Vive la France - My Recipe Rotation - French Chicken Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I fortunately live in an area where fennel is plentiful and inexpensive. That makes it possible to prepare this dish without having to surrender a king's ransom. Truth be told, I like this riff on bouillabaisse so much that I would probably make it even if I had to pay an exorbitant prices for the fennel. The stew is easy to make and I know those of you who give it a try it will be smitten. Here's what I had to say when it first appeared on One Perfect Bite.

Potato, Fennel and Leek Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect you already have several recipes for potato soup in your files. I going to ask you to consider one more. Tonight's feature is based on a recipe that was develop for the Mayo Clinic, and it differs from standard versions that are made with butter and cream. I'm comfortable posting this type of soup during the summer months because it can be served warm or cold and it is a wonderful extender for sandwich suppers. I've made a few changes to their recipe, one of which gives the soup a nutrition boost. Many years ago I had a fussy eater who was sickly and underweight. In an attempt to put some weight on her, I jumped through hoops making sure the dishes she would eat were packed with protein and carbohydrates. One of my tricks was the addition of powdered milk to any dish where its presence could be disguised. Soups, obviously, were a perfect starting place, and because old habits die hard, I'm using it in tonight's recipe. I think you'll find this soup to be more flavorful than most potato soups you have made. Leeks and fennel are prominently featured in the ingredient list below. They are inexpensive at this time of year and the use of fennel in both fresh and dry form boosts the flavor of the finished soup. This is an easy recipe to follow and the soup can be on the table in about 30 minutes if you have good knife skills or a food processor to do the chopping. I do hope you'll give this soup a try. Here is how it's made.

Cloudy with a Chance of Slow-Cooked Porcini Meatballs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Those of you who can't imagine life without a slow cooker will love this recipe. Those of you who love meatballs, no matter how they're cooked, will join the slow cooker crowd up there on cloud nine. Despite the length of the ingredient list, which, by the way, is mostly spices, the meatballs are simple to make, and the addition of sweet vermouth and fennel give them a distinctive flavor that I think you'll really enjoy. While the recipe was designed for the slow cooker, the sauce and meatballs can be simmered in a conventional manner if you prefer to control cooking on your stove top. However you chose to cook them, I want to share a couple of suggestions with those of you who plan to give the meatballs a try. If you want to serve them with pasta, double the sauce ingredients listed in the recipe below. What follows next is, I know anathema, but that's never stopped me before, so, based on personal experience and preference, I'd like you to give some serious thought to cooking the meatballs for less time than the recipe suggests. When I make these meatballs in a convention manner, I simmer them, stove top, for an hour. When I use the slow cooker I cook them on LOW for six hours. I like softer meatballs, and, my experience has been, the longer these cook the firmer they become. That may, however, be fine with you. Strangely enough, I've also found their taste does not improve with age. The flavor of the sweet vermouth seems to dissipate when the meatballs are re-heated and, on day two I think they they are remarkably ordinary. All that being said, if you share my love for meatballs and are looking for new ways to prepare them, do give this recipe a try. You will not be disappointed. Here is how they are made.

Double Pork Loin Roast with Fennel and Sage

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made a last minute change to our dinner menu on Thanksgiving Day. I originally planned to do a cider brined pork loin, but as the various elements of the supper came together I realized I didn't have the room to store or bake the apples that make the dish so special. Fortunately, pork is very forgiving, so I decided to go with a recipe for a fennel and sage rubbed loin that first appeared in Sunset magazine over a decade ago. Pork roasted in this manner is delicious, but I have a couple of suggestions to share with those of you who are adventurous enough to give this very simple recipe a try. I marinate pork roasts for at least 8 hours in a salt and sugar brine to assure the meat remains moist as it bakes. I've included instructions for making the brine with tonight's post, should you want to give it a try. I know from experience that it will enormously improve the taste and texture of the pork and guarantee a moist roast. I  highly recommend brining the loin prior to roasting. My other suggestion has to do with cooking time. My family likes their pork moist and pink, so I always cook it to 140 degrees and then remove it from the oven. I have found that the 2-1/4 hours recommended in this recipe will produce a dry roast. In order to avoid that, I begin to check the interior temperature of the meat when it has been in the oven for 1-3/4 hours. I strongly recommend you use a meat thermometer and pull the roast from the oven when its interior temperature  reaches 140 degrees. My holiday roast was a 6 pound double loin and it was ready in less than 2 hours. It is also important to tent the roast with foil and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving. The drippings from this roast are delicious, but they are not copious enough to make a gravy, so don't plan on serving gravy dependent sides with the roast. The rub for this roast has attitude and it will not appeal to peckish eaters, but those who love well seasoned meat will be in the foodie version of 7th heaven. Here is how the roast is made.

Carrot and Fennel Soup - Away A While Recipe Favorites

Carrot and Fennel Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...At risk of life and limb, I'm throwing tradition to the wind and plan to serve a non-traditional feast on Thanksgiving Day. I'm not jaded or blase, I'd just like something different for a change. At some point before the holiday, I'll stuff and roast a turkey. That will guarantee the aromas of the holiday grace my kitchen and assure leftovers for midnight sandwich raids, but the big day itself is going to feature new dishes that we've tried and found to be exceptional. My intent, please God, is to prepare a meal where every course has the socks of the assembled guests going up and down. I plan to start with a soup that was new to us this year. It has quite a pedigree. Amanda Hesser created a chunky version of the soup for The New York Times Magazine and Molly Wizenberg featured a pureed version of it on her blog, Orangette. It is wonderful either way, but I'm going with the pureed version of it for the holiday. I have lovely small cups for creamed soups that I like to use as starters for holiday meals and they are perfect for serving small portions of this vibrant, nearly creamless, soup. It is, of course, delicious, but it has the added virtues of being cheap and easy. While my description is a bit inelegant, it is apt, and the soup is a perfect starter for special meals. It has bright and layered flavors and can be made a day or two ahead of serving, so please hold on to your socks. You are going to love this one. You'll find the recipe here.

                    

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                   One Year Ago Today:                                                                  Two Years Ago Today:

               Homemade Marshmallow Fluff                                                  Beef and Hominy Stew

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                       Four Years Ago Today: 

               Turkish Delights - Lokum                                                         Cherry Cupcakes

Bouillabaisse de Poulet - Away A While Recipe Favorites

Bouillabaisse de Poulet

French Chicken Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Fall is wonderful in its abundance. In a scant few weeks prices will again begin to rise, but for now, the fruits and vegetables with which I love to cook are affordable and encourage generosity in the kitchen. Once our first rains fall, I put away the recipes of summer and replace them with those that speak to cooler weather. It's time for robust soups and stews and casseroles. It is especially time for bouillabaisse. Most of us think of bouillabaisse as a heady Mediterranean stew that's made with fish and served with grilled bread and thickened with rouille, a red pepper mayonnaise. Julia Child and Patricia Wells both take the elements of that classic bouillabaise, but replace the fish with chicken and make what they call a "bouillabaisse de poulet." The results are delicious, perfect for family and friends who enjoy checkered tablecloth fare. The dish should be assembled a full 24 hours before serving. It takes that long for the flavors of the Pernod and fennel to permeate the chicken. The good news is that all the work is done the day before the dish is cooked and you really are free to enjoy the company of your family and friends. Like many old French recipes, this one, designated peasant fare, requires the purse of a prince to assemble. Pernod, fennel bulbs and saffron come dear, but they are absolutely necessary for the success of this dish. For what it's worth, this is one of my ten favorite meals. If you decide to make this, your mindset must be "in for a penny, in for a pound." You will not regret it. You can find the recipe, here. Bon appetit!

                    

                                                    Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                                  Two Years Ago Today:

                 Apple and Apricot Tart                                                                     Stir Fried Broccoli

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                       Four Years Ago Today: 

             Rhubarb Swirl Brunch Cake                                       Apple Cider Quatre Quarts Pound Cake

Whole Wheat, Fig and Hazelnut Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...At this time of year you can be sure of at least two things, the sun and any bread you chose to make will rise. While you can't control the sun, the bread is completely in your hands, and the heat of the summer kitchen will produce gorgeous high-rising loaves that you will be proud to serve. I've wanted to make this bread for a while now and the promise of a warm day and a block of time that would allow me to give it a try converged today. This is an interesting bread whose origins are unclear. A local bakery which makes a bread similar to this, insists it is Sicilian, but others attribute it to the tapas culture of Spain. This dry, firm bread has a near perfect crust and the mellowed tones of fennel and orange make it a wonderful base for sharp cheese and thinly sliced ham. It is also terrific with a simple schmear of cream cheese and plum jam. While the bread is not hard to make, it goes through 3 risings and that may impose problems for those of you working on tight kitchen schedules. This is a lovely bread that I hope you'll have time to try. Here is how it's made.

Fennel Celery and Apple Slaw

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This weekend we had a drenching rain and temperatures fell to the low 60's. It warmed a bit today and the sky was again bell clear, but that rain was a sure sign that fall is on its way. We have one last gathering planned to usher out the summer season, and knowing that pork, in one form or another, will be the showcase of the barbecue, I've been testing recipes for new salads and side dishes to accompany it. The recipe I'm sharing with you tonight is a keeper and this unusual slaw will definitely be on the buffet table. It is packed with flavor and it is a perfect accompaniment to pork or other plain grilled barbecue fare. The recipe is straightforward and very easy to follow, but to really enjoy this salad you must make sure that the component parts of it are very thinly sliced. Unless you grow your own, it is hard to tell how old the fennel you purchase is. Fennel gets tough as it ages, and if it is not thinly sliced, it will be unpleasantly chewy. The next time I make this, I'm going to buy small fennel bulbs and use a madoline to assure it is truly thinly sliced. I do hope you will give this recipe a try. I know those of you who have adventuresome palates will love it. Here is how this special slaw is made.

Fennel Celery and Apple Slaw...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced diagonally, plus 1/4 cup loosely packed celery leaves
2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
1 firm, crisp apple (such as Pink Lady, Gala, or Granny Smith), julienned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Whisk olive oil, cider vinegar, tarragon, lemon juice and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add celery, celery leaves, thinly sliced fennel, chopped fennel fronds, and apple and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Cook's Note: Pineapple can be used in place of apples.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Tuscan Apple Cake - Torta di Mele

Two Years Ago Today: Watermelon Extravaganza - Watermelon Gin Fizz

Three Years Ago Today: Buttermilk Sandwich Buns

Four Years Ago Today: Summer Cabbage Rolls with Leeks, Mushrooms and Slivered Almonds

Sausage, Potato and Fennel Soup

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From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...You'd be hard pressed to find a room, parking spot or reservation in town today. University graduation has packed this small city  to its rafters and sensible folks stay as far from the downtown area as they can. The Silver Fox and I are taking it a step further and we're heading to the coast until things return to normal around here. While there is one new restaurant we are curious to try, I'll be chief cook and bottle washer for most of the time we are away. The recipe I'm featuring tonight comes from Fine Cooking magazine and it is perfect for vacationers cooking in less than ideal kitchens. It is packed with flavor, quick to prepare and very easy on the palate. It's perfect for a lunch or light supper on the water. Fennel, which is readily available at this time of year, gives this soup remarkable flavor and help gives it texture as well. I usually add an extra potatoes to the pot to give it more substance. You can mash some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup, but I've found it more effective to cook a potato separately, and then mash and add it to the soup as a thickener just before serving. This is very easy to make and it is delicious. I hope you will give it a try. Here's how the soup is made.

Sausage, Potato and Fennel Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (about 4 links), casings removed
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into large dice (about 2 cups)
1 medium red onion, cut into large dice
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into large dice (about 2 cups), plus 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds for garnish
3 tablespoons dry sherry
4 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons  heavy cream
1 teaspoon  finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Direction:
1) Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spatula to break it up into small pieces, until it starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in potato, onion, and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add  sherry and stir, scraping  bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, about 30 seconds.
2) Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce  heat and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.
3) Add  parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and lemon zest and stir until incorporated.
4) Using  spatula or a potato masher, gently crush  cooked potatoes until most of them are mashed and  stew is somewhat thickened. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Serve hot, garnished with fennel fronds. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Blueberry Blintzes

Two Years Ago Today: Linguine with Peas Garlic and Ricotta Salata

Three Years Ago Today: Southwestern Cilantro Rice

Four Years Ago Today: Ultimate Cheater's Pulled Pork

Italian Pine Nut Cookies + Fava Bean and Fennel Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been featuring Irish recipes and ingredients for a week now, but it is time to move along. Tucked between the hoopla that surrounds St. Patrick's Day and Easter Sunday is the feast of St. Joseph, a holiday of special importance to the people of Italy. I've told the full story of St Joseph before, but for those of you who are too busy to backtrack, I wanted to include a brief summary of it here. The gentle Joseph was the stepfather of Jesus. He is said to have spent time in Italy and was considered to be the patron saint of Sicily. During a period of devastating drought, the Sicilian people prayed to him for rain that was necessary to prevent a full-scale famine. When rain came, the people decorated altars and prepared a feast in his honor and welcomed all to the banquet table they had prepared. That table became known as St.Joseph's table and the food on it was meant for distribution to the poor. Three foods became associated with his holiday. The first is the fava bean, which survived the drought and kept the people alive. The second is a pasta tossed with bread crumbs instead of cheese, that you can find here, and the third is a Neopolitan pastry, called a zeppole, which you can find here. I have two other recipes to share with you today. They are not associated with St. Joseph's Day but they are very Italian and I though this would be a great day to share them with you. The first is a simple Italian cookie that is made with pine nuts. It is not the traditional almond and pine nut cookie that I'm sure you are already familiar with. This recipe was developed by Giada De Laurentis and it is flavored with ground fennel seeds instead of almond paste. This cookie is easy to make and is far less expensive to prepare than the classic Pignoli. It is wonderful to serve after dinner with espresso or a glass of sweet wine and I know you will enjoy it. The second recipe is for a creamy soup that is made with fava beans and fennel. It is delicious and if you have time to make it, I know you will love it as well. Without further ado, here are today's recipes.

Pine Nut Cookies ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions:
1) Using an electric mixer, beat  butter, sugar, vanilla, fennel seed, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add flour and mix just until blended.
2) Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3) Preheat  oven to 350 degrees F. Line heavy large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Cut  dough log crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Press pine nuts decoratively atop cookies. Bake until the cookies are golden around edges, about 15 minutes. Yield 24 to 36 cookies.




Fava Bean and Fennel Soup...courtesy of Giorgio Locatelli from his book Made in Sicily

Ingredients:
1 pound + 5 ounces dried broad beans (favas)
1 teaspoon chopped wild fennel (or 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, soaked in a little water)
7 ounces (1-1/2 cups) fresh broad beans (favas)
Olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Directions:
1) Soak dried broad beans in cold water overnight, then drain.
2) Next day, put soaked beans and wild fennel, or soaked fennel seeds, into a pan. Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cook slowly for about 2 hours, or until beans are completely soft, adding water as necessary. Blend by hand or machine until smooth and set aside.
3) While dried beans are cooking, blanch fresh beans in boiling unsalted water for a couple of minutes, then drain and peel off the skins.
4) In a separate pan, heat a little olive oil, then add diced onion, carrot and celery and cook until soft but not colored. Add fresh broad beans and the blended beans and cook for 15 minutes, then season and serve drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Braided Easter Egg Bread














Two Years Ago Today:  Tapenade Two Ways - Black and Green Olive Tapenade














Three Years Ago Today: Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup












Four Years Ago Today: Mustard Glazed Potatoes

Jansen's Temptation

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I knew nothing of April Bloomfield until I began to work my way through the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in Food last year. At that time she was executive chef of the Breslin and the Spotted Pig in New York City, and I decided to make the ricotta pancakes that had helped to make her eclectic style of cooking famous. I loved the pancakes, as did my family, so I began to clip her recipes whenever I came across one that could be made in a home kitchen. I tend to do a lot of Scandinavian cooking at this time of year, and in that stash of recipes I had been collecting was one for Jansen's Temptation, a Swedish potato gratin that is made with heavy cream and anchovies. I made the dish this past weekend and was really pleased with the results. As is my habit, first time through, a recipe is always made to the developer's specification. Theme and variation are saved for later performances. This is a delicious dish, but next time I prepare it, I'll use light cream or half-and-half to make the cream base in which the potatoes cook. While I found the gratin to be overly rich, the Silver Fox loved it, so, despite its creamy excess, it will again appear on my table, though in a somewhat lightened form. The flavor of the infused cream, which contains onions, anchovies and fennel, is a wonderful and the dish is not difficult to make. I hope you will give this remarkable recipe a try. I think you will be delighted with this Swedish classic. Here's how Jansen's Temptation is made.

Jansen's Temptation...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of April Bloomfield

Ingredients:
2 cups cream
3 cloves garlic, quartered
2 tablespoons thyme, plus a little extra for garnish
1-3/4 ounces anchovy fillets, plus 4 extra for garnish
2/3 teaspoon ground fennel
4 tablespoons butter
2 peeled onions, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 to 6 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into sixths
Bread crumbs, as needed

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) To prepare cream base, bring cream, garlic, thyme, anchovies, and fennel to a boil. Remove from heat and let ingredients infuse for 10 minutes. Once cooled, purée in blender until smooth.
3) In a medium sauté pan add 2 tablespoons butter. Add onions and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add salt and remaining butter and continue cooking until onions are very soft, but not brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve until assembly.
4) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heavily season water with salt and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until very tender (there should be no resistance when pierced with a knife), about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Strain and set aside.
5) Assemble dish by placing a layer of cooked potatoes wedges in bottom of a 9-inch gratin dish. Follow with a layer made with half the onions. Top with remaining potato wedges and finally, remaining onions. Pour cream over layers until dish is full, and almost overflowing.
6) Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and fresh thyme. Top with 4 anchovy fillets and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to rest a minute or two, but serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Peanut Brittle

Two Years Ago Today: Quick Bread Round-Up

Three Years Ago Today: Moravian Spice Cookies

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #31 Donna Hay - Pork and Fennel Meatballs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Some call Donna Hay the Australian Martha Stewart, and there are definitely similarities between the two women. They share a penchant for beautifully styled food, but Donna Hay is more relaxed in its preparation, and the scope of her empire is not yet as all-encompassing as that of Martha Stewart. She graduated from a local technical college with a degree in Home Economics, and the remainder of her story is a tale of happy confluence. Her career is a case study in what can happen when a bright and ambitious young woman, in the right place at the right time, has the courage to grab opportunity when it presents itself. Interest in Australian food exploded in the 1990's and that gave her the opportunity to become a food stylist and writer when she was just nineteen years old. Six years later she was named food editor of marie claire magazine. Since then, she has gone on to become Australia's leading food editor and a bestselling cookbook author with 18 books to her credit. She has also created a magazine with her name on the masthead and has her own television show, Fast, Fresh and Simple. Her success can be credited to a simple formula that includes the use of basic ingredients, easy preparation techniques and beautiful photography. Her stated goal is to help her readers brighten the lives they actually live. In the process, she revolutionised the Australian food industry and has gone on to become its most famous spokesperson.


Donna Hay has been named to the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in Food. It is often difficult to find recipes developed by the women on the list, but that was not a problem this week. We, instead, had to deal with an embarrassment of riches. She has published so many recipes that it was difficult to hone in on one that would highlight her style. I finally decided to focus on a recipe that will be featured on her television program this season. It is for meatballs made with pork and fennel. There are a few tricks to making this recipe work as intended. Under the best of circumstance, these are dense meatballs and the use of dried bread crumbs will make them unappetizing heavy. Fresh bread crumbs are a must and you will need three slices of crustless bread to make them. I also suggest you serve them with the recommended accompaniments. I was disappointed with the meatballs when I first tasted them. They perked up considerably when I dipped them into an olive tapenade. I decided to slice the meatballs and stuff them into a hard roll along with all of the accompaniments. That made for a really nice sandwich that I can happily recommend to you. Here's the recipe.

Pork and Fennel Meatballs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Donna Hay

Ingredients:
2-1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes or kosher salt
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 pounds ground pork
4-oz. pancetta, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
olive oil, for cooking
crusty bread, olive tapenade, tomato slices and arugula leaves, to serve

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Place fennel seeds and salt in a mortar and pestle and lightly crush. I used a spice grinder for this step.
3) Place breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Add pork, pancetta, parsley and fennel-salt mixture and mix well for 2-3 minutes or until mixture comes together.
4) Using a 1/4 cup measure form into 15 balls.
5) Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to pan and cook meatballs, in batches, until well browned on all sides. Place on a baking tray and bake for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Serve meatballs with crusty bread, olive tapenade, sliced tomato and arugula. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Donna Hay today. I hope you'll pay them all a visit. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef, Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me, Sue - The View from Great Island Barbara - Movable Feasts , Linda A - There and Back Again, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Most Lovely Things, Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce - More Time at the Table

Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, January 23rd.

Carrot and Fennel Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...At risk of life and limb, I'm throwing tradition to the wind and plan to serve a non-traditional feast on Thanksgiving Day. I'm not jaded or blase, I'd just like something different for a change. At some point before the holiday, I'll stuff and roast a turkey. That will guarantee the aromas of the holiday grace my kitchen and assure leftovers for midnight sandwich raids, but the big day itself is going to feature new dishes that we've tried and found to be exceptional. My intent, please God, is to prepare a meal where every course has the socks of the assembled guests going up and down. I plan to start with a soup that was new to us this year. It has quite a pedigree. Amanda Hesser created a chunky version of the soup for The New York Times Magazine and Molly Wizenberg featured a pureed version of it on her blog, Orangette. It is wonderful either way, but I'm going with the pureed version of it for the holiday. I have lovely small cups for creamed soups that I like to use as starters for holiday meals and they are perfect for serving small portions of this vibrant, nearly creamless, soup. It is, of course, delicious, but it has the added virtues of being cheap and easy. While my description is a bit inelegant, it is apt, and the soup is a perfect starter for special meals. It has bright and layered flavors and can be made a day or two ahead of serving, so please hold on to your socks. You are going to love this one. Here's the recipe.

Carrot-and-Fennel Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Amanda Hesser and Molly Wizenberg

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced; fronds reserved
1-1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
2 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 to 4 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) In a large heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter until foamy. Add fennel slices and cook, stirring, until softened. Add carrots and garlic and cook another minute or two. Pour in 4 cups of vegetable stock and season with salt. Simmer, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.
2) Remove soup from heat and stir in orange juice, sour cream and reserved fennel fronds. If you have an immersion blender puree soup in pot, otherwise puree in batches using a food processor or blender. If soup appears too thick, thin with reserved vegetable stock. Adjust seasoning to taste. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Masala Chai
















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Fennel and Potato Soup - Zuppa di Finocchio e Patate

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The spirit was willing but the body was way too weak to spend this gorgeous Oregon day indoors. So, we put chores aside and the Silver Fox and I headed to the coast for a wonderful meal and an afternoon of skipping waves and walking along the shore. The breakers were high and probably tempting to those who don't know this coast. The water here is very very cold, and only the foolish brave it without special gear. California got the beaches and bikinis while Oregon got the coast line and, arguably, the better deal. Our coast is aching beautiful, even in foul weather, and on a day like today it can take your breath away. So we walked and walked and even talked some, but despite the distance covered never manged to regain an appetite for another meal. That meant soup for supper tonight. I've been wanting to try a recipe for an Italian fennel soup that I found in Saveur magazine some time ago and this was the perfect night to experiment. The recipe is quick and easy to prepare and the soup, which has a fennel base, is really interesting. I loved the soup and will make it again and again. I think those of you who like fennel, or are just looking for something different for a change, will enjoy it as well. The soup can be served hot or cold. Here's the recipe.

Fennel and Potato Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Saveur

Ingredients:
3 medium fennel bulbs + 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
1 tablespoon butter butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Trim, quarter, and core fennel bulbs, then slice into medium-size pieces, reserving 2 tablespoons feathery fennel fronds. Heat butter and olive oil together in a medium pot over medium-low heat. When butter has melted, add sliced fennel, shallots, and 1 cup of the stock. Cover and simmer gently until fennel is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
2) Increase heat to medium, add potatoes and remaining 3 cups stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until potatoes are very soft and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
3) Gently mash vegetables with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until soup is thick and chunky. Do not puree the mixture. Add a little water or additional stock if it becomes too thick. Chop reserved fennel leaves, then stir into soup. Remove soup from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Ladle soup into four bowls and serve warm, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, if you like.Yield: 4 servings.








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