Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
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Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for menu instructions |
Tonight's dinner is chock-a-block with vegetables and flavor; the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums. Plus it's all easy.
Tomato and Red Pepper Soup Time: 30 minutes
The combination of red tomatoes with red peppers makes a brilliant 'Tomato Soup' with just a hint of something to take it above the ordinary. Garnish with pepper strips and olives if you have them.
1/2 large red pepper
1 can whole tomatoes
with juices, 15oz (450gr)
2 shallots
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic
1 tbs oil
1 tsp paprika
1/4 - 3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tbs Greek yogurt or crème fraiche
a bit more red pepper
3 - 4 olives optional, any color
Chop shallots, celery and mince garlic. Clean pepper and roughly chop half. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté 1 minute. Add shallots, celery and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add pepper, tomatoes with juices, herbs and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until pepper is tender and done. Purée either in a blender (easiest) or with an immersion blender. Add as much of the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock to get desired consistency (it's a personal thing). Put soup back into pan and heat through.
Garnish: Slice a bit of the red pepper into very thin strips, about 1" (2.5cm) long. Pit olives if necessary and chop.
To serve: ladle soup into bowls, grind some fresh pepper over the top. Carefully spoon 1 tbs yogurt into the center of each bowl, sprinkle with olives and red pepper strips.
Red Snapper on a Bed of Leeks Time: 30 minutes
You can substitute haddock, cod, tilapia or, even walleye, whatever looks good. Fish only takes about 10 minutes per inch (2.5cm) in a hot oven. If it is overcooked it tends to be dry... The fish is served on a lightly dressed salad of blanched leek and endive.
2 red snapper fillets, 5 - 6 oz each (180gr ea.)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 medium or 2 small leeks small = 1" (2/5cm diameter) medium = 1 1/2" (3.75cm)
1 Belgian endive
1 tsp tarragon
2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
4 tbs olive oil the good stuff
The 'Bed': Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil. Cut stem end and tough, dark green tops off of leeks. You want a bit of the tender, light green top. Peel off any damaged outer layers. You should end up with 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm) of leek. When water is boiling, add the leek and cook for 7 minutes. Remove, slice leek in half the long way and rinse in cold water. Julienne leek and endive, making strips about 1/16" (.15cm) wide. Toss the two together and arrange on a small platter. Mix vinegar and mustard with a whisk. Drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over leeks and endive.
The Fish: Mince or crush garlic. Add lemon juice and 1 tbs olive oil to garlic and mix well. Lay fish on a baking sheet. Spread garlic mixture evenly over fish and bake in 400F (200C) about 10 minutes or until done, depending on thickness. Fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
The Finish: When fish is done, remove and place on leek/endive. Serve, with remaining sauce on the side.
O'Brian Potatoes Time: 30 minutes
Fried potatoes take on a new interest with the addition of chopped onion and red pepper. A simple dish to accompany flavorful meat or fish.
2 medium potatoes, 6 - 7oz (200gr) each
1/2 red pepper
1 medium onion
1 tbs olive oil
Peel and chop onion. Sauté in oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat until just transparent. Chop pepper, add to onion and continue to sauté until just starting to brown. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into bite-size pieces (see slicing for a salad in techniques). Remove onions & peppers from pan and add potatoes - with a drop more oil if needed. Sauté potatoes until light brown and cooked through (taste one). Return onions and peppers to pan and continue to sauté another 2 - 3 minutes. Salt & pepper if desired, and serve.
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Cooking schedule: 30 minutes for menu |
Remove onions and peppers, start to sauté potatoes
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Cooking for Two? Or more?
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All text and images are copyright © 2005 - 2007 Kathleen Lerum Zeller.
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