Simple Recipe: Tomato-Challah Soup

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to blog more frequently. One of the reasons I haven't been doing so is that working at a toy store during the Holiday Season absolutely devours your life. But now it's January and life has slowed down. Ozzy's finally settled into a schedule and the Boy and I are apartment-hunting, so hopefully you'll soon hear about the excitements and travails of a new kitchen.

And even though things are settling down in January, I'm still working a few days a week and leaving the house for work (rather than mainly working from home with a few nighttime rehearsals that forced us to order up Chinese food more often than I'd care to admit) does give me less time and energy to cook. So, in an effort to blog more and to force us to continue eating good food even when I've worked that day and possibly am working the next, I'm starting a series on this blog: Simple Recipes and Easy Recipes. Simple Recipes are, you guessed it, simple. That means they can be made even after a day at work but, because they aren't extremely quick and taste slightly more exotic than normal, they're best when you can relax a little and don't have to work the next day. Easy Recipes, on the other hand, are designed for those nights when you've worked all day and have to get up early the next to start all over again. So, here goes. These won't be the most creative or imaginative recipes, but they sure will taste good. And, since I have today off thanks to Martin Luther King, last night's soup, Tomato-Challah Soup, was certainly Simple. I served it with Spicy Beef with Basil and Saucy Braised Eggplant (the links are to the recipes that served as my inspiration). Enjoy!

Tomato-Challah Soup

• 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 6 leaves Basil, slivered, plus 3-8 additional leaves for garnish
• 5 Vine Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 8 cups hot Water
• 1/2 loaf stale Challah, ripped into approximately 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper, or to taste

Pour Olive Oil into large pot. Add Garlic and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, until Garlic is soft. Add Basil, Tomatoes and Water. Raise heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Add Challah, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occassionally to keep Challah from sticking to sides of pot. Add Salt and Pepper and stir well.

Spoon into Soup Bowls and serve with crushed Basil leaves sprinkled on top.

Food and Cooking and Recipe and Simple and Soup and Vegetarian and Pareve

Paprika Rice Supper with Pork Carnitas

Even when I try to cook something from a culture not my own, I still can't help but potchke with it. For instance, Mom recently gave me a wonderful Mexican cookbook, Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, which she had doubles of. I've never made Mexican food before and, having grown up mostly with simple taquerias in lieu of slow-cooked homestyle Mexican food, I was excited about trying it out in my own kitchen. What I love about Bayless's book is that, even though there are many, many directions for almost all the recipes, the directions are very straightforward and down to earth. So, after devouring the recipes on the page, I decided to make Pork Carnitas with Achiote Rice, but because I had no Achiote, I decided to substitute it with Smoked Spanish Paprika, thereby making a fusion dish with my first attempt at "authentic" Mexican cooking. While I'm sure the Carnitas would have been wonderful with Achiote, it was super with the Paprika, taking on a smoky flavor that underscored the slow-cooked Pork very well. The Pork itself was extremely simple to make and, while it had to cook for a while, it was well worth the effort and, actually, required very little hands-on time. So, feel free to experiment, and enjoy!

Paprika Rice Supper with Pork Carnitas

2 tablespoons Smoked Spanish Paprika
2 teaspoons whole Allspice
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
3 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
7 cloves Garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
1 - 2 pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder, trimmed and cut int 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Anaheim Chile, fresh
1 cup frozen Peas, defrosted
1 cup Spanish Rice
1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups Beef Broth
2 Carrots, chopped (I used Yellow and Purple Carrots from the Greenmarket)
Italian Parsley, chopped, as a garnish (optional)

With a mortar and pestle, grind and mix well Paprika, Allspice, Pepper, Oregano, Vinegar, Garlic and Salt (it is easier to give garlic a pastelike consistency if ground together with Kosher Salt). Add water (around 1 tablespoon) to make a thick paste. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

Place Pork in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover with water by 1/2-inch. Add Lime Juice and pinch of Kosher Salt. Simmer, partially covered, on medium heat, for 1 - 1 1/2 hours; until the pork is frying in its own fat and no other liquid remains. (As you near the end of the cooking time, watch the pot carefully so you don't wind up with a nasty burned mess like I did.) Reduce heat and, uncovered, brown meat, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove meat. I only had a thin veneer of fat left--perfect to cook the rice in. If you have too much fat remaining, feel free to empty some of it out.

Meanwhile, pre-heat broiler and, when hot, place Chile inside and roast, turning every few minutes, until blackened on all sides. Remove, wrap in a kitchen towel and, when cool, peel off blistered skin, cut in half lengthwise, remove and discard seeds, and dice Chile.

Return Carnitas saucepan (with a thin layer of fat on the bottom) to the stove over medium heat and add Rice and Onion. Cook, about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until Onion is soft and Rice no longer translucent. While Rice and Onion cook, heat Broth in a small saucepan. Stir in Paprika paste (2 tablespoons, or to taste) and Salt, if needed. Mix well. When Rice and Onion are ready, add Broth mixture, along with Pork, Chile and Carrots. Stir once, scrape down sides of pot, then cover and cook over medium-low heat until Rice is nearly cooked through--about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in Peas and re-cover, then let stand another 5 minutes or so, until Rice is cooked through. Fluff Rice and serve, sprinkled with chopped Parsley.


Food and Cooking and Recipe and Paprika and Fusion and Meat and Pork

Happy Holidays

Whatever you are celebrating this month, may it be a joyful, fun-filled, heart-warming celebration. And may you receive many holiday goodies, both edible and non. I will soon brag about what I was fortunate enough to receive, but for today . . .

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."
--Tiny Tim.

Pain de biere, d'amandes et de gingembre

I suppose I'll just stop saying I'm not a baker, since I do keep on baking. However, aside from my Focaccia in May I've never made Bread before and, I have to admit, I'm still scared of Yeast. After all, it is bacteria and alive. Pretty Spooky.

Anyway, I had read that Beer Bread is one of the easiest breads to make, so I decided to give it a shot. I was feeling a little under the weather, which always makes me want to create something from scratch, something that will be completely different when I take it out of the oven from how it was when I put it in. Of course, baking is the best solution to all of these requirements.

Although most beer breads don't require yeast, the one I decided to make, Almond Ginger Beer Bread, which I found on CDKitchen.com, did. Nevertheless, the Bread turned out perfectly, with a soft crumb and very little crust. I don't know how much of a difference the beer used makes, but, since I only like dark ales, I decided to make the Bread with Guinness. I was really pleased with the result. There was a definite dark beer under flavor but even Mom, who doesn't like bread, loved it. I also added some Caraway Seeds to give it a slight hint of Rye Bread. Next time I would probably add a little more Ginger and Caraway Seeds to enhance their flavors. It was also faintly sweet and fantastic toasted with a little salted butter for breakfast.

Pain de biere, d'amandes et de gingembre

2 cups Almonds, chopped
2 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 cups Guinness
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 package Active Dry Yeast
4 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds
2 Eggs
1/2 tablespoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 tablespoon Water
Olive Oil, as needed

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Saute Almonds in 2 tablespoons Butter until crispy; set aside. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons Butter, taking care it doesn't burn. Pour into a bowl and reserve.

Stir together Guiness and Brown Sugar. Mix in Active Dry Yeast and let stand until fully dissolved, 10 minutes.

Beat in 2 cups Flour, Ginger, 1 Egg, Salt and Almond Extract. Add reserved Melted Butter and sprinkle on 3rd cup of Flour. Stir in Sauteed Almonds. Begin to knead dough in bowl, adding more Flour as needed, until the bowl is clean and the dough firm.

Place dough in food processor with dough hook, add a little flour if necessary, and knead about 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Rub oil in the large bowl and place dough inside. Turn dough around inside bowl to coat it well with oil. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let it sit until double in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and let rest 10 minutes. Divide in half and, on a clean board, form 2 round loaves. Place on baking sheet, cover with towel and let rise again until double in volume, another hour.

Beat 2nd Egg with Water and brush loaves with mixture. This will give a shiny crust to your bread. Bake for about 30 minutes, until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Makes 2 loaves.

Food and Baking and Recipe and Bread and Vegetarian and Dairy

Le nouveau arrive: Ozzy

As you have probably guessed, the reason that I have been rather delinquent in my blogging is that I have a new puppy who takes up a TON of time, leaving very little for interesting cooking , much less blogging. But we love Ozzy and are so happy to welcome him into our lives.

Ozzy is an eight-month-old Pekingese and we've had him for about a month. We adopted him and brought him home on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, which I think is an excellent omen for the coming year. We adopted him from C.A.R.E. an animal adoption agency who houses the animals out in Bayonne, NJ. Ozzy was bought from a pet store by an older man who soon realized he was too old to take care of a puppy and abandoned Ozzy at a shelter. Poor baby! When we first adopted him, he was shy but still very loving and trusting. Now he acts as if he owns our apartment, barking at any interlopers! He still loves cuddling, often curling up in my arms whenever I do work. He loves playing, his new favorite toy being a rope toy, though he also loves a ratty old tennis ball he found under our bed. He is very sweet and friendly and we are so blessed to have him.

If you are planning on getting a pet (which I can't recommend enough), may I suggest you adopt a rescue animal? Shelters are no place for animals to live, devoid of affection, and there are so many sweet animals just waiting for someone to fall in love with them and take them home. My last dog, Blueberry, was also a rescue dog and there is nothing like watching a puppy learn to trust and love you. You become a real savior for him/her and, as long as you return that love, you will be handsomely rewarded.

This is the fantastic website through which I found Ozzy:
Petfinder.

Regular food blogging will resume shortly. As well as participation in WDB. Yay!


Interlude and Dog and Pekingese and puppy and Adoption

Soupe d'ete

One of my favorite things about blogging is discovering new blogs with recipes I never would have dreamed of. If you're very observant, you might have noticed that I've added a new blog to my blogroll, Farmgirl Fare, written by Susan, who lives on a farm in Missouri. Needless to say, many of her recipes are based around fresh produce that she grows herself on her farm. One recipe that really caught my eye was this beautiful Soup. She made it to use up all her extra summer produce. Since I, unfortunately, do not have that problem living in the city, I used the recipe as an excuse to check out what looked most atrractive at the Greenmarket. I also swirled a dollop of my Pesto into the soup to brighten it up.

I stayed as close to Susan's recipe as I could, but, needless to say, I did make a few small changes. So here is my version:

Soupe d'ete

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Yellow Onions, roughly chopped
4 Red Peppers, roughly chopped
2 Zucchini, roughly chopped
2 Yellow Crookneck Squash, roughly chopped
6 cups Chicken Stock
1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt and Pepper, or to taste

Heat Olive Oil in a large pot. Add Onions, Peppers, Zucchini and Squash. Cook for about 10 minutes, mixing the vegetables around so they cook evenly and are covered with Oil. Add Chicken Stock and boil. Reduce heat and simmer, with lid cracked, until vegetables can be cut with a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes. Add Salt and Pepper. Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve plain or with Pesto swirled in.


Food and Cooking and Recipe and Soup and Summer and Meat

Pesto d'ete

Labor day has passed and, with it, the accepted, if not astrological, end of summer. So, to commemorate all that beautiful summer bounty we were blessed with the past three months, I decided to make a Pesto. Pesto is very popular in the blogosphere during the summer. It is probably one of the easiest pasta sauces and perfect for summer for several reasons. First of all, it relies on an herb (usually Basil) as its main ingredient. For the Pesto to be superb, the Basil must be as well. And, although Pesto is traditionally made in a mortar and pestle, I made mine in the food processor, which meant I didn't heat up the kitchen except to boil water for the Pasta. Of course, Pesto is also wonderful served cold.

Because this was my first time making Pesto (shocking, I know, especially since we're such big pasta eaters), I made a pretty basic one, using my book Garlic, Garlic, Garlic for inspiration. I only made a couple of changes, must notably using fresh Garlic instead of dried. Some people have found raw garlic too strong i pesto and I found the fresh garlic to be a perfect alternative. I also substituted Walnuts for the more common Pine Nuts.

Pesto d'ete

3 cups Basil Leaves
1 cup Italian Parsley
8 cloves Fresh Garlic
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, coarsely grated
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Black Pepper, about 8 grinds
pinch dried Oregano
Fleur de Sel, about 4 pinches
1/2 cup Walnuts
2/3 cup good-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine Basil, Parsley, Garlic, Cheese, Butter, Pepper, Oregano and Fleur de Sel in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and pasty (pulsing gives you more control). Add Walnuts, broken in half, and pulse/chop until all walnut pieces are of a consistent size. Dribble in Oil, keeping the food processor running the whole time. Scrape sides and blend again until the mixture looks/feels like pesto (thick and rather creamy).

Add to pasta, grilled chicken, grilled fish--whatever you want!




Food and Cooking and Recipe and Pesto and Summer and Vegetarian and Dairy