BROCCOLI-WALNUT SOUFFLE FROM A SPECIAL COOKBOOK

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Last month I got a wonderful gift from Fer, my virtual friend who hosts the blog “Chucrute com Salsicha“. She sent me a cookbook: The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two, written by Anna Thomas. Anna’s family was originally from Poland, but she was born in Germany, and moved to the US as a young child. While in college at film school in UCLA, she wrote a masterpiece of a cookbook, The Vegetarian Epicure, at a time when avoiding meat was not very common. I enjoyed my gift so much that I could not resist getting her most recent book, Love Soup. It will have a special spot in our home, as the first cookbook I bought this year. By exercising considerable restraint, I lasted through the first week of February. I certainly make my readers proud! ;-)Fer’s thoughtful gift arrived at our doorstep on a Thursday. Forty eight hours later, we enjoyed this very delicious souffle.

BROCCOLI-WALNUT SOUFFLE
(reprinted with permission from Anna Thomas)
Original recipe in The Vegetarian Epicure Book 2, published by Alfred Knopf, New York, 1988

4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour
1 + 1/2 cup hot milk
5 egg yolks
1 + 1/2 cups chopped cooked broccoli
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (I lightly toasted them first)
2 Tbs minced onions
2 Tbs grated Parmigiano cheese
1/2 tsp salt, ground black pepper to taste
7 egg whites
pinch of cream of tartar

Butter a 2-quart souffle dish and tie a buttered “collar” made of parchment paper if you want (I omitted this step).

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook the roux over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Then add the hot milk and stir with a whisk as the sauce thickens.

When the sauce is smooth, remove it from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one by one. Then add the cooked broccoli, the walnuts, the onions, and the cheese. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, add a pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat them with a clean whisk or beater until they are stiff enough to form peaks. Stir about 1 cup of the beaten egg whites into the warm sauce. Now add the remaining egg whites and gently fold them in, making sure not to lose the air incorporated into it.

Pile the souffle into the prepared dish, place it in the middle of a 375 F oven, and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve immediately. Remember, a souffle waits for no one… 😉

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We always alternate cooking days. One day I’m in charge, the other day it’s Phil. That Saturday, mid-afternoon, Phil looks at me and asks “Am I cooking tonight?” Before I could answer, he remembered that no, it would be me. He quickly changed the question to “What are we having tonight?” I tried to be as nonchalant as possible, “We are having a souffle“. Oh, the big smile that I love so much! But, how could a souffle not bring a smile? It makes any meal special…

This version is heartier than your regular cheese souffle, with the broccoli and the nuts. It is satisfying, creamy, and delicious to the last bite! It won’t rise as lightly as a cheese-only, as the eggs need to carry heavier stuff with them. But, what it might lack in airy nature, it compensates with flavor. I think it is wonderful as a full meal, served with a salad and a piece of bread. But, if you absolutely must have some meat with it, a simple roast chicken will do. French home-cooking at its best!

Double thank you is in order: Fer, thanks for sending me this book, and Anna, thank you for your kind emails, and giving me permission to publish your recipe in my blog! Your Love Soup is such a great book, I already have 5 or 6 recipes fighting to be prepared first… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Voila’ les baguettes!

TWO YEARS AGO: Cornmeal English Muffins

THREE YEARS AGO: Butterflied Cornish hens with apricot-pistachio dressing

4Feb2013

POMEGRANATE WALNUT DELIGHT

Posted in Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This unusual salad will take the center spot in any meal with its intense flavors and contrast of textures. I spotted the recipe around Thanksgiving last year, saved it to my Pinterest cooking board, and finally made it. Please, don’t drag your feet like I did, make it sooner rather than later. Green olives, walnuts, pomegranate seeds… What a treat!

GREEN OLIVE, WALNUTS & POMEGRANATE SALAD
(adapted from Alexandra’s Kitchen, original recipe at Turquoise)

3/4 cup shelled walnuts
1/2 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 red Serrano chile, seeded and finely minced
shredded flat-leaf parsley to taste
1 tablespoon walnut oil
splash of pomegranate molasses
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350⁰F. Scatter the walnuts onto a jelly-roll pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Chop the walnuts coarsely and toss in a sieve to remove any remaining skin or dust.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently. Leave to stand for 5 minutes or so before serving to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning. I ended up adding more lemon juice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Confession: I tend to be salad-lazy. I don’t mind making a recipe that involves plenty of steps, be it reducing a sauce, braising for hours, or as you probably know, bake a loaf of bread that took 12 hours to proof. But, ask me to make a multi-ingredient salad and I am invaded by a sense of pure exhaustion. Washing the greens, cutting all ingredients, preparing the dressing… However, this salad never left my mind from the day I saw it at Alexandra’s site, which, by the way, is a site worth subscribing to. And, did you notice? No greens to wash. Yeaaaaaah! 😉

Everything works in this recipe. I am a lot more fond of black Kalamata type olives than green, but trust me, they taste unbelievably good here. Together with the unique heat that only a Serrano pepper delivers, you’ll enjoy the sweet and sour taste of pomegranate molasses, the toasty walnuts, the herby parsley, the lemon, and last but not least the pomegranate seeds! Like little pine nuts dressed for a gala party…
We love them!

Three words for you: Make this salad.

ONE YEAR AGO: Romanian Flatbreads

TWO YEARS AGO: Ziti with Artichokes and Meyer Lemon Sauce

THREE YEARS AGO: Blasted Broccoli, Stove-top version

28Dec2012

THE ULTIMATE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

For some odd reason, most people enjoy cranberry sauce once a year only. I am part of that crowd, reserving cranberry sauce to sit next to the Thanksgiving turkey, in its yearly appearance. This year I could not make it for Thanksgiving because we had a potluck-type celebration. Instead, the “annual sauce” showed up a few weeks later, with delicious turkey leftovers that were waiting in our freezer. I wanted a truly special recipe, and I hit gold with this version recommended by my friend Cindy. Dried Mission figs and Port wine mingle with cranberries, for an outcome that will make you reconsider the silly idea of once-a-year cranberry sauce.

CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH PORT AND DRIED FIGS
(adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2001)

1⅔ cups ruby Port
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
8 dried black Mission figs, stemmed, chopped
1 6-inch-long sprig fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce
heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Discard rosemary.
Mix in cranberries and sugar. Cook over
medium heat until liquid is slightly reduced and
berries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Cool. Transfer sauce to bowl; chill until cold.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The dried Mission figs are a must in this recipe, and of course the Port wine takes it over the top. Cranberry sauce can be a bit one-dimensional in texture, as the berries get all soft and mushy, even if you try to avoid cooking them to death. The figs offer a little body to the sauce, and contribute great flavor. The main modification of this recipe from its version in Bon Appetit was a reduction of sugar (it originally calls for 3/4 cup). If you have a particularly sweet tooth and like your sauce to be real sweet, go for the full amount. We prefer to keep some of the sourness of the cranberries, particularly when serving it with roast meats. Of course, you should not use a vintage Port wine for this recipe, it would be painful for your wallet. Go with a simple Sandeman Ruby Port and call it a day. Or call it a year! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Edamame Dip

TWO YEARS AGO: Gougeres

THREE YEARS AGO: Beef Wellington on a Special Night

25Dec2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Posted in Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Side dishes, Weekend Dinners by sallybr

For those who celebrate, we wish you a Merry Christmas! In proper holiday spirit, I will share with you a recipe that has festive written all over it: Sourdough Popovers! They were described quite appropriately in the King Arthur website as “High, Wide, and Handsome” 😉

SOURDOUGH POPOVERS
(from King Arthur website)

1 cup milk (full-fat, reduced-fat, or skim)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sourdough starter, fed or unfed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

In the microwave or in a small saucepan, warm the milk until it feels just slightly warm to the touch. Combine the warm milk with the eggs, sourdough starter and salt, then mix in the flour. Don’t over-mix; a few small lumps are OK. The batter should be thinner than a pancake batter, about the consistency of heavy cream.

Heat a muffin or popover pan in the oven while it’s preheating to 450°F. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, and spray it thoroughly with non-stick pan spray, or brush it generously with oil or melted butter. Quickly pour the batter into the cups, filling them almost to the top. If you’re using a muffin tin, fill cups all the way to the top. Space the popovers around so there are empty cups among the full ones; this leaves more room for expansion. Bake the popovers for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until popovers are golden brown.

Remove the popovers from the oven and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Popovers might be the easiest thing in the world to make! In this case, the sourdough doesn’t act as the leavening agent, it is there exclusively for taste, so don’t worry if your starter is not at its peak of activity. A big bowl, a wire whisk, and a few minutes of preparation is all you’ll need. The real magic happens in the very hot oven. If you have kids around, let them peek as the popovers rise up and up and up, it’s fun to follow their baking.

Enjoy the popovers as soon as they are out of the oven, because they will deflate somewhat. Break each one open, and dig in!

They are perfect with roast meats. We enjoyed these babies with roast turkey, gravy, and the most delicious cranberry sauce with dried Mission figs and Port wine. Recipe to be featured soon, stay tuned… 😉

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting….

ONE YEAR AGO: Merry Christmas!

TWO YEARS AGO: Sourdough Focaccia, with a twist

THREE YEARS AGO: Merry Christmas!

23Dec2012

POTATO GALETTES A L’ALSACIENNE & BOOK REVIEW

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Right around the time I started this blog, I stumbled upon Pham Fatale’s site, and fell in love with it. The site’s name is a perfect choice for someone called Pham and who looks as gorgeous as she does… 😉 But what captured me for good was her multi-cultural style of cooking. Keep in mind that she was born in Paris, with parents who emigrated from Vietnam in the mid-70s. To make things even more interesting, she married a man who is also the son of immigrants, his parents came from India. If that does not make for an amazing array of recipes, I don’t know what would. Check her site and you will also be smitten by it, she is an amazing photographer and her recipes quite creative and unique. Jackie is a busy bee – she has a young baby, and cooks for a large family that includes teenagers with dietary restrictions – but even with such intense life she managed to publish her first cookbook. I asked her permission to publish a recipe from it, as well as write a little review. The book is called Haute Potato, and it includes 75 gourmet recipes using this “humble” vegetable. In Jackie’s hands, the potato is anything but humble!

POTATO GALLETES A L’ALSACIENNE
(reprinted with permission from Jacqueline Pham)

2 pounds Russet potatoes
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
1 piece of leek (3 inches), white part only, chopped
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 + 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup canola oil, as needed

Prepare the potatoes: wash and peel the potatoes. Shred 2/3 of them and place in a large mixing bow. Add the lemon juice and cover with cold water. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and discard the liquid. Place all the shredded potatoes in a cheesecloth and remove as much excess wter as possible, than pat dry with paper towels. Pace inside a large bowl. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/3 of the potatoes and place them into the bowl of a food processor. Add the parsley, shallots, and leek. Pulse into a smooth raw puree. Add the mixture to the shredded potatoes.

Make the batter: in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cayenne pepper and the flour for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the nutmeg and baking powder. Add this egg mixture to the potatoes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Stir well to combine.

Fry the galettes: heat the oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan. You should have 1 inch of oil in the pan, so use as much oil as needed for that. Form small flattened patties with the potatoes (if you have disposable gloves, they work well if you grease them lightly with oil). When the oil is very hot, drop the patties into it, making sure they don’t touch each other. Lower the heat if they seem to brown too fast, and cook them for 5 to 8 minutes, until browned on the first side, then flip them and cook for about 3 more minutes on the second side. Season them with a little extra salt as you remove them from the pan and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. You can fry them and keep them warm in a low oven until serving time.

(makes 6 servings, about 12 galettes).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I made one small modification to th recipe, and that was to add about 4 times as much parsley as it called for, which explains that my galettes had a bit more of a green aura than Jackie intended to. Let’s not delve too deeply into the issue. Suffice to say that I prepared the parsley to use in two different venues, and some unexpected firing of neuronal cells made me dump the full amount into the food processor. No harm was done to the galettes as far as taste is concerned. The key to the great texture of these fritters is the use of potato in two forms: grated and processed into a paste. It gives the galettes a very creamy and pleasant texture.

ABOUT HAUTE POTATO, THE COOKBOOK… I love the way the chapters are divided in an unorthodox way. Each chapter gives one type of “outcome” for the potato. Here is a list of them with one example of a tempting recipe found in it.

Chapter 1: Refreshing… Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Potato Salad

Chapter 2: Decadent… Prosciutto-Wrapped Fig and Gnocchi Bites

Chapter 3: Cheesy…. Pine Nut, Chevre, and Potato Cigars with Lemon-Caper Sauce (this one a favorite of Jackie’s family)

Chapter 4: Crispy & Crunchy… Oven Sweet Potato Fries with Pineapple-Mango Aioli

Chapter 5: Creamy… Brie Cheese and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (and Sally feels a little faint….)

Chapter 6: Spicy… Traditional Samosa

Chapter 7: Sweet… Sweet Potato and Matcha Green Tea Creme Brulee

I had a hard time deciding on a recipe to blog about, and almost went with her carrot and potato souffle, but since we very rarely make fried foods, I took the opportunity to try her galettes. I am definitely making the souffle next, and the potato cigars will be on our menu next time we entertain. Jackie said they disappear quickly whenever she makes them, and are the number 1 request of friends who were lucky enough to try them… 😉

This is a cookbook that will please anyone who likes to make their meals a little more special. However, even a cook without too much experience will be able to make most recipes, as they are very well explained. Some recipes are published in her blog, but most are exclusive to the book. You can find it at amazon.com, and in bookstores everywhere! I wish Jackie great success in her first adventure as a cookbook author, and look forward to her next cookbook! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

TWO YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

THREE YEARS AGO: Pain Poilane