Corn Blueberry Muffins

Makes 6:

Dry Ingredients:

• 3.5 ounces all purpose flour
• 2 ounces coarse cornmeal or polenta
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, ground after measuring
• 2 ounces demerera sugar (try substituting 0.5 ounces honey?)
• 2 ounces butter, slightly melted
• 1 egg yolk (or 1/2 egg)
• 4 ounces plain yogurt
• 2 ounces blueberries, fresh or fully defrosted
• butter for the muffin tins

Makes 12:

Dry Ingredients:

• 7 ounces all purpose flour
• 4 ounces coarse cornmeal or polenta
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, ground after measuring
• 4 ounces demerera sugar (try substituting 1 ounces honey?)
• 4 ounces butter, slightly melted
• 1 egg
  
• 8 ounces plain yogurt
• 4 ounces blueberries, fresh or fully defrosted
• butter for the muffin tins

Directions:

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, softened butter, egg and yogurt. Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients, and fold together with a spatula until barely incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Scoop the mixture into greased 6-muffin pan. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Test with toothpick or fork. Remove from oven and turn out, upside down on cutting board to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Braised Pork Shoulder with Chiles

Adapted from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food, p. 139.

NOTES: Next time, cut meat into chunks, increase carrots, add other vegetables (potatoes, leeks, peas), and serve as stew. Also consider adding a dried red chile pepper.

Clean a 4 lb pork shoulder, trim excess fat.

Ideally, the night before roasting, rub pork shoulder with this mixture:

3/4 tBsp salt, ground

1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1/8 tsp ground chipotle chile

olive oil

Slice a head of garlic into slivers, poke holes into pork shoulder with a knife, and put slivers in the holes.

Cover and refrigerate the pork shoulder until 1 hour before cooking.

Brown the pork shoulder, and remove. Place in Le Creuset french oven:

2 onions, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/8 tsp ground chipotle chile

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp ground ancho chile

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

Preheat oven to 375F. Place meat on top of vegetables, and pour in hot water. Water should reach 1/4 way up the roast.

Roast in oven, covered, for 75 minutes. Turn roast over and cook for another 30 minutes. Turn and cook for 30 minute increments until roast is tender. Total roasting time should be about 3 hours.

Remove roast. Strain sauce and serve with roast.

Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Strawberry Compote Ingredients

32 ounces of strawberries, stemmed and quartered
demerera sugar to taste

balsamic vinegar to taste

chopped mint

Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
Mix sliced strawberries with sugar and balsamic vinegar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes.

Using a mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Serve strawberries and whipped cream with mint as garnish. Optional: serve with shortbread cookies or shortcake.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium chopped yellow onion
• 1 medium chopped leek (light parts only)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 diced carrots
• 2 diced russet potatoes
• 1 pound (16 oz) dried split yellow peas
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups hot water
• optional: 1 ham hock, balsamic vinegar, chives

Directions

In a 4-quart french oven on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, bay leaves and pepper until the onions are translucent (about 10 minutes).

Add the carrots, potatoes, split peas, chicken stock and water.(Optional - add ham hock.) Bring to a boil, then simmer partly-covered for 45 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom.

Remove bay leaves. Blend with stick blender.

Optional: serve with balsamic vinegar and chives

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Cut in half and remove lower stem. Place on pan, cut side down.

Preheat toaster oven to 450F convection.

Roast for 8 minutes.

Turn heat down to 4ooF.

Roast another 6 - 8 minutes

Toss in sri racha and lime juice OR lemon juice, salt & pepper.