Spicy Tomato Blue Cheese Soup

You can only make tomato soup look so exciting in photos, but it's delightfully flavourful and delish!  This ain't no Campbell's crap.

Spicy Tomato Blue Cheese Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce or other chili sauce
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/2 cup soft blue cheese

Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the onion and a three-fingered pinch of salt and sweat for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to sweat for 2 more minutes.  Add the tomatoes, their juice, and the stock and bring to a simmer. (you can add a little more salt here too).  Add the cream, sriracha sauce, basil, and oregano and simmer for 45 minutes.

Pour the soup into a blender, add the blue cheese, and blend until smooth, working in batches if needed.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and reheat to serve.  The soup will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for a few days.

Minutely modified from here.

Mint Chocolate Chip Orgasm. Errrr.... I Mean Cheesecake

I'm a fan of almost mint choc chip anything.  Well, anything that should be mint choc chip-flavoured.  And this is a thing that very much should be mint choc chip.  OH GOD YES!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

15 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos or similar)
10 Keebler Grasshopper fudge mint cookies (or similar chocolate mint biscuits)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Three 8-oz. packages cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon Crème de Menthe
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
½ teaspoon green food colouring
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
1 teaspoon flour
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 300F.  In a food processor, combine the cookies.  Pulse until fine crumbs form.  Add the butter and pulse a few times, just until crumbs become moistened.  Press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until just incorporated.  Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. Add the Crème de Menthe, peppermint extract, and food colouring and mix well.  In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the chocolate chips with the flour.  Stir to coat.  Add the flour-coated chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture and stir.  Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.  Top with ½ cup of chocolate chips.  Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for one hour.

Remove pan from oven and immediately use a knife to separate the cheesecake from the edge of the pan all the way around.  Let cool.  Refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight.  Just before serving, in a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the chocolate chips with the milk and microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.  Microwave in 15-second intervals, if needed, stirring after each interval, until smooth.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over each slice of cheesecake, and serve.

From here.

Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Gelato

I've gone a bit mad with the ice cream lately.  I can't stop making it, or eating it.  I blame summer.

 
Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Gelato

INGREDIENTS
Plain Base*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons amaretto
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
6-8 snickerdoodle cookies, crumbled (if you want to make your own, there's a good recipe here.)

PREPARATION
Make the Plain Base (below) and chill as directed.

Whisk into chilled plain base the cinnamon, vanilla extract, amaretto, and xanthan gum (if using).

Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Add the crumbled snickerdoodles 5 minutes before the churning is completed.  Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

* Plain Base
INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

PREPARATION

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream.  Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.  Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously.   Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185F.  Do not bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so.  To cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir the custard until cooled.  Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Testimonial

"I can't stop eating Bella's cheese sauce.
http://miscreantsdiner.blogspot.ie/2012 ... spicy.html

I never had cheese sauce before this and now I'm putting it on everything at any meal I can make an excuse. It must be clogging up my arteries.

It's just so quick and easy to make. Five minutes and you're done. I even once...




...




Don't judge me




... I even once made a pot and just ate it out of the pot with a spoon.
"

BWAAAHAAAAHAAAHAA!  If this sauce doesn't lead to world domination, nothing will.

Pistachio Gelato

Homemade pistachio ice cream isn't naturally a garish sea foam green - who knew??  No, it's much more subtle - and a whole lot more flavourful than store-bought.  Make it.  Now!  You'll thank me.

Pistachio Gelato

INGREDIENTS
Plain Base*
1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachios (see below), cooled and ground into a paste/powder in a coffee grinder
another 1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachios
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
4 tablespoons amaretto
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

PREPARATION
Make the Plain Base (below) and chill as directed.

In a blender, combine the pistachio paste, almond extract, amaretto, and xanthan gum with half of the base.  Blend until smooth, then whisk into the remaining base.  Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Add the whole pistachios 5 minutes before the churning is completed.  Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Roasting Nuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.  Place the baking sheet in the oven, and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove from the oven, transfer to a plate, and cool.  Cool completely before using.

  
* Plain Base

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar

PREPARATION

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream.  Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.  Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously.   Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185F.  Do not bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so.  To cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir the custard until cooled.  Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Based on the recipe found in The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato & Sorbetto by F.W. Pearce and Danila Zecchin, copyright 2010. Published by Clarkson Potter.

Pineapple-Honey Chicken Kebabs

Or kabobs.  Whatever.

Pineapple-Honey Chicken Kebabs

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, dried, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces

Put chicken in a flat-bottomed bowl or in a sealable plastic bag.

Marinade:
2/3 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger
1 tablespoon chili paste

Whisk together all of the above ingredients.  Pour marinade over chicken and either seal bag or cover bowl with cling film.  Marinate between 2 and 5 hours - the longer the better.

For kebabs:

Pineapple chunks

Red onions, quartered

Red bell pepper chunks

Soak wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.  Heat grill.  Chop veg.  Drain chicken, discarding marinade.  Thread chicken, pineapple, and veg on skewers, alternating.  Cook on grill to desired doneness.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Finally - zucchini bread that tastes NOTHING LIKE ZUCCHINI!  In fact, it tastes EVERYTHING LIKE CHOCOLATE!  And it's easy, using only one bowl, and throws together in about ten minutes.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 eggs
1/3 cup agave nectar or sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use applesauce instead)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 2/3 cups flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini, gently pressed
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, agave, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, cocoa, and flour, mixing until well combined.  Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the bread for 65 to 75 minutes, until the loaf tests done (a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean, save for perhaps a light smear of chocolate from the melted chips). Remove the bread from the oven, and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack.  Cool completely before slicing; store well-wrapped, at room temperature.  (I used two smaller pans and reduced baking time to 45 minutes)

Adapted from the good people at King Arthur Flour.