It’s easy to get carried away at Farmer’s Markets, where the compulsion to grab random things you’ve never used takes over. Letting fresh ingredients sit on the counter for too long defeats the purpose of going to such markets, so I always look for recipes that make the most of seasonal produce.

If you happen to find rhubarb and strawberry in your reusable grocery totes or CSA box, try this Scandinavian-inspired dessert soup. The sweet and sour vanilla-rhubarb base (rabarbersoppa) is done in about 20 minutes, giving you a headstart in figuring out what to do with the rest of your haul.

I prefer to serve rhubarb soup chilled with sweetened cream and sliced strawberries, but ice cream also sounds great with this, doesn’t it?

Now what should I do with radish and still-poopy duck eggs?

recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Strawberry Feast hosted by My Kitchen Treasures

Rabarbersoppa (Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup)
Served Chilled with Strawberries and Cream

makes about 6 servings

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
4 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pints strawberries, quartered

Directions:

1. Place the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, and water in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes with the cover slightly ajar, just until the rhubarb is softened. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
2. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Reserve the seeds. Strain the soup, pushing down with a ladle to extract liquid from the rhubarb. Discard the pulp and mix the vanilla bean seeds with the strained rhubarb soup.
3. To Serve: Mix together the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract (alternatively, serve with whipped cream or ice cream). Place the quartered strawberries in chilled bowls and pour in the rhubarb soup. Drizzle with the cream mixture and serve.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries

Similar Posts:

1. Rhubarb and Asparagus Top Chef Style
2. Asparagus Soup with Cream
3. Butternut Squash Soup – Recipe from Alinea
4. Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake
5. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms
6. Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

There are several bread-centric blog events and groups that I try to keep up with:

• Bread Baking Day (monthly), which I even hosted once
• Bread Baking Babes (monthly)
• Bake Your Own Bread (biweekly)
• Yeastspotting (weekly)

The newest addition to my list is the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge (weekly), where participants bake through Peter Reinhart’s unofficial bible for the beginning bread nerd.

Yep, I’m officially in over my head. I do have a bit of a headstart, though.

Since we’ll bake from front to back and the recipes are alphabetical, we begin with A. A is for Anadama Bread, a New England specialty baked with cornmeal and molasses.

I used dark molasses so the crumb turned out almost as deeply browned as this 100% whole grain anadama bread I posted ages ago. Notice how much more trigger happy with the camera I was back then. There’s even an embedded YouTube video about how to shape a sandwich loaf.

recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
The Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge
Bake Your Own Bread

Anadama Bread Recipe

makes 2 pan loaves (8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch )

For the Cornmeal Soaker:

Cornmeal Soaker Directions:

1. Mix together the cornmeal and water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 8 hours.

For the Sponge:

Sponge Directions:

1. Mix together the cornmeal soaker, water, bread flour, and yeast until the dough is thoroughly hydrated.
2. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. The sponge should rise considerably and be slightly jiggly.

For the Final Anadama Bread Dough:

Anadama Bread Directions:

Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the soaker, bread flour, salt, molasses, and butter until a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.

Bulk Ferment #1. 45 minutes at room temperature

Stretch and Fold.

Bulk Ferment #2. 45 minutes at room temperature

Prepare 2 lightly greased 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.

Divide. 2 pieces

Shape. tight sandwich loaves

Final Proof. 60 to 90 minutes at room temperature, or until almost double its original size.

Preheat Oven. 350ºF / 175ºC

How to cut down on plastic wrap usage: use a bus tub with a tight lid for proofing.

Dust the tops with additional cornmeal right before baking if you feel like it.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350ºF / 175ºC. Rotate the pans and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown on all sides. The loaves will register 185ºF to 190ºF in the center when done.

Cooling on a rack.

Anadama bread crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Anadama Bread

Similar Posts:

1. Whole Grain Anadama Bread
2. Potato, Cheddar Cheese, and Chive Bread
3. Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge, a Year of Blogging, and a Giveaway
4. Sourdough Flaxseed Rye Bread – Leinsamenbrot
5. Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread – 100% Whole Wheat
6. Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread – 100% Whole Grain

Jerusalem artichokes have nothing to do with either the capital of Israel or globe artichokes, so what gives? Extensive research indicates that we can blame the English. Jerusalem artichokes are root tubers from a type of sunflower. The Italian word for sunflower is girasole (“to turn towards the sun”), which eventually morphed into “Jerusalem” after landing on British shores. People who want none of that confusion prefer to call these sunchokes.

The “artichoke” part is easier to explain — fully cooked sunchokes taste similar to globe artichokes. When raw or lightly cooked, it will be juicy and crunchy, almost like jicama or water chestnuts.

This recipe also highlights morel mushrooms, another springtime Ingredient of Desire. The soup is finished with a hefty dose of cream for that velvety texture and topped with fragrant sauteed morels prior to serving.

recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Marija

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms

makes about 4 servings

Jerusalem artichokes / sunchokes in a cute little box.

Ingredients:

5 ounces fresh morel mushrooms, halved and cleaned
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed or peeled
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and stir in the lemon juice. Cut the Jerusalem artichokes into thin slices and immediately drop into the bowl of lemon water to keep them from browning. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and drain.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and saute for about 5 minutes while stirring frequently (try not to let the shallots brown). Add the sliced Jerusalem artichokes and saute for about 5 minutes more.
3. Add the white wine and cook until the wine is evaporated. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, just until the Jerusalem artichokes are thoroughly softened.
4. Puree the soup using a food mill, food processor, or blender. Strain using a medium-mesh strainer back into the saucepan and stir in the cream. You can cool the soup and refrigerate at this point to serve later.
5. To serve, heat the Jerusalem artichoke soup over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
   In a small skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter over medium heat. Saute the morel mushrooms for about 5 minutes and season lightly with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Ladle the Jerusalem artichoke soup into bowls and top with the sauteed morel mushrooms.

Looks can be deceiving.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms

Similar Posts:

1. Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans
2. Morel Mushroom Pilaf
3. Asparagus Soup with Cream
4. Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries
5. Butternut Squash Soup – Recipe from Alinea
6. Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

I swore that if I failed to post at least one recipe for ramps this season, then I would deport myself to the nearest city with a Chinatown (because a Filipino needs a local source for patis – see blog name). Ramps are the stinky wild leeks after which Chicago was named after all.

The local food-obsessed (or is it food-obsessed locals?) go nuts over the pungent spring seasonals for its unusual blend of familiar flavors. The purplish white bulbs taste sharply of some sort of onion, garlic, and scallion mutant hybrid. The leaves have a peppery bite reminiscent of arugula, but spicier.

My neighbors probably hate me for stinking up the entire building the past few days but I’m okay with that. Ramps have cured my fear of purple and green foods.

A quick saute in the rendered fat of guanciale, Italian cured pork jowls, is my favorite way of preparing ramps. I remember Mario Batali talking about guanciale in an Iron Chef America battle. He had this cheesy look on his face as he whispered sweet-nothings about the Roman specialty, which naturally steered me into thoughts of illicit goings-on between Batali and his house-cured cheeks. With Batali’s o-face in mind, I tried browning a few ounces of guanciale to a crisp in its own fat, just to see what the big deal is. Let’s just say I’m never going back to bacon.

Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Mele Cotte

Sautéed Ramps in Guanciale

makes about 2 servings

Allium tricoccum.

Ingredients:

1 pound ramps, trimmed and cleaned
1/4 pound guanciale, small dice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

Pork jowl sounds much cuter than pig face.

Notes:

• To trim and clean the ramps, cut off the root end and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to dislodge trapped dirt, changing the water as many times as necessary. Rub the stalks gently with your fingertips to remove a thin and slippery outer layer, much like cleaning scallions.
• The guanciale may be salty enough to season the ramps sufficiently.

Directions:

1. Slice the ramps where the stalks and leaves meet. The stalks will be cooked a few minutes ahead of time.
2. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the guanciale until light brown and crisp.
3. Add the ramp stalks and cook for a few minutes, just until tender. Add the ramp leaves and cook for about a minute, just until wilted. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, if necessary.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sautéed Ramps in Guanciale

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1. Pickled Ramps, Japanese and Korean Flavors
2. Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans
3. Asparagus Soup with Cream
4. Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage
5. Simple Stir-Fry: Shanghai Bok Choy
6. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms

Even if the recipe name sounds like a few rounds of word association, there’s nothing disjointed about the flavors in this ice cream. Fresh strawberries are mashed with sugar to draw out its nectar and folded with cheesecake ice cream. The rich custard base is blended with cream cheese and lightened with lemon zest and juice.

It has to involve some form of graham crackers to be called a cheesecake, so I baked small rounds of graham cracker crust and served the ice cream on top.

Let’s make this fun and keep the word association going. Take a look at the most recent entry and think of any word that comes to mind. Please leave a lovely comment (preferably G-rated) and add the word you have just thunk (can be NC-17). Let’s see where it goes.

I’ll start: sandwich.

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

recipe components adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
on Graham Cracker Crust Rounds

makes about 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of ice cream
and eight 3-inch graham cracker crust rounds

Self-restraint is a virtue.

Special Equipment:

• an ice cream maker

For the Strawberries:

1 pound fresh strawberries, trimmed and quartered
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Mash the strawberries with the sugar to the desired level of chunkiness.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before mixing with the cheesecake ice cream.

Time elapsed: 2 hours.

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream:

3 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

1 pound cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

all of the strawberries

For the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Directions:

1. Prepare a double boiler.
2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and slowly add to the egg yolks while stirring.
3. Heat over a double boiler while stirring constantly, just until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. Remove immediately from the heat. Stir in the cold cream to stop the cooking, followed by the vanilla extract and salt. Strain using a fine mesh strainer.
5. Cool the custard completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
6. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until light and smooth.
7. Slowly add the chilled ice cream base and mix until smooth.
8. Churn, churn, churn.
9. In a large chilled bowl, fold in the sugared strawberries. You can also pour the strawberries directly into the ice cream maker if it can handle the volume.
10. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency or store in an airtight container and freeze.

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

Notes:

• The graham cracker crust recipe will be enough for a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for about 10 minutes at the same temperature.

Graham Cracker Crust Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 175ºC. Prepare a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add the melted butter and continue mixing until well-blended and thoroughly moistened.
3. Divide the graham cracker crumb mixture into 8 equal portions and evenly space on the lined sheet pan. Flatten and tightly pack the crumbs into rounds about 3 inches wide (I used a 3-inch cookie cutter to help shape the crust).
4. Bake at 350ºF / 175ºC for about 8 minutes.
5. Let the graham cracker crust cool completely before removing from the sheet pan.

Ready to go. Where’s the ice cream?

To Serve:

Place a graham cracker crust on a small plate. Set a generous scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream on the crust and enjoy.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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2. Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake
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4. Mangoes and Cream – 7 Ways to Indulge
5. Whole Pumpkin Baked with Cream and Cheese
6. Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

In this relatively easy recipe from Alinea, green almonds are embedded in cucumber gelée and topped with sweet, spicy, sour, and salty elements. The crisp almonds, soft jelly, and four contrasting ingredients fully engage the senses and palate like nothing else.

Green almonds have an edible crunchy shell with a pronounced sourness, so add a pinch of salt and you can make a light snack out of it. It has a fuzzy exterior that feels and looks like the surface of a tennis ball. Try your luck finding green almonds in Middle Eastern groceries around springtime.

We’ll need the young almonds found within. The nuts, at this point in its prepubescent life, will have a thin outer layer encapsulating a semi-liquid center. It has a grassy taste and refreshing quality to it.

I made the following substitutions for the sweet, spicy, sour, and salty elements (this should give you an idea of how confused eclectic my pantry is):

• Sweet: Thai coconut sugar instead of crushed sugar cubes
• Spicy: Basque espelette pepper instead of cayenne pepper
• Sour: Indian amchur powder (from unripe mangoes) instead of citric acid
• Salty: Filipino rock salt instead of Bali sea salt

recipe adapted from Grant Achatz’s Alinea
Food in Colors: Red and Green hosted by Neha

Green Almonds in Cucumber Gelée
Sweet, Hot, Sour, Salt

makes 8 small bites

Green almond cross section.

Ingredients:

5 gelatin sheets
2 English cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and seeded
8 grams / 0.3 oz granulated sugar
5 grams / 0.2 oz kosher salt
8 green almonds, shelled

Notes:

• I used 2 packets of Knox powdered gelatin (14 grams / 0.5 oz) instead of the gelatin sheets.
• To shell the green almonds, use a paring knife. Cut a shallow slit on the seam that runs down the length of the almonds. The shell can be easily pried open with your fingertips.

Directions:

1. Line a 9- x 13-inch pan with plastic wrap. Reduce the area of the pan to 9 x 4 inches by lifting up one end of the plastic wrap. Place some sort of straight-edged object adjacent to the plastic wrap to make a barrier (I used an 8-inch springform cake pan lined with plastic wrap).
2. Juice the cucumbers in a juicer and strain using a fine mesh strainer (I used a blender and strained the resulting puree several times). Weigh 70 grams / 1.8 oz of juice and reserve the rest in a small bowl.
3. If using the gelatin sheets, immerse in iced water for about 5 minutes or until pliable. Squeeze excess water out of the sheets. Heat the measure of cucumber juice over the lowest heat setting and whisk in the gelatin sheets until fully dissolved.
   If using the powdered gelatin, add to the measure of cucumber juice and stir until moistened to bloom. Heat the bloomed gelatin over low heat until liquefied.
4. Whisk the sugar, salt, and gelatin into the reserved cucumber juice until fully dissolved. Pour into the container lined with plastic wrap.
5. Evenly set the shelled green almonds in the gelatin.
6. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the gelatin is completely set.
7. Cut the cucumber gelée into 1-inch squares, centering the almonds (I used a 1.25-inch round cookie cutter). Chill until ready to serve.

To Assemble and Serve:

Gather the sweet, spicy, sour and salty elements of your choice. See the list above for the original ingredients. Add a pinch of the ingredients to each of the opposing corners and serve immediately.

Curiously addictive.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Green Almonds in Cucumber Gelée

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2. Radish Herb Butter
3. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms
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5. Pickled Ramps, Japanese and Korean Flavors

If, in a cheese bread recipe, you were told to deeply cut into the proofed dough to allow the cheese to ooze out while baking, wouldn’t you be interested in seeing what happens? The potential for a crusty-smoky mess in the oven is high, but don’t let that keep you from trying this recipe out.

The water used for cooking the potatoes is the hydrating agent of choice, so don’t forget to reserve it afterwards. Potato water does magical things to bread. It noticeably softens the crumb and somehow makes the crust more thin and crackly.

With freshly chopped chives kneaded into the dough, the bread reminds me of a baked potato. It’s just begging to be served with a side of sour cream and bacon (probably not a good idea but worth a try).

recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Bread Baking Day #19: Spring Country Bread hosted by Cindystar
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Potato, Cheddar Cheese, and Chive Bread
(using a liquid sourdough starter)

makes 2 large loaves

For the Liquid Sourdough Starter:

Liquid Sourdough Starter Directions:

1. Place the liquid starter in a bowl. Pour the water over the starter and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated.
2. Place in a bowl and cover. Let stand at room temperature for about 24 hours before using in the final dough.

For the Final Dough:

Potato, Cheddar Cheese, and Chive Bread Directions:

Boil the Potatoes. In a medium saucepan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the coarsely chopped potatoes and simmer until soft. Drain, reserving the water. Let the potatoes cool completely before continuing.

Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, half of the flour, half of the lukewarm potato water, instant yeast, and the cooked potatoes until evenly incorporated. Try to mash the potatoes into the dough at this time.

Rest. 30 minutes

Mix. Add the rest of the flour, lukewarm potato water, and salt. Continue mixing until a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is only slightly sticky. Add the chives towards the end of kneading.

Bulk Ferment. 90 minutes at room temperature, or until about double its original size.

Prepare a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Divide. 2 pieces

Preshape. Pat the dough into rectangles about 6 inches wide by 8 inches long. Layer the slices of cheese on the dough.

Shape. Roll the dough beginning from the 6-inch side to form a spiral of cheese within. Shape into tight ovals.

Final Proof. 60 minutes at room temperature, or until about 1 1/2 times its original size.

Preheat Oven. 450ºF / 230ºC

Score. 1 or 2 deep diagonal cuts, until you reach the layer of cheese inside the dough.

Steam. 1 cup of boiling water poured in a heavy steam pan (preferably cast iron).

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 450ºF / 230ºC, rotating the loaves halfway through baking if necessary. The loaves will register about 200ºF / 93ºC in the center. The cheese may ooze out of the cuts and form a crust.

Cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

Crusty cheese or cheesy crust?

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Potato, Cheddar Cheese, and Chive Bread

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2. Rosemary Potato Pizza
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6. Ensaimada – Filipino Cheese Brioche

Buttery fava beans still in its pale green skin are added to sauteed morel mushrooms in this recipe. Crème fraîche, a cultured cream, gives the dish a rich tang. It’s a simple way of enjoying what is arguably the most coveted of spring produce.

When it comes to fresh ingredients, sometimes the simplest recipes are best. That’s what I want to say, but to be honest, I just didn’t want to screw up the morels. It’s one ingredient that makes me nervous in the kitchen and you can bet I went all eagle-eye on the morels as it cooked.

The fragrance released by the sauteed morels, obviously that of a mushroom but much deeper than any others, is nothing short of addictive. It makes you want to risk facial oil burns as you bend over the hot skillet and catch a whiff.

recipe adapted from Saveur
My Legume Love Affair hosted by Coco Cooks
Click: Spring 2009 hosted by Jugalbandi

Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans
with Crème Fraîche

makes about 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 pounds fresh fava / broad beans in the pod
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 to 15 fresh morels (about 4 ounces), cleaned and halved or quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Remove the fava beans from pods and rinse under cold running water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and simmer just until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and reserve.
3. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the morel mushrooms and gently cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, then the favas, and cook just until the favas are heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Something smells good.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sautéed Morel Mushrooms and Fava Beans

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2. Lamb with Fava Beans and Green Almonds
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5. Dal Makhani (Kali Dal) – Buttered Black Gram Beans
6. Mung Beans and Sticky Rice in Coconut Milk

The asparagus tips are cooked briefly to retain crispness and the stalks pureed to lend the soup a light green hue. You’ll also need a potato to slightly thicken and some parsley for that fresh herby taste.

The original recipe calls for a brief simmer with a tied-up bunch of parsley, presumably for easy extraction before pureeing. It seems to be missing this step so I added it. Blending the soup with the parsley also didn’t seem right because doing so could kill the subtle taste of asparagus.

The soup is finished with heavy cream, but since it’s getting warmer and I need to get sexy soon, I used milk. Either way, the soup will be smooth and creamy.

recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Eating with the Seasons: April hosted by Maninas

Asparagus Soup with Cream Recipe

makes about 8 servings

Trying to be way too artsy over here.

Ingredients:

2 pounds asparagus
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium red waxy potato, peeled and sliced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
about 12 sprigs of parsley, tied up with string
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Notes:

• Use white peppercorns if you’re anal about having black specks in your precious soup, as I am.

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil.
2. Trim and discard the fibrous portion of the asparagus, about 2 inches at the base. Cut the asparagus tips and reserve. Cut the asparagus stalks into 1-inch segments and reserve.
3. Blanch the asparagus tips and stalks separately.
   Cook the asparagus tips in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve.
   Cook the asparagus stalks in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve.
4. In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sliced potatoes. Saute for about 10 minutes while stirring frequently, or until the onions turn translucent (try not to let the onions or potatoes brown).
5. Add the asparagus stalks, the broth, and the parsley. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly softened. Remove and discard the tied-up bunch of parsley.
6. Puree the soup using a food mill, food processor, or blender. Strain using a medium-mesh strainer.
7. To serve, heat the asparagus puree over low heat and mix in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix in the asparagus tips just before serving.

Taking a photo of this soup is not fun. The asparagus tips keep sinking.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Asparagus Soup with Cream

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1. Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries
2. Rhubarb and Asparagus Top Chef Style
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4. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Morel Mushrooms
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6. Pureed Corn and Miso Soup

You’ll likely spend more effort looking for the key ingredient than preparing this simple grilled chicken (see below for a substitution suggestion). The original recipe mentions Fox & Obel, a Chicago grocer that makes Whole Foods seem like Cheap Eats Galore by comparison, as the only source for Espelette peppers around here ($17.99 for 45 grams).

Fox & Obel is a last resort for me because I can drive myself into serious debt just by getting a few ounces of this and that. Groceries aren’t supposed to be a threat to my measly credit limit, but good judgment flies out the window after a few minutes of walking around that tasty-sexy food haven. I wonder what the employee discount is like.

Espelette peppers are coarsely ground dried chiles with a brick red hue. It has AOC status, so the peppers are exclusively sourced from specific French communes and follow strict production methods. It is an essential ingredient in classic Basque dishes such as Pipérade and Poulet Basquaise.

A suitable substitute is paprika with a pinch of cayenne, as suggested in Anne Willan’s The Country Cooking of France. This approximates the distinctive mix of sweetness and mild heat in Espelette peppers.

recipe adapted from The Publican via Time Out Chicago
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Prof. Kitty

The Publican’s Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper and Oregano

makes about 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon espelette pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole chicken or 2 cornish hens (about 3 lbs), spatchcocked

Notes:

• Never spatchcocked poultry before? Here’s a helpful video of Alton Brown spatchcocking a cornish hen.

Directions:

1. Mix together all of the seasonings in a container big enough to contain the chicken.
2. Add the spatchcocked chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate to marinade for at least one hour and up to overnight.
3. If using a charcoal or gas grill: Heat charcoals on one side of the grill or light half of a gas grill. Grill the chicken skin-side down over indirect heat while covered.
   If using an oven: Preheat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet in a 350ºF / 175ºC oven. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet and return to the oven.
4. Grill or roast for about 30 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut into the chicken. If using a digital thermometer, the temperature in the thickest part of the thighs should reach 170ºF / 77ºC.
5. Remove the chicken from the grill or oven and let rest for about five minutes before carving.
6. Serve with lemon halves. Grill or roast the lemon halves for a few minutes if you feel like it.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper

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