Itinerant Muse

Tis the Season for Soothing Soups

Autumn is aptly named "fall" ~ crimson. golden and amber leaves are falling from the trees; the temperature is falling to near-frost levels; and the clock falls back tomorrow night.  With a chill in the air and crisp winds blowing, my thoughts turn to making soothing, savory soups to warm the soul, fingers and toes.

I received a subscription notice from Bon Appetit last week.  Enclosed were three very appealing recipes ~ one for a Carrot Soup with Orange and Tarragon.  Fortuitously, I had just made a roast chicken, so I cooked up the remains to make a hearty chicken broth.  And, spurred by the nasty colder weather, I decided to try the soup.  It is totally delicous, enveloping the body with warmth and comfort. It is not only filling, but economical too!

Carrot Soup with Orange and Tarragon

1 Tbsp. butter                               

1 1-lb bag classic-cut peeled carrots

3/4 cup chopped onion                   

3 cups low-salt chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1/2 cup orange juice                      

1 Tbsp. brandy

2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon         

Fresh tarragon sprigs

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add carrots and onion, saute until onion is soft, 5-8 minutes.  Add broth; cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, uncover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth.  Return soup to pot.  Stir in orange juice, brandy, and chopped tarragon.  Simmer five minutes for flavors to blend.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (I used Kilauea black sea salt that is sold at Williams Sonoma).  Garnish soup with tarragon sprigs and serve.

My notes: I sauteed some julienned carrot to glaze and use as garnish also.  And, if the soup sits for a day, it thickens, so I thinned it out slightly with skim milk.

A perfect colorful, tasty soup to serve today.  Happy Halloween!    

An Herb Garden Inspired by The Bible

 Photo credit: Karen Sherlock/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A recent story in the Star Ledger was about a biblical herb garden grown by Reverend Keith Amborn in my hometown, Milwaukee, WI.  The basil ladder (shown above) showcases several types of basil ~ bush basil, opal, lemon basil, purple ruffles and sweet basil.

Back in September, I wrote about my new culinary discovery, Holy Basil.  I am a Basil aficionado, maybe more of a fanatic ~ I love the herb and plan to buy a holy basil plant to grow indoors this winter.  Now, after seeing Rev. Amborn's basil ladder, that will be my project for my deck next summer.  It's a great idea for a small space.

It is interesting to note that the Bible mentions more than 66 herbs, most of which are now grown in the Reverend's garden, a sanctuary where he is inspired to rehearse and memorize his sermons.  He also has created many recipes from his herbal garden ~ one being an appealing Herbed Cheese.

Herbed Cheese

One 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature, 3 cloves garlic crushed, 2 tsp. each of chopped basil and dill, 1 tsp. each of chopped chives and caraway seeds, 4 tsp. chopped and crushed parsley, and freshly ground black pepper. (If using dried herbs, reduce amounts to half).

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Press into a shaped mold, cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight.  Yields  about 1 1/2 cups.  Per 2-ounce serving: 180 calories from fat.  Serve with toast points or crackers.

It seems to be a great savory hors d'oeuvre for the holidays.  Since I have all these herbs fresh, I will try it and give you a critique.

Coming next will be soul-soothing soups for fall.

 

 

 

Tiptoeing Your Palate Thru the Pumpkin Patch

 

 Photo courtesy of Gordon M. Grant of The New York Times

The frost is sneaking up on my plants, and our farm fields, quickly after a soft and sneaky segue into fall ~ last week we were in the 70's.  This morning it was 39 degrees and slightly frosty as I walked my dogs at 8 am.

Pumpkins ~ gotta love them!  Kids love to see what funny faces you, or they, can carve out to turn them into spooky, scary Jack O'Lanterns lighting up the night as they Trick or Treat.  Fortunately, nowadays it's more treat than trick!

Well, my 'kids' are now adults, so my interest in pumpkins is in the bountiful flavor and texture of pumpkins providing substance for innumerable delicious recipes.  Earlier in one of my first posts, I gave a recipe for a low-cal healthy, easy and extremely tasty soup ~ I make it as often as I make stock, usually once a month.

Today, I am going to link you to a website that I was led to by my reliable NY Times, Otter Creek Brewery, where the sister brewery Malover has made an organic pumpkin ale, Will Stevens Pumpkin Ale, named after (and in tribute to) the organic pumpkin farmer in Shoreham, Vt. who supplied the organic pumpkins.  Not only is this website a resource for its brewery, it is a fabulous resource for hearty recipes flavored with beer.

Do visit the site and, if you are in Vermont, visit the Otter Creek Brewery.  I can't wait to go!

'The Secret Life of Bees" Cookbook

Yesterday, the film "The Secret Life of Bees" premiered with a star-studded cast of African-American actors and Dakota Fanning.  Based on Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel ~ and one of my all time favorite reads ~ about the need for love, sisterhood and redemption led by the family matriarch, August Boatwright (played by Queen Latifah) who operates a successful bee farm and honey-making business.

 SueBee Honey, a product of the Sioux Honey Association, in conjunction with SKAR Advertising, has produced a Special Edition Cookbook and Black Madonna Honey (the honey made by the beekeeper, August).  Net proceeds from the cookbook and Black Madonna Honey will go to benefit First Book, a nonprofit organzation that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.  The Sioux Honey Association is a green company, which means all its products and containers are safe for the environment in concern for the balance of our ecosystem.

One of the recipes that I will try this week

Sue Bee Honey Key Lime Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Sue Bee Honey
5 Tablespoons key lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
4 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless

1. In a resealable plastic bag, mix honey, key lime juice, garlic and lemon pepper. Place chicken in bag, seal, and shake to coat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

2. Preheat outdoor grill for high heat.

3. Gill marinated chicken about 8 minutes on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Discard any remaining marinade. Serves 4

I had the good fortune of finding key limes in my market this week and purchased several on a whim because I so rarely see them in NJ, especially this time of year.  I'll give a full report after my family has tested the recipe. 

Right now, for tonight, it is time to make Grace Parisi's Skillet Chicken and Mushroom Potpie (borrowed from my Food & Wine newsletter) for Sunday supper on a blustery, chilly fall night.

I'll serve it with a yummy, rich Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  Time to get the pan sizzling!

PS: Another great read of Sue Monk Kidd is "The Mermaid's Chair" ~ I couldn't put it down, so cozy up in your fluffy duvet and dig into a terriic spellbinder!

 

Slow Food Nation in a World of Fast Food

Heirloom tomatoes from Jack and Joanne's garden.

This Thursday, October 16, is World Food Day.  With the financial markets in the throes of distress globally, more people out of jobs, more long lines at food pantries, we need to come back down to earth and respond to more sustainable farming ( a topic, which I have addressed before in this blog), become more grass roots in our communities, and save cherished foods that are endangered and threatened by environmental damage.  Slow Food USA is hosting an event on Thursday, Oct. 16, Step up to the Plate: Ending the Food Crisis, in a call to our nation's leaders and presidential candidates to address the roots of the problem.  Special Guests include noted restaurateur, Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, and best-selling author of Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappe.   Information about reservations can be found at whyevents@whyhunger.org.

Slow Food USA's mission "seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system. We reconnect Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food. We work to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat."

Among the many programs supported by Slow Food USA is US Ark of Taste, which is a program that catalogs more than 200 wonderful foods threatened with extinction.  We need to support programs like this to help preserve our foods and natural resources and to support our farmers, fishermen, ranchers and producers who provide for us.