Sweet Sour Cream Soufflé

These are so fast, easy, and inexpensive to make, but they look and taste amazing.  I first came up with the idea when I had most of a 500ml container of 30% sour cream close to expiry.  I'm not a huge sour cream fan, I love it in mashed potatoes and on my burrito, but not much otherwise.  Though I have to say with age, I have started to like it more.

So all I do is leave the sour cream in a sieve over a bowl with cheese cloth, in the fridge over night, to remove moisture and make it firmer.  The next day, I take some raisins and soak them in Earl Grey tea, then drain.  I beat 2 egg whites separately, then 2 yolks with some sugar.  I don't measure, but use your judgement, and decide how sweet you want this to be.  I don't like mine too sweet, because the raisins are very sweet.  You can always taste test.  Add a tablespoon or 2 of flour to the egg mixture.  If you're using more than one container of sour cream, then increase the flour, but don't use too much, or your soufflé won't be as fluffy.  Grate one lemon's worth of rind, and add it to the yolk mixture, mix in the drained raisins, then fold in the egg whites.  Butter your dish or ramekins, dust with some flour and fill 1/2 to 2/3 full.  The first time I made these I had French butter cookies, and I placed cookies at the bottom of half the ramekins.  If you have a good cookie that doesn't have too much going on, try this out, the cookie ends up being a moist bottom "crust".  

In these photos, I ended up sprinkling the raisins on top and then covering with more batter.  Either way works.

Soufflés don't stay puffed once they leave the oven, so if you're making these for guests, don't take them out until you're ready to serve.  It's best to time it out, so that they don't stay in the oven too long, because they do end up burning.

I had these in at 325 for about 35 minutes.

The ones which don't get eaten right away are still very tasty, but once they collapse, they are more dense, and almost like a light fluffly cheesecake, especially the next day.  This is one of my best dessert experiments.  Bon Appétit!

Pan Fried Porkchops

I love pork.  Try a real farm grown pig and tell me it's not the best meat on the planet.  These porkchops are from the Pork Shoppe in Shakespeare.  Very easy and quick to make.

First, blot the chops with paper towel, to remove any liquid.

Choose some spices and create a rub.  I used cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar and mashed it all into a powder with a mortar and pestle.  If you don't have one, you can use a glass bottle and a cutting board or your counter top; place the spices between parchment paper or wax paper, and roll the bottle, or use the base and mash the spices.

Use your fingers to rub the spice mixture into the porkchops.  Heat a frying pan with some butter, I use a cast iron pan, because it retains the heat well and I like the crust it creates on the meat.  Sear the meat on one side for about 2 minutes, then flip and do the same on the other side.

After the 2 minutes on the other side, cover the pan with a lid, and give it 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

I made new potatoes with skins, dill, and butter, as well as button mushrooms lightly fried in butter to go with the pork chops.

I love new potatoes with butter and fresh dill.  I have quite a bit of dill growing in my backyard and since potatoes are in season, there is no better time for this tasty and easy side.  Make sure to scrub the taters before boiling.  As much as I love summer for the heat and sun and fruit, I love autumn for the vegetables and pretty colours.

I halved the potatoes so they would cook quicker.  I always add a bit of salt to the water and potatoes as they're boiling.  Depending on the amount you're cooking, the type and age, potatoes usually take about 10-15 minutes.  Use a fork to check so that they don't over cook.  You want the fork to go in easily.  All these details about boiling potatoes may seem a bit crazy, but I've had some awful potatoes.  If you're mashing potatoes, don't use stock or any liquid to fluff them.  Best thing to mash with potatoes is butter or sour cream, neither dilutes the potatoes and both add creaminess.  Don't over do it, it's better to keep adding small amounts to achieve the perfect consistency, than to put in too much and be left with a sticky, heavy mush.

Fall is in the air!  lala lala lala la

Sausage Class and Black Pudding

Last Wednesday I went to a sausage making class.  It was fun, there were only six of us.  Class finished an hour early, so with that much time left over, I think it would've been better, if we were working on our own, instead of in two teams of three.  Anyway, at the end of the day, we each left with eight sausages.

We got to grind out own meat, and then stuff it into natural casings.  We didn't get to be creative with spices, only used salt and pepper.  The teacher said that he likes to taste the good quality meat.  I love meat, but using the right spices in the right amounts doesn't mask the quality,  it compliments it, giving the sausage depth.  He also didn't have set measurements as to how much salt and pepper to use per whatever amount of meat, and just poured both out of their containers.  That's how I do things, though I try to give some measurements here.

When I boiled the sausages, I added some marjoram, thyme, and garlic powder to the water.  Not the same as having the spices in the meat, but it still added a bit more flavour, and took the meaty edge off.

I sauteed the green and yellow beans in butter, and then sprinkled with maple smoked rock salt.  I added some 10% M.F. plain yogurt to the mashed potatoes.  Sometimes I use sour cream or butter.  I don't like using anything liquidy, like milk or stock, because of the taste and texture. 

I still have a few sausages left, so I will make a different dish with them, and post in another blog.

After class, I picked up some pig skin sausage, Cotechino, it's amazing, the texture and flavour.  It was pricey, but what a treat!  I also got a black pudding, because I love black pudding and blood sausage.  Depending on country of origin/ recipe, there are so many variations.  Sometimes they are too salty, but this one was great.

I fried it up with shallots.

I also fried up some zucchini in butter, and sprinkled with maple smoked rock salt (I love this salt).

It was a very tasty lunch, and very filling.