New Blog....

Please follow my Salt and Pepper blog at : Ranellekirchner.com
for future posts.....

I've decided to start my own practice in dietetics, combining my background in culinary arts, and is called ChefRDN. I'd be delighted if you followed and inquired about my services.

Hope to see you there!

Paczki Day

Fat Tuesday, AKA Mardi Gras, is approaching fast with only a few days away. Typically I get a paczki to celebrate the day if, and only if, a friend decides to share. Paczki's, pronounced 'PONtch-key' are Polish doughnut-like treats filled with everything from fresh fruit to creme and mousse and can be topped with powdered sugar, icing or chocolate. Doughnuts are really not my thing, but sometimes it can really hit the spot. This year I decided to order some myself at the Swedish bakery on Clarke. If you're a Chicagoan, you've probably heard they are closing at the end of the month. Soooo, in light of the closure, I thought I needed to try something for my first and last visit.

Immediately after work on Wednesday I biked in the sunny, 73 degree weather to the bakery and placed my order. When I arrived, I was delighted to find out they were also selling Kings Cake.

I find it terribly creepy and funny that there's a mini trinket meant to symbolize baby Jesus hidden inside the cake. Fava beans are also used, but I really hope the Kings Cake I ordered has a baby Jesus. Whoever finds the trinket is said to have luck and prosperity and is designated the 'king' or 'queen' for the evening. Don't worry, I'll be sure to let everyone know who was lucky enough to get a slice with baby Jesus.

Below is a list of Chicago spots that are selling paczki's (not sure on King's Cake) for a limited time. Many of them do sell in advance, so please inquire if interested. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a long line waiting for a taste.

Alliance
Andy's Deli
Ann's Bakery
Bennison's Bakery
Beverly Bakery and Cafe
Bittersweet
Bohemian House
Bridgeport Bakery
Cafe Selmarie
Central Continental Bakery
Deerfields Bakery
Dinkel's Bakery
Firecakes Donuts
Gene's Sausage Shop
Ideal Bakery
Kirschbaum's Bakery
Kolatek's Bakery
Laramie Bakery and Deli
Marie's Cafe and Catering
Montrose Deli
Oak Mill Bakery
Orland Park Bakery
Old Warsaw Buffet
Red Apple Buffet
Roeser's Bakery
Scafuri BAkery
Stan's Donuts
Sweet World Pastry
Weber's Bakery
West Town Bakery
Wiklanski Bakery

Wowza, I feel embarrassed about the lack of posts. My sincerest apologies, but I have much to show for my lack of appearance in the blogosphere. For instance, the completion of my Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition! Fear not Salt & Pepper fans, I am back, and with many new, exciting topics to cover. If you have a suggestion, please feel free to comment below and I'll be sure to address.

This morning, I woke up thinking about grains. How I'd love to make an easy porridge utilizing a variety of whole grains packed with fiber and nutrition. I dug through the cupboards and found three varieties with different mouth feel and textures.

Grain #1: Good ol' Reliable Oats
Classic but a goodie; oats have a sweet flavor and almost never have their bran and germ removed during processing. I use regular oats in this recipe, but you ought to know there are quick and instant oats that exist as well. These are varieties that are steamed and flattened. But, if you like a nuttier, chewier texture, choose steel-cut oats. Steel-cut oats are the entire oat kernel and cook 20 minutes, unlike the others, which cook in less time.

Grain #2: Red Quinoa
You can find quinoa in some colors (purple, black, white & red) and taste mildly different from one another. I chose the red variety for this recipe being it has a crunchier bite and stark red color for a visual appeal. Most quinoa should be rinsed before cooking to remove saponins, which is used to ward off insects. An important unique quality about this grain, it's a complete protein that contains all essential amino acids (n=9). Typically, plant proteins are said to be incomplete, which is unlike this source.
Quinoa cooks in 10-12 minutes.

Grain #3: Farro
There are three species of farro, einkorn, emmer, and spelt (smallest to largest,
L-->R); all types of hulled wheat. Emmer considered higher quality for cooking than the other two grains. In this recipe, I chose emmer and cooked as follows:
1. bring large pot of salted water to a boil
2. add farro and cook until al dente (25-35 minutes)
3. pass through sieve

Homemade Porride My Way
Ingredients:
1 cup oats, cooked
1/3 cup red quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup farro, cooked
8 red raspberries
2 dollops Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp toasted pecans
1 tbsp hemp seeds

Instructions:
1. combine all grains (oats, quinoa, farro) in a mixing bowl and salt to taste
2. layer a bowl with the following (in this order), grains, raspberries, yoghurt, drizzled honey, topped with pecans and seeds.
3. eat with spoon

Honestly, this is super easy recipe that's full of fiber and tasty. Swap out the grains, fresh fruit and other varieties of nuts and you'll have a different porridge everyday.

New Beginnings

Squash Lasagna with Tomato Sauce and Carrot Top Pesto

After a long day of work, I was finally able to relax. And make LASAGNA! It's one of my favorite dishes to prepare....and eat. Who doesn't love the complexity of a something so saucy and delish?

Now, do not get frightened by this post; it comes across as intimidating, but need not be. In fact, you could make just one component of the lasagna. I mean, carrot top pesto or tomato sauce is extremely versatile. Put it on noodles, quinoa (quinoa pesto is tasty, just ask Babs), raw veggies like radish...The possibilities are endless, really.

Now, to being:

Squash Noodles:
prepares 1 lb pasta, fresh

3 cups flour
2 pinches of salt, kosher
2 eggs
1/2 cup roasted carnival squash
1 Tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
When preparing the pasta, keep in mind it's no different than a simple pasta recipe but without the squash. The only additional steps are to roast and puree the squash (allow to cool before use). Make a well with the sifted flour and salt. Crack both eggs into the well, as well as the squash and water. With a fork, slowly incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. As it begins to form a ball, add the oil. Knead for 8-10 minutes and adjust accordingly with flour and water. Allow to rest and cover for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

With your pasta roller, roll out 3 sheets (the size of the pan) for the bottom layer to number 4. The remaining lasagna noodles are best rolled to number 5. Dry and boil for about three minutes. If you don't have a drying rack, improvise. See the picture below for inspiration. Cool and lay flat (gently brush oil to keep noodles from separating).



To make it more fun, sip on a beautiful Pinot Noir and take your time. This isn't a race. Enjoy yourself, and your food.



Carrot Top Pesto:
Prepares about 5 cups depending on desired consistency

1/2 cup toasted, pepitas
3/4 cup dried pie pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup toasted sprouted walnuts
2 cups packed carrot tops (stems removed)
6 cups fresh spinach
1 cup fresh basil
3 ounces of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
8 roasted garlic cloves
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation: Toast all nuts/seeds and blend in processor. Add garlic and pulse, careful not to pulse too much. Proceed and add spinach, basil and carrot tops in batches. Then add cheese. Very slowly pour the oils into the mixture as you process. Add the water the same way, streaming it into the vibrant green blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Words of advice:
1.You don't want a smooth pureed sauce, but rather with a rough texture, so don't over process. Pulse the ingredients instead of allowing the machine to run continuously.
2. One may substitute the pie pumpkin seeds with more pepitas if you don't have them on hand. I reserved the pumpkin seeds when I was roasting the meat of the pumpkin and let then dry out at room temperature for about 5-7 days. Then I toasted them in the oven for 5 minutes at 350F.

Tomato Sauce:
Yields 3 1/2 quarts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 - 28 ounce cans of San Marzano tomatoes
4 ounces tomato paste
5 cloves garlice
1 pinch smoked Spanish paprika
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dried basil

In a sauce pot, sweat onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer for several hours. Remove the bay leaf and from heat. Puree with an immersion blender and adjust seasonings.

Vegetarian: Squash Lasagna
Prepares one large 9x13" pan

1 eggplant, flame roasted on stove top then pureed (skins removed)
1/2 kabocha squash, cubed and roasted (350F for 45 minutes with 2 T. oil, salt and pepper)
16 ounces ricotta
2 ounces Pecorino Romano
3 cups shredded mozzarella
Pesto
Tomato Sauce

Heat oven to 375F
Oil the lasagna pan and layer the thicker (#4) lasagna noodles on the bottom. Spread the roasted eggplant on the noodles. Follow with cubed kabocha squash. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese, add next layer of lasagna noodles. Spread pesto onto, followed by another layer of squash. Ladle tomato sauce, then top with noodles. Next comes more cheese, the ricotta. Then yet again, a layer of noodles. Put a thin layer of tomato sauce on top the noodles and sprinkle Asiago Romano to finish.

Also, I'd like make a special shout-out to Clara. She was kind enough to wash the dishes as I prepared the lasagna during the entire preparation process.

Ginger Tofu

Yummy yummy. The sweet pickled ginger brightens the entire dish and pairs beautifully with the celery. Plus it looks so pretty, does it not?



First, press the tofu between folded tea towels and a heavy weight to press water from the tofu. After 40 minutes, begin cooking your short brown rice. While the rice is cooking, slice the onions into half moons. Heat a saute pan and once warm, add oil and begin cooking the onions. Once translucent, add batons of celery (preferably peeled). Add salt, pepper, and mint flakes. Slice a wild assortment of mushrooms and add to pan. Cook mixture until mushrooms are firm, not mushy. Deglaze the pan if necessary with just an ounce or so of pickled ginger juice into pan. Add rice wine vinegar, black sesame seeds, freshly grated ginger and minced garlic. Set aside and heat more oil in the pan, add tofu and sear all sides until nicely browned. Add more fresh ginger and garlic, then chives and parsley. By this time, your rice should be done or nearly finished. Last but not least, plate the dish [perhaps like the picture shown here] and EAT EAt eat !

3 T. Canola Oil
1/4 onion
3 stalks celery cut into batons
6 cups fresh, wild mushrooms
1 T. Black Sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp. mint flakes
few pinches of salt, to taste
pepper to taste
3 T. ginger fresh
2 large cloves garlic
1/8 c. rice vinegar
1 1/3 c. short brown rice
14 oz. extra firm tofu
2 T. fresh chives
2 T. fresh parsley
1-3 ounces pickled ginger juice
pickled ginger to taste

The Art of Sausages

Well, it's not my first time making sausages, but it mind as well. Literally, it's been nearly 6 years since I made sausage. One would think it to be hard, but in fact, it's quite the opposite. The only thing keeping me from making my own from scratch was the time and commitment it takes to prepare them from beginning to end. But after this batch, I know time will no longer stop me.

First and foremost, make sure you have all the necessary equipment, including the sausage stuffer attachment :)
Here's what you'll need:

meat, roughly chopped in 1" (25mm) cubes or smaller
spices [I did two blends, one a classic Italian blend of oregano, toasted fennel and red pepper flakes, and the second with lemon pepper, thyme, pepper, and other mediterranean herbs----I forget]
casings
water
grinder, parts, plus attachments (keep in freezer until ready for assembly)
stand mixer (if necessary)
bowls
scissors
cutting board
knife
camera [optional, don't you want documentation?]

Once you have all your materials and you're ready to start, prepare your meat by evenly incorporating the spices. Put in the freezer so that it nears the point of freezing. This will yield best results and is easier to work. Select your grind (the plate) and assemble the grinder accordingly to the manufacturers instructions. When choosing your plate, it's best to use a coarse size with tender cuts, medium with tough and fine with sinewy cuts of meat.
Before you begin, make sure the threaded retaining ring is snug (not too tight). Now, you're ready. Carefully place the meat inside the grinder using the pushing stick to force and guide the meat through the hopper. And there you have it, freshly ground meat. As you continue, you may encounter a few problems where the sinews wrap around the knife (blade) causing a stoppage. If this occurs, unplug the machine and carefully disassemble. While fixing the grinder, remember to place your meat in the freezer. The cause is usually because of a loose ring or the meat not being cold enough.



Once you are finished grinding, take a small amount of the meat mixture and form into a small patty. Cook thoroughly and taste for texture, spice, and overall taste. Adjust the mixture as you see fit. You may even have to put it through the grinder one more time if the texture wasn't to your liking. Let's say the texture was too tough, then you should put it through once more with a smaller plate/holes.



Alright, you're done mixing the meat. Put in the refrigerator until you've assembled the funnel end for sausage stuffing. It was at this point that I realized I didn't have this attachment and was therefore prohibited from moving any further. I spent the rest of the night making phone calls to all the local kitchen and hardware stores. After two hours of phone calls and being put on hold, I managed to find one. It turns out that sausage stuffing attachments are hard to come by. Most order them on-line. The following day, I had Gil pick up the funnel. We picked up where we left off and went back to work. We were finally able to assemble it properly with all the attachments.

Side note: The casings are sold in concentrated brines of salt water, so I recommend several rinses before using them.



Slide your casings onto the funnel and tie a knot at the very end. WIth your scissors, or a knife, create a hole for air to escape. Turn on the machine (be sure the machine is assembled properly) and place your meat in the hopper. With the other hand, guide the sausage along. When the length is to your liking, twist off right to left (always in the same direction). Continue this process until you've no more meat to stuff. Tie off the end, and there you have it. SAUSAGE!!!

Wasn't hard, right? Just time consuming, but worth it most definitely. Allow to rest in the refrigerator and prepare for a feast centered around your beautiful creation.