Roasted Eggplant Bisque with Honey-Harissa Sauce and Parmesan Crisps

Roasted Eggplant Bisque with Honey-Harissa Sauce and Parmesan Crisps

Roasted Eggplant Bisque with Honey-Harissa Sauce 
and Parmesan Crisps

by Victoria Challancin

We all have triggers.  Word triggers.  Visual triggers.  Olfactory triggers.  Musical triggers. Triggers that flag us, begging us to pay attention.  When I am browsing recipes, a few of my obvious word triggers are "eggplant, harissa, duck, cassoulet, sumac, dukkah, cardamom, 
ras el hanout, pipián, mole, rutabaga, grits", and oh-so-many more.  But if I spy these words, 
then it is certain I will check out the recipe.  One hundred per cent certain.  These ingredients speak to me, call to me, and insist I sit up an pay attention.


And being a spice lover, in January each year I look forward to seeing what the McCormick Spice Company will come up with for the flavor trends of the coming year.  This is often a 
case where my trigger words meet reality for me.  In the 2012 edition, the "Veggies 
in Vogue" section (how silly is that?  As if veggies are ever out of vogue!), there is a 
combination that made me stand to attention:  Eggplant with Honey and Harissa.  Two 
trigger words in one recipe. Whoopee!  In addition to giving a recipe for an Eggplant-Goat 
Cheese Tort with Honey-Harissa Sauce and one for a Grilled Eggplant Honey-Harissa 
Noodle Salad, McCormick's offered this recipe for Roasted Eggplant Bisque with 
Honey-Harissa Sauce and Parmesan Crisps.  Well, this was for me a must-try recipe.  And 
am I glad I did--it is unusual with a lovely blend of complex and complimentary flavors.


[I have much to say about harissa, wrote about it here, and will probably write more in
the future.] 


l first learned to love harissa when I encountered it regularly on the table as an everyday condiment in Morocco, where I lead yearly trips.  Later, I found a terrific version at a favorite 
falafel restaurant in Paris that I will eventually try to duplicate.  The version that adorns this eggplant soup is very pleasant and relatively mild.  The addition of honey gives it a 
wonderful soft sweetness as well. I can see that it could be used for many recipes as an 
unusual pick-me-up.


McCormick's eggplant bisque is a great recipe with great depth of flavor, however, I did 
tweak it a wee bit.  I made my Parmesan crisps in a dry non-stick skillet, added an extra red pepper to the harissa, and upped the amounts of the spices used.  I forgot to garnish with 
cilantro when I took the photos, but later added it.

Roasted Eggplant Bisque with Honey-Harissa Sauce and Parmesan Crisps

(Slightly adapted from a recipe from McCormick’s Spice Company)

Makes 4 servings.

Parmesan Crisps:
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Honey-Harissa Sauce:
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to ½ teaspoon cayenne

 Bisque:
1 large eggplant, peeled and diced (1-inch)
1 medium tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced leeks, white part only
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

For the Parmesan Crisps: Sprinkle cheese into circles, 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, in dry 
non-stick skillet, four at a time.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes minutes or until golden brown. Flip the crisps 
and cook on reverse side for 1 minute.  Remove from pan with a spatula and cool on wire rack. 
Set aside. 

For the Honey-Harissa Sauce:   Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend 
or process on high speed until almost smooth. Set aside. 

For the Bisque: Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss eggplant, tomato, leeks, onion, oil, garlic and pepper 
in large bowl. Spread in single layer on foil-lined shallow baking tray.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until softened. Allow to cool slightly.  Puree 1/2 the vegetable mixture and 
1 cup of the stock in blender on high speed until smooth. Pour bisque into large saucepan. Repeat 
with remaining vegetable mixture and stock.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of the Honey-Harissa Sauce, cream, honey and salt. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Pour bisque into 4 soup bowls. Top each with 1 teaspoon of the Honey-Harissa 
Sauce, cilantro and 2 Parmesan Crisps.

Test Kitchen Tip: Store leftover Honey-Harissa Sauce in refrigerator. Serve with grilled meats, or 
toss with pasta or couscous.

Enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant Bisque with Honey-Harissa Sauce and Parmesan Crisps

I am sending this post to Deb, of Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays event.  Thank you, Deb, for your efforts!

California artemisias...

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

  Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

by Victoria Challancin

I admit it:  I am a sucker for the unusual, the odd bit, the dazzling difference, be it in people, in travels, in food.  So when I see a bacon vinaigrette adorning what could possibly be a fairly boring soup, I'm in.


This recipe is lovely.  Comforting with a tinge of excitement, it's perfect for cooler weather.  And face it, those of you that know me realize that I could probably enjoy bacon on cardboard.  It's my roots, you see.


The soup itself is a predictable recipe, full of basic pureed vegetables, a rich stock (I used a homemade chicken broth), and some added depth via sour cream.  The bacon vinaigrette, however, is in a category of its own.  Sharp, tangy, a bit unusual...it has that edge that turns the everyday into something special.  I found this lovely recipe here.

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

(Recipe from OBCookie on Food52.com)

For the soup:

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 rib celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped

1 teaspoon salt

6 medium Russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and diced

7 cups chicken stock or water

1 cup low fat sour cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For vinaigrette:

4 pieces thick cut bacon

3 green onions, finely sliced

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch salt

Add butter to large pot on medium-high heat and melt.  Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic, rosemary, and salt.  Sauté vegetables until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and stock.  Cook on medium-high until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add sour cream and puree in blender or with immersion blender.  

To make vinaigrette:  Cook bacon unti9l crispy on medium-high heat in frying pan.  Drain fat onto paper towel and chop bacon into small pieces.  Place bacon in small bowl and add onions, vinegar, and salt.  Add oil and mix well.  Serve 2 tablespoon of vinaigrette atop each individual bowl of soup.

Enjoy!

The Bacon Vinaigrette

  Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Chile–Mint Butter

Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Chile–Mint Butter

by Victoria Challancin 

I'm on the road now in Paris, Morocco, or Istanbul, but I have put blogs in draft mode so I don't lose you!  

This is a soup we made in a cooking class for Mexican cooks--and it's perfect for the very end of cool weather most of you are experiencing.

I first learned to love bulgur in the Middle East, where it is enjoyed in countless forms.  This soup is hearty and the touch of chile-mint butter graces it perfectly.   

Enjoy!

Red Lentil and Bulgur Soup with Chile–Mint Butter

(Recipe from Saveur Magazine)

SERVES 6

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato paste (from Bonanza or Costco)
3 medium tomatoes, halved and grated, 
   skins discarded
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried split red lentils (also called masoor dal—use them if you have them, we will have to use green lentils), rinsed and drained
1⁄3 cup coarse bulgur (from Bonanza or Luna de Queso)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon dried mint leaves, crumbled with your fingers (from a teabag is fine)
1⁄2 teaspoon dried ground aleppo chile or red pepper flakes
Black pepper or paprika

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin, garlic, and onions and cook, stirring, until onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high, add tomato paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until color darkens, about 3 minutes. Add grated tomatoes and cook until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes more. Add broth, lentils, bulgur, and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender and soup has thickened, about 45 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper; remove pan from heat, set aside, and cover.

Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in the mint and aleppo pepper. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with chile–mint butter.

Victoria Challancin

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

San Miguel de Alllende, México

@Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved. (I'm happy to share all recipes but reserve rights to my photos--thank you!)

Italian Wedding soup

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

by Victoria Challancin

Note:  For those of you receiving this via email subscription, check out my homepage for some updates!

I love apocryphal stories.  Not because I lean toward that which isn't inherently true.  Quite the contrary. But there is something in the stories that swirl around us pretending to be authentic, pretending to state the truth, usually something whimsical that grabs the imagination.  Food stories abound in this very realm--just think of Puttanesca Sauce (How many versions of the true root of that delicious sauce are there?)  Just think of real food, made by real people, made the same way it was always made by their mothers, their grandmothers, their neighbors, their village.  That's how names come into being to describe so many dishes.  Hunter's wife's chicken?  Oh yes.  Seafarer's sauce?  Definitely!  Italian Wedding Soup, served at all Italian weddings.  Not so fast...

In fact, supposedly Italian Wedding Soup gets its name from the fact that it is such a perfect marriage of flavors and is not served at weddings at all.  Se sposano, the Italians say.  The ingredients "marry," hence the name Minestra Maritata, which somehow, somewhere along the way was  translated as "Wedding Soup."  And it stuck.  Forever.

Mention Italian Wedding Soup and you know what to expect.  Well, more or less.  There must be as many versions as their are Italian nonnas.  Strong broth, meatballs, greens of some sort, pancetta, Parmesan--these are the hallmarks of this soup; however, the recipe begs for interpretation.   I would like to tell you that I learned to make this particular recipe at the feet of my Italian aunts, but it would be untrue (though I learned other recipes that I will surely share at some point!).  And although fun food stories, yes, apocryphal ones, make me smile, I like to stick to the truth.  And the truth is that this recipe comes from a wonderful source:  thekitchn.com.  Check it out for great information and recipes as well.

Italian Wedding Soup

 (Recipe from thekitchn.com)

Serves 6-8

Note:  this is an extremely flexible recipe.  You could add other greens such as kale or chard, add grated lemon zest to the meatballs and some lemon juice to the broth, or add red pepper flakes to the onions and garlic as they cook. The name is actually a mistranslation as it isn’t traditionally served at weddings; rather, it refers to the marriage of greens and meat, which make a good union indeed!

3/4 pound ground organic meat (chicken, turkey, pork or beef)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
1 bunch greens trimmed and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 lightly packed cups) (Natura often has escarole, which is a traditional ingredient

Lemon juice, to taste

Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of each cheese, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then form the mixture into 3/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch balls. You should have 20 to 30 meatballs, depending on how large you form them.

In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches, and cook, turning, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. (If they are still a bit pink in the middle, don't worry, they will continue to cook in the broth.) Set them aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

In a 4 to 6 quart soup pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onions are tender and garlic is soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the greens, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 eggs and remaining cheeses in small bowl and stir with a fork to blend. Slow pour the egg mixture into hot soup, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer just until egg bits are set, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, maybe even a squirt of lemon juice, and serve immediately in a low bowl if possible so the meatballs are visible.  To re-heat, simmer gently over low heat.

Enjoy!

Victoria Challancin

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, México

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

A Nod to the Irish

A Nod to the Irish

by Victoria Challancin

March 9th marked the end of another 8-week course on Healthy International Cooking that I taught to Mexican cooks.  Of course, I had to have at least a nod to Irish cooking on that last day--a nod to wonderful Irish cooking.  I chose this soup from the new Bon Appétit magazine, and a great choice it was.  Fresh tasting, yet creamy and comforting, this soup recipe is a definite keeper.

We also prepared this recipe for Irish Potato Cakes with Sour Cream Sauce, which was easy and good.  For St. Patrick's Day, I like to offer Champ (I always add yogurt to my potato mixture)-- or Colcannon, but there are many other worthy British versions, that vary slightly from country to country--though the Irish might object-- (see Boxty, Rumbledethumps, Bubble and Squeak, or even Latkas),  not to mention recipes from other countries as well.  But truly  there is something comforting about the potato that seems to transcend cuisines--comforting, basic, wholesome, economical, and versatile.  Whatever recipes you choose to honor the Irish, one thing is certain:  you probably will include potatoes on the menu.  The following recipe is a good starting place.

Potato, Green Cabbage, and Leek Soup with Lemon Crème Fraîche

(Recipe from Bon Appétit, March 2011)

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream (we used Mexican crema ácida)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups diced green cabbage in 1/2-inch dice

3 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)

3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled yukon Gold potatoes (we used white potatoes), about 1 1/4 lbs

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and pressed

1 2 x 2-inch piece Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

1 Turkish bay leaf

6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (we used homemade)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Whisk sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl to blend.  Cover and chill.  

DO AHEAD:  Can be made 4 hours ahead.  Keep chilled.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.  Add cabbage, sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté until cabbage is almost tender, but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup cabbage to a small bowl and reserve for garnish.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to pot with cabbage; add leeks and garlic.  Sauté over medium heat until leeks soften slightly, about 3 minutes.  STir in potatoes, Parmesan rind, if desired, and bay leaf.  Add 6 cups broth; bring to boil.  REduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.  Discard Parmesan rind, if using, and bay leaf.  Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth.  Return puree to pot.  Simmer until heated through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin soup to desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls.  Top each serving with some of the reserved sautéed cabbage.  Drizzle sour cream mixture over soup; sprinkle with chives and serve.

Enjoy!

Victoria Challancin

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, México

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.