Posts Tagged ‘chutney’
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, September 8th, 2011
For 26 years of my life, I’ve lived without a food processor.
I know, you’re thinking, “But HOW?!”
Well, I never thought that I needed one. Now, at 27, I realize how foolish I used to be. I used to just buy prepackaged hummus and pesto from a tube.
For the record, I’m not sure that anything from a tube should be considered “food.” And have you ever read the back label of a generic grocery store hummus? Citric Acid? Potassium Sorbate? I realized it was time to grow up.
And once I started making my own meals more often, I realized what I had been missing out on all those years and how easy it was to whip up a tasty snack.
No, it’s not witchcraft; it’s my KitchenAid 7-cup food processor (in white).
For example, at least once a week I make chutney. My boyfriend is of Middle Eastern descent and he got me hooked on a wonderfully spicy chutney made with jalapenos, cilantro and garlic. His mom makes it fresh with every meal and pretty soon I started craving it so much, I begged her for the recipe. We put it on practically everything, including rice, fish, chicken and even pizza, sandwiches and Chinese takeout. Seriously, it’s that good.
For those of you interested in tasting for yourself, here’s a quick recipe (but be careful- it is not-for-the-faint-of-heart spicy!)
Spicy Chutney
10 jalapeños, halved and seeds removed
1 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Preparation
Dump everything into your trusty food processor and let ‘er rip!
So go nuts! Make your own healthy, preservative-free hummus (no Potassium Sorbate required) and whip up a tasty pesto (sans tube) to stir into pasta. And the variety of various attachments and blades really make for hours of entertainment.
But let me warn you- don’t put anything hot in the bowl and then crank it up to high unless you are prepared for a full spa facial of Moroccan lentil soup (you win this round, KitchenAid).
Now I’m pretty attached to my own food processor even though it weighs nearly 15 lbs, perhaps in the same way people are attached to their favorite pair of jeans even though they’re so frayed they’re almost see-though. I suppose in order to find your perfect match you just have to read the reviews and see which is right for you. And no, I’m not selling them even though it may sound like it- I just really, really like my food processor!
- Jennie Whistler
Celebrating Virginia’s Finest in Specialty Foods
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Saturday, July 9, the Specialty Food Advisory Committee and 17 of Virginia’s specialty food purveyors joined forces to host the Virginia’s Finest Reception at the Hotel Tabard Inn. The specialty food purveyors were in D.C. this week to participate in the 57th Summer Fancy Food Show, North America’s largest specialty food and beverage event.
This is a particularly notable year for Virginian participation in the Fancy Food Show. Fifty Virginia specialty food producers exhibited their products, 26 of whom showcased products in the state’s pavilion–the largest Virginia contingent to date.
The reception, which featured a Virginia-centric menu of passed hors d’ouevres and crudites (including Surry Farms’ Edwards Surryano Ham and seared rare beef tenderloin from Culpeper’s Croftburn Farm Meats) was an opportunity for Virginia purveyors to network and highlight their product lines.
Many of the purveyors in attendance were also celebrating their selection as 2011 sofi Silver Finalists. The sofi, which stands for ”Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation” is the equivalent of a specialty food Grammy. This year, there were 125 Silver Finalists selected in 33 categories.
The Specialty Food Advisory Committee was created by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in order to promote and market Virginia’s specialty food and beverage industry. Sofi Silver Finalist Pamela Barefoot of Blue Bay Crab Co. lauds the Committee for helping to foster camaraderie between the VA purveyors: “it’s like family,” she explains.
Some of the dynamic duos that I met at Saturday’s reception included:
Claire and Neville Turner of Rappahannock County’s Virginia Chutney Co. Claire started experimenting with Southern-style chutneys after studying anthropology and Southern food ways at George Mason University. The family (sons Oliver and Christopher also lend a hand) developed eight flavors, including spicy plum and hot peach. You can find Virginia Chutney Co. on the shelves of Whole Foods locations and in select specialty cheese shops.
These doctors know how to operate… in both the O.R. and in the kitchen. Silver sofi Finalist Bone Doctors’ BBQ is the darling of Drs. David Heilbronner and Bruce Wilhelmsen, two orthopedic surgeons who treat your bones right–with their BBQ sauces and spice rubs.
Leah Kuo and Laura Englander of Falls Church’s CookieZen evolved from a gourmet cookie business into “Cookies & Corks,” which pairs both sweet and savory cookies with wine. Kuo bills the concept as a novel, fun, and “unpretentious way of doing wine pairings.”
Gunther’s Gourmet is named after Mike Lampros’s first Brindle Boxer. (Because of this namesake, the company has a special place in its heart for the SPCA and animal rights causes.) Mike, a Certified Executive Chef, and his brother Nick, a lawyer and estate planner, are the team behind the award-winning line of fat free and low sodium salsas, vinaigrettes, and marinades.
For more on these specialty food vendors, and on the Fancy Food Show, click here.
-Johnisha M. Levi
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Northern Virginia breakfast
Chris Bifano
Executive chef, Elements on Level One at Dulles Hyatt
Wanna dazzle your loved ones one early morning? Elements toque Chris Bifano swears his regionally inspired repast looks and tastes great, without too much fuss. “This simple recipe can be reproduced in any kitchen and will make you look like a professional chef,” he stated.
Photography by James Kim
PREP TIME: 5 min.
COOK TIME: 25 min.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
Spinach and egg cup
8 ounces shaved Smithfield ham
4 local organic eggs, scrambled
4 ounces local tomatoes, diced
8 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
4 ounces aged, Virginia white cheddar
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Tomato chutney
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large local tomatoes, diced
4 ounces small white onion, diced
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped
1 ounce fresh garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Rub sliced potato with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender. Set aside.
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes, and cook for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste; fold in fresh basil before serving.
Meanwhile, grease 2-ounce muffin pan with butter, and arrange ham in pan to create bottom. Place spinach, tomatoes, cheese and pepper in the ham-lined cup. Pour egg on top of other ingredients. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 F.
Place potato slices on platter. After eggs have rested (about 5 minutes), remove from muffin pan, and surround with potatoes. Serve chutney on the side for dipping.
(November 2008)