Chef Daniel Angerer's Blog

CONSERVING LOCAL BERRY TREASURES - the blog

(crunchy romaine with preserved strawberries, paby beets, Spring carrots, and super sweet tomatoes)

Strawberries and rhubarb are two hot items at the local farmer’s market right now. Greens such as kale, spring onions, baby beets and tiny radishes are looking good too, and are mild in flavor.  Often, seeing the bounty and beauty of these fruits and vegetables encourages me to buy way too much because I want to enjoy it all. This combined with an occasional basketful of goods from the local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) literally has our home refrigerator overflowing. My spouse and I are cool with a busy home cooking schedule but we tend to go on short weekend trips a few hours away from the city so all that beautiful goodness is not at the peak of its freshness when we get home. Needless to say, it’s paradoxical to buy local veggies to have them wilt away in the refrigerator. So in order to limit waste I was considering bringing it along but I don’t want to haul so much stuff and bother the fellow next to us on the train or bus.  So I considered making fresh juices, or frozen fruits in Zip-loc style bags for a daily morning smoothie, or perhaps pickle some of it or make some seasonal jellies.  The latter seemed to me the most appealing at the moment.

(juicy, ripe farmers market strawberries) 

When you make jelly you can preserve fruits at their peak of ripeness, and lock in their sweet flavor, berries in particular!  Jelly can be stored neatly in jars in the refrigerator.   I love to pop open such goodies late at night for a snack with yoghurt on a cracker or rice cake and they’re certainly a treat when eaten for breakfast with wholesome toast. They can be made sweet or savory. Think of strawberries with a touch of balsamic, or with a touch of natural sweetener such as maple syrup and if you want to be adventures add a few leaves of fresh basil. Rhubarb (which has a short growing season) makes a great jelly.  Add a touch of honey with some freshly chopped ginger for some heat -- makes a good combo and is a terrific way of making the tart stalks enjoyable.  I can’t wait for local cherries, which I like to poach in a bit of agave syrup with a small amount of lemon-thyme - unreal for the taste buds. And of course blueberries with fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon and any of the mentioned sweeteners will make your palate tingle.

(fresh blueberries with a touch maple butter)

Recipes?
Recipes are pointless really.  The most important thing is buying berries at their peak of ripeness – so taste them first. Most of the farmers at the market happily let you do that.  Make sure you rinse the berries with water. De-stem and/or remove leaves and pits before adding a sweetener, which is one teaspoon per cup of fruit usually. In case you get your hands on some rhubarb cut it into ½-inch long pieces. Put the fruits individually into a saucepot and add the sweetener and condiments except the herbs. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer it on a low heat setting for 20 minutes. The idea is to heat the fruits gently not to boil them. Add any fresh herbs the last five minutes of the cooking process to preserve their subtle flavor. Fill into clean jars if you don’t have jelly jars a cereal bowl or large cup will do. Cool the stewed fruit on the kitchen counter for 20 minutes then transfer them into the refrigerator and cover with a lid. Berries cooked this way have a refrigerated shelf life of a week. Jarred jelly has been making a nice travel companion for the weekend away as it fits snuggly into our tote bag and does not bother my neighbor on the train. Hmm I think that may have been a recipe after all?


(strawberries with a touch of balsamic, black cracked pepper and honey)

(breakfast spreads, rhubarb & ginger, strawberries & basil, blueberries & mint)

 

Chef’s note: the home stewed jellies make a nice gift.

 

EARLY ZUCCHINI - the blog

We’ve had a pretty cool April and May in the North East. A few days ago at a farmer’s market I was surprised to see zucchini flowers attached to the smallest zucchini I had seen yet. It’s too early in the season for Zucchini flowers, they usually start appearing in June. When I tried one of those pretty fellows I tasted a faint vegetal sweetness, which is rather unusual since zucchini naturally have a light bitterness to them. Inspired by the mild flavor I brought some home to prepare for Mother’s Day but first let’s talk a bit about flowering zucchini.


Vegetable or fruit?
Being the swollen ovary of the zucchini flowers and containing seeds, zucchini are fruit botanically, though most of us see it and treat it as a vegetable.

The zucchini flower part is beautiful with its sun like intensive yellow-orange hued leaves. Dipped into a light batter and deep-fried they make a delicious airy tempura appetizer. Fried zucchini flowers make a short appearance on many restaurants menus especially Italian themed restaurants when they’re available.  Heinz Beck is a master in preparing zucchini flowers – he is a chef who cooks in Rome in a restaurant called La Pergola which is a magnificent must visit address if you’re visiting this ancient city. I think he must have similar memories from when we cooked in Europe side-by-side in a restaurant named Residenz Heinz Winkler, which had these flowers on the menu whenever they were available.

I have written about my dislike of zucchini before because of its somewhat mushy-seedy texture when cooked too long. The simple solution for my taste is not even cooking them at all especially when they’re adorned with a beautiful, pretty zucchini flower.

The following recipe includes raw zucchini. Zucchini carry a lot of water naturally so they need an assertive dressing with a good amount of lime juice.

Zucchini Salad
(recipe yields four entrée sized portions)

1 pound zucchini
10 ounces of naturally peppery salad such as watercress and/or arugula
3 limes, juiced
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper mill grindings, to taste
1 teaspoon natural sweetener such as honey or agave2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.     Rinse zucchini with water and cut ends off
2.     Cut zucchini with a vegetable slicer such as a Mandolin into matchstick like strips. Cut the strips across into small cubes. If you don’t have a Mandolin cut zucchini into small pieces.


3.     Rinse the salad with water and dry in a salad spinner or kitchen paper towel.
4.     In a small mixing bowl combine lime juice, salt, fresh pepper and sweetener and whisk vigorously with a wire whisk then add oil.
5.     Toss salad and zucchini.

Chef’s Tip: Rub the salad bowl with a garlic clove cut in half for a garlicky scent in the salad.

(raw zucchini & fennel salad with citrus vinaigrette)

Are zucchini good for you?
Zucchini have antioxidant benefits and are an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C and also contain a fair amount of vitamin A. For a ½ gram fat per cup of zucchini they add a lot of bulk and volume in a dish especially if prepared raw. Zucchini are a relative to cucumbers and have similar hygroscopic properties meaning it replenishes the water level in your body. 

 

MILLET - the blog

Millet
Most millet is grown in India and Africa as it is draught resistant and grows with much better yields than other grains. Millet is a grass plant -- it grows a spike on top that carries the small seeded edible pearls. It is the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world and millions of people in Asia and Africa depend on millet as their most important source of calories and proteins. Here in the states millet has not really come “in fashion” yet though you’re most likely familiar with it in breads or if you’re a bird pet owner since it is a popular ingredient in bird feed. 

 
(millet salad with romain, arugula, tomatoes and citrus vinaigrette) 

Ancient Grain
Millet is an ancient grain. Geological remains of cereal bowls with millet and drawings have been found in China dating back BC showing its presence.
You might have heard of sorghum, which is a kind of millet and is popular in India. The seeds can be ground into flour and used in baking bread, cereals, cakes etc. For the gluten free folks, millet is a welcome choice since it is a wheat free grain.

Millet cooking
If you’re bored of eating too much oatmeal at breakfast millet is an excellent alternative. I often enjoy millet porridge with a touch of honey, fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast. I like the versatility of millet and have used it in bread baking for its great texture. Steamed millet tossed in salads with chopped farmer’s market vegetables makes a nice summer salad. Cooking millet like a corn pudding can be a delicious treat.  I remember my mother’s cast-iron cooked millet cakes that were crusty on the outside and had a rice pudding like texture inside.

(different cooking methots for cooking miller steamed, blanched, cooked stiring frequently) 

Crunchy Millet Cakes
(recipe for four cakes) 
2 cups mixed berries such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup millet
2 cups water1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil such as canola or grape seed
honey to taste 

1.     Rinse berries with water. Cut large berries into mouth-sized pieces. In a bowl combine honey and berries. Store berry mixture until further use in a refrigerator.
2.     Combine millet, water and salt in a 2-quart sized pot and bring to boil on high heat setting.
3.     Switch heat setting to low and cover the pot with a lid and cook for 25 minutes.


4.     Move the cooked millet to the side of the stove and let it sit for 10 minutes.  
5.     Add the egg yolk to the cooked millet and mix with a plastic spatula.
6.     Spread millet mixture ½-inch thick onto a greased sheet pan and cool for 25 minutes.
7.     With a knife cut cooled millet into four equal sized pieces.
8.     Heat a skillet on medium heat setting and heat the vegetable oil.
9.     With a spatula transfer the millet cakes into the skillet and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side.
10. Add butter to the millet cakes and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. At this point the cakes should be golden-brown in color and have a crusty outside.
11. Serve cakes in small bowls and spoon the marinated berries over it. Serve right away.

Chef’s Note: No worries if you break the millet cakes partially during the cooking process they’re still delicious.

Nutrients
Millet is comparable to wheat and maize in protein content. It is high in minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium and particularly high in calcium.  It is also rich in B vitamins especially niacin, B6 and folic acid.

 

PISTACHIOS ARE HERE - the blog

(peeled pistachios) 

Pistachio nuts have been on my mind for a while now. I have been munching away on roasted, salted pistachios right out of the shell, and they’re equally good with a sip of beer or a glass of wine – I have sampled with both!  Using pistachios in my cooking for many years now I think they’re worthy of a comeback.

(Spring salad with fiddlehead ferns, baby kale, pistachios and pretzel croutons)
 

Pistachio nuts in recipes
I discovered pistachios when I was little. My mother made unforgettable Mortadella sandwiches, which are Italian cold cut spiked with pistachios. Later on, bedazzling dishes such as a roasted beet & goat cheese salad showered with shelled and quickly toasted pistachios were menu winners in my restaurant.  A sophisticated version of cod encrusted with crushed pistachios received much fanfare at a recent dinner party. The richness and flavor of the nut complimented the rather plane tasting fish perfectly.  Don’t forget their significant place on the dessert menu – you can be certain to see glistening green pistachios on top of chocolate dessert and a classy pastel shaded pistachio ice cream makes a refined flavor and color match next to strawberry and vanilla ice cream.  Lately, I am a sucker for a house-made pistachio milk available in a store in my neighborhood – it acts like a magnet on me.  The other day they ran out of that green awesomeness and I became testy with the guy behind the counter – I know it’s just food but I can’t help it I love that pistachio milk – sorry man!

I don’t think I’m the only one liking the little green devils that much, anyway the marketing board that took on pomegranate juice aka Pomi took on pistachios to get them fashionable again so it’s more than likely a matter of time before they land in front of you.
I love the following recipe because it shows how pistachios can add a sophisticated touch to a dish.

Sweet Potato Soup with Pistachios
(recipe yields four portions)
1.5 pounds sweet potatoes (same sized)
32 ounces chicken broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 small jalapeno pepper
3 ounces pistachios, toasted in skillet
1 tablespoon, flat-leaf parsley, chopped 

1.      Rinse sweet potatoes with water and place on an ovenproof dish.  Bake sweet potatoes in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1.5 hours or until soft when pierced with a knife.
2.      Peel sweet potatoes.
3.      In a pot combine chicken broth, sea salt, cayenne and sweet potatoes then bring to boil.
4.      Blend mixture in a kitchen processor.
5.      Cut jalapeno into small rings and remove seeds and white inner jalapeno walls.
6.      Poor soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley, jalapeno rings and pistachio nuts.

(sweet potato soup with pistachios)  

Nutrients 
Besides the good looks pistachios are a good source of vitamin B6 and Beta-carotene and fiber. Like many other nuts pistachios may affect cardiac health adversely so muncher beware.