Olivia's Tomato Soup with Rice & Pesto

My daughter is absolutely in love with tomato soup. It's her new obsession and after many, and I do mean many, trips to Panera (where she enjoys it in a bread bowl like the carb queen she is) I finally planned to make some at home. While looking through recipes I found this one that my sweet friend Deb made awhile back, Tomato Soup with Rice. Since I'm not a fan of crafting a bread bowl I figured the rice was a suitable carb replacement. My daughter agreed. All was set to get cooking, until I managed to blow out both of my 40 year-old knees jazzercising. 

Luckily, the recipe was very simple and my daughter was willing to make it for me while I supervised in a nearby chair. She didn't like chopping the onion because it made her cry, but she enjoyed prepping the rest. She seemed to take great enjoyment in stirring the pot and adding the rice (like she is in the picture below). She was really interested in how much liquid the rice absorbed and how thick the soup became.  It was a tasty lesson for her and one that the rest of the family enjoyed.

We served Olivia's Tomato and Rice Soup with a dollop of pesto and Parmesan cheese. On the side, some fresh toasted bread with a Parmesan Pesto butter. It was a delicious reminder that teenagers can indeed be sweet from time to time.

Tomato Soup with Rice & Pesto

Recipe adapted from Deb @ Kahakai Kitchen

Originally from Recipes and Dreams From An Italian Life

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 5-6

  5 tablespoons oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium cloves garlic, chopped

1-3/4 lbs very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

12-15 basil leaves or pesto

5 cups hot water

1 scant cup short-grain white rice

Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion until nicely golden and a bit sticky. Add the garlic and when it smells great, add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Tear in about seven of the basil leaves and simmer for about 5 minutes or so, squashing down most of the tomato lumps with a potato masher. Add the hot water and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.

Add the rice and simmer for another 20 minutes or so, putting the lid on at the end to prevent too much liquid from evaporating. It should be quite thick, but if it seems too thick just add a little hot water. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve in wide bowls. Tear a couple of basil leaves in half, or top with swirls of pesto, and add to each bowl. Scatter a heaping tablespoon or so of Parmesan over each and drizzle with a little olive oil. Grind a little black pepper over the top and serve.

Jacques Pépin's Tarte Tatin

When I began cooking the recipes of Jacques Pépin almost six months ago I made a goal. The goal was to make lots of classical French dishes. The journey started with the most flavorful Coquilles St. Jacques, a beautiful dish of scallops with a savory mushroom base and luscious mornay sauce topping. Next I tried my hand at Creme Brulee. Along the way I made lots of gratins: a phenomenal Gratin Parmentier with beef, pasta gratins, and some remarkable egg gratins. I made quiche with bacon and learned that Gruyere was very favorite cheese in the history of cheese! I made the most dream-worthy chocolate mousse and I made crepes that reminded me of wonderful childhood memories.

There were many weeks I wanted to change my dish and take the easy route, but I stuck with it. Along the way we not only fell in love with Pepin's recipes, but also with French food. There were several techniques I learned along the way.  Some I mastered. Some I did not. This Tarte Tatin, which will be one of my last French recipes for awhile, falls somewhere in between. It requires making a caramel, which has never gone well for me.  This time around my caramel was successful. I was so elated.

The trouble with this tart for me was twofold. The directions say to let all the liquid/caramel evaporate while cooking the apples. I knew I didn't want to do that so I left some liquid/caramel in the pan before I laid on the dough. When I pulled the tart out of the oven it was rather dry. Next time, I will leave even more of the juices and I think it would fix the problem. The other issue was placing my chilled dough over a hot skillet. I had the prettiest dough, but it was not so pretty when the heat started to melt the dough. Next time I would simply remove the chilled dough from the wrappings before I got anywhere near the hot skillet. With these two changes I think this would be a total success! As it was, it was still delicious, especially when paired with vanilla ice cream.

 

Oh, and worth mentioning...I am a lazy cook. I know the Tarte Tatin is supposed to be flipped over and served with the pastry on the bottom,but I couldn't be bothered to do that! We just scooped it out with a spoon.

Tarte Tatin

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pépin

Serves 6

Caramel

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons pear or apple cider

Filling

3 large Golden Delicious apples

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup apple cider

Dough

 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons confectioner's sugar

1-1/2 tablespoons milk

*Optional: Cinnamon/sugar to sprinkle on top

For The Caramel: Combine the sugar and cider in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes a light caramel. Remove from the heat and swirl the caramel in the skillet to cool and harden it. (If the caramel starts to darken too much as it continues to cook in the pan's residual heat; plunge the base of the skillet in cool water to stop the cooking.)

For The Filling: Peel the apples, cut them lengthwise in half, and core them. Cut them into slices. Arrange the apple slices cut side up in the caramel-lined pan so that what would have been the stem ends meet in the center.

Add the butter and cider and bring to a boil (the caramel will melt). Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and keep cooking, checking occasionally, until all the water has evaporated and the mixture in the pan has caramelized again, about 10 minutes longer, and the apples are tender.

For The Dough:  Process the flour,butter, and confectioner's sugar in a food processor for about 10 seconds. Add the milk and process for another 10 seconds.

Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a ball. Place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough and roll it between the plastic into a 10-inch circle. Refrigerate the dough (still encased in plastic) to firm it slightly.

Preheat the oven to 400F, with a rack in the center.

After the apples have cooked for about 20 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator, peel of the top sheet of plastic wrap, and invert the dough onto the apples. (This step was a bit tricky for me because the heat of the apples in the pan caused my dough to stick to the plastic wrap- so I would remove the plastic wrap from both sides before going anywhere near the hot pan next time).  Peel off the remaining plastic. (Drizzle dough with cinnamon/sugar mixture if desired) Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The dough should be nicely browned on top and, when you tilt the pan, there should be a rich layer of caramel in the bottom. Let cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

At serving time, if the Tarte Tatin has cooled beyond lukewarm, rewarm over medium heat until the caramel dissolves (the apple mixture in the pan will move when you shake it). To unmold the tart, invert a serving plate on top of the dough and turn the tart out onto the plate.

Slice the tart into portions and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Theme: Seasonal Specialties!

Apple, Blue Cheese, and Hazelnut Salad

I live in small town in Kentucky so anytime something new opens it's a big deal. When we got the news that Panera was coming to town everyone was beyond excited. I think I've been to Panera at least three times a week since they've opened.  My new favorite is their Ancient Grain, Arugula & Chicken Salad. The salad is sweet and savory, full of texture, reminiscent of autumn, and is tossed in the most delicious white balsamic apple vinaigrette. I have daily cravings for this salad.

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs it's Mystery Box Madness week and our ten mystery ingredients are: salmon, green peas, hazelnuts, eggplant, Parmesan cheese, kale, apples, blue cheese, rosemary and bread rolls/buns. I had NO IDEA what to make but then my friend Joyce of Kitchen Flavours posted a gorgeous Blue Cheese, Hazelnut, and Apple Salad courtesy of Jamie Oliver. Since I've been craving autumnal apple salads I decided to take Joyce's recipe and add some pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I also decided to look for a copycat recipe for Panera's white balsamic apple vinaigrette.  I found a wonderful copycat recipe, which I will share below, and the salad was a total success! It was a wonderful light dinner on a beautiful fall day and I will certainly be enjoying it again.

Apple, Cheese, & Nut Salad

Adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals

by Jamie Oliver 

found on Kitchen Flavours

  1/4 cup hazelnuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups baby spinach or romaine
1 apple, cut and sliced into thin slivers
   1/2 cup blue cheese in big crumbles

1/4 cup Parmesan 

Wash and dry the lettuce and/or spinach and place in a salad bowl. Cut and slice the apple into thin slivers. Place the apple in a medium bowl, toss in the nuts and seeds and mix thoroughly.  Arrange the apples, nuts and seeds on top of the lettuce. Arrange the blue cheese and Parmesan cheese on top of the apple mixture. Make the Fuji Apple Dressing (shared below) and drizzle on top of salad.  Serve immediately.

Fuji Apple Dressing

recipe found on The Lazy Mom's Blog

Makes 1 cup

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

4 tablespoons apple juice concentrate

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake.

Theme: September 2015 MBM

Jacques Pépin's Gratin Parmentier

 My daughter walked in and said, "Wow, that's like something you made for us back when you didn't work."  I had to laugh because she was right. Years ago, when I stayed at home, I spent most of my days in the kitchen.  Now that I work, and both kids are so busy with activities, a meal like this is a real treat. It makes me realize how much I miss those days of kitchen therapy.

Gratin Parmentier is pure comfort food. Tender chunks of pot roast in a delectable gravy with a very light mashed potato topping and a crispy layer of Gruyere cheese.

You need about one a half pounds of cooked pot roast in order to make this dish. There is no such thing as leftover pot roast in my house, so I started from scratch with a 3 pound pot roast. I sliced one onion into thin slices and browned the onion with a little oil in my Dutch oven. I added a touch more oil, put the roast in the Dutch oven, and browned the roast on all sides. Once the roast was browned, I removed it and set it aside. Next I deglazed the pan, with the onions still in it, with about 1 cup of beef stock.  I had one ripe and gorgeous homegrown tomato on the counter so I deseeded it and cut it into chunks. I threw the tomato in the Dutch oven with the onions, added some beef stock and a peeled garlic clove, and watched as it come to a boil. I added the roast back in (making sure the beef stock reached the middle of the roast, but did not cover it) put the lid on, and roasted it at 300F for about 3 hours. It was tender and perfect. The tomato was a lovely addition. In fact, I will be sure to add a tomato to my recipe from now on.

Once the pot roast is finished reserve the one and a half pounds needed for this recipe and set the rest aside for another recipe. You can also reserve the juices from the pot roast. The juices from your pot roast will be much more flavorful than any beef stock you can buy. You'll need 2 cups of beef stock or pan juices for this recipe. I had one cup from the roast and used another cup of store-bought beef stock.

After making the roast everything comes together pretty easily. You make a quick gravy with the reserved juices and allow the roast to simmer in the gravy while you make the potatoes. The potatoes get passed through a potato ricer and then half and half and eggs are added to make a very light and fluffy potato topping. Sprinkle the topping with cheese and place in the oven. You will be so pleased when you peek in and see all the bubbly browned goodness in the oven.  This meal is a total treat!

Gratin Parmentier

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 6-8

Beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2-1/2 cups very thinly sliced onions

2 teaspoons very finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups homemade beef stock or pot roast juices

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/4 pounds leftover pot roast

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Potatoes

2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups half and half

3 lage eggs

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

 

For the Beef: Heat the oil and butter in a large pot until hot. Add the onions and saute over high heat for 5 minutes, or until a bit transparent and lightly browned. Add the garlic and flour and mix well. Add the stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Add the meat and bring to a boil again, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer very slowly for 20 minutes for boiled or braised meat; increase the cooking time if you use meat from a roast that was cooked medium or rare. Stir in the parsley.

The stew could be served alone at this point. For the gratin, put in a buttered 3-quart flamefproof gratin dish and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

For the Potatoes: Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the point of a knife. Drain and push through a food mill or ricer into a bowl. (If you don't have a food mill, use a fork or potato masher; don't use a food processor.)

Add the half-and-half and mix well with a whisk until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, then add the eggs one after the other and mix well.

Pour the potato mixture on top of the meat (or put it into a buttered flameproof gratin dish if making it to be served on its own) and spread it gently with a spatula. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes. Place under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to brown the top. Serve.

Theme: Le Plat du Jour

Pasta with Zucchini, Mint, and Feta

A quick weeknight pasta dish that celebrates glorious garden fresh zucchini. A friend gave me these cute little baby zucchini and I wanted to make something special to showcase them. This pasta is a bright and fresh summer treat that can be put together in the time it takes to boil pasta. Tender slices of zucchini, the brightness of fresh mint, and the salty crumbly feta cheese make for one perfectly balanced and delicious pasta dish. I would definitely recommend this if you have an abundance of zucchini.

Pasta with Zucchini, Mint, & Feta

Adapted from Apples for Jam

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 3-4

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 small zucchini, finely sliced or about 6 baby zucchini

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and squashed a bit

salt

1/2 teaspoon dried mint or a tablespoon fresh diced mint

3/4 cups small cubes feta cheese

1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

16 ounces pasta of your choice

olive oil, to serve

grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and add the zucchini and garlic. Saute over quite high heat until the zucchini are cooked through and golden in places. If the garlic starts to burn, sit it on top of the zucchini. Season very lightly with salt and remove from the heat. Toss in the mint, crushing it between your fingers, and add the feta and lemon juice to the pan.  

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water, following the package directions. Drain the pasta, not too thoroughly, and save a little cooking water. Toss the pasta, directly into the zucchini pan, if it fits.  If not, return it to its own pan and add the zucchini sauce. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss quickly and thoroughly to mix it all through (add a little cooking water if necessary if it seems at all dry). Serve immediately, with Parmesan and an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you like.

Theme: August Potluck!

Herb-Rubbed Steak with Corn Saute

It's time for another Mystery Box Madness over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. This time around the ten mystery ingredients were: Any Red Fruit, Corn, Tortillas, Skirt or Flank Steak, Oregano, Heavy Cream, Goat Cheese, Pumpkin Seeds, Baby or Fingerling Potatoes, and Caramel/Cajeta. We simply pick at least three of the mystery box ingredients and choose a recipe from one of our twelve IHCC chefs.

I've been loving Jacques Pepin's recipes so I chose to cook with him. I definitely wanted to chose corn since it's just coming into season so I opted for Pepin's Corn and Pepper Saute. A simple saute of bell pepper and fresh corn with butter and salt and pepper. It's a delicious way to celebrate local and seasonal produce.  To go along with the corn I made Jacques' recipe for Herb-Rubbed Steak using flank steak and oregano. The steak had a wonderful blend of herbs and spices: dried thyme, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and cayenne pepper. The dried herbs are aromatic and flavorful and the cayenne adds a nice touch of heat.

The Herb-Rubbed Steak paired perfectly with the Corn and Pepper Saute for a light summer meal. We also enjoyed this mixture inside of corn tortillas, which just happened to be another ingredient in our mystery box this month. This was a delightful and flavorful meal that I would most definitely make again.

Herb-Rubbed Steak Over Corn Saute

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

1-1/2 pounds flank steak, sliced against the grain into thin slices

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup chicken or beef stock

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Remove all the surface fat from the steak.  The trimmed steak will weight about 1-1/4 pounds. Crush the dried herbs between your thumb and finger and mix them together with the black and cayenne pepper. Pat the mixture on both sides of the meat. When ready to cook, sprinkle the steak with the salt. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet (cast iron for best results). When it is hot, add the meat and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to the oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Add the chicken stock to the pan and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve with natural juices and corn saute.  This beef is also great served inside corn tortillas.

Corn and Pepper Saute

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

1 large red bell pepper

2 tablespoons butter

3 large ears corn,husked and kernels cut off (about 3 cups)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, remove as much of the skin as you can from the red pepper. The firmer the pepper the easier it is to peel. Cut the pepper into sections at the recesses.  Remove the seeds from each section and peel off the remaining skin. Cut the pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. You should have about a cup. Heat the butter in a large skillet until hot. Add the corn and pepper pieces and saute over high heat for about 2 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper and serve.

Themes: Mystery Box Madness August 2015

Jacques Pépin's Crepes {Lovingly Known As Rolled Pancakes}

Crepes always bring a smile to my face.  They remind me of one of my favorite memories. Memories of sleepovers with my very best childhood friends. Unforgettable memories. Those late nights full of silliness and endless laughter and those lazy mornings spent sitting at the kitchen table.

In our pajamas with our hair a mess we hadn't a care in the world, well except for one thing. We cared about our "rolled pancakes."  My best friend Joy's mom and dad were famous for their rolled pancakes, otherwise known as crepes. They would stand over the stove flipping the pancakes. As soon as one would come off the pan someone would be holding their plate out to receive it. Butter, jam, syrup, and our very favorite, the cinnamon sugar, would line the table as fillings. Rolled pancakes would be devoured by the dozen. Smiles would be had by all. 

I would give anything to sit at that table again with all my best friends. Pj's, wild hair, messy faces and our biggest worry being whether or not we would get the next rolled pancake. Since the miles separate me from my sweet friends I go ahead and do the next best thing. I make an indulgent version of our old school rolled pancakes. I fill them with fresh strawberries and top them with a dollop of whipped cream, powdered sugar, and grated chocolate.  I take a bite and smile. In a few weeks I will be 40, but when I eat these crepes I feel like a kid again.

Crepes 

Adapted from Essential Pepin

by Jacques Pepin

Serves 4

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Fillings: Any jam or preserves, sugar, cinnamon/sugar, or chocolate. I made a strawberry filling using one pound of sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar. I allowed the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the strawberries develop a little syrup of their own. Then I filled the crepes with the strawberries and garnished them with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar and grated chocolate.

Combine the flour, eggs, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the milk in a bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth.  (The mixture will be fairly thick.) Add the remaining 1/2 cup milk and the butter and mix until smooth.

Lightly grease the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch nonstick skillet with the canola oil and heat the pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add about 1/4 cup of the crepe batter and quickly tilt and move the skillet so the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan. (Work fast, or the batter will set before the bottom of the skillet is coated, and the crepe will be thicker than desired.) Cook for about 1 minute on the first side, then flip the crepe over using a fork, your fingers, or a spatula, and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer the crepe to a plate,with the side that browned first down,so that when the crepes are filled and folded, this nicer side will be visible. Repeat with the remaining batter (there is no need to grease the skillet again), stacking the crepes.

To fill, spread each crepe with about 2 teaspoons jam or sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar or 2 teaspoons grated chocolate. Fold in half, enclosing the filling, then in half again. Eat immediately, while still warm. You can also roll them as I have.

Theme: "Reveille-toi" (Get Out Of Bed)