Category Archives: Comfort Food

Secret Ingredient Beef and Vegetable Stew

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Happy New Year, all!  If the frigid temperatures in the Northeast didn’t clue you in, it’s January.  As is the case each year at this time, I have given some thought to what changes and improvements I’d like to make for the coming year.  There are some that seem to be reoccurring (less shopping, more saving; less worrying, more meditating; less technology, more sleeping… ironic that I’m blogging about using less technology, right?)

But I find I’m more of a “decision” kind of a girl than a “resolution” one.  Decisions require action; resolutions require desire.  Action tends to yield far better results than willfully wishing for better days ahead.

The decisions I have made around food involve consuming less meat, a further dedication to seasonal eating, and a commitment to savoring the process as much as the result.  Seems fitting that I’d start the New Year with a lighter version of one of my favorite winter comfort foods.

Any time I see the words “Secret Ingredient,” my curiosity is peaked.  Sure, sometimes that secret ingredient is the ubiquitous use of espresso powder in brownies but often it is something I hadn’t thought of.

This stew’s secret ingredient is anchovy, which is melted into the base and lends a briny, buttery undertone to the dish.  Since I’ve made a decision to use less meat, I’ve scaled back on the portion, and doubled the amount of mushrooms and carrots.  Mushrooms add a meaty flavor and texture while keeping the stew light. With salty anchovies, rich tomato paste, bright tomatoes, and loads of vegetables, you wind up with a very flavorful stew that makes the most out of the caramelized beef and juices.  This is a comforting supper for your family, but glistening and showered with fresh parsley, elegant enough to serve for a dinner party (bonus:  it’s better made a day ahead of time).

This New Year, let’s resolve to make less resolutions, decide to make more decisions, and contemplate it all over a steaming bowl of beef and vegetable stew.IMG_2702

 

 

SECRET INGREDIENT BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW

Adapted from Food 52

SERVES 8-10

 

3- 4lbs. beef stewing meat, cut into 2-3 inch pieces

1/3 cup mixed olive and canola oil

2 leeks, washed well and cut thinly

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, diced

5 celery ribs, diced

8 ounces white mushrooms, quarted

¼ cup tomato paste

2 anchovies

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

3 cups beef broth

1 cup canned whole tomatoes with juices

3 bay leaves

3/4 teaspoons dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1/3 cup chopped parsley

 

Season the beef with salt and pepper on both sides. Brown the meat in batches in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven over high heat, adding more oil as needed. Remove to a plate.

Lower the heat and add all the vegetables. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and anchovies and cook to melt the anchovies and distribute.

Add the beef back in, with its juices. Add the wine, vinegar, and tomatoes with juice (breaking them up against the side of the pot as you go) and bring to a boil. Add the stock to cover (you may need a bit more than 3 cups). Put in the salt, bay leaf, thyme, bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

When cool, skim off much of the fat from the top. Reheat over low heat, letting the stew simmer 30-45 minutes before serving.

Mix in half of the parsley and garnish with the rest

Winter Kitchen Sink Cookies: Oats, Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Cranberry

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The bakery cookie is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?  Such a far cry from what usually makes it out of home kitchens, it almost seems a thing of mystery.  They use butter, sugar, chocolate just like us but why do they look and taste so, so, SO much better?

Well, here are a couple of reasons:

  • They use a high ratio of chocolate chips, raisins, coconut, or whatever flavors the cookie calls for
  • They are about twice the size of what we conservatively scoop out onto our baking sheets, making them feel and taste luxurious and indulgent.  Don’t be afraid to make them a bit dramatic.
  • They are almost perfectly uniform in size, by using an ice cream scoop no doubt.  This is a trick I learned in school and it will help you to achieve bakery aesthetic cookies, muffins, and cupcakes every time.

These are general rules I apply to any drop cookie, be it oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, or peanut butter.  I happen to strongly suggest applying them to these.

These have quickly become my favorite cookie.  Yes, I said it.  MY FAVORITE COOKIE.

This is a collaboration of so many cookies that I love, and I’ve extracted my favorite parts and combined them to compliment each other.  Oats give the texture a nice chewy heft, supporting the chew in the tart dried cranberries.  This tartness is a wonderful bite to get with the deep caramel of the toffee and rich, dark chocolate.

I brought these cookies, packaged and tied in a pretty white bakery box, to a birthday party this past weekend and guests kept marveling over the fact that I hadn’t bought them from a bakery.  I didn’t tell them these simple tricks to impressive, covetable cookies.  I like to maintain a vague sense of importance, no matter how artificial ; )

WINTER KITCHEN SINK COOKIES:  OATMEAL, TOFFEE, DARK CHOCOLATE, CRANBERRY

YIELD:  2 – 2 ½ DOZEN LARGE COOKIES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups quick cook oats (not instant)

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (or chips)

5 Heath bars, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Mix together flour, baking soda and salt, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg, and mix on high speed to combine. Add vanilla extract; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the flour mixture a bit at a time on a low speed until well combined. Add oats, cranberries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine.

Using an ice cream scoop, or 2 Tablespoons of dough, scoop cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheet baking sheet.  I baked 6-8 at a time, leaving a few inches between.

Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Rotate the pans from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.  Note: they will look underdone, but will firm up considerably as they cool.

Let cookies cool completely, and serve.

*My Two Cents:  Two of these would make a killer ice cream sandwich with vanilla or caramel ice cream between them.

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Cranberry Spice Bread

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I know what you’re thinking.  I know you’re sitting there all, “Seriously?  Another pumpkin recipe?  Isn’t this girl aware that there are other flavors that deserve a spotlight during the holidays?”

Yes, this girl is aware.  But come on now, everyone likes pumpkin.  There is the ubiquitous pumpkin pie, the omnipresent pumpkin muffin, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bundt cake, the pumpkin cupcake… I could go on for pages but I’ll resist.  Point is, there is a reason for it.  Pumpkin is delicious.

The wonderful thing about baking with pumpkin is that it is a natural moistening agent.  This allows you to cut fat pretty easily, and still wind up with a tender, soft crumb.  Other ingredients that serve this purpose are carrots, zucchini, and bananas.  No surprise they all have found their way into the baked good spotlight. My rule is always that I will make something more nutritious if and only if it maintains the integrity of the intended result.  I will not eat a dry, stiff piece of pumpkin bread because it is good for me.  I would rather indulge and then account for it later in the day.  Fortunately, neither is necessary with this recipe.This bread is incredibly moist, hearty, and full of flavor.  It is as delicious as it is healthy.  I’ve replaced some of the oil with applesauce, cut out granulated sugar and replaced it with a reduced amount of deep, dark maple syrup and brown sugar.  I plumped up cranberries to lend an extra tart/sweet bite and that ruby red color.  I’ve added extra spices like ginger and cardamom, and used all gluten-free flour.  The blend I use is called Cup-4-Cup and it is the best out there.  It can be found at Williams-Sonoma, and while it’s pricey, it yields a lot and will enable you to make almost anything gluten-free with ease.  Other good blends are Bob’s Red Mill, or King Arthur, and they are sold at Whole Foods or your local grocery store.

After numerous trials I ended up with a delicious and festive breakfast bread with no gluten, little sugar, and little fat. This would be great served to your health-conscious friends, and husbands and children alike, as no one that has tasted it can believe I’ve made such substitutions. In fact, this would be a wonderful post-Thanksgiving breakfast to serve to your family.

During this holiday, along with delicious food, drinking, and laughter, let a smart breakfast be something that binds you.  Contrary to popular belief, there is no steadfast rule that naps must be lengthy and pants must be unzipped.

This needn’t be the year of “No Couch Left Behind.”

Gluten Free Pumpkin-Cranberry Spice Bread:  Inviting Health to the Holiday

Yield:  2 Loaves

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar

1 cup pure maple syrup

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

3 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend (I use C4C, found at Williams-Sonoma)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup dried cranberries, covered by hot water and plumped for 30 minutes

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook pumpkin and spices until steamy.  Continue to cook, stirring, until pumpkin starts to stiffen and pull away from sides of the pan, 3-5 minutes.

Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl, whisk in water, then sugars, then oil, and then eggs.  Whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until combined and relatively smooth.  The batter can be a bit lumpy.  Fold in the cranberries.

Scrape batter into the 2 loaf pans and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 50-60 minutes.

Let breads stand for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature

 * My Two Cents:  To make a traditional pumpkin bread (gluten and all) swap the gluten-free flour for the exact same amount of all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Apple Tea Cake with Lemon Glaze

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Earlier this season on The Martha Show, we had on the gracious, talented and cheery Amy Traverso.  Amy is the senior food and home editor at Yankee Magazine and came out with her first cookbook in 2011, called The Apple Lover’s Cookbook.  The real reason I was so pleased to to meet her, though, was because of my dear Nana. She passed just months before, after years and years of reading Yankee Magazine religiously.  I felt a sense of nostalgia, joy and sadness, because I couldn’t call her to share the news.  I knew just what she would have said, too.

“Darlin, I’m so proud of you.”

Grandmothers have a way of complimenting you for things you have nothing to do with.

Of the many recipes I have made from this extensive apple bible of Amy’s, this one is my favorite so far.  The cake has a soft, tender crumb with a textural bite from the cinnamony, softened apple layers.  There is a slight tang from the buttermilk in the batter and a tart sweetness in the lemony glaze.  It is a wonderful cake for breakfast, a light dessert, or a late night snack.  However, I like it best as an afternoon nibble as my Nana would have had it, accompanied of course with a “nice cup of tea.”

I hold Amy Traverso’s cookbook in high regard, for its thorough glossary of 59 apple varieties and one hundred scrumptious recipes, but it now has meaning beyond its pages.  It holds a history and an appreciation beyond my own.  I know my Nana would be pleased, and because I couldn’t call her, I did the next best thing.  I baked her a cake.

 

APPLE TEA CAKE WITH LEMON GLAZE

The Apple Lovers Cookbook, By Amy Traverso

Makes: 1 cake

 

For the cake:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

1 small (or ½ large) firm-sweet apple unpeeled, cored, cut in half lengthwise, and very thinly sliced (about 3 mm), preferably with a mandoline

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

For the glaze:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup confectioners sugar

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set a rack to the middle position. Butter and flour a 6-cup, (8 ½-by-4 ½-inch) bread loaf pan. Set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in a standing mixer, or, if using a hand-held mixer, in a large bowl. Using a whisk attachment, cream on high speed until pale, very fluffy, and almost mousselike. This will take between 6 and 8 minutes. Be patient, and be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically as you go.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

When the butter and sugar are fully whipped, add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each.

With the mixer on low speed:

Add a third of the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated

Add half the buttermilk, and briefly mix

Repeat with another third of the flour mixture

Then the remaining buttermilk

Then the last of the flour mixture. Mix just until smooth, do not overmix.

 

Pour a third of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula or the back of a large stainless steel spoon. Top the batter with half of the apples, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle the apples with half of the cinnamon. Repeat with an additional third of the batter and the remaining apples and cinnamon. Top with the remaining batter and smooth with a spatula.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice into the confectioners sugar until smooth.

 

Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes in the pan. While the cake is still warm, poke the top all over with a toothpick inserted all of the way. Pour half of the glaze on the cake and spread evenly with a spatula. Let sit for an additional 10 minutes to soak up the glaze, then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack for 30 more minutes.

 

When the cake is completely cool, drizzle generously with the remaining glaze, letting it run down the sides. Let the glaze dry for about 30 minutes, then serve.

*My Two Cents:  If you don’t have buttermilk, simply make your own.  Combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of acid (either lemon juice or white vinegar).  Let sit for 5 minutes and you have buttermilk.

 

The best apples to use here are fuji and pink lady.  Gala would also work too, though.

Le Pain Quotidien’s Harvest Porridge

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It was a blustery, winter day in mid-January; the kind of day that we have been fortunate to experience only a handful of this winter. I left my house to head way up town to meet a friend, only to find that my subway line was down due to construction.  I waited for 45 minutes in the snow for the shuttle to take me to the far less convenient subway, and it never came.  I hopped in a taxi and reminded myself of all the reasons why I do in fact love New York City.  I couldn’t bring them to mind at the moment.

By the time I got into Tribeca it was too late for me to get up there for my brunch date.  I was disappointed, and decided to do the only smart thing:  Eat a proper breakfast in a proper café and swallow my irritation in delicious solitude.  I walked by Le Pain Quotidien and decided to head in.  I seldom occupy a seat at a chain restaurant in NYC, but this fine establishment is an exception.  The skim lattes are deceptively creamy and the pastries and crusty breads are a far cry from mass production. The first time I went to Le Pain I shared a long farm table with Cynthia Nixon.  If it’s good enough for Miranda, it’s good enough for me.  That morning, I got myself a corner seat at an oak table next to the fireplace and took out my little journal.  Things had shaped up already.

Since exercise was on the schedule that day, I wanted something nourishing and hearty.  Since sunlight was not, I wanted something steamy and warm.  I chose and devoured this creamy, satisfying porridge.  The farro was chewy and the porridge was creamy, with dots of crunchy pecan and sweet, tangy dried fruit. It was exactly what my hectic morning called for.

When making this, the important thing is to know what kind of farro you are buying.  Most farro that is available at markets is pearled farro and will need minimal or no soaking at all.  I happened to pick whole farro from my neighborhood farmer’s market and soaked it overnight in room temperature water to prepare for cooking.  Another option to make whole farro more digestible and quicker to cook is to crack it in a spice or coffee grinder.

If all this sounds complicated, I assure you, it’s not.  It’s just new to you.  This is a delicious introduction to the expansive world of ancient grains. Every grain behaves a bit differently, but once you differentiate when to soak and when not to, it’s super easy.  Not to mention that most packages will provide preparation instructions for you.

My accidental discovery of this porridge calls to mind a lyric from a Jack Johnson song:

“Getting lost is not a waste of time.” No, it’s not.  In fact, it can be quite delicious.

credit: moredesignplease.com

 

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN’S HARVEST PORRIDGE

SERVES 4

 

6 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 cup farro (whole, but if you use the pearled you can skip the soaking mentioned below and proceed with the recipe as is.)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts and pecans

 

For whole farro:  Soak overnight in room temperature water.  Drain completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine almond milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Stir in 1 cup farro and bring back to a boil. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 35 to 45 minutes or until farro is tender and has plumped up with the almond milk.  Add in cranberries and simmer for 10 minutes more.

Divide into bowls and top with the chopped nuts.  Serve.

Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Cinnamon, Tomatoes and Smashed Capers

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My dad was coming to town.  In 24 hours he would arrive with my mother and a car filled with enough paper towels, Dove soap, and toothpaste to last me for 3 years.  Sometimes I think they forget I have less storage space than The Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe.  But, I digress…

Somewhere over the last five years I started doing something that my parents have done for years:  I started sending them home with food.  I don’t know that there’s anything more gratifying than packing a to-go container for my folks, giving them an earnest hug and telling them to drive safe.  Maybe, in part, because I know when I tell them this they actually will.  Slightly different when the roles were reversed, I assure you.

I knew I wanted to send them home with something that would be an extension of that hug, and because my dad is a guy’s guy through and through, roasted beets and tuna tartare would not do.  It was a time for something substantial and comforting with rich aromatics and plenty of earthy spice.  It was a time for well-marbled meat and a savory sauce.  It was a time for Braised Lamb.

A word about braises:  Any recipe that directs you to start the meat in the oven, covered by it’s braising liquid needs to be amended.  Skipping the opportunity to sear the meat and caramelize the crust is a mistake. Stews, soups and braises are about building flavors.  Take every opportunity to make the most of your ingredients and the finished dish will sing with flavor.  I chose to use cinnamon for an earthy sweetness, tomatoes and red wine for their brightness and acidity and capers for their cheerful saltiness.  I also chose to serve this over chewy barley, as the contrast of textures really works here.  Feel free to use another grain, polenta or even mashed potatoes to serve as a pillow for this sumptuous sauce.

I sent my dad home with a container of braised lamb, cooked in dedication with my very warmest wishes.  They left me with enough toiletries to prepare me for the future equivalent of a Y2K. It’s truly a give and take, full-grown relationship threaded with mutual appreciation, immense respect and an incredible amount of love. Even in my cabinet-challenged apartment, I can always find room for that.

 

 

SLOW ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER WITH CINNAMON, TOMATOES AND SMASHED CAPERS

Serves 6-8

 

(5 pounds) bone-in shoulder of lamb (depending on the size of the animal, this may amount to one large shoulder, or 1 1/2 small shoulders)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup dry red wine

2-inch piece cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

¼ cup capers, drained, rinsed and finely chopped

Cooked barley, for serving

Remove meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before ready to cook.

 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season the lamb shoulder generously with the salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil and sear the lamb, turning, until it is well browned all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate.

 

Add the leeks and garlic to the Dutch oven and brown, stirring, for 5 minutes.

 

Return the lamb to the Dutch oven and add the tomatoes, wine, capers, balsamic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and rosemary. Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. Cook it for 1/2 hour.

 

Lower the heat to 275 degrees and cook for another 2 ½ hours, turning the lamb twice during cooking.

Remove lamb from pot and shred slightly into large but manageable pieces.  Serve over barley.

 

 

*My Two Cents:  I love the texture of barley with this braise, but polenta, farro or mashed potatoes would all be a fitting pillow to soak up this delicious sauce.

If you can’t find bone-in lamb shoulder, swap in boneless lamb shoulder or even pork shoulder.  Any meat that is well marbled and suited for braising would work well with this method.  As the meat slowly cooks the fat and gelatin break down and make it meltingly tender.

This is an ideal dinner for entertaining as it is even better the next day.  This is also why I recommend cooking a large piece of meat so you can enjoy exponentially delicious leftovers all week long.

 

Brown Rice Krispie Treats with Salted Cashews and Brown Butter

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BROWN RICE KRISPIE TREATS WITH SALTED CASHEWS AND BROWN BUTTER

Put these on a buffet table with a lemon meringue pie and a fancy chocolate ganache tart and these will probably be the first to go.  They certainly will be if I’m in attendance.  Who doesn’t love a Rice Krispies treat?  It’s an instantaneous way to feel like a kid again.

These grown up treats are not only simple enough to enlist child labor, they make perfect sense to the tastebuds of kids and adults alike.  By browning the mere 4 tablespoons of butter, its nutty potential is fulfilled, making it a perfect match for the roasted cashews and puffed brown rice.  The salty bite you get from the butter and nuts makes them almost sophisticated, and completely satisfying. 

This isn’t baking, and it’s not even cooking.  It’s just a thoughtful composition of delicious flavors.  I ate these with borderline-giddy pleasure, and I ate them before I had eaten my dinner. 

Adulthood does have its perks.

 

BROWN RICE KRISPIE TREATS WITH SALTED CASHEWS AND BROWN BUTTER

MAKES 30-40 TREATS

Adapted from the Kellogg’s original recipe

 

3 tablespoons salted butter
1 3 ½  ounce good quality white chocolate bar, finely chopped
1 cup roasted, salted cashews
10 ounce bag mini marshmallows
6 cups brown rice cereal

 

Spray a 13 x 9-inch rectangular pan.

In a large saucepan or pot, melt the butter over low heat.  Allow to cook for a few minutes until the butter turns slightly brown and takes on a nutty aroma.  Add the white chocolate and salt and stir until melted.

Add the marshmallows and stir constantly over the heat until completely melted.

Remove from heat and add the cashews and cereal.  Mix thoroughly but gently with rubber spatula until well combined.

Move mixture into the prepared pan and pat down to smooth. Allow to cool. 

Cut into small squares with a sharp knife and serve.

 

*My two cents:

The brown rice cereal (found at Whole Foods) was my choice, as I wanted to mirror the nuttiness of the brown butter. Feel free, however, to use the traditional Rice Krispie cereal.  They will still be delightful.

These last for up to 3 days when tightly wrapped and held at room temperature.  They are best the day they are made though, and tasty enough that storage solutions may not be an issue.

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

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RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

In a recent discussion regarding the growing popularity of comfort food, specifically in New York City, Queer Eye For the Straight Guy alum and culinary enthusiast Ted Allen stated it perfectly.

“No one needs a hug like a New Yorker.”

Comfort Food has certainly become trendy lately. Perhaps it is an opportunity to temporarily escape toilsome financial and political times and find a glimpse of solace in a warm, flaky biscuit.  Perhaps it represents a renewed appreciation for simplicity, honesty and refuge.  Perhaps, today, we crave not to be impressed but to be nurtured.  Whatever the case, I am pleased that food’s healing powers are being honored.

This is not your average lentil soup.  It is gentle, but complex; brothy but hearty.  The French technique called Pincage, which refers to briefly cooking and caramelizing the highly concentrated tomato paste, imparts deep flavor while the partial puree results in a superb texture.  The chili powder offers punch and the lemon supplies just the right amount of acid to make this soup lively and taste fresh.

This New Yorker welcomes a hug like this one, even if I have to give it to myself.

 

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Adapted from NY Times, 2009, by Melissa Clark

SERVES 4-5

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup red lentils

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.  Garnish with cilantro.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro.

My Food attitude

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Welcome all, and thank you for being a part of this culinary journal of mine.  I graduated from culinary school in 2011, and one of the greatest gifts I walked away with was a solidified idea of how I felt about food and what it means to me.  I asked myself, “Who am I as a cook and as an eater?”

One thing I was pretty clear on is that, while there is absolutely no substitute for the iconic French recipes that were my educational foundation, the idea of spending days at home to prepare the necessary components of a veal demi-glace appealed to me little.  This is not because I am above spending lengthy amounts of time at the stove, but because if I do so, I’d better come away with more than a supremely made sauce.

With that said,  learning the science behind why food behaves the way it does under various conditions and perfecting basic techniques (preparing a braise, making a pan sauce, concocting flaky pate brisee, how to break down a chicken, etc.) provided me with the platform to really be my kind of cook: The kind that still has time to do her laundry and return a phone call now and again.  I also knew that, while I adore a fudgy, crackle-topped brownie and practically weep with pleasure at a sinfully creamy spaghetti carbonara, I also quite like being able to zip my jeans.

Therefore, my daily pleasures consist of wholesome, seasonal foods prepared simply to showcase them in all of their delicious glory.  I do not make “diet food,” I make REAL food; and because I opt for crispy roasted parsnips or fluffy quinoa instead of cream-laden mashed potatoes most nights, this affords me the luxury of more thoughtful indulgences.  After all, I have a mighty sweet tooth; sweet teeth, actually… I’m certain I have at least three of them.

I urge you to ask yourself:  “What’s MY food attitude?”  I encourage you to improvise, experiment, have fun and most of all make friends with your kitchen.  The single best way I know of to become I great cook is to cook, plain and simple.

Welcome to my little table.

Kathleen

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Yogurt and Curried Squash Seeds

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ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH YOGURT AND CURRIED SQUASH SEEDS

I moved to New York City in February of 2011 after having lived in South Florida for four years.  I couldn’t wait to get out my stockpot and dutch oven and start making bubbly soups and stews again.  They aren’t outlawed in Florida, mind you, but felt terribly innapropriate under the blistering sunrays that practically forced me to wear sunglasses indoors.  Vegetable purees are versatile, comforting and even healthy when made without cream, as this delicious squash soup is.  Feel free to swap in any root vegetable you fancy; parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, they’re all great prepared this way.  I am happy to say that I have now been making cold weather soups for a year now, and while I used to lay on the beach dreaming of being snowed in, I in fact do the opposite now from time to time. I think this puts me back in line with the rest of the human race.

 ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH YOGURT AND CURRIED SQUASH SEEDS

SERVES 4

1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled and largely diced

1 large onion, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups vegetable broth

1 T fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 T curry powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Greek yogurt, for serving

* I garnished my soup with a few of the squash seeds.  This can be done by rinsing the seeds thoroughly, tossing with olive oil, salt and curry powder and baking in a 275 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large bowl, combine squash, garlic cloves and onion.  Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, add curry powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss the vegetables in the oil and transfer to a large baking sheet.

Bake for about 50 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and caramelized.  Let everything cool for about 10 minutes. Put the vegetables into a blender or food processor and add the vegetable broth. You will need to do this in batches to get the smoothest puree. Puree the vegetables and broth until your soup is silky and very smooth. Transfer everything to a large pot to heat and bring back to a simmer.

 Serve garnished with Greek yogurt and sprinkled with seeds, if desired.