Category: New England

How to Make Chowder

This post invites you to experiment – it is a blueprint and a technique, not a rigid recipe that must be followed. Use whatever ingredients you have on hand, or whatever you like – less than an hour, start to finish!

Continue reading “How to Make Chowder” →

Vegan Mushroom Bisque

Photo Credit: Lucas Scott Wright

I’ve been trying to make one vegan/vegetarian dish each week to cut down a bit on my meat consumption.  The secret ingredient to this dish is homemade cashew cream which, in the finished product, you wouldn’t know isn’t dairy.  You could make this recipe using heavy cream rather than the cashew cream for a vegetarian version, but I highly recommend using the cashew cream because its light nuttiness truly compliments the gentle earthy flavor of the mushrooms.

Time:  1 hour
Difficulty:  Easy/Intermediate
Cost:  $5.00/plate
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  1.  Vegetable oil, for frying mushrooms, approximately 3-4 tablespoons
  2. 3/4 lb crimini mushrooms, chopped
  3. 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, chopped, stems discarded
  4. Salt and pepper
  5. 4 small shallots, finely minced
  6. 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  7. 1/2 cup sherry wine, plus 1/2 teaspoon
  8. 4 cups vegetable broth (32oz box)
  9. Chopped chives (for garnish)
  10. 1/4 cup brandy
  11. White truffle oil or olive oil (for garnish)
  12. 8oz can raw cashews (i.e., unsalted and not roasted)
  13. Approximately 1 cup cold water

Instructions:

Note:  The reason we’re doing the mushrooms in batches here is because each batch serves a different purpose.  The first batch (step 2) will create and nice mushroom fond in which to sauté our aromatics (the shallot and garlic). The second batch (step 5) will absorb the flavor of the aromatics.  The third batch (step 8) will add a chunky texture and earthy flavor to the bisque.

  1. Begin by making the cashew cream.  Dump the entire 8oz can of cashews into a blender and pulse a few times to finely chop.  Add half the water and pulse a few more times.  With the motor running, add the rest of the water and blend until a thick, smooth cream begins to form.  This took about 5 minutes with my Ninja blender.  You will need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula.  Add a bit of water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, if creamy texture isn’t achieved after 5-7 minutes of blending.  It should have the texture and consistency of créme fraîche .  Once cream is finished, set aside in a bowl and cover; allow to rest at room temperature.
  2. Chop all mushrooms and combine into a large bowl.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan or large frying pan.  Once pan is quite hot, add 1/3 of the mushrooms.  Sauté until most of their water is given up and they release a slightly nutty aroma, approximately 5 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to an appropriate pot for making soup (a small stock pot or large 4-6 quart sauce pan would be appropriate).
  4. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add a bit of vegetable oil and lower the heat if they start to brown.
  5. Add garlic and sauté with shallots until very fragrant, 1-2 more minutes
  6. Add second third of mushrooms and sauté with shallots and garlic until pan is looking somewhat dry, 3 -4 minutes
  7. Add sherry wine to deglaze the pan.  Flambé if you like.  Bring to a boil and allow any remaining raw alcohol to cook off, 3 minutes.  The aroma will change from pungent and sharp to gentle and sweet.  Transfer contents of pan to pot with first batch of mushrooms.
  8. Add vegetable stock to pot and bring to a boil.
  9. Add the last 1/3 of mushrooms to the sauté pan along with a little oil if there isn’t enough oil left in the pan.  Sauté for 2 minutes over high heat.  Add 1/4 cup brandy and Flambé.  Reduce until liquid in the pan is evaporated and off the heat.
  10.  Off the heat on the pot and using an immersion blender, pureé the contents until very smooth.  Return to a simmer and stir in cashew cream, a few spoonfuls at a time, until desired color and texture is achieved.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (Note:  You’re probably going to need a lot of salt since none of the ingredients have any natural saltiness to them).
  11. Once seasoned to taste, stir in flambéed mushrooms.  Bring to a simmer and then off the heat
  12. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon raw sherry wine to brighten the sauce and add acidity
  13. Serve with a garnish of chives and truffle or olive oil.

Hearty Beef Stew with Red Wine

Perfect for a cold winter’s night, this hearty stew takes about 30 minutes to prep and then cooks all day (or part of the day, depending on your method).  The addition of red wine makes it quite similar to beef bourginon, but this version also includes potatoes.  It can be made in the slow cooker or in the oven.

Time: 30 minutes (active prep), 4-8 hours (in the slow cooker), 4 hours in the oven.
Level: Easy
Cost: About $4 per plate
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients

  1. 3 lbs chuck roast (to be cubed after browning it; more on that later)
  2. 1-2 TBSP olive oil or clarified butter
  3. 4-60z bacon, sliced into lardons
  4. Salt and Pepper to taste
  5. 2 lbs white potatoes, cubed
  6. 1 yellow onion, diced
  7. 4-5 celery stocks, chopped into 1.5 inch pieces
  8. 2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped into 1.5 inch pieces
  9. 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
  10. 8 oz Crimini or Baby Bella mushrooms, halved or quartered depending on their size
  11. 1/4 brandy (optional, for flambé)
  12. 1 cup sturdy red wine (such as Cabernet, Shiraz, or Zinfandel)
  13. 1/2 cup concentrated beef stock
  14. 3 TBSP all purpose flour
  15. 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  16. 1 TBSP Soy Sauce
  17. 1-2 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on how much zing you want to add, optional

Instructions

Note:  If going the slow cooker route, every time the instructions say “Remove and reserve” you can just dump whatever it is into the slow cooker.

Preheat oven to 275°F (or if using slow cooker, coat the bottom of the slow cooker with cooking spray).

Begin by heating bacon and 1 TBSP olive oil or clarified butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.  Sauté bacon until fairly crispy and most of the fat has rendered.  Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Next, pat the roast dry with paper towels and season aggressively with salt and pepper on all sides.  Sear the roast on all sides until golden brown.  Remove roast and allow to rest on a cutting board while continuing to the next steps.

Add onion, celery and carrots to the pot and sauté until onions are translucent and vegetables begin to soften, 5- 7 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that may begin to loosen as the onions begin to sweat.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 more minutes.  Remove all items from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Add mushrooms to the pan and sauté until lightly caramelized and they have absorbed most of the fat/liquid in the pan (mushrooms are like little flavor sponges).  Once the pan is beginning to look a bit dry on the bottom, add 1/4 cup brandy and flambé.

Add bacon, onions, celery, carrots and garlic back into the pan with the mushrooms.  Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper and stir to combine.

Add red wine and beef stock and bring to a boil, continuing to stir to scrape up anything that might still be on the bottom of the pan.  Stir in flour.  Reduce heat and allow liquid to simmer, reducing by about 1/3 to 1/2.

Meanwhile, while the liquid in the pan is reducing, cube the beef on the cutting board and add it directly back into the pot.  Add potatoes.

If finishing in the oven, give everything a good stir to combine and then cover and place in a 275 degree oven for 3-4 hours.

If finishing in a slow-cooker, dump the whole mess into the slow-cooker, give everything a good stir to combine, and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for four hours.  Personally, I have found the low, slow 8 hour cook in the slow cooker to yield the best results.

 

 

Chicken A La King

I know what you might be thinking.  For many, the thought of Chicken A La King conjures up the worst of that era of the 50s and 60s when everything came from a can.  When people couldn’t figure out what to do with leftover chicken,  they smothered it in cream with canned mushrooms – or worse, just doused it in cream of mushroom soup (shudder).  But Chicken A La King is a misunderstood dish.  Before it was hijacked by the 50s canned-everything era, it enjoyed a place on the menus of some of the finest restaurants in the world – including the Delmonico Steak House in New York City and the Claridge Hotel in London – as far back as the late 19th century.  This version is devoid of canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, jarred pimentos, patty shells and leftovers; rather, it is a bright and fresh version closer to the originals from over a century ago that more closely resembles an elegant version of gravy on toast.

Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Level: Easy
Cost: About $3 per plate
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients

  1. 1.5 – 2lbs chicken breast, cubed
  2. 8oz Crimini or Baby-Bella mushrooms, quartered
  3. 2 TBSP olive oil
  4. 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  5. 2 TSP fresh thyme (or 1 TSP dried)
  6. 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  7. 1/4 TSP cayenne pepper, or to taste
  8. 2 TBSP butter, diced
  9. 3 TBSP all purpose flour
  10. 1 cup Sherry wine
  11. 1/4 cup Brandy (for flambé, optional)
  12. 1/4 – 1/2 cup heavy cream, or half-and-half
  13. 3 TBSP fresh parsley, minced
  14. Dash of Paprika, garnish
  15. Rustic loaf of bread

Instructions

Prep all your ingredients and get ready to cook – this dish moves pretty fast.

After you’re finished prepping, preheat oven to 500°F for toast (this will take about the same amount of time as it will to cook the rest of the dish).

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.  When oil is shimmering, add mushrooms and sauté until they begin to caramelize just a bit, 2-3 minutes.  Add diced butter and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is mostly melted.  Add bell pepper and continue to cook until soft, 2-3 minutes more.  Add garlic, thyme and cayenne pepper and sauté until very fragrant, about 2 more minutes.

Optional:  Add 1/4 cup Brandy and flambé

Add cubed chicken and stir to incorporate.  Stir in flour and continue to cook chicken until it is white all around and no pink is visible (it doesn’t need to brown, and it doesn’t need to be cooked through – it will finish cooking in the sauce).

Add sherry wine, bring to a boil, and reduce until the raw alcohol is cooked off, 2-3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, stir in cream and reduce until sauce is thickened to a gravy-like consistency, 5-7 minutes over medium heat.

Meanwhile, while the sauce is reducing, thickly slice several pieces of rustic bread – about 1 or 1.5 inches thick – figure on two pieces per person.  Drizzle both sides with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet.  Place them in the 500° oven for about 5-6 minutes or until beautifully golden brown.

Remove toast from oven and plate.  Ladle chicken and sauce generously over the toast.  Garnish with fresh parsley and a dusting of paprika.  Serve with steamed broccoli or asparagus.

Cook’s Note:  Due to the richness of this dish, it can come across as a bit overly decadent (even though this version isn’t too bad for you).  But the garnish here isn’t really optional – the parsley and paprika will brighten it up significantly.