Carol’s Comfort Foods

I love this vinaigrette!  It’s so easy to make and is great with just about any type of salad. 

Yield:  1 cup

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup good balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and brown sugar.  Add the garlic, pepper and pinch of salt.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until fully incorporated.  Great basic dressing for mixed green salads.

Yield: ½ cup

INGREDIENTS

½ cup good mayonnaise

¾ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

1 teaspoon lemon juice

PREPARATION

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, paprika and lemon juice.  Refrigerate and use on all kinds of fish, chicken, burgers and sandwiches. 

Yield: ½ cup

INGREDIENTS

½ cup butter, softened

4 teaspoons packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

PREPARATION

Combine butter, brown sugar and spices together.  Blend well, using a whisk or an electric mixer.  Use on pancakes, French toast or with hot dinner rolls.  Store remainder in the refrigerator.

This is a cultured heavy cream that thickens and develops a delicate sour taste as it sits.  It can used as a topping for fresh fruit or used to add body and richness to sauces.  Unlike sour cream, it can be boiled without fear of separation, so it’s more versatile.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Yield:  2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 cup heavy cream – not ultra-pasteurized

1 cup sour cream

PREPARATION

Whisk heavy cream and sour cream together in a bowl.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in the kitchen or reasonably warm spot overnight or until thickened.  In cold weather this may take as long as 24 hours.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, after which the Crème Fraiche will be quite thick.  The tart flavor will continue to develop as the Crème Fraiche sits in the refrigerator.  Will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. 

Here are two really good recipes for homemade mayonnaise. It’s really pretty simple to make and tastes great. Even if you don’t want to abandon your favorite commercial brand, learning how to make your own mayo is a great technique to master. Just in case one day you reach in the refrigerator for mayonnaise and come up empty, you’ll have a backup plan!

Recipe #1 - Homemade mayo recipe from Alton Brown – Good Eats – Mayo Clinic Episode

Yield: Approximately 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1 egg yolk*

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon fine salt

2 pinches sugar

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup oil, canola, safflower or corn

PREPARATION

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl, then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit. Once you reach this stage, you can relax your arm a little (not too much though) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated. Leave at room temperature for 1-2 hours and then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Recipe #2 - Homemade mayo recipe from Molly Wizenberg – Bon Appetit – April 2008 edition

Yield: ¾ cup

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg yolk**

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup canola oil

PREPARATION

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼ teaspoon measure and whisking constantly, add ¼ cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time. Gradually add remaining ½ cup oil in very slow stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8 minutes. Cover and chill.

**RAW EGG WARNING

Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. To avoid the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness, you can use pasteurized egg yolk instead.