I Tried Biscoff Spread

Biscoff spread is Europe's alternative to peanut butter, according to producer Lotus Foods.  However, it contains no nuts. It does have the consistency of peanut butter but is largely comprised of ground up Biscoff Cookies, the cookies you get when you fly Delta.  FYI, Biscoff spread was invented by Els Scheppers in 2007 as part of a reality TV competition in Belgium.

I first learned of Biscoff spread from the blogosphere.  However, I received two free jars when I visited the Belgium Embassy this May during the yearly embassy open houses.  The product distributor recommended placing it on ice cream as a topping.  The Biscoff website says you can also enjoy it with apples or on toast.  I went with the distributors recommendation and tried it out on vanilla ice cream.

 


Biscoff tastes exactly like molten graham crackers and its flavor mixed well with vanilla ice cream.  The spread didn’t stir into the ice cream as well as I would have hoped.  However, my kitchen was warm so my ice cream melted quickly.  I wouldn’t put Biscoff on toast, but I seem to enjoy eating it out of the jar.  If you like eating cookie dough, you will probably like Biscoff.    

Ingredient 20 – Morel Mushrooms

This week I had a really hard time deciding what ingredient to feature.  I had many good options after visiting the DuPont Circle Farmer's Market on Sunday.  The DuPont market is really fantastic; there are numerous vendors and an abundance of wonderful products.  After some debate and several purchases, I decided on morel mushrooms.



Morel mushrooms are cone-shaped and have a sponge-like or honeycomb cap.  They range in color and size.  Darker morels have a smokier, nuttier, and earthier flavor.  Wild morel mushrooms are available between April and June, but cultivated morels can be purchased year-round.  It is best to consume morels as soon as possible after purchase.  However, If not using immediately, place the mushrooms in a paper bag and store in a cool location for up to 48 hours.  Never store morels in plastic, they need to breathe.

Morels should be cooked, not eaten raw.  They can be cooked in butter and enjoyed alone or added to dishes such as soup, quiche, pasta or risotto.  However, it is best to include them in simple dishes so their flavor is not lost.    

Morel and Asparagus Sandwiches with Poached Egg
Adapted from Martha StewartServes 2-4
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch asparagus
4oz small morel mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tbp heavy cream
4 tsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbp fresh lemon juice
4 eggs
4 slices rustic bread
Salt
Pepper



Begin by cleaning and slicing the morels.  There are differing schools of thought on how to clean these mushrooms.  However, many authors call for limited use of water during cleaning.  I quickly rinsed my morels in cool water and laid them to dry on a paper towel.  Gently wiping the mushrooms with a damp paper towel was another commonly cited method.  Once dry, I sliced the mushrooms in halves or quarters, depending on the size.



While the morels are drying, rinse and trim the asparagus, rinse and chop the parsley, and place the ricotta in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.



Place the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute before adding the morels and chicken stock.  When the stock has come to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 minutes.  After 2 minutes, uncover and add the cream and cook and additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cover and remove from heat.




To poach the eggs, bring 3 to 4 cups water to a gentle simmer in a shallow saucepan or skillet.  (To produce a somewhat neat looking egg you will need a mold to hold the egg as it cooks.  I use a metal cookie cutter.)  Place the mold in the pan and pour the egg inside the cutter.  Cook the egg for approximately 3 minutes.  Keep an eye on your water, don't let it boil.  Repeat until all eggs are cooked.



While the egg is cooking, toast the bread and spread the ricotta mixture on top.  Place asparagus spears and morel sauce on top.  Once cooked, remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and place on top of the asparagus.  Martha Stewart recommends placing the eggs on a paper towel lined plate to dry before plating. I tried this technique but found it to be a royal pain in the butt.  I would gently dab away any excess water with a paper towel when transferring the egg from the pan.  Once plated, dig in and enjoy. 
  


Overall, I enjoyed this dish.  The ricotta, egg yolks, and asparagus complemented each other nicely and the morel sauce had a nice earthy flavor.  As for the morels themselves, I wasn’t wowed.  I would be curious to try morels simply cooked in butter. 

I am a bit frustrated that my poached eggs look nothing like the ones I get in restaurants.  I think I need some special tools if I am ever going to produce a picture perfect poached egg.

Ingredient 19 - Brandy

This weekend I made sangria for Dave's graduation party.  Not gonna lie, I love sangria because it is refreshing and not too sweet.  Until recently, I had no idea that that traditional red wine sangria included brandy.  I thought sangria was made with just wine, juice, and fruit.  

Before making sangria, my knowledge of brandy was pretty much non-existent.  If someone mentioned brandy, my first impulse was to sing the chorus of Brandy by Looking Glass, not exactly informative.  However, brandy or brandywine, is a distilled wine or fruit mash that contains 35 to 60% alcohol by volume.  It is produced in most countries that also produce wine.  Cognac is brandy from the Cognac region of France that has been double distilled in pot stills.  Brandy is often consumed as an after dinner drink, and is the alcohol ignited when preparing flamed desserts, such as cherries jubilee.

Sangria for a Crowd
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse  
2 (750-ml) bottles red wine – My local wine shop suggested Merlot.
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup orange flavored liqueur
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
2 apples
2 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water



Begin by preparing the fruit.  Peel, core, and slice the apples.  An apple slicer makes coring easy but you may need to use a knife to clean up the pieces.



Next, thinly slice the citrus, discarding the ends and removing any lemon seeds.  Place the sliced fruit, orange juice, sugar, and liquors in a large glass jug or punch bowl   Pour the red wine in the container and mix gently with a large spoon.  Refrigerate the mixture for 2 to 3 hours.



When ready to serve, remove the sangria from the fridge and pour in the sparkling water, again stirring gently with a large spoon.  Serve the sangria over ice.



This sangria was easy to make and delicious.  It was a hit at the party and I will be making it again.  I wasn't sure if the sparkling water would make the sangria too bubbly but I didn't even notice its presence.  I am looking forward to trying my hand at white sangria over the summer.  

Ingredient 18 – Blue Crab

I am slightly annoyed to admit that this is the second week in a row my blog plans have been ruined by ingredient unavailability.  I was going to make a salad with pea shoots, but when I arrived at the farmers’ market on Tuesday the vendor informed me that some lady bought the entire bag of shoots.  After hearing this news, my brain went into overdrive / panic mode.  I bought some baby greens and some blue crab meat, figuring I could create a salad with the two.

Fun fact, blue crab is the official crustacean of Maryland.  While this news was hardly surprising, I was surprised to learn that female blue crabs only mate once in their lifetime.    Also of note, male and female crabs can de distinguished by the shape of the abdomen, known as the apron.  Male aprons are long and slender like the Washington Monument.  The female apron is round and wide like the dome of the United States Capitol.  Cooking breaks down the pigments responsible for the shell’s blue hue.  Thus, if you order blue crab at a restaurant, the crab that makes it’s way to your plate will appear reddish orange in color.

Blue Crab Salad
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Serves 2 to 3 as a meal
16 oz lump blue crabmeat
4 tbp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
4 tsp tarragon leaves
2 plum tomatoes
2 avocados
3 to 4 cups mixed baby greens
2 tsp chives
Salt
Black pepper



Begin by washing the lettuce and washing and chopping the tarragon and chives.  Place the herbs in a large bowl with the lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt and pepper.  Combine the contents of the bowl with a fork.




Next, prepare the avocados and tomato.  Pit and slice the avocado.  If you do not own an avocado tool, buy one.  They make neatly slicing avocados a breeze.   Seed and chop the tomatoes.  Place the chopped avocado and tomatoes in the bowl with the herbs and mayo and gently combine with a fork.





Last but not least, place the crab meat in the bowl and gently mix with the fork.  Place 1/2 to 1/3 the mixture atop a plate of the baby greens and enjoy.




I am sad to report that this salad was not the hit I was expecting.  I really love salads with crab and I thought this one was just ok.  Dave gave it a thumbs down.  He said the crab mixture was too goopy and lacked flavor.  Upon reflection, I think he is right.  If you make this salad, reduce the avocado and mayo by half.  Maybe increase the lemon juice too.  Overall grade: C.      

I Tried Kombucha

Kombucha, pronounced kom-BOO-cha, is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast.  It originated in Manchuria and later spread to Russia.  The tea first received attention in the United States during the 1990s and has gained popularity with the health conscious crowd in the last few years.  Fans of the drink believe its consumption results in numerous health benefits, improved digestion and immunity are the most commonly cited.  However, these claims have yet to be fully vetted by the scientific community.  The Mayo Clinic suggests caution with homemade brews.  Illness may result from non-sterile brewing conditions or production in ceramic pots; acids in the tea may leach lead from the ceramic glaze.

In the last month I have tried two kinds of kombucha, GT’s Organic Raw Kombucha and Barefootbucha.  I purchased both at Whole Foods.  The GT’s original flavor was nasty.  I had to choke it down.  It tasted like stinky gym sock soda.  The Barefootbucha ginger flavor was a different story.  It reminded me of ginger beer, a less sweet version of ginger ale.

       

I like kombucha because it is a healthy alternative to soda.  A serving has roughly 30 calories and, to my knowledge, no artificial sweeteners.  I am looking forward to to trying another Barefootbucha flavor and would be open to trying another brand.