View from the Innside

essential kitchen tools for making fruitcake

It's fruitcake-making time again! I've finally learned to put it on the calendar for mid-November so the fruitcake has plenty of time to soak and mellow. Otherwise, it's an oblong doorstop. There's nothing better than a great fruitcake and nothing worse than a bad one.

As I was making the fruitcake this year (click here for recipe), I realized that operating a bed & breakfast has changed the way we cook and the tools we use. There are some tools that are essential and which we would never be without again.

First, a kitchen scale is so useful that once you start using one, you'll wonder how you did without it. It keeps everything consistent, so we weigh our flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter, etc. It may not seem like it would make that much difference, but if you're using 5 cups of flour, your cookies could vary a lot between one batch and the next if you just "eyeball" it in a measuring cup. We have a Salter electronic kitchen scale. My memory is not that good, so I have a cheatsheet taped inside my kitchen cabinet that says a cup of flour is 5 ounces, a cup of sugar is 7 ounces, etc.

We also use commercial half-sheet pans, also known as jelly-roll pans" that have sides about an inch high. Forget all the fancy cookie sheets with or without Teflon. You can buy expensive ones, of course, but you can also go to a commercial restaurant supply store and they will be much less expensive. Don't worry about the coating, because to go with these, we use parchment paper sheets, which we also buy from a supplier, and you can get them in a size to exactly fit the half-sheet pan. I never spray a baking sheet any more, just put a parchment paper sheet in it. Your cookies will not stick, and if they are a little heavy on the butter, the parchment will absorb some of it. Put parchment paper on the half-sheet pan under your pie or casserole and you will have no more spills in the bottom of the oven. You can also cut the sheets to fit loaf pans (fruitcake!), cake pans or whatever. Clean up is easy and the parchment paper peels right off.

A very large mixing bowl is essential for mixing a large batch of fruitcake batter, the fruit and nuts. Again, you can get large aluminum bowls in many sizes at a restaurant supply house. And you'll need a box of latex or nitrile gloves within easy reach in the kitchen. The best way I've found to really mix the fruitcake batter is to put on gloves, dump everything into that very large bowl, and mix it thoroughly with my fingers. It is amazingly faster and better than fighting with a wooden spoon or spatula, since fruitcake dough is very dense and sticky.

Finally, the best way to test the doneness of anything, especially cakes, muffins, chicken, etc., is to use an instant-read thermometer. No more undercooked chicken or over-done pork roast, and no baked goods that are still doughy in the center!

Now that you have the right tools, it's time to make fruitcake.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy
Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
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Peach and goat cheese salad

I was looking for a way to use some splendid "O Henry" variety of peaches and came up with this fresh and tangy salad.  Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Peach and Goat Cheese Salad

Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & Breakfast
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Serves 2

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper
3 cups mixed salad greens, washed and dried
2 ripe peaches, pitted, skinned and sliced *
4 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled **

 

Mix the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste; pour over salad greens and toss.  Drain off and save the excess dressing.  Place greens on two salad plates. Top with sliced peaches and crumbled goat cheese; drizzle with reserved dressing.

*  To peel peaches easily, bring enough water to cover peaches to a boil.  Remove from heat. Make a small slit in the bottom of each peach and drop into hot water; leave in for 1 minute.  Remove from hot water and plunge into cold water for 1 minute.  Starting from the slit on the bottom, remove the peach skins.

**     The easiest and least messy way to crumble goat cheese is to leave it in the package and hold it with one hand.  At the open end, rake it with a fork.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy
Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Avocado-Jicama Relish

I adapted this recipe from one I found in the newspaper. It originally called for cucumber and radishes in the relish, but I can't eat either of those.  Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Avocado-Jicama Relish

From the Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & Breakfast
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Adapted from avocadocentral.com
Serves 4

relish

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 c. finely chopped jicama
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. minced cilantro
1/2 T. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
pinch of salt

Tacos

1 T. olive oil
2 T. finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. chipotle puree *
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 c. coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast
Salt and pepper to taste
8 small corn tortillas

        Relish:  in a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado, jicama, onion, and cilantro. Add red wine vinegar and slowly drizzle in the oil until well combined. Add salt to taste. Cover, pressing plastic wrap firmly on the surface of the relish and refrigerate until use.

        Tacos:  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and onion to the pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the chipotle puree and tomatoes.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture begins to thicken.  Add the green onions and chicken and mix well; cook until the chicken is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

        In a separate small frying pan on medium-high heat, heat tortillas for about 15 seconds on each side. (They should be just barely crispy but not stiff.)

        Spoon one-eighth of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and top with avocado relish.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy
Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

 

Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle-Marmalade Sauce

Our friend Joyce at the Chambered Nautilus in Seattle was telling us how much she loves pork tenderloin, so I was going to point her to the recipe on our blog.  I haven't posted that one yet--so here it is.  Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle-Marmalade Sauce

Velvet Restaurant in SoHo, NY
6 servings

3 2/3 c. beef stock or canned beef broth
3 2/3 c. chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 T. olive oil
3/4 c. finely chopped shallots
1/2 c. orange marmalade
1 T. chopped canned chipotle chilies*
1 T. water
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 1-pound pork tenderloins

Boil beef and chicken stocks in medium saucepan until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 45 minutes.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and sauté until tender, 4 min. Add reduced stock mixture, marmalade and chipotle chilies.  Simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, 5 min.  Mix 1 T. water and cornstarch in small bowl. Whisk cornstarch mixture into stock mixture. Stir until sauce boils and thickens, 5 min. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 T. olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake until thermometer inserted into pork registers 155°F, about 15 minutes. Let pork rest 5 minutes.

Bring sauce to simmer. Slice pork into 1/2-inch-thick medallions; arrange on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

*        Tip for chipotle chili in adobo sauce:  this can be found in the Mexican food section of the grocery store, generally in 6-oz. cans.  Since I don’t use very much at one time and don’t want to waste this great chili, I put the chilies with all of the adobo sauce in a food mill to remove seeds and skin.  Put into an ice cube tray using a tablespoon measure and freeze.  Remove from ice cube tray and store in a freezer bag.  Note that it will stain your ice cube tray red!

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy
Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

 

Chile-Lime Turkey Patties

Looking for ways to use up that leftover turkey? Now is the time--either use it or cut it up, package it and put it in the freezer. This recipe was in the November 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. It's quite good, and don't skip the Lime Butter Sauce. It also says it serves eight people, but I made four generous patties instead! Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Chile-Lime Turkey Patties 

Joyce Van Meter in Better Homes and Gardens, Nov 2011

Serves 8

Turkey Patties
2 cups cut-up leftover cooked turkey
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 T. sliced celery
2 T. sliced green onion
1 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. lime juice
1 tsp. red chile paste *
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. butter

        In a food processor, process turkey until just ground; transfer to a bowl. Process parsley, celery and onion until finely chopped; add to bowl. Add half the panko, the mayonnaise, egg, lime juice, chile paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Form eight 3-inch patties; coat with remaining panko.

        In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Cook patties, half at a time, 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve with Lime Butter Sauce and lime wedges, if desired.

Lime Butter Sauce
1/3 cup white wine or chicken broth
1 T. lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. whipping or heavy cream
1/3 cup butter, cut into small chunks
1 T. Asian sweet chili sauce *

In a small saucepan, combine wine or broth, lime juice and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in whipping cream. Gradually whisk in butter until melted. Stir in Asian sweet chili sauce. Serve warm over turkey patties. (Note: this refrigerates and reheats well.)

* NOTES: I found the red chile paste and Asian sweet chili sauce at an Asian market. Check the Oriental foods section of your grocery store.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy
Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

 

 

 

cool summer drinks

In summer, I like something to drink that's cold and refreshing, but I don't want added caffeine and excessive calories. By accident, I discovered how to make "cranberry soda" and "blueberry soda," both delicious.

Cranberry soda:  Fill a large glass one-third full of ice. Add cranberry juice (see other options below) to fill the glass halfway. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water. Ta-da--"cranberry soda." 

Blueberry lemonade or soda: Use a ratio of one part blueberry syrup to five parts lemonade or sparkling water.

It seems simple, right?  Think of all those lovely flavorings available for Italian sodas and coffee drinks. I tried it with orange juice, but it was a bit tart, so next time I'll try orange syrup. I also plan to try it with grape juice, mango nectar and maybe apple juice.

suggested garnishes:  small frozen fruits--blueberries, strawberries, grapes, blackberries, raspberries--lemon or orange slices, mint sprigs.  Use your imagination and have some fun with it.

A note on the sparkling water:  Sparkling water is available in the soda section of the grocery store, and I found it to be the best. It offers a little zip without adding any flavor on its own. Club soda is also good but contains some salt, so it adds a slightly bitter flavor. Tonic water contains quinine and definitely has a bitter flavor that I didn't like at all. Maybe it's okay for a gin and tonic (I don't drink that), but not in my soda.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

 

Bacon, lettuce and tomato salad recipe

Bacon--it's not just for breakfast!  While we serve breakfast to our guests at the Bottger Mansion of Old Town, we also eat two other meals every day. This is one of my new favorites, especially in the warmer months when a main-dish salad tastes really good at the end of the day.   Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad

adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Serves 4

3 c. bread cubes (crouton-size)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
cooking spray
12 slices bacon, chopped 
1/3 c. mayonnaise  
3 T. red wine vinegar  
4 c. cherry tomatoes, halved 
10-ounce bag salad greens  
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and pepper  

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix bread cubes, salt and pepper, spraying with cooking spray and tossing until lightly coated.  Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool. 

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. (Tip: draining the bacon fat as it cooks will allow the bacon to get crisp easier.)  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Discard drippings.

Whisk mayonnaise and vinegar in large bowl. Add bacon, tomatoes, salad greens, avocado and croutons and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve.

(Tip: if you won’t use all the salad at one time, keep half of the components aside and separate. Otherwise, the croutons will get soggy if you mix it all together and have it leftover later.)

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com
follow us on Facebook

 

recipe for Nassau Grits (or rice)

I had planned for this to be a side dish to go with some kielbasa, but when I looked at the recipe, I realized it contains enough meat to stand alone as a main dish.  If you're a grits "weenie"--meaning you didn't grow up eating grits and can't see yourself ever giving them a try--you can substitute 3 cups of cooked white rice. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf file.

Nassau Grits (or Rice!)

Saveur Magazine No. 99
The Coffee Cup Restaurant, Pensacola FL
serves 4

8 slices of bacon
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 c. (about 6 oz.) finely chopped smoked ham
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c. old-fashioned stone-ground white grits *
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon, leaving the drippings in the skillet, to a paper-towel-lined plate to let drain and cool. Crumble the bacon into small pieces and set aside.

Reserve about 3 T. of the bacon drippings in the skillet and discard the rest. Reheat the skillet over medium heat, add the onions and peppers, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring, until the peppers are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juice) along with the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add grits and salt to taste, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, thick, and creamy, about 30 minutes. Stir in the ham-tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve grits sprinkled with reserved bacon.

* If you can’t get the old-fashioned stone-ground grits, you can use the quick-cooking grits that only take 5 minutes to cook.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com

 

Red Beans and Rice recipe

A couple of months ago, I wanted some red beans and rice and used a recipe I had found a while back.  I wasn't happy with it, so I went looking for another and found one by Emeril Lagasse.  If anyone should know red beans and rice, it would be Emeril.  I wasn't able to find tasso ham in Albuquerque, so I used diced smoked bacon, and it worked just fine.  At a potluck dinner with other innkeepers last week, it was pronounced delicious!  For a printer-friendly pdf version, click here.

Red Beans and Rice 

Emeril Lagasse
Serves 8 

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
3 T. bacon grease
1/4 c. chopped tasso, or chopped ham (or diced smoked bacon)
1 1/2 c. chopped yellow onions
3/4 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped green bell peppers
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
3 bay leaves
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. smoked ham hocks
3 T. chopped garlic
10 c. chicken stock, or water
4 c. cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight.  Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Bottger Mansion of Old Town
historic bed & breakfast
110 San Felipe Street NW
Albuquerque, NM   87104
www.bottger.com

 

 

Wafuu Curry recipe (Japanese-style curry)

The restaurants in Japan have plastic models of the food they serve in the window, which is helpful for those of us who don't speak Japanese. On a trip to Aomori in 1976, while I actually pointed at--and thought I ordered--something else, I was served this curry.  It was delicious.  However, for our second and third meals on that trip, no matter what I pointed at, I was served Wafuu Curry. It was still delicious, but I would have preferred a little more variety! It's one of those great travel stories, even more than 30 years later.

I found this recipe in an old copy of Saveur Magazine and tried it a couple of months ago. It instantly brought back memories of our tour of duty in northern Japan and that trip to Aomori.   Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version of the recipe.

Wafuu Curry

(Japanese-Style Curry)

Sachiko Kakizawa, Saveur Magazine

Serves 4

3 c. chicken stock

1 T. canola or peanut oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” chunks

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 T. butter

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger

1 medium yellow onion, 1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 cut into 1” pieces

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3 T. flour

2 T. curry powder, preferably S&B brand

2 T. crushed tomatoes

1 dried bay leaf

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2” rounds

1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1” chunks

1 small Fuji apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated

1 tsp. honey

1 T. soy sauce

steamed short-grain white rice

    Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper to taste, add to the skillet, and cook, stirring and turning frequently, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat, transfer the chicken to a large plate and set aside.

    Return the skillet to medium-high heat and melt the butter.  Add the ginger, chopped onions, and garlic and cook, stirring often to scrape up any browned bits, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is evenly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the curry powder and the tomatoes, stir well to combine, and remove the skillet from the heat.  Add 1/2 cup of hot chicken stock and whisk vigorously to combine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet.  (The browned bits will contribute greatly to the taste and color of the curry.)  Whisk the curry mixture into the pot of simmering chicken stock, then add the reserved browned chicken thigh pieces, onion pieces, bay leaf, carrots and potatoes.  Bring the curry to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

    Add the apples, honey, soy sauce and salt to taste to the curry and stir well to combine.  Cook the curry, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat, until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes more.  Serve the curry with steamed short-grain rice.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Bottger Mansion of Old Town

historic bed & breakfast

110 San Felipe Street NW

Albuquerque, NM   87104

www.bottger.com