After 8 Rewarding Years, My Carolina Kitchen Says Good-bye

Salmon with Marsala Sauce

My Carolina Kitchen quietly celebrated its 8th blogging anniversary this past October. I feel that 8 wonderful years is a respectable time to say good-bye.

I am not planning on disappearing totally. I hope, from time to time, to post some of our new favorite recipes on My Carolina Kitchen 's Facebook page, link here, and hope you'll follow along.  altogether.

Blogging has been a wonderful journey for me and brought great pleasure into our lives. I have truly enjoyed getting to know each of you and I thank you for your continued support of My Carolina Kitchen. Along the way Meakin and I have been fortunate enough to have met a number of you in person and we will always treasure those friendships.

Before I say my final good-bye, I would like to share an idea with you. In the last several months I’ve been creating new recipes from old favorites. This idea is not novel or new, but I’ve found it to be truly rewarding and I think you will too.

Here’s how it works – find one of your favorite recipes, choose a component from it, and take that component to create a new recipe.

As an example, I choose Pork Marsala and took the Marsala sauce from Pork Marsala, link here, as the component and, instead of serving it over pork, I served it over salmon.

Pork Marsala

What I discovered was that the Marsala sauce was equally as delicious on salmon as it was on pork. Take a look.

Salmon with Marsala Sauce

Broiled Salmon with Marsala Sauce
Adapted from Pierre Franey, 60 Minute Gourmet & First Home Love Life – serves 4 
Printable Recipe 

1 1/2 pounds boneless fresh salmon fillets, preferably with the skin intact
2 to 3 teaspoons grape seed oil, or other neutral tasting oil
Kosher salt or sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Cut the salmon into four pieces approximately the same size and weight. Put salmon on a plate, rub with oil, season with salt & pepper, and allow the salmon to sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the salmon in one layer, skin side down, on an unheated sheet pan lined with heavy duty foil for easy clean-up. Place the salmon under the broiler about six to seven inches from the source of heat. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or just until the pieces are cooked through. It is not necessary to turn the salmon. If salmon starts to get too crispy on the top, change from broil to bake and bake at 400 degrees until done. Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry. Allow to rest for a few minutes, then  serve with the Marsala sauce.

Marsala Sauce 
Slightly adapted from First Home Love Life, serves 4
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 peeled and thinly sliced shallots
2 peeled and chopped garlic cloves
½ cup dry Marsala wine
½ cup low-sodium, low fat chicken broth or homemade
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
4 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Heat olive oil and butter in a 10” non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally until they have rendered their juices and are brown. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes more, taking care that the shallots and garlic don’t burn. Add the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the fond (brown bits) from the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped fresh thyme, stir to incorporate, then cover the pan and let simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes more.

If the sauce has not thickened to your liking, make a slurry of arrowroot (or cornstarch) and cold water and mix equal parts of arrowroot and water in a small dish and stir with a spoon. Then stir the slurry into the sauce until the sauce is sufficiently thickened. Serve hot. This sauce goes well with pork, salmon or chicken.

Chicken Marengo

Another new recipe was created from another old favorite – Chicken Marengo, shown above, link here. I took the Marengo sauce and served it over lean, bone-in pork chops and it too was a hit. (I apologize for no photo – the dish was half gone before I remembered to photograph it.)

Marengo Sauce
Slightly adapted from “With a Jug of Wine” by Morrison Wood, serves 4
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 small white onions, peeled & chopped
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced parsley
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced (canned, crushed first, are fine, including their juices)
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon flour
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and sauté chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms, parsley in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add the tomatoes and their juices, dry white wine, brandy, tomato paste and 1 tablespoons flour. Mix and blend the ingredients well and allow to simmer over a medium flame for about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve the sauce hot over pork chops or chicken breasts garnished with chopped parsley.

You get the idea I’m sure. Here’s another example of taking a component from one recipe and trying it in another.

Chicken Provencal

I chose a Provencal sauce as the component and, instead of serving it over chicken, (link here) I served it over pork and it was excellent as well.

So voila, as you can see, new recipes can be created from old favorites and at the same time your recipe file will expand. Creating new recipes is rewarding and fun experiment. I hope that you’ll give it a try.

For better viewing, chick photos to enlarge.

Before I go, once again I want to thank each of you for your support of My Carolina Kitchen through the last 8 years. I hope that you’ll continue to try new recipes as well as experimenting with old ones. I know I plan to l continue to do the same.

I'm not planning to totally disappear. From time to time I plan to post some  of our new favorite recipes on My Carolina Kitchen's Facebook page, link here, and I would love it if  you to followed along.

I’ll leave you with some wise words from Julia Child.

Moderation. Small helpings.

Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.

- Julia Child

Cranberry Sauce & Relish Recipes

Thanksgiving always means cranberry sauce to me. I’ve been making my own cranberry sauce for years and today I’m featuring some of my all time favorites that have appeared previously on My Carolina Kitchen, each with its own special twist and worthy of another showing. Each year I normally try a new cranberry sauce, but vertigo continues to give me problems so for now I’ll be sticking with these sure-to-please favorites.  

The first is our traditional cranberry sauce flavored with red wine with a citrus undertone. I call it “French” cranberry sauce because of the red wine, even though the French don’t have a cranberry sauce that I know of. No matter how many new ones I try, this one will always be my favorite.

My Carolina Kitchen’s French Cranberry Sauce
A citrus twist on a classic – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 (12 ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup dry red wine, preferably French
¾ cup to 1 ½ cups sugar, or to taste (I used 1 cup)
2 oranges, navel or tangerines

Put the cranberries (no need to thaw if they’re frozen) in a sauce pan with the one of the cinnamon sticks, red wine, and sugar. Zest the oranges and set aside half of the zest for a garnish. Add the remaining zest and the juice of both oranges to the cranberry mixture. Stir the cranberry mixture and bring to a boil.  Partially cover the saucepan and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst. Remove from the heat, let cool, and discard the cinnamon stick. The sauce will firm up as it cools. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to five days. At the last minute, using a microplane rasp style grater, grate a little cinnamon “dust” over the cranberry sauce and garnish with the remaining citrus zest. Serve at room temperature.

This cranberry sauce is a mixture of fresh cranberries and dried tart cherries, flavored with crème de cassis, a popular French black current-flavored liqueur commonly used in a Kir or a Kir Royale. The cherry flavor really comes through in this cranberry sauce and offers a new and exciting taste to the traditional.

Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries
Cooking Light – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon canola oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
½ cup crème de cassis (black currant-flavored liqueur)
¾ cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh lemon rind

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and sauté for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let them brown or burn. Add cherries, crème de cassis, sugar, and cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes or until cranberries began to pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind. Cool to room temperature.

The next recipe is a relish and would be good with smoked turkey. It’s from a very old Cooking Light recipe and is fairly low in sugar compared to most cranberry sauces. It cooks for a relatively short period of time compared to most cranberry sauces.

Sweet & Sour Cranberry Relish
Adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe – serves 6
Printable Recipe

½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh cranberries
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons good cider vinegar

Coat a saucepan with cooking spray. Place over medium high heat until hot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender. Add cranberries, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in the vinegar. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

This is a citrusy one flavored with dried figs and crunchy nuts. It is another relish and I really enjoyed the crunch of the nuts. My mother used to make a molded cranberry jelly with pecans and the nuts in this one brought back fond memories for me of my childhood. I can still see the pecan tree in the back yard and remember well what a chore it was to crack the pecans and separate the nuts from the shells.

Cranberry Fig Relish
Cooking Light – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
¾ cup chopped dried figs
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped roasted fresh pecans or walnuts

Combine the orange juice, figs, and red wine in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add both sugars and the cranberries. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick and berries pop, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Stir in pecans. Cover and chill. If you make this a few days ahead, leave out the nuts until just before serving so they remain crunchy.

The last one is fresh cranberry relish and it’s important that you use fresh cranberries, not frozen ones, because the cranberries are not cooked in this recipe. The ingredients may sound a bit strange, but the fresh flavors of the cranberries and oranges are very refreshing. The relish just bursts in your mouth and the crunch of the nuts gives it a nice dimension. The first bite reminded me of fresh oranges flavored with cranberries and it looks like colorful sunrise on the plate.

Fresh Cranberry Relish
Adapted from Red Book magazine – makes 2 cups
Printable Recipe

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (do not use frozen cranberries)
1 small navel orange (unpeeled), quartered or if large, cut into 1/8’s
¼ cup good orange marmalade
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted, plus a little for garnish
A half slice of fresh orange for garnish

In a food processor, roughly chop cranberries, oranges, sugar, raisins and horseradish to combine. (Check to make sure the oranges are fully incorporated before continuing.) Remove relish from processor and stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Relish can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving and garnish with a chopped nuts and fresh orange slice.

For better viewing, click on photos to enlarge.  

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, and Weekend Bites at Simple Recipes.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Broiled Salmon with Fresh Red Cherry Sauce

Cherries have been excellent this year and are still available in the market. I’ve used them in several recipes, most recently a baby greens salad with fresh cherries, gorgonzola cheese, and chicken with a raspberry vinaigrette, link here. The other night we dipped fresh cherries in chocolate. Ooh, la, la. I’ve been very impressed with this season’s cherry crop.

This recipe says it take only 15 minutes to prepare, but the original recipe called for frozen pitted cherries. If you use fresh cherries, which I highly recommended when they are this good, it will take a little longer to prepare because you have to pit fresh cherries. I also inserted my method of broiling salmon, which takes a little longer than the original recipe called for because I like the salmon to rest. We put our own twist on the sauce by adding a little honey and port wine. Right before serving the sauce when it’s off of the heat, adding a knob of butter will to give the sauce a nice shine.

When we cook for two people from a four person serving recipe and it has sauce, we decrease the meat of course, but always make the entire sauce. One, we love sauce and two, most sauces are good left-over on or in scrambled eggs in the morning. If you have some of this fresh cherry sauce left over, we can attest to the fact that it is great on vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

We served green beans topped with toasted almonds and brown rice sprinkled with Spanish paprika to complete the meal. Bon Appétit!

Broiled Salmon with Fresh Red Cherry Sauce
Adapted from The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet by Paulette Mitchell – serves 4
Printable Recipe

For the fish:
4 6-ounce salmon fillets, preferably with the skin left intact
2 to 3 teaspoons grape seed oil, or other neutral tasting oil
Kosher salt or sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
12 ounces fresh red cherries, pitted (or 12 ounce package frozen pitted red cherries)
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons port wine
A knob of butter

Cut the salmon into four pieces approximately the same size and weight. Put salmon on a plate, rub with oil, season with salt & pepper, and allow the salmon to sit at room temperature while you heat the broiler.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the salmon in one layer, skin side down, on an unheated sheet pan lined with heavy duty foil for easy clean-up. Place the salmon under the broiler about six to seven inches from the source of heat. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or just until the pieces are cooked through. It is not necessary to turn the salmon. If salmon starts to get too crispy on the top, change from broil to bake and bake at 400 degrees until done. Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry. Allow to rest for a few minutes (I leave it for at least 5 minutes) before serving.

While the salmon is cooking, combine the cherries and orange juice in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. Make cornstarch slurry by stirring together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Add the slurry to the saucepan and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened to a maple-syrup consistency, about 1 ½ minutes to remove the “corn starchy flavor”. Stir in the vinegar, oil, honey and port wine and heat for a moment or two. If the sauce isn’t the right consistency, make a little more corn starch slurry. Add the additional slurry and stir for about 2 minutes to obtain the right consistency. Remove the sauce from the heat and add a knob of butter to give the sauce a shine. To serve, transfer the salmon fillets to plates and top with the warm cherry sauce.

For better viewing, click on photos to enlarge.

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes & Food on Friday at Carol's Chatter.    

Have a great weekend everyone.

An Updated Version of Jezebel Sauce – also known as Dixie Relish

Are you familiar with Jezebel sauce, also known as Dixie relish? Apparently it’s an old Southern staple, but somehow in my Deep South upbringing, Jezebel sauce escaped my life completely. Recently an inviting picture of Jezebel sauce served over nicely charred pan-roasted chicken appeared in Garden & Gun magazine (read more about the magazine at the end of the post). It caught my eye and I instantly became intrigued with the sauce named Jezebel and wanted to know its origin.

According to Garden & Gun magazine, one of the great authorities on life in the South, “Jezebel sauce is a base of apple jelly and pineapple preserves tricked out with horseradish and yellow mustard and traditionally served with a baked ham or spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers.” Maybe if you grew up with it you might love it as you do other old family favorites such as Thanksgiving’s green bean mushroom soup casserole. But from the description above the overly sweet sauce just doesn’t sound very appealing to me.

Flash forward to today. Tandy Williams, Chef at City House in Nashville, Tennessee, has totally reworked this old South classic and has brought  Jezebel sauce into the twenty-first century. He caramelized red onions on the grill, then mixed them with grainy mustard and horseradish for a nice tang. Then he added marmalade and sorghum (another Southern staple) to give the sauce a nice depth of flavor and squeezed some fresh lemon juice to give it a nice tart edge. Now that’s more to my liking.

Chef Tandy serves Jezebel sauce over chicken thighs, pan-roasted to perfection in a black cast iron skillet in a hot oven, which is what I’ve done today along with green beans as a side dish. I readily admit that at first I was a bit skeptical about whether I or not I would like Jezebel sauce, but by the same token I was anxious to give the updated version a try. We both thought the slightly tangy, slightly sweet sauce was outstanding and it will definitely be a “have-again” at our house. I also think that Jezebel sauce would be fantastic served with any cut of grilled or roasted chicken or pork chops. It’s so good that it just might become a staple in my refrigerator.

Memorial Day weekend is coming up. If you’re planning on cooking out, I suggest that you make a jar of Jezebel sauce and give it a try yourself over chicken or chops. I’m planning on serving it on grilled hot dogs this weekend. I predict Jezebel sauce, or Dixie relish if you prefer, will surprise you how good it is as much as it did me.    

Red Onion Jezebel Sauce 
Adapted from Garden & Gun & Tandy Wilson, Chef at City House in Nashville, Tennessee– serves 4
Printable recipe

2 medium red onions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grainy mustard – I used a grainy Creole mustard
2 tablespoons fresh horseradish, grated – I used prepared, drained well
2 tablespoons lemon marmalade – I used orange
1 tablespoon sorghum – I used honey
1 lemon (zest lemon first if making the pan-roasted chicken thighs)

Cut the top and exposed root off of the onions, then peel and quarter from top to bottom. Brush onion quarters with the oil and season with salt and pepper.  Prepare a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill, or alternately roast onions on a baking pan in a preheated 400 degree F oven, cut side down until browned on the bottom. Let the onions cool, then chop into small pieces.

Mix together the mustard, horseradish, marmalade, sorghum, and juice form the lemon. Fold in the onion & season with salt and pepper. Place the sauce in a jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate overnight. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Before using the sauce, remove from the refrigerator to take the chill off.

If desired, serve the sauce with pan-roasted chicken thighs (recipe below) or other roasted or grilled meats of your choice.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs
Adapted from Garden & Gun & Tandy Wilson, Chef at City House in Nashville, Tennessee– serves 4
Printable recipe

4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
Zest of one lemon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil (or vegetable or canola oil)

The day before serving the dish, zest lemon and season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and zest. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken (and the Jezebel sauce) from the refrigerator to take the chill off. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skilled in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. When the pan is hot, remove it from the oven and add two tablespoons of oil and then the chicken, skin side down. Roast for 15 to 17 minutes, or longer if needed depending on your oven (ours took over 20 minutes) until the chicken skin is crispy and the meat is just cooked through.

To serve, place a quarter cup of Jezebel sauce on the plate, add a piece of chicken, then top with another spoonful of sauce. Green beans go nicely with this dish.

With regard to Garden & Gun magazine, if you love the South or enjoy knowing more about it and have never read Garden & Gun magazine you are in for a real treat. I find that the magazine goes much more in depth about life in the south and its food and culture than other publications, samples of covers above. The word gun in the title refers to the sport of hunting and Southern gentlemen, much like the English, have always loved grand old hunting lodges and have a soft spot in their heart for their hounds. My fathers two sweet old bird dogs accompanied me in my baby stroller everywhere I went and stood guard until it was time to go home.

When I first heard of the magazine I wondered about the name and here’s what Rebecca Darwin, President and CEO of Garden & Gun has to say.

What’s in a Name?
“I am often asked about the title of the magazine, particularly from folks who have not read the magazine yet. The simplest explanation that I can offer is that it is a metaphor for the South—its land, the people, their lifestyle, and their heritage.” Rebecca Wesson Darwin, President and CEO, Garden & Gun

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Try a New Recipe Tuesday at Home to 4 Kiddos, and Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes.  

Have a great weekend everyone and if you are in the states, 

Happy Memorial Day.

A Plethora of Cranberry Sauces & Relishes

There is never a Thanksgiving at our house without cranberry sauce and this year will be no exception. I’ve been making my own cranberry sauce for years and each year I try a couple of new ones.

The first new one is fresh cranberry relish and it’s important that you use fresh cranberries, not frozen ones, because the cranberries are not cooked in this recipe. The ingredients may sound a bit strange, but the fresh flavors of the cranberries and oranges are very refreshing. The relish just bursts in your mouth and the crunch of the nuts gives it a nice dimension. The first bite reminded me of fresh oranges flavored with cranberries and it looks like colorful sunrise on the plate. I have to admit this one stole my heart.

Fresh Cranberry Relish
Adapted from Red Book magazine – makes 2 cups
Printable Recipe

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (do not use frozen cranberries)
1 small navel orange (unpeeled), quartered or if large, cut into 1/8’s
¼ cup good orange marmalade
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted, plus a little for garnish
A half slice of fresh orange for garnish

In a food processor, roughly chop cranberries, oranges, sugar, raisins and horseradish to combine. (Check to make sure the oranges are fully incorporated before continuing.) Remove relish from processor and stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Relish can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving and garnish with a chopped nuts and fresh orange slice.

The next new recipe is also a relish and would be good with smoked turkey. It’s from a very old Cooking Light recipe and is fairly low in sugar compared to most cranberry sauces. It cooks for a relatively short period of time compared to most.

Sweet & Sour Cranberry Relish
Adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe – serves 6
Printable Recipe

½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh cranberries
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons good cider vinegar

Coat a saucepan with cooking spray. Place over medium high heat until hot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender. Add cranberries, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in the vinegar. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

The next three you may remember from last year. This is a citrusy one flavored with dried figs and crunchy nuts. It is another relish and I really enjoyed the crunch of the nuts. My mother used to make a molded cranberry jelly with pecans and the nuts in this one brought back fond memories for me of my childhood. I can still see the pecan tree in the back yard and remember well what a chore it was to crack the pecans and separate the nuts from the shells.

Cranberry Fig Relish
Cooking Light – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
¾ cup chopped dried figs
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped roasted fresh pecans or walnuts

Combine the orange juice, figs, and red wine in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add both sugars and the cranberries. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick and berries pop, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Stir in nuts but leave a few for garnish. Cover and chill. If you make this a few days ahead, leave out the nuts until just before serving so they remain crunchy.

This cranberry sauce is a mixture of fresh cranberries and dried tart cherries, flavored with crème de cassis, a popular French black current-flavored liqueur commonly used in a Kir or a Kir Royale. The cherry flavor really comes through in this cranberry sauce and offers a new and exciting taste to the traditional.

Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries
Cooking Light – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon canola oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
½ cup crème de cassis (black currant-flavored liqueur)
¾ cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh lemon rind

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and sauté for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let them brown or burn. Add cherries, crème de cassis, sugar, and cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes or until cranberries began to pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, but save a little for a garnish. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Last, but certainly not least, is our traditional cranberry sauce is flavored with red wine with a citrus undertone and I’ve dubbed it “French” cranberry sauce because of the wine, even though the French don’t have a cranberry sauce that I know of. No matter how many new ones I try, this one will always be my favorite.

My Carolina Kitchen’s “French” Cranberry Sauce
A citrus twist on a classic – serves 12
Printable Recipe

1 (12 ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup dry red wine, preferably French
¾ cup to 1 ½ cups sugar, or to taste (I use 1 cup)
2 navel oranges

Put the cranberries (no need to thaw if they’re frozen) in a sauce pan with the one of the cinnamon sticks, red wine, and sugar. Zest the oranges and set aside half of the zest for a garnish. Add the remaining zest and the juice of both oranges to the cranberry mixture. Stir the cranberry mixture and bring to a boil.  Partially cover the saucepan and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst. Remove from the heat, let cool, and discard the cinnamon stick. The sauce will firm up as it cools. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to five days. At the last minute, garnish with the remaining fresh citrus zest. Serve at room temperature.

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, and Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper.

For better viewing, click photos to enlarge.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who will be celebrating this Thursday and I hope everyone has a very nice weekend.

Italian Style Fresh Tomato Salsa – One of the Best Topping I’ve found to Dress up Chicken or Fish

This is probably one of the best tomato/salsa toppings I’ve found to dress up simple chicken and fish dishes. The flavor of the tomatoes, onions, and kalamata olives seem like natural partners flavored with the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and capers.

I have used this salsa on fish and chicken numerous times lately with great success. Plum or roma tomatoes are reliable year-around, but as summer approaches, I will definitely use local home-grown tomatoes. It takes approximately ten minutes to put this salsa together and is so handy to whip up when you’re grilling outside and want a quick garnish for your chicken or steak. It’s also fabulous with pan sautéed fish.

Here it’s shown with grilled chicken. Crumbled feta cheese can be used as a garnish and a wonderful flavor enhancer.  I’ve used the cheese when I served the salsa with pan sautéed tilapia and we both loved it.

If you are looking for a way to dress up simple chicken and fish dishes, this is it. It doesn’t get any easier or quicker than this and it can be put together in a matter of minutes.

Italian Style Fresh Salsa - one of the best toppings I've found to dress up chicken or  fish

Adapted from Southern Living – makes 2 cups

4 plum tomatoes, chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons drained capers
Kosher salt or grainy sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

Stir all the ingredients, except the feta cheese, together in a medium size bowl. Cover and chill if not using right away. When you’re ready to serve, bring the mixture to room temperature and add feta cheese if desired.

 Printable recipe

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This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, and Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Homemade mayonnaise in the food processor + some of our favorite mayonnaise sauces

Homemade mayonnaise is one of the best tasting things you’ll ever make at home and so much better than store-bought. This is a perfect time of the year to make it to use on sandwiches from the left-over ham or turkey you have. It can elevate a simple sandwich from ordinary to sublime. When I was growing up, my mother made homemade mayonnaise, so there was always a jar in our refrigerator.

Homemade mayonnaise isn’t just for sandwiches. It can be turned into wonderful, tasty sauces. The standard tartar sauce comes to mind, but I have a few of our favorites to share with you, including a sherry one for steamed vegetables.

When Meakin and I were married years ago, his family from up east came south for the wedding. One of my favorite memories of meeting his family was of his brother Stuart, barely out of his teens at the time, standing in the open door of my mother’s refrigerator with a jar of her homemade mayonnaise in one hand and a spoon in the other. “Boy, this stuff is great,” he said as he proceeded to scrape the last bites from the bottom of the jar. Now if that’s not a recommendation for homemade mayonnaise, I don’t know what is.

My mother used a hand-held mixer and dribbled the oil in, slowly, as you can see in this recipe clipped out of a grade cookbook collection of our mother’s favorite recipes. But now mayonnaise is easy to make using Julia Child's method in the food processor, utilizing that tiny hole in the feed tube to do the dribbling for you, making your job a whole lot easier.

There are two secrets to making homemade mayonnaise. One is to have all of the ingredients at room temperature and use very fresh eggs. As with anything made with raw eggs, use good judgement and keep the mayonnaise refrigerated. The second is to use what Julia Child calls "fine, fresh oil." I take this to mean open a new bottle unless you are absolutely positive of its freshness.

Julia Child’s Food Processor Mayonnaise 

1 whole egg, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, at room temperature
½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar
Dash of Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fine fresh oil such canola, safflower, extra-virgin olive oil, or a combination, at room temperature

Using the metal blade in the food processor, process the egg, the egg yolks, mustard, salt, sugar, and Tabasco 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and process 30 seconds more.

In a very thin stream, pour in the oil, using droplets at a time. In a food processor there is a tiny hole in the lid that will allow the oil to drop in very slowly. As the mayonnaise comes together, you can pour the oil a little faster. When all of the oil is gone, remove the processor cover and check for consistency and taste for seasonings. You may wish to add more lemon juice, kosher salt, or freshly ground white pepper. Driblets of cold water added now make a milder and lighter taste and texture. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for about a week.

Printable recipe 

Here are just a few examples of our variations on homemade mayonnaise sauces.

Béarnaise Mayonnaise
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the wine, shallots,and 2 tablespoons of tarragon in a saucepan. Boil until reduced by half. Cool. Add this mixture to the mayonnaise, along with the lemon juice, and the other 2 tablespoons of tarragon. Add salt & pepper. Chill thoroughly and serve.

Printable recipe

Creole Mayonnaise
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped or snipped
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix and chill. Great with seafood or grilled chicken.

Printable recipe

My Carolina Kitchen’s French Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons drained capers
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crumbled
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Dash of cayenne pepper

Combine sauce ingredients & refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  Excellent as a base for lobster or shellfish salad.

Printable recipe

Sherry Mustard Mayonnaise Sauce for Steamed Vegetables
From Chicken, The 15 minute Gourmet by Paulette Mitchell – yield ¼ cup

¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

Whisk ingredients together in a glass bowl. Serve over steamed vegetables, such as fresh asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower florets. Sauce will keep for up to 2 days in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before drizzling over warm vegetables. The vegetables can be cooked in advance and served later in the same day chilled or at room temperature.

This wasabi aioli, not shown, is fantastic with seared ahi tuna and so much fresher than the stuff in the tube.

Printable recipe

Wasabi Aioli
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 tablespoons wasabi powder
1 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix wasabi powder and water together to form a paste. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the wasabi mixture, garlic, mustard and lemon juice. Pulse 5 – 6 times. Add mayonnaise and process until ingredients are well-mixed. Add salt & pepper. Refrigerate and serve. Excellent with rare tuna.

Printable recipe

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, Foodtastic Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable.

Have a great weekend.

A Trio of Different Cranberry Sauces & Ideas for Leftover Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is always on our Thanksgiving table, sitting right next to the turkey. Even if we aren’t hosting Thanksgiving, which we aren’t this year, I always bring the cranberry sauce.  

I’ve been making my own cranberry sauce for years, but I decided to give a couple of new ones a try this season. Our traditional cranberry sauce is flavored with red wine with a citrus undertone. It will probably always be my favorite.

But today I have two new varieties of cranberry sauce to offer. Both are decidely less sweet than the traditional. The first is a mixture of fresh cranberries and dried tart cherries, flavored with crème de cassis, a popular French black current-flavored liqueur. If you’ve ever drunk a Kir or a Kir Royale, then you’re familiar with cassis. A Kir is a French cocktail made with a dash of crème de cassis and topped with dry white wine. A Kir Royale is made the same way but topped with champagne. In France Kirs are served as an aperitif before dinner. 

The cherry flavor really comes through in this cranberry sauce and offers a new and exciting taste to the traditional. It was Meakin’s favorite of the two.

The second new cranberry sauce we tried is a citrusy one flavored with dried figs and crunchy nuts. It, to me, is much more of a relish and I really enjoyed the crunch of the nuts. My mother used to make a cranberry jelly with pecans and the nuts in this one brought back fond memories for me of my childhood. I can still see the pecan tree in the back yard.

Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries

Cooking Light – serves 12

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup finely chopped shallots

2/3 cup dried tart cherries

½ cup crème de cassis (black currant-flavored liqueur) or orange liqueur

¾ cup sugar

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh lemon rind

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and sauté for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let brown or burn. Add cherries, crème de cassis, sugar, and cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes or until cranberries began to pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind. Cool to room temperature.

Cranberry Fig Relish

Cooking Light – serves 12

1 cup fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)

¾ cup chopped dried figs

½ cup dry red wine

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

1/3 cup chopped roasted pecans or walnuts

Combine the orange juice, figs, and red wine in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add both sugars and the cranberries. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick and berries pop, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Stir in pecans. Cover and chill. If you make this a few days ahead, leave out the nuts until just before serving so they remain crunchy. 

My Carolina Kitchen’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce

A citrus twist on a classic – serves 12

1 (12 ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries

2 cinnamon sticks

1 cup dry red wine, such as a Merlot or Syrah

¾ cup to 1 ½ cups sugar, or to taste

2 tangerines or navel oranges

Put the cranberries (no need to thaw if they’re frozen) in a sauce pan with the one of the cinnamon sticks, red wine, and sugar. Zest the tangerines and set aside half of the zest for a garnish. Add the remaining zest and the juice of both tangerines to the cranberry mixture. 

Stir the cranberry mixture and bring to a boil.  Partially cover the saucepan and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst. Remove from the heat, let cool, and discard the cinnamon stick. The sauce will firm up as it cools. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to five days. Serve at room temperature.

At the last minute, using a microplane rasp style grater, grate a little cinnamon “dust” over the cranberry sauce and garnish with the remaining citrus zest. 

Ideas for left-over cranberry sauce

By the way, if you have left over cranberry sauce, it’s great on a turkey sandwich with horseradish and cream cheese. Or turn it into a sophisticated little holiday appetizer that I posted a year or so ago. Toast slices of a crusty French baguette, top with fresh arugula or watercress, then a dab of cranberry sauce and finish with a slice of good blue cheese or gorgonzola and a crank of freshly ground black pepper. A little more cranberry sauce on the top doesn’t hurt either. Voila, a cranberry & blue cheese crostini. 

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This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, Foodtastic Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable. 

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the U.S.

Homemade Ketchup

I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of making my ketchup, but up until now, I’ve never seen a recipe. Step in Martha Stewart, who as always knows everything there is to know about everything, including our beloved staple of the burger and fries world - ketchup.

Contrary to what you might have thought, Martha says the red tomato sauce we know as ketchup today has come a long way from its beginning as fermented fish sauce. British traders brought back Asian condiments with them when they returned to Europe where they inspired hosts of various ketchups flavored with anchovies, mushrooms, and even walnuts. Our colonial ancestors in America experimented with beans and apples that they found on our shores. In the nineteenth century the tomato version that we know today took hold and the rest, as they say, is history.

Martha’s version of homemade ketchup bursts with chili and citrus flavors and the kick comes from a very spicy habanera pepper.  We’ve served Martha’s homemade ketchup with boiled shrimp and tested it with onion rights and fries. While we were crazy about the flavor, the consistency was different from commercial ketchup. We recommend straining it well every time you serve it. Otherwise, it tends to be on the watery side. The other thing I will mention is that the homemade version is more “saucy” and therefore doesn’t cling to the food when you dip it in as its bottled cousin does. But it also doesn’t stick to your fingers either.

Martha’s Homemade Ketchup
Martha Stewart Living Magazine – yield 2 ½ cups

1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat side of a large knife
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Pinch of ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of chili powder
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges total)
2 tablespoons brewed espresso coffee
1 bay leaf
1 fresh habanera chili
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Puree the diced tomatoes and juice, onion, garlic, and sugar in a food processor. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add vinegar, 1 cup of water, the dry mustard, nutmeg, allspice, chili powder, orange zest, orange juice, espresso, bay leaf, and habanera chili.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 50 minutes.

Remove the habanera chili and puree half or the whole chili (depending on how much heat you like) with 1 cup ketchup in the food processor. Return pureed ketchup to the pot; stir until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool completely. Ketchup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Serve with a side of coarse salt if desired.

For thicker ketchup, strain well and discard the liquid before serving.

This recipe will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable. I am very pleased to learn that this recipe was chosen to be one of the featured recipes on Food Fetish Friday at Javelin Warrior's Cookin w/ Luv. Javelin shares his food finds in a series called Food Fetish Friday that I know you'll enjoy as much as I did. Thanks Javelin!

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The winner of the give-away of the delightful book Paris was Ours by Penelope Rowlands is Claudia of Journey of an Italian Cook - Finding the Mediterranean in Minnesota. Congratulations Claudia. Please get in touch with me with your address and I’ll get it off to you right away.

A special thanks to each of you that took the time to leave a comment and participate in the give-away. I really enjoyed reading why you would love to visit or live in Paris. I also thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and following or subscribing to My Carolina Kitchen. You are the best!

This is also Memorial Day weekend. I want to take the time to say a big thank you to the families who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We should all remember that freedom is not free. God Bless America and all of those who have or who are currently serving their country. My father was a WWII veteran and Meakin served during Vietnam.

I hope you and your family have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day. And slather some of Martha's homemade ketchup on your burgers or hot dogs. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Start your morning off right with this 3 ingredient Cranberry Maple Syrup

If you are as fond of cranberries as I am, you will love this recipe for cranberry maple syrup. The tartness of the cranberries is offset with the sweetness of the maple syrup, making this a very versatile year-around syrup for pancakes. With only 3 ingredients, it couldn't be more simple.

I actually hoard cranberries in my freezer and use them throughout the year. For this recipe frozen cranberries work just as well as fresh ones. Be sure to use the best quality maple syrup you can find, because the imitation syrup, to my taste, has a faux flavor and not worth using.

I’ve served the syrup over cornmeal pancakes, but use any pancake you like. Wattles would also be delicious. If you are looking for a homemade gift idea, the deep ruby red syrup would be very festive in a pretty glass jar tied with a holiday ribbon.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Maple Syrup
Coastal Living Magazine – yield 1 cup

¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Bring maple syrup and 3/4 cup cranberries to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 3 minutes or until cranberries pop. Crush cranberries in saucepan using a spatula or potato masher. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cranberries; simmer just until they begin to pop (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat, add butter, and stir until melted. Keeps well covered in the refrigerator.

Printable recipe

Cornmeal Pancakes
Adapted from Joy of Cooking – yield twelve 4” cakes

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 large egg
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral flavored oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Combine the cornmeal, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the mixture, stir will, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and oil until combined. After 15 minutes, add the cornmeal mixture from above and stir until smooth.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir into the hot cornmeal mixture. If the mixture seems a little thick, stir in a bit of milk.

Heat a pancake griddle or 12” lightly oiled skillet until hot. Drop the pancake batter by spoonful’s onto the griddle. When the pancakes begin to bubble in the center and start to dry around the edges, turn and cook until done. The second side takes only about half as long as the first side and never browns as evenly, so serve them first side up.

Remove the cakes from the griddle and keep warm in a pre-heated 200 degree F oven while you make the remaining cakes. Do not stack the cakes or they will become soggy. When all of the pancakes are done, serve immediately.

Printable recipe

This recipe will be shared with Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum and Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Waterside Shops in Naples, Florida. I hope you’ll enjoy this glimpse of the lovely holiday decorations among the swaying palm trees and beautiful water fountains at this very classy, best-in-class shopping destination that features such stores as Nordstrom, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guicci, Cartier, De Beers, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Whoever said you can't get in the holiday spirit in sunny Florida hasn't been to the Waterside shops.