September 2007, Volume 2 Issue 8
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In this issue:
Welcome to the September Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Carrot Garlic Soup, Penne with Sausage and Red Peppers, Pumpkin Gratin with Creamy Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce, Apple Mousse
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Welcome to the September Foodletter!
When I was a little girl (the youngest in the family), my mother and I would occasionally walk past the local school, in which my siblings were trapped, and stand on the sidewalk across the street, chanting, "Ha haha hahaaaa haaaaaaaaa! We don't have to go to school. And you-oo do-ooooooooo!"
Face it. We were mean.
I thought about that a lot last week as all the local kiddies were piled onto school buses and sent out of town. I even woke up early last Tuesday to smirk, quietly and to myself.
I hated school. And the worst of it was that, even after struggling bravely through an entire day, that bell did not signal FREEDOM. No, it just meant that it was time to go and do HOMEWORK. Ugh!
Eventually I grew up. And I love it. I especially love that, no matter what is going on in my life, no matter how difficult my day might be - too many things on the old "To Do" list and no hope of getting them accomplished. No matter if the mortgage is due and the sofa is just not coughing up the loose change like it's supposed to. No matter what kind of serious, adult concerns I have to deal with (and this past year has been a doozy!). I can always, always cheer myself up with the thought, "At least I don't have to do HOMEWORK!"
I hope all of you can find something to bring a smile and lighten the mood!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month
Carrot Garlic Soup
Ingredients
2 T Vegetable Oil
2 lg Red Onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 c Garlic Cloves, peeled and left whole (they should all be about the same size)
1 T Brown Sugar
1 t Fresh Ground Pepper (white or black)
1 c Celery, roughly chopped
4 c Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
5 c Chicken Stock or water
2 T Unsalted Butter
salt to taste
Method
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and garlic and cook until very brown (careful not to burn it). Add the sugar, pepper, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots start to brown. Add the stock (or water) and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are soft (this will take 30 minutes or more). Puree in the blender with the butter. Season with the salt to taste. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, if you want a smoother soup. Garnish with sautéed shrimp (or sliced button mushrooms) or chopped chives (or basil).
Serves 4-6.
Penne with Sausage and Red Peppers
Ingredients
4 Sweet Red Peppers
4 Italian Sweet Sausages (or hot ones, if you prefer)
2 T Olive Oil
3 T Olive Oil
2 med Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 lb Penne
3 T Italian Parsley (or Basil), chopped
Freshly Grated Best Quality Parmesan Cheese, to taste
Method
Cut off the tops and bottoms of the peppers and cut out the cores. Lay the pieces flat on a baking sheet (skin side up) and place under a broiler until the skin blisters and darkens. Place the pieces into a paper bag and close it up. Leave them to steam and cool. When they have cooled enough to touch, peel and scrape off the skins. Cut the peppers into half inch strips.
Meanwhile, gently fry the sausages over medium-low heat in the two tablespoons of oil until they are cooked through and browned. When they have cooled a little, cut them into bite-sized chunks.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large fry pan and cook the garlic until golden. Add the peppers and heat through. Add the sausages, stir to combine and heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Cook the penne until al dente, drain and toss with the sauce.
Serve with lots of the parmesan cheese.
Serves 4-6.
Pumpkin Gratin win Creamy Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs Pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced into half inch cubes
1 med Leek, cut in half lengthwise, roughly chopped and rinsed under cold water to remove the grit
1 T Unsalted Butter
1 T Vegetable Oil
1/2 lg Red Pepper, seeded and diced
4 sm Ripe Tomatoes, diced
1/2 c Fruity, Slightly Sweet White Wine (such as Riesling or gewürztraminer)
1/2 c 35% Whipping Cream
3 med Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 T Tomato Paste
Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley and/or Basil to taste, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 T Grated Swiss, Parmesan, Aged Jack or Cheddar, or Asiago Cheese
2 T Fresh Bread Crumbs
1 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter and sauté the pumpkin and leek until lightly golden. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are saucy (may take about 15 minutes).
Add the wine and cook until it is reduced by about half. Add the cream, half of the garlic, the tomato paste, fresh herbs and salt & pepper to taste. Mix together well.
Pour the whole mixture into a 12x15 (or so) baking dish.
Mix together the remaining garlic, cheese, bread crumbs and oil. Sprinkle this over the pumpkin mixture. Bake just long enough to melt the cheese, brown the topping and finish cooking the pumpkin. This may take from 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of the dish).
Serves 4-6.
For a picture of this dish, click here.
Apple Mousse
Ingredients
6 Firm Apples, such as Golden Delicious, Mutsu (Crispins) or Spartans
6 T Honey
6 T Sugar
1 t Ground Cinnamon
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/4 c Sour Cream
3/4 c 35% Whipping Cream
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
1 T Calvados (or other brandy), to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
Core, but do not peel the apples. Place them on a baking sheet and fill the hollows with the honey, 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon. Top the hollow with the butter and bake until the apples are tender. This may take 30-40 minutes. Let cool to the touch.
Chop the apples roughly and puree in a food processor along with the sour cream.
In a clean bowl, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until the cream forms stiff peaks.
Stir one-third of this cream into the apple mixture. Add the apple mixture to the remaining cream and fold in gently. Sprinkle the vanilla and/or brandy over the mousse and fold in.
Spoon the mousse into wine glasses and serve (or hold in the fridge until ready).
Serves 4-6.
