Pickled Strawberries: A Spring Recipe

Posted by Geoff Nelowet / Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Be warned: Our pickled recipe is for serious sour lovers. Eat straight from the jar or combine with goat cheese for a creamy, tart sandwich. Recipe by Sally Traynham.

by Stefanie Gans

Sally Traynham

¼ c. red wine (we used pinot noir)
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 c. water
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. whole peppercorns
½ tsp. allspice
3-inch piece orange peel
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper fl ake s
1 pint strawberries, stems removed

1 Combine all of the ingredients, except the strawberries, in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2 Let the vinegar solution cool to room temperature.
3 Place strawberries in a jar and pour the cooled vinegar solution over strawberries.
4 Seal the jar with an air-tight lid and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
5 Enjoy within two weeks.

Kiddie Cuisine

Posted by Eunice / Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Avoid the cold with warming recipes fit for the family kitchen.

The Barolin (Courtesy of Chef Barolin)

CITY SQUARE CAFÉ EMPANADAS
Robert Barolin brought his Uruguayan traditions to his restaurant, but also to his home. “If [your kids] can hang out in the kitchen with you,” Barolin advises, “they will become interested in new dishes.”

1 T olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
2 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pack of empanada rounds

1. If baking, heat oven to 350 F. In frying pan, heat oil and cook onion until fragrant. Add ground beef.

2. Once browned, season with salt, pepper and garlic. Cook until well done. Stir in oregano and place meat in a bowl to cool.

3. Add chopped eggs and cheese.

4. Place dough on a dry surface and moisten edges with lukewarm water.

5. Place 1 tablespoon of meat filling in middle of dough.

6. Fold the dough so edges meet, applying pressure to seal. Slightly roll the edge to close pocket.

7. To bake, brush empanadas with egg wash and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. To deep fry, place sealed dough in 350 F oil and fry until golden in color. Serve warm or cold.

(Recipe from Robert Barolin, co-owner and chef of City Square Café in Manassas.)

The Ritters (Courtesy of Lucy Ritter)

BOW TIE PASTA WITH PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE, CHICKEN AND BABY PEAS
When Lucy Ritter taught an evening class at her cooking school, COOK, she left her two daughters in charge of a pasta dinner with the help of a pre-made red sauce. Instead, 11-year-old Genavieve Ritter took it upon herself to recreate one of her mom’s recipes—a creamy white sauce—from memory. “It was a moment for me,” Ritter says, proud of her daughter.

2 T unsalted butter
2 T flour
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced (e.g., leftover rotisserie chicken)
1 box bow tie pasta (farfalle), cooked and drained

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter without letting it brown. Add flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste.

2. Pour the milk into the flour mixture and stir with a whisk until smooth. Continue stirring until mixture thickens, then add Parmesan. Stir until smooth and all of the cheese has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir in baby peas and diced chicken. Add the cooked bow tie pasta into the sauce, one cup at a time.

4. To plate, spoon desired portion of the finished recipe into a bowl and sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan to garnish. Serve warm.

Note: If sauce is too thick, add a little milk to thin. Also, remember to watch the pasta-to-sauce ratio: if extra sauce is preferred, do not use the full box of pasta.

(Recipe from Lucy Ritter, owner/instructor of COOK in Ashburn.)

The WIngs (Courtesy of Jennifer Wing)

MEXICAN CHICKEN
The Wing family recently opened a BBQ joint, but they know how to perfect more than ribs. “I have made this recipe with my son and step-daughter for many years … and they love it, which is even better,” says Boodacades’ Jen Wing.

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large jar salsa
2 cans of Mexican corn or regular corn with diced chilies
2 cups instant rice
Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Cut chicken breasts into small pieces.

2. Pour the jar of salsa into skillet and heat on medium. Add chicken pieces to salsa in skillet and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add Mexican corn and simmer another 10 minutes.

3. Add 1 cup water and bring to boil.

4. Add 2 cups instant rice and stir thoroughly. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit covered for 5-8 minutes.

5. Portion onto plates and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

(Recipe from Jen Wing, manager of Boodacades in Purcellville.)

(February 2012)

Childhood Christmas Memories … Grammy’s Chocolate Cake

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 23rd, 2011

Image: Analia Valeria Urani/Shutterstock

Chrystal’s Chocolate Cake

Image: Jut/Shutterstock

Cream Cheese Frosting

Egg Nog Bread Pudding

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Egg nog: the famous holiday drink that you either love or hate. Personally, I love it. The heavy sweet and nutmegy flavor is a must-have for me every year. And because it has such a distinct, powerful taste, it works amazingly as a front-stage ingredient in other recipes.

Today I’m bringing you a special recipe from the kitchen at Wildfire: Egg Nog Bread Pudding. This holiday dessert special is luscious and rich, served with an espresso cup of freshly made egg nog. It’s a spoonful of holiday cheer times two!

Egg Nog Bread Pudding
(Serves 12)

-1 cup brown sugar
-1 cup granulated sugar
-4 eggs
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-pinch of nutmeg
-1 quart egg nog
-2 cups whipping cream
-1 loaf (1 pound, 12 ounces) challah bread, cut ¾-inch thick

Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, egg nog and cream in a mixing bowl to make a custard. Cut bread slices into 16 cubes per slice. Gently fold bread into custard. Let stand 20 minutes. Place the mixture into a 9×13-inch pan. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap and foil.

Place bread pudding pan into a bain marie (water bath) and bake at 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes until done and temperature is 190 degrees.

Let rest for 15 minutes, then cut into 12 squares. Serve at room temperature. 

Thanks, Wildfire, for sharing the recipe!

You can find this egg nog bread pudding on Wildfire’s dessert menu — theirs is served with warm caramel sauce and whipped cream and a small cup of freshly made egg nog, as pictured.

Wildfire is located on the 3rd floor of Tysons Galleria in McLean. Call 703-442-9110 for reservations.

-Julia Harbo

Wintry Recipe — French Onion Soup

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

With this weekend’s drop in temperature, it finally felt like we were stepping into winter. The nip in the air was appropriate with all the post-Thanksgiving Christmas decorations and lights that now line the streets. Of course, we’re back to too-warm-for-December weather now, but it’s bound to drop again soon.

So, on an appropriately cold evening, I was in the mood for some body warming food, as we should be, here in NoVA, in December. As I browsed my usual web spot TasteSpotting (an amazing compilation of food photos linked to their recipes) I was lured into a picture of the most beautiful cup of French Onion Soup and thought, that’s it.

I love soup, but I’ve never been a big maker of soup myself. For some reason, I’ve always written off French Onion Soup as being too complicated, too sophisticated for me to make. Could I actually be in charge of cooking onions with beef broth and perfectly crusted thick cuts of gruyere cheese over some beautiful, oven-baked ceramic bowl?

As it turned out, yes. Despite my beyond-my-abilities admiration for French onion soup, this recipe was surprisingly simple to make. And very rewarding.

Here’s the recipe I followed, too easily (adapted from SweetSugarBean):

French Onion Soup for two

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-3 medium-sized onions, about 6 cups, thinly sliced
-salt, pepper
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
-1 cup white wine
-4 cups beef broth (chicken or veggie is fine, too)
-1 tablespoon soy sauce
-1 teaspoon dried thyme or fresh
-crusty sourdough or French bread
-one whole block of gruyere cheese, grated, about 2 cups (asiago or parmesan reggiano works, too)

With my French onion soup, I took the crouton route by cutting sourdough bread into thick two-inch chunks, sprinkling them with cheese and olive oil, and baking in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until crispy. I put these aside and added them to my soup before baking in the oven. If you don’t like the crouton method, simply cut the sourdough into slices and lay across the top of your soup bowls before topping with cheese and baking in the oven.

In a large pot, melt your butter and add the onions. Cook your onions with the garlic for about 20 minutes, allowing them to caramelize. Add your salt and pepper to season. Once your onions are looking nice and golden, add the mustard and white wine, bringing to a boil and stirring for about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat and lastly, add the soy sauce, beef broth and thyme.

Pour your soup into oven-proof bowls and add your bread or croutons. Grate your cheese and thickly and generously cover the top of your soup bowl. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until top layer of cheese is nice and crusted.

Let cool for a few minutes (I didn’t have the patience and had a very badly burned tongue afterwards…) and dig in. Enjoy with extra bread to dip in.

And, of course, if you want some French Onion inspiration before venturing into making it yourself, you can always turn to your NoVA restaurants here.

-Julia Harbo

Thanksgiving Variation: Stuffed Turkey Burger

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

It’s fair to say that plenty of people in America are counting down the hours and minutes until the year’s ultimate meal, Thanksgiving. Some say it’s better than Christmas — better than their birthdays, even.

Since we’re days away from the big feast (10, to be exact) I’d like to share a special recipe with you today, on behalf of Wildfire in McLean. It’s called Stuffed Turkey Burger, a whimsical play on your average T-day turkey. The ground turkey burger topped with cranberry chutney, stuffing, mustard mayo and served on an onion bun is on Wildfire’s menu, but you can make it at home, too. Wow your family/significant other/friends/roommates.

Stuffed Turkey Burger

For the stuffing (makes 8 cups):
-4 oz. butter
-3 cups water
-8–10 oz. box of traditional stuffing mix (or use your own recipe)

Combine butter and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in stuffing and mix until combined. Cool and refrigerate until ready to make the burgers.

For the Cranberry Relish (makes 6 cups):
-4 oz. Spanish onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
-1 cup cold water
-¾ cup dark brown sugar
-½ cup granulated sugar
-¾ cup cider vinegar
-2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice
-½ t. kosher salt
-1 t. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
-½ t. ground allspice
-½ t. curry powder
-zest of one orange
-¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
-1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries
-2½ oz. dried currants

Simmer the onions, water and sugars for 30 minutes in a medium saucepan. Stir in vinegar, apples, spices and orange zest. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Stir in orange juice, cranberries and currants and boil for approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to a stainless steel pan and cool in fridge. Transfer to a plastic container.

To make the burgers:

Divide the ground turkey into two evenly sized (4 oz.) patties. Scoop about 3 oz. stuffing and flatten on a plate or wax paper. Lay one patty down and place flattened stuffing on top. Place other patty over the stuffing and pinch the edges together so it’s “sealed.”

Spray Pam or other non-stick coating on each side of the stuffed burger. Season each side of the burger with salt and pepper. Broil the burger over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Place on buttered and toasted onion bun. Add your choice of mustard mayonnaise and one heaping tablespoon of cranberry relish. Top with other half of bun and dig in!

Thanks, Wildfire, for sharing your delicious recipe!

Wildfire is located at 1714 U-International Drive on the 3rd floor of Tysons Galleria in McLean. Call 703-442-9110 for more information.

-Julia Harbo

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 28th, 2011

Image: Raffalo/Shutterstock

No, really…that isn’t a disparaging phrase, it’s an honest question.

You can bite them, slice them, peel them, cook them, coat them in caramel, dip them in peanut butter…oh, yes, the list is endless.

The sun is shining (hopefully), the sky is blue, the air is getting crisp but not too cold, grocery stores are more stocked with apples than they’ve ever been, and all the local farmers markets and orchards are up and running. So go out there and get yourself some apples!

This week’s recipe:

Cinnamon Apple Butter

Apple butter seems to be one of these trendy foods—more sophisticated than your average peanut butter, yet way far beyond apple sauce. But like peanut butter, there’s actually no butter component in apple butter either—no dairy at all.

Apple “butter” gets its name from the buttery texture that the apples get when cooked down with sugar. Despite its current trendiness, the history of apple butter goes back to the original Pennsylvania Dutch who needed to preserve their food during the winter and did so with the abundance of autumn apples.   

Similar to jam or any other fruit preserve, it’s great on toast, bagels, added to yogurt or oatmeal, even on ham or pork sandwiches! (porkchops and apple butter!?)  

(Adapted from Epicurious.com)

Image: ecliptic blue/Shutterstock

Combine apples and cider in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. After initial boil, reduce the heat and boil gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half.

Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice, and continue to boil for about 25 minutes, until the mixture is very thick.

Remove from heat and ladle into glass jars for storage.

Enjoy!

Northern Virginia Apple Orchards (in alphabetical order):

Crooked Run Orchard (37883 East Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-6642)
Hartland Orchard (3064 Hartland Lane, Markham; 540-364-2316)
High Places Orchards (121 Winesap Lane, Flint Hill; 540-635-5537)
Hill High Farms (933 Barley Lane, Winchester; 540-667-7377)
Hollin Farms (11324 Pearlstone Lane, Delaplane; 540-592-3574)
Great Country Farms (18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; 20135)
Graves Mountain (Graves Mountain Lodge, Route 670, Syria; 540-923-4231)
Mackintosh Fruit Farm (1608 Russell Road, Berryville; 540-955-2161)
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm (3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980)
Nichols Farm (1832 Chapel Road, Middletown; 540-869-1258)
Richard’s Fruit Market (6410 Middle Road, Middletown; 540-869-1455)
Rinker Orchards (1156 Marlboro Road, Stephens City; 540-869-1499)
Stribling Orchard (11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham; 540-364-3040)
Virginia Farm Market (1881 North Frederick Pike, Winchester; 540-665-8000)

-Julia Harbo

Easy Potatoesy Sweet Potato Fries

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Just for fun-- my pumpkin and prosciutto pizza from Rustico. Doesn't it look good? Yeah, it was.

This weekend, craving something yet more fally (in addition to my homemade pumpkin hummus and butternut squash salad and pumpkin pizza from Rustico– I know, yeah, I went gourd crazy!) I decided to go out on a limb root and made some homemade sweet potato fries.

I can’t help but get giddy when I see this (in my opinion superior) variety of french fries on any menu, and as much as I love ordering them, I decided to buy one sweet potato from the grocery store (for about 85 cents) and roast some s.p. fries of my own.

Gut Checkers, this was the easiest, most rewarding culinary creation in my own kitchen! You must try these.

I decided, instead of deep frying in oil, to bake my sweet potato fries for two reasons: one, it’s healthier than deep frying; two, I don’t have a deep frier and didn’t want to waste half a bottle of oil with my impulsive decision to make DIY fries.

So, I preheated my oven and got to chopping up my sweet potato. I love the skins on my fries, so I rinsed the potato and then cut it into halves, then fourths, and ultimately long french-fry-shaped strips. If you prefer a skinless fry, simply forget about rinsing and just peel the potato.

Once you have you potato strips, throw them on a baking sheet and pour about 1/8 cup of olive oil (the amount can vary according to the size of your potato(es) and personal liking) over the raw fries. Using your hand, toss them around so the oil spreads evenly to each and piece. Now for the fun part: spices.

Giving my spice rack a good twirl, I shook a fair amount of hot chili powder, cinnamon, and a few dashes of cumin over the potatoes and then mixed ‘em up one last time. (I waited till they were done to add salt.)

I baked the fries at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, checking and mixing them (and, of course, sampling one) around every 10 or so minutes. When they tasted nice and tender I took them out of the oven and sprinkled some sea salt on top.

Here’s what they looked like:

YUM.

The hardest part about this recipe was waiting for them to cool. I definitely waited about three minutes less than I should have and burnt the roof of my mouth, but whatever–it was so worth it.

These fries are crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, with the perfect contrast of sweetness, heat from the chili powder, and the sprinkle of salt.

I’m not knocking paying for these glorious things at any of our great NoVA dining options (luckily there are plenty), but if you’re in the need to save some money or just need to have sweet potato fries ASAP and can’t wait to get to a restaurant, then these are for you.

-Julia Harbo

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 14th, 2011

Image: Raffalo/Shutterstock

No, really…that isn’t a disparaging phrase, it’s an honest question.

You can bite them, slice them, peel them, cook them, coat them in caramel, dip them in peanut butter…oh, yes, the list is endless.

My personal favorite way to eat an apple is plain, fresh and raw—there’s nothing better than first crunchy bite through the tough and bitter skin, making way to the sweet, juicy, slightly yellow inside. Some people eat the entire apple raw, core and seeds included (I know, but you’ll grow an apple tree in your belly!).

I’m not that extreme of an apple purist, but I do love apples, and all the things you can do with them. And what better time to enjoy apples than in the fall? That’s why I’m putting together a blog chain that will glorify the apple and all the things you can do with them, with one apple recipe per week.

The sun is shining (hopefully), the sky is blue, the air is getting crisp but not too cold, grocery stores are more stocked with apples than they’ve ever been, and all the local farmers markets and orchards are up and running. So go out there and get yourself some apples…how do you like them apples?!

This week’s recipe:

Benjamin likes them apples.

I decided to put my words to practice and went apple picking this past weekend. I went with my sister and 16-month old nephew and got some deliciously fresh and crisp Fuji apples. Trying to think of what to do with a bag of 15+ apples, we decided to make something traditionally fally (and yummy) and went with apple crisp.

Traditional Apple Crisp

From SparkRecipes

5-6 medium sized apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Mix the apples and cinnamon and place in a 9-inch greased baking dish. For the topping, mix together the remaining ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over the apples. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Northern Virginia Apple Orchards (in alphabetical order):

Crooked Run Orchard (37883 East Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-6642)
Hartland Orchard (3064 Hartland Lane, Markham; 540-364-2316)
High Places Orchards (121 Winesap Lane, Flint Hill; 540-635-5537)
Hill High Farms (933 Barley Lane, Winchester; 540-667-7377)
Hollin Farms (11324 Pearlstone Lane, Delaplane; 540-592-3574)
Great Country Farms (18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; 20135)
Graves Mountain (Graves Mountain Lodge, Route 670, Syria; 540-923-4231)
Mackintosh Fruit Farm (1608 Russell Road, Berryville; 540-955-2161)
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm (3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980)
Nichols Farm (1832 Chapel Road, Middletown; 540-869-1258)
Richard’s Fruit Market (6410 Middle Road, Middletown; 540-869-1455)
Rinker Orchards (1156 Marlboro Road, Stephens City; 540-869-1499)
Stribling Orchard (11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham; 540-364-3040)
Virginia Farm Market (1881 North Frederick Pike, Winchester; 540-665-8000)

-Julia Harbo

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 7th, 2011

Image: Raffalo/Shutterstock

So, how do you like them apples?

No, really…that isn’t a disparaging phrase, it’s an honest question.

You can bite them, slice them, peel them, cook them, coat them in caramel, dip them in peanut butter…oh, yes, the list is endless.

My personal favorite way to eat an apple is plain, fresh and raw—there’s nothing better than first crunchy bite through the tough and bitter skin, making way to the sweet, juicy, slightly yellow inside. Some people eat the entire apple raw, core and seeds included (I know, but you’ll grow an apple tree in your belly!).

I’m not that extreme of an apple purist, but I do love apples, and all the things you can do with them. And what better time to enjoy apples than in the fall? That’s why I’m putting together a blog chain that will glorify the apple and all the things you can do with them, with one apple recipe per week.

The sun is shining (hopefully), the sky is blue, the air is getting crisp but not too cold, grocery stores are more stocked with apples than they’ve ever been, and all the local farmers markets and orchards are up and running. So go out there and get yourself some apples…how do you like them apples?!

This week’s recipe:

In celebration of Yom Kippur, today’s recipe will be a classic Jewish recipe, of course, using apples: haroset. Haroset is typically served during the Passover Seder, but you can make it for Yom Kippur, too, to enjoy as stomachs are growling from fasting all day.

I am not Jewish and didn’t grow up trying much more than my Jewish classmate’s matzoh in the cafeteria during Passover or a cup of matzoh-ball soup in one of New Jersey’s many diners. So when I joined my boyfriend’s family for my first Seder a few years ago, I was skeptical of the gefilte fish and stuck to the haroset, becoming obsessed with its sweet and crunchy deliciousness.

The following year, I decided to make it myself and was surprised by how easy it was. It’s great to have a classic haroset recipe as you’re celebrating your Jewish holiday; and even if you’re not celebrating Yom Kippur this week, I urge you to try haroset for sheer enjoyment.

Traditional Apple-Walnut Haroset

From epicurious.com

Makes about four cups

3 medium Gala of Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 ½ cups of walnut halves, toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped
½ cup sweet red wine such as Manischewitz
1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar

In a large bowl, combine and stir together all ingredients. Store at room temperature or refrigerated until ready to enjoy.

 

Northern Virginia Apple Orchards (in alphabetical order):

Crooked Run Orchard (37883 East Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-6642)
Hartland Orchard (3064 Hartland Lane, Markham; 540-364-2316)
High Places Orchards (121 Winesap Lane, Flint Hill; 540-635-5537)
Hill High Farms (933 Barley Lane, Winchester; 540-667-7377)
Hollin Farms (11324 Pearlstone Lane, Delaplane; 540-592-3574)
Great Country Farms (18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; 20135)
Graves Mountain (Graves Mountain Lodge, Route 670, Syria; 540-923-4231)
Mackintosh Fruit Farm (1608 Russell Road, Berryville; 540-955-2161)
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm (3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980)
Nichols Farm (1832 Chapel Road, Middletown; 540-869-1258)
Richard’s Fruit Market (6410 Middle Road, Middletown; 540-869-1455)
Rinker Orchards (1156 Marlboro Road, Stephens City; 540-869-1499)
Stribling Orchard (11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham; 540-364-3040)
Virginia Farm Market (1881 North Frederick Pike, Winchester; 540-665-8000)

-Julia Harbo