Filets de Poisson Bercy aux Champignons

Julia, you are a goddess. Yes, I acknowledge that I used nearly a stick of butter to create two servings of your Filets de Poisson Bercy aux Champignons (fish fillets poached in white wine with mushrooms, for you non-French speakers), but it was incredible. I have never in my life created something so inconceivably delicious, so breathtakingly magnificent that I was nearly brought to tears. Okay, I realize this may sound ridiculous, but this really felt almost like an out of body experience.

For lack of better words, here is Julia's description of this dish taken directly from page 210 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking: "Bercy is the simplest of the white-wine fish sauces. The poaching liquid is thickened with beurre manie`-a flour butter paste-then enriched with cream."

This dish consists of the following ingredients:

Sliced fresh mushrooms
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Filets of sole or flounder
Shallots
More butter
Dry vermouth
Flour
Even more butter
Whipping cream
More salt and pepper
Lemon Juice
Swiss Cheese
And finally...even more butter!

Rather than reprint the original recipe here, which is about 4 pages in length (yes, Julia was a bit wordy - but she was a genius!), I encourage you to visit your local library or bookstore and find the Julia inside of you just waiting to break free. You won't be disappointed, I definitely wasn't!

It's cold, it's raining, it's time for SOUP!!!

I've lived in San Francisco for the past 3 years and somehow every year I manage to forget that when January rolls around, it basically rains for 2 months straight. Now, I am not a huge fan of standing outside umbrella-less in the rain, but I do enjoy snuggling up on the couch with a warm blanket and big bowl of hot soup. Homemade soup is relatively easy to make, the prep time required is often a minimal 20-30 minutes (depending on the amount of veggies needing to be chopped or diced) and most of the cooking time consists of effortless, occasional stirring of a simmering pot of soup. The best part about all of the following soups is that they freeze well and reheat beautifully after an overnight refrigerator thawing. Try a few of them out. My favorites are the Brazilian Black Bean and the Minestrone. Enjoy!

All of the following recipes are based on versions created by Mollie Katzen. I have altered or adjusted some of the ingredients in each recipe.


Brazilian Black Bean Soup
The orange juice and cumin in this soup give it an incredible, tropical flavor.

Ingredients:
2 cups dry black beans, soaked in plenty of water overnight
4 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups chopped white onion
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the soaked bean in a large soup pot (3 quarts or larger) with all of the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender (about 1 1/4 hours)
2. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and carrot. Saute over medium heat until the carrot is just tender. Add the bell pepper. Saute an additional 10-15 minutes. Add this mixture to the beans.
3. Stir in the orange juice, black and cayenne pepper.
   
4. Puree about 2/3 of the soup in a food processor or blender and then return the puree to the soup pot. Simmer over very low heat 10-15 minutes. Optional: serve with cilantro and fresh salsa.

Servings: Makes 6, 1 1/2 cup (~13oz) servings
Nutrition facts (per serving): 312 calories, 4 g fat, 796mg sodium, 56.3g carbohydrates, 12g fiber, sugars 10.4g, protein 15.8g.


Cream of Tomato
The cloves give this soup a unique flavor. It is unlike any other tomato soup I've had.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed OR 1 medium stalk of celery, diced
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 Tbsp flour
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, pureed
1 tsp honey
1 cup skim milk

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper, celery seed, and cloves and saute over medium heat until onion is soft and translucent (~10 minutes).
   
2. Using a whisk, stir constantly as you sprinkle in the flour. Stir continuously and cook 5 more minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and the honey. Cook over medium heat for 15 more minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
   
4. Turn the heat to a simmer and drizzle in the milk. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately.

Servings: Makes 6, 1 cup (~8oz) servings
Nutrition facts (per serving): 86 calories, 2g fat, 480mg sodium, 14g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, sugars 8g, protein 3g.

Minestrone
Delicious! I never knew soup could taste this good.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 stalks celery, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 medium bell pepper (any color)
3 cups water
14 1/2oz can tomato sauce
1 cup canned kidney beans (you can use fresh, but you must cook them first)
1 cup dry whole wheat pasta shells (or any other shape you like)
1/2 cup freshly minced parsley
parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, and salt. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add celery, carrot, oregano, pepper, and basil.
2. Cover and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and water. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add beans and simmer 5 more minutes.
4. Bring the soup to just boiling. Add pasta, stir and cook until pasta is tender (~12 minutes). Serve topped with parsley and parmesan.

Servings: Makes 6, 1 1/2 cup (~12oz) servings
Nutrition facts (per serving): 210 calories, 5.3g fat, 953mg sodium, 33.5g carbohydrates, 8.3g fiber, sugars 7.5g, protein 9.8g.

Souffle` A` La Disaster

For the past two or three years I have really been working up the courage to tackle the souffle`, a recipe that has been so intimidating I have simply avoided it for fear of utter and complete disaster. I can't really explain the intrigue, I mean for one thing I have never even actually tasted a souffle`; neither a sweet chocolate souffle` nor a savory cheese souffle` has ever passed my lips. I suppose my obsession can be attributed about 40% to the incredible pillowy, mile-high appearance the souffle` takes on when prepared properly, and 60% to the idea that nearly every well-established chef says that making a souffle` is an extremely difficult undertaking.

After much pondering, I set out to purchase the perfect souffle` dish, a task that once completed would leave me with no other choice than to attempt to make a souffle`, because after all, a souffle` dish seems like the ultimate uni-tasker. I settled on the 1 1/2 quart, #7 porcelain souffle` dish from Williams-Sonoma which I am embarrassed to say I dropped $38 and change for...now don't take this the wrong way, I am not the slightest bit fancy. This type of souffle` dish was the only one available at Williams-Sonoma, in both a 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 quart size.

Anyway, I purchased the dish and headed home to create a masterpiece. I had chosen a recipe for Apple Cheddar Souffle` from one of vegetarian guru Mollie Katzen's cookbooks...this was mistake number 1. Not to say that Mollie Katzen doesn't make a wonderful souffle`, because I'm certain she does. However as I mentioned in the previous post, I now own a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking which has an entire section devoted to the souffle`-an important fact I did not know until after the said souffle` a` la disaster occurred. I'm getting a bit off track here, back to my actual cooking attempt - the roux of butter, flour, and milk I created was beautiful, the egg whites I whipped formed perfect, stiff peaks that stood on their own as high as Mt. Everest, and the souffle` looked incredible as it baked...

After I took the souffle` out of the oven is where the real trouble began. The top half of the souffle` was pillowy and cake-like, while the bottom half was runny and had not solidified at all. Likely, my oven is not actually 375 degrees F, even though I set it to preheat to that temperature - but since I do not have a thermometer inside the oven to monitor the actual temp, the souffle` was still raw...if either Tristan or I had eaten a souffle` before, we probably would have realized this, but since neither of us have we just started eating it! About 1/3 of the way through, we both looked at each other and admitted it tasted funny. I tried to put it back in the oven, but once you take a souffle` out of the oven, it will apparently never puff back up again.

Needless to say, my first souffle` experience was an utter disaster, ending not with a tasty dinner to savor, but instead with a raw egg induced stomachache and some left over mac n' cheese for dinner. Luckily (or stubbornly, depending on your point of view), I'm not one to give up easily which means I will tackle the souffle` again until I succeed, but not first without studying Julia's souffle` advice section, obtaining a proper oven thermometer and another half dozen eggs!

New Cookbooks Spark Ideas!

I recently decided to expand our growing cookbook library with two new additions, Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, inspired by my recent viewing of the movie Julia and Julia, a based on true life movie in which one daringly courageous woman decides to spend 365 days cooking every recipe in the aforementioned cookbook...did I mention there are over 500 recipes in this book?!? and a cookbook written by Camellia Panjabi entitled 50 Great Curries of India, inspired by our love for good Indian food and Tristan mentioning one day not long ago, that he would really love to expand our Indian cooking repertoire.

I can't wait to learn how to properly poach an egg, whip up a tasty hollandaise sauce, and exactly how one should pronounce and create a scrumptious Moules A' La Marinie're.

Bon appe'tit!

Papa's Lemon Meringue Pie

Tristan's Grandpa, Bob Evans created this masterpiece many years ago. Tristan and I decided to make it together, and it came out beautifully. The secret is using fresh Meyer lemons!

Ingredients:

Pie Crust
2 cups all purpose flour (I swear by King Arthur's brand, it's fantastic!)
2/3 cups non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (available at most natural food stores)
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons ice cold 7-UP

Bake at 450 degrees for 11 minutes

Lemon Filling
1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch (if you like your filling on the firmer side, try 4 Tbsp)
dash salt
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
zest from 2 Meyer lemons (3 if they are smaller)
1/3 cup lemon juice

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons granulated cane sugar

Instructions for pie:
In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Add hot water and stir with whisk until dissolved. Cook and stir until mixture starts to thicken. Pour some of the mixture into the egg yolks, then return to mixture. Add lemon zest and return pan to heat, stirring constantly until absorbed. Return to heat and keep stirring until mixture becomes very thick. Don't let mixture burn on bottom of pan. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Spread meringue over filling; seal to the edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Instructions for meringue:
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla with electric mixer until peaks begin to form. Gradually add sugar beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks are formed. (Don't be afraid of this recipe if you have never made meringue before. The trick is to not over beat. You can be sure the peaks are stiff enough when the whisk on the electric mixer is raised and the egg white mixture stands up, like a snow-covered mountain.

Grad School Lull Calls for a Much Needed Cooking Break

Two weeks ago I completed my first semester in the Master's of Public Health (MPH) program at San Francisco State University. Getting back into the groove of juggling a full-time job, school, and two little doggies was a challenge, but with the help of my amazing husband Tristan, we all survived!

One thing everyone should know about me is that I am a huge fan of making lists. I completely adore the hyper-organizational form my life takes on when a freshly inked list is placed in front of me. I make lists for everything from grocery lists to lists of what I am going to do for the day...heck, I even make lists of lists I need to write! Where was I going with this? Ah yes, I enjoy making lists so much that the very second my last final exam was over, I started making a list of all of things I wanted to do with my seemingly endless amount of free time during my 5 school-free weeks of freedom between semesters. Much to my surprise, almost every item on my list was related to food or cooking in some way.

For the last four months, I have only had enough time to throw together simple meals such as pasta with veggie sauce or cereal; I have not been able to try a single new recipe. Therefore, my to-do list for my remaining 4 weeks of freedom is to cook as much as possible! I want to try as many new recipes as I can. So be sure to check this site during the upcoming weeks. You won't be disappointed!

I Love Pizza!

I make a pizza almost every week. For me, pizza is the ultimate meal. It can be both healthy and fun to create a delicious pie at home. Making pizza is simple, anyone can do it with fantastic results - no recipe required. I aim to never make the same pizza twice, with the exception of a few favorites...

The key to a fun-filled pizza making time is pre-made dough - Trader Joe's makes a few tasty ones that are around $1.50 each and contain enough dough to stretch into a 12" pie. My personal favorite is their Almost Whole Wheat Dough. Here is my personal favorite to get you started on your pizza making journey:

Tasty Pear Pizza with Bleu Cheese, Arugula, and Walnuts

1 Almost Whole Wheat Pizza Dough from Trader Joe's
2 Tbsp Olive Oil (i like to use rosemary infused, but plain ol' Extra Virgin will work just fine)
4 cups fresh Arugula
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 medium-sized ripe Red D'Anjou Pears, sliced thinly
2-4 ounces Stilton Bleu Cheese (can be found in most grocery stores with a cheese counter), depending on your taste
1 cup chopped Walnuts
About a handful of shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (if you will be using a pizza stone, now is the time to put it in the oven)

1. Take pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes for optimal stretch (your patience will be rewarded, I assure you)
2. Meanwhile saute the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the arugula over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the arugula is wilted. Set aside.
3. Roll out the pizza dough to about 1/4" thickness (don't worry if it isn't round, my pizzas often resemble Texas or Nevada)
4. Place pizza dough on parchment paper sprinkled with flour
5. Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Spread the arugula mixture evenly over the dough
7. Place pears in a single layer over the arugula mixture
8. Crumble the bleu cheese and sprinkle it over the pears
9. Top the entire pizza with the walnuts and parmesan
10. Place the pizza and parchment on a pizza stone or cookie sheet and place in the center rack of oven
11. Bake at 450 for 12-16 minutes

*Our secret to a perfect crust is cooking the pizza on the stone for 8 minutes, then transferring to a cookie sheet and cooking on the middle oven rack for an additional 8 minutes. Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

Coming Next Week: Buffalo Sausage Pizza with Cilantro and Mandarin Oranges!

Fresh Corn Chowder

This recipe was created by Mollie Katzen and is included in her cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. It is incredibly delicious as-is, the only alteration I made was increasing the amount of celery as it gives the soup a fresh, crisp flavor. Everyone loves this chowder. Even Pablo the dog (posing here with the final product) can't resist the delicious scent that fills our house whenever I make this soup!

Ingredients:
1 medium potato, peeled and diced small (about 2 cups diced)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 medium stalks celery, finely minced
1 small red bell pepper, finely minced
5 cups (approximately 4 to 5 cobs' worth) fresh white corn
White pepper to taste
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 cup skim milk, at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Combine the potatoes and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onion, thyme, and salt, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring. After about 5 minutes, add celery. Five minutes later add the cooked potatoes with all their liquid, the red bell pepper, the corn, and a few shakes of white pepper. Stir well, cover, and reduce heat. Cook quietly for about 5 minutes longer.
3. Using a food processor, purée about half the solids in some of the soup's own liquid. Return this to the soup pot, and let it rest until serving time.
4. Stir in the basil and milk about 10 minutes before serving time. Heat the soup to serving temperature. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

This recipe is based on Mollie Katzen's recipe of the same title from her cookbook, Sunlight Cafe. I have made a couple of alterations, including increasing the amount of lemon zest, vanilla extract and blueberries.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unbleached cane sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 2/3 cups frozen wild blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Place buttermilk in a medium size bowl. Add the lemon juice, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
4. Pour buttermilk mixture and butter (melted) into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined then fold in blueberries (still frozen) until mixed. Note: If batter is too dry, you may need to add additional buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Spray muffin tin (12 muffin cups) with non-stick spray and fill muffin cups all the way full.
6. Bake for 22-26 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts: Serving size = 1 muffin; Calories 208, Calories from Fat 43, Total Fat 4.8g, Saturated Fat 2.8g, Cholesterol 29mg, Sodium 283mg, Potassium 105mg, Total Carbohydrate 36.7g, Dietary Fiber 1.5g, Sugars 15.9g, Protein 4.4g.