MAKES one pound of ramp butter.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped ramps

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, minced

1 teaspoon cracked pink peppercorns

2 teaspoons crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 pound unsalted, high-quality butter, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Make sure to wash ramps well, removing the roots. Leave the stems, leaves, and bulb.
2. Roughly chop ramps into smaller pieces, about 1-inch or 2-inch, so they fit nicely in your food processor.
3. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd your food processor, pulse until the ramps are very finely chopped.
4. In a small bowl, mix the chopped ramps, lemon zest, cracked pink peppercorns, and pink Himalayan salt with the softened butter until everything is well-combined.
5. Roll out a square piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and scrape the mix into a rectangle shape on one side of the paper or wrap. Leave 2-3 inches on each side of the rectangle. You can sprinkle salt, peppercorns, and extra lemon zest on the top for garnish.
6. Roll the butter up into the paper, making sure to leave space at each end. The butter should look like a log. Fold the ends over and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
7. The butter can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or stored for three months in the freezer.

The post Sea Salt And Lemon Ramp Butter Recipe appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

Makes about 6 half-pint jars. Eating raw elderberries is not recommended.

INGREDIENTS

Zest of 2 medium lemons

2 pounds elderberries, destemmed, rinsed, and dried

2 pounds fresh or frozen dark cherries (fresh cherries should be pitted)

4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

You’re going to need a very large pot. Get at least the 21.5-quart size to ensure you have enough space at the top for canning.

Make sure to purchase a standard canning rack. It should have handles to help lift the jars out of the hot water, keep the jars from hitting the bottom or bumping into each other, and allow water to flow on all sides of the jars for even processing.

Make sure to grab a canning funnel. Its spout is larger than a regular funnel and fits inside a 2-to 3-inch jar mouth, perfect for ladling jam, salsa, or even veggies.

Before starting, sterilize jars and let dry on a clean cloth or drying rack, ready to be filled with delicious jam.

1. Combine zest, sugar, elderberries, cherries, and salt in a large, wide heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir well and let sit for about an hour. Note: You are not placing the pan over heat yet. This process is referred to as maceration, and you can do it a full day in advance by placing the pan in the fridge, if you like. Macerating releases the sugars and enzymes in the fruits to help create a thicker syrup. Dry sugar poured straight into the pot can quickly caramelize while you are cooking down your fruit, but letting the mixture sit first allows the sugar to blend in with the fruit juice before you begin cooking.
2. Place your macerated fruit mix on the stove on medium low heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly and gently, to dissolve the sugar.
3. Once boiling, continuously stir to keep sugars from caramelizing. You want your jam mixture to reach the gelling point—about 180 degrees.
4. Continue to boil for about 30–45 minutes to reach the perfect gel temp—220 degrees.
5. Simmer a small saucepan of water on the stove and submerge jar rings and lids. This will soften the rubber on the lids to help create a better seal once you have filled your jars and are ready to process.
6. When your fruit is at the gelling point, remove from heat and ladle it into your previously prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inches at the top. Tap to let the air bubbles rise and escape.
7. Wipe your rims with a damp, clean cloth or wet paper towel, cover with lids, and screw on rings.
8. Place jars gently into a water bath using a canning rack and process for at least 10 minutes. Water should be on a high simmer, and jars need to be fully submerged with at least 2 inches of water covering them.
9. When jars have been submerged for 10 minutes, pull them out of the water and cool completely on a cooling rack or clean towel. Jars will “ping” or “pop” as they cool, so don’t be alarmed. That’s the jars sealing. Let them cool overnight for the best seal.
10. If you don’t want to water process or fool with canning methods at all, you can skip boiling the jars. Instead, seal well in the sterilized jars and freeze for up to one year.

The post Elderberry and Dark Cherry Jam Recipe appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

Texas native Timmy Campbell grew up eating rich, vibrant esquites, or Mexican-style street corn cut off the cob, from food stands all over Houston. So, when he started up his own food truck in Indianapolis, he knew that he had to offer the dish, which eventually earned him the name Tha Corn Man. His version? Campbell layers his well-charred corn with plenty of butter and tangy mayonnaise, then tops it all with cayenne. Feel free to top yours with chopped or slices jalapenos or serrano peppers, chopped cilantro, or additional lime wedges. Or top yours as many of Campbell’s customers do: with bacon.

Timmy Campbell’s Street Corn

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients: 

• 8 medium ears of corn, shucked
• Vegetable oil, as needed
• 6 tablespoons of butter, melted
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeeze lime juice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• Salt, as needed
• Cayenne, as needed

Directions:  

1. Prepare a charcoal fire, heat a gas grill to medium-high heat, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat on a stove. When cooking surface is hot, clean and oil grill grates or grill pan lightly. Grill ears of corn until beginning to char and starting to soften, about 7 minutes, turning often. Remove corn to a platter to cool slightly.
2. Whisk mayonnaise and lime juice in a medium bowl.
3. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob on a cutting board or directly into a large bowl.
4. In each of four small cups or bowls, add a layer of warm corn. Drizzle butter over the corn, and sprinkle generously with salt. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of mayo over the corn and spread slightly. Dust liberally with parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, omitting the mayonnaise on the second layer. Sprinkle the top with cayenne pepper to taste, then mix the top gently. Serve warm with spoons for scooping down to get all of the layers.

The post Tha Corn Man’s Recipe For Mouthwatering Street Corn appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

This sweet and tangy citrus-forward cocktail is perfect when paired with a late breakfast or afternoon brunch on the patio. Bourbon gives it a depth of flavor, while the prosecco topper makes it an effervescent and whimsical little drink.

How to make the Early Riser cocktail at home

Makes two cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces crushed ice
• 2 ounces Moon Drops Bourbon
• 2 ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice 1 ounce fresh pineapple juice
• 1 shake of orange bitters
• 1 ounce prosecco
• mint leaf
• slice of orange

Directions:

1. Pour crushed ice, bourbon, and fresh juices into a cocktail shaker (you can use a Mason jar and lid if you don’t have one).
2. Shake well for 30 seconds to a minute.
3. Strain mixture into an 8-ounce martini or coupe glass.
4. Top with prosecco and a splash of orange bitters.
5. Garnish with orange slice and mint leaf.

The post The Early Riser Is A Brunch Cocktail To Be Reckoned With appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

With vibrant cities spread across a vast complex of islands, Indonesia has a lively street food culture that includes dozens of tasty snacks, such as this popular beef omelet encased in crispy spring roll skins. Be sure to get large spring roll skins (7-by-7 inches), and feel free to use any blend of curry powder you have on hand, though avoid Japanese curry or Thai curry paste. Make sure that you cook the filled spring roll skin over low heat for even browning. While Wisanggeni Pawon makes its own spicy-sweet dipping sauce, you can use bottled sweet chili sauce. The dish is especially popular at night and is great with a cold beer.

Wisanggeni Pawon’s Martabak Telor

Makes one omelet to serve 2-3.

Ingredients: 

• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 1 cup scallions, both green and white parts, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 large spring roll wrappers
• Sweet chili sauce, for serving
• Sliced cucumbers or your favorite pickles, for serving

Directions:  

1. Heat one to two tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, onions, scallions, and garlic, and cook until the beef has lost any pink color and the vegetables are starting to soften. Add curry powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
2. Remove mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
3. Add eggs to meat mixture in bowl and mix until ingredients are well combined.
4. Add remaining oil to pan over low heat. Place one spring roll wrapper in a skillet and spoon beef and egg mixture evenly over the surface. Place the remaining spring roll wrapper on top. Fry until the bottom wrapper is beginning to brown and get crisp.
5. Slide the omelet onto a plate and invert into the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the second side begins to brown.
6. Remove omelet to a platter or a cutting board and let cool slightly. Cut the omelet into large squares. Serve warm with dipping sauce and cucumbers or pickles.

The post Recipe: Bambang Wisanggeni’s Martabak Telor appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

A NATIVE of Fort Wayne who grew up enjoying her mother’s perfect pies and hand-rolled noodles, Alison Keefer has grown her Gallery Pastry Shop from a wholesale bakery to a dessert-themed restaurant group with four locations. But simplicity has always been the hallmark of Keefer’s approach, no better exemplified than in these crisp, buttery cookies. Because the ingredient list is short, be sure to go for quality butter. And watch that the cookies don’t brown too much around the edges. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pans halfway through baking. Baking times will vary depending on the thickness and shape of the cookies. While these are excellent with coffee or tea, they’re stunning when iced or layered with fruit or pastry cream for a knockout dessert.

Gallery Pastry Shop’s Sablé Cookies

Makes approximately 24 small cookies

 Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup fine almond flour
• 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 extra-large egg or two medium eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:  

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Into a medium bowl sift flours and salt. Set aside.
3. Add butter and confectioner’s sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. Add egg(s) and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed about one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mixture will look separated.
5. Add flour and salt mixture and beat on low until fully incorporated.
6. Refrigerate dough for at least two hours.
7. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to desired thickness. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutters dusted in flour, cut dough to desired shapes.
8. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden but not dark around the edges, about 12–15 minutes (depending on size of cookies).
9. Let cookies cool on baking sheet set over a rack for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies to rack and cool completely.

The post Foodie Recipe: Gallery Pastry Shop’s Sablé Cookies  appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

AFTER SELLING his popular Ristorante Roma in Carmel in 2020, restaurateur Lucio Romani, who hails from the seaside town of Ladispoli west of Rome, opened a gelateria on Main Street with wife, Christine Jourdan. When the pandemic hit, the couple converted the frozen sweets shop to a bakery and dinner takeout. Romani handled the pastas and pizza, and Jourdan focused on the baking, with many of the recipes from Romani’s region of Italy, such as his mother’s crispy wine cookies. Any wine (even red) can be used in this recipe, but Romani recommends a semi-sweet white such as Chablis. Romani’s mother would then dip hers in red wine, but you can dunk them in any spirit, as well as your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Italian Cookies

Makes 20 cookies

 Ingredients: 

• 6 1/2 Tablespoons white wine
• 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, add wine, oil, sugar, salt, and baking powder, and mix until just incorporated. Gradually add flour, being careful not to overmix the dough.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently approximately 10 turns. Dough will be soft.
4. Cut off a little ball of dough (approximately 1 ounce). Roll into a chubby rope about 5 inches long. Cross the ends of the rope into a loose knot, dip the knot in granulated sugar, and place on prepared cookie sheet.
5. Bake cookies until lightly golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool briefly in pan on a cooling rack, then transfer cookies to rack and cool completely. Serve with wine, a favorite spirit, coffee, or tea. They’re also great with ice cream or gelato.

The post Lucio Romani’s Italian Cookies Recipe appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

If you can’t find poblano liqueur, you can substitute another chile-flavored spirit or make your own by placing 2–3 medium poblanos, roughly chopped, in a jar with a 2-inch piece of orange zest. Add anywhere from one teaspoon to 1/4 cup granulated sugar to taste. Pour 2 cups of vodka into the jar. Let steep in a cool, dark place for at least three hours or up to 3 days. Strain. You may need to adjust the amount of simple syrup to achieve the desired sweetness of the drink.

Jon Rangel’s Woodlawn Sling

Makes one cocktail

Ingredients:

• 3/4 ounce 18th Street gin (or gin of your choice)
• 1/2 ounce Banhez mezcal (or mezcal of your choice)
• 3/4 ounce Ancho Reyes Verde poblano liqueur (or a homemade version as described above)
• 1 dash cucumber bitter
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1 ounce lime juice
• Cracked ice
• Chives, to garnish

Directions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker about two-thirds full of cracked ice. Place remaining ingredients except chives in cocktail shaker. Attach lid to shaker and shake vigorously until well blended and frothy.
2. Double strain into coupe or other stemmed cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with chive. Serve immediately.

The post Jon Rangel’s Woodlawn Sling Recipe appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

As co-owner

with her husband of Futuro and Grump’s Slice Stop, Sarah St. Aubin has easy access to pizza in nearly every form. But she gets her sweets fix by recreating this two-day family recipe. The result is a sturdy old-fashioned dessert that satisfies a cake craving. Butter may be substituted for the vegetable shortening in this recipe, though for the fluffiest cake, St. Aubin recommends not tinkering with her grandmother’s original formula.

Grandmother’s Poppyseed Cake

Makes one 10-inch Bundt cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) poppyseeds
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 3 egg whites
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting cake

Directions:

1. Place poppyseeds in a medium bowl. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles begin to appear but milk does not boil. (Milk should be around 180–185 degrees F.) Pour milk over poppyseeds and leave at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a mixer on medium speed or by hand, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat until mixture turns a pale yellow.
4. With mixer on low, add 1/3 of the soaked poppyseeds (do not drain) and mix until incorporated. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Repeat, alternating between the remaining poppyseeds and flour, until the batter is smooth.
5. In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high speed to stiff peaks. Fold into cake batter until only a few streaks of whites remain.
6. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Place on the middle rack in your oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack in pan for one hour, then invert onto rack and cool completely. Sprinkle cake liberally with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with softened butter.

The post Sarah St. Aubin’s Poppyseed Cake Recipe appeared first on Indianapolis Monthly.

As the co-owner

of Muncie’s vegan cafe, Sea Salt & Cinnamon, Amanda Reninger does a lot of experimentation with ingredients, tinkering with the proportions of various nondairy milks and flours to conjure palatable flavors and textures. She really nailed it with this vegan-friendly recipe for chocolate chip cookies that come out of the oven as dense as scones and packed with sweet flavor. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients.
3. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Form dough into 12 balls.
6. Bake on foil-lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

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