For Christmas eve we always try to take things a little easy in my family. Simple dinner, simple fun. Hopefully no tantrums (from the adults, not the kids) and just sitting around enjoying each others presence. Dinner is also a more simple affair, in preparation for the feast that will ensue the next day.

French onion soup is one of those deceptive dishes. It sounds so simple and light – just onions and broth, right? Ohhhh nooo it has to be smothered in bread and cheese and toasted to bubbly, ooey-gooey awesome richness. Served with a nice salad and crusty bread, this is the perfect meal to get you ready for a Christmas day feast.

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French Onion Soup

Based on the recipe from the late, great Gourmet.

Makes 4 dinner-sized servings.

Ingredients 

• 2lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2  bay leaves
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter
• 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• 32 oz. (4 cups) reduced-sodium beef stock
• 1½ cups water
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Six ½-inch-thick diagonal slices of baguette
• 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• 2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan

Directions

1.) Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

2.) While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

3.) Remove bread from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan. Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a piece of bread in each

4.) Combine gruyere and parmesan in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over prepared crocks. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: salty, soup, vegetables

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The first time I heard of vichyssoise was in 1992. I was 7 years old and watching “Batman Returns” (which I saw in theatres, which I now realize was probably totally inappropriate for my age). Bruce Wayne is sitting in the Batcave poring over information regarding The Penguin when Alfred brings him some supper. Upon eating a spoonful of soup he chokes, “Alfred, it’s cold!” Alfred gives him a dead stare. “It’s a vichyssoise, sir. It’s supposed to be cold.”

At the time I thought Alfred had said fishyssoise and the soup was a cold fish soup (blech!). It wasn’t until many years later I learned it was just cold potato-leek soup pureed into perfect smoothness. And now that knowledge has come in handy.

I’m getting the rest of my very impacted wisdom teeth removed tomorrow morning and this time it’s on both sides of my mouth and thus a liquid diet is on the horizon for a couple of days. My fridge is stocked with yogurt and the freezer has a pint of Häagen-Dazs, but I wanted one more thing to be able to gum down during my convalescence, so another pureed soup seemed smart. This recipe comes together very easily, has a lot of unattended cooking time, and if you use an immersion blender, is a one-pot-wonder. It’s unbelievably delicious and if you have some equally delicious bread to dip into it while you still can chew, I highly recommend it.

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Vichyssoise

Based on the recipe by Alton Brown.

Makes about 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 pound leeks, dark green section and roots removed
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 14 ounces small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup nonfat half-and-half
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley or chives

Directions

1.) Fill a very large bowl with cold water. Chop the leeks into small pieces, toss into the bowl, and swish around so the sand loosens and sinks to the bottom. Scoop the leeks out with a mesh strainer (don’t just strain them into the collander – the sand will just come with them).

2.) In a 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.) Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

4.) Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the milk, buttermilk, white pepper, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Chill overnight and serve sprinkled with more parsley and plenty of vicodin.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: soup, spring, vegetables

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This should really be called “Pantry Chili with Peanut Butter” since that’s where it all started. Since payday fell on a Monday this past week and I had already exhausted my food budget, I had to be clever when it came to cooking over the weekend. I opened up my pantry and stood there, for a solid 10 minutes, trying to figure out what I could make. And then it all just came together: lots of half-opened bags of dried beans, canned tomatoes, broth, onion and garlic under the sink, and a jar of peanut butter on my counter (maybe open… with a spoon sticking out of it…).

I’ve heard of people using peanut butter in their chili before to give it a special aromatic, underlying flavor and I was always intrigued since peanut butter is my personal drug of choice. So I found a peanut butter chili recipe and converted it to be slow-cooker friendly and changed things up to use dried beans and work around the types of tomatoes and other ingredients I had on hand. I specifically added the peanut butter at the very end so the flavor would really pop and man does it ever. It’s reminiscent of African peanut stew almost. This is a really hearty chili, perfect for a Superbowl party since it fills you up but is also vegetarian-friendly (and vegan friendly if you don’t use the dairy and consider PB vegan) so you can feed the whole crowd with no worries.

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Peanut Butter Chili

Serves 6.

Based on the recipe from Serious Eats.

If you need a little refresher on how to prepare dried beans, check it out. Also, if you have a few extra minutes, feel free to sauté the onions and garlic with the tomato paste in a skillet first. It’ll add a little extra oomph in flavor but it’s not absolutely necessary.

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, squished
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• a few dashes of cinnamon
• One 12-ounce can tomato paste (or one 4.5 oz. tube double concentrate tomato paste)
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 lb. dried beans, rinsed, soaked overnight
• ½ cup chunky peanut butter
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Chopped scallions

Directions

1.) In the crock of a very large slow cooker (at least 7 qt), combine onion, garlic, tomatoes, black pepper, salt, chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, tomato paste, vegetable stock, water, and beans. Give everything a good stir then cook on low 8-10 hours (or on high 6-8 hours) or until beans are tender.

2.) Once ready, stir in the peanut butter and taste for seasoning. Garnish with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2011. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beans, peanut butter, soup, vegetables, vegetarian

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As my friend H and I were sipping cocktails and noshing on fried goods during New Year’s Eve I brought up the subject of resolutions and how I didn’t have any. The classic “eat healthier” idea came up but we both agreed it’s hard to control that when you work in a test kitchen. I mentioned the idea of eating raw or doing a ‘detox day’ once a week and that’s where the motivation to cook this dish came from. It’s a detox dinner – packed full of vegetables, nutrients, lean protein, sits easy on the stomach and comes together quickly.

Kale and dark greens are always at the top of health food lists since they’re packed full of vitamins and nutrients and get an extra bonus for being dirt cheap so they’re also great for eating on a budget. This whole dish has a very light, yet earthy feel to it. The bacon gives it this wonderful reminiscent aroma of pork and greens but saves you the calories and heavy food guilt. Now let’s just hope I can keep this up the rest of the year…

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Kale and Chickpea Stew

Inspired by the recipe in Cooking Light.

Serves 4.

Be sure to wash your kale super well – it’s a vegetable that carries a lot of sand in it (like leeks). When you fry the bacon, cut each slice in half (so they all fit easily into the pan).

Ingredients

• 2 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves,  minced
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 6 cups chopped fresh kale
• Greek yogurt

Directions

1.) Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crisp and all fat is rendered. Remove bacon with tongs or a slotted spoon and set on paper towels. Let cool off and harden completely. Chop up and set aside.

2.) While the bacon drippings are still hot, toss in the carrot and onion. Sauté a few minutes until the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add the paprika, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Sauté another 30 seconds and then pour in the chicken broth and water.

3.) Bring to a low boil and add the chickpeas. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, then add the kale. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve stew in large bowls with a big dollop of Greek yogurt and reserved bacon. Sop up all the delicious juices with toasted bread.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: bacon, soup, stew, vegetables, winter

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I’m tempted to create a tag which reads “Slow Cooker Sunday” since that’s all I seem to be doing lately, but it’s just so perfect for my life (and food cravings) right now, y’all just have to roll with me for awhile.

I know this is far from what a real cassoulet is (mmm pork fat) but let’s just call this a lightened, long-cooked homage to the French classic. You still get the meaty, rich white beans and aromatics with vegetables, but just a whole lot less pork and fat. I’m just on a mad hunt for any slow cooker stews that are figure-friendly but also very filling, and let me tell you, it’s harder than it seems, so this recipe was a delightful surprise.

Be sure to leave your vegetables very chunky and thickly cut for this recipe. If you slice them too thin or small they’ll disintegrate over the long cooking period (same with the sausage, which I just add at the end). If you’re vegetarian, feel free to use meatless Italian sausage or just add more beans to make this a little heartier.

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Slow Cooker Cassoulet

Makes 6 hearty servings.

Based on the recipe from Allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups dried Great Northern beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1½ cups roughly chopped onion
• 3 large carrots peeled & roughly chopped
• 3 large parsnips peeled & roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 3 links cooked Italian chicken sausage cut into thick pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.) Place the beans in a colander and rinse very well. Pick out any broken beans or skins you find and place beans in the slow cooker crock. Cover with water and be sure there is at least 2 inches covering the beans. Soak overnight. Once ready, drain the beans and rinse again. Place beans back in the crock pot

2.) Heat olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet and saute onion, carrots, parsnip, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes. Add contents of pan to slow cooker along with vegetable stock, and tomatoes. If the liquid still isn’t covering the top add enough water until everything is submerged. Cook on low 8-10 hours (high 6-8 hours) or until beans are tender. Add sausage and heat through.

3.) While the sausage is heating through, melt the butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and stir until lightly browned and fragrant. Toss in parsley with breadcrumb mixture.

4.) Season the cassoulet once more before serving. Once ready to serve, ladle cassoulet into bowls and sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top. Serve with lots of good crusty bread and white wine.

© Jessica J. for jonesing for..., 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: autumn, beans, crock pot, healthy rethink, soup, vegetables, winter

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