Provencal Vegetable Soup (Soupe au Pistou)

May 16th, 2012

The flavors of Provence can be found in this Soupe au Pistou.  In the Provencal language, pistou means basil and the word has come to mean this soup as well.  It is a summer soup utilizing all the the vegetables from the garden.

This authentic recipe came from Antoine Bouterin in his book Cooking Provence; Four Generations of Recipes and Tradition. 

Bouterin,  the former chef of Le Perigord in New York City, grew up in his Grandparent’s 400 year old farm house in St.- Remy-de-Provence.  He learned how to cook watching his Grandmother turn out meals on her cast-iron, wood-burning stove surrounded by the aromas of drying herbs and citrus peel.  Each summer she would make this soup from the bounty of the farm with a generous addition of garlic and basil.

I had expected to like this soup, but I found it to be more complex than just a liking.  It has a depth of flavor to it that is soothing.  It makes you want to return your spoon to your bowl over and over again.  I am anxious to try it again when the tomatoes are at their peak.  It will be a regular summer soup at the cottage.

PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SOUP (SOUPE AU PISTOU)

2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 medium-size turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
8 cups water
4 cups homemade or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large leeks, white and tender green parts, well washed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (I used Yukon Gold)
1 cup canned flageolets, undrained (or cannellini beans)
1 cup broken pieces thin spaghetti
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large tomatoes, juice and seeds gently squeezed out and cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the corn oil until very hot but not smoking, then add the onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and turnips and saute 2 minutes.  Add the water and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook 10 minutes.  Add the zucchini, green beans, leeks, and potatoes and simmer 30 minutes.

Add the flageolets and spaghetti and cook 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley and basil and set aside.  Just before serving the soup, add the tomato mixture and cook just until heated through.  Serve the soup hot or at room temperature.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Note:  You can prepare the soup up to the point of adding the tomatoes and refrigerate up to 3 days.  It will thicken in the refrigerator, so add a little water or broth as needed.

Printable recipe

Behind The Scenes

April 23rd, 2012

My food photography has come a long way from the early days with my point and shoot camera in the kitchen snapping quick pictures of my dinner.  Now, more often than not, when I am photographing food you will find me in front of those sliding doors behind me with the sun shining in from the left.  But on cloudy rainy days and for night shots I have to get out my silver dome light diffusers and a white core board sheet to bounce back the light.  It has gotten complicated, but I am having fun with it.

Last week I received an invaluable book as a gift from my niece Jennie.  Thank you Jennie.  Helene Dujardin of the much admired blog Tartlette has written a book to help her fellow foodies take better pictures.

  
I recently upgraded my point and shoot camera to a Canon EOS Rebel T2i with an added 50 mm 1.8 lens.  I have been lax about learning my camera.  I have relied on the automatic settings like “close-up”.  Helene’s book has gotten me excited about taking control of my shots.  Here are some shots taken in low light with the diffuser in the AV (Aperture Priority) mode.

Composition is not good in this picture.  Clarity on the meatballs suffers also.

I like the way the meatballs look in this shot, but the plate is overexposed and again, composition could be better.

I like the composition in this picture.  The leafy maidenhair fern adds a softness to the shot.  I’m still not where I want to be.  Lighting is still my enemy, but I am learning to make friends with it.  And I am having fun doing it.

I am also having fun with blogger’s new designs.  This is a temporary look.  My Son ( in his spare time) is working on switching me over to Word Press and my new blog look will be totally different.

SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS (Everyone has a version of this recipe)

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 12 ounce bottle chili sauce
6 ounces red currant jelly
Zest and juice of one lemon

Combine meats.  Cook onion in oil until soft.  Add to meat mixture along with breadcrumbs, eggs and seasonings.  Form into 1 inch balls and place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes.  In the meantime, combine the chili sauce, red currant jelly and zest and juice of one lemon in a large skillet.  Heat and stir to combine.  Remove meatballs from oven and add them to the sauce.  Roll to coat.  Cover skillet and cook until flavors are combined, about 15 minutes.

Printable recipe

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

March 2nd, 2012

SPINACH AND BACON QUICHE

1 tart shell made from a standard pastry dough, partially baked and cooled
10 ounces ready to use baby spinach (or about 1 1/4 pounds regular spinach, trimmed and washed)
4 strips bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, split and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Put the tart shell on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
To cook the spinach, fit a steamer basket into a large pot.  Pour in enough water to come almost up to the steamer, cover, and bring to a boil.  Add the spinach, cover, and steam jot until soft and thoroughly wilted, about 4 minutes.  Remove the spinach, drain, and run under very cold water to cool it and set the color.
When the spinach is cool enough not to burn your hands, squeeze it between your palms to get out as much moisture as you can; do this in batches, so you can squeeze harder.  Put the clumps of spinach on a cutting board and coarsely chop or thinly slice the spinach.
Put the bacon in a skillet, place the skillet over medium heat, and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp on both sides.  Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and pat it dry (set the pan aside).  Cut the bacon crosswise into thin strips.
Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat, and toss in the onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft but not at all colored, about 5 minutes; remove from the heat.  Add the spinach and bacon bits to the pan, toss to blend, and add a little more salt and few generous grinding of pepper.
Turn the spinach-onion mixture into the crust, spreading it as evenly as you can.  Whisk the eggs and cream together until well blended and pour into the tart shell, giving the custard a minute to seep around the spinach and settle in.  Sprinkle the top of the quiche with the Parmesan.
Carefully slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is uniformly puffed (wait for the center to puff), browned, and set.  Transfer the quiche to a cooling rack, remove the sides of the pan and allow it to cool and gather itself for at least 5 minutes or so before serving.  

Our Valentine’s Celebration

February 14th, 2012

We decided to have everyone over to our house for dessert Sunday night because we were not only celebrating Valentine’s Day, but a birthday and an anniversary.  The guys took us out for a wonderful dinner at Creekside in St. Augustine and then promised to serenade us with a special Valentine’s song.  They did pretty well singing accapella, or is that acapella, or a capella.  They gave it their all however you spell it.  We had a good laugh, so I thought I would share it with you.  Tonight we will have a simple meal for two; Steak au Poivre, roasted potatoes and asparagus.    Maybe a little Rod Stewart . . . unless I can convince the guys to come back.  Enjoy your Valentine’s Day.

© Penny Klett, Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen. All rights reserved.