Vandaag zet ik mijn oma in de kijker op mijn blogje.
Mijn bomma kan eigenlijk niet goed koken. Ik ben mij er van bewust dat dit niet bij het beeld van bomma’s hoort, want bomma’s die koken meestal erg lekker. Allebei mijn bomma’s kunnen niet koken. Met kerst krijgen we te droge kalkoen, cakes haalt ze uit kant en klare pakjes van herta en volgens mij is ze zelf in staat om een simpel toastje te laten aanbranden.
Wat komt mijn bomma dan doen op mijn foodblog? Wel, deze week heeft ze mij verbaast.
Zoals wel vaker gebeurt spring ik na het werk even binnen bij mijn grootouders. Heel vaak om bompa te depanneren met zijn pc, die voor hem nog heel wat geheimen heeft. Meestal zitten ze net aan tafel en durf ik al eens een stukje worst of kaas meepikken voor ik terug naar huis keer. Deze keer aten ze echter spruitjespuree. Sinds kindsbeen af heb ik een hekel aan spruitjes. Ook een schande ik weet het. Tenslotte zijn spruitjes een van onze nationale trotsen en bekend over de ganse wereld. Maar ik vind ze dus te bitter. Waarom ik die bewuste dag dan toch proefde.. Ik weet het niet. Maar ik kan u meegeven dat ik het mij niet beklaagt heb!
En raar maar waar, vandaag stond deze spruitjespuree bij ons op het menu. Twee spruitjeshaters aten een ganse pot spruitjespuree op.
Om maar te zeggen, dank u bomma!

INGREDIËNTEN:

1 kilogram aardappelen
600 gram spruitjes
Melk
1 ei
Boter
Peper
Zout
Nootmuskaat

Schil de aardappelen en snij ze in gelijke blokjes. Kook deze in gezouten water gaar.
Maak de spruitjes schoon. Doe de spruitjes nu in een pot met koud water en een scheutje melk. Laat tot net tegen het kookpunt komen en giet dan de spruitjes af. Doe de spruitjes terug in de pot en vul met koud gezouten water. Zet terug op het vuur en laat +/- 20 minuten koken of tot de spruitjes goed gaar zijn.

Stamp de gare aardappelen fijn en meng met boter, melk en een eitje tot je een smeuïge puree krijgt. Kruid al bij met peper, zout en nootmuskaat.

Giet de gare spruitjes af en doe terug in de pot.
Voeg een scheutje melk toe en plet de spruitjes met een vork. (Ik zou hiervoor geen pureestamper gebruiken of een passé vité, want dan komt er te veel vocht in je puree.) Prak tot de spruitjes een puree vormen, doe er een klontje boter bij en stoof aan op een zacht vuurtje.
Voeg nu de aardappelpuree en de spruitjespuree samen. Goed mengen, proeven en eventueel bijkruiden met peper, zout en nootmuskaat.

November 2009 Exercise – Robert Wilson, Sous Chef, Wingate University, Wingate, NC

Mini crab cakes w/ a strawberry and habanero pepper puree and beef tenderloin w/ roasted red pepper and chocolate demi-glaze

To participate in the next exercise, please send an e mail to: jeffrey@bauscherinc.com

See all your favorite chefs’ collections of past submissions at Deep Plate page on Facebook.  Please become a “Fan”. 

http://deepplate.wordpress.com and “Deep Plate” on Facebook

[Ed: Today marks the return of our indomitable and enthusiastic guest blogger, Della, who not only invokes the esteemed Julia in this fine post, but also adds two of my most favorite ingredients to this very classic dish.]

I made vichyssoise for the first time when I about 15 years old.  A chilled soup sounded terribly exotic to me at that time and though I had never tasted it I assumed that anything so classically French must be a) delicious and b) difficult to make.  I learned that I was only half right.  The soup was absolutely divine but it was incredibly easy to cook.  Then I learned a few years later that vichyssoise is not so “classically” French.  According to Julia Child in her 1961 culinary bible “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” vichyssoise “is an American invention based on the leek and potato soup.”  Apparently I was only 33 per cent correct.  Nonetheless the result was wonderful and I make this and other chilled soups to this day.

Like so many traditional dishes, there are as many recipes as there are cooks making them.  The first recipe I used was from the 1970 TeeVee Books publication “The New Complete Book of Cookery.” It was already an old book when I found it on my mother’s bookshelf though I’m certain I was the first to open it after the Christmas day it was received.  The soup chapter was written by Ted Moloney, the author of several notable cookbooks including “Oh for a French Wife!” (1953)  Moloney’s recipe calls for both leeks and onions with a leek/potato ratio of about 2 to 1.  Moloney also calls for celery and uses butter to sweat the leeks and onions.  In contrast Julia Child’s original 1961 recipe called for equal portions of leek and potato and no celery, onions or butter.  Instead of sweating the vegetables they were simply simmered in the chicken stock.  By the time her 1999 collaboration with Jacques Pepin, “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home” was published, Julia had added both butter and onion to her vichyssoise, deepening the flavour and improving the texture of the original.  Of course, all of the recipes call for heavy cream in healthy measure.

Perhaps more important than their recipes, was the advice that Moloney, Child and Pepin offered home cooks.  All three advocated improvisation.  Potato and leek soup was simply a foundation for innumerable variations.  From these icons of French cookery I learned that ultimately even the best recipes are merely guidelines and that flavour is far more important than authenticity.  My vichyssoise is a blend of their recipes and inspired by their food philosophy.  Julia and Jacques suggested adding carrots, parsnips, cucumbers, cabbage, squash and a plethora of other possibilities either alone or in combination.  You’ll see fennel and wine in my ingredient list.  Neither are traditional ingredients but I think fennel adds an aromatic depth to the soup.  The fennel is sort of an Italian take on this French inspired American classic.

At its best vichyssoise is simple, luxurious and elegant.  Whether you stick to the basics or jazz up your vichyssoise with some exotic addition I hope you enjoy the result.  Bon appétit.

Vichyssoise

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 medium leeks (about 3/4 lb untrimmed), sliced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 fennel bulb, sliced (optional)

2 large potatoes (about 1 ½ lbs), sliced

½ cup white wine (optional)

4 cups chicken stock

½ to 1 cup whipping cream (feel free to use half and half if you want to lighten things up)

Salt and white pepper to taste

Chives or fennel frond, finely chopped for garnish

Crème fraiche or sour cream, for garnish

leeks and fennel

Puree

Sauté leeks, celery and fennel with butter on medium low heat.  Be careful not to caramelize leeks or burn butter.  When leeks and celery are soft, deglaze pot with white wine.  Let wine reduce until pot is almost dry.  Add potatoes and chicken stock.  Cover and simmer  until vegetables are very soft – about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Puree with a stick blender, food processor or food mill.  Let puree cool and then chill thoroughly.

Just before serving stir in cream.

Serve in chilled bowls garnished with a dollop of crème fraiche and chopped chives or fennel fronds if you have used fennel in the soup.

Yields 6 to 8 appetizer portions.

A couple of quick notes:

1.             Use russet or other high starch potato for the best texture

2.            For those of you who have not cooked leeks before, leeks collect sand like your worst nightmare swimsuit.  Rinsing the sliced leeks in a big bowl of cool water is your best bet to dislodge the grainy intruder. [Ed. I've also tried taking a mushroom scrubber to them and it works like a hot diggety, but it is labour intensive.]

The last of my crops to yield food are my pumpkin vines. The jack-o-lantern pumpkin plants didn’t produce this year, but the little sugar pumpkins did. I’ve also picked up some cheese pumpkins and kabocha squash at the farmer’s market in town, so I’ve been roasting and pureeing pumpkin flesh all over the place. First off, let me say that the easiest way, by far, to cook a pumpkin (or orange-fleshed squash) is to plop the whole thing (uncut, unscored) in a baking dish and roast it at 375 for about an hour or so. Once the pumpkin takes on a golden, shiny glow and looks like it’ll collapse once away from the oven, it’s done. The baking dish will be full of golden liquid — don’t toss it! Twist off the stem-handle from the top, peel away the layers of skin, and scoop out the glorious flesh. What about the strings and the seeds? If I’m pureeing the pumpkin, the strings are no problem. I extricate all the seeds, set ‘em aside for cleaning and then toasting (toasting these pre-roasted seeds yields THE BEST pumpkin seeds for snacking I’ve ever had). Then, toss the pumpkin flesh (strings and all) and the baking dish liquid in a blender and pulverize. Heaven! The last batch I roasted yielded four large yogurt containers full of bright orange, sweet-as-anything puree. And, here’s what I’ve done with it all:

• Made a Pumpkin Porridge — After having an out-of-this-world dinner at a vegan Korean restaurant in NYC (Hangawi), I came home determined to make my own version of their Pumpkin Porridge appetizer. I did, and here’s what I do: Sautee a half of a small onion in a little olive oil until black on the edges, add in about a cup of pumpkin puree (or chunks), about a quarter cup of water, and a nice pinch of salt, and stir until warmed through. Then I turn off the heat and add about a half-cup of pancake/baking mix (I’ve been using the gluten-free kind lately), to thicken. If it gets too thick, I add more water. Done. And, yum.
• Whipped Up Orangy Pancakes — Adding in pumpkin puree to pancake mix (and reducing the other liquid in the recipe), yields a super-tasty, super-healthful version of the regular old pancake. Mmmm.
• Added a Vitamin A Kick to Chili – I needed a little sweetness in the chili I threw together yesterday, so I poured in about a half-cup of my pumpkin puree. The chili sweetened up, but not too much, and we all got a little extra something with our tomatoes, beans, and spices.
• Made a Vegan Pumpkin Pie/Pudding — Blending two cups of puree with one pack of tofu (drained), a half-cup of maple syrup, and a little pumpkin pie spice and salt makes a fantastic pumpkin pie (cooked in a pie shell at 350 for an hour) or pumpkin pudding (eaten straight out of the blender with a long spoon, or chilled in the fridge — either way!).
• Threw Together a Power Lunch — I put cooked rice, pumpkin puree, and leftover garlic-sauteed kale in a pan to re-heat and mix together. A splash of tamari (I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos) activated some amazing flavors, and I had a can’t-get-enough lunch.
• Made a Pumpkin Shake — Today for lunch I’m going to reprise my pumpkin shake: a half-cup of pumpkin puree, a quarter-cup of milk (soy, hemp, almond, goat, cow, whatever), a little chunk of tofu, a squirt of agave nectar (and a couple drops of Young Living’s orange oil for that extra wow — optional, of course).

I’m planning to freeze as much pumpkin as I can, to have on hand throughout the winter, but since the four yogurt containers of puree are now down to just one-half, I wonder if I’ll be able to freeze it before I eat it!

This blog entry was a bit daunting to write (which explains why it is Thursday and I have yet to post this) because feeding your baby solid food is one of those tasks that every parent approaches in the way that simply works well for them.  So I will not try to persuade but will just share how much we have enjoyed making C’s baby food since he started to eat solids.  He has on occasion eaten jarred baby food, but on the whole we make his baby food and have decided that it doesn’t take much time out of our day or preclude us from going out and about around meal time.

Before I had even thought about having children, I remember a conversation years ago when a friend mentioned how she was going to be one of those parents who made all of her children’s baby food.  At the time I remember thinking, “now that is going overboard!”  Years later, I am doing just that and realizing that it is easy to do and certainly less expensive then spending a dollar on each jar of baby food or more, if you choose to buy organic.

I received a baby puree book for a baby shower gift, Top 100 Baby Purees, and was intrigued by the number of combinations recommended for baby food purees and by how simple the process seemed.  Early on, when the baby only eats one type of solid food a day like green peas, bananas, carrots or sweet potato, all you had to do was puree the food to the consistency of a jar of baby food.  This took a bit of practice.  I realized that often you needed to puree the baby food first and then slowly add a few tablespoons of water until it was smooth enough for the baby to tolerate.  Often potato and later cheese became consistent additions to smooth out the texture of the baby food.  I discovered sweet potato went well with apple and banana and avocado was a good pairing, much to my mother’s disbelief, but the baby gobbled it down.  Applesauce out of the jar was also a simple puree addition in order to add a bit of smoothness and tartness to otherwise bland vegetables.

For my pureeing device, I ordered a Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus for $40.  I was enticed by the much more expensive Williams and Sonoma, Beaba Babycook which defrosts, steams and purees all in one device.  But I quickly realized that I was rarely defrosting after a few months of making baby food.  Instead I would cook two days worth and keep it thawed in the refrigerator or plan ahead and take the frozen food out of the freezer in advance.  The Cuisinart proved powerful yet tiny enough to fit on my small kitchen counter and the microwave was efficient for quickly steaming foods.

It was a surprise to me that it is unnecessary to boil vegetables on the road to pureeing them.  My friend Kim clued me in early on that steaming vegetables in the microwave rather than boiling them the long and traditional way worked just as well and was much, much quicker.  All I had to do was cook the vegetables in the microwave on high for 7+ minutes covered with water in a pyrex container.  It was a miracle.  The veggies came out cooked and ready to puree.  Even a raw egg, I learned from Kim much later, could be cooked in the microwave on high for about two minutes.  Then add cheese, tomato or any other item that compliments it well and you have scrambled egg for the baby!  I even started eating a protein breakfast of microwaved scrambled egg more regularly because it only takes a minute or two and tastes pretty similar to the real thing.

For baby food storage we use some remarkable containers called, Babycubes, that let us efficiently store or travel with the baby food.  I recently gave my friend Jessica, who is due in January, a set of these cubes.  They are about double the size of an ice cube and have an attached lid.  This way you can freeze the food with the lid on or simply store in the refrigerator.  More recently the cubes have come in handy for holding snack food like raisins or cubes of cheese.

Now we are just about at the tail end of having to make C’s baby food and thankfully he has expanded the tastes and textures he tolerates to eat a portion of what we cook for ourselves for lunch or dinner.  But I will certainly be getting my money’s worth out of the mini prep.  Now I use it to dice my garlic or onions instead of dragging out the enormous full size Cuisinart!

Mini Prep:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000645YM/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00007IT2M&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0CNAXHMH2XYCKA1ETXTF

Babycubes:

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Cubes-Contains-Phthalates-Bisphenol/dp/B0027DYWS4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1257821033&sr=8-4

A couple of weeks ago I had a huge cauliflower about to turn and decided to steam the whole thing at once and make some sort of soup. And I ended up with this very spicy and smooth cauliflower purée. So when I woke up feeling all achy & fluey this morning I decided that this would be the best thing for me … and it was!

Recipe & instructions below the links.

• 1 cauliflower
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 red onion
• half a head of garlic, peeled & sliced
• 2 cups broth
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp curry paste (I used garam masala – very hot!)
• sea salt to taste

Place cut up pieces of cauliflower and potatoes into a large pot. Add two cups of broth, cover and cook until the veg as soft. Meanwhile, sautée the onion and garlic in butter and when they are transparent, add the curry paste and turn off heat. Add to cauliflower mix and purée with a stick blender, adding salt to taste.

My favourite way to serve this purée is in a big mug with a spoon. It is total comfort food.

As a junior in college and a new immigrant to this country, I was quick to adopt Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday.

We Americans may have inherited this ritual of giving thanks from the Pilgrims, but throughout history people of all nations have celebrated harvest time with a feast.

Now that’s where I get very excited about this special holiday. Cooking being my passion, having the chance to make a feast is something I anticipate with great joy each year.

When planning my own Thanksgiving menu, I follow the original spirit of this special holiday and let the abundance of the harvest itself guide me. Since I do most of my shopping at our local farmers’ markets from spring through fall, I’m familiar with the gorgeous produce they offer and the succession of crops.

Even at the end of November, there’s still a marvelous assortment of fresh veggies and fruits to choose from: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, gorgeous red beets, leafy greens, pumpkins and winter squashes, apples and pears… the list goes on and on, and out of it my menu takes shape beautifully.

From the first bite of the spicy beet-green crostini and the first sip of the sumptuous pear Bellini to the last morsel of dessert, the mood for this feast is set. May it inspire you to create a Thanksgiving feast that is as delicious as it is joyful — in the true spirit of giving thanks!

Menu
Featuring wines from Bonny Doon Vineyard

Spicy beet-green crostini
Endive boats with fresh ricotta and roasted beets
Marinated olives with fennel
Roasted cashews with curry spices (from Tierra Farm — shown with the Bellini)
Pear Bellini

Pumpkin soup with citrus-mint pesto
Baby spinach salad with dried cranberries, feta and maple-glazed pecans
Pan-roasted shallot vinaigrette
Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Blanc 2007

Individual gratins with shiitake mushrooms and Yukon gold potatoes
Roasted butternut squash with garlic and sage Maple-glazed
Brussels sprouts with chestnuts
Cauliflower purée
Cranberry chutney with figs
Bonny Doon, Syrah “Le Pousseur” 2005

Apple-pear crisps with macadamia crumb
Calvados Chantilly
Bonny Doon, Le Vol des Anges 2007

Game Plan
1 WEEK AHEAD
Buy wines

3 to 4 DAYS AHEAD
Buy vegetables and groceries (I like to buy the veggies as close to the time I need them as possible. The longer they sit in the refrigerator, the more they lose both nutrition and flavor!)
Wash beet greens, spin dry, place in large Ziplock bag — refrigerate
Wash spinach, spin dry, place in large Ziplock bag — refrigerate
Cut baguette in slices for the crostini — freeze

2 DAYS AHEAD
Roast the beets — refrigerate
Make soup and pesto — refrigerate
Make the marinated olives — refrigerate

1 DAY AHEAD
Set table and prep house
Make maple-glazed pecans — place in Tupperware and store at room temperature
Blanch Brussels sprouts — refrigerate
Make cranberry chutney — refrigerate
Make Calvados chantilly — refrigerate
Cut butternut squash, place in large Ziplock bag — refrigerate

THANKSGIVING MORNING
Make apple-pear crisp
Make gratins
Roast Butternut squash
Make cauliflower purée
Prep the beets for the endive boats
Slice the beet greens and garlic for the crostini
Slice the shallots for the spinach salad
Prep the ingredients for the Brussels sprouts

30 MINUTES BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE
Take out the olives, soup and chutney from the refrigerator
Assemble the endive boats

WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE
Serve Bellini, olives, curried cashews and endive boats
Toast the baguette slices, sauté the beet greens and assemble crostini — serve warm

WHEN READY TO SERVE DINNER
Re-heat soup and serve

Make pan-roasted shallot vinaigrette
Assemble salad and serve

Re-heat gratins and butternut squash at 375ºF for 6 to 8 minutes
Re-heat cauliflower purée
Sauté Brussels sprouts
Plate main course and serve

Re-heat dessert and serve

Spicy Beet–Green Crostini

makes 16 crostini

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red, chili pepper flakes to taste
2 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1 lb beet greens (or Swiss chard) – trimmed, thoroughly rinsed, spun dry and cut in 1/4” strips
1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 baguettes slices – cut on the diagonal in 1/4″ thick slices
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Step 1: Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the oil, red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute only. Add the beet greens and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until all the juices have evaporated and greens turn dark green, tossing from time to time. Add the salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toss well and remove from heat.
Step 2: Preheat the broiler. Toast the bread under the broiler on each side until golden and crispy. Top each bread slice with a small mound of beet greens and drizzle with a little olive oil. Set on a platter and serve warm.

Endive Boats with Fresh Ricotta and Roasted Beets

makes 24 boats

For the beets
4 medium red beetroots (about 1 bunch) – washed, ends trimmed and unpeeled
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the endive boats
3 large Belgian endives – trimmed and leaves pulled from core (about 24 large leaves)
12 oz fresh handmade ricotta
sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
chive tips as garnish

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the beets in a small roasting pan. Fill pan with 1/2″ of spring water. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 60 to 70 minutes until beets are tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Cook’s note: The beets can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Place in a Tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, chives, salt and pepper until well blended. Set aside.
Step 3: Peel the beets by slipping the skins off with the back of a knife. Cut the beets in 1/8” cubes. Add the dressing, toss well and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Just before serving, place a spoonful of the ricotta in the bottom half of each endive leaf. Top with the beet cubes. Garnish with a chive tip and serve.
Cook’s note: The boats can be assembled up to 30 minutes ahead and kept at room temperature. Do not prepare too far ahead of time as the endives will wilt.

Marinated Olives with Fennel

makes 2 cups

1/2 small fennel bulb
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fennel greens
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 strips lemon zest – (use vegetable hand-peeler) and cut in 1/16” julienne strips
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb mixed olives

Step 1: Trim and cut fennel bulb in half. Using a vegetable hand-peeler, shave 12 strips from the bulb and put in a large bowl. Place the balance of ingredients in the same bowl. Mix well and transfer to a Tupperware.
Step 2: Let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Cook’s note: Refrigerate up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Pear Bellini

serves 8

1 ripe red pear – cut in 1/4” slices as garnish
6 oz unsweetened pure pear juice
1 1/2 oz Grappa or Poire William
1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine

Place one pear slice in each chilled Champagne flutes. Shake pear juice and Grappa with large ice cubes. Divide into the eight champagne flutes. Top with Champagne and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Soup with Citrus-Mint Pesto

serves 8

For the soup
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Vidalia or Spanish onion – peeled, quartered and cut crosswise in 1/8” slices
1 cup dry white wine
2 garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium pumpkin (about 3 lbs) – peeled (use vegetable hand-peeler), seeded and cut in 1″ chunks
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth in cartons
2 1/2 to 3 cups spring water
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

For the citrus-mint pesto
1 small bunch Italian parsley (about 1 1/2 oz) – tough stems removed
8 sprigs fresh mint – leaves removed from stems
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds – coarsely ground with mortar and pestle
1/4 teaspoon orange zest (use microplane grater)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Step 1: Heat a large heavy-bottomed soup pot at medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onions and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until golden, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic and wine. Stir well and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the wine has evaporated and glazed the onions. Add the pumpkin chunks, the vegetable broth, 2 1/2 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer covered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pumpkin pieces are very tender.
Step 2: Add the orange juice and purée the soup with a stick blender or food processor, until smooth. Thin the soup with water to the desired consistency. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: While the soup is simmering, make the pesto. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth, for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Step 4: Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Place a spoonful of the pesto in the center of each bowl and serve immediately.
Cook’s note: The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and re-heated just before serving. It may need to be thinned with additional spring water, as the pumpkin will absorb the liquids as it stands. Freezes well up to 1 month.

Baby Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Feta and Maple-Glazed Pecans

serves 8

For the maple-glazed pecans
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2/3 cups pecan halves
sea salt to taste

For the vinaigrette
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large shallots – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

For the salad
8 oz baby spinach – rinsed and spun dry
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 oz French feta or sheep’s milk feta – crumbled

freshly ground pepper to taste

Step 1: For the maple-glazed pecans, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and pecans. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until the pecans are golden and the maple syrup has darkened. Spread the pecans on a cooling rack so the pan juices can drip down and sprinkle with salt. Once cooled place in a Tupperware until ready to use.
Cook’s note: The pecans can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored room temperature.
Step 2: Place the spinach in a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3: To make the vinaigrette, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the shallots. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots are light golden. Quickly add the balsamic, balance of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well and remove from heat.
Step 4: Pour the warm vinaigrette over the baby spinach. Toss well and divide equally in the center of eight salad bowls or plates (alternatively place in a large serving platter). Top with a few cranberries and a little crumbled feta. Garnish with the pecans. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Individual Gratins with Shiitake Mushrooms and Yukon Gold Potatoes

serves 8

For the mushrooms
12 sprigs fresh Italian parsley – stems removed
8 thyme sprigs – leaves removes from stems
2 sprigs winter savory or rosemary – leaves removes from stems
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 lbs fresh shiitake mushrooms – stems trimmed and cut in 1/8” slices
2 large shallots – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
2 large garlic cloves – skinned and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

For the gratins
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lb medium Yukon gold potatoes – cut in 1/16” slices (use mandoline or blade attachment of food processor)
4 oz coarsely grated cave–aged gruyere (about 1 cup)

8–1/2 cup capacity ramequins – lightly buttered

Step 1: Place the herbs on a cutting board and finely chop. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat a large non-stick skillet to high heat. Add the butter and oil. As soon as the butter is melted, add the mushrooms. Toss well and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until golden, stirring only occasionally. Add the shallots and continue to sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots have softened. Add garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
Step 3: Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Whisk the cream, milk, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Place a third of the potato slices at the bottom of each ramequins, just to cover the surface. Top with half the mushrooms. Then top with a third of the potato slices. Top again with half the mushrooms and finish with the balance of the potato slices. Drizzle with the milk mixture. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the gratins in their molds.
Cook’s note: The gratins can be baked, cooled and refrigerated up to 1 day, although they are best eaten the day they are made. To serve, bring to room temperature and bake at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes until hot.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic and Sage

serves 8

2 medium butternut squash (about 4 lbs) – peeled (use vegetable hand peeler), seeded scooped out and cut in 1/2” x 3” slices
2 small bunches fresh sage – leaves removed from stems
16 large garlic cloves – unpeeled and left whole
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 475ºF.
Step 1: Place the butternut squash slices in a non-stick jellyroll pan large enough to hold the ingredients in a single layer (alternatively use 2 pans). Add the sage, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss well. Arrange slices in a singe layer and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Remove from oven, carefully flip each slice so as not to break them. Return to oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden-brown. Remove garlic cloves and save for another use. Serve the roasted squash with the sage leaves.
Cook’s note: The squash can be sliced up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in Ziplock bags. Bake up to 6 hours ahead and re-heat at 475ºF for 5 to 6 minutes until hot.

Maple–Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

serves 8

1 tablespoon sea salt for the blanching water
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts – ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 oz roasted chestnuts in jars – broken in 1/2” pieces (use your fingers)
3 large shallots – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes.
Step 2: Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and blanch the Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes until tender. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on paper towels. Once dry, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cook’s note: The Brussels sprouts can be blanched up to 1 day ahead. Place in a Tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 3: Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Add the butter, olive oil and maple syrup. As soon as the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts and toss. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown, tossing only occasionally. Add the shallots, toss again and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots have softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Purée

serves 8

4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1 large bunch fresh thyme – tied in a bundle with kitchen string
2 medium cauliflower (about 4 lbs) – florets torn in 2” pieces
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Reggiano or Grana Padano parmesan

Step 1: Bring milk to a boil in a large soup pot. Add half the salt, herb bundle and cauliflower and boil partially covered (or the milk will foam-up) for 12 to 15 minutes until cauliflower is very tender. Strain in a colander, reserve the milk and let stand for 5 minutes until well drained. Discard herb bundle.
Step 2: Place the cauliflower florets in the bowl of a food processor and process with a steel blade until coarsely chopped. Add the balance of the salt, black pepper, parmesan and 1/4 cup of the reserve milk (or a little more) to the desired consistency. Process for another 30 seconds until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and keep at room temperature until ready to use.
Cook’s note: The purée can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Once cooled, cover and keep at room temperature.
Step 3: When ready to serve, heat the purée in a saucepan over medium heat until very warm, stirring frequently and adding a bit of the reserved milk if needed. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Chutney with Figs

makes 2 cups

For the figs
4 oz dried California or Turkish figs (about 1/2 cup) – cut in 1/4” pieces
2 tablespoons Cointreau
2 tablespoons orange juice

For the chutney
1 1/4 cup apple or grape juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup organic sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (use microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (use microplane grater)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon red, chili pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
12 oz fresh cranberries

Step 1: Place the figs, Cointreau and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix well and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add the apple juice, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger, orange zest, cardamom, red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and add the cranberries. Stir well and fast simmer for 6 to 7 minutes until the cranberries start to pop. With a wooden spoon, crush the cranberries on the side of the pot until mixture is chunky. Turn off the heat, add the fig mixture and stir. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature and serve.
Cook’s note: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Apple-Pear Crisp with Macadamia Crumb – Calvados Chantilly

serves 8

For the crumb topping
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) – cold
2/3 cup roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts

For the fruits
6 medium Braeburn or Gala apples – peeled, cored and cut in 1/4” slices
4 ripe bartlet pears – peeled, cored and cut in 1/2” pieces
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (use microplane grater)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Calvados or apple brandy
1/3 cup organic sugar

For the Calvados Chantilly
1 cup heavy cream – well chilled
2 tablespoons Calvados
2 tablespoons organic sugar

1 – 13×10x3” ceramic baking dish – lightly butteredPreheat the oven to 375°F.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Process at high speed for 15 seconds until well blended. Add the chunks of butter and macadamia and process until coarse crumbs form. Do not over-process or the crumbs will come together and form a dough. Let stand until ready to use.
Step 2: Place the apple and pear slices in a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon zest, lemon juice, calvados and sugar. Toss well.
Step 3: Place the apple-pear mixture into the prepared mold. Sprinkle with the crisp topping. Bake for 50 to 55 minute, until topping is golden brown and the fruits are bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool until warm.
Step 4: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream, Calvados and sugar and medium speed until the cream begins to thicken. Do not overbeat or the cream may turn to butter. Transfer to a Tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook’s note: Refrigerate the Chantilly up to 1 day.
Step 5: To serve, spoon into desert bowl. Top with a dollop of the Calvados Chantilly and serve immediately.
Cook’s note: The crisp can be made up to 6 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Re-heat at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes until just warm and serve as above. The crisp is best consumed the day it is made.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

~ Mary ~

How do you make something ugly look as good as it tastes?  Put it on a pretty plate, get a bright background and cross your fingers hard.  Clean Eating had a difficult time with it too – so much so that they colored the banana puree – let’s face it – this sucker’s UGLY!  Usually something this ugly would get dropped before it even saw the lens of the camera.  But the flavor, oh the FLAVOR!

A dinner like this would also get a few posts – the side, the accoutrement and the fish – but I couldn’t pull off three uglies in a row - so here it is all in one shebang and if you choose to make it you WILL NOT be disappointed.  I don’t even like bananas – in fact – it was almost a deal breaker, but I pressed on and am glad I did!

All three were adapted from the September/October Issue of Clean Eating

Curried Quinoa

In saucepan over med-high heat bring to a boil:

     1 1/2 Cups Chicken or Veg Broth

     1 Tbsp Curry Powder

     Salt & Pepper to taste

Once boiling add;

     1 Cup thoroughly rinsed Quinoa

rinsing loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give quinoa a bitter taste if not removed

Bring back up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat and fluff just before serving.

Banana Puree

While Quinoa is simmering make the puree. In a saucepan over med-high heat with a little oil saute:

     1/2 Small diced Onion

     1 Tbsp Fresh Minced Ginger

Once translucent add:

     3 Mashed Over-ripe Bananas

     1/4 Cup Water

     1 Tbsp Honey

     2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar – I used 1 Tbsp Cider and 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

     1/2 tsp Allspice

Bring just to a boil then lower temp and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree with hand-held submersion blender or regular blender or serve as is.

Add:

      Salt & Pepper to taste

Ginger Poached Tilapia

In a large frying pan add:

     3 Tbsp Lime Juice

     1 Tbsp Fresh minced Ginger

     2 Tbsp Honey

     1/4 Cup Water

Mix well then add

     3- 4 Tilapia Fillets

Bring to a simmer over medium high heat cover and poach until fish is flaky.

Pour les amoureux des bonnes purées de grand-mère, voilà ce qu’il vous faut. C’est une recette assez basique mais finalement je pense très peu souvent à la faire.

Et il faut dire qu’une purée bien chaude avec une petite noisette de beurre salé… il n’y a que ça de vrai ! Ajoutez à cela un filet de poisson tendre et une petite crème parfumée : un plat simple mais haut en saveurs !

Ingrédients pour 3 :
- 4 carottes
- 3 pommes de terre
- 20 cl de lait
- Du beurre salé
- Sel, poivre & noix de muscade
- 3 filets de poisson blanc (surgelés, c’est très bien aussi !)
- 20 cl de crème légère
- 3 étoiles de badiane (facultatif)
- 1 cuill à café de graines d’anis ou de fenouil

La recette
Pelez les pommes de terre et les carottes. Coupez-les en gros tronçons et mettez-les à cuire dans de l’eau bouillante salée. Une fois les légumes cuits, egouttez-les et écrasez les à l’aide d’un presse -purée ou d’un robot. Ajoutez le lait, le sel, le poivre et la muscade.
Pour que la purée soit encore meilleure je la remet à cuire un peu en remuant souvent. Ca lui permet d’avoir une consistance bien meilleure…
Pendant ce temps mettez une poêle à chauffer avec du beurre. Quand la poele est chaude mettez le poisson. Versez la crème dans une petite casserole avec l’anis et la badiane. Amenez à ébullition de manière à faire infuser les graines. Au bout de 5 minutes versez sur le poisson déjà un peu grillé.

Vous pouvez ensuite servir avec beurre, citron et vin blanc !

The October Farmer’s Markets were full of lovely pumpkins and I could not resist their siren song.  So, this year I bought a Halloween pumpkin with wonderful intentions of carving it into a masterpiece… but that didn’t happen.  Halloween came and went and my pumpkin sat on my porch looking very autumnal but not very scary. 

On Monday night I was feeling inspired by all of the posts I have been reading about roasting pumpkins.  I figured that since my pumpkin hadn’t quite turned out to be the ultimate Halloween decoration I could still get my money’s worth.  All needed to do was roast it and turn it into tasty pumpkin puree.  Such a wonderful idea, at least in theory.  When I actually set about roasting and pureeing, my brilliant inspiration gradually turned to determined frustration and ended in exhausted triumph.

At this point I should probably mention that I was not using a “cooking” pumpkin.  My pumpkin was about 19 inches tall and 16 inches around. 

The size should have been my first clue that this would not be a quick task.  I also got a bit of a surprise when I cut my giant pumpkin open.  I was expecting it to have an 1-1/2 inches or so of meat to it.  Boy was I wrong!  The walls were about 3 inches thick on the sides and 4 inches thick towards the bottom.

Okay, we have now established that this pumpkin was no shrinking violet.  I fact only 1/4 of the pumpkin fit into my modest oven at a time.  It took 30 minutes at 450 degrees for the pumpkin to become perfectly roasted.  When the roasted pumpkin became cool enough to handle it was time to remove the skin and puree it.

Now is a good time to mention that the sole blending device in my kitchen is a blender.  Not a fancy vita-mix type blender either.  Just a run of the mill 6 cup Oster blender.  It has always served me well and makes a mean smoothie, but I was about to discover that blending frozen fruit and blending roasted pumpkin don’t even come close in comparison. 

I peeled and sliced roughly 1 cup of pumpkin and proceeded to attempted to puree it.  My blender put out an awesome effort….for the first 5 seconds.  After the addition of some water and some coaxing with a spoon I got my first bit of pumpkin puree.  2 hours, a bit of cursing and a few tears later I had pureed half of the pumpkin.  You may be asking yourself, exactly how much puree can one make from half a giant pumpkin?

  The answer, 23 cups.

Half of this pumpkin is still sitting in my fridge, sliced and waiting to be roasted this weekend.  I decided that pumpkin roasting/pureeing  is not a great weekday activity for me.  I definitely won’t be doing this on a Monday night ever again.

November 2009 Exercise – James Fox and Kitchen Team, Executive Chef, Best Impressions Caterers, Charlotte, NC

“Coffee and Cream” Coffee – Kona crusted shortrib of beef on a carrot puree.  Cream – Confit of wild mushrooms with a porcini cream.  

To participate in the next exercise, please send an e mail to: jeffrey@bauscherinc.com

See all your favorite chefs’ collections of past submissions at Deep Plate page on Facebook.  Please become a “Fan”. 

http://deepplate.wordpress.com and “Deep Plate” on Facebook

Preparation

1. Start by cooking the vegetable/fruit either by steaming, baking or boiling. Steaming maintains the most nutrients. Steaming, baking and boiling all allow for big batches of foods to be made at one time.
2. Take the cooked vegetable or fruit and remove them into the machine you have decided to use for pureeing.
3. Set aside the liquid that the vegetable/fruits were cooked in. This will be the liquid you add to make the puree. Adding this liquid also helps to preserve any nutrients that may have leached into the water during cooking. NOTE: Do not use reserved water from carrots or other high nitrate veggies for a baby under 7 months old.)
4. Set your machine to puree or grind and begin to mash the vegetables or fruits.
5. As you are pureeing or blending, add the liquid or plain water. You may also thin with Formula, Breast Milk or Plain Water. These liquids give a little nutritional boost and add a familiar taste for baby. Pureeing without adding any liquids is also a good idea.

Image source.

Freezing

1. Transfer the puree into ice cube trays for freezing/storage – fill each cube as though you were filling the tray with water to make ice cubes.
2. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. Each cube is equal to approximately 1 ounce of food.
3. Once the cubes of puree have set and are frozen, take the trays out of the freezer and transfer the cubes into freezer bags. Be sure to label the bag with the date of preparation as well as the type of food. The baby food cubes should be used within a month of freezing.
4. When it is time to feed baby, simply take out the number of food cubes needed, thaw and then reheat.

More detailed instructions found HERE.

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) cans black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 ( 14 ounce ) can pumpkin puree
1/2 acorn squash baked
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
4 cups chicken broth
1 can cocunut milk or cream
2 large potatoes ( chopped small )
2 carrots ( chopped small )
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp grated ginger

Prepare

In a large pot, saute onions and garlic. Add can tomatoes, pumpkin puree and stock. Add potatoes and carrots along with bay leave and seasoning. Bake the squash in the oven for 45 minutes. Let cool and scoop out half of the squash into the soup. Cook for at least 45 minutes adding coconut milk as you go along. Simmer for another 1/2 hour until potatoes and carrots are cooked and you have the desired consistency.

Serve soup hot with bread & butter or crackers.

Serves 8 – 8

I will be the first to admit that I always have on hand a few cans of pumpkin or butternut squash purée. This is my emergency stash, just in case I need to whip up some pumpkin muffins for my nieces, or make my 15-minute butternut squash soup for an impromptu dinner!

My cans, though, have been known to sit on their shelf collecting dust for many months — the truth is, I very rarely reach for one!

As soon as the winter squash season starts, I buy baskets full of just-harvested sugar pumpkins, butternut squashes and many other winter squashes at my farmers’ market. I store a few perfect specimens in the garage (an ideal cold room in the fall and early winter months) and with the balance, I make fresh winter squash purée.

The flavor of this purée is so intense and sweet, the texture so creamy, that every time I make a batch, I cannot resist licking the bowl. Best of all, it’s extremely easy to prepare. All you need is a little time for baking the winter squashes. The rest happens in minutes.

Last but not least, the purée freezes extremely well. I pack it in 1-cup and 2-cup containers and freeze enough to last me all winter long.

So why not indulge? Keep your canned pumpkin for hectic days — the rest of the time, savor one of fall’s best treats and make your own, fresh winter squash purée.

A little warning though: it’ll be hard to go back to the canned stuff!

Fresh winter squash purée

winter squashes or sugar pumpkins
spring water or filtered water
large jellyroll pan or baking dish

Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
Step 2: Place squash cut side down in the pan. Add enough water to the pan to measure about 1/4″ up the sides of the pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until very tender (the baking time will depend on how big or how old the squash is).
Step 3: Remove from oven and place cut side up on a cutting board. Let cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Place squash in a food processor and process until coarsely puréed. Scrape sides of the bowl and if the flesh is a bit dry, add a little water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue to process until the purée is silky-smooth.
Step 4: Once completely cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

The small butternut squashes in the picture below were the first of the season. They were so tender that the purée turned out velvety-smooth and I never had to add any water to it — just magnificent!

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash cut side down in the pan. Add enough water to the pan to measure about 1/4″ up the sides of the pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until very tender (the baking time will depend on how big and how old the squash is).

Remove from oven and place cut side up on a cutting board. Let cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Scoop out flesh with a spoon.

Place squash in a food processor and process until coarsely puréed.

Scrape sides of the bowl and if the flesh is a bit dry, add a little water, 2 tablespoons at a time.

Continue to process until the purée is silky-smooth.

© 2009 viviane bauquet farre – food & style NY LLC

Butternut squash is a fantastic source of both vitamin A and C, and just one vegetable can go a long way. Widely available in October and November, butternut squash has a sweet, creamy flavor, and is enclosed in a tough skin. Stored correctly in a cool, dry place, butternut squash will keep for 2-3 months.

You can serve Butternut Squash puree alone, or mix it with apple puree, carrot puree, applesauce, mashed banana, pumpkin, sweet potato, rice or homemade rice cereal, chicken or peaches. Baby K loves her Butternut Squash Puree with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

For a toddler, I’ve had success with mini bagel “pizzas”, that is, halve a whole wheat bagel, spread about a tablespoon or two of butternut squash puree over bagel, sprinkle with a little parmesan or asiago cheese, and bake for about 10 minutes.

To make the puree:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Wash butternut squash just before slicing
• Carefully cut the vegetable in half lengthwise
• Scoop out the seeds and fibrous strings
• Using a small knife, carefully peel the skin from each half
• Cube the remaining squash into about 2 inch cubes
• Place cubes on a foil lined pan, and drizzle a little olive oil over the squash
• You will probably have a pretty full pan, be sure to use a spatula and toss the cubes around making sure that all sides have a little EVOO
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, using the spatula to turn the cubes occasionally.
• Squash should be baked until tender.
• Allow the butternut squash cubes to cool
• Transfer to cubes to blender or food processor with about 1/2 cup of water
• Blend away, adding water if necessary.
• Pour into ice cube trays, cover and freeze immediately.

Photo credit to Rex_roof.