Posted on 02/22/2018 4:20:07 PM PST by Jamestown1630
When I was young and single, I rented part of an older lady’s house for many years. She had children who had become vegetarians, and was always hunting for something meatless but special to make for holidays. One Christmas she made this Dilled Vegetable-Barley Soup, from Molly Katzen’s ‘Enchanted Broccoli Forest’; it became one of my favorite recipes, and Katzen’s book one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. If you aren’t averse to the wine, add it, as it really brightens the soup; but the recipe is still very good without it. I’ve never used the fennel in this recipe, but you may want to include it. (In my experience, this soup freezes well.)
Dilled Vegetable-Barley Soup
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
5 1/2 cups water, divided, more if needed
2 to 3 tablespoons butter or canola oil
2 cups minced onions
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
2 medium-size carrots, diced
1 medium-size rib celery, minced
1 pound mushrooms, chopped
4 cups water or broth
6 tablespoons dry white wine, optional
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dillweed
1/2 cup minced fresh fennel, optional
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: Sour cream or yogurt; toasted sunflower seeds; minced fresh parsley or chives or combination
Place the barley and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook about 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
Melt the butter or heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, salt and bay leaf and cook over medium heat until the onions begin to soften, for 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water, the wine if desired, lemon juice and cooked barley. Lower the heat to a quiet simmer. Cover and let the mixture bubble peacefully for about 30 minutes. The soup will thicken -- you might want to add more water.
Shortly before serving, stir in the dill, fennel if desired, garlic and black pepper. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Serve hot with all, some or none of the optional toppings.
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While thinking about barley soup, I happened to find ‘The Dragon’s Kitchen’, the website of a blogger from Ontario, who made a project of re-creating recipes from the menu of the Titanic. They include a ‘cream of barley soup’ which looks very comforting:
http://www.thedragonskitchen.com/2012/01/cream-of-barley-soup.html
And here’s a link to the page about the ‘Titanic Project’:
http://www.thedragonskitchen.com/search/label/Titanic%20Project
-JT
Go back to visit, I meant. Home ...
I am a native Californian.
Cheech & Chong reference......
Jest messin' with you.
;o)
SoCal bred, so Mexican was second nature to us. Her grandmother was southern, but she knows little of her cooking unfortunately.
I am the Creole/Cajun chef, not that I know squat other than what I like to eat.
What’s your favorite Creole/Cajun thing?
Iris Rideau's jambalaya for sure.
Also, some gumbo recipe of uncertain parentage that I probably cannot find what with the wife' filing methods.
That’s if you can get good, ripe, homegrown tomatoes. I have fond memories of us picking bushels of sweet corn and Ruskin tomatoes in my teen years and summer dinners of corn, tomatoes and sweet sliced Vidalia onions - YUM! It’s very hard to find good tomatoes anymore. Even the “heirloom” ones from Fresh Market or Whole Foods are hit or miss for me here and they are pricy.
I love a good tomato sandwich with Duke’s mayo, salt and pepper on white bread.
I really like grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches with a slice of tomato in the middle. Ham or bacon and tomato grilled cheese is good, too.
By "lime" you don't mean like the citrus green fruit but the lime that is a white caustic alkaline substance consisting of calcium oxide, obtained by heating limestone, right? How does that affect the flavor? I don't think I ever tried hominy but I like Southern grits.
Now I might have to try a tomato grilled cheese this weekend. :)
I know, me too! :o)
You have never had a taco ... a corn tortilla?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization
Nixtamalization
This process, originating in Mexico, is known to remove up to 97–100% of aflatoxins from mycotoxin-contaminated corn.[2] The term can also refer to the removal via an alkali process of the pericarp from other grains such as sorghum.
Nixtamalized maize has several benefits over unprocessed grain: it is more easily ground; its nutritional value is increased; flavor and aroma are improved; and mycotoxins are reduced. Lime and ash are highly alkaline: the alkalinity helps the dissolution of hemicellulose, the major glue-like component of the maize cell walls, and loosens the hulls from the kernels and softens the maize. Some of the corn oil is broken down into emulsifying agents (monoglycerides and diglycerides), while bonding of the maize proteins to each other is also facilitated. The divalent calcium in lime acts as a cross-linking agent for protein and polysaccharide acidic side chains.[3] As a result, while cornmeal made from untreated ground maize is unable by itself to form a dough on addition of water, the chemical changes in masa allow dough formation.
Another great way to make grilled cheese is to add thinly sliced apples or even pears in the sandwich too.
Another great way to make grilled cheese is to add thinly sliced apples or even pears in the sandwich too.
First thing I was assigned in culinary school on the new professional stoves that I had never used. Pilot light on at all times, it immediately burned the butter I put into a pot! Eventually, the soup came out fine although the Professor made a snarky comment about it that I didn’t quite understand - to this day. I’ll dig up the recipe which I’ve never made again.
In the ‘70s I had “The Vegetarian Epicure” cookbook, and its sequel. In no way am I vegetarian, but some of those recipes are wonderful and I still use them. I lost the books in a move 20 years ago, but fortunately had copied a few of my favorites in a notebook.
My ex MIL used to make something like that, open face. Bread then Cheddar, then tomato slice, then bacon. Broil. Delicious. (I’d forgotten all about that until I saw your post.)
20-minute Tomato Soup / makes 8 bowls
ING 3 cloves garlic, sliced 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided 2 23oz. jars Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes 2 c water 2 tb pure cane sugar 1/2 tsp dried oregano cracked pepper to taste 1/2 c h/cream
METHOD In cold stock pot, add sliced onions, garlic, oil, and 1/4 tsp salt. Turn heat to to med; cook/soften 5 min. Stir occa. Add rest salt, jar Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes, water, sugar, oregano, and cracker pepper. Cook on med 10 min. Stir occa. Add cream. Blender completely smooth, 30-60 sec.
Taste and check texture. If it's just right, it's ready for a ladle. If it needs a bit more, return to low heat. Too acidic? Try a tiny bit more sugar. Too thick? Add a bit more water until desired texture is reached.
SERVE w/ splash of h/cream, fresh basil sprig.
GARLIC BREADSTICK TWISTS
GARLIC BUTTER 1/4 c butter, tsp garlic bread seasoning
(Johnny’s at Costco is good or make your on), Tb Parm.
METHOD Unroll 12 count can refrigerated breadsticks; separate.
Spread garlic butter over each. Roll up; place into sprayed muffin pan.
Sprinkle w/ Parm. Bake golden 400 deg 12-15 min.
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