Escarole and White Bean Soup

When I find fresh escarole at my local market I  break out in a dance. You just don't see it very often. I have been waiting to try this Italian classic soup. I like cooking my own beans. You can impart all kinds of lovely flavors into them. So, first take one cup of dried white beans and place them into a sauce pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. You will then shut off the heat and cover. Let it stand for one hour. Now drain the beans and place them back into the sauce pan. Now add water to cover. Place into the pot a fresh bay leaf, two cloves of garlic, half an onion, one stock of celery and one carrot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for about one hour. Now shut off the heat and add two teaspoons of kosher salt. Let stand while you make the soup.


For the soup you will need one onion diced, one leek diced, one celery stock diced, and two small carrots diced. You will also dice three slices of smokey bacon. Add all the ingredients into a cast iron pot with some olive oil and brown. Now add two minced cloves of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Sauté for a few minutes and then add seven cups of good quality chicken stock to the pot. Drain and rinse the beans removing and discarding the vegetables. Add the beans to the pot. Add one large bunch of fresh chopped escarole to the soup pot. Bring to a boil and taste for seasoning. Serve the soup topped with Parmesan cheese.

Campanelle and Butternut Squash

I came upon an interesting recipe that used grated butternut squash. This is my spin on the recipe. It is really quite delicious. I think kids would like it too, as it melds well with the pasta and cheese.

For the parents, I would suggest a lovely wine from Vaucluse in France. The vintage is a 2012 from Domaine De La Becassonne. Located near Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône, where 90 perent of the region's wine is red, Domaine de la Becassonne has an unusual distinction, it is devoted entirely to the production of white wines. Its Côtes du Rhône Blanc is considered one of the best whites of the southern Rhône. The owner Andre Brunel, who produces great reds at his other estates, feels that the cool microclimate and sandy limestone soils delivers bold, plump notes of yellow apple and fresh cut pear. It is very reasonably price at around thirteen dollars.

Start out by grating two and on half cups of butternut squash. A food processor makes quick work of this. Now put a large pot of salted boiling water to the boil for the pasta. You will then dice a small onion and mince a clove of garlic. In a frying pan, place two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Saute the onion until it is soft and light golden brown. Now add the garlic and butternut squash and saute. Add 1/4 up of the Cotes Du Rhone to further cook the squash.

To the mix add one eighth a teaspoon of star anise, 1/4 teaspoon of Herbes De Provence, one eighth teaspoon of chipotle chile pepper, grated fresh nutmeg, freshly cracked black pepper and salt. Add one half a pound of the Campanelle to the boiling water and cook until done. I just keep on checking to see. Add the drained pasta to the sauce pan. Add some reserved pasta water and butter to finish the dish. Top with shaved Parmesan.

Baby Bok Choy with Ginger & Garlic

When one has a lot of activities, we tend to not eat right. This is my go to quick and health recipe for when I am in  hurry. The vegetable will give you one hundred percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A. It also takes five minutes to make. Put some rice in a rice cooker and you have a meal ! Bok choy is really an under use vegetable in the west. The Chinese have been eating the white cabbage for five thousand years. Like all cabbage it needs a bit of sweetness. My trick is to add two teaspoons of dark brown sugar to the stir fry.

Begin by chopping up your baby bok choy. Separate the leaf greens from the root in two. Mince one shallot, one garlic clove and about two teaspoons of freshly minced ginger. In a saute pan heat up about a tablespoon of peanut oil to smoking point. Add the shallot and saute until lightly brown on the edges. At this point you will add your garlic and ginger. Saute a few minutes and now add the root ends of the bok choy. Then add two teaspoons of dark soy sauce,  one teaspoon of sambal oelek, two teaspoons of dark brown sugar. Now add the green leaves an saute a minute. Serve over steamed basmati rice with a little butter. 

Cinderella Pumpkins

I found these heirloom Cinderella pumpkins from France at Maple Valley Fred Meyer. They are also sold as a Rouge Vif d’Etampes. The smaller ones are called Sparkle pumpkins.

It sure is easy to see how the softly flattened top and ridged, deep orange inspired Cinderella’s carriage in Charles Perrault’s classic French fairy tale.

What is even better is the rich orange flesh is tasty in pies !

Chicken Fricassee with Chantrelles

Late September and early October are peak wild-mushroom season, especially in Western Washington around the Olympic Peninsula. There are varieties that "fruit" in the fall. The boletus and the somewhat rarer matsutake. But in our area the chanterelles, in both the yellow and the white variety are especially common, particularly under the cover of second growth forests rich with hemlock. 

The chanterelles look similar to other mushrooms when they first push up. But later they widen and spread to create the familiar trumpet-like chanterelle fan, with thick ridges along their underside and down the stalk. You do need to be careful if you're hunting wild mushrooms; there are a few poisonous mushrooms that a beginner might confuse for a chanterelle. Go with an expert the first time, at least, and remember that there are legal restrictions about when, where, and how many mushrooms you can  harvest. 

I was very lucky and obtained mine from Carpinto Brother's. It is very hard to get commercial ones that are in peak condition. I can not stress how important top quality ingredients are for this dish.  A very good Vouvray and organic chicken is a must.

one 3 1/2 pound organic chicken, portioned with skin on

3 tablespoons of butter

1 celery stock diced

2 small carrots diced

1 leek diced

1 onion diced

2 to 3 cloves of garlic minced

1 bundle of fresh thyme, sage and a small bit of fresh rosemary

2/3 cup of Vouvray

1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 fresh bay leaf

2 cups of chantrelle mushrooms

1 cup of triple cream

3 cups of chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

3 tablespoons of flour

Brown the dried chicken pieces in a heavy cast iron pot with the butter. You will need to do this in two batches. Set the chicken aside on a plate. Now add the onions, carrots, leeks, and fennel seed to the pot. Saute the vegetables until they have just a little brown around the edges. Add the minced garlic and saute a few minutes. 

Now sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and saute until the raw flavor of the flour is removed. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Burn off any harsh flavor the wine may have. The Vouvray from La Forcine is just under ten dollars. I highly recommend it. A harsh tasting wine would  really overwhelm the taste of the Chantrelles. 

Now add all the other ingredient except for the cream. You will simmer covered for 40 minutes. No longer then this. Remove the chicken to a plate and toss the bay leaf and herb bundle. You may need to reduce the sauce a little by simmering. When this has been done check for seasoning and add the cream. I suggest serving this dish with steamed basmati rice. An excellent wine to serve or use for this dish is a Massciarelli. It is also very reasonably priced.  Esquin Wines in Seattle's SODO district has been in business since 1969. I love this place. The owner's two daughters are the best sommeliers.

Leite's Culinaria Twinkie Cake

You must go to the website for all the culinary
happenings !

Ingredients

For the cake
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup mild vegetable oil, such as canola, grape seed, safflower, or sunflower
3 large eggs plus 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

For the cream filling

1 7.5-ounce jar marshmallow crème
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

Make the cake
1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and dust it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until evenly mixed, about 1 minute. With the machine still running, slowly pour in the oil and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately stir in the flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 additions each, ending with the buttermilk. Mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain. Turn off the mixer and gently fold the batter several times by hand with a spatula to ensure everything is incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the cake is golden, the top springs back when lightly pressed, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Make the cream filling

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the marshmallow crème, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip or spoon it into a large resealable plastic bag with a bottom corner snipped off.
7. While the cake is still in the pan, use a paring knife or an apple corer to make 6 or 7 deep, evenly spaced notches or holes in the bottom of the cake, each about 3/4 of an inch in diameter, being careful to cut no more than halfway through to the top of the cake. Discard—that is, nibble—any cake scraps. Using your fingertips, gently forge a horizontal tunnel through the cake that connects the vertical holes.
8. Insert the tip of the pastry or plastic bag into each hole and squeeze in some of the filling, tilting the bag back and forth as you work to encourage the filling to make its way into the horizontal tunnel. When the cake is filled, use a spatula to scrape away any excess filling from the bottom of the cake. Quickly and carefully invert the cake onto a platter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Slice and serve.

Apple Wood Smoked Tomato Soup With Basil

I have a hot smoke electric smoker that keeps things very moist. Excellent for turkey, fish and vegetables.

When I was smoking a turkey breast, I got the idea to smoke some tomatoes. They are wonderful this time of the year. I like slow roasting tomatoes too. But the smoker really adds a wonderful flavor you just can't get from an oven.

The tomatoes really need to be at their best for this. If they are not in season, I would use canned.
All you have to do is fire up a smoker or even a barbecue. Just slice the tomatoes in half and seed. Place the tomatoes on the smoker cut side down. I smoked mine for thirty minutes. Take them out of the smoker and then the skins will just peel off. Set aside for use.

I have add soy sauce to the soup. You would think this would compete with the flavors of the soup. But trust me it really adds a little umami flavor.

1 onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 celery stock diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 fresh bay leaf
fresh thyme leaves
fresh black pepper
1/4 cup of fresh basil
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of ground Aleppo pepper
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups of chicken soup
3 cups of smoked tomatoes or 24 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes

Saute the onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil. You want a little color on the vegetables. Now add the garlic and saute until lightly colored. Now add everything else except the cream. Cook the soup on medium heat for 15 minutes. Now remove the bay leaf and blend the soup in a blender. Place the blended mixture back into the pot and add the cream.