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September 2006, Volume 1 Issue 9
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the September Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Roasted Corn Soup with Sautéed Scallops, Peach & Blueberry Cobbler
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Welcome to the September Foodletter
Well, the crime spree continues unabated, here in the Hamlet with Heart. We were tagged last week. It seems the disaffected youth of Sebringville have discovered spray paint. Forty years after the fact, but they think they're hip....
What alerts us to the fact that we're living in a small town is this: the part of the decoration that prompted the young brother/sister paper delivery team to knock on our door to tell us that our beloved building was now sporting a very bad word was sprayed on the window, making it possible, though not easy, to scrape off. That and the fact that here, the police actually want to know about these things. Of course, they can't really do anything about it, but it's nice to know they care.
Next year, we're planting climbing ivy. That should remove the temptation.
Last month's comments about the spiders garnered more responses than any newsletter to date. We even had a poem! Thank you to Judy Morley for the suggestion on getting rid of them (scrub the place down with a highly concentrated solution of vinegar and water). They wrinkled up their little noses and left in disgust. Now we spend our days chasing wasps. At least they don't build webs!
The fall colours have started here and the nights are downright cold. It's my favourite time of year. There are wonderful foods in the markets and absolutely no point in working on the garden. I'll enjoy it while it lasts - all too soon, we'll be shovelling snow and wondering if the highway's closed again!
For those of you who live in the area or are planning to visit us, please note that after Canadian Thanksgiving (October 9), Pannifer's will be closed on Sundays.
I hope you enjoy this month's recipes. They're from Alan's soon-to-be-released e-book Menus for Easy Entertaining. He's been working like crazy on it and we're very excited. We'll keep you posted!
Hope life is calm and law-abiding in your corner of the world.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month
Roasted Corn Soup with Sautéed Scallops
This is a rich, but simple soup. And because it is rich, a little goes a long way. The soup can be made a day ahead but the scallops are best prepared just before serving, while your guests are getting seated at the table.
Ingredients
3 ears Fresh Corn on the Cob
1 T Unsalted Butter
1 sm Onion, finely chopped
2 med Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 c Dry White Wine
2 ½ c 35% Whipping Cream
½ bu Fresh Basil, leaves only
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 lg Sea Scallops
1 T Unsalted Butter
Method
To roast the corn, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the silk tassel and all except one layer of the husk. When the oven is ready, rinse each cob well and place them on a baking sheet in into the oven for 45 minutes. Leave to cool. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs using a sharp, or serrated-edged, knife. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place the onion, garlic and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (but not coloured). This will take about 3-5 minutes.
Add the wine; increase the heat to high and let the wine reduce until almost gone.
Reduce the heat to low and add the corn. Cook this, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Add the cream and increase the heat back to high. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the soup is slightly thickened.
Puree about three quarters of the soup in a blender with the basil leaves. Return this to the pan with the rest of the soup and add salt & pepper, to taste.
The soup can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. To serve at dinner, reheat gently over medium heat (careful not to let it boil).
While the soup is reheating, heat a non-stick pan over med-high heat. When the pan is hot and just starting to smoke, add the butter and swirl it around. Gently place each scallop into the hot butter and sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Cook until the underside is just a little dark (you can see the colour of the scallop change along its side as it cooks). Turn the scallops over, sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and cook until almost done – still just a little soft when gently pressed in the centre with your finger. Careful not to overcook them – they will cook some more when placed in the hot soup.
Ladle soup into each bowl and place a scallop in the centre of each.
If you like, sprinkle a few tiny shreds of some more fresh basil leaves overtop (use scissors for this) and serve.
Serves 4
Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
This quick and easy dessert uses the last of the late summer fruits. Serve with best quality vanilla ice cream, if you wish.
Ingredients
12 Ripe Peaches
2 c Blueberries
3 ½ T Sugar
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1 c All-purpose Flour
½ c Sugar
1 c 35% Whipping Cream
1 T Cider Vinegar
pinch Salt
3 T Unsalted Butter
3 T Shortening
1 c Pecans, Toasted and Chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Here’s how to remove the skin from the peaches. Bring a pot of water to a boil (make sure that there is enough room so that each peach will be completely submerged). Beside it, place a big mixing bowl half filled with cold water and ice. Gently drop a couple of peaches at a time into the hot water. After half a minute, or so, lift each out with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle pinch. If the skin feels loose, place it into the ice water (if it doesn’t, lower it back into the boiling water for a little longer). While the peaches cool in the ice water, use your fingers to remove the skins.
When the peaches have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut each into 8 wedges.
Toss the peach wedges, the blueberries, the sugar and the lemon juice together in a mixing bowl; set this aside.
Mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter and the shortening and then mix them together using a pastry cutter or a large fork. No need to overdo it; the mixture should look like dry and crumbly. Pour in the cream and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Add half the pecans and mix them in, too.
Pour the fruit mixture into an 8 x 12 x 2 inch pan. Pour the topping over the fruit. Sprinkle the pecans on top.
Bake the dessert for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is browned and cooked through.
Best served warm.
Serves 6
Cheers!
Barb & Alan
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