The CookingBites recipe challenge: berries

murphyscreek I showed your entry to DH and asked if he would eat this ...
DH: What's that?
Moi: Duck Breast in a sauce
DH: Yeah, maybe, I'd take a bite. Why don't you make it for you and then I'll try it to see what I think.
I LOVE DUCK!!!
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
It hadn't occur to me that pekmez wasn't specifically grape because pomegranate or date pekmez I know as pomegranate molasses or date molasses...
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Oh that is interesting. On the other hand, it never ocurred to me that pekmez could be grape. I don't think I eer saw a grape pekmez on the shop shelves, even less so eaten it. But what a good inspiration, come September, grape will come to ripeness around here, so why not.

I am encouraged even more now to try without any sugars added. To be completely honest, I am enjoying the raw plums so much, it seems almost a no no to cook them. And the quantities are small so far, I got about 200 g from a friend, and picked 7 plums myself from the walk last night.

But I will see if I expand, now thinking about it more, it might be a fun 'cooking homeworkshop' for my daughter and myself who is so terribly bored during her school holidays :D. I can't understand how anyone can be bored when books exist and the weather is fine, but that is just me. We do all kinds of activities, but there is always the feeling one could do more. Or not.
 
Timenspace said:
Oh that is interesting. On the other hand, it never ocurred to me that pekmez could be grape. I don't think I eer saw a grape pekmez on the shop shelves, even less so eaten it. But what a good inspiration, come September, grape will come to ripeness around here, so why not.
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I am wondering if what you are thinking of is not what I know as pekmez? I know date molasses, pomegranate molasses (which can be with it without sugar), but the only pekmez I knew before now was grape, though I've made plum pekmez just this autumn (7 plums in Australia were about 1kg in weight this last autumn).

The sweet curing syrup: Pekmez

Pekmez is a savory, thick molasses made from the boiled down juices of fruit. Traditionally, no sugar or additives are added, making it a natural sweetener. Pekmez is commonly made from grapes, but can also be made from different fruits including mulberries, plums, apples, pears, pomegranates and most recently Carob.
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This what I know as one if my main uses of grape pekmez, mixed with tahini and served with bread. It is wonderful. Almost as good as proper dates are. (You'll have needed to have travelled to countries were dates are grown to fully understand that comment. Somehow they don't travel quite so well commercially though they do travel well when colleagues bring some back from home for you! )
The thick, sweet syrup is a staple item on every Turkish breakfast table. The delicious extract is either served alone, or more commonly mixed with a thick sesame paste called "tahini." Pekmez is poured into a dish with tahini and then swirled to create a marbling effect. Fresh hot crusty bread is then torn and dipped in this delicious mixture, which will send your taste buds soaring. When eaten in the morning, this tasty concoction is a great energy provider for a full day ahead. The closest comparison in terms of taste for these two mixtures is sort of like the nutty and sweet flavor of the "honey and peanut butter" of the West, but much tastier.
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SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
I am wondering if what you are thinking of is not what I know as pekmez? I know date molasses, pomegranate molasses (which can be with it without sugar), but the only pekmez I knew before now was grape, though I've made plum pekmez just this autumn (7 plums in Australia were about 1kg in weight this last autumn).

The sweet curing syrup: Pekmez



This what I know as one if my main uses of grape pekmez, mixed with tahini and served with bread. It is wonderful. Almost as good as proper dates are. (You'll have needed to have travelled to countries were dates are grown to fully understand that comment. Somehow they don't travel quite so well commercially though they do travel well when colleagues bring some back from home for you! )
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I have two bottles of pekmez here, grape and date. I love it, especially drizzled over yoghurt at breakfast (which is another traditional way the Turkish people serve it) . I got to know it through Turkish friends, and specialty stores selling Turkish food here sell it too. It's one of my favorite foods. The most common variety here is not grape, but pomegranate.
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This is the most common brand here, I have this brand.
 
We were given a shed load of carissa carandas fruit this morning. I shall have a go at pickling some tomorrow. Do carissa carandas count as berries for this challenge?

Carissa carandas s.jpg

Carissa carandas s.jpg



 
Yorky said:
We were given a shed load of carissa carandas fruit this morning. I shall have a go at pickling some tomorrow. Do carissa carandas count as berries for this challenge?

Carissa carandas s.jpg

Carissa carandas s.jpg

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I had to google that after seeing your other post where you were taking out the pits/stones. They looked like cherries in that photo. What do they taste like?
 
Finally getting an entry in:

Recipe - Flourless Banana Pancakes & Maple-Berry Syrup

First up, the syrup:
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This is nothing more than a little bit of maple syrup and a couple cups of mixed fresh berries (raspberries and blueberries in this case) heated up in the microwave and held in a warm oven to break down a bit on their own. Couldn't be simpler.

On to the pancakes:
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That batter is banana, eggs, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt, just mixed by hand. One nice thing is that since there's no flour, you can mix and mix and mix some more and not worry about making a tough pancake. You could probably do this with a stick blender if you wanted, to get it ultra-smooth. Great way to use up bananas that are nearing the end of their usefulness, too.


The cooking:
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As you can see, this is a very thin batter, so don't be alarmed when it starts to spread a bit, and don't expect perfectly round pancakes, unless you want to make them one at a time. They cook up very quickly, with nice browning, as you can see, but don't expect a lot of rise, just a bit.

The final product:
Flourless Banana Pancakes & Maple Berry Syrup

Flourless Banana Pancakes & Maple Berry Syrup


Flourless Banana Pancakes & Maple Berry Syrup

Flourless Banana Pancakes & Maple Berry Syrup


I'll say that while these don't exactly mimic a traditional flour pancake, they're an acceptable alternative. They're very good, with a mild banana taste (to be expected). The syrup alone is worth making, and any left over (Seriously? I made a double-batch of syrup and it's all gone :laugh:) would be just dandy on some pound cake...or stirred into some yogurt...over poured over ice cream...or...well, you get the idea.

Eat up!
 
JAS_OH1 said:
I had to google that after seeing your other post where you were taking out the pits/stones. They looked like cherries in that photo. What do they taste like?
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Before they ripen, they have the consistency of an apple but taste like a very bitter gooseberry. After they ripen they have the consistency of a soft plum but still taste extremely bitter.
 
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