Delicious Magic

Last Friday night we had a double date with our friends Jenn & Neil, and went to go see the ten o’clock showing of the new Harry Potter movie.  It was opening night of the penultimate Potter flick, so our plans necessarily involved us getting there a little early.  And at nine o’clock, there was already a hugely long line to stand in!  Our plans that night also involved a quick dinner here beforehand, with a big pot of beet soup, some dressed up grilled cheeses, and some freshly baked oatmeal cookies.  It was just the sustenance we needed for all that long line standing!  

Beet Borscht with Sour Cream & Chives Grilled Cheeses: Pumpernickel, Fontina, Asiago, Bacon, Radicchio, Mustard, Apricot Jam    Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots, Walnuts & Coconut Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate, Butterscotch, Pecans & Coconut

This beet borscht is a lovely and delicious soup, one we make at least once, maybe twice, a winter.  It’s preparation is so beautiful in its simplicity.  A collection of carefully diced vegetables – onions, leeks, beets, turnips, celery, garlic – are slowly sautéed in butter.  Then a rich beef stock is added, and the pot simmers for a short while while the flavors intermingle and intensify.  At the very end, I add a dose of tart red wine vinegar and a handful of fresh dill, which add layers of flavor and a big bit of brightness. 

 

The finished soup is magnificent – deep scarlet with multihued flecks of tender vegetables, softly sweet and rich and earthy, with waves of fresh green dill and subtle notes of tartness that serve to accentuate all the other flavors.  It’s hard to imagine that such a simple vegetable soup can taste so huge and bright and wonderful as this.  Although its vivid vermillion hue is a pretty clear clue that this soup is something pretty special!

 

 

And what goes better with soup than grilled cheese sandwiches?  I don’t think anything.  Somewhere along the line, I grew into the habit of always serving pumpernickel grilled cheeses with this beet soup.  I like how this hearty dark bread can stand up the the full, bright flavors in this equally hearty pot.  So normally, it’s just cheese, pumpernickel and a bit of butter.  But tonight, in honor of Harry Potter, I thought I’d add a little extra magic.  Magic in its most delicious form. I’m talking about bacon. 

 

 

Well bacon, and whole grain mustard, and some bitter shreds of radicchio, and also just a touch of sweet and sunny apricot preserves (which may sound a bit funny, but trust me, is a necessary ingredient to this potion).  All this, along with some nutty Asiago cheese and some gooey, perfect-for-melting Fontina cheese.  Slathered with butter, then slowly toasted beneath a broiler, these fancied up pumpernickel sandwiches truly tasted magical!  

 

 

 

And then it was time for cookies.  And since I was craving oatmeal cookies, and since I had no raisins in the house, and since Neil loves coconut, and since Ben dislikes apricots, and since Jenn can’t stand chocolate (!), I made a couple different variations on the classic oatmeal snack.  One batch with apricots, coconut and walnuts.  And the other with chocolate, butterscotch, coconut and pecans.  Both kinds turned out great!  Equally, deliciously great.  The perfect snack after our homey soup and sandwich dinner.  And a perfect treat too for waiting in the long movie line.  (If only we’d remembered to bring them!)

 

 

 

 

Beet Borscht with Sour Cream & Chives Adapted from Splendid Soups by James Peterson Serves 6         2 medium onions, peeled, 1/4-inch diced 4 small to medium leeks, 1/4-inch diced 1 celery rib, 1/4-inch diced 1 medium turnip, peeled, 1/4-inch diced 4 medium beets, peeled, 1/4-inch diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled, minced 1/2 stick butter 5 cups beef broth (I like to use the College Inn Bold Stock, Tender Beef flavor.) about 6 Tbl white wine vinegar, or to your own taste 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste sour cream or crème fraiche, for garnish sliced chives, for garnish   First, slice and dice all your vegetables:  I know that leeks may still be a mystery to some of you, so I’ve included a few pictures that may help illustrate how to dice one up.  First, slice off the root end and the tough dark green parts.  Then slice the leek in half cross-wise, then slice each half in half again length-wise.  You’ll see a bunch of layers inside one another.  Separate out a few layers at a time.  Slice the layers into 1/4-inch strips, then slice the strips into 1/4-inch dice.      The important thing to remember with leeks, is that they are very dirty.  Once you’ve diced the leeks, soak them in cool water for about 15 minutes, then drain.  The dirt sinks to the bottom of the bowl of water, so drain the leeks from the water by lifting them out with a slotted spoon, not by pouring it all into a colander, or else the dirt will get all over the leeks again.   And here’s a picture that kinda shows how to dice a turnip or beet.  First peel it, then slice it cross-wise into 1/4-inch circles, then slice the circles into 1/4-inch strips, then slice the strips into 1/4-inch cubes.       Now it’s time to make the soup: Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the diced onions, leeks, celery, turnip, beets and garlic.  Season with a good sprinkling of salt and pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 25 to 30 minutes.    Add the beef broth and bring the pot to a simmer.  Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, then taste the vegetables to make sure they are all tender.  Add the vinegar and dill, then taste again and season as needed with salt and pepper.   Pour into serving bowls, then garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives or dill.

 

 

Grilled Cheeses: Pumpernickel, Fontina, Asiago, Bacon, Radicchio, Mustard & Apricot Jam Serves  4     12 slices bacon 8 slices pumpernickel bread whole grain mustard, to taste apricot preserves, to taste 6 oz Fontina cheese, coarsely grated 6 oz Asiago cheese,coarsely grated about 1/4 head radicchio, sliced into ribbons about 1/2 stick butter, room temperature   Cook the bacon: Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Position a cooling rack over a baking sheet, then arrange the bacon in a single layer over the rack.  Bake until just crispy (but not too crispy), about 25-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and lifting the bacon with tongs, arrange it on a bed of paper towels, to soak up some of the grease.   Prepare  the sandwiches:  Spread mustard then apricot preserves on one side of each of the 8 slices of bread, using as little or as much as you like.  Arrange the grated cheeses evenly over four of the slices of bread, then top with 3 slices of bacon per sandwich.  Arrange the radicchio over the bacon, then top each sandwich with a second slice of bread, mustard and preserve side down.  Generously butter the tops of the sandwiches.  Then flip the sandwiches over and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Now generously butter the tops of the other slices of bread.    Pre-heat the oven broiler and arrange a rack about 10 to 12 inches beneath the broiler.  Toast the sandwiches beneath the broiler until the top slices are toasty and crisp, then flip them over and toast the other sides.  By the time the tops and bottoms are toasted, the cheese should be melted.  If not, heat the oven to 350°F and bake for a few minutes.

 

 

Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots, Walnuts & Coconut Adapted from the recipe on the back of a Quaker Oats Container Makes 4 dozen cookies       2 sticks butter, room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp kosher salt 3 cups old fashioned oats 1 cup apricots, diced 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 1 cup walnuts, chopped   Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the racks in the upper and lower third positions.   In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.    Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat to combine, about 1 minute.  Add the flour mixture and beat until just combines.  Add the oats and beat again until just combined.  Throughout these mixings, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula, as needed.      Add the apricots, coconut and walnuts, then stir by hand with the spatula to combine it all together.    Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing the scoops of dough about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring with a metal spatula to wire cooling racks.  Cool completely to room temperature.  Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

 

 

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate, Butterscotch, Pecans & Coconut Adapted from the recipe on the back of a Quaker Oats Container Makes 4 dozen     2 sticks butter, room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp kosher salt 3 cups old fashioned oats 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup pecans, chopped   Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the racks in the upper and lower third positions.   In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.    Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat to combine, about 1 minute.  Add the flour mixture and beat until just combines.  Add the oats and beat again until just combined.  Throughout these mixings, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula, as needed.  Add the chocolate, butterscotch, coconut and pecans, then stir by hand with the spatula to combine it all together.    Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing the scoops of dough about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring with a metal spatula to wire cooling racks.  Cool completely to room temperature.  Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.