PHILADELPHIA - Recipe - Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Cheesy Garlic Pita Toasts

Ok, so I guess I've unintentionally been posting just once a month - sorry! As many have read on my mom's blog, I moved to a new place and have been tirelessly working on it so that I can have dinner parties as soon as possible. In the meantime, I assure you that I've still been cooking away, so there are more posts like this to follow.

Allow me to preface this recipe by saying that I have been caramelizing onions every Monday to keep on hand for tucking into omelets, quesadillas, topping sandwiches or pizza, and for several other uses. It's pretty obvious that I love them unconditionally, as I've included them in almost all of the recipes posted on this blog. In fact, before I made this chowder, I whipped up a big batch of curry spiced sauteed onions in my large enameled dutch oven. I neglected to clean out the pot purposely, knowing that some of the residual flavor would impart itself into this soup. I figured that there was no way it would detriment the dish, and I was right. This approach also gave me time to prep the ingredients for the soup. If you don't have the need/means to fry up some bulbs, I suggest adding a scant teaspoon of sweet curry powder to the sweating onions when preparing the soup.







Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Cheesy Garlic Pita Toasts
Adding a splash of beer at the end of cooking livens up the dish, while providing interesting fizz and depth of flavor.
Serves 6-10
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion , chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
pinch dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds broccoli , stems peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces, florets chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups vegeatble broth
1 1/2-2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I find it's much, much better grated fresh with a microplane)
1/2 can dark beer, such as Old Chubb Scottish Ale
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese shredded, plus extra for garnish
Caramelized Onions (optional)
Salt
Cayenne
Cheesy Garlic Pita Toasts (recipe follows)

Melt butter and olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, shallots, rosemary, thyme and a sprinkling of salt. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.







Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add peeled broccoli stems and saute 5 minutes or until they begin to soften and turn a nice, vivid emerald hue. Add broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring the soup to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, or until the stems are supple.



Add florets, 1 1/2 cups cream, and nutmeg and cook another 5 minutes or until the florets are softened and bright.





Turn off the heat, and If you have an immersion blender, puree soup right in the pot until the it reaches your desired consistency. If you don't have one of these gadgets, cool the soup slightly, place half of the it in a blender or food processor and puree it in two batches.



Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add beer, stir in cheddar until melted and season with salt and cayenne pepper. At this point I also snuck in some of those curried caramelized onions I made earlier. Start working on those pita toasts!



Taste! If the soup too salty/spicy, just add more cream until it's seasoned the way you like it. Serve, garnished with extra cheese, the remaining Old Chubb poured into a nice glass, and Cheesy Garlic Pita Toasts (recipe follows).

Note: This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated once cool, but just make sure you don't bring it to a boil over high heat, or it will separate thereby ruining its velvety texture.

Cheesy Garlic Pita Toasts

3 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 pita rounds, 6 inches in diameter



Heat olive oil in a small pan and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, 30 seconds-1 minute.

Place pitas on a small baking sheet and top with the now spicy, garlic-infused oil. Top with grated cheese.



Toast in your toaster oven 5-10 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

December 6 – ADELAIDE – Back in Black

We checked into our hotel in Adelaide yesterday to discover that our rooms were all luxury suites with king-sized beds, couches, washer/dryers, kitchens, dining rooms, jacuzzis and balconies.

I was so excited by the fact that I had a complete kitchen that I went shopping and bought brekkie supplies. When it was ready, I invited Eric and Adrian for a surprise meal – fried eggs, multigrain toast, and stewed apples. I even took a cue from Soul Food and made some caramelized red onions.


After a little digestion, we departed for the festival grounds again to rehearse “Back in Black.” See, the grand finale of the festival was to consist of all of the acts performing different AC/DC hits. Adrian immediately feared singing Bon Scott’s insanely high, unique vocal line. He was more than a little relieved when he discovered we’d have Susie Keynes, a local Adelaidian belting it out for him.
After our rehearsal, we decided to capitalize on the absolutely gorgeous day by grabbing a drink outside. The street behind the hotel was a little seedy, but it was nice and sunny so we walked up and found the first decent looking spot to enjoy a nice cold Coopers. Adrian and I went inside to get the drinks while Eric reserved a picnic table outside. Big mistake – a group of six cougars hovered him like vultures over a ripe piece of meat. These ladies were seasoned to say the least. Clad in leather and black tops so tight that their were just shy bosoms bursting out of them, their caked faces gabbed away about their night out. They proudly informed us with sheer joy that they were going to the male strip club across the way. They even gloated about not having to pay a cover because they were about to eat a three-course meal with double dessert. “And thay git totally nayeked and give you a lap dince for 20 dullahs!” We choked down our drinks and promptly took a taxi to Gauger St, all the while attempting to muster up our lost appetites.
Luckily, we were about to have some of the most amazing Chinese of our lives.
Ying Chow an unassuming place, like any other Chinatown spot you’d find in any city: big glass storefront windows, bright lights, and tight seating. What separates this place from the others is most certainly the food. We knew it would be fantastically good as we stood in the threshold of the place, waiting (for what seemed like an eternity) for an open table. We couldn’t help but stare down every dish the table right next to us was getting. Plate after plate of steaming, aromatic chow was placed in front of the young couple in tight jeans. Our eyes and nostrils widened but we had to quickly avert our attention each time they glanced back up at us, knowing full well that their food and table were being stalked by a bunch of ravenous Americans. Several servers approached us to ask us if we wanted to put in our order ahead of time. Unable to decide between four pages of deliciously unique-sounding grub, we decided to wait until we were seated. Finally they got up and expressed regret for taking so long. We returned the apology for gawking at them while they ate.
Before we knew it, a multitude of workers came out of the kitchen to wipe down our table and take our order.

Unable to settle on any one dish, we determined that it would be best to get a couple different plates and share family-style (this is how Chinese should be done anyway in my opinion).
First they brought out vegetable spring rolls with sweet garlic chile dip. Seems pedestrian and commonplace – these, however, were other worldly – perfectly crisp inside and out with slightly syrupy spicy sauce (alliteration, irony, oh never mind).

Next they brought a big thermos full of rice, which I found very smart as it would never get cold. Eric's main dish came shortly after that. It was a vegetarian clay pot, full of exotic mushrooms, baby bok choy, strips of wheat gluten, and some other indiscernable vegetables - no matter - it was delicious.

Adrian ordered a similar dish - though his included poached chicken and I could smell that his was heavier (or shall I say zingier) on the fresh ginger.

When reading the menu, my eyes lit up when I saw that they had a steamed scallop dish. They were so unbelievably fresh they tasted like they had just fished them out of the ocean (in a good way). Topped with chopped garlic, wine and cilantro, I was in heaven.

To share we also got salt and pepper squid and broadbeans (aka fresh soy beans or edamame) with chiles and shredded bean curd. These were also to die for.


Andre came late and got a bowl of the house soup (with extra chiles). Feeling like we should eat with him, we ordered more spring rolls.

Feeling fuzzy and full, we rode the tram back to see Derek Truck’s band at the Wah bar. (The lighting was dim so I apologize for the blurry pic - but you get the idea).

Admittedly not having heard too much of the ensemble’s material, I was totally taken aback – it wasn’t just a slide solo blues frenzy. It was genuinely awesome, and Adrian was really digging some of the more Middle Eastern influenced melodies (gee, I wonder why). Eric was fixated on the drummer, who produced a groove so tight I defied anyone not to bob their heads during the whole set. Of course each other member was brilliant in their own right, so the interaction between them put the show over the top. I have to confess that we were jealous, having played the big stage the day before. We agreed that next time we come to this festival, we want to play the Wah Bar. There’s just something about a tight room packed with happy people – there’s just an energy that radiates, oscillating between the audience and the band.
After the show, we continued the party over to Le Boheme, where we were sure to spend the rest of our Per Diem, but for a good reason – they just make the most delicious cocktails there.

Adrian unpredictably got a classic gin Martini with olives. Oversized and with just a kiss of vermouth, it was the perfect martini. I had a “Pears Daisy”, which contained fresh Pear juice, vodka, and torn mint (I’m sure there were other ingredients, but obviously my memory escapes me after a night of drinking). Bright and tart, it was totally refreshing, a nice riff on a Mojito.

Eric told me to order something for him – big mistake. After I ordered, the bartender flashed a mischievous grin. I beckoned Eric over as the show began – the talented wizard placed a champagne flute on the bar and proceeded to douse it with absinthe and light it on fire. What happened next is all a hazy blur, as he moved swiftly with the flames to create the final product: “Absinthe Lovers.” And so the night concluded with delectable concoctions that put a nice nightcap on a fantastically enjoyable evening.

December 3 – MELBOURNE - Show at the Corner

We woke up today determined to ride the tram back down to Fitzroy and get brekkie at Soul Food. The ride took a while due to rush hour traffic but we managed to evade payment once again. By the time we made it to the Café, our heads pounded as a consequence of our caffeine deficiency. The waitress greeted us - Two Soy Lattes stat! I should mention that I’m beginning to fall in love with these drinks. These Aussies somehow get the “milk” to froth up like I’ve never seen, and sometimes it tastes just like a nice, slightly sweet and nutty cream. I’m already setting up my self for disappointment, but I might have to do a search around Philly for one like I’ve been getting here (Ants Pants – I’m looking at you). Soul Café does a fine rendition – they even do the froth art that adorns the top. No matter – I needed my fix so it was gone in a flash.



For breakfast Eric and I went with the Big Brekkie – 2 Eggs any style (I got mine fried; Eric went with scrambled), Multigrain Sourdough Toast and a choice of three sides (I chose avocado, onion, and spinach; Eric selected the same, but he sub’ed out onion for hash browns). I also ordered a side of the house relish – when I asked what it was like, the server replied that it was really beautiful – sold. I wish people in the States used more flowery words like that to describe food – it really causes the eater to grow excited.

Just about everything on the plate was great – a perfectly ripe avocado, sweet and toothsome caramelized red onion, free range farm fresh eggs, and absolutely delicious thick-cut, crunchy Multigrain toast smeared with a creamy vegan spread (I couldn’t believe it wasn’t… oh never mind). Eric’s hash browns were shredded and shaped into balls before they were fried, so they had an extra crispy exterior and a nice, soft, chive-studded center. My house relish was indeed beautiful – a lime-y, cumin-y, tomato puree that had a nice sweet and spicy kick. The only clunker on our plates was the spinach – it had a weird spice or flavor added to it that I’d never had before – I hate to say it, but it tasted like barnyard hay. No matter, everything else was so good, we just pushed it to the corner of our plates and forgot about it.



We walked around Fitzroy a little bit more and I stopped in an art store to buy some sketching supplies. I felt like I had a "Don't Help the Stupid American" sign strapped on me, because I felt like everyone who walked in was getting assistance but me. I stood looking at pencils for 20 minutes and another 15 at the sketchbooks. With no help, I was forced to answer my own idiotic questions - and the longer I went without advice, the more ridiculous the inquiries were. What size tablet should I get? Do I need pages that will rip out? How big should the point be on the pencil? Will the graphite smear on this kind of paper? Wait, they don't still use lead here, right? I certainly don't want to get lead poisoning as a result of some innocent doodling. Should I get a spiral-bound book, or will it come loose and prick my fingers like my high school notepads. Is this a paper recycled? Will the pages disintegrate if I drip coffee or wine or curry sauce on them? These are all things I love to consume while drawing!

No one came ever came to answer these ludicrous inquisitions. Perhaps the workers glimpsed over to see a wild headed girl kneeling to the stacks of tablets as if she were in the midst of some sort of insane prayer to paper. Maybe they investigated further to view my furrowed brow adorning crazy widened eyes which examined just about every writing utensil in the store. No wonder they avoided me! Either way I made it over to counter with some sort of selection. A young man clad in an apron approached me just before I set my purchases down. "Did you need some assistance in finding something today?" I examined his face for a sarcastic smirk - did this fool not see me wandering helplessly about his shop?! There was no indication of a smile - I relaxed my squinted glare and shook my head. I paid the $5 for a pad, pen, pencil, and eraser. At least I most likely (inadvertently) picked out the cheapest sketching commodities - ah the Slick Frugality gene. Hey - I'm not complaining.

We hopped the Tram back to the hotel (haha - avoiding payments yet again - what rogue criminals we are). Eric did his laundry in the tub, and I found it too humorous NOT to take a picture.



Pretty much right after that we headed over to the venue (The Corner Hotel) for sound check. There was free wireless there, so of course Eric and I opted to stay there for the night, rather than going back to our room.

The show was great - the standing-room-only crowd was so energetic that any jet lag or exhaustion instantly dissipated. At the end of the night, Adrian even repeated his crowd surfing adventure that first happened at The Corner 3 years ago. I'll admit that I ran off stage to avoid getting pulled in myself - but in doing so I rammed my knee into one of Adrian's 4x12 Marshall cabinets. YOW! If any of you ever wanted to know - those edges are SHARP. I still have the bruise to show for my yellow-bellied clumsiness.

In the end, it was a fantastic time and I couldn't wait to experience the rest of rambunctious Australia!

December 15 - PHILADELPHIA - Brekkie Break

Just wanted to keep you readers posted - I'm back from Oz and will (I swear) have more posts to share about the trip. Of course I've been tremendously busy since I got back (late Friday) - buying gifts, working shifts, and signing a lease to a killer apartment. My mom also threw her back out, so in the midst of all this I threw together (an Aussie inspried) brekkie this morning:



Julie's Brekkie Stack - Honey Wheat Toast topped with Caramelized Onions, Poached Eggs, Truffled Meyer Lemon-Yogurt Hollandaise, and Grana Padano
2 slices Honey Wheat Bread, cut in half or 2 English Muffins, split
Dash of White Vinegar
4 Eggs
Caramelized Onions (recipe below)
Meyer Lemon-Yogurt "Hollandase" Sauce (recipe below)
Shaved Grana Padano, or any other firm, aged cheese
Truffle Oil

Fill a small-medium sized saucepan with water, until it's about 2/3 full. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, start making the caramelized onions.

Caramelized Onions
olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 tsp salt
dry sherry (optional)
1-2 tsp sugar (as desired)

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot (the oil will move loosley around the pan), add the onions and salt. Cook until beginning to brown, then lower the heat to medium-low. When the saucepan of water is boiling, start making the hollandaise sauce.

Meyer Lemon-Yogurt "Hollandaise" Sauce
2 egg yolks
6-8 tbsp plain yogurt (I used Pequea Valley whole milk)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated meyer lemon rind
drizzle of honey (if desired)
dash hot sauce

Bring the water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and put atop the simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly. Once the sauce begins to thicken (8-10 minutes), you want to finish your onions - add the sherry and sugar to the onions and increase the heat to medium. After about 12-15 minutes, your sauce should be thickened, and therefore finished. Reserve water at a simmer on the stove and remove the sauce, keeping it warm (I put it on the toaster oven). Back to the onions - when the alcohol is mostly evaporated, turn the heat back down to low to keep warm.

Put the bread/muffins in the toaster and cook as desired. Meanwhile, add a dash of vinegar to the water (it helps with poaching). Crack one of the eggs into a small bowl or ramekin. Stir the water in a circular motion, creating a whirlpool. Carefully add the egg to the center. Quickly crack the other egg and add. Cook 3-5 minutes, or until set as desired. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserve, and continue with the other eggs. As the last two cook, start plating. Add the two halves of bread (or split muffin) to each plate. Top with caramelized onions and poached eggs (the last two should be coming right out of the simmering water). Spoon on the hollandaise and drizzle with truffle oil. Scatter grana padano atop and serve immediately.

So cheers - and more tales from down under to follow!

December 2 – MELBOURNE - Radio Stars

I guess I was a little jetlagged, after all – I woke up at 3 and tossed around until 7. Eric finally woke up then and we set out for brekkie. We had seen a cool café a few blocks from the hotel the day before so we decided to go there for our morning fix. Having splurged on chocolate last night, Eric and I went light with two yogurt dishes – he got a parfait with berries and granola, and I ordered fruit salad with bircher muesli.

Nice and healthy, and it got the job done. It should also be noted that the coffee here is also amazing. But that was to be expected, as one of my favorite breakfast joints in Philly is Ants Pants Café, an Aussie brekkie/lunch spot that imports its beans from Oz – and of course the coffee is strong and great.
We went back to the hotel to wash up and prepare for our long trek today – we were returning to Fitzroy to do some damage. At 11 we hopped on the tram like good, seasoned international travelers and hopped off at the corner of Gertrude and Fitzroy. Actually I shouldn’t say our ride went off without a hitch – we were really confused about payment on the tram. We were told that it cost $1.70 or so but we couldn’t figure out how and where to pay. There was a conductor up front – but he didn’t take our money. We went to the back, where there was a ticket machine and sign detailing the Metcard system. But it still wasn’t easy. The questions raced about between us: Were we going to Zone 2? Staying in Zone 1? Why is there no zone map – I’ve never heard of those neighborhoods – where’s Fitzroy? I thought that was the name of the area… Wait, who’s going to check to see that we paid? Maybe it’s free. What if there’s an officer waiting to check our tickets when we get off? This brochure says we could be fined or even arrested! But we don’t enough change to pay for two Metcards – it says it’s $3.50 – how could it be that that we were told that it would could half as much? I glanced around to see what everyone else was doing – they were just getting on and sitting down. But what if they have monthly passes? Senior discount cards? We rocked nervously for the rest of the ride. Here – let’s just get off here – there’s no cops – they’ll never catch us. At the stop we surveyed the scene like two criminal amateurs who just pilfered candy bars from a convenience store. Either way, we made it, un-incarcerated.
The walk was a blast – there are so many cool shops here. I could’ve spent my entire life savings in one block. Various art supply stores were littered between galleries and local clothing and fabric boutiques. There were records, vinyl, shoes, bags, handmade jewelry, funky house wares and many, many book stores showcasing new and used items – there was even one dedicated just to cookbooks. I was frustrated – how could we not have this king of shopping at home. Then I acknowledged that it was probably better that we don’t have these things – or I’d be one broke woman.
We walked for a bit, until our tummies started to grumble – we needed fuel to continue our spree. I had noticed a place the day before called Soul Food Vegetarian and we happened upon it just in time. The place obviously reflected the super funky, artsy neighborhood, with dreadlocked waitresses serving hipsters seated at mismatched tables. Eric and I sat ourselves at the most square table we could find and ordered two salad combos – he got the Roasted Veggie and Chickpea Tagine; I got the same Veggie with Asian Mint.
The Roasted Veggie consisted of unpeeled sweet potato, eggplant, pepper, and onion dressed in a light balsamic vinaigrette. The Asian Mint was a lovely medley of spinach, Tofu, sprouts, and cilantro in a lime and mint dressing.

The Chickpea Tagine was basically just a cold rendition of the Morrocan classic. A delicious, yet intriguing idea I felt like a hungover chef woke up late one morning to discover nothing but leftover take out in the fridge – “Dude, I know people eat, like, cold pizza and Chinese food for breakfast, but did you ever try cold Morrocan? It’s, like, totally sick.”

We were enjoying our salads immensely when I noticed two ginormous veggie burgers being delivered to an adjacent table. I’m not gonna lie – I had burger envy. At least we were being healthy…

As far as shopping was concerned, we got off pretty easy – Eric bought a pair of Golas that I had actually spotted in the window the night before. They weren’t in the window today, so we went into the shop and asked about them. The clerk actually informed us that she was about to ship them to other store and that they were actually the last pair. Wouldn’t you know it – they were in Eric’s crazy size.
We strolled around for a while longer, stopping into shops to check out the cool local designs. The Land of Oz may be far from everything, but you can see the Asian influence in otherwise Western shapes and patterns. I don't know how I managed not to buy anything.
We met downstairs at 6, starving for dinner. Adrian had enjoyed a cocktail in the bar while I ordered a Sebatron pre-amp over the phone. Oops, did I say I didn't buy anything today? I was planning on getting their 4 channel pre-amp in the States, but I realized they were based in Melbourne so I figured I'd pick it up while here. Anyway, while I was making my transaction, the boss was recommended a place called Tutto Benne along the river. We tried to hail 3 empty cabs – nobody would take us. Clearly we were doing something wrong, so we went to reception and called on instead. The cab driver took us to the waterfront and dropped us off – “The restaurants are all around, but you have to walk from here.” Adrian paid him but we were short 40 cents – “Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. Adrian tried to give him $5 for a tip. The cabbie just shook his head and waved his hand, “Have a nice dinner.” Not only did we not have to tip him, but it was as if he tipped us 40 cents – ha!


We walked around for 15 minutes trying to find Tutto Benne and failed miserably. We ended up at a place called eGusto - it was the only place that was packed, had veg options, and looked like it would be fast. We only had 45 minutes to eat and get to ABC radio to do a live interview.
We started with some Bruschetta to curb our appetities as we perused the menu. It was ok - perhaps covered with too much feta.

Adrian's main was a simple Spaghetti with sundried tomatoes, capers, and peppers in a spicy garlic sauce. It was good - al dente pasta, tangy veggies - but nothing extraordinary.

Eric got a vegetarian risotto, which was also somehow gluten free. Perhaps they used barley as the starch rather than the traditional Arborio rice. Like Adrian's it was good, but it lacked the "stirred by the hand of Nonna" touch.

I was trying to be healthy, so I got a salad and some sauteed vegetables. Meh. They gave me too many crunchy carrots - have they never heard of blanching here?

Having sampled everybody's dishes, I'd say overall I'd say the meal was fair, but effective. We even had five minutes to spare before we jumped in a taxi to get to ABC.

The interview was great - Eric and I were nervous about doing a live rap session at first, but Derek (the radio host conducting the questions) made us feel so comfortable, we immediately relaxed. Or maybe the wine from dinner sank in a little bit...
After the interview we hopped in another cab and the driver lit up when he heard our voices – he had just listened to us on the radio! We were going to go Madame Brussels, a relatively new, somewhat hidden cocktail bar located above an Italian Restaurant. How exclusive!

So of course I got red wine and immediately realized that I made a mistake when Eric received his drink:

A Caipiroska – brown sugar and lime muddled together and blended with vodka – basically a Caipirinha with a different spirit (rather than cachaça). It was almost as strong, which rendered Eric funny and drunk. The night was great.