Fresh Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

Fresh or frozen corn works well in this very intensely flavored corn soup topped with a roasted corn guacamole tinged with heat from diced jalapenos. Diced red onion, garlic, cilantro and the zest and juice from limes complete this easy soup perfect for any season. Original recipe here.

Roasted Corn Guacamole

• Kernels from 3 ears fresh corn, or 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted and chopped

Soup

• Kernels from 5 ears fresh corn, or 3 cups frozen corn, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Cilantro sprigs, to garnish

Roast the Corn for the Guacamole
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread the corn out evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until the corn turns a golden brown. It may seem that you have left the corn in the oven for too long, but you want the corn to caramelize and get a little crunchy. Remove the corn from the oven and set aside.

Prepare the Corn for the Soup
Put the kernels (fresh or frozen and defrosted) in a blender.

Combine the oil and the garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the blender and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse or stir the corn mixture in order to achieve a smooth consistency, but do not add any more liquid.)

Simmer the Soup
Pour the corn puree into the soup pot and place over medium heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until the soup begins to thicken. Slowly whisk or stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Finish the Roasted Corn Guacamole
In a bowl, combine the roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and jalapeño. Gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve and Garnish
Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Place a generous spoonful of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro placed in the center of each.

Eggs Scrambled with Roasted Red Peppers

This rustic Italian dish, a mixture of creamy scrambled eggs with sauteed roasted red peppers and garlic is perfect for breakfast, a light lunch or an easy Sunday night supper. Roast your own peppers or use a good brand of fire roasted red peppers. For sandwiches, broil or grill slices of crusty Italian or Rosemary Raisin Bread. Serves 2-3, but the recipe is easily doubled. Adapted from "Italy in Small Bites" by Carol Field.

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, or 2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry and cut into thin strips
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large eggs
• Sea salt
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley, optional
  
• 4-6 slices country-style Italian bread, or rosemary raisin bread
  

1. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Saute the peppers and garlic over medium-low heat until soft, but not mushy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and salt.
2. Add the eggs to the pan and scramble them until they are creamy and set.
3. For the sandwiches, grill or broil the bread. Arrange the scrambled egg mixture between the slices allowing the flavors to imbue the crusty bread.
   

Sugar-Topped Pomegranate Molasses Spice Cookies

I'm having house guests this coming weekend, so the cookies chosen by Pamela of Cookies with the Boys would be perfect for the picnic I'm planning. Since they freeze well, I could make them ahead of time.

I was multi-tasking this past Sunday; making cookies and pomegranate molasses from the juice the lovely folks at POMWonderful sent me just recently. I thought Pomegranate molasses too exotic to make at home, plus it isn't available in the high-end grocery stores that I sometimes frequent. After searching online for recipes and realizing how easy the molasses was to make at home, I was elated. Here in the United States, PomWonderful is the largest grower and processor of pomegranates, specifically the Wonderful variety. Pomegranate juice has so many health advantages that it should be considered a veritable fountain of youth. Did you know that grenadine syrup is also made from pomegranate juice? I didn't! I see some cocktails in my crystal ball!

Back to the cookies-The pomegranate molasses had cooled and looked just like the jarred molasses, except the color was a deeper red. The finished cookies had a great spice flavor which wasn't overpowered by the inclusion of the pomegranate molasses and I could discern a subtle piquant taste from the fruit. Very pleasing.

Since November is a busy month leading up to the holidays, the Tuesdays with Dorie baking group has some leeway in posting this month's picks. So check out the blogroll, it's not all cookies!

Grape and Pear Pie

This post is not as much about the grape pear pie, which was delicious and unusual, as it is about the pie crust itself. As far as I can remember back to my early days of learning to bake pies, I have always made my own pie crust, not only because I loved making the dough and rolling it out, but I never liked the aluminum tins that the unbaked crusts came in; plus most pie fillings would overflow these meager vessels. In my mind, it was a travesty to make a homemade filling and then it end up in a tasteless crust. Now to the crux of the matter-I was in a hurry to make this pie! Setting my snobbery aside, I bought a package of rolled 9 inch pie crusts from the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

Making the pie was a snap! The refrigerated dough sat out for about 15 minutes to make it easier to handle. I wouldn't recommend the microwave method to warm the dough to room temperature due to uneven heating in some microwave units. In about 20 minutes, I had the pie in the oven. Although the baked crust was a little thick, I was impressed with the flavor. I will continue to make my own pie crusts, but when in pressed for time, I'll buy the ready made ones. From Better Homes and Gardens, recipe here. Pie needs to cool for 6 hours, then refrigerated up to 24 hours.

Grape and Pear Pie

Ingredients

* 2 rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crusts
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
* 1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
* 5 cups seedless red or black grapes
* 2 medium red pears, cored and sliced (2 cups)
* 1 egg white

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Pastry for Double Crust Pie. For filling, in a large bowl stir together brown sugar, flour, melted butter, and orange peel. Add grapes and pears; toss.

2. On lightly floured surface, slightly flatten 1 ball of pastry. Roll dough from center to edges into 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry around rolling pin; unroll in 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch. Trim even with rim of pie plate. Pour filling into pastry. Roll remaining dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Place pastry on filling; trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry edge under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Place on baking sheet.

3. In small bowl combine egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush top of pie with egg white mixture. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 35 minutes; remove foil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes more or until top of pastry is golden and steam is escaping from slits in top crust. Remove from oven. Cool 6 hours. Store, loosely covered, in refrigerator up to 24 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Photographing a Ghost

You can photograph your own ghost with these tips from Photojojo. Have fun and Happy Halloween.

Cherry-Fudge Brownie Torte

The rain played havoc with my photography today. I should have finished the cherry fudge brownie torte yesterday, but was out of town visiting my sister. Yesterday was beautiful; today is dark, dreary and pouring rain. Now that the time will be changing soon, I must begin using my lighting equipment that I bought awhile back. I threw open all the shutters, pulled out reflector boards and mirrors to get the photos for this Tuesdays with Dorie edition chosen by April of short+rose who has the recipe on her blog.

I halved the recipe and used 4 x 1-3/4-inch springform pans that I bought at Michaels. Not wanting to search for mascarpone, I made the faux version suggested by Rachelle of Mommy, I'm Hungry. It tastes pretty good; in fact, I could have ditched the cake and eaten the faux mascarpone! This is a great cake for guests as it can be made a day ahead. Check out the TWD blogroll to see what lovely cakes our Dorie bakers have come up with.

Daring Cooks -Vietnamese Shrimp Pho, Plus Brandied Fig, Chocolate and Sugared Walnut Stuffed Wontons

Our October Daring Cooks challenge comes from Jaden of Steamy Kitchen fame whose exciting first cookbook is due to hit the shelves mid October; however the Daring Cooks get a chance to make two of her recipes which will be included in her cookbook. The first one is Vietnamese Pho, a concoction of noodles in a spirited broth with choice of meat, seafood or vegetables, then garnished with loads of fresh accompaniments, such as cilantro, red onions, lime and a hot sauce. The second challenge, a delicious and decadent chocolate wonton. While the challenge required we make the pho broth exactly as the recipe states, especially the seasoning; choosing the meat, seafood or vegetable/vegan was a personal consideration. Especially thrilling was the opportunity to be creative with the wonton fillings and shapes. However, it was imperative that the wonton remain a dessert.

From the Daring Cooks October Challenge

Vietnamese Pho
For my Vietnamese Shrimp Pho, I followed the directions below except when the broth was completed, I used fresh, peeled and deveined shrimp which I stir-fried first before adding to the Pho.

1. Variation; chicken, beef, pork, seafood or vegetarian/vegan.

2. There is no variation allowed with regard to seasoning. You must use the spices listed in the recipe and they must be toasted. (Only leeway here is if you cannot use the spices for health/dietary reasons.) *Note: Use same spices as listed in the chicken Pho recipe for pork, seafood and vegetarian/vegan variations. The beef variation lists it’s unique spices in the recipe.

Equipment:

• Frying pan
• Large stockpot
• Tongs
• Strainer, sieve or colander
• Bowls for serving

Preparation Time: 45 cooking time + 15 minutes to cook noodles based on package directions

Servings: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Pho Broth:
2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 quarts (2 liters/8 cups/64 fluid ounces) store-bought or homemade chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast (bone in or boneless)
½ onion
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
1 to 2 tbsps. sugar
1 to 2 tbsps. fish sauce

1 lb. (500 grams/16 ounces) dried rice noodles (about ¼ inch/6 mm wide)

Accompaniments:

2 cups (200 grams/7 ounces) bean sprouts, washed and tails pinched off
Fresh cilantro (coriander) tops (leaves and tender stems)
½ cup (50 grams/approx. 2 ounces) shaved red onions
½ lime, cut into 4 wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
Hoisin sauce
Sliced fresh chili peppers of your choice

Directions:

1. To make the Chicken Pho Broth: heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.
2. In a large pot, add all the ingredients (including the toasted spices) and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.
4. Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in breasts.
5. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.
6. Prepare the noodles as per directions on the package.
7. Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded chicken breast and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl.
8. Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.

Brandied Fig, Chocolate and Sugared Walnut Stuffed Wontons

My dessert wontons are a brandied dried fig, grated chocolate and sugared walnut concoction.
Figs are one of my all time favorite fruits and perfect for a Fall dessert. Most often I use dried figs as they are readily available. Keeping Jaden's chocolate theme, I used Scharffenberger dark chocolate and I had on hand sugared walnuts that I had made recently.


Ingredients for the Brandied Fig, Chocolate and Sugared Walnut Wontons

Makes 12 filled wontons

• 1-5-6 oz package dried figs, chopped
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 1 oz grated dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup sugared walnuts or toasted walnuts, chopped
• 24 wonton wrappers
• Bowl of water
• Pastry brush
• Oil for Frying

How to Make the Stuffed Wontons

1. In a small saucepan, add water and figs. Cook over medium heat until the water evaporates, taking care not to burn the figs. Remove pan from heat, add 3 tablespoons brandy. Stand clear of pot and set the figs aflame. When the flames die down, transfer figs to a bowl. Let cool
2. Add the grated chocolate and sugared or toasted walnuts. Combine well.
3. On a clean, dry work surface, lay one wonton wrapper down. Place a scant tablespoon of the fig mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Brush s small amount of water on the edges of the wrapper. Place a second wonton wrapper over the filling so the shape resembles a star. Place on parchment paper. Repeat process until all wonton wrappers are filled. Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap until ready to fry.
4. In a wok or medium pot, pour in 2-3 inches of oil.
5. Heat the oil to 350° F.
   
6. Gently slide one or two wontons in the hot oil.
   
7. Fry for 1 minute, then flip and fry until both sides are golden brown and crisp.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sugared walnut.

Allspice Muffins-Tuesdays with Dorie

Kayte of Grandma's Kitchen Table chose not only an easy muffin recipe for this week, but one that filled my kitchen with the aroma of allspice, one of my favorites. Last week, I had made a grilled flank steak meal using jerk seasoning whose essential ingredient is allspice, so I was delighted to use the spice again, but in a dessert. Allspice has the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, pepper and nutmeg rolled into one. Named the "Jamaican pepper" by the Spanish who erroneously thought the fruit was black pepper, allspice is grown only in the Western Hemisphere. This tall evergreen grew wild in the rain forests of South and Central America, but the forests were decimated, so few remain. The best allspice is said to come from Jamaica where the soil and climate are well-suited for producing this ambrosial spice. Whole allspice can be stored indefinitely, but the ground spice loses its flavor after about three months. Culinary uses of allspice are many and varied. To substitute for allspice, combine one part nutmeg with two parts each of cinnamon and cloves. Source

Kayte has the recipe on her blog or you can find it on page 16 of "Baking From My Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan. The Allspice Muffins are great to serve with breakfast, brunch or with a cup of coffee or hot tea.