Inside My Fridge - July 31, 2011

Tomato Season

I have oodles of sweet little cherry tomatoes, so that spells soup with some of my newly-dried dill. The skins are no problem if you have a sieve and a blender. I'll make a batch of icebox pickles to add to sandwiches or eat as a side dish (or snack). Tonight's plan is a fresh corn/tomato salad and some leftover ham. Later this week, I'll roast free-range chicken and make my 4-year-old's green been/potato recipe as a main dish.

We tend to eat light in the summer. Besides the leftover ham, the chicken will be the only meat cooked this week, although I do admit to having bacon in there that my husband plans to use for BLTs. I like BLTs but can't justify eating them as often as I eat tomato sandwiches -- nearly every day until the end of tomato season. We end up with several different types of tomatoes and I never get tired of a simple sandwich with mayo and basil. Since I rarely even buy tomatoes out of season, it's a lunch I will only be able to gorge on enjoy for another few months.

Everything spoils so quickly in the summer! Once the bananas reach their perfect spot of ripeness, I put them in the fridge. They will stay at that perfect spot much longer; they'd only last another day or two on the counter before being too soft for me. Even apples transform into a magic cooling treat if kept in the fridge.

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Truly idiot-proof yogurt at home

How did I not think of this earlier?

After making yogurt for a few months with my mini-crock, I found the time it took to get it to the proper temperature varied a lot more than making a whole gallon of milk in the big crock. Then one day in a burst of inspiration I realized I had the answer sitting in my kitchen drawer. We have an inexpensive digital thermometer with an alarm (similar to this one) so I can do the Ronco thing and set it and forget it!

To make Crock Pot Yogurt, pour 1 quart of milk in a  mini-crock with the lid slightly ajar to make room for the thermometer (as seen above), set the temperature for 180 and wait for the beep (approx 2 hours). Then unplug it, re-set the temperature for 115 and wait for the beep again (approx 3 hours, depending on ambient temp). Dip out a 1/2 cup or so and whisk together with either 1/4c of your last batch (or any yogurt with live cultures) or with some powdered yogurt starter. I like yogourmet. Then whisk that mixture back into the crock. This is also the time to add some nonfat dry milk if you want to increase the nutritional content. It also makes it come out thicker, but mine is usually a nice consistency. Put lid on, top with some kitchen towels and leave overnight (or 6ish hours at least).

In the morning, stick it in the fridge (stores great in a Mason jar). Mix with fruit and/or jam and a little agave nectar as needed and enjoy! No preservatives. No high-fructose corn syrup. No sticker shock. No plastic, one-use waste. I mix with fruit preserves, fresh fruit or vanilla to flavor and add some agave nectar if it needs to be sweetened. 

Kohlrabi: alien or spare baseball?

It almost looks squidlike, doesn't it?

Kohlrabi is a cool-looking vegetable, there's no denying it. I'd never tried it until last year when I opened up the farm box and thought "what the heck is that crazy thing and how on earth can I cook it?" I ended up cutting off the cool parts and tossing it with salt, pepper and olive oil and roasting it. I've not yet met the vegetable that didn't roast well. The verdict was "meh" from both myself and my husband. It is nice mixed in with roasted carrots or potatoes, but I wouldn't seek it out in the grocery store.

I should really like kohlrabi. It has a crisp texture not unlike a potato, but not starchy. It has a very mild flavor, reminiscent of celery or maybe broccoli. It sounds great but the reality is rather underwhelming. Lucky for me, I have a foodie cousin who is an accomplished cook. She advised me that kohlrabi makes a terrific spare baseball. Funny, eh? I remain undaunted for now and intend to give kohlrabi a few more chances to amaze me. I feel certain that there must a way to unleash the lovely, mild flavor in a way that makes me look forward to seeing it in my box each spring.

There was no way to make this look appetizing.

Sadly, my second preparation, this Kohlrabi Puree, was not the ticket. The incorporation of the stems/leaves really appealed to me. The flavor profile seemed right. But I didn't really care for it. It was not smooth enough for my taste -- a blender might have been a better option than the food processor -- but that's a lot of fuss for a flavor that is nice but not spectacular. I think perhaps a slaw is the way to go with this one.

I'm going to be getting it, so I might as well find a way I like to eat it. My husband remains skeptical that kohlrabi will ever achieve anything beyond "meh" for him.