The Perfect Summer Salad: Avocado & Hearts of Palm

Every time I go back home, I go through my mother's new cookbooks and photocopy the good stuff. I got this recipe from Panache, a kosher cookbook put together by 100 young Montrealers for the Montreal Jewish General Hospital's emergency department. This was light, fast and perfect for a BBQ (see my new suburban tag for BBQ suggestions!). It appealed to Naomi, who is a healthy one, and to the boys who were chowing on dogs and burgers.

It's easy, healthy (without screaming "healthy") and impresses a crowd. I made some edits...

Avocado & Hearts of Palm Salad
Montreal's Panache Cookbook
20 minutes
Serves 6-8 people

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp dijon or spicy mustard
1/2- 1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

Salad:
Pint of chery tomatoes, halfed
can of 14 oz hearts of palms (drain and slice or by them already sliced at Whole Foods)
2-3 scallions, sliced
1-2 avocados, peeled and cubed
2-3 Tbsp pine nuts (I am obsessed with Sahale nuts lately, so I used Valdosta Pecans instead and yum! You can get them at most places now)
1-1 1/2 lbs steamed asparagus, cut into chunks (I skipped)

Combine dressing ingredients. Place tomatoes, asparagus, hearts of palm and scallions in a serving dish. Add dressing. Toss gently. Add avocados and nuts just before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Gourmet Cooking Club: Cara, Carrots & Cream Cheese

Since my arrival in NYC, I’ve joined a Gourmet Cooking Club where a bunch of us get together every month and we do a potluck dinner with a theme and at the end of the year we put together a cookbook of all of our recipes. Does life get any better than this? I have found my people.

My first Gourmet Club was last season, which was a picnic in Central Park and I made my signature Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Technically this was my initiation into the group and the Food Blog definitely gave me some “street cred”. These ladies are hardcore., as in one of them even took lessons at Cordon Bleu. Oh la la!!! They don’t make simple recipes, they don’t use mixes and everything they cook looks like it came from Jean-Georges’ kitchen. We are talking about fresh pizza, homemade fruit tarts, French Toast Casseroles… you get it.

Since my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread initiation, I have had some minor mishaps! Once my Coffee Cake broke and another time my Bubby Lucy cookies turned out limp – I killed a family recipe, brutal.



Tonight’s Gourmet Cooking Club is a “Farm to Table” theme – I wasn’t sure what I was going to make but I knew that I needed to redeem myself. Don’t get me wrong, these girls are great and we’re not competing against each other. This was more of a personal challenge (Oprah Style).



I realized that I’ve never made a real cake, like the one with two layers that you need to ice. I googled, I looked through cookbooks, checked out the archive of Braude Family Recipes and I decided I was going all the way. A standard rule in entertaining is to not make a recipe for the first time when you have guests. Your immediate family (circle of trust), your significant other, your doorman – these people are your trial and error crew – not your guests. Capiche?!



Tonight, I went against this golden rule and decided that I was going to make my first Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. This recipe came from FineCooking.com. Given that the cake is currently in my fridge – I can't tell you if it is actually good, but you know sometimes when you have that gut feeling. I will let the ladies of the Gourmet Club judge.



I am also recording the cake here, just in case the ride over to 57^th and Lexington isn’t smooth (24 streets and 2 avenues over in a New York cab is risky).



Classic Carrot Layer Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

by Abigail Johnson Dodge

Serve twelve to fourteen.

Yields one 9-inch layer cake.

For the cake

1 cup canola, corn, or vegetable oil; more for the pans

2 cups (9 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. table salt

4 large eggs

2-1/2 cups (8-3/4 oz.) lightly packed, finely grated carrots

2 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup raisins

1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the frosting

1 lb. cream cheese, softened

12 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

1 lb. (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar

4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. table salt

Make the cake

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour the sides of two 9x2-inch round cake pans, tapping out any excess flour. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the oil, eggs, carrots, brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, and vanilla on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just blended, about 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pans to loosen the cakes, invert them onto the rack, remove the pans, and carefully peel away the parchment. Set the cakes aside to cool completely before frosting.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with the mixer on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium high until blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Cover the frosting and set aside at room temperature until the layers are completely cool.



Carefully set one cake upside down on a large, flat serving plate. Using a metal spatula, evenly spread about 1-1/2 cups of the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with the remaining cake layer, upside down. Spread a thin layer (about 1/3 cup) of frosting over the entire cake to seal in any crumbs and fill in any gaps between layers. Refrigerate until the frosting is cold and firm, about 20 minutes. Spread the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. The cake is best served slightly chilled or at room temperature. The flavors of this moist cake only improve with time, so feel free to bake and frost the cake up to a few days ahead.

Nutrition information (per serving): (perhaps too much information?)

Calories (kcal): 840; Fat (kcal): 54; Fat Calories (g): 480; Saturated Fat (g): 22; Protein (g): 8; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 20; Carbohydrates (g): 86; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 9; Sodium (mg): 550; Cholesterol (mg): 150; Fiber (g): 2;



Wish me luck! Off to the Gourmet Cooking Club!

Chef Cara

Bye Bye Big Apple

Live from the burbs in New Jersey – it’s the Sparaga/Braude family BBQ . With more than 100 sq ft of kitchen, Sherri and I tag teamed the “situation” under the supervision of Mom. Everyone pitched in, including Leebo who managed the BBQ and even Chip who did the groceries. Guests included the Boidmans in check with Lilly and the Kos from Atlanta.

The menu included: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Geneve’s Moroccan Chicken, Second Helpings Coleslaw, Barefoot Contessa’s Corn Salad and Sherri’s Berry Crumble. The Corn Salad was the top contender with five star reviews from all. Basil, our favorite herb, makes this salad very summery! The berry crumble always gets rave reviews and is always fun with vanilla bean ice cream.



Barefoot Contessa Fresh Corn Salad

Ingredients:

5 cobs of Corn (substitution: 2 cans of corn)

½ cup Basil, cut into Ribbons

½ cup diced Red Onion

3 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp Ground Pepper

We kicked off the salad by tossing the corn on the grill for 10-15 minutes; each cob was wrapped in tinfoil and seasoned with salt, pepper and oil. It’s best to soak the corn in water for a few hours prior to the BBQ so that they don’t burn. If you’re looking to skip a step – you can cook the corn in boiling water on the stove top or use corn from the can. Once the corn is cool, shuck it into a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Serve salad cold or at room temperature.



Chef Cara

Steak and Pepper Fajitas

I was skimming through Fitness Magazine on the eliptical machine & stole this recipe! I made it for Cara and Lee and they both raved about it....It is going to become a staple in our house- 416 calories, 32 g protein, 38 g carbs, 16 g fat (4.3 g saturated) & 7 g fiber! Less for me since I hate cheese :)

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook time: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

1 lb flank or hanger steak (I used flank)
Juice of 1 Lime
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp mild chile powder
3 tsp oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 bell prepper (red, yellow and orange)
1/2 cup corn
8 small tortillas (I use whole wheat)
2 tbsp cilantro (I skipped!)

I also made it with my guacamole (other people add low fat Monterey Jack and sour cream, but you know how I feel about dairy!)

2 ripe avocados
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 tbsp cilantro
kosher salt
pepper
splash of tabasco
chopped tomatoes at end

Marinate steak in lime juice, salt, garlic and chile powder in sealed back for 20-30 minutes (love that you don't need to prep ahead!). As it is marinating, make guacamole!

Heat a large skillet over high heat for 5 mins. Add 2 tsp of oil to pan. Add red onins, bell peppers- toss frequently for 5 mins. Add corn and continue until peppers are charred and soft, about 3 more minutes. Transfer veggies to a bowl and keep warm.

Wipe skillet with paper towel and heat for another minute. Add remaining oil. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry w pape towel. Lay steak in pan, reduce heat to medium high and cook 8 mins for medium rare, turning once halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes! Make sure to let it rest to let it soak up juiciness!

Slice steak across grain and make fajitas!

Roast with Garlic Mustard Rub

Three years ago, I heard about Bonnie Stern, the Canadian cookbook author from Toronto, for the first time while enjoying an amazing butternut squash soup at Corryn's apt. The recipe made its way into my "most used recipes" every fall & I passed it on to my mom, who now makes it too.

Bonnie recently released a beautiful cookbook, "Friday Night Dinners", that has great family dinner recipes with inspirations from around the globe. With little time to cook, I keep looking at the very homey photos of the food and her family and wanting to start cooking. The perfect occasion came up last night when my parents came in from Montreal.

The recipes in the cookbook live up to the photo hype so far! I made a boneless top sirloin roast for the first time with a meat thermometer and all. It was not only unbelievably easy, it was a perfectly juicy medium rare with a crispy crust. Rave reviews from the Braude clan!
I suggest it for Friday nights or anytime you want to impress! Works great with carrots & parsnips roasted at 425 with olive oil, thyme and honey. Popovers would make a great accompaniment too...

My sister insisted on taking the rustic, non-plated photo..

Check out this link to see Bonnie live on YouTube making this rib roast on CBC tv (she used a standing rib roast, I opted for a boneless top loin)...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5vzp4toY1E. She is so cute, she reminds me of my mom and even pronounces "shallots" the same way!

Rib Roast with Garlic Mustard Rub
Serves 10

If you are using a standing rib roast, be sure to tell the butcher to cut off the chine bone to make it easy to carve between the ribs. If this means the roast won't stand up in the roasting pan, just wedge a couple of peeled onions underneath.

Use a meat thermometer to make sure the roast is cooked to medium-rare. (Don't take a chance after paying so much for such a gorgeous roast).

1/4 cup (50 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme, or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried
1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) pepper
1 6-lb (3 kg) standing rib roast, boneless rib roast or strip sirloin roast
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup (175 mL) dry red wine
1 cup (250 mL) beef stock

In a small bowl, combine mustard, oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Smear roast all over with mustard rub. Place in a shallow roasting pan, fat side up.

Roast meat in a preheated 425 degrees F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and continue to roast for 1 1/4 to 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees F for medium-rare. (I did a 4.25 lb boneless top loin for 5 people and it took 20 minutes at 425 and 1.5 hours at 375)

Transfer roast to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving. While roast is resting, place roasting pan on stove over medium-high heat and skim off fat. Add shallots and wine and cook until reduce to 2 tbsp (25 mL). Add stock and cook until reduced to a 1/2 cup (125 mL). To carve, remove string from roast.

If using standing rib roast, cut off bones in one piece by cutting between meat and bones. Cut bones apart and serve with meat (to guests who want them the most!). Turn roast over on carving board so it is sitting boned side down and carve into slices.

Spoon juices over roast when serving. Enjoy with your family & friends

Nigella's Mirin Glazed Salmon

We got home from vacation yesterday with a few extra holiday lbs. Unsure of what the culprit could have been; guacamole every day? margaritas during the day? vino and dessert every night? Or maybe the pain au chocolat I had with my breakfast in Mexico everyday...Was I not in Paris?

Anyway, after visiting the newest and cutest addition to the Colla family, I scooted over to the new Gourmet Garage for some ingredients for a home cooked meal. Got in a cab home 40 blocks= $27.00 and 30 minutes...go home tourists.

Good news is this healthy recipe took 8 minutes all in. The salmon was perfectly pink in the middle and the heat formed a gorgeous, sweet outer crust. I bought Nigella Express @ the 2008 NYC Food and Wine Festival "Nigella Talks". She was the buxom babe you see on TV...

I admit I have way too many unused cookbooks. My resolution for 2010 is to use them more to find quick & light creations like this one!

Mirin Glazed Salmon

Nigella Express, serves 4

"This must be the fastest possible way to create a culinary sensation. You do scarcely a thing — just dip some salmon filets in a dark glossy potion, most of which you get out of jars — and what you make tastes as if you had been dedicating half your life to achieving the perfect combination of sweet, savory, tender, and crisp." Mirin and Rice vinegar are in the Asian aisle of all grocery stores.

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 4-oz pieces of salmon, cut from the thick part of the fillet so that they are narrow but tall rather than wide and flat

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1–2 scallions, halved and shredded into fine strips

1. Mix the mirin, sugar, and soy in a shallow dish that will hold all 4 pieces of salmon, and marinate the salmon in it for 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on the stove.

2. Cook the salmon in the hot, dry pan for 2 minutes and then turn it over, add the marinade, and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Remove the salmon to whatever plate you're serving it on, and add the rice vinegar to the hot pan.

4. Pour the dark, sweet, salty glaze over the salmon and top with the scallion strips. Serve with rice or noodles as you wish, and consider putting some sushi ginger on the table, too.

James Beard Parsnip Soup

I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not a good photographer. With that being said, I couldn't get a good photo of my parsnip soup. Instead, I thought I'd post this gorgeous photo of the Empire State Building on the night of Thanksgiving.

I found this recipe on the James Beard House's email blast and stumpled upon it as the summer was drawing to a close. This soup is great for fall and would be a great way to start Thanksgiving. While the soup has the velvety texture of a butternut squash soup, it has a taste uniquely of its own. The roasted parsnips yield a subtle, yet sweet taste. I enjoyed, hope you do too! The recipe called for a spice oil, but I don't have time for spice oils....

Mary Cleaver's Parsnip Soup

Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ pounds parsnips, peeled and diced

1/2 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

10 cups vegetable stock, warmed

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss the parsnips with ¼ cup of the olive oil, salt, and pepper in an oven proof roasting pan. Add 2 cups of the stock, cover, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and roast until the liquid is absorbed and the parsnips are a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes, then add cumin and coriander. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the spices are fragrant, then add the remaining 8 cups of warmed stock and the braised parsnips to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully puree the soup in a blender and blend until smooth, in batches if necessary. If a more silken texture is desired, pass the puree through a fine sieve. You may need to add more liquid if the parsnips are particularly starchy and the puree is too thick. Adjust seasoning and serve.

'WichCraft's cucumber soup

Last summer, I survived the heat with 'wichcraft's cucumber soup. I had never had or had never thought of having chilled cucumber soup until I tried it for the first time @ 'wichcraft.
I tried to replicate it at home with no success, a yogurty mess was in my garbage within seconds of my last stir.

When I met with one of 'wichcraft's owners a few weeks ago, I asked for the recipe. I have been working on the guy for months. I finally got what I wanteds and it called for 40 lbs of cucumbers! He told me to use a baker's formula to convert it to a regular @ home recipe....played with the calculator & an excel spreadsheet and ended up giving up. So I went to my facebook friend, Norene Gilletz, and asked her how to bring the recipe down to a normal home sized amount....she said divide by 4 and then half it..

I did it nervously cause my self esteem couldn't handle another mess up.

Good thing it tasted exactly like 'wichcraft on try #2!

'WichCraft's Cucumber Soup
Serves 5-6 people

5 lbs seedless & peeled cucs
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups olive oil (I ran out of olive oil at 2/3 cup and didn't taste a difference...)
1 1/2 garlic cloves
1 lb (16 oz) low fat plain yogurt
dried oregano
peppercino (I used crushed red pepper)
kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup red onion, julienned
1/4 cup carrots, julienned

Blend with an immersion blender & chill. Perfect for company- all you have to do is take it out!
Thanks to the fine people @ 'wichcraft for sharing their secret.

Charna’s Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Squash

The first time I ate Spaghetti Squash, I hated it. Odd consistency and tasted like a water logged noodle. In my opinion, it was a wanna-be carb that would never be approved by Chef Boyardee. I held my ground and refused to eat it - that's until I was invited over to my friend Charna’s house and guess what was being served as the main dish? Now Charna can cook, so with a bit of hesitation and being the polite guest that I am - I indulged. Wow. That's all I need to say.


If Charna’s creation wasn’t convincing enough, the next factoids might have you making this recipe sooner then you thought. Spaghetti Squash has been coined the “dieter's dream” since a a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.

Spaghetti Squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month - buy it, forget it about it and voila, just when you think that you’re all out of groceries and that you might need to order in....Spaghetti Squash to the rescue.

Last but not least, if you’re celebrating passover, this is a great carb substitute that won’t leave you feeling icky (sorry I couldn’t be more eloquent and refined).


Ingredients
serves 4

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 Package of Chopped Fresh Basil

2 Packages of Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes Halved
1 small block of Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 diced Yellow Onion (Charna doesnt use an onion)
3 Cloves of Crushed Garlic
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Clean spaghetti squash and then cut it in half length wise and discard of the seeds and the membrane. 

In a glass baking dish arrange the squash halves, cut side down and pour 1/4 cup water around it. Cover the dish tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave the squash at high power (100%) for 12 minutes, or until it is soft when pressed, and let it stand, covered, for 3 minutes.

To prepare the tomato sauce, use a stock pot on the top of the stove at a medium temperature. Cover the base of a stock pot with 1-3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and add the crushed garlic, chopped yellow onions and the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes with the lid on. Cook the onions until they are translucent and the tomatoes become mushy, add the chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper and continue to cook the sauce covered for another 8 minutes. Stir the tomatoe sauce continuously and keep an eye out to make sure that it doesn’t burn.

Turn off the stove, add the Spaghetti Squash to the tomato sauce in the stock pot while it is still hot and add the crumbled feta cheese. Stir it all together, Serve and Enjoy!

Chef Cara (see Charna's modifications in the comments)

Teriyaki Steak in a Haze

I haven't cooked in a while, so I decided to shake it up tonight. I must have been inspired by the the heavenly salty caramel gelato I had at Otto last night. Or maybe it was the olive oil gelato? So glad it's bathing suit time in a matter of days.

I found an old cue card with my handwriting on it; a recipe for teriyaki steak- I don't know where I copied the recipe from, it was definitely from one of my mom's cookbooks. I tend to raid her cookbooks everytime I'm home.

I'm writing to you from a hazy, smoky 700 square foot (it's probably 625 sq feet and they're lying to ROB me monthly), but it's worth it. I just picked up yesterday's NY Times to finish it (so much stress to finish the damn thing!) and Mark Bittman did a bit about "granite being optional for real chefs". I have no fan, hardly any storage space, no outdoor BBQ but I can make it work (and well I may add after tonight's success)! So, I write you this recipe from my very smoky beefy couch! Talia knows what I am talking about- her last kitchen was a science experiment.

I didn't take a picture cause the smoke was a bit excessive. All in the name of a great meal.

Teriyaki Filets
(2) 5 oz center cut filets (or whatever!)
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp vinegar
3/4 tsp ginger
1 decent size garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper steaks. Marinate for 5-10 minutes. Grill on both sides on a grill pan.
Leave some sauce left over to pour on. I served with stir fried green beans and garlic.

Mom's Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

This past week we were in Montreal for the holidays. My mom made a beautiful Asian themed dinner for our family friends for Rosh Hashanah! I wonder if Chinese folks make gefilte fish on their new year? Anyway, I digress..

She finished off the dinner with a FIRST TIME dessert that warranted applause.

It looked spectacular and was so amazing it made you second guess Rockaberry's!

Heaven: peanut butter mousse, graham crumble, chocolate topping with peanuts....

Generally, family rule is not to try a virgin dessert for company! She did and it ROCKED the house! She inspired me to make the Barefoot Contessa's brisket for Yom Kippur in NYC this week. I have never made brisket before and am hoping I can pull it off for company! Truth is my mom's meatballs are amazing, but I have become too dependent on them for Jewish holidays, I have to branch out and expand my beef horizons.

It came from a book called "Gatherings: Creative Kosher Cooking From Our Family to Yours" that she bought in the Maimonides gift shop where she volunteers.

For those that love to bake, trust me: do it.

Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Serves: 16

Prep Time, 20 minutes plus

Freezes Well

Crust

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp margarine, melted

Mousse

1 3/4 cups pareve whipping cream

2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 (8 oz) tubs tofutti cream cheese, softened

2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar

2 Tbsp vanilla

Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup parve whipping cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

Crust: in a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients. Press into a 10 inch springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Set aside.

Mousse: Using an electric or hand held mixer, beat whipping cream until stiff. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter and tofutti cream cheese until smooth. Stir in icing (confectioner's) sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Gently fold in beaten whipping cream, a quarter at a time. Pour into baked crust. Refrigerate until set, approx 2 hrs.

Topping: In a medium sized sauce pan, combine sugar and whipping cream, Stir over medium hear until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove cake from fridge and spread topping evenly over filling. Garnish with peanuts.

Refrigerate until cold. Serve chilled. Watch guests as they ooh and awww!

Bubby Estabel's Gefilte Fish

Over the past week, after having many conversations, I was shocked to learn that most people don't make their own homemade gefilte fish. They eat the gross, jelly balls from the jar! It is those exact jelly balls that were used to haze my poor friend, Karina, at boarding school many years ago. So when she heard I was making gefilte fish for Passover Seder, she not only knew what it was, but also seemed scared for her life. Twenty years ago in high school, the freshmen had to get gefilte fish jelly poured all over them and then, they couldn't shower until the end of the day. Needless to say, her memories were vivid! I promised I would redeem the gefilte fish for her.

My Bubby Estabel, who was an amazing cook, passed away last March, but she always made her gefilte fish loaf for all the holidays. As I was preparing for the first Seder I ever made, I added gefilte fish to the menu last minute! I was in the mood for a new recipe and knew my bubby would want to have her presence known at our table for our first Seder. I pulled the recipe from a recipe book that my sister made me for my wedding shower, Bubby Estabel had given her the gefilte fish recipe. In hind sight, I realize she was wise enough to know she wouldn't live forever and that I would need her special recipe when she wasn't a phone call away anymore.

So, I called my mom to check on all the ingredients. She told me Bubby's first rule was no other fish is acceptable except minced white fish. It can't be pike or any other fish and it must be minced. I make a few calls and I live in the Jewish mecca of the world- there are no fishmongers in NYC that have white fish and have a mincer....I tried them all! Wild Edible, Fairway, Citarella, FreshDirect, fish store at Chelsea Market, you name it! Next year, per Mara's suggestion, I will try the Lower East Side. Anyway, finally I found a Balducci's in Scarscale, NY, fifteen minutes from my office. Mission complete! I got my minced white fish.

I realized when I got home that gefilte fish is so easy to make! I don't know why more people don't do it! My diverse crowd was asking for seconds and I know my bubby was proud.

We also enjoyed matzo ball soup and Linda Tischler's almond macaroons (last year's Passover discovery). I tried adding 2 tbsp of lemon zest and they were even better! A Brazilian dude at work was chasing me all day asking for more!

Bubby Estabel's Gefilte Fish
Serves 10-12 people

1 loaf pan, greased
1 1/2 lbs minced white fish (again, only "white fish" and must be minced!)
2 eggs
1 cup cold water
3 medium diced sauteed onions (in 1/4 cup oil)
3 Tbsp matzo meal
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper

Beat on mix master for 10 minutes on medium with the paddle attachment. Place in pyrex and bake for 1.5 hrs (take it out when the top is fully browned, for me and my mom, it takes 1 hr and 40 minutes, but apparently my aunt burned it at 1 hr 55- so watch it!).

Cool on counter for an hour. Turn out onto paper towel and cool on paper towel.

Wrap in paper towel, then aluminum foil and refrigerate. The paper towel absorbs the moisture. It can be made 2 days in advance.

Slice and serve with horseradish on side.

Note: If you double the recipe, you need to do it separately.

A Tribute to our Bubby Lucy and her Legendary Cookies

Sherri and I both agreed that it was time that Braude’s Bites was a representation of both the Braude Sister’s culinary skills (even if one of us now goes by the married name Sparaga) . I couldn’t be more honored to have my first post be a tribute to our Bubby Lucy who passed away this month at the age of 93. Our Bubby was known for her love of traveling, her sewing and mending skills, her sense of style, her beauty, her sweet tooth and best known worldwide by her famous White Meringue Chocolate Chip cookies that we referred to as “Bubby Lucy’s Cookies”.

Although these cookies have been a staple in our household for years, it was only a few weeks ago that I made my first batch. This recipe only has four ingredients and takes very little preparation time, but I caution all bakers that this particular cookie recipe needs to be followed exactly in order to achieve the right coloring and shape.

Bubby Lucy’s Cookies
Yields approximatley 22 cookies

2 Egg Whites

½ cup of Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup of Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat the oven for 260 F.

2. Separate Egg Whites and leave them out so that they attain room temperature. Using a mix master (small bowel), Beat the eggs on high.

3. As the egg whites become frothy you gradually add the sugar and then the vanilla. You beat it for approximately 5-7 minutes, until you obtain peaks. The batter is ready when the peaks hold their form.

4. Fold the chocolate chips in by hand.

5. Using two cookie sheets, cover them both with parchment paper and drop cookies with a regular spoon.

6. Bake the cookies for 40 minutes at 265 F. Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven for an hour, so that they become dry.

I highly recommend sampling a cookie as soon as they come out of the oven! These cookies have a great shelf life in the pantry, our mother always has these on hand for guest (that’s if our father doesn’t discover them before the guests arrive). It should also be noted that they are also low fat in comparison to other traditional cookies.

We’ll miss our bubby, but her legacy will live on with this recipe.

Cara

Photo taken on January 12th, 2008

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

Every Wednesday, I anxiously await the few moments when I can read the New York Times' Wednesday Dining column. I really enjoy Mark Bittman's column and think he resonates with his readers, food lovers that don't necessarily have all day to make a dish from Gourmet magazine; he keeps it simple. This summer, he did a brilliant feature called "101 Simple Meals, ready in 10 minutes or less", I picked up a few tricks to get a healthy dinner on the table very quickly post work.

On January 9th, The Times printed the recipe for a Red Lentil Soup with Lemon by Melissa Clarke. Her article described how she tried the awe inspiring soup at a friend's and convinced me this soup was special enough to try right away. By Saturday, my hand blender was out of the closet! I doubled the recipe and have been enjoying it for weeks.

It is perfect: it's aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, healthy, tasty and has a great texture and a nice zing of cumin & lemon.

Red Lentil Soup With Lemon
New York Times 1/9/08
Time: 45 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
4. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
5. Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

Yield: 4 servings. I doubled it. It also freezes well.

My Chanukah Miracle

Last week, we hosted a small Chanukah party for our family. We fried up the annual latkas, made my trustworthy meatballs and roasted cauliflower, one of my favorite new roasted veggies, especially with a bit of curry powder.

At the last minute, I decided to try rugelach, an experiment given that I had never done it before. I generally don't make it a habit to try new recipes on guests, but Tally Abecassis tried them before me and said they were delicious....PLUS they are an Ina Garten recipe, they never fail. Barefoot Contessa outdid herself again, she made these bakery quality rugelach on her "holidays" episode with brisket and chopped liver...been meaning to try her brisket as well. My mother in law and husband had 5 a piece.....

Equipment: baking sheets, parchment paper, rolling pin, KitchenAid

Rugelach
Barefoot Contessa Parties
Makes 48 Cookies

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle (rolling out dough is hell!). Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Enjoy! They are delicious.

Berries in Bronxville

Chris, Karina, Lisa and I
Berry Crumble

Todd, Jorge, Adam, Steve, Josh and Lee

About two years ago, Lisa, a friend from my old job, and her husband, Steve, hosted a bunch of friends from work to a beautiful dinner party. She set a high standard for entertaining; great food and a beautiful table. Two years have past and many dinner parties later, the inevitable has happened. Chris and Josh sold out and moved to Pelham. Three months ago, Karina and Jorge off to Bronxville. Now, Lisa and Steve are moving to a suburb of Boston. The last 4 stand strong. Todd and Adam are safe for a little while longer.


Our diverse crew is headed to the burbs and even worse, they are trying to PUSH the burbs on anyone who will listen. Our friends, Karina and Jorge, have become real estate agents. "Why do you live in the city? If you lived in the burbs, Lee could be closer to golf, you could have a big kitchen and Lee could still lie on the couch all day!"A great pitch, but not so fast....Although, the stench from grilling in my apartment is getting old.


Last night, Karina and Jorge had a lovely party to say goodbye to Lisa & Steve. Karina made a beef tenderloin with olive oil and rosemary that was cooked to perfection. Along side, she served a fabulous spring mix salad with pine nuts and pears and Persian rice with cherries (mmm... for those Venezuelan Persian friends!).

Earlier yesterday, my 9-year old niece, Stacie, and I baked a berry crumble for dessert. I first made this over two years ago for a bridal shower to rave reviews and haven't made it in a long time. It's easy to make and is a perfect summer dessert with vanilla ice cream and/or some whipped cream! It looks so good in this picture thanks to Todd, who taught me that you don't take pictures of your food with a flash. Ooops.

Mixed Berry Creme Fraiche Crumble
FoodNetwork.com, Serves 8

4 cups mixed berries (I used 3 packages of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup creme fraiche*
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup melted butter

*If you can't find creme fraiche, you can substitute 1 cup of creme fraiche with 1/2 cup each of sour cream and whipping cream; or 1 cup whipping cream and 3 tablespoons buttermilk; cover and let stand 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together the berries, flour and sugar and pour into a 8 x 8 baking dish. Spread the creme fraiche over the top of the berries evenly. Mix together the brown sugar, flour and salt. Mix in the melted butter. Top the creme fraiche with this mixture. Bake for 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown (the recipe calls for 25 minutes, but it doesn't bake enough in 25 minutes...).

Bon Appetit!

Key Lime Bars sponsored by FedEx

First of all, I apologize for my blogging frequency. The good news is I am too busy with my new gig to cook as often and to blog...maybe, I have more of a life now? Amy- try to resist. I also don't have time for pretty photos, but read the comments (READ: co-workers insert how much you liked my key lime bars) and you will see I am not messing around.

Anyway, Lee and I were in Florida last month for Grandma's 90th Bday. My aunt Beth and uncle Jack hosted a beautiful dinner at their house. Aunt Beth made beautiful floral arrangements, set a gorgeous table with tasty food and had a chocolate fountain (I got it to work!). She made a delicious key lime pie from Joe's Stone Crab. It was my first time enjoying key lime pie with real key limes. Within 24 hours, aunt Beth had stopped by Publix to pick up a bag of key limes that I could take back to New York. Somewhere between the front desk of the Marriott and my room, my limes faded into oblivion. Maybe someone wanted to make a pie, hope they didn't choke on it. Thieves! Make a long story short: a couple of days later, a FedEx arrived with a bag of key limes and a pack of Knorr's vegetable soup mix (I liked her dip recipe!). Aunt Beth was determined to get me my limes and when she is determined, stay out of her way, she will make it happen!

What was I to do with these key limes? I wanted to try something new and am very loyal to my own key lime pie recipe. A few weeks went by and I started getting scared that I was going to waste all the effort that had been invested in getting me my limes. At the prompting of Beatus and Bernstein, I was forced into action. Beatus told me she had had enough of my almond macaroons and Bernstein told me that he thought I was all talk. To the kitchen I went.

As mentioned in my last post, I just got a subscription to cooksillustrated.com and found this recipe online. So far, they are 2 for 2. Initially, I wasn't thrilled about paying $24.95 for an annual membership for something that should be free. However, if I look at ROI, this might not be such a bad idea considering I pay more than that for each cookbook and haven't opened many of them!

I tweaked the recipe by changing the crust from animal crackers to Keebler graham crackers.

The result was a tart bar with buttery sugary crust. Perfect for a summer treat and would look great on a plate with my lemon bars- a little lemon and lime!

Key Lime Bars

Cooks Illustrated July 2006, Makes 16 2-inch bars

If you aren't lucky enough to have aunt Beth send you Key limes, use regular (Persian) limes. Do not use bottled lime juice. Grate the zest from the limes before juicing them, avoiding the bitter white pith that lies just beneath the outermost skin. The optional coconut garnish adds textural interest and tames the lime flavor for those who find it too intense. I am not a coconut fan, so left it off. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan (I will do this next time I bring these to work!); you will need a double layer of extra-wide foil for the pan (each sheet about 20 inches in length) and should increase the baking times by a minute or two.

Crust
5 ounces Keebler graham crackers (recipe calls for animal crackers)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark)
Pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly

Filling
2 ounces cream cheese , room temperature (YES, I ATE CHEESE!)
1 tablespoon grated lime zest , minced
Pinch table salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice , either Key lime or regular

Garnish (optional)
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut , toasted until golden and crisp

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place foil in a 8 x 8 pan and let foil hang over the sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. TO MAKE THE CRUST: In workbowl of food processor, pulse graham crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1 1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1-second pulses (if large sugar lumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

3. TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using, and serve.

Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.

Mustard Roasted Red Potatoes

I haven't blogged in so long that I am on the verge of being kicked off my own blog by my feisty younger sister. Earlier this week, Cara proposed that since Braude's Bites uses the family name we should co-author this blog. Since Cara has just moved out of my parents' house into her own grown up apartment, she has been cooking up a storm for her boyfriend, Jon, who rates her meals on a 10 pt scale every night. I am still debating the merits of having her invade my blog.
On the pro side, she is very creative and funny. On the con side, THIS IS MY BLOG & I am not in Montreal to test her creations. Thoughts??

I have entertained twice this week, so my lack of blogging is not due to my lack of cooking and baking. Last Saturday, we had guests over for a steakhouse themed dinner. We had tuna tartare avocado to start, medium rare spicy filets with a cool yogurt mint sauce, mustard roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus for the main course and a key lime pie, fruit salad and raspberry lime tart from Citarella for dessert. The red wine was flowing, the company was great and Gioia brought her heavenly and buttery biscotti that have called my name EVERY SINGLE NIGHT since last week.

I learned when I first started entertaining that you DO NOT try a recipe for the first time when you entertain. There is nothing like the fear of the unknown and the stress that accompanies it when your guests arrive. With that being said, I gave the mustard roasted potatoes in Ina's new cookbook, "Barefoot Contessa at Home", a try a few nights before and they passed the test! This was the first recipe I tried from her new cookbook and as usual, her recipes are consistently outstanding.

Tonight, we hosted an impromptu and casual traditional Friday night dinner. We started with a mesclun salad with candied almonds, avocado and apple dressed in Nai's easiest and best dressing (1/3 balsamic, 1/3 dijon mustard, 1/3 olive oil and some minced garlic). We moved on to Moroccan chicken, fattoush and Sara Moulton's lemon roasted red potatoes. For dessert, we almost finished last week's biscotti and Nai brought a luscious chocolate cake from Balducci's.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes
Barefoot Contessa @ Home
Serves 6

2 1/2 lbs small red potatoes
2 yellow onions
3 Tbsp good olive oil
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
kosher salt and a teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (or Italian) parsley
(I added garlic too)

Cut the potatoes in halfs or quarters depending on their size and place on a sheet pan. Slice the onions into half rounds and mix with the potatoes. Add oil, mustard and s&p. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour until potatoes are soft inside and crispy outside. Toss the potatoes while they are in the oven a few times. When they come out, toss with parsley and a sprinkle of more kosher salt. Note: If you double the recipe, it will take a lot longer....close to an hour and a half.

To serve, warm in the oven for 10 minutes and you won't be able to tell they were made ahead of time. They remind me of a classy hash brown.

After of all of this entertaining, I wonder why I am not tired...it's 2 am and I'm awake....Food TV? Perhaps Bobby Flay is having a throwdown?

Ricetta Salsa Verde from Firenze

A Real Italian Cookbook

Ricetta Salsa Verde
Homemade tarts with pastry cream & cognac glazed pears served with ginger ice cream

Thanks to the man in Todd (pictured above on the right), Braude's Bites is being published from bed today as I enjoy the new benefits of being wireless. I feel free in so many ways :) About a week ago, Lee and I were invited to a stranger's for dinner. All I knew about Gioia was that we shared a personal trainer, a love for cooking and a friendship with Karina & Todd. These nuggets, along with the fact that she is from Florence and adores entertaining, convinced me that her dinner would be worth traipsing to Brooklyn for in the middle of the week. I like Brooklyn, don't get me wrong, but Lee and I are known to stay home or within a 10 block radius from our apartment during the week. Not only did I make a new friend, we also ate a dinner to remember. Move out of the way, Giada DeLaurentis! Gioia is the real deal. Before we arrived, Karina & Todd scared her letting her know I do not eat cheese. Gioia called me to better understand my hatred for cheese and told me she had a cousin that hated cheese, but if you hid it, she wouldn't know. I explained her that if cheese came within a foot of any of my senses, I would know. The Italian goddess was thrilled to take on the no cheese challenge and delivered a meal that fell from heaven (and I appreciate it!). Her kitchen was so eclectic, full of authentic Italian cookbooks, rare spices and top of the line kitchen gadgets. Her mandalin was taller than me. When we got there, there were pears boiling in cognac, tarts shells coming out of the oven and a succulent tenderloin roasting. We started with a fettucini with salsa verde that was smooth & nutty. It tasted like it was from an Italian restaurant, which could be called Buon Gioia (I don't take credit for inventing the name of this "would be" hotspot). Moved on to my tuna tartare for a Hawaiian course in the middle of an Italian meal. For the main course,we had a wonderful salad with fennel, jicama (pronounced by Gioia as GI-CA-MA) and pears with a juicy medium rare beef tenderloin and crispy roasted new potatoes. For dessert, we enjoyed home made pear tarts with ginger ice cream. The crust, the pastry cream and the cognac glazed pears were delightful....so delightful, I ate Jorge's uneaten half as well. Who says I have class?

Gioia's Ricetta Salsa Verde

30 grams flat leaf (Italian) parsley

1 large garlic clove

2 filets of anchovy in olive oil (drained)

1 tsp dijon mustard

15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

45 ml best olive oil you can get

salt and pepper

Put garlic, parsley, anchovies and salt in the blender and mix. Add lemon juice and mustard - blend again. At low speed, pour the olive oil in a bit at a time. Add pepper last.

This salsa verde would be great with pasta, the way Gioia served it, or on beef tenderloin and/or roast beef sandwiches.

Buon Appetito from Buon Gioia!

Going butternuts!

I discovered butternut squash soup at Corryn's apartment a few years back. I loved it & asked for the recipe. Since then, I have passed the recipe on to my mom who makes it all the time. Last year when my grandmother, parents and Jean came to our apartment for dinner for the first time, I made this soup. It's a perfect fall soup with a luscious velvety texture, perfect for a fall or winter dinner and will allow you to keep your girlish figure. Cutting the squash will require a good chef's knife and a workout....make it easier, spare the effort and buy it pre-cut if you can.

Butternut Squash Soup - Serves 6
Bonnie Stern

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 baking potato, peeled & diced
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic. Cook gently until very fragrant and tender. Add potatoes and squash. Cook a few minutes until lightly browned. Stir well. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Season with salt & pepper & red pepper flakes. Puree soup in a blender, food processor or an immersion blender. Add more stock or water if soup is too thick. Return to heat and keep warm.

Optional: Bonnie Stern suggested taking 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, adding some water and making a tomato paint for each serving of the soup (swirls, polk-a-dots). Many restaurants serve the soup with a dollop of creme fraiche.