What makes a bisque a bisque rather than
soup or cream soup?
Martha W.
Via e-mail
A). Bisque is a thick, rich
soup usually consisting of smoothly pureed seafood (usually lobster or
crab), vegetables or sometimes fowl, combines with heavy cream. The term
soup usually refers to a combination of vegetables, meat or fish cooked
in a stock or some other liquid. It can be thick |
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(bisque, cream soup or chowder) or it can be
thin (bouillabaisse or consommé). Both are traditionally served hot and
garnished with something like croutons or
cheese. So, while a bisque is a soup, a soup is not necessarily a
bisque. Still confused? Some soups are traditionally served chilled as
in: gazpacho a Spanish classic made from the season’s best tomatoes; or
vichyssoise the timeless cold French soup of potatoes, leeks and onions. |
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Folks, did you know that oregano
grows like a weed around here? Follow these instructions and harvest
just when it flowers – Cut it just about the dirt-line and it will grow
back next year. Tie in bunches and hang upside down until dried, and
store in a brown bag. Use on fresh tomato salad, pizza, sauté mushrooms
and bruschetta, but not in pasta sauce where dried works best. |
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Q). Can you help me with several
culinary questions that have perplexed me for years? Firstly, is it
proper or improper to break long pastas in half as they are put into
the boiling water? Does it really make any difference? Secondly, many
years ago at an Italian restaurant located on San Francisco’s
Fisherman’s Wharf, I had a wonderful crab and spaghetti dish. It was
baked in an individual, portion size glass baking dish and served that
way. It had large pieces of crab meat with spaghetti in a creamy cheese
sauce that may have had a hint of tomato. Do you have any idea as to
what it was or even a recipe? Lastly, also several years ago, you
presented on the telly a roasted lamb "chunk" dish that I believe you
discovered during your trip to Sardinia (or was it Corsica?). It looked
delicious! Unfortunately, I cannot remember how you did it. Again, can
you provide the |
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formula? Many, many thanks.
Your Enthusiastic, but Perplexed Fan,
Harry Keeler, Via e-mail
A). Remember, Perplexed – this is
America, you can do what ever you want with your pasta, ok? As a matter
of fact, I was taught to never, never, never break the pasta. A few
years ago I did a show with Vince DeDomenico, the former owner of Golden
Grain Pasta and the inventor of Rice-a-Roni. My shows are never
rehearsed, we just shoot and go. I told Vince we would make his favorite
pasta dish of all time which turned out to be linguine with butter and
Reggiano parmesano. Okay, that’s easy, so I prepared the ingredients and
when the water started to boil, I asked Vince to put in the pasta. To my
amazement, he broke the linguine in half! “Holy Smokes Vince, what are
you doing breaking the pasta!?” “John”, he said, “I always have broken
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pasta.” “But
why, Don Vincenso (he looks exactly like the Godfather in the movie)?”
“Because, Johnny boy, I like it that way and it’s easier to eat the
pasta as it sits on the fork better.” Folks, in any group, he is the
boss.
Anyway Harry, I know this one simple version of the Crab and pasta dish:
Crab and Pasta Recipe
Make a béchamel sauce, add some crab meat and put into a
casserole dish. Sprinkle on some cheese and a bit of tomato sauce and
that’s it.
Lamb Corsican Style Recipe
The lamb dish you saw was indeed in Corsica. Buy a whole lamb
shoulder and have the butcher cut it into 3-inch squares. Rub it down
with olive oil, oregano and lots of garlic and bake it for 6 hours at
210 degrees. I prepared this dish for Julia Child and she called it
“lamb confit”, Delicious! |
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Q). My wife was very enthused after
she watched your recent show on asparagus. She was describing an omelet
with asparagus in it and also asparagus with a cream sauce. She also
mentioned diced onions and other diced vegetables. How can I get the
recipes for that show?
David Timme
Via e-mailA). Lately, I
have been roasting almost everything. So I thought, why not asparagus?
Asparagus with Cream Sauce Recipe
Set the oven at 400 degrees. Trim your “grass” or peel the outer
skin of the stalks with a potato peeler. Toss with some olive oil, salt
and pepper and roast for ten or so minutes and drain well on a rack or
some paper towels. This works with either green or white asparagus.
When cooking white |
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asparagus, you have to peel them first. Then
boil in salted water. These guys take more time to cook than the green.
In a small bowl, whisk together some lemon juice and Dijon mustard with
salt and pepper to taste. Fold in some chopped hard-boiled egg and
chopped parsley and spoon it over the white asparagus.
Asparagus with Garlic Mayonnaise Recipe
Another great accompaniment for boiled or roasted asparagus
is a home made garlic mayonnaise. Using a food processor combine two egg
yolks, three peeled garlic cloves, salt and pepper, juice of half a
lemon, a dash of hot pepper and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard then blend
for 30 to 40 seconds until smooth. To finish, add one cup of olive oil
in a steady stream (with the motor running of course). For best results,
make sure the egg yolks and oil are the same temperature. |
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Q). We continue to be confused by the
term “prime” when used with beef. We see many restaurants serving “prime
cut steaks” or prime rib. You have been using the phrase “USDA Prime
exclusively.” What is the distinction?
Carol and Fred B.
Fresno, CA.A). This term
“prime” is being used liberally these days, so it tends to lose
meaning just like “reserve” with wines. When you see the word prime on a
restaurant menu referring to beef, you should enquire as to whether they
are referring to the USDA Prime grade, or just using it as an adjective.
The supply of true USDA Prime graded beef is extremely tight (often as
low as 1% of all beef graded in the U.S.) and that means it’s expensive.
Make sure you’re getting what you are paying for. |
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