Paris French Mushroom Soup: French Fridays with Dorie

Francais Soupe aux Champignon: Week Nine

Friday has again become my day for posting with the French Fridays with Dorie group and as before no recipes will be posted on Friday. You can find all the fabulous recipes we showcase in Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook Around my French Table.
This week was a lovely Francais Soupe aux Champignon . Which for all of us English speakers is french mushroom soup. It just sounds more romantic in French. I'm all about romance when it comes to food because I believe food transports us. Not only to other places but to other times and sweet memories from our past.

This dish is so easy you can cook it on a work night or on a busy weekend full of activity. I like that it is light in calories, but is filling and substantial. I did add a few enhancements.

My French nanny would have added: a thick slice of crust less bread soaked and then the moisture squeezed out, a dash of Cognac or Sherry and a Parmesan rind. All of which serve to enhance the flavor and richness of the soup without having to add cream.

Many of the high-end restaurants we have enjoyed lately will serve a nage,dashi or broth on the side of a fabulous mix of fresh herbs and veggies that the server will then pour over the dish table side.
Just as is done with this bistro-style soup. Here the soup is served along side a bowl filled with fresh mushrooms,chives and herbs. We enjoyed this along with some garlic rubbed, toasted baguette and a nice earthy Pinot Noir.

Enjoy!

Baby Bok Choy Braised with Ginger and Carrots

Baby Bok choy Braised with Ginger and Carrots:

4 baby bok choy cut in halves.
non flavored oil.
2 cloves garlic finely minced.
1 tbs grated fresh ginger.
2 tsp sugar.
1 tsp sesame oil.
1 tbs lite soy.
1 tbs hoisin sauce.
1 tbs black sesame seeds.

Heat wok or skillet. Add oil to coat. Grill bok choy cut side down until lightly browned 1-2 mins. Remove. Add a little more oil. Add garlic, ginger and carrots. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and allow to caramelize a bit. Add soy, sesame oil, hoisin stir to coat. Add bok choy. Warm thru and coat with sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve.



Baby Bok Choy is a vegetable that is not used too often. I happen to love it and find that it goes extremely well with some of the nuttier grains. Great for this time of year when we all start to re evaluate what we put into our bodies. I find it's beautiful white stalks and tender quality to be a great addition to my vegetable repertoire. I do prefer the smaller varieties and find them to be tastier than the larger types. Bigger is not better in this case.



Quick and easy, this is a great way to serve it. Just eating it makes me feel healthier, leaner and more spry. Some would say its a simple side dish but I would say it's a brilliant accompaniment to anything Asian. Try it with some miso glazed cod and a fresh Gewurztraminer.

Enjoy!!!

Wine Braised Short Ribs served over Minted Pea Puree

Wine Braised Short Ribs:
8 Bone-in short ribs.
1/2 cup flour along with 1Tsp salt and 1 Tsp pepper in lg Ziploc bag.
olive oil.
1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cloves garlic.
1 cup tomato paste.
3-4 cups hearty red wine.
2 cup roughly sliced Shitake mushrooms.
beef broth to cover.
1 lg bunch thyme tied with kitchen string.
2 bay leaves.

Dredge the short rips in the flour and salt and pepper mixture in the Ziploc. knock off any extra flour. Coat lg heavy pot, preferably a dutch oven, with olive oil and bring to high heat. Add short ribs to pan in batches and brown well. Pre heat oven to 325.
While short ribs are browning puree all the vegetables in a food processor until it forms a coarse paste. Remove the short ribs from pan and drain off fat. Coat the same pan with fresh oil and add the pureed vegetables. Season the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a crust is formed on the bottom of the pan. Scrape the crust and let it reform. Scrap the crust again and add the tomato paste. Brown the paste for another 5 mins. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan removing all the fond that was formed. Lower the heat and add the mushrooms . Reduce by half. Return the short ribs to the pan and just cover with the beef broth Add the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Cover pan and and place in over for 3 hours or more. Check periodically add more stock if needed.

For the Pea Puree:
1 bag lg frozen peas.
1/3 c chopped mint leaves.
3 Tbs half and half.
1 pat butter.
salt and pepper to taste.
2 tbs grated Parmesan (optional)
serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Blanch peas in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Puree peas and mint in food processor. Add half and half, butter pulse a few more times. Add salt and pepper to taste.


It is hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. This has been an extremely difficult year for me and The Screen Porch has been my diversion. Meeting so many different people and developing a lot of new skills has kept me busy and productive as well as helping me to remain present. I am looking forward to many new and creative ideas to share with you in 2011.

I wanted to end the year with an amazing comfort dish that is a family favorite that seems to pop up right about now year after year. It is rustic, earthy and full of flavor...It warms the soul.
Here's to a creative and affirming year that we can all be proud of.
Once considered peasant food this short rib recipe epitomises slow food. Allowing you to take your time with an inexpensive cut of meat and turn it into something remarkable. Cooked "low and slow" and left relatively unattended this meal has another wonderful benefit of filling the house with it's seductive aromas.

The trick to these short ribs is to spend the time while you are cooking the vegetable puree to really allow that crust and fond to develop on the bottom of the pan. This adds a depth of flavor that you can not get by any other means.

I rely on the fresh mint and sweet pea puree to cut the richness of the meat. I always serve with creamy mashed potatoes to accompany that succulent wine infused sauce. Serve with a hearty glass of red wine and a peppery arugula salad.

Enjoy!!!

The Screen Porch goes Down Under

TheScreenPorch is featured on Whatkatieate.blogspot.com:
(click on the picture to view the recipe larger)
One of my favorite and I think most innovative blogger has just produced an incredibly creative Christmas blog. Set up magazine style. It is full of great food, artisans, great photos, fabulous people and recipes. I am thrilled that Katie chose to include one of my recipes. How excited am I to see her beautiful photo of one of my dishes!!!
Congrats to Katie for her amazingly creative BONANZA of a post. I have been a fan of Katie since she started her blog and she is an inspiration to me. It is a great Christmas gift to see my recipe in print so to speak. Visit her site it is a feast for the eyes. Truly gorgeous and unique. http://www.whatkatieate.blogspot.com/

Happy Holidays to all and I will be back in full force after the festivities are over.

Bon Noel!!

Marinated Cracked Dungeness Crab

Marinated Cracked Dungeness Crab:

3 crab cracked and cleaned rinsed well.

3/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil.

1/2 lg red onion thinly sliced.

6 cloves garlic chopped.

2 Tbs fresh parsley chopped.

1 Tbs fresh oregano chopped.

2 Tbs white balsamic vinegar.

2 lg lemons halved and juiced.

Pinch of crushed red pepper.

In a lg saute pan add olive oil, onions, garlic and warm on very low heat. Warm through for 5 minutes making sure not to brown at all . Add the chopped herbs , vinegar and lemon juice warm through. Place the crab in a large bowl and pour the heated mixture over the crab. Add the lemon halves and cover to refrigerate for at least an hour turning to cover occasionally.

November 15th is the opening day for Dungeness Crab and every year my family eagerly awaits the start of the season. The first of the crabs are always a little sweeter and larger in size. This is when we love to get them right off the docks and serve them simply with drawn butter.

The first crabs mark the holiday season, as surely as the first snowfall in Vermont. It is the quintessential San Fransisco meal, served with a warm loaf of sourdough bread and a bottle of great Chardonnay with family and friends or for a romantic meal for two. I would have to say cracked crab is a Thanksgiving tradition for many.

As the crab season moves forward you can find previously frozen crab in the markets and this is the way I like to serve it. Typically it is not as sweet as fresh off the boat but it is just as yummy in a unique way all it's on.

Enjoy!

Pommes Dauphinois:French Fridays with Dorie

Pommes Dauphonois: Week Seven

Dorie's pick for week seven was Pommes Dauphonois, which is a traditional meal of the French Alps. Hummmm... let's see...Chamonix, Mont Blanc, Lake Geneva, alpine meadows and JOHN CLAUDE KEELY Oh but I digress. Back to Pommes Dauphonois. ( I love to write that)

I've never met a potato I didn't like. In fact, I could eat them any way they are prepared. I truly think my husband could live on them and nothing else (sans a steak). This classic recipe is more custardy than cheesy. In fact you can't really call it Pommes Dauphonois if there is cheese inside then it would just be considered plain ol' scalloped potatoes. Really not as romantic as Pommes Dauphonois which only has a cheesy crust on the top. You know gratin signifies the upper crust in Paris. So not only romantic but chic.

This dish is an all around comfort dish. Not time consuming and is worth every minute. To save time use a mandolin or a food processor to slice the potatoes. This calls for the classic French herbs but changes are easy: different herbs, different kinds of potatoes (think Yellow Finns or Purple Vikings) you could add bacon, speck or ham. The list is endless but I prefer the classic. Often considered a special occasion dish it is easy enough for everyday meals.

Like all the Friday posts I can not post the recipe but you will find it in Dorie Greenspan's Around my French table.

This is great for a cozy dinner for two or a holiday crowd. Rich and custardy inside. The nutty flavor of Gruyere crisp and bubbly on the top. The aroma of the herbes de provence filling the kitchen.

Bon Appetit!!

Crispy Brussel Sprout Leaf Salad with a White Balsamic Honey Reduction Walnut Dust and Chevre

20 -25 brussel sprouts cored and separated into leaves

2 Tbs olive oil

good sprinkle garlic salt

3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs honey

pinch crushed red pepper

2 Tbs walnuts chopped extra fine, lightly toasted

3/4 cup soft good goat cheese

Preheat oven 350

Core the brussel sprouts, separate into leaves. Place in bowl and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Place on baking sheet. Roast for 20 mins. checking often until crisp and lightly browned. Meanwhile, reduce vinegar by half in small sauce pan. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper and the honey. Place small amount of reduction on plate. Mound brussel sprout leaves sprinkle with the walnut dust and place a dollop of goat cheese on the side. Serves 4

The birth of a recipe is so inspiring to me. It usually comes from either necessity, you know that saying, "necessity is the mother of all invention" or from memories of places or tastes. Have you ever created a dish that you get so excited about that you want to share it with everyone!? Well...this is one of those.

One of the holidays I really love is Thanksgiving. (Hello... it's a food holiday.) So I'm always trying to figure out something a little different to go along with the traditional.

A lot of people have a problem with these little green globes called Brussel Sprouts. This might be the dish to convert them. In this recipe you separate the sprouts into petals and turn them into a crispy addictive crunchy salad.

This dish looks so elegant on the plate it is great for the holidays or for that company WOW factor. The white balsamic honey reduction has just a hint of crushed red pepper to give it a little kick and a sweetness that works well with the nutty,crispy flavor of the leaves. The tang of the goat cheese and the slight crunch of the walnut balances the dish to perfection.

Enjoy!!