An Old Trick.....Supersized

Corn and quinoa chowda

Corn & Quinoa Chowder

3 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 large finely chopped leeks (a couple onions will work fine)
2-3 finely diced celery stalks (think small bits here)
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into tiny bits
~1/4 tsp salt, you’ll have to tweak this some to taste
1/4 Cup millet
1/2 Cup quinoa, rinsed (not the red stuff)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 Cups frozen or fresh corn kerlels
4 Cups veggie stock (or water, chicken stock, etc…)
1 Cup heavy cream
Green onion bits to top

it yourself a big ole’ pot. Heat the oil/butter and toss in the onions, celery and carrots cooking until soft. Pour in 3 cups of the stock, add the millet then bring the whole mess to a boil. Add the quinoa and thyme and reduce to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes until the quinoa is done. It will be clearish when ready, not white in the middle. It does have a little curved ‘tail’ that will remain white, don’t try and cook that until clear, it’ll take a lifetime.

While that is cooking, put 3 cups of the corn into a food processor (or blender) with the remaining cup of stock and process until fairly smooth. Add the corn mush and reserved cup of kernels back to the chowder pot and salt to taste simmering for another 5 minutes or as needed to make sure the grain is all cooked. Stir in the cream and an extra cup of water or two if it looks too thick. I think I would up adding about another cup and a half. If you want to keep the fat down, you could skip the cream and just use a couple cups of skim milk, the end result won’t be too much different. And I should add, like all good soups this one continues to improve after a day or two (if it lasts that long).

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Redemption in a chocolate cake

ngredients

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

1 whole egg

1 egg separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg white

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup plus  1/2 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup low-fat (1 percent) milk

Serves 12. Make one day before serving.

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray the sides of a round pan -- 8 inches, 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep -- with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Combine 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk in a small bowl with the vanilla. Place the two egg whites in a medium bowl with the cream of tartar. Set all three bowls aside.

Combine the cocoa, flour and 2/3 cup sugar in a 1- to 1 1/2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisk in enough of the milk (about half) to form a smooth paste. Mix in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent burning, especially around the edges, until mixture begins to simmer.  Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes. Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla mixture. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape mixture into the cake pan and smooth the top. Set cake pan in a baking pan or skillet at least two inches wider than the cake pan and place on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water from the kettle into the baking pan to come about a third to halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for exactly 30 minutes. The surface of the torte will spring back when very gently pressed but it will still be quite gooey inside. Remove cake pan water pan from oven. Remove cake pan from the water and cool completely on a rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving. (May be frozen up to two months.)

To serve, unmold by sliding a thin knife around the sides. Place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper on top of torte. Place a plate on top of the wax paper and invert torte onto plate. Remove pan and peel away paper liner. Turn torte right side up again and remove wax paper. 

Serve with raspberry sauce, if desired. (Thaw frozen raspberries and puree with sugar to taste.)