Creamy Wild Rice Soup

I recently picked up from my local library a cookbook written by my cooking idol, Heidi Swanson, entitled Super Natural Cooking. Heidi, who also writes on her food blog, 101cookbooks.com, is a writer and photographer based in San Francisco. Her food is focused on natural, whole ingredients and brings interesting twists like using unique grains such as teff and amaranth, as well as incorporating great flavor in simple ways, like lemon zest or harissa.

Super Natural Cooking is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever encountered. Her photos are incredible, the recipes are delicious, and the information provided makes this cookbook an essential addition to anyone's cooking library. That being said, I fully intend to purchase and covet this book, as well as anxiously anticipate her second book. In addition, I have the intention (and I'm not kidding) to try everything in her book, and will post a few along the way as I do.

This particular recipe caught my eye because it brings together two things I really enjoy: wild rice and thai flavors. I have some locally harvested wild rice I've been wanting to use for some time, and love the twist that Heidi has brought to it through this recipe. Using coconut milk in place of heavy cream, and creating vibrant color with red curry paste and turmeric, she turns this otherwise ordinary soup into something really delicious.

Enjoy!

Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Sweet Potato Croutons

Serves 4 to 6

2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil (olive oil is a fine substitute)

1 1/2 tsp red curry paste

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 c wild rice, rinsed

4 c water

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Sea salt

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp natural cane sugar

1 tbsp soy or shoyu sauce

1 14-oz can coconut milk

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Heat 1 tbsp of clarified butter in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat, then add curry pasted, garlic, shallot, and onion and saute for 3 or 4 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir to ensure the curry paste is evenly distributed.

Stir in the wild rice and 3 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cook, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice starts to soften and split (taste it to ensure it is done).

While the rice is cooking, prepare the sweet potato croutons. Warm the remaining clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the cubed potatoes and a few pinches of salt. Toss to coat the potatoes, then cook a few minutes longer, until they start to brown on the bottom. Toss them again to brown the other side, then continue tossing ever few minutes to ensure universal color and crispiness. If the pan dries out, feel free to add more butter or oil. When the sweet potatoes are cooked through and crunchy, season to tasted with salt, then scoop them onto a paper towel.

Once the wild rice is tender, stir in the turmeric, sugar, soy sauce, coconut milk, the remaining 1 cup water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir, returning to a simmer, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls, scooping from the bottom of the pot to ensure each person gets plenty of rice, and top with a generous sprinkling of sweet potato croutons.

From Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson (2007), page 60-61.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I bought Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll a few years ago after reading about her in Animal Vegetable Miracle. The idea of being able to make my own fresh mozzarella, chevre, and maybe even an aged cheddar sounded so delightful and exciting that I had to give it a try. But of course, as life would have it, I've read the book but never made anything to this point.

This morning, my husband Chris and I were talking about what to have for dinner, and he mentioned that he had a craving for lasagna. Well, you don't have to twist my arm to get me to make lasagna. However, when he mentioned it I started thinking back to Ricki's book and how a few months ago I had bought citric acid from my co-op thinking I would make ricotta for lasagna sometime. Given that my day was not all that busy, I decided it was high time I made cheese. After my morning cross-train (as a part of my marathon training), I went to my co-op to pick up my regular groceries, but also left with the only other ingredient I needed for my ricotta: whole milk.

Along with my belief that the best ingredients make the best food, choosing high quality milk makes good cheese. I chose to purchase organic whole milk from Crystal Ball Farms in Osceola, Wisconsin, which is about 30 minutes away from where I live. (I buy their skim milk for daily consumption and it is great.) I recommend splurging in high quality, local, organic milk if possible. It will be worth it!

I dissolved 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid (available at most natural food stores, in the bulk section) in 1/8 cup cool water and then mixed that in with the whole milk in a large stainless steel pot. I heated it at a medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. The time it took for the curd to separate from the whey took a long time - almost one hour. The curd slowly started to form as the milk started to turn a yellowish color; it was amazing to watch these delicate pieces of curd swirl around in the milk as I stirred. I got a bit nervous when the separation began but the whey still looked milky, even though the directions specifically said it should not. Nonetheless, my thermometer said I had heated it enough and the amount of curd seemed to have stop increasing. So I turned the stove off and let the curd sit in the pot, undisturbed, for 10 minutes (10 minutes which I spent praying to the cooking gods that I had not screwed this up). Then I carefully ladled the curds into a colander lined with two layers of cheesecloth, which was placed inside a bowl to catch any extra whey that came along with each scoop. Then I gathered up the sides of the cheesecloth and pinned it to my banana tree which was sitting in the sink, allowing the curd to drain for about 20 minutes.

After letting it drain, I tasted the cheese, albeit nervously. It was a little drier than standard ricotta (which can be modified by adding a little cream, if you like) but it tasted like cheese! I actually danced in my kitchen, I was so excited at this accomplishment; it was as if I had crossed a new culinary threshold. After basking in the glow of my achievement and tasting a few more bites, I mixed it with the egg, spices, and a bit of Parmesan cheese that would be added to my lasagna. As I assembled my lasagna, I realized that I was capable of making or growing everything that went into the dish. To feel that connection to your food is an amazing and satisfying feeling!

Now normally this would be the part where I print the recipe, but because I followed the recipe exactly as the book instructed, I cannot print it here (my other recipes are ones I develop or modify, which makes posting them okay). I hope I am not disappointing my readers!

Instead, I hope I have encouraged you to try cheesemaking in your own kitchen. Ricki's book is amazing and will really help you jump-start your own cheesemaking. You can order her book, cheesemaking supplies, and get more information at her website: www.cheesemaking.com.

Happy eating!

Potato Pea Curry

I love cooking Indian food. I love the colors, the flavors, and the way it makes my kitchen smell when I am cooking it.

This time of year, I am looking to use my collection of potatoes and onions I've been cellaring for a while. They're showing their age, if you will, and need to be used in something. My kitchen lacking much else when I made the decision to compile something out of these ingredients, I immediately went to my spice cabinet and started digging around. (If you need inspiration for food, start in your spice cabinet - it can bring some great ideas to life.) I found a bag of curry powder I bought in bulk last fall, and thought, "yes, curry!" And so the dish begins.

This dish is a mash up of several curry dishes I've made over the years, and actually doesn't contain curry powder, but instead is made up of some of the spices which make up curry powder. The nice thing about dishes like this is that you can modify them quite a bit based on what you have in your kitchen. As I mentioned before, I didn't have much to work with so what is below is a pretty basic, but extremely delicious. You could make additions or modifications to the recipe, for example:

• Add three diced fresh tomatoes (or a 28-oz can of diced tomatoes) when you add the broth
• Add 3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
• Increase the amount of red pepper flakes for added heat
• Add sweet potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower instead of just potatoes (but keep the amounts about the same or you'll need more liquid and spices)
• Add a can of chickpeas when you add the broth for added protein
• If you're feeling adventurous, add some paneer cheese for a delicious protein alternative

I serve this dish atop hot basmati or jasmine rice, then sprinkled with raisins (currants work great too) and either cashews, slivered almonds, or peanuts. If you're looking for a way to cool it down, try adding a chutney or a raita. Accompany with a glass of white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc, and you have an awesome meal. Best of all, this is a dish that gets better as it sits, so feel free to make a lot to last through the week.

Enjoy!

Potato Pea Curry

Makes about 4 servings

3 cups red-skinned potatoes (yukons or russets work fine too), cut into a 1/2-inch dice

1/4 c olive oil or clarified butter

2 large onions, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced finely

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger*

2 1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

3 cups veggie broth

1/2 tbsp salt

2 cups fresh or frozen peas (if frozen, thaw them out first)

1 tbsp brown sugar

Rinse the potatoes until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil or butter. Add the onions and saute until soft. Add the potatoes and saute for another 5 to 8 minutes, until they are slightly browned. Add the garlic & ginger, and cook just long enough to release their aromas. Remove from heat (but don't turn off the burner).

Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Return to the stove and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, for 12 minutes (stirring constantly will prevent the spices from burning on the bottom of the pan). Add broth and salt.

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer until peas are heated through.

*A few tips on ginger: buy a large piece of ginger and store it in your freezer. When you need it, simply pull it out of the freezer and grate it with a hand grater. A hand grater is also great for getting a "minced" garlic without all the chopping; just peel the cloves and grate them right over the pot!

Roasted Root Vegetable Pasties

Pasties are a Northwoods Wisconsin/Upper Peninsula of Michigan thing. The "a" is pronounced the same way as apple, so as to not be confused with a women's accessory by a similar name. A pasty is basically a pie crust pouch surrounding a combination of carrots, ground or chopped meat, potatoes, rutabaga, and onions. Growing up, they had very little flavor and usually required a lot of ketchup to mask the blandness of the filling.

I love them because they're a great winter comfort food, as they remind me of my childhood (and I love ketchup). Plus, they are really easy to make, freeze well, and can be made using local ingredients that are actually available this time of year. However, the filling needs some help, so that is what I am looking to do with this recipe.

I am making a vegetarian version, as I have recently made the decision to convert back to vegetarianism. I started by collecting the root vegetables in my house, which turned out to be local carrots, beautiful red-skinned potatoes with pink centers, a rutabaga, and one small sweet potato. (Note: you can use any root vegetables you might have available, such as turnips or parsnips, as well). I chopped them all, added spices, and roasted the veggies to enhance the flavor. While the veggies were roasting, I started on the crust.

Pie crust is an art form, so I hear. I have been making this pie crust since I was in elementary school, so it is almost second nature to me. If you've never made your own, I recommend trying this recipe before you go out and buy pre-made crust. It is easier than you might think! For this particular recipe, I added rosemary that I ground into a powdered form with a mortar and pestle to give it a more savory flavor.

After packing the rosemary crust with veggies, sealing it off, and baking in the oven to crisp the crust, you get a beautiful golden brown pasty that tastes delicious with a glass of chardonnay (and a little ketchup).

Enjoy!

Roasted Root Vegetable Pasties
Makes 6 pasties

For the filling:

4 medium potatoes
1 medium rutabaga
1 medium sweet potato
3 carrots
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

For the crust:

2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp rosemary, ground fine
2/3 c shortening*
4-5 tbsp ice water (put water in a bowl and add ice cubes)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine root vegetables in a large bowl toss with spices and olive oil. Spread vegetable mixture onto a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. When the vegetables are done, reduce the head to 350 degrees F. Allow the vegetables to cool a bit before preparing the pasties.

While vegetables are roasting, prepare the crust. Combine flour, salt, and rosemary in a medium bowl. Add the shortening and combine with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture is the consistency of cornmeal. Sprinkle with 4 tbsp ice water and combine. Sprinkle with additional water, if needed, combining with your hands until the dough comes together. Add this additional water carefully - no more than 1 tbsp at a time - to ensure the dough does not become too wet. Cut the crust into 6 equal pieces.

Flour an open surface. Take one piece of crust and roll into a circle, dusting with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking (flipping the dough over between rolls helps prevent sticking as well). Take a scoop of vegetables and place on one half of the circle. Fold the crust over the vegetables. Fold the underside edge of the dough over the top and press with your finger to seal. Pierce the top of the pasty with a knife in a few places to allow any air to escape. Set on a cookie sheet. Repeat the above steps with the other pieces of dough.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If you are freezing some of these, freeze individually before consolidating into a bag or container.

*When choosing a shortening, look for non-hydrogenated all-vegetable shortening. If it is made of palm oil, look for an indication on the package that the palm is sustainable harvested.

Green Eggs

Today I went to my friend Katelin's house for a puppy play date with her dogs and mine and to chat about the goings-on with Buy Local Thrive Local. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we played with the dogs outside for a while, at one point taking a walk to the chicken coop to see the chickens. Bailey and Pinot, my two dogs, had never seen chickens before and found them very intriguing. So intriguing in fact that when Katelin and I went into the coop, Bailey darted in front of us and started chasing the chickens! Luckily there were no chicken injuries - just a few ruffled feathers - and I quickly escorted Bailey out of the coop. In the chicken roosts were five beautiful eggs - four a light chocolate brown and one that was a beautiful shade of light green. I never thought I would consider eggs to be beautiful, but these truly were. Katelin was nice enough to send them home with me and now they sit in my fridge. All I need to do now is to decide how to prepare them to fully appreciate them, something I find to be quite a daunting task.

I love being connected with food in this way; to see the beautiful golden-black hen that laid the seafoam green egg or watch a tomato go from seed to vine to table. To know that you witnessed or were a direct part of the process that created what you are eating. And to know that by doing so you are more connected with the Earth and with yourself.

Homemade Pretzels

This blog is not just about eating local foods, but also making foods that you might otherwise buy. This way of cooking is not only economical, it's also healthier for you, as you are avoiding any weird chemicals and additives that go into prepared food. Instead, you know exactly what you're taking in, and that is a great feeling! Plus, there is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread, the taste of homemade pasta, or the zest of a homemade salad dressing.

This week, I made homemade pretzels. My husband and I love snacking on them, and they'd be a great addition to any Super Bowl party. The great thing about this recipe is you can make the pretzels look however you want. You can do the classic twist, the pretzel rod, or the pretzel bite, which is what I chose to do. They're easy to pop in your mouth and are a great one-dip-only option at parties.

After having my breadmaker do the work for me for about an hour and a half, I rolled out the dough and cut it into short sticks, brushed with a little beaten egg, and sprinkled with kosher salt. These little guys cooked up puffy and golden brown in just fifteen minutes. A first bite revealed a crunchy, salty outside with a soft, warm center; just the way a pretzel should be. I recommend serving them shortly after baking. If you don't, warm them in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

Try serving these with a spicy mustard or a homemade dip at your next party or just much on them whenever you like as a healthy snack. Enjoy!

Homemade Pretzels

Makes about 3 dozen

2 c whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

7/8 c water

2 tbsp coarse (Kosher) salt

1 egg, slightly beaten*

Measure all ingredients into your bread maker's bread pan, except the egg and coarse salt. Use the dough cycle on your bread maker and run the full cycle (mine is about 1 1/2 hours).

Once the dough is ready, remove the dough from the pan and place on a floured work surface. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out pieces of the dough into ropes. Form into a pretzel twist, leave as sticks, or cut into shorter pieces (or opt for any other shape you can think of). Place on a greased cookie sheet (non-stick mat works great, too). Brush each with a little of the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and puffy.

*I never use a whole beaten egg for one recipe, so I freeze the leftover egg in a small container. Whenever I make the pretzels, I take the container out of the fridge when I start the dough cycle, and it is thawed by the time I am ready to use it.

Moroccan Root Vegetable Stew with Chickpeas

I feel the need to start off this post with an apology for my absence over the last month or so. With hosting my family for the holidays and dealing with the stifling reality that local food is very hard to find around here, I found myself lacking the time or inspiration to get a new recipe under my belt.

That being said, I have - for the umpteenth time this winter - accepted the fact that root vegetables must be my friend. But how much can one really do with potatoes, onions, and rutabagas? That is where the need for spices and delicious extras come into play. The recipe today is my variation of a recipe that I found online. The online recipe contains chicken and, with my stronger desire to go back to a more vegetarian lifestyle, I have modified the recipe to contain chickpeas instead. (Should you decide to use chicken, the original recipe calls for about 12 ounces, cut into pieces and browned in the pan before beginning the rest of the recipe.)

This root vegetable stew is relatively versatile in terms of ingredients. I used sweet potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, and potatoes, but you could also add turnips and parsnips (included in the original recipe, but unavailable at my local co-op), so long as the amount adds up the same. Also, I opt to not peel my potatoes, instead just giving them a good scrub under hot water. Potato skins, both of the sweet potato and regular potatoes, are really good for you and when cooked this way, will be unnoticeable.

The end result is a deliciously warm stew spiced perfectly with the curry, cumin, and cinnamon. These warm spices add so much and make this type of dish my favorite kind of comfort food. Served over whole wheat couscous and sprinkled with cashews, this was the perfect way to end the weekend. Plus, it makes enough to last well into the week. Enjoy!

Moroccan Root Vegetable Stew with Chickpeas

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups 1/2-inch pieces red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)

2 cups 1/2-inch pieces potatoes (yukon, russet, or red are fine)

2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots

1 cup 1/2-inch pieces peeled rutabaga

2 cups canned low-salt veggie broth or bouillon

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed (or about 1 1/2 c of re-hydrated chickpeas)

1 can drained canned diced tomatoes

Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion to pot and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add curry powder, cumin and cinnamon stick and stir 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes, rutabaga, broth and raisins. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chickpeas, stir to combine. Simmer until flavors blend and everything is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Serve over prepared couscous or quinoa.