Welcome to The Urban Spork’s culinary laboratory! Ok, it’s really just a place for us to share new recipes, old favorites and kitchen experiments. Food is never just about the recipe – it’s about the way we use it to celebrate life. From everyday pleasures to big occasions the recipes matter, but it’s what the food says that really counts!
COOK
Spicy Dill Pickles
For the last year I’ve been obsessed with finding the perfect pickle – the sour kind with a serious kick. My search led me to some great pickles including Bubbies and McClure’s, but as good as they were, I still kept searching. When I came across this recipe it was like a light-bulb going off – why didn’t I think of making pickles myself?!
These Spicy Dill Pickles are easy to make and taste amazing. While I expected the search for pickling cucumbers to be daunting, my local Whole Foods carried a great selection – I just had to ask for them because they weren’t sitting out. A few items to note about selecting cucumbers:
- select “pickling cucumbers” to ensure that your pickles are crisp
- good cucumbers are dark green, firm and have a lot of warts
Makes three 1 1/2-pint jars (I used one large 3 quart jar)
Ingredients
- 12 pickling cucumbers
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups packed coarsely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice (my favorite is from The Spice House)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dill seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Directions
Combine all ingredients except for the dill sprigs in large bowl. Stir, let stand at room temperature for 2 hours – until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Transfer the cucumbers to the jar(s). Pour the pickling mixture over to cover. Place a few dill sprigs in each jar. Cover the jar(s) with the lid(s) and close tightly. Refrigerate at least 10 days – I gently shake the jar(s) once a day to mix up the spices. The pickles will stay fresh for up to 1 month. Keep refrigerated.
adapted from a recipe found here
Lemon Yogurt Cake
This lemon yogurt cake is the perfect summer dessert and even tastes better on the second (and third) day after baking. It’s so easy to make, you don’t even need an electric mixer! Try it with a side of fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For those interested in making a healthier [...]
Apricot and Honey Jam
As you may know, I have a longtime obsession with jams and jellies and am always looking for new, interesting, spreadable combinations. A resource that I always go to (and one of the most interesting cookbooks I own) is Mes Confitures, by Christine Ferber. Throughout the book, Ms. Ferber not only shares her secrets to [...]
Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise
This delicious vanilla bean Creme Anglaise (English Cream) has a rich, smooth texture and can be served either warm or cold with cakes, pies, puddings or my personal favorite – drizzled over fresh fruit. Not only is this cream easy to make, but it’s the perfect addition to your favorite summertime dessert. Makes 2 cups [...]
Lemon-Rosemary Pickled Green Beans
I realize that this post seems a little unusual – pickled green beans?! I know, it isn’t something that sounds too exciting, but when I came across a Bloody Mary recipe that used these as a garnish, I knew that I needed to make them. The Bloody Mary recipe is coming soon – in the [...]
Flour Tortillas
My love for flour tortillas goes way back. I have great memories of watching my grandmother and great-grandmother make huge batches of tortillas and cook them on an old wood-burning stove. Something about that stove seemed to add the perfect flavor to the tortilla and brown it in all of the right places. I’d anxiously [...]
Spinach, Roasted Garlic & Goat Cheese Dip
A few weeks ago I ordered this dip for the first time from a neighborhood restaurant. I expected something similar to a traditional spinach dip, but was pleasantly surprised at what I received. This version is much more creamy than a typical spinach dip and the roasted garlic really enhances the flavor. I really like [...]
Roasted Garlic
Roasted garlic is amazing – sweet, caramelized, spreadable – endless culinary possibilities! Not only does it add great flavor to your favorite dips or vinaigrette, but you can eat the warm, toasty cloves right out of the garlic head. I like to spread the garlic on a piece of crusty baguette. Depending on how I [...]
Chocolate Bread
When I first saw this recipe I wasn’t sure what to think – chocolate bread? When would I eat this – for breakfast? As dessert? I certainly wouldn’t be making a sandwich with it. As it turns out, anytime is a good time for chocolate bread! This delicious snack has a great texture – chunks [...]
Beet Chips with Garlic Rosemary Salt
The moment I heard about beet chips I knew I had to try and make them. Crunchy, healthy, flavorful – what’s not to love about that?! I had planned on making them in January when I was posting a lot of appetizers, but time got away from me and I didn’t have the opportunity to [...]
Eggs
I love eggs and at this time of the year, there are plenty of excuses to have them around. The only problem is that I can never remember how much time it takes to prepare the perfect soft-boiled egg or how long I need to leave an egg in simmering water in order to poach [...]
