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Archive for the category “vegetables”

09 Feb 2014
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Cauliflower Mac Bake

cauli mac bake

Our foster son Tall P makes really good cheesy scrambled eggs. Somehow he cooks the eggs just right and puts in just enough cheese right at the end to make it taste like baked macaroni and cheese. I won’t try to duplicate it, for it is something he does for us, so why try? He is the master! I had a hankering for them the other day when he was busy at school, so I decided to try a baked cauliflower version of mac n cheese. I think I found a great way to do a veggie version, although I bet he would not agree. I have to reveal here that Tall P is not a vegetable lover. He likes corn on the cob and vegetables in soup, and only if they are an unrecognizable puree added as a thickener and he does not know they were added. Yes, Paul, you now know the veggie soup secret! This dish was inspired by the cheesy eggs, created with cheesy veggies.  Go figure. It definitely appeased my craving for baked mac and cheese (not so much the Kraft version I grew up eating, but the baked stuff I discovered later in life). The dish was easy to prepare and bake, allowing me to time it perfectly with the smoked pork Big D made. Add some chimichurri to the pork and what a meal!

Cauliflower Mac Bake

1 large head cauliflower
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced into thin pieces
3 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces, making sure stem pieces are a little smaller. Place white cheddar cheeses slices in the bottom of a 9×9 or 9-11 baking dish. Spread cauliflower evenly over cheese. In a medium bowl combine cream, eggs, garlic, salt, mustard and chile flakes. Whisk until well combined. Add cheese and stir until well coated. Pour cheese mixture over cauliflower, spreading it evenly. Make thin slices over butter and place them on top of cheese mixture. Place in preheated oven for 60 – 75 minutes. The thicker the cauliflower the longer the baking time to make sure the middle is baked soft. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before serving. Slice into six or nine pieces for side dishes – it should come out intact, but if it doesn’t, it will still taste awesome.

Posted in baked, cauliflower, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, parsley, side dish, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free
04 Feb 2014

Chicken Faux Fried Rice

faux fried rice

Chopsticks are fun. Whenever there is bite-sized food I like using them. Little B likes using them, too, and is still working on mastering their use. I do use a bit of rolled paper and a rubber band to connect them on tip, then she can practice the squeezing and picking up of food, knowing that free range chop stick use is in her near future. I don’t eat rice anymore, which makes ordering in Chinese restaurants a little challenging, but I enjoy the flavors and textures of the dishes, including fried rice. As I continue to explore the many and varied uses of cauliflower, I did some research about using it instead of rice. In the end, using it as a rice substitute, especially in a fried rice type dish, is a lot faster than using traditional rice. The saute part of this one-dish wonder is just enough time to cook it and keep it at a firmness similar to rice. The cauliflower, combined with using gluten free soy sauce made it fun to make and eat. I’m thinking next time I will make a beef and broccoli concoction on top of some faux rice. I bet it will turn out great!

Chicken Faux Fried Rice

1 large head cauliflower
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground mustard
3/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery
3 eggs, whisked
2 cups mini portabello mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots), optional
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl place 1/2 cup soy sauce, ground mustard and ground ginger. Whisk together, then add half the mixture to the chicken, making sure it is coated. Place in refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes. Cut cauliflower into pieces small enough to fit in food processor. Fill processor with cauliflower and pulse until at least 3/4 of it is the size of rice grains – having some slightly larger pieces remaining is fine, for they will break down a bit during the cooking process. When all the cauliflower is chopped set it aside. Cut celery into rough pieces and pulse in processor until very fine, almost a paste. Pull the chicken from the fridge and separate the chicken from the marinade, discarding the liquid. Add the chicken to the pan and toss until cooked through, about five minutes for small pieces. In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat add the coconut oil. When hot add the celery, garlic and onion. Toss in the oil until it all begins to brown. Add the cauliflower to the pan, turning up the heat slightly to make sure the cauliflower sears. Toss the whole mixture every minute for five minutes. Add mixed vegetables if you are including them. In a bowl stir together the egg and remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce. Make a ‘bowl’ in the middle of the skillet/wok, all the way to the bottom. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and let it cook for a few seconds. Start stirring it with the chicken and cauliflower mixture until it is all coated. Continue tossing the pan contents until the egg is no longer runny. Add the spinach and toss, letting everything cook for another minute until the spinach starts to wilt. Serve immediately with salt, pepper and more soy sauce as desired.

 

Posted in cauliflower, chicken, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, onion, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
30 Jan 2014

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

creamy shrimp alfredo

If you had not noticed from the divorce shrimp I made recently, I really like creamy sauces. I love alfredo sauce, although not necessarily on fettuccine, and my favorite pasta dish of all time is spaghetti carbonara. Since I was craving the carbonara and Big D was craving the alfredo, and we were being stared down by the spaghetti squash and shrimp in the fridge, I combined all the pieces into a quiet, Saturday night dinner. Depending on the history you believe, the original alfredo sauce did not actually have any cream, and the original carbonara sauce did not have it either, but I think it all came together in a rich, satisfying dish. I even added a nod to the carbonara’s pancetta with the bacon grease used for the squash and shrimp. Other fats like butter or olive oil or coconut oil could be used, too, but when there is bacon grease available, why? It turned out great and made me want to watch the Godfather or the Untouchables. Salute!

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
3 Tbsp bacon grease
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 large spaghetti squash
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds and stringy membrane. Place squash halves face down and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until center is soft and edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. With a fork scrape out squash ‘spaghetti’ and place in a bowl. Toss with a sprinkling of salt and 1 Tbsp bacon grease. Set aside until time to serve. While the squash bakes prepare the sauce. In a cold medium sauce pan add the cream and egg yolk. Whisk together until well combined. Add 1/2 cup butter and turn on heat to medium, stirring occasionally. When the butter is melted and sauce begins to steam, but not boil, add the garlic. Continue to stir and avoid boiling. Begin to add the cheese, stirring constantly, about 1/4 cup at a time, making sure it is completely melted before adding more. When all the cheese is incorporated add some salt to taste, if needed. Turn heat down to low simmer and let sauce simmer and thicken, but not boil!!! In a large skillet melt 2 Tbsp bacon grease over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until garlic begins to sweat. Increase heat under burner to medium high. Add shrimp, sprinkle lightly with salt and toss regularly until shrimp begins to turn pink. Sprinkle with parsley and continue tossing until shrimp is cooked through, about three to five minutes. To serve, place a bed of spaghetti squash on a plate, top with shrimp and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately with parmesean cheese on the side.

 

Posted in Douglas Kitchen, garlic, sauces, squash, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
20 Jan 2014

Quick Savory Green Beans

quick green beans

Every once in a while I get a craving for green bean casserole. You know, the kind you usually only have as part of holiday meals? Since we are not a few days past a holiday there is missing from the fridge a casserole dish waiting for me to empty it. In the spirit of immediate gratification I had to act fast. A few years ago I came up with a low carbohydrate version that is really good and satisfying, but the multiple steps don’t always work for a fast weekday evening meal. We had some leftover prime rib roast that would take about twenty minutes to heat up, so I had time to make a vegetable side, but not an hour for a multiple step dish that needed to finish in the oven. These beans cook up quickly on the stove top and are ready by the time the leftover meats was heated up in the oven, and wow did they hit the spot flavor wise. Viola! The flavor of green bean casserole without the carbohydrates and without the baking. Definitely something I was able to easily make up with our pantry staples. Add some leftover mashed cauliflower along with the beans and you have a delicious meal for an ordinary Monday night.

Quick Savory Green Beans

2 cans green beans
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp butter
1/5 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup parmesean cheese

In a dry skillet over medium high heat add the beans. Saute until they begin to dry a bit and sear. Add the pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss and cook for another minute. Clear  a spot in the middle of the pan and add the butter, parmesean cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Stir into the beans as the butter melts. Cook for another five minutes. Add the cream and simmer for five minutes, allowing the cream to heat up and sauce to thicken. Serve immediately.

Posted in beans, Douglas Kitchen, garlic, onion, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
10 Jan 2014

Divorce Shrimp over Spaghetti Squash

divorce shrimp spagh sq

There is a story/urban legend known down in Texas about a restaurant called Paesano’s. It was (and still is) popular for a Texas version of Italian, including a particular shrimp dish. The shrimp is butterflied and gently dragged through flour and lightly cooked in softly boiling oil.  A creamy lemon sauce is made and poured over the top. Totally addictive. I don’t know how true the story is, but here is what I heard many years ago. The married couple who owned the restaurant got divorced. Rumor has it the husband got the restaurant, but the wife got the recipes. It was not enough to have the recipes, so to even the score she widely distributed them and they gradually crept into kitchens far and wide. Eventually I got a fuzzy copy of the recipe titled ‘shrimp paesano’. I have made it many times, laden with flour and served on top of linguine or angel hair pasta. Each time I made it the kitchen is left fragrant and an absolute mess – multiple pots and pans dirty, the counter sprinkled with shrimp shells and flour, but some beautifully presented shrimp resting on a pile of creamy, lemony pasta with sauce. I think I usually remember the mess in the kitchen because you serve immediately and don’t do the final clean up until much later, after food coma passes. I prefer cleaning as I go, then have little to do after dinner. For this recipe you need to drop everything right when the shrimp is ready and sit down and eat. Of course, the dishes are always waiting when dinner is through, just a little stickier than I prefer. Since the restaurant is nowhere near where we live now, and quite pricy when within reach, I can do nothing but make it myself. Here is my attempt to make a version more in line with our less expensive, wheat free, low carb eating habits. The kitchen still is a mess when all is said and done, but the flavor shines through just like the original. I may do a ‘breaded’ shellfish version in the future, but for now the two pot version below really hit the spot on a staying in, snowy Saturday night!

Divorce Shrimp over Spaghetti Squash

1 pound large shrimp or langoustines, shelled
2 eggs, whisked
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp butter
3 lemons, juiced with meat and seeds removed (about ¾ cup)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp arrowroot powder
1 medium or large spaghetti squash
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half and scrape out seeds. Place halves face down on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for about 45 minutes, until meat is soft. Scrape out meat with a fork to make spaghetti ‘noodles’.  Melt 2 Tbsp butter into noodles and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cover and keep warm until time to serve. While the squash cooks prepare the sauce and prep the shrimp or langoustines. In a large skillet over medium heat melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add shellfish and gently toss, only cooking long enough so they shellfish is only half cooked – the rest of the cooking will happen later when simmering in the sauce. Set aside the shellfish and make the sauce.  In medium sauce pan over medium heat melt ¾ cup butter. Add all the lemon juice and garlic. Heat until steamy. Add cream, lower heat and cook until sauce is mixed well, stirring frequently. Add cheese and stir slowly, making sure it melts and blends in with the smooth sauch. Add arrowroot powder and whisk. Sauce should bubble and thicken, but not boil. Add shellfish and gently simmer for about five more minutes, allowing the shellfish to cook through completely. Remove from heat and keep covered. On individual serving plates make a bed of spaghetti squash, then generously drizzle a ladle full of shellfish and sauce. Serve immediately.

Posted in Douglas Kitchen, garlic, sauces, seafood, squash, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
17 Nov 2013

Brussel Sprouts in Cream

creamy brussel sprouts

Could I ignore it? Just walk by as if it was not there? Pretend it would not be loads of fun to explore? No, I was not strong enough. It drew me towards it like no other stalk. I became a stalker. A stalker of of brussel sprout stalks. I thought maybe I should deny myself yet another green vegetable, but why?! I seem to be on quite the green vegetable streak these days – asparagus then artichokes, and now brussel sprouts! Big D has been doing a lot of meat and soup cooking, so I enjoy the yummy stuff when I get home and fill in the vegetable part of meals where I can. Brussel sprouts are a relative of green cabbage – high in fiber, good for you and the sprouts grow on stalks! I usually see them in the store in bags, but this week they arrived on the stalk. How fun! Little B was so excited about this strange thing when I got home she could not stand to wait until they were cooked. Whenever I can I try to show Little B where food comes from – whether it is pulling wild garlic, to showing her vanilla comes from orchids, her breakfast sausage comes from pigs, or the plants that are the source of her popcorn. I showed her the stalks and explained what the sprouts were. Little B immediately wanted one raw. Um, okay. I gave it to her, she took a big bit and LOVED IT! Chewed it up like Halloween candy!

brussel sprout stalk

brussel sprout tastingI had to promise to cook them up as soon as possible because she would not leave me alone about them. This could get interesting. Sometimes I have to coax Little B into helping with cooking projects and other times I can’t keep her from being overly underfoot (in a good way). This was definitely an underfoot project. She helped me cut them off the stalk and cook them up.  I had a plan and she had a different one, but we figured out how to combine them, and an ordinary weekday evening turned into a stalker party! We came up with two dishes in the end – one that she liked and one that I wanted. The cool thing was the two dishes took the same route to a point, then easily diverged to make everybody happy. Besides raw she tasted them sauteed in the butter, then with her added veggie and cheese, and also after adding the cream to the butter saute. Apparently she prefers them raw, but I think the creamy sauce balanced out the natural bitterness of the sprouts. I am very happy to learn of Little B’s continued interest in green vegetables – from when she started gnawing on frozen broccoli during her teething period as a baby, to snacking on green beans to the brussel sprouts of today. What has your kid eaten and liked that surprised you?

Brussel Sprouts in Cream Sauce

I large stalk brussel sprouts
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp sea salt

Cut sprouts off of the stalk, leaving enough stem on each to hold the sprouts together. Melt butter over medium heat in large saute pan you can cover later. Add garlic and cook until you can smell the garlic aroma. Add sprouts and toss to coat them with butter. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and let cook until sprouts are softened, about ten minutes. Lower the temperature to simmer and add the cream. Gently stir – enough to blend the cream into the sauce, but gently enough to prevent the sprouts from falling apart. Simmer covered for a few more minutes until the sauces is hot, bubbly and begins to brown, about four or five minutes. Serve immediately.

Little B’s version – after sprouts are cooked and softened in the butter, transfer a serving to an oven or microwave-safe bowl. Add some grape tomatoes and black olives cut in half. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Microwave for about one minute, or bake in oven at 300 degrees for about five minutes until cheese is melted.

 

Posted in garlic, Hotel Kitchen, side dish, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
13 Nov 2013

Lemon Infused Artichokes

lemon infused artichokes

I found some beautiful artichokes at the store and whisked them home. Instead of preparing them in the more nostalgic way I have in the past, I wanted to try something a little different. To get more of the lemon and garlic flavor deeper into the artichoke I thought cutting them in half and baking would be useful, so chop chop! I did not want them to dry out, so I surrounded them with moisture and covered it all up. Since they are already divided into individual servings it is easy to rely on them for an appetizer course of a dinner party, or have them cooked and ready for whenever you can get the family sat down at the dinner table. The fun thing about making these for a dinner party is watching the guests try to be dainty and tidy while eating them. Although some (like fancy schmancy restaurants) discard every bit of the artichoke except the heart (which can be cut into about four dainty bites) many like pulling off meat from the leaves of the vegetable with their teeth. We fall in the category of pulling off meat from leaves, so it can get a bit messy. That’s okay – either way, conversations can get started over the nuances of artichoke consumption. Have fun with them and don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Lemon Infused Artichokes

4 medium artichokes
1 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt

Butter
1/2 cup salted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a five quart pot add the water and about 1 Tbsp of lemon juice. Cut the stems off the artichokes then cut them in half. Drizzle the halves with oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Arrange halves loosely in the pot. Cover and place in oven. Cook for about 45 minutes until tender. If the heart, above the stem, is not tender, then cook them for 10 – 15 minutes longer. While the artichokes bake prepare the butter – in a small sauce pan over low heat add the butter, garlic powder and lemon juice. When butter melts stir, cover and let simmer for about one minute, then turn off heat. Add salt as desired and stir. Serve as a dipping sauce with the artichokes. When you serve the artichokes make sure to remove the hairy choke portions of the vegetable, right above the heart, and discard. Spooning it out should be easy, since it is exposed when the artichokes are cut in half. In the picture above you can see the dark line where the choke ends and the heart begins, right above the stem. If you want more about the basics of eating artichokes check out the step by step guide here.

Posted in artichoke, baked, garlic, Hotel Kitchen, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
08 Nov 2013

Asparagus Saute

asparagus-saute_edited-1

I just adore brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Such adoration inspired this side dish. Big D cooked an absolutely lovely lamb roast for dinner. I can’t get him to guest post his cooking, so you will have to check out his other types of most awesome writing here. The roast sat and simmered all day, so when I walked through the door I was surrounded by lemony, oregano-y, minty bliss. To balance the strong, Greek flavors of the roast I came up with this bright, sharp side dish. We found a huge collection of asparagus at the store – it was a nice medium size with moist tips that begged to be prepared and enjoyed. We also had a collection of small tomatoes – some red, some orange, some green and some purple. I cut up a few and threw them in. They wilted and balanced the enjoyable bitterness of the asparagus. The meal tasted wonderful on a chilly, wet Juneau evening. We have many more such evenings to come, and I will definitely be making this quick side dish again. It is too early in the season, but I will say it anyway – what a colorful combination of green and red! Looking forward to the fun of the upcoming holiday season!

Asparagus Saute

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches asparagus
2 cups small tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the asparagus so the thick ends are lined up together. Slice off the last one to two inches of the the thick ends of the asparagus and discard. Cut the remaining asparagus stalks into bite-sized pieces, about one inch each. Slice tomatoes in half or thirds, making sure they are bite-sized. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add asparagus and stir until slightly softened, about five minutes. Add tomatoes and stir for one more minute. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Stir so as to spread out the spices. Turn down heat, cover and simmer, cooking for about five more minutes, until the asparagus is softened as desired. Turn off heat and leave covered until time to serve. Serve immediately.

Posted in Hotel Kitchen, side dish, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
01 Nov 2013

Ghoulish Meatballs

ghoulish meatballs

In honor of Halloween I made some quite delicious, ghoulish meatballs! They are massive and arrogant and a little scary. I maxed out my hands trying to form them into balls, but it worked! I have made meatballs before, but they were little and gooey and cheesy. All of those things I consider good, but a huge, ghoulish meatball is awesome! I originally planned on baking the balls, but we are still lacking in the shallow baking pan department as part of our reliance on a hotel room kitchenette. The stove top worked pretty well, allowing for browning on all sides, so all was good good good! The stove top was busy though, with making the sauce and onions and meatballs! It came together in low carb loveliness and is a new comfort food for me. The sweet of the sauteed onions balanced out the bite of the meatballs and tartness of the tomatoes. Today was a crazy busy day with much good news (we officially found a place to live in our new town), much fun, and a humongous amount of candy for Little B. Usually off limits, we let her eat and eat and eat candy with sugar all over and in it. Her glazed eyes and erratic, hyper behavior reminds us why we avoid it the rest of the year. I am writing a last line before bed, and look forward to Samhain tomorrow, the beginning our spiritual new year. Sweet, ghoulish dreams everyone!

Ultimate Meatballs

Balls
1 pound 15 -20 % fat ground beef
3/4 pound ground hot Italian sausage
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp dried parsley leaves
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 – 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving

Sauce
1  14.5 ounce can diced Tomatos with sauce
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Onions
1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin rings

SAUCE: In a small sauce pan over medium heat combine tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir. When bubbly, turn temperature down to low and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes. ONIONS: To prepare the onions, heat a deep pan over medium high heat until hot. It should be dry. Add the onion rings and let sit for a minute without stirring until they begin to brown and sweat. Stir them every minute or two, allowing the onions to brown more. When onions are about half browned add 1/2 cup water and scrape the bottom of the Pan. Stir and continue cooking until the liquid cooks away. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Turn off the heat and cover until time to serve. MEATBALLS: In a small bowl combine the spices – oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and cheese. Set aside. In a large bowl squish together the ground beef and sausage until mixed up well. Add the eggs and make sure all the meat is coated. Pour in spice mixture and knead meat until spices are well distributed. Refrigerate until sauce and onions are ready. When time to cook the meatballs remove meat mixture from refrigerator (can be prepared the day before). Heat large frying pan to medium high heat. Form meat into six huge meatballs, placing them immediately into the hot pan. When forming the balls make sure to press the meat together firmly and roll it around in your hands to make them as round as possible. As one side of each meatball browns, gently turn them to another side. Repeat this a few times so three or four sides are a bit brown. Lower heat, Cover and cook until meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Depending on your stove you may need to move them around during the cooking time to prevent the outside from overcooking. To serve, arrange a layer of onion on the plate, add a meatball or two, and top with the tomato sauce and more Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Posted in beef, cheese, Hotel Kitchen, onion, parsley, pork, tomato, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
10 Oct 2013
1 Comment

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

beer cheese soupAs the weather cooled in Maryland before we moved, I had an immediate urge to start the making of soup. I am particular about the temperature of my food liquids – cold stuff in warm weather and warm stuff in cold weather. Any other combination just feels wrong to me. I am often made fun of about my idiosyncrasy (insert Big D laughing here), which I believe is pretty common. Am I really alone on this? A hot cup of coffee in the heat of July makes me feel as if I am burning up from the inside. A cold smoothie in December makes me shiver for an hour. That is why my gazpacho happened in June and iced coffee in July, but then I delved into warm drink mixes in October and here today I offer soup with two of my favorite ingredients – beer and cheese. A challenge I often have when making a liquid dish with cheese is ensuring the cheese is well combined, and is balanced with the liquid. I think I found a good balance here. Your results may vary, but taking time to gradually add and fully incorporate the cheese seems to be the secret. This soup has a strong flavor because of the strong beer, so if you want a more mild soup, then vary the beer, for it will be your guide. And make sure you make it during cooler weather because that is the only reasonable time to eat hot soup, right?

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

1 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 small head broccoli, roughly chopped
12 ounces hoppy beer (suggest India Pale Ale)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a medium sauce pan combine over medium high heat melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion, cooking until transparent. Add the broccoli and toss, letting it cook for a minute or two. When the broccoli begins to sweat a bit, about two minutes, add the beer. Bring mixture to a boil and turn down temperature to low. Cover and let simmer for about ten minutes, until onion and broccoli is very soft. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, until it is safe to puree. With a stand blender or hand blender in the sauce pan, puree liquid and vegetables until all the pieces are very small and uniform. Return mixture to the stove top over medium high heat and make sure it returns to a boil. When hot, gradually add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, about 1/3 cup at a time, and stir until each portion is completely melted and combined. After all the cheese is combined, turn down temperature to low and let simmer for about ten minutes, stirring after five minutes. Add the whipping cream and stir some more. If you want the soup smoother, again use the blender to achieve desired smoothness, but remember that it will always be a little bumpy because of the broccoli. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Posted in cheese, onion, soup, Takoma Park Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free

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