Wow, it’s already 2009! As you all have noticed, I’ve fallen off of the menu-plan wagon.  One of my new year’s resolutions is to get back to planning and blogging.

It looks like Gluten Free Goodness is hosting this week’s menu-swap.  She has been in charge of organizing it lately. (Look here for info.)

The week’s “ingredient” isn’t so much an ingredient as a type of dish: SOUP!  Perfect for the cold, rainy days that we have been having here lately.  Also, a bit lighter fare after all of the holiday eating we did. My husband’s favorite soup is French Onion, and I recently got Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” I made my soup on Sunday since it takes a couple of hours. See my pictures and post below.  (I also eat soup most days for lunch during the winter – very easy for work.)

Menu for the Week of Sunday January 4

Sunday:
French Onion Soup
French Bread
Salad

Monday:
Salmon
Home-fried potatoes
Asparagus

Tuesday:
Out to Dinner

Wednesday:
Steak Fajitas
with all the fixin’s

Thursday:
Lamb (shoulder) Chops
Mashed Potatoes
Peas

Friday:
don’t know yet

SOUPE A L’OIGNON
(Onion Soup)
From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child
For 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. or about 5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp gf flour
2 quarts boiling brown stock, beef bouillon, or 1 quart boiling water and
1 quart stock or bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp cognac
Rounds of hard-toasted French Bread (Croutes)
1-2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in a covered, heavy-bottomed saucepan, for about 15 minutes.

Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 3 minutes.

Off the heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine, and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes or more, skimming occasionally.
(*at this point, set aside, uncovered until ready to serve; then reheat to a simmer.)

Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Pour into a soup tureen or soup cups over the rounds of bread and pass the cheese separately.

For the Croutes, I used my recipe for gluten-free french bread. Then I toasted it with a little olive oil. I had always seen French Onion soup with the bread on top, with the cheese melted over it, so that’s how we did it.

Ingredients:

3 8-ounce bottles clam juice
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
6 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juices reserved
1 1/4 cups half and half

Bring bottled clam juice and potatoes to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add onions, garlic and bay leaf and sauté until vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved juices from clams. Add potato mixture, clams, and half and half. Simmer chowder 5 to 15 minutes to blend flavors, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Letting it simmer longer will thicken it some because the potatoes will break down. In the alternative, a cornstarch/water mixture can be used to thicken it.)

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before serving.)

The recipe called for a special piece of the shoulder meat called the flatiron steak. I was unable to find this, so I used the (rump) roast that the local butcher usually uses for stew meat. I had the butcher cut steaks off a roast so I could cut bigger chunks than what is normally sold as stew meat.

(I made this a second time with just regular cheap stew meat from the grocery store and it was fine, but not as good. Also, I substituted bacon for the pancetta without any problem.)

Directions:

- Buy about 2 pounds of beef from the flatiron part of the shoulder. Remove the skin or sinew from the top. Alternatively, use lean beef chuck in the same manner.
- Cut the meat into 8 pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron pot that is attractive enough for the table.
- Arrange the meat in one layer in the pot, and season it with salt and pepper. Cook on top of the stove over high heat for about 8 minutes, browning the meat on all sides.
- Add 1 cup of finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic.
- Cook over moderate heat for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Mix in well so that the flour doesn’t form lumps. Stir in 1 bottle of red wine. Add 2 bay leaves, a sprig of fresh thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir well and cover.
- Place the pot in the oven and continue to cook for about 1 1/2 hours; the meat should be soft and tender and the liquid properly reduced.

(The recipe can be prepared to this point up to a day ahead.)

- Bring the pancetta and 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for about 30 minutes; drain. (I skipped this step because I had pre-sliced pancetta and it didn’t seem like it would work well.)
- Cut the pancetta into 1/2-inch slices and then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons. (I just sliced up the pancetta in to small strips.)
- Combine the onions, mushrooms, carrots and pancetta in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and a good dash each of sugar, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes; at this point, there should be practically no water left.
- Uncover and cook over high heat, sautéing the vegetables until nicely browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.
To serve, mix some of the vegetables and lardons into the stew and sprinkle the rest on top as a garnish.
- Add a little chopped fresh parsley and serve.

This didn’t turn out quite the way I wanted, but it was still quite good. (But not nearly as good as the soup at Rembrandt’s.) I think the problem I had was that the tomatoes were not fully ripe and therefore, a little sour. It would be excellent with fresh tomatoes, straight off the vine.

The biscuits, on the other hand, were beyond amazing. They were the some of the best biscuits I have ever eaten (and I’m including gluten ones here too). I have Kate, from Gluten Free Gobsmacked to thank for this fabulousness. You can get the recipe on her site: here. I did use a different flour blend then she uses – I used Bette Hagman’s featherlight blend (a combination of fine white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, and potato flour). Thank you Kate!!!!

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, peeled and pureed
8 ounces artichoke hearts, quartered
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 onion, diced
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon basil
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup almond flour

Directions:

1. Combine tomatoes, artichoke hearts, heavy cream, chicken/vegetable stock in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, saute onion and seasonings in butter. Add flour slowly and cook, stirring, until mixture is golden brown.

3. Slowly add onion roux to tomato/artichoke mixture, stiffing constantly, and cook until soup thickens.

ENJOY!

As it starts to get cool in the fall, I want soup. I once had the most fabulous black bean soup at a small South American restaurant in Atlanta, and have tried in vain to make something that at least comes close. Every time I make it, it’s just a little different, usually depending on what I have in the pantry. This recipes turned out quite well. It’s not vegetarian, but could easily be made vegetarian, so I’ve added a little footnote at the end suggesting how to do that. It should have been garnished with a little sour cream or grated cheese, but I’m currently dairy free.

One other note – this soup can be as thick or thin as you like. If you like it with whole beans in it, leave the recipe as is. If you want it more pureed, your best option is to use an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, carefully transfer the soup, a little at a time to a blender. I only like the beans a little mushed, so I just take my potato masher to the soup. I know that sounds a little weird, but it works!

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
salt and pepper
a few sprigs of cilantro (adjust for personal taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice

thinly sliced scallions, sour cream, and grated cheddar cheese, for garnish (all optional)

Directions:

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Stir in beans. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to low so that soup is simmering, and cook 10 minutes (add more liquid if necessary). Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, chop cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup after it has been simmering 10 minutes. Cook soup until thickened – another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Serve with garnishes.

**Vegetarian variation** Replace bacon with about a tablespoon of olive oil; replace chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
Salt
Cayenne
1 package ground turkey (about 1 1/3 pounds)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 can tomato sauce
1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or water)
1 can dark red kidney beans
grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)
jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to wilt. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir in the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano. Brown the meat completely. Stir in the garlic, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and beans. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Skim off fat if needed. (If chili needs thickening, mix corn starch with water, then add to chili.) Re-season with salt and cayenne to taste.

Spoon the chili into a bowl. Garnish with the grated cheese, sour cream and jalapenos, as desired.

Serve with cornbread.

I have to thank Natalie (a.k.a. Gluten Free Mommy) for this corn bread recipe. (See her post about it here.) The only change I made to the recipe was to add about a teaspoon of xanthan gum to it. I always add that whenever I bake anything gluten-free. It turned out well. Good texture; pleasant taste. It was a little bland – like it was missing that something special that makes a really good corn bread. I’m just not sure what that is. (And don’t say wheat.) I even cooked it in an iron skillet like corn bread is supposed to be cooked. My southern friends would be so proud! lol!

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour (or other gluten free flour)
3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal
2 to 3 Tablespoons of sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon butter
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum) together in a med. bowl and set aside.

Melt the one tablespoon of butter in a 10 inch cast-iron skillet or 8/9 inch round baking pan in the oven. This takes about three minutes. Swirl the butter around the pan coating the bottom and sides.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and 1/4 cup butter. Add this mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Pour batter into the hot skillet or baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.

ENJOY!