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condiments

{Day 11} Apricot Tapenade With Rosemary

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Apricot Rosemary Tapenade served with Goat Cheese Camembert
Using apricots is not a typical go to for this time of year, everyone is so into cranberries. I do love me some cranberries, but I also love this bright orange color as a change. This is a surprising taste combination and I like that too. The apricots are not terrifically sweet. Paired with rosemary and garlic makes it a real delight and the olive oil makes it glisten like a jewel.
I paired it here with a gorgeous wheel of Goat Cheese Camembert that would make a fantastic hostess gift to bring along to a party. Easy to keep stashed in the fridge and assembled last minute- this will make you look like a rock star.
Jarred and gifted Apricot Tapenade is delightful spooned over a pan roasted pork chop. It’s also great on sliced cold chicken in a sandwich, which these days, as the holidays draw closer, is becoming more common in my house. So when standing-door open- in front of a fridge and you’re looking for something magic to jump out at you, this can do it for you. This bright orange jem will save the day.
Now let me say, if you are really feeling the need for red on a holiday table, the aprictos can easily be swapped out here using dried cranberries or dried cherries.
Apricot Rosemary Tapenade
makes ~ 2 c
 
1.5c dried apricots, soaked in warm water 10 mins
2 stalks of Fresh Rosemary
.5c Olive Oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 large clove of garlic rough chopped
S & P
 
Drain the apricots and remove leaves from Rosemary stems
 
Place all the ingredients into a large processor and pulse until you reach a chunky but even consistency. You don’t want puree.
 
Adjust salt and pepper to taste
 
Store tapenade in a jar and top off with Olive oil just to cover the top to preserve it.
 
best served at room temperature

{Day 8} Fruit Compotes: Blue & Red Berry Mint and Orange Lavender

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I love me some Jam, but I truly adore and delight in compotes. To me they are like the unruly stepchildren of the jam world. Born of the same genetics but never quite pulled themselves together.

What I really love about  compotes though is the syrupy texture, and in the case of the berries, a sassier taste from not cooking the fruit into total submission.

Compotes are quicker and easier to make and can be used in a so many fantastic ways. In every circumstance that you would use maple syrup a compote would be great. I use mine on waffles or pancakes, on my morning yogurt, or as is our family Christmas morning tradition, it’s warn berry compote over freshly made blintzes.

But not just for the morning. A jar of compote on hand can be ladled over Angel Food Cake to make a snazzy last minute dessert and, of course, ice cream or frozen yogurt is a natural.

 Orange Compote with Lavender Flowers atop Greek Yogurt

I’ll tell you a secret too, which is that I pretty much always use frozen fruits. Either directly purchased from the market, or from my freezer bin. I keep a plastic lidded bin in my freezer at the ready. From time to time my fruit loving eyes are bigger than my stomach and fresh berries wait for no one, so as they start to demonstrate their diminishing rein, I’ll toss them into the bin. From there comes smoothies or as in this case, compotes.

The combinations are limitless, but these are my two favorites.

I’m not a fan of canning compotes and feel they are best put up and refrigerated. They should be sooner eaten than later, and you’ll want to.

Orange Lavender Compote
makes ~6 cups
 
6 large oranges, peel removed and sliced
Juice of the 6 oranges
1 lemon, peel removed and sliced
Juice of the lemon
8 cups water
9 cups sugar
small handful of lavender flowers
 
In a large heavy bottom sauce pan combine all the ingredients except the lavender.
 
Bring mixture to boil and simmer for 50 minutes. The volume will reduce by half and the peels will become tender.
 
Add lavender flower and simmer 5 more mins.
 
When cool transfer to clean jars and store in the fridge. Keeps for 5 weeks.
 
 
Blueberry and Red Raspberry Compote with Mint
makes  ~8 cups
 
5c blueberries
4c red raspberries
1c lemon juice
8c sugar
1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
 
In a large heavy bottom sauce pan combine all the ingredients except the mint
 
Bring all to a boil and then lower heat and simmer 20-30 mins. 
 
You can test the compotes readiness by chilling a plate in the freezer. Drop a small amount of syrup on the plate and tilt. Run your finger through the drip. If it holds and leaves a clean swipe, it’s ready. 
 
Compote should be on the syrupy side and not too jammy, but there does need to be a fair amount of viscosity.
 
Remove the compote from the heat and allow to cool 15 minutes, then stir in fresh mint.
 
As the compote continues to cool give it a stir to draw out and incorporate the mint flavor.
 
Transfer cooled compote into clean jars and store in fridge. Keeps for 3 weeks.
 
 

{Day 5} Cowboy Candy- Jalepeno Happiness

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This September I posted about this simply awesome condiment after stumbling upon it on a blog called Foodie With Family. If you haven’t visited this blog I recommend it. Rebecca, the mother of a brood of young active boys, writes in a rye slapstick style that is absolutely hilarious. Her Cowboy Candy is even better.

Jalepenos are stewed in a vinegary, sweet, spiked concoction and the result is a heat freaks nirvana. If you’ve followed my blog at all you know that I am one of those very freaks. I am not the “let me blow my head off to prove to you I can” type, I just love the layering effect that heat has on my palate. Spice blooms in the mouth, and there is just no other eating sensation that does that. This condiment offers not just heat, but a wonderful balancing act.

Cowboy Candy I would say is middling low on the heat scale. Jalepenos have a decent kick, but they won’t make you sweat or make your nose run like the chilis in Thailand. The best part of Cowboy Candy is that the heat gives you a short slap, but the vinegar sweetness of the juices is the forgiving kiss afterwards. Eat these the way you would pepperoncini- on a sandwich to give it a kick, or serve with a cheese board. It’s great on a burger or pour over grilled chicken.

The other added bonus of making this gorgeousness is the remaining syrup after the chilis are bottled. I use it to make a killer base for a spicy Margarita- but more on that later- there will be a post soon on cocktails that you’ll love.

If you have Spice loving friends or family on your Xmas list, this one they will really enjoy- I promise you.

Cowboy Candy by Foodie with Family

please click on name above to link to Rebecca’s post. You’ll be glad I sent you there.

Enjoy!