Patricia Wells’ Double Celery Soup

Over the next several posts, I’m going to be sharing some of my favorite recipes. These are recipes that I don’t make that often but that I want to remember for special occasions. Sometimes when a favorite recipe is buried in a cookbook, it can be forgotten. So my reasons for sharing them on the blog are purely selfish — I just don’t want them to get lost or forgotten over time. But I hope you will enjoy them too.

This first recipe comes from Patricia Wells’ excellent cookbook Bistro Cooking. It combines two ingredients I don’t cook with very often: celery and celery root. This unexpected combination make an absolutely delicious soup that can make an appearance at a dinner party or perk up someone who’s feeling under the weather.

This soup is most appropriate for winter or early spring, so apologies for posting out of season. As a light meal, serve it with crisp crackers and a green salad. It makes 6-8 servings, and leftovers can be frozen.

Double Celery Soup

• 1 med. celery root (about 1 pound), peeled and diced
• 10 celery ribs, cubed
• 3 leeks, trimmed, rinsed and cut into thin rounds
• 1 large sprig of thyme, 3 bay leaves and several sprigs of parsley, tied with a string
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
• Handful of fresh chopped herbs for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine the celery root, celery, leeks and whole herbs. Add the stock and season gently. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs to serve.

Vegetable Gratin

At this time of year, we can be positively overrun with fresh, tasty vegetables. This side dish provides another option for enjoying them, and it is an appropriate accompaniment for almost any meal. A vegetable gratin is also one of the most delicious ways to serve eggplant. A little cheese makes everything taste better! Leftovers also taste great the next day, at room temperature, as a salad.

Vegetable Gratin

• 2 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 small or 1 medium eggplant, cut into thin rounds
• 4 small or 2 medium zucchini, cut into thin rounds
• 5 small or 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
• 2 tsp. fresh minced herbs
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously rub the bottom of a gratin dish with the cut sides of the garlic. Add the onion to the dish in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and herbs, and drizzle with some of the olive oil. Continue layering with the eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, again sprinkling each layer with salt, herbs and oil, finishing with a generous layer of Parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

A New Take on Tuna Salad

My cooking challenge for last week was to prepare a fresh and flavorful fish dish. My husband wanted this dish to reflect the bounty of the season and to be tasty, because he generally thinks fish is bland. (I don’t agree, but that’s another story.) He suggested a flavorful sauce.

The combination of fresh and flavorful got my mind working, and I came up with a salad. But not an ordinary salad. Rather, I wanted a composed dish that would showcase tasty produce surrounding a really nice piece of fish, all dressed with a tasty vinaigrette, which works really well on both fish and vegetables. I hit upon doing a version of a salade Niçoise, but with a twist: no olives (because I don’t really like olives). Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home has a tuna Niçoise recipe that is both gorgeous and easy to make; that would be my template. Leafing through Ad Hoc at Home‘s many vinaigrette recipes, I spotted the one I wanted: bacon vinaigrette! The bacon would taste great on a thick tuna steak and on the vegetables I wanted to accompany it: new potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes and avocado.

The vegetable platter.

The best part about this dish is that it is very easy to prepare. The most important step is the shopping, as this dish relies on finding the freshest, tastiest produce and cut of tuna available. It can also adapt to the season. I suggest visiting the farmers market or local co-op and buying whatever looks fresh and beautiful. As for cooking the vegetables, I simply blanched the green beans and steamed the potatoes until they were tender. I then cut everything up and apportioned it on a pretty platter.

As for the tuna, this challenge gave me a chance to explore the best local markets for buying fish. While my regular co-op does a great job of supplying local, organic chicken, bacon and sausage, it doesn’t stock a large selection of fish, and they never have tuna. The grocery store I usually shop at has a fish counter, but I am suspicious of their sources. Their tuna in particular often tastes a little fishy, and it’s a little too red, if you know what I mean.

That meant I had to go further afield. Because I left my shopping so late in the day, I chose to head over to Whole Foods rather than trying out Fresh Market, which is a little farther away. I normally avoid Whole Foods, because the experience of shopping there could easily be the tenth circle of Hell, in my opinion. Starting with the parking lot, which is poorly designed and always jammed with cars fighting for the spaces. Once you’re inside, the food is so gorgeous and artfully laid out, but you have to contend with people jamming the narrow aisles with huge carts and cutting across your path. I feel like a bumper car whenever I go inside. I could stand it just enough to go back to the fish counter and pick out a gigantic, gorgeous tuna steak. I couldn’t even handle ducking over to the bakery for a loaf of bread before my patience snapped. (I do have to give kudos to Whole Foods’ cashiers and fishmongers, who are just as friendly as they can be, unlike their clientele.) The trip was worth it, though, because just take a look at this fish.

The tuna.

Fish this good only requires a little salt and pepper for seasoning and a brief pan-searing in a thin film of olive oil. To judge doneness, watch the edges. You want just a thin sear on both sides. Remove it from the pan and slice thinly for serving. A one-pound steak was plenty for my husband and I, with leftovers. (My toddler refused to partake, of course.)

All that’s left is the dressing, which is also very simple. For two servings, cut 2 slices of bacon into 1-inch pieces. Fry over medium heat until crisp on the outside, then transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving the bacon fat in the pan. Combine 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ¼ cup olive oil with salt and pepper to taste in a blender. Pour off the bacon fat into this mixture and blend until it is well emulsified. Stir in the bacon pieces and spoon the vinaigrette over the vegetables and fish to serve.

The whole salad.

I feel like this wasn’t too much of a challenge, since it was so easy to prepare. But I think this only goes to show that even the simplest dishes can be the most rewarding, if you take the trouble to find truly excellent ingredients. I would definitely make this salad again and again.

For the next challenge, I am tasked with making an Asian noodle dish. Since I’m still on a light and flavorful kick, I’m thinking Japanese. I hope you’ll join me.

A Great Potato Gratin

My first challenge of the New Year was actually a challenge I set for myself for the Christmas dinner I was hosting. I wanted to finally master the potato gratin. Although many recipes go by the name gratin, the one I’m referring to is the classic Gratin Dauphinois, with cream and melted Gruyere cheese. This is one of my favorite special occasion dishes, but I had never been able to make a really good one.

It seems like a simple dish. It contains only four or five ingredients: potatoes, cream, Gruyere cheese, salt and maybe garlic. But every time I made it before, it either turned out very gloppy, with a lot excess liquid, or the potatoes didn’t get tender enough. It was time to stop fooling around and get serious.

For help, I turned to Patricia Wells’ Bistro Cooking, which practically has a whole chapter dedicated to potato gratins. I ended up combining steps from two different recipes, and the results were magnificent. The gratin was crusty and cheesy, the potatoes were tender and redolent with cream, and I couldn’t resist going back for seconds.

Here’s what I learned about making a really good gratin. First, slice the potatoes thinly and consistently. If you only get out your mandoline once a year, now is the time. I sliced mine 3/8 inch thick, which seemed a little thick to me, but they cooked up beautifully.

Second, pre-cook the sliced potatoes at a low simmer — not a boil — for about 10 minutes. This ensures they will be tender after they come out of the oven.

Finally, choose a shallow dish for baking. I don’t have a proper gratin pan, so I used a lasagna baking dish. I made two layers of potatoes and cheese, and that worked out very well. The gratin itself was cooked and beautiful ahead of schedule, at just 45 minutes.

Now that I know how to make a really good potato gratin, it will be a challenge not to make it more often. Here’s the recipe as I prepared it.

Potato Gratin

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
• 2 pounds baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 cup freshly grated French or Swiss Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally so that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring from time to time, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.

Thoroughly rub a shallow baking dish with the garlic. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes to the dish. Sprinkle with half the cream and half the cheese. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with the remaining potatoes, and sprinkle again with the remaining cream and cheese. Sprinkle again with salt. Bake, uncovered, until crisp and golden on top, 45-60 minutes. Serve immediately.

Potato Soup, Many Ways

I try to make soup at least one night a week, and potato soup is one of my favorites. It is dead simple to make, either in the slow cooker or on the stovetop if pressed for time, and it can be varied many ways, depending on what vegetable you add. Potato soup is also extremely satisfying on its own or with a green salad and some homemade bread. Here are some of my favorite ways to make potato soup.

Simple Potato Soup

Yields: 4 servings
Time to make: 30 minutes on the stovetop

• 1 tablespoon butter and/or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, sliced, or 1 garlic clove, sliced (optional)
• 3 medium potatoes, any type, peeled and cut into small cubes
• Another vegetable, such as: 3 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes; 2 leeks, washed well, trimmed and sliced; 1 head broccoli florets; 1 bunch celery, trimmed and chopped; or 3 tomatoes, chopped (Also see the variations below.)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken stock, preferably warmed; water can be substituted in a pinch, but the soup won’t be as hearty

Heat the butter or oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium. Soften the onion or garlic for a few minutes, if using. Add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. (You may prepare the soup in advance up to this point. Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before proceeding.) If you like, puree the soup with an immersion blender, or you can serve it chunky-style.

It is nice to garnish this soup with grated cheese or fresh herbs, or swirl in a pat of butter or a dollop of sour cream. You can also add ½ to 1 cup cream, milk or half-and-half after pureeing.

To make this soup in the slow cooker: Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Add enough of the water or broth to just cover them. Cover and cook on LOW until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 7 hours.

Peas and Watercress Potato Soup: Just before the soup is done, add the leaves and tender stems of 1 bunch of watercress and 1 12-ounce package frozen petite peas, thawed. When done, puree this soup and serve immediately; it will become dull as it sits.

Potato Soup with Sorrel or Spinach: In Step 2, when the potatoes are quite soft, add 2 cups washed, trimmed and roughly chopped sorrel or spinach leaves. Cook for 2 minutes, then serve, or puree, stir in 1 cup heavy cream, and serve hot or cold.

How to Make a Chicken Fricassee

I made chicken fricassee again last night, this time with dried mushrooms and marsala wine. I finally feel like I have distilled a master recipe for this dish, although I have to say that the recipe seems to be infinitely variable. Which makes it a good one to have in your repertoire.

The fricassee can be made with cubed boneless chicken breasts or whole pieces of chicken. Any vegetables can be cooked alongside the chicken that you like. Choice of wine and other cooking liquid is likewise variable and should be based on your overall flavor profile and what you have on hand.

This recipe serves 4 people.

1. Brown the chicken in olive oil and set aside.
2. In a large pan with a cover, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium.
3. Saute aromatics (onions, garlic, mushrooms) plus any other vegetables you would like to add to the dish until browned.
4. Add 2 tbsp. flour and whisk to combine.
5. Whisk in ½ cup wine or vinegar and 1 cup stock or tomato puree, and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. Cook, covered, until the chicken is done. If needed, add a little more liquid to keep from sticking.
8. Season to taste and add 2 tbsp. lemon juice or, for a richer sauce, ½ cup cream.
9. Serve over rice or pasta with fresh herbs for garnish.

How to Make a Gratin

For dinner last night, to accompany a simple poached salmon, I made a classic potato gratin. This one turned out a lot better than the gratin I attempted at Thanksgiving, and it didn’t take nearly as long to cook. Here’s what I learned about making a good gratin.

A gratin is generally a vegetable dish that is characterized by its browned crust of cheese or cheese mixed with breadcrumbs. Gratins are typically baked in a shallow dish and served in its baking dish. While usually made with vegetables, macaroni and cheese is also a type of gratin. Seafood is often cooked this way, as well.

A gratin requires three ingredients: one or two vegetables; a cooking liquid; and a grated hard cheese. Within those parameters, there really is a lot of leeway. The classic gratin is potatoes, cream and gruyere, but you can get quite creative.

First, the vegetables. As I said, potatoes are classic, and that’s what I used last night, but I also layered in slivered kale and collard greens that melded nicely with the sauce. The most important thing about the vegetables is to slice them thinly so that they will cook quickly. Choose enough vegetables to make two layers — no more than two! — in a shallow gratin or casserole dish. Any more layers than that and the gratin will take too long to cook.

The liquid can be heavy cream for a very rich gratin, but you can also lighten it with substitutions such as half cream and half milk; stock or half stock and half wine; bechamel sauce; or even tomato sauce. You’ll need about 1 cup. Unless you’re using cream, bring the liquid to a simmer beforehand to cut the cooking time.

Finally, the cheese — any hard grating cheese will do. I used Irish cheddar, and it was delicious. The classic choice is gruyere or emmenthal. Parmesan is another good choice. How much cheese you use is up to you. For a more cheesy gratin, you might put ¼-½ cup grated between each layer. For a lighter dish, add just enough cheese on top — combined with breadcrumbs, if you like — to get the browned, chewy crust that makes a gratin a gratin.

Here’s how to assemble the gratin:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bring 1 cup of cooking liquid to a simmer.
2. Toss the thinly sliced vegetables with olive oil and slivered garlic.
3. Arrange the vegetables in two layers in a gratin dish or shallow casserole dish, seasoning each layer and sprinkling grated cheese between the layers, if you like.
4. Finish with a final layer of cheese, mixed with breadcrumbs, if desired.
5. Pour enough liquid over so that all but the topmost layer is covered. When you press down on the top layer, the liquid should ooze up but not cover the top layer.
6. Bake until the vegetables are tender, the cheese is melted and browned, and the liquid is almost fully absorbed. This takes about 1 hour for potatoes, less for quicker-cooking vegetables.
7. If the top isn’t browned enough, turn on the broiler for a few minutes to finish cooking.
8. Serve in the baking dish.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Jamie Oliver recipe: leek gratin (telegraph.co.uk)
• Root vegetable recipes: Gratin of parsnip, potato and wild mushrooms (telegraph.co.uk)
• How To Make Gratin Dauphinois (thekitchn.com)

New Year’s Eve Chocolate Souffle

Last night, my husband took over the kitchen for our New Year’s Eve dinner. He spent all of Wednesday making a vat of tomato sauce and used some of it yesterday to make baked pasta with sausage and mozzarella, his signature dish. (The rest we bagged and froze in case of a post-apocalyptic event.)

I put together a simple Italian-style salad to go with it: romaine, diced red onion, shaved Parmesan, capers and a creamy Italian-garlic vinaigrette. (Hint: To make any vinaigrette creamy, substitute 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream for some of the oil.) I got this nifty salad dressing mixing/storage bottle for Christmas that I was able to try out. You just put the ingredients in and use a pump handle to mix the dressing right before you pour it. Works really well. Here’s a picture of it.

We don’t eat dessert very often around these parts, so I like to make a dessert on holidays and special occasions. Yesterday I wanted something light and easy, so I tried a chocolate souffle recipe I clipped some time ago from the New York Times. It was designed to serve 2, which I like in dessert recipes because then there are no tempting leftovers; we only ended up eating about half of it, though, and this morning I am putting leftover whipped cream in my coffee — so much for that thought. Anyway, it was very light and easy, pretty much a chocolate mousse that you bake, perfect with some champagne after a heavy meal. Next time I will use the smaller ramekins for baking so as to achieve a more dramatic puffing effect. Here’s the recipe.

Chocolate Souffle

Time to make: ~1 hour

• two 2-cup or one 4-cup souffle dish
• butter and sugar for the dish
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate
• pinch salt
• ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter the souffle dish (or use butter-flavored Pam, like I did). Sprinkle the inside with sugar, then invert and tap the bottom to remove the excess.

Chop up the chocolate. Melt it over low or in a double boiler, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.

Separate the eggs. Set aside 1 tbsp. of sugar from the 1/3 cup. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until very light and thick. The mixture will fall from the beaters in a ribber when it is ready. Stir in the chocolate until well combined. Set aside.

Wash and dry the beaters. Beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining tablespoon of sugar while continuing to beat until very stiff and glossy. Stir a spoonful of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten in. Folk in the remaining whites using a rubber spatula. Transfer to the prepared souffle dishes. (Note: At this point, you can refrigerate, covered, for several hours, at which point you will have chocolate mousse.)

Bake until the center is nearly set, 20 minutes for individual ramekins and up to 35 minutes for a larger souffle dish. In the meantime, wash the beaters yet one more. Pour the whipping cream into a chilled bowl and beat until it holds soft peaks, adding the final tablespoon of sugar halfway through. Serve the souffles topped with some whipped cream.

How to Make an Omelet: Tips & Tricks

Image via Wikipedia

I decided not long ago that I was not a multitasker, and I wasn’t even going to try. This may not sound like such a momentous decision, but since it seemed like multitasking was in my job description,  it felt like a big deal. I noticed, though, that when I tried to do more than one thing at a time, I became flustered, unfocused and generally did a poor job of it. Now I concentrate solely on the single task I am doing until I am done, and I have to say that I find most tasks more pleasurable as a result.

A recent study validates my anecdotal evidence, not just for me, but for everyone. Guess what, multitaskers? When you try to do too many things at one time, you don’t do anything well. I think is particularly true when you try to send text messages while eating a meal with me, one of my personal pet peeves.

I bring this up because when it comes to making omelets, multitasking is not an option. Many people think making a proper omelet is beyond them. Actually, an omelet is a very simple thing to make, but it requires focus and singlemindedness. The good news is that it also requires very little time, and at the end of it, you have an elegant dinner that you can eat while surfing the Internet.

Here are some very useful techniques I’ve learned that enable me to turn out a pretty good (if not perfect) omelet every time:

1. Select your filling first, if you plan to have one. I suggest keeping the filling to a minimum, no more than one or two ingredients. Good candidates are a small amount of shredded cheese, minced herbs, a little salsa or a bit of leftover cooked vegetables, warmed in some butter. For a sweet breakfast omelet, think berries, sauteed bananas or apples, or a little jam and cream cheese. Prepare your filling and have it ready to go.
2. For each omelet, beat 2 eggs with salt, pepper, a teaspoon of fines herbes if you want it and — here is the secret — ½ tbsp. cold, cubed butter. Adding some butter in with the eggs imparts a lovely richness to the omelet.
3. Heat an 8- or 9-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat with a little more butter until it foams. Add the eggs. Leave the pan alone for a few moments, just until the edges of the omelet set.
4. Using a rubber spatula, stir the eggs gently in a circular motion until slightly thickened. Lift the edges of the omelet and tilt the pan slightly to allow the uncooked egg to run to the edge of the pan until the top is barely set.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the filling over the bottom third of the omelet.  Cover the pan and let it sit just a minute or so, until the top is no longer wet.
6. Fold the lower third of the omelet over with a spatula. Loosen the eggs from the pan and fold over again. The bottom of the omelet should not be brown.

Note: If I am making omelets for 2 or 3 people, I usually don’t bother to make them individually. Rather, I switch to a 12-inch pan and make one large omelet, using the same technique. I then cut the folded omelet into halves or thirds to serve.

Just in Time for the Farmers Market: Mixed Summer Salad

This bistro-inspired salad is designed to take advantage of all the lovely greens and herbs that are in season right now, at your local farmers market or possibly even in your garden, if the deer haven’t gotten to it first. I used a mixture of greens I bought and herbs and arugula from the garden. Any combination of salad greens will work, but look for the tender baby greens to get the full wow factor.

The rest of the salad is fairly straightforward, but with salads, simplest is best. This was delicious alongside smoked turkey and a potato salad for an early summer evening meal on the patio.

Mixed Summer Salad

Time to make: ~30 minutes, including time to boil the eggs and make the croutons
Yields: 8-10 servings

• Selection of mixed baby greens and herbs, washed and dried — I didn’t measure this out, just filled up my large salad bowl with greens. Be creative in the selection, and include lots of fresh herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf parsley and arugula.
• 3 carrots, peeled

• 1 generous tsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp. good-quality red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 eggs, hard-boiled
• 2-3 cups day-old French bread, cubed
• olive oil and coarse salt for the croutons

Julienne or shred the carrot using a mandoline or food processor — you’re aiming for fine shreds. Toss with the greens and herbs in a large salad bowl.

Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss the dressing with the mixed greens until the leaves are just glistening. (You may not need all of the dressing. Reserve the remainder for passing at the table.)

Peel the hard-boiled eggs and chop small. Toss with the greens.

Heat a generous amount of olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with coarse salt. Brown the cubes on all sides, stirring frequently, until crisp. Add to the salad and serve immediately.

Note: All of the salad components can be prepared ahead of time. However, do not dress the salad or add the egg and croutons until just before serving.