Parmesan Souffle in Narnia

A Parmesan Souffle - it's been on my agenda all winter and since winter is still here - there's no time like the present to make it. It's official. The Winter Witch rules and we live in Narnia - waiting for Aslan to help us. The fishing opener is less than three weeks away and it doesn't look like there will be ice-out on any of the 10,000 lakes soon. Minnesotans are trying to hold on to their sense of humor - calling it the "ice fishing" opener. I foresee a whole lot of people in Bermuda shorts and snowmobile boots out on the lakes with axes trying to clear a path for their boats.  

I'm not a fussy cook and this is really a no-fuss souffle. Five ingredients (yeah ... a bunch of bowls) but a ten-minute prep time and flawless results. (Just get those souffles to the table ASAP - they do deflate - you have less than a minute of "ooh and ahh.")

The original recipe makes one huge souffle or six small ones. I made three, but will give you the recipe for six. Do bake them in 8-ounce ramekins. Making a large one could be tricky - but the smaller ones are fast and puffy! The recipe is from Food Network. Find the original recipe (with hints and tips) here.

Ingredients (for six 8 ounce Parmesan Cheese Souffles)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter - plus more for greasing ramekins
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (you can use a wee bit more) plus more for coating ramekins
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (I didn't use salt - the Parm has enough salt for me)
6 eggs - separated

Parmesan Souffle Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter six 8-ounce ramekins and coat with Parmesan. Tap out excess. Set aside. Grate Parmesan. Separate eggs.

Heat milk over low heat in a small sauce pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and flour and stir for two minutes to "cook the flour." Whisk in the hot milk, bring to a boil and then to a simmer. Take pot off heat, add the grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste and then set in a bowl to cool.

In a mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Whisk egg yolks into cooled cheese-bechamel mixture. Add 1/3 of egg whites - fold in to lighten mixture. Slowly add  rest of egg whites. Divide into 6 ramekins. Bake 15 minutes until top is golden and souffles puff up. The middle may jiggle a bit.

Ironic that as I wait for spring, I concoct something fluffy and white. It's rich and while it is a winter balm - all comfort and warmth - the puffy lightness is a prelude to spring.

I may moan about the winter (because - I am good at it!) but you must also know - I thank my lucky stars that I can make a souffle, get up in the morning to work and "while away" the hours with loved ones and all of you. My heart - like everyone else's - has been in Boston all week. I am a huge fan of the city, the state and a great lover of the Boston Marathon.

Today, I minced apples to deliver to the robins. Worms are scarce and flocks of robins are in the crab-apple tree searching for last year's fruit. As I walked into the snow edging past  covered flower beds - I saw a tulip emerging in the new snow.  There are some things you can't keep down.

And then I came inside to the Jester of White Bear Lake. Who needed a purr and tummy rub. It's the "little things," you know? The "little things" that bring the good things.

Risotto Crab Cakes

Once or twice a month, Paul and I make the great trek to Surdyks in Minneapolis (it requires crossing the Mississippi - something people in the Twin Cities are sometimes loathe to do). It is my go-to place for fresh ricotta (for spoon-feeding myself), mortadella with pistachios, fun pastas (otherwise known as "artisanal pasta") and whatever else strikes our fancy. Last week some risotto-crab cakes struck our fancy.  Inexplicably last week, we had some fresh crab leftover. That doesn't happen often. But I knew what I wanted to do with it.

I came across a recipe for risotto crab cakes here and played with the recipe. It says to use your leftover risotto and I have never had leftover risotto. But who am I to judge? I've never had leftover crab either. (This would be equally good with your leftover lobster if there is such a thing.)

It's the end of January. It's been a dark day of sleet and snow. I think carbohydrate meals were created in January. These are certainly an appetizer but my sister and I could make a meal out of it. I had both kids home and so I continued my double-dipping of carbs - serving it with pasta and shrimp. To be sure there was also broccoli so we were not nutrient-starved. I could hold up my semi-virtuous head.

I love that these are crabby. In fact next time I will probably use less risotto and make them crabbier. Use fresh crab (I used snow crab clusters - use what you can find) or some good canned crab. Play with the amounts - if you want to use one cup of risotto and two cups of crab - go for it.  Use all olive oil or butter for the sauteing or just bake them (I drained them on a paper towel and then threw them in the oven).

Ingredients - makes 8 fairly large crab cakes or 12 smaller ones
2 cups risotto
1-2 cups of crab meat
2 tablespoons of scallions, chives, or favorite herbs
cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

A primer on "How to make risotto" can be found here. It just adding hot broth and stirring. It's perfect for people who like to get into a zen state sometime during the day.

In a medium-large bowl combine risotto, crab and scallions (or herbs). Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover a flat plate with a thin layer of corneal.

Form your mixture into 8-12 balls and flatten slightly. Put them in the dish with cornmeal and press them down. Turn over and do the same. You do not need to coat the sides.

In a large skillet heat the butter and olive oil. When hot, add your crab cakes and cook about 3 minutes per side (until lightly browned on both sides). (Add about 4-6 at a time so as not to crowd). Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately or rewarm in a low oven until heated through.

Serve with an aioli or creme fraiche. It's January. Indulge. A shorter winter month is on its way.

Caramelized Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Our group exploring Gourmet's List of 50 Women Game-Changers in Food has come to Week 49! This week is interesting because the focus is not on a chef - but on a website that has exploded: Foodspotting. Unlike TV chefs, I have heard of Foodspotting. But because I cook a lot at home, I have never used it.

The web-based company's description says, "Foodspotting is a visual local guide that lets you find dishes, not just restaurants, thanks to foodspotters who report sightings of foods they love." Co-founded by two women and a guy: Alexa Andrzejewski, Soraya Durabi and Ted Grubb, the company came about when Alex came home from a trip to Korea and Japan craving dishes she had had overseas but could not find any easy way of finding the dishes locally. Alexa was an experienced mobile and web designer and set out to create a "field guide for foodies." She has succeeded. Time Magazine listed Foodspotting as one of the 50 best websites of 2010. Not bad for a website that was launched in January 2010! This website is changing the way people choose restaurants. And while it will not take down the huge restaurants, the website gives some glitter to the tiny restaurant that is unknown but may have one splendiferous dish.

Just as you can "follow" people on Twitter and pins on Pinterest, so you can follow your favorite foodies on foodspotting. You can become a "foodspotter" and move up in the ranks earning points. There is a hierarchy and from what I can see on the web - people just love it.

I am going to cut to the chase and get to the recipe because life has exploded. Just as I thought my workload would be eased this summer without the Summer Theatre Program, the Minnesota Fringe Festival has shaken me up and turned me around and I am knee deep in weeds as I (ha!) "simplify" the garden and elbow-deep in theatre. If you've ever developed a 210-character blurb designed to be your primary marketing tool, you'll understand how obsessive one can be. I'm not complaining - just crazed! So if this has piqued your interest - FAQ's about foodspotting can be found here. Who knows? Maybe you will be the next grand foodspotter!

Because Foodspotting is not a site for recipes, many of us decided to find local restaurants and their offerings and then try to recreate the dishes at home. Some were lucky enough to get a recipe. Me? I winged it - but they were lovely wings!

I started my Foodspotting journey somewhat tenuously. There were a lot of deep-fried pickles from the Minnesota State Fair before I came upon a dish that gave me a "voila!"

And "voila!" Here it is

From Bar La Grassa in Minneapolis, my interpretation of their Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta. (Note: this is not the restaurant's recipe and these days they serve a "Charred Red -Onion-Goat -Cheese Bruschetta.) Either way - it's mighty fine! And if a trip to Minneapolis is not in your future, play with this - it's ripe for substitutions, additions and deletions - it's just plain fun. 

Caramelized Red Onion-Goat Cheese Bruschetta - serves 6
6 slices of favorite bread (I used whole grain but Italian, French and Ciabatta work)
1 garlic clove
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large red onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar (can use white)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (can omit or use your favorite vinegar)
6 ounces plain goat cheese
Garnish: Italian Parsley or Thyrme and olives (I used Nicoise, I also like Kalamata in this)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rub bread with garlic. Brush with olive oil and baker 7-15 minutes (depending on size of bread) until bread is lightly golden. Remove from oven.

In a large skillet or fry pan, heat olive oil on medium high. Add onions and stir - coating all. Add sugar and stir. Add vinegar and stir. Cook on medium high for 3-4 minutes and then turn burner down to low. Cook 40-50 minutes until onions are soft and lightly browned.* Stir every 5-10 minutes

Put caramelized onions on bread, top with 1 ounce of goat cheese. Put under broiler (set on high) until goat cheese starts to melt. Garnish with herbs and sprinkle with olives and serves.

*By all means, caramelize your onions as you wish - some people do this for 20 minutes - if your heat is on low enough you can do this for an hour. This recipe is all "suggestion" to me rather than absolutes.

Also, it is easy to vary amounts for servings and taste. More goat cheese? Less? Your call.

Check out what the other bloggers are doing to honor this week's game-changer and if you want to join in the fun for our last week, e-mail Mary at One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef,

Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living, 

Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me

Sue - The View from Great Island, Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds, 

Linda A - There and Back Again, 

Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Annie - Most Lovely Things, Alyce - More Time at the Table; Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades
Jill - Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Martha - Simple Nourished Living

Mushroom Bruschetta from April Bloomfield

I don't have a sweet tooth.

Really. Oh yes, I like my piece of salty dark chocolate toffee. Who doesn't? But I can forego dessert.

I'm all about the fruits and vegetables.

Really. 

What? You don't believe me?

And yes, I did eat all of the above in NYC with Kirsten's help. 

But I truly do love my small vegetables. Especially if they are small bites. I can make a meal out of bruschetta toppings.

We had two traditions here when the kids were younger. One was "small bites Sunday" which I would do in the winter. There was something about a lazy winter day - when the house was cleaned, the homework done and the weather forbidding that called for a late afternoon nosh. Starting with a substantial slab of bread, cut and waiting on the kitchen table. It would soon be surrounded by warmed mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, cheeses, olive spreads and artichoke hearts.

These little bites would magically appear on the dining room table and everyone could come and go at will - stopping to fill their plates as they wished. There were no guides such as "eat your vegetables." Just a mini feast of small plates.

On Fridays in the summer, I would set up a no-cook spread similar to antipasto platters - of meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads and condiments and let everyone dive in and eat inside or out - whatever struck their fancy.

There was a sense of being out of the routine, being whisked away to a resort when these small bites appeared at the table. It was not "business as usual" and these meals were a welcome break from our normal routine.

It is no wonder that when I first eyed April Bloomfield's recipe for a Mushroom Bruschetta, I knew it would come to my table. April Bloomfield is Chef #43 on Gourmet's List of Women Game Changers in Food. 

She is best known for receiving a surprising Michelin star  in 2005 for her West Village, NYC restaurant The Spotted Pig. Later in 2007, Food and Wine named her one of the best new chefs to watch. Born in Birmingham, UK, April Bloomfield had no intention of becoming a chef.  A missed deadline to apply for the police academy sent her instead to cooking school. Her mix of satisfying Italian and British ingredients has enchanted New Yorkers who wait outside in long lines for a chance to dine at The Spotted Pig. Find more about Ms. Bloomfield here. On to the recipe - it's a good one: earthy with a smattering of decadence - you will want to bring this to your table.

Mushroom Bruschetta Ingredients (Serves 4)

5 tablespoons olive oil - divided (extra if needed)

1 pound mushrooms, cleaned chanterelle or trumpet (I used a gourmet blend)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons fresh, minced Italian parsley

1/4 cup creme fraiche (I used less)

w tablespoons fresh,. chopped chives

4-2/3 inch rye bread, toasted (I use whole grain ciabatta)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 cups arugula

salt to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the mushrooms and lightly salt. Saute, stirring until mushrooms are browned (7-10 minutes). If needed, deglaze the pan with a few drops of water. Stir in garlic, butter and parsley (about 1 minute). Just lightly brown the garlic and remove from heat. Add creme fraiche and chives. Blend till combined.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet with a little olive oil and add bread and toast (I did it in the oven). Whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon. Toss with arugula. Spoon mushrooms over the toasts and serve with the arugula on the side.

This dish provides a most satisfying line between the "work-a-day world" and "I'm home now, let's put away the day and be calm and comforted." And it's easy. Remember - I am all about cooking with ease.

Please check out what the other bloggers are doing for Week 43 of Female Chef Gourmet Game Changers. And if you want to join in the fun, e-mail Mary at  One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey. 

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef,

Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living, 

Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me

Sue - The View from Great Island, Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds, 

Linda A - There and Back Again, 

Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Annie - Most Lovely Things, Alyce - More Time at the Table; Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades
Jill - Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Baked Polenta with Prosciutto and Fontina

Baked polenta is given some oomph with prosciutto and a little melted ooze courtesy of fontina cheese. Topped with a crispy sage piece, it dresses up polenta and goes out on the town. This is one of over a thousand recipes to choose from on Delia Smith's site Delia Online.

I have a tenuous relationship with recipes from England. There was a time (and what a time it was) that I studied in Austria and traveled widely and ... lived on $5 a day. I looked longingly in French restaurants and Austria's pastry shops. And then went to the market and got a baguette, a small piece of cheese and some fruit and that would see me through the day. I knew there was better food to be had. But I was 19, broke and in Europe! I woke up every day saying "I'm in Europe" and food was secondary to the adventure.

The only place where food did not beckon was in England. I was sated with Shakespeare's homeland and the history of the Plantagenets and the Tudors. I could shout out a credible history of the reigning families way before there was a TV series. (Yes, I am that much of a nerd.) Walks on English soil fed my Anglophile soul. A simple ploughman's lunch would take care of the rest.

For 40 years, Delia Smith has worked to change the perception of English food. Famous for her no-nonsense approach to cooking, she was won numerous awards and gained accolades through her many television shows and cookbooks. As you may have guessed, Delia Smith is #35 on Gourmet's list of women game-changers in food. She left high school at 16 - didn't even bother taking her exams and flitted from job to job. There was the odd year as a hairdresser, and then there the shop assistant year and later work in a travel agency. At age 21, she finally fell into the food world and never looked back.

Her influence is huge. If she demonstrated an egg dish on her TV show, eggs disappeared off of grocery stores shelves. Once she caused a shortage of eggs! When she recommends a product - the product sells in a way they never did before - not unlike Oprah's influence. She is almost a corporation in her own right. Take a look at her website for the breadth of her recipes and the products she sells. Legend has it, she finally settled on cooking after her boyfriend told her to go to culinary school because she cooked so well.
(These days the boyfriend would be back asking for a percentage of profits because it was his idea!) Whatever you think of her recipes, she struck a chord in England and fulfilled a need before there was a Nigella or a Jamie.

Smith does not feature "British cuisine." She looks for decent food - fairly easy and if there's a shortcut - she'll take it. For the Polenta appetizer, she recommended buying the prepared rolls of polenta you find in the produce section. I didn't - but that's me - you certainly can and I wouldn't blink an eye. I made a pot of polenta in the morning, put it in a loaf pan, refrigerated it during the day and then later cut it into rectangles and toasted it.

However you choose to do it - it's a soothing appetizer for February. I enjoy a dish that tempts me with creaminess, salt, crunch and a little chew all one plate. It teases with textures and hugs you with flavors.

Delia Smith's Baked Polenta with Prosciutto, Fontina Cheese and Sage - serves 2

9 ounces ready-cooked polenta (or make your own)

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

6 sage leaves

6 slices of prosciutto

3 ounces fontina cheese cut into six slices (yes, I used a wee bit more)

(I dusted the dish with some Parmesan)

Put the olive oil into a saucer. Cut the polenta into six ½ inch (1 cm) slices and arrange these on the baking sheet, side by side. Brush each piece with olive oil, season generously with salt and freshly milled black pepper.

If you're cooking for two they can be joined into threes; if not leave a gap in between each one, then place the baking sheet under the grill about 4 inches (10 cm) below the heat source. Time it for about 3 minutes.

Next loosely roll up the pieces of  ham and when the 3 minutes is up place a rolled-up piece of ham on top of each polenta slice. Next place a slice of cheese on top of the Parma ham and finally dip the sage leaves into the remaining olive oil and lay on them on top of the cheese.

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Next loosely roll up the pieces of Parma ham and when the 3 minutes is up place a rolled-up piece of ham on top of each polenta slice. Next place a slice of cheese on top of the Parma ham and finally dip the sage leaves into the remaining olive oil and lay on them on top of the cheese. Place the baking sheet back under the grill and give it another 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and turning golden and the sage leaves are crisp.

I do think of this as more improvisation than a recipe. Grill or bake some polenta and throw on some toppings. What's not to like? 

Please check out what the other bloggers are doing for Week 34 of Female Chef Gourmet Game Changers. And if you want to join in the fun, e-mail Mary at  One Perfect Bite. Mary started this delectable journey. 

Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others, Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden, Heather - girlichef,

Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living, 

Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me

Sue - The View from Great Island, Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds, 

Linda A - There and Back Again, Martha - Lines from Linderhof, 

Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Annie - Most Lovely Things, Alyce - More Time at the Table; Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades