OK, if there's anybody out there still patiently waiting for more posts from me, here goes... 

On tonight's menu, Beer & Cheddar Chicken Corn Chowder. I decided to cook this meal in the Dutch Oven, as I can start things on top of the stove and then let it cook away inside the oven. A Dutch Oven is great kitchen tool to have, as it allows for a quicker cooking time than on top of the stove, and a more even heat distribution. It also allows you to get the meal going and then forget about for the most part; I check things and give a quick stir once an hour or so. 

I start this meal by browning 6 skinless chicken thighs in a little olive oil, salt & pepper, turmeric (one if my favorite spices) and paprika. I keep the heat relatively low and turn the chicken frequently to avoid too much sticking. Once the thighs are nicely browned on both sides I add about a tablespoon of minced garlic right to the bottom of the pot and let it heat through but not for so long that it starts to burn (literally about a minute or two). 

At this point I deglaze the bottom of the pot, this time with a large bottle of ale. I pour enough into the pot to cover the chicken about half way, and let that simmer for a few minutes to loosen all the flavorful bits on the bottom of the pot, and then add the rest of the ale. I add chicken broth for the balance of my liquid, filling the pot up about 3/4 of the way. While this happily simmers on the stove I chop and add 1 large vidalia onion, 4 stalks of celery, and 1 large jar of roasted red peppers. I also add the liquid from the peppers, as this adds a nice tang to the chowder. To help with the creaminess and consistency of the chowder, I throw in 2 cans of cream of chicken (or celery) soup.

Next I cube up and add 16 oz. of cheddar cheese (I used 2 blocks of extra sharp, 1 yellow and 1 white). I also add 4 small cans of white shoepeg corn, and then add more chicken broth as needed to bring the liquid level almost to the top of the pot.

                                   

I give the pot a good stir and then top it off with about 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Now the cover goes on and it goes in the oven at 350 degrees for about 2 hours.

Once the chicken has braised for a few hours it should come off the bone very easily. I take the thighs out with tongs and remove whatever meat is still on the bone and add it back into the pot. The flavors have all really melded by now and the chowder is ready to feast on with a nice crusty bread and your favorite libation...

As sometimes happens, Sunday night dinner plans took a left turn. Looks like it will probably be Bistro Monday this week...

It's a beautiful Sunday once again, and I have this package of wonderful shop-made spinach & ricotta ravioli from a local charcuterie trying to get my attention. Now, how to make them shine?...

Alright, after a brief delay we are back to the Summer Barley Soup...

At this point we have a nice pot of broth, hopefully a pretty full pot but with enough room to add the vegetables. Now, like anything else, what you add at this point is totally up to the whims of your own palette. As for me, I went with carrots, celery, onion, yellow and orange peppers, zucchini, fresh parsley, a can of tomatoes - I was going to used diced but I couldn't find a large can of them at the market believe it or not, so I went with whole peeled, chopped them in quarters and dumped them in along with the juice. Oh, and of course barley (half a 16 oz. bag). This soup differs from most others I make in that I didn't sauté the veg before it hit the liquid. Everything went in freshly cut and the hot stock did the rest. The reason I got away with this is because there wasn't anything in the broth that made it necessary for me to strain it. When the veg went in, the halved orange came out with a pair of tongs. When the short rib bones were completely devoid of meat they exited likewise. I left in the garlic cloves because they are delicious, and eventually they will just dissolve into the broth...

(I think at this point just the onion and celery were in...)

Now the trick is to let things simmer for a few hours - and like many things in this life, the longer the better. A basic rundown of quantities goes something like this:

1 vidalia onion, chopped (1" pieces give or take, same goes for the rest of the veg)

4 carrots

4 stalks of celery

1 yellow and 1 orange pepper

3 zucchini (these, plus the barley, will really go a long way to thickening the soup)

half a cup or so of chopped fresh parsley

the can of tomatoes

and that half bag of barley...

Keep it covered, let it simmer, and don't let it boil over. Visually you will begin to be able to tell when everything is done, and the liquid will have thickened up nicely. It's really an awesomely flavorful and healthy soup, and it's even better the second night.

So how am I doing so far? You guys have to let me know if I'm lacking in some area or another, and please let me know if you have any questions...

OK, if anyone's been here and tried to follow the blog I'm guessing you've had some problems. From what I understand it's an issue on Blogger's end.
The Follow by Email option seems to be working however, and your email address will remain private...

On tonight's menu, Summer Vegetable Barley Soup...

I'm starting with a bone broth. You can certainly make this a fully vegetarian soup, and if that's your decision the following will not pertain to your recipe - though you may find it interesting. Homemade stock is not a must - sometimes time and energy dictate canned - but there are nice bonuses to stock from scratch. Not only do you get an amazing depth of flavor (and make the house smell great), but there are nutrients rendered from the slow cooking of meat from the bone that can serve to strengthen and support your joints and ligaments. 

If you are making your stock from scratch, start by browning 1-2 pounds of short ribs (enough to cover the bottom of a large pot in one layer) in olive oil, a little butter and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar if you have it on hand. I also add ground black pepper, sea salt, paprika, turmeric, fennel seed & allspice - but everything is to your own taste. 

Keep turning the ribs until they are nice and browned on all sides, then deglaze the bottom of the pot with a little beer. I opted for a stout with a hint of orange in it. Once the bottom of the pot is deglazed I add the rest of the beer plus enough extra to fill the pot about half way. I then bring the level in the pot to at least 2/3 of the way up with water. To this I add a couple of peeled whole cloves of garlic, a few bay leaves, and one orange cut in half. Now you just have to cover and let this cook until the meat is braised and falling off the bone, checking and stirring it periodically. This will easily take a few hours, and the longer you can let it simmer the better...

Hello everyone. I've decided to try something new. As many of you know I am a big proponent of Bistro Sunday, which really just means that I like to cook a meal that makes Sundays feel a bit more festive. Something that makes Sundays less about alarm clocks and commuting the next morning, and more about ending the weekend feeling like you've done something special for yourself and whoever might be joining you for dinner.

It also doesn't have to be Sunday to be a Bistro night, but that's how it all started. We'll get to the history and origins of all this later on...

For now, I hope you will sign up to follow this blog, and be willing to wait patiently for a short time until I start posting recipes, etc. and we'll see how this goes.

Here's to humble beginnings...