Roasted Celeriac soup with Chestnut puree

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I'm channeling winter, or at least true fall with an opulent creamed soup topped with an even richer roasted chestnut garnish.  I am attempting to duplicate a soup I had some months back in a restaurant, and it has been a good attempt.

This soup teams up rich, earthy celeriac (celery root) with sweet parsnips, chicken stock, cream and thyme.  Atop this swims a puree of chestnut, sherry and truffle oil.  The three primary ingredients are all roasted; this brings out the warm, woodsy scents and flavors we associate with a hearty fall soup.  I have left the chestnut puree slightly rough to add another texture to the whole dish.

THE RECIPE
2 Quart yield

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

3 small bulbs celery root, trimmed and peeled (you may have better luck slicing the peel with a knife rather than a vegetable peeler)
3 large parsnips, peeled

4 oz. pancetta, thick slices or cubed
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs flat leaf Italian parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2t black peppercorns, coarsely ground with mortar and pestle
 
Sea salt and white pepper, to taste
Dash lemon juice
approximately 1 cup heavy cream
2T cold butter, cut into small pieces

Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

Roast celery root for approximately 30 minutes on a sheet pan (the fragrance is incredible!); add parsnips and roast for another 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven, cool and cut into large pieces.  (To save time, roast chestnuts on a lower rack - procedure below.)

While this is in the oven, render fat from the pancetta over low heat in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Saute onion, shallot, celery for 10 minutes; add garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.

MEANWHILE, in another sauce pan, bring stock, thyme, parsley, bay and pepper to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain and add stock to the vegetables.  Add the celeriac, parsnips, salt and pepper and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.  Discard the pancetta; add the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings.

Prepare the chestnut puree.


ROASTED CHESTNUT PUREE
1 pound chestnuts, plus 8-10 extra pieces (in case of spoiled nuts)

2-3 T dry sherry
1-2 T  white truffle oil
milk and vegetable oil to thin the mixture


Place the chestnuts flat side down on a cutting board.  Carefully slice an X into the rounded side with a sharp knife.  Roast the chestnuts on a sheet pan approximately 15 minutes, until the nut meats are softened.  Do not overcook them, as the inner shells will become tough.  As the chestnuts cook, the shells will burst open.

 Remove from the oven and place in a dish towel; press and roll slightly.  The shells will crackle and open further.  When they have cooled just enough to handle, carefully peel the outer and inner shells and place the nut meats in a bowl.

Soak the nuts in the sherry while the soup is cooking.  Chop the chestnuts in a food processor (yes, I finally broke down and succumbed to one), adding a touch more sherry, truffle and olive oils and some milk to thin the consistency.  Keep some small chunks in the puree.


Cool the soup slightly.  Puree in a blender, adding butter a few pieces at a time.  Pour into a large mixing bowl and swirl in cream until a smooth texture is achieved.  Serve warm, topped with the chestnut puree and garnish with nutmeg.

Cajun Gumbo

 

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This dish has long been a favorite but somehow I have not attempted to make it until now.  So, I've studied up on the subject (as they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing) and today I make my attempt.

There is so much rich history to share on the subject of Cajun food; like so many things American, it is a blessed amalgam of many cultures and many generations perfecting it.  I won't go into all of the tradition, but will use and explain a few buzz words along the way as I have gained an education on this subject.  Here's a quick glossary of terms:

GUMBO -- The name of the dish is attributed to American "bastardizing" (go figure) of the Portuguese "quingombo" and the Angolan "Kigombo", both phrases for okra, a staple of the recipe.  There is apparently an ongoing debate among schools of thought whether it is the okra or the file which is the more significant emulsifier of the dish.

Cajun style gumbo incorporates diced tomatoes.  Creole style gumbo uses no tomato, and each uses its own type of spice blend.  Once the roux is prepared there are as many variations as there are Chefs -- there are several standard preparations, however, and I am attempting one with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp and crab meat.  Seafood gumbo uses variations of fish, shrimp, crab, scallops and even crayfish.

ROUX -- from classic French cookery, which has permeated the Southland since pre-colonial times.  Roux is a 50/50 suspension of fat and flour which is combined over high heat and thickens soups, stews and for our purposes today, gumbo.  Unlike traditional roux which employ butter as the fat, gumbo roux uses vegetable oil - virtually without exception.  No matter the Chef or the recipe, roux is the backbone of any gumbo.

THE "HOLY TRINITY" -- is a takeoff on the classic French mirepoix.  Most Cajun cooking starts with a combination of onion, bell pepper (red or green) and celery.  Often this is backed up with garlic as well.

CAJUN SEASONING -- a mix of seven spices and salt.  Vital to Cajun cooking, and a versatile  blend which can serve as a barbecue rub as well as spice and flavor for many a dish.

GUMBO FILE -- the powdered leaves from the Sassafras tree.  This spice imparts an unusual flavor and serves to thicken soups and sauces.  Native Americans in the South are first attributed with its use.

THE RECIPE
8 Quart yield

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour

2 large onions, 1/4 inch dice
3 bell peppers, red or green, 1/4 inch dice
4 stalks celery, 1/4 inch dice

1 head garlic, peeled and grated

2 quarts stock (one can use vegetable, seafood, chicken or a quick stock simmered from the shrimp to be used later).  I used seafood stock from a previous project.



SHRIMP STOCK
2 Quarts water
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, whole
1 small onion, quartered
2 ribs celery, leaves attached, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs flat leaf Italian parsley


Remove heads from shrimp; split and peel shrimp.  Remove the tails and sand veins.  Rinse the meat and pat dry.  Set aside.  Place the heads, shells and tails in a 3 quart stock pot with all other ingredients.  Simmer for one hour and replace any evaporated water.  Strain and reserve stock.

 
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 bay leaves
2T dried thyme leaves or chopped leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh
4-5 large tomatoes, peeled and diced OR 1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

1 pound Andouille sausage, 3/4 inch slices (if uncooked, brown slices in a hot skillet, then saute the okra in the rendered fat)
1 pound chicken thigh fillets, 1 inch cubes

1 pound fresh okra pods, 1/4 inch slices on the bias (if you have cooked andouille, saute the slices in a hot skillet with butter)
3T Cajun seasoning - you CAN buy this at the store, but make your own!

CAJUN SEASONING
6T salt
2T cayenne powder
2T paprika
2T white pepper
2T ground black pepper
2T onion powder
2T garlic powder
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container in your pantry.  Use within 6 months.


1 pound shrimp (if you have not made stock from the heads and shells, peel, remove tails and sand veins - and SAVE THOSE SHELLS in your freezer for future stock) 26 / 30 count are a good size to work with.

3-4 oz. crab meat
1t cayenne powder
1t Worcestershire sauce
1t mustard powder
2T gumbo file

Steamed rice
Minced flat leaf Italian parsley

Heat the vegetable oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high flame.  Whisk the flour in slowly and stir constantly.  Keep stirring.  Keep stirring.  Keep stirring.  You want to achieve a rich, reddish brown color.  Here again are two schools of thought.  Some cook the roux to a "peanut butter" color and scent, some to a darker "chocolate".  Mine was somewhere in between.  This took about 25 minutes.

Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; saute approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the wine, bay, thyme and tomato.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the sausage and chicken, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the okra and Cajun seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp and remaining ingredients and stir for 5 minutes. 

Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference, adding more heat if you wish.  Serve over rice and garnish with minced parsley.

My first attempt, and it was very satisfying -- C'est bon!

The best Chicken Stock you will ever have

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The best stock you will ever have is your own!  You have complete control of all the ingredients, the flavor profile, the salt and the strength.  No mystery or artificial ingredients.

I like stocks with tons of vegetables and herbs which have been simmered for up to 12 hours.  Once I have prepared them I freeze, then defrost, them through a filter to make a pristine, clear product.  It takes a lot of time but it is worth the effort.

Though I have been riding on product I made several months ago, I am fresh out of chicken stock.  It took me four stops and the frustration of seeing two closed produce markets to gather my ingredients today, but as the scent of the simmering stock in its final stages wafts about the house, I have no regrets.

Last year I purchased a 24 quart aluminum stockpot and it is one of my favorite pieces of equipment.  My boss gave me a long-handled spoon which is more oar than utensil, and with these items and a good knife, it's off to the races.

Good stock starts with the best ingredients you can get. 

1. The vegetables: I start with mirepoix (onion, carrot and celery) and add garlic.  Prep for these is simple -- leave the onions unpeeled, and quarter them (cut into 8ths if you are making a smaller batch).  Wash but do not peel the carrots.  If you have bunch carrots with leaves intact, chop those into large pieces and add them.  Use the core, ribs and leaves of the celery.  They add flavor as well.  Cut the carrot and celery on the bias as well as longitudinally to expose as much surface area as possible.  Cut the garlic (unpeeled) laterally once or twice.

As this is an exercise in personal expression, you don't have to stop there.  If you have any vegetable trimmings from any other meals, throw these in. 

2.  The herbs: I like to use fresh thyme, flat leafed Italian parsley, basil, oregano and bay leaves.  Again, feel free to use any others you prefer.

3.  The spices: Salt - a word here.  If you are using iodized salt I IMPLORE you to switch to sea salt, or at least Kosher salt.  You will notice the difference immediately.  Iodized salt tastes like, well, iodine.  I am going to give ranges in the recipe below, but keep two things in mind: the stock will reduce a bit which will intensify the flavors, and while you can always tap a bit more salt into the stock if needed, you can't take it away if you add too much.  Diluting the stock to make it less salty also dilutes the flavor.

Pepper -- whole black peppercorns, or you can crush them coarsely with a mortar and pestle.

4.  The bones: I save all bones from any dish I make.  I also have investors: friends and family save me bones, and therefore I send them stock upon completion.  You've got to give the people what they want!  When it's time for stock, I supplement these with a brick or two of chicken bones from my local Asian market.  This batch used approximately 10 pounds of bones.

5.  The water: Unless you live somewhere with well water or a really great tasting municipal supply, do yourself a favor and use filtered or even distilled water for your stock.

 THE RECIPE

I just finished straining the stock and it has yielded 13 quarts.  I am just about to close the containers and put them into the freezer.

Really, the stock recipe is up to you.  Proportionally, per 2-3 pounds of bones, I would suggest:

2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 large onion
1/2 head garlic

1/2 bunch each of desired herbs, cut into large segments
3 bay leaves

1T sea salt
1t whole black peppercorns

Water, to cover and add as stock reduces

Multiply this base according to the amount of stock desired and adjust vegetables and herbs to your preference.

Simmer over low flame for at least 6-8 hours, longer if you can.  It is important to not boil the stock, and only stir every 2 hours or so.  This helps to keep the stock as clear as possible.  Keep the stock above 150 degrees Fahrenheit while cooking.

Check and adjust seasonings if necessary prior to cooling.

After cooking, it is important to cool the stock down as quickly as possible.  Place the stock pot into an ice bath (your kitchen sink or a larger pot), strain through a china cap as soon as it is cool enough to work with, pour into smaller storage containers and refrigerate or freeze as soon as it is cool.  I like to work with 1 quart batches.

If you need to use the stock quickly, skim the fat off of the surface once it has cooled, or pour through a colony cup.

THE LONG METHOD

To remove all the solids and fat, there is a time-consuming (see, I'm nothing if not consistent) and true method of clarifying the stock.  Place a basket style coffee filter in a fine mesh sieve over a deep bowl.  Set one block of frozen stock in the strainer.  Keep this contraption in your refrigerator until the stock has defrosted and dripped through the filter.  Refreeze until needed.

A 'tweener seasonal meal

 

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This week has been a roller coaster ride weather wise, with cool to high temperatures, high humidity, then rain on Thursday, the threat of rain yesterday, and today another cool morning and hot afternoon.  Since our micro climates can't make up their collective minds, I declare today fall and am cooking accordingly.

I am putting together some of the elements from today's projects and just a few more.  I am using my homemade butter in a compound topping for my steak and the mushroom confit for a sweet potato filling.  So, tonight's menu --

Bacon wrapped beef tenderloin topped with a jalapeno herb compound butter, baked sweet potato with mushroom confit and sweet and sour braised Savoy cabbage.

I didn't splurge, the tenderloin was on sale.  I wrapped the filets with thick-sliced bacon and seasoned them with sea salt and Worcestershire sauce,

then allowed them to marinate until grilling time.

I took some of the just-made butter and made my steak topping.

{I popped a sweet potato in the oven to bake while I was preparing the rest of the meal.}

JALAPENO HERB COMPOUND BUTTER

6T sweet butter

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, cored and minced

Leaves from 3 sprigs thyme

Leaves from 3 sprigs flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

Leaves from 2 sprigs basil, finely chopped

dash lime juice

Warm the butter over low flame; add the next 4 ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the lime juice, pour into a ramekin and chill in the refrigerator until needed.

For my vegetable, I slowly simmered a head of Savoy cabbage in stock with wine and herbs.

THE OTHER RECIPE

4 cups vegetable stock

2 cloves garlic, grated

1T marjoram leaves

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1T granulated sugar

3T apple cider vinegar

3T Marsala wine

1 head Savoy cabbage cut into 1/2 inch strips, large ribs removed

Warm the stock in a 3quart sauce pan.  Add the rest of the ingredients up to the wine, stir, then add the cabbage.  Simmer over medium flame until the cabbage is tender, approximately 30 minutes.  Drain and serve as a hot side dish.

For the rest of the prep, I grilled the tenderloin to medium rare (120 degrees Fahrenheit), topped with the compound butter, fork split the sweet potato and filled with the mushroom confit (warmed) alongside the cabbage.

Mushroom Confit

Confit was originally a means of preserving meats without refrigeration.  It was perfected in France, and today the most recognizable of these preparations is duck.  The meat is slowly cooked in its own rendered fat and a bit of salt, then stored in this fat.  Duck confit is one of the cornerstones of cassoulet - hey, fall is coming - that's a must-make dish for me soon!

Fruit can also be prepared confit (it is preserved in sugar) as well as vegetables, such as I am preparing today.

Of course I have to make a hybrid / crossover dish; I can't leave well enough alone.

We had a surplus of mushrooms at work this week, and our Chef gave some of them to us for our own use; I was inspired to do something out of the ordinary with my portion.  I am pairing the woodsy, earthy flavor of the mushrooms with some of my favorite potherbs and the pleasant mustiness of white pepper.  I am using a little olive oil and equal parts butter and bacon fat for this confit preparation.  I even dropped in a bit of chicken fat (schmaltz!) from parts going into my chicken stock.



THE RECIPE

1 pound mushrooms, white, brown, or a mix of wild mushrooms cut into small slices or dices
3 cloves garlic, grated
2 shallots, minced
2 sprigs fresh basil, chiffonade
Leaves from 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
1t white pepper
1/2 t sea salt
2T balsamic vinegar
2T red wine
2T Extra Virgin olive oil
3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

4T butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 pound thickly sliced pepper bacon
2-3 slices salt pork

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly oil a small baking dish.  Mix mushrooms, herbs and seasonings in a bowl.

Pour into the baking dish, top with butter and layer with bacon and salt pork.  Bake for one hour.  Stir the mixture and flip over the bacon and salt pork pieces.

Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes.  Remove bacon and salt pork, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until sauce is reduced and top layer is caramelized.  Stir and store for future use.

Use this mushroom confit as a soup base or topping for meats, baked potatoes or vegetables (as I will in an upcoming post).

DIY butter

Hello, my readers -- stick with me, as these next few posts tie together.

OK, some of my friends have already heard this - I will NEVER buy butter as long as I have the upper body strength to make my own!  I am an absolute sucker for any recipe I see for do-it-yourself basic ingredients (like this one, or such things as lebne, ricotta, lactic fermentation) and I cannot believe I only twigged on this concept recently.  I would have switched over years ago!

THE RECIPE

1 Pint organic heavy whipping cream

1 pinch salt (OPTIONAL)

That's it!  pure, wholesome, no artificial ingredients or colorings.

You will need a one quart glass or plastic container and about 20 minutes of free time.

Pour the cream into the jar and seal tightly.  Shake.  Shake.  Shake.  Shake.  Change hands.  Shake.  Shake.  Shake.  Shake.

At about the 14 minute mark, when you think you are about to blow out your rotator cuff and shoulder, the cream will attain a whipped state, and you think nothing further will happen.  Keep shaking.  In just a few more minutes, when you are about to chuck the whole thing and go to the store for butter, there will be a POP and the cream will separate.  You will then have about equal parts buttermilk ("clabber") and butter.  Pour off the liquid (it tastes good, if you want to keep it) and rinse the butter with cold water, refreshing in small batches several times until the water runs clear.

If you would like, add a pinch of salt and stir in.  Refrigerate and use within a few days.

Keep this one moving along - spread the word of the DIY revolution!  Take homemade butter to your next dinner party or give as a hostess gift in a small Mason jar.

Dim Sum for lunch -- Tea Eggs

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Dim sum is #2 in my pantheon of favorite Asian foods, right after sushi.  Once in a while, I like to make a couple of these little bites at home.  These tea eggs are extremely simple to make; you just need several hours to do them right.  They are wonderfully fragrant while cooking and they permeate your entire home.  They have a simple, subtle flavor and make a truly great treat or light lunch OR part of a DIY dim sum home menu.

Some years back, I adapted my version from Mai Leung's 1976 Classic Chinese Cookbook.  As you already know, I can't leave well enough alone.  I kicked up some of the flavors and extended the simmer time.  If I can't add more labor to this very simple recipe, I might as well make it take longer!  But truly I think the extra time gives a bit more flavor and helps to more firmly imprint the spiderweb pattern into the eggs.

Tea eggs can be served chilled or at room temp, whole or sliced, but always on their own.  They need no sauce.

THE RECIPE

6 eggs, boiled for 15 minutes then cooled

3 cups warm water
5 t kosher or sea salt
3T black tea leaves (oolong, lychee, jasmine or orange pekoe)1t five fragrance powder
1t dried lemongrass leaves
3T dark soy sauce
1T thin soy sauce, (Aloha shoyu)

Lightly tap the egg shells with the edge of a spoon or table knife; you are trying to pattern the shell with spiderweb cracks.  While the eggs simmer, then soak, they will pick up this pattern and steep in all the flavors of the broth.

Mix all the other ingredients in a 2qt. saucepan.  Gently add the eggs and simmer for 3 hours, adding water if necessary.  Remove from heat, cover and steep at room temperature for at least 2 more hours.  Remove from the pan and shell the eggs.  Serve immediately or chill for future use.