Category: Appetizers

Poblano Soup

Poblano Soup

Every now and again we take what we call a “retirement” day. I can already see the eye rolls from my employed friends, who think every day in my life is a retirement day. The reality is that retirement still contains daily obligations. Shopping, meal prep, laundry, landscaping, house cleaning. Exercise, pet care, volunteering. These items don’t miraculously happen of their own volition. Even though retired, we still need to carve out the occasional niche to just head off for fun. Which is how we discovered Wisdom’s Cafe and their poblano soup.

Wisdom’s Cafe is one of those quintessentially Arizona spots that one typically hears about via word of mouth.  While it’s quite near I-19, we breezed right past it, with the GPS providing its usual admonishment: tsk, tsk, what miserable navigators you are. Turning around, we found it in the boondocks near Tumacacori.  20 miles north of the border, with beautiful mountain vistas surrounding the property. It’s one of those places in the middle of nowhere that somehow seems to always have a full parking lot. We won’t miss it next time, as one of the restaurant landmarks is a giant chicken out front. Opened 80 years ago by a local couple, it has remained a large family operation with decor of family heirlooms and a huge menu of family recipes. 

I love a good green corn tamale and this looked like just the place to order one. My husband usually seizes on such an opportunity to order a meat-and-fat-filled plate of something, so I was quite surprised when he ordered the poblano soup. This soup was in fact vegetarian, but as it turned out, the soup base was pure dairy cream. A lot of dairy cream. He was more than satisfied with the amount of animal fat in his belly when finished. I tasted his soup, which was in fact scrumptious, but a killer for someone like me who struggles to digest bowls of saturated fat. (In addition to IBS, my gall bladder exited the scene decades ago.) I determined to recreate this soup at home, with a lower and healthier fat profile. 

Poblanos are very popular in Mexican dishes. Deep green and shiny, they have a naturally rich and earthy essence, edging into almost smokiness. The heat can vary, but most consider poblanos to be relatively mild. They are available in most grocery stores. I figured I could use my Provencal Style Asparagus Soup as a template, with a few adjustments. Sub in the poblanos for the asparagus; switch out the herbs de Provence for Mexican spices; and make the “cream” from cashews and pumpkin seeds in my blender. Now there is no shortage of my attempts to create recipes that have hit the trash can. But if I do say so, I nailed this one. Essence of poblano in a rich and creamy soup with no animal fat in sight. 

My poblano soup is also one of those all important soups for an Arizona summer, just as tasty served chilled as it is served hot. Serve it as a main dish, accompanied by salad, or in small portions as an appetizer in a summer menu. While sipping soup, picture yourself under an umbrella on a sun filled patio, surrounded by mountains and that lovely dry Arizona air. All the while under the watchful eye of a huge white chicken!

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Poblano Soup
Print Recipe

Poblano Soup

Rich, creamy soup with the smoky essence of poblano peppers.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: poblano, soup
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup cashews
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds plus extra for garnish
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 medium poblano peppers
  • 1 3-oz potato
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup roughly chopped fennel
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp green chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • grated cheddar, if desired for garnish

Instructions

  • Place the cashews and pumpkin seeds in a bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak while preparing remaining ingredients.
  • Cut the stem and inner seeds out of the poblanos and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan. Peel and cut the potato into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan. Add the onion, fennel, herbs, spices and vegetable broth to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all the vegetables are soft, around 25 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
  • Drain the soaked nuts and seeds. Pour into a blender and add the 1 cup of water. Blend at high speed to make a nut cream. When the mixture is smooth, add the cooked vegetable mixture. Vent the top of the blender lid and cover with a kitchen towel to allow heat to escape. Blend at high speed until mixture is smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the soup back into the saucepan and heat gently if the soup is to be served hot. If the soup is to be served cold, pour into a storage container and chill til ready to serve. Soup can also be served immediately at room temperature.
  • If desired, garnish the soup with grated Cheddar and pumpkin seeds.

Notes

  • Nutrition
  • Calories: 141
  • Total Fat: 7.9 g
  •     Saturated: 1.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 30 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 13.4 g
  •     Fiber: 2.3 g
  •     Total Sugars: 2.8 g
  • Protein: 5.9 g

Fig and Walnut Pizza

Fig and Walnut Pizza

Fig Pizza.  You knew it had to happen. If only it had been my idea…. 

My first taste of such a pizza came at Time Market, http://www.timemarket.xyz a terrific little local market/café. And of course, these fine folks use long fermented pizza dough…in a wood fired pizza oven… with which my home oven cannot compete.  But I still try, because this pizza is scrumptious. 

Pizza was an unknown entity in my early days on the farm, until these little boxes appeared in the grocery store, labeled “Appian Way.” Sounded very Italian!  I’m amazed to discover that this product is still produced today, because it was, um, not exactly a pizza to write home about. A little packet of dough ingredients, can of sauce and envelope of cheese. What came out of the oven? Overly sweet tomato sauce on a biscuit-y crust topped with oddly powdered “parmesan.” By the time I was in high school, there was a pizza place in town; we’ll leave it at that. 

Having now experienced true Neapolitan pizza on Italy’s Amalfi coast, I can assure you it is amazing. Thin chewy crust, puffy edges dotted with crispy charred spots from the wood fired pizza oven. Fresh mozzarella combined with authentic parmigiana-reggiana. I can only hope the cooks in heaven are Italian. We have several shops here in the city that come close, using naturally leavened crust in big beautiful wood fired ovens. Since none of them are exactly around the corner, I make it at home more often than taking it out. 

On ambitious days, long fermented dough is rolled and flipped on the charcoal grill. Topped in the kitchen and quickly broiled, this comes closest to authentic pizza, with the delicious char that only a fire can bring. More often, the same dough is topped and oven baked on a pizza stone, in the hottest temperature I can crank up. Then there are the days like today, when there isn’t really even time enough to eat! Out comes the packaged pre-baked sprouted wheat crust… the point being that we can make homemade pizza fit just about any occasion. 

My first experience of fruit on pizza was the whole pineapple-and-ham thing. I find it amazing that this combination still exists; it’s just a nonstarter for me-pineapple is too juicy, too sweet, too…in the wrong place. While figs are sweet, they are enthusiastic participants in the whole sweet-salty-savory thing. (Yes, I know I am a bit biased, but figs are the most versatile fruit ever!) The savory is provided by the onion and fennel sauté. The salty comes from the cheeses and the walnut sauce brings the richness. While I call for fresh mozz and real parmigiana, goat cheese or feta would be a great combination with the figs, too.  Should you happen to be the pizza-has-to-have-meat type, a few strips of prosciutto will snuggle up to those figs just fine. 

As I mention every July, fig season is fleeting.  If you find a package calling your name, grab them and fire up the oven or light the grill. I made two pizzas, both disappearing in about half the time it took to make them. Bring home the figs and it will happen for you, too!

Fig and Walnut Pizza
Print Recipe

Fig and Walnut Pizza

Sweet, salty and savory pizza, topped with caramelized vegetables, walnuts, figs and fresh mozzarella.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time52 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: figs, pizza
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced fennel bulb
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seed
  • 2 tsp diced fresh rosemary 1 tsp if using dried rosemary
  • chile flakes to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 12 medium figs sliced or cut into chunks
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese sliced and drained on paper towels
  • Pizza dough for 2 12-inch pizzas, or 2 premade 12-inch crusts 

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel, stirring to coat with the oil. Brown for several minutes, then turn down the heat and cover, allowing the vegetables to cook slowly till soft, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the fennel seeds, rosemary and chili flake, if using. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool. 
     
  • If a baking stone is available, place it in the oven and preheat to 450° F. In a food processor, combine the vegetable mixture with the walnuts, and process to a chunky paste. Add a tablespoon or two of water and process to achieve a spreadable texture, but don’t make it too smooth.  There should still be tiny chunks of walnut remaining. Alternately, the mixture can be ground using mortar and pestle, or simply chopped together on a cutting board. 
  • Press the dough out into a 12-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper. If using a baking sheet, transfer the parchment to the pan. If using the baking stone, transfer the parchment to a pizza peel or pan for sliding onto the stone. Spread half the walnut sauce over each crust. Sprinkle each pizza with 2 tablespoons parmigiana cheese. Press the fig pieces into the sauce, then dot the fresh mozzarella over the top. Side the parchment onto the baking stone, or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the crust browns and cheese is bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.  

Dried Pear and Hazelnut Focaccia with Balsamic Honey Drizzle

Dried Pear and Hazelnut Focaccia with Balsamic Honey Drizzle

I occasionally enter recipe contests. I know, it’s a little odd. People are inevitably taken aback by the whole idea. I have won everything from kitchen trinkets, like olive oil cruets and butter belles, to fine quality bake ware to cash prize and trip as a finalist at the National Festival of Bread. http://nationalfestivalofbreads.com I enter this one most consistently, as its focus is on bread, using whole food ingredients. It’s also held biannually, so contestants have several years to ponder the whole thing and develop recipe ideas.  

The entrants-of-recipe-contests (ERCs for short) are a fascinating bunch. I got to know a few of the other finalists when baking at the NFOB. Several were bakers like me, having just wandered in with a unique idea, which was selected for the final competition.  Others were Professional ERCs. They had been finalists in many contests, and had the whole routine down to a science. Two had even been finalists in the renowned, granddaddy contest of them all, the Pillsbury Bake-Off. One assured me that if only I was willing to modify my bread recipe to include all processed convenience items, my recipe would be a shoe-in…

Folks quite predictably ask me how I ever got started with contests. Growing up on a farm, one might expect that 4-H would be part of my experience. But no, somehow I joined the Camp Fire Girls. My mom was the group leader, though she had substantial help from another parent couple. She was the consummate artsy/crafty person, making sure that we had meaningful weekly activities at meetings, and that we earned our various patches and beads. The couple that co-led with her handled the great outdoors and camping events. My mom was good at many things, but camping was not one of them… BTW, I have followed in Mom’s footsteps on the whole camping thing. If I’m traveling somewhere, there will be a proper bed at the end of the day and a Starbuck’s within ten minutes drive. Count on it!

My favorite part of being a CFG was the annual county and state fair competitions. These were individual events, and I entered baked goods, beaded work and sewn items. With the farm long gone from our family, I now have what I call my childhood-in-a-suitcase. The case holds favorite things from my growing up on the farm, and among those things are the many ribbons and trophies won in fair competitions.  So perhaps the whole food as competition thing was hard wired into me from an early age. That’s my theory…

Today’s Dried Pear and Hazelnut Focaccia recipe is tweaked from one of my recipes awarded Honorable Mention at the NFOB. Having entered it into a contest, it’s really no longer my recipe, and the original can be found at http://nationalfestivalofbreads.com/recipes/fig-and-walnut-focaccia.

You’ll note that the original included that devious culprit, the dried fig, now avoidable since I live in fresh fig territory! Focaccia is really just a fancy pizza. The directions are quite explicit, which is required for recipe entries. Don’t let that throw you off-this one is easy to make and is quite versatile. It pairs beautifully with cheeses and fresh fruit for an appetizer or even for breakfast.  Made a bit thicker, it can be sliced horizontally for sandwiches. Do try it… just don’t enter it into a contest.

Print Recipe

Dried Pear and Hazelnut Focaccia with Balsamic Honey Drizzle

Light, chewy Italian style flatbread, infused with the flavors of pears, hazelnuts and rosemary. Great accompaniment to cheeses and fruits, it's also good for breakfast.
Prep Time3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Course: Appetizer, Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: focaccia
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp instant yeast
  • 3/4 cup very warm water
  • 1 1/2 tsp honey, divided
  • 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour I use sprouted whole wheat
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts toasted
  • 3 dried pear halves
  • coarsely ground seat salt for the top
  • 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Measure all-purpose flour into an electric mixer bowl. Stir in the yeast, then add the very warm water and ½ teaspoon of the honey. Mix by hand to make a sponge. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. The sponge should be doubled and bubbly.
  • Insert the bowl of sponge into the mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix in the remaining ¾ cup whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and the salt. Mix on low-medium speed for 3-5 minutes, or until the dough climbs the paddle. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be very wet, but very smooth. Scrape dough out onto a floured pastry cloth or board. Round into a ball and place in a large deep bowl, which has been coated with pan spray. Spray the top of the dough lightly, then cover. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the chopped hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast the nuts for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden. (Ignore this step if nuts are pre-toasted.) Set aside to cool. Cut each pear half into 6 pieces, and place in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar over the pears, then barely cover with hot water to soften the fruit.
  • Insert a baking rack into the lower third of the oven. If a baking stone is available, place it on the rack, then pre-heat the oven to 425degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the dough out and flatten slightly into a rectangle. Drain the fruit and squeeze out excess liquid. Sprinkle the cooled hazelnuts and pear pieces evenly over the dough. Fold one-third of the dough to the center, then fold the remaining third over the top to enfold all of the nuts and pears.  Transfer the dough to a square of parchment paper. (Transfer to a baking sheet if a baking stone is not available.) Press dough out toward the edges with finger tips, until the rectangle is approximately 7 inches by 5 inches. Brush dough lightly with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Cover lightly with a clean tea towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
  • Lightly dimple the risen loaf with the knuckles of one hand. Sprinkle the top of the loaf lightly with coarse sea salt, then chopped rosemary. Combine the remaining honey and balsamic vinegar and drizzle over the surface of the loaf. Slide the loaf with parchment onto the baking stone and bake 25-30 minutes, or until evenly browned and the bottom is brown and firm. Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Serve while warm.         

Notes

While this dough can be made by hand, it’s a very wet dough. Adding flour to make it more handleable changes the open texture of the crumb. If made by hand, turn it out onto oiled plastic wrap for kneading and prepare to get your hands messy!