Kitchens Without Borders by Paul Lindemuth April 30, 2015 by Jill Foucre 1 Comment Many cooks, both home and professional alike, have for several years embraced the philosophy of eating foods locally grown as often as possible, and cooking seasonally with fresh ingredients as they appear naturally and not shipped halfway around the world to a giant supermarket. Those focuses are easier to follow with the pending return of our local farmer’s markets and CSA boxes that we subscribe to. We have enjoyed the plethora of global cuisines and perhaps dabbled in “fusion” cooking, where mutli-cultural influences blend to form an inspired menu. But maybe we don’t want or have time to prepare an entire Thai or Mexican or Indian menu, and are looking for a little inspiration to put a new flavor dimension into a family favorite recipe or when we tackle that weekly CSA box. Asian Chili Paste Thinking outside the box (quite literally) can yield some new perspectives while we cook. Using just one ingredient that is indigenous to an ethnic cuisine can sometimes singlehandedly give a new dimension and depth to a recipe; a sprinkle of ground cardamom on roasted sweet potatoes, a teaspoon of Chinese chili paste in some braised lentils, curry powder added to your butternut squash soup, a few roasted, peeled and diced poblano chiles folded into your mashed potatoes. Your kitchen may have four walls but they are not borders. Explore the world of flavor with your creativity and some ingredients you already have on hand. Braised Lentils 2015-04-28 10:53:49 Print Ingredients 1 ½ cups French green lentils, picked over and rinsed 3 T. olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 t. dried thyme 2 T. Worcestershire sauce ½ to 1 t. Chinese chili paste ½ to ¾ cup chicken broth salt freshly ground black pepper 3 T. chopped fresh parsley Instructions Preheat oven to 350 F. Place the lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the lentils for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a large casserole warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Sauté until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the lentils and their cooking liquid, the garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and chili paste. Stir in enough chicken broth to cover the lentils. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Cover the casserole and bake until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. By Paul Lindemuth Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Incredible Cheese Biscuits April 28, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Incredible Cheese Biscuits 2015-04-28 11:16:22 Yields 36 Print Ingredients 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup butter, melted 1 cup sour cream* 2 cups self-rising flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 t. baking powder and 1 t. salt Instructions Heat oven to 425. Mix all the ingredients together, and spoon into mini muffin pans a tablespoon at a time. Bake 10 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes on wire racks. Notes *The recipe is best with regular sour cream, but if you use reduced fat, the texture will be softer. Can be prepared ahead and frozen for up to a month. Thaw on counter, and reheat wrapped in foil for 10 minutes or until warmed through if desired. Also completely delicious eaten at room temperature. By Diane Sibon Adapted from Desperation Dinners by Alicia Ross Adapted from Desperation Dinners by Alicia Ross Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Dana’s Dogs April 25, 2015 by Jill Foucre 1 Comment My official job title at Marcel’s is “retail manager” but I actually wear another hat as well. I’m responsible for finding and selecting new merchandise for the shop – the “buyer.” When you walk into Marcel’s and see some new, fabulous unique item that you simply can’t live without, chances are it is something that I’ve found while flipping through vendor catalogs or scrolling the Internet – Pinterest, Etsy, etc… Or perhaps it is something that Jill and I discovered on one of our trips to the various housewares or home and gift shows we attend a few times each year. If I happen to notice your delighted reaction upon discovery, I’ve been known to look around at my coworkers and exclaim “Who’s the buyer? Who’s the buyer?” while pointing at myself. Yes, I actually do that and yet surprisingly, we have very little staff turnover. In the interest of full disclosure, sometimes I just don’t get it right…. We call them “Dana’s Dogs.” Ouch! Lime green jingle bell candle holders Giant mossy carrots The “Spifter” The olive plucker Lime Green Jingle Bell Candle Stick I could go on but it’s becoming painful. Every order I write lands on Jill’s desk awaiting final approval. We usually concur and her faith in me makes my job an absolute joy, but once in awhile my phone will ring and I’ll hear “Dana, seriously? These carrots are two feet long!” or “Who needs a Spifter? What is this thing?” or my personal favorite “SHEEP?????” The truth is, if I really believe in a product, Jill will usually let me try it. If it ends up nestled in the SALE wall, the wonderful gals I work with get to to enjoy the sound of my eating crow. It balances nicely with “Who’s the buyer?” Stop in soon. I’d love to show you a fabulous moss sheep…
Lemon Ginger Scones April 23, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Lemon Ginger Scones 2015-04-23 06:41:53 Print Ingredients 3 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 t. baking powder 1/2 t. baking soda 3/4 t. salt 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup crystallized ginger 1 t. lemon zest 1 cup buttermilk Instructions Preheat oven to 425. Blend dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Stir in ginger and zest. Make a well in the center and add buttermilk. Stir until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix. Pat out on lightly floured surface until 1/2”-3/4” thick. Cut into scones. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush top with milk or cream, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 min. or until barely golden. Notes Flavor variations: dried blueberries and lime zest; dried cranberries and orange zest; chocolate chips or raisins By Teri Hiben Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Key Lime Pie (or Tart) April 23, 2015 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Key Lime Pie (or Tart) 2015-04-23 06:12:07 Print For the crust ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 T. sugar 1 ½ t. cinnamon For the Filling 5 large egg yolks 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk Juice from 6-8 Key limes, about 2/3 c. (or bottled Key lime juice) Whipped cream for serving. Instructions Heat oven to 325 degrees. For Crust Mix butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pat the mixture onto bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan. Bake 8 min. Set aside; let cool completely. For the filling Beat the yolks in a food processor or hand mixer about 2 minutes. Add condensed milk to yolks; process or beat until incorporated. Add the lime juice. Process or beat 2 additional minutes. Pour into pie shell. Bake until set, 10-15 min.; cool on wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap set directly on top of the curd, at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream. Notes To make a Key Lime Tart: Make 1 ½ recipe crust. Use a 10” tart pan, with removable bottoms, or several smaller tart pans. Follow directions as for pie. By Teri Hiben Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/