recipe: cottage cheese grasshopper chocolate pudding

This is the third recipe I made from the cookbook Cheesy by Farideh Sadeghin and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It might be a "healthier" dessert option to have in my back pocket, but there were a few drawbacks to it.

The pudding once done being blended is quite thick. The cookbook author did top her pudding with homemade whipped cream, which I omitted due to time and wanting to truly taste the pudding on its own. However, I do think the whipped cream is necessary to provide some lightness in contrast to the pudding. Sadeghin then topped the whipped cream with chocolate shavings. I substituted cocoa nibs, which would still work.

While it's a natural sugar at least, there is still quite a bit of maple syrup in each serving. And, despite this amount of sweetener, I still felt the end result needed more. 

It may be due to the cheap mint extract I used, my note regarding wanting more sweetness, or residual vinegar from the cottage cheese making process (the how-to for that is coming tomorrow), but there was an odd chemical taste to the pudding, with neither a delicious mint or chocolate flavor shining through.

I did use my Vitamix versus a food processor and it was a pain to get all the pudding out from underneath the blade. I have this same issue with my food processor so using that as directed would not have helped the issue. I may have felt better about the time involved had I made a full batch of pudding. For this small a serving I'm not sure the effort matched the success of the end result.

If I haven't talked you out of making this pudding ;) please see below for the measurements. The original as shown in the cookbook is on the left and what I made with the recipe cut in half is on the right in parentheses (who knows maybe my math was wrong and that's why the taste is off haha). I may try this again by adding a bit of milk to make it less thick or try it with yogurt (just stirring this with a spoon for easy cleanup!) Regardless, it was something fun to try.

 

Chocolate Grasshopper Pudding

Ingredients:

1 lb cottage cheese (1 cup cottage cheese)

1/4 cup maple syrup (1/8 cup)

3 tbsp cocoa powder (1 1/2 tbsp)

1/4 tsp mint extract (1/8 tsp)

1/8 tsp salt (a very small pinch)

Instructions:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the ingredients and process until very smooth. Divide among four 6 ounce ramekins, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

recipe: sour cream and onion spiced nuts

I made a second recipe from the cookbook, Cheesy, and it is a keeper with some edits (see "notes" at the bottom). These are an upgrade to regular salted deluxe mixed nuts when serving a cheese board or snacks to guests. Or, something special to nibble on yourself.

Sour Cream and Onion Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

4 oz raw almonds

4 oz raw cashews

4 oz raw hazelnuts

4 oz raw pecans

2 oz raw pepitas 

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Toss the nuts and pepitas together in a large bowl. Drizzle with the butter and Worcestershire sauce and toss to coat. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until toasted 18 to 20 minutes.

While the mixture is still warm, season with the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. The nuts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Notes:

The above recipe is as written from the cookbook. However, when I made it I used an unsalted deluxe mixed nut package that I got from the store, which I added pepitas to. This made it quick to put together and required keeping less different types of nuts on hand. I didn't use parchment paper as I rarely use it to save on waste. Without it, I had no issues at all with any sticking or cleanup. I toasted for 10-12 minutes longer than suggested (so 30 minutes) and I still don't think the nuts got toasted enough. The time on the recipe aligns with the normal toasting time it should take. So, I am not sure why mine weren't getting crispy and a darker tone. The one thing I can think of is that I felt like the nuts were too "wet" - next time I would cut the butter in half. In this same vein, I liked the flavor a lot but wanted it punched up more. So, I would double the spices and maybe even double the Worcestershire sauce amount.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for me in getting a better "toasting" on my nuts next time!

recipe: polenta with fontina and mixed mushrooms

When I was researching foods for my long term pantry this Spring I became curious what the difference between corn meal, polenta, and masa was. I discovered that they are all made from corn, however, are ground and processed differently which therefore makes each one useful in varying ways.

Cornmeal - A fine or medium flour that has a gritty/sandy texture best used for baking cornbread, dusting pizza peels, or making crusts for fried foods.

Polenta - A specific type of coarse ground yellow cornmeal and made into a creamy porridge dish, hailing from Italy, or letting it cool into a solid log, slicing it, and frying or baking it. The confusion comes because you technically could use corn meal to make polenta. However, standard corn meal is often fine or medium grind. So, if you plan to make polenta and were going to buy an item labeled as corn meal versus polenta, you would just want to check that the corn meal was a medium or coarse grind to ensure that your finished cooked polenta didn't turn out pasty. Conversely, if you have a package labeled polenta you can make cornbread from it. But due to the coarser grains, your finished baked cornbread will have a denser crumbly texture versus the softer cakelike texture you would get from the fine or medium grains of cornmeal.

Masa - Very finely ground and has been undergone a process called nixtamalization (soaking and cooking dried corn in an alkaline solution like a lime water) best used to make corn tortillas and tamales.

Because of this prior research, when perusing through Cheesy: 50 Boards & Recipes by Farideh Sadeghin, the first recipe that popped out at me to try was Polenta with Fontina and Mixed Mushrooms.

Polenta with Fontina and Mixed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Polenta

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup polenta

6 ounces shredded fontina (I used gruyere)

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream (I used whole milk yogurt)

salt

Mushrooms

3 tbsp unsalted butter 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (I did not have access to mixed mushrooms so I just used one kind)

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup white wine (I did not have this so I omitted, which I assume didn't give me a glaze, but the mushrooms were still great)

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Instructions:

To make the polenta:

In a heavy medium saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat, combine the milk and 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, slowly add the polenta, and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 30 minutes. Stir in the fontina, butter, and creme fraiche, and season with salt. Keep warm.

To cook the mushrooms:

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the shallot and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until their liquid is released, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the wine and vinegar. Cook until the liquid has reduced and the mushrooms are lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

To serve, spoon the polenta into bowls and top each with some of the mushrooms.

This polenta was so easy to make and had a great flavor yet still allowing the polenta to shine through. I'll definitely be reaching for this recipe often this Fall when I want a cozy warming feeling just like I would get if I was craving macaroni and cheese!

recipe: homemade yogurt by re-culturing

 It really is this EASY to make yogurt!

1. Add 1 cup powdered whole milk and 3 1/2 cups water to a pan (or just use 3 1/2 cups already liquid milk).

2. Increase temp to 180-195 degrees F on medium low. Keep it here for 10-20 min checking periodically with a thermometer.

3. Remove from heat and let cool to 110-115 degrees F.

4. To the 110-115 F milk, add a few spoonfuls from a store bought container of plain yogurt (or form your prior batch of yogurt) and whisk or stir. It's okay if there are some clumps.

5. Pour into 2 pint jars and place in oven with the light on for 6+ hours.

Master Your Temperatures

Do your own research to ensure you are hitting the correct temperatures but these are the reliable basics I use to make fresh yogurt every 7-10 days. 

The best part? My cultures have been going active and strong now for almost a year now! In fact, the culture seems to be getting stronger over time. It now takes only four hours for my yogurt to fully solidify, compared to the six hours it took when I first started. Some yogurt makers on Reddit state that their culture gets weaker over time, but I have not found that to be the case at all.

Accurate Temperature Control

Maintaining the correct temperatures is the absolute key factor in making yogurt successfully:

- The heat stage (180-195 degrees F) - Heating your milk to this range kills competing bacteria so your yogurt culture can thrive. It also unravels the whey proteins so they can bond with the milk's casein, giving you a thick, smooth texture.

- The cool stage (110-115 degrees F) - You must ensure you do not add your starter culture to the milk until it has cooled below 115 degrees. Anything hotter will kill the beneficial bacteria. However, also ensure you do not let it cool below 110 before adding the yogurt and getting it into the warm oven as it needs to stay warm in order to turn into yogurt.

Customizing Your Texture and Batch Size

If you want prefer greek yogurt, you can easily strain the final product through cheesecloth to remove the liquid whey. However, I find this standard recipe is already perfectly thick, creamy and satisfying without any extra work.

This recipe yields two pint jars, which is the perfect amount for me as one person. It provides just enough to enjoy throughout the week without forcing you to eat yogurt every single day to finish it.

Keeping Your Culture Alive

Feel free to adjust the amount of milk to scale the batch size to your personal needs. Just remember the holden rule of sustainability: make your next batch within 7-10 days. This timeline allows you to use a small scoop of your current batch to safely innoculate the next one. Waiting longer than 10 days risks spoiling your yogurt and permanently weakening your live culture. 

nutty maple cinnamon granola

Even when other granola recipes cross my path, they rarely entice me to stray from my go-to granola. This is because it has the ideal balance of crunch (provided by the larger chopped walnuts compared to the softer and smaller crunch from chia seeds and hemp hearts), sweetness (just a hint of maple syrup), and a dash of spice (cinnamon). Mixing it up in five minutes before my shower, by the time I am out it is right on time to give the granola its first mix, and by the time my coffee is done, the granola is finished baking and ready to top my yogurt. 

Nutty Maple Cinnamon Granola

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Equipment: large mixing bowl, large spatula/spoon, measuring cups and spoons, baking sheet (either half sheet or full sheet will work just fine)

Ingredients:

Dry - 

4 cups preferred oats (Old fashioned, also called rolled oats, provide a slightly crunchier texture and will possibly clump better. However, I use quick oats because I like the softer texture in the final granola and no clumps).

1 cup chopped walnuts (subbing pecans is also wonderful)

1 cup pumpkin seeds (with or without salt, either works)

1/2 cup hemp hearts

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup of something else (I switch this up depending on what I have on hand - sunflower seeds, wheat germ, coconut flakes)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (Don't throw out the cinnamon you have in your cupboard, however, when you replenish your cinnamon you want to be using ceylon cinnamon as it has the lowest coumarin content versus cassia and saigon. This article provides a quick summary of how you can quickly exceed the daily limit of cassia/saigon Cinnamon, potentially causing damage to your liver.)

Wet -

1/3 cup oil (If I feel like taking the time, I melt coconut oil. But, typically I just use grapeseed oil that is already in a "state" I can dump into the granola mix. If you do use coconut oil, mix your ingredients and get it in the oven quickly so it doesn't start hardening again.)

1/2 cup maple syrup (You can sub honey, however, anytime you heat honey over approximately 95 degrees, it significantly degrades beneficial enzymes, antioxidants, and antibacterial compounds, reducing its nutritional and potential health benefits. So, I tend to use honey for room temp, or at least not boiling uses, and stick to maple syrup for everything else.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1) Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. 

2) Add wet ingredients to the bowl, no need to mix these in a separate bowl first.

3) Dump onto your baking sheet and loosely smooth the granola to cover the entire pan.

4) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, turning with the same spatula or spoon you used for mixing, about halfway through. You want the granola medium brown and just slightly crispy. 

Notes:

Save some trees and don't use parchment paper. I have never had this stick to the pan even a little. 

If you want to add fruit, add it to the pan right when you take the granola out of the oven so it gently toasts it without burning. Or, just add it right before you eat the granola in cereal or on top of yogurt. This way it is not adding moisture into the granola during storage.

 

Don't forget to pin this post if you remember so you remember to try this granola recipe. It will surely be your "go-to" granola recipe as well!

spiced currant nut muffins

Whipped up these spiced currant nut muffins as a thank you to my neighbors for helping me get my car battery charged after it died. They said these were delicious and had the perfect amount of sweetness. I agree! They are great any time of year. However, with hints of pumpkin and cinnamon, they are particularly perfect for Fall. But, I doubt I'll be able to wait until then to make them again!

Spiced Currant Nut Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Equipment: two mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, large ice cream scoop, standard muffin tin

Ingredients:

Dry - 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar 

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon 

Wet - 

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup applesauce

2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix-Ins (both optional) - 

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup currants (or other dried fruit you have on hand)

Instructions:

1) Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and wet ingredients in a separate slightly larger bowl.

2) Add dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix well.

3) Add in walnuts and dried fruit.

4) Use large ice cream scoop to drop batter into 12 regular muffin tins lined with baking papers. 

5) Top with a sprinkle of rolled oats.

6) Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of a muffin and ensuring it comes out clean. They may need another two minutes or so more, depending on your oven.

Note: These muffins rise enough for my preference. However, if you want them loftier, you can try adding the whole wheat flour into the wet ingredients to sit for 10 minutes or so absorbing some of the liquid while you work on getting the rest of the recipe prepped.

Don't forget to pin this post if you want to remember the recipe for the next time you need a quick muffin recipe to offer as a gift of gratitude when someone helps you like my neighbors did for me.

pursuit of the perfect artisan bread loaf

This past year, I've been working on my artisan bread making. Not from a sourdough starter. Just a simple bread flour, yeast, water, salt mix. Here are the two most important things I've learned:

1) You do not need to buy a single item. Not one. Nadda.

Here are some of the many things your friends, family, YouTubers, bloggers, or companies will say you will need...

Banneton basket - This is a single use item in your kitchen that takes up a lot of space. Instead use a mixing bowl you already have, drape a flour sack towel inside that has been dusted with a little flour. Or, use a round basket you already have laying around, lining it in the same way. (See a photo below of a basket that I picked up for $1.50 at a thrift store years ago that gets used on a daily basis to hold my onions. And, on bread making day, it gets used to rise dough).

 

Lamé - Again, this is a single use item in your kitchen. It doesn't take up a lot of space and sometimes you can pick one up cheaply for $10 (most are $25-40). However, why add something to your kitchen you don't actually need? Instead, score the top of your dough with kitchen shears, a loose razor blade you have in your hardware drawer already (not used and clean), or even a really sharp knife.

Dutch oven - If you already own a 5 or 6 quart dutch oven that you use for other things, great! You're all set. But, do not purchase a dutch oven just because you think you need one to bake artisan bread. I bought a clay baker, which is similar to a dutch oven in that its domed lid contains the high humidity and heat to create the perfect environment for rising and browning (see photo below). However, I regret buying a clay baker. It is heavy and takes up a lot of storage space in my kitchen when not in use. If I was to do it again, I would use a soup pot instead (ensuring I removed the plastic handles). There are also other methods that you can easily learn to create that humidity such as putting a pan of water in the bottom of your oven while baking. 

 

So, the point is...just get started. Don't get hung up on feeling that you need these things before you get started. Or, that your bread is not going to turn out as good without them. If you're ever in doubt about whether you need to buy something new, remind yourself of the bare bones kitchens of long ago - before electricity, while settlers were carrying their belongings in a wagon across the prairie or living in a rustic cabin, or even the French woman of today who prefer minimal gadgets!

2) You can create a wonderful bread without kneading, and with just one rise.

The result is going to be more like a really good sandwich bread versus being airy. You don't need to aspire to a holey sourdough crumb in order to enjoy really good bread. Keep it easy for yourself. You can make this bread frequently throughout the week, without having to adjust your schedule or stress yourself out feeding a starter and kneading and rising the dough multiple times. It only takes about 1 1/2 hours from start to finish so having the ingrained knowledge to make a simple bread allows you to throw it together when company is coming over as well. 

Simple Artisan Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Equipment: medium/large mixing bowl, wooden spoon, flour sack towel (or any lightweight towel you have on hand), preferred vessel for rise (banneton, bowl, or basket), preferred cutting instrument for scoring (lame, knife, or straight edge blade, for example), preferred baking vessel (dutch oven, clay baker, soup pot, or baking sheet/soup pot combo)

Ingredients:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1/4 cup of very warm water 

3 cups bread flour (can sub out 1/2 cup golden wheat if you would like)

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups very warm water

Instructions:

1) Put 1/4 cup of very warm water (almost where it's getting too hot to touch) in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit for ten minutes or so to allow the yeast to bloom in the water while you get your other ingredients ready.

2) Add the remaining ingredients to the yeast water.

3) Mix with a wooden spoon. It will be shaggy and wet. If it does not appear wet, add a little more water, a few tablespoons at a time. (It will typically look drier when you use partial wheat flour as that sucks water up much quicker than bread or white flour). It's important to ensure it is wet enough at this stage because the rise is really dependent on the ability for the dough to flex and grow.

4) Use your hands to shape the dough into a loose ball. Place the dough ball into your rising vessel that you have lined with a lightly floured flour sack towel. Gently tuck the top of the towel loosely over the top of the dough, which will help it from drying out while it rises.

5) Place the rising vessel in a warm spot. My house is typically only sixty degrees fahrenheit, so I put it by a sunny window just out of the direct sunlight. If it is an overcast, or particularly chilly day, I have also put it in the oven with just the oven light on.

6) After it has doubled in size (takes 1/2 hour to 1 hour), you are ready to bake! Oil the bottom of your baking vessel or line it with parchment paper. Form the dough into a ball again (no need to knead) and place it on the oil or parchment paper lined bottom of your baking vessel. Put the lid on your vessel (or cover it with a towel) and let rise for another 30 minutes or so. Set your oven to preheat to 450 degrees, making sure you have moved the oven rack down to the second from the bottom ledge to give your baking vessel enough room.

7) After 30 minutes have passed, dust the top of the dough ball with a generous amount of flour, and score the top of the dough with your preferred scoring tool. (If you're having a hard time getting the tool to cut through the dough, you most likely need to add more flour to the top of the dough ball).

8) Put the lid back on your baking vessel and place in your preheated oven. Set a timer for 35 minutes.

9) After the 35 minutes have passed, take the lid off of the baking vessel, leaving the bottom of the vessel and dough still in the oven, and let it bake for another 6 minutes or so, keeping an eye on the darkness of the top crust to determine when it is ready to come out. 

10) Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting. 

This seems like a lot of steps. But, actual hands on time is only about 10 minutes. Before you know it, you'll be baking bread without even thinking about the steps.

Note: if you aren't ready to bake your bread after the first rise, you can put it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just be sure to have it in a large enough bowl as it will rise more while it's in the fridge and you don't want it to spill out of whatever bowl you have it in. Also, make sure you have a tight fitting lid on your bowl, not just a towel, so the dough doesn't dry out. When you're ready to bake it, let it sit out for 15 minutes or so to warm up a bit. Then, shape it into a ball and proceed to step 6.

Let me know if you have any questions! Or, if you have your own bread baking tips you'd like to share!

tahini yogurt chicken salad lettuce wraps

This is hands down the best chicken salad I've ever had.

The turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and dijon are such a wonderful, unique flavor combo. And, with the yogurt and tahini base, I feel a little more healthy than if I was eating chicken slathered in mayo. It takes a it longer than expected to chop and combine all the different components. But, the varying textures and ratio of flavor are well worth the effort!

 

I highly recommend wrapping the chicken salad in the leaves of buttercrunch lettuce. It imparts such a satisfying crunch (quite literally) it's buttercrunch lettuce ;) If you wanted to get more greens in your diet, you could easily cut back the amount of chicken salad on each lettuce leaf by about 1/4 of what I have shown in the photos and still have more than enough balance of chicken salad to lettuce.

You also could add a third can of chicken (using the same amount of dressing) and the chicken would have more than enough seasoning.

Tahini Yogurt Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Equipment: bowl, measuring spoons, measuring cups, medium spatula

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken in water (5 oz each)

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

1 tbsp tahini

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried currants (or whatever dried berries you have on hand)

1/3 cup diced green onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup chopped pecans (sub chopped walnuts, if desired)

1 head buttercrunch lettuce

Instructions:

1) In a bowl, mix together yogurt, tahini, mustard, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and salt.

2) Fold in the remaining ingredients.

3) Dollop onto individual lettuce leaves for serving.

4) Enjoy!

 

This recipe, as written and the amount of chicken salad I have on each lettuce cup in the photos, is enough for two lunches for just me if it is all I am eating (no sides, other than maybe an orange). When I have a side (still using the amount of chicken salad shown on each lettuce leaf), this easily makes food savings. However, if you put less chicken salad on each lettuce cup and/or added another can of chicken, this could stretch much further - if you're wanting to make appetizers, for example.

I used one head of buttercrunch lettuce to provide enough leaves for the amount of chicken salad shown on each in the photos. So, buy an additional head (or heads) of lettuce as needed if you plan on placing less chicken salad on each leaf.

Side note - did you know you can plant the root of your buttercrunch lettuce in dirt and it will regrow a few times into a new head of lettuce?? Yes, even the lettuce you buy in a package from the store. It still grows again and again! Quite amazing. See the new green growth poking out in just the weeks time since I used up this lettuce and planted it?

Don't forget to pin this post if you want to remember the recipe for the next time you need a simple, yet delicious, meal!

CHICKPEA CURRY SALAD SANDWICHES

I love the internet, pinterest, instagram, blogs...  

BUT, I HAVE A LOVE FOR PAPER MAGAZINES AND BOOKS EVEN MORE.

So, yes I still tear pages from magazines and cook from them or collage them in my many binders of inspiration.  I tore this recipe for Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwiches from Parade magazine and whipped them up this past weekend.  They were a welcome change from all of the avocado toasts I have been addicted to the past year or two.  Although, I felt they needed a dash more flavor from an additional green onion.  What do you know, when I went to the original recipe from Sarah Britton's in her cookbook, Naturally Nourished, the only variation was two green onions vs one! 

I MIGHT BE GETTING GOOD AT THIS WHOLE COOKING THING!

The recipe below is the original from Sarah Britton.

Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwiches

Makes: 8 to 10 sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper
3 cups (2 15-oz cans) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 oz raw pecans (approx. 1/8 cup)
3 tbsp raisins
1 stalk celery
2 spring onions
6 to 8 slices whole-grain bread
crisp lettuce or sprouts
sliced red onion or shallots (optional)

Directions:
1) Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Season with more salt, if necessary.
2) in a food processor, pulse the chickpeas to roughly chop them - do not overprocess or you'll end up with chickpea puree.  You can also do this step by hand.
3) Chop the pecans and raisins, then dice the celery and onions.
4) In a large bowl, combine the chopped chickpeas with the dressing.  Add the pecans, raisins, celery, and onions and fold to combine.  Season with salt.  Enjoy the salad on bread with lettuce and onion slices, if desired.

preserved lemon from scratch

In searching for preserved lemon to make Warm White Bean Salad with Arugula Pesto and Preserved Lemon (yesterday's post), I quickly did a google search while in the middle of the pickle aisle at my local supermarket and found a forum on Food52 with commenters mentioning they had seen them at their local Whole Foods in the olive bar section.  One of the co-founders of Food52 also added on that a Middle Eastern market would carry it.  I didn't want to make another stop, so I tried another search for how to make my own, but discovered the lemons take 2-3 weeks before they are ready.  Oy vey.  One more google search in the middle of that pickle aisle led me to Mark Bittman's "Quick Preserved Lemons."  Just three hours waiting and the preserved lemons are in business!  They really added a nice flavor to the pesto and were worth the anxiety.

Quick "Preserved" Lemons

Time: At least 3 hours, largely unattended

Ingredients:
4 lemons, unwaxed (or scrubbed of wax)
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Dice lemons, including peel, removing as many seeds as possible.  Put the lemons and their juice in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and sugar: toss well and transfer to a jar.  Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours at room temperature, shaking the jar periodically.  It can be served at that point or refrigerated for up to a week.

Yield: About 2 cups (I cut the recipe in 1/4 since I only needed 2 1/2 tbsp for the pesto, and had plenty left over).

The "preserved" lemons made in this quick recipe can only be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, whereas preserved lemons made the traditional way can last up to 6 months in the refrigerator. I would assume it is because of the much higher amount of salt used in the traditional recipe as well as the method of leaving the lemons more whole and submerging them in salt and lemon juice.

P.S. I've checked at two Whole Foods now and have not been able to locate preserved lemons anywhere in the store - I've checked (and asked) by the olive bar, by the pickles, by the jams, and by the spices but to no avail.  Please leave a comment if anyone finds a source for these locally, would love to compare to homemade!