Split Pea Soup

This is a vegetarian split pea soup recipe, but you can always add ham, bacon, or a ham bone to this if desired.   It is easy to make, and doesn't require as much planning ahead as other bean soups - the peas cook fairly fast and don't require pre-soaking.   I like the peas to be well done, which takes about 1 1/2 hours. I've seen recipes where they call for the peas to be "al dente", which needs only about 20 minutes of cooking time.

1 pound green split peas (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 cups soup stock (or water)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt, to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
paprika, parsley for garnish

Rinse and sort the split peas in a colander, removing any rocks or other debris found.  Saute the onions in olive oil in a large soup pot until tender. Add the carrots, saute for a few minutes more. Add the celery, saute for a few minutes more. Add the peas, stock (or water), thyme, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir periodically, add a little more water if needed (the soup should be very thick).

Remove the bay leaves, and puree the soup with a hand mixer or a blender. Add lemon juice and salt, to taste, while blending. Garnish with paprika and parsley.

Mac and Cheese with Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach and Broccoli

We had a similar roasted red pepper mac and cheese at the Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego, and loved it.  So, we derived this recipe in an attempt to replicate it.   This is decadent!

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed, large stems removed
2 cups chopped broccoli, small pieces
3 slices good quality white bread (sourdough or french loaf), torn into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons butter
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a pinch of paprika
2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or grated Romano cheese

Spread the bread crumbs, dry, on a cookie sheet and bake in a 275° oven for about 15-20 minutes until somewhat dried.   Then, toss with the olive oil and crushed garlic, and bake for another 15 minutes until they are just starting to crisp and brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Set oven to 400°.  Toss red peppers in a little olive oil, and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and a little charred.  Remove peppers, turn oven down to 375°.

Steam the broccoli for about 6-8 minutes, until bright green and slightly softened.  Steam the spinach for about 3-4 minutes until softened.  Drain, rinse with cold water, and squeeze the extra moisture out of the spinach.

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat.  Melt butter in a high sided pot, whisk in flour.  Slowly pour the hot milk into the flour/butter mixture while whisking.  Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Remove from the heat, stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and about 3/4 of the cheeses.  Set mixture aside.

Cook the macaroni about 2-3 minutes less than the package directions, so that the inside of the macaroni is somewhat underdone.  Rinse in cold water and drain well.  Combine the macaroni into the cheese mixture, stir in the vegetables, and pour into a 9x13 casserole (or similar size) dish.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and scatter the breadcrumbs over the top, then dust with a little paprika.  Bake at 375° for about 30 minutes, until browned on top.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

St. Paddy's Day Twice-Baked Potatoes

This recipe was published in the LA Times in a list of "St. Paddy's Day" recipes.  It's different than other twice-baked potatoes in that it has a lot of vegetables, and no cheese, sour cream, and very little butter.  They are delicious and have given me ideas for using other vegetables in twice-baked potatoes (maybe mushrooms, carrots, brussels sprouts, etc...).  Note that this recipe also uses 1 extra potato so the shells will be mounded very high.

They can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered.

5 large baking potatoes
4 cups chopped cabbage, about 1/2 small head
1 cup chopped leeks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetarian broth)
Salt
1/2 cup warm nonfat milk
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon melted butter
Paprika
Chopped chives, for garnish

Scrub potatoes beneath cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Pierce each potato several times with fork. Bake at 425 degrees until potatoes are fork tender, about 1 hour.

While potatoes bake, saute cabbage and leeks in skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat until vegetables begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Cover and steam until cabbage turns bright green and tender, about 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Remove potatoes from oven and cut horizontal slice off top third of each potato. Scoop pulp from potatoes into bowl, leaving shells about 1/4-inch thick. Scoop pulp from tops of potatoes and add to bowl. Process potato pulp through potato ricer. Stir in milk. Add cabbage and leeks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon potato mixture into 4 shells, dividing evenly. Brush tops of potatoes with melted butter, then sprinkle with dash paprika and bake at 425 degrees until tops are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with chives.

Meg's mother's shortbread (AKA Scotch Fan)

MEG’S MOTHER’S SHORTBREAD (ALSO KNOWN AS SCOTCH FANS)

1 cup butter

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

¾ cup firm packed light brown sugar

2 ¼-2 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour

Heat oven to 300.  In a large bowl blend the butter with a mixer set at medium until creamy.  Gradually add brown sugar while beating until smooth and creamy.  At low speed gradually add enough flour to form stiff dough.  Divide dough into four equal parts.  Form into balls, which can be refrigerated overnight in sandwich bags, but that’s optional.  On ungreased cookie sheet pat (or roll) balls into ¼” thick circles.  With fork tine score the edges of the circle.  Then prick outlines of twelve wedges, dividing the circle in ½, ¼, 1/3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown.  While the cookies are still warm, they can be cut into wedges along the prick marks with a big knife.  But Mother used to cut along the prick marks but not all the way through.  Then she would cool the cookies and break them at that point into wedges.  The effect is more irregular and folksy than cutting the wedges while warm.

Cabbage Pasta

I heard this recipe on the radio, the "Good Food" program on KCRW.  It sounds a little odd, but we tried it and loved it.  We've made it a few times.  This is a vegetarian recipe, however you can add bacon or ham by browning the meat, then using the fat in place of the butter.

The recipe is best with a fresh cabbage, however the first step of blanching the cabbage will help remove the sharp flavor of an older cabbage.  The cabbage is then cooked with stock, until it almost "melts" and creates a nice consistency for mixing with pasta.

1 2-pound green cabbage, cored and shredded as you would for coleslaw
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion or 1 bunch green garlic, chopped
1 cup stock or water
1/2 pound pasta  (penne or similar)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the cabbage in boiling salted water for 3 minutes.  Drain.

Cook onion or garlic in butter and olive oil on high heat until soft and starting to brown.  Add cabbage and 1/2 cup stock or water.  Cover and reduce heat, cook for 30-45 minutes until the cabbage is very soft and almost dissolving, stirring occasionally and adding stock or water as needed to keep it moist and not sticky.

Cook the pasta per package directions.  Reserve a 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water just before draining.  Add the noodles to the cabbage mixture, add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and cook a little longer.  Stir in the cheese, season with salt and pepper.

Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Strata

This "Strata" is a layered egg dish that is made in advance - refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning.  This makes it great for morning gatherings or just to simplify the morning routine.

Our friend Meg made this for us when she and her husband were visiting for the weekend.  It was awesome.  This dish can be modified in many ways - different breads, vegetables, cheeses, or meats like sausage, bacon, or ham can be added.

10 ounces fresh spinach
8 ounces mixed mushrooms (whatever type you like)
3 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
6-8 1/2-inch slices day old bread (firm bread, whatever type you like)
2 cups mild cheese

Steam or boil the spinach for about 3 minutes.  Drain, let cool, and squeeze the spinach with your hands  to get the excess moisture out.  Chop the spinach coarsely, you should have about 1 cup.

Slice the mushrooms.  Saute in the butter on high heat until lightly browned.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minues.  Add garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and some ground pepper, and cook for another minute.  Add spinach, cook until the remaining moisture is evaporated.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and mustard until blended and foamy.  Add the remaining salt.

Assemble the strata by placing 1/2 the slices in the bottom of a buttered  2 quart (about 8x12 or 9x13) baking dish.  Cut the slices as needed to fit tightly in 1 layer at the bottom.  Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the bread, sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.  Use the remaining bread slices to make a second layer, cutting to fit as needed.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the strata, using a spatula to press on the bread to the liquid is evenly absorbed.  Top with the remaining cheese.  Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or at least for 4 hours).

Bake in a 350º oven for about 45 minutes, uncovered, until puffed and browned.  Make sure the eggs are done in the center.  Let rest for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

Oatmeal Coconut Lemon Ginger Cookies

Oatmeal cookies bring back childhood memories in the kitchen with mom.  We made the basic oatmeal cookie recipe printed on the label of the Quaker Oat container, with a few raisins.  Today I've taken the recipe from the Joy of Cooking and given my cookies the POW!! Factor by adding coconut, lemon, and ginger.  Definitely not the cookies we used to make as kids. Oh...and be warned, you'll have them asking for more.

In a large bowl, cream well:
1/2 cup  creamed butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (1/2 cup if sweetened coconut is not used)
1/2 cup granulated

Combine and beat in:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tblsp milk

Add and beat in until smooth:
1 tsp finely minced ginger
1 tsp finely minced lemon zest

At this point preheat the oven to 350º

In a small bowl, sift together and add to the above ingredients:
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

When smooth, add:
1 cup oats
1 1/4 cup coconut (usually sweetened)

Beat the mixture well.  Drop 1 1/2" cookie dough balls 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake 10 - 12 minutes or until light brown.  I average about 16 cookies.  For an added splash of lemon, poke a dimple into the center of the dough ball and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice, and BAMM!!!......Lemonie.

Have fun!

Risotto

Risotto is a braised rice dish, where the starch is left on the rice and cooked in a way to create a thick, creamy textured dish.  Any type of rice can be used, however the high-starch short grain rices result in the creamiest risottos.  'Arborio' is a popular type of rice for risotto, which seems to be readily available at most grocery stores.

There are 2 general methods for making risotto, one a stove top method and another that finishes the cooking in an oven:

1.  Stove top method:

This is considered to be the traditional Italian method of making risotto.  The rice is cooked at a fairly high heat in oil or butter with chopped onions, until the rice looks milky, but not browned.  Wine is added (about 1/2 the amount of wine as rice) and cooked until it is absorbed by the rice.  Then, at a lower heat, add hot stock slowly over about a 25 minute period, using about a 3:1 to 4:1 ratio of stock to rice.  The heat should be high enough for the stock to cook down and be absorbed by the rice during the cooking period.  Other additions to the dish, such as vegetables, meat, seafood can be added during this period.   For the most part, the additions should be cooked separately, unless they will cook during the 25 minute period.   Cheese, if used, is stirred in at the end.

2.  Stove / Oven method:

This is the standard French method of making risotto (according to Julia Child).  Cook the rice exactly as above, with oil or butter and chopped onions, until milky but not browned.  Add wine (about 1/2 the amount as the rice) and cook until it is absorbed.  Use a 2:1 ratio of stock to rice, and stir it in all at once, along with any other additions to the dish like vegetables, meat, seafood, etc.  The stock should be hot, just at boiling point, when added to the rice.  Bake, covered, in a 375º oven for 20-25 minutes, until the moisture has been absorbed.  Stir in any cheese after baking.

Recently I've been using the oven method because it is simpler and less time consuming, and I've been happy with the results.

Here are a few recipes ideas - experiment to create your own.  It can always be made without any extra "additions", using just the onions, rice, wine, stock, with a little Parmesan cheese.

Fennel risotto, with onions, peas, mushrooms

1 1/2 cups rice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine, warm
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1/2 cups peas
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
stock, boiling - 5 cups for stove top method, 3 cups for oven method
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup Romano cheese
 2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cook the onions and fennel bulb in oil until the onions and fennel soften.  Add the rice, and cook until milky,  5-10 minutes.  Add the stock, basil, fennel seeds, peas, mushrooms, salt and pepper, according to cooking method described above.  Just before serving, stir in the cheese and butter, garnish with parsley.

Carrot Risotto
from Stan

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
6 carrots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
stock, boiling, 5 cups for stove top method, 3 cups for oven method
1/3 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon each oil and butter over medium heat; add carrots and stir until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, salt and sugar, cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates and the carrots are starting to brown. Reserve 1/2 of the carrots; puree the rest in a blender with 3/4 cup hot water.

Bring the stock to a simmer and keep warm, covered, over low heat.

Heat remaining oil and butter in the same pan used for the carrots; add onion and cook until translucent. Add rice, stir, and cook until translucent. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add carrot puree and cook, stirring, until mixture is no longer soupy.  Add stock and cook according to cooking method (above).

Fold in the reserved carrots, Mascarpone, Parmesan, parsley and thyme. Add more broth if needed to loosen the Risotto. Season with salt and pepper.

Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole

We were asked to make the infamous green bean casserole for Thanksgiving dinner this year.  Instead of using canned soup and packaged fried onions, we found this recipe that is almost as easy to make, tastes better, with much less sodium and preservatives!

This is derived from a recipe from chef Alton Brown on the food network web site:

1 pound fresh green beans, washed and chopped into ~1" pieces
12 ounces of mushrooms, sliced or chopped
2 onions, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 cup stock
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
black pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 450º.

Combine the onions, 1/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Spread evenly on a greased baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Toss every 10 minutes during cooking.

Blanch the beans for about 7 minutes in salted boiling water, then drain and rinse with cold water.

In a skillet, melt the butter, add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, and grated black pepper, cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms give up some of their liquid.  Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for another couple of minutes.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the mixture, stir to combine.  Add the stock, and simmer for a couple of minutes.   Add the half and half, cook on medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes.

Combine the beans and 1/4 of the onions with the mushroom mixture, put into a casserole dish (or leave in the skillet if it is oven proof).  Top with the remaining onions and bake at 375º until bubbly, about 30 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Caesar Salad

The Caesar salad supposedly originated at the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana, Mexico.  According to the Wikipedia entry the original salad did not have anchovies, but used Worcestershire sauce which gave it an anchovy flavor.  We like it with anchovies.   An egg, raw or briefly cooked in the shell for 1-1 1/2 minutes can be added before tossing, if desired.  We usually skip the egg.

1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 cups of cubed French bread (for croutons)
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, cut into pieces or separate leaves and keep them whole
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 anchovy fillets, cut into small pieces (or a few drops of Worcestershire sauce instead)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
generous grating of black pepper
salt to taste (if you are using anchovies, you probably don't need salt)

Put the olive oil in a small bowl, add the garlic and let steep for 24 hours (or however much time you have!).

Make the croutons:
Preheat oven to 250º.  Bake the cubed bread on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.  Toss with 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until crunchy.

Finish the salad:
Add the lettuce to a salad bowl, add the croutons, garlic oil, and all other ingredients, toss, and serve immediately.

Corn Bread

I thank the "Clarkes" for giving me this 10" cast iron pie pan, it makes the bottom crust of the bread crunchy and flakey.   I used a drop of vegetable oil to coat the pan then dusted it with flour and placed it in a 170 degree oven while I prepared the batter.

In one bowl mix well these DRY ingredients:

1 cup corn meal (for a robust texture, substitute 1/4 cup of polenta or grits)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

In another bowl mix well these WET ingredients:

1 1/4 cup of evaporated milk (or 1 cup of regular milk)
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten

At this point take out the cast iron pie pan from the oven and set the oven to 400 degrees.
Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stir just until blended, pour into pan, and place in the oven.

Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

This is a nice way to make a meatless lasagna.   The vegetable mix can be modified as desired; I've seen some recipes which use roasted root vegetables.  Eggplant and butternut squash would be good in this lasagna too.

9 Lasagna noodles
2 cups tomato sauce or marinara sauce
8 cups of chopped vegetables, equal amounts of:
    mushrooms
    zucchini
    carrots
    corn
    broccoli
    cauliflower
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1 cup chopped spinach
1 egg white
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
Crushed red peppers (to taste)

Preheat oven to 450º.  In a mixing bowl, toss the vegetables with the salt and olive oil.  Spread onto a roasting pan, and put in the oven for about 30 minutes until roasted.  Stir every 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and leave on roasting pan until ready to use.

In a mixing bowl, combine Ricotta cheese, spinach, egg white, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red peppers.

Cook the Lasagna noodles per package directions.  Drain.

Put a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Lay 3 noodles side by side in the bottom of the dish (overlap as little as possible).  Add a little more sauce to the top of the noodles.  Spoon 1/2 of the Ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles.  This can be spread as a thin layer, or in evenly spaced clumps on the noodles.  Spread 1/2 of the roasted vegetables on or between the Ricotta mixture clumps.  Drizzle sauce across the vegetables, and sprinkle 1/2 of the Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses.  Add another layer of noodles, Ricotta cheese, vegetables, and sauce.  Top the lasagna with the last 3 noodles, the remaining sauce and the remaining Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses.  Bake at 400º for 30 minutes, uncovered, until cheese on top starts to brown.

Black-eyed Peas

Happy New Year!  In the southern US, eating this dish on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck.  To add wealth, serve with green vegetables to represent the color of money (collard greens, chard, cabbage, etc), and with cornbread (the color of gold).

When served over rice, this dish is sometimes called Hoppin' John.

This vegetarian recipe is derived from one that was in the LA Times a while back.  Ham, bacon, or sausage can be added.  This is delicious any time of year - don't just wait for new year's day to have it.

1 pound (~2 cups) dry black-eyed peas
6 cups hot water

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
4 cups stock

Rinse the peas in cold water, place them in a large pan, covering with hot water. Allow them to soak overnight. If you don't have time for overnight soaking, bring the pease and water to a boil, allow to boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.

Stovetop method:
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Cook garlic, onion, and celery in oil until transparent. Add salt, cayenne, oregano, bay leaves, and cook for a few more minutes.  Drain the peas, discarding the soaking liquid.  Combine the peas, stock, and skillet mixture in a large soup pot.  Cover and cook slowly for 45-60 minutes or until the peas are tender.

Slow cooker method:
Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Cook garlic, onion, and celery in oil until transparent.  Add salt, cayenne, oregano, and bay leaves, and cook for a few more minutes.  Drain the peas, discarding the soaking liquid.  Combine the peas, stock, and skillet mixture in the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours, until the peas are tender.