Introducing Michael, My 10 Year Old Wurstmeister - Participating in Charcutepalooza's June 2011 Challenge

My 10 year old son Michael is pictured here making basic Italian Pork Sausages.  While sausage making isn't normally the domain of most 10 year olds, my son has fallen in love the craft.   He sees the value in making something this delicious and nutritious with his own hands.

Part of his enthusiasm may be attributed to the fact that his father is a well seasoned butcher.  Or he may be influenced by the fact that I'm a chef. Either way, it seems natural that he would want to follow in his parent's footsteps.  We encourage his creativity and are amazed at how much he's learned in such a small amount of time.

For the last two years Michael has been working his way through Michael Ruhlman's book, Charcutrie.  Initially it was with a lot of hand holding as you might imagine.  However, as time has gone by, he's needed less and less help.

While it was an investment to procure all the necessary equipment to make the glorious salumi and hunks of meat that hang in our curing room, it's also been rewarding to say the least.

The Italian pork sausage Michael is shown making is one of the very first recipes he mastered over a year ago. He was very keen on participating in Charcutepalooza's June 2011 Stuffing Challenge.  Below, please find his finished product.

Apple Wood Smoked, Honey-Glazed, Brown Sugar Cured Ham - Classic American Style

Eight days in the making, below are pictures of the various stages of the ham making process from the initial curing of the free-range, pig leg to the fully cooked, smoked and glazed ham at top.

Brown Sugar Cured Ham - American Style

This is what a ham looks like before it's shot full of sodium, covered in sugar paste, smoked and finally wrapped in ubiquitous ubiquitous, crinkly, metallic bag.

Pardon me if the following is obvious, but ham is traditionally made from the cured, cooked or smoked thigh portion of an animal's leg.  And, more often than not, ham is made from a pig's leg.  While this may seem like a very rigid formula, there are many types of hams made in many styles ranging from Ibirian Ham from Spain to domestically produced Smithfield Ham from Virginia.

The ham pictured is made from local, free range pork.  It was lovingly prepared by my butcher husband.  He cut it, removed the skin and trimmed it of most of the fat.  This particular ham weighs about 5 pounds, a manageable size for me to cure and then smoke.  However, hams can be very large depending on the size of the animal they came from .

My ham was brown sugar cured.  This process entailed preparing and then submerging the meat in a brine solution of dark brown sugar, honey, molasses, kosher salt and DQ Curing Salt for 6 days.  The amount of time it needed to brine was based on the weight of the meat.  Once it was fully cured, I let it air dry for 24 hours under refrigeration and then applied a glaze of honey, brown sugar and really fantastic grainy mustard.   The final process is to smoke it, slow and low over apple wood until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees.

Basil May Make the Pesto, But the Right Extra Virgin Olive Oil Perfects It

Both the olive oil and basil for this application need to be just crushed and picked, respectively.  You can use a mortar and pestle as I did or use your blender.

 
Spinach & Basil Pesto With Ultra Fresh Cobrançosa Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup super fresh and fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as Cobrançosa
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste

Directions

In the jar of your blender add the salt, garlic, spinach and basil followed by the cheese, nuts, and olive oil.  Process on low until smooth, about 10-15 seconds, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides as necessary.  Prepare  your favorite cut of pasta and toss the strained, hot pasta with the pesto.


Makes about 2 cups of pesto

Free Range Eggs Gently Poached in Fresh, High Oleic, High Polyphenol, Organic Arbosana Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The eggs were laid fresh that morning.  The olive oil was green, fruity complex, peppery, and well balanced.  The arbosana I ultimately chose had  hints of green fennel, and artichoke with a pleasant bite and finish.  The flavor of the eggs was clean and earthy, if not faintly reminiscent of the collards, wild garlic and nettle upon which the hens regularly feasted.

The quality of the starring cast was paramount in this two ingredient application.  Therefore, my focus quickly became choosing the perfect extra virgin olive oil which would enhance the delicate flavor of the farm fresh eggs.  After almost almost two weeks of working with 20+ extra virgin olive oils in the test kitchen, I finally settled on a magnificent arbosana.  One of the problems I encountered was finding an extra virgin olive with a strong chemical profile that wouldn't overwhelm the eggs with equally strong bitterness.  However, its chemistry (oleic acid and phenolic content) needed to be such that its flavor would endure after being heated to and held at 170 degrees for 20 minutes.

The end result of finding the right extra virgin olive oil for this simple application was spectacular.  During the gentle poaching process, the white absorbed the flavor of the arbosana while the yolks remained beautifully gelatinous and creamy.  Once drained, the residual, thin layer of extra virgin olive oil coating the eggs mingled with the puddling egg yolk to create a delicate sauce of exquisite richness.  A quick grind of black pepper and a few flakes of sea salt brought it all together.

Spring! - Artichokes! - Quiche!

Like Castroville, California (the artichoke capital of the world), Castro Valley's zone 8b offers a near perfect micro-climate in which to grow artichokes.  The plants thrive in the cool coastal fog and warm, sun drenched days that frequent the valley.  So much so, that when I allow my artichokes to go to seed, they end up spontaneously germinating everywhere in my garden.  I'm constantly pulling up "volunteer" baby artichoke plants as if they were weeds. 

Growing artichokes in Castro Valley for nearly a decade  has taught me few things.  Despite what some may say, it's very easy to grow them from seed and once established, they require little care.  In our climate, the plants go dormant in the winter, but return to bud anew in the spring.  This cycle happens with or without my devoted attention.  For a modest effort, I'm rewarded with softball sized artichokes year after year.

The plant pictured at top is a Globe variety from my garden.  Last night I picked it along with several other softball sized buds.  I prepared the buds simply, by steaming them for 25 minutes.  We had them for dinner, eating the creamy hearts and tender leaf portions with a garlicky homemade aioli.

While steaming is a time honored and delicious way to enjoy artichokes, I have 8 thriving plants in my garden and have counted at least four large buds forming on each plant.  This surplus stirred my culinary creativity.  Below, please find my recipe for a delicious baby artichoke quiche.  I would highly recommend this as a perfect for Mother's Day brunch.





Baby Artichoke Quiche

• 8 baby artichokes, cleaned and trimmed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
•  sea salt to taste
•  fresh ground pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallot
• 2 tablespoons fresh, fruity extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 ounces pecorino cheese, grated
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F 
2. Trim the artichokes and steam until tender or boil gently in a pot of generously salted water, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, refresh with cold water and quarter the artichokes. 
3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 10-inch, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the artichokes. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about five to eight minutes. Add the garlic, shallots and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Stir in the flat leaf parsley, and season the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
4. whisk together eggs and half-and-half. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Distribute the two cheeses evenly over the bottom of the pie shell.  Layer the artichoke mixture over the cheese and pour the egg mixture over the top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is set. Allow to set 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

          Serves 8

Whole Wheat Zucchini-Olive Oil Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts

makes 12 muffins
  
Muffins

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Amphora's Ultra Fresh Portuguese Arbequina
• 1 cup packed shredded unpeeled zucchini

 Frosting (optional)

• 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the walnuts and cranberries. In a smaller bowl (or a 2-cup measuring cup), combine the eggs, milk, and olive oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir just until barely combined and then gently fold in the zucchini.  Spoon the batter into a greased, 12-cup muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins spring back when you press them with your fingertips.  Cool 5 minutes on a rack.   While the muffins are baking, prepare the frosting.  In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar and cinnamon until smooth on medium speed (about two minutes) slowly add the cream and continue mixing until thick and spreadable, approximately two more minutes.  Refrigerate the frosting until the muffins are cooled to room temperature.  Frost and enjoy!

Almost Flourless Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla Bean Candied Kumquats

8 servings

Almost Flour-less Chocolate Cake Ingredients:

7 ounces 70% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (4 oz.) Delizia Agrumato Blood Orange extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (7 oz.) granulated cane sugar, divided

5 large eggs at room temperature, separated
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Cocoa powder for dusting
whipped cream for serving (optional)

 

Vanilla Bean Candied Kumquats Ingredients:

2 cups fresh kumquats sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed

2 cups granulated cane sugar

2 cups water

1 vanilla bean sliced open lengthwise

Instructions For The Candied Kumquats:

In a heavy three-four quart saucepan, dissolve the sugar in to the water.  Slowly bring to a simmer over medium low heat.  Add the sliced kumquats and lower the heat.  Bring to a gentle simmer being very mindful that the sugar syrup does not foam up and overflow.  Cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the vanilla bean and cook for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  Strain the syrup, discarding the vanilla bean, and place back in to the saucepan.  Reduce the syrup to one cup over medium-low heat.  Cool syrup reduction and pour over candied kumquats.       

 

Instructions For The Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack positioned in the middle. Line the bottom of a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Put the chocolate in a large stainless-steel bowl and melt it over simmering water. Whisk it until it is smooth. Add the olive oil, whisking in a steady stream. Whisk in 2/3 cup of the sugar, the egg yolks, then the flour and salt. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment until they start to foam. Add about a third of the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar. Beat until the whites become opaque, then add another third of the sugar. When the whites begin to increase in volume and become firmer, add the rest of the sugar and turn the mixer speed to high. Beat until the whites form soft peaks when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. They will still look slightly wet.

Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in two additions. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the cake is puffed and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool completely, still in the pan, on a rack. It will deflate as it cools. Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Peel off the parchment paper. Lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Serve at room temperature, with  a spoonful of candied kumquats and reduced syrup and or a dollop of whipped cream if desired.