Labneh Cheesecake

"I hope you won't take this the wrong way," said Mom as she ate her piece of birthday cheesecake, "but this reminds me of Sara Lee." 

 

I didn't take it the wrong way; I had been thinking that myself. I used to love a Sara Lee cheesecake as a kid, when it was a rare treat. Mine is better of course; a little less sweet and gummy and we could ladle on the strawberry sauce ad lib.

 

I used my own homemade graham crackers for the crumbs to keep them lower carb (I'm now only using 2 tablespoons each of the Sucanat and honey; it's fine) but you will need to make them a day ahead in that case. I was also feeling reckless and decided not to pre-bake the crust. Other than a couple of pieces I should have ground finer floating up, it worked just fine - the crust was a bit softer than it would have been otherwise, but I quite liked that. It added to the Sara Lee effect.

If you can't get labneh, it's cheese, but cheese that is yogurt strained until it is too thick to stir easily. Be sure to use a good quality yogurt with no gelatine, gums, powdered milk, or other muckings about in it. One with a bit of fat to it will be a good choice. Still, for cheesecake, this hits a magic spot between relative restraint and rich creamy goodness. You will need about twice as much yogurt to make the cheese, i.e. for 450 grams labneh you will need 900 grams yogurt.

 

I forgot to grease the sides of the tin and probably baked the cake about 5 minutes too long, hence the cracking. Next time I might pour some water into the lower baking pan too. But with the sauce covering it up, nobody really noticed the cracks.

 

8 to 12 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time 

NOT including making the graham crackers OR labneh

 

 

 

Make the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter 

 

Crush the crackers to smooth crumbs, then mix in the melted butter. Line a 9" spring-form pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides. Press the graham crumbs firmly and evenly into the pan. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the Filling & Bake:

450 grams labneh (yogurt cheese)

the finely grated zest of 1/2 large lemon

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey

4 large eggs

1/4 cup potato starch

 

Put the labneh in a mixing bowl, and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well. Whisk in the honey, then the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the potato starch. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. 

Place the pan on a baking tray (springform pans have been known to leak) and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until just set. Let cool completely before serving.

Make the Sauce:

3 cups (frozen) strawberries OR blueberries

1 tablespoon arrowroot OR cornstarch

3 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

 

Put the thawed or at least semi-thawed berries in a pot and mix in the starch and sugar well before turning on the heat. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened. Let cool before serving with the cheesecake. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Clementine & Pear Salad with Cranberries & Almonds.

Side-Dish Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls are a bit fiddly to put together, but there is something delightful about receiving your food in a neat little package. It's a present! Usually they are the main course, and contain meat or at least some kind of substantial protein or grain, but I thought I would do something a little different, and make them a vegetable side-dish. I have to say, I really loved them! 

 

The fiddly-ness is mostly chopping vegetables, and once you've made enough cabbage rolls to have the stem-shaving down, they are really quite quick and straightforward to put together. All the work also happens at the front end, so you have lots of time to work on the rest of dinner while these are in the oven. Mind you, I think something relatively simple is a good plan for serving with these - chops, steak, plain baked chicken (thighs could go in at the same time as the cabbage rolls), broiled fish, grilled tofu - they are going to be agreeable with a lot of different things. 

The dill pickle brine and paprika make these piquant, and I have to say the sour cream or yogurt really finished them - I don't know that I would describe it as optional. I didn't actually use a turnip, as I had a kohlrabi in the fridge that won't last as long. You could use some rutabaga or celery instead if you preferred. You could make them more substantial with about a cup of cooked rice, quinoa, or other grain added, but in that case you will need a few more cabbage leaves and should be prepared to apply the pickle brine and tomato sauce with a slightly heavier hand.

 

3 to 4 servings

1 hour 45 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

 

6 to 8 large whole Savoy cabbage leaves

1 medium carrot

1 medium-small turnip (or similar)

1 medium onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste, possibly salt

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 cup dill pickle brine

3/4 to 1 cup tomato sauce

thick yogurt OR sour cream to serve

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Carefully remove outer leaves in good condition from a large cabbage. Shave the stems down to as close to the thickness of the rest of the leaf as you can. Once the water boils and you have your leaves ready, blanch them in batches until just softened, then rinse them in cold water to stop them cooking any further. Drain well. This can be done up to a day ahead. 

Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and grate the turnip. Peel and chop the onion. Clean and chop the mushrooms. Peel and mince the garlic. Other than the garlic, this too can be done up to a day ahead. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a shallow baking (lasagne) pan which will hold the cabbage rolls snugly. (Should be 1.5 litre/quart, or 8" x 10"). 

Put the oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the prepared vegetables and cook until softened and reduced in volume by half. Stir frequently. Season with pepper, savory, and paprika when close to done. You may wish to add a little salt, but it will depend on how salty the dill pickle brine is. 

Remove the vegetables from the heat, and allow them to cool enough to handle. Divide them amongst the prepared cabbage leaves, rolling them up and placing them in the oiled pan. Pour the dill pickle brine and tomato sauce over them evenly, and bake for 1 hour. Check them half way through the cooking time, and if they look like they are drying out, cover them with some foil. 

Best served with a dollop of thick yogurt or sour cream. 

Last year at this time I made Buck-"Meat" Balls (or Patties).

Quick-Braised Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion and Mustard Gravy

As the photo shows, I cooked 3 chops, but this is a highly scalable recipe. Feel free to use plain or smoked pork chops. Ham steak would work very well here too. Best served with a mountain of mashed potatoes (or Clapshot would be excellent) to soak up all the delicious gravy. A perfect antidote to winter blues. 

Mustard becomes very mild with cooking, so you may wish to add some more at the end, or just pass the bottle at the table for people to add their own.

 

4 servings

1 hour 30 minutes prep time

 

4 medium (1 kg; 2 pounds) pork chops 

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 medium onions

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme OR tarragon

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons wheat OR barley flour

1 tablespoon bacon fat OR mild vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups ham OR chicken stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional

 

Rub the pork chops with the vinegar then the mustard, and lay them on a plate. Let them marinate for about an hour. 

 

Peel and cut the onions in half, then slice them in half-moons. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat, and cook the onions gently for about 40 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until greatly reduced in volume and golden-brown. Remove them to a plate. 

 

While the onions cook, peel and mince the garlic and put it in a small bowl with the other seasonings except the extra mustard, and with the flour. 

 

Wipe out the pan, add the bacon fat, and cook the chops over medium-high heat until lightly browned on each side; about 3 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan. Add the bowl of seasonings to the pan and cook for a minute, mixing well, until there are no specks of white flour left. Slowly stir in about 1/4 of the stock, working out any lumps. Keep adding stock and stirring until it is all in and you have a smooth sauce; lower the heat if necessary. Add the pork chops, working them down into the gravy. Divide the onions evenly over the tops of the chops. Simmer steadily for 15 minutes, shaking the pan gently occasionally to make sure they are not sticking. 

Let rest 5 minutes and serve with the gravy, or remove them from the pan to rest and stir a bit more mustard into the gravy, which should be poured over the chops when they are served. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Sweet Potato Biscuits.

Jota - Slovakian Bean & Sauerkraut Stew

It's the end of the year, so it's the end of the year lucky bean dish. This traditional Slovakian dish usually has a variety of smoked pork products added to it, but I didn't happen to have any and wanted to keep it a little lighter. It's still a pretty substantial meal. I did use some bacon fat, but some kind of vegetable oil is all it needs to be vegetarian. If you want to use some meat, cut it in chunks (unless it's on the bone) and cook it with the beans once the water has been changed. 

I have to say though, my end of the year lucky bean dishes are not doing the trick. I would be happier to see the end of 2021 if I thought 2022 would be any better; I think it's going to take more than beans though. Here's to good luck to us all...

 

4 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time 

NOT including cooking the beans

 

1 cup dried borlotti or pinto beans

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium onions

1 medium carrot

2 or 3 medium potatoes

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoons bacon fat OR mild vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

1/4 to 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1/3 cup tomato sauce

2 cups sauerkraut

1 tablespoon vinegar (optional)

Cover the dry beans generously with water, then bring them to a boil and boil one minute. Remove them from the heat, cover them, and let them soak for 2 hours to overnight. Drain them and add enough water to them to cover by about an inch. Add the salt. Simmer until tender, stirring regulary; about an hour. Or, cook them in an Instant Pot for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to release naturally. This can be done up to a day ahead. 

Peel and dice the onions. Peel and grate or dice the carrot. Wash, trim, peel if you like, and cut the potatoes into chunks. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the fat or oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and carrots, stirring regularly, until softened and slightly reduced. Add the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, and Aleppo pepper and mix in well. Add the cooked beans with their cooking liquid, and the tomato sauce, and mix well. Mix in 1/2 of the sauerkraut. Add the potatoes when they are ready. Simmer the beans for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture is thick and well-amalgamated. Keeping in mind that there is a little more sauerkraut to be added, taste and decide if you want it a little more sour, in which case add a spoonful of vinegar.

Once the beans have been added, put the potatoes in a separate pot and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil and boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain them and add them to the stew. 

Add the final cup of sauerkraut just before you are ready to serve, and allow it to just heat through.

This keeps and re-heats well, as with most bean dishes. 

Last year at this time I made Lentils with Smoked Sausage.

Parsnip & Brussels Sprouts Soup

This is a simple and straightforward soup, but I really thought it was delicious, and can't wait to make it again. Be sure to purée it really well, because a silky texture is definitely part of the charm. I'd say the other trick for perfection here is to be sure the parsnips get a little browned in the butter before you add the broth. 

 

You could use leftover Brussels sprouts (or kale, or broccoli), just heat it thoroughly but briefly before adding it. You could also omit any green vegetable entirely, and just have parsnip soup, especially if you want to serve it as a starter. 

 

4 servings

45 minutes prep time

 

 

450 grams (1 pound) parsnips

3 large shallots OR 1 medium leek

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 or 2 bay leaves

3 cups chicken OR vegetable broth

1/2 cup 10% cream

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

freshly grated nutmeg to taste

250 grams Brussels sprouts

 

Peel and chop the parsnips. Peel and finely chop the shallots (or leek) and the garlic. 

 

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat until melted and bubbling, then add the parsnips. Stir well, then cover and let them cook gently for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir and check them occasionally. Add the shallots, garlic, and bay leaves and cook for another few minutes until they are softened. Add the broth and simmer, covered, for another 10 to 15 minutes. 

Purée the soup in a blender until very smooth. Swish it out with the cream - or if you prefer a lighter soup you could use a bit more broth instead - and add it to the soup. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. 

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, and shred them. Boil or steam them until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and add 3/4 of them to the soup. Heat the soup through, but do not allow it to boil. Serve with the last of the Brussels sprouts sprinkled over the top. 

Wheeeee! Last year at this time I made Cheeseburger Wellingtons with Burger Topping Salad. That was fun...

Honey - Almond Flour Helva

I've gotten quite obsessed with a kind of Turkish helva (aka halvah), known as "flour helva". It exists at some sort of culinary intersection between fudge and bechamel sauce, and is a popular home-made sweet in Turkey. If you are interested in the real thing, there are a lot of recipes including You-Tube videos out there. However, I thought it had real possibilities for being adapted to be much lower in sugar and carbohydrates. My version, therefore, is not going to be much like it should be, but it is something I can eat (in moderation) and I have been enjoying it very much as a Christmas treat. 

It seemed quite complicated as I read the reference recipes; it didn't help that they were all read through the prism of Google translate. However, in the end, it turned out to be really very simple once I understood the procedures. I was a bit nervous that the sugar solution ought to be boiled to a syrup, but in recipe after recipe it was not, which I believe is the reason that it could be adapted to being much lower in sugar. 

 

After I made the version below I tried it again with maple syrup; in that case measure 1/3 cup of dark maple syrup into a half-cup measure and fill up the rest with the water or other liquid as described. (I used plain water but I can see it being really good with coffee.) Also delicious.

The end result is probably a bit more cookie-like in texture than the original fudge-like version as a consequence of the greatly reduced sugar, but I find it very tasty and really, quite a big thrill! Back to the straight and narrow after the holidays. On which note, it's time to take a break. Happy Holidays to everyone! And happy (post) Solstice - the days are getting longer!

 

12 to 24 pieces

20 minutes prep time 

 

In Pot #1:

1/4 cup cinnamon tea OR water, juice, etc.

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons sugar OR monkfruit-erythritol sweetener

a pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Brew a sweet herbal tea (I used Celestial Seasonings Apple-Cinnamon) or use plain water. I would also be inclined to experiment with pure fruit juices and perhaps coffee. To use maple syrup as the sweetener, use 1/3 cup of it and enough other liquid to bring the total to 1/2 cup as it's less concentrated than honey.

Put 1/4 cup of the tea or water in a smallish pot with the honey, salt, and sweetener. Heat over low heat until melted. Let cool for a few minutes then stir in the almond extract.

In Pot #2:

1 cup barley flour

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Meanwhile, put the barley flour in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (litre) pot. Heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently to constantly, until the barley flour toasts to a very light brown. Add the almond flour and continue stirring and toasting until the mixture is a fairly medium brown - about as brown as a pale brown paper bag. Add the butter, and mix it in as it melts. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly, and a good medium paper bag brown. 

Add the contents of Pan #1 to Pan #2, being very careful - it will boil up and want to spatter. Mix well as soon as it is all in, until it forms a doughy ball. Turn it out onto a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes. Press it into an oiled 9" x 9" pan, or into candy molds, etc. I used my Madeleine pans, and got 12 pieces. Let set for at least 1 hour before turning out, and cutting it into pieces if it's a single slab. 

They last well for up to 2 weeks in a well-sealed tin kept in a cool spot. 

Last year at this time I made Braised Oxtails with Apples & Sweet Potatoes.

Cream Puff Potatoes

I served these as a side dish with steak, but they would make an interesting starter course. Mine were also filled with creamed spinach, but they are quite fine on their own. They might make a good way to serve potatoes if you are serving from a buffet.  You could make them small enough to be manageable as finger food, although in that case I suspect you should bake them for a slightly shorter time. 

It has to be admitted this is a bit of a gimmick, but it's one that is both do-able and eat-able (with pleasure), which is more than can be said of a lot of foody gimmicks.

 

4 to 6 servings

8 to 16 cream puffs

40 minutes - 10 minutes prep time

NOT including baking the potatoes

 

1 cup very smooth mashed potato (2 medium)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup potato starch

other seasonings to taste, such as pepper, nutmeg, or chives

2 large eggs

 

Bake the potatoes until tender then cool them, and run them through food mill. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Melt the butter in large heavy bottomed pot with the salt; mix in the finely mashed potato. Mix in the potato starch and seasonings - you want at least a little pepper, but season them to taste - until it comes together to form a ball. Remove the pot from the heat. 

 

In a few minutes when the mixture is sufficiently cool not to set them, beat in the eggs one at a time with an electric mixer. Beat for 2 minutes. Form the mixture into little buns spread out on the parchment paper, and bake them for 15 minutes. Reset the heat to 325°F and bake for 15 minutes more. Serve at once.  

Last year at this time I made Beet Mousse. Yeah, yeah: mid December is when I tend to have fits of playing with my food.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Chick Pea Salad

I have come to love roasted salads in the late fall and winter; they do such an excellent job of hitting the sweet spot between hot and hearty fare, and a healthy pile of vegetables. Za'atar and tahini give this one a Middle-Eastern twist, although the veg are right out of the garden.  

In theory, you could make the dressing while the roasted vegetables cool slightly, but it's better to make it earlier, as soon as they go into the oven, so the flavours can blend and settle a bit.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time 

Make the Za'atar:

3/4 teaspoon coriander seed

3/4 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon rubbed savory

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sumac

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grind the coriander and cumin seeds, then mix them with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

Make the Salad:

2 cups cooked, well-drained chick peas

4 to 6 shallots

1 large carrot

1/4 cup olive oil

4 to 5 cups (1 kilo; 2 pounds) sliced Brussels sprouts

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the chick peas over it. Peel and sliver the shallots, and add them. Peel and thinly slice the carrot, and add it. Drizzle them all with the olive oil and mix, then sprinkle over the za'atar and mix again. Spread them all out as evenly as you can. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, wash, trim, and slice the Brussels sprouts into 2 to 4 slices each, depending on size. Mix them in with the roasting vegetables and return the pan to the oven to roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are browned in spots and the chick peas are dry and a bit crispy. Let rest for 10 minutes. 

Make the Dressing:

1 large clove of garlic

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

the juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons mayonnaise (light is fine)

 

Peel and mince the garlic and place it in a small bowl. Grate in the lemon zest. Add the salt and pepper. Add the tahini and mustard and mix it all to a smooth paste. 

 

Mix in the lemon juice a little at a time to keep the dressing smooth and lump free. Once it is all in, mix in the mayonnaise. 

 

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or plates, and drizzle with the dressing. Serve while still a little warm.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Tau Pok & Brussels Sprouts.  

Tuna Quinoa Casserole

This is a pretty classic comfort-food tuna casserole, but for the fact that the usual pasta has been swapped out for quinoa. I always cook more quinoa than we will eat when I make it the first time; it keeps so well and is so handy to have for so many dishes. You can add this one to that list. 

It's a fairly large casserole; if you don't want leftover leftovers, you could cut in in half quite easily. I sprinkled a few tablespoons of water on the leftovers, covered it in foil, and reheated it in the oven to good success, though.

 

4 to 6 servings

1 hour 30 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

NOT including cooking the quinoa

 

 

Cook the Quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water 

Into the rice cooker with them; turn it on; cook. Remove as soon as it is done. You could also use 2 to 2 1/2 cups leftover cooked quinoa, without or with vegetables in it; adjust the other vegetables if necessary.

Make the Casserole:

1 stalk of celery

2 medium leeks OR 1 large onion

1 medium carrot

1 or 2 cloves of garlic (optional)

125 grams (1/4 pound) button mushrooms

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1/4 cup barley OR other flour

2 teaspoons rubbed savory, thyme OR other herb of choice

2 cups whole milk or light cream

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

2 133-g when drained tins of tuna (chunk)

1 cup grated old Cheddar cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

 

Wash, trim, and chop the celery. Wash and trim the leeks, and chop them, or peel and chop the onion. Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and mince the garlic. Clean, trim, and chop the mushrooms. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

 

Heat the oil in a medium skillet, or better in a shallow casserole dish that can also be used on the stove-top. Cook the celery, leeks or onions, and carrots over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until softened and reduces in volume. Add the garlic, flour, and other seasonings and mix in well, cooking for another minute or so until well blended and fragrant. 

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the milk or cream, the thawed peas, the drained tuna broken into chunks, and the quinoa. Spread it all out smoothly. 

Mix the cheese and bread crumbs, and sprinkle them evenly over the casserole. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until nicely browned. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Spiced Boiled Fruitcake. 

Scalloped Parsnips & Carrots

Well, you know; it's another scalloped root vegetable dish, and very good too. Are there any root vegetables - and a good few others - that are not improved by creamy sauce and buttery, cheesy bread crumbs? None that I know of. Go for it!

 

4 to 6 servings

1 hour 40 minutes - 40 minutes prep time

2 cups sliced parsnips

2 cups sliced carrots

1 small onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup milk or 10% cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

a good grind of nutmeg

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other sharp cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Put a pot of water on to boil for the vegetables. Peel and trim the parsnips and carrots, and cut them into thin slices. Boil them for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Drain them well. Peel the onions and garlic. Slice the onion and mince the garlic.

While the parsnips and carrots cook, preheat the oven to 350°F. Use the butter to grease a 2-quart (8" x 10") shallow baking (lasagne) pan. 

Mix the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the cream. 

When the vegetables are tender, drain them well. Spread about 1/3 of them in the prepared pan, then spread 1/2 of the onion and garlic over them. Top with 1/2 of the remaining parsnips and carrots, then the remaining onions and garlic, and finally the remaining parsnip and carrots. Pour the cream evenly over them. 

Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, and butter together until well combined and none of the crumbs seem dry. Sprinkle this mixture over the prepared vegetables. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour until browned and bubbling.

Marinated Mushrooms

Marinated mushrooms were a popular party food when I was a kid, back in the '60s and '70s, and I really liked them. Our old family recipe from that time was: clean and prepare the mushrooms and put them in a jar with a bottle of commercial Italian dressing overnight. Various home-made efforts have frankly never been quite as good until now. 

 

The breakthrough I need to make them from scratch was the realization that they need enough oil. I was always trying to make them less oily, but the oil is absolutely required. This recipe is adapted from one I found in a cook book of recipes from Luchow's, a famous New York German restaurant, published in the 1950s, although in addition to omitting 2 cups of white wine (!) I have cut the brine in half. It's plenty. Strain it off in any case when you to to serve them. Next time I think I would also dust them with a tablespoon or so of fresh finely minced parsley as they get served, just to brighten them up a bit.

You can stick them on toothpicks as a picklish appetizer, or serve them with salad. They would make a nice topping for steak or chicken, or go into sandwiches.

 

8 to 12 servings

30 minutes prep time - 24 hours rest time

 

Make the Marinade:

1 small onion OR 2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

the juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar

 

Peel and mince the onion or shallots. Peel and mince the garlic. Put them, with all the other ingredients, into a 2-quart non-reactive pot (stainless steel or glass). 

 

Marinate the Mushrooms:

450 grams (1 pound) small white button mushrooms

1/4 cup finely minced parsley

1 clove of garlic

Clean and trim the mushrooms. If they are larger than a single bite, cut them in half. Wash, dry and mince the parsley. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Bring the marinade to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and boil for 5 minutes. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool for another 10 minutes or so. When cooled to just barely warm, mix in the parsley and remaining garlic. Transfer them, with the marinade, to a very clean (or better, sterilized) 1-litre (quart) jar. Allow to cool completely and keep stored in the fridge until wanted; 24 hours to 4 days - best at the 24 hour mark. 

Last year at this time I made Red Cabbage with Pears.

Duck Strognoff with Celeriac Dumplings

Duck time! I slow-roasted a whole duck to start with, then this is one of the things I made with the leftovers. You could use sautéed sliced duck breast instead, but I looked at the price of 2 duck breasts versus the price of a whole duck, and basically I could have the legs and the rest of the duck thrown in for an additional cost of less than a quarter of the price of buying just the breasts. I just can't help being frugal even if it means I spend more money - after all, it also means I get more duck. Duck fat! Duck stock! Duck Stroganoff!

However you get your duck, this is a delicious way to serve it. I recommend adding the dill pickle, if you have it. I have to say I find I want a little sour note in my meat dishes more and more as I get older - it is so often exactly what they need. 

We had a bumper crop of celeriac this year, so I am looking for things to do with it, but this would admittedly be just as good with noodles, potatoes, or rice.

 

4 servings

30 minutes to prepare and cook the celeriac

45 minutes prep time to finish the dish

 

 

Make the Celeriac Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups mashed boiled celeriac

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste 

 

Peel the celeriac, putting the prepared pieces into a bowl of cold water with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice added to it. Once it is all peeled, cut it into evenly sized chunks. Cover with water and boil until tender; about 20 minutes but depending on the exact size of the chunks. 

 

Lift the cooked celeriac into a bowl with a slotted spoon, saving the cooking water in the pot. Add a bit more water if it is not enough to cook the dumplings.

 

Mash the celeriac thoroughly. This can be done up to a day ahead. 

 

Cream the butter and work the celeriac into it. Measure the flour and mix the baking powder, salt, and pepper into it. Work it into the celeriac to form a fairly stiff dough. If it is too stiff you may moisten it with a spoonful of the sour cream, but it should be about the texture of pie crust. Form the dough into 32 ping-pong ball sized dumplings. (Divide into quarters, then each piece in half, half again, aaand half one more time.)

 

Bring the pot of celeriac cooking water back up to a boil. Boil the dumplings for 10 to 12 minutes until firm and cooked. Drain and serve with the Stroganoff; either separately or added to their serving dish just before they are served.

Make the Stroganoff:

1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme

2 cloves of garlic

225 grams mushrooms

1 large leek

2 duck breasts OR 3 cups diced cooked duck meat

2 to 3 tablespoons duck OR bacon fat

2 cups duck OR chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream

1 medium dill pickle, diced OPTIONAL

 

Mix the flour and seasonings in a small bowl. Peel and mince the garlic and add it. 

 

Clean, trim, and chop the mushrooms. Wash, trim, and chop the leek. 

If using raw duck breast, cut them into 1/4" slices, and saute them in a tablespoon of fat until nicely browned on both sides. Transfer to a dish to wait. Otherwise, check your duck meat that it is free of bones and cut into neat bite-sized pieces. 

Heat the fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and toss them into the fat, then let them cook for several minutes until they begin to brown. Add the leek and reduce the heat slightly. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the leek softens and reduces slightly in volume, but don't let it brown. 

Add the little bowl of flour and seasonings, and mix in well until no white can be seen. Slowly mix in the stock, then add the duck pieces and let the mixture simmer until thickened. Mix in the sour cream (and the diced pickle, if desired), and let it heat through, but do not allow it to simmer again. Serve with the well-drained dumplings.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Lemon-Mustard Brussels Sprouts.