# January 2020 Cooking Challenge - cheese and veggies



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

So December has passed, and the various holidays celebrated in various ways usually involve food. For instance, the Christmas dinner I had with my wife's family showcased a stunning crown roast of pork, getting the finishing touches applied:










Complex preparations are very nice, tasty, and usually worth the effort. But sometimes just as worthwhile are simple and satisfying dishes like a grilled cheese sandwich. Especially a favorite variation of mine, with a slice of tomato added.

So after the extravagance of holiday wonders, let's get back to some basics. Grilled cheese and tomato is not a very broad approach conducive to many creative variations, so I'll expand it to dishes including cheese and vegetables. Like a bean and cheese burrito, eggplant parmesan, or a twice baked potato laden with cheddar.

By highlighting vegetables I am not excluding meat, you are more than welcome to crumble some crispy bacon on that loaded potato, or fry up some pancetta for that mozzarella stuffed portabella. And though I am touting simplicity, feel free to get really creative and go for some exotic souffle, innovative risotto, or stunning ravioli and sauce. Or just a big, greasy plate of poutine.

Have at it.

mjb.

ps: rules in next post


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

*The Rules*

The challenge begins on the 1st of every month. The last entry must be made by the last day of the month.
You may post multiple entries.
All entries must be cooked during the month of the challenge.
If you use a documented recipe, please cite your source.
Entries should include the name of your dish and a picture of the final product. Sharing personal recipes and pictures of the process are not mandatory but extremely helpful.
The winner is chosen by the person who posted the challenge, and is announced after the last day of submissions. The decision is final and falls entirely at the discretion of the challenger.
Submitting an entry makes you eligible to win. If you do not wish to be considered for the win you may still participate in the challenge, but make your wishes known to the challenger.
The winner's bounty includes praise, virtual high-fives, and the responsibility of posting the next month's challenge. That entails choosing a theme, posting a Challenge thread that includes the guidelines, checking in on the submissions regularly during the month, and promptly choosing a winner at the end of the challenge.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

A lovely versatile subject @teamfat and right up my street as I make a lot of vegetable based dishes. In fact - I already have a legitimate entry...


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Good theme! I'll have to fend my daughter off with a stick to take photos -- she's a cheese hound! -- but I think it's a good challenge for the long, slow part of the winter.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)




----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

chrislehrer said:


> -- but I think it's a good challenge for the long, slow part of the winter.


One thing about this theme now is that so many of us live in Northern hemisphere temperate zones. This could have been a better challenge later in the year when more folks have their gardens going strong, and could use fresh, home grown veggies. But I don't think that is going to stop many people, there's lots available year round.

mjb.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Southern hemisphere here, but so hot and dry that there os not much around.
But I:m sure I'll find something.
By the way, tomato is accepted as vegetable,?


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

By chance I made this which fits the brief. Beetroot, Burrata & Balsamic.

Its a tried and tested trio which has a pleasingly alliterated title. Deliciously creamy burrata with intense balsamic and earthy beetroot. The finger lime 'caviar' adds refreshing bursts of acidity. The balsamic vinegar was reduced by placing in a saucepan over a low heat and reducing by two thirds until syrupy. The parsley oil recipe may be found here. The golden beetroot was baked in foil and thinly sliced. A few thinly sliced radishes added too.


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

@morning glory : you take such glorious food photos! That looks amazing.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

butzy said:


> By the way, tomato is accepted as vegetable,?


Yes, though it technically is a fruit. Like zucchini and eggplant, as other examples. Hmmm, cheese stuffed squash blossoms might be fun, if only I had some in my garden.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Interesting challenge lots of possibilities.


----------



## kaycemac (Jun 7, 2017)

Sigh ... choices, choices, choices! Veggies and cheeses? The options are endless and thrilling!


----------



## kaycemac (Jun 7, 2017)

morning glory said:


> By chance I made this which fits the brief. Beetroot, Burrata & Balsamic.
> 
> Its a tried and tested trio which has a pleasingly alliterated title. Deliciously creamy burrata with intense balsamic and earthy beetroot. The finger lime 'caviar' adds refreshing bursts of acidity. The balsamic vinegar was reduced by placing in a saucepan over a low heat and reducing by two thirds until syrupy. The parsley oil recipe may be found here. The golden beetroot was baked in foil and thinly sliced. A few thinly sliced radishes added too.
> 
> ...


----------



## kaycemac (Jun 7, 2017)

morning glory said:


> By chance I made this which fits the brief. Beetroot, Burrata & Balsamic.
> 
> Its a tried and tested trio which has a pleasingly alliterated title. Deliciously creamy burrata with intense balsamic and earthy beetroot. The finger lime 'caviar' adds refreshing bursts of acidity. The balsamic vinegar was reduced by placing in a saucepan over a low heat and reducing by two thirds until syrupy. The parsley oil recipe may be found here. The golden beetroot was baked in foil and thinly sliced. A few thinly sliced radishes added too.
> 
> ...


Stunning! Definitely going to try this - even if the veggies are from the market. Will probably sub in some Key lime until Finger Limes are back in season. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

chrislehrer said:


> @morning glory : you take such glorious food photos! That looks amazing.


Thank you - I'm simply using a Samsung Galaxy S7 Smartphone camera (in daylight). Nothing complicated, no artificial lighting.


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I th8nk it’s you eye for photography. You plate wonderfully, and line up some very good shots. And since you happened to just make this before the challenge was announced, you apparently eat lovely food regularly. Well done.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Here is one of my favorite Lasagna recipes. I never use pasta instead I use sliced eggplant. In this case I wanted a vegetarian version and made a "bolognese" sauce with shredded onion, carrot, minced garlic, spicy tomato paste, tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes. I finely chopped 8oz of mushrooms and shallot ala duxelles and cooked them off in a dry pan with salt and pepper - no oil! you want to cook the water out of them it lends them a meat like character. When dry I added them to the sauce.

I salted the eggplant and rested then oiled and par baked in the oven. When they came out and the sauce reduced I assembled my dish. Layer of sauce, layer of eggplant, ricotta, Italian cheese blend, eggplant, repeat. Bake till done and let it cool because it's freaking' hot when it comes out. It's a great dish to make and we love it as well as friends who I've made it for. Try it - not having meat won't kill you - Ok maybe a little. :lol:


































The first one is always the hardest to get out!!


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

That almost resembles moussaka


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

butzy said:


> That almost resembles moussaka


A little I guess I just don't see a need for a lot of pasta all the time. I'm trying to de-carb some at my age - LOL. (Ok I save my carb ration for my local brewery - there I said it Ha Ha.) But seriously we like eggplant it's a great vegetable and the mushroom duxelles added to the sauce gave it a great meaty texture and tasted great. Sorry the last pic sucked, but my kitchen is a combo of LED and CFL lighting and being dark before dinner doesn't help. Maybe an update Tuesday in daylight.


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

@mike9 moussaka doesn't have pasta in it.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

koukouvagia said:


> @mike9 moussaka doesn't have pasta in it.


Oh I'm well aware of that, but this dish is *lasagne* with eggplant instead of pasta. As a bonus this iteration is totally vegetarian and gluten free.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Potato soup.

In one of Prudhomme's clam chowder recipes, he cooks down potato into the broth, scraping up the toasting potato from the bottom of the pot repeatedly. I have since incorporated that into my potato soup. I saute onion garlic and dried herbs in some combination of butter, bacon fat and olive oil. Heavy on the bacon fat today, I only had a bit of butter left.

Then add grated potato and enough chicken stock to cover. Let the potato break down and scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly to prevent burned potato. it will start to stick to your scraper at some point. Scrape every few minutes.









After twenty or thirty minutes of that, puree.

Now add dairy and chopped potatoes to your desired density. Today was half and half but it's still quite good even with skim milk. Simmer gently until your potato chunks are tender. Keep scraping up the potato from the bottom of the pot. Watch the heat so you don't curdle the dairy.









Using some bacon from last months challenge.









And the smoked swiss and cheddar too.














And then the siracha loving child gets involved.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I made pizza's yesterday, but forgot to take pictures. So now I have to have pizza again


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

koukouvagia said:


> @mike9 moussaka doesn't have pasta in it.


No - neither does @mike9's lasagne - hence it resembling moussaka. I made a mossaka with lentils yesterday which would have qualified - sadly no decent photos.

But - I have some more ideas using aubergine which I will definitely be entering.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I made a menu for today around what was in the icebox - flank steak taco with brussels sprouts and a *savory stuffed, baked apple*.

The steak I dry rubbed and marinated overnight. Brussels sprouts while tedious go fast when the music is. The stuffing - ah yes the stuffing. I bought two nice Honey Crisp apples today. Shoppers must have though me a little off as I held them flat for best product rejecting half dozen before settling on the two best, most symmetric ones. I made some lardon then added diced onion, celery dried cherries and herbs to the pan. When soft I added some diced dry ciabatta then covered and let steam off the heat.









While it was cooling I deglazed the pan with some apple sauce seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon then added it to the mixture to thickened it to a proper consistency for stuffing. I cut the tops off my apples, scooped out the centers and added the filling. (Channeling @BillyMays) - "but wait - there's more". before putting them in the oven I stuffed the tops with slices of Stilton cheese and topped with a sprinkle of brown sugar.









The steak got sous vide @ 136 for 1.3 hrs. then seared in a super hot skillet, sprouts got steamed then sauteed in bacon drippings and finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar. After resting, the steak got sliced very thin, the corn tortillas got toasted in pans and voila "Dinner is served". And while everything was delicious the apple really stood out - sweet, savory, the stilton cut through everything and all was right with the world.

















Oh and somewhere in between I managed to make some fresh salsa - Ole.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Potatoes, Mushrooms & Spinach with Cumin, Chilli & Gruyère

Simple fare. A good way to use up left-over boiled potatoes - cumin seeds love potatoes and mushrooms, the spinach adds a fresh note and the Gruyère cheese brings a luxurious nutty sweetness.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

A sunny side up egg and a banger would round that out nicely.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

mike9 said:


> A sunny side up egg and a banger would round that out nicely.


I did think of putting a sunny side egg on it. Yep!


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Simple pleasures... toasted homemade white bread, leftover soft cheeses... garnished with home pickled mustard seed and home grown fermented Fresno Chile sauce.

are mustard and Chile considered veg?


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

My entry is French Onion Soup.

Everything except the cheese is made from scratch. The onions I grew in my greenhouse.

For the soup, I made beef and veal stock. Anyone who wants that specific recipe, let me know and I will send it.

The recipe itself is simple. I sliced and caramelized 6 onions, 2 red, 2 white and 2 yellow. I like the depth of flavor that each variety of onion brings. I strained the stock and added the caramelized onions in a pot over medium high heat. I deglazed the onion pan with cognac and added it to the stock. Bring to a vigorous simmer and reduce heat to medium low. Add Balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar and Worcestershire and let the liquid reduce by about a third or more, depending on how intense you want the flavor. Skim any froth that forms. When the stock has reduced to desired level, taste for salt and add accordingly. Its important not to add salt until the soup is done reducing. Otherwise, its very easy to misjudge and over salt the soup.

Here's the secret. When I made demi glace for the holidays, I froze it in ice trays and stored the demi glace cubes in freezer bags. They are little nuggets of culinary gold. I added 3 of these cubes to the soup and it turned out extraordinary!

For the bread, I simply made a French baguette and toasted the slices in a pan with butter and garlic. I added the bread to the bowl, topped with grated Swiss and Gruyere. Placed under the broiler for 4 to 6 minutes or until the cheese was melted and golden.

Cheers!


----------



## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Cheddar Ale Soup.
Carrots, celery, onions, orange bell peppers, and garlic sauteed in butter till clear, add flour to make a roux. After a few minutes cooking I added 2 cups of chicken stock and a cup of half and half, letting that simmer till the veggies were soft. Turning down the heat I added 2 cups of shredded 5 yr old Cabot Cheddar cheese. After a few twists of fresh ground pepper I added 1 cup of the brown ale.
This is one of my favorite quick go-to soups in the winter when I always have some kind of beer and some kind of sharp cheddar cheese in my fridge. Adding the cheese and beer very last, and not overheating are the key to not curdling the soup.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Fondue

Precooking some veg. Everybody in the jacuzzi.









While there was pear and apple and bread, the challenge is vegetables and cheese. So here is some broccoli








and another of potato


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Closing in on the halfway mark, and already some seriously tasty dishes being presented. This could be a tough one.

I'm thinking maybe I should have explicitly added fruit to the title, or gone totally across the board and said Plants and Cheese. You know, something along the lines of dates stuffed with candied walnuts and smoked Stilton. Or something like this steak that I paired with grilled peaches that were topped with blue cheese and a drizzle of balsamic.










So go ahead, feel free to stretch the definition of 'vegetable' in whatever direction you'd like, and get an entry in!

mjb.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Seared cheese polenta with siduri's cauliflower "sauce" plus a little more parmigiano.









And a broiled balsamic rosemary chicken thigh.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

One of my favorite "veggie and cheese" combos - spinach and feta. Add eggs and phyllo and you got something goin' on.


























Goes really good with lamb, roasty potatoes and green beans too.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Pizza, or torte flambe. Actually somewhere in between...

The cheeses: cream cheese, cheddar and very mature maaslander









Leek and mixed into the cream cheese














Added some olive pesto and a bit of sambal for heat and just a drop of fish sauce








And then forgot to take any other pictures.
But, one of my friends couldn't make it and demanded pizza the next day. So I made a new batch of dough, but I used the left over cream cheese mixture to which I had added the left over grated cheeses.

Set up the little oven again









The topping mixture (it was a bit stiff, so added some liquid in the form of yoghurt  )








Took the dough out of the fridge and made dough balls and let them rise














Unfortunately, they were a bit overproofed (as my friend turned up later than expected) and didn't puff up as nicely in the oven as the night before.
Lesson learned. Only take out the dough when the people are there. Just keep them quiet with a drink while the dough does its own thing....

And almost forgot to make a picture of the final product again:


----------



## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

The only thing I will say is that having this challenge this month makes me realize I eat a lot of cheese and veggies!
Above....impromptu chicken with peas, parmesan, pasta


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I wanted chicken pot pie, but without the carb load of pie crust. I've never heard of "chicken cottage pot pie", but thought what the hey - the usual suspects - carrot, celery and onion+garlic, thyme, a little rosemary and parsley. I made the sauce/gravy/whatever with Tom Yum broth, the goo and fond from the chicken roasting pan, chicken, corn starch/broth and a little heavy cream to smooth things out. I had small gold potatoes leftover from yesterday so Instead of making mash I sliced those and layered them before adding a slice of havarti and some grated smoked gruyere then into the oven and crank near the end and we were quite satisfied with the results.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

(almost) vegetarian nachos.

I roasted some tomatoes in balsamic vinegar









Other ingredients: sweetcorn, onion, garlic, doritos (nachos), and a little dash of fish sauce














I roasted the onion and garlic mixture with the tomatoes till the onions were soft and browned.
And while that was taking place, there was some time for some sustenance for the cook








Then added the sweet corn and some sliced tomatoes and cheddar









Back in the oven till the cheese was melted (and yes, I like the cheese properly melted and browned)








and then topped with the doritos (those things burn easily)


----------



## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Twice Baked Potatoes.

This challenge made me decide to make some marscapone.
The recipe was mashed potato innards, mix with marscapone, and shredded Cabot Alpine Cheese, salt and pepper.
The result was a very good. Light, creamy and delicious.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

...


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

“when the people are there. Just keep them quiet with a drink”

These words-of-wisdom have become my entertaining mantra to the point I’m thinking of making it my first tattoo. But where?


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

teamfat said:


> I'm thinking maybe I should have explicitly added fruit to the title, or gone totally across the board and said Plants and Cheese. You know, something along the lines of dates stuffed with candied walnuts and smoked Stilton.


_Now_ you are telling me!  I've already got a stack of veg entries lined up but the mention of fruit is very exciting...


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

I'm don't think this recipe technically fits the challenge parameters but, since the definition of "veggie" has been broadened, I've taken that to include mushrooms. If not, then the green onions and shallots used in the recipe should squeak me in. If they don't qualify, then, enjoy the recipe anyway. I had a lot of fun making it and drinking some delicious wine along the way.

For those who are curious, the wine I was drinking was a beautiful semi dry Riesling from The New York Finger Lakes Region; my second favorite Riesling producing region. It was also used in the recipe. 

The recipe is Coquilles St. Jacques.

Here is what you will need:

For two people:

6 to 8 Sea Scallops
8 to 10 medium sized mushroom, sliced (what type is up to you. I used baby bellas)
2-3 cloves shallots
1 Green Onion, green part only
Course Ground Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp High Smoke Point Oil
1/2 Tsp Beurre Manie (optional)
1-2 cups shredded cheese such as Gruyere, White Cheddar etc (dealer's choice)
1 Cup good white wine such as Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc etc (Cognac is also a good option)
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
Tarragon

Preheat oven to 350'f (177'C)

***If using alcohol in the recipe is not an option, simply substitute chicken stock/broth and add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the acid.***

Begin by sweating the shallots in the butter over medium low heat. When the shallots begin to turn translucent, add the mushrooms with pinch of Kosher salt and a pinch fresh ground black pepper. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to gain a rich brown color. Make sure not to caramelize the mushrooms. Add the wine and let reduce slightly.

Here is where I break from the traditional method. The traditional method calls for poaching the scallops in the wine/mushroom mixture. Under most circumstances, I think poaching scallops is a sin that should carry a punishment no less than being forced to sit through the last 3 Pirates of Caribbean films or 20 lashes with a wet noodle. I choose to sear the scallops instead for the benefit of adding the depth of flavor that can only come from pan searing a scallop.

Remove the scallops from the pan (or liquid, if poaching) as soon as they reach rare to medium rare. Do not cook any more than medium rare in the pan. Strain the mushroom/wine liquid through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the liquid. Spoon the mushrooms into ramekins and cover the bottom. Place the scallops on top of the mushrooms, as many as will fit neatly.

Meanwhile, return the mushroom/wine liquid to the pan used to sear the scallops. Do not remove the scallop fond or we cannot be friends! Add the cream and lemon zest to the mushroom liquid. Reduce over medium high heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Be sure to taste along the way for salt and seasoning. I recommend not adding salt until its done reducing. When the liquid reduces to the desired flavor intensity, remove from the heat. The liquid should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If not, return to the heat and add the beurre manie incrementally and stir with a whisk until it reaches the desired consistency. Spoon the sauce over the scallops and mushroom. Cover the scallops with shredded cheese and place under a broiler until the cheese melts and caramelizes. About 8 to 10 minutes. 

** I measure the time in 3 minute increments because different cheeses caramelize at different rates under a broiler.**

Garnish with tarragon and green onion.

Enjoy!


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Looks nice, but I wonder what its traditional name is -- coquilles St Jacques are just scallops!


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I thought that the French 'coquilles' translates to shells, and the French word for scallops is escallop. But then, I got a C in French class, and that was close to 50 years ago.

But I really do love them prepared this way, used to have them about once a month when married to my first wife. My wife now, Karen, doesn't care for them.

And yes, mushrooms qualify, I even mentioned stuffed portabellas in my opening post.

mjb.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

chrislehrer said:


> Looks nice, but I wonder what its traditional name is -- coquilles St Jacques are just scallops!


I always understood the name to translate as "St. James Scallops". But, you're right. "Coquilles" in French means "shells." I'm no linguist, but, it would seem the literal translation is "St. James Shells."

However, @teamfat is correct. In doing a cursory internet search on the origins of the dish's name, it would seem the French refer to scallops casually as "coquilles" even though the French word for scallops is "escalopes".

I guess this will continue to be an unsolved culinary mystery.


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

We're off-topic, of course, but I did a little digging. _Coquilles St.-Jacques_ are the greater scallops of the Atlantic that have the most gastronomic credentials in France. Older books (Escoffier, etc.) don't even bother to mention that there are other kinds of scallops. Unfortunately, Larousse doesn't present anything much like this, nor do the big pseudo-encyclopedic tomes by Bocuse or Robuchon.

That said, what you've made looks rather like a classic dish, something Escoffier and the _Guide Culinaire_ call "Coquilles St.-Jacques à la Parisienne," but with cheese; there is also _Coquilles St.-Jacques gratin_ or _au gratin_, but it doesn't have the mushrooms and such, which are traditionally a specialty of Paris (they were grown beneath the city in these amazing crypt-like places).

So it might be "Coquilles St.-Jacques gratinée à la Parisienne." Something like that. (Gratinées, to agree with coquilles? Gratin de coquilles St.-Jacques à la Parisienne? Coquilles St.-Jacques à la Parisienne gratiné(e)(s)? My grammar is dubious at best.) I note that on the internet there are versions of the Parisian dish with a cheese topping, just labeled _à la Parisienne_, but Escoffier doesn't agree... and then again Julia Child (_Mastering the Art_, vol. 1) puts cheese on her _coquilles à la Parisienne_....

Anyway, it looks pretty -- I'd wolf that down happily, and I know I'd have to fight my daughter for it.


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

from The New Larousse Gastronomique by Prosper Montagne
"Scallop. _Petoncle_"
"Scallop Saint-Jacques. _Coquille Saint-Jacques_...commonly known as the pilgrim shell..."

from The Great Book of French Cuisine by Henri Paul Pellaprat
"Scallops (Petoncles) In France scallops are called coquilles Saint Jacques, from the fact that in the Middle Ages the shells were brought back by pilgrims to the shrine of St. James of Compostella."

from The Escoffier Cook Book / A guide to the Fine Art Of Cookery by A. Escoffier
"Scallops Au Gratin / _Coquille Saint-Jacques au Gratin_
After having scrubbed and cleaned the lower shells, cover the shell inside with Duxelles Sauce (223) and add a half teaspoon of white wine. On top of this sauce arrange the scallops; place slices of raw mushrooms around the edges of the shell, and cover the whole with a gratin sauce (270).
Sprinkle with herbs and bread crumbs, brush with mleted butter, and prepare a gratin, taking note that the _Complete Gratin_ (269) should be used here."


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Are All Y'all gonna cook something, or just jibber jabber??? Isn't it the name of a dish for you know like Oysters Rockefeller, Lobster Newburg, etc.? :lol:


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I made roasted cauliflower asiago soup.










I began by roasting a head of cauliflower. Meanwhile I sauteed a yellow onion and the white part of scallions in 4 or 5 tablespoons of good butter.















I added chicken stock and the roasted cauliflower and cooked for about half an hour until everything was very tender. I then purred about half of the mixture and made sure to break up any very large pieces of cauliflower. When ready to serve I added cream and heated it again and then added grated asiago off of the heat.















I garnished with panchetta and green onion and served with asiago cheesy bread and a dry white wine.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Must be soup day - I made potato leek with a twist. I started with thick bacon for lardon, then added my leek, shallot and garlic and let that sweat. Then I added fresh thyme, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and my quartered red potatoes. Here's where things took a turn. I had a pint of Tam Yum broth in the icebox so I added that before adding a quart of home made chicken bone broth. After simmering till tender I put the stick blender to it along with a little heavy cream then adjusted for seasoning. Another turn - because of the Tam Yum coconut, ginger, lime and chili were present in the flavor so I seasoned further with worcestershire, sambal and white pepper.

I toasted slices of leftover garlic bread then ladled my soup over that, topped with smoked gouda and 3yr. aged gouda, a little bacon then into a 500F oven till melted. Wow - what a nice change from traditional - might have to do that with French onion.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Apparently the image didn't show up let's try again -


----------



## chefross (May 5, 2010)

sgsvirgil said:


> I always understood the name to translate as "St. James Scallops". But, you're right. "Coquilles" in French means "shells." I'm no linguist, but, it would seem the literal translation is "St. James Shells."
> 
> However, @teamfat is correct. In doing a cursory internet search on the origins of the dish's name, it would seem the French refer to scallops casually as "coquilles" even though the French word for scallops is "escalopes".
> 
> I guess this will continue to be an unsolved culinary mystery.


I made this dish quite often pretty much as you describe. I was told it was called" Coquilles St. Jacque a la Parisienne."


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

roasted cauliflower tossed with cracked freekeh, grated myzithra, toasted almonds, and fresh herbs; drizzled with a creamy garlic chevre tahini sauce and topped with pan seared halloumi medallions seasoned with ras el hanout

coffee bean roasted baby rainbow carrots with a smoked gouda sauce

wild harvested turkey breast prepared in an East Indian makhani style


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Only a few days left. Some nice looking entries from some of the regulars, I'd enjoy seeing some new names on some posts.

mjb.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

SundayI made roast chicken with roast cauliflower topped with grated parm and a fire roasted poblano filled with a mixture of ricotta and sharp cheddar. Funny I plated my wife's first, but when I put my poblano on the plate it slipped and the cheese fell out - grrrr. I went to get a picture of hers, but she'd already tore into it - LOL. Oh well - they were good sides.









Last night I made Pizza - I made sauce from imported strained tomatoes as a base, an Italian cheese blend, anchovies, fire roasted poblano, shaved onion and shaved garlic. For an extra flavor hit I added some of the anchovy oil to the sauce and oiled my pan with the rest - Wow nice flavor and crunch on the crust bottom - try it!!


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

I've got a backlog of things to post - been cooking veg and cheese lots! I'm loving this challenge.

Saag Paneer
In Indian restaurants in the UK, saag paneer is usually made with spinach (palak paneer). In fact, the word 'saag' is a generic word for greens in Hindi. If you make this dish using spinach, there is no need to precook it - you can add it straight to the sauce. For the sauce I used a tin of yellow tomatoes but it will work equally well with red tomatoes. Serve with rice or Indian flatbreads.



















My recipe here: Chard Saag Paneer


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Roasted peppers, aubergine and spinach pizza with Taleggio cheese:










He it is in the making:


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I had a veg lasagna yesterday, but because that was made a while ago (and frozen) it doesn't count.
And, anyway, I forgot to take pictures.

So just a very simple one:
Toasted cheese tomato sandwich with capers

Before:









And after









And my attempt at a Morning Glory image


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Kalettes with Blue Cheese

Kalettes are a hybrid of Brussels sprouts and kale. They cook very quickly and have a delicious sweet nutty flavour which is enhanced by toasted sesame oil. Pairing them with blue cheese adds a salty savoury tang.
I used St Agur blue cheese, drizzled toasted sesame oil over and topped the cooked dish with some julienned orange peel (poached in simple syrup), crispy fried onions and sesame seeds

The kalettes:


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

*Spaghetti with Spinach & Parmesan*

Gloriously green and satisfyingly simple to make, this dish really showcases spinach. The secret of the vibrant green is in blending raw baby spinach leaves.










*Ingredients (serves 2)*
150g spaghetti
75g baby spinach leaves
75g milk (or milk & cream)
2 x cloves of garlic
2 heaped tbsps finely grated Parmesan cheese(or vegetarian substitute)
2 x mild red chillies, deseeded and chopped finely
Olive oil to drizzle (optional)

*Method*

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente.
While the spaghetti is cooking, make the spinach puree. Blend together the raw baby spinach and the milk (or milk and cream, for a richer sauce). I use a stick blender and gradually add handfuls of spinach to the milk, blending as I go.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and grate in the garlic cloves using a microplane (or use a garlic crusher).
Place the mixture in a large microwaveable bowl.
Drain the spaghetti. Microwave the spinach mixture on high for 2 minutes. Add the spaghetti and mix well. Serve with chilies scattered over.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

butzy said:


> Toasted cheese tomato sandwich with capers


Its the capers that make it sing! You reminded me how wonderful capers are.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Palak Paneer
Mild, creamy and comforting. Baby spinach leaves, milk, yoghurt, onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric & white pepper with fried paneer. Served with pickled red onion & flatbreads


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Okay, January is ending. One more day for last minute entries. Of course, if it was based solely on quality of posted photographs, we know who'd win for sure. But I have it mostly narrowed down. I work 10 pm to 6 am Feb. 1, so I'll try to get the winner announced around noon, Mountain Time here in the US of A. Unless I fall asleep at the the computer and it takes longer.

I was expecting to see more pizza type dishes, and some omelet/frittata stuff. I do sort of regret that the theme did not fit well with many Asian cuisines, which are not known for the use of cheese.

But some good stuff was presented to be sure. More in about 24 hours.

mjb.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I made a little antipasto salad to go with our leftover pizza. Field greens, smoked gouda, kalamata and manzanilla olives, genoa salami and black forest ham with a vinaigrette of evoo, garlic, 12yr. aged Sicilian lemon vinegar, herbs and a small chunk of very hard parmesan.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Ok.....So who won this month's challenge?


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I ended up falling asleep at my desk before making the choice. I WILL get it done after I get home from this shift. So about 7 - 8 AM Sunday morning. That's MST, Mountain Time. 

mjb.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Okay, done with work, mostly awake, let's get on with it.

Well, I was going to say this is the Nth challenge since it started, but I forgot to look it up. I'm thinking we are about a year away from 100, though. But whatever number challenge this is, we had a respectable showing. There were 28 entries posted, by 9 different folks. Most prolific were @mike9 and @morning glory who both put up 7 dishes. Wow! Then 3 with 3 entries, and 3 with 1 entry. And they were all quite good.

As usual Morning Glory's photographs were exquisite, and she certainly embodied the theme of mixing veggies with cheese. Mike9 had a wide range of dishes from roast apple to poblano pizza. Would love a taste of that chicken pie with smoked gruyere!

Some nice soups, more than I was expecting, but they all looked very nice, hank's roasted cauliflower asiago soup sounds interesting. @cheflayne plate with the roasted cauliflower, carrots and turkey looked interesting, and I mean that in a good way. And hat's off to @peachcreek for the home made mascarpone.

But the one dish that really got my mouth watering more than the others was the take on coquilles. Didn't foresee the side effect of the language discussion, but it brought back memories, and I plan on making it, or some variation in a day or two. And the french onion soup was just the extra little push to make @sgsvirgil the winner for January 2020!

Well done all.

mjb.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Congrats to @sgsvirgil - looking forward to seeing what you come up with.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Congratulations!


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Congratulations @sgsvirgil! Well done! I look forward to seeing the next theme. If it is any use, I have a list of all the themes to date which I could PM you.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Thanks everyone, especially @teamfat!  (I see the check cleared!....lol)

I had a lot of fun. I think we all did. Hopefully, I can come up with a challenge that's equally interesting and fun.

Thanks again!

Cheers!


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Congrats!
I see the next challenge is posted, so I'm going to have a look see what I am eating this month


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

sgsvirgil said:


> Thanks everyone, especially @teamfat!  (I see the check cleared!....lol)
> 
> I had a lot of fun. I think we all did. Hopefully, I can come up with a challenge that's equally interesting and fun.
> 
> ...


Has anyone seen my "Monthly Challenge Winner" ribbon? I can't seem to find it.


----------

