And now for DIY recipe numero uno.I lurve mustard. All kinds, and the spicier the better. The kind of spice/heat from mustard seeds is one of my favorites - similar to wasabi - I love that sinus-clearing, head rush of heat versus a mouth-scalding burn (which I used to not be able to tolerate at all, but have actually come to love flavorful hot peppers that do that too!). Grocery store chains and local markets usually have a great variety of mustards to buy, but when browsing the spice aisle of the new-ish Natural Grocers store here in Prescott, spotting yellow and brown mustard seeds at a crazy low price made a lightbulb go off over my head... make mustard from scratch!So simple, so worth it. This is a super basic recipe. So much so that I am not sure if this even meets true "recipe" qualifications - it's that minimalistic. I played around with ingredient ratios, and this seemed to balance out the best. The mustard is spiciest right after the preparation process is complete, and I know the spice factor can mellow out over time... but just wait and see if you can make the mustard last long enough to get to that point (we haven't). A good, grainy dijon mustard is such a great, multi-purpose kitchen staple - mix it into vinaigrettes, use it as a marinade, spread it on sandwiches, dip veggies and pretzels into it (highly recommend Trader Joe's pumpernickle variety) - you'll use it up in no time. Make some and keep it for yourself, and make extra to give as a gift for a mustard-loving pal.Homemade pretty much always wins, and certainly when it comes to a whole grain dijon mustard, homemade / DIY takes the cake!Recipe: DIY Whole Grain Dijon MustardWhat You Need:
- 1/2 c dry white wine
- 1/2 c good white wine vinegar
- 1/4 c brown mustard seeds
- 1/4 c yellow mustard seeds
- a few grinds of black pepper
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
What You Do:
- Mix all ingredients in a small jar or bowl
- Cover container with plastic wrap to seal
- Let covered container sit on your counter (not in direct sunlight) for 2 days - you'll notice that the seeds will absorb the liquid
- Pour mixture into a small food processor, and grind/blend to desired texture - leaving some grainy-ness is best!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator (I think it should keep for at least a few weeks)
