Give me these and a cup o’ coffee and I’m good…

I made these last night.  I was very intrigued by the idea of savory shortbread.  It did not disappoint.  If you are looking for sweet shortbread…this isn’t it.  This is a buttery delicious parmesean-y shortbread stick.  Sit down with these and a great cup of coffee…NIRVANA!

Parmesan Shortbread with Fennel and Sea Salt

Any salty hard cheese, such as an aged Manchego, Grana  Padano, or Mimolette, would be a fine substitute for the Parmesan. This recipe  is from Caitlin Williams Freeman’s upcoming cookbook, The Blue Bottle Craft  of Coffee.

Makes 18

Recipe by Caitlin  Williams Freeman of Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco,  CA

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room  temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more
• 1cup finely grated Parmesan (about 2  ounces)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt or other coarse  salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive  oil

Preparation

• Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a medium bowl on low  speed until smooth, 1–2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, pepper, and kosher salt.  Reduce speed to medium and beat, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until  light and fluffy, 4–5 minutes. Add flour and cheese. Reduce mixer speed to low  and beat mixture just until dough comes together.
• Wrap dough in plastic and flatten  into a rectangle. Chill  until firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 5  days ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before  continuing.
• Place fennel seeds in a resealable plastic freezer bag.  Coarsely crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet. Alternatively,  pulse in a spice mill until coarsely crushed. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in  sea salt. Set fennel salt aside.
• Arrange a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°. Line a  baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Roll out  dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10×8-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch  thick. Cut in thirds crosswise, then cut each third crosswise into 6 rectangles.  Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush cookies  generously with oil, then sprinkle with fennel salt.
• Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until cookies are golden  brown (flecks of cheese will be slightly darker), 20–24 minutes. Let cool on  sheets for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room tem-perature. DO  AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room  temperature.

 

 

Onion Bisque…wow…

I can see myself in my spoon!

Made this soup today and it is delicious!  I did add some Emeril’s seasoning…and a little hot red pepper.  In the end the flavor was a little strong so I added a little milk.  Best part is…this is such an inexpensive soup to make…probably around $2.00, until you add the goat cheese, which brings it up to $200!  (Have you checked the price of 3 oz of goat cheese lately?  Seriously, I need to buy a goat and make my own…FO REAL!)

The soup was so much better with the cheese/bacon topping.  Don’t skip it, or as Mr. T would say…”I pity da fool…..”

Have an amazing day my friends…

Onion Bisque

Chef Justin Devillier purées bread into this soup to achieve a silky texture. For the best results, caramelize the onions over low heat.

4–6 servings

Recipe by La Petite Grocery in New Orleans, LA

February 2012

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 cups sliced yellow onions
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 6 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 15 sprigs thyme, tied into a bundle (I used a tsp. of dried)
• 1 ½ cups cubed crustless day-old bread
• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2″-wide pieces
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Preparation

• Heat oil      in a large wide pot over medium-low heat; add onions and cook, stirring      frequently, until translucent, about 20 minutes. Add garlic; cook,      stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown and caramelized, about      20 minutes. Add broth and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer      for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add bread to pot. Let stand until bread      is saturated, about 10 minutes. Discard thyme. Let cool slightly.
• Working in      batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh      sieve into a large pot. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover      and chill.
• Cook bacon      in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown      and crispy.
• Bring soup      to a simmer, adding water to thin if needed. Season with salt and pepper.      Ladle into bowls; top with cheese and bacon.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/02/onion-bisque#ixzz1loB9SuOW