Crack chips

Early on in my restaurant career, when I was living in Driggs, Idaho for a short stint as a wanna be ski-bum, I worked as a line cook at a mexican restaurant called Machos. It was a funny place for an ethnic restaurant in the early 80's. Driggs being a tiny town of about 250 people back in 1983 populated with a curious mix of mormons and hippie telemark skiers, this little mexican place was down right exotic, though not run by actual mexicans. Which is sad, because the food was mostly the americanized version with which we are all too familiar. One thing I learned in my short time there, besides the fact that I don't want to come home smelling like a chimichanga, was how to make my own tortilla chips. I've been making these chips for years at home because they are so easy and sooo good. Then, not too long ago, my son and I spent a rainy evening watching a silly new show on the food network about celebrity chefs in Beverly Hills. At one of their parties they made 'Crack Chips' - simply, deep fried flour tortilla triangles sprinkled with salt. that's it, nothing else. So easy and so addicting, I had to share how to do it:

Carri's Crack Chips

Cut flour tortillas into triangles (I used whole wheat ones here)

heat about 4 cups straight up olive oil (no it will not smoke, I swear...and you can strain the oil and reuse over and over!) in a heavy bottom 3 quart saucepan fitted wth a candy thermometer to 360 degrees. Toss in a few of the triangles, using tongs to move them around in the oil. fry till golden, about 2 minutes, max.

transfer to paper towel lined cookie sheet and immediately sprinkle with salt.

That's it, really. except for eating them. And if your making them ahead for a party, be sure to hide them from the family or they will be gone before the guests arrive!

Roasted eggplant and the mediterranean focaccia...meatless monday love!

Layered with pesto and roasted tomatoes and peppers, this sandwich has become the star of meatless mondays.
To begin, we roast the eggplant:

cut the ends off of your eggplant and peel with a sharp knife, holding eggplant on it's end and running the knife down the sides, as close to the skin as possible. Slice peeled eggplant lenthwise into 1/4 inch thick slabs. assemble dipping station: 1/2 cup flour per eggplant in an oblong container with a little seasoning like salt, pepper and basil. in another oblong container, blend wet mixture: 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk per eggplant plus salt and pepper to taste whisked thoroughly to very smooth consistency. Oil a sheetpan lined with parchment with a generous layer of olive oil. Then, forming an assembly line, dip the eggplant slices first in the flour and then the egg and arrange on the sheetpant and bake in a preheated 400 F degree oven and 15-20 minutes till slightly golden.
For Tomatoes and peppers:
Slice veggies into 1/4 inch slices and place on sheetpans lined with parchment and brushed generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until edges are brown.

Assemble the sandwich by slicing the focaccia bread length-wise. On the top crust sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and put back in hot oven to melt. On the bottom crust, spread freshly made pesto and then layer the eggplant, and the tomatoes and then the peppers. Top off with a pile of fresh cleaned spinach ;eaves and the melted cheesy bread layer. To really do it up right, you'll want to wetght this by putting and overturened sheetpan on top and then setting domething nice and heavy on top for 15 minutes or so...it will then be ready to be cut and enjoyed!

Carmel Sauce

What smoothes the rough edges like a spoonful of carmel. Drizzled over ice cream, tucked into a cupcake or adding the goo factor to an otherwise perfectly staid cheesecake square, nothing satisfies quite like a smooth buttery carmel sauce. My partner in all things carmel- Sharon, and I have been intrigued by sugar in all of it's forms and trying to understsnd the science behind the conversions. She figured out that glucose is sugar with an acid added (honestly things get fuzzy for me from here on out, science is one thing, molecular science a whole 'nother...that Sharon, she's one smart cookie!) She adapted this recipe from Alice Medrich 'Pure Desserts" which calls for golden syrup. Since we do not always have access to this product and don't like the results we get from corn syrup, a conversion was in order. in this case, more sugar, cream of tartar and a little water are added to sub for the glucose. One very important thing to remember when working with sugar crystals is that one small grainl on a spoon or the side of a pan can infect the whole batch and rob you of that smooth amazing creation that is...

Carmel Sauce

3 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 t sea salt
2 cups heavy cream, heated to scalding
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter- cut in chunks
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, water, honey, cream of tartar, and salt in a heavy bottom 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth and mixture bubbles around the edges. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook 3 minutes (steam will help melt the sugar crystals) Uncover and, using your wet pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan again. (do not skip these steps, or you will not have smooth carmel!) Attach a candy thermometer and cook uncovered, and unstirred until the mixture reaches 305 degrees. Turn off heat and stir in butter chunks and slowly pour in hot cream, mixture will bubble like crazy, be careful, but keep stirring. Turn heat back on medium-high and stir until mixture resumes a healthy boil. Cook til it reaches 225 degrees for a thin sauce and up to 230 for a thick carmel like the one above. And for Carmel Apples - take it all the way to 250 degrees. (Sharon keeps a glass of ice water next to the stove to test droplets of carmel for the texture she wants. This is also a good thing to dunk your fingers in should you burn yourself!) Store in glass jars. Keeps a month or more in the refridgerator...except at my house! To reheat, place jar in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Marinara Sauce

"In the depths of winter I have found there lies within me an invincable summer." -Albert Camus
No, we don't have tomatoes growing fluently in our greenhouses at this time of year. In fact, we rarely do ANY time of year! (though there IS a local grange project in the works that could supply fresh tomatoes and greens to Homer year round....we'll keep you posted on that one) We are all for going local as much as possible, but when it comes to tomato sauce, well, let's just say it's very unrealistic. At the bakery, we have always made our own marinara using canned tomato products (thank you Sean Maryott) but at home, for the longest time, I bought jarred sauce. (I know, right?) Until I saw on some food detective show how much sugar is in one of those jars....whoa. So now, I make it at home, just like at the bakery, only I can it into 16 ounce jars. This batch will get you 6 of them, plus you'll have ample left over for supper that night. perfect.

Marinara

1 whole head of garlic...peeled and crushed
2 medium onions...roughly chopped
4 ribs celery...chopped
4 medium carrots...chopped
/2 cup red wine
1- #10 can diced tomatoes (6# 6oz or 12 cups)
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 cups water
2 T salt
2 T sugar
2 T dried basil
2 t oregano
2 t thyme
2 t marjoram
2 T balsamic vinegar

In a large 8 quart heavy bottom pot heat 1/4 c olive oil over medium heat, add onions, saute 2 minutes, then add garlic, celery and carrot...continue to saute until onions are translucent. add wine to pan and stir to deglaze and cook off alcohol, about 4 minutes. add tomato products and water, stirring well to combine. add salt sugar, spices and vinegar. bring to gentle simmer, turn heat to low and cook gently for at least an hour, longer if you have time. Puree using an immersion blender (or a standup blender, but for the love of god...BE CAREFUL!) once it is the consistency you love...return to the stove and bing to a very low boil.
Prep jars by washing them and boiling in your canning pot covered with water...10 minutes. put lids and rings in a smaller pot covered with water and gently bring to simmer. Ever so carefully, remove the jars using tongs and set on a clean towel spread on the counter. Ladle in sauce to bottom of band. wipe the rims of each jar with a very clean cloth. then put on lids and bands...only screw on enough to hold lid in place. lower jars back into canning pot and add more water to cover jars by 2 inches. Bring to boil and hold at that temp for 35 minutes. remove from water and let sit undisturbed to cool. do not tighten rings. check seal (a tap in the center should not make a sound) any that have not sealed, refridgerate and use with a week. The rest can go in the pantry or any cool dark spot.
For more on canning:
'Putting Food By' is one of my favorite go to books for cannin' or jammin'!
canningpantry.com also has great online info...

Cream of Potato and Garlic Soup

Amazing how a few simple ingredients can come together in something so perfect for a quick meal when the cupboard is sorta bare and the roads are too icy to go to town. This is my kids favorite and one of the easiest soups to learn how to make. An immersion blender makes pureeing it a snap. (and at $20 bucks even in our alaskan hardware store, no reason to not have one) Also, We like red potaoes for this, leaving some of the skin on for extra texture and color. You could also add purple potatoes to the mix...or sweet potatoes...yum!

Cream of Potato and Garlic Soup

1 lg onion roughly chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 whole head of garlic, about 10 cloves, peeled and smashed
7 cups red potatoes, washed and eyes trimmed, but not neccessarily fully peeled, then cut into chunks
7-8 cups water
2 T Kosher Salt
8 ounces cream cheese

Saute onion and celery in 2 Tablespoons olive oil heated in a heavy bottom 6 qt. soup pot...after 2 minutes add the garlic and continue sauteeing until onions are translucent. add potatoes, water and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat and cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and drop cream cheese into soup and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften. Puree with immersion blender (or smash with a potato smasher, you won't have a perfectly smooth soup, but it will be tasty) Check spice, adding more salt if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh rosemary, or scallions or bacon or cheddar cheese or pretty much anything!

Granny T's veggie Soup

I had a special request for this recipe today and I totally thought I had it up...but no!
So, Amber...here it is!

! medium onion chopped
2 cloves Garlic minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
4 medium potatoes chopped into chunks
1 cup frozen peas
1 12ounce can stewed or diced tomatoes
4 Tablespoons tomato paste (honestly, my grandma used ketchup for this)
1 Tablespoon dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Balsalmic vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste

Saute onions and celery in a soup pot over medium high heat with 2 Tablespoons olive oil
after 2 minutes add carrots and garlic and a couple of pinches of Salt
Continue sauteing until onions are translucent. Add potatoes, Tomatoes and paste and dried Basil, then add enough water to float all the vegetables, about 4 cups. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly until potatoes are done. Add Peas, vinegar and sugar and check for salt. then cozy up with a nice hunk of bread and say hi to my grandma while your at it...enjoy!

Ginger Beet Soup

Our local farmer still has just a few root veggies for us...beets. potatoes, rutibagas, even some cabbage!
the beets, particularly inspired me yesterday, along with the need for something cleansing and hearty at the same time, this soup definitely delivered! The briliant color also helps to brighten up even the darkest of days...
Ginger Beet Soup
1 lg onion, roughly chopped
4 stalks celery, roughly chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 cups peeled red potatoes cubed
4 cups raw, peeled beets, cubed
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups water
1 - 12 ounce can coconut milk
Kosher salt
juice of 1/2 lemon

Saute onions and celery together in bottom of a soup pot with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat...after 2 minutes add garlic and ginger. Cook until onions are translucent and add white wine to deglaze pan and cook off alcohol, about 3 minutes. Then add potatoes, beets and water and throw in a few generous pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft. Pull from heat, add coconut milk and puree with an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning, add lemon juice and more salt if needed. Serve with a little creme fresh, if you feel indulgent...as I usually am! Top with scallions for an extra bite and enjoy to the last crimson drop...