Lemon and Rose Scented Geranium Pudding

Heavenly...

Lemon Posset (aka pudding) is refreshingly clean, yet slightly rich dessert perfect for warmer days.  The scented geranium is optional but it does add that lovely mysterious flavor that no one can put their finger on.  Most larger nurseries carry scented culinary geraniums.  (And many of you will know by now, if I’m posting using a geranium in the dish, it was a recipe from Ballymaloe Cooking School).

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

400ml (1 3/4 cups) heavy whipping cream

100g (scant 1/2 cup) caster or granulated sugar

5 leaves of rose scented geranium (optional)

50ml (2fl oz) lemon juice

Place the cream, sugar and geranium leaves in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.  Turn down the heat to low and cook for five minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and discard geranium leaves.  Add lemon juice, stirring to fully incorporate.  Pour into 4 small dessert bowls and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

We served these during our friends Teri and Jay’s visit from Orcas Island.  Orcas Island is a stone’s throw from Lopez yet unless you have your own boat getting back and forth on the Ferry takes some time.  Fortunately the ferries that service our islands are a relaxing and social way to commute!

Hot Whiskey Crepes with Raspberries

This quick elegant dessert hits so many flavor points.  It’s hot, tart, citrusy, creamy, and slightly sweet.  Delicious!

serves 2-4

Ingredients:

½ cup all-purpose flour

pinch of fine salt

1 large egg

⅔ cup milk

2 teaspoons peanut oil (or other high-temp oil)

1 ¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons whiskey

1 ¼ cups fresh raspberries

confectioner’s sugar for dusting

creme fraiche

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.  Make a well in the center and crack the egg into the well.  Gradually add the milk and whisk into a smooth batter.

Heat a 9″ non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add a little peanut oil to the pan and carefully wipe most of it out with a paper towel (repeat this step before adding each addition of batter if necessary).   Pour approximately 2 ounces of batter (¼ cup) to the pan and swirl to coat as evenly as possible.  Cook for about 1 minute – the batter will begin to show signs of cooking.  Go ahead, loosen the sides and take a peek!  If the underside is browning slightly, it’s time to turn.  So far my method for this is to loosen the edges, grab the crêpe (and the side of the hot pan), cuss, wrangle the crêpe with the spatula and eventually get it to the other side.  Cook for about a minute more, looking for golden brown patches.  Rustic yet elegant, no?  Oui.  Place each cooked crêpe on a plate and set aside.  There should be 4 unless you’ve dropped one or stuck it to the ceiling with a mighty flip attempt.

Pour orange juice, honey and butter to the pan.  Simmer for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, letting the flavors amalgamate.  Remove from heat and add the whiskey.  Place the pan back on the heat and reduce the temperature to low.

Fold each crêpe in half and then in half again making a triangle.  Place each wedge in the pan with the point meeting in the center (so they all fit and show off your geometric prowess).  Let them simmer in the sauce about 1 minute and then carefully turn them.

Plate the crêpes using a spatula.  Pour some juices over the top and add raspberries, sugar and creme fraiche.

(modified from Ryland Peters & Small)

Fusion Roll

a mixedsoup creation

You can whip this appetizer up before you can say ‘Kanpai!’

makes 24 mini-rolls

8 ounces of cold smoked salmon lox

4 ounces quality cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1/2 teaspoon lemongrass, peeled and finely grated

caviar, tobiko, wasabi paste, sriracha‘ for garnish

If necessary, cut the lox into smaller pieces about 1 1/2 inches wide by 4 inches long or smaller if preferred.  In a bowl combine ginger, lemongrass and cream cheese until completely blended.  You may want the cream cheese to be closer to room temperature for easier blending.  Spread approximately 1 teaspoon of the filling on each lox piece, leaving a small border so the filling doesn’t ooze out when rolled.  Top with a garnish.

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Summer Splash Limoncello – the ‘Quick’ Version

So delightfully fresh, so deceptively strong - Salute!

‘Limoncello-ians’ all have their special spin on how to make the best concoction, but this particular version is comparatively quick and straight forward – still very buonissimo!

(this lemon liqueur takes time to ferment; you’ll need 2 weeks of down time)

Pour eight cups of good vodka into a 16 cup capacity container with tight fitting lid.  Peel the rind from approximately 6 lemons, taking care not to include the white ‘pithy’ part of the fruit (pith is very bitter) – a vegetable peeler may work best.  Once you have peeled 1 cup of rind, plop them into your container of vodka.  Give the container a swirl or two and place the lid on the top.  Keep this mixture out of direct light and in a cool place (basement like – not fridge like).  Do not open the lid during the 2 weeks so the fermentation is faster and more consistent.

Once your 2 weeks are up, remove all the rind and loose bits from the container using a long fork or pigtail (or strain through a cheesecloth).  Make a simple syrup using a 1:1 ratio for a sweet mix or a 1:2 mix for less sweet (our preference).  For a 1:2 mix, pour 3 cups of white granulated sugar into a pot and and add 6 cups of water.  On medium heat dissolve the sugar completely.  Let cool and add the sugar water to your vodka mix.  Stir to combine and chill in the freezer for about an hour.  Serve in small chilled glasses.  Delizioso!

A friendly word of caution: You can quickly go from sipping judiciously while chatting politely to singing ‘That’s Amore’ at the top of your lungs while your hosts drag you to the door.

The Bloody! Bloody Mary Experiment

I thought bacon was cure for all ails…and I’m sure at some point in my adult life I’ve heard that a Bloody Mary is also a cure for what ails ya.  So one would be safe to assume combining bacon with a Bloody Mary could be the magical cure all.  The best Blood Mary has alluded me for some time now.  Anyway, here’s what NOT to do:

serves 2

3 strips of thick sliced bacon, 2 for garnish 1 for snacking

5 beefsteak tomatoes, halved and seeded

1 jalapeno

2  1/4″inch slices of sweet yellow onion

4″ piece of cucumber, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 12ounce can of tomato juice

Do not bother to preheat your oven to 400° or mess with the rest of this process, BUT you may be able to prevent making the same mistakes.

Lay bacon on sheet pan and bake in oven for about 12 minutes or until crisp.  Meanwhile chop the peeled and seeded cucumber and place it in a pitcher or blender with the lemon juice.  If using a pitcher, use a hand mixer to macerate the cucumber into a fine pulp.

Remove cooked bacon and drain on paper towels.  Place the tomato halves, jalapeno and onion on the sheet pan with bacon drippings.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove cooked vegetables and let cool.  Remove the tomato skins and discard.  Place the tomatoes, onion, and 1 tablespoon of the jalapeno in the pitcher or blender and mix until no more mixing can be done.  Add 12 ounces of tomato juice and blend well.  Cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Serve in chilled, iced glasses.  Garnish with a lemon wedge and bacon.

The sad part was this wasn’t much more interesting than a spicy V8 mix.  It was a little more complex in flavors, but unfortunately not different enough to really justify the time and mess. We vote thumbs down on this one  –  SO, if anyone has a really great Bloody Mary recipe (even w/o bacon 😉  )  please let us know!!