Tuesday, September 25, 2012

October Herbal Adventure – Putting Our Gardens to Bed

The Herb Committee of the River Valley Master Gardeners will present a program about putting our gardens to bed for winter and planting edible bulbs to welcome spring. Participants will be encouraged to wear working clothes and bring gloves and a trowel to help with the planting.

Come and enjoy good food, work in  the Children's Garden and also take home mugs filled with herbs.

When: October 13, 2012
Time:  9:30-noon
Where:  Learning Fields
            7300 Gardeners Ave.
            Fort Chaffee, Fort Smith, AR

Cost: $15 dollars (to defray cost)
RSVP: Carla Lesley call 479-651-2509 or 479-474-3633 or email her at go_redhogfan@yahoo.com.

Notes from the Vinegar Herbal Adventures Part Three

Here are the two vinaigrette recipes that Jane Williams presented that were not in the handout.

Basic Vinaigrette
1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup herbal vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. lemon balm (Jane use Lemon Grass Paste)

Mix all ingredients in a jar and shake just before using.

 

Spicy Blueberry Vinegar
3 cups blueberries (can use frozen)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg
4 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup sugar

Place berries, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a 6 cup container. Combine vinegar and sugar in pan and bring almost to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar. pour hot vinegar over berry mixture. Cover and let stand for 48 hours. Strain and rebottle. Use on fruit salad, tuna salad, grilled fish or chicken, vegetables or salad.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Notes from the Vinegar Herbal Adventure Part Two

Here is another piece I promised on Saturday. I’m continuing to collect and deliver what I promised.

Herbs and the Vinegars
That Compliment Them Best

White Wine Vinegar - Borage, Chive, Dill, Savory, Sage, Opal Basil, Lavender Sprigs or Flowers, Fennel, Parsley, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Garlic and Onion Stems and Blossoms

Red Wine Vinegar - Basil, Garlic, Oregano, and Thyme.

White Vinegar – Basil, Rosemary, Tarragon, and Dill.

Cider Vinegar – Parsley, Dill, Savory, Sage, Rosemary, Purple Basil, Tarragon, Thyme, and Garlic

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Notes from the Vinegar Herbal Adventure Part One

So there were TWO pages missing from the handout. At least that I have figured out so far. Here are the recipes that were missing. More updates to come!

Balsamic Baby Carrots

3 cups water
1 lb baby carrots
2 large shallots
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
2 T chopped fresh Italian (flat-leafed) parsley

Bring the water to a boil and add carrots.  Return to a boil and cook 4 minutes.  Drain.

Sauté shallots and red pepper in the olive oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes or less.  Stir in the carrots, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients and cook 4 minutes.

Minted Carrots

1 lb baby carrots

1 ½ cups water

½ cup unsweetened mint vinegar

½ tsp fresh thyme, minced

1 T fresh spearmint, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel carrots, if necessary, and place in a non reactive saucepan. Add water, vinegar, mint and thyme and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or chilled.

Sauerbraten

Thin cut center pork free of bone and fat
1 package brown gravy mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
dash garlic salt

Brown meat. Remove and make gravy with drippings of meat and 2 cups of water. Let thicken.

Add remaining ingredients to thicken gravy. Return meat to pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.


Oven or Grilled Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic, Thyme, and Balsamic Vinegar

1 lb. mushrooms
2 T + 1 tsp. olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 T finely minced garlic
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 T chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400F or heat gas or charcoal grill to medium high. Wash mushrooms, pull out stems, and cut into halves (or quarters if the mushrooms are large.) Put mushrooms into bowl and toss with 2 T olive oil, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Cover a roasting pan with foil, and then arrange mushrooms on the pan in a single layer. (Spread them out as much as you can. For cooking on a grill, use heavy foil to make a "pan" so the flame doesn't turn the bottom of the roasting pan black.)
Roast mushrooms 15 minutes. While mushrooms cook, finely chop fresh thyme and mix with minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, and the tsp. of olive oil.

After 15 minutes, drain off any liquid that has accumulated. Then toss the hot mushrooms with the garlic-thyme mixture. Arrange back on roasting pan and cook about 10 minutes more. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Vinegar Pie

One 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

4 large eggs

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup honey

¼ cup flavored vinegar

3 T unbleached, all-purpose flour

6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line chilled pie shell with parchment, then put in pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment. Return shell to oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until golden. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until smooth and lemon yellow. Add the sugar, honey, flour and vinegar and beat well. Pour into baked shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool before serving. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, or if using fruit flavored vinegar, with sliced fresh fruit, lightly sweetened.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Herbal Vinegars September 15th

Vinegar has been around for centuries and sometimes sits on the shelf without a second thought. That will no longer be the case after attending this workshop. Meghan Hassler will chair this event and will explore the many culinary and household uses of vinegar. Take this opportunity to learn what secrets vinegars hold. You will learn how to make herbal vinegars, taste a variety of herbal vinegars, learn household uses, eat vinegar enhanced foods and as with every Herbal Adventure, have an all-around good time. Refreshments and recipes will be given.

When: September 15, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.

Where: The Learning Fields at Fort Chaffee

Cost: $15

RSVP: Carla Lesley - 479-651-2509 or 479-474-3633