Cherry, Quinoa, Goat Cheese Salad w/Honey Wine Shallot Mustard Vinaigrette

27 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by cosmohippiechef in dressing, gluten-free, lunch, quinoa, salad, seasonal

Tags

cheese, cherries, fruit, gluten free, goat cheese, lettuce, local, mustard, nuts, parsley, salad, seasonal, shallots, walnuts

Food:

Cherry, Quinoa, Goat Cheese Salads w/Honey Wine Shallot Mustard Vinaigrette serves 2

For the salad:

1/2 c. cherries, cut in half and remove pit, set aside

4 c. mixed baby greens, washed and spun dry, set aside

1/2 c. dry quinoa, soaked overnight, drained and rinse, cooked and cooled- set aside (if I have soaked my quinoa I use a little less water when I cook it, so for this I use 3/4c. water to my 1/2c. soaked quinoa and cooked it over medium heat, uncovered for 15 mins)

8 tsp. local goat cheese (I use Drake Family Farms), roll each tsp. of goat cheese into little balls and set aside

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 c. walnuts, toasted in a dry saute pan, chopped, set aside

For the dressing:

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 T. honey wine vinegar (local)

1 T. Wilson’s Wicked Mustard (local)

1 T. olive oil

salt and pepper, season to taste

-Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake to mix. Store in the fridge until ready use.

Directions:

1. Mix the chopped walnuts and parsley together, once you have formed your goat cheese balls roll them in the walnut and parsley mixture. Press lightly to make sure the walnuts and parsley stick to the cheese, save any remaining nut mixture and scatter over the salads or use for something else. Set aside.

2. Assemble your salads- scatter your greens between two plates, season your greens with a little salt and pepper. Next divide the cooked, cooled quinoa between the two salads (you don’t have to use all of it), then add your halved cherries and goat cheese balls. Use the rest of the nut mixture if you want.

3. Pour on the dressing and EAT!

Love:

It’s cherry season y’all and almost every ingredient for this salad can be found at our local Downtown SLC Farmers Market, need I say more?!! Get out there and eat the bounty. Next week I’ll have another recipe using local tart dried cherries. Until then… ENJOY!

Rhubarb Ginger- Mint Lime Shrub

19 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by cosmohippiechef in Uncategorized

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Food:

Rhubarb Ginger-Mint Lime Shrub– makes 1 quart

Adapted and Inspired by Sunset Magazine

1 c. thinly slice fresh ginger, peel or scrap off outer skin

1 c. packed fresh mint leaves

2 c. fresh rhubarb, chopped

1 3/4 c. unfiltered apple cider vinegar, I used Bragg’s

1 c. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 c. raw sugar, I used sucant (sucant is dried raw sugar cane)

Directions:

1. Mix ginger, mint and rhubarb in a clean 1-qt. canning mason jar, bruise (muddle) this mixture with a wooden spoon. Add vinegar. Place lid on the jar and shake vigorously! Take lid off and push the fruit and mint down into the vinegar to make sure it is fully submerged (this is important to make sure bacteria doesn’t start growing on it). Replace lid with a piece of cheesecloth (so air can get in and help it start to ferment) and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it at room temperature about 12 hours.

2. Discard cheesecloth. Place lid and ring on the jar and secure tightly.

Day 2-5: Shake vigorously a couple of times a day

Day 5: Strain the mixture and discard mint, return the other solids and liquor back to the jar

Day 5-9: Shake vigorously a couple of times a day

Day 10: Strain again, return liquid to the jar and add lime juice and sugar, cover with lid and shake until sugar dissolves.

Chill for 7 days for flavors to meld, give it a good shake every day to make sure sugar is dissolved. (Use, or chill for up to 4 months, it will get more syrupy with time.) DRINK!

To make a drink :

-non-alcoholic

1 parts Rhubarb Ginger-Mint Lime Shrub

5 parts sparkling water or soda of choice

ice, fresh mint, garnish and squeeze of fresh lime

Mix all together in a glass. DRINK!

-alcoholic

1 parts Rhubarb Ginger-Mint Lime Shrub

1 parts vodka, whiskey or gin

6 parts sparkling water or tonic

ice, fresh mint and garnish and squeeze of fresh lime

Mix all together in a glass. DRINK!

Side note: My sweetie likes this drink but needs it to be a tad bit sweeter, if this is the case for you then make a honey simple syrup to add to your drinks. Honey Simple Syrup- 1/2 c. local honey, 1/2 c. water, simmer together until mixed well. Let cool, pour into a glass jar and place in the fridge to use for your cocktails.

Love:

I had no idea about drinking vinegars until last summer when Edible Wasatch had a recipe for one in their summer issue! Then just about a month ago I was gifted two from my sister from another mother, Chantelle. They are from flavored drinking vinegars from Pok Pok in Portland but you can buy them here locally at Harmon’s, Caputo’s and Liberty Heights Fresh. My mind was blown! They made such a fantastic cocktail and I love the slightly sour taste, for a kid who used to drink pickle juice I was in heaven.

So naturally I had to try making my own, shrubs are super easy and what fun new way to use rhubarb or any seasonal fruit of your choosing. Now that the Downtown SLC Farmers Market is in full effect rhubarb will be available. My favorite thing about this recipe is that you can change-up the fruit with the seasons so you can make shrubs all summer, plus these drinks are kid and adult friendly, BONUS!

Here is and interesting article I found on shrubs, ENJOY!

http://www.ultimatehistoryproject.com/shrubs-and-switchels-a-history.html

Honey Sriracha

10 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by cosmohippiechef in appetizer, dips, DIY, dressing, gluten-free, homemade gifts

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Tags

chilies, garlic, honey, limes

Food:

Honey Sriracha– makes about 2 ½ c.

Inspired and Adapted from bon appétit

1 lb Fresno chile (red jalapeno)

3 garlic cloves

1 T. real salt

1/4c. apple cider vinegar

1/4c. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. local honey

Plus 1/2c. local honey

Directions:

1. Pulse chilies, garlic, and salt in the food processor to a fine paste. Transfer to a half pint mason jar, cover with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Let sit at room temperature at least 2 days (I think mine sat out for 3 or 4!)

2. Transfer chile mixture to the blender, add fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp. local honey, blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean pint Mason jar and cover with cheesecloth again, let sit at room temp for 1-2 more days. After those two days, add remaining 1/2c. local honey. Mix well and store the fridge for at least a day. Eat!

Nutrition:

Usually during the summer time I take a break from this section of my blog, mainly so I can spend more time with friends in the sunshine. I hope you are doing the same.

Love:

I’ve been struggling between two areas of my life lately, my work life and my home life. Last year I worked my toosh off and my sweet house, my sweet husband and my well-being got no love. So this year I vowed to work a little less and spend a little more time on my personal space, but as you know things don’t always go as planned. The first part of this year was a mixed bag of stuff, some good -10 year anniversary trip, having friends in town, exciting work projects, some not so good- very sick (expensive) kitty and losing my wonderful grandpa (still can’t fully grasp this). I know we all have stuff, but February, March and April kicked my butt and here we are half way through the year!

I needed a break. So needless to say I took no extra jobs or worked on my blog last month but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t still playing in the kitchen (and around the house!).

I’m a sucker for spicy food and the balance of sweet and spicy in this Honey Sriracha is out of this world! There is nothing like homemade hot sauce, the flavor is so fresh and this recipe is ridiculously easy. I have served it on eggs, over rice and veggies and like pictured above on apples/cheese and crackers, holy yum!

In order to self preserve and spend more time with my sweetie working on our love shack my post might be a little farther in between, they might. I’m planning on only attending the farmers market every other week (trust me this will be hard for me) this season and investing in a CSA with BUG Farms. Some times taking a step back and slowing down can be a good thing. ENJOY!