Savory Wild Mushroom Soup

I've been obsessed with wild mushrooms lately. They are sturdy and substantial enough to stand alone in most cold-weather dishes, but also willingly slip into the background as a supporting player. They add a rustic complexity that can't be duplicated.

When food52 ran a contest recently for "best mushroom soup," I set out to create a recipe and submit it for consideration. 

Now, if you regularly read this blog, you'll see I tend to cook by instinct. I appreciate precise ratios and proper proportion, and I do follow recipes, but I often improvise and ad lib in the kitchen. And I never write anything down. So this posed an intriguing challenge. 

Building a recipe requires a unique set of artistic and scientific skill: one that I hope to have years ahead to develop. I brainstormed flavor combinations, studied other recipes, and devoted a place in my mind to work through the equation while I went about my daily life. I sketched it out on paper, then took to the kitchen and refined and revised as I went along.

The result? A light-bodied, yet substantial soup that blends shallot, garlic, white wine, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, four varieties of wild mushrooms, white beans and a touch of cream, pureed into a silky brew. My friend Jordana at Menu Maniac served as a tester, and I was excited and gratified to see that food52 named it an Editor's Pick (click to see recipe)!

Very Veggie Soup

There's something about soup that's comforting, soothing and good for your mind, body and spirit. The soup pot is a well-used accessory in our kitchen, and this Very Veggie Soup is a staple. This particular soup is also the perfect way to ease into healthy-eating mode after, say, a period of over-indulging. Granted, it isn't particularly photogenic, but have faith, it's delicious.

My sister-in-law Simona, a former restaurant cook in Italy and one of my kitchen mentors, created this recipe, and I've adapted it a bit over the years. Don't be tempted to use old, wilted or wrinkly veggies - this soup's clean, clear flavors require the freshest, best vegetables you can find.

With this in mind, and since we're at the peak of the harvest, Wes and I decided to use all local veggies this time - either from Eastern Market or our own backyard. Feel free to use whatever veggies you like best if you make this at home.

From Eastern Market: shallots, Italian red onions and cippoline onions, all from my favorite onion farmer at Eastern Market (yes, I now have an onion guy), garlic and carrot (also from the onion guy), celery and zucchini.

From our garden: Broccoli, swiss chard, basil and flat leaf parsley.

Directions:

Thinly slice a big shallot, 5 red onions (they're small) and about 5 medium cippoline onions. Or, just keep it simple and slice up one big plain onion. Crush and chop four garlic cloves and thinly slice two celery stalks and two good-sized carrots. Season generously with salt, pepper and a pinched of crushed red pepper for an added kick and saute in a big soup pot or dutch oven in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft, about 20 minutes. Then add a head of chopped broccoli, 2-3 chopped zucchinis and cook another 20-30 minutes. Throw in a few big handfuls of greens, such as baby spinach or swiss chard and stir.

Next, add enough chicken or vegetable stock to cover the vegetables. Homemade stock is best, it will make this soup amazing, but if you're pressed for time use the best boxed stock you can find.

Simmer until all the veggies are soft, about an hour, or even two if you have the time, stirring occasionally. Add a can of can of drained, rinsed cannellini beans and a couple of handful of chopped fresh herbs about 15 minutes before you take it off the burner. The beans give the soup a rich, velvety texture and added fiber and protein without extra fat.

Let it cool for 15-20 minutes, then puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor.

This soup is a great starter, or if you want to serve it as an entree, consider adding protein such as chopped chicken, shrimp, crab or leftover salmon fillet.

Either way, when serving, drizzle your best extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with high quality parmesan cheese for a healthy, satisfying, comforting bowl of goodness.

Crazy for Caponata

Caponata is something I never really thought I'd make. As a child and an Italian child at that, I would turn up my nose at such dishes, much to the dismay of many of my relatives.

But I've grown into caponata and now count it among my favorite vegetable dishes. A combination of cooked eggplant, tomatoes, olives, capers and golden raisins, often with a little vinegar and sugar, caponata has a unique sweet, savory, briney flavor. I try to make it each summer, when the vegetables are in season. Unsure about adding raisins to vegetables? I was too, but have faith, they make this dish.

Caponata is excellent plain, with a sprinkle of parmesan, but it's also good as a pasta sauce, or over sliced, baked polenta rounds, or on top of cooked polenta seasoned with parmesan and fresh basil. You can even use it as a topper on grilled chicken or fish, on bruschetta, or in a vegetarian sandwich with some melted provolone or fresh mozzarella. It works as a side dish with just about any recipes. It's super versatile, low calorie and brimming with antioxidents and all that good stuff. It also freezes pretty well.

I usually use Rachael Ray's caponata recipe; she's Italian and I like her version. That's good enough for me. I add fresh basil, but otherwise follow the recipe as written, although I cook the onions until soft before adding the rest of the veggies.

I've found as I get older, my tastes buds have expanded and I love many foods I wouldn't touch in the past. Did this happen to you? What do you eat now that you wouldn't as a kid?

Yellow Tomato Sauce

Cool weather has led to a tomato blight, so while the season hasn't been the best, I've been blessed with a nice crop of yellow tomatoes that reseeded themselves from last year.

So, I recreated a recipe from last summer - yellow tomato sauce with garlic and basil.

Roughly chop about 10 ripe yellow tomatoes of various sizes, mince six cloves of garlic and thinly slice a red onion. Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil, add the onion and saute until very soft. Add the tomatoes and after they break down for few moments, add the garlic. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Next, add a big splash of good white wine and a handful or two of sliced fresh basil. Then, add a parmesan rind. Simply cut the rind off of a blog of parmesan cheese and throw it in. This is what makes the sauce special. 

Cook for as long as you'd like - hours if you have the time, and stir occasionally. It will reduce and become sweeter and the flavors will concentrate the longer you cook. 

Serve over pasta, as a bruschetta spread or as a base for fish or chicken. Enjoy!

Seared Scallops

Wes and I plan our menus. Really, we do. Each weekend, we discuss the upcoming week. We break out a few cookbooks, make a list. Put in the supplies.

But sometimes, life gets in the way. Or we're just not in the mood for whatever's in the house.

Does this happen to you?

Last night, though, we had no such plan. Can you say totally scattered? So we stopped in at Fresh Farms market, one of our local faves, picked up some scallops, seared them in a sizzling hot skillet and made a quick pan sauce with white wine and a pat of butter.

A few tips: pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper before placing into the pan. Sear in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side. If the scallop sticks, it's not ready to flip. And don't overcrowd in the pan or they won't brown properly.

As the scallops become nicely caramelized, put them on a plate in a 200-degree oven to keep warm, and then start your sauce. Pour a big splash of good white wine in the pan - roughly a quarter to a third of a cup. Let it simmer down and reduce for a few minutes, stirring constantly, and when all the bits have eased off the pan into your sauce, stir in a small pat of butter for silky richness. Plate the scallops, pour on a little sauce and serve.

We paired the scallops with steamed green beans with garlic and lemon, mainly because our garden is completely bursting with green beans.

Sometimes, being disorganized really works in your favor.

Chicken stuffed with prosciutto and cheese

People who know me well know how much I love prosciutto. Like, a lot. Funny, I'm not really into ham, but a good imported Prosciutto di Parma will send me into a tailspin every time.

So, I use it a lot. Antipasti, with melon, in salads, pastas, soups, even stews. And these stuffed chicken breasts are one of my favorite ways to use prosciutto. My husband Wes, who is becoming an excellent cook, made these tonight and they were fabulous.

First, butterfly two trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or ask your butcher to butterfly them for you. Open them up and lay down a slice or two of good prosciutto. Add your favorite cheese --provolone, mozzarella or fontina melt well, or even a boursin-style cheese. This time we used Laughing Cow light wedges. Super processed, I know, but it doesn't drip all over your cookie sheet and is creamy, tasty and low calorie. Wes also added fresh basil leaves.

Close the chicken breasts like a book, tuck in the filling, secure with toothpicks if you feel like it and season with salt and pepper. Wes drizzled a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the top and sprinkled with whole wheat bread crumbs. Bake at 400-degrees for 20 minutes.

We served the chicken with sauteed green beans and cherry tomatoes from our garden, leftover farmstand corn kernels and more fresh basil.

Do you use prosciutto in your cooking? I welcome you to comment and share your ideas.

One-Pot Shrimp

If you're like me, shrimp is one of your go-to weeknight meals. I love to make a one-pot shrimp, which is basically shrimp and whatever else I feel like throwing into a big skillet. 

Ingredients range from aromatics like onions and garlic, veggies such as greens, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, plus extras such as brown rice, bulgur, white beans, prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes, white wine and all manner of fresh herbs and spices.

First, start with a glug of olive oil, thinly sliced onion and chopped garlic. Cook until soft. I like to season here with salt, pepper and often, a heap of Old Bay seasoning. Add chopped veggies and saute for a few minutes, then the pre-cooked cooked starch, if using (we didn't in the photo above). 

Throw in any extras like rinsed, drained white beans, prosciutto or the sundrieds, then toss in the shrimp. They'll cook quickly. Next, add a generous pour of white wine or fish/vegetable stock, your fresh herbs and season to taste. Let it all mingle for a moment or two and enjoy with a glass of white wine. No need for side dishes with this one, it's all here.

Weeknight Salmon

Can I just state for the record, right here, how much I love salmon? It's delicious, healthy and versatile and you can dress it up for an elegant meal or keep it simple for a weeknight supper.

Today, we're sticking with the weeknight plan. Season a couple of filets with salt and pepper, a tiny drizzle of olive oil and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Whip up a topper of greek yogurt (feel free to sub mayo, sour cream or creme fraiche, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and a bit more good olive oil.

Steam some broccoli or veggie of choice, season and sprinkle some good parmesan on top. Feel free to add a starch, a salad, whatever you like. Dinner is served.

Forest Grill

Tonight we continued Wes' birthday celebration with dinner at the award-winning Forest Grill in Birmingham. Owner/Chef Polcyn has long championed high quality local ingredients and traditional techniques and this American bistro follows suit.

We started our extraordinary meal with a glass of Prosecco paired with two perfect appetizers: summer crab and melon salad with a crenshaw melon consommé; and an English pea risotto, with arborio rice, mascarpone cheese, black truffles, truffle oil, Parmigianno-Reggiano, fresh herbs gremolata and pancetta.

The crab salad, seasoned with chives and lemon and topped with arugula, frisee, and avocado, was light, zesty and refreshing. The cool melon consommé mingled with the crab to balance and tame the peppery notes.  In contrast, the creamy, intensely flavored risotto, speckled with crispy, salty housemade pancetta, offered substance and silky richness. 

In short, this is how I want to remember summer during the bleak snowfalls of January.

We followed with veal cheeks, Parisian herb and ricotta gnocchi, wilted spinach, tomato and Parmigianno-Reggiano. The chef braises the meltingly tender veal cheeks in a demi-glace and port for eight hours, then surrounds them with the plump, pillowy dumplings. The dish is rich, hearty, slightly sweet, but never heavy. Heavenly.

We also savored the bouillabaisse with mussels, clams, lobster, scallops, shrimp and crab in a rich, flavorful tomato broth, with crunchy baguette topped with saffron rouille.

Our fine server Joseph presented proper wine pairings for both entrees: 2006 Morgan Winery Double L Vineyard Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands and a 2006 Clos La Coutale Malbac.

The highly talented and credentialed Executive Chef David Gilbert has made the requisite rounds: Thomas Keller's French Laundry in the vaunted Yountville, Calif., as well as various three-star Michelin rated restaurants in Paris and Spain.

Nearly 10 years ago, author Michael Ruhlman featured Polcyn in his excellent book, The Soul of a Chef: The Journey Toward Perfection. The two also collaborated on the James Beard Award-nominated Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing.

While Forest Grill is an exceptional spot for a celebration meal, you can go casual here, too, with soups, clay-oven baked pizzas or the charcuterie de jour. Mindful of the economy, the restaurant now offers prix fixe three-course lunch ($15) and dinner ($30) menus. However you choose to do it, just get there and enjoy.

Summer Salad

I know, I know, tuna salad, or in this case, salad with tuna, is pretty dull. Not especially blog-worthy. But it's summertime, and as much as I love to cook, it's too beautiful to spend every night in the kitchen. There's plenty of time for that from, say, November to April here in Michigan.

Summer is also salad season. I love cold foods in the warmer months... crunching on this salad on a snowbound February night would have much less appeal.

So, how to make salad with tuna salad a little special? Well, start with good greens from the garden, if possible. We picked baby swiss chard, romaine, mixed lettuces and baby spinach. Sliced some cukes and grape tomatoes. 

Then, the Flott tuna. This Italian tuna, packed in olive oil, makes this meal. It's rich, tender and deeply flavored. Simply drain the tuna well (save a bit of the oil) and scatter the fillets over the greens. 

Toss in some torn fresh basil leaves, and some fresh lemon thyme leaves. I started growing this fragrant herb a couple years ago and it has changed my life. Seriously. Try it. It ties all of the flavors together perfectly and brightens up every meal.

Next, sprinkle on some toasted pine nuts, a little salt and pepper, a drizzle of the reserved olive oil (or any oil of your choice - walnut oil would be lovely too) and a big squeeze of fresh lemon, and dinner is done. That took, what, 10 minutes?

Too late, I realized I should have added some cannellini beans. Oh well, next time. 

Summer salads are an easy, healthy way to get a good dinner on the table fast, leaving you plenty of time to savor these gorgeous summer nights.