Recipes
Olive Oil and Juniper Brownies
Juniper is a lovely spice, and capable of so much more than it is often given credit for. These aromatic berries are layered with flavor: piney at first, but then giving way to a sweet citrus taste that lingers. It deserves to love in something besides gin. With this in mind, we set out to make a desert that placed this underappreciated spice in center stage.Dark chocolate is a perfect vehicle to showcase juniper's unique flavor profile, and so we decided to feature them in rich, moist brownies. Through trial and error, however, we learned juniper gets much stronger as it cooks. Another addition was needed to balance the spice. We found our answer in olive oil. It's rich and earthy, and will heighten the bitterness of the dark chocolate. The resulting brownies are fabulously out of the ordinary, yet still deeply satisfying.
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Juniper Pelmeni
What are Pelmeni? These little morsels are Russian dumplings, typically filled with simple ingredients and formed into a tortellini-like shape. Combinations of meat are the most common fillings, with mushrooms, cabbage, tomato and horseradish sometimes making an appearance. Pelmeni are typically shaped by hand, but we thought the twelve dollar pelmeni mold we bought was well worth the price. We opted for a pork and bison filling for these pelmeni, which we seasoned with Juniper for an intriguing counterpoint to the rich, savory flavors of the meat. Juniper is piney, sweet and fragrant - everything you want this time of year. We garnished our pelmenis with caramelized sweet onions, sour cream and fresh dill to complete the dish.
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Juniper Duck Breast Pastrami
Make your own pastrami! Easy? Yes. Impressive? Yes. Delicious? YES!!!! This pastrami will bring Pacific Northwest flavors to your charcuterie board and guests clamoring for more. Juniper berries impart sweet, piney flavors with citrus top notes that play perfectly with European Coriander Seed. The smoky layers on the crust hint at a campfire flavored with Alderwood Smoked Salt and Upper Left Madrona Smoked Honey. This pastrami has turned many into duck lovers and will be the first to go on your smorgasbord. Use for charcuterie plates, sandwiches and pasta dishes. Tasty cold.
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English Beef Rub
English Beef Rub offers up a bold combination of cinnamon and juniper along with salt and pepper for incredible flavor! Influenced by medieval beef rubs, the intense flavors stand up to and takes the edge off of gamey flavors in meat. Perfect for elk and venison, as well as beef.One technique for tenderizing tough cuts of meat is to season them liberally and then apply weight, like a cast iron skillet, and allow the meat to sit for 24 hours before cooking. The results are tender and delicious!
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Baked Quince
We do love some good quince. It's an underused fruit, and the firm flesh lends itself quite well to baking or poaching. In Olia Hercules' Ukranian cookbook, Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe, this recipe piqued our interest. You don't often see juniper used in desserts, and this was absolutely delicious!From the Author: "My uncle had a quince tree in his garden and I have always had an overwhelming love for this fruit. We even used to eat it raw (yes, crazy, I know!) or chop it and turn it into jam. I do love it roasted or poached whole, though. Add some sea salt flakes and black pepper, remove the vanilla, and halve the quantity of sugar to make a delicious addition to roast duck."
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Corned Beef and Caraway Cabbage
Spring is in the air! This is my favorite time of year: Spring training baseball is on the radio, Mother Nature is providing us with some gorgeous sunny days between all the rain, and one of the most fun celebrations on the calendar is right around the corner.That's right, St. Patrick's Day is almost here, and whether your entire family is from the Emerald Isle or you're just Irish at heart, St. Patrick's Day is a great excuse to have some friends over to enjoy a pint or two of Irish stout and some corned beef and cabbage. For our recipe, be sure to brine it for as long as recommended. The salt in the brine carries the flavor of our pickling spices used through the whole piece of meat, and the extra spices reserved for the cooking liquid lend it a great burst of flavor on the surface. This St. Patrick's Day be safe, enjoy some delicious corned beef and remember: "May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load. May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road... And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed!"
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