Go Ahead, Play with Your Food

Roasted Garlic-Chayote Bisque and Red Pepper Bisque

Note:  The Rachael Ray Show just filmed an episode here in San Miguel de Allende.  Look at the clip called Rachael's Surprise for some beautiful shots of my home, San Miguel!

Go Ahead, Play with Your Food!

by Victoria Challancin

No matter what you mother told you, play with your food!  Just do it!  Or that's what I think every time I make a two-toned soup.  It is so gratifying to pour, and even more gratifying to eat.  And there are so many variations--below I will give you two that I recently made.

Two-toned soups are fun and easy to make.  Any time I have ever made these in class, I have discovered three things:  everyone is afraid to attempt the simultaneous pour, everyone is amazed at how simple it is in the end, and everyone is dazzled by the beautiful results.  And the variations are endless; pureed black and white beans are stunning, multicolored bell peppers magical, root vegetables practically scream to join the fray, winter squashes pair well with white beans or turnips, and potatoes set off just about any other colorful vegetable.  Just remember to keep the consistencies of the two soups approximately the same to facilitate ease of pouring.  And most of these cream or at least creamy soups are equally delicious served cold as well as hot.

The first of these soups was born out of a request in a private cooking classes I did with some fun and creative friends.  They specifically asked me to come up with a chayote-based soup, which I did.  Then I thought to pair it with a red pepper bisque to give them the opportunity to learn something new and fun.

Because chayote is naturally bland, I added a good bit of roasted garlic to give it some umph.  I used the Mexican technique of simply roasting garlic cloves in their husks on a comal or in a dry skillet.  Of course, the Italian technique of oven-roasting in foil with a drizzle of olive oil would work equally well.  For color I chose fresh basil, though cilantro or parsley would work according to your preferences and your menu.  Chicken broth was the base, but again, do what works for you--vegetable broth would also  be fine.

I paired the light green chayote soup with a red pepper bisque I made recently in a class for Mexican cooks as a part of another two-toned soup recipe.  The colors were stunning.

Jackie, pouring roasted garlic-chayote bisque and red pepper bisque

Jackie, still creating...see how simple it would be to tweak this a bit and have a Yin/Yang symbol?

Roasted Garlic-Chayote Bisque and Red Pepper Bisque

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Serves 8.

For the Chayote Soup:

6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

3 cups chicken broth, plus extra to thin soup if needed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper,to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup heavy cream

For the Pepper Soup: (this part comes from epicurious.com)

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

6 red bell peppers, roasted and roughly chopped (about 6 cups)

3 cups chicken broth, plus extra to thin soup if needed

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh lemon juice to taste

Make the chayote soup:

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves in a small skillet.  Roast over medium heat until slightly charred and 

soft, turning frequently.  Once cool enough to handle, peel, and set aside.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion.  Sauté until soft, about 5 

minutes.  Add peeled roasted garlic, chayote, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, 

and simmer for 20 minutes, or until squash is tender. Allow to cool slightly, add basil, and puree (in 

blender in batches or with an immersion blender directly in the saucepan).  Return soup to the 

saucepan if using the blender method to puree, and add cream.  Mix well and check for seasoning 

and thickness, adding a bit more broth if necessary.  Set aside until ready to serve.

Make the pepper soup:  In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the thyme, and salt and pepper to 

taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add the bell peppers and 

1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers 

are very soft.  Purée in blender and force through a sieve, if desired.  Whisk in the cream, enough of 

the additional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  

The soup can be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

When ready to serve:  Pour hot soup into two 2-cup glass measuring cups.  Pour simultaneously 

into individual bowls, adjusting the flow and shape of the two colors of soups as you go.  Garnish 

with a drizzle of cream and more chopped basil, if desired.

Another pair of delicious soups:  Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup

with Serrano Cream from epicurious.com

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup

with Serrano Cream

(from epicurious.com)

Serves 6.

                        For the Pepper Soup:

                                    3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

                                    1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

                                    1 tablespoon unsalted butter

                                    6 yellow bell peppers, roasted and chopped coarse

                                                (about 6 cups)

                                   2 cups chicken broth plus extra to thin soup

                                    1/4 cup heavy cream

                                    Fresh lemon juice to taste

                        For the Tomato Soup:

3 pounds plum tomatoes, roasted

3 unpeeled large garlic cloves, roasted

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups chicken broth plus extra to thin soup

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh lemon juice to taste

            For the Serrano Cream:

3 fresh Serrano chiles or jalapeños, seeded and chopped fine

1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste                                                            with 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Make the pepper soup:  In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the thyme, and salt and pepper to 

taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add the bell peppers and 

1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers

are very soft.  Purée in blender and force through a sieve.  Whisk in the cream, enough of the 

additional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  

The soup may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Make the tomato soup:  In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the oregano, salt and pepper to 

taste in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft.  Add the tomatoes and 

peeled garlic, and 1 1/2 cups broth and simmered the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes.  Purée in 

blender, forcing through a sieve.  Whisk in the cream, additional broth if necessary,  the lemon juice,

and salt and pepper to taste.  The soup may be made 1 day in  advance, kept  covered and chilled.

Make the serrano cream:  In a blender purée the chiles, the garlic paste, and the sour cream until 

well-combined.  Do not overblend.  Force through a fine sieve, cover, and chill.  Bring to room 

temperature before serving (if serving the soup hot).

Enjoy!

Note:  I am submitting the second of these recipes to the "non-event" Magazine Mondays, hosted by Ivonne on her terrific blog, Cream Puffs in Venice.  Check it out!

My home, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

A Bold, Versatile Condiment: Italian Salsa Verde

Italian Salsa Verde--no color correction used!  It's that bright and fresh!

A Bold, Versatile Condiment:  Italian Salsa Verde

by Victoria Challancin

Note:  Don't confuse this with the equally delicious Mexican Salsa Verde, which uses tomatillos, garlic, chiles, and cilantro.  That's for another post!

When, for a private cooking class for delightful American friends last week, I was asked to come up with a useful sauce or condiment that included lots of fresh herbs, I didn't have to give it a minute's thought to offer this bright, fresh sauce from Northern Italy's Piedmont region.  Traditionally served with the classic dish of boiled meats, Bollito Misto, this piquant condiment has countless variations and countless uses.  It is simply a recipe that every cook should have in his or her repertoire.

If I have a signature in my cooking style, it is probably my use of fresh herbs and spices.  And nowhere do the herbs shine through as they do in this easy recipe.  Although practically any type of fresh herb can be used as a base, I particularly love to mix parsley and mint.  Other possibilities include cilantro, basil, chives, arugula, thyme (use sparingly), tarragon, cress, marjoram, or oregano.  Some versions of this classic dish include mustard, some don't.  Others might add anchovies.  Or not.  Chopped hard-cooked egg and/or gherkins are also optional as is thickening with bread soaked in vinegar or lemon juice.  Traditionalists will chop the ingredients by hand; flexible modern cooks who don't have the time to spare, will use the food processor.  As you can see, this recipe deserves to be played with until you can call it your own, made to suit your particular tastes.

Some uses for Salsa Verde:

• Bollito Misto--Piedmontese boiled meats and vegetables
• On focaccia, crackers, crostini, or bread
• With crudités
• Alongside any grilled seafood
• With roasted (or steamed) vegetables
• Atop grilled cheese such as haloumi or panela, or with goat cheese
• As a pasta sauce
• With meats such as chicken or lamb
• As a dip for chips or pita triangles

Salsa Verde Italiana

Note:  I've made this recipe for so many years that I don't the original source; however, let's 

attribute this to Giada De Laurentiis as it is so similar to hers in this recipe.

1/4 cup capers, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves  

3 tablespoons chopped scallions

1 clove garlic, finely minced (more, if preferred)                    

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (use a bit less if using lime juice) or 3 

       tablespoons of red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 hard cooked egg, finely chopped

1 cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl to blend or purée in a blender.  Check and adjust seasoning to taste.

Enjoy!

If this recipe appeals to you, you might also enjoy my recipe for Italian Salsa Verde with Arugula and
Hazelnuts.

The Salsa Verde was terrific paired with these roasted vegetables, cooked in a hot oven with a touch 

of olive oil, salt, and pepper  (vegetables included carrots, zucchini, beets, onions, endive, baby potatoes, 

red bell pepper, garlic, butternut squash, and mushrooms)

I am submitting this post to Weekend Herb Blogging, the original brainchild of Kalyn Denny of Kalyn's Kitchen.  The upcoming week's WHB is hosted by the wonderful Haalo at Cook (Almost) Anything.  Be
sure to visit both sites for inspiration and great recipes!

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

A Perfect Party Appetizer

Fried lumpia:  Filipino Spring Rolls

A Perfect Party Appetizer

by Victoria Challancin

On Wednesday of this week, I taught a cooking class to Mexican cooks living here in San Miguel de Allende, my home.  After launching into an explanation of the history of lumpia, those delightful fresh or fried spring rolls that hail from the Philippines, I felt quite proud knowing I was educating palates as well as just teaching recipes.  After demonstrating the rolling technique, using prepared frozen won ton wrappers, I had each cook participate in the rolling of the remainder of the pasta.  As we began the process, one of the cooks smiled and said, "Oh...taquitos."

Yes, the Mexican cooks in my class definitely "got" these lumpia immediately.  Clearly, they are just Asian-flavored taquitos.  Clearly.  And why not?  They fit the description of a taco dorado perfectly:  a bit of flavored meat or other filling, enveloped in a wrapper and fried.  Both the dough and the fillings may differ from those of Mexican origin, but clearly these delicious, tiny springrolls are simply a variation on tacos.

I learned to make lumpia from my brother and his wife, who had learned to make them from a Filipina friend while living in Bahrain in the 70s.  They've been a mainstay in my family as a perfect accompaniment for drinks since then.  I still smile to remember my late Dad, a meat-and-potatoes man who did not lean toward the exotic, refusing the "lumpia"  when offered, but happily embracing them five minutes later as "hamburger rolls".  Go figure.

When making a batch of lumpia, you can easily package the uncooked rolls in Zip-lock bags and freeze them to have on hand for whenever you might need them.  You can serve them with a variety of Asian dipping sauces, or with mustard, the condiment of choice in my parents' home.

If you would like to see lumpia being prepared by a an Iron Chef contestant, check out the YouTube video here.

       Miniature Filipino Spring Rolls

Lumpia

Yields: 16 servings

Note:  These spring rolls can be baked at 400 degrees, turning after 10 minutes, for about 20 minutes 

total.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup minced carrots

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage           

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

30 Won ton wrappers

2 cups vegetable oil for frying (or they can be baked)

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large sauté pan. Cook meat, stirring frequently, until no 
longer pink. Remove meat from pan, drain in a colander,  and set aside. Drain excess grease from pan, 
leaving approximately 1 tablespoon.   Add garlic and onion to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the 
cooked meat, carrots, green onions, and cabbage. Season with pepper, salt, and soy sauce.   Add beaten 
egg, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.  


Dip your index finger into a small bowl of water and moisten the edges of each wrapper as you fold it.  
Place one heaping tablespoon  of the filling in the center of each wrapper, leaving a 1-inch space at 
either end.   Fold one corner over the filling, fold over the two side corners over the filling to seal the 
ends, and continue to roll into a tight package.   Cover the rolls with plastic wrap or a damp towel to 
keep moist.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to 1/2-inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes or until oil is 
very hot.   Carefully slide 8 to 10 lumpia (or however many will fit into pan without crowding) into the 
hot oil. Fry the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, until all sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately. 


Although I still like to serve lumpia with mustard, an Asian dipping sauce would certainly be more 
authentic and delicious as well.  Unfortunately, here in San Miguel de Allende, true scallions are rare, 
and so we had to substitute small bulb onions--but the result was still tasty!

Spicy Asian Dipping Sauce

(Recipe from koreanfood.about.com)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon chile pepper flakes

1 tablespoon scallions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Can make in large batches and store in refrigerator for a 

couple of weeks.

Enjoy!

Fried lumpia:  Filipino Spring Rolls

Fried lumpia:  Filipino Spring Rolls with both a soy dipping sauce and simple mustard--the way my family enjoys them!

Made of Sugar:  Long-legged Sheep Alfeñiques, a pre- Day of the Dead gift from
very special friends

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

by Victoria Challancin

The original recipe for this scrumptious dish, a PAM No-Stick Cooking Spray contest winner posted in Southern Living magazine, was called Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cherry Apple Chutney.  With apologies to the PAM company, I eliminated the oil spray, used a small pork loin instead of tenderloin, substituted dried cranberries for dried cherries, added a touch of smoked chipotle chile, and still came out with a fantastic cool-weather dish.

This dish comes together quickly.  The chutney can be made while the meat, simply seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper roasts in a medium-hot oven.  The resulting tart-sweet condiment is absolutely fantastic and could be easily paired with chicken as well as pork or served with goat cheese as a bruschetta. Out of necessity, I also substituted chipotle chiles in adobo sauce for the chilli sauce in the original recipe.  Another variation might be to add finely chopped fresh rosemary and garlic to the oil that is rubbed into the meat. 

The leftovers are just as good served cold as they were hot!  All in all, this is a very elegant dish that required minimum effort.

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

(Adapted from a recipe from Southern Living Magazine)

For the meat:

1 (1 1/2-lb) pork tenderloin or small pork loin

2 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse-grain salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the Chutney:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples

3/4 cup cherry preserves

1/2 cup dried sweetened cherries or cranberries

2 tablespoons chopped chile chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels, rub all over with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in a roasting pan.  Roast meat for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the meat registers 160 degrees.

To make the chutney:  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1/2 cup diced onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.  Reduce heat to medium, and stir in diced apples, cherry preserves, dried cherries or cranberries, chile chipotle, and Worcestershire sauce.Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until apples are slightly softened.

Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.  Cut pork diagonally into 1-inch thick slices, and arrange on a serving platter; spoon Cherry-Apple Chutney over pork.

Enjoy!

Cherry-Apple Chutney

Pork Loin with Cherry-Apple Chutney

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup

Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup

by Victoria Challancin

Looking for a full-flavored soup that is perfect for fall, easy to prepare, and utterly delicious as well?  Look no further.  This recipe from Anthony Bourdain fits the bill.

I first saw this recipe in Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, that delightfully irreverent homage to classic bistro cooking based on recipes from Bourdain's Brasserie Les Halles.  I later found it on epicurious.com as well.  

click here for more information

The recipe is straightforward. Sautée onions and button mushrooms in butter; add chicken broth and a parsley sprig; and simmer for an hour.  Purée, season with salt and pepper, reheat, add sherry, and voilà!  A delicious and memorable soup, with very little effort.

Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup

(Recipe by Anthony Bourdain with José de Meirelles and Philippe Lajaunie)

from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook

6 tablespoons/75g butter

1 small onion, thinly sliced

12 ounces/340g button mushrooms

4 cups/900ml light chicken stock or broth

1 sprig of flat-leafed parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 ounces/56ml high-quality sherry

Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons/28g of the butter over medium heat and add the onion.  

Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the mushrooms and the remaining butter.  

Let the mixture sweat for about 8 minutes, taking care that the onion doesn't take on any brown color. 

Stir in the chicken stock and the parsley and bring to a boil.  Immediately reduce the heat and simmer 

for about an hour.

After an hour, remove the parsley and discard.  Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then 

transfer to the blender and carefully blend at hight speed until smooth.  (Do this in batches).  When blended, return the mix to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and bring up to a simmer again.  

Add the sherry, mix well, and serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.

Enjoy!

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Chicken Marbella: The Ultimate Party Dish

Chicken Marbella

The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

Chicken Marbella:  The Ultimate Party Dish

by Victoria Challancin

It's retro and fun; it's delicious and easy;  it's memorable and a classic.  Once again, this is a recipe to cherish.

When The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook debuted in 1985, I thought it had probably been written with me in mind.  It spoke to me in ways few cookbooks of the day could even imagine.  It was fun--quirkily illustrated, modern, interesting, and full of entertaining ideas that seemed revolutionary at the time.  Born out of the success of the authors Rosso and Lukin's popular food shop in New York City, this cookbook became a landmark of '80s entertaining.  

I bought it in 1985 as soon as I read about it, hoping it would offer innovative ideas for entertaining.  I was living in Bahrain at the time, teaching at the university there, and involved with fascinating, multicultural friends who loved to entertain.  We got together weekly for some of the most delicious and interesting food I have ever encountered.  Many of the recipes from this gem of a cookbook found their way onto my party tables--and they never disappointed.

The Chicken Marbella recipe was one recipe that was a hit with my multinational friends and colleagues.  Great party food!  And equally pleasing as leftovers (if there ever were any) for the picnics that were so common in Bahrain in those days.  When the cookbook had its twenty-fifth anniversary 2010, I saw this recipe over and over on the internet and was happily reminded of a great dish that I had forgotten about over time.  I immediately made it again, appreciating its complex flavors anew.  

In author Julee Rosso's own words:  ”This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It's good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d'oeuvre. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product: the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare. Since Chicken Marbella is such a spectacular party dish, we give quantities to serve 10 to 12, but the recipe can be divided to make smaller amounts if you wish.”

In my cooking class with Mexican cooks last week, I offered this retro party dish to them as a useful recipe for dinner parties when they are asked to prepare international cuisine. I am happy to say that they loved it. It still shines as an example of tasty and beautiful food, worthy of a family dinner or for entertaining friends.

Chicken Marbella

(Recipe fromThe Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso, Sheila Lukins)

4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered                                         

1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed

                                    1/4 cup dried oregano

                                    Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

                                    1/2 cup red wine vinegar

                                    1/2 cup olive oil

                                    1 cup pitted prunes

                                    1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives

                                    1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice

                                    6 bay leaves

                                    1 cup brown sugar

                                    1 cup white wine

                                    1/4 cup Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

Enjoy!

Chicken Marbella

Chicken Marbella

Nature makes art...

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.