The Dahlhouse Recipes

Greens Supreme Soup

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb mixed greens such as mustard, collard, kale and fresh caraway
2 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp caraway seeds (if fresh caraway is unavailable)
1 cup Chardonnay
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Trim greens, discarding coarse stems, then wash thoroughly and drain. Put greens in a big soup pot with broth, garlic, oil and caraway seeds (if using). Partially cover pot and bring liquid to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until greens are are tender, about 45 minutes.

2. Drain greens, reserving "pot likker" (the cooking liquid). Blend greens in a food processor until mostly smooth but not pureed.

3. In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups of reserved pot likker with wine. Whisk in ricotta, sour cream, yogurt, greens, and if necessary, more pot likker, to make a fairly thick soup. Simmer soup, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Yield: ~9 cups of soup
Source: O'Rourke's Diner in Middletown, CT via Gourmet? via mother-in-law

Best and Easiest Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1 onion
garlic
1/2 red pepper
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
~ 1/2 tsp toasted cumin
2-3 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Brown the turkey, then add the onions, garlic and red pepper and cook a bit more until softened, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for an hour. Serve. Top with cilantro, jalapeños, red onion, cheddar cheese, yogurt or sour cream, or anything else you like.

Buttermilk Scones

Ingredients:

3 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 c buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it lightly and set aside.

2. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then lightly whisk. Use a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingers to cut or work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and add the buttermilk all at once. Stir the mixture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Using lightly floured hands, gather the dough into a soft ball and turn it out onto a lighltly floured work surface. Divide into 4 parts and pat each one into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut each circle into four wedges.

4. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, and bake in the center of the oven until the scones rise and are golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm, split and spread with jam. The scones are best eaten within several hours of baking.

Notes: Sometimes I chop up dried currants or raisins and mix in the batter after the buttermilk. Sometimes I also sprinkle raw sugar on the top of the scones right before placing in the over.

Yield: 16 scones.
Source: Holiday Baking by Sara Perry

Quick Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c sifted all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c shortening
2/3 c sugar
3/4 tsp grated lemon rind
1-2 beaten eggs
1-1 1/4 c ripe banana pulp
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

1. All ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Blend the shortening, sugar and lemon rind until creamy. Beat in the eggs and banana. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, beating after each addition. Fold in the nuts.

4. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake bread about 1 hr or until done. Cool before slicing.

Yield: 1 loaf
Source: The Joy of Cooking

Pasta with Tomato and Basil

Ingredients:

2 lbs very ripe tomatoes
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, diced
5 tbsp olive oil
20 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 - 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt (or less)
1 lb rotini pasta

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 10 seconds or until the skins are loose. Peel the skin off the tomatoes, and then dice the tomatoes and place in a large pasta bowl, doing your best to preserve the juices.

2. Cook the pasta per the directions. Drain when cooked.

3. While the pasta cooks, add the remaining ingredients except the salt to the large pasta bowl. Mix all the ingredients together. At the last minute before adding the cooked pasta, add the salt. Add the pasta and mix all together.

Note: If you don't like your mozzarella cheese all goey, you can put the cheese in the freezer and add it to the pasta bowl at the same time as the pasta, The freezer will help prevent it from getting too clumpy when mixed with the hot pasta.

Yield: 4 servings.
Source: Marcia Naveh.