Tomato Soup with Basil, Parsley and Thyme aka Superbowl Soup

I made this soup for my illustrious colleague at GMA upon meeting her new baby.

I thought it would be a good choice given her love for soups in general and with the hope that the whole family might enjoy it too. I love tomato soup alone with crusty bread or a companion to a grilled cheese or tuna sandwich.

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced thin

6 cloves garlic sliced

4 sprigs thyme tied with butchers twine

1 bay leaf

1celery stalk diced 1/4 inch

1- 4 oz. can of tomato paste

2- 28- oz. can San Marzano tomatoes

6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne - optional

1 cup of fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven or rondo over medium high heat saute the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and celery, until the vegetables are softened, but no color forms. Add the tomato paste and tomatoes with their juice and break up a bit with a potato masher.

Add the broth and season with the salt and cayenne if using.

Simmer the soup on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the basil and parsley and stir. Remove the thyme and bay leaf then blend the soup with a stick blender, food processor or blender. Add 1 cup of water if necessary to thin the soup to desired consistency. Makes 2 quarts.

Serves 6-8.

Add the basil and parsley and stir. 

Remove the thyme and bay leaf then blend the soup with a stick blender, food processor or blender. Add 1 cup of water if necessary to thin the soup to desired consistency. Makes 2 Quarts.

Recipe, writing and photos by Karen Pickus

Courtesy Karen Pickus 2013

Recent Photos 1/24

Hi All,
After a busy holiday schedule I decided I would post some recent photos. I will get back to recipe writing as soon as possible. In the mean time a bit of inspiration! xo KP

                                                     Potato Pancakes for Grandmama

   Gorgeous orange flesh squash grown and cooked by my buddies Katty and Charles

                                                                      Meringue cake

                                          

                                  Turkey Sandwich on brioche with cranberry sauce and mayo

                                                Karen's broccoli and spinach GREEN soup

Photos and writing by Karen Pickus 2013
Courtesy Karen Pickus 2013

Thanksgiving Stuffing, Herb Style and or for the vegetarians at your table.

Here is a simple rich stuffing we use on Thanksgiving. I love the simplicity of the savory herbs and buttery bread! You can make this ahead. Freeze in resealable bags and break it out the morning you are to stuff your turkey, 1 hour before.  Place the remainder in a casserole dish and bake.

2 loaves Pullman white bread sliced or any favorite sliced white bread, dont remove crusts! cubed
1 and 1/2 sticks of butter

2 yellow onions chopped fine  
4 celery stalks, chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup of parsley chopped fine
1/4 cup of fresh sage sliced thin
1 md 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian
2 tsps. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Place the cubed bread in a large bowl or soup pot, sometimes it is easier to mix in a large pot.
In a large skillet sweat the onion and celery until the vegetables are softened but not browned about 20 minutes over low heat. When the vegetables are cooked turn off the heat and stir in the herbs then add to the cubed bread. Stir in the salt and pepper then stir in the stock.
Stuff the bird then add remainder to a buttered casserole dish. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven covered with foil for about 25 minutes until the stuffing is heated through then uncover the stuffing the last 10 minutes to brown the top golden. 

Recipe photos and writing by Karen Pickus 2012
Courtesy Karen Pickus 2012 

Sausage Stuffing

This is the stuffing my friends LOVE!  I love to share and am delighted people like my recipe!
Here it is and Happy Thanksgiving!

2 large loaves Brioche bread loaves sliced and cubed, don't remove
 crusts about 18 cups 
1 and 1/2 sticks butter(6 oz.)
4 stalks celery 1/4 " dice
2 onions,  1/4 "dice
1/4 cup fresh sage sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 and 1/2 Lbs. fresh Italian fennel sausage out of the casing
1and 1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsps. kosher salt
1/2 tsps. ground black pepper


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 Place the cubed bread into a large bowl. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onions.
sweat over low heat until the vegetables are tender, but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and stir add to the cubed bread. In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat pat down the sausage and cook to a nice brown color. Turn the sausage over and cook the other side to a nice brown color.
Begin to chop  the sausage with a metal spatula into chunks while continuing to brown the sausage.
When the sausage is cooked through remove from the pan and cool thoroughly. Then break up the lumps with your hands, to make smaller pieces.

Add to the bread and vegetable mixture. Stir in the chicken stock and toss the mixture.
Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. place the mixture into a 9x13 oven proof baking dish.
Cover the dish with foil. put into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve immediately. 
Alternatively stuff the bird. 

Recipe, writing and photos by Karen  Pickus, 2012
Courtesy Karen  Pickus 2012 

All in a days work 10/12/12

Michael Symon from the Chew stopped by to demo his Pork and Ricotta Meat balls from his new book.

I set him up as per usual and made his roasted Sicilian cauliflower and his sauteed greens to go with them.
Sarah, our illustrious food producer took this shot.

    The awesome stagehands Richie and Eddie assisted me today.
Writing and photo by Karen Pickus 2012


Courtesy Karen Pickus 2012

2 Awesome days @ work

                                         

                                          Photo by Danielle Librizzo

 Emeril and Yours Truly in Central Park 8/17

Summer Salad for Lunch

We have a farm near us that makes the most awesome feta . I had some in the refrigerator and wanted to use it in a hefty salad . Here is the salad that I composed using some of my favorite flavors combined together. I love the freshly ground coriander seeds in this.

 The exquisite quality of the freshly ground seeds adds delicate complexity to the already robust tang.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh farm feta or French feta crumbled
1 large ripe tomato chopped
1/2 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, pitted Calamata olives
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 scallion sliced thin
1-14 oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. coriander seeds, finely ground in a mortar and pestle
1 pinch of coarse grain sea salt
6 grinds of black pepper from a mill

1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsps. red wine vinegar
1 small head of radicchio sliced thin


You can combine all of the ingredients in an attractive serving bowl, except the vinegar, olive oil and  radicchio to marinate together for several hours. Then right before serving add the vinegar, olive oil and radicchio and toss.
Serves 4

Recipe, writing and photos by Karen Pickus 2012
Courtesy Karen Pickus 2012

Kim Chi

Today I happened to have some gorgeous zucchini picked fresh from my garden, some cabbage and some bok choy, I purchased. With my daughters urging I decided to make Kim chi. I have some hot cherry peppers, garlic, fish sauce and ginger. I love the stuff.. I find it most compelling. I love it with plain steamed rice or grilled steak. My friend thawed some venison he is marinating with ginger, garlic, and soy so in a few days we will have some Kim chi with venison.

This is what we did

3 heads bok choy divided into leaves
1/4 wedge of green cabbage
2 medium zucchini cut into rounds

1/2 cup sea salt
8 cups warm water
First we divided the bok choy into leaves and soaked the leaves in 1/4 cup of sea salt dissolved in 4 cups of warm water for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Then we rinsed the leaves.




Then we pureed in a food processor:

2 cherry peppers deseeded                
2 " piece of peeled ginger                  
5 cloves of garlic
2 Tbs. fish sauce

Add 1 Tbs. to each rinsed vegetable. Refrigerate. You will have some left over Kim chi.
I am going to find some napa cabbage and add the remaining hot pepper mixture to it today.
It keeps about 4 days in the refrigerator.

                                      

               

Kim Chi is great on a hot dog... I sliced up all three Kim chis and loaded it on the grilled dog with some mustard. Amazing!!

Recipe, photos and writing by Karen Pickus 2012

Courtesy Karen Pickus 2012

KP and Carol Alt 7/12/2012

Photo by Sarah Kunin

Adam Perry Lang and me KP 7/13/12

Today Adam Perry Lang was on GMA in Central Park. We cooked steaks, I made an green apple cole slaw and some radiccio with bacon for his segment.

Photo by Danielle Librizzo