Cooking is one of B and my passions, so I've been excited to see other fashion bloggers doing cuisine-related posts lately. We love having people over for dinner and I thought I would share the menu from a recent success.
Summer Tomato Soup
B's Spicy Fried Okra
Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage
Halibut with Tomato Vinaigrette
With the exception of the fried okra, all of these recipes came from or were inspired by one of our favorite cookbooks,
French: The Secrets of Classic Cooking Made Easy. We've made the majority of the recipes in this book and every one is flawless. They're also relatively simple, so it's very easy to tweak them and make them your own.
Summer Tomato Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 1/4 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered (we used 2 large heirloom and 3 medium beefsteak from the
farmers market)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5 thyme sprigs (1/4 tsp dried)
4 or 5 marjoram sprigs (1/4 tsp dried)
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp sour cream, crème fraîche or yogurt
salt and pepper
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan or flameproof casserole.
2. Add the onion and carrot over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until just softened, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
4. Use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the soup to your liking (we like ours a little "rustic"). Stir in the cream or yogurt and season. Reheat gently and serve.
B's Spicy Fried Okra
3 cups okra, sliced (about 1/2 inch)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning (preferably
Tony Chachere's)
4 tbsp cornmeal
salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Heat olive oil in large skillet or saute pan.
2. Add okra, a little bit of salt (to draw out the water, but remember cajun seasoning contains salt) and pepper over medium-high heat until edges are slightly blackened and soft to taste.
3. Add cajun seasoning and cornmeal and toss. Cook for 2-5 more minutes. Enjoy!
Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage
Note: This recipe has been modified quite a bit from the original, which is very pretty presentation-wise, but much more time-consuming. It's a great concept, though, for a healthier spin on mashed potatoes.
1 small head of savoy cabbage, chopped
8 small new potatoes halved (we leave skins on, but you can peel them if you like)
1 medium onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic
1/4 cup milk
1/2 stick butter (we used slightly less this time to be healthy, but I would recommend the full amount :-)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Melt a tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil in a heavy frying pan and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until just softened. Stir in the chopped cabbage and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until tender and pale golden, stirring frequently.
2. Put the potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender, then drain.
3. Mash the potatoes with the milk and remaining butter (as needed) until smooth and creamy, then stir in the cabbage mixture. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Halibut with Tomato Vinaigrette
Note: Major fail on the halibut. I forget to take pictures when we're cooking à la minute. Here's the recipe, which I can assure you turned out very well. This one is also altered slightly from the one that's in the book. B thinks that might be good with a bit of citrus next time.
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
about 6 tbsp chopped fresh chives, thyme, parsley, basil
1/2 cup olive oil
4 halibut fillets
1 tbsp dried Herbes de Provence
salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green onion, garlic, and herbs. Stir in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and leave the sauce at room temperature for about 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Preheat the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet or dish with foil and brush lightly with olive oil.
3. Rub halibut with olive oil, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Put under broiler 7-9 minutes until the flesh is opaque and the top is lightly browned.
4. Serve with sauce and enjoy!
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