Simple Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb split peas
• 24 baby carrots (approximately 3 carrots)
• 4 cups rich vegetable broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 2 large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Minced Ginger
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cardamon
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's® Peppercorn Medley
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 slices thick sliced applewood smoked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Directions:

Mince (or if you are like me purée) onions and set aside.  Mince garlic and set aside.  Mince baby carrots (slice into thin round circles and then chop) and set aside.

In a stock pot, heat the olive oil.  Add onions and cook until the begin to change color.  [If using puréed onions, stir in the olive oil really well and then they will brown a bit.]  After a few minutes, add the garlic and let it begin to cook.  Then add the ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, salts, and pepper.  When you begin to smell the seasonings, then add the carrots.  Cook the carrots for a while, until you smell them as well.  This process is about 10 minutes.

Add the split peas, stock, and water, stirring between each addition.  Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how soft you would like the split peas.

During the final cooking time, zest the lemon and then mince the zest if you have long curls.  Juice the lemon fully.  Add to the soup at least 10 minutes before you finish cooking it.

If preferred, garnish with crumbled fresh cooked bacon before serving.


Myrtle's Note:  I wanted to try a simple split pea soup and had planned on going the ham route.  However, I came across a recipe that had cumin and ginger in it and was intrigued.  I ended up adding to the recipe a bit, to try and bring out fuller flavor.  I very much enjoyed the soup, but it still was not as savory as, for example, Myrtle's Medley Blacked Eyed Peas.  The lemon does had a brightness and that tiny bit of cayenne brought a bit of heat, but I did not specifically taste the ginger or garlic and thought I might have needed more of the former. Legumes can bear a significant amount of flavoring, so I need to remember to be bold in spicing them.  Two things I have been learning: 1) let your spices cook before adding liquids and 2) let your spices cook before adding any citrus.


Serves:  6-8 (depending on size)

Adapted from:  http://www.nwedible.com/split-pea-soup/

Pasta with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16 ounces) small shell pasta
• 6 pieces thick cut applewood smoked bacon (Wright's®)
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 10 tablespoons olive oil, plus a bit more
• 2-3 large clove of garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Directions:

Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into 1/4 inch strips along the length of the pieces.  Put into a pan and cook over medium heat until nicely browned, stirring periodically to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.

While the bacon is cooking, mince garlic and set aside.  Add water to your pasta pot and bring to a boil.  When the bacon is finished, let rest on paper towels to soak up excess grease.  Now add the pasta to the boiling water.

While the pasta is cooking, combine mustard, garlic, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper in a glass bowl or 2-cup measuring cup.  Stir thoroughly.  Then, add the olive oil one tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously as you go to emulsify the dressing.

When the pasta is finished, drain thoroughly and then return to a large bowl.  Stir a bit to let some of the heat escape.  Then pour the dressing over the pasta in thirds, stirring throughly as you go.

Serve with crumbled bacon on top.


Myrtle's Note:  I liked the vinaigrette from the Grilled Asparagus with Bacon and Mustard Vinaigrette so much that I tried it with pasta, doubling the recipe.  I found it to be tasty.


Yield:  8 servings

Roasted Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 bulb garlic
• 1 large red onion
• 1 whole head broccoli
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 12 oz bottle Honey Brown Lager
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/8 cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon Cholua® Chipotle Hot Sauce
• 1 teaspoon McCormack® Chipotle pepper (ground)
• ground thyme
• Redmond's Real Salt, to taste
• Kulp's seasoning salt
• smoked paprika
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Directions:

Slice the tippy-top off the bulb of garlic.  Drizzle on olive oil.  Liberally sprinkle on salt and peppercorn medley.  Wrap up in foil and place it in the oven.  Roast 55-60 minutes.

Line a small metal pan with foil (for easy clean-up) and place the bell pepper on it side.  Roast for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

Line a small metal pan with foil (for easy clean-up).  Cut off the bottom and top of your onion.  Peel it.  Cut into half and then six wedges.  Massage the sides of each wedge with olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt.  Then liberally sprinkle on peppercorn medley and thyme.  Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping to the other side of the wedge after about 15 minutes.  The wedges will eventually fall apart and you might want to stir them around a bit after another 15 minutes.

Cut off the broccoli florets from the whole head of broccoli.  Put in a wide shallow bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss until all are coated.  Spread out on a metal pan, making sure all the flat sides are face down and the sprout sides are upward.  Sprinkle seasoning salt and smoked paprika over each piece of broccoli.  Roast for 25 minutes until nicely browned.

Whilst all the roasting is going on, grate the cheeses and set aside.

Once all the roasting is completed, put the broccoli in a blender.  Using a tip of a regular knife to scoop out each clove of now roasted garlic and add it to the blender.  Add in the pieces of the roasted onion.  Peel the skin off the bell pepper and carefully cut it open.  Remove the seeds, but try to keep the juices so both the flesh and juices can be added to the blender.  Add chipotle hot sauce and chipotle ground pepper.  Add 1/2 of the bottle of beer.  Purée until smooth.  Adding a bit more beer if needed.  Set aside the rest of the beer for later.

In a sauteuse pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  While you are doing so, microwave the milk for two minutes to scald it.  Once melted, slowly stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden color, about 3 minutes.  It will become a bit frothy.  Increase the heat to medium-high and every so slowly whisk the hot milk into the roux. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Continue simmering until the flour has softened and become completely smooth, about 5-10 minutes.  Then very, very, very slowly begin adding in the grated cheese, handful by handful, stirring thoroughly until completely melted between handfuls.

Once all the cheese has been mixed in, slowly add the puréed mixture into the pan, stirring frequently.  Use the remaining beer to loosen the purée stuck to the sides of the blender with a light pulsing.  Pour that into the pan.  Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes.

Serve hot with sourdough bread.


Myrtle's Note:  I saw this recipe for roasted broccoli soup and thought about using it as a starter base for trying to make a broccoli cheddar soup, which I have wanted to do.  The recipe suggested roasting garlic pealed in a pan, but that is not the way to roast garlic.  I also Googled the roasting of onions and not one recipe mentioned chopping them.  So, I followed my own knowledge about roasting things and went from there.

At first I thought about just substituting the roasted vegetables with the rutabaga and parsnips in Roasted Rutabaga and Parsnips Beer Cheese Soup, but instead started with a basic béchamel sauce and went from there.

Finally, if roasting all in one oven, arranging all your pans on a single rack and adding in the other vegetables as the clock winds down from roasting the garlic, stick with the 400 degrees.  If you have two ovens to use, roast the broccoli in a second oven at 425 degrees.  That is the better roasting temperature for broccoli.


Yield:  6 servings

Source:  Myrtle, but inspired by  http://www.foxnews.com/recipe/roasted-broccoli-soup-peppers-and-onions?intcmp=obmod_ffo&intcmp=obnetwork

Chili Spiced Steak (for tacos or salad)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (or regular chile powder)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or chipotle chile pepper)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

In a large shallow bowl, mix the spices, salt, peppers, lime juice, and olive oil.  Place the flank steak in the marinade and flip several times to thoroughly coat the steak.  Cover with plastic wrap an allow to marinate for one hour at room temperature.

Preheat your grill to high temperature (700 degrees).  Cook the steak for 3-5 minutes per side (on my propane grill 3 minutes made for a rare-in-the-center steak).  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Cut the steak in smaller portions with the grain, 2-3 depending on length.  Rotate and cut thin strips against the grain.


Myrtle's Note:  I replaced the ancho chile powder with regular chili powder and the chipotle chili powder with chipotle chili pepper.  I also increased the cumin and coriander because I thought it needed a bit more.  And I changed the type and increased the amount of brown sugar to better balance all the other ingredients.  Finally, this is a recipe for skirt steak, but I made with flank steak.  Either steak will work well.

The original recipe contains a link to a cilantro cream sauce that looks tasty ... if you like cilantro, which I do not!

As for eating instructions, I had it as tacos, but think that the flavoring would also be tasty on a salad.  I tried to reduce the sauce, as I did for the recipe, but reducing it was a dismal failure, not even to be salvaged by mixing the sticky paste with sour cream.

For the record, having cooked both, I prefer flank steak to skirt steak.


Servings:  4-6


Adapted from:  http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/06/chili-spiced-skirt-steak-tacos.html

Beef with Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sliced sirloin steak
• 1 bag Archer Farms® sugar snap peas
• Peanut oil
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 1 large dollop Gourmet Gardens® minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 table spoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Miren® (or rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons Golden Mountain Sauce®
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, pepper, cornstarch, and one-half teaspoon peanut oil into a slurry.   Slice your sirloin into very thin strips going against the grain and put them into the bowl.  Stir thoroughly and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the Golden Mountain Sauce, Miren, and balsamic vinegar for your stir-fry sauce and set aside.

Mince 3 large garlic cloves and set aside.

If you want, carefully cut off the tips of your sugar snap peas and set aside.

Start your rice.

Put a sauteuse pan on the stove and turn it to medium high heat.  When the pan is radiating heat, put in one tablespoon peanut oil and swirl around.  Dump in the minced garlic.  And begin cooking the beef.

Cook the beef in single layers.  Cook the strips for about 30 seconds per side.  [The way I did it was to lay out the pieces around the pan and then start flipping them once I have finished placing the last piece.]  Set the cooked beef on a plate and then cook the next batch until all the beef is cooked.  [It took me four batches to cook all the beef.]

The garlic will be all browned and the oil gone, so, first, add a large dollop of the minced ginger and swirl.  Then add the sugar snap peas and another half-tablespoon peanut oil and swirl and stir.

Finally, add the stir-fry sauce and beef to the pan.  Stir and allow the sauce to thicken before removing from the heat.

Serve over rice.


Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe is for beef and broccoli, but I wanted to use sugar snap peas.  Plus, I wanted some ginger, so I added that into the recipe.  Finally, the original recipe called for oyster sauce, but I always substitute Golden Mountain Sauce for any seafood sauce (oyster or fish sauce).


Yield:  4 servings

Adapted from:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/jadens-beef-with-broccoli/

Chipotle Steak (for tacos or salad)

Ingredients:

• 1 whole skirt or flank steak
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Chipotle Chili Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano, honey, and chipotle chili pepper. Whisk to combine.

Pour marinade over steak, coating both sides. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least two hours. Once or twice, pull out the steak to turn over in the marinade, since you might need to fold the steak in the bowl.

Remove steak from fridge. Grill over high heat, only about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side for skirt steak or 3-4 minutes per side for flank steak until rare/medium rare. Remove from heat and allow meat to rest a few minutes. Slice very thin shingles of meat on an extreme diagonal.
Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe is for a salad, but I used it for tacos.  It also calls for a can of chipotle chili peppers, but I used powdered.

The first time, I used skirt steak (pictured) and cooked it 3 minutes per side on high heat.  That was too long.  However, as I have learned, flank steak cooked on high (at least on my grill), needs a minimum of 3 minutes per side.

Since there was a healthy amount of marinade and juices left once the steak was out of the bowl, I cooked it in a sauce pan to turn it into a steak sauce.  It was very, very tasty.  That said, I would recommend doubling the marinade ingredients and planning for the sauce.

The original recipe is for steak salad, but I had this as steak tacos.


Yield:  4 servings

Adapted from:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/08/chipotle-steak-salad/

Maple Chili Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees


Directions:

Line a large baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  If you measure the olive oil first, the maple syrup will slide right out of your measuring spoon.  Mix thoroughly.  Spread evenly and in a single layer on the pan.

Cook for 20-40 minutes.  Every 10 minutes, scrape the seeds to the middle of the sheet, toss, and spread out again.


Myrtle's Note:   I have one of the double ovens that are the size of a range, so the top oven is small.  The original recipe cooking time is 20 minutes, but my seeds were best at 40 minutes.  I tasted them at 20, 30, and then 40 minutes.  They are, by the way, incredibly tasty!

Yield:  8 quarter-cup servings


Source:  http://www.rachelcooks.com/2011/10/12/pumpkin-seeds-pepitas-eight-ways/