Lemon Tarragon Teacake

Teacakes. Is it not the most adorable word? It conjures images of flowery tablecloths, delicate china and smiling aunties.

Tarragon is a social chameleon. The Gatsby of herbs. It gets along just as well in sweet dishes as it does with its more common savory partners. This recipe demonstrates the former. Lemony, sweet and dense, Lemon Tarragon Teacake is the perfect showcase for tarragon’s delicate, mellow flavor. Confectionery sugar creates a nice crisp top.

For the full herb garden effect, try it with lavender, chamomile, jasmine or a similar floral tea.

Lemon Tarragon Teacake – serves 10

2 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1/4 C canola oil
1 C sour cream
3 C confectionery sugar
2 C flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
3 T chopped fresh tarragon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium size bowl, combine lemon juice, eggs, canola oil and sour cream. Mix in confectionery sugar 1/2 cup at a time.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the fresh tarragon

Pour into a metal loaf pan and bake for 55 -65 minutes until a wooden tooth pick comes out clean.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Whenever I roast a chicken, we always have lots of meat left over. Reheating is fine, but not ideal because the meat tends to dry out.

This recipe makes good use of the leftover dark and white meat from roasted chicken without the need to reheat. Tarragon’s mellow flavor is a good match for the balsamic vinegar’s sweet tang, and the mayonnaise holds down the fort. Tarragon Chicken Salad makes a great lunch when served on bread with spinach.

Note: I like to finely chop the dark meat and cube the white meat to preserve its texture.

Tarragon Chicken Salad – makes 4 – 6 servings

2 1/2  – 3 C chopped roasted chicken – dark and white meat
2 T chopped fresh tarragon
2 t balsamic vinegar
1/3 C mayonnaise
salt to taste
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise with tarragon and balsamic vinegar. Add white and dark chicken meat. Combine thoroughly until the mayonnaise mixture is well incorporated into the chicken.

Serve on the bread of your choice or with a salad.

Greek Style Cod Soup

This week’s Community Supported Fishery catch was cod. We currently have a freezer full of fish cakes and we’ve roasted quite a few fish whole since signing up for the CSF. So I decided to set Wayback Machine to 2006 and go over to my trusty recipe box for ideas. I had worked on this recipe for a while before settling on the right proportion of ingredients.

As you know, soups and stews are great in cold weather. While the traditional players this time of year can be rich and heavy, Greek Style Cod Soup is light, nutritious and satisfying. Seasoned simply with salt, pepper and parsley, the flavor of the fish is allowed to stand on it own.

Greek Style Cod Soup – serves 4- 6

2 quarts water
1 t sea salt
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C freshly chopped parsley
2 carrots, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced, or 1 1/2 C cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
3/4 C white rice
3 lb cod filets, cut into large 3 – 5″ pieces
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add vegetables, rice, oil and half of the parsley. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.

Add cod, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. It’s important to check on it occasionally be sure the simmer does not become a rapid boil or the fish could fall apart.

Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley.

Ingredient origins: Sea salt – Maine; Olive oil – Italy; Organic parsley – Rhode Island; Organic carrots – California; Tomatoes – Mexico; Onion – California; Potato – unknown; Rice – California; Cod – Atlanic Ocean right outside our door.

Spice-Rubbed Boneless Country Ribs with Dill Buttered Fingerling Potatoes

This is a good dinner to make if you don’t have a lot of time or energy for prep-work. A few minutes in the kitchen and then you’re free as a little bird while the meat slow-cooks in the oven. Slow-cooking is great for tough cuts of meat because it gives the connective tissue a chance to melt, turning the meat buttery and soft.

Steamed fingerlings are easy too. No chopping or peeling, just steam them whole, toss with butter and their done. Serve with a simple green salad to round out the meal.

Spice-Rubbed Boneless Country Ribs - serves 2

1 lb boneless country ribs
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 t smoked paprika
1 t paprika
1 dash of ginger
1 dash of cayenne pepper
1 dash of cinammon

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Combine spices in a small bowl or ramekin. Dry the meat and coat with the spice. Heat a cast iron or oven-safe pot on high heat. Add the meat and quickly sear all sides. This is not to cook the meat, it’s just to caramelize it and seal it up so that it doesn’t loose too much moisture in the cooking process.

Cover and move to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook uncovered for 1 1/2  – 2 hours, until well softened.

Dill Buttered Fingerlings – Serves 2-4

10-12 fingerling potatoes
1 T fresh dill, finely chopped
3-4 T butter
Salt to taste

Steam the potatoes for 20 minutes, until a fork inserted falls out easily. Meanwhile, in a small bowl cream the butter with the dill.

In a large bowl, lightly smash the potatoes – this will help them carry the butter. Add the dill butter and toss until well coated.

Ingredient Origins: Country Ribs – New Hampshire, Spices – mostly purchased in bulk so not usually labeled; Organic fingerling potatoes – Massachusetts, Organic dill – Massachusetts, Butter – Maine.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Guacamole

I’d never seen a dried chipotle pepper until last week. As much as I enjoy criticizing its overuse in recent years, I’d never actually cooked with chipotle.  Since it was available at that moment, I picked some up without a plan. Then, over the weekend our cilantro plant was looking a little heavy for its new pot, so I decided to prune it back and make guacamole.

What’s better than guac and chips? Guacamole and tostadas apparently. In this case Chipotle Chicken Tostadas. I have assimilated.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Guacamole - serves 2 – 4

1 T canola oil
1/4 C + 1/4 C chipotle en adobo sauce (recipe follows)
1 lb thinly cut boneless, skinless chicken breast, lightly salted
1 1/2 – 2 C guacamole (recipe follows)
1/4 C fresh cilantro
1/2 C sour cream
6 six inch frozen corn tortillas

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, coat chicken in 1/4 cup of the chipotle sauce. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Place chicken in pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, on either side until done. Remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Julienne the chicken, and move to a warmed serving dish.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the tortillas on a greased a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.

Assemble tosadas with guacamole, chicken, and sour cream, cilantro and the excess 1/4 C chipotle en adobo.

Chipotle en Adobo Sauce – makes about 2 cups

8 whole dried chipotle peppers, stems and seeds removed and diced
1/4 C onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
3 C water
1/4 t salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a low boil. Turn down heat, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Blend in food processor until smooth.

Guacamole - makes about 2 cups

4 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped
1/4 C onion, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and diced
Juice of one lime
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and mash with a fork.

Ingredient origins: Canola oil – US and Canada, Antibiotic-free Chicken – New Jersey, Cilantro – Massachusetts, rBST free Sour Cream – Vermont, Corn Tortillas – Massachusetts, Organic Avocados – Mexico, Organic Onion – Massachusetts, Organic Garlic – New Jersey, Lime – Mexico, Dried Chipotles – Mexico, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – California, Tomato paste – California