Limoncello 2010

Kurt, Colleen, Samantha, and I got together last night and set the zest of 21 lemons in a gigantic infuser under a three liter sea of Stolichnaya. Our previous incarnations of limoncello were such a resounding success, that we decided to recreate the potion on a much larger scale.

Kurt and Colleen have offered to house the jar and will give it the occasional shake. In two weeks we will dump the zest, add the juice of an equal number of lemons and simple syrup to the mixture, and set the jar to mellow for an additional six weeks.

ETA? The dead of summer, when a chilled refreshing nip of the citrusy liqueur will hit just the right spot!

Speaking of refreshers, here is the link to my previous post on the matter, including recipe. I recommend you find yourself a mason jar and a few lemons and get started right away!

Preserved Lemons

It looked pretty simple. Good lemons and salt and the mysteries of the Near East would open to me. Three pounds of kosher salt and 20 lemons later, I am pretty happy with the results. Preserved lemons taste great with chicken and fish and can apparently be used in dressings, but I haven't done that yet.

1) Thin slice lemons.
2) In a large jar, pour about 2 inches of kosher salt
3) Layer lemons and salt until you are out of lemon slices (or salt).
4) Put in the fridge and have a look in a 4 or 5 days.
5) Remove from salt and pack in olive oil.

Urban Hunting

Here's a great video on how we city slickers can learn how to wield a weapon to kill moving meat, strip it from its support structure, and cook it up on a box of fire.

Almond Torte

This is one of my favorite desserts from my Aunt. It is a snap and people go nuts with delight when they've tried it.

5 eggs
1/2 cup butter...plus extra for the pan
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups sliced almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips ..................(package of mini chips is sometimes hard to find. If you can't find them, slightly chop the regular sized chips with a knife, not the processor).

Butter a 10 inch springform pan on the bottom and side. Mix all ingredients except chips in a food processor for one minute. Scrape down sides of processor and process for one more minute. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool cake on rack (or balanced between two cups or bowls); remove the circular side and then frost the cake.

Frosting
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Melt ingredients on LOW heat while stirring mixture (should only take a minute or two).

Tastes Like Summer: Double Crust Peach Pie

Nothing says summer like fresh peaches. And nothing says summer treat like peach pie. For this recipe, I decided to go back to the basics, with a few minor tweaks. The crust and filling are care of the Joy of Cooking.

For the crust: Delux Butter Flaky Pastry Dough

This crust is amazing. It has the delicious flavor of butter with a little shortening thrown in for flakiness. Handle it carefully and be sure to refrigerate it for the full amount of time. This recipe makes enough for a top and bottom crust.

Mix together in a large bowl:

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon white sugar OR 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

(I prefer white sugar for this recipe because of the long baking time.)

1 teaspoon salt

Working quickly to prevent softening, cut into 1/4 inch pieces:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter

Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to chop the butter into pea-sized pieces.

Add:

1/4 cup sold vegetable shortening

With a few quick strokes, cut the shortening into large chunks and distribute throughout the bowl. Continue to chop with the pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pie-sized pieces. Do not let the mixture soften and begin to clump; it must remain dry and powdery.

Drizzle over the mixture:

1/3 plus 1 tablespoon ice cold water

Cut with the side of a rubber spatula until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water. If not, drizzle over the top:

1 to 2 tablespoons ice water

Cut in the water, then press with your hands until the dough coheres. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Divide in half, and make two rounds. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably several hours, or for up to 2 days.

For the filling:

(Be sure to preheat the oven to 425 F)

Blanche peaches for about 1 minute for easy peeling

Peel, pit, and slice 1/4 inch thick:

2.5 pounds (about 5 cups) peaches

Combine with:

1/2 to 1/3 cup sugar

3 to 3.5 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch

(Use cornstarch for a lattice pie. I also recommend using cornstarch over flour as a thickener for pie.)

3 tablespoons strained fresh lime juice

(Here's where I depart slightly from Irma. She calls for lemon, but I think the lime flavor is better.)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Roll out dough right before baking, then ladle fruit onto bottom crust, leaving some of the juices behind. Cover with the top crust (or lattice), then seal the edge, trim, and crimp. If using a closed top crust, cut steam vents. You can also lightly brush the top of the pie with milk or cream and dust with 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet beneath it if it looks extra juicy. Reduce heat to 350, then bake until juices bubble through the vents, about 25 to 35 minutes more. let cool on a rack before serving. And definitely serve with vanilla ice cream.

Hot Pepper Jam

I am getting a lot more production off of the front patio habanero plants than I expected. When it is all said and done, I think we'll have at least 15. They aren't shaped or colored like habaneros, but they are pretty spicy. Ever since returning from Bologna, I've dreamed of recreating the hot pepper jam I used to eat with pecorino on lazy afternoons there. With fresh hot peppers on hand, I'd be a fool not to take a shot at it now. I'll be making and canning hot pepper jam using this recipe.

UPDATE: I made the jam this weekend. The flavor came out well. Spicy, but not face-melting. The color is a nice red orange with a few pepper bits. I put 1 pint in the fridge and it set up well. The other two pints are in storage and are still a little runny. I'll try a few more times before the next meeting.

Get on the Bulk Purchase Train

As you might expect from the sausage world, it is very hard to find anything in small quantities. Therefore, I am about to buy enough curing salt and hog casings to cure 200 pounds of meat or make 100 pounds of sausage. I can feel Colleen's eyes rolling back in her head as I write this. If anyone is interested in splitting the cost and the supplies, let me know.