A great veggie soup for the season!

  

              I love this time of year, when winter weather makes us sort of cocoon in our houses and long for warming soups and stews.  Well, usually, although this year we've had precious little real winter weather!

 I’d picked up a butternut squash and was browsing online for some sort of soup that wasn’t just a squash purée.  I didn’t find a soup recipe I liked, but I did find several complimentary references to a private label canned soup from a market chain: “Butternut Squash Possole (sic) with Collard Greens.”  But  I have a friend from the southwest who had served posole once a while back.  I remembered liking it…so why not give it a try?

                The collard greens part wasn’t to my taste so I just left it out.  My very first attempt was, untypically, the version I’m giving you here.  Usually I have to work through a couple of tries in a recipe to make it to my liking. 

                You’ll only use half of a smallish (3-4 pound) squash but the other half can be diced, tossed with a bit of olive oil and an Italian herb blend and roasted in a hot oven until just starting to brown around the edges. That will make a good side dish for a chicken or pork main dish later in the week. 

                The posole I’d been served was very thick, like a stew, but if you’d like a “soupier” dish, just add the larger amount of stock.

                I served this with a wedge of lime and a sprinkling of cilantro.  I know there are those who hate cilantro (my husband, for instance), so just leave it off for them. 

However you tweak it to suit your tastes, I think this recipe will be a keeper for you, as it is for me.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH POSOLE

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. chili powder blend (see note)

2 cans diced tomato, with juices

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½” dice

1 15-oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Lime wedges and chopped cilantro, for garnish

                In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir a few times, then add the onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned.  Add the oregano, cumin and chili powder, stir well and let simmer a couple of minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and salt.  Raise heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer gently for about ten minutes.

                Stir in the squash, return to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is almost tender, about 15 minutes.  Add the hominy and black beans and continue to simmer until the squash is tender, about  another 10 minutes. 

                Taste and add salt if needed.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.  Serves 6 to 8.

NOTE:  Mexene is quite an acceptable supermarket shelf chili powder blend, but I am particularly fond of Penzey’s Chili 9000 blend.  It’s a bit spicier than Mexene, but if you like a milder blend, Penzey’s Chili 3000 is also quite tasty.

Yum! Mark Bittman's Date and Bean Salad

                 I really heart Mark Bittman.  For those who aren’t familiar with him, he’s a food columnist for the New York Times, and in several previous columns I’ve referred to some of his work.  One of my favorites came from a 2009 column “101 Simple Salads for the Season.”  Here were his instructions: “Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half; toss with soy sauce, a bit of dark sesame oil and basil or cilantro.”  I’ve made that so many times it is almost embarrassing.

                I recently picked up one of his books, “Kitchen Express” and the format was similar: no real recipes, just sort of chatty little paragraphs suggesting how to make something tasty, divided by seasons.

                I saw this dish, listed under winter recipes and thought how very “interesting” it sounded. (In my parlance that’s like saying “he has a nice personality.”)  

                Well, it was not only interesting, it was really delicious.  I did add the optional fillip of the crisped coppa (Italian cured pork loin) on top, and the tiniest splash of balsamic dressing on the greens.  Coppa or another option, prosciutto, can be found in most supermarkets, packaged, very thinly sliced.

                I served it as a side salad for dinner, but it is pretty hearty.  It would make a great luncheon main dish, or as a brunch side to an egg casserole of some sort.  Doubled, it would serve six to eight as a main dish.

                If you’re not a bacon eater, you could leave it out, but you might compensate for the loss of the smoky taste by a goodly pinch of Spanish smoked paprika. 

                You could easily make the salad a bit ahead and warm again slightly just before serving.  We had a bit left, and I had it for lunch the next day, and I still would have happily served it to guests.  There’s always room in my repertoire for a dish like that!

MARK BITTMAN’S DATE, BACON AND BEAN SALAD

4 slices good quality smoked bacon

2 15-oz cans cannellini or northern beans, drained

½ cup dates, pitted and chopped (or use packaged diced)

6 very thin slices coppa or prosciutto (optional)

1 container arugula

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp good olive oil

                Cut the bacon into 1” pieces.  In a good sized skillet, cook until just barely crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain, and pour off about half the fat. To the pan add the beans and dates.  Warm on low for a few minutes, stirring around a bit.  When ready to serve, put the bacon back into the pan and heat it all together for another minute or two.

                Meanwhile, if you’re using the coppa or prosciutto, heat another skillet over medium high heat.  Put the meat in one layer and cook, turning once, until just crisp. Put on a paper towel to drain.

                In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Add the arugula and toss. The dressing will very lightly cover the greens.  Divide the greens among six plates and top with the bean salad.  Perch the crispy coppa or prosciutto on top and serve.  Serves six as a generous side or first course salad.

Where the rich folks eat...

On the Comcast news page, there was a link to the top ten per capita income zip codes in the US, and where the residents eat.  It was interesting that all except one were in either the New York area (including New Jersey) or California.  The exception was Auburn, AL. Who would have thought?

Also interesting that most are bedroom communities and have few, if any, fine dining establishments. 

Take a look and let me know what you think of all this.

It's National Sandwich Week!

And the Huffingon Post has nominated the nine worst sandwiches. 

Are there any you'd want to try?

Really tasty, but really economical, chicken!

                Everyone's talking about the high price of almost everything lately.  And lots of companies are cutting back on hours, or cutting jobs entirely.  The news is full of examples of folks cutting back on expenses because of it all.

                That certainly doesn't mean you have to cut out everything you like to do.  Such as having friends for dinner.  Which is something I really like to do!  It may not be the filet mignon you might have had a year or two ago, but there's no reason to deny yourself the pleasure of your friends' company.

                I belong to a couple of cooking groups, and we generally share the responsibilities of the meal.  A while back, I had a group of friends over and everyone brought a course to share.  I made the main course and everyone loved it.  Guests contributed a couple of appetizers, a salad, a vegetable and dessert. 

                The dish I made for my dinner was one I had made a couple of times before, always with great success.  I am a big fan of dark meat chicken.   You can simmer it longer in seasoned broths or sauces, so that it soaks up all the yummy factor flavors.  Chicken breast meat would be way overcooked in the same amount of time.

                And in the interest of economy, you can't get much more penny-wise; chicken leg quarters are about one-third the price of hamburger meat.  This main course, even if you have to buy the herbs instead of growing them yourself, should be under $2.00 per person.  The first time I made it, I had read about a similar dish described in a review of an out-of-town Spanish restaurant.  I used Spanish chorizo and Spanish manchego cheese.  Last week, I used pepperoni and Parrano cheese.  The result was equally delicious, and undeniably a fraction of the cost. A nutty Gruyère would suit equally well. 

                And most of the prep can be done ahead. I cut up the potatoes and left them in cool water  I stuffed the chicken legs and tucked them in the fridge.  Then all I had to do was assemble the dish, and stick it in the oven an hour before we ate.  No basting, no watching.  How could it be any better?

PEPPERONI CHICKEN

8 chicken leg quarters

4 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced

6 ounces Parrano, gruyère or Jarlsberg cheese, not too thinly sliced

3 lbs. red-skin potatoes, washed and cut into large cubes

1 large onion, cut in half from stem to root ends, and sliced

1 package fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 cups dry white wine (or chicken stock)

1/4 cup (or as needed) extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

                Preheat the oven to 350^o.  Rinse and dry the chicken pieces.  Run your fingers under the skin to separate it from the flesh.  Under the skin slide three pepperoni slices.  Under the pepperoni cover the flesh with slices of cheese.  (It's easier to put the pepperoni in first.  Trust me on this.)

                In a baking pan large enough to hold the chicken in one layer, spread out the potatoes  Add the onions, about 1/3 of the thyme and the bay leaves, and toss to combine well.  Place the chicken on top.  Tuck another third of the thyme around and under the chicken.  Pour the wine or stock evenly over the chicken.    Brush the chicken generously with the olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and plenty of fresh-ground black pepper.

                Cook for about an hour, or until the chicken is done through and a rich dark golden brown  Serve at once, garnished with the remaining thyme.   Serves 8.

The way we look at fast food...

Here are two different views of how to look at the perceived problem of too much bad fast food for too much of the population.   Take a look at both of the articles and let me know what you think!

First, here's a view from Mark Bittman, who is one of my idols, saying that it would be just as easy and less expensive to make a nourishing dinner for four than to take them to McDonalds.

And then, on the other hand, here's a view from the blogger Adam Roberts, of the Amateur Gourmet, saying why don't we just let folks alone...they know what they're eating isn't good for them but they aren't about to stop.

Which side of the fence are you on?

A bar in Key West...

We've returned from our Great Southern Road Trip vacation. And I know I owe you lots of updates on amusing places we saw, and reviews of places we ate. Remember, patience is a virtue.

This was a bar we saw in Key West. The bar area on top, where you see the trees and garden area, is "clothing optional."

We didn't go there. But we did take a trolley tour of the town and the guide suggested that if you plan to go up there, you have a few drinks in the second floor bar first, and sort of watch to see who's going up before you pay the cover charge!

Easy Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp!

Once a month Williams-Sonoma has a Saturday cooking demonstration, free of charge. I go as often as I can, because the recipes are always really tasty.

A few weeks ago I went and the recipe was from Sous Chef Justine Kelly, of the restaurant Slanted Door in San Francisco. She called it "Caramelized Shrimp with Lemongrass, Thai Chiles and Ginger."

I had friends coming for dinner that evening and I really wanted to make it, but it called for several ingredients usually only available in Oriental markets: fresh lemongrass, palm sugar and Thai chiles. There is no oriental market near us, so I figured I’d adapt it to supermarket shelves. It came out so well that I thought you’d want to try it too.

For the palm sugar, I substituted dark brown sugar, and frankly I’m not sure the end result wasn’t better for it. I made the caramel syrup with the fish sauce, as indicated, but the recipe called for making a lot more than needed with the note that it keeps well for other uses. I just made enough for the one recipe.  But I'm going to try this same recipe soon with chicken breasts, cut into chunks and cooked exactly the same way, so leftover syrup wouldn't have been a bad thing.

Lemongrass paste is widely available in tubes, in the produce section of your market, usually near the fresh herbs. It works extremely well in recipes such as this, and keeps well in the fridge.  It has the added advantage of not having to deal with the tough parts of the lemongrass that won't get tender no matter how long you cook the dish.

And since there were no Thai chiles, I used a Serrano chile instead. Our friends are much more heat tolerant than I am, so I sliced up another for them to add to the finished dish as taste dictated. A jalapeño pepper would also work.

And finally, although the recipe didn’t call for it, I topped it with chopped cilantro, which all agreed was a felicitous addition.

I served it with steamed white rice, roasted asparagus and Mark Bittman’s salad of heirloom tomatoes, soy sauce and a drizzle of oriental sesame oil, atop a bed of arugula. 

This makes a good dinner for a busy day, because you could probably get the rest of the meal done in about the time it takes the rice to cook. Alternately, you could (as I did) prepare the recipe up to the point where you add the hot caramel sauce. It takes only about 5 minutes then, to finish up.

Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp

1 ½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup oriental fish sauce

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 cup shallot, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 or 2 hot green chiles, cut lengthwise in half, seeds removed

3 tbsp. lemongrass paste (or ¼ cup fresh, minced)

2 plump cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 2-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchstick pieces

¼ cup chicken or seafood stock

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Rinse the shrimp, pat dry and sprinkle with the pepper. 

Make the caramel sauce: in a heavy saucepan, simmer the brown sugar with the fish sauce just until the sugar is melted. Keep warm.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and chiles and stir a few times. Add the lemongrass paste, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring for another couple of minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and hot caramel sauce. 

Add the shrimp, turn the heat up a little and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just done, five to seven minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 6.

A tasty fish with an interesting background.

As you may or may not know, we are nearing the end of The Great Southern Road Trip. I haven’t been a very good girl about documenting things you might have found interesting because this has been a very laid back trip I mean, hey, we’re in the South, right?

 Now we’re in the Floriday Keys. Tom thinks he wants to retire tomorrow and move here, but I’m pretty sure that some of the beer he drank in the water-front bar whilst watching a lot of football today may have fogged his mind a bit.

Anyway, we took a tour out to Pigeon Key yesterday. It is on the former railroad line paid for by a Mr Flagler. There’s some interesting history there, connected with the Bingham family, newspaper high mucky-mucks in Louisville, my home town, but that will be for another day.

It was a work camp for a while and housed several hundred men tricked into coming down to lower Florida to work on the railroad bridge. There’s a lot of very interesting history and you can find some of it here.

While we were there, we were shown an aquarium with a few small but really beautiful fish. They were immature lionfish. We were told that they were introduced in the the local waters, probably by folks who’d brought them from their native Indo-Pacific home as aquarium fish.

They are voracious eaters and have no predators, so they’ve spread, much to the detriment of native fish. And while they are indeed beautiful, they have spines that carry a toxin that can be very painful if touched.

Now you probably are wondering why I’m telling you all this, especially when I’ve been remarkably lazy about telling you about earlier culinary wonders of the trip but the reason is that I had lionfish for dinner tonight, at Lazy Day Restaurant in Islamorda, The Keys, Florida.  What better way to get rid of an invasive critter but to eat it, right?

It was a very mild flavored fish, which made it perfect for the almond crust and key lime butter sauce with diced tomato and sliced scallions.  Really yummy!

In the interest of fair reporting, Tom had the whole Florida lobster Mediterranean, with capers, diced tomato and lots of other goodies, as you can see  for yourself. 

 

I promise to make time to fill you in on some of the other culinary delights of our trip.  Tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Or sometime next week.  It’s amazing what being down in the Keys does to one’s sense of urgency.

A Summer Salad for your Labor Day Cookout!

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m in a wine dinner group that meets monthly. The host picks the theme and makes the main course and each guest couple signs up for a different course along the same theme.
Everyone in the group loves to cook and does it well so we have some stellar dinners. Recently it was our turn to host, and I picked Spain as our wine region.

Once again, every single course was exceptional. This is the last of the ones I wanted to share with you. Jeanene Lawhead Feinstone brought a most delicious salad called "pipirrana."

Pipirrana is a vegetable salad that is found pretty much everywhere in Spain, with regional variations. Some add diced cooked potatoes, others diced avocado or lightly steamed carrot. Although Jeanene used green bell pepper, you can use red, or a mixture of red and green. In the Basque region, the peppers are often sautéed in olive oil with the onion and cooled before adding the remaining ingredients. I’ve had it with sherry wine vinegar in the dressing, and once I’m pretty sure there was a touch of honey in the vinaigrette.

Jeanene suggests that you add the dressing a little at a time. You want it to coat all the vegetables, but not to have a big pool of it in the bottom of the bowl.

However you do it, since there is no mayonnaise, it would make a perfect picnic food or side dish for your Labor Day cook-out. And for another variation, I stuffed the last bit of Jeanene’s salad into a pita half with sliced tomato and hummus and it made a great lunch. I might do that for the next Botanic Garden concert!

Jeanene’s Pipirrana
(Diced Vegetable Salad)

1 ½ green bell peppers
6 Roma tomatoes squeezed
1 small sweet onion
1 cucumber seeded
3 hard boiled eggs
2 tsp. tarragon finely chopped
1 to 1 ½ cans of tuna in oil (slightly drained)
½ cup olive oil (very good grade)
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Dice all the ingredients finely into ½ in. cubes and toss with blended olive oil and vinegar. Salt to taste.
Chill for at least one hour before serving. Spoon on bed of chopped green leaf lettuce. Serves 8 generously.