Overlooking the farm

R ecipe of the Month

Linguini with Shrimp Scampi

3/4 lb linguini pasta
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 Garlic, minced (4 cloves)
1 lb Large Shrimp (16 shrimps)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/3 fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lemon, zest, grated
1/4 cup lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds (optional)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes


Prepare pasta as follow to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, in large heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for one (1) minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp until turn pink about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine the shrimp sauce. When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguini and then put it back. Immediately add the shrimp sauce, toss well and serve.

"Linguini with Shrimp Scampi is my husband's favorite dinner. He loves cooking this recipe, especially in his own creation. Enjoy the dinner of shrimp scampi with a glass of white wine (Pinot Grigio)." By Cassandra

Butter, lemons, shrimps, garlic, pasta and wine

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Lake and boat

Featured article on spices - POPPY SEED

The spice of this month is about poppy seed as symbol of honor which it has been around for 3000 years. It is known as the California State Flower, as "california poppy". The seeds are nonnarcotic kidney-shaped and grayish blue to dark blue; its slightly nutty armona and flavor. Poppy seeds and pods

Native American Indians used the california poppy as a source of food and extracted an oil from the plant. They used the pollen for cosmetic and the whole plant as sedative for babies. Also they ate the leaves like greens.

The poppy plant is native to Mediterranean regions, India, China, Turkey and Iran. Canada and Holland are the major producers of poppy seeds. Besides the poppy plant as opium, this article focuses on poppy seeds only. In the 2nd century, Greeks used the seeds as flavoring for bread while Medival Europeans used these as condiment with breads.

In Turkey, the seeds are often made into ground for desserts and in India also to thicken sauces. Jewish, German and Slavic people cook the seeds in noodle, fish and vegetable dishes. Some ideas of using the poppy seeds are suggested to add as flavoring to buttered egg noodles, fruit salad dressings and yeast breads. It is a great addition as nutty flavor and tecture to cookies, cakes, studels, pastry crusts and pancakes and waffle batters. Even smoothies, and cacao drinks.

Medicine uses:

Poppy seeds have an extensive quantities of calcium (about 1600 grams) and phosphorus (430 grams). It is a good medicine for lactating and pregnant women. (It will help prevent children from getting ricket and women from osteoporosis.) It is useful as remedy for insomnia, sleeplessness by taking a full teaspoon of poppy seed oil every night at bedtime. Also it is believed as cure for dysentry and helps control dehydration by taking one fourth teaspoon of poppy seeds being roasted to brown and mixed with honey twice a day. It helps relieve the symptoms of dysentry. (diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloody stool, mucus in stool, nausea, vomiting, cramping, or fever).

In tropical countries, the seeds are grounded to a paste with lime juice or water as effective remedy for skin conditions like dry itch.

Spiritual and sex uses:

It is often believed as fertility, abundance and prosperity. In many ancient cultures the poppy seeds were often applied to indicate the smoke from the fire by throwing seeds on the fire. If the smoke rose lightly and straight towards the sky it showed a good sign. If the smoke hung around, it showed a bad omen.

In an ancient Europe, a pregnant woman would place poppy seeds on window shelf if she wanted a boy and sugar if she wanted a girl.

In wise woman's advice, you want to find an answer to a question by writing it in blue ink on piece of white paper. Then you put the paper inside the poppy seed pod and leave it under your pillow. You will find an answer in a dream.

Cassandra's favorite recipe: Lemon-Poppy Seed Pound Cake

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

1 Tbsp grated lemon rind

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup unbleached flour

2/3 cup rice flour

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup low fat buttermilk

2/3 cup powdered sugar

4 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350%. Lightly grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan or 8-inch springform pan and dust the pan with 1-tsp flour.

Beat sugar and butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 min). Add egg whites and egg, one (1) at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon rind and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup flour and 2/3 rice flour and next four ingredients (flour through salt), stirring well with a whisk.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into the pan.

Bake at 350% for one (1) hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan ten minutes on wire rack; remove from pan. Poke holes in top of cake using a skewer.

Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; brush over warm cake. Cool completely.

For next article on any spice, please provide an article about one of your favorite spices you love to share with DWC members and friends.

Tip:

Poppy seeds last for two to three years on the shelf after buying the shaker bottle.

To make a paste, soak the seeds in water for 2-3 hours and then process in a blender with a touch of the liquid. Refrigerate or freeze poppy seeds to maintain freshness.

Poppy seed pound cake is perfect for picnic as dessert. This cake was served at June's house where DWC had its annual family picnic in 2002.