Hide the cheese

Shiitake Mushroom Soup with Parsley Pesto

Our children have staged a soup mutiny.

Gabe and I have been coasting along, doing our usual winter thing of working through the rotation of our favorite soups. We recently have made caldo verde, minestrone, creamy tomato soup, and of course, that timeless classic, potato-leek soup. And more.

But when I said this weekend that I planned to make a butternut squash soup this week, there was a revolt. A revolt of the tween variety, with eye rolling, deep sighs, and dramatic pleas."Please, please, PLEASE, not another soup!" Accompanied by head flopping onto the table forehead first.

Apparently they are tired of soup.

In that case, we may as well make something that they won't eat anyway. Mushrooms were the obvious choice.

I came across a recipe for a creamy mushroom soup in the New York Times and it fit the bill for a parents-only soup. I tweaked it a bit, of course, skipping the step of making separate stock and adding a parsley pesto on top. The soup ended up being just what I wanted for the latest wine club recipe card for Black Ankle's just-released 2010 Leaf Stone Syrah, a big bold wine that complemented the meatiness of the mushrooms.

They can have their plain pasta and baby carrots. We're slurping soup and sipping wine.

2009: Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup
2010: Creamy Lettuce Soup
2011: Lemongrass Noodle Soup with Chile-Garlic Paste
2012: Lemony White Bean Soup

Shiitake Mushroom Soup with Parsley Pesto

To accompany Black Ankle's 2010 Leaf Stone Syrah

This mushroom soup is hearty and richly flavored, although it uses milk rather than cream. The parsley pesto is optional, but it adds a pop of freshness to the earthy mushrooms. For a more elegant soup, you can strain the soup through a sieve or run it through a food mill. You will lose some volume, but served in a dainty tea cup it would make the perfect first course for a dinner party. If you have extra parsley pesto, it would is excellent tossed onto a salad or boiled potatoes, tucked into an omelette, or spread on a sandwich.

Adapted liberally from Jeremy Bearman's recipe in The New York Times
Serves 6 as a first course
20 minutes preparation time
40 minutes cooking time

For the soup:
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds shiitake and crimini mushrooms, brushed and sliced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, white and light green parts, cleaned and chopped
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
salt and pepper
10 cups vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk

For the parsley pesto:
2 cups fresh parsley leaves and stems, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup olive oil
pinch of salt

To make the soup, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and let them sit for a minute or two before stirring them. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned and significantly reduced in size, about 15 minutes. If the pan starts to get too brown as the mushrooms are cooking, add a splash of water and scrape it with a wooden spoon to loosen the caramelized coating.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the celery, onion, leeks, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cook until the celery, onion, and leeks have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer until all the vegetables are meltingly soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, make the parsley pesto. Add the parsley, olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a blender and blend until the parsley has all been incorporated into the oil.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender until all of the vegetables are uniformly tiny. (If you would like a more refined soup, strain the soup by placing a mesh sieve over a heat-proof bowl. working in batches, ladle the soup into the sieve and use a spoon to stir and mash the mushroom mixture to release the liquid. Remove the solids and save them to make stock if you like. Repeat until all of the soup has been strained).

Add the milk to the soup and stir. Just before serving, heat the soup over low heat. Try not to boil the soup or the milk will scald. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with several small dollops of the parsley pesto.

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Roasted Cauliflower and Turnip Soup with Crispy Turnip Leaves

Driving home from the inauguration yesterday, our three kids were in the back of the car, waving their flags, giggling, cracking jokes. Limbs were sprawled over each other and heads lolled onto shoulders. It was rowdy and raucous. Listening to them, I was heartened by their togetherness and their ability to make each other laugh.

But I was also nervous that someone would go too far and cross that line that had been crossed before and before and before. Those squeals of delight would turn into accusations and the mood would be broken.

We made it home, though, and after Gabe and I went into the house, the children stayed shoe-horned into the back of the car, talking together about who-knows-what.

It was a metaphor for the day, that togetherness.

Unity. United States. United We Stand.

When we are at our best in our non-political lives, we rely on that unity in good and bad times. Communities pull together when tragedy falls. Neighbors dig each other out of snowstorms. Families gather together around the table. In happy times, unity is cause for celebration; in difficult ones, it sustains us.

And for a day -- even in Washington -- unity was the theme. I was swept up in it and optimistic that if we pull together in our communities and as a country, we can overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges that we face today.

At least for now, I'm feeling the promise that unity can bring. We are in this together.

Richard Blanco's "One Today" said it so eloquently, ending on a high note.

We head home: through the gloss of rain or weight
of snow, or the plum blush of dusk, but always -- home,
always under one sky, our sky. And always one moon
like a silent drum tapping on every rooftop
and every window, of one country -- all of us --
facing the stars
hope -- a new constellation
waiting for us to map it,
waiting for us to name it -- together

2009: Black Bean and Monterey Jack Casserole
2010: Orange-Soy Tofu
2011: Warm Garlicky Lentil and Potato Salad
2012: Simple Creamy Tomato Soup

Roasted Cauliflower and Turnip Soup with Crispy Turnip Leaves

20 minutes preparation time
approximately 60 minutes cooking time

This soup is made with the vegetables of the season, roasted first to give the soup that rich, earthy flavor. We liked this combination, but feel free to substitute the vegetables that you find at the market on your next visit, carrots, greens, sweet potatoes would all make interesting additions.

There is no need to peel the potatoes or turnips. Just scrub them well and trim off the turnip stem and roots.

1 small cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
6 medium turnips with their greens
4 large potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper
1 head of garlic
1 quart vegetable stock
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the turnip greens off of the turnips. Set aside. Scrub the turnip bulbs and cut them into cubes. Put them in one side of a baking dish. Put the cubed potatoes on the other side. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and mix.

Cut the top off the head of garlic so that the tops of the individual cloves inside are exposed. Wrap the head tightly in foil and put it in the pan with the vegetables.

In another pan, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the vegetables, stirring them a few times, until they are browned and tender. The cauliflower will be done first, after 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the florets. The potatoes and turnips will take a bit longer. The garlic will likely be last and will be done when the individual cloves are lightly brown and soft enough to spread.

When the vegetables have finished roasting, remove them from the oven and add them to a soup pot. If necessary, add a few splashes of water to the pan to loosen any caramelized bits. Add that water to the soup pot. Slip the garlic cloves out of their skins and add them to the pot, too. Add the vegetable stock and enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and until the vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Taste and add salt and pepper. Purée with an immersion blender.

While the soup is cooking, arrange the turnip greens on a baking sheet and toss them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toast them until they are crisp and dark, but not black. Watch them carefully; they should take 7-10 minutes.

Serve the soup in individual bowls and add a turnip leaf or two to the bowl for garnish.

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Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Tart

Those of you have been reading this blog for a while know that my sister, Sarah, and her husband, Ed, own Black Ankle Vineyards, the best vineyard in Maryland. And I'm not just saying that because Sarah's my sister. Their goal was to show that excellent wine can be made in Maryland and, against the odds, they have done exactly that.

It has been amazing to watch over the past 10 years as they built their business from an idea to a successful, thriving enterprise. It has been a phenomenal amount of work, with long days and nights and zillions of decisions -- big and little -- along the way.

I like to joke that it is best to be the sister of someone who owns a vineyard. I get to enjoy the results without the stress and exhaustion that yielded those results.

When Melissa, Black Ankle's fantastic manager, asked me if I would be willing to put together a recipe to send out with the quarterly wine club shipment, I loved the idea. For the first shimpment, we wanted a dish that would complement the 2011 Bedlam. After tasting the wine on its own (tough work!) around the dinner table one night, we hit on the idea of a dish that would include a blue cheese as well as a hearty vegetable such as broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans.

The cauliflower won out and after a couple of tries, I settled on the creamy mildness of Gorgonzola to go along with it. The tart is substantial enough to be served as a main course with a big green salad and a slab of good bread. It would make an excellent main course for any vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table. Cut into smaller slices, it also could be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

Either way, serve it with a chilled bottle of the Bedlam 2011 and a toast to someone you love. Cheers!

2009: Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
2010: Pumpkin Soup with a(n optional) Kick
2011: Garlicky Cuban Yuca

Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Tart

Serves 8 as a main course
Approximately 1 hour preparation time, plus time for the dough to chill
Approximately 1 hour cooking time

This tart is substantial enough to be served as a main course with a big green salad and a slab of good bread. It would make an excellent main course for any vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table. Cut into smaller slices, it also could be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

For the dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
1/2 cup white wine*
1 egg, lightly scrambled

For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
a splash or two of white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
4 tablespoons chives, snipped with scissors or chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled

Make the crust: Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers until the butter bits range in size from grains of sand to small pebbles. Add the white wine and egg and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until the egg and wine are fully incorporated into the flour. The dough will be sticky.

Form the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly into a disk Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (or as long as a couple of days).

Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and has softened, 6-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape the onion into a large bowl. Set aside. Wipe the pan out with a paper towel.

Return the pan to the stovetop, turn the heat to medium-high, add the canola oil, and swirl it around the pan so that it coats the sides. After about 30 seconds, add the cauliflower and arrange it with a wooden spoon so that it covers the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. Stir, and continue to cook the cauliflower, stirring it only every few minutes so that it browns.

Cook until the cauliflower begins to soften, but is still quite firm, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add a splash or two of white wine. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour into the bowl with the onions. Let cool for a few minutes.

Add all of the remaining ingredients to the cauliflower except the egg and Gorgonzola. Stir well to incorporate. Add most of the egg, but reserve a few tablespoons to use later to brush the dough. Mix the egg in quickly so that it fully incorporates but doesn't scramble.

Assemble the tart: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Generously flour the counter and the top of the dough and roll the dough into a large circle, at least 15 inches across, adding more flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. It's okay if it hangs over the sides at this point because it will be folded onto the sheet after the filling is added.

Spoon the cauliflower mixture onto the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border around the edge. Spread the filling out evenly. Sprinkle the Gorgonzola over the filling. Starting on one side, fold the dough from the edge of the circle up over the filling. Continue around the entire circle, pleating the dough as you go and leaving a wide opening in the center.

Brush the top of the dough with the remaining egg. If you have any left over, drizzle it over the top of the cauliflower in the middle of the tart. Bake until the tart's crust is golden brown, 50 minutes to an hour.

Remove the tart from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

* If you have a decent bottle open from last night, use it. Otherwise, open the Bedlam, use what you need for the recipe, and pour yourself a glass to sip while you cook. But save some for dinner!

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Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto

Ice cubes at the North Pole.

Wolly mittens on a summer day.

Dental floss for a baby.

Eggplant can be a tough sell, too, especially for kids. Especially for Chloe.

We've been trying to convince Chloe for years that she likes eggplant. We had a bit of success masking it and even more success frying it. Granted, shoe leather would also be tasty fried, but I was hoping that after eating eggplant fried, she'd have enough of a positive association that she would be willing to try other eggplant dishes.

But apparently her memory of her eggplant tolerance is short.

She ate Bhagan Bharta a few weeks ago and liked it. But when we sat down to this risotto dish last night, one of our favorites, she announced "I don't like eggplant."

After we told her how good it was, oohing and aahing about the creamy smoked mozzarella, she eventually agreed to let us put a bit on her plate so long as it was just the rice without any of the eggplant. She nibbled at that and was willing to have a bit more.

The second round, her serving had eggplant in it but she pushed it to the side of her plate. At least she let it sit on her plate. Is that progress?

So she ate just a bit of rice and devoured the Swiss chard instead.

Ironic isn't it, that she will eat Swiss chard?

At least she did until one of her pieces of Swiss chard touched the eggplant piled on the edge of her plate. She refused to eat that bit of chard, quickly sneaking it onto my plate.

And so it goes, one small step at a time, in the eggplant battles.

As for the rest of us, there is not a scrap of this risotto left in the refrigerator today. Some of us had more than one serving, and what was left after dinner was carried off in lunch boxes today.

2009: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils
2010: Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush
2011: Soft Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Herbs, and Sour Cream

Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto

 

I have given up on the salting eggplant thing. If there is a difference in the taste, it is so minor that I don't think it's worth it. Also, after we had this the other night, Oscar commented that he thought the eggplant should be cut smaller "so that it melts into the risotto." I had left the pieced big so that Chloe could pick them out more easily, but I agree that the ideal size would have been a smaller dice for the eggplant, about 1/2-inch pieces.

Serves 6-8 as a main course
15 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

7 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, diced

Heat the stock in a sauce pan over medium heat.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook it until it is a deep golden color. Remove it from the pan and discard (or if you love garlic like we do, spread it on a piece of bread for a little snack while you're cooking).

Turn the heat up to medium high and add the eggplant and a few shakes of salt. Cook for a few minutes until the eggplant begins to soften. Add the tomato and oregano and stir.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the rice and the white wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed into the rice. Add a couple of ladels of stock and stir a few times, until the rice is absorbed into the rice.

Each time the stock is absorbed into the rice add more, and stir periodically. You don't need to stir continuously, just enough to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When most of the stock is gone, taste the rice for doneness. Is should be tender without any crunch but not mushy.

When the rice is done, stir in the smoked mozzarella and stir to incorporate it fully. Serve immediately.

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Peach Cobbler

Cooking with Mother Goose: A series of occasional posts inspired by children's stories and rhymes.

Cobbler, Cobbler

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe;
Have it done by half past two;
Is it black or is it brown;
Is it up or is it down?

This rhyme has saved us countless times as we tried to entertain our children during one of those seemingly interminable waits. Like at a restaurant when three seconds after ordering someone asks indignantly, "where is our food!?!" Or while in waiting in line at the post office/grocery store/DMV, trying to keep everyone in line and reasonably quiet. Or fifteen minutes into a long car ride when after the inevitable, "are we there yet?"

We play it as a guessing game. To play, put a penny or pebble in one hand and curl both hands into a fist. As you recite the rhyme, tap one fist on top of the other, alternating which hand goes on top. At the end, others guess which hand contains the object.

As I was perusing the internet to see if there are any other versions of this rhyme, I again realized that perhaps my version is not the original. It is quite different from the others I found which are variations of these:

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe;
Have it done by half past two;
Half past two is much too late!
Have it done by half past eight.

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe;
Have it done by half past two;
Stitch it up or stitch it down;
And I'll give you half a crown;

Or:

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe;
Have it done by half past two.
Stitch it up or stitch it down;
Then I'll walk around the town.

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my boot;
Mend it well to fit my foot;
Stitch it Up or stitch it down;
Then I'll walk around the town.

Maybe our version was adapted by our children's nursery school, Acorn Hill. Whatever the provenance, we still use it from time to time, and the last few times I made cobbler, it raced through my head. The best kind of cobbler, cobbler.

2009: Homemade Ricotta
2010: Peach Macarons
2011: Herbed Ricotta-Feta Spread

Peach Cobbler

This recipe, like peach pie, lets perfectly ripe peaches shine. We are comng to the end of peach season in these parts, and this is an excellent way to use up any you have left. It is also delicious with blackberries instead or a mix of the two.

Serves 8
40 minutes preparation time
30-35 minutes baking time

8-10 medium peaches (about 6 cups cut and peeled)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1/3 cup boiling water
vanilla ice cream for serving (optional, but really, really good)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the peaches and boil them for about 1 minute. Drain and let cool. When the peaches are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Cut the peaches into bite-sized pieces into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir to coat the peaches. Add the cornstarch and sugar and mix until the cornstarch and sugar are fully incorporated.

To make the dough, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter pieces and mix the butter into the flour with your fingers, working until the bits of butter range in size from grains of sand to small pebbles. Add the boiling water and stir with a fork until the batter is uniformly moist.

Pour the peaches into a pie plate. With a large spoon, scoop the dough over the peaches, making sure to leave lots of gaps (even more than I show in the picture) between the lumps of dough so that the steam can escape.

Slide the pie plate onto the baking sheet and bake until the peaches are bubbling and the top of the cobbler is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve, ideally with vanilla ice cream.

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Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I have been doing a lot of whining for the past week or so.

Why does school have to start before Labor Day?

Couldn't we just have one more week of summer?

And why do they have to start school on a Monday? A five-day week that first week back is exhausting.

If we had a three-day week this week, we could build up more gently until everyone is back in the groove of going to bed early, getting up early, making lunches, doing homework...

I'm this way every August as I bemoan the eagerness with which I waited for the more carefree days of summer only to have them fly by at warp speed.

I have talked to friends who have a much better attitude. They're looking forward to the rhythm and routine of fall again, getting onto a more regular schedule with the kids. It sounds good. And yet I'm having a hard time getting it into my head that lunches need to be made every night, homework needs to be done, backpacks need to be packed every day.

The children feel it, too. By the end of the week, we were tired out, exhausted with all that staying on schedule, not to mention all that behaving during the school day.

Fortunately, we still have our Friday night movie and pizza nights. We still cling to these nights, and this past week it was especially welcome, a chance to chill out on the couch after a mentally and physically exhausting week. It was a chance to come together, relax, and remember that, even with all of the changes that the week brought, some things do not change.

Hmmm, maybe there's something to that routine and rhythm thing after all.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

If you're looking for a super dense, earthy whole wheat dough, this isn't it. The bread flour and whole wheat pastry flour make this dough light and barely identifiable as whole wheat dough, but a bit more healthy and filling nonetheless. It's a bit chewier than our standard semolina pizza dough, more of a classic American crust. It works as well for pizzas cooked on the grill as those baked in the oven.

Makes enough for 3 medium pizzas
20 minutes preparation time, plus about 2 hours for the dough to rise
approximately 10 minutes per pizza baking time

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups unbleached bread flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons salt

Measure the yeast into a bowl and add the warm water. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then stir the yeast to make sure that it has all dissolved into the water. Add the olive oil and stir.

Measure the flour into the bowl and sprinkle the salt over the top. With a wooden spoon, mix the flour until it is very stiff. Abandon the spoon and use your hands to work the flour and water into a cohesive dough. Turn the dough onto the counter and knead it for a few minutes until it is smooth and consistent in texture. If you weren't able to get all the flour into the dough before, you can work it in as you knead.

Form the dough into a ball and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it is about double in size, approximately 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees or as hot as it will go (but not broil). If you are using a pizza stone, slide it into the oven and let it heat for about 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into thirds and roll each third out. Add the toppings of your choice and bake for 8-10 minutes per pizza. Get it while it's hot!

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Rose-Laced Strawberry Ice Cream

We are hot. Very hot.

Lost power, 100-degree temperatures, no refrigeration, no place to charge electronics, no air conditioning. Blah, blah, blah.

Day 1 was great. Everything stopped. Softball was canceled, the pool was closed. We sat on the breezy back porch for hours and read. Some of us dozed. We found an open gas station with a short line and they even had ice. The kids got to see their first grown-up movie -- Moonrise Kingdom -- and we had a whole-family dinner and a movie and Moorenko's ice cream date. Great stuff.

Night 1 was not as fun. All the windows were open but it was probably still in the high 80's overnight and the air was completely still. Not a breeze rustled. I tossed and turned, feeling like a complete wimp for not being able to handle one hot night. And then I looked at Buddy, panting in the corner in his fur coat and felt even more pathetic.

Day 2 was good, too. The pool reopened and we spent the entire day in and out of the water, staying cool. There was more reading and napping and by the end of the day, sitting in the shade in my wet suit, I felt chilled. What a feeling. Dinner was things that needed to be eaten from the refrigerator and freezer. Including ice cream, rose-laced strawberry ice cream, that had melted to the consistency of a milk shake. Still cold enough to be refreshing.

Night 2 was better. Some of us slept in the basement which was less comfortable, but much cooler. The only thing that woke me from time-to-time was the restless, panting dog.

Now we're on Day 3. I have the day off from work and am stealing a few hours of air-conditioned Starbucks wifi to finish this post. The pool is open again and there we share the few outlets to charge our phones and laptops. Pepco tells us that we will have power back by Friday, a full week after it went out.

Today the Katy Perry movie comes out, and the new Spiderman movie is released at midnight-o-one. We will have more air conditioning. And we will never have never been so caught up on the latest movies.

I am feeling grumpy and hot and keenly aware of the privileges of my usual existence that make this few days without power feel so challenging. And I am grateful for the extra time to relax and do very little with people I love, like read and play games and sit around a container of melting ice cream and feel compelled to eat it until it's gone.

2009: Strawberry Preserves, Lemon Optional
2010: Cherry Galettes
2011: Oscar's Tasty and Juicy Strawberry Pie

Rose-Laced Strawberry Ice Cream

 

The rose flavor of this ice cream intensifies as it freezes. I call for 2 tablespoons of rose water in the recipe with the thought that the ice cream would be made at least 1 day before you plan to eat it. If you plan to eat it sooner, you may want to add a bit more.

Makes a bit more than a quart of ice cream
15 minutes preparation time, plus a few hours for the berries to sit and the ice cream to chill

1 quart strawberries (before hulling and cutting)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon creme de cassis
2 tablespoons rose water
2 cups heavy cream

Rinse the berries, hull them, and cut them in half or quarters. Mash them in a small bowl with the sugar. Add the creme de cassis and rose water and let them sit for about an hour.

Pour the mixture into a blender and add the cream. Pulse a couple of times until the berries are chopped but still a bit pulpy. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the machine's instructions for finishing the ice cream. Freeze until it hardens.

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Poblano Pepper and Potato Tacos

One of the food highlights from out our trip out west this spring was a taco truck in the middle of nowhere.

At the end of our trip to Yosemite, we asked one of the park rangers if he had any suggestions for one last hike on our way out. He suggested an out of the way wildflower walk that was stunning, a path along a steep hill dotted with wildflowers that ended in a rushing river.

He also recommended a taco truck. Recommended is too soft a word. He raved about a taco truck, saying that he was a taco aficionado and that he had traveled all through California and Mexico looking for the best taco. And he found it, just outside Yosemite.

We couldn't resist. So after our wildflower hike, we found the truck parked in the parking lot of a convenience store: Ramon's Tacos. I was afraid that the vegetarian options might not be as good as the hype, but both the tacos and burritos were excellent. Truly the best I have ever had, although I am definitely not an expert. For me, one of the highlights was the tortilla, which was fresh and tasty, so unlike the gummy version that we often get here. Ramon also served the tacos with a slice of lemon which we squeezed over top of the tacos to make them even better.

I have heard that around here, there are some authentic Mexican restaurants in Riverdale, Maryland, including La Placita, which I'm eager to try. I'd also love to find a good source of tortillas; otherwise, I may have to figure out how to make my own.

In the meantime, the experience motivated me to step up taco night at home. This filling idea came from tacos at Loteria in the Farmers' Market in Los Angeles. Oscar and I had them when we visited there last year. They're hearty and the peppers are not spicy, but are loaded with flavor. They make an excellent alternative to our usual refried bean filling. 

If you go to Yosemite, leave through the southwest side of the park on Route 140 and stop by Ramon's. It's at the corner of Highway 140 and Plainsburg Road in Planada. And bring one back for me.

2009: Radish Tartines
2010: Gruyère-Stuffed French Toast
2011: Cilantro Rice, Chipotle-Style

Poblano Pepper and Potato Tacos

Makes enough filling for 8-10 tacos
10 minutes preparation time
20  minutes cooking time

2 poblano peppers
splash of olive oil
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely
1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
salt and pepper to taste
8-10 tortillas
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Heat the oven to broil. Broil the peppers until they are blackened, turning them so that they are broiled on all sides. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool. When they are cool enough to touch, peel off the skins and remove the seeds and stem. Coarsely chop them.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the potato cubes and cook for a few minutes, just until they begin to brown. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and enough water just to cover the potatoes. Bring them to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender but retain their shape, about 15 minutes. Add the chopped poblano and heat just for a minute until the mixture has warmed through. Add the oregano and stir.

Serve straight up in a warm tortilla with a squeeze of lemon or add any other toppings that make you happy.

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Egg-Topped Pizza

Our Friday pizza-and-a-movie nights are still going strong after nearly three years. We do skip them occasionally, but when we do, the weekend feels a bit off.

A friend teased me recently that I wouldn't meet her for a drink until quite late on a Friday night because I had to stay home to eat pizza and watch a movie with my kids first. My reaction was, "You know you're a good friend or I wouldn't have come at all!" After a long week, I often have trouble making it to the final credits.

And I'm not the only one. I have been surprised to see how many times the kids have passed up other invitations in order to stay home and eat pizza with their parents.

Ok, ok, for the kids, it may be more about getting to watch TV, which they don't otherwise get to do much.

Whatever. I'll take it.

As the kids are getting closer to teenagerdom (and it's definintely starting to feel like a -dom), I realize that we have to shift the fun activities that we do together as a family. We need to grow with our kids if we want them to continue to enjoy spending time with us. So it's less Top Chef and more Disney tween shows. Sigh.

No matter. The evenings are still a way to hang on to some of the family time that is so dear to me.

The type of pizza we make varies, but this has become my favorite pizza lately. I remember seeing eggs on pizzas in Italy, but I don't see them much here. My favorite way to cook it is so that the yolk stays a bit runny. It takes a bit of watching to accomplish that, but even even if the egg goes too far and becomes hard cooked, it is delicious.

I usually add smoked mozzarella to get a bacon-and-egg-flavor thing going, but if you eat bacon, you could also toss a bit on for a true breakfast pizza.

2009: Spaghetti and V-Balls
2010:  Homemade Butter
2011: Simple Crusty Peasant Wheat Bread

Egg-Topped Pizza

The recipe is for a single thin-crust pizza, but it takes 2 or 3 of these to serve our family of 5.

Makes 1 pizza (serves 2)
20 minutes preparation time, plus a few hours for the dough to rise

1 batch semolina pizza crust
1 cup tomato sauce*
3 ounces smoked mozzarella, sliced
3 eggs

Prepare the pizza crust and set it aside to rise.

About 40 minutes before you plan to serve the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven and let it heat in the oven for at least 30 minutes while you roll out the dough, prepare the sauce, and prepare the toppings.

Roll out the dough thinly. Remove the pizza stone from the oven and sprinkle it with cornmeal or semolina flour. Transfer the dough to the stone. Working quickly so that the stone doesn't get too cool, spread the sauce evenly across the dough. With the back of the spoon, carve out three indentations for the eggs by pushing the sauce to create a low ridge around the edges. Sprinkle the cheese on top but don't put any in the indented spots.

Put the pizza back into the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove the pizza and stone and crack an egg into each of the indentations that you created. If any egg leaks out, dam the leak with a piece of mozzarella or a spoon of sauce. Holding the stone very flat so that the egg doesn't slosh out, return the stone to the oven.

Cook until the white is firm but the yolk is still runny, about 5 more minutes. Serve -- and consume -- immediately! 

* To make a basic pizza sauce, saute a couple of roughly sliced garlic cloves in olive oil for about 30 seconds, add a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste, and a few chopped leaves of fresh oregano, and let the pot simmer until sauce thickens, about half an hour.

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Roasted Zucchini Gratin

Sometimes an idea sits just under your consciousness, lurking.  Like a tiny pebble in your shoe that you only feel every tenth step. Or a neighbor who always knows when you're home. She doesn't come to the door, but just peeks out every once in a while to let you know she's still there.

I have had an idea for zucchini gratin pestering me like that. About a year ago we had a delicious version at our friends' house. It tasted fresh but was also comfortingly cheesy, everything you want in a gratin. Of course Gabe and I thought it was delicious, but more importantly, our kids all loved it too. All three of them, which is not easy to pull off, especially for a dish whose primary ingredient is a green vegetable.

I came home and immediately tried to replicate it, but my versions were always soggy and watery, not at all ideal. Then on Food52, I found this recipe that involved roasting the zucchini first. Not only does that give the zucchini more flavor, but I hoped it would dry it out a bit so that the end result would be cheesy and tasty and wouldn't turn into a mushy mess.

Bingo!

I added a bit of egg to the dish so that it could stand up as a main course for us vegetarians. It approaches a frittata, but isn't quite that eggy. We ate it with salad and bread for a perfect weeknight meal.

This is another one of those recipes that can be embellished or adapted according to your likes or dislikes. We made it with manchego and mozzarella, but you could substitute your own favorites. Gruyere? Stilton? Cheddar? Any of those would be delicious too, as would switching the out the rosemary for basil, thyme, or chives.

I'm so glad we've gotten this lurker out into the open.

2011: Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew
2010: Wasabi and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
2009: Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup

Roasted Zucchini Gratin

Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time
1 hour baking time

3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 scallions, sliced
1 cup shredded Manchego
1/4 cup mozzarella, cubed
3 eggs
approximately 1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.

Layer the zucchini, onion, and shallot in the casserole dish. Drizzle on 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle the vegetables with the rosemary, salt, and pepper, and stir them enough to coat them with the oil. Roast the zucchini in the oven, stirring once or twice, until it is tender when pierced with a knife but still holds its shape, about 20 minutes. 

In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and the scallions. Break the eggs into a 2-cup measuring cup, and add milk until the mixture hits the 1 1/2 cup mark.

Remove the zucchini from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle on the lemon zest and stir it in. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the zucchini. Sprinkle the cheese on top and return it to the oven. Bake until the gratin is golden brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

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Lemony White Bean Soup

Here's another extremely easy soup for those of you who appreciate an all-in-one-pot, not-too-much-fuss meal. We made it on the hot plate in our temporary kitchen and I wondered why we hadn't made it more often. It used to be one of our favorites but for some reason it had fallen out of our rotation.

The soup is blended and the beans give it a hearty creaminess. A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end give it some freshness. And because it is packed with protein it is an excellent meal on its own, or, even better, with a crisp salad on the side.

And it really is an extremely easy soup to make. Except for the garnishes, everything goes into the pot at once and then you're done. The beans have to be soaked and they simmer for a while to soften, but they don't even need to be chopped. Only the onion and the parsley go under the knife.

Otherwise, it just simmers away for a few hours, giving your kitchen (or basement, as the case may be) a coziness and giving you the appearance of working to make a delicious meal when you really are doing absolutely nothing. Or doing something better than nothing, like reading a book, or taking a nap. Wouldn't that be lovely?

February 2009: Sage Risotto with Wild Mushrooms
February 2010: Cauliflower Soup with Stilton
February 2011: Lemongrass Noodle Soup with Chili-Garlic Paste

Lemony White Bean Soup
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman's Fast Vegetarian Feasts

This soup could be varied in an infinite number of ways by changing the garnish. A swirl of pesto, a dab of harissa, or a pat of butter would all be excellent additions. Alternatively, other herbs could be substituted for (or added to) the parsley, such as thyme, chives, or tarragon.

 Serves 6
15 minutes preparation time, plus time for soaking the beans
approximately 2 hours cooking time

1 pound white (Great Northern) beans
1 medium onion, diced
1 bouillon cube or 2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
juice or one lemon or more, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Soak the beans overnight.

The next day, drain the water and add enough fresh water to cover the beans generously. Don't worry about the exact amount of water; more can be added during the cooking process, if needed. Add the onions, bouillon or stock, and the bay leaf. Season generously.

Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer until the beans are very soft, about 2 hours. Check periodically throughout the cooking process to make sure the is enough water and give the beans a stir.

When the beans have finished cooking, remove the bay leaf. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately with more lemon on the side, if desired.

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Simple Creamy Tomato Soup

Can you stop after just one potato chip? Or two for that matter? Or, if your neighbors left some home made chocolate chip cookies on your doorstep and you bite into one and it is delicious, could you have just one? Or two?

Last weekend our contractors surprised me by hooking up our stove. I didn't know it was coming, but before they left on Friday they said we could use the stove over the weekend. Whoopee!

I cooked just two things before the tarps went back on for the next round of drywall-skimming-painting. First we made a galette des rois to mark the end of the Christmas season. I had planned to bake it at my sister's house but instead we baked it at home! And I broke that oven in very well, oozing butter all over the pristine bottom. (Note to self: next year, seal the edges of the galette completely and -- just in case -- use a cookie sheet with edges for baking it).

I also made a simple butternut squash soup. I just used what I had on hand, but it tasted like the best soup ever. Not because it was, but because we made it, at home, in our soon-to-be new kitchen. Never mind that I had to run up the stairs from our temporary basement kitchen about 30 times to get all that I needed. I cooked soup! On our new stove!

But I can't stop at that. Cooking those things just whet my appetite. Now I have the urge to cook more.

This weekend I whipped up a batch of another of our favorite soups, a simple creamy tomato soup. I love this recipe because the soup is very tasty, and we can make it even when we are running low on supplies or don't have the energy to make something more complicated.  As long as there are canned tomatoes in the pantry, we can make this soup, even with our limited supplies.

The soup can be topped with a wide variety of toppings, such as fresh herbs, toasted nuts, croutons, or a dollop of creme frâiche.

Best of all, we could make it on a hot plate.

Simple Creamy Tomato Soup
Adapted from Epicuious

Serves 6
10 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, diced
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzanos
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped herbs

In a large pot, heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and cook until they are soft, about 7 minutes.  Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it is incorporated into the onions and no longer visible. Add the thyme and stir again.

Chop the tomatoes or use my favorite method and squish them through your fingers as you take them out of the can. Add them to the pot and sprinkle the baking soda on top of them. Stir to combine fully. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Gently simmer for a few minutes to give the flavors a chance to mix and mellow. Remove the bay leaf. Purée with an immersion blender. 

Stir in the herbs, if you are using them. Serve immediately.

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Warm and Cozy Broccoli and Red Pepper Soup

What the heck happened to fall? I'm a fan of those crisp blue-skied days and cool nights, when you need a sweater or jacket in the morning but the layers peel off by lunch time. No such luck this year. Bam. Without any warning or time to get used to the idea, it feels like November. Suddenly we're in soup season.

Fortunately, we love soup.

It can be quite cozy to come inside out of the damp, gray weather to a warm house and tuck into a bowl of soup. Unfortunately for us, the first time we tried to crank up the heat, we got only a sputter. Our thermostat inside has been hovering around 60 degrees, which is a good bit chillier than my normal comfort level. Those few degrees don't seem like such a big difference numerically, but we've been feeling them in our bones. I've been walking around the house in a scarf, an extra sweater and handwarmers (very helpful keeping my hands warm while I type), and I'm acclimating. Maybe we'll be able to keep the thermostat a bit lower this winter.

The repair man came yesterday, tinkered with our 20-year old boiler, and said that there wasn't anything he could do for it. The end. Ugh.

Fortunately, we love soup.

Last weekend, Gabe bought broccoli to make a soup. For some reason, our kids all like broccoli soup, even though they won't always eat it as a side. This time around, we added red bell peppers because they are still available at the farmers' market and I thought they would add a bit of sweetness to the broccoli. The cumin and mustard add warmth to the flavor so that even our taste buds warmed up. In fact, just the smell of the soup simmering on the stove helped cut the chill.

Bring on the cold weather. I'm ready. And the nutrients from the soup will give us the strength to get through the boiler-buying process.

Second Helping: Corn and Green Bean Chowder
Thirds: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils

Warm and Cozy Broccoli and Red Pepper Soup

Serves 6
20 minutes preparation time
45 minutes cooking time

1 large head of broccoli (about 8 cups of florets)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Rinse the broccoli and cut off the stems as high up on the stalk as possible. Slice the stems across and dice them.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes. Add the potato, red pepper, and broccoli stems and saute for a minute or two. Add the mustard, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover the vegetables generously with water and bring to a simmer. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup briefly with an immersion blender, just enough to thicken the soup. It should still be chunky. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until they are tender, but still bright green, 5 to 10 minutes depending on their size.

Serve immediately.

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Green Lasagna

Before we left for our spring break, the farmers' market was loaded with greens, but not much else. We decided to make this lasagna with it, which is loosely based on a lasagna that my sister and brother-in-law have made many times for us. I love the flavors because the greens and the basil give it a freshness that suits the season, even if it is a cheesy, comforting lasagna. It has become one of our family favorites.

Although we made the dish in spring, it really is perfect for fall and winter too, when those greens are abundant at the markets. I'm not going to say too much more. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

I'm looking forward to heading back to the farmers' market this weekend to see what's available now. Ramps? Asparagus? I can't wait.

Second Helping: Velvety Ramp and Watercress Soup with Crispy Shallots
Thirds: Kale Chips

Green Lasagna

1 pound lasagne noodles*
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
12 cups fresh spinach leaves, carefully washed
16 ounces ricotta
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
4 1/2 cups whole milk
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
olive oil for the pan
1 large bunch of basil
1 half pound mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, and cook the lasagne noodles for a minute less than the time called for on the package. When they are done, drain them in a colander and rinse them with cold water. Stir them gently with a wooden spoon as you rinse to keep them from sticking together.

Put the spinach in a large stock pot and add enough water to nearly cover it. Bring the pot to a boil. Cook until the spinach wilts but is still a bright green. Drain the spinach in a colander, mashing it with a wooden spoon against the side of the colander to remove any remaining water. Let it sit for a few minutes to cool and dry out while you make the bechamel sauce.

In a small stockpot, heat the milk over low heat. It should be warm but not boiling. (You could even heat it in the microwave in a glass measuring cup if you don't want to get another pot dirty.) In a larger sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the flour, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Add the milk and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Add a few pinches of salt and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture has thickened and you feel a lot of resistance against the spoon as you stir. Stir in the nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and set it aside.

In a large bowl, mix the cooled spinach with the ricotta and parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread a bit of oil over the bottom of a 9-by-13 inch lasagne pan and place a layer of noodles over the bottom. Add enough of the spinach mixture to cover the noodles thinly. Add a layer of basil leaves. Don't be tempted to skimp on the basil; it is the secret ingredient that sets this lasagne apart. Repeat with another layer of noodles-spinach-basil.

Ladle enough of the bechamel sauce over the second layer to cover it. Keep adding more layers of noodles-spinach-basil until you run out of spinach mixture. Pour the remaining bechamel over the top of the lasagne, letting it drip down the sides if you have enough. Add mozzarella to the top.

Bake until the lasagne is lightly browned on top and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

 * Am I the only one that always has way too many lasagne noodles left over? You will not need the full pound, but I make them all anyway because I'm never sure how many I will need. If you  are feeling crafty, you can always cut the extras into strips, toss them with some olive oil and butter, and serve them to any pickier eaters who won't eat the lasagne because it has green stuff in it.

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Simple Crusty Peasant Wheat Bread

This is a variation on those no-knead bread recipes that have been around for a few years now, but it is even easier than the other versions that I have seen. For me, easy + delicious = a keeper.

As far as I know, Jim Lahey from the Sullivan Street Bakery pioneered the no-knead technique and it really took off after Mark Bittman ran it in a Minimalist column. Lahey's technique uses very little yeast and a long rising period to give the dough a delicious flavor and texture. Lots of versions of this recipe are now floating around, most of them with a 12- to 18-hour rising period.

For me, that long rising period was always an impediment. I never seemed organized enough to count back that 18 hours and start the bread in advance so that I could have it ready when I wanted it.

When our friend Duncan brought a loaf to dinner and  told me that his version only had to rise for a couple of hours, I was intrigued. And when I took a bite of the bread I was hooked. It was excellent, crusty on the outside with a light, soft interior. The recipe calls for making a double batch and leaving half to rise for an extended period in the refrigerator. This worked well for us because when one loaf was gone, we had dough in the refrigerator ready to go for a second loaf.


Duncan told me that the original source of his recipe is a comment from a post on CoolTools about no-knead bread. Although the bread was great as it was, I wanted to try it with a bit of whole wheat flour to give it an earthier texture, more like a hearty peasant loaf. The results were fantastic.

So good, in fact, that I had to snap the photos immediately because I knew that loaf wouldn't be around for long. Not with the bread lovers in this house.

Second Helping: Lavender Buttermilk Biscuits
Thirds: Spaghetti and V-Balls

Simple Crusty Peasant Wheat Bread

Makes two round loaves
15 minutes preparation time
45 minutes baking time, plus at least 2 hours for rising

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons yeast
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, water, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir with a large wooden spoon until the yeast and salt are completely mixed in. Add the flours and mix with a wooden spoon until the flour is fully incorporated.  The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it sit for at least two hours to rise.

After the dough has risen, arrange the racks in the oven so that a Dutch oven fits on the middle shelf. Place the Dutch oven on the middle rack and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

To bake one loaf, cut the dough in half and transfer half to a small bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for another day. It will last for about a week in the refrigerator.

Sprinkle flour over the remaining dough and turn it out onto a floured board. Roughly shape it into a ball by folding any uneven edges under the ball, and let it rest until the oven has preheated.

When the oven has reached 450 degrees, remove the Dutch oven. Carefully place the dough into the Dutch oven with the uneven folds facing up (these will open up as the bread cooks to give the bread a wonderful texture) and put the lid back on the pot. Place it in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and let it cook until the top is a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and carefully take the bread out of the pot. Let it cool on a baking rack until you are ready to serve it.

When you are ready to bake the second loaf, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Continue baking according to the instructions above.

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Coco-Choco Pudding


The forces have been conspiring to get me to make pudding. First, Food 52 featured pudding in their recipe contest last week. I wanted to make an improved version of the Jell-O pistachio pudding that I loved as a child, but I didn't get around to testing it in time to submit it.

Then, on Friday, Olivia had some surgery on her mouth. Watching her have the surgery and recover from it has been like hearing nails on a chalkboard. It makes me cringe. Granted, she will be okay, but it is no fun to see her suffering. The recovery has been rockier than we thought it would be. She is still quite sore and eating is painful. 

As a  parent, it is heart wrenching to stand on the sidelines and watch her suffer. I want to reach in and take away her pain, or waive a wand to make it better. Maybe these times are necessary to teach both parent and child that children can handle adversity on their own. Maybe, but I don't like it.

 
 
So what is a mama to do? Cook, of course. To make eating easier on her, we have come up with a variety of soft foods, including, banana milkshakes, fruit shakes, rice and mild curry, mashed potatoes, garlicky butternut squash, and soft pasta (well past my standard for al dente).

And of course there has been pudding.

I gave the pistachio pudding a try, but I used arrowroot -- and too much of it -- and I ended up wtih a gloppy mess. Yuck. I'll give it another try, but in the meantime, I switched to chocolate because that is what Olivia was craving. I used coconut milk to give that standard chocolate pudding a tropical flair. That and Smitten Kitchen's pina colada cake got me thinking about adding an umbrella.

 
Most importantly, the texture was just what the patient ordered. Cold, creamy, and smooth. A treat to soothe that unhappy mouth.

 
Second Helping: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Thirds?: Vanilla Bean Pudding

Coco-Choco Pudding

Serves 6
15 minutes preparation and cooking time, plus time for chilling

1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

In a small saucepan, heat the milks over medium heat just until they reach a simmer. Add the vanilla and mix it in. Remove the pot from the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder, and whisk it again to combine. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the milk, whisking constantly.

Return the pot to the stove, and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the pudding thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the pudding into a heat proof bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic wrap down onto the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until the pudding sets, about an hour in the freezer or 2 hours in the refrigerator.

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Lemony Jerusalem Artichoke Stew with Biscuit Top

It's hard to imagine amid the snow and high winds of last week, but we used to have a vegetable garden. Remember that? Tomatoes, potatoes, little helpers, and a chicken chaser? Among those summer and fall vegetables we also planted Jerusalem artichokes. I've heard them described as the lazy gardener's dream. Well.

But they did grow beautifully and they are said to be best after they have been through a frost. It is very exciting to have something to harvest in the middle of winter, so this has been a delight. If you have not grown your own, you can find them at the grocery store this time of year. They look a lot like ginger roots, but are generally larger and knobbier. Although they are called artichokes, they are actually related to sunflowers.

I had never eaten Jerusalem artichokes until we harvested this batch. The flavor is starchy, like a potato, with just a touch of sweetness, which must be how they got artichoke in the name.

We had eaten some of them just roasted in the oven which were delicious, although it was key to cut them all the same size to enable them to cook at the same rate. I was hankering for a warm dish for winter, though, so I dreamed up this stew. The lemon peel and marjoram add brightness to the winter vegetables.

I put the biscuit on top of the stew as an inducement. I thought that anything topped with something from the bread family would get my kiddies to try it. It succeeded as far as the trying went. Finishing it was another story. Chloe didn't like the stew at all; Oscar ate most of it, but said that he would have preferred the biscuit alone. Fortunately, I had made a double batch of the biscuit so I could indulge him and still have some left for breakfast. Olivia ate hers, although I did not sense wild enthusiasm. No matter. They won't go for everything. Sometimes we parents need dinner to nurture us, too, and a biscuit with a veggie or fruit on the side isn't the worst meal in the world for the younger set.

The seed catalogs have started to arrive too, so we will soon decide what to plant at our garden this year. As for those artichokes? I understand that once planted, they are impossible to get rid of. In other words, more Jerusalem artichoke recipes may be coming your way.

Second Helping: Wasabi and Garlic Mashed Potatoes (mild enough for the kids, but delicious)
Thirds?: Rosalyn's Trinidadian Chick Pea and Potato Curry (I'm fairly certain that my children would sell me out for a dinner of this curry, especially if it were served with roti)

Lemony Jerusalem Artichoke Stew with Biscuit Top

Jerusalem artichokes can be a nuisance to peel, so don't go crazy trying to do it. I peeled where I could and left the rest of the peels on, and the skin was not at all an impediment.

Serves 8
30 minutes preparation time
45 minutes cooking time

For the stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 leek, white and light green part, sliced lengthwise, rinsed, and sliced across into half moons
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 medium carrots, scrubbed and sliced across on a diagonal
1 turnip, peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash (about 1 small one)
4 cups (roughly) peeled and chopped Jerusalem artichokes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
2 strips lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
5 cups vegetable stock

For the biscuit top:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into a few pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, and garlic, and sauté until they begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables, the marjoram and the salt and stir together. Pour on the broth, add the lemon zest, and raise the heat to medium high. Bring the stew to a boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer on the stove top until the vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

While the stew is cooking, prepare the biscuit dough. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and thyme in a large bowl.  Mix in the butter with your hands, squeezing it between your fingers until it is the texture of coarse cornmeal.  The more hands that help, the quicker this will go.  Slowly stir in the buttermilk a bit at a time, using just enough to get the mixture to hold together.  You may need a splash more or less than the measured amount. 

Knead the dough for about a minute.  Pat it out on the counter until it is about 3/4 of an inch thick. Carefully lift the dough and drape it over the top of the stew pot. Move it to the oven and bake until the dough is golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve immediately. 

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Cooking with Mother Goose: Homemade Apple Sauce

Cooking with Mother Goose: A series of occasional posts inspired by children's stories and rhymes -  just one more way for me to hook the children into the kitchen.

For Baby
You shall have an apple
You shall have a plum
You shall have a rattle
When papa comes home.

Okay, this isn't as much a recipe as a plea. And I've thrown in a technique for good measure. If you have never made your own applesauce at home, you have to try it. It tastes so much better than the commercial variety, and it is incredibly easy. There are lots of different approaches. Some people peel the apples in advance, others use a food mill at the end to separate out the peel once it is cooked.

But my method is the easiest of all. You don't even need to peel the apples. Just quarter and seed them and cook them. When they are soft but while they are still hot, run them through a food processor. That's it! The sauce will become a lovely, smooth purée. You will see a few flecks of peel, but they will be so tiny and soft that they will not impair the consistency at all. And leaving the peels on during cooking gives the applesauce a lovely color. For these pictures, I used Empire apples, grown by my uncle in upstate New York. I love the rosy tint the apple sauce gets from their skins.

And this time of year, when some of those farmers' market apples are beginning to look a bit tired, apple sauce is a delicious way to get some fruit into the diet, while still eating seasonally and locally. Our children are pretty tired of apples at this point in the year, but they still see apple sauce as a treat. So please, please, please, head to the closest farmers' market, buy yourself a bunch of apples (seconds will do if they have any) and make some applesauce. Baby -- and the rest of you -- can lap it up, even before Papa gets home.

Homemade Apple Sauce

There really are no precise proportions needed here. If I am canning the apple sauce and want to make sure they have enough acid, I usually add about a teaspoon of lemon juice per quart. More detailed instructions  for canning are here (although they do not add lemon juice). I don't add sugar because I find that the apple sauce is sweet enough as is, but a pear or two thrown into the mix is delicious.

a mix of varieties of sweet apples, washed, cut into quarters, and cored (peels still on)
1 or more cinnamon sticks

Put the apples and cinnamon stick(s) in a large heavy stock pot. Add a splash of water to keep the apples from burning before they release their own liquid. Cover the pot and bring the apples to a simmer over medium-low heat.

When they are very soft, but while they are still hot, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and run them through a food processor. It is important to do this while the apples are still very hot because it will give them a smoother consistency. Purée until smooth.

If you have apple juice left over, you can add it to the sauce for a thinner consistency, or drink it. Serve the apple sauce warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Warm apple sauce is especially tasty over vanilla ice cream or with gingersnaps.

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Lemongrass Noodle Soup with Chile-Garlic Paste

Comfort food comes in many shapes and flavors. Classics like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and pudding fit the bill, and I don't think I'm the only one to find comfort in a bowl of ice cream. There's also that hard-to-pin-down category of childhood comfort foods. There are as many of those as there are of us, and one person's comfort food might not have the same appeal for those who didn't grow up eating it. This Portugese soup is an example of one of my childhood staples. Just one spoonful of that, and things start to look up.

Soup is in a league of its own when it comes to comfort. There is just nothing more warming on a cold winter's night. We eat a lot of soup this time of year. Our current go-to soup when someone is feeling under the weather is tomato-based vegetable soup, essentially any variation of minestrone. Our children, who would wrinkle their noses at a cabbage or turnip if served on its own, slurp this soup down by the bowlful.

But I've been thinking for a while now that we need a vegetarian version of chicken noodle soup, that classic soup that is supposed to cure everything from the common cold to the soul. The idea of a noodle soup with a rich broth has been calling me. What is a vegetarian to do?

After years of noodling over it (sorry, I just couldn't resist the pun), I've finally got it. This soup fits the bill for me. It has a rich, flavorful broth, but is still mild enough to appeal to the younger set. We served the soup with extra cilantro and the chili paste passed at the table so that anyone who wanted a flavor boost could have it.

Chloe was the only one who resisted any of it and even she picked out the noodles and carrots, which is as balanced a meal as many she eats on many days. As for the rest of us, I think we'll be eating a lot more of this soup.

Second Helping: Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup (another family favorite)
Thirds?  Potato-Leek Soup (we still make this regularly, almost as often as minestrone)

Lemongrass Noodle Soup with Chile-Garlic Paste

For the soup:
3 fresh lemongrass stalks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 3-inch section ginger, unpeeled, sliced into rounds
1/2 large shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
10 cups vegetable stock
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 10-ounce package Thai rice noodles (white or brown)
1/2 pound firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro for serving

For the chili-garlic paste
1 small fresh green chile (jalapeno for mild, serrano for medium, habanero for hot)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil

Trim the root ends off the lemongrass and remove any outer leaves that are tough or brittle. Chop off the tops if they are dry. Coarsely chop the remaining lemongrass.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and garlic. Cook until the mixture is fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, raise the heat to high, and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer for a couple of minutes. At this point, if you do not plan to serve the soup right away, cool the stock and store it until you are ready to use it.

Before you are ready to serve the soup, pour it through a strainer into a soup pot. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash the solids against the strainer to remove all of the liquid.

Bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots and broccoli and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the noodles and cubes of tofu and cook until the noodles are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently stir in the lime juice.

While the soup is cooking, make the chile paste.  Finely chop the garlic and chile. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the chile, garlic, and olive oil together until the mixture becomes a chunky paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, just mince the chile and garlic finely and mix them together with a fork. You will just have a chunkier mixture.

Serve the soup steaming hot, with a generous sprinkle of cilantro. Pass the chile paste at the table for anyone who would like to stir it into their soup. I recommend eating the soup with chopsticks and drinking the broth right out of the bowl.

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Radicchio Risotto

I feel like we've had a bit of a respite these past few weeks. We are back at school and work after the holidays, but the children's after school activities haven't picked up yet, and we actually seem to have some evening and weekend time free.

I suppose free is a relative term, because there always is something to do. I often feel like the logistical part of being a mother is about moving stuff: putting shoes in the bucket near the door, hanging up coats and backpacks, clearing off the dining room table, making a space to work in the kitchen, moving the children's belongings from downstairs to upstairs, moving things from the children's rooms downstairs. My mother said that during these years when stuff seemed to dominate, she used to fantasize about tipping the entire house on its end and letting all the clutter slide out the door and out of her life.

But despite those ongoing and seemingly unattainable fantasies of a tidy house, I have managed to put my blinders on many times over the last couple of weeks and play games with the children, or just sit and chill. I'm not very good at sitting still, but when I do it (and I don't fall asleep), I wonder why I don't do it more often.


Of course I also have made some time to cook. Risotto has a reputation for being time consuming, but contrary to most instructions, I don't stir constantly. Instead, after each addition of stock, I stir a bit, then let the risotto cook for a couple of minutes, then stir again. This allows me to have a bit of time while the risotto is cooking to continue to prepare the dish, to prepare a side dish, or to take my turn at Othello. If that still seems like too much time, there is always the pressure cooker.

The radicchio in this recipe adds a bitter balance to the sweetness of the rice. It is added at the end of the cooking process so that if you are serving eaters that don't like the radicchio, you can set some plain risotto aside for them.

Now I have to enjoy this last week before practices and rehearsals begin again. Deep breath, ignore the chaos, and know that someday in the future, when this house is too quiet, I will have time to keep it neat as a pin.

Radicchio Risotto

The proportions for this recipe assume that you will add radicchio to the entire amount of rice. If you decide to keep some of the risotto plain for any fussier eaters, you may want to reduce the amount of radicchio.

Serves 6
15 minutes preparation
30 minutes cooking time

 5-6 cups vegetable stock (or water with 2 bouillon cubes)
1 medium-sized head radicchio
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for the table
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the stock in a small saucepan. If you like, peel off a few whole leaves of the radicchio for serving. Slice the rest into thin slivers.

In a large pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and sauté until it is translucent and soft, about 7 minutes. Add the rice and stir for a minute or so until it is coated evenly. Pour in the wine and stir until it has been absorbed into the rice. Continue cooking by adding one or two ladlefuls of stock at a time, stirring occasionally. Keep adding the broth until the rice is tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The best way to know when the rice is done is to keep tasting it. It is done when the rice no longer has a crunch in the middle, but when it still retains some texture.

When the risotto is done, stir in the radicchio. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and pass additional grated parmesan at the table.

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Airy Apple Cake

Sometimes a homey, tasty cake is just what you need. In fact, cake almost always has the power to improve ones outlook on life. In any event, the only thing it can hurt is the waistline, and I'm not going to start worrying about that after all these years.

This cake offers just that type of comfort. The apples are first spooned into the baking pan and topped with a batter that covers the apples and surrounds them with light fluffy cake. The result is an airy spiced cake with a sprinkle of crunchy sweetness on the top. Dressed up on fancy plate with a scoop of ice cream it makes an excellent seasonal dessert. Wrapped in a napkin, it would make a perfect snack on the run. Some have even been known to have a slice for breakfast.

Dicing apples.
The first time I made this cake, Chloe looked at me with wonder. She had just been singing "An Apple for an Apple Cake" with the Revels. I believe the song was based on a story by Nienke Van Hichtum in which an old woman plans to make an apple cake but doesn't have any apples. She sets out to find some and shares her generosity along the way. It is a lovely story, and Chloe was delighted that I was actually making an apple cake at home. Sometimes things just work out that way. Especially when cake is involved.

Second Helping: Pear and Almond Cake

Dig in!

Airy Apple Cake

To prepare the apples:
3-4 firm apples, ideally a mix of varieties, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make the cake:
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Pour the apples into the baking dish and mix them with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside while you mix the cake.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and mix again. Add half of the flour mixture, the milk, and then the remaining half of the flour mixture, mixing each time until just combined. Pour the batter over the apples and spread it so that it covers them evenly.

Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle it over the top.  Bake  the cake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cooled directly from the baking dish.

Jobs for children: Children can peel the apples, zest the orange, and mix. At the end, children can also sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. To make it come out more evenly, put the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a clean spice bottle so that not too much comes out with any one shake. Older children can also dice apples.

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Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

My sister and her husband brought the mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. They went through all the work of peeling potatoes for 16 of us, cooking, mashing, and adding whatever secret ingredients they mixed in to make them taste delicious.

But they made one crucial error. They left their pot -- complete with the leftover mashed potatoes -- at my house when they left for the night. I know that the polite thing to do would have been to take them over to their house or at least call before I used them up. But I didn't do the polite thing. Instead, I happily cooked them up into some yummy potato pancakes.

Mashing the potatoes and forming them into pancakes.
These pancakes would be perfect for brunch, as a side dish, or even as the base of a quick meal. Served with a fried egg on top and some leftover Brussels sprouts, they made an excellent little lunch.

There is a wide variety of things that you can add to the mashed potatoes to make these pancakes. I added red onion, parsley, and rosemary because that's what I had on hand. But any combination of a member of the onion family with some fresh herbs would work. You could also add cheese. I debated adding some grated parmesan, but because I made these in the shadow of a huge Thanksgiving meal, I decided to skip it.

In case you are lucky enough to still have some mashed potatoes in your refrigerator, here's what I did.

Second Helping: Caldo Verde (Portugese Kale and Potato Soup)A quick supper.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

Makes approximately 8 pancakes
15 minutes preparation time
10 minutes cooking time

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg
2 tablespoons minced red onion or scallions
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, rosemary, and/or sage
salt and pepper to taste
Canola oil for frying

With a fork or masher, mash the potatoes in a medium-sized bowl. Taste for seasoning. Add the egg, red onion, herbs, and, if you like some salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 2-3 inch pancakes.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and brush it with canola oil. Cook the pancakes until they are golden brown, turning once, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Kids can help mash potatoes, mix ingredients together, and form the pancakes. Older children can also chop onions and herbs.

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Pumpkin Soup with a(n Optional) Kick

I know, I know, another recipe for pumpkin soup. Who needs it? But stick with me. This version is worth trying.

I went to a lunch recently for a friend who was having one of those milestone birthdays that need to be celebrated. There was lots of delicious food there, but the birthday girl herself had made a pumpkin soup that created a stir. It was smooth and hearty, with just a bit of heat. I loved that kick, and wanted to recreate it at home.

Peeling and seeding the pumpkin.

But then I pictured three pairs of young eyes looking at me, wondering what I was trying to do by them making a soup that made those precious eyes water. Maybe a spicy soup wouldn't do.

Or maybe it would. I like the challenge of finding a way to create one meal that the entire family can eat without sacrificing the flavor that we adults love. I thought about making two separate batches, but that requires getting two pots dirty, and that is not appealing. Instead, I decided it would be better to add the spice at the table. That way those of us who find spice to be the spice of life could have our way without smoking out the younger ones. So I made a chili oil to drizzle into the soup as we served it.

Chili oil and prepping for the soup.
Somewhere along the way, I determined that the soup would benefit from a pinch of saffron, which has a warm flavor I thought would complement the chili. The result was delicious. Olivia, Gabe, and I all drizzled on the chili oil, although in varying amounts. The other two got theirs straight up, and both liked it. Phew.

This soup would be perfect for any party where guests might have different tolerances for spiciness, such as a dinner party or Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Soup with a(n Optional) Kick

Serves 6
25 minutes preparation time
About 1 hour 15 minutes cooking time

The chili oil will vary in heat according to the spiciness of the red pepper flakes that you use so it will be hard to predict how spicy the resulting oil will be. If you have left over chili oil, it will keep in the refrigerator for several months.

For the chili oil:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

For the soup:
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 6 cups)*
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 pinch saffron
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 small tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)

First make the chili oil. Heat the oil and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently simmer for about five minutes to infuse the chili flavor into the oil. Set aside to cool. Pour into a small bowl or bottle.

Next make the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes, onion, and garlic. Sauté until the onion softens, about 7 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they too begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the saffron, potatoes, and pumpkin and stir to combine. Cover the vegetables with water (I used about 8 cups) and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the potatoes and pumpkin are soft, about 45 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for a few more minutes.

With a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash some of the vegetables to thicken the soup. Serve hot with a drizzle of chili oil for those who would like it.

* I used a small pumpkin, and peeling and cubing it wasn't too difficult. The pictures tell the story, but here -- in words -- is my process. First I cut off the top and bottom of the pumpkin to get it to sit flat. Then I cut the pumpkin in half from top to bottom and scooped out the seeds. I then peeled each half with a potato peeler. To slice the pumpkin, I lay each half cut side down, sliced across into strips, and then the other way to get cubes.

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Corn and Green Bean Chowder

Autumn arrived has arrived here with a bang. More like a splash, actually. Lots of rain and cool weather and suddenly summer is a distant memory. Sandals and shorts? I had them on just a few days ago, but now, sitting here typing on a cool, rainy day, I can't imagine it.

Fall brings its own rewards, though. Crisp days and cool nights. Vibrant red, orange, and yellow leaves against bright blue skies. Paths littered with acorns. The sound of leaves underfoot.  And the flavors: crisp apples, warm soups, sweet pies. Suddenly fall feels great.

We ushered in fall this past weekend camping with friends. Last year we had planned a trip with the same friends, but ended up canceling at the last minute when the torrential rains did not ease up. (All was not lost, though, because we did make some excellent pumpkin cupcakes). This year, we got a great weekend. The days were sunny and cool, and the nights downright chilly, perfect for sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows. With good company for the adults and children alike, it was worth the year-long wait.

Veggies prepped and ready for the pot; Chloe pulling the leaves off the thyme stems.

I now have a renewed desire to get out there into the woods more often. Just seeing all the stars in the dark sky, far removed from the city lights, is reason enough to make the trek. And there is something about having to work a bit harder to stay warm, prepare a meal, clean the dishes that makes it seem simpler yet more worthwhile.

Simmering the stock.

I made this soup before we left for the weekend and warmed it over our friends' camp stove, which I think heated it twice as fast as it would have heated on my stovetop at home. This soup uses the best of those vegetables that are abundant at this time of the changing of the seasons -- potatoes, carrots, green beans, even late summer corn if you can find it. The result is a comforting soup that was perfect for a crisp night under a clear sky. It would be delicious on a rainy one too, for that matter.

Second Helping: Chunky Apple Muffins

Corn and Green Bean Chowder

For this soup, I used those skinny green beans, often labeled French Green Beans or Haricots Verts. Regular green beans would do nicely, too, although they need a few extra minutes of cooking time.

Serves 6
20 minutes preparation time
50 minutes cooking time

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 small celery rib, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
3 cups milk
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
corn cut off of 3 ears of corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and thyme and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-7 minutes. Add the bay leaf, stock, milk, salt and pepper, and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to very low so that the milk does not scald, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Add potatoes and corn, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. With an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash some of the potatoes into the broth to thicken it (this took about 5 seconds with my immersion blender).

Add the green beans and simmer until they are tender, about 5 minutes for French green beans, or a few minutes more for regular green beans. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot. Campfire optional.

Jobs for children: Smaller children can peel carrots and potatoes, pull the thyme leaves off the stems, snap the ends off the beans, measure milk and stock, grind pepper. Older children can chop vegetables.

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Homemade Soft Pretzels

At the top of my list of universal truths is this one: outside of the farmers' markets, no tomato beats a home grown one. Some foods are worth the effort to grow at home, and some aren't. I put carrots in that second category. Mine seem to come out too small, gnarly, and bitter.

Soft pretzels are the culinary equivalent of the homegrown tomato.

Dissolving the yeast and setting the dough aside to rise.
The homemade versions are much better than the standard soft pretzel from a food truck or a ball game. This recipe comes with a warning, then: once you make pretzels at home,  you won't want to eat them anywhere else. Fresh out of the oven, with a crisp shell and chewy, doughy, middle, they are divine.







Rolling, rolling, rolling.
An added bonus is that they are fun to make. Dough is always great for children to manipulate, and this dough gets rolled into long cylinders and formed into pretzel shapes. It's like rolling and shaping clay or play dough, but this dough is okay to eat. In fact, when you think about it, we should all get rid of the play dough and keep a stash of pretzel or pizza dough in the refrigerator for play time. It offers the same amount of fun, but at the end of the process, we can cook it into something delicious.

Shaping the pretzels and dropping them into their boiling water bath.
This recipe came into our lives from my brother-in-law, one of many great recipes he has shared. Now we make pretzels to accompany soup for dinner, as an appetizer, or as a stand-alone snack. There really is no bad time of year for them but I think  fall  is the best time. As the weather gets cooler and we start to hunker down for winter, they are perfect to eat in front of the fire, or while snuggled in front of the TV. As Olivia says, "They're warm and soft, and melt in your mouth. And they're very comforting on a cold day."

I probably don't need to say this, given that pretzels are essentially a bread product, but the children all loved them. In fact, we brought them to a neighborhood party this weekend and they were devoured immediately. I admit that I strolled around with the basket of hot pretzels telling everyone that they really should eat them right away because they were best hot. But nobody seemed to mind.

Second Helping: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip After School Cookies

Get 'em while they're hot!

Homemade Soft Pretzels

These pretzels are best eaten while they are hot, fresh out of the oven.

Makes 1 dozen pretzels
2 hours preparation time (including the rises)
about 15 minutes baking time

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups unbleached white flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
8 teaspoons baking soda
large-grained sea salt or Kosher salt for sprinkling

Measure the yeast into a large mixing bowl and add the warm water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the yeast has dissolved. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and butter, and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Using your hands, mix a bit more to incorporate the butter. Don't worry if the butter doesn't mix in completely; some small lumps will give the pretzels a delicious buttery flavor.

When everything is incorporated, knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticks to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. (I admit that I have cut this rise short -- to about 30 minutes, and the pretzels were still delicious.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

After the dough has risen, punch it down, and cut it into 12 roughly equal-sized pieces. Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the counter to keep the dough from sticking and roll each piece of dough into a long snake. Form each snake into a pretzel shape and set it onto the cookie sheet to rise. Be sure to pinch the dough together at the meeting points to keep the pretzels from unraveling when you cook them. When you have formed all of the pretzels, cover them with the dishtowel and let them rise again for 15 to 30 minutes.

While the pretzels are rising, preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Fill a large, non-reactive pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the baking soda.

After the pretzels have risen, add a few at a time to the boiling water and let them boil for about 1 minute. As you take each pretzel out of the water, shake it a bit to remove the excess water and place it back on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the coarse salt on top. After you have boiled and removed all of the pretzels, bake them for 12 to 15  minutes until they are golden brown.

Jobs for children: This entire process is child friendly. Children can measure and mix the yeast, measure and mix the flour and butter, knead the dough, and prepare the baking sheets. Most fun of all, though, is for them to cut the dough, roll it into long snakes, and form it into pretzel shapes or any other shapes you like, really.

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Smoky Eggplant Lasagna

So that's it then. Summer is officially over. Sigh. I can't say that I'm ready to leave it behind, the long days, lazy evenings at the pool, unstructured hours of who-knows-what. We did our best to wring the last bits out of summer this past weekend, with some time at the pool, a party at a friend's house to celebrate the bounty of our local farms, and a bike ride along the C & O Canal towpath.

But the weather has turned cooler and it is beginning to feel like fall, with all that the season promises. We made this lasagna the night before the first day back at school to help us bridge the seasons. It is lighter than eggplant parmesan, with a fresh flavor, and it doesn't require all that dipping and frying that goes along with the preparation of eggplant parmesan.

It all started at a farmers' market, as it often does. We spied a variety of adorable eggplants and the children wanted to buy a few of each of them. What? Eggplant? Are you kidding? You won't eat them! That was what I thought, but I fought off the impulse to pass them up and scooped them up instead. If I buy them, maybe they'll eat them. And, besides, did I mention that they were very cute?


Olivia wanted to make eggplant parmesan with them, but they really weren't the right size or shape. They were small enough that I thought they would be tender and I could skip the peeling and salting. The smoky flavor came from the smoked mozzarella which complements the eggplant.

When we sat down to eat the lasagna, Chloe didn't recognize the eggplant and she was quite suspicious. I'm not one to hide the true ingredients from children because I'd rather my kids learned to love all that great produce than to find out that I'd tricked them into eating something they say they hate. But I also don't always announce the ingredients that I think may be an obstacle.

Instead, we play, Guess the Secret Ingredient. Everyone has to have a few bites and then try to guess what is in the dish. My hope is that by the time someone guesses "eggplant," the children will have tried the dish and decided whether or not it was good without the specter of eating a food they don't think they like. It doesn't always work, but in this case, it did. Although neither Chloe or Oscar ate all of the eggplant bits, they did eat around them instead of refusing to eat dinner at all. I'll take my small victories however I can get them.

Maybe it won't be so hard to leave summer behind after all.

Second Helping: Moro Bean, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Eggplant Lasagna

I used a mix of varieties of small, tender eggplants and left the skins on. If you use larger ones, peel them first. I don't find salting necessary in this dish because they eggplants are mixed in with so many flavors that they are not bitter at all.

I always seem to have leftover lasagna noodles after assembling a lasagna. I'm not sure why a standard box has more noodles than one really needs to make a standard lasagna. It's just like hotdogs. Why do they sell them in packages of 10 when the buns come in packets of 12 (or is it 8 and 10?). Anyway, if you have leftovers, slice them into strips and toss them with a bit of olive oil and salt. The Italians refer to these odd shapes as "malfatti," meaning poorly made. They taste like any other pasta, though, and could make the start of a nice little lunch.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups diced eggplant
6 cups chopped San Marzano tomatoes (fresh if you can get them or canned if you can't)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound lasagna noodles
1 15-ounce container ricotta
1 pound smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
about 30 fresh basil leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and eggplant and cook until they soften, 10-15 minutes. If you are adding fresh tomatoes, add them with their juice. If you use canned tomatoes, drain most of the water, but add enough to make the vegetables slightly saucy. Cook with the tomatoes until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and boil them according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and run cold water over them stirring them gently with a wooden spoon or your hands to keep them from sticking.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles on top of the sauce. Spread a large spoonful of ricotta across each noodle. Top with a few basil leaves. Add a layer of sauce. Repeat with another layer just like that, noodles, ricotta, basil,  sauce.  You should have enough ricotta for a second layer. For the next layer, use noodles, smoked mozzarella, basil, and sauce. Keep adding layers until you run out of sauce or space in the dish, whichever happens first. For me, this was a total of four layers of noodles. The last layer should have sauce topped by mozzarella.

Bake the lasagna until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. If you would like the cheese on the top to brown a bit, remove the lasagna and heat the oven to broil. Put the lasagna back in for a couple of minutes, until the cheese begins to turn a golden brown. Watch very carefully because it will brown quickly and the last thing you need is to burn the lasagna. Remove from the oven immediately. Let it rest for a couple of minutes before you slice and serve.

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Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo ball soup is one of those quintessential comfort foods that seems like it should be able to cure anything.  Well, maybe not anything, but definitely a cold or a heartache.  Usually it is made with chicken, though, making it a no no for vegetarians. 

Of course we needed to remedy that by making a vegetarian version.  The leeks in this recipe give the broth a rich flavor and the egg in the matzo balls adds a hint of chicken-y flavor.  It's not quite like the rendered chicken fat of the original version, but it is robust and warming.  To add flavor to the matzo balls, I add leeks and parsley to them.  The soup gets even better as it ages, and, if possible, I make it a day before I plan to eat it so that the flavors have a chance to develop overnight.

 

This soup has become one of Olivia's favorites and if we go too long without making it, she reminds me to put it back in the dinner rotation.  Now that she's into those double digits I'm sure there are inevitable heartbreaks ahead.  I hope not too many, but when they come, I'll be ready with my box of matzo meal.

Second Helping: Cuban Black Beans

 

Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup

Serves 6
20 minutes preparation time
approximately 60 minutes cooking time

This soup is even better after it has rested for a day.  If you make it in advance, either wait to cook the matzo balls or cook them and store them separately from the soup or they will swell to gargantuan size.

For both the soup and the matzo balls:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts only (about 3 medium leeks)
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley, divided

To finish the matzo balls:
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt

To finish the soup:
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
4 medium carrots, scrubbed and diced
8 cups water, or 3 bouillon cubes and 8 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch segments

In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove about 1/4 cup of the leeks and set them aside.

To make the matzo ball mixture, in a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then add the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and mix again.  Add the matzo meal, salt, the 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, and the 1/4 cup of leeks that you set aside.  Mix thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate until the mixture firms up, at least 30 minutes.

While the matzo mixture is chilling, work on the soup.  To the leek pot, add the onion, garlic, celery, red pepper, and carrots.  Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes.  Add the stock or water and bouillon and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. 

Bring a wide-bottomed pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile, with moistened hands, roll the matzo mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.  The mixture should make 15 to 16 matzo balls.  Drop the matzo balls into the water, cover and simmer over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they are firm and uniform in color, about 20 minutes.  Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon.

When the matzo balls have cooked, add them to the soup pot along with the green beans and remaining parsley.  Simmer until the green beans are tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

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Creamy Lettuce Soup

 
I know that it sounds odd to cook lettuce, but please keep reading.  We cook spinach and lots of other greens, after all.  And watercress soup is a classic.  Years ago when I worked at a French restaurant outside Philadelphia (The Spring Mill Cafe, and it's still there!), this was a regular item on the menu.  It was delicious and a great way to use up leftover salad greens.

 
Our children love thick potato-based soups, and this one was no exception.  When I'm not sure whether the kids will like something new, I usually have them play a game to guess the ingredients.  They have to taste the dish to guess what's in it, and by the time they have guessed any unusual ingredients, they have already had a bite or two and aren't influenced just by knowing what's in the bowl.  I'm not above a bit of trickery.  In this case, the children thought the soup tasted like potato-leek soup, although I find that it has a sweetness that differentiates it. 

This is an easy dish to throw together, too, and we often have the ingredients on hand to make it.  The technique of mixing in a couple of egg yolks to thicken the soup comes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  The eggs also add a bit of protein.  We have eaten this soup as a main course with salad and bread to warm us up on cold winter's nights.  It even sustained us through a snowstorm or two.

Creamy Lettuce Soup

This recipe is a great way to use up wilted lettuce or those outer leaves that have seen better days.  don't use anything brown or slimy, though, as that will give the soup an off flavor.

3 tablespoons butter
3 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups diced potatoes
6 cups vegetable stock or 1 bouillon cube and 6 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups chopped lettuce
2 egg yolks (save the whites to make meringues)
1/2 cup milk or cream

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until it has softened, 7 or 8 minutes.  Add the flour and stir until it has been fully incorporated.  Add the potatoes and stir to coat them with the butter.  Add the salt, and vegetable stock or bouillon cube and water.  Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Add the lettuce.  Cook until the lettuce is completely wilted but still green, about 5 minutes.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender.

Just before you are ready to serve the soup, whisk together the egg yolks and milk or cream.  While whisking, add a few ladlefuls of the soup and incorporate the egg mixture completely.  Add the egg-soup mixture back into the soup pot and stir it in.  If necessary, warm the soup over low heat, but do not allow it to simmer.  Serve hot.

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Wasabi and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 
We went to the Smithsonian's American History Museum a couple of weekends (and snowstorms) ago.  There are many great exhibits there, including the first ladies' inaugural gowns and several interactive rooms for the children, but somehow we managed to find ourselves in Julia Child's kitchen.  I love visiting that kitchen because it is so down to earth and homey.  I could picture myself cooking in there with the children at the table helping out, doing their homework, or having a snack. You know, if I had four times the space of my current kitchen.

The exhibit includes a continuous loop with excerpts from several of Julia's cooking shows.  Many of these are not so vegetarian friendly.  I have seen her truss a duck, stuff a chicken, and boil live lobsters.  And she did not mince words when it came to her assessment about vegetarianism.  But no matter, I was still riveted.  When I heard her describe her method of making mashed potatoes with 2 whole heads of garlic, I swooned.  Any recipe that uses that much garlic has me interested.  She said that the process makes the garlic mild so I was eager to try it.

Of course I had to put my own twist on it.  I wanted to make them with wasabi, one of my favorite flavors, and I made a few modifications to alter the flavor profile.  The resulting mash balances the sweetness of the garlic with the nuttiness of the sesame oil and the zip of the wasabi.  I made these with a wide audience (and children) in mind.  The wasabi flavor definitely comes through, but if you are a wasabi lover, you may want to add more. 

The horseradish flavor would make these mashed potatoes a fantastic accompaniment to beef stew or roast beef, or would go equally well with beans or a root vegetable stew.

 

Wasabi and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 6 as a side dish
20 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

2 heads garlic
4 tablespoons sesame oil
7 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (approximately 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a generous pinch for the potato water
2 teaspoons wasabi powder (or  more to taste), mixed with an equal amount of water
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Bring a small pot of water to boil.  Separate the garlic into individual cloves and drop them with their skins still on into the boiling water.  Boil them for 2 minutes, drain them, and peel the skins off. 

Dry out the pot with a paper towel and return it to the heat.  Add the sesame oil and the garlic cloves.  Cook the garlic over very low heat until it is very soft and golden, about 20 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes with a pinch of salt until they are soft, about 20 minutes.  Drain the water.  Put the potatoes through a ricer or a food mill. 

Pour the softened garlic with the oil through the ricer or food mill, too.  Scrape out any garlic left in the bottom of the food mill or ricer and add it to the mix.  The garlic will be so mild that even if there are a few chunks, it will not be overpowering.

Add the wasabi mixture, salt and pepper and stir.  If necessary, return the mixture to the pot and heat over low heat.  Serve hot.

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Cauliflower Soup with Stilton

 
I have been getting my Bon Appetit these days, which the publishers at Conde Nast seem to think will placate me since they decided to close Gourmet.  Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect.  I just look at that magazine each month and think of what I'm missing.  The pictures are not as exciting and neither are the recipes or stories.  I still read some of it, but it just doesn't give me that same jolt of inspiration that I got from Gourmet.

Fortunately, Gabe gave me the new Gourmet cookbook, Gourmet Today, for Christmas.  We recently had a dinner party using only recipes from the book.  This soup was one of our favorites.  Stilton has a mild flavor for a blue, and the amount in this recipe is just right so that it does not overpower the cauliflower. Even Oscar and Chloe, who normally would not eat a piece of blue cheese if it rolled onto the plate in front of them, lapped up this soup.  For those -- like me -- who love blue cheese, a few more crumbles of Stilton on the top is delicious.

The recipe also calls for white pepper.  You might be tempted to substitute black pepper if you don't have any on hand and I'm sure that would be delicious, too.  But I encourage you to try the white pepper.  It has a distinctive flavor that complements the cauliflower nicely.

With more than 1,000 recipes in Gourmet Today, I think I can keep myself occupied for quite a while.

Cauliflower Soup with Stilton
Adapted from Gourmet Today

Serves 6 as a main course
25 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, strings removed, and finely sliced
1 medium cauliflower, cut into approximately 1-inch florets
2 bouillon cubes plus 4 cups of water or 4 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup crumbled Stilton, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, celery, and cook until the onion and celery have softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the cauliflower, milk, and stock or water and bouillon and bring to a simmer.  Cover the pot and simmer until the cauliflower is soft, about 25 minutes.  It should fall apart easily when you poke it with a fork.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is very smooth.  About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, heat the soup over medium heat.  Add the 2/3 cup of Stilton, salt, and pepper.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Serve with a few more pieces of Stilton crumbled on the top for any one who would like it.

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Smokin' Chili

 
Oscar is eagerly awaiting the Superbowl.  Oh, sure, we may watch some of the game on TV, and some of us will enjoy the commercials as much as the game.  Chances are I'll be doing something else at the same time if we do watch it.  You know, something exciting like folding laundry or writing up a recipe. 

But the real excitement will come in the week leading up to the big game.  What Oscar is really looking forward to is the Superbowl display at Whole Foods.  As best Oscar could remember, the set up is a miniature football field with corks for players and beer bottles for referees. The whole display is walled in by large quantities of tortilla chips and soda.  I wish I could remember it better myself, but I'm sure that I tried to move on as soon as I saw those large quantities of chips.

 
If we do watch the game, we'll take a traditional culinary route and whip up a pot of chili.  Maybe we'll have some chips and tomatillo salsa, too.  But this chili recipe will definitely be on the table.  The smoked paprika and chipotle in adobo sauce give the chili a fantastic smoky flavor and the cilantro adds a touch of freshness.  The chipotle also gives the chili a moderate amount of heat.  You can add more if you want more kick, or leave it out altogether if you are making this for children who  can't tolerate the spicyness.  For a crowd, I make a double batch, one with the chipotle and one without.  Leftovers freeze well. 

With or without the game, this chili is warming on a cold January night.  We may even recreate our own Superbowl display at home.  Maybe we'll use blocks instead of the chips and soda, but I think we'll keep the beer bottle referee.

Smokin' Chili

Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time, plus time for soaking the beans
1 hour and 30 minutes cooking time

1 pound dried kidney beans, or a combination of kidney, navy, and pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika or pimenton
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium yellow or red pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), with their juice, chopped
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce, finely minced (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
toppings such as grated cheese, minced onion, or sour cream for servings

Whisk together the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cloves.  Heat them in a large stockpot over medium heat until they are fragrant, just a minute or two.  Remove them from the pot. 

Add the olive oil to the pan and warm it.  Add the onion, pepper, and garlic and cook until they soften, 7 or 8 minutes.  Add the beans, tomatoes with their liquid, the spice mixture, and salt and pepper.  Add the chipotle if you are using it, but if you would like to separate the chili into two batches, one mild and one spicy, divide it into two pots at this point.  Then add the chipotle to one pot (you may want to use half the amount). 

If the tomato liquid is not sufficient to cover the beans, add a bit of water until the beans are just submerged. 

Cook the chili uncovered until the beans have softened, about an hour and a half.  Check the liquid and add more water if it is necessary to keep the beans covered.  When the beans are soft, add the cilantro and serve with the toppings of your choice.

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Coconut-Laced Butternut Squash Soup

It's been cold around here.  I mean bone chillingly cold.  We've had those high winds that get under the pants leg, up the sleeves, and down the collar.  And of course it's so hard to keep that nose warm.  In this weather, when I get home from work, I just want to put my pajamas on, eat a bowl of soup, and stay in the warm cocoon of our house.

This soup is perfect for the season because the coconut gives it a hint of the tropics and the basil adds a touch of summer.  You can still find butternut squash at the farmers' markets if you are brave enough to venture out there.  Gabe went last week (hmmmm, how did I get out of that one?) and the farmers all thanked him for being there.

The soup doesn't take long to make.  Get everything going and then, while it simmers, go put on those pajamas.

Coconut-Laced Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6
15 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped shallot
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 5 cups)*
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed  (about 2 cups)
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
15 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the squash and potatoes and stir for about a minute.  Add the coconut milk, 3 cups of water, and the salt.  Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Puree with a hand blender.  Add the basil and lime juice, stir, and serve.

*Butternut squash can be a bit slippery to handle.  My favorite way to cut them is first to slice a small bit off the bottom and the top.  Set the squash upright on a cutting board and with a large, sharp knife cut through it from top to bottom.  Scoop out the seeds.  Peel each half.  Cut each half in slices cross ways and then in the other direction to make cubes.

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Semolina Pizza Crust

 
Friday night has become homemade pizza night at our house.  Maybe it has something to do with the weather turning colder, but on Fridays after a long week, we all burrow in, crank up the oven, and eat to our hearts' content.  It has become a very relaxing, enjoyable family night. 

For me, the key to a good pizza is a good crust.  I prefer a thin, crisp crust, more like an authentic pie from Naples than what you get from your typical American pizza parlor.  It's tough to recreate that without a wood-fired, 700-degree oven, but this dough makes me very happy.  The recipe is adapted from Biba Caggiano's Trattoria Cooking, which I have written about before here.  I love it because the recipes are simple but delicious.  The cookbook has become one that I trust completely and turn to again and again.

By now, we just quote the cookbook as if Caggiano were a family member, "Biba says. . . "  Well, Biba says that semolina flour can be used in place of some or all of the all-purpose flour.  I find that using half semolina flour gives the dough a fantastic texture and flavor.  Of course, if you don't have or can't find semolina flour, you can use all all-purpose flour instead.

 
If you like a thin crisp crust, too, there are a couple of things that you can try.  First, roll the dough as thin as possible.  The thinner the dough, the crisper the crust will be.  I try to roll it as big as my pizza stone, which is round and about 16 inches in diameter.  I also find that using a pizza stone or tiles helps crisp up the crust because it allows the cooking surface to hold the heat.  Preheat the pizza stone in the oven for about half an hour before you are ready to use it.  That way when you put the dough on it, it begins cooking from the bottom up immediately.  I know that some cooks advocate cooking the crust before adding the toppings, but with this recipe I haven't found that to make a difference, so I don't bother.

 
When we roll out the dough, we don't worry about getting it round.  We just let the shape form as we roll it.  This makes for some fun, irregular shapes.  We even had a heart the other night.

 
Lately we have been eating our pizza while we watch TV together.  We aren't much of a TV-watching household, but Gabe and I have gotten the kids hooked on Top Chef.  So we go from very little TV to foul-mouthed, competitive cooking.  I have a feeling that somewhere down the road the children will question my parenting judgment, but for now, we're having a blast.  We have recorded the last episode (no spoilers please!) and we'll watch it tonight as we munch our pizza.  And next week when Top Chef is over, I'm thinking family game night will be an excellent replacement.

To those of you celebrating Hanukkah, have a wonderful holiday!

Semolina Pizza Crust

Adapted from Biba Caggiano's Trattoria Cooking

Since the crust is so thin, it usually takes between two and three of these pizzas to fill all five of us up, although lately I have taken to making four of them so that we have lots leftover for weekend lunches.  The dough does not suffer with extra rising time.  It can be made the night before you want to cook it, for example.  You can pop it into the refrigerator in the morning after it has had a chance to rise or just leave it on the counter until the following evening when you are ready to cook it.

Makes 1 medium, thin crust pizza
15 minutes preparation time, plus 3 or more hours for the dough to rise
10-12 minutes cooking time, plus 30 minutes for preheating the oven and pizza stone

2 1/4 teaspoons (or 1 packet) active dry yeast
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semolina flour or an additional 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Mix everything briefly with a wooden spoon until the wet ingredients are incorporated into the flour.  Then mix the dough by hand until everything is blended.  Turn the dough out onto a counter and knead it for 5 to 6 minutes.  The dough should be smooth and stretchy.  If it is sticky, add a bit more flour and knead it again for a minute or two.

Form the dough into a ball and put it in a large bowl.  Sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Set the dough aside to rise for three or more hours.  After three hours, the dough should have doubled and you should see small bubbles throughout.

About a half hour before you are ready to cook the pizza, put a pizza stone or baking tiles in the oven and preheat it to 500 degrees.  Let the stone heat for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the dough from the bowl and flatten it onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll it out with a rolling pin into whatever shape it takes.  Remove the pizza stone from the oven, sprinkle it with a bit of semolina flour or coarse cornmeal and transfer the dough onto the stone.  Add your favorite toppings.  Bake until the crust and cheese are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

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Caldo Verde (Portugese Potato and Kale Soup)

I don't know about you, but after the heavenly excess of this past weekend, my pants are feeling a bit snug.  I need some simple food, and what better to satisfy that need than soup.  This soup only has four ingredients, but they are in perfect balance for a pure, nourishing meal.  I find it fantastic on a cold, rainy night, or when I feel a cold coming on.  The kale tastes fresh and green and adds to the soup's restorative powers.  It's also extremely easy and quick to make so it will give you a break if you have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

My mother learned to make this soup when my father was posted in Portugal in the mid-70s.  She made it many times when we were growing up, and now it is comfort food for me.  The Portugese sometimes make it with sausage, but we never did, and it's delicious as it is.

For some reason both of my girls will eat kale.  Even Chloe, who turns up her nose at food most kids love--trying to make a cookie that girl will eat is quite a challenge--laps up this soup.  And while I was cooking, Chloe entertained herself with the potato peels, starting with a nest and progressing to a face with eyebrows.

 
I'm still working on getting Oscar to like caldo verde, but maybe after a few more bowls, he will see the light.  As for me, it is exactly what I need to get myself in shape before I start that holiday baking.

Caldo Verde

The flavors of this soup are very mild so it will be best if you use fresh kale, sufficient salt, and a tasty olive oil.

Serves 6
10 minutes preparation time
25 minutes cooking time

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups kale, stems removed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons good quality olive oil

Put the potatoes in a medium-sized soup pot and cover them with water by about 1 inch.  Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Mash the potatoes into the water.

About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, add the kale and the salt.  Cook the kale for 4 to 5 minutes or until the greens are tender but still retain a bit of crunch.  The soup should be thick but if it needs more liquid, add a bit more water.  Add the olive oil.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like.  Serve hot. 

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Dilly Dally Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

 
When the children were younger, it was an effort to get anywhere.  Just when I'd think we were ready to head out the door, someone would need to go to the bathroom or would have wandered back into the playroom.  Getting out in time for school was particularly challenging.  I remember when I was home on maternity leave after Chloe was born, it took everything I had to get the kids out of the house.  Once we were out, we needed to keep moving; there was no time for dawdling.

My frequent refrain in those days was, "no dilly dallying." As one stared out the window instead of getting dressed, another stopped to pick up a stone, and another collected leaves and acorns, I would say, again and again, "no dilly dallying."   And on weekdays when the children wanted pancakes for breakfast, there simply wasn't time.  Saturday we called dilly dally day.  That was the day we could dawdle, stare into space, stop every few feet along our path, and, of course, eat pancakes.

 
I wish I could have those moments back now for the children.  In hindsight, I would rather be late for school and allow the children to hunt for treasures.  But I did figure out a way to get them pancakes during the week.  We now make our own pancake mix by mixing together the dry ingredients in advance.  When the children want pancakes on a weekday, we just add milk, eggs, and butter to the mix.  This is our basic recipe for pancakes with a touch of whole wheat and lots of flavor.  You can top them with whatever you like.  My favorite is syrup and a few toasted pecans.

Dilly Dally Whole Wheat Pancakes

If you'd like to make mix to store for another day, make several batches of the dry ingredients.  I usually quadruple the recipe.  When you are ready to make the pancakes, add the amount of milk, eggs, and butter listed below for each 1 1/3 cups of the mix. 

Makes about 15 pancakes
15 minutes preparation time
15-20 minutes cooking time

The dry ingredients:
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

To finish the pancakes:
3/4 to 1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter

Measure all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix them thoroughly with a whisk.  If you are making a multiple batch for a mix, measure out 1 1/3 cups of the dry ingredients and put the rest in an air tight storage container.  Measure 3/4 cup of the the milk into a large measuring cup and warm it briefly in the microwave so that when you add the melted butter it will not immediately congeal in the cold milk, about 30 seconds.  Mix in the egg and butter.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix just long enough to wet the flour mixture.  If the mixture is too stiff, add up to a half cup more milk.

Heat a large griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat.  To test the cooking surface to see if it is hot, sprinkle a few drops on it.  If they dance, the griddle is ready.  Add a mixture of butter and oil to the cooking surface, and swirl the pan so that it coats evenly.  Pour out a scant quarter cup to make each pancake.  When small bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, flip them and cook on the other side.  Serve hot with your favorite pancake toppings.

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Victory Bread Pudding

I made this recipe for my aunt, Midge.  She had been craving a basic, pure-tasting bread pudding. And, of course, I welcomed the challenge of coming up with something that would satisfy her craving.

Midge isn't just any ordinary aunt.  She is the best.  She and my uncle Jay have treated me and my siblings with such respect and love that I think of them as second parents.  They have always welcomed us to visit them in Manhattan or on Long Island and helped me take time out to appreciate and celebrate life.

Growing up, Midge managed to develop a relationship with each of my siblings that made us feel special.  She took a genuine interest in us, making sure that she had a bit of one-on-one time with each of us to catch up and find out what was going on in our lives. 

I haven't polled all of her nieces and nephews, but if I did, I think I would discover that even today, she makes all of us feel unique and that our lives are fascinating and important.  And that is saying something because there are dozens of us.  I love asking her for advice because I know that whatever decision I make, she will be behind me all the way.  And now she is working her magic with the next generation.  It is so gratifying to see the relationship that she has with my children.

When Midge told me that she had advanced stage colon cancer last year, I was heartbroken.  How do such horrible things happen to such good people?  Midge has had a year that can only be described as hellish, with multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.  She still has one surgery to go, but the incredible news is that it looks like she has beat it.  I'd like to think that some of the goodness that she added to the world came back to her when she needed it. 

Through it all, there were some truly dark days when even getting out of bed was a challenge.  But Midge handled it all with courage and dignity.  Some of her journey was chronicled in this Wall Street Journal story.  One of the images that helped her through it was the Winged Victory, a statue whose beauty first brought her to tears when she saw it in the Louvre as a teenager.  The image of that strong, beautiful winged woman inspired her to keep going.  And keep going she did. 

Making this bread pudding for Midge was a way to celebrate the end of a very tough year, a year that brought her a raw deal and a sweet victory. 

 
The pudding itself is pure, with traditional flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg.  I sprinkled a bit of sugar and some hazelnuts over the top for a bit of crunch.  Midge made the suggestion that we serve it with a bit of cream spooned over the top, as she had had it in England.  It was the perfect touch.

Victory Bread Pudding

Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time
45-50 minutes baking time

I used a combination of white breads for this recipe, Arnold Brick Oven White and a soft-crust Italian bread.  The texture of these breads yielded a classic pudding, soft with the bread well-integrated into the custard.

4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups whole milk
1 cup cream, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 cups cubed white bread
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Whisk together all the ingredients except the bread, hazelnuts, and sugar.  Add the bread and toss gently.  Let sit for at least half an hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Pour the mixture into a buttered 9-by-13 inch casserole pan.  Sprinkle the hazelnuts and sugar over the pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the pudding is browned and beginning to puff, but still a bit jiggly in the middle.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes before serving.  Serve with a bit of cream drizzled over the top.

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Everyday Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese seems to be one of those dishes that almost everyone will eat.  In our house, we would all eat it most nights if we could.  But it can be very rich and time consuming to make so it's usually not ideal as a regular meal.  Of course we use those box mixes from time to time because they are a snap to make, and our children love them.  But I prefer baked macaroni and cheese to the stovetop variety.  And really, I love my cheese way too much to be satisfied eating it in powder form. 

I wanted to create a macaroni and cheese that is easy enough to make as a weeknight meal and not too rich, but still delicious.  Moosewood's Lowfat Favorites cookbook has a recipe that is quite good and uses cottage cheese to replace some of the cheddar.  We have tinkered with that recipe over time, and developed a version that we love.  It is a basic cheddar macaroni and cheese with a full, cheesy flavor, and a bit more depth from the shallots and nutmeg. 

This recipe does not involve making a bechamel sauce or cooking the macaroni in advance so it is quick to prepare.  You can tinker with the amount of cheese depending on whether your primary concern is the flavor or healthfulness of the dish.  To me, six ounces struck the perfect balance.

The recipe makes just enough for the five of us, but we probably eat more than most families. Usually we make a double batch to be sure that we have some left over for lunch.  The macaroni and cheese freezes well.  We often make it before a long trip and freeze it, then let it thaw in the car. When we arrive at the end of the road we just pop it in the oven while we unload and unpack.

Now, when the children request macaroni and cheese for one of our weekly meals, we do not hesitate to add it to the list.

Everyday Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Moosewood's Lowfat Favorites

Serves 5
15 minutes preparation time
45 minutes baking time

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 pound cottage cheese
1 medium shallot, minced (1-2 tablespoons)
6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound macaroni

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the parmesan and bread crumbs and set aside.  Pour the milk and cottage cheese into a large bowl and blend them with a hand blender.   Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the milk mixture and mix it well to be sure that the macaroni is well integrated.  Pour the mixture into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan and sprinkle the parmesan-bread crumb mixture over the top.  Cook for approximately 45 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.

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Rao's Meatballs

As promised, here is a recipe for spaghetti and real meat meatballs (as opposed to the vegetarian ones I posted last week) from my friend Laura.  Obviously, I haven't tried these, but I completely trust Laura's judgment because she is a great cook, a discerning eater, and creater of the wonderful blog, cherrypatter.  If you live in New York, find yourself up that way, or just love reading about the city, it is a great resource for places to eat, shop, or linger.  The text and photos are all Laura's.

I am excited to guest host on Margy’s fantastic blog Hide The Cheese, and I’m thrilled that she took me up on my offer to contribute some occasional meat-focused recipes. 

One of our family cold weather favorites is this recipe for super rich and tasty meatballs from the very famous, very exclusive restaurant called Rao’s located in Harlem that has been serving celebrities for ages.  A good friend of ours who is a great cook tipped me on to the recipe and I have been using it ever since.

What is particularly great about this recipe, in addition to how it tastes, is the opportunity for smooshing, mashing, oozing and squeezing.   Both of our kids love playing in the muck that becomes the meatballs.  Just recently, Simon, who is just two, helped out by sticking his fingers into the tomatoes that needed to be strained and broken up.   Now, his contribution was somewhat offset by the resulting mess of sauce down the table, the stool, his onesie and his legs but we had fun and quickly took a much needed bath. 

Katie, although she won’t touch these things once cooked (she is not the most adventuresome eater), loves mixing together the meats, cheese, egg and water mixture into a truly irresistible ball of gloop.  After the pile is thoroughly combined, she and I form the two-to-three inch meatballs, and then they are off to get fried, drained, and doused in some delicious tomato sauce. 

The meatballs are wonderful that first day, but they are also incredibly great keepers.  They keep in the fridge for about a week, and, as an added bonus, they freeze well too.  The amount of marinara sauce below is just enough, though we like lots of extra sauce so I have been doubling the amount.  I am sure there are plenty of tomato sauce recipes that would do the trick here, but I definitely would not modify the meatball recipe.  Be sure to get the pork, beef and the veal – it is the trio that really makes them extra special.  Also be sure to use pecorino romano (rather than just straight parmesan) and fresh bread crumbs (see my note below). 

Rao's Meatballs
Adapted very slightly from  Rao's Cookbook by Frank Pellegrino

Serves 6
30 minutes preparation time
1 hour cooking time

For the marinara sauce:
2 28-ounce cans imported Italian plum tomatoes with basil (preferably those labeled “san marzano”)
1/4 cup fine-quality olive oil
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
salt to taste
6 leaves fresh basil, torn
pinch dried oregano
pepper to taste

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground lean beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cups fresh bread crumbs*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup fine-quality olive oil

1 pound spaghetti, optional

First, make the tomato sauce.  Place the tomatoes and their juice in a large bowl.  Using your hands, carefully crush the tomatoes.  To prevent major spills, gently remove and disard the hard core from the stem end and remove and discard any skin and tough membrane.  Set aside.

Put oil in a large, non reactive saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent and just beginning to brown.  Stir in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until just softened.  Stir in the tomatoes with their sauce and add the salt.  Raise the heat, and bring the sauce to a boil.  Immediately reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook for at least one hour.  If you prefer a thicker sauce cook for another 15 minutes or even another hour.

Stir in the basil, oregano, and pepper and cook for an additional minute. 

While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs.  Combine the beef, veal and pork in a large bowl.  Add the eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Using your hands, blend the ingredients together.  Mix the bread crumbs into the meat mixture.  Slowly add water until the mixture is moist.

Shape the meat mixture into balls (usually 2 ½ to 3 inch balls).  Heat the oil in a large sauté pan.  When the oil is very hot but not smoking, fry the meatballs in batches.  When the bottom half of  each meatball is very brown and slightly crisp turn it and cook the top half.  Remove the meatballs from the heat and drain them on paper towels.

Lower the cooked meatballs into the simmering marinara sauce and cook for at least 15 minutes.  Serve over pasta or on their own.

*My favorite way to make fresh bread crumbs is to buy a loaf of wheat, white or sourdough bread, cut off the outside, and then just put all the inside bits into the food processor for a minute or two.  Any extras can be kept in the freezer.

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Spaghetti and V-Balls

  I have been a vegetarian for many years now, and I rarely crave meat.  I’ll admit that the occasional whiff of barbeque can make me hungry, but the smell is really better than the taste anyway, so I don’t find it hard to resist.  One major exception was when I was pregnant with our third child.  For some reason, my constant craving was for a good beef ragu or spaghetti and meatballs.  It may have had something to do with all the Sopranos episodes that we were watching (naturally, I was drawn to the food) or maybe it was a comfort food craving for the sauce that my mother used to make.  I tried a few times to make tofu “meat” balls, but didn’t come up with a recipe that made flavorful balls that held their shape.  Time passed, Chloe was born, and my cravings subsided. 

Then my friend Laura told me that her children were enjoying meatballs of the traditional meat variety. (Laura has her own fantastic website about great places to go, eat, and shop in New York  and has kindly offered to share her recipe here, so stay tuned for her guest post).  A few days later, I saw the cover of the January issue of Gourmet, which featured a mouthwatering bowl of spaghetti and meatballs.  That double whammy led me to develop this recipe for spaghetti and vegetarian non-meat balls, or as Oscar dubbed them, V-balls.  They have a robust, hearty flavor, and the cheeses help them hold their shape.  Even for meat eaters, these are a delicious treat. 

This is not a super quick dish to prepare, but if you keep several pots going at once, it is not too time consuming.  It makes a wonderful Sunday dinner.  Alternatively, you could easily prepare the meatballs in advance.  Store them without the sauce, and when you are ready to eat them, heat them in the oven for 15-20 minutes (while the pasta water boils) before adding them to the sauce.  However you do it, it is well worth it.  This recipe is generous, so depending on how many V-balls you eat with your pasta, you should have some leftover for V-ball sandwiches.  Buon appetito!

Spaghetti and V-Balls

Serves 6
30 minutes preparation time
40 minutes cooking time

For the V-balls:
1 pound silken (soft) tofu
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
2 cups chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated mozzarella
2/3 cup parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup chopped parsley

Canola oil for frying

For the tomato sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3-4 garlic cloves
3 28-ounce cans of tomatoes, chopped or mashed

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti

Spoon the tofu into a strainer or colander and let it drain while you prepare the other ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, mash the tofu with the breadcrumbs, add the milk, and mix.  Mix in the remaining V-ball ingredients.

Meanwhile, begin the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until they are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes along with the juice from one of the cans. Put the sauce aside to simmer while you prepare the V-balls.

Pour enough canola oil in a deep skillet so that it is 1 to 2 inches deep. Heat the oil until a small bit of the V-ball mixture dropped in the oil fizzles. While the oil is heating, shape the V-ball mixture into golf ball sized balls. The mixture should be stiff and hold together well, but if they do not stick well, add a few more tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Prepare a large plate with newspapers topped with a couple of paper towels. When the oil is hot, fry the V-balls in batches, turning them frequently so that they turn a golden brown. Drain them on the paper towels.

When the V-balls have all been fried, gently place them into the sauce pot while you boil the pasta.  Don't leave them in the sauce for too long because if they absorb too much sauce, they will lose their shape. Before serving, scoop out the V-balls with a slotted spoon. Toss the remaining sauce with the pasta and top with the V-balls.

NOTE:  If you prefer a healthier recipe, bake the V-balls in a 350 degree oven until they turn lightly brown, about 20 to 25 minutes, before mixing them in with the sauce. This will save the time of frying and reduce the fat in the recipe, but you will lose some of the rich flavor that comes with the frying. 

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Vanilla Bean Pudding

There's something about pudding.  It's not fancy or elegant, but it is cold, creamy, delicious, and comforting.  It's hard to get enough.  We have been making it a lot lately.  We made the butterscotch pudding from the February issue of Gourmet magazine and the chocolate pudding from the Gourmet Cookbook.  Both were delicious, but I was in the mood for a simple, pure flavor, something with universal appeal to children and adults.  In a word, I wanted vanilla.

But not something bland or boring.  I wanted the rich taste of vanilla beans.  I had recently gone to lunch at Jaleo and had a fantastic Basque semolina cake with a vanilla cream center.  In fact, I had it twice in one week.  I went one afternoon with a friend for a relaxing, delightful lunch.  Unfortunately -- or fortunately, as it turned out -- I left my credit card behind.  Since I had to go back to pick it up anyway, I thought I may as well stop in with Chloe.  Needless to say, the experience was not as soothing as the first time around, but it did give me another crack at that cake.  I'm still a long way from figuring out how to recreate the cake, but I thought I could at least replicate the simple, rich vanilla flavor.  

This pudding is a simple cornstarch pudding that highlights the flavor of the vanilla bean.  It is not too sweet so that the vanilla bean is really the star, and the brown sugar adds richness to the flavor.  The pudding is very easy to make and absolutely delicious.  We have had both for dessert and as a snack. In our house, the children and the adults all love it.

Vanilla Bean Pudding

Serves 6
30 minutes preparation and cooking time, plus chilling time

3 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whipped cream for serving (optional)* 

Pour the milk into a small saucepan.  Split open the vanilla bean length-wise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and add the seeds and the pod to the saucepan.  Heat the mixture until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, turn it off, and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugars, and salt.  After the milk mixture has steeped, remove the vanilla pod and whisk the sugar mixture into the saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and, whisking constantly, boil gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture thickens.

Empty the pudding into a heatproof bowl.  Cover it with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming on the surface as the pudding cools.  Refrigerate the pudding until it is set, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. 

If you are using the whipped cream, put a dollop on top of each serving.

* I like my whipped cream to be only slightly sweetened with a hint of vanilla so that it doesn't overwhelm the dessert.  For a cup of heavy cream, I would add a teaspoon or two each of granulated sugar and vanilla.

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Potato Leek Soup

I got home from work one day last week completely worn out.  It had been one of days in one of those weeks.  I was tired, grumpy, and hungry.

When I walked in the door, I could smell something good cooking.  Gabe had made one of our favorites, potato-leek soup.  Not only had he made soup, but he had taken pictures and written down the recipe so that I could post it.  What a man!

As I sat at the dinner table that night sharing this simple meal with my family and talking about our days, I rememberd what is really important to me.  Sometimes I need that reminder. . .  and a good bowl of soup. 

Here's Gabe's recipe for potato leek soup, which our children love.  It is simple and quick.  You needn't peel the potatoes, so there is very little preparation time.  We like this soup thick; add more water to thin it a bit if you like.  When he made it this time, Gabe left the potato chunks big to make the soup more hearty, but you could blend them to a creamier consistency. 

Potato Leek Soup

Serves 5
5 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

3-4 leeks
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
8 medium potatoes, peels on, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
1 bouillon cube (we like Rapunzel brand)
salt to taste

Cut the green tops off the leeks, then cut them lengthwise.  Slice them across into half circles and rinse them carefully in a colander under running water.

In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the leeks, and stir.  Cover the pan and let the leeks cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the flour, cover the pot again, and let the mixture cook for about 2 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, just enough water to cover them (about 4 cups), and a bouillon cube.  Bring the soup to a boil, add a few shakes of salt, cover the pot, and cook until the potatoes are soft, 20 to 25 minutes.  With an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is as smooth as you like. 

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Cuban Black Beans

We love our black beans around here. Gabe is Cuban and although we have given up many traditional Cuban meat dishes, we still eat this classic.  Gabe’s mother gave me this recipe soon after Gabe and I started dating, and we have made it many, many times since.  The beans have a robust, multi-layered flavor that intensifies as they cook and makes them a perfect main course.  Our children love them and most everyone we have served it to -- young or old -- enjoys it too.  The best is serving it to toddlers and watching as they get that fabulous, purple-black sauce all over their faces and hands as they eat. 

There is very little work to this recipe, but the beans need to cook for a long time.  It is best to cook them when you will be home for a good part of the day, or you can cook them over consecutive days.  When making them, be sure not to skip mashing the beans into the onion-green pepper mixture.  I am convinced that this step enhances the flavor of the beans as they cook.

It is very easy to double this recipe so I usually make a double batch and give some to a friend or freeze half for a night when I don’t have time to cook.  Serve the beans over rice.  White rice is more traditional, but brown rice is delicious, too.

 

Cuban Black Beans

Serves 6
15 minutes preparation time, plus overnight for soaking beans
3 hours cooking time

1 pound dried black beans
8 cups water
2 large green peppers, chopped and divided
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

Cooked rice for serving

Wash the beans and soak them overnight in the water with half of the green pepper. Alternatively, you can do a quick soak:  bring the beans to a boil, let them boil for two minutes, then turn off the heat and let them sit for 2 hours. After the beans have soaked, bring them to a boil in the same water in a large stock pot. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until they soften, about 1 hour.

While the beans are simmering, heat the oil in a large sauté pan and sauté the onion and garlic. After a few minutes, add the remaining green pepper and sauté for a few more minutes. When the beans are soft, scoop out approximately one cup of the beans, and pour it into the sauté pan with the garlic, onions, and pepper. Mash these beans thoroughly with the garlic, onions, and pepper. Pour the entire contents of the sauté pan back into the stock pot with the rest of the beans. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaf, and sugar. Let them simmer uncovered for about another hour.

Add the vinegar and wine. Let the beans cook uncovered for about another hour over a low flame until they are soft. The beans should be fairly liquid, but if you prefer them thicker, there's no harm in letting them simmer longer. Adjust the seasoning to taste. If you're using the additional olive oil, add it just before serving.

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Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup

One of my favorite tastes of winter is a rich, thick winter squash soup. Soup in general is a wonderful thing when the air is cold and the sky is gray, but squash soups have the further benefit of adding a splash of color to the day. 

Our children can be reluctant to try a new soup, but they are more willing to try a dense soup, one that is almost a purée, rather than a thinner, broth-based soup. We saw these interesting buttercup squash at the farmer’s market and decided to use them for our soup. 

This recipe is very forgiving in terms of the ratio of the ingredients. If you have more or less squash or like a less garlicky soup, you can easily adjust the amounts to suit your needs.You could also substitute another squash with firm orange flesh, such as butternut squash or pumpkin. 

I decided to enhance the sweetness of the squash by roasting it along with shallots and garlic. Depending on the size of the squash, it can take a little while to roast, but the actual time you need to be in the kitchen working is minimal. And the roasting adds a depth of flavor that you don’t get with simmering or boiling. 

We topped the soup with a drizzle of sour cream and lime, forming the children’s initials to win them over to trying the soup. Heavy cream would be an equally tasty alternative.  The children all appreciated the letters and were eager to try it.  Two out of three even lapped up the entire bowl.

Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup

Serves 5
20 minutes preparation time
60 minutes cooking time

3 medium buttercup squash, about 5 pounds
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5-6 shallots, whole with the peel on
5-6 garlic cloves, whole, with the peel on
1 2-inch by 1-inch sized piece of ginger, cut into 2 or 3 large pieces
1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
juice from one lime (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds.  Brush the cut sides with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and place them face down on a baking sheet.  Place the shallots and garlic in the nooks around the squash and put the sheet in the oven.  Roast until the squash are tender and have browned, between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

Remove the squash from the oven, and let them cool enough so that you can handle them.  Scoop out the flesh of the squash from the skin and slip the garlic and shallots out of their skins. 

Heat the remaining oil in a soup pot, add the ginger and cook briefly, for 1-2 minutes.  Add the squash, shallots, and garlic along with any juices from the baking sheet. If necessary, use a bit of water to loosen any roasted pieces that cling to the sheet. Cover the squash with water and add the bouillon. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove the ginger and purée the soup with an immersion blender.  Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

If you’d like to make the sour cream drizzle, put the sour cream and lime juice in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to eliminate lumps. Using a spoon or a small pitcher, drizzle the sour cream mixture over the soup in the design of your choice.

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Black Bean and Monterey Jack Casserole

As with all families -- and maybe all cooks -- we have several meals that we make regularly because everybody in the family loves them. This casserole is one of those dishes.  Although it is a classic combination of rice and beans, the mild chilies give it a unique flavor.  We use brown rice because it adds a nice chewiness and, of course, is more nutritious than white rice.

It is comfort food at its best.

The casserole is easy to make ahead and refrigerate or freeze until you need it. Then you can relax while dinner cooks itself. We make it when we have other families over for dinner or to give to families who could use a hot meal to help get them through a rough week. If you do freeze the dish, it is dense so leave it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw or leave ample time – an hour or more – for it to cook.

If you use canned beans, you can do most of the preparation while the rice is cooking, making this a fairly quick dish to prepare.

The recipe is adapted from Ruth Reichl’s memoir, Tender at the Bone, a very entertaining read. She made it during her vegetarian days while she was living in Berkeley, California, and, although she seems to look on those days as the dark ages of her culinary development, this dish is delicious. 

Black Bean and Monterey Jack Casserole

Serves 6
1 hour preparation time, plus overnight for soaking beans
30–35 minutes baking time

1 cup dried black beans (or 2 15-ounce cans)
3 cups brown rice, uncooked
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided
1 pound cottage cheese

If using dried beans, soak the beans overnight in water. Drain and cook the beans in fresh water for about 1 hour, or until tender. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the rice and 6 cups of water in a medium stock pot.  Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Let the rice cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix the rice, beans, garlic, onion, and chilies. Taste, and add enough salt and pepper to bring out the flavors. 

Set aside 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese. Oil or butter a 9-by-13-inch pan. In the bottom of the pan, layer about a third of the rice and bean mixture. Then, add a layer each of the Monterey Jack and cottage cheeses. Add a second layer of the rice and bean mixture, then another layer of the cheeses, followed by a final layer of the rice and beans. Sprinkle the top with the reserved Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

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