Fresh Tart

A Chicken Soup Supper

FreshTartSteph — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:03:38 PST

I am obsessed with food writer MFK Fisher (1908-1992).

No one writes about food more sensually, with as much humor, and common sense, all together, and I can't get enough. I took her book With Bold Knife and Fork, published in 1969, with me on vacation last week and was highlighting so many passages on the plane that my husband suggested I perhaps highlight the parts I wasn't interested in.

One whole page I highlighted includes the recipe below and the following introduction to it: "For fun, here is another way to serve a more impressive buffet, either stand up or with small tables where people can sit with their plates and/or mugs. A good white wine is fine with it, and a fruit compote afterward - cookies with that, and coffee, and of course crusty bread or crisp buttered toast with the soup.

This is a fairly easy and entertaining meal to assemble. It tastes fresh and tempting, and seems to please people. It can be developed, up or down, but for myself I like it to remain simple, with things hot and well seasoned, or chilled, according to their natures."

I made a double-batch of chicken stock on Sunday, then served the soup on Monday night to my dear and marvelously food-loving friends Ana Scofield, Rudy Maxa, Debbie Williams, and Stuart Williams. A couple of years ago I spent three days making cassoulet for them and I think they enjoyed this meal just as much if not more than the cassoulet (which was good). It might have been the ridiculous number of bottles of wine we opened, but I don't think so.

Don't skip the "flavored lightly with curry if wished." I actually added a particularly nutmeg-y garam masala to Cedar Summit Cream and it basically made the whole dish (nutmeg, cream, and chicken are delicious together). And no surprise here, but the chicken broth needs to be the real deal, rich and salty, without too much of its fat skimmed away. Make a double batch, like I did, then use some of it to cook the rice. Freeze any extra for a future quick dinner.

MFK Fisher's recipe for A Chicken Soup Supper at Twin Cities Taste/Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Pavlovas with Lime Curd

FreshTartSteph — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 07:31:16 PST

This pretty recipe is via my friend Zoe Francois, she of Zoe Bakes and Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day. Not only is Zoe one of the coolest, funniest chicks on the planet, she's a total rock star these days, traveling the country with her co-author Jeff Hertzberg, MD, promoting their latest book, Artisan Pizza in 5 Minutes a Day (see the book's insanely delicious pizza party video, which I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in, below) as well as taping an appearance on The Cooking Channel, probably as I write this sentence.

Zoe posted a pavlova recipe on The Cooking Channel site last week, in fact, and I was so smitten with her beautiful photographs - and the promise of a gluten-free dessert! - that right away I asked if we could do a version for here. Zoe graciously agreed and suggested lime curd with white chocolate and tropical fruit. OK! Oh my goodness, tender meringues the color of the snow we don't have, filled with zingy lime pudding...a perfect mid-February treat in my book.

I made them for a post-Super Bowl treat yesterday and made our guests very happy. You could serve them as a Valentine's Day treat and make your true love very happy. Everyone is happy when Zoe's pastries are in the mix!

Recipe for Pavlovas with Lime Curd at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Artisan Pizza in 5 Minutes A Day Pizza Party, filmed/produced by the AMAZINGLY talented White On Rice Couple:

Ginger Fried Rice

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:08:42 PST

OK yes, I realize that I'm posting yet another fried egg dish, but this one is just too good to not share. I had actually forgotten about it, which is rather amazing given how many times I've made the dish since Mark Bittman first wrote about it in the New York Times two years ago.

This is a Jean-Georges Vongerichten recipe, simple and elegant and exactly how I like to cook and eat. The fried rice itself has but three ingredients: oil, leeks, and rice. You wouldn't expect just rice and leeks to be so addictive, but they are, particularly when topped with a fried egg, particularly when topped with crispy ginger and garlic. A drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil to finish makes the whole completely sublime.

If you make an effort to keep leeks around, count this as a perfect quick dinner when you invite someone over and forget to swing by the store to pick up ingredients. I don't often find myself with leftover rice, so I make a fresh batch and cool it on a baking sheet before continuing; works perfectly.

Recipe for Ginger Fried Rice at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Celery Root Latkes

FreshTartSteph — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:15:48 PST

Given that everything is better fried - everything - it will come as no surpirse that root vegetables make utterly dreamy latkes. I like celery root in particular for its slightly sweet flavor.

These latkes are delicious as is, fresh out of the fat with a dab of sour cream, but my favorite way to eat them is topped with a poached egg. I know: Everything is Better Fried and Just Put an Egg On It, two of my favorite food credos, together in the same post? Out of control.

This same technique works nicely with zucchini as well. I particularly like a mix of zucchini and green pepper, in the summer when both are abundant, topped with Greek yogurt and scallions. Or a fresh tomato sauce. Or ooh, with Molly Herrmann's tomato jam! So lovely. We'll have to wait a few more months to play around with all that fun, however.

For now, fry your root vegetables and be very happy.

And then join the Minnesota Food Bloggers for a Saturday, January 21, viewing of TEDxManhattan: Changing the Way We Eat webcast, 9:00 am, at the Minnesota History Center. The webcast will be followed by a discussion and reception sponsored by Minnesota Monthly Magazine. The event is free of charge.

And join Jason DeRusha and me next Monday evening, January 23, as we assist Chef Scott Pampuch for Chef's Night Off cooking class at Kitchen in the Market. I hope that you can be there with us for food, hands-on cooking, wine, and FUN!

Recipe for Celery Root Latkes at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

French 75 (aka Mollytav Cocktail)

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:43:42 PST

Happy New Year! Bubbles aren't just for New Year's Eve of course, in fact in my book they're for every day (bit of an obsession), especially when topping a fabulous cocktail. When I had the idea to conjure a cocktail recipe to open 2012, I immediately tweeted my minxstress friend Molly McNeil, she of the sangria recipe I posted in October. We are both big, BIG fans of gin cocktails, especially with bubbles, and she came through in spades with this lovely sparkling tipple.

Molly notes that the cocktail has its roots in WWI, with two theories on the French 75 name. The first holds that French soldiers would drink the concoction before heading into battle, where they used their weapon of choice, the French 75mm field gun. The second, which sounds spot on to me after testing a few rounds of the recipe - kablam! - holds that the combination had such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun, also called a "75 Cocktail," or "Soixante Quinze" in French (via Wikipedia).

My husband John preferred a bit of sugar in the mix, so I've made note of that option in the recipe. I liked it both ways, but I prefer cocktails on the drier side. You decide which version you like best. Be prepared to giggle your answer.

Molly incorporated Bittercube Lemontree bitters, noting that "Bitters are the new black." Indeed!

Recipe for the French 75 aka Mollytav Cocktail at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Quick Pasta with Cream & Garlic

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:23:30 PST

Inspired by a recent David Tanis/New York Times column about the beauty of having a quick, satisfying pasta in your repertoire, I thought I'd share my recipe - if you can even call it that - for the pasta I make for my son at least once a week. Like the Tanis recipe, this dish comes together quickly, with ingredients easy to keep on hand, and delivers fast, filling comfort on a cold, busy day.

Or night! I was so taken by the idea of having a go-to dish to make after a sparkly night out, when it's very possible that you were offered a lowball glass of Cheetos, but not actual real food to absorb the perfect cocktails you sipped for too many hours. (I love you Marvel Bar, but I am ready to eat my hat by the time I get home from a lovely evening in your presence.)

(If you're gluten-free, you can substitute gluten-free pasta. Or, just make yourself a fried egg, with loads of hot sauce, which is what I often do. But that's a different post...)

Recipe for Quick Pasta with Cream & Garlic at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Socca (Chickpea Flour Pancakes) with Fried Eggs & Spinach

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:49:38 PST

Somehow on my trip to Provence this summer I completely missed socca, or chickpea flour pancakes. I'm a little bit obsessed with them at the moment, hot off the griddle, topped with nothing more than a grind of black pepper. That's how they're served in Provence, as a snack, wrapped in paper, meant to be washed down with ice-cold rosé.

OK!

But they make terrific breakfast/brunch food as well, served as a savory pancake topped with a fried egg and garlicky spinach. Last year I posted a recipe for just one pancake as the perfect base for a fast lunch of leftovers. I declare that a crispy, savory pancake can transform any ho hum leftovers into something sublime.

And then, if you're home late from a holiday party, craving a new twist on grilled cheese, do this: Smear two pancakes with harissa, press haloumi cheese into the middle, and griddle for a few minutes to warm through. Seriously the most perfect after-celebration food ever.

Recipe for Socca (Chickpea Flour Pancakes) with Fried Eggs & Spinach at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Maple Roasted Almonds

FreshTartSteph — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:31:32 PST

Two days until Thanksgiving! I'm freaking out a little bit! I do have a turkey, yes. And a loose plan for filling out the rest of the meal, including generous family members bringing a good number of dishes. But if you're sitting at your desk today, sweating a little at the thought of how much there is to do before sitting down on Thursday...I am too.

I suggest not sweating the appetizers, however. To me, Thanksgiving is about the meal, not loading up on heavy snacks, so I'll be offering these nuts, which are massively addictive, and nice to nibble with drinks, but are not appetite-killing.

Recipe for Maple Roasted Almonds at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Cornbread Dressing

FreshTartSteph — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 07:41:31 PST

Last Thanksgiving was my first since giving up gluten, so to keep things easy, I just skipped eating my favorite part of my favorite meal...the dressing. Boo! I really missed it, as much as I dig turkey and mashed potatoes.

Which is very, very much.

This year, particularly since I'm hosting, I decided to play around a bit and see if I could come up with a gluten-free dressing. Even though it's not my family's tradition, I'm a big fan of cornbread dressing, loaded with sausage and fresh sage; given that cornbread can be made gluten-free quite nicely, it seemed a particularly tasty place to start.

The beauty of this dressing - and all dressing - is that you can add in whatever you like. Apples, nuts, wild rice, cheese, mushrooms, oysters, pork in any form, any herb, on and on.

Recipe for Cornbread Dressing at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Challah with Honey-Rosemary Butter

FreshTartSteph — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:51:12 PDT

Tender, egg-y challah bread is lovely on the Thanksgiving table. Not only is it pretty, but it harkens back to my mom's yeasty homemade crescent rolls, but for about one-tenth of the effort.

The honey-rosemary butter plays nicely with turkey, squash, and stuffing.

And everything.

Recipe for Challah with Honey-Rosemary Butter at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.