2 January 2011 5 Simple Soups to Try this Winter

5 Simple Soups to Try this Winter

January 2, 2011 By

Thai Soup

Soup is a favorite at my house and I try to make it most weekends.  Thought I’d share some of the soups I’ve made recently that have earned me some rave reviews.

5 Simple Soups to Try this Winter:

  1. Butternut Squash & White Asparagus Bisque
  2. Cremini Mushroom Velouté Soup
  3. Chunky Tomato-Basil Bisque
  4. Tom Ka Gai (Thai lemongrass and coconut soup)
  5. Cream of Leek and Celery Soup

Let me know which soup you end up trying!  Stay warm,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Chicken, French, Mushrooms, Other Neat Things, Soups, Thai, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
30 November 2010 Butternut Squash & White Asparagus Bisque

Butternut Squash & White Asparagus Bisque

November 30, 2010 By

Butternut Squash & White Asparagus Bisque

This bisque is the perfect dish to serve on a cold Fall or Winter day and it’s meat-free!

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil (no need for expensive extra virgin)
  • 1/2 medium Spanish onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled then chopped into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 pound of fresh white asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 tsp each dried thyme, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, salt and pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 32 ounce container vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, coat the onion, butternut squash and asparagus with olive oil.  Add the spices then roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
  3. Transfer the vegetables from the baking sheet to a large, heavy saucepan and add the vegetable broth then simmer partially covered for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add the cream and warm for 2 minutes.
  4. Working in 2 batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.  Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and gently heat for 2 minutes.
  5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls.

Serves 8 as a starter or 6 as a main course.

Note: Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.  Topping the soup with toasted pumpkin seeds or homemade crispy croutons adds nice texture to the dish.

Filed Under: American, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
24 November 2010 Cauliflower au Gratin

Cauliflower au Gratin

November 24, 2010 By

Cauliflower au Gratin

My mother used to make this dish while I was growing up and it was always a special treat.  She’d serve cauliflower florets, and I’ve modernized the recipe a little to feature a whole head of cauliflower for a bit of ‘wow’.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 medium cauliflower head
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup light cream
  • 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Emmental
  • 1/2 cup grated Mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a deep pot of boiling water, add the salt then the cauliflower, core side down (top of the head up) and cook for 20-25 minutes, until tender but still a bit form.  Drain, then return to warm pot until ready to use.
  3. While the cauliflower is boiling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and stir for about 2 minutes, creating a light roux.
  4. Increase the heat to medium-high under the roux.  Add the milk and the cream and whisk the mixture until it boils, then cook for 2 minutes, until a thick sauce is created.  Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the Gruyere/Emmental, the Mozzarella and the Parmesan.
  6. Add 1 ladleful of sauce on the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish.  Place the cauliflower on the sauce then pour the rest of the sauce over the cauliflower.
  7. Sprinkle the cheeses over the cauliflower then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned.

6 Servings.

Note: You can easily replace the cauliflower with broccoli or do a combination of both vegetables.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Cheese, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , , ,
14 November 2010 Cream of Leek and Celery Soup

Cream of Leek and Celery Soup

November 14, 2010 By

Simple to prepare and tastes like a million bucks – this soup has it all.  Perfect first course on a cold winter night or when hosting guests who are vegetarians.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 3 leeks, white and light green parts chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
  • 2 tbsp dry vermouth (optional)
  • 32 ounce container vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion, celery and leek in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 2 additional minutes – vegetables should be soft a lightly browned.
  3. Add the vermouth and the vegetable broth and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes over medium-low heat.
  4. Add the cream and warm for 2 minutes.
  5. Working in 2 batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.  Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and gently heat for 2 minutes.
  6. To serve, ladle soup into bowls.

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course.

Note: Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.

Filed Under: American, Soups, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
6 November 2010 Cremini Mushroom Velouté Soup

Cremini Mushroom Velouté Soup

November 6, 2010 By

Cremini Mushroom Veloute Soup

This soup is super simple to make and looks like it took all day to prepare.  Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
  • 2 tbsp dry sherry or Marsala
  • 16 ounce can of beef broth
  • 32 ounce can vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream + 6 tsp of heavy cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion and celery in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the vegetables and stir mixture.  Add thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until all the vegetables are softened.
  3. Add the sherry or Marsala, the beef and vegetable broth and simmer for 45 minutes.
  4. Add the 1/2 cup cream and heat up for 2 minutes.
  5. Working in 2 batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.   Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and gently heat for 2 minutes.
  6. To serve, warm 6 tsp cream in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Ladle soup into bowls then drizzle 1 tsp warmed cream onto the soup in each bowl (optional).

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course.

Note: Can’t find cremini?  Replace with chopped portabella or white mushrooms.  For extra richness, add 3-4 veal neck bones to the onion and celery when sauteeing.

Filed Under: American, Mushrooms, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
20 September 2010 Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Bacon in Sage and Danish Blue Cheese Sauce

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Bacon in Sage and Danish Blue Cheese Sauce

September 20, 2010 By

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

No, this recipe isn’t for the faint of heart (literally and figuratively) – it’s rich, decadent and perfect on a cool evening.  This recipe came about because I was looking for ways to use up my huge harvest of sage.  Serve this as a side dish or starter as a little goes a long way.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups diced butternut squash
  • 3 tbs vegetable oil
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1 cup potato gnocchi, homemade or store-bought
  • 3 tbs butter
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup light cream
  • 2 ounces Danish Blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place diced butternut squash on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil to coat.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until tender, set roasted butternut squash aside in a small dish.  Keep oven at 400 degrees.
  2. Place bacon strips on two layers of paper towel and cover with an additional layer or paper towel.  Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes, or until bacon is soft-crispy.  Cut bacon in thin strips with scissors, set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Add gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain well and set aside.
  4. In the saucepan the gnocchi cooked in (why dirty two pots?!), melt butter over medium-high heat.  Once butter is beginning to brown, add the sage and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add cream to the sage butter and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add blue cheese.  Stir for 1 minutes.  Add the gnocchi, the roasted butternut squash, the chopped bacon and the black pepper and gently stir to combine.
  6. Spoon the gnocchi mixture into two 8-ounce ramekins or other small, oven-proof dishes, and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Serves 2.

Notes:  I’d skip this recipe if you don’t have fresh sage as you truly won’t get the same flavor from dried sage.  This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 4.  Don’t have Danish Blue cheese?  Use another type of blue cheese!

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Italian, Pasta, Sides, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
12 August 2010 Getting Corny in New Jersey

Getting Corny in New Jersey

August 12, 2010 By

Since moving to New Jersey five years ago, I’ve been enjoying some of the best produce I’ve ever had. New Jersey, the Garden State, is specially famous for its corn, tomatoes and blueberries. Lucky for me, I’m partial to all three!

Something new I’ve been enjoying this season is corn on the cob grilled without its husks. Wow, I was so wrong about not being able to improve on an all-time favorite, but grilling the cobs truly enhances the corny flavor and the sweetness of this vegetable. Simply peel the husks away, drizzle cobs with oil, salt, pepper and a light sprinkling of chili powder then grill on medium heat for eight minutes (rotate cobs for even grilling) and you’re in business!

Two of my new favorite variations are as follow:

• Combine softened butter with roasted garlic cloves, chopped fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese then slather on the hot cobs.
• Combine sour cream, mayo, chopped fresh cilantro and crumbled Mexican Queso Fresco then coat the cob with the mixture.

I urge you to try one or both of these variations for an extraordinary corny experience. Enjoy!

Filed Under: American, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,
14 June 2010 Lunching – Old School

Lunching – Old School

June 14, 2010 By
Stuffed Tomato

Stuffed Tomato

I’m the first in line for new and innovative cooking and have dined at some pretty eclectic restaurants all over the world, but sometimes, old school-type dishes are what I really crave.

Beef Wellington, turkey Tetrazzini, macaroni salad…stuffed tomato?  Yes, stuffed tomato is a Summer favorite when tomatoes are ripe, juicy and perfect.  Plus, it takes 1 minute to make for a simple lunch or a quick starter:

1) Core the tomato and cut it from top to bottom in sections (make sure not to cut through the bottom) to create a ‘flower’.

2) Add 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese to the tomato center.

3) Drizzle with olive oil then generously sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Got heirloom tomatoes on hand?  Use them for an even better tasting starter!

Which ‘old school’ dishes do you crave throughout the year?

Filed Under: American, Other Neat Things, Sides, Starters, Vegetables

5 No-Fuss Casual Summer Dishes

June 12, 2010 By
Berry Cobbler

Berry Cobbler

It’s nearly Summertime and all of us are looking for simple dishes to make while entertaining friends and family.  Here are five dishes to try throughout the Summer that won’t keep you away from the party.

Beef Chili for a Crowd: http://bit.ly/96QARr

Quick and Easy Pan Fried Smashed Potatoes: http://bit.ly/cQRipt

Whole Grilled Chicken for the Non-Cook: http://bit.ly/bNYU1z

Zesty Guacamole: http://bit.ly/b0PYgj

Very Berry Cobbler: http://bit.ly/bP2yIL

Filed Under: American, Beef, Desserts, Entrees, Fruits, Mexican, Potatoes, Sides, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
17 August 2009 Hot Spinach, Artichoke and Cheese Dip

Hot Spinach, Artichoke and Cheese Dip

August 17, 2009 By

Who doesn’t love spinach and artichoke dip? Every time I serve this dish or see it served at parties, there are never any leftovers.

This version is cooked on the stove top without any baking time (unless you want a crusty top), so it’s not only delicious, it’s simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • 1-10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 4 canned artichoke hearts, well drained
  • 5 Tbsp. butter
  • ¼ cup minced onions
  • 2 tsp. minced shallots
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp. nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Mozzarella
  • 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded Parmesan

Directions:

  1. Drain, then squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Break up the clumped spinach and place in a large bowl.
  2. Chop the artichoke coarsely and combine with spinach. Set aside.
  3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper and continue cooking 2 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sautéed mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, then let simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Add mozzarella, a little at a time, stirring until thoroughly melted. Add the Parmesan the same way. Simmer gently another 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool, 10 minutes.
  6. Stir the sauce into spinach mixture, mixing well.  Pour into ovenproof dish. Serve.

6 Servings.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cheese, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,
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