carrots

Chicken and Farro Dumplings with Chanterelles and Melted Leeks

/ Ren

Similar to a Provençal harvest soup, local pastured chicken pieces are gently poached in homemade chicken stock infused with fresh thyme and marjoram and served with heirloom baby carrots, fresh chanterelles, garlic, melted leeks and shaved celeriac.  Tender farro dumplings provide a little déjà vu for those familiar with the Southern US classic..

Chicken and Farro Dumplings with Chanterelles and Melted Leeks

There is much confusion or disagreement about what exactly farro is.  Emmer, spelt, and einkorn are called farro in Italy, sometimes, but not always, distinguished as farro medio, farro grande, and farro piccolo, respectively.  Regional differences in what is grown locally and eaten as farro, as well as similarities between the three grains, may explain the confusion.  Barley and farro may be used interchangeably because of their similar characteristics.  Spelt is much more commonly grown in Germany and Switzerland and, though called dinkel there, is eaten and used in much the same way, and might therefore be considered farro.  Common wheat may also be prepared and eaten much like farro, in which form it is often referred to as wheatberries. -Wikipedia

(Vegan) Curried Carrot Soup with Roasted Cashews and Coconut Cream

/ Ren

Heirloom carrots are simmered in vegetable stock with yellow onions, green chiles, ginger and garlic and seasoned with toasted coriander and cumin.  Served with turmeric-scented basmati, roasted cashews and fresh cilantro.

Curried Carrot Soup with Roasted Cashews and Coconut Cream

For the Soup

1 bunch fresh carrots, trimmed, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
2 small yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
1 small sprig fresh curry leaves
1-2 fresh green chiles, chopped
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

rice
cashews
cilantro
coconut cream

Roast carrots in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Add onions, garlic, coriander and cumin seeds and roast 15 minutes more.

Melt coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  When shimmering add curry leaf, fenugreek, mustard, chiles and coriander seeds.  Cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the curry leaves are crisp.  Stir in paprika and ginger and cook 1 minute.

Add roasted vegetables and stock and simmer 15 minutes.  Working in batches if necessary, carefully puree soup in a blender until smooth.  Strain into a clean pot and simmer 10 minutes.  Whisk in coconut milk and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a mound of turmeric-scented basmati in a bowl and ladle soup all around.  Spoon a little coconut cream over the rice and swirl into the soup.  Garnish with toasted cashews, minced chiles and chopped cilantro.

Thai Red Pumpkin and Carrot Curry

/ Ren

A vegetarian dish of roasted pumpkin, carrots, onions, red bell pepper, chiles, ginger, garlic, coconut milk and basil..

Thai Red Pumpkin and Carrot Curry

Thai Red Pumpkin and Carrot Curry (click to enlarge)

For the Curry Paste (adapted from a recipe by Darlene Schmidt)

1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk lemon-grass, minced
2-3 red chilies
4 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece galangal (substitute ginger)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons traditionally-fermented soy sauce
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Process all ingredients together in a food processor, using just enough coconut milk to keep the blades turning.  Set aside.

For the Vegetables

1 small pie pumpkin, split, seeded and roasted
2-3 carrots, trimmed and cut on 1/2 inch bias
1 small red bell pepper, julienne cut
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
1-2 fresh green chiles, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon raw coconut oil
2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil, torn
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds

Split 1 small pie pumpkin in half lengthwise and remove stem, seeds and stringy material.  Place cut-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven until tender.  Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Heat coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Sauté carrots until not quite tender, then add red bell pepper, onion and chiles and cook until just tender.

Add ginger, garlic and curry paste and fry until it begins to release a little oil.  Add coconut milk and roasted pumpkin flesh, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add scallions and basil a few minutes before the end.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and basil leaves.

 

This post is in support of Meatless Monday!

Classic Pot Roast

/ Ren

Slow-cooked grass-fed chuck roast with mushroom pan gravy, fresh herbs and roasted winter vegetables..

Classic Pot Roast with Mushroom Pan Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables

Classic Pot Roast with Mushroom Pan Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables

Blot roast dry with paper towels and sprinkle all surfaces with kosher salt.  Wrap loosely and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pre-heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and pre-heat oven to 225 degrees.

Melt 1 tablespoon pastured butter in Dutch oven.  Blot roast dry, wiping off any remaining salt and add to the pot.  Brown 5 minutes per side without moving in between.

Add 1/2 cup Burgundy or other hearty red wine, 1 small yellow onion, chopped, 1 carrot chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, a few peppercorns and a mixture of fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage.

Cover and braise for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from oven, add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, turn the roast, cover and return to oven until fork-tender, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, leeks and fingerling potatoes.  Dress with melted butter, season liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper and roast alongside the beef for 1 hour.

Remove the beef from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.  Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest.  Meanwhile, turn the oven up to 375 degrees and let the vegetables get well browned.

Meanwhile, strain the liquid from the Dutch oven into a clean pot.  Reduce slightly over medium heat, then thicken by whisking in a bit of roux.  Add sautéed mushrooms and a little demi-glace if you have it.  Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if needed.

Slice roast against the grain into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on a plate.  Tuck roasted vegetables alongside and ladle mushroom gravy over the beef.  Serve with horseradish on the side if you like.

Chicken & Biscuits

/ Ren

A one-skillet dinner, adapted from a recipe at the always-tasty What Geeks Eat

Fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, celery, onion, potato, carrots, milk, baking powder, S&P, roasted chicken stock concentrate, all-purpose flour, white wine, butter and bone-in chicken thighs.

Prep the vegetables.  Cook the potatoes to about half done in a little olive oil and butter.  Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook until colored but slightly underdone (the flavor of root vegetables is enhanced by browning).  Set the vegetables aside.

Add a little more butter & olive oil to the pan and brown the chicken well on all sides.  Continue to cook the chicken until slightly underdone.  Set the chicken aside.

Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add herbs, liquid chicken stock and a spoonful of the concentrate to pan and reduce over high heat until reduced by half.  Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan and simmer over low heat while preparing the biscuits.

Make a basic biscuit dough from flour, salt, baking powder, milk and cold butter.  Roll the dough into a cylinder then cut into 1 inch thick biscuits.  Place biscuits on top of chicken then put the skillet into a 400 degree oven until the chicken is cooked through and the biscuits are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve 2 thighs and biscuits per adult.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Beeff in a Faire Possenet

/ Ren

Beef Pot Roast, adapted from 16th century recipes using techniques suggested by Cooks Illustrated.

“Take faire ffresh beef, and (if thou wilt) roste hit til hit be nygh ynowe; theñ put hit in a faire possenet”

Beef chuck, garlic, thyme, bay, bacon, horseradish root, gelatin leaves, celery root, onion, wine, S&P, stock, parsley, carrots and turnips (I decided not to use the potatoes after the picture was taken).  Not shown: barley, barley malt, mushrooms and flour.

Following the natural seam, pull/cut the roast in two. Trim away thickest fat, but leave some thin layers intact.

Sprinkle roasts on all sides with kosher salt and place on a rack to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.  After about 15 minutes, you will begin to see moisture (containing sugars and proteins) forming on the surfaces of the meat.  The osmotic effect will begin to reverse after about 30 minutes as the salt partially dissolves and the liquids are reabsorbed.  Salting the meat helps to ensure a proper Maillard reaction which is critical to the success of this recipe.

While the meat is resting, cut the bacon into 1/2 inch dice and cook over medium-low heat in a Dutch oven until all the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes.  Set cooked bacon aside and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the melted fat.

Meanwhile, reduce an entire bottle of decent red wine (more fruity than dry) until the volume is halved.

Blot any remaining moisture from meat, pepper it on all sides and brown well on all sides in the bacon fat. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, cook the onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cooked bacon and about 1 tablespoon of flour and cook another minute.

Add reduced wine and broth to the pan with the onions, scraping the sides and bottom to release the fond.

Put the browned meat and its juices into the pot. Seal the pot with foil, cover and place into a 300 degree oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the pot from the oven and turn the meat over. Replace foil and lid and put back into the oven for another hour.

Prep the rest of the ingredients- celery leaves, stalks, celery root, carrots, barley, mushrooms and turnips.

After 2 hours of cooking, remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the meat to a rack and cover with the foil to keep warm.

Turn up the heat on the cooking liquid and reduce its volume by half.

Meanwhile, saute the celery root and turnips in butter until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add this to the pot of cooking liquid.

Saute carrots and celery stalks in butter until browned, about 5 minutes.  Glaze with a spoonful of barley malt before transferring to the pot with the turnips.

Salt the mushrooms and saute in butter until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms to the pot with the rest of the vegetables.

Add the cold-water softened gelatin to the pot and stir until dissolved.

Cut meat into thick slices and ladle gravy and vegetables over the top.  Garnish with chopped celery leaves and grated horseradish and serve accompanied with a glass of wine and a dish of hot, roasted chestnuts.

By far the best pot roast and one of the most satisfying meals in recent memory.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Pease Porridge

/ Ren

“Pea soup has been eaten since antiquity; it is mentioned in Aristophanes’ The Birds, and according to one source ‘the Greeks and Romans were cultivating this legume about 500 to 400 BC. During that era, vendors in the streets of Athens were selling hot pea soup.‘”

Split yellow and green peas, chicken stock, kosher salt, pepper, country bacon, celery, onion, carrots and garlic.

Pick over peas and rinse. Add to heavy pot with chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Rinse and dry thick slices of country bacon, then fry over medium heat, turning often, until fat is mostly rendered. Pour off fat and add the bacon the pot with the peas.

Cook the vegetables in the bacon pan, stirring frequently until soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Try not to let the vegetables brown.

Add the vegetables and pepper to the pot with the peas and bacon and continue to simmer, covered, until the peas are tender and begin to lose their shape, about 45 minutes.

Transfer the bacon to a cutting board.

Puree the soup in place using an immersion blender, taking care not to splash hot liquid.

Mince the bacon and stir it back into the soup.  Adjust the seasoning with pepper and kosher salt if needed.

Serve with crema and stoneground mustard and slices of hearty bread.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Chicken Soup with Basil Pesto Pasta

/ Ren

Made from ingredients that were on hand rather than from a recipe.

Dried pasta filled with basil pesto, celery, onions and carrots, olive oil, home made chicken stock (see previous post), rapini, Italian herbs with red and black pepper, some of our previously put by dried tomatoes, garlic and 1/2 roast chicken.  Mise en place.

Pull the meat and skin from the bones. Toss the bones into the cannister along with the onion and celery ends and freeze as stock-starter for next time.

Cut the meat into spoon sized pieces.  I prefer to use both white and dark meat in chicken soup.

Bring the stock to a slow boil and skim away any scum with the edge of a ladle.

Add the chopped, dried tomatoes first, as they need a full 30 minutes to reclaim their previously toothsome goodness.

After about 10 minutes, add the pasta which needs an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the vegetables and herbs in olive oil until just underdone.  Cooking the vegetables first ensures that they will stay suspended in the stock rather than all floating to the top. Transfer the vegetables to the soup pot and simmer until done, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the chicken and rapini and simmer until chicken is heated throughout and rapini is tender, about 5 more minutes.

Serve topped with a little Italian cheese if you like.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Roasted Orange Cauliflower Soup

/ Ren

Orange cauliflower, garlic, carrots, cardamom pods, nutritional yeast flakes*, milk, onion, s&p and broth

Trim away the leaves, then split the head of cauliflower into 8 wedges, leaving the core intact. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, mist with olive oil and season with s&p. Put pan on lowest rack of a 475 degree oven.  Roast 10 minutes, turn wedges over and roast another 10 minutes.

Toast the cardamom pods until brown and fragrant.  When cool, pulverize in a spice blender, mortar & pestle or whatever you have handy.

Saute the carrots, onion and garlic until colored & tender.

Remove the califlower from the oven and transfer to the pot, breaking away the florets from the core as you go. Add enough broth to just cover the vegetables. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 20-30 minutes.

Turn off the heat.  Carefully puree hot soup with an immersion blender. Add milk, cardamom to taste, s&p and yeast flakes. Simmer 5 minutes longer.

Garnish with whatever you find appealing.  I’m using a chopped floret, slivers of radish and some of yesterday’s fennel feathers.  Serve hot with a section of toasted baguette.

*The nutritional yeast is what makes this recipe stand out. It tastes something like parmesan or white cheddar cheese, with a slight nutiness.  Great on popcorn!

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –