Hello Fall! What’s new at basil & salt
Category Archives: Recipes
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Simple and delicious, the secret ingredient in this dish is black garlic.
Our suggested wine pairing is a viognier or a chardonnay. Happy Cooking!
Pasta, potatoes, rice, greens, what’s your side? We would love to know!
Ingredients Directions Notes We used The Black Garlic Market’s Black Garlic for superior quality and flavor. If the sun-dried tomatoes are not packed in oil, you may want to add a bit more – the oil-packed ones taste more concentrated. I drain the oil prior to adding them to the pan. If you have particularly small chicken breasts, I recommend leaving them whole and cooking them for a few minutes longer.Creamy Tuscan Chicken
BONUS Recipe to make ahead or the night before
The perfect romantic Italian dessert for two. Prepare it together and chill 4 hours or overnight.
For the Cream For the AssemblyClassic Tiramisu
Ingredients
Directions
Blackberry Cake
The beauty of late summer. Large berries bursting with sweetness!
I can’t think of a better way to enjoy Mother Nature’s late summer bounty than with scratched up arms from picking berries.
Blackberry Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease springform or tart pan – 9″ or square baking pan.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar, making a well in the center.
- In medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Add sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Whisk until blended. Slowly add melted butter, whisking constantly until combined. Pour mixture into the well of the flour and sugar mixture. Stir with spatula until dry ingredients are moistened. Note: Batter will be thick.
- Pour two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of blackberries over the batter. Using a large spoon “dollop” the remaining batter over blackberries and smooth with spatula. Top with remaining berries, lightly pressing berries into the batter.
- Allow cake to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before baking. Sprinkle course sugar on top (optional)
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with no wet batter.
- Cool cake for 20 minutes, then remove sides of springform for serving or serve directly from tart or baking pan.
Can you freeze blackberries? Of course you can!
Freezing your freshly picked blackberries is a breeze! Do not wash, lay out on a cookie sheet in a single layer, and simply place in the freezer. The berries will freeze individually for easy storage. I measure out 5 1/2 cups of frozen berries and place them in a large, gallon size zippy bag, seal well and quickly put back in the freezer.
When I’m ready to make a pie or other dessert, I remove the bag, add berries to a strainer and rinse with cold water to remove stems, leaves and (gasp!) any stray bugs.
Blackberries are my favorite berries and I have been cooking with them as long as I can remember. This year after canning jam, baking a tart, pies, hand-pies and using the berries in salads, I wanted to bake a blackberry cake. I tried a few difference recipes on the web and ultimately fell in love with the Blackberry Breakfast Cake by Saving Room for Dessert. If you have a chance, pop over and look at the pure deliciousness on her site. The only change I made, was not using the coarse sugar on top.
Chef Russell Dean Lowell’s Pan Seared Scallops with Chimmy Churry, and Lemon Vegetable Orzo Pasta
Master story-teller and author of In Search of Duende, Russell Lowell is the executive chef and owner of Russell Dean Lowell Premier Catering, and two distinguished venues in the greater Seattle area: Russell’s of Bothell and in partnership with Sound2Summit Brewing in Snohomish Washington.
Serves 2 Ingredients Tools: 10″ Stainless Steel Pan (non-stick will work, stainless is preferred) It’s important the scallops are dry. If they are fresh, had never been frozen, a paper towel to blot each side will work. If you cannot find fresh, make sure the scallops have completely defrosted in the refrigerator overnight and have released all extra moisture. Again, blot well with paper towels. After the scallops have been dried off, season with Russell’s seasoning blend and heat the pan with oil on high heat. Gently place the scallops in the hot oil, seasoned side down and wait for them to caramelize. This should take 2 minutes. When you can see a deep colored caramelization, turn each scallop over and turn off the heat. The residual heat in the pan will continue to cook the scallops. Keep the scallops in the pan for 3 additional minutes and then remove them and serve immediately. The scallops with be warm throughout, but not cooked throughout. The more they cook, the chewier they become. Russell’s personal pairing recommendation: Long ShadowsPan Seared Scallops
2019 Cymbal Sauvignon Blanc
Columbia Valley
Wonderfully aromatic, with expressive notes of lemongrass, passion fruit and a hint of honeysuckle. This vibrant, well-balance wine, redolent with fresh herbs, stone fruit and guava, comes together seamlessly across a textured palate. Fresh and lively with a finish that won’t quit.
Ingredients In a medium bowl, add chopped parsley, garlic, and capers, then add lemon juice, all lemon zest, oil, and seasonings. Mix well and set aside. This will keep in the fridge for a week and can be used in multiple ways. Top Seared Scallops with small dollop of Chimmy Churry. Chimmy Churry
Ingredients Directions Boil pasta in salted water for 7-9 minutes or until al dente. Strain and set aside. Sauté zucchini, tomatoes and garlic on high heat with 2 Tbsp oil for 3-4 minutes. Incorporate reserved pasta into pan with veggie mix, basil, lemon juice, parsley, and Russell’s seasoning. Make sure to taste after seasoning and adjust if necessary. Lemon Veggie Orzo Pasta
*We have queried with the team at Russell’s for alternative seasoning for his Russell’s Signature blend.
The ingredients are simple and delicious. Salt, garlic and pepper.
Message from Chef Russell Dean Lowell
At Russell’s our goal is to create an unparalleled dining experience for all our guests. With the current health situation in our community, we are taking every precaution to keep you safe. We are open for dine-in, curbside pick-up and take-out. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding. We look forward to serving you!
– Chef Russell
One of “Russell’s” success secrets is Chef Lowell cuts all proteins in house and holds fish demos for halibut and salmon to show guests how to hone this craft at home.
A true friend to up-and-coming Washington winemakers, Chef Lowell holds several winemaker-dinner events each year to pair their wines with his exquisite cuisine and in 2014, was awarded Independent Restaurant of the Year by the Washington Wine Commission.
Russell credits his impressive culinary journey to a lifelong passion for food, spawned in the mangrove swamps of Cuba and nurtured by family.
His passions extend far beyond the culinary walls. A true adventurer and renaissance man, Russell Lowell is a “chef of all seasons”. He can be found fly fishing all over the world with flies he ties himself, hiking and hunting in forests of the Pacific Northwest and holding Elk Camp at various locations each fall.
Follow Chef Lowell and check out his work, at RussellLowell.com
bourbon peach cobbler
The peach. One of Mother Nature’s greatest summer gifts.
There’s nothing like biting into a ripe, juicy peach. Whether you’re eating it whole, slicing it into fresh cream, ice cream, or canning or baking, the smell of the peach reminds us that fall is on its way. Summer’s last hurrah.
We have paired our late summer peach with Four Roses Bourbon. This decadent, delicious recipe is simple to prepare and perfect for your Labor Day cookout.
Note: Set aside a bit of extra sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling and cream for brushing over the top.
bourbon peach cobbler
6 to 8 servings | oven 375 degrees F
ingredients
- 8 peaches, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup Four Roses Bourbon
- 3/4 granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, add peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss to coat.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut 1-1/2 sticks of butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Cut it with a pastry blender, fork, or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Slowly add cream and mix just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overwork the dough. It should be slightly sticky.
- Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a 10″ skillet or large stock pot over medium-low heat. Carefully add the peaches and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and immediately drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the peaches. It’s okay to leave gaps or spaces as the dough will puff and spread. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar and a little extra cinnamon.
- Bake in the oven on a baking sheet, it will drip, until the cobbler is browned, and the fruit is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with the ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
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margherita pizza
Weekday perfect, you can make the dough ahead of time or pick up fresh-made dough from your local deli. Have your hungry crew top their own pie with their favorite flavors.
Late summer shows off Mother Nature’s best work of art. Leaves become restless in anticipation of the fall dance, gourd foliage is in full bloom and ripe, plump tomatoes are heavy on the vine.
I love to pick tomatoes at the end of the day, when they’re still warm from the sun. ~Alain Ducasse
Pizza is a $30 billion dollar per year industry with approximately 61,269 pizzerias across the United States. Americans eat about 3 billion pizzas annually and the flavor combinations are endless.
Deep dish, thin or hand tossed, pizza can be customized to suit any flavor. For this post today, we chose a simple ‘Margherita’ style with a variety of late-summer colors. It’s not necessary to follow exact directions, experiment a bit with toppings, tweak and twist a recipe until it’s your own.
If time is an issue, make your pizza dough one day ahead of time. Cover well with plastic wrap and chill so dough does not dry out or you can freeze the dough in well-wrapped 1/2 pound dough-balls for 1-2 weeks.
Time Saver! Visit the deli counter at your local grocer and ask for pre-made pizza dough.
Note: As always we highly recommend you use a pizza stone. An hour before you toss your pizza in the oven, place your stone on the oven rack in the lower third of your electric oven. If you’re using gas, on the floor of your gas oven, and preheat to 500°F.
margherita pizza
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus a bit more for dusting
- 3/4 cup warm water, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
- Stir together yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. If it doesn’t look creamy, toss and begin again.
- Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. Dough will be a bit wet.
- Knead on a floured surface, lightly re-flour when dough becomes too sticky. Knead until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
The Topping
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, your choice
- 4 to 5 basil leaves, torn
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, your favorite summer colors and flavors
- A small bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional Toppings: Sprinkle Feta or goat cheese across top after baking
Directions
Shape the dough.
- Do not punch down. Pat out evenly with fingers and stretch into a 14″ round.
Assembly.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil in center of dough and brush outwards toward edges, leaving 1″ dry on the edges.
- Place garlic evenly across dough. Slice mozzarella cheese into equal sizes and place evenly across the dough, do the same with tomatoes.
- Slide pizza onto pizza stone, bake until dough is crisp and browned about 9-12 minutes.
- Transfer to cutting board with pizza peel and cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before cutting.
Choose the cheeses and toppings that appeal most to you and your guests. Experiment with flavors, colors and textures. We would love to hear about your favorite flavor combinations.
Pizza facts via The Pizza Joint
The sweet flavors and aromas of fall: Delicious apple butter
The aroma of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cooked apples waft through the neighborhood as apple butter is being prepared and put up.
These autumnal flavors are just one of the gifts Mother Nature gives us this time of year and with all of the choices at my fingertips to whip up for the dessert table, it’s always difficult to choose just one.
Apple Butter is the choice of the day simply for its diversity. It can be used as a spread on bread or hot buttered toaster muffins, and even as a warmed topping on ice cream or yogurt.
There are many different recipes and variations, experiment with spice combinations until you find exactly what works for you.
Our apple butter is a delicious ingredient inside of our Cinnamon Apple Cider Doughnuts.
Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 20 apples ~ I use Granny Smith
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 ground mace
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Combine apples, cider, brandy cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, mace, cloves, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent scorching for about an hour. Apples should be soft and begin to look saucy. Mash any large pieces with your spoon to break down.
- Bring heat down to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all of the apples are broken down and the butter is dark and thick. This should be about an additional 2 1/2 hours. Remove from heat, let stand to cool.
If you plan to store your apple butter in an un-refrigerated environment, use proper canning procedures.
angel food strawberry shortcake
Warm weather is for celebrating the summer berry and all its companions.
The best part of summer is picking fresh berries and using them in culinary creations or simply eating them fresh off the vine. While strawberries are readily available at your local grocer, picking them up at a farmers market or simply picking them yourself, supports the local farm and farmer.
Note: Angel Food Cake “sets” during the cooling process. Turn your cake upside down on wire rack to cool, otherwise your cake will collapse.
angel food strawberry shortcake
Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 1 c + 2 Tablespoons cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (real if you have it)
Preparation
- Bring your oven rack to the lower middle position and set oven to 325 degrees.
- Add sugar to food processor and pulse until fine and airy. Pour out and set aside 1 cup. Leave remaining sugar in processor.
- Add cake flour and salt to remaining sugar in the food processor and pulse 5 to 10 times until well mixed and light.
- Using a large bowl, mix egg whites and cream of tartar together with a whisk attached to a hand mixer. Mix on med-low, until foamy, about a minute.
- When mixture is foamy, slowly add the 1 cup of sugar you set aside earlier on med-high until soft peaks form. This takes about 5 to 6 minutes. Be careful not to beat too long. Peaks should be soft and droopy, not stiff. Stiff peaks will ruin your light and airy cake.
- Add vanilla and mix until just incorporated.
- Separate cake flour mixture into three parts. Using a fine mesh sifter, slowly sift mixture on to egg whites, gently folding with a spatula after each addition.
- Pour mixture into an ungreased 9″ or 10″ tube pan. Wiggle pan back and forth quickly on counter top to evenly distribute batter and smooth the surface.
- Bake 40-50 minutes, rotating pan half way through baking. Cake is ready when toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool cake in pan. Turn cake pan upside down on wire rack and cool completely for about 3 hours. Do NOT turn pan upright until cake has completely cooled.
- To remove cake, gently tap pan on counter and using a serrated knife, gently use around edge of pan to loosen cake.
Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1/2 quart fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Note: Generally 2 Tablespoons sugar to 1/4 cup berries is the norm, add or subtract sugar to suit your taste or dietary needs.
Preparation
- Wash and cut berries.
- In glass bowl, mix berries and sugar together, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
- Stir well before serving.
Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or flavoring of your choice
Preparation
- Add all ingredient to a cold mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer with whisk attachment, beat on high until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Serve immediately.
Enter to win gorgeous embossed rolling pin by Embossed Co.
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Gaea’s Creamy Pumpkin Soup
“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.”
― The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
With autumn on the horizon, we begin to change colors and scents inside our homes to coordinate with Mother Nature’s canvas outdoors.
Warmer colors, spicier scents and rougher textures dominate our décor choices and our selection in foods follow the same pattern.
Prepping the kitchen for cozy fall dishes, means heavier, heartier flavors and Gaea’s Creamy Pumpkin Soup will be on our dinner table this fall season. Gaea’s recipe is loaded with vegetables which makes it both a delicious and healthy way to stay warm as temperatures drop.
Gaea’s Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and chopped- 1 cup red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery with stem, chopped
- 6 to 7 tablespoons Gaea Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1⁄2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese (or hard cheese)
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
Directions:
- Place the chopped pumpkin, zucchini, onions and celery in a large soup pot and add the vegetable stock until at least half the vegetables are covered.
- Bring the broth to a boil then let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool to room temperature before pureeing vegetable and broth in a blender.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pureed mixture and return the soup to the pot and let simmer for 15 minutes before serving in individual soup bowls.
- Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pumpkin seeds, crumbled cheese, and ginger.
Coffee Bean Popsicles
Sprinklers are running in the morning to quench the lawn’s thirst and fans are blowing in the afternoon to quell the heat indoors. Summer is here and it’s time to head to the freezer for a frozen treat.
As the afternoon closes in my caffeine level begins to wane. These cool, tasty refreshments add a bit of life back into my work-filled day. I nab one out of the freezer and head out to the patio for a coffee break.
There are several options other than one solid color. For instance, you can freeze the cream, then add a small layer of coffee, freeze, add more cream, etc. Get creative and make this your own unique recipe.
Toss in a few coffee beans or chocolate chips for added texture and flavor.
Note: Use the amount of cream and sugar to taste. Less cream will give your popsicle a more robust coffee flavor, while more cream and sugar will sweeten it. Your choice. The amount of cream below is a gentle “guideline”.
There are several different types of popsicle molds available, simply google and find one that is right for you.
Coffee Bean Popsicles
Ingredients
- 2 cups brewed coffee
- 1/2 cup Darigold heavy cream
- Sugar to taste
- A handful of coffee beans and chocolate chips
Directions
- Combine cream and sugar and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour a bit of cream in the bottom of each popsicle mold and freeze until solid, about an hour.
- While your cream is freezing, brew your coffee, add in your cream and sugar mixture and stir until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator until cold.
- Remove molds with cream from the freezer and slowly pour cold coffee mixture into mold, filling to the top. Follow the mold directions, as they have different types of tops. Some may direct you to fill to top, while others need a bit of space.
- Place top on the mold, insert stick and freeze until solid.
