Growing up my mom always had a special meal during the week that was made for just us kids. You see, my dad travelled (a lot) so my mom took the liberty to create fun week night dinners for us. One week it would be peanut butter and jelly crepes for dinner, another week it would be macaroni and cheese with hotdogs incorporated, and another night it would be Jonny Cakes. Jonny cakes are a traditional Rhode Island corn cake that is usually drenched in pure maple syrup goodness before serving these were always one of my favorite things to enjoy as a kid. This week, I decided to make these traditional cakes but add some fresh grated zucchini and basil into the mix and serve the golden rounds as a side dish – Zucchini Corn Cakes – to create our own fun supper night.
Place corn meal, zucchini, basil, salt and honey into a large bowl. Next, slowly add the boiling water a little at a time and stir well to remove the lumps and you get your desired consistency. Should be slightly thick and not too thin. Once lump free, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb some of the water. Next place a large heavy duty skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it start to melt to coat the pan.
Once coated, add a 1/4 cup of the corn cake mixture to the pan and gently pat flat into about 2 1/2" -3" cake size. Continue the process until the pan is covered yet cakes are evenly spaced out in the pan. Let cakes cook for 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden in color.
Once golden, flip and continue to cook the other side for another 2-4 minutes or until golden. Repeat process until all of the cake batter is used. Serve as a side dish, or main course. Top with butter, maple syrup or sour cream.
Today, is a blue sky and hot summer day. Today, marks less than a week until school starts for my kiddos – can I get a yippee?! Today, is a just a Tuesday but for some it also happens to be their special day. Yes, today is my birthday and while I’ve never been one of those people that goes all out (except that last BIG one a couple of years ago) I do like to enjoy a treat (or ten) on this particular day. With cravings of a rich Cajeta sauce on my mind and breakfast time looming I got to work. This recipe calls for goats milk which by the way is now available at most farmers markets but if you can’t find it there try your local store, it usually comes in box or can form or if your lucky try asking your neighbors goats nicely, of course. And, just a side note, the lovely folks at Swede Farm Dairy now carry chocolate goats milk with a pound of chocolate per batch –– Wow! Perhaps next time I will try making this sauce with that flavor but for now, these Cajeta Dutch Baby pancakes make me a happy gal. They are part pancake, part soufflé and all delicious and topped with a rich almost caramel-like sauce and it’s a gosh darn good breakfast for Tuesday (or a special day).
I recommend child labor, I mean, getting a helper to pour the scrumptious sauce.
1/2teaspoonbaking sodadissolved in a teaspoon of water
Servings: -4 servings
Instructions
Dutch Baby Pancake
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium cast iron skillet, place butter and melt slowly over low heat on stove.
While butter is melting, gently mix flour, milk, eggs, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour egg mixture into butter skillet and place skillet into the oven.
Bake for 20-22 minutes until pancake is golden brown. Pancake will look similar to a souffle at this time. Remove from the oven and drizzle with Cojeta Sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if using.
Cojeta Sauce
Place milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt into a medium, heavy duty pan over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer, while stirring. Once simmering, remove pan from heat and wait for the bubbles stop, while continuing to stir.
Once the bubbles have stopped add in the dissolved baking soda and continue to stir.
Place pan back over low heat and continue to stir until it starts to thicken and turn golden brown - about 20-25 minutes. Once golden in color remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. After 4-5 minutes check consistency if too thick add a touch of water to thin it out about 2 Tablespoons and stir together well. If too thin place back onto the heat and continue to stir and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Once the right consistency is reached drizzle over your Dutch Baby Pancake.
I feel like we are all kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop as it really hasn’t been that hot here. I mean we’ve hit a few upper 90 degrees but nothing in the 100 range, yet and we are already in mid-July. That’s ok though. It’s still summer, even though I’m already back-to-school shopping, and it’s still the time for ice-y desserts and treats to … cool it now … remember that song by New Edition? Maybe? Although, any annual equinox is really good for sorbet I think. Any who, you know that I have just been going ga-ga (ha!) for the melons at the markets this season so here it is: Rosemary Cantaloupe Sorbet –– subtle hints of rosemary intertwined with sweet and juicy melon to help keep ya cool and refreshed.
Place 1/2 cup water, sugar, rosemary and salt into a medium sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir gently and continue to boil until the water is reduced by half and a syrup begins to form about 3-5 minutes. Once reduced, remove from heat. Remove rosemary sprigs and set aside until completely cool.
Place chopped melon into the blender or food processor with remaining 1/2 cup of water. Blend until smooth and all of the cantaloupe is incorporated.
Pour rosemary syrup into the blended cantaloupe mixture and give a gentle stir. Pour mixture into a container and freeze for 4-6 hours until completely frozen through. Once frozen, serve.
Holy moly, the summer fruits are amazing this year! It might be all of the spring rain we’ve had or the lack of 100 degree temperatures but whatever the case this season’s fruit is so gosh darn flavorful. My current obsession are the fresh cantaloupe melons that are showing up at the markets. Firm, yet tender and juicy, and SO full of cantaloupe goodness. Last week, I had the pleasure of holding my sweet friend Mary Helen’s tiny 6-week old baby, Charlie, and when one goes to visit a new mom, one must bring food. With the melon crop being so delicious, I could not help but to make this Minted Peach and Melon Salad. Dewy melon surrounded by luscious peaches then sprinkled with salty Cotija cheese and flecked with fresh-from-the-garden mint makes this salad a cool summer treat. Bring it to your next picnic, poolside outing, or to your new momma friend.
Place melon and peaches into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle in the salt and gently toss together. Next add the fresh mint and cojita cheese and give another gently toss.
Overall Texas, I am most impressed with your produce bounty and I am constantly amazed by things that grow here. Edamame, mangos, peaches, blueberries, Brussels sprouts –– who knew this big state could be so deliciously rewarding? But … if I were to be sad about one thing that doesn’t grow here, I would have to say … cherries (Insert sad face). Sweet, tangy, juicy cherries are the epitome of summer to me, so thank goodness for places like Whole Foods and events like their “Cherry Fest” to get my fix –– Yay!
Austin’s own Stephanie McClenny of the award-winning Confituras fame will be selling some of her delicious jams, jellies and pickled goods at the Domaine location of Whole Foods at the end of summer but at a recent cooking demo, Stephanie shared a few of her favorite cherry recipes. Have you ever tried pickled cherries? Wow-wee! These balls of vinegary goodness can be saved until the depths of winter or enjoyed now and pair perfectly with grilled meats and creamy or pungent cheeses. I am thrilled to be able to share her recipe with you to try along with a few cherry picking tips from the folks at Whole Foods:
How to Pick a Sweet Cherry:
Check the stems. Fresh cherries have green stems
Give them a feel. Cherries should be firm, no soft spots or bruising
Look for the good color. Depending on variety, ideally they should be deep, bright red to mahogany
Give them the once over. Fruit should be free of insect damage and pitting (little indentations caused by dehydration)
Give them a taste. Be sure the amount of sugar in the fruit is high
Go forth and eat, devour and savor the cherry season and if you are lucky enough to live near a cheery tree, or cherry growing state, I will trade for jalapeños.
In a medium saucepan, place vinegar, sugar, salt, a few sprigs of the tarragon or mexican mint marigold, and 1 tablespoon of the pink peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer just long enough for the sugar and salt to dissolve, about a minute or two. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, rinse cherries discarding any with noticeable blemishes – no need to pit them. Trim cherry stems to about ½-inch and the load cherries into clean glass jars. Slip a few blades of tarragon down the sides of the jars and top with 10-12 pink peppercorns (some will fall to the bottom of the jar add distribute themselves naturally).
Pour the brine over the cherries, filling with enough to cover them. Place lid and refrigerate for at least several days so the flavors have a chance to penetrate the fruit. Keeps refrigerated up to year. Makes three to four 8-ounce jars.
I really can’t believe this little ole blog has been up and running for four years now. Sometimes it feels longer given that fact that so much has happened since this thing started and other times it stills feels new. With well over 300 hundred recipes added into the Local Savour recipe box, thousands of photos, and loads of delicious food consumed, I am so honored you all are here on this journey with me. I still remember that first recipe I posted and how nervous I was at the thought of hitting the “publish” button. SO … what does one make for their “blogoversary?” I decided on my Chilled Cucumber Soup recipe because one; it’s a favorite summer soup of mine and two; because it was the first recipe I posted due to the fact at the time my garden was being over-run with cucumbers. Yes, all of this is true, however, there’s one more reason for choosing this refreshing soup –– my original photo of it was terrible. It was a good try, for a first post, but I have been wanting to update it for sometime now and thought why not for my celebration? Plus it pairs well with champagne –– YAY! Although this year my cucumbers aren’t quite as successful, the soup is still a family favorite –– icy cold and creamy cucumber soup with a drizzle of fresh yogurt hits the spot on any hot day. Spoons up and cheers to another great year in food. Thank you all for reading along and helping to spread the word about the dishes I love.
Place cucumbers into blender or food processor.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and blend for 1-2 minutes on high speed or until completely mixed.
Pour into bowls or place into the refrigerator for a few hours if you like to serve it a bit colder.
Garnish with little yogurt and top with a few cucumber slices before serving.
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