Thursday, January 26, 2012

BEET, FENNEL, AND CARROT SALAD

For this post I have to lead with the photo since this salad is sooooo pretty!  Imagine it with your Christmas dinner.  Wow!

 Not only is this pretty, it is also delicious, easy to make, and it can be made ahead if you're making it for guests.  

BEET, FENNEL, AND CARROT SALAD.  Serves 8
For the Salad:
* 1 fennel bulb, trimmed
* 5 medium carrots
* 2 large beets, trimmed and peeled
For the Vinaigrette:
* 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
* 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 shallot, halved and very thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1.  Make the salad:  Quarter fennel bulb lengthwise, and cut out core.  Very thinly slice fennel lengthwise into strips using a mandoline or sharp knife.  Cover with a damp paper towel in a glass dish.
2.  Grate carrots, then beets, on the large holes of a box grater (or using a processor with attachment).  Arrange side by side with fennel.  Keep covered with damp paper towel, and wrap with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
3.  Make the vinaigrette:  Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.  Transfer to a small bowl, and add orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, and salt.  Gradually whisk in oil.
4.  Toss fennel, beets and carrots with vinaigrette in a large bowl.  Serve immediately.
Make ahead:  Sliced and grated vegetables can be refrigerated overnight, vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 5 hours; whisk before using.

Oh.... and I forgot to mention that this is packed with antioxidents, vitamins and minerals.  It just doesn't get any better than that!

Monday, January 23, 2012

YERBA MATE

An ubiquitous sight in parts of South America is people drinking out of gourds.  The gourds are rather small, so people also carry thermoses filled with water to continually add to the gourd to extend the tea.  It is also tradition that the beverage is shared; and it is delightful watching people in public share their beverage with their friends.  Our guide in Buenos Aires told us about the beverage "yerba mate" (pronounced "yurba matay").

"Traditionally, yerba mate tea is drunk from a gourd, called a mate, in which it is prepared by steeping the processed dried yerba mate leaves in hot, but not boiling, water.  It is then sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla which has holes in it to let the liquid come through, but filters out the leaves.  The gourd is traditionally a natural gourd such as calabash."*

Curiosity got the best of me and our guide, Mariella, helped me purchase a mate and bombilla.  After curing the mate over the past two days, today I got my first taste of yerba mate.  I would characterize the taste as herbal, slightly smoky and smooth, and I will continue drinking it until it is gone.  I'm not sure if I can buy yerba mate locally, but it is easily available on-line.

YERBA MATE AND BOMBILLA.

BOMBILLA.

LADDY WAS VERY CURIOUS!  I BET HE THOUGHT THERE WAS CATNIP IN IT! 

THERE ARE SO MANY MATE OPTIONS BUT I LIKED THIS ONE.  IT LOOKS LIKE KEVIN AND ME DOING THE TANGO - A METAPHOR FOR OUR TRIP TO SOUTH AMERICA.

Friday, January 20, 2012

PARATI OR PARATY, BRAZIL

Here is my last installment for our trip to South America  (Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil).  We visited many wonderful places but my favorite was the small town of  Parati (Pronounced "Parachi") in Brazil.  The photos tell the story.













  Can you see why I was charmed by Parati?

Monday, January 16, 2012

DROP SCONES

A week ago I came across a recipe for Drop Scones in:

Later, I asked a few friends if they had ever heard of drop scones and they, like me, had not.  Today, I decided to make a batch.  First, here's the recipe:

DROP SCONES.  Makes 12.
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold butter
4 tablespoons sugar (may substitute Spenda or similar)
1 egg beaten with 3 tablespoons of milk (I used "whole" milk)
6 drops lemon extract
Other  (I added 2 tablespoons of currants.)
Mix flour and salt in a bowl.  Rub in butter.  Mix in sugar.  Add beaten egg/milk mixture to make a smooth batter. Add flavoring (and currants, if using).  Fry by dropping a level tablespoonful for each scone on to a fairly hot and well greased griddle (a frying pan will do).  When brown underneath, turn and cook other side.  Cool on a wire tray.  Eat buttered.

As you can see, I only got 11 scones out of the batter, but I wasn't exact with dropping only 1 tablespoon of the batter.
Voila!  They turned out very well, rather like little, very dense, pancakes.  They can be stored, then microwaved slightly just before eating.  The recipe says "eat buttered" but the jelly of your choice would also be delicious.  In summary, here is an easy recipe, using ingredients on hand, for something to make when a friend is dropping by for tea.  Enjoy!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

GARDENS, FLOWERS AND RAIN FORESTS - Argentina, Uruguay & Brazil

One of the things I love about travel is to see flowers and gardens around the world.  The growing conditions in South America are so dramatically different from Minnesota that I saw only one plant that was similar - daylilies!  The one shown below is one that I have in my garden.  What a pleasant surprise to see it in Brazil.  Otherwise, the plants shown below would be either "annuals" or "houseplants" in Minnesota.

The daylily also in my garden.

In Buenos Aires:



Street Vendors

There are no evergreen trees as we know them so, while we saw many Christmas trees on display, they were all made from wire forms.
 In Buzios, Brazil is the longest "beach garden" in the world according to the Guiness Book of World Records.  It stretches 3+ miles.
 
Poinsettias planted in a garden.
I wish these could be found in Minnesota.  What a great color!
Beautiful butterfly.
Great garden "ornaments"!

Yellow wisteria?  That's what it looked like.
 Monkeys sitting on a back yard fence.
The next batch of photos were taken high in a Brazilian rain forest.

 The plant below was about 20 feet tall.


 Growing naturally... not planted by humans.  Mother Nature knows how to compose a garden!


 This mound of coleus was HUGE - about 20 feet x 10 feet by 4 feet tall.  Impressive!
 Banana tree with fruit and flower.




 Non-edible pineapple plant.
 Three varieties.
 Lastly, a pretty flower in a public garden.