The Apiarist

Remember that plum tree I told you about in my backyard? Well, it has a lovely companion named Mr. Apple Tree who will be joining us for today’s recipe. I’m not sure what type of apples they are, but they are quite crisp and delicious, and they hurt when they fall on your head. Yes, this happened. One especially vengeful apple almost took out poor Captain, but he darted out of the way at the last second. (For those of you who are curious, raccoons also like apples, but not as much as they love plums. Hateful creatures.)

Apples earned their Health Food Merit Badge ages ago, I think we’ve all also heard by now that kale is supposed to be a miracle food. Nutritionists say this Brassica Behemoth will help prevent your risk of cancer, lower your cholesterol, improve blood circulation, and make your hair shiny like a unicorn mane. I made up that last bit, but I feel it must be the case. Regardless, kale sure tastes like it should be a health food, and I’m all for it as long as I can add bacon…

And add bacon I did! I checked in with my old friends at Real Simple Magazine for some recipe ideas, and I found a lovely sounding little dish to take for a spin. I worked in Real Simple’s food department for awhile during the time Joe and I lived in New York, so I like to flip through the magazine from time to time to see what they’re up to. This recipe is real simple, indeed (sorry, couldn’t help myself) and a perfect weeknight side dish. I made a couple of small changes (I have a very difficult time leaving a recipe alone; anyone else have this problem?) and I definitely plan to make it all through the fall. xo, Holly (The Apiarist)

Kale with Bacon and Apples
Recipe adapted from Real Simple
This dish makes a perfect side to a simple piece of fish or chicken, or you can add any or all of the following to make it a one dish meal: crumble blue cheese, toasted almonds, cooked quinoa or brown rice, and/or diced cooked potatoes. Also, when adding the kale to the skillet, it helps to do so in 2-3 batches to prevent it from overflowing.

3-4 slices bacon
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and more to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled. Add onions to rendered bacon fat and cook until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add apples and cook for another 5 minutes. Add kale, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water to skillet, and toss until kale is tender and wilted, about 8 minutes. Add vinegar, mustard, red pepper, nutmeg, and salt, to taste. Stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so. Top with reserved bacon and enjoy! Serves 4 as a side.

I hope after reading the blog title and seeing the lead photo not everyone has clicked away in horror! These eggs may look…unconventional, but I promise you they are super tasty, and your bravery will be rewarded if you give them a whirl.

I’ve been seeing pickled eggs on more and more menus around town, most recently at Olympic Provisions, and Joe was a good sport and agreed to order one as an appetizer. He was very slightly less of a sport the other day when he opened the refrigerator and saw a mason jar filled to the brim with my crimson creation; I assume he was concerned that I might be dabbling in organ harvesting in my spare time. I am not.

The beets add an obvious punch of color, but their earthy-sweetness also lends another layer of flavor. One of the great things about pickling is that you can change the flavor profile very easily by switching up the aromatics you include in your pickling liquid. I used some pretty traditional ingredients that I had floating around in my pantry, but feel free to mix and match depending on your mood. Next time I might ditch the beets and go more of a curried route using ample turmeric to give them a golden hue. If anyone here dabbles in pickling, I would love to know what types of vinegar and flavors you use. I’m becoming a pickling fool!

These photos were taken after chilling in the fridge for 2 days. I ate another egg on the third day for a little afternoon snackle, and the pickling liquid had colored the egg all the way to the yolk! I’m a little nervous about what I will find today (Day 4!) but I will just have to put on my Big Girl Pants and have a crack at it. Crack…eggs…anyone? Moving on. I was poking around a pickled egg message board the other day (yes, these do exist!) and one Rogue Pickler claims he has had pickled eggs in his fridge for 16+ months, and other than being a little rubbery they tasted great. Right. I want no part of his hardboiled tomfoolery, so I would maybe recommend two weeks tops in the fridge to ensure peak flavor and consistency.

I’m enjoying these little guys with a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper, but some day soon if I’m feeling fancy, I might try turning them into deviled pickled eggs for a fun twist. The possibilities are eggless! Er…endless. Enjoy!

xo, Holly (The Apiarist)

Pickled Eggs and Beets
Inspired by Olympic Provisions
I left the beets in with the eggs to ensure intense color saturation, but feel free to use the cooked beets for another purpose, and the beet juice should do the trick on its own. Also, canned beets in water can be substituted in place of cooking your own.

6 large eggs
1 large, or 2-3 small red beets
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
1 whole star anise
4 green cardamom pods
Fresh dill

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover by an inch with cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let sit for 12 minutes, then remove the eggs and run them under cold water or place them in an ice bath to cool. Once cooled, peel the eggs and set aside.

If using fresh beets, cut into 2-inch chunks and place in a sauce pan with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until beets are just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Combine the reserved beet liquid and the remaining ingredients except for the dill in a sauce pan, and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 2-3 minutes. Place the peeled eggs in a quart sized mason jar and pour the pickling liquid and contents (beet chunks optional) over them. Add a few springs of dill. Seal and refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 2 weeks. Makes 6 pickled eggs.

I eat often and enthusiastically, so when I come across a completely new flavor, I get nerdily excited, and must discover the source of my culinary conundrum. I get even more excited when I find out it’s something super-simple, and I already have the ingredients at home, so I can make it again RIGHT AWAY. To the kitchen! Whee!

Garlic, almonds, bread. That’s basically it. Oh, and some water. Crazy, right? A little quick research on the interwebs revealed this magic soup is called Ajo Blanco, and it is a very popular Spanish dish. I love me some gazpacho, but Ajo Blanco has been been flying under my recipe radar up until now, so I need to make up for lost time! It is instantly refreshing with a richness from the almonds and a touch of zip from the garlic.

One word of caution, however. As much as my husband loves and adores me, I think he would be a little sad if I ate this soup every day. Raw garlic, however small the clove, has a tendency to…linger, so make sure your loved one is on board the garlic train with you before you slurp down a whole bowl. That being said, I also recommend serving this as a small first course (perhaps in cute, small teacups!) since it really awakens the palate. (That’s a euphemism for bad breath, if I ever heard one.) I’m mostly kidding.

Come winter I plan to try a warm version using roasted garlic and toasted almonds. I might even throw in a potato. I’ll keep you posted. Until then, though, consider trying this cold soup as a fun dish at a summer dinner party perfect for any of those pesky vegetarian or vegan friends you may have. (Side note: I was having some red wine the other evening and written on the bottle was “Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly.” That is…reassuring?)

xo, Holly (The Apiarist)

Chilled Almond and Garlic Soup
Recipe Inspired by Olympic Provisions
Another popular garnish for this soup that I have yet to try is sliced green grapes. Perhaps the sweetness would help temper the garlic? Also, be sure to use the best quality ingredients you have since the preparation of this soup is so simple.

2 cups day-old white bread, crusts removed and torn into 1-2 inch pieces
1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 cup blanched almonds, plus 2 tablespoons toasted for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2-2 1/4 cups water
Pinch of red pepper flakes, for garnish
Minced green onions or chives, for garnish

Place bread, garlic, almonds, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and let ‘er rip until contents are finely ground, about 1-2 minutes. With motor still running, add the oil and vinegar, and process until well combined. Add one cup of the water, pulse until combined, and then let the motor run until mixture is very smooth. Pour contents into a medium bowl, and whisk in 1 more cup of water. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.

Give the chilled soup a good stir, and add an additional 1/4 cup of water if you feel it’s too thick. Give it a taste and add any additional salt or vinegar, if necessary. Pour into bowls and garnish with a sassy swirl of good olive oil, some toasted almonds, a pinch of pepper flakes, and some green onions. Serve chilled. Makes about 3-3 1/2 cups.

I love a loaf. There, I said it. They may be considered dumpy little things in some fancier circles, but I consider them to be the humble heroes of my limited baking repertoire. They are quick, hence the name quick loaf, and they can wear a sweet or savory hat with equal success. I acquired some more rhubarb from my in-law’s garden, so I knew sweet was the road to take on this particular baking expedition.

Oh, and what a sweet loaf! I used another one of the rhubarb recipes that JoAnn gave me, and was very pleased with the outcome. I couldn’t resist making a couple of small changes, though, such as adding a small pinch of nutmeg to subtly perfume the batter and I also substituted some coconut oil in place of all vegetable oil. Next time I might try subbing in some applesauce as well. Joe will not allow nuts in his baked goods (hmph), so I left them out and slightly upped the rhubarb count. Follow your own heart, and if you want a nutty loaf, by all means make it the nuttiest loaf in all the land.

This recipe yields two standard-sized loaves, but I decided to take a walk on the wild side and made one regular loaf and two mini loaves. Crazy, I know! Nice Me wanted to give the small loaves as gifts to friends, but Hungry Me wanted the loaves all to herself. I’d like to retain an air of mystery, so I will decline to tell you which Me won out.

A hot cup of coffee and a generous slice of loaf makes for a happy morning in my book, but I would also recommend heating some butter in a hot pan and lightly sautéing each side until just golden brown and topping it with some vanilla ice cream. Yum! Whatever path you and your loaf take, I hope you enjoy yourself. Happy Baking!
xo, Holly (The Apiarist)

Rhubarb Loaf
The batter will look a little dry when you pour it into the loaf pans, almost similar to a cookie dough. Never fear, for the rhubarb will add quite a bit of moisture as it cooks.

2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil (or a combination of vegetable oil, coconut oil, and applesauce)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups diced rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1-2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 standard loaf pans, and set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Combine, and set aside. In a large bowl blend brown sugar and oil. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla; stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just blended. Gently fold in rhubarb and nuts, if using. Pour batter into pans and smooth tops. Dot with butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 35-40 minutes for mini-loaves, 55-60 minutes for standard. Yields 2 standard loaves, 1 standard and 2 minis, or 4 minis.