Orange and Shaved Fennel Salad

Ingredients:
2 lbs blood oranges, peeled and sliced horizontally
3 lbs navel oranges (I used a mixture of Cara Cara and regular), peeled and sliced horizontally
1 red onion, sliced very thinly (use a mandoline)
2 bulbs fennel, sliced very thinly (use a mandoline)

dressing:
1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice*
1 1/2 oz sherry vinegar
1/2 oz olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Toss together the oranges, fennel and onion. In a jar or dressing container, shake together the dressing ingredients.


*I squeezed the juice from the flesh left on the skin from peeling the oranges with a knife.

My thoughts:

This is one of my favorite winter salads to date. It is easy to make but very bright and fresh tasting. I loved how the fennel pollen tied in with the shaved fennel and contrasted with the red onion.

Maryland Crab Soup

Ingredients:

group #1
4 cups crab stock
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, sliced into coins
9 oz fresh or frozen lima beans
1 large russet potato, diced
3 tablespoons Old Bay
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes

group #2
1 cup sliced cabbage
1 cup diced green beans
9 oz fresh or frozen corn kernels
9 oz fresh or frozen peas
16 oz blue crab claw meat


Directions:
Place the ingredients from group #1 in a 6 quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add the ingredients from group #2. Stir. Continue to cook 1-2 additional hours.

My thoughts:

January is National Soup Month!

Can you believe that I have lived in Baltimore all my life and until very recently, I hadn't made Maryland Crab Soup? I've had it plenty of course but never have tried to make it myself. Traditionally it is simmered on the stove-top (or occasionally, outside on a burner) but I thought I'd try my hand at a slow cooker version. Honestly, I liked it better than the stove-top version I made first and have had in the past. It somehow tasted fresher and the flavors were deeper. The fact that it was much easier to make was just the icing on the cake. Or the lima bean in the soup so to speak.

Anyone in Birmingham, AL?

I'm going to be in Birmingham Thursday-Sunday for Food Blog South. Anyone want to meet for dinner at Hot & Hot Fish Club on Thursday night?

Robust Vegetable Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 leeks, sliced (white parts only!)
3 cups broccoli, broken into florets
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 turnips, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish



Directions:
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the vegetables. Saute a few minutes just until the vegetables start to soften. Pour in the broth and add spices. Simmer covered for 20 minutes then remove the lid and simmer until the liquid has reduced a bit and the potatoes and turnips are soft. Using an immersion blender or working in batches using a regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. Whisk in the cheese and horseradish.

My thoughts:

 January is National Soup Month! 

This is one of those times when I wasn't 100% sure what I threw together would turn out, much less be delicious. Luckily for me (and my husband who had to eat it) it turned out better than I could have imagined. I was going to make a more straightforward leek and potato soup but then I spotted some turnips I forgot I had and tossed them in. Since turnips add a peppery bite to most dishes, I thought I'd highlight that and add other sharp tasting ingredients like horseradish, mustard and very sharp cheddar. The final product wasn't pungent (thank goodness!) but it was rich, hearty and pleasantly robust. The perfect soup for a cold winter's night.

Mustard Rubbed Pork with Melted Apples and Vegetables

Ingredients:
2 3/4 lb boneless pork roast
3/4 lb Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb rutabaga, peeled and cubed
2 Stayman apples, sliced
1/2 lb pearl onions
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup hot mustard*
2 tablespoons hickory syrup
1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, whisk together the mustard, syrup and horseradish until smooth. Rub into all sides of the pork. Place the pork in a dutch oven and surround it on all sides with the vegetables and apples. Sprinkle with vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 1/2 hrs or until fully cooked.

*I used Hot Mister Mustard

My thoughts:

While this might be a bit of a homely meal, it is a tasty one! The mustard-hickory syrup** based rub really sealed in the juices and flavored the apples and vegetables as the meal cooked. As the name suggest, the apples nearly melted away! I liked scooping up what I could of the apple and adding it to each bite of pork. So good! And easy! I don't do many one pot meals but this one makes me wonder why not. The only trick is to make sure that your potato and rutabaga are in medium to small sized cubes so they cook evenly and will be fully cooked by the time the pork is done.


**One could sub in maple and I think it would be fine but I love the smokiness of the hickory syrup I bought.

Homemade Shrimp Stock

Ingredients:
shells and heads from 3 lb medium shrimp
4 stalks of celery
2 lemons, cut up
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 large onion, cut up
1 spring fresh or dry thyme

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large (8-10 quart) stock pot. Add water until the pot is nearly filled.

After about 3 1/2 hours or until the liquid has reduced about 1/3, strain into a large bowl. Cool immediately by placing the bowl in an ice filled sink. Refrigerate overnight, then skim off any scum that rose to the surface. Package in air tight containers, freezer bags or pressure can to store.

My thoughts:

I always get a number of comments/emails whenever I call for a seafood stock and since I was making one today, I thought I'd take a minute and write up what I did. Some times I vary the flavors a bit (depending on if I know what dish it is going to go into etc) but this is what I do most often. Shrimp stock adds better flavor to a seafood dish than water or chicken stock. It is a little time consuming but it is hands-off time and you are rewarded with a golden stock that smells richly of shrimp. 

Rosemary Potato Swede Mash

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 1/2 lb swede (aka yellow turnip, rutabaga) 1 onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary salt freshly ground black pepper Directions: In a large pot, bring water to a full boil. Add potatoes, swede and onion. Cook until tender the potatoes and swede and easily pierced with a fork. Drain and return to pot. Add butter and sour cream. Mash.

My thoughts:

I don't think Americans eat enough rutabaga (or as it is called elsewhere, swede. I don't know why not, it adds a peppery flavor to dishes and is a great way to add extra vegetables to things like soups or mashed potatoes without changing the texture.