FABIO'S CREAMLESS CREAMY SQUASH SOUP

This recipe is from Willinger's cookbook Red, White & Greens. She was inspired by chef Fabio Picchi of the Florentine restaurant Cibréo, where creamy-yet-creamless soup is his signature first course. Picchi likes to use meat stock as the base for the soup, but Willinger thinks the flavor is nearly as rich using only water.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

 

1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fine-quality extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Tuscan) plus additional for drizzling
1 lb winter squash such as butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 whole fresh peperoncino (small hot Italian green pepper) or 3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
3 1/2 cups boiling water plus additional for thinning
1 crisp amaretto (Italian almond macaroon), finely crushed (2 tablespoons)

 

Cook celery, carrot, and onion in 2 tablespoons oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add squash, potatoes, peperoncino, and sea salt. Stir in 3 1/2 cups boiling water and simmer, covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove and discard peperoncino (if using pepper flakes, leave in soup). Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), adding more water to thin to desired consistency.

Serve soup drizzled with additional oil and sprinkled with amaretto crumbs.

Makes about 6 cups.
Gourmet
January 2001
from Red, White & Greens by Faith Willinger

smithdeson.recipe@blogger.com

If you have leftover chili, serve it over turkey franks (or the chicken ones) the next day.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained

Chopped red onion
Chopped fresh cilantro
Plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Pass red onion, cilantro and yogurt separately.

Serves 8.
Bon Appétit
February 1997

TRIPLE-LAYER CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.

Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

Serves 10.
Bon Appétit
October 1994
Becky Guyton: West Carrollton, Ohio

MEATBALLS WITH PARSLEY AND PARMESAN

Try these flavorful meatballs on their own, in a tomato sauce or in a submarine sandwich.

4 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh French breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef

Additional olive oil (for frying)

Stir eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-low heat. Working in batches, add meatballs and fry until brown and cooked through, turning frequently and adding more oil as needed, about 15 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate.

Makes about 44.
Bon Appétit
June 1996
Gayle Gardner: Albuquerque, New Mexico

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI ALFREDO

4 to 5 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 large bunch)

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 2/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 pound penne or mostaccioli, freshly cooked

Steam broccoli florets until just tender, about 3 minutes; set aside.

Preheat broiler. Butter 13x9x2-inch broilerproof baking dish. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, sauté chicken strips until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken strips to bowl. Add sliced red bell pepper to Dutch oven and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and all of Monterey Jack cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add chicken strips and any juices in bowl to sauce. Add freshly cooked pasta and steamed broccoli florets and toss until sauce coats mixture, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over. Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes, and serve.

Serves 4.
Bon Appétit
February 1995
Celeste Kuch: Devon, Pennsylvania

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH GOAT CHEESE AND HERBES DE PROVENCE

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups canned chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 teaspoons herbes de Provence*
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 10 1/2- to 11-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Mix first 7 ingredients in large pot. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Add half of cheese; whisk until smooth. Chill remaining cheese. Add potatoes to pot; bring to simmer.

Transfer potato mixture to prepared dish, spreading evenly. Cover with foil; bake 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are very tender and liquid bubbles thickly, about 50 minutes.

Dot potatoes with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese softens, about 5 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.
Bon Appétit
December 1996

Chicken Recipe

By: Mikael Rieck


These days you can go for more than a couple of days without reading an article, watching a television show or see a commercial related to the huge global problem of overweight. It is a fact that more and more people are becoming obese and the main causes are poor exercise habits and the wrong diet.

One of the problems with people?s diets is that it contains a lot of fat (and of the unhealthy kind). If people would try to focus a little more on some low fat foods like chicken the problem would at least be reduced somewhat.

For that reason I?ll give you a few of my favorite recipes to try at home and if you like it then you are free to pass them on to friends and family that might need to loose a few pounds. An idea could be to invite them all over for dinner and if they like what you have cooked for them they might ask for the recipe them selves.

I would like to give you the recipe for a Low-Fat Chicken Rice Casserole that I find really tasteful and it is easy to do.

First you heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large saucepan you blend flour, salt and pepper. Then you stir in broth and milk. You need to keep stirring constantly while cooking over low heat, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.

Then you bring it to boil and you stir for another 1 minute. Finally you stir in the remaining ingredients.

When finished you pour it into an NON-greased baking dish (10x6x1.5"), or a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Both will work perfectly.

Then you bake it all uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes. Before serving it you can sprinkle with snipped parsley.

The ingredients you need: 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/8 tsp Pepper, 1 Cup Nonfat chicken broth, 1 1/2 Cups Skim milk, 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Rice (White or Wild), 2 Cups Chicken breasts without skin (cooked), 4 Ounces Mushrooms and 1/3 Cup Chopped green bell pepper.

This recipe is with a serving size of 4 so if you are inviting more the 3 guests over for chicken, you will need to multiply the ingredients needed so there will be enough for everyone.

3 Easy to Cook Chicken Recipes for a Lovely Treat

By: Tommy Lee


We all love spicy chicken; except if you are allergic or you just can't love spicy food. Being a chicken lover myself, I have collected 3 hot n' spicy recipes for you to try out in your chicken today or anytime you would like to treat yourself for a deelicious meal; they make good family specials as well! Although they have similar names, they are very different. Perhaps their origins differ.

Hot N' Spicy Chicken Recipe #1. Spicy Chicken Wings


- 1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. oregano
- 4 tbsp. parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 stick margarine
- 4-5 lbs. chicken wings

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.

#2. Hot Chicken Wings


-Chicken wings
-1/2 stick margarine
-1 bottle Durkee hot sauce
-2 tbsp. honey
-10 shakes Tabasco
-2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Deep fry wings for 20 minutes. Drain and dip and let set in sauce. Take out to dry and then serve.

#3. Hot-N-Spicy Chicken Wings


-5 lbs. bag chicken wings (drumettes)
-12 fl. oz. Louisiana Pre Crystal Hot Sauce
-1-2 sticks butter

Fry chicken wings until golden brown and drain on paper towel. Mix hot sauce and melted butter and pour into deep pan or crock pot. Add chicken wings to sauce and heat thoroughly.

Tommy Lee is the current owner of a Chicken recipe website. Visit his website for more deeelicious chicken recipes !

Digging Up Earthnuts (Conopodium Majus)

 

The custom of grubbing for Earthnuts, or Pignuts is as ancient as mankind itself. Although these tasty tubers are beloved of pigs (hence the name) they are a most unusual and rewarding woodland snack and there was a time when they were a popular nibble for country children on their way to and from school.

The fern like leaves appear along with the Lesser Celandine in the spring. During May and July they develop umbellifer heads with white flowers not unlike Cow Parsley. According to Gerard and others the Dutch once ate them 'boiled and buttered, as we do parseneps and carrots'. Unearthing a pignut is a delicate operation. The root disconnects from the tuber very easily, which can be several inches from where the stem appears above ground.

Follow the stem under the earth using careful scraping with a twig, fingernail or knife. Eventually you will reach the pignut which is covered with a chestnut coloured skin. If you can wash the nut at this stage it avoids getting muddy fingernails while peeling. As soon as I found the one shown in the picture, an earthworm appeared and dived into the hole it left!

Scrape off the papery outer coating to reveal the Earthnut. The older name for Earthnuts is 'Earth Chestnuts' and this gives you a clue to their taste - a chestnut texture but with a more earthy taste. There's nothing like carefully digging one of these up during a walk in the woods. Do it with your fingernails. As the earthy taste hits the senses you are drawn more completely into contact with the nature around you. A true 'pomme de terre'.

Gerard's Herbal mentions that 'There is a Plaister made of the seeds hereof, whereof to write in this place were impertinent to our historie'....Probably witches again! Earthnuts get a mention in Shakespeare's 'Tempest', from Caliban as he promises:

"I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And with my long nails I will dig thee pignuts".

With thanks to R. Maybee, R. Phillips and M. Woodward's version of Gerard's Herbal.

Spanish Food - The Tasty Tortilla

 

It certainly is a poor man or woman who cannot find a few eggs, a couple of potatoes and an onion in their store cupboard!

The ever-practical Spaniard realized this and thus created their marvellous "tortilla" - an easy-to-make dish that could be savoured by rich and poor alike.

Not only cheap to make the tortilla, or Spanish omelette, is immenseley adaptable: you can eat it hot or cold, depending on the weather and your mood; you can enjoy a small slice as a "tapa" (snack) in between meals; or, accompanied by a multi-coloured mixed salad and crusty, fresh Spanish bread, you have a marvellous main meal! Should unexpected guests come knocking at your door ... just whip out the ever-adaptable toritilla, pour them a glass of smooth, Spanish wine and they are bound to be delighted!

Unlike the better-known French omelette which should be made quickly and over a high heat, the Spanish omelette needs to be cooked more gently, so that the middle is not too runny. The French omelette is best eaten straight away and always hot. Its Spanish counterpart, on the other hand, improves if left to rest for at least five minutes before eating, keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge, and can easily be re-heated in the microwave, unless you prefer it cold.

As with the French omelette, the Spanish tortilla is made in a frying pan (preferably non-stick) but, unlike the French version, both sides need to be cooked. For this reason, it is possible to buy special tortilla frying pans - a sort of double pan which allows you to just swish it over and cook the other side!

I have to say, I prefer the traditional method of placing a plate on top of the pan, turning the tortilla out and then returning to the pan to cook the underside. But, perhaps the simplest method is to just place the frying pan under the grill to brown the tortilla.

Whichever way you choose to prepare it, once cooked, leave it to cool a little, cover with a large plate, then gently ease the omelette out. It should be circular, about an inch-and-a-half thick, and it is usual to cut it in slices or wedges. Having said that, you can divide it into small cubes, pop a cocktail stick on top, and serve along with other "bits and pieces" as apéritifs.

Spanish recipes for tortilla vary slightly from region to region - also what you have in the fridge and what you fancy! You can replace the potato with, say, spinach, leave out the onion, add a bit more garlic, etc, etc. Just use your imagination!

Below is a recipe for a traditional potato-and-onion tortilla.

TORTILLA - Spanish Omelette

Ingrediants:

Olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed with 1 teaspoon salt 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced Black pepper 6 eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. 2. Add onion, garlic, pepper and potatoes. 3. Gently fry until golden-brown and potatoes slightly softened. 4. Tip potato-and-onion mixture into bowl containing the beaten eggs. 5. Stir and transfer to a large frying pan containing clean oil. 6. Cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. 7. Transfer pan to a preheated hot grill until top is browned. 8. Alternatively, turn upside down onto a plate and return to pan to brown underside. 9. Carefully tip onto plate and slice as you would a cake.

Linda Plummer

Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup.

 

Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful, ice-cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully colorful, packed with goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and ... most important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia - that large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing tang - just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small bowls of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber, onion ... even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays, you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do with tomatoes - white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde De Un Ataque De Nervios", various characters help themselves to the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes - 1 onion - ½ red pepper - ½ green pepper - ½ cucumber - 3 cloves garlic - 50 g bread - 3 dessertspoons vinegar - 8 dessertspoons olive oil - Water - Salt/pepper - ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs - ½ finely chopped onion - ½ finely chopped red pepper - ½ finely chopped green pepper - ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

by Gazpacho

The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King

 

Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. The garden is about done. The freezer is full of veggies. All the canning is done, and winter is coming. Just before winter hits, the price of beef drops as cattlemen sell off any remaining stock that they don't want to "winter over". It is the perfect time to stock the freezer with homemade chili.

There is nothing better than to come home at the end of a cold winter day, chilled to the bone, and sit down to a bowl of piping hot chili and steaming black coffee. It is more than food for the body. It is truly a comfort worth remembering.

By itself, chili is absolutely delicious. As a side dish to grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, or toasted BLTs, it is out of this world. But there is a fabulous meal I call "perfect chili fit for a king" that is even better. It is a masterpiece of cookery.

There are two great secrets to making "perfect chili fit for a king". One is in the making, and the other is in the serving. The first secret involves understanding the word "perfect". More people disagree on what makes good chili than any other dish. Some think that hotter is better. Others say milder. Some like it soupy. Others like it thick. And that is the secret to this recipe. When you finish making it, you will have 3-4 gallons of chili that is perfect FOR YOU...not for me. Yes, I said 3-4 gallons. When frozen in quart containers, you will have 12-16 wonderful meals that can be served in a matter of minutes. Just remove it from the container, add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (depending on how you like it), turn on the burner, put on the coffee, and start the grilled cheese and garlic sandwiches. Your family will be eating in about 20 minutes.

To begin with, you will need at least a 16 quart pot. I use the same 20 quart pot normally used for canning just to be sure I have a pot that's big enough. And you will need the following ingredients.

5 lbs. of ground chuck

5 Family size (40 1/2 oz.) cans of dark red kidney beans (drained)

1 Institutional size can (6 lb. 9 oz.) of whole peeled tomatoes

3 large bell peppers (washed, cored, and seeded) mixed colors preferred

3 medium to large oninions (about the size of an orange...peeled and washed)

2 to 4 TBS (tablespoons) Ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) to 1 TBS of crushed red pepper

1 to 2 TBS of salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chili powder

grated sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

chopped chives (fresh or dried)

Open the tomatoes and carefully pour the entire contents into the cooking pot. Making sure you keep your hand submerged below the liquid line, find the whole tomatoes one by one. Poke a hole in them with your thumb, then squeeze the tomato until the pieces squish out between your fingers. WARNING. If you do not poke a hole in the tomato before you squish it, I promise you that both you and your kitchen will be wearing tomato juice. The same is true if you squish them with your hands above the liquid. Continue squishing the pieces of tomato until they are the size you prefer.

Chop all the bell peppers into dime-sized chunks and divide into two equal portions. Put one half into a bowl and the other in the pot with the tomatoes. Do the same with the onions, placing half in the pot and the other half in the same bowl as the bell peppers.

Add the drained kidney beans to the pot.

Add 2 TBS (tablespoons) of Ground black pepper.

Add 1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) of crushed red pepper.

Add 1 TBS of salt.

Add 1/4 cup of chili powder.

Take a strong spoon and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pot on the stove, and set the burner on the LOWEST possible setting that will boil water. At this point, you may feel that the chili is too thick. If you are not sure, the best way to tell is if the chili is too hard to stir. If it is, add water to the pot until it is the consistency you prefer. Stir again. Cover the pot. (Note: if you are adding more than two glasses of water, you may want to substitute tomato juice for part of it.)

From now own, two things are very important. Always keep the chili at the consistency you want by adding water when necessary. So that when the chili is done, the consistency will be perfect for you. It is equally important to stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. When you are cooking this much chili at one time, it is possible to burn it on the bottom while the chili on the top is still cold. Stirring keeps the chili evenly heated from top to bottom.

Take a large frying pan and press enough ground chuck into the pan to cover the bottom with a layer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Salt and pepper the meat and then top with a handful of the chopped onions and peppers from the bowl. Cover and cook with the burner set about one notch higher than the pot is set on. Your goal is to partially cook the gound chuck, onions and peppers. Check the meat about every 5 minutes until it starts to firm. When the meat firms and starts changing colors on the bottom, take a strong spatula (the kind used for flipping hamburgers) and use the edge to start cutting the meat into pie shaped pieces. Flip the pieces to the opposite side, cover, and continue cooking. When the other side starts to firm, using the edge of the spatula, cut the hamburger into the size pieces you prefer (Again, I prefer mine about the size of a dime). Keep flipping the smaller pieces until they have completely turned on the outside and are firm. Remove the pan from the burner, and transfer the meat to the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow all the grease to drain from the spoon before you put the meat in the pot. Pour off the grease in the frying pan, and repeat until you have used all the ground chuck. When you are finished, pour any remaining chopped peppers and onions into the pot. Again, each time you add meat to the pot, adjust the consistency with water if necessary.

Now, everything is in the pot, and it is the perfect consistency. Now, it's time to adjust the spices. If you haven't been doing so, you should begin tasting the chili. If you want a stronger chili flavor, add more chili powder 1 or 2 TBS at a time. To make it more spicy, add black pepper 1 TBS at a time. If you want it to have more bite, add crushed red pepper 1 tsp at a time. If it needs salt, add salt 1/2 TBS at a time. Stir thoroughly each time you alter the flavor, and continue cooking for at least 5-15 minutes before tasting again. ALWAYS sir the pot thoroughly before you taste. Continue altering the flavor until it's perfect for you.

Remember the half of the raw onions and peppers that were added directly to the pot? They will tell you when the chili is done. When the raw onions in the pot start to turn clear, turn the burner off. Do not overcook the peppers and onions as they add a wonderful sweet crisp texture to the chili. If you can stand it, allow the chili to sit covered for about an hour to allow the flavors to mature and mingle. Stir and serve. If you prefer, reheat a portion of the chili in a smaller pot and serve bubbling hot. Allow the remaining chili to stand in the original pot until it cools enough to place in containers and freeze.

There you have it. Perfect chili. Just the way YOU like it.

The second secret that makes perfect chili fit for a king is in the serving. While perfect chili is in a category all by itself, it can be wonderfully enhanced by making it into a meal that rewards all your tastes and senses. Hot, cold, sweet, spicy, sharp, flat ... something for every aspect of your culinary pallet.

With that in mind, let's plan the meal. To begin with dispense with the ordinary salad and add something with more zest and contrast. To accomplish this, there is nothing finer than an ice-cold fruit plate served with bubbling hot chili. For the fruit plate, you will need the following ingredients.

1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks.

1 29 oz. can of peach halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 29 oz. can of pear halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 6 oz. jar of red maraschino cherries

1 6 oz. jar of green maraschino cherries

1 samll jar of spiced crabapple rings

crisp cold lettuce

jalapeno pepper-jack cheese

Put all of the ingredients in the bottom of the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (48 hours would be better).

Just before serving time, remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and drain all the fruit. Divide the pear and peach halves equally on six salad plates covered with a bed of cold crisp lettuce. Fill in around the fruit halves with pineapple chunks and crabapple slices. Spread the cold red and green maraschino cherries equally over all the fruit plates, and line the outer edge of each plate with bite-size nuggets of jalapeno pepper-jack cheese.

Fill the bowls of chili straight from the bubbling pot. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Finish with a light dusting of chives. Serve the fruit plate and chili with hunks of hot buttered garlic bread and sweet iced tea. For dessert, follow up with pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, or hot blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream ... served with steaming cups of strong black coffee. Oh! My!

Perfect chili can be more than just stick-to-your ribs "down home" cooking. It can be a culinary masterpiece that produces such delicious complementing and contrasting flavors and sensations that it is quite literally "Fit for a King".

Bon appetit!

Copyright 2004 by John Foutz All Rights Reserved

Farm To Market Days

 

Summer may begin in June but, for many parts of the country, gardens don't reach their peak until August. Modern grocery stores manage to keep us satisfied with produce year round, but there is nothing like the flavor of farm fresh tomatoes, peaches, or sweet corn. And there is nothing like the experience of buying from local growers who are proud of their wares.

The first farmers' markets started over a century before the Declaration of Independence. Since then, it has become an American tradition to buy fresh produce, flowers, eggs and cheese from markets and roadside stands. In the beginning, farmers would brave muddy roads in their horse-drawn wagons. As time went on, farmers made the weekly trek to town in pick-ups, where they'd pile bushels of fruit and vegetables high on the tailgate of their trucks. Today, many lucky city dwellers visit markets that are open every day.

My favorite though, is our county farmers' market held on the courthouse grounds. It's open only on Saturday mornings, and only June - October. It may sound inconvenient but, for my family, it's a summer ritual. We wake early and arrive disheveled, rarely taking the time to comb through our hair. For breakfast, we buy scones from our favorite bread stand and snatch up the best looking fruit we see. My son is an expert at choosing "chin dripping" peaches, always looking for the most fragrant and the heaviest peach that can sit in the palm of his small hand. My husband lounges on the grass and watches the people go by as I scribble a list of what is available, anticipating the culinary treats that only summer brings. There is nothing like fresh corn on the cob, cold gazpacho with homegrown tomatoes, or homemade fruit sorbet. We always have a batch of sorbet on hand, each week a different flavor. Sometimes we experiment by combining fruit with fresh herbs, but most of the time we simple puree 2 cups of fruit with a little citrus juice and a bit of honey, and then freeze it in an ice cream maker. My boys and their friends think it's a decadent treat.

Summer vacation is about to end, and our weekly ritual will soon give way to soccer games and birthday parties. Lucky for me, the farmers will be back next year with their trucks piled high, just as they've done for generations.

MARKET FRESH FRUIT DIP

This makes a terrific afternoon snack on a warm summer's day. When entertaining, serve in a honeydew melon half and decorate the rim with fresh blueberries and mint sprigs.

Ingredients

1 Pint Strawberries

2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice

3 Tablespoons Honey

4 oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

Assorted Fruit Slices

Directions

1. Wash the strawberries and remove the green tops.

2. Place strawberries in a blender or food processor with lemon juice, honey, cream cheese, and yogurt. Puree until smooth.

3. To make a honeydew melon bowl, cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice a 3 inch diameter circle off the rounded bottom of the rind so your bowl will sit flat.

4. Serve with slices of your favorite summer fruit. Peaches, plums, apples, and melons all work well and make a colorful presentation.

Copyright 2004 Nine Twenty Press

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History of food and cooking

The origin of many modern dishes can be traced back to ancient times, but there are very few surviving texts written before the year 1000 AD that deal with cooking. In many cases where texts exist the recipes and directions they provide are little more than guidelines and assume much knowledge on the part of the cook.

For example the following is a recipe taken from the , a roll of cookery written around 1390 by the master cooks of King .

:Compost.

:Take rote of persel, of pasternak, of rafens, scrape hem and waische hem clene. Take rapes & caboches, ypared and icorue. Take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire; cast alle ?ise ?erinne. Whan ?ey buth boiled cast ?erto peeres, & parboile hem wel. Take alle ?ise thynges vp & lat it kele on a faire cloth. Do ?erto salt; whan it is colde, do hit in a vessel; take vyneger & powdour & safroun & do ?erto, & lat alle ?ise thynges lye ?erin al nyyt, o?er al day. Take wyne greke & hony, clarified togider; take lumbarde mustard & raisons coraunce, al hoole, & grynde powdour of canel, powdour douce & aneys hole, & fenell seed. Take alle ?ise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe, & take ?erof whan ?ou wilt & serue forth.

This recipe, which is written in late , is open to interpretation as it gives no specific quantities and assumes that the reader will know how long certain things need to be cooked, soaked, etc.

You shouldnt let this deter you from reading old texts concerning cookery; indeed there is a certain degree of fun in taking an old recipe and determining how it might have been prepared.