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Surprise your taste buds
Several years ago, after a session in the late James Beard's cooking classes, I went home intending to follow one of his suggestions. He had flavored a bowl of fruit with brandy from a bottle containing a vanilla bean.
I happened to have a bottle with about an ounce in it and a new bottle of brandy. I halffilled the opened bottle, put in a large vanilla bean and returned it to the cabinet.
A few weeks later I was sauting shrimp and, trying to go fancy, took out a bottle and poured some into the pan. In a few minutes, this lovely aroma reached me. I assumed one of my neighbors was baking. You know what? It was coming from my skillet. I'd used the brandy with the vanilla. The shrimp was delicious - sweet, but delicious. Sometimes mistakes lead to creative cooking.
It occurred to me that vanilla might be good in other non-dessert dishes. So, accommodating us, the Watkins, Inc. people fiddled around and came up with a vinaigrette that will surprise your taste buds. And we have a Cinnamon Swirl loaf for you too.
Cinnamon Swirl Loaf 1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 four-ounce stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Watkins pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Combine sour cream and baking soda in small bowl; set aside while preparing batter.
Cream together butter and sugar; beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture and half the reserved sour cream mixture, blending well after each addition. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and sour cream mixture, mixing until well-blended.
In separate bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, alternate one-third batter and one-third cinnamon mixture, repeating twice, starting with batter and ending with cinnamon mixture. With a knife, swirl contents of loaf pan. Bake at 350 F oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. (Check first after an hour.)
Tarragon-Vanilla
Vinaigrette
1-1/2 cups grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
1/2 to 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Watkins pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon tarragon 1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until needed. Makes 2 cups, tablespoons per serving. Keeps up to one week in refrigerator.
NOTE: For a creamy salad dressing, substitute 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt for the oil and vinegar.
(c) 2006 King Features Synd.,
Inc.
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