Blue Cheese Stuffed Roasted Tomatoes

This one's a good one.  Super easy, but beyond delicious.  Blue cheese and tomatoes, how could you go wrong, right?  Do it right and it's amazing, really.  As a vegetarian, I serve these as either a main course or a side dish. 

Roasting tomatoes is a magic act.  Even bland and out-of-season tomatoes become sweet and delicious with roasting.  So, you don't have to be too picky about the tomatoes you buy for this recipe.  Get exactly the right size and shape, or the cheap ones, it doesn't matter, they will all taste good. 

For the filling, rip up crusty bread into large bread crumbs.  Day-old bread is fine.  For two small tomatoes (that's four halves), I use just one slice of bread.  It doesn't take much.  In a bowl with the bread, I mix in an equal amount of crumbled blue cheese, and then about a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary.  I like to use an artisanal blue cheese, something that's creamy and a little sweet, but regular old storebought crumbles are ok too.  After stirring the blue cheese mix together, press it together in the bowl, and leave it sit for just a few minutes so that the bread crumbs hydrate a little and the mixture sortof comes together as a whole.

The tomatoes get sliced in half.  For roma tomatoes, which I like for this, I slice them lengthwise.  Take out the stem base, seeds, and any white or green flesh.  No need to scoop out the whole inside of the tomato; just the seeds is fine.  Drizzle the tomato halves with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then just top them with pressed spoonfuls of the blue cheese mixture.  This can be done well ahead of time and put in the oven later.  See?  Easy.

The roasting time depends on the size of the tomatoes and how done you like them, but for small romas I would say about 20 to 30 minutes.  I like them so that the tomatoes still have some structure to them.  You can sprinkle them with some more fresh rosemary or parsley at the end.  If you really want to get crazy you can drizzle them with a little balsamic.  But they are great just as is.  I'm telling you, it's nummy.  Give it a try sometime, you will not be disappointed, I guarantee it.

Happy eating!

Oh, and Happy Halloween!  Enjoy your candy, and be safe out there everybody!

French Onion Soup

Now that cool weather is here, it's soup season, and that means French Onion Soup.  It is so common these days to find French Onion Soup made with beef broth as the base that some may think that it's not easy to make vegetarian.  But actually, since the main flavor should be the onions, it makes sense that French Onion Soup can easily be meatless, and I actually make it regularly.  And, it's actually quite easy to make.

French Onion Soup starts with caremelizing the onions which brings out their rich sweetness and develops the lovely rust color.  This is actually the most important part, as it is the base flavor for the whole soup.  Some places throw onions into beef broth and call it a day, but good French Onion shouldn't fall back on the broth; the flavor has to come from the caramelized onions.  You have to just take your time and do it.  I like to use a combination of butter and vegetable oil to slowly caramelize the onions, which helps prevent the butter from burning.  Once the onions are caramelized, I throw in a couple of cloves of finely minced or pressed garlic, to sautee with the onions very briefly.  The garlic goes in at the very end, as garlic always does, so that it doesn't burn.

Into the pot with all the onions goes a little veggie stock, to deglaze the pot.  Then fill the pot up with veggie stock and water, about equal parts of each.  The taste of the veggie stock is important; homemade stock is best.  If you don't have that, boullion and water is ok.  'Better Than Boullion' pastes are a favorite boullion alternative.  However, there are very few canned veggie broths that I think are good.  Salt and pepper to taste, and I use some herbs, like thyme or herbs de provence, depending on what I'm feeling like.  If I want a bit of heat, I add crushed red pepper.  No matter what, I always add wine.  White wine works great; cooking sherry is fine, too. 

After simmering the soup for a few minutes, all that is left is to build the bowls.  I do the traditional cheese-on-bread-on-soup structure.  I like to use a bread that is crisp but not too crusty, or it will be too hard to "cut" with the spoon.  The bread is cut to fit into the bowls, and then laid on top of the soup, which fills up about 2/3 of the bowl (or mini crock or whatever), and then slathered with cheese.  For the cheese, I like to use a combination of mozzarella and gruyere (or swiss).  To get it melty, the bowls get placed under the broiler for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.

Soup, bread, cheese - there is nothing wrong with that, ever.  I think I want some right now... I have made myself hungry just talking about it!

Happy eating!

The Best Things To Put In Tomato Sauce (Besides Tomatoes)

I eat Italian food (read: Americanized Italian) all the time.  Not only is it often simple and cheap to make, but also it's so easy to prepare Italian food that is vegetarian. 

A pasta and tomato sauce is a standby around here.  Whether for baked rigatoni, pasta shells stuffed with manicotti, or just a big bowl of spaghetti, I end up making tomato sauce often.  I don't start with fresh tomatoes; I use canned.  But, canned tomatoes are one of the few vegetables that are actually really good when canned.  They are tasty and consistent and also super easy to use.  Now, what to flavor them with?

I love to use red wine in my tomato sauces, especially if I'm making something very hearty.  Let it simmer in the tomato sauce for just a few minutes and the bite of the alcohol cooks away, and you are left with a rich undertone.  This is a great way to use up that little bit of wine you have left over from your very frequent and very fancy dinner parties.  (You do have very frequent and very fancy dinner parties, right?)  Sweet or dry wines can work well in tomato sauce, depending on how it will be used.  I know this isn't a bombshell for anyone - red wine in tomato sauce, that's old news - but it is something I do a whole heck of a lot, and it's always good.

Another favorite thing to put in tomato sauce is cream cheese.  Perhaps that's a bit more revolutionary for some people than red wine.  Cream cheeese?  Yes, cream cheese.  We all know that a tomato cream sauce is awesome.  Tomato sauce, cream, what could be wrong about that?  But I don't always have cream in the house.  I almost always have cream cheese, and it works really well, too.  Just a little goes a long way.  It adds a creaminess but also a bit of a tang.  I have discovered that the soft, spreadable tub cream cheese melts into a sauce a bit easier than traditional block cream cheese, but both work.  Try it sometime, you won't be disappointed.

Happy eating!

Red Dragon Cheese Review

Last week, Dan and I bought a cheese called Red Dragon.  I had seen it at the cheese counter before, and was always drawn to it because of its name and because of the bright red wax that coats it, which makes it stand out against the forest of white and yellow cheeses.  I had been hesitant to get it in the past because it is made with lots of mustard seed, and I am not always a fan of mustard. 

We finally decided to give it a try and I am so glad we did!  It is absolutely delicious.  As it turns out, the mustard taste is not overwhelming at all.  The cheese is a light yellow, soft paste speckled throughout with the mustard seed.  It is also made with ale.  The combination of the ale and mustard flavors adds a nice bite to the background of Red Dragon, but the base cheese stands up to these added flavors nicely.  At room temperature the cheese is just spreadable but also sliceable, and the robust nature of the cheese lends itself well to a hearty bread or cracker.  No need for delicate wafers with this cheese.

The look of Red Dragon makes a striking conversation piece on a cheese tray.  I imagine it would be accented nicely with a dry white wine, but a hard cider or (obviously) a beer is even better.  Even a porter would not overwhelm this hearty cheese.  I am so happy that we decided to finally give Red Dragon a chance!

Happy eating!

Tomme de Savoie Cheese Review

Anybody who knows me knows how much I love cheese, and anytime I get near a good cheese selection I can go a little nuts if I'm not careful.  Therefore Dan and I are frequently trying new cheeses.

The other day we came home with a few new ones, one of which was Tomme de Savoie.  Tomme cheeses are a type of cheese made in Europe that were traditionally made from less fatty milks and named for the location they are traditionally made, i.e., Savoie in France.  Now they can be made with skim or full-fat milk depeding on the specific maker.

Tomme de Savoie comes in small wheels of creamy, off-white paste speckled with small eyes.  At room temperature, our Tomme de Savoie was not quite spreadable, but quite soft, and a little stretchy.  It has a buttery, nutty taste, more pungent than I expected, with a distinct grassiness that comes from the pasture feeding of the French Alpine herds.  It went well with either bread or crackers, but I preferred it plain rather than with fruit or jam. 

Something that appears to be Tomme de Savoie may not be actually be from Savoie; if you want the real deal, you have to check the wheel's label to ensure it has the designation of origin.  "Fabrique en Savoie" means it is made in Savoie; "affine en Savoie" means it probably isn't authentic.

If you like grassy, earthy cheeses, this one is a nice option.  I imagine it could hold up to a simple sandwich or salad as well as it dresses up a cheese plate. 

Happy eating!

Crab Benedict

I am not sure if I am just talking to myself here, but what the heck, I'll keep posting.

This morning when I told Dan I was hungry and he asked what I was in the mood for, for some reason I blurted out, 'crab benedict.'  I first had eggs benedict with crab on a trip to Hawaii in 2001.  The seafood is abundant and so fresh in Hawaii, and it was one of the best breakfasts I'd ever had, especially given my love for fresh, sweet king crab legs.

Eggs benedict isn't really difficult; it's mostly time consuming.  The hollandaise sauce seems like it would be the most difficult part, but I think it's more about patience.  The key is to heat the egg yolks very slowly.  Some recipes calls for taking the yolks on and off the heat as you heat and whisk, and that method works for me.  Then of course, the butter starts to get added in, as well as lemon juice, and then some people put in herbs or other seasonings, like cayenne.  I tend to like a good amount of lemon juice, and I often use thyme.  Tarragon is good, too.

Strangely, the hardest part of benedict for me is poaching the eggs.  I am always hit-or-miss with poached eggs.  A bit of vinegar in the water helps to hold the eggs together correctly, but I have never quite found a perfect method for poaching.  Today, I messed up the first batch, but the second batch came out fine. 

If you get the hollandaise and the eggs right, there isn't really anything other than assembly.  Crab benedict requires fresh crab, never canned, and certainly not imitation.  I like a toasted english muffin with the crab right on top.  Then the egg, and then pour on the hollandaise.  Nummy nummy good!  It's a great way to use up a little bit of crab, for instance if you have some left over after a dinner, or if you find one of those little packs of smaller crab leg chunks discounted at the store like they sometimes do. 

Mmmmbreakfast.  Happy eating!

Ice Cream

I learned a recipe for making margarita ice cream the other day that sounded simple.  Cream, lime juice, sugar, tequila, and a few other things were mixed and then just left in the freezer to ... well, freeze.  Normally you can't just stick your ice cream mixture in the freezer and forget it, because it won't make creamy ice cream.  Mechanical ice cream makers agitate the mixture while it cools it so that it gets the right consistency. Without an ice cream maker it's do-able, just much more work. 

It dawned on me that the reason the margarita ice cream didnt need a lot of effort was that the alcohol in it kept the cream from freezing into a solid block.  That was the eureka moment - I bet I could make all kinds of fun ice creams like that, using alcohol!  I immediately sent Dan out for some heavy cream.

The basic format is to mix powdered sugar or simple syrup with the alcohol and whatever fruit or flavoring, then whisk in heavy cream and continue to whisk until it gets thicker and somewhat airy (not nearly as thick as whipped cream).  Then it just goes in the freezer for at least a few hours.

I made one ice cream with rum and bananas and another with rum, coconut, and coconut milk.  I liked the coconut best, and Dan said he preferred the banana, but they were both yummy, especially with the fresh cherry sauce I made.  I am usually not much of an ice cream person, but when it tastes like fresh fruit and has rum in it - well, sign me up.

Happy eating!

Watermelon Spritzer, Part II

I made another tasty watermelon drink with some of the same ingredients I used for the white wine spritzer the other day, but this time, no wine.

I put a few watermelon ice cubes in a glass and sprinkled on a few mint leaves that I had just bruised, by squishing them in my fingers to release some oils and flavor.  Over that I poured about an eighth of a cup of still-warm simple syrup, to start melting the watermelon juice from the cubes and to release more mint flavor.  Then I just filled the glass with club soda. 

It was almost like a watermelon mint julep, without the alcohol, of course.  Actually super tasty.  I'm having fun with this watermelon ice cube thing!

Happy eating!

The Best Dessert Ever?

I am not a big dessert person, and I will choose something like fresh berries and cream over a chocolate cake anyday.  But, there are a few simple, fresh desserts that I do love.  Lately I've been digging on granita, because it is simple and also refreshing in this hot weather we've been having. 

I had a moment of inspiration a few days ago and ran with it, and I ended up with something awesome.  I love coffee - who doesn't, right? - so I made a coffee granita.  I used extemely strong coffee  (the equivalent of 6 cups of coffee in about 2 1/2 cups) and about a half cup of simple syrup, made with half regular and half vanilla sugar.

On top of the granita went a big dollop of a spiced whipped cream that I made with cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.  I also sprinkled on some crushed toasted macadamia nuts. 

The whole thing was beyond awesome, if I do say so myself.  Dan and I both sat there spooning it into our faces, just saying 'oh my gosh,' and 'wow this is good' the whole time.  I have to admit, I was pretty proud of myself for this one.  If you are a coffee person, or if you prefer a little savoriness instead of heavy sweetness in your desserts like I do, I highly suggest giving this a try.  Total home run.

Happy eating!

Watermelon Spritzer

Recently Dan came home from work with a whole watermelon.  It's a long story.  But in any case, I had a bunch of watermelon with which I had to find something to do.  Here's one fun thing I did.

I seeded the watermelon (which is easier than you'd think), and blended about a cup or so in the blender to make a juice.  Then I just poured that into an icecube tray and froze it to make watermelon ice cubes.  Nifty!  The juice can be strained through a mesh strainer to make it a little thinner and clearer if that is preferred.

I made a little more juice, about a half cup total, and shook that in a cocktail shaker with a cup of chilled white wine, a few tablespoons simple syrup, about a half cup of club soda, and a few ice cubes to make it ice cold.  You probably already know, but simple syrup is made by heating equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan until it just simmers, then, in this case at least, letting it cool. 

After shaking, I strained the wine mixture over a few watermelon ice cubes in glasses and garnished with - what else - a little watermelon wedge.  I thought it would also be cute to garnish with little watermelon balls on a toothpick, but alas, I don't have a melon-baller.  I'll have to put that on my wish list.

So, we had lovely watermelon white wine spritzers with our dinner last night.  Dan said they were "very refreshing."  It was a nice beverage for this unseasonably warm extended summer we've had.

Happy eating!