Whole Grain Lemon-Blueberry Tea Cake

It may look sinful but it's not thanks to the addition of white whole wheat flour, lemon extra virgin olive oil, honey, yogurt, and fresh berries.  This lightly sweetened bread is divine toasted and buttered for breakfast or simply enjoyed as a light snack.

Whole Grain Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake 

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 cups ground whole grain corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Delizia's whole fruit fused lemon extra virgin olive oil
fresh grated zest from one lemon
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease or line muffin cups or miniature loaf pans.  In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients and lemon zest.  In three separate additions, add the went ingredients to the dry, scraping down the bowl.  Gently fold in the berries.  Fill the muffin cups or loaf pans half way with batter.  Bake in the center of oven for 20-25 minutes until a tester inserted in to the middle comes out clean.  Makes 18 standard size muffins or one dozen muffins and one large or two miniature loaf pans.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

As I type this, it's cold and raining.  To my mind, this  dreary May weather is not conducive to strawberry pies or cherry cobblers.  This weather reminds me of late fall, mulled cider and pumpkin pie.    

  
The Cupcakes

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin (1 3/4 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup of grape seed or canola oil
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line three standard muffin tins or one giant muffin tin with cupcake papers.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugars and oil.  Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition.

Add the flour in three additions to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and no flour can be seen.  Fill the muffin tins and bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in to the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Makes 36 standard cupcakes or 12 giant cupcakes

Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
3 sticks unsalted butter cut in to 1/2 inch cubes and brought to (room temperature!)

Put the sugar, egg whites and salt in to a metal mixing bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture feels very warm to the touch (about 3-4 minutes)  Remove the bowl from the heat.  Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it reaches room temperature (about 5 minutes).  Add the butter cubes one at a time to beating after each addition until smooth. Once all the butter in incorporated, add the cinnamon and vanilla beating until fully incorporated. Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Olive Oil Marinated Homemade Mozzarella Fresca

The mozzarella pictured is homemade but you can use any good quality, store-bought mozzarella fresca for this recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup super fresh, bold, peppery, grassy extra virgin olive oil i.e. early harvest Coratina, Frantoio or Leccino EVOO
1 pound of mozzarella fresca, drained of brine and blotted dry
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon hot red chili flakes (optional)
2" sprig fresh rosemary, bruised to release essential oils

Directions
Drain the mozzarella and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt.  In a medium sauce pan, set over low heat, slowly warm up 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, the red chili flakes and rosemary to 175 degrees.  Hold for 2 minutes and then allow to cool to room temperature.  Mix in the remaining cup of extra virgin olive oil.  Place the salted mozzarella fresca in a canning jar or other container large enough to hold the olive oil and cheese.  Pour the oil, herbs and chili flakes over the cheese.  Marinate in the refrigerator for up to one week.  This cheese is delicious served with salads, wrapped in prosciutto or speared on a toothpick with a small, ripe cherry tomato and a basil leaf when in season.  Be sure to mop up the seasoned olive oil with fresh bread or use in dressings.   

Fish Slow Poached in Ultra Hoji Blanca Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is a fantastic and easy way to enjoy your favorite fish with your favorite extra virgin olive oil

Pat dry and season your favorite fresh fish ( salmon, halibut, bass, snapper, etc.) with salt and pepper.   You can use smaller whole fish such as the anchovies pictured or fillets and steaks from larger fish.  Be sure that your fillets and steaks are no more than 1 1/2 inches thick.

Place the fish in to a saute pan large enough to hold the fish fully submerged in extra virgin olive oil.  Heat the extra virgin olive oil slowly over medium-low heat until it reaches 250 degrees on a deep fry thermometer.  There should be little to no activity (i.e. bubbles) inside the pan.  Hold the oil and fish at this temperature for 45 minutes.  During this poaching period, the fish will absorb the flavor of the olive oil and its' texture will become sumptuous, remaining tender and moist.

Caramelized Sweet Onion & Rosemary Balsamic Jam

 I am an unapologetic fiend for condiments.  In my endless pursuit of the next best condiment, I developed the following recipe.  It's fantastic with grilled meats and on burgers in lieu of ketchup.  When combined with cheese, especially a nice blue cheese, it is otherworldly. I hope you enjoy.  

 Caramelized Sweet Onion & Rosemary Balsamic Jam

Ingredients:

• 5 cups finely chopped sweet onions (1-1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups Delizia 18 Year Aged Traditional balsamic
• 3 inch sprig fresh rosemary sprig, bruised
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 cups granulated sugar                                                      
• 1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid fruit pectin

Directions:

• In a heavy bottomed pan, saute onions in butter for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper and rosemary. Bring to a rolling boil. Gradually add sugar, stirring constantly. Return to a boil for 3 minutes.
• Add pectin; bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; let stand for 3 minutes. Skim off foam. Pour hot mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Yield: about 3-1/2 pints.

Fantastic addition to a cheese course or served along side grilled meat, pork, poultry or lamb.  Great condiment on sandwiches.  

Honey-Ginger White Balsamic Jelly

I made this little jar of wonder using Delizia's Honey-Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar.  Please, no raised eyebrows.  This white balsamic is by no means average.  Its' age makes it sweet and mellow and its' character is complex with the flavors of wildflower honey and warm, spicy ginger.  A pleasant level of acidity joins the mix for balance.  I absolutely love spreading this condiment on warm crumpets and scones.       

Honey-Ginger White Balsamic Jelly

Ingredients:

•  4 1/2 cups Delizia Honey-Ginger White Balsamic
•  2 cups sugar
•  1 (3 ounce) envelope liquid pectin

Directions:

1. Measure exactly 4 1/2 cups of balsamic into a 6-quart pan.
2. Stir sugar into the balsamic in the pan.
3. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute.
5. Skim off any foam.
6. Ladle into jars, seal and process 8 minutes.

Persian Lime Tart with Butter-Crumb Crust

Persian limes tend to play second fiddle to Key limes.  However, the juice of Persian limes offers a beautiful lime flavor.  Furthermore, these limes yield loads of juice and are readily available in California.  Often times these large limes are referred to as Bearss limes or Tahitian limes but most supermarkets carry them and refer to them simply as "limes".  Regardless of what you call them, they're a flavor-home-run when used in recipes requiring lime juice.

The tart pictured is exceedingly easy to prepare.  It's components are mostly pantry staples and ingredients typically on hand.  Since I used a crumb crust, there was no chilling and rolling of pie crust.  Also, the filling components are merely whisked together and poured directly in to the par-baked crumb crust.  A quick 20 minute bake later and your tart is ready to cool and chill.

The crisp, buttery, crumb crust used in this recipe is the perfect foil for the tart, creamy, citrus filling.  Lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream serves to add richness and bring all the elements together.  I hope you try this recipe and add see fit to add it to your repertoire.

Crumb Crust

Ingredients

1 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350.  Pulse all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or mix together well in a bowl.  Press the mixture evenly in to and up the sides of a 9" tart or pie pan.  Use a secondary pie pan of the same size pressed on top to ensure evenness or use a flat bottomed glass to press the crumbs evenly and firmly in to the pan.  Blind bake the crust in the center of the oven for 15 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove from oven and decrease the oven temperature to 325.

Lime Filling

Ingredients


1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
Zest from one lime
A pinch of salt

Whisk all of the ingredients together thoroughly.  Pour in to the warm crumb crust.  Bake in a 325 degree  oven for 15-20 minutes or until the outer edges are firmly set but the center quivers slightly.  Remove and cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  

Top with lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream

Makes 10 generous servings

- Rachel     

Meyer Lemon Curd Trifle With Chantilly Cream & Fresh Berries

Spring is just around the corner. The onset of our local berry season is imminent. Lemons are in abundance right now in zone 9 and as it happens, I am fortunate to have access to a very prolific Meyer lemon tree. So when the planets line up in such a way, I am compelled to heed their cosmic pull. For your Spring time enjoyment, I offer the following recipe.

Meyer Lemon Curd Trifle With Chantilly Cream & Fresh Berries

For The Pound Cake
Makes 2 cakes

• 1 pound (3 1/4 cups) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 3 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for pans
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 9 large, room-temperature eggs
• 2 tablespoons sanding sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine 3 1/4 cups flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream butter, sour cream, and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
3. Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
4. Before baking, sprinkle sanding sugar over each cake. Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Makes 2 cups

1 cup freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 large eggs
a pinch of salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Directions
1. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, and salt.

3. Add the butter cubes and set the pan over low heat, whisking constantly until the butter is melted.

4. Increase the heat and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and just begins to become jelly-like. It's done when you lift the whisk and the mixture holds its shape when it falls back into the saucepan from the whisk.

5. Immediately press the curd through the strainer. Once strained, store the lemon curd in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week.

Chantilly Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/3 cup cugar
2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract

Directions

1. In the bowl of a mixer, whip cold cream to light peaks. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.

Fresh Berries
2 pints of fresh berries such as strawberries, black berries, raspberries and or blueberries.

To Assemble The Trifle

1. Cut one pound cake loaf in to one inch cubes. Add 1/3 of the pound cake cubes to the bottom of your trifle dish. Next, layer with 1/2 cup of cooled Meyer lemon curd. Arrange 1/3 of the berries decoratively along the perimeter of the trifle dish, covering the layer of lemon curd. Add 1/2 cup of the chilled Chantilly cream over the berries. Repeat these layer two more times ending with a layer of Chantilly cream on top. Allow the trifle to rest, covered and chilled, for three hours before serving Garnish with fresh berries and a mint sprig.

Serves 10 -12 generously