Note: I was sent a box of Vidalia onions to make this post. Opinions are mine alone.
When I first received a box of Vidalia onions, I knew I had to make French Onion Soup. The sweetness of the onions, especially after caramelizing, is perfect for this recipe.
French Onion Soup is a favorite of mine. Who doesn’t love comforting soup with a bunch of bread and cheese goodness on top?
My version below is adapted from a recipe I found on Food Network.
I am on a butter kick. Darn you, Julia Child, and your deliciously simple but butter-filled recipes. There are few things that change the taste of a meal as easily as really good butter. I’m talking full-fat, salted, hand-churned butter. Keep in mind, meals like this should not be a weekly staple. But my goodness are they fantastic as a treat. This recipe for Scallops Gratineed with Wine Garlic and Herbs is no different. I am obviously on a bit of a Julia Child kick at the moment as well which is well timed because her 100th birthday is coming up on August 15. Might I suggest making this lovely (but amazingly easy) recipe to celebrate? I made this as a meal for two, with a salad on the side. It would also make a wonderful appetizer, or just multiply as you see fit.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup minced yellow onions
1 tablespoon butter (I’m talking good butter, no substitutions here!)
I have wanted to make Lobster Mac and Cheese for the longest time. So when I was having a crummy week, I thought it would be the perfect pick-me up. (I treat myself really well, don’t I?) Continental, a restaurant in Old City and Midtown, Philadelphia, have the most fantastic Lobster Mac and Cheese. Made with orzo, the restaurants use Fontina and Gruyere cheese to make a creamy, crave-worthy meal. I used a FoodNetwork.com recipe as a base with Continental’s version as inspiration.
I headed to DiBruno Bros. to pick up my cheeses, and they were somehow out of both Fontina and Gruyere. Sad day. DiBruno Bros. never disappoints though, and the cheesemonger helped me choose two cheeses: Comté and Tomme de Berger. Comté is very similar to Gruyere but is from France (rather than Switzerland). It has a slight nutty flavor to it, and melts wonderfully (it’s commonly used in fondue). Tomme de Berger also has a bit of a nutty flavor and is a blend of sheep and goat’s milk. If you can’t find these, substitute Gruyere for the Comté and Fontina for the Tomme de Berger.
I really don’t like a cold lunch, especially sandwiches. There is something about a plain sandwich that makes me so unexcited to eat it. But a panini makes me happy: toasted bread, melty cheese… yum! So I was glad to try out this Smoked Salmon Panini.
Note: I have a panini press, but if you don’t, just use a saute pan and spatula to flip half way through the cooking.
The original recipe is linked above. I made a few substitutions, which are listed below.
Ingredients: (this makes one sandwich, multiply as needed)
2 slices ciabatta
Dijon mustard, for spreading
thin slices of Gruyère cheese
2 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon
Finely grated zest of 1/4 of a lemon
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat the panini press or saute pan.
Spread 1 slice of ciabatta bread with some Dijon mustard, as little or as much as you’d like. Top with some Gruyere cheese.
Top with smoked salmon and lemon zest.
Season lightly with salt and pepper and cover with more Gruyere cheese. Top with other piece of bread.
Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until toasted and the cheese is melted.
I was a little wary about the Dijon mustard; I thought it would overwhelm the sandwich. But it added a nice punch of flavor. The lemon zest really enhanced the dish and brightened up the smoked salmon. This could easily be made ahead and popped in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it back up. I’m so glad to have a new alternative to the boring and cold meat and cheese sandwiches usually eaten at lunch!
Trying to eat something other than pasta, but still craving a decadent comfort food dish, I found this recipe for Chicken & Asparagus with Melted Gruyère cheese.
Ingredients:
4 ounces asparagus
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2/3 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
To steam the asparagus, place asparagus in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam for 3 minutes. Remove asparagus and set aside.
Whisk broth and 1 teaspoon flour in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge both sides in the flour, shaking off excess flour.
Heat oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. The chicken should have a nice brown sear on it, but the heat may need to be adjusted to prevent burning. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Add shallot, wine and the reserved broth mixture to the pan. Cook over medium heat, until thickened (about 2 minutes) stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in sour cream, tarragon, lemon juice and the reserved asparagus until combined. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce. Add cheese on top of each piece of chicken, cover and continue cooking until the cheese is melted (about 2 minutes).
Return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce. Add cheese on top of each piece of chicken, cover and continue cooking until the cheese is melted (about 2 minutes).
Finished Dish
Yum. I really liked this meal. The sauce was rich and creamy, I didn’t even miss the lack of starch. This is definitely a meal that would be good for guests; it looks much more difficult than it actually is. If you can, try to get fresh tarragon, it really brightens the dish!
