Pickled Carrots and Radishes [Secret Recipe Club]

My life has been busy!  I work at a college, and students didn't leave campus until last week.  I got a cold.  My daughter had her 6th birthday party.  My CSA started up.  And I had to prepare for this month's Secret Recipe Club.  Luckily, the last two events overlapped.  :-)  I was assigned to secretly choose something  from Joanna's blog, Cairn's Manor, and out of sheer luck I had bookmarked this recipe for Pickled Carrots and Radishes, even before I knew I was getting two big bunches of radishes from my CSA.  I also had planned on making an Asian-marinated flank steak for dinner last week, so I knew it was kismet.  I made a couple of small changes to Joanna's recipe, but nothing major.  My family loved the flavors together, and my daughter even asked for a big portion of it on the side to eat.  I know I'll be making this again and again (especially since I get a ton of radishes every spring and never know quite what to do with them)!

On a side note, I feel a special kinship to Joanna since she and I share a love story around fettuccine alfredo.  Back in February, she actually cooked one of my favorite dishes my husband makes for me and featured it on her blog.  I guess fettuccine alfredo makes the world go round.  :-)

Pickled Carrots and Radishes
Adapted from Cairn's Manor
Makes 1 Pint

3 carrots, peeled and grated
2 bunches red radishes, grated
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 + 1/8 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup warm water
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Place the carrots, radishes, and cilantro in a small bowl and mix with the salt and let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Place in a colander and squeeze all of the liquid out that you can.  Fill a pint jar or other sealable container with the vegetables, layering with the cilantro as you go.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and warm water until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the vinegar and red pepper flakes.  Pour over the vegetables until completely covered.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before eating.  The pickled veggies should last about a month in the refrigerator.

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[Guest Post] Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style

Our last guest blogger is Joyce from Friends Drift Inn.  I haven't known Joyce for long, but I think everyone who knows her would agree that she's quite a spitfire and knows her way around the kitchen, both her own (in her barn!) and of chefs around the state.  She hosts a regular column in the Appalachian News Express and has been published in several regional magazines.  She also loves bourbon, like a true Kentucky gal!  Joyce is going to share a winter quinoa salad made with Kentucky (yes, Kentucky) soy sauce.  Thanks, Joyce!

**********

When Mindy sent out the S.O.S. for guest bloggers, I was quick to respond.  Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew.  Some exciting developments at Friends Drift Inn Farm-to-Table have had me so distracted that I almost forgot my hat!  [Giggles]  Mindy, hope this post is better late than never!

As a farmer, I am always intrigued by heirloom vegetables and grains.  Where did they come from?  How did they survive into modern times?  What can we do to preserve their unique genetic markers in the purest way possible?

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is one of the most ancient of grains.  Actually, it’s not a grain at all being more closely related to beets and spinach by family ties.  My cousin Jennie introduced me to the “exotic” offering last year.  Because it is grown in a remote area, the genetic material is believed to be very pure.  Your "vote," by purchasing quinoa, can keep this remarkable "super grain" in our contemporary lexicon and hopefully into the next generation.

Quinoa was revered by the Incas as “The Mother Grain.”  In modern times it is treasured by those pursuing a gluten-free lifestyle.  The taste is similar to a rice or couscous.  The mild flavor lends itself to palate pairings from around the globe.  In the summer I favor a quinoa salad with tomatoes and a Mediterranean-style presentation.  In the depths of winter when the only tomatoes available are grown in greenhouses, I change up the menu adding depth and dimension with Soy Sauce and Asian-inspired dishes. 

Quinoa is found on my grocery shelves here in remote Appalachia, so I assume you can find it anywhere.  In our stores, it most often is found in the gluten-free section.  I use a processed Quinoa which does not require a pre-soak to remove the bitter saponin seed coat.  Read the cooking directions on your product to be clear on pre-soaking instructions. 

Quinoa Salad Recipe Kentucky Style
Friends Drift Inn

1 cup quinoa
2 cups stock (I use chicken)
1 cucumber peeled and finely chopped
¼ cup of mint leaves finely chopped plus some left intact for garnish
¼ cup of toasted almonds
1 teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup of Bourbon Barrel Foods Soy Sauce

Method
In a heavy saucepan, add quinoa and stock.  Bring up to a rolling boil.  Reduce to simmer and cover with lid.  Cook about 15-20 minutes until liquid has been absorbed.  The “grain” will look like little “C’s” as it expands.

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a cute salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss.  I generally let this stand overnight for best flavors.  Garnish with mint leaves.  I serve this on our appetizer table quite frequently.  Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike enjoy the unique texture and taste. 

Photo courtesy of the guest blogger.

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Baked Spiced Chickpeas [Secret Recipe Club]

This is my third month as part of the Secret Recipe Club, and I love it!  I've met new food bloggers and have been challenged to make new food.  This month was a challenge, but a fun one!  I was assigned Gretchen's blog Veggie Grettie.  A Certified Nutrition Specialist, Gretchen has been vegan for years because of health issues and also cooks gluten free because of her daughter's allergies.  Because my family is neither vegan nor gluten free, I thought that choosing a recipe that we'd like was going to be difficult, but it turns out that choosing a recipe was difficult because there were so many great ones to choose from!

I finally settled on her Baked Spiced Chickpeas Snack.  My family loves chickpeas, and I've seen recipes like this floating around and have made several mental notes to try one.  This one is great because it's sweet and spicy and salty all rolled into a crispy chickpea.  What's not to love?!

Baked Spiced Chickpeas
Adapted from Veggie Grettie

2 cups (or one can) cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 Tbl olive oil
3 Tbl spice mixture (below)

Spice Mixture:
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

To make the spice mixture:
Mix all spice mixture ingredients well and place in an airtight container.

To make the chickpeas:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chickpeas.  Place the chickpeas on two layers of paper towels and then top with a third.  Rub the top layer of paper towels over the chickpeas gently to dry.  Remove the paper towel and discard any skins that have become loose.  Let air dry for a few minutes.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the oil.  Mix until the chickpeas are well coated.  Add three tablespoons of the spice mixture and mix well.  Place the chickpeas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer.  Place in the oven and bake 40-60 minutes until the chickpeas are golden brown and crispy all the way through. 

Eat immediately once they've cooled.  These do not remain crispy if stored in a container.

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Flourless Chocolate Cake [Gluten Free]

Last weekend we had some friends over for dinner. One of them suffers from Celiac disease, which wasn't a problem since I have several recipes in my repertoire that don't include wheat products, but I was stumped about dessert. A long time ago I baked a Chocolate Valentino that was delicious, but after a long week and a busy Saturday morning, it was a little more work than I was prepared for. I asked around on Facebook, and heard back from several people with suggestions, but my favorite was another flourless chocolate cake that required only six ingredients that I already had on hand. Bingo!

To make a long story short, I ended up having to go to the grocery store for more ingredients anyway because my curious daughter flipped the cake onto the ground while trying to sneak a peak, but it was for the best because the cake didn't want to come out of the pan. I adjusted the baking method the second time around, and voilà, a perfect flourless chocolate cake! I served this with an orange whipped cream and some sliced strawberries. For the orange whipped cream, follow the directions for my mandarin whipped cream, but use oranges instead!

This is a very flat and dense cake, but it is delicious. If you have a smaller springform pan, go ahead and use it--it will make the cake taller, but if not, no worries; it still turns out great!

Flourless Chocolate Cake [Gluten Free]
Serves 8-10
Adapted from AllRecipes


4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli brand.)
1 stick of unsalted butter
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a springform pan. Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and grease it as well. "Flour" the pan with cocoa powder, tapping out all of the excess powder when done.

In a heat-proof bowl, combine the chocolate chips and butter. Place over a pot of simmering water (making sure that the water does not touch the bowl). Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter is completely melted.

Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Check to make sure the mixture is warm, but not hot. If it's still hot, let it cool slightly. Once the mixture is warm, add the eggs and mix until combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 30-35 minutes or until the edges come away from the side of the pan slightly and the center is no longer jiggly. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then remove the side of the springform pan. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, remove the cake from the bottom of the pan carefully onto a serving dish if you wish.

Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and serve with orange whipped cream and berries.

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