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Soupe au Pistou

Soupe au pistou, the quintessential Provençal vegetable soup, is one of our favorites. I love making the spring version I learned about in cooking classes with Patricia Wells several years ago. What could possibly be wrong with a piping hot bowl of a flavorful broth, chockablock full of fresh vegetables, topped off with Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses and a good dollop of pistou (a.k.a. basil purée)? Answer ... absolutely nothing.

As I'm making more and more soups these days, I'm finding myself straying from the "letter" of the recipe, adding ingredients or herbs that I think we'll enjoy or modifying the sequence of the steps in making the dish. I know ... those of you who know me are saying "How unlike you! You're the one who follows every recipe to a tee!" and my husband watches and asks, "Who are you? What have you done with my wife?" I guess practice, and lots of it, makes you familiar enough with a process that you feel comfortable understanding what has to happen when and how. 

I posted the recipe I got from Patricia Wells for "Pistou" a year and a half ago. I still use that recipe as the foundation for the soup, but have modified one or two things. I switched out the pasta and added pearl barley instead, just because it's so darned good for you, and I added 3 cups of low-sodium chicken stock which I think subtly added some body and a flavor-boost. The batch I made today will yield 4 full servings for the two of us ... or our friends. That should take us well in to this spring.

Note: Go out of your way to get fresh basil to make the pistou - it adds a lot of flavor to this already wonderful soup.

Soupe au Pistou
(8 individual servings) 

4 ounces small dried white beans
4 ounces dried cranberry beans
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, scrubbed, quartered, and finely sliced
4 carrots, peeled and cut in to small triangles
8 ounces red potatoes, peeled and cubed
Bouquet garni: Several bay leaves and several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together securely with kitchen twine (or put inside a large stainless mesh ball)
8 ounces zucchini, cut into small triangles
12 ounces tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, and chopped
8 ounces green beans, trimmed at both ends and quartered
3-4 cups of low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
2 quarts cold water
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup pearl barley (Cooked according to its package instructions before adding to the soup - roughly 45 minutes in 2 cups of simmering, lightly salted water, and then drained.)
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The Beans

• Rinse the dried beans and pick them over to remove any pebbles. Place the beans in a large bowl, add boiling water to cover, and set aside for 1 hour. Drain the beans; discard the water.

The Soup

• Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, add the onions and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes, or until they are just beginning to turn translucent.
• Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more, stirring to avoid burning. 
• Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, and salt and pepper, sauté for another 5-10 minutes to soften. 
• Add the beans and the chicken stock/broth. 
• Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans, along with 2 quarts of water.
• Add the bouquet garni.
• Bring the soup to a full simmer. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes. 
• Add the cooked barley. 
• Increase heat to high, boil for 5 minutes. 
• Remove the bouquet garni. 
• Taste for seasoning. 
• Serve the soup very hot, passing pistou and cheese to swirl in to the soup.

Pistou
(Basil purée)
(Makes about ⅔ cup or 12 one-tablespoon servings) 

4 fresh garlic cloves, halved, and green germ removed
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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• In the bowl of a food processor, place the garlic, salt and basil. 
• With the machine running, slowly pour the oil through the tube and process again. 
• Transfer to a small bowl and taste for seasoning. Stir again before serving.
• Note: This pistou can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for 3 days, or frozen up to 6 months. Bring to room temperature and stir again before serving.

 

 

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is a vegetable that I've always adored but getting my husband to eat it on any regular basis was a challenge. He'd eat it steamed but only with plenty of butter and maybe a squeeze of lemon, and truly he'd prefer it with a large dollop of hollandaise sauce. Well will wonders never cease, I've found a way to prepare it that he adores, and now the man who won't eat anything two days in a row is asking for "more asparagus please"!

How did I do it? Roasted asparagus. He likes it not only for it's roasted flavor but for the texture and those crispy tips. I love that it has NO butter, only olive oil, salt, and pepper, and a little grated Parmesan cheese ... if you must! If you haven't tried this way of cooking vegetables yet, do, I expect you'll be the next convert. Once again, thanks to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa for the inspiration!

Roasted Asparagus
(6 servings) 

2½ pounds fresh asparagus (about 30 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 
2 lemons cut in wedges, for serving 
=================================

• Preheat the oven to 400℉.
• If the stalks of asparagus are thick, peel the bottom half of each. 
• Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil (roll asparagus around to coat with oil), sprinkle with salt and pepper, grate Parmesan Reggiano over the asparagus. 
• Roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender. (Length of time depends upon the thickness of the asparagus.)
• Serve with lemon wedges. 

Note: I shave the Parmesan over the asparagus before I cook it, mainly because I'll forget it later. Ina, adds it at the end, and then returns the cheese covered asparagus to the oven for another minute. It's a matter of convenience in  my opinion.

Now what do you think my chances are with the dreaded broccoli? Anyone taking bets? Stay tuned.

Braised Leek and Bacon Bisque

If you haven't noticed I'm seriously in to soups these days; I can't seem to get enough of them and my Pepperplate "cookbook" now holds twenty-six superb "soups-for-all-seasons". It's filled with the standards like chicken noodle soup, split pea and ham, tomato basil, and minestrone but I'm always on the lookout for unusual soups to add to my repertoire. Braised Leek and Bacon Bisque sounded like it would fit that bill when I found it as a Community Pick on Food52. 

This soup is truly sublime - smooth, satisfyingly laced with the ever-so-light oniony flavor of the leeks and the smokey hint of bacon, and the fried-leek garnish is singularly irresistable. I don't honestly know whether this soup freezes well because we consume it before it ever reaches that chilly drawer. This is special, in my estimation; I hope you try it.

Braised Leek and Bacon Bisque
(Serves 4)

For the Bisque

1/4 pound bacon, diced (about 4 slices)
3 large leeks
3 cups chicken stock, homemade if available
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1 tablespoon lemon thyme (or regular thyme)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Fried Leek Garnish

Leek trimmings, leftover from making the bisque
2 to 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
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Soup

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Prepare the leeks. Trim the root and dark green ends and set the trimmings aside- you'll use them for the garnish. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, but do not cut all the way through the root end- the leek halves should still be connected at the base. Rinse the leeks under running water, fanning out the layers to rinse away any dirt that might be trapped there. Set the leeks aside.
• Fry the diced bacon in a small dutch oven (3-4 quart) over medium-low heat, until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Transfer 1-2 teaspoons of the rendered bacon fat to a 9x9 inch baking or gratin dish and use a pastry brush to grease the pan with the hot bacon fat. Save the remaining bacon fat for another day.
• Add one cup of chicken stock to the empty dutch oven and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil and scrape up the good crusty bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat. Stir in the smashed garlic clove and chopped lemon thyme.
• Place the cleaned leeks in the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper, and the crispy bacon. Pour the chicken stock mixture over the leeks. Cover the baking dish with foil, and place in the oven to braise for 30 minutes.
• After the first 30 minutes, use tongs to flip the leeks over to the other side and recover with foil. Braise for an additional 30 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender.
• Meanwhile, make the fried leek garnish (recipe below).
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and let cool briefly. During the cooling time, add the remaining two cups of stock to the dutch oven you used earlier and bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Puree the leeks and braising liquid in a blender along with a ladle-full of the stock from the dutch oven. Transfer the puree to the dutch oven with the rest of the simmering stock. Bring the soup to a simmer, and then remove from heat. Stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fried leeks.

Fried Leek Garnish

• While the leeks are braising, prepare the fried leek garnish.
• From the tops of the leeks that you trimmed earlier, remove the outer layers until you get to the lighter green, more tender center. Slice these tender bits thinly, lengthwise, so that you're left with little strips of leek. These should be about 2 inches in length, so cut them in half if need be. Rinse these to get rid of any sand, then pat dry.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery. Toss the leeks and the flour in a small bowl. Shake off any excess flour and drop the leeks into the hot oil. Fry until the leeks just begin to turn golden- they should still be mostly green. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels, and sprinkle immediately with salt.

 

 

Homemade Ginger Ale

The U.S. is the leading consumer of carbonated soft drinks in the world and it's been reported that we consume roughly 50 gallons of these beverages per person each year. Yikes, that's a lot ... and I can honestly say that I've never cared much for them. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr, Pepper, Root Beer and my sister's favorite, Sarsaparilla were never my "go to" beverages when I was thirsty. The carbonation didn't agree with me, I disliked the sensation of those bubbles in my mouth, and, believe it or not, I didn't care for the sweetness ... except in ginger ale. Perhaps it's because my mother used to give us ginger ale to quell an upset stomach and I associate it with feeling better. I still don't drink much of it, but if I ever do have a soda it's ginger ale, perhaps with a slice of lime.

You may recall that Peter and I found an episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats not so long ago that was all about ginger, and on it Alton made homemade ginger ale. This peaked our interest and we just had to make it, especially as it looked so easy. I wanted to see if the flavor was more natural than the store-bought variety and I can honestly say it is. It's made with only five ingredients, one of which is sugar, but somehow this homemade concoction doesn't strike me as sickeningly sweet as "the other stuff". It's also far less carbonated which I much prefer. If you're a soft drink aficionado and you like ginger ale ... try this, I'll bet you'll like it.

Our biggest challenge making this beverage was finding a 2-litre plastic bottle to put the mixture in when it was done. We ended up draining (and thoroughly washing) a bottle of Peter's Waist Watchers Diet Black Cherry Soda - now doesn't that sound tasty ... NOT!

Homemade Ginger Ale
(About 2 quarts) 

1½ ounces finely grated fresh ginger
6 ounces sugar
7½ cups filtered water
⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemo juice
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Place ginger, sugar, and ½ cup water into a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to steep for 1 hour.

Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing down to get all of the juice out of the mixture. Chill quickly by placing over an ice bath and stirring, or set in the refrigerator, uncovered, until at least room temperature, 68 to 72 ℉.

Using a funnel, pour the syrup into a clean 2-litre plastic bottle and add the yeast, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Place the cap on the bottle, gently shake to combine and leave the bottle at room temperature for 48 hours. Open and check for desired amount of carbonation. It is important that once you achieve your desired amount of carbonation that you refrigerate the ginger ale. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, opening the bottle at least once a day to let out excess carbonation. 

Ginger Snaps

Who doesn't like the gingery flavor of a good old-fashioned ginger snap? If you answered "I don't" you might as well move on for now. However, if you answered with a resounding "I do!", you will love this recipe.

We stumbled across an episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats that was all about ginger, and lo and behold he included a recipe for Ginger Snaps which included the use of fresh ginger! This, my friends, is what makes all the difference in this recipe - by making it truly gingery! Yes it still uses the ground variety too, but the true ginger flavor is provided by none other than true ginger!

Peter likes his cookies a bit chewy so we cooked these for only 12 minutes, but if your childhood memories are like mine and you recall the "snap" being crisp, then cook them slightly longer - say 15 minutes.

Now you'll notice something a little different in this recipe ... at least I did. Measurements are not by volume but rather are by weight. Everyone knows that precise measurements are not critical to most cooking .... with the exception of baking - this is a science. Wondering whether weight vs volume makes a real difference, I conducted a test and found that a cup of flour scooped out of the canister and leveled off with a dinner knife weighed 5⅛ ounces which is ⅞ of an ounce more than it should, according to King Arthur Flour. They have a fantastic Master Weight Chart converting the volume of common ingredients to weight, and they say a cup of all-purpose flour should convert to just 4¼ ounces. So if baking is a science and demands accuracy - weight trumps volume any day.

Ginger Snaps
(About 4 dozen)

9½ ounces all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons Baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
7 ounces dark brown sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces molasses, by weight
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
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Preheat the oven to 350℉.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and salt.

Place the brown sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and bear on low speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg and fresh ginger and beat on medium for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.

With a 2-teaspoon sized scoop, drop the dough onto a parchment lined half sheet pan approximately 2-inches apart. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12 minutes for slightly chewy cookies and 15 minutes for more crisp cookies. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking.

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to stay on the sheet pan for 30 seconds before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with all the dough. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. If desired you may scoop and freeze the cookie dough on a sheet pan and once frozen, place in a resealable bag to store. Bake directly from the freezer as above. 

P.S. Alton also stirs in 4 ounces of finely chopped candied ginger just before adding the dry ingredients. We don't particularly care for candied ginger so I've left it out here, but you can always add it if you have it on hand.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Since the movie Julie and Julia, there's been a renewed interest in one of my old favorites - Boeuf Bourguignon. Braised beef and vegetables, cooked slowly in a flavorful stock with wine and herbs has been a favorite of mine since I was introduced to such concoctions as a child with Gaston Stew.

For decades, my cookbook of choice was The New Doubleday Cookbook. I used it so much when I set up house, that the the spine has now fallen off and all I can see on my bookshelf is the mull. It's in the exact same shape as my mother's copy of The Joy of Cooking, so I can easily pick them out among all of the other cookbooks in my kitchen. The recipe below is an amalgamation of a Doubleday recipe and one from Ina Garten. It's wonderful, especially "the next day", with rosemary roasted potatoes, egg noodles, or toasted garlic bread, and of course a green salad. My only advice is be sure to get well marbleized beef chuck NOT round which was passed off to us recently as stew beef. We made it anyway and found the meat to be tough. Despite that, this was delicious and made the house smell "wicked good" for hours.

Boeuf Bourguignon
6 servings 

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound bacon, diced
2½-3 pounds of boned beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 large or 2 small yellow onions, peeled and sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
½ cup Cognac or good brandy
1 (750-ml) bottle red Burgundy wine
2-2½ cups beef stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 bay leaf crumbled
4 tablespoons  unsalted butter, at room temperature, DIVIDED
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 pound frozen small whole onions or a batch of Pan-Braised Onions*
1 pound mushrooms, wiped clean, stems discarded, and sliced ¼ inch thick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
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• Preheat oven to 250℉.
• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven, one that can go from stove top to the oven. Add the bacon and cook until lightly browned, stir to avoid burning. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate with paper towels to drain.
• Dry each piece of beef with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in the bacon drippings, a few pieces at a time in a single layer. Turn to brown on all sides. Remove seared meat to plate with the bacon and continue until all the beef is browned.
• Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the Dutch oven and cook for 10-12 minutes until the onions are lightly browned; stir occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, STAND BACK, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back in the pot with any juices. Add the wine plus enough beef stock/broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste. Tie the thyme, parsley and bay leaf into cheesecloth and drop into the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, and place in the oven for about 1¼ hours, or until the everything is tender when pierced with a fork.
• Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of butter for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven after 1¼ hours, and place on stove top. Remove and discard the cheesecloth. Combine 2 tablespoons of the soft butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the pot. Add the onions and the mushrooms. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve with potatoes, egg noodles or toast rubbed with garlic.

Pan Braised Onions

1 pound small white onions, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup dry vermouth
⅛ teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper
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• Sauté onions in butter in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes until golden.
• Add vermouth, reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer for 15 minutes until crisp tender.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn onions in pan juices to glaze evenly.
• Add to the Bourguignon at the designated time.

 

Mushroom Barley Soup for a Rainy Day

It's another gray, raw day here in the northeast and it's also the weekend ... time to cook something soul-satisfying. To me nothing is quite as satisfying as a piping hot bowl of homemade soup. I'm hooked on making and eating homemade soup and will never return to the land of canned soups.

Peter and I are trying to incorporate more whole grains and beans into our diet and to that end, I've been scouring the internet and my cookbook library for soups incorporating barley and any sort of beans. When I ran across this recipe for Mushroom Barley Soup, it reminded me that I enjoyed the canned kind when I was young, so why wouldn't I like this homemade kind.

Well, my pleasure with this recipe far exceeded my expectations. It's easy and takes not much longer than an hour and a half to make from start to finish. The result is the most wonderful bowl of mushrooms, vegetables, and barley in a divine broth that is laced with the smoky flavor of porcini mushrooms. This is truly soul-satisfying in my book and a great way to warm the cockles of your heart.

Mushroom Barley Soup
(8 servings) 

1/3 cup pearled barley
3 cups water
1/4 oz dried porcini (1/4 cup)
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 lb fresh shiitakes, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons medium-dry Sherry
1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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• Prepare the pearled barley according to the instructions on the package. Cook until almost tender, about 45 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• While barley is cooking, soak porcini in ½ cup water in a small bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Rinse porcini to remove any grit, then coarsely chop. Wash sliced leek in a bowl of water, then lift from water and drain in sieve.
• Heat oil in a large soup pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and celery, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 minutes. Add carrots, shiitakes, leek, and porcini and sauté, stirring frequently, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are golden, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, Sherry, beef broth, mushroom soaking liquid, barley, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

 

 

Split Pea and Ham Soup

A hearty soup like split pea and ham is just what is warranted on these chilly days in January. We rarely have ham anymore, preferring chicken, fish and our beloved lamb, but you just can't make a satisfactory pea soup, in our estimation, without a meaty ham bone. So Peter and I cooked up a smoked ham for just that - the bone!

Years ago I created this recipe for Split Pea and Ham Soup which is the amalgamation of numerous recipes I read in books and magazines. We've never been disappointed and hope you'll enjoy it too.

Split Pea and Ham Soup
(6-8 servings) 

1 pound split peas, sorted and rinsed
1 bay leaf
Large ham bone (from a smoked ham)
1 cup minced onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup minced celery
1 small thinly sliced potato
2 cups sliced carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
A little water
1/4 cup dry red wine, optional
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, optional
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, optional
===================================

Soup

• Place peas in pot with 7-8 cups of cold water.
• Add bay leaf and ham bone. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
• Remove ham bone and cut off ham morsels for later use in soup.

Vegetables

• Sauté in oil, the onion, garlic, celery, potato and sliced carrots in a large skillet. Add a little water and cover to steam a little to soften vegetables.
• Add vegetables to the soup.

Put mixture in food processor to purée. Do this in small batches and return the puréed soup to a soup pot.
Add ham bits.
Add red wine, dry mustard and thyme, if doing.
Add salt and pepper to taste. 
Serve soup hot. 

 

Stuffed Green Peppers

What to do with leftover ham? Stuff peppers!

For Christmas our nephew gave us a grinder attachment to our KitchenAid Mixer, which has made grinding meats of all sorts a breeze! It attaches easily, grinds beautifully (coarse or fine), and everything except the knife and grinding plates is dishwasher safe. It also comes with a specialized plastic tool that is a pusher at one end (to help coax the meat into the grinding chute) and a wrench at the other (to help unscrew the ring that holds the grinding plates in place). You've just got to appreciate the mind that created that piece of useful art! 

Grinding the cooked ham was easy; we then mixed it with some cooked rice, stuffed parboiled peppers, placed them snuggly together in a casserole, sprinkled bread crumbs on top, and drizzled beef broth over each pepper to ensure that they remain moist. Heat and serve. If you prefer you could always mix the ham and rice with some tomato sauce, and if green peppers are not to your liking, mix it up ... use sweet red peppers, the variations are endless.

Stuffed Green Peppers
(4 servings)

4 green bell peppers
2 cups of ground cooked ham
2 cups of cooked white rice
Bread crumbs
1 cup beef broth
=================================

Bell Peppers

• Core the green peppers - remove the stem by cutting a circle around it, remove the seeds and cut out the white ribs without cutting through the pepper wall
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop the peppers in and parboil just until a fork can easily pierce the pepper wall
• Drain the peppers and drop them into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking

Ham and Rice

• Grind ham and place in a bowl
• Cook the rice according to the package
• Add cooked rice to ham and mix well

Assembly

• Preheat oven to 325℉
• Place the green peppers in a casserole dish that will hold them snuggly
• Fill each pepper with the ham and rice mixture
• Sprinkle the top of each with bread crumbs
• Pour 1/4 cup of beef broth over each pepper
• Place the casserole in the center of the preheated oven, cook until heated through, approximately 20-25 minutes.

 What do you do with leftover ham?

 

Ham - It's What's for Dinner

This time of year, we love to cook meals "that keep on giving" - like a ham. We like the shank half because it's slightly sweeter than the butt half, has less fat and only one bone, making it easier to carve. A dear friend of mine shared her recipe for glazed ham years ago and I've been making it the same way ever since. The flavor of her glaze is what makes me come back to this recipe time after time. Brown sugar, orange juice, dry mustard, ground cloves and ginger, are spiked with a touch of cognac or brandy - tell me that doesn't sound delicious. The recipe is easy. The first and second meals are great: sliced ham served with a tablespoon or two of that wonderful glaze, accompanied by sweet potato fries and green beans, or some variation thereof. Then the leftovers are diverse and wonderful ... Stuffed Green Peppers perhaps, and/or Split Pea and Ham Soup. We don't have ham very often, but when we do we never let anything go to waste.

Carol's Glazed Ham

10 pound smoked ham (Cook's), Shank-end - (NOT an un-smoked Picnic Ham)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup cognac/brandy
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Shake of cinnamon
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Glaze Sauce

• Combine the brown sugar, defrosted oj concentrate, cognac/brandy, mustard, ground cloves, ground ginger, and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl or a 16-ounce measuring cup.

Ham

• Place ham in a large dutch oven or stock pot, broad side down. Fill with water, covering the ham as much as possible (¾) without risking boiling over. Cover pot, canted, if possible. Boil ham about 2½ hours. If you cannot cover the pot, add water during the 2½ hours as it evaporates.
• Preheat oven to 350℉
• Place ham in roasting pan with a little water, and put in preheated oven.
• Baste ham with glaze/sauce every 15 minutes. Cook 30-60 minutes.
• Allow ham to rest, carve and serve pouring some of the extra glaze over each portion.

 

Lemon Thins

I have a weakness for all things lemon, and lemon and sugar is simply an irresistible combination, so when I saw this recipe for Lemon Thins in The Gourmet Cookie Book, I knew they would be in our not-too-distant future. They are delicate, thin lemon crisps, and it's very hard to eat just one. As a gift for friends, they'll be remembered a very long time. So from the April 1976 archives of Gourmet magazine ... (drum roll please) ...

Lemon Thins
(April 1976)
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

In a bowl, beat 2 eggs with ⅔ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ribbon when the beater is lifted, and add 2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind. In a bowl, beat ¾ stick (6 tablespoons) butter, softened, until it is light and fluffy and add it to the egg mixture alternatively with ⅔ cup flour. Drop the batter by teaspoons 2½ inches apart on buttered baking sheets, flatten the mounds into 2-inch rounds with a spoon dipped in water, and bake the cookies in a preheated hot oven (400℉) for 5 minutes, or until the edges are browned. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 minute, transfer them with a spatula to a rack, and let them cool completely.

 

RECIPE NOTES

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs with the sugar, and don't be surprised if it takes more than 4 minutes to ribbon the mixture, it usually takes 8 minutes for me.
2. Use grated lemon zest (without any of the bitter white pith). Meyer lemon zest is great too!
3. Truly use a teaspoon to drop the cookies (I use an ice teaspoon and it's perfect), they look small but remember these will be flattened, will spread a little during cooking, and are meant to be quite thin.
4. If possible use, medium-weight, light-colored cookie sheets, not nonstick. In dark metal pans the cookies may brown more and cooking time may be shorter.
5. Allow the cookies to ret when taken from the oven only 10-15 seconds before removing them to a cooling rack. They are soft then. If you wait for the perscribed 1 minute, the edges get too hard and they crumble when you remove them from the pan.
6. When baking batches of cookies, be sure the pans have cooled before you place more dough on them; a warm pan will cause the cookies to spread too much.

Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Puffs

Food52 is the best food website I have yet to stumble upon. It's really a food community, where people share recipes and tips, cooks can follow one another, and cooking contests result in the creation of "crowd-sourced" cookbooks. Check it out, it's wonderful. 

Recipes on Food52 are organized in the usual way, by food categories like "Appetizers, Entrees, Cookies, Soups, etc." but they also are sorted by "Top Recipes", "Community Picks", "Contest Winners", and "Genius Recipes". These Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Puffs were the winner in the "Best Holiday Breakfast" contest. The picture was so alluring, I could practically taste the cinnamon sugar and I decided then and there that I had to make these puffs.

Well I made the puffs Sunday morning and they are pure ambrosia - the aroma of cinnamon wafting through the air was intoxicating but the flavor of these mildly spiced light little puffs covered in cinnamon sugar was sublime. Neither Peter nor I could resist having two and had to exert real self-discipline not to have even more. According to fiveandspice, the source for this recipe, these freeze well, can be defrosted overnight and then warmed up in a 200℉ oven, and that's exactly what we're going to do - with the next batch!

Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Puffs
(Makes 12 regular muffin-size puffs)

The Breakfast Puffs
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Cinnamon-sugar Coating
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the 1/3 cup butter, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and nutty smelling. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool completely to room temperature.
• Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour a 12 cup muffin tin.
• Add the sugar and egg to the cooled butter. Beat with an electric mixer until all creamed together.
• In a separate little bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and zest. Add the dry ingredients in increments to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and beating well after each addition.
• Divide the batter evenly into the cups of the muffin tin. Pop into the oven and bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 20-25 minutes.
• While the puffs are puffing, put the melted butter in one shallow bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another one. When the puffs come out of the oven, use a knife to gently pop them all out of the muffin tin.
• One by one, dip each puff in the melted butter - get it all over it - then roll it in the cinnamon sugar. Transfer it to some lovely, festive serving platter, and continue until you have rolled all of the puffs. Serve warm - they are by faaaaar the best when they are still warm - with coffee, and mimosas, and other goodies.

 Note: These can also be made into bite-size puffs too - that's next.

Roquefort Soufflé II

 

Photo © 2010 Peter Tooker

Assembling a soufflé, savory or sweet, can be intimidating but, in reality, it shouldn't be. When we recently made one of our favorites, a Roquefort Soufflé, Peter made a video of the process to demonstrate just how easy it is. The hardest part of this recipe is separating the eggs and watching the soufflé begin to deflate immediately upon being taken from the oven. Do not despair, that light airy texture and those divine flavors are still there. Just serve as soon as you possibly can, the warmth of a soufflé is part of its divine pleasure.

So here's the video to show just how to prepare this soufflé and the recipe is here once more for your easy reference. Next stop? Chocolate soufflé!

 

Video © 2010 Peter Tooker 

Roquefort Soufflé*
(Serves 2-4)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus some for greasing the soufflé dish
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for dusting greased soufflé dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup scalded milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon cream of tarter
====================================

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Butter the inside of an 8-cup soufflé dish 7½ inches in diameter x 3¼ inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the ¼ cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tarter, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.

Whisk one quarter of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the soufflé dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on the top with the spatula to help the soufflé rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375℉. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

* This recipe is from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris.

 

 

Open Window's Second Year

It's official, Open-Window is now two years old. I can hardly believe I began this blog on a cold January day, sitting at the island in my kitchen, 730 days ago. In the past two years, Open-Window has focused my days on creating stories, snippits, and photographs that I hoped you would find entertaining, sometimes informative, and maybe even amusing. We've covered a lot of ground and many diverse topics over this time ranging from Hawaii to Paris, Hamburger Relish to Caviar, Horse Racing to Airshow Acrobatics. As time has passed, we increasingly focused on the images and slide shows that would accompany a post, and have worked diligently to improve the quality of all that we delivered. Peter has continued to emphasize wide-angle HDR (high dynamic range) photography whether on his DSLR (digital single lens reflex-camera) or his, ever-handy, iPhone, and I have continued with my love of all-things-macro, although we each dabbled in the other's specialty just to keep it interesting.

Mexican Train Tiles and Turtles
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

Over the past twenty four months, we've made 388 postings to Open-Window which is an average of almost 4 per week, nearly every one containing at least one photograph and 60 of which included a slide show with music. When we embarked on this endeavor, we expected to focus on travel, food and photography. As it's turned out, the focus has been just that ... but in reverse - photography, food and travel. See, we'll photograph nearly anything - food that we eat, games that we play, children at the beach, machines of any sort, flowers and their residents, landmarks and landscapes, moon-rises and sunsets, and even light itself. 

The Outer Banks of North Caroline
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward taken with the iPhone using the Pro HDR App

This year has been quite a journey photographically as well as geographically. Peter and I traveled over 14, 500 miles. We drove the entire east coast from the east end of Long Island to Orlando, Florida, traversing Florida, and turning north to reach Memphis Tennessee. We crossed the states of Tennessee and North Carolina end-to-end (west to east), photographing some of this country's most beautiful scenery in the Great Smoky Mountains. When we reached the Atlantic Ocean, it felt like we'd returned home, for tidal waters are in our veins, and the days on the Outer Banks are now cherished memories. Early morning sunrises over the ocean, wild horses on the beaches, hang gliding from the dunes, and fish tacos are just a few of the things we captured in-frame. With tornadoes nipping at our heels from western Florida, to Memphis and eventually to eastern North Carolina, we headed home just hours before their destruction hit the locales we'd come to know and love. Atlantic City was our refuge from the storms, before returning to the calm, untouched East End.

Spanish Mustang on the Outer Banks
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward

Thirty days and thirty nights, and 4,000 miles on the road gave us a tremendous, renewed appreciation for the beauty and diversity of this country we live in. A couple of hundred more miles were covered seeking out horses at Saratoga Springs in August. For one who isn't known as an animal lover, I do love photographing them. Whether in their stance or stride, they speak volumes to me and hopefully that is being captured by the lens. Finally, the balance of those miles (nearly 10,000) were accomplished by a trip to The Big Island of Hawaii, where we were able to photograph the incredible diversity of this island's landscape and all of its beauty from a helicopter. 

Antique Hood Ornament
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

More locally, we visited Belmont Park just a week before the Stakes were run and attended the Hampton Classic Horse Show every single day it was held over Labor Day weekend. There were at least three Antique Auto Shows, one Road Rallye and a Mini Cooper Scavenger Hunt that we shot as well. Our beaches on the east end of Long Island are some of the most breathtaking in the country (right up there with North Carolina's) and we spent many happy hours either hip deep in snow in January or ankle deep in sand in August, capturing the undulating shapes of their dunes draped in snow or the power of their seas after a storm.

Light Painting for New Year's
Photo © 2011 Peter Tooker 

The holidays that dot our calendars were also not ignored. Memorial Day is always an homage to the "Opening" of the Hamptons season. Flag Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Christmas season were all duly noted and celebrated with photographs too.   

Meaty Tomato painted by Barbara Andolsek

Let me also add, ever so humbly, that I have once again been thrilled that Barbara Andolsek continues to make paintings based on some of my photographs. Barbara and I have yet to meet but feel a friendship beyond pen-pals. Nearly 3,000 miles apart but with a shared appreciation for the beauty of the world around us, Barbara and I have forged a friendship that could only occur in this wonderful 21st century. It still astounds me at how incredibly open and selfless so many people are using the internet to connect, communicate, and share. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to be a part of it.

The word "blog" is derived from the expression "web log", which originally was an online journal of sorts and has morphed, over time, into a platform for communicating and exchanging information and ideas. I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm and support over the last two years but more importantly for your participation - "communication and exchange" are exactly what has occurred when you've left comments for us, and you've made it just that much more fun and interesting.

So here is a slide show which represents a snapshot of Open-Window's second year. It's shorter than last year's and yet still longer than most at just under 10 minutes. Perhaps you can set aside a little time next Sunday morning. We've made this for you, to enjoy and remember a year that we shared, and for that I want to say with great sincerity "Thanks for the memories". 

  

Photos & Slide Show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker © 2011
Music: Concerto in E-flat Major for Trumpet & Orchestra: 1. Allegro Con Spirito by Wynton Marsalis, National Philharmonic Orchestra & Raymond Leppard 

 

P.S. Please feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you thought of year two and if there is something you'd like to see more of in the coming months.

 

 

Roquefort Soufflé

 

I can't decide which of Ina Garten's cookbooks is my favorite, but I can say I'm predisposed toward Barefoot in Paris - no surprises there. My favorite all time lunch is a slice of Leek Tart (made from Patricia Wells's recipe in her Bistro Cooking cookbook) with a green salad dressed in a mustard vinaigrette, but a very close second is a serving of this incredible soufflé with a salad. Light and airy and full of that wonderful cheese flavor - this is divine, and so much easier to make than you'd think. Don't be intimidated, it's never failed yet. My husband is the world's number one cheese lover and when I serve him this soufflé ... well let's just say he's in heaven.

Roquefort Soufflé
(Serves 2-4)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus some for greasing the soufflé dish
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for dusting greased soufflé dish
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup scalded milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped
5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon cream of tarter
====================================

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Butter the inside of an 8-cup soufflé dish 7½ inches in diameter x 3¼ inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the ¼ cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Put the egg whites, cream of tarter, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.

Whisk one quarter of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the soufflé dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on the top with the spatula to help the soufflé rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375℉. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.

 

      

Dungeness Crab Cakes

Dungeness crab inhabits the waters on the west coast of North America and every time we pass through Seattle, Peter and I always pick up a couple of crabs at Pike Place Market to bring home. The fish markets all pack the crabs, or fish for that matter, in traveling boxes that are acceptable to the airlines, so we can savor the flavors from the Pacific Northwest even after we return home.

Pike Place Seafood Market - Seattle, WA

It's amazing how much wonderful crab meat Peter can extract from two Dungeness crabs. This time Peter made a crab meat dip that we enjoyed as appetizers and snacks several days in a row. We also made a delicious crab salad but our particular favorite was these crab cakes, the recipe for which was derived from the one posted earlier this year for Trout and Crab Cakes. What we especially like about this recipe is that the crab meat is the center of attention with little else holding them together. We did serve them with a chipotle sauce but found that it was just too overpowering for the this delicate Dungeness crab, a squeeze of lemon was all that we wanted.

Dungeness Crab Cakes
(Makes 4 servings of 2 Crab Cakes Each)  

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 green onions (scallions), white part only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
10 ounces fresh Dungeness crab meat, picked over for shell
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoons olive oil
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• In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, egg. mustard, Old Bay seasoning, onion, cilantro, and bread crumbs. Gently mix in the trout and crab. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, each about 2½ inches in diameter. They will barely hold together. Spread the flour on a plate and lightly dredge the patties, coating evenly. Place the patties on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook half the trout cakes until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Arrange 2 trout cakes and a wedge of lemon on each of 4 plates and serve immediately.

Yorkshire Pudding

iPhone photo by Peter Tooker

As the holidays approach, it seems everyone is practicing for the family holiday. The question is whether to cook traditional turkey or to do something different like a ham or perhaps a roast of beef. Being no different, we've been practicing too, this week with an Herb Roasted Turkey Breast (more on that later) and last week a roast of beef. The true benefit of the latter in my estimation is the ability to make Yorkshire Pudding from the drippings. 

Yorkshire Pudding, a crisp, light, roasted bread laced with the flavor of the roasted beef. My mouth is watering just writing about it. Generally, Yorkshire Pudding is made with the drippings of beef, but Peter and I have even been known to make it with the drippings from a roast leg of lamb ... yum! Many will make individual puddings, in muffin tins, but I've always made one large pudding in a roasting pan and then sliced it in to large squares. It's indescribably delicious either way.

Old Fashioned Yorkshire Pudding
(6 servings)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons melted roast beef drippings
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• Preheat oven to 500℉.
• Mix flour and salt in a small bowl, add milk, a little at a time, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Add water and eggs and beat until bubbly. Cover loosely and let stand in a cool place (not the refrigerator) about 1/2 an hour.
• Pour 3 tablespoons of melted roast been drippings into a 13" x 9" x 2" roasting pan and heat in the oven 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile beat batter until bubbles appear.
• Pour batter into the pan and bake 10 minutes, reduce heat to 450℉, and bake 12-15 minutes longer until well browned and crisp.
• Cut unto large squares and serve immediately.

 

Corn Soup with Cilantro and Smoked Paprika

Corn soup rather than chowder, was a novel idea to me but I wanted to try it because it sounded so simplistically good. We've had a spectacular corn season here on the east end. We don't remember a year when the corn was so consistently sweet, so we've wanted to use it in every possible way we could. 

I love corn chowder but it, admittedly, is quite rich and generally laden with calories. This corn soup, from Patricia Wells in her Vegetable Harvest cookbook is simply corn, 1% milk, and a few herbs and spices.  The corn is the star which is a signature characteristic of Patricia's cookbooks. Find fresh, local ingredients and prepare them to simply bring out their best features, this is her mantra and she's sticking to it. In my experience cooking from her cookbooks, you can't go wrong with this approach to food.

Corn Soup with Cilantro and Smoked Paprika
(Makes 6 serving)

3 ears fresh corn, shucked
6 cups 1% milk
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
About 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for garnish
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• With a sharp knife, slice and scrape the kernels of the corn from the cob. Place the kernels and the cobs in a skillet large enough to hold the corn in a single layer. Add the milk and the salt. Cover, bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook at a bare simmer for 45 minutes. (Watch carefully so the milk does not boil over.)
• Remove the corn cobs from the pot and discard. Transfer the corn kernels and the cooking liquid to a food processor or blender and purée: This may have to be done in batches. The corn kernels will break up, but the mixture with remain slightly chunky. (The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated.)
• Serve warm or chilled in shallow soup bowls. Garnish with cilantro and paprika and serve. (Note: The smoked paprika makes a real, and special, difference.)

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The sweetness of the fresh corn is what this soup is all about, whether it's served hot or cold, or with or without a garnish or two.

Tarragon-Sherried Mushrooms on Toast Points

Tarragon-Sherried Mushroom on Toast Points
iPhone photo by Peter Tooker

I've never met a mushroom I didn't like and we love using them in salads, as salads, in dressings, as a vegetable, as an appetizer, and for the main course for lunch. Years ago, I cut this recipe out of some magazine and just recently stumbled upon it once again. I bought a huge package of cremini mushrooms at Costco and we've just had to use them up some how. Alas, we've had these delicious, creamy tarragon-sherried mushrooms on toast points twice this week. The good news and the bad news? The mushrooms are now gone.

These are a wonderful, easy appetizer for a dinner party - everyone thinks you worked so hard, and they're a perfect fall lunch accompanied by a salad of tossed greens with a light vinaigrette.

Sherried Mushrooms
(Makes two servings)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ pound mushrooms, sliced (white and/or cremini are what I use)
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons medium dry sherry or Madeira, to taste
½ teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Four pieces of thin-sliced bread, lightly toasted

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• In a medium skillet, heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam begins to subside.
• In fat, sauté the mushrooms and shallot stirring until mushrooms begin to give off their juice.
• Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook mixture, stirring for one minute.
• Stir in the broth, sherry, tarragon, parsley, and salt and papper to taste. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
• Stir in yogurt, arrange toast points on 2 plates. Spoon mixture over toast points. 

Tomatoes - Can You Ever Like Them?

iPhone photo © Peter Tooker

Tomatoes were a real challenge for me to eat when I was a child - perhaps it was the acidity, perhaps it was the 1960's "hot house" tomatoes which were hard as rocks, barely red, and absolutely flavorless. Whatever the reason, I didn't like them and I avoided them at all costs ... until one summer day, when my mother brought a fresh tomato home from a farmer's market. She cajoled me into trying this one, one she promised would be different. She also knew she was working with an impressionable child and "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down".

I watched her slice into this incredibly beautiful, bright red, juicy tomato and could hardly believe this is what a tomato was supposed to look like. She placed a slice each on two plates. She walked me to the living room (where we were never allowed to eat anything), invited me to sit cross-legged on the floor, handed me a napkin, sprinkled each tomato slice with a dusting of granular sugar, and, by example, picked hers up with her fingers and began to eat this wondrously special fruit. 

I was mesmerized by this special moment with my mother and the fact that we were breaking "the rules", but I have to say I fell in love with the tomato that day ... the real ones, the ones that grow in your own garden or at least one in your own town.

My younger sister is still, to this day, trying to find a way to eat tomatoes that she will like. The Tomato and Mustard Tart last summer "sorta" worked, for all the wrong reasons, but I now submit this recipe to her for a sincere "try". This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is so wonderful, with a medley of flavors that features the tomato but isn't "all about the tomato". Please little sister, and any one else listening, you should try this recipe. Full of flavor with just a touch of heat. I truly believe a doubting-tomato-eater, could become a convert.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 6-8

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
28 ounces canned plum tomatoes with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock
=================================

• Preheat the oven to 400 ℉. 
• Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. 
• In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

 

Tomato and Mustard Tart

Tomato and mustard tart ... how could that possibly be bad?

If you've followed Open-Window for any length of time, you know that I love a tart of nearly any kind, so when I find a recipe for one I've never seen or cooked before, I'm thrilled. Patricia Wells has once again opened my eyes to how good fresh ingredients, assembled simply, can taste.

But first, I want to share a funny story about the first time I made this tart. It was this past summer when my younger sister was visiting. She's never cared much for tomatoes and was hoping that this might be one way that she would. I bought a special bottle of Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard just for this tart - a "real" French Moutarde de Dijon. 
Preparation and assembly was easy, it looked wonderful going in to the oven and coming out. We sliced the tart, plated it with a green salad, poured a small glass of white wine, and set about to enjoy our lunch.

ALERT: Unlike Grey Poupon Dijon mustard, Edmond Fallot Dijon mustard packs an incredible punch when it's first opened. 

Following instructions, I spread the newly opened mustard over the tart pastry, then layered on the tomatoes and the herbs, and baked it. When we took our first bites of the tart, we at once felt the fire of this new mustard, to the point that my sister came to tears. As she heroically (and politely) continued to eat the tart, she began to laugh, with tears in her eyes, as only she can do ... saying "this is one way to get me to eat tomatoes ... when I can't taste them!" Sadly that was true, we couldn't taste the tomatoes for the heat from the moutarde. We all persevered with the help of the chilled green salad and that chablis, and I vowed to make this again and I did.

This time, I used only Grey Poupon, I used a Pâte Brisée rather than the whole wheat dough, added some sautéed shallots for fun, and we found the tomato and herb tart - without fire - delicious. Make your own version, it's all wonderful. 

Aftermath Footnote: Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard is only fiery hot when you first open it. Rather like horseradish, it begins to mellow the minute you open it.

Tomato and Mustard Tart
Makes One 12-inch Tart

2 large tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and chopped (about 2 cups)
Flour and corn meal for dusting
1 recipe Quick Whole Wheat Bread Tart Dough, shaped into a ball
½ cup sharp imported French mustard
¼ cup mixed minced fresh chives, parsley, and basil
Extra-virgin olive oil spray
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• Place the tomatoes on several paper towel layers to drain.
• Place the baking stone on the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 500℉.
• On a generously floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch round.
• Sprinkle a wooden pizza peel with corn meal and place round of dough on the peel. Working quickly to keep the dough from sticking, assemble the tart: Spread the mustard evenly over the dough; Arrange the tomatoes on top of the mustard; Sprinkle with the herbs.
• Slide the dough off the peel and onto the baking stone. Bake until the dough is crisp and golden and the top is bubbly, about 15 minutes. With a metal pizza peel or a large spatula, remove the tart from the baking stone. Transfer the tart to a cutting board. Spray it with olive oil. Cut it into 6-8 wedges and serve immediately.

NOTE: If you don't have a baking stone and a wooden peel, simply sprinkle the corn meal on a baking sheet, place the round of dough on top, assemble the tart, and bake on the baking sheet.

Quick Whole Wheat Bread Tart Dough

¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup bread flour, plus extra if needed and for dusting
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
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• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the whole wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, salt, and sugar, and pulse to mix.
• Combine ½ hot water and the olive oil in a measuring cup.
• With the motor running, gradually add enough of the hot liquid for the mixture to form a sticky ball. The dough should be soft. If it is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water. If it is too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball.
• Transfer to a clean, floured surface and knead by hand for 1 minute.
• Cover with a cloth and let rest for at least 10 minutes before rolling. (The dough will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Punch down the dough as necessary.)

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 The tomato season, sadly, is coming to and end, so, if you can, treat yourself to a version of this tart. It's easy and delicious and beats any sandwich you could ever conjure up for lunch (or dinner).

Tomatoes

It's nearly the end of tomato season and I can honestly say this saddens me. Local tomatoes of all sizes and heritage have been wonderful this year and we've learned to do many new and different things with them.

At the beginning of the season, we would showcase them in a salad all their own -  dressed in the simplest herbal dressing to show off their exquisite fresh flavor. When friends joined us for dinner one night, we finished the meal with that wonderfully delicious Tomato Tarte Tatin that we wrote about last year, and fell in love with it all over again. 

As the season progressed, we wanted to be creative so we made tomato water which added a subtle tomato flavor to many a summer cocktail and homemade tomato jam became a standing complement to leftover cold chicken.  By late August, our blender nearly burned out making batch after batch of Heirloom Tomato soup which was cool and delicious on those really hot late-summer days. 

Here we are at the end of the season wanting desperately to extend it any way we can, so we're making several tomato sauces that we can freeze to use throughout the winter (if they last that long). We use them on homemade pizza and pasta, in casseroles, and to dress vegetables like zucchini and eggplant. Patricia Wells is our source for these two sauces (Vegetable Harvest), and we will be grateful to her all winter long.

Chunky Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Yields 5 cups) 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds garden-fresh tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and quartered

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt (do not substitute fine salt, it may be too salty)
Several celery leaves
Several fresh or dried Bay leaves
1 head of plump, moist garlic, cloves separated and peeled
Hot red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
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• In a large, heavy-duty saucepan, combine all the ingredients. 
• Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring regularly, until the tomatoes have collapsed and are cooking in their own juices, about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning. 
• Remove and discard the celery leaves and bay leaves.
• Place a food mill over a large bowl. Using a large ladle, transfer the sauce to the food mill and purée into the bowl. (I don't have a food mill and used a food processor, with satisfactory results.) 
• Store, covered, in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for six months.

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

Rustic Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
(6 servings)

3 pounds garden-fresh tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and halved crosswise (do not peel)
Fine sea salt
About 2 teaspoons dried oregano
=================================

• Preheat the oven to 425℉.
• Arrange tomato halves, cut side up, side by side on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Rub the oregano between your palms, showering the tomatoes with the fragrant herb.
• Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and roast the tomatoes until very soft, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a food processor or a blender and purée until smooth.
• Store, covered, in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for six months.

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

By looking at this page, it must become fairly apparent that I fell in love, not only with eating these summer beauties, but with photographing them as well. Two passions merge! Enjoy!

 

Corn Salad Recipe

We published this in September but omitted the recipe. Mea culpa!

It's fall and the corn crop on the East End is still going strong, despite all the late summer storms.

We love fresh corn, any way we can get it practically. On the cob, steamed or grilled is obviously fun and always brings back childhood memories of family cookouts and watching my father eat the corn as if it was a typewriter, chewing all the kernels, left to right, to the end and then saying "Ding" to indicate he'd reached the end of the line. (If you know what I'm referring to, then you knew a typewriter well, and I know roughly how old you are!)

Sautéed fresh corn is fabulous for those who may not want to negotiate the cob (we shared that recipe last year), and corn salad is just plain, and simply, wonderful. It's easy to make and lasts for several days in the fridge - that is if any is ever left over.

Corn Salad
4-6 Servings

5 ears of corn, shucked
½ cup small-diced red onion
3 tablespoons of cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ cup chiffonade fresh basil leaves (optional)
==================================

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse corn in ice water to stop the cooking. 
• When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
• Toss the kernels in a large bowl with red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. 
• Just before serving, you can toss in the fresh basil. (I do this only if I know it will all be eaten in one sitting.)
• Serve cold or at room temperature.

************************

Thanks again to Ina Garten in her original cookbook The Barefoot Contessa for making a simple yet delicious recipe.

Note: This year we even made corn ice cream, believe it or not. It was a little challenging, but tasted creamy, cool and corny when frozen. Sadly though, we learned that this ice cream did not have a long "freezer" life, and tasted quite odd a week or two after it was made. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Hopefully you still have late corn where you are and can enjoy this salad before next year.

 

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

We stumbled across this recipe a few weeks ago and thought ..."Why not?" We don't have shrimp very often and, true to The Barefoot Contessa, this looked easy and flavorful - and it was! I assembled it before we went out to shoot a horse show, and then just threw it in the oven when we came home. So I did steps 2-5 and 8 early in the day and then covered everything. When we returned, I turned on the oven, and assembled and cooked the dish according to the rest of the directions. Does it get any easier than that?

The wine, garlic and tomatoes complement the shrimp without diminishing its role completely, the herbal bread crumbs add texture, and the feta cheese added a surprisingly pleasant tang (along with the lemon). This is a repeat for us, how about you?

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ cups medium-diced fennel
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
¼ cup dry white wine
1 (14½ ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Pernod (we use Anisette)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1¼ pounds (16-20 per pound) peeled shrimp with tails on
5 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (4 slices of bread run through a food processor)
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 lemons
====================================

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10- or 12- inch heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned buts. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, Pernod/Anisette, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato mixture in the skillet.
7. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp.
8. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle over the shrimp.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown.
10. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp.
11. Serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

 

Baked Stuffed Clams

A friend's son went clamming over the weekend and made quite a haul, so he shared some of it with us. A dozen 4-5 inch chowder clams, the largest of the quahog (pronounced CO-hog) family, were delivered to our doorstep, and Peter and I immediately resurrected a recipe for Baked Stuffed Clams that another friend shared with us years ago.

The effort to make these is not onerous but it's also not insignificant, and the results are divine - so we went out to our local fishmonger and bought a dozen cherrystones, the next smallest quahog, to complement the catch.

 
Peter loves a good baked clam and is always sampling them wherever we go, with disappointing results most of the time. What makes a baked clam disappointing? Too much bread, too little clam, too dry, and garlic (in any proportion). So, what makes a baked clam memorable and worthy of repetition? A moist proportional mixture of bread to clams - remember they're called baked clams, not baked bread with clams, subtle herbs and a little cheese (to hold things together), and no garlic, it simply overpowers everything.

In his opinion, based on decades of research, this recipe produces one of the best baked clams he's had. If you want the maximum clam flavor, bake some immediately and enjoy. These freeze beautifully and we enjoy them all winter, but we have noticed the distinct clam flavor is reduced a little once they've been frozen. Personally, I'll take them any way I can get them, and hope our clamming friends continue to share their haul.

Baked Stuffed Clams

2½-3 dozen medium clams - "chopped"
1 (14 oz) pkg Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 cup hot clam juice
¼ lb butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon (heaping) parsley
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon (level) dry mustard
Pepper to taste
½ cup cubed Swiss or Gruyère cheese
1 3-inch onion finely chopped
========================

• Open clams, trying to preserve the shells. Separate the clams from the shells; place clams and as much juice as possible in a bowl. Scrape the shell clean of all muscles. Rinse shells well and let dry. (TIP: If the clams seem to be a challenge to open, place them in the freezer for about 20-25 minutes, you don't want to freeze them just confuse them, so they'll be easier to open.)
• Remove clams from juice, rinse under running water to remove any shell fragments, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the clams are chopped, NOT puréed.
• Strain the clam juice through a fine strainer lined with cheese cloth. Do twice if necessary.
• Measure out 2 cups of clam juice (add store bought clam juice if there isn't enough). Place juice in sauce pan, heat to a simmer. (I found that the clam juice evaporated incredibly fast, thus the reason for measuring out 2 cups when you only need to use one.)
• In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of hot clam juice over the stuffing and stir together.
• Add the melted butter; stir to blend.
• Add the milk; blend.
• Add the parsley, Parmesan cheese, dry mustard, pepper, Swiss/Gruyère cheese and the onion. Stir.
• Add clams and toss together to blend.
• Stuff each clam shell.
• If you are going to cook them immediately, place the stuffed clams on a cookie sheet. (At this point, Peter sprays each clam with a touch of butter spray to ensure browning.) Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.
• If you are going to freeze them, freeze them on a cookie sheet, stacked with wax paper in between layers, and wrapped in plastic or foil. Once the clams are frozen, put them in freezer bags so you can easily remove the quantity you want at any time (without them being frozen together). When you are ready to enjoy some, defrost them and then cook according to the instructions above, or (if you're in a hurry), defrost them in the microwave (Peter uses the Speed Defrost setting for about 5 minutes). Then, place them on a cookie sheet, spray each with butter spray (if you like), and bake in a 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.

 Enjoy ... these are really good!

Poached Chicken Breasts

My mother was not a cook. Having grown up in residential hotels, she never spent any length of time in a kitchen, let alone cooking in one. When she married after the war (WWII that is), it allegedly took her several months before she dared to make jello ... or so the family story goes, and keep in mind she entered the kitchen to cook in earnest in the 1950s - enough said?

Mother's method for cooking nearly everything was on a cookie sheet. Baked chicken breasts? Place chicken on a cookie sheet, cook in a 350℉ oven for one hour - serve. Pork chops? Brown the pork chops in a hot skillet, place chops on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350℉ oven for one hour and serve, preferably with lots of applesauce. Carrots came in a bag from the freezer, peas, green beans, and corn came from a can, and potatoes and fish were nearly always in the shape of a stick.

When dinner was a steak or hamburgers, Mother used the broiler to near disastrous results. Almost without fail, they would catch fire - one which she would extinguish by smothering it with a liberal amount of table salt. This is probably the source of one of the only cooking lessons I remember getting from my mother and that was - always listen to what's cooking! It may also be the reason why my father placed a small hibachi-like grill in the fireplace where he would charcoal grill these meats to tasty perfection. 

If and when we needed poached chicken for chicken salad and casseroles, the process was simple. Drop chicken breasts into boiling salted water and let them simmer for nearly an hour. Allow them to cool, remove the skin and bones, cut the meat into bite-size pieces and dress liberally with anything moist because the result was what one should have expected - dry, rubbery chicken meat. Please don't get me wrong, we didn't ever starve but let's just say the cuisine was simple. The result of this culinary experience? All of her daughters can cook - some liking it more than others.

These days, as most of you know, I have an extensive library of cookbooks, which are the sources of my ongoing culinary education and many a wonderful meal. I do have favorite authors and teachers including Patricia Wells, Ina Garten and Bobby Flay. Patricia came out with a new cookbook last spring called Salad As A Meal in which there's a divine recipe for Poached Chicken Breasts. Peter and I both reveled in how moist and flavorful the meat was and added it to many of our summer salads. One batch I kept covered in the stock in the refrigerator for several days before using and when I removed it I just had to take this picture ... to me, it looked like art.

Poached Chicken Breasts Covered with Stock

1 quart Homemade Chicken Stock
1 onion, quartered (do not peel)
Several fresh tarragon leaves
Several fresh thyme sprigs 
1 celery rib or several celery leaves, chopped
2 fresh or dry bay leaves
6 whole peppercorns
4 plump, moist garlic cloves, peeled and halved
6 fresh parsley sprigs
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each about 8 ounces)
======================================

• In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Cover, bring to a simmer; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Carefully slip the chicken breasts into the stock, making sure they are fully covered by the liquid. Cover and simmer for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat (keeping it covered), and let the chick cool in the stock for 1 hour.
• The chicken can be used immediately or refrigerated, covered in stock. The stock can be strained and used to prepare chicken soup or reduced to use for a sauce. (Store the chicken in an airtight container in the stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.) 

Try this, I think you'll adopt this as your recipe of choice for poached chicken going forward.

 

Old Fashioned Hamburger Relish

In my youth, I recall that there were two types of relish for our summer cookouts - a green one for hot dogs and a red one for hamburgers, and each was perfectly suited to its task - make its subject taste its very best. I loved the sweet, simple mustardy taste of hot dog relish with its cucumber crunch ... on hot dogs; and, I adored the complex flavors of hamburger relish comprised of red and green peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and unusual spices, it complemented the beef so well. I still love hot dog relish which can be obtained under a number of labels, but you can't find real, old-fashioned hamburger relish anywhere. Why? For the life of me I don't know, but I'm a tenacious sort and was determined to experience those flavors of yore this summer. Thankfully, here in the 21st century, we have the internet and can find nearly anything, including a recipe for Old-Fashioned Hamburger Relish, like the kind that Heinz used to make.

This recipe is made over a 24 hour period, so plan accordingly, and it does require the proper sterilization of the ½ pint jars, you just can't skip that step. The jars can be purchased from a hardware or grocery store and you can easily find instructions on the internet for how to sterilize the jars or you could also follow the steps transcribed here in the Mixed Berry Jam post from last year. 

Old Fashioned Hamburger Relish
(Makes 4: ½-pint jars)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium sweet green pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 medium sweet red or yellow pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
3 cups cold water
1 cinnamon stick
12 whole cloves
2 cups cider vinegar
4 medium-size ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
====================================

• In a large enamel or stainless steel bowl, mix the cucumbers, peppers, celery, salt, turmeric, and water. Let stand, covered, for 12 hours or overnight, then drain in a strainer, lightly pressing out any excess liquid. Set aside.
• Tie up cinnamon and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth. In a large, heavy, enamel or stainless steel saucepan, bring the spices and vinegar to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes to the vinegar mixture, increase the heat to moderate, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the tomatoes resemble a purée - about 30 minutes. Add the sugar and mustard seeds, mix, cover, and let stand overnight at room temperature.
• Add the drained vegetables to the tomato mixture and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated - 25-30 minutes. Remove the spice bag.
• Ladle relish into 4 hot, sterilized, ½-pint preserving jars, leaving a ¼-½-inch of head space. Wipe the jar rims clean, seal, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Label, then let the relish mellow in a cool dry place for at least 3 weeks before using. Will keep for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening.

Is it worth all this effort? The answer is a resounding yes. This may not be exactly what Heinz made but it's equally, if not more, satisfying - first, because I made it myself, and second, because it has no preservatives. Make a batch, you'll be glad you did. What else were you going to do while you're locked inside with your air-conditioning on?

 

The Best Blueberry Muffins

When I ran a bed and breakfast in an old whaling captain's house years ago, breakfast was comprised of local fresh fruit and juice, coffee and/or an assortment of teas, and homemade muffins with homemade jams and lemon curd. I was known as "The Muffin Lady" in those days. I made sweet muffins like Lemon & Ginger, Orange Pecan, and Apple Streusel; and, I made savory muffins like, Sour Cream Jalapeno Corn, Thyme & Onion, Spicy Italian Sausage, and Cheddar Cheese & Mustard. Hands down though, the all time favorite was the Blueberry Oatmeal Muffin. 

Before every weekend, I'd make a double batch, and if any were left over I simply froze them. They defrost at room temperature well, and if you're in a rush, you can microwave them. I like them just plain; Peter likes them with vanilla yogurt or lemon curd. Try them, I'll be very surprised if you don't like them.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
Makes 18 regular muffins

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups blueberries (mash ½ cup with a fork)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
===================================

• Heat oven to 325℉. Grease 18 regular muffin cups (I use PAM), including the area between each cup, or use foil baking cups.
• In a medium-size bowl, beat butter until creamy. 
• Beat in the sugar until pale and fluffy. 
• Beat in eggs, one at a time. 
• Beat in baking power, vanilla, and salt.
• Mix mashed berries into batter.
• Fold in half the flour and half the oatmeal with a spatula, then fold in half the milk. Add remaining flour, oatmeal and milk. 
• Fold in the remaining blueberries.
• Using a quarter cup measure, scoop batter into muffin cups. 
• Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. 
• Let muffins cool at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing.

Got any great muffin recipes to share? We'd love to hear about them.

Cold Tomato Basil Soup

It's too hot to be in the kitchen and our appetites have shrunk! Our answer this last week has been cold tomato and basil soup, made in the blender and kept in the fridge until the next meal. It's there when we want it. It tastes so good, with a slice of toasted bread, half a sandwich, or a salad, when we're up to it. One recipe makes three meals for the two of us! It doesn't get much easier or better, and for those of you who may not care for tomatoes, try this ... you'll like it!

Cold Tomato & Basil Soup

 (6 Servings)

1½-2 pounds tomatoes, cored and quartered

½ cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon celery salt

¾ teaspoon ground mild chili powder

2 tablespoons sherry-wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

20 fresh basil leaves

1⅔ cups water

=====================================

Combine all the ingredients with 1⅔ cups water in a blender ot food processor. Purée to a smooth liquid. Taste for seasoning. The soup can be served immediately, but the flavors will meld over 3-24 hours, refrigerated. Re-blend when ready to serve.

 This recipe is derived from one from Patricia Wells's Vegetable Harvest.

 

Caramelized Shallots

Fresh shallots are in the farm stands now on the east end of long island and they are so good, so I prepared one of my favorite recipes of all time. Scribbled in the margins of this recipe in Barefoot in Paris, I have "Out of this world", and it is. I would never have thought to make shallots a side dish to any meal, but leave it to Ina Garten to teach me something new. I served these one Thanksgiving with a filet of beef and my friends are still talking about them, and we had them with roast chicken just last week. Try to get the smallest shallots possible and also have them be as uniform in size as possible for consistency in cooking.

Caramelized Shallots
Serves 6

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact*
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
======================================

* To peel shallots easily, drop them into a pot of boiling water for less than 1 minute. Drain, then remove the skins, keeping the root section intact.

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan, add shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. 
• Add vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.
• Place sauté pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. 
• Season to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

These are easy, make the house smell wonderful, and they literally melt in your mouth! I know you'll like them.

 

Espelette Pepper Jelly

I'd had pepper jelly but never one this good. We had this in Provence when we attended cooking classes with Patricia Wells in Vaison la Romaine. Espelette pepper is a mildly spicy pepper grown in the Basque region in southwest France. This jelly has a nice bite but doesn't burn. We've eaten this jelly with roast chicken, used it in a glaze for duck and fish, and served it with cheese - it complements nearly everything. It's easy to make and stores for a year. The hardest thing about this jelly is finding the espelette spice. It may not be found locally but it can be easily ordered on-line and it's worth doing so for its unique flavor. Substitutions may be made but it's just not the same.

 

Espelette Pepper Jelly¹

Equipment: A food processor or a blender; a copper jam pot or a large saucepan; three -four 8-ounce sterilized canning jars with lids.

3 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
4 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground piment d'Espelette or dried Anaheim chilies (or ground mild chili pepper)
2 tablespoons finely ground dried red chili pepper*
¼-½ cup liquid pectin
====================================

• In a food processor or blender, pulse the red peppers to a coarse purée.
• Transfer purée to a copper jam pot or a large saucepan.
• Add the sugar, vinegar, piment d'Espelette, and chili powder and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin. Note: Using ¼ cup liquid pectin will result in a loose, almost pourable jelly; doubling the liquid pectin to ½ cup will make it firmer.
• Return to heat and stir constantly for 1 minute.
• Ladle in to sterilized jars to within 1⁄₈ inch of the tops.
• Wipe the jar rims and threads with a damp paper towel.
• Cover and screw in the tops tightly.
• Invert the jars for 5 minutes, then turn them upright.
• Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
• Store unopened jars in a cool, dry place for up to one year. Refrigerate opened jars for up to three weeks.

 * Use a red chili powder; do not grind up Crushed Red Pepper flakes unless you want a jelly that will blow your head off.

¹ Patricia Wells, Vegetable Harvest (New York, NY: William Morrow, 2007) p. 97.

 

Broccolini & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Before heading up to the Cape recently, I made up a number of dishes to take with us so we wouldn't have to spend all our time cooking there. I made a big batch of Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Peas, and Sugar Snaps as well as a double batch of Broccolini & Balsamic Vinaigrette. The latter was a real hit with relatives and I promised to share the recipe. I adore this vegetable. It's good served immediately and warm, but I truly prefer it at room temperature, although I've also been sighted eating it straight from the fridge - cold. I wish I could take credit for this simple creation but alas, I must give credit where credit is due. This recipe came from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa At Home. Thanks once again Ina.

Broccolini & Balsamic Vinaigrette
(Serves 6) 

4 bunches broccolini (1½ pounds)
¼ cup good olive oil
1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
==================================

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt to a boil. Remove and discard bottom third of broccolini stems. If some stems are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and the pepper. When the water comes to a full boil, add broccolini, return to boil, and cook over high heat for 2 minutes, until the stalks are just tender. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Pour enough vinaigrette over the broccolini to moisten and toss well. Splash with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with salt (if desired), and serve warm or cold.

BTW, I had a little of the balsamic vinaigrette left over and poured it over cold steamed green beans, it was delicious and Peter even asked for more ... has anyone seen my real husband? 

 

 

Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans

 All iPhone 4 photos processed in HDR Pro ©2011 Peter Tooker

 I found this wonderful recipe for Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans in A Feast at the Beach which was recommended as a delightful read by Julie Mautner at The Provence Post. Written by William Widmaier, the book is a loving account of the author's vacations at his grandparents' home in St. Tropez in the 1960's. William's Provençal adventures were shared by his older brother Stephen, and an extended family of uncles, aunts, and cousins. I won't rewrite Mautner's colorful synopsis of the book here, but I agree that Widmaier's "book is filled with powerful flavors, scents, images and traditions" in addition to recipes for a Sleeping Potion, a few Provençal libations, mayonnaise, pesto, Grilled Shrimps Provençal, and this incredible chicken dish.

Mise en Place

I enjoyed assembling this dish as much as I enjoyed eating it, but neither equalled my husband's enjoyment of the leftovers. Peter went "over the moon" for the reheated vegetables - yes you read it correctly, my vegetable-hating husband, went "over the moon" for vegetables. Yeah! We were recently on the Cape and shared some with a family member and she too raved about the vegetables. By the way, this takes nothing away from the leftover chicken which was moist and wonderful, and used in several salads on subsequent days. It's just that we all found the vegetables uniquely delicious.

This family member said she follows Open-Window regularly and when a recipe is posted she looks first at the number of ingredients before adding it to her "Do Try" list. I don't know what the cut-off is but she has a "do not exceed" threshold for ingredients. My advice for this recipe is ignore any such self-imposed thresholds. This recipe is incredible all around and can be shared or reheated at any time. It's delicious, fun to make and makes me feel very French. 

I've transcribed the recipe nearly verbatum from this book. Having said that I have one very strong suggestion - "mise en place" which means "put in place". Measure and cut all of the ingredients before you begin assembling the dish. You will be ever so thankful that you did. Also, the recipe asks for you to "lightly salt chicken", we would strongly recommend you increase the amount of salt, that was all that was evidently missing in our first pass at this wonderful recipe. Thank you Mr. Widmaier for sharing your memories and especially your Mémé's recipes.

Cook in 400℉ oven for 2 hours

Lemon & Olive Chicken with French Green Beans
(Serves 4-6)

1 large roasting chicken
4 sweet Italian sausages, cut into 2-inch length pieces
3 ounces of salt pork or thick cut pancetta, cut into ½-inch cubes
2½ cups of dry white wine
1½ pounds of fresh French green beans - the long thin kind (haricot vert)
1 large yellow onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 lemon
4 small fresh, sweet red peppers (we used red bell peppers), sliced in half, seeds scraped out, and each piece cut in half again
6 garlic cloves, each cut into 4 pieces
12 black oil-cured olives
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
1 heaping tablespoon of Herbes de Provence
½ teaspoon of fresh ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 ounce pastis, preferably Ricard brand (can substitute Pernod, Anisette, or Sambuca)
Mediterranean sea salt
===================================

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Place chicken in a large Dutch oven, ideally a large Creuset model.
• Cut lemon in half, cut a ¼-inch slice from each face and reserve. Squeeze juice from two halves over chicken, making sure to coat as much of the chicken as possible. Take one of the squeezed-out lemon halves and stuff it into chicken cavity. If chicken came with gizzards, place these in Dutch oven outside chicken. Let chicken sit with its lemon-juice coating while preparing the rest of ingredients.
• Take green beans and one at a time trim the very ends off both ends, easily done by hand by just snapping the very tips off. (I cut each end off bunches of the beans at the same time.) Place trimmed beans into a large bowl. When you've trimmed all the beans fill bowl with water and let beans sit.
• Return to chicken and rub Herbes de Provence onto chicken, coating entire chicken, top to bottom, letting any excess fall into Dutch oven.
• Position chicken in Dutch oven breasts side up. Dust chicken with ground cumin.
• Take half of green beans let them drip dry before placing them around chicken, pushing them to the bottom, but not under chicken.
• Take chopped onions and sprinkle them over green beans.
• Take sliced peppers and distribute them evenly around chicken onto green beans.
• Take salt-pork pieces and distribute evenly around chicken onto green beans and stuff two or three pieces into chicken.
• Take remaining green beans and after letting them drip dry, surround chicken with them, covering the previous green beans, onions, peppers and salt pork.
• Sprinkle garlic pieces onto green beans. 
• Place cut sausages evenly around chicken on top of green beans.
• Sprinkle pine nuts evenly around chicken over green beans.
• Spread olives around chicken, over green beans, while also stuffing two olives in chicken.
• Pour 2½ cups of wine around chicken, over green beans but not over chicken.
• Pour ounce of pastis (pernod, anisette, or sambuca) around chicken, over green beans but not over chicken.
• Dust green beans with cayenne.
• Place reserved lemon slices over meatiest part of chicken breasts, one on each side.
• Lightly salt chicken and lemon slices with Mediterranean sea salt.
• Put lid on and stick in oven on middle shelf or as high as Dutch oven lid will allow it to go and still clear.
• Cook for two hours at 400℉.
• After one hour, take the lid off and be careful to let hot steam vent away from you, and with a long wooden spoon stir up green beans just a bit. If most of liquid has evaporated (it can happen if the lid has large gaps - but usually doesn't), add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of white wine. Put the lid back on, and place casserole back into the oven.
• At the end of second hour, take the lid off, and be careful to let vapors escape away from you.
• Serve directly from Dutch oven, as chicken will be too delicate to move. Cut pieces off chicken (it should be practically falling apart) and serve with big spoonfuls of green beans along with all the rest that has acquainted itself well.
• You can choose from a number of different accompaniments for this dish. Widmaier suggests oven-roasted rosemary potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes, toss with minced rosemary, olive oil and sea salt, spread on a cooking sheet and roast 45 minutes at 400 ℉, mixing occasionally). Or delicious with orzo pasta - just ladle juices from chicken over cooked pasta.
• Serve with warm baguettes, to mop up sauce.

 

As Widmaier says at the end of this recipe, "Mangez lentement, riz, et savourez la belle vie" which means "Eat slowly, laugh, and savor the good life". Sounds like good advice to me.

Smoked Chicken Breast Salad from Patricia Wells

Years ago at her cooking class in Provence, Patricia Wells introduced us to home-smoking food. In the class, we home-smoked salmon which was easy and delicious, with a subtle smoky flavor. Peter and I rushed to buy a Camerons smoker when we returned to New York and used it non-stop for months and months, and then like so many things, the smoker migrated to the back of our cabinet - forgotten for the time being.

Well, in her new cookbook, Salad As A Meal, Patricia re-introduced us to home-smoking, this time duck or chicken breasts, and her recipe for Smoked Chicken Breast Salad captured our taste-bud-imaginations. This recipe would probably be very good with poached or left-over roast chicken, but the smoky flavor adds a dimension that is unique and the chicken is incredibly moist. We really do encourage you to get a Camerons smoker, you'll find so many ways to use it.

Home-Smoked Chicken Breast
(4 servings)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coarse sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
==================================

1. Place the wood chips in a small pile in the center of the smoker base. Arrange the drip tray on top of the wood chips inside the smoker base. Place the metal rack on top of the tray. Arrange the poultry on top of the metal rack. Slide the lid closed.
2. Place the entire unit on the burner set to moderate heat. Counting from the time you place the smoker on the burner, smoke for 15 minutes. Remove the unit from the heat and open the lid. Transfer the poultry to a warmed plate. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes, to let the juices retreat into the meat. Then cut lengthwise into very thin slices. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

 

Smoked Chicken Breast Salad
(4 servings)

4 cups sorrel greens (or spinach), cut into a chiffonade
Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing
     (1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice, ⅛ tsp lemon zest, ⅛ tsp fine sea salt,
      ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 small spring onions or scallions, white part only, trimmed, peeled, and very thinly sliced
1 small bulb of fennel, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut lengthwise into thin slices
2 smoked chicken breasts
About 2½ ounces Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, cut into thin strips (about ½ cup)
1 cup of Parmesan Croutons
     (Warm toasted sour-dough croutons sprinkled with grated
      Parmigiano-Reggiano)
====================================

Place the greens in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat them lightly and evenly. In separate small bowls, toss the tomatoes, onions, the fennel, and the avocado with the dressing. Mound the green on 4 large dinner plates. Scatter the tomatoes, onions, and fennel. Slice each chicken breast lengthwise into 8 even slices. Arrange the chicken slices like the spokes of a wheel on top of the greens. Place the avocado around the edge of the salad. Top the chicken with the cheese. Scatter the croutons at the edge of the plate. Serve. 

 

This was the first time Peter and I had eaten raw fennel and truly thought it would give off an over-powering flavor of licorice - well it doesn't, but what it does provide is wonderful texture and crunch. Really you can build a salad around the smoked chicken breast from ingredients you have in your crisper - be creative. What could you do with smoked chicken breast? 

Croque Monsieur

Generally speaking, I'm not a sandwich person ... I love the contents but can do without the bread - how un-American of me! But there is a sandwich I would go out of my way for, and wouldn't you know, it's French. A Croque Monsieur, in my humble opinion, is the best sandwich on earth. Most Americans would probably look at this and say, "What's the big deal, it's a grilled ham and cheese sandwich?" but it's so much more.

A Croque Monsieur - the combination of Black Forest ham, Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, and mornay sauce carried on toast - is sublime, and most of the cheese is melted on the outside and browned under the broiler. With a green salad on the side and a chilled glass of Chablis ... life doesn't get much better.

Croque Monsieur

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups hot milk
1 bay leaf (optional)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated - DIVIDED
12 slices sandwich bread
Dijon mustard
½ pound Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
===================================

Mornay Sauce

Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the flour mixture, whisking constantly. Add bay leaf, if using. Over medium heat, whisk until the sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir and set aside. 

Sandwiches

Preheat oven to 400℉.

Toast the bread: Place bread slices on baking sheets and bake for 4 minutes; turn each slice and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

Lightly spread half of the slices with mustard, add several slices of ham to each, and sprinkle with half of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with a slice of toasted bread. Liberally spread the mornay sauce (bay leaf removed) on top of each sandwich, sprinkly with the remaining Gruyère, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.

Serve hot, with a green salad.

Trout & Crab Cakes with Chipotle Sauce

This recipe comes from that cookbook I told you I'd happily "found" recently, Sharon O'Connor's Menus & Music: Tasting the Wine Country. Leafing through it I found a recipe for Trout Cakes and Chipotle Sauce from a place I knew and loved in the Finger Lakes, Belhurst Castle on Seneca Lake in Geneva, New York. I went to college in the Finger Lake region and loved the rolling hills and farm land that always ended on a lake's shores. It wasn't wine country then as it is now, but then and now it was and is breathtakingly beautiful. Dinner at Belhurst Castle was a very special event and nine times out of ten entailed have a parent or two in tow - it didn't quite fit into a college student's budget.

Generally speaking, I've never been overly fond of crab cakes, they always seem over-laden with bread and too often are deep fried - neither being very appealing to me. When I read this recipe though it struck me as lighter and brighter all around, and I was right. The chef at the Castle created a delicious light trout and crab cake, seasoned with herbs and enlivened with a smoky chipotle sauce. How light are these? Well they just barely hold together but are oh so good. 

Trout & Crab Cakes
Makes 4 Servings 

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 green onions (scallions), white part only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
5 ounces grilled or broiled trout, chilled and flaked (salmon could be a substitute if trout can't be found)
5 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shell
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoons olive oil
====================================

• In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, egg. mustard, Old Bay seasoning, onion, cilantro, and bread crumbs. Gently mix in the trout and crab. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, each about 2½ inches in diameter. They will barely hold together. Spread the flour on a plate and lightly dredge the patties, coating evenly. Place the patties on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook half the trout cakes until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Repeat for the remaining cakes. Arrange 2 trout cakes and a dollop of the chipotle sauce on each of 4 plates and serve immediately.

Chipotle Sauce 
(Makes about ¾ cup)

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
4 canned chipotle chilies en adobo
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons capers
=====================================

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and purée until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill.

Note: We've found that chipotle chilies en adobo can really pack a punch so use the sauce accordingly.

 

Salmon Tacos - Spice Rubbed and Cedar Planked

We got hooked on fish tacos on our recent trip to the North Carolina Coast and wanted to make our own when we got home. Watching Grill It! with Bobby Flay one evening we saw him cooking with a guy named John Aspra, who goes by the moniker Epicurean Cowboy. He was making grilled, cedar planked, spice-rubbed Salmon Tacos that seemed to combine everything we like: sweetness, spice, heat, and crunch. How bad could it be? You've got to check out the video and see if you agree, it sold us and we're glad it did. The salmon is fabulous in the tacos and review after review also said the salmon was delicious served on it's own as a dinner's main course.

The weekend's coming, got a crowd gathering at your house? Try making these, they're real crowd pleasers, and the work can all be done before your first guest graces your threshold. I still love the memory of that simple fish taco on the Outer Banks, but this spiced up version has some real pizzazz.

Salmon Tacos - Spice Rubbed and Cedar Planked
Yield: 24 tacos 

Spice Rub:
3 to 4 cups golden brown sugar
1/4 cup good quality dark roast coffee, coarsely ground
1/2 cup seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder 

Ensalada for Tacos:
1 bunch of fresh cilantro leaves; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
1 bunch fresh green onion; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
2 fresh pasilla chiles fire roasted, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2 fresh Anaheim chiles fire roasted, skinned and chopped
1/2 head fresh red cabbage, chiffonade
1/2 head fresh green cabbage chiffonade
2 serrano chiles, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

6 pounds wild salmon fillet, boneless and skinless
3 cedar grilling planks (soaked for 3 hours)
4 dozen fresh corn tortillas (preferably homemade)
1 pound Cojita cheese crumbled for topping tacos (replace with Parmesan or Feta if Cojita is unavailable)
Pico de Gallo or Salsa of choice (we used mango salsa)
====================================

Directions:

• Thoroughly mix all of the rub ingredients in a glass bowl and set aside. Cooks Note: Can be sealed in storage bag or jar for up to 1 week. This will make about 6 cups.
• Combine all of the ensalada ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Set aside for tacos.
• Cut the salmon fillet into 3 equal parts. Drizzle olive oil over the pre-soaked cedar planks, then lay down a layer of the spice rub. Arrange salmon on top of the cedar planks. Drizzle the top of the salmon with olive oil, then cover it liberally with the spice rub (approximately 1 cup per pound in total). It's ok if some spice rub falls onto the plank.
• Heat the grill to high.
• Put the salmon planks over very hot mesquite/oak or hickory coals and cover the grill until the spice rub has melted to form a coating over salmon and plank, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the cover from the grill. If the planks flame up be sure the flames do not scorch the fillet, as the taste of burned sugars should not be the dominating flavor.

• Remove the salmon planks from the grill and loosely cover with foil. Allow the fillets to rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then chop coarsely/flake.
• Add the salmon to a large bowl and set aside. 
• In the meantime, toast the corn tortillas over the hot coals or on a preheated cast iron skillet about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and stack on a plate covered by a clean towel.
• To serve, place two overlapping toasted corn tortillas on a plate, scoop some of the salmon onto the tortillas, top with some of the ensalada, cheese and pico de gallo or salsa.  

If you have a favorite fish taco recipe, share it here, we'd all love it. 

 

Pan-Seared Halibut with Spring Vegetable Ragout

What do you give a dear old friend who loves to cook as a hospitality gift? A cookbook, of course, and that's what my oldest friend did a year ago. She gave me Tasting the Wine Country which is part of Susan O'Connor's Menus and Music Series. I cannot tell a lie, I never had a chance to look at it and, sadly, it migrated into a pile of books collecting dust rather than sticky finger prints ... until recently.

I rose with the sun one morning, made a strong cup of coffee, and then surveyed the living room for something to read. There it was, Tasting the Wine Country, still in its original wrapper. I unwrapped it and began perusing the pages and recipes. Each chapter focuses on an Inn, Restaurant or Bed & Breakfast that is in or near wine country in North America, and features their special recipes. I spent a very happy three hours reading the book cover-to-cover, dog-earing the pages of recipes I want to try. What a lovely way to start the day!

This is where I found the recipe for Pan-Seared Halibut with Spring Vegetable Ragout and Mashed Potatoes, that called for fresh Fava Beans and English Peas!

Pan-seared Halibut with Spring Vegetable Ragout and Mashed Potatoes sounds a bit mundane or ordinary but, trust me, it is far from ordinary. Peter and I agreed that it is one of the best meals we've ever prepared, comforting and delicious ... and even a little good for you. We liked it so much, we had it again this week for his birthday (!), while we can still get the beans and peas (in their shells). The ragout really makes this dish, and the vegetable stock, basil, and, of course the fava beans, make the ragout.

Pan-Seared Halibut with Spring Vegetable Ragout and Mashed Potatoes
(Makes 4 servings)

Spring Vegetable Ragout
2 pounds fava beans, shelled, i.e. removed from their pods
½ bunch of basil, stemmed
¼ cup canola oil
1½ cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
1 pound green peas, shelled (a.k.a. English peas)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 halibut filets, pin bones and skin removed (Note: we didn't remove the skin and it's been wonderful)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

Mashed Potatoes
===================================

To make the ragout: Blanch the fava beans in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pinch open the end of each bean shell and pop it out of its skin.

Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and squeeze out the excess moisture. In a blender or food processor, combine the basil and canola oil. Purée until smooth. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and drain. (Reserve the oil to use later in a salad dressing or to flavor vegetables.)

Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the fish and cook for 30 seconds, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside and opaque throughout.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the stock or broth, peas, and fava beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the butter, 2 tablespoons of the basil purée, the salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.

Divide the ragout among 4 shallow bowls. Place a mound of mashed potatoes in the center of each bowl and top with a halibut filet; serve immediately.

Alsatian Onion and Bacon Tart

I love the approach Patricia Wells takes toward food - buy locally, buy in-season, and make it healthy and delicious, and this is vividly demonstrated in her new cookbook Salad as a Meal. Salad, in all its forms, is a central focus of the book but Patricia also incorporates recipes for many things that will complement a salad, like this Alsatian Onion and Bacon Tart. We tossed the salad in her Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing which delivered on the "mustardy punch" and covered every leaf of lettuce with flavor. The combination of tart and salad made a wonderful late-lunch yesterday, which we enjoyed with a chilled glass of Gewurztraminer.

Alsatian Onion and Bacon Tart
(Makes one 12-inch tart) 

8 ounces large white onions, peeled and cur crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick rounds
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into cubes
½ cup (4 ounces) nonfat Greek-style yogurt or fromage blanc
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Flour and polenta (I used corn meal), for dusting
1 recipe Quick Whole Wheat Bread tart Dough
Coarse, freshly ground pepper
===================================

1. Place the baking stone on the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 500℉.
2. Separate the onions into rings. You should have about 4 cups loosely packed onions.
3. Bring 1 quart of water to a simmer in the bottom of a steamer. Place the onions on the steaming rack. Place the rack over simmering water, cover, and steam until the onions are al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the basket from the steamer o drain the onions. (This can be done 2-3 hours before serving.)
4. In a large, dry skillet, brown the pancetta/bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta/bacon to several layers of paper towels to absorb the fat. Blot the top of the pancetta/bacon with several layers of paper towels to absorb additional fat.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, nutmeg, onions, and half of the pancetta. Stir to blend.
6. On a generously floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch round.
7. Sprinkle the wooden pizza peel with polenta/corn meal, and place the round of dough on the peel. Working quickly to keep the dough from sticking, assemble the tart: Spread the yogurt mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with the remaining pancetta/bacon. Season liberally with pepper.
8. Slide the dough off the peel and onto the baking stone. Bake until the dough is crisp and golden and the top is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
9. With a metal pizza peel or large spatula, remove the tart from the baking stine. Sprinkle it generously with pepper. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 8 wedges. Serve immediately.

Quick Whole Wheat Bread Tart Dough
(Dough for two 12-inch tarts)

¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup bread flour, plus extra if needed and for dusting
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast (Rapid Rise)
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
====================================

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the whole wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, salt, and sugar, and pulse to mix. Combine ½ hot water and the olive oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually add enough of the hot liquid for the mixture to form a sticky ball. The dough should be soft. If it is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot water. If it is too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Process until the dough forms a ball. Transfer to a clean, floured surface and knead by hand for 1 minute. Cover with a cloth and let rest at least 10 minutes before rolling. (The dough will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Punch down the dough as necessary.)

Creamy Lemon-Mustard Dressing
(Makes 1¼ cups)

Grated zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup light cream
1 tablespoon imported French mustard
==================================

In a jar or cruet with a top, combine the zest, lemon juice, and salt. Cover with lid and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the cream and mustard. Shake to blend. Taste for seasoning. The dressing can be used immediately. (Store dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week. Shake to blend again before using.)

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Peas, and Sugar Snaps

Couscous may be something that you've written off your list of things to eat, but wait, have you tried Israeli couscous? I'm not one that will seek out couscous despite it's many merits, but when I learned that not all couscous is alike, I changed my mind.

First, if you don't know, many categorize couscous as a pasta, although some purists say that couscous dates back so far that it's in a category by itself. No matter, there are various types of couscous the most popular of which are: Moroccan, Israeli, and Lebanese. My original introduction to couscous was with the pre-cooked Moroccan type which is about three times the size of corn meal, making it the smallest. Preparing it reminds me of Stove-Top-Stuffing, you heat the water or stock, add the couscous, remove it from the heat, stir, cover for 5 minutes, toss, and serve. Israeli couscous is about the size of peppercorns and takes a little longer to cook, but the resulting texture I find far more satisfying, and Lebanese couscous is about the size of green peas (I have yet to stumble upon that type).

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Peas, and Sugar Snaps; Photo ©2011 Claudia Ward

This recipe (originally from bon appétit) is one of my favorites of all time: Israeli Couscous with asparagus, peas and sugar snaps mixed together with a lemon vinaigrette - served either chilled or at room temperature. It's easy to prepare and keeps well for a vegetarian lunch (without the addition of the cheese), a complement to any dinner, and a wonderful dish for pot-lucks and picnics. The vegetables and couscous are prepared separately and then combined with the dressing, chives, and some grated Parmesan cheese (if you like that).

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Peas & Sugar Snaps
(6 Servings)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - DIVIDED
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of one lemon)
2 large garlic cloves, minced - DIVIDED
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1⅓ cups Israeli couscous (6-7 ounces)
1¾ cups (or more) vegetable broth
14 ounces slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut diagonally into ½-inch pieces (about 2½ cups)
1 cup shelled fresh peas or frozen, thawed
⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
====================================

• Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 garlic clove minced, and lemon peel in a small bowl; set dressing aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Note: Don't walk away from the couscous when it's browning, it will burn if left unattended; it needs to be tossed several times.
• Add 1¾ cups broth. Note: Have a top at the ready when you add the vegetable broth to the browned couscous because it will steam and sputter - you're adding the broth to a hot, dry pot. 
• Increase heat under the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if too dry.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover, and steam/sauté about 3 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas, cover, and continue to steam/sauté for another 3 minutes. Add green peas and the remaining minced garlic clove, and sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl.  

Note: If you prefer your vegetables with some crunch, add all of the vegetables, plus the garlic, salt, and pepper to the skillet at the same time and sauté, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes in total.

• Add couscous to the bowl of vegetables. Drizzle dressing over. Add chives and cheese (if using); toss. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Try it I'll be very surprised if you don't like it. 

P.S. If you think you've seen this recipe here before you are correct. I posted it along with a salmon recipe last June but I wasn't very happy with the photos back then and I love this so much, I think it deserves a post of its own. "Bon appétit!"

Ina's Lentil Sausage Soup

I've been collecting soup recipes from everywhere this winter and this recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot In Paris cookbook is one of the most satisfying. Peter and I made several big batches and froze double portions for ourselves. We've had this soup for lunch with a slice of toasted garlic bread in front of the fire, and for dinner with a green salad and a glass of red wine. It's hearty and sticks to your bones, but most of all, it's just plain delicious. Ina recommends using kielbasa, but Peter and I prefer chicken apple sausage that we get at the supermarket. Peter cooked the sausage in a skillet while I assembled the rest of the ingredients. We also made a batch with vegetable stock for some vegan friends and it was delicious.

Lentil Sausage Soup
(Makes 4 quarts; Serves 8-10)

1 pound French green lentils such as du Puy
¼cup olive oil plus extra for serving
4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
¼ cup tomato paste
1 pound kielbasa or chicken apple sausage - cooked, cut in half lengthwise and sliced ⅓ inch thick 
2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, if desired
====================================

• In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit 15 minutes. Drain.
• In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender.
• Add the celery and carrots and sauté for another 10 minutes.
• Add the chicken or vegetable stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until lentils are cooked through and tender.
• Check the seasonings.
• Add the sausage and red wine and simmer until the sausage is hot.
• Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan, if desired.

 

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

I'd never heard of quinoa, pronounced (KEEN wah), until recently but low-and-behold, it's been around for thousands and thousand of years. The Incas called it the "mother of all grains" although it's really a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. This tiny seed packs an incredible nutritional punch. It supplies complete protein which means it includes all nine essential amino acids. It's a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus, and is high in manganese, magnesium and iron; and ... it's gluten free. All of this makes quinoa a nearly perfect food for vegetarians, protein-conscious vegans, and those managing a gluten-free diet, but I'm a carnivore who loves it for its fluffy, slightly crunchy texture and its somewhat nutty flavor. You make it just like rice with either water or stock (chicken or vegetable) and then can combine it with sautéed vegetables to complement a dinner, toss it with endamame, chopped tomatoes and dried cherries to make a salad, or mix it with honey, almonds or berries for breakfast. Does a food get any more versatile than this.

We just made this risotto from a recipe I found in bon appétit and I loved it. "Try it, you'll like it".

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ cups of chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 8-ounce package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 cup dry white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese
==================================

• Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

• Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. 
• Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. 
• Add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. 
• Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy, 2 minutes.
• Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Pass cheese separately.

Duck and Wild Mushroom Gumbo

"Duck and Wild Mushroom Gumbo," Peter said, "How bad could that be?" This was the result of his hour long search for a gumbo recipe, "that will blow your socks off".

We'd been talking about New Orleans the night before which led him to memories of rich "intoxicating" gumbos from a trip to Louisiana when he was in his thirties -Creole fish gumbos and Cajun poultry gumbos, so he searched for the perfect recipe for my introduction to the object of his passion - gumbo. He found this recipe on epicurious - who but Emeril Lagasse would create a variation on Cajun Gumbo like this one with wild mushrooms.

This recipe was fun to make, it made the house smell incredibly good, and the resulting concoction was pure ambrosia. Peter dislikes most stews because the meat is dried out and tough by his standards, but this southern soup/stew is perfection to him. The duck was moist and delicious, and the leftovers were better and better - each day. We didn't, honestly, think that was possible. At the time of this post, it's nearly all gone. We have one double portion tucked away in the freezer that, I bet, will not see spring. It's good served on rice or even with egg noodles, but I'm addicted to it over toast, so I can soak up all of that "gravy".

Mise en Place for Duck & Wild Mushroom Gumbo 

Duck and Wild Mushrooms Gumbo
(Makes 10 Servings)

1 4- to 5- pound duck, thawed if frozen, excess fat removed, backbone removed, duck quartered
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1½ pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, and stemmed shiitake), cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups chopped onion
¾ cup finely chopped celery
¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 12-ounce bottle stout
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 teaspoon's Emeril's Original Essence*
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 cups freshly cooked white rice
½ cup chopped green onions (scallions)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 pound pre-grilled apple-chicken sausage, in ¼-inch slices can also be added

====================================

• Heat heavy large pot over medium-high heat until hot, about 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle duck with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. 
• Add duck to pot, skin side down, and sear until golden brown, about 8 minutes per side. (Using tongs, move duck pieces occasionally so the skin doesn't permanently stick.) 
• Using tongs, transfer duck to plate.

• Add canola oil, then flour to drippings in pot; stir with wooden spoon to blend well. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until roux is chocolate-brown color, about 25 minutes. (If roux is still light brown after 20 minutes, increase heat to medium-high for final 5 minutes.) 
• Add mushrooms, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic to roux and cook until mushrooms and vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. 
• Add stout; stir to blend. 
• Add chicken broth, Emeril's Original Essence*, bay leaves, thyme, cayenne, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt; stir to blend well. 
• Return duck pieces to pot. Increase heat and bring to boil. 
• Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until duck is tender, skimming foam from surface and stirring occasionally, about 1½ hours.
• Using tongs, transfer duck to plate; cool until easy to handle, about 20 minutes.
• If you want to add sausage, brown/cook sausage; cool and slice; set aside.
• Remove meat from bones; discard bones and skin. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces. 
• Spoon fat off top of gumbo. 
• Return meat to gumbo and add sliced sausage, if using; season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

• Divide cooked white rice among 10 bowls. Ladle gumbo over. Sprinkle with greens onions and parsley and serve.

* A dried herb and spice blend available at some specialty food stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets. A combination of the following can substitute.

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne

This gumbo freezes beautifully - make a whole batch - you'll be very happy you did. 

 

Roasted Tomatoes and Fennel with White Kidney Beans

This may not be the prettiest dish we've ever photographed but it is one of the most flavorful we've ever made. I cut this recipe out of some magazine and put it in my recipe box for some future day, and yesterday was that day. The combination of ingredients intrigued me and we were not disappointed, The fennel, once cooked, is sweet and is complemented by the roasted garlic and tomatoes, and the starchy white beans pull it all together. I didn't have the fresh oregano the recipe called for so I used fresh thyme, and found it a delightful and subtle addition; the crushed red pepper provides just a hint of heat which is wonderful. As good as this dish was with dinner last night, the leftovers are amazing today. For any vegetarian friends out there, this could be a wonderfully flavorful main course, in my estimation.

Roasted Tomato and Fennel with White Beans
Makes 6 Servings

2 large fennel bulbs with fronds attached
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 pints grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
4 large fresh sprigs of oregano (or thyme)
3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), drained
====================================

• Preheat oven to 425℉.
• Chop enough fennel fronds to measure ½ cup; set aside.
• Trim fennel bulbs and cut in half vertically. Cut each half-bulb into ½-inch wide wedges, leaving some core attached to each wedge. (This holds it together.)
• Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes.
• Add fennel wedges in a single layer; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Cook until fennel begins to brown and soften, turning occasionally, 10-12 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, oregano or thyme, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sprinkle with remaining teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fold together gently.
• Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Bake fennel and tomatoes until soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Mix in beans and 6 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (leaving 2 tablespoons for garnish). Bake another 5 minutes to heat through.
• Transfer mixture to a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining chopped fronds. Serve warm or at rom temperature.

To quote Julia Child, "Bon appetit".

Brandy Snap Cookies

Remember I told you about The Gourmet Cook Book that I got for Christmas. Well Peter loves ginger cookies and he asked me to comb through the book to see what they might have that would be unusual and good.

Brandy Snaps

From Britain in 1949, comes the Brandy Snap, which is a misnomer as there is no brandy in the recipe; they took it out as it added nothing to the taste or texture but it did add to the price, and Britain was still recovering from the war. I'd call these Molasses Ginger Rolls or just plain yummy. You'll note as you read the recipe below, that the format for recipes has changed quite a bit since 1949, but Gourmet has been kind enough to add some recipe notes for guidance. Making these wafers into rolls is a bit of a challenge, but a fun one, especially when you see a plate piled high with dozens of rolls. These remain a little chewy, which is a good thing, and are a perfect accompaniment to ice cream or a simple cup of coffee. Breakfast any one?

Brandy Snaps
(July 1949)
Makes 18-20 dozen

Heat together in a saucepan 1½ cups each butter and sugar and 1 cup molasses, stirring the mixture until it is well blended. Stir in 4 teaspoons powered ginger, remove the pan from the heat, and add 3 cups of sifted all-purpose flour, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Drop the batter from the tip of a spoon onto a buttered cookie sheet, allowing 2 inches between wafers. Bake in a slow oven (300℉) for about 12 minutes, or until they are nicely browned. Remove from the pan immediately with a spatula and roll the wafers over a wooden stick or the handled of a wooden spoon. Or, if preferred, shape them into cones. Store the brandy snaps in airtight containers. →As a VARIATION, 1½ teaspoons grated lemon rind may be added to the batter with the ginger.

RECIPE NOTES

1. Use about 2 teaspoons of batter for each cookie.
2. For the variation, use grated lemon zest (without any of the bitter white pith).
3. Be sure to remove the snaps from the baking sheet while they're still warm and immediately roll them around the handle of a wooden spoon or wooden dowel.
4. Work with several cookies at once so you have time to shape them as they cool. Return cookies to the oven for a few seconds if they cool and become hard to roll.
5. Brandy snaps not only keep well, they taste better on the second day.
6. If possible use, medium-weight, light-colored cookie sheets, not nonstick. In dark metal pans the cookies may brown more and cooking time may be shorter.
7. When baking batches of cookies, be sure the pans have cooled before you place more dough on them; a warm pan will cause the cookies to spread too much.

Orange Oatmeal Bread

This one's a winner, and no yeast so it's quick. The orange flavor permeats every bite and it has a wonderful, moist dense consistency. Warm a slice in the toaster and enjoy it with your first cup of coffee, I bet you'll find it's hard not to have another slice.

Orange Oatmeal Bread
(Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves)

1 orange
2 tablespoons plus ¾ cup sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
2 eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup warm water (105℉ - 115℉)
=====================================

Baking Pans: 1 large (9"-x-5") or 2 small (7"-x-3") baking pans, buttered, then lined with buttered wax paper along the sides and bottom.

Assembly:

• Grate the rind of the orange (try not to grate the white pith, just the outside orange part - that's where the flavor is, the pith is bitter). Reserve in a small bowl.
• Cut the orange in half and then with a citrus knife cut each section to release the orange meat, discarding the seeds. Cut the flesh into small pieces and add to the zest. Squeeze the juice in the orange halves into the bowl with the orange flesh and the grated zest. Discard the empty (and naked) orange rind-halves. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and mix well. Set aside.
• In a large bowl measure the flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the rolled oats.
• In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs and mix with the melted butter, adding the butter slowly and stirring constantly as you add it. Add the reserved orange mixture, and the warm water. Blend the liquid into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s).

Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ while letting the batter rest in the pan(s) for 10 minutes.

Bake: Bake the loaf or loaves in the oven until a wooden toothpick or a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and dry, 1 hour. The baking time will be 15 minutes less for small loaves. If using a convection oven, reduce the heat 50℉ and bake the large loaf for 50 minutes and the smaller loaves for 35 minutes.

Final Step: Remove the bread from the oven. Carefully remove the bread from the pan(s), tugging gently on the wax paper to loosen it. Allow the bread to cool slightly on a metal rack before serving.

Delicious served warm, spread with sweet butter.

Recipe is from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads.

 

Roquefort Cheese Bread

If you love to bake, especially bread, then you must add Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads Revised and Expanded to your collection of cookbooks. Reading the word "Complete" may have you saying to yourself, "Ya, right", but wait until you see the size of this tome. It's over 2 inches thick and includes chapters on White Breads, Bran Breads, Rye Breads, Whole Wheat Breads, Corn Breads, French and Italian Breads, Festive Breads, Herbs and Spices Breads, Fruit and Nut Breads, Flat and Pocket Breads, Cheese Breads, even Crackers, and more. I truly do believe that this book is as complete as one will ever get.

I was once intimidated by making bread, but this book dispelled all of my fears, and taught me how to understand the process and how to correct almost anything that could go wrong. Most of the recipes in the book make two standard loaves which, for a family of two like ours, can be a problem - but not when he tells you that bread freezes and comes back to life so well, and I can attest to the fact that it's true. The structure of each recipe is interesting in that he provides instructions for making each bread one of three ways: by hand, with a mixer, or in a food processor - how accommodating is that?

Over the years I've made a lot of bread from this book and some of my favorites have been Jalapeno Corn Bread, Cinnamon Oat Bread, Challah, Twisted Cheese Loaf, and Rosemary-Garlic Bread (made into rolls), but my all-time favorite is Roquefort Cheese Bread. At first, I thought this sounded very peculiar, but it peaked my curiosity so much so that I had to try it. 

 Roquefort Cheese Bread

This recipe makes a dense yet light loaf of wonderful cheese bread. The subtle flavor of cheese permeates each loaf but not the pungent flavor of uncooked roquefort. According to Clayton, he's "made respectable loaves with domestic blue-veined cheese, it is just not the same as the genuine article". Sliced plain this is a wonderful bread for ham, turkey or chicken sandwiches, toasted with a little butter it's a great companion to soup of any kind, and I've even toasted up cubes of it to make croutons for salads. Try it, you'll like it.

Roquefort Cheese Bread *
(Makes Two Medium Loaves)

1½ cups milk
4 ounces (1 cup) Roquefort cheese, room temperature, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature and beaten
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4½ to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately
2 packages dry yeast
====================================

* The instructions transcribed below are for the use of a mixer.

Baking pans: 2 medium (8" x 4") loaf pans, greased or Teflon

Mixing: In a medium saucepan heat the milk and add the crumbled cheese, butter, beaten egg, sugar, and salt. Stir until the cheese has melted into the liquid. Set aside to cool to 120 - 130℉ as measured on an instant thermometer.

In the mixer bowl, measure 3½ cups of flour and the yeast. Stir to blend. With the mixer's flat-paddle beater, stir the milk-cheese mixture into the flour to become a thick batter. Beat for 2 minutes in the mixer. Replace the flat-paddle with the dough hook. Add flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and at the same time forms a ball around the dough hook.

Kneading: Knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes.

First Rising: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put aside to double in volume, about 1 hour.

Shaping: Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, then divide the dough in half. Work and roll each half into a tubular shape the length of the loaf pan. Press the dough down into the corners of the pan with your fingers.

Second Rising: Cover the loaves and allow to rise to ½" above the edge of the pan, about 40 minutes.

Preheat: Preheat oven to 375℉ 15 minutes before baking. If using a convection oven, reduce the heat 50℉ to 325℉.

Baking: With a razor blade or sharp knife, cut a ½"-deep slit down the length of each loaf. Place the loaves on the middle shelf of the moderately hot oven. The cheese-rich dough will brown quickly, so after 20 minutes cover the loaves with a length of foil. Turn the loaf pans around midway through baking so the loaves are exposed to an equal range of temperatures.

Remove the bread from the oven. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

"The Roquefort cheesemakers suggest storing the loaf in a covered container that has a few tiny openings for ventilation. ... I find it more convenient to keep my cheese bread in an ordinary paper sack (to retain a crisp crust) or a plastic bag. This bread freezes beautifully. In reheating or toasting, the loaf casts a wonderful fragrence throughout the house ..."

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing is quite as comforting as a large bowl of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. I made chicken stock recently using a whole five pound chicken and thus had all that lovely poached chicken meat - what better use to put it to than chicken noodle soup. I plowed through my cookbook library and then decided to make up a recipe on the fly. The ingredients represent what was in my fridge at the time and can be varied to your liking, but, as you can see, this soup is pretty straight forward. I froze the soup in serving size containers so Peter and I could enjoy it in the future. Well the stock pile is depleted, so guess what I'm making again today? Have you got any variations you'd like to share?

Chicken Noodle Soup
(Serves 6-8)

2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup medium chopped leeks, white and light green parts
1 cup medium-diced celery
1+ cups medium-diced carrots
1½ - 2 cups wide egg noodles
2 quarts homemade Chicken Stock
2 - 2½ cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
¼ cup chopped parsley
Kosher salt (1 tablespoon)
Freshly ground black pepper (1½ teaspoons)
=====================================

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, add the onions, and sauté over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, celery and carrots, and sauté over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to allow stock to simmer. Add egg noodles and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until noodles are cooked. Add the cooked chicken and parsley; heat through. Season to taste and serve.

Note: Use the meat from a whole poached chicken used to make stock, or remove and chop the meat from a couple of whole cooked chicken breasts.

To cook chicken breasts: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Place chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast 35-40 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool; then remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice or shred the chicken meat.

 

French Onion Soup

Some things seem to be predictable, and I apparently am one of them (no surprise to those who know me). Here comes Super Bowl Sunday and once again, I'm making French Onion Soup, inspired by the barefoot contessa, Ina Garten. I made it last year and shared the recipe with you, albeit sans photograph. Well we think this soup is so good it merits repetition, although with a photo this year which we hope will entice you to make a big pot, for the big day. 

French Onion Soup
(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

2½ pounds yelow onions, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
½ cup medium-dry sherry
½ cup brandy or Cognac
1½ cups good dry white wine
4 cups beef stock
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
English muffins, toasted
Gruyère cheese, sliced
===================================

• In a large stockpot on medium-high heat, sauté the onions with the butter and bay leaf for 20 minutes, until the onions turn a rich golden brown color.
• Deglaze the pan with the sherry and brandy and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes more.
• Add the beef and chicken stocks plus salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, taste for salt and pepper.
• Toast the English muffins and grate the gruyere cheese.
• Turn on the broiler.
• Ladle soup into a soup bowls. Float half an English muffin in each bowl, toasted side up, and layer liberally with Gruyère cheese. 
• Place bowls on a strong sheet pan, and place pan under the broiler leaving at least two inches of head room for the bowls. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Keep oven door ajar and watch closely.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Serve carefully and immediately with additional bread or roast beef sandwiches for dunking, and something cold to drink.

 

 

Endamame

Steamed Endamame

At a dinner party recently, while we were just settling in and enjoying a cocktail, our hostess brought out a huge bowl of steamed endamame. At first, I thought they were snow peas, but at second glance found these to be a little over-stuffed for snow peas. Our hostess informed us that these were Endamame, soy pods, that she had steamed and then drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and some poppy seeds. I tried one, thinking I'd do so just to be be polite. As instructed (by example), I scraped the pod with my teeth releasing the soy beans inside while acquiring a touch of the oily sea salt. I couldn't believe the simple pleasure and flavor released from these pods. I parked myself on a stool close to the bowl and continued eating these delectable morsels until dinner was served. Steamed soy beans , so good and so good for you .... who'd a thunk!