Spiced Nuts

This is an original Emeril Lagasse recipe that I modified to add wasabi powder and an extra step to bake the nuts until dry. Otherwise, I think the humidity in Costa Rica leaves the nuts a little too sticky.

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon wasabi powder (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds

3 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix spices and reserve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225°F. Heat nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.  Add the butter, sugar, water and spices to the hot skillet and cook, stirring, until a glaze forms, about 1 minute.  Return the nuts to the skillet and toss to combine with the glaze.  Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the nuts are glazed and golden brown.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating with a fork. Bake about 30 minutes until the nuts are dry. Let rest until cooled and the sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.

Snacks

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Artisan Sourdough Bread ~ No-Knead Method

This is a simple method for making delicious sourdough bread without kneading. It requires very little effort, but it does require a little pre-planning to have the bread ready when you want it.

The day before you want to bake, remove the starter from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then feed it with ½ cup of flour and 1/3 cup of water and let it sit at room temperature for several hours. If you have an active starter, it should double or triple in size. Do not put the lid on too tight, the gases need room to expand. I usually take the starter out of the refrigerator around 7 AM, and then feed it about 10 AM.

In the evening I mix the dough and let it proof overnight.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (5 oz. by weight) whole wheat flour and 2½ cups (11 oz. by weight) white bread flour, or
• 3 ½ cups of white bread flour, or
• (3 ½ cups of all purpose flour with 1/3 cup of vital wheat gluten, or)
• (1 ¾ cups of bread flour + 1 ¾ cups of whole wheat)
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1½ cups purified water
• ¼ cup sourdough starter (The starter will have risen considerably, so stir it down before measuring. 

Directions:

• Mix together the dry ingredients.
• Dissolve 1/4 cup starter into the purified water
• Add water / starter to dry ingredients and stir until the water is incorporated.
• Cover with plastic and let sit 12-16 hours.
• Gently dump the dough out onto a floured board or counter top.
• Gently stretch the dough out into a rectangle about 12” by 9” in size. Fold 1/3 of the dough in on itself, and then fold the other 1/3 on top. Then fold it in half.

• Cover loosely with plastic and rest for 15 minutes.
• Gently transfer the dough to well floured towel or proofing basket or bowl. (I use parchment paper in the bowl to make it easy to transfer to La Cloche, or Dutch Oven.)
• Cover with towel and let rise about 1½ - 2 hours. NOTE: If you prefer to bake in a loaf pan, skip the proofing basket or bowl, and gently transfer the dough to the loaf pan, cover with a towel and let it rise 1½ - 2 hours
• Preheat the oven to 500°F about 30 minutes before baking. (If you use a loaf pan, place a small oven safe pan or crock in the oven and add water for steam just before you bake.
• Bake in covered La Cloche or Dutch Oven preheated to 500 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Remove cover; REDUCE heat to 450 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes.
• Let cool completely on rack.

Eat bread, be happy!

Don’t forget to return the starter to the refrigerator with a loose lid. Starter needs to be feed every 2 weeks if not baking regularly.

Sourdough

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Homemade Greek Style Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

I had always heard it was easy to make yogurt, and you can find all sort of kitchen gadgets to help you make perfect yogurt. Guess what, you don't need anything but your crock pot/slow cooker and the basic tools you already have in your kitchen. My first attempt was a total success and I'm sure you can do it too, by following these easy instructions. Once you taste this stuff you'll never want the store-bought kind again.

The tools and ingredients you’ll need:

• First you need a Crock Pot, or Slow Cooker. I have a small 4 quart slow cooker, so I only used 3 quarts of milk to make this recipe. The same procedure will work with 3 liters of milk.
• Instant read thermometer
• Heavy beach towel
• Colander
• Cheese cloth, large dinner napkin, or large handkerchief
• 3 quarts of whole milk, or reduced fat milk 2%
• ¾ cup plain yogurt at room temperature, either from previous batch or store-­bought. (**The yogurt must have live cultures in it to work.)

Instructions:

• Pour the milk into a slow cooker set to HIGH and close the lid. It will take 2 to ­3 hours for the temperature of the milk to reach 180°F. Check it with an instant ­read thermometer, and when it reaches 180°F, turn the slow cooker off, close the lid, and let the milk cool down to between 110° and 115°. This could take another 2­ to 3 hours, so be patient. Once the temperature drops between 110° and 115°F, scoop out about a cup of warm milk and mix it with the plain yogurt you have at room temperature.
• Gently, but thoroughly, stir the mixture back into the milk in the slow cooker using left and right motion.
• Place the lid back on the slow cooker.
• Wrap the slow cooker with a large beach towel and let it sit undisturbed in a non-­drafty place at room temperature for 10 to ­12 hours, or overnight. The milk will have thickened and the whey will have started separating from the milk.
• Line a colander with a cheesecloth, napkin, or handkerchief, and set the colander over a large glass bowl. I used a large dinner napkin and it made the perfect strainer for thick yogurt.
• Now, pour the yogurt into the lined colander and let it strain at room temperature for several hours. The longer you strain it, the thicker the yogurt will become. I strained mine for 4 hours and it yielded 5 cups of perfect Greek style yogurt, and 7 cups of whey. I discarded the whey, but it could be used in other recipes.
• Refrigerate the yogurt in an air tight glass jar or bowl for up to 2 weeks.
• Be sure and save ½ to ¾ cup of natural yogurt from this batch before you add any flavoring. This way you’ll have your own starter culture, and can make it again in a week, or two.

Flavor your yogurt with whatever you like: vanilla, cinnamon, honey, nuts, fruits, sweeteners, etc.

yogurt

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Caesar Dressing Recipe (Egg free / Anchovy free)

This is a quick and easy Caesar salad dressing made with no eggs and no anchovies.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Salsa Lizano or Worchestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1½ small lemons or 1 large lemon)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cups extra virgin olive oil
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Place all the ingredients, except for the olive oil and cheese, in a food processor. Press the garlic and juice directly into the food processor. Processes until all the ingredients are smooth and well blended. When everything is creamy, pour the cup of olive oil to the food processor very slowly. Continue to process until rich and creamy.

Add the parmesan cheese to the blended dressing and pulse 6 or 7 times.

Serve over a bed of lettuce with toasted croutons.

The extra dressing will store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Prep time: About 10 minutes
Yield: About 1½ cups

Salad Dressing

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Pineapple Coleslaw

Many years ago I discovered this delicious salad when my dear Tica friend made it for a dinner party. This is a wonderful twist on an old staple.

Ingredients:
3 cups of shredded cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
¼ cup of finely chopped onion
1 cup of diced fresh pineapple
¼ teaspoon celery seed (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (optional)
½ cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1½-2 teaspoons sugar (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and chill for 30-45 minutes before serving

Serves: 6

Salad

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Canadian Bacon or Back Bacon

Our local Supermercado Coopeatenas has just started to carry Hormel Canadian Bacon. It has been reported to be selling for around $15 USD per pound, or ¢16,500 CRC per kilo. Now we love Canadian Bacon and we haven’t had it in years, but $15 per pound it just a little beyond our normal budget.

This got me thinking, that if we could brine a ham, we should be able to cure bacon. How hard can it be? I started searching the internet and found a couple of similar recipes that would work with the ingredients in my pantry.

So here you have it… A lean pork tenderloin is soaked in a salty sweet maple cure then smoked, sliced, and pan fried. The end result is better than we imagined and so much better than imported store bought. We will be making this frequently.

Ingredients:
1 gallon water, divided into 1 quart & 3 quarts
1 cup kosher or Himalayan pink salt, coarse grind
1 cup maple syrup (imitation maple will also work)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pink curing salt (aka InstaCure or Prague Powder. This is called "Sal de Cura" in Costa Rica and I have found it at the Alajuela Central Market at vendor booth #34)
4 bay leaves
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon of peppercorns
1 boneless pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat (about 4 to 5 pounds)
1 to 2 large chunks of light smoking wood, such as lemon or coffee wood

Directions:
Make the brine by combining 1 quart of water, salt, maple syrup, brown sugar, pink salt, bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve all the salt and sugar. Boil for about a minute.

Pour 3 quarts of very cold water into a large container (I use an inverted plastic cake safe). Add the brine mixture and when it is completely chilled, submerge the pork into the cure. If the meat tries to float, place a heavy weight on top of it to keep it in the brining solution. Place the container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Turn the pork over every day to make sure it cures evenly.

Remove the pork from the cure and dispose of the brining solution. Fill the container with fresh cold water and submerge the pork again for a minimum of 30 minutes. Remove pork from the water and pat it dry with paper towels.

Heat your smoker or grill to about 225°F and when it's at temperature, add the wood chunks for smoke. When the wood starts smoking, you ready to add the pork. It is best to use indirect heat for this process. When the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 140-145°F, it’s done. This should take about 2 or 3 hours.

Let the bacon rest for about 30 minutes before slicing. Pan fry and enjoy!

We had Eggs Benedict for breakfast this morning. What a treat!!

Pork

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Delicious Homemade Ranch Dressing Dry Mix

Here is a quick and easy substitute for Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing dry mix you can make at home in about 5 minutes. This is handy to always have on hand for a quick dressing or dip.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup powdered milk
1/3 cup of dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together with a fork until blended.

You can store the dry ingredients in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a year, or in refrigerator for up to 3 months.

TO MAKE RANCH DRESSING:
Combine 1 tablespoon of seasoning mix with 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of buttermilk, and whisk to combine. You can also substitute plain yogurt for the mayo.

If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix well and let stand 5 minutes before using.

Note: 2 tablespoons of this dry mix is the equivalent of one package of store bought mix.

Salad Dressing

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