2011 - A Year of Culinary Types

Pomegranate Jelly

Pomegranates are an excellent fruit for making jelly.

Makes about 6 x 250 ml jars.

5 lbs (2.3 kg) pomegranates

1 pkg (57 g) BERNARDIN® Original Fruit Pectin

5 cups (1250 ml) granulated sugar

• Place 6 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.

• Measure sugar; set aside.

• Measure 3-1/2 (875 ml) cups juice into a large deep stainless steel saucepan. Whisk in BERNARDIN® Original Pectin until dissolved and add 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired.

• Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Add all the sugar. Stirring constantly, return mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim foam if necessary.

• Quickly ladle hot jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (.5 cm) of top rim (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner ensuring jars are covered by water. Repeat for remaining jelly.

• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process – boil filled jars – 10 minutes.

• When processing time is complete, turn stove off, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

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Pomegranate Palooza! Lotsa Juice!

Boxing Day is the day after Christmas.  I am not sure where in the world it is observed outside Canada and Great Britain.  It is the biggest shopping day of the year.  It is the Canadian equivalent of Black Friday.

I spent my day juicing pomegranates.  It was a quiet day in my kitchen with 32 pomegranates.  I was prepared for the splatters of red.

Thanks to Deana at lostpastremembered I used a citrus juicer to extract the rich sweet and delicious juice.

It took about an hour and I had 15 cups of fresh pomegranate juice.  I have been letting it settle in the refrigerator.  Some solids settle to the bottom leaving a clear juice on top.  My imagination is running wild right now.  What will I do with all this gorgeous ruby liquid.



I will make jelly with the clear juice.  I will freeze some of the juice to make granita in a few weeks.  And I will luxuriate with fresh juice for breakfast for a few days.

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Pear and Roquefort Salad

We made this salad at one of the cooking classes and it was a hit.  Even those who didn't think they liked blue cheese loved this salad.  I made it again yesterday for a Christmas dinner package I delivered.  I hope they enjoy it as much as I do.

Pear and Roguefort Salad

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

3 firm ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears

8 cups spring greens

2 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled



Whisk together mustrd, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.  Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow stream as you whisk to maintain an emulsion.  Add in shallots.



Toast pecans in a dry pan. 



Halve and core pears and coarsely chop.  Toss all and serve immediately.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

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Making Merry in the Suburbs with Sweet Potato Bourbon Cake

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Bon Appétit  | May 2001

    2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

    3 leeks, halved, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)

    2 pounds button mushrooms, sliced

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1/4 cup long-grain white rice

    31/4 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth

    31/4 cups canned beef broth

    1/2 cup whipping cream

    1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms are soft and dry, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in rice. Add 31/4 cups chicken broth and beef broth to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is very tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in cream. Thin with more chicken broth, if desired. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

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Quick Puff Pastry

In my last post I mentioned pissaladière.  A most important part is the puff pastry.  And we are all so afraid to make this delicate pastry.  This recipe is so easy and so reliable.  Just give it a try!



Quick Puff Pastry

adapted from Menus from an Orchard Table by Heidi Noble



3 cups bread flour

1 cup pastry flour

2 cups unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 tsp salt

See all the lovely layers of dough.  This will make it fluffy upon baking.

Sift the flours and salt into a bowl.  Add the butter and toss to coat.  Pour in the cream and toss to soak up all the liquid.  On a lightly floured surface roll the dough away from you into a rectangle.  Fold the dough into thirds.  Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again to a rectangle.  Wrap and refrigerate.



Remove from the refrigerator and repeat the 2 turns and folds.  refrigerate again for one hour.  Remove from the refrigerator for a second time and repeat the 2 turns and folds.  Refrigerate again for one hour.  Roll to the desired thickness and refrigerator or freeze for 1 hour.  Bake at 400F until evenly golden, but the darker the better.

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A Gift Box Wedding Cake