Dandelion Syrup

 

Spring is coming! It's just aound the corner and the snow is half gone now! Soon the dandelions will be blooming all over our fields. We have fields and fields of them and they are pesticide free! I sort of cultivate the dandelions, or I don't actively try to get rid of them. I like them. They really do no harm and they are useful. They don't get tall enough to be a nuisance. Last year I made dandelion wine, which I just bottled this morning. This year I am going to make more dandelion wine and also dandelion syrup. I also plan to collect the tiny leaves for eating and freezing like spinach for soups and stews and sauces. I have collected only the petals in years past for wine making but I have been told that the entire flower can be used for making syrup without bitterness. I don't know about that but it will certainly make the collecting of enough material go a lot faster. I think I will try it with the whole heads this year.

Here is my recipe (sort of) for dandelion syrup: Collect as many chemical free dandelions as possible. Put just the washed heads into a pot and barely cover with water. Boil for some time, about 20-30 mins. Remove those heads with a sieve and add another pot full of flower heads to the water and boil these for 20-30 mins. The more dandelions you boil in the water, the stronger the flavour will be.

When you have boiled all the flowers you plan to boil, remove flowers with a sieve and strain liquid. Add sugar, 1 part sugar to 1 part water. Let boil until thick and syrupy.

It taste slightly nutty with a hint of vanilla all by itself! Eat over waffles or ice cream or make a drink with it, glaze meat with it. You can even heat it up and serve hot over desserts!

Bring it on, Spring! I'm ready!!

Fiddleheads - picking, cooking

 

Spring is here in the far north! With the coming of spring, comes new growth in the forests and wild areas where the edible Ostrich ferns grow. Fiddleheads are the baby fronds not yet unfurled on Ostrich ferns.

The fiddleheads on the Ostrich fern can be identified by the papery covering that splits when the fiddlehead grows and the smooth stems with a deep, U-shaped groove on the inside.

They can usually be found growing wild all over a damp forest floor, along streams, riverbanks and swampy areas. They like wet ground. Sometimes you can find a patch with hundreds. 

When you pick the fiddleheads, leave several fronds (leaves) on each fern so it can make food with which to grow and survive for the next year. Forage responsibly. 

Before fiddleheads are edible, they have to be prepared properly. When raw, they can make you sick. 

When we eat fiddleheads, I boil them for 15 mins, drain and rinse several times. Then I toss them in a skillet with butter and garlic and sauté. They taste similar to asparagus and green beans. Delicious!! 

Fiddlehead Nutrition: 

Fiddlehead ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), Fresh, raw, Nutrition Value per 100 g, (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	34 Kcal	1.7%
Carbohydrates	5.54 g	4%
Protein	4.55 g	8%
Total Fat	0.40 g	2%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Vitamins
Niacin	4.980 mg	31%
Riboflavin	0.210 mg	16%
Thiamin	0.020 mg	1.5%
Vitamin A	3617 IU	120.5%
Vitamin C	26.6 mg	44%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	<1%
Potassium	370 mg	8%
Minerals
Calcium	32 mg	3%
Copper	0.320 mg	35.5%
Iron	1.31 mg	16%
Magnesium	34 mg	8.5%
Manganese	0.510 mg	22%
Selenium	0.7 mcg	1%
Zinc	0.83 mg	7.5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	2040 µg	--
Carotene-α	261 µg	--

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From the Gov of Canada food safety website*.

Cleaning

• Using your fingers, remove as much of the brown papery husk on the fiddlehead as possible.
• Wash the fiddleheads in several changes of fresh, cold water to remove any residual husk or dirt.

Cooking

• Cook fiddleheads in a generous amount of boiling water for 15 minutes, or steam them for 10 to 12 minutes until tender. Discard the water used for boiling or steaming the fiddleheads.
• Cook fiddleheads before sautéing, frying, baking, or using them in other foods like mousses and soups.

Freezing

• Clean the fiddleheads properly.
• Boil them for two minutes.
• Discard the cooking water.
• Plunge the fiddleheads into cold water and drain.
• Pack the fiddleheads in freezer containers or bags.
• Store fiddleheads in the freezer for up to one year for best quality.
• Follow the complete cooking instructions above before serving.

From the Maine, USA Gov Extension**: 

Canning Fiddleheads: 

• UMaine Cooperative Extension does not recommend pressure canning as a method to preserve fiddleheads because process times have not been established and tested for home food preservation.
• Commercial cider or white vinegar should be used and must have at least 5% acidity.
• As guidance, approximately 3 pounds of raw fiddleheads should yield about 6 pints of pickled fiddleheads.
• The brine should cover all the fiddleheads in the jar, while leaving a 1/2-inch headspace to ensure a proper seal.
• Be sure to use best canning practices during the water bath process, which includes covering all jars in the canner with at least 1 inch of water and timing the boiling process when the water reaches a rolling boil (212 deg F) with all the jars in the canner.
• Check for a proper seal on the jars after processed jars have cooled.  If the tops are not depressed or have “popped”, place these jars immediately in the refrigerator and eat the fiddleheads within 1 month.

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Fiddlehead Recipes

Pearl barley risotto with fiddleheads, squash and walnuts
This is a recipe by Chef Kyle Christofferson, winner of the 2011 "So You Think You Can Cook" fiddlehead competition. ***

Ingredients:
50 g fiddleheads, trimmed and blanched
50 g roasted butternut squash, ¼ inch dice
50 g pearl barley (cooked to al dente)
15 g roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp marscapone cheese
1 tbsp parmasean cheese
1 tsp chives
2 tbsp vegetable stock
¼ tsp sea salt

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Serve warm.

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Sweet Pickled Fiddleheads

1 quart cider or white vinegar (5% acidity)
5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons canning & pickling salt

Clean and wash fiddleheads thoroughly using the process above. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil and immediately pour over fiddleheads that are packed into clean pint jars. Remove air bubbles, adjust the liquid to 1/2-inch headspace and wipe the jar rim. Apply two-piece dome lids and adjust lids to fingertip tight. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner, ensuring a rolling boil for the full 15 minutes and at least 1-inch of water is covering all jars in the water bath.

Makes approximately 6 pints if using 3 pounds of raw, cleaned and trimmed fiddleheads.

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Shrimp and Fiddlehead Medley

1 pound fresh fiddleheads
6 ounces linguine, uncooked
6 cups water
1 ¾ pounds Maine shrimp, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until slightly opaque white in color (frozen shrimp may take longer). Drain well, and set aside. Cook fiddleheads in boiling water (enough water to cover all fiddleheads during cooking) for 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, without salt or oil. Drain well, set aside and keep warm.

Add olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet and heat on medium high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until crisp-tender. Stir in fiddleheads. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, pepper, salt and celery seeds to vegetable mixture; stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring often. Stir in shrimp and lemon juice; cook until heated through, stirring often.

Place pasta on a large platter. Spoon shrimp and fiddlehead mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

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Fiddlehead Dijon

1 ½ pounds fresh fiddleheads
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Place fiddleheads in a vegetable steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 12 minutes or until tender, but still crisp. Set aside, and keep warm.

Combine cornstarch and buttermilk in a small saucepan, stir well. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in mustard, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper.

Arrange fiddleheads on a serving platter. Spoon sauce over fiddleheads. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

*https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-safety-fruits-vegetables/fiddlehead-safety-tips.html
**https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4198e/
***https://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/fiddleheads-are-a-great-source-of-vitamins-a-and-c-eat-them-while-you-can/

Fabulous Southern Country Biscuits

 

How to make light, moist, fluffy and fabulous biscuits! 

Biscuits are quick and easy to do. We especially like them made with either sour dough or sour cream. Both are acceptable. You can add sour dough to a biscuit mix to make stunning biscuits, which we will do in a pinch, but we usually make them from scratch. (I say “we” here because we both bake and cook in the kitchen. The man of the house is a better cook than the woman in our home.)

For those of you who do not keep sour dough on hand, I have also included the sour dough recipe and instructions. We like them both equally but don’t always have sour dough on hand or remember to feed it after use, which restricts the amount that is ready for baking. These recipes are made with basic white flour, not self rising or whole wheat.

Directions are the same for both recipes and are listed below.

Sour Cream Biscuits

Bake in 425F preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, depending on size of biscuit.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk

Sour Dough Biscuits

Bake in preheated 375F oven for 15-20 mins, depending on size of biscuit.

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sourdough

Directions for Sourdough and Sour Cream biscuits:

Please use a dish with a light coloured bottom. These recipes are for using a glass dish which usually prevents dark bottoms on biscuits and cookies.

Mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Cut in the shortening. This is not pastry so you can cut it in until it is well mixed. Add wet ingredients called for in recipe of choice (milk, sour cream, sour dough) to make a very sticky, wet dough. You will use a lot of flour on the rolling surface and on your hands and utensils but it is worth it. Moisture is very important to make moist biscuits.

Flour a flat, clean surface with a layer of flour. Dump out the dough onto the floured surface. Liberally flour your hands and gently shape the pile of dough into a cohesive lump. Do not use a rolling pin. This dough is very soft and easily shaped with your floured hands. You will need to add more flour to your hands from time to time. Flatten the lump of dough until it is about 1″ thick and shape it into a square with fairly straight sides and corners. Flour a sharp knife and cut into 2″ squares. You will need to continuously add more flour to the knife to keep it from sticking to the dough, probably a few times just cutting one line.

Squares are much more practical than circles. You don’t need a glass or cutter to make squares, so you have one less dish to wash. Also, when making round biscuits, the leftover dough will need to be reworked slightly and flattened again, making those last few biscuits tougher and dryer.

Grease a glass dish. It is important to use a glass dish when baking biscuits and cookies to prevent the “dark bottom syndrome”. I know I have said this already, but it is important. Gently lift the biscuits and add them to the greased, glass dish, separating them by at least 1″. These will flatten and spread a bit in the pan, so make sure they are taller than you want the baked biscuits to be, shaping more with your hands as you add them to the pan. Add a tiny piece of butter to the top of each biscuit. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15-18 mins. Take them out when the top is lightly browned. If the biscuits are the usual size, the inside will be done. If you have made them very large, you may need to bake a bit longer.

Make sure you are familiar with your oven. Most electric ovens get hotter with wear and your oven may not be baking at the desired temperature. If you are unsure, put an oven thermometer inside the oven when it is preheated to see what the temperature inside the oven is, and adjust the baking temperature accordingly.

(Yes, I know. That’s a Christmas tablecloth still on my table in April. Quit laughing! Some of us are busy, you know…)

Sour Dough Starter for biscuits and waffles only, not for bread

1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water. Stir in remaining 2 cups water, flour and
sugar. Let stand at room temperature until bubbly, stirring 2-3 times per day.
Keep in lidded container in refrigerator. Feed after use: 1 cup flour, 1 cup
milk, 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Leave overnight before using again.