Vanilla Yogurt Ice Cream With Sherry-Soaked Bing Cherries

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. . . But first:

I could just jump right into the recipe, sidestepping the obvious fact that I haven't been around for, oh, more than a month, giving no explanation for my absence, but you all know I won't be able to leave that alone.

So here's my story. Thus far.

Way back at the beginning of July, I quit eating wheat, along with its related grains (oats, barley, etc.), and cut out all forms of added sugar, including agave and honey. Turns out it wasn't a hardship for me at all. I experienced no sugar withdrawal and no cravings for bread and pasta in the middle of the night. I ate loads of fresh fruits and vegetables along with eggs, small amounts of cheese and even smaller amounts of meat - mostly seafood.

I didn't do this because I wanted to be on a diet. Quite by accident I'd stumbled upon some information about the role that wheat and sugars may play in causing inflammation not only in the bowel, but also in the arteries, brain, heart and joints. (Of course we have the South Beach Diet that combats just those things, but it never really worked for me - I never got over those cravings for what I wasn't allowed to eat - as after Phase 2 I got to add wheat back into my regimen, putting me right back where I started.)

What I read made enough sense to me to give it a try. That was back in July. I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and weighed more than I wanted to. Giving my doctor fits as I refused to take statins or blood pressure meds, I kept telling him I could just eat better and exercise more and I would be fine. But my numbers never changed.

Now at least two of them have. Blood pressure is normal, I've lost 20 pounds, twenty! without trying, I actually think with more clarity, and this week I'm finally going to have my cholesterol checked. If that has dropped as well, I will have hit a triple header and will be a very happy, person indeed.

This may be a bit too much sharing for many of you - as in get to the recipe, Christine - but trust me, it had to come out so I can move forward on this business of blogging. I mean, how can I just stop cooking the way I've been cooking without telling you why?

Which brings me back to why I haven't been blogging: The food we've been eating for the past fours months has been fresh, organic, local, all those good things, and . . .

Very Plain.

Very Simple.

Barely blogworthy in my estimation, compared to what I have done in the past.

Recently though I've made a few dishes that have more pizazz, more oompf, and found that they haven't had any adverse affects on me. Of course, I wouldn't pig out on the ice cream I'm about to show you, and, on the whole, I still eat mostly fruits and vegetables, occasionally brown rice or a potato, but I'm finally settling into a comfortable niche and am ready to offer up my repertoire.

If you have an aversion to Splenda, you can always use sugar, but you won't see sugar here. I use so little sweetening for anything these days, preferring the sweet taste that fruits and vegetables can impart, that the amount of Splenda I do use is minimal.

Thank you for indulging me. Now you can have dessert.

There are so many things to like about this recipe: Organic dried Bing cherries; no added sugar, just five small packets of Splenda, allowing the tang of the yogurt to shine through; and possibly best of all, no cooking (no custard making) which allows it to be ready to serve in just a few hours and allows you to adjust for the sweetness at any time.

One more thing: this ice cream is best when served right out of the machine. It can be placed in the freezer, but loses its creamy texture in the process.

Before you begin making the ice cream, you must drain the excess liquid from the yogurt and soak the cherries for several hours. Here's how.

Dampen and wring out a piece of cheesecloth large enough to hang over the sides of a large strainer.

Line the strainer with the cheesecloth and set it over a large measuring cup or bowl.

Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth and place the whole thing into the fridge for several hours.

When the liquid has drained from the yogurt, you should have about half the amount of yogurt you started with. Keep cold until ready to use.

Place the dried Bing cherries in a medium bowl and pour the sherry over, stir the cherries a bit to settle the sherry. You want just enough sherry so that the cherries are barely covered.

Let sit at room temperature until most of the sherry has been absorbed and the cherries and plump and very drunk. This took several hours. Strain the remaining very delicious Bing Cherry Sherry into a small glass and save it for making sauces, or give it to your significant other to sip while watching you cook.

Christine's Vanilla Yogurt Ice Cream with Sherry-Soaked Bing Cherries (and you thought we'd never get here)

Ingredients:

2 cups non or low fat plain, organic yogurt, drained of liquid

3/4 cup organic, non-sweetened dried Bing cherries soaked in 1/2 cup dry Sherry

4-5 packets Splenda, adjust to your taste

3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk

3/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preparation:

Place drained yogurt in a large bowl and stir in Splenda until fully blended.

Stir in the milk, cream and vanilla and mix well.

Adjust for sweetness, remembering that the cherries will impart their own natural sweetness.

Place the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.

When the mixture is softly frozen, slowly drop the strained cherries into the ice cream and finish processing.

Serve directly from the machine, or pack into a container with a tight-fitting lid and put in your freezer for one hour.

Cook's Notes:

I suppose I could have called this Drunken Bing Cherry Yogurt Ice Cream, as the lovely dried Bing cherries are indeed soused by the time it's their turn to be churned, but I think folks might have a hard time doing a Google search for it.

In the interest of explaining what may seem to be a contradicion, remember that banana strawberry galette I made back in August? I didn't eat it, although others did. No, honestly. I didn't.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market 2009 - Summer into Fall

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Winter squash, bosc pears, late peaches and early apples were offered at our Saturday farmers market this weekend. A sure sign of summer's long slide into fall.

Click on over to Mimi's kitchen to see what's in her CSA box.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Sautéed Shredded Zucchini with Parmesan and Fresh Basil

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My mother, when in a hurry to get dinner on the table, would shred her garden-fresh zucchini and sauté it in a saucepan for a quick vegetable dish. I used to love eating this as a child; butter, salt and pepper its only adornments.

Now, I gussy it up in ways that my mother did not, stirring in freshly grated parmesan reggiano, fresh basil chiffonade (see Cooks Notes below), and using several different types of zucchini.

Simona reminded me last night that I still hadn't posted it.

Thank you for the nudge. Here you go, girlfriend.

Sautéed Shredded Zucchini with Grated Parmesan and Fresh Basil Chiffonade
Original recipe by Skip Hills, adaptations by Christine
Ingredients:
4-6 fresh zucchini*, preferrably local and organic, ends trimmed, grated
1 teaspoon each olive oil and unsalted butter for the pan
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano (use more or less, to your liking)
4 large fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade**
kosher salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to taste.

Preparation:
Using this side of a box grater, grate the parmesan until you have 1/2 cup (I probably used more, but then I'm of the more is better generation). Set aside.

Using the same side of the box grater, grate all the zucchini. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over a medium high flame until hot. Add the olive oil and butter and allow them to melt. Adjust the heat to keep the oil from smoking if necessary.

Add the zucchini to the skillet, spreading it out to the edges, and allow it to sauté, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat so the bottom layer doesn't burn.

When the bottom layer has softened and become slightly browned in places, begin tossing the zucchini and turning it over in the pan, allowing it to cook thoroughly and become slightly golden throughout. It should be softly cooked, not tender crisp, and retain its fresh color.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately toss with the grated parmesan and basil chiffonade.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and you're done.

Dig in while it's hot.

Cooks Notes:

* I used both green and straight golden zucchini for this dish. I've also used round, light green zucchs and young pattypan squash.

** To make basil chiffonade, stack 4 or more large fresh basil leaves atop one another, all pointing in the same direction, and beginning at one long edge, roll them up snugly, cigar like. Holding the roll on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut the basil roll crosswise into thin strips. With your fingers, pick up each rolled strip and gently loosen it as the now thin basil strips drop from your fingers. Use immediately.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market Fruits; Kitchen Counter Still Life with Sunrise

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Sunday morning after a Saturday farmers market; early morning sunlight just beginning to come through the kitchen window. How could I not take a photo?

Coming soon . . . A few recipes from over the summer that I somehow didn't find the time to post.

Now I'm going to make the time.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Purple Potatoes, Roasted Garlic and Green Beans in Fresh Lemon, Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

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I am so excited to show you these purple potatoes.

Can you guess where they came from?

My very own garden.

I actually grew these!

My first time. I'm so proud.

Purple Peruvians

My daughter-in-law Evangelina's parents gave us a huge mixed bag of potatoes last fall, and when I had finally used up most of them, I planted what were left in my garden last March. There are still some Yukon Golds out there that aren't ready yet.

Never having grown potatoes before, I really didn't know what to expect, but here they are.

And of course I had to put a recipe together so I could brag about them.

Haricot vert, fresh from the farmers' market, steamed then cut into bite-size pieces.

Combined with gently roasted purple potatoes and garlic, then tossed with a lemon-whole grain mustard vinaigrette, these can be served cold or warm salad as a salad, or warm as a side dish.

Purple Potatoes, Garlic and Green Beans in a Fresh Lemon-Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
4-5 cups Purple Peruvian potatoes, small sized, cut into quarters
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled, left whole
1/2 pound or so, slender green beans, washed and cut bite-sized
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt, divided
freshly ground black pepper to taste
juice of 1 whole lemon (approx 2 ounces juice)
1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the potato quarters, whole garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a baking pan. Toss well, cover with foil, and roast for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Remove from the oven, take off the foil and set aside to cool slightly.
Put the cut green beans on a steamer rack in a large pot with 1-inch of water in the bottom. Cover and steam over high heat until tender crisp and bright green.
Remove the beans from the steamer and put into a large bowl.
In a small jar or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, sugar, pinch kosher salt, and whole grain mustard. Adjust to taste then whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
Place the potatoes and garlic in a large stoneware bowl (scrape the pan to get all the herbs).
Gently toss the green beans in with the potatoes.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, tossing to coat. You may not need to use all of the vinaigrette.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Notes:
One could enhance the finished dish by sprinkling it with toasted, sliced almonds or crispy bacon lardons.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Strawberry Ice Cream with Balsamic Reduction, Cracked Pepper and a Sprig of Rosemary

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All those ingredients and there's no added sugar.

Did you know that we could all use less sugar in our lives? Of course you did.

And did you also know that ice cream doesn't have to be so darn sweet? It's true.

If you make your own ice cream you can play with the ingredients. Just like I've done here. Balsamic vinegar and strawberries go together like milk and cookies. And I love the bite that cracked peppercorns gives to ice cream. The rosemary sprig was a last minute inspiration.

I used all Splenda because I wanted to exclude all sugar except for what occurs naturally in the strawberries and the milk products. And I wanted to see if I could discern that very slight splenda taste that sometimes can be detected in desserts. I think the balsamic reduction worked its magic as I can detect no splenda taste in this ice cream. That said, please use sugar if you wish. The measurement is the same.

And one more thing: If you have very, very sweet strawberries, you can lower the splenda or sugar to as little as 1/4 cup. Try it and see if it doesn't taste wonderfully of strawberries, not sugar, which is the purpose of making your own ice cream, isn't it?

Strawberry Ice Cream with Balsamic Reduction, Cracked Pepper and Rosemary
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
4 heaping cups fresh strawberries
4 packets (1 teaspoon) Splenda
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup Splenda granular
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns (See Cook's Notes)
1 tablespoon (more if you wish) balsamic vinegar reduction (See Cook's Notes)
1 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary

Preparation:
Remove the stem ends from the strawberries and cut them into quarters, dropping them into a large bowl as you do so.
Sprinkle the berries with the splenda from packets, toss and let sit for 1/2 hour so the berries can juice up.
Purée the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. It will be thick. Transfer to a large measuring cup (you should have about 3 1/4 cups of purée) and place in the refrigerator to chill.
Heat the milk and the cracked peppercorns to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low; small bubbles will form at the edges. Do not let it boil.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and the splenda granular on high until the mixture is pale yellow and thickened.
When the milk is ready, remove it from the heat and pour about 1/3 of it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so the eggs don't curdle.
Return the milk-egg mixture to the saucepan of milk, whisking to blend.
Place over medium-low heat and stir constantly until it reaches a simmer and the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon. You should be able to make a track through it with your finger. Do not allow this to boil or it will curdle and you will have to begin over again. And that would be a bummer.
Remove the custard from the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Pour the custard into a large glass bowl or measuring cup (I have an 8-cup measure that is perfect for this task.)
Whisk in the balsamic reduction and the strawberry puree, whisking until the custard and the strawberries are uniformly blended.
Take the rosemary sprig and swirl it into the custard, leaving it there.
Chill the custard until very cold, overnight is best.
When ready to make ice cream, remove the rosemary sprig, whisk the custard just a bit to re-blend, then process in your machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Cook's Notes:
This is excellent served soft right out of the ice cream maker. Or you can pack it in an airtight freezer-proof container and freeze for several hours. Remove it from the freezer at least 15 minutes before you wish to serve it.
Be sure to press a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap onto the ice cream before placing the lid on, as it will keep ice crystals from forming.

I put my peppercorns into a mortar and gently pound them with the pestle until they are coarsely cracked. Using this method, I can control just how coarse or fine I want them to be.

Balsamic reduction, or syrup, is easily made by bringing a cup of good balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-high heat. When it has reached boiling, turn the heat down to medium and allow the vinegar to simmer until it has reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for a bit. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Grilled Lamb Burgers Stuffed with Chevre, Kalamata Olives and Herbs

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I don't know about you but when I think of lamb, Mediterranean food images pop into my head: Olives, chevre, oregano, rosemary, sun-warmed citrus.

Ground, local lamb was on the menu recently, juicy and hot off the grill. With all the flavors of those Mediterranean images infused into each burger. No catsup is needed here.

As I'm rather fond of stuffing burgers, this is what I came up with.

Surprisingly enough, the juice from this half of a blood orange helped to blend the chevre mixture and bring all the tastes together.

Chopped, pitted kalamata olives mixed with pure white goat cheese (chevre), herbs, blood orange juice and a pinch of kosher salt.

Spread the chevre filling onto one of the lamb patties, then top with the other patty; pinch, shape, and it's ready for the grill.


Grilled Lamb Burgers Stuffed with Chevre, Kalamata Olives and Herbs
Christine's Original Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb, preferrably locally raised, grass fed, divided
1/3 cup (heaping) chopped, pitted kalamata olives
4 ounces good chevre
1 teaspoon (heaping) Italian herb blend (see Cook's Notes)
pinch kosher salt (depending on how salty the olives are)
juice from 1/2 of a blood orange

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine the olives, chevre and herbs and mash with a fork to blend.
Add the orange juice and continue mashing until it is fully combined and of a spreadable consistency.
Season with the kosher salt if necessary.
Divide the ground lamb in half, weighing if necessary so that each piece is 1/2-pound.
Divide each of those pieces in half again so that each now weighs 1/4-pound. (I guess I could have said that in one sentence and with fewer words, hmm?)
Pat each piece into a ball then flatten into a patty, keeping the edges rounded, 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Make each two patties the same size and shape, as you will be putting one atop the other.
Decide which patties will be on the bottom and spread about half of the chevre mixture onto that patty, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the edges.
Top with the other patty and pinch the edges together, going round and round the patty, shaping as you go along so the edges are smooth and rounded. The finished burgers can wait for a few minutes at room temperature while you start the grill.
The following grilling instructions are for a gas grill:
Heat your grill to high (450 to 500-degrees). When the grill is very hot, put the burgers on, not crowding them, and cover with the grill lid.
Immediately adjust the heat to medium-high (375 to 400-degrees). Do not open the lid, nor move the burgers, for the first 4 minutes. This allows the meat to sear and caramelize on the surface and develop sear marks, and will prevent the burgers from sticking to the grill when you flip them.
After 4 to 5 minutes, using a large spatula, loosen the burgers and give them a quarter-turn. Do not flip just yet.
Replace the lid and grill for an addional few minutes to develop those great grill marks.
Now you can flip the burgers. Repeat as above for the other side, grilling to the degree of doneness you prefer.
Transfer the burgers to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.
When you cut into the burger, the chevre-olive mixture, hot and melting, runs over the cut edges, melding with the lamb and tickling your nose with the bouquet of a hot Mediterranean summer's day.

Cook's Notes:

> Yes, sloth that I am, I used organic, dried herbs this time. But I highly recommend a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh oregano and a few teaspoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary as a better substitute. You do have both of those growing in your garden, right? Of course you do.

> There may seem to be a lot of chevre mixture for each burger, but it does melt down considerably during grilling.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved