The Pyrate's Soupe L'Ognion (French Onion Soup)

Yesterday the Pyrate made the BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP I HAVE EVER HAD!  I will never crave it again from elsewhere... not even that French bistro at the Grove promenade.  If you are a fan of French Onion Soup, you will fall in love all over again when you learn to make it at home from scratch.  It is truly a beautiful thing.
You'll need oven proof dishes, either porcelain, ceramic or stoneware individual crocks, ramekins, or bowls.  We used porcelain ramekins, which worked fine except they are a pain to get clean again... you have to soak them in baking soda and hot water overnight to get the baked-on brown stains off.  The picture below is not mine.  Just wanted to give you something to look at.  We forgot to take pics before we ate ours!  Ha!  Sorry!

This recipe was inspired by one we saw Alton Brown (the food scientist dude) make on the Food Network with some slight alterations because his ended up with not enough onions and even the entire recipe was a bit scant to truly feed 6 people like he said it would.  

Enjoy! 

7 large sweet onions (red or sweet maui or a combination of both as we did for ours)

4 tbsps butter

sea salt

1 cups of white wine (we used a chardonnay)

32 oz of beef broth (or vegetable if you prefer)

12 oz of chicken broth (or more vegetable if you prefer)

2 cups of apple cider

1 bouquet garni (thyme sprig, bay leaf, and parsley sprig tied together with kitchen twine)

1 loaf of country style bread

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cognac

2 cups of grated Gruyere

Cut onions in half then thinly cut into half-moon slices, mix together if using two kinds.  

Melt the butter in the bottom of a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium low heat. 

Spread a layer of onions over melted butter and sprinkle layer with a pinch of salt.

Repeat layering onions and sprinkling with a pinch of salt til all onions are layered in the pot.  Do not stir.

Leave to cook down over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes then stir. 

Continue cooking and occasionally stirring til onions are carmelized to a dark mahogany and reduced to about 2 cups.  This will take about 45 min. to an hour, and don't worry if it seems it's burning.

Add the wine and cook over high heat until liquid is reduced and is syrupy. (We had a chuckle-worthy moment when we got to this part because the Pyrate imitated Julia Childs as he sloshed the wine into the pot without a measuring cup. )

Add broths, cider, and herbs, turn down fire, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Place oven rack on top notches of oven and heat your broiler.
Cut bread in rounds large enough to fit soup bowls.
Place the slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Broil in the oven til nice and toasty, turn and repeat on the other side.
Season soup mixture with salt, pepper.
Add a splash of cognac. We used about 1/4 cup.
Remove herbs and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch from the top.
Place bread round on top of soup and top with grated cheese.
Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Be sure to watch it so that it doesn't burn.
YUM!!

Obento: My Newfound Curiosity

Just a quick note:  
On many of my blog posts you'll see little icons which are part of a really cool application I use for links to items of reference pertaining to the subject matter.  Many of these you don't even have to click on.  You can often just place your cursor over it and a small box will pop up with the relevant information, video, photo, or website so that you can explore without actually leaving my blog post.  Ain't that special? Try it out here!

Anybody who knows anything about the Butterfly Queen knows that cooking is a passion.  I love cooking even more than I love eating.  Really, it's true.  During these last few weeks, I've gone silent pretty much here on the blog space for several reasons you can read about here: Domo Arigato Mr. Obento.  For the sake of not boring those of you loyal friends who subscribe, I won't re-hash all of that here.
Suffice to say, I've been rather busy.  Too busy to have the brainpower to write, too busy to have the patience to check-in, and too busy to have the desire to cook!
But a few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe that let me to a blog site on cooking written by a Japanese woman living in Switzerland.  She specializes in recipes from Japan and Korea, with a lil' bit of fusion mixed in for good measure.  Fascinated by her lovely photos and recipes, I found myself cruising her site for hours at a time, night after night...into the wee hours when my guys were happily sleeping.  There were many recipes which she specified were perfect for Bento.  Recipe after recipe I kept seeing the phrase "perfect for Bento", with a link to her other blog site where she touted she writes specifically for the art of Obento.

 from: www.giveittomeraw.com

Obento (the "o" is optional and denotes the respected or honored reference to the art), in summary is the Japanese tradition of artfully packed boxes containing single-portion meals usually carried for lunch, picnics, etc... The foods packed revolve around the traditional "anatomy" of a Japanese meal.

What appeals to me on first impression, is the idea that preparing lunches in these boxes is a great way to practice portion control if you're on a diet.  You can only fit in these Bento boxes what fits in them.  You can see quite easily the size of your portions and the proportion of one course to the other... for example 1/4 of a meal should be protein, 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 grains.   On a plate, it is much harder to eyeball these proportions.  I love the idea of having a fun way to be more conscious of what we consume without feeling like I'm on a diet.  Diets suck.  I don't do them anymore.  I'm also on a personal mission to enjoy my life, just as I am, with what I've got instead of being on the perpetual treadmill of "If only I were thinner, If only I were richer, If only I were more successful..."   I am healing myself of that oh-too-common illness that seems to be plaguing most people these days.  I'm going to enjoy this life, rejoicing in each day, and all that it brings.  Can I get an "Amen" or an "Ashe'"?

The next thing that appeals to me is the idea of Umami... which is a term now used in the west, but borrowed from the Japanese... it is the 5th taste experience besides those we are commonly familiar with (sweet, salty, bitter, sour).  It is best described as "savory"  I suppose.  Umami is said to be the one universally loved taste sensation and is said to be found in all of your favorite foods.  My own personal theory is that it is a combination of the other four tastes... a perfect balance of the four.   I just love to say it... "Ooh, Mommy".  Ain't that good???  I love it! Ha!

Thirdly, it just looks like so much fun!!!  Anybody can do it.  You can pack them however you like, with whatever you like, with a few practical precautions.  It's a fantastic way to use up leftovers which is a wonderful way to live a little greener and a great excuse for cooking at home without worrying that you're only feeding yourself. It's fashionable, exotic as you want it to be, artistic, and will save money by avoiding all those calorie packed, sodium packed, sugar packed, fat packed lunches bought out!  They can be hot, cold, or both in multiple tiered boxes. There's the more traditional style lunches which are beautiful to the eye (they consider this just as important as the taste and nutrition),

from www.apartmenttherapy.com

and then there's the Kawaii (this means cute or adorable)versions which I know the Austrian and the Pyrate will boycott but Miss Scantlebury will no doubt be head over heels for.   Either way, I've found another way to express my creativity and I'm very excited to give it a whirl.

from: www.theswellelife.com

 from www.craftycrafty.tv

Anyway, are you inspired?  I'm going to start my first Bentos this week.  They will not all be traditional Japanese ingredients. But there will be lots of Japanese influences, and some recipes I've borrowed from the Just Bento site, while I'm learning how this works.  I'm already marinating some chicken skewers in a soy/ginger/lemon/pepper flake marinade which will be grilled, and a pork shoulder with will be slow-roasted with a fresh red chili salsa.  These will be used throughout the week in different ways.  Salads, sandwiches, pastas, omelettes... you'll see!  It's gonna be a fun week!!

from:  www.mosaica.wordpress.com

If you are planning on giving this a try, I suggest you do the following:
1.  Visit the Just Bento site and read the following: Bento Basics and when you're done read the first few links at the bottom of that page to find out what equipment you'll need.  There's not much... a bento box, a rice cooker, a few inexpensive accessories.
2.  Start to acquire your equipment.  There are four of us, so I've got 6 boxes of varying sizes. If you decide to use regular plastic food containers, look for BPA free please.  Yes, I am still going to try to practice healthy, organic, sustainable living while on this adventure. We already have a rice cooker.  I'm going to get a pressure cooker this week.  I also got some optional accessories such as silicone muffin cups, little plastic picks. Miniature sauce bottles and mayonaise cups are also handy lil' things to have.  You can find most rare Japanese accessories for bento online here or here. Try the first link first because the prices can't be beat.  Be sure to get microwavable bento boxes please so you have more versatility with what you can put in it.
3. Take a look at basic pantry staples to have on hand:  Soy Sauce, Mirin, Japanese Sushi Rice (brown and/or white) are commonly used in almost every traditional Japanese or Japanese inspired Bento lunch.  No other rice will substitute. (more on that later...)

One more thing I should mention:  I have a seafood allergy... a challenge in regards to any Asian cuisine... But feel free to browse the other web blogs for seafood recipes... you won't find them here!

I'll be back in a couple days with my first attempt and a couple recipes to add to your arsenal!  Have a great holiday!!!

Mache Salad with Avocado, Persimmon, Zucchini, and Anaheim Chiles

This quick but delicious meal was an improvisation tonight!  It's not exactly Mexican, but the flavors are.  A California girl like myself should for sure know their way around the Mexican flavor palette well enough to improvise don't you think?   So even though this salad is very loosely related to Mexican Cuisine, it will not disappoint!  I promise you!  You will eat it once and your taste buds will be craving it on a date in the not-too-distant future.  The combination of mache (for munchability), chiles (for mild heat), avocado (protein and creamy texture) , lime (for tang), persimmon (for sweetness), and zucchini (for added substance) must be a match made in heaven, because they made a symphony of flavor in our mouths this evening at the dinner table! Make it with or without the chicken.  It will not disappoint!  Allow about 45 minutes leisurely prep time, most of which is spent at the cutting board. This is a low fat, low sodium, flavor packed meal under $20 serving 4.  What?

Avocado adds enough creaminess to this salad so that dressing is almost unnecessary!

THE PLAYERS: (your grocery list)

Mache (Mache, also known as Lamb's Lettuce, field salad/lettuce, or in some countries it's called Corn Salad, has a tender, nutty flavor that works well in salads.  It can also be served steamed or sauteed as a vegetable. You'll find it in most larger groceries, and in almost every international grocery's produce section. Of course, I recommend your local farmers market....) Avocados  (Make sure the avocados you purchase are ripe, but not mushy.  They should give ever so slightly when gently pressed.  I usually by them before they are ripe... around two or three days before I want to use them.  If you find they are not ripe the day before you want to use them, put them in a brown paper bag with an apple and close the bag tight and leave for 24 hours.  Apples emit a gas that will speed up the ripening process.) Fresh Garlic (Can't beat garlic in the mix!!) Red Onion (Red Onions are closer to purple than red, but that's not so important.  They have a milder, less acid flavor than their brown counterparts, making them great for milder dishes where you don't want the onions to overwhelm.) Zucchini (Also known in some countries as Italian Squash, Zucchini is tasty and found in every grocery store. and farmer's markets.)  Anaheim Chiles  (Anaheim chiles, named after the California city, are generally mild and sweet with just a hint of bite.  They are not offensively spicy, but are a faint hint more heat than a sweet Italian pepper. They can be found pretty easily in all American grocery stores and farmer's markets.  In other countries, you can substitute sweet Italian style peppers, or in a pinch, red or yellow bell peppers.  Green bell peppers in this recipe will add a slight bitterness we don't want.) Fuji Persimmons  (If persimmons are not in season, you will not find them, simple as that.  There are, I believe, late fall, early winter fruits.  They are in season NOW!  (as of november 13) Now, I have to warn you of something very important here.   Fuji or Fuyu Persimmons are bright orange in color and look sort of like a squat tomato.  Their flavor is sort of a mild apple taste.  They  will be fully orange, but DO NOT soften when they are ripe.  They stay firm similar to the texture of an apple or pear.  BUT....There are more than one sort of Persimmon.  There is the Japanese Hachiya variety which is more elongated and has a pointed bottom.  This variety is inedible when it is not ripe.  When it is ripe it becomes soft.  THIS IS NOT THE KIND YOU NEED FOR THIS RECIPE. Be sure to get the Fuji/Fuyu Persimmons, or you will be sorry...) Limes (Look for medium sized fruits with smoother skins, even color, and a tiny bit of give when you squeeze them.  Also, as a general rule when I buy produce, I put my nose to the item and inhale deeply.  If it doesn't smell like lime, it's either old, picked too soon, or just not very good crop.  If you can't find good limes, get lemons instead for this recipe and only use half the amount.) Extra-Virgin Olive Oil  (Yes, this time you want extra virgin... the best you have.  For salads, I like to get olive oil that... well... taste the most like oil from olives.  My fave?  My favorite comes from the Santa Barbara Olive Co. local local local!  Means similar quality to those expensive imported ones but at a lower price if you buy it in L.A. You can find it in some L.A. stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joes, and it's also online. Olive Oil for use on salads should be first press extra-virgin so you get the unfiltered flavor on your salads.  You won't use much so don't panic about the price. It will last you a very long time  It's like wine.  You kinda get what you pay for...) Chipotle Powder (This smokey chili powder is found in the dried spice section of most grocery stores.  If you have trouble finding it you may substitute normal chili powder which is more common. DO NOT substitute paprika.  That's Spain.  Although related, it is not right for this dish.) Cumin  (ground cumin is found in your dried spice section of the grocery store.   It is the dried seed of a plant in the parsley family.  Not to be confused with coriander which is the dried seed of the cilantro plant.. also in the parsley family... speaking of which...) Fresh Cilantro  (Like I said... in the parsley family, you'll find this usually right next to the Italian parsley, to my chagrin.  Because grocers do this, you'll want to do the nose test... put your nose in the leaves and inhale deeply to make sure you have the Cilantro and not the parsley. Cilantro leaves do, however look silently different upon closer scrutiny.  Cilantro leaves are rounder than Italian Parsley, and usually has shorter stems.  Normal Parsley can be further differentiated by its slightly curly state.) Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (self-explanatory...)  Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (optional...)

 Preparation:

Get all of your ingredients washed and prepped before you start any assembly or cooking.

Wash Mache and Tomatoes and put in a wide and shallow salad serving bowl. Set aside until the rest of the ingredients are prepared.

Cut Avocado into cubes This is easy.  Cut them in half, then slice lengthwise without cutting through the skin, and then crosswise without cutting through the skin. Add to the mache and tomatoes in the salad bowl and set aside.

Cut Zucchini lengthwise in 1/2 inch thick slices (remove stem ends), two or three slices at a time, lay them flat on cutting board and cut lengthwise again into 1/2 inch strips so now you've got 1/2 x 1/2 inch strips.  Stack those together and starting at one end cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  This is called a large dice.  Remember that.  You've been schooled! Set aside in a bowl.

Cut 1 Anaheim Chile across so that you have little rings of peppers.  Add to bowl w/zucchini.

Cut Persimmons also in a 1/2 inch  large dice, place in bowl with zucchini.  (cut off stem top)

Cut Onions also in a 1/2 inch dice.  Easiest way to achieve this is to cut a pattern of lines in one direction and then again in the other, making sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom of the fruit.  Then turn the onion on its side and cut slices across to make a dice.  Place in bowl with the Zucchini and Persimmons.

Flatten Chicken If you're not using chicken, skip to the Garlic.

Use your tenderizing mallet's smooth side (if you made the lemony vienna style chicken titties, you've got mallet, and you know how to use it),  flatten the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap, til they are spread about double their size. Remove top plastic and grind a bit of fresh black pepper over it, and squeeze the juice from 1/2 lime over it.

Grill the chicken in a large, hot saute pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 cloves of crushed garlic.  While it's cooking on one side....(Turn chicken when breasts are golden on one side.  Only turn them once...When chicken is firm, golden, it is done. Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 limes over meant then... Remove to non-porous cutting surface to cool. If making vegetarian version skip the chicken and see below.)

 Crush 2 Cloves of Garlic add to the hot pan (with 2 tbsp. olive oil if you haven't already added with chicken). 

Add diced veggies to hot pan.

Add Cumin and Chipotle Powder and stir occasionally while the veggies cook just til they brighten in color and get a slight golden caramelization at the edges.

Don't cook til soft.  Everything should still have a bit of bite to it. 

At this point, remove pan from heat, and...

Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 limes over the veggies and toss.

Remove from pan and spread on a plate to cool off for at least 10 minutes.

Once your chicken and your veggies are not steaming hot, it's time to assemble your salad.

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces and mix with the persimmon and zucchini mixture.

Arrange your veggies (or your chicken and veggies) over your mache, tomato, and avocado mixture.

Drizzle with 1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and toss.

What are you waiting for?  EAT!!!!!