February 2009 Archives

Immune-Enhancing Smoothie Recipe

by Chef David Wells ('Grandma Dave')

www.grandmadave.com

From David Wells, in his own words:  One morning, I was walking through downtown SF, at six thirty in the morning, on my way to teaching nutrition at California Culinary academy when I saw a man drinking something out of a blender that looked like dirt!. I couldn’t help but stop and ask what he was drinking and why? He was angular and lean, with a clear and sharp snap to his movements, and a twinkle in his eyes. A Mason, who had been doing cement work since he was twenty, extremely fit looking but beaten up as well.

He went on to tell me about the drink that I was scowling at, “Its called Mud, I put sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds into the blender with water, and down it goes each and every day.”

“Wow! How long have you been drinking this?” I asked

“Since I was forty “he replied

“With all due respect sir, how old are you now?”

“Eighty two” he said with a calm smile.

I shook his hand, and as I looked into his eyes I could feel his vitality and strength.

I could hardly believe this was true; he looked like he was 50 at the most!

So I went and formulated this smoothie recipe and have been enjoying it ever since!

It may seem like a bit much, but a blender of this will keep you going for quite a while!

Yours in good health,

Cheers!

David

For my friends so they stay healthy and live long!

Ingredients:

All organic ingredients only! 

• One banana 
• One scoop or serving Protein powder (whey based) *Optional 
• One cup Low fat milk, almond or rice milk 
• A few Berries (½ cup or so)
• A tablespoon of Lecithin granules * Optional
• A tablespoon raw Pumpkin seeds 
• A tablespoon of raw sunflower seeds 
• A tablespoon of raw flax seed oil or meal 
• ¼ cup whole raw almonds soaked overnight to soften and alkalize them- in pre sprout phase they posses 100's x's the nutrients
• A teaspoon of spirulina or Blue green algae or ProGreens *
• two ounces aloe vera juice or gel 
• Water to adjust consistency

Method: 

Put all ingredients into a blender excluding water and spirulina/algae Blend until smooth, add spirulina and/or algae and adjust with water.

*As with any supplements, be sure to consult your physician before use.

Chef David Wells is the founder of Wholearth Spice Company... creator of the finest hand-crafted and organic spices, marinades and sauces on the market.  For more information, please visit - www.wholearthspice.com

Confetti Green Chile Corn Muffins

Makes 12 regular muffins (or more bite-sized mini-muffins)

• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp chile powder (mild)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1.5 tsp minced orange zest
• 2 roasted New Mexico green chiles (seeded and chopped)
• 2 roasted red peppers (seeded and chopped)
• 1 ear of roasted corn (off the cob)
• 1 tbsp minced fresh Marjoram

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter on low heat in a saucepan.  Lightly beat eggs.  Blend flour, cornmeal, baking powder and chile powder in a separate bowl.  In another bowl, mix milk, melted butter, eggs and molasses then fold slowly into the dry flour mixture.  Add the orange zest and marjoram. Fold in the chiles, peppers and corn.  Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Pour batter into a buttered muffin pan.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until muffins have risen and are firm.

Serve with green chile stew!

Chewy and Decadent Gourmet Chocolate Chunk Cookies

What is better than fresh from the oven chocolate chip or chunk cookies?  The chewier... the better.  This recipe won't disappoint you if you're looking for that ideal cookie....

Ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted, melted butter (then cooled)

1 1/2 cups packed golden brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 tsp real vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

3/4 cups broken gourmet semi-sweet chocolate bars (or 2 cups commercial chocolate chips or chunks)  I prefer Michel Cluizel 72% bars (you can find a great selection at Whole Foods)

3/4 cups broken gourmet dark chocolate bars (broken into very small pieces)

Directions:

Place oven rack in the middle (or lower middle) of the oven.  Preheat oven to 325.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a sauce pan on VERY low heat, melt the butter slowly.  Set aside and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted (and cooled) butter and sugars together with a mixer - medium speed (approx 2 minutes) Beat in the egg, york and vanilla until smooth.  You want to mix it long enough that the blend starts to lighten in color and looks like it's beginning to whip (about 3 minutes).

Place mixer on the lowest speed and very slowly add the flour mixture a small amount at a time... approximately 1 minute.  Do not over mix.. just do this enough to blend the flour. Pour in the chocolate chunks or chips and stir with a spoon until well-incorporated.  If using nuts, add them here and blend with a spoon. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Take approximately 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll the dough into well-formed balls.  Lay them on the baking sheets about 1.5 to 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 7 minutes.. then rotate the cookie sheet.  Bake another 7-12 minutes.  The edges should just barely begin to brown.  The center will look puffy.

Remove the baking sheet and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to allow the cookies to completely cool.  Enjoy!

Friends Garr and his son Liam enjoying a fresh batch of these while these boys were at Monster Truck Jam . . . little boy heaven!

Shipping Overseas:  Cookies with chocolate chips are not recommended during the hottest months in Iraq as chocolate may melt.

• Don't pack crisp and soft cookies together: the moisture from the soft cookies will seep into the crisp cookies, making them lose their delightful crunch.

• Don't overstuff your container. Your cookies may be damaged. Likewise, don't under-pack your container. The cookies should fit snugly. If you have too much space, crumple up a bit of tissue paper to fill the holes.

• Individually wrap your cookies with saran wrap to keep them moist.

• Pack your tin or container in a heavy-duty cardboard box that's large enough to allow a two- to three-inch cushion between the tin and the wall of the outside box.

• Place a layer of shipping peanuts, air-popped popcorn, or crumpled paper on the bottom of your shipping box. Set your cookie tin on this bottom layer. Then fill in the sides and top with more shipping materials.

• Seal the shipping box with heavy-duty shipping tape. Place a mailing label on the box, and you're ready to send those treats on their way.

• Readers have also recommended using coffee cans or empty Pringles containers for shipping cookies.  Another reader suggested suggested packaging them in styrofoam and chill packs.  Layer each cookie in plastic bags and then wrap in newspaper.

Please check with your post office as they will also have excellent shipping suggestions.

S'Chee - Russian Cabbage Soup

S'Chee (I've been pronouncing this "Shay" my whole life and was just corrected by a nice reader who said it's actually "Shchee") is a very traditional Russian cabbage soup.  The recipes vary and have been passed from family to family in different regions for generations.  This is the recipe my family has used for decades (and no we aren't Russian :)

Making this soup is a process and takes the better part of a day.  Plan to prepare it slowly, without pressure and enjoy the process.  You won't believe the flavor... It makes enough for about 8-10 very healthy servings.  We used to make it and freeze smaller servings to enjoy overtime.   Once you've made this, this soup will become part of your family's winter tradition too.

Ingredients, divided by steps:

3 pounds fresh beef brisket

4 pounds beef marrow bones, cracked

1 large yellow onion

3 carrots

1 parsnip

1 turnip

8 cups boiling water

3 pounds, fresh tomatoes - peeled, chopped (or 1 large can sold pack tomatoes - drained)

1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste

Herb bunch: 6 sprigs parsley, 3 leeks (white parts), 3 celery tops, 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs of fresh dill - tie together

2 tablespoons of sea salt

1 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped carrots

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 pound sauerkraut

7 cups of shredded cabbage 

4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons - fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill

1 pint sour cream

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  In a large, shallow roasting pan arrange the meat, bones and whole/peeled onion, carrots, parsnip and turnip (all in one layer in the pan.)  Roast for 20 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven, turning the meat and vegetables occasionally so they brown on all sides.  Then transfer each piece to a large soup stockpot and put remaining fat in roasting pan in a small bowl to be saved for later.

Into the roasting pan - pour the 8 cups of water.  With a metal spatula or large spoon, scrape all the remnants at the bottom of the pan and mix into the water.  Empty this mixture into the soup stockpot.  If the meat and vegetables are not covered - keep adding a bit more until they are.  Just don't add too much of this water or the soup base will be diluted.

Adjust the temperature so the kettle is cooking over a medium heat.  As it's cooking, use a slotted spoon to skim off the foam and scum that appears to rise to the surface.  This will happen for awhile... keep skimming. When the stock reaches a boil, turn the heat down to barely a simmer... don't let it boil.  Skim again and then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herb bunch and salt.  Partially cover the stockpot and simmer very slowly for about 2 hours, skimming consistently during this time.

While the stock is simmering, use your largest frying pan... heat 5-6 tablespoons of the beef fat you reserved earlier.  Add the chopped onions, celery and carrots.  Cook them over low heat, stirring occasionally until they barely color.  Just before you remove them, add the garlic. . . You don't want to cook the garlic too long or it will burn and lose flavor.  This process will take about 15 minutes.

Wash sauerkraut in a sieve under cold water.  This will ensure the brine in the sauerkraut doesn't overwhelm the flavors in the stock.  Squeeze all the water out of the kraut -one handful at a time and chop it up. Add sauerkraut to the same frying pan with the other vegetables.  Cook thoroughly for a minute or two on medium heat - then lower the heat and blend with other vegetables.  Cook until the cabbage begins to wilt. At that point, reduce heat again and partially cover the pan.  Add a spoonful of the stock from the stockpot every 8 minutes or so to moisten the vegetables, and let them slowly braise for about 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and put it aside, partially covered.

When the soup in the stockpot has cooked for about 2 hours, with a slotted spoon - remove all the vegetables and the herb bunch and throw them away.  All of their flavor is now in the stock and they are no longer needed.  Add back to the stock - the braised cabbage and vegetables.  Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and bring the soup to a boil... then reduce the heat to a low simmer.  Cook, partially covered, for another 1.5 hours.

At this point, the S'Chee should be done. However, if you feel the stock hasn't reached it's full flavor but the brisket is tender - temporarily remove the brisket and continue cooking the stock.  The brisket should be very tender and just falling apart... just don't overcook the meat or it will lose this tenderness.

When you feel the soup is done... turn off the heat and remove all the marrow bones.  Just make sure all there isn't any marrow left sticking to the bone - all of it should be in the soup, so scrape it out if you need to and add it to the soup.  This is what gives the stock its rich flavor.  Let the soup rest awhile so that the fat will rise to the top.  Skim as much of it as you can and reheat the soup again before serving.

Pour soup into large soup plates and float a tablespoon of sour cream on each serving.  If you like to serve from a tureen, pour soup into a heated tureen first and pour the 1/4 chopped dill on the top before ladling the soup into bowls.  Serve with dark bread or pumpernickel.

This soup is so flavorful and hearty, it is a meal in itself....

Mushroom Croustades

This recipe is great when you're throwing a party.  They are always such a bit hit... and any leftover duxelle (fancy name for mushroom filling) may be used as a delicious topping for potatoes, eggs or on top of a filet mignon.

The "cups" which are often referred to as "croustades" in other recipes and are little bread cases made with round slices of soft white bread that are pressed into tiny muffin tins and slowly roasted so they hold their cup-like shape.  Filled with a creamy, herb-flavored mixture based on the classic mushroom "duxelles", they are an elegant cocktail horse d'oeuvre that requires very little labor.  However, your friends and family will think you are quite the "gourmet!"  This recipe is easily doubled for larger parties.

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

Cups:

• 24 slices fresh, thinly-sliced white bread (Believe it or not, Wonder works the best - bad bread works better than good bread - however, Whole Foods white bread in the bakery does work if you're a snob and don't want anyone to see Wonder in your shopping cart)
• 2 tablespoons very soft butter

Mushroom Filling:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1.5 pound button or crimini mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 2 level tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (you may want to add more)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (may want more)
• Butter

For 24 cups, you need a 3-inch plain or fluted cookie cutter and 24 tine muffin tins, each about 2 inches wide at the top.  You can buy them, usually combined in panels of twelve in most hardware stores or possibly Williams-Sonoma.

With a pastry brush, coat the inside of the tins heavily with the 2 tablespoons of soft butter.  Cut a 3-inch round from each slice of bread.  Carefully fit these into the muffin tins, pushing the center of the bread into the well and gently molding it around the botton of the tin with the tip of your finger (if you have a small wooden pestle or small round bottle slightly smaller than the bottom of the muffin tin, use this to force the bread in, but don't be rough or the bread will tear.  Each bread round, however you mold it, should form a perfect little cup.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the cups for about 10 minutes, or until the brown lightly on the rims and on the outsides.  Remove them from the tins and let them cool.

The mushroom filling is made as follows:

Chop the shallots and mushrooms very, very fine.  In a heavy 10-inch frying pan, slowly melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and, before the foam subsides, add the shallots.  Stir them almost constantly, over moderate heat, for about 4 minutes without letting them brown; then stir in the mushrooms.  Mix them well into the butter and see that they are thoroughly coated before leaving them on their own.  In a few minutes they will begin to give off a good deal of moisture.  Stir them now from time to time, and continue to cook until all the moisture has evaporated - 10 to 15 minutes.  Then remove the pan from the heat.

To finish the filling, sprinkle 2 level tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir thoroughly together until not a trace of flour is visible.  Immediately pour over this 1 cup of heavy cream and, stirring the whole time, bring the mixture to a boil.  It will thicken heavily, turn down the heat to the barest simmer, and cook a minute or two longer to remove any taste of raw flour.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the seasonings and herbs; salt, cayenne, parsley, chives and lemon juice.  Taste, transfer the filling to a bowl.  Cover with saran and cool in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble them.

Fill the cups, mound the filling slightly. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese, dot with a speck of butter and arrange on a cookie sheet. Heat about 10 minutes in a preheated 350° oven (do this about 10 minutes before you intend to serve them); Watch them carefully as they burn easily.