Sunday, September 26, 2010

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Another one I want to try!

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Our butternut squash puree makes it easy to prepare this autumn soup, which is enriched with crème fraîche. Granny Smith apple lends a sweet-tart flavor.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 jar (2 lb.) butternut squash puree
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 small bay leaves
3 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
1/4 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger (optional)
Fried sage leaves for garnish
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash puree, apple, broth, bay leaves and salt and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the crème fraîche. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Stir in the coriander and ginger.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with fried sage leaves and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Cheesy potatoes gratin

Got this recipe from Williams Sonoma and OMG I have to make these...

Cheesy potatoes gratin

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375ºF.

In a 10-inch nonstick fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock and cream. Add the Gruyère and thyme and stir until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them well. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and bubbling at the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Chile Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Got this from Willow Bird Baking Site. I love roasted Chickpeas, and these sound awesome. I'm thinking they would be great for tailgating.


Chili-Lime Roasted Chickpeas



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Recipe by: Adapted from chowmama
Yields: about 1.5 cups roasted chickpeas

Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed, and blotted dry
3-4 teaspoons chili powder*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lime juice
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 teaspoons cumin*
Pinch of dried herbs of your choice (I used a little rosemary and thyme) OR chopped fresh cilantro

*Note: start with the lowest amount of spice, then add more to taste.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Spread chickpeas out in a single layer over the foil. Once oven is preheated, bake chickpeas for 45-50 minutes, stirring and flipping every 15 minutes or so. Chowmama includes a note saying that the cooking times can very; the way she looked for (and thus the way I looked for) doneness is taking a few chickpeas out, letting them cool for a minute, and then biting into them. Take them out when they’re really crunchy.

Near the end of the chickpeas’ cooking time, combine oil, chili powder, lime juice, sea salt, and cumin in a medium bowl. Whisk to mix. When chickpeas are done, let them cool for just a minute before pouring them into the oil mixture. Stir to coat all the chickpeas well. Eat immediately, or store in an airtight container (after cooling completely) to eat later.