Hamburger-Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

Today is a second day of snow day so there's no school for my son and myself.  Yesterday I did housework that included laundry, vacuuming, mopping, and dusting!  It's very rare that I got to do dusting when I do my weekly cleaning--ooppsss--as that chore is very tedious and I do not like it at all.  If I can do dusting at least once a month, it is already a triumph for me.  Hey, I am not perfect, are you? :)

I also did some baking which I will probably post the recipe in here.  I do like having snow day because I get to catch up with my chores and to play around in the kitchen.  And yes, I am the kind of person who can't sit still because I will end up eating snacks all day long.  Plus, being at home always makes me hungry; I think it's the comfort of the home that brings calm, stability, or equilibrium to my mind that the immediate response--at least for me--is hunger.

Speaking of being hungry, this past weekend I made this soup which was soo good and easy.  It defines comfort food with rich tomato broth and the pillow-like texture of cheese tortellini.   The flavor is very similar to having hamburgers; that's a plus!

 Wouldn't this be great to have on snow days?

Hamburger-Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

Serves 6 to 8


1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, if needed
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, no-salt added
6 cups beef stock or broth
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 teaspoon dry Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, rinsed
1 package (9 ounces) cheese-filled tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping


In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, brown meat with onion until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add oil if needed to keep meat from sticking.  Add tomatoes, stock, tomato juice, dry Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high.  Add vegetables and tortellini and cook, uncovered, until vegetables and tortellini are tender, about 10 minutes.  Ladle into a bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.


Source:  adapted from The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt

Tomato and Dijon Tart with Parmesan and Basil Crust

I think everyone agrees that this season's harvest is exceptional.  Summer produce is ripe at alarming rate and the sheer number of yields can be overwhelming.  What to do with hundreds of zucchinis, tomatoes, green beans?  Will there an end to cucumbers and peppers?  I like to tell people that for every garden, one can only have 1 zucchini plant!  But, really, seeing those wonderful produce is heartening and eating is naturally more enjoyable with the freshest local fruits and vegetables.

Here's a recipe to help you use the over abundant tomatoes.  It's a tart that with an addition of basil leaves and Parmesan emanates aromatic, sweet and cheesy.  The combo works well with tomatoes and savory custard filling.

Tomato and Dijon Tart with Parmesan and Basil Crust

Serves 6-8


For the dough:
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
10 basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg

For the filling:
3-4 ripe, medium tomatoes, all of similar size and shape, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2/3 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup creme fraiche
2 large eggs
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


To make the dough:  Process the flour, Parmesan, butter, basil leaves, and salt together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine green bread crumbs.  Add the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water, and bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.  Add a little extra water if needed.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400F.

Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a large circle about 1/8-inch thick and use to line the tart pan, making sure it overlaps the sides.  Trim all but 1/2-inch of the overhanging dough.  Prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with baking beans.  Place it on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the dough is lightly cooked.  Remove the beans and paper, and bake for another 5 minutes to crisp.  Trim off any ragged edges while still warm.  Reduce the heat to 350F.

For the filling:  Place the tomatoes in an overlapping circle around the edge of the tart.  Fill the center with a smaller circle of tomato slices.  Scatter the chopped parsley over the tomatoes.  Whisk together the half-and-half, creme fraiche, eggs, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Place the tart back on a baking sheet and carefully pour the cream mixture over the tomatoes.  Scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden on top and the filling has just set.  Set the tart aside to cool for at least 30 minutes before eating warm or cold.  This is best eaten the day it is made.


Source:  adapted from Pies: Sweet and Savory by Caroline Bretherton

Tomato and Cheddar Pie

This pie should be called summertime in a pie because eating one would be like savoring what are the essence of summer and labor of love in the mouth.  My parents grow several tomato plants among other vegetables in their backyard.  My dad would religiously water the garden a few times in the day and my mom would pick the weeds whenever possible, these plants are like their babies.  It makes sense to cultivate sun-loving plants in their plot because my two planter boxes in the backyard receive paltry sun rays, that growing anything is next to impossible.

My mom said to me when we picked tomatoes together that she really loved the smell of tomato plants and I couldn't disagree more!  To see these little orbs getting bigger and redder isn't unlike getting a prize--each oozes juicy and sweet liquid; it reminds us that the peak of summer is here even if it also means that it is winding down from here on.

This pie has a biscuity crust filled with layers of tomato slices and shredded cheese.  I used white cheddar whereas the original recipe uses the regular cheddar, hence my pie has a slight pale color.  There are other ways to eat summer tomatoes but for me, I like this pie--layer upon layer of cheese and tomatoes with a spread of mayonnaise mixture in between--my idea of comfort food in the heat of summer :)

Tomato and Cheddar Pie

Serves 8

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 cup buttermilk



Filling:

2 lb. large ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4" slices

2 1/2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar (8-9 oz.)

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (1/2 oz.)

1 scallion, trimmed, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons cornmeal



Note:  Use a 9"-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish for this recipe



Make the crust:  Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Using your fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms and some small lumps remain.  Stir in buttermilk and knead gently with your hands until dough forms.  Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour.

Make the filling:  Lay tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with 2 layer of paper towels.  Place another 2 layers of paper towels on top of tomatoes.  Let stand for 30 minutes to drain.

Preheat oven to 425 degree F.  Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11" round.  Remove top layer of plastic wrap.  Invert dough onto pie dish.  Carefully peel off plastic wrap.

Toss both cheeses in a medium bowl until evenly incorporated.  Reserve 1/4 cup of cheese mixture.  Whisk scallion, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over bottom of crust, then top with 1/2 cup cheese mixture.  Arrange 1/3 of tomatoes over cheese, overlapping as needed.  Spread half of mayonnaise mixture (about 1/3 cup) over.  Repeat layering with 1 cup of cheese mixture, 1/2 of remaining tomato slices, and remaining mayonnaise mixture.  Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese mixture over, then remaining tomato slices.  Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese mixture.  Fold overhanging crust up and over edges of tomato slices.

Bake pie until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown, 35-40 minutes (check crust halfway and tent with foil if it's getting too dark).  Let pie cool at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before slicing and serving.



Source:  Bon Appetit, August 2011