This past week has been a blur! I am really excited to be designing projects that are pushing my talents to styles that I love! and can’t wait to share the finished product with you!  So, needless to say, this is a time when comfort food really hits the spot!

On the menu for tonight enjoy a, Curried Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup,  Potato-Apple Latkes and the best Roasted Chicken and finish it all with Paula Deen’s Pound Cake, which I promise is the best one!

Curried Butternut Squash and Cauliflower

3 medium butternut squash (about 5 pounds)-halved, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 table curry powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

One 2-pound head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

3 quarts Vegetable Stock

1 cup heavy cream

Roasted Garlic Flat Breads and cream fraiche, for serving

1. Cut 4 of the butternut squash halves into 1-inch chunks; cut the remaining 2 squash halves into 1/4-inch dice(i always roast the squash first-as it helps the sweetness to come out_425-for like3-40- minutes-toss with a little olive oil first and some sea salt

2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion. Cover with a piece of crumpled wax paper and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the wax paper. Add the curry powder and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, add honey and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Stir in large chunks of squash and the cauliflower until coated with the spices. Add Vegetable Stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderately low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes.

3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan. Add the heavy cream, cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the curried squash soup with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, in a steamer basket set over boiling water, steam the finely diced squash until just tender, about 8 minutes. Lightly season the diced squash with salt.

5. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Garnish the soup with the diced squash and dollop of creme fraiche and serve hot with a great hunk of bread!

Potato-Apple Latkes

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

4 baking potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and coarsely grated

1 Granny Smith apple-peeled, cored and coarsely shredded

Canola oil, for frying

1. In a large bowl, mix the egg with the flour, salt and white pepper. In a colander, toss the shredded potatoes with the onion and apple and squeeze dry. Add to the bowl and stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup of canola oil

3. Spoon heaping tablespoon of the latke mixture into the oil  about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with a fork. Fry the latkes over moderately high heat until golden  on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to moderate, turn the latkes and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes longer. Drain the latkes on paper towels set on a rack and transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining latke mixture, adding more oil  to the skillet as needed. Serve hot  Applesauce and sour cream.

The Best Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Paula’s Sour Cream Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Sift the baking soda and flour together. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating in each egg 1 at a time. Add vanilla.

Pour the mixture into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

YUMMY! Enjoy

I am so craving tonight’s dinner! I can’t wait to have a couple friends over and enjoy this amazing meal! To start we will have a blood orange, beet, and fennel salad, then Dover Sole with mustard sauce and green beans, followed by  chocolate souffles! Enjoy!! Have a great weekend!

Much love,

Jamie

BLOOD ORANGE, BEET, & FENNEL SALAD

(4-6 servings)

2 medium red beets, tops trimmed

2 medium golden beets, tops trimmed

3 blood oranges

1 medium navel orange (preferably Cara Cara)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise on a mandoline

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced on a mandoline (about 1/3 cup)

Good quality  extra-virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed, or walnut oil (for drizzling)

Coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt, and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed frshed cilantro and.or chervil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash beets, leaving some water on skins. Wrap individually in foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.

Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all oranges; discard. Working over a medium bowl, cut between membranes of 2 blood oranges to release segments into bowl; squeeze juice from membranes into bowl and discard membranes. Slice remaining blood orange and Cara Cara orange crosswise into thin rounds. Place sliced oranges in bowl with segments. Add lemon juice and lime juice.

Peel cooled beets. Slice 2 beets crosswise into thin rounds. Cut remaining 2 beets into wedges. Strain citrus juices; reserve. Layer beets and oranges on plates, dividing evenly. Arrange fennel and onion over beets. Spoon reserve citrus juices over, then drizzle salad generously with oil. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and pepper. Let salad stand for 5 minutes to allover flavors to meld. Garnish salad with colantro leaves.

DOVER SOLE WITH MUSTARD SAUCE AND GREEN BEANS

(2 servings)

1/2 lb. small green beans (haricots verts), trimmed

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons grape seed oil, divided

1 whole 1-lb. skinless Dover sole

1 teaspoon (or more) paprika

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small shallot, minced

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Freshly ground pepper

Mustard sauce (recipe follows)

Lemon wedges

Drain; transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Drain; pat dry. Halve beans crosswise.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season sole all over with salt. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust paprika over both sides of fish. Add fish to skillet. Cook undistrurbed until golden, 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter.

Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in another large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring to coat, until warm. Stir in parsley and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove 2 fillets from top of fish, keeping pieces intact. Lift bones from fish to expose remaining fillets. Divide fillets and Mustard Sauce between plates. Serves with green beans and lemon wedges.

MUSTARD SAUCE

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons minced shallot

1 small sprig thyme

1/2 small bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon tarragon or white wine vinegar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon piment d’Espelette or paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

Bring the first 5 ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan; cook until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 10 mintues. Transfer to a medium metal bowl. Let cool slightly. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf.

Meanwhile, simmer butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foamy; skim foam surface; discard. Pour clarified butter into a small glass measuring cup, leaving browned bits behind. Keep warm.

Whisk egg yolks, piment d’Espeltte, and 1 tablespoon water into wine mixture. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow water to touch bowl). Whisk constantly until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in butter. Whisk constantly until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in Dijon mustard. Season with salt. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

(6 servings)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (for ramekins)

6 tablespoons superfine sugar, divided, plus more for dusting

1 cup whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

5 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (62%-70% caco) chopped

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) 6 large egg whites

Powder susgar

lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter ramekins and lightly dust with superfine sugar. Chill. Place milk in a small saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and let milk steep.

Discard bean form milk on high speed, beat yolks and 3 tablespoon super fine sugar in a medium bowl until slightly thickened and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Beat in flour and salt. Gradually beat in half of vanilla milk. Whisk egg mixture into remaining vanilla milk in saucepan; bring to a simmer, whisking constranlty, over medium heat. Cook, stirring constrantly, until souffle base is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Transfer souffle base to a large bowl.

Combine chocolate and cocoa powder in a small bowl; set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk chocolate mixture into souffle base.

Using an electric mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in a large bowl until frothy, about 1 minute. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoon super fine sugar by tablespoonfuls, beating to blend between additions. Continue beating meringue until semi-firm, glossy peaks form, 6-7 minutes. Gently stir 1/4 of meringue into souffle base to lighten; then fold remaining meringue in 2 additions. Fill ramkins 3/4 full.

Bake until centers are just set and souffles are puffed, 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

I have been in Los Angeles all week working on what is to be a spectacular project! Please forgive the lack of post today,
I will look forward to writing some great ones for next week! Have a wonderful weekend! And look for Saturday Supper tomorrow!
Tons of love,
Jamie