Root Vegetable And Apple Soup With Dungeness Crab and Brown Butter

 

Root Vegetable and Apple Soup with 

Dungeness Crab and Brown Butter

Nothing warms the soul more than a tasty bowl of soup topped with seafood.  This recipe is a winner, a real "dinner winner"!

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
10 cloves garlic, chopped
8 ounces unsalted butter, divided, plus more for garnish
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
4 sprigs thyme
2 cups white wine
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped, for garnish
2 steamed crabs or fresh Dungeness crab meat
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
Directions: 

Cook the vegetables in 4 ounces of butter for 10 minutes in a Dutch oven. Add the apples and thyme and cook for another 10 minutes.
Deglaze the vegetables with wine and reduce the liquid for 5 minutes. 

Add the vegetable stock, heavy cream, maple syrup and salt and simmer very low for 2 hours.

Blend the soup on high until completely smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Brown 4 ounces of butter in a sauté pan until the liquid turns golden brown. Add the crab meat and lemon juice and cook on high for 2 minutes.

Pour the warm soup into a bowl and top with the brown butter crab. Garnish with chives and extra brown butter.  Serves 4 to 6

Meyer Lemon Marmalade Instant Pot

Meyer Lemon Marmalade ~ Instant Pot

Ingredients:
1 lb. Meyer Lemons, thinly sliced and seeds removed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Directions:
COMBINE lemons with 1/2 cup water in the Instant Pot. Put the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the pressure-release valve. Press Manual Pressure Cook button, on High, and set for 12 min.

WHEN cooking finishes, open the pressure-release valve to depressurize, 1 to 2 min. Open lid.

PRESS Saute button. Add lemon juice and sugar to lemons. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture reduces to a thickened and jam-like consistency, 10 to 12 min.

PRESS Cancel button to turn off heat. Transfer marmalade to two 250-mL Mason jars, leaving a 1/2-in. space at the top. Set on a rack to cool completely. Marmalade will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
From the Kitchen of Alice Waters

Flaky pie crust, enough for a 9-inch shell 

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅜ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons salted butter, cut in several pieces
6 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in several pieces
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water (a bit more or less may be needed)

Directions:
Mix flour, salt and sugar.

1. Using a processor, a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the salted butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add unsalted butter and shortening and cut them in until the lumps are the size of peas.
2. If you have been using a processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle on the ice water a little at a time and toss with a fork until the mixture comes together in lumps and holds together when pressed. If necessary, add more ice water, sparingly. Avoid kneading the dough.
3. Gather the dough into two balls, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours.

The Filling:
2 Meyer lemons or other large lemons
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, cut in 3 pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in 3 pieces

The Meringue:
3 egg whites, at warm room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Prepare the shell. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick, and fit gently into the pan. Tri the edge a half-inch beyond the rim, fold under and crimp or pinch to make a decorative edge. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze the shell for 20 to 30 minutes.

Prepare the filling. 

Grate the zest from the lemons into a small, noncorrodable bowl. Strain in the lemon juice, then press through as much lemon pulp as possible.
In a heavy, noncorrodable saucepan, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar until just mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and pulp, then the six tablespoons of butter.
Cook, stirring constantly, over low to medium heat, until the mixture comes together and thickens enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat, allow to stand five minutes, then whisk briefly to smooth. Set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the frozen shell with aluminum foil, weight with beans or pie weights and bake for 20 minutes, or until set and dry looking. Remove the weights and foil, turn the heat down to 350 and continue baking until shell is golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly, but leave the oven on. 

Spread the prepared filling in the shell and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the filling is just set. 

Remove pie and turn oven to 375. 

Make the meringue. 

Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating until rounded peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla.
Spread the meringue over the filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust to make a seal. Swirl in a design with a knife or spatula and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.
Allow to cool completely, from one to two hours, but do not refrigerate.

Slow Cooked Salmon With Meyer Lemon Relish

Slow Cooked Salmon With Meyer Lemon Relish

Today, I want to share something fun and summery - just the kind of recipe we all could use in our repertoire - an easy, scrumptious dish to feed a family, which can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. When we first made this Chez Panisse slow cooked salmon recipe a decade or two ago, I was wowed by its simplicity and honestly, I can't believe it has taken me this long to share it here. Extremely low heat and gentle moisture (provided by a little pan of water at the bottom of the oven) make for the most tender and succulent fish imaginable!

The heavenly Meyer lemon relish also comes from Chez Panisse - it's fresh, tangy, and slightly sweet thanks to the the natural sugars in Meyer lemons. I think the relish would be great with all sorts of seafood and its bright flavors make it a perfect companion to the buttery rich slow cooked salmon.



It's hard for me to believe we're deep into July already. I turned in my manuscript last month  (woo-hoo!) and I have to admit, I've felt spent. I put every droplet of creative juice and inspiration into the book. When I finished I was totally euphoric, but quickly I crashed - my creative well felt fully tapped. So, mostly I've let myself be slow and lazy these past few weeks: I've slept a lot and savored quiet time with friends, family, P, and the kiddos.

After being away and having some serious downtime, I'm itching to get back to the kitchen and cook again with all of you. I've missed you guys!!

INGREDIENTS barely adapted from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook 
{printable recipe}

SALMON:1 center cut King salmon fillet (1.25 - 1.5 pounds)
olive oil 
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper 

MEYER LEMON RELISH:1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
sea salt
1 large Meyer lemon 
1/4 cup olive oil (the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but 1/4 cup seems like more than enough to me)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley 
freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Place a baking dish filled half way with water on the lowest rack of your oven, making for a nice moist environment for the salmon to cook.

Lay the intact salmon fillet on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the salmon with a little more olive oil. Salt generously and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer salmon to the warm oven. It should take between 45 minutes to 1 hour for the salmon to cook, depending on the size and thickness of your fillet. You can tell the salmon is done when the fish feels just firm to the touch and the juices are starting to break through the surface. Alice says you can serve the salmon right away or let it rest for up to 3 hours before serving. (Doesn't that sound helpful for a dinner party you want to prep in advance?)

While the salmon is cooking, make your Meyer lemon relish: first, in a small bowl, macerate shallot for 10-15 minutes in vinegar or lemon juice with a pinch of sea salt. Next, (leaving the skin on) cut lemon into 8 wedges. Remove seeds and cut out the core. Cut wedges in half again and slice very thin. Add the slivers of lemon to the macerated shallots. Add olive oil and parsley. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Meyer Lemon Sweet Rolls

MEYER LEMON SWEET ROLLS

Ingredients:
2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup butter
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Zest and juice of 6 Meyer Lemons
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
6 cups powdered sugar

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Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Allow the yeast to proof by setting is aside for about 5 minutes. If a foamy layer forms at the top of the water, your yeast is ready to go!

Whisk in the dry milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and salt. Add 1/2 cup of softened butter to the mixture, as well as the egg. Slowly begin stirring in the flour, one cup at a time. Add just enough flour to create a soft (but not sticky dough). Knead the dough until it becomes elastic. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the dough, place it in in a large, clean bowl, cover lightly with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.

Cut the risen dough into thirds. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough into a long, thin rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Melt the 1 cup of butter and spread approximately one-third of the melted butter over the long rectangle of dough. Sprinkle the zest of two lemons across the butter (you can sprinkle more for a lot of lemon flavor), then sprinkle 1/3 cup of sugar across the melted butter. Roll the dough up tightly, then slice into 1 1/2 inch cinnamon rolls, and transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Allow the rolls to raise on top of your preheating oven for 20-30 minutes. Bake rolls in the oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are a light, golden brown. Remove and frost immediately with Lemon Meyer Cream Cheese Icing.

For the icing, beat together all of the fresh-squeezed juice from the lemons, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until very smooth. Spread over warm Lemon Meyer Sweet Rolls. Enjoy immediately

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake

The Meyer Lemon has a less acidic juice and a unique lemon flavor.  I posted the Meyer Lemon Jam recipe two days ago.  My mother baked a perfect Lemon Meringue Pie which I have tried hard to duplicate.  It is just a touch certain people develop.  I will try my touch with this cake recipe!

Ingredients:
Cake
1 tablespoon vegan margarine, melted
3 1/2 ups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
1 tablespoon flax seeds, ground
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon zest
1/2 cup Meyer Lemon juice
1 1/4 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup canola oil

Icing
1 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted cashew pieces 
1/3 cup light Agave nectar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour Bundt pan with margarine and 2 tablespoons flour.

Whisk together remaining 3 1/2 cups flour, ground flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine.

Whisk together soy milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl:  let stand 5 minutes.  Whisk in agavenectar and oil.  Stir soy milkmixture into flour mixture.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pan, then unmold.

Icing
Blend all ingredients in a blender for 5 minutes.  Strain through a sieve, then drizzle over cake. 

Meyer Lemon Jam

Meyer Lemon Jam

One benefit of living in California is almost everyone has citrus trees or someone who does and wants to gift you with a constant supply of the fruit.  My daughter Anne has two Meyer lemon trees that produce prolifically.  I have all of the lemons I can use.

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Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds Meyer lemons

6 cups water

6 cups sugar

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Directions:

Chop lemons, removing but reserving pith and seeds.

Tie seeds and pith in cheesecloth and place in a large pot along with chopped lemons.  Add water and boil for 20 minutes.

Remove cheesecloth bag.  Add sugar, and bring to a boil for 20 minutes more or until set.

Remove from heat, then process in sterilized jars or refrigerate in glass jars.

This recipe comes from Cassey Vires, executive chef  and owner of Table in St Louis.  web: tablesl.com 

Meyer Lemon Bars

Meyer Lemon Bars
Big Sur Bakery

Ingredients:

For The Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Grated zest of 2 meyer lemons

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons heavy cream

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For The Meyer Lemon Filling:

3 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Grated zest of 3 Meyer lemons

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 whole eggs

5 egg yolks

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Powdered Sugar for sprinkling

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Directions:

To make the dough, first cut the butter into cubes, spread them on a plate and freeze them for 30 minutes.

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Meanwhile adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350^F.

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Scatter the pine nuts on a cookie sheet and toaast them in the oven until they ar light brown , about 7 minutes.  Let them cool completely.

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Pulse the flour, sugar, cornmeal, pine nuts, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor until the pine nuts have broken into smaller pieces.  Add the frozen butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a course cornmeal.  Transfer it to a mixing bowl and make a well in the center.  Whisk the yolks and cream together in a separate bowl and pour the mixture into the well.  Knead with your hands until the ingredients are fully combined and the dough is uniform and smooth.  Flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 3 hours.

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Roll the chilled dough between two pieces of parchment into a 15 x 17 inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick.  Drape the dough inside a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, working it into the corners and up the sides of the dish.  Trim off the excess dough with a paring knife, refrigerate the dish for 30 minutes.

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Meyer Lemon Dressing ~ Big Sur Bakery

Meyer Lemon Dressing  ~  Big Sur Bakery  5*****

This is a very universal dressing.  It can be used on shell fish, grilled fish, roasted or grilled veggies, like asparagus and beets.  The reduction of the orange juice gives it the viscosity.  It will keep several days in the refrigerator.  Makes 1 cup.

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Meyer Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons golden or white balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

Grated zest of one Meyer lemon

3/4 cup canola oil or rice bran oil

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Directions:
Pour the orange juice in a small pan and reduce it over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 5 to 7 minutes.  You should be left with about 1 tablespoon.  Put the orange syrup, vinegar, mustard, salt, lemon zest,

and juice in a blender.  With the blender running slowly add the oil in a slow and steady stream until the dressing is thick and emulsified.  Transfer the dressing to a plastic container or glass jar and refrigerate until ready to use.  

Recipe from The Big Sur Bakery.