I need a job

It is 100 degrees outside and the humidity feels like I am in the jungle. I still want to be cooking. I swear I need a job. A JOB.

So, I decided to make some things in case people stop by this weekend. People stopping by that would actually like what I cook are all sort of far away...like California, but I can still dream that I will change ONE mind here in the hood with the stuff that I make. Not really banking on it though.

First off I made marinated goat cheese. Simple enough



Recipe:

Marinated Goat Cheese
12oz log soft goat cheese
1 C extra virgin olive oil
handful of peppercorns (try all colors mixed or use what you have)
1 tsp whole allspice berries
2 cloves garlic finely minced
2 tbl finely minced ginger
handful of chopped basil
handful f orange zest (I used 1 orange)

Cut the goat cheese into 1/2 slices or just break up into small chunks. In a small saucepan combine live oil, peppercorns, and allspice. In a small bowl combine garlic, ginger, basil and orange peel. Place saucepan ober meium high heat and cook until peppercorns begin to pop (about 2 minutes)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the garlic mixture. After 5 seconds of stirring, pour the hot olive oil miture over the goat heese. Marinate in the refrig for at least 3 hours covered

The recipe can be completed to this point up to 1 week before serving.

Serve at room temperature.

I then marinated some olives. I don't really want to admit this but I will for the sake of food blogdom... Dr Food, close your eyes or move along there is nothing for you to see here....




When I lived in California, I paid someone to rip out the rosemary bush that took over our backyard. It took 3 men to pull it out.... Fast forward about 4 years and I am now in New England. No rosemary? I resorted to paying 2.59 for a clump of the ORGANIC rosemary from the grocery store. Give me a BREAK. ORGANIC? Nothing is going to kill this stuff so no one bothers to use insecticides. Then the they call it ORGANIC and rip off all the Californians who are probably the only people here that want the stuff.



Should we talk citrus? 1.00 a piece for a ORANGE. A friggin ORANGE that (god forgive me) I bought even though it came from Africa or somewhere far far away. I swear that I didn't know until I got home. Then again where did I THINK it would be from. No citrus? Argh. I did learn a trick from Sooke Harbour house in Canada. They cook with only what they grow (other than chocolate and coffee) and for citrus they use lemon or orange geranium. I did try to grow that here too but it didn't work out all that well for me. Ok, I don't have the greenest thumb.



Marinated Olives
adapted from "Food for Friends" by Sally Pasley Vargas

2C olives in brine
1/2 orange
1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
5 or 6 sprigs thyme
1tbl fresh rosemary
about 1 C olive oil

Drain olives and put in bowl.

Scrub rinds of orange and lemon. Zest into thin slivers. Add to bowl of olives

Combine the peppercorns and fennel in a mortar and gently crush to bruise. Add to olives

Rub the thyme between your hands over the bowl of olives. Then add the rosemary. Turn the olives to coat them with the seasonings. Transfer to clean pint jar. Add enough olive oil to cover the olives, cover the jar, and refrigerate.

The olives taste best after they have had a few days to absort the flavors of the herbs. They will keep refrigerated, for about 6 weeks. Olive oil often coagulates in the refrigerator, however, so allow the jar to come to room temperature before serving.

and then you have it... bordom.