It's that time of year. The weather is beginning to be chilly and my weekly pot of soup has begun. This soup is one of my favorites because it is so flexible. It can be served hot or cold; chunky or smooth. And it is one of the easiest soups to make. Here is what is on Marilyn's Table.
Potato Leek Soup with Gruyere Croutons
Apple Pie Sundaes with Cheddar Shards
The soup goes together in minutes with a reasonably short prep time. A large Idaho potato (Yukon Golds would also work well) is scrubbed and cut in cubes. I leave the skin on because that is where a lot of the vitamins are. Leeks are sliced into half rounds and rinsed thoroughly to remove any sand. They are then sauteed in butter with a pinch of salt. The potato is added and vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer) are added and simmered until potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat. I left mine chunky but if you want the soup to be smooth, this is where you use an immersion blender to smooth it out. Heavy cream and buttermilk are added along with white pepper. Taste to correct the seasonings. Warm through to serve or put in refrigerator to chill.
I have seen several recipes for using grilled cheese sandwiches cut up for croutons, so I thought I would try it. I had a loaf of dark bread with lots of seeds. I cut half inch slices and buttered one side of each. Slices of Gruyere were put inside and I grilled the sandwich on a panini press. The edges are cut off and the rest is cut into bite sized cubes. The cubes are dropped on the top of the soup along with a few fresh herbs such as thyme. I love this soup and will make it again and often.
Apples are plentiful and I thought they would be a nice addition to some frozen yogurt. Since cheddar cheese often accompanies apple pie, I used it in the preparation of cracker like shards. Flour, salt, cold butter, sharp cheddar cheese, cold water and cider vinegar are put in a food processor and blended until the dough comes together. The dough is kneaded, wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough thinly and bake until browned. The dough is cooled and broken into shards to garnish the rest of the sundae. A Granny Smith and a Gala apple are cored and cut in slices (again I leave the skin on). Butter is melted in a skillet and the apples are added along with both granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a bit of salt. The apples are cooked until tender and bit of water is added. Cool the mixture slightly and blend half until smooth. In a large bowl soften frozen vanilla yogurt and mix in the pureed apples. Return to the freezer to set. To serve, scoop the apple yogurt mixture into dishes; spoon some of the remaining apples over the top and garnish with the cheddar shards. Pretty to look at and very yummy.
This week was a celebration of simple food that I will repeat often over the winter. Next week is Thanksgiving and I will be heading north to celebrate with family. As always it will be an interesting meal to which everyone contributes. Also will be fun to hear about granddaughter Kendall's first semester in college. I will remember to take pictures of our table and share with you. We have so much to be thankful for so enjoy your holiday and will see you in two weeks.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thanksgiving Preview
Once Halloween is over, my thoughts turn to the holiday's and holiday food. I could cook turkey once a week during the season and never get tired of it. I found this recipe in one of the magazines I receive and it sounded like a winner. Lots of herbs and seasonings, my favorites. My quest to find a turkey breast on the bone was not successful. The only one I found was frozen and was shot full of all manner of chemicals touted as basting. I finally ended up at Whole Foods. They had a boneless fresh turkey breast. I usually prefer to cook poultry on the bone, but this looked just about the right size for me and a week or so of leftovers. Here is what was on my Table this week:
Lemon-Herb Seasoned Turkey Breast
Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt
I like to brine poultry so the night before the turkey went into a large bowl with cold water, salt, sugar, peppercorns and various herbs. While the brine was doing it's thing, I made the stuffing that went under the skin. Into the blender went Panko bread crumbs, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon peel, sauteed onion, salt, pepper and enough EVOO to hold it all together. The mixture should resemble a paste. When the turkey is removed from the brine, it is patted dry and the paste is carefully stuffed under the skin. It is then put in a roasting pan on a bed of chopped onion, celery, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, chopped garlic, lemon juice, EVOO and a bit of salt and pepper. Chicken stock is poured over the vegetables and around the bird. When the turkey is thoroughly cooked and nicely browned it is removed and set aside to rest. The vegetables and broth are strained and simmered until thickened for a sauce. The brine, herbs and seasonings gave the turkey lots of flavor. This recipe will go in my 'love it' folder and I will use it again.
Sweet potato and broccoli are vegetables I prepare often so I was looking for a new way to try. This recipe is very simple and quite excellent for the turkey. There is some crossover of herbs which brings both dishes together nicely. In a baking dish a chopped sweet potato is tossed in EVOO, chopped rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper. After roasting them at the for about 20 minutes, chopped broccoli is added and tossed with a bit more EVOO. When the potato and broccoli are soft and lightly browned a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is added for serving. This too was added to my 'love it' folder. Very colorful!
The turkey and vegetables needed something cool and refreshing at the end of the meal. A granita seemed like a good choice. Unsweetened applesauce and a bit of lemon juice are mixed and spread in a square glass pan. Place it in the freezer until firm. While it is freezing, mix plain Greek yogurt with some maple syrup and a bit of ground cinnamon. To serve, take a fork of the edge of a spoon and scrape the surface to fluff it up. Serve in a glass bowl and spoon some of the yogurt sauce over the top. So simple, yet so cool after the meal.
This was a good menu and many of the techniques will be used again. Next week I will be away for a few days. It's my birthday and I am treating myself to a weekend in Galena, one of my favorite places. That means dinner out. I am looking forward to trying a couple of new restaurants and some nice wine. Breakfast will be amazing as always at the Aldrich Guest House. I will be back the following week and we will see what appears on Marilyn's Table.
Lemon-Herb Seasoned Turkey Breast
Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt
I like to brine poultry so the night before the turkey went into a large bowl with cold water, salt, sugar, peppercorns and various herbs. While the brine was doing it's thing, I made the stuffing that went under the skin. Into the blender went Panko bread crumbs, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon peel, sauteed onion, salt, pepper and enough EVOO to hold it all together. The mixture should resemble a paste. When the turkey is removed from the brine, it is patted dry and the paste is carefully stuffed under the skin. It is then put in a roasting pan on a bed of chopped onion, celery, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, chopped garlic, lemon juice, EVOO and a bit of salt and pepper. Chicken stock is poured over the vegetables and around the bird. When the turkey is thoroughly cooked and nicely browned it is removed and set aside to rest. The vegetables and broth are strained and simmered until thickened for a sauce. The brine, herbs and seasonings gave the turkey lots of flavor. This recipe will go in my 'love it' folder and I will use it again.
Sweet potato and broccoli are vegetables I prepare often so I was looking for a new way to try. This recipe is very simple and quite excellent for the turkey. There is some crossover of herbs which brings both dishes together nicely. In a baking dish a chopped sweet potato is tossed in EVOO, chopped rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper. After roasting them at the for about 20 minutes, chopped broccoli is added and tossed with a bit more EVOO. When the potato and broccoli are soft and lightly browned a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is added for serving. This too was added to my 'love it' folder. Very colorful!
The turkey and vegetables needed something cool and refreshing at the end of the meal. A granita seemed like a good choice. Unsweetened applesauce and a bit of lemon juice are mixed and spread in a square glass pan. Place it in the freezer until firm. While it is freezing, mix plain Greek yogurt with some maple syrup and a bit of ground cinnamon. To serve, take a fork of the edge of a spoon and scrape the surface to fluff it up. Serve in a glass bowl and spoon some of the yogurt sauce over the top. So simple, yet so cool after the meal.
This was a good menu and many of the techniques will be used again. Next week I will be away for a few days. It's my birthday and I am treating myself to a weekend in Galena, one of my favorite places. That means dinner out. I am looking forward to trying a couple of new restaurants and some nice wine. Breakfast will be amazing as always at the Aldrich Guest House. I will be back the following week and we will see what appears on Marilyn's Table.
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