EASIEST HOMEMADE PICKLES

Photo by Carol Guilford

I learned how to make pickles from a deli owner in the Catskill mountains where we escaped on weekends to escape New York City summer heat. He made them in a big barrel.

The jar is a 1-pint Mason, originally bottled with organic marinara sauce.

You may diddle around with the ingredients. I like mine slightly sour, garlicky and with a kick.

4-6 smallish Persian cucumbers

1 tablespoon pickling spice

     a combination of cinnamon, bay leaves, mustard seed, dill seed,  ginger, fenugreek, allspice, chilies, cloves and mace. Look for it in the spice aisle.

½ cup vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced lengthwise in half

2 small, hot, dried red peppers (optional)

1. Wash and dry the cukes. Slice lengthwise.
2. Put the pickling spice, vinegar, salt, garlic and peppers into jar. Arrange the cucumbers If there is extra space, slice one of the cukes, horizontally and put them on top. 
3. Screw the lid of the jar on tightly.
4. Leave the soon-to-be pickles at room temperature for 12 hours. If you remember, turn the jar upside down after about 6 hours. When upside-down, put a paper towel under the jar to avoid pickle juice leakage. Refrigerate. Will stay crisp for 3 weeks.

EASIEST BEEF STROGANOFF

Beef tenderloin, Crimini mushrooms and crème fraȋche instead of sour cream

turns this Russian classic into a date-nite dinner. Ask first time guests if they like mushrooms.

Photo by Carol Guilford
 

best utensils: I use two skillets:  8-inch and 10-inch stainless-steel Cuisinart.  

preparation and cooking time:  under 30 minutes

                                                                                                             serves 2

½ beef tenderloin (filet mignon)

1 cup sliced Crimini mushrooms (4 or 5)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup crème fraȋche

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce*

kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper

1. Pat beef dry. Cut into 2 inch long, ½-inch wide pieces. Lightly salt and pepper the beef on both sides.

2. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel.  Cut off the tough end of the stems, then slice diagonally. 

for the mushrooms

      

3. Use medium heat to melt the butter in in the 8-inch pan. When it is hot and foaming, add the mushrooms and sauté/stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring with your favorite spoon. One cup of mushrooms yields ½ cup as they shrink up. Turn the heat down and slowly mix in the crème fraȋche and Worcestershire.

for the filet

4. Melt the butter (in the 10-inch pan) over medium heat until it is very hot. Add the steak and  sear very quickly—I’m talking 10? seconds on each side.
5.  Add the soy and turn the meat to coat it.

      Add the steak to the hot mushrooms, stir and serve.

* I use SAN-J organic, low-sodium tamari sauce

CgNotes

The mushrooms can be made in advance, and slowly heated.  For brunch or a light lunch, the mushrooms are good on toast, (a shot of brandy doesn’t hurt) coupled with fresh fruit.

To double the recipe, use a 10 and a 12-inch skillet.

An “easiest” cucumber salad makes a zesty side.

BOLO (police jargon for be on the lookout) for Persian cucumbers. If you use a regular cuke, after peeling, split it vertically and scoop out the seeds before slicing.

For 1 to 1½  peeled, sliced cucumbers, gently mix in 2 teaspoons vinegar* and ½ teaspoon sugar.**  A tablespoon of the white part of a green onion is optional. Salt, if you like. Refrigerate until serving time.

• Cook’s choice. For some years, I have been crushing on organic golden balsamic. Whole Foods sells Spectrum and I saw Star at Ralphs/Krogers. Time flies. I remember when there were two kinds of vinegar for sale--white and apple cider. They are still there, midst the array of rice vinegars, wine vinegars and the raspberry-infused.