DIY Gourmet
By Tricia Cornell
Photo by /Illustration by Jason Lee
(page 3 of 3)
No. 6
PICKLE VEGETABLES
Why did your grandmother pickle? Because it was an economical way to preserve summer vegetables for the long winter. Why should you pickle? Because it creates layers of flavor—salty over sweet, smoky over sharp—that wake up tired combinations of meat and starch and really stand out on a plate of cocktail snacks.Chef J. P. Samuelson of jP American Bistro in Minneapolis does a lot of pickling. “In a restaurant, where the profit margin is so thin,” he says, “it buys us time with perishable foods. It also adds flavor and different texture components, reinforcing an ingredient in a dish.
“Pickled pineapple is incredible,” Samuelson says, “especially when you add sweet onion. Mango is terrific. We do it with sashimi—you’ve got that saltiness working with the natural sugars. Pickling really works with fruit. You’ve got the acid, so it’s not all sugar.”
Crunchy, sweet, sour, and spicy, giardiniera (from the Italian word for gardener), a pickled salad of mixed vegetables, is a great place to start pickling. Plus, a jar of giardiniera makes a great gift.
What you need: Roughly 2 pounds vegetables, cut into bite-sized or slightly bigger pieces (cauliflower, carrots, celery, and bell pepper work well); 2 cups vinegar; 2 tablespoons salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; and 3 tablespoons pickling spices (available at Penzeys, 612-824-9777, or make your own blend); water.
How to do it:
1. Blanch vegetables in boiling water for about 3 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside in a non-metallic bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, pickling spices, and 2 cups water. Boil gently for 5 minutes.
3. Pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Turn it up a notch: When you’re ready to graduate to long-term preservation, pick up Mason or Ball jars at any grocery store and check out the University of Minnesota Extension Service’s great resources on canning. (Search “canning” at www.extension.umn.edu.)
No. 7
MAKE CHEESE
“People are very surprised that they can make cheese,” says Jodi Ohlsen Read, co-owner and cheese maker at Shepherd’s Way Farms in Nerstrand (she’s also the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota’s advisor on artisanal cheese-making).Recipes for homemade ricotta and American mozzarella can be found in many cookbooks, but if you’re looking for something just as impressive—that doesn’t require special ingredients—try this easy-to-do fresh Indian cheese, known as paneer.
What you need: 8 cups whole milk; 3 tablespoons white vinegar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons caraway seed, toasted.
How to do it:
1. Bring milk to a boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
2. Stir in vinegar; turn off heat. Let stand a few minutes while milk separates into curds and whey. (It will look like a lumpy mess—don’t worry.)
3. Line a large colander with cheesecloth; place in sink. Pour milk mixture into colander. Lift edges of cloth; briefly swirl in sink to remove excess liquid.
4. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl; unwrap curds and knead in onion-spice mixture until evenly distributed. Re-wrap curds in cheesecloth; return to colander.
5. Fill a stockpot or large jar with water, and place directly on wrapped curds (the weight will press out excess liquid). Leave undisturbed 5 to 6 hours to drain in sink.
6. Remove weight. Discard cheesecloth and whey. Cut cheese into strips and serve. The texture should be nutty and somewhat crumbly.
Turn it up a notch: Vary the paneer’s flavor by blending the curds with other ingredients. Try any of these in small amounts: minced garlic, ground cumin, cayenne, crushed black peppercorns, fresh dill weed, chopped walnuts, jalapeños.
Paul Nelson
No. 8
Paul Nelson
INFUSE SPIRITS
Sure, you can brew your own beer or ferment your own wine. But there are ways to show off your DIY skills without stinking up your basement (or risking an explosion). With some high-quality vodka and a few classy flavorings, you can raise a toast to your own kitchen skills in about a week’s time.Nearly any fruit may be infused in vodka. Traditional Scandinavian infused spirits, like aquavit, get their flavor from juniper berries and caraway seeds. Want something more exotic? Try herbs, peppers, lemongrass, or garlic. Consider flavors you might mix into a bloody mary.
But novices should test their luck with an Italian classic: limoncello.
What you need: 12 lemons, 1-liter 100-proof vodka, 3 cups sugar, water.
How to do it:
1. With a paring knife, remove zest (just the yellow part, not the bitter white pith) of 12 lemons (preferably organic) in 1/2-inch wide strips.
2. Place zest in a large glass carafe (1.5 liters or larger), add vodka, cover with plastic wrap, and secure with a rubber band. Store at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for two days.
3. Dissolve 3 cups sugar in 3 cups hot water. Cool.
4. Add sugar solution to vodka-lemon mixture and refrigerate for 24 hours. Strain and serve chilled.
Turn it up a notch: Invest in some fancy glass containers so you can show off your creations or give them as gifts.
Tricia Cornell, a Twin Cities writer and editor, wrote about artisan cornmeal in the November 2006 issue of Minnesota Monthly.
