Deanna Fox joins us today to answer all your cooking and baking questions, and offer some recipes for winter soups! WAMC's Ray Graf hosts.
Deanna Fox is a food and agriculture journalist who travels the globe in search of the story, meaning and purpose of our food heritage and systems. She was also the owner of Albany Cooking School for several years. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, The Guardian, The Kitchn, Eater, the Times Union and more. Stories, videos and recipes can be found at www.foxonfood.com or at Fox on Food on Facebook and Instagram.
Split Pea Soup with Ham
Serves 4-6
Note: for a heartier soup, add 1 to 2 cups of small diced raw potato to the soup in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Croutons are a nice garnish.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced small
1 cup small diced carrot
1 cup small diced celery
1 small pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic, miced
1 pound dried split peas (or blend of split peas and dried yellow lentils)
1 smoked ham hock (available in most grocery stores)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 cups unsalted or low-salt chicken stock
Water, as needed
1 tablespoon dry sherry, more or less to taste
METHOD
In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, carrot, celery and small pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have started to soften. Add the black pepper and garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the split peas (or peas and lentils) and stir with the vegetables, then nestle the ham hock into the peas and vegetables. Add the bay leaves and thyme, then cover everything with chicken stock. Increase the heat to bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas and soft and mushy. (If needed, add more water if the soup is becoming too thick.)
Remove the ham hock and pull meat from the bone to dice. Add the meat back into the soup. Add the sherry and stir to combine. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding more sherry, salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Boeuf Bourguignon
Serves four to six
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 parsley sprig
1 thyme sprig, leaves removed
1 bay leaf
1 pounds chuck or top round steak, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
1 ¾ cups red wine, preferably
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup butter
2/3 cup bacon, cut into lardons
24 pearl onions
4 cups sliced button mushrooms
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups beef stock
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 bouquet garni*
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
METHOD
In a large bowl, place the onion slices, parsley, thyme leaves, bay leaf, brandy, wine, olive, and steak cubes and mix to combine. Cover and let marinate together for at least four hours, stirring occasionally.
Once meat has marinated, melt the butter in a Dutch oven, then add the bacon and fry over medium-high heat until slightly crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the pearl onions to the casserole and fry until lightly golden on all sides. Add the mushrooms and fry, stirring, for one minute. Remove the onions and mushrooms and set aside.
Remove the pieces of beef from the marinade and pat dry. Strain the marinade and reserve the liquid. Add the beef to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and cook, stirring, for one minute. Slowly stir in the strained marinade gradually, then add the stock, garlic, and bouquet garni. Add the salt and pepper to taste, cover and simmer gently for two hours.
After cooking, skim off the fat from the surface of the liquid. Add the bacon, onions, and mushrooms, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the beef is tender.
Discard the bouquet garni, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.
*Bouquet garni is equal parts of parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary tied together with a 4-inch piece of celery (preferably with leaves) using kitchen twine.
Butternut Squash Bisque
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (to equal about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
Dash of ground cloves
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped butternut squash (about one large squash)
3 cups water
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about six minutes. Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the carrots, apple, squash, water, and bring to a boil. Cover partially and reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for about 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Transfer the soup to a blender in batches, and puree until smooth. Combine back into the pot and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm.
No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Makes 1 Loaf
INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon RED STAR Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110-115°F)
METHOD
In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and yeast until well mixed. Pour in warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir until a shaggy dough forms. The mixture will be wet and very sticky to the touch.
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place 8 to 18 hours until dough rises, bubbles and flattens on top.
Heat oven to 450°F. Once oven is preheated, place a 6-quart Dutch oven (with cover) in oven 30 minutes before baking.
Punch down dough. Generously flour a sheet of parchment paper; transfer dough to parchment and, with floured hands, quickly shape into a ball. Place dough on parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.
Carefully remove Dutch oven from oven and remove lid. Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with or without parchment paper beneath (if bottom of Dutch oven is not coated with enamel, keep parchment paper beneath dough). Cover Dutch oven and return to oven.
Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top. Cool slightly before slicing.
