Soup Cooking in Paris

Posted on January 8, 2016 by brosbottom

As 2016 arrived, my husband and I rang in the new year with good friends here in Pairs where I cooked a meal in the tiny but efficient kitchen of our apartment rental. Of course, since I’ve spent the entire last year working on Soup Nights (to be published this fall) I included a soup in the menu, and chose a long time favorite.

Broccoli soup with Curried Crème Fraiche is so versatile that you can serve it any season of the year. It’s a snap to assemble, takes only 15 minutes to simmer atop the stove, and is light yet totally satisfying. I buy packaged broccoli florets (a big time saver), sauté them with chopped leeks, and then simmer them in chicken broth until tender. The vegetables are then pureed and seasoned with a hint of cayenne pepper. However, it’s the crème fraîche scented with curry powder that is the secret to this dish’s vibrant flavor. The cream is swirled into the puréed mixture and also used as a garnish. Continue reading →

Three Quick Appetizers for Ringing in 2016 in Paris

Posted on December 29, 2015 by brosbottom

Arriving in Paris for our annual winter visit this week, we wondered how we would find the city after a year of devastating events. We unpacked and then walked through our “quartier” happy to see familiar sights. People were busy catching buses and cabs, buying their newspapers, and yes, sipping coffees outdoors in cafes during a spell of mild weather. And, Parisians everywhere were buying their favorite foods to celebrate the new year. I’ll be cooking dinner for friends on New Year’s Eve, so I too was in many of the food shops. The scene at the Grande Epicerie (the incredible grocery store at Le Bon Marché department store) was as frenetic as ever, with shoppers stocking their carts with foie gras and champagne–traditional fare for this season.

As I was planning our menu for December 31, I came across several appetizers perfect for a New Year’s Eve celebration– Pistachio Goat Cheese Grapes, Blue Cheese and Almond Stuffed Dates, and Smoked Salmon with Lemon Crème Fraîche. All are chic enough for this special night, but simple and quick to prepare.

Happy 2016 and may this new year be filled with peace around the world, and with joy and good health for all!

Last-Minute Gifts from the Kitchen

Posted on December 10, 2015 by brosbottom

Orange Spiced Pecans

Orange Spiced Pecans on the baking sheet

Diana’s Chocolate and Almond Toffee

The toffee as it is just starting to turn golden

Chocolate glazed toffee with crushed walnuts ready for the refrigerator

Chocolate Honey Sauce with Fleur de Sel

Melted chocolate, honey, and butter for the Chocolate Honey Sauce

If you are not one of those organized cooks (and I am certainly not this year!) who already has all their holiday baking and cooking completed, here are three easy recipes for homemade gifts of food that you can prepare at the last minute.

None call for hard-to-find ingredients and each requires 15 minutes or less of prep plus a few minutes more to bake or extra time to chill. Chocolate Glazed Toffee, Orange Spiced Pecans, or Chocolate Honey Sauce with Fleur de Sel would each make a thoughtful present for a host or hostess, or for teachers, neighbors, friends, or others whom you’d like to remember during the season of giving.

The nuts and toffee can be packaged in cellophane bags, tins, or coffee mugs, while the chocolate sauce is best in a glass container. Wrap in ribbons and add a personal note and that’s it. Homemade with love—the best kind of holiday gift!

Gearing Up for the Holidays with a Camembert Appetizer

Posted on December 3, 2015 by brosbottom

Camembert Baked in a Wooden Box, Honey-Glazed Walnuts, Apple and Pear Slices

Claire and Liz, great helpers at the party!

Rigatoni with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Students around the table.

Choosing dessert.

Orange cupcakes, molasses cake squares, and apple and dried cherry crumble

Two weeks ago, my husband and I hosted our annual dinner for his freshman class at Amherst College. Typically we have this party earlier in the fall, but this year because of scheduling issues, we planned it for the night before Thanksgiving break. That was my cue to choose a menu to usher in the holidays.

We began with roasted grape and goat cheese toasts and warm Camembert baked in a wooden box. These were followed by rigatoni with a spicy tomato sauce, a salad of mixed greens and shaved fennel, and a basket of assorted breads. Three desserts–spiced molasses cake squares, orange cupcakes with white chocolate frosting, and an apple and cherry crumble–ended the meal.

The students ate with adolescent abandon, returning for seconds and even thirds of every course. No dish, though, seemed to disappear as quickly as the Warm Camembert Baked In a Box with Honey-glazed Walnuts. I made two to serve with sliced apples and pears, and watched as our young guests dipped the fruit into the warm, meltingly smooth cheese without so much as a pause.
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It was the easiest dish I prepared that evening. I removed the paper wrapping encasing the Continue reading →

Cooking for Thanksgiving and Beyond

Posted on November 19, 2015 by brosbottom

Our family will be with us for the long Thanksgiving weekend, and while our son will pick out the wines, I will, as always, be in charge of the menu. Each year I prepare roast turkey basted with herb butter served with dark shallot pan gravy accompanied by cornbread and leek dressing. These two dishes are so popular with our clan that there would be a revolt should I think of presenting the bird and dressing any other way. I have free range, however, when it comes to the rest of the menu.

This year, for example, I’m adding an Apple and Cherry Crumble with Ginger Crème Fraîche to our dessert table. Far easier than an apple pie, but just as tempting, it is made with diced Granny Smiths and tart dried cherries covered with a crisp golden topping that includes oats, walnuts, and brown sugar. What sets this crumble apart from others, though, is the crème fraîche scented with honey and freshly grated ginger drizzled over the warm meltingly tender baked apples. Continue reading →

Great Burgers for Quick Fall Suppers

Posted on November 13, 2015 by brosbottom

Because I have been doing copy edits for my new book, Soup Nights, for the past few weeks, I’ve spent more time in front of my computer than in the kitchen. As a result we’ve ordered take-out tacos and pizzas, and become familiar with far too many rotisserie chickens. On those nights when I have cooked, I’ve looked to recipes that take no more than 30 minutes to prepare, like fall burgers with sautéed mushrooms and aged cheddar. These burgers proved so popular with my husband that I’ve made them three times this month alone.

I believe that the secret to good burgers is using good ingredients, so I bought 85 % grass fed beef for mine, but any high quality ground beef will work. I also opted for tender, soft potato buns, and picked an aged Vermont white cheddar that melts beautifully. For the mushrooms I used fresh shiitakes and Baby Bellas. Continue reading →

A Sublime But Simple Salad from Paris

Posted on October 30, 2015 by brosbottom

In Paris last winter I met a friend for lunch on a chilly January day. The right bank bistro we chose was called Clown Bar, the name a clue that it was located near the city’s famous circus, Le Cirque d’Hiver. The landmark restaurant had been recently revitalized by a young team, and its menu reflected this with an offering of new, inventive dishes. One of the first things I spotted on it was a Salade de Mache et Croquettes de Camembert. The waiter explained that it was prepared with tender mache lettuce and garnished with warm crispy Camembert croutons.

The salad tuned out to be my favorite dish among many good ones that day. It was a brilliant pairing, both for its simplicity and for its contrasting textures and tastes. The tender mache lettuce tossed in a vinaigrette made a great counterpoint to the crunch of the fried Camembert. Continue reading →

Delicious Chicken Soup for Cool Fall Nights

Posted on October 19, 2015 by brosbottom

Dear Readers,
No, I have not forgotten about you! I have been writing, re-writing, testing and re-testing recipes for my new book, Soup Nights! The first half of the manuscript was due last Thursday at 5 PM. I hit the “send” button at 4:45! I have a breather now until the next half is due on November 15th, so I wanted to share with all of you a favorite recipe from the batch I just sent off. It’s for delicious Creamy Chicken Soup with Autumn Vegetables.

This is comfort food at its best, perfect to serve as the cool days of fall arrive. Like most cream of chicken soups, it is thickened with a little flour, but the similarities end there. An unexpected addition of fresh autumn produce, including diced butternut squash, sliced Brussels sprouts, and Baby Bella mushrooms enhance this special version, while some half and half enriches it.

For the 2 cups of diced chicken called for, you can use leftover roast chicken. Since I am always in a rush, I rely on a good quality purchased rotisserie bird, a big time saver. If you have extra roast turkey, it would be equally good in this soup. Continue reading →

Roasted Grapes Make Delectable Fall Appetizers

Posted on October 1, 2015 by brosbottom

Last week I wrote about the delicious overnight oats we enjoyed at our hotel on Nantucket, but that wasn’t the only culinary inspiration the island sparked. I was also taken with some unusual appetizers prepared with baguette slices spread with cream cheese and topped with roasted red grapes and sunflower seeds.

At home I couldn’t wait to make these little treats in my own kitchen. I tried several cheeses, and settled on some snowy white chèvre to replace the cream cheese in the original version. And, toasted walnuts were just as good as sunflower seeds.

Roasting the grapes was a breeze. You coat them with olive oil, pop them in the oven for Continue reading →

A Delicious Breakfast on Nantucket

Posted on September 24, 2015 by brosbottom

Earlier this month we spent a long weekend on Nantucket. We were there for the wedding of friends, and stayed in a small hotel called 76 Main near the center of town. The hotel offered breakfast to its guests, so the first morning we headed to the breakfast room expecting platters of scrambled eggs, ham, and bacon plus baskets of toasts, bagels, and muffins. Instead we gazed upon a beautiful buffet of light, colorful small plates featuring fruits, vegetables, and grains as well as both savory and sweet baked goods.

There were small bowls of crispy fried kale leaves served with red and yellow cherry tomatoes, wedges of cheese garnished with walnuts and glistening jam, and plates of melon and mint. Onion and cheddar scones caught my eye too. But, the small Mason jars filled with delicious overnight oats topped with dried fruits and nuts were my favorite.

Breakfast at 76 Main on Nantucket

Betty and Ron in wedding finery

Gorgeous tent for our friends’ Nantucket wedding

My place card for the wedding dinner

Thoughtful friends who invitied us for a sail off Nantucket

Turns out that these oats are 76 Main’s signature dish, so the hotel happily shared the Continue reading →

Betty Rosbottom

Food Writer, Cookbook Author, Cooking Teacher