes 2-3 servings.
Ingredients
1 boneless country pork rib, sliced into 1" x 1/4" strips
1 c. homemade kimchi, drained
1 qt pork or chicken stock
1/2 c. shitake mushroom, sliced
1 c. extra firm tofu, cubed
3 tbsp shaoxing red rice wine
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 stalk green onion, sliced for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. In a bowl, marinate red rice wine and pork together for 10 minutes.
2. In a stockpot, heat pork stock to boiling. Add mushrooms, tofu, and fish sauce.
3. In a small frying pan, fry kimchi in its liquid for about five minutes. If you have taken the kimchi from the refrigerator, this step will bring it up to temperature to match the soup.
3. Add the cooked kimchi and marinated pork to the stock liquid. Let boil until the pork is cooked, up to 15 minutes, or longer depending on how tender you want the pork.
4. Serve in bowls and garnish with green onion.
Notes:
For an authentic sour flavor, use kimchi that is more than three months old or add vinegar to the soup. The cut of pork that I use for most of my pork dishes is boneless country pork rib, which is inexpensive and versatile with its high fat content. Mmmm, natural lard.
Cheese Fries (aka Baked Mozzarella Sticks)
I like the term "cheese fries" since the only similarity between these and fries topped with cheese is that they're cut to the size of fries and baked up. I suppose one could always deep fry these, but I lack a deep fryer and enough oil for such an experiment. Trader Joe's and Costco sells uncut mozzarella cheese in 1-lb packages. You can easily freeze the unused portions for later use.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tsp seasoning (optional, see below)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (after removing cheese sticks from the freezer).
1. Slice the cheese so that you have 2" x 1/2" sticks, or thicker if you prefer. Store slices in a resealable bag in a single layer in the freezer and let set up to an hour. This will help the cheese keep its shape when baking and not melt as fast in the oven.
2. In a bowl, combine bread crumbs with salt, pepper, and additional seasoning (see below).
3. Arrange dipping stations in three separate bowls: flour, beaten egg whites, and bread crumbs. Coat a cheese stick with flour, then dip into egg whites, and finally dredge until covered with bread crumbs and seasoning.
4. Place breaded cheese sticks onto a parchment-lined baking tray in a single layer.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tops and edges are golden brown. Serve while cheese is still hot with warmed marinara sauce, fresh salsa, or other complementary sauces.
Seasoning variations:
Cajun seasoning (serve this with fresh salsa)
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tsp seasoning (optional, see below)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (after removing cheese sticks from the freezer).
1. Slice the cheese so that you have 2" x 1/2" sticks, or thicker if you prefer. Store slices in a resealable bag in a single layer in the freezer and let set up to an hour. This will help the cheese keep its shape when baking and not melt as fast in the oven.
2. In a bowl, combine bread crumbs with salt, pepper, and additional seasoning (see below).
3. Arrange dipping stations in three separate bowls: flour, beaten egg whites, and bread crumbs. Coat a cheese stick with flour, then dip into egg whites, and finally dredge until covered with bread crumbs and seasoning.
4. Place breaded cheese sticks onto a parchment-lined baking tray in a single layer.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tops and edges are golden brown. Serve while cheese is still hot with warmed marinara sauce, fresh salsa, or other complementary sauces.
Seasoning variations:
Cajun seasoning (serve this with fresh salsa)
Cajun seasoning mix
I have this jar in my pantry labeled "cajun seasoning mix" that I used to use on chicken, but it is too salty and spicy for me. Hopefully this spice ratio will come out edible.
Ingredients
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
3 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried ground thyme
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch of organic granulated sugar
Mix all in a spice grinder, or crush together. Store in a spice jar.
Use for: burgers, chicken, potato fries, cheese fries, seafood, shellfish
Ingredients
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
3 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp dried ground thyme
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch of organic granulated sugar
Mix all in a spice grinder, or crush together. Store in a spice jar.
Use for: burgers, chicken, potato fries, cheese fries, seafood, shellfish
Egg Salad
The combination of hard boiled eggs, celery, pickle and mayonnaise was getting boring. I decided to kick it up in another direction. Staying with the hard boiled eggs and maybe the pickle and/or mayonnaise, I thought I might see what sorts of "salad" substitutions I could do. This version uses bacon for its salty smoked flavor and green bell peppers for its crunch factor. Although, if you dislike bell peppers, I suppose you could use a neutral-flavored vegetable like Jerusalem artichoke or the standard celery rib. You could probably use jicama which imparts a mildly sweet flavor to most salads; although most egg salad sandwiches are typically savory.
The true test of a good egg salad batch is if it can stand on its own or taste as good when paired in a sandwich, with crackers, or on flat bread.
The basic egg salad recipe is as follows:
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp organic mayonnaise
2 celery ribs, diced
1 dill pickle, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of smoked paprika, for color (optional)
Mix all those ingredients together in a container. The egg yolks emulsify the mayonnaise to make it thicker. The pickle adds some tang, but can be left out or on the side.
Here's an alternate ingredient ratio:
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp organic mayonnaise
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 slices of freshly cooked bacon, drained and diced
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of no-salt tomato-basil-garlic seasoning
Combine all the ingredients and store in a covered container in the fridge so the flavors can mingle a bit more before using or serving with crackers or bread.
The true test of a good egg salad batch is if it can stand on its own or taste as good when paired in a sandwich, with crackers, or on flat bread.
The basic egg salad recipe is as follows:
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp organic mayonnaise
2 celery ribs, diced
1 dill pickle, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of smoked paprika, for color (optional)
Mix all those ingredients together in a container. The egg yolks emulsify the mayonnaise to make it thicker. The pickle adds some tang, but can be left out or on the side.
Here's an alternate ingredient ratio:
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp organic mayonnaise
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 slices of freshly cooked bacon, drained and diced
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of no-salt tomato-basil-garlic seasoning
Combine all the ingredients and store in a covered container in the fridge so the flavors can mingle a bit more before using or serving with crackers or bread.
Dungeness Crab Bisque
Today I attempted to make a consommé from a dungeness crab carcass, which turned out to be an interesting way to make crab stock. I started this recipe with the ingredient ratio from Williams-Sonoma, but found that the bisque was too watery and lacked depth. I later added the other ingredients in the Food Network's crab bisque recipe, minus the whole dungeness crabs which I did not have on hand and made a few adjustments. Also omitted was tarragon, which I neither have fresh nor dried in the pantry.
Using a 5-qt programmable crockpot, I cooked a dungeness crab carcass for the better part of the day; about 6 hours on the "high" setting, and 8 hours on the "low", though I don't think it really cooked for 14 hours. In the crockpot, I also added some Shaoxing red rice wine. Use a strainer to extract just the liquid from the crockpot into a pot large enough to accommodate it and the rest of the bisque ingredients. Unlike all other crab bisque recipes, this one extracts all the crab flavor from one carcass and the meat is from canned crab; though, you could use freshly cooked crab meat if it were in season. At the moment, it is not in season in the Pacific Northwest and live crab prices have gone back up to their off-season norm of about $5/lb. This yielded roughly 3 quarts of crab stock.
Also, note if the canned crab contains added salt. If it does, like the Trader Joe's canned crab, rinse it with water to remove the excess salty water, then strain it before adding to the bisque. This will help to control how much sodium actually gets into the soup.
Ingredients
crab stock (can also substitute chicken or fish stock)
Two 6 oz cans of crab meat
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. sweet marsala wine
One 14.5 oz can of organic diced tomatoes (or 3 whole tomatoes)
2 tbsp organic tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
1 carrot, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf
cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper
Himalayan pink salt
pinch of ground thyme
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Directions
1. Prepare crab stock by simmering a crab carcass with some dry wine (rice wine works well) in a stockpot or crockpot for several hours. Strain to remove shell particulates and other non-liquid items into a clean stockpot.
2. In a small saute pan, melt olive oil and butter together, then add shallots, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over low heat until shallots become translucent. Add to crab stock.
If you have a limited number of cooking pots, you may find this reversed step more optimal for the kitchen instead of starting with these ingredients in the stockpot then adding the strained crab stock to deglaze the pot.
3. Add the heavy cream, bay leaf, marsala wine, lemon juice, and spices (cayenne pepper, thyme, pink salt, freshly ground black pepper. Season to taste.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir the bisque so that the paste dissolves into the stock.
5. Let the stock come to a boil, then simmer for at least an hour. In the last half hour of cooking (before serving), add the canned crab or freshly cooked crab meat (cut into 1" pieces).
6. In batches, pureé in a food prep or blender. In this step, you can strain the bisque so that only the liquid remains, or serve it as is while still warm.
Using a 5-qt programmable crockpot, I cooked a dungeness crab carcass for the better part of the day; about 6 hours on the "high" setting, and 8 hours on the "low", though I don't think it really cooked for 14 hours. In the crockpot, I also added some Shaoxing red rice wine. Use a strainer to extract just the liquid from the crockpot into a pot large enough to accommodate it and the rest of the bisque ingredients. Unlike all other crab bisque recipes, this one extracts all the crab flavor from one carcass and the meat is from canned crab; though, you could use freshly cooked crab meat if it were in season. At the moment, it is not in season in the Pacific Northwest and live crab prices have gone back up to their off-season norm of about $5/lb. This yielded roughly 3 quarts of crab stock.
Also, note if the canned crab contains added salt. If it does, like the Trader Joe's canned crab, rinse it with water to remove the excess salty water, then strain it before adding to the bisque. This will help to control how much sodium actually gets into the soup.
Ingredients
crab stock (can also substitute chicken or fish stock)
Two 6 oz cans of crab meat
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. sweet marsala wine
One 14.5 oz can of organic diced tomatoes (or 3 whole tomatoes)
2 tbsp organic tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced
1 carrot, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf
cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper
Himalayan pink salt
pinch of ground thyme
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Directions
1. Prepare crab stock by simmering a crab carcass with some dry wine (rice wine works well) in a stockpot or crockpot for several hours. Strain to remove shell particulates and other non-liquid items into a clean stockpot.
2. In a small saute pan, melt olive oil and butter together, then add shallots, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over low heat until shallots become translucent. Add to crab stock.
If you have a limited number of cooking pots, you may find this reversed step more optimal for the kitchen instead of starting with these ingredients in the stockpot then adding the strained crab stock to deglaze the pot.
3. Add the heavy cream, bay leaf, marsala wine, lemon juice, and spices (cayenne pepper, thyme, pink salt, freshly ground black pepper. Season to taste.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir the bisque so that the paste dissolves into the stock.
5. Let the stock come to a boil, then simmer for at least an hour. In the last half hour of cooking (before serving), add the canned crab or freshly cooked crab meat (cut into 1" pieces).
6. In batches, pureé in a food prep or blender. In this step, you can strain the bisque so that only the liquid remains, or serve it as is while still warm.
Rye Bread
The one food item that I enjoy when eating out are sandwiches, especially a good pastrami on rye or grilled cheese on rye or a ham and swiss on rye. Of all the different flavors of bread, rye is one that I like for its distinct taste of caraway seeds. And yes, I really enjoy a good soup in a sourdough bread bowl.
Makes one loaf.
Ingredients
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 c. warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp caraway seeds, coarsely ground
1 tbsp caraway seeds, whole
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. rye flour
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (for a softer consistency)
unsalted butter (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, after the dough has risen and doubled in size.
1. Butter an 8" or 9" cake pan, set aside.
2. In a bread machine, combine all ingredients and set to "dough" setting. Depending on the size of your machine, you may have to remove the dough to a larger container to finish proofing. This amount of flour was apparently too much for my Mister Loaf bread machine.
3. The dough was pretty sticky and not all that elastic like what a proper dough should feel like. And, removing it from the bread machine was quite a task. Gently gather and briefly knead the dough on a lightly floured surface after it has risen for 30-45 minutes. Form it into a ball-like object and put it into the buttered pan.
4. Cover it with a plate or bowl and let the dough rise some more as the oven heats up. Score the top of the bread and dot with unsalted butter (optional).
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned.
Makes one loaf.
Ingredients
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 c. warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp caraway seeds, coarsely ground
1 tbsp caraway seeds, whole
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c. rye flour
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (for a softer consistency)
unsalted butter (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, after the dough has risen and doubled in size.
1. Butter an 8" or 9" cake pan, set aside.
2. In a bread machine, combine all ingredients and set to "dough" setting. Depending on the size of your machine, you may have to remove the dough to a larger container to finish proofing. This amount of flour was apparently too much for my Mister Loaf bread machine.
3. The dough was pretty sticky and not all that elastic like what a proper dough should feel like. And, removing it from the bread machine was quite a task. Gently gather and briefly knead the dough on a lightly floured surface after it has risen for 30-45 minutes. Form it into a ball-like object and put it into the buttered pan.
4. Cover it with a plate or bowl and let the dough rise some more as the oven heats up. Score the top of the bread and dot with unsalted butter (optional).
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)