Roasted Tomato Soup

I grew up on tomato soup from a can, I'm not ashamed to say, I loved it!  But as a grown up, I've come to know that the salt and preservatives added to the store bought canned variety wasn't doing me any good.  Home made is always healthier, not to mention, tastier!  I make this soup often in the summer, when the tomatoes are ripe but winter tomatoes work well also.  I love this soup paired with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, the ultimate comfort food in my book!

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh Italian plum tomatoes, quartered

2 medium onions, cut in half then sliced

4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 28 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes 

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, your choice.  I used rosemary and thyme

salt and pepper to taste

bacon fat croutons, optional 

shaved parmesan cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 425°

1.  To roast the vegetables, in a large bowl, mix together the quartered fresh tomatoes, the sliced onions and the crushed garlic. 

Swirl some olive oil over the vegetables, enough to coat all and toss together.  Add salt and pepper to taste and combine.

Turn out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread evenly. 

Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time, until onions are tender and turning golden.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

2.  Carefully transfer the roasted veggies to a large pot and add canned tomatoes and chicken broth.  Sprinkle in the minced herbs and stir.

Turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  When vegetables are all soft, turn heat off and blend with a hand immersion blender, or blend in batches carefully in a blender, until smooth. 

Reheat to a simmer again, taste for seasoning then shut off the heat and serve garnished with bacon croutons* and shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

* Bacon fat croutons can be made by spreading reserved bacon fat on both sides of a couple slices of good coarse bread, cut into cubes, salt and pepper to taste then bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 425° oven for about 12-15 minutes until golden.  Likewise if bacon fat is not available, toss bread cubes with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake as above.

 

 

Spicy Chicken Curry

We've been experiencing some very cold weather here in Maine.  Finding something warm and comforting for dinner is my mission.  Some kind of curry dish will always satisfy me.  I've chosen an Indian curry for tonight's dinner, an aromatic coconut curry with lots of spice.  I had chicken legs and thighs in the freezer, but boneless chicken breast can also be used.  I served this curried chicken dish with rice, onion parathas and mango lassie.

A winter wonderland with highs in the teens and lows below 0.  Breathtaking in more ways than one!

Ingredients

Ginger Garlic Paste

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

Spice Powder

12 dried hot red chilies

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

3 inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

2 cardamom pods  

3 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened dry coconut, reconstituted in a small bowl, barely covered with hot water.  Let sit for an hour.  

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground termeric

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

2- 2 1/2 pounds chicken,bone in, cut in serving size pieces, or 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken cut into 2 inch pieces.

3 medium sized tomatoes, diced

6-7 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

1.  To make the ginger and garlic paste, add chopped ginger and garlic to a small food processor or a blender along with 3 tablespoons of water.  Blend until a smooth paste is achieved.  Remove from blender and set aside.

 2.  To make the spice powder, mix together in a clean coffee grinder, the dried red chilies, cumin, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and salt.  Grind to a fine powder.  Put the spice powder into a blender and add the coconut along with the water.  Blend to a smooth paste.  Set aside.

 3.  Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, over medium heat.  When hot, add sliced red onion.  Stir and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden.  Add the garlic and ginger paste.  Stir once then add the turmeric and salt.  Stir around a couple more times and add the chicken pieces.  Stir and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is lightly browned.  Add the tomatoes to the chicken, stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the spice paste and cook for 3 more minutes.  Lastly, add 2 1/2 cups of water, stir together and allow to come to a simmer.  Turn the heat down and continue to simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick and the chicken starts to pull away from the bone.

4.  While the chicken is simmering, in a small skillet, using the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, saute the sliced shallots slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently until nicely browned.  Spread on paper towels and set aside.  When the chicken is done and your ready to serve, sprinkle the fried shallots over the chicken and Enjoy!  

Spinach and Feta Galette

 A galette is a rustic tart, made with a flaky free form crust.  This galette is filled with feta, ricotta, spinach and a little parmesan cheese.  The crust is rich with butter, giving it a crunchy crispness.  This is one of my all time favorite pies, reminiscent of the Greek pastry, Spanakopita.  

 Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch bits

6-7 tablespoons of ice water

5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

5 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 bunch scallions, whites and greens, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 oz. spinach, steamed, drained and run under cold water.  Squeeze dry, and chop well.

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the crust..

1.  Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.  Add butter and cut into flour until you have a course crumb with pea sized butter bits.  Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and mix together with a fork adding more water one tablespoon at a time until dough starts to come together.  Form into a ball and flatten slightly.  Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface into a 14 inch circle.  Place on a large parchment lined sheet pan and place in the refrigerator.

2.  To make the filling, in a small skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and sliced green onion and saute until soft 4-5 minutes..  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3.  Combine in a medium bowl, the ricotta, crumbled feta and grated parmesan cheese.  Add the chopped spinach, sauteed green onions and sour cream.  Season with black pepper and salt to taste.  Mix well.

4.  Preheat the oven to 375°F  Remove the pastry from the refrigerator.  Spread the cheese filling over the crust, leaving a 2 1/2 inch boarder around the edge uncovered.  Fold the uncovered edge over the filling, pleating to make it fit.  There will be an open hole in the center revealing the filling. 

Bake the galette on the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes then slide the galette off the pan onto a serving plate.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

 

Pizza Rustica

Not your typical pizza, Pizza Rustica is a hearty Italian two crusted pizza. Not  the same as my grandmothers Easter pie made exclusively with eggs cheese and meat.  This pizza is more reminiscent of traditional pizza but with a double crust and using ricotta and eggs.  I particularly like this pie served at room temperature or slightly warmer, about an hour out of the oven.  This recipe requires a little more time in the kitchen, but the results are well worth it!

Ingredients

1 10" pie plate serves 6-8 generously

475° oven

For the crust...

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch bits

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3-4 Tablespoons dry Marsala, chilled or use cold water, the Marsala is really nice in the crust for this pie.

For the filling...

5 eggs, beaten well in a small bowl

1 pound good quality full fat Ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoon chopped parsley, devided

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

28 oz. can good quality Italian plum tomatoes, pureed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 

1 large green bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks

1 pound Italian sausage, skins removed, broken up and sauteed until browned

1/2 pound sharp provolone cheese, grated

1.  To prepare the crust, in a medium bowl add flour, salt and butter bits.  With a pastry cutter or a fork cut butter into flour until course crumbs are achieved.

  

Add lemon juice and Marsala or cold water to flour mixture and blend until it comes together, form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill about 1/2 hour.

2.  Prepare the tomato sauce, in a medium heavy bottomed sauce pan, on medium high heat, add olive oil.  Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent but not browned.  Lower heat to medium and add parsley, giving it a turn with your spoon then add pureed tomatoes, a pinch of salt and fresh pepper.  Stir to combine and let simmer well for about 30 minutes until reduced and thickened.  Add chopped oregano and let cool slightly off the stove.

3.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the Ricotta, beaten eggs, parmesan cheese, remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk together until well combined.

4.  Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half.  Roll 1/2 the dough out on a lightly floured work table.  Lay dough into pie plate, roll out second half of dough and set aside.

5.  Gather your ingredients and prepare to assemble your pie.

 

Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture in the prepared pie shell, arrange over it 1/2 of the grated provolone cheese, cover with 1/2 the tomato sauce then 1/2 the browned sausage meat and 1/2 the green peppers on top of that.  Repeat all the layers and cover with the top crust.  Pinch the edges securely together and with a sharp knife, cut 3 slits across the top to vent.  Bake in a 425° oven for about 40 minutes or until it is well browned and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 1/2 an hour or longer.

Enjoy!

 

For more yummy recipes click the link below.

Lavender and Lovage

 

  

Tomato and Eggplant Galette

Tomatoes and Eggplant, two late summer vegetables fresh from the garden, on top of  melty, stringy, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, all wrapped up in a light and flaky crust.  Simple and delicious!

Ingredients

For the crust...

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

4-6 tablespoons ice water

For the filling... 

Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/8-inch rounds

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch rounds

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon slivered fresh basil leaves

salt and black pepper

1 beaten egg

Preheat oven to 375° F  Serves 4-6

1.  For the crust, mix together in a large bowl, the flour and salt.  Add the cold butter and cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, until flour resembles course crumbs.  Drizzle 4 tablespoons of cold water over the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture starts to form a ball.  If the dough looks to dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together in a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  

   

2.  On a floured table, roll out the dough into a 14 inch circle.  Transfer the dough on to a piece of parchment paper and place on a baking sheet.

 

3.  Drizzle the dough with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle the mozzarella and the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese on top, leaving about a 2 inch boarder.

4.  Overlap the tomatoes and eggplant rounds in a fan on top of the cheese.  Scatter the basil over the top of the veggies.  Add a little salt and fresh ground pepper, then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top.  Fold the edge of the dough up over the filling.  Brush the surface of the crust with the beaten egg.  Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of parmesan over the entire Galette.

5.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown and the veggies are tender.  Serve warm, or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

 

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