Weekend Recipe - Chive & Rosemary Popovers

I was going to post Zucchini Bread since I just made some, but I posted that recipe the last time I had too many zucchini back in 2014.  So I had to do something else.

I do not know if your library does this, but mine does -- they called it the Library of Extraordinary Things -- you can borrow, for 7 days, pots, pans, canning supplies, video recorders, pasta makers, pretty much anything you want to cook or play around with, but really don't want to own because you will use it once a year.  It is awesome.  I borrowed two pans.  A bundt cake pan shaped like a rose and a popover pan.

So in addition to making zucchini bread I made these wonderful rosemary chive popovers.  And I will be making a rose pound cake in the bundt pan.  That recipe is for next week!

Rosemary Shallot Popovers

Makes 6

To make popovers that really pop over, use a popover frame. A muffin tin is a substitute, but won't produce the best results.

2 1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely snipped fresh chives

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 Tablespoons minced onion

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

Heat oven to 450°. Place rack on bottom level. Rub tins with a little oil and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a small sauté pan over low heat. Add onion and cook until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and chives and stir to heat through, then set aside.  Melt l ½ tablespoons butter. Combine with milk, flour, and salt in a bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add onion, chives and rosemary.  Heat empty tins for 5 minutes; remove from oven. Divide remaining tablespoon butter among tins and heat until butter sizzles. Divide batter evenly among cups.  Bake for 20 minutes; turn down heat to 350° without opening oven. Bake 20 minutes more. When done, sides should feel crisp and firm. Poke with a sharp knife to release steam; serve immediately.  Serve with butter or honey butter.

Hot Tea Celebration

It has been a crazy new year!  On January 1 my hubby went into the hospital for an infection (massive) and we have been dealing with the fallout from that ever since.

I have been trying to get my blog back on track and work on researching the herb of the week so they can be posted on Wednesday like they are supposed to be, check out the first one of the new year tomorrow!

Today was a bad day in my book.  I spilled my tea (a new blend with orange and white tea) before even getting one sip, then later I fell off my rolling desk chair. (Go ahead laugh, I did!)

January is Hot Tea month.  Last year I started a series of articles on Hot Tea (check out the first few parts here) that somehow got lost and never posted correctly.  I am going to find them all and get the missing ones posted this month (only a year late...)

Today however I want to put up something I actually wrote while in the waiting room at the emergency room during the first few days of the year when we had our first cold spell, I hear we might have another this coming weekend!

As the temps dipped into the teens for really the first time this winter, I deeply felt the cold, probably because I am out of practice with the cold due to our mild winter (so far!)  But as a result, to cope with the cold I turned to my comfort food -- Tea and Scones.

Scones are so simple to make that I just whip them up and place in an air tight container to enjoy for a week!

I've shared scone recipes before, but I crafted a few more recently when I had some unexpected free time so here they are:

CHEDDAR-BASIL MINI SCONES

Here is one of my favorite savory scone recipes. It smells so good while it's baking & they are very good reheated days later.  You can even add bacon to it for a more savory taste.  I added three strips of cooked crumbled bacon when the recipe says to add the cheese & basil.  This combo makes a great breakfast on the run.

Ingredients:

3  cups  all-purpose flour

2  Tbsp.  sugar

1  Tbsp.  baking powder

1/2  tsp.  salt

1-1/2  cups  shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

2/3  cup  snipped fresh basil (or 1/3 cup dry crumbled basil)

1-1/2  cups  whipping cream, half-and-half or light cream

1    egg, lightly beaten

Whipping cream, half-and-half or light cream

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shredded cheddar and basil; stir to combine.

2.  In a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups cream and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring until moistened. Turn out onto a well- floured surface; knead gently for 10 to 12 strokes.

3.  Divide dough in half; shape into two balls. Pat or roll each into a 6-inch circle. Cut each into 8 wedges. Place onto ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with additional cream.

4.  Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet; serve warm. Makes 16 scones.

Cherry Herb Scones
You can substitute dried cranberries or raisins for the cherries if you like.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped

2 tsp. dried lemon balm
1 egg, plus 1 teaspoon cream
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with the mixer on low. Add in the butter and mix until the mixture is crumbly and butter is the size of blueberries. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine cream, 2 beaten eggs, and lemon zest. With the mixture on low, pour the mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Add in cherries, and mix until just incorporated.

2.  Place dough onto a well-floured board and with well-floured hands, pat the dough down into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Use floured cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Place shapes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. With a fork, beat together egg and the teaspoon of cream to make the egg wash. Brush tops of scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

3.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

4.  Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust consistency with more sugar or lemon juice as needed. Drizzle over warm scones.

Lemon Verbena Scones
I love this herb and in the winter I bring my plant in just so I can enjoy a recipe like this.  If you do not have fresh, substitute 2 Tbls. dried.

Ingredients:

2 c. unbleached flour

1 1/2 c. rolled oats

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves

1 egg, beaten

1/2 c. yogurt

1/4 c. milk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425º F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add pecans and lemon verbena leaves; mix until combined.

2.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg, yogurt, and milk; stirring well. Mix the center in with flour mixture to form a soft dough. Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with a non-stick cooking spray. With floured hands, pat dough into skillet. Score the top into 8 pie shaped wedges.

3.  Bake at 425degrees F for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy. Makes 8 servings.

If you want to see a step by step for making scones, check out this How To-sday:

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-sday-making-cheddar-scones.html

Happy Birthday Sherlock Holmes - herb recipes

Today is Sherlock Holmes’ Birthday.  Everyone who has read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories has noticed that Holmes appreciated good food and drink. Holmes and Watson were often sitting down to a meal prepared by their excellent landlady Mrs. Hudson or dining in a country inn or joining Holmes' brother, the large and reclusive Mycroft, for a meal at the Diogenes Club.

I have been an avid reader of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation since I was about 12.  And I love adaptations that stick to the personalities of the characters, so I love both the Robert Downey Jr. version and the new PBS version.  As a result of reading these Victorian novels so early in life, there is really no tangled writing style I cannot translate - which came to good use in my museum career.  Now my focus is on herbs and tea and Holmes again seems an appropriate fit in my life.

I own several Holmes theme cookbooks, although the detective himself probably never cooked a meal himself, he did eat, and the books and stories are liberally peppered with descriptions of dishes and situations.  If you enjoy the idea of British Victorian cooking then any of the cookbooks will introduce you.  Here is a list of the ones I know about (I found it interesting that the first batch came out around the Bicentennial and the second batch or reprinting came out when Jeremy Brett became extremely popular as the Great Detective.)

 The Sherlock Holmes Cookbook or, Mrs. Hudson's Stoveside Companion formed upon principles of economy and adapted to the use of private families by Sean Wright and John Farrell - Published in 1976, the book features a sensible approach to preparing British food from the Victorian era, while connecting actual menus to specific stories. The title tells you they are adhering to those descriptive titles cookbooks seemed to have at the turn of the last century and the recipes included are just as authentic.

Dining with Sherlock Holmes: A Baker Street Cookbook by Julia Carlson Rosenblatt and Frederic H. Sonnenschmidt  - First printed in 1976 and reprinted again in 1990.  Recipes are divided into different eating occasions in Holmes life, such as “Breakfast at Baker Street,” “On the Chase,” and “The Horrors of a Country Inn," which breaks out meals by the name of the Inns where Watson and Sherlock dined.

 The Sherlock Holmes Victorian Cookbook: The Favorite Recipes of the Great Detective and Dr. Watson by William Bonnell - Published in 1977, this book is laid out by type of dish – soups, salads, meats, etc, Story quotes appear at the top of each recipe. Rather than support a notion that Holmes was interested in food, the quotes reinforce how focused he was on the case at hand.

The Sherlock Holmes Cookbook by Charles A. Mills – printed in 1990 pulls together recipes mentioned in the various stories.

Cooking for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: British Recipes for Two Persons by William S. Dorn – this self published book from 2004, was nicely researched and contained typical hearty fare and is divided by type of food like Bread, desserts, soups, etc.

For the purists, here is a very good Victorian Recipe that can be found in The Sherlock Holmes Victorian Cookbook, which for authenticity is my favorite.  The credited source for the dish is “Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management” (1861), which I think I have mentioned in posts before.  This one appealed to me because WGN was at ½ Acre Brewery in Lincoln Park yesterday and got me thinking about food and beer!

 Asparagus Soup with Pale Ale
Serves 4-6

2lb lean beef, diced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
5 cups beef stock
1 cup pale ale or beer
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried mint
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 bunches asparagus stalks
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Dust the beef with the flour. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the meat until it browns on all sides. Add the stock, ale, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Add the marjoram, mint, and spinach. Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat. Cut the top 3 inches from the asparagus stalks, and chop them into bite-sized pieces (the remainder of the stalks can be saved for vegetable stock). Add the asparagus tops to the soup and simmer until they are tender (4-5 minutes). Stir in the sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

For those who want an herb or tea related recipe to celebrate Sherlock’s Birthday, might I suggest these two:

From Cooking for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson  here is Mrs. Hudson’s SODA BREAD.  This is great for a quick ham sandwich or with jam and a cup of tea for breakfast.  Originally suggested to the author by a reference in The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, it makes two loaves of soda bread.

Mrs. Hudson’s Soda Bread

(makes 2 loaves)

4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 tsp. Rosemary, broken

1 tsp. Thyme

2 1/2 cups of low fat buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium-size

Bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl. Gradually add the buttermilk while gently and quickly mixing the dough.  Shape the dough into two circular loaves; if the dough is too moist to shape, add a little more flour.  Place each loaf on a greased, 8 inch pie plate.  With a knife cut a deep cross on the top of each loaf. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes at 450F. Reduce the oven temperature to 400F.  Bake for another 25 minutes (If the crust appears to become too brown, cover each loaf with some aluminum foil.) If the bread is not lightly brown or does not sound hollow when tapped, bake longer.  Cool the bread loaves on a wire rack.

My second recipe is adapted from Dining with Sherlock Holmes.  It is a sweet English biscuit recipe I dressed up with a few lemon herbs to accent its gentle lemon flavor. This is perfect with a nice cup of Earl Grey.

Mrs. Hudson’s Biscuits

About 70 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

½ cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp. vanilla sugar

     or 2 tsp sugar with 2-3 drops of vanilla extract
1 egg
1 pinch of salt
juice and grated peel of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp. lemon balm, dried

1 cup flour
7 Tbls. corn starch
1 tsp. baking powder
butter to grease pan

Glaze
¾ cup icing sugar

2 Tbls. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Whip the butter until it is fluffy, then slowly add the powdered sugar; Add the vanilla sugar, egg, salt, lemon juice and peel and lemon balm; Add the flour, baking powder and corn starch slowly and mix well; Grease a baking tray with butter; Fill a pastry bag with the dough and press small biscuits onto the baking tray; Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 10-15 minutes. Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar and lemon juice. Brush biscuits with it, and let it dry.

Do not forget Winter is the best time to have soup and our soup mixes are on sale for 25% off in the Etsy Store until the end of the month.  Just use the code JANSALE25 when you check out!