One More Winter Meal

 As much as I love cold weather comfort foods, the season for hearty stews and soups is coming to an end. Rhubarb appearing in my dreams, cravings for all things green, edible or not, have started.

We had a few of what I consider warm days….40 degrees and no wind chill and those were enough for me to want to pack up my casseroles, open all the windows and start digging for dirt. 

Then today, a reminder that spring is still not as close as I thought. More comfort food for a little while longer I guess.

Here then is one more hearty meal to make it through until spring really does arrive.

Pot roast is one of my staples in the arctic months, and so easy to make. Just spend a little time browning the meat and cutting onions and the oven does the rest. If you make enough you can have leftovers and hot pot roast and gravy sandwiches for a few days as well. I suggest making this a day ahead, it’s so much more flavorful after a day or two.

Braised Pot Roast with Carrots and Parsnips

Beef chuck roast, about 3 to 4 lbs

fat for browning, 2 or 3 TBL

good salt and pepper

1 bay leaf

thyme or oregano (a few sprigs) or dried (1 TBL)

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

2 parsnips, cut into large chunks

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 cups red wine

2 to 3 cups beef or vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season the roast well with salt and pepper. In a large casserole or Dutch oven, heat fat (bacon fat, lard, olive oil) until very hot and brown the roast well on all sides. Remove to a plate.

Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, parsnips and bay leaf to the fat remaining (add more if you need to) and sauté about 5 minutes until vegetables are well coated and softened.

Add wine and bring everything to a boil, stirring up all the bits on the bottom. 

Return the roast to the pot, add the broth and herbs. Make sure the liquid comes halfway up the roast, add water or more stock if needed. When simmering again, cover and bake about 2 hours, until meat is very tender.

To make gravy, remove the meat, all but 1 of the carrots, parsnips and bay leaf. Keep warm.

Carefully puree the liquid in a blender, a few cups at a time. Please be careful, hot liquids in blenders can become dangerous if filled too high. Blending the liquid with some vegetables will thicken the sauce without having to add any of the usual thickeners like flour or arrowroot. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Return the meat, vegetables and sauce to the pot and keep warm until it’s time to eat.

You can cut the roast into large chunks or shred with 2 forks. Serve with mashed or boiled potatoes and pour sauce over all. 

 I like to serve this with applesauce, which if you don’t have can be made while the roast is cooking.

Happy Spring!

illustration by me

Edible Christmas Gifts

 

Here it is Christmas time already, and if you’re thinking of giving edible gifts now would be a good time to start. Here are a few delicious and simple suggestions that will hold up until Christmas. Find yourself some pretty jars, boxes or tins, some ribbon and something to write your recipe’s name and ingredients on, put on some music, maybe have a glass of wine and start cooking!

One of the things I like to make (and eat) are Biscotti. They keep really well and you can make a lot of variations. Homemade Granola, made with healthy coconut oil, is another favorite that you can improvise with endlessly. These Pistachio Date Bites don’t even require baking. For chocolate lovers, I make my flourless and gluten free Chocolate Torte and just bake it in a square or oblong pan, cut into squares then dust with confectioner’s sugar.

If you thought ahead and even if you didn’t,  Fruit Infused Vodka makes quite an impressive gift. If you’re starting it now, just jot down a reminder to let it sit for awhile on the gift tag.

I like to decorate my containers with greenery too, just cut a few sprigs off a pine tree, maybe some berries if you can find them, wrap it all up in ribbon and there you go!

Cranberry Nut Biscotti

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 TBL soft unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

zest from 1 orange

1/2 cup nuts of your choice, pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachios

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt.

Beat butter and sugar about 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy and creamy.

Add eggs, vanilla and zest. Mix well.

Add flour mixture, then stir in cranberries and nuts.

 

Form into a ball then divide in half. Shape into 2 logs, 16″ x 2″ then move to the cookie sheet. Space about 3″ apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to rack to cool for 30 minutes. Turn down oven to 300 degrees.

On a cutting board, carefully cut the logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick pieces.

Place on a rack on a cookie sheet (so heat can get to the underside) cut side down.

Bake another 25 to 30 minutes until lightly brown.

Remove and let cool completely.

 

Granola

4 cups rolled oats (gluten free preferably)

2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup chopped apricots

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pepitas

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup unsalted cashews

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix oats, coconut, almonds, pecans or walnuts. Whisk the melted coconut oil with the maple syrup, then pour over the oat mixture. Mix until everything is well coated.

Put this mixture onto a large baking sheet, about 13 x 18 in. You don’t want to crowd things.

Bake about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until nice and brown. Keep an eye on it towards the end, it can over-brown quickly. I hate over-browned granola!

Remove from oven, let cool, then stir in apricots, sunflower seeds, pepitas, cranberries and cashews.

 

Pistachio Date Bites

2 cups pitted Medjool dates

1 cup unsalted pistachios

3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

cocoa powder and extra coconut for rolling

 

In your food processor, finely grind pistachios.

Remove 1/4 cup and set aside.

Add the dates and shredded coconut and blend until it sticks together.

Remove into a bowl, and with your hands form into 1 inch balls.

Roll in the reserved pistachios or cocoa powder.

Best of stored in fridge and then take out a half hour before eating (or giving).

 

Some other ideas for you: ultra-rich walnut brownies, jars of homemade applesauce, poundcake and of course cookies of all kinds make delicious and thoughtful gifts. Happy baking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biscotti recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe.