woo hoo!  i got my longed-for enameled cast iron dutch oven for my birthday! (well, i DID already have one, but it was very small-the new one is MUCH more useful!).  Bring on the dutch oven recipes! i am going to try to scroll back in this thread for isabeau's chicken paprikash recipe.  i recall drooling as i read it when she posted it....

BHD thank you!! Now I want to try all four of them!  

 BlueHeronDruid wrote: 
Sounds great but to bad I am allergic to chicken, eggs, lemon and anything from the onion family..

 BlueHeronDruid wrote:  one of my favorite comfort foods.... soooooo good.

 BlueHeronDruid wrote: 
i want this.

Yo! Jrzy!

Avgolemono

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
  
• 1/2 cup long grain white rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed, or 2 whole cloves
• 12 lemon zest strips, about 1-inch x 4-inch pieces, from 1 1/2 medium lemons
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
• 1/4 cup lemon juice from zested lemons
• 1 large scallion, sliced thin, and/or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1. Bring chicken stock to boil in medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Add rice, bay leaf, cloves or cardamom, lemon zest, and salt; reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is tender and stock is aromatic from lemon zest, 16 to 20 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove and discard bay leaf, cloves or cardamom, and zest strips; increase heat to high and return stock to boil, then reduce heat to low.

2. Whisk eggs, yolks, and lemon juice lightly in medium nonreactive bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle about 2 cups hot stock into egg mixture; whisk until combined. Pour egg-stock mixture back into saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until soup is slightly thickened and wisps of steam appear, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not simmer or boil. Divide soup among serving bowls, sprinkle with scallion and/or mint; serve immediately.

Creamy Green Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 medium shallots (about 5 ounces), minced (about 1 cup), or 1 medium leek, white and light green parts chopped fine (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds frozen peas (about 4 1/2 cups), partially thawed at room temperature for 10 minutes
  
• 12 leaves Boston lettuce (about 3 ounces) from 1 small head, leaves washed and dried
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat butter in large saucepan over low heat until foaming; add shallots or leeks and cook, covered, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Stirring constantly, gradually add chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process partially thawed peas until coarsely chopped, about 20 seconds. Add peas and lettuce to simmering broth. Increase heat to medium-high, cover and return to simmer; simmer 3 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer 2 minutes longer.

3. Working in 2 batches, puree soup in blender until smooth; strain into large bowl. Rinse out and wipe saucepan; return pureed mixture to saucepan and stir in cream. Heat mixture over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

Pureed broccoli soup with basil

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or the same amount of vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, 3 medium shallots, or 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), chopped
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry or white wine
• 2 pounds broccoli, stalks discarded and florets cut into bite-size pieces (about 5 cups)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• Ground white pepper
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1.  Heat butter or oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sherry and broccoli; stir-cook until sherry evaporates, about 30 seconds.

2. Add broth, salt and pepper to taste to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Ladle broccoli mixture into blender. Add 1/2 cup milk; blend until very smooth. Return soup to saucepan; cook over low heat until warmed through. If soup is too thick, stir in additional milk to thin consistency. Adjust seasonings. (Soup can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated just before serving.)

4. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Garnish with minced basil and serve immediately.

 MsJudi wrote: 
I have a recipe for a cold asparagus soup. Pureed.

Chilled asparagus-orange soup with pistachios

 2 lbs. fresh asparagus

2 Tbs. canola oil

2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs. dried tarragon

1/8  tsp. salt

pinch cayenne

1 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

2 Tbs. Madeira

1/3 cup minced unsalted pistachios

 Remove the tough stem ends of the asparagus and cut into 2-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Sauté the asparagus, onion, and tarragon for about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, salt, and cayenne and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 15 minutes, until asparagus and onion are very soft. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth, then stir in the orange juice and Madeira. Chill until a half hour before serving time, then bring it to room temperature. Serve in pretty bowls with minced pistachios sprinkled on top. A thin orange peel curl on each bowl would be the crowning touch.

 6 first-course servings, easily doubled

I'm having my two Aunties and my mom over for lunch in a couple of weeks. Aunt Mag is about to have all her teeth removed in preparation for dentures and it's going to take weeks before her mouth is healed enough to wear them, so I'm looking for a lovely, smooth, summery soup to make for our lunch. Any recipes you recommend?

Orange pork and asperagus



2 navel oranges

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 (12 ounce) pork tenderloin (trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 lbs thin asparagus, trimmed and cut in half

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 cup water



1

Grate 1 tsp peel from one orange and squeeze 1/4 cup juice.

2

Cut peel and pith from other orange and cut it into 1/4 inch slices cutting each slice into quarters.

3

In non stick skillet, heat 1/2 tsp olive oil over med heat til hot but not smoking.

4

Add half the pork and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

5

Cook 2 minutes or until pork loses pink color, stirring frequently.

6

Transfer to plate.

7

Repeat.

8

To same skillet add asparagus, garlic, orange peel, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and water.

9

Cover and cook about 2 minutes until tender crisp.

10

Return pork to skillet.

11

Add orange juice and orange pieces.

12

Heat through stirring often.



I cook it in a wok but I imagine any deep fry pan would work. Also it says two oranges but I use one, grating the peel and cutting up the orange and just using orange juice from a carton. Also my local grocery has "pork stew" pieces already cut up and they work great.

Because of my food allergies I have to be creative to come up with tasty stuff. I always loved the Greek baked Spagetti at Joes Inn in Richmond so I decided to reverse engineer it and I think I suceeded:

8 oz of whole wheat linguini boiled until al dente,

24 oz can of whole peeled italian plum tomatos

1 lb of lean ground beef

6 cloves garlic crushed

1 tsp Basil

1 tsp Rosemary

1 tsp Oregano

Fresh chopped parsley to taste

1 tsp fennel

1 tsp Thyme

4 oz Plain Goat Cheese

4 oz Red Wine (like Merlot)

1/2 a Red Bell Pepper, chopped.

1 tsp sugar

2 tbs olive oil

In a blender puree plum tomatos with the juice with half the Basil, the Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary. In medium pot put 1/2 the olive and sauté half the garlic  Add Red Bell Pepper. Add blender contents and wine to medium pot  and bring to low boil. Add sugar and stir in.

In medium saucepan saute remaining garlic with remaining olive oil and then brown Ground Beef with fennel and remaining Basil. Then drain and add to sauce and stir in.

In a glass casserole pan first spray with non stick canola oil. Add half the Linguini. Then add half the sauce. Then add half the Goat Cheese crumbled. Then repeat another layer. Add fresh parsley. Put in pre heated oven at 375 for 25 to 30 mins then let cool 10 mins or so before serving.

Its very, very yummy.

 meower wrote: 



sounds fab, photo please!

I'd posted this on FB with the correct "enters" so that it was easier to read, Thought I'd share it here, but I could see why someone might not want to do so.

  

 JrzyTmata wrote: 

Re coaxial's Carrot Soup recipe, et al.  You can keep fresh ginger root in an airtight freezer bag or jar in the freezer, and grate it frozen for any dish. No need to peel, either, although it's ok to do so.

 jagdriver wrote: 
Just saw this. We like the one in Carmel...

 sirdroseph wrote: 
My sister dabbles in that, too.  She uses Chinese medicine.