Tasting Spoons

Have you ever heard or read about how hard it is to photograph brown and beige things? Hope you can even figure out this is onions! I had to balance some of the onions on a fork with my left hand and try to hold the camera steady AND click the shutter with my right hand. All to show some added depth to the photo. And although this may not look all that appetizing, it’s actually very good. Would I kid you?

After just stating yesterday that I didn’t have any posts waiting in the wings, I looked, and oh yes, I had this one. I hadn’t posted it because I made the onion pepper relish to go with the beef sliders for the 4th of July, and thought the two were too similar. This one is less sweet than the relish - more suited for a slab of grilled meat probably, than the burgers and accompaniments. I still have some of this in the refrigerator (as well as the relish from the 4th), and assume it will keep for another few weeks since it’s “pickled,” so to speak, with the vinegar. Hope so, as it was delicious and very suitable for some meat things. I used it on a sandwich last week too.

We had some friends over for dinner a few weeks ago, and with the pork roast we did on the rotisserie (that I’d brined) I wanted to serve some kind of sauce or salsa, or something. Found a recipe for a pork rib roast with this onion marmalade. It was just a perfect fit. And oh-my-goodness deliciousness. It’s not difficult, although it does take some time (total cooking time about an hour) to sweat down the onions, then to continue to cook them down to a jammy consistency. If you started this first (when about to make a dinner) it would be done by the time you were ready to sit down).

The recipe came from Food & Wine magazine, May 2008. If you want to do the pork roast, just brine it, bake or rotisserie it until it reaches an internal temp of about 133 degrees (still pink in the middle). Remove and let sit for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving with this cold, room temp or hot onion topping. The leftovers will keep for several weeks.

Balsamic Onion Marmalade

Recipe By: Food & Wine, May ‘08.

Servings: 8

4 whole onions — peeled, sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pinch ground cloves

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a large pot (large enough to barely hold all the onions) heat the oil until it starts to shimmer.  Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 20 minutes.  Do not let them burn or brown.

2.  Season the onions with the ground cloves, salt and pepper.  Add the brown sugar and cook over moderately low heat until the skillet is dry, about 10 minutes.  Add the balsamic vinegar and orange zest and continue to cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the marmalade is very thick, 30 minutes.  Transfer the marmalade to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.  Reheat, if you prefer it hot, just before serving, or serve cold, or at room temperature.

Per Serving: 65 Calories; 2g Fat (23.0% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium.

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I have a question – did your mother or grandmother can pickles? Both my mother and grandmother made a variety of pickles every year. They made regular whole pickles (sweet type, though), piccalilli, bread and butter pickles and sometimes even pickled watermelon rind. I was never very crazy about the latter (too sweet for me). And my mother would make some kinds of pickle relishes. Not the tiny-minced sweet relish that we can buy in the markets now, but bigger chunks of cucumbers, red peppers and onions. With a delicious sweet and sour flavor going on.

A month or so ago my daughter Dana and family came to visit and she brought with her my mother’s recipe box. I’d forgotten she had it. It’s like this really fun bonanza to re-discover some lost and found thing. Just now I went to the section for pickles and condiments, and pulled out a small stack of recipes. I found: Watermelon Pickle, Zucchini Pickles, Zucchini Relish, Chow Chow, my Dad’s Aunt Rosa’s Bread & Butter Pickles, Dill Crisps from my great, great Aunt Nora, my Grandmother Isis’ Bread & Butter Pickles, and Mustard Pickles.  

Here’s a photo of the aging 3×5 cards. The top one is in my grandmother’s handwriting, I think. I’m flooded with memories of visiting my mother’s family, at their farmhouse in Ceres, California. This would have been in the late 1940’s, early 50’s. In the middle of the farming belt of central California. The house was located about half a mile from the railroad. Many a summer night do I remember trying to go to sleep in the attic room (you know how hot attics get in the heat of a San Joaquin summer?), trying not to think how hot and sweaty I was, hearing the whoo-hoo of the trains going by all hours of the night. Growing up within a mile of the bay in San Diego, the only sounds I heard at night were fog horns, so train noises would awaken me. I also remember helping my grandmother a little bit in the kitchen - usually baking something like biscuits. Or helping my grandfather kill a chicken for Sunday supper (I watched until it came time to start plucking the feathers). And of poking my nose into the icebox that sat on the inside back porch. And helping my grandmother feed clothes into the wringer of the round free-standing washing machine that sat out on the outdoor back porch. Of riding on the tractor out in the field on my grandfather’s lap, holding on for dear life, diligently trying to steer the darned thing (very difficult). And playing with the multitude of kittens that always seemed to be around whenever we visited. They always had cats to keep the mouse population in check. I also prowled around in the monstrosity of an old barn, listening intently for mice hiding in the stacks of hay, or scurrying into the bowels of an old abandoned tractor that would no longer run, that was covered with stuff. Wonderful fodder for varmints. And food for cats.

Well, back to pickles. Back in the 1970’s I did make refrigerator dill pickles when the canning cucumber variety were plentiful at the markets. I can’t find my Sunset recipe. I’ve hunted for it, but no luck. Dana remembers when I made them several summers in a row. She adored them, dipping her hand into the icy cold jar of brine and grabbing one to chew on outside on the patio, where the juice could run unhindered down her arm.

That’s what was conjured up in my memory a couple of weeks ago when I was contemplating the menu for our 4th of July barbecue. We grilled turkey burgers (Oprah’s recipe), and traditional burgers too, but all of them were the small slider size. I may never go back to regular size again – I like these smaller ones so much better. They’re easier to handle, even forming the raw meat was easier. And we all liked the rolls (King’s Hawaiian bread rolls). It’s a light, soft bread, and it scrunched down just fine to fit into your mouth.

Our grandchildren and at least one of our adult kids wanted pure, unadulterated burgers. No special relish. Nothing but the bun, lettuce, tomato and red onion slices. But I made this really piquant relish/marmalade stuff that I’d make again anytime. It was relatively simple to prepare – I sautéed a bit of sugar and some onions (I should have used red, but yellow ones were what I grabbed) while bell peppers (supposed to be red only; I used one red and one yellow) charred under the broiler. Once they cooled and the skins were peeled, they were tossed into the onion mixture with balsamic vinegar and some spices. It took about 30 minutes to make, and I thought their flavor on the burgers was sensational.

Pickle making is becoming a lost art, I suppose. We’re all too busy. What a huge loss, since refrigerator pickles are so easy to do, requiring no cooking. I found some recipes on the internet and gave them to my daughter, in hopes that she’d make them for her family. She’s interested, but might be too intimidated to try it without mom around to oversee. In the meantime, for me, this delicious relish/marmalade will have to do!

Red Onion and Red Pepper Marmalade

Recipe: An ancient clipping from the Los Angeles Times Food Section

Servings: 8-16

2 whole red bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 whole red onions — halved, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sugar — or Splenda added later

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse salt

3 tablespoons fresh basil — minced

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme — minced

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary — minced

2 tablespoons butter — optional

1.  Preheat the broiler.

2.  Stand the peppers on their end and cut each into 4 flat sides and remove seeds and ribs.  Arrange the peppers skin side up in a single layer on a foil-lined pan and broil until blackened, between 5-10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and wrap the peppers in the foil.  Wait until they’re cool enough to handle, then remove the skin.  Cut them into thin strips and set aside.

3.  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onions and sugar.  Cook, stirring often until the onions are lightly colored (not dark brown) about 10 minutes.  Turn down the heat if they appear to be browning too quickly.

4.  Stir in the vinegar, mustard and salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft, about 7 more minutes.  Stir in the red bell peppers; heat through.  Adjust seasoning.  This can be made to this point several days ahead and refrigerated.

5.  To serve, gently reheat even if you’re serving it at room temperature.  Stir in the herbs, and when hot stir in the butter until melted.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

NOTES: The butter may not be necessary - I didn’t use it - your choice. If you use Splenda, stir it into the finished marmalade.

Per Serving: 85 Calories; 6g Fat (64.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 274mg Sodium. 

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In our local area, we happen to frequent a Mexican restaurant called Jalapeno’s. Now, my DH isn’t all that crazy about Mexican food (he was raised in Ocean City, New Jersey, so what does that tell you – New Jerseyites don’t know from Mexican food - at least not the ones born prior to about 1980), but since I am a native Californian, Mexican cuisine feels like part of my DNA. I know it’s not, because I’m blond and blue-eyed, but tacos and enchiladas were part of my growing up, so at least in cuisine, I’ll claim it as part of my DNA. My parents and I craved Mexican food at least once a week, without fail. When we’d go camping every summer for two weeks, we were deprived of our favorite out-to-dinner menu, and usually the very next night back home, we were over at our favorite restaurant in San Diego, called Aztec Dining Room (it’s been closed for about 6-7 years now), enjoying our regular stuff. I still crave Mexican food on a regular basis.

We do have lots and LOTS of Mexican restaurants in our area, but not many that I consider fabulous. This little place, Jalapeno’s, is family-run, and you have to stand in line to order at a counter, then they deliver the piping hot food to your table.

 

Once in awhile I can get my DH to go there, but really not very often. So, when he spends a night on our boat in San Diego, unless I have other plans, I zip down to Jalapeno’s for dinner. I order a chile relleno, or maybe their delicious shredded beef tacos, or a cheese enchilada. They make their own chips and fresh tomato salsa. And, they also make a fabulous marinated carrot relish. It’s made in huge vats, it’s that popular, and all I’ve ever known was that it contained what you can see in it: carrot coins, garlic, onions, bay leaf and hot chiles. Oh yes, vinegar. We know the recipe is the family matriarch’s prized recipe. They won’t share it. Even our local paper requested it, and they refused. They sell the carrots, but they’re gosh-darned expensive, so I’ve been trying to figure out how to make them. Since I don’t cook Mexican food much, I’ve had a hard time finding any recipes for them, but then I’ve always been looking for a CARROT relish.

So, when I read an article by Steven Raichlen in Bon Appetit Magazine (May 2008 issue), it mentioned this pickled ONION relish, from the Yucatan. So, I definitely had to try it. It’s not difficult – you simmer the onions, garlic and salt in water for just ONE minute. Drain off the water, then add some white vinegar, bay leaf, allspice, pepper, oregano, cumin and water, then bring that to a boil, turn off the heat, cool and serve.

Nearly a year ago I posted a recipe for stacked enchiladas (a vegetarian casserole type dish with black beans) with an onion relish on the side. I’ve made it a couple of times because I love the onions as a garnish on sandwiches, but since this new recipe contains some of the ingredients I know are in Jalapeno’s carrots, I needed to try this.

They’re good – not by themselves, of course – but they didn’t taste like what I expected. They’re great on a sandwich and as a relish, but they’re quite piquant, tart, by themselves. I did sprinkle in some Splenda to the vinegar solution (after they were cooked), and I like them better. Perhaps when Jalapeno’s makes it with carrots – because they’re so sweet – they lend a general sweetness to the mixture on their own. I didn’t have any carrots, otherwise I would have added some to the onions, just to see how they would work. Because these are so easy to make, I’d definitely make them again, probably adding more garlic and perhaps sugar. Or, I may go to my previous recipe and add some spices to it, and see what that tastes like.

Yucatecan Pickled Onions

Recipe By: Steven Raichlen, Bon Appetit, May 2008

Serving Size: 10

6 cups water

1 large red onion — cut in 1/8-inch-thick slices, rings separated

2 whole garlic cloves — quartered

1 tablespoon kosher salt — coarse salt

1/2 cup white vinegar

3 whole allspice

1 whole bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano — preferably Mexican

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 packets Splenda (or sugar) [my addition]

1.  Combine 6 cups water, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon coarse salt in heavy medium saucepan.  Bring to boil, then boil 1 minute.  Drain off liquid. 

2.  Return onions and garlic to same saucepan.  Add vinegar and all remaining ingredients.  Add enough water to saucepan just to cover onions.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat, cover, and cool. [Add Splenda at this point, if using.]

3.  Transfer onion mixture to bowl, cover, and chill overnight.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead.  Keep chilled.  Drain onions and serve.

Per Serving: 14 Calories; trace Fat (10.1% calories from fat); trace Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 570mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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As I sat at the completion of our meal the other night (we were in deep conversation about politics with our son in law, who is visiting with us), I noticed that my fork and spoon (both used to slurp up all the good juices in the bottom of the pasta bowl) were arranged as you see in the left photo above. And I realized that the arrangement of my utensils was one of those visible messages used throughout Europe. 

When you visit in Europe, there’s a kind of utensil code - it’s etiquette, really - when you dine out. Most likely it’s the same when you dine in as well.

• The etiquette message of the left bowl - the arrangement of the silverware indicates that I’m still eating. The fork and spoon are in the upright position, and set so I can grab them easily. The message - don’t touch my plate. 

• The etiquette message of the right bowl - the two utensils are aligned together on the right side and turned upside down. Meaning I’m finished and you may take my plate or bowl.

For those of you who live in some parts of the world this is probably nothing new at all, it’s common sense, since you use these codes all the time. You learned it from a young age. But we here in No. America haven’t learned these codes. Why, I wonder? Maybe it harkens back to the early Pioneers - they had no time or patience with the fripperies of fancy manners. I like the custom and wish we’d use it more often. I have lurkers (lurkers are people who read my blog, but never comment) from all over the world. Won’t you chime in and tell me about your silverware or utensil etiquette? Is it the same as I’ve explained when we’ve visited in Europe. Or are yours different still?