[2] Getting ready to make BLT Pancakes.

[3] Baby arugula (photo © Baldor Specialty Foods | Facebook).

This recipe was created by Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest for Wisconsin Cheese Talk, who used Wisconsin-made quark in the recipe.

“Quark is like ricotta’s saltier cousin mixed with a creamy version of feta,” says Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest, who shared this recipe with the Wisconsin cheese folks.

“When I first tried it, I had so many ideas of how to use quark in my recipes, but one recipe stuck out: these BLT Quark Pancakes with Chipotle Bourbon Dressing.”

Here’s more about quark, a fresh cheese that looks like sour cream and yogurt.

Check out Half Baked Harvest. You’ll want to eat every recipe!

The recipe follows. Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> What is Quark and the history of Quark.

> The history of pancakes.

> The different types of pancakes and waffles: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 15 pancake and waffle holidays.

> The year’s 116 breakfast holidays.

> More pancake recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: BLT QUARK PANCAKES WITH CHIPOTLE BOURBON DRESSING

Serve these pancakes for brunch, lunch, or even as a first course at dinner. The recipe serves 6 as an entrée, 12 as a starter.

If you can’t find quark, substitute ricotta. The biggest challenge is when to make the recipe:

It’s a recipe for tomato season, but it seems a shame to wait for July’s crop of heirloom tomatoes. So the next best thing is to substitute cherry tomatoes (in addition to the ones already in the recipe.

Ingredients

For The Chipotle Bourbon Dressing

 
For The Quark Pancakes

 
For The Topping

 
Garnishes

1. MAKE the Chipotle Bourbon Dressing: In small saucepan over medium heat, bring the bourbon, if using, to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, chipotle pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste; whisk to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.

2. MAKE the Quark Pancakes: Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Combine 8 ounces of quark, the buttermilk and egg yolks in a separate, larger mixing bowl. Add the flour, honey, baking soda and salt to the batter, stirring gently until just combined. Stir a small scoop of egg whites into the mixture to lighten the batter; then fold in the remaining beaten whites with a spatula.

3. HEAT a skillet over medium heat. Coat with butter or cooking spray. For entrée-size pancakes, pour 1/3 cup of the pancake batter onto the center of the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the pancake’s surface. Using a spatula, gently flip the pancake; cook the second side until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep the pancakes warm in the oven.

5. ASSEMBLE: Stack the pancakes on serving plates; top with the bacon, tomato slices, halved cherry tomatoes and arugula. Add a dollop of whipped quark cheese and drizzle with the reserved dressing.
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] Nettles.

[3] Green garlic.

Today’s tip is a reminder not to let the brief season pass you by (it ends this month, depending on your location).

WHAT ARE NETTLES?

Stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, are slightly bitter green herbs that grow wild in the spring. Other names are common nettles and wild nettles.

They are members of Urticaceae, family of flowering plants, also known as the Nettle Family. The family includes other useful plants, including ramie, which is used to make fabric.

Different varieties grow worldwide, many without the sting. Those that are picked with garden gloves (rubber kitchen gloves work, too). The sting comes from chemicals* in the plant. Once stinging nettles are blanched, boiled or soaked in water, the sting is gone.

In North America, nettles sprout up very briefly in early spring and late fall, growing like weeds at the edges of cultivated farmland. That’s why the best place to find them is farmers markets.

Why go after something that stings? They have charming flavor, a bit like spinach with a cucumber undertone. You can use as a substitute for cooked spinach.

You can find numerous nettles recipes online, but we’ll start you off with some soup and pesto.
 
RECIPE #1: POTATO, NETTLE & GREEN GARLIC SOUP

This recipe, from Good Eggs, unites two limited spring vegetables: nettles and green garlic. The soup tastes even better the next day. Prep time is 20 minutes, total time is 45 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 2-3 Servings

1. PLACE the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water generously—it should be salty as ocean water—and add the bay leaves and a handful of the green garlic tops. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 25-30, minutes or until potatoes are soft but not falling apart. Drain in a colander and cool by spreading the potatoes in a single flat layer on a tray. While potatoes are boiling…

2. SAUTÉ the onion in a large stock pot with a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil over medium-low heat, until soft and translucent. Add the minced green garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes, until soft and aromatic.

3. HALVE or quarter the cooled potatoes, depending on size, and add to the onions and garlic. Stir gently to combine. Add the chicken stock to the pot until the potatoes are just covered; bring to a boil.

4. TURN off the heat and purée half the soup in a blender. Use a kitchen towel to hold down the lid of the blender and be careful of steam and hot splashes. You can also use an immersion blender. If you prefer a more rustic soup, you can lightly mash the potatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, instead of puréeing.

5. USE protective gloves, a kitchen towel or tongs and carefully de-stem and wash the nettles (we cut them from the stems with a kitchen scissors). Drain them in a colander, then chop roughly. Fold into the hot soup and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with a generous dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of chives and parsley.

RECIPE #2: NETTLE & PISTACHIO PESTO

Nettles make a delicious pesto; here are 20+ ways to use pesto.

This recipe is from Quinciple.com, a premier meal delivery service.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. DE-STEM the nettle leaves: Hold onto the stem with tongs and use your other hand to carefully snip the leaves with kitchen scissors.

2. BRING a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the nettles by adding the leaves to the water for 1-2 minutes. Remove them with tongs or a slotted spoon, and place them in an ice bath (a bowl with water with ice cubes) to cool. Once the nettles are cool to the touch, strain and squeeze all water from the leaves.

3. ROUGHLY CHOP the blanched leaves and add them to a food processor with the garlic, pistachios, lemon juice and zest, cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse into a coarse paste. Then stream in the olive oil to the desired consistency or about 1/3. Serve immediately or store in a jar for up to 5 days.
 
MORE WAYS TO SERVE NETTLES

Like most herbs, nettles are good for you, rich in calcium, iron, manganese, potassium and vitamins A and C. They have been called “seaweed of the land” because of their complete spectrum of trace minerals and their soft, salty flavor.

[4] and [5] Nettle pesto from Quinciple.com.

 
Until next spring!
  

Top: Crostini with Brie, Serrano ham and Fig Spread (photo courtesy Favor The Moments). Bottom: Enjoy trying the different spreads with different cheeses (photo courtesy Bonne Maman).

What’s a cheese condiment? What’s a cheese spread? you may ask. Here’s the food nerd explanation:

 
Chutney, ketchup, mustard and pickle relish are examples of condiments that enhance burgers and franks. Although you may not think of them as such, fudge sauce, marshmallow cream and whipped cream are ice cream condiments.

Given America’s growing familiarity with fine cheeses, here’s an…

INTRODUCTION TO CHEESE CONDIMENTS

What is the difference between a mostarda and a mustard? Why would you put honey on cheese? Can you use the same condiments on a log of fresh goat cheese and an aged Gouda?

Cheeses are wonderful on their own, but cheese condiments can bring out their nuances. Similar to wine pairings, the flavor and age of the cheese are taken into account when deciding on pairings.

We have an elaborate chart of cheese condiment pairings, from aged balsamic and mustard to sweet condiments such as chutney, honey and preserves.

Cheeses served with sweet condiments make delicious appetizers, desserts and snacks.

Take a look at the newest cheese condiments in town: three fruit spreads from premium jam, jelly and preserves company, Bonne Maman. They are all natural, non-GMO and certified kosher by OU.

First, a word about “spreads.”

There are different types of fruit spreads, including chutney, jam, jelly, preserve and others.

Aside from the jam and jelly group, some people hear “cheese spread” and think of like Port Wine Cheddar. Not here.

As regards jam, in the U.S., “fruit spread” is generally a reduced-calorie product, replacing all or part of the sugar with fruit juice concentrate and low-calorie sweeteners. Not the case with Bonne Maman.

The new spreads from Bonne Mamam are very thick and concentrated preserves that don’t run or dribble: They stand firm, enabling you to use them in more ways. The flavor, too, is more intense—glorious, in fact. It was all we could do not to eat them directly from the jar. (Well, maybe we did.)

The best pairings are the ones you like. We’ve made some suggestions, but let your palate be your guide.

Black Cherry Spread Cheese Pairings

Tart cherries pair well with both sharp and creamy cheeses. We pair it with goat cheese, Brie and Camenbert.
 
Purple Fig Spread Cheese Pairings

This one is easy: Fig pairs well with all types of cheese.
 
Quince Spread Cheese Pairings

For centuries, membrillo, quince paste, has been the classic condiment for aged Spanish cheeses. Cabrales and Manchego are most often found in the U.S., but your cheesemonger may also have Idiazabal, Roncal, Zamorano and others. Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano, with nuances similar to Manchego, pairs well; so does aged provolone. The nutty Swiss mountain cheeses are also a match: Appenzeller, Emmental (with the big holes called eyes), Gruyère* and French Comté.
 
NEXT STEPS

Plan a cheese tasting with fruit spreads and other condiments. Your family and friends will love it!

As of this writing, you can download a $2 coupon on the Bonne Maman website.
 
PARTY FAVORS

Looking for small Mother’s Day gifts or party favors? Jet.com is currently selling a six-pack with free shipping.

The spreads are also available at retailers nationwide.

Top: Quince Spread atop a pyramid-shaped cheese (photo courtesy Taylor Takes A Taste). Bottom: A jar of Purple Fig Spread (photo courtesy Jet.com).

 
______________________________
*Switzerland has produced Gruyère for hundreds of years, but after an appeal to the EU, France was also allowed to use the name. French Gruyère must be made with tiny eyes—“between the size of a pea and a cherry”—to distinguish it from the original.
  

[1] Keep a bowl of Halos or other mandarins on your kitchen counter, for a nutritious, 35-calorie grab-and-go snack (photos #1 and #2 © Wonderful Foods).

[2] Halos, unpeeled and peeled.

[3] A yogurt parfait with clementine mandarins and raspberries (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[4] Mandarins vs. orange. Of course, each has numerous varieties (photo © Times Now News).

We’ve been enjoying them by the bagful. In addition to flavor and nutrition, they keep us from eating refined sugar snacks.

They deserve their halo!

> February 15th is National Clementine Day.

> The difference between mandarins and oranges is below.

> Also below, the history of mandarins.

> The year’s 40+ citrus holidays.

> All the fruit holidays (80 of them!)
 
 
WHAT ARE HALOS?

The fruit aisle can be confusing. Depending on the store, you can find clementines, Cuties, Halos, Dimples, tangerines and mandarin “oranges.”

Nota bene: mandarins are not oranges, but a different species. More about that in a minute.

Welcome to the world of single-serving, easy to peel, sweet and juicy—and branded—citrus.

Halos, Cuties, and Sweeties are mandarins from California, different brand names for what are often clementines.

Don’t call them mandarin oranges!

While both are from the genus Citrus, mandarins are a different species, just like broccoli and cabbage—both members of the genus Brassica—are different species.

Here’s the difference (Produce Pete and Wikipedia take note!).

> Yummy ways to use mandarins are below, along with some good tips.
 
 
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANDARINS & ORANGES

From a hybridization perspective, the mandarin is a progenitor of the orange*.

The orange is a cross between a mandarin and a pomelo, created long ago in China.

From a visual perspective:

Why the different names? Branding! The names are not varieties, but trademarked names, encouraging the consumer to look specifically for Cuties or Halos.

Now for a twist:

 
 
HOW TO USE HALOS

Like oranges, mandarins are very versatile. The first thing anyone would think of is hand fruit. The term refers to fruits small enough to eat from the palm of your hand, such as apples, pears and stone fruits—but not pineapples or other fruits that need to be cut up.

But why stop there? Use luscious mandarins:

 
To find a store near you, here’s the Halos store locator.
 
 
MANDARIN TIPS

[3] Toss mandarin segments into a green salad (photo © Wonderful Foods)

[4] Garnishing a white chocolate tart with a macadamia crust. Here’s the recipe from Rodale’s Organic Life.

Thanks to Etienne Rabe, Vice President, Agronomy, for Wonderful Citrus, for this history of mandarins:

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the name, but we know that mandarins were grown for many centuries in China. The first mandarin tree was brought to England from China in 1805, and its progeny went from England to Malta, then to Sicily and continental Italy.

Little information is available about mandarins in Chinese literature, but as far back as 1178 C.E., Chinese author Han Yen-chih described 27 different varieties of mandarins.

The clementine originated in North Africa and made their way to Morocco in the 1960s and Spain in the 1970s. Spain started exporting them to the East Coast of the U.S. in the 1990s.

The murcott variety was bred in Morocco and introduced to the U.S. in the mid-1990s.

As imported clementines became popular, American citrus growers saw the potential of the fruit…and how lucky we are!
 
 
________________

*The binomial classification of both mandarins and oranges branches at the species level. Both are in the genus Citrus. The pomelo is also a member of the Citrus genus. Its species is Citrus maxima. The entire taxonomy: Kingdom Plantae, Clade Tracheophytes, Clade Angiosperms, Clade Eudicots, Clade Rosids, Order Sapindales, Family Rutaceae, Subfamily Auranntioideae, Tribe Citreae, Subtribe Citrinae, Genus Citrus.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Having just published an article about cauliflower rice, we’re following up with this recipe for Cauliflower “Risotto.”

This recipe is from Food Player Linda, a freelance chef in Connecticut whose innovative recipes can be found onPlayingWithFireAndWater.com. When we win the lottery, we will retain her to make magnificent meals.

RECIPE: CAULIFLOWER “RISOTTO”

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MELT the butter in a skillet or large shallow pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the shallots and cook slowly until translucent. While the shallots are cooking…

2. ROUGHLY CHOP the cauliflower into 1″ pieces. Working in 2-3 batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor in short pulses, until roughly the size of grains of rice. There will be a combination of very fine pieces as well as larger pieces.

3. TRANSFER the cauliflower into the pan with the shallots and turn the heat up to medium-high. Sauté while stirring, until the cauliflower begins to brown. Season with salt and pepper and add a 1/2 cup of the stock, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. When liquid has nearly evaporated…

Top: Jamie Oliver’s Cauliflower Risotto recipe with anchovy breadcrumbs, via Mimi Katz Chen. Here’s the recipe. Mushroom “risotto” made with cauliflower instead of rice. Recipe and photo courtesy Playing With Fire And Water.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the breadcrumbs, anchovies and their oil, and the chilies in a food processor; pulse until mixed.

2. HEAT the oil in a frying pan and fry the flavored breadcrumbs, tossing and toasting until golden brown. Set aside until you’re ready to garnish.

 
___________________________
*Best melting cheeses: Asiago, Fontina, Gouda, Gruyère, Mozzarella, Provolone, Robiola Bosina (not regular Robiola), Taleggio.

†Cherry peppers are mild, as are the larger green Anaheim chiles. The yellow-orange Aji Amarillo and the larger Cayenne chiles
have medium heat. Thai chiles, also known as sprig kee nu and birdseye chile, are hot.