leeks

Fat and Happy Acorn Squash & Turnip Soup

23 Dec 2011
squash soup

Would you like something rich and creamy? How about Roasted Acorn Squash & Turnip Soup? Sounds good, huh?

I like creamy soups. In fact I love creamy soups. Except sometimes I seem to like them even better when there's no cream in them. Does that make any sense?

Sure sometimes a touch of cream will elevate a recipe. That's because fat binds flavors together. It creates a sum that is greater than its parts. So I have no problem with cream. But there are other fats that do the job just as well as cream. Like butter. I have no problem with butter. In fact wasn't it Julia Child who mockingly said: "If you are afraid of cream, just use butter."? Or was it the other way around? Oh well. No matter. My point is– I am not one of those people who is afraid of fat, in any form. So if fat is called for in a recipe, and I believe it will make it better, I scream bring it on. No fear here.

In fact I am far more afraid of chemically altered processed foods that are deemed "fat free" than I am of any of the fats that God gave us. Because whenever I see "fat free" printed in big bold chemical ink on my food I have to wonder what they replaced the fat with, and how the hell they got it out. Oh, and particularly– where in God's name did they put it? But that's a digression.

I wanted to talk about "health food" my way. It's not a new concept but it has certainly fallen out of fashion.

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Roasted Acorn Squash & Turnip Soup

Acorn Squash Soup
By jgreghenry Published December 22, 2011
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 (1 1/2 lb) acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 pn each, salt & white pepper, or as needed
  • 5 T unsalted butter
  • 2 leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise and roughly chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 carrot, roughly chopped
  • 2 clv garlic, peeled & smashed
  • 1 t sugar
  • 0.5 lb turnips, pelled & roughly chopped
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pn ground coriander
  • 3 T brandy
  • 0.25 c celery leaves, as garnish (optional)

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season the squash with salt and white pepper. Place 1/2 tablespoon butter into each cavity and place the squash halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until tender and caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let it cool on the tray.

Melt the remaining butter in a medium soup pot set over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, carrots and garlic. Sprinkle the mixture with sugar. Cover, and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the turnips, stock, bay leaf and coriander then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt and white pepper. Cover and cook another 20 minutes, until the turnips are very tender. Remove the bay leaf.

Scoop the flesh from the cooled squash halves straight into the soup pot. Using an immersion blender puree the mixture until very smooth, or use a standard blender working in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the soup pot (if using a standard blender) and add brandy. Bring the soup to a simmer and adjust the seasoning. Garnish withe celery leaves. Serve warm in individual bowls

Alsatian Potato Pie

Potato Pie in Puff Pastry
By jgreghenry Published October 22, 2011
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 3 (about 1 1/2 pounds) yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 pn coatse salt, plus more as needed
  • 5 clv garlic, crushed with the flat side of a large knife
  • 0.5 t freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 pn frshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • 1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and washed well
  • 0.25 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry, (such as dufour), thawed
  • 0 all purpose flour, for dusting work surface
  • 1.5 c grated comte or gruyere cheese

Directions

Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt; cook until just tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Drain. Let cool. Bring 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream, the garlic, and nutmeg to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook mixture until reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk egg yolk and remaining tablespoon cream in a small bowl; set aside. Divide puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into two 6-by-13-inch rectangles. Set 1 rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add half of the potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around and overlapping potatoes slightly. Top with half of the leek mixture and 3/4 cup cheese; season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, leeks, and cheese. Brush edges of dough with egg wash. Cover with remaining dough rectangle; gently press edges with a fork to seal. Cut 2-inch slits lengthwise in center of crust, 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Bake pie until golden brown and puffy, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour cream mixture into pie vents with a funnel. Bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Source: Martha Stewart Living

Travel Costa Rica! Tropical Vichyssoise with Taro & Coconut

10 Apr 2011
Tropical Vichyssoise with Taro & Coconut

Well, my Costa Rican adventure draws to a close. It's time to thank my hosts with something special and tasty. I decided I wanted to take a local tropical ingredient– some might even say a humble ingredient and use it in a stylish way that most people may have never considered.

I chose taro root. And I chose to use it as a substitute for potato in a chilled tropical vichyssoise. I chose to bake the taro first, because it really helps deepen the nutty flavor. Coconut milk adds a level of luscious creaminess, and a touch of curry brings a few more exotic notes. 

Just so you know, taro is also known as dasheen or daro, and well– countless other names. The diversity of nomenclature comes from the fact that taro is a root that feeds the world. Different cultures have different names, and different areas have slightly different varieties. Because it's the root from a diverse group of plants known as Elephant Ear. It is a staple and a very healthy and versatile starchy crop.

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Tropical Taro, Coconut Milk Vichyssoise

Tropical Taro, Coconut Milk Vichyssoise
By jgreghenry Published April 10, 2011
Prep time: 240
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb taro root
  • 0.5 c coconut syrup
  • 0 salt & white pepper as needed
  • 2 T unsalted butter, plus more for dish
  • 2 leeks, white and pale green parts, chopped, washed and dried
  • 2 small spring or sweet onions, peeled & chopped
  • 4 c chicken stock, plus more if necessary
  • 1 c coconut milk
  • 1 t curry powder
  • 0 cilantro leaves, as garnish

Directions

Wearing gloves if you are sensitive, completely peel the taro. Then halve it lengthwise and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Add the cubes to a large bowl and cover them with cool water and allow them to soak about 30 minutes to remove some of the starch (optional). Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add the taro to a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Parboil the taro until just beginning to soften. About 7 minutes. Drain the taro, returning it to the bowl. While the taro is still warm drizzle the coconut syrup over it and add salt and pepper to taste and mix it well to get the taro completely coated. Pour the taro into a buttered baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake in the preheated oven about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool uncovered. In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the leeks and onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, but not yet colored. Add the cooked taro to the pan along with the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off the heat allowing the mixture to cool somewhat. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Add the coconut milk and curry. Running the machine until completely smooth. Pour the pureed soup to a large covered bowl or tureen and adjust the consistency with a bit more stock if needed. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until well chilled. Garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Notes:

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