With all of the economic uncertainty in our lives, cutting costs is on everyone's mind.  Epicurious came out with a list of the Top 10 Money-Saving Ingredients and I will be posting recipes each week using one of the ten.  First on Epicurious' list is potatoes.  No big surprise there.  The versatile potato is a healthy, nutrient-dense addition to any meal of the day.  Today's potato soup is a keeper.  With a salad and good bread, you'll have the perfect mid-winter meal.

                           POTATO, BACON and GRUYERE SOUP
                     adapted from Gourmet Magazine, March 1994

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 medium onions, chopped fine
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 3 pounds boiling potatoes (preferably yellow-fleshed)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon dry Sherry
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1.  In a heavy kettle cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and spoon off all but 1 tablespoon fat.  Add onions and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until pale golden.  Add broth and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
2.  Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.  Add potatoes to soup and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
3.  In a small bowl whisk together flour and remaining 1/4 cup water until smooth and add to simmering soup, whisking.  Simmer soup, covered, 5 minutes.
4.  In a blender purée Gruyère with 3 cups hot soup broth.  Stir purée into soup with Sherry, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste and remove soup from heat. 
5.  Just before serving, stir in parsley.

Whatever I've been doing in the kitchen lately left me with several jars of egg whites in my fridge.  I could  1) freeze them for later  2) make an angel food cake  3) whip up some meringues.  Number 3 it was!  This isn't something I do often.  In fact, it's very rare.  They are over-the-top sugary sweet.  But having a cake stand piled high with a stack of meringues in my kitchen makes me feel a little bit like I'm in a French Patisserie... just what I needed that day.

                                            MERINGUES
       adapted from Paris Boulangerie Pâtisserie by Linda Dannenberg

• 1 cup egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

• Preheat the oven to 200˚F.  Line 2 baking sheets with lightly buttered parchment paper, buttered side up.  Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until they begin to form soft peaks.  Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until the whites are stiff but not dry.  Sift the confectioners' sugar onto a sheet of wax paper.  Slowly add it to the meringue in a thin stream, gently folding it in with a rubber spatula. Fold in chocolate chips if using. 
  With a large spoon, form the meringue into balls on the 2 baking sheets.  I will get a total of about 15 - 18 meringues.  Sprinkle with the sliced almonds.
  Bake for 2 hours.  Watch carefully as they bake; they should turn a pale beige and be crisp on the outside but slightly soft within.  If the meringues color too quickly, lower the oven heat slightly.  Cool on wire racks.  NOTE:  After baking the meringues for 2 hours, I will turn off the oven and let the meringues set for another hour with the oven door closed.  This results in a drier meringue.  It's your call.

What could be better than three Frenchies tearing around the house?  Possibly the Seared Halibut with White Beans and Basil Oil I made this past weekend.  We were joined by four friends (six, if you include French Bulldogs Tayto and Belle) Saturday night for dinner.  I spent the day making  Cream of Tomato Soup with Homemade Croutons and a Pear Tart Tatine, in addition to the halibut.

The halibut recipe is from John Sarich, culinary director of Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington.  The only change I made to this recipe was to substitute grape tomatoes, which I find much sweeter this time of year, for the Romas.  After cutting the tomatoes into a large dice, I let them drain in a colander to remove as much of the watery juices as possible.

               SEARED HALIBUT with WHITE BEANS and BASIL OIL
  John Sarich author of BEST OF TASTE: FLAVORS of the PACIFIC COAST

For the fish:
• 4  4-ounce halibut fillets
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris
1.  Mix the olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper and rub it over the fish.  In a hot sauté pan brown the fillets for about 2 minutes on one side.  Turn the fish over and lower the heat to simmer.  Add the wine and cover.  Cook until the fish flakes easily.  (NOTE:  I have never had success in browning the halibut, but I am always doubling the recipe and believe this overcrowding tends to steam the fish instead.  The results are still delicious!)

For the basil oil:
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of salt
1.  Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Remove and strain through a sieve.  This can be done one day before.

For the beans:
• 2  10-ounce cans white navy beans, drained and rinsed well.
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Roma tomatoes (or grape tomatoes, chopped and well-drained)
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1/8 cup each, chopped Italian parsley and basil
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 tablespoon chopped Kalamata olives
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1.  Toss everything except the beans into a bowl and let marinate while you cook the fish.
2.  Put the tomato mixture in a saucepan over high heat and just bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add the beans.
3.  To serve, place a cup of the bean and tomato mixture in the center of a plate.  Place the fish on top and drizzle a little of the basil oil over the fish.
                                         Makes 4 servings                                                

I admit it.  I will buy a cookbook just for the photographs.  Visuals have always inspired me more than words.  It is my hope, also, that the photos I pair with recipes on Passions-to-Pastry will make you want to run to your kitchen and start cooking!   I hauled home a stack of cookbooks from the library last week and one of the books I keep going back to is Nigella Lawson's FEAST.   When a friend asked me to bring "a lemon something" to their house for dinner this past weekend, the photo of that luscious Lemon Meringue Cake immediately came to mind.  I recommend using two 8-inch-by-2-inch cake pans if you can.  My pans are only 1-inch high and although I had respectable results, the cakes will rise above that height and would be easier to unmold.

                                       LEMON MERINGUE CAKE
                            adapted from FEAST by Nigella Lawson

• 9 ounces very soft unsalted butter
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• zest of 1 lemon
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon curd

For the cakes:
1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Line and butter two 8-inch cake pans.
2.  Mix the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, the butter, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest in a food processor.  Add the lemon juice and milk and process again.
3.  Divide the mixture between the two pans.  Spread the mixture evenly.
4.  Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form and then slowly add the sugar, whisking constantly.  Divide the whites between the two pans, spreading the meringue over the cake batter.  Flatly smooth one of the meringues with a metal spatula, and with the back of a spoon, pulls peaks on the other meringue and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over the peaks.  Put the pans into the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes.
5.  Using a cake-tester, check for doneness in the cake with the flat meringue.  Mo sponge mixture should stick to the tester.  Remove cakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
6.  Unmold the flat-topped cake, meringue side down, onto a cake stand or plate.  Whisk the heavy cream until very thick, but not stiff.  Set aside.  Spread the lemon curd atop the unmolded cake and follow with the whipped cream.  Unmold the second cake and place on top of the lemon curd-cream filling.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

                                              LEMON CURD

• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2  cup lemon juice
• grated zest of one lemon
1.  Fill a saucepan partially with water and bring to a low boil.
2.  In a stainless bowl that will fit on top of the saucepan without touching the water, whisk together the egg yolks, eggs, and sugar.  Stir in the lemon juice.
3.  Place the stainless bowl over the saucepan, and cook the mixture until thick, stirring constantly.  Strain the lemon curd and stir in the grated lemon zest.  Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and chill until cold.

                         TURKEY, BLACK BEAN and ORZO SALAD
                      adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine
For the dressing:
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 pound orzo

• 4 cups poached turkey breast (recipe follows for poaching)

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2-15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• shredded romaine for lining the platter
• 2 avocados
1.  In a blender, blend together the lime juice, vinegar, garlic paste, jalapeno, the cumin and salt & pepper to taste until the mixture is smooth.  With the motor running, add the olive oil slowly until emulsified.
2.  In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until done, drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.  Let the orzo cool in a large bowl, then toss it together with the turkey, bell peppers, onion, beans, cilantro and the dressing.  Arrange the romaine on a large serving platter.  Spoon the turkey salad over it and top with chopped avocados.

To poach a whole turkey breast:
• 5 1/2 to 6 pound whole turkey breast with skin and bone (I purchased a 3 pound half breast and followed the same instructions, halving all of the other ingredients)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons distilled white wine vinegar

   In a deep kettle, combine the turkey breast with enough cold water to cover it by 1-inch and remove the turkey breast.  To the kettle add the onion, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and the vinegar.  Bring the mixture to a boil and add salt to taste.  Return turkey breast to the kettle and poach it, covered, at a bare simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove kettle from heat and let the turkey breast cool in the liquid, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, and drain, discarding the other ingredients.

It was time to finally make this Corn Risotto.  I had the recipe filed away for over 20 years (and possibly closer to 30).  It had always sounded good, so I don't know why it took me until last week to finally get around to making it.  I served it alongside breaded chicken cutlets, added my homemade baguette and poured a glass of wine.  I'll be making this again soon. 

                                        CORN RISOTTO

• 3 cups corn kernels (from about 4 ears of corn) or frozen, thawed
• 1/8 cup unsalted butter
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups (or more) chicken broth or stock
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Purée 2 cups corn kernels in a blender.  Set aside.
2.  Melt butter, along with olive oil, in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped shallots and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the arborio rice and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.  Add the dry wine and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes.  Add 3 cups chicken broth and cook 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Increase heat and boil until the rice is thick and creamy., stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes total.  Add the corn purée, remaining 1 cup corn kernels and the freshly grated Parmesan.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Thin rice with more chicken broth, if necessary.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Did you know that wild rice has twice the amount of protein as brown rice?  Actually a marsh grass instead of a rice, it is also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin E and phosphorus.  I tend to use wild rice more in the spring and summer months to make various salads and always after Thanksgiving when there are left-overs for a big pot of turkey-wild rice soup.  But after learning about these health benefits, I plan to use it more often in my cooking.  It's also low-calorie:  One cup of cooked wild rice has approximately 130 calories.  Best part though is its nutty taste!

If I have the time, I'll double the ingredients in this recipe for Wild Rice and Apple Griddle Cakes.  Great served alongside chicken, beef or pork,  any left-over griddle cakes are delicious warmed the next morning and served with pure maple syrup for breakfast!

                         WILD RICE and APPLE GRIDDLE CAKES

• 1/3 cup raw wild rice
• 2 scallions
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 small, tart apples
• 3 tablespoons butter
   Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
   Addition butter for the griddle

1.  Cook the wild rice in boiling, salted water, partly covered, until tender, about 30 - 45 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.
2.  Mince the scallions.  Chop the pecans.  Peel, core and dice the apples.  Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the wild rice, scallions, pecans and apples.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté lightly for 2 to 3 minutes.  Cool.
3.  Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.  Stir in the cornmeal.  Lightly beat the egg, add to the dry ingredients along with the milk, and stir until the batter is creamy and free of any lumps.  Add the rice mixture.
4.  Butter and heat a griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat.  Drop the batter by tablespoons onto the griddle or pan.  Turn when golden brown on the bottom and continue to cook until the second side is golden.

   The hardest part about making this dish is deciding on which red wine to pilfer from my husband's stash.  When I originally made this  Cottage Pie in December after seeing it on Serious Eats, I substituted red wine for the beef beef broth called for in the recipe.  I have since made it several times (it is seriously-good comfort food), always adding wine.  I'm embarrassed to say, I haven't done a very good job of educating myself on the various types of red and white wines.  That's always been my husband's job (and love), and he's very good at it.  I'm just pretty happy with anything that comes across my plate, or empties into my wine glass.

This lack of information has resulted in some expensive mistakes in the kitchen (if that's how you want to look at it).  I can always tell by the level of pain on my husband's face when he sees the opened bottle of red on the kitchen counter, whether or not I  grabbed a pricey wine.  But hey, whatever I was cooking up tasted really, really good!

I have also been using ground venison when making this and I am sorry to say, with this Cottage Pie I used my last package.

                                           COTTAGE PIE
          adapted from a recipe on Serious Eats, 17 December 2008

• 2-3 cups mashed potatoes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 pound ground chuck, bison, or venison
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup red wine (I love Conquista's Malbec from Argentina)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2-3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

1.  Preheat the oven to 400˚F.  Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chopped onions, carrots and celery.  Cook until softened, about 15 minutes.  Add the ground meat.  Cook until well-browned, about 10-15 minutes.
2.  Sprinkle flour atop the meat and vegetables.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.  Add the wine, thyme, rosemary and nutmeg.  Stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened.  Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. 
3.  Scoop the mixture into a gratin dish and spread it out into an even layer.  Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and spread out evenly.  Make little patterns with a fork all over the potatoes to create a rough surface.  Dot with butter.  Place in the oven and cook for 35 minutes.  Remove, let cool for several minutes and serve.

I spent a little too much time on this cake yesterday.  Not having the 2-quart tube pan that was called for in this recipe, I used a 4-quart.  That resulted in a rather short, but at the same time, good-tasting cake.  I, however, envisioned a taller cake.  One that would look lovely atop the small vintage glass cake stand with a hand-blown dome my sister gave me several years ago.  That meant I had to rig-up my own little tube pan.  I took a French Charlotte Mold with a diameter of 6 1/2-inches and positioned a cannoli form in the center.  I mixed up some more batter and baked cake #2.  This time I got exactly what I wanted.

Once the cake had cooled, I start making the Brown Sugar Icing.  The ingredients are boiled until they register 238˚ (or soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer.  The mixture is then quickly poured into the bowl of a stand mixer and beaten at high speed until spreading consistency.  Everything seemed to be going perfectly fine until the butter separated from the sugar which left me with hard clumps floating in liquid fat.  I puzzled over this for quite a while and finally decided to try it a second time.  Icing #2:  This time I used an instant read thermometer alongside the candy thermometer and discovered the latter was off about 20 degrees (must have been that fall on the kitchen floor several weeks ago).  As much as I love being in my kitchen, not even I want to be in there doing everything twice.  It did, however, end up being a delicious cake; perfect after roast chicken on a very cold winter's night.

                      APPLESAUCE CAKE with BROWN SUGAR ICING
                              adapted from Gourmet Magazine
For the cake
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 cup chopped pecan (or substitute currants as I did in one of the cakes)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup applesauce
For the icing
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Make the cake:  Into a bowl sift together 1 3/4 cups of the flour, the cinnamon, the cloves, the salt, the baking soda, and the baking powder.  In a small bowl toss the pecans with the remaining 1/4 cup flour.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar, add the egg and the vanilla, and beat the mixture until it is combined well.  Beat in the applesauce, add the flour mixture gradually, beating just until combined, and stir in the pecan mixture.  Transfer the batter to a well buttered and floured 1 1/2- to 2-quart tube or bundt pan and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350˚F oven for approximately 45 minutes (it took 60 minutes on my second cake baked in the small Charlotte mold).  A wooden skewer should come out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.
2.  Make the icing:  In a heavy saucepan combine the brown sugar, the cream, and the butter; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until all of the butter has melted.  Boil until it registers 238˚F on a candy thermometer.  Transfer the icing immediately to the bowl of an electric mixer, beating until if is spreading consistency, and beat in the vanilla. 
3.  Working VERY quickly with a knife dipped in hot water, spread the icing over the cake.  The icing hardens as it cools. 

   I think everyone wants a change of diet in January after all of the caloric food and drink consumed during the holidays.  My thoughts turn to citrus sorbets, tropical fruit salads, and healthy vegetables.  But...  It's January.  It's Minnesota.  It's cold.  The thermometer won't even register above zero today and all I want is comfort food to warm my body.  This Split Pea Soup with Smokey Ham meets my criteria.  I suggest doubling the recipe.  It will disappear quickly. 

                         SPLIT PEA SOUP with SMOKED HAM
                     adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse

• 1 pound dried split peas
• 2 ham hocks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 pound smoked ham, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1.  Place the peas in a large bowl, cover with cold water by 2-inches and soak 8 hours or overnight.  Drain the peas and set aside.
2.  Score the ham hocks.  Place in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 1 hour.  Drain and set aside.
3.  In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring, for two minutes.  Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring, until just soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
4.  Add the ham hocks and ham and cook, stirring until beginning to brown.  Add the drained peas, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add 8 cups of water, the bay leaf and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.  Add more water as needed if too thick or too dry.
5.  Serve soup with homemade croutons:  Heat a very good extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet and add cubes of good quality bread.  Stir occasionally until golden brown.  Sprinkle with a good dose of kosher salt.