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Summer of Salads: Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

partysugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:50:49 -0700

Panzanella is an Italian salad that typically consists of the following basic elements: day-old bread, diced onions, and ripe tomatoes. Many other ingredients can be added, but I prefer variations that highlight the pure fresh flavor of in-season tomatoes. This recipe is Top Chef Masters runner up Michael Chiarello's version. Although he says one should peel, seed, and drain the tomatoes, I skip this step all together. With its burst in your mouth tomatoes, crunchy cheesy croutons, and peppery crisp arugula, this is my favorite Summer panzanella. I've made it countless times over the years and my guests are always impressed. To introduce your friends and family to this scrumptious salad, get the recipe.

Summer of Salads: Caesar Salad

partysugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:00:50 -0700

When I lived in Spain, my Spanish friends were always asking me to make American foods. While I hosted a huge dinner entitled, "The Hamburger Party," when I had smaller gatherings, I always made Caesar salad. With its crisp romaine leaves, crunchy croutons, and creamy, tangy dressing, something about the classic salad is quintessentially American. Although it's found at practically every Italian-American restaurant and salad shop, I rarely order it and prefer to make it at home. A big plate of Caesar salad is an excellent Summer meal that's comforting and delicious. I've been using Martha Stewart's technique for so long that I no longer have to look at the recipe! To check it out, read more.

Caesar Salad
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Homemade croutons
2 cloves garlic
4 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads (10 ounces each) romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded, inner leaves washed and dried
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, or 2 1/2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions

Place garlic, anchovy fillets, and salt in a large wooden salad bowl.* Using two dinner forks, mash garlic and anchovies into a paste.
Using one fork, whisk in pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and egg yolk.
Using the fork, whisk in the olive oil.
Chop romaine leaves into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add croutons, romaine, and cheese to the bowl, and toss well. If you wish, grate extra cheese over the top. Serve immediately. To make a version of this dressing that you can store, simply mince garlic and anchovies, and place with remaining ingredients in a jar. Screw the lid on the jar tightly, and shake to combine. Shake the jar before each use. Store, refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Serves 4 to 6.

*If you don't have a wooden bowl you can do this on a cutting board or with a mortar and pestle.

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The Basics: Croutons

partysugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:30:18 -0700

Homemade croutons are a staple in my kitchen. Whenever I have leftover bread, I make them. Like crostini, there's something wildly satisfying about cubes of toasted, crunchy bread. They're a versatile ingredient and can be thrown into salads, placed on top of soups, or munched on as a snack. Toss them with chunks of fresh tomato and olive oil for a quick panzanella. Or spear with toothpicks and plunge into cheesy fondue.

Once you know the simple technique for making croutons, you can season them with whatever you like: grated cheese, dried or fresh herbs, spices, garlic, etc. You can also vary the moistening ingredient - sometimes I'll make croutons with melted butter and other times I prefer olive oil. Same goes with the crust: you can remove it or, for a more rustic crouton, leave it on.

One thing, however, that always remains the same, is the cooking method. Although you can easily saute them in a pan on the stove, I prefer to bake my croutons in the oven. It provides a crispy texture and requires less work. To look at my recipe, read more.

Croutons
Modified From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf (8 to 10 ounces) rustic Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and olive oil in a large bowl. Add bread cubes, and toss until coated. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; toss until evenly coated.
Spread bread in a single layer on an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet.
Bake until croutons are golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Makes 3-4 cups of croutons.

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The Ultimate Artichoke Crab Dip

partysugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:00:44 -0800

The weekend before Thanksgiving, my father and I were watching Food Network together. We were multitasking, computers in our laps, as we browsed online recipes searching for the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer recipe.Suddenly we were captivated by a dish - a hot artichoke and fresh crab mixture - that Tyler Florence was making on the television. It was his ultimate party appetizer: artichoke crab dip with Parmesan cheese and crostini. Salivating, my father and I decided immediately we would make that dip.

We made the right decision, it's insanely delicious and was gone in a matter of minutes. Since then, I've made this dip three times! It's cheesy, gooey, and absolutely divine. Don't be afraid of the crab, this dip is not fishy. If it sounds like something you might enjoy, check out the recipe and read more.

Artichoke Crab Dip
Modified from Tyler Florence

Ingredients

3 large globe artichokes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh lump crab meat, picked over
3/4 cup grated parmesan
Croutons, for serving, recipe below

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, trim artichokes down to their hearts, working quickly so they don't go too brown (you can rub with lemon juice as you go if you like). Remove the outer leaves and scoop out the middle. Peel the rough outside off the stem. Place the hearts in the water and cook, simmering until tender, about an hour.
Drain the artichoke hearts and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon, parsley, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooked artichoke hearts and blitz to combine. Blend until you have a thick artichoke puree.
Turn mixture out into a large bowl and stir in lump crabmeat and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Stir well and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Pour into an oven proof dish (a large ramekin works well). Top with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake dip for 10 to 12 minutes until heated through and top is nice and bubbly. Serve with croutons.

Serves 8-10.

Croutons:

1 French baguette
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut baguette on a slight bias and lay out on a sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Serve with Artichoke Crab Dip.

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In the Kitchen With Ryan Scott

partysugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:15:39 -0700

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity of going into the kitchen at San Francisco's Mission Beach Cafe. Chef Ryan Scott, a competitor on this season's Top Chef, invited me in for a crouton cooking lesson. The friendly, good-looking chef told me about his re-creation of the menu and his hopes to build the restaurant's status. With his TC experience behind him, Scott is busy focusing on cooking and making culinary appearances.
His delicious food is comforting yet sophisticated, familiar yet complex. If you're in the Bay Area, I highly recommend checking out the cafe. His homemade croutons (found in everything from soups to salads) are the best I've ever tasted. If you aren't in the area, bring a little bit of Ryan into your home with this amazing crouton recipe.
Instead of writing out the recipe, Scott, a hands on chef, preferred to teach me personally how to make them. To go behind the scenes and learn how to make Chef Scott's scrumptious croutons, take a look at our exclusive video, and read more.

Homemade Croutons
From Ryan Scott

The key to making these delicious croutons is a large quantity of butter. According to Chef Scott, the bread should be fried in a "Jacuzzi of butter."

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter
1 bundle fresh thyme, tied together with cooking string
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 dried arbol chilies
2-4 cups ciabatta bread, torn into bite-sized pieces

Directions

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is bubbling and melted (do not let it brown) add the thyme, garlic, and chilies. Saute for a couple of minutes, tossing to coat with the butter.
When you hear the thyme start to snap and pop, add the bread pieces.
Toss to coat. Cook, stirring or tossing occasionally for 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Place the bread under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until it is crisped and brown.
If desired, finish on the stove, with 2 more minutes of sautéing.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer croutons to another dish to cool.
Remove the thyme, garlic, and chilies* from the croutons. Enjoy the croutons immediately or keep stored in an air-tight container for 2 days.

Makes 2-4 cups of croutons.

*Do not simply discard these ingredients. Chef Scott uses the thyme bundles to season stocks and the sautéed garlic adds depth to his appetizing aioli.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Garden Caesar Salad

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:45:38 -0700

With its crunchy croutons, crisp leafy greens, and tangy dressing, the Caesar can be considered the king of dinner salads. In this grown up variation, subtle changes enhance the flavor and appearance of the dish. Radishes act as a pop of pretty color, shaved instead of grated Parmesan adds depth to each biteful, and fresh anchovies are deliciously salty. The anchovies are not necessary, so if the little fish is too overpowering simply omit from the salad.

To take a look at the recipe, which was developed by MyRecipes.com, read more.

Garden Caesar Salad
From Sunset magazine

Ingredients

12 diagonal slices (1/4 in. thick) baguette (about 1/4 of an 8-oz. loaf)
About 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 canned anchovy fillets, drained and minced (optional)
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire
3 large egg yolks (see notes)
1 pound romaine lettuce (1 large or 2 small heads), rinsed, crisped, and large leaves torn into large pieces (leave small inner leaves whole)
1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
Fresh-ground pepper
4 radishes, stemmed and rinsed
8 marinated fresh anchovies (optional; see notes)

Get more recipes at MyRecipes.com

Directions

Brush one side of each baguette slice with olive oil. Cut garlic clove in half and rub a cut side lightly over oiled side of each slice. Place slices oiled side up on a 10- by 15-inch baking sheet. Bake in a 350º regular or convection oven until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let croutons cool.
Meanwhile, mince or press 1 teaspoon garlic from remainder of garlic clove.
In a 1- to 2-cup glass measure, combine 5 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, minced anchovies, Worcestershire, and minced garlic. In a large salad bowl, whisk egg yolks to blend. Whisking constantly, pour olive oil mixture slowly into egg yolks, pausing to whisk occasionally so that mixture forms a smooth emulsion.
Add romaine and parmesan to bowl and mix gently to coat. Grind pepper into salad to taste.
Mound equally on plates. Very thinly slice 4 radishes and sprinkle over salads. Arrange croutons alongside; if desired, drape marinated anchovies, skin side up, over croutons.

Serves 4 to 6.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 231(78% from fat); FAT 20g (sat 4.4g); PROTEIN 7g; CHOLESTEROL 113mg; SODIUM 227mg; FIBER 2.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 8.6g

Like the recipe above? Try out some of these other ones:

- 7 Cool Salads Under 300 Calories
- Browse Salad Recipes
- Quick, Weeknight Favorites at Sunset.com
- Get More Salad Recipes

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Monday's Leftover's: Corned Beef Salad with Rye Croutons

partysugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:14:19 -0700

When I think of leftover corned beef, two recipes almost always come to mind: sandwiches and hash. While I love both of those, I was very excited by this recipe for a salad that uses up corned beef. This recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for a Monday night meal. Two types of lettuce - green leaf and iceberg - are tossed with a quick, easy homemade thousand island dressing. If it sounds super scrumptious, read more.

Corned Beef Salad with Rye Croutons
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

3 cups 1/4-inch cubes rye bread
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon pickle relish
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
3 scallions, white bulbs and green tops chopped and reserved separately
1 head green leaf lettuce (about 3/4 pound), torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 1/2 quarts)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce (about 1 pound), torn into bite-size pieces (about 1 1/2 quarts)
1/2 pound sliced corned beef, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°.
Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toss them with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the croutons are crisp and starting to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the pickle relish, the egg, and the scallion bulbs and stir to combine.
In a large bowl, toss together the lettuces, scallion tops, and corned beef. Serve topped with the dressing and the croutons.

Serves 4.

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Soup's On: Broccoli Cheese Soup

partysugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:40:31 -0800

Normally, when one thinks of broccoli cheese soup, cheddar cheese comes to mind. However one of my favorite supermarket soups is a delicious blend of broccoli and blue cheese. Now don't go all "eww I hate blue cheese" on me. Stirred into a puree of tender, green broccoli, the blue cheese is mild and creamy rather than moldy and pungent.

This soup is elegant, delicious, and elevates a cafe classic to a whole new level of sophistication. I topped my bowl with crunchy cheddar croutons. You really won't regret giving this smooth soup a chance, so see how I made it when you read more.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Modified from William Broderick at the Port Charlotte Hotel in Scotland

For Soup:
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 head broccoli, thick stems removed, chopped
6 tbsp. flour
3 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Stilton or other blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 tbsp. heavy cream
For Croutons:
2 slices of white bread per person, crusts removed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
olive oil to coat
salt and pepper
1 heaping tbsp. per person finely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add the vegetables, and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in the stock and return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously until the soup thickens. Allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the cheddar croutons: preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the bread cubes on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake in the oven until crisp and brown 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Cool soup slightly and blend with an immersion blender or regular blender.

Return soup to pan, add the milk, and heat gently. Stir in the Stilton, salt and pepper, and heavy cream until melted. Reheat slowly allowing the cheese to melt, over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Do not allow soup to boil at this point, it will curdle.

To serve, garnish with croutons.

Serves 4-6.

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Soup's On: Mushroom Soup With Blue Cheese Toasts

partysugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:47:33 -0800

This week I chose a recipe that would work deliciously in a Thanksgiving menu. Instead of the classic pumpkin or squash varieties, a light, slightly creamy mushroom soup is an excellent addition to the traditional menu. Topped with a blue cheese crouton and chopped chives, this soup is rich and heart warming. It's simple to make and yields a large batch, making it perfect for a crowd. If you love the taste of mushrooms, definitely give this soup a try. If blue cheese is too strong for your liking, substitute with a creamy goat's cheese or salty Parmesan. To see how I made it, read more

Mushroom Soup with Blue Cheese Toasts
From Williams Sonoma

For the soup:
2 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. fresh button mushrooms, brushed clean
and coarsely chopped
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1/2 lb. fresh wild mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
For the blue cheese toasts:
2 oz. blue cheese, such as Roquefort, Stilton or
Gorgonzola, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 baguette slices, lightly toasted
2 Tbs. finely snipped fresh chives

To make the soup: in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to high, add the button mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms, stock and water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the mushrooms are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Add the fresh wild mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Using a blender and working in batches, puree the soup until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes for each batch. Alternatively, process with a stick blender in the pot. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean soup pot.

Add the cream and sautéed wild mushrooms and stir to combine. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place over medium heat and reheat to serving temperature.

To make the toasts: in a small bowl, mash together the blue cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese onto the toasted baguette slices and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Broil until the cheese is bubbling around the edges, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the broiler and sprinkle with the chives.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and float a blue cheese toast in the center of each bowl. Serve immediately.

Serves 10-12.

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Soup's On: Cheddar Cheese Soup With Croutons

partysugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:45:35 -0700

Although I know it's not the most healthy dish around, cheddar cheese soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. Creamy melted cheese dotted with crisp, crunchy croutons - could a meal be any more simply delicious? Besides the massive amount of cheese grating, this soup doesn't take a lot of time to make and is best eaten right away. I treated myself to a big bowl for a decadent dinner after a long Monday, but this soup would pair nicely with a green salad or make an excellent first course to a dinner party menu. The flavor of the soup depends on the quality of the cheese, so if you can, splurge on a good sharp cheddar. A glass of wine definitely complements this soup, as does an icy cold beer.

To see how I made it, read more

Cheddar Cheese Soup
From Cook's Illustrated magazine

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup minced onion
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 1/2 cups half and half
3 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne or chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
12 ounces (about 3 cups) cheddar cheese, grated*
salt and pepper
Croutons for serving, recipe follows

In a large soup pot over medium high heat, melt the butter until it foams.
Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft about 5 minutes.
Add the carrot, celery, and garlic and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir for 2 minutes.
Carefully whisk in the chicken broth and half and half. Add the bay leaf and salt and pepper.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and add the sherry, thyme, cayenne or chili powder. Working in batches, quickly whisk in the cheese, stirring until melted and than adding another handful.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with the croutons.

Serves 6.

*I used a Wisconsin orange sharp cheddar cheese and a Irish white cheddar. These cheeses combined beautifully, creating a soup that had a flavorful and divine depth.

Croutons
From Inger Bareilles

7 slices thick white bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice the bread into small cubes, about half-an-inch by half-an-inch.
In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with the butter, oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat all of the bread pieces.
Spread out on a baking sheet covered with foil.
Bake in the oven, checking often for 20-25 minutes.
Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Serve in a bowl alongside the cheddar cheese soup.

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