Leek & Potato Soup

This is Julia Child's leek & potato soup recipe. In her book "From Julia Child's Kitchen", Julia talks about this soup and says, "...it is leek and potato that I dream of."

When I made this soup today, I used about 5 or 6 inches from each of the three leeks that I had. The parts that I used were partially green, but only delicate green parts. Avoid the tough, hard green parts that make up most of the upper part of the leek. And make sure those leeks are really washed well. There is usually a lot of sand and dirt in between the layers of leeks, and you wouldn't want to ruin your soup by having sandy grit end up in your soup bowl.

The beauty of this recipe is the absolute simplicity. Leeks, potatoes, butter. Add cream and fresh herbs, if you like. My friend Kristine, a committed vegetarian, loves this soup. Cooking isn't really her thing, but this soup is one recipe that she has made several times. The flavour is irresistible.

Leek & Potato Soup

3 T. butter
3 c. sliced leeks (white part only), washed really well and drained
3 T. flour
6 c. hot water
1 T. kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 c. potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, and diced
1/2 c. cream or sour cream
Fresh parsley and/or chives, minced

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, cover the pan, and cook slowly for 5 minutes without browning. Then blend in the flour and cook for two minutes.

2. Beat in a cup or so of the hot water. Blend thoroughly and then add the rest of the water. Stir in the salt & pepper, and the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for about 40 minutes, until potatoes are very tender.

3. Either mash the soup with a potato masher (for a peasant-type soup), or blend in food processor or with a hand immersion blender.

4. Stir in the cream, warm gently, and taste carefully, adding more salt & pepper if necessary. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives, if desired.

Bartlett Pear Cake

On Tuesday afternoon, we had snow at our house. It wasn't just a few flurries. It snowed all afternoon and the flakes were big and wet, with an impressive amount sticking to the ground. There was still a small snowman in my neighbour's front yard yesterday (a piece of which Ellen decided to eat when she thought no one was looking...).

The snow was coming down, I turned on the Christmas music, and with a little help from the kids, I made two of these pear cakes. The house smelled amazing, as you can imagine. I made the cakes in 8-inch and 10-inch sized spring form pans because I couldn't find a 9-inch one. The 10-inch cake took about 40 minutes to bake and the 8-inch cake took at least 10 minutes more than the large cake. The cakes were very moist. I meant to give some of the cake away, but they were just so - eatable!

Alan arrived home that night to a house full of wonderful smells and sounds. At least that was what I thought. He had a strange, pained expression when he realized that we were listening to Perry Como's Christmas CD - in October.

Bartlett Pear Cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. cinnamon
6 T. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 c. + 2 T. sour cream (I used whole milk yogurt)
1 c. grated Bartlett pear

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
2. In bowl of mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light. Add eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour, alternating with the sour cream in three additions. Stir in grated pears.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake for about 40 minutes or so, until done. Serve warm or at room temperature with your favourite ice cream.

Mom's Apple Crisp

This recipe isn't my mom's. It comes from my friend Shaila's mom, Mrs. W. She was like a second mother to me during those formative years ("thanks" doesn't really cut it for the countless rides to & from Harrow), and I always remember this particular dessert as one of her standards. This recipe is simple and delicious, especially topped with a scoop of your favourite vanilla ice cream. I wouldn't change a thing.

This afternoon, I visited the Applewood Farm Winery, near Stouffville, Ontario. They are part winery, part apple orchard, part pumpkin patch, etc., etc. (I love the Autumn Red wine). Their apples are "picked out" for this season. I asked if most orchards are done with their apples for this season and the man behind the counter said that most orchards in this area probably are. He said it wasn't the best year for apples.

Over the last week, I have had a bit of panic over the fact that I have missed the boat on so many fruits & veg that are now finished for the season. Yesterday, I found a farm stand nearby that still had sweetcorn; old but still fine. I bought 52 ears - shucking, blanching, and freezing my little heart out (for instructions on freezing corn see July '08). Still, I'm kicking myself over so many missed opportunities. Why didn't I buy another 5 0r 10 pounds of blueberries when we were down in Harrow? Why didn't I make more pesto when I had the chance? Doesn't it seem just a little cruel that when the fruit & veg are at their peak, it is also the nicest time of the year to be outside, enjoying the most beautiful weather, before the snow flies? I'll stop complaining right now. We are truly to blessed to have such amazing produce on our doorsteps, even if it is for a short time.


Mom's Apple Crisp

1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. oatmeal
1/2 t. each of ground cloves & cinnamon
1/2 c. melted butter
Approximately 8 apples, peeled & sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, cloves, and cinnamon together. Add melted butter and mix thoroughly.
2. Place apple slices in bottom of 9x13 baking dish and spread crumble mixture on top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. For a larger quantity, lower temperature to 375 degrees and bake a little longer.

Savoury Cranberry Sauce

Five years ago, I planned a Thanksgiving dinner to beat all others. It was held at my father-in-laws and included my family and Alan's. As part of my grand plan, I made this sauce. We were all sitting down to dinner and one of my sister-in-laws says, "Where's the canned cranberry sauce?" I had overlooked the fact that some people would still like to have the canned variety. At the time, I was ready to wring someone's neck. I've mellowed slightly now, though...

I'm afraid that this recipe will be too late for this weekend, but if you aren't already overdoing it with your menu for Thanksgiving, it makes a lovely addition to the usual, sweet sauce on the table. If you can't find any fresh pearl white onions, you could use shallots cut in half. Happy Thanksgiving!

*Comments from Thanksgiving dinner - "I prefer the sweet cranberry sauce."; "It's good but it would be better if it was warmer." There were other comments but I can't remember them all. In a nutshell, almost everyone preferred the sweet version of cranberry sauce. I am standing firm. I believe there is a place for this cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving tables, just don't forget to make the sweet one, too!

Savoury Cranberry Sauce

1/2 lb. white pearl onions
1/3 c. golden raisins
1/3 c. dark raisins
1 1/2 c. boiling water
4 T. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
1 c. dry red wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. salt
12 oz. fresh cranberries

1. Trim the onions, leaving the skins on. Drop the onions into a pot of boiling water and cook 30 seconds. Drain and slip the skins off the onions as soon as they are cool enough to handle.
2. Place both the raisins in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir in the onions. Add the sugar and 1 T. of the vinegar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and beginning to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining vinegar and the wine, bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Add the raisins with the soaking liquid, the garlic, and thyme, about 45 minutes.
4. Add the cranberries to the pan. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are cooked and the sauce has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the sauce cool and serve at room temperature. Store any leftover sauce in the fridge but be sure to bring it back to room temperature before serving.

Beef or Chicken Fajitas with Fresh Guacamole

A request for a dish to serve with the Black Bean Salad (Nov. '07), prompted me to make these fajitas for dinner tonight. They were easy, quick, and turned out really well. I skimped on the chili powder thinking that it might be too much for the kids but I think it could have used the whole amount. The kids made a fuss because they didn't want to eat the beef. I may have had better luck serving them the chicken.

Guacamole is one of those things that people either love or hate. I don't really like eating just any one's guacamole - it's got to be from a reputable source. And supermarket guacamole - forget it! Some people put garlic in their guacamole. You could add a clove of minced garlic, if you like. If you are making your guacamole ahead of time, put an avocado pit into the dip. This apparently keeps the dip from browning (the lime juice also helps). I love to serve guacamole with crumbled feta cheese on top. I think Macedonian feta is perfect for this - creamy, not too salty.

Beef or Chicken Fajitas
1 1/3 lbs. beef tenderloin or sirloin (or boneless, skinless chicken breast)
3 peppers (yellow, orange, or red)
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. paprika (smoked paprika is great in this recipe)
1 t. sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
3 T. olive oil
6-8 tortillas
Sour cream
Old cheddar cheese
Chopped lettuce
Fresh Guacamole

1. Slice the beef or chicken into long thin strips and place in a bowl. Halve, core, and seed the peppers. Slice into long thin strips.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add half the spice mixture to the meat and mix well. Add the other half to the peppers and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet (or any large pan) and add the olive oil. When it's very hot, add the peppers and saute until they are slightly soft; add the beef strips. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring and tossing frequently until the beef is just cooked. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
4. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for about 10 seconds per side. Put some beef and peppers along the centre of the tortilla and add the fixings that you like. Roll up and serve immediately.

Serves 4, or less if they are really hungry.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
2 small limes
1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Kosher or sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1. Mash the avocados with the lime juice. Add the tomatoes, onions, cilantro, salt & pepper. Mix well and taste for seasoning. When in doubt, add a little more salt.