Don’t you just love those wordless calls to the kitchen? You’re in an adjacent room, puttering, reading or watching the telly, when the scent of onions sautéing in a skillet taps you on the shoulder. You slightly extend your neck, your nose tips upward and you take in a deep breath then, ever so slowly release. It’s as if you’re in a yoga class and the instructor just infused the room with an some new essential oil. But you’re not in a yoga class and it’s not an essential oil.
You didn’t need to witness the onions as they hit the hot oil in sizzling excitement, a familiar image in your mind’s eye. Their crackling and spitting calms as they begin to sweat, increasing the intensity of their vapors. Now your nose and ears are on alert. You hear a softer kind of hiss, you hear it and your nose confirms it. Garlic. The combination of this duo isn’t anything new, but each and every time we inhale that aromatic mixture of onions and garlic we know the meal is going to be an offer worth enjoying. Then, in a zen-like manner, we float towards the kitchen to see what we smell and hear.
And I shan’t be remiss in mentioning the murmurings of ingredients on the sweeter end of the taste spectrum. The aromatic scent of almond extract, orange or even rose water can lift the corners of your mouth in anticipation. Sweeter offerings tend to be less boisterous in their calls as there’s little sautéing or pan frying. None-the-less, the essence and language of sugary confections are just as enticing. Especially while baking in the oven. The comforting scent of chocolate chip cookies or homemade bread, yellow cake and fruit pies, all sure to pull you away from whatever task you’re engaged in. But my favorite baking scent of all is that alluring aroma of pure vanilla extract. Better yet, vanilla bean paste as it splashes into a mixing bowl of sugar, flour and eggs. While even the tiniest taste of vanilla on its own isn’t exactly pleasant, I’ve tried multiple times, what it brings to the dishes it dances through is noticeable and appreciated. If omitted, the result is almost offensive. Like the time I didn’t realize I had run out of vanilla and whipped up some cream to top a dessert. My daughter took a bite, furrowed her brow then asked, “Did you put any vanilla in this?” I was too embarrassed to answer. Besides, it was obvious.
What I love about vanilla is not only the incredible scent and tasty impact it has on whatever it’s added to, but how versatile it is. Vanilla can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. It can be used in liquid form as the standard extract many of us use or the thick viscous paste. In powdered form or best of all, the whole bean, split and scraped from the pod.
And did you know vanilla has been and remains as one of the top three most expensive spices out there? The first being saffron, whose delicate threads are hand-harvested, during long days of extracting the stamens from thousands of crocus flowers. The third is cardamom. Not as common in American cuisine, but widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine. I have a luscious cinnamon-cardamom & honey ice cream recipe my kids love. Vanilla falls in line as the second most expensive spice in the world. As a matter of fact, in days gone by, vanilla was so costly most households used orange blossom or rose waters to sweeten their baked goods.
So it is with these many options, forms and uses of vanilla and the coming of autumn, vanilla and autumn go hand in hand, I have chosen to focus on those, slender pods engorged with their tiny, black and shiny grains. First a little history.
Vanilla comes from a variety of Orchid that originated in Mexico’s tropical forests. Today it’s also produced in Madagascar, Indonesia, Tahiti and Guadeloupe. These delicate flowers last only one day and are pollinated either by hummingbirds, melipone bees or by hand.
It was the Spanish Conquistador Hernàn Cortés who uncovered the use of this heady, rich yet mellow spice when he and his armies made their way to Central America. He and his men were warmly greeted by then Aztec king Moctezuma II. Moctezuma was a gracious man and warmly welcomed the Conquistador and his troops by offering gifts and treasures. Including the sharing of one of his own favored beverages, a cup of frothy, vanilla-spiced chocolate, chilled with snow and sweetened with honey. Moctezuma was repaid for his hospitality by Cortés taking him hostage and ruling the country through him! And so it was, after 500 years of cultivation in Central America, vanilla made its way to the Spanish nobility who christened the spice, vanilla or ‘little pod.’ Once Europe got wind of this tasty addition to food the demand increased ten-fold!
Besides elevating the flavors of chocolate, custards, ice creams and myriad desserts, use of vanilla in savory dishes has greatly increased in a variety of creative ways, as it enhances and adds depth of flavor to savory dishes too. I have a wonderful recipe where I use vanilla in the pan sauce I prepare for my thick, juicy pork medallions or chops. It’s also a wonderful and unique addition to lobster. But wait! There’s more!
Like many herbs and spices, vanilla has medicinal properties too! It’s the vanillin, which occurs naturally in vanilla, once it’s been cured by repeated sweating and drying, which brings out the flavor and health benefits. This includes lowering our cholesterol, which helps to reduce inflammation of the arteries and blood clots. Very important for those at risk of heart attack or stroke. There are some reports that vanilla acts as an aphrodisiac, however, I wonder if that can be attributed to the fact vanilla is included in many of our chocolate treats and we all know about chocolate’s abilities to heighten our libidos. Chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone? What’s more vanilla is a mild antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, I’ve read, and have used vanilla to calm my upset, gurgling stomach. I do so by simply preparing a cup of herbal tea and adding a splash of vanilla.
Now that you’re armed with all this very valuable vanilla information here are two recipes I hope you’ll try. I usually offer only one recipe, but vanilla deserves two – one sweet and one savory!
VANILLA GRANOLA BARS
Ingredients
2 ½ cups rolled oats – not instant
½ cup oat flour – or grind more oats in your food processor
½ tsp salt
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup whey protein powder
½ tsp vanilla powder – if using a vanilla flavored whey protein then omit this powder
2 ½ - 3 cups choice of mixed nuts and dried fruit – cut into small pieces
½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/3 cup almond or cashew butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or bean paste
4 Tbsp unsalted butter – melted
2 Tbsp coconut oil – melted
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Process Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray with non-stick spray, then line with parchment paper, a 13” x 9” pan. Be sure you’ve cut the parchment long enough that you can use it as a kind of sling for removing from pan in one single piece. Spray parchment with non-stick spray. Set to side.
In large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients, including your selection of nuts and dried fruit. Set to side.
In medium mixing bowl, using a silicone stirring spatula, stir together, yogurt, almond or cashew butter, vanilla extract or paste, coconut oil, melted butter and corn syrup.
Add wet ingredients to dry until well combined. Spread mixture into prepared pan, pressing with your spatula to flatten and even out.
Bake for 15 – 25 minutes, until edges are golden brown. The mixture will still feel somewhat soft, but will firm up as it cools. When cool enough to handle, but still slightly warm, grab hold of your parchment ‘handles’ and set entire rectangle on cutting board. Cut into individual bars then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. When cooled wrap each bar in waxed paper and store in refrigerator.
Note: For crunchier bars add another 5 – 7 minutes to your baking time.
Makes 10 – 12 bars depending upon how large you cut them
Vanilla Cider Pork w/Pears
Ingredients
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Bosc pears – peeled, cored and quartered
1 lb pork tenderloin – trimmed and sliced into 1- 1 ½” thick medallions or pork chops
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup hard or non-alcoholic apple cider
½ cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean – split & scraped
Salt/pepper to taste
Process
Melt butter in large, deep skillet, set over medium heat. Add pears and sauté until light golden brown. Remove from skillet and set to side.
Season pork with salt and pepper. Season flour with salt and pepper then dredge medallions or chops into flour and transfer to same skillet used to sauté the pears. Cook about 2 minutes per side then remove from pan and set to side.
Reduce heat adding broth and cider to same skillet to deglaze. Increase heat and slowly whisk in cream, vanilla bean scrapings and entire vanilla pod itself, bringing mixture to a gentle boil. Continue cooking and reduce by sauce by half – about 3 minutes. Return pork to pan, along with any accumulated juices and cook another 2 minutes. Add pears and cook until warmed through. Taste for additional seasoning.
Serves 4
#cosmicmuffinschoolofcookery #cookingwithvanilla #vanilla #medicinalspices #granolarecipes #porkrecipes
Comments