Love & Saffron

 

Love & Saffron : A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love by Kim Fay

Fiction

2022 G. P. Putnam's Sons

Finished on January 23, 2023

Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding)

Publisher's Blurb:

The #1 Indie Next Pick, in the vein of the classic 84, Charing Cross Road and Meet Me at the Museum, this witty and tender novel follows two women in 1960s America as they discover that food really does connect us all, and that friendship and laughter are the best medicine.

When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter--as well as a gift of saffron--to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine, and while she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she's never tasted fresh garlic--exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives.

Food and a good life--they can't be separated. It is a discovery the women share, not only with each other, but with the men in their lives. Because of her correspondence with Joan, Imogen's decades-long marriage blossoms into something new and exciting, and in turn, Joan learns that true love does not always come in the form we expect it to. Into this beautiful, intimate world comes the ultimate test of Joan and Imogen's friendship--a test that summons their unconditional trust in each other.

A brief respite from our chaotic world, Love & Saffron is a gem of a novel, a reminder that food and friendship are the antidote to most any heartache, and that human connection will always be worth creating.

Wow. Three 5-star reads in the first month of the year! I'm on a roll, thanks to all the great recommendations from fellow book lovers. There are so many wonderful things about living on the Oregon coast, but we are in dire need of a good bookstore, so unless we're on a road trip in the RV, I never get the opportunity to wander around and admire the new releases, or pick up a book based solely on its attractive cover art. I've grown to depend on bloggers, Instagrammers, Goodread's friends, and Ann Patchett's laydown diaries (on Parnassus Books' Instagram feed). I'm pretty sure that I heard about Love & Saffron from more than one of these platforms. 

Easily read in a single sitting, I forced myself to slowly savor the book, reading it over the course of two evenings. Going into the story cold, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it's comprised entirely of letters between the two main characters. (No, I didn't even read the book blurb, which would have revealed this fact.) I'm a huge fan of epistolary novels, and as I read, I envisioned scenes from 84, Charing Cross Road (starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins). Like those two characters from Helene Hanff's marvelous book, Joan and Imogen not only exchange letters, but gifts of unique food items and recipes. Spanning the years between 1962 and 1966, the historical details are an added bonus (although I momentarily felt that Fay was working from a mental checklist--almost to the point of distraction--including the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy's assassination, the Beatles, a new TV show called The French Chef, starring Julia Child, etc.), as are the women's comments about their current reading material. In addition to 84, Charing Cross Road, Love & Saffron brings to mind the correspondences and friendship between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto. (Coincidentally, Imogen's husband discovers the joy of cooking and purchased a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.)

There is so much to enjoy about this book (which I had to remind myself is fiction and not a culinary memoir). My love of the Pacific Northwest, and familiarity with Seattle and the surrounding area, is just one aspect of the story I relished. The sweet friendship between the two women reminded me of the importance of the special friends in my own life, and how one comes to cherish those kindred spirits.

Love & Saffron will enchant fans of Laurie Colwin, Ann Hood, Helene Hanff, and Erica Bauermeister. Highly recommend!

Parker House Rolls

Parker House Rolls

Growing up, I was not only lucky to know all four of my grandparents, but I also knew my maternal great-grandmother, Louise Ashbrook. I didn't know her as well as I knew her daughter (my grandmother), but I know that she loved nature and was an avid bird-watcher. She was also an exceptional painter of landscapes, as well as delicate scenes on hand-blown eggs, which several family members display at Eastertime. She was also know for her amazing Parker House rolls, which many of my relatives have attempted, over the years, to duplicate. She never measured her ingredients, grabbing handfuls of flour and pinches of sugar & salt, making it impossible for anyone to carry on her legacy. Until last week!

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for Parker House rolls that Kristen Doyle had shared on her blog (Dine and Dish). As usual, I printed the recipe and tossed it into a pile, later to be filed away and long forgotten. This year we're hosting our family gathering and I decided it was time to try my hand at Kristen's recipe (which she got courtesy of the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts). With the weather turning cold and rainy, I made plans to make stew one night and chicken and dumplings the next. What better than to have some tender, buttery rolls to go with that yummy comfort food! I dug through my files and found Kristen's recipe. I followed it almost exactly as written, opting for my KitchenAid mixer (with the bread hook attachment) instead of kneading the dough by hand. I was so pleased (ok, giddy with joy!) to not only have the dough rise perfectly the first time, but also after cutting out each little circle of dough. I waited longer than instructed to pop them in the oven since I was waiting for the rest of the meal to come together, but the kitchen was warm and the dough didn't collapse. 

The final verdict? Delicious! They're a bit lighter and fluffier than my great-grandmother's rolls, but they're the best I've ever made. I don't know which is better, serving them warm with salted butter or saving them for the next day and enjoying them with a little bit of mayo and leftover turkey. I guess I better double the recipe. Thanks, Kristen!

Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour (I used a little bit more)

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened

1 large egg

In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick). 

With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F.) into mixture. 

Add egg; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Beat in 3/4 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. 

With spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. (I used a bread hook and left the dough in the mixer.)

Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning over so that top of dough is greased. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough is doubled when 2 fingers pressed into dough leave a dent.) 

Punch down dough by pushing down the center or dough with fist, then pushing edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly to make smooth ball, cover with bowl for 15 minutes, and let dough rest. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In 17 1/4-inch by 11 1/2-inch roasting pan, over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter; tilt pan to grease bottom. (I used a large jelly roll/cookie sheet pan, brushed with some of the melted butter, leaving the rest in a bowl to dip into.)

On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut dough into circles.

Holding dough circle by the edge, dip both sides into melted margarine or butter pan; fold in half.

Arrange folded dough in rows in pan, each nearly touching the other. 

Cover pan with towel; let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned. 

Recipe courtesy Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts

Click on the link in the sidebar for more of my favorite recipes. 

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

 

Photo Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

I have two chicken enchilada recipes (one with red sauce and one with a sour cream sauce), but when I spotted this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I thought it might be a good alternative. I was mainly interested in the green sauce option, but after making the casserole, I realized how brilliant it is to make a casserole rather than individual enchiladas! The casserole assembly is much easier (read: faster!) than filling and rolling each tortilla. I can't wait to try this method with my other enchilada recipes.

20 ounces green enchilada sauce

12 ounces salsa verde

3-4 cups cooked shredded or chopped chicken

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

12-14 white or yellow corn tortillas, cut in half 

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh chopped cilantro

Sour cream

Guacamole or avocado slices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside. 

Whisk together the enchilada sauce and salsa verde. 

Toss the chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. (See my notes)

Spread 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer eight tortilla halves across the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the tortillas followed by 1/2 of the chicken. Drizzle with 1/3 of the sauce. 

Layer another eight tortilla halves, 1/3 of the cheese, last 1/2 of the chicken, another 8-9 tortilla halves, remaining 1/3 cheese and remaining sauce. 

Cover with greased foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cooked through. 

Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Let rest for 10-15 minutes (it will set up and be less runny as it rests) before serving. 

Serve with sour cream and guacamole, if desired.

Serves 8

Mel's Notes: 

You can use all enchilada sauce if you want (omit the salsa verde and increase the amount of green enchilada sauce by 10-12 ounces).

The casserole can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 8 hours (the tortillas will soften more than if baked right away).

My Notes:

I prefer to use my own roast chicken; rotisserie chickens tend to be dry and salty.

If you don't like your food too spicy, just use enchilada sauce (30-32 oz. total), as Mel mentions in her notes. You can always serve a salsa verde on the side for those who want more heat. 

Diced onions would be a good addition. I'd sauté 1/2 a cup in olive oil before adding them to the enchilada sauce.

If you want to stretch the meal or add more protein, beans (white, pinto or black) would be great mixed in with the chicken Be sure to drain them before adding.

For even distribution, I mixed all of the seasonings together in a bowl before mixing them with the chicken. 

Click on the link in the sidebar for more of my favorite recipes. 

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Mushroom Lasagna

Photo Credit

Oh, yum! Another delicious recipe by Smitten Kitchen (adapted from Ina Garten). I've made this dish a couple of times and it's a huge hit with my family; even my meat-loving husband says it's a winner. If you wind up with any leftovers, they freeze very well.

Salt

Olive Oil

12 pieces of dried lasagna noodles

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups of hot milk 

12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 lbs. mushrooms (any combination of cremini, portobello, brown or baby white), sliced

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup white wine (my addition)

1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Prepare noodles: Cook according to package instructions (typically around 10 minutes). Drain and set aside. 

Make béchamel: While the noodles are cooking, melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for one minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Pour in the hot milk, a little at a time at first and whisk until combined. Once you’ve added half of it, you can add the second half all at once, along with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare onions & mushrooms: Clean mushrooms and discard stems. Slice mushrooms 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium in a large sauté pan. Cook the onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add half of the mushrooms, along with a couple pinches of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and release some of their juices, tossing to make sure they cook evenly. Set aside and repeat with additional oil and butter, and remaining mushrooms. Return all the mushrooms to the pan and add the white wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Assemble lasagna: Spread some of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce (about 1/4 of what remains), 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Repeat two more times then top with a final layer of noodles, your remaining sauce and last 1/4 cup of parmesan.

Bake: For 45 minutes, or until top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. 

To freeze for future use, allow it to cool completely and wrap two to three times in plastic wrap before freezing.

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes. 

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Chicken and Rice Soup

 

Willie's Chicken and Rice Soup

My husband had back surgery a few years ago and our wonderful next-door neighbor brought us a huge pot of this soup, along with a  batch of sugar cookies. It was the best "Get Well" gift for both of us! Of course, I requested the recipes and they both became our favorites. The soup is so easy to make and once the weather gets chilly, I make it a lot. Now that fall has arrived, it's back in my dinner rotation!

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp. butter

1 package Spanish style Rice-A-Roni

Garnish with diced avocado or grated cheese (optional)

Remove cooked chicken from bones and shred/chop.

Place bones, skin, and juices in large pot and cover with water. Add chopped onion.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 2-4 hours.

Strain broth into a separate saucepan. You will need at least 6 cups of liquid. If necessary, add water to equal 6 cups.

Melt butter in the first pot. Add the Rice-A-Roni (including the seasoning packet but not the water as called for on the package) and saute for 2 minutes.

Return broth to pot with Rice-A-Roni and add shredded chicken.

Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Add more water if the soup is too thick.

My Notes:

If I have time, I like to prepare the broth the day before. This allows me to chill it in the refrigerator (in the cooking pot, once it's cooled down), so I can skim off some of the solidified fat. 

The seasoning for the Rice-A-Roni is fairly salty, so don't add any extra!

This freezes well, but you may need to add water to thin once you defrost it.

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Lemon Chicken Piccata Meatballs

 

Lemon Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Simply Delicious Food

I discovered this wonderful recipe on JoAnn's blog (Gulfside Musing) this past summer and finally got around to giving it a try a few weeks ago. My family loved the flavor of the meatballs, which I served alongside some lemony orzo and sauteed zucchini. They loved it so much, I made it again this week! I learned a few things with my second attempt, so be sure to read my notes for some helpful hints.

For the Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

3/4 cup breadcrumbs or Panko

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley 

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

For the Sauce:

1 Tbsp. butter

2 garlic cloves (crushed or minced)

1 cup chicken stock (or 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup stock)

2 Tbsp. capers (optional)

1 Tbsp. parsley (chopped)

1-2 tsp. lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

To make the meatballs, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.

With wet hands, form meatballs into the size of golf balls.

Heat a large pan or skillet over high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

To make the sauce, melt butter in the pan and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.

Add the stock (and wine, if using), capers, parsley and lemon juice. Allow to come to a simmer.

Add the meatballs and cook for another 7-10 minutes, coating the meatballs in the sauce until they are cooked through.

Season to taste and serve.

My Notes:

For the meatballs, I mixed all the dry ingredients together first in order to evenly distribute the seasonings before adding the wet ingredients (chicken & egg).

I baked the meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, rather than frying them in a skillet. The first time I made the recipe, I place the meatballs on a large cookie sheet and added enough chicken broth to coat the bottom of the pan. The second time, I omitted the broth and placed the meatballs on parchment paper. I prefer the first method, as the meatballs were a bit dry when I didn't include the broth. 

For our dinner, I made a meatball bowl with orzo and zucchini. I prepare the orzo (minus the shrimp) from my Shrimp Scampi & Orzo recipe. For the zucchini, I used Smitten Kitchen's Quick Zucchini Saute. The combined flavors are so good!

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Photo Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

I love homemade meatballs, but it wasn't until I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe that I not only made my first batch of Swedish Meatballs, but it was the first time I'd ever tasted them! They were delicious! Mel's meatballs are super easy to make and would be wonderful in a spaghetti sauce or crumbled on a homemade pizza. I was able to fit all of them on one cookie sheet and baked them in the oven, so next time around, I'll double the recipe so I can freeze a batch for a last-minute meal. I may even try the recipe for hamburgers patties!

INGREDIENTS:

Meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (see my notes) 

1 large egg

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1-2 tablespoons oil for cooking (see my notes)

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup flour

3 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth (plus more - see my notes)

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

Chopped fresh parsley

Cooked egg noodles or potatoes or rice for serving

For the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients except for the oil and mix until evenly combined.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil (you can use the other tablespoon for the second batch, if needed) in a 12-inch, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop the meatball mixture into balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter, and add them in a single layer to the hot oil - you may need to do a second batch to cook all the meatballs. Brown on all sides, no need to cook all the way through yet as they'll finish cooking later, and remove to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible, and repeat with remaining meatballs, adding a bit more oil to the skillet if needed.

Once all the meatballs have been removed from the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for the sauce, cooking until melted. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to brown the flour mixture and cook out the flour taste. The mixture will be a bit crumbly.

Slowly add the broth, just 1/2 cup at a time, whisking quickly to remove any lumps. Let each addition of broth cook until thick and smooth before adding the next bit. Once you've added about 2 cups, go ahead and pour in the rest and whisk until combined. 

Stir in the brown sugar and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Add the meatballs back to the skillet (cram them into a single layer) and cook for 10 or so minutes until the meatballs are cooked through, turning them once or twice to coat with sauce. 

Off the heat, stir in the sour cream, whisking it in as best you can around the meatballs (adding it during the simmering time can curdle the sauce). Sometimes, I ladle out a bit of the warm sauce into a liquid measuring cup and whisk the sour cream in before adding it all back in to the skillet - it blends in a bit easier.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over hot, cooked egg noodles, potatoes or rice. 

My Notes:

I used 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound of ground pork since we're not big fans of ground turkey. 

I baked the meatballs for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, rather than frying them in a skillet. I was able to fit all of the meatballs on a large cookie sheet and added enough beef broth to coat the bottom of the baking pan. This makes it much easier to prepare the sauce and add the cooked meatballs rather than work around them with the sour cream and whisk!

The sauce wasn't as thick as I hoped for (although it thickened nicely with the leftovers), so I may increase the flour by another tablespoon next time around. 

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Fruit Galette

Daily life as a retiree hasn't changed too much since the pandemic began, but I have been more inspired to try new recipes since we aren't eating out nearly as often as we once did. Since I do most of the cooking, I rarely take time to do any baking and when I do, it's typically cookies, cakes or cobblers. Never pies. I honestly don't think I've ever made a pie crust from scratch and most of the pies I have made (back in the 80s) were most likely made with graham cracker crumbs.

Thanks to my discovery of some great recipes by Deb of Smitten Kitchen, I now feel more confident about pie dough. Or, should I say, galette dough. This past month I made a strawberry galette, not once, but four times! I found an easy and delicious recipe (Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette) and gave it a try with strawberries and rhubarb. Next I tried her Blue and Red Berry Ricotta Galette, making it for three separate gatherings (socially-distanced, of course). I used strawberries each time, but added rhubarb to one and raspberries to another. Today I made one with fresh peaches!

Both recipes are very similar; the only difference is the substitution of ricotta for yogurt or sour cream and the amount of berries. The Smitten Kitchen recipe includes a template should you decide to make the galette in the shape of a star. Click the link below for the template.

Blue and Red Berry Ricotta Galette

Smitten Kitchen

Pastry

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Zest of half a lemon
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup ricotta, plain yogurt or sour cream
3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

2-3 cups berries or chopped fruit (I used sliced strawberries)
3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (use the lower amount if your fruit is especially sweet)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of salt

Glaze

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 heaping teaspoon turbinado or coarse sugar for sprinkling

Dough:

Whisk the flour, salt, sugar and zest together in the bottom of a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas.

Stir ricotta and 3 tablespoons water together in a small dish and pour into butter-flour mixture. Stir together with a flexible spatula as best as you can, then use your hands to knead the mixture into a rough, craggy ball. Wrap in plastic and flatten into a disc. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 48 hours, or you can quick-firm this in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Galette:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a large round-ish shape, about 14 to 15 inches across.

Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet; I like to fold my dough gently, without creasing, in quarters then unfold it onto the baking pan.

Stir together all of the filling ingredients and spoon on to the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border uncovered. Fold this border over fruit, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Whisk egg yolk and water together and brush over exposed crust. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake galette for 30 minutes or golden all over. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature, preferably with vanilla ice cream.

Galette keeps at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the refrigerator.

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Simplest Spaghetti al Limone

Why, yes. I found another winning recipe from Smitten Kitchen that truly is the simplest! I love that there are only a few ingredients, most of which I have on hand at all times. It's quick and easy and a nice alternative to rice or potatoes. The first night I served it with grilled chicken. Later that week I decided to make it again to go with our grilled salmon. For lunch, I reheated the leftover pasta and ate it with leftover cold salmon. Delicious! 

Simplest Spaghetti al Limone
Smitten Kitchen

Coarse salt
1/2 lb. dried spaghetti
1 lemon
3 1/2 oz. parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Boil spaghetti in well-salted water according to package directions. 

While the spaghetti is cooking, finely grate (with a rasp-style grater/Microplane) the zest of half the lemon into a large serving bowl. Add the juice of the whole lemon (approx. 4 tablespoons). Using the same rasp, grate the parmesan on top of the lemon juice. Add the olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, along with several grinds of black pepper. Combine ingredients with a whisk until very well-mixed and as smooth as possible.

When the pasta is finished cooking, ladle out 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and quickly pour it into the serving bowl with the lemon-parmesan mixture. Using tongs, toss until all of the strands are coated. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water to the spaghetti until it looks glossy and lightly sauced. You may need more or less, but don't "wash" the sauce off the pasta. 

Add the torn basil leaves and toss to combine, then serve. Top each serving with a little extra olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan.

My Notes:

I didn't have any fresh basil, but it was still incredibly delicious without the herb. 

I only used 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. I can't imagine using the entire cup.

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.

Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime and Cotija

Oh, my gosh. Smitten Kitchen has become my favorite source for recipes! I tried this chowder the other day and it was amazing. The lime and cheese flavors are perfect, so don't skip the finishing mixture.

Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime and Cotija

Photo Credit: Smitten Kitchen

Soup

8 medium/large ears corn, husks and silks removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mild chili powder or 1 teaspoon of a hotter one
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth
2 15-ounce cans small red or black beans, drained and rinsed (or one of each) 
1 cup whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream

Finish

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1/2 cup finely crumbled Cotija, feta or ricotta salata cheese, plus more for serving
1 lime, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Chili powder or a chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
Baked tortilla chips (optional)
Diced avocado (optional)

For the soup:

With a sharp knife, cut kernels from 8 ears corn (you should have about 6 cups); transfer half to a bowl. Chop the other half into pulpy bits on a cutting board or blend them in a food processor until half-pureed. Add to bowl. Firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife into bowl with corn. Set corn aside.

In a large (5 quarts is ideal) heavy pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and cook until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and chili powder and cook together for 2 minutes more. Add flour and stir into onion-garlic mixture until it disappears. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock. Add beans, corn, and 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes, until corn is tender. 

Add salt (about 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste. Add cream to taste (1/2 cup sufficient, but it will be less creamy than traditional) and cook for 3 minutes more.

To finish: 

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, and juice of half a lime in a bowl; stir to combine. Cut second half of lime into wedges.

Ladle soup into bowls and dollop in center with 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) of mayo-cheese mixture. Squeeze lime juice over to taste, sprinkle with chili powder and chopped cilantro and serve, baked tortilla chips on the side if you wish.

My Notes:

This makes a lot of soup, so next time I'll cut it in half.

My corn cobs were very dry, so I didn't get a lot of corn "milk." Once I removed the kernels, I simmered the cobs in a pot with the chicken stock while finishing the rest of the preparations.

I used a Vidalia onion.

We don't care for spicy food, so I left out the jalapeno and only used 1 teaspoon of chili powder. That's why my photo shows a much whiter-looking soup.

I didn't have small red beans, so I substituted with navy beans.

For the finish, I used feta which I find to be less salty than the Cotija.

I didn't have any cilantro, but I did add diced avocado.

Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.

Please visit The Intrepid Reader for Weekend Cooking.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.