Booze of the Week 2: Límon, or Lemon Liqueur

For mad scientists who keep brains in jars, here's a tip: why not add a slice of lemon to each jar, for freshness? – Jack Handy

Límon Liqueur, the best lemonade you'll ever have...

First I want to state that this is not limoncello. It has only about 2/3 the alcohol content, but it doesn’t make it any less delicious, or dangerous…

This is the lemon drained from the infusion before
making the simple syrup.

Limoncello is an Italian liqueur commercially produced in the south of that country, although it is now made at home in all parts of the world. The making of limoncello has been done for at least a century, if not longer.

Limoncello is traditionally made by extracting the essential oils from lemon rind in spirits. For home producers, vodka is the alcohol of choice. The alcohol content of real limoncello hovers somewhere around 30% alc. vol. and is always served chilled.

Our local liquor distributor sells two brands here in Nova Scotia, Luxardo and Rossi d'Asiago, both imported from Italy. There are many other producers as well.

My version, which tastes like exceptionally good lemonade (hence the danger), comes in somewhere around 20%. That’s still nothing to sneeze at, so treat it with respect.

Most recipes for homemade limoncello call for the rind of 8 or more lemons. At the height of the season, or if you own a lemon tree, that may not be too costly. In the dead of winter at the grocery it’s a different story. So can you make a substitute with fewer lemons?

Yes, you can. My solution is diabolical in its simplicity. Use both the rind and the pulp – and not only in the infusion but also in the simple syrup. That makes for a double whammy of tart deliciousness. There’s lots of additional lemon flavour that can be extracted using that method. It worked so well I'm going to do it again in another liqueur I have "cooking" right now: blood orange and coffee. (Come back in a few days to see the end result!)

I find limoncello a bit on the tart side and quite strong, as one would assume at 30% alc. vol., chilled or not. This version is sweeter but still packs a strong lemony punch.

This would be fantastic to add to lemonade, or lemonade and vodka, or even in a lemon martini. It has excellent taste!

Límon Liqueur

Time: 2 weeks  |  Makes 2 x 375 ml, plus a healthy glass to “test”

Using the lemon in the simple syrup yielded a very
lemony yellow liquid and added a lot of lemon flavour.

3 lemons

375 ml vodka

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Grate the rind from the lemons. Cut the remaining part into 1/4” slices.

Place the rind and lemon slices in a 1 L Mason jar. Pour the vodka over the top, seal well and shake vigorously.

Let the infusion sit for 2 weeks. During that time shake vigorously whenever you think about it.

At the end of the steeping period, strain the lemon from the vodka through fine cotton cloth. Don’t throw the rind and pulp away.

Place the pulp and rind in a saucepan. Add the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and let boil for 5 minutes. Strain the syrup though cloth.

Add the vodka and syrup together and bottle.

This really tastes like lemonade! I know you’ll enjoy it.

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Recipe: Thai Shrimp & Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and familiarity breeds contempt. According to this my soul mate should be in Thailand. – Jason Zebehazy 

Shrimp and tofu, together again...

Here’s a little number that’s pretty quick to prepare, let’s say 20-25 minutes tops. It has most of the flavours of Phad Thai without all the fuss.

Photo: IRRI Images, Flickr ccl

The substitution of tofu for the usual chicken or pork gives this dish an unusual twist. Once fried it does have much of the same consistency. 

You could use only tofu for a vegetarian meal, or only shrimp if desired, but to serve four you will have to double the amount listed in the recipe.

I wouldn’t call this “lazy-man’s” Phad Thai, but it’s pretty close. I had to do errands the night I made this up so was looking for shortcuts in time that wouldn’t sacrifice too much flavour…

It may seem like a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but like most Asian dishes all the time is in the preparation. Putting it together takes mere minutes.

By the way, of you’re interested in full-on excellent Phad Thai you can find my recipe HERE. It always meets with rave reviews.

Although this one wasn’t too bad either...

Recipe: Thai Shrimp & Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Browning the tofu makes it stand up to tossing better.

Cook: about 20 min  |  Serves 4

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined*

1 lb firm tofu

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tbsp vegetable oil

juice of 2 limes

1 tbsp sriracha (hot chilli) sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1-1/2” piece fresh ginger, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped into 1” pieces

2 cups bean sprouts

1 cup cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 package medium width rice noodles

Peel the shrimp and set aside. Cube the tofu and toss with the cornstarch. While to tofu fries, combine the lime juice, chilli sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the tofu in batches until golden. You will know when it’s done because it will feel crusted when you’re turning the cubes to fry. Remove from the oil and set aside. Repeat until all the tofu is fried.

Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions while you fry the tofu.

Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and fry for 1 minute. Then add the shrimp and cook until nearly done, about 4 minutes. Add the tofu back to the wok.

Push everything in the wok up onto the sides and add the mixed sauce and peanut butter to the wok. Mix the sauce together until smooth and then toss with the shrimp and tofu.

Add the green onions and bean sprouts and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Remember, the soy in the sauce is quite salty.) 

Add the cooked rice noodles and cilantro and toss well to combine.

Serve immediately.

* I never devein my shrimp. They usually are already deveined when purchased, and if they don’t what actually do people think shrimp eat anyway? The same with clams... Guess I’m a philistine.

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Booze of the Week: Calypso Rum Liqueur

There's no twilight in the tropics. Night falls like a curtain. – Waldemar Young 

The palest of yellow, scented vanilla and infused with pineapple and coconut.

We are lucky this year. Yesterday we had an extra day of winter due to leap year. Can you feel the sarcasm coming through my fingers as I type?

Photo: mrjoro, Flickr ccl

If you’re like me, Spring and Summer can’t come soon enough. Unfortunately we can’t do much about the winter except sit and wait for the days to pass.

Since you have time on your hands, how about bottling some of the flavours of Summer so you’re ready when the weather actually turns warmer?

This liqueur – rum based, no less – tastes like a summer drink. Coconut, pineapple and vanilla combine to make a gentle golden liqueur that makes one think of patios, sun on your face, and vacation.

I used a "less than expensive" rum and this still turned out great. Just make sure whatever you do start with you can stomach. The "nose" is vanilla, first taste is coconut and the finish is pineapple. Quite complex, and unexpected!

Photo: I Believe I Can Fry, Flickr ccl

This recipe doesn’t even require a sugar syrup. Just put everything into the steeping jar with all the other ingredients, sit back and wait. 

The colour is the palest of yellows. I was actually surprised that almost all the colour was removed from the pineapple. The liquor often does that to steeped fruit in many liqueur recipes. A little unappetizing, but the end result is wonderful.

As always, buy top quality botanicals for your infusion. Very ripe pineapple has the best flavour (don’t use canned). Use a vanilla bean as opposed to substituting vanilla flavouring. It’s just not the same.

On the other hand, I would suggest not using fresh coconut, unless you dry your own. Desiccated coconut will soak up the rum and exchange flavour as it ages.

I drank the small glass that you see in the photograph on top. I do believe that this is well over 20% alcohol...

Try this one. It’s a keeper.

Most of the colour was gone from the pineapple after 4 weeks.

Calypso Rum Liqueur

Makes 4 x 375 ml

Two 1L Mason jars

750 ml white rum

1/2 of one whole fresh pineapple cut into thin spears

2 cups dried grated coconut

1/2 vanilla bean, split open

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup water

Divide all the ingredients equally among two Mason jars. Seal well. Age for four weeks.

Shake every day for the first week to dissolve the sugar.

After the first week, shake periodically for the remaining time. Strain and bottle.

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Recipe: Refrigerator Pizza Dough, and a Pizza Recipe

The perfect lover is one who turns into a pizza at 4:00 a.m. – Charles Pierce 

Perfectly risen pizza dough, made in the refrigerator.

Now you have no excuse to not make pizza through the week. Here’s a crust recipe that rises for the day in your refrigerator. Yes, that’s right – the refrigerator.

You can get pre-mixed crusts at the grocery –  add water and wait a few minutes. What you get (in my lowly opinion) is "passable," but it’s not a “real” pizza crust. Not one I would take credit for making anyway.

But it takes time to make a proper crust and therefore your weeknight pizza either has to arrive late to the table, bear up to the less-than-stellar crust, or not happen at all. Or does it have to?

You can successfully prepare a dough while you're at work. In the time it takes to have your morning coffee, you can mix this dough together and have it ready for the oven when you get home after work. This is my spouse’s recipe, not mine. So the thanks belongs there.

This crust was puffy and wonderful after the 8 hours cool rise, and made an excellent base for our pizza. I’ve also included a recipe for the toppings that I used. It was a great combination, and used up an overabundance of flat leaf Italian parsley I purchased a few days ago!

Of course this dough would be just as good for calzones. I would suggest you could divide the dough to make at least six, depending on the size.

Refrigerator Pizza Dough

Makes one 12 x 20 pizza

2-1/4 tsp yeast

1-1/2 cups warm water (110°F)

4 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large sealable plastic bag

Proof the yeast in the water until it’s creamy, about 15 minutes. 

Mix the yeast together with the remaining ingredients. Knead for a couple minutes. Put it in a sealable bag and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours. The dough will be ready when you get home.

Sausage & Parsley Pizza

1 lb loose chorizo sausage*

1 large onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 lg bunch flat leaf parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 cup black olives, sliced

1 cup pizza sauce

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1-1/2 cups provolone, grated

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

Sauté the sausage, onion and garlic with some salt and pepper until the meat is no loner pink. Mix together with the parsley, olives and pasta sauce. Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes.

*For homemade chorizo, see yesterday’s post

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Make Ahead Recipe: Chorizo Beef Sausage

Art is a lie that makes us realize truth. – Pablo Picasso

The recipe makes more than this amount... Whenever you make sausage always
be sure to fry a small bit to test the spices. I learned this trick from Julia Child.

Since chorizo is Spanish, I thought I would start with a quote from one of the most famous Spaniards the world has ever known. I suppose my variation of this amazing sausage is a bit of a "lie" but I wouldn't go as far as to call it "art."

This is the spice for 2 lbs of meat. It looks like a lot, but it's not.

Why is it a "lie"? Chorizo is, very strictly speaking, a hot-spiced pork sausage. Although other meats “can” be used (even venison), purists will fight to the death to defend that it’s only pork.

I tend to agree with them, but I’m so sick of pork lately. I try to buy what’s on sale at the grocery, to pinch a penny, and it seems there’s been nothing but a steady stream of pork sales lately.

But, lo and behold, today I found ground beef at a local grocery on sale at half price. Half price! How can one pass it up? Honestly…

Originally from the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) Chorizo is a sausage that is made in two styles. One is fresh, the other is preserved. Preserving itself takes several forms, most commonly fermenting, curing or smoking.

Chorizo derives its distinctive red colour from an abundance of hot paprika (dried chilli peppers). From there the mixture is a bit of a craps shoot. Every region has its own take on this popular and useful meat mixture.

Before mixing.

In fact this sausage has made its way around the world. Besides Spain and Portugal, there are variations common in Mexico, South America, India and even the Philippines.

Of course there are other beef chorizo recipes around besides mine. I don’t know what made me think to try my hand at it except for the sale... Since I don’t have a sausage stuffer (yet) my sausage is bulk, but that’s OK. I’ll find plenty of ways to use this delicious concoction.

The heat can be increased or decreased at your personal whim. You really should always cook a little of any meat mixture before saying it’s correct. That’s the stage you can fiddle with the spices to get it just right, and in the process end up with a version that is completely your own.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. As you can imagine, stay tuned over the next week for a recipe or two using this spicy, tasty meat. After all I do now have 2 lbs of meat!

NOTE: By my standards this makes a fairly mild chorizo, so if you like spicy, make sure your paprika is HOT and perhaps increase the cayenne.

After mixing.

Chorizo Beef Sausage

2 lb medium ground beef (or use the traditional pork)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/3 cup red wine

1 tbsp hot Spanish paprika

3 tsp cayenne (depending on the heat in your paprika)

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. Take a small piece and fry it to test the spices. Adjust any that you need.

Once satisfied with the taste use loose if desired or stuff into casings. Although able to be used right away, it’s best to let the spices in the meat “bloom” overnight in the refrigerator.

If you wish you can cure or smoke the cased sausages. Look for recipes on how to do so using Google.

This sausage can be frozen very easily as well. 

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Recipe: Turkey & Ham Pasties with Fresh Beet Salad

On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners. – George Mikes, British author

Does this look like bad food to you?

I don’t know if I agree entirely with that statement… some British food is excellent.

I went to the grocery store this morning because I had a craving for something British. Has anyone had the Cornish Pasties from The Old Triangle in downtown Halifax?

This is the filling. It can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Absolutely amazing. It used to be a Sunday ritual in a past “life” of mine to go there for dinner. That stage of my existence has long ago ended and for some odd reason so have the trips to the Triangle.

That’s OK, because pasties are actually quite easy to make at home. And almost as good… I say “almost” because at the Triangle they make their own puff pastry. Perhaps later this year I’ll have the intestinal fortitude to try it. They do a really good job.

So frozen puff pastry has to do, at least for me.

The filling is, well, filling. Moist chunks of chicken (turkey in this case), meaty mushrooms, ham and veggies all in a creamy sauce wrapped in flaky pastry. What’s not to love?

You can make endless variations on this recipe: all chicken, all ham, add potato, turnips, or even cabbage. Traditional pasties (Cornish Pasties from Cornwall in the UK) contain beef, onion and potato wrapped in shortcrust (pie) pastry. To them there is no other.

Four pasties feed four people.

I like the combo of chicken and ham – and the puff pastry. Why the turkey? I couldn’t bring myself to pay what they were asking for chicken at the grocery store. 

How do people feed a family? Over $20 for six boneless skinless chicken breasts and in the mid teens for boneless thighs. We have enough trouble just affording food for the two of us. That’s just crazy. I only buy when it goes on sale.

As you can imagine, turkey thighs are cheaper. I bought two decent sized ones for $6.50 and the recipe only used one so I’ll transform the other into something in a day or two. I already have an idea…but for now try these pasties. They're excellent.

Turkey & Ham Pasties

Prep: 30 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves 4

Puffed and golden.

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 rib celery, diced

6” carrot, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 portobello mushroom caps, chopped

1/2 lb turkey meat, chopped

250 g sliced ham, chopped

3/4 cup milk

1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 package pre-made puff pastry, thawed*

Filling can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Sauté the vegetables in the olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Add the chopped turkey and cook until no longer pink, a further 5 minutes. Then add in the ham, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Stir well to combine and then pour in the milk. Bring to a boil and then add the cornstarch mixed with the water.

Let the mixture cook until thickened. Taste for seasonings and adjust if desired. At this point the filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Dust a pastry board (or your counter) with some flour. Roll out one half of  package of pre-made puff pastry to a rectangle 8” x 16”. Cut into 2 equal squares.

Place 1/4 of the filling on the middle of each square. Wet the edges of the pastry with water. Bring the four corners together to the centre and pinch. Then pinch the edges together to make a square. Flute the edges.

Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and filling. 

This beet salad is amazing. Even if you don't like beets try this.
The Italian parsley and orange juice transform it dramatically!

Place each package on a cookie sheet. Vent the pasties before baking by poking fork holes in each one. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with a side salad. The following one is amazing. How about…

Fresh Beet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Serves 4

3 raw beets, sliced thin and cut into wide sticks

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1 large carrot, sliced thin and cut into matchsticks

1-1/2 cups Italian parsley leaves, left whole

for the viniagrette

1/4 cup blood orange juice (or orange)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

* if you wish, substitute the puff pastry for a recipe of pie dough for a double crust 8" pie.

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