Creamed Collard Greens

No way around it, I love collard greens and I think they are a fantastic holiday dish any way you prepare them. This is just one easy, pretty way to serve up a mess of greens sure to convince those less familiar with the veggie that it should be more than a southern meal staple. If at the end of the bake time the topping isn't as golden and crisp as you would like just turn the broiler on for a few minutes.

Creamed Collard Greens
(serves: 12)

4 oz bacon, chopped
8 lbs collard greens, ribs removed
2 onions, chopped
2 c heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 c dry bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
1 round tbs Parsley, chopped
1 round tsp sage, minsed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbs of olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350

1) Bring water to boil in a large pot and add the bacon. Add the greens gradually letting each bunch wilt before adding more.

2) Add the onions and let it all simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove and drain the collards, and roughly chop

3) In a large bowl combine the collards with the cream and salt and pepper, then add the eggs and stir til blended. Spread the mixture in a buttered 4 qt casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

4) Throw the bread crumbs, cheese, parsely, sage, garlic and olive oil into a food processor and pulse until blended. Pull the collards from the oven and top with the bread crumb mixture then return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes more.

French Onion Soup

Sorry for the lack of images lately, I keep falling into the "tuck-in trap" and am halfway through the food before I remember I owe you all a picture!

This soup is hearty and warming with a bit of a twist that makes it more than just traditional. The brightness of the cider is really tantalizing, and while it is one of those longer recipes to concoct it by no means labor intensive. Mostly, you just let it do its thing. For the cider, it's best not to skimp - real, fresh (raw) apple cider is so much tastier than the typical stuff. Also, don't worry about the onions burning when you let them sweat and reduce. When topping the bread with cheese, be generous - overestimate.

French Onion Soup
(yield: 4-6 servings)

5 onions (Vidalias and a couple red)
3 tbs butter
few pinches salt
2 c white wine
10 oz can of beef consume
10 oz of chicken broth
8 oz apple cider
sprigs of thyme and parsley tied with a bay leaf
Cognac
Gruyere
bread
freshly ground pepper

1) Slice the onion into half moons

2) Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Once melted add a layer of onions, salt, add another layer and salt. Repeat until out of onions!

3) Leave the onions alone for twenty minutes, then stir occasionally as they take on color. They will turn nice and dark and reduce to about two cups over the course of an hour

4) Turn the heat to high and add the wine, then let it reduce to a thick syrup

5) Reduce heat and add the consume, broth, cider and the parsely, bay leaf and thyme bundle and let simmer for twenty minutes

6) Heat your oven broiler and cut the bread to fit your soup bowl/cup. Broil on one side for about a minute

7) Add a dash or two of the cognac to the soup and season with the pepper. Remove the parsely, thyme and bay leaf bundle.

8) Serve the soup with the bread on top, toasted side down, then cover with cheese and pop it all under the broiler for another minute.

Cool Cantaloupe Soup

This soup is amazingly refreshing, light and tasty. Creamy and smooth, it makes me feel as though I'm having dessert for dinner. If you haven't used Agave Nectar before as a sweetener, it's like a more floral honey - really delicious.

Cool Cantaloupe Soup
(4 big servings)

6 lb cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 c coconut milk
3 tbs ginger, grated
3 tbs lemon juice
3 tsp Adave Nectar
pinch of salt
garnish with chives

1) Blend all ingredients.

2) Serve garnished with chives, and some diced cantaloupe pieces.

Raw Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is a very rich tasting raw recipe for mushroom lovers. Be sure to get some nutritional yeast as it gives the salty, creamy flavor. I used button mushrooms, which I usually avoid, and it turned out just fine. Beware, the order of blending is important to the texture.

Raw Cream of Mushroom Soup
(2 servings)

2 c water
1/2 c sunflower seeds
2/3 c mushrooms, chopped fine
2 tbs Nutritional yeast
1 large clove garlic
few pinches salt
few grinds of pepper

1) Blend the sunflower seeds and the water until smooth

2) Add the garlic, yeast, salt and pepper and blend

3) Add the mushrooms and breifly blitz until you get the desired texture.

Creamy Lentil Salad

Lentils are an amazing source of protein and a pretty unplumbed depth of culinary goodness. For any doubting their tasty potential, try this delicious and hearty salad. You can sprinkle the bacon and goat cheese on top if you don't want it to go all melty, but I think it's best gone all creamy and slightly warm!

Creamy Lentil Salad
(serves 8)

8 oz lentils
2 bay leaves
1 sprig ofthyme
1 large carrot, chopped fine
1 large celery stalk, chopped fine
2 rounded tbs shallots, minced
1 round tsp garlic, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and sliced thin
1 large handful of chopped hers (oregano, thyme, parsely)
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

1) Combine the lentils, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, celery, shallot, and garlic in a saucepan and cover with water plus 1". Bring to a boil then simmer until veggies are soft.

2) Drain and pitch the bay leaves and thyme, set the rest aside in a large bowl.

3) Gently fold in the tomatoes, herbs, bacon and goat cheese then dress and serve!


Vinaigrette Dressing

1 c veg oil
1/3 c red wine vinegar
1 tbs, shallot, minced
3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1) Whisk the vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper together.

2) Slowly, very slowly, whisk in the oil. Adjust seasoning.

Pineapple Curry

This recipe is courtesy of Mackenzie, and is great if you're craving a tasty, simple curry. The first time I made it I wished it had more kick to counter the sweetness, so I recommend adding a chili pepper or two if you like things spicy. If you don't, make it as is, it's completely delicious!


Pineapple Curry
(serves 4-6)

1/4 c red curry paste
2 cans coconut milk
2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
2 red chiles, seeded and sliced
3 tbs fish sauce
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c sliced bamboo shoots
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 c pineapple chunks

(serve over rice or rice noodles)

1) In a wok or large pan whisk together the curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Incorporate the chicken and bamboo shoots. Cook for fifteen minutes.

2) Add the pepper and onion, cook for an additional ten minutes.

3) Remove from heat, stir in pineapple, and serve over rice or rice noodles.

Spicy Thai Chicken with Basil

The Thai themed meals continue, partly because of my success with the coconut soup and partly because most of the ingredients for that recipe and this one overlapped! Because it uses chicken this recipe feels very light while remaining filling. It has a bit more spice to it, which I really love as the nights here are getting cooler.

Spicy Thai Chicken with Basil
(serves 4)

1 1/3 lb chicken breasts, cut into small 1x2" pieces
2 tbs fish sauce
1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 fresh chiles, seeded and sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c basil leaves
oil, for cooking

1) In a shallow dish combine the chicken with the fish sauce, water, soy sauce and sugar.

2) Heat the oil on a wok or large nonstick pan over moderately high heat.

3) Cook the onion in the oil for about two minutes, then add the chiles and garlic and cook while stirring for an additional thirty seconds.

4) With a slotted spoon add the chicken to the pan and cook for three minutes, then add the marinade and cook thirty seconds longer.

5) Remove the pan from heat and add a cup of the basil. Serve and top with the remaining 1/2 cup.

Thai Coconut Soup

It is generally true that I tend to have difficulty achieving the desired flavors when it comes to Thai cuisine. There is just something that keeps them veiled in culinary mystery to me, just different enough to make the fruits of my labor disappointingly mediocre. Not so, however, with this incredibly tasty and truly easy soup that I made last night.

Having written the print version of Food and Wine magazine out of my life, I am still perusing the emails they send out - and the most recent included a list of fifteen tasty, simple Thai dishes at least two of which I will be trying this week. Best of all, most of the ingredients are easy to get a hold of, even in Moscow (the Co-Op has lemongrass). Start to finish, this easily took only thirty minutes total and the chicken and rice make it a pretty satisfying soup.

Thai Coconut Soup
(serves 4)

1 lb chicken breast cut into thin strips about 2 1/2 inches long
3 tbs Fish sauce
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
1 quart and 3/4 c chicken stock
3 stalks lemongrass, bottom third only, peeled, smashed and cut into 2" pieces (or, the zest of about half a lemon)
1" piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thirds
1/2 c long-grain rice
1 3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk (15 oz can)
2 fresh red chiles seeded and sliced thin, crosswise
3 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1) In a shallow glass dish combine the chicken with the fish sauce and lime juice and set aside

2) In a large saucepan bring the broth, lemongrass and ginger to a simmer.

3) Add the rice, then continue simmering until nearly done (about a quarter of an hour)

4) Add the coconut milk, return to a simmer, and stir in the chicken with the lime juice and fish sauce.

5) Cook an additional 2 minutes, then stir in the chiles and cilantro.

Watermelon Soup

This is one of those recipes that I call "mostly raw" - it's all raw up until the feta. Furthermore, I'll concede that at least on paper this recipe looks kind of gross. In practice, though, it's light, slightly spicy and incredibly refreshing. I prefer my soups smooth and easily assembled, so where I roughly chop and puree you could easily finely dice and mince into a chunkier version.


Watermelon Soup
(serves 4-6)

4 c seedless watermelon, cubed
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 serrano chile, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 tbs red onion, chopped
2 tsp red wine vinegar
4 tbs fresh dill
1/3 c olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
handful of crumbled feta

1) Throw everything in a large bowl or blender and puree to desired consistency.

2) Correct the seasoning, and garnish with a sprinkling of dill and feta.

Chicken and Pesto Pasta

Putting the pesto to good use, a simple pasta and chicken dish that uses pantry staples. It's a pretty hearty and refreshing dish, and you can definitely mess with the quantities and tweak the ingredients to your liking.


Chicken and Pesto Pasta
(serves 4)

2 chicken breasts, brined and cut into small strips
large handful of chopped onion
1-2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 - 1 c pesto
clove of garlic, sliced
8 leaves of fresh basil
1/2 c or so of Parmesan, grated
8 oz fusili
dash of wine/vermouth for deglazing
salt
pepper
handful of flour
pat of butter

1) Set a large pot of water to boil, and add a few pinches of salt, set a saute pan over medium heat.

2) In a plastic bag combine the flour, salt and pepper and toss the chicken pieces to coat, then saute them until nicely browned then remove to a dish.

3) Using a dash of wine or vermouth (or stock or water) deglaze the pan.

4) Drop the fusili; check package instructions but mine usually takes 12 minutes.

5) Add the pat of butter to the saute pan then toss in the garlic, tomatoes and onions with a pinch of salt and pepper.

5) When the onions and tomatoes are good and soft turn the heat down to its very lowest setting and return the chicken to the pan and add the capers; you're basically keeping everything warm at this point.

6) When the fusili is al dente pull from the water into the saute pan, turn off the heat and add the pesto. Give everything a good mix so it's well integrated.

7) Serve with grated Parmesan and a few fresh basil leaves.

Pesto

Our basil plants our thriving (yay!) and I'm pretty sure the best way to make good use of two cups of fresh basil leaves is to make a pesto.


Basic Pesto
(one cup)

2 c of fresh basil
1 clove garlic
3 tbs pine nuts
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c grated Parmesan
large pinch of salt

1) Combine the basil, garlic, nuts and salt and grind into a paste (food processor or mortar and pestle).

2) Drizzle in the olive oil and continue to grind, then add the Parmesan a pinch at a time.

(to store for a couple weeks in the fridge, place in an airtight container and cover with a bit of olive oil)

Spicy Cucumber Soup

After having some truly delicious and refreshing cucumber soup in Charleston I wanted to devise my own, and of course that means it has a bit of a kick. There's a lot of ingredients but they're all pretty basic - besides, it makes a large batch! If you're worried about it being too spicy, leave out the 1/4 tsp of cayenne then add to taste at the end.

Spicy Cucumber Soup
(8 servings)

6 lbs cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 tbs, fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
2 tsp of batch of assorted spices (1 tbs paprika, 1 tbs salt, 1 tbs garlic powder, 1/2 tbs black pepper, 1/2 tbs cayenne, 1/2 tbs oregano, 1/2 tbs thyme)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 c plain yogurt
3 c sour cream, divided
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbs fresh chives, minced

1) In a large bowl combine the cucumbers, bell peppers, green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, mint, dill, garlic, spices, salt, cayenne, yogurt, 2 c of the sour cream, olive oil and vinegar. Puree (I use an immersion blender).

2) Chill for a couple hours then taste and correct the seasoning. Serve with a spoonful of sour cream and the minced chives.

Gaulart & Maliclet: Fast and French

One of the best restaurants we visited on our May trip to Charleston was the most definitely un-fussy Gaulart & Maliclet. They serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner in what seems to be an always crowded dining room. We were favorably seated near the back of the place in a room off the main dining area at a counter open to the kitchen. The place does have hints of "we're better earth people than you", but that's likely a result of the staff being comprised of perhaps the only boho people I saw while in Charleston.

The food isn't all strictly French but it's definitely French-y, and my cucumber yogurt soup served with three cheeses was a perfect lunch. The menu is very affordable and while varied isn't overwhelming, especially if you just focus on the specials.

Gaulart & Maliclet
98 Broad St.
Charleston, SC
843.577.9797

Watermelon Feta Skewers: Revisited

Last weekend I made a bunch of food of Adam's choosing, and we had people over to celebrate his birthday (yay!). Back on the menu - this one at Mark's request, actually - were watermelon feta skewers, with one small change. I added a leaf a mint wrapped top to bottom around the feta square, and this definitely improved the tiny bites.

Celebrating all things Adam makes for some tasty treats!

Raw Alfredo with Zucchini, Peas and Pepper

Before I go any further with the raw recipe stuff I think I should note that I am not a raw foodist, nor have I "gone raw". Currently, however, I am enjoying a diet that is about 2/3 raw. I'm not a big fan of revolutions, particularly the culinary kind, and I don't think anything fares well in the extreme. That is to say, raw recipes suit me and my lifestyle very well at the moment, but I do not think it is the great cure for all ills, and I'm not about to give up cooking in favor of low bone density.

All that out of the way, this recipe rocks. It's still very much "chick food" in my opinion, but I think it's really tasty, interesting, and very satisfying. All ingredients (honey, pine nuts, etc.) are of the raw variety. I use my v-slicer for the zucchini, which makes quick work of it.

Raw Alfredo with Zucchini, Peas and Pepper
(serves 4)

3/4 c coconut water (Rosauers and the Co-Op stock it)
2 tbs lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1 c pine nuts
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of allspice
pinch of ground pepper
1/4 young coconut meat (I replaced these with flakes in a pinch and it worked fine)
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast (bulk bins at Co-Op)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 c peas
4 zucchini, sliced into ribbons
handful of parsley garnish

1) Combine all ingredients except the peas, zucchini and red pepper in a blender or food processor and puree til smooth.

2) Pour over the zucchini noodles, peas and red peppers.

Raw!

Spring and summer are a great time to try out some raw food recipes. Not only is produce abundant but you'll likely be craving lighter, fresher meals. I saw this recipe in Food and Wine magazine and I increased and altered the quantities a bit. I haven't found any sweet corn out West that holds up to my Midwest sweet corn experiences, so I tried it with frozen sweet corn and it turned out just fine. Note, of course, that freezing food is considered destructive by raw foodies so if you're really into the whole gone raw thing, get fresh corn.

This is a really tasty soup, though be sure to blend it to your desired consistency. If you don't get it at least relatively smooth it just looks like pancake batter. You can reserve some of the corn kernels for a garnish, if that's your thing. It's really easy to make so I've found myself making a batch at the beginning of the week and taking it it to work for lunch.

Raw Sweet Corn and Cashew Soup
(serves 8)

8 large ears of sweet corn or two packages of frozen corn
4 c water
1 c raw cashews
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic
6 tbs olive oil
3-4 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
handful of cilantro, chopped

1) Combine all ingredients and puree until smooth (food processor or blender/immersion blender).

2) Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Cantler's

Before we left for our Maryland trip I did a little crab house research, wanting to make the most of our short visit. Turns out that Cantler's, while heralded as the best cab house in Annapolis, manages to remain a well-kept secret. Maybe it's because just finding the place is cause for celebration (call for directions, there's a closed road and other exciting, map-defying antics).

We were seated on the porch which in fairer weather would have been open air. They had handily enclosed the place with a rather nice tent so we were able to enjoy the view of Mill Creek and the rainstorm. Everything had a very traditional, no fuss sort of feel with long rows of bare picnic tables, and the dark, reassuring interior that everyone is too quick to disdain in this time of modern decorating. It looked like a proper seafood place.

We started in on some hush puppies, which were excellent, and I quickly settled on some Maryland lump crab cakes. Adam opted for the Rockfish with crab imperial. Both were delicious, and there's really nothing like a proper Maryland crabcake - more crab, less cake.

Service was prompt and pleasant, the iced tea was bottomless and Cantler's was more than worth the trek.

Cantler's
458 Forest Beach Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410.757.1311

Creamy Asparagus Soup

I have these vivid kid memories of my Mom taking me shopping and about midday we would stop at this cute, cottage-y lunch place for big chocolate chip cookies and a delicious soup lunch. I loved the asparagus soup there, and those are the flavors I've been chasing ever since. This recipe is my greatest victory so far, a real asparagus soup (which means if you don't like asparagus you won't like this).

It's important to get good, fresh asparagus both for the more obvious reason and because the more stalk you have to remove the more flavor and rich consistency you lose. The easiest way to determine which part of the woody stem is not to be eaten is to hold a piece with one hand just past the floret and the other on the root end, then bend gently. Anywhere from a quarter to a third of the stalk will break off. Reserve those root bits for the stock.

You can set aside the cheese for garnish if you like, but I prefer to integrate it and then just use a small sprinkling on top.

Creamy Asparagus Soup
(serves 8)

3 lbs + (about 3 bundles) fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped(half-inch pieces)
8 c chicken stock
5 tbs butter
1 c shallots, diced
1 c leeks, white and pale green only, chopped
1 tbs garlic, minced
3/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c Parmesan, grated
pinch of red chili pepper flakes
few pinches kosher salt
few grinds of black pepper

1) Set a medium pot with the chicken stock over heat and bring to a boil, adding the stems of the asparagus that you've broken off. Simmer for half an hour, then discard the asparagus pieces.

2) Set a large pot/Dutch Oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the shallots, leeks, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes (til tender).

3) Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook for half a minute then add the chopped asparagus and cook while stirring for two minutes or so.

4) Add the broth to the pot and simmer for twenty minutes (the asparagus should be tender).

5) Puree the soup until smooth, then add the cream and the Parmesan. Season to taste and serve.

Buttermilk Pie à la Hominy Grill

We recently got to take a trip down to Charleston, South Carolina. The main events were my brother, Tim's, graduation from The Citadel which was only topped by his Commissioning into the Marine Corps. as a Second Lieutenant. Somewhere in between we ate a lot of food and drank a lot of wine.

Shortly after deplaning Tim, Dianna, Mom and Dad whisked us away to the Hominy Grill, a very fun local place that illustrated its hearty reputation with a full house in mid afternoon.

While they featured delectables like collard greens, cheesy grits and a fantastic cucumber salad the bulk of the meal was outshone by their buttermilk pie.

Smooth, light and incredibly satisfying it's dead easy to make and a wonderful all-season dessert (though I vote for a summer evening with berries on top!). They make some recipes available online though they also have a small cookbook for sale.

Buttermilk Pie

1 c buttermilk, room temp
6 tbs unsltd btr, room temp
1 c sugar
2 eggs, separated
3 tbs flour
1 tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 tsp salt
1 pre-baked 9", deep dish pie shell

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1) Cream the butter and sugar then add teh egg yolks and mix til combined.

2) Add the flour, lemon juice, nutmeg and salt.

3) Continue mixing while slowly adding the buttermilk.

4) In a separate bowl whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add a small amount of the buttermilk mixture to the whites and fold gently.

5) Gently fold the egg white mixture into the remaining buttermilk mixture.

6) Pour into the pie shell and bake until lightly browned and barely wiggling in the middle (about 50 minutes).

7) Let cool to slightly warm or room temperature, then serve!

Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Avenue
Charleston, SC 29403
843.937.0930

Spicy Chicken and Andouille Casserole

This is really hearty, warm family dinner dish that I made for a recent dinner. It has great heat, though if you have kids and they're not keen on spicy foods you will want to tone down the seasoning. Don't fuss or overcrowd the pan when you're cooking the chicken; let it get nice and brown.

The assorted spices are good to mix up and store, and you can alter the quantities. I use this sort of mix, give or take with what I have around, to season chicken whether it's in a casserole or being fried (blame it on the LaGasse influence). What I mean is, if you don't have garlic salt don't worry about it. If, however, you don't have cayenne, salt or pepper, get to the store!

Spicy Chicken and Andouille Casserole
(serves 6-8)

1/4 c (round) flour
2 lbs chicken, pieces about 1.5"
1 c dry bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
2 tbs butter, melted
few glugs of vegetable oil
6 oz andouille, sliced 1/2" thick
1 small yellow onion, chopped (1 c)
1 large clove garlic, minced (1 tbs)
1/4 tsp cayenne
5 oz mushrooms, stems trimmed and cleaned (I used Cremini, don't use button or Portobello)
Can of artichoke hearts, sliced 1/2" thick
1 1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 c heavy cream
3 tbs green onions
small bunch of parsley, chopped (round tbs)
1 small bunch of tarragon, minced (about a rounded 1 tsp)
batch of assorted spices (1 tbs paprika, 1 tbs salt, 1 tbs garlic powder, 1/2 tbs black pepper, 1/2 tbs cayenne, 1/2 tbs oregano, 1/2 tbs thyme)
large slices of toasted bread


Preheat the oven to 350 and set a Dutch oven over medium heat

1) Mix 1-2 tsp of the spice mix with the flour and toss the chicken in it, shaking off the excess

2) Warm the oil in the Dutch oven and cook the chicken in batches, removing to a plate when done.

3) While the chicken cooks, combine the breadcrumbs, 2 tbs of the mixed spices, Parmesan and butter.

4) Once the chicken is done, add the sausage to the pot. When it's just starting to brown add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, leftover flour mix and the cayenne cooking until soft.

5) Return the chicken to the pot with the artichokes, stock, cream, green onions, parsley and the tarragon. Bring to a boil.

6) Sprinkle the bread mixture on top and pop it all in the oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Serve with the toasted bread, or even rice.

Peanut Soup

This is a really magnificent, incredibly hearty and flavorful soup. I really just can't get sick of it. You can leave the chicken out if you like, but having it in really makes a meal of the thing.

African Peanut Soup
(serves 6)

3/4 lb yams, peeled and chopped
8 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
2-3 chicken breasts, chopped into pieces
1 tbs curry powder
1 c yellow onions, sliced thin
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c peanut butter
1 quart chicken stock
1 c coconut milk
bunch of cilantro, chopped
good handful of peanuts, chopped
peanut oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1) Toss the sweet potatoes and tomatoes in some peanut oil to coat, sprinkle with some salt and pepper and placing the tomatoes skin side up roast in the oven until the potatoes are fork tender and the tomato skins are all shriveled. Give the potatoes a good mix about halfway through.

2) Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, adding in the curry powder and stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

3) Throw in the onions and sweat them for a few minutes, then add the garlic and stir for half a minute.

4) Add the cayenne, peanut butter, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock and the coconut milk then bring everything to a boil, reduce to a simmer and leave for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Blend until smooth.

5) Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper then saute in some peanut oil until golden brown. Add to the soup and continue to simmer gently for another ten minutes.

6) Adjust the seasoning, serve, and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

I also grilled up some cheese sandwiches;
they went well with the soup.

French Toast

French toast is the perfect destiny for day old bread. I don't know whether it's just fond memories or the fact that it has "French" in the title, but it's always a treat. Like that ketchup that says "fancy" on the packet.

French Toast

1 c half and half
few glugs of honey (about 2 tbs)
1 orange, juiced (1/4 c) and zested
3 eggs
8 slices of bread
butter
couple pinches of kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350

1) Combine the eggs, half and half, honey and orange juice and transferred to a shallow dish large enough to hold two slices of bread.

2) Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Place two slices of bread in the mixture and let soak for half a minute on each side, then remove to a cooling rack for another minute. Repeat with remaining slices.

3) Drop a tablespoon of butter in the pan and place the first two slices in. Cook about two and a half minutes each side, until nice and brown. Remove to the oven and repeat with remaining slices.

4) Plate toast and top with confectioners sugar, maple syrup and orange zest.

If you're just cooking for two you can always save the batter for another day, or if you're cooking for more mix up the batter the night before so all you have to do the next morning is dredge and cook.

Kiss me, I'm Irish: Colcannon

Rob's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day, which means guaranteed party!! It also means a good recipe that serves a small army comes in handy, though outside of a potluck situation I'd say this serves twelve. There are a couple things you could substitute, like cooked ham for the bacon, kale for cabbage or leaks for green onions. This is also one of those times when I don't use flat leaf parsley because it just doesn't look as festive! Whatever you do, just be sure to season generously.

Colcannon
(serves 12)

2 1/2 c milk, heated
6 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold)
4 sticks butter
2 lbs bacon, cooked and chopped
2 cabbages, cored and coped into strips
8 green onions, chopped fine
parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1) Set a pot of water to boil. Peel and quarter the potatoes and boil until fork tender in salted water. Drain and mash.

2) Add in two stick of butter in pats, then gradually add the heated milk.

3) Heat some more water to a boil and add the chopped cabbage and 2 tbs of butter. Cover and leave for two minutes, then drain and combine with potatoes.

4) add the scallions, chopped bacon and remaining butter to the mixture then season generously. Top with chopped parsley and serve warm.

But That's Poor People Food

Some of the greatest and most timeless of dishes are what some might call "poor people food". Certainly the cookbooks of most Italians are full of the recipes of everyday cooks, and the food of the Irish is no different.

While living in New Orleans I was searching for some corned beef at the local Winn-Dixie. It was still a month out from St. Patrick's Day - for which, of course, there's a parade replete with thrown cabbages - but I still thought it perfectly reasonable that a grocer would stock corned beef. After all, my hometown, predominately German and Irish, was well versed in the practice of stocking ethnic foods. Here in the deep South, however, corned beef was fast becoming my Holy Grail. I finally snagged a butcher, and when told what I was looking for he promptly and disdainfully declared, "Buh thass po' people foohd"! Yes, that's my best attempt at the New Orleans accent in type. Don't question it. In any case, I was more than a little amused by this response as we were both shopping and working, respectively, in a Winn Dixie.

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, though, and grocery stores are chock full of poor people food from cabbage to potatoes, and many Americans can look forward to one of the best things done for cuisine and the sandwich: a traditional dinner of corned beef and veg.

(Most brisket come with their own mysterious "seasoning packets", and if you were ever wondering what was in there or have corned your own beef, the components are below)


Corned Beef
(yield dependent on weight)

Corned Beef Brisket
1 large onion, quartered
3 lbs potatoes, quartered (Yukon Gold are my favorites)
4-6 carrots, chopped about the same size as the potato quarters
cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
cloves
8-10 allspice berries
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Bottle of Guinness or a couple cups of beef stock(optional)

1) place the beef in a large stockpot and cover with water (add Guinness or beef stock if you like). Bring to a boil and ladle off any fat that rises to the top. Reduce to a simmer.

2) dot the onion with cloves and add it, and the remaining spices, to the pot. Let everything simmer for about two hours, or until the brisket is nearly fork tender.

3) add the potatoes and carrots and cook for about 10-15 minutes until not quite tender; then add the cabbage.

4) continue simmering until everything is tender, then slice the beef and serve with the vegetables.