pantry

Jan

24

Aiden’s Midnight Fig Jam

family recipes  Posted by / 2 comments

Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner are teaming up to inspire families everywhere to roll up their sleeves and get cooking together. Starting today, people can join in the Frigidaire Kids’ Cooking Academy ( www.maketimeforchange.com) to get great recipes, how-to videos and tips, all designed to help involve kids in the kitchen.

My kid-friendly recipe is one for a fig jam I made this summer with my grandchildren on a hot night when we couldn’t sleep for the heat.  It was tons of fun making it and I love the idea that every or every post submitted, Foodbuzz and Frigidaire will donate $50 to Save the Children.

******************************************************************************************************

It’s 12:45 a.m after one of the hottest days of summer.  It was 105 degrees!

The grandkids who are visiting for this week can’t sleep, house is too hot and my a/c wall unit is icing over.  What to do, what to do?  In the fridge was a massive bowl of the past two days harvest of figs from our tree just begging me to do something with but it’s been too darned hot.  I took an almost midnight shower and came out to two small children that were hot, grumpy, tired and in need of something, anything to do to get them to relax enough to sleep.  I went to the fridge, saw that big bowl of figs and remembered the jam I had been intending to make.  “Who wants to have a midnight jam session?” I asked the kids.  “We do!”

I had had an idea in mind on how to make my jam, an older recipe that called for cinnamon, lemon rind, fresh figs and sugar but whenever the kids help me cook, things change.  I really like letting them improvise and find their way around my kitchen.  We discuss flavors and ideas all the time.  They’ve been cooking with me since before I started Dona Lupe’s so I’ve learned to trust them the way they trust in me.

Insomniac grandkids

Aiden took charge of this jam session.  He just turned five on Friday the 20th and was in a very assertive mood.  He handed me a bottle of caraway seed and said, “Grammy use this, it almost smells like figs.”  Into the simmering cinnamon and water it went.  What the heck, how bad could it be?  I searched for lemons but we were out and being midnight by now, we were out of luck with a store.  David suggested the rice vinegar in the pantry for a little acidity and it made sense to me so I added it.  This was so not the jam I had planned on but as we all took turns chopping figs and adding them to the pot, the kitchen was starting to smell amazing.

Chop, chop, chop

Once the figs were all in the pot, Aiden handed me a jar.  Surprised, I looked down at a square box of chili powder from the Indian store I frequent in Los Feliz.  “Put some of that in Grammy” he said seriously.  I nodded and added about two tablespoons, stirred it in with crossed fingers and tasted.  Oh. My. God.  That was some amazing jam!  Things happen in midnight jam sessions, things you’d never expect but surprisingly sweet and good.

Jam!

We’re going on 1:00 a.m. now and the kids are drifting off to sleep while Aiden’s Midnight Fig Jam is slowly simmering on the stove.  When he wakes tomorrow there will be toast smeared with his jam and the day, however hot it turns out to be will keep that spicy sweetness.

Aiden’s Midnight Fig Jam

5 lbs of fresh figs, washed, trimmed and chopped roughly
3 c. Sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 c. of water
Pinch caraway seeds
4 tablespoons of rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of dark red chili powder

Set a large pot with the water and cinnamon stick to boil, then bring to a slow simmer.

Trim off the points and ends of the figs and rough chop them.  Add the caraway seeds to the simmering cinnamon water, the sugar and rice vinegar.  Stir until well blended.

Add the chopped figs, the chili powder and stir slowly.  Let simmer for two hours till well thickened, stirring frequently so the sugar doesn’t burn and stick to the bottom of your pot.

Remove the cinnamon stick, let cool and store in Mason jars using proper canning techniques.

Best cooked at midnight to the strains of Luciano Pavaroti (you know we had to listen to Figaro), Lauryn Hill and Trio Los Panchos.  Insomniac grandchildren optional.

Oct

11

What To Do with Fresh Pumpkins

baked goods / desserts  Posted by / 0 comments
SDC12110

October brings many things and is also a month of memory for me.  My grandmother Lupe for whom this blog is in honor of was born in October so this month always makes me think of her.  It is also the time in Los Angeles, when pumpkins make their way into the markets for Halloween.  More and more I see the heirloom ones, all knobby and in a beautiful array of colors popping up everywhere.  I love the Cinderella pumpkins for all their squished beauty and wish I had had one as a child to dream about turning it into a magic coach to take me to the ball.  The one’s I gravitate most to in the stores though are the big regular Halloween pumpkins.

When I go to the market with the grandkids, they see jack-o-lanterns and I see pies, pasta, ravioli filling, grilled pumpkin in salads, soups, empanadas, muffins, and more.  The season is brutally short though.  I can never find a single pumpkin past Halloween and I wonder where they go.  Solution:  buy them all at once!

As money allows, I tend to buy up as many big pumpkins as I can and fill the freezer.  There are a TON of recipes on the internet for things to do with pumpkin and it just makes sense to me to put up a little money upfront and a lot of work in order to have pumpkin in my pantry and freezer all year round.  Why buy canned when you can preserve your own?  It’s economical and it makes sense, especially if you love to cook.

My favorite thing to do with pumpkin is make empanadas.  The filling is simple and delicious.  I’m sure there are many different ways to do it, but this is mine.

Cinnamon-Steamed Pumpkin for Empanadas

1 large pumpkin
Water
2 cinnamon sticks

In a large stock pot with a steamer basket, add just enough water to come below the steamer basket.  Add the cinnamon sticks and turn on the heat to low.  Add chunks of un-peeled pumpkin to the steamer basket and cover.

Depending on how big your chunks are (I tend to cut the pumpkin into quarters because it’s easier) the steaming can take anywhere from 20 minutes if you have small bits to a few hours with the big pieces.

Keep adding water as it evaporates – that’s important.  You want to keep the cinnamon steam going.

Steam until the pumpkin flesh is translucent and soft.

Once it cools you can just scoop along the rind with a spoon and get all the pulp into a large mixing bowl.


Pumpkin Empanada filling

Not measured, everything is to taste for me with this.

Pumpkin pulp
Sugar – to taste
Cinnamon – to taste
Dash Ginger
Dash Mace

Mash the pumpkin pulp until is is smooth.  Add sugar, powdered cinnamon, ginger and mace to taste.

That’s it!  Simple, delicious and it fills the empanadas nicely.  You want to be sure to strain it though and not get the residual juice into your empanadas or they will be soggy.  I use the juice for liquados or put it into cakes, etc.  It freezes nicely too.

Sep

11

Fig, Citrus & Lemon Verbena Marmalade

Preserves  Posted by / 3 comments

Photo courtesy of the lovely and gracious Darlene Chan who is the best person you’ll ever want to have on your side.

My little fig tree in the backyard has been so generous.  I’ve made jam, a tart, pudding, candy, dried some, given away tons and still have more figs every day.  The jam I made with the grandkids  was such a success (and gone so quickly) that I have been planning on making more for a few days but hadn’t gotten around to it.

One of my Twitter amigas and an amazing cook, Maura Hernandez blogged an amazing recipe for her Mermelada de Higos, a spicy version that had me drooling. That got me thinking about marmalade which I adore and I started wondering what it would be like to merge with my figs.  I had some fresh Meyer lemons and a few tangerines in the house, so I thought, “Why not?”  Scanning the pantry I was annoyed I was out of cardamon which I thought would give depth to the marmalade.  I did find orange flower water and the lemon verbena that we recently planted has been flourishing so I adjusted the recipe compiling in my head.

The recipe came together easily and perfumed the house with an almost flowery citrusy scent.  The resulting marmalade is figgy, slightly bitter from the citrus and flowery.  Completely delicious and oh so good on the warm bread I baked.  The citrusy notes of tangerine, lemon and the verbena give it an almost summery, light taste.  I can see making tons of this to eat on those bleak, grey days when the taste of summer will be so welcome.

5 pounds of chopped, fresh figs
3 Meyer lemons, thinly sliced
3 tangerines, thinly sliced
10 lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped
2 cups of water
3 cups of sugar
1 tablespoon orange flower water
Dash cinnamon

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, then lower the flame to it’s lowest setting.  Add the figs, Meyer lemon and tangerine slices, cinnamon, orange flower water, 1/2 the verbena and sugar.

Let simmer and cook down for about four hours, stirring occasionally.  In the last hour, add the second half of the lemon verbena.  All the water should be cooked down and you should have a thick, rich marmalade.  If still too watery, let simmer another hour or so until it cooks down.

Serve with yummy homemade bread.

Makes 3 Mason jars full.

Buen provecho!

Sep

05

Alegrias, a Traditional Mexican Treat

Aztec Herbs / desserts  Posted by / 5 comments

Amaranth

Amaranth or amaranto in Spanish is an ancient grain.  For the Aztec/Mexica people, it was a staple along with corn and beans.  Some amaranth species are considered to have a 30% higher protein value than cereals like rice, wheat flour and oats.

This nutritious food was actually outlawed by the Spanish during the conquest of Mexico so I take great pleasure in eating it just on principle.  Don’t get me started on the Conquista…but the people were absolutely forbidden to cultivate it or consume it.  It is reported to contain between 75% and 87% of total human nutritional requirements!  The Mexica were so cognizant of its high nutritional value that The Mendocino Codez indicates that over 4,000 tons of it arrived every year in the captial city of Tenochitlan.

The grain isn’t the only good part of the Amaranth plant.  The leaves are spinach-like and absolutely delicious.  In Ancient Mexico, they were often a part of tamales and still are to this day in certain parts of Mexico.  I use them in tamales, salads, cook them like spinach and have even used them in a quiche, that’s how versatile they are.

I find whole amaranth stalks at Mexican markets, the grain I find in the bulk section at Whole Foods Market.  I’m also working on growing it in raised beds for next summer.  We moved into the Camellia house too late to start a summer garden, but I’m determined to have a full veggie/herb garden by next year.

Amaranth is an essential part of my pantry and I’m always looking for new ways to cook it.  I make sure to always feed it to the grandkids when they are here just so they get that high nutritional content.  I mean seriously this grain is a POWERHOUSE.  It has protein, vitamins like A, B, C, B1, B2, B3, minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron.  It has a high amino acid content as well.

Dating back from Aztec times is the ubiquitous (in Mexico) Alegria candy.  Alegria means happiness and I know these Rice Krispy-like treats make us happy here at home.  The ingredients are simple and it’s fun to make.  Toasted amaranth grain, pecans, piloncillo, lemon juice and water.  Thats all it takes to make a candy that is pleasing and fun for the kids, economical and packed with nutrition.  It beats the heck out of Rice Krispy treats that are packed with sugar and lacking in nutrition.  Oh and one more thing for my gluten-free friends, amaranth is absolutely lacking in gluten!

Alegrias

3 c. toasted amaranth grains
2 lbs, piloncillo (Mexican cane sugar cones)
4 cups of water
Juice of two lemons
Chopped pecans

Toast the amaranth grains in a heavy skillet on a medium flame until they pop.  They pop like popcorn so I recommend using a bacon grease screen.  You want them very lightly toasted, don’t let it burn.  Pour into a large heat-resistant bowl or a big pot.

In a saucepan bring the water to a boil and add in the piloncillo cones and lemon juice.  Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened enough to where a little ball forms if you drip a bit of the syrup into a glass of water.   When that happens, stir a bit more then remove from the heat.

Carefully pour the hot syrup over the amaranth grain and stir it in slowly, making sure it’s completely mixed through.  Add in the chopped pecans and mix well.  I use a wooden spoon and mix it quickly as it cools fast.

Scoop into a square cake pan (in Mexico there are special squares made of wood for it) and smooth it from side to side.  Use a rolling pin with no handles or a bottle to roll across and press down to make sure it’s packed tight and even.

Cut into squares with a wet knife and let cool.  You’ll have to wet the knife after each cut to prevent sticking.  Once the alegrias are cooled, serve just like a puffed rice treat.  My grandkids love eating them with a big glass of cold milk.

Buen provecho!

*Photo by Kurt Stueber licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License.

Aug

13

Isis’ Impromptu Tea Party

parties  Posted by / 1 comments

Lavender & Mint Tea Cakes

Isis is here.  Isis Lucia is my son Phillip’s four year old daughter and she lives in San Diego with her mom.  I rarely get to see her but last night Phillip brought her over to spend the weekend so we’re pretty excited.  What I wasn’t prepared for was the LLANTO.  Llanto is Spanish for a whole lotta crying.  Isis can cry at the drop of a hat.  Phillip is great with her, but boy can she cry.

Don't let this happy face fool you, she can beat Niobe at crying.

This afternoon while we were waiting for Jasmine and Aiden to arrive and hopefully distract Isis from crying she dissolved into tears again.  Phillip was pulling out all the stops to get her to quit but nothing was working.  So Grammy (me), nursing a bad migraine opened my big mouth and said, “Isis want to make cake?”  Instant smile.

Isis surveys her new domain from lofty heights

I scanned my pantry and couldn’t find what I needed to make cake but I did find one Duncan Hines box of white cake mix left behind by an old roommate.  Bingo.  Isis and I whipped up a boxed cake which I doctored with a little bourbon vanilla and buttermilk.  I rummaged in the fridge and found butter as well as a lemon.  Yay!  Buttercream in the making.  I whipped together butter and confectioners sugar with Isis wide eyed and happy wondering what I was doing.  I explained about buttercream while adding just a bit of buttermilk to make it extra creamy.  I showed her how to zest a lemon and that a little vanilla makes everything taste just a bit better.  She helped me squeeze lemon juice and add it to the buttercream, then tasted it and nodded approvingly. I think Grammy made points today.

They didn't want tea but grape soda went well

The cake was in the oven and the lemon buttercream in the fridge when she started crying again.  My head throbbed.  Phillip looked desperate.  I IM’d Marissa to please hurry over with the cousins and got the reply back OMW.  The tears were still going and I scanned the yard looking, thinking and saw the little pink and white plastic table.  “Isis want to throw a tea party for your cousins?”  Crying stopped, she looks up and asks, “tea party?”  I nod carefully, trying not to cause ripples in the migraine.  “Si!” she chirps.

So now I have a tea party to pull out of um…somewhere.

Jasmine and Isis comadreando at the tea party

I take the now done cake out of the oven cut it into petit four type rectangles, top it with a blob of lemon buttercream, decorate with lavender and mint from the garden, set the table quickly, find grape soda and some straws and just before she hits the internal Cry button one more time, Jasmine and Aiden walk in the door with presents for their cousin.  Tea party success!  Everyone enjoyed it and even Ozzy got a slice of cake (well he ate the buttercream right off it, Ozzy is a sucker for butter even when I pollute it with lemon).

Let him eat cake!

It’s been two hours and still no llanto.  She’s too distracted with cousins, jumping on the bed, the trampoline, running with the dog and Jasmine who is the social director of the cousins.  Thank God.  Fingers crossed, hope it lasts.

Even the big boys come to our tea parties