A MEDLEY OF FLAVORS

Tomato Soup with Orange and Cream

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 6 medium-large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • sour cream
  • fresh thyme leaves, or parsley, chopped

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, baking soda, and thyme. Simmer the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until mixture reduces and thickens slightly. Stir in the chicken broth, cream, orange juice concentrate and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup over low heat for for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Serve the soup hot or cold. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and thyme leaves or chopped parsley. Serves 4.

Beef Summer Salad with Garlic and Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 1 head bibb or leaf lettuce
  • 12 to 16 ounces cold deli roast beef (rare if possible), cut into
  • 1-inch pieces
  • 6 to 8 small new potatoes cooked in their jackets, cooled and sliced
  • 1 cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 medium onions (sweet variety), thinly sliced into rings
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 6 hard-cooked eggs

Ingredients: Garlic and Herb Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • pinch salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Wash the lettuce, then drain well or spin in a salad spinner to remove most of the moisture. Wrap the lettuce in damp paper towels and refrigerate briefly to crisp.

To prepare the salad, tear the lettuce leaves and place them in a large salad bowl. Add the beef, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, capers and parsley. Chop 2 of the hard-cooked eggs and add them to the salad. Slice the remaining 4 eggs and reserve for garnish.

Garlic and Herb Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, garlic, thyme and salt. Whisk in the olive oil and grapeseed oil.

Just before serving, drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange the salad on salad plates and garnish with the reserved hard-cooked egg slices. Serves 6 to 8.

Butterscotch Pudding

Ingredients

  • 3 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla extract (optional)

Rinse a heavy nonreactive saucepan with cold water, then shake out excess water (this helps prevent the milk from scorching). Add 2 1/2 cups of the milk and heat over medium heat until hot and steamy, but not boiling.

While the milk is heating, pour the remaining 1/2 cup of milk into a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks, brown sugar and cornstarch. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Slowly pour about 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisk vigorously. Repeat the process 2 more times. Pour the warmed egg mixture into the pan of the remaining hot milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly (be sure to stir the edges of the pan) for 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and boils gently. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract.

Pour the pudding through a strainer into a clean bowl to remove any curdled egg. Spoon the pudding into 4 to 6 dessert dishes, or glass sundae dishes. To prevent a pudding "skin" from forming, lay a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Chill for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Serve the pudding topped with whipped cream, if desired. Serves 4 to 6.

Recipes by Dr. Scott McBride Smith, President of the International Institute for Young Musicians, http://www.iiym.com .

Asian Tea Eggs

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons oolong tea (black tea works as well)
  • 3 tablespoon five-spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt

To hard-cook the eggs, place them in a single layer in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. When the water boils, cover and remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain off the hot water and cover the eggs with cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle. When the eggs are cool, gently tap them on all sides, top and bottom, with the back of a tablespoon so that the shells are evenly cracked. (This should create a spider web-like appearance.) Do not peel the eggs.

Combine 6 cups of water, soy sauce, tea, five-spice powder and salt in the pot or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium Ðhigh heat. Carefully lower the eggs into the simmering liquid. If the liquid does not cover the eggs entirely, add more water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer the eggs for 3 to 4 hours hour. Drain the eggs, cool briefly and peel them. Serve the tea eggs whole, halved or sliced as an hors d'oeuvre or snack. Serves 6 to 12.

Recipe for Asian Tea Eggs by John Bond.

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