The first storm of the winter arrived on Sunday, the 1st of October, with 2-1/2 inches of rain drenching the forest floor in a 12 hour period at Humbug Mountain. As the 55 mph winds curled around our forest home, my thoughts turned to comfort food: Hearty Chanterelle Soup with Vegetable Breadsticks, accompanied by a Spinach Salad with Orange-Poppyseed Dressing. Let's top off the meal with the last of the season's berries in a Spicy Blackberry Tart.
Hearty Chanterelle Soup
1 pound chanterelles, chopped coarsely
5 tablespoons butter
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
2 leeks, washed and finely chopped
1large clove garlic, peeled and mined
1-1/2 cups potato, peeled and diced
6-1/2 cups chicken stock, lightly seasoned
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or parsley, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Saute the chanterelles in large heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons butter. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. The heat must be high to allow the mushrooms to release their juices, but take care not to brown them. Do not cook longer than 3-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve the liquid.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy soup pot, about 4 quart size. Add leeks, garlic and potatoes. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the reserved mushrooms juices, chicken stock, and thyme or parsley. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Add the chopped and cooked mushrooms. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes.
- Pour the soup through a fine sieve into a large mixing bowl, reserving all the liquid. Let the mushrooms and vegetables cool slightly. Puree vegetables in a blender or food processor.
- Rinse out the soup pot with hot water and pour the reserved liquid into it. Add the mushroom puree and mix with a wire whisk. Set the pot over low heat and add the sour cream and vinegar, allowing the soup to simmer gently.
- Serve to 4 diners with a garnish of additional sour cream.
Vegetable Breadsticks
1 cup instant potato flakes
1 cup water
6 tablespoons skim milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup skim milk
5 cups bread flour, divided
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 large egg
- Combine first 5 ingredients. Set aside.
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in 3/4 cup warm milk in a large bowl, and let mixture stand 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour, potato mixture, margarine, salt, vinegar and egg. Beat mixture at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Stir in 1 cup flour to form a sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, and add enough of the remaining flour, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
- Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover dough, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
- Punch down, and divide in half. Working with one portion at a time, covering remaining dough to keep from drying, roll dough into a 10 x 7 rectangle. Cut dough crosswise into 20 strips, 7 inch long and 1/2 inch wide. Gently twist strips of dough. Repeat with remaining dough. Place dough twists 1 inch apart on two baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Uncover breadsticks. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
- Yield: 40 breadsticks.
Spinach Salad with Orange-Poppyseed Dressing
1/2 of a small cantaloupe
7 cups torn spinach
1 cup cubed fully cooked lean ham
1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
dash pepper
1/3 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon poppyseeds
1/2 cups toasted pecan halves
- Thinly slice the cantaloupe lengthwise. Using miniature cutters, cut the melon into stars.
- In a large serving bowl, toss together cantaloupe, spinach, ham and red onion. Cover and chill till needed, up to 8 hours.
- Make dressing by combining in a processor or blender: sugar, orange peel and juice, vinegar, onion and pepper. Cover and process until combined. With the processor or blender running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream through hole or opening in top. Process or blend till mixture is thickened. Stir in poppyseeds. Cover and chill up to 1 week. Shake before using. Makes 3/4 cup.
- Before serving, add pecans and 1/3 cup of the Orange-Poppyseed dressing to mixture. Makes 8 side dish servings or 4 main dish servings.
Spicy Blackberry Tart
5 cups blackberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon each grated lemon peel and ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- To prepare filling: Mash half the berries and set aside. Combine sugar and cornstarch in sauce pan. Add lemon juice, lemon peel, cloves, cinnamon and all the berries. Cook, stirring until thick and clear, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter until melted. Cool.
- To prepare crust: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Blend 1 egg with milk and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture until well blended. Gather the dough into a ball. Chill at least 30 minutes. Generously sprinkle a pastry cloth with flour. Roll 2/3 of the dough into a 14 inch circle. Invert into an 11 inch tart pan or 10 inch cheesecake pan. Press dough evenly over bottom and sides, extending 1-1/2 inches up sides of cheesecake pan. Roll remaining dough into a 10 by 12 inch rectangle. Cut into 1/2 inch strips with a party wheel. Pour filling into crust. Place strips 1 inch apart over filling. Repeat in opposite direction. Trim and press strips to bottom pastry to seal. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack. Cut into wedges to serve.
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