Warm up with some yummy foods for the last week of winter.
Aren’t we all tired of the cold, I know I am. But while old man winter has taken it’s course and will soon come to a close, I’d like to share some delicious recipes that are sure to warm you up these last days of cold. Whether you want a cheesy and bubbly cup of French onion soup or a lovely whole-roasted chicken with winter root vegetable medley, we have the recipes for you to try.
French onion soup
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
4 onions sliced
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 cup of red wine
3 tablespoons of flour
2 quarts of beef broth
1 French baguette
1/2 pound of shredded gruyere
Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broiluntil bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
Whole Roasted Chicken
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
1/2 cup margarine, divided
1 stalk celery, leaves removed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken’s exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.
Root Vegetable Bake
8-12 slender carrots peeled and trimmed
8-12 baby turnips peeled
6-8 Fingerling potatoes scrubbed and cut in half length ways
1-2 parsnips peeled and trimmed and cut diagonally 1/2 in thick
1-2 onions cut in quarters
1-2 beets skinned and cut into quarters
1 celery root trimmed and cut into 1 inch thick slices
5 cloves of garlic
2-3 sprigs of rosemary, thyme, or sage
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put all the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly. Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve the vegetables from their baking dish or transfer them to a platter to accompany a roasted main course.
Hopefully next week we can blog about Springtime!
-Lauren