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
In those pricey Puerto Vallarta Resorts in Mexico, they make an unusual tamarind margarita.
Tamarind Margarita
Use your fave margarita method with these ingredients:
» 2 oz Aged Tequila » 1 ½ oz Cointreau
» 3 oz Tamarind Concentrate (sold in specialty stores)
» ½ oz Natural Sweet Syrup » Drops of lemon juice
That looks delicious! Tamarind is really sour. And salty.
Tamarind is used a lot in Thai cooking.
A storied Paris restaurant makes a classic Thai “Larb Duck” dish using tamarind.
It makes all the difference.
I have not had a hot brown in forever! When I was young I would order one sometimes at Dino’s in Cincinnati. One of the most delicious things ever!
Zinos
The legendary Kentucky Hot Brown created at The Camberley Brown Hotel, Louisville:
turkey slices on buttered/toasted bread triangles, lavished w/ Mornay Sauce, broiled;
then bacon strips on top, and tomato wedges on the side.
I could eat one every day!!!!!!
So simple but so delicious.
I haven’t tried one yet but mean to some day. Looks like it would be yummy.
Macaroni Beaucaire
NOTE Jacques baked the eggplant 30 min (a lot healthier). On silpat lined sheetpan, he placed s/p eggplant slices--then turned to coat both sides in olive oil. Method is better, but adds prep time.
ELBOWS Set 3/4 c salted elbow cooking liquid in bowl; add 1/4 c ol/oil, 3 tbl Parm, s/p; mix well. Add 8 oz drained al dente elbows, 1/4 c minced chives.
ASSEMBLY Layer in oblong gratin; eggplant, ripe tomato slices to cover bottom; elbows in dressing; top w/ alternate eggplant/tomato slices; cup shredded cheddar (or fave cheese). (Can do ahead to here; fridge.) Set on counter 25-30 min before baking.
FINAL Bake/heat/melt cheese 400 deg 20 min. Serve immediately.
Yes! I am a cookie freak,I save money to buy bakery cookies & those lemon cookies of yours.....I could so easily eat the whole plate ; )
Be careful....they are addictive. I have not had one in decades & am surprised that restaurants don’t make them.
That sounds great. I’m always looking for new ways to use eggplant.
Lemon cookies......now you got me craving. LOL.
The combined dish is delightfully French....and endorsed by Jacques.
Nothing better.
I pretty much like ANYTHING lemon! I even have kitchen lemon foaming hand soap from Bath and Body Works. :o)
Yes. Funny. The restauranteur I stole that easy tomato sauce from 2 weeks ago had almost the same recipe for his easy non cooked tomato sauce, which I have made again tonight for meatballs. And as I was cooking the meatballs, and my big Pyrex of Tom sauce was just sitting there, I kept sipping spoons of it like soup. Great idea. I am starting to stock these Marzanos in cans now.
There is an old but better done than new collection of library dinosaur books sold used in library bindings on amazon. We have collected about 12 of these thin volumes for mere dollars. My daughter loves them.
People around here would love this. It looks better than garlic bread.
Would need to keep that broom handy for after the meal.
I kind of assumed Vincent Price was gay. I mean, of course he cold still have been, even with the wife. Didn’t Paul Lynde also have a wife?
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