Foodidude's Kitchen

Butternut Squash Coconut Bisque

1/5/2017

All photographs by Len Boccassini

With a holiday season of over-indulgence in the rear view mirror, Karen and I have decided to implement a cleaner eating regimen into our daily menus as the new year begins; one closely aligned with the Paleo diet approach - cleaner ingredients, no processed foods and as few carbs as possible. So far it has been a fun endeavor with delicious results.
This evening, I used one of my absolute favorite ingredients, butternut squash, to make a wonderfully tasty bisque that not only touched upon the sweet, savory and spicy spectrums of flavor, but was a far cleaner and healthier version than the richer variety I enjoy where I typically utilize heavy cream. Deliciousness never felt so good!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 scallion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
5-6 springs of fresh thyme, more to garnish
dried thyme, to season cubes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp organic, unsweetened coconut
1-1/2 cups Almond Breeze® unsweetened Almond Coconut Milk
sea salt, to taste
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION:
1. After squash is peeled and cubed, toss in with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Spread out on sheet pan and season with sea salt, a sprinkle of black pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and dried thyme. Bake in 375 degree oven for one hour or until edges caramelize.

2. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and scallion and cook for several minutes until soft. Add carrots and garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add fresh thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper, 1 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix thoroughly. Add roasted butternut to pot and again, mix thoroughly.

4. Cover with 6 cups of cold water and bring to boil. When pot reaches boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and continue to simmer for one hour.

5. After an hour of simmering, use immersion blender to puree the soup. Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1-1/2 cups of Almond Breeze® Unsweetened Almond Coconut Milk. Continue to puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings.

Garnish with fresh Thyme sprigs and a sprinkle of organic unsweetened shredded coconut.

1 Comment

French Onion Steak Soup

1/1/2017

1 Comment

Whenever we go out to dinner, I find it hard to resist emitting the words, "I'll have the French Onion Soup." It's a phrase that easily rolls off my tongue, and one that rarely disappoints my expectations. However, when making it at home, I prefer to enjoy it as a heartier alternative to what most restaurants typically serve as an appetizer. Here, I find the addition of cubed steak to be the perfect elixir to broaden the appeal of an already enticing meal.

In doing so, I typically will utilize a 1/2" thick chuck steak in making this version; for not only is it an economical cut of steak with lots of flavor, but after 6 or 7 hours in the slow cooker it turns out to be as tender as most finer cuts of beef. I also present it here with one of my favorite cheeses - Muenster; a nice alternative to the more commonly used Gruyere or Mozzarella. I've even used sliced Fontina topped with a sprinkle of grated Asiago. Your only limitation is your imagination!

INGREDIENTS:

4 large yellow onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup cooking sherry
8 cups (64 oz) Beef Broth
6-8 slices Muenster cheese
4-6 1/2" slices french bread
1 lb chuck steak, cut into 1/2" cubes

Serves 4 to 6

PREPARATION:

1. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until they soften and become transluscent; about 8 to 10 minutes.

2. When soft, add garlic and stir another minute or so until fragrant. Lower heat to medium and add brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and cook another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. De-glaze pan with sherry.

3. Pour onions into beef broth in a slow cooker. Add salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and beef cubes. Set on low and let cook 6-8 hours.

4. When ready, place 1/2" slices of French bread beneath broiler about a minute per side. Pour soup in crock, top with toasted French bread and a slice or two of Muenster or Gruyere cheese. Place crock beneath broiler for a minute or two, until cheese is slightly browned and bubbling.

1 Comment

Chef Len's Smothered Chicken Cutlets

12/23/2016

Archives

Categories