April Soups

This month April soups is a work in progress. Stay tuned for picture updates.

Garlic Royale

Ingredients

4 cups water

2 bouillon cubes

5 garlic cloves

½ cup white wine

1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley tied together)

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash Tabasco

1 egg yolk, beaten

¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Bring the water to a boil. Add the garlic, bouillon cubes, wine, and bouquet garni. Cover the pot and cook slowly for 1 hour. Add water if necessary. Strain the consommé through a thin colander and discard all the solids. Place the consommé back into the pot and season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Bring to a boil and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Just before serving, beat the egg yolks and heavy cream. Pour into the consommé and stir well. (The version I made without eggs or milk and added fresh spring peas for a more Chinese-type soup.)

Fava Bean Soup

1 onion, chopped finely

2 Tbsp olive oil

16-oz can of fava beans or dried beans soaked overnight and rinsed twice

1 carrot, diced

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

3 cups water

1 small branch thyme or ½ tsp dried

1 ham bone

1 Tbsp sherry

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Croutons

Place the onion in the soup pot and saute in olive oil for 2 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the fava beans (without the liquid), carrot, and potato. Stir well and add to the water. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the peas, thyme, ham bone, and cover the pot. Cook over medium-low for 30 minutes. Add the sherry, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well, cover the pot, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove the ham bone and thyme branch. Add croutons as a garnish.

Tomato Garlic Spinach Soup

5 large cloves of garlic, well minced

¼ cup olive oil

3 ½ cups stock of choice or use bouillon cubes

15-oz can of tomato sauce

1 can of tomato paste

4 slices of French bread

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch of fresh spinach, chopped

Pinch of cayenne

Saute the garlic in olive oil over low heat without allowing to brown, stirring continuously. Add half of the stock, and tomato sauce. Stir well. Blend the soup in the blender until smooth. Return it to the pot and add the remaining stock, French bread, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Then reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Simmer slowly another 15 minutes. Add cayenne and remove the bay leaf. Pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Simmer another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Black Bean Mexican

Ingredients

5 Tbsp olive oil

½ yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ jalapeno pepper, chopped finely

1 tomato, peeled and chopped

1 15-oz can of black beans

1 potato, peeled and diced

3 ½ cups of water

1 bouillon cube

¼ cup fresh cilantro

1 ½ tsp cumin

1Tbsp lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream and cilantro as garnish

Pour the olive oil into a soup pot and saute the onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper, and tomatoes, and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes over medium heat, until it turns into a regular sauce, stirring often. Add the beans with the juice, potatoes, water, and bouillon. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to medium low. Cook slowly, covered for 20 minutes. Add the cilantro, cumin, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, turn off the heat, and let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot and garnish each serving with a teaspoon of sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Everyday Potato Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups stock of choice

1 ½ onions, sliced (or leeks)

½ cup milk, or unsweetened soy, cashew, or coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp butter or oil of choice

2 tsp chopped parsley or chervil

Put the potatoes into a soup pot. Add the water and onions and cook over medium-low heat covered for 45 minutes. With a blender, mash the potatoes in the soup pot. (I removed part of the potatoes to keep some texture before blending). Add the milk, salt, and pepper, stir and reheat. Just before serving add the butter and parsley. Can be served hot or cold. If served cold, substitute oil instead of butter.

 French Lentil

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil

½ onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup French green or brown lentils

6 cups water

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 small turnip, diced

1 bunch sorrel or spinach leaves

1 bay leaf

1 carrot, sliced

1 medium potato, diced

½ cup tomato sauce

Salt and pepper

¼ cup cooked rice (optional)

This lentil soup has a nice mix of vegetables that make it more interesting than just straight lentils.

Beguine Cream

This soup is named after some independent Flemish mystic women.

prior to cooking

the finished product

3 ½ cups water

1 leek

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 slices stale bread

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ cup half and half or coconut milk

1 ½ tsp butter

Chopped parsley or chervil

Bring water to a boil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, and bread slices. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for an hour. Salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the soup and let rest 5 minutes. Then blend the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot. Add nutmeg, half and half or coconut milk, and butter. Stir well and bring to a light boil. Garnish with chopped parsley or chervil.

Spicy Indian

1/6 cup of olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 ¼ cups brown or green French or Italian lentils

4 cups water

1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced

1 celery stick, finely sliced

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp paprika

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon peel

Salt and pepper to taste

Pour the oil into a soup pot. Add the onions, garlic, and lentils. Saute gently over low heat for 3 minutes. Stir continually and watch that the vegetables don’t stick at the bottom of the pot. Pour the water into the mixture, stir, and raise the heat to medium. Bring to a boil, add the carrots and celery. Boil 20 minutes and then lower the heat to medium-low. Add the coriander, cumin, curry, paprika, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and pepper. Stir well and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer gently for 45 minutes. Check seasoning and serve hot.

Harrira

15 different beans in "Ham Beens" bean soup mix

a lot of cilantro and spring onions (next time I won't use the flower stalks because they stay fibrous after cooking)

¼ cup chickpeas, soaked overnight

¼ cup lima beans

¼ cup kidney beans

¼ cup black beans

¼ cup lentils

¼ cup split peas

¼ cup white navy beans

6 cups water

1 large onion, chopped

½ of a 16-oz can of tomatoes, chopped

¼ tsp ginger

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp flour

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

4 fresh mint leaves, chopped

Salt to taste

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of paprika

Place all the beans in a large pot, add the water, and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 1 ½ hours. Add the onions, tomatoes and juice, ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir well, cover the pot, and bring the soup to a second boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for another hour. Add the salt and more water if necessary. Place the flour in 2 Tbsp cold water and make a paste. Add a few Tbsp of the hot soup to the flour mixture, mix well, and pour into the soup. Stir vigorously and continually so the soup thickens without lumps. Add the cilantro, mint, cayenne, and paprika. Stir well and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Bread and Milk Soup

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups milk (or unsweetened soy milk)

½ onion, minced

2 slices of bread, cut into quarters

Salt and pepper to taste

1 beaten egg

¼ cup chopped parsley or chervil

Melt the butter in a pot. Add the flour and half of the milk, stirring constantly. Add the onion and the remaining milk. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the bread and seasoning. Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Blend the soup thoroughly and add the egg while the soup is blending. Sprinkle the herbs on top as garnish.

Bouillabaisse

Ingredients

2 ½ Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

½ fennel bulb, finely chopped

3 parsley sprigs, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 ½ potatoes, peeled and diced

4 large shrimp

4 sea scallops or mussels

¼ lb haddock, cod, halibut, monkfish, or rockfish cleaned and cut into small pieces

½ cup dry white wine

Pinch of saffron

Sauce Rouille

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 egg yolk

1 ½ tsp lemon juice (or dry white wine)

1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and paprika to taste

¾ cup olive oil

Heat the oil in a good sized pot. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and fennel. Saute them lightly over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, water, and bay leaf. Bring the soup up to a light boil. Simmer the soup for a few minutes, then add potatoes, scallops, shrimp, cut fish, saffron, and wine, and stir well. Cover the pot and cook the bouillabaisse on high heat 15 minutes. Then reduce and simmer for another 15 minutes. To make the rouille, combine all the ingredients except the oil in a deep bowl. Mix slowly with an electric mixer. Then add the oil a drop at a time until it thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise. Refrigerate before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls or serve the broth first and soup and fish as a second course. Serve French bread covered in Rouille sauce with the broth and extra on the side for the fish.

March Soups

Cream of Leek

Ingredients

¼ olive oil

6 leeks, chopped

4 cups water

1 ½ cups day old bread

2 egg yolks

1 cup of milk or coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the chopped leeks in the oil in a large soup pot over low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Don’t let them brown. Add water immediately and bring to a boil. Add the bread and simmer 30 minutes. Blend the soup in a blender. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add milk and salt and pepper to the egg mixture. Blend the eggs and milk with the soup.

Country Mushroom with Sour Cream

Ingredients

½ lb mushrooms, finely sliced

1 medium carrot, julienned

1 medium potato, diced

1 large onion, finely sliced

4 Tbsp olive oil

3 cups water

1 bouillon cube (mushroom or vegetable)

Salt and paprika to taste

½ cup sour cream (or Tofutti equivalent + white wine vinegar)

Chopped chives as garnish

Prepare the vegetables. Place the oil in a soup pot and saute the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the water and bouillon cube and cook slowly, covered, over medium heat for 30-40 minutes. Add the salt, paprika, and sour cream. Stir well and simmer 10 minutes more. Serve hot garnished with chopped chives.

Soup du Berry (Red Bean)

A castle in the Berry region of central France

Berry is famous for its canals

"The Annunciation" from The
Book of Hours owned by the Duc du Berry

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 ½ onions, chopped

1 ½ cups canned or precooked red beans

½ bottle (375 ml) of red wine

2 cups water or ham stock

1 ham bone

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pour the olive oil into the soup pot and add the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the red beans, wine, water, ham bone, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower to medium low. Cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir well and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and ham bone and serve the soup hot.

Ravioli Potage

Ingredients

2 ½ Tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 ½ tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

¾ cup chopped spinach

2 ½ cups chicken stock

10 oz fresh or frozen small ravioli

Salt and pepper

2 sprigs chervil, chopped

2 tsp crème fraiche or sour cream as garnish

Pour the oil in a pot. Add shallots and tomatoes. Saute gently for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and the stock. Stir and slowly bring the soup to a boil. Add the ravioli, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the chervil and cover. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Serve the soup hot, and place a teaspoon of crème fraiche or sour cream on top as a garnish.

Bulgarian Soup

Ingredients

4 cups beef broth

2 carrots, diced

2 small turnips, diced

1 small celeriac, diced

½ cup rice

½ large onion or 1 small onion

1 Tbsp butter

½ tsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Chopped parsley

Pour the broth into a soup pot. Add all the vegetables and rice and cook slowly over medium heat for 30 minutes with the pot covered. Peel and slice the onion. Melt the butter and saute the onion briefly until it begins to brown. Add the flour and mix until even. Add the onion mixture and salt and pepper the soup and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Just before serving, beat the egg with the lemon juice. Add to the soup and stir continuously for 1 minute. Serve the soup hot, garnished with finely chopped parsley.

St. Lioba Beer and Mushroom Soup

3 Tbsp oil of choice

1 cup mushrooms chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 cans of beer

1 bay leaf

1 egg

2 Tbsp heavy cream or coconut milk

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Gruyere cheese

Pour the oil into a soup pot. Saute the mushrooms and onions lightly for a few minutes over low heat. Add the beer and bay leaf and raise the heat to medium. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, beat the egg and cream. Add 6 Tbsp of hot soup to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the soup, mixing well. Add the chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and mix well. Reheat the soup over medium heat and continue stirring for a few minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve hot topped with grated cheese.

Minostrone di Verdua (Tuscan)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

½ of a 15-oz can of cooked cannellini beans

½ of a 15-oz can of peeled tomatoes

5 cups water

1 potato, peeled and diced

Small radicchio, chopped

½ cup white wine

1 bay leaf

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Gently saute the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes and continue to saute for 2 more minutes. Add the water and bring the soup to a boil. Add the diced potatoes, radicchio, wine, bay leaf, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer for an hour. Turn off the heat and let stand 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Serve hot topped with grated cheese if preferred.

Lima Bean Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 ½ cups water

1 bouillon cube

1 carrot, sliced

1 potato, cubed

1 cup fresh or frozen lima beans

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated cheese of choice as garnish

Pour the oil into a soup pot. Saute the onion and garlic lightly over low heat for a minute or two, stirring continually. Add the water, carrot, potato, and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low. Add the lima beans, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Cook slowly over medium-low heat for an hour or until the beans are tender. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes and serve hot. Grated cheese may be used as a garnish.

Pie Day 2016

It's that time again when all will celebrate in an orgy of pie consumption for Pie (or Pi since it's 3.14) Day. Houston Chowhounds does a pie and soup party every year, which I've hosted the past several years. By having some hearty soups to go along with the pie, you don't have as bad of an insulin crash. This time around we enjoyed a chili from Robb Walsh's chili book, a champagne-cheese-onion soup, a Jacque Pepin pea soup (using pureed chicken cracklins and was quite popular). Piewise we had a Martha Stewart banana cream pie with graham cracker crust (the filling had great flavor but the crust didn't hold together), a French silk pie, a German chocolate pie, an apple pie with bourbon soaked raisins, and a Shaker lemon pie. I'll share the Shaker lemon pie recipe with you.

Shaker worship involved a dance of men and women in separate lines in circles

The Shakers are one of those early 20th century cults populated by deliberately celibate people (therefore, they were only sustainable as a culture when there was a large influx of new members). Like Quakerism (which also arose in Pennsylvania) they did a lot of good works and accepted orphans and victims of domestic violence into their community before there were social services for such people.

 For a great documentary about the Shakers I recommend Ken Burn's "The Shakers", available at your local library

The Shakers were known for being hard-working and masters of simplifying design. Shaker furniture design has continued to be popular long after all but the last few Shakers have died.

Shakers were known for their furniture making and simplicity of form

The chairs were designed to hang on a rail along the wall

One of the other items they are remembered for is their lemon pie. Unlike most lemon pies that only incorporate the juice of the fruit, this pie is what I would call a lemon marmalade chess pie because it uses the entire fruit - rind, pulp, and juice - demonstrating that economy of use. While the main Shaker pie you typically hear about is the lemon, they also made a Shaker sugar cream pie, Shaker cider pie, Shaker coconut pie, and Shaker cranberry pie.

Shaker lemon pie

2 lemons, preferably Meyer lemons*
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
4 large eggs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Blanch the lemons by submerging in boiling water for 30 seconds. Rinse in cold water until cool. Trim and discard the ends of the lemons. Cut in half lengthwise and then slice crosswise on a mandolin as thin as possible. Discard any seeds. Place sugar and salt in a nonreactive bowl. Add lemon slices and juice at room temperature and allow to macerate for 8 hrs or 1 hr at room temperature and overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425F. Beat the eggs. Add the melted butter and flour and stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the macerating lemons and mix well to disperse the lemon slices. Prepare a single pie crust (1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup lard or shortening, 3 Tbsp cold water, and a pinch of salt is my basic recipe that I cut together with a pastry blender). Roll the pie dough until it is 1/8 inch thick for a 9-inch pie plate. Center over the plate and fold the edges up and crimp as you want (see my post on pie crimps for ideas). Place the filling into the crust and bake for 25 min at 425F. Then reduce the heat to 350F for another 25 minutes until lightly browned. You can brush the surface with cream and/or sugar at this time to create a caramelized surface.

*My initial attempt with this pie had a runnier filling than desired. This pie tends to solidify more overnight in the refrigerator so starting two days in advance may be best. Also grocery store lemons tend to be smaller than homegrown ones like mine, so choose smaller ones if you have a lemon tree.

Some other lemon recipes I found on Smitten Kitchen that might be targets of my Meyer lemon supply

• Whole Lemon Tart (I’ll be making this next)
• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples
• Strawberry Sorbet (with a whole lemon, peel and all!)
• Raspberry-Topped Lemon Muffins
• Lemon Bars
• Lemon Pound Cake (this is one of my favorite cakes on earth)
• Lemon Risotto

February Soups

Cream of Pea Soup

I served the cream of pea Adelaide style (with a meat pie) for Australia Day

2 ½ cups water

½ cup split peas

½ onion, minced

1 carrot, minced

2 bouillon cubes

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste

½ tsp sugar

2 sprigs of parsley

1 ½ Tbsp oil

1 ½ Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1 egg yolk

Pour the water into a soup pot. Add the peas, onion, and carrot. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes over medium-low, stirring periodically. Add the bouillon cubes, bay leaf, salt, sugar, and parsley. Continue cooking on low for 15 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf. Mix the oil and the flour, making a paste, then blend into the soup. Add milk. Stirring continuously, bring the soup to the boilin point and then add the eggs, first mixed in a bowl with a little bit of the soup. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring constantly, without letting the soup get to the boiling point.

Spinach Cream Soup

Spinach cream tastes like the creamed spinach side dish

½ package fresh or frozen spinach

½ onion, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 ½ cups chicken stock

2 eggs

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan

Salt, pepper, and nutmeg

1 garlic clove, minced

3 slices of bread

Wash the spinach, making sure it is well cleaned. Then chop it and the onion. Pour the olive oil into a soup pot and briefly saute the spinach and onion. After 3 minutes, add the chicken stock and cook slowly over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add more stock if necessary. Beat the eggs and parmesan cheese in a deep bowl. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix it all very well. Blend the soup in a blender until thick and creamy and return it to the pot. Add the egg mixture and stir continually until all the elements blend well. Reheat the soup over low heat for about 5-8 min. Rub the garlic on slices of bread and place them in the oven for a few minutes. Place a bread slice in each bowl and immediately pour the hot soup on top.

Orzo Soup

orzo soup

¼ cup olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2.5 cups water or vegetable stock

1 cup dry white wine

1 bouquet garni (oregano, thyme, bay leaf tied together)

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms

½ cup frozen green peas

½ cup orzo noodles

Dried marjoram and grated Romano cheese as garnish

Pour the olive oil into a soup pot and saute the shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Stir often. Add the water, wine, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower to medium heat and add mushrooms and peas. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add orzo noodles, check seasonings, and add wine if necessary. Simmer the soup, covered, gently for 15 minutes, then remove the bouquet garni and serve the soup hot. Sprinkle marjoram and some Romano cheese on the top of each serving.

Saint Antony Soup

Saint Antony Soup

2 Tbsp oil of choice

½ cup barley

2 carrots, grated

1 leek, sliced

1 bay leaf

¼ cup fresh minced parsley or chervil

Salt to taste

3 ½ cups water

1 bouillon cube

Chopped mushrooms

Pour the oil into a soup pot and add the barley, stirring continuously for 1 minute. Immediately add the carrots, leeks, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and water. Cook the soup over low to medium heat for 45 minutes, or until barley is tender. Add more water if necessary. Add bouillon cube and chopped mushrooms if desired.

Veloute a la Dubarry

½ lb cauliflower

1 leek, white part only

1 medium potato

3 ½ cups water

2 Tbsp butter

1 ½ Tbsp flour

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 egg yolk

½ dry vermouth

1 Tbsp sour cream

Pinch of nutmeg

Chop the cauliflower and leeks and dice the potato. Place them in a large pot. Add the water and cook slowly, covered, over low-medium heat for 30 minutes. Melt the butter in a separate pot. Gradually add the flour, salt, and pepper and make a roux, while stirring vigorously. Add some of the broth from the soup and mix well. Place some cooked cauliflower florettes aside, then blend the rest of the vegetable mix in a blender. Return the soup to a clean soup pot. Add the roux, stir, and continue cooking, uncovered, over very low heat, not allowing the soup to reach the boiling point. Beat the egg yolk. Add the vermouth and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture into the soup. Add the nutmeg and stir well. Check the seasonings. Reheat the soup for a few minutes if it is cold without allowing to boil. Serve hot, with reserved cauliflower on top as a garnish.

Saint Scholastica Soup

Saint Scholastica

Saint Scholastica Soup

Ingredients

6 cups water

1 cube vegetable bouillon

5 Tbsp French lentils

5 Tbsp split peas

4 Tbsp lima beans

1 leek, chopped fine

2 shallots, chopped fine (2 Tbsp fried shallots)

1 carrot (parsnip), thick slices, quartered

2 turnips (golden beets), thick slices, quartered

1 celery stalk, sliced

½ head of red leaf or green leaf lettuce

1.5 oz butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Pour water in a large pot. Add the lentils, split peas, and lima beans and bring to a boil. Add the leeks, shallots, root vegetables, and celery and continue cooking covered on medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the lettuce and simmer another 30 minutes on low. Add butter, salt, and pepper and stir well. Serve hot. [I made several substitutions shown in parentheses.]

Addictive Strawberry Hand Pies at Froeberg Farms

Hand pies are one of those items that many of us are nostalgic about from our childhood (even if the fried pie we are thinking of was from McD's). Froeberg Farm (3601 TX-6, Alvin, TX 77511 frobergsfarm.com) is better known as a pick-your-own strawberry farm and vegetable market; however, they make a lot of different kinds of hand pies fresh all day from fresh or dried fruit. 

I sampled several of the fresh fruit (strawberry, blackberry) and the dried fruit (pineapple, apricot) pies, and the fresh fruit pies definitely were far superior in texture and flavor. The strawberry pie recipe is hands-down the best. On an early spring day with pretty weather, make the (hour or so, depending on traffic) drive south from Houston to Alvin, and grab a bunch of strawberry hand pies out from under the heat lamp to savor while you're filling your strawberry basket. And bring some back to eat for breakfast the next day.

Pies made with Girl Scout Cookies

Late February/early March means it's the season for eating Girl Scout cookies. Some people apparently felt that they weren't good enough as is and created some recipes to turn them into pies (http://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/all-about-cookies/Cookie-Recipes.html). The first, Mile-High Peppermint Pie, is a a mint version of baked Alaska, a frozen mint ice cream pie with Thin Mints™ crust and a meringue topping. The second, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pie, is a pie made with Rah Rah Raisin™ cookies.

Mile-High Peppermint Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups crushed Thin Mints™ Girl Scouts cookies (24 cookies)
2 Tbsp butter melted

5 cups peppermint ice cream (Bryer's)

meringue:
5 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar

chocolate sauce:
1 oz semisweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 sugar
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the cookies and butter in a bowl. Press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze covered for 1 hour until solid. Spread the ice cream into the crust and freeze until solid. Preheat oven to 450.

Prepare chocolate sauce by melting chocolate and butter over medium-low heat. Add the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Keep warm.

For the meringue, in a small, heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Place saucepan over low heat; continue beating on low until a thermometer reads 160°.

Transfer mixture to a bowl. Beat on high until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread over the frozen pie. Bake 2-3 minutes until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately with warm chocolate sauce. Yields 8 servings.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pie

Created by Donna Fumuso

1 pie pastry
3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 pkg (6-oz) Girl Scouts Rah-Rah Raisins™ cookies, crushed
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edge. In a large bowl, beat eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until blended. Stir in crushed Rah-Rah Raisins™ cookies, raisins, and oats. Pour into the pie pastry. Bake 45-55 minutes or until filling is set and top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve or refrigerate within 2 hours. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream. Yields 8 servings.