Jiggles

The heat of the summer recalls experiences of my youth.  I remember catching bugs in the field around our house.  In my mind, I can almost taste the lemonade we'd make.  I recall playing naked in the sprinkler in our front yard, and sliding across a slip and slide.  (I almost said, "like it was yesterday," but that would be awkward, and maybe illegal.) 

And I remember Jell-O.  What a wonderful food that combines the bright colors, the hyper-fruity flavors and the wonderful, jiggly bounce. 

While recently visiting my parent's home, my mom gave me a book (OK, Mom. You  "loaned" me the book): Joys of Jell-O.  It's a very quaint and charming bit of nostalgia--You can imagine the book or any of the recipes in it as a prop on the set of Mad Men.  The recipes are shameless plugs for all things Jell-O and General Foods (now Kraft Foods) brand foods, and it is clearly written for the 50's or 60's housewife.  (This particular copy appears to have been published in 1962.)  It speaks of tending to the children, pleasing the husband, and being the perfect hostess. 

A more recent and cosmopolitan tome, Hello, Jell-O, explores a more adult side of gelatin confections.  Elevated to a true art form, the author Victoria Belanger, creates works of culinary (and sometimes alcoholic) masterpieces.  Best of all, she's made her own mistakes and provides the solutions for your potentially faulty experiments.  I highly recommend this book.

These both inspired me to explore more possibilities.  As you may recall, in a previous post I tried using agar-agar to make vegan panna cotta, but it yielded less than stellar results (although it made a very good ice cream).  I've continued to play with agar-agar in various forms and with increasingly interesting results.  Then I learned more about molecular gastronomy and I journeyed farther down the gelatin path. 

There are also creations that seem like gelatin but use other ingredients to form a semi solid or slow moving liquid.  Jellies, jams, or my favorite, Turkish Delight.

I know this is but a short intro into fun things coagulated, but I hope you'll join me in exploring further. 

Tonight try:

Gelled Blueberry Dessert
4 1/2 cups Blueberry Nectar
2 packets Unflavored Gelatin
1 8oz container Mascarpone Cheese
Strips of Lemon Zest
fresh or frozen Blueberries

Pour one cup of blueberry nectar into a shallow bowl (more surface area is better) and sprinkle 2 packets of gelatin evenly over the surface.  Let rest.  Meanwhile (I realize I've never used that word in a recipe before. That changes now.)  boil the other three cups of juice.  Let boil for 10 minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl with a spout (which just makes the next step easier) whisk the cold bloomed gelatin together with the hot juice.  Continue to whisk for 3 minutes.  You really want all the gelatin dissolved. 

Pour into 6 ramekins, leaving 1/4 inch of space below the top.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until the gel does not stick to your finger when you touch it. 

Spread the mascarpone over the top of the blueberry gelatin up to the top of the ramekin, evenly.  Let set in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes. 

To loosen the gelatin from the ramekin, set into hot warm water, up to the edge of the ramekin for 15 seconds. (Follow the instructions.  Make it on the hot side of warm, but not hot.)  Run a butter knife between the ramekin and the gelatin to separate it.  Wipe the ramekin dry, and place an inverted plate over the top of it.  In one fluid motion, turn over the plate and ramekin and give it a slight jiggle.  Lift the ramekin up to release the gelatin.  A properly turned out gelatin mold is one of the greatest satisfactions in life. 

Garnish with blueberries and lemon zest on the plate. 


Balsamic Pearls
Usually I buy Elsa 12 year Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, but for this recipe I used a grocery store brand common to balsamic vinaigrettes.  It yielded spectacular results, but choose as you will.  Agar-agar is a gelling agent made from seaweed.  It's especially useful in that it doesn't liquefy below 88 degrees F, and melts at 136 degrees F. 
3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Agar-Agar
1 quart Vegetable Oil, chilled in a Mason jar (I keep a Mason jar of oil in the refrigerator all the time, now)

In a sauce pan, add the vinegar and agar.  Whisk until the agar is well mixed.  Put the pan on a medium high burner and whisk for 3-5 minutes as the liquid comes to a simmering boil.  Remove from the heat. 

Using an eye-dropper or pipette, drop individual drops of hot balsamic into the cold oil.  They will coagulate on top, but keep adding slow drops.  The slower you go the smaller the pearls will be, so play with that. 

When you've used all the vinegar and the pearls are now mostly sitting on the bottom of this oil, pour the Mason jar through a sieve, catching the oil in a container underneath (recycle! and your plumbing will love you.), then remove the catch container and run cold water over the pearls to remove the oil. 

Use on a caprese salad or as you would a balsamic drizzle. 


Turkish Delight (Traditional)
Sometimes a gel doesn't include gelatin.  You can find rosewater in most Arabic or Indian specialty shops.

4 cups granulated Sugar

1 1/4 cups Cornstarch

1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

4 1/4 cups Water

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 1/2 tablespoons Rosewater

1 cup Confectioners Sugar

Vegetable Shortening

 

In a 9x9 inch baking pan, lube the sides and bottom with shortening. Line with wax paper and grease the wax paper. (You think that's a lot of slippery?  Wait until you see the sticky.  You'll be happy.)

In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups water on medium high heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining (room temperature) water in saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue-like consistency.

Stir in the sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in rosewater. Pour mixture into the wax paper-lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.

Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch.

Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces. (Don't spare the oil.)

Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Store in an airtight container in layers separated with wax paper.

The Fruits of Our Labors

Almost as a cosmic gauntlet thrown at my feet and certainly as a natural follow-up to the last post about preservation, I came into a bushel of apples and 15 lbs of ripe grapes (1/2 and 1/2 green and Concord--both yummy!)  In an attempt to go through all of the fruit before it turns to compost, yet not have a stomach ache from eating it too fast (seriously, the grapes were so delicious, I continued to eat them well beyond a normal man's limitations.  For the next two days, I spent a lot of time"indisposed."  Did you know that grapes were so high in fiber?  Because I forgot,) here's a few thoughts on what we're doing.

Dried Apples

Apple Juice
Apple Peelings and Cores
Water

Place the apple parts in a sauce pot capable of holding them with a few inches of headroom.  Add water to about 1/2 inch below the top of the apple.   Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes.

Pour into a sieve over a bowl and let drain completely, 20 minutes. Take that juice and filer through dampened cheese cloth if you want less incidental pulp. Seal in a sterile jar and store in the refrigerator. Should keep for about 3-4 days.


Apple Butter
4 lbs Apples, washed
2 cups Water
Sugar
1 teaspoon each of Ground Allspice, Ground Cinnamon, Cloves

Remove the stems, leaves, and worm holes with rot around them, then quarter the apples.  Don't bother peeling or coring the apples.  Put the apples and water into a large pot, cover and heat until boiling; then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer until the apples turn very soft.  Remove from the heat and let cool. 

Press the apples through a sieve, separating the pulp from the seeds, skins and other undesirables.  Measure the pulp, return it to the large pot and add a like measure of sugar (1:1).  Add the spices.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir for two more minutes.  Then stir occasionally until the moisture is mostly evaporated and the butter can be rolled up on a spoon.  The color should have changed from a light blonde to a deep mahogany. 

Pour (spoon) into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.  Makes about 8 half-pints. 


Apple Syrup
Combine equal parts Apple Juice and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Let boil for 10 minutes.  Cool and store in the refrigerator.  Will keep for a month. 


Grape Juice
Grapes
Water

Remove stems from the grapes, but don't bother trying to remove the seeds.  Put them in a sauce pot capable of holding them with a few inches of headroom.  Add water to about 1/2 inch below the top of the grapes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes. 

Pour into a sieve over a bowl and let drain completely, 20 minutes.  Take that juice and filer through dampened cheese cloth if you want less incidental pulp.  Seal in a sterile jar and store in the refrigerator.  Should keep for about 3-4 days. 


Grape Turkish Delight
This was a ridiculous endeavour, but Turkish Delight is a childhood treat many of my friends have never tried, yet all remember from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  If you get a wild hair, give this one a whirl. 

4 cups Sugar
4 1/2 cups Grape Juice (in total)
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 1/4 cups Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 cup Confectioners Sugar

Line a 9x9 pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside for now.

Place the sugar, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups of the grape juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, and bring the mixture to a boil. Brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, and insert a candy thermometer.

Continue to boil the sugar mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees.  But when the sugar syrup is around 225 degrees, begin to get the rest of the candy ingredients prepared.  Place the remaining 3 cups of grape juice in another, larger, saucepan. Add the cornstarch and cream of tartar and whisk until the starch dissolves and there are no lumps (this is super important). Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring or whisking CONSTANTLY.  The mixture will thicken into a smooth paste.

Once the sugar syrup is at 240 degrees, remove it from the heat. Slowly, carefully, pour it into the cornstarch mixture, whisking until it is fully incorporated.  A friend to help with this part is good.  Gloves and an apron are better.  Friends, gloves and aprons all around is best!

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking it every 8-10 minutes, for about an hour, until the candy has turned a light golden-yellow color and is very thick and gluey.  Again, be careful.  The candy is very hot and very thick and it will pop as it slowly boils.  This will burn when it lands on your skin.  (Children's confections are not for the faint of heart!)

After an hour, remove from the heat and pour the candy into the prepared pan and allow it to set, uncovered, overnight.

The next day, remove the candy from the pan using the foil as handles. Dust your work station with the powdered sugar, and flip the candy onto the powdered sugar. Remove the foil from the back and dust the top with the sugar. Use an oiled chef’s knife to cut the Turkish Delight into small squares. Dust each side of the square with powdered sugar to prevent stickiness.

Turkish Delight is best soon after it is made. It doesn’t keep very well, but if you want to try keeping it, store it in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers, and dust the sides with powdered sugar again before serving.


Lavender Green
This is a delightful cocktail my beloved created, named for the song Lavender Blue.  She remembers her grandmother singing it to her as a child. 

2 oz Dry Gin
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1 oz Grape Juice
1/2 oz Lavender Simple Syrup
2 dashes Vanilla Bitters

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist. 

Enjoy the beverage and listen to Burl Ives singing Lavender Blue.