Slices of Sunshine for Easter

Christos Aneste!

Christ is Risen!

Alithos Anesti!

 He is Risen Indeed!

 Happy Easter, Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying this Easter season.

I must apologize for my absence last week. I came here several times to post, found I wasn't sure what I could say, and then was distracted by posts from my fellow bloggers. I'm always smiling when I read my friends' blogs- particularly A Little White Bird and Under the Bear Hood. A Little White Bird shares pretty snapshots of the emerging spring with a simple, honest joy. Under the Bear Hood serves up charming art with an occasional dash of brutal humor.
I really ought to do a more in-depth features for both these blogs, as well as a few others. Please look forward to them in the coming weeks!

So, in short, I was kept away by my own vague brain and the excuse to procrastinate that only a good read and pretty pictures can offer
But today I make my return!
Bring out the trumpets!
For my welcome back gift, I offer photos and a recipe for Lemon Turmeric Pickles.

I've mentioned before how much we like adventures in the kitchen. In that adventurous spirit, the Boss-lady bought some raw turmeric tubers on a shopping trip. She had no idea what to do with them, but she thought they looked funky. So into her basket they went.

 

The challenge of what to do with them fell to me. My gigantic Larousse Gastronomique had few clues to help me in my quest- just a couple flavor pairing suggestions and a brief overview of the spice's history.

The internet revealed a few more clues. I learned they should be stored like garlic; in a cool, dark, dry place. The refrigerator is too moist, but a basket on the counter out of direct light should be fine in most kitchens. The tubers can be converted to the more familiar dry powder after roasting, drying, and an amount of grinding too insane to be cost effective in our little home kitchen.

I could use the tubers to grow my own turmeric plants which I could harvest for a bigger yield later. For that, the tubers must be stored in a dry, dark spot until buds begin to sprout. One would then cut the tubers into shorter pieces and plant.

I also picked up some info about the spice's health benefits. Eating a half teaspoon a day can reduce inflammation, among other things.

For all this, culinary use of the whole, raw tuber seemed to be restricted to juicing in smoothies, crushing into cold-combating elixirs, and pickles. Potables didn't appeal to me that day so I chose to explore the third option.

A couple of the turmeric pickle recipes I found used lemon juice as its only acid. I took a page from the Gastronomique and used ginger as an accompanying spice. I had noticed that the internet said to eat pepper with turmeric, and my health-conscious mom echoed that. Garlic and salt played their parts in this recipe as well. The salt was pink because I find it hard to pass up an opportunity to use it wherever I can.

 

These are pungent. Biting into one is like putting a crisp slice of sunshine between your teeth. The flavor is an explosion of bright lemon. While the taste is a little too strong to eat alone, I really enjoy a couple slices on a cracker with pesto or nestled into a hearty sandwich. I imagine these would also be great chopped into a relish or a tangy potato salad.

 

Lemon Pickled Turmeric

1 cup Turmeric Tubers
3 Large Cloves Garlic
1 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 Salt
1 tsp Coarsely Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp ground Ginger

Peel the turmeric and slice them thinly lengthways or on a diagonal. Try to make the slices between 2 and 3 millimeters thick. Skin and slice the garlic to the same width. Toss garlic and turmeric slices into a jar.

Mix lemon juice, salt, pepper, and ginger then pour over turmeric and garlic.

Close up the jar and give a good shake. Let sit in the fridge for 2-3 days.