Corn and Caramelized Onion Soup

Two simple ingredients plus a handful of spices are all that are need to make this creamy non-fat,vegan corn and caramelized onion soup.  Perfect for a dinner party starter, travels well to pot luck parties, and freezes well for a quick weekday supper paired with a big salad and crusty bread. Grab the last of the fresh New England corn and a few onions at the farmers market this week and make this soup!

Corn and Caramelized Onion Soup
12 fresh ears of corn
2 large onions
cooking spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf

Corn Stock
Remove husks and silk from corn
Slice the kernels off of the cobs and place the cobs in a large kettle
Reserve 6 cups of corn kernels for soup and 1 cup of kernels for garnish (skip garnish if freezing)
Pour 16 cups of water over the cobs and add salt, pepper, coriander seeds, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook for about one hour
Remove cobs and discard (compost if possible)
Strain through a sieve

Caramelized Onions
Slice the onions as thin as possible
Coat the bottom of a large skillet generously with cooking spray or olive oil
spread the onions out in the pan and toss to coat with spray or oil
cook over medium low heat adding a little water if needed and adjusting the heat so onions cook slowly and do not brown or crisp.  Cook for about 30 minutes until onions are very soft, add sugar and cook another 10-15 minutes until onions are soft brown color and very tender.

Soup
Place 6 cups of corn kernels in food processor or blender
Add 1 cup of the caramelized onions
1 cup of corn stock
Process until a thick paste
Strain through a coarse sieve to remove solids
Pour into a large pot and heat for a few minutes
Slowly pour in 6 cups of stock and stir (remaining stock can be frozen and used for other recipes)
Boil gently for about 10 minutes
Place some corn kernels and caramelized onions in each bowl
ladle hot soup into each bowl

Tomatoes Return!

I love this time of year at the Arlington (Massachusetts) farmers market.  The corn and peaches are piled high and best of all the beautiful tomatoes have returned.  Not those anemic and pale pretend tomatoes they sell all winter at the supermarket, but the crazy quilt of colors and shapes and flavors of heirloom varieties.  Here is a simple recipe that celebrates the best tomatoes of the season and other farmers market finds.

3 -4 large Heirloom Tomatoes of different color and variety
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
1 pound fresh shrimp
1 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound pasta-any variety
Roughly chop tomatoes (save the juice), onions, and green pepper
Clean the shrimp and set aside
Boil pasta and drain
Heat olive oil in a large deep saute pan
Add onions and saute briefly
Pour remaining chopped vegetables into the pan
When the sauce starts to bubble, add shrimp
Cook until shrimp is pink and cooked through and vegetables are soft.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve immediately over cooked pasta

Sunshine for Supper

Last weekend was the opening day for the winter market at Mahoney’s Garden Center in Winchester.  Our Doves and Figs booth was set between some sweeping potted palms and a large display of citrus trees. I remember vacationing in Florida as a child and driving through orange groves.  The heavenly scent of white blossoms and the cheery round orange fruit.  It was a great day with lots of people tasting and buying jam and local friends stopping in to shop and say hello.  When I got home I could not stop thinking about oranges.  I planned several new citrus jam and marmalade recipes and then I bought a big bag of navel oranges and brought my orange obsession to dinner.

I roasted some carrots, turnips, and beets that I bought at the market.  When the vegetables were tender, I let them cool slightly and then splashed them with a mix of fresh orange juice, a bit of orange zest, some fig jam, white balsamic vinegar, and a dash of black pepper.   

The main course was orange sesame salmon. I dusted the salmon fillets with flour and paprika.  The fish was then seared on both sides in a hot pan lightly coated with olive oil.  I added a blend of orange juice, rice wine, minced garlic, minced ginger, and a drop of sesame oil to the pan.  As the salmon cooked the sauce reduced and thickened almost to a glaze.  Just before serving, I sprinkled the fish with toasted white and black sesame seeds. 

I served the sesame salmon and the roasted root vegetables with a simple green salad, and jasmine rice into which I mixed caramelized onions. It was a sunny supper for a winter night.

     

Give Me A Break!

Rich, warm, creamy flavors are holiday standards.  This is the time of year when even Scrooge can’t resist indulging in a cheese filled or bacon-wrapped little something.   Layer upon layer of indulgent foods can become tiring unless there is something simple with a bit of bite to break them up.  A green salad is a classic option but some beautiful scarlet salad turnips I found at the farmers market made a unique accompaniment to a traditional holiday meal.  This dish is also great for pot luck parties and buffets as it provides a nice option for raw food and vegan food fans. 

1 large scarlet salad turnip
1 medium tart apple
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp raw, unfiltered honey (or more to taste)
1 tsp caraway seeds

Shred turnip and apple on mandolin or food processor
Blend in cider vinegar and honey
Sprinkle in caraway seeds and toss
Chill until ready to serve

Autumn American Lamb Supper

UPDATE-We won! Teamed up with Chef Michael Scelfo of Russell House Tavern, my lamb roast was transformed into a roulade of lamb belly stuffed with lamb sausage and sous vide overnide until it was meltingly tender.  It was served with a dollop of Doves and Figs Winter Carnival conserve, a brush of cranberry mustard and a sprinkle of micro greens.

A number of years ago at Passover, I arrived at my parent’s new home in Florida to find out some terrible news.  My mom had decided that since it was a much smaller holiday crowd then in the past, she would just make a nice roast chicken or
perhaps a small brisket.  “No lamb?” I asked, concern rising in my voice.  As my  mother explained how she was simplifying many things now, tears started to run down my face.  My feelings were sparked in part by longing for my favorite dish, by losing a holiday tradition, and perhaps mostly by the realization that my parents and I were growing older.   Five minutes later Mom and I  were in the car heading to the store to buy a leg of lamb and a big head of garlic and the holiday was restored for me.  The miracles of parting the sea and freeing the slaves from Egypt paled in comparison to the wonders of that lamb dinner.

When I was invited by Boston Chefs, to participate in the American Lamb ProAm, (information and a chance to vote for this recipe) I jumped at the chance.  My first thought was to make the typical spring lamb dinner that I enjoyed so much as a child.  The beautiful crimson-tipped trees and the bounty of fall fruits and vegetables at the farmers market convinced me instead to give my lamb a local autumn flavor.  I have also been following the adventures of  a group learning blog founded by Cathy Barrow called Charcutepalooza which inspired me (and provided excellent help technical advice) to make sausage as part of my dish.

With the exception of salt, sugar, and a few spices, I used all New England local and farm-grown ingredients in my dish.  The lamb that was generously supplied by the American Lamb folks came from Superior Farms.  I was pleased to read that they are  committed to sustainable farming and their website states that “All lamb livestock are raised outdoors with healthy diets of natural grasses, crops and grains.”

The local ingredients featured in my dish include:
Corn meal grown and ground by Mainstone Farm, Wayland MA
Roxbury and Cortland apples, Bosc Pears-Kimball Fruit Farm, Pepperell MA
Eggs-Golden Egg Farm, Hardwick MA
Cranberries-PJs Cranberries, Sandwich MA
Brussells Sprouts-Grateful Farm, Franklin, MA
White Wine-Hardwick Winery in Hardwick MA
Harpoon Hard Apple Cider from Boston, MA and Vermont
Cabot Sharp Cheddar from Vermont
Kate’s Buttermilk from Maine
King Arthur Flour from Vermont

I hope you will enjoy this delicious fall lamb supper and please vote for my dish starting on Monday at www.bostonchefs.com and show your love of lamb and local farm-grown food!

Autumn American Lamb Roast Stuffed with Lamb Apple Sausage Boneless leg of  lamb
Lamb Apple sausage (recipe below) or store-bought lamb sausage
Cape Cod Cranberry Marinade (recipe below)

Prepare the marinade
Place the boneless lamb leg in a large plastic bag and pour in marinade
Refrigerate the lamb for two hours, turning several times to make sure the marinade covers the meat fully
After two hours remove the meat from the bag and discard the marinade
Roll open the leg of lamb gently
Cut part way through meat from the inside, if needed, to
make the roast lay as flat as possible-be careful to not cut too deeply
Spread the sausage mixture over the inside of the lamb leg
leaving a small border around the edges
Roll the roast from the short end like a jelly roll
Truss the roll with butcher’s twine
Roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and then at 325 degrees until meat reaches desired doneness.
For a medium rare roast, cook about 25 minutes per pound to 145 degrees.
Let roast rest for about ten minutes before slicing

Lamb Apple Sausage
1 ¾ lb pounds of lamb meat (leg or shoulder)
1/3 lb lamb fat
2 cups peeled, cored, chopped firm baking apples
½ cup fine ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tsp black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Equipment needed-food processor or meat grinder and large bowl
of ice

Cut meat and fat into cubes and place in freezer for 30 minutes
Meanwhile peel, core, and chop apples finely in food
processor or with a knife and set aside
After the meat has chilled, grind in three batches in food
processor fitted with steel blade or run through meat grinder
Place the ground meat in a bowl over the ice bowl to keep it
chilled through the process
When all the meat has been ground, mix the cornmeal, spices
and apples into the meat with your clean hands, blending well
The stuffed lamb roast will need about half of the sausage, you can shape the remaining sausage into patties to freeze and cook later.

Cape Cod Cranberry Marinade
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup cranberries (chopped in food processor)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cracked brown mustard seed (whole seeds can
be cracked in a coffee grinder)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves crushed
1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Place all  ingredients in a large bowl
Stir well to combine

Side Dishes

Apple Pear Cranberry Conserve
6 cups apples (measure after peeling, coring, and cutting into ½ inch chunks)
2 cups of pears (measure after peeling, coring, and cutting into ½ inch chunks)
3 cups cranberries
3 1/2 cups water
5 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Cook cranberries in sugar, water, and spices until cranberries begin to soften
slightly and pop (about 10 minutes)
Add apples and pears
Cook gently until apples and pears soften and mixture begins to thicken
Boil until mixture gels (will be a softer spread than a traditional jam)
Remove cinnamon sticks and refrigerate, can, or freeze

Cheddar Lamb Fat Cornbread
1 cup stone-ground corn meal
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons lamb fat saved from roasting pan and chilled
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2/3 cup cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon baking powder

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Mix together flour, corn meal, and baking powder in a bowl
Stir in cold lamb fat
Whisk buttermilk and egg together
Blend buttermilk and egg into flour mixture
Stir in cheese gently
Grease  9″ cast iron pan or muffin tin
Place in oven to heat for about 5 minutes
Scoop batter into hot pan
Bake 20 minutes for pan and 15 minutes for muffin tin

Brussels Sprouts  Braised in Hard Cider
Clean sprouts and trim stems as needed
Pan sear sprouts in a small amount of olive oil
Add a generous amount of salt and pepper and cover part way
with hard apple cider
Cook on medium heat until sprouts become just tender

Summer Corn Butter Biscuits

Much (OK all) of my kitchen time this summer has been spent happily making jam. Last week I developed a longing to bake again.  Perhaps it was the first cool breeze heralding the end of summer that was to blame for this desire but the oven went on and then I surveyed the pantry and fridge.  Pies and tarts came to mind but all the fruit I had was destined for jars.  My eyes fell on a stack of corn from the farmers market.  I snatched two small ears leaving plenty for dinner and shaved the kernels into a bowl.  I added the corn to one of my favorite drop biscuit recipes and reveled in the smell of warm butter pouring from the oven.  I broke one open as soon as they were baked and ate it hot at the kitchen counter.  Hmmm…maybe I should bake some plain biscuits too.  I do need something to go with all this jam.

Summer Corn Biscuits

1 stick butter
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels
1 Tbs snipped chives

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together flour and baking powder in a large bowl.  Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs using hand pastry blender, food processor or stand mixer. Do not over mix.  Stir in buttermilk until just combined. Stir in corn and chives gently.  Scoop out 12 lumps of dough onto an ungreased baking tray leaving an each between.  Bake until light brown and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup

As weather heats up and the peas and cucumbers mature in my garden, I am thinking about my favorite light summer supper, Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup served with crusty bread topped with soft herbed butter and sliced radishes.  This refreshing soup can be made with no fat and features a great combination of early summer flavors.

Chilled Pea and Cucumber Soup
1 spring onion chopped
2 cups fresh shelled peas
4 small cucumbers
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp sugar
1 cup lowfat (or non-fat) buttermilk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
non-stick spray
1 tsp finely chopped chives (optional)
Sour cream or yogurt for garnish if desired

Spray a saucepan with non-stick spray and saute onion briefly. Add peas, stock, and sugar and cook for about 15 minutes until peas are tender. Set aside to cool.
Peel cucumbers and cut into chunks in place in food processor bowl with steel blade. Add cooled pea mixture. Process until fine. Strain through a couse sieve and discard solids.
Mix in buttermilk and nutmeg and chill for at least one hour.
Serve cold with a dollop of sour cream or non-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of chives

Asparagus Pickles

On a drizzly, chilly day last week I stopped into Wilson Farms in Lexington.  The farm stand was filled with bright and cheery flowers and early season vegetables. Filling my basket with bright green asparagus and little swirls of fiddleheads brought me a touch of spring despite the nasty weather.

When I was a child I loved the elegant glass jars of asparagus from France on shelves of gourmet shops.  When I saw those gorgeous crisp spears at the farm stand I knew right away that I wanted to pickle them and capture the short season to enjoy later.  I imagine how good these tall slim pickles will taste draped onto a summer cool salad or standing in for celery in a Bloody Mary.

Asparagus Pickles
6 pounds asparagus
5 cups cider vinegar
4 cups water
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1  cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown mustard seed
2 tablespoons coriander seed
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Wash and heat 4 wide mouth quart jars with two part lids
Fill water bath canner with water and bring to a simmer
Mix all ingredients except asparagus and heat until boiling to make the brine
Fill another large pot with water and bring to a simmer
Fill a large bowl with ice water
Cut stems of asparagus to fit into jars with about 1/2 inch of space at the top.
Dip the asparagus into simmering water for two minutes and then drop them into the ice water bath.
Fill the jars one at a time with cooled asparagus and then pour in the hot brine up to 1/2 inch from the top of the jar
Screw on the lid and place in the canner
Repeat with remaining jars
Process in canner for 10 minutes
Allow jars to cool completely before storing

Kale and White Bean Soup

There are lots of hearty soup and stew recipes for a cold winter night but what if you are looking to warm up a friend on a vegan diet.  What if that vegan friend also needs to watch their salt and keep their food nearly fat-free? No Problem!

The individual flavors of the winter vegetables sing through this soup which is elegant in its simplicity.

Kale and White Bean Soup
Broth
10 cups water
1 1/2 cups rough chopped celery including leaves
2 cups carrots cut into rounds
1 cup parsnips cup into rounds
1/2 turnip cut into  1″ cubes
1 large onion rough sliced
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
handful of flat leaf parsley, thyme sprigs, dill
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste (salt is optional)

Kale and Beans
4 cups of chopped kale
1 16 oz can of Cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cloves of roasted garlic or roasted garlic paste
1/4 tsp smoked paprika or more to taste
cooking spray or few tablespoons olive oil

Combine all the broth ingredients except tomato puree in a large pot
Heat to a simmer and then add the tomato puree
While the vegetable are cooking , spray garlic cloves with cooking spray and wrap in foil.  Roast in the oven at 375 degrees until soft (about 20 minutes)
When the vegetables in the broth begin to get tender, saute the shallots in a large shallow pan using cooking spray or olive oil. As soon as the shallots get soft, add the kale and turn the heat to high, pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes.
Add the kale, roasted garlic, beans, and paprika to the broth and cook for 15 minutes or more.

Neep and Cheddar Souffle

Neeps is one of several old English names for Turnips.  Yesterday I bought some magnificent yellow top turnips from Red Fire Farm at the Wayland Winter Farmers Market.   As for the turnips, I married them to a tasty cheddar cheese sauce and some local eggs and made mini Neep and Cheddar Souffles.

I served the souffles with a side of crumbled bacon and crispy shallots cooked in the bacon fat.  If you are serving a vegetarian crowd, you could just make the shallots in butter or olive oil. I hope you will try the recipe below and eat your neeps!

Neep & Cheddar Souffle
3 cups yellow turnip, peeled and cut in one inch chunks
4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
pinch fresh-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Heat the oven to 375 degrees
Boil the turnips until quite soft, drain, mash, and set aside
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter
Stir in flour and cook into a thick paste
Gradually add milk and cook until well thickened
Take off the heat and add cheddar and spices
Separate the eggs
Add a little of the cheese sauce to the eggs to warm them
Add the eggs to the cheese sauce and mix well
Stir the mashed turnips into the cheese sauce
Beat the egg whites until stiff
Gently fold the whites into the cheese mixture
Pour into 8 1 cup ramekins or 1 8″ round casserole
Bake the small souffles for 20 minutes and the large for about 30 minutes
Serve immediately