Recipe: Root Veggie Soup

Wow, this is a really filling and comforting soup. I got it off a package of root vegetables (contents shown above), but I adapted it slightly to my liking. The original recipe didn't have much in the way for seasonings and the end product was meant to be blended to a puree. From past experience, I have not like these types of pureed soups, so I skipped that part and just added some thickener.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
1 tsp olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs root vegetables (carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, celeric, sunchokes)
* Potato (I did not use, but will try next time)
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup cream
2 tsp corn starch mixed with some cold water
salt and pepper to taste

I will add here that maybe you want to add a potato as well. I think the flavor would certainly be great and it may bulk up the broth enough to omit the corn starch later. If you do use too much carrot, parsnip, or turnip the soup can bit sweet for my taste. The potato may help to counter that sweetness.




Prep all of you veggies-  scrape, clean, and cut.

Heat the olive oil- make sure to use under Medium heat so you don't scorch it. Yes, I did this, while talking to my sister on the phone. If you do scorch the oil (it will start smoking heavily and smell awful) get it off the burner and out of the house! Smoked oil is a carcinogen, you should not breath it in. But don't worry, if this happens, you will KNOW not to breath it by it's putrid stench.

OK, add the onions and cook until soft.




Now add your vegetables and cook for 10 minutes. They will not be thoroughly cooked. I also added my salt and pepper at this point, maybe a teaspoon or so of each. You can experiment with other seasonings, the recipe called for none at all, a bit odd. Generally speaking, a little seasoning goes a long way. You could try some thyme or rosemary as well.




Add stock and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes per the directions. Mine took longer. Take off the heat and allow to cool for a bit. Stir in the cream.

Now heat on the stove again and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Allow to simmer until nice and thick. Adjust seasonings as needed.




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Cheese making: Mozzarella

So this was my first attempt at making cheese, it was really easy and turned out successfully. To make mozzarella you need milk, citric acid, and renet (I used a vegetable renet so that vegetarian friends might one day enjoy my creations.) Begin by heating 1 gallon of milk on the stove, I used whole.


Add 1 tsp citric acid to 1/4 cup of water.


Add renet to another 1/4 cup of water. I just followed the directions for the renet I had to determine the amount. The recipe I was following recommended 1 crushed tablet of regular renet.


Make sure the milk is at least 50 degrees before pouring the water and citric acid mixture in. Stir for 1 minute. The added an additional tsp of citric acid, stir another minute.


Slowly heat on low to 80-90.


I have no idea what I'm doing here...


Add the renet.


Cover and let sit undesturbed for 15/30 minutes.


When it is ready You will get a "clean break." Poke a finger in and make a line. In a few seconds the sides will separate.


Slice the curds in squares. You won't see much at first, but leave them to sit a bit and they will separate.


Apply low heat until it reaches 108 degrees. Let it sit off the heat for another 20 minutes, stir occasionally. The curds will continue to shrink.


Spoon curds into a colander lined with cheese cloth.


Let whey separate from curds.


Microwave for 30-45 seconds, then gently separate whey using your hands or slotted spoon. Microwave another 15 seconds and repeat. Microwave 20 seconds, then salt the cheese (who knew it was so sweet at first?) and knead like it were bread.


When it turns shiny, you are done kneading. Now cut it in half. You can eat it immediately or throw it in the fridge. Eat is soon though, because it will go bad in couple weeks. The cheese you see below made it onto a yummy homemade pizza and was perfectly gooey and delicious.


iPhone

Maple Roasted Roots and Blog Inspiration

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Location:12th Ave NE,Rochester,United States

So I'm trying to figure out a more consistent format for my blog. After doing some thinking this weekend, I think I would get more use out of the blog and it may be more enjoyable to read for others if it were semi-structured. I also feel my blog has too much of some things (How Tos) and not enough of others (local goods). So I did some brain storming, and this is what I came up with:

Sunday: Recipes
Monday's: local music
Tuesday: "soap box" thoughts on topics important to me
Wednesday: local product or store reviews
Thursday: local art (maybe to be combined with music on Mondays?)
Friday: local entertainment/ things to do
Saturday: tutorials and "How To" projects

I will freely admit that above list is kind of a wish list and a bit ambitious.... Being as it is pretty hard for me to get any sort of regular post up each week at the moment. But we will see. I will still include general updates on what I have been up to, but you may have to wait for the details (such as my cheese making post, which you are likely to see on Saturday :)).

So in honor of my new attempt at organization, here is a recipe for this Sunday:

Maple Roasted Root Vegtables

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup (I use pure maple syrup, not sure how the fake stuff would turn out)
1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
1 Tbsp ground or minced ginger root
3 lbs root vegetables of your choice (carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, celeriac, sun chokes, etc)
1 sweet potato

Combine the oil, syrup, and soy sauce in a large bowl. Skin and cut vegetables into chunks. Toss in the mixture and distribute onto a baking sheet. Roast at 450 for 40 minutes or until tender. I like ginger so I added extra to mine.

These are absolutely delicious and hard to walk pass without snitching a bit.... Isn't that a refreshing way to think of veggies?

Well, wish me luck as I put forth my best effort at daily blogs. Tomorrow I am going to highlight a favorite musician of mine, Charlie Parr.

Update, Cheese Making Begins!

Well, as I write this, my curds and whey are separating on the stove. I will be sure to have a separate post up on this in the future, but I'll give a brief synopses here. I am participating the cheese making challenge on the blog Another Year Without Groceries. For the January challenge I chose to try make ricotta, but in researching how to do this I discovered that ricotta is usually made from leftover whey, often after making mozzarella. Never one to miss a "two for the price of one" project, I found some resources online for making mozzarella. So while I have been doing some documents for work and writing on this blog, I've been doing my best to photograph my first cheese making attempt.

I got some time to sit down and knit with my good friends Jesse and Amber today. I haven't knitted in a long time, so it was nice. I mentioned one adventure I'd like to take in: Hobgoblin Music, near Redwing, MN. I happened to drive past it a few times this fall. It's a large barn where, evidentially, they hold folk shows and sell instruments. It sounds fun, but I haven't the nerve to go alone. I suggested it for maybe s summer time adventure. Both wanted to see House of Hidden Treasures, which Amber went with me two a few months ago. Jesse also mentioned the Minnesota opera, and sitting in North East Minneapolis at Diamond Coffee house, I'm reminded just how broad and varied "local" can be in Minnesota. The blog is sort of developing itself organically, truthfully I haven't found its complete focus just yet, so we will see what future posts bring. I love local MN music and am a great fan of the arts, so I would love to include more regarding them in the future.

Recipe: Mushroom and Pecan Venison

The recipes have been quite popular, so here's another! Just made this last week and both Equah and I like it a lot.



Ingredients: 1 tbs olive oil 2 lbs venison tenderloin (approximately) 8 oz mushrooms, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup cream 2 Tbsp arrow root powder (or corn starch) 1/3 cup pecans



In case you haven't seen venison before, this is what it looks like, very lean. Cut it into chunks or medallions. Heat oil on medium heat. Season meat with salt and pepper.



Sear meat, or until rare. Note meat will stick to the pan at first, it will "release" easily when it is done searing... No need to pry it from the bottom or worry about sticking if you use a bit of oil.



Move meat to plate, add mushrooms and onion and cook fir 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.



Add chicken broth, simmer until reduced by half.



While that is simmering add arrow root powder to a few tablespoons if the cream and whisk together.



Add the plain cream first, simmer 5 minutes. The whisk in the arrow powder and cream mixuture, cook 2-4 minutes.



Let it thicken...



Add the meat and pecans. Simmer until meat is cooked through and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.



Serve over pasta or rice. This dish has a rustic quality that I really like, but not everyone may appreciate. I was surprised that Equah enjoyed it as well. This could be made with beef if you don't like the "gamey" taste of venison.

Location:5th St NE,Rochester,United States

Recipe: Thyme Potatoes

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Location:7th St NE,Rochester,United States

This one is too simple.

Cut up 6 large potatoes, with or without skin. Drizzle about 1-2 Tbsp olive oil on them. Sprinkle with course salt and thyme. Bake at 350 until tender.

I'm not sure this is even a recipe per say, but I'm the type that adds way too much butter and sour cream to her potatoes, and this is much healthier and soooo yummy! Enjoy!

Recipe: Green Beans and Cream

Another simple recipe, this one was a win. Admittedly, there are no local green beans right now. But the cream and onion are local and the chicken broth I made.

Ingredients:
1 lbs green beans, trimmemd
1/2 onion, chopped thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 Tbsp cream
Salt and pepper to taste

First, boil the beans in salted water for 10 minutes. The submerge in ice water.

Heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook until translucent.


Add the green beans a cook a bit in the onion. Then add the stock and cream. Season with salt and pepper and allow liquid to reduce.


Haha, uh no final picture... They were gobbled up in minutes!

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Location:5th St NE,Rochester,United States

Saturday October 15, Rochester Farmer's Market haul.

Peppers are destined for ham soup and stuffed peppers. These carrots are absolutely awesome. The mozzarella... Not so much. Sorry to say, but it tasted like sour glue, not even edible. Also some eggs, ground beef, and some canned tomatoes.


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