Iron Foodie Contest: The Ingredients Arrive!

Okay, as many of you know, I won a spot in the First Iron Foodie Contest, hosted by Foodie Blogroll & Marx Foods, and I’m very excited about it!

So…I found a small box of goodies from Marx Foods on my porch today.

There were, as promised, eight ingredients. Of these, I need to use at least three in my unique recipe.

Here’s what I got, and a little about each…

Organic Aji Panca Chile (Dried)
One of the most common chile peppers in Peru, this large chile grows from 3 to 5 inches in length, with a somewhat thick flesh. When mature, this chile is dark red and mild in intensity. It provides a fruity, berry-like flavor that goes well in stews, sauces and fish dishes.

Porcini Mushroom
Dried porcini Mushroom play an important role in the kitchen: they’re blessed with a terrific mushroomy aroma that adds wondrous grace to stews and sauces, and produces one of the finest risotti one could possibly imagine.

Maple Sugar
Maple sugar is what remains after the sap of the sugar maple is boiled for longer than is needed to create maple syrup or maple taffy.[1] Once almost all the water has been boiled off, all that is left is a solid sugar. Maple sugar can be used in every way one uses white sugar.

It can be used to sweeten a cup of coffee or tea, a bowl of cereal, a serving of oatmeal, a slice of toast, or a cup of ice cream for extra doze of sweetness. It can also be used in baking muffins, cinnamon rolls, fritters, granola, cookies, bread pudding, brownies, cakes, and even bread! It is also great with baked beans and baked potatoes.

Dulse Seaweed
Dulse is an edible alga which grows widely along the shorelines of the North Atlantic. It has been harvested as a source of food for thousands of years, and continues to be popular in Northern Ireland, Iceland, and parts of Canada. Once dried, dulse may be powdered so that it can be used like a condiment, or it may be left in chunky form.

The seaweed is added to things like soups and stews, and retains a slightly chewy texture through drying and cooking. The cooked seaweed also retains a hint of a marine flavor, and analysis has suggested that dulse also contains the elusive umami, or fifth taste.

Tellicherry Peppercorns
Tellicherry whole black peppercorns are left on the vine longer so they develop a deep, rich flavor. Considered the finest pepper in the world, these extra-large berries come from the Malabar coast of India. Use in stocks and pickling mixtures; grind fresh for a riot of flavor in salads; show it at its purest with extra virgin olive oil and salt over pasta.

Fennel Pollen
Fennel pollen spice enhances the flavors of seafood, beef, poultry, pork, and even vegetables. This gourmet “gold-dust” is your secret ingredient, no matter what you use it on, the elusive taste, and mysteriously familiar aroma come into play.

Smoked Sea Salt
You can use smoked salt to sprinkle over raw or cooked vegetables (it’s particularly good on grilled asparagus), mix into guacamole or salsa, season meat before cooking, or nearly any cooking process that requires the use of salt. These salts are delicious to use when grilling or oven roasting, and are a must when cooking salmon.

Madagascar Vanilla Bean
Madagascar vanilla beans have thick, oily skin with an abundance of seeds. They are the most common vanilla beans on the market today. Although
most people think of vanilla as a dessert food, it can be used in a variety of dishes, especially seafood and chicken sauces.

So, I’m already kicking around some ideas. There are a couple of these that I just love, and a couple I could do without. What do you think I should do?

-Perry