Donut Army

As has been  mentioned elsewhere, okra is, for me, an acquired taste. So far, I have tended to the recipes that rather disguise its main characteristics -- smother it in Indian spices, simmer it in sauces, etc. This recipe puts the mild flavor of okra at the forefront of the dish and really asks you to enjoy the crisp snap of a freshly cooked okra pod. Very nice! All for Okra and Okra for All NPR: Kitchen Window 1 quart water 1 c cider vinegar 1 lb okra pods, trimmed 4 T vegetable oil 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced Combine the water, vinegar, and okra in a large bowl. Soak okra for one hour. Drain and pat the okra dry. Using a sharp knife, cut the okra lengthwise into thin strips. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the onion is soft and golden. Stir in the ga...

A small, subtle twist on a classic! Garam Masala Oatmeal Raisin Cookies NPR: Kitchen Window 1 1/2 c quick-cooking oats 1 1/2 c flour 1 1/2 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp coarse salt 1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 c sugar 1/2 c dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 c golden raisins Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookies sheets. Combine the oats, flour, garam masala, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars on medium until thoroughly mixed and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in raisins. Scoop dough onto cookie sheets (about 1 T per cookie). Flatten slightly. Bake until golden, 12-14 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

I brought this to a family potluck. Those with strong sweet-tooths found it odd, but those who tended to more adult, less-sugary, desserts found it compelling. Definitely, what I brought to the gathering had too much balsamic vinegar in it -- I have recommended cutting the amount in half (as is reflected below). I also think I might re-make the dish with a higher quality balsamic than I had used.  All in all, a very interesting dish with a unique set of flavors. Basil Blackberry Crumble Barbara Kingsolver - A Year in Food Filling: 2-3 apples, chopped 2 pints blackberries 1 T balsamic vinegar (the original recipe calls for 2 T; I would reduce) 1 handful basil, chopped 1/4 c honey, or more, depending on berries Topping: 5 T flour 3 T brown sugar 1 stick butter, cold Preheat oven to 400. Combine the filling ingredients in an ovenproof casserole dish. Mix and set aside.  Cut butter into flour and sugar. Then, rub with your fingers to m...

The basil is really doing well this year, which allows me to whip up many variations of pesto. Here is one that involves an extra step of bruising the basil leaves. The science is that this releases the oils from the basil -- the reality is that this does indeed taste richer than a pesto made without this step! Bruised Pesto Cook's Illustrated 1/4 c pine nuts, toasted 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled 2 c basil leaves, packed 2 T parsley 7 T olive oil salt 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, finely grated pepper Toast the nuts in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Toast just until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add garlic to the empty skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and the color deepens - about 7 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly. Then peel and chop. Place basil and parsley in a ziploc bag and pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until all leaves are bruised. T...

  Every year, there are a few things in my CSA box that make me wonder why I joined up with a farm in the first place. One of these is okra.  I wasn't raised on the stuff. I've had plenty of poorly-prepared, slimy okra. And I'm only learning new ways to cook it that I find enjoyable.  This is apparently one of the latest ways. I roasted up the entire pound or so of okra that was in this week's box, set aside half for the other half. But, when he was late to dinner, I ate his share. Shhhh - don't tell! Highly recommended! Roasted Okra From the Johnson's Backyard Garden newsletter Okra Olive oil Various spices - I used cayenne and cumin Trim okra on both ends. Place in an ovenproof dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and spices of your choice.  I went with a combination of spicy and savory. A more Mediterranean mix might work well, too. Roast at 450 for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your okra pods. Roast u...

Wow - this recipe changed my whole experience with a dish I've been eating for decades. What a slight, subtle change in the flavor, just by using pistachios instead of pine nuts or other nuts commonly used in pesto. I also really enjoyed the crunchiness of whole pistachios added to the final dish. Plus, the technique of adding warm water to the processed basil is one I will definitely apply to all future pesto dishes in my life. Highly recommended! Pistachio Pesto Cooking Light 2 c basil 1/4 c pistachio nut (shelled), roasted and divided 1 1/2 T olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated (1 oz) 1 c grape tomatoes, halved 3/4 c pasta water 8 oz fusilli, uncooked Toast pistachios in a hot skillet. Cook pasta according to directions. When draining, reserve 3/4 c cooking water. Combine basil, 3 T pistachios, oil, salt and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a...