Stephanie's Kitchen Drawer: Mortar & Pestle

Recently I purchased the above pictured Mortar & Pestle (European term) or Molcajete (Latin term) for my birthday.  I was able to buy the mortar and pestle at Costco for $14 and some change.  This is a seasonal item in our Costco, probably if you were to go to a Latin Grocery store you might find one.  I went to a nearby Latin Grocery store and asked the clerk about finding a Molcajete and she ignored me. I could't tell if it was because she did't speak English or because I was a Gringo.  I wanted a Molcajete style Mortar & Pestle because they are bigger than a traditional European Mortar & Pestle.  Ikea sells a Mortar & Pestle, but it is small.  I have seven people to feed, (sort of) and so I wanted a big Mortar & Pestle.  Now to using this particular Mortar & Pestle. It comes unfinished.  What do I mean by unfinished? I mean the finish is straight cut stone and it needs to be finished before using or you will have pieces of stone in your food.  I opted for the cheat method versus the traditional method.  At Home Depot, I purchased a 3" wire brush attachment for a corded drill.  On our balcony, in the cold, I scoured the stone surface and tried to smooth the surface as much as I could.  Then I rinsed it, let it dry and repeated two more times.  After the wire brush/rinse routine, I then used the traditional grinding rice method to remove the last remnants of stone dust.  Grinding rice is therapeutic.  Yes it is, because you see results as you grind that poor defenseless rice into dust and this doesn't hurt anybody.  I made guacamole the first time I used it.  Oh my goodness, is that so worth it.  I made a paste with cilantro, onion, and the jalapeño, before adding the avocado and lime juice.  Wow, I love guacamole made this way.  On the next day, I made the pesto recipe I posted, and again I was blown away by how wonderful the flavors are heightened by the simple act of crushing them versus cutting them in a food processor.  Having made pesto in a food processor and now in a Mortar & Pestle, I wholeheartedly endorse this Mortar & Pestle/Molcajete from Casa Maya.  In my Amazon store widget you will find a link to the Molcajete I have and use.

Lobster Gnocchi Soup

I had a leftover lobster tail and some fresh gnocchi (I didn't make the gnocchi, it was store bought) and decided to make a soup with them.  My inspiration was clam chowder and corn chowder together, in other words a cream soup using my lobster and gnocchi's along with diced potatoes.  I used all of the lobster tail to make this soup, shell and all, so it is a great use of leftovers.  When I started making the soup, I had an idea of the ingredients, but I added more along the way.  So, several ingredients didn't have a photo cameo, sorry about that.

 I love having a lot of color in soup.

Ingredients for Lobster Stock:

Lobster Shell

1 Yellow Onion

5 cloves Garlic (not pictured)

8 cups Water

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 stalk Celery

1 Carrot (not pictured)

Ingredients for Lobster Gnocchi Soup:

Lobster Stock

Lobster Tail Meat

1 Yellow Onion

5 Russet Potatoes

Package of Fresh Gnocchi

2 cups frozen Sweet Corn

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon Sea Salt (not pictured)

1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme (not pictured)

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder (not pictured)

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (not pictured)

Process for Lobster Stock:

Peel onion and cut into quarters.

Peel garlic.

Clean and cut carrot into quarters.

Clean and cut celery into quarters.

Add all ingredients to a pressure cooker pot.

Set pressure cooker to high for 30 minutes.

Allow pressure to naturally release.

Pour stock through a metal sieve into a large stock pot.

 Dice lobster meat.

 Peel and dice onion.

 Peel and dice potatoes.

 Remove Thyme leaves from stems.

Bring stock to boil and add potatoes, onions, corn, thyme, and sea salt.

Cook for 5-8 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Add gnocchi and cook until gnocchi floats.

Sprinkle smoked paprika and garlic powder into soup and stir.  

Pour in cream and cook until it boils, turn off heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Lobster Gnocchi Soup

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Lobster Stock:

Lobster Shell

1 Yellow Onion

5 cloves Garlic

8 cups Water

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 stalk Celery

1 Carrot

Ingredients for Lobster Gnocchi Soup:

Lobster Stock

Lobster Tail Meat

1 Yellow Onion

5 Russet Potatoes

Package of Fresh Gnocchi

2 cups frozen Sweet Corn

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Process for Lobster Stock:

Peel onion and cut into quarters.

Peel garlic.

Clean and cut carrot into quarters.

Clean and cut celery into quarters.

Add all ingredients to a pressure cooker pot.

Set pressure cooker to high for 30 minutes.

Allow pressure to naturally release.

Pour stock through a metal sieve into a large stock pot.

Process for Lobster Gnocchi Soup:

Dice lobster meat.

Peel and dice onion.

Peel and dice potatoes.

Remove Thyme leaves from stems.

Bring stock to boil over medium high flame and add potatoes, onions, corn, thyme, and sea salt.

Cook for 5-8 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Add gnocchi and cook until gnocchi floats.

Sprinkle smoked paprika and garlic powder and stir.  

Pour in cream and cook until it boils, turn off heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Broiled Lobster Tail

I must admit I have never prepared lobster tail, and I think I have only eaten it once at the Yosemite Lodge while on my honeymoon.  Lobster tail was our Chinese teenager's contribution to dinner this week.  I was happy to oblige, but a little daunted by this crustacean,  I mean it is expensive seafood. After much reading and searching, I think I came up with a way to prepare the lobster tail, and now I will share the tale of how I prepared it.  Like that play on words, huh?  Maybe my tale of tails was a bit of overkill.   Sorry it's been an early morning.

I'm told by our Chinese teenager that the lobster tail was good.   Sadly, I was organizing
Girl Scout cookies, so I missed it.

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:

2 Lobster Tails

1/2 cup Herb Garlic Irish Butter

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Snip the top of the lobster tail straight down to the end of the tail.

Begin pulling apart the shell of the lobster tail outward to expose the flesh and release it 
slightly since it is attached.

Holding open the shell of the lobster, sprinkle salt and pepper on the flesh.

Slice half the butter into 1/4 inch pats and place inside shell on the lobster meat.  

Place lobster tails on aluminum foil lined broiler pan.

Place the top rack of your oven in the middle of the oven.

Put pan with lobster tail on rack and turn on broiler to high.

Place a ball of aluminum in between the door of the oven and the oven to keep the door from closing.  (This will trick the oven into keeping the broiler flame on.

Broil lobster for 8-10 minutes or the flesh becomes opaque.  

Remove lobster from oven and slice the remaining butter into pats and place on cooked 

lobster tail flesh.

Enjoy!

Broiled Lobster Tail

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

2 Lobster Tails

1/2 cup Herb Garlic Irish Butter

Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Process:

Snip the top of the lobster tail straight down to the end of the tail.

Begin pulling apart the shell of the lobster tail outward to expose the flesh and release it slightly 
since it is attached.

Holding open the shell of the lobster, sprinkle salt and pepper on the flesh.

Slice half the butter into 1/4 inch pats and place inside shell on the lobster meat.  

Place lobster tails on aluminum foil lined broiler pan.

Place the top rack of your oven in the middle of the oven.

Put pan with lobster tail on rack and turn on broiler to high.

Place a ball of aluminum in between the door of the oven and the oven to keep the door from closing. (This will trick the oven into keeping the broiler flame on.

Broil lobster for 8-10 minutes or the flesh becomes opaque.  

Remove lobster from oven and slice the remaining butter into pats and place on cooked lobster tail flesh.

Enjoy!

Basil Pesto

I bought a mortar and pestle for my birthday yesterday.  It is an 8 1/2 inch stone mortar from Costco.  I saw it last year in Costco as well, but I second guessed myself and didn't buy it, so when it came back, it was time to get it.  The mortar and pestle have to be seasoned.   Seasoning refers to smoothing the stone and rubbing it with ingredients.  I decided to shortcut the long process of grinding rice and waiting between grinding and used a wire brush attached to a plug in drill.  After putting my nose to the grind stone so to speak, I then ground some rice with the pestle and cleaned the grit.  The seasoning process was long but, I did prevail, and no stone dust was found in our pesto thankfully.  This is as traditional a pesto recipe as I can muster.  Yes, it was worth the effort.   The mortar and pestle do create a superior pesto versus the American chopped pesto.  

 This pesto is delicious and well worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 bunch of Fresh Basil

3 cloves fresh Garlic

1/2 cup Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Pine Nuts

 Place garlic and salt in mortar and begin crushing it with the pestle until a paste is formed.

Rinse basil and remove leaves from stems.

Cut basil leaves into small pieces.

 Place basil in mortar and begin crushing it into the garlic with the pestle creating a smooth paste.

Slowly adding 1 teaspoon of olive oil at a time.  Mix with the pestle and continue until the oil is all added.

 Sprinkle the cheese in the mortar and mix with the pestle.

 Add the pine nuts and crush them with the pestle until smooth and combined.

 Beautiful color!

Enjoy!

Pesto

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Fresh Basil

3 cloves fresh Garlic

1/3 cup Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt

1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup Pine Nuts

Process:

Place garlic and salt in mortar and begin crushing it with the pestle, until a paste is formed.

Rinse basil and remove leaves from stems.

Cut basil leaves into small pieces.

Place basil in mortar and begin crushing it into the garlic with the pestle creating a smooth paste.

Slowly add 1 teaspoon of olive oil at a time.  Mix with the pestle and continue until the oil is all added.

Sprinkle the cheese in the mortar and mix with the pestle.

Add the pine nuts and crush them with the pestle until smooth and combined.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Syrup

Do you know what you can use vanilla syrup for?  You can make your very own cream soda by adding this syrup to sparkling mineral water, or you can use it to make Starbuck's Vanilla Bean Shake (I think a post on how to make a Vanilla Bean shake will be next).  This is a very simple syrup, and very delicious.  We used our vanilla syrup to make cream soda and enjoyed it with our Irish Feast.  This was also a great way to showcase my homemade vanilla extract.

 This is the best cream soda you will ever have, thanks to vanilla syrup.

Ingredients for this Recipe are:

1½ cups Cane Sugar

2 cups Water
¾ tsp. Vanilla Extract

 Pour water and cane sugar into a medium sauce pan over a medium flame.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Allow to cool and place in air tight container in refrigerator.

Pour 2 tablespoons into a tall glass and add sparkling mineral water.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Syrup

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1½ cups Cane Sugar
2 cups Water
¾ tsp. Vanilla Extract

Process:

Pour water and cane sugar into a medium sauce pan over a medium flame.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Allow to cool and place in air tight container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Apple Barley Pudding

While searching for an Irish dessert, I came upon this dessert and decided I could do this.  I have all the ingredients.  This is a simple dessert I found on the website European Cuisines.  The author of the post explained this dessert was created by farmers who grew barley and needed to use apples that had been stored over the year and were best used cooked.  The recipe and history can be seen here.

 I liked layering this pudding.  It's a very simple and yummy dessert.

Ingredients for this Recipe are:

1 1/2 lbs. Gala Apples

4 round tablespoons Pearl Barley

1 tablespoon Lemon Extract

6 tablespoons Cane Sugar

1 Quart Water

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Peel, core and slice apples.

 Add the water to a heavy pot, add the barley, and bring to a boil. Add the sliced apples and 

cook gently until both the barley and the apples are soft (normally about half an hour).

When the barley is cooked, and the apples are in pieces, remove from heat and puree with 
immersion blender.  

Return mixture to stove and stir in lemon extract, and 4 tablespoons cane sugar and cook over 
medium flame until it boils.   

Boil mixture for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour mixture into bowl and place in refrigerator to get cold.

After pudding is cold, blend in a blender if the barley is not completely pureed.

Add heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, and vanilla to mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Attach whisk and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Layer apple barley pudding and cream together in glasses.

Enjoy!

Apple Barley Pudding

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. Gala Apples

4 round tablespoons Pearl Barley

1 tablespoon Lemon Extract

6 tablespoons Cane Sugar

1 Quart Water

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Process:

Peel, core and slice apples.

Add the water to a heavy pot, add the barley, and bring to a boil. Add the sliced apples and cook gently until both the barley and the apples are soft (normally about half an hour).

When the barley is cooked, and the apples are in pieces remove from heat and puree with immersion blender.  

Return mixture to stove and stir in lemon extract, and 4 tablespoons cane sugar and cook over medium flame until it boils.   

Boil mixture for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour mixture into bowl and place in refrigerator to get cold.

After pudding is cold, blend in a blender if the barley is not completely pureed.

Add heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons cane sugar, and vanilla to mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Attach whisk and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Layer apple barley pudding and cream together in glasses.

Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread (Spelt)

Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made with wholemeal or whole wheat, and soda to leaven.  Here in the USA, Irish Soda Bread changed.  It was made with white all purpose flour and included raisins and sugar.  This recipe is adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe.  It is completely made with spelt and it has golden raisins so you could say I chose to take a little Irish influence and add a little American to it. This bread must be accompanied with good Irish Butter.  My friends and family would implore you "do not skimp on this, get the Irish Butter and you will thank us in the end."

 This bread was so delicious, and the butter brought it over the top.

Ingredients for this Recipe are:

3 3/4 cups Spelt Flour

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) Cane Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
2/3 cup (3 ounces) Golden Raisins
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) cold Butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 1/3 cups (10 5/8 ounces) Buttermilk (I made buttermilk using 1 tablespoon apples cider vinegar and then filling up to the 1 1/3 cup line of whole milk)

1 large Egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 Mix spelt flour, sugar, baking soda, sea salt, and golden raisins in a medium bowl.

Mix buttermilk and egg together.

Put cut butter in flour mixture and using your fingers blend the butter and flour together 
forming small pea size globules.

Add buttermilk mixture and gently knead the dough until it forms a ball.

Form a round loaf from the dough and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Using a serrated knife cut a 1/2 inch deep cross into the loaf.

Bake bread for 45-55 minutes.

 Serve with Irish Butter.

Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread (Spelt)

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups Spelt Flour

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) Cane Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
2/3 cup (3 ounces) Golden Raisins
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) cold Butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/3 cups (10 5/8 ounces) Buttermilk
1 large Egg

Process:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix spelt flour, sugar, baking soda, sea salt, and golden raisins in a medium bowl.

Mix buttermilk and egg together.

Put cut butter in flour mixture and using your fingers blend the butter and flour together forming small pea size globules.

Add buttermilk mixture and gently knead the dough until it forms a ball.

Form a round loaf from the dough and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Using a serrated knife cut a 1/2 inch deep cross into the loaf.

Bake bread for 45-55 minutes.

Serve with Irish Butter.

Enjoy!