Honey Bourbon infused Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

*All photographs were taken by my friend Michelle. See more of her beautiful work at http://michellekmartin.tumblr.com/ *

I recently watched an episode of “Throwdown” on The Food Network that featured blueberry pancakes. It left me with a crazy hankering for some pancakes; instead of the classic blueberry I thought it would be nice to incorporate some of the remaining apples from our harvest this autumn.

We have a few different apples varieties left (Macs, Empires, and Golden Delicious) and all are delicious candidates for the apple portion of these Honey Bourbon Infused Apple Cinnamon Pancakes. I once had an apple crisp that was infused with bourbon, and I was amazed at how well the flavors of apple and bourbon meld together. At the package store I was lucky to find bourbon that was infused with honey (yum!). In this recipe I used the bourbon as a bit of a flavor and also a way to keep my apples from oxidizing and turning that icky brown color.

Some tip for delicious pancakes:

1. Don’t over-mix. Beating the batter until there aren’t any lumps will develop the gluten in the flour and make for a gummy texture to your pancakes.

2. Use a mixture of regular milk and buttermilk.

3. Let batter rest for about 15 minutes before cooking pancakes.

4. Separate eggs and beat the whites into stiff peaks before incorporating into the batter. This will create a fluffier batter and make for tender and light pancakes.

Honey Bourbon infused Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 cup milk

2 large eggs (separated)

Cream of tartar

4 Tbsp butter (melted)

3 medium sized apples (cored and sliced thin)

Honey infused bourbon

Core, peel, and slice apples. Add apple slices to a shallow bowl and pour a generous amount of bourbon over, set aside. Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in both kinds of milk, egg yolks, and melted butter. Whisk all these ingredients together, but do not over-mix, having some small lumps in the batter is ok. Let the batter rest for about 15 minutes. Preheat an electric griddle to 350 degrees. Put the egg whites and a few pinches of cream of tartar in an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat on high until still peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into the rested pancake batter. Grease the griddle with some butter or vegetable oil, and spoon on a desired amount of batter, add apple slices once the pancake is poured. Flip pancakes when small bubbles form on the surface of the batter. With these pancakes, flipping once is desired.

Note: if you prefer thinner or thicker pancakes you can adjust the amount of milk added to the batter.

Apple and Cheddar Turnovers

I have a serious affinity for cheese. I love all kinds, and matching specific cheeses with a complimentary flavor can make for delicious treats. I have finally made it home to Connecticut for the holidays and decided that I best make use of some of the remaining apples from the harvest this autumn. And since the flavors of apples and cheddar cheese compliment each other so well, I made apple turnovers with a white-cheddar-infused crust. The subtle flavor of cheddar cheese sneaks up on you, and is a delightful surprise in these flavor packed desserts!

Some people have very strong feelings about baking and eating apples being mutually exclusive. I feel as if this distinction doesn’t have to be quite so rigid. There are certainly some varieties that are better for either baking or eating, but the bottom line is you can probably use whatever you have around, as long as they are of a similar texture and consistency. As long as your apples are equally hard or soft (however you want to look at it) they will bake evenly in your crust.

Apple and Cheddar Turnovers

For Crust:

3/4 cup butter (salted)

2 cups flour

6 Tbsp cold water

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

For Filling:

5 large apples (I used a mixture of Macs, Empires, and Golden Delicious)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

About 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Egg Wash:

1 one

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To begin the crust cut the butter and cheese into the flour with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Then slowly add in the water, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. Form the dough into a disk and set aside. Core and peel your apples. Use the largest side of a 4-sided grater to cut your apples into very thin slices. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the mixture. Cut your dough into 8 equal segments. Roll each segment into a 6-7 inch circle making sure to thoroughly flour your rolling pin and surface. Pile a generous amount of the apple mixture on one side of each of the circles and cover with some extra shredded cheddar. Take a pastry brush and apply water to the circumference of the dough and then fold in half to create a half moon shape. Press edges together with the teeth of a fork and set on a baking sheet that has been lined with either a silicon-baking sheet or parchment paper. After all of the turnovers have been assembled, make the egg wash by combining the ingredients and beating them together. Brush the outside of the turnovers with the egg wash and then sprinkle with a gentle dusting of cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes).

Date and Nut Biscotti

I have found a new obsession: dates. Never having really experienced dates before venturing to Southern California I was pleasantly surprised to realize, I love them. They have a delightfully chewy texture and a sweetness reminiscent of honey.

For my job, I had the opportunity to visit one of the state of California's Agricultural Experiment Stations in Coachella. There they have a date palm germoplasm where they keep several different varieties of date lines going for the USDA. It is something similar to a seed-bank, only with trees instead of seeds. I was able to sample some of the different varieties they grow there. The diversity of date varieties is fantastic. Some are plump and meaty, while some are drier and chewier. Most are light brown, but some are green, some black, and a few are even a beautiful deep purple color. At the Agricultural Experiment Station my boss and I were generously given a large box of Majool dates fresh off the palm trees. I originally intended to make something with the dates I was given several weeks ago, but I ate them all! So after purchasing some dates at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, on Sunday, I've finally made something delicious that incorporates dates: date and nut biscotti. The biscotti recipe is loosely based on a recipe given to me by my great-grandmother, so you know they have to be good!

Date and Nut Biscotti

1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 lb of dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup pecans

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Incorporate the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, sift together. Add the chopped dates to the dry ingredients and toss so that the chunks are separated from one another and covered in the flour mixture, set aside. In a separate bowl place vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, honey, and vanilla and whisk together. Add the dry ingredients, raisins, and pecans to the wet ingredients and fold together into the batter is nicely incorporated. On a cookie sheet form three "logs" across the sheet that you will bake and later cut into biscotti. Bake the logs for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cut across the short way to create your individual biscotto. Turn the biscotti on their sides, so that the side that was in the center of the log now faces up, and place back into the oven for 5-10 minutes until golden brown on the top. I would recommend enjoying these for breakfast with a cup of tea or a cappuccino!

Prosciutto wrapped Fig Pizza

So last weekend was my first real weekend looking for goodies at the Downtown Riverside Farmer's Market. I had been there the previous Saturday but had been late and missed out on some things, sad. In general, I have to say I enjoy this market! It is in an absolutely gorgeous location (next to the historic and beautiful Mission Inn), there is plenty of convenient parking, and there is a delicious coffee shop and breakfast bistro called Simple Simon which I would highly recommend right across the street. And in addition, the vendors are generally very friendly and ready to answer your questions (some can be slightly pushy, shoving a bag into your hands while you are merely perusing okra- just because I'm looking at okra doesn't mean I need to/want to buy it, sirrr). But as I examined the offerings last Saturday I was looking for something special, something I couldn't grow myself in CT. Interestingly enough there weren't too many things that fit that description, I saw quite a few peaches, plums, berries, etc. But finally! I stumbled upon a gorgeous pint of figs!

I saw a movie once (in my Ecology class at Northeastern) about the pollination process of figs, which is seriously fascinating. Fig wasps lay eggs inside the fig so that when the eggs hatch the larval stage is able to collect pollen from the flowers (which are within the fruit itself, an odd circumstance that has allowed for this odd method of pollination). The larval stages eventually matures and breaks free of the fig fruit. As they fly away to create their own baby wasps they carry with them the pollen from their original fig, which they will deposit in a second fig that they chose to lay their eggs in, thus cross-pollinating the second fig and allowing the cycle to continue. I apologize for the unbridled nerd-ery you just had to deal with there, but please, don't be grossed out. It is not like you are eating insects when you eat figs, and you have to remember that most of the fruit you eat has been up close and personal with some kind of insect pollinator in it's lifetime, albeit not usually to this extent.

But anyway! What I decided to make was a pizza featuring the familiar pair, figs and prosciutto. I used a ricotta cheese mixture instead of tomato sauce and also incorporated some caramelized onions. All these toppings were placed upon a cornmeal crust which is tender and puffy, but also has the right about the "crisp" to it. In my opinion this pizza had a beautiful balance between sweet and salty components. I hope you will give it a shot!

Prosciutto wrapped Fig Pizza

Crust (makes 4 individual pizzas):

4 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
A pinch of sugar
1 1/3 cups warm water (not hot, just warm)
3 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Toppings:

1 large red onion
1 pint of figs (about 18 figs in total)
6 thin slices of prosciutto
1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 cloves garlic
A hand full of flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut red onion into thin slices and place over very low heat in a frying pan, onions will reduce by more than half and turn brown (but not burnt). This may take a while, perhaps an hour or so.

In a measuring cup or mug place the warm water, yeast, and sugar and allow to sit for ten minutes, until frothy. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cornmeal and salt with a whisk. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the olive oil and yeast mixture and work with hands to incorporate. Once the ball of dough is formed, pour a bit of olive oil over the top (to help avoid dessication) and place a warm, slightly moist towel over the bowl and allow to sit for 1 hour or until the dough had doubled in volume.

While the dough is rising you can cut the thin slices of prosciutto into thirds (the long way) and wrap each of those strips around a fig. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about ten minutes, until prosciutto has crisped up.

Once the dough has risen, cut into fourths and shape each fourth into a nice individual pizza crust, allow to rise again for about 20 minutes.

Chop garlic and parsley and incorporate into the ricotta with a bit of salt and pepper.

Assemble pizza, first with crust, drizzle with olive oil and spread all the way to the edges so that that crust will turn a beautiful brown. Top with ricotta mixture, figs, caramelized onions, and mozzarella cheese. Bake in the 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes.

Grilled Peach Salad with a Balsamic Reduction

As you well know, before I left for California my family was buried in stone fruit. Plums, nectarines, and peaches galore! As I have previously stated I have a deep and lasting affinity for grilled stone fruit. The following quick salad is an awesome option if you are looking for a cool and simple summer supper. I can't stress enough how much I miss having access to an exorbitant amount of stone fruit begging to be grilled!

Grilled Peach Salad

1 box of spring mix lettuce
1 handful of whole basil leaves
1 pt yellow cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup craisins
4 large peaches
3/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and all it to simmer until it has reduced by half. While the vinegar is reducing cut peaches in half and separate from the stone. Place peaches stone side down on a medium high grill for about 4 minutes (until tender) then flip to skin side, allowing them to cook for another 4 minutes. Arrange salad greens, basil (which gives off an amazing aroma if left whole), tomatoes, and craisins on a large platter. Place warm peaches on top of the greens and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

The acidity and sweetness of the reduction is an amazing accompaniment to the grilled peaches. I personally prefer to eat this salad as is, the reduction gives enough flavor for me, but if you care to you can also dress this salad with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

As a side-note, I can't give enough praise to yellow cherry tomatoes, they are super sweet and flavorful (and keep in mind this is coming from a girl who very rarely compliments raw tomatoes).

A Journey Westward

I haven't been able to post anything in a while due to a recent move to California! I will be in southern California for the remainder of the year, working at UC Riverside in a plant pathology lab. So in the wake of getting everything together and driving across the country, I have neglected to update my blog. I know, tisk tisk. I created a few last delicious things before embarking on my journey, so I will post them promptly.

What I plan to blog about here in Riverside is still produce/fresh food related. I intend to visit the Riverside Farmer's Market in downtown every Saturday and use the offerings there to create tasty treats!

I took a trip to the market this past Saturday and while the size of the market was impressive, the variety was just so-so. I plan on getting there earlier next week, I might have missed something good by deciding to sleep in; the early bird gets the worm and all that jazz. I won't pass any further judgment about the vendors or the market until I've gone a few times; it is no secret that I'm a fruit snob, so I'll try to keep it civil. :)

To get a glimpse of the cross country journey I took with my friend Michelle, visit her blog at http://michellekmartin.tumblr.com/ !

Plum Tart

We have just finished picking all of our Methley Plums (an oriental plum variety) and are looking for homes for them! These tasty, super sweet gems don't last forever, and when it is hot they can burst open, creating quite a mess. The heat causes the sweet flesh inside the plum to expand, which causes the skin to split and the plum to spill juice everywhere (seriously, everywhere). So when we can't sell these Methley Plums in time, we end up throwing quite a few plums out due to this splitting phenomenon, such a waste.

One of our customers owns a restaurant and buys Methley's to make a plum pie. He reminded me that plums are naturally very high in pectin, meaning they don't need a ton of help to thicken once cooked. So I was inspired to take a few of our split plums and make a plum tart! I used Julia Child's recipe for sugar tart crust (from Mastering the Art of French Cooking) for this delicious creation!

Plum Tart

Crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
4 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
7 Tbsp butter
1 egg (beaten with 1 tsp water)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
1 1/2 quarts of Methley Plums
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp tapioca

Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust put the flour, sugar, butter and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Combine these ingredients with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the butter is well incorporated. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture and knead into a ball with the heel of your hand. Shape the dough into a disk and refrigerate until firm. Once firm fit the dough into a 9 inch tart pan. Line the inside of the tart shell with tin foil and add dry beans or rice to keep the center of the shell weighed down, bake for 5-6 minutes. After the 5-6 minutes remove tin foil and beans or rice and prick holes in the bottom of the tart shell (with a fork) and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

To make filling, cut plums off their stone and place into a medium sized sauce pan and add brown sugar and tapioca. Cook for about 15 minutes. Take off heat and place into a food processor to smooth filling. Place filling in the cool shell.

To make the crumble topping melt butter and mix in the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle topping over the tart and bake the tart for an additional 10 minutes, until the crumble topping browns.

This tart would be great for dessert or with coffee for brunch!