Spices Membrillo

  

Special Membrillo 

Membrillo keeps for over a month refrigerated, sugar and lemon juice, I like to add a blend of spices to augment the flavor. You may be tempted to reduce the considerable amount of sugar in the recipe, which will yield a membrillo with a softer texture that, while not sliceable, is still quite tasty. Pairs well with any cheese and is a wonderful accompaniment to cured meats. Although most recipes usually call for just quince,

Ingredients:
3 pounds quince, peeled, quartered and cut into large chunks
2 pounds white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup water
Coconut oil, for greasing baking dish

Directions:

Wash, peel, core and roughly chop 1 quince into 1-inch pieces. Note that they will immediately start turning brown, but it won’t impact the flavor of the membrillo.

Place all of the ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir to combine them, and continue stirring regularly for at least an hour. The sugar will dissolve, and the mixture will begin to bubble and change from yellow to pink to a deep ruby red or magenta color.

The mixture is finished cooking when an inserted candy thermometer reads 220° F and the membrillo passes the plate test. To do this, put a plate in the freezer to chill it. Spoon a little of the liquid onto the cold plate and wait 2 minutes. Push the liquid with your finger and if it wrinkles, it’s ready. Otherwise, continue to simmer the mixture and re-test it every 10–15 minutes until it achieves the proper consistency.

Once cooked, blend the mixture into a smooth paste with an immersion or standard blender.

Grease an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with coconut oil. Pour the hot, blended mixture into the baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Let the paste cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24–48 hours until firm. If your membrillo is not firm enough, you can put it in a dehydrator or oven at 125° F for 8 hours to improve the texture.   Makes 2 bars.

Pickled Raw Beets

 

Pickled Raw Beets

Slicing beets super thin and letting them soften in salt before packing in a spiced brine is a quick way to create a condiment that’s great for amping up a cheese plate, salad or sandwich.

TIP
Use those beautiful beet greens! Wash well, chop the stems and sauté in a little olive oil, garlic and spice (if desired) until tender. Add chopped leaves and cook until wilted. Or use the raw chopped leaves in a hearty salad.

Tourtiere Turnover

Tourtiere Turnover

Crisp flaky turnovers filled with a classic tourtière filling are ready to bake and serve. You can bake just a few at a time or the whole batch for a crowd (you can even double the recipe if you really want to stock up). They make a fun addition to a charcuterie platter with pickles and other meats and cheeses, or as a side to a green salad for a plated starter. A spoonful of chili sauce or fruit ketchup is the ideal 
accompaniment. 

Ingredients:
12 oz (340 g) ground beef or pork (or a mixture).
⅓ cup (80 mL) finely chopped onion
½ stalk celery, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
½ tsp (2 mL) dried savoury
½ tsp (2 mL) dried sage
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) dried thyme
Pinch ground allspice
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted beef stock or water
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 lb (455 g) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
All-purpose flour
1 egg
2 tsp (10 mL) water

Directions:

1. Cook ground meat in a medium skillet over high heat, stirring and breaking up meat, for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from heat and tilt pan to drain liquid to one side of the pan. If there is more than about 1 tbsp (15 mL) liquid, spoon off excess.

2. Return skillet to high heat and add onion, celery, garlic, savoury, sage, salt, pepper, thyme and allspice. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes or until onions are sizzling.

3. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until most of liquid is evaporated but meat mixture is still moist. Stir in parsley. Transfer to a shallow dish and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour, or for up to 1 day.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Divide pastry in half, returning half to the refrigerator. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch (30-cm) square. Cut into 3 strips crosswise and lengthwise to make nine 4-inch (10-cm) squares. See TIP 1.

6. Whisk egg with water in a small bowl. Brush pastry squares lightly with egg wash.

7. Stir meat mixture, break up any clumps. Spoon a heaped tbsp (15 to 20 mL) into the centre of each square. Fold one corner over to form a triangle and enclose filling. Press edges with a fork to seal and crimp. Brush tops with egg wash. Place on lined baking sheets, spacing apart. Place in refrigerator while making 9 more turnovers with remaining pastry and filling.

8. Freeze turnovers on baking sheets until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer to a rigid airtight container, layering with parchment paper, and freeze for up to 1 month. See TIP 2.

9. To serve, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet (use 2 if baking all the turnovers at once) with parchment paper.

10. Arrange frozen turnovers on lined baking sheet, spacing at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed and filling is hot. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Makes 18 turnovers

TIP 1 To make 32 smaller turnovers, cut each 12-inch (30-cm) square of pastry into sixteen 3-inch (8-cm) squares and use a level tbsp (15 mL) of filling for each turnover. Reduce baking time to about 20 minutes.

TIP 2 To bake turnovers without first freezing them, refrigerate assembled turnovers for about 30 minutes to chill. Reduce baking time to about 20 minutes.

Apple, Potato, And Blue Cheese Flatbread ~ Charcuterie Board

Apple, Potato, And Blue Cheese Flatbread

A thin, crispy crust topped with potato and apples, succulently baked with garlic and thyme butter, and accented with blue cheese will stimulate your appetite alongside the characteristic meats, cheeses and pickles on a charcuterie board. It also makes a nice lunch topped with vinaigrette-dressed arugula. You can buy prepared pizza dough in the deli section of the supermarket or make your own (recipe follows). Refrigerate the dough until it’s cold to keep it thin and crisp when baking. You can add more or less blue cheese according to how strong you like the taste.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, melted

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb (455 g) fresh pizza dough, cold (recipe follows)

Vegetable oil

1 small apple

1 medium yellow-flesh or round white potato

3 to 4 oz (85 to 115 g) blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Place a baking stone or a heavy baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

Combine melted butter, garlic, thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut pizza dough in half. Working with 1 piece at a time, and refrigerating remaining dough, place on a work surface. Lightly oil your fingers and gently stretch and press dough out to a rough rectangle, about 14 x 8 inches (35 x 20 cm). If it springs back too much, let it rest for a few minutes then stretch some more. Let rest while you prepare the toppings.

Cut apple into quarters and trim out core. Cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices. Cut potato crosswise into paper-thin slices.

Transfer pizza dough to a rectangle of parchment paper and re-stretch as necessary to the 14 x 8-inch (35 x 20-cm) rectangle (the edges don’t have to be perfectly straight). Brush dough with a thin coating of the butter mixture all the way to the edges. Arrange half of the potato slices on top of dough, then top with half of apple slices. Dab generously with more of the butter mixture, being sure to coat potatoes and apples. Sprinkle with half of the blue cheese, to taste.

6. Slide parchment paper onto hot baking stone or baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until crust is golden and crisp and potatoes are tender. Cut into pieces. Repeat with remaining dough, butter mixture and toppings while the first flatbread is baking.

Serves 8

HOMEMADE DOUGH
Making your own cinnamon bun dough is super easy to do. This recipe also makes a great crust for pizza.
Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) warm water
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
1 packet (8 g) quick-rise or active dry yeast
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
3 cups plus 2 tbsp (780 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) kosher salt or 3/4 tsp (4 mL) table salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour, as needed

Directions:

Pour water into a large bowl or measuring cup. Water should be between 100° and 110°F (38° and 43°C). It should feel a little warmer than body temperature. Stir in sugar, then yeast. Let stand until mixture is foamy on top, from 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in oil.

Meanwhile, whirl flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. While whirling, slowly pour in yeast-oil mixture until it begins to form a ball.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then dust your hands with flour. Using the base of your palm, knead several times, rotating the dough a quarter turn after each knead, until it forms a smooth ball.

Place dough in an oiled bowl. Turn to coat evenly. Lightly oil a piece of parchment or waxed paper and place over bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Leave dough in a warm place until it doubles in size, 30 to 60 minutes. Remove it to a floured surface. Punch down. Use right away or refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month.

Makes 1 large ball of dough good for 1 batch of cinnamon buns or 2 pizzas