POLISH AND PIZAZZ

It is a dreary October day.  I had gone out earlier and bought myself a set of new knives and Laura Calder's new book Dinner Chez Moir, the fine art of feeding friends.  I have often watched her on TV and in the true sense of French cooking, the foods are simple and the quality is superb.  It was from her that I learnt that the French admire the hostess who shops well as much as the hostess that cooks well and let's face it, if you were to cook everything from scratch every single day that could be your life's work.  It seems my mother was always in the kitchen.  I may be too, but not always cooking.

I had no idea at that time that I would be cooking in the afternoon, something that wasn't quick and speedy.  Dinner however, is the time that I more or less go all out because I am not just cooking for myself and perhaps it is the time to sit and relax and enjoy a good meal whether it is out or at home.
I know that there are many who say you should eat like a king or queen for breakfast, some lesser title for lunch and a pauper for dinner but I wasn't brought up that way and lifestyle isn't really going to change that much.

I have to watch my weight, as everyone who knows me is well aware.  Dinner was going to be very simple tonight:  Chicken breasts with the bone in but without the skin, broccoli and some kind of starch and earlier in the day I hadn't decided whether it was going to be yellow potatoes, sweet potato fries or butternut squash, all of which were readily available in my fridge.  Then I ended up cooking Carrot Soup.  I guess I was inspired by Laura Calder who never believes in a 20 course meal but says an entree, main course and dessert is all that is necessary.

I still had tons of carrots in the fridge, along with onions, fresh garlic and a bay leaf and chicken stock, primarily what is needed to make her carrot soup.  As simple as it sounds, a sous chef would have come in handy to slice, grate or crush.  I have  made it now.  It is delicious and will serve as the entree.  The main course will still be the chicken breasts and boiled broccoli. Dessert will be a mixture of fresh strawberries and raspberries finished off with a touch of maple syrup.  You can be on a diet without being totally dull or ordinary.  It just takes a little work.

Carrots at this time of year are very sweet and easily to come by freshly picked.  Carrot soup is fantastic when you start off with tasty carrots.  I used her basic recipe but added more stock since her two cups didn't exactly cover the vegetables.

LAURA'S CARROT SOUP

2-3 tbsp. butter
2 medium onions thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds grated or chopped carrots
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
Chicken stock to cover the vegetables
Salt and pepper
a few spoonfuls of sour cream
paprika
A handful of fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Melt the butter in a large pot and gently saute the onions until soft.   I used Le Crueset to be perfectly French. Add the carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and the stock.  It should be enough to just cover the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are very soft, about 15 minutes. 

Cool slightly, then discard the bay leaf.  I pureed it with my immersion blender, something Emeril used to refer to as his boat motor.  It calls for straining but I sort of like a more rustic soup.  I will serve it garnished with a spoonful of sour cream, a sprinkle of paprika and a bit of chopped coriander or cilantro.

Now for the chicken.  I always hesitate to give out a recipe I haven't fully tested but I can tell you generally.  I have marinated it in lemon, lime and orange juice, finely grating the coloured part of the rind with a micro plane.  I added some soy sauce.  It sat like that in the marinade about 20 minutes while I pre-heated the oven to 425 degrees.  I put them in the oven for 30 minutes breast side down.  After that I flipped them over and drizzled the breasts with sesame oil, honey and black and white sesame seeds and put them back in the oven for another 25 minutes.  

Laura believes "it's a chance every day to pull ourselves out of the mundane and give our lives a little polish and pizazz."  I agree with her.  A little pizazz is worth doing.