Poppy seed dressing
This simple, show-stopper is delightful served chilled over fruit salads. The grated onion and mustard combination can fool people’s palates. Some guests have guessed it has coconut in it. The traditional southern recipe calls for so much sugar, it’s like dripping candy over fresh fruit. This version keeps the essence of a good poppy seed dressing, but does away with its excesses.
Poppy seed dressing, makes 2 cups
This simple, show-stopper is delightful served chilled over fruit salads. The grated onion and mustard combination can fool people’s palates. Some guests have guessed it has coconut in it. The traditional southern recipe calls for so much sugar, it’s like dripping candy over fresh fruit. This version keeps the essence of a good poppy seed dressing, but does away with its excesses.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons mustard
1 cup of oil
⅓ cup of red wine vinegar
⅓ cup sugar or honey
⅓ medium onion, grated (a red onion gives a reddish tinge to the dressing)
2 tablespoons poppy seed.
Steps:
Mix well the mustard, oil, vinegar and sweetener in a food processor or blender. Add the onion and poppy seed. The onion is one of the crucial ingredients. Too much makes this taste oniony. Be careful.
I have made this in large batches and saved it in my refrigerator for 6 months and it improves with age.
This is a recipe from my book The Good Food Compendium - An indispensable guide to sensible nutrition and eating pleasures for those who care about fine fare and wholesome living.
Spiced Crab Apples
This is great for Fall when sweet, pretty, miniature crab apples start showing up in the produce department. From Dr. George York of the University of Southern California at Davis, I got the following advice on how to make spiced crab apples. This has several steps, but it’s mostly passive: you do one step and then wait. Don’t be put off by the multiple steps. It’s worth it.
This is great for Fall when sweet, pretty, miniature crab apples start showing up in the produce department. From Dr. George York of the University of Southern California at Davis, I got the following advice on how to make spiced crab apples. This has several steps, but it’s mostly passive: you do one step and then wait. Don’t be put off by the multiple steps. It’s worth it.
Ingredients:
Crab Apples
Salt
Vinegar
Sugar
GInger
Cinnamon
Cloves
Optional: Canned beet juice
Steps:
Place crab apples in a salt solution of 1 quart water and 2 tablespoons salt for 2-3 days to allow better penetration of the vinegar mixture. Make enough salt solution to cover the amount of crab apples you are spicing.
After 3 days, remove the fruit and rinse with water. Make 2.5 percent vinegar solution. Since household vinegar is 5 percent. Dilute it with water, i.e. 1 quart vinegar to 1 quart water. Add fruit to vinegar solution.
Add sugar to mixture. You add as much sugar as you have vinegar. If you have used 1 quart of vinegar (4 cups), add 4 cups of sugar. If your hackles go up at the thought of adding this amount of sugar, remember what we’re concocting here isn’t going to be served as a main course, but as a garnish with perhaps one small apple per person. Heat mixture about 5 minutes until apples begin to soften. Cool.
Add spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Taste for seasoning.
Let sit in refrigerator for 5-7 days. This can either be eaten or used immediately. If you want a brighter red color, use juice from canned beets to color; this is a matter of personal preference since the naturally colored golden-red apples are also nice.
This is a recipe from my book The Good Food Compendium - An indispensable guide to sensible nutrition and eating pleasures for those who care about fine fare and wholesome living.