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Recipe and Newsletter Archive
MUSHROOM, ONION AND CABBAGE SOUP This hearty soup reminds me of the tastes of my childhood, but a grown up version. I deglaze the mushrooms with sherry, add fresh thyme from the garden and some spicy-sweet red pepper, and keep the barley to a delicate minimum, so that the brothy quality of the soup is not entirely lost. The soup simmers slowly, filling the house with a comforting fragrance. At dinnertime, ladle up big bowlfuls, sprinkle them with crumbly white farmer cheese, or top with a spoonful of sour cream, and have a fresh, crusty bread alongside. 4 large onionsPeel the onions, halve them and slice them thinly. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, non-stick pan and saut the onions gently, with a generous sprinkle of salt, for at least half an hour, stirring often. The onions will soften and finally turn golden brown - but don't try to hurry this process. Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms and slice them thinly. If they are very large, cut them in half first. Heat the remaining 2 tsp. oil and the butter in another non-stick pan, stir the minced garlic in it for about 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Saut the mushrooms for at least 20 minutes, or until they sizzle and brown. Add the thyme and the sherry, and stir until the sherry cooks away. Quarter and slice the cabbage, blanche it in boiling water and drain in a colander. Trim the green onions and cut them in 1/2" pieces. When the onions and mushrooms are nicely browned, combine them in a large soup pot with the water and vegetable broth, using the liquid to deglaze the pans. Add the cabbage and green onions, as well as the barley, parsley and the piment d'esplette. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about an hour and a half. If it gets too thick, add some water. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, then taste the soup and correct the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. The lemon juice should balance the sweetness from the onions, and the piment should add just a slight kick of spiciness. Serves 8-10 generously. POTATO AND HERB FLATBREAD Potato breads are always very satisfying - tender, chewy, and moist. This bread has a great flavor, and fills the house with its wonderful fragrance as it bakes. 2 small potatoes, russet or yukon gold (12 oz.)Peel and dice the potatoes and boil them in the water until they are quite tender. Drain them, reserving the water, and mash them while they are warm. Measure the water and add enough to make it 1 3/4 cup. In a large mixing bowl, combine about 3 cups flour, the yeast, salt and sugar. Whisk the potato water into the mashed potatoes along with 3 tablespoons olive oil, the thyme and the chopped onions. Add this to the dry ingredients in the bowl, and stir it all together with a wooden spoon. Continue adding additional flour, about 1/3 cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it firmly for at least ten minutes, or until it is smooth and springy, adding more flour as needed. Form the dough into a ball and put it into an oiled bowl, turning it once to coat the whole surface. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour, or until double in size. Punch down the dough and divide it in two. Roll each piece out into an oval about 14" by 10". Lay the flat loaves on oiled baking sheets, cover them with kitchen towels and leave to rise for about 45 minutes. While the oven is pre-heating, finish the loaves by making a few long slashes with a very thin, sharp knife, or dimple them if you prefer. Spray or lightly brush some olive oil over the tops of the loaves, sprinkle them with coarse salt if you want to, and bake them at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the loaves onto racks and let them cool slightly before slicing or tearing. Makes two loaves. APPLE CRISP This is one of the easiest desserts, a very simple apple crisp, and one of the best I've ever made. Be sure to use crisp, tart apples, like Granny Smiths or some of the good local "pie apples" that are around in the fall. filling:Peel, quarter and core the apples, and slice the quarters crosswise into fat pieces. Toss the apples with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and spread them evenly in a large, shallow baking dish (about 10"X 14"). In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pulse for a few moments, until you have something resembling coarse meal. Add the ice water, and process for a few seconds, just until the mixture starts to clump together. Add the oatmeal and pulse for 3 or 4 seconds only. Press this mixture together with your fingers, then break it up and scatter it evenly over the apples. Bake the crumble in a 375° oven for about 40 minutes, or until the apples are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve this apple crisp hot or warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of heavy cream. Serves 8-10. Recipe and Newsletter Archive |