VIVE LA FRANCE ...

 French Onion Soup - a Classic !

After trying so many different recipes for French Onion Soup and not being really sure if I liked it or not,  I finally came up with my own. So far whoever ate it - loved it!

Serves 4

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

2 lbs yellow onion cut into slices (makes approx. 6 cups)

2 tsp sugar if you use Cognac

1 tsp sugar if you use Sherry or Port

1 tbl (heaped) flour

1 Sachel (I use a porcelain tea egg hanging from the side of the pot) with 6 thyme sprigs, 12 peppercorn and 2 bay leaves) for the beef broth

3 1/2-4 cups of boiling beef stock (1 1/2 "More than Gourmet" Demi Glace Gold from FreshDirect)

2 cups of water

1/4 cup cognac (4 tbl)

1/2 tsp salt (or to your liking)

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

12 stale french bread slices or enough to cover the soup

1 lb Gruyer (or mixed with Emmenthaler), half coarsely grated and half thinly sliced

• Melt butter over moderate heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and sugar, cover and cook for approx. 20 Min. stirring occasionally until wilted and of a light golden color.
• Uncover and continue cooking for another 25 Min. until brown and well caramelized. Don't forget to stir often, so the onions do not burn!
• Add flour to pan an stir well to incorporate the flour into the onions. Then slowly stir in the boiling (!) beef broth, water, 2 tbl Cognac (or Sherry/Port), salt and pepper. Boil for a few minutes and then turn down and let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes partially covered. (While the soup is simmering toast the bread slices - Toaster is the easiest). After 45 Minutes uncover Soup and cook for another 10 Minutes. Adjust seasoning and add the last tbl Cognac. 
• Divide the soup into 4 ovenproof soup bowls, arrange the  bread slices, sprinkle the cheese generously over the bread and drape the wide thin slices of cheese over the side of the bowls. It prevents the cheese from slipping off the rim of the bowl. Put under a preheated broiler until the cheese melts and has a golden brown color.

Accompany with a nice Organic Baby Romaine Salad with Olive oil and a splash of Balsamic Vinegar - the older the better) and a glass of French Red Wine.

Bon Appetit! À Votre Santé!

PIIIZZZZAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!

NO, ITS NOT ROUND, does not have to be ... my pizza stone is rectangular and I never manage to get this thing into a round shape anyway.

His and Hers - One part of the pizza is a Margherita, the other side is with Andouille smoked sausage (Wine Library in New Jersey), black pitted Moroccan olives (Citarella).

 

DOUGH:

1 (1/4-oz) active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting

3/4 cup warm water, divided

1 teaspoon salt

 

TOPPING:

4 large very ripe tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves, smashed

6 cocktail tomatoes cut in half

approx. 10 thin slices of sausage

approx. 10 moroccan olives

If you like garlic add a few slivers of garlic onto the sausage side

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 basil leaves plus more for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon sugar

6 oz. fresh Mozzarella cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

 

EQUIPMENT: 

A pizza stone, Kitchen Aid Professional 600 (optional ;-) - I use it almost every day though)

 

MAKE DOUGH: 

Stir together yeast, 1 Tbsp flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears bubbly and creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t appear creamy, start again with new yeast.) Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour  for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. The Dough has to be slightly wet though, so don't add too much of the flour. Knead on a floured surface, lightly adding more when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes... if you have the Kitchen Aid just use the dough hook on 2 and knead until it pulls away from the bowl. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

 

MAKE TOMATO SAUCE WHILE DOUGH RISES:

Peel and cut  tomatoes into small cubes.Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.

 

HEAT PIZZA STONE WHILE DOUGH RISES:

At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.

 

SHAPE DOUGH:

Take dough gently out of the bowl. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet - I use a large wooden cutting board. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round or rectangular, reflouring fingers if necessary. Don't pull too hard it will break the dough.

 

ASSEMBLE PIZZA:

Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border an then add the rest of the toppings (its also great to add some artichoke hearts slices or anchovies).Slide pizza with the parchment paper onto the pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.I always have a nice little bottle of olive oil with hot chili flakes ready to drizzle over the pizza.

 

Goes well with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.

 

Buon Appetito, Salut! 

KOREAN DELIGHT

Korean BBQ Night for 2! You are wondering about the picture? My battery on the camera gave  up on me and by the time the battery was charged again ... Well as you can see, food's gone! It was great!

Things done easy! Well almost easy! Takes some time to make it, but its worth it!

Approximately 1 lb. of good steak meat (this is a Rib Eye , which has a little fat woven into it). Put it into the freezer, so its slightly frozen. You need to slice the meat into really thin slices and freezing it a bit helps to do that ... and always cut it AGAINST the grain.

By the way, I found a great website (delivery through UPS, good rates too) of a Korean Supermarket H Mart , which has also stores all over Queens. There is also a place here in Manhattan called Han Ah Reum Asian Market on 32nd Street, which I like. Shopping online though is so much easier, because you can really research what you look for in peace and quiet.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound beef rib eye or top sirloin, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Honey and Mirin or sugar
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

If you want to give it a bit of a more fruity taste add

1/2 pear, my favorite Asian Pear - peeled, cored, and minced to the marinade

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine beef with all ingredients, except sesame seeds, which you add before serving. Seal, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Preheat grill pan over high heat. Brush oil over grill pan, and add beef. Cook, turning to brown evenly, until done. Remember its a steak, so you can cook it rare, medium or if you must, well done. 

Concerning Grill Pan: I use my adjustable Fondue base with sterno paste, put the grilling pan (Le Creuset cobalt blue)  on top. Works perfectly. 

Side Dishes: 

BANCHAN

Rice (my preference Sticky Thai Rice)

Any other kind or rice will do. 

traditional Cabbage Kimchi (sliced and whole)

  Radish Kimchi 

Check your fridge what left over vegetables you have: Spinach (wash and blanche with a touch of soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds for a few minutes). let cool to room temperature and put into a little bowl and again off to the table.

Do the same with Bok Choy or Chinese (Nappa)  cabbage and if you want to spice it up add some of the hot pepper paste.

Cucumber sticks (scrape out seeds) mixed with some of the hot pepper paste

3 tbsp. Hot Pepper paste mixed with 2 tbsp. soy sauce, touch of Sesame oil, 1 tsp. Mirin, 1 tsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. sesame seeds. Mix all together and off to the table. 1 little bowl for each person to dunk the BBQd meat. 

1 little bowl for each person with 2 tbsp. soy and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. For looks I add a thin slice of lemon.

Lettuce tear off a small piece of lettuce ("face up," with the bottom of the rib facing down) to wrap around the freshly grilled meat and make a bite-size sandwich.

Garlic

Served in a small bowl with sliced green chiles. First, roast the garlic atop the grill, and then add a slice to your barbecue "sandwich"

Asian Pear Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sake or dry sherry

1/4 cup sugar

1 small Asian pear, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

4 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Asian Pear Dipping Sauce (Makes about 2 1/2 cups)

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed and the sugar is dissolved. Divide the sauce among as many small bowls as there are people, so each person has their own for dipping, and serve immediately.

즐기십시오 ! (Enjoy!)

Koreans drink either beer or Soju.  We settled for a nice cold Sake. 

건강 ! (Good Health!)