Strawberry ice cream with guajillo chile and lime

For some reason, I have it in my head that strawberries should arrive here in New York by early May. But these past few weeks, every time I’d go to the farmers market, I’d only see those same sad baskets of apples and pears that have been there since last fall.

“Where are the strawberries?” I would ask. “Be patient,” said the farmers. “They’ll arrive.” But it’s hard to be patient when Poteet, Texas had its annual strawberry festival in early April, and some friends back home were telling me that their strawberry plants were already fading. And yet, still no sign of strawberries here.

Last week, however, I walked to the market and the chalkboard that announces what’s on offer said, “Strawberries! Strawberries! Strawberries!” Clearly, everyone was as excited as I was. It being early in the season, there was only one farmer selling them and the line was endless. When I finally reached the front of the line, the farmer advised me to eat them that day as they probably wouldn’t keep very long. Of course, that was not a problem, and I went home and ate the whole pint in one sitting. The next day, I returned and bought more.



My first inclination was to make strawberry shortcake with my haul. This past weekend, however, it was so hot that turning on the oven to make biscuits was out of the question. So I made ice cream instead.

The first batch I whizzed together the berries and the cream in the blender, which resulted in a muted pink ice cream that one friend said had the visual appeal of Pepto Bismol. I agreed.

For my second batch, I first macerated the strawberries to bring out their juices, adding a slight sprinkle of guajillo chile powder for some earthy heat. I then made a batch of vanilla ice cream, and simply stirred in the strawberries at the end. Not only was this strawberry ice cream more visually appealing, but it ended up being a better showcase for the fresh berries, as well.



If you’re like me, and you don’t want to wait for your desserts, you’ll enjoy this ice cream as it can be made in about half an hour since there’s no cooking on the stove involved. And this is important, as you won't want to waste any time that could be spent eating this year's crop of strawberries.

Strawberry ice cream with guajillo chile

Ingredients:
8 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon guajillo chile powder
3 cups well chilled light cream or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:
In a bowl, sprinkle the strawberries with the brown sugar, cinnamon and guajillo chile powder, and let sit for 30 minutes until soft and juicy. Gently mash with a potato masher.

Meanwhile, stir together the cream, vanilla, granulated sugar, lime juice and salt. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

When the vanilla ice cream base is done, gently stir in the strawberries.

Yield: About one quart

Note: Guajillo chile powder can be found in some specialty markets, but it’s easy to make your own, too. To do this, remove the stems from 8 ounces of guajillo chiles and place in one layer on a baking sheet. Cook the chiles at 300 for 5 minutes or until dry. Crumble the dried chiles into a bowl and then grind them in a spice grinder or blender. 


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Three-bean salad with dill dressing

Do you ever go through your pantry and ask yourself, “How the heck did this get here?” Fortunately, this doesn’t happen to me very often, as my kitchen is only five feet wide and pantry real estate is at a premium. But the other day when I was reaching for my cocoa powder, I found a can of kidney beans.

Now, this might not seem so strange since, after all, canned beans are a pantry staple. But the thing is, I don’t really like kidney beans. Give me a bowl of pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, or black-eyed peas—and I’ll be asking for seconds in no time. Kidney beans, however, I’ve tended to avoid.



I’m not sure why I’m not fond of them, though perhaps it’s because they’re named after an organ. Or maybe one time I ate some thinking they would have the earthy depth of ranch-style beans, seeing how they’re a dark red and all, and instead bit into something mushy and flavorless. Who knows? It’s a mystery. (As is how these kidney beans ended up in my pantry!)

But no matter my aversion, I don’t like to waste food so these kidney beans had to be eaten. I asked a couple of friends what they thought I should do with them, and the best suggestion I heard was three-bean salad, an old summertime favorite in Texas and the south. This cold salad, so called because it’s made with three beans, a combination that usually includes kidney beans, green beans and garbanzo beans. But there are as many varieties of this salad as there are, well, varieties of beans.

Most three-bean salad recipes call for a sweet and sour mix of mustard and sugar, but I made mine creamy with mayonnaise instead. I also added dill for its tangy, grassy notes and some jalapeño and cayenne for heat. The results were refreshing, and I know that they’ll make a welcome addition to my next outdoor potluck gathering.



But the best thing—at least for me—was the discovery that kidney beans taste pretty good. And considering how healthy they are—they help lower bad cholesterol—I’m pleased to add them to my rotating cast of ingredients. Kidney beans—welcome to my pantry!

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Before I share the recipe, some gratitude is in order. Last week, Homesick Texan won the Best Regional Food Blog category in Saveur’s Second Annual Blog Awards. Thank you so much for your support! And a Texas-sized congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
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Three-bean salad with dill dressing
16 ounces green beans, fresh or frozen
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans or a 15-ounce can, drained
2 cups cooked kidney beans or a 15-ounce cans, drained
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, diced
1 jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, diced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed or 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and cook the green beans until bright green, but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain the green beans into a colander and run under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Place the cooked green beans in a large bowl and add the garbanzo beans, the kidney beans, the grape tomatoes, the garlic, the shallot and the jalapeño. Toss until combined. Stir in the vinegar, mayonnaise, dill, cumin and cayenne. Adjust seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.

Chill covered for four hours. Serve cold.

Yield: 6 servings

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Spicy buttermilk onion rings

There was a lot of chatter last week about a certain California hamburger chain that opened in the Dallas area. Apparently, people were so excited they camped out all night so they could be the first in line to try these fast-food burgers, and news reports said that one woman even cried when she finally ate her burger.

Now that’s a head scratcher. Why the heck are people so excited about this burger? First of all, Texas is not only the place where the burger was born, but also many of its countless burger joints routinely top national best-of lists. But even more troublesome to me is that this California burger chain doesn’t even offer the quintessential Texas hamburger side dish—yes, I’m talking about onion rings.

Onion rings are said to have been invented by The Pig Stand—a Texan drive-in restaurant chain that opened in Dallas in 1921. (The Pig Stand is also credited with the invention of Texas toast.) That said, you can find plenty of citations of fried onions and French-fried onions dating back to the late 1890s, so perhaps the Pig Stand was the first to serve onion rings at a fast-food establishment.



Of course, some may argue would say that the origin of onion rings is as debatable as the origin of the hamburger. But since Texas at least claims provenance for both, it makes sense to me to have a stack of onion rings with my cheeseburger. Most Texas-based burger establishments would fulfill this desire, but not that place from California. Nope, if you want onion rings with that burger you’ll just have to make them at home.

In season right now are Texas 1015 sweet onions, which I believe make the tastiest onion rings. If you’re unfamiliar with the Texas 1015, it’s a large sweet onion that grows in the Rio Grande Valley that was developed by Texas A&M in the 1980s, so named because October 15 is the optimal planting date.

Onions are one of Texas’ leading crops and the Texas 1015 is the state’s official onion. They’re similar to other sweet onions such as Georgia’s Vidalia onion and Washington’s Walla Walla onion, but I believe that Texas 1015 sweet onions are the sweetest and the juiciest. They’re so delicious that you can even eat them raw, and it's quality that makes them optimal for frying, as well.




I used to wonder why onion rings often cost more than French fries, but after making them at home, I gained an appreciation for the work that goes into creating a perfect batch. Sure, it takes a bit of time and finesse to make sure the breading adheres to the onion, and your frying oil must be the right temperature to keep the onion rings from being soggy. But once you get the hang of it, you will have a plate filled with spicy and crisp fried onion rings—the perfect accompaniment to a Texas burger.

Spicy buttermilk onion rings
Ingredients:
2 medium Texas 1015 sweet onions, cut into 1/4-inch rings
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Oil for frying
Ketchup, such as chipotle ketchup, for serving

Method:
Place the onion slices in a large bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Allow to soak for 15 minutes.

Mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, chipotle powder and cumin. Taste and adjust seasonings. Divide the flour mixture, placing half in a large food-safe plastic bag and the other half on a plate.

Heat up 2 inches of oil in a large pot or cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels.

To batter the onions, remove them from the buttermilk, reserving the buttermilk in the bowl, and place them in the plastic-bag with the flour. Shake until coated. Working one-at-a time or in small batches, take the floured onions and dip back into the buttermilk and then dredge in the flour on a plate. Fry in the hot oil until light brown, for about 2 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with ketchup or your preferred dipping sauce.

Yield: 4-6 servings

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Lavender brownies

When I think of my mom, I often think of chocolate and lavender. So when I came across a few recipes for chocolate lavender brownies, naturally I had to make her a batch.

Mom loves all things chocolate, and her house always smells like fresh lavender. While she has quite the green thumb, I’m not sure that she’s ever grown it, though lavender is becoming quite a popular Texas plant—especially in the Hill Country. I also don’t know if my mom’s ever cooked with lavender. But for Christmas she gave me a tin filled with culinary lavender, and I wanted to put it to good use.



A few years ago, someone shared with me a dark chocolate bar that was flavored with lavender. The combination of bittersweet chocolate and floral lavender was unexpected yet welcome, like the appearance of the first blossoms on the trees in spring.

When cooking with lavender, I do find that a little bit goes a long way, and for some it may be a bit of an acquired taste. But the herb’s piney, slightly peppery notes are a perfect match for rich, deep chocolate.

For this recipe, I took my basic brownie recipe—which is a fudgy brownie with a thin, crisp topping—and simply added a smidge of lavender. A light sprinkle of flaked sea salt on top of the brownies added even more contrast to the rich, sweet treat. While brownies are good at any time, there’s something about the lavender that makes these especially perfect for spring.



Spring also means it’s time to honor our mothers, and I feel especially fortunate to have such a terrific mom. See, I haven’t always been the easiest daughter but my mom has always been patient with me. And I want to thank her for always encouraging me to be independent and to follow my dreams. She’s always been a tireless cheerleader, no matter if I’ve failed or succeeded.

So, mom—I just wanted to let you know that you’re the best and I love you! And yes, the brownies are in the mail. I hope you enjoy them and a very happy Mother’s Day!

Lavender brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried lavender
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.

In a food processor, pulse the sugar and lavender together until well combined.

In a saucepan, on low heat melt the chocolate and butter, while occasionally stirring. Once melted, turn off the heat and stir in the lavender sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add the eggs until well combined, and then stir in the flour and walnuts, mixing until a smooth, thick batter is formed.

Spoon the batter into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Immediately after removing the brownies from the oven, sprinkle the top with the flaked sea salt. Allow to completely cool for at least an hour before slicing.

Yield: 16 servings

Note: Culinary lavender can be found in the spice section at the grocery store, at specialty markets or at the farmers' market.

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