Random thoughts and observations from a guy with a lot on his mind…
Decided to get out of the house this morning and venture to the Carmel Farmers Market. I was obviously not the only one with that idea because the market was PACKED. I mean elbow to elbow people. After making a couple of laps I’d had enough of the congestion and headed up to Main Street for more photographic opportunities.
Here are some of the images that caught my eye today.
One of the best explanations to date:
This is a family recipe that I grew up on. I promised in the Maple Bacon Ice Cream post that I would share. Since it’s a custard the lemon flavor is smooth and sweet, not tart.
Ingredients:
2 C. whipping cream
2 C. half-and-half
1 C. sugar
1/3 C. finely grated lemon zest
6 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 t. pure vanilla extract
3/4 C. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Bring the cream, half-and-half, sugar and zest just to a boil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Whisk the egg yolks and salt together in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the cream mixture to the yolk mixture and whisk until blended.
In a slow steady stream, add the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly, and continue whisking until blended.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the custard thickens and leaves a path on the back of a wooden spoon when a finger is drawn across it; do not allow the mixture to boil.
Immediately pour the custard through a strainer into a bowl and stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
When ready to freeze, stir the lemon juice into the cold custard, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For a firmer texture, transfer to a freezer container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts.
Cool, refreshing, crunchy and savory. Those words all describe the classic Greek Salad. The use of local summer produce makes this even better. This salad goes great with burgers, pork chops or even by itself. Be sure to use good quality oil, vinegar and feta cheese.
1 package cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
2 diced seeded & peeled English cucumbers
1 diced red bell pepper
1 diced yellow bell pepper
1 cup pitted kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, halved
1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8oz feta cheese cubed
Freshly ground pepper to taste (you should not need salt because of the feta and olives)
Combine all vegetables and set aside.
Whisk Oil, Vinegar & lemon juice into a light emulsion. Pout vinaigrette over vegetables and mix to combine.
Add feta and mix lightly. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Vinaigrette may partially solidify if refrigerated overnight. If this occurs, leave bowl on the counter for 10-15 minutes prior to mixing and serving.
