by Krista | Dec 3, 2009 | Winter
I’ve devoted Plucky Thursdays to writing about recipes and foods that intimidate me, and I’m amused to find almost all of them are French! I’m not sure where this fear stems from, but it is also accompanied by a firm belief that all French recipes involve difficult steps or finicky cooking instructions.
How wrong I’ve been!
When my friend Kat wanted to try making vichyssoise with me, I was delighted! She tracked down a recipe for Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise from an old issue of Gourmet. It sounded so fresh and yummy that we simply had to try it.
Since it was the end of the month and we were both broke, we pooled our resources and had just what we needed. She brought broth, leeks and zucchini and I contributed potatoes, onion and a lemon.Perfect!
Then we got down to business. Kat thinly sliced zucchini, leeks and lemons, while I chopped potato and onion, and ground white pepper in a mortar and pestle.
We cooked the leeks, onion and garlic in a large saucepan until the leeks were soft, added the potato, zucchini and broth and simmered until the potatoes were tender. This mixture was pureed and blended with the cream, lemon juice and seasonings, then chilled until we were ready to eat.
That first spoonful was a little burst of summer. Light, creamy, and silky smooth with the mellow flavors of the vegetables heightened by the wonderful zing of lemon and the sharp contrast of white pepper. I can’t wait to make it again!
Vichysoisse
Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise
Gourmet – August 1994
Yield: Makes about 6 cups
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.
Ingredients:
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped fine and washed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
a 1/2-pound russet (baking) potato
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus additional to taste
ice water for thinning soup
lemon slices for garnish
Directions:
- In a large heavy saucepan cook leek, onion, and garlic with salt and pepper to taste in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until leek is softened.
- Peel potato and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potato, zucchini, and broth to leek mixture. Simmer mixture, covered, 15 minutes, or until potato is very tender.
- In a blender purée mixture in batches until very smooth, transferring as puréed to a bowl.
- Stir in cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and chill soup at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Thin soup with ice water and season with additional lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Garnish soup with lemon slices.
by Krista | Dec 2, 2009 | Compatriot Wednesday
Much to my chagrin I spent both Thanksgiving and my birthday tucked up in bed, swathed in blankets as I sipped tea, watched old movies and tried to feel better.
I was very sad to miss out on all the festivities, so it was doubly special when my lovely friends in the CEG (Culinary Experimentation Group) made up for it with a fantastic French birthday dinner. 🙂
Amy and Don brought French red wine and Toby assembled crackers and brie to tide us over while we cooked. Kat and I tackled Gourmet’s Lemon Zucchini Vichyssoise (more on that tomorrow!) and I attempted a sharp cheese sauce with a particularly stinky cheese a new friend in France sent home with me. Toby stirred while I followed the recipe to the letter. In spite of our best efforts we ended up with an amazingly awful French glue that stuck to teeth and gums and wouldn’t come off without much prying. 🙂
On the bright side, we managed not to ruin the arugula and tomato salad, a simple little dish with a lively dill and lime vinaigrette. Deborah and Kat made a lovely stove-top ratatouille with eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and onion, and Cameron smoked gorgeous scallops with his own savory blend of spices. The grand finale was Darren’s marvelously rich chocolate mousse with rum and espresso. Yowsers!!
It was a perfectly wonderful birthday! Thank you, dear friends! 🙂
by Krista | Dec 1, 2009 | Gulliver Tuesday
Although I love Washington State with its rugged coastline, pristine forests and soaring mountains, this fall has been a doozy with incessant rain, fog, and mist. I suppose all this clean air and lush green is worth a few dark months but, oh, how I miss the sun-drenched mornings of Italy.
This past spring four dear friends – Trish, Nat, Becks and Viss – joined me for an amazing week at a wonderful old villa in Southern Italy–Villa Trotta.
I knew it was beautiful from the photos online, and at 240 Euro per person for an entire week it was an absolute steal! But nothing prepared us for the beauty that awaited us. The villa clung to the side of a mountain, grape vines clambered over the arbor, geraniums flowered cheerily in pots down stone steps to the orchard, and three tiled terraces overlooked a valley dotted with olive groves and vineyards.
The villa echoed with our squeals and gasps of delight as we dashed from room to room not quite believing that this was actually real. That this wondrous place was truly ours for a whole week.
I loved every single moment of our time there, but somehow breakfast holds a special place in my heart.
Nat and I usually woke first, soft breezes wafting in through the lace curtains, dogs barking, Italians talking in the groves below. Viss would brew strong coffee and one by one we’d make our way out to the terrace, soaking in the sunshine and gazing out over the hills to the sea beyond. Bliss.
Strawberries were a favorite, followed by Nutella on chewy bread and thick Greek yogurt. If I close my eyes I can almost feel the sun beating down on bare shoulders. Almost.
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