What To Do With Wheat?

Last weekend, I attended a class on how to prepare wheat. Those who are interested in storing food for use in case of an emergency or disaster often rely heavily on wheat because of its nutritional value and durability. When properly stored, whole wheat (or wheat berries as they're called nowadays) can last for upwards of 30 years. But then storing it is one thing, but preparing it in a variety of interesting ways is another. So off I went, to learn the ABCs of cooking wheat.

Most obviously, wheat can be ground into flour for baking purposes. Many find freshly ground flour superior to store-bought because (as with all foods) the fresher it is, the more nutritional value it will have. On display were are a ton of different mills, grinders, flakers, etc., in all variety of price ranges and sophistication. I'll show you one of the coolest ones I saw below.

Also shown to the class were a variety of whole grains, along with several forms of wheat, including wheat berries, cracked wheat, and bulgur. Cracked wheat and bulgur can be used in cooking with ground meats to make a small amount of meat go further, because it blends right in with the meat, bulking it up without altering the taste. Wheat can also be popped like popcorn!

The demo included a bread-making session using freshly ground 100% whole-wheat flour, plus extra wheat gluten (which helps the dough rise) and dough enhancer (which extends the shelf life of the bread).

We watched a demo on how to sprout wheat. If you follow up by planting some sprouts in soil in a sunny window, you will soon have a sustainable source of wheatgrass for blender smoothies. This wheatgrass is just 10 days old and look how hardy it is already!

Here is the amazing device I mentioned before, which seamlessly combines physical fitness and food preparation. As you pedal the stationary bike, it powers the motor of the white flour mill on the floor. Just pop your wheat berries in the opening, hop on the bike for some morning exercise, and when you get off, retrieve your bowl of freshly milled whole wheat flour. I thought this was a hilarious idea!

Finally, we all left with a packet full of recipes ideas using wheat (of course!). Today, I made my first batch of wheat berries for breakfast in the slow cooker (1 cup of wheat berries+2 1/2 cups of water + pinch of salt= 2 servings of wheat berry cereal after about 8 hours. I topped mine with dried currents, honey and almond milk. The wheat berries were chewy and filling, a great breakfast dish. I will be continuing my experimentation with wheat, the staff of life!

Light Salmon Burgers

We are always looking for tasty new fish recipes. Salmon burgers seemed retro to me at first, but this recipe from Eating Well magazine really revamped the idea. Gone is the canned salmon and the fishiness (much to my husband’s relief). Now it’s all about starting with wild-caught salmon fillets and processing them as little as possible. I have to admit, when I looked at the “patties” I thought something had gone wrong. “It’s just chunks of salmon! These are totally gonna fall apart!” I fretted. But miraculously, they stayed together pretty well, and came out simply delicious. We cooked them in garlic-infused olive oil and loved the results. Buns are optional, and the burgers would be wonderful paired with either the suggested green goddess dressing or ketchup. Without the bun and served with a dollop of the sauce, they are under 300 calories and a lovely light dinner.

Salmon Burgers

From Eating Well magazine

1 pound wild salmon fillet, skinned

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, or scallion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil

Optional: Green goddress dressing to serve Preparation: 1.With a large chef’s knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy) until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to large bowl and gently stir in onion (or scallion), cilantro, ginger, salt and pepper, being careful not to overmix. Divide the mixture into 4 patties, about 1 inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) before cooking. 2.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned on both sides and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve with 1 tablespoon Green Goddess Sauce each. Serves 4.

Family Cioppino Fest

My mom's family is 100% Portuguese. Coming from the islands of the Azores where the local diet contains significant portions of seafood, they enjoy the fruits of the sea. My grandpa occasionally invites the extended family over for a big Cioppino Fest, and this weekend we were lucky enough to enjoy this special treat.

This year, BBQ-ed oysters were also on the menu...

Served in the shell with a tiny squirt of hot sauce.

As the food was being prepared under the covering of a sturdy patio covering, we watched the rain pour down. Portions of the roads in his neighborhood were flooded due to the inordinate amounts of precipitation. But grandpa soldiered on despite the weather.

Do you know how delicious a huge pot of steaming Cioppino broth smells on a cold, rainy day? MMM!

It only gets better once you start adding king crab legs...

Mussels and clams...

Dover sole fillets...

Calamari...

And finally, the jumbo shrimp!

Now give it a good stir with a special Cioppino spoon...


Now ladle your Cioppino into the largest bowl you can find,
and enjoy with fresh sourdough bread smothered in garlic butter!

As you can see, my grandpa makes a mean Cioppino! Many thanks to him for a great weekend, and thanks to the Portuguese and Italian fisherman of San Francisco for coming up with the idea of this delicious, fragrant, filling stew.

Turn Leftover Jam Into A Quick Breakfast

I would estimate that my current supply of jam should last me the next several years. Our refrigerator always contains several varieties of jams and preserves at any given time, and I am always open to new ways to use up this surplus.

Like many working couples, we are always rushing out the door in the morning. So when I came across a recipe for healthy jam-filled muffins that can be frozen ahead of time and thawed for a fast morning meal, I had to try it! (Actually, I used to make a similar muffin with all-purpose flour, before my days of whole grain worship!) I totally forgot to add nuts to the top of them, but they were still tasty, and would be ideal for a light breakfast/snack. I used blueberry lavender jam - delicious!

Jam-Filled Muffins

2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice)
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
jam of your choice

walnuts

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add buttermilk, orange juice, oil and vanilla; whisk to blend. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.

Scoop half the batter into the prepared pan. Drop a generous teaspoonful of jam into the center of each muffin. Spoon on the remaining batter, filling each muffin cup completely. Top each muffin with walnuts.

Bake muffins until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15-20 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Early Spring Planting Complete

I think I've finished my first spring planting. And I wish the apartment management would stop reminding people not to use their patios for storage. It makes me sad to think that they might mean me. It's not storage, it's a homemade composter, people!

To date, the most vigorous plants have been the potatoes. We planted some seed red potatoes and they are exploding almost faster than I can cover them with additional mounds of soil. The garlic is also doing well. The empty pot is Swiss chard, which I read can be very slow to germinate. I just hope it gets there eventually!

Herb-wise, my thyme, rosemary and basil didn't like being moved inside and had to be replaced. Sage, parsley and mint all pulled through like champs. I'm also trying to grow dill from seed. The iris in the back will hopefully bloom in April. Iris is my all-time favorite flower, and girl is allowed a bit of luxury right?

Mixed greens, arugula, spinach and carrots are slowly sprouting, and I have great hopes for our little garden this year! Even if I can barely walk out on our patio.

Adventures in Eating In

March has had me thinking about budgeting and how to cut back, especially in the area of eating out. Coupons have helped, and we have been eating at less expensive places. But I have also been asking myself the reasons behind my decision to eat out. After contemplating it, here are my main reasons:

1) Convenience- This is mostly a weekend urge, when I just want us both to be able to relax. No one has to buy ingredients, prepare dinner, or do dishes.

2) Sometimes I crave things that are difficult to duplicate exactly at home, like ethnic food.

So this weekend, instead of eating out, we made two meals at home that resembled food we would normally buy at a restaurant. The gourmet burgers we made with buns from the Grateful Bread bakery, grass-fed ground beef, green goddress dressing and Irish cheddar leftover from our party, and caramelized onions. Best burger I have ever made at home.


Total approximate cost for two burgers: $4.50, or $2.25 each. Obviously, a fraction of the price of eating out. Total prep time: 1 1/2 hours. (Caramelizing the onions was a very long process...)

Saturday, I tried to make Burmese food at home, similar to what we might have gotten at Burma Superstar in the Bay area. Now, I simplified the cooking process for my beloved chicken curry noodles by using leftover caramelized onions and omitting the hard-boiled egg and raw onion. The cooking time was still about 1 1/2 hours, and taste was similar but not identical. Cost per serving: about $2.


Cheap it may be, but I gotta say, this is one complicated dish, traditionally simmered until thick and then served with crushed chilies, lemon wedges, cilantro, raw onions, hard-cooked egg, and caramelized onions. Making it at home is a lot of work. I wouldn't mind paying for just to have someone else do it all for me. But I would have to drive to San Francisco, so that is quite a lot of time and expense unless I was already there.

We will continue our experiments in eating in and see what we come up with. It's always an adventure. And I really like not having to pay a tip.

St. Patrick's Day Our Way

Paul loves St. Patrick's Day, and I'm rather fond of the holiday meself. Although our dark complexions disguise it, both he and I have significant Irish ancestry. We also celebrate March 17th as the day we went on our first date 4 years ago now. It was a bit of a catastrophe, but aren't the most memorable dates always part chaos?

This year for our St. Patrick's Day dinner party, we started off with a Ploughman's Lunch platter. Traditionally, this consists of cheese, bread, pickles, chutney, salad and perhaps some meats. Our featured Kerrygold Dubliner cheddar cheese, sweet pickles, and homemade persimmon chutney, along with slices of hearty, slightly sweet soda bread.


One friend brought a green salad with green goddess dressing; another brought a pistachio fruity salad. We served extra soda bread with Irish butter alongside a variation of a thick Paula Dean beef-potato stew.

For dessert, we made some chocolate-mint cupcakes that looked picture perfect both before and after frosting:

And boy, when you bit into one, it really kicked you in the mouth and shouted, "Mint!" I like spunk in a cupcake. I appreciate it very much. Crowned with a viewing of "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", the evening was an Irish sensation. How can you top a young, dark-haired, smiling Sean Connery? Tis impossible. And with that, I take my leave and wish you all the luck of the Irish.