Our Favourite Pumpkin Pie

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Pumpkin Pie

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups of fresh pumpkin or winter squash puree
• 9 inch pastry shell (recipe below)
• 2 organic eggs
• 1 cup of organic brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of organic flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 10 fluid ounces of evaporated milk or coconut milk

Directions:

Cut pumpkin or squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs.  Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk.  Stir well after each addition.  Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

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Easy Nine Inch Pastry Shell

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups organic flour
• 1 Tbs. organic sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted organic butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 3 Tbs. very cold water

Directions:

To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the water and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
To make the dough in a stand mixer, fit the mixer with the flat beater, and stir together the flour, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the water and mix on low speed just until the dough pulls together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. (Although many dough recipes call for chilling the dough at this point, this dough should be rolled out immediately for the best results.) Lightly flour the work surface, then flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out into a round at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick. Makes enough dough for one 9-inch single-crust pie.

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Kimchi

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Kimchi in crocks

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Ingredients (for one liter):

• 1 pound nappa cabbage
• 1 daikon radish
• 2 carrots
• 2-3 green onions (or leeks or shallots)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger
• cayenne pepper or hot chillies to taste

Directions:

Coarsely chop the cabbage into a large bowl. Grate and add the carrots, radish and ginger. Chop the onions, garlic and peppers and add to the bowl. Gently mix with hands and transfer to a small crock or jar. Pack Tightly. Make a brine of 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Add the brine to the crock and weight the veggies down with a smaller jar or zip-lock bag full of water. The vegetables with make more brine as it ferments. If there is not enough liquid to cover the veggies, add another cup of water and tablespoon of salt. Check after 3 days to check for desired level of fermentation. Refrigerate when done.

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Membrillo (Quince Paste)

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Quinces

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Ingredients:

• 4 pounds quince, washed, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 2 strips (1/2 inch by 2 inches each) of lemon peel (only the yellow peel, no white pith)
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• About 4 cups of granulated sugar, exact amount will be determined during cooking

Directions:

Place quince pieces in a large saucepan (6-8 quarts) and cover with water.  Add the vanilla pod and lemon peel and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the quince pieces are fork tender (30-40 minutes).

Strain the water from the quince pieces.  Discard the vanilla pod but keep the lemon peel with the quince.  Purée the quince pieces in a food processor, blender, or by using a food mill.  Measure the quince purée.  Whatever amount of quince purée you have, that’s how much sugar you will need.  So if you have 4 cups of purée, you’ll need 4 cups of sugar.  Return the quince purée to the large pan.  Heat to medium-low.  Add the sugar.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Add the lemon juice.

Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1 1/2 hours,  until the quince paste is very thick and has a deep orange pink color.

Preheat oven to a low 125°F (52°C).  Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper (do not use wax paper, it will melt!).  Grease the parchment paper with a thin coating of butter.  Pour the cooked quince paste into the parchment paper-lined baking pan.  Smooth out the top of the paste so it is even.  Place in the oven for about an hour to help it dry.  Remove from oven and let cool.

To serve, cut into squares or wedges and present with manchego cheese.  To eat, take a small slice of the membrillo and spread it on top of a slice of the cheese.  Store by wrapping in foil or plastic wrap, an keeping in the refrigerator.

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Fermented Grape Soda

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Grape Soda

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Ingredients:

• 4 tsp. finely grated washed organic ginger, divided (grate 1 tsp. at a time over 4 days)
• 4 tsp. sugar, divided
• 3 lbs. red seedless grapes

Directions:

Stir in 1 tsp. ginger and 1 tsp. sugar and let sit 1 day. Repeat twice more. Mixture (ginger bug) should have bubbles throughout and release more when agitated.

Ginger Bug

After 3 days, purée grapes in a blender until smooth. Strain, pressing on solids (you should have about 4 cups juice).

Combine juice and ½ cup ginger bug in a large nonreactive bowl. Cover with cheesecloth; secure with a large rubber band. Let sit out of direct sunlight at room temperature, skimming white foam from surface, until mixture is slightly foamy and releases bubbles when stirred, 3–4 days. Strain into bottle, cap, and let sit at room temperature until bottle feels pressurized, about 1 day longer. Chill.

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Heirloom Tomato Sauce

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Assortment of Heirloom Tomatoes

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Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 handful of basil or other fresh herbs
• 1 hot pepper (optional)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Simmer on medium-low for about 1 hour or to desired thickness.

You can freeze or can the sauce if desired.

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Naturally Fermented Crock Pickles

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Jar of Fermented Pickles

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Ingredients (for a one gallon jar):

• 4 pounds of pickling cukes
• 2 grape leaves and or 1 horseradish leaf
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 small hot pepper
• 4 or 5 dill heads

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into the jar with the cucumbers and some of the dill on top. Cover with a brine solution of 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt to 1 cup of water. Make enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Put a smaller jar or zip-lock bag filled with water on top to keep the cukes submerged. Store in a warm place and let ferment for 1 to 2 weeks. Check after one week to see if they are sour enough for you. The warmer the location, the faster they will ferment. Refrigerate when done.

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Kombucha (Tea Kvass)

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Kombucha Mother (SCOBY)

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Ingredients:

• Kombucha Mother
• 10 cups of non chlorinated water
• 4 organic tea bags (black, green or combination of)
• 3/4 cup of organic cane sugar

Directions:

Boil the water in a large pot. Take off heat. Add the tea bags and sugar and steep for 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Add tea to the kombucha mother in a crock or large jar. Cover the top with a light cloth or tea towel and store in a warm location. Period of fermentation will depend on the size of the mother. After seven days, begin tasting the kombucha daily by pouring a little out of the jar and into a cup. When it reaches a balance of sweetness and tartness that is pleasant to you, the kombucha is ready to bottle.

For more detailed information on kombucha making, here is a great link: http://www.kombu.de/anleit-e.htm