Curried Carrot Soup with Gingered Apple Chips

On a recent visit to La Table de Nana's blog, I saw a pure and creamy Cauliflower Soup topped with Spiced Pear Chips. If heaven made soup, this is what it would look like. I was still thinking about it's beauty when a friend posted on Facebook that she was making Curried Carrot soup. A match made in heaven (again!) came to mind. I used my friend's recipe as a jumping off point and made a velvety carrot soup with almost no fat, and packed with vibrant vitamin rich vegetables. I thought apple would be a taste that could balance the curry and spice, and it did. I used a cinnamon-ginger-cayenne spice on the apples and deepened the color with paprika. The next day I took some to work for my St. Thomas trip, and added shredded chicken to it. It was a full well balanced meal in a bowl. Taking a bite, as we flew through the clouds, I did feel a little closer to heaven. ♥ Thanks Monique and Anne for your inspiration!

Curried Carrot Soup

2 tablespoons canola oil
12 ounces carrots, thinly sliced
2 cups sweet potatoes, cut into ¼ inch cube, about 1 medium
1 cup chopped onion, about 1 medium*
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1-1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced

¼ cup chopped cilantro, stems included
1 teaspoon good quality curry powder (or more to taste)
4-5 cups chicken broth
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste

In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, sweet potato, onion, ginger and celery and saute until soft. Stir in curry powder and add cilantro. Add 4 cups chicken broth and stir thoroughly. Add the cayenne and salt to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes until all of the flavors have combined. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Add more chicken broth, if needed until desired consistency is reached.

Makes 6-7 cups or 4-1 ½ cup servings.

Garnish with Gingered Apple Chips.

*To slice onions without tears, light a candle nearby.

Gingered Apple Chips

1 large Granny Smith apple, washed with stem left on
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cayenne

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine ginger, paprika, cinnamon and cayenne together in a small bowl. Slice the apple into slices about 1/16 inch thick. Place the apple slices in a single layer on the parchment lined sheet. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the apples. Place a layer of parchment paper over the apples and put another baking sheet over it to weigh it down. Put in preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to see how fast they are baking, by carefully lifting the paper. The apples on the edge bake faster than the ones in the center. Bake until they start to dry around the edges. Carefully lift the parchment off slowly being careful the apples don't stick to the top layer. Continue baking for about 15 minutes longer, until they are just golden, dry and crisp.

Curried Carrot Soup recipe, click here

Gingered Apple Chips recipe, click here

Saturday Blog Showcase, Double Chocolate Pecan Tarts

I knew when I saw this tart on Thilbeault's Table blog that I was in trouble...big trouble! I didn't want to wait for an occasion to try it, but couldn't justify making such a decadent tart just because I wanted it now! So I made small tarts in 4 inch tart pans that I bought at E. Dehillerin's in Paris. I did need to break them in...didn't I?? So now I am only in a little trouble ;-) And, I can give the others away. So for this Saturday's Blog Showcase I am making Double Chocolate Pecan Tarts. This recipe has traveled like a chocolate chain letter, with each person adding their own signature. I made Ann's dough using all butter in the food processor. Ann at Thibeault's Table substituted the corn syrup with maple syrup in the tart. I substituted it with organic raw Blue Agave Nectar.....now it's healthy, right?!

Don't break the chain...add your signature and pass it on! I'm showcasing three blogs this week, Thibeault's Table, Rollin in the Dough, and Annie's Eats.

Thanks Ann at Thibeault's Table, and Lori at All That Splatters for hosting this showcase.

Double Chocolate Pecan Tarts

For the filling:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
½ cup corn syrup, maple syrup or Agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup pecans halves
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Butter Pastry
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup butter, cubed
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water

Add the flour, sugar and butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse. The mixture should be the size of peas. Pour the ice water into the feed tube of the processor, so that it drips down while the machine is running. Process until the mixture forms into a ball and stop. Any overworking will make the dough tough. For the tarts, cut into 8 pieces, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll each of the 8 balls of the pie dough out into a round. Transfer the rounds to 4-inch tart pans. Trim the edges as necessary. Freeze the dough-lined tart pans until firm and very cold, about 30 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to lower middle position and heat the oven to 375° F. Remove the dough-lined pans from the freezer, press a sheet of foil inside the pie shell and fill with ceramic baking beads. Bake about 30 minutes, until the dough looks dry and light in color. Carefully remove the foil and weights. Continue baking the crust 5-6 minutes more, until light golden brown.

While the pie crust is baking, make the filling. Melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Remove the bowl from the double boiler but maintain the simmering water. Stir in the sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until the butter is absorbed. Beat in the eggs, corn syrup (or substitution) and vanilla. Return the bowl to the double boiler and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130° F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans. As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, lower the oven temperature to 275° F. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Scatter the chopped chocolate pieces over the filling and press into the filling with the back of a spoon. Arrange pecan halves in a circular pattern around the tarts.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven about 50-60 minutes, until the pie looks set but slightly soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 4 hours.

Makes 8-4 inch tarts or 1 large tart. The recipe may also be cut in half.
Double Chocolate pecan Tarts recipe click here.

Suprême of Old Hen, Or How I Fricasseed my Chicken...

Looking for a Chicken Fricassee recipe last week, I started in my "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. I wanted to update an old classic. Well, I got more than I bargained for! Right beside the Chicken Fricassee recipe, this caught my eye....Isn't that the ultimate, a good dish out of a poorish bird....an updated classiccreamed and rouged with a high plume and stylish shoes? I didn't end up using the "Joy of Cooking" recipe, but compiled the best of several different recipes, and think that this updated classic is more than an "acceptable morsel", it is supreme. For this old bird, the blush of vin rouge was the perfect companion.
Chicken Fricassee with Wild Mushrooms

2 1/2 pounds cut up frying chicken (I used chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 small bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon herb de Provence (mixed herbs)
20 pearl white onions, peeled (may use frozen)
12 ounces mixed mushrooms such as baby bella, shitaki, and chanterel, wiped clean
optional: 1 carrot and 1 stalk celery, cut in julienne
2-3 tablespoons brandy or cognac
1/2 cup heavy cream
few drops of lemon juice
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 sheet puff pastry

Rinse and dry chicken. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until tender. Remove from skillet, raise heat slightly and add the chicken. Turn several times to cook the outsides of the chicken, for about 5 minutes. Lower heat, return the vegetables back into the skillet, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and flour to coat evenly on both sides of the chicken. Cover and continue cooking for about 5 minutes more, turning once. Warm the chicken broth and add to the chicken, stirring to make sure the flour mixture is incorporated without lumps. Stir in the wine. Add the bay leaf and herbs and taste for seasoning. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove chicken and set aside.
Slice the baby bella mushrooms into 1/4 in slices. Slice the chanterel mushrooms in half and leave the shitaki mushrooms whole. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions, mushrooms and the optional julienned carrots and celery. Saute until the vegetables are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the brandy and cook for just a few minutes more.

Meanwhile raise the temperature of the chicken cooking liquid to boil. Reduce liquid until it thickens and is reduced to about 2 cups. Strain through a fine sieve and return to skillet. Slowly whisk in the cream. Add the nutmeg, cayenne and a few drops of lemon juice. Add the mushrooms, onions and optional carrots and celery. Return to medium heat and heat through. At this point you may serve the fricassee or cool it and refrigerate covered until ready to serve. To reheat, put in a pot over medium heat for about 10 minutes until heated through.

Before serving, cut puff pastry into 3-4 inch diamonds. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until lightly browned. Top each serving with the puff pastry diamonds.
Serves 4.
While I was working on this post, I received a wonderful surprise in the mail. Linda, the first winner of my salt giveaway graciously sent a token of thanks...totally unnecessary, but joyfully received. It was a set of small cards that couldn't have been more appropriate than if I had chosen them myself. They went so well with my table setting that I thought if I ever used place cards with this, these small note cards would be perfect. I went to the website of the printer and just loved everything about her, from her products to her philosophy. Thank you Linda not only for the cards, but for introducing me to this artisan, Ruby Press.

Chicken Fricassee with Wild Mushrooms recipe click here.

Come For An Afternoon At The V&A...

As flurries pelted down, my friends and I walked past the Natural History Museum on our way to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Walking into the V&A is a visual treat. The lyrically modern blown glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly hangs amid the classical architecture of the museum. Straight ahead is the gift shop. Try and get out without even a small bag! To the left is one of the current exhibits, "Decode, Digital Designs Sensation". This part of the exhibit is mesmerizing as it changes, stops to reveal a word and changes words again. We stood here about 5 minutes to see if there was a pattern, but the words appeared to be random.To the right opens into the Medieval and Renaissance wing. You'll find angels, religion, fighting, drama, fashion and love among the exhibits....the prevailing themes of life through all ages. Of course, there is so much more in this collection that is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design. The museums in London have free admittance, so I never feel like I have to see everything and I come often to these national treasures.
When you get weary, the V&A Cafe has an old world charm as you sip hot tea with scones or many other choices. We were saving our appetites for dinner, but coming here was a nice warm finish on this cold January afternoon. As my friends and I walked back to the hotel, we once again passed the nearby Natural History Museum as the ice skaters enjoyed the last week of the skating rink. The lights and decorations from the holidays were also displaying their last bit of glory. The chilly and brisk walk back to the hotel had us more than ready for our planned dinner at an Indian restaurant. In this month of short days and long dark nights, there is plenty of light to be found.♥

Guinness Battered Onion Rings

One night last month I came home from a London trip to find a kitchen full of teenage guys hovering around our deep fryer. My son and a few friends had gotten the ingredients to deep fry potatoes, onions and Oreos....yes, Oreos! After a few nibbles on some very good French fries, I went upstairs to change and to give them the freedom to be creative. A few minutes later my son came up with a plate of onion rings (I was glad it wasn't an Oreo!). I took a bite and asked what the spice on them was. It was my homemade chili powder and salt. Oh, they were good. I rarely fry anything and only have the deep fryer because he wanted it a few years ago. Well, he is back to college now and I still couldn't stop thinking about those onion rings. On Sunday I decided to experiment and make my own. I've never made a beer batter, but I thought it sounded good, even though my son had just used a regular batter. I looked in the reliable "Joy of Cooking" cookbook, and pared down and simplified a recipe there. I wanted a fuller flavor so I made it with Guinness. I just substituted the beer for a Guinness Extra Stout. Just as I was taking out the first round, my neighbor knocked on the door. We tested them hot from the pot, with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and homemade chili powder. They got a 2 thumbs up. We ate a few more and I took some pics before the light faded. I sent her home with a plate full and the rest of the batter. They were a huge hit next door, too.

The following day we got a snow-sleet-ice-freezing rain storm. Everything was a mess. I managed to shovel a narrow path of the cement like snow from my front steps. Later in the afternoon I heard a rustling and scraping sound out front. I opened up my front door and there was my neighbors husband shoveling my whole front steps. When I went to thank him, He replied with something that sounded a lot like onion rings!!! I think we both made out well!
Guinness Battered Onion Rings

3 onions sliced in 1/2 inch slices
About 1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
12 ounces Guinness Extra Stout beer
1 extra large egg, separated
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups canola oil

Put the onion slices in a medium bowl and pour the milk over them. Let them sit about an hour, tossing occasionally. In another medium bowl, mix the Guinness into the flour while stirring. Stir in the egg yolk and salt. Let sit for about one hour. Just before deep frying, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg white into the beer batter.

Over medium high heat, heat the oil in a medium size pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Drain the milk from the onions and put them into the batter. Carefully drop onion slices in the hot oil, one at a time without overcrowding. Add only as many as you can so they do not overlap. You'll need to make several batches, but since they cook so quickly it will go fast. Using 2 forks or tongs, turn the onions when they are brown on one side. Remove from the oil when both sides are a golden brown and put on the paper towel lined baking sheet. They brown within a few minutes, so keep an eye on them. Keep frying the onion slices until all are fried.

Sprinkle with homemade chili powder and salt to taste and serve hot.

Diane's Fire Breathing Chili Powder

Increase the "fire" by slowly adding more of the ground peppers
1 tablespoon ground ancho chilies
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground chipotle pepper
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together, being careful not to breathe in the pepper. Store in an air tight container. Makes approximately 3/4 cup.


Guinness Battered Onion Rings recipe click here.
Diane's Fire Breathing Chili Powder click here.

Some Thoughts....

Shortly after the earthquake in Haiti, a friend posted on her facebook page that the average daily wage in Haiti equals the price of 2 packs of gum, and that just doubled from last year. When I did a little research, that seemed to be accurate. It is startling to have it put in such comparative terms. As soon as I heard about the way to text HAITI to 90999 and have $10 charged to my cellphone bill to donate to The Red Cross, I did it immediately. Coming back from Aruba on Friday, we passed over Haiti airspace and you could see smoke from fires billowing into the blue sky. The pilots heard the airport chaos and sense of urgency firsthand through observing the radio calls over Haiti. Help was hovering above, but they couldn't land. Things are better now. In our airplane we were able to collect $500 for Unicef Champions for Children program. This month all of the collected money goes directly to the children of Haiti. People to and from their vacations who had either already spent a lot of money or who were looking at spending money, reached into their pockets and dropped $10 and $20 bills into our collection. We were very touched by their generosity. People want to help and as a fellow blogger expressed last night, giving money and thoughts and prayers just doesn't seem to be enough. Well, I think it is significant, especially knowing that the average yearly wage in Haiti is just $270. The thoughts and prayers do help, the donations help, and just being aware helps. It is going to be a long process.

On a lighter note, when I made my post yesterday, The Last Wife of Henry VIII, Food For Thought, I was just a little jet lagged and rushed for time...Jet lag+dyslexia moment+haste+keyboard=!?@#$%^&*!! Oh, I made some doozy mistakes!! It went out to the subscription feeds with these blunders. So please refer to the site as it is now and not the one that came via email on 1/16. A big fat apology, and does anyone need an editing job?!

The Last Wife Of Henry VIII...Food For Thought

"The Last Wife of Henry VIII", by Carolly Erickson isn't the last book I have read, but it is the one that first came into my mind for the new Food For Thought series. This new site is the brainchild of Jain at Once in a Blue Moon. Jain has creatively combined her avid reading with food blogging. In her words, Food For Thought is "where pages from your book magically mix with the kitchen and your camera..." I have always loved reading historical novels as they bring history and people to life. "The Last Wife of Henry VIII" begins when Catherine Parr is a fresh 7 year old in the retinue of Henry's first wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon. As we move through Catherine Parr's life and loves, she watches the fates of Henry VIII's wives. They have been described, in order, as "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived". Catherine Parr is the survivor, but mainly because Henry died during their marriage. Before their marriage, she rued his attention since it would almost certainly mean death and at the very least unhappiness if they married. They of course did marry, at Henry's request. There was never a choice when Henry wanted something or someone. The power and gluttony of Henry VIII knew no bounds as he changed the course of political and religious history. The marriage of Henry and Catherine Parr was celebrated in the extravagant and grand style of the King, with an underlying fear of her fate. Carolly Erickson tells this part of history as if she had been there to witness it all. I definitely recommend this book, as an escape read with the reality of history.The Kings court often celebrated with game and fish, served on large shiny silver trays. I made a Cornish Game Hen with a Rice Stuffing. I put in dried cherries, apricots and a peppery herb mix. The sweet fruit of the Queen and the peppery spice of the King mingle well together. And it had to have some wild rice, as well! I served it on a large silver tray with a reminder of the fate of previous wives in the background. And, Oh....you'll need a nice sharp knife for the carving. Cornish Game Hen with Rice, Mushroom and Dried Fruit Stuffing

1 1/2-1 3/4 pound Cornish hen, rinsed and patted dry inside and out

For the stuffing:
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup dried and pitted, tart Montmorency cherries (unsweetened)
1/4 cup dried apricots, rough chopped in 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, wiped clean and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked, mixed brown and wild rice
1/4 teaspoon dried herb de Provence
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns*
1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of cayenne pepper, (optional)
salt and pepper
*may substitute 1 teaspoon (or to taste), coarsely ground black pepper.

Soak the cherries and dried apricots in the brandy until plump, about 2 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are cooked, about 10 minutes. Add the plumped dried fruits into the mushroom onion mixture and stir. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl mix all of the stuffing ingredients together and lightly stuff the inside of the Cornish hen. Place remaining stuffing in a medium baking dish. Put the hen on top and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a little salt. Lightly cover any exposed stuffing with aluminum foil. Roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 1-1/2 hours, until the temperature if the hen is at 180 degrees (internal temperature) and it is golden brown. Check while roasting and cover any parts that are getting too brown with aluminum foil. When done remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Garnish with fresh cherries, apricots and fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Serves 4.

Cornish Game Hen with Rice, Mushroom and Dried Fruit Stuffing recipe, click here.