Visit RedlandsDailyFacts.com, entertainment tab, click Local Food- to read this week's food column.
This week's food column: No Fuss New Year's Night Recipes and Techniques.
You may also read prior food columns, from weeks before, at the Redlands Daily Facts site.
Happy New Year!
Chef Lee
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Simple but flavorful soup with seasonal ingredients!
Pears Au Jous and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds pears (or sub with green apples of any variety)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups good apple cider or juice
Directions
Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Peel and cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the pears/apples. Cut into chunks.
Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds pears (or sub with green apples of any variety)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups good apple cider or juice
Directions
Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Peel and cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the pears/apples. Cut into chunks.
Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.
Easy Winter Recipe with my favorite ingredient: Sweet Potatoes !
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
A gift from the early colonists from Native American cooks was the boiled down sap of the rock maple or sugar maple. Though maple syrup is produced widely in the eastern U.S., as well as the Midwest, we primarily associate maple syrup with New England. This recipe could not be easier or more delightful to prepare, using my favorite ingredient- sweet potatoes.
5lbs dark orange fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 yellow onion, diced
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup, good quality
2/3-3/4 cup milk, warmed
½ cup pecans, toasted, rough chop
kosher or sea salt to taste
Preheat oven 350F. Pierce each potato several times with fork and place in a baking pan. Bake potatoes until tender when squeezed or pierced, approximately 1 ½ hours. Set potatoes aside until cook enough to handle.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in with 2 tbsp olive oil. Sautee until onion is translucent, don’t brown or overcook. Combine the butter and maple syrup. Stir to melt the butter and bring to a boil. Set aside and keep warm.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl, discard skins. Use a potato masher, ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes. Stir the butter mixture into the potatoes. Add the milk and blend well. Season to taste with salt. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Alternatively, make ahead one day in advance by covering and refrigerating after cooking. Bring to room temperature 2 hours before serving and reheat on stovetop.
A gift from the early colonists from Native American cooks was the boiled down sap of the rock maple or sugar maple. Though maple syrup is produced widely in the eastern U.S., as well as the Midwest, we primarily associate maple syrup with New England. This recipe could not be easier or more delightful to prepare, using my favorite ingredient- sweet potatoes.
5lbs dark orange fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 yellow onion, diced
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup, good quality
2/3-3/4 cup milk, warmed
½ cup pecans, toasted, rough chop
kosher or sea salt to taste
Preheat oven 350F. Pierce each potato several times with fork and place in a baking pan. Bake potatoes until tender when squeezed or pierced, approximately 1 ½ hours. Set potatoes aside until cook enough to handle.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in with 2 tbsp olive oil. Sautee until onion is translucent, don’t brown or overcook. Combine the butter and maple syrup. Stir to melt the butter and bring to a boil. Set aside and keep warm.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl, discard skins. Use a potato masher, ricer or food mill to mash the potatoes. Stir the butter mixture into the potatoes. Add the milk and blend well. Season to taste with salt. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Alternatively, make ahead one day in advance by covering and refrigerating after cooking. Bring to room temperature 2 hours before serving and reheat on stovetop.
Three Brother's Farm Creme Brulee
This is a tried and true winning recipe. Be sure to purchase your eggs from a local farmer's market, you can find Redlands Three Brother's Eggs at either Saturday morning farmer's market.
Three Brother's Farm Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
8 large eggs
½ cup sugar
extra sugar for caramelized topping
Preheat oven to 275F.
Begin by heating heavy cream on stovetop until simmering, hot but not boiling. Watch cream closely to avoid scorching the milk. Separate the eggs from yolks in two separate bowls. Add the sugar to egg yolks and whisk until smooth. The kitchen-aid stand up mixture, with a whisk attachment, works well for this step.
Pour about 1/3 of hot cream into bowl with yolks, whisk very gently. Be sure to add hot cream slowly to yolks, this is temper the yolks so they don’t over cook. Slowly pour the remaining cream and whisk the mixture gently again while being careful not to create many air bubbles. Strain the mixture. Add vanilla extract. Pour into individual ramekins, place ramekins in water bath. Use a casserole dish or roasting pan to create water bath. Pour boiling water in roasting pan to reach about halfway on the sides of each ramekin.
Place ramekins in water bath in preheated oven, bake for approximately ½ hour. When crème brulee is done, each should jiggle a bit like jello. Allow to cool for several hours, store uncovered in refrigerator after cooled.
As the final step, just before serving, spread an even layer of sugar over the top of each crème brulee. Use torch to brown sugar.
Three Brother's Farm Creme Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
8 large eggs
½ cup sugar
extra sugar for caramelized topping
Preheat oven to 275F.
Begin by heating heavy cream on stovetop until simmering, hot but not boiling. Watch cream closely to avoid scorching the milk. Separate the eggs from yolks in two separate bowls. Add the sugar to egg yolks and whisk until smooth. The kitchen-aid stand up mixture, with a whisk attachment, works well for this step.
Pour about 1/3 of hot cream into bowl with yolks, whisk very gently. Be sure to add hot cream slowly to yolks, this is temper the yolks so they don’t over cook. Slowly pour the remaining cream and whisk the mixture gently again while being careful not to create many air bubbles. Strain the mixture. Add vanilla extract. Pour into individual ramekins, place ramekins in water bath. Use a casserole dish or roasting pan to create water bath. Pour boiling water in roasting pan to reach about halfway on the sides of each ramekin.
Place ramekins in water bath in preheated oven, bake for approximately ½ hour. When crème brulee is done, each should jiggle a bit like jello. Allow to cool for several hours, store uncovered in refrigerator after cooled.
As the final step, just before serving, spread an even layer of sugar over the top of each crème brulee. Use torch to brown sugar.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Addition to prior post RE local farming list
Most importantly:
For tomorrow's cooking class, I purchased today:
Locally-soured, cage-free chicken eggs: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Butternut Squash: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Pomegranate: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Love and support YOUR local farmer !!
Chef Lee
For tomorrow's cooking class, I purchased today:
Locally-soured, cage-free chicken eggs: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Butternut Squash: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Pomegranate: Three Brother's Farm, Redlands
Love and support YOUR local farmer !!
Chef Lee
New Local Source for Free Range Chicken !
For the best, locally-sourced free-range chicken:
http://www.newfrontierfamilyfarm.com/About_Us.html
Love it !!!
http://www.newfrontierfamilyfarm.com/About_Us.html
Love it !!!
Love Our Local Farmers.... again and again !
Just returned from picking up a special order of produce and other fresh foods from our wonderful, local farmers.
Mostly, for tomorrow evening's cooking class... but also for myself... after I surveyed the beautiful goods.
Today's pickup of locally grown ingredients:
Blushing Gold Apples: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Garnet Sweet Potatoes: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Maui Sweet Onions: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Butternut Squash: Three Sister's Farm, Redlands
Scallions: Three Sisters Farm, Redlands
Purple Onions: Three Sister's Farm: Redlands
Purple Potatoes: Jacinto Farms, Mentone
Japanese Eggplant, Jacinto Farms, Mentone
White Sweet Potatoes, Jacinto Farms, Mentone
Cage-Free Chicken: New Frontier Family Farm, Chino
Variety of Flavorful Preserves: Sunnyside Local Farm, Redlands
Winter Squash: Sunnyside Local Farm, Redlands
We are so fortunate to have the wonderful foods provided by our local farming community! Learn to love our locally grown foods... and farmers !
Chef Lee
Mostly, for tomorrow evening's cooking class... but also for myself... after I surveyed the beautiful goods.
Today's pickup of locally grown ingredients:
Blushing Gold Apples: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Garnet Sweet Potatoes: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Maui Sweet Onions: T & D/Powell's Farm, Redlands
Butternut Squash: Three Sister's Farm, Redlands
Scallions: Three Sisters Farm, Redlands
Purple Onions: Three Sister's Farm: Redlands
Purple Potatoes: Jacinto Farms, Mentone
Japanese Eggplant, Jacinto Farms, Mentone
White Sweet Potatoes, Jacinto Farms, Mentone
Cage-Free Chicken: New Frontier Family Farm, Chino
Variety of Flavorful Preserves: Sunnyside Local Farm, Redlands
Winter Squash: Sunnyside Local Farm, Redlands
We are so fortunate to have the wonderful foods provided by our local farming community! Learn to love our locally grown foods... and farmers !
Chef Lee
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