Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Thanks to a message - and link -  from my cousin Jo, I had the Cooking Channel's '25 Ways to Use Rhubarb' rolling around in my head this evening. Rhubarb season is fleeting and I just happened to have picked up an armful of rhubarb at the store. I've tried rhubarb a lot of different ways: Lobster with Rhubarb Sauce Over Braised Greens , Rhubarb Pavlovas , Rhubarb Heart Tarts , and even a Rhubarb Barbeque Sauce . But I have never thought to mix it with chocolate. That seems to me a waste of good rhubarb; I figured the chocolate would completely overrun the rhubarb. Still, I decided to give it a try. Rhubarb Compote 2 C rhubarb, sliced into 1/2" piece 1/4 C water 3 T organic brown sugar Place the ingredients together in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes. My Favorite Brownies 4 large eggs 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 C organic brown sugar 1 T unsulphered molasses 1 t ground ancho c...

Two years ago we attended our friends' 4th of July Chili Cook-Off...and my Chili al Diavolo was dubbed 'Grand Champ.' Since we missed last year's event, I'm not the defending champion this year, but I still wanted to make a chili that dazzles. This chili - Peck O' Peppers Chili - features beer-braised chunks of beef, caramelized onions and shallots, four different kinds of chilis, and a chili beer! Sadly, my plan to use buffalo meat got nixed by my 10-year-old. This took hours of simmering and thousands of chops, but it was well worth the effort. 1 pound of beef 1 pound of ground beef onions shallots 1 T minced garlic 1 bottle of beer (I used a summer wheat, with honey and orange, for this part) 1 bottle of Rogue's Chipotle Ale (1 pt+) 2 shots of espresso 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder 5 C pureed tomatoes paprika cumin sea salt 2 fresh poblano chilis 1 fresh Anaheim chili 3 fresh goldspike chilis 1 crushed tepin chili 1 fresh red ...

I was going to make the chili that won me the title of 'Grand Champion' at the Erickson's 4th of July party a couple of years ago: my Chili al Diavolo , but I didn't have three hours to braise the meat or overnight to let the flavors develop. So, I adjusted the recipe to have more flavor upfront versus needing to steep...plus I added some pumpkin puree. 'Tis the season, after all. 1 pound 96/4 organic beef 1 large onion 1 large red pepper 1 large can of crushed tomatoes paprika cumin ancho chili powder sea salt 2 cans of black beans 1 C pumpkin puree red wine Dice the onions and red bell peppers. Sauté in olive oil till they start to soften. Brown the beef with the onion-pepper mixture. Season with cumin, sea salt, paprika, and ancho chili powder. Add the pumpkin, crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer for one hour. Serve hot, topped with plain greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and a dash of paprika. Serve with pumpkin c...

After Riley made dinner, Dylan - dubbed 'Captain Wombat' by his teacher - whipped up some triple chocolate-molasses brownies. He wanted to add different kinds of chocolate chips and nuts. He did a great job. These were decadent and moist, more cakey than fudgey. Perfect. 6 large eggs 2 C organic granulated sugar 3 T unsulphered molasses 1 t ground ancho chili 12 oz melted butter 2 C unsweetened cocoa 2 t chocolate extract 1 C white whole wheat flour 1 C bittersweet chips 1 C white chocolate chips 1 C sliced almonds 1/2 t pink Himalaya salt Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter baking pan. In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients, except flour, chips, and almonds and mix to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir till just moistened. Scrape the batter into a greased and floured pan and bake for 60 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick method. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it...

I was craving something sweet and chocolatey. So I whipped up a batch of chocolate pudding spiked with Godiva liqueur and topped with raw cacao nibs. The hardest part is the waiting. It has to chill for two hours before we can indulge. 1/3 C organic granulated sugar 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder 2 T cornstarch Pinch of smoked sea salt 2 C whole milk dash of ground ancho chili powder dash of ground ginger dash of ground cinnamon dash of ground nutmeg 1 large egg 2 T Godiva chocolate liqueur cacao nibs for garnishing Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, spices and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking, until pudding is thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately beat the egg lightly in a medium, heat-proof bowl, such as a hard plastic or ceramic mixing bowl. Very gradually add the hot chocolate mixture to the egg, whisking constantly. Whisk in the liqueur unt...

I was craving something sweet tonight after reading Belle's post about her creme brulee. Since I still haven't unpacked my torch yet from the move, and in the vein of my chocolate class, I opted to make a brownie sundae. 1 C butter, melted 2 C organic granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 1/4 C cocoa powder 1 t baking powder 1 T unsulphered molasses 1 t ground ginger 1/2 t ground ancho chili 1/2 t ground cinnamon 1/2 t ground nutmeg 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour 2 T raw, organic cacao nibs Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan for thick brownies; I opted to split the batter into two pans to make thinner brownies. Place melted butter in a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Add 4 eggs into the bowl and beat in cocoa, spices, baking powder, and spices till smooth. Add the flour and nibs, stirring until just moistened. Spoon the batter into lightly greased pans. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick ins...

I've used cocoa powder in my chili recipes for a long time. Check out my Chili al Diavolo that won "Grand Champion" at a friend's 4th of July cook-off a couple of years ago. But today I added some raw organic cacao nibs for some added flavor, nutrition, and culinary intrigue. It was delicious! 1 pound of 96/4 ground beef 3 C cooked black beans 2 strips of bacon splash of olive oil 1 large can of crushed tomatoes paprika cumin ancho chili sea salt unsulphered molasses soy sauce red wine 1/4 C raw, organic cacao nibs Sauté bacon in a splash of olive oil till cooked, but not crispy. Add ground beef and cook through completely. Season with paprika, cumin, ancho chili, smoked sea salt and add in the black beans. Sitr in tomatoes, molasses, soy sauce, red wine, and cacao nibs. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese. Garnish with a few more nibs.

The cacao nibs - touted as "chocolate at its wildest and healthiest" - add an intriguing bite to these muffins. Love it. 2 C white whole wheat flour 2 t baking powder 1-1/2 t baking soda 1 t ground cardamom 1 t ground ginger dash of ancho chili powder 4 eggs 1-1/2 C organic raw sugar 1 C unsweetened applesauce 1/2 C olive oil 1/4 C organic raw cacao nib Preheat oven to 350. Whisk all wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in cacao nibs. Fold in dry ingredients until just moistened. Scrape batter into cupcake liners and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tonight a good friend delivered dinner (eggplant parmesan, garlic bread, salad, and brownies) so that I could focus on packing. Very sweet and much appreciated! I don't have her recipes, but thought I'd share my favorite brownie recipe: molasses-ancho brownies! 4 large eggs 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 C organic brown sugar 1 T unsulphered molasses 1 t ground ancho chili 8 oz melted butter 1-1/4 C unsweetened cocoa 2 t pure vanilla extract 1/2 C white whole wheat flour 1/2 t pink Himalaya salt Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square pan. In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients, except flour, and mix to combine. Add flour and stir till just moistened. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick method. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

I love using marzipan to model cake decorations; typically, I make woodland decorations - mushrooms, pinecones, holly berries, and holly leaves - for my b û che de noël. Pressed for time, I ended up buying a tube of marzipan tonight for these mushrooms that will go on the dessert tray tomorrow night. But I've had homemade marzipan and it is undeniably better than this. Still, these will suffice, especially since these will be plucked from the tray by excited little hands!  Once I formed the mushrooms, I dusted them with a mixture of unsweetened cocoa, cinnamon, and ancho powder. Homemade marzipan 225g (8oz) granulated sugar 180g (6oz) ground almonds 40g (11/2 oz) icing sugar (confectioners sugar) pinch of cream of tartar 1 egg white, lightly whisked 5 tbsp water 1\2 tsp vanilla extract Put the sugar and the water in a heavy based saucepan and cook on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add cream of tarter and bring to the boil until the sugar reaches 116oC (...

Last night I averted my sweet craving with a square of 86% dark chocolate. Tonight, I started with Alton Brown's cocoa brownies recipe and tweaked it, baking a batch of molasses-ancho brownies. I served them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum-o. Jake licked his plate, literally...and served himself seconds. Soft butter, for greasing the pan 4 large eggs 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 C organic brown sugar 1 T unsulphered molasses 1 t ground ancho chili 8 oz melted butter 1-1/4 C unsweetened cocoa 2 t pure vanilla extract 1/2 C white whole wheat flour 1/2 t pink Himalaya salt Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square pan. In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients, except flour, and mix to combine. Add flour and stir till just  moistened. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick method. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into...

Gazpacho is a chilled tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the Andalusia, the southern region of Spain.  It is also consumed in neighboring Portugal where it is called gaspacho . I decided it was the perfect canvas to use the green garlic from my CSA box. tomatoes cucumbers green garlic garlic green leeks olive oil cumin paprika ancho chili powder splash of red wine sun-dried tomatoes crème fraîche fresh peas In a large sauce pan, s auté sliced green garlic, leeks, and minced garlic in a splash of olive oil. When they begin to soften and brown, add a splash of red wine and season with ground spices. Simmer till completely softened.  Then, in batches, blend the garlic mixture with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers.  Let cool completely. Serve with a few sliced sun-dried tomatoes, crème fraîche, and fresh peas. *Update 3/1/2013: Linking this post up to Katherine Martinelli's Garlic Linky .*

Yes, you read that correctly. Beet. Mousse. I came across a recipe for a beet-cardamom mousse and was instantly smitten.  But I didn't have any cardamom, so I adapted and came up with this gorgeous colorful concoction.  It was part one of my beet dessert trio. 1 pound of peeled beets, boiled and cooking water reserved 1 t gelatin ground cinnamon ground nutmeg ground ginger ground ancho chili powder 1/4 C maple syrup 1 C heavy cream Transfer cooked beets to a blender. Take 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and put in a small saucepan with the gelatin. Bring to a boil and whisk until well combined. This will take about 5 minutes. Transfer with the beets and blend together until creamy and smooth. Add the spices and syrup. Blend a little more. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until mixture has cooled completely ( about 1-2 hours). Whip heavy cream with 1/4 C organic sugar until strong peaks form. With a spatula, incorporate the beet mixture gently into the cream and...

I wanted to have Jake grill lamb lollipops to serve with my Spiced Beet-Apple Chutney , but the weather was not cooperating and my husband flat out said, "nope, I am not grilling in the rain." On to Plan B: a roasted leg of lamb, rubbed with a minced garlic-shredded beet-oregano-ancho chil powder mixture. I rubbed the leg of lamb with the mix above and let it marinate for four hours in the refrigerator.  Then I let it come to room temperature while I heated the oven.  Never having roasted a leg of lamb, I did some reading and decided to try the sear-slow roast method.  So it went into the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.  Then I reduced the heat to 350 degrees and cooked it for an additional 15 minutes per pound.  It was a four pound roast, so it was another hour or so. Then I pulled it out of the oven and let it rest before carving.  I served it sliced with sauteed beet greens and the chutney.

I started with a recipe from Bon Appetit and promptly made some adaptations, adding more root vegetables and using boullion instead of water. Ingredients 3 medium red beets 1 medium golden beet 1 1/2 teaspoons butter 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped 4 carrots 1 fennel bulb 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 celery stalk, chopped ground ginger ground ancho chili powder 4 C low-sodium chicken boullion 2 T pomegranate balsamic 3 small bay leaves fresh thyme sprigs 1/4 cup whipping cream crème fraîche for serving Procedure Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast beets until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets. Cut into cubes. Melt butter with oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks, onion, carrots, fennel, and celery and cook until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Stir in spices and beets. Cook until vegetables begin to sti...

Chef Adrienne Saldivar-Meier was one of only 50 chefs and food specialists nationwide to be invited to the White House this past year to cook for the first lady as part of a new campaign that pairs chefs with schools to teach children about nutrition and healthy eating.  Saldivar-Meier makes food that's healthy by replacing everyday food choices with healthier ingredients. She has visited hundreds of schools as the star of the Healthy Eating Lifestyle Principles Program, and is affecting the lives of many at-risk youth through her work with the new Drummond Culinary Academy at Rancho Cielo.  Representing the lettuce capital of the world, Chef Adrienne's slogan "Lettuce Be The Change" is also the title of her new book that she has co-written with the Drummond Culinary Academy students in response to the White House plea to change how we eat as a nation.  AND...Chef Adrienne was our speaker last night at the gala fundraising dinner for the International School of Monter...

I sauteed diced onions in a pat of butter and a splash of olive oil.  Then I added cubes of chicken and pancetta and cooked them completely. Next I added all the seafood (a combination of fish, oysters, mussels, octopus, shrimp, and squid), a can of tomatoes, red wine, a few saffron threads, a couple of bay leaves, two crushed tepin chilis, ground ancho chili powder, and ground cumin. Finally, I brought that pot to a boil, reduced the heat, added sliced okra, and simmered till everything was completely cooked.  Before serving I stirred in cooked brown rice and topped it all with rough-chopped parsley. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

2 lamb tenderloins 1 large leek 4 carrots 8 fingerling potatoes chicken stock milk ancho chili powder ground cumin ground cinnamon pink Himalaya salt 1 T pomegranate balsamic vinegar Brown thinly sliced lamb tenderloin with sliced leeks in a pat of butter.  Add sliced carrots and potatoes.  Season with ancho chili powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, pink Himalaya salt, and pomegranate balsamic vinegar.  Cover wtih chicken stock.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook till vegetables are fork-tender.  Add a splash of milk just before serving.

My pick for February: ANCHO CHILI POWDER What is it? Ancho powder is ground ancho (poblano) peppers. What does it taste like? Ancho Chili is a dark chili with a rich, smokey flavor and mild to medium heat. Around the world... This pepper is the most commonly used in authentic Mexican cooking and is a staple in red chili and tamales. Some ideas from Culinary Adventures with Camilla... Chestnut-Chocolate-Beet Muffins , a great grab-and-go breakfast Hot Cocoa Pork Tenderloin , a spicy dry rub for roasted meat Pistachio Mousse , a tasty accompaniment for the pork tenderloin and I use the leftovers like hummus Beet-Cardamom Marshmallows , a surprising flavor in a decadent hot chocolate Get creative and get cooking!

Being a permanent resident of Testosterone Land, I occasionally find myself wanting to use tulle and make things that are pink!  Last night I was feeling outnumbered by the Mann boys and decided to retreat to my kitchen and whip up some pink marshmallows.  I used some organic beet juice for the girly hue.  Thankfully the bright magenta beet juice lightenedd to a soft pink when the marshmallows were whipped. canola oil powdered sugar 1 C cold water, divided 2 t organic beet juice 3, 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin 2 C organic raw sugar 2/3 C blue agave nectar 1/4 t pink Himalaya salt 1/2 t ground cardamom dash of ground ancho chili Prepare a 9×13 inch pan by oiling it with canola oil. Dust powdered sugar over the oiled sides of the pan.  Place 1/2 C of water and 1 t of beet juice in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water-juice mixture and allow to soften, 5 minutes. Place remaining water, beet juice, sugar, blue aga...