It recently dawned on me that radish greens are perfectly usable. I had always focussed on the bright pink orbs below and removed and composted the greens, but I recently tried eating them and found them quite good: they have a subtle, pleasant taste. Radish greens are best cooked (or pulverised, as here) as they are slightly hairy: use as you would nettles (or spinach).
Now is the season for garlic scapes. As they have a relatively subtle garlic taste I thought they might go well in a pesto, so I used radish greens for bulk and background, with garlic scapes for punchy flavour and pistachios for texture and additional taste.
2 cups packed radish greens
~5 garlic scapes, chopped into ~ 1 inch chunks*
1/4 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios (roasted or raw)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon juice
Wash the radish greens and pack into a blender cup. Add the garlic scapes, pistachios, olive oil, salt and lemon juice. Use a wand blender to blend until smooth and well combined. It should be garlicky, but not overwhelmingly so.
I used this pesto as a base layer on top of pizza (with pumpkin seeds, thinly sliced courgette, black olives, pumpkin seeds, sauteed beet greens, dry tofu and sweetcorn kernels on top) made from frozen balls of dough (defrosted for ~ 2 hours) and the method from this recipe.
Made a good pesto: quite garlicky but that was the whole idea. Worked really well on pizza as baking toned down the taste intensity a little.
*Could substitute a similar quantity of wild garlic. If using regular garlic use much less: it has a far stronger garlicky taste.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Coconut kefir: oven-free rhubarb crumble
This fell together out of convenience, but as soon as it happened I realised it was brilliant: simple, and a perfect combination of delicious things. It is crumble without the oven: chilled for a hot day.
(these quantities probably enough for about 4 servings)
1 quantity (made from 1 lb rhubarb) stewed rhubarb and ginger
1 quantity (made from 1 tin coconut milk) coconut milk kefir
~1 cup granola
Dollop some (warm or chilled) stewed rhubarb in a bowl. Sprinkle with granola: this makes a sort-of crumble. Add some coconut milk kefir for a creamy, yoghurty texture on the side.
All of these items can be made in advance and kept in the fridge (kefir / rhubarb) or pantry (granola) until needed.
(these quantities probably enough for about 4 servings)
1 quantity (made from 1 lb rhubarb) stewed rhubarb and ginger
1 quantity (made from 1 tin coconut milk) coconut milk kefir
~1 cup granola
Dollop some (warm or chilled) stewed rhubarb in a bowl. Sprinkle with granola: this makes a sort-of crumble. Add some coconut milk kefir for a creamy, yoghurty texture on the side.
All of these items can be made in advance and kept in the fridge (kefir / rhubarb) or pantry (granola) until needed.
Coconut kefir: banana, mango and coconut shake
I was excited that my kefir experiment worked (for coconut milk anyway). The coconut kefir is delicious: thick and yoghurty and still very coconutty. I have been eating it on its own, in spoonfuls; also it was wonderful with stewed rhubarb and a little granola (ie an oven-free crumble). This shake / smoothie is really simple but insanely good, especially on a hot day.
1 ripe banana
3/4 cup frozen mango pieces
3/4 cup stirred coconut kefir
Peel the banana and break chunks into a blender. Add frozen mango and coconut kefir. Blend until smooth. Made a thick shake - almost pudding consistency - and enough for small helpings for two people.
1 ripe banana
3/4 cup frozen mango pieces
3/4 cup stirred coconut kefir
Peel the banana and break chunks into a blender. Add frozen mango and coconut kefir. Blend until smooth. Made a thick shake - almost pudding consistency - and enough for small helpings for two people.
Kefir experiment: coconut milk kefir
Introduction:
I got curious about using kefir in non-milk situations - there is such a thing as water kefir, and I read that you can use milk kefir in non dairy milk. That sour-creamy (yoghurty) taste/texture is one of the few non-vegan things I actually miss eating regularly. The discoveries that the So Delicious coconut milk drinking yoghurt (the best non-dairy yoghurt I've found) was originally marketed as kefir, and that A makes kefir using what he calls 'santan' (which seems to be pretty much coconut milk) when he is home in Borneo sealed the deal: experiments are starting now!
Method / Results:
All experiments done in parallel at room temperature, which probably averaged ~23C during this period. I used clean glass jars with the lid left ajar (to avoid any gas build-up / explosions), and put them in the pantry away from direct sunlight.
Day 1: A brought me some milk kefir grains (in milk - he usually uses them in milk) in an old marmalade jar. When I got them home I split them between three glass jars: 1) the original jar, with milk in it; 2) one with a whole tin of full-fat coconut milk in it (I think Chaokoh brand: forgot to note - was a brown tin with coconuts on it); 3) one with about a cup of Almond Breeze almond milk in it. Left them at room temperature. Jar 1 (milk) already tastes sour and yoghurty, although still a bit milky.
Day 2: Jar 1 (milk) is well soured by now. Transferred to fridge. Jar 2 (coconut) is developing an interesting sourness and thickness, also separating a little. Jar 3 (almond) is separating but nothing much is happening to the taste, also the kefir grains don't look very healthy.
Day 3: Jar 2 (coconut) is good: thick, sour, slightly fizzy, separating (goes together when beaten with a fork) - A said all of these features were desirable - transferred to the fridge. Jar 3 (almond) is a loss: it did not sour properly, kefir grains looked bad, eventually mould developed on top and I threw it away.
Day 6: Jars 1 and 2 are currently stored in the fridge. To use the coconut kefir I have been stirring it thoroughly with a fork, then scooping out the quantity I desire to use, being careful to leave the kefir grains in the jar.
Day 8: Removed all the coconut kefir from Jar 1 and transferred it to a fresh jar, leaving the kefir grains behind. Cleaned and dried the jar, then put another tin of coconut milk (Goya brand, no additives, looked a bit like it had separated) into the jar with the kefir grains and put it at room temperature.
Day 9: Coconut kefir starting to smell and taste sour already. Room temperature is pretty high at the moment - approx 28C.
Next phases of the experiment will involve (1) attempting to strain the remaining grains out and (2) transferring them to a fresh quantity of coconut milk to see if I can maintain the culture without dairy milk.
(1) I haven't been bothering with straining: I have just been scooping the kefir out from around the grains / scooping out the grains and pouring off the kefir.
(2) Kept grains in coconut milk in the fridge for 2-3 days. Then transferred them to a clean jar with a new can (Aroy-D brand) coconut milk. The milk soured within 48 hours again (got so fizzy it almost boiled over). I transferred it back to the fridge.
Brands (all tinned, without thickeners added): Goya = $1.75 @ Brigham Circle Stop n Shop, very thin and slightly grainy; Aroy-D = $3.00 for two @ Super 88, very thick before but thin after culturing, Chaokoh = $2.50 for two @ Super 88.
Discussion:
Grains are not really growing while in coconut milk, and they are not all plump and gelatinous-looking like they were when they came out of cow milk. So, while they are efficiently souring coconut milk just now, I imagine this might not work forever. However, A has a constant excess of grains from his cow milk culture at the moment, so I can re-up my culture whenever I want.
The first batch I did thickened up, whereas the second and third batches remained thin. I think this was because of the brand of coconut milk: a second batch using Goya brand and some fresh grains from A was also thin. Seems like the thickness of the kefir mostly depends on the thickness of the coconut milk used. Shake the tin before buying and listen to guess at how thick it is - if it doesn't make much sloshing noise it is likely to be quite thick.
The big advantage of kefir-making over yoghurt-making is that works well at room temperature. I'm curious to try yoghurt culture with tinned coconut milk, as I only ever tried it with soy milk (which didn't work).
Conclusions:
I can make coconut kefir, although perhaps not indefinitely or at lower temperatures. It is still possible I could make kefir with other non-dairy milks, but the results with almond milk suggest that using a pure milk (without thickeners or other added ingredients) may be important. Seems possible to store kefir and grains in the fridge for at least weeks and be able to bring them out anytime and they still work straight away. Fizziness of freshly made kefir seems reduced after a few days in the fridge.
I got curious about using kefir in non-milk situations - there is such a thing as water kefir, and I read that you can use milk kefir in non dairy milk. That sour-creamy (yoghurty) taste/texture is one of the few non-vegan things I actually miss eating regularly. The discoveries that the So Delicious coconut milk drinking yoghurt (the best non-dairy yoghurt I've found) was originally marketed as kefir, and that A makes kefir using what he calls 'santan' (which seems to be pretty much coconut milk) when he is home in Borneo sealed the deal: experiments are starting now!
Method / Results:
All experiments done in parallel at room temperature, which probably averaged ~23C during this period. I used clean glass jars with the lid left ajar (to avoid any gas build-up / explosions), and put them in the pantry away from direct sunlight.
Day 1: A brought me some milk kefir grains (in milk - he usually uses them in milk) in an old marmalade jar. When I got them home I split them between three glass jars: 1) the original jar, with milk in it; 2) one with a whole tin of full-fat coconut milk in it (I think Chaokoh brand: forgot to note - was a brown tin with coconuts on it); 3) one with about a cup of Almond Breeze almond milk in it. Left them at room temperature. Jar 1 (milk) already tastes sour and yoghurty, although still a bit milky.
Day 2: Jar 1 (milk) is well soured by now. Transferred to fridge. Jar 2 (coconut) is developing an interesting sourness and thickness, also separating a little. Jar 3 (almond) is separating but nothing much is happening to the taste, also the kefir grains don't look very healthy.
Day 3: Jar 2 (coconut) is good: thick, sour, slightly fizzy, separating (goes together when beaten with a fork) - A said all of these features were desirable - transferred to the fridge. Jar 3 (almond) is a loss: it did not sour properly, kefir grains looked bad, eventually mould developed on top and I threw it away.
Day 6: Jars 1 and 2 are currently stored in the fridge. To use the coconut kefir I have been stirring it thoroughly with a fork, then scooping out the quantity I desire to use, being careful to leave the kefir grains in the jar.
Day 8: Removed all the coconut kefir from Jar 1 and transferred it to a fresh jar, leaving the kefir grains behind. Cleaned and dried the jar, then put another tin of coconut milk (Goya brand, no additives, looked a bit like it had separated) into the jar with the kefir grains and put it at room temperature.
Day 9: Coconut kefir starting to smell and taste sour already. Room temperature is pretty high at the moment - approx 28C.
Next phases of the experiment will involve (1) attempting to strain the remaining grains out and (2) transferring them to a fresh quantity of coconut milk to see if I can maintain the culture without dairy milk.
(1) I haven't been bothering with straining: I have just been scooping the kefir out from around the grains / scooping out the grains and pouring off the kefir.
(2) Kept grains in coconut milk in the fridge for 2-3 days. Then transferred them to a clean jar with a new can (Aroy-D brand) coconut milk. The milk soured within 48 hours again (got so fizzy it almost boiled over). I transferred it back to the fridge.
Brands (all tinned, without thickeners added): Goya = $1.75 @ Brigham Circle Stop n Shop, very thin and slightly grainy; Aroy-D = $3.00 for two @ Super 88, very thick before but thin after culturing, Chaokoh = $2.50 for two @ Super 88.
Discussion:
Grains are not really growing while in coconut milk, and they are not all plump and gelatinous-looking like they were when they came out of cow milk. So, while they are efficiently souring coconut milk just now, I imagine this might not work forever. However, A has a constant excess of grains from his cow milk culture at the moment, so I can re-up my culture whenever I want.
The first batch I did thickened up, whereas the second and third batches remained thin. I think this was because of the brand of coconut milk: a second batch using Goya brand and some fresh grains from A was also thin. Seems like the thickness of the kefir mostly depends on the thickness of the coconut milk used. Shake the tin before buying and listen to guess at how thick it is - if it doesn't make much sloshing noise it is likely to be quite thick.
The big advantage of kefir-making over yoghurt-making is that works well at room temperature. I'm curious to try yoghurt culture with tinned coconut milk, as I only ever tried it with soy milk (which didn't work).
Conclusions:
I can make coconut kefir, although perhaps not indefinitely or at lower temperatures. It is still possible I could make kefir with other non-dairy milks, but the results with almond milk suggest that using a pure milk (without thickeners or other added ingredients) may be important. Seems possible to store kefir and grains in the fridge for at least weeks and be able to bring them out anytime and they still work straight away. Fizziness of freshly made kefir seems reduced after a few days in the fridge.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Easiest beetroot prep: beetroot and brazil nut salad
Beetroot is so beautiful, so tasty, and even comes as two veg in one: greens plus roots. Here is my usual, simplest way to prep the roots - once they are cooked they peel very easily, and can be thrown in any kind of salad or grain dish. Like the one below.
Beetroot prep
Separate the beetroot from the greens (save the greens for something else). Scrub the beetroot (but don't peel), then put in a small saucepan and fill with water so covered by about an inch. Cover, bring to the boil, and simmer for 20-30 min, until a pointy knife tip goes in easily (ie they are tender). Drain the beetroot, leave to cool and refrigerate until needed.
Beetroot and brazil nut salad
~6 small beetroot, prepped in advance as above
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
salt+pepper
~10 brazil nuts, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
~8 leaves crunchy Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
Peel the beetroot: the peel should just slide off as you rub your fingers along them. Dice the naked beetroot into large chunks. Put mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium serving bowl, then beat together with a fork. Add the diced beetroot and toss, then add the remaining ingredients and toss some more.
Herb combinations can be varied: chives alone, parsley alone, coriander or mint would all be good. the lettuce is optional (although the dressing quantities could be halved if not using). The nuts can also be subbed: walnuts instead, or toasted pumpkin seeds, or nigella seeds.
Beetroot prep
Separate the beetroot from the greens (save the greens for something else). Scrub the beetroot (but don't peel), then put in a small saucepan and fill with water so covered by about an inch. Cover, bring to the boil, and simmer for 20-30 min, until a pointy knife tip goes in easily (ie they are tender). Drain the beetroot, leave to cool and refrigerate until needed.
Beetroot and brazil nut salad
~6 small beetroot, prepped in advance as above
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
salt+pepper
~10 brazil nuts, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
~8 leaves crunchy Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
Peel the beetroot: the peel should just slide off as you rub your fingers along them. Dice the naked beetroot into large chunks. Put mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium serving bowl, then beat together with a fork. Add the diced beetroot and toss, then add the remaining ingredients and toss some more.
Herb combinations can be varied: chives alone, parsley alone, coriander or mint would all be good. the lettuce is optional (although the dressing quantities could be halved if not using). The nuts can also be subbed: walnuts instead, or toasted pumpkin seeds, or nigella seeds.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Dehydrator granola: almond, seed and spice
Another granola variation: the ones I've been making in the oven come out very toasty, which is nice, but I wondered about trying it in the dehydrator. This version is following the same super simple formula as the other granolas I have tried recently, but drying in the dehydrator instead of the oven. Could be good for those sweltering Summer days when turning on the oven seems like the worst idea ever (we're not quite there yet).
3 cups oats
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup toasted flaked almonds
1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut
3 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground linseed
1 tsp mahlab
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp clear honey
3 tbsp refined coconut oil
1 tbsp grape molasses
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp almond milk
Mix the oats, seeds, coconut, ground linseed and spices in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the honey, coconut oil, grape molasses, brown sugar and almond milk until they are well combined and any lumps of sugar are gone. Add the wet stuff to the oat mixture and mix until everything is coated. Transfer the mixture to dehydrator sheets (the ones with no holes; I used two sheets for this quantity). Spread it out evenly and put it in the dehydrator at 115F. Dry for ~20 hours, until completely crunchy, with no remaining softness.
Nicest thing about this version is that it clumps really well. However, it never goes really crunchy and is not very toasty. One thing to try would be toasting the oats/seeds/coconut separately in pan or oven before dehydrating (would kinda defeat the point of granola-making, as it makes it much more complicated). Another would be a higher temperature in the dehydrator - perhaps that's next...
3 cups oats
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup toasted flaked almonds
1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut
3 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground linseed
1 tsp mahlab
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp clear honey
3 tbsp refined coconut oil
1 tbsp grape molasses
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp almond milk
Mix the oats, seeds, coconut, ground linseed and spices in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the honey, coconut oil, grape molasses, brown sugar and almond milk until they are well combined and any lumps of sugar are gone. Add the wet stuff to the oat mixture and mix until everything is coated. Transfer the mixture to dehydrator sheets (the ones with no holes; I used two sheets for this quantity). Spread it out evenly and put it in the dehydrator at 115F. Dry for ~20 hours, until completely crunchy, with no remaining softness.
Nicest thing about this version is that it clumps really well. However, it never goes really crunchy and is not very toasty. One thing to try would be toasting the oats/seeds/coconut separately in pan or oven before dehydrating (would kinda defeat the point of granola-making, as it makes it much more complicated). Another would be a higher temperature in the dehydrator - perhaps that's next...
Roast parsnips and sweet potato with mustard and maple
A simple update of a Delia recipe. With the last of the Spring (ie sweetest) parsnips. The Summer (weekly) CSA has started so I felt the need to empty the fridge out before the green deluge begins...
4 medium parsnips, trimmed and scrubbed
1 large sweet potato, trimmed and scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sumac
salt+pepper
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp olive oil
Heat oven to 450F. Chop the parsnips and sweet potato (leave peel on) into chunky sticks (~2 cm across / 8 cm long). Put the vegetable pieces in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, sumac, salt and pepper. Transfer the veg to a large baking tray (with edges). Put in the oven and roast for 30-40 min, until the vegetables are tender all the way through and lightly browned. Mix 1 tsp olive oil, maple syrup and olive oil, then distribute over the top of the roasted veg. Eat warm or cold.
4 medium parsnips, trimmed and scrubbed
1 large sweet potato, trimmed and scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sumac
salt+pepper
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp olive oil
Heat oven to 450F. Chop the parsnips and sweet potato (leave peel on) into chunky sticks (~2 cm across / 8 cm long). Put the vegetable pieces in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, sumac, salt and pepper. Transfer the veg to a large baking tray (with edges). Put in the oven and roast for 30-40 min, until the vegetables are tender all the way through and lightly browned. Mix 1 tsp olive oil, maple syrup and olive oil, then distribute over the top of the roasted veg. Eat warm or cold.
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