Lemon Curd and Buttermilk Biscuits

Every spring I get a craving for all things lemon. I have been wanting to try a lemon curd recipe for some time and this one is pretty easy and oh so yummy.

For the curd (don't you think that word sounds awful? It does not begin to express the delightfully light and creamy texture of this treat!) you will need:

3 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons) To get the most out of your lemons juice them at room temp rather than right out of the fridge and roll them along the counter with the heel of your hand before juicing. Strain after juicing.
1 Tbs. lemon zest
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (I stacked two pots--one fit just inside the other without touching the bottom to the water).  Whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon juice and add to the pot/bowl.

Cook, stirring constantly to prevent curdling (ironically, since it IS called CURD!) until mixture becomes thick like hollandaise sauce. About ten minutes.

Remove from heat and pour through a fine strainer to remove lumps.

Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk until melted.

Add lemon zest and cool.  The curd will thicken as it cools.

Cover immediately to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for up to a week.

OR. . .

barely wait for it to cool while whipping up some biscuits to lavish your fresh curd upon.

For the biscuits you will need:

2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. unsalted cold butter
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees F.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl or food processor. Then cut the butter into chunks and cut into flour with pastry cutter or the food processor until you have a course meal. I used a pastry cutter because a food processor large enough to make biscuits or pie crust is still on my wish list.

Add buttermilk and mix only until just combined. (If it's too dry add a little more)

On a lightly floured surface pat the dough out until it is about 1/2" thick. The less you work the dough the better the biscuits will be.

I bought this set of round cutters in various sizes at Williams Sonoma that comes in handy for oh so many baking situations.  I love them.

Cut you dough into circles.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown on top.

Then slather with lemon curd and take a bite of bliss.

Clam Chowder

It has been kind of rainy lately and cold grey weather always makes me crave soup.  Hannah agrees with me.  The other night we let her decide what we would make for dinner--sort of a consolation for not going out to eat, which is what both girls wanted to do.  She chose one of her favorites: clam chowder in bread bowls.  This recipe is simple and basic, and my favorite chowder ever.

You will need:

2 cans of minced clams (6.5 ounces)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely diced celery
2 cups finely diced potatoes
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
4 cups half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Place onion, celery and potatoes in large saucepan

Open clams and drain juice into pot-- reserve clams.  Add enough water to barely cover and simmer (covered) over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Melt butter in a sauce pan and stir in flour. Whisk until blended and golden.

Add half and half, whisking until smooth and thickened. (It may seem lumpy at first but keep whisking!)

Pour half and half mixture into pot with veggies.  Add salt and pepper.

Add clams.

Stir well.

We like to eat ours out of sourdough bread bowls.  I have yet to make my own, but can't complain about these yummy bowls.

Prepare the bread bowls by cutting open the top and hollowing out the middles.

Enjoy!

Of course, it's still nearly as good sans the bread bowl.

Getting Ready. . .

It feels like spring outside. . . and it tastes like summer in my mouth. Can't wait to eat tomatoes grown in my own garden.

I have a file full of pictures of food and lists of recipes I need to enter.  Now to get them onto this blog. . .

Frozen Blackberry Lemonade

Blackberries are back in season and I can't wait to find new ways to use them. We have been down to the blackberry patch in the forest near our house once already and none too soon. The stash we froze last year is down to about a cup left. In July I thawed some of my frozen blackberries and made Frozen Blackberry Lemonade on a hot summer day. . .YUM. I had to do something with that pile of lemons adorning my counter!

Here is what you'll need:

1 1/4 cups plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

3/4 plus 2Tbs simple syrup*

1 pint fresh blackberries--juiced (about 1/2 cup)

4 1/2 cups ice cubes

Juice your lemons--or make your nephew do it like I did!

Combine 1 1/4 cups of lemon juice with 3/4 cup of simple syrup and set aside.

Heat blackberries over medium heat until very juicy, stirring periodically--10 minutes. Press through sieve. Should produce about 1/2 cup of juice.

Stir together blackberry juice, 1 tsp. of lemon juice and 2 Tbs of simple syrup. Set aside.

Put ice cubes in blender with lemon juice mixture. Crush ice until smooth.

Pour 1 - 2 Tbs of blackberry juice in each of 4 glasses.

Pour frozen lemonade into glasses, dividing evenly. Garnish with mint sprig and blackberries (optional). Serves 4.

*simple syrup is one cup water to one cup sugar--heated on stove top until sugar is dissolved.

Creamy Pesto Dressing

In an effort to get good use out of my garden, I have been coming up with new ways to use what I have growing out there. Early in the summer I was awash in the most tender buttery Buttercrunch lettuce. It was almost good enough to eat alone. But I also had, and still have, loads of basil. So I decided to put the two together and made a Basil Pesto Salad Dressing.

It's simple, its yummy, and you really don't need much else for your salad. . .except maybe some tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of basil leaves

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup Parmesan

1 cup mayo

1 Tbs red wine vinegar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup of pine nuts

1 clove of garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 pepper

Process in blender of food processor until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crab Cakes and Red Pepper Sauce

Something about summer makes seafood seem mandatory. I am sure it helps that I live in the Pacific Northwest where seafood is quick and easy to get fresh. I often buy crab cakes at a little seafood market near my house, but over the fourth of July I decided to make crab cakes from scratch.

For the Crab Cakes:

2 Tbs chopped parsley

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 large eggs--beaten

2 Tbs Mayo

1 tsp lemon juice

1 pound crab meat, flaked

1/2 cup bread crumbs (plus more for coating)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Butter or oil for frying

Combine ingredients gently so as not to break up the crab meat too much. Divide into 6-8 thick patties. coat each patty with bread crumbs. Heat a couple tablespoons of butter and a little olive oil--enough to generously cover the bottom of a large fry pan--over medium heat. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides--about four minutes per side. Remove from pan and serve immediately with Red Pepper Sauce.

Red Pepper Sauce:

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup mayo

1 Tbs minced shallots

2 Tbs minced fresh parsley

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp honey

salt and pepper to taste

Combine in blender or food processor until finely chopped. Serve immediately with crab cakes, or refrigerate covered until serving.

Tomato Basil Panini

This year I planted six basil plants and four tomato plants that are all thriving. So I am putting them to good use. My favorite lunch these days is a tomato basil panini. It is simple yet divine!

I made them for my 4th of July barbecue as little appetizers. They are cute this way as well as super yummy. I just cut the bread with a round cookie cutter and bought the round mozz.

Here is what you need:

Tomatoes - sliced

Fresh Basil - whole or shredded

Soft Mozzarella - sliced

salt and pepper to taste

Garlic salt (optional, but I love to sprinkle on just a dash)

Bread

Mayo

Assemble and grill in the panini press until cheese is slightly melted and grill marks are on the bread.

Enjoy!