Potatoes and leeks are a good soup combo!
If, like many, you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, then consider the ultra simple but delicious potato and leek soup. Although short on ingredients, it’s got a long list of options for making it appeal to your tastes and time. Dress it up (chilled it becomes vichyssoise) make it decadent (a little cream never hurt anyone!) or serve as is (chunky or pureed).
My personal favorite is pureed with a small touch of cream mixed in and truffle oil on top. If you’ve got a favorite version of potato and leek soup, add a comment or drop us an email.
Potato and leek soup
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 3 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and sliced into thin rings
- Salt and freshly ground pepper (we used white pepper)
- 4 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock
Put the butter or oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. When the butter melts (or the oil is hot) add the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring to soften. 2 or 3 minutes. Add the stock, adjust the heat so it gently bubbles, and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. At this point you may refrigerate the soup covered, for up to 2 days.
Pureed soup: carefully puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Stir in ½ to 1 cup cream, sour cream, or yogurt. Do not let it boil if you use yogurt. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with minced chives.
Vichyssoise. Make the pureed soup, but do not reheat. Instead, chill thoroughly and serve garnished with minced chives.
Recipe courtesy of Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything.
This list is a little late since most of this information has been out for some time. And, while many trends are not surprising, lists vary depending on your source which is why I’ve compiled them into a larger “Yummly-ized” version for easy reading.
If you stop by Yummly in the near future you will see some of these trends appear as blog topics. As always we’d love to hear about any you’ve seen in your local area or neighborhood.
Finally, sorry to say I left off one trend (fried chicken) because although I love it, I feel like it’s been covered in the past. Happy to add it in if anyone disagrees!
Yummly’s interpretation of 2010 trends (dining and eating):
- Back to basics – think canning, pickling and basic techniques
- Beer – craft beers everywhere, also taps into the “new Austrian” trend
- Smaller portions (restaurant meals, desserts) – mini whoopie pies
- Burgers – chains will strive for better, premium burgers
- Children’s healthy food options – more for the home
- Cocktails – local liquor and culinary creations
- Casual dining – potlucks
- Eggs – the new bacon
- Asian + Latin – a dynamic duo (LA Kogi taco trucks)
- Farm branded meats – “Denver Steak”
- Lamb – the new pork
- Local, seasonal – check out the Cook Here and Now concept (Bay Area)
- Meatless meals and party foods – even for non-vegetarians
- Sustainable seafood, different varieties – Branzino, Arctic Char
- Superfruits – mangosteen, rambutan, goji berries, acai
- Sweeteners – stevia, turbinado, agave (and real sugar in sodas!)
Dungeness crab: seasonal and fresh.
To celebrate the new year AND tie into the list of trends, try the Celery Cup recipe below. It’s a refreshing, culinary delight.
Celery Cup #1
- 1 ½ oz. Square One Cucumber
- 1 – inch fresh English cucumber
- 2 – inch celery stalk
- Palm-full of cilantro
- 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz. organic agave nectar or simple syrup
- 1 celery stalk (garnish)
In a mixing glass, muddle the cucumber, celery, cilantro and lemon juice into a pulp. Add remaining ingredients, cover in ice and shake hard for 10 seconds. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice and garnish with a piece of celery.
Recipe courtesy of Elixir and Square One.
Happy new year (again)!
- Fuyu, Fennel and Arugula Salad
If you are like me, you’ve seen persimmons at your local grocery store or farmer’s market and wondered about their uses. Many people will tell you they know someone who loves them but “you have to get them at the right stage of ripeness”.
To set the record straight, there are two basic versions seen most often in our area (Bay Area, CA). They are the hachiya and fuyu. The hachiyas are often used in baking (breads, cookies) and yes, this variety must be fully ripe for enjoyment. When fully ripe they will feel almost like jelly in their casing. We’ve used these for flavoring ice cream and they impart a delicious, mellow flavor along with a beautiful orange color.
The Fuyu are sturdier with a thick skin. The nice man at the farmer’s market said many people covet these for use in salads and I can now see why. Peeled, thinly sliced then adorned atop salad greens the fuyu add substance to salad (a little like avocado in texture) and color to your dinner palette. The flavor pairs well with stronger flavors like arugula or rocket and citrus.
If you’ve got an idea for using persimmons, please share it by posting a comment. The more the merrier!
Fuyu Persimmon, Fennel and Arugula salad
Dressing
- 3-4 tablespoons rice wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (or orange juice concentrate – thawed, if you want a stronger flavor)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon
- ½ cup olive oil*
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- Salt
- Pepper
Mix the orange juice, vinegar and Dijon. Gradually pour in the olive oil while whisking briskly. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the greens.
Cook’s notes:
*walnut oil can be substituted for a milder flavor
Salad
- Fennel – sliced thin
- Persimmon – sliced thin
- Arugula
- Slice red onion (optional)
- Toasted hazelnuts (optional)
Fuyu Persimmons
A seasonal delight: pumpkin ravioli!
Although I promised myself I wouldn’t buy any more cookware or equipment to clutter my house I finally broke down and purchased a pasta attachment for my KitchenAid. I admit it took me 4 months to pull that thing out of the box and use it but the results were outstanding and well worth the effort!
The pasta making itself was very relaxing in a zen-like way. You start with basic ingredients (flour, eggs, water and salt) which, when mixed, don’t feel like much. In fact we commented how the blob seemed tough and inflexible to which I let out a sigh because I realized we might have to head to the refrigerated section of the store after all.
Twenty minutes later the dough had relaxed and we were ready to roll (literally). The finished pasta sheets turned into two types of ravioli: pumpkin parmesan and ricotta spinach. Bathed in a brown butter sauce (pumpkin) and homemade marinara (ricotta) we marveled at the finished product, clinked wine glasses and then dug our way down to the bottom of the bowls.
Sage Brown Butter Sauce*
- ½ stick butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sage leaves (about 15-20)
Place butter in a saucepan, turn heat to medium low. Add the salt, pepper and sage leaves. Cook, shaking the pan every now and then, until the butter melts and turns from yellow to pale brown, about 5 minutes. Use immediately.
Pumpkin Parmesan Filling*
- 2 cups squash
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients. Spoon filling onto flat pasta sheets and cut.
Both recipes (above) adapted from “How to cook everything” by Mark Bittman.
Ricotta and spinach ravioli
Basil
I spent the summer fixated on my herb garden or to be more precise, the basil growing in front and cordoned off with a small trench containing snail-discouraging material (ok, slug and snail bait.) Sorry if I just ruined the visual here but past experience has taught me this is one necessary step. And yes, I could eat them – the snails – since someone published an article about cleaning the pests last year but basil is so much tastier when it becomes PESTO!
By late August my work paid off and I had enough basil to start my annual pesto assembly line. First, I gently toasted the pine nuts so as not to burn them, and then set up the garlic, basil, nuts, salt, pepper, cheese and oil all in a line on my dining room table. I assigned a friend to be the food processing engineer and quality assurance taster (not too much salt or oil) and with a push of the pulse button we whirred our way to pesto production. While the entire process always seems a little labor intensive, most of the work is in the ingredient preparation stages. Once we swung into action the whole process took a fast hour to complete.
Many tubs of pesto – lodged securely in my freezer – later, we participated in the ultimate taste test. We whipped up a batch of fusilli pesto and marveled at the activity of the day. For me, it’s another annual food ritual which captures a bit of summer to save for a rainy, cold Northern California day (and yes, it DOES get cold in California!) Next up, chili and pumpkin ravioli – yum!
Pesto
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (about 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups loosely packed basil
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper and basil then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.
Cooks’ notes:
For pasta with pesto: put 2/3 cup pesto in a large bowl and cook 1 pound linguine or spaghetti until al dente, then whisk about 1/3 cup pasta cooking water into pesto. Add drained pasta to thinned pesto with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Serve with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Pesto keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.
Fusilli Pesto and Tomato Pasta
Tempura prawns, carrots and zucchini
A conversation with the person who cuts my hair started off with “what did you do this weekend?” then turned into “what I cooked” before taking a detour and stopping at the topic of frying (like it) and donuts (love them!) The discussion sparked a thought about contraptions and gadgets for frying and before I knew it I had a vintage Fry Daddy on the way via a bidding frenzy on the web.
As I waited for my package to arrive, I pondered what I should make first. Donuts at the office? Hmmm.. not sure that the lack of open windows and third floor location would create the optimal “fry zone”. Potatoes? Maybe, but seemed like a mundane task for such a regal, vintage appliance. I finally settled on tempura because the combination of meat and vegetables seemed like a good compromise with the “deep fry” part of the equation.
Although usually associated with Japanese cuisine/restaurants (sorry to state the obvious) the concept of tempura or frying was actually introduced to Japan during the mid 1600’s by Portugese missionaries. The word tempura is thought to have been derived from Latin meaning “times” or “time period” which refers to the Lenten period. There is actually a Portugese dish called peixinhos da horta (garden fish) which is similar to Japanese tempura and can be found on various menus and sites associated with travels to or food from Portugal.
While munching on my test batch and waiting for the oil to cool in my new “old” fryer my thoughts returned to donuts covered in cinnamon and sugar. Another day would bring donuts but for now, some exercise to counter the effects of all the frying. With that I put away the Fry Daddy, laced up my sneakers and headed out the door for a hike.
Peanut sauce perfection!
A good friend of mine who is an adventurous traveler and cook showed me how to make this simple Indonesian peanut dressing (gado gado) for rice and vegetables. I’d drop by her house, perch on a barstool and watch (with amazement) as she concocted this truly flavorful dish right before my eyes.
It occurred to me at one point that this peanut dressing would be the perfect foil for Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. Keep some of the basics on hand and you’re ready to entertain at a moment’s notice.
Note: the peanut dressing can be found at most Asian food stores – you won’t find it at Safeway (unless someone there is reading this here!) It’s a big timesaver because it contains the herbs and spices which will make a big difference in the final taste of your sauce in one “block” of ingredients.
Ingredients
• Package of peanut dressing (enak eco) or gado-gado
• ½ cup of boiling water
• ¼ cup of coconut milk (or to taste – more if you want the sauce to be creamy)
• 1/8 cup tamarind soup base (adds a sour flavor)
• 3 t. lime juice
• Sambal olek (to taste – more if you like it spicy)
Take the package of peanut dressing, cut into cubes. Add the boiling water, let sit until the cubes begin to soften. Stir until smooth.
Add the coconut milk, tamarind, lime juice and sambal olek. Adjust seasonings to taste, serve with Vietnamese fresh spring rolls.
Recipe courtesy of J. P.
Fresh spring rolls - healthy and delicious.
It was a dark and stormy night…oh wait, it was actually a humid afternoon in DC years ago and I was in need of A/C and a snack. I stepped into the only place in sight – a Vietnamese restaurant – and requested the house specialty which turned out to be
Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. My fascination has continued ever since.
Over the years I have visited numerous restaurants requesting the same thing: fresh rolls with mint, basil and either pork, shrimp or tofu served alongside that enticing sweet, spicy peanut sauce. Many places come close to that first taste (most notably a restaurant named Camrahn Bay which eventually burned down, not my doing of course) but some have been off the mark.
While perusing ingredients at the local Asian Foods store I decided to make my own rolls and have been “testing” ever since (turns out friends like the “testing” process and the resulting nibbles!) Below is my recipe which can really be tailored to your tastes (always happy to hear ideas about ingredients!)
A few notes:
- Rolling these takes practice and you know the old saying…
- Many of the ingredients are available at your local store so you might start there
- Invite your friends over and have fun. Fresh rolls are a great group appetizer and allow for plenty of creativity!
Ingredients
- Package of rice vermicelli (I search out the varieties made in Thailand or Vietnam, will set you back about $2)
- Unseasoned rice vinegar
- Package rice wrappers (9” diameter)
- Shrimp, tofu or other filling of choice (thinly sliced pork or mushrooms)
- Carrot, cut into matchstick pieces
- Radish and or cucumber – cut into matchstick pieces
- Mint
- Thai Basil
- Cilantro (optional)
- Red or green leaf lettuce (chiffonade)
Take a small section of the rice vermicelli and soak in warm water (2 minutes or according to the direction). Drain and add a little vinegar (only enough for flavor.) Set aside. Note: if you want some spice, add a chopped jalapeno to the vinegar and soak the vermicelli a few seconds. Prep the rest of the ingredients.
Pour some water into a pie pan or dish that will hold the rice wrappers. Dip the wrapper in the water, then lay flat on a cutting board or plate.
Starting with the section closest to you, layer the shimp/tofu or pork filling in a line. Next add the carrots, radish, mint, basil and leaf lettuce. You should have about 1 1/2” of space at the bottom of the wrapper (edge closest to you.)
Take the edge of the wrapper, fold it over the filling and then fold the roll up once. Wrap the left and then right sides over the center. Continue to fold up and away from you.
When fully wrapped, place on a plate and cover with a moist paper towel to finish the rest. Serve with seasoned vinegar and fish sauce + a slice of jalapeno pepper. Also goes well with a sweet, spicy peanut sauce (check back for the recipe!)
The recent “pizza toss” morning session at the SF Food and Wine Festival seemed simple enough. We show up, watch a pizza making demonstration, take a few notes and leave. Oh, and devour about 6 pieces each before leaving (all before 11:30 am!)
The people at the helm were none other than a few Bay Area pros from Delfina, Pizzaiolo and the Grand Café. Each had a slightly different perspective but altogether the final results were outstanding. During the demonstration the crowd was introduced to traditional Neopolitan style (simple crushed San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and basil) plus an Alsatian delight called Flammekueche. The latter was basically a flatbread, run through pasta rollers to render it thin and topped with various items like sardines, capers, smoked salmon and figs.
I guess I thought I knew a lot about pizza, but for those who are serious about their craft, it’s anything but “just dough and sauce”. There’s the 00 flour (made in Italy, perfect for crust) the need for San Marzano tomatoes and a fair amount of discussion about olive oil in the dough (“don’t need it” seemed the concensus although it appears in most recipes!) Charlie Hallowell of Pizzaiolo also discussed the ideal oven temperature (somewhere between 750-800 degrees) which requires the removal of the temperature gauge in a standard oven (“not really recommended” joked Hallowell.)
Where did pizza get it’s start? According to Wikipedia, the origin of the word is unclear but first appeared around 997 in Medieval Latin. Of course most people know it started in Naples in the 16th century. What some might not know is that at the time pizza was a baker’s tool, a dough used to verify the temperature of the oven. It was only later that the “dish of the poor people” was sold in the streets and considered something befitting a recipe or of value.
Given the popularity – and variations – of pizza worldwide, it’s no surprise that the chef’s at last week’s event are so enthusiastic about their craft and product. No longer just a baker’s tool, it does make me wonder whether “poor food” sparks the eventual culinary trend to become mainstream and if so, what’s next?
Fig flammekueche made by the Grand Cafe’s Sophiane Benaouda
-
Glorious, green butter lettuce
A warm summer night, dinner with friends and a divine salad combination made for the perfect get together and memorable culinary experience. Two simple ingredients: earthy, fragrant white truffle oil and sweet butter lettuce married together so well I was surprised I hadn’t considered them a pair before.
Truffles or the “fruit of the woods” span nearly 70 known varieties with black truffles (often from Umbria) and white truffles (from Piemonte) being the most desirable. Fresh truffles are available from late fall to midwinter so prime time is right around the corner. As many people already know, truffles have a symbiotic relationship with tree roots (mycorrhiza) and are usually found at the base of trees.
A bottle of white truffle oil can be found in my kitchen but is often relegated to special occasions. My recent taste experience has sparked the notion that truffle oil can be used in a similar fashion to sesame oil; in small doses it adds unexpected flavor and a dash of simple extravagance – without the need for a special occasion. The recipe below, courtesy of my good friend Irina, is light but deeply satisfying. Enjoy!
Butter lettuce with White Truffle Oil
- Butter lettuce (one head)
- Extra virgin olive oil (1 ½ T, or to taste)
- White truffle olive oil (1 teaspoon or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
- Salt and Pepper
Optional ingredients:
- Lemon juice
- Champagne vinegar
Mix the lettuce and tarragon together. Add the olive oil, toss. Add the truffle oil to the lettuce along with salt/pepper. Toss and serve.
