Butternut Squash Soup With Apples And Bacon

Butternut Squash Soup 

With Apples and Bacon

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon,, cut crosswise into 1/4 - inch strips 
1/4 cup chopped shallots 
 2 1/2 lb.. butternut squash (about 1 medium), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 - inch dice (to yield about 6 cups) or use 3 bags already cubed squash 
1 small Granny Smith or other tart - sweet apple,, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 - inch dice (to yield about 1 cup)
1 tsp.. curry powder 
1 tsp.. kosher salt 
1/2 tsp.. freshly ground black pepper 

4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 T. chopped fresh thyme leaves 

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium heat,, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally,, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Increase heat to medium high.. Add the shallots and squash to the pot with the bacon fat and cook until lightly browned, 4 minutes (resist the urge to stir it too  often or it won’t brown).  

Stir in the apple, curry, salt, and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes.

Puree soup with an emersion blender until almost smooth. Stir in the thyme and half the bacon.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Reheat the soup and garnish each serving with the remaining bacon.

Boozy Apple Cake

Boozy Apple Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter plus more for buttering the pan
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup raw sugar

1 24 oz jar applesauce or 2 1/2 cups homemade applesauce

2 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg. (yes it makes a difference)

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons apple brandy
2 tablespoons Fireball
1 large granny smith apple peeled and diced

Directions:

Heat the oven to 325. Soften some butter and liberally brush your pan with it, coating it well. You can use a 10-inch spring form, or a round or fluted bundt pan.

Sprinkle the raw sugar in your cake pan, and set it aside. 

Combine the 1 cup of butter with 2 cups of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides periodically, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. 

Carefully fold in the applesauce and don’t over-mix. The mixture will have a weird texture and the butter won’t seem to blend in well. Don’t worry, this is normal. 

In a separate bowl, combine all the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture. Add the vanilla, brandy, Fireball, and apple, and mix till just combined. 

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and it’s no longer jiggly. This is a very moist cake so keep that in mind as you test. 

Let stand until slightly still warm and then remove it from the pan. Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Carrot-Orange Gazpacho Shooters

  

Carrot-Orange Gazpacho Shooters

The juicing craze has swept through L.A. and onwards into Hollywood North. Serve these chilled sippers as a welcome hit for guests as they arrive.

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) fresh, cold carrot juice (available at health food store sand juice bars)
1½ cups (375 mL) freshly squeezed cold orange juice
2 tsp (10 mL) grated fresh ginger
½ cored Granny Smith apple, finely chopped
2 small radishes, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) snipped chives
1 tsp (5 mL) red wine vinegar
Generous pinches of salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Combine carrot and orange juices and ginger in serving jug. Chill until using.

In a medium bowl combine apple, radishes, chives, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.

Pour cold juice into small glasses and top each with a heaped teaspoonful of apple mixture.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

Roasted Chicken With Autumn Slaw

Butterflied Chickens Roasted 

On Old-Fashioned Stuffing

Instead of a big bird, two small chickens are butterflied, drybrined and roasted to juicy perfection on a bed of herbed sourdough stuffing. If you want to get in the Thanksgiving spirit, serve this dish with your favourite cranberry sauce or even the quivering red cylinder from a can. (Recipe for Autumn Slaw follows.)

Ingredients:

Chickens:

2 small chickens, each about 2½ to 3 lbs (1.13 to 1.36 kg)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped sage
2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

Stuffing:

10 cups (2.5 L) cubed rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1 lb (455 g) onions, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped inner celery leaves
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped sage
2 cups (500 mL) unsalted chicken stock

Directions:

1. For the chickens, remove backbones with poultry shears or have your butcher do it. Lay them out on a baking sheet, skin-side up. With the palm of your hand, flatten the breasts and tuck the wing tips underneath the breasts. Season generously with salt, pepper and sage. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

2. For the stuffing, if your bread is fresh, lay it out it on a baking sheet to dry out for 2 hours before transferring it to a large mixing bowl.

3. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. In a large frying pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. (The celery will still have some bite.) Stir in celery leaves and herbs. Cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add vegetables to bowl with bread.

5. Return pan to burner and add chicken stock. Raise heat to high. When it comes to a boil, season lightly with salt. Pour over bread and stir until combined and stock is absorbed. Transfer mixture to baking sheet and spread in even layer.

6 Wipe pan clean and place over medium-high heat. Add canola oil. Pat chickens dry with paper towel. Working with one at a time, cook chicken skin-side down until brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully flip and cook on other side just until it loses its raw colour, 1 minute more. Arrange chickens skin-side up over stuffing.

7. Bake on middle rack until juices run clear, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Using tongs and a large spatula, carefully transfer chickens to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Transfer stuffing to serving dish, putting crispy bits on top. Cover stuffing loosely with foil. Let chickens rest for 20 minutes then carve into serving pieces and arrange on a serving platter.

Serves 6 to 8

AUTUMN SLAW

A fall spin on a summer favourite finds red cabbage, root vegetables and tart apple in a tangy dressing sweetened with honey and nutty with walnut oil. It can be mixed ahead of time—the cabbage will stain the other vegetables— but make sure to serve it straight from the fridge to maintain its fresh crunch.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 mL) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) honey
¼ cup + 2 tbsp (90 mL) apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) roasted walnut oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 lb (455 g) red cabbage, cored, thinly sliced on mandoline
¼ lb (340 g) celeriac, peeled, cut into julienne
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into julienne
1 large Granny Smith apple, halved, cored, cut into thin strips
1½ tsp (7 mL) chopped thyme
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk mayo, mustards, honey and vinegar until honey is dissolved. Slowly whisk in walnut oil to form emulsified dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

2. Soak shallot in cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towel. Place it in a large mixing bowl with cabbage, celeriac, carrots, apple and herbs. Pour dressing over vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Using tongs, mix thoroughly. Transfer to serving bowl.

Serves 8

 

Roasted Apple And Parsnip Soup

Ingredients for 6 Portions:
2 lbs parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch sticks

2 green apples, peeled, cut in thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Place parsnip and apple slices on foil lined try and toss well with oil and salt to make sure they are well coated.  

Roast in 450*F oven for approximately 30 minutes to caramelize. 

Note: a diced yellow onion could be added to the roasted vegetables. I didn’t want this too sweet, so I tried without one, and it was amazing, but I'll try the next batch with that addition.

When vegetables are caramelized, place in a soup pot with: 

1 russet potato, peeled, cut in 8 pieces

6 cups chicken broth (or combo with water)

Cook vegetables in chicken broth until soft or done.  Add cream and cayenne, use immersion blender.  If fibrous, strain.

1/2 cup heavy cream

pinch of cayenne

- Garnish with croutons, crumbled blue cheese, and chives

Besides being a delicious and comforting winter meal, this roasted apple and parsnip soup is great for honing your seasoning skills. With its mild, earthy, slightly sweet, gently aromatic flavor, it’s the perfect vehicle for tasting the effects of salt on food. 

NOTE When you make this, salt the vegetables when you roast them, but then wait until the soup is done before adding any more. Once the soup is finished, and you’ve achieved your desired texture, then taste and add salt, a pinch at a time. As you do, take a minute in between samples, along with a sip of water, and you’ll really notice how small additions of salt amplify the flavors. Continue until it sings. 

I chose blue cheese croutons for the garnish was their sharp, salty finish, and it was a beautiful combination. 

Crispy Bluetons  Blue Cheese Croutons

Ingredients for 8 portions Blue Cheese Croutons:

1/2 loaf fresh or day old french or Italian bread (try to use something not already dry and hard)

5-6 tbsp hot melted unsalted butter

2-3 ounces strong blue cheese, placed in freezer until firm

Directions:
*bake at 350 F. until browned and crisp. 

We only use three ingredients here, which is why this works so well. Try to resist the temptation to add salt, pepper, or other spices, as the blue cheese will provide all the punch you need. We’re going for pure blue cheese flavor in a buttery, crunchy package, and anything else would just get in the way. 

Another tip here is to use bread that’s not too stale. I find that dry bread makes a crispy-hard crouton; verses fresher bread, which has more crispy-brittle texture. You can file that one under theories I can’t prove, but don’t need to. 

The type of blue cheese really doesn’t matter to the technique, but the sharper, and more intense the flavor, the better. Like I always say, you're the boss, so use whatever you like.

I guessed at some amounts below, but you don’t need those, since this is simply as much butter and cheese as you feel comfortable with. I hope you give these blue cheese croutons a try soon. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Tian

THANKSGIVING TIAN

 

PREP TIME

25 mins

COOK TIME

1 hour 20 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 45 mins

Author: Beard And Bonnet

Serves: 6 as a main 8-10 as a side

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 delicata squash, ends removed and hollowed out
1 large unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 large unpeeled sweet potato, scrubbed clean
3 small Granny Smith apples
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh thyme
zest from 1 orange
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper
Garnish
Maldon salt
thyme leaves

Directions:

Heat oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt to the skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant. Remove from the heat, spread evenly in the bottom of the pan, and allow to cool.

While the onion mixture is cooling use a mandoline to slice the delicata squash, russet potato, sweet potato, and apple into very thin slices that are about the same thickness as a potato chip. **Have a bowl of cold water ready to submerge the apple slices into so that they do not turn brown.**

Starting at the outer edge of the skillet, with the cooled leeks on the bottom, make a pinwheel pattern with the squash, potato, and sweet potato slices working towards the center. Add an apple slice every fourth time the squash and potato pattern repeats. Repeat this process until the skillet is packed tight and filled to the center.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, Parmesan, thyme leaves, orange zest, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste until completely combined. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet allowing the mixture to settle into the vegetables.
Bake in the preheated oven, covered with foil, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are crisp on the outer edges and tender in the center, the custard is set, and the top is nicely browned. 

**To check if the vegetables are done carefully remove a thin slice of potato or sweet potato from the center of the pinwheel and taste to make sure it is cooked through.**

Remove the tian from the oven when the vegetables are cooked through and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with more thyme leaves and Maldon salt flakes right before slicing to serve.

NOTES
If the tops of your veggies aren't quite a s crispy as you want at the end of the bake time turn the broiler on for a few minutes- just watch the tian closely so it doesn't burn.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Bottle of caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.