Pureed Beet and Ginger Soup (page 52)

I can't believe it has been more than 6 months since my last posting.  Not coincidently, this corresponds almost exactly with the length of time we've been remodeling our house.

It has been a cold winter so soup sounded particularly appetizing.  Unfortunately, this recipe did nothing for me.  The preparation is straightforward and fairly quick.  Basically you chop, simmer, blend and serve.  The result is a red broth with tiny bits of onion and ginger that don't get fully pureed--not a pleasing texture.  Also, I was expecting something thicker and hardier.  However, my husband--who is a beet lover--drank it out of a mug and said he enjoyed it. 

The bottom line:  If the idea of beet consomme' appeals to you, strain the broth before serving to remove the bits.

Wolfgang's Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burger with a Port and Green Peppercorn Sauce (page 216)

Although attributed to Wolfgang, this recipe is classic Hamersley--a few top quality ingredients, minimal prep and great results.  Hamersley is vague on his description of the meat, specifying only "ground beef."  Since there is no bun to soak up the grease, I used ground sirloin.  I also substituted very low sodium beef broth for the home-made version suggested by Hamersley but left out the salt to compensate.  Skillet cooked for 10 minutes according to Hamersley's directions, these burgers were succulent.  Hamersley suggests a salad on the side but I would opt for pomme frites to soak in the sauce. 
The bottom line:  Who needs a bun when you have this burger!?!

Whole Red Snapper with Shiitake Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts and Sugar Snap Peas (page 168)

I made this recipe in the Spring, when Costco typically offers two whole red snappers to Hamersley's specifications: 1 1/2 pounds each, cleaned and scaled, with heads and tails intact.  Costco also stocks fresh sugar snap peas--another essential ingredient--at this time.  After a trip to the Fresh Market for the other fresh produce (note: I substituted fresh shiitake mushrooms), I was ready to begin.

This recipe is not typical Hamersley.  The ingredient list is two columns long and considerable time is needed for all of the chopping and slicing.  After all that, I didn't love it. 

First, the appearance of whole fish is not aestically pleasing to my eye.  Instead, it makes me feel like a cannibal. Also, the broth is way too salty.  With half the country suffering from high blood pressure, a sauce with 1/4 cup of soy sauce per person seems unwise.  The vegetables and fish (head and tail removed) were just OK. 

The bottom line:  Whole fish creeps me out!  If that is not enough to scare you away, consider the salt content. 

Seared Chicken Livers with Angel Hair Pasta, Peanuts, and Cucumber (page 130)

The only reason I decided to try this recipe was the leftover chicken livers from the chicken liver mousse.  Reading the ingredient list did not make me salivate; it made me want to turn the page.  Angel hair pasta with peanut butter didn't sound the least bit appetizing. However, because I am committed to making all 150 recipes in this cookbook, I gave it a try and was pleasantly surprised.  Think "spicy Thai noodles" not Angel Hair Pasta.

If you make this recipe, be sure to follow Hamersley's instruction to "have all the ingredients ready to go and  in front of you before you start cooking; once you turn on the heat, it comes together really fast."  Allow about an hour for the prep and cooking. 

I'm not sure if chicken livers are a Thai ingredient, but both the flavor and texture go well with the bite of the peanut sauce. I didn't love the cucumbers though.  If I made this again, I would use the whole Napa cabbage and leave the cucumbers out.  Also, I am not sure why it is necessary to make twice as much peanut sauce as you need for the pasta.  If you like this recipe, freeze the other half for another go round or use it as a grilling sauce to make a chicken sate. 

The bottom line:  Tasty but a lot of prep for what you get.  If you crave Thai noodles, take-out is faster and just as good.  However, the peanut sauce will become a staple at my house for grilled chicken. 

Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Potato Tart (page 119)

One rainy Sunday in search of ingredients for brunch, I peered into the frig and spotted two leftover baked potatoes.  With Hamersley's help, I was on my way to an inspired meal.

This isn't your eat and run breakfast. Even though I cheated and substituted a Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust for Hamersley's Bistro Tart dough and even though the baked potatoes were already cooked, this still took well over an hour to prepare.  My only criticism of the recipe is the usual:  "2 russet potatoes" is too vague although Hamersley does hedge by saying "you may not need to use all of the potatoes."   Unless you are using left over potatoes and don't care about waste, I would suggest using medium potatoes.

The bottom line:  A delicious use of left over baked potatoes. 

Penne With Clams, Pancetta, and Spinach (page 127)

When I don't know what to cook for dinner, I grab my Hamersley cookbook and head to Costco.   This week, I found fresh littleneck clams that looked very tasty.  I have never steamed clams before, but with Hamersley as my guide, I purchased 84 clams for $15.07--enough clams to feed 10.5 people according to the recipe. 

Other than the clams, the ingredients for this recipe are readily available in your cupboard or at your local supermarket.  There is minimal rinsing and chopping so you need only allow 30 minutes from start to table.  And, you will be well rewarded for your efforts.  The flavors are divine!   I would add just a couple of chef's notes:

• For those watching their salt, the amount of pancetta could be reduced by half.
• For those who love clams, the number of clams per serving could be increased by 50%, especially if you are buying them at Costco.
• Remove the clams after cooking, and distribute between individual serving bowls--arranging them around the rim.  Then, add the penne, spinach and butter to the pot, stirring until the butter has melted and the penne and spinach are warmed through.  Finally spoon the penne mixture into the bowls.  If you leave the clams in the sauce, it is difficult to distribute the ingredients evenly.

The bottom line:  Definitely a "keeper".

Garlicky Mashed Potato Cakes (page 264)

I learned to make potato cakes from my father-in-law who liked to serve them for breakfast with fried eggs.  He used leftover mashed potatoes taken straight out of the frig, formed them into patties and fried them in Crisco in a cast iron skillet on the stove top until they were golden brown.  They were delicious!  This recipe is very similar except it is a lot more work. 

First, you have to cook the potatoes.  Once again, Hamersley is not very specific on the quantity specifying only "3 russet potatoes".  Since the recipe serves 4 to 6, I used  3 pounds (1/2 pound of potatoes per person) which made 6 nice size potato cakes. 

Next you make your garlic-infused cream--a 20 minute process.  The cream is used as the liquid in mashing the potatoes.  After the potatoes cool, you make the cakes and then chill for at least 2 hours. 

Finally, you fry the cakes and serve. 

After all of that preparation, I had pretty high expectations.  Sadly, these cakes were not much different than my father-in-law's version. 

The bottom line:  I will stick with my father-in-laws approach.