Author: Chef Debbi Dubbs

Soup Season

Photo: Christina Peters

I love fall and winter and I love to cook hearty stews and warming soups. One of the most important ingredients is stock or broth for your dish and homemade is the best. Most of the time spent making stock is hands off, it needs to simmer for a good 4 hours so prep time in the kitchen can be limited to about 1/2 hour. Cut most of that time in half by making the stock in your pressure cooker but I like the results better just simmered slowly on the back of the stove. (Besides it makes your house smell wonderful!) I’ve included a list of descriptives for stock, broth, stew, soup etc. And my recipe for a perfect stock; stock is made with bones and broth is made with pieces of meat and vegetables and is a little less hearty than stock. Keep some stock in your freezer for quick meals during the winter season. Recipe below but here are some descriptives of soups, stews etc.

Bisque:           a rich, thick usually smooth soup. Thickened either by pureeing or adding                         cream and usually made with some kind of seafood.

Chowder:      a thick, chunky soup

Stock:             clear savory liquid made from vegetables or meat on the bone

Broth:             similar to stock but made with just meat or vegetables, not a hearty as stock

Gazpacho:     a cold vegetable soup usually with tomatoes as main ingredient

Gumbo:         thick broth with creole seasonings and chunks of meat & vegetables

Stew:              thick soup with chunks of vegetables and/or meat

Soup:              thinner than a stew with less chunks

Guides for making stocks

Use mild flavored vegetables, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes

No oily fish such as salmon

Beef bones with marrow will have more flavor

Use chicken feet for great taste and lots of natural gelatin

Do not season stock with salt until after it’s cooked

For making soups or stews

                        Any fresh or frozen veggie can be used. Do not defrost vegetable before      using,  just toss it into the stock.

                        Onion, peas, broccoli florets, celery, carrots, potatoes (will help to thicken soup also), corn, zucchini, peppers

                        Herbs

                        Basil, oregano, thyme, Italian parsley, crushed red peppers, Italian seasoning

                        Beans

                        Keep canned or frozen beans such as kidney, navy, white beans, pinto, black                    beans

Grains (pre-cook and freeze) Add at the end of cooking time

                        Farro, barley, rice, pasta, quinoa, beans

Chicken or Turkey Stock aka Bone Broth

Print
  • 1 whole organic chicken, about 4 lbs., rinsed well, or
  • 3 # chicken pieces, backs, necks, wings, feet; these pieces will render a lot of gelatin (flavor) to your stock. Do not use livers but gizzards and heart are okay
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, optional for bone broth
  • 1 large onion, quartered, leave skin intact but wash off any dirt from the root
  • 1 large carrot cut into thirds
  • 2 celery stalks cut into thirds, include some top leaves
  • 1 large leek, cut in half lengthwise and washed well between the leaves, cut into thirds
  • 6-9 whole black peppercorns

Place the chicken into a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a simmer and skim any foam that rises to the surface. This should take about 15 minutes.

After removing any foam add the cider vinegar (for bone broth), vegetables and herbs, bring back to a boil, turn heat to a simmer and cook 2 – 2 ½ hrs.

Remove from the heat and let the stock sit for 10 to 15 minutes, remove large chicken pieces and strain remaining stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Cool by placing the container of strained stock in an ice water bath in the sink and then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the fat from the stock by skimming with a ladle. The stock will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to label and date before freezing.

To adapt the recipe for Turkey Stock, roast a turkey back, neck, 2 wings and 1 package of chicken feet (yes, chicken feet have tons of flavor!) in the same manner as above.

For a deep rich flavor you can brown all your chicken pieces and vegetables, if desired, before making stock.

*Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Directions

Place all pieces into the pot along with herbs, vegetables etc. Add 10 cups of cool water, cover and cook on high for 1 hour in your electric cooker. Let pressure cooker release naturally, strain and cool as above.

 

 

Oct. Cooking Demo

Join us for our next cooking demo

Thurs. October 12th & 19th

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Reservations required (see below)

Oktoberfest in Seal Beach

Roasted Grape Focaccia with Goat Cheese

Pear Salad w/Cranberries & Caramelized Walnuts

Pork Tenderloin with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Apples & Shallots 

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

       Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

 

$45.00

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Photo: Hector Sanchez

In the Fall Vegetable Garden

 

Although here in Southern California there aren’t many place where we get frost some places away from the beach will get a light frost and towards the mountains an early frost and snow. But our last frost date near the coastline is anywhere from early Nov to early Dec. and our first frost date is somewhere around Feb. It’s good to know this information so you can plan on what and when to plant.

As the ground gets cold seeds will have a hard time sprouting or will not sprout at all. Planting a fall garden with vegetables that can ‘over-winter’ will see you through the cool, rainy (hoping) months. Heartier vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts actually get a little sweeter with a touch of frost.

If you get tomatoes, beans and cucumbers in the ground now (Aug-Sept) make sure you plant early verities that have time to fruit before the ground begins to cool. Most nurseries will still be carrying good supplies of summer vegetables for the next month.

Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale & Brussels Sprouts
Parsley & Cilantro (but if we get a hot spell between Sept & Oct they may bolt)
Beets, Carrots, Turnips (try the little white turnip, sweet tasting even raw)
Leeks, Scallions, Onions, Shallots
Peas & Potatoes
Lettuce (provide a little shade until Nov), Spinach & Mustard

Here are two nurseries in our area that I love for great vegetable plants

H & H, Lakewood Blvd, Lakewood

http://hhnursery.com/

Rogers Gardens, Newport Beach

http://rogersgardens.com/

Almost all the seed catalogs have great sale prices too, a good time to pick up some fall and spring seeds.

Grow Organic/Peaceful Valley Farms

http://www.groworganic.com/

Baker Creek Seeds

http://www.rareseeds.com/

High Mowing Seeds

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

Renee’s Garden

http://www.reneesgarden.com/

Seeds From Italy

http://www.growitalian.com/

 

 

Gazpacho Couscous Salad

A perfect summer salad that you can make ahead; it actually is better the next day! An easy ‘from the pantry’ salad, adjust ingredients to what you have on hand, what you find from the farmers market or your own garden, or even some of last nights grilled chicken or shrimp. Serves 6

Couscous Gazpacho Salad

Print
  • Couscous ~
  • 2 1/2   cups chicken, vegetable stock or water
  • 12        ounces couscous
  • 2          tablespoons butter
  • 1          clove garlic, smashed
  • 2          green onion, minced
  • 4          tablespoons Italian parsley
  •             Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4      cup toasted pine nuts, or more
  • Dijon Vinaigrette ~
  • 1/2      cup red wine vinegar
  • 1         tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3/4      cup vegetable or olive oil
  • 1          small shallot, minced
  • 3          grinds herb seasoning, I use Italian
  •            Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Gazpacho Salad ~
  • 1          container (pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6          small Persian cucumbers, diced
  • 1          roasted red bell pepper, diced
  • 1          small red onion, diced
  • 2          stalks celery, diced
  • 1          tablespoon basil, chopped

Couscous

In a saucepan, add the stock, butter and couscous; bring to a boil, remove from heat stir in garlic and green onion, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove garlic and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.

Vinaigrette   

In a small bowl add vinegar, mustard and shallot, whisk together. Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify. Add seasonings to taste. Can be refrigerated for 3 weeks, bring to room temperature before using.

Salad

In a large bowl, add all chopped ingredients and toss with a little of the dressing. Let stand for 5 minutes. Toss couscous and vegetables together adding a little more dressing as necessary, to taste.

September Cooking Demo ~ Instant Pot

 

Weeknight dinner ideas using Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker), Slow Cooker or a good old oven!

Instant Pot at Sur la Table

Did you just get an Instant Pot? One of the hottest new pieces of equipment in the kitchen. Here are some recipes to get you started. We’ll discuss how to adapt regular recipes to the Instant Pot and how to create your own. Even if you don’t own an Instant Pot all these recipes will have directions for regular cooking methods.

Menu

Tarragon & Sherry Deviled Eggs

Bib Lettuce Salad with Apples, Pecans, Pomegranate Seeds & Blue Cheese Sprinkles

Sesame Teriyaki Chicken with Rice & Green Onion

Glazed Baby Back Riblets with Baked Beans

Deconstructed Black Forest Cake

Food & Wine Magazine

Class held at Temecula Olive Oil Tasting Room, Seal Beach, Thur. Sept 14 & 28

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Reservations required

$45.00

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Don’t have an Instant Pot? The link below will take you to Amazon.

Green Beans, Bacon and Caramelized Shallots

Grow a Second Crop of Green Beans

In Southern California we are lucky enough to grow a fall crop of beans. With warm days still ahead the beans will sprout and grow quickly. Bush beans are your best bet, with shorter days to harvest than pole beans you should be able to harvest in just 45-50 days. Check your seed packet for harvesting information.

There are three types of bush beans, snap beans (eat the pod & all), shelling beans (eat the beans inside the pod like peas) or dried beans. Dried beans you’ll want to leave on the plant until everything has dried up, pick the dried pods and put into a grocery bag. You can knock the bag around to remove the shell or pull the dried pod away from the beans. I like to freeze the beans for 24 hours to kill any pests that may have hitched a ride. Then store in a glass jar or other container in your pantry, away from heat and light. When you’re ready to use them, treat them like any other dried bean (that’s another story….)

Most bush beans don’t need to be trellised, and they produce most of their crop all at once. For a great harvest and good use of space, plant Square Foot Gardening style, 9 plants to a square foot.

To get the best crop inoculate your bean seeds before planting. Beans, peas and all legumes ‘fix’ nitrogen into the soil. The inoculant, Rhizobium leguminosarum,  is a nitrogen fixing bacteria. These bacteria “infect” the legumes growing in the soil and cause the legumes to form the nitrogen fixing nodules that make peas and beans bombshells.
You should be able to find the inoculant at any garden center or nursery. It can also be ordered from www.groworganic.com (Peaceful Valley Farm Supply).

While you are digging the holes for the seed, soak the seeds in water for about ½ hour. Dig your hole and sprinkle a generous helping of inoculant into the hole. Water and then plant your seeds. They’ll take up to 10 days to sprout, don’t overwater while you are waiting for them to poke up from the ground, overwatering can cause the seed to rot before it sprouts. Watch out for birds as well, they love seeds! I like to cover my bed with a floating row cover until the seeds are up and have several sets of leaves.

Give the plants 2 – 3” of water a week and you can side dress with a little compost. I mulch my beds with straw to help keep water evaporation down and to keep weeds from sprouting.

Plant companion plants near beans for the best growing bed, they like to grow near beets, cucumber, nasturtiums, peas and radish.

Watch for pests such as a cucumber beetle, bean beetle or weevil. I planted my beans near basil which is usually a good pest deterrent but this year those white butterflies (which are really cabbage moths) laid eggs on the basil and the little worms devoured my newly sprouted beans. So I planted a new round because I love green beans, especially in the fall. I freeze some for soups when winter comes and hopefully have enough until next spring when I can get some more in the ground.

Here’s an easy side dish recipe for you to try.

Green Beans with Smoked Bacon & Caramelized Shallots

Print

Serves 6
* To blanch green beans: Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water leaving room for green beans. Bring a large saucepan full of water to a boil and add green beans and a good helping of salt, cook for 1-2 minutes, drain the beans and plunge them into the bowl of ice water. Let them cool, drain and dry well.

  • 2 pounds haricots verts (thin green beans), trimmed, blanched and dried well*
  • ½ pound applewood smoked bacon
  • 3 large shallots, quartered
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.

Add olive oil to the pan with the bacon drippings then add the quartered shallots and sauté until browned. Add the vinegar, stir well, then add the green beans and toss until coated with oil, cook for another minute then season with salt and pepper and toss with bacon, serve hot.

Hatch Chile’s

It’s that time of year again, chile’s as hot (or mild) as the weather might be. Don’t miss out, these unique chile’s are available for a short time. Why not buy a box & have the great people at Melissa’s Produce roast them for you on-site. Below is a link to where the Melissa team will be for Hatch Chile Roastings!

Hatch Chile’s Coming Soon

 

Don’t miss a Hatch Chile Roasting starting soon…..

Check out Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Roasting Schedule here

Hatch Chile Mac ‘n Cheese

Make this kicked up Mac ‘n Cheese recipe from Melissa’s!

Hatch Chile Brownies

Fudgy, chewy, mild or hot…..a delicious treat!

 

Hatch Chile Brownies

Print
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾ cup Dutch cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, use ½ teaspoon if using unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons Hatch chile powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 lg. eggs
  • ½ cup butter, melted (8 Tb)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375° and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl in the order they are listed. Stir together and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until just barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, remove from oven and let cool.

Hatch Chile & Potato Rajas

 

Hatch Chile & Potato Rajas

Print
  • 1 large potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice, cooked
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 small onion, cut into small strips
  • 4 mild Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and julienned *
  • ½ cup cream
  • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 12 corn tortillas

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil; add onions, season with salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned.

Add chiles, and cream, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook 4 minutes.

Add cheese and potatoes, stirring occasionally, until just heated through. Remove from heat.

Wrap tortillas in plastic wrap or paper towel and heat in microwave on low until warm.

Hatch Chile Roast

Hatch Chile Time!

 

 

 
New Mexico Hatch Chiles are here in Southern California and we’ve been waiting all year to replenish our supplies! These chiles are only here for a short month or so before being gone again until next season. A favorite Southwestern chile, the Hatch chiles are grown in Hatch, New Mexico where everyone celebrates their harvest. Roasters are going hot on every street corner and people are buying them by the case. 
 
Here in So. California, Melissa’s Produce brings us these gorgeous chiles in mild and hot, buy both! Melissa’s has teamed up with several local grocery stores to provide roasting your chiles by the case. Click on the Hatch Chile Roasting link and it will take you to a list of roastings by Melissa’s Produce.
 
Try Hatch Chile’s in all your dishes, from omelets to soups, stews, Chile Verde and even maybe a Hatch Chile Sorbet, mmmmm. Click here for one of my favorite recipes.The list is endless! Chef Ida will be signing copies of Melissa’s new ‘Hatch Chile Cookbook’ at certain locations, check the roasting list. Get yours while you can. I’ll be at the roasting at Lazy Acres in Long Beach on Bellflower Sat, Aug 12th & Bristol Farms Sept 2nd & ; will I see you there?
Click here for local Hatch Chile Roasting with Melissa’s Produce

August Cooking Demo

Join us for our next cooking demo

Thurs. August 10th & 17th

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Reservations required (see below)

End of Summer Party

Artichoke Bruschetta

Heirloom Tomato & Asparagus Salad

 Clambake BBQ Foil Packets

With Shrimp, Clams, Sausage, Fresh Corn, Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes in Lemon Herbed Garlic Sauce

Watermelon Sorbet

 

$45.00

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Tomato Overload

There are many ways to save your harvest and if you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with here are some ideas.

 

First and foremost is water bath canning, I love this because it means that I can store tomatoes on the shelf in my pantry for the year. Fairly easy to do but when it’s hot and humid out like it has been this summer FORGET IT!

As many of you already know, I like to freeze my tomatoes also so later when it’s cool I can make sauce or unfreeze and can them to make more room in the freezer for up and coming dinners. Freezing tomatoes is the fastest way to get things done, wash, and dry then freeze on a baking sheet until frozen solid, pop into a freezer bag and you are done for the day! You can remove one or four at a time, whatever you need and as they begin to defrost, which is almost right away, the skin will slip off easily.

IMG_0481

My second favorite is to make Oven Roasted Tomatoes, although it does require having the oven on for some length of time. I love to dry my cherry tomatoes and then float them in a good olive oil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Chopped in a salad, in a bruschetta or top on a pizza, they pack a flavorful punch. Fill up your baking sheet and get started right away!

Fontina & Tomato Tart

Oven Roasted Tomato Recipe

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