Comfy and Cozy – Comfort Food

When you hear the words comfort and food; what comes to mind? Do you think of something savory or sweet? When you need a little tender, loving care do you hunger for something hot, bubbling and fragrant with herbs and spice? Or maybe you crave something sugary, warm and gooey or seek solace in a cold and creamy or soft and chewy treat.

 Or all of the above.

Comfort food is the food of our childhood. You slurp it or spoon it and savor it slowly. If you need a sharp knife to cut it, it’s probably not comfort food. These are the dishes that warm us on snowy evenings, cheer us up on rainy days and console us when we are feeling blue.

Looking for the perfect comfort food? Well there is no one answer, it all depends on the kind comfort you need. Broken heart? Rocky-Road, cookie dough or butter pecan can’t mend a broken heart but it might just ease the pain for an hour or two. Head cold? For those times when you wonder if you will ever breathe again, the best medicine might very well be a steaming bowl of chicken soup. And if a day on the slopes leaves you frozen to core, a piping hot stew with fork tender beef and vegetables is a great solution.

I was certainly in need of a little comfort last week when a torrential rain storm blew in. At midmorning it was almost as dark as the middle of the night. It stayed grey and murky all day. The storm did not blow in from the north with the brittle cold of an arctic gale. It blew in from California bringing the January Thaw with buckets of rain, fog and a damp, dreary, bone-chilling cold.

In spite of its annual or almost annual return, the January Thaw is an unexplained weather phenomenon. Most years the Thaw comes right smack in the middle of coldest days of the year. For weeks we shiver and shake bundled up in layers of wool and fleece and then suddenly the air is well ok it’s not exactly balmy but it’s at least ten degrees above normal. It could be my imagination but it seems to me that it always rains during the Thaw. Not a little shower, no, it’s never a light, gentle rain. The January Thaw always seems to trigger a rip-roaring deluge.

Which of course makes the annual Thaw the bane of every skier’s existence. One day it’s sunny and seasonably cold. The snow is perfect or close to it. You’re not sure if you’ve died and landed in heaven or if you’re dreaming. Suddenly, the dream becomes a nightmare and the nightmare becomes a reality. The basement floods, the porch roof collapses and worse, much worse, all that nice soft snow is washed away. It may stay warm for a day or two but before long the cold returns and the slopes become a vertical skating rink.  

Is it any wonder I needed comfort? I thought about ice cream but not without chocolate sauce. In the end I found consolation in front of a cheery fire with a steaming mug of homemade soup and splurged on a lovely piece of soft brie and a nice glass of cabernet.

What dishes bring you comfort when your heart is breaking or the day turns dreary?

Stay warm and dry and bon appétit!

Easy Cassoulet

In the ‘80’s, foodies discovered cassoulet and spent three days making it. Try this simplified version and forget your miseries with family and friends around the table. With its origins in French farm kitchens, cassoulet is an absolutely delicious alternative to an old New England favorite – pork and beans. Enjoy!

Serves 12

 4 ounces slab or thick cut bacon, roughly chopped *

12 ounces boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into 2-inch cubes

12 ounces boneless pork, cut into 2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Flour

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans (15-16 ounces each) white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup dry vermouth

1-2 cup beef stock

1 can (14-16 ounces) crushed tomatoes

12 ounces pre-cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 2-inch slices

1/2-1 cup bread crumbs

Garnish: fresh, chopped parsley

1. Cook the bacon until crispy in a heavy stovetop and ovenproof casserole over medium-low heat.  Remove the bacon and reserve.
2. Season the turkey and pork with salt and pepper, lightly dust with flour and shake off the excess.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the casserole and reserve. Raise the heat to medium-high. Brown the turkey and pork, adding more bacon fat to the pan as required. Remove from the casserole and reserve.
3. Reduce heat to medium; add a little more bacon fat and the onion, carrot and celery to the pot, sprinkle with salt and chili pepper and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional 2 minutes. If you run out of bacon fat, substitute with olive oil.
4. Add the bacon, turkey, pork, beans, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, vermouth, beef stock and crushed tomatoes to the vegetables. Gently toss to combine, bring to a simmer and transfer to the oven. 
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Add the sausage to the pot.
6. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

The cassoulet is best made through step 5, cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated for several hours or overnight.  Bring to room temperature, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbling.

* For a slimmed down version of this recipe, skip the bacon and use a little olive oil to brown the meat and sauté the vegetables. Substitute regular kielbasa with a leaner turkey version. 

©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can learn about my new project Eat Well – Do Good and find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

Surviving a Head Cold

Last Wednesday I woke up feeling out of sorts. Lying in bed I took a few moments to access the situation. First I noticed a little scratchy feeling in my throat, then I realized only one side of my nose was working and finally I noted a few aches and pains. In spite of the fuzzy wuzzy feeling in my brain, I figured it out. I had a head cold. Given my fragile state, this assessment took an almost Herculean effort and was all followed by a fierce desire to roll over and burrow under the covers. Which I did, at least for a little while. While sometimes referred to as the common cold, as far as I’m concerned my colds are anything but common.

For many years I spent a lot of time in airports and on airplanes. While a small child may be the most effective Petri dish for breeding and spreading cold and flu germs, an airplane takes a close second. To make matters worse, airports are notoriously cold and drafty. Schlepping through miles and miles of chilly, subterranean corridors is enough to wear down anyone’s resistance, including mine. Passing the winter with a series of colds was part of the territory. Most were minor, the take-two-aspirins-go-to-bed-early-and-you-won’t-need-to-call-me-in-the-morning variety. But about once a year, the stars misaligned and I came down with one of those absolutely-wretched-put-me-out-of-my-misery colds.

Now that I am rarely on airplanes, I usually manage to avoid most of the nasty viruses that lurk around looking for innocent noses to attack. Until last week. I have no idea where I caught it. Did someone sneeze on me in the super market? Could it have been one of the nieces? They seemed healthy enough when I skied with them on the weekend, but who knows? Or maybe with all the racing around before, during and after the holidays, my luck or resistance ran out.

When it comes to treating my colds, I tend to be a bit haphazard. I can never remember if it is starve a cold and feed a fever or feed a cold and starve a fever. It must be feed a cold since soup, especially chicken noodle, is my all time favorite cold remedy. Regardless of old wives tales, the care and feeding of my colds can best be described as alternatively coddling and ignoring them.

I eventually managed to roll out of bed on that Wednesday morning. I had no soup on hand so I kicked off the morning by searching the medicine cabinet for anything with a sell-by date after 2003. Luck was with me, I dosed myself with vitamin C, some decongestant and pain reliever.  I then went about my day pretending that all was right with the world although I’m pretty sure I grumbled a bit and complained to anyone who would listen (or not).

I was delighted to surrender to my stuffy nose, aches and pains on Thursday. I spent the entire day cuddled up on the couch in front of the fire. My self-indulgence was cut short and I was up early on Friday for a bunch of phone calls and then raced out the door to run errands and make soup on the noon news. (If you missed my live performance you can watch the video clip on www.youtube.com/susannye.)

I was tempted to retreat to the couch again on the weekend but ignored the impulse and skied both Saturday and Sunday mornings. However, I was ever so happy to spend both afternoons prone in front of the fire. I seriously considered a return trip to the sofa on Monday and again on Tuesday. Unfortunately both days were already booked. And today, one week later, the good news is I’m breathing freely again. And the bad news? Well if I want to languish on the sofa I’ll need to find another excuse! 

Take care, stay well and bon appétit! 

My Favorite Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is not the soup I made on air last week but it is my absolute favorite cold remedy. The steaming broth clears my nose and the jalapeño and spices wake up my foggy brain. Enjoy!

Serves 8

 Olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 leaks, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon or to taste jalapeño pepper, minced

1/4 teaspoon or to taste dried chili pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

12 cups chicken stock – homemade or store bought

2 cups cooked chicken in bite size pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4-6 ounces Chinese noodles

Garnish:  1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

1. Put a little olive oil in a soup kettle.  Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, chili pepper and thyme and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.  Add the leaks, carrots and celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium high.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Add the chicken and reduce heat to low. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 30-45 minutes.
3. Cook the Chinese noodles in a separate pot according to package directions less 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Shake off excess water.
4. Add the noodles to the soup; return the soup to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.  Serve immediately, garnished with chopped cilantro. 

©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can learn about my new project Eat Well – Do Good and find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

January – The Coldest Month – Part Two

It’s that time of year when the weather takes center stage and the lead story on the morning news. A cold wind has been blowing out of the northwest. The skies have been mostly grey. While it has been pretty chilly here, we’ve not been hit by earth shattering, record breaking cold. For that kind of cold you need to head south to Florida, yes, Florida.

From one end of my neighborhood to the other, half the houses are empty. My snowbird neighbors have fled to the south, looking for sunshine and warm temperatures. Many are down in Florida, the Sunshine State. What they’ve found, at least for now, is frost on the golf course, icicles on the oranges and the threat of flurries in the air. Not for a day or even two but several. The governor even declared a state of emergency. It’s not the first time but it’s the first time in decades, at least two, maybe three.

I’ve only been to Florida a couple of times. The first was enough to swear me off the state for life. Since that first trip, I’ve been forced or tricked into a couple of visits but I try to steer clear. I took my infamous Florida vacation in mid-January during a break from college.

Every year my grandparents spent October to May in a condo apartment in West Palm Beach. The apartment looked out onto a pool and the beach was just around the corner. Sounds good. My mother flew down to check up on them every month or so and she asked me to tag along. Since it was January, it was ridiculously cold in New Hampshire. The trip south was billed as a chance to get out of the cold, walk the beach and go for a swim. I had nothing better to do. I loved and missed my grandparents. I could get a tan before heading back to school. I went along.

It snowed.

Yes, snowed. Not long, not hard and not a lot, just enough to know that it had happened. All these years later they still talk about it. Every January on a slow news day, the story makes page five or six in the local newspaper, usually with a picture of an orange or strawberry dripping with icicles.

My mother and I shivered in our cotton dresses and summer shoes. At some point I think we must have started to go a little stir-crazy. I guess we took a walk. Or maybe not. With the fierce winds a gust could have easily picked us up and carried us away. We could have landed in Freeport; that’s the Bahamas not Maine. It wouldn’t have done much good. The islands were hit by the same deep freeze.

Throughout the three or four days we spend with them, Nana apologized often and profusely. It’s amazing how women, particularly grandmothers, seem to take responsibility for all those uncontrollable hiccups that mar a vacation. My grandfather took us out to lunch. A head cold has turned my brain to mush so it’s all a bit of blur right now but I seem to remember tiki torches and lots of pineapple. He also took us shopping to Nana’s favorite boutique. All in all, it’s best to describe the vacation as an interesting experience. Eventually it warmed up, just in time for us to head to the airport and home.  

If the frigid temperatures have got you feeling cold and out of sorts, cheer up. You could be shivering in the Sunshine State. A walk on a beach may be out of the question but you can always walk the well-sanded roads around Pleasant Lake. A big gust of wind won’t land you in Freeport, the Bahamas or Maine, only Elkins.

Bon appétit! 

Apple Bread Pudding with Bourbon-Caramel Crème Anglaise

Invite friends and family in for a cozy dinner by the fire and top it off with warm and wonderful bread pudding. It’s pure comfort food! Enjoy!

Serves 12

1 cup raisins or craisins

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 apple cider or orange juice

1 tablespoon butter

4 cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

8 whole eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

4 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 loaf day old crusty, country bread; cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes

1. In a small bowl, combine the raisins with the bourbon and cider; soak for at least 2 hours.
2. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish or large casserole.
3. To make the custard: put the sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Slowly whisk in the milk.
4. Put the bread cubes, apples and raisins in a large bowl and gently toss to combine. Transfer the bread and apple mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, making sure that all the cubes are submerged (push cubes down if necessary). Set aside for 15-20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Bake for about 1 hour or until pudding is set. Serve warm with Bourbon-Caramel Crème Anglaise.
   

Bourbon-Caramel Crème Anglaise

Makes about 2 cups

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 tablespoons bourbon

3 large egg yolks

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1.  Put the sugar and water in a heavy medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the lemon juice. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, swirling pan occasionally, until the caramel turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 4 tablespoons cream (the mixture will bubble up). Transfer the caramel to a medium bowl. Cool for 5 minutes and whisk in the bourbon.
4. Prepare an ice bath; set aside.
5. Whisk the remaining cream with the egg yolks and salt in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the bourbon-caramel. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
6. Set the bowl in the ice bath, stir frequently to cool. Chill completely in the refrigerator and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
7. Serve warm, room temperature or cold with warm bread pudding. To reheat zap in the microwave on low, start with 1 minute and continue in increments of 10-15 seconds.

©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

January – The Coldest Month

After almost seventeen years in Switzerland and another three on the west coast, I drove 3,000 miles across the country to New Hampshire in late April 2003. It was snowing as I slipped and slid into the State, exhausted but happy to be home. From the time I was ten, New Hampshire had always been my home-away-from-home. It was a place filled with happy memories of summer and ski vacations.

I decided to take some time to get my bearings. I did a little consulting and a lot of kayaking and skiing. I reconnected with family and friends, cooked a lot and became famous for, among other things, an incredibly rich and decadent chocolate birthday cake. I rediscovered the seasons as only New England has them.

Most if not all of the daffodils and tulips were wilted and gone when I pulled out of Seattle on Easter weekend. Four or five days later when I arrived in New Hampshire, the ground was covered with snow. Eventually spring came, bringing frost heaves, mud and black flies, as well as my favorite daffodils, tulips and lilacs. Spring turned to summer, the black flies disappeared and Pleasant Lake was as magical as ever. Fall was brilliant; the Technicolor spectacle was as good if not better than I remembered.

And then winter came.  I knew that New Hampshire winters were cold but I had forgotten how cold. I tried to adapt. I began dressing-like-an-onion in layers of long underwear, flannel and wool. To answer the question that I’m sure is on your lips … no it is not this cold in Switzerland. Winter temperatures hover between 30 and 40 degrees in Geneva. It doesn’t snow a whole lot; it’s mostly grey and rainy. Yes, there is lots and lots of glorious snow in the Alps but it rarely turns as bitterly cold as a typical January day in northern New England.

From a young age, I was taught to ignore the cold and get my money’s worth out of my season ski pass. Our family skied in arctic temperatures, gale winds and blizzards. When I lived in Switzerland I was hard pressed to find anyone to join me on bitter cold or stormy days. Frigid days were for snuggling up by the fire with a good book. It was wonderful!

Returning to New England triggered something. It might have been old guilt or just a return to old habits. The far-away voice of my father rattled around in my head, telling me to get out on the slopes! And so, in early January of my first winter back I headed for the mountain on a colder than cold morning.

No surprise, the mountain was mostly deserted on that frigid Friday. By the time my chairlift reached the top, I was a block of ice. Given the temperature and the gale force winds, I didn’t hang around to admire the view. I immediately started down the trail. About half way down I came to an abrupt stop. No, I didn’t need to rest or catch my breath. The wind was blowing so hard up the side of the hill that it stopped me dead in my tracks. I froze through a few more runs and then reminded myself that my Dad was playing golf in sunny Florida and rushed home to a hot shower and warm fire.

Perhaps it’s the wisdom of age or a fear of frostbite but since that day I have become something of a fair-weather skier. When the wind is howling and the temperature plummets below zero, I leave the mountain to the true die-hards. And just in case my Dad checks up on me, I still figure I took about 800 runs last year at about 50 cents apiece!

Bon appétit! 

Four Cheese Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach

Lasagna is great when you have a houseful of hungry skiers. This classic comfort food is perfect after a cold day on the slopes. Enjoy!

Serves 12 or more

About 6 cups of Bolognese sauce (recipe follows)

1 1/2 cups Béchamel sauce (recipe follows)

15 ounces ricotta cheese

12 ounces shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

4 ounces grated Parmesan

4 ounces grated Pecorino Romano

1 pound frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 8 ounces lasagna noodles –12 noodles, enough for 4 layers

1. Make the Bolognese and Béchamel sauces and set aside
2. Combine the mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses and toss.
3. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. 
4. Spread 1- 2 cups of Bolognese sauce in the bottom of a large, deep ceramic or glass baking pan (about 13 by 10 by 3-inches). Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Top the noodles with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the spinach and 1-2 cups of Bolognese sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese mixture.  Repeat with a second and third layer of noodles-ricotta-spinach-Bolognese sauce- cheeses. 
5. Arrange remaining noodles on top and spread with Béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.  Tightly cover the baking dish with foil. You can store in the refrigerator for several hours or bake immediately.
6. When you are ready to bake the lasagna, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the lasagna for 45-60 minutes, if the lasagna is cold from the refrigerator it will take longer.  Remove foil, continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Classic Bolognese Sauce

Makes about 4 quarts, for at least 2 or 3 lasagnas, you can freeze the extra sauce. 

3 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)

1 cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1/2 pound Italian sausage; hot, sweet or a mix, casings removed

1/2 pound ground beef

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive Oil

1. Heat a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and ground beef to the pot, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces, cook until brown about 5 minutes. 
2. Remove from the pan. Drain the fat and reserve.
3. Add a little olive oil in the pot and heat over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, pepper and garlic, sprinkle with Italian herbs, red pepper, salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are tender.  
4. Return the meat to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, wine and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil.

Béchamel Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme  

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Melt the butter in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and herbs; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Ten Years into the New Millennium – What’s Next?

Where did the time go? Sometimes it seems like it was only a year or two ago that we entered the new millennium with a lot of hoopla and fanfare. And while the ten years passed in a flash, it also seems like lifetime ago. When 1999 slipped into 2000, I was still living in Switzerland. From my apartment outside Geneva, I could look out and see the French Alps. I was traveling somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 miles a year, managed a team of sixty or seventy sales people and had a cell phone permanently glued to my ear.

There was a great deal of excitement and anticipation as we approached the end of 1999. There is nothing like a new century to get people excited, thinking about change and the promise of a brand new era. Along with the excitement, giant red flags were raised and dire predictions that computer systems around the world would crash, taking hospitals, stock markets, airplanes and most businesses down with them. Not sure of what to expect, many people filled spare containers, including bathtubs, with water, stockpiled food and topped their gas tanks.

I was working for a computer company and as we approached December 31^st, all the executives in my group were on high alert. Assuming the phones would work, we were assigned shifts to take calls from customers. Since I am technically illiterate, my job was not to fix anything; just make reassuring noises to irate big-wigs to convince them that we were both sympathetic and working on their problem. Since I was in the States on vacation I got the most critical shift, midnight to 6 a.m. central European time (6 p.m. to midnight in New England.)

I dutifully phoned the call center in Vienna at 5:30 to make sure they could reach me with any emergencies. For the next hour my phone remained silent. Not a beep, not a buzz, not a ring. I called back. Nothing was happening. No frantic customers. No escalations. It was the biggest nonevent in IT history. By 8:00 I decided it was safe to relax, enjoy a glass of champagne and think about my plans for the new millennium.

I made three resolutions for 2000. The first was more melodrama than drama and quite simple to achieve. I decided it was time to change my look and cut my hair. Before the twelfth day of Christmas had come and gone I had several inches of my curly locks chopped off. Next, I took to wearing skirts and twin sets. I called it my Jackie Kennedy look.

The second and third resolutions were indeed major life changes. I decided that it was not only time for a new job but after almost two decades abroad it was time to move back to the United States. These two goals took a little longer but by August I had a new assignment in California, by October I had closed on a house and by November I was packed and on a plane.

It was just the start of a decade filled with change. In spite of my new assignment, my enthusiasm for corporate life was waning and before long I was more than ready to flee the West Coast. Seeking the familiar, I returned not to Switzerland but to New Hampshire, my childhood home away from home. I became a corporate dropout. With a muddled mix of confidence and enthusiasm, fear and trepidation, I began my new life as a writer and cook. 

Wishing you a wonderful new decade filled with new adventures and happy changes. Happy New Year and bon appétit!

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup

My years as a road warrior took me to all four corners of the globe. I have many wonderful memories of delicious meals and interesting conversations in four-star restaurants and humble street cafés. This soup is full of flavor and budget-friendly; perfect if you are feeling the pitch after the holidays. Enjoy!

Serves 6

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon or to taste sweet paprika

1 (14-16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes

3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces frozen leaf spinach

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and bell pepper and sauté until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the spices and garlic and sauté a minute or so.
2. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir well. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Remove the soup from heat. Use a potato masher to smash some of the chickpeas and thicken the soup. Stir in the spinach and let heat through, check for seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve soup, drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

A Joyful Resolution

It’s that time of year when we scratch our heads and figure out our New Year’s resolutions. For some it will be easy. They make and break the same promises every year. Get fit, quit smoking, learn a new language, you name it they have promised to do it; not once but many times. I’d say I’m hit and miss on New Year’s resolutions. I’ve kept a few and broken many but more often than not I forget to make them.

 But not this year. I’ve been thinking about the kind of year I want to have in 2010. There is nothing like a new decade to give me the sense that something grand, something special should happen. Maybe it’s the holidays; maybe it’s the Christmas carols that keep spinning around in my head but I’ve resolved to fill 2010 with joy. 

 You remember joy. It was the feeling you had when a nor’easter blew in and you celebrated with a glorious snow day. It was the smell of spring and the first daffodils after a long winter. It was the first time you got up on water skis or hit a home run. It was the fireworks on the Fourth of July and playing hide and seek until after 10 o’clock on a warm summer night. And it was jumping in a huge pile of leaves on a crisp fall afternoon.

 I came to this momentous decision a few weeks ago on one of my walks around the lake. It was one of those days when it’s dark before you know it and the air is bone-chilling cold and damp. I was striding along at full speed to keep from freezing and tunelessly humming the Twelve days of Christmas. As I was trying to sort out that confusing mix of too much poultry, I had a bit of epiphany. Or maybe my brain froze. In any case, I decided that 2010 should be filled with joy.

 Not a good year. Not a year filled with fun or interesting times or success. No, pure and simple I want it to be a year filled with joy.  At this point I’m still a bit hazy on what it means to live a joyful life. It may be wishful thinking, or maybe hoping, but I don’t suppose it will be all that difficult. No matter how easy or tough the process, you can’t beat the results. I’m sure there are tons of self-help books that I could read. For better or worse, I think I’ll just fumble around and figure it out on my own. The exploration and the journey will be part of the adventure.

 If I have any hope of finding joy, I will need to dump some of the baggage I’ve been carrying around, all those shoulda’s, coulda’s and woulda’s. I’m resolving to close the book on any nagging what-if’s, especially those attached to ancient disappointments, dilemmas and, yes, even failures. Learn from them yes, dwell on them no.

 Next, I will make time to enjoy the here and now. Sure, I will still keep a calendar, make plans and follow up on to-do lists. I’ll still dream. However, I won’t cloud a perfect afternoon with troublesome guilt over an impending deadline. I’ll enjoy the sunshine and return to my keyboard refreshed and energized. I won’t bring anxious worries into my kitchen just beautiful, fresh ingredients. I’ll relax by the fire with friends or a good book, not worrisome doubts. Whew, I’m already starting to feel pretty joyful!

Wishing you a wonderful, joy filled New Year! Bon appétit!

Potato, Leek & Kale Soup

The cold and wind can be brutal in January. A hearty soup is the perfect solution. Enjoy!

Serves 8

2 slices bacon, diced 

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped 

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half and sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bunch kale, tough core removed and chopped

4 potatoes

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: fresh chopped parsley

1. Put the bacon in a large stockpot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain off most of the fat.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leek; cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes more.
3. Add the kale, potatoes, herbs, wine and chicken stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.   
4. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with fresh parsley. 

Chef’s tip: If you have a piece of parmesan cheese rind, add it to the soup along with the chicken stock. It adds a wonderful flavor and depth to your soup.

This soup is best made the day before. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind before serving.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

©Susan W. Nye, 2009

Secret Santas

We’re in the homestretch, the final countdown to Christmas. With only a few days to go, it’s time to follow Santa’s example and take one last look at that too-long to-do list. There’s a pretty good chance that a few checkmarks will be missing. But at this point I’m ready to breathe a sigh of relief and figure if it ain’t done, it probably doesn’t need doing. It’s time to relax and enjoy the long weekend with family and friends.

Christmas has always been a special time in our house. Without question, we have had more than our fair share of chaos and excitement.  Lots of wonderful memories were born out of all that pandemonium. When we were very small, there were the visits from Santa. Every year a neighbor dressed in a red suit and white beard stopped in for a last minute naughty and nice inspection. We then spent the rest of the night before Christmas in overdrive, antsy with anticipation. When we got a little older, we spent Christmas on Pleasant Lake. We loved spending Christmas in the country, especially when it snowed.

And there were all the presents. Dad was in sales and he was good at it. When sales were up, we all enjoyed a bountiful Christmas. My mother shopped for the three kids, her parents, his parents, the cousins, the mailman, the paper boy and who knows who else. Dad shopped for her. He was always tight lipped and never asked for help or opinions. By Christmas Eve speculation about Dad’s gift to Mom ran high. Guesses were thrown about but he kept silent.  

I was ever so proud the year I guessed right. I was eight and out of the blue I blurted out that he had bought her a mink stole. (It was quite a long time ago, when women still wore stoles and fur was not yet politically incorrect.) Everyone laughed and thought I was adorable.

Until the next morning when my mother let out a shriek of joy and danced around the living room with the soft, warm fur draped over her bathrobe. After the excitement died down, all eyes turned to me. How did I know? I just shrugged. The fur had been hidden next door at the Caruso’s, had I overheard something? “Absolutely not,” I protested, “No one told me anything. I just knew.”

Unwilling to throw caution to the wind, the next year Dad pulled me aside a few days before Christmas. He wanted to know if I could again divine his plans for my mother. I thought for a minute or two and then gave an answer close enough to the truth to make him nervous and cement my reputation as a Christmas psychic.

And so began a little father-daughter tradition. I became his sidekick and he took me with him when he picked up Mom’s gift. I rarely, if ever, helped him pick it out. No, that he did alone. The fur stole aside, jewelry was his gift of choice for Mom. Sometime over the long Thanksgiving weekend he would sneak away for a few hours. He would visit Dana’s Jewelers and pick out a special treasure. In exchange for my silence, I was invited to join him on the return trip to fetch the bauble just in time for Christmas.

Mr. Dana would always unveil the pin or pendant, ring or bracelet with a subtle and stately flourish. My Dad stood proud and pleased as I gave the appropriate ooh and ah. Driving home, Dad would remind me that this was our secret and I was again sworn to silence.

He needn’t have worried. I never dreamed of telling. I didn’t want to be left at home on the next clandestine visit to Mr. Dana’s. And even more important, I felt a fierce rivalry with my older sister. I would have carried those secrets to the grave. Knowing something that she didn’t was just too good to give up. Enjoy a lovely Christmas filled with fun and surprises!

Bon appétit!

Savory Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard Bread Pudding

Take a break from a traditional stuffing, this dish goes beautifully with poultry or pork. Make it a part of one of your holiday feasts and enjoy!

Serves 6-8

1 pound butternut squash, cut in cubes

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces mild Italian sausage, casings removed

12 ounces Swiss chard, chopped

4-6 cups day old country-style bread, cut in cubes

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

4 eggs

1 cup half & half

Pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put the squash in a large ovenproof skillet and sprinkle sage, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, toss to coat.  Roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Add the onion to the skillet and toss to combine. Return to the oven, reduce heat to 375 degrees and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven. Let cool.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the Swiss chard to the skillet and continue cooking until the Swiss chard has wilted. Let cool.
4. Put the bread cubes, sausage and vegetables in a large bowl; toss to combine. Add the goat cheese and toss again.
5. Generously butter a 2 quart casserole dish. Put the bread mixture in the dish. Whisk together the eggs, half & half and nutmeg. Carefully pour the liquid over the bread mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and bake until piping hot and golden brown, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

©Susan W. Nye, 2009

The Twelve Days of Christmas

With the start of the Christmas season, I am full of good cheer. I frequently find myself singing or humming as I go about my business. The Twelve Days of Christmas is one of those hypnotic songs that gets caught in my brain. So I began to think (usually a dangerous thing) about all the crazy gifts in the song. Imagine the chaos! Honking geese. Trumpeting swans. Quacking ducks. And if that’s not enough, add a bunch of lords and ladies who can’t sit still. And where the heck would I put the milkmaids and their cows? My garage is already packed to the rafters with the lawn mower, snow blower and too much flotsam and jetsam.

Instead of a creating list of sometimes silly, sometimes too-soon-forgotten presents, I have decided to see if I can come up with a list of blessings to celebrate throughout the Christmas season.  

Day one … one happy, healthy me.  

Day two … two parents who are in their eighties, alive, kicking and full of fun. I also have two siblings, one of each, a sister and a brother. And their two wonderful spouses. I am blessed!

Day three … My three favorite sports: walking (used to be running), skiing and kayaking!

Day four … the joy of knowing all four grandparents and spending time with them not just as a little kid but well into my twenties.

Day five … okay, maybe a gift of five golden rings wouldn’t be so bad!

Day six … six glorious years near Pleasant Lake living a re-invented life as a writer and cook.

Day seven … I’m a gadget fan. My favorite kitchen gadgets make life easier and more delicious. In no particular order:

1. Mini food processor
2. Kitchen tongs
3. Flat whisk
4. Silicon spatulas
5. Handheld citrus juicers
6. Italian espresso makers
7. Stand mixer

Day eight … nieces, nephews and grand-nephews. From my oldest niece who lives too far away (yeah, I’m one to talk) with two little boys of her own, to the twenty-something nephews and the twirling girlies. I love them all.

Day nine … yippee, the first big snowstorm of the winter roars in on December 9^th. We won’t have to dream of a white Christmas.

Day ten … at least ten, it could be more but who’s counting, great editors and publishers who have helped me make a go at becoming a real live, professional, published writer. Thank you for your support.

Day eleven … I don’t actually know the number but I’ve had many good and a few great teachers. I can’t help but think that life would be pretty dull and drab if it weren’t for the skills and knowledge they taught me. 

Day twelve … a bunch of wonderful friends and kind supporters, there are too many to count on a single day. I am blessed with people who love (or at least like) me and what I do. Thanks for your kindness and cheers of encouragement on the fun, fascinating and challenging journey that is my life.

Enjoy the season and bon appétit!

 White Chocolate & Cranberry Christmas Trifle  

This festive dessert is a delicious finish to any holiday meal. Enjoy!

Serves 8

2 cups cold heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch salt

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Grated peel of 1 orange

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

8 crisp ladyfinger cookies, cut in thirds

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce & Cranberry Coulis (recipe follows)

Garnish: Sliced, toasted almonds and grated white chocolate

1. Prepare an ice bath in a large, shallow bowl and set aside. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk 1/2 cup of cream, yolks, sugar and salt together in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it registers 170 degrees on a thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes; whisk to combine. Stir in the Grand Marnier, vanilla and grated orange peel. Set the bowl in the ice bath, stir frequently to cool. Chill completely in the refrigerator.
3. Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add the custard and beat until well combined and smooth. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  Whisk one quarter of the whipped cream into cream cheese-custard mixture.  Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
4. Put a dollop of the custard cream in the bottom of a dessert or wine glass. Arrange 3 cookie pieces on top of the custard. Drizzle with cranberry coulis. Top with another dollop of custard. Repeat with remaining glasses.
5. Cover each pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Garnish with a little whole berry cranberry sauce, sprinkle with white chocolate and almonds and serve.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce & Cranberry Coulis 

Makes about 2 cups cranberry sauce and 1 1/2 cup of coulis

8-ounces fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups orange juice

Grated peel of 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger

Pinch salt

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1. To make the sauce: Combine cranberries with sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, grated peel and spices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Cover and refrigerate.
2. To make the coulis: When the sauce has cooled, combine 1 cup of cranberry sauce with remaining orange juice and Grand Marnier in a blender or small food processor. Process until smooth. Strain the coulis through a sieve.

Store extra sauce and coulis in the refrigerator.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

© Susan W. Nye, 2009

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Dorothy whispered it three times as she clicked her ruby red slippers. College kids mumble it as they struggle out of bed on their first morning of vacation. Business travelers utter it with a sigh of relief as they drive into the driveway after a long trip. There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. Especially during the holidays.

When I was twenty-something I packed a couple of small carry-on bags and flew to Europe. The plan was to complete an eight week internship and then spend a month or so bumming around Italy. Half way into the internship I received an offer for a one year post doing research at a business school. I finished the internship, postponed bumming around Italy, flew home, packed a large suitcase and my old Girl Scout camp trunk and moved to Switzerland.

One thing led to another and before I knew it I had taken up permanent residence in Geneva. Not just for a few years, I stayed for almost two decades. But I always came home for Christmas. Many of my friends rented chalets in the Alps but I could not imagine spending the holidays anywhere but New England. I still can’t. 

Christmas in New England is really quite special. Sparkling lights decorate businesses up and down Main Street. As soon as the snow falls, our little town starts to look like a Currier and Ives print. The Christmas lights tour was an annual event when we were kids. We would all bundle into the station wagon and my dad would drive us all over town to see the decorations. He then took us out for a special family dinner.

In the coming days and weeks there will be lots of festive activities to keep us busy. There will be office parties, open houses, cookie swaps and fundraisers. Santa will come to town to have a chat with the kids. We’ll stay fit with a Jingle Bells or Reindeer fun run, maybe both. We’ll shop at craft shows and holiday bazaars and the stores will stay open for an evening or two of late shopping. While it may sometimes seem impossible, we will somehow or other make it through the whirlwind of activities.

December is also packed with special memories. Along with all the hoopla, it’s nice to find a few quiet moments to reflect on the season, special memories and family traditions. This weekend, I’ll put up my tree and deck the house with sentimental chotskies, dust-catchers and boughs of holly and evergreen. I’ll hang the stocking that my dad’s Aunt Bertha knit for me when I was an infant. My sister, brother and cousins, all have one of her hand-knit Christmas stockings. She found the pattern in Woman’s Home Companion sometime in the 1930’s and made stockings for family and friends for decades. When my oldest niece was born, my mother tracked down the pattern. The next generation of Nye children hangs that very same stocking on the chimney with care. My sister Brenda has now taken up the needles for the newest generation and the tradition continues.

Like every family, we share a few holiday rituals and traditions. Some come and go; others hang around for decades, passing from one generation to the next. The night before Christmas is just not the night before Christmas without a reading of Mr. Moore’s famous poem. We can’t go to bed before cookies and milk are set out for Santa and a carrot is left for Rudolf. We are an excitable bunch and so Christmas morning starts well before the sun comes up. Christmas mornings at the Nye’s have always been and probably always will be best described as a riotous frenzy but I cannot imagine spending Christmas anywhere else.

Have a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends!

Bon appétit!

 Roasted Green Beans & Tomatoes

This colorful side dish is perfect for the holidays! Roasting brings out the full flavor of the beans and sweetness of the tomatoes. Enjoy!

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, washed and trimmed

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 small red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Put the beans and tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Distribute in an even layer. Roast for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the chopped onion, toss to combine and redistribute the vegetables. Return to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes more. When they are done, the beans will be slightly shriveled and have dark golden brown spots. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and serve.   

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on COMMENTS below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

©Susan W. Nye, 2009

Celebrate the Season

Halloween is but a distant memory; Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone. We are now in the long stretch to New Year’s Day. Long stretch my eye; it is just a blink away. I always say that getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner (and eating it) is a marathon not a sprint. Well, getting through December isn’t a sprint and it isn’t a marathon; it’s more like a triathlon. Change that, it’s more like a pentathlon or an obstacle course or a three ring circus. Or maybe all of the above.

The holidays are a wonderful excuse for a party but pulling it off can be a challenge. As I a nurse a tryptophan hangover and sip a very strong caffè latte, I realize that now is as good a time as any to offer a few hints to help you survive kitchen craziness and enjoy your own party.  

December is a great time to celebrate the spirit of the season. Enjoy some laughs, share old memories with family and friends and make some new ones. To cut down on party-induced stress, start with the knowledge and confidence that it is YOUR party and it is YOUR kitchen. There are no rules, no dos, no don’ts (unless you make them).You call the shots.  

If your signature beef tenderloin or lobster pie isn’t in the budget this year, don’t despair, don’t cancel the party or spend money you don’t have.  Change the menu. A beautiful seafood stew or braised beef is a comforting substitute and easier on the pocketbook. Make it with love, serve it with a smile and your guests will embrace the change.

The colorful and endearing Julia Child is frequently quoted and just as often misquoted. She was fun, funny and gave America the confidence to give classic French cooking a whirl. In spite of all that, you should feel free to ignore one of her more famous lines, “You’re alone in the kitchen.”  When one of your guests offers to bring an appetizer or dessert, don’t be a stoic. It is more than okay to breathe a sigh of relief and gratefully accept. It’s also okay to invite friends into the kitchen to help stir a pot, toss a salad and open a bottle of wine. Or just keep you company and share a laugh while you bustle about with last minute preparations.

Most important, take a lesson from Santa, make a list and check it twice. If you are like me, you’ve had those times when you made too many trips to the store. First you realize that you forgot the olives. Then you run out of milk. Just when you think you’ve made your last trip, you discover you’re out of cinnamon.  With all you you’ve got to do and all you have on your mind, your life will be easier if you invest a little time in a plan. And write it down.

The shopping list is just the start. The devil is in the details and I am hopeless without my to-do list. The phone rings, I get distracted and forget to set the table or wash the lettuce. The party starts  and it doesn’t take long to get caught up in the frivolity and oops … forget to put on the rice or chop the parsley. For years I covered my kitchen cupboards with post-it note reminders. Now I make one long list and take immeasurable satisfaction in crossing off each and every item. 

And finally, I put several years of yoga classes to good use. (Thank you Cathy Zoeller!) If I start to feel frazzled or stressed, I simply take a couple of deep breaths. And then a couple more. It has almost become a ritual. In the last few minutes before the door bell starts to ring, I put my hand on my belly and breathe deep. And then smile … ready to celebrate!

Enjoy the holiday season! 

Bon appétit!

Braised Beef with Red Wine & Vegetables

Fill the house with the warm and wonderful aroma of beef and vegetables braising in red wine. Comforting on a cold night, it is a great dish for a party. Enjoy your guests while dinner bubbles in the oven. 

Serves 8

4 ounces slab or thick cut bacon, roughly chopped

3 – 3 1/2 pounds thick cut London broil

Flour for dusting the beef

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped

4-5 stalks celery, chopped

2 teaspoons dried herbs de Provence

1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes or to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons cognac

3 cups dry red wine

2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought beef stock

2 cups crushed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 pound potatoes, halved or quartered

1/2 pound frozen pearl onions

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish:  fresh chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the bacon in a heavy casserole over medium-low heat until crisp and brown. Remove the bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and reserve. 
3. Meanwhile, combine a little flour with salt and pepper. Dust both sides of the beef evenly with the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Brown over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the beef and add to the reserved bacon.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add a little more bacon fat to the pot (if you run out of bacon fat, substitute with a little olive oil); add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sprinkle with herbs de Provence and chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent. Add the cognac and cook 1-2 minutes more.
5. Put the beef and bacon back into the stew pot. Add the potatoes, pearl onions, wine, stock, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours or until the beef and vegetables are tender. If the stew gets too dry, add more wine and/or stock. Remove the beef from the casserole and cut across the grain in thick slices. Garnish with parsley, serve with the vegetables and sauce.

This dish can be made 2 or 3 days ahead. To reheat, bring to a simmer on top of the stove and then transfer to a 350 degree oven and cook until the meat and vegetables are warmed through.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on COMMENTS below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the SUBSCRIBE button.

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

©Susan W. Nye, 2009