Persimmon Muffins

3 cups fresh persimmon puree
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter or 1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3 cups whole wheat flour (or GF flour for gluten free)
2 t baking soda
1/2 t nutmeg
2 t cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins or craisins

Make the puree by washing the persimmons, then remove the bad spots and slice the tops off using a sharp knife. Cut them in half horizontally, separating the top from the bottom, to find the seeds. After removing the seeds, use the chopping blade in a food processor to puree.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the puree and the butter or oil.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir these dry ingredients into the persimmon mixture. Do not over-mix! Stir in walnuts, raisins, or craisins if desired. The batter will be fairly stiff.

Coat each muffin cup with spray and spoon the batter in, filling the cups completely. Bake until they are golden brown, and the tops of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, 25-30 minutes. Rotate positions in oven if baking multiple trays at the same time. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Cool the tray on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing the muffins, and then cool another 20 minutes.

Makes 15 muffins.

Gluten-Free Yeast Bread

1 Tbsp. yeast
¼ cup warm water

3 ½ cups Namaste Perfect Flour Blend or Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend
½ cup cornstarch or arrowroot starch/flour
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups almond milk
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
3 eggs

Mix yeast in ¼ cup warm water and set aside for 5 minutes. 

Using a stand mixer, blend 3 cups of flour, starch of your choice, and salt using the regular paddle. Warm the milk, and add it and the oil, honey, and cider vinegar to the dry ingredients. Switch to the dough hook and mix. Beat eggs and add to yeast mixture. Add this to the bowl and mix. Add flour and continuing mixing until the dough easily pulls away from the bowl and the hook.

Boil water and fill a 9"x13" pan. Place the dough in a greased loaf pan and place in the hot water bath. Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise for an hour in a warm place. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover loosely with foil tent to prevent over browning and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely.

For variations, do all shaping and moving before rise. This dough is very delicate after rising and will not rise a second time.

For one 12" pizza, cut recipe in half and use 1 egg. Preheat oven to 500 (remember to remove cast iron before heating). Allow dough to rise about 20 minutes. In a well-oiled 12" cast iron, spread the dough, pressing out from the middle and forming a crust along the edge. Top with desired toppings and bake until browned. Broil for the last few minutes to brown the toppings.

Roast Duck

duck
3-4 citrus fruits, such as Meyer lemons or oranges
rosemary
sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray, place a metal rack (roasting rack, toaster oven rack on top of its broiler pan, or small cooling rack- the goal is to lift the duck out of the duck fat that accumulates during the roasting) in the pan, and spray well with Pam. Empty the innards out of the duck and save for stock.

Cut the rinds off the fruit and cut in halves or thirds. Sprinkle with dried rosemary. Breast up, stuff the cavity with the fruit. If you are using fresh rosemary rather than dried, stuff the sprigs of rosemary in with the fruit rather than chopping and sprinkling on the fruit.

Cut slits in the skin of the breasts to allow the fat to drain and the skin to get crispy. Be careful not to slice into the meat. Spread a generous amount of salt on the skin. Roast in the oven for about an hour, or until the skin is browning and getting crispy. Turn the oven off until ready to carve, leaving the duck in the oven after pouring off the fat, and use the duck fat to fry up potatoes or veggies. Don't cover the duck as that will soften the skin.

One duck has two breasts and two drumsticks- 2 large servings or 4 small servings. They have much less meat than chickens. Serve the breasts with the skin on.

Ensalada Chilena

tomato
onions
cilantro
salt
oil

Prepare essentially the same as pebre except the onions and tomatoes are cut into thin wedges.

Fig Tarte Soleil with whipped blue cheese dip

Tarte:
1 box of puff pastry (2 sheets)
TJ's fig butter
walnuts, finely chopped
honey
1 egg, beaten with a little water

Pull pastry out of freezer the night before, and allow to come to room temperature according to package instructions. Spray a pizza pan with pam, roll out one sheet, and transfer it to the pan. Use a 10" pie pan to cut a circle. Spread the fig butter, walnuts, and honey up to 1/2" from the edge. Roll out the second sheet, lay on top, and use the pie pan to cut the top sheet in a circle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a cup upside down in the center, and cut strips from the cup to the edge. Remove the cup, and holding the joint between the center circle and the strip so it doesn't tear, twist each strip several times. Brush with egg wash, and bake until browned.

Whipped blue cheese dip:
1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 pkg cream cheese
olive oil
salt

Blend everything, adding olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.