Apple and Blackberry Oatmeal Crumble

I begin Le Cordon Bleu school in Portland, Oregon next week. I am so excited to get started, and was telling one of my friends about the program, and she asked me if I was going for the degree in Culinary Arts or in Baking & Pastry Arts. I think that I may have given her the nastiest look ever, and barked back "Culinary Arts, of course!". To me, baking and making pastry goes in the same category as vacuuming and trying to fold a fitted sheet. I hate it, and it's just not going to happen. It's as simple as that. I can throw down a savory quiche crust, if need be, but that's where I draw the line. However, when entertaining, having a nice dessert recipe in my pocket as an easy "go to" is essential. That is why I love this recipe so much. It is so simple, yet so flavorful, and the ingredients

are always available.

 

My recipe calls for fresh blackberries. Often they are extremely expensive or not in season. This is where the opportunities for versatility in this recipe come in. My Mom makes amazing blackberry jam and has it in the freezer year-round. I often substitute that for the blackberries, making sure to slightly reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, to taste, to account for the sugar in the jam. Using store-bought jam is always an alternative; opt for an organic, unsweetened, seeded jam that provides the flavor of the berry without a lot of added sugar. Also, one can always use frozen blackberries; simply defrost and drain the berries before adding them to the recipe.

 

Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream doused with a little bit of lemon juice, sugar and vanilla extract, and this dessert will impress guests throughout the year. I make my crumble in individual ramekins, so each guest has their own portion, but it is just as easily baked and served from a traditional pie dish.

 

Ingredients

6 large apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon (Zest the lemon first, as you will need the zest later on in the recipe.)
2 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons sugar, divided
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blackberries, roughly chopped (or 6 Tablespoons blackberry jam)
Zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or Pumpkin Pie Spice, if preferred)
8 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup brown sugar

Vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream for serving, if desired.

 

Preparation
Pregeat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the apples with 3 Tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lemon, and saute in 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large sauepan for approximately 10-12 minutes until the apples are softened. Drain any excess liquid. Gently combine the sauteed apples with the chopped blackberries (or blackberry jam) and lemon zest and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 3 Tablespoons sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and cold butter. Using your hands, combine the ingredients together, making sure to break up and integrate the butter very well, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the brown sugar to combine.

Lightly grease individual ramekins or a deep pie dish with butter or non-stick spray. Spoon the apples into the bottom of each ramekin to desired amount, or into the bottom of the entire pie dish. Top with the oatmeal crumble mixture. Place the ramekins or pie dish on a large baking sheet to catch any drippings, as the fruit tends to bubble over. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Yields: approximately 6 servings


Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

At this time of year, when the weather is cold and damp outside, there is nothing better than a hot flavorful soup to warm you from the inside. This Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup absolutely hits the spot. It is not as hearty as a stew, so it is perfect served with a salad or sandwich for lunch or a starter to any dinner, but encompasses so much depth of flavor, that it definitely could never be compared with a tomato soup from memory. I use chicken broth in my recipe, but to keep it truly vegetarian, opt for vegetable broth instead. Furthermore, if you would like to garnish your bowl with a little dollop of sour cream and some fresh basil just before serving, that is a fabulous addition. There is only one "rule" that I highly encourage one to follow when making this recipe; use the best organic tomatoes that can be found. I have made this soup using fantastic organic heirloom tomatoes and I have recreated the recipe with regular tomatoes, simply because I had them on hand. The volume of flavor was night and day, or should I say "lack of flavor" when I didn't use the highest quality of fresh ingredients. Skimp on the quality of the canned tomatoes if need be, and let the freshness and flavor of the roasted tomatoes take over.

 

My recipe calls for a hand immersion blender to bring all the ingredients together; if you do not have one, using a food processor, blending in batches, will work just as well. Also, I call to use a food mill to catch any extra seeds. If one is not on hand, simply pour the soup through a fine wire strainer and use the back of a spoon to mash all the ingredients through, discarding the remaining seeds and skin.

 


Ingredients
3 pounds organic tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup EVOO
Salt & pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups medium chopped sweet white onion (approximately 3, medium)
2 Tablespoons EVOO
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt & pepper
10 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28 ounce) cans unsalted whole tomatoes, with juices (Trader Joe's has a wonderful product)
4-5 cups fresh basil, chopped
4-5 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart chicken broth (Have more on hand for desired consistency, as the soup reduces on the stove.)

Sour cream and fresh basil for garnish, if desired.

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Toss the quartered tomatoes with the EVOO, salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 45 minutes.

In a large stockpot saute the onion with the 2 Tablespoons EVOO and the butter for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until they become translucent. The butter gives the onions flavor, while the EVOO prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the stockpot. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Add in the remaining ingredients along with the roasted tomatoes from the oven. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, uncovered, for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add in additional chicken stock to maintain desired consistency as the soup reduces on the stove.

Remove the pot from the stove, and when it cools slightly, use a hand immersion blender to blend and combine all the ingredients to a desired consistency. Then put the soup through a food mill to remove all the tomato seeds and skin.

Garnish with sour cream and fresh chopped basil if desired.

Yields: 8-10 servings





Bacon, Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

One might think of a quiche as an elegant and more refined alternative to that of an egg scramble. It is. However, if it is not as easy, it is more so. The best thing about a quiche is that it is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, may be served solely or accompianed by a green or fruit salad to complete a main course and can include any ingredients in your fridge or that you can think up. If you are taking a vegetarian route a Greek quiche with feta cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes, onions and peppers is fabulous. Or a fresh seafood quiche with scallops, prawns and crab meat and sauteed leeks is my favorite. This Bacon, Spinach and Mushroom Quiche tends to be the one that I make most often, as the ingredients are popular to most, and I generally have them all on hand. This is a great way to push your imagination and an easy way to use up ingredients you have in the refrigerator while creating a dish that will impress your family and friends. Served warm or room temperature, this is a perfect option for a weekend brunch or as an appetizer at a dinner party. I make one once a week and keep it in the fridge for a delicious and quick breakfast each morning. Bon Appetit!

Quiche Ingredients
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet white onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
8 slices of slightly undercooked bacon, roughly chopped (To cook the bacon place on a cooling rack on top of a sheet pan, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes, or until the bacon is almost done. It will fully cook within the quiche.)
2 sprigs finely minced fresh rosemary (approximately 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces baby spinach leaves, washed, drained and patted dry

4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups half & half
Several dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)

4 ounces diced brie cheese
2 ounces shredded parmesano-reggiano

1 pie crust (Recipe below, but go right ahead and purchase a pie crust if you so prefer)

Quiche Preparation
In a large pan over medium heat saute the onion in the olive oil for approximately 5 minutes, or until onions are completely translucent. Add in the garlic, careful that it does not burn, and saute for additional 2 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and the butter and saute, stirring often, approximtely 7-8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are completely tender. Add in the chopped bacon, herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and incorporate all the ingredients. In gradual handfuls add in the spinach leaves, and saute until the leaves have all gone limp and the volume decreased by half in the cooking process. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture into the empty pie crust.

In a seperate bowl, throroughly whisk together the eggs, half & half and Tabasco sauce. Pour into the crust over the spinach/bacon/mushroom mixture, carefully combining all ingredients. Stir in the brie and parmesano-reggiano cheeses.

Crust Ingredients
1 stick chilled butter, diced
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt

2-4 Tablespoons of ice cold water

Flour for rolling
Butter for the quiche dish

Crust Preparation
In a large bowl combine the flour, butter and salt and mix by hand, crumbling the butter into the flour until the texture likens that of corn meal. Add in 2 Tablespoons of the cold water and mix until the dough begins to lump together and form a ball. Add more water in stages if the dough appears too dry. On a large floured surface roll out the dough until it is large enough to generously fold into a traditional quiche dish. Butter the quiche dish and gently place the rolled crust into the form, trimming any excess on the edges.

Bake the quiche at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rest for approximately 15 minutes before slicing. May be served warm or at room temperature.

Serves: 8

Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli

My family and I absolutely love crab cakes. They are absolutely perfect for an appetizer, several served with a salad and grilled asparagus for a main course, or even perfect turned into a burger for a more casual meal, using the aioli in lieu of mayonnaise on the bun. Buying a whole crab from the store, poaching it and then extracting the meat can be cumbersome, and buying crab meat fresh from the fish market can be very costly. I found a wonderful alternative by using canned crab meat in my recipe. Definitely choose the highest quality of canned crab, as not to compromise the flavor. I found the best to be from Trader Joe's. An entire one-pound can of crab meat is just $10, and the freshness and flavor is wonderful. I serve my crab cakes with a lemon aioli; so easy to make and enhances the cakes with the additional creaminess and tang of the lemon. You will most definitely impress yourself, your family or your guests with the simplicity and flavor of this recipe.

Ingredients
2 shallots, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
1 egg
1 pound lump crab meta
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp dried ginger powder

Grapeseed or high-temperature oil for frying
Flour for dusting the crab cakes before frying

Preparation
In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Form the crab mixture into large 2 Tablespoon portions into balls and then flatten and shape into a cake, about 1/4 inch thick. Dust each crab cake on both sides with the flour. In a large skillet, on medium heat, bring the oil up to temperature, and fry the crab cakes in small batches, 4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the other side until they are a deep golden brown. Rest them on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve with Lemon Aioli (recipe follows).

Yields: 18 crab cakes*

*Depending on how large you make the crab cakes, and how many you are serving, there are sure to be leftovers. Freeze them, uncooked, layering in parchment, in an airtight container, for whenever you need them. Simply defrost on the counter for about an hour and follow cooking instructions from there.

Lemon Aioli
In a food processor pulse together and refrigerate:
2 cups mayonnaise
Zest of 2 lemons
3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Orange Beef and Broccoli

 

Beef and Broccoli is one of my sister, Hilary's, favorite recipes. She always orders it when we go out to an Asian restaurant. For a great night of dinner at her house several months ago I recreated her favorite, but added a twist of citrus with organic oranges. This simple ingredient took this somewhat generic dish to the next level, and was a great way to counteract the additional spice that I added to the dish creating the perfect balance. This is it for an easy dinner party recipe, or simply, as we enjoyed it, at home on the couch on a cold night. It feels like "comfort food" without the regret. I served it on a bed of brown rice, but if you are looking to avoid carbohydrates, simply double the amount of broccoli or add water chesnuts, red peppers or bamboo shoots and it is a meal in itself. If you prefer chicken or prawns to beef, both which I always have on hand, either are a  perfect substitute.

 

Sauce Ingredients

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange

2 Tablespoons corn starch

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

4 cloves grated fresh garlic

1 Tablespoon Thai chili sauce, or to taste (Local markets carry a variety; I prefer Mae Ploy, as it also has a hint of sweet to match the heat)

 

Sauce Preparation

Wisk all of the sauce ingredients together, making sure that the marmalade is completely absorbed, and set aside.

 

Main Ingredients

3 Tablespoons sesame seed oil

1 red onion, thinly julienned

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound thinly sliced beef, cut into strips (I love to use flank steak in this recipe; it is already thin, so the preparation is so easy)

2 large heads of broccoli, including stems, chopped into bite-sized pieces

 

Garnishes (optional)

Toasted sesame seeds

3/4 cup chopped, salted cashews

4 scallions chopped

 

Preparation

In a large pan or wok, over medium to medium-high heat, saute the red onion in the sesame oil for approximately 2-3 minutes, simply to take away the bite. Add in the chopped garlic and the beef and saute for approximately 2 minutes; when it is just starting to brown. Add in the broccoli and continue sauteing for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli reaches desired tenderness. Add the prepared sauce into the pan, making sure to coat all ingredients and bringing the sauce up to temperature. Serve over a bed of brown rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cashews and chopped scallions.

 

Serves: 4

Creamy Caramelized Onion and Potato Chowder

This recipe is an absolutely perfect starter for any chilly night or winter supper. As a main course it is a wonderful blank slate to add diced carrots, bacon or chopped ham for a complete entree. Served with French bread or in a baked bread bowl for a rustic presentation, it will warm your family or guests from the inside out. Garnish with chilled sour cream and chopped scallions. If you have approximately three cups of leftover mashed potatoes in the refrigerator from a previous meal, simply forego the initial steps of creating a potato mash, and use those for the basis of the recipe instead; it will cut your preparation time easily in half. This is also a great recipe to make ahead and freeze, for a quick "to-go" when time or energy is minimal.

Ingredients

Potato Mash:
4-5 large rustic potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk or cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Caramelized Onions:
3 sweet yellow onions, halved and roughly sliced
6 teaspoons butter
4 teaspoons olive oil
5 minced garlic cloves
8 Tablespoons dry white wine
5 Tablespoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons honey
Salt and black pepper to taste

1/3 cup sherry
2-2 1/2 cups broth (vegetarian if you would prefer, but chicken or beef broth recommended for flavor)
2 cups cream
2 cups grated cheddar or gruyere cheese (or preferred, such as mozzarella or parmesan)
6 Tablespoons chilled sour cream (garnish)
Chopped scallions (garnish)

Preparation

In a large pot of boiling, salted water poach the potatoes until cooked throughout. Drain and mash. Return the potatoes to the pot and add the butter, milk or cream, salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste. et aside.
In a large skillet add the Caramelized Onions ingredients. Saute on low and slow for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, stirring very frequently to avoid the garlic from burning, until the onions are extremely limp and lucid through.

In the large pot of potatoes add the caramelized onions and the remaining ingredients: sherry, broth and cream. Combine the ingredients well and bring the stove up to medium heat. Stir until the chowder has reached desired texture and warmed throughout, making sure that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

Serve and garnish with chilled sour cream and scallions.

Serves: 6 (main portion) to 8 (starter)

Shrimp, Scallop and Clam Cioppino

 

The key to creating a fantastic cioppino relies on one basic necessity: fresh ingredients. This is the time and place to become best friends with the local fish monger or the gentleman behind the seafood counter at the market. Cioppino is such a rustic and simple dish to create, but without the highest quality of seasonal fish and seafood it will fall from grace. Living in Port Townsend, Washington, right on the ocean, I immediately turned to the advice of the seafood experts at Key City Fish Company, located in the boat haven in downtown Port Townsend. They have the most knowledgeable staff around, and I was able to select some beautiful clams, prawns and large scallops to accompany the fresh salmon I had acquired from a fisherman friend to complete this recipe. Cioppino is perfectly served on it's own, with large peices of warmed rustic French bread to soak up the wonderful juices, or over a bed of simple white rice or linguine noodles for added substance.

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 1/2 yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or blend of thyme, basil, oregano and parsley)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (32 ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
2 cups white wine
5 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 pound manila clams, cleaned
1 pound prawns, peeled, deveined and cleaned, tails on
1 pound salmon, deboned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound scallops, cleaned and drained, towel-patted dry
Lemon wedges, to garnish
Chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation
In a large pot over medium heat saute the fennel and onion in the olive oil, butter and salt, until the onion becomes translucent, approiximately 7 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and tomato paste. Saute an additional 2 minutes to incorporate the flavors, careful not to let the garlic burn. Add in the diced tomatoes, with juice, white wine, chicken stock and bay leaves. Cover and bring to s simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, medium-low and lightly simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Add in the clams and cover, steaming for approximately 5 minutes, until they open completely. Add the remaining seafood and cook over medium heat, gently stirring occasionally, until all of the fresh ingredients are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a lemon wedge and chopped parsley.

Serves: 6