A few weeks ago Eddie told me he’d had a dream the night before in which he was watching his mother make one of his favorite Polish foods, and that he was going to try and duplicate what he saw in the dream.

Kopytka, literally translated from Polish as “little hooves”, is a pasta made from mashed potatoes, flour and egg. The dumplings are boiled and then served with soup or gravy or fried in bacon fat and topped with crumbled bacon. (My mouth just watered a little bit!)

Eddie made his first attempt at the recipe while I was at a business meeting one afternoon. Unfortunately, he ran low on flour and had a little trouble working with them, but they were delicious! The next time we worked together and I photographed the process. It is really quite simple and the result is SO worth it! Here’s the recipe and some visual  instruction.

4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 ½ to 3 cups flour
2 medium eggs
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Place mashed, cooled potatoes in large bowl. Lightly beat eggs with salt and pepper and mix into potatoes. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough becomes sticky. Turn out onto floured surface, kneading in more flour until dough is smooth and pliable.

Break into balls about the size of a small orange and then shape into logs about 1” in diameter. With a sharp knife, cut logs on a bias about ½” thick.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add dumplings slowly so they do not “clump” together. When they rise to the top, reduce the temperature and cook for 3 to 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

Pour dumplings into colander and rinse with cold water. Serve with goulash or pot roast or fry them lightly in bacon fat and top with crumbled bacon. 

The first cage Eddie built to replace the net covered structures, as seen at right.

Eddie quickly built “cages” around the remaining trees and we managed to keep most of the first year’s fruit. He felt it was too crowded, though, when we had to go inside to pick, prune or spray, so he began engineering “the tree house”. It took him about 3 months to disassemble the panels from the cages, and then measure, design and construct the 3000 square foot enclosure. He recycled the panels from the cages and of course had to install supports, build more panels and cover the top with avian wire.

Putting on the finishing touches.

Spraying was a cinch this year...lots of room to move around.

It's a masterpiece, Eddie!

He’s a mechanical genius and a tireless worker, and although I worried constantly about him being on the ladder and scaffolding, everything went fine and the result is beautiful! We’re looking forward to a spring blossom party in there!

1 1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
4 -5 ice cubes
Small plate of superfine sugar, for the martini glass rim
Lemon twist

1. Chill martini glasses in freezer for at least 10 minutes prior to serving.
2. Place Vodka, Triple Sec, lemon juice and sugar into a cocktail shaker with 4-5 ice cubes and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until shaker is icy.
3. Run the lemon twist around the edge of the chilled martini glass and dip in a small amount of superfine sugar for a coated rim.
4. Pour the strained martini into the chilled glasses and serve.

Cheers!

Last week I was in the hen yard when she was treating the girls. We had a little chat about how juicy the pomegranates are this year and how much the chickens love them. Then I gathered up a dozen eggs for her and she brought me half a grocery bag full of fruit. Last year she made a beautiful jelly from them, but she said the work involved was hardly worth it and suggested I use them for martinis instead. Brilliant!

Until last week I had never juiced a pomegranate, but a little web research later I found it wasn’t that difficult to do – using an ordinary citrus squeezer and then straining juice through a fine sieve. I adapted this recipe from Oprah and Rachel Ray and I think you’ll find it a beautiful and tasty holiday beverage.

2 ounces fresh squeezed pomegranate juice
3 ounces Absolute Citron vodka
1 ½ ounces Triple Sec
Cup of ice
Squeeze of lemon

Chill martini glasses in freezer for at least ½ hour. Place all ingredients except ice into shaker. Use slice of lemon to moisten the rim of glasses and then coat with sugar…I prefer superfine baker’s sugar for cocktail trims.

Add ice to shaker and shake vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes or until container is icy cold. Pour into sugar-rimmed glasses and serve.

Cheers!

I love walking past that tree every morning on my way down to the barnyard, and at this time of year I often have breakfast on the way, plucking the low-hanging fruit for an indescribably sweet, chilled taste of fall. Nevertheless, one can only eat so many fresh figs and I haven’t mastered the dehydrator.

Last year I found this recipe for Drunken Fig Jam and made a few jars of the sweet, savory condiment. This year I’ve already canned a dozen half-pint jars…I’m thinking Christmas presents. If you can get your hands on four pounds of figs — preferably Black Mission but other figs will do — this jam works with both sweet and savory dishes and goes nicely with lamb chops, over pancakes or on a piece of crusty bread with a schmear of chevre or brie cheese.

Below is my slightly altered recipe from Epicurious…I only reduced the sugar from four cups to three.

INGREDIENTS

2 lemons
4 pounds ripe fresh figs (preferably black), stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 9 cups)
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy or Cognac
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Using a vegetable peeler, remove thin outer rind from lemons in long strips, peeling from top to bottom of fruit. Cut  into matchstick-size strips (about 3 tablespoons).

Remove stem ends and chop figs into 1/2 inch pieces.  Combine lemon peel, figs, sugar, brandy and salt in heavy, deep saucepan. Let stand at room temperature for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Bring fig mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture with potato masher to crush large fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle mixture into 6 hot, sterilized 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Cool jars completely. Store in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

And then, what to do with those peeled lemons? Well, in the spirit of drunken fruit, how about Lemon Drop Martinis?

Cheers!

Colette and Yvette are Black Copper Marans.

I’ve always been a collector… from buttons when I was a child to vintage table linens, Mexican folk art and Italian art glass as an adult. So when we began raising chickens a year or so ago, I collected sets…two of each breed. Because we purchased full-grown birds I could select them based on distinctive feather patterns, unique combs, leg color and other recognizable markings. This allowed me to identify and name each hen, which was fun and would later be helpful in sorting them all out.

This year we decided to raise baby chicks…25 of them. Now we have more birds of each breed with little variance in their appearance, so figuring out who-is-who is a bit of a challenge. Nevertheless, some of them have already acquired names.

The first batch of chicks we brought home were six Black Copper Marans, a French breed that is prized for dark, terra cotta colored eggs. At 4 months old we knew two of them were roosters – which we do not keep – so they were named Fried and Fricaseed. Fortunately, another poultry fancier of our acquaintance wanted them for breeding, so they were given a reprieve from their monikers.

The hens – Guillemette, Juliette, Colette and Yvette – are each unique in that two of them have feathered legs and two do not. Guillemette and Juliette, of the feathered legs, have distinct mantles and are easy to tell apart. The same is true of Colette and Yvette, the bare legged girls.

Two other easily recognizable hens in our flock are Antoinette and Bernadette. They are Dominiques, which resemble the Barred Plymouth Rock. Dominiques are considered the oldest breed in the US, the first breed recognized by the American Poultry Association. Sadly, they are on the “watch list” of endangered domestic chickens (fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States, with ten or fewer primary breeding flocks, and globally endangered).

These threatened breeds are often no longer actively bred due to modern commercialization or industrial applications of the animal. Endangered breeds of chickens are often pushed aside in favor of poultry that matures faster, gains more weight in specific areas (plump, juicy breast and thighs, meatier wings, etc.) or has a higher egg production rate.

Because we do not keep roosters or breed chicks, we are not directly contributing to the preservation of a diverse chicken population. However, by purchasing chicks of these endangered species we support those who keep the breeding flocks of birds that are threatened with extinction.

Six pounds of tomatoes yielded 7 half-pint jars of jam, two of which have already flown out the door. Here’s Denise’s recipe for 1 ½ pounds of tomatoes.

Balsamic Tomato Jam

6 allspice berries
6 whole cloves
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. mustard seeds
1-1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes
1 c. sugar
½ c. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Combine the allspice, cloves, red pepper flakes & mustard seeds in a piece of cheese cloth and tie securely with kitchen string to form a spice bag.

Scald tomatoes. When skins split plunge in cold water to stop the cooking and peel.

I used a variety of heirloom slicer and salad tomatoes.

Remove tough stem area in center of fruit, slice and dice.

Place the tomatoes and all remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan.  Add the spice bag, with the string hanging out of the pan.  Slowly bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes (or until reduced to 1-1/4 cup).  Stir frequently. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate (or pack boiling jam in sterilized jars to preserve).

NOTE: If you multiply this recipe you will need longer cooking time to reduce the jam and should remove the spice bag after 30 minutes.

Jam joins the other preserved goodies in the pantry.

Roasted Tomato Paste

I add small amounts of this concentrated, slightly caramelized tomato paste to soups and sauces, or chop it finely as a spread for bruschetta.

Five pounds of tomatoes halved and spread in a single layer, drizzled with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Roast about 3 hours in 300 degree oven until dried.

 

The first cherry and grape tomatoes in our vegetable garden are usually eaten IN the garden with a salt shaker in hand, and the first slicers are the basis for countless BLTs, Caprese Salad and gazpacho. Now, at the end of summer, the vines are loaded with ripe Romas, San Marzanos and other sauce tomatoes, which must be harvested every few days.

I make marinara almost every weekend for at least a month, preserving the bright summer flavors that we will enjoy throughout winter. The process begins with about 15 pounds of fresh tomatoes, washed, halved and run through one of my favorite Italian kitchen gadgets, the spremmi pomodoro.

This macchina miracolosa separates the skin and the seeds quickly and efficiently. Nothing goes to waste because the hens love the discarded skins and seeds. From 15 pounds of tomatoes I usually get a gallon of sauce for marinara.

To the sauce add roughly ½ cup of olive oil and one head of garlic, peeled and diced finely. Uncovered, bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a high simmer to reduce the sauce to about half.

Simmer for 3 to 4 hours until the sauce has thickened. Add ¼ cup of Italian Seasoning, 2 bay leaves and ¼ cup dried basil and continue cooking on low heat for about half an hour.

When the marinara has cooled I pack it in ZipLock containers, mark and date them, and put them in the freezer. This may seem like a lot of effort, but the result is so incredibly different from any bottled marinara and makes an excellent base for the classic Sicilian Sunday Gravy.

Mangia! Mangia!

On Monday, Eddie was in the golf cart on his way to pick up the mail when he saw something move and heard a horrible scream from the side of the driveway. He stopped and found that a fawn was trying to get into the neighbors yard through the fence and was hopelessly trapped. We have no idea how he got into our property in the first place, but there he was. Eddie and his friend John managed to pry the fence rails apart so they could lift the little guy up and through.

Yesterday I was in the vegetable garden and Eddie encountered the same scenario on his way to mailbox. Suddenly I heard this blood-curdling scream (from the deer) and Eddie yelling at me to come up and help him.  This time the fawn was facing the other direction, with his head and shoulders on our side of the fence. This would be a bit trickier, since we didn’t want to get bitten or slashed by his sharp hooves.

My husband, always the engineer, said “We need some tools.” Back in the golf cart and down to the barn for clamps, and then to the garage for cloth shopping bags and dog leashes. Eddie applied some pressure clamps to the fence rails and managed to get the fawn’s head and front legs into the cloth sack, which made him go quiet and still. Then we lifted him up and pulled him though.

Eddie tied up his back legs, put him in the back of the golf cart and we slowly made our way down the driveway, out the gate and to the front of our neighbors’ yard, where the doe was frantically running along the fence line. Eddie lowered the little guy to the street and removed the dog leashes and sack carefully. The wounds on his hips  from earlier this week haven’t healed yet and the ones he incurred yesterday were even more gruesome, but he hopped up and ran straight to Mama.

I didn’t manage to get a picture of him leaving because he was out of there and into the trees before I could focus. But here’s how I imagine them. I hope Mama is giving him an earful…counseling him to not try that again!

Two of my favorite things...chicken and wine!

A few days ago I pulled the last of the Super Sweet Walla Walla onion babies from the garden and harvested the last of the Romano beans. I remembered that I had some leftover parsley-buttered Baby Yukon potatoes in the fridge and decided that all I needed for Coq au Vin was a coq…which I had in the freezer.

Recipe for 2 hearty plates:

2 legs, 2 thighs and 2 wings from a Surfside Chickens pastured broiler, cut in pieces and dredged in flour.
6 large green onions or 12 to 15 pearl onions
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cans mushroom stems and pieces (in this dish I prefer them to fresh mushrooms)
2 cups dry white wine (most recipes call for red wine…I prefer white)
3-4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons Herbs deProvence
Corn starch…al gusto

Cook a few pieces at a time so pan is not crowded.

Prepare the chicken by dredging in flour. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and sauté until golden. Remove chicken pieces from pan, and add whole onions. 

You can see all the lovely brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Don't throw them out!

Sauté until cut ends start to brown. Remove the onions and add garlic. When the garlic just begins to soften, add white wine and stir to remove brown bits in the bottom of the pan.

You can use more or less corn starch to sauce to achieve the consistency you prefer. I like a thin gravy, myself.

Add mushrooms and the water in the can, keeping about ¼ cup in reserve. Add Herbs de Provence and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add chicken and onion to sauce, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. If the sauce looks too thick you can add chicken broth to keep it “soupy”.

 After meat on drumsticks begins to loosen from the bone, add cornstarch to remaining mushroom water and mix thoroughly to make a thin paste. Slowly add this to sauce, stirring constantly. (You can make the sauce thicker by using more of the mixture. Add a small amount at a time, cooking and stirring until it gets to the consistency you prefer.) Reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes.

I then heated and slightly mashed the parsley-buttered potatoes, steamed and buttered the Romano beans, plated the chicken with the sauce as a gravy over the potatoes, and, yes, I’m going to say it…sorry, I can’t resist…Voila!

Bon apetit!