Crispy Shallots

3 large shallots yields about 1.5 cups

These little gems are fabulous on top of just about anything!  Use them to replace the crunch of croutons on salads, French’s Fried Onions on casseroles, onion rings on burgers or anywhere you want a savory snap to complement more supple textures. 

Yes these are fried in oil, but as there is no breading not much is absorbed.  I like to use grapeseed oil because it has a higher smoke point – the temperature at which you go from frying onions to opening doors and windows and flapping a tea towel at the smoke alarm – but you could use canola, peanut (watch for guest allergies), sesame or regular olive oil.  Each will subtly impart a different flavor, so choose accordingly.  You could also switch up the shallots with leeks or sweet onion to suit your dish and pantry. 

Whatever you choose there are three tips/tricks to doing this right:

 1) Slice them thinly and consistently.  For this a mandolin is the tool of choice to ensure uniformity – they don’t have to be expensive and you can use them to whip up all kinds of things, from salads to Quick Pickled Red Onions.  For the shallots I use about a 1/16” blade.  You could try these in a food processor, just be careful to place them in in such a way that the slices are across the shallot, and not all over the place because you want rings that are moderately even so they all get crispy at the same time.  This is also an opportunity to hone your knife skills – sharpen that knife before you start, or you’ll be swearing. 

2) Don’t crowd the pan.  Do this in batches such that there is an even layer, and the rings don’t overlap too much or they have a tendency to stick together and not cook evenly.

3) Pull them before you think they are done.  Just like fish, if you think it’s not quite done, it’s perfect.  Carryover cooking means that that golden blush in the pan = nicely crispy on the plate.  Nicely golden in the pan = charred on the plate.  So when the first golden kiss appears, start removing those shallots with a flat, slotted metal spatula, or like apparatus, and continue around the pan.

Trim the ends, peel and thinly slice

• 3 or more large shallots or other onions

Heat a heavy-bottom bottom pan on medium and add

• ~ 1 c grapseed or other oil, or until the pan has about an inch of oil

Add shallots in batches, breaking up the slices into separate rings with your hands as you do.  Once barely golden, remove to a plate with a couple layers of paper towel on it.  Continue to shallow fry in batches until all are done – adding more oil if needed.  Take care to remove any charred bits before adding more onions, but you don’t have to change the oil.  When you are done and the oil is cool, you can save it for a later use by straining it through paper towel to remove any bits and bottling it separate from the unused oil.  

Add crispy shallots to your dish and munch away!

Recipes that benefit from Crispy Shallots:  Shmeat Loaf, Sunchoke & Celeriac Soup, Decadent Scalloped Potatoes, many salads, and for a decadent touch to anything slathered in Mmmmm Mushroom Gravy.

Apple Cake

Serves 8 - 12

I must confess that I finally bought a springform pan – to make a mushroom torta.  As you may have noticed from the posts, dessert is kinda low on my radar.  But when the fresh apples come out, I find myself craving this “cake”.  Really, the apples are the star here and there is barely enough batter to hold them together.  So cake is really a misnomer if you are expecting something spongy, but I think this beats cake hands down.  I’ve tried to come up with another name for it, but I’m too busy stuffing my mouth with “samples”.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 9” springform pan and cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the bottom.  Grease the bottom & sides of the pan, lay down the paper then grease it lightly too.  While you are at it, pull out a baking sheet (and line that also with parchment or a silpad if you like) for putting the springform on to catch any drips. 

In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients with a whisk or fork:

• 1.5 c brown rice flour, or neutral GF flour
• 1.5 t baking powder
• 1 t xanthan gum
• 1 T freshly ground spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, star anise, nutmeg or ginger (I use ½ a stick of Mexican cinnamon, 11 allspice berries & 1 whole star anise)
• Pinch of salt

Melt and cool

• ½ c unsalted butter (1 stick) or substitute oil

Cut in half and remove the cores of

• 6-7 medium apples (~8 c), a mix is nice – Swiss Gourmet are a favorite - cut into quarters then ½” pieces

In a large bowl whisk until foamy

• 4 eggs

Then whisk in

• ½ c unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 c agave syrup
• ¼ c dark rum, brandy or apple brandy
• 1 t vanilla extract

Whisk in half the flour mixture until incorporated, then half the butter, then the remaining flour, then remaining butter, mixing well after each addition to get a smooth batter.  This will be rather thick.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples until they are well coated.  Scrap the batter into the pan prodding with the spatula to get it roughly even.

Bake in the center of the oven for 45-60 min, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5-10 min, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen.  Unsnap and remove the springform and let the cake cool to room temp (or slightly warmer).  Then place a plate upside down on top of the cake and quickly invert everything so the pan bottom is facing up.  If the bottom is loose, simply remove it and the parchment and then place another plate (or cutting board) on the cake bottom and flip back over.  Otherwise, slide a metal spatula between the parchment and the pan bottom to loosen and then flip upright again.  Cut into wedges and serve.  For an extra decadent touch, serve with barely sweetened freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

Very Good Food for the Holidays: Side Dishes Reconsidered

Cooking for a diverse crowd these days often involves a little head scratching as how to make an impressive vegetarian main dish besides pasta, or a “dressing-like” side that is gluten-free, or what to do about that guest who doesn’t eat dairy.  Well, it’s not as hard as it seems as when you are looking through a disparate assemblage of cookbooks.

Consider first that many of the traditional side dishes are already VGF, or easily made that way.  Most roasted sweet potato/yam dishes already hit the mark (but ditch the marshmallows, which insult the sweet potato anyway).  If you just can’t imagine making Brussels sprouts without real bacon and breadcrumbs, consider at least adding a nice platter of mixed roasted vegetables.  The bounty available this time of year such as carrots, beets, fennel, leeks, and mushrooms are fantastic dressed simply with some olive oil, salt and fresh cracked black pepper, and roasted at 425 degrees F until fork tender, about 40 mins.  You can take it to the next level with some truffled crème fraiche – truly decadent but deceptively easy.

Below are some ideas on how to substitute minor ingredients in these classic side dishes (in progression of intensity of substitution):

Mashed Spuds
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Sometimes made indiscriminately with chicken stock	Veg stock, or (non)dairy milk of your choice – unsweetened, unflavored of course [1]	Scalloped potatoes
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Breadcrumbs
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Well, the bacon and breadcrumbs!	Smoked paprika for the bacon, and either parmesan crumbs or quinoa flake for the bread crumbs  if you can't find GF crumbs– the quinoa will add a distinct nutty flavor to the dish.	Roasted Brussels with truffle crème fraiche…………mmmmm tasty!  Though I don’t knock adding some smoked paprika also to put it over the top.
Sweet Potato/Yam Casserole with Marshmallows
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Most commercial marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from animal hooves & hides, and thus not vegetarian	Look for vegetarian marshmallows that use agar or egg whites instead, or vegan versions. Make your own with Alton Brown’s recipe subbing agar for the gelatin he calls for.  Or check out some other gelatin alternatives.	These tubers are pretty sweet all by themselves – try pricking them with a fork and roasting them whole in a 425o oven until tender, about 40 min.  Remove from the skin and mash with a little butter, salt & pepper.  If you really need sweet, add a drizzle of maple syrup or some crushed candied pecans, or make Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes from eatingwell.com
Green Bean Casserole
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Traditionally made with chicken stock, a can of mushroom soup, and French’s fried onions, however all is not lost for this perennial favorite	Use a hearty veggie stock (such as Wolfgang Puck or homemade), VGF mushroom soup (bought or homemade with this recipe [2]) and a tablespoon of veggie starch (such as potato, corn or tapioca) and make Crispy Shallots for the topping.	Steamed green beans with 1 T grainy mustard, 1 T rice wine vinegar, 1 t agave nectar, a generous sprinkling of smoked paprika if you wish and salt & pepper – top with Crispy Shallots if you want/need/love the crunchy onions.
Gravy
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Usually made from pan drippings and thickened with a wheat flour slurry	Mmmm Mushroom Gravy, which uses an unctuous onion base for depth of flavor and is thickened with veggie starch of your choice (potato, tapioca or corn).	Mmmm Gravy sans the mushrooms? You gotta have gravy!

Please, please, please comment, facebook &/or email with questions, comments & suggestions for other holiday side dishes that need reforming, and I will brainstorm as best I can to help everyone have a very good food side dish!  

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[1] For this I will recommend Silk brand (soy or almond) and Almond Breeze (almond) – be sure to buy UNSWEETENED & UNFLAVORED. Vanilla is great for shakes but not so well received in gravy

[2] While I do not advocate microwaving, here is an easy diy recipe for condensed mushroom soup.  If this recipe weirds you out a little – consider what you are actually eating with “regular” cream of mushroom soup.

Truffle Crème Fraiche

This is a direct rip-off of a Garbriel Rucker recipe that was ever so graciously given to me by our good friend Carol.  Rucker is famous for his restaurant here in Portland, Le Pigeon, along with being a James Beard Rising Star award winner - and you can see why with this simple but fabulous sauce!  It is so easy that I have even taken it camping, oh yah.  It is a fantastic accompaniment to any roasted veggie, and we plan to slather it on for Thanksgiving.

Enough for 6-8 side dishes

In a bowl whisk together

• ¾ cup crème fraiche
• 1.5 T truffle oil – see note below
• The juice of one lemon
• Salt to taste

If you are really splurging add

• 1 T chopped fresh truffle – a heavenly fall fungus!

Place a pan on low heat, add any roasted veggies if you want, such as 1.5 lb baby carrots that were originally featured in this recipe, and add the truffle crème fraiche.  Heat until the crème is reduced by half.  Remove from the heat and finish with

• 1 T flat-leaved parsley, chopped

Otherwise just use as a sauce and pour it on.  Ohhh yah!

Truffle oil can be found in higher-end grocery stored, international food sotres, and even some well-stocked farmers markets such as the big one on the PSU campus downtown.  It is spendy, but a little goes a long way and it is a phenomenal treat on poached eggs, risotto, and roasted veggies, not to mention Sunchoke & Celeriac Soup.  

A Lovely Lunch

We were recently blessed to have a lovely lunch with Carol – she and JJ got to do what they do best (talk shop) while I got to do what I am learning to do best (cook and take pictures).  Having a friend over for a meal is always a chance for me to pull out a great recipe and hone it (or in my case, actually take notes about what I did!) and get some critical feedback. 

Cooking is an art my friends, and some days you’ll have better mojo than others, but every time you have a chance to refine your art, try something new, or both.  It’s great that Carol came over, because otherwise lunch wouldn’t have been nearly as well thought out.  But that’s the magic in connecting with those you adore - and it gets you to vacuum. 

Chopped Celeriac

Here is a lovely lunch (or brunch) that you can whip up, much of it ahead of time, to serve during this ramp up to the holiday season.  I would also recommend making a batch of soup and some tartlets just for you and treating yourself to some fabulous fall flavors – you deserve it!

Menu

Sunchoke &Celeriac Soup

Served with a Delight-Fall Salad with Tarragon Caper Vinaigrette

& Ricotta Tartlets

Suggested pairing:

A fruit-forward Chardonnay, dry Riesling, or bubbles (they go with everything!)

Sunchoke & Celeriac Soup

You’re making soup, why not make a batch!

Makes 36 cups (9 quarts) – about 12 sides or 7 mains

Freeze the extra or this recipe can easily be halved

A fabulous soup to celebrate some of the Fall’s lesser know veg – delicate, velvety, with a je ne sais quoi about it.  Fabulous with many Provencal flavors like artichoke, fennel, tarragon, lavender and parsley, this soup can be paired with a light salad for a lovely lunch, or served as a starter to a larger meal.  I recently accompanied it with Ricotta Tartlets and a Delight-Fall Salad that would make a fabulous brunch too.

All of the body comes from pureed vegetables - so this is a wonderfully filling yet light soup at the same time, and really lets these subtle flavors shine.  If you are worried about acceptance of weird things like sunchokes and celeriac, use the larger amount of potatoes listed to "dilute" these new flavors.  Otherwise, use less potato and really get to know these ethereal fall flavors!

Place a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Add olive oil to coat the bottom and sauté:

• 2 large sweet onions (such as Walla walla) or 4 medium boiler onions, diced

Once sweated and translucent add

• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (you don't want this to overwhelm the delicate flavors)

Stir to prevent the garlic from burning and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 mins.  Then add

• 2 large celeriac (~4 lb), peeled and diced (see What to do with a Celeriac for help)
• 2 lb sunchokes, diced (peeling is optional but fussy)
• 1 – 1.5 lb thin-skinned potatoes, diced
• 2 - 32 oz containers (64 oz total) vegetable stock, such as Wolfgang Puck or homemade
• 1 c dry white white, such as pinot grigio/pinot gris or chardonnay (easy on the oak)
• Pinch of salt

Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes, or until the veggies are well cooked and soft enough to puree. 

Remove lid and take the pot off the burner to let it cool until you can safely handle the contents – 20 min or so, more is great too.  Then puree with a stick blender or food processor until smooth.  Alternatively, drain off and reserve some of the liquid, then mash by hand and reintroduce the liquid until incorporated.  If you want really silky smooth soup you probably own a chinoise[1] and know how to use it, otherwise, you have a fabulous soup - just proceed to the next step.

Bring back up to a simmer, add a healthy pinch of kosher salt and a bunch of black pepper, and heat on the stove for at least 10-15 min, then cover and reduce to low.  This lets the flavors blend and is important – do not skip this part. 

This soup is thick and tends to separate a little if left on the stove (which is great for flavor development, so don’t worry), so be sure to give it a good stir before serving.  Give it a healthy squeeze of lemon (I’m thinking a least one whole one) just as you ladle it out – or top each bowl.  For a fancy touch, top with white truffle oil, otherwise give it a healthy dose of black pepper.  This soup freezes well too, so make lots and enjoy later.

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[1] A chinoise (sometimes chinois) is a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh. It is used to strain custards, purees, soups, and sauces, producing a very smooth texture. It can also be used to dust pastry with a fine layer of powdered sugar. Source: Wikipedia.

What to do with Celeriac

Celeriac seen from the stem end

For most people, celeriac falls firmly into the “What the F#$!” category of vegetables.  While not much to look at, this is a fabulous fall-winter vegetable that is really under appreciated.  Beneath the funky, turnip-meets-octopus-tentacle exterior lies a crisp white mild interior. It is also called celery root - so you might guess that it tastes like celery, and you’d be right.  Celeriac is actually from a different subspecies, grown especially for its swollen starchy stem base (for you plant geeks, it is technically a corm).  The celery-like stems can also be used, but they are more bitter than common celery.  Celeriac has a pleasant, mild celery taste and can be used raw, sautéed, roasted, baked or pickled.

Showing removed rootlets on the left

To prepare celeriac, cut off the stems close to the base and cut the roots where most of them start to separate from the base and form “fingers”,  if they are not both trimmed already.  Use a sturdy vegetable peeler or just a knife to peel the outer skin.  If you are not cooking it immediately, prepare a bowl of acidulated water[1] to keep the while flesh from browning. 

If cooking, don't worry too much about the remaining areas around the rootlets, you can trim them out as you slice & dice.

Some ways to use celeriac

Hanging out in acidulated water (with lemon)

• Wonderful grated (or julienned) and then marinated for a salad
• Saute with like veggies, such as baby artichoke, fennel and celery for a wonderful hash
• Roast with any of the veggies above, or with potato and carrot for a fabulous side
• Boil with white potatoes to spice up your mash
• Use with your favorite picking blend, or try it with Quick Pickled Onions & Friends

Recipes that feature celeriac: Sunchoke & Celeriac Soup

Sunchoke & Celeriac Soup - a fall favorite

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[1] Water to which acid has been added to keep food from browning.  Generally ~1/2 a lemon or lime, 1.5 tablespoons vinegar or 1/2 cup white wine with 1 quart of water.  Adding too much acid can impart its flavor to the food, so think about the type of acid that would work best with your flavors.