Skip to main content

Food Matters Project: A Magical Combo of Cardamom and Pear x 3



We've come full circle and I am thrilled to be hosting The Food Matters Project once again, my first for 2013. Last April I selected a recipe full of Springtime flavors: Fish Braised in Rhubarb Sauce. My first attempt was rhubarb-less; my second attempt was successful. I will definitely be making that again when rhubarb appears on market shelves in a few months. In November, I hosted Braised Beef with Barley.

This time, my recipe pick was driven by an admittedly silly play on words; I wanted to cook a "We're quite a 'pear'!" dinner for Jake...not for Valentines'. I actually - and unapologetically -  boycott Valentines' (click to read why I really dislike this 'holiday.'). So, we did this dinner this weekend, two full weekends early.

I chose Mark Bittman's Cardamom-Scented Pear Crisp for The Food Matters Project piece and - inspired by the magical combination of cardamom and pear - rounded out the dinner, using them in all three courses. I'd made an Earl Grey Poached Pear Salad for Thanksgiving that was fabulous. So I repeated it and drizzled it with a vinaigrette made with cardamom, pumpkin seed oil, olive oil, and pear vinegar that my parents had given me.


I: Earl Grey Poached Pears on Winter Greens 
with a Cardamom-Pear Vinaigrette


If you know nothing else about making vinaigrettes, remember this ratio: three parts oil, one part vinegar. Then you can add any herbs or spices that you want.

II: Cardamom-Scented Lamb Stew with Pears
Click Title, above, for Recipe Post


  
With the last of the lamb from the EcoFarm Butchery Seminar (click to read my piece - From Carcasses to Culinary Masterpieces -  for Edible Monterey Bay), I decided to make lamb stew...tagine-style: slow cooked and braised at a low temperature.

And what you've all been waiting for...



My recipe differed from Bittman's; you can find my recipe here. However, since I'm playing hostess this week, here's Bittman's original version:

4 T butter + some for greasing the pan
2 T vegetable oil
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C chopped nuts
1 T lemon juice
1 C rolled oats
1/2 C whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
3 lbs pears, cored and sliced
1 t cardamom

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9" pan with a little bit of butter. Cream the butter, oil and sugar together, using a mixer or fork. Stir in the nuts, lemon juice, oats, flour, and salt, until combined and crumbly. You can make the topping ahead of time, if you like.

2. Put the pears in the prepared dish, sprinkle with cardamom, and toss to coat. Crumble the topping over all. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is starting to brown, 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately, or at least while still warm.

Click to read what all of the creative cookers in The Food Matters Project made: here. Look in the comments section. Then, join us next week when Aura, of Dinner with Aura, hosts us making Bittman's Oatmeal Griddle Cakes!

Comments

  1. what a great idea - we're quite a ear dinner. I also hate the holiday but have been having fun with heart shaped food. Don't ask.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loved your pic this week Camilla! I didn't have time to cook but it sure sounds like a great recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the idea of doing a theme for dinner in all 3 courses- so creative!!! I didn't get a chance to make the fall recipe when you hosted, this was definitely a hit this time, thanks for choosing a great one!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meyer Lemon Custard-Filled Matcha Turtles #BreadBakers

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our  Pinterest board  right here. Links are also updated after each event on the  Bread Bakers home page .  We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Stacy of Food Lust People Love  is hosting and she wrote: "Your bread can be large, as in one big animal, or small - animal-shaped rolls. Use your imagination! Points for flavor and shape!" If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. Here's the animal-shaped bread basket from the #BreadBakers... Beef and Sweet Onion Dim Sum Pandas from Karen's Kitchen Stories Bird Bread Rolls from Ambrosia Easter Bunny Buns from Cook with Renu Ham and Cheese Elephant Rolls from Food Lust People Love Hedgehog Bread from Making Mir

Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé #Winophiles

This month the French Winophiles group is looking at affordable wines from Burgundy.  Host Cindy of Grape Experiences wrote: "Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is known for its wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir... as well as Aligote, Gamay, Sauvignon, César, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, Melon in lesser quantities. Many of the well-known wines are quite expensive, but there are plenty of values to be found." Read her invitation here. And there won't be a Twitter chat for this event, so you will have to dive into the articles themselves to read about our pairings and findings. Here's the line-up... Wendy Klik from A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoys Domaine Chevillon Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2018 Paired with a Maple Pecan Chicken . Camilla Mann from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares her love of Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé. Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick! explains why we should Look t

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce