Our Mission Statement

23Feb10

To meet once a month to learn new recipes and cooking techniques, and to cook locally harvested, seasonal foods.

We’ll plan the meals in advance, so all you need to do is come ready to help cook!
Vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters are all equally welcome.

Admission is $10 which includes cooking, eating and doggy bags (bring your own!)

Presently, space is capped at 15 for this group, and is first come first serve. RSVP is required.

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#6 Breads & Spreads Menu

15Nov10

Dear cooking club members!

“Breads and spreads” baking session, which will take place at a member’s home on the East Side on Friday, December 3 6-8, has now established its menu:

• Bagels (poppy seed, onion, multigrain)
• Flaxseed wheat bread
• Cinnamon raisin bread
• Pesto hummus spread
• Vegetable-Walnut Paté
• Eggplant caviar spread

If you have a great recipe you would like to show, please let me know.

We have 2 openings left, so please hurry up!

Victoria “Vika”

Our presenters are: Lynette Kapsinow and Andrea Mazzarino

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#6: Breads & Spreads December 3

13Nov10

Dear Cooking Club!

We are planning our 6th session on December 3, 6-8. It will be “BREADS AND SPREADS”. It will be held at a member’s house on the East Side. We can admit only ten people to this event so please reserve early. The menu will follow as soon as it is set but we will surely make bagels and some other fun breads as well as not-your-traditional tastily, succulent spreads for the baked goods we will prepare.

tastily yours,

Victoria “Vika”

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Ratatouille

10Nov10

1/2 c olive oil

4 lge. onions

4 cloves garlic minced or smashed

2 med. eggplants cut in cubes

12 zucchini thickly sliced

4 green peppers cut in chunks

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. fresh basil

1 cup parsley

6-8 tomatoes cut in chunks

Heat oil add onions and garlic cook until soft.

stir in eggplant, zucchini, peppers and 1 tsp salt, basil, and minced parsley. Add a bit more oil if vegetables start to stick.

Cover pan and cook over moderate heat for 30 minutes, stir occasionally. This dish freezes very well, use for pizza toppings, with pasta or fill crepes.

Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

ratatouille should  have a bit of liquid but not soupy. Add more salt if needed. Serve hot, chilled or at room temperature.

Ratatouille can also be cooked in the oven. Add all the ingredients to a heavy dutch oven, drizzle oil on top and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Uncover at the end of the second hour if too soupy. Stir Gently.

 

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Cinnamon and Red Wine Poached Pears

10Nov10

Ingredients

• 4 cups dry red wine
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large bay leaf
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon stick
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 16 Bosc pears they seem to be the best, have a nice hearty flavor

Preparation

1. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, bring the red wine, water, honey, sugar, bay leaf, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and lemon juice to a boil.
2. While ingredients in saucepan are coming to a boil, at this point you can peel the pears, I do not. they keep their shape better if you do not.
3. Cut pears into halves; remove cores.
4. Place pear halves in the saucepan and bring back to another boil.
5. Reduce heat and gently poach for 15 minutes, or until pear halves are almost tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Serve with homemade whipped cream and fresh mint.
6. SERVES 16

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Next Event, Friday, September 24, 2010

13Aug10

Dear cooking club members and associates!   Our menu is set for our Seasonal Produce cooking club session:

1. Mexican salads by Inge: beet, zucchini
2. Tomatillo salsa with home baked chips by Keri
3. Cold Greek yogurt cucumber soup by Victoria
4. Ratatouille by Lynnette
5. Pesto fish by Victoria, tomatillo fish by Keri
6. Russian apple cake and plum tart by Victoria and Lynnette

This menu is still provisional and could be slightly altered based on availability and attendance.

Prices are still set to $10 a person with a $5 cancellation fee for cancellations less than 48 h. Children are 1/2 price.

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Thai Chicken Saté with Curried Peanut Sauce Sate (marinade)

29Jul10

Ingredients:

Sate (Marinade)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2tsp dark sesame oil
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 3lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or boneless pork chops.

Sauce

• 1/2c chunky peanut butter
• 1/4c sliced green onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1tbs honey
• 2tsp soy sauce
• 1tsp curry powder
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1c water

Directions:

1. In medium bowl stir together all sate ingredients except chicken.    Cut chicken into thin strips; place in bowl with marinade.    Cover for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Meanwhile, soak 16 (8 inch) wooden skewers for 30 minutes.
3. In medium saucepan, stir together all sauce ingredients except water; slowly stir in   water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce hat to medium-low; simmer 3-5 or  until sauce is thick enough to coat chicken. (OPTIONAL, we didn’t do it and it was fine!)
4. Heat gas grill. Remove chicken from marinade and discard it. Thread chicken onto skewers. Place chicken on the grill over medium high heat or on the charcoal grill 4-6 inches away from the coals. Cover grill. Grill 5-6 min or until no longer pink turning once.
5. Serve with the peanut sauce.

Serves a party of 15-17 as an appetizer.

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Grilled Stuffed Jalapeño Chilis

28Jul10

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 green onions (green and pale green parts), thinly sliced
• 12 large jalapeño chilis, halved lengthwise, stemmed and seeded
• 2 oz. soft goat cheese
• salt and black pepper
• 1 heaping Tbsp ancho Chili powder
• 1 1/4 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium
2. Whisk together the cream cheese and goat cheese into a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Fold in the cheddar and green onions; season with salt and pepper. Fill each jalapeño half with about 2 Tbsp of the mixture; sprinkle top with ancho powder.
4. Place chilis on grill, filling-side-up, and cook until slightly tarred and tender, about 8-10 minutes. Spoon the Grilled Red Pepper Tomato Sauce onto a platter and top with the Jalapeños.

Serves 6.

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Grilled Red Pepper – Tomato Sauce

28Jul10

Ingredients:

• 1 large red pepper, grilled, peeled
• 4 plum tomatoes, grilled  and charred on all sides
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey 1/4  cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine the red pepper, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, honey, and cilantro in a food processor, process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add oil and season with salt and pepper.

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Homemade Pizza Dough

28Jul10

Ingredients:

• 2c lukewarm water (test it like baby’s milk)
• 2tbs yeast
• 1tbs sugar

To remember it easily, remember 2-2-1 (water, yeast, sugar).

Let this foam up, about 15m (less on warm days)

• about 3-5c of flour (can be whole wheat, all white or half and half , rye, whatever you like, but remember that whole grains have less gluten, so if using anything other than white flour, add 1tbs wheat gluten for every cup of whole grain flour)
• 1tbs salt

Instructions:

1. After  your yeast has proofed (foamed) pour about a cup of flour in, mix. keep adding flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl and you can handle it without it slipping through  your fingers.
2. Then knead in about a half a cup of flour at a time until it feels right. basically, it will feel like dough, have no lumps and will not be terribly sticky.
3. At this point knead in the salt. you can also put in herbs.
4. Place in a bowl with a very small amount of oil (like a teaspoon or so), using the bowl, toss the dough around to cover the dough with the oil. cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise about an hour.
5. Put your fist in the middle of the dough to redistribute the oxegyn. the dough is pretty much ready any time after the first deflation, but i like to give it another hour. it’s just the right amount of time to prep your vegetables, shred cheese or whatever.
6. Roll into a ball, then flatten and roll out with a rolling pin until desired thickness.
7. I prefer it to be between 1/8-1/4″ thick.

How to knead:
Lay the dough on the board. push the center of the dough with your palm. fold the top of the dough (part furthest away from you) toward your body, turn so now the oblong dough is at the top, push, fold, turn, push, fold turn. Add flour as necessary, but not too much because a heavily floured dough is tough to eat. Water makes those great bubbles and a light, airy dough.

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Friday, July 9, 6-8: Next Cooking Club Meeting

07Jun10

Dearest Community Cooking Club members, Can you believe it’s summer already!

We wanted to invite you all to our upcoming event, which will be held Friday, July 9 from 6pm to 8pm.

For our next event, we’re going to focus on the bounty of summer and outdoor cooking and will be preparing the following dishes in Victoria’s backyard!

1. Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Bacon, Garlic and Hot Pepper
2. Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno Chilis
3. Grilled pizza topped with seasonal produce
4. Grilled Red Pepper and Tomato pizza sauce
5. Grilled Peach Cobbler a la Mode
6. Green salad with Spanish Grilled Fresh Cheese

Cost: This event will be $10. If the cost if prohibitive for you, please talk to us about it as we can probably work something out. It’s mostly just to cover the cost of the food for us.

Location: This month’s event will be held in Victoria’s backyard near Miriam hospital. We’ll give out the address to those who will be attending.

Other stuff: As always, please bring some glass jars with lids or tupperware to take home leftovers. We look forward to seeing you all as we celebrate the absolute bounty of Rhode Island farms and gardens!

RSVP to Victoria at victoria_richter@cox.net

Blessings from the garden, Heidi, Victoria, Christie and Keri

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