Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I’m posting this Tomato Soup recipe from last year again, because even though it’s a hot soup, which we may not want in Summer, and the recipe uses canned tomatoes, it’s a great use for fresh tomatoes if you have a ‘bumper crop’. It’s also a wonderful starter for any season: light and bright – not a heavy creamy soup; and you might like it as a lighter change for the soup course even at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The original recipe comes from 'The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook', by John Shields (highly recommended!) but I've goofed-around with it a bit. I leave out the sugar, because I like a really tart tomato soup - and I usually throw in a lot of dried basil, instead of using thyme or fresh basil. (Now that I’ve got my year-round basil via Aerogarden, that may change.)

Making this is a bit of work, and you do need a food mill to do it properly; but it’s worth it - and it freezes well.

Deal Island Summer Tomato Soup

1 C. Butter, or Olive Oil (I usually use half butter, half oil)

3 green bell peppers, diced

2 C. diced onions

2 C. diced Celery

2 T. chopped Garlic (opt.)

3 C. water

4 lbs. Tomatoes, Peeled and Cored; or Canned (I usually use a big ol' can of tomatoes from Costco.)

4 tsps. Sugar (or less, or opt.)

2 tsps. Salt

2 Bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme, or 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground Nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

Garlic Croutons

Melt butter or heat oil in soup pot. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes.

Add water, bring to boil, then simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, sugar (if used), salt, bay leaves, thyme and nutmeg. Simmer 45 minutes.

Pass soup through food mill. Return to pot and reheat. Adjust seasonings. Serve topped with freshly ground pepper and croutons.

(We usually double this recipe.)

Lately, while roaming around on YouTube, I’ve often seen recipes for ‘7-Up Biscuits’. I had never heard of this, and made the mistake of using a recipe that was NOT a good one last weekend. The result was a mixed success – the batter came out so runny that I had to just pour it into an oblong pan and bake it like Corn Bread. It was very tasty – but not biscuits ;-)

I did retroactive research, and found that my recipe used half as much of the biscuit mix as necessary. I learned my lesson! and my wild birds are getting a special treat this week ;-)

Here, from 'Angie's Southern Kitchen', is a recipe with the right proportions:

http://www.angiessouthernkitchen.com/2012/06/7-up-biscuits/

Earlier this week, Freeper Covenantor showed us a wonderful pie using apple roses; and whimsically suggested Bacon Roses, for which we actually found a recipe. And while I don’t think that ‘bacon roses’ are something I’d actually make, it reminded me of something I used to make for kids’ stockings at Christmas: Dollar Bill Roses:

'Thrifty Fun' has the instructions for crafting them:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67951187.tip.html

-JT

[CottonBall]

In Highlands? Is that an Italian restaurant?

[leaning conservative]

No, I should have been more clear. Both her dentist & Iannucci’s are on Hendersonville rd. In Asheville. Yes, it’s Italian.

[CottonBall]

Awesome! I’ve been wanting to find a great Italian place nearby. And around here, an hour and a half is close enough to nearby :-)

[Yaelle]

You guys are all in such lush green areas of the country. We hardly have two seasons here. Hot and less hot. And dry year round. I wanted to plant a garden but water is so expensive here (armpit of Los Angeles, seriously the highest temps in the basin).

[RegulatorCountry]

It’s been hotter than usual for July and the lawns are already scorched, that usually doesn’t happen here until August. Going to be a busy Fall reseeding lawns.

[kalee]

When I make tomato pie, I give the tomato slices a few fast spins I the salad spinner. After it bakes, I letb it sit for a few minutes to settle. Cutting it straight from the oven seems to make it have more juice?.

[lizma2]

I never thought of that! DUH. Thx!

[NorthstarMom]

Interesting. I don’t have a salad spinner, but I can let it rest a bit before cutting. I love this recipe, but the soggy crust really is a let down.

[Liz]

Some professional chefs solve the soggy pie crust bottom by glazing the crust——painting it using a beaten egg white.

Par-bake the crust at four hundred deg to set the glaze....then add filling.

[NorthstarMom]

Thanks!

[pugmama]

We are drowning in produce from the garden-have been making and freezing sauces, pestos etc and freezing it. We planted tomatillos and they are also growing like crazy. I made this last night will all fresh veges and it really was wonderful. The garnishes really added to the flavor. Garden Gazpacho with Fresh Tomatillos For the soup: • 2 large cucumbers, coarsely chopped • 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped • 1/2 medium head lettuce, any tender and mild (not bitter)
variety, coarsely chopped • 1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped • 2 scallions, coarsely chopped • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves • 1 cup hulled and coarsely chopped fresh tomatillos
(or 3/4 cup store-bought salsa verde) • 1 mild or hot fresh green chili pepper, seeded and minced • Juice of 1 lime, or more, to taste • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Additions: I added about 2 lbs mixed cut up tomatoes as well as 1/2 cut up red onion, and 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar. To garnish: • 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped ( I put this in the soup ingredients). • 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced • 1 medium avocado, peeled and finely diced • 1 medium mango, pitted and finely diced, peaches or any other fresh melon finely diced • Juice of 1/2 lime • Fresh basil leaves Combine  all the soup ingredients in a blender with 1 cup water ( I added tomato juice instead. I would have added clamato juice but didn’t have it). Process until pureed, with a little texture remaining. Transfer to a large serving container. Stir in more water as needed to give the mixture a medium-thick consistency. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more, until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, re-season to taste, combine the garnishes in a small bowl and stir together. Top each serving of the cold soup with this mixture. I also garnished with small cooked shrimp and then drizzle over some balsamic glaze ( the kind you get at Trader Joe’s)

[pugmama]

Love Ina’s panzanella recipes-her greek one is good too.

[pugmama]

This is a great recipe for ham and biscuit bread. I like Rebecca Lang’s southern recipes.

http://www.rebeccalangcooks.com/pdf/Post%20and%20Courier.pdf

[Jamestown1630]

That looks good, and so do the Blackeye Peas!

[pugmama]

I have been making these since I discovered this magazine and site. There are also great recipes for pimento cheese.

http://gardenandgun.com/recipe/pimento-cheese-biscuits/

[trisham]

I love it. Thanks, pugmama!

[pugmama]

I make this several times a year and we really like it:

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/potato-tomato-gratin-1962279

[Covenantor]

Nice tip.

[pugmama]

Made this last week and we really liked it.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/heirloom-tomato-zucchini-galette-honey-thyme/

[Jamestown1630]

That looks good, too.

I found this in the BHG newsletter today, Tomatillo Pulled Chicken Sandwiches:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/tomatillo-pulled-chicken-sandwiches/