Bacon and Artichoke Pizza

This started out as a pizza with mustard as the sauce, to use some of my home-canned wholegrain mustard. Then I bought rye flour for the sauerkraut bread, and pantry-challenged myself to find another use for it.  Things kind of escalated from there.

This recipe from Park Farm Winery is very close to what I originally had in mind.  Then my arugula decided to take it's sweet time to grow and I had to rethink the toppings.  I was buying frozen artichokes anyway to have on hand until my own bud in the spring, and there were bacon ends in the freezer.  Add to that a rather impressive collection of half-used cheeses in the fridge, and this almost qualifies as pure pantry.

For those of you who got stuck on the mustard sauce part of this intro, feel free to use alfredo or pesto.  You're only putting on a tablespoon per pizza, similar to what would go on a sandwich.  I just didn't see the point in opening a jar to use half a cup when there was open mustard in the fridge that could be thinned into a sauce.  Granted, the tang of the mustard would have paired better with arugula.  I'm working with what I've got this month.

Dough

1-1/4 C 100º water
*2-1/2 tsp (one packet) yeast
*1 Tb honey
2 tsp olive oil
*1-1/2 C rye flour
about 1-1/2 C AP flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Topping

*3 Tb grainy or Dijon mustard
1 Tb olive oil
1 C frozen artichokes, thawed or canned in water and drained
*1/2 lb bacon
*1-1/2 C shredded mozzarella
*1/2 C parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
*1 Tb pine nuts, optional
*Corn meal, for dusting the baking sheets

1.  Stir together warm water, yeast, honey, and olive oil.  Allow to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2.  In mixer with the paddle, stir together water mixture and rye flour.  Increase speed and beat into a batter, about 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 C AP flour and the salt and beat into a light dough, another 2 minutes.

3.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead until smooth, adding as little A.P. flour as necessary to achieve an elastic texture.  I'm learning that rye flour sucks up a lot more water than wheat flour does, and this ended up about 2/3 rye.  Shape into a ball.  Turn dough over in a lightly oiled bowl to coat all sides.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

4.  While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce and topping.  For the sauce, whisk together mustard and olive oil.  At the last second, I decided to do 2 Tb wholegrain mustard and 1 Tb fig mustard.  Cook the bacon, either in a 400º oven or in a skillet, until mostly done but not overly crispy.  Remember, it's going back in the oven for 20 minutes.  Chop into 1" pieces and set aside.  Chop the defrosted or drained artichokes into bite-sized pieces.

5.  When dough has risen, punch down and divide into four portions by weight.  Round each piece into a ball and allow to rest 10 minutes.

6.  Scatter cornmeal on two baking sheets.  This will prevent your pizzas from sticking to the trays.  Roll each ball into a circle 6" diameter for thick crust, 8" for thin.  Place circles on baking sheets.  Thinly spread mustard sauce on each round, leaving a clean edge for holding.  Top with both cheeses, then distribute toppings.  Sprinkle each pizza with a bit of pine nuts, if desired.  Set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

7.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Bake pizzas for 20 minutes, or until crust is set and toppings have all melted into each other.  Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.  I know people think they want a pizza right out of the oven, but they're better when they don't burn your mouth.

Makes 4 personal pizzas

Difficulty rating  :-0

Pantry Challenge Progress Report

Here I am, about a month into when I actually started the "January" pantry challenge.  It's time to assess how well I have stocked my pantry/freezer/fridge and what needs to change.

1.  I have way too many lunch-oriented items for someone who eats lunch at home only two days a week.  I generally take one meal to work, either yogurt or oatmeal plus a banana, then cave in and snack on something there if I'm hungry.  The Chef Boyardee was in case I was quarantined at some point and didn't feel like making even a grilled cheese sandwich.  I have split days off, and generally don't have a whole can at one meal, so they're just sitting there.

2.  I need to stop buying soup.  Full stop.  Unless it's purchased for a specific recipe, even broth just sits there.  I tend to make my own so it has either low sodium or not the same yield as a can or box.

3.  I'm really not eating much meat anymore.  It has been a challenge to find a good use for the pound of ground beef in the freezer.  I bought it in June on sale for $2.49/lb, which you will never find today.  I finally did the meat/eggplant/cheese parmisiagna stack thingy just to use it on something better than spaghetti sauce or burgers.  If I'm ever stuck at home for a couple of weeks, I have no problem having beans or quinoa as my protein for a while, as long as there are other ingredients to make them interesting.

4.  I don't go through a lot of boxed pasta.  It's nice to have when all else fails, but it isn't something I need on the shelf.  I don't regret getting those four boxes at clearance prices, but it's literally a whole year's worth.

Turkey Divan

5.  Stocking a wide variety of beans and other plant-based protein is a good idea.  See #3.  I'm far more interested in developing new uses for plant-based protein than for the meats in my freezer.  I did love my turkey divan, made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey shreds and some of the sauerkraut bread instead of white.  For Christmas, I made Stoo with a jar of apricot chutney.  But meat has become more of an occasional treat than an everyday thing.

6.  I love using the powdered Nido milk.  More to the point, I love not worrying about whether I have enough or too much milk in the fridge.  I mix it up as needed.  If I know ahead of time that I will be needing a specific quantity, I'll buy a quart or half a gallon.  But if I only need it for a few mugs of coffee for the week, I'll just make a cup at a time.  Yes, it tastes like powdered coffee creamer until you get used to it.  The first canister lasted me 8 months.  I estimate that I was paying about $6/mo for milk.  At $15 per canister, that saved me $33.  Not a lot of money, but little changes like that add up.

7.  No more canning until I make a serious dent in last year's inventory.  I've already gone over this, so I won't belabor the point.  Let's just say there will be at least one more loaf of sauerkraut bread (which I actually really liked and might make as hamburger buns next time).

As for how I'm doing on the spending, pretty awesome.  I've been saving receipts, and not counting anything I bought that was intended to be used after this month.  Because Pantry Challenges are not supposed to whittle away at your long-term food items, especially in an age when items you like might be out of stock for weeks, then come back at a higher price.  There was also a Target run for a few essentials that I'll need before April and wanted to get while they were still on the shelf.  So here is what I bought for weekly use (starting Jan 1st) and what I paid:

January 2 (Pavilions - Safeway/Albertsons brand)

Orange Juice (half gal)    2.99
Plain Greek Yogurt (qt)    2.99
Bananas 79¢/lb             1.81
                           7.79

January 10 (Sprouts)

Eggplant                    .98
4 lbs grapefruit           3.98
Bananas 65¢/lb              .67
Romano cheese 5 oz         4.59
                          10.22

January 16 (Pavilions)

Bob's GF flour (coupon)    0.00
Frz artichoke hearts       3.49
Ice Cream                  2.99
Frozen turkey sausage      1.39
Plain yogurt (qt)          2.99
Bananas 79¢/lb             1.14
$3 off any purchase       -3.00
                           9.00

January 25 (Pavilions)

Coconut milk               2.99
Tortillas                  1.79
Plain yogurt (qt)          2.02
Whipped topping            4.49
English muffins (10 ct)    2.33
Grape Tomatoes             2.50
Bananas (79¢/lb)           1.22
                          17.34

As you can see, my main motivator for hitting the grocery store has been running out of bananas.  Without that hiccup, I could probably have gone longer between trips.  And the one week I did, the result was a higher total.  $1.50 of that was the market being out of the generic coconut milk.  Some of this will be prepared on the 31st and eaten mostly in February, so it isn't a perfect metric.  Still, I spent $44.35 for items that I planned to open in January, when I usually spend that much per week.

While it's been amazing spending so little for the month, inflation really hit home when I didn't have time to cook one evening and went through the Carl's Jr drive-through, which I haven't done in at least six months.  One pretty awesome chicken-bacon-ranch sandwich without fries or a drink cost $9, roughly the same as my average weekly grocery bill during this challenge.

I can definitely keep this up through February.  I'm not going to itemize receipts, but I'll maintain the "do I really need this right now?" mindset when I go shopping.  There's a cup of brown rice that really needs to be cooked before it goes rancid.  I'll probably have that with the other baggie of leftover turkey, the rest of the open jar of cranberry sauce, and some canned asparagus or a salad.  I kept moving around a possible lamb curry until it finally was bumped off this month's menu plan.  In between, I have four varieties of beans (pinto, black, navy, and garbanzo), red lentils, and quinoa to play with as vegan proteins.  There's also quite a bit of bacon in the freezer that I stocked up in case it takes a while for California to figure out the Prop 12 pork issues.  And a whole chicken I keep thinking is a bag of flour because I didn't have room for it on the meat side of the freezer.

While being prepared for quarantine and/or stocking up on fairly priced items as a way to stave off inflation is a good thing, there's also wastefulness in not using what you've bought or prepared for the freezer and by canning.  Periodic inventory and pantry challenges are a great way to clear out the older items and reduce the effects of market fluctuations.

Dutch Peach-Rhubarb Pie

Google can teach you a lot.  In modern times, rhubarb is usually paired with berries.  But I found that combining it with peaches is so common that both Pillsbury and Alton Brown have recipes for it.  The Pillsbury one looked especially good until I found another that used crystallized ginger instead of coconut.  So I'm going a little off-grid and making the topping my own.

This counts as Pantry Challenge.  I ended up using squeezable ginger paste instead of crystallized.  The fillings were from last summer's Clear-Jel obsession.  The crust was part of my big batch, of which I still have two double-crust pies left.  And the rest of the ingredients I always have in sufficient quantities.

For everyone else, I'm going to give you substitutions.  While I used a pint each of peach and rhubarb filling, this will use a standard 21-ounce can of peach pie filling and enough frozen (or fresh) rhubarb to fill the shell.  I'm not changing the time from what I used with all-canned filling because rhubarb cooks very fast.  45 minutes is enough to cook both the filling and the crust, especially when you consider it continues to cook after you pull it from the oven.

*1 9" or 8"-deep pie crust, unbaked
*1 can (21 oz store-bought) peach pie filling
2 C fresh or frozen and thawed rhubarb, in 1/2" pieces
*1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 C flour
1/4 C instant or rolled oats
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
*2 Tb finely chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 C chilled shortening

1.  If not store-bought, roll out pie crust and place in pie pan.  I've been having trouble with this batch shrinking, and rolled it quite a bit larger than the pan.  It shrank in the oven exactly where I wanted it to be, so yay.  Preheat oven to 375º.

2.  In a bowl, stir together pie filling, rhubarb, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and salt.  I'm not adding sugar because I'm assuming there's plenty in the peach filling.  If your brand isn't coating the rhubarb well, stir in 1/4 C of granulated sugar.  Pour filling into crust and shape edge of crust if from scratch.  Place on a baking sheet in case of overflow and bake 20 minutes while you make the crumb topping.

3.  In a fresh bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, ground ginger, and pecans.  Cut in shortening to make a sticky, crumbly paste.  Refrigerate until the first 20 minutes of baking are done.

4.  Pull the pie out of the oven and sprinkle the par-baked pie with the crumb mixture.  Return it to the oven and bake an additional 25-30 minutes, until the crumb and the crust are golden brown and the filling is bubbly.  Cool before slicing.

Makes one pie, about 8 servings

Difficulty rating  :)

Salsa Verde Soup

I'm really trying to use my home-canned goods in new and exciting ways.  I love the tomatillo salsa on pretty much any Mexican-themed food.  So I wondered what would happen if I used it in place of tomatoes and onions in a soup, and went online to find out if that was a thing.

Um, ok, it's basically pozole, which I've never had and only heard of recently.  I'm not into hominy, so I used a can of cream-style corn that never made it into another recipe.  The recipe below calls for whole corn kernels, but this is a Pantry Challenge and that's what I had.  Everything else was pretty much what I was planning.  Mainly, these other recipes gave me the courage to make what I had in mind originally and know it would still be edible.

The only way I could use up the quart box of broth that I was determined to find a recipe for was to make more than four main-course servings.  It also used up two jars of salsa instead of one, so that's not entirely a bad thing.  I'm posting a scaled down recipe here, which would be four servings with an accompaniment or three as a main course.  I ended up with one extra lunch-sized serving out of my big pot.

*2/3 C dry pinto beans, or 1 15 oz can cooked
*3 C chicken or vegetable broth
*1 to 1-1/2 C salsa verde (tomatillo salsa), depending how vinegar-y you want the soup
1 C hominy or frozen corn kernels
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro and sour cream or yogurt for garnish

1.  If starting with dry pintos, sort and rinse.  I don't usually take the "sort" part seriously, but I found a stone the size of a pea this time.  It happens.  Soak for 6-8 hours.  Drain, refill saucepan with water to cover by 1", and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  For canned, drain and rinse.

2.  This is where it gets really easy.  Add broth, salsa, corn, and beans to a large soup pot over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.  For a spicy soup, add red pepper flakes and/or cayenne.

3.  Ladle into bowls.  Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π

Fried Radishes and Artichoke Hearts

Even though it isn't really a winter thing, I decided to do a mezze dinner.  I just like having a meal consisting entirely of appetizers.  Plus, I was trying to get rid of some crackers I had bought for Chanukah hors d'oeuvres and some of a can of breadcrumbs.

And being winter, instead of light crudités, I fried my veggies.  This was originally going to be just artichokes, but the half a year's rain we got in the last two weeks of December made my radishes go bonkers.  I could have roasted them, but I was heating up oil anyway and the can of artichokes wasn't that big.

I went simple on the dipping sauce: plain Greek yogurt, wholegrain mustard, and paprika, with a bit of salt to wake them up.  The veggies should not be a sauce delivery vehicle.  They should complement and accent each other.

I did not season my breadcrumbs because of the tangy sauce and because the artichokes were canned in brine.  I couldn't find the ones canned in water, and they were out of frozen.  But I ended up really liking the ones I bought, and would get them again for a salad or pasta.

As for the radishes, they fry up a lot like potatoes.  They get soft and starchy, but retain enough of their tang to be interesting.  The texture of both items once fried is reminiscent of seafood, but in a non-fishy way.  This recipe could easily disguise a wide variety of veggies for kids.

For the Sauce

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
*2 tsp your favorite mustard (or less if that's too strong)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

1.  Whisk together all ingredients.  Chill until ready to use.  Doing this step first allows the flavors to blend for a while.

For the Fried Bits

1 13.5 oz can artichokes in water or brine, drained
*4-8 red radishes (half a bunch), quartered
1/2 C flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tb water
*1-1/2 C unseasoned breadcrumbs
salt for the breadcrumbs, optional
oil for frying

1.  Drain and dry your veggies.  Quarter the artichokes if you didn't buy them that way, and snack on the outer leaves that fall off to decide if you should put salt in the breadcrumbs.  Cut off the tops and root tips of the radishes.  Quarter the radishes, or just cut them in half if they're small.

2.  Set up your 3-step dredge:  One shallow pan for flour, one for the beaten egg, and one for the breadcrumbs, stirring in a bit of salt if you think you need it.  Start heating half an inch of oil in a heavy saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat.  A deep fryer set to 350º would work here, but the oil will have to be tossed at the end and my fryer is big enough to do a whole cut-up chicken.  I didn't want to lose a whole bottle of oil on one recipe.

3.  Roll the artichokes in the flour to coat.  We're doing those first because they're pre-cooked and won't have to spend as long in the oil.  Transfer them to the second dish and coat in egg wash, then move them to the breadcrumbs and turn to coat all sides.

4.  Check the oil.  If it's between 350º and 375º, you're good to go.  Turn on the hood fan if you haven't yet.  Add pieces to the oil using tongs.  You may have to go in batches, depending on what size pot you chose.  Turn pieces if necessary to brown all sides, about 3-4 minutes total of cooking.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or a rack set over a baking sheet.  Repeat until all of the quarters are fried, adding more oil if necessary to maintain depth and waiting for it to heat.

5.  Go through the same dredging routine with the radishes, but they will need to cook for more like 6 minutes because they're raw.  They will also get darker than the artichokes.  Drain those as well.

6.  Serve while still warm, with the dipping sauce.

Difficulty rating  :)

Herbed Polenta and Beans

This has nothing to do with Pantry Challenge January.  I just decided I wanted something hot and mushy for dinner.  That it happened to be entirely a pantry meal just shows what a diversified pantry can accomplish.

I don't buy fine polenta, or even the prepared stuff in a tube.  I just cook cornmeal with more liquid and for a longer time than you would for a simple cornmeal mush, then call it polenta.

I'll be honest, this is Depression cuisine.  Papa Smurf once spoke about how Grandma Sophie could make their groceries stretch.  I share his taste for fried leftover cornmeal cakes with syrup, even though we never had it when I was growing up.  Putting beans on top of the mush isn't necessarily part of what he had, but it could have been.

The more I decided what was going into the polenta, turning the beans into something Italian-trending seemed like the best choice.  It also meant that cooking them with tomato paste would keep them from disappearing next to the similarly-colored cornmeal.  I decided to simmer instead of oven-bake, so they would retain a slightly firm texture.  If you opt for canned beans, they're going to be mushy no matter what you do on reheating.

For the beans

*3/4 C dry Navy beans or one 15 oz can white beans
*1/2 C diced onion
*1/4 C tomato paste
*2 Tb pesto
1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp paprika
*1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1.  If working from dry, allow beans to soak for at least 8 hours.  Drain and rinse.  Return to saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch.  Stir in diced onion, tomato paste, pesto, salt, paprika, and garlic.  Bring to a low boil.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until very tender, about 2 to 3 hours.  Remove lid and allow sauce to reduce while you prepare the polenta.

For the polenta

*1 C fine yellow cornmeal (not masa harina)
about 3 C vegetable or chicken stock
*1 tsp dried oregano
*1 tsp dried basil
*1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
*1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

1.  In a medium saucepan, stir together cornmeal and 3 C cold stock.  Stir in oregano, basil, and parsley.  Slowly bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often.

2.  As mixture thickens, about 15 minutes, watch out for cornmeal lava bombs.  If it thickens too much for your taste, add more stock or some water.  It should be thicker than cream soup, and with a silky texture.  And it really does have that faintly green tint to it from the herbs.  Stir in cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Ladle polenta into bowls, then top with a ladle of the beans.  If desired, garnish with more cheese.

Difficulty rating  :)

The Compost Bucket

This year, California has changed its waste separation rules.  Since the introduction of the three-bin method, the greens bin has specifically said it is not for kitchen scraps.  I've been putting gardening scraps in it that I wasn't sure were appropriate, but nothing like eggshells, coffee grounds, or meat bones.

That has all changed.  Anything organic is now supposed to be in the green bin, along with landscaping trimmings.  Anything smaller than a branch that could support a kindergartener is now getting composted. In a couple of years, they're even going to start fining people who don't separate their organic matter.  Ew, someone is going to be poking through all the trash looking for scofflaws?

I now have a container in the kitchen for organic scraps, until I feel like taking them out to the green bin.  A lot of people are probably looking at me sideways for being so behind the times.  But not a lot is going in it.  For a long time, I was saving eggshells to turn into soil amendment.  Coffee grounds are already being used as mulch for the artichokes and citrus tree.  Most of my vegetable trimmings end up in the broth bag.  I guess I'll put the spent broth trimmings in the compost bucket from now on.  And I always try my hardest not to waste food.

I was expecting the trash company to bring a little half-gallon bucket to every address, to encourage folks to follow this new statewide law and inform those who are unaware.  No such luck, so I emptied the rest of a container of coffee into the countertop jar and that will have to do until I find something cute.  Target probably has them, or maybe Home Depot; Techie Smurf has one in his kitchen, so I know they exist.

Hopefully, this new lifestyle will make a difference in how Californians approach their food.  I hope people realize how much they are wasting by seeing it separated out from ordinary, non-recyclable trash.  It's going to mean I'm hardly ever taking out the kitchen trash bag.  As it is, I only do it every other week, and only because the organic matter starts to smell.  Reduce-Reuse-Recycle may be a tired slogan, but it's starting to become an achievable goal.

Sauerkraut Rye Bread

In the process of finding uses for my home-canned sauerkraut, I randomly googled making bread with it.  Turns out, that's a thing in Poland.  I'm a tiny part Polish, so there you go.

Basically, this is a shortcut for making a sourdough-tasting rye bread.  I'm not a huge sourdough fan, and had to go on the hunt for rye flour, but it really did sound appealing.  I kept picturing it slathered with mustard and a slice of white cheddar alongside a rainy-day soup.  Or formed into sandwich rolls for turkey (and more mustard...I'm not a mayo person).  Or even as a pizza base.  That's the thing about yeast dough, it doesn't have to be just a sliceable loaf.  It's whatever you shape it into.

That said, the recipe here is for a single loaf.  To use a packet of yeast, double the recipe.  If two cans of sauerkraut seems like a bit much, use one can for both loaves and it will simply be less sour.

I decided to run the caraway seeds through the grinder instead of putting them in whole.  Long story involving dental work that I didn't want to risk seeds in my teeth.  You can also leave them out if they're not your thing.  If you want a more intense, almost pumpernickel flavor, use molasses instead of brown sugar.

I'm also using bread flour for the wheat portion, mostly because I have a lot of it.  The moisture and vinegar in the sauerkraut will soften and shorten the glutens, so a bread flour loaf will still be sturdy.  There is nothing wrong with using A.P. flour, just bear in mind you might not be able to do a free-standing loaf.

*14 oz can of sauerkraut
1 tsp yeast
1 Tb brown sugar or molasses
1 Tb oil
3/4 C warm water
1 C rye flour
about 2 C A.P. or bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp caraway seed

1.  Open and drain the sauerkraut.  Pulse through the food processor to break up the large pieces, and continue to drain while you start the dough, about 10 minutes.

2.  Stir together water, yeast, brown sugar, and oil.  Allow to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

3.  In stand mixer with the paddle, add rye flour.  Pour in the yeast mixture and beat into a batter, 2 minutes.  Add 1 C white flour, salt, caraway, and sauerkraut.  Beat into a thick batter/runny dough.

4.  I'm a huge proponent of hand-kneading the rest of the way.  I like to feel when dough is ready.  But this dough was so sticky and lumpy that I'm recommending switching to the dough hook this time.  Add another cup of white flour and beat with the hook on medium until the dough is kneaded and rides the hook, about 8 minutes.

5.  Shape dough into a ball.  Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides.  Place in a warm area to rise for an hour to 90 minutes, until doubled.

6.  Punch down dough and allow to rest 10 minutes.  Grease a standard 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Pat out dough into a 9" x 12" rectangle and roll into a loaf shape.  Place in pan seam-side down, tucking under the ends, and allow to rise another hour.

7.  Preheat oven to 350º.  If desired, split top of loaf and/or brush with butter.  Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden and sounds hollow when thumped.  Turn out of pan and allow to cool fully on a rack.

Makes 1 loaf, about 8-10 servings

Difficulty rating :)

Tofu-Peanut Nori Rolls

I have a bunch of extra Nori from last year that's just going to go stale if I don't use it soon.  I got this idea from an article in the L.A. Times' barely functioning Food section.  My version is closer to Japanese than Vietnamese and simplifies the sauce considerably, using ingredients I've actually heard of.  The biggest change I made was wrapping the baked slices of tofu in the nori, instead of having it on the side.

It never occurred to me to bake tofu.  You can buy it baked, and I've fried it before, but I usually have it straight out of the package.  It didn't really do much to the texture, but it caramelized the sauce.

I had these with some rice mixed with the last of the onigiri seasoning and a jar of kohlrabi relish.  So the only thing bought new for the entire meal was the tofu at under $2.  That's the kind of thing Pantry Challenge is about, finding new uses for what you already have.

*1/4 C creamy peanut butter
*1 Tb soy or teriyaki sauce
*1 tsp fish sauce (will make it non-vegan)
*1 Tb rice vinegar
1 Tb vegetable, peanut, or grapeseed oil
*1 Tb sake (or vermouth)
*1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 package firm tofu
*4 sheets nori

1.  Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, sake, and ginger.  Preheat oven to 400º and line a baking sheet with parchment.  I opted not to use the silicon mat because I didn't want to scrub caramelized sauce off it.

2.  Drain tofu well and pat dry.  Cut the loaf in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 6 slices.

3.  Dip a few slices at a time into the sauce, turning to coat all sides.  Place on parchment sheet.  Reserve any remaining sauce.

4.  Bake tofu for 20 minutes.  Flip, baste pieces with remaining sauce, and bake another 20 minutes, until sauce is dry or only slightly tacky.  Allow to cool enough to handle.

5.  Cut each sheet of nori into 3 strips.  Wrap each piece of tofu in a strip.  If you want, you can add a tablespoon of rice and/or vegetables like pea pods and green onion to the wrap.

6. Serve before the nori gets gummy.

Difficulty rating  :)

Smoking Bishop

I read A Christmas Carol every year.  It's short, and a good way to get in the mood.

Many of the foods mentioned aren't popular anymore.  I've made a few, like Christmas Pudding, just to see what goes into them.  This year, I decided to look up smoking bishop, which is mentioned in the last stave.  By the context, I presumed it was some kind of alcoholic drink.  Yep, it's a citrus mulled wine made with port, served steaming hot.  I like port and decided to tackle a small batch.

Because, as a party punch, you would generally make an entire bottle of this.  Well, two, since there's both wine and port in it. Hence the "bowl of smoking bishop" mentioned in the book.  I rarely have more than two ounces of port at a time, and even that much would be at a party.  So I just experimented with a cup each of the wine and port and expected to work on it all week.  I'm expanding the recipe here to a pint of each and assuming either more people or a more common four to six ounces to a glass.

I've never roasted a whole citrus fruit.  I guess it kind of makes sense for bringing out the natural oils.  I cook citrus to make marmalades and sauces, so why not stick it in the oven?  It does make this take longer than one might expect.  It's also better after sitting overnight, making it a good do-ahead for a party.  You can just bring it back to a simmer before serving.

Ideally, this would be served in old-fashioned, squat metal mugs.  There were even tin cups in the 18th century that could be held over the fire to heat the mixture.  The only squat cups I have that can hold hot drinks are from my china sets.  Since this is an English recipe, I went with the Royal Albert.  It was also to celebrate getting the rest of my china set of Lavender Rose as a holiday gift to myself.  I'll start working on serving pieces this year.

*2 oranges (Seville or another bitter one if you can find it)
*18 whole cloves
*1 cinnamon stick
*4 allspice berries
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 C water
2 Tb light brown sugar
*2 cardamom pods, cracked (optional)
*2 Tb lemon juice
2 C dry red wine, like a Cabernet
*2 C ruby Port

1.  Begin drink the day before.  Preheat oven to 350º.  If you did not get your oranges at a farmer's market, scrub thoroughly to remove the wax coating.  Poke small holes all around the oranges and insert cloves.  Roast until they're saggy and almost looking a little burnt, 45 minutes to an hour.  I have two oranges for my half-batch because the ones on my tree were very small this year.  Market-sized, you will be using two for a quart yield.

2.  While they're roasting, make the syrup base.  In a small saucepan, combine cinnamon stick, allspice berries (or 1 tsp ground allspice), fresh ginger, cardamom, brown sugar, and water.  Bring to a low boil and cook until reduced by at least half.  And yes, it does look like the first step of making chai.

3.  Add wine to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add roasted oranges and lemon juice.  Once mixture has cooled to room temperature, strain into a glass or other non-reactive container with a somewhat wide opening.   Add the oranges back in (why you picked a wide-mouthed jar) and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

4.  Half an hour or so before serving, pour contents of the jar into a large saucepan.  Add the Port and bring to a simmer, just below a boil.  (And yes, that's a new pot.  I broke the Visions right after pouring everything into the jar.  Marshalls actually had a nice selection, but I liked the glass because it's non-reactive for canning acidic foods.  Maybe I'll hit up a thrift store for one.)  Serve steaming from a punch bowl (which I didn't because my bowl is too big), so you can show off the clove-studded oranges.

Serves 4-8 (not judging)

Difficulty rating  π