Panera-Inspired Smokey Summer Corn Chowder

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Having been on lock-down for so long, anytime one of my friends orders food for delivery or curbside pick up, we all know about it. I think there has been more detailed, in-depth food talk around here than ever before. One friend had a salad and Summer Corn Chowder from St. Louis Bread Co. (or as you call it, Panera), loved it, and as a consequence, has beaten a trail to their drive-thru ever since.

Intrigued, I had to try it. I had no recipe, so based this on the description on the web: “Roasted corn and skin-on red potatoes simmered with sweet cream, poblano peppers and cilantro.” Having never actually tried that soup, I had no basis for comparison, so Linda, God love her, got me some.  When I shared the end result with her she was delighted. “Nailed it!” she told me. “Now,” she went on, “I can have it year round.” So can you.

Panera-Inspired Smokey Summer Corn Chowder

2 T. olive oil

2 T. unsalted butter

2 large Melissa’s shallots, diced

3 T. flour

5 c. vegetable broth

1 T. Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base

1 1½ lbs. Melissa’s baby red potatoes, skin on, cubed

4 c. fresh, roasted corn kernels*

1 poblano pepper, chopped

½ c. chopped Melissa’s Sweet Red Bell Peppers

1 14.75-oz. can creamed corn

½ T. cumin

Salt, to taste

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

½ c. fresh chopped cilantro

1 c. half-and-half

Diced fresh tomatoes, for garnish

Chopped fresh scallions, for garnish

Place the oil and butter in a pot over low heat. Add the shallots and cook until transparent, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and cook, stirring, for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the broth, chicken base, and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the corn, poblano pepper, red peppers, creamed corn, cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, and half-and-half; cook over low heat for 8 minutes, smashing potatoes with a small masher (I use this one), until the soup has thickened and heated through.

Ladle 2 cups of soup into each bowl. Before serving, place 1 tablespoon of diced tomatoes in the center of each and top generously with additional chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

*To roast corn: Preheat oven to 400° F.  Line a jelly roll pan with foil and set aside.  Rub softened butter over each ear of corn and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Line ears of corn up on prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, turning halfway through.

Gazpacho

I know I've talked about this before, but I feel it necessary to mention again, because it's something about which I am passionate. A while ago, someone asked me why I didn't store all of my recipes in a digital format. She really gave me the business for still having recipes that were handwritten, photocopied, printed, or taken directly from the newspaper. Frankly, I was shocked that a serious cook felt this way.

The reason I am not totally digital (and never will be) is because, as much as I do like current technologies, I also like the personal aspect of things, particularly when it comes to something as life shaping as food and dining.

Case in point: Last week I was flipping through a cookbook that Jim and I had put together during the 21 years of our marriage. It contained all kinds of recipes that we had tried and liked, along with notes written on each one reflecting changes that we’d made, how much we’d liked it, the improving changes that we would like to make in the future, and the date that it was served.

In the doing, I came across a recipe for Gazpacho. Jim had marked it "Made for Pattie 9/14/04, she loved it! "It did my heart good to see his handwriting on this recipe that he had made thirteen years prior, and, he's right, I did love it. Why I never made it again is anybody's guess but, I decided to wax nostalgic this past week, make use of the few homegrown tomatoes  that remain, and make it again. I liked it just as well as I obviously did in 2004! It's a good one, and I encourage you to try it.

Gazpacho
from the Time-Life Cooking of the World Series

2 medium-sized cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 medium-size tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium-size green pepper, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
4 cups coarsely crumbled French or Italian bread, trimmed of crusts
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste

In a deep bowl, combine the coarsely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, garlic, and crumbled bread, and mix together thoroughly. Then stir in the water, vinegar, and salt. Layer the mixture, about 2 cups at a time, into the jar of a blender and blend at high speed for one minute, or until reduced to a smooth purée. Pour the purée into a bowl and with a whisk beat in the olive oil and tomato paste.

Cover the bowl tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours, or until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, whisk or stir the soup to recombine it. Then ladle it into a large, chilled terrain or individual soup plates.

NOTE: Above are the directions that appeared in the original recipe. I made it much easier on myself, and threw everything into the food processor with the exception of the olive oil. I pulsed until it was thoroughly combined, and then, with the food processor running, drizzled the olive oil through the top of the food processor keeping it running for the duration. That was it. The soup was finished.

Garnish as you like. I used a few slices of Hearts of Palm, two cilantro leaves, and a trio of capers.

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Dishing It & Digging It

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Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Art of Homemaking Monday
Celebrate Your Story

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Create, Bake, Grow and Gather

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Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

I LOVE gazpacho, and making it with heirloom tomatoes is an experience all its own. Using different colors of tomatoes for different batches of gazpacho (It is so easy!) yields the most beautiful cold soup you can imagine. It's quite simple to vary a standard recipe to create as many varieties as you have colors of tomatoes. Today, in a matter of minutes, I made three different types of gazpacho, with three different colors of tomatoes. Look how beautiful it is, and the taste is phenomenal, so fresh and so summery. This is what it's all about.

Go crazy with your toppings; you're only limited by your imagination here. When you're considering a variety of garnishes, go not just for varying tastes, but colors and textures as well. I'm hard-pressed to decide my favorite among this bunch; I love them all!

Here are three recipes. I made all three of them in the food processor, and I didn't even rinse between batches. There's no need to because it is basically all the same thing. So whip up as many as you like, and consider serving each one of your guests a different color. How much fun would that be?!

Yellow Heirloom Gazpacho

1 large yellow heirloom tomato
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoons Melissa’s chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon capers
1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put all ingredients into the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Top with your favorite garnishes.

Green Heirloom Gazpacho

2 large green heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Melissa’s chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon capers
1/4 of a medium yellow onion
1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

See above for directions.

Red Heirloom Gazpacho

2 large red heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Melissa’s chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon capers
1/4 of a medium yellow onion
6 fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

See above for directions.  In the photo above I topped this with chopped fresh spinach and crumbled bacon and served it as "BLT Gazpacho."

Suggested garnishes
Cucumber
Jalapeno
Chopped spinach
Crumbled bacon
Sliced hearts of palm
Cilantro
Green or black olives, sliced
Kernels of fresh corn

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Sweet Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Bisque

This past week a friend and I had planned a little outing to historic Main Street in downtown Saint Charles, MO. It's always a fun day of shopping, wandering, sightseeing, and eating. We had planned on dining al fresco at a well-reviewed cafe that neither of us had patronized before, and we were both looking forward to it.Mother Nature had other ideas, and our pick day of the week turned misty and cold, so we ended up eating Mexican food elsewhere. No problem!  I can eat Mexican a couple of times a week, but I had been looking so forward to the signature, and highly praised Red Pepper Gouda Soup at the restaurant that was our original choice. Rummaging through the fridge, I decided that I had all of the ingredients to make a version my own. I have no idea how this compares to that offered by the restaurant, but I was plenty pleased.

 I found it equally good hot, warm, or cold.  It takes to many toppings such as croutons, additional grated Gouda, popcorn (yep!), or a swirl of pesto or sour cream. It also enhances a grilled cheese sandwich, strategically dipped. I think this may become my “go to” soup of the summer.

Sweet Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Bisque

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 jar Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers, drained and chopped

1-1/2 cups homemade chicken stock

1/3 cup heavy cream

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the butter and saute for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar and peppers, and heat through.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.  Return the mixture to the saucepan.  Stir in the heavy cream, black pepper, and cheese, and heat through until cheese melts, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

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