Peaches in Cinnamon Syrup

peeled peaches5 lbs peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tsp cinnamon

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Prepare a second pot of ice water.  Score the bottom of the peaches and add, in batches, to the boiling water.  Boil the peaches for 30 seconds and immediately place in the pot of ice water.  When cool, peel (the skin should easily come off).  Slice the peeled peaches.

Combine the peaches with the remaining ingredients in another pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.  The peaches should be soft, but not mushy.  Allow the peaches to cool completely in the syrup.

Recipe variations:

Peaches in Vanilla Syrup: replace the brown sugar with white sugar.  Instead of the spices, add 1 vanilla bean before you cook the peaches.  After the peaches have completely cooled, take a sharp knife and scrape the inside of the vanilla bean.

Peaches in Maple Syrup: Replace the brown sugar with maple sugar.  Proceed as directed.

Recipe notes:  These peaches are delicious alone, over ice cream, or with yogurt and granola.  They freeze beautifully (which is always good in the middle of the winter when you crave a little bit of summer).  Also, these peaches are not overly sweet--if you prefer sweeter cooked peaches, add additional sugar.

Pasta with Wild Mushroom Sauce

pasta with wild mushroom sauce1 lb ground beef
2 medium Vandalia (or other sweet onion), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup dried mushrooms, broken into small pieces
2 large cans (28 oz) whole peeled plum tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

1 lb spaghetti or linguini

Heat a Dutch over or a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef and stir regularly until the beef loses its raw appearance.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook for about 12 minutes, until the onion is translucent and tastes sweet.  Add the salt and pepper.  Carefully add the wine to the pot and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot.  Cook for about 4 more minutes so that the wine begins to reduce.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, mushrooms, and bay leaves.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to maintain a consistant, gentle simmer.  Cook the sauce for 1 hour until it is thick and flavorful.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add plenty of kosher salt and the pasta.  Cook until the pasta is al dente.  Toss the pasta in the sauce and sprinkle with plenty of freshly grated parmesan and the basil.

Recipe notes:  I used a mixture of crimini and porcini mushrooms, but really any combination will do.  You could also use fresh mushrooms, although I would still add the dried mushrooms to give the sauce a depth of flavor.  If you use fresh mushrooms, chop the mushrooms and add the mushrooms after you cook the onion and the garlic.  The mushrooms will release a lot of water, so make sure the onions and the garlic are cooked before you add the fresh mushrooms.  You can also make this sauce ahead of time and then reheat it when you are ready to eat.  If you have leftovers, it freezes beautifully.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

4 Red PeppersRoasting the Red Pepper on Top of the Stove
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 tsp kosher salt

Wash the peppers.  Place the peppers directly over a gas burner or under the broil.  As the skin blackens, rotate the pepper.  Continue rotating until the skin of the pepper is black.  Place the pepper under running cold water to remove the skin.  Cut pepper in half and remove the stem and the seeds.

Place all of the ingredients into a blender.  Blend until smooth. 

Recipe Notes: This pesto is delicious sauce for pasta or gnocchi.  It is also a great marinade for chicken or fish.  For more information see, "I hate Potatoes."

Tomato Ragu

1 onion, copped
5 cloves garlic, minced
10 tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped
olive oil, salt, and pepper
1/2 cup red wine

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a sauce pan.  Add garlic and saute until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds.  Add the onion and saute until the onion is translucent.  Add the tomatoes and wine.  Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to keep the sauce at a gentle simmer.  Reduce until the sauce is thick, about 45 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Recipe Notes: To easily peel the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Core the tomatoes and using a sharp knife mark an "X" in the bottom of the tomato (this will make it easier to peel the skin off).  Prepare a large bowl of ice water.  Working in batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 30 seconds and then immediately put the tomatoes in the ice water.  This will stop the cooking and make it easier to peel the skin off of the tomatoes.  Peel off the skin and then literally squeeze the tomatoes to remove the seeds.  You can either use the tomatoes immediately or freeze them for later use.

Elk Burgers with Stone Fruit Chutney

1 Lb Ground elk Meat
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, minced
2 peaches, peeled and chopped
2 nectarines, peeled and chopped
1 mango, peeled and chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs sugar (optional depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
salt and pepper

For the Chutney:
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.. Add garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 30 seconds Add onion and sauté for about 7 minutes until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize (turn golden) around the edges. Add tomato paste, and stir for about 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste begins to turn brown. Add stone fruit and cook until the fruit is hot and begins to decompose, about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and add vinegar, cinnamon, and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For the Burgers:
Season the elk meat with salt and pepper. Form into 1/3 pound burgers. Over hot coals cook on each side about 3-4 minutes. These burgers cook fast, so be careful not to overcook!

Recipe notes: I chose not to heavily season the elk meat because I was pairing the burgers with a very flavorful chutney. If you don’t make a chutney, I would suggest adding ¼ finely minced onion and 1 clove of garlic as well as salt and pepper to the elk meat. You can really use any combination of fruit in the chutney. If I had made a solely mango chutney as I originally intended, I probably would have added 1 Tbs of freshly ground ginger, substituted 1 tsp of Chinese five spice powder for the cinnamon, and used rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.

If you have any leftover chutney, mix with Balsamic vinegar—it makes a fabulous salad dressing!