I dip, You dip, We Dip...Biscotti!

Mmmmmm Biscotti.  One of the best treats to ever be dipped into a coffee according to me, and surely many others.  Biscotti is the plural form of Biscotto, which is derived from a Latin word that means "twice baked".  Due to the cookie being twice baked, it lasts longer in terms of preservation; but most important it was dead easy to convert to a gluten free version of the recipe.  

Another very delicious aspect of this cookie, is that you can mix up so many different flavours.  Almond/Vanilla, Cranberry/Orange, Chocolate Chip, Almond/Lemon, Lemon/White Chocolate etc., etc., so on so forth, on and on and on...get creative!

For this recipe I did my most favourite plain Jane Almond/Vanilla, and decided to dip the cookies in white chocolate afterwards.  


Vanilla Almond Dipped Biscotti

1 cup Bob's Redmill All Purpose Flour (2 cups if you want to omit almond flour)
1 cup almond meal flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 TSPs baking powder
1 TSP salt
2/3 cup agave nectar (or 1 cup of sugar)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 TSPs vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped almonds
2 squares of Baker's white chocolate 

Preheat the oven to 325º.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat the eggs and agave (or sugar) for appox. 3 minutes.  You're looking for the eggs to be fluffy and a pale colour.  Stir in the dry ingredients until just mixed and even. Let the batter stand for up to 7 minutes.  Divide the dough into 2 piles on the baking sheet, forming them into 2 even log shapes that are about 3" wide.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the logs are a nice golden colour.

They don't need to be perfectly shaped to turn out delicious.

Once the cookies come out, let them stand and cool for a few minutes.  Cut them diagonally into even lengths.  Lay the cookies out onto the baking sheet cut side down and bake again for about 25 minutes.  Let the cookies cool completely.

Countdown to om nom time.

In a double boiler (or glass bowl placed over a pot), melt the white chocolate taking care not to burn it.  Dip 1 end of each of the cookies and place on the baking tray to cool.  Brew up some coffee, and dip dip dip.

Lock Stock and Two Smoked Bones

Stock is what I'm really going for here with my delicious title.  The easiest thing in the world to make in my humble opinion, and the stepping stone to so many delicious meals, soups, gravies etc. etc.  

This entry will give a basic idea of how to achieve 3 different types of stock, depending on your preference, and what you might be cooking.  You can either choose to discard the veggies or reuse them in the soup/concoction you're making.  


Stock Number 1 - Chicken

1 chicken carcass
1 whole onion cut into quarters with skin still on (washed of any dirt)
1 whole carrot (washed but un-peeled)
4 cloves of garlic smashed with skin still on
1 celery stalk
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary 

Throw all ingredients into a large pot and generously cover with water.  Cook on medium heat until a rolling boil is achieved for about 5 minutes.  Cover and simmer on low heat for up to 2 hours depending on how large the carcass is.  Refrigerate until cool and fat has solidified on the top.  Skim fat, strain into a freezer container, pot, or bowl.  Voila.

Stock Number 2 - Vegetable

2 whole onions cut into quarters
2 whole carrots 
4 cloves of garlic
2 celery stalks 
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 handful dried mushrooms

Throw all ingredients into a large pot and generously cover with water.  Cook on medium heat until boiling for 5 - 10 minutes.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.  Strain into a freezer container, pot, or bowl.


Stock Number 3 - Beef

1 portion beef bones (2-3 lbs) (acquired from the butcher)
1 onion cut into quarters
1 carrot roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic smashed with skin on
1 celery stalk roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 400 º, roast the beef bones for up to an hour.  Place the roasted bones, vegetables and herbs into a pot; generously cover with water.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.  Refrigerate until cool, skim any fat that may have risen to the surface. Strain into a freezer container, pot, or bowl.

Back...With Some Borscht!

It has been what seems like an eternity since I've sat down to write up a delicious recipe.  Needless to say I've missed my little blog, and with the cooler temperatures coming on - I'm ready to fire up the oven!

Since the theme here is cooler weather, I figured a nice hearty soup would be absolutely fitting for my first entry back.  I have been talking with one of my clients who is of Russian descent about her many favourite dishes from back home, and Borscht comes up a lot.  She gave me a few tips and tricks she knows from making her famous dish; and I'm passing on the secrets!

The most important trick for this dish is to make sure to dice up the vegetables into nice small cubes from maximum eat-ability.  Borscht is best made the day before serving to let all the flavours meld together.    There are also a few ways to make the dish in terms of meat stock/meat bits or completely vegetarian.  For this recipe I've used a pork hock simmered over medium low heat for about 2 hours.  Stay tuned for a super simple broth recipe that you can use for this dish and many others.

So colourful! 

Borscht:

2-3 TBSPs olive oil
1 carrot finely diced
1 green pepper diced (I actually went with yellow to add some colour)
1 stalk celery diced
1 onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic finely diced
2 beets finely diced
1/2 head cabbage diced
2 tomatoes grated (keep the juice)
1 nice handful dill chopped
1 pork hock (omit for beef, chicken or completely vegetarian if you so choose)
900ML box of broth (or about 6-8 cups of homemade broth)

In a large pot, put your pork hock and water to cover the hock over medium-low heat.  Simmer for up to 2 hours depending on size, picking the meat off the bone every once in a while.  You may need to add a few more cups of water during the process.  Once the meat is picked off, and the fat/skin bits have been separated strain the meat.  Toss the remaining fat, skin and bones in the compost.

In the same large pot, add the olive oil, garlic, and all the diced up vegetables except for the cabbage and tomato.  Cook over high heat stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies are soft.  Add in the broth, meat, tomatoes, dill, and cabbage.  Bring to a rolling boil uncovered for at least 5 more minutes before simmering for up to 40 minutes on low heat with the lid on.  If you like your cabbage crunchy, you can add it during the last 10 minutes of the simmering process.