March 2016

A Bright, Curried Cauliflower Soup

Using a blender to prepare soup is a time saver, even when you want to make something special. This soup sounds like a lot of work, but it isn’t. You could even roast the cauliflower the night before and prepare the soup in mere minutes the next day. Roasting cauliflower intensifies its sweetness, and coating the cauliflower with an Asian-inspired yogurt curry glaze before roasting turns a sometimes lackluster vegetable into a bright and creamy soup base. The Wolf Gourmet countertop oven is the right size to roast a whole head of cauliflower on a 10×15 pan. Once the roasting… Read more

Cider Braised Ham with Maple Mustard Glaze

A traditional holiday dinner often includes ham. It’s easy to prepare, can be used for a group of any size and has a hands-off cooking method, which is always helpful for a family meal with multiple dishes. For this recipe, braise the ham in apple cider to keep it moist, then brush it with a maple and mustard glaze. The whole grain mustard adds a nice zip and keeps the glaze from being cloyingly sweet. Scoring the ham helps it absorb all the sweet and tangy flavors as it bakes. Should you have any leftover ham, it’s easy to incorporate… Read more

Roasted Tomato Soup

March is not tomato season, but cravings for a bowl of fresh tomato soup rarely subside. Roasting tomatoes in the oven enhances and intensifies their sweetness, and adding a combination of aromatics and brown sugar rounds out the flavor, transforming this out-of-season fruit into a deeply flavorful soup base. Nearly any combination of bread and cheese is a natural partner to tomato soup. Garlic-rubbed crostini you can dip into the soup is a match made in heaven. This recipe calls for a baguette, which has a hearty crust and delicate crumb. First, toast the bread and then rub each slice with… Read more

Cook with Confidence: Pan-Fried Chicken

If done right, classic pan-fried chicken is delightfully crispy, golden brown and lighter than deep frying chicken in a vat of oil. A crunchy crust with a hot, juicy interior can be tough to perfect, so here are a few tips for achieving delicious results every time you fry. Soak the chicken overnight in buttermilk. This serves two purposes – First, the lactic acid helps to tenderize the meat. Second, the buttermilk provides an even, thoroughly coated base to which the flour can adhere. Adding herbs and spices to the chicken before coating with flour keeps the seasoning close to… Read more

Multigrain Bread

Bread can make or break a sandwich, and baking your own takes time, we know. But the process and end result are so gratifying. There’s a world of different breads at your fingertips, all using a few basic ingredients that are probably already in your pantry. A long weekend is an ideal time to hone your bread-making skills with a new technique. If you’re new to bread making, don’t shy away from this recipe. It’s suitable for bakers at any level. These tips are helpful for preparing any type of dough: • Make sure the yeast is fresh (after opening,… Read more