Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving Day Butternut Squash Soup With Apples & Bacon


Audrie and i thought it would be nice to have a pumpkin soup "starter" this Thanksgiving.  She had a delicious one in Germany, and Laurence has been eating a pumpkin-cider soup in NY that he keeps raving about.  So i was determined to give them a good pumpkin-type soup this Thanksgiving. 

I made three different soups - all with pumpkin or butternut squash and apples - but two of them were disappointing.  One was so healthy that it had no taste; the second one, made with pancetta, was disappointing, but it had potential.  So i decided to modify the recipe with pancetta, and now i think i have the perfect Thanksgiving butternut squash soup!


Ingredients --
  • 8 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dices (yields about 6 cups)
  • 1 small Granny Smith or other tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dices (yields about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 small Gala or other sweet apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dices (yields 1/2 cup)
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons of finely chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 cup of apple cider
In a large stockpot set at medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden.
Use a slotted spoon and transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the squash to the pot with the bacon fat and cook until lightly browned.  Try to resist stirring too often or it won't brown.
Stir in the apple, sage, salt and pepper and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes.  (You'll see more browning occurring on the bottom of the pot than on the veggies.)
Add the broth and apple juice, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the squash and apples are very soft.
Remove from the heat and let cool somewhat.
Add about half the bacon to the soup and, using an immersion blender, puree.
Add more salt or pepper if needed.
Reheat the soup and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining bacon.
The players!

Buon appetito, and a joyous Thanksgiving to all!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Schlag (fresh whipped cream)


Schlag, or Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar

Put cold heavy cream, vanilla and sugar in mixing bowl.
With stand mixer, use the whisk attachment and, start out slowly otherwise you have cream all over your kitchen.


It's actually very easy and takes about 2.5 seconds if you use an immersion blender with a whisk attachment.

As the cream thickens, turn the speed up. As it gets foamier, start checking for a soft peak, which is what you want. The peak should bend over at the top when you remove the whisk. As it gets close, slow down, because if it goes too far, it will clump and separate (essentially become butter).


Delicious schlag!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Pumpkin Bread, 3 ways!


Once upon a time, about 150 years ago, (apparently before we had to dial phone numbers preceded by the area code), my girlfriend Beth gave me a cookbook from her City of Hope chapter.  I decided to try the pumpkin bread recipe, primarily because it made 3 loaves (if it's good, why make 1 loaf when you can just as easily make 2, i mean 3 loaves?).  I've made this pumpkin bread just about every year since and it's always a hit!  And because it makes so much, i usually make one loaf with nuts and golden raisins (for mom), one loaf with chocolate (for everyone other than Debbie) and one plain loaf (for Jessica who doesn't eat nuts, raisins or chocolate).

The ancient book of pumpkin bread.


Ingredients --
  • 4 cups sugar (i use 1/2 dark brown and 1/2 white)
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 cups sifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 Tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 cups of chopped nuts, raisins, dates, chocolate or a combination of your choice
In a very large bowl,
Cream the sugar and butter until light with an electric mixer.
Add eggs and beat thoroughly.
Stir in pumpkin, vanilla and water and blend.
Sift dry ingredients together and fold them into the liquid ingredients, mixing just until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
Add nuts and fruit and chocolate.
Pour into 3 well-buttered loaf pans and let set for 15 minutes.
Bake in a pre-heated 350°F. oven for 1 hour.
Let cool before removing from loaf pan.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread, 3 ways!
Optional:  Add a dolop of fresh schlag!


Spiced Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney

About 5 years ago, my friend Leslie turned me onto this easy cranberry recipe.  Like i said, it's easy and interesting and, with a few of my own touches, it's become my "go to" cranberry dish for Thanksgiving dinner.  It's actually good year-round with turkey or on top of yogurt or cottage cheese.

You can use any kind of dried fruit.  In fact, this year i ventured into a completely different variety -- figs, bing cherries, and blueberries.  But get creative and use whatever you like.

Dried apricots, figs, bing cherries, blueberries and fresh cranberries


All the fruits getting to know each other in this hot bath.

Ingredients --
  • 4 cups of fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup of dried apricot halves
  • 1/2 cup of dried blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of dried bing cherries
  • 1 cup of dried figs
  • 1/4 cup of chopped crystallized ginger
  • 2/3 cup of packed golden brown sugar
  • 1 cup of frozen concentrated cranberry juice cocktail, thawed i forgot to pick this up at the market, so this year i used apple juice instead.  Great alternative!
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 4 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
Stir all ingredients except vinegar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat to high and boil until thick, stirring often - about 4 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in the vinegar.
Season with salt & pepper.
Cover and chill.

Yields 5 or 6 cups.
Can be made 2 weeks ahead of time.




Sunday, November 14, 2010

Delicious Truffled Potatoes & Onions


Who said quick and easy can't be delicious?

I've been slaving over a pumpkin cider soup, and decided to take a break to do something quick and easy with my Japanese Yam, fingerling potatoes and red onion. 

Karen and Enrico gave me a special bottle of black truffle infused olive oil for my birthday.  I decided it was time to mix all of these delicious ingredients together.  What a combination!  Because i sliced the onion on the thin side, i thought i might be better off adding it after the potatoes cooked for a bit, but then decided "easy" had to mean easy as 1-2-3. 
   1 - Quickly prepare the ingredients;
   2 - Pop them in the oven; and
   3 - Buon appetito!

Can you see the truffle in the olive oil bottle!
Ingredients --
  • Fingerling potatoes
  • Japanese Yams
  • 1 Red onion
  • Truffle-infused extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper
  • Herbes de provence
Chop the potatoes into small pieces.
Slice the onion into thin slices and separate from each other.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the potatoes and onion.
Sprinkle with fresh black pepper and herbes de provence.
Bake at 350°F. for about 30 minutes or until the onions are crispy and the potatoes are starting to crisp on the outside.

Onions are crispy, and potatoes are crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy in the inside.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Mom's Chille Relleno Casserole

On the heels of my last two posts, which were both very healthy, i'm posting this chille relleno casserole which, for the most part, i wouldn't suggest making unless you don't mind the calories or know others will devour it, because it's just too fattening for me. 

Most people that know me know i can't stand any type of peppers, other than an occasional peppadew or bell pepper, any variety other than green.  But when i was at my parents', my mom had made this chile relleno casserole that I never would get near, but this time decided to try.  Yummm... it was tasty and very easy to make.   This would make a great breakfast, snack, or even hors d'oeuvres. 

Layering the chillies and the cheese

Making the egg mixture to pour over the chillies and cheese.

Ingredients --
  •  4, 4oz cans of whole green chillies, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese*
  • 1 cup of shredded jack cheese*
  • 4 beaten eggs or 1 cup of egg product
  • 1, 12 oz can of evaporated skim milk
  • 2 Tablespoons of flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
*Sidenote -- i used a pre-packagaed grated mexican cheese mix.
 
Grease a 2 quart baking dish.
drain the peppers, remove the seeds and pat dry with paper towels.
Layer half of the peppers lengthwise in the casserole.
Sprinkle with half of the two cheeses.
Repeat a layer of peppers and then the second half of the cheeses.
Combine eggs, milk, flour and seasonings in a bowl.
Stir well and pour over the peppers and cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350°F. for 30-35 minutes.

This is also delicious with a dollop of sour cream or salsa, or maybe both!

Enjoy!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Indian Carrot Salad

A girlfriend brought me a bunch of beautiful Indian carrots at the farmers' market.  I had never seen such beautiful carrots.  They remind me of all the beautiful colors you see in both red and golden beets.

Indian carrots
I wasn't quite sure what to do with them, and most recipes i found were geared towards Indian cuisine.  I do love Indian food, but i've never made it and i wasn't about to try cooking Indian dishes on a school night.  With that said, i decided the easiest thing to do would be to turn them into a beautiful salad.  And beautiful & delicious it was!
Indians and Persians make a great duo.
Juicy pomegrantes

Ingredients --
  • 1 bunch Indian carrots (actually, any kind of carrot will work just fine)
  • 2 persian cucumbers
  • 3 Tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
  • 3 slivered scallions
  • 3 Tablespoons of dried cranberries or Craisins
Grate the carrots and cucumber.
Add finely sliced scallions, pomegranate seeds and dried cranberries.
I had planned to use just a splash of olive oil, but decided it needed more of a pop, so i threw together the following vinaigrette, but i have no idea what the measurements were --


Saturday, November 6, 2010

Autumn Beet and Kale Salad


I enjoy beets, and really appreciate the beautiful colors in "golden" beets.  Yellows, oranges and reds.  At the farmers market i picked up a bunch of baby golden beets and a bunch of baby purple beets.  The man said i can get a third one for $1, or pick any bunch of greens.  Since i only knew i wanted to make a salad, i opted for fresh kale.  And while i was there, i picked up mint and persian cucumbers.  How could i go wrong? 
Baby golden and purple beets
Fresh kale and mint



















Then i suddenly realized that i can add golden raisins and dried cranberries to pick up the colors from the beets while adding a sweet touch.  Fun!  My only dilemma was what kind of dressing?  And then i remembered i still had some of the vinaigrette from Sunday Suppers at Lucques (recipe, below).  The dressing was delicious then, and equally good on the beet salad. 
Beets waiting for their jacuzzi to warm up
 

Cooked and peeled beets
Salad Ingredients -
  • 1 bunch of baby golden beets
  • 1 bunch of baby purple beets
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
  • 2 persian cucumbers, chopped
  • 1/4 cup of golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
Wash and scrub the beets well and cook in a pot with covered water until al dente.
I like to put on rubber gloves and then firmly rub the beets so that the peel falls off.
Cut the beets into bite-size cubes and refrigerate.

In a bowl, add chopped kale and fresh mint.
Add persian cucumbers, beets and then add golden raisins and cranberries.
Crumbled goat cheese and toasted nuts are a delicious option to this salad.

I then lightly tossed with Suzanne Goin's (Sunday Suppers at Lucques) vinaigerette (recipe below)...

~

The beginning of a delicious vinaigrette
Vinaigrette Ingredients -
  • 1 T oregano leaves
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1 1/2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 t kosher salt
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the oregano, garlic and 1/4+ t of salt until it is a paste.
Transfer the paste into a bowl and stir in both vinegars.
Whisk in remaining 6 T of olive oil.

Buon appetito!