....is 'Our' Soup

It's Fall! It's Fall! 

I guess it's has been officially fall for over a month but at the end of September it was still 80+ degrees in San Diego. The weather has finally started to cool, it was a chilly 60 something when I went to work this morning. I know it's ridiculous but I find that cold. I've been craving this soup for a while but couldn't bring myself to make it while it still felt like Summer. 

In architecture school my roommate and I had two similar recipes, both Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato soups but slightly different. We combined the two recipes and came up with 'our soup'. I'm not sure we made it exactly the same way twice so the recipe below is a delicious approximation. 

....is a Classic, Beef Bourguignon

Sauté de boeuf à la Bourguignonne, is "certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man," Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

My Beef Bourguignon (adapted from Fresh Taste) might not be the most delicious dish but the slow cooked beef & crispy potatoes was a worthy attempt at a classic. Luckily, I had the afternoon at home to give this dish the required time to simmer for hours and it was worth every minute....

....is Bread, Bacon & Beer Soup

Adapted from Good Deal with Dave Lieberman on Food Network

4 Slices Bacon
1 Large Onion, Diced
2 Tbsp Butter
2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 (12-ounce) bottle Amber Ale
1 Quart Chicken Stock
3 Slices Sourdough, Cubed
Salt and White Pepper
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan

Fry Bacon until crisp, remove and reserve. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, sweat the Onion, Butter, and Thyme until tender, about 8 minutes. Add Bacon, Beer, Stock, and Bread. Simmer 10 minutes. Whisk to thicken. Season with Salt and Pepper. Garnish with Cheese.

....is a Last Long Distance Date Night!

In honor of our last date night we decided to make the same recipe as our first long distance date night.

French Onion Soup
Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, Halved & Thinly Sliced
32 oz Chicken Broth (or Beef)
8 Provolone Rounds

Croutons
Olive Oil

1 Loaf Delicious Bread, Cubed
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan, Divided

Slice Bread into 1 in. cubes and toss in Olive Oil and sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.

Cut the Onion in half and slice it thinly, saute´ in Olive Oil until they're carmel sweet and very soft.

Add the Onions to the Broth and bring to a boil.

To serve place croutons in the bottom of a bowl 1 cheese round on top, pour broth and onions into the bowl.

Top with another cheese rounds and wait until it melts a little before eating it.

CPB.

Mine.

....is an Asian Beef Stew Date

From Sunset Magazine January 2010

4 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 in Knob of Ginger, Minced
1-1/4 lbs Beef Ribeye Steaks, 1/4 in Sliced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Chinese Five-Spice Powder
4 Cups Beef Broth
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Sweet Potato, Chopped
12 oz. Baby Bok Choy
3 Green Onions

Whirl Garlic and Ginger in a food processor until minced. Trim fat from Steak and cut across the grain into 1/4 in slices, discarding pockets of fat. Sprinkle meat with half of the Garlic Mixture and all the Salt.

Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Brown the beef lightly, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining Garlic Mixture to pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in Five-Spice Powder, then Broth and Soy Sauce.

Peel Sweet Potato, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1/4 in thick slices. Add to Broth. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim ends from the Bok Choy, rinse, separate leaves and cut into wide diagonal slices.

Stir Bok Choy into stew and simmer just until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Stir in Beef and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut Onions in 3 in slivers. Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with Onions.

CPB.

Mine.

....is Cream of Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

The perfect meal for a sick day.

Cream of Tomato Soup
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 (28-ounce) Cans Diced Tomatoes, Drained, 3 Cups Juice Reserved
1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
4 Large Shallots, Minced
1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
2 Tbsp Flour
1 3/4 Cups Chicken Stock, Low-Sodium
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream or Cooking Cream
2 ounces Brandy
Salt and Cayenne Pepper

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450°F. Lined rimmed baking sheet with foil. Drain juice and set aside, spread Tomatoes in single layer on foil. Sprinkle evenly with Brown Sugar. Bake until all liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let Tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off foil; transfer to small bowl and set aside.

Heat Butter over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Add Shallots and Allspice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until Shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add Flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add Chicken Stock, whisking constantly to combine; stir in reserved Tomato Juice and Roasted Tomatoes. Cover, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

Add cream and warm over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in brandy and season with salt and cayenne. Serve immediately. (Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.)

Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

3oz. Cheese Cheddar, Grated
4 Slices (1/2 inch-thick) Delicious Bread
2 Tbsp Butter, Melted

Heat heavy 12-inch skillet over low to medium-low heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle a portion of Cheese over two Bread Slices. Top each with a remaining Bread Slice, pressing down gently to set.

Brush sandwich tops completely with half of Melted Butter; place each sandwich, buttered-size down, in skillet. Brush remaining side of each sandwich completely with remaining Butter. Cook until crisp and deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes per side, flipping sandwiches back to first side to reheat and crisp, about 15 seconds. Serve immediately.

....is a Prejean's Andouille Gumbo Date Reprise

....and this one we cooked in the same kitchen.

Ingredients.

The man knows how to make a roux.

Letting it stew.

Almost there.

Served and ready to go.
(Recipe found here.)

....is a Date

Long Distance Date Night

Tuesday July 12th
French Onion  - My Pick

Tuesday July 20th

Grilled Onion, Tomato, Feta & Spinach Tossed in Italian Dressing on Sourdough  - CB's Pick

....is Ahi and Pancetta Stew

A variation on Halibut and Pancetta Stew this time we didn't forget the cream and used Ahi Tuna instead of Halibut. It was a cheaper and still delicious substitute.

....is French Onion

Apparently I like French Onion. I've made it a lot in the last few months but it's easy and yummy and a good way to use bread that's going old.

French Onion by the Sea....

 Slice Onion - Cube Bread with Olive Oil and Parmesean

Place Onion in a Pot or Pan

Steam and Saute

Add Broth, Beef or Chicken

Toasted Bread and Cheese

....is Halibut & Pancetta Stew

Es Made this for Greg's mom for Mother's Day, I was mostly the Sous Chef but it was am amazing entree, and those Veggies didn't cut themselves!

(what the recipe looked like by the end)

2-1/2 lbs of Halibut, Cut in 2 in strips
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/4 lb Pancetta, Cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Stalks Celery, Finely Chopped
1 Medium Carrot, Finely Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Very Finely Chopped
1/4 tsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Flour
2 - 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
2/3 Cup Amber Ale
1/2 Lemon, Zested and Juiced
1 Medium Parsnip, Diced
1 Medium Sweet Potato, Diced
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Head Escarole, Chopped

Pat the Halibut dry and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp Salt and 1/4 Pepper. In a large pan heat 1 Tbsp of Oil and 1-1/2 tsp Butter over a medium-high heat. Lightly brown both sides of the half Fish (do not cook through). Repeat with remaining Tbsp of Oil and 1-1/2 tsp of Butter. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. In the same saute pan, add the Pancetta and cook until browned. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of fat in the pan. Add the Onion and remaining 1/2 tsp of Salt and 1/4 tsp of Pepper, cook stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the Celery and Carrot, cook stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in Garlic and Thyme, cook for 1 minute. Add the Flour and stir for 3 minutes.

Slowly stir in the Broth, Ale, and Lemon Juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the Parsnip and Sweet Potato and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the Cream and Escarole and cook stirring until Escarole is slightly wilted.

Return the Halibut and any juices to the pan. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer gently unto the Halibut is barely cooked though, 4 to 6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with Lemon Zest and serve immediately.

We served it with a Cheesy Asparagus Risotto and Sauteed Yellow Squash, Zucchini, and Red Onion.

Our other Sous Chef: Dara