Finding Fresh herbs in the winter

We have had an extremely cold winter, but there have been unseasonably warm periods as well which has led to having more fresh herbs from my garden than normal.
I lose rosemary every year, whether i bring it indoors or leave out and this year, i left it out and have been enjoying it regularly.
I have been turned off by rosemary in the past, mostly because it was presented so that it was an overpowering flavor in foods, many times left as "springs".
I learned to dice it very fine and just add enough to give a hint of the beautiful flavor.
Now to the big surprises:  parsley - never has parsley ever lasted past Thanksgiving, i harvested some yesterday.
chives, really?  They last in bulb form through the harshest of winters, but the green stems still available?  This is amazing, but not as amazing as:
Oregano - again - something that lives through the winter, but it had leaves to pick for Christmas (not now after the latest 2 F cold snap, but still impressive)!
Sage - yes, sage leaves still harvest-able.
Something i never grew before and so was unsure how it would fair, but of the onion family - i still harvest leeks!

I am going back to tend my Navy bean, rosemary country ham soup for tonight!

it is cold outside

And i am doing a Cajun style gumbo.
I do not have access to the dried sassafras leaves that make up the Cajun file used often, but the taste is very on point!

Gumbo - Cajun style

5 Bay leaves

1 tablespoon Sage Leaf

2 cups celery, chopped

2 onions, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 table spoon basil, chopped

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt (add more to taste)

2 cups chicken stock

32 oz of canned whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups okra, chopped

2 cups chicken, diced

1 lb Andouille sausage, sliced

Bacon fat to coat the pot

water to maintain liquid

flour and butter to make roux

begin to sauté the onions with pepper, salt and paprika on medium high heat.

When they become translucent add, garlic, celery, peppers and okra.

Take bay leaves and sage leaves and boil then in a separate pot with water or chicken stock for 5 minutes to extract flavor, strain and add to main pot.

Add all the remaining ingredients and bring the liquid level up to 2 quarts.

Continue simmering for several hours (minimum 2 hours, but more is good!)

Add roux to thicken slightly and serve over rice

Christmas time

Okay i call it this, but call it whatever you want.
I bake this one time of the year and i bake goodies that people rave over.
This is a traditional recipe

Kourambiethes

· 1 pound softened sweet (unsalted) butter (do not clarify for firmer cookies)
· 1/2 cup granulated sugar
· 1 tablespoon Orange zest or candied rinds (reduce sugar by 1/8th cup if you use candied rinds) chopped fine
· 1 tablespoon lemon zest
· 1 & 1/2 cup well chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or a mix)
· 2 teaspoons orange flavor
· 1-teaspoon anise flavor
· 1 tablespoon orange juice or water
· 4+ cups flour (for cookies that are more cake-like (my mother suggestion), use 2½ cups cake flour and 2 cups regular flour – this also required more flour than the original, regular flour recipe to get the correct consistency of the mixture)
· 1 egg
· Powdered sugar

Whip the butter 30 seconds then add sugar and beat till fluffy.
Add egg and continue to whip.
Change to a beater bar (not wire Wisk)
Add zest or rinds, nuts, orange and anise flavor and mix
Add flour and then add water.
Continue to beat until the mixture begins to “ball” into clumps. (Sometimes I need to add more flour)
You may shape the cookie, keep in balls or “squash down”. Your choice.
They should be place with 1/2 inch between.
Roll into balls and place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 350º F. The cookies will be tan and have the edges just brown.
They must cool before removing from tray (but not cold).
Place on tray and cover with powdered sugar.
Eat at room temperature.

in the midst of problems, something really good!

So earlier this week i had a major computer melt down and one of the issues was the backup drive died and took a lot of information with it.
That included all my own recipes...
SO undaunted i went for cooking my pork ribs, inside because outside was just nasty!
My restaurant savvy friend gave me a a greater than 9.5 out of 10, which almost never happens.

Here is my recipe:

Pork Ribs in the oven

(when grilling is not going to work)

dry rub ratios: put on pork for up to 24 hours before cooking

·       4 raw sugar

·       2 apple wood smoked salt

·       2 paprika

·       1 dry chipolte peppers

·       2 dry ginger

·       1 dry minced orange zest

·       1 cumin

·       1 garlic-parsley powder mix

Wet rub (or just buy Lawry's Baja chipolte marinade and add orange juice and sugar)

·       1/2 cup of lime juice

·       1 - 4 oz can of tomato paste

·       2 finely minced chipolte peppers

·       1 teaspoon garlic

·       1/2 minced onion

·       1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar

·       1 cup orange juice

Mix well and then blend until smooth.

This is poured over the pork ribs before cooking.

Cooking:

·       the prepared ribs are placed in a baking pan and wrapped tight with foil

·       initial oven temperature is 220 F for 5 hours

·       raise temperature to 275 for an additional 2 hours

·       uncover, pour off wet marinade and fat into a sauce pan

·       broil ribs for 10 minutes

·        add 2 tablespoons sugar to the sauce

     ·   reduce sauce on the stove top and serve on the side

These are NOT competition ribs as the meat falls of the bone,

but, oh, they are so good!

prejudice

For many years i thought of the concept of a soup or stew as coming from Northern climates,
so they were filled with root vegetables and starches, fatty meats and heavy spices.
Then i was introduced by two neighbors, one who was originally from El Salvador and the other from the Dominican Republic.  Both soups were a variation of the Dominican "San Cocho", but were served in HOT weather and both were absolutely delicious.
Yucca, corn, a variety of meats, sweet potatoes and rice were some of the components and the spicing seemed light.
I would not attempt either, though one used OX tail as the meat and i was familiar with the concept from my mom.
Closed mined no more, i might make a soup on a warm day, but often on a cold one, if for no ther reason than to warm the house from the stove.

something different

a friend is working on a new diet and has this as a breakfast choice.  I liked it, but found the original recipe a bit salty and i wanted to fluff it up a bit:

Spinach breakfast cups

6 oz fresh spinach, chopped fine (or use defrosted, drained frozen spinach)

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 large eggs, whipped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

unsalted butter to grease muffin pans

mix all ingredients together and stir well

Bake 17 to 20 minutes at 400 F until the edges just are brown.

cool and refrigerate

slow cooking brisket

this is an art and each person does it a bit different, but there are basics to know.

The first is what you think is enough, will not be.
Properly cooked brisket is consumed and eaten and sought after.
Temperature is truly important - i prefer to do a 180 to 200 F cooking temperature...the last briskets i did stayed at that temperature for 24 hours and was by far the best i have made.
i put a rub on the brisket for 24 hours before it is cooked.  What is in the rub is really up your tastes buds, BUT you need to insure items that will have the taste you want when they are slow cooked.
I use a blend of salt, sugar, hot pepper, paprika, garlic and black pepper.  This does not reach far into the meat, but gives a bite to it as you sink your teeth into it.
Because this is slow and low, i can use garlic.  If it were a high heat the garlic would add bitterness.  I do not use fruit - i reserve that for pork, chicken and salmon.
The wood that is used is also discretionary and usually has to do with the part of the country you are from.  Remembering this, know that fruit tree can give a sweet smoke, nut trees give a stronger, harsher flavor.  Do not use evergreens!
With my wood smoker, i had trouble maintaining the correct temperature without constant supervision.  I was talked into getting an electronic smoker and the temperature is well controlled.
The heat though MUST be moist.  A tray of liquid between the heat source and the brisket is essential.  I tend to just use water, but others use apple juice, wine and any number of non flammable other liquids
After 12 hours of cooking, you should wrap it so it does not lose moisture.
Save the juices that drip into the pan and make a dipping sauce or a gravy if you wish.
Finally, after it is out, you must let the brisket sit a cool a bit before it is cut.
This is artistry in the cooking world...enjoy!