March 31st already!

It’s been a great month of cooking and baking. I’m so very happy with my choice for Flavour of the Month:  Paulette Mitchell’s A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. With Mitchell’s fantastic recipe, I learned how to make something new. Something I’d never tried before:  an incredible vegetable stock. Hands down, that is the best thing that I can ask for from a cookbook. My copy is splattered, dog-eared, covered in post-it notes … and I love it!

So here we are my friends! The eve of a new weekend and the the eve of a new month.

You are all such an incredible source of inspiration for me. Not a day goes by where I don’t learn about a new food, a new recipe, a new cookbook, a new way of cooking. Show me … tell me … teach me … I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me in April!

I wish all of you a month of happy blogging ahead! I’m sending you a bowl of comforting Cream of Tomato Soup to get you started.

Ciao!

Cream of Tomato Soup with Puff Pastry Crowns

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell.

For the soup:

• a sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cans whole tomatoes (28 fluid ounces each, juice reserved)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups half-and-half or milk
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste (use white pepper if you have it)

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large stockpot. Add the onion and cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine the tomato paste and the water and mix well; add to the butter and onion.
3. Add the thyme, bay leaf and red pepper flakes; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the tomatoes and half of the reserved tomato juice. With a spoon, break up the tomatoes slightly. Add the garlic.
5. Bring the soup to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, puree the soup in a blender or food processor.
7. Return the soup to the stockpot and add the remaining butter, the half-and-half or milk and the brown sugar. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper.) Mix well.
8. You can either serve the soup as is or you can prepare the puff pastry crowns.
9. Enjoy!

For the puff pastry crowns:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• puff pastry, thawed

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Whisk together the egg and the water to make an egg wash.
3. Roll out your puff pastry until it’s about a 1/4-inch thick.
4. With a sharp knife, cut out circles that are slightly smaller than the size of the bowls you are using.
5. Transfer the circles to the baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.
7. Let the the puff pastry crowns cool for a few minutes before placing them on each bowl of soup.

Note:  Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Technorati tags: tomatoes, soup

On any given day, you will find a large basket of fruit on my kitchen table. This is for two reasons. First of all, it encourages my family to eat more fruit. And secondly, it’s pretty to look at. A perfectly ripened mango, an elegant pear, a juicy orange … all of them begging to be eaten. There’s just one problem. In their midst, you will always find an apple or two approaching a brown, shrivelled end.

Now don’t get me wrong, we like apples. Come the Fall we’re the first to load up on the bounty that Ontario’s apple harvest provides. It’s just that by the time Spring rolls around … well … the apples start to get a bit boring. Already I find myself daydreaming about strawberries, wild blueberries and the most fragrant peaches from Niagara-on-the-Lake. But the daydream inevitably comes to an end as I take a bite out of another apple. So many apples. Months of apples.

So you’ll understand why, last Saturday, I just knew I had to do something. A family of McIntosh apples was withering away in that aforementioned fruit basket. There was no way they’d make it to see another week of lunches. I needed a solution; something new and different that would help me solve the apple surplus.

That’s when I remembered a little trip that I’d taken to Ina Garten-land a few weeks ago. I had been flipping through a copy of her book Barefoot Contessa Parties! looking for a coffee cake recipe, but had instead come across a recipe for apple crostata. Essentially, it’s a recipe for a free-form apple tart.

The pastry consisted of flour, sugar salt and a lot o’ butter. It came together in a snap as I got to use the food processor. I usually make pastry dough by hand, but I wanted to follow Garten’s recipe as closely as possible. After refrigerating the dough for an hour, it was a dream to work with. I had no problems rolling it out and within minutes I was ready for the filling.

Preparing the filling consisted of peeling the apples and cutting them into chunks. I added grated orange zest and piled it all on to the dough in a glorious mass, being sure to leave a good 1-1/2 inch border all around so that I could fold the dough over the apples. A quick topping of flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and more butter was the final touch.

While Garten’s recipe doesn’t call for an egg wash, I made one anyway. I brushed the border with the egg wash to ensure that as I folded the pastry over the apples, it would stay in place. I then brushed the egg over the dough so that it would take on a lovely golden colour.

Twenty-five minutes letter I had the most beautiful tart. Some vanilla ice cream and a lovely cup of coffee and all of a sudden we were a family of apple lovers all over again.

Ciao!

Apple Crostata

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten.

For the pastry (this recipe will yield enough pastry for 2 tarts)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup ice water

1. Put all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the dough attachment. Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine.
2. Add the butter all at once and pulse 12 to 15 times, until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Add a 1/4 cup of the ice water all at once and pulse the dough until it begins to come together around the blade. If the dough doesn’t come together, add a tablespoon of ice water at a time until the dough comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it a few times until you form a smooth ball. Divide the ball into two pieces and flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. If you’re making one tart, place one disk in the refrigerator for an hour and freeze the other disk. Otherwise, if you’re making two tarts, refrigerate both disks of dough for an hour.

For the filling:

• 4 or 5 McIntosh apples
• grated zest of a small orange
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Peel the apples and quarter them. Cut each quarter into three pieces. Toss the apples with the orange zest and set aside.
4. On a well-floured surface, roll your disk of dough into an 11-inch circle. (If the dough is too hard from being refrigerated, let it sit for a few minutes.) Once you’ve rolled out the dough, fold it into quarters or roll it around a rolling pin and transfer the circle to the prepared baking sheet.
5. Pile the apple mixture on the dough, being sure to leave a 1-1/2 to 2-inch border all the way around.
6. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour the topping into a bowl and, with your fingers, work the butter until the topping starts to hold together. Sprinkle the topping on the apples.
7. Brush egg wash over the border of dough. Carefully begin folding the border up and over the apples. The dough should partially cover the apples all the way around.
8. Once you’ve folded the dough up and over, brush the egg wash over the dough.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. The apples will be tender.
10. Enjoy!

Note:  This tart serves 6, although I could have very easily eaten one on my own. Instead of McIntosh apples, you can also use Macoun or Empire.

Technorati tags:  apples, crostata, tarts

Whenever people ask me how many cookbooks I have, and I give the usual noncommital reply, the next question is always, "Why do you have so many?" I’m not exactly sure why, to be honest. All I know is that when I come across a cookbook that I like, I feel an almost immediate bond or connection. I’m happy to say that I have developed a very strong connection to Paulette Mitchell’s A Beautiful Bowl of Soup.

I’m so glad I made this book the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for March. It’s warm and simple and full of the wholesome, filling recipes that I enjoy making on weekends when I have time. The added bonus is that they are all fairly uncomplicated to make so they’re an excellent option for a weeknight dinner as well.

Thus far I’ve learned to make an incredible vegetable stock and black bean soup (check out Tea and Cookies and read Tea’s post about her version based on Mitchell’s recipe) and a surprisingly good red lentil soup. But there are so many incredibly inviting recipes. As I perused each one recently, I found myself having considerable difficulty deciding which to make next. And then I turned the page and saw a recipe for Caramelized Onion Soup.

So here’s where you learn something new about Cream Puff:  I have never had onion soup. Never. I think I surprised myself when I realized this. Since this blog is all about realizing all the little food dreams that I have and pushing myself to expand those food horizons, I thought that there would never be a better time than now to finally take the proverbial plunge into that bowl of onion soup.

My understanding of traditional french onion soup is that it’s made with a base of beef broth and onions that have been cooked down to a caramelly softness. The final touch is a piece of country bread that is topped with Gruyère and then broiled. Mitchell’s recipe uses vegetable stock as opposed to beef stock. Fortunately I had some on hand in the freezer. Her recipe also calls for three different types of onion: sweet onion, red onion and shallot. I had red onion and shallots in my pantry (always do), but I needed to pick up some sweet onion.

This of course highlighted the fact that I don’t know very much about sweet onions. After much "googling" and "wikipediaing", I learned that the most common sweet onions are Vidalia and Walla Walla. Sweet onions have a lower sulfur content and a higher water content than other onions. This explains why they are less pungent and taste "sweeter".

My local supermarket had a sweet onion called "Honey Sweet" from Mexico. Once I was back home with my ingredients, I set about putting together the soup. This brings me to another important point about Mitchell and her recipes:  they’re easy to pull together. The only possible challenge this recipe could present is slicing the onions. Fortunately I have a mother who (un)willingly supports my kitchen gadget habit so I whipped out my mandoline and made short work of the onions.

I began cooking the onions down. While they cooked gently (Mitchell advises not to burn the onions as that makes them bitter), I defrosted my vegetable stock and got my bread and goat cheese ready. Once the onions had caramelized, I added dry red wine and the vegetable stock and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes. While it simmered, I toasted my bread slices and then spread on the goat cheese mixture I had prepared. I popped them under the broiler for a minute. When the soup was ready I placed the crostini on top and voilà!

The soup was incredible! The onions were sweet, but not too sweet and the broth was rich. The vegetable stock and the wine went together so well. My only disappointment with this recipe is my picture, which doesn’t show enough of the great soup.

But at least I’ve finally had onion soup. I think I’m ready to conquer the French next!

Ciao!

Caramelized Onion Soup with Goat Cheese Crostini

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell.

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 pound red onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups vegetable stock (see recipe here)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste (I used 2-1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.)

1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and stir to coat the onions in butter.
2. Cover the pot and cook the onions for 25 minutes over low heat; stir occasionally.
3. After 25 minutes, uncover the onions, increase the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes until the onions have become very tender and have turned light brown.
4. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the wine. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the liquid dissolves. Keep an eye on the onions and make sure they don’t burn.
6. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover the soup and let simmer for 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes, season according to taste.
8. Top with prepared goat cheese crostini and serve or top with crostini (that have not been broiled yet) and place under broiler until goat cheese begins to melt and bubble. Be sure to use heatproof bowls.
9. Enjoy!

For the goat cheese crostini:

• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or whichever herb you prefer)
• a dash of salt and pepper
• 8 slices of country bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth and spreadable.
2. In a toaster or under the broiler, toast the bread for a few minutes until golden.
3. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly over the crostini. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese begins to melt and bubble. Place the prepared crostini on the soup and serve.
4. Alternatively, you can spread the goat cheese mixture evenly on the crostini and place them on the soup which has been poured into heatproof bowls. Place the bowls of soup under the broiler until the cheese begins to melt and bubble.

Note:  This recipe yields 4 generous servings. It can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Technorati tags: onions, soup

A wondrous thing happened this week. Spring arrived. Winter’s blanket lifted and in its place … the first hesitant days of spring.

Excited, I took a little trip to the backyard to survey the garden. And as I peeked at the little garden that in a few short months will be planted with all sorts of wonderful things, I saw the most magnificent sight. Peeking out from under the piles of dried leaves that were never collected … under the naked trees that stand so silently … I saw them. They had pushed their way through the cold, hardened ground. Pushed their way up up up and were now waving to me. Calling me. These sweet little coconut babies. Saying hello.

I bent down and immediately smelled the coconut aroma that swirled around them. How it came to be that these coconut babies would grow in my garden, I have no idea. Maybe it’s my passion for all things coconut. If I see it on a menu, I order it. If I smell it in a soap or perfume, I buy it.

Maybe it’s that I often find myself thinking about the first time I ever tried coconut, the fruit of the coconut palm. I was 8 years old and it was in Italy, of all places. I remember that the coconut was cold and so crisp. The sweet nutty flavour (interestingly enough the coconut is actually not a nut) was instantly entrancing.

Or maybe it’s that these sweet little babies bring so much pleasure to whomever tries them. They are bright and buttery and tender and the surest sign of spring.

Elated, I picked them. They didn’t mind. In fact, they asked me to pass along a message to all of you.

"Happy Spring!", they exclaimed. "Happy New Beginning!", they cheered.

And then I ate them.

Ciao!

Coconut Cupcakes

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa by Ina Garten.

For the cupcakes:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and mix well.
6. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. (Dry ingredients … then buttermilk … then dry ingredients … rest of buttermilk … rest of dry ingredients.)
7. Fold in the shredded coconut.
8. Using either a regular-sized muffin tin or a mini-muffin tin lined with cupcake liners, fill each liner about three-quarters full.
9. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean.
10. Remove muffin tin to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cupcakes.
11. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

• 1 pound (2 packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1-1/2 pounds icing sugar, sifted

1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and the butter until light and well-mixed, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the coconut extract and mix well.
4. Add the icing sugar and mix until smooth.
5. Frost the cupcakes to your heart’s content.
6. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will make 18-20 large cupcakes or 50-55 mini-cupcakes. I prefer to make mini-cupcakes as they are quite heavy (what with all that yummy butter). Also the mini-cupcakes look so cute!

The original recipe uses vanilla extract and almond extract. As I am all about coconut, I have changed the recipe to vanilla extract and coconut extract in the cupcakes and coconut extract in the frosting.

Technorati tags:  coconut, cupcakes

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in January (it seems like ages and ages ago), the lovely Kat of Our Adventures in Japan tagged me for the cookbook MEME which has made its rounds in this incredible universe of food blogs. I’m glad to finally get to it, especially because cookbooks are my favourite subject (i.e., The Overburdened Bookshelf). But before I get to the MEME, there a few items I’d like to share with you.

If you haven’t visited the Well Fed Network yet, I highly recommend you do. Well Fed is the home base for a series of blogs that deal with various subjects so near and dear to the hearts of bloggers. I’m happy to say that I will be contributing to two of those blogs:  A Nice Cuppa and Paper Palate. I’ll be learning all about tea for A Nice Cuppa and Paper Palate will finally give me the excuse that I’ve been looking for to justify the ridiculous amounts of money I spend on food publications. Take a look when you have a chance!

The second bit of news I wanted to share has to do with a recipe that the world needs to know about. Several months ago I was hopscotching my way through  blog world, having a great time, when I came across a post on a wonderful blog called Gastronome. The post was about a charming recipe for Rum Butter Cakes. Intrigued, I saved the recipe and tried it a few weeks later. All I’m going to say is this: YOU MUST MAKE THIS CAKE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! It’s incredible … light, buttery and not-too-sweet with the warmest hint of rum. Since finding this recipe I’ve made it about ten times. So please visit Gastronome, read the post, and enjoy one of the best cakes you’ll ever taste!

The final point I wanted to make before I get to the MEME has to do with the recipes we all share with each other. As many of you know I grew up in a family that was passionate about food. The passion displayed by the cooks in my family was equaled only by their generosity. I don’t know how many people my grandmother gave cooking lessons to. And my mom is always at the ready to share any recipe she has, even the ones that are most precious to her. This generosity is partly due to a philosophy that food and tradition are meant to be shared and passed on. But it also has to do with the pure joy you experience when someone tries a recipe of yours and ends up making something they love. Inevitably, they make the recipe their own, which is a wonderful thing indeed.

So you can imagine how happy I was to see that Anne of Anne’s Food tried a recipe for penne alla vodka that I’d given her. In characteristic brilliant Anne fashion, she made the recipe her own and produced tortiglioni alla vodka. Check out Anne’s post to see how beautiful her plate of pasta looks!

And now ladies and gentlemen, without further delay, I present the Cream Puff Cookbook MEME …

How many cookbooks do you own?

Let’s just say I own more than 100 and less than 1,000. I refuse to put the actual number in bold print for myself and the world to see. To do so would be to admit that I have a problem. I prefer to live in denial … blissful cookbook denial!

Which is the cookbook that you bought most recently?

The cookbook that I bought most recently is The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger. I love her! I have several of her books including Bread for Breakfast and Bread Made Easy. Her cookbooks are clearly written and suitable for both the novice baker and for someone with a bit more baking experience.

Which is the cookbook that you read most recently?

The cookbook that I read most recently is Caramel by Peggy Cullen. I was lucky enough to find it on sale at the best book store in Toronto, The Cookbook Store. If you’re ever in the city, stop by as you will find the very best selection of cookbooks anywhere. And they always have great titles on sale.

Name 5 cookbooks that mean a lot to you.

Oh, this is a tough one. To have to choose among all my lovely babies … it’s heartbreaking but for the greater good I’ll shall try my best.  Here goes:

1. The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan — Even though I have not tried a lot of the recipes in this book, it’s one of my most treasured cookbooks. I think that’s because when I read Hazan’s words, I feel like all the incredible cooks that I’ve known in my life are speaking to me. The book is intelligent, no-nonsense, authentic and inspiring.
2. Soffritto by Benedetta Vitali — This is a cookbook by a woman who did not learn how to cook until she got married. She has since become one of Italy’s most beloved chefs. I love this book because Vitali’s love for her land is palpable. It’s a beautiful thing.
3. Kaffeehaus by Rick Rogers — I love this book for the recipes. I love this book because I can almost smell the coffee roasting in all the gorgeous coffee houses in Vienna and Prague. I love this book because it makes me dream of places I have never been, but will one day get to.
4. Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating by Ari Weinzweig — This book has everything that I ever wanted to know about the condiments and foods that I love … olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cheese … Weinzweig explains how they’re made and tells you who the best producers are. Plus the recipes are incredible.
5. Baking with Julia by Julia Child — No explanation necessary.

Should they have the time and/or inclination to share a little bit about their favourite cookbooks, I tag the following bloggers:  Tea and Cookies, Beyond Salmon, Habeas Brulee, Bron Marshall and Chaud Devant.

Ciao!

There is a scene early on in the charming French movie Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain, where the main character plunges her hand into a sack of green lentils. As her hand slides into the cool mound of lentils, the camera cuts to her face, which is glowing. You can almost feel her sense of pleasure.

That scene has always stayed in my mind, mainly because I understand the tactile thrill that lentils promise. You want to grab them by the handful and let them slide slowly through your open fingers.

And this is from someone who is unfamiliar with lentils. That is to say they do not, nor have they ever, been a staple in my diet. While many Italians do enjoy lentils, they never seemed to land on my family’s table. We always preferred plump beans, such as romano or borlotti, to any other type of legume.  Yet inspite of my ignorance when it comes to lentils, I must confess I have always been fascinated with the red ones.

Like Amélie Poulain, I am always tempted to run my hands through mounds of lentils. Except I would choose red ones. There’s something about their colour that makes them look like orange-red gems; as though I could string them together and make a pretty bracelet.

Red lentils, often referred to as Egyptian lentils, are always sold dry and tend to cook very quickly. Unlike dried beans, it’s not necessary to soak lentils before using them.  Inspite of how easy they are to prepare, I’d never used them them until now. And my reason for using them is the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for March 2006:  A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell. As I flipped through the book the other day, I came across this recipe and knew instinctively that if I was ever going to consummate my red lentil love, it was now or never.

Fortunately I shop at a very well-stocked supermarket and in no time I had the ingredients for  my red lentil soup. The base for the soup was the incredible vegetable stock that Paulette Mitchell opens her book with. As I mentioned in my post on this stock, it’s delicious and is certainly an incredible building block for any soup. Beyond the stock and red lentils, the ingredients were quite straightforward.

The soup came together very quickly. In fact it was ready in a little over half an hour making it a perfect option for a weekday dinner. Mitchell recommends serving it with pita croutons (pita brushed with olive oil and crisped under the broiler), but not having pita on hand I served the soup with black olive breadsticks and of course a wedge of lemon. The soup contains a bit of lemon juice and a final squeeze of lemon before eating the soup was the perfect accompaniment.

I was so happy with the black bean soup from Mitchell’s cookbook. I was equally happy with this red lentil soup. It makes a big pot of soup which means lots of lovely leftovers for weekday lunches.

The added bonus is that I got to make my red lentil dream come true. They felt (and tasted) so good!

Ciao!

Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1-3/4 cups dried red lentils
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like spicy food; use more if you do!)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste (I used about 2-1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper)

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the vegetable stock, the lentils, carrots, celery leaves and red chile pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
3. Once the soup is boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Stir occasionally.
4. Once the lentils are cooked, add the lemon juice. Mix well. Taste and season with salt and pepper according to your own preferences. Serve the soup with lemon wedges.
5. Enjoy!

Note:  This soup serves 4 to 6 people. Leftovers can be frozen.

Technorati tags:  lentils, soup

When I was a little girl, I loved going to big Italian weddings for two reasons. The first was the chance to see the bride. I was a timid child, so I was wary of approaching the bride in her all her white tulle glory, yet the sight of her was always special.

But the second reason, and the one that was far more exciting, was the chance to receive and open the bomboniera, the customary gift handed out by the bridal couple. It’s not that I cared so much about the gift, it’s that I wanted the chance to get at the confetti that, by tradition, had to accompany the bomboniera.

Confetti are sugar-coated almonds. Italians use them to mark special occasions from baptisms to weddings to anniversaries. But the confetti that accompany bomboniere are certainly the most special. The sugar-coating is usually white in colour and the confetti are wrapped in tulle, usually in a small sac. The confetti must always be odd in number in order to ensure that the marriage is indivisible. It is most common to receive five confetti, which represent love, fidelity, longevity, fertility and happiness.

Confetti are perhaps the best symbol of how important almonds are to the traditions and cuisine of Italy, in particular Southern Italy where the almond tree abounds. While it’s unclear where the almond originated, it’s believed that the almond is native to Asia or Africa. Besides Italy, almonds are cultivated in many countries including Greece, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the United States, where the major almond producer is California.

Rich in Vitamin E, the almond is part of the rose family (Rosaceae) and is closely related to the peach. There are two types of almonds, bitter and sweet. While sweet almonds are more widely-consumed, bitter almonds are valued for their essential oils. However, bitter almonds can be dangerous because they contain prussic acid, which, if consumed in large enough quantity, can be lethal. Prussic acid is destroyed when almonds are heated prior to being used for such purposes as the extraction of their oils.

Almonds lay claim to an important role in my family’s baking. The most tangible example of this would be amaretti. For those of you who have never come across amaretti, they are cookies made of either ground almonds or almond paste. Their name means "little" and "bitter", in reference to their small size and to the bitterness of the almonds. For every Italian family that you meet, you will undoubtedly come across a different version of amaretti. Everyone has their favourite favourite version and everyone swears that their amaretti are the best.

My family is no exception. We have a collection of amaretti recipes, all of which make appearances during special occasions and holidays. My favourite amaretti, however, are the ones my mother makes most often. The recipe comes from her mother, who in turn got the recipe from a close family friend. While many people in my family circle make these cookies, none are superior to my mother’s.

These particular amaretti are made with ground almonds, sugar and cocoa, which is not a common addition to a recipe for amaretti. These cookies are a bit larger than your average amaretti, although you can make them smaller if you like. They are the type of cookie that improves with age. Freshly baked, they are soft, chewy and fragrant. As the days pass, the amaretti harden slightly and the almond flavour becomes more assertive. These are pretty cookies that never look out of place on a dessert plate. And best of all, they will keep for a long time (at least a week), which means you can enjoy them with a cup of espresso over the course of many afternoons.

As with all treasured family recipes, my mother’s amaretti have become so much more than just a special cookie. They have marked so many of my family’s milestones. But most importantly, they’re from my mother.

And they are so dear to my heart.

Ciao!

My Mother’s Amaretti

Treasured family recipe.

• 1-1/2 pounds almonds, finely ground (plus extra whole almonds to garnish cookies)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (plus 1 cup extra sugar to roll the cookies in)
• 1-1/2 tbsp. cocoa
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp. almond extract

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Position your oven racks so that one rack is at the bottom of the oven and the other rack is in the middle of the oven; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine ground almonds, sugar and cocoa.
4. Add eggs and almond extract and mix until well combined.
5. Using a tablespoon or your hands, scoop out enough of the almond mixture to form a ball that is roughly 1-1/2 to 2 inches in size.
6. Roll each ball in the 1 cup of extra granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet.
7. Use extra whole almonds as garnish by placing one almond in the centre of each cookie.
8. Bake cookies on lower rack for 10 minutes and then move to middle rack for an additional five minutes.
9. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once cool, store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. Cookies will keep for up 10 days.
11. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will yield anywhere from 50 to 70 cookies, depending on the size of the cookies.

Technorati Tags:  almonds, cookies

Let me tell you a story.

There once was a girl, let’s call her Cream Puff, who had a dream. Her dream was to take part in her very first Sugar High Friday, hosted by spittoonextra.

Cream Puff planned long and hard to make her dream come true. She longed for Sugar High Friday #17 to come so that she could wax poetic about her dairy of choice … mascarpone.

But little did Cream Puff know that destiny would send a monster her way to try and spoil her plans. This monster, let’s call it Workasaurus, was mean and nasty. Workasaurus didn’t care about Cream Puff’s mascarpone masterpiece (ooh … alliteration!). Workasaurus only cared about getting the job done.

So Cream Puff and all her little co-worker cream puffs met Workasaurus on the battlefield. Let’s call the battlefield Workplace.

They fought long and hard. Days passed. Weeks flew by. There was blood, sweat and tears. But in the end, the cream puffs emerged victorious!

Ecstatic in the glory of victory, Cream Puff decreed that the only thing in the world that could truly mark the importance of such a victory, was mascarpone.

So this SHF#17, we sing the praises of dairy. We sing the praises of mascarpone. We sing the praises of Mascarpone Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Dulce de Leche Sauce.

The End.

Ciao!

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Candied Pecans and Dulce de Leche Sauce

Recipe from www.epicurious.com. You can view the recipe here.

Cream Puff’s tiredness after battling Workasaurus has resulted in her offering the link to the original recipe (above) as opposed to typing it out here.

Cream Puff assures everyone that she followed the recipe, with the exception of one minor change. The original recipe instructs you to wrap the spring-form pan three times with aluminum foil. Cream Puff felt that wrapping the pan in aluminum foil twice would be more than enough. Cream Puff is happy to report that it was.

This cheesecake was fantastic! Cream Puff highly recommends it.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: sugar high friday, SHF, cheesecake, dulce de leche

"Memory … is the diary that we all carry about with us." (Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900)

These days, it seems that thoughts of food are never far from my mind. Whether it’s the long subway ride to work and back, a quiet  moment or two during the the work day, or those still moments just before I fall asleep, food always seems to be there. What has surprised me is how often those thoughts of food trigger memories, as though the two are inextricably linked. I’m often not sure which comes first … the memory of something food-related, or something food-related that sparks a memory.

These days, even the smell of food will bring back powerful memories. Take my maternal grandparents’ house, for example. Located in Toronto’s Little Italy, it was the centre of my family’s universe for many years. And it was rare that you would enter that house and not be greeted by the aroma of something cooking. The smell that I remember most and the one that I associate most with that house, is the smell of chicken stock.

My grandmother would make her stock with a whole chicken. THE WHOLE CHICKEN. Today we may turn our noses up at the sight of a chicken neck or the lovely layer of fat floating at the top of the stock pot, but to my grandmother, that was all flavour.

While we would occasionally have meat stock, usually made with veal bones, for the most part we were (and still are) a chicken stock family. So it was with mild surprise that I turned to A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, the Flavour of the Month for March 2006, and saw that the first recipe for stock, in fact the only recipe for stock in the cookbook, was one for vegetable stock. As strange as it may sound, I have never made vegetable stock. That is to say I’ve never made a proper vegetable stock to be used as an ingredient in other dishes.

I was intrigued … and a bit skeptical. Is it possible to make a flavourful stock, that can be used to enhance other dishes, with only vegetables?

Mitchell’s recipe called for onion, leeks, carrots, parsnips, garlic, tomato, and aromatics herbs including parsley and thyme. I was initially pleased that this vegetable stock required ingredients, like carrots and parsnips, that often end up wasting away, forgotten, in the back of my refrigerator. While it’s not tomato season, I liked that Mitchell included tomato in her recipe because we use it all the time when making chicken stock. Tomato adds a lovely colour to the stock. I was able to substitute the whole tomato with my mother’s jarred tomato pieces, which she makes at the end of summer with the last of our garden’s bounty.

And I must be honest. The smell in the house from the herbs and the cooking vegetables was intoxicating. But the final test would definitely be how well the stock tasted and how well it supported the recipe I used it for.

On the taste front, the stock scored high marks. It was sweet and flavourful with the essence of all the ingredients. It was warm and filling and beautiful in colour.

As for the recipe I tried, the stock served me well. I decide to make the Black Bean Soup with Mango Salsa for two reasons:  I had canned black beans in my pantry and I had some ripe mango, waiting to be used. While the black beans packed a nutritious punch, the flavour of the soup was vibrant and spicy. And the mango salsa was just the right touch as it cut through the thickness of the black beans.

I was impressed and happy with my first attempt at vegetable stock, and even more impressed with the first recipe I tried from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. And interestingly enough, as the soup bubbled away on a quiet Saturday afternoon, I almost felt like I was back at my grandmother’s house.

Sweet memory.

Ciao!

Black Bean Soup with Mango Salsa

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell.

For the vegetable stock:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion or 2 to 3 shallots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 1 large tomato, quartered (omit if you don’t have access to fresh tomatoes or really good canned tomatoes)
• 2 or 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 2 celery stalks (preferably with leaves), cut into large pieces
• 2 leeks (white parts only), well rinsed and cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 or 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
• 8 cups water
• a handful of flat-leaf parsley
• 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves (I used dried)
• 6 whole black peppercorns

1. In a stockpot, heat the oil and add the onion or shallots, tomato, carrots, celery, leeks, parsnip and garlic. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil.
3. Once the stock is boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for one hour.
4. After an hour, remove the stock from the heat and let it come to room temperature.
5. Once the stock has cooled, pour the stock through a fine-meshed sieve. With a spoon, press down on the solids in the sieve to remove as much stock as possible. Discard the solids.
6. You can keep the stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 6 months.

For the mango salsa:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 ripe mango, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
• salt, to taste

1. Whisk together the lime juice and the brown sugar, until the brown sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Taste the salsa and add salt according to your own tastes.
4. Set the mango salsa aside while you make the soup. The mango salsa should be at room temperature.

For the black bean soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon, red chili flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon, freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
2. Add the coriander and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the soup has come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes (if the soup reduces too much, add a bit of water).
4. Transfer one cup of the beans and soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return to the soup and mix well. Add salt to taste.
5. Serve the soup with the mango salsa.
6. Enjoy!

I must admit that I’ve cheated slightly when it comes to the third round of the Weekend Cookbook Challenge hosted by Alicat of Something So Clever. You’re supposed to pick a new recipe from a book that’s been languishing in a corner of your home somewhere. Technically, this book has been languishing on The Overburdened Bookshelf. But I actually rescued it about a month ago from my cookbook jungle and flipped to a recipe that I’d wanted to try for a long time.

Which cookbook, you ask? The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten.

What recipe, you ask? Orange Yogurt.

Why haven’t I used this cookbook more often, you ask? Because every time I look at it I am reminded of Ina Garten’s kitchen and I am forced to suppress pangs of overwhelming jealousy.

What made me finally change my mind, you ask? A renewed interest in yogurt.

Lately, I’ve been reading an awful lot about the health benefits of yogurt. Apparently the "friendly" bacteria that live in yogurt, which is a form of fermented milk, are very good at protecting our intestinal tracts. It’s also an excellent source of important nutrients like calcium.

Oh yes … and it tastes good. I have always loved the slight tartness of yogurt. It’s versatility is also impressive. You can eat yogurt at any time of the day. You can use it in both savoury cooking and in baking. You can add a variety of foods to yogurt including fruit and nuts. It’s fairly inexpensive, and you can even make yogurt at home.

I’m not sure if it’s because my bones have been thirsting for more calcium lately, or maybe it’s because my tastes have changed, but I’ve really been craving yogurt of late. And every once in awhile my mind would flutter back to an episode of The Barefoot Contessa that I saw where She-of-the-Kitchen-That-I-Envy prepared a recipe for Orange Yogurt.

It was very simple. A container of plain low-fat yogurt was placed in a sieve lined with cheesecloth and allowed to drain overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, the thickened yogurt was mixed with the zest of an orange, freshly squeezed orange juice, nuts, raisins, honey and vanilla extract. How hard is that?

Not having any cheesecloth handy, I used paper towels, which worked just fine. While I’ve tried this recipe with many different types of yogurt, the one I use most often is a brand called Liberty, which is made in Quebec. I like to use the organic plain yogurt that contains 2.5 per cent milk fat. Granted that may not qualify as "low-fat", but we all have our little indulgences!

I am always surprised at how much liquid drains from the yogurt. This time around I decided to measure the liquid. I was surprised to see that 2/3 of a cup had drained from a container of 750 grams of yogurt. And just as soon as I finish marvelling at how much liquid drained from the yogurt, I begin salivating at the sight of the thick and creamy deliciousness that is left behind.

I add the zest and juice of an orange and about a 1/4 cup of honey. I also like to add nuts … lots of them. My current favourites are walnuts and slivered almonds. I omit the raisins, but do sometimes add chopped dried fruit. I’ve tried apricots and figs, but this time around I used dried prunes, which were delicious. While I have added vanilla extract in the past, coconut fiend that I am, I’ve been using a few drops of coconut extract recently. To further indulge my coconut tooth, I will add a bit of dried (or fresh) flaked coconut if I have some on hand. I love the contrast in flavours between the coconut and the orange. I give everything a good stir and for the next few days, I have the most delightful breakfast you can imagine. What a perfect way to start a weekend morning.

"Orange" you lovely? You bet you are!

Ciao!

Orange and Coconut Yogurt

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten.

• 1 container of plain yogurt (750 grams;whichever brand you like; whatever level of fat content you like)
• zest and juice of one orange
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup prunes, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut (I use dried but if you can find fresh … be my guest!)

1. Line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve and place in a large pot in the refrigerator to drain overnight.
2. Remove the yogurt from the sieve and place in a large bowl. Add the orange zest, orange juice and honey and mix well.
3. Add the nuts and prunes, mix well.
4. Finish by adding the coconut extract and flaked coconut. Mix well and cover and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Note:  This recipe will yield approximately 3 cups of yogurt.

What happened to February?

Between immersing myself in the delights of chocolate and then quenching my Olympic thirst, the month just flew right by me! And what a month it was!

As March begins, I decided it was time to take care of some unfinished business and wrap February up so that I can properly focus on the month ahead.

For starters, I must take this opportunity to thank all of you for your tremendous support and encouragement for my series on the food of Piemonte. When I first thought of the idea, I had no clue as to the breadth and variety of Piemontese cooking. As much research as I did, I only scratched the surface of a culinary way of life that is spectacular and breathtaking. While I lost some steam at the end due to work constraints (regular life getting in the way once again!), for those of you are interested I encourage you to continue the journey. If you’re looking for a starting point or two, may I suggest the following two books:  Rustico by Micol Negrin and A Passion for Piedmont by Matt Kramer.

Negrin’s book is an all-encompassing look at the regional food of Italy. Every part of Italy is included, which is a nice switch from other books on regional Italian cooking that tend to ignore the smaller regions of Italy. So from that standpoint alone it’s a good investment as it provides an excellent overview of Italian cuisine in its entirety. The section on Piemonte, in particular, is impressive. While the recipes are not what I would describe as typical (you won’t find recipes for penne alla vodka or eggplant parmigiana in this one), they are authentic and true to the spirit of the region from which they originate.

As for Kramer’s book, my only wish is that I had discovered it sooner. I came across this book about a month before the Olympics when my idea for a series on Piemontese cooking was still in its infancy. By the time I ordered the book and received it, the Olympics were already underway. A Passion for Piedmont is thorough in its presentation of Piemontese cooking. It covers all topics, including cheese and wine. Like Rustico, Kramer does not cut corners nor does he oversimplify recipes. They are as true to the nature of the original as can be.

So for those of you who don’t want to leave Piemonte just yet, I wish you buon viaggio …

The next bit of business to address is my final thought regarding February’s Flavour of the Month:  Pure Chocolate by Fran Bigelow. While I did try three new recipes from the book (White Chocolate Coconut Cream Bars, Princess Pudding and Blanc et Noir), it was not nearly as many as I had hoped. The Olympics really did take my attention away from my chocolate discovery. But that’s alright. The three recipes that I did try were tremendous, and while the Blanc et Noir was somewhat complicated, especially for an untrained baker like myself, it was worth the effort. I look forward to visiting Pure Chocolate again when the occasion calls for it.

But just as the months have changed so too have my tastes. While chocolate is a part of my life on an almost daily basis, it’s time to try something new. And in order to combat some of the excesses of February (at least in the chocolate department), I’ve decided to choose something a bit lighter and dare I say it … healthier … for March’s Flavour of the Month:  A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell. It’s not that chocolate or Piemontese food aren’t healthy, it’s just that I need to simplify a bit this month after the culinary exertions of February.

And with a cold Canadian winter wind blowing outside, I can’t imagine anything more comforting than a bowl of warm soup. So join me, my friends, and let’s see what we come up with!

Happy March!

Ciao!