Vive la Bretagne : ICE Revisited

As some of you may remember, I had the pleasure of taking my very first cooking class this past Fall. Ever since attending "Elegant Autumn Desserts" with Chef Vicki Wells at the Institute for Culinary Education in downtown Manhattan, I'd been aching to go back and try my hand on some other delicacies.

The Institute for Culinary Education is located on 23rd street between 5th and 6th avenue, and offers a full range of recreational cooking classes for those interested in cooking, baking, wine and bar-tending, and cheese.

This time around--motivated by the gift of two cooking classes of my choice for Christmas--I decided to opt for a cooking class as opposed to a baking class. People always ask me what I prefer--cooking or baking. I'd have to say that I prefer baking, because it just comes to me more naturally. There seems to me that there is less room for error, and who could say no to working with ingredients like cream, chocolate, and sugar? I do enjoy cooking though, even though it does not come as easily to me.

This time around, I chose Vive la Bretagne, a celebration of tradition Bréton cuisine. The class was taught by Chef Hervé Riou who is an ambassador of Breton cuisine in the United States, representing the Union Culinaire Bretonne. My motivations for taking this particular class were twofold: first, my family originates from Brittany, the northwestern peninsula of France that projects into the Atlantic Ocean, and, second, I was looking to acquire some tricksy cooking skills.

The class was limited to 20 people and was spread over four hours on a Monday morning. The price was reasonable, considering the time in the kitchen, the price of the materials, and the fact that you got to take bags of goodies home. (I have what must amount to three rabbits in my fridge.)

Within our four hours we made Salade de Roscoff (salad of warm seasonal vegetables in an herb vinaigrette), Timbale de saumon aux herbes et fenouil marinée (smoked salmon served with marinated fennel in lemon and creme fouette with shallots confit), Soupe de poisson cotriade (traditional fish soup), Medaillons de veau à la mode d'Iffiniac (sautéed veal medaillons with Muscadet, onion and grated cheese), Coquille St Jacques à la Concarnoise (pan-seared scallops served with a ragout of chanterelles or wild mushrooms and a vermouth reduction), Lapin sauté aux herbes de Bretagnes (rabbit braised with mushroom shallots parsley and a white wine-herb infusion), Flan de St Enogat (flan with marc of cider and apples or pears caramalized), and Traou Mad (traditional butter cake).

Each one was relatively simple to make, and came out looking and tasting divine. Each used tools and ingredients that are easily available and that shouldn't be too much of a drain on the budget.

Look for each recipe as I remake them in the confines of my home kitchen in the next few weeks!

Turkey Tips and Tricks

If your family is anything like mine, Thanksgiving dinner is the dinner that keeps on giving. Even though we only get a small bird (usually no more than 12 pounds for 3 people), it's almost certain that we will be eating turkey in various combinations for the next week.

If you've got a lot of leftover turkey in the fridge and are looking for ways to spice up your leftovers in the next few days, take a look at these terrific variations on Thanksgiving leftovers.

Hearty Turkey Stock

When you've finished picking the bones of your turkey clean, don't throw out the carcass! You can use the leftover bones from your turkey as the base of a flavorful stock that you can use for soups, stews, and sauces. This works best the day or two after the turkey has been cooked. 

5 pound turkey carcass, with a little bit of meat still attached to the bones

3 large onions, halved with the skin on

1/2 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces

2 large celery ribs, sliced

2 tsps dried thyme

1 tsp pepper

8 sprigs of parsley

First, break up the carcass into smaller pieces. If there are pieces of meat or fat left on the bones, make sure to add them to the stock for extra flavor. Once you have done this, combine all of your ingredients in a large stockpot. Add enough cold water to submerge the ingredients by about 3 inches. 

Bring the stock to a boil and then quickly reduce to a simmer, where bubbles barely break the surface. Make sure that the stock does not boil or come to a rapid simmer. Simmer until flavorful--about 2 or 3 hours--skimming the fat off the top as it cooks.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve and discard the vegetables. To store your stock, refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to six months. 

Turkey BLTs

It's like the traditional favorite, except made with turkey instead of beef. A lighter alternative that will keep the lunchtime hunger at bay.

Your favorite sliced bread

Bacon

Mayonnaise

Tomato

Lettuce

Slices of turkey breast

Cook the bacon until it is the desired crispiness and dab off the excess oil on a paper towel. Meanwhile, toast your bread and chop your tomatoes. When the bread is done, add mayonnaise to each side and layer on the tomatoes, lettuce, turkey, and bacon. 

Turkey Salad Wraps

This is one of my favorite wraps that I order at the sandwich shop. The light honey-mustard and vinegar sauce is a nice kick to the turkey, and the arugula adds a bit of crunch. 

Serves 2

1 turkey breast, cooked, and diced

3 tbsps mayonnaise 

1.5 tbsps honey mustard

3/4 tsp white-wine vinegar
A few handfuls of arugula

Salt and pepper

2 wraps, preferably spinach

Take your diced turkey and put it in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and spices, seasoning to taste, and making sure to coat the turkey thoroughly. Take the arugula and place a little in the center of each wrap, then spoon turkey salad down the center of the wrap. Fold the wrap up and serve with a side salad.

Rustic Turkey Sandwich

This take on a New England classic is sure to please. The rustic turkey sandwich, inspired by times in Vermont, combines Vermont cheddar with slices of apple for a real treat.

2 slices of toasted wheat bread

2 tsps mayonnaise

1 cup turkey meat

Half an apple, sliced

4 slices of extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Lettuce

Mustard

Bacon

Spread mayonnaise and butter on your bread. Lay down the lettuce, then the cheese and apple slices. Add the turkey and bacon and serve.

Curried Turkey Salad

Turkey can be a little on the bland side, especially after you've been eating it for days on end. What better way to spice up your turkey than to make a curry salad? This combines traditional curry salad ingredients such as celery, apple, and mayonnaise, but replaces raisins with dried cranberries, instead. An exotic take on your Thanksgiving leftovers!

2 cups of chopped and cooked turkey meat

1 apple, cored peeled, and chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries (for an extra hint of Thanksgiving)

1 rib chopped celery

3/4 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Salt and pepper

In a small pan, heat your curry just enough so that it releases it's aroma. Promptly remove from heat, to avoid toasting and burning. Then, in a large bowl, combine the curry and spices with the yogurt, honey, and mayonnaise before adding the apple, celery, cranberries, and turkey. Stir to coat the turkey thoroughly and adjust spices to taste. Serve either as a side to a salad or as a sandwich.

Potato and Leek Soup

I went to the Farmers' Market this weekend to take advantage of the last fresh produce of the year and picked up some lovely leeks. My dad suggested that I make leek and potato soup.

I was looking for a simple recipe, with a lot of flavor, that I could make quickly and found one that fit the bill: it uses relatively few ingredients, doesn't take much time, and requires no complex kitchen skills. So, chop those vegetables, peel some potatoes, and prepare for a warm and comforting dinner.

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks (see my note below on how to clean leeks)
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

First prepare the leeks: Feel the outside skin of the leek and cut off the leaves where they start to feel tough. If the portion attached to the white part feels tough cut it until you have the white part and a bit of the light green part left. Cut off the roots and cut the leek lengthwise. Then slice into thin slices. Rinsing leeks is important, but is also a pain. Put your leek slices in a collander, and rinse them thoroughly to get the dirt and sand out from between the thin layers.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the leeks until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock and cook until the vegetables are cooked through and beginning to fall apart, about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a blender, ladle the soup into the blender and blend until smooth but with some small chunks remaining. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Add the cream and blend to combine, then check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot ladled into soup bowls and topped with some of the chopped chives.

Herbed White Bean and Sausage Stew

As I mentioned in a previous post (i.e. the Butternut Squash in Puff Pastry), I went through a phase where I religiously made the New York Times' Dining Section recipe on Fridays when I got out of class, and had the time to challenge myself in the kitchen.

The following recipe for a hearty bean and sausage stew comes from the October 29, 2010 edition of the Times. This recipe combines filling Great Northern beans with sweet sausage in an aromatic and warming stew that is sure to keep the fall and winter chills away. My apartment had yet to have heat (the outdoor temperature is now a balmy 47' F), and so I was in need of something to take the chill from my bones and warm my stomach. This did the trick.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you do not need to soak the beans due to the long cooking time. Also, if you're short on time, try using white beans from a can instead. This cuts the cooking time and preserves most of the flavor. In addition, while the original recipe calls for Italian sweet sausage, you can also make this leaner by using turkey sausage or by using vegetarian meatballs. The beans and herbs provide more than enough flavor, and allow for variation!



Make sure to check out the original recipe and article on the New York Times site: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/dining/03appe.html?ref=dining

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced 3/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound dried Great Northern beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 thyme sprigs (or 1 tbsp dry thyme)
1 large rosemary sprig (or 2 tsps dried rosemary)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a very large stockpot, head the olive oil over medium heat before adding the sausage. Brown until cooked through, about 7 minutes, and transfer to a plate.

In the remaining oils, add the tomato paste and cumin, and cook until dark golden, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, 8 cups water, salt, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering gently until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. You can add more water if needed to make sure the beans remain submerged.

When the beans are tender, return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve drizzled with additional vinegar and olive oil.

Now that doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Photo credit of NYT

My Own Butternut Squash Soup

This week has been pleasantly cool and autumnal, and I LOVE it. It's not too hot or too cold, you can be comfortable in either your summer or fall clothes, and you don't have to worry about melting every time you go outside. Fall is one of my favorite seasons: I love the feel, the look, the happy fall outfits, and the food.

Fall makes me think of apple and pumpkin pies, stews, mushrooms, baked goods, and apple cider. One of the best and most versatile autumn vegetables is the butternut squash, which can be prepared in unlimited and equally-delicious ways. This summer I prepared for my annual squash need by planting three squash plants in my garden. To my delight, they yielded about ten 1.5 pound butternut squashes. Needless to say, I will have to find new and innovative ways to prepare them in the weeks ahead.

The first thing I wanted to try was a butternut squash soup. I remember making butternut squash soup with my grandmother when I was a little girl. She had a big and beautiful old-fashioned kitchen in the turn-of-the-century house where she was born in Queens. There was a big iron stove and a faded wallpaper with green and gold glittering urns on it. The appliances and the furniture was from the 60s. We would bring out her special puree-wand and put it on the table. I'd kneel on one of the mint green plushy chairs to reach the table, and help to puree the squash.

Today, I went to my tiny and ill-equipped kitchen to make butternut squash soup. I had browsed some recipes, but didn't find one that shouted, "YES! Make me!" So, I created my own.

The soup was delicious and very unlike butternut squash soups I have had before. It was subtly spicy, but refreshing. Not one flavour was too overpowering, yet it was anything but boring.

This is my spicy, subtle twist on a fall favorite. Enjoy!

The Recipe:

2 1-1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into half inch cubes
4 cups water
1 beef boullion cube
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup shallots, diced
2 inches of fresh ginger, grated
2 tsps medium curry
2 tbsps butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream

In a large pot, melt the butter and cook the onions and shallots on medium heat. Add the curry, ginger, and garlic and stir. Add the cubed squash and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in the water and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a blender, puree the squash in small batches. If you are like me and do not have a blender or food processor, you can take an electric mixer to the mixture and blend it until all the squash has been pureed. If you find this difficult, you might want to hand mash the squash with a masher and then blend it.

Serve hot and with sour cream.

Photo credit: marthastewart.com