Culinary Adventures

Pruneaux à l’Armagnac

I love recipes which take a few simple ingredients and turn them into something amazing. This is one of those recipes. Prunes in Armagnac is commonly served in the Gascony region of France, there’s always a bottle at hand for when guests stop by. My recipe is below:

1 c water

1/3 + 2T wildflower honey

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1 t vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod)

1/2 t lavender

1 lb. prunes (with pits, they hold together better)

3 c good quality Armagnac

Combine all the ingredients except the Armagnac into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.  It’s important to cook the prunes before adding the alcohol, otherwise the skin of the prunes will get leathery.  Cool prune mixture to room temperature, then refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.

The next day, place the prunes into a mason jar or other container - you may need to pick off some of the lavender if it gets stuck to the prunes. Strain the soaking liquid and pour over the prunes.  Then add the Armagnac and stir well.

I know it’ll be tough, but allow the prunes to soak for two weeks before cracking the jar open.

Enjoy!

Alsace Sausage with Sauteed Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes

Growing up in Minnesota, sausage and cabbage were two family staples. These recipes are cheap and really easy to throw together for a family dinner, or keep well for those of us that are single! I don’t have any photos of making the mashed potatoes, because I served leftovers that were frozen from before I started the blog, but I’ll post them the next time I make a batch.

A few tips:

A) It’s important to make sure that your cabbage is all cut the same size; if you don’t cut it properly the thick ribs will be undercooked while the thin part of the leaves will be mushy. In order to do this, cut the cabbage into a chiffonade: remove 3-4 leaves and stack them on top of one another; then roll the leaves up like a cigar. Once the leaves are rolled up, thinly slice them crosswise. Repeat until you’ve sliced up all your cabbage.

B) Always remember to re-check your seasoning balance at the temperature you’ll be serving the dish.  When you season a dish that’s straight off the stove it’s probably much hotter than you’ll be serving it to your family or guests. Season once when it’s hot off the stove, and then always always always check again before you serve it!

Sauteed Cabbage with Fennel and Pernod

2 T unsalted butter

2 T olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 T caraway seeds

1 oz Pernod

1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced

1 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 t lemon juice

Melt butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat.  Once butter has foamed, add onions and saute for 4-5 minutes until softened and beginning to become translucent. Raise heat to medium-high, add caraway, fennel, cabbage, salt and pepper. once the cabbage has reduced a bit and added some moisture to the pan, add the Pernod and continue to saute until the cabbage is tender but still has a bit of crispness when you bite it (5-7 minutes). Add lemon juice, then re-season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grandma’s Refrigerated Mashed Potatoes

5 lb potatoes, peeled

2 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese

1 c. sour cream

1 t onion salt

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 T butter

Boil potatoes in water until very tender. Drain and mash with other ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy. Serve immediately or cool; cover and refrigerate. They’ll taste better after a day or two in the fridge, I’ve had them last about 1.5 weeks in the refrigerator, and much longer in the freezer.