Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Lately it seems whenever I open a vegetarian cookbook or turn on the Food Network, I'm seeing a recipe for roasted fingerling potatoes. When I spotted them in the market the other day I grabbed a container along with a container of beautiful Cipollini onions.

There's all kinds of recipes for roasting these things. You can roast them whole sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt. You can cut them up and toss them in herbs and spices. The possibilities are endless.

Here's a few ideas to get you started. Purchase a small container of fingerlings-- about 15 potatoes. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together your favorite spices.

My ingredients:
Cumin
Paprika
Cayenne pepper
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
Adobe seasoning
Garlic powder

You can choose to add more or less of the spices you like. You can also some fresh chopped parsley or basil.

Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bowl and mix all the spices together. Set aside.

Cut your potatoes. You can roast these whole but I cut them into lengthwise sections, either 2-3 sections per potato. Toss potatoes in olive oil and spices until well coated. Place on baking sheet.

I also cut some Cipollini onions, tossed them in the mixture and added them to the baking sheet. Note: there is a special way to peel these onions. I didn't have the time to do it correctly, so I cut them into quarters and removed the outer skins.

Bake for 45 minutes to one hour at 350 degrees. Turn once after 30 minutes. Place under broiler for a few minutes for extra crispy skins.

Rapunzel's Soup Marathon- Three Soups, One Day

After a hectic week I hadn’t gotten to cook much and I’ve been experiencing a serious withdrawal from stove time. I made up for it yesterday—three soup in 2.5 hours! It really wasn’t as hard as I thought.

I laid out my three recipes and chopped all the veggies at once and divided them up per dish. I started the first soup and when it was ready to simmer, I turned on a new burner and started the second and so on.

The first soup I made was Ina Garten’s Ribollita. This Tuscan vegetable soup is a mixture of earthy vegetables including white beans, kale and Savoy cabbage. Tons of fiber and healthy ingredients. The soup ends with the integration of sour dough bread right into the pot to thicken it. I omitted the bread but sautéed a little pancetta in with my vegetables to add more flavor to the base. I also used half vegetable broth and half chicken brother, rather than entirely chicken broth. Here’s the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ribollita-recipe/index.html.

The next soup I made is a hearty Beef Barley Stew with Spinach from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell (http://www.robinasbell.com/.) I used lean beef and hulled barley purchased at Whole Foods. (Barley is a great source of fiber.) It turned out great except I didn’t pick the right cut of beef. The recipe calls for tenderloin, but I used the tips they sell for stir fry. Still tasty but a bit tough. The only version of the recipe I could find online is from a TIDE site: http://tidefans.com/forums/recipe-forum/68583-filet-mignon-barley-stew-spinach.html


The third soup I made is from 100 Best Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles. The recipe is for Lentil Spinach Soup. Right at the top of the page it said, “If you like escarole, it’s excellent here.” Being a huge fan of the stuff that’s what I went for. I used the Traders Joes precooked lentils in my version. It was just easier for me that way. But the lentils they sell are very small, and may have worked better mixed with rice or other vegetables in a stew. Still the soup is absolutely delish. A base of vegetables and celery leaves gives it a really savory flavor. For this recipe, I started with a bit of pancetta and onion for the base. You can easily omit it but I think it adds some nice flavor. Here’s some information about the soup: http://www.foodsiteoftheday.com/100%20best%20vegetarian.htm

It’s important to let your soups cool to room temperature before storing them. I packed all my soups into reusable containers. They first go into the refrigerator overnight and then to the freezer the next day.

Matt’s Potato Soup

My stepson Matt came over on Sunday and brought a recipe he learned in school for potato soup. This recipe comes from one of those chain restaurants themed for good food and friends on a Friday night. (wink wink)

Matt made the soup with a little help from me. My husband Rich and nephew Johnnie were supervising. LOL!

The soup is rich, delicious and very filling. This recipe calls for baked potatoes so remember to prepare those ahead of time. We put four potatoes into our soap instead of three.

Ingredients
1 carrot finely diced
4 ribs celery diced
1 onion diced
1 quart chicken stock
½ quart heavy cream
2 c. milk
3 large baked potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp. garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic minced
small bunch parsley, minced
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Roux
½ stick butter
4-6 tablespoons flour

Garnish
Chopped scallion
Crumbled bacon
Shredded cheddar cheese

1) Add butter to pot. Melt and then add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until soft.

2) Add flour and stir to combine. It should make a chunky paste also known as roux.

3) Add all dry seasonings, then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.

4) Add diced baked potato and milk and cream. Simmer for 15 minutes.

5) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put soup in bowl and add garnish to top.

Osso Anna Merlot 2006 Top Knotch

My husband and I ate at the Napa Valley Grill in the Garden State Plaza last night. The wine was the best part of the meal.

To choose our wine, we picked between the two lowest priced Merlots on the wine menu. Our waiter recommended Osso Anna 2006 and we were lucky to get the last 06 bottle. This Merlot smelled rich, spicy, fruity and had an delicious taste with very little tannins.

A write-up I found online gives these details: (Source :http://www.winepronline.com/r/products/osso-anna-merlot-2006) "Made by Jay Buoncristiani, of Buoncristiani Winery and Hess Collection, and his Wife, this is serious Merlot for the money. Complex with loads of dark, berry fruit, vanilla, licorice and balanced by great acidity, this Merlot is terrific for everyday consumption but will last in the cellar for 5-10 years. Only 300 cases of this stunning value were produced."

The meal at the restaurant was good, but not as good as past meals we have had there. We started off with the roasted garlic appetizer plate. This is two roasted garlic cloves, a wedge of saga cheese, a tomato chutney and some yummy crackers to spread it all on. The garlic was bitter rather than having the smooth flavor you often get with roasted garlic. The cheese and chutney were both good, but I remember the flavor of the chutney blowing me away the last time I had it. This time the flavor was more muted and it tasted as though it has been sitting around for a while.

My husband had the beet salad which he chowed down and the angus top sirloin which he was also pleased with. I enjoyed the rigatoni bolognese, which is made with top sirloin rather than ground beef in the sauce. The pasta looked and tasted fresh and homemade and the sauce was rich and delicious. There was a bit too much meat in the sauce for me, but I'm not much of a beef eater. If you like a lot of meat in your sauce you may be very satisfied.

Overall dinner was great, but I do think a bit pricey for what we got. This morning I found the wine online for more than half of what we paid at the restaurant. I also think the food would have been well worth the price if the appetizer didn't fall short and the pasta had a bit more dimension to it. Our bill for the appetizer, salad and two entrees was $164.00. A bit steep if you don't leave completely satisfied.

Fiber...The Key to Weight Loss and Good Health

Did you know that "researchers have found that you can cut your calorie intake by a full ten percent just by adding an extra 14 grams of fiber each day." That's according to Susan Smith Jones, Ph. D. and author or The Healing Powers of Nature Foods. Jones says that according to experts, we should aim for 40 grams of fiber per day in our diet, but she recommends up to 60 grams per day.

Chef Robin Asbell writes, "Fiber keeps the food moving more quickly through the colon, so that the unavoidable toxins in our food don't get absorbed into the body; it also dilutes them with it's bulk." In her book, The New whole Grains Cookbook, she offers research and studies that show that cancer rates could drop by up to 40 percent if whole grains replaced refined products. Food for thought isn't it? She also talks about how researchers at Cornell Univeristy found that whole grains are actually higher in antioxidants than fruits and vegatables.


An article on the Mayo Clinic site

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033

says the benefits of high fiber in your diet are: Prevents constipation, lowers your risk of digestive conditions, lowers blood cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar levels, and aids in weight loss.

Here's list of high fiber foods you can explore. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582


Jones say changes can be as simple as replacing your chicken noodle soup with split pea, lentil or black bean soup for a healthy source of fiber.

Rapunzel's recommendation for reading:

The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits Rock!

OK, here's my unhealthy binge for the week. I made Ina Garten's Buttermilk Cheddar biscuits and I have to tell you, they are to die for! The biscuits are moist but also still flaky. They go great for breakfast, with soups or as a snack. My dog begs and begs every time I take one out. The smell is incredible.

If you live in Northern New Jersey, I recommend shopping for a really good cheese at the Maywood Market, downtown Maywood. I used two cheeses to make my biscuits, a Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar and a buttermilk yellow English Farm Cheddar. You can see bits of the Wisconsin Cheddar as you tear open the biscuit, but the English Cheddar integrated right into the batter.

You can find the recipe online at:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/buttermilk-cheddar-biscuits-recipe/index.html

Minestrone Soup

This recipe is my variation of a recipe I found in the Williams-Sonoma Appetizer book.

It's a delicious, hearty minestrone soup. My recipe includes many changes to give this soup more of an earthy, rich flavor. It's winter now and fresh tomatoes are out of season and I hate those flat tasting ones that are in the stores right now. Instead I found fire-roasted diced canned tomatoes at whole foods that are organic too. These tomatoes added a nice smoky flavor to the stock.

This soup does include one cup of diced pancetta and low sodium chicken stock. If you are vegetarian you can skip the meat and use water or vegetable broth for your base. If you leave out the stock all together, you may want to add some extra herbs from this recipe or your own choice to further enhance the flavor. I also recommend you allow the soup to simmer longer. That will give it time to develop it's own rich broth. I also added red pepper flakes, garlic, basil and parsley because I like my soup stock to have a nice, fresh flavor and smell.

Ingredients
1 can of small white beans (northern beans or cannellini beans)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions diced 1/4 inch size (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup of diced pancetta (diced to tiny pieces 1/8 inch)
3 carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 inch
2 celery stalks, diced to 1/4 inch
2 cans (1 lb) fire roasted diced tomatoes (I purchased the organic ones from whole foods)
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium
3 cups filtered water
1 1/2 - 2 cups russet potatoes, diced 1/4 inch
1/2 cup fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups Swiss chard, chopped
1/4 cup basil sliced
2 gloves garlic minced
fresh chopped parsley
red pepper flakes (optional)
salt to taste
pepper to taste

In a large stock or soup pot heat olive oil. I like to add a fresh dashes of red pepper flakes and let them begin to sizzle, to give the oil a little flavor, but you can omit it if you like. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until garlic is slightly golden. be careful not to over cook. Add pancetta and stir until warm and integrated. Add celery, carrots and potatoes and stir. Cook until they just begin to soften. Add 1 and 1/2 can of tomatoes and liquid. (You can save the remainder of the tomatoes for a salsa or other dish or use only one can if you prefer.) Add broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

Drain white beans in a colander rinsing off liquid from can. Split bean in half. In a food processor or with a potato masher, mash beans into a puree.

Add the white beans, puree, green beans, parsley and basil to the pot. Let cook for another 5-10 minutes or until potatoes are nicely done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 8

Spicy Asian Vegetables

I whipped this up tonight with dinner. Hot and spicy Asian flavors complement the texture and crunch of the veggies.

Ingredients
2 medium carrots, sliced Julienne style
1 red pepper, sliced Julienne
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup ginger sliced very tiny and thin, Julienne style
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1-2 dashes red pepper flakes.

In a small skillet toast sesame seeds over medium heat. I knew mine were starting to cook when they began popping. This was a bit of a surprise. I did a bit of research and it is recommended you cover your pan with a mess screen. You want the seeds to turn a slight gold brown or caramel color and then you know they are done. Watch carefully because they brown really fast!

In a large skillet or a wok, heat olive oil. Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes depending on how hot you like it. Let the flakes cook at bit -- you will know the time is right when you start to smell the pepper. Add carrots and red peppers. Stir fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes. You want the veggies to change color but to still have their crunch, so lean more towards cooking less. This also helps preserve all the nutrients you can lose when over cooking. Add scallions and ginger. Reduce heat and stir. Let this cook for about two minutes until flavors become integrated. Add sesame oil and stir. Add curry paste and stir. Remove from heat and spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.

Servings: 4

Portuguese Soup with Hearty Kale

This recipe was inspired by a recipe for Caldo Verde in the Williams-Sonoma appetizer book. If you like soups, I highly recommend this book because it's filled with many delicious and hearty soups and many interesting recipes. This recipe is similar to the one in the book, with some changes to reduce fat and calories.

The site http://www.everynutrient.coml/ says that "Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. Kale provides an excellent source of vitamins B6 and C, carotene's, and manganese. Kale is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E, fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. "


Ingredients
12 oz Turkey Kielbasa sausage
3/4 pound kale
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced 1/4 inch pieces
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
3 cups organic chicken stock
3 cups filtered water
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

I purchased Turkey Kielbasa at Whole Foods. It's a smaller link that traditional kielbasa and the flavor is incredible! It added a great flavor to the soup. Slice up kielbasa into small pieces and set aside.

Rinse and dry kale and remove large stems. Slice across leaf into fairly thin ribbon like pieces.

In a large stock pot or sauce pan, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and translucent. About 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic. (I left skins on my potatoes but they do tend to peel off once potatoes are cooked.) Saute until potatoes begin to become translucent. Be careful not to overcook or burn garlic, it will turn bitter.

Add water, stock and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Scoop out 1-1/2 cups of potatoes into a small bowl and with a potato masher or immersion blender, puree or mash potato. I prefer mine for rustic, so I just used an ordinary pastry blender to break it up. Return to pot. Add kale and kielbasa and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until kale has wilted.

The Williams-Sonoma cookbook noted not to overcook the kale, that is should be slightly crunchy. When I made this recipe the kale was still pretty tough after ten minutes. I found it needed to cook longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Adventures in Cooking

Yesterday, my husband and I attended a cooking class at Adventures in Cooking, Wayne, NJ. I was surprised to see that this somewhat small, specialty cooking store had it's own fairly large demo kitchen for classes. The kitchen was equipped with two ovens, two stoves, a large demo counter for the chef and one of those overhead mirrors so you can see everything that was going on. The chef was Daniel Rosati, a gentile and warm-hearted chef who has his own cooking school in Italy.

The class began with Rosati walking us through the five soup recipes we would be making. He explained how he discovered each of these recipes and told us about each region of Italy that they are from. He explained all the ingredients we would be using and where we were making substitutions for ingredients that were indigenous to regions in Italy, but not available here.

The class last three hours and all the participants split into small groups each crafting their own soup from the list under the guidance of Rosati. The atmosphere was casual but each group carefully watched their pots and worked together to complete their soup.

At the end of the class Rosati personally served class members a bowl of each soup, starting with the most mildly flavored and working up to the most intense. There was no need to eat after this class.

At the start of the class store owner, Arlene Ward shared some sad news. After many years of owning the shop and running these classes she was facing retirement. This 75 year old store owner, who doesn't look a day over 60, spoke from her heart telling class members the doors would be closing sometime in February 2009 and that the building would be sold.

If you can, try to make it to this unique location for a class or just to shop. There may be a time when these businesses no longer exist and this is just another disappearing.

For more information visit: http://www.adventuresincooking.com/ or call 973-305-1114.

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Chowder with Shrimp & Red Potato

This is a hearty soup for a cold day. This recipe is easy to make because most of the ingredients are already made, you just need to combine them. I use Trader Joe’s Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup as a base. I also use TJ’s pre-cooked frozen medium shrimp, and their frozen roasted yellow corn. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, you can still look for the same ingredients. If you can’t find roasted yellow corn, make your own. The frozen corn I buy is nicely browned on all side and has a smoky flavor to it. I like to add a nice spicy flavor to this soup with a dash of Tabasco.

Ingredients:
2 cups medium frozen shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1- ½ cup roasted corn
2 cups of red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes, skin on
1 carton Organic Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Soup, 32 fl. Oz.
I clove garlic minced or use frozen garlic cube
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¼ parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Thaw frozen shrimp by place in a colander. Put colander in a larger bowl and fill with cold water. I like to keep the water trickling into the bowl for a few minutes to keep it circulating. Gently swish shrimp around every few minutes until they are separated and feel like they are beginning to thaw. Add new water as needed.

If possible I like to let the frozen corn thaw a bit. If you don’t have time to can work with it frozen.

In a large pot add five cups of water and cook potatoes until al dente. When potatoes are done drain most of the water except for about a half cup.

To make soup: If you are using fresh garlic, heat oil and add garlic to the oil and stir for just a minute, just until you can begin to smell it. Add the corn and stir. Add soup base, potatoes and potato water and shrimp to pot. Bring to s soft boil and then reduce heat to simmer.
Add Tabasco sauce and parsley and stir. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 6

Chicken Provencal

Here's my version of Chicken Provencal. Use a white wine that you like because it will be the base flavor in the dish. Also consider the taste of the shallots and bacon and how those flavors will merge with the wine you select.

Ingredients
4 free range chicken breasts
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 shallots, quartered
¼ cup of good quality bacon diced to ½ inch pieces
2 cups white wine
2 fresh thyme sprigs
¼ cup capers
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 small cans of stewed or plum tomatoes

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl or small cookie sheet. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

In a large Dutch oven or sauce pan over heat olive oil. Add two chicken breasts. Brown chicken on both sides, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the two remaining chicken breasts. Add the shallots and bacon to the pan and cook until the onion is golden and the bacon is browned. Reduce heat to very low and add the wine. Bring wine to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. If you are using canned tomatoes, drain the tomatoes and remove any seeds or small pieces. Return the chicken to the pan, add the thyme, capers, and tomatoes and bring to a low boil again. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook covered for 25-30 minutes. Taste midway through cooking and season with salt and pepper as needed. Taste again before serving and add any additional seasoning need.

Servings: 4

French Onion Soup

This recipe comes from Williams-Sonoma. I attended a French cooking class at one of the stores today and saw a cooking demo for this soup.

Notes:
-The instructor recommended using chicken stock instead of beef stock.
-I used two medium sized leeks instead of four.
-For additional flavor, add 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
-I needed to add quite a bit of salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.
-My husband had trouble finding shredded Gruyere cheese so we substituted organic shredded mozzarella cheese instead, and it came out great.

You can find the original recipe at:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=8133885B-30AC-480F-A36B0CA68A044859

No Cost Cooking Classes

If you are looking for some no cost cooking classes check out your local Williams Sonoma store. The store near me offers an in-store demo class every Saturday at 12noon. They do ask you to sign-up in advance, but you can also just show up.

Today's class, Classic French Food, demonstrated how to make French Onion Soup, Basic Crepes and Chicken Provence. I was impressed to hear that the chef doing the demo owned her own local catering company and had worked for Emeril Lagasse.

The store does push some of it's products. The chef used the Williams Sonoma Demi-Glace de Boeuf in the soup, which retails at a steep $29 for a little jar. The upside is they do provide you with a free booklet of the original recipes (without the store products) plus you get the demo and all the chefs tips and short cuts with it.

If you sign-up in advance you are guaranteed a taste of everything. There were sixteen people signed up for the demo I attended, but probably about 30 people total watching. The chef knew many of the people by name so it looks like lots of folks are weekly regulars.

Plan to spend about a full hour at the store. I did spring for the $29 demi-glace. What the hell. It looks like a pretty cool product (works like bouillon but better) and you can add it to almost anything.

Classes are either Saturdays or Sundays. Check your local store for a schedule.

Knife Skills 101

Knowing how to use your knives is at the heart of being able to get your dishes prepared quickly and efficiently. Wednesday night my husband and I cook the Knife Skills 1 class at the Recreational Division of the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. The instructor was Norman Weinstein, author of Mastering Knife Skills (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008).

There were 12 students in the class and we each got our own station which included a cutting board and a set of knives. Mr. Weinstein walked us through what he calls the basic four knives you need to get started; a bread or serrated knife, a 8 or 10 inch chef's knife a paring knife and a utility knife. We all preferred the 10 in chef's knife over the 8 inch. At the heart of the class is the few basic "strokes" I'll call them, that you need to know. We found out, we are all working way too hard in the way we cut food. "Relax your shoulder." "Your arm is too tense." "Your grip is too tight." See a pattern here? Slicing and dicing is really much easier than we think, with the right knives and the right techniques. The guy next to me was so tense I thought for sure he was going to lose a few fingers over the course of our three hours. He didn't and Mr. Weinstein never gave up on him.

The environment was very comfortable and light, except when we first arrived being about 15 minutes late. We disrupted things and the instructor let us know that. Unfortunately we were at the mercy of the Lincoln Tunnel which seemed to close off an artery adding an extra hour to our commute.

Below is the class description from the school. Give it a try!

Online at: https://web.iceculinary.com/icereg/details.asp?cid=KNIFE1&DT=

Class description:
Knowing how to use knives skillfully is critical for cooks, yet many people have never mastered proper technique. Similarly, good knives form the foundation of a well-equipped kitchen, yet even some accomplished home cooks don’t know how to select and care for them. In Knife Skills 1, you’ll use Wüsthof-Trident knives to slice, dice, and chop in the safest and most efficient manner. You’ll also learn the proper way to sharpen your knives. Note that Knife Skill courses may be taken in any order. Chef-Instructor Norman Weinstein has been teaching everyone from first-time cooks to professional chefs how to better select and use knives for more than 20 years. He is the author of Mastering Knife Skills (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008). He’s been profiled in Wine Spectator and the New York Times Magazine, and has appeared on the Food Network. He was the 2003 honoree of the New York Association of Culinary Professionals.