Whole Roasted Cauliflower

My son, Jason, found this recipe. It is from Miznon in New York City and appeared in Food and Wine. It is silky and creamy all in one mouthful. The recipe calls for sel gris (grey salt) which I don’t have so used regular salt instead.
I usually make a cauliflower cheese, or roast it with red pepper flakes, but this recipe doesn’t need any additions, it just lets the cauliflower shine on its own at its best.

Ingredients

1 Whole cauliflower with green leaves, base sliced so it stands straight leaves intact.
7 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin
      olive oil
2 gallons water


Directions
Preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit
Have the rack centered in oven

In a large pot bring 2 gallons water to the boil.
Test to see how much water is needed before it’s boiling away. Place the cauliflower in pot and cover with water, may not be as much as 2 gallons
Once the water is boiling, add
6 1/2 tablespoons salt
Carefully lower the cauliflower into the boiling water and place an ovenproof ceramic plate over the top to keep the cauliflower submerged. Cover and boil for about 10 mins or until a fork inserted into the cauliflower is just beginning to feel tender. Don’t let it get mushy.
Remove the cauliflower carefully and let it cool whole in a colander so the excess water can drain a bit.
Take 1 tablespoon of the oil and brush all over cauliflower .
Next sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon salt over the top
Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until it starts to brown on top.
Remove, brush with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and eat immediately.

Soupe a L'Oignon (Onion Soup)

Soupe a L’oignon (French Onion Soup)

This wonderful recipe if from Vincent Price’s cookbook.
Serves 2.


Ingredients

3 rashers of bacon,
2 large onions
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic chopped finely
Sprig of parsley
Pinch of thyme
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon cognac
French bread

Directions
In a deep saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
Saute2 large onions chopped fine in the drippings. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft.
Add 2 tablespoons flour, salt, pepper and 1 clove garlic finely chopped.Cook until mixture is golden brown but not burned.
Add a sprig of parsley, a pinch of thyme, 1 quart chicken stock, 1 cup dry white wine and simmer for 3/4 hour.
Add 1 tablespoon cognac at the very end.

Serve in individual ovenproof bowls
If you want to serve the soup gratin, bread torn into pieces and float on top of soup - sprinkle bread with parmesan cheese and place under grill.

Pumpkin Squash or Butternut Squash Bisque

PUMPKIN SQUASH OR
     BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Ingredients

1 lb cooked pumpkin or butternut squash (Leila used butternut squash)
4 tbs butter
1 large onion
1 medium leek
4 cups chicken broth (homemade is best!)
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 teasp. Salt
½ teasp. Curry powder
¼ teasp. Ginger
¼ teasp. Pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions


1.  In a large pot-Melt butter and sauté leek and onion (chopped)

2. Stir in pumpkin ,broth, salt, spices and bay leaf

3. Bring to boil

4. Lower heat, simmer uncovered 15 mins.

5. Remove bay leaf

6  Puree in blender small amounts at a time

7.Add cream.

Potato Soup with Kale and Chicken Sausage

Potato Soup with Kale and Chicken Sausage

Yesterday I tasted the most delicious soup made by Marianna at Jason’s house. She found the recipe on Farmstead Chic at http://www.farmsteadchic.com/whole30-zuppa-toscana.
The original recipe used Italian sausage and organic beef tallow or ghee. Marianna used chicken sausage sliced, which she added towards the end and the chopped kale just before serving. I’m going to use olive oil to sauté the onion and garlic.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil (or beef tallow or ghee)
1 lb chicken sausage, casings removed and sliced (or Italian sausage)
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (equal parts of basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, cilantro, thyme, red pepper flakes)
7 medium red potatoes (approx. 3 lbs) coarsely chopped
A bunch fresh kale, stems removed and chopped
1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk.
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute the onions in olive oil till turning golden brown, add garlic stir for one minute. Add 6 cups chicken broth and the coarsely chopped potatoes. Add the crushed red pepper and Italian seasonings. Bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes
Add the coconut milk, chicken sausage and chopped kale. Continue to simmer until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork and the kale is tender.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Green Beans with Slivered Almonds & Onions

This is a delicious dish that Jason made for me last week. He served it with salmon.
I came home and had to make it right away!

Ingredients

1 lb green beans
2 strips bacon
2 Cloves garlic
1/2 an onion
Handful of slivered almonds (or walnuts)
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Butter
Sugar

Directions

Cut off the tails of the beans, wash in cold water. Heat a saucepan water with a shake of salt, once boiling drip the beans in (whole) and cook for 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a pan, sauté 2 strips of bacon until crisp, lay aside on a paper towel
In the same pan saute 1/2 a chopped onion, add chopped garlic (2 cloves), towards the end add a handful of slivered almonds, a shake of red pepper flakes and 1/2 a teaspoon sugar. In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter, add the beans and the onion mixture and 1/2 a teaspoon salt. Stir and cook over medium low heat covered for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Omelette

Ingredients

3 eggs
1/4 teasp. Salt
Shake of pepper
2 tablespoons milk/ cream or almond milk (if dairy free)
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Crack the eggs in a bowl
Add salt, pepper and milk (or heavy cream or dairy free milk)
Beat well till fluffy.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, pour in the egg mixture and with a spatula, gently move the egg mixture to one side. It will start to thicken and fluff up. Once the egg is beginning to brown on one side, flip the omelette and continue cooking until the omelette is lightly browned on the other side

For variations, add cheese during the middle of cooking (grated cheddar) or sliced cooked mushrooms, or cooked asparagus. Or use all three!

This recipe is good for 1-2 people.
Just increase the amount of eggs and use a larger pan if feeding more people.

Nadia's Christmas Cupcakes

Each cupcake carefully decorated by my granddaughter, Nadia.
We made them from scratch, but I think a boxed mix would work just as well!