Denise Tesche

Okay, here’s my Oma’s stollen recipe. It’s actually quite easy, but it’s a day-long thing since the dough has to rise several times.

This recipe is huge and makes 8 loaves (it freezes well – in Germany, it’s traditional to consume the last Christmas stollen on Easter) so feel free to cut it in half. It isn’t overly sweet and heavy and nasty like traditional fruitcakes – it’s more like a sweet bread, and the butter in the recipe makes it very flaky.

• 6 pounds flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 7 oz yeast
• 1 lb golden raisins
• 1 t almond extract
• 3 t salt
• 3 lb butter
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1 lb dark raisins
• 1 lb blanched almonds, ground finely (but not overly fine – you get it)
• 1/2 lb citron, chopped finely (as above) and floured

In a saucepan, heat the milk. Remove from heat and add butter, sugar and salt. When just warm, add yeast. Put into large mixing bowl and begin to add flour, about five pounds, mixing well after each addition. Stir in raisins, citron and almonds. Add almond extract. Mix well and knead on floured board (dough will be a little sticky – you’ll use probably half a pound of flour doing this, which accounts for the six pound total) until it’s very smooth and elastic (about 20 minutes). Put into a covered bowl and let it rise until doubled. Divide dough into 8 parts and flatten each piece into a circle and fold over *almost* in half – the bottom diameter will be larger than the top. Let rise again until doubled and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. When cool, dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Biscuits may be one of the greatest creations of all-time. The secret is having a light hand when mixing them.  And use your hands! It’s the quickest and easiest way (as well as best way) to make ’em!

Add a bit of sugar and they become shortcakes for strawberries or peaches. Add some cheese or herbs and they’re transformed yet, again!

I’ve done a lot of baking in my time and really believe that sifting the flour a couple of times is one of the best ways to ensure a light product.

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 4 tablespoons lard (or half lard, half butter)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• about 3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400°.

Sift flour, add baking powder and salt, and sift again. Rub the lard and butter into the flour. (You want little pieces of lard and/or butter coated with the flour. This is what makes them flaky.) Add milk gradually, stirring until soft dough is formed.

Turn out on slightly floured board and lightly knead for about 30 seconds. Roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with a 2-inch floured biscuit cutter. (A clean tuna can with lid and bottom cut off works great!) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes.

Barmbrack is a traditional Irish spiced fruit bread.  I found this recipe years ago and made it for my father’s cousins on St Paddy’s Day when they were visiting San Francisco almost 30 years ago. That was a pretty legendary dinner with about a dozen of us eating Beef Braised in Guinness and consuming a couple pints or so… I’ve been making it ever since. It’s delicious sliced, toasted and buttered – or you can eat it on its own.

Traditionally, the fruit is soaked overnight in 2 cups of strong Irish tea.  Being the non-traditionalist I can sometimes be, I soak the fruit in 2 cups of Irish whisky overnight.  I’ve made it both ways and really prefer the whisky version the best!

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, golden raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (Kerrygold or Plugra European style butter!)
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tsp mixed spices (allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon…)

Soak the dried fruit in 2 cups of Irish whisky overnight.

Warm the milk slightly (no more than 110°.) Stir in the teaspoon of sugar and the yeast and let proof about 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the butter or margarine. Add the frothy yeast, the beaten egg and the spice. Drain any remaining liquid from the fruit and add the fruit to the mixture. Mix well to make a smooth dough (add more flour if the mixture is too wet).

Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead it thoroughly.  (I use my KitchenAid and mix about 6 minutes.) Place the dough in a well-greased 8”-9” springform pan, cover with a cloth, and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 – 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Place the pan in a preheated 350° oven and bake for about 50 minutes. The loaf will be ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on it.

Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack before serving.

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and roughly sliced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup lingonberry vinegar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper

Add strawberries and bell pepper to saucepan and cook until strawberries release theiur juices and peppers soften.

Add  brown sugar and then lingonberry vinegar.  Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients.

Bring to boil and then simmer.

Blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth.

Continue simmering until thickened.

This recipe comes to us from our friend Susan, who requested it from the PBS Show A La Carte/Daisy Cooks!

• 2 ripe pineapples
• ½ large Spanish onion, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon smashed fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 20 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 Habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, stems cut off, peppers coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, or as needed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or as needed

1. Cut the tops off the pineapples. With a big knife, cut off the rind from the pineapples with as little pineapple attached as possible. Put the rinds-not tops-in a pot large enough to hold them comfortably and pour in enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and boil until the pineapple peel is very tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put the onion, oregano, peppercorns, garlic, Habanero, vinegar, and salt in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid.

3. Strain the pineapple liquid over the seasonings. If there is not enough liquid to cover the ingredients, re-cover the pineapple with water and boil for 20 minutes. Taste and add a little salt and/or a little vinegar, if you think it needs it. You can use it as soon as it cools, but it will get better as it sits.

Tim Dineen

• 32 oz 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Lemon Juice

Place in saucepan and reduce to 1 1/2 cups.

Pomegranate Molasses is used in many different world cuisines, as an ingredient, as a sauce, or as an accompaniment to a dish.  While called a “molasses” the term really refers to its consistency.

Try it in a barbecue sauce. Cook some onion and garlic in red wine and add some pomegranate molasses and cumin. Pomegranate molasses stirred into a little ketchup along with olive oil and rosemary makes a great glaze for salmon. Pomegranate molasses, soy sauce, and chili paste makes a great dipping sauce for pot stickers. Try mixing pomegranate molasses, honey, a good balsamic vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil for a great salad dressing.

Jessica Parker

Ingredients:

• Salt
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Pumpkin Pulp “just a little”
• Water

**** WATCH CLOSELY*****

Instructions:

1.  Place pumpkin seeds and pulp into a bowl

2.  Pour water into it until deep enough for all the seeds to be covered

3.  Pour salt onto it and let stand for many hours

4.  Drain water and put seeds and pulp onto a baking sheet

5.  Place in oven at 400 for 30 min.

6.  Take out let cool for another 30 min and put salt on them and enjoy

Tim Dineen

Why they call it paper-wrapped, when it’s really foil-wrapped is beyond me, but that’s what it’s called.  I came up with this version back in my Tahoe days.  We were always entertaining up there, and always trying to out-do our last party! This takes a little time, but it’s well worth the trouble!

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Chinese bean sauce
• 1/4 cup minced green onion
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tsp minced peeled ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 healthy tsp chili paste
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
• 6 chicken breasts, cut into 36 pieces
• 36 6″ foil squares
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine all ingredients above chicken. Add chicken and marinate at least 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Place 1 foil square on work surface.  Place 1 chicken piece in center. Drizzle with a bit of marinade and fold into triangle, folding and sealing sides.  repeat with remaining chicken.  Discard any remaining marinade.

Heat oil in heavy large pot or dutch oven to depth of 6 inches.  Heat to 350°.  Working in batches, carefully add chicken packages (oil will bubble furiously!) and fry until chicken is cooked through, 4-6 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels and drain.

Any of the ingredients can be omitted, and anything else your heart desires can be added. Use your imagination — add thinly sliced vegetables, or whatever! Enjoy!

(since first making this recipe, I’ve played with it a bit. This is the “new and improved” version!)

First marinade:

• 2 tsp peeled, minced ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup rice wine or sherry
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 (or more) tbsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek)
• 2-1/2 lbs. flank steak

Second Marinade:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup rice wine, or sherry
• 2 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 (or more) tbsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek)

Mix the first five ingredients in a glass bowl or pan large enough to hold the meat you wish to prepare. Add the meat, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Turn once or twice if you think of it.

Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Watch out for the chili paste! I usually add twice the amount shown, but I really like very hot food. Add to taste!

Broil or barbecue the meat to desired doneness, Cool. Slice on the diagonal and place in the sauce.  It’s best to make the day before and let sit in the refrigerator (I use gallon-size zip-lock bags) to meld flavors.

If you cut the meat in half lengthwise before slicing, it makes great hors d’oeuvere-sized pieces. You can eat as is or: mix with chilled, cooked noodles; or spoon over lettuce leaves for a luncheon salad; or mix with bean sprouts; or put out mini pita breads and a spread for sandwiches.

Just let your imagination run wild!

Tim Dineen

• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well, adding salt as needed.