Hotel Frontenac Yellow Pea Soup

Our family roots reach to Quebec where cold winters inspired this soup. The ingredients are usually on hand in the cupboard. Serve with crunchy croutons dropped in the soup just before serving. You can use either dried yellow peas or dried green peas.

Hotel Frontenac Yellow Pea Soup
Makes 6 Servings

2 cups dried yellow peas
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups carrot, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 cup smoked ham, diced
1/2 teaspoon allspice
pinch of cloves
salt and pepper to taste
croutons, for garnish

• Place the peas in the colander and rinse under running water. Transfer to a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven. Add the chicken broth, carrots, onion, ham, allspice and cloves. Simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into soup bowls and top with croutons.

Willie’s Blackberry Crisp

In the Northwest we have 2 varieties of wild blackberries. One we seek out and the other seeks us out- and threatens to take over our garden every year. Both varieties are delicious, they just lend themselves to different uses. The small, coast trailing blackberry, with it’s sweet-tart flavor, is prized for cobblers, pies and jams. The large Himalayan, which is juicy and seedy, is best in crisps, jellies, spritzer base and vinegars. This recipe is a good way to use the larger berries that are so abundant.

Willie’s Blackberry Crisp
Makes 6 servings

Crust Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, beaten

Blackberry filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4-5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

• Preheat the oven 375˚ F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and blend in the egg, mixing until crumbly. Set aside.
• To prepare the filling, mix the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Place the blackberries in a large bowl and sprinkle with the flour and sugar mixture. Toss gently to evenly coat the blackberries.
• Transfer berry mixture to a well-buttered 8-inch by 8-inch by 2-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle topping over berries.
• Drizzle melted butter evenly over the crumbly topping. Place baking dish on a baking sheet to prevent spillovers into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
  

Grammy's Chutney

Chutney is a sweet and spicy condiment that combines chopped fruits and/or vegetables with added spices. They may be served either cold or warmed, and are excellent over meats.

Grammy's Chutney

11/2 cups sugar
11/2 cups vinegar
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 garlic clove
1 lime seeded and sliced thin
11/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup raisins

Caponata

The sweet and sour flavors of this braised vegetable condiment make it a nice accompaniment for grilled or roasted meats.

Caponata
Makes 8 Servings

2 eggplants, cut into small dice tossed with 1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 red peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup pimento stuffed green olives, chopped
1/4 cup capers, drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-28 ounce can of diced tomatoes in puree

• Spread the oil coated eggplant on a baking sheet and roast at 350˚ for 25 minutes.
• In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat add 1/4 cup olive oil. Sauté the garlic, onion and peppers. Add the olives, capers, vinegar, sugar and tomatoes and turn the heat down to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add the roasted eggplant to the tomato mixture and simmer for 15 minutes longer.
• Serve at room temperature.

Normandy Style Seafood Stew

Normandy is one of our favorite areas in France. The abundance of fresh seafood, butter, Calvados and ciders made us just want to go back to our farmhouse and cook. The halibut, scallops and mussels are wonderful with the fennel and Calvados.

Normandy Style Seafood Stew
Makes 8 Servings

11/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
1 medium sized yellow onion
1 cup dry white wine
10 sprigs of parsley plus 1/4 cup chopped
2 cups leeks, white and pale green part only, finely chopped
2 cups diced fennel bulb
2 tablespoons butter
13/4 pound halibut fillet, skin removed and cut into 11/2 inch pieces
10 ounces fresh sea scallops
1- 8 ounce bottle clam juice
24 ounces fish stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Calvados (apple liquor)
1 cup heavy cream

• Combine mussels, 11/4 cup chopped onions, wine, and 6 sprigs parsley in a 6-8 quart Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover and cook until mussels open, shaking pot often, about 5 minutes, Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a large bowl to cool (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain cooking liquid into a bowl or large measuring cup; discard onions and parsley in strainer. Add 1 cup water to the mussel broth and set aside.

• Meanwhile, melt butter in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining 11/4 cups onions, leeks, and fennel and sauté until leeks are soft, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Add your reserved mussel cooking liquid, 4 parsley sprigs, clam juice, fish stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender and liquid has been reduced by 1/3, about 25 minutes. Add halibut and scallops to broth and simmer until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer halibut and scallops to a bowl. Discard parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.

• Serve in warm bowls with a crispy baguette and serve with your favorite bottle of white wine.

Chicken with Herbed Dumplings

This recipe is a family favorite (especially with my kids) for a wintertime Sunday dinner, served with a fresh green salad. The herbs in the moist dumplings and the coarse salt on top really set this dish apart The dumplings usually disappear first, but we like to serve the leftover chicken and vegetables over mashed potatoes the next day.


Chicken with Herbed Dumplings
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

2 Pounds bonelss, skinless chicken breast halves (For a great tasting time-saver, just use the meat from a rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket!)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 ounces small white mushcoorms, cleaned, stems trimmed, and halved
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup frozen peas

Herbed Dumplings

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoons chilled butter
3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or fleur de sel

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• To prepare the chicken, rinse the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and cut them into 1 inch strips. Season with salt and pepper and divide into 3 batches. Heat 1 Tablespon of the olive oil in a 10"-12" cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the first batch of chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining 2 batches, adding another Tablespoon of olive oil for each batch. Set the chicken aside.
• In the same skilled melt the butter over medum heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour. Slowly add the chicken stock, cream, and sherry, whisking often, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and add the carrots, celery, bay leaf, nutmeg, oregano, and thyme. Generously season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the chicken strips to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Mix in the peas.
• To prepare the dumplings, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut the chilled butter into tablespoon-sized slices. Using a pastry blender and working quickly so the butter remains cold, cut in the bitter until the ieces are pea-sized. (You can also transfer the flour mixture to a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times.) Gently mix in the rosemary, using your hands or a spatula. Add the milk and mix gently just until the ingredients are wet and slightly sticky.
• Using a large spoon, scoop up some of the dumpling mixture and drop it on top of the chicken mixture. Repeat until all the dumpling mixture is used (you should have about 10 dumplings.) Sprinkle the tops with the kosher salt and return the skillet to the oven. Bake until the dumplings are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. If you want to brown the tops of the dumplings more, brush the tops with melted butter and turn on the broiler for the last few minutes, keeping a close eye on the dumplings at this point. Serve from the skillet.

This recipe comes from my cookbook,
The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen
Please click here to visit my webpage for more book details.

Cornbread Pudding

The following savory pudding recipe was inspired by Seattle chef and restaurant owner, Tom Douglas. My Mom and I love to pair it with barbecued ribs or any slow-cooked meat or salmon. The cornbread stays moist in on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside. Delicious!

Cornbread Pudding
Makes 6 Servings

4 1/2 Cups cubed Moist Cornbread or other cornbread (to save time, you can substitute cornbread made from a mix. Just be sure to let the cornbread cool completely before cutting it into cubes.)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Cup thinly sliced yellow onions (about 1/2 large onion)
3/4 cup grated dry Jack cheese, cheddar or Cougar Gold cheddar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 cups heavy cream (for a more custard like version of the pudding, increase heavy cream to 3 cups, and use 4 eggs)
3 large eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Put the cubed cornbread in a buttered 1o" or 12" cast iron skillet. Set aside. Heat butter in another skillet over low heat, add the onions and cook very slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, at least 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Scatter the onions, cheese parsley, rosemary, and thyme over the cornbread cubes. Whisk the heavy cream and eggs with the salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and pour over the cornbread cubes. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the cornbread to absorb some of the custard. Bake until set and golden, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.
  
  

This recipe comes from my cookbook,
The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen
Please click here to visit my webpage for more book details.