50+ Lifestyles

Vietnamese Beef Soup

For broth
8 cups beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
6 shallots, peeled and trimmed
piece fresh ginger(about 3”) sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, root end only,
peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce *

For soup
1 1/2 lb beef fillet, partially frozen, shave very thin
1/2 lb fresh bean sprouts, washed 7 oz rice noodles
4 baby bok choy leaves, separated salt
1/2 cup cilantro 1 teaspoon peanut oil
1/2 cup Vietnamese mint leaves ** hoisin sauce ***
4 small red chiles, thinly sliced chile sauce****
2 limes, quartered Pot of boiling water

Simmer the broth ingredients, except the fish sauce, in a wok or large pot for 20 minutes.Strain, discarding the solids and return the broth to the pan. Add fish sauce. Set aside until needed. Toss the shaved beef with the green onion. Set aside. Divide the shaved beef and green onion into the bottom of six large soup bowls. Divide the bean sprouts, bok choy leaves, cilantro, mint, sliced chiles, and limes into the six serving bowls. Bring broth back to a simmer. Drop the noodles into the pot of boiling, salted water. Then take out, drain and immediately toss with peanut oil. Pour the hot stock evenly in the soup filled bowls. Add equal parts of the noodles to each bowl. Serve immediately, accompanied with sauce bowls of hoisin and chile sauce.

*Fish sauce: Southeast Asian fish sauce is often made from anchovies, salt and water, and is usually used in moderation because it is intensely flavored. Worcestershire sauce or soy souse may be substituted.

**Vietnamese mint leaves: The leaves are pointed and darker green than out mint leaves. Regular mint or Coriander may be substituted.

***Hoisin sauce: Sometimes called Chinese barbecue sauce. To make a substitute, place 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a bowl. This is the base. Then add any of these ingredients that you want: 4 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; t tablespoon honey or molasses or brown sugar; garlic powder; black pepper; and up to 20 drops any hot sauce.

**** Chile sauce: This is a spicy hot sweet and sour sauce.

Spring Vegetable Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 cups chicken stock 1 cup milk
2 teaspoons dried tarragon 8 small new potatoes
1 teaspoon salt 24 baby carrots
dash fresh ground pepper 1 cup snow peas
16-20 radishes, stems and tips cut off
12-16 spears asparagus, cut into 2” lengths
12 basil leaves, cut into slivers
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup celery leaves
8-10 button mushrooms, washed

In a large pot, melt the butter over a low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, stock, tarragon, salt and dash of fresh pepper. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another pan, cook the potatoes, carrots, radishes and asparagus in boiling water until just tender. Add celery leaves and mushrooms at the very end, maybe cook boil for about a minute.
Puree the tomato mixture in batches and strain to remove any seeds. Return to pot and add milk.

Just before serving, reheat puree gently and, once it is hot, add all of the vegetables, basil, dill. Heat through, but don’t overcook.

Spanish Omelet

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounce can chopped green chiles
1 medium Roma tomato,
seeded and diced, about 4 ounces
5 green onions, chopped
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put the cheese, chiles, tomatoes and green onions in a greased 9 1/2-10” pie plate. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and salt. Pour into the pie plate and mix everything just to combine.

Bake at 350º 35 minutes or until the center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Flouring a Baking Pan

I had a note from a lady that had tried the Apple/Caramel Cake from February issue. She had trouble getting it to come out of the Bundt pan. She needed the cake for a dessert at a pot-luck supper that night. Creative cook that she is, she took the chunks and put them in a casserole pan. Then poured the caramel topping over that and let it set up before serving. This could be dished up like a bread pudding and served with whipped cream or ice cream. I am not for sure how she prepared her pan. Bundt pans came be tricky since they have those deep grooves in them. I have a non-stick one, but I still generously grease and then flour the pan. That seems to help.

Directions for greasing and flouring bakeware: Choose the grease that you want to use. Butter or shortening are the most popular. Olive oil and vegetable oil have a tendency to pool or bead up. I usually use butter, but I have used shortening or lard. Once the pan is greased, add a heaping tablespoon of flour. Shake it around. If you hold the pan in one hand and tap edge of pan with the other, the flour will spread evenly. DO NOT try to smear it or wipe it around. That makes a paste and you don’t want that.

The grease makes a lubricant to protect the pan against sticking. The flour allows the batter to adhere to it and not the pan as it bakes.