The Power of the Sofrito

Folks in the culinary world are always talking about "depth of flavor," but what exactly do they mean by this?  Quite simply, you are trying to get the most bang for of your buck and coax out as much of the delicious goodness from your food.

One of the best ways of achieving great depth of flavor in your cooking is through braising, a process of cooking something for a long period of time in liquid.  AND, one of the best ways to braise is to start with a sofrito.  A sofrito is a combination of aromatics, such as onions, garlic, and celery, that are chopped up super fine and cooked for a long period of time.  A staple in many different cuisines, this slow cooking process caramelizes the natural sugars in the veggies resulting in a rich, dark flavor that is perfect as a base for soups and sauces.

At this time of year, when farmers markets are practically overflowing with eggplant, I like to make a large batch of Eggplant Ragout and freeze it for future use.  This hearty, earthy sauce is a wonderful substitute for traditional marinara.  Use it in lasagna, as a sauce for grilled mushrooms or tofu, or add cannellini beans and fresh herbs and serve over grilled bread for a rustic, peasant meal.

Yes, it takes time to prepare, but you will have a TON of sauce (about 8 cups) that freezes so well for future culinary adventures that it is well worth the time.  Patience, my friend...patience.


Eggplant Ragout

Eggplant Ragout with Yellow Tomatoes and Cannellini on Grilled Bread

2 large eggplants
3 carrots (peeled, chopped into 1" pieces)
3 celery ribs (chopped into 1" pieces)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
5 cloves garlic
1 6oz can of organic tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine (optional)
3 cups vegetable stock (plus 1 cup is you omit the wine)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs of thyme
4 sprigs of oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more to your liking)


Preheat oven to 450.  Using a fork, poke holes in the eggplant and place on a baking sheet.  Roast in the oven until the insides are all roasty toasty goodness and the outside looks like a deflated balloon.  About one hour.

Combine carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor.  Pulse until a moderately chunky paste forms.  You may need to do this in batches.  This will look kind of soupy, but remember you have just mashed up a whole lot of veggies with a high water content.

Over a medium flame, heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven.  I use cast iron for this.  Transfer mixture and brown that veggie paste, stirring occasionally and careful not to burn the veggies. This takes some time, about 30-45 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red.  Be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings!  After about 15 minutes, when some of the liquid starts to reduce, add bay leaves and a bundle of thyme and oregano.

Once the veggies have caramelized, add tomato paste and...brown it.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Once you have a fragrant glop on your hands, de glaze the pan with the wine.  Reduce liquid by half (this is important other wise your sauce will taste like wine).  Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer.  Remove bay leaves and herb bundle.

Phew!

By this point, your eggplant should be roasted.  Remove from oven and cool slightly so that you can handle it.  Slice eggplant lengthwise.  Scoop out the flesh and add to the sauce, discarding skins.  Here is where an immersion blender comes in handy to smooth out the sauce.  If you do not have one, puree eggplant in a food processor before adding it to the sauce.  The ragout should still be a bit chunky.  If thinner sauce is desired, add water until you have attained the desired consistency.

Ladle sauce into air tight containers.  Keeps in the fridge for about 4 days, freezer for 3 months.

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Two fer...

I love soup.  It's homey, comfort in a bowl.  And I especially love the cooling goodness of a chilled soup in the summer.

Plus it's super easy to make.

The trick is to layer your flavors into your pot instead of just doing a whole lot of chop and drop.  Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, speaks of the importance of taking time with your food preparation.  Not to say that you need to spend hours over a stock pot, but allowing the flavors of each ingredient to develop (especially when you use so few) adds tremendous depth to your food.  Once you have a handle on the basic methods, you can play around with the ingredients. 

Here are two variations on a carrot soup that will knock your socks off!



Chilled Curried Carrot Soup

This refreshing soup is great as an accompaniment to a Kale Salad or Curried Israeli Couscous.  The tartness of the lime juice plays nicely with the sweetness of the carrots and coconut.

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
3 Tbl curry powder
1 tsp salt
5 cups water
1 can of coconut milk
zest and juice of one lime
2 green onions, chopped

In a stock pot, heat oil and curry over medium heat, stirring for about one minute.  Add onions and saute until tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add carrots and stir to coat with curry infused oil.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

Using your perfectly functioning immersion blender, puree until smooth.  Pass soup through a sieve, discarding all of the solids.  Stir in coconut milk and lime juice and zest.  Chill completely.  Serve with a wedge of lime and chopped scallions on top.



Change up the herbs slightly and you have a totally different taste experience...

I'm sorry...I love this picture.

Chilled Carrot Soup with Dill

This is a fantastic little soup for hot summer nights. Serve with a salad and some crusty bread and, vi-oh-lay, you've got dinner!  I find that veggie stock muddles the taste of this soup, so I recommend using water.

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cups water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 sprigs dill, plus 1 Tbl finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
2 Tbl olive oil

In a large pot, heat oil over a medium flame and add onions. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Create a bundle with the dill and thyme, and throw it into the pot.  Add carrots and cook until they soften a bit.  Add stock, zest, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and discard the herb bundle. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Ladle the soup into a bowl through a sieve, pressing on solids and discard the pulp. Stir in reserved dill and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Garnish with a sprig of dill (and maybe a dollop of yogurt or sour cream).

Feelin' Just Peachy

When I was 16, I shot my first commercial.

It was for a St. Louis based grocery store chain called Schnucks.  I know...unfortunate family name, no?  The spot was one of those "how many happy people can we show eating fruit in a minute" type situations.  It was spring time, and they were getting ready for the summer fruit push.

I had stumbled into the gig; a mother of a friend of mine was a food stylist on the shoot and they needed a few fresh faced teens to stage a car wash and laugh and eat peaches.  A lot of peaches.  I think I ate about 27 in an hour, while being squirted with a garden hose in a parking lot on a beautiful (and chilly) spring day.  We tossed peaches to one another, taking a bite and making smiley faces to the camera.

It took me a while to muster up the strength to eat another peach.  Like Prufrock.  Only younger.

Fortunately I have lifted my peach embargo and have been enjoying this seasons crop of particularly delicious fuzzy fruits of the South.  Last week, Jerre and I, mountain weary, traveled to St. Louis to celebrate my mom's birthday.  And we made this...

Roasting brings out the natural sugars and intensifies the flavors.

Roasted Peach and Red Onion Salad with Bitter Greens

The sweetness of the peaches and onions is balanced with the bitter bite of arugula and radicchio.  Soak the radicchio is cold water for 15 minutes or so to reduce some of the bitterness.  If it's fired up, try grilling the peaches, onions, and radicchio for a fun variation!

4 peaches (almost ripe - firm to the touch, but not quite soft)
1 large red onion
3 Tbl fresh tarragon, finely chopped (plus two whole sprigs)
5 sprigs thyme
4 cups arugula
1 cup radicchio, sliced into rounds
1 English cucumber
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp rice vinegar
zest of 1 lime
4 Tbl olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice each peach in half, removing the stone.  Slice into quarter and then into eighths.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Slice onion in half through the fuzzy bulb end.  Remove outer skin and slice off most of the hairy end but not all.  This will hold your onion slices together.  Slice onion as you did the peaches, first into quarters, then eighths.  Add them to the peaches and drizzle with 1-2 Tbl oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Scatter thyme and tarragon sprigs about the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they begin to brown.  Remove from oven and set aside. Discard herbs.

On a smaller baking sheet, roast hazelnuts for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the peaches roast, bring orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce by half.  Skim off any foam that may rise to the top.  When the juice has just about reduced, add the finely chopped tarragon and lime zest.  Set aside and cool slightly.  Add vinegar and slowly whisk in remaining oil until you have achieved your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss arugula, radicchio, and cucumber with the vinaigrette.  Divide among four plates, and top with peaches and onions and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Embrace Your Bread

I used to be a carb counter, panicking at the slightest mention of bread or pasta.  For months I avoided sandwiches, potatoes, and delicious pasta dishes thinking that if I didn't consume any of these treats weight would just melt off.  Dr. Adkins really did a number on me.

Then, I got a grip.

Carbs aren't bad for you, in fact you need them for energy.  The key, as with everything, is in moderation and choosing healthy carbs like whole grain breads, veggies, and beans.

Although, sometimes you want to dig into something that is crunchy and bready and totally satisfying.

Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad comprised mainly of stale bread and tomatoes dressed with olive oil and vinegar.  With summer's abundance of garden veggies, I like to throw some different veggies and herbs into the mix to bump up the flavor.  Add leafy greens as well, but remember the bread is the star of the dish.

So Mangia! Mangia! and say, "Arrivedreci, Dr. Adkins!"

Panzanella

This is the best way to use up bread that may be past its prime.  The bright, fresh flavors of garden veggies and balsamic make for a filling variation on a traditional salad. Play around with different veggie combinations!

5 cups whole grain bread, cubed
2 tbl olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large heirloom tomatoes (or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved)
1 English cucumber, 1 inch slices
1/2 large red onion, sliced
1/3 cup oil cured olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup basil leaves
1 cup baby spinach leaves

For the vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
4 Tbl olive oil
salt n' pepper


Preheat oven to 450.  In a mixing bowl, toss together bread cubes, garlic and oil.  Season with a touch of salt, and transfer to a baking sheet.  Toast bread for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together garlic, mustard, and vinegar then drizzle in oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine croutons, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, and spinach.  Toss with vinaigrette, adjust seasoning if needed, and allow to sit for half an hour before serving.

It's Hot So Let's Get Pickled

Seriously.

Has it ever been this hot...ever?  Half of the country is melting away, and I am developing a seriously antagonistic relationship with my summer wardrobe.  How can you look cute when it's a gazillion degrees outside?

When it's this smeltering (that delightful combination of sweltering and melting), I tend to look for foods that help me feel cooler.  

I love all things pickled.  That bright and tangy splash of vinegar wakes up the senses and adds a ton of flavor to dishes without adding any fat.  I do a quick pickle on some red onions to add a bright note to tofu noodles for a super easy, non-cook meal that really satisfies!

Tofu Noodles with Pickled Onions, Cucumber, and Radish

Tofu noodles, which can be found in most Asian Markets, offer up a nice change to rice noodles or whole grain pasta.  Plus, you don't have to cook 'em!  Remember, tofu is a flavor sponge so allow the noodles to sit in a bit of the dressing while you chop!

Tofu noodles, 16 oz 
1 medium hot house cucumber
1 carrot, grated
5-6 radishes, sliced into matchsticks
Pickled Red Onion (recipe follows)
2 Tbl basil
2 Tbl cilantro
sesame seeds for sprinkling

Vinaigrette
2 Tbl olive oil
1 1/2 Tbl rice vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil (really just a couple of drops)
1 Tbl honey
salt 'n pepper

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and honey.  Slowly whisk in olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, and add a couple of drops of sesame oil for a darker flavor (optional).

Place tofu noodles in a large bowl and dress with half of the vinaigrette.  Set aside.  While the noodles soak, chop your veggies and herbs.  Add them to the noodles and toss with the remaining vinaigrette.  Chill until ready to serve (can be made an hour in advance). Garnish with sesame seeds.


Pickled Red Onions

These bright and tart little guys are fabulous in the tofu noodle salad, and they can transform any chilled steamed veggie (think broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower) into a beautiful side salad.


1 medium red onion
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 whole star anise
1 1/2 Tbl pickling spice
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
2 dried red chiles
2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey

Slice onion in half, cutting through the hairy root end. Remove outside layer and discard.  Using a sharp knife, make thin slices toward the root end but not all to the root.  Once you have sliced the entire half, cut off root end.  What remains should be beautiful thin slices of onion. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Add onion and simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl.  Allow to cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.

No Cook Cocktail Party

J and I had our first little get together in the Chicago digs:  a few friends over for cocktails and nibblies and then off to dinner.

And it was hot.

The challenge:  create delicious no cook nibblies that wouldn't fill us up, yet were fun and "elegant" enough for entertaining.

This is what was on the menu:

Pistachio Stuffed Dates
Tomato and Mango with Curry Basil Vinaigrette
Pea Puree with Avocado and Yellow Pepper
Kitchen Sink Hummus

So...I went a bit overboard, and we were a tad late for our reservations.  But a good time was had by all!  (And we still managed to chow down at the restaurant).

Try toting a couple of these delectable goodies to your next get-together!

Pistachio Sutffed Dates

Little bites full of yummy flavor.  If you can't find pomegranate molasses, reduced 1/2 cup pomegranate juice until it forms a syrup...same thing.

12 Madjool Dates, pitted
1/4 cup pistachios
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt
unsweetened coconut flakes
pomegranate molasses

In a small food processor (or using a mortar and pestle if'n you want to work out), puree the pistachios with a tiny bit of salt and the oil for some encouragement until it forms a thick paste.  You may need to frequently scrape the sides.

Divide the paste equally among the dates (about 2 tsp per date).  Top with coconut and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Tomato and Mango with Curry Basil Vinaigrette

This recipe is actually adapted from a Mississippi Junior League cookbook.  It sounds weird, but the bright flavors and beautiful colors are a huge hit! So easy to make...like a Mississippi Junior Leaguer.  Sorry...I couldn't resist.

2 ripe mangoes
3 large heirloom tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
10 basil leaves
1 tsp honey
salt 'n pepper to taste

Slice tomatoes and mangoes and arrange on a platter.

In a small food processor (or you can grab that mortar and pestle again), combine the remaining ingredients to create the vinaigrette.  Drizzle of fruit and garnish with basil.

Pea Puree with Avocado and Yellow Pepper

Peas are one of the few veggies of which I use the frozen variety.  Found in their native "freezer section," they defrost quickly and save you time shelling a bunch o' peas.


1 16 oz bag frozen peas
1 large avocado, cubed
1 yellow pepper, diced
2 green onions, diced
2 Tbl pesto (optional)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
pinch of crushed red pepper
2 Tbl chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt 'n pepper to taste

Place peas in a fine mesh colander, and place in a shallow bowl of cold water so peas are submerged for 5 minutes.  This should completely defrost the peas.  Remove from water and drain thoroughly.  Place half of the peas into a food processor with olive oil, pesto (optional), cumin, red pepper, cilantro, and lime juice, and pulse until relatively smooth.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Fold in remaining peas, avocado, pepper, and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to marry.  Serve with flatbread or tortilla chips.


Kitchen Sink Hummus

This is a basic hummus recipe that changes each time you make it.  I play around with different spices and herbs and end up putting everything but the kitchen sink into it.  This is one to unleash your inner improviser and play with your food!

1 30 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl olive oil
1/3 cup tahini
2-3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
salt n' pepper

Okay here's where you can go wackadoo with flavors.  Mix and match to suit your palate.

2 Tbl cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbl fresh parsley
2 Tbl fresh cilantro

(You can add sun dried tomatoes, curry powder, cayenne, tarragon, onion powder, grilled red peppers, etc.  Play on!)

Place all ingredients into a food processor and whir away until smooth.  If the hummus is too thick, slowly drizzle in water with the motor running until the desired consistency is achieved.  Serve with your favorite veggies, pita, or corn chips.