Carrot Soufflé with Breadcrumb Pecan Topping

1 Comment November 19, 2020 thecooksisters

1½ lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (can substitute sweet potato)

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

3 eggs

¼ cup half and half or milk

1/3 cup orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

¼ cup flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

Topping

½ cup breadcrumbs (Panko)

½ cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the carrots in a large saucepan, cover with water and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Using an electric beater (or a food processor), mash the carrots well, adding one at a time, the sugar, butter, eggs, half and half and lastly the orange juice and zest. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and add them to the carrots. Mix well.

Butter a deep-dish casserole dish (8×8 square or an 8” round soufflé) and transfer the sweet potato mixture to the dish. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, pecans and sugar; mix well. Add the butter, mixing with your hands until it is well incorporated. Scatter the mixture over the top of the souffle. Bake until the topping is lightly browned, 45-50 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Vegetable Carpaccio

Leave a comment March 28, 2016 thecooksisters

 

If you don’t own a culinary mandolin, use a vegetable peeler to get the paper-thin slices this recipe calls for. The inspiration for this salad comes from beef carpaccio, a classic dish of rare/raw sliced beef dressed in lemon juice, olive oil, capers and Parmesan cheese. The root vegetable version was invented by Chef Andy Hollyday of Selden Standard, named Restaurant of the Year 2016 by Hour Detroit magazine. It’s perfect for what’s coming in season right now — baby beets, beautiful radishes of every color, sweet turnips, colored carrots. The carpaccio certainly made an impression in March 2016 at several different demo venues.

A selection of seasonal vegetables that could include:

1 small fennel, shaved thin
1 small red or gold beet, peeled and shaved thin
3 medium sized heirloom carrots, shaved thin
6 small radish, washed and shaved into thin coins or 2 small turnips
1 small celery root, peeled and shaved thin

¼ C capers in brine, drained
¼ C cup fresh herb of choice, chopped – chives, tarragon, parsley or basil work well
3oz. Parmesan Reggiano, shaved thin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Lemon Vinaigrette

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 2 T)
1 shallot, minced fine
1 T champagne or white wine vinegar
½ C extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

To make the vinaigrette combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl or a mini-prep food processor, season with salt and pepper and whisk together. In another bowl add the shaved vegetables and enough vinaigrette to generously coat. If there is any vinaigrette remaining reserve for another use. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and allow to marinate for 10-30 minutes, mixing once or twice. After 10 minutes, taste the salad again for seasoning. Distribute onto a large platter or on individual plates. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, capers, herbs of choice, and a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4-6.

 

Make Your Own Pickles and More

Leave a comment July 10, 2015 thecooksisters

 

We were talking to  gardeners and school educators yesterday and the subject led to what to do with all the wonderful summer veggies coming along now. Here’s a great way your summer bounty is transformed into a tangy, crunchy, flavorful snack or side dish, complete with all kinds of health benefits.

Instead of the more common vinegar preservation, lacto-fermenting produces lactic acid, which not only gives dilly veggies their tang, but also preserves them without canning so that they will keep in cold storage for months with all their enzymes and vitamins intact. Here’s a natural way to get the fantastic benefits of a probiotic into your diet – with great taste and crunch.

2 quarts water
4-6 T good sea salt
1-2# veggies of your choice- young green beans (trimmed), carrots, okra, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, fennel (use firmer veggies if doing a mix) OR all cucumbers (whole, wedges or thickly sliced)
1-2 t red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 T black peppercorns
2 handfuls of dill (flowering heads preferred, but leaves work well too)

Instructions:

1. Dissolve sea salt in water to make a brine. Set aside.
2. Divide the red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, peppercorns, and dill between 2 wide mouth quart-size glass jars.
3. Place the veggies/cucumbers on top of the seasonings, straight up if they are long and thin or sideways if thicker and cut into chunks.
4. Cover with brine solution, leaving 1 inch headspace at the top of jar. If necessary, weigh the veggies down with a small jar filled with water, just enough to allow the veggies to be submerged in the brine.
5. Cover the jar with a tight lid, airlock lid, or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
6. Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) until desired flavor and texture are achieved. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure. Taste after 3 days to decide if you like the flavor more fermented, but I find 3-6 days is plenty.
7. Once the veggies are finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to the refrigerator.

Makes 2 quarts.

Ombre Carrots and Chard

1 Comment April 7, 2015 thecooksisters

Serves 5-6 as a side

8 medium rainbow carrots in various colors
1 bunch swiss or rainbow chard, stems only
10 mint leaves, roughly torn
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sumac (optional)
1 t flax or chia seeds (optional)
pinch of salt and cayenne pepper

Peel carrots and slice larger ones lengthwise so they are fairly uniform. Split chard stems as needed to achieve similar uniformity. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, remove and cool in an ice water bath. Cook the chard in the same boiling water for 3 minutes, remove and cool in an ice water bath. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a bowl. On a plate, arrange the carrots and chard by color. Drizzle dressing on top and sprinkle mint leaves. Serve cold or room temperature.

Carrot Pudding Souffles with Buttered Spring Vegetables

1 Comment March 28, 2015 thecooksisters

You can make the souffles a day ahead and refrigerate them, covered, in the ramekins. To reheat, unmold the souffles and place them right side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour one-quarter cup heavy cream over top, and heat in a 375-degree oven until heated through and cream is bubbling, about 12 minutes. Or you can microwave them.  Prepare the vegetables while the souffles are in the oven. Adapted from Martha Stewart and demoed in March 2015.

½ C (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
1 small shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/4 C)
1# carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 3 C)
1 bay leaf
Coarse salt
1 C heavy cream, plus more if needed for reheating souffles
3 T flour
1½ C whole milk, warmed
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
Freshly ground pepper
6 egg yolks
4 egg whites
sugar snap peas, baby asparagus, petite peas
1 T parsley finely chopped

Melt 2 T butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, chopped carrots, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 10-15 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1-2 T water if needed to prevent carrots or butter from browning.) Stir in cream. Bring mixture just to a simmer, and immediately remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Puree mixture and transfer to a small bowl; set aside. Melt 4 T butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Whisk in warm milk gradually. Use a rubber spatula to scrape bottom and corners of pan. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often to prevent lumps from forming, 5 minutes. Whisk in carrot puree, and remove from heat. Stir in nutmeg, ginger, and 1 t salt; season with pepper. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly butter eight 6-ounce ramekins; set aside. Add yolks, one at a time, to carrot mixture, whisking well after each addition. Using a clean whisk or an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into carrot mixture. Ladle mixture into prepared ramekins, filling almost to the rims. Place ramekins in a roasting pan, and transfer to oven. Pour enough boiling water into pan to come about three-quarters of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until souffles are puffed and set, and tops begin to brown, about 35 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the souffles to a wire rack, and let cool 10 minutes. Before serving, bring a medium pot of water to a boil; add ½ t salt. Add baby vegetables and cook until bright and still firm, about 3 mins. Drain, return to hot pan; add 2 T butter and toss with parlsey. Invert each souffle onto a metal spatula, and then invert again onto a serving plate. Arrange baby vegetables around souffles. Garnish with pea shoots.