cayenne

Spicy Pumpkin Carrot Muffins

October 5, 2009 by arfoodie

muffins Don’t be afraid. It really is yummy.

Today is my mom’s birthday. By the way, did you know that October 5 is the U.S.’ most common birthday? One would logically surmise this is because of New Year’s Eve. Hmmmm.

Anyway, mom didn’t want a super-sweet cake, so I decided to make something seasonal and just sorta sweet. Started reading through various cookbooks’ versions of pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pumpkin muffins. Muffins seemed my best bet, but the recipes were making me yawn.

So, I put on my Fancy Pants hat and got creative. Hence the following recipe.

Whenever I cook with my daughter, I tell her that, whenever possible, to use a “secret” or “surprise” ingredient, something nobody would try on their own, or are hard pressed to pick out exactly what “that something” might be. She was at school today while I made the muffins, but I think she would have gone the same direction.

Cayenne.

And baby food. 😉

Spicy Pumpkin Carrot Muffins
Makes 28ish (You’ll want that many, but you could cut it in half if you wanted.)

2 sticks unsalted butter @ room temp
1 3/4 c. dark brown sugar, packed, divided
2/3 c. molasses, unsulphured
2 eggs, beaten, @ room temp
14 oz. can pumpkin (or equivalent amount cooked, pureed pumpkin)
1-3.5 oz. container carrot baby food (or equivalent amount cooked, pureed carrot)
3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 c. dried cranberries, raisins or currants
1/4 c. almond slivers; walnut halves or pieces; or pecan halves or pieces
1/8 tsp. cayenne powder (smoked if you have it)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using fresh, cooked pumpkin, strain puree for at least 30 minutes in cheesecloth or a wire sieve.

In a standing mixer, cream the butter at medium-high speed until soft and lightened in color. Add molasses and 1 1/2 c. of the brown sugar, beating until combined and light in texture.

Add the eggs, pumpkin and carrot, and mix on medium speed until blended.

In a separate bowl or on a flexible cutting board, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into wet ingredients and gently fold together, being careful not to overmix.

Fold in the cranberries, raisins or currants.

Using a spoon or large disher (what I used), fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Place three almond slivers in the middle of each muffin top, pointing up slightly in a radiating pattern. (If using walnut or pecan halves, place one at an upward angle in the middle of each muffin. If using pieces, sprinkle a small amount on each muffin.) Sprinkle muffins with remaining 1/4 c. brown sugar and with cayenne to taste.

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes.

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In my original batch, I only put the cayenne on three of the muffins, as an experiment. I should have done them all! Well, kids probably wouldn’t like it, so maybe you could go half-and-half.

And in case you didn’t see my earlier tweets, they get two “noms” up! They smell incredible, aren’t too sweet, and have a great depth of flavor, even without the cayenne. The carrot puree keeps the whole thing moist. And you don’t have to tell anyone it’s baby food, or even that it has carrots at all. Maybe next time I’ll come up with a lower-fat version with applesauce rather than the butter. We’ll see.

Let me know if you try it…these are great!

P.S. Things are shaping up for the Argenta Fall Foodie Fest on October 17. After the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, mosey on over to 6th and Main Streets, North Little Rock to put some calories back in. You’ll have the chance to buy yummy plates from some of central Arkansas’ best chefs, made with local autumn produce. More soon.

Ganache Three Ways (and weird ones at that)

September 21, 2009 by arfoodie

Greetings, friends.

A couple days ago, I had myself a good old-fashioned chocolate throw-down. Well, maybe not so old-fashioned, considering the eclectic flavors, but definitely feeding the chocolate fix.

The orange-mint ganache went over well at a baby shower on Sunday, alongside a cream cheese/marshmallow fruit dip.

The orange-mint ganache went over well at a baby shower on Sunday, alongside my cream cheese/marshmallow fruit dip.

Ganache is one of my favorite foodie tricks. It’s simple yet decadent, impressive, and versatile. Depending on how you make it, you can use ganache as a coating or filling for cakes, a whipped frosting, or rolled into truffles. I usually end up eating most of it from a spoon, right out of the fridge.

Generally, ganache is simply one part chocolate to one part heavy cream, or two-to-one chocolate to cream if making truffles or other firm candy. There are many variations on the exact technique, but it is generally quite forgiving, considering the persnickety nature of chocolate.

Three bowls of chocolate, waiting for their flavorings and cream!

For these experiments, I chose — for the first time — to use the microwave method. This means bringing the cream just to a simmer in the microwave, then pouring into a bowl of chopped chocolate. I will advise you to do otherwise on one of the three variations…not a big deal, but probably easier. We’ll get there.

I halved the typical recipe for ganache so I could make several smaller batches. I used the one-to-one ratio most commonly used for fillings and less-firm coating. This turned semi-firm in the fridge (perfect for spooning), and warmed up beautifully in the microwave as a dip (see top photo). I’ll give you the basic recipe, then the flavorings for each:

Basic Microwave Ganache

8 oz. good chocolate chips, chopped finely (I used Ghirardelli in a food processor)
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chop the chocolate chips finely in small batches with a large knife, or buzz in a food processor for about 15 seconds. Place into a small heat-resistant baking dish or bowl. In a microwave-safe measuring cup, heat the cream in 30-second increments until just simmering. Pour over chocolate and stir vigorously until all the chocolate is completely melted. The mixture will feel very loose at first, then tighten up as the chocolate melts. Cover and cool in fridge for at least 2 hours or until set.

Variation: Orange Mint

Before measuring the cream, put 2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate in the measuring cup, then pour cream to equal 1 cup. Mixture will thicken and seem to curdle a bit, but this is OK. Crush two or three fresh mint leaves in your hands until you feel the oil, then tear into small pieces and stir into the mixture. Heat the mixture until just simmering. Using a wire strainer, strain mixture as you pour it into the chocolate.

Variation: Cranberry-Grape Sage Buzz

Before measuring the cream, place 4 T. Blast XS Cranberry Grape Energy Drink Mixer (contact me for ordering info) in the measuring cup, then pour cream to equal 1 cup. Mixture may thicken a bit as above. Crush one large or two smaller fresh sage leaves until you feel the oil, then tear into small pieces and mix in. Strain and continue as above. (I suppose you could use 2 T. of frozen cran-grape juice concentrate instead, but you don’t get the caffeine and B12 buzz!)

Variation: Smoked Cayenne and Spices

Peppers and such in the cream. Given the amount of time it took to steep in flavors, this would have been easier on the cooktop.

Measure 1 cup cream into a small saucepan over low heat. Using kitchen scissors, cut a two-inch piece of smoked cayenne pepper into very small pieces into the cream. Add one small stick of cinnamon, two whole cloves, and about 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg. Slowly bring to a simmer and keep there for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste the cream to see if the desired amount of “kick” is acquired. (If you don’t want to buy smoked cayenne peppers, you could use a sprinkle of cayenne powder, the smoked kind if you have it.) Strain into prepared chocolate and stir as above.

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The surprising thing about the cayenne version, besides the fact that it is actually good, is the separation and delay of flavors. First you get the smokiness, then the chocolate, and lastly you get the kick of the pepper. A few seconds after you think you’re done, in fact.

Next time, I’ll try using the truffle-making proportions and see how the flavors hold up. Or maybe I can melt these back down and add more chocolate…any choco-experts out there? The pepper one would be wonderful as a truffle, rolled in cocoa powder and a bit of cayenne powder. Hmmm…..

Until then, I’ll just be eating these out of a spoon. That would, in fact, be a neat presentation for the three flavors: a plate of three Chinese-style soup spoons filled with each ganache. There you go, that was free. Someone do that and take a photo…I don’t have those spoons!

Try these or your own weird flavors, and let me know how it goes.

Labor Day Foodie: Marconi Bruschetta and Smoked Cayenne Chicken

September 7, 2009 by arfoodie

Labor Day is a busy foodie day! There are so many classic labor day dishes that it’s hard for foodies to pick which to cook!

At noon, I attended the Slow Foods USA Time for Lunch rally in Argenta. This event, one of hundreds held across the country, was to raise awareness about “slow food” (put simply, the opposite of “fast food”) and to support measures to bring fresh, local foods into school lunchrooms nationwide. It was a potluck, and folks were encouraged to bring dishes highlighting our local bounty of said slow foods.

Later this week I’ll post my photos and videos from this event, as I played the intrepid reporter. But for now, I’ll just show you what I made:

My Marconi Bruschetta

Marconi Bruschetta

1 honey-molasses wheat baguette
4 T. olive oil, divided
3/4 c. shredded raw milk cheddar cheese (white, yellow or mix)
3 large roasted marconi peppers (may use red bells), roughly chopped
10 large kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Slice the baguette into thin rounds with a serrated knife, about 1/4″ thick. Brush with 3 T. olive oil and place on baking stone (preferred) or baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes, or until just crisp on tops and browning on edges.

Remove from heat and sprinkle cheese on each round. Return to oven for one minute or until cheese is just melted. Mix final 1 T. olive oil with remaining ingredients and season to taste. (I used much less salt than normal because of the briny olives.) Spoon a small amount of topping onto each round and serve immediately.

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I know, I’ve only been doing this blog for a little while, and I’ve already got bruschetta twice. But this bread was so perfect for making little toasty rounds, it had to be done!

After the potluck, I quickly ran to the next event, a cookout with friends at their house. I wanted to take some chicken breasts to this event to put on their huge, competition-BBQ style smoker. But I also wanted them to be full of flavor and character. So, last night, I put this recipe together using the smoked peppers I wrote about earlier:

Smoked Cayenne Chicken

3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. olive oil
1 hickory smoked cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove
1 T. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place olive oil in a zip-top plastic bag or glass container, and use scissors to snip the pepper into very small pieces into the oil. (To reduce the heat level, you may shake seeds out of the opened pepper and/or use less than a whole pepper.) Leave the pepper to reconstitute in the oil for at least five minutes.

Put garlic through a garlic press and add to oil. Add remaining ingredients to the oil besides the chicken and shake or stir to mix. Add the chicken and, if using a bag, reseal while removing as much air as possible. Move chicken within bag or dish so that the mixture is evenly distributed, then place in refrigerator overnight.

Cook on grill for 10-15 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reads 180 degrees with a meat thermometer.

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The chicken, I must say, was INCREDIBLE! It was juicy and flavorful with just a little smoky, spicy kick. Kudos to our buddy T. for cooking the chicken for me on his smoker grill. Would that make it Double-Smoked Cayenne Chicken?

Tonight, after eating so much all day, I just wanted a light, easy dinner. I mixed some leftover marconi topping with some leftover plain pasta, adding a dash more salt, pepper, basil and balsamic vinegar. I diced a half-piece of the smoked cayenne chicken that was left and mixed it in, and I had (actually, finished while writing this) a yummy, light meal.

More to come, Fancy Pantsers. Leave me a comment and let me know what you made for Labor Day!

At the Market — Peppers from Sparkling River Farm

August 30, 2009 by arfoodie

Hubby and I have decided to develop a new fragrance. I’m sure it will quickly outsell Chanel No. 5, Cool Water and all those other silly scents combined.

It’s this….

Smoked Peppers

I think I’ll just hang it on a string around my neck. It’s that good.

Zi6_0877 Meet Fred Gray of Sparkling River Farm in Mt. Olive. He and his wife Toni are certified chileheads (OK, the business card says “Pepper Rancher”) who supply Argenta Certified Arkansas Farmers’ Market attendees, as well as other markets around the state and in Memphis, with some of the best pepper products around.

Saturday, we found the pair with a wonderful array of fresh peppers, from sweet to hot. But the products that will keep me coming back were the ones they created from these peppers.

Market attendees could buy fresh roasted peppers in bags, roasted on-site in a tumbling basket contraption right there by the tent. If you’ve ever purchased roasted peppers in a jar, or even (like me) gone through the trouble of roasting your own on the gas stovetop, you should give these super-fresh babies a try.

There were sauces (do you realize how few people actually MAKE good pepper sauce themselves?!?) and other goodies, but I have to come back to the smoked peppers. Oh, the smell is drawing me back…

Toni told me about Fred spending the day out in the farm’s smokehouse, and coming back inside steeped in the incredible aroma of peppers and hickory. And yes, she said it still smelled good to her, too, although they both said the smell disappears after being in it a while.

Of the two varieties available at the tent on Saturday, the first is a sweet variety made of Marconi peppers, which can be used, according to their website:
Whole pod (reconstituted) in soups, meat sauces, casseroles, pasta dishes; ground pod in above plus rubs, wet rubs, chile pastes, marinades and in ground pepper dispenser on table top. Also called vegan-jerkey!

The second variety, which we took home and decided to carry around with us like sachets of smoky goodness, was the Cayenne pepper. Their website recommends using this pepper:
Whole pod (reconstituted) in soups, meat sauces, casseroles, pasta dishes; Infused oils and vinegars; ground pod (dry) in above plus rubs, wet rubs, Chile pastes, moles, marinades, Bar-B-Q sauces and in ground pepper dispenser on table top.

Um, yes. All of it. Today, please.

So far, I have snipped a tiny bit and infused it into a cream sauce I made for the handmade Chipotle pasta purchased from Argenta Market (I’ll get to them another post!). Tomorrow, I’ll go old school/new school on a crock pot of beans with bacon and one of these bad boys. And cornbread. Nom.

Meanwhile, as it gets used up, I’ll continue to just open the bag every hour or so and take a deep sniff. You think I’m kidding.

Over the next few days, I’ll introduce you to more of the vendors at the Argenta Certified Arkansas Farmers’ Market. One of the purposes of this blog, I think, will be to encourage you to step out and try a few new things, especially in the area of whole foods or slow foods. Fewer boxed things. More things that were recently growing, and growing locally.

I’m certainly not completely there myself yet (I recommended shortening in a previous recipe, for goodness’ sakes), but I’m getting there. Come with me, it’s yummy!

Coming soon: Incredible local pickles, cheese, bread and more. And monthly farm-fresh goodie baskets you can pre-order. We’ll eventually get back to Morgan’s Ratatouille.