I spent the last couple of days in beautiful Payson, Arizona at the summer home of my dear friend and mentor, Barbara Fenzl, along with Kim Howard, who rounds out our “3 Amigos”.  Kim and I drove up on Tuesday morning and the three of us spent a wonderful day relaxing, catching up, and cooking together. Then early on Wednesday morning we hiked for about 90 minutes up and down the Horton Creek Trail before heading back for a yummy lunch at the Chaparral Pines Country Club (recipe to follow tomorrow for my take on their scrumptious Ahi Tuna Sliders!) Kim headed back down to the Valley after lunch, while Barb and I drove north to Strawberry, Arizona to check out Fossil Creek Creamery.

We tasted and purchased their lovely goat cheese, which you will find on fine menus around the Valley; including Binkley’s, T-Cooks at The Royal Palms, Quiessence at South Mountain, and Kai at Wild Horse Pass. While the cheese is tasty, the best part was petting the baby goats – adorable! The little black and white cutie at the top of the page was my favorite!

Now, what to make with this fabulous fresh goat cheese… I can’t think of anything better than these amazing biscuits that are served at Art Smith’s southern-style Chicago restaurant, Table Fifty-Two. Art Smith was the personal chef to Oprah Winfrey from 1997 to 2007, so the biscuits have quite a pedigree! Enjoy!

P.S. Funny how things work out… my own adorable daughter talked about goats on her blog, “Linger”, just a couple days ago… strange when you think about it – how often do people you know actually mention goats?

Art Smith’s Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 cup buttermilk
Extra butter to grease pan and top biscuits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place one 10-inch cast iron pan into the oven while it is preheating.

Place flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. Cut in the butter and goat cheese with pastry cutter or 2 forks. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir until the mix is moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place a tablespoon of butter into it. When the butter has melted, drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.

Bake from 14-16 minutes until browned on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Enjoy warm!

Makes 12

Two weeks ago, Dave and I went down to Tucson for a long weekend. The first night we decided to go to J Bar, my friend and James Beard award-winning chef, Janos Wilder’s, casual restaurant which is right beside his acclaimed upscale namesake restaurant, Janos. After perusing the menu, we wanted to order everything on it!  Instead, we decided we’d control ourselves and just come back the next night, which we did. One appetizer we just had to have was the J Bar Nachos. They did not disappoint – I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind since!  When Janos came to the Valley last week to teach a class, I asked him to please share the secret of “the out of this world” chili con queso that pushed the nachos into a league of their own. Turns out the con queso had an Italian twist in the form of mascarpone. I didn’t ask for the exact recipe, although he offered, but Dave and I think this is pretty darn close.  The Salsa Fresca is from Janos’ cookbook, The Great Chilies Rellenos Book, which is a must-have if you love rellenos. I used heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market I visited this morning.  See, I took my own advise and went this weekend, hope you got a chance to get to one too!

Topnotch Nachos

Mascarpone Chili Con Queso
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
8-ounce container mascarpone cheese

Janos’ Salsa Fresca
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Nachos
Tortilla chips
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces chorizo, cooked
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced

Chili Con Queso: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan, add shallots and sweat until soft, add garlic and chiles and sauté until chiles are softened. Add white wine and bring to a simmer, continue to simmer until wine is reduced by at least half. Add cream and bring to a medium simmer and reduce until thickened, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone until completely melted and incorporated. Makes about 2  1/2 cups

Salsa Fresca: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate and serve within 24 hours.  Makes about 3 cups

Nachos: Preheat broiler. Lay tortilla chips in one layer on a large baking sheet. Scatter cheddar cheese evenly over chips, sprinkle evenly with chorizo and poblano slices. Spoon chili con queso on top and place under broiler until cheddar cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Use a spatula to transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle avocado on top and serve immediately with salsa fresca.

Serves 4

While our family was in Italy during the summer of 2008, I had Asparagus with Prosciutto di Parma, Parmegiano Reggiano, and Poached Eggs. The dish is a common site on Italian menus. I’ve taken quite a few liberties, basically Americanizing and bastardizing it at the same time! The inspiration to do so, came after a cooking class on Monday night with Chef Chris Curtiss of Noca, who made these outstanding fried poached eggs and served them on top of a fabulous salad with pickled red onions, bacon, and red wine vinaigrette – truly amazing! I often serve the asparagus as a side dish and it has already been feature on this site, but this is a wonderful light, refreshing, and satisfying main dish for any night of the week. Of course, it would also make a great brunch dish.

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus with Fried Poached Eggs and Beef Tenderloin

Fried Poached Eggs
Ice
4 large or extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup Wondra flour
1 cup Panko, finely ground in a food processor
1 egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water)

Roasted Asparagus
1 pound fresh asparagus, ends snapped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) grated Parmesan cheese
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
Zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 ounces medium-rare cooked beef tenderloin, very thinly sliced

Fried Poached Eggs: Fill a medium bowl 1/3 full with ice, add water and set this ice bath aside. Fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil over high heat, add vinegar and salt, taste, you should be able to taste the vinegar and the water should be nearly as salty as the ocean, if not, add more of either or both. Reduce heat to a simmer. Gently crack eggs into water and simmer for about 3 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking and chill. Once chilled, remove to a paper towel to drain. (Eggs may be poached up to 1 day in advance, cover and refrigerate.)

Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 350 degrees.

Asparagus: Arrange asparagus on foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Preheat broiler. Place butter in a small bowl, using a fork, mix in Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using fingers, drop butter mixture over asparagus, distributing evenly. Broil asparagus until topping bubbles and just begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Fry the eggs while the asparagus is under the broiler.

Fried Poached Eggs: Place the Wondra and ground Panko on plates. The egg wash should be in a shallow bowl. Dredge each poached egg first in the Wondra, next in the egg wash and finally coat with the Panko.

Gently slide eggs into hot oil and fry for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Divide the asparagus evenly between four dinner plates, top each with the thinly sliced beef and top with an egg. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Just like yesterday, today we have dish that was inspired for our Easter menu by a dish we enjoyed at the new FnB restaurant in Scottsdale (here is the link). The night we went, Dave had the most amazing chicken dish. Mind you, chicken is not something either of us generally order at a restaurant, but I’d read rave reviews about Chef Char’s chicken with spaetzle. Those reviews were right on the mark – fabulous!

Spaetzle are tiny dumpling-like noodle nubbins from Germany and Austria that are made with flour, eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg. The spaetzle dough can be firm enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be forced through a sieve, colander, or spaetzle-maker directly into boiling salted water. They rise to the top then are drained and sautéed in butter or mixed with a sauce. Spaetzle literally translates from German as “little sparrow”. In Germany, spaetzle is served as a side dish much like potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy.

There are spaetzle-makers that consist of a hopper to hold the dough as it slides across a metal plate with holes, others that look like ricers, and a third style that is a food mill with a handle and a paddle to force the dough through the holes of a special speatzle blade (which is what I have).

I served the wild mushroom spaetzle with my Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops which you can find on this previous post.

Brandied Wild Mushroom Spaetzle

Mushrooms
3 cups wild mushrooms (fresh or reconstituted dried)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup brandy
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
Spaetzle
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

Mushrooms: If using dried wild mushrooms, first reconstitute in hot water until soft. Coarsely chop mushrooms. Melt butter in a large skillet, add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms release their liquids and just begin to brown. Stir in the brandy and fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes.  Set aside while making the spaetzle.

Spaetzle: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough/batter should be smooth and thick. Let the rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a spaetzle-maker or a large holed colander over the simmering water and process with maker or push the dough through the holes of the colander with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Lift out the spaetzle with a slotted spoon and into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.

Reheat the mushroom and stir in the cream and goat cheese. Add the cooked spaetzle and sauté mixture for 3 or 4 minutes to combine and heat through.

Serves 8

I was inspired to make chilaquiles for Easter brunch after learning about them at FnB, a fabulous new restaurant in downtown Scottsdale, (click here for link) where Chef Charleen Badman traditionally makes them on weekends for the late-night crowd.

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish. Typically, corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried are the basis of the dish. Red or green sauce is poured over the tortilla triangles, called “totopos.” Scrambled eggs and/or shredded chicken are sometimes added. The dish is topped with queso fresco and crèma.  Usually, chilaquiles are eaten at breakfast or brunch. This makes them a popular recipe to use leftover or stale tortillas.

I’ll be using two of my favorite “convenience” items – 3 garlic cubes (purchased at Trader Joe’s) and 4 chipotle cubes(homemade using empty garlic cube trays – see this previous post on how to do so).  You can too, or just follow the recipe for the “traditional” method of peeling and mincing.

Chilaquiles

Vegetable oil
1 dozen corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 large white or red onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 chipotle peppers, finely minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
10 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
2 cups grated queso fresco or Mexican blend cheese
1/3 cup crèma or sour cream

In a skillet heat 1/2 inch of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it fry the tortillas in batches for 10 to 20 seconds, or until they are pale golden and almost crisp, and transfer them as they are fried with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the onion to the pan, sauté until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, chipotle, cumin, and oregano. Stir for 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook until sauce is thick and reduced over medium heat, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, lighty beat the eggs and half and half together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in another skillet over low heat.  Add the eggs and cook, stirring gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon just until the eggs become set but are still creamy, about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the sauce is thick, transfer all but about 1/4 cup of the sauce to a bowl.  Spread the remaining sauce thinly on the bottom of the large skillet it was cooking in. Place a single layer of the tortillas atop the sauce. Top with half of the shredded chicken and then with 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, then the rest of the chicken and another 1/3 of the sauce.

Top with the remaining tortillas, then all of the scrambled eggs. Spread with the last 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover the skillet with foil and bake the chilaquiles in the middle of the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Drizzle the crèma or spoon sour cream over the chilaquiles and serve.

Serves 10 to 12

…That is the slogan for a fab new restaurant in town, The Grind.  My beautiful sister, Sloane, and I enjoyed a delectable dinner there last night. Chef Matt McLinn is at the helm, so you know it’s gonna be good (that’s Sloane and Matt, pictured above). I first met Matt nine or ten years ago when he and Sloane worked together. They dated for quite a while and that meant that we shared some wonderful holiday meals together too. It’s no wonder Matt’s food stands out, he has cooked alongside some of the culinary world’s most recognized names – such as world-renowned Chef Alain Ducasse of the Michelin three-starred restaurant Le Louis XV of the Hotel Paris in Monte Carlo and Chef Dominque Bouchet of the Michelin three-starred restaurant, Les Ambassadeurs, located in Paris, France. He also studied at the Michelin two-starred Le Hotel Carlton in Cannes, France and Michelin one-starred Le Maison du Seignuer in Brussels, Belgium. He is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and  a member of the James Beard Foundation.

Matt was Executive Chef for several world-class resorts and restaurants located in both Arizona and California. Then in May 2006, Matt opened his own place – Méthode Bistro in Scottsdale, which we loved! Sadly, he sold it in 2008 – but happily he is back with The Grind. It’s a small neighborhood place reminiscent of something you might find in NYC or Chicago, with its 40-foot-long zinc bar and cozy booths.

Burgers are cooked in two custom-made 1000-degree coal-fired ovens which are the only ones of their kind in the States.  Matt gave us a look at them and a tour of the kitchen – pictured below – the ovens and “the line”.

The grass-fed beef patties are brushed with softened butter, salted, and cooked  in indiviual cast iron skillets placed in the oven for two minutes on each side. There are three kinds of burgers; steak house blt, sweet and spicy, and peppercorn crust. And three kinds of fries; herbed, duck fat country fries, and sweet potato fritters.

Sloane and I shared the sweet and spicy burger and the duck fat fries along with the fritters. We started with a most original appetizer…rosemary roasted camembert cheese with strawberry coulis and strawberry relish which you spread on toasted croutons. Loved it all! I’m sure you will too…

The Grind is located on the southwest corner of 40th Street and Camelback. You can check out the menu and more at The Grind website on this LINK. Thank you, Sloane for a great night out and thanks, Matt for a wonderful dinner… next time I’m going to take you up on those doughnuts for dessert!

It is just now beginning to warm up here in “The Valley of the Sun”.  That means if we’re going to have soup, hot soup anyhow, it better be now!  I was inspired to make this after assisting for a class last night at Barbara Fenzl’s Les Gourmettes Cooking School. Paula Lambert, of the Mozzarella Company, was the instructor and she made a Pea Soup with Minted Mascarpone. This mascarpone will be flavored with basil and orange in the place of mint, with a base of  tomatoes instead of peas for the soup… just goes to show how versatile soup is.

Paula founded the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas in 1982 and believe me, she is one talented bundle of energy and a laugh a minute!  Her delicious cheeses are available by mail order, check them out at this LINK, I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Tomato, Orange, and Basil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced (about 1 heaping cup)
1 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 heaping cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, undrained
2   1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup cold mascarpone
Grated zest of one large orange
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, when hot add the oil and then add the onion and potatoes and stir to coat immediately, or the potatoes with stick. Season lightly with salt and pepper and add garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, stirring frequently to prevent potatoes from sticking, about 4 minutes.

While the vegetables sauté; stack and roll the basil leaves. Slice thinly in a chiffonade. Divide the basil in half, set one portion aside, and thinly slice the other portion in the other direction, to mince the basil. Keep the two portions separate.

Add the tomatoes and their liquid, the chicken broth, and the basil chiffonade (the portion that is in thin strips) cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

While soup simmers; whip the cold cream in a medium metal bowl, using a balloon whisk, just until soft peaks form.  Fold in the mascarpone, orange zest, and the minced basil, set aside the mascarpone cream.

After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, pour into a blender or food processor and purée until smooth (remember to remove the feed tube of the machine to allow steam to escape, or the hot liquid may explode from the force – see the steam escaping in the picture below).

Return soup purée to the pot and stir in the orange juice and half of the mascarpone cream. Return to a low simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Once soup simmers, remove from heat and ladle into 6 soup bowls. Garnish each serving with a dollop of the remaining mascarpone cream and serve immediately.

Serves 6

In yesterday’s post we were able to use preserved lemons that we made two weeks ago, today the wait will be a bit longer. Eighty days to be exact, that does take a bit of patience! The first step takes 40 days and the second step another 40 days, so if we get going on it today, we will be sipping our limoncello at the end of May, just as the kids are getting out of school (at least here in Scottsdale, when the last day is May 26th!) On April 17th, we will do step two and on May 26th, we will not only complete the process but there will be a wonderful celebratory pie recipe using limoncello awaiting you too! It WILL be worth it!

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur produced mainly in Southern Italy in the region around the Amalfi coast and the islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri. Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, although any lemon will produce a fine limoncello. It is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner digestive, served in small ceramic glasses which are also chilled.

Limoncello has only recently become well known in other parts of the world. It is a popular ingredient in cocktails, as it brings a strong lemon flavor without the bitterness of lemon juice. The liqueur gained notoriety in the United States in November, 2006, when actor Danny DeVito appeared on the The View still drunk from drinking limoncello the night before with his friend George Clooney. DeVito announced, “I knew it was the last seven limoncellos that was going to get me.”  I’ve never before wished I could have been Danny DeVito! Ah, to be enjoying the wonderful limoncello with the wonderful George Clooney, a dream come true!

There are many recipes for Limoncello, my favorite comes from Joanne Weir, an award-winning cooking teacher, cookbook author, and chef. This version comes from her book, Weir Cooking – Recipes from the Wine Country. Joanne is an annual teacher at Les Gourmettes Cooking School and always produces the most fantastically flavorful food. Joanne’s recipe makes 4 bottles (750 ml each), I only make that much during the holidays to give as gifts, here I’ve cut it in half for my own supply.

A little explanation on the pictures: #1 The jar doesn’t need to be That big – but it does need to be large, because after the 40 days, an additional 4 1/2 cups of liquid will be added. #2 No explanation needed – it’s George Clooney for goodness sake! #3It is extremely important to wash the lemons well, with soap and then rinse well. The only part of the lemon you are using is the peel and you need it to be clean! #4 The lone piece of peel on the right has too much pith on it, the other pieces are perfect, just use a light hand when peeling the lemons, don’t press in too hard.

Limoncello

7 large lemons
1 bottle 100 proof vodka (750 ml)

Wash the lemons well with soap and water and rinse well. Peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith from the back of the peel.  Place the peels in a large glass jar along with 1/2 of the bottle of vodka (1 1/2 cups). Cover and place in a dark place for 40 days.

That’s it for now! You’ll get the rest of the recipe on April 17th, I told you, patience is a virtue, so be virtuous along with me!

Today I am sharing another southwestern inspired recipe from my friend and mentor, Barbara Fenzl of Les Gourmettes Cooking School. I helped Barb teach a couples’ class earlier in the week and this was just one of the six delectable dishes the class made. If you’re looking for something special for you and your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, these quesadillas will fit the bill. Enjoy them before you head out to a romantic dinner, or make them together and then sit down, relax, and enjoy with champagne. Avec amour (with love) xoxo

Here is a picture of the roasting of the two peppers used. A poblano has a much thinner skin than a bell pepper, so watch it more closely and turn it more often, it will roast more than twice as fast of the bell. These two peppers began roasting at the exact same time, but as you can clearly see, the poblano is ready to be covered with plastic wrap to steam and the bell still as a ways to go.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas

2 ounces (1/4 cup) chèvre goat cheese
2 ounces (1/4 cup) cream cheese, room temperature
Four 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 red or orange bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

In a small bowl, mix together chèvre and cream cheese until smooth and well blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the four tortillas and spread evenly over each tortilla.

Divide the poblano and bell pepper strips evenly over half of each tortilla. Layer avocado over the pepper strips and sprinkle with the chopped shallots.  Divide the salmon strips evenly between the tortilla halves.  Fold over tortillas, pressing gently to seal. (May be made ahead to this point, wrap each quesadilla separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before continuing.)

Heat a non-stick skillet (at least 10-inches in diameter) over medium high heat and toast the quesadillas in the dry pan, two at a time, until the cheese melts and they are brown, turn over and brown on the other side.

Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve warm.

Makes 16 wedges

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this new show and hope viewers will find it interesting, entertaining, and useful in their everyday lives,” said Mai. “From engaging in hot topics and relationships, to cooking everyday meals, to caring for our children and pets, I hope to bring a little something for everyone, so they can live their best.”

I’m thrilled too, I’ll be cooking with Tram tomorrow, Wednesday, January 20, making my New Year’s Day blog post of Ravioli Lasagna. I hope you’ll tune in or set your TIVO or DVR and then be sure to leave me a comment on your thoughts, or leave me a suggestion for your favorite simple and creative recipes you’d like me to feature on future appearances.  Oh, and the lasagna recipe will also be featured tomorrow in the Arizona Republic’s Wednesday Food & Drink section.

We all have certain foods we have never liked and do our best to avoid.  Carrots are one of those foods for me.  I really don’t care for them raw and I despise them cooked! I go out of my way to pick them out of soups and stews and obviously don’t serve them as a side vegetable at home. So imagine my shock when I discovered that I loved them in their nearly purest form in a creamy soup! I first encountered a version of this soup when asked to make a triple batch for a Jacques Pepin book signing. I had planned on just having my husband, Dave, be the soup tester, since he loves raw carrots. Loves them so much that the palms of his hands actually turned orange after eating too many raw carrots over a short period of time. He tasted it and said it was good and the seasoning was balanced, but feeling the need to try it myself before serving it to Jacques, himself, and to the students at the signing. I could not believe it was cooked carrots I was eating. What makes this soup so great is the addition of sesame oil, it is the perfect compliment to the carrots. I served this as a first course on Christmas Eve this year and served it as soup shooters for two separate Christmas parties we hosted last year.

I used the frozen turkey stock I made from Thanksgiving, so the picture below shows the frozen solid, ziplock shaped, form in the pan with the carrot, melting over high heat. No need to thaw ahead of time, just drop it in the pot and go!

Sesame-Carrot Soup

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds
6 cups chicken or turkey stock or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds

Place the carrots and stock in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, add the sesame oil and sugar and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet, add the almonds and saute until toasted and lightly browned, remove to paper towels to drain.

Using a slotted spoon, lift out the solids and place in a blender. Using a ladle, add a couple ladlefuls of the liquid and blend until smooth, return to soup pot with remaining liquid and stir to blend. Heat soup and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Add additional sesame oil, if desired.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each with about 1 tablespoon almonds.

Serves 8 to 10

The original version of this recipe is from Tyler Florence of the Food Network.  I made his recipe for a series of classes I just finished teaching at Les Gourmettes Cooking School. With Tyler’s Twice Cooked Potatoes, the second cooking is achieved by deep frying the potatoes, and are they delicious! But after serving 33 students in two nights, I came to the conclusion that using the original version as part of a buffet doesn’t work well because of the final frying step. The potatoes are best eaten immediately, as most fried foods are.  What made the potatoes so wonderful was the crispiness achieved by deep frying.  My double roasting technique results in a similar crisp texture, but without the extra fat, plus the potatoes can now be served hot or held at room temperature, without becoming greasy. Not only are these potatoes a great vegetable side-dish, they also make perfect little party nibbles!

Aïoli is a garlic and olive oil sauce from France, with a texture very much like mayonnaise. Aïoli is sometimes called the “butter of Provence” because it is such an integral part of their cuisine. In Provence, usually two cloves are used per person, that may seem like a lot, but roasting the garlic as done here, mellows out the garlic considerably.

The Cuisinart has a special feature just for the purpose of making fresh mayonnaise and aïoli. The lid has a spout (a feed tube) with a “food pusher”.  The food pusher has a small hole in the bottom that allows oil to drip slowly into the work bowl at just the right rate, a “slow and steady stream” allowing the mayonnaise to emulsify perfectly.

a tiny hole in bottom of the "food pusher" allows oil to drip at perfect rate. a toothpick is sticking up through clear pusher so the hole is visible, the other dots are not holes, just little bumps in the plastic

Twice Roasted Baby Potatoes with  Aïoli

40 to 50 small new potatoes or fingerlings
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Garlic Aïoli
2 heads garlic
Olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon minced chives, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lay potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes so they are evenly coated with oil.  Cut heads of garlic through the middle, horizontally, and place in the center of a double square of heavy-duty foil.  Drizzle with olive oil, add thyme sprigs and seal the pouch tightly around the edges.  Place on baking sheet with potatoes and roast potatoes and garlic for 40 minutes, until tender.  Remove garlic packet from pan, open up foil and set aside to cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

after initial roasting, ready for X cut

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, make an X cut on 1 side of each potato and then squeeze gently from the bottom, pushing out a little of the potato to form a flower shape, place potatoes back onto baking sheet, toss gently to coat again with the oil on the pan. Return potatoes to oven and roast another 12 to 15 minute to crisp. Meanwhile make aïoli.

Roasted garlic, ready to squeeze into processor

Garlic Aïoli: Remove the garlic from foil and squeeze the plup into the bowl of food processor.  Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the bowl and process until smooth.  With the machine running, pour in the olive oil into the feed tube “food pusher” and allow to drip into the work bowl via the “drip hole” in a slow and steady stream until the mixture emulsifies.  Remove aioli to a medium bowl.

Stir in sour cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon aïoli into a serving bowl and garnish with 1 tablespoon of the chives.   Place bowl in the center of a serving platter.  Arrange potatoes on platter and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chives. (For serving as hor d’oeuvres; dollop each potato individually with aioli and a sprinkle of chives and place on the platter or pass on a tray.)

Serves 10 as part of a dinner buffet or about 25 as passed hor d’oeuvres

So here are my feelings about Thanksgiving leftovers – I love having mass amounts of white meat leftover for turkey sandwiches, and it wouldn’t feel like Thanksgiving without all the fabulous turkey stock I make from the carcasses, but the rest of it… not so much!  To that end, I always make two turkeys, one is roasted the traditional way, the second is always grilled or smoked. This year I wound up with 36 cups of stock, happy day!

To use up all that dark turkey meat, I just make our family favorites and add in the turkey.  Our all-time favorite salad is another of Barbara Pool Fenzl’s recipes.  It comes from her 1994 Southwest The Beautiful Cookbook. I’ve made very few changes to the recipe over the years… instead of whisking by hand, I use a food processor for the dressing.  Since the original recipe makes about 1 1/3 cups of dressing, I double all the other fixings so that all that amazing dressing can be utilized, it would be shameful to waste even one drop!  Also in the original, the tortilla strips are dusted with chili powder prior to frying. Instead I salt and dust them immediately after removing from the hot oil so the seasoning really sticks to the strips. And with all this turkey on hand, it quickly becomes a perfect main course salad for a busy weeknight family dinner.

Southwestern Caesar Salad

(adapted from Southwest The Beautiful Cookbook by Barbara Pool Fenzl)

Dressing
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or one whole anchovy)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup corn oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying
8 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Salt
Chili powder

4 cups cooked and shredded turkey meat
2 avocado, peeled and diced
4 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Dressing: Place eggs in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from water with slotted spoon. Crack open into a bowl, discard egg whites and place yolks in the bowl of a food processor or blender.  Add garlic, shallot, chipotle, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, anchovy paste, cumin, and cayenne to the yolks. Process for about 30 seconds.  With the machine running; add both oils through the feed tube and process just until dressing is emulsified.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour vegetable oil in a small skillet to a depth about 1/4-inch. Heat over medium-high heat.  Fry the tortilla strips in batches until they are crisp and lightly browned.  Remove with tongs to paper towels, immediately sprinkle with salt and chili powder.

Place shredded turkey and avocado in a medium bowl and toss with 1/3 cup dressing, to lightly coat.  In a large serving bowl, toss romaine with remaining dressing, toss in the turkey.  Gently mix in the cheese and tortilla strips.

Serves 16